THE DIRT ON PIG-PEN by Elif Batuman Writing for Astra, Elif Batuman explores the history of the Peanuts character who travels with his own trailing cloud. I’m always fond of cultural commentary that convincingly applies broader social theory to seemingly … Continue reading Outside Reading — The Human Dust-Bowl edition
“VOTERS ARE SMARTER THAN THE MEDIA”: THE PUNDIT CLASS MISJUDGED THE AMERICAN PEOPLE by Molly Jong-Fast Another election cycle, another abject failure of political reporters. Prompted by the blundered predictions of broadcast and print pundits, Molly Jong-Fast correctly heaps scorn … Continue reading Outside Reading —People Have the Power edition
Two Weeks of Chaos: Inside Elon Musk’s Takeover of Twitter by Kate Conger, Mike Isaac, Ryan Mac, and Tiffany Hsu I begin with a low opinion of the emerald mine scion who fancies himself some sort of revolutionary thinker — … Continue reading Outside Reading — Tweet, Tweet Against the Dying of the Light edition
the smallest and most important pair of shorts by Helena Fitzgerald Look, I am inclined by my own cinematic indoctrination to be helplessly susceptible to a personal essay that sets its foundation with conflicted affection for Lawrence Kasdan’s 1983 comic … Continue reading Outside Reading — A Festival About Desire and Desperation edition
I’m a Teacher in Florida. The Anti-LGBTQ Rules Are Making the Job Nearly Impossible. by Abigail McLeod Writing for Slate, Florida teacher Abigail McLeod details the challenges she and her colleagues face in adhering to the vague, cruel, and unpredictably … Continue reading Outside Reading —Lessons edition
How Disinformation Splintered and Became More Intractable by Steven Lee Myers and Sheera Frenkel Much as I know that bigotry, cynical propaganda, and bald-faced lying have long been welcome in our broader political discourse, I swear there was a time … Continue reading Outside Reading — Untruth Social edition
Hacked to Bits by Jaya Saxena Writer for Eater, Jaya Saxena explores the culture of creative tinkerers who use the online menus of chains restaurants and coffee shops to concoct wild variants of the businesses’ standard fare. Because they post … Continue reading Outside Reading — Off the Menu edition
The Supreme Court Is Blowing Up Law School, Too by Mark Joseph Stern My master’s degree program included a class in constitutional law. It didn’t really make sense that it did, but I greatly enjoyed the class. In his lectures, … Continue reading Outside Reading — Unsettled Law edition
Guess Who’s Coming to Mordor by James Poniewozik When considering the flood of sewage deliberately pumped into the public discourse by right-wing cads, it’s practically impossible to determine which infraction against basic decency is most egregious. That, too, is part … Continue reading Outside Reading — Fellowship edition
Bus Ticket Out of Texas Was a Ticket to Stability by Miriam Jordan As a pair of Southern governors continue their base-stroking competition to see who can be more cruel to human beings in need, the reporting on the hateful … Continue reading Outside Reading — They’ve All Come to Look for America edition
