How America Got Divorced from Reality: Christian Utopias, Anti-Elitism, Media Circus

Americans are inherently a little crazy. But now the crazy is being enabled by politicians in the White House and by the internet. How exactly did it get so bad?

Since the settlement of Jamestown in 1607 and the start of the Colonial period, the U.S. has been predominantly white.

Ten years ago, on Oct. 3, 2008, United States President George W. Bush signed the “Troubled Assets Relief Program” (TARP) that promised $700 billion to support banks and companies that were hit by the global financial crisis.

Have you ever considered that what you type into Google, or the ironic memes you laugh at on Facebook, might be building a more dangerous online environment?

If one word can capture the sentiment of rural and small-town dwellers in recent years, it is “resentment.”

Statues – big statues, the largest in the world – are being built all across India. Like many public monuments, they attempt to convey history in a concrete form.

The torch-lit march by armed white supremacists recently in Charlottesville, Va., continues to generate debate about how hate groups should be regulated. 

Boosting workforce participation has been the gender catchcry for at least a decade.

“A mountain has given birth to a mouse. The ‘Russian affair’ falls to pieces before our eyes.”

Last month, the U.S. administration officially announced its intention to block federal family planning funds for organizations that provide abortion referrals.

The ancient understanding of the universe was as a unified whole. Parmenides described the universe as a single, unified block of being. Then Plato split apart this unity with his ontological distinction between Heaven and Earth. Descartes’s mind-body dualism further removed humanity from nature by excluding consciousness from the natural world.

No doubt thanks to Donald Trump, Brexit, and a string of anti-establishment leaders and parties in Europe, Latin America and Asia, everyone seems to be talking about populism

It is almost too easy to bash Facebook these days. Nearly a third of Americans feel the country’s most popular social media platform is bad for society.

The term “casual racism” has emerged over the last couple of years in media coverage reporting on more extreme forms of interpersonal racism, such as racist slang and racist diatribes on public transport.

Videos showing hostage beheadings by terrorists, a photograph of a model’s emaciated body to denounce anorexia in the fashion industry or, more recently, the image of a dying polar bear to call the attention to the consequences of climate change.

Today, what can be defined as racism and what cannot has become a matter for debate. Every racist caught in the act, whether it be wrongly accusing a black child of sexual assault or running over and killing a mosque-goer, claims not to be racist.

“For the first time media is the least trusted institution globally,” Edelman, the global PR and marketing firm concluded in its annual worldwide study on trust in institutions like the media, business and government.

I would like to put forward an argument that at the moment a cultural shift is occurring, and the metaphysical paradigm of materialism is fading away. I also want to emphasise how important it is - for the future of our own species and for our planet as a whole - that this shift comes to full fruition, and that the materialist paradigm is transcended by a spiritual worldview.

On either side of the Atlantic, groups of public intellectuals have issued a call to arms. The besieged citadel in need of defending, they say, is the one that safeguards science, facts and evidence-based policy.

The internet often gets a bad rap, and for good reason. Social media use can contribute to poorer mental health in teens. It can also be used to manipulate users’ emotions, and to disseminate misinformation and click bait to sway public opinion.

In my research, I have been studying the anti-Semitic images that were commonplace in Vienna early last century. These stereotyped images served to vilify Jewish people, culminating in the removal of most of the Jews from Vienna in 1938.

When it comes to migration trends, young people aged 15-24 are among the most itinerant in Australia. According to the 2016 census statistics, slightly more than half (50.5%) of people in this age bracket changed their residence in the five-year period from 2011-2016.

A new documentary shows how one state is confronting Native American child removal. We are left to ponder: Whom is this truth-telling for? Is it to educate White people on colonial violence and how it continues to harm indigenous communities in Maine, or is it for the Native participants to heal and be heard? Can it simultaneously be both?

Many Americans may be wondering what security measures are in place at their place of worship after 11 people were killed in Oct. 27 2018 shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. Our survey found that synagogues and mosques were three times more likely than congregations overall to have received an explicit threat in the prior year.

Defenders of Donald Trump say his “shithole countries” remark regarding people from Africa, Haiti and other nations was just Trump being Trump — the president may have used salty language, but it’s really just his way of saying the United States should have a merit-based immigration system like Canada’s.

