VisitOracle

Independent essays on culture, politics, and the human condition

Death Valley wildflowers
May 5, 2015

The Death Valley Super Bloom and Human Attraction to Rare Beauty

By Ben Gefell

An essence both fleeting and so secure in the human heart that it has been deified and exalted in elaborate reverence by cultures around the world…

American flag
April 18, 2015

An Isolationist Populace Part I: The Force Behind the United States' Global Facade

By Ben Gefell

The United States has long held itself in high regard in the public light, claiming to exist as an emblem of democracy and a beacon of hope…

Political rally
May 2, 2015

An Isolationist Populace Part II: Rise of Donald Trump and his Dissenters

By Ben Gefell

The divide of the truth seekers and the blind in the United States of America is now more apparent than ever…