CATEGORY: LITERATURE (12 min)
You’re pretty smart, so you've probably at least heard of the Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky.
Maybe you’ve even considered reading his novels . . .
. . . until you saw the page count and decided, Eh, not right now.
Well, Professor Gary Saul Morson’s New Criterion essay will introduce you to Dostoevsky’s richest insights into the human condition within minutes rather than days.
(Although you really should read at least one Dostoevsky novel for yourself.)
A “Realist in the Higher Sense”
Dostoevsky’s novels are dense with moral and political lessons. Morson’s essay introduces you to the most important ones.
Read his essay to discover:
- The essence of being human (according to Dostoevsky)
- Why we often commit random, surprising acts—sometimes against our best interests
- Why we don’t live for bread alone, and what happens when we try to
Later on, when you’re able, set aside time to begin one of Dostoevsky’s masterworks.
They may just change your life.
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CATEGORY: PSYCHOLOGY (7 min)
You’re probably used to having people challenge your views.
ISI students tell us all the time that they certainly come under attack whenever they dare challenge campus orthodoxy.
Such attacks are never pleasant. But here’s the thing: they can be worthwhile . . . if you have the right attitude.
Being open to criticism—and even to rethinking your beliefs—can make you “more successful, less anxious, and happier,” says Arthur C. Brooks.
More Augustine and Buddha, Less Unabomber
Brooks, the former American Enterprise Institute president, isn’t saying you should suddenly back the progressive agenda. But he has good advice on what an open mind looks like.
Read his Atlantic column to learn:
- Why the best way to save face is to admit when you’re wrong
- What Abraham Lincoln knew that John F. Kennedy didn’t
- Why no opinion you tweet today will benefit you in five years
Brooks has one more pointer. Click the button to find out what it is.
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Because our student editors and writers are bravely bringing conservative ideas to their campuses, we’re highlighting their efforts here.
Education, Indoctrination, and the Myth of Academic Freedom via the Free Pack
9/11 Memorial Vandalized on Campus via the Jefferson Independent
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CATEGORY: BOOKS (9 min)
If you’re looking for problematic books, start with these.
Please note, we are not calling for anyone to ban or stop selling these bad books.
In fact, you should read at least some of the 50 books on this list. They will show you where many dangerous ideas emerged. And you can’t refute your opponents’ arguments when you don’t understand them.
If you feel like you need a shower after reading some of these titles, refresh yourself with our list of the 50 best books of the 20th century.
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This is a discussion you don't want to miss. And you can watch it live right now!
You’re invited to join Modern Age Editor-in-Chief Daniel McCarthy as he moderates a discussion with leading conservatives about the principles that informed the American Founding.
You’ll hear from:
- Acclaimed podcast host and national bestselling author Michael Knowles
- Hillsdale research fellow Michael Anton, who served on the National Security Council under President Donald J. Trump and is the author of “The Flight 93 Election” and The Stakes: America at the Point of No Return
- Reason magazine managing editor Stephanie Slade
- New York Times bestselling author Kevin Gutzman, who has written the only Jeffersonian account of American constitutional history
You can stream this live event right now on ISI’s YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe to our channel so you can watch (and rewatch) this discussion as well as dozens of other videos featuring leading conservatives.
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“The act of reaching into one’s own pockets to help a fellow man in need is praiseworthy and laudable. Reaching into someone else’s pocket is despicable.”
—Walter E. Williams
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Thank you for reading. Share with a friend!
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Who We Are, What We Do
Too many college students feel isolated or attacked for questioning the ever-narrowing range of debate on campus.
We introduce you to the American tradition of liberty and to a vibrant community of students and scholars so that you get the collegiate experience you hunger for.
Get the college experience you deserve—before you graduate.
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