Jeannette Cooperman
@jcooperman.bsky.social
Essayist, reporter, long-ago philosophy major still trying to figure out the world
Why are we all agreeing to call AI an I? commonreader.wustl.edu/ai-and-the-f...
The Simple Change Tech Bros Refuse to Make - Common Reader
For humans, "I" is a letter of relationship, dignity, responsibility. Why hand it over to inanimate language models?
commonreader.wustl.edu
August 10, 2026 at 1:43 PM
Why are we all agreeing to call AI an I? commonreader.wustl.edu/ai-and-the-f...
I had never even heard of corn sweat—had you? At least there is some logic behind August misery…. commonreader.wustl.edu/corn-sweat/
Even Our Corn Is Sweating - Common Reader
I had never even heard of corn sweat. But God do I feel it.
commonreader.wustl.edu
August 5, 2026 at 8:44 PM
I had never even heard of corn sweat—had you? At least there is some logic behind August misery…. commonreader.wustl.edu/corn-sweat/
Love the thought of James Merrill poring over his Ouija board! commonreader.wustl.edu/james-merril...
James Merrill: The Poetics of Place - Common Reader
A lesser poet would never have won a National Book Award with poetry that claimed to be a transcription from the spirit world.
commonreader.wustl.edu
August 5, 2026 at 8:32 PM
Love the thought of James Merrill poring over his Ouija board! commonreader.wustl.edu/james-merril...
Nessie has always been my favorite! commonreader.wustl.edu/the-loch-nes...
Why We Need the Loch Ness Monster - Common Reader
“It turns out that the one who destroys—at least in this case—doesn’t believe in anything but himself."
commonreader.wustl.edu
July 30, 2026 at 2:46 AM
Nessie has always been my favorite! commonreader.wustl.edu/the-loch-nes...
A free way to restore a little delight to your life. (AUDIO 7m) commonreader.wustl.edu/the-small-st...
Sensory Gratification Is Free (and Freeing) - Common Reader
Ian Bogost reminds us that we are not yet disembodied--and can fight the trend.
commonreader.wustl.edu
July 26, 2026 at 1:39 PM
A free way to restore a little delight to your life. (AUDIO 7m) commonreader.wustl.edu/the-small-st...
In praise of the oldstyle pharmacies we're losing. (AUDIO 6m) commonreader.wustl.edu/family-owned...
That Spoonful of Sugar.... - Common Reader
The old apothecaries were far more efficient, and far kinder, than our streamlined mail order and national chains....
commonreader.wustl.edu
July 15, 2026 at 4:40 PM
In praise of the oldstyle pharmacies we're losing. (AUDIO 6m) commonreader.wustl.edu/family-owned...
We could stop a lot of manipulation if we refused to let AI chatbots use the first person singular pronoun. Why cultivate its personhood instead of keeping it in its place as a synthesis?
July 10, 2026 at 4:20 PM
We could stop a lot of manipulation if we refused to let AI chatbots use the first person singular pronoun. Why cultivate its personhood instead of keeping it in its place as a synthesis?
what the is John Oliver doing on General Hospital???!!!
July 9, 2026 at 9:31 PM
what the is John Oliver doing on General Hospital???!!!
If you were going to wear the clothes of any other time, what would you choose? (AUDIO 6m) commonreader.wustl.edu/wearing-vint...
Put a Time Machine in Your Closet - Common Reader
Why has clothing gotten less practical, less sustainable, and less comfortable?
commonreader.wustl.edu
July 5, 2026 at 10:36 PM
If you were going to wear the clothes of any other time, what would you choose? (AUDIO 6m) commonreader.wustl.edu/wearing-vint...
Any board-game players out there? commonreader.wustl.edu/board-games-...
Board Games and Human Nature - Common Reader
Like comic books and animation, board games became more artful, more expensive, more interesting to adults. For millennia, games had been folk culture, passed down for generations, the play communal. ...
commonreader.wustl.edu
July 5, 2026 at 1:08 AM
Any board-game players out there? commonreader.wustl.edu/board-games-...
