Classic film noir wanted to reveal to America the depth of the problem of ambitious men in a democracy through crime stories—detectives, criminals, and victims caught in the quest for justice after the quest for happiness leads to catastrophe. Continue Reading...
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April 20, 2022
Should you bet on Bitcoin?
For those who’ve heard the word a lot but are still not sure what it means, cryptocurrency is a digital asset used to make purchases. It operates using a computer network, often a blockchain, a shared ledger that acts as a mechanism to transfer value from one person to another and that records and stores information in chains of “blocks”—chronological groups rather than tables or folders like more traditional databases. Continue Reading...
April 19, 2022
To boycott or not to boycott Disney, that is the question
Disney, world famous entertainment and media conglomerate, is now at the center of controversy—in all kinds of ways.
The state of Florida recently enacted the Parental Rights in Education bill, which has proven to be orders of magnitude more controversial than its name implies. Continue Reading...
April 14, 2022
Put on the seamless garment of paschal love
Before beginning his earthly ministry, our Lord Jesus Christ, “led up by the Spirit” (Matt. 4:1), wandered in the desert for 40 days, fasting, praying, and finally being tempted by the devil with the enticement of food, force, and fortune. Continue Reading...
April 13, 2022
Identity politics is killing Hollywood, and the academic presses
Literary Hub is one of the most widely read websites devoted to literature and the arts. Recently, it completed a poll of the nation’s academic presses. Its aim was to find out which of the books they’re putting out they are proudest of. Continue Reading...
April 12, 2022
Be grateful in spite of your suffering
I settled into my seat just a few rows back in the mezzanine and surveyed the crowds surging across the performance hall. As I had expected, the audience was composed largely of young adult males, though there was a substantial number of women, older folks, and even a few children present. Continue Reading...
April 08, 2022
The SEC’s proposed new rules for activist investors should be rejected
In July 2020, then–presidential candidate Joe Biden stated that “it’s way past time we put an end to the era of shareholder capitalism.” What precisely he meant by that was not entirely clear from the context of his remarks. Continue Reading...
April 07, 2022
Reform higher education through tradition and honest personal connections
A great deal of ink has been spilled over the declining character of American higher education. From critical theory to extremism among college student bodies, many issues have reached temperatures that leave those inside the collegiate world deeply concerned for its future. Continue Reading...
April 06, 2022
Masculine despair in The Killers
My first film noir essay was on The Maltese Falcon, whose ambitious protagonist, private detective Sam Spade, chooses justice over an uncertain promise of happiness, the love of a dangerous woman. Continue Reading...
April 05, 2022
The kids are all right, but better with religion
In a classic 1976 episode of All in the Family, the TV character Archie Bunker took it upon himself to baptize his grandson at his local church. He did this secretly, as he explained to God, because his son-in-law was a “dopey atheist” who wouldn’t permit the baby to be baptized. Continue Reading...