I’m not saying that the dawn of gender equality in Russia will be defined by risqué church-wear and male model stewards, but rather when society holds women and men to the same expectations.

It is time we stopped the verbal battery of others because we disagree with their opinions, and instead tackle the ideas with which we take issue.

Our job is not just to consider all sides of an issue, but to be skeptical and challenge modern practices instead of taking things as given.

Being home means drinking a lot of tea and making the odd nostalgic trip to the terrible local nightclub where I once made out with my best friend’s older brother. Those are all very important things, but I cannot pretend that home is really where I belong now.

The occupiers might have been brash and impetuous, but among students for whom majoring in econ almost inevitably equates to becoming libertarian and the Market is worshipped as an excuse for moral passivity, I can’t help but miss them.

I am not professing that indulgence and extravagance are the way to go; merely that money makes life easier, and science majors make more of it.

For whatever reason, what I haven’t heard about nearly as much is the positive: simply put, the fact that Obamacare is working.

It seems more people are content to hide within their security blankets and pretend the rest of the world doesn’t exist.

Equal pay ought to be the norm everywhere. We are all people; being judged by the same standards matters, but having the same opportunities matters more.

Unfortunately, Americans are abandoning the script and exercising their right to opt out of inoculation — and preventable diseases are now making a comeback as a result.

It takes different people different amounts of time to experience that personal growth or find an alternative route, but most of the time, when people stay true to themselves, their life paths will align with what they value.

The real issue is not that Americans shy away from serious ideological debate, but that they are unwilling to take accountability for their ideas and, therefore, for the democratic process as a whole.

Every country has a label. Some have been deliberately constructed by the homeland, while others have inadvertently grown out of a nation’s heritage.Those who have been following the 2014 FIFA World Cup are familiar with Brazil’s icon: the “Christ the Redeemer” statue.

I think boredom is important. I don’t know how much I like actually being on roller coasters, but I know that as soon as I get off, I want to get back on again.

In a country of hundreds of millions of people, one vote does not give you assurance or control. But it does give you a voice.

Being able to surpass my own expectations has made me more confident, and it’s helped me improve on other aspects of my life.

But whoever probes the human condition discovers that we need purpose, some sort of engagement with the world to keep us going. It's in our nature to strive for progress and press forward into the uncertain void.