Society Archives

Forever Chemicals in Water: The EPA’s Plan for Regulation

How are “forever chemicals” in water hazardous to your health? What’s behind the EPA’s new plan to regulate them? A new Environmental Protection Agency plan to rid US drinking water of “forever chemicals” (PFAS) could cost local utilities millions of dollars and send the financial pain downstream to customers. The agency says the proposal will prevent thousands of deaths related to the chemicals. Read on to learn about the dangers of forever chemicals and the EPA’s plan to reduce them in our water.

Freudian Marxism: The Fusion of Class & Psychological Domination

What do the ideas of Marx and Freud have in common? How did they help form the modern conception of the self? Carl Trueman argues that cultural developments of the past three centuries have transformed our conception of selfhood from a self rooted in religion, tradition, and community to one rooted in individualism, emotion, and sexuality. The ideas of Marx and Freud contributed to this transformation. Read more to learn about the roots and the emergence of Freudian Marxism from Trueman’s perspective.

How to Get Facebook Settlement Money: Claim Your Share

Wondering how to get Facebook settlement money? If you submit a claim, how big could your payment be? In December 2022, Facebook’s parent company, Meta, settled a $725 million class-action lawsuit after the company shared or made private user data accessible to third parties without users’ permission. If you were a Facebook user, you may be eligible to claim a portion of the settlement. Read on to learn how to apply to get a portion of the Facebook settlement before the deadline.

The Sovereign Individual: Book Overview & Key Takeaways

How does technology shape society? How major has the transition to the information age been? In the 1990s, James Davidson and William Rees-Mogg predicted that “sovereign individuals” would be the future. They discuss this prediction and others about society and the economy in their book The Sovereign Individual: Mastering the Transition to the Information Age. Continue reading for an overview of this prescient book.

How Does Society Change? Exploring the Theory of Megapolitics

How does society change? What’s the biggest factor? Is societal change predictable? Writing in the 1990s, James Davidson and William Rees-Mogg made major predictions about society’s future. They base them on what they call “megapolitics,” the theory that forms of government and economies are dictated mostly by circumstances, such as climate and the resources that are available. Keep reading to understand Davidson and Rees-Mogg’s theory of how society changes.

Karl Marx: Human Nature Is Determined by Socioeconomic Status

What determines whether a person is good or bad? Are we inherently one or the other? According to Karl Marx, human nature isn’t fixed or universal. That philosophy stands in contrast to the traditional Christian view of human nature. Carl Trueman argues that Marx’s concept of political selfhood reshaped our ideas about the self, morality, and human nature—ultimately transforming society. Keep reading for an introduction to Marx’s philosophy of human nature in this intriguing historical context.

Rousseau: Human Nature Is Good—Contrary to Public Opinion

What was Rousseau’s view of human nature? How did his philosophy find its way into the mainstream? In the 18th and early 19th centuries, the traditional Christian view of innate sinfulness began to give way to a new school of thought in the West. According to Jean-Jacques Rousseau, human nature is essentially good. This philosophy took hold in Western thought, and it ultimately transformed society. Read more to learn about Rousseau’s view of human nature, morality, and the self.

Why Are Cars So Expensive Right Now? Examining the Issues

Why are cars so expensive right now? Will prices come down any time soon? It’s been a rough ride for Americans looking to buy a car in 2023. The average new vehicle carries a monthly payment of $730, and the average used car rings in at $26,000. Auto insurance rates and repair costs have also been rising. Read on to learn why cars are so expensive right now and if prices will come down any time soon.

Will We See the End of Nation-States? A Forecast for the Digital Era

If nations ceased to exist, what would take their place? How could such a societal change happen? James Davidson and William Rees-Mogg believe that technological developments will profoundly impact social structures in the 21st century. Circumstances will favor small, efficient organizations over large ones. Ultimately, we’ll see the end of nation-states as they’re replaced by city-states and individuals. Read more to understand why Davidson and Rees-Mogg expect nation-states and national governments to decline and ultimately disappear.