Every day one should at least listen to a little song, read a good poem, look at a fine painting, and, if possible, say a few reasonable words. — Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, 1749-1832

Ordinary Times is a group endeavor to explore and illuminate culture, with the word “culture” interpreted broadly. Here, you will find discussions of politics and law, art and sports, family and faith, laughter and grief, food and fiction.

Among other things, we pride ourselves on the civility, inclusiveness, and intelligence of our commenting culture, the diversity of perspectives our contributors offer our readers, and the eclectic mix of topics discussed on these pages.

Liberals, libertarians, conservatives, and everyone else may not come to agree with one another here, but we hope that if nothing else, they will at least come to understand one another. An assumption built in to much of our debate is that exploring disagreements is often a productive way for everyone to learn more, and a normal and healthy part of social discourse. We like to think that we’ve always been that way, although we haven’t always looked exactly like we do now.

We allow pseudonymous comments, but if you do use a pseudonym, please do so consistently over time.

Please take a moment to review our commenting policy.

If you are interested in making a guest post, please contact one of our editors.

Welcome to Ordinary Times!