It's Been a Minute

Does 2026 belong to "Wasians?"<br/><br/>Actor Hudson Williams (Heated Rivalry) and Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu recently became household names very quickly. And people are talking about the rising stars beyond just their talents: they’re talking about Liu’s and Williams’ race. Both are half-Asian, half-white, also known as “Wasian” – and some have dubbed this past season “Wasian winter.” But why are Wasians a topic of conversation now, and what does this discussion say about how attitudes around some mixed race identities have changed?<br/><br/>Brittany is joined by <a href="https://www.npr.org/people/g-s1-96792/mika-ellison"target="_blank" >Mika Ellison</a>, intern for It’s Been a Minute and Life Kit, to get into the geopolitical and cultural forces around the “Wasian fixation.”<br/><br/>For more on Heated Rivalry, check out: <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/12/12/nx-s1-5637480/whats-so-hot-about-heated-rivalry"target="_blank" >What's so hot about Heated Rivalry?</a><br>For more on identity and the internet, check out: <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/04/25/1247139346/its-been-a-minute-adhd-social-media-tik-tok"target="_blank" >Think you have ADHD? Here's why so many of us are saying yes.</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media. <a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" >Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" >@bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at <a href="https://www.npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" >npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

Sorry but...the "Girl Math" is not adding up.<br/><br/>And by "Girl Math" we mean the class fantasies of young women; the dream of achieving financial freedom by being frivolous with finances (because 'I'm just a girl!')... and really entirely on their husband or partner (with no backup plan!).<br/><br/>You see these fantasies peddled in romance novels, divorce memoirs, and, of course, tradwife content. According to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/faganchelsea/"target="_blank" >Chelsea Fagan</a>, author and CEO of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/faganchelsea/"target="_blank" >The Financial Diet</a>, these are all part of our culture's obsession with class fantasies. While we may believe much of our social and romantic desires are solely rooted in love, Chelsea wants to encourage women especially to interrogate their financial status and future. <br/><br/>Brittany is joined by Chelsea to answer the question: is it really love if you don’t have the financial ability to come and go as you please? <br/><br/>Want more on financial fantasies or relationships? Check out these IBAM episodes: <br><a href="https://lnk.to/6sJzET"target="_blank" >Money can make or break your relationship</a><br><a href="https://lnk.to/QZ81ex"target="_blank" >The embarrassing truth of dating men</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media. <a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" >Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" >@bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at <a href="https://www.npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" >npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

Is fanfiction mainstream now?<br/><br/>If you are anywhere near fan spaces online, you’ve probably seen people talking about fanfiction. And it's also behind some of the biggest books of the last decade – some of the publishing industry's greatest hits are fanfic adaptations. But even as fanfic seeps into the mainstream, there’s a battle inside fanfic communities over whether it should be kept private – and a larger culture war brewing over what gets published and who’s reading it. <br/><br/>Brittany gets into the gendered, economic, and cultural forces pushing fanfiction to the fore with <a href="https://x.com/offbeatorbit"target="_blank" >Ashley Reese</a>, writer, cultural commentator and fanfic veteran, and <a href="https://eliacugini.carrd.co/"target="_blank" >Eli Cugini</a>, culture writer, Ph.D. student and author of a <em>Defector</em> <a href="https://defector.com/fanfictions-total-cultural-victory"target="_blank" >article</a> called “Fanfiction’s Total Cultural Victory.”<br/><br/>Want to hear more about the state of literacy? Check out these episodes: <br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/11/14/nx-s1-5607095/how-to-read-better-smarter-faster"target="_blank" >Have we lost the art of reading?</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/01/28/nx-s1-5690372/yes-romance-fantasy-novels-are-political"target="_blank" >Yes, romance & fantasy novels are political.</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/02/03/1263527033/its-been-a-minute-reading-decline-attention-span"target="_blank" >Books vs. Brain Rot: why it's so hard to read</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media. <a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" >Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" >@bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at <a href="https://www.npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" >npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

