Quillette

Collision with Reality The Supreme Court has just invalidated Trump’s tariff agenda. But the economics were already doing that.

The Supreme Court has just invalidated Trump’s tariff agenda. But the economics were already doing that.

Melania at the Mic The first lady’s surreal act of geopolitical theatre did little to explain how the ongoing US–Israeli military campaign against Iran’s brutal theocrats will make the world safer.

The first lady’s surreal act of geopolitical theatre did little to explain how the ongoing US–Israeli military campaign against Iran’s brutal theocrats will make the world safer.

Erasing the Word “Woman” The desexing of language in women’s health research and care is a story of the marginalisation of science, cultural imperialism, and abuse of power.

The desexing of language in women’s
health research and care is a story of
the marginalisation of science, cultural imperialism, and abuse of power.

Erasing the Word “Woman” The desexing of language in women’s health research and care is a story of the marginalisation of science, cultural imperialism, and abuse of power.

The desexing of language in women’s
health research and care is a story of
the marginalisation of science, cultural imperialism, and abuse of power.

Arrest and Moral Pageantry Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Mick Jagger, and the theatre of degradation.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Mick Jagger, and the theatre of degradation.

A Justified Assassination In this week’s column, I reflect on the death of Ayatollah Khamenei—and why it may be a moment for cautious celebration.

In this week’s column, I reflect on the death of Ayatollah Khamenei—and why it may be a moment for cautious celebration.

The End of Strategic Ambiguity The Islamic Republic’s assault on the Gulf will forge the new Middle East.

The Islamic Republic’s assault on the Gulf will forge the new Middle East.

Toppling a Tyrant The assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei has opened a narrow window for regime change in Tehran.

The assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei has opened a narrow window for regime change in Tehran.

#Iran #Khamenei #WesternLeft #IranianProtest #WomenLifeFreedom #Imperialism #ProgressivePolitics #IranianDiaspora #HumanRights #Hypocrisy #IdentityPolitics #SecularGovernance #MiddleEast #PoliticalAnalysis Why is the Western Left mourning #ayatollahkhomeini?

Check out Quillette's latest video, Why is the Western Left mourning #ayatollahkhomeini?

Power Beyond Realpolitik In geopolitics, moral culture shapes whether influence is experienced as leadership or domination, cooperation or coercion.

In geopolitics, moral culture shapes whether influence is experienced as leadership or domination, cooperation or coercion.

In this clip from Quillette’s interview with investigative journalist Maureen Callahan, the discussion turns to the childhood of Israel Keyes — one of the most methodical serial killers in modern American history. Keyes was raised off the grid in a large family with no birth certificates, no formal schooling, and no registration with the federal government. His parents moved frequently and were involved in extremist religious communities, including a white supremacist church. The episode explores: Early signs of psychopathy The nature vs nurture debate Animal cruelty in childhood His mother’s response to his crimes Whether serial killers are born, made — or both The conversation raises difficult questions about how much upbringing explains — and how much remains unknowable. Full episode available on the Quillette channel. ------ Quillette is an Australian-based online magazine that focuses on long-form analysis and cultural commentary. It is politically non-partisan, but relies on reason, science, and humanism as its guiding values. Quillette was founded in 2015 by Australian writer Claire Lehmann. It is a platform for free thought and a space for open discussion and debate on a wide range of topics, including politics, culture, science, and technology. Quillette has gained attention for publishing articles and essays that challenge modern orthodoxy on a variety of topics, including gender and sexuality, race and identity politics, and free speech and censorship. --- Quillette's revenue comes from our readers. We are a grassroots organisation that relies on voluntary subscriptions and community membership as our primary revenue stream. Support Quillette by becoming a subscriber: https://quillette.com/#/portal/signup Or donate send us a one-off tip: https://quillette.com/#/portal/support We made our website using Ghost, a powerful app for new-media creators to publish, share, and grow a business around their content. It comes with modern tools to build a website, publish content, send newsletters & offer paid subscriptions to members. Try it here: https://ghost.org/?via=claire91 The Childhood of Israel Keyes: Born or Made? | Maureen Callahan

Check out Quillette's latest video, The Childhood of Israel Keyes: Born or Made? | Maureen Callahan

