What the Hell Is...?

The word has been around for many decades now, but only recently has neoliberalism been a topic of interest in the American cultural mainstream.

Pundits and media observers have appealed to it with increasing frequency to describe the incessant march of oligarchs and right-wing politicians toward long-term control of the national and global...

We hear the word authoritarian all the time these days, it seems: in the news, in pundit blog posts, all over social media. It’s an ominous word, usually offered in ominous context: it’s used in a way that carries a scent of danger.

Once we understand what an authoritarian is, and what authoritarianism itself really means, that ominous sense of...

What exactly is oligarchy, where does it come from, and why does it matter? In this brief introduction, the nature of oligarchy - rule of the many by the wealthy few - is examined, along with its origins, its history in the United States, and its impact on the nation’s economy, politics, and society.

Several prominent historical writers,...

In this latest What the Hell entry, the topic of Christian Nationalism is summarized. What is Christian Nationalism? How did it begin? What are its features, who embraces it, and what impact has it had on US politics and society?

In addressing these questions, this brief book references a number of experts, as well as insiders who have been part...

At this writing – the summer of 2024, a few months before the next presidential election – it seems like we’re hearing and reading about Project 2025 from all sides.

Political pundits and media commentators are giving it as much time as they can squeeze in, between the legal woes of Donald Trump and discussion of President Biden’s age. And...

We are living today in a stupid, stupid world - a world where the people in charge are reckless, feckless, and unconcerned about the outcomes of decisions; a world where dissent is increasingly suppressed, debate and deliberation are increasingly rare; a world where loyalty and conformity are rewarded, and innovation and progress are...

To most people, the term indigenous critique means absolutely nothing.

In a nutshell, the Indigenous Critique summarizes Native American impressions of Western culture, once they’d been exposed to it and had a chance to observe and evaluate it.

The Indigenous Critique, issued by a Wendat diplomat named Kandiaronk, dispels three myths: the myth...

What the hell is Stoicism?

It’s what makes Mr. Spock Mr. Spock, of course - total cool under pressure, living rage- and tantrum-free, being rational and discerning in all things.

But it’s also about seeing ourselves, others, and the world in general in a new way, without the distortions of anxiety and fear and other corrosive emotions that hold us...

In the beginning, there was Heavy Metal. Well, really, in the beginning, there were the Beatles, but Heavy Metal soon followed - and peaked fairly quickly. In the land of its birth, a new form of hard rock emerged in the working-class towns of the north: the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, which blended the intense, riff-driven blues rock of...