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Violence and aggression

Black and white photo of a man and woman in swimwear relaxing on a sandy beach with rocky cliffs in the background.

Love

idea

Love shouldn’t be blind or mad. Instead, fall rationally in love

Blind, all-consuming love goes against your interests and impedes your flourishing. Submit your love to rational scrutiny

by Berit Brogaard

Photo of a neon-lit window display with mannequins, featuring “Willkommen im Love Story” and “Caffe” signs in German.

Gender

idea

The reality of prostitution is not complex. It is simple

Prostitution is not sex and it’s not work. Its reality is far from complex – in fact, it’s simple. Trust me, I’ve done it

by Rachel Moran

Painting of early hominids using tools in a rocky landscape with scattered animal skulls and a distant horizon.

Human nature

idea

Do humans really have a killer instinct or is that just manly fancy?

The killer-instinct idea achieved such cultural power because it came embedded in gripping stories about human nature

by Nadine Weidman

Black and white photo of a person in a dark tunnel with light in the background, wearing a coat, looking at the camera.

Stories and literature

idea

The plague novel you need to read is by Bachmann, not Camus

In Ingeborg Bachmann’s Malina, the plague isn’t a biological virus, it doesn’t cause lockdowns, but it is killing us

by Lyndsey Stonebridge

Black and white photo of three men in a shop, two in bowler hats clowning with an electric fan while a clerk watches amusedly.

Violence and aggression

idea

Ever taken pleasure in another’s pain? That’s ‘everyday sadism’

It’s not just killers who are sadistic. To counteract the suffering caused by everyday sadism, recognise how common it is

by Lucy Foulkes

A pensive-looking woman is listening to headphones on a bus on a rainy evening

Communication and language

idea

Listening in on horror: why many women love true crime podcasts

True crime podcasts turn violence against women into a form of entertainment. Why do so many female listeners enjoy them?

by Amelia Anthony

Scene from a movie with a rugged man in a hat holding his collar, a glass and bottle of whisky on the table.

Violence and aggression

idea

What do you really want when you want to get your revenge?

An evolutionary deterrent and a defence of one’s honour, revenge is relatively harmless – until it’s exacted on the innocent

by Renée Danziger

Black and white photo of rows of skulls on shelves in a dimly lit room, conveying a sombre and historical atmosphere.

Violence and aggression

idea

Recognising our common humanity might not be enough to prevent hatred

The dehumanisation idea is compelling, and efforts to reduce it well-meaning, but it’s a flawed explanation of intergroup harm

by Harriet Over

Photo of an arm reaching into a dimly lit cupboard filled with shelves and various items.

Violence and aggression

idea

Why psychological research on child sex offenders is important

‘I am not one of those guys.’ The cognitive distortions of child sex offenders need to be better understood and treated

by Meetali Devgun

Photo of two people standing at a zebra crossing at night, with cars passing by and illuminated streetlights.

Violence and aggression

idea

The details of the situation shape whether a sexual assault occurs

The details of the situation play a powerful role in whether a sexual assault happens. That’s something we can influence

by Betsy Levy Paluck & Ana Gantman

Photo of flowers with a sign reading “London Stands United” and “We Are Not Afraid” in London Underground style.

Violence and aggression

idea

Can counterterrorist strategies help in abusive relationships?

What can counterterrorism strategies teach us about fighting the distorted threats and destabilisation of gaslighting?

by Christiana Spens