Meer | English edition

Sunday, July 12, 2026

The global economic landscape is currently defined by a sharp rivalry between the declining hegemony of the United States' "free market" model and the state-capitalist framework of the expanding BRICS coalition.
New York Stock Exchange Broad Street facade

Politicians like Chris Murphy and Elizabeth Warren attempt to revive the concept of the common good through progressive reforms

Humanity must reject today’s amoral capitalist systems and competitive, sovereign nation-states in favor of a democratic world government structured

Capitalist systems operate on an amoral premise of endless growth and unregulated wealth accumulation, an environment that inherently deforms democracies and destroys community equality. New York Stock Exchange Broad Street facade

Humanity must renew its reflection on the common good to avoid marching toward self-extinction on a finite planet

Economy & Politics

What is the “common good”?

Is today’s world system capable of accomplishing it?

The Mutrah skyline in Muscat, Oman, glows beautifully against the night sky

Oman: where silence, sea, and sand realign the soul

A solo journey through Muscat’s waters, hidden wadis, and desert stillness that transformed quiet moments into lasting memories

Electricity pylons standing tall against the evening sky, representing the strategic importance of grid resilience and capacity

Economy & Politics

When AI destroys value before creating it

How electricity shortages, grid delays, and rising energy costs could slow AI expansion worldwide

Egri Bikavér at golden hour, where Hungary’s legendary Bull’s Blood meets the rolling vineyards of Eger in a moment of quiet elegance

Egri Bikavér: Hungary’s legendary bull’s blood

From medieval legend to modern revival, exploring the history, flavour profile, and best food pairings of Eger’s iconic red blend

On the Street

Gharial with GPS logger behind head © Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne

Science & Technology

Studying Gharials with radio-tagging

Gharial watching on the river Chambal

Larry's Land (B0944) (1970), Painted green steel, 170 x 600 x 305 cm, Image courtesy of Annely Juda/Barford Sculptures

Up-Close and Industrial

Anthony Caro at Annely Juda Fine Art, London

A woman in a green coat walks away from a chair by the ocean

Nature’s solitude: solo travel diaries

Poems of a journey's recollection

A group of friends in good spirits and expressing their happiness

Eudaimonic happiness

A flourishing secret to longevity

A pickpocketer successfully stole a person's wallet in Paris, France

Paris pickpocketing

Place des Vosges

Devs

Best TV shows of 2020 so far

Mid-year list of my favorite series

Architecture & Design

Like a lighthouse, an enduring light reaches across dark waters; the principles of liberty, opportunity, and unity continue to illuminate the American journey

Lighthouses to guide the way

The making of lighthouses and their Fourth of July significance

Geisel Library is the main library at the University of California, San Diego. Designed by William Pereira, it opened in 1970 as the Central Library. After a renovation in 1993, it was rededicated as the University Library Building, and in 1995 it was renamed Geisel Library in honor of Audrey and Theodor Seuss Geisel, the latter better known as the children’s author Dr. Seuss

Brutalist university buildings

When monumental architecture feels like a prison

Art

Entangled roots and floating forms, solo exhibition, 2026. Courtesy of the artist

Yilin Rebecca Sun on Vessel

The artist and curator reflects on clay, collaboration, and the connections that shape our shared future

The Nukus Museum of Art, officially known as the State Museum of Arts of the Republic of Karakalpakstan named after I. V. Savitsky, Uzbekistan

The Savitsky State Museum of Art

Art, resistance, and cultural memory in the heart of the desert

Culture

In the forge of human imagination, metal waits patiently to speak—caught between ancient myth and modern reason

Golden maidens and silicon dreams

How humanity’s oldest myths continue to shape our understanding of artificial intelligence

Devotees releasing glowing plates of offerings into the Ganges at night, reflecting a timeless act of faith and reverence

India’s timeless spiritual journey

A look at ashrams, sacred sites, and soulful traditions

Economy & Politics

A small business owner works at her desk, focused on decisions that balance technology, cost, and long-term sustainability

The case for not using AI yet

Why small businesses are choosing strategy over pressure in 2025

Many companies are incorporating AI to stay competitive, resulting in it being integrated into existing products like search engines, word processors, and smart devices

