Certainty is facing challenges. Those who loudly voiced opinions on culture, crime, and punishment may not have followed the correct narrative, while more reserved individuals nearby effectively took over the conversation. Confidence is often overshadowed by steady persistence.
Elon Musk
Musk called for a boycott of The Odyssey, criticizing it as “woke” due to Christopher Nolan casting Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy. Despite his protest, the film achieved $124.5 million in domestic box office sales. Owning a social network didn’t enable him to outshout a prominent Hollywood director.
Joseph Aoun
Lebanon’s president gained the lifting of a 41-year ban on direct U.S.-Lebanon flights after his White House meeting. He didn’t receive the timeline for an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon he sought nor did he receive it from the State Department, which continues to warn Americans about traveling to Lebanon.
Tucker Carlson
Carlson, a former Fox News host, called Andrew Tate’s 2023 detention in Romania “pretty obviously a set-up” and alleged a powerful conspiracy against him. British prosecutors have now authorized 38 additional charges against Tate and his brother Tristan, arrested in Miami during extradition proceedings. They deny the accusations. Carlson’s conspiracy theory has gained international attention.
Katie Porter
Former congresswoman and unsuccessful California gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter decided to step away from electoral politics, opting for a career as a book influencer, where she reportedly tells assistants to “Get out of my f****** shot!”
Rebel Wilson
Charlotte MacInnes sued Rebel Wilson for defamation over Instagram posts related to a bathtub dispute on the set of Wilson’s directorial project, The Deb. A judge dismissed the case, found Wilson’s account credible, labeled MacInnes an “unreliable historian,” and ordered her to pay Wilson’s legal fees. MacInnes attempted to assert her perspective but left with a judge’s ruling discrediting her account.
Roustan Hockey
Canada’s last major factory producing traditional wooden hockey sticks faces shipping disruptions due to President Donald Trump’s tariff on Canadian goods, including hockey sticks. The NHL retired wooden sticks years ago, as professionals now largely use composite sticks made in China, which are unaffected by the tariff. Despite this, Trump targeted them anyway.
Conventional Wisdom
Originally popular in Newsweek’s print edition, Conventional Wisdom utilized arrows to indicate those rising or falling within the political sphere. The digital revival continues to ridicule hyperbole and partisan certainty posing as insight. Conventional Wisdom assigns arrows—up, down, or sideways—to influential figures and forces shaping events. These arrows don’t forecast the future or convey special insight; instead, they capture current trends while avoiding partisan biases. It operates from the center, skeptical of both left and right, and focuses on challenging inflated reputations while acknowledging overlooked truths.
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