Rob Walker
The New York Times
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Pretentious sourpusses sniff that politics is too important to be treated like Survivor, a horse race, or a popularity contest. But “horse races are exciting. Elections are popularity contests.” And no reality TV show features characters remotely as fascinating as would-be presidents, with their “singular blend of masochism and megalomania.”
If it’s a “high-minded examination of issues” you prefer, fine: Go to Romney’s website to read his 160-page economic plan. As for me, give me the “dramatic tension, narrative richness, and exciting plot twists” of candidates vying for the White House. It’s far more entertaining than anything you’ll see on The X Factor.
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Margaret Atwood’s memoir, intergenerational trauma and the fight to make spousal rape a crime: Welcome to November booksThe Week Recommends This month's new releases include ‘Book of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts’ by Margaret Atwood, ‘Cursed Daughters’ by Oyinkan Braithwaite and 'Without Consent' by Sarah Weinman
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‘Tariffs are making daily life less affordable now’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
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Out of office: microretirement is trending in the workplaceThe explainer Long vacations are the new way to beat burnout
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Our culture’s worship of celebrityfeature It was in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Jazz Age that the modern concept of celebrity was born.
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The smearing of Zero Dark Thirty
feature Kathryn Bigelow's film has become “collateral damage” in the political debate over the morality of torture.
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5 smart reads for the weekendfeature An investigation into Junior Seau's tragic suicide. A profile of the brother-and-sister team behind Cloud Atlas. And more compelling, of-the-moment stories to dive into
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How kids learn to hate real food
feature Thanks to ConAgra and its pals in Congress, our schoolkids’ right to feast on frozen pizza and fries has been protected, said Kristin Wartman at HuffingtonPost.com.
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The lesson from Kim’s divorce
feature Kardashian's farcical marriage has finally drawn back the veil on “reality TV’s fairy-tale narratives,” and exposed them as “hollow and manipulative” shams, said Jennifer L. Pozner at TheDailyBeast.com.
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Quote of the week: Nicholas D. Kristof
feature From The New York Times: “In my travels around the world, I encounter two Catholic Churches. One is the rigid, all-male Vatican hierarchy ...
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Che was a murderer, not a hero
feature The real Ernesto “Che” Guevara was far from the “youthful idealist” celebrated in film and transformed into a global icon, said Nick Gillespie in Reason.com.
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Laughing off the horrors of prison rape
feature In our culture, there
