“The Emperor’s New Clothes”

From “It’s a Wonderful Life” to “Mr. Holland’s Opus,” film characters have yearned for another life, only to discover that the life they are living is better than anything they could have imagined. This seems to be a universally...

Has Pleasure Become an American Idol?

One of the oldest searches known to humanity is the search for happiness. Perhaps the widest path cut in this search is the path of pleasure. One of those who espoused this path was Epicurus, a Greek who lived more than 2,300 years ago. Epicurus believed the purpose...

Three Cheers for the Blue-Collar Crowd

Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Wednesday evening: nine miners trapped. Sunday morning: nine miners saved. “Praise the Lord,” the governor said; throughout America, all the people said, “Amen.” It was a marvel, we all agree, if not an outright...

The Enduring Legacy of Sept. 11

In the days and weeks immediately following September 11, we had a chance to witness a sense of national unity, and even national community, not evident in this country in a long time. In the face of terrible pain and unbelievable loss, there was a flicker of hope. In...