Brute Reason

LATEST ARTICLES ( 570 )

• More On Depression Origins and Parenting

  Last week I wrote a piece called “Onset,” in which I described the way I first became clinically depressed about nine years ago. Read more

  Posted on 14 November 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• Skepticon and the Need for an Atheist Community

  

  (Or, In Which I Rant Lovingly About Skepticon)I haven’t written for a few days because I was off at Skepticon, which is the largest student-run atheist/skeptica... Read more

  Posted on 13 November 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• Onset

  In a few weeks, I will pass the nine-year anniversary of the onset of my depression.I could figure out the exact date if I wanted to, because I know it was on... Read more

  Posted on 08 November 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• No, Obama and Romney Are Not “The Same”

  

  I disagree with this, by the way.Some people seem to think that Republicans and Democrats are basically identical policy-wise, that Obama and Romney they’re bot... Read more

  Posted on 06 November 2012 DEBATE, SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• Argumentum Ad Third World: Or, “Think of the Starving Children in Africa” Redux

  

  One way you know you’ve won an argument about social justice is when your opponent says something like, “YEAH WELL you don’t see people in the Third World... Read more

  Posted on 06 November 2012 DEBATE, SOCIETY

• The Real Problem With “Slutty” Halloween Costumes

  

  Scooby Doo costume for men and women. Source: the ever-brilliant Fuck No Sexist Halloween Costumes.Tonight is the night when a large number of people my age... Read more

  Posted on 31 October 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• [guest Post] Hurricane Sandy, Climate Reality, Political Absenteeism

  

  In purely economic terms, Hurricane Sandy will cost the United States $20 billion. And although a little less than half of that cash is insured, it cannot come... Read more

  Posted on 30 October 2012 SOCIETY

• Occasional Link Roundup

  1. Free speech is not freedom from responsibility.2. Kate writes about dancing and eating disorders (TW).3. Sexual assault prevention tips that actually work!... Read more

  Posted on 27 October 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• Living With Depression: Openness

  Earlier I decided to write a series of posts about depression beyond the DSM diagnosis. The first post was about trust. Here’s the second. Read more

  Posted on 27 October 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• Sarah Silverman on Having Children and Being Jewish

  

  Sarah Silverman in “Let My People Vote.” A few weeks ago, a certain Rabbi Rosenblatt that I’d never heard of before wrote an open letter to Jewish comedian Sara... Read more

  Posted on 25 October 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• If Your God Condones Forced Pregnancy, Get a New God

  

  I mean, I realize it’s not that simple, but could you at least consider it?Richard Mourdock, a Republican senate candidate from Indiana, thinks we should be... Read more

  Posted on 25 October 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• [storytime] How I Quit the Senior Thesis

  Ever since I was little, I held a belief shared by many gifted kids–gifted kids who grow into overachieving teenagers and then sleepless college students and... Read more

  Posted on 23 October 2012 SELF EXPRESSION

• Affirmative Action Rant

  

  A few days ago, the Daily Northwestern published a column called “Affirmative Action Dangerously Shortsighted.” It was predictably awful and spawned 269... Read more

  Posted on 20 October 2012 DEBATE, SOCIETY

• [guest Post] The Tradeoff Between Ambition and Happiness

  A fellow blogger has provided me with this guest post about the psychology of ambition and happiness. Enjoy!Imagine there’s a big project at work and you... Read more

  Posted on 18 October 2012 DEBATE, SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• Living With Depression: Trust

  I’m going to do a series of posts on what it’s like to live with chronic depression, beyond the DSM symptoms that you always hear about. I want to help people... Read more

  Posted on 17 October 2012 HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY

• Guess What: Rape’s Not Funny When the Victim is a Man, Either

  I know Jezebel is low-hanging fruit, but I can’t resist picking apart their new “Sexytime Dilemmas” column and its endorsement of sexual assault, which... Read more

  Posted on 16 October 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• My Massive List of Social Justice Resources

  Yo, remember that huge list of social justice resources I mentioned that I was working on? Well, it’s up! Feel free to use this for your own education, to... Read more

  Posted on 15 October 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• On Men Who Think Street Harassment Would Be Awesome

  Whenever women are discussing street harassment and what causes it and how to prevent it, a man inevitably comes along to inform us that, actually, our... Read more

  Posted on 14 October 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• Occasional Link Roundup

  I’ve finally been reading again! So here you go.1. My friend Michael on why evangelical Christianity fails to appeal to him: “I do not feel broken. I do not fee... Read more

  Posted on 13 October 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• [guest Post] You Are Not Alone: A Shared Story of Depression

  Seth returns again to talk about the response he received to his speech about depression and spirituality. (This is his third guest post. Hmm, maybe he should... Read more

  Posted on 12 October 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES