Guest Thinkers — December 21, 2010

Blog Policy

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Just as an FYI to our vast readership, in the interest of fairness Waq al-Waq would like to invite anyone we disagree with or critcize by name to please email us and we will show your unedited reply in a seperate post. That’s only for people with whom we argue- the rest of you are still relegated to the ghetto of the comment section.

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

A collage featuring hands holding a plant, additional hands in sepia tone, a grid background, orange accents, and the text "Reclaim Meaning" with the number 4.

Thinking

How to reclaim meaning in a changing world

What if the barrier to a fulfilled life isn’t technology but culture?

The Future

Can humans purge the bots without sacrificing our privacy?

“Personhood” credentials could cleanse the internet of bots — but are the costs worth it?

A blurred black-and-white image of an American flag, with the stars and stripes visibly distorted, subtly reflecting political polarization.

The Present

Divided we stand: The rise of political animosity

“We’re acting more like fans of a football team going to a game than a banker carefully choosing investments.”

Ancient stone structure with stairs under a blue sky with scattered clouds, surrounded by vegetation.

The Past

A beginner’s guide to sociopolitical collapse

How (not) to end up in the ash heap of history.

A machine is moving down a conveyor belt in a warehouse.

Health

Inside the bank holding biodata of 500,000 Brits

Britain is profiling the genes, health and lifestyles of its citizens and handing the results to scientists across the world.

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