"You should never assume you're safe anywhere."⁠ ⁠ What #MaureenCallahan learnt while researching serial killer #IsraelKeyes. ⁠ ⁠ Israel Keyes was a meticulous and widely travelled American serial killer who buried “kill kits” across the country, selected victims at random, and evaded detection for years before his 2012 arrest in Alaska. He later confessed to multiple murders, though investigators believe the full number may never be known. His case raised troubling questions about psychopathy, criminal profiling, and how offenders can slip through law-enforcement systems. ⁠ ⁠ Learn more: https://quillette.com/2026/02/27/podcast-326-catching-a-serial-killer-true-crime/ ⁠ #AmericanPredator⁠ #TrueCrime⁠ #SerialKiller⁠ #CriminalProfiling⁠ #FBI⁠ #Psychopathy⁠ #NatureVsNurture⁠ #ColdCase⁠ #TrueCrimePodcast "You should never assume you're safe anywhere."⁠ Maureen Callahan

Check out Quillette's latest video, "You should never assume you're safe anywhere."⁠ Maureen Callahan

Israel has achieved extraordinary military successes across Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and against Iran’s nuclear and missile infrastructure. But according to Professor Dan Schueftan, military victory is only the beginning. In this wide-ranging conversation, Schueftan argues that Israel faces not a solvable conflict but an enduring condition — one that requires what he calls “violent maintenance” to prevent enemies from rebuilding. From Gaza’s deep-rooted Muslim Brotherhood ideology to Hezbollah’s position in Lebanon and Iran’s regional ambitions, he outlines why deterrence, not diplomacy, defines the strategic horizon. Beyond the battlefield, Schueftan contends that Israel is losing something else: Western public opinion. He sees a broader cultural war unfolding inside Western academia, media, and law — one that, in his view, mirrors the illiberalism it claims to oppose. He also confronts internal challenges: the future of Israeli liberalism, the viability of a Palestinian state, demographic pressures in the Diaspora, and tensions within Israeli society itself. Israel, he argues, must be Sparta toward its enemies and Athens at home — strong without and pluralistic within. Do you agree? Can perpetual deterrence substitute for peace — or does that logic lead somewhere dangerous? Let us know in the comments. 00:00 Intro 00:30 Interview begins 09:40 Understanding Radicalism and Its Implications 14:06 Hope and Despair in Conflict Zones 19:15 Comparative Analysis: North Korea and Iran 28:10 The Role of Progressivism in Global Conflicts 37:03 The Future of Jewish Identity in America 46:33 The Dynamics of Middle Eastern Relations 55:42 Reflections on Anti-Zionism and Jewish Identity ------ Quillette is an Australian-based online magazine that focuses on long-form analysis and cultural commentary. It is politically non-partisan, but relies on reason, science, and humanism as its guiding values. Quillette was founded in 2015 by Australian writer Claire Lehmann. It is a platform for free thought and a space for open discussion and debate on a wide range of topics, including politics, culture, science, and technology. Quillette has gained attention for publishing articles and essays that challenge modern orthodoxy on a variety of topics, including gender and sexuality, race and identity politics, and free speech and censorship. --- Quillette's revenue comes from our readers. We are a grassroots organisation that relies on voluntary subscriptions and community membership as our primary revenue stream. Support Quillette by becoming a subscriber: https://quillette.com/#/portal/signup Or donate send us a one-off tip: https://quillette.com/#/portal/support We made our website using Ghost, a powerful app for new-media creators to publish, share, and grow a business around their content. It comes with modern tools to build a website, publish content, send newsletters & offer paid subscriptions to members. Try it here: https://ghost.org/?via=claire91 Israel After October 7: Victory, Survival & the West’s Cultural War | Dan Schueftan

Check out Quillette's latest video, Israel After October 7: Victory, Survival & the West’s Cultural War | Dan Schueftan

An Hour of Reckoning Iran has never been weaker and America has never been more poorly led.

Iran has never been weaker and America has never been more poorly led.

Podcast #326: Catching a Serial Killer Managing Editor Iona Italia talks to Maureen Callaghan about her book American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century.

