Is it Time to End the War on Drugs?

June 30, 2011

The perennial debate on whether to end the “war on drugs” seems to be heating up again. Prison over-crowding and the unprecedented violence in some parts of Mexico are two of the factors leading some to question whether it is time to try something other than harsh criminal punishments for illegal drug use. And indeed, [...]

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Why Being a Prophet Means Job Security

May 27, 2011

I’m sure most of you were just as surprised as I was when the world didn’t end on May 21, as Harold Camping had prophesied. That is to say, you weren’t surprised at all. I had actually made a prophecy of my own the previous week, although it didn’t get much media attention. “Lo,” I [...]

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The mental health implications of online gaming

April 20, 2011

We live in an entertainment culture. The most obvious indication of that is that much of what people care about is entertainment: Lady Gaga, the NBA, American Idol, Charlie Sheen, etc. An obvious question is whether this is a good thing or a bad thing, and usually I’m reluctant to try and answer that question. [...]

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The Fanatic and the Addict

March 27, 2011

Is addiction related to fanaticism?

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Thoughts from a Valentine’s Day Grinch

February 13, 2011

“Romance” and “love” are not synonyms.

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I’m so busy!

January 7, 2011

The new year is now upon us, and with each new year comes the pressure to reassess ourselves and our lives, to figure out what we should do differently. I will exercise more! Eat less! Volunteer more! But it’s hard to fit anything new in, because we’re all so busy, we’re all going at 90 [...]

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Christmas and Sarah Palin

December 21, 2010

Images and practices that combine what might seem to be contradictory ideas help us to reconcile those contradictions in our day to day lives.

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PowerPoint, Tool of Satan

November 20, 2010

It’s sometimes difficult to get across in print when you are kidding, so let me state upfront that I don’t really think that Bill Gates and his crew are minions of the devil.

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Romantic Realism and Romantic Relationships

October 24, 2010

Our culture is saturated with romantic realism—stories and images that depict a world that is just a little bit better than the one you and I dwell in. One of the primary sources of romantic realism is advertising, which depicts products that are beautiful and new, which work perfectly and easily, and are always associated [...]

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Fame and the Celebrity Game

October 3, 2010

People play the celebrity game to experience the emotional arousal that any brush with fame provides.

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