Reading List
The most recent articles from a list of feeds I subscribe to.
The uncomfortable problem with America’s greatest civil rights law
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is among the most successful laws in US history. And it is one of the most morally righteous things the United States of America has ever done. The law was America’s first serious attempt since Reconstruction to build a multiracial democracy, and it succeeded beyond even the most radical […]
The bleak lesson Israel — and the world — might learn from the Gaza war’s end
On Monday, after weeks of nervous anticipation and growing expectations, it finally appeared possible — though not quite guaranteed — that the brutal two-year war in Gaza is over. Hamas freed the 20 living Israeli hostages it was still holding from the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, in exchange for Israel releasing around 1,700 Palestinian prisoners. […]
What humans might learn from nature’s real-life zombies
Zombies, it turns out, are real — and science journalist Mindy Weisberger can give you plenty of examples of them. She’s read up on the fungi that take over flies’ bodies, partially digesting them from the inside out before forcing them to climb up blades of grass, so that fungal spores can explode out from […]
Is America on the brink?
Political violence isn’t new in America. But the reaction to it today feels different. After the killing of Charlie Kirk, the country didn’t rally around a message of restraint. Instead, key leaders treated it as ammunition. That shift, combined with a rise in tit-for-tat attacks and a politicized security apparatus, points to a more dangerous […]
Expelliarmus! How to enjoy Harry Potter while disarming J.K. Rowling.
Your Mileage May Vary is an advice column offering you a unique framework for thinking through your moral dilemmas. It’s based on value pluralism — the idea that each of us has multiple values that are equally valid but that often conflict with each other. To submit a question, fill out this anonymous form. Here’s this week’s question from a […]