Navigating Discontent in the Age of the Internet
We live in an era of increasing tribalism and self-righteousness, made more toxic by social media. Philosopher Mark Kingwell argues that the Left can forge a healthier political culture.
103 Articles by: David Moscrop
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David Moscrop is a writer and political commentator. He hosts the podcast Open to Debate and is the author of Too Dumb For Democracy? Why We Make Bad Political Decisions and How We Can Make Better Ones.
Dear NHL, We Can’t See the Ice Through the Ads
Under the NHL’s new ad regime, the puck never crosses a line without a viewer being bombarded with a garish billboard.
Big Tech Markets Its Snake Oil as Progressivism
Tech bros promising “community engagement” are trying to cash in on health equity. Silicon Valley’s answer to social welfare involves slapping a progressive label on subscription social services while monetizing the safety net.
Copyright Keepers Just Destroyed a Huge Digital Library
In a troubling blow to public access, a US appeals court sided with big publishers, erasing half a million books from the Internet Archive’s lending library. This case isn’t just about books; it’s also about who controls the digital commons.
The Dream and Nightmare of Neoliberalism
The spread of neoliberalism promised economic efficiency and freedom for the powerful while wreaking havoc for millions. In recent years, claims of a post-neoliberal era have emerged, but a new book argues that these claims may be greatly exaggerated.
The Rich Want You to Fear Tax Fairness
Canada raised its capital gains tax inclusion rate, sparking outrage from the investing class, who warned of economic disaster. The data shows that their histrionics were groundless.
Economic Overlords Are Destroying Democracy — and Our Lives
Economic power is political power. We spoke with Peter Phillips, author of Titans of Capital, about how the capitalist class is subverting democracy and controlling the lives of billions through massive investments in everything from food to war.
Stop the Nonsense: Justin Trudeau Is No Marxist
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre’s farcical labeling of Justin Trudeau as a communist echoes hysterical historical precedents. The rhetoric underscores a cynical misunderstanding of both Trudeau’s policies and communism.
Greece’s Six-Day Workweek Is a Recipe for Disaster
Greece’s forced six-day workweek exploits workers and will leave the economy worse off in the long run. The policy, driven by economic pressures and an aging population, serves as a cautionary tale for global labor.
Enough With the Housing Crisis Already!
There is no excuse for a wealthy society like ours to have any problem providing enough housing for everyone. The housing crisis is an intolerable and glaring policy failure, and we are approaching a critical mass of collective exasperation.
We Need to Talk About Amazon Prime Day
Amazon Prime Day, which took place earlier this week, offers a flurry of deals for savvy consumers. But the two weeks leading up to the event and Prime Day itself result in double the industry average of recorded injuries.
Yes, Profits Have Risen With Prices
That unbelievably expensive grocery bill? Turns out there’s a simple explanation: a new report in Canada finds that corporate profits have doubled since before the outbreak of the pandemic.
School Smartphone Bans Are Picking Up Steam
There is increasing evidence that smartphones and social media use have a destructive impact on the mental health of young people. Big Tech may not like it, but more and more schools around the world are instituting bans on phones in the classroom.
IKEA’s Genius Plan: Pay Workers More to Keep Them
Faced with sky-high turnover, notoriously anti-union IKEA has reluctantly decided to pay workers more and offer them childcare in a tight labor market. To rebalance power between management and labor in the long term, workers need a union.
The Great Video Game Swindle
The video game industry exploits its workers and abuses its market dominance, ruining the quality of games while investors rake in fortunes. Worth more than the film and music industries combined, this behemoth is a beast that needs taming.
Welcome to the Era of Garbage Film and Television Streaming
Private equity and monopoly capitalists will destroy anything to make a buck, and they’ve turned their sights on TV and film. If you hated cable’s high prices, endless ads, and copycat programming, you’re going to loathe the future of streaming.
Red Lobster Had to Close So That Rich People Could Get Paid
Red Lobster’s bankruptcy isn’t a story about the recklessness of having endless shrimp on offer — it’s a story of how private equity firms bled a restaurant chain dry, leaving workers and diners adrift.
Walmart Is Still Putting Ebenezer Scrooge to Shame
Infamous for its starvation wages, Walmart just posted staggering first-quarter profits. The surge is a result of its strategic shift toward catering to affluent shoppers while its full-time workers continue to rely on Medicaid and food stamps.
Failure to Safeguard Free Speech Is Always a Problem
Recent crackdowns on free assembly are a reminder that the state will always finish first in deplatforming contests. Parts of Canada’s Online Harms Bill may be a massive overreach that chills speech at the worst time possible.
The Canadian State Is Euthanizing Its Poor and Disabled
Canada boasts one of the world’s highest assisted-death rates, supposedly enabling the terminally ill to die with dignity. However, this suicide program increasingly resembles a dystopian replacement for care services, exchanging social welfare for euthanasia.