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The Good Old Days That Never Were
The Good Old Days That Never Were Nostalgia as Myth-Making — How the Past Is Romanticized to Resist Change Everyone loves to reminisce about “the good old days.”Simpler times. Stronger families. Better morals. Lower prices.It’s a comforting story — and that’s exactly what makes it dangerous. Nostalgia isn’t inherently bad. Remembering the past fondly can…
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Capitalism’s Chosen Ones Tech CEOs as Modern-Day Prophets
Capitalism’s Chosen Ones: Tech CEOs as Modern-Day Prophets In the age of apps, venture capital, and viral product launches, a curious cultural image has risen: the tech CEO as prophet. Much like religious visionaries of old, these figures are often cast as pioneers of destiny — bold, singular, and uniquely attuned to the future. They…
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The Strongman Myth
The Strongman Myth: Why People Still Worship Authoritarian Leaders Across cultures and centuries, a familiar figure reappears in times of fear and upheaval: the strongman. He is presented as the savior, the one person tough enough, ruthless enough, and decisive enough to cut through the chaos and “fix it.” Even today, in an age of…
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The White American Identity Crisis
The White American Identity Crisis For much of U.S. history, there has been an unspoken cultural script: to be “American” was to be white. Popular media, textbooks, politics, and even advertising reinforced the idea that whiteness was the default setting for national identity, while everyone else was framed as a variation, an outsider, or an…
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Why People Hold Onto Lies
Why People Hold Onto Lies (Even When They Hurt Them) It’s one of the most puzzling human behaviors: people clinging to beliefs that clearly harm them. We see it in politics, in religion, in family traditions, even in personal relationships. From the outside, it seems irrational — why would anyone defend a lie that limits…
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Not All Myths Are Bad But Some Are Killing Us
Not All Myths Are Bad But Some Are Killing Us When most people hear the word myth, they think of lies, illusions, or outdated superstitions. The word carries an air of something false, something to be discarded. But myths are not inherently bad. In fact, they are the stories that knit human beings together. They’ve…
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What Makes a Belief Functional? And Why That Matters
What Makes a Belief Functional? And Why That Matters Beliefs are not just abstract ideas floating in our heads. They’re tools. They shape how we interpret reality, how we respond to challenges, and how we organize our lives together. Some beliefs help us navigate the world effectively. Others, while comforting, lead us into dysfunction. So…
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When Fiction Replaces Function The Hidden Cost of False Narratives
When Fiction Replaces Function: The Hidden Cost of False Narratives Human beings live by stories. They shape how we see the world, how we see ourselves, and how we imagine our place in the larger whole. Stories can inspire, heal, and unify. But they can also mislead, distort, and divide. The danger comes when fiction—stories…