Entries by Jeffrey Ian Ross

The Death of Democracy in America Is Boring

Since President Donald Trump’s inauguration in January 2025, anyone paying even the slightest bit of attention has witnessed constant assaults on personal liberties and the Constitution. What I want to argue is more unsettling: what we’ve seen over the past months is not only distressing, but boring, and that’s the real danger. Nearly every day […]

What’s my favorite Japanese dish to prepare?

When I tell people I enjoy cooking Japanese food (@_gaijinchef), they often ask me which dish I most like to make. Although it’s a natural question, I find it difficult to provide a straightforward answer. There are two main reasons why. First, I specialize in cooking Washoku (i.e., traditional Japanese cuisine characterized by seasonal ingredients, […]

Do Blues Musicians Really Need to Suffer to Be Great?

There’s a long-held belief that great art requires suffering. One genre where this perception is especially prominent is blues music. Rooted in the African American experience, the blues is known for its emotional intensity, blue notes, and repeating chord structures, often conveying themes of physical, emotional, or psychological hardship. Given these origins, one might ask: […]

Everybody Knows a Richie

Like many people who enjoy TV drama series, I’m watching the fourth season of Hulu’s The Bear. The show offers lots of compelling elements: authentic character development, realistic workplace dynamics, and narratives that resonate with broader contemporary social issues. Besides Carmen (played by Jeremy Allen White), the haute cuisine trained chef who returns home to […]

Sobering Thoughts About Academics Considering Escaping the United States

Since winning the presidency a second time, Trump and his administration have engaged in a series of actions that have negatively impacted U.S. universities and professors. These include, but are not limited to, rescinding key DEI mandates, withholding federal research and grants funding, restricting international students and visas, investigating university responses to anti-semitism, reforming educational […]