Economy in The 1950s
Source: Shmoop.com
After World War II the Fifties brought about a change in the standards of living for Americans. How did advertising contribute to consumerism?
Culture & Society
Humans once opposed coffee and refrigeration. Here’s why we often hate new stuff.
Source: The Washington Post
Harvard professor Calestous Juma explains why people often resist innovation.
How a Black Lives Matter protest became a community picnic with police
Source: The Christian Science Monitor
Police officers in Wichita, Kansas, met with members of the community, including Black Lives Matter advocates, to start a conversation about possible solutions to the conflict between law enforcement and black citizens.
College move-in day: What would Henry David Thoreau say?
Source: The Christian Science Monitor
Columnist Danny Heitman compares the relative luxuries of his daughter’s LSU college dorm room to what famed author Henry David Thoreau experienced at Harvard in the 1830s.
The Philosophical Differences on Immigration Between Canada and the U.S.
Source: The Atlantic
This article examines the differences between the United States’ and Canada’s immigration policies and asks whether Canada’s new program to expedite skilled foreign workers would work in the U.S.
Cities make us forget what’s great about nature
Source: Futurity
This article examines a study in the journal Science that argues that as urban density grows, humans’ connection to nature decreases. The authors of the study propose that smart city planning can counteract this trend.
Why We Won’t See More Games Like ‘Pokemon Go’
Source: Rolling Stone
Read this argument that other game developers will find it difficult to replicate the success of ‘Pokemon Go,’ which was created by large established companies and brands.
Author Says a Whole Culture—Not a Single “Homer”—Wrote “Iliad,” “Odyssey”
Source: National Geographic
The tale of the Trojan War reached 21st-century readers largely through the oral tradition. Learn about its source and why it still matters today.
Shifting Gears
Source: Political Parity
With half the population but holding less than a quarter of elected offices nationwide, women are vastly underrepresented in American politics. A nonpartisan organization analyzes ways to change that.
Pay It Forward Day
The idea of “paying it forward” is simple—do a good deed for someone, and ask them to pass on the kindness to someone else, who will then pass it along, and so on.