Do you think you have good taste?<br/><br/>Having a good sense of taste is something like a cultural badge of honor: the result of hard work understanding what you find beautiful and why it moves you. Silicon Valley tech bros are latching onto taste as a new buzzword, and some are even suggesting that their products can give you a fast track to refining your own taste. <br/><br/>Brittany is joined by <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/contributors/kyle-chayka"target="_blank" >Kyle Chayka</a>, staff writer at The New Yorker, and<a href="https://www.thenation.com/authors/kate-wagner/"target="_blank" > Kate Wagner</a>, architecture critic at The Nation, to find out whether or not taste can be created from terabytes of AI data. You can read Kyle's piece, titled, '<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/infinite-scroll/why-tech-bros-are-now-obsessed-with-taste"target="_blank" >Why Tech Bros Are Now Obsessed with Taste</a>' in The New Yorker.<br/><br/>Want more about Tech and Culture? Check out these episodes:<br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/02/11/nx-s1-5709035/the-false-promise-of-a-tech-job"target="_blank" >The false promise of a tech job.</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/09/22/nx-s1-5546753/can-you-trust-ai-search-results"target="_blank" >Can you trust AI search results?</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media. <a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" >Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" >@bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at <a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" >npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

There's a new beauty trend in town: why are women trying to look...lifeless?<br/><br/>Today’s guest, <a href="https://jessicadefino.substack.com/"target="_blank" >Jessica DeFino</a> - beauty reporter, critic, and author of the FLESH WORLD Substack - says contemporary glamorization of anti-aging products and long dead icons like Caroline Bessette Kennedy all fall within a macabre beauty trend, what she calls <a href="https://jessicadefino.substack.com/p/thutt"target="_blank" >‘the morgue gaze.’</a> Ageless, poreless, <em>lifeless </em>beauty inspiration keeps consumers coming back for more numb, frozen aesthetics - forever. Jessica joins host Brittany Luse to break down what the morgue gaze is and why we’re so fascinated with the beauty of lifelessness.<br/><br/>(0:00) The Resurgence of Carolyn Bessette and the 'Morgue Gaze'<br>(2:03) Aesthetic Immortality: Unpacking the Morgue Gaze's Appeal<br>(5:49) From Mannequin Skin to Cadaver Fat: The Rise of Lifeless Beauty<br>(9:41) Billionaire Longevity: Transhumanism, AI, and the Undead Future<br>(12:59) The Dissociative Pout<br>(17:58) The Inescapable Grip of Beauty Culture<br/><br/>Want more about beauty? Check out these IBAM episodes: <br><a href="https://lnk.to/cFrF8B"target="_blank" >The beauty industry has an Epstein problem</a><br><a href="https://lnk.to/GcT6od"target="_blank" >Looksmaxxing is teaching men that pretty hurts.</a><br><a href="https://lnk.to/05HVk9"target="_blank" >Peptides & the pursuit of the "perfect" body</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media. <a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" >Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" >@bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at <a href="https://www.npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" >npr.org/podclub</a>.<br><br/><br/>To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

Everyone has to make the decision to have or not have kids. There are good reasons for both.<br/><br/>Are you sick of dating? Terrified of how expensive everything is? Frustrated with America's so-called social safety net? Horrified by the state of healthcare? If you answered yes to any of these, you might be one of the many people deciding to go childfree. <br/><br/>Host Brittany Luse is joined by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sarahmccammon_journalist/"target="_blank" >Sarah McCammon</a>, Senior Fellow at Third Way, and <a href="https://www.emmagannon.co.uk/"target="_blank" >Emma Gannon</a>, author of the novel Olive, to explore the reasons people feel like might be better without a child -- and how that impacts everyone.<br/><br/>Want to hear more about parenting? Check out these episodes: <br><a href="https://lnk.to/2M3xRR"target="_blank" >Enough is enough. Is it time to leave America?</a><br><a href="https://lnk.to/LIvDdo"target="_blank" >Why are people freaking out about the birth rate?</a><br><a href="https://lnk.to/5hnJFt"target="_blank" >The myth of modern "adulthood"</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media. <a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" >Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" >@bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at <a href="https://www.npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" >npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

