The Institute | Culture and Lifestyle


Game Theory
Lessons on politics, economics and life to be learned from the world of sports

Bitches and Prose II
Another rap in standard verse

Five Keys to Increasing Your Likeability
In the office and in the world

Nightclub Politics
The economics and politics of the bar scene

Analyzing MySpace
A place for eternally naive children of Western capitalism

Where is the Love?: The Political Divisions in Music
Should you really boycott the artist whose policy preferences aren't yours?

Technology

Symposium: Cell Phones
Modern convenience or social scourge?

The Tipping Point?
The beginning stages of a high-traffic website

Social/Business

Five Keys to Increasing Your Likeability
In the office and in the world

How to Cope With Negative Personalities
In the office and the world

Over-Analyzing Social Situations: An Over Analysis
How to use mindless questions to achieve social success and widespread popularity.

The Opening
How to overcome your deepest fears and insecurities to enhance your attractiveness.

How To Get Your Way At A Restaurant (And Elsewhere)
Getting the star treatment.

Music

Bitches and Prose
A rap in standard verse

The Rap Game and Libertarianism
Jay-Z, Snoop, and other icons of free-market individualism

A Collection of the Greatest Rap Lines of All Time
While everyone else in the establishment either rips hip-hop as Satan's preferred medium or reluctantly excuses it as inner-city free speech, we celebrate its lyrical genius.

Culture and sports

NFL: No Free Lunch
Collectivism can work

Top 5 Reasons Why Top 5 Lists Are So Popular
What's irony?

Symposium: Hollister
Hollister, for those who don't know, is an en vogue clothing company selling - mostly to non-Californians - clothing proclaiming residence in California. We observe and analyze the manifold absurdities of the whole deal. Is the "I-Want-To-Like-Live-In-California-But-Like-I-Live-In-Nebraska-So-Like-I'll-Just-Pretend" trend ever going to go away?

Symposium: Laguna Beach
In honor of MTV cancelling the show, we thought it appropriate to celebrate with our original review of the mind-numbing - yet strangely addictive - show.

Athletes' Salaries Reflect the Market
For all you sports fans tired of hearing how athletes are overpaid, or for you sports fans who think athletes are overpaid, here's an economics lesson in the value of the American athlete.

Relationships

Quality Over Quantity
An essay on relationships

On Being In Love
A simple description of the way one person can change perspectives.

 

Recommended Music of the Moment


M. Ward - Post-War

Parody Ads
-
Unleash her inner gold-digger: A diamond is forever
- Microsoft: Your potential, our enemy
- Honda's new hybrid line
- Hummer: Yuppies of the world, unite

More sections:
Entertainment.
Commentary on music and film, plus our recommendations of great music (of all genres) that you won't hear anywhere else.
The Tao of PI. The mindset behind the movement - philosophy, religion and love.
The Archive. Diamonds in a gem collection.