So we're excited that World Cup visitors are impressed by Buc-ees and Costco? This is what we have left to brag about? (AUDIO 8m) commonreader.wustl.edu/world-cup-in...
World Cup Tourists Gushing About the U.S. (Really?) - Common Reader
This is what is restoring U.S. pride?
commonreader.wustl.edu
July 1, 2026 at 12:56 PM
So we're excited that World Cup visitors are impressed by Buc-ees and Costco? This is what we have left to brag about? (AUDIO 8m) commonreader.wustl.edu/world-cup-in...
Reposted by Jeannette Cooperman
I don't want to hear another word about how much white European visitors are enjoying ranch dressing while team officials, Africa's top referee, and now one of the world's most celebrated fans are turned away from the World Cup. The USA is an utterly unfit host — it's as simple as that
DR Congo superfan denied US visa to support team at World Cup
Michel Kuka Mboladinga is iconic for his motionless tribute at DRC games, but a US World Cup repeat has been denied.
www.aljazeera.com
June 28, 2026 at 6:33 AM
I don't want to hear another word about how much white European visitors are enjoying ranch dressing while team officials, Africa's top referee, and now one of the world's most celebrated fans are turned away from the World Cup. The USA is an utterly unfit host — it's as simple as that
It's hard to stay in that place of hope.... (AUDIO 6m) commonreader.wustl.edu/obama-presid...
Busload of Faith to Get By - Common Reader
The Obama Presidential Center is an oasis of idealism and harmony. Step off campus, and the problems flood back.
commonreader.wustl.edu
June 28, 2026 at 4:26 PM
It's hard to stay in that place of hope.... (AUDIO 6m) commonreader.wustl.edu/obama-presid...
anybody else finding that shopping is now more work than fun? (AUDIO 8m) commonreader.wustl.edu/merrell-hiki...
How Shopping Became Miserable - Common Reader
The "dark patterns" that ruin online shopping, now that it has ruined in-person shopping....
commonreader.wustl.edu
June 24, 2026 at 4:04 PM
anybody else finding that shopping is now more work than fun? (AUDIO 8m) commonreader.wustl.edu/merrell-hiki...
How did we get Epicurus so wrong? commonreader.wustl.edu/epicurus-was...
The Man Was Not Talking About Fancy Food! - Common Reader
How did we get Epicurus so wrong?
commonreader.wustl.edu
June 17, 2026 at 2:28 PM
How did we get Epicurus so wrong? commonreader.wustl.edu/epicurus-was...
anybody else facing the Swedish death cleaning? (AUDIO 8m) commonreader.wustl.edu/death-cleani...
The Painful Exhilaration of Downsizing - Common Reader
Not only can you not take it with you, you cannot keep it till you go.
commonreader.wustl.edu
June 17, 2026 at 2:26 PM
anybody else facing the Swedish death cleaning? (AUDIO 8m) commonreader.wustl.edu/death-cleani...
Politics often has me raging. But a fifth-century monk has some ideas for me. (AUDIO 11m) commonreader.wustl.edu/ancient-wisd...
Buddhaghosa Wants to Dissolve My Rage - Common Reader
A very old monk tells us how to stay alert (to a crazy world) without anger or sorrow.
commonreader.wustl.edu
June 11, 2026 at 1:08 PM
Politics often has me raging. But a fifth-century monk has some ideas for me. (AUDIO 11m) commonreader.wustl.edu/ancient-wisd...
Anybody else feeling this? (AUDIO 8m) commonreader.wustl.edu/new-yorker-c...
Who Lost Their Sense of Humor, Me or "The New Yorker"? - Common Reader
Humor changes with us. This is not always reassuring.
commonreader.wustl.edu
June 7, 2026 at 2:44 PM
Anybody else feeling this? (AUDIO 8m) commonreader.wustl.edu/new-yorker-c...
