Tag Archives: History
The infinite city, cont’d: Welcome to the grid
A fascinating new exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York, “The Greatest Grid: The Master Plan of Manhattan, 1811-2011,” commemorates “the 200th anniversary of the Commissioners’ Plan of 1811, the foundational document that established Manhattan’s famous street … Continue reading
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Why stereotypes need to die, cont’d: Iowa edition
In honor of today’s Iowa caucuses, some Hawkeye State myths that need to go away (language NSFW): (via The Dish)
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“The future has arrived and it’s all about dreaming of the past”: Have we reached the end of cultural history?
You must read this fascinating cultural analysis from Kurt Andersen, who argues that even as we experience breathtaking advances in science, technology, and communications, the American cultural landscape “has been stuck on repeat, consuming the past instead of creating the … Continue reading
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The case for optimism, cont’d: “Peace is increasing”
Is the world a more violent place than it used to be? Are war, chaos, and brutality against civilians on the rise? In his new book Winning the War on War (another one for my reading list), Joshua Goldstein begs … Continue reading
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The evolution of English
The Open University has a delightful 10-part series of humorous (and, I presume, mostly accurate) videos about the evolution of the English language. It’s a reminder of just how astonishingly rich the language is, how varied its roots, how strange … Continue reading
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The case for optimism, cont’d: “Isn’t pessimism necessary? Isn’t optimism complacent?”
Paul Gilding, author of The Great Disruption, is optimistic about climate change. The coming crisis will be catastrophic, he predicts, but humanity will rise to the challenge: Historically, looking at World War II as the prime example, we don’t act … Continue reading
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The case for optimism, cont’d: “The most decadent thing is fear itself”
Andrew Sullivan’s readers have been discussing whether or not America is now like late imperial Rome. One points out: When did we become decadent? When did the fall of our great society begin? The Rome comparison is a beloved cliche … Continue reading
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The case for optimism, cont’d: The decline of violence and war
Steven Pinker makes the case that, despite the bloodbaths of the 20th and early 21st centuries, we are actually enjoying more peace and less violence than at any other time in human history: An essay based on his talk is … Continue reading
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Erasing Thomas Jefferson (and Darwin, and civil rights, and…) cont’d
A trailer for Standing Up To The Experts, a documentary-in-progress about the shameful travesty that is the Texas State Board of Education: The filmmakers are trying to raise funds to complete the project; go here to chip in. (via Phil … Continue reading
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The idea of the “fully human” (or: Get your revisionist hands off my history)
Being impressed with Melville’s great capacity for humanizing the “foreign” in Moby-Dick, and nevertheless recognizing where he falls short, reminds me of this article by Adam Kirsch — on a book publisher sanitizing Mark Twain, Congress omitting passages from a … Continue reading
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