The tides of history sand down complex events to smooth, shiny baubles, and the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom — whose 60th anniversary arrives Monday, Aug. 28 — is no exception. This oversimplification of history is at work not only with respect to Martin Luther King’s historic speech, which decried persistent Black […]

Puerto Rico and Hawaii have always felt to me like reverse sides of the imperial coin. My fellow Boricuas who support statehood often point to the Aloha State as a symbol of our future: an example of successful annexation, full citizenship, political representation and the American promise of prosperity. Others consider it a cautionary tale […]

By Paul Krugman Opinion Columnist Economics is the most mathematical of the social sciences. That’s not because economists are smarter than, say, sociologists or political scientists; trust me, it’s quite possible to say stupid things with equations. It’s because the subject matter of economics — basically getting and spending — is cruder and hence easier […]

While much of the rest of the industrialized world has become more secular over the last half-century, the United States has appeared to be an exception. Politicians still end their speeches with “God bless America.” At least until recently, more Americans believed in the virgin birth of Jesus (66 percent) than in evolution (54 percent). […]

DeSantis Claus Is Runnin’ This Town Oh! You better watch out!You better not pry.Hang on to your hats!I’m tellin’ you why:DeSantis Claus is runnin’ this town. He’s made up a list.You’re on it, it’s true.He’s gonna find out who’s red and who’s blue;DeSantis Claus is runnin’ this town. He knows with whom you’re sleeping.He knows […]

By Maureen Dowd Opinion Columnist WASHINGTON — If there were any justice in the world, Donald Trump would have taken the Mug Shot of Dorian Gray. As with Oscar Wilde’s charismatic and amoral narcissist, the Picture of Donald Trump should have been a “foul parody,” a reflection of what the chancer has done with his […]

China has apparently told its economists to stop talking — a P.R. tourniquet to keep the bad news from bleeding out. The country is facing deflation and possible recession, burdened by enormous debt, stalling productivity and youth unemployment above 20 percent. Outside of a small number of its wealthy cities, things look even worse. Foreign […]

By Farhad Manjoo Opinion Columnist I’ve got 99 problems with A.I., but intellectual property ain’t one. Media and entertainment industries have lately been consumed with questions about how content generated by artificial intelligence systems should be considered under intellectual property law. Last week, a federal judge ruled against an attempt to copyright art produced by […]

This month, America celebrates the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. Most of the country first encountered this musical revolution with the release of the national hit “Rapper’s Delight” in 1979. But it all started six years earlier, on Aug. 11, 1973: An energy crisis was looming, Lucille Ball was about to enter her final season of […]

The U.S. has not had a fatal plane crash involving a major American airline in more than 14 years — an incredible safety achievement. But the elaborate system that keeps planes from crashing is struggling. In recent years, air traffic controllers, who guide planes out of harm’s way, have suffered a staff shortage. Out of […]