Category Archives: The Individual and Society

Emily Dickinson Was Fiercer Than You Think

Emily Dickinson is as much myth as she is person. Watch the trailer for a movie that shows her to be a spirited rebel instead of a shy recluse. However, the truth of her character may be found somewhere in the middle.

A Conversation With Native Americans on Race

Only when we listen to a racial perspective different than ours can we deepen our understanding of others’ experiences. Watch as Native Americans share their views and struggles pertaining to their race.

Can a Video Game Capture the Magic of Walden?

Can a video game inspired by Walden inspire you to “live deliberately”? Read the article and watch the game trailer here to make your own judgement.

Mexican-American War

In the mid-1800s, President James K. Polk and his administration sought to expand American territory to the West. This idea of “manifest destiny” was one of the instigating factors of the Mexican-American War.

How the California Gold Rush echoes in Silicon Valley

Writer Mike McPhate discusses the mindset of settlers willing to take risks during the California gold rush of the mid-19th century. He ties that idea to tech entrepreneurs’ willingness to fail in the same state today.

See Why Thoreau’s Walden Still Inspires

Writer Kennedy Warne reflects on his admiration of Henry David Thoreau after a day spent at Walden Pond. View the image gallery at the top of the article to see the inspirational location.

New humanities class explores the history of the ‘self’ from B.C. to VR

A course at Yale University examines the intersections of individuality, society, and technology.

Writers Work in Mobile Studios at This Incredible Residency in Massachusetts

The Mastheads, a residency program for writers, built five small studios inspired by famous local authors, such as Henry David Thoreau and Nathaniel Hawthorne, for its recipients to work in.

Lowell Mill Women Create the First Union of Working Women

In the early 1800s, the women who worked in Massachussetts textile mills organized to fight for better working conditions.

People prefer electric shocks to time alone with thoughts

A University of Virginia study found that people prefer not to spend time alone without distractions. This article describes the measures people will take to avoid their own company.

Wheat People vs. Rice People

Anthropologist T.M. Luhrmann analyzes the independence and interdependence displayed in different cultures.

Did John Deere’s Best Invention Spark a Revolution or an Environmental Disaster?

This article examines the complexities of farming technology and its environmental impact since the invention of John Deere’s steel plow in 1833.

Course explores new field at intersection of genomics and society

As sequencing one’s genes becomes more common, the field of social genomics is growing.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

In this biography, read how the events of Emerson’s life led him to be a central member of the American Transcendalist movement.

Legacy Of Forced March Still Haunts Navajo Nation

In 1864, thousands of Navajo and Apache were forced to walk from their lands to a reservation about 400 miles away. In this recording, descendants of Native Americans on the Long Walk share their experiences and memories.

War of 1812

Learn about the various causes of and outcomes of the War of 1812.

‘In stressed times, we can take comfort in wildlife’: why nature-writing is ‘exploding’

Journalist Alison Flood investigates the increase of nature writing and reading in times of transition.

Prelude to War: Manifest Destiny

Read this introduction of the standings of the United States and Mexico before the Mexican-American War. Click the different sections in the drop-down menu for more in-depth explanations and insights.