A new book asks readers to understand Spinoza through cancel culture
Ian Buruma’s biography of the philosopher paints a vivid picture of the Netherlands of the 17th century, but ruins it with some talk of today
Ian Buruma
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In Ian Buruma’s eyes, there is something cruelly ironic about the circumstances of his departure from the New York Review of Books. As the broadsheet’s editor-in-chief, he had published Jian Ghomeshi’s essay “Reflections from a Hashtag,” in which a man accused by over 20 women of sexual assault meditated on how social media scorn had…
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Astonishingly, it’s nearly spring; Daylight Saving Time kicks in on Sunday, and it’s almost possible to imagine what it might be like to no longer be cold all the time. (Yes, it’s true that last year winter extended practically through May in New York. Nonetheless, sunshine is nigh!) If you aren’t quite ready to embrace the…
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