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It's Been a Minute
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Want in on a secret? Your likes and dislikes didn't develop by accident. There are subtle and not-so-subtle forces around you, shaping what you think, how you act, and even who you think you are. Brittany Luse is here to break the spell and help you feel wiser in a society that makes things blurry.
THE BEST POP CULTURE PODCAST AWARD WINNER AT THE 2025 SIGNAL AWARDS
It’s Been A Minute with Brittany Luse is the best podcast for understanding what’s going on in culture right now, and helps you consume it smarter. From how politics influences pop culture to how identity influences tech or health, Brittany makes the picture clearer for you every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.It’s Been A Minute reaches millions of people every week. Join the community and conversation today.
If you can't get enough, try It's Been a Minute Plus. Your subscription supports the show and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/itsbeenaminute
THE BEST POP CULTURE PODCAST AWARD WINNER AT THE 2025 SIGNAL AWARDS
It’s Been A Minute with Brittany Luse is the best podcast for understanding what’s going on in culture right now, and helps you consume it smarter. From how politics influences pop culture to how identity influences tech or health, Brittany makes the picture clearer for you every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.It’s Been A Minute reaches millions of people every week. Join the community and conversation today.
If you can't get enough, try It's Been a Minute Plus. Your subscription supports the show and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/itsbeenaminute
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With everything going on in the world, it makes sense that some of us want to check out. But at what cost?In this episode, host Brittany Luse is dissecting our current obsession with numbing ourselves to the moment and tuning out. This so-called “numb girl” attitude and aesthetic is defined by detachment, irony, and a world weary cynicism. Think the "Gen Z pout," "expressionless Botox chic,” a deadpan voice, or selfies with a vacant gaze. Of course, It appears effortless and nonchalant, but it’s highly curated and self-aware — it’s the perfect mask for avoiding humiliation in a world that is always there to judge you. But is avoiding the pain of the world good for us?Brittany is joined by writer Rayne Fisher-Quann aka Internet Princess and freelance cultural critic Sophie Lou Wilson to get into why all the cool girls are dissociating and what we lose when we numb ourselves to the world around us.(0:00) News fatigue, detachment, & irony are cooler than ever(5:02) Gucci runways to political nihilism: numbness went mainstream(10:15) Lobotomy Chic: an ironic joke turned beauty trend(14:57) The privilege of dissociating. Who can afford to disconnect?(18:08) Is numbness a form of feminist resistance?(20:15) How to un-numb and reconnect with humanityThis episode contains mentions of suicide. If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or is in crisis, call or text 9 8 8 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
Have you seen ADHD content pop up in your feeds? Are you getting a lot of it? In the past few years, there's been a surge in the number of adults diagnosed with ADHD, and at the same time more and more people online are going viral with "signs" that you might have it too. Whether with our doctors or friends, we're all talking a lot more about adult ADHD. Is this a perfect storm of online content leading to more diagnoses? Or is there more to the story?Brittany is joined by culture journalist Kelli Maria Korducki, who wrote about this for The Guardian, and Manvir Singh, assistant professor of anthropology at UC Davis, to get into it.This episode originally aired on April 25, 2025.Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
After dominating television screens for decades, has reality TV gone into decline?Secret Lives of Mormon Wives cast member Taylor Frankie Paul has been a controversial figure for some time now, but the latest allegations surrounding the star - and the subsequent cancellation of her season of The Bachelorette - have caused viewers to ask: how far is too far for reality TV? With ratings on the decline and networks desperate to keep audiences coming back, reality TV has taken some drastic turns to remain relevant.To get into all this Rebecca Jennings, features writer for New York Magazine, joins the show to unpack the drama surrounding Taylor Frankie Paul and the state of reality TV at large.(0:00) Who's being exploited more on reality TV?(03:36) Unpacking Taylor Frankie Paul's controversial reality TV journey(09:27) ABC's risky bet on Taylor Frankie Paul as 'The Bachelorette'(18:29) Navigating the line between 'messy' and 'dark' on reality TV(21:25) How reality TV fandom has changed(25:37) Finding unexpected value in reality TV drama(29:23) The need for better vetting and ethics in reality TV casting(33:33) Official statements from Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota MortensenWant more about reality TV? Check out these IBAM episodes:Our love lives have gone full Love Island.Dating skills vs. dating gimmicks in 'Love on the Spectrum'Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
Do you and your loved ones see eye-to-eye... about AI?There’s been a lot of discourse about age gaps and wage gaps – but there’s a new kind of gap rocking relationships: AI gaps. For example, when a couple isn't on the same page about when and how to use it, or even how AI becomes an unwelcome third wheel in a relationship. And this is big for some couples – but this also can be an issue in some friendships and family dynamics, too. So what does AI usage say about what people value? And are conflicts around AI becoming proxies for deeper issues in relationships?Brittany chats with Jenny Singer, a freelance culture writer who wrote about this for The Washington Post, and Heather Kelly, a freelance reporter who focuses on how technology affects daily life.(00:00) Can using AI be an ick?(03:35) When AI becomes an unwelcome third in your relationship(07:41) Why Americans are pessimistic about AI - but might use it anyway(13:08) What AI usage might say about our values(18:06) Strategies for bridging the AI divide in relationshipsFor more episodes about modern dating, check out:"Girl Math" does not add up to financial freedomThe unbearable fear of being cheated onThe joy of breaking up with dating appsSupport Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
