The Mythos of Pandemic
Without a shared mythos or communal rituals, we face not only the physical threat of coronavirus but also an epidemic of hopelessness.
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Society & Culture
All the Lonely People: The Atomized Generation
We’re not only facing a crisis of loneliness but we’re atomized. Our systems seem designed to further undermine social fabric and place.
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The Locking Spine
Eating crab is a fitting tradition for an Appalachian community dealing with the intergenerational trauma connected to the opioid crisis.
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Suspending Politics to Save Democracy
Just political systems secure the means of living satisfying private lives while political saturation crowds out key aspects of a good life.
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America Needs to Build Strong Towns, Not More Infrastructure
The key to fixing our cities, to creating Strong Towns, is to treat them like complex, emergent systems capable of iterative change.
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A Land Value Tax Fosters Stronger Communities
Not only is a land value tax economically efficient, it offers a development pattern and taxation philosophy that nurtures vibrant communities.
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We’re Overdoing Democracy. But Why?
Society has become so politically-saturated that we’re now overdoing democracy. Here are a few reasons why it undermines our institutions.
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On Their Home, Not Mine
A “third culture kid,” now an adult, reflects on the unrelenting yearning she has for home and the struggle we face to live in the present.
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A Progressive’s Take on Ron Chernow’s ‘Grant’
Individuals don’t make history but there are the “best of us” people, like Grant, who withstand the crushing pressures of their times.
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Why D&D Is a Popular Form of Communal Therapy
Dungeons and Dragons, the popular tabletop role-playing game challenges players to improve their moral character, emotional intelligence, and social skills.
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Love in the Hands of Hate Groups: The Marketing of Bigotry
Hate groups have undertaken modern marketing practices to more effectively recruit—dressing up their message in more universal language.
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