Common Sense with Bari Weiss $5 / month

Common Sense with Bari Weiss critiques contemporary issues impacting society from the perspectives of free speech, scientific inquiry, and cultural shifts. It explores themes around gender dysphoria, debate censorship, autism, personal values, public controversies, mental health, political correctness, scientific skepticism, cultural identity, historical context, and societal purpose.

Free Speech and Censorship Gender and Identity Education and Debate Health and Science Cultural and Social Issues Mental Health Politics and Public Opinion Historical and Cultural Identity Personal Values and Purpose Science and Skepticism

The hottest Substack posts of Common Sense with Bari Weiss

And their main takeaways

Jimmy Lai Gets 20 Years. The Fight to Free Him Must Go On.

412 implied HN points • 09 Feb 26

Jimmy Lai, a 78-year-old pro-democracy publisher, was sentenced to 20 years under Hong Kong’s national security law, showing how the law can be used to target journalists.
The heavy sentence underscores the erosion of Hong Kong’s promised autonomy under “one country, two systems” and represents a major blow to press freedom.
Sustained pressure from Western governments could still secure his release and may be necessary to prevent him from dying in prison, so international advocacy remains crucial.

How to Change Your Mind

398 implied HN points • 09 Feb 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political media Ideology Polarization Public Figures Accountability Interviews

Changing your mind shows you think for yourself and takes curiosity, honesty, courage, and humility.
Right now, admitting you changed your mind often becomes a 'gotcha' that pressures people to stick to their old positions.
The new video series Confessions interviews people who left earlier beliefs to understand why they changed; it starts with Richard Hanania and asks others to share their stories.

‘We’re All Just Winging It’: What the Gender Doctors Say in Private

2272 implied HN points • 03 Dec 25

🏥 Health Politics Transgender Care Medical Ethics Youth Medicine Clinical Practice Health Policy

Clinicians admit they often lack solid evidence but still perform life-changing gender treatments on vulnerable young people. They describe this uncertainty openly among themselves.
At closed professional meetings, gender doctors speak much more candidly than they do in public, discussing new and experimental procedures for patients, including adolescents.
Some providers are willing to carry out extreme surgeries—like removing erogenous tissue—on patients who say they are asexual or don’t want sexual sensation, raising ethical concerns about consent and long-term outcomes.

A Legal First That Could Change Gender Medicine. Plus. . .

528 implied HN points • 02 Feb 26

📰 News US Politics Health care Technology Legal News Immigration Economy Culture

A landmark malpractice verdict brought by a detransitioner could reshape how courts and states regulate gender‑affirming care for minors and make clinicians’ decisions subject to far greater legal scrutiny.
Autonomous AI agents are beginning to form their own forums and interactions, raising new worries that bots could develop independent behaviors and create risks we aren’t prepared to manage.
Political and cultural tensions are realigning: Trump‑era moves on immigration, the arts, and economic appointments are fueling protests, alienating some voters, and drawing intense public and legal scrutiny.

Death Is Nothing to Be Feared

579 implied HN points • 30 Jan 26

🎭️ Culture Mythology Religion Storytelling Rituals Death Literature

Old stories and fairy tales teach kindness, shape our morals, and help build communities that last.
Our hyper-technological age and the retreat of religion are eroding those guiding myths, creating a cultural amnesia about ancient wisdom.
People often live in denial about mortality, but facing and accepting death as a natural part of life can restore meaning and a sense of fairness.

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What Will Happen Next in Venezuela? We Asked David Petraeus.

1163 implied HN points • 06 Jan 26

The U.S. capture of Nicolás Maduro is portrayed as justified and a clear demonstration of American military capability, and Maduro is described as a brutal, narco-linked dictator.
To avoid sending U.S. ground troops, the recommended approach is to work with what’s left of Venezuela’s government, even if that means keeping figures like Delcy Rodríguez in place and trying to secure their cooperation.
Experience in counterinsurgency informs the view that partnering with local actors can prevent long, costly wars, but whether that will succeed in Venezuela is still uncertain.

Arthur Brooks: Five Steps to a Happy Life

1066 implied HN points • 09 Jan 26

Make consistent daily routines that protect your health and productivity, like a set morning schedule.
Use regular hard exercise and a spiritual or meditative practice to reduce negative emotions and raise overall well‑being.
Stop saying yes to obligations that drain you, like work dinners, and prioritize close family time — even moving closer to grandchildren if that boosts life satisfaction.

