Jack Bilson On…

Society and Culture

  • On Failure

    Failure is not the opposite of success. It might just be the opposite of nothing. It is what happens when we try to do something that matters, inevitably falling short of the unreasonably high expectation we have set for ourselves:… Continue reading

  • On Humour

    Humour is often celebrated for its ability to uplift, but it is also a powerful tool for avoidance, shielding us from any confrontation with discomfort, reinforcing harmful norms. It lets us sidestep responsibility and the hard work of confronting real… Continue reading

  • On Being Invisible

    In cities that have become whirlpools of noise and motion, it is unprecedentedly easy to disappear. You can fall apart completely, and no one will notice, unless you become a problem. In all the vastness and indifference of these places,… Continue reading

  • On Loneliness

    Loneliness is not a private failing. It is a public warning. It tells us that something essential is missing, not within us, but between us. It is the quiet cost of emotional repression, the background hum of a culture that… Continue reading

  • On Name Dropping

    Name dropping is not always about showing off. More often, it is a quiet declaration of power. In contemporary society, where reputation often matters more than ability, and proximity to power becomes a type of credential, name dropping is a… Continue reading

  • On Shame

    Shame is quietly shaping our politics, shifting the public focus from a battle of ideas to a contest of feelings. When economic security vanishes, and the future becomes hard to imagine, jobs and economic security is not all that people… Continue reading

  • On Luxury Beliefs

    Luxury beliefs are not things that are worn, rather they are things that are spoken, often softly, behind the cover of clever words, but always with good intentions. They are modern marks of status that signal moral virtue while costing… Continue reading