Psychological theory positing that much of what we do and how we behave is ultimately driven by an unconscious fear of our inevitable future death — that most of society’s existential angst can be explained by this gnawing sense of uncertainty and a motivation to avoid having to think about this unpleasant truth. Relation to: […]
The Christian nationalist movement has been coalescing itself over the past 50 years (and more), partly in the shadows and partly very publicly through scandals and political strife. This list of Christian nationalism books aims to cover both ends of the spectrum. Christian nationalism overlaps and shares some common cause with the white nationalism movement […]
Christian nationalism, a belief system that intertwines national identity with Christian faith, has been a significant force in American history — and the Christian nationalism timeline may go back further than you think. It erroneously asserts that the United States is fundamentally a Christian nation and should be governed by biblical principles. This flawed ideology […]
Critical thinking is a disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. It involves questioning ideas and assumptions rather than accepting them at face value. It requires curiosity, skepticism, and humility to […]
The term Christian nationalists brings together a number of radical religious sects seeking to overthrow the democratic republic of the United States and installing a strict theocracy, from dominionists to orthodox Catholics to Evangelicals and many more. Christian nationalist organizations work to increase the influence of religion on politics, under the invented mythology that the […]
Mean World Syndrome is a fascinating concept in media theory that suggests prolonged exposure to media content that depicts violence and crime can lead viewers to perceive the world as more dangerous than it actually is. This term was coined by George Gerbner, a pioneering communications researcher, in the 1970s as part of his broader […]
Conspiracy Theory Dictionary: From QAnon to Gnostics In half a decade we’ve gone from Jeb Bush making a serious run for president to Marjorie Taylor Greene running unopposed and winning a House seat in Georgia. QAnon came seemingly out of nowhere, but taps into a much deeper and older series of conspiracy theories that have […]
In this post, we dive deep into the heart of American political tradition by presenting a complete collection of first presidential inaugural address speeches that have shaped the United States from its inception to the present day. Each speech, a time capsule of its era, is summarized up front (with a link to the full […]
Stochastic terrorism is a term that has emerged in the lexicon of political and social analysis to describe a method of inciting violence indirectly through the use of mass communication. This concept is predicated on the principle that while not everyone in an audience will act on violent rhetoric, a small percentage might. The term […]
The adrenochrome conspiracy theory is a complex and widely debunked claim that has its roots in various strands of mythology, pseudoscience, disinformation, and misinformation. It’s important to approach this topic with a critical thinking perspective, understanding that these claims are not supported by credible evidence or scientific understanding. Origin and evolution of the adrenochrome theory […]
One of two major parties in our American first-past-the-post voting system of dual-party reality, the Republican Party, has evolved (or devolved…) into a full-throated authoritarian movement seeking to overthrow our democracy, The Constitution, and the rule of law in order to establish a fascist regime in the United States. It’s been a not-so-secret fever dream […]
The phenomenon of anti-vaccination disinformation, often referred to as the “anti-vax” movement, is a complex and multifaceted issue that has evolved over time, particularly in the United States. It intersects with public health, misinformation, societal trust, and cultural dynamics — to name a few. History and evolution in the U.S. The roots of anti-vaccination sentiment […]
The story of The Illuminati begins in 1776 with the formation of the Bavarian Illuminati, a secret society founded by Adam Weishaupt, a German law professor. Weishaupt, disillusioned with the limitations of conventional education and the power wielded by the church, sought to create an organization that promoted Enlightenment ideals: reason, secularism, and rationality. The […]
Colloquially known as “throwing good money after bad,” sunk cost is a concept from behavioral economics that reflects our tendency to keep going with an investment long after it turns south, because we are psychologically unable to let go of a once good thing. Sunk cost is considered a fallacy, because it represents an example […]
The chemtrails conspiracy theory emerged in the late 1990s. It posits that the long-lasting trails left by aircraft, conventionally known as contrails (short for condensation trails), are actually “chemical trails” (chemtrails). These chemtrails, according to believers, consist of chemical or biological agents deliberately sprayed at high altitudes by government or other agencies for purposes unknown […]