Art by Peau PorotesanoWhile visiting Oslo this past summer, my family and I spent an afternoon in the Nobel Peace Center. The exhibitions told stories of human courage and nobility in the face of government oppression, from places like Tunisia, Saudi Arabia and China. We unanimously paid respect to these people and their acts of bravery, until we found among their pictures a … [Read more...] about The (Far) Lesser of Two Evils
Perspectives
Why Snowden Got it Wrong
Art by Peau PorotesanoThe latest blockbuster hit "Snowden" weaves an over embellished narrative that the NSA is paying its workers to spy on individuals having sex in their homes, read their private texts, listen to their phone calls and pilfer through emails. I mean, how uncomfortable, right? Isn’t there a constitutional right to privacy or something?The reality that the … [Read more...] about Why Snowden Got it Wrong
Why Snowden Got it Wrong
Art by Peau PorotesanoThe latest blockbuster hit "Snowden" weaves an over embellished narrative that the NSA is paying its workers to spy on individuals having sex in their homes, read their private texts, listen to their phone calls and pilfer through emails. I mean, how uncomfortable, right? Isn’t there a constitutional right to privacy or something?The reality that the … [Read more...] about Why Snowden Got it Wrong
Historical Figures Were Human, Too
Art by Peau PorotesanoHumanity has a habit of searching for heroes. That's not inherently bad — it's actually important for cultural and societal bonding. In particular, being inspired by or admiring historical figures not only helps people appreciate their past, but can motivate people to move toward their future. What is a problem, however, is many people's tendency to … [Read more...] about Historical Figures Were Human, Too
An Optimist Flirts With Cynicism
Art by Peau PorotesanoIt's common for older high school students to experience cynicism during the "inevitable and difficult transition" that is high school to college, according to Nancy Faust Sizer's article "'Enhancing' the truth in order to compete destroys students' optimism, promotes cynicism," published in the Brown University Child & Adolescent Behavior Letter in … [Read more...] about An Optimist Flirts With Cynicism




