Noah Berlatsky

Conservative fetishization of the past is myopic, simplistic, and mean-spirited—but progressives can be too quick to cede tradition.

Is the gender of the philosopher a marginal curiosity—or is it more central?

Critics say call-out culture is mean-spirited and bullying. Not so fast.

Sex and bodies don't clarify gender; they confuse the issue.

Is it insulting to ask about the greatest female comics creator?

For once, central character Andrew's flaws are tied up in the fact that he is—wait for it—fundamentally decent.

Daredevil focuses on the dynamics of heroism—the display of strength and violence as a way to distance oneself from weakness.

Action movies don't usually bother much with romance. The trailer for The Transporter: Refueled certainly doesn't. The hero is cool — sexy women, plural, throw themselves at him, or at least stand near him and things blow up; there are fights and revenge and high production values. Romance is, at best, a secondary concern.

The history of pop music, and of black pop music in particular, has always been gay history.

Talking about race can get you into a lot of trouble . . . especially if you don't have a lot of class power or status.