Last month Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times wrote a sobering investigative report about the dark side of the porn industry. His work inspired some concrete reforms designed to protect victims of crippling shame and sexual abuse. But are these reforms enough as long as porn continues on? Is the widespread availability of porn, now so easy to access via smartphones and the internet, a "stealth public health crisis" as one feminist scholar argues? If so, what other steps can be taken to address it?
Tag: philosophy
MLK, Social Media, and Forgiveness in 2021
To forgive is to cancel a debt, and to cease feeling anger towards a wrongdoer---whether or not they have repented. Wouldn't this go a long way in breaking the hate cycle that infects our divided culture, both in person and online? The question is fraught with complexity, and yet perhaps no one in history was better equipped to answer it than Martin Luther King, Jr. It's worth reflecting on his insights as we honor his legacy and look ahead at 2021.
The Naive Optimism of Reading Challenging Books
With the new year comes new resolutions, a common one being to read new books that challenge you. The idea is that doing so will expand your mind, make you a better person. But is that the inevitable outcome of such an endeavor? English professor Micah Mattix doesn't think so.
True Solitude Is Not Retreat
With COVID we have more opportunities for solitude than ever before, and artists of all people should be grateful for that. Right? Well ... what if solitude is less about isolation from the world so you can paint or write, and more about a process of "concentrated fascination" that leads to the production of art not only for yourself but for the common good?
How to Be Brave in a Pandemic
What is courage, and how do we get more of it to face the difficult days ahead? Insights from sci-fi, art, and social activism.
Forget Thyself
"The self-forgetful person would never be hurt particularly badly by criticism. It would not devastate them, it would not keep them up late, it would not bother them. Why?"
Cynicism and Joy
In two paragraphs Henri Nouwen conveys incredible insight on the nature of darkness and light, cynicism and joy.
“Gossiping is good,” says The Atlantic. Is it, though?
An article from The Atlantic says gossip can strengthen interpersonal bonds and make us better people. I am dubious.
Does Suffering Really Make You Stronger?
The saying "that which does not kill us makes us stronger" suggests that suffering automatically produces strength. It does not.
‘Like a Pitiful Mirage’: Various Writers on Suffering and Hope
I'm walking through a trial that has led me to study what different thinkers say about suffering.
Richard Rabil, Jr. 