In 1985, cartoonist Alison Bechdel published a comic strip in which one character explains her simple rule for deciding whether to watch a movie. The film had to satisfy three criteria: it must contain at least two named women, those women must speak to each other, and their conversation must be about something other than a man. The joke was that this basic standard eliminated an astonishing...
Few phrases appear in debates about casting as often as “historical accuracy.” Whenever a Black actor is cast as a historical or mythological figure traditionally portrayed as white, the discussion quickly turns to authenticity. Recent reactions to Lupita Nyong’o’s casting as Helen of Troy in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey are only the latest example. Critics argued...
For more than two decades, The Lord of the Rings trilogy has been celebrated as one of the greatest achievements in cinematic history. Peter Jackson’s adaptation won 17 Academy Awards, introduced millions of people to Tolkien’s world, and remains beloved by audiences across generations. Few would argue against its artistic accomplishments. Yet admiration for a film and criticism of...
Ancient Rome has become one of history’s most recognizable civilizations. Its emperors, soldiers, senators, gladiators, and philosophers continue to appear in films, television series, video games, and online discussions. At the same time, Rome has become something of a cultural obsession within parts of the online manosphere. Quotes attributed to Roman emperors circulate widely. Marble...
The human mind doesn’t just search for answers. It searches for the feeling that the search is finally over. Uncertainty is one of the most uncomfortable experiences human beings encounter. It follows us into doctor’s offices while we wait for test results. It lingers after difficult conversations when we wonder what someone really meant. It appears whenever we lose a job, begin a new...
One of the most common claims within the online manosphere is that women who reject “good men,” remain single into their thirties, prioritize careers, avoid marriage, or have multiple sexual partners will eventually experience overwhelming loneliness and regret. According to this narrative, women are racing against a biological and social clock that will eventually leave them isolated...
Most people assume they are living their own life. After all, you chose your career—or at least it feels like you did. You have your own opinions, your own goals, your own relationships, your own routines. From the inside, your life appears uniquely yours. Yet psychology, sociology, and neuroscience all point toward an uncomfortable reality: human beings are profoundly shaped by their...
If you’ve ever searched “What is white culture?”, you’re not alone. It’s one of many questions people ask while trying to understand race, identity, and society. The challenge is that there isn’t one universally accepted definition of white culture. Some people believe it refers to the collective cultures of Europe. Others use it to describe mainstream Western...
Short answer: a man very likely existed. Whether that man is the figure the Bible describes is a completely different question, and that is where it gets interesting.The historical personThere was probably someone. A man, call him Yeshua, whom a couple of non-Christian sources from the period mention. On that narrow point, that a person by that name existed in that place and time, there is...
Most versions of this question assume death is a doorway to somewhere else, a place you travel to and wait. But look at that assumption before you answer it. What if there is no “after” at all, because there is only life?“God is of the living”There is a moment in the Gospels where the apostles keep asking Jesus what happens after we die, and he gets short with them: God is of the living. Read...
