Twitter/X as a Bubble for Bad Ethics
Twitter’s shift under Elon Musk has distorted its role as a cultural touchpoint, misrepresenting the national discourse and leading thought leaders to adopt increasingly unethical perspectives.
The Misuse of Meritocracy
On men who convince themselves they are the only true meritocrats because women somehow don‘t understand or don‘t appreciate the idea of merit.
Why the Right Lies About Cities
Right-wing narratives falsely depict American cities as failing in order to defend traditional values, while urban residents experience thriving, diverse, and inclusive communities.
The False Equivalence Trap
As America faces authoritarianism, many intellectuals wrongly insist on equating both political sides, downplaying the clear danger posed by the far-right’s attacks on democracy.
The Necessary Virtue of Not Being an Asshole
No matter what you tell yourself, you can’t be a principled person if you’re an asshole.
Why Tech Bros Overestimate AI's Creative Abilities
Silicon Valley’s overconfidence in the imminent arrival of Artificial General Intelligence stems from a combination of limited understanding of the humanities, an insular culture, and a business model that incentivizes exaggerated claims about AI’s capabilities.
Substack Doesn't Want You to Leave
Substack is in trouble, and their recent feature releases are evidence of that.
How to Talk Yourself into Defending Nonsense
Engaging in political discussions outside one’s expertise can lead to flawed arguments and a refusal to accept criticism, as individuals may mistakenly view dissent as a political attack rather than a valid critique.
Liberalism and Sympathetic Joy
Liberalism thrives on pluralism and is reinforced by virtues like goodwill and sympathetic joy, which foster happiness and social harmony without imposing a single conception of the good life.
The Challenge of Committing to Liberty—and Meaning It
It is all too easy to abandon liberty when its practice inconveniences us.
Three Kinds of Conservatives
Conservatism encompasses three distinct forms—personal, social, and political—that should not be conflated with being “on the right,” which refers to an ideological perspective on natural human inequalities.
Surround Yourself With Those Who Are Admirable, and Distance Yourself From Those Who Aren’t.
An examination of the place of admirable friendship in an ethical life.
How Social Media Tricks our Brains — and Destroys our Politics
Social media convinces us our small communities are representative of the whole and tells us we’re more right than we really are.
Speaking Ill of the Dead
Pat Robertson’s death prompts a necessary critique of his legacy as a figure who spread hate and exclusion, illustrating that speaking ill of profoundly harmful individuals can be justified, even immediately after their passing.
A Twitter Eulogy
This weekend I deleted my Twitter account. Which is a small thing, yes, but it’s 16 years of interactions, and 13,000 followers, and it wasn’t an easy decision. Not the least because, in those 16 years, I made real and important friends through Twitter. The platform meant a lot to me. So as my little commemoration, and moment of self-indulgence, I’m reprinting below a very short essay I wrote—originally as a Tweet thread—ages ago when one of those friends, who meant an awful lot to me, died unexpectedly.
You Haven’t Been Canceled. You’re Just Unlikable.
Social rejection often isn’t about your ideas.
A Crash Course in Cultivating Liberal Virtues
Perfect virtue is impossible, and moral growth is challenging. But we can improve ourselves in practical ways, even if we can’t achieve the ideal.
Social Conservatism is Suffering
We cannot make permanent what is inevitably impermanent, and insisting otherwise brings distress. Better to embrace dynamism and social diversity
No, Midjourney (and other AI) Is Not Stealing Your Work
The argument that AI image generators steal from artists would mean that all artists are thieves.
Hate Can Be Mainstream
Bigotry is bigotry, even if the bigots are in the majority.