The Best of Persuasion: 2023

To celebrate our third anniversary, highlights from the past year's coverage!

Yascha Mounk

Jul 3, 2023

Over the past three years, Persuasion has sought to make good on its promise to defend the values of a free society from threats, regardless of their origin. Today, as we celebrate our third anniversary, we’re sharing highlights from the past 12 months.

We hope you will find in the list below a Persuasion article or podcast that you have not encountered before, or one that perhaps has renewed resonance.

— The Editors

Articles

In “Reason to Believe”
Steven Pinker
explores the evolutionary psychology behind conspiracy theories and irrationality.
In “What is Integralism?”
William Galston
examines the dangerous movement seeking to use government power in the name of public morality.
In “The Lightness is Gone” Kateryna Kibarova reflects on loss and rebuilding in war-torn Ukraine.
In “The Futility of Trigger Warnings”
Amna Khalid
shows that universities around the world are are repeating the mistakes of their American counterparts.
In “Leaving China” Blake Stone-Banks explores why expats have been abandoning the futures they planned in China.
In “Why So Many Elites Feel Like Losers”
Freddie deBoer
writes that it’s destabilizing to have a nation of young strivers with no coherent vision or path to success.
In “Why AI Will Never Rival Human Creativity”
William Deresiewicz
argues that predictive artificial intelligence mechanisms preclude the originality needed for true art.
In “Why We Need a Serious Debate About Healthcare For Transgender Youth” Erica Anderson shows that improving the quality of care begins with understanding the nuance of the issues.
In “Rediscovering Our Shared American Values”
Ed Warren
recounts his journey through small-town America, the military, tech startups, and elite universities.
In “What Does Peter Thiel Want?”
Damon Linker
untangles the beliefs of the enigmatic billionaire helping to shape the future of the Republican Party.
In “The Green Technology That Dare Not Speak Its Name” Persuasion contributing editor
Francisco Toro
laments the roadblocks preventing a carbon-neutral future.
And across our pages we continue to highlight the threats to a free society posed by illiberalism in the United States, Brazil, Turkey, El Salvador, Israel, Iran and China.

Podcasts

Frans de Waal on Chimpanzee—and Human—Politics
Frans de Waal discuss how studying the (other) great apes can help us better understand human behavior and society.
Rachel Kleinfeld on Why America Isn’t About to Have a Civil War
Rachel Kleinfeld discusses the real threats facing American democracy.
Chloé Valdary on How To Be A (True) Antiracist
Chloé Valdary discusses what it would take to achieve a real cultural reconciliation.
Sam Harris on Whether Religion Really Does Make Everything Worse
Sam Harris discusses whether America's rapid secularization has been a force for good or ill.
Renée DiResta on How (Not) To Fix Social Media
Renée DiResta discusses social media and her involvement in the movement to recall officials in San Francisco.
Bart Somers on Sustaining Diverse Cities in Tough Circumstances
Bart Somers discusses how to turn around a city under strain from rapid demographic change.

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