Can a City “Lack Character”?
Certain cities, like Canberra, Singapore, and Shenzhen are said to “lack character.” But what does that really mean?
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George Clare Showed How We Waltz Into Genocide
In his memoirs, George Clare, one of the most underrated writers of his generation, paints a haunting portrait of how naivety and complacency – even amongst Jews – allowed the Holocaust to happen.
Let Students Fail
I’m a former teacher at an American public school. This might be the only way to fix the broken system.
In Defense of Julian Assange
Assange has been persecuted and slandered by governments and the media just for doing what any true journalist should do.
The Belt & Road Isn’t Worth Competing With
China’s Belt & Road Initiative is an expensive mistake. The last thing the free world should do is try to compete with it.
The Banality of Hitler
If we view Hitler as uniquely evil, we blind ourselves to the fact that there really are people as bad, or near as bad, as him today.
The Black Lives Matter Black Hole
Black Lives Matter is just the latest movement to be swallowed by a non-profit sector that is corrupt to its core.
The Realist Case for NATO Intervention in Ukraine
NATO is already effectively at war with Putin’s Russia. It falls to it to make sure it wins that war.
How South Korea’s Human Rights Lawyer President Sold Out Human Rights
In his desire for good relations with Kim Jong-un, South Korean President Moon Jae-in has repeatedly sacrificed human rights – and gotten nothing tangible in return.
In Praise of Cold Weather
Why winter, snow, and rain are better than summer and sun.
In Defense of “Sissy” Chinese Men
China’s government regards “sissy” Chinese men as a liability and is trying to get them to imitate the exaggerated machismo of the West. But the more effeminate version of masculinity has enriched China’s culture for millennia and will help it thrive in the 21st century.
FICTION | Hogwarts Is a Trade School!
I realized that Hogwarts is actually a trade school – a polytechnic! All we ever learned there was how to cast spells and brew potions.
Who Will Inherit the Earth? Who Cares?
I feel no obligation to have kids, and neither should you.
When to Be Amoral
Should we recognize a terrible person for his talents and achievements?
It’s Time to Bury Black Lives Matter
Though it began with good intentions, Black Lives Matter has degenerated into a toxic cult.
Is There a Case for Endless War?
“Endless war” is one of the most maligned ideas today. But is it really that bad?
Donald Trump: American God
Trump is no longer president, but his cult remains. How will America reckon with it?
In Defense of Materialism
How placing more importance on material possessions can improve our lives.
Dear America, We’re Sick of Hearing About Race
The American obsession with race has become extremely unhealthy.
Are “Racist” and “Sexist” Still Insults?
When virtually everyone is “racist” and “sexist,” it seems, no one is.
Into the Woods
Why do we relish horrifying tales where jealous mothers kill their children and little girls dance themselves to death? Because the darkness in stories helps us confront the darkness inside ourselves.
Shuten Dōji: Demon Lord, Hero of the Downtrodden
Why is a Japanese demon lord who devoured women also an underclass hero?
How Toxic Positivity Is Stifling Japan
Japan can be a place of repressed psyches where it’s difficult to express negative feelings.
Antiracism is Racist
By encouraging everyone to see the world through a racial lens and discriminating against people on the basis of skin color, the ideology of antiracism is inherently racist.
In Defense of Elitism
It’s time to reclaim the term “elitism,” to recognize that it’s not a pejorative but an expression of our highest aspirations.
The Chinese Case Against China
China is the biggest oppressor of Chinese people today. Those who claim to care about them should oppose it.
The Mob Enters the Newsroom
The New York Times’ reversal on Senator Tom Cotton’s op-ed is a betrayal of its journalistic responsibilities.
Democrats Rediscover Due Process. About Time.
The allegations against Joe Biden might be forcing Democrats to recognize their previous position on sexual misconduct was indefensible.
Men We Hate
When we come to understand villains like Harvey Weinstein and Roman Polanski, can we still hate them?
The Intersection Is a Dead End
Intersectional identity politics is both morally and intellectually bankrupt. This weakness makes its followers increasingly intolerant.
Chinese Pride
Why do so many overseas Chinese support the Chinese Communist Party? Mostly, it’s racism.
The Afghan Elephant in the Room
Afghanistan is the women’s rights debate that no one’s having.
Zakir Naik and Malaysia’s Ugly Reflection
The Islamist preacher Zakir Naik is not important. What his case reflects about Malaysia, though, is.
How Progress Blinds People to Progress
Why do things look like they’re getting worse as they’re getting better?
Lee Kuan Yew’s Shadow
Lee Kuan Yew was a titan and the shadow he casts is long and black and all of Singapore remains under it.
Olympic Isolation
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics is a golden opportunity for the Japanese people to move out of their cultural comfort zone. If only they’d take it.
The One-Child Policy and the Rewriting of History
The film One Child Nation is a harrowing portrait of forced abortion in China. But how accurate is it, and what does it tell us about China then and now?
