Stock up on the antacids before visiting this buffet of my spiciest columns of 2025.
|
Listen To This Story
 |
As you may know, I started WhoWhatWhy. I’m very proud of what we’ve built — and want to acknowledge the tremendous team that makes it what it is.
Because we have such stellar personnel, I don’t have to do everything, as I did back at the beginning.
This gives me (a bit) more time to think and to write. It makes possible my weekly columns — made infinitely better by our talented, hardworking team of editors.
As we reflect on some of the highlights from 2025, our editorial team has prepared a selection of columns from the past year that they feel were among the more thought-provoking and significant — and included my attempts at grappling with some issues that felt underreported and worth more attention.
You may have read these stories before but, in today’s constant flood of overwhelming news, it’s easy to forget the significant events of the past. Revisiting them now might offer a fresh perspective, helping to explain what’s unfolding today or even offering clues about what might come next.
NOTE: These columns are first published on Substack, then on our site the next day. If you prefer reading them on the site, great. But if you want direct updates when they’re posted on Substack, consider subscribing; it’s free and you can follow along in 2026.
You Could Be Next: Trump Can Seize Your Devices and Then….
Anyone — anyone — can be labeled a “security risk.” Read more.
What Would Happen if the Generals Refused to Follow Orders?
Trump and Hegseth are pushing the military too far — and now is the time to say so. Read more.
Facing the Very Real Possibility That Donald Trump Is a Madman
The rest of us no longer have the luxury of tuning out to preserve our own mental health. Read more.
Epstein: Dirty Secrets Emerge From a Painful Book — and the Powerful Squirm
But selections in the Epstein files continue to be protected behind one magic expression: “Not credible.” Read more.
Main Takeaway From Kirk Killing: Maybe It’s the Social Media Manipulation
Moments of national hysteria like the present require some sense of how we got here. Read more.
Texas Flood Disaster: God’s Will? How Religion Distorts Reality
Convenient for the oil companies if global warming is just part of God’s great plan. Read more.
Memorial Day Flyover: Off We Go Into the Wild Red Yonder
Another merry medley of madness. Read more.
The Real Reason They’re Attacking Universities
Trying to intellectually neuter the populace. Read more.
Let’s Have a Closer Look at Epstein, Shall We?
Also Trump and Putin’s Alaska Adventure, and RFK Jr. Backs Off. Read more.
One for All, All for One: Trump, Foreign Tyrants Share Tips on Ending Democracy
Fascism is contagious — and with the help of Trump and his fellow autocrats, it’s mutating as it spreads. Read more.
