Robert Mitchum aiming gun over car in a scene from the film 'Farewell, My Lovely', 1975.

QAnon as Neo-Noir

The popular conspiracy theory has intriguing parallels with classic noir by Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett.
A poster with the famous words 'Big Brother is Watching You' from a BBC TV production of George Orwell's classic novel '1984'.

Is the Authoritarian Personality a Legitimate Concept?

A group of thinkers who fled Europe wanted to explain the rise of Nazism, but their ideas haven't withstood scrutiny.
George Floyd's image is projected on the Robert E. Lee Monument as people gather around on June 18, 2020 in Richmond, Virginia.

The Sorry State of Apologies

"Sorry" can be more than a mere word when it has real-world consequences.
Two women speaking beside a water cooler in an office

Streaming Television Might Just Bring Us Together After All

A look at TV watching as a social activity, from the "water cooler" network shows of yore to today's "second screen" live-tweets.
Young Ronald Reagan

How Ronald Reagan Was Affected by his Father’s Alcoholism

Robert E. Gilbert argues that the key to understanding Ronald Reagan is knowing that he was the child of an alcoholic.
Young Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill’s Love-Hungry Childhood

Winston Churchill started life as a love-starved child whose lonely childhood set the stage for his almost fanatical need for influence and power.
Drinking at the cafe

When is Public Drinking Cool?

The Wall Street Journal reports that property developers are pushing to allow public drinking on city streets, hoping to encourage a “lively atmosphere.”
Atomic Bomb and Mushroom Cloud over Rural Landscape

How Do We Teach Children About Existential Threats?

In 1986, in the midst of the Cold War, psychologists set out to find answers about how to talk to kids about nuclear war.
Conspiracy theories

The Philosophy of Conspiracy Theories

Conspiracy theories boil down to a rejection of the absurdity, meaninglessness, and randomness of life and history.
anxiety voter

How @realDonaldTrump Won the Anxiety Voter

Donald Trump’s evil genius lies in using the unique capacities of online communication to fuel and ignite anxiety, fueling authoritarian sentiments.