'We should all ask ourselves: When we laugh, who's hurting?'
Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
'If Dave Chappelle is a genius, why does his comedy punch down on trans people?'
Dennis Doyle at USA Today
Dave Chappelle's comedy "too often reinforces the very prejudices it claims to poke fun at," says Dennis Doyle. Chappelle has "shifted his focus toward the LGBTQ+ community, especially transgender people." The "best comedy punches up — it challenges power, exposes hypocrisy and speaks truth." But "when it punches down, it can legitimize cruelty and reinforce systems of exclusion." Chappelle "insists he's just telling the truth. But truth without compassion can sound a lot like contempt."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
'Lagos is surrounded by water — so where are all the beaches?'
Aanu Adeoye at the Financial Times
As "anyone who has ever visited Nigeria knows, hardly anything comes easy," says Aanu Adeoye. Lagos has "washed its hands of managing beaches, leaving private investors to develop resorts with beachfront access that exclude all but the fairly well-off." In a "country with sky-high inflation and acute poverty, the beach has become one more form of entertainment that is prohibitively expensive." Lagos' "lack of free beaches illustrates the way in which the city continues to squeeze its poorer residents."
'Texas floods teach us how to come together, to really love our neighbors'
Bea L. Hines at the Miami Herald
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
For "many who were directly affected by the flood" in Texas, these "post-flood days have been like waking up from a horrible nightmare," says Bea L. Hines. In the "aftermath of such tragedy, I am amazed at how fast we Americans can forget our politics and differences." Instead of "fighting among ourselves, people are fighting for a righteous and just cause — that of saving lives, giving comfort and simply loving our neighbors."
'Bad brains'
James Kimmel Jr. at Slate
Revenge is an "act designed to inflict harm on someone because they've inflicted harm on us," says James Kimmel Jr. The "desire for revenge is the root motivation for almost all forms of human violence." What "what most of us really want is the other person's pain." Perpetrators of "violence almost always believe they're victims seeking justice," and "recent neuroscience discoveries reveal a chilling picture: Your brain on revenge looks like your brain on drugs."
Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.
-
Will California’s Proposition 50 kill gerrymandering reform?Talking Points Or is opposing Trump the greater priority for voters?
-
‘The trickle of shutdowns could soon become a flood’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Wikipedia: Is ‘neutrality’ still possible?Feature Wikipedia struggles to stay neutral as conservatives accuse the site of being left-leaning
-
Will California’s Proposition 50 kill gerrymandering reform?Talking Points Or is opposing Trump the greater priority for voters?
-
‘The trickle of shutdowns could soon become a flood’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
‘France may well be in store for a less than rocambolesque future’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Why the White House is behind a rare Supreme Court push to limit gun ownershipIN THE SPOTLIGHT Justices are preparing to dive back into the choppy waters of the Second Amendment as the White House pushes to penalize recreational narcotic users
-
‘The illusion of wealth can encourage people to take on more debt’instant opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
‘An exercise of the Republicans justifying their racist positions’instant opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
‘Are we just going to stand in passive witness to the degradation of our democracy?’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
‘It’s not normal for parents to raise their children in isolation’instant opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
