Information is not the same thing as education — If you’re ever on the bird app you’ve probably seen a tweet like this: Or this: Or this: It seems as if this template triggers something in the human brain that wants to feel smart and exceptional, because no matter how many times I see this exact…

FYI: I am not a Joe Rogan fan — I don’t think Joe Rogan is funny. In fact, I think his comedy can be downright offensive. I went with my fiancé (at his request) to see Joe Rogan perform standup in Tulsa, Oklahoma a few months ago. A joke that I found particularly crass ended something like this: “People…

Racial violence is on the rise. Here’s something we can do about it. — Racially-motivated violence is the biggest domestic threat facing the U.S., according to the Department of Homeland Security. But what can we do about it? Proposed policies for ending white supremacist violence are mostly high-level and reactionary. …

You probably won’t realize it unless someone points it out to you — It’s strange for me to admit, but I essentially grew up in a cult. My parents closely followed the teachings of Harold Camping, a Christian evangelist who falsely predicted Judgement Day on multiple occasions. Because of my early experiences, I am very sensitive to any warning signs of cultism. Unfortunately…

Basically, a mental spam-filtering algorithm — As a kid, I loved reading the local newspaper. It made me feel smart and aware of events happening in the world and my community. Nowadays, news is much different. There is front page or back page, no beginning or end — just an endless supply of online information competing…

Ever tried talking politics with someone who has differing views? It can be downright aggravating. But it doesn’t have to be. I use a method that almost always results in fruitful discussion — even with internet trolls. The “Yes, and…” principle A few years back I took an improv class. One of the fundamentals…

Justice system privileges aren’t always black and white — On the surface, Kyle Rittenhouse’s acquittal may seem like evidence of a simple fact that White people get treated well by the justice system and Black people don’t. But don’t be fooled; the situation is a little more nuanced than that. How many of you know about Steven Donziger‘s case…

I am liberal. Increasingly, as political tensions escalate, I’ve noticed other liberals imply that the world would be better off without conservatives. This assumption reflects in how we tend to deal with people who express opposing beliefs online: Call out Condemn Cancel Our social cues and biological programming tell us…

Any institution built on these two conditions is a breeding ground for abuse — I was around 12 years old when I told my parents I wanted to become a communion member of the Orthodox Presbyterian church my family attended. I had watched other kids go through the membership process. …