The Water Dipper

Fantasies, a City on the Hill, and Baking Bread

“Failures of Leadership in a Populist Age.” In an essay that rings even more true after the events of Wednesday, Yuval Levin warns would-be...

Happiness, Regionalism, and Jefferson’s Bible

“If Mr. Kristof Is Taking Names, Apple Should Be Next.” Anthony Barr points out the profit-generated blind spot that permits Apple, Disney, and other...

Abundance, Wilderness, and Algorithms

Merry Christmas, Porchers! Thanks for joining us in this virtual space throughout what has certainly been an interesting year. While we missed our yearly...

Coffins, Books, and Haunted Nations

I’ll be taking a break from compiling these weekly roundups during the Advent season. See you all after Christmas! “The Trappists’ Coffins.” In a moving...

Families, Hospitality, and Death

“What are Families For?” The new issue of Plough is out, and it looks excellent. I am trying to avoid reading these essays, though, until my...

Avoiding Demagoguery, Quantification, and the Dire Hose

“How to Protect America From the Next Donald Trump.” While proposals to abolish the Electoral College are popular at the moment, Bryan Garsten recommends...

Gentleness, Conviviality, and Poetry

“Magic in the Dirt.” Julia Turshen visits three small farms to talk with the farmers about their philosophy and the bounty of this strange...

Integration, the Reality of Limits, and Lost Opportunities

“On Integration.” Jesse McCarthy and Jon Baskin critique the kind of anti-racism made popular by Robin DiAngelo’s White Fragility. Instead, they follow Harold Cruse in...

Big Tech, History’s Arc, and Secession

“The Irony of the Google Antitrust Suit.” Franklin Foer writes that the government’s suit against Google is long overdue and marks the end of...

Meritocracy, the Wingfeather Saga, and Civility

“What if Local and Diverse Is Better Than Networked and Global?” Damien Cave profiles Helena Norberg-Hodge and her work with Local Futures for the New...