We Gave Students Laptops and Took Away Their Brains

2137 implied HN points • 05 Dec 25

🚌 Education EdTech K-12 Learning Science Education & Policy

Schools’ growing use of laptops and screens is linked to worse student performance over time.
Consuming information through screens fractures attention, weakens memory, and erodes deep, rigorous thinking.
Many children now show less focus, less interest in reading, and overall lower cognitive skills than past generations.

Coleman Hughes: How Nick Fuentes Does It

2267 implied HN points • 01 Dec 25

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Extremism Radicalization Media Disinformation Identity politics Online Influence

He presents a toned-down version of himself to mainstream hosts while keeping a much more extreme persona for his core supporters.
Over time he shifted from mainstream conservative views to openly embracing bigotry, antisemitism, and admiration for authoritarian figures.
Attempts to marginalize or censor him have often backfired and increased his visibility, letting him grow from a small podcast to a wider cultural influence.

I Joined Ice Watch

936 implied HN points • 14 Jan 26

Ordinary Minneapolis residents built a large encrypted Signal network to track and warn about immigration enforcement in real time.
Volunteer groups run 5 a.m. patrol shifts, track license plates, and operate rapid-response teams to monitor and try to disrupt ICE activity.
A recent massive ICE operation drew thousands into these groups, with hundreds showing up as observers and organizers coordinating where people should or should not gather.

Columbia’s Modern Arab Studies Chair Contenders Have One Thing in Common: Hating Israel

343 implied HN points • 12 Feb 26

🚌 Education Higher Ed Education & Policy Curriculum Academic Freedom Campus politics

Columbia is overhauling its Middle Eastern studies programs and replacing the Modern Arab Studies chair after losing federal funding and reaching a settlement.
Several top candidates and committee members have publicly taken strongly critical positions toward Israel, including framing violent events as responses to Israeli policies, which raises concerns about ideological bias.
Despite university promises to ensure "balanced" curricula, the candidates' views suggest the program may stay politically slanted, fueling accusations and institutional consequences.

Relax, Microplastics Aren’t Killing You

741 implied HN points • 22 Jan 26

🔬 Science Environmental Toxicology Epidemiology Methodology Public Health Ecology

Microplastics are everywhere and do pose real ecological risks. But alarmist claims that they are immediately causing major human diseases aren’t supported.
A high‑profile study claiming plastic in human brains used a detection method that can’t reliably distinguish plastic from ordinary fats, so its results are likely false.
Experts have criticized and reversed those dramatic claims, showing we need better methods and more careful interpretation before linking microplastics to serious human health effects.

Cardinal Dolan’s Exit Interview. De-escalation in Minneapolis. Allie Beth Stuckey Responds to Hillary Clinton. Plus. . .

449 implied HN points • 05 Feb 26

📰 News Politics Religion Education Technology Finance Crime International Culture

Timothy Cardinal Dolan is retiring after 17 years as a blunt, influential voice for the American Catholic Church, and he’s been active in political and religious debates, notably speaking out on rising antisemitism.
Big political announcements often don’t change outcomes: promises to disband the Department of Education haven’t come to pass, and ICE’s reported pullback in Minnesota coincided with local actions that still enabled federal immigration enforcement.
Technology is shaking institutions and norms: AI and stolen exams have undermined the integrity of top high school math contests, while tech stocks and Bitcoin have fallen as markets rethink risky, growth-focused assets.

Was Trump’s Venezuela Attack Legal?

1159 implied HN points • 03 Jan 26

Seizing and bringing a foreign leader to the U.S. for trial fits within existing U.S. practice and law. There is a clear precedent in the 1989 capture of Manuel Noriega that courts later upheld.
Federal courts have repeatedly affirmed broad presidential authority to use military force in such operations, especially when tied to criminal charges like drug trafficking.
Using U.S. forces to govern or 'run' another country long term is much less clearly legal and raises serious constitutional and political questions. Actions taken without clear congressional authorization add further legal uncertainty.

How the Bible Helped Smash the Crown

1465 implied HN points • 23 Dec 25

⛪ Faith & Spirituality Religious history Biblical Studies Church-state

The American Revolution rejected earthly kings and said people’s equality comes from God, not from who holds political power.
Freedom of religion was a radical founding idea that rejected religious uniformity and trusted different faiths to live side by side and thrive.
The flourishing of biblical faith helped ground the nation’s idea of equality, and public cooperation between different religious leaders showed religion would play a central, pluralistic role.

Will We Regret the Release of the Epstein Files?