When Sly and the Family Stone released “Everyday People” at the end of 1968, it was a rallying cry after a tumultuous year of assassinations, civil unrest and a seemingly interminable war.

Fueled by virulent anti-Semitism, the Sabbath peace was shattered when 11 members of the Pittsburgh Jewish community were murdered in a synagogue where they had gathered to celebrate a birth, to pray and to study.

Leaders who value morality outperform their unethical peers, regardless of industry, company size, or role, according to new research. But because we all define a “moral leader” differently, leaders who try to do good may face unexpected difficulties.

Young men who conform to traditional definitions of manhood are more likely to suffer harm to themselves, and do harm to others, according to a new survey of Australian men aged 18 to 30

Imagine returning home to Australia or New Zealand after a long-haul flight, exhausted and red-eyed. You’ve just reclaimed your baggage after getting through immigration when you’re stopped by a customs officer who demands you hand over your smartphone and the password.

New research shows that the presence of women in a decision-making body increases the public’s perception of that body’s legitimacy, especially when that group makes decisions that have an impact on women.

When a California school principal called controversial quarterback Colin Kaepernick an “anti-American thug” for his protests during the national anthem at NFL football games, passions were inflamed anew over whether patriotism should be taught in America’s schools.

What’s different is that in the past, debates about the status of truth primarily took place in intellectual cafes and academic symposia among philosophers. These days, uncertainty about what to believe is endemic – a pervasive feature of everyday life for everyday people.

Popular ideas about teenagers are often polarized: from lazy, immature school kids who love to wake up late, to threatening gangs of youths dressed in hoodies, to reckless children who need to be protected from their own stupid decisions. None of these descriptions are necessarily wrong but they do show how many conflicting ideas exist about teenagers in society.

How should people who care about gender equality in the workplace argue their case? The most popular approach is to make the “business case” argument: that greater inclusion of women enhances profits and performance. The inclusion of women benefits the organization, it suggests, because women bring uniquely female skills and perspectives that complement those of men.

The crass, three-ring-circus texture of the current crowd in Washington recalls the degraded America depicted in Mike Judge’s 2006 cinematic farce Idiocracy. However, the English writer Aldous Huxley’s 1932 classic Brave New World might provide the best dystopian gloss on our contemporary predicament.

When compared to European Americans, Asian-American firstborns feel the additional burden of being cultural brokers and having to take care of their immigrant parents and young siblings at the same time, research suggests. The study explores how both groups—ages 18 to 25—viewed sibling relationships, their birth order, and family relations.

Nigeria and Mississippi are a world apart physically, but the rural American state and the African country have much in common when it comes to the obstacles they had to overcome to implement sex education in their schools.

The U.S. Supreme Court granted women an essential degree of reproductive freedom on on Jan. 22, 1973, by supporting the right to terminate a pregnancy under specific conditions.

Philosophers love to hate Ayn Rand. It’s trendy to scoff at any mention of her. One philosopher told me that: ‘No one needs to be exposed to that monster.’

Max Weber’s famous text The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (1905) is surely one of the most misunderstood of all the canonical works regularly taught, mangled and revered in universities across the globe.

Comparing people to animals seems to increasingly be a part of our political discourse. In a range of studies, psychologists have been able to show how dehumanizing messages can influence how we think about and treat people.

On June 1 of this year, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – or the Mormons – will celebrate the 40th anniversary of what they believe to be a revelation from God.

Recent social movements such as the Women’s March, #MeToo, #TimesUp, #BalanceTonPorc (#OutYourPig), and #SayHerName draw attention to the broad spectrum gender-related violence that is pervasive in the United States and around the world.

Since the inauguration of Donald Trump as president, members of his administration have made many statements best described as misleading.

It is curious fact that certain times and places seem to have a particular hold on our popular historical imagination. Such is the case with Germany’s capital city, Berlin, during the short-lived Weimar Republic, recently recreated for TV in the critically acclaimed Netflix series Babylon Berlin.

