Articles by Alexandra Hudson

The Social History of the Picnic
Thanks to the rise of prosperity and commercial society, picnicking was finally something for all to enjoy, not only the rarefied elite.


Remember the Good that Social Media has Achieved
We’ve come full circle from embracing the new social media platforms as tools of fostering a more connected, democratic, and enlightened world, to blaming them for the end of civilization as we know it.


Modern Technology and the Return of Civility
Several tech platforms have been developed in recent years and months, and their creators are committed to enabling Americans to fall back in love with conversation, rigorous debate, ideas, and learning — practices that were essential to the zenith of culture — not to mention democracy — including our own.


The Answer to the Social Media Conundrum Will Not Come From Government
To address this complicated problem, we must rely on innovation, diversification, decentralization, settled cultural norms, and individual discipline. Which is to say, we must rely on ourselves.


Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and the Sisyphean Pursuit of Happiness
Dissatisfaction is baked into the human experience, keeping us all forever on the move, on the hunt, looking for the next thing. As tragic as this is, it is here we find the source of progress in the world, the unending search for a better life. And it is always a search, one that requires a social template of freedom and experimentation, not with the goal of nirvana but the goal of experiencing hope and opportunity.