Why is the government obsessed with whole milk?<br/><br/>In January, the USDA account on X posted a <a href="https://x.com/USDA/status/2010530263676375178"target="_blank" >picture</a>, possibly AI generated, of President Trump with a milk mustache. The caption was, “Drink up America. #DrinkWholeMilk.” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. posted what seems to be an AI <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTizTCFiQyy/?hl=en"target="_blank" >video</a> that shows him being transported to a nightclub when he drinks milk. The caption is, “when you take that first sip of whole milk.” Whole milk is also at the top of the new food pyramid. But what’s all this for? How do we make sense of this push for whole milk, especially when milk has some unsavory ideological associations?<br/><br/>Brittany gets into it with <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/author/yasmin-tayag/"target="_blank" >Yasmin Tayag</a>, staff writer for <em>The Atlantic</em> who covers science and the future of food, and <a href="https://www.swlaw.edu/faculty/full-time/andrea-freeman"target="_blank" >Andrea Freeman</a>, Second Century Chair Professor of Law at Southwestern Law School and author of the book <em>Ruin Their Crops on the Ground: The Politics of Food in the United States from the Trail of Tears to School Lunch.</em><br/><br/>Want more about modern health? Check out these episodes:<br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/03/09/nx-s1-5739736/were-americans-actually-healthier-in-the-past"target="_blank" >Were Americans actually healthier in the past?</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/01/16/nx-s1-5677307/the-difference-between-losing-weight-being-healthy"target="_blank" >The difference between losing weight & being "healthy" </a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/03/16/nx-s1-5747136/is-tech-making-us-too-obsessed-with-our-bodies"target="_blank" >Is tech making us too obsessed with our bodies?</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media. <a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" >Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" >@bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at <a href="https://www.npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" >npr.org/podclub</a>.<br><br/><br/>To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

What happens when tech billionaires control the media you consume?<br/><br/>With the help of his father, Paramount CEO David Ellison's purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery has gained him a roster of franchises and networks, from Looney Tunes to CNN. But the sale hasn't come without serious concerns, from data privacy to the rising costs of streaming services to what this means for workers in the entertainment industry. <br/><br/>Brittany is joined by Mandalit Del Barco, NPR culture correspondent, and David Folkenflik, NPR media correspondent, to cut through the corporate drama and figure out what this deal means for all of us.<br/><br/>Interested in more TV conversations? Check out these episodes: <br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/03/11/nx-s1-5742559/sinners-vs-one-battle-after-another-who-should-win-best-picture"target="_blank" >Sinners vs. One Battle After Another: who should win Best Picture?</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/02/06/nx-s1-5703364/melania-trumps-multi-million-dollar-infomercial"target="_blank" >Melania Trump’s multi-million dollar “infomercial”</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media. <a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" >Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" >@bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at <a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" >npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

It's easier than ever to cheat and to catch a cheater, but is that a good thing?<br/><br/>For example, there are apps and social media groups dedicated to outing a cheater. But what if that paranoia about cheating is actually hurting our relationships? And on top of that, definitions of "cheating" vary widely. How do you decide for yourself what really counts as cheating? And what's really fueling our fear of being cheated on?<br/><br/>Brittany is joined by <a href="https://www.thecut.com/author/kathryn-jezer-morton/"target="_blank" >Kathryn Jezer-Morton</a>, writer of the Brooding column from <em>The Cut</em>, and <a href="https://shannonkeating.substack.com/about"target="_blank" >Shannon Keating</a>, freelance culture journalist, to get to the bottom of why fear of infidelity haunts our culture and our dating lives.<br/><br/>Want more about modern dating? Check out these episodes:<br><a href="https://lnk.to/QZ81ex"target="_blank" >The embarassing truth of dating men</a><br><a href="https://lnk.to/XIajWf"target="_blank" >Is he a good guy? Or is he manipulating you?</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media. <a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" >Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" >@bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at <a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" >npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

The Epstein Files have revealed social and financial relationships throughout the beauty industry - and a toxic veneration for youth. Is it time for the public to reckon with what the powerful tell us is and isn't "beautiful?" <br/><br/>Host Brittany Luse wonders: can society let go of decades old obsession with youthfulness? Luckily, <a href="https://www.jessica-defino.com/"target="_blank" >Jessica DeFino</a>, reporter, critic, and author of the <a href="https://jessicadefino.substack.com/"target="_blank" >FLESH WORLD substack</a>, joins the show to answer that question and unpack how we’ve made beauty our God.<br/><br/>Want more about beauty and power? Check out these IBAM episodes:<br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/02/27/nx-s1-5728208/looksmaxxing-is-teaching-men-that-pretty-hurts"target="_blank" >"Looksmaxxing" is teaching men that pretty hurts</a>.<br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/01/09/nx-s1-5670240/chinese-peptides-ozempic-biohacking"target="_blank" >Peptides & the pursuit of the "perfect" body</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/12/29/nx-s1-5653652/is-it-wrong-to-want-to-be-thin"target="_blank" >The privilege of being "skinny"</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media. <a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" >Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" >@bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at <a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" >npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

