In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here.

Pitted in a war against insect-like aliens called “buggers,” Mazer Rackham, the retired commander of Earth’s space fleet in the 1985 fantasy novel Ender’s Game, explains the advantages and disadvantages of commanding human beings with independent minds and perspectives.