We have officially wrapped Quarter 1 of 2026. That means it's time to gather the pop culture C-suite and take stock of the best and worst of culture this year...so far.Host Brittany Luse is your Pop Culture CEO, and she's joined by esteemed members of the C-suite, Joan Summers and Matthew Lawson, co-hosts of the Eating for Free podcast, to recap the last three months in an official Pop Culture Quarterly Review. What have been the major cultural achievements and setbacks so far this year? And in the Pop Culture Boardroom, who will emerge as the MVP?Want more bird's eye views of pop culture? Check out these episodes.The Best & Worst Moments of 20252026 Predictions: Beyoncé retires, AI busts, Democrats lift weightsSupport Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
Does 2026 belong to "Wasians?"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?Brittany is joined by Mika Ellison, intern for It’s Been a Minute and Life Kit, to get into the geopolitical and cultural forces around the “Wasian fixation.”(00:00) Unpacking the 'Wasian Fixation' (04:38) Geopolitical forces behind Wasians in culture(09:53) From 'Hapa' to 'Wasian'(13:38) What does a Wasian story look like?(19:53) The evolution of mixed discourse(23:04) Is 'Wasian' a good term?For more on Heated Rivalry, check out: What's so hot about Heated Rivalry?For more on identity and the internet, check out: Think you have ADHD? Here's why so many of us are saying yes.Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
Sorry but...the "Girl Math" is not adding up.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 rely entirely on their husband or partner (with no backup plan!).You see these fantasies peddled in romance novels, divorce memoirs, and, of course, tradwife content. According to Chelsea Fagan, author and CEO of The Financial Diet, 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. 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? (0:00) Unpacking the infantilization of "girl math" and women's financial fantasies(1:58) Financial fantasy brain rot: relying on a wealthy man(05:18) How 'Just Getting Good' got started(08:55) How 'Just Getting Good' debunks financial myths(12:05) How romance novels peddle regressive class fantasies(17:28) How fictional fantasies bleed into real life(24:55) How voluntary financial ignorance harms women(30:32) Building relationships with financial clarity and equityWant more on financial fantasies or relationships? Check out these IBAM episodes: Money can make or break your relationshipThe embarrassing truth of dating menSupport Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
Is fanfiction mainstream now?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. Brittany gets into the gendered, economic, and cultural forces pushing fanfiction to the fore with Ashley Reese, writer, cultural commentator and fanfic veteran, and Eli Cugini, culture writer, Ph.D. student and author of a Defector article called “Fanfiction’s Total Cultural Victory.”Want to hear more about the state of literacy? Check out these episodes: Have we lost the art of reading?Yes, romance & fantasy novels are political.Books vs. Brain Rot: why it's so hard to readSupport Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
Do you think you have good taste?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. Brittany is joined by Kyle Chayka, staff writer at The New Yorker, and Kate Wagner, 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, 'Why Tech Bros Are Now Obsessed with Taste' in The New Yorker.Want more about Tech and Culture? Check out these episodes:The false promise of a tech job.Can you trust AI search results?Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
There's a new beauty trend in town: why are women trying to look...lifeless?Today’s guest, Jessica DeFino - 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 ‘the morgue gaze.’ Ageless, poreless, lifeless 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.(0:00) The Resurgence of Carolyn Bessette and the 'Morgue Gaze'(2:03) Aesthetic Immortality: Unpacking the Morgue Gaze's Appeal(5:49) From Mannequin Skin to Cadaver Fat: The Rise of Lifeless Beauty(9:41) Billionaire Longevity: Transhumanism, AI, and the Undead Future(12:59) The Dissociative Pout(17:58) The Inescapable Grip of Beauty CultureWant more about beauty? Check out these IBAM episodes: The beauty industry has an Epstein problemLooksmaxxing is teaching men that pretty hurts.Peptides & the pursuit of the "perfect" bodySupport Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
Everyone has to make the decision to have or not have kids. There are good reasons for both.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. Host Brittany Luse is joined by Sarah McCammon, Senior Fellow at Third Way, and Emma Gannon, author of the novel Olive, to explore the reasons people feel like life might be better without a child -- and how that impacts everyone.(0:00) Why women choose to go childfree(1:53) The economic & ideological responses to declining birth rates(6:01) Pushing back against negative assumptions of childfree women(10:39) How to deal with society's judgment of family size and choice(17:33) How childfree women shape modern society(25:45) How culture and policy lag behind women's expectations of life(31:02) What true childbearing freedom looks like for everyoneWant to hear more about modern womanhood? Check out these episodes: Enough is enough. Is it time to leave America?Why are people freaking out about the birth rate?The myth of modern "adulthood"Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
