Pathos

When a loved one dies...

What's the voice in your head?

Sep 2 •

Was my cat Aubrey emotionally intelligent?

Don't make Aristotle laugh!

Jul 3 •

Should we have a Secretary of Happiness?

Thomas Jefferson would say yes.

Jun 23 •

Mark Twain and the two funniest tropes

Why we need broadminded humor, especially now.

Apr 7 •

Is humor still possible?

What I learned from my breakfast with the Dalai Lama.

Apr 3 •

To win an argument, try losing a little.

Concession hurts, but it can triumph in the end.

Feb 24 •

Words that sit in a happy place between Woke and Maga.

Archaisms are antiques with a patina of neutrality.

Feb 20 •

The figure Ariana Grande uses to play coy

Its official name: the accismus. I call it the Oh-you-shouldn’t-have figure.

Jan 9 •

The fantods of dank beldams and other bijou words

Would sympathy for an empath make you gladsome?

Jan 6 •

The crashing magic of sound symbolism

Or, Things That Go Doink in the Night

Nov 25, 2024 •

Brain training with an ex-parrot

The synonymia is a figure that can temporarily liberate us from our smartphones.

Nov 21, 2024 •

How to manipulate a parent

Warning: The following very cool material is also morally dubious.

Nov 14, 2024 •

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