“As the news business shifts back from advertisers to patrons and readers (that is to say, subscribers), journalism might escape that “view from nowhere” purgatory and speak straightforwardly about the world in a way that might have seemed presumptuous in a mid-century newspaper. Journalism could be more political again, but also more engaging again.” – The Atlantic
Blog
There’s No Free Will? You Can’t Possibly Believe That
Philosopher Tim Sommers makes the case that, “in general, it’s very hard to not involve yourself in some kind of ‘performative contradiction’ – where what you do contradicts what you say – when you try to disavow free will.” — 3 Quarks Daily
Exploring the Four Stories
For over a year now, I’ve been stewing on and adapting the independent work of E.F. Schumacher and Ken Wilber (citations below), both of whom explore and explain what a “whole” view of ourselves and our world might look like. As I’ve unfolded it (literally) for a few groups and close colleagues, it now seems useful to unfold it for all of you for your reactions. — Andrew Taylor
The weight of being erased
Identity is the hottest topic in American theater these days, just as immigration is the hottest topic in American politics. But Heather Raffo’s Noura, a drama about a family of Iraqi Catholics who have fled to America, is nothing like the issue-driven, stridently politicized plays about these subjects with which our stages are currently clogged. — Terry Teachout
How Americans’ Attitudes About Life Have Changed (As Chronicled By 80 Years Of Polling)
“We looked in those archives to find a range of questions, dating as far back as 1938, that explored how earlier generations felt about everything from fashion to faith in Congress to fear of technological change. Then, in conjunction with YouGov, we asked 1,000 Americans today to respond to those same queries. – Huffington Post
The Paradox Of Thomas Merton
“Merton was a remarkable man by any measure, but perhaps the most remarkable of his traits was his hypersensitivity to social movements from which, by virtue of his monastic calling, he was supposed to be removed. Intrinsic to Merton’s nature was a propensity for being in the midst of things. If he had continued to live in the world, he might have died not by electrocution but by overstimulation.” — The New Yorker
How Netflix Might Change The Movie Industry
“Netflix has clearly taken over TV in the last 10 years. It does not seem crazy to believe that they can do the same to the movie biz as they accelerate film production.” – Axios
Chamber Music Collective Brings Classical Music To Teenagers In State Custody
Reporter Cintia Lopez joins members of the Boston ensemble Sarasa for one of their performance/workshops at a Massachusetts Department of Youth Services facility. — WBUR (Boston)
A Correlation Between Higher IQ And Happiness?
The researchers found that both IQ and emotional intelligence were independently correlated with well-being. IQ was positively correlated with personal relationships, self-acceptance, personal growth, mastery, and purpose in life. Emotional intelligence was correlated with the same well-being measures, but was additionally related to a sense of autonomy in life. – Scientific American
The Writers Of Four Of Last Year’s Major Films Share Screenplay Secrets
Gillian Flynn (Widows) on how to write a thrilling heist, Christopher McQuarrie (Mission: Impossible — Fallout) on how to write high-stakes action, John Krasinski (A Quiet Place) on how to write family horror, and Barry Jenkins (If Beale Street Could Talk) on how to adapt James Baldwin. — New York Times