Author Archives
I blog for the promotion of critical thinking and cultural, historical, and philosophical literacy.
Visit me at http://andrewpegoda.com and http://ajpsfavs.com
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Promoting (Anti-)Violence with Violence in Shawn Mendes’s “Treat You Better” (2016)
Recently, I was listening to videos on YouTube for research, and I didn’t realize the “autoplay – up next” feature was on until I heard Shawn Mendes’s “Treat You Better.” The song bothered me. Once I looked, the music-video bothered… Read More ›
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The “Big Idea” History Syllabus
1. Whereas 99.9% of the past is forever lost to direct analysis, the past and everything that has ever happened anywhere (history) is different from the study of what has happened (History). Historians aim to assemble and examine stories about… Read More ›
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“Samsara” (2011) and the Choreography of Life
Ron Fricke and Mark Magidson’s Samsara (2011) is a documentary that chronicles what I would like to term the “choreography of life.” Unlike virtually all other documentaries, there are no spoken words, no traditional narration. But, the “music” track is beautiful. (Some… Read More ›
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When the truth (and democracy) doesn’t matter but we pretend it does
As a society, we frequently pretend we care about honesty and freedom. We frequently pretend we care about other people. But, when we recognize tangible evidence, we can easily see what actually matters. During the Senate Intelligence Committee’s hearing with Jeff Sessions, I… Read More ›
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5 Comments about Benedict Anderson’s Notion of the “Imagined Community.”
While Benedict Anderson’s theory is important and interesting, it has limitations. For some limited background information on what we mean by “imagined community,” you can look at past blogs I have written here. Wikipedia also provides a good overview here of… Read More ›
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An Open Letter to the 47th President of the United States
Dear Forty-seventh President of the United States, We don’t know who you will be, or even if you’ll ever come to be at this point. Trumpism is causing such division, is perpetuating such hatred toward minorities, and is turning a… Read More ›
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Confirmation Bias, Privilege, and Prayer (or, How Prayer and Discrimination Can Be Connected)
Recently, I read a powerful essay where the author, a Person of Color, describes their childhood and explains that “God always answered the prayers of White children but never answered our prayers.” This statement has been on my mind off and on since… Read More ›
