Culture

Our curated articles offering new takes on the big themes and questions in our culture. Plus reviews of books, film, media and experiences. Culture is one of four key themes covered by Seen & Unseen.

Review
  1. Culture
  2. Film & TV
A player holding a finger to his lips stands in front of an indoor American football pitch.

Horror turns pro: when greatness demands blood

Yaroslav Walker
The pursuit of sporting glory turns into a fever-dream of sacrifice, madness, and mythic violence
5min read
Review
  1. Art
  2. Culture
Taylor Swift, dressed as a showgirl, sips from a glass.

Taylor Swift’s new album is fine, and that might be the problem

Belle Tindall
Ego, art, and the quiet tragedy of getting everything you ever wanted
5min read
Article
  1. AI - Artificial Intelligence
  2. Culture
A multiple exposure image shows a womans head and shoulders looking ahead, to the sides and above.

Am I a project or a person?

Nathan Mladin
What we lose when we AI tempts us to refuse our limits
3min read
Essay
  1. Culture
  2. Film & TV
The Joker and Batman sit opposite each other in an interrogation room.

In an age of nihilism it's time to revisit The Dark Knight

J.W. Olson
Batman, the Joker, and the disaffected
13min read
Article
  1. Culture
  2. Film & TV
Pascal ponders a steampunk TV showing Severance.

What would Pascal make of Emmy-winner Severance?

Rick Hansen
Locking ourselves away in a room still doesn’t work
5min read
Interview
  1. Culture
  2. Nationalism
Tim Farron stands on a conference stage with arms wide

Tim Farron: our politics is fragmenting, not polarising

Graham Tomlin
Responding to Christian nationalism and the politicisation of religion
14min read
Article
  1. Community
  2. Culture
A re-enactment of an ancient 'caveman' family sitting around a camp fire.

What makes us human?

Claire Williams
We've more in common with our ancient ancestors than we might like to think
5min read
Article
  1. AI - Artificial Intelligence
  2. Belief
An AI image of a person stood holding a phone with a bubble above their head, below them is a chatbot-like demon with a tail

Are AI chatbots actually demons in disguise?

Gabrielle Thomas
Early Christian thinkers explain chatbots better than Silicon Valley does
4min read
Article
  1. Culture
  2. Freedom
Two brown bears fight while baring their teeth.

Free speech for me, but not for thee

George Pitcher
A hate crime hoo-ha and the limits of free speech
4min read
Short story
  1. Culture
A barred window sits in a dark brick wall.

The Rat: a new short story

Theodore Brun
Climbing from containment
16min read
Article
  1. Character
  2. Culture
A composite images show a map of Europe with Destination X contestants pictures above.

Deceit is integral to success in Destination X

Cameron Wiltshire-Plant
Travel and trickery make for a miserable journey
5min read
Article
  1. Culture
  2. Film & TV
The cast of The Summer I Turned Pretty pose on a wedding set.

The summer we turned romantic

Belle Tindall
Belly, the other Taylor, and the defiant desire to get married
5min read