Generative AI, anti-intellectualism, and sustainability

The problem in the era of blissful ignorance

Entertainment

Frieren from Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End drifting peacefully through still waters, symbolising the melancholic beauty that defines contemporary fantasy anime

Why 2026 could redefine anime forever

How reboots, long-awaited sequels and risky new adaptations are colliding to create one of anime’s most exciting years ever

The Pitt is an American medical drama created by R. Scott Gemmill and executive produced by John Wells and Noah Wyle, reuniting the creative team behind ER

The best shows of early 2026

From animated heartbreak to hospital drama, these five series define the year so far

Fashion

Glenn Martens is a Belgian fashion designer who began his career as a junior designer at Jean Paul Gaultier, working on the women’s pre-collection and the menswear line G2

Diesel and the aesthetics of ruin

How shredded denim, industrial decay, and Glenn Martens redefine success, identity, and beauty in a post industrial fashion landscape

An Allegory of the Tudor Succession: The Family of Henry VIII

Power, spectacle, and the Tudor silhouette

How the theatrical fashion of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I continues to shape modern ideas of authority, excess, and visual dominance

Feature

A solitary figure stands silhouetted by a window in an abandoned house, surrounded by fading light and quiet decay

Broken into a better shape

Poems of suffering, resilience, and the long journey toward becoming

A father and son sit across from each other in silence, their tension shaped by control, performance, and the unseen weight of being watched

Puppets without strings

In a world without scripts, the truth becomes the most dangerous act

Food & Wine

Bariva wrapped in banana leaves, a cherished symbol of identity and heritage in Papua New Guinea's Rigo district, embodying centuries of tradition and community pride

Bariva: traditional dish of Papua New Guinea's Rigo district

Explore the heritage and preparation of Bariva, a symbol of unity and culinary artistry

Tongba is a millet-based alcoholic beverage found in the eastern mountainous region of Nepal

Tongba is not a drink

On warmth, patience, and the quiet ritual of fermented millet in the Himalayan cold

Science & Technology

An adult gently supports a sore knee, illustrating the everyday reality of joint strain and the growing interest in glucosamine for long-term joint support

The knees know: glucosamine explained

A practical and lightly humorous look at how this widely used supplement supports cartilage, mobility, and long-term knee comfort

White-breasted Waterhens preparing to fight (c) Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne

Morning voices at Diyasaru

An immersive journey through the layered calls and hidden lives of a tropical wetland

Sport

A clear view of AT&T Stadium, representing the benchmark for fan experience among 2026 FIFA World Cup venues

Top 10 World Cup venues for fan experience

Review-based rankings reveal which stadiums delight supporters and which face criticism

A young footballer silhouetted against the evening sky with a ball at their feet, representing dreams that reach far beyond the horizon

A 12-year-old's road to the World Cup

Your roadmap from wherever you are right now to the Saudi Arabia 2034 Football World Cup

Travel

A colorful sign stands prominently in front of the historic Convento de San Bernardino de Siena, showcasing the picturesque town that captivates visitors with its riotously colorful streets and rich history

Not your average pitstop: Valladolid, Mexico

Hidden depths and ancient wonders in the heart of Yucatan

Desroches Island, also known as Île Desroches, is the principal island of the Amirante group within the Outer Islands of Seychelles. Located approximately 227 kilometres southwest of the capital, Victoria, the coral island stretches about 5.5 kilometres in length and covers an area of roughly 4.027 square kilometres

Desroches Island and the architecture of remoteness

Isolation, repetition, and controlled paradise in the outer reaches of the Seychelles

Wellness

A workspace with a smartphone displaying a break reminder while its user pauses by the window, representing mindful technology use

The need for digital mindfulness in the age of automation

Looking at how phishing, AI agents, and thoughtful design are impacting our digital experiences

Woman in a brown coat standing alone as a speeding train passes by

You are not the voice inside your head

A journey of recognizing intrusive thoughts and reclaiming identity through god’s truth

