Ever since the unexpected victory of Donald Trump in the 2016 election, pundits across the country have struggled to understand what has changed about America’s political landscape. A broad, consensus view is that something has gone terribly wrong—that the changes brought about by Donald Trump’s presidency represent a grave threat to progress. Some even go so far as to suggest that the very survival of the West might be in dan...

If you handed me a book filled with Stephen King’s religious musings or a memoir of Jerry Seinfeld’s childhood in Massapequa, I would probably say “pass.” Don’t get me wrong—I love a good thriller novel. I also enjoy listening to talented comedians. But, I see no necessary correlation between a person’s ability to entertain others and their philosophical or religious depth. Why should I prefer a writer’s life-philosophy to tha...