The Re-engineered You

Everyone asks for favors. But if you’re too available, too nice, too accommodating, does that actually lower your value in other people’s eyes?

The news keeps saying there are millions of open jobs, so why does applying feel like screaming into a void?

Most people avoid feelings of inferiority at all costs. But what if embracing it could make you unstoppable?

Meg Ryan's affair ended her career, whereas Russell Crowe won an Academy Award. Who decides which cheaters we forgive, and why?

The nation is getting more divided, and the entertainment media keeps pushing us further apart. When this is all over, can we really go back to being neighbors?

From Joe Rogan to Steven Bartlett to Clavicular: online creators are in a rush to become “extreme.” So why are they all starting to sound like clones?

Your brain is biologically wired to stop noticing the people around you, so why do self-help gurus pretend it's a willpower problem?

Do kids really listen when parents preach values? Or is "monkey see, monkey do" the only real rule?

Are “Grief Bots” an A.I. skip-button for feeling bad after a death? Or are they just another A.I. grift?

Can curiosity be trained, or is it something you’re born with?

Can talking about yourself in the third person re-wire your brain to be more stoic, and more self-aware?

Toxic lovers will “neg” you, tease you, lovebomb you, and act surprised when you demand attention. So why does inconsistency keep us “hooked” for so long?

The Biggest Loser did permanent harm to its contestants, allegedly. But it’s okay, because the show producers were trying to save the lives of obese people…right?

What does it really mean to be the best version of yourself? Lambos? Tigers? Cigars and women?

When every decision is framed like a war, how can we decide what’s important?

If being famous on the internet pays less than minimum wage, why are millions still chasing it?

Everyone wants a job with meaning that also pays the bills. Is that even possible in the current economy?

If your partner never touches another person—but shares their secrets and their soul—is it still cheating?

Having a child in America is the most expensive it’s ever been, historically, and state populations are shrinking for the first time. So why can’t we fix this?

Half of all adults say they can’t have children… So what happens to the boomers who realize they’ll never have grandkids?

If you spent your whole life chasing greatness, would you recognize it when you finally caught it?

Enough of these ‘basic bitch’ concerns about the government or economy. Here are the real existential threats facing humanity, ranked by how thoroughly they could wipe us out.

If hovering over your kids turns them into model citizens, then why do so many helicoptered adults turn out fragile and anxious?

Ideally we all reach ‘self actualization’ at the top of the pyramid. But what happens if our lower blocks get sabotaged by our job? Or addiction? Or by society?

Steve Jobs said “stay hungry”...but will staying hungry make you happy? Or are highly motivated people secretly miserable?

How do we counterpunch any argument? Is there a secret ‘finishing move’, linguistically, that we can use to win any debate?

How far can the power of persuasion take us? And does money win over substance every time?

What if the ability to change hearts and minds could be cultivated into a superpower?

According to polls, a shocking number of Americans support Luigi Mangione and the murder of Brian Thompson. What does that say about our shifting morality as a country?

Clean air, low crime, and people who smile when you pass by…so if small towns are so great, why are people leaving?

Colleges are still raising prices, even while faith in higher education plummets. So why are local governments offering free rides to these overpriced institutions?

How much free will do we really have? Can we choose not to be angry at the news? To not eat or drink? Can we “choose” how we feel about our boss? Or our spouse?

Food companies, advertising, and the medical system are conspiring to make you fat. So is taking Ozempic cheating? Or is it merely evening the odds?

Most genres are drifting away from their storytelling roots. So who do we blame for convincing our artists to make poppy, empty-calorie music?

Is there any way to prove, with data, that rap is straying from its storytelling roots? What about Country music? Or Rock? Are all music genres leaving storytelling behind?

Everyone tells themselves a story about how they got to be where they are. So what do successful people “mythologize” about themselves, and why don’t we?

Can you change your genetics through diet and discipline? What about your stress level? Your IQ? Your earning potential?

Epigenetics is a newborn field of science which claims we can change our genome…sort of. So how much can we actually alter?

Blue Zone communities eat vegan, practice faith, and attend garden parties, and it keeps them youthful into their nineties. But…what if Blue Zones were a lie?

Conservatives are claiming he was a liberal operative. Liberals are claiming he was a registered republican who got fed up. Here’s what both sides are glossing over…

We’re all built to tune our social antenna whenever we enter a new tribe, but what makes some people so darn good at it?

Is there really a “male epidemic” going on? And why has treating young men as a societal nuisance backfired so spectacularly?

Knowing what’s within our power to change is the cornerstone of stoicism. So how much can we change in the face of relentless corporate lobbying?

A strong sense of responsibility makes for strong character. But how much is too much? When do we stop taking responsibility for predatory laws and businesses?

Contrary to popular belief, money can buy happiness. But according to science you’re probably shopping in the wrong aisle.

If the surgeon general can’t decipher his ER bill, what chance do we have? Well, today, we’ll learn to speak “hospitalese” together.

Napoleon is a hot, incomprehensible mess of a film, but you should still watch it. After learning these important historic facts.

How do you know when you’ve reached the peak? The peak of your career? The peak of mastery? The peak of your relationship…?

Joan Crawford was mocked for becoming Pepsi’s spokeswoman, and Orson Welles was chased to Spain for political opinions. What changed for celebrity endorsements?

Celebrities online are doing less and less entertaining, and more and more product peddling and brand management. How much is this hurting public trust?