The Tangled Language of Jargon
What our emotional reaction to jargon reveals about the evolution of the English language, and how the use of specialized terms can manipulate meaning.
Why Paul Robeson Was Labelled a Psychopath
The singer, actor, and activist Paul Robeson had a spectacular rise and then a stunning fall brought on by the Cold War's pathologizing of dissent.
The Internet Needs a “Handle With Care” Protocol
Emotion can be difficult to parse online. Why not adopt a common protocol that lets our fellow internet citizens know our emotional state?
Can We Build a Better Facebook?
Is it time to turn our back on Facebook? And if so, what social network could possibly replace it?
How Jim Henson Changed Early Education and Brought Puppets Back
Jim Henson, born September 24th, 1936, died at the young age of 54 after changing the way American children learn and how their parents are entertained.
Ronald Reagan, The First Reality TV Star President
Ronald Reagan is at the heart of the modern American politics of advertising, public relations, and a television in every home.
The Glamorous Tradition of Hollywood Lifestyle Advice
For more than a century, Hollywood has been offering Americans lifestyle advice on how to live better, and the public has been gobbling it up.
John Adams’ “On the Transmigration of Souls,” After 9/11
How to memorialize a national tragedy in music?