If you've ever wondered, as I have, how Christianity can mean so many different things to Americans, many of them contradictory.... commonreader.wustl.edu/american-chr...
American Christianity’s War with Itself - Common Reader
“Who do people say that I am?” Jesus asks, and everyone has a different answer. King, prophet, peasant, rebel, son, shepherd, rabbi, redeemer—to this day, Jesus is what each of us needs him to be.
commonreader.wustl.edu
June 5, 2026 at 1:57 AM
If you've ever wondered, as I have, how Christianity can mean so many different things to Americans, many of them contradictory.... commonreader.wustl.edu/american-chr...
One of the nation’s largest White supremacist groups is rapidly expanding, adding hundreds of members across 49 states in the past two years, reports USA Today. Here's a snapshot of how they did it. commonreader.wustl.edu/blood-sand-a...
Blood, Sand, and Soil - Common Reader
WashU students scrubbed off the racist symbols as fast as they could, but the damage would cost $10,000 to repair. Meanwhile, the video Patriot Front made of the sabotage would be seen, liked, and sha...
commonreader.wustl.edu
June 4, 2026 at 10:51 PM
One of the nation’s largest White supremacist groups is rapidly expanding, adding hundreds of members across 49 states in the past two years, reports USA Today. Here's a snapshot of how they did it. commonreader.wustl.edu/blood-sand-a...
I really want to believe the brothel story! Cheers Les Mis right up... (AUDIO 7m) commonreader.wustl.edu/victor-hugo-...
How Victor Hugo Used Sex to Fight Injustice - Common Reader
All that idealistic passion in Les Miserables? It was fueled by passion of a different sort.
commonreader.wustl.edu
June 3, 2026 at 1:29 PM
I really want to believe the brothel story! Cheers Les Mis right up... (AUDIO 7m) commonreader.wustl.edu/victor-hugo-...
What I wish I'd known when my mom was dying. (AUDIO 7m) commonreader.wustl.edu/bugs-bunny/
How to Love Past Reason - Common Reader
Irrational ramblings and outbursts need not get in the way of love.
commonreader.wustl.edu
May 29, 2026 at 1:18 PM
What I wish I'd known when my mom was dying. (AUDIO 7m) commonreader.wustl.edu/bugs-bunny/
Well, English needs a lot more than seven. But these are a fabulous start. Any further suggestions? (AUDIO 8m) commonreader.wustl.edu/japanese-word/
Seven Words English Needs - Common Reader
Look at the holes in English vocabulary, and you realize what our culture lacks.
commonreader.wustl.edu
May 27, 2026 at 3:50 PM
Well, English needs a lot more than seven. But these are a fabulous start. Any further suggestions? (AUDIO 8m) commonreader.wustl.edu/japanese-word/
The Japanese words English needs--and what their absence tells us. (AUDIO 8m) commonreader.wustl.edu/japanese-word/
Seven Words English Needs - Common Reader
Look at the holes in English vocabulary, and you realize what our culture lacks.
commonreader.wustl.edu
May 22, 2026 at 1:39 PM
The Japanese words English needs--and what their absence tells us. (AUDIO 8m) commonreader.wustl.edu/japanese-word/
Memories (candid, funny, poignant, revealing) from writers whose lives were shaped by Ray Hartmann. commonreader.wustl.edu/remembering-...
Remembering the Remarkable Ray Hartmann - Common Reader
Because I worked for Ray at “The Riverfront Times” for 18 years, my thoughts immediately turned to the many other “RFT” alums who loved and admired him. Over the next several weeks, I contacted more t...
commonreader.wustl.edu
May 21, 2026 at 10:31 PM
Memories (candid, funny, poignant, revealing) from writers whose lives were shaped by Ray Hartmann. commonreader.wustl.edu/remembering-...