An Al-Jazeera contributor argues Americans’ fear of IS is fueled by Islamaphobia while more imminent dangers nearby are ignored; celibate gays are helping change the Catholic Church; meanwhile, Germany’s apprenticeship model could be good for U.S. workers. These discoveries and more below.

Mexican Drug Cartels Are Worse Than ISIL
Western obsession with the Islamic State is fueled more by bigotry than any genuine assessment of risk or atrocities.

Architecture Is an Expression of Values
Sir Norman Foster is the mastermind behind some of the world’s most iconic buildings. With Max Tholl, he discussed how architecture helps us communicate, where our fascination with bigness stems from, and why we need to do more with less.

Are We Free? Neuroscience Gives the Wrong Answer
For several millennia, people have worried about whether or not they have free will.

The Catholic Church Is Changing, and Celibate Gays Are Leading the Way
At the end of October, the University of Notre Dame will host a two-day conference bearing a name that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.

Why Germany Is So Much Better at Training Its Workers
America rarely uses an apprenticeship model to teach young people a trade. Could such a system help the unemployed?

Israelis Excel at Camouflaging the Expulsion of Palestinians
Here is an inventory of the methods of expulsion in their various concealments.

Speed Kills: Fast Is Never Fast Enough
In “real” time, life speeds up until time itself seems to disappear—fast is never fast enough, everything has to be done now, instantly.

Senior NSA Official Moonlighting for Private Cybersecurity Firm
The former director of the National Security Agency has enlisted the US surveillance giant’s current chief technology officer for his lucrative cybersecurity business venture, an unusual arrangement undercutting Keith Alexander’s assurances he will not profit from his connections to the secretive, technologically sophisticated agency.