Nothing threatens authoritarianism like a quiet place to explore knowledge.

Image by sekihan via CC

"If psychological warfare planted the seeds for the culture war, the key to ending it might lie in that history, too. In 1948, when an Army psychological operations expert produced a guide to psychological war, it included instructions on how to achieve postwar psychological disarmament. “The free circulation of books” was key.

"In the culture war, libraries with free access to a full range of books can light the way toward psychological peace. They provide us with a mental model for a public sphere in which Americans debate each other as equals to reach a resolution or compromise." - Annalee Newitz

ARTICLE: Libraries Can Help End the Culture Wars. That’s Why They’re Under Fire

(Thanks to my friend and collaborator in supporting our local library, Jeanne Canteen, for the reference.)

Nothing threatens authoritarianism like a quiet place to explore knowledge.

A general blueprint for how any cooperative human group can function well

Given libraries’ unique combination of broad accessibility, civic neutrality, and deep public trust, policymakers should embed them intentionally within health and social planning frameworks.

"Socialism has been as impossible to separate from the narrative of the nation’s history as the capitalist economy itself."

"Just keep moving forward, even if the steps are small.”