A conversation with political philosopher Michael Sandel Meritocracy is not an alternative to inequality. If you think about it, it’s a justification for inequality. That’s what it’s become, and the effect of this has been to generate hubris among the winners and anger, resentment, even humiliation among those left behind. Because it is not only […]
The World’s Most Influential Values, In One Graphic
Our basic values can inform ideals, interests, political preferences, environmental views, and even career choices. With sweeping data covering half a million surveys in 152 languages, Valuegraphics identifies 56 values that influence human behavior. It uncovers what people care most about around the world, through a contextualized dataset. The 10 Most Important Values Individual motivations and values are universally organized. That […]
How to know who’s trustworthy
Knotty problems call for sound advice. Use philosophy to find the intellectually dependable amid the frauds and egotists Need to know We need others’ help to figure out what and how to think. Many issues are just too complex for us to tackle on our own. They’re often the subject of bewildering and vociferous debate, […]
The Tragedy of the ‘Tragedy of the Commons’
The man who wrote one of environmentalism’s most-cited essays was a racist, eugenicist, nativist and Islamaphobe—plus his argument was wrong. Fifty years ago, University of California professor Garrett Hardin penned an influential essay in the journal Science. Hardin saw all humans as selfish herders: we worry that our neighbors’ cattle will graze the best grass. So, we send […]
The Obligation of Self-Discovery
Simone de Beauvoir’s relationship with her readers was a mutually demanding collaboration. Why did I write all of this to you? Because I have never felt such a human closeness as I do with you, Madame, whose writing can express the whole gamut of emotions. — from a 1972 letter to Simone de Beauvoir In the fall […]