Explore the Calendar

Worldwide Linz Vilnius Seoul Montreal Stuttgart Amsterdam Thessaloniki Honolulu New York San Francisco Bloomington Nuremberg Philadelphia Venice Singapore Dresden Québec Los Angeles Zurich Sidney Oshkosh Luxembourg

Printer: Brüder Kohn, designer: Martha Alber, New year greeting (detail), c. 1910–11. Courtesy of the Jewish Museum

Modernity and opulence: women of the Wiener Werkstätte

17 Jul — 15 Nov 2026 at The Jewish Museum in New York, United States

Raymundo Munoz, Intersections (detail). Courtesy of Bitfactory Galler

Flipping scripts 2: an exhibition of Colorado curators

17 Jul — 8 Aug 2026 at the Bitfactory Gallery in Denver, United States

Lambda members and allies perform a skit based on
the popular TV quiz show, Hollywood Squares, at the
2002 Lambda Network at Kodak's Annual Education
Event with Management (detail). Courtesy of George Eastman Museum

Picturing equality: the Lambda Network at Kodak

27 Jul — 8 Nov 2026 at the George Eastman Museum in Rochester, United States

Farah Billah, The table, with friends (detail), 2026. Courtesy of Ogden Museum of Southern Art

Louisiana contemporary

1 Aug 2026 — 14 Feb 2027 at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans, United States

Billy Schenck, Gratuitous violence (detail). Courtesy of JoAnne Artman Gallery

Technicolor west

1 Sep — 31 Oct 2026 at the JoAnne Artman Gallery in Laguna Beach, United States

Ali Cherri, still from The sentinel (detail), 2026. Courtesy the artist and
Almine Rech Gallery

5 Sep 2026 — 4 Jan 2027 at WIELS in Brussels, Belgium

Ellen Bradshaw, Spring fever, 10th Ave and 25th Sta (detail). Courtesy of Pleiades Gallery

Every street has a story

8 Sep — 3 Oct 2026 at the Pleiades Gallery in New York, United States

Various artists, Celebrating the icons of art, exhibition view. Courtesy of Voorlinden Museum

Celebrating the icons of art

12 Sep 2026 — 7 Mar 2027 at the Voorlinden Museum in Wassenaar, Netherlands

Trompe-l’oeil knowledge, Korea (18th-20th century), exhibition view. Courtesy of Musée Guimet

Trompe-l’oeil knowledge, Korea (18th-20th century)

16 Sep 2026 — 4 Jan 2027 at the Musée Guimet in Paris, France

Keerthana Kunnath, Not what you saw. Courtesy of Foam

Not what you saw

18 Sep — 27 Nov 2026 at the Foam in Amsterdam, Netherlands

Relic of the so-called staff of Moses, mediterranean region. Courtesy of the Jewish Museum

Sacred splendor

18 Sep 2026 — 7 Feb 2027 at The Jewish Museum in New York, United States

Franz Gertsch, Patti Smith I (detail), 1978. Courtesy of Museum Franz Gertsch

Franz Gertsch. Blow-up (Part II)

19 Sep 2026 — 28 Feb 2027 at the Museum Franz Gertsch in Burgdorf, Switzerland

Lucas Blalock, Film-object (Mouth) (detail), 2025, from
Tête-à-tête-à-tête-à-tête-à-tête. Courtesy of the artist and George Eastman Museum

2 Oct 2026 — 11 Apr 2027 at the George Eastman Museum in Rochester, United States

Swab’s 2025 edition, exhibition view. Courtesy of Swab

Swab’s 19th edition

8 — 11 Oct 2026 at Swab in Barcelona, Spain

Solange Pessoa, Metaflor-Metaflora (detail), 2005-2012. Courtesy of Centro Botín

Solange Pessoa: of day or night

10 Oct 2026 — 28 Mar 2027 at the Centro Botín in Santander, Spain

World Art Dubai, 2025 edition view. Courtesy of World Art Dubai

World Art Dubai 2026 heads to Expo City Dubai

19 — 22 Nov 2026 at the World Art Dubai in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Aesthetics of Change. Courtesy of MAK

Aesthetics of Change

15 Dec 2107 — 15 Apr 2018 at the MAK in Vienna, Austria

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