The Re-engineered You

What can we pass on to our kids? What leaves a lasting effect, statistically? Money? Reputation? Reasoning skills…?

Did you grow up with a gaming console and a ton of games? A cellphone? Ever borrow your folks’ car? Well, so did Affluenza Kid. So what’s the difference between his entitlement and ours?

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

Is being “street smart” enough to earn a living these days? Or do you need a bachelor’s degree to not end up in an Amazon warehouse?

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?

Migrant workers are dying by the thousands in Qatar to prepare for the FIFA World Cup. Is the thrill of a game worth their sacrifice? Are international sports in general?

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?

At best mentors get footnoted during award speeches. At worst they get forgotten. Yet 76% of professionals claim mentorship is vital to success.

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

Migrant workers are dying by the thousands in Qatar to prepare for the FIFA World Cup. Is the thrill of a game worth their sacrifice? Are international sports in general?

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?

We have self-driving cars and AI assistants smart enough to manage our schedules. So why is Errand Paralysis so persistent? Because businesses need you to feel fatigued, that’s why.

Are moral values given to us by our parents? Are they just arbitrary rules put on us by society? Or have morals “evolved” with us?

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

What type of encouragement really motivates us, negative encouragement or positive? And which political figure was so good at encouragement he was said to have “mobilized the english language and sent it into battle...”?

Studies consistently list humor as the number one trait for desirability and attractiveness, regardless of gender. So...how do we get funny?

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

Numbers make us numb. But how big does a death count have to get before our eyes glaze over? What’s the optimum number of victims to make us care?

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?

Is it love we’re feeling, or is it lust? What’s the difference, chemically? More importantly, how long can love really last, and how do we keep it going into old age?

How do we push ourselves to start hustling? Vision boards? Goals? Motivational videos every morning? Well, we have some stats