Politics is the art of societal decision making and the distribution of power in a society. Permeating throughout all aspects of life, no human is exempt from political processes. Politics are crucial for societal, economic and political progress and development. Here are 10 reasons why politics is important and how they influence human life in … Read more
The history of voting and elections stretches far back in time. Ancient Greece seems to have been home to the earliest form of democracy. Voters could only be male landowners. Similar restrictions continued through the years and across nations, but different groups – like women – fought for more equal voting rights. Throughout the world, … Read more
History encompasses more than dates, names, and places. It describes how cultures remember events, how those events are presented to the next generation, and how the present engages with the past. In recent years, there’s been a decline in the study of history. Why is this something we should care about? Here are ten reasons … Read more
Wars have been fought for freedom. People have died for it. Freedom is the power to live, speak, and think as you like. Freedom manifests in a variety of ways – through speech, religion, voting – and it defines how we live our lives. It’s also complicated by an ever-shifting definition. That makes it both … Read more
Charitable giving is an age-old practice found in every culture. For thousands of years, community members have distributed resources without expecting to be paid back. The reward comes from community-wide improvement. Today, there are millions of organizations addressing issues like poverty, food insecurity, and inadequate healthcare. Why is donating important? Here are ten reasons: #1 … Read more
In the summer of 1215, King John met with a group of barons by the River Thames in Runnymede. The last few years had been a whirlwind. Unhappy with the nation’s direction, a group of barons rebelled. This led to the signing of the Magna Carta, also known as the Great Charter. While its impact … Read more
“Law” is a system of rules designed to regulate behavior in both public and private society. Social and/or governmental institutions create and enforce these rules. Humans have been making laws for thousands of years. Early examples include ancient Egyptian law, Babylonian law, ancient Chinese law, and Old Testament law. There are many categories of law, … Read more
Compassion can be hard to find these days. Many fail to understand how essential kindness is to our survival and happiness as human beings. For some, compassion isn’t valuable at all. It might even be scorned. It’s seen as a weakness and opportunity to be taken advantage of. In the words of the Dalai Lama, … Read more
The meaning of diversity often gets muddled. It is used so frequently without a thorough explanation, it can appear to be a buzzword without clarity. In simple terms, diversity encompasses the traits that make things (including people) unique. With humans, that includes language, ethnicity, race, gender, age, and so on. When an environment accepts and … Read more
“Philanthropy” is defined as goodwill toward other people. That includes monetary gifts, volunteering, and other humanitarian acts. Any individual or organization (like a business) can be philanthropic, though you’ll often see the term applied to corporations or wealthy people who dedicate a lot of energy and money to charitable causes. Why does philanthropy matter? Here … Read more
“Literature” is a broad term, but most people define it as writing with lasting artistic, cultural, and/or intellectual value. Literature includes ancient Greek plays, James Baldwin’s essays, and Charlotte Bronte’s novels. This type of writing deals with complex issues and ideas, encouraging readers to entertain new ways of thinking. Why is literature important? Here are … Read more
The Renaissance painting “The School of Athens” is packed with famous faces, including Plato and Aristotle. Full of symbols, the painting is a love letter to philosophers of the past. Today, our love letters look a little different than Raphael’s masterpiece, but the world is still fascinated with philosophy. Why? Contrary to what many might … Read more
Charity is defined as giving resources like time and money without expecting anything in return. This selfless giving serves the most vulnerable in society and helps ensure that peoples’ human rights and needs are met. Organizations built on this belief are nonprofits, which means they don’t benefit financially from donations intended for the causes they … Read more