Managing Editor Iona Italia talks to Maureen Callaghan about her book American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century.

Award-winning investigative journalist Maureen Callahan joins Quillette’s Iona Italia to discuss her book American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century. The conversation explores the disturbing case of Israel Keyes — a serial killer who evaded detection across the United States for years by burying “kill kits”, crossing state lines, and deliberately targeting victims without a fixed profile. Callahan explains how Keyes differed from typical serial offenders, how he manipulated investigators after his arrest, and why the FBI ultimately reclassified his case from serial murder to domestic terrorism. They also examine broader questions: • Were there more serial killers in the 1970s and 80s — or are they simply harder to operate today? • Are serial killers born or made? • Why do some predators evade detection for years? • What went wrong in the investigation after Keyes’ arrest? • Why did he demand a swift execution? The discussion also touches on law-enforcement errors, prison failures, the psychology of predation, and what ordinary people can learn about personal safety from cases like this. American Predator is both a gripping true-crime account and an examination of institutional blind spots in modern criminal investigation. 00:00 The Unfolding Mystery of Savannah Guthrie’s Mother 01:42 Exploring the Uniqueness of Israel Keyes 04:45 Nature vs Nurture: The Making of a Serial Killer 08:11 Early Signs of Psychopathy 11:43 Satanism and Identity 14:55 The Double Life 16:27 Keyes’ Distinctive Modus Operandi 20:57 Interviewing the Mother of a Killer 24:24 Psychological Profiling and Manipulation 27:08 FBI Missteps and Institutional Failure 30:20 The Final Days and Prison Suicide ---- Quillette is an Australian-based online magazine that focuses on long-form analysis and cultural commentary. It is politically non-partisan, but relies on reason, science, and humanism as its guiding values. Quillette was founded in 2015 by Australian writer Claire Lehmann. It is a platform for free thought and a space for open discussion and debate on a wide range of topics, including politics, culture, science, and technology. Quillette has gained attention for publishing articles and essays that challenge modern orthodoxy on a variety of topics, including gender and sexuality, race and identity politics, and free speech and censorship. --- Quillette's revenue comes from our readers. We are a grassroots organisation that relies on voluntary subscriptions and community membership as our primary revenue stream. Support Quillette by becoming a subscriber: https://quillette.com/#/portal/signup Or donate send us a one-off tip: https://quillette.com/#/portal/support We made our website using Ghost, a powerful app for new-media creators to publish, share, and grow a business around their content. It comes with modern tools to build a website, publish content, send newsletters & offer paid subscriptions to members. Try it here: https://ghost.org/?via=claire91 The Chilling Case of Israel Keyes | Maureen Callahan

Check out Quillette's latest video, The Chilling Case of Israel Keyes | Maureen Callahan

Why did Arabic replace Spanish as the activist language of the Left after 9/11? Why has Western guilt turned into a kind of moral credit system—one that shields some prejudices while condemning others? In this clip of a longer conversation, Zoe Booth speaks with Israeli political commentator Shany Mor about: Oikophobia and Western self-hatred 9/11 as a moral turning point for the activist Left Why certain prejudices moderate in the West—but antisemitism can intensify The hijab as a feminist icon Identity politics and moral redistribution How elite discourse legitimises radical narratives Mor argues that what we are witnessing is not a demographic shift, but a moral and intellectual one—where Western elites reassign historical guilt to modern geopolitical enemies. ---- Quillette is an Australian-based online magazine that focuses on long-form analysis and cultural commentary. It is politically non-partisan, but relies on reason, science, and humanism as its guiding values. Quillette was founded in 2015 by Australian writer Claire Lehmann. It is a platform for free thought and a space for open discussion and debate on a wide range of topics, including politics, culture, science, and technology. Quillette has gained attention for publishing articles and essays that challenge modern orthodoxy on a variety of topics, including gender and sexuality, race and identity politics, and free speech and censorship. --- Quillette's revenue comes from our readers. We are a grassroots organisation that relies on voluntary subscriptions and community membership as our primary revenue stream. Support Quillette by becoming a subscriber: https://quillette.com/#/portal/signup Or donate send us a one-off tip: https://quillette.com/#/portal/support We made our website using Ghost, a powerful app for new-media creators to publish, share, and grow a business around their content. It comes with modern tools to build a website, publish content, send newsletters & offer paid subscriptions to members. Try it here: https://ghost.org/?via=claire91 Islam, the West, and the Politics of Moral Guilt | Shany Mor

Check out Quillette's latest video, Islam, the West, and the Politics of Moral Guilt | Shany Mor

After Trump’s Iran Decision The real dilemma is not between war and negotiation. It is between episodic action and sustained architecture.