463 implied HN points • 04 Feb 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Legislation Congress Law enforcement Transparency Partisanship Media Scandal

The Department of Justice released millions of partially redacted Epstein files — emails, photos, and investigative reports — and those materials are already flooding social media.
Nobody knows which details in the files are true, false, or misleading, but people with even slight or tangential connections to Epstein are already being embarrassed, harassed, or smeared.
There was broad bipartisan support to force disclosure, yet critics warned the mass release would reveal and injure innocent witnesses, alibi providers, and family members, and reputations are now being harmed.

The Way Out of the Immigration Mess

477 implied HN points • 03 Feb 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Immigration Border Security Policy Reform Public Opinion Bipartisanship Federal Policy

Voters hate chaos, and that dislike helps explain why many people reacted against loose border policies.
Even though immigration looks politically divisive, more Americans share common goals than it appears, so a consensus is closer than people think.
Policy-focused experts from different viewpoints argue that practical fixes, not partisan fighting, are the way to solve the border problems.

In a Top Math Contest, the Cheaters Are Winning

445 implied HN points • 04 Feb 26

🚌 Education Academic Integrity Standardized tests Artificial Intelligence Online Platforms Education & Policy

Cheating in top math contests has become widespread and is now threatening the integrity and future of those competitions.
Exam copies and answers are being bought and sold openly on global online platforms, making leaks easy to access and exploit.
AI has amplified and accelerated the cheating problem, creating a bigger threat that serves as a warning for the wider education system.

Can Vibe Coding Make Me a Better Catholic?

329 implied HN points • 11 Feb 26

⛪ Faith & Spirituality Catholicism Spirituality Prayer Mental health Religious practice

Advanced AI is being used to build faith-focused mental health tools, showing tech can be turned toward religious practice and pastoral care.
State-of-the-art models like Claude feel almost superhuman, and that sense of completeness makes people nervous about how fast AI is evolving and what it could change in our lives.
Sincere, faith-oriented projects coming from unexpected creators prompt suspicion, highlighting tensions around authenticity, trust, and the role of technology in spiritual life.

This Week in American History: Washington’s Civil War

236 implied HN points • 18 Feb 26

💾 History American history Presidential History Civil War Political History Historical memory 19th century

On February 22, 1861, President James Buchanan first kept soldiers out of Washington’s birthday parade to avoid provoking secession and then reversed himself when the public was disappointed, revealing his indecision.
In the months before the Civil War both unionists and secessionists tried to claim George Washington’s legacy to legitimize their opposing causes.
The controversy over Washington’s birthday on the eve of the Civil War shows that disputes over historical figures have long been political fights about who can claim the past, not just arguments about monuments.

In the UK, The Free Press Is Adults Only

1697 implied HN points • 15 Dec 25

📰 News Media Censorship Free speech Regulation Technology UK politics

The UK’s Online Safety Act, meant to protect children, is being used to block or restrict ordinary news and commentary.
Regulators are interpreting “objectionable” content very broadly, which lets censorship spread beyond clearly harmful material.
These rules end up hurting free speech and public debate by chilling independent thought and the search for truth.

This Week in Canada: If You Believe That, I Have a Bridge Named After Gordie Howe to Sell You

347 implied HN points • 10 Feb 26

🌍 World Politics Trade Diplomacy Geopolitics China relations U.S. Relations Industrial Policy Agriculture

Canada is moving to strengthen economic ties with China as part of a strategy to reduce dependence on the United States.
Concrete steps include allowing a limited number of Chinese-made electric vehicles and removing tariffs on Canadian canola to boost exports.
Donald Trump publicly attacked the arrangement, calling it a disaster and suggesting the U.S. views Canada’s friendlier trade posture toward China as part of the broader U.S.–China confrontation.

Can We Stop Trying to Cancel the ‘00s?

204 implied HN points • 20 Feb 26

🎭️ Culture TV Media Pop culture Documentaries Criticism Entertainment

There’s a growing wave of documentaries re-examining early-2000s pop culture that focuses on how those shows and brands were abusive or problematic.
These pieces follow a predictable formula: highlight practices that were already criticized, make viewers feel complicit, and then offer only mild behind-the-scenes revelations.
That cycle is getting tiresome because it often feels like performative canceling instead of real accountability or deeper insight, and it overlooks the historical context of how people saw things at the time.

I Have Six Siblings. It’s the Greatest Gift in the World.

