“2016: The Year the Internet Became Real,” New York
If one thing became crystal clear in the last year, it’s this: The internet is terrible. But if you are of a certain age, you might remember a time when the internet seemed like a fun, exciting place. In this essay, Leigh Alexander presents a pretty clear theory for what went wrong — and how, disturbingly, a fear of loss of the wild old days may be the very thing animating the ’net’s most awful trolls. — Tom Nehil, news editor
“Visiting Disney World is the Modern Version of Making a Medieval Pilgrimage,” Atlas Obscura
Writer Sarah Laskow argues — pretty convincingly, with quotes from experts — that the Magic Kingdom “operates as pilgrimage site, creating sacred spaces where people can transcend the ordinary.” The rides are “journeys of transformation,” and Cinderella’s castle, at the center of the park, is like the church in a European city. Running into Mickey on Main Street is the modern-day equivalent of seeing a sacred relic. It sounds kind of kooky, but if you’ve ever been to Disney World, it makes sense. Even skeptics are moved by its power to seduce — and keep people coming back. — Pamela Espeland, Artscape columnist
“’We the People’: Five Years of Online Petitions,” Pew Research Center
The Pew Research Center took a look at how Americans made use of the White House’s “We The People” on-line petitions. The main topics, Pew’s Paul Hitlin found, were health care, veterans, illnesses, immigration, animal rights, holidays and criminal investigation. Impact, however, was minimal. — Peter Callaghan, local government reporter
“Ailing Vermont Town Pins Hopes on Mideast Refugees,” The New York Times
In recent years, many U.S. politicians have argued whether it’s morally acceptable to bar Syrian refugees from the country. But in the New York Times piece, the argument is rather an economic one. It’s a story about how Rutland, a remote city in Vermont, is trying to attract new Syrian refugees to save its dying economy. — Ibrahim Hirsi, workforce and immigration reporter.
