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The Post on Anti-Semitism I Never Thought I’d Write (Sari Botton for Longreads)
It’s been 38 years since that first of many similar arguments. It turns out my attitude wasn’t merely adolescent rebellion; in my 50s, I still have complicated feelings about organized religion, Judaism, and the state of Israel. I respect and uphold other people’s choice to practice whatever religion they want, but they don’t always respect my choice not to. I can’t tell you how many Jews and non-Jews alike — some of whom I barely know — feel free to lecture me about this and call me a self-hating Jew for my objections.
Why We Need Utopian Fiction Now More Than Ever (Eleanor Tremeer for io9)
A lot of science fiction takes a shortcut in creating utopia, using some cataclysmic event to wipe the slate clean and start again. Both Star Trek and the novel Woman at the Edge of Time use WWIII to achieve this—which is certainly a pessimistic origin story for a better society. Other authors, like Ursula Le Guin, build utopias on different planets to escape humanity’s history and baggage.
Nothing Sounds Worse Than Dating When You’re Grieving (Marjorie Brimley for The Cut)
We spoke about death at times over his six weeks of treatment, but I didn’t like it when he’d bring up my future without him. Just days before he died, he sat up in bed, finally awake after a morning of napping. “You need to start dating again after I die,” he said.
One Person Can’t Save the World (Sidney Coles for The Walrus)
I knew all about msf’s history and accomplishments, and I saw myself as one of their “type”—a risk-taking idealist. When I went for my interview, my recruiter asked me why I wanted to work with the organization. I gave the predictable answer: “Because I want to make a difference.” The response seemed to make him nervous. He deliberated, then rolled his chair back a few inches and looked me in the eyes.
Ultrarunner Courtney Dauwalter Takes On The World’s Most Sadistic Endurance Race (Sarah Barker for Deadspin)
Endurance races are normally somewhat boring affairs—very little bare-knuckle competition, lots of camaraderie. Pretty much everyone who can drag ass for 50 or 100 miles gets a finisher’s medal and is declared a winner. Everyone gets to go home tired and happy.
Photo: Neil Turner