The real dilemma is not between war and negotiation. It is between episodic action and sustained architecture.

When asked about the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, the Green Party candidate Hannah Spencer skipped over details about the perpetrator, his motives, and the ideological ecosystem that produced him. Instead, she turned her fire on those who argue that Britain has an integration problem, that parallel communities exist, and that Islamism is an identifiable ideology rather than a free-floating extremism. “People like you,” she said, alluding to the Reform UK candidate Matt Goodwin and his supporters, “divide people.”⁠ ⁠ If this sounds like a deflection, that’s because it is. It shifts the burden of explanation from the ideology that animates violence to the act of publicly naming that ideology. It makes out that the wrong kind of speech is the cause of murder. The same inversion appears elsewhere in modern Britain: the wrong people are made to carry the moral burden, while the real agents of harm are allowed to fade into the background.⁠ ⁠ Read more by John Aziz: https://quillette.com/2026/02/26/islamism-shooting-the-messenger/ #UKPolitics⁠ #BritishPolitics⁠ #Politics⁠ #UKNews⁠ #CurrentAffairs⁠ #ManchesterArena⁠ #ManchesterBombing⁠ #Terrorism⁠ #IslamistExtremism⁠ #Islamism⁠ #Immigration⁠ #ImmigrationDebate⁠ #ReformUK⁠ #GreenParty⁠ ⁠ Greens Candidate Hannah Spencer Blames Manchester Bombing on Right Wing

Check out Quillette's latest video, Greens Candidate Hannah Spencer Blames Manchester Bombing on Right Wing

Islamism: Shooting the Messenger The British establishment tends to deflect attention from the dangers of Islamism by attempting to silence those who point them out.

The British establishment tends to deflect attention from the dangers of Islamism by attempting to silence those who point them out.

The End of Australian Exceptionalism The surge in support for Australia’s populist right-wing party One Nation suggests that immigration restrictionism has become increasingly popular with voters: a political trajectory that echoes that of many other Western nations. 

The surge in support for Australia’s populist right-wing party One Nation suggests that immigration restrictionism has become increasingly popular with voters: a political trajectory that echoes that of many other Western nations. 

"The murderers who killed fifteen people on Bondi Beach did it following two years of Australian elites—who are not immigrants, not Muslims—repeating the same grievances and lies about Israel and the Jewish people, turning that into something legitimate."⁠ ⁠ - #ShanyMor⁠ ⁠ Watch, read or listen to more: https://quillette.com/2026/02/20/oikophobia-and-the-crisis-of-western-democracy-with-shany-mor-quillette-cetera-ep-62/ ⁠ #PoliticalDebate⁠ #CultureWar⁠ #FreeSpeech⁠ #MediaBias⁠ #PoliticalCommentary⁠ #Geopolitics⁠ #PublicDiscourse⁠ #CurrentAffairs⁠ #GlobalPolitics⁠ #MediaNarratives Shany Mor on the Bondi Beach Massacre

Check out Quillette's latest video, Shany Mor on the Bondi Beach Massacre

Ezra Klein’s Feeble Liberalism Liberals must act aggressively to uphold the values of free society.

Liberals must act aggressively to uphold the values of free society.

Trump’s Iranian Dilemma President Donald Trump must choose between a military strike on Iran, whose consequences no one can predict, and a deal that would leave the Islamic Republic still able to attack its own citizens, menace Israel, and export terrorism worldwide.

President Donald Trump must choose between a military strike on Iran, whose consequences no one can predict, and a deal that would leave the Islamic Republic still able to attack its own citizens, menace Israel, and export terrorism worldwide.

