John Semley

John Semley is a writer based in Philadelphia. His writing has also appeared in The Baffler, The New Republic, and The Guardian.

A scene from “The Sweet East.”

A Road Trip Through America’s Absurd Political Life A Road Trip Through America’s Absurd Political Life

In Sean Price Williams’s debut film, The Sweet East, he pokes fun at the nation's ideological bubbles.

Jan 16, 2024 / Books & the Arts / John Semley

Meet the California State Senator Who Wants to Decriminalize Psychedelics

Meet the California State Senator Who Wants to Decriminalize Psychedelics Meet the California State Senator Who Wants to Decriminalize Psychedelics

Can Scott Wiener convince the state that his bill will reduce the “sheer misery” drug use is causing now?

Nov 1, 2022 / Feature / John Semley

qshaman

Could One of Your Facebook Friends Be the Next QAnon Shaman? Could One of Your Facebook Friends Be the Next QAnon Shaman?

Seemingly benign online communities have become breeding grounds for the kind of far-right ideology on display at the US Capitol insurrection.

Mar 5, 2021 / John Semley

Neil Young

Neil Young’s Journey Through the Past Neil Young’s Journey Through the Past

As he prepares to vote in his first American election, the eccentric singer-songwriter’s Archives project unearths his own lost history.

Aug 14, 2020 / John Semley

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