Weekly Top Five Articles

Labor history, Jordan Peterson's terrible book, the failure of atheism, ADHD and snacks, and more. . .

Here’s what stood out this week. . .

(1) “The People in the Shop: David Montgomery and the vitality of labor history,” by Kim Phillips-Fein, The Nation, December 17, 2025

David Montgomery, one of the most influential labor historians of the 20th century, left an indelible mark on how we understand the intersection of work, politics, and human dignity. A new collection, A David Montgomery Reader: Essays on Capitalism and Worker Resistance, edited by James Barrett and Shelton Stromquist, celebrates his profound contributions and relevance to our current moment.

Montgomery’s career was shaped by his early years as a machinist and union organizer, experiences that deeply informed his scholarship. He approached labor history with a rare combination of intellectual rigor and firsthand knowledge, seeing work not merely as an economic activity but as a site of political struggle, community, and creativity.

His work challenged the dominant narratives of labor history, shifting focus from institutional unions to the political and cultural lives of workers. Montgomery’s essays reveal how workers’ control over the production process and their moral codes—centered on solidarity, organization, and equality—shaped broader social movements. He illuminated the radical traditions of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a period of militant resistance that he argued offered lessons for confronting modern challenges.

Even amid the decline of union power in the 1980s and ’90s, Montgomery remained optimistic, believing that the core values of the working class—solidarity, dignity, and a demand for fairness—would endure. His insights resonate today, as service workers, teachers, and gig employees organize in response to workplace inequities.

Montgomery’s optimism was grounded in material realities, not utopian idealism. As he asserted, no historical resolution between labor and capital is permanent, and the fight for justice is always ongoing. His legacy reminds us that the struggles of the past are a wellspring of inspiration for building a more equitable future.

(2) “Jordan Peterson’s Take on the Bible Is as Bad as You’d Think,” by Matt McManus, Jacobin (December 18, 2024)

Jordan Peterson’s book on the Old Testament is trash.

Jordan Peterson’s latest book, We Who Wrestle With God, takes on the Old Testament, aiming to extract existential and political lessons from its stories. While Peterson’s earlier works offered self-help insights and critiques of modernity, this book exemplifies his evolution into a culture-warrior pundit rather than a serious thinker, argues McManus.

Peterson frames the Old Testament as a symbolic guide for life, but his interpretations often feel shallow and self-serving. Instead of wrestling with the deeper complexities of scripture, he aligns God’s views with those of a North American conservative, opposing "Marxists," trans people, and environmentalists while affirming capitalism and billionaires (so long as they don’t love money).

This reductionist approach contrasts starkly with thinkers like Leo Tolstoy and Yoram Hazony, who grappled with scripture’s unsettling demands for radical transformation. Tolstoy’s Christianity inspired calls for social equality and the abolition of hierarchies, while Hazony wrestled with the tension between conservative order and the rebellious prophets admired by God.

Peterson, however, sidesteps these challenges, offering a reading of the Bible that confirms his preexisting views. While there are moments of insight, such as his critique of corrosive resentment, the book ultimately reflects the limits of Peterson’s polemical approach. Rather than a genuine engagement with scripture, We Who Wrestle With God feels like another tool in the culture war, leaving the deeper truths of the Bible unexplored.

(3) “How Intellectuals Found God,” By Peter Savodnik, The Free Press (December 28, 2024)

Almost 150 years after Nietzsche said ‘God is dead,’ some of our most important thinkers are getting religion. Peter Savodnik meets the new theists.

Peter Savodnik explores the surprising turn toward religion among prominent thinkers, from philosophers to tech moguls. Nearly 150 years after Nietzsche proclaimed “God is dead,” figures like Matthew Crawford, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, and Jordan Peterson are finding faith amid cultural disillusionment.

Crawford, once agnostic, credits his conversion to Anglicanism to encountering deep meaning through love and faith, mirroring a broader trend among intellectuals questioning secularism. Hirsi Ali, a former atheist and fierce critic of Islam, embraced Christianity as a balm for the “spiritual void” in her life, while Peterson now describes God as “hyper-real” and foundational to reality.

This shift is driven by a recognition of the limits of materialism and rationalism. Savodnik highlights how thinkers like Jonathan Haidt and Niall Ferguson view religion as essential for community, morality, and social cohesion. They argue that societies organized solely on atheistic principles risk succumbing to nihilism and fragmentation.

The trend isn’t confined to the intellectual elite. Grassroots revivals, from Orthodox conversions to young Catholics embracing tradition, suggest a wider cultural yearning for transcendence. As Savodnik notes, these new believers are less concerned with dogma and more with rediscovering purpose and belonging.

Ultimately, this reawakening reflects a broader cultural reckoning: a search for meaning in an age of atomization and technological dominance, where faith offers an enduring counterpoint to the alienation of modern life.

(4) “Childhood neglect is linked to troubling health outcomes, but two factors can dramatically change this trajectory, study suggests,” by Eric W. Dolan, PsyPost, (December 30, 2024)

A recent study published in Child Abuse & Neglect sheds light on the profound impact of childhood neglect on long-term health outcomes while identifying two critical factors that can significantly alter this trajectory: socioeconomic status and the presence of a protective adult.

Childhood neglect, the most common form of maltreatment globally, was shown to increase the likelihood of adverse physical and mental health outcomes in adulthood, including conditions like depression, asthma, and stroke, as well as harmful behaviors such as smoking. However, researchers found that socioeconomic advantages, such as higher education and financial security, weakened these associations, suggesting that opportunities for upward mobility can buffer against long-term harm.

Even more transformative was the presence of a protective adult during childhood. Supportive relationships not only diminished the impact of neglect on mental health but, in some cases, appeared to reverse its effects. For instance, neglected adults who had a protective adult were less likely to experience depression than those who were never neglected. This highlights the critical role of mentorship and community-based interventions in fostering resilience.

While the study relied on self-reported data and could not establish causation, it underscores the importance of providing neglected children with supportive environments and access to educational resources. As study author Esme Fuller-Thomson notes, “Mentoring interventions and encouragement to remain in school as long as possible can significantly improve outcomes for survivors of neglect.”

This research offers a hopeful perspective: even in the face of early adversity, supportive relationships and access to opportunities can pave the way for healthier, more fulfilling lives.

(5) “Adolescents with ADHD tend to eat more snacks than their peers,” by Vladimir Hedrih, PsyPost, December 30, 2024

New research published in the Journal of Attention Disorders reveals that adolescents aged 16–20 with ADHD consume more snacks (such as chips, soft drinks, and energy drinks) than their peers without the disorder. The study, based on data from over 800 Dutch adolescents, highlights a notable link between ADHD symptoms, impulsivity, and dietary behaviors.

While ADHD, characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, has been connected to dietary patterns in past research, this study found that impulsivity—not ADHD alone—has the strongest association with increased snack consumption. Interestingly, adolescents with higher impulsivity scores consumed fewer sweets but more beverages like diet soft drinks and sports drinks.

Researchers suggest that addressing impulsive behavior in adolescents with ADHD could improve their dietary choices and promote better health outcomes. However, as the study’s design doesn’t establish causation, further research is needed to understand the complex relationship between ADHD, impulsivity, and eating habits.

This study underscores the potential for targeted interventions to help young people with ADHD develop healthier eating patterns, offering a promising avenue for improving long-term well-being.