I have a simple, possibly impolite thesis: the “nation” is a beautiful story we tell to coordinate strangers, and loud nationalism is what people reach for when the story stops paying their bills. Nations are not ancient tribes waking from deep time; they are recent inventions—clever ones—that industrial print, schools, and armies stitched together so we would feel kinship with people we will never meet. That is not an insult; … Read the rest
By Eric LeRoy
Content 18+ I have always wondered why some people make a powerful impression on us and others don’t. Of course the effect can vary from person to person, and that’s a good thing: for example, it would be a real mess if every man fell in love with the same woman – to the exclusion of all others.
Just imagine it: the longed-for Wench-Princess-Nymphette standing on the … Read the rest
Content 18+ After seeing my colleagues write on this topic, I felt compelled to respond as well, though I too hold a different opinion. From my point of view, although far from being ideal, Europe emerges not merely as a continent, but as a venerable survivor, her roots entwining through millennia, unlike any other. The United States, in contrast, presents itself as a vibrant yet tumultuous teenager—eager, energetic, yet … Read the rest
Контент 16+ Obtaining a visa, any kind of visa, is always potentially — if not true every time– one of the most royal ass-ripping processes in the entire cosmos. Although, in case there actually IS life on other planets, I hope that they have evolved to the point where they haven’t had reason to think up the idea of visas or else have found a way to get past this … Read the rest