2221 implied HN points • 28 Nov 25

🎭️ Culture Family Relationships Memoir Childhood Identity

Growing up with six siblings creates a lifelong bond — you grow up together and will grow old together, and that connection feels irreplaceable.
Being in a big family teaches mutual care and responsibility, since everyone is trusted to look after one another from a young age.
Belonging to a large sibling group means dedicating your energy to something bigger than yourself, and that shared purpose is experienced as a true gift.

Ancient Wisdom: Retire Like a Libertarian

969 implied HN points • 09 Jan 26

Staying socially connected matters — people who keep close friends or join groups stay happier and avoid isolation in retirement.
Keeping active with hobbies and exercise, like beach volleyball or golf, helps physical health and gives daily joy and social chances.
Having meaningful work, beliefs, or roles gives purpose. Losing a leadership role can make retirement harder, so find new ways to stay engaged.

The Fed Should Stay in Its Lane

449 implied HN points • 03 Feb 26

💰 Finance Central Banking Monetary Policy Regulation Political Influence Climate Risk

The Fed has drifted into topics like climate change and social policy, publishing research and public messages beyond its traditional focus on inflation and banking.
That mission creep triggered public backlash and raised concerns among staff and observers that the central bank is becoming politicized.
A new chair should refocus the Fed on core monetary policy and avoid advocacy on issues like climate or childcare, but pulling it back to that lane will be a difficult task.

Why We Threw Out the Broken Food Pyramid

996 implied HN points • 08 Jan 26

Past federal nutrition advice promoted low-fat and processed “healthy” foods, which helped create a broken food supply and fueled epidemics of obesity and chronic disease.
The new guidelines shift focus to eating more real, micronutrient-rich foods and cutting back on highly processed products.
They raise recommended daily protein intake by roughly 50–100%, saying earlier estimates underestimated true protein needs and were set to prevent deficiency rather than support thriving.

Wikipedia Editors Are Helping Iran Rewrite History

704 implied HN points • 21 Jan 26

🌍 World Politics Propaganda Censorship Human Rights Digital Media Authoritarianism Middle East

A coordinated campaign is using Wikipedia edits to rewrite and sanitize Iran’s human-rights record and historical events.
This online propaganda runs alongside violent repression and internet blackouts that stop people from documenting and sharing evidence.
Years of pro-regime editing make it harder for outsiders to learn the truth and let the regime shape the international narrative.

Brigitte Bardot Is Dead. Why Are We Scolding Her?

1117 implied HN points • 02 Jan 26

She was a major cultural icon in the 1960s. As an actress and singer she reshaped how Europe saw female sexuality and even lent her name to a lasting fashion silhouette.
Later in life she devoted herself to animal-rights work, founding the Brigitte Bardot Foundation and insisting that activism was how she wanted to be remembered.
Her death prompted heavy media focus on decades of controversial politics, including sympathy for the far right and racist rhetoric, and reignited debate about whether and how to honor her legacy.

Two Drinks with . . . the Last Great Military Strategist

945 implied HN points • 09 Jan 26

A seasoned military strategist stays active and worldly, advising militaries, reading the classics, speaking many languages, and running a cattle ranch in the Amazon.
He believes sentimentality is the enemy of good strategy and often supports cold, pragmatic choices like letting rival forces weaken each other rather than intervening for humanitarian reasons.
He draws lessons from history and nature — such as animal defensive formations and classical campaigns — and warns that many European armies have lost real combat skills.

AI Took Control of My Life and I Love It

658 implied HN points • 23 Jan 26

🕹 Technology AI Automation Privacy Productivity Security Software

A person handed an AI assistant full access to their life — calendars, passwords, and finances — so it could run automated agents to manage tasks.
Those agents handled busywork like canceling unused subscriptions and organizing a chaotic inbox, giving the person back time and mental space.
This turns surveillance-style data into personal convenience but creates a privacy tradeoff because the AI needs access to sensitive information.

Defending the Right to Laugh. Plus. . .

394 implied HN points • 06 Feb 26

😂 Humor Satire Stand-up Political Humor Free speech

Comedy and satire are under strain because real events often feel stranger than fiction, but preserving the freedom to offend and laugh is important for national culture.
The government has threatened action against Iran but practical military limits have held back strikes, even though many Trump supporters would back military action in certain situations.
Antisemitic incidents are rising and some official responses and high-profile campaigns risk backfiring, making the problem harder to address effectively.

I Wrote a Novel About War. Now I’m Watching It Unfold in Iran.