Why is the government obsessed with whole milk?In January, the USDA account on X posted a picture, 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 video 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?Brittany gets into it with Yasmin Tayag, staff writer for The Atlantic who covers science and the future of food, and Andrea Freeman, Second Century Chair Professor of Law at Southwestern Law School and author of the book Ruin Their Crops on the Ground: The Politics of Food in the United States from the Trail of Tears to School Lunch.Want more about modern health? Check out these episodes:Were Americans actually healthier in the past?The difference between losing weight & being "healthy" Is tech making us too obsessed with our bodies?Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
What happens when tech billionaires control the media you consume?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. 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.(0:00) Why Brittany thinks you should be interested in the Paramount/Warner Bros deal(4:12) How this deal will impact journalism and what you watch on TV(7:19) Who are the Ellisons? And what's their relationship to Trump?(11:49) Why cuts to the entertainment industry impact the entire country(16:45) Who really controls American culture: the people or the rich & powerful? Interested in more TV conversations? Check out these episodes: Sinners vs. One Battle After Another: who should win Best Picture?Melania Trump’s multi-million dollar “infomercial”Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
It's easier than ever to cheat and to catch a cheater, but is that a good thing?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?Brittany is joined by Kathryn Jezer-Morton, writer of the Brooding column from The Cut, and Shannon Keating, freelance culture journalist, to get to the bottom of why fear of infidelity haunts our culture and our dating lives.Want more about modern dating? Check out these episodes:The embarassing truth of dating menIs he a good guy? Or is he manipulating you?Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
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?" Host Brittany Luse wonders: can society let go of decades old obsession with youthfulness? Luckily, Jessica DeFino, reporter, critic, and author of the FLESH WORLD substack, joins the show to answer that question and unpack how we’ve made beauty our God.(0:00) How the beauty industry shows up in the Epstein Files(3:24) Why the language of "self-care" is hypocritical post-Epstein(6:06) The beauty industry's obsession with youth(11:55) The secular religion of beauty(19:59) America's Next Top Model & the internalization of beauty standards(24:30) Tyra Banks & the power you lose in pursuit of powerCorrection, March 19, 2026A previous version of this episode incorrectly said that the 1970s tagline “because innocence is sexier than you think” was used to promote Maybelline products. It was used in advertisements for Love’s Baby Soft products.Want more about beauty and power? Check out these IBAM episodes:"Looksmaxxing" is teaching men that pretty hurts.Peptides & the pursuit of the "perfect" bodyThe privilege of being "skinny"Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
All this health tracking might not be actually very...healthy.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?Brittany is joined by Adam Clark Estes, senior technology correspondent at Vox, and Lindsay Gellman, a freelance journalist who reports on health and business, to get into it.Want more about modern health? Check out these episodes:Were Americans actually healthier in the past?The difference between losing weight & being "healthy" Exercise is more important than everSupport Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
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 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.Brittany is joined by Faith Hill, staff writer at the Atlantic, and Dr. Meg Jay, clinical psychologist and author of the Twentysomething Treatment to unpack the unspoken crisis women are facing.Interested in more conversations about modern adulthood? Check out these episodes:The myth of modern "adulthood"The political power of Gen Z womenMake America Male Again?Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
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 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? Host Brittany Luse is joined by Nadira Goffe, staff writer of culture at Slate, and Robert Daniels, associate editor at rogerebert.com to unpack the discourse taking the internet by storm.Interested in other episodes about cultural critique? Check these out:Pop culture has a 'bean soup problem'Yes, romance & fantasy novels are political.What's so hot about Heated Rivalry?Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
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 Brittany Luse and Josh raise a toast to the men who lean into the ways patriarchy and masculinity have failed them…maybe too much.(0:00) What is a "pathetic man?" And how does he manipulate people?(4:18) How to spot a "pathetic man" in pop culture and real life(8:52) How men ask others to support him...rather than supporting himself(15:18) Why society is primed to excuse men's behavior(18:46) Pathetic men are the logical evolution of soft boys and baby girls(24:06) Women are in crisis too...so why do struggling men get all the attention? Interested in other episodes about modern dating? Check these out:"The End of Men" by Hanna RosinThe Embarrassing Truth of Dating MenIs he a good guy? Or is he manipulating you?Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
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 improving Americans’ health?Brittany is joined by NPR health policy correspondent Selena Simmons-Duffin to get into the nuances of what “healthy” means.Want more about modern health? Check out these episodes:The difference between losing weight & being "healthy" Exercise is more important than everSex is pleasurable. It should feel safe too.Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy


























thanks, always love listening!
