Reading (and listening) list: "Mouthy Women" and Condescending Fish
Darlings! There’s a ton of #content for you to devour this weekend, so let’s get to it!
Adam Sternbergh: “Read This Story and Get Happier” (The Cut) - Sternbergh goes deep on Yale’s most popular course ever, led by Professor Laurie Santos, whose research focuses on the science of happiness, and how individuals can implement structures in their own lives to markedly improve their own. The story itself is an excellent meditation on expectations, the old money vs. time happiness paradigm, and how Americans need to slow the eff down before we all dissolve into puddles of our own stress sweat.
Lauren Larson: “Zach Woods in the Woods” (GQ) - This profile of Woods, the actor who plays Jared from Silicon Valley who’s been on a tear recently, is SO lovely on so many levels. Not only does it seem like Woods is a genuinely good person, Larson describes her own personal positive reaction to him, the quirky characters he plays, and the improv background he brings to his work. Also, if you don’t have time to read the article, you must watch the accompanying video of Woods's one-liners as he models preposterous outdoor clothing for the venerable men’s fashion mag. He may be my soulmate with thoughts like “fish are attracted to deeply disturbing imagery,” and “teach a man to fish, and he feels condescended to and still hungry, because you know, that’s a long learning curve.” Friends, I think I’m in love.
Lachlan Markay, Asawin Suebsaeng: “Scott Pruitt Personally Involved in ‘Ratf*cking’ Ex-Aides Who He Feels Betrayed Him” (Daily Beast) - Today, in wow, Scott Pruitt seems nice *epic, life-altering, paradigm-shifting eye roll*
Stephanie M. Lee: The Rise And Fall Of CrossFit’s Science Crusader (BuzzFeed) - Come for the fitness cult, stay for the subject’s deep sugar industry oppo research and unfortunate descent into homophobia.
To Listen:
Over at Crooked Media, Erin Ryan has gathered an impressive panel of “opinionated, mouthy women to discuss news, politics, and cultural stories that affect women's lives” for her new podcast Hysteria. I’m half way through the first ep this morning, and it is goddamned delightful to hear a diverse panel of women translate the existential angst of the Kennedy SCOTUS announcement into action, amongst other topics. Ryan’s show also helps balance out the dudebro ratio at the liberal podcast network, so yay!
And speaking of dudebro ratios, my Mum sent me this episode of Anna Maria Tremonti’s The Current from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation on a study that suggests that “open-plan offices leave women subject to sexism at work.” Mum caveats that she isn’t sure she agrees with every assumption, but that she thinks we should all give it a listen.
I love you all. Be kind to each other, mmmkay? And have a joyful weekend.