What shapes your modern identity? Is it “Westernization” or just… evolution? This column explores the feeling of being “in-between,” and asks if loving global art, ideas, and music means losing your roots—or simply building a more complex self.
The Empathy Gap: We’ve Learned All This. Now What?
We’ve explored the cognitive tax of poverty and the systems that perpetuate it. But what’s the point of knowing if nothing changes? This article is a call to action to bridge the empathy gap in our daily lives—transforming academic knowledge into compassionate action, one small, human interaction at a time.
The Luxury of Tomorrow: How Poverty Steals Your Future
Why is it so hard to plan for the future when you’re struggling today? This article explores the concept of poverty and time perception, revealing how scarcity shatters our relationship with tomorrow. Discover how poverty traps people in an endless present and what it means to give someone back the luxury of a future.
Beyond the Bottom Line: What Do We Truly Owe Each Other?
Is fighting poverty just a smart economic investment, or is it something more? This article goes beyond ROI to explore our deepest ethical obligations. Using ideas like the “veil of ignorance,” it asks what kind of world we would build if we didn’t know our place in it. This isn’t about charity; it’s about justice and affirming our shared humanity.
The Myth of the Starving Artist: Does Scarcity Fuel Creativity, or Kill It?
We romanticize the starving artist myth, but is it a creative truth or a convenient lie? This article dismantles the idea that hardship fuels great art, exploring how the cognitive tax of true scarcity can kill inspiration. Discover why a safety net, not suffering, might be the true key to unlocking our world’s greatest creative potential.
The Grammar of Judgment: How We Build Poverty’s Walls with Words
How do words like “handout” versus “lifeline” shape our reality? This article explores the subtle grammar of judgment we use when discussing poverty, revealing how our vocabulary can build invisible walls of stigma. Discover how the connection between language and poverty impacts perception and policy, and ask yourself: if we changed our words, could we change our world?
The Freedom of Saying “I Don’t Know”
In a world that demands answers, explore the profound power of intellectual humility. This isn’t about apathy; it’s about seeing “I don’t know” as the starting point for curiosity, imagination, and a more magical and authentic life.
The Ghost of My Former Opinions
Do you ever meet the ghost of a past belief? This is a vulnerable exploration of changing your mind—the painful, awkward, and ultimately liberating process of letting go of a piece of who you used to be. A story about humility and the quiet courage to evolve.
How to Be Right All the Time (Without Ever Having to Think)
Tired of losing debates? Our satirical guide shows you how to win any argument with zero critical thinking. Master the art of unshakeable confidence, defeat opponents with clever tricks, and never admit you’re wrong again.
The Beautiful, Terrible Burden of a Questioning Mind
Do you ever feel the loneliness that comes with a questioning mind? Explore the paradox of critical thinking—the empowerment of seeing clearly versus the isolating burden of watching others fall for misinformation. This is for the perpetual “buzzkill,” the truth-seeker, the over-thinker.
Recent Posts
Beyond the Scramble: Overcoming Artificial Borders Through 21st-Century Cooperation
The “Scramble for Africa” & Sykes-Picot created borders that sparked conflict. This article pivots to the solutions: cross-border economic zones, the AU, and cultural festivals that are making those lines irrelevant.
Is Your English Really English? A Quiz on the Global Gift of Words
Does your vocabulary come from Hindi, Swahili, or Chinese? This fun quiz teaches you the global origins of ‘shampoo,’ ‘safari,’ ‘ketchup,’ and more!
Can We Fix This? A Quiz on the Real Language of Climate Solutions
Go beyond the scary headlines. This interactive quiz teaches you the constructive, forward-looking vocabulary for the path forward, like ‘climate justice,’ ‘sustainable development,’ and ‘indigenous-led conservation.’
Where Did Your Shirt Come From? A Quiz on the Global Origins of Fashion
This fun fashion quiz helps you trace the global origins of textiles. Match patterns like Paisley, Kente cloth, and Batik to their home countries and celebrate our shared textile heritage.
Why Are Africa’s Borders So Straight? A Quiz on the “Scramble for Africa”
Compare the maps of Africa from 1880 to 1914. This quiz explains the “Scramble for Africa,” the Berlin Conference, and the lasting legacy of the borders that shape the continent today.
Can We Build Bridges with Art? A Quiz on the New Language of Cultural Heritage
Move beyond the old debates. This engaging quiz teaches you the positive, forward-looking vocabulary of cultural heritage, including ‘repatriation,’ ‘provenance,’ and ‘digital preservation.’