In search of a better way to discriminate. — If I were masochistic enough to live with the people advertising this apartment, I’d get a $50 a month discount based solely on the colour of my skin. No forms to fill out. No income declaration. No proof of historical oppression. A paper bag means test, if you will. In…

Scaring is not caring. — We all know those people who can find the cloud in every silver lining. Oh, you just started a new business? Here are seven reasons it’s probably going to fail. Wow, you won the lottery?! Did you know that 70% of lottery winners end up broke? Awww, you’re having a…

In search of “authentic” blackness. — I still remember the day I learned that blackness was something I could lose. I was around 11 years old, it was the first day of summer camp, and I was looking for friends. So I scanned the room and made a beeline for the only other kid with a…

When does solidarity become fetishisation? — The Ancient Greeks weren’t known for their delicate sensibilities. I mean, sure, they venerated literature and science and art, but they were also famously partial to drunken orgies and medicinal opium and sex with Gods disguised as swans. So it’s worth noting that even in this company, Diogenes managed to…

Tales from the thousand-year culture war. — The most unremarkable of events: a 96-year-old woman dies at home, surrounded by her family. And even less remarkable, the internet found a way to go to war over it. Depending on who you ask, Queen Elizabeth II was either “a symbol of white supremacy” or “a symbol of unity…

Exploring the borders of gender. — The moment my feet touched Japanese soil, I felt a powerful and wholly unexpected sense of identification. Given where I’m going with this, some of you will assume I’m only saying it to make a point, but I’m being 100% sincere. It was one of the most profound experiences of…

Ever wondered why we don’t talk about white crime? — It’s hard to imagine a more polarising cultural moment than the OJ Simpson murder trial. A beloved black celebrity stands accused of murdering his blonde-haired, blue-eyed wife and her “friend.” A hotshot black lawyer steps up to defend him. A racist detective stands as a key witness in front of…

Inside the self-perpetuating outrage machine. — As is often the case with stereotypes, the stereotypes about video games are almost completely wrong. While gaming is often thought of as a male-dominated hobby, 48% of gamers are female. While most people imagine pimply teenagers hunched over their controllers, the average gamer is between 35 and 44 years…

If I want your opinion I’ll give it to you. — Nine years ago, Karl Greenfeld noticed a change in his 13-year-old daughter, Esmee. On weekday evenings, between 8 pm and midnight, she began holing herself up in her bedroom. In the mornings, he found her red-eyed, trudging to school in a state of obvious exhaustion. And when Karl tried forcing…