culture news stories on Newser

We Don't Hate the Rich, We Hate the 'New Upper Class'

Kevin Spak — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:50:09 CST

Americans see tensions over income inequality growing, but Charles Murray thinks they've got it all wrong. "Income inequality isn't really the problem," the libertarian author writes in Time . "A new upper class is the problem," a group denoted not by its wealth, but by its power, influence, and culture. Imagine...

Christmas Bombings Spark Unrest in Nigeria

Matt Cantor — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 13:49:59 CST

State police are swarming into central Nigeria following a series of Christmas church bombings that killed 38, the Christian Science Monitor reports. Following Saturday's explosions, angry youths barricaded roads and attacked people passing by yesterday, and houses and a truck also were set ablaze. UN chief Ban Ki-moon blasted the...

When Did Halloween Turn Sexy?

Matt Cantor — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 11:45:00 CDT

Ever wondered when Halloween shifted from spooky to sexy? Somewhere in the 1970s, explains Juliet Lapidos for Slate. New York’s Greenwich Village launched its annual Halloween parade in 1973, an event that quickly became popular among the local gay community, who largely attended in drag and other sexy outfits. The...

'Cupcakists' Find Happiness in a Simple Pastry

Nick McMaster — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:57:18 CDT

Johnny Cupcakes operates stores that sell cupcake-themed merchandise—shirts and stickers bearing a skull-and-crossbones logo with a cupcake instead of a skull—but not cupcakes. Johnny Cupcakes sells the idea of cupcakes, a symbol of an uncomplicated, untouchable childhood pleasure, safe from the stresses of adult life, writes Jennie Yabroff...

We Need More Armstrongs, Fewer Jackos

Matt Cantor — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 09:52:00 CDT

It’s unfortunate that American celebrity typically comes in the form of “uninteresting, detestable, loud, or unaccomplished people” like Michael Jackson and Paris Hilton, writes Bret Stephens in the Wall Street Journal . What society needs is more heroes like the Apollo astronauts—celebrities with “the right stuff,” which includes courage and...

Kindles, iPods Spell Tragic End to Snobbery

Matt Cantor — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:40:55 CDT

On the subway or in a cafe, taking a peek at what others are reading has long provided a convenient way to judge them on the spot: a mindless crime-novel fan? A Joyce-toting member of the intellectual elite? But with the Kindle, we’re left guessing, observes James Wolcott in Vanity...

Who Killed Dignity? Ask Sanford, Jacko, Palin ...

Matt Cantor — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 08:51:00 CDT

Carrying himself with honor and restraint was of utmost importance to George Washington and Americans for generations afterward—but for today’s public figures, the premium on dignity has faded, says David Brooks in the New York Times . Washington’s conduct “during times of temptation” made him “a great man,” one historian...

'He-Cession' Is Death Knell for Male Dominance

Caroline Miller — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:45:02 CDT

Macho men caused this recession, and they’re going to pay the price: for the first time in history, they’ll cease to be the dominant force in society, writes Reihan Salam in Foreign Policy . Signs of the turning tide can already be seen in the US, as male-dominated industries like construction...

Even as a Kid, Michael Changed the Game

Matt Cantor — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 06:53:59 CDT

Michael Jackson took Hollywood with Ben in 1972, at a time when few black Americans had shaped the industry. “Little Michael landed upon the mindset of film-hungry black America when its citizenry was starved for identity on the big screen,” writes Wil Haygood in the Washington Post. The black community...