All this health tracking might not be actually very...healthy.<br/><br/>There's a lot of evidence that health tracking can be good for us. Studies have shown that fitness trackers are effective at increasing physical activity, and can pretty accurately detect issues like arrhythmia. And now they're getting a promotional boost from some very influential people: Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and doctor and wellness influencer Casey Means – President Trump's nominee for surgeon general and founder of Levels Health, a company that analyzes data from continuous glucose monitors. But even as health wearables have benefits – how do they fit into the Make America Healthy Again vision for health? What does all this data really do for us – and who else could access it?<br/><br/>Brittany is joined by<a href="https://www.vox.com/authors/adam-clark-estes"target="_blank" > Adam Clark Estes</a>, senior technology correspondent at Vox, and<a href="https://www.lindsaygellman.com/"target="_blank" > Lindsay Gellman</a>, a freelance journalist who reports on health and business, to get into it.<br/><br/>Want more about modern health? Check out these episodes:<br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/03/09/nx-s1-5739736/were-americans-actually-healthier-in-the-past"target="_blank" >Were Americans actually healthier in the past?</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/01/16/nx-s1-5677307/the-difference-between-losing-weight-being-healthy"target="_blank" >The difference between losing weight & being "healthy" </a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/11/12/nx-s1-5606033/exercise-is-more-important-than-ever"target="_blank" >Exercise is more important than ever</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media. <a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" >Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" >@bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at <a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" >npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

Yes, young men are in crisis, but young women are too. Why aren't we talking about it?<br/><br/>Over the past two years, statistics about men's mental health, educational advancement, and financial well-being have made headlines. And, in turn, sparked an industry of organizations, pundits, and others ringing the alarm about men, particularly young men, being in crisis. But, the data shows young women are struggling at the same rates in most categories. In this episode we're looking at broader data — across genders — to see if it paints a more accurate picture of what's going on and to understand why when one gender suffers...all genders do.<br/><br/>Brittany is joined by <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/author/faith-hill/"target="_blank" >Faith Hill</a>, staff writer at the Atlantic, and <a href="https://megjay.com/"target="_blank" >Dr. Meg Jay</a>, clinical psychologist and author of the Twentysomething Treatment to unpack the unspoken crisis women are facing.<br/><br/>Interested in more conversations about modern adulthood? Check out these episodes:<br><a href="https://lnk.to/5hnJFt"target="_blank" >The myth of modern "adulthood"</a><br><a href="https://lnk.to/oSDtAd"target="_blank" >The political power of Gen Z women</a><br><a href="https://lnk.to/2VnZZL"target="_blank" >Make America Male Again?</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media. <a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" >Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" >@bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at <a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" >npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

The stakes feel especially high for this year's top Oscars prize.<br/><br/>It feels like every few years there are two films that really set the tone for where American culture is headed. In 2017: it was <em>Moonlight</em> versus <em>La La Land</em>. In 2019: it was <em>Green Book</em> versus <em>BlackKKlansman</em>. And now, in 2026: it’s <em>Sinners</em> versus<em> One Battle After Another</em>. And there’s one question that host Brittany Luse has at the top of her mind: How do these films capture what it means to live in this moment? And how does the conversation surrounding them become so contentious? <br/><br/>Host Brittany Luse is joined by <a href="https://slate.com/author/nadira-goffe"target="_blank" >Nadira Goffe</a>, staff writer of culture at Slate, and <a href="https://www.rogerebert.com/contributors/robert-daniels"target="_blank" >Robert Daniels</a>, associate editor at rogerebert.com to unpack the discourse taking the internet by storm.<br/><br/>Interested in other episodes about cultural critique? Check these out:<br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/05/21/1263527119/sinners-the-pit-media-literacy"target="_blank" >Pop culture has a 'bean soup problem'</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/01/28/nx-s1-5690372/yes-romance-fantasy-novels-are-political"target="_blank" >Yes, romance & fantasy novels are political.</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/12/12/nx-s1-5637480/whats-so-hot-about-heated-rivalry"target="_blank" >What's so hot about Heated Rivalry?</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media. <a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" >Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" >@bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at <a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" >npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

