Commentary | From the Editors

In an age of deep political division when each side is prone to share only the information that comport with its argument, do facts matter? 

As military recruitment numbers flag, what motivates young people to enlist? The reasons are more varied and personal than civilians might think.

A strong sense of Taiwanese identity has come hand in hand with the flourishing of democracy. The crux of this evolution: Taiwan emphatically prefers peace. 

Florida proudly proclaims itself the freest state. It’s a place where the pursuit of happiness is as complex as the people who seek it.

Smartphones are ubiquitous for modern teens. Parents, including this reporter, are wrestling with how to best help kids create healthy relationships with their devices and each other.

It's taken centuries for humans to begin to understand the true complexities of the nature around us. Now that modern ecologists are treating forests as dynamic ecosystems, healthy restoration can flourish.

It can be tempting to despair at the seeming intractability of drug problems worldwide. What doesn't make the news nearly enough are everyday examples of individuals freeing themselves from addiction.

The attempt to assassinate Donald Trump leaves no doubt that the United States is standing on a precipice. In the face of transformational change, will love win out?

The Donald Trump assassination attempt shows how U.S. polarization is moving toward dehumanization. The war in Gaza shows where that leads.    

American folk music is a kind of oral storytelling that dates back long before even the printing press. It is a vehicle to transmit culture from one generation to the next.