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Category Archives: Society
America at 250: An Experiment Still Running
Two hundred and fifty years. That’s an impressive number, although admittedly less impressive if you’re standing next to an Egyptian pyramid, on a Roman road or in a Chinese temple that’s older than your entire civilization. By the standards of … Continue reading
Posted in Holidays, Society
Tagged 1776, 2026, 250, America, American Dream, celebration, Declaration of Independence, founding fathers, freedom, hope, Independence Day, opportunity
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Beyond Plastic: Rediscovering the Materials That Served Humanity for Millennia
When I recently wrote about our civilization quietly poisoning itself with microplastics, one reader asked a perfectly reasonable question: “If not plastic, then what?” It’s the right question. We’ve become so accustomed to plastic that many people can’t imagine life … Continue reading
Posted in Science, Society, Technology
Tagged cast iron, ceramics, chemistry, cookware, glass, history, microplastics, nanoplastics, plastic, pollution, public health, science, silicone, steel, technology
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Juneteenth and the Dangerous Lie
There are holidays that celebrate victories. There are holidays that celebrate sacrifices. And then there are holidays that exist because humanity made a terrible mistake. Juneteenth belongs to that last category. But for many, Juneteenth has already been neatly packaged … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Economy, Society
Tagged African Americans, America, Civil War, emancipation, farming, freedom, history, industry, institutions, Juneteenth, oppression, religion, serfdom, slavery
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A Civilization Poisoned by Progress: From Lead Pipes to Microplastics
History rarely repeats itself perfectly, but it often rhymes in chilling ways. We often look back at the giants of the past and wonder how a civilization so advanced, so structured and so dominant could simply dissolve. No collapse comes … Continue reading
Posted in Science, Society
Tagged dystopia, economy, extinction, future, history, Imperial Rome, lead, microplastics, nanoplastics, plastic, pollution, public health, science, technology
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The Airlock Bank: When Security Becomes the Customer Experience
My wife and I are currently on a hunt. Not for a house or a car. We are in the market for a new bank. Our regional bank was recently absorbed by a much larger national institution and with that … Continue reading
Posted in Money, Society
Tagged banking, credibility, fees, fortress paradox, hostile architecture, mantrap, security, security vestibule, trust
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Hug Your Cat Before It Plots Against You Day
Last November, amidst the noble surrender of Chaos Never Dies Day, I stumbled upon a dark whispered necessity, a holiday so vital to the survival of the human race, that I promised to research it further, the “Hug Your Cat … Continue reading
Friday the 13th: The Double Feature
Last month, we survived the first Friday the 13th of the year. We checked our blind spots, avoided ladders and perhaps felt a smug sense of relief when the clock struck midnight as the calendar rolled over to the 14th. … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Holidays, Society
Tagged 28, calendar, déjà vu, Friday the 13th, Gregorian Calendar, horror, Rule of 3, science, sequel, superstition, trilogy
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International Women’s Day: Beyond the Bouquet
If you look at International Women’s Day on social media, you might think it’s a holiday for bouquets, compliments and being told how nurturing you are. The world pauses, at least briefly, to recognize half of humanity, often with flowers … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Holidays, Society
Tagged culture, equality, equity, family, gender, girl power, glass ceiling, International Women's Day, unyielding floor, women
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The Cheeseburger Constituency: Why Your Bathroom Scale Doesn’t Care How You Vote
I dread talking politics. In the current climate, saying “good morning” can feel like a partisan statement. No matter what I say, I risk offending half the room, and in a world where we’ve forgotten how to bridge the “Space … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Science, Society
Tagged causation, cheeseburgers, correlation, data analysis, economics, elections, food, ice cream, obesity, opinions, politics, sharks, statistics, voting
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Fifty States of I Do
On this Valentine’s Day I wish to invite you to my dubiously legal quest for interstate matrimony. Remember that giddy, slightly unhinged feeling when you first get married, where every grand gesture seems perfectly reasonable? For my wife and me … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Holidays, Society
Tagged bigamy, collectibles, commitment, family, law, legal drama, marriage, Valentine's Day
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