Values and beliefs

Self-knowledge and personal growth Relationships, work and leisure Values and ethical living

Bioethics Civic life Cultural diversity Ethics Fairness and equality Human rights and justice Meaning and the good life Nature and the environment Neurodiversity Progress and the future Race and ethnicity Values and beliefs Virtues and vices Wisdom

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Social history

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Bunkerised society – why prepping for end times is so American

Millions are preparing for doomsday, not together, but by closing the hatch. It’s a logical response to a hollowed-out state

by Robert Kirsch & Emily Ray

Photo of astronauts in spacesuits conducting moon surface activities near a lunar module in a studio setting.

Technology and media

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Why deepfakes pose less of a threat than many predict

Applying Descartes’ sceptical puzzle to deepfake videos reveals the challenge they present is one that we can rise to

by Keith Raymond Harris

A coastal scene with a stone wall on the left, sandy beach below, and calm sea extending to the horizon. The sun is partially obscured by clouds, casting rays over the water. A distant ship is visible on the horizon.

Goals and motivation

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How to do mental time travel

Feeling overwhelmed by the present moment? Find a connection to the longer view and a wiser perspective on what matters

by Richard Fisher

Black and white photo of three children standing outdoors under a cloudy sky. The boy on the left wears a flat cap and checked shirt with trousers, while the two girls on the right wear patterned headscarves and dresses, smiling and looking into the distance.

Values and beliefs

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For Hutterites, ‘love thy neighbour’ is both gospel and practical necessity

Directed by Colin Low

A protest with people holding signs that read ‘We are worth more’ and ‘Strike for 15’; large Ronald McDonald figure in the background

Human rights and justice

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Most protests fail. What are activists doing right when they win?

The science of protest reveals successful tactics and common weak points. Those who want change should take it onboard

by Lisa Mueller

Medieval painting of two figures in a garden, one in pink and the other in red, surrounded by plants and a tree.

Music

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Why did bloody knights write love songs about spring blossoms?

The masculinity of medieval knighthood was expansive enough for both graphic violence and the joys of a flower meadow

by Jennifer Saltzstein

A clear glass, half-filled with water, placed on a wooden surface. The background is a plain, soft beige. The image has a warm, sepia tone.

Meaning and the good life

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How to appreciate what you have

To better face an imperfect world, try a deeper reflection on the things, people and legacies that make your life possible

by Avram Alpert

A man with a beard and glasses wearing a wide-brimmed hat and blue clothes stands outdoors near a pond, with trees in the background.

Spirituality and religion

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When his faith crumbles, an ‘Amish atheist’ rebuilds his world from scratch

Directed by Lance Edmands

Photo of a person in a yellow T-shirt with a large black letter Q standing among seated people at an indoor event.

Thinking and intelligence

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The surprising role of deep thinking in conspiracy theories

People who endorse and spread outlandish theories aren’t gullible, they’re drawn to the intoxicating lure of discovery

by Stephen Gadsby & Sander Van de Cruys

Photo showing a man’s reflection in glass with blurred people and tree branches in the foreground.

Values and beliefs

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What a dream helped me see about the politics of sovereignty

A moment of insight captured the danger in our widespread ‘sovereigntism’ – and how we ought to relate to each other instead

by Rupert Read

Painting of an elderly man with a white beard, shirtless, looking upwards with a dark, textured background.

Thinkers and theories

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How to live like a Cynic

Take inspiration from Diogenes, the philosopher in a barrel, and transform your negativity into a liberating force for good

by Ansgar Allen