Steel Snowflake

Wittgenstein's "Lost" Years as an Elementary School Teacher

Wittgenstein's "lost years" (1919-1926) when he worked as an elementary school teacher. I look at the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The Daydream Assassins

Poem for the daydream believers, or how the world loathes those who don't plug in, pay their attention taxes, and aren't "practical" enough.

Ralph Waldo Emerson's Advice on Reading and Writing

Emerson's sage advice on reading, writing, and creating too.

Opposing Slavery in Early America: The Story of Thomas Jefferson And Edward Coles

A look at the contrast between Thomas Jefferson's approach to slavery and that of Edward Coles. Coles did better. Jefferson did not.

Twisted Homily

An inspirational poem on all the beauty in the world and how we must thank God for such perfection. Yes, indeed...

D.H. Lawrence Hated Masturbation and Porn (and maybe you should too)

D.H. Lawrence was not a fan of masturbation and porn. In this essay, I'll explain why he felt this way and why it's still relevant today.

José Ortega y Gasset's "The Revolt of the Masses" a Century Later

A look at Spanish philosopher José Ortega y Gasset's thoughts on how modernity created the mass-mind and what that means for us today.

Thucydides, the Melian Dialogue, and Keeping the (Russian) Jungle at Bay

I look at Thucydides' Melian Dialogue from the Peloponnesian War and how it still matters today.

Philosophical Themes from Vasily Grossman's Life and Fate

A look at Vasily Grossman's epic masterpiece "Life and Fate" and some of the themes that made it unpublishable in the Soviet Union.

An Introduction to the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius

Byzantine emperor Heraclius's life was filled with both triumph and tragedy, victories and defeats. I look at the life of a fascinating man.