On the latest episode of the Quillette podcast, Jonathan Kay speaks with journalist Adam Zivo about the 10 February school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia—a mass murder perpetrated by a trans-identified male gunman who was initially identified by police and journalists as a woman.⁠ ⁠ 🔗 More at the link in bio.⁠ ⁠ #AdamZivo #TumblerRidge #TumblerRidgeShooter #PublicPolicy #DataAnalysis #SchoolSafety #CriminalJustice #MentalHealthAwareness #SocialScience #Transgender #GunViolencePrevention #Sociology #CurrentAffairs #Canada ⁠ Trans Identity & School Shootings: What the Data Shows | Adam Zivo

Check out Quillette's latest video, Trans Identity & School Shootings: What the Data Shows | Adam Zivo

A deep dive into the Tumbler Ridge school shooting and the broader debate around transgender identification, psychiatric comorbidity, media reporting, and statistical correlations in school violence. Journalist Adam Zivo examines the data, the shooter’s digital footprint, and the cultural forces shaping public perception. The focus is evidence, context, and prevention. Topics include: • Male violence and mass shootings • Gender dysphoria and comorbidity • Anime subcultures and online identity • Media reporting standards • US and Canadian school shooting data (2015–2025) • Cultural backlash and global implications 00:00 Coming up 00:43 Introduction 06:00 Interview begins 06:33 Shooter’s digital footprint and online identity 12:31 Media reporting and biological sex controversy 15:27 Mental health comorbidity and the Danish study 18:30 Tavistock and youth gender medicine 24:24 Surge in modern trans identification 27:52 Online culture, Tumblr, and identity incentives 29:05 Feminist backlash and self-ID debate 33:56 Sex reporting ethics and criminology 37:29 Male violence and risk factors 40:03 Backlash, prisons, and declining LGBT acceptance 45:17 Global political consequences 49:14 School shooting statistics and correlation analysis 54:44 Risk factors and prevention policy --- Quillette is an Australian-based online magazine that focuses on long-form analysis and cultural commentary. It is politically non-partisan, but relies on reason, science, and humanism as its guiding values. Quillette was founded in 2015 by Australian writer Claire Lehmann. It is a platform for free thought and a space for open discussion and debate on a wide range of topics, including politics, culture, science, and technology. Quillette has gained attention for publishing articles and essays that challenge modern orthodoxy on a variety of topics, including gender and sexuality, race and identity politics, and free speech and censorship. --- Quillette's revenue comes from our readers. We are a grassroots organisation that relies on voluntary subscriptions and community membership as our primary revenue stream. Support Quillette by becoming a subscriber: https://quillette.com/#/portal/signup Or donate send us a one-off tip: https://quillette.com/#/portal/support We made our website using Ghost, a powerful app for new-media creators to publish, share, and grow a business around their content. It comes with modern tools to build a website, publish content, send newsletters & offer paid subscriptions to members. Try it here: https://ghost.org/?via=claire91 Transgender Identity & School Shootings: What the Data Actually Shows | Adam Zivo

Check out Quillette's latest video, Transgender Identity & School Shootings: What the Data Actually Shows | Adam Zivo

Podcast #325: Why We Need to Talk About Transgender School Shooters Jonathan Kay speaks with journalist Adam Zivo about the 10 February school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia—a mass murder perpetrated by a trans-identified male gunman who was initially identified by police and journalists as a woman.

Jonathan Kay speaks with journalist Adam Zivo about the 10 February school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia—a mass murder perpetrated by a trans-identified male gunman who was initially identified by police and journalists as a woman.

Nine Intellectual Virtues Either universities appoint and promote professors who display and disseminate intellectual vices, or they reward those who exemplify and cultivate intellectual virtues.

Either universities appoint and promote professors who display and disseminate intellectual vices, or they reward those who exemplify and cultivate intellectual virtues.

The Cost of Indifference The sad and curious case of the chronic fatigue syndrome. 

The sad and curious case of the chronic fatigue syndrome. 

Bertrand Russell’s Cancellation and the Ongoing Battle Over Campus Speech How religious conservatives cancelled philosopher Bertrand Russell in 1940, sparking academic freedom debates that echo today.

How religious conservatives cancelled philosopher Bertrand Russell in 1940, sparking academic freedom debates that echo today.