Hey Reader! Most of us would find it difficult to watch someone get hurt and not feel anything. I remember hearing things pop or crunch while playing sports, and it's an unsettling feeling, even when it's not happening to your body. That's because we're hard-wired to want to connect and care for each other. Infants imitate facial expressions and gestures long before they can express themselves with words. And who can resist awwwing over babies—human or otherwise? The central commandment...
11 days ago • 3 min read
Hey Reader! I used to have a terrible temper. In my senior year, I recall my friend V telling me on a near-daily basis, "Don't let the turkeys get you down," as I raged about one person or another. I hated the phrase. "Turkeys" seemed too innocent a description for the idiots tormenting me. I preferred calling the objects of my ire "twits"—a term that reminded me of my favorite English teacher. The way she would scold any lazy child caught asking terrible questions with it was a marvel. I...
17 days ago • 2 min read
L'Shana Tova Reader! It's the Jewish New Year, autumn equinox and rapture (depending on your circle), not to mention eclipse season. Things are shifting, to put it mildly. If you feel a little off-kilter, you're in good company. The ten 'Days of Awe' between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur is a great time to stop and reflect on where we've been and where we're going. This period of deep introspection is marked by rituals designed to help Jews let go of the past, atone for their mistakes, forgive...
24 days ago • 2 min read
Hey Reader, My child learned at a very young age how to stand up to bullies. During her kindergarten year, there was a boy on her school bus who would say hateful things to her every morning. One Halloween, we happened to walk into a cul-de-sac, and there was the boy. My child marched up to his mother and told her, "You child bullies me." The mother laughed it off, so my child added some color. "He tells me every day that I should kill myself." The mother was horrified and corrected her son....
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
Hey Reader! My friend Claudia is fond of saying, "Perception is reality." But according to new MIT research, it might be more accurate to say, "Perception shapes how you experience reality." I came across this fascinating Thread this morning, recapping an experiment to recreate a famous 'double slit' experiment to see if light behaves like a particle or a wave. In this recreation, researchers were able to isolate single atoms and photons in different quantum fields. What they found is that...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Hey Reader! One of my favorite bosses was obsessed with team dynamics. Of primary concern was keeping people from ‘tipping over’ under the burden of too much work. Overload shouldn’t be your default It was a novel concept to me—that there might be too much for any one person to do. Overload in our household was normalized. We didn’t do second trips to bring in groceries, we’d string bags all up our arms to get it all over with. We didn’t sit around and relax, we’d pack our schedules with...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Hey Reader! When it feels like the world is falling apart, the most radical thing you can do is find and feel joy. Please let there be kisses during the apocalypse. Not that anyone wants the world to end. But if it does come to that, you can bet people will still find time to fall in love, enjoy time with friends, and cling close to their family. Don't feel guilty for having moments of happiness. The world shouldn't stop just because bad people exist. Don't stop celebrating your wins. You...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
Hey Reader! Who benefits if we hate each other? In what community structure does hate work? Power struggles. Endless violent conflicts. And the occasional sporting event. Is this the kind of environment you thrive in? A community is like a family. If everyone's needs are met and they feel safe and secure, then it's easy to have a harmonious environment. But when people don't have enough food, water, safety, shelter, and emotional support—that's when cracks appear. Our leaders are public...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Hey Reader! Why's everyone in such a hurry? When you rush, you miss so much. Like small miracles, the majesty of the natural world, and moments of connection. The tyranny of productivity Every time we check something off our list, our body releases a small amount of dopamine. This reward system encourages us to set goals and get stuff done. That's a good thing! But there's a shadow side to productivity. The more we do, the more productive our bosses (or our bossy inner selves) might want us...
2 months ago • 3 min read