Feed the Platform

Feed the Platform

When I lived in Portland, there was a curious stretch along NW 23rd Avenue where three Italian restaurants stood right next to each other. To me, it made no sense. Why would a restaurant choose to open right beside its competition? Wouldn’t it be smarter to go where...
When Power Steps Outside the Lines

When Power Steps Outside the Lines

People stop at red lights. They wear seat belts. They stand in line and wait their turn. It’s remarkable, really—how much of our daily life runs on willing self-restraint. We obey not through force or surveillance, but through a quiet, internalized consent to follow...
Checks and Balances

Checks and Balances

It took me over a month to open a new checking account at my local bank. It’s been years since I opened a bank account, and I was frustrated by what seemed to be excessive paperwork. At one point, the bank associate asked me whether I was a “politically exposed...
Be Your Own Judge of Power

Be Your Own Judge of Power

It’s the season of making merry— cooking elaborate meals, exchanging presents, going to parties, and lots of eating and drinking. And in the back of our minds, we’re preparing ourselves for the slump that awaits us. It’ll be a grim Monday morning...