How come in the Animal Kingdom it’s the male peacock who has the more visually attractive traits, but for humans, it’s the women? And it’s not just peacocks, but male mallard ducks and male birds-of-paradise (see: Dancing with the Birds). Outside of the bird species, male mammals are arguably more…
If a meteor killed all humans and destroyed most of civilization, what would a curious alien find? Most likely they would discover a cell phone screen here, a half-sneaker there, and some bits of a gun over there — all traces of modern civilization. The odds that aliens would ever…
Why are countries in colder climates more successful than warmer ones? The French philosopher Montesquieu answered this question back in 1725:
cold air constricts the extremities of the external fibres of the body; this increases their elasticity, and favours the return of the blood from the extreme parts to the…
Wouldn’t it make sense to celebrate unemployment instead of wringing our hands about job loss numbers? It’s a counterintuitive and possibly offensive thought, but only because of our collective misunderstanding about the true nature of work in America.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez likes to bring up the single mom working two…
The easiest wins in spirituality are origin stories. There is something incredibly satisfying about the idea that we were created in “His image.” For an atheist, though, there isn’t an obvious parallel, except in evolution. …
Self-help books represent the next step in the evolution of our collective consciousness. It might sound like a stretch, but if we consider that religion was once how society told its story to itself, then the recent erosion of religion is creating a new kind of story.
Believers often defend…
“History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme” — unknown
Both conspiracy theorists and Marxists share a flawed viewed of history, of “us versus them.” Conspiracy theorists see a world run by a “secret cabal” and Marxists see one run by resource and labor exploiters. But they’re both saying the…
If the 1980s saw the advent of trickle-down economics, the 2020s are witnessing the dawn of flush-down economics. As the coronavirus crisis is making clear, Americans are becoming more dependent on freebies subsidized by venture capitalists and investors. If you’re using Zoom for free, if you have a free subscription…
Since the coronavirus crisis sent markets into a tumble, I’ve received frantic phone calls from friends looking for stock tips. And I don’t blame them. As Baron Rothschild once said, “The time to buy is when there’s blood in the streets.” But the real opportunity isn’t for people like me…
Author of Dear Hannah, a cautionary tale about self-improvement. Learn more: philipkd.com
