Nonfiction Authors

Jonathan Swift

A MODEST PROPOSAL - An Anglo-Irish satirist and pamphleteer who ironically proposed that impoverished Irish families sell their children as food to expose British neglect and the callousness of the wealthy.

Unnamed creators/modern satirists

"Babies - Cute. Cuddly. Delicious." (satirical advertisement) - This mock advertisement directly parodies Swift's work by promoting "BabyMeat™," highlighting the absurdity of commodifying human life for economic or convenience purposes.

Malcolm Gladwell

COMPLEXITY AND THE TEN-THOUSAND-HOUR RULE - A Canadian journalist and author known for popularizing social science research; in this work, he argues that achieving high-level expertise requires extensive practice (around 10,000 hours) in addition to innate talent.

Tenzin Gyatso (The Fourteenth Dalai Lama)

COMPASSION AND THE INDIVIDUAL - The spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism and Nobel Peace Prize laureate; he posits that the purpose of life is happiness, best cultivated through developing love and compassion for others.

Zach Zorich

SHOULD WE CLONE NEANDERTHALS? - A journalist specializing in archeology and science; this piece explores the scientific feasibility and profound ethical dilemmas surrounding the potential cloning of Neanderthals.

Nathan McCall

THE VIBE: PART I. THE PROBLEM WITH BABIES - An African American author and journalist; he uses a personal anecdote about an interaction with a toddler to illustrate how children's racial innocence can starkly highlight adult prejudices.

Steven Pinker

THE MORAL INSTINCT - A Canadian-American cognitive psychologist and popular science author; he argues that humans possess an innate "moral instinct" that shapes our judgments about right and wrong across universal themes.

Gina Gallo

THE END OF INNOCENCE - A former Chicago police officer; this selection from her memoir details her initial experiences as a rookie, focusing on the cynical lessons imparted by her field training officer about survival and distrust in policing.