villain of the year category: y'all really not gonna say ICE or Steven Miller??
Finding a good restaurant today often comes down to discovering places that combine quality, speed, and great atmosphere. That’s why the vibrant experience at https://7brwcoffee.us/classics/house-blend/ stands out — it offers the same satisfaction you seek in a top-rated eatery but through perfectly crafted beverages. Their Cold Brew and friendly service make every visit feel like finding your new favorite spot.
Really interesting points in this episode, it’s true that people care more about the overall dining experience now than just the food itself. The “vibe” factor has become huge, especially with platforms like TikTok shaping where people go to eat. I’ve noticed that restaurant research has shifted too , instead of chasing Michelin ratings, most people look for reliable menus and ambiance online before visiting. For example, you can easily find the updated LongHorn Steakhouse menu here: http://longhornsmenus.com/ Having accurate menus and photos available online makes a big difference when people are choosing where to eat it’s basically part of the experience now.
I really enjoyed this episode — it perfectly captures how restaurants now need to focus on the overall experience rather than just the food. It reminded me of https://deneme-bonus-verenler.com/ where the story behind the menu creates its own kind of “vibe.” Instead of chasing Michelin stars or influencer trends, they showcase authentic Turkish flavors and atmosphere, turning dining into a genuine cultural experience.
Could buy now pay later be a bubble in the making? Probably, especially if it's being used to prey on people who can't afford their daily necessities (spoiler alert: if you have to use BNPL for groceries, you are in this category).
All I know is, I absolutely do not want someone using my voice to produce words as if they originated from my brain. Using a voice map and recordings to fabricate a likeness should never be misconstrued as the actual individual, and this case sets a wild precedent.
The problem with assigning labels like "Liberal" and "Conservative" to Gen-Z--which I remind people STILL has a little less than 1/3 of its population that HASN'T EVEN REACHED VOTING AGE--is that Liberal =/= Progressive in the US even though it is couched as such, and thus when you look at the current state of the Democratic Party it's more Republican-lite than upholding true Liberal values and has shown at least since 2016 that it absolutely DESPISES its Progressive wing.
Newsflash: Industry from a bygone era isn't coming back. It's like thinking we're all going back to typewriters or carrier pigeons on purpose- not.going.to.happen.
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If apps are trafficking in consumers' time, there is a conflict of interest in tech helping users feel less lonely because they will then have motivation to seek real-life connections. Humans are a social species, and we have not evolved to fulfill those needs only virtually.
It's sad but not surprising that people have less attention to read books. We've all been training our brains on short video snippets and content that raises our anxiety and anger.
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It's great to process emotions with support of a social circle, but be careful that venting or mudslinging doesn't backfire.
I really enjoy these geographic specific "smackdowns", I learn a lot about fascinating people and historic events. All the guests have been great sports, so very little smackdown attitude is present.
Political memes are merely the evolution of political cartoons, which have existed... for more than 200 years.
We've gotten some bangers this summer, and there is also a wide range of themes and vibes. I'm here for it. 🎶
I’ve been a dedicated listener of “It’s Been a Minute” for a while now, and I’m consistently impressed by how insightful and thought-provoking each episode is. The way the host delves into current events and cultural trends with such depth and clarity is truly commendable. https://castbox.fm/episode/Choosing-the-Right-Parchment-Paper-for-Home-Cooking-id6230173-id721293509?country=us
Way to gloss over the fact that automobile manufacturers are ALSO marketing bigger and bigger SUVs to suburban women, dubbed the "suburban arms race." If you actually pay attention to male US car culture, you'd find most family men would rather drive sport wagons that are only available in Europe because "all big dumb men want big dumb pickups."
Dropout's content is really good, so interesting to hear more about how they operate!