Category Archives: On the web

Video: Is Abortion to be Solved by Controlling Male Sexual Behaviour?

Posted on September 16, 2018 by Alastair Roberts

This video is a response to a widely-shared, much discussed, and controversial Twitter thread. Within the discussion, I reference a few articles and books: New York Times: He Asked Permission to Touch, but Not to Ghost GQ: Why Sperm Counts Are … Continue reading →

Posted in Audio, Culture, Ethics, On the web, Podcasts, Questions and Answers, Sex and Sexuality, Video | 13 Comments

Discussion of Social Media and Prudence in the Digital World with Tony Reinke

Posted on September 14, 2018 by Alastair Roberts

Tony Reinke, the author of 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You, invited me to share some of my thoughts on the subject of social media and wise principles for discourse and publishing in the online world.

Posted in Audio, Ethics, Guest Post, On the web, Podcasts, Technology, Theological | 1 Comment

Discourse in the Culture Wars and the Hunger for Catharsis

Posted on April 6, 2018 by Alastair Roberts

This is just the fucking worst. Imagine a self-help book written by the Darth Maul of tenured campus bad boys, an act of trahison des clercs so severe that it calls into question the entire five-thousand-year academic project—a book that … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Ethics, On the web, Society | 108 Comments

A Note on the Criticism of the Stronger Men’s Conference

Posted on April 4, 2018 by Alastair Roberts

There has been no shortage of people criticizing the Stronger Men’s Conference, largely on the basis of the video linked above. There is clearly plenty to criticize here! However, once again it has been disappointing to see how social media … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, On the web, Society | 23 Comments

Virtue Ethics in a Virtual Age

Posted on February 2, 2018 by Alastair Roberts

Earlier this week, I had a thoroughly enjoyable day at Ian Paul’s Festival of Theology event, a day devoted to eight TED-talk style presentations, each followed by questions. If you don’t already know him, Ian Paul is the blogger at … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Ethics, Guest Post, On the web, Philosophy, Society | 13 Comments

Weightless Words on the World Wide Web

Posted on December 27, 2017 by Alastair Roberts

Guy Debord, writing in the 1960s, analysed the supplanting of the active and directly lived life of society by the ‘spectacle’, with which members of society passively identify and which they consume. Debord made clear that the spectacle—the mediation of … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Ethics, On the web, Politics, Society, The Blogosphere | 25 Comments

Social Media and Subsidiarity

Posted on December 11, 2017 by Alastair Roberts

A video of a crying young boy describing his experiences of bullying in school has gone viral over the last day or so, being shared by many millions of people. Dozens of celebrities have responded, and have received glowing press … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Ethics, In the News, On the web, Society | 21 Comments

The Internet, Blogging, Authority, and the Sexes

Posted on April 30, 2017 by Alastair Roberts

The subject of women’s online platforms has been a live one over the last few weeks. A couple of days ago, Christianity Today published an article by Tish Harrison Warren, which provoked considerable controversy, many believing that women were being … Continue reading →

Posted in Controversies, Culture, Ethics, On the web, Sex and Sexuality, Society, The Blogosphere, Theological | 64 Comments

Podcast: Tribalism

Posted on April 12, 2016 by Alastair Roberts

In our most recent Mere Fidelity podcast, Matt, Derek, Andrew, and I discuss the subject of tribalism, taking Scott Alexander’s recent Slate Star Codex post on the subject as our starting point. You can also follow the podcast on iTunes, or … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, On the web, Podcasts, Politics, Society, The Church | 6 Comments

Interview on Social Media Habits

Posted on February 20, 2016 by Alastair Roberts

I was recently invited to give an interview on the subject of our social media habits by Tony Reinke from Desiring God. My answer to the first question has just been posted here. The familiar cultural script is that more … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Ethics, Guest Post, On the web, Society | 1 Comment