Ethics

• The philosophy of jerks.  What is a jerk?  “the jerk culpably fails to appreciate the perspectives of others around him, treating them as tools to be manipulated or idiots to be dealt with rather than as moral and epistemic peers.”  The opposite of the jerk is the “sweetheart.”  Be careful you yourself don’t become a jerk.  As you climb the social ladder, you’re more likely to become a jerk.
• Denmark states that animal rights come before religious practices.  They have banned kosher and halal slaughter.

Mind

• An interesting test that a robot passed for self-awareness.

Race

• A great piece on the beginnings of #BlackLivesMatter and how this informs racial identity and racial politics.
• An open letter to white men in America.

Relationships

• The 9 types of people you’ll date according to Simone de Beauvoir, mainly from her book The Ethics of Ambiguity.  It’s pretty impressive if you ask me.
• The Disapproval Matrix.  Be wary of haters and frenemies.
• An ok essay, but I really liked this line: “I think different people can be right for you at different times in your life.”

Sexuality

• Affirming consent is basically dirty talk.
• Semen can have a controlling effect on female genes and behavior.

Sociology

• Studying sociology helped one become liberal from libertarian.  Here’s why.
• Why do most men cause gun shootings?  This sociological essay argues it’s because it threatens masculinity.