I’m a believer in connecting the dots, even if they are years apart. Two dots struck me this week, essays that argue for deep observation. One, written in the early 1870s, sounds eerily like another, ...

When it comes to a great optical illusion we always take the bait, because we can’t help but be lured in by a talented artist with a cool hook. That’s why we like to cast a wide net over the Internet: ...