The Spirited Reasoner

Spirited Reasoners have long been annoyed at the (perhaps) unintended consequences of social media algorithms—namely, the way in which these algorithms encourage us to hide within our respective echo chambers,…

Having concluded in last week’s post that Americans had, during this year’s midterm elections, taken a good step toward protecting our democratic values, the Spirited Reasoner feels constrained to lift…

Based on various prognostications preceding this year’s midterm elections, the Spirited Reasoner had been preparing a post along the following lines: What happens to a democracy when a majority of…

Back in the days of our innocence—when President Clinton dared to face national cameras while declaring, “I did not have sex with that woman,” only to be proven wrong by…

For the past ten years or so, a nagging question has been plaguing Spirited Reasoners: Why is it that so much hatred and polarization is being expressed at this particular…

As we approach Halloween and next month’s mid-term elections (which some of us view as the same season), Spirited Reasoners find themselves wrestling with a pair of existential questions. Does…

From the Spirited Reasoner’s vantage point across the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon, it’s easy to witness the tragedy of homelessness first-hand. Over the past few years, clusters of tents…

Spirited Reasoners know that this blog has been advocating something akin to a third party for quite some time. The devil, however, appears to be in the details. For example,…

Those of us who marvel at the extent to which our political life has become polarized need only harken back a few thousand years to the ancient school of Yin-Yang…

Why is it that so many otherwise normal people—the neighbors you and I meet every day mowing their lawns, shopping in the grocery store, driving on our country roads and…