It is certainly possible to hope that the inauguration of Donald J. Trump will be greeted by a resurgence of the American spirit, from new inventions to a revival of entrepreneurial drive and the renewal of American industry and crafts. …
The Lone Star State is soaring
The United States is a misnomer. Despite its title, our republic has rarely been united, instead hosting an endless gladiatorial contest between different states and regions. In the early 19th century, New York and New England struggled for supremacy against …
Why normies idolise Luigi Mangione
Imagine if Luigi Mangione had shot the CEO of a company that made light bulbs, or dishwashers, or breakfast cereal. Perhaps a few ideologues on Twitter would have hailed the killing as a justified strike against the one percent. But …
Joe Biden’s pardons are a moral surrender
Compartmentalised people are difficult enough to deal with. A compartmentalised culture sleepwalks toward oblivion.
Consider New York Times columnist Michelle Goldberg, who wrote in December 2017, not even a year into Trump’s presidency: “As this hideous, discombobulating year comes to …
Is Bernie Sanders going MAGA?
Bernie Sanders has been anything but quiet in the weeks since the Democrats’ defeat on 5 November, issuing stinging criticisms of the party with which he is only functionally affiliated as an independent. But recent days have seen even more …
Let’s talk about Ariana Grande’s body
Let’s talk about Ariana Grande’s body. It’s difficult, not least because Ariana, 31, would rather you didn’t. She released a three-minute TikTok last year addressed to fans who were concerned that she was “too thin”. “I think we should be …
Here comes the anti-woke economy
PublicSquare, America’s finest anti-woke online marketplace, is spreading the Christmas cheer. It’s been hocking “Right to Bare Arms Christmas Ornaments” and, in the spirit of good will towards men, a kid-sized, ride-on Toyota Land Cruiser in combat colours — as …
Luigi Mangione is America’s Everyman
The assassination of a prominent figure in America always ends up being a riddle on the order of the enigma the Sphinx poses to Oedipus: “What creature walks on four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three …
Trump’s intellectuals will betray his base
Trump is back, as garish and triumphant as ever. But this time, and far more than his victory in 2016, he comes with friends. I don’t just mean the Hegseths and Lutnicks of the world — I mean intellectual backers, …
Gen Z’s worship of the Unabomber
This piece was first published in September 2022.
“The industrial revolution and its consequences have been a disaster for the human race.” Writing those words as the introduction to his 1995 anti-technology manifesto Industrial Society and its Future, Ted Kaczynski …
What is Melania Trump thinking?
Behind the feline eyes, the serrated cheekbones and campy glamour, there is a hint of pain to Melania Trump. She displays a vulnerability, a sense of betrayal and a frustration at being misunderstood. She has described herself as “the most …
Joe Biden’s moral void
Weeks after being sworn into office, Joe Biden made a striking proclamation. With the drama of January 6 still fresh, the new President announced that his tenure would encompass the “restoration of democracy, of decency, of honour, of respect, the …
How McKinsey could exploit DOGE
Soon after the presidential election, TD Cowen rated the stock of defence and IT consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton a “buy”. At first glance, the bank’s assessment seemed strange: the Trump administration plans to scale down American involvement in Ukraine …
Donald Trump and the myth of whiteness
Discussing Donald Trump’s election victory with a panel of TV pundits, Princeton professor Eddie Glaude explained it with reference to race. “There’s this sense,” he said, “that whiteness is under threat.” He went on to elaborate, if not elucidate, what …
Russia’s plan for Tulsi Gabbard
With Syrian rebels storming Aleppo, reigniting a civil war widely presumed to be over, Donald Trump’s appointment of Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence is more controversial than ever. Rumours are swirling that the outspoken Gabbard is incapable of …