Culture & Society
The Friendship Recession: The Lost Art of Connecting
It is no secret that the West is witnessing a decline in social connection. Many blame structural forces, but a deeper cultural problem is likely afoot—that is, we’ve lost the art of forming and sustaining friendships. How can we turn the bearish “friendship recession” into a bullish “friendship boom”?
By Carolyn Bruckmann
Beyond policy: Reimagining family in the American psyche
Across the West, fertility rates are in decline—and that, argues the psychologist Clay Routledge, is because the aspiration to become a parent is in decline. Yet parenthood is consistently ranked as the most meaningful and fulfilling aspect of one’s adult life. How can we understand this paradox? And how can we revivify family formation to boost meaning across American culture?
By Dr. Clay Routledge
The (expanded) history of American happiness
In America, the pursuit of happiness has evolved (at best) into a misguided sense of what happiness is, or has maladapted (at worst) into a pursuit that inadvertently makes us miserable. Guided by American history, we explore the arrival of this cultural moment, and then propose how to build a more meaningful ethos of national happiness.
By Bryce Fuemmeler
Public leaders should build a culture based on compassion, not confrontation
In our world, it seems that confrontation has won the day. To rebuild a better culture, politicians can win support by instead acting with compassion.
By Bryce Fuemmeler
What the Tibetan Parliament can teach the West about sustaining a democracy under threat (and how to resupply its meaning)
It is easy to become inured to the constant alarms we hear about threats to democracy. The Tibetan parliament-in-exile reminds us why it matters in practical terms, and offers inspiration on how to keep democracy alive in even the most perilous conditions.