Commentary

Most people try to avoid prickly situations. You know, those awkward, uncomfortable moments when one says or does the wrong thing, which is embarrassing for all concerned. The customs and procedures most people consider “good manners” resulted from the need to have standards of social conduct that govern courteous, considerate human interaction.

Nothing has divided Britain more over the past 40 years than the question of its place in Europe. It joined the nascent EU in 1973 for economic reasons—with the assurance that there was no political dimension involved. But after the Maastricht Treaty of 1992 revealed the political ambitions of the EU, establishing itself as a political entity in its own right, a...

Who is a friend in need? There are few things as satisfying in life as a good friendship. Children crave friendships intensely, and we continue to cherish our friendships through life’s waning years. The “texting” shorthand “BFF”—“Best Friend Forever”—speaks to a heartfelt desire that is almost universally felt. Who would not want a friend with whom we can share...

When I was a boy, my grandmother used to send our family copies of a Pennsylvania newspaper, Grit, which published only good news. Grit displayed news and features aimed at rural America, and climbed to a weekly circulation of 100,000 by 1900, and reached nearly half a million by its 50th anniversary in 1932. Grit is still printed today as a bimonthly magazine,...