Julie Boland, a psychology and linguistics professor at the University of Michigan, has become accustomed to the awkward silences that permeate Zoom calls, a common fixture of modern communication technologies that lead to inelegant conversations. These pauses disrupt the conversational flow that comes naturally to humans and are a source of discomfort. While books, YouTube …
The recent downfall of Chris Licht has become a prime example of the kind of sensational story that dominates today’s cable news landscape. Despite being pushed out of CNN, five days after a critical profile by Tim Alberta, Licht’s mistakes and lack of awareness were very apparent. His snide remarks aimed at the staff, and …
During the peak wedding season, it’s not uncommon for the junk drawer of someone with a large family or wide circle of friends to resemble the inside of a swag bag from a newlywed-themed business conference. Items like sunglasses, koozies, matchbooks, bottle openers, and even a golf ball or deck of playing cards bearing cutesy …
Sociologist Sonia Salari of the University of Utah regularly asks her family studies class a thought-provoking question: “Who here is closest to their maternal grandmother?” The majority of hands shoot up. She then follows up with questions about grandfathers and paternal grandparents, and the number of hands dwindles. This survey segues perfectly into Salari’s lesson …
AL.com’s team of four journalists was recently awarded the 2023 Pulitzer Prize in Local Reporting for their investigation of a local police force in Alabama. The team included a father-son duo, John and Ramsey Archibald. In a piece for The Atlantic, the Archibalds detail their experience working together and how their relationship has evolved in …
Marriage rates in the US are declining rapidly, with more young adults either delaying or forgoing marriage altogether. While there are various reasons for this trend, one factor often overlooked is the growing difficulty that young people face in finding partners who meet all their requirements, including emotional, physical, financial, and political. In recent years, …
As someone who is known to those closest to me as a curious amalgam of discipline and ineffectuality, my idiosyncrasies often leave others bemused. Without fail, I rearrange the contents of my refrigerator with the speed and precision of a professional Tetris player, yet I once let a snake plant wither away because I forgot …
As the stretcher was wheeled into the room, my attention was drawn away from the patient chart by the sight of a burly man in the characteristic dark-green uniform of the U.S. Border Patrol. The patient, a young woman, shivered and struggled to maintain composure while a spinal collar immobilizing her neck suggested a possible …
Dear Therapist, I am seeking advice for my 35-year-old stepdaughter who has been in a five-year relationship with a 38-year-old man. My stepdaughter’s boyfriend is an only child with peculiar parents and has some eccentric habits, such as his food preferences. He frequently comes over for holiday meals empty-handed but leaves with containers full of …
The belated and inadequate response to the wildfire smoke in New York City is a reminder of the need to be better prepared for such events. Despite warnings, the city failed to provide clear guidance or access to resources in a timely manner. Vulnerable New Yorkers were left to manage on their own while public …