A "pathetic man" is the guy who gets you to take care of him, because he's purposefully not taking care of himself.<br/><br/>These are the men who lean into the hardships of modern manhood...and expect women to sooth their pain. They're popping up in our TV shows, social media feeds, and real lives. So much so that Tiktoker Josh Lora (aka <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@tellthebeees"target="_blank" >tellthebeees</a>) has declared <a href="https://tellthebeees.substack.com/"target="_blank" >2026 the year of pathetic men</a>. <br/><br/>Host Brittany Luse and Josh raise a toast to the men who lean into the ways patriarchy and masculinity have failed them…maybe too much.<br/><br/>(0:00) What is a "pathetic man?" And how does he manipulate people?<br>(4:18) How to spot a "pathetic man" in pop culture and real life<br>(8:52) How men ask others to support him...rather than supporting himself<br>(15:18) Why society is primed to excuse men's behavior<br>(18:46) Pathetic men are the logical evolution of soft boys and baby girls<br>(24:06) Women are in crisis too...so why do struggling men get all the attention? <br/><br/>Interested in other episodes about modern dating? Check these out:<br><a href="https://lnk.to/2VnZZL"target="_blank" >"The End of Men" by Hanna Rosin</a><br><a href="https://lnk.to/QZ81ex"target="_blank" >The Embarrassing Truth of Dating Men</a><br><a href="https://lnk.to/XIajWf"target="_blank" >Is he a good guy? Or is he manipulating you?</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media. <a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" >Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" >@bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at <a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" >npr.org/podclub</a>. <br/><br/>To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

Are Americans actually becoming less healthy?<br/><br/>That’s an idea that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been repeating for a while now. While there are <em>some </em>nuggets of truth in that – on the whole, American life expectancy has gone up a lot in Kennedy’s lifetime. So why does a backward-looking narrative serve his agenda? And what would actually move the needle forward on improving Americans’ health?<br/><br/>Brittany is joined by NPR health policy correspondent Selena Simmons-Duffin to get into the nuances of what “healthy” means.<br/><br/>Want more about modern health? Check out these episodes:<br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/01/16/nx-s1-5677307/the-difference-between-losing-weight-being-healthy"target="_blank" >The difference between losing weight & being "healthy" </a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/11/12/nx-s1-5606033/exercise-is-more-important-than-ever"target="_blank" >Exercise is more important than ever</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/01/21/nx-s1-5683324/sex-is-pleasurable-it-should-feel-safe-too"target="_blank" >Sex is pleasurable. It should feel safe too.</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media. <a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" >Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" >@bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at <a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" >npr.org/podclub</a>. <br/><br/>To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

As the old vanguard of civil rights leaders pass, who will fill the void?<br/><br/>Last month, the world lost a titan in the struggle for civil rights: the Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr. His style of leadership is deeply familiar: masculine, charismatic, and inspiring. But is that archetype of the modern Moses-style social justice leader still as salient as it once was? And if not, what would does that mean for civil rights organizing moving forward? We're getting into why it all starts with you and your communities.<br/><br/>Brittany is joined by <a href="https://aas.princeton.edu/people/marcus-lee"target="_blank" >Dr. Marcus Lee</a>, assistant professor of African American studies at Princeton University, and <a href="https://www.wellesley.edu/people/kellie-carter-jackson"target="_blank" >Dr. Kellie Carter Jackson</a>, the chair of Africana Studies at Wellesley College, to find out.<br/><br/>Interested in more conversations about civil rights and protest? Check out these episodes:<br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/01/30/nx-s1-5693198/the-biggest-threat-to-trump-ordinary-people"target="_blank" >The biggest threat to Trump? Ordinary people.</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/01/07/1263511078/future-of-progressive-politics"target="_blank" >Is The Squad dead? Cori Bush on the future of progressive politics</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media. <a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" >Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" >@bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at <a href="https://www.npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" >npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

Politically "independent" used to mean you were moderate. Not anymore. <br/><br/>It's no secret that Americans are politically divided, as faith in political parties erodes. In the past, so-called "independent" voters were likely shifting between Democrats and Republicans. But now, especially Gen-Z, are pushing in new directions, far from the center. In this episode, we explore how "independent" became a rallying cry for change on the left and the right. <br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/people/409798174/danielle-kurtzleben"target="_blank" >Danielle Kurtzleben</a> guest hosts with <a href="https://www.npr.org/people/732818534/elena-moore"target="_blank" >Elena Moore</a>, a political reporter for NPR, and <a href="https://www.uncg.edu/employees/omar-ali/"target="_blank" >Dr. Omar Ali</a>, a professor of African American political history at UNC & author of <a href="https://www.ohioswallow.com/9780821424346/in-the-balance-of-power/"target="_blank" ><em>In the Balance of Power: Independent Black Politics and Third Party Movements in the United States</em></a>.<br/><br/>Want more episodes on political culture? Check out these episodes:<br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/12/05/nx-s1-5629154/woke-is-back-new-era"target="_blank" >Woke is BACK! ...really?</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/02/13/nx-s1-5712786/maga-has-a-dei-policy-just-ask-nicki-minaj"target="_blank" >MAGA has a DEI policy. Just ask Nicki Minaj.</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/02/04/nx-s1-5698282/the-swoletariat-a-history-of-leftist-fitness"target="_blank" >The Swoletariat: a history of leftist fitness</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media. <a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" >Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" >@bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at <a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" >npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

