'Cracks are beginning to appear in the wall'
Opinion, comment and editorials of the day


'The enduring fantasy of porn's harmlessness'
Christine Emba at The New York Times
There are "consequences for members of Gen Z, in particular, the first to grow up alongside unlimited and always accessible porn," says Christine Emba. Criticizing porn "goes against the norm of nonjudgmentalism for people who like to consider themselves forward-thinking." But a "lack of judgment sometimes comes at the expense of discernment." We are "allowing our desires to continue to be molded in experimental ways, for profit, by an industry that does not have our best interests at heart."
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.
'How AI is depriving students of basic human skills'
Molly Roberts, Monica Hesse and Megan McArdle at The Washington Post
It's a "huge problem that kids are using AI because they're not learning," say Molly Roberts, Monica Hesse and Megan McArdle. AI is "going to take away a lot of those professional class jobs that college was the gateway to." To be "able to be an ordered and logical and discerning thinker is more important in this current era than it has been." AI "ends up doing an end run around a lot of those skills."
'Sweden: A socialist paradise overflowing with billionaires'
Ruchir Sharma at the Financial Times
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
The "land of latter-day Rockefellers is Sweden, with seven magnates whose wealth as a share of their nation's GDP exceeds that of Rockefeller at his peak," says Ruchir Sharma. A "functioning economy will generate a balanced billionaire class." But "too much wealth at the top, concentrated in the hands of too many billionaires of the wrong type, puts a country at risk of political backlashes or policy reversals." Sweden is "fertile ground for this kind of unrest now."
'A convict's take on due process'
Rashon Venable at The Progressive
While "presidential power is supposed to only affect federal prisoners, Trump's actions thus far offer no assurances that state prisoners" will not "also eventually be hauled away," says Rashon Venable. When "everyday citizens break the law, we are held accountable for our actions." But "since his first term, Trump has been amplifying false narratives about the justice system." The "right to fundamental protections like due process ought to be something we can all still agree on."
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.
-
Shutdown: Democrats stand firm, at a cost
Feature With Trump refusing to negotiate, Democrats’ fight over health care could push the government toward a shutdown
-
TikTok: A little help from Trump’s friends
Feature Trump’s new TikTok deal would hand the app over to 'his billionaire allies,' ignoring national security concerns
-
Trump promotes an unproven Tylenol-autism link
Feature Trump gave baseless advice to pregnant women, claiming Tylenol causes autism in children
-
Trump: Demanding the prosecution of his political foes
Feature Trump orders Pam Bondi to ‘act fast’ and prosecute James Comey, Letitia James, and Adam Schiff
-
Why do farmers hate Trump’s Argentina bailout?
Today's Big Question Trump’s support for Argentina has ‘heightened tensions’ among farmers already frustrated by the impact of tariffs
-
‘People may use the same tactics for very different reasons’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Oregon sues to stop Trump military deployment
Speed Read The president wants to send the National Guard into Portland
-
The Liberal Democrats: on the march?
Talking Point After winning their highest number of seats in 2024, can the Lib Dems marry ‘stunts’ with a ‘more focused electoral strategy’?