In the winter of his century, Charles Dickens walked a London powered by industry but running short on warmth. People moved past one another as if connection were a luxury they could no longer afford. Wealth and want lived on opposite sides of the same street, and compassion, even at Christmas time, was showing signs of strain. Dickens wrote his...

When the pulpit merges with power, does the sword overshadow the Sermon on the Mount? Though I’m no longer practicing, I was raised Catholic. I went through the rituals—Baptism and Confirmation and confession and “eat no meat” Fridays, and I left because it was just too rigid. However, at its heart, Catholic doctrine was about love, mercy, humility, and salvation:...

Though I was much older than the audience for Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, I did watch his testimony before a congressional subcommittee. I came away inspired by his plainspoken common sense, quiet reason, and the values he passed on—kindness, honesty, respect, and the importance of becoming a person of character. In a time when volume often substitutes for values, Fred Rogers...

Eight Social Rules— 1. Silence in Arguments—Not every opinion needs a reply. 2. The calmest voice controls the room—power doesn’t shout. 3. Gossip once, lose trust forever—people remember. 4. Ask more, talk less—Silence is golden. 5. Praise in public, correct in private—Respect goes viral. 6. Facing an implacable individual, mirror their energy, not their chaos—Stay in control. Amendment—Challenge people in...

On September 24, 2015, Pope Francis made history as the first pontiff to address a Joint Session of the U.S. Congress. Nearly a decade later, his message still resonates with clarity and urgency. Francis reminded lawmakers that public service is more than legislation, it is a moral occupation: “You are called to defend and preserve the dignity of your fellow...

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...

I time-tunneled back to 410 BC to have a conversation with Socrates, the renowned Greek sage, about the greatest challenges we face today. With the help of his A.I. assistant, here is that conversation, (edited for length). Socrates: Greetings, fellow traveler. What’s on your mind? Jim: How can we climb out of the pit of despair and relentless conflict where...

CBS News journalist Steve Hartman has built a career on finding the extraordinary within the ordinary. At a time when headlines are dominated by division and despair, Hartman’s stories remind us that hope and kindness are far from absent, they’re simply waiting to be discovered. In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to close and children to learn from...

Twentieth-century journalist Walter Lippmann’s enduring appeal lies in his staunch commitment to the common good—the idea that society can function in a way that benefits everyone, not just individuals or specific groups. It’s a concept that is as essential today as it was when he first explored it nearly a century ago. Lippmann—whose insights on democracy, media, and morality helped...

Legend has it that a man once approached the Jewish sage Hillel the Elder with a challenge: if he could sum up the principles of Judaism in a single sentence, the man would convert. Hillel responded, “What is hateful to thee, do not unto thy fellow man: this is the whole of the law; the rest is commentary.” Hillel’s words...