There’s a familiar tension in the game of Jenga: the tower rises higher, looking ever more impressive, even as every missing block makes the whole structure more fragile. And then—without warning—it collapses. That image is perhaps the clearest way to describe the American economy in late 2025. Growth is still solid. Stocks are still soaring. […]

There was a time when Silicon Valley believed in its own mythology.Technology would liberate, openness would restrain power, and no company—no matter how big—would side against the public interest. In the late 2000s, you could still feel this in the YouTube lobby, where a Peabody Award honored the platform for “advancing democracy through an expanding […]

Beijing wakes up every Monday to the sound of patriotism. The national anthem, carried by tinny loudspeakers from the elementary school across the street, drifts into my apartment window. On the carefully landscaped schoolyard, rows of children stand in perfect formation while the bright red flag rises above newly planted turf. The surrounding blocks are […]

In New Jersey's Union City, Hispanic voters shifted back to Democrats in a notable reversal from previous trends. Inflation impacted working-class voters significantly, leading to disillusionment with Trump's promises. As deportations increased under Trump, Hispanic voters recognized real threats, deepening distrust. The GOP's association with these policies may hinder future recovery of this demographic.

Inside the Democratic Party, the loudest debate of the moment asks a strangely small question: Should Democrats become more populist? More moderate? More socialist?Ezra Klein’s answer is deceptively simple: yes — to all of it.Not because the party needs a new ideology, but because American political power isn’t awarded to whoever gathers the most people. […]

America’s soft power, once unrivaled, is now in visible decline. Once the global source of cultural “cool,” the U.S. has lost emotional influence through political isolationism, trade nationalism, and internal cultural fatigue. While Trump’s second term accelerated this erosion, the trend runs deeper — a shift from admiration to indifference. Canada’s cultural decoupling, the global film industry’s shrinking American share, and the rise of multilingual pop all reflect a post-American cultural order. Nations like South Korea and China now export creativity as policy, while U.S. narratives have grown defensive and nostalgic. Even Superman, once an icon of virtue, is divisive at home. The global teenager no longer dreams in English; they dream in subtitles. America’s loss is not merely economic but symbolic: the fading of its ability to represent freedom itself.

The APEC Summit in Gyeongju marked a pivotal moment for President Lee Jae-myung, emphasizing practical diplomacy through key deals, including a U.S.–Korea tariff agreement and a surprise Trump–Xi meeting. The summit demonstrated a shift in Pacific politics, with alliances formed through economic transactions rather than ideological commitments, reflecting new geopolitical dynamics.

As the economy slows, spending habits shift towards "small luxuries" like affordable cosmetics and specialty coffee. While luxury purchases decline among the middle class, affluent consumers dominate high-end sales. Brands must adapt by offering mini products that evoke emotional satisfaction, shaping a market that values intimacy and individual moments of joy over excess.

In a reflective piece, the author recounts a 1985 lunch with Sam Francis, a figure whose revolutionary ideas, rooted in reactionary thought, have influenced the MAGA movement. This movement appropriates leftist tools to dismantle institutions rather than constructively reform. The author urges a return to constructive ideology and moral language.