Yet another American divide: 'crunk' vs 'bible studies'

How deep are America's cultural fault lines? Depends on which data you crunch.

Image courtesy of Boyd L Shearer Jr / OutrageGIS
  • America is a divided nation, but perhaps its divisions are as much in the eye of the beholder.
  • This map charts the geographic fault lines between 'crazy drunk' America and 'bible study' America.
  • Strangely, Las Vegas falls in the latter category – and Salt Lake City in the former.
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Immigration: Why the well-meaning ‘successful immigrant’ narrative is faulty

We tend to promote foreigners by broadcasting their economic and scholarly value, instead of their intrinsic humanity.

  • There's a tendency to fight dehumanizing narratives about immigrants and refugees with stories about how much value they have to the United States, in terms of economic and academic achievements and abilities.
  • Though these counternarratives might come from a good place, Adam Waytz doesn't believe they "really consider people in terms of human dignity." They fail to call out immigrants and refugees inherent dignity.
  • The image of the deceased Aylan Kurdi washed ashore evoked immense sympathy for refugees. Besides showcasing their economic values, it highlighted their shared humanity.
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Schadenfreude turns us into temporary psychopaths, according to a new model of the emotion

Ever taken pleasure in someone else's misfortune?

Schadenfreude – which literally means "harm-joy" in German – is the sense of pleasure derived from others' misfortune.

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Human-animal hybrids are coming and could be used to grow organs for transplant – a philosopher weighs in

The goal is to eventually grow a human pancreas in a larger animal – such as a pig – which can be transplanted.

Around the world thousands of people are on organ donor waiting lists.

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Being and drunkenness: How to party like an existentialist

"A serious party neglects the underlying virtues of playfulness and generosity that make a party authentic."

Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images

Existentialism has a reputation for being angst-ridden and gloomy mostly because of its emphasis on pondering the meaninglessness of existence, but two of the best-known existentialists knew how to have fun in the face of absurdity.

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