Summary: The revolutions have begun, taking America into realms with few or no historical precedents -- normalizing prohibited behavior, breaking unquestioned rules. Films and TV show women hitting men (even in cute rom-com couples). What happens as this becomes accepted in society? Will domestic violence increase? How might this change relationship between the sexes? It's … Continue reading The new wave: women hitting men
Thomas Frank explains how the Democrats became Liberals for the Rich
Summary: The insurgencies on the Left and Right against their parties' elites by populists and progressives has been much discussed but little analyzed. Previous posts discussed how the Republican Party abandoned America's workers. Here Thomas Frank, one of the most insightful observers of the Left, explains how the Democratic Party abandoned the progressive movement and … Continue reading Thomas Frank explains how the Democrats became Liberals for the Rich
Sociologist Wolfgang Streeck explains the politics of the migrant crisis reshaping Europe
Summary: This essay by German sociologist Wolfgang Streeck provides a look at the the political crisis of Germany -- and Europe -- created by its leaders open of their borders, and more broadly about the new form of political leadership in the West (as Bush Jr. demonstrated for America after 9/11). He provides a different … Continue reading Sociologist Wolfgang Streeck explains the politics of the migrant crisis reshaping Europe
Imagine the horrific fate of the losers after the climate policy debate ends
Summary: The appropriate public policy response to climate change is one of the great issues of our time, driving one of the longest yet inconsequential debates in modern US history. Yet everything comes to an end, eventually. This post speculates what that end might mean for the activists and scientists on each side if they … Continue reading Imagine the horrific fate of the losers after the climate policy debate ends
The coming Great Extinction – of jobs
Summary: News of the coming great extinction has the chattering classes agog with fear. But they're (as usual) looking the wrong way. The rapid evolution of algorithms, software, and robots will make many kinds of jobs as extinct as the Great Auk. This will reshape the world into a wonderland -- or unleash disastrous social … Continue reading The coming Great Extinction – of jobs