Can you afford to get married? Or get a divorce?<br/><br/>Nothing sets the internet on fire more than the fantasy of finding a partner (usually a man) to pay for your lifestyle. We’re here to put those fires out: dating across class is rare (we will explain why) and financial differences can hurt the partner who has less. Plus, with more women becoming the breadwinners, are women actually the new power partners?<br/><br/>Brittany is joined by <a href="https://www.npr.org/people/1093418997/wailin-wong"target="_blank" >Wailin Wong</a>, Business and Economics journalist and co-host of The Indicator from Planet Money, and <a href="https://www.marketplace.org/author/reema-khrais"target="_blank" >Reema Khrais</a>, host of Marketplace’s This is Uncomfortable (which just had a BRAND NEW season drop. Check it out!)<br/><br/>Want more episodes on dating and finances? Check out these episodes:<br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/03/28/1241388989/men-women-marriage-rates-decline"target="_blank" >Is marriage worth it? Single women say no.</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/01/01/1269237384/hypergamy-man-in-finance"target="_blank" >Want to date a rich man? It's harder than you think.</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/12/10/1218437720/what-is-the-ick"target="_blank" >Your date gave you 'The Ick?' That might be a YOU problem.</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media. <a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" >Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" >@bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at <a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" >npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

If the apps aren't working for you, don't stress – there’s a different way to date.<br/><br/>Dating apps have quickly become a fixture of modern dating. They do work for a lot of people – but many are also dissatisfied with the endless swiping and paywalled features. With the apps so ubiquitous, is it still possible to date offline? Or have dating apps made some people too scared of face-to-face rejection?<br/><br/>Brittany is joined by <a href="https://www.npr.org/people/1004889801/manuela-lopez-restrepo"target="_blank" >Manuela López-Restrepo</a>, <em>All Things Considered</em> producer and writer, to get into her offline dating journey – and what she’s learned along the way.<br/><br/>Want more about modern dating? Check out these episodes:<br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/12/19/nx-s1-5648400/the-embarrassing-truth-of-dating-men"target="_blank" >The embarrassing truth of dating men</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/08/06/nx-s1-5494232/its-never-too-late-to-find-a-good-relationship-heres-proof"target="_blank" >It's never too late to find a good relationship. Here's proof.</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/12/10/1218437720/what-is-the-ick"target="_blank" >Your date gave you 'The Ick?' That might be a YOU problem.</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media. <a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" >Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" >@bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at <a href="http://npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" >npr.org/podclub</a>.<br/><br/>To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

Who gets to be "hot" in America? And, at what cost?<br/><br/>Some young men are pushing beauty boundaries with guidance from an online trend that's been making headlines: looksmaxxing. Looksmaxxing celebrates intense fitness & skincare routines, extreme body modification, and notably Eurocentric features as the holy grail of modern beauty, but who gets locked out of looksmaxxing when "Chad" is the gold standard? And how painful is it to pursue perfection that's skin deep?<br/><br/>Brittany is joined by <a href="https://www.wired.com/author/jason-parham/"target="_blank" >Jason Parham</a>, senior writer at WIRED covering internet culture, online dating, and the future of sex.<br/><br/>Interested in more conversations about body politics and beauty standards? Check out these episodes:<br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/02/13/nx-s1-5712786/maga-has-a-dei-policy-just-ask-nicki-minaj"target="_blank" >MAGA has a DEI policy. Just ask Nicki Minaj.</a><br><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/12/29/nx-s1-5653652/is-it-wrong-to-want-to-be-thin"target="_blank" >The privilege of being "skinny"</a><br/><br/>Support Public Media. <a href="https://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" >Join NPR Plus.</a><br/><br/>Follow Brittany on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bmluse/?hl=en"target="_blank" >@bmluse</a><br/><br/>For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at <a href="https://www.npr.org/podclub"target="_blank" >npr.org/podclub</a>.<br><br/><br/>To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:<br/><br/>See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>