Cat Couplings Revisited

18 July, 202114 July, 2021 ~ John Nerst ~ 6 Comments

I folliow up on "Cat Couplings" from 2019 with a bunch of new examples and further thinking on how and why cat couplings work. Read more (13 min, 3300 words).

Rereading Defenders of the Truth: The Sociobiology Debate

23 June, 202120 June, 2021 ~ John Nerst ~ 2 Comments

I reread a book that influenced me a lot when I was younger and review it. Defenders of the Truth: The Sociobiology Debate by Ullica Segerstråle chronicles the intense discussion in the wake of E.O Wilson's book "Sociobiology" from 1975. Read more (20 min, 5100 words).

Love Letter to an Encyclopedia

26 May, 202126 May, 2021 ~ John Nerst ~ 2 Comments

When I was a kid my mother had a visual encyclopedia I explored again and again as we watched TV in the evening. As an adult I've come to understand how perfect it was for me, and how formative it's been. This is a tribute with many, many photos of its excellently designed pages. Read more (10 min, 2400 words).

Further Comments on a Joke

29 April, 202129 April, 2021 ~ John Nerst ~ 4 Comments

I elaborate on and explain my satirical piece from the month before Read more (19 min, 4700 words).

Abolish Secret Ballots

1 April, 202128 March, 2021 ~ John Nerst ~ 11 Comments

An argument that secret ballots is an unacceptable exercise of power without accountability. Read more (6 min, 1400 words).

Platist Politics

24 February, 202124 February, 2021 ~ John Nerst ~ 11 Comments

I muse on whether there is a link between being easily stressed by having to keep many things in mind and having a rights-based, individualist political intuition. Read more (12 min, 3100 words).

A Quickie on Cancel Culture Questions

27 January, 202127 January, 2021 ~ John Nerst ~ 9 Comments

A quick, improvised post inspired by a question put to me on Twitter. Read more (4 min, 1000 words).

I Hate the Plate

26 January, 202128 March, 2021 ~ John Nerst ~ 15 Comments

I discuss the difference between stress buckets and stress plates and conclude that my plate is making it hard for me to feel well. Read more (6 min, 1500 words).

Hindsight in 2020

29 December, 202025 July, 2021 ~ John Nerst ~ 4 Comments

I sum up 2020 and digress a little about writing, creativity and how things become part of the past. Read more (14 min, 3500 words).

Variations on the Tilted Political Compass

16 December, 202016 December, 2020 ~ John Nerst ~ 16 Comments

I make up ten variations of my version of the political compass from last year. Some small and fun, some large and serious, and it all comes together by the end. Read more (36 min, 8900 words).