Journalist Louis Theroux visits the owners of exotic pets to discover their appeal.
Tag Archives: Opinion
Why You Should Be Reading Wislawa Szymborska
Writer Megan O’Grady describes how she is inspired by the work of Nobel Prize winning poet Wislawa Szymborska.
Flexible Work Alone Won’t Create Gender Equality, but These Things Might
Author Brigid Shulte examines why work flexibile work hours don’t always affect gender equaity and describes four other things that can help.
‘Hamlet,’ a New Opera, Makes Shakespeare Strange
Critic Zachary Woolf reviews a 2017 production of Hamlet by Brett Dean. He compares it with other versions of the play, as well as operatic productions of other Shakespeare works.
Nurture Counts as Much as Nature in Success
Columnist Noah Smith outlines the findings of a study that shows human influence matters more than genetics when measuring intelligence and success. He argues that Americans should take note.
On Protest Photography
Writer Maisie Skidmore discusses the power of photography to record protest movements.
Casual Perfection
Critic Meghan O’Rourke argues that publishing drafts of Elizabeth Bishop’s work reveals more of the American poet’s brilliance.
The Challenges and Opportunites of 21st Century Muckracking
In part of its 21st Century Muckrakers series, Nieman Reports, a foundation that seeks to advance the standards of journalism, outlines the obstacles and advantages of contemporary investigative reporting.
Why Street Protests Don’t Work
In this column, Moisés Naím argues that in order to effect change, a movement needs more than a large crowd inspired to gather by social media.
Our privacy is for sale, we have to accept that. But what’s the price tag?
Computer programs gather information about people based on every web site, news article, or item that they view or buy online. Using algorithms, computers can form a picture of each person’s personality better than a friend or family member. Read what you should know about protecting yourself and your privacy.
The 12 cognitive biases that prevent you from being rational
We may think we make our decisions in a rational way, based on the facts, but it turns out that our brains have other ideas.
Flag Burning and Free Speech
The First Amendment protects, among other rights, the freedom of speech. In this opinion piece, UCLA law professor Eugene Volokh delves into what the Founders meant by the term “speech.”
John Dickinson during the Continental and Confederation periods
Read about this lesser-known contemporary of the founding fathers.
Wheat People vs. Rice People
Anthropologist T.M. Luhrmann analyzes the independence and interdependence displayed in different cultures.
How Jonathan Swift Attacked Fake News
In the 1720s and 1730s, author Jonathan Swift used satire to protest social injustices, balancing facts with absurdity.
What Animals Taught Me About Being Human
Helen Macdonald, author of the best-selling memoir H is for Hawk, wonders about the desires and needs of animals. She suggests we can only imagine what they can be through our own lens of human experience.
Mind Ablaze
Critic Jayne Anne Phillips outlines Stephen Crane’s life as she reviews Stephen Crane: A Life of Fire, a 2014 biography of the American author written by Paul Sorrentino.
3 Reasons Why Chinese Workers Were the MVP’s on the Transcontinental Railroad
Chinese immigrants made significant contributions to the building of the Transcontinental Railroad. Completed in 1869, their work went largely unrecognized at the time.
Are we raising a generation of nature-phobic kids?
James Campbell, author of Braving It: A Father, A Daughter, and an Unforgettable Journey into the Alaskan Wild, discusses scientific research that shows children have become more afraid of being outside and argues that parents should take their kids out into nature.
Measuring Success in the Game of Life
Po Chi Wu, a professor of entrepeneurship and innovation at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, asks how to define success and whether that definition requires people to compare themselves to others.