Clearly, we do not live in a “one for all and all for one” world. Yes, there are some hopeful indicators that pockets of this thinking exist here and there, and it is most encouraging. But, there is much more evidence that “every man for himself” behavior rules the day still on planet Earth, and this could be our undoing as a species if it continues to dominate the behavior of many humans...

Ants have a remorseless quality, seemingly indifferent to their individual welfare, their whole lives submerged in the collective. Try watching a single ant and you’ll soon lose sight of it in the scurrying horde.

Jane Goodall refers to Ervin Laszlo’s observation that most people are evolved enough to know that they need to change, but not evolved enough to know what change they need. Thus, the hardest problem of all might be, as Laszlo states, that many people, including even scientists, do not see what they do not believe.

Women’s writing has long been a thorn in the side of the male literary establishment. From fears in the late 18th century that reading novels – particularly written by women – would be emotionally and physically dangerous for women, to the Brontë sisters publishing initially under male pseudonyms, to...

Like the teens and children who showed up at the White House and elsewhere to protest, Americans must rediscover themselves as a revolutionary people who are not afraid to start over.

In the United States, inequality tends to be framed as an issue of either class, race or both. Consider, for example, criticism that Republicans’ new tax plan is a weapon of “class warfare,” or accusations that the recent U.S. government shutdown was racist.

Ever since the financial crisis of 2008, American society has become increasingly divided. In among its deep fissures, the far right has found a place to incubate and speak out.

In the 1930s, parents across the U.S. were panicked. A new documentary, “Reefer Madness,” suggested that evil marijuana dealers lurked in public schools, waiting to entice their children into a life of crime and degeneracy.

Can you imagine traveling to work in a robotic “Jonnycab” like the one predicted in the cult Arnold Schwarzenegger movie Total Recall?

Imagine a shopper, Sarah, who is concerned about child labor and knows about groups like the Fair Wear Foundation that certify which brands sell ethically produced clothing.

Is water male or female – and does it really matter? English does not allocate gender to words. Although some things, ships and countries for example, often have feminine associations, there are no grammatical rules to make something either male or female.

Masculinity is often, these days, described as “toxic”. In May, Hillary Clinton spoke at a gala where “toxic masculinity” cocktails were reported to have been served. Toxic masculinity even has its own Wikipedia entry.

Many of the commentaries on post-truth have attempted to locate the sources of it. Where does post-truth discourse come from, and who is responsible for producing it?

The word radicalisation has been hijacked by the war on terror and become interchangeable with extremism. But radicalisation is happening in our towns and cities every day as marginalised teenagers and children – left isolated from opportunity – join street gangs.

Does pornography foster harassment and abuse? That was the question posed by a recent New York Times editorial, in the wake of allegations and debate about endemic harassment, objectification, and abuse of women.

Under Hitler, Germany experienced the consequences of a nation caving in to propaganda and hate speech. This may explain its government’s urgency to enact a new law, known as the “Facebook Act,” in response to the recent alarming rise of hate speech online.

In the wake of the numerous accusations of sexual predation, the endemic issue of the harassment and abuse of women is finally causing a stir. It may seem like a new matter to some, but the coming forward of countless women has merely raised age-old questions about women’s voices.

When US President Donald Trump was confronted with the shocking events in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August 2017, his response followed his usual style: to attack “mainstream media” reports and try to reframe the media narrative. 

The word “Viking” entered the Modern English language in 1807, at a time of growing nationalism and empire building. In the decades that followed, enduring stereotypes about Vikings developed, such as wearing horned helmets and...

In the immediate aftermath of the October 2 Las Vegas massacre – the US’s 273rd mass shooting in 2017 alone – it seems neither President Donald Trump nor his Republican colleagues will entertain a review of current gun legislation in America.

As a criminologist, I have reviewed recent research in hopes of debunking some of the common misconceptions I hear creeping into discussions that spring up whenever a mass shooting occurs.

In the absence of any clear ideology associated with Donald Trump’s US presidency, it does seem he has at least one obvious priority that transcends the hype and spin: he is determined to undo his predecessor’s legacy.

The way I see it, there are two paths we can choose to take. One leads to further conflict, and the other takes us toward greater compassion and peace. I believe that on a whole, we're becom­ing tired of negativity, and we're consciously look­ing to find ways to effect positive change...

