Björn Höcke's Trial & 12 Monkeys

Featured Articles

The trial of Björn Höcke, the ‘real boss’ of Germany’s far right

The Guardian • 29 Aug 2024 • ~6050 words

Björn Höcke is a polarizing figure in German politics, often described as the most prominent far-right politician since World War II. This article dives into his recent trial and explores Höcke's rise to power within the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party, his controversial rhetoric, and his case's legal and political implications. It also delves into the broader sociopolitical context in Germany that has enabled the far-right's resurgence.

The AfD is often portrayed as a bull in the china shop of German democracy, flouting norms and decorum in an attempt to undermine institutions of state. When, after five recesses and multiple rejected motions, the hearing finally concluded, it seemed clear that Höcke’s team were not afraid to be seen in the same light.

12 Monkeys: The Terror and Trauma of an Inevitable Future

Reactor • 28 Aug 2024 • ~3450 words

12 Monkeys is one of my favorite movies, and I was happy to see this piece that explores the haunting world of the movie, connecting its themes to the fears of the early ’90s and the more recent pandemic. It focuses on the film's unique settings and commentary on societal collapse and reveals how it remains strikingly relevant today.

Cole always exists somewhere in the gritty, hidden, unwanted margins of society, occupying a series of positions that exemplify profound systemic failures.

Recommended Articles

The For-Profit City That Might Come Crashing Down

New York Times • 26 Aug 2024 • ~5200 words • Archive Link

The story discusses the creation of Próspera, a private, for-profit city in Honduras that operates under its own set of laws and regulations. It explores the controversy surrounding Próspera, as critics view it as a neocolonial experiment that exploits the local population. At the same time, its proponents see it as a way to spur economic development. Could Próspera's fate set a precedent for the broader private-cities movement?

. . . plenty of other people find Próspera’s goal — “building the future of human governance: privately run and for-profit” — unsettling. Critics have described it as a neocolonial state within a state, or an example of corporate monarchy, where yacht-owning C.E.O.s exploit land and labor in a poor country.

Here a Bee, There a Bee, Everywhere a Wild Bee

Hakai Magazine • 20 Aug 2024 • ~4450 words

In the Pacific Northwest, biologists are uncovering new species of wild bees at an astonishing rate. This piece explores the ongoing efforts of citizen scientists and researchers, like those involved in the Oregon Bee Atlas, to catalog and protect the rich diversity of native bees before they face further decline. It’s a fascinating look at the intersection of discovery and conservation, highlighting the hidden treasures of our ecosystems.

To identify many bees to the species level often requires hours studying microscopic minutiae, like the patterns of wing venation, similar to the lead that joins stained glass, or the placement and morphology of pollen-collecting body hairs, known as scopa.

When Reality Came Undone

Nautilus • 28 Aug 2024 • ~4000 words

The piece discusses the development of quantum mechanics in the 1920s and the heated debates it sparked among physicists like Bohr, Heisenberg, and Schrödinger. It explores how quantum mechanics challenged the classical notions of physical reality and causality, the complexities of these discussions, and how they continue to resonate in today’s scientific conversations.

Heisenberg’s “uncertainty” captured that sense of the ground shifting. It was not the ideal word—Heisenberg himself originally used the German *Ungenauigkeit*, meaning something closer to “inexactness,” as well as *Unbestimmtheit*, which might be translated as “undeterminedness.” It was not that one was uncertain about the situation of a quantum object, but that there was nothing to be certain about.

The new fascism

Prospect • 28 Aug 2024 • ~2700 words

This article discusses the rise of a decentralized, transnational far-right movement in the UK that has fueled violent unrest and riots. It examines the ideological underpinnings of this modern fascism, including the "Great Replacement" conspiracy theory, and the ways in which this movement leverages online networks and disinformation to spread its message and incite violence. It also explores potential strategies for combating this threat to social cohesion and democracy.

Today’s fascism is internationalist by design and overtly structured around a theory of victory. When Goddard peddles the fantasy of eradicating Muslims from the UK, and speaks of the moment “when we win”, he is playing on the central tenet of the Great Replacement theory.

Love in the Time of Hillbilly Elegy: On JD Vance’s Appalachian Grift

Literary Hub • 27 Aug 2024 • ~5500 words

In this thought-provoking piece, the author reflects on the complexities of identity and representation in Appalachia, particularly in response to JD Vance’s "Hillbilly Elegy." It questions Vance's authority to speak for the Appalachian region and challenges the harmful stereotypes perpetuated in his work while emphasizing the importance of authentic voices in telling these stories.

If I learned anything, it’s that writing has real power. It encouraged me to return to Appalachia as a professor, to empower Appalachians with the skills they need to write their own stories. I use *Hillbilly Elegy* as a cautionary tale of what not to do with the power of language.

In Belgium, the coalition is an art and a necessity

Voxeurop • 28 Aug 2024 • ~1800 words

In Belgium, coalition-building is more than just a political necessity; it’s an intricate art form shaped by the country’s unique political landscape. This piece dives into how parties navigate their differences, often making significant compromises to forge a government—while reflecting on the challenges and quirks of this process.

On top of the slowness of assembling them, the system can be opaque for voters and has an inbuilt bias against wide-ranging reforms, which are hard to push through . . . this simply mirrors "a disadvantage of majority systems: what someone can do, someone else can undo . . . In other words, a coalition means smaller steps forward which are also harder to unravel

Why Whataboutism Works

Foreign Affairs • 27 Aug 2024 • ~2200 words • Archive Link

Whataboutism might seem like a flimsy excuse for bad behavior, but research shows it’s surprisingly effective in international relations. This article from Foreign Affairs explores how countries deflect criticism by highlighting the flaws in U.S. actions, revealing a complex dynamic that shapes global perceptions and influences public opinion.

. . . we have found strong evidence that whataboutism is, in fact, highly effective, both domestically and in the international arena. When the United States criticizes a country and that country issues a whataboutist retort, U.S. public support for penalizing it declines.

Maybe She’s Just Tired, Maybe It’s Undiagnosed Iron Deficiency

Undark Magazine • 26 Aug 2024 • ~2300 words

Iron deficiency is often overlooked in routine health screenings, yet it can have serious implications, especially for women. This piece explores the challenges of diagnosing iron deficiency and its potential consequences, as well as the challenges in defining the appropriate thresholds for diagnosing iron deficiency and the need for more research and awareness on this topic.

. . . some research suggests that about a third of women of reproductive age in the United States may not get enough iron, which helps support various functions in the body. But despite the high risks, iron deficiency isn’t routinely screened for during annual health examinations.