Voices Today: Reclaiming Our Shared Humanity

Progress rests on the radical idea that we owe one another more than just transactional indifference. Today, we face a coordinated effort to frame basic human empathy as a liability, while our public universities—once engines of social mobility—are increasingly treated like corporate real estate projects.

Yet, the momentum for a sustainable and just future persists. From the halls of the UN to the picket lines of public education, the push for systemic accountability reminds us that democratic values are not passive inheritances, but tools we must sharpen daily against concentrated power and misinformation.

What the columnists are saying today

Why Empathy Is Now ‘Toxic,’ ‘Suicidal,’ and a ‘Sin’

The Atlantic — An exploration of how the far-right has reframed basic compassion as a threat to Western civilization.

I Loved Laughing at Videos of Robots Falling on Their Faces. Then I Realized That’s Exactly What They Want.

Slate Magazine — A reflection on how the World Humanoid Games served as a calculated social experiment in human-robot interaction.

Al Gore on the Global Climate Crisis: “We’re Going to Win This”

Mother Jones — Al Gore evaluates two decades of climate activism, maintaining optimism despite the ferocious opposition to renewable energy transitions.

Iran’s Bitterness and Bewilderment Over How to Make Peace with Trump

The New Yorker — Robin Wright examines Iran's latest diplomatic proposals amidst ongoing conflict and the unpredictability of U.S. executive power.

Trump's Diversionary Assault on the First Amendment

Common Dreams — An analysis of how attacks on free speech are used to distract from economic failures and foreign policy losses.

The Promises and Compromises of the University of California

Thenation.com — A critical look at how the University of California system is abandoning its public mission for corporate interests.

Advice: My stepson is breaking his dad’s heart. I want to ruin his holiday

The Washington Post — A family advice column navigates the complexities of personal loyalty and emotional retaliation within a household.

Do public institutions still serve the public good, or have they become too enmeshed in corporate logic? Join the conversation by emailing our editors or sharing your thoughts below.