In 1951, The Day the Earth Stood Still delivered a stark warning: humanity’s survival depends on its ability to overcome fear and embrace cooperation. More than 70 years later, that message remains as relevant as ever. The film’s central conflict—whether we choose peace or succumb to fear—mirrors the choices we face in today’s political and cultural landscape. The film tells...

“The mob is easily deceived, for it judges by appearances.” Aristotle’s words speak to a dangerous flaw in human nature: how easily fear can be stoked, trust compromised, and institutions dismantled from within. In 1947, amid growing fears of communist influence, President Harry Truman issued an executive order authorizing a “loyalty investigation of every person entering civilian employment” in the...

Imagine opening your inbox and—surprise—an email from HR that reads: “All employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week. Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.” Now, imagine this coming from the head of a large corporation, or organization responsible for building, growing, and developing products and services, not only for...

Among the Super Bowl ads that aired last Sunday, the one that moved me most was sponsored by the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism. While it specifically highlighted attacks against Jews, its message resonates far beyond any group targeted by hate. The ad features Snoop Dogg and Tom Brady trading insults, making its point in a mere 15 seconds. But it...

Let me get this straight: … the Senate will vote to approve a woman with ties to authoritarian leaders, a man who has pushed vaccine conspiracy theories for years, and a man on the bubble who openly plans to fire thousands of career FBI agents who investigated Trump’s role on January 6, and have the White House oversee the agency....

“I don’t feel I have to wipe everyone out, Tom, just my enemies.”—Michael Corleone, The Godfather Note: I must pause my earlier commentary suggesting how to reduce Trump’s influence on our minds. Some things can’t be ignored. The president had a busy week in his “March-to-the-Sea” agenda. Last week, President Trump issued an executive order pausing all federal spending on...

“You tried to destroy Trump; you tried to imprison Trump; you tried to break Trump. He’s not breakable. You couldn’t destroy him, and now he has turned on you.” That’s Trump’s favorite loyal lieutenant, Steve Bannon, from the former president’s first administration. This time around, he’s playing Lady Macbeth who’s role is fluffer to Donald Trump, making sure he feeds...

It doesn’t take the biblical Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse to unleash widespread chaos and destruction—just one . . . and they’re all rolled into Donald Trump: Cynicism, Contempt, Deceit, and Retribution. Trump’s dark prophetic vision—as South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem framed it—is that “this election is a battle between good and evil.” With 15 days left to the election,...

In the political landscape crafted by Donald Trump, “Truth is dead.” Trump’s domination of fear and panic squarely aimed at his supporters has not only diminished American democracy, but morality, itself. This is not the case with most Americans, only those who have been drawn into his Chautauqua tent of lies, and manipulation. Headline, The Colorado Sun: “I will rescue...

In America’s deeply polarized political landscape, we’ve become engulfed by lies, hateful rhetoric, and now, escalating violence. The most recent example is an assassination attempt on the former president. Stoked by fear, this toxic combination has infiltrated every aspect of our society—from public discourse to personal relationships—fostering a climate where truth feels optional and outrage thrives. When hateful rhetoric drives...