Originally a staple of Newsweek’s print edition, Conventional Wisdom used arrows to track whose stock was rising or falling in the political circus. We’re reviving it in the digital age because the problem it lampooned—hyperbole and partisan certainty masquerading as insight—has only intensified.
CW assigns arrows—up, down, or sideways—to the figures and forces shaping current events. The arrows don’t predict the future or claim special insight. They capture the prevailing winds of the moment, uncluttered by tribal howling. In an era when partisan media reinforces rather than questions assumptions, CW operates from the center—skeptical of left and right alike, committed to puncturing inflated reputations and recognizing overlooked truths.
In this edition, CW has a bumper crop of …
Originally a staple of Newsweek’s print edition, Conventional Wisdom used arrows to track whose stock was rising or falling in the political circus. We’re reviving it in the digital age because the problem it lampooned—hyperbole and partisan certainty masquerading as insight—has only intensified.
CW assigns arrows—up, down, or sideways—to the figures and forces shaping current events. The arrows don’t predict the future or claim special insight. They capture the prevailing winds of the moment, uncluttered by tribal howling. In an era when partisan media reinforces rather than questions assumptions, CW operates from the center—skeptical of left and right alike, committed to puncturing inflated reputations and recognizing overlooked truths.
In this edition, CW has a bumper crop of Halloween horrors from the weekend.
⬆ The FBI
The foiled “pumpkin day” plot in Michigan prevented a real Halloween horror and gave one of D.C.’s most reviled agencies a brief moment of bipartisan glory. For an even briefer moment, the media took Kash Patel at his word.
⬆ Donald Trump
The president popped candy on a kid’s head instead of their hand, just as he did in 2019 to much social media outrage. No backlash this time: the master of viral moments prevailed.
⬆ Xi Jinping
With Trump trick-or-treating, the Chinese leader had the global stage to himself at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. Xi talked up supply chain stability (code for no decoupling from China please!).
⬇ Chucky
Somebody thought it was a good idea for ICE agents to wear killer doll masks on their raids. This is not child’s play.
⬇ ‘RIP Climate Science’
A Halloween decoration on the lawn of Maryland Supreme Court Justice Peter Killough’s home spooked oil companies that have a major climate damages case in his court. Under fire, Killough, a Democratic appointee, took a page out of Samuel Alito’s book and blamed his wife.
⬆ Zohran Mamdani
The mayoral candidate (born 1991) was beaten up by conservative media for failing to recognize the Billy Joel track “New York State of Mind” (released 1976). Mamdani supporters thought it was pretty cool.