Political leaders and captains of industry in the U.S. like to paint America as a land of opportunity based on a simple premise: work hard, be somewhat ingenious, and you will have the chance to do well. Easy as all-American pie. Of course, things are more complicated in practice, but the straightforwardness of this simple…… Continue reading Are Data-Driven, Lean Approaches Impeding American Innovation?
Forward-Thinking Organizations Value the Humanities
I recently considered the fate of public intellectuals in the digital era, concluding that their evolution was closely tied to a number of societal shifts. One of these is the perceived, and oft discussed, crisis in the study of the humanities. Are the humanities still relevant? Do they matter, outside of a purely theoretical context…… Continue reading Forward-Thinking Organizations Value the Humanities
Donald Trump, Making America Anxious Again
It was only a matter of time before the obvious comparison between Donald Trump and France’s Marine Le Pen was drawn. With Trump’s continued success in the polls leading to the Republican 2016 presidential primary election, even the American press has gotten in on the game. However, at its core, the juxtaposition is flawed. Trump…… Continue reading Donald Trump, Making America Anxious Again
Where Have the Intellectuals Gone, and Do We Need Them?
Almost every generation suffers from a certain sense of pride and vanity—or “exceptionalism,” to borrow a popular neologism of the moment—whereby its particular civilization is seen as having arrived at a summit of human achievement. Ours is no exception: our athletes routinely obliterate previous records, modern science and medicine have leapt forward by unfathomable bounds,…… Continue reading Where Have the Intellectuals Gone, and Do We Need Them?
Welcome to bopinions
Updated September 2021. What are bopinions, you ask? You’ll find the answer on—surprise!—the About page. As for who might actually be foolhardy enough to be interested in this project, if you’ve read this far, it just might be you. This welcome post was originally longer, but I’m updating it to reflect the site’s new name…… Continue reading Welcome to bopinions