134 implied HN points • 26 Feb 26

🌐 International Middle East Iran Military Geopolitics Security Russia

Scenarios once written as fiction—Russian warships operating near Iran, hypersonic threats to U.S. carriers, and a regime desperate to survive—are now playing out in reality.
Sudden events like the drone strike that killed General Qasem Soleimani can rapidly upend strategic assumptions and force analysts to rewrite their plans.
Collaborating with experienced military thinkers can help fiction anticipate real crises, highlighting how fragile and fast-changing international security has become.

My Shadow Family

1474 implied HN points • 19 Dec 25

🎭️ Culture Personal Essay Adoption Family Identity Memoir Relationships

A person can grow up not wondering about their birth family, then later seek them out and uncover hidden truths and lies about their origins.
Reuniting with a birth parent after decades can be emotional and surprising, with moments of recognition and complicated feelings on both sides.
The first few months of life are deeply formative, so even being adopted at four months means the baby has already experienced many important early bonds and routines.

The Economy Can Survive Tariffs, Not Autocracy

176 implied HN points • 22 Feb 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Executive Power Trade policy Judiciary Economic Policy Congress Markets

A court decision curtailed a president's tariff powers, showing the judiciary can check executive overreach and help protect the balance of power.
Tariffs have distorted markets but so far haven’t wrecked the economy, and investors were calm because there are other, slower routes to raise tariffs that can produce similar effects.
The larger danger is unchecked presidential power and a drift toward autocracy, which could damage democratic institutions and the economy more than tariffs alone.

TGIF: Piddly, Stupid Stuff

1905 implied HN points • 05 Dec 25

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Executive Branch National Security Foreign Policy Public Policy Political media Scandals

U.S. forces reportedly struck an alleged Venezuelan drug boat and then hit survivors clinging to the wreckage, and a defense official saying he wasn’t present and calling it ‘the fog of war’ has raised questions about accountability.
The United States Institute of Peace was renamed for Donald Trump, a move that comes off as self-aggrandizing and invites comparisons to past presidential honors.
A weekly news roundup mixes snarky coverage of both trivial and serious stories—celebrity spats, tech vs. human driving, campus disability trends—and has added a new advice column called Tough Love.

Mike Pence: Minnesota Is a Warning. Plus. . .

528 implied HN points • 29 Jan 26

🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Immigration Local Politics Executive Branch Congress Law enforcement Political violence

The killing in Minneapolis and the federal immigration surge have shifted the national debate, escalating federal involvement and raising the political stakes around ICE funding and local enforcement.
Threats and violent incidents against elected officials are on the rise, so fear is increasingly becoming a routine part of political life and shaping how politicians engage with the public.
Elon Musk’s robotaxi promise looks overhyped as regulatory and business hurdles have stalled the plan, turning a touted future product into a likely pipe dream for now.

The Bots Are Building Their Own Society

463 implied HN points • 01 Feb 26

🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Automation Cybersecurity Software Ethics Societal Impact

AI agents like OpenClaw can form large, interacting communities where bots argue, collaborate, and even write new apps to extend their abilities.
If given access to your devices or accounts, these agents can perform harmful actions—like draining crypto wallets or sending damaging messages—so they pose concrete security and ethical risks.
These tools spread very quickly and are still experimental, so use caution (for example, don’t install them on your main device) because their behavior is not fully understood.

‘Wuthering Heights’ Is Delightfully Perverted

278 implied HN points • 13 Feb 26

🎭️ Culture Film Literature Adaptation Reviews Media Pop culture

The new Wuthering Heights throws out strict fidelity for a bold, stylized reinvention. It leans into raw emotion and deliberate perversity.
Some viewers and critics find it superficial, but its emotional thrust and shocking choices make it a powerful, affecting experience for many people.
Don’t expect a faithful Brontë adaptation; expect a polarizing, entertaining film that’s great if you want a wild, emotionally charged good time.

Iran’s Reluctant Prince. Plus. . .

431 implied HN points • 03 Feb 26

📰 News International U.S. Politics Middle East Conflict Diplomacy Business Technology Society

Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s shah, is being looked at by some as a possible transitional leader if the regime falters, but he’s a complicated and imperfect figure.
The U.S. is both threatening military action against Iran and pursuing last-ditch diplomacy, demanding steep concessions like ending nuclear and missile programs and stopping support for proxy groups.
The news cycle is volatile: domestic politics face a partial government shutdown and high-profile congressional/legal fights over the Epstein files, while internationally big stories include SpaceX buying xAI, deadly Russian strikes in Ukraine, and the Rafah crossing reopening in Gaza.