Education
Education
Alexander Hamilton Believed in Taxing and Borrowing
The Founding Father most responsible for authoring our original economic policies and establishing our central banking system thought federal taxation was not meant to be exempted, cut, lowered, or salvaged. To the contrary, Alexander Hamilton believed federal taxation should increase with increased income. Working-class Americans were supposed to pay taxes within their means, and wealthy
Ten Reasons to Go to a Play and Support Local Theatre
“The stage is not merely the meeting place of all the arts, but is also the return of art to life.” — Oscar Wilde, 1891 It has been said that the theatre dies every night, only to be reborn each day, for it exists whenever actors perform before an audience. Therefore, a primary characteristic of
Scientific Puritans Aren’t Helping
Superstitious thinkers have stood in the way of meaningful scientific innovation throughout history, and they still do. They obstruct the serious theoretical and technical challenges we face. Luckily, history also shows that most major scientific discoveries that promised to serve humanity especially well were adopted despite fierce resistance from misguided forces. Most people will do
Kevin’s Favorite Poems, “Requiem,” Four More Gravestone Poems, “Gravy”
This is part of a series of columns that feature a much-loved poem, and other poems that speaks to, or resonate with, the first poem. This week’s poem is “Requiem,” written by Robert Louis Stevenson. This poem was carved into Stevenson’s gravestone. The line that attracted me was “Glad did I live and gladly die.” Some critics consider
Kevin’s Much-Loved Poems: “Oatmeal” by Galway Kinnell
This is the eighth in a series of columns that feature a much-loved poem and a second poem that speaks to, or resonates with, that poem. This week’s poem is “Oatmeal,” written by Galway Kinnell in the late 1980s. Kinnell was Poet Laureate of Vermont from 1989 to 1993 and a Nobel prizewinner. A follower
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Novels and Collected Works
Flutes in History
Flutes are the oldest instrument in the world. Hollowed bird bones, with holes cut for tone changes, have been found in archaeological sites as old as 40,000 years. Early man may have heard wind whistling across the tops of reeds and designed an instrument that produced the same sound. Early flutes were played vertically, with
Joseph Campbell on Schopenhauer, Will, and Life’s Composition
In his splendid essay called “On an Apparent Intention in the Fate of the Individual,” Schopenhauer points out that when you reach an advanced age and look back over your lifetime, it can seem to have had a consistent order and plan, as though composed by some novelist. Events that when they occurred had seemed
Ten Reasons to Enjoy Shakespeare’s Works
In Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human, Harold Bloom argues that Shakespeare did more than just shape the structure and content of the English language—he created human nature as we understand it today. As James Shapiro explains, “Shakespeare remains so popular and his most memorable characters feel so real because through them Shakespeare invented something that hadn’t
Some Advice for Professors Everywhere
Following is some advice for professors everywhere that should serve as a useful reminder. I offer it with respect and good intentions, knowing full well that we don’t always live up to these standards. Still, it never hurts to try. Check your ego at the door. Earning an advanced degree and securing part- or full-time
Japanese Women Are Rolling into Careers as Sushi Chefs
Times are changing for Japanese women, and the changes are profound. Traditionally, young Japanese boys and girls followed firmly established paths. For instance, as a young boy, Ono went out into his community to find a willing teacher to take him in and allow him to learn an art or trade as an apprentice. He