FOR FREE PEOPLE

A CEO Was Shot Dead. These People Cheered.

FOR FREE PEOPLE

(Getty Images)

Down With Pickleball! Long Live Tennis

Plus: The Great Light Beer War of 2023 in today’s culture war double feature.

Some people think the culture war is a distraction, or even a psyop. Others think politics (and so much else) is actually downstream of culture. Which is why paying attention to the often ridiculous feuds and peccadillos playing out online (and sometimes in real life) tells us something about where we are and where we’re heading.

Also, it can be fun.

So today, two treats from the front lines of the culture war.

One, by Park MacDougald, is about the fastest-growing sport in America: pickleball. A tennis player himself, he argues that the pickleballers must be stopped! For the good of America’s courts—and for the nation. (Our thanks to our friends at the Washington Examiner, where this piece originally appeared.)

The other is from Phoebe Maltz Bovy, who bravely takes on the Battle of the Beers. If you’ve somehow avoided the drama involving Bud Light, trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney, and Kid Rock shooting a case of beer cans, I envy you.

Happy reading. And no matter which side of the culture war you happen to be on, may the odds be ever in your favor. —BW

If you’re hungry for more, check out these other recent Free Press stories, including our investigation into how ideological orthodoxy has taken over therapy, Eli Lake’s response to the Durham report, and TGIF—our essential digest on the week’s news. 

And to support more of our work, become a Free Press subscriber today:

Subscribe now

our Comments

Use common sense here: disagree, debate, but don't be a .

the fp logo
comment bg

Welcome to The FP Community!

Our comments are an editorial product for our readers to have smart, thoughtful conversations and debates — the sort we need more of in America today. The sort of debate we love.   

We have standards in our comments section just as we do in our journalism. If you’re being a jerk, we might delete that one. And if you’re being a jerk for a long time, we might remove you from the comments section. 

Common Sense was our original name, so please use some when posting. Here are some guidelines:

  • We have a simple rule for all Free Press staff: act online the way you act in real life. We think that’s a good rule for everyone.
  • We drop an occasional F-bomb ourselves, but try to keep your profanities in check. We’re proud to have Free Press readers of every age, and we want to model good behavior for them. (Hello to Intern Julia!)
  • Speaking of obscenities, don’t hurl them at each other. Harassment, threats, and derogatory comments that derail productive conversation are a hard no.
  • Criticizing and wrestling with what you read here is great. Our rule of thumb is that smart people debate ideas, dumb people debate identity. So keep it classy. 
  • Don’t spam, solicit, or advertise here. Submit your recommendations to tips@thefp.com if you really think our audience needs to hear about it.
Close Guidelines

Latest