There are those who say that comparing President Donald Trump’s rhetoric to that of Adolf Hitler is alarmist, unfair and counterproductive.

Margarine has seen its fortunes ebb and flow with the tide of popular opinion. But Unilever’s recent announcement that it’s dropping the margarine brands Flora and Stork marks a new low point for the spread.

White supremacy is woven into the tapestry of American culture, online and off – in both physical monuments and online domain names.

What is the recipe for long-term happiness? One crucial ingredient cited by many people is closeness in their social relationships. Very happy people have strong and fulfilling relationships.

Extremism has always been with us, but the internet has allowed ideas that advocate hate and violence to reach more and more people. 

I’m sitting on a train when a group of football fans streams on. Fresh from the game – their team has clearly won – they occupy the empty seats around me. One picks up a discarded newspaper and chuckles derisively as she reads about the latest “alternative facts” peddled by Donald Trump.

Terrorism is a form of psychological warfare. Most terrorist groups promote their agenda through violence that shapes perceptions of political and social issues.

The children come home from school to be greeted by their mother, who is wearing an apron. They then go off to play with their neighbourhood friends, from families very like their own.

Last year, New York’s then police commissioner Willam Bratton was quick to blame rap music and the culture around it for a fatal backstage shooting at a concert by the rapper T.I. Ignoring wider issues of gun control, Bratton pointed at “the crazy world of the so-called rap artists” that “basically celebrates the violence”.

How did we arrive in this Twilight Zone, in which the norms of public discourse appear to have broken down — this alternate universe in which brazen lies and grotesque spectacles of incivility feel like the new normal?

Singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran recently announced he had quit Twitter because he was sick of internet trolls.

Civilizations emerge and evolve when they are governed by a creative minority that inspires the people. In turn, civilizations enter decline when the dominant minority prefers to follow a status quo of power rule...

Last Wednesday, on the eve of his election to the House of Representatives, Montana Republican Greg Gianforte beat up Ben Jacobs, a reporter for the “Guardian" newspaper.

In February 2017, more than 100 gravestones were vandalized at the Chesed Shel Emeth Society Cemetery outside of St. Louis, Missouri and at the Jewish Mount Carmel Cemetery in Philadelphia.

It will probably come as little surprise that recent surveys have found the majority of adults in Europe think that international terrorism is the most pressing threat to the continent.

Political polarization is largest for demographic groups in which individuals are least likely to use the internet and social media, new research shows.

I spent much of this past week in Washington – talking with friends still in government, former colleagues, high-ranking Democrats

The theme that unites all of Trump’s initiatives so far is their unnecessary cruelty.

Fake news is not news – that is, it is not in fact news, and the matter of fake news is not a recent revelation.

A colleague recently asked me how I would define “Trumpism”. Where do you start? Is it a new political ideology, or a revival of dangerous old populisms?

Rural people and issues generally receive little attention from the urban-centric media and policy elites.

President Donald Trump has shown a unique ability to use Twitter as a way to connect directly with his followers.

With congressional Republicans in the majority in Congress and unwilling to cross Donald Trump, the job of containing Trump’s incipient tyranny falls to three centers of independent power

Recent reports indicate that Trump administration officials have circulated plans to defund the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA), putting this agency on the chopping block – again.

Life goes on for the parents who drop off their children at homework club, or those rushing in late for embroidery class.

If music historians, not critics, chose which acts to induct into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the selections would likely differ, says Richard Aquila. They might even include Pat Boone.

The papers and social media are today full of claims of fake news; back and forth the accusations fly that one side of the political divide in the US has been filling the world with lies in order to discredit the other.

As the Senate hearings for Jeff Sessions’ nomination as attorney general ran into their second day, I kept thinking about the movie Hidden Figures, which my wife Judith and I saw three days earlier.

For generations, many have worked towards the quintessential American Dream, in both the idealistic and materialistic senses.

The nonpartisan model of journalism is built around the norm of covering politics as though both parties are equally guilty of all offenses.

Experiencing record high or low temperatures affects people’s stated belief in climate change, new research finds.