Sam Kriss

4 days ago | samkriss.substack.com | Sam Kriss

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedReviewed:On Democracies and Death Cults (book, Douglas Murray, London, 2025)Democracy (political form, Solon the Lawgiver, Athens, 594 BC)Death cult (attitude before the unknowable, unknown early humans, Qafzeh cave, Israel, 100,000 BC)Douglas Murray (contemptible little freak, Mr and Mrs Murray, London, 1979)Georges Ruggiu is a former special needs teacher from a small town in the south of Belgium.

1 month ago | samkriss.substack.com | Sam Kriss

It’s a bright cloudless day and you’re meeting your beautiful submissive girlfriend for a breakfast date. You’re meeting her at the soda fountain. You’re meeting her at the ice cream parlour. You’re meeting her at the drugstore to share a malted milk. You’ve been going steady with your main squeeze and now you’re meeting her at the folksy chrome-and-cream diner on Main Street in your quiet walkable 98% white small American town. It’s always a bright cloudless day.

2 months ago | thespectator.com | James Heale |Mark Galeotti |Douglas Murray |Sam Kriss

It is difficult to overstate how much Trump has changed the dynamics of Canadian politics. When Justin Trudeau resigned on January 6, his Liberal party was on just 16 per cent in the polls — 25 points behind Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives. Within six weeks, that had narrowed substantially, with Nanos suggesting there was just two points between the two parties. The top issue of national concern? Donald Trump and US relations.

2 months ago | shadihamid.net | Shadi Hamid |Sam Kriss |Clay Shirky

This is an expanded essay based on a previous short post on why smartphones are good. I hope you enjoy it. Yesterday, I re-launched this newsletter under the new name The Agonist. More on that here. I’m really excited to be writing here more often and I look forward to engaging with more of you in the coming weeks and months. — Shadi Some of us have benefited from the status quo. Others haven’t.

2 months ago | thespectator.com | Sam Kriss |Freddy Gray |Ian Williams |Paul Wood

Among my many fake and useless skills, I’m a reasonably decent tarot reader. I can do one for you now if you like. A very simple three-card spread: your cards are the Seven of Wands, the Hierophant and the Six of Pentacles.