It's Been a Minute

Yes, young men are in crisis, but young women are too. Why aren't we talking about it? 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 s...

The stakes feel especially high for this year's top Oscars prize. 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 Moonlight versus La La Land . In 2019: it was Green Book versus BlackKKlansman . And now, in 2026: it’s Sinners versus One Battle After Another . And there’s one question that host Brittany Luse has at the...

A "pathetic man" is the guy who gets you to take care of him, because he's purposefully not taking care of himself. 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 tellthebeees ) has declared 2026 the year of pathetic men .  Host Br...

Are Americans actually becoming less healthy? That’s an idea that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been repeating for a while now. While there are some 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 im...

As the old vanguard of civil rights leaders pass, who will fill the void? 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 fo...

Politically "independent" used to mean you were moderate. Not anymore.  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 r...

Can you afford to get married? Or get a divorce? 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 par...

If the apps aren't working for you, don't stress – there’s a different way to date. 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?...

Who gets to be "hot" in America? And, at what cost? 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 sta...

Why is the culture so obsessed with men on the down low? To some, they're a secret, sexy symbol. To others, they're carriers of diseases and lies. What is the truth about men who live their sexual lives 'on the DL', and what does our culture's recurring fascination with them say about how society treats men whose sexualities don't fit into neat boxes? Brittany is joined by Dr. Jeffrey McCune , aut...

Is it time to rethink our food delivery habits? According to data from the National Restaurant Association, around 60% of both millennials and Gen Z say food delivery is an essential part of their lifestyles. But are the steep prices — and occasional guilt — worth the convenience? Brittany is joined by NPR Life Kit producer Margaret Cirino , who recently scaled her food delivery habits way back, t...

Social media could fundamentally shift our understanding of what is and isn't "addictive." Tech companies are back in court...and likely will be for a while. A wave of lawsuits allege that platforms - like Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Snapchat - are addictive and harmful, especially to children. These cases could change platform regulations and this country's interpretation of what cou...

Is veganism in its flop era? There was a time when veganism – or plant-based food – seemed to be in ascendency: from the early 2010s when Beyoncé adopted a plant-based diet to its height in 2020, when the retail market for plant-based meat made over a billion dollars in sales. And then… things started getting a little more… meaty. From protein-maxxing to the new food pyramid, the culture seems to...

Translation tech has improved a lot. So why learn a language? A lot of people around the world speak English. For those who don’t, AirPods offer live translation – and Google Translate can fill in gaps, too. So as English-speakers, why learn a second language? Well, it’s hard – but translation can miss a lot of cultural understanding. Brittany is joined by Emily Kwong , co-host of NPR’s science po...

Is the far-right in its rainbow coalition era? We're seeing quite a few examples in the culture that may suggest so: from Nicki Minaj's recent pivot to the MAGA right, to the videos of DHS agents of color making violent arrests, it feels like the far-right is making more space for people of color to find platforms and power. But how does a multicultural right-wing movement square with the politics...

Learn to code, they said! And then the layoffs started happening... The tech industry is hemorrhaging jobs. According to one estimate, there have been over 700,000 tech workers laid off since 2022. But there was once a time when “learn to code” was the advice de rigueur for laid-off workers, and a lot of resources went into teaching kids computer science. So if a cushy position in tech isn’t a “go...

Bad Bunny's Super Bowl performance had a clear message for his fans and his haters.  The pop star's show was a colorful and vibrant vision of Puerto Rican culture and heritage, from a real life wedding to boxing matches - and even a surprise cameo from Ricky Martin. Against a backdrop of widespread immigration crackdowns and targeted rhetoric, Bad Bunny centered joy as an act of resistance - and a...

Is Melania Trump's new film a documentary? Fan service? Or propaganda? The Amazon funded $40 million-$75 million film, follows the first lady as she prepares for her husband's second inauguration. But, it's finely manicured editing and it's fabricated storylines obscure reality - much like the Trump administration's broader media strategy. So what's the point? Brittany sits down with NPR Senior Ar...

So-called "swoletariats" are exercising for the resistance. There’s a lot of fitness content in conservative manosphere circles – that’s not new – but now, there are also fitness influencers who call themselves the “swoletariat.” That’s a combination of the word “swole,” meaning buff, and “proletariat,” meaning the working class — the swoletariat are people whose fitness regimens connect to leftis...

America’s workers are tired – here’s why. Do you feel like you can never get off the grind? From gig laborers to salaried workers, a lot of people are keeping their noses to the grindstone in order to remain afloat, avoid job loss, and stay one step ahead of market fluctuations. But this culture of overwork isn’t new – according to Erik Baker, Harvard lecturer and author of Make Your Own Job: How...

One of the biggest lessons from the clash between ICE and the citizens of Minneapolis is that communities are prepared to stand up for their neighbors. When Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU Nurse, became the second person killed by federal agents in Minneapolis this month, citizens were there to document the killing. Today, we're exploring how Minnesotans trained for this moment and how, despite dee...

How do romantic tropes and fantasies impact how you understand politics? You might be a fan of Romantic Fantasy, or as the internet calls it: Romantasy. Even if you're not, you would recognize the tradwives or fascism. Romantasies combine supernatural characters and plotlines with the rush of a whirlwind romance novel, and, in this episode, we're exploring how the politics of some of these books h...

Job seekers are sending out hundreds of applications. Here’s why they’re not hearing back. The unemployment rate has been climbing over the past few years, but historically, it isn’t that high… Even so, some people have been talking about having a really, really rough time finding work. Brittany is joined by Wailin Wong , co-host of NPR’s Indicator podcast, and  Nitish Pahwa , staff writer for bus...

He's mysterious and aspirational, but is he even real? Or is he just a reflection of all of our society? The ‘finance bro’ has become a pretty ubiquitous figure in the American zeitgeist. From American Psycho and Mad Men to the tech bros of Silicon Valley, he’s taken many forms. And these days he has flipped genders in the hit HBO series  Industry . But what makes the finance bro mythology so comp...

What does it mean to feel safe during sex these days? From feeling comfortable with your partner to access to public health and medication, "safety" comes up a lot in sex. But, having the tools you need to feel confident in your own sexual health is an essential part of the pursuit of pleasure. Today, Brittany is joined by  Dr. Leisha McKinley-Beach , founder and CEO of the Black Public Health Aca...