On the false dichotomy between opportunity and outcomes — If you’ve been paying attention to American politics for the last forty years or so, there’s one phrase you’ve probably heard ad nauseum: conservatives are for equality of opportunity, liberals are for equality of outcomes. This is a bit of sophistry designed to make the conservative position appear reasonable and…

On the moral recklessness of anti-abortion zealots — After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last June, I predicted an increase in late-term abortions. The total number of abortions likely wouldn’t change very much, I thought, but the timing and the safety of the abortions that did happen would. Specifically, I argued that many women who would…

If you think your employees deserve more, then pay them more — I’ve always considered myself a fairly generous tipper. I tip twenty percent at restaurants as a rule, and as much as 25 percent for excellent service. And I tip ten percent to drivers who deliver me, or my food, where we need to go. But in recent years I’ve noticed…

What the return of astrology says about modern culture — Astrology is enjoying something of a renaissance. There are astrology apps, podcasts, and columns in popular e-zines. Subscription-based services use algorithms to generate natal charts and AI bots to cast horoscopes. Professionally certified astrologers can make good money advising people on relationship and career choices. The astrology industry was valued…

Why a favorite conservative talking point is just a naked dog whistle — Earlier this year, Donald Trump promised that if he is elected president in 2024, one of his first acts will be to eliminate “birthright citizenship.” For those of you not steeped in debates over U.S. immigration law, birthright citizenship refers to the fact that people born on U.S. soil automatically…

What our closest primate relatives can teach us about politics — Human beings are exceptional when it comes to cooperation. We’ve managed to build large-scale technological civilizations comprising millions (even billions) of individuals, most of whom are not related to each other and will never even meet each other during their lifetimes. But according to a new article in the journal…

A non-exhaustive list — Donald Trump was impeached twice. The first time was for trying to extort a bribe from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The second time was for inciting a mob to overrun the Capitol and prevent Joe Biden being certified as the country’s next president. He did both of those things —…

The Palestinians in Gaza are hostages, too — Earlier this week, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) launched two attacks on the Jabalia refugee camp in Gaza. The first attack, on Tuesday, allegedly killed Ibrahim Biari, one of the organizers of the October 7 terrorist attacks. The second strike, on Wednesday, allegedly killed Muhammad A’sar, the commander of Hamas’…

Understanding political trends in the twenty-first century — There are many myths about politics still circulating in our popular imagination. One is that the Left stands for change, even revolutionary change, while the Right stands for order and tradition. Another myth is that people tend to be more liberal in their youth but grow conservative with age. Universities…