Faith, Fiction, Friends: Saturday Good Reads

It’s the end of the year, a rather tumultuous year, and people are writing about all of what happened, the causes, and the implications. Victor Tan Chen, an associate professor of sociology at Virginia Commonwealth University, considers the modern economy in a spiritual crisis. Pankaj Mishra at The Guardian sees the Age of Anger. A young woman who served with Rex Tillerson, nominated for Secretary of State, in a horrible jury trial reminds us to look past superficial reporting and political bias. And Giles Fraser, the religion columnist at The Guardian, suggests that the only way to defeat terrorism is true extremism.

Several interesting stories on art and some exhibitions were posted – art in the Russian Revolution, the disasters of war, and putting art (back) in its place. And Tim Good has some some wonderful photographs of koi that look like paintings.

Billy Dyer explains ad hominem attacks. Aaron Earls issues a plea for stopping the rush past Christmas. Jake Lee exegetes “O Holy Night.” And some impressive poetry.

Life and Culture

The Spiritual Crisis of the Modern Economy – Victor Tan Chen at The Atlantic.

Welcome to the age of anger – Pankaj Mishra at The Guardian.

Advent in the Deathworks – R.J. Snell at First Things.

How to defeat terrorism? True extremism – Giles Fraser at The Guardian (Hat Tip: J of India).

What I learned about Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson after spending a week on jury duty with him – Emily Roden at the Dallas Morning News.

Art and Photography

The story of art in the Russian Revolution – Martin Sixsmith at The Royal Academy of Arts.

Putting Art (back) in Its Place – Alex Miller Jr. at Curator Magazine.

Dance of Koi – Tim Good at Pics, Poems, and Ponderings.

Goya’s “The Disasters of War” at the St. Louis Art Museum – Chris Naffziger at St. Louis Magazine.

Poetry