Do you take the Peig Sayers or the Friedrich Nietzsche view of life?
Fatalism can be an effective coping mechanism but it’s not good for the world
Unthinkable
Unthinkable coumns by Joe Humphreys
We need an adult debate on free speech. Some people will be offended
US academic Cass Sunstein, who is visiting Dublin this month, reminds us that college campuses ‘need offensive speech’
Yes, Easter is largely a festival of chocolate. No, that’s not anti-Catholic bias
Catholics are not being persecuted in Ireland but Christian teaching is being ignored - and that’s a pity
Four stories that Albert Camus might choose to tell if he were alive today
Author’s speech 80 years ago, on how ideology is used to excuse or celebrate death, feels suddenly current
Depressed by the news? Be a ‘happy warrior’ - and other tips to raise hope
A warning to pessimists: This column is ‘a no-moan zone’
Pete Hegseth and Pedro Sánchez embody two types of virtue signalling
Unthinkable: Committing publicly to a moral standpoint can change you for the better, or the worse
In Ireland, we’ll talk about anything except the meaning of life
Unthinkable: The voice of the Catholic Church in Irish education should be commended for raising the question of ‘purpose’
A judge says Enoch Burke has ‘free will’. But is that true of any of us?
Unthinkable: Some tips for anyone who feels their thoughts are being polluted by their smartphone, a mad king or even an overbearing parent
‘Be careful of your cat,’ the woman said. Something in me snapped
We love giving unsolicited advice, and we almost universally hate receiving it. It is the junk mail of human interaction
The Leaving Cert points race crushes open-ended dialogue
Dropping ‘risky’ ideas from the curriculum is bad for students
Six qualities make you cool, according to science. Trying too hard isn’t one of them
There’s a lesson here for politicians or political analysts who put great store in image management
Netflix recommendations, IQ scores and Duolingo streaks: the top 5 most useless metrics
Unthinkable: Not all rankings are worth paying attention to, but here’s one that is
Why Donald Trump has the mind of a cat
Making sense of the 47th US president is not easy, but a 17th century philosopher could have the answer
Have you given up alcohol yet? Planned your career pivot? Try the stoics’ approach instead
Unthinkable: Stoicism is not about outcomes, about getting what you want, or even about being happier or healthier
Crosswords & Puzzles
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
Common Ground
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
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Weddings, Births, Deaths and other family notices