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 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.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR 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.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR 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.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR 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.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 for civil rights organizing moving forward? We're getting into why it all starts with you and your communities.Brittany is joined by Dr. Marcus Lee, assistant professor of African American studies at Princeton University, and Dr. Kellie Carter Jackson, the chair of Africana Studies at Wellesley College, to find out.Interested in more conversations about civil rights and protest? Check out these episodes:The biggest threat to Trump? Ordinary people.Is The Squad dead? Cori Bush on the future of progressive politicsSupport 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.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 rallying cry for change on the left and the right. Danielle Kurtzleben guest hosts with Elena Moore, a political reporter for NPR, and Dr. Omar Ali, a professor of African American political history at UNC & author of In the Balance of Power: Independent Black Politics and Third Party Movements in the United States.Want more episodes on political culture? Check out these episodes:Woke is BACK! ...really?MAGA has a DEI policy. Just ask Nicki Minaj.The Swoletariat: a history of leftist fitnessSupport 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.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 partners?Brittany is joined by Wailin Wong, Business and Economics journalist and co-host of The Indicator from Planet Money, and Reema Khrais, host of Marketplace’s This is Uncomfortable (which just had a BRAND NEW season drop. Check it out!)(0:00) The explicit and implicit ways money shows up in dating(6:49) Why marriage is a GOOD financial investment(12:10) Why marriage is a BAD financial investment(20:13) Dating someone wealthier than you is harder than you think(37:54) Will women surpass men as the breadwinners?Want more episodes on dating and finances? Check out these episodes:Is marriage worth it? Single women say no.Want to date a rich man? It's harder than you think.Your date gave you 'The Ick?' That might be a YOU problem.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.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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?Brittany is joined by Manuela López-Restrepo, All Things Considered producer and writer, to get into her offline dating journey – and what she’s learned along the way.(0:00) Are you fed up with dating apps? Us too!(4:48) The dating app paradox: who makes money when you swipe...(15:09) How dating apps change what rejection feels like(23:05) A trip to a real life singles night (will Manuela find a date?)Want more about modern dating? Check out these episodes:The embarrassing truth of dating menIt's never too late to find a good relationship. Here's proof.Your date gave you 'The Ick?' That might be a YOU problem.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.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 standard? And how painful is it to pursue perfection that's skin deep?Brittany is joined by Jason Parham, senior writer at WIRED covering internet culture, online dating, and the future of sex.(0:00) What is "Looksmaxxing" and why it went mainstream(2:15) How politics influence who gets to be "attractive"(7:10) Eugenics and the backlash to Black looksmaxxers(13:28) Why pursuing beauty standards leaves you feeling lonely(18:43) How to redefine beauty and feel more confident in your body Interested in more conversations about body politics and beauty standards? Check out these episodes:MAGA has a DEI policy. Just ask Nicki Minaj.The 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.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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, author of Sexual Discretion: Black Masculinity and the Politics of Passing, and Kai Wright - a journalist and host for the Guardian who has been writing about sexual politics for the last 30 years.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.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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, to discuss why so many have come to rely on it and what a different path could look like.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.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 counts as "addiction."Brittany is joined by NPR correspondent Shannon Bond, and Dr. Carl Erik Fisher, addiction psychiatrist and author of The Urge: Our History of Addiction, to find out what these court cases mean for our relationships with social media - and how social algorithms are fundamentally reshaping our understanding of "addiction."(0:00) Is social media bad for your mental health?(1:54) What people are taking social media platforms to court(7:27) How social media is changing what counts as "addiction"(15:01) Behavioral vs. Substance addiction(18:11) How to change your relationship to social media(23:21) Systemic interventions for social media useSupport 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.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 have shifted. But what does the plant-based food flop era say about our culture, how we think about our food, and how we feel about our future? Special guest host Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR political correspondent, discusses with writer Rachel Sugar, who wrote a piece on the boom and bust of veganism for New York Magazine, and Mark Bittman, long-time food journalist and former New York Times columnist who has written about veganism since the early 2010s.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.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 podcast Short Wave, to explore why putting your brain through learning a new language offers surprising benefits and opportunities for connection.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.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 of the President? Brittany is joined by Axios senior race and justice reporter Russell Contreras to understand the world of multiracial MAGA.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.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 “good” job anymore… what is? Brittany discusses this with Rya Jetha, tech culture reporter for the San Francisco Standard, and Natasha Singer, technology reporter for The New York Times and author of the upcoming book Coding Kids: Big Tech's Battle to Remake Public Schools.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.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 as a space for all people in North and South America to unite. Brittany is joined by Pop Culture Happy Hour cohost Stephen Thompson, music and entertainment critic Reanna Cruz, and Alana Casanova-Burgess, host of La Brega podcast, to understand the version of America that Bad Bunny wants us to live in.(0:00) Bad Bunny's performance was one of the all time greats(03:04) The key moments: the parade of nations to Ricky Martin & Lady Gaga(08:11) The story and world that Bad Bunny was building(12:33) Weddings and joy as acts of resistance(16:14) The Grammy, Liam Conejo Ramos, and what the moment meant(23:57) Bad Bunny's radical politics vs. the NFL's politicsFor more on Bad Bunny, check out this deep dive into his latest album: Bad Bunny & the battle for Puerto RicoSupport 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.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 Arts Critic Bob Mondello, and Vulture Movie Critic Alison Willmore. They examine the wardrobe changes, opulent decor, and even Amazon’s financial support of the movie and break down what this film tells us – and doesn’t tell us – about the first lady.(00:00) The Melania Documentary Review: Airless, High Heels, Shiny(03:07) Melania Trump is staging the scenes of her life(06:06) Melania is in control - and rewriting history(13:10) Is Trump's documentary propaganda or fan service?(17:34) Amazon, Jeff Bezos, and the Trump family businessSupport 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.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 leftist politics. NPR's Life Kit producer Margaret Cirino shares her reporting with Brittany on the history of leftist fitness – and why she’s seeing the swoletariat picking up steam on social media.Want to know more about fitness and health? Check out these episodes:The difference between losing weight & being "healthy"Beware the Wellness Industrial Complex!The 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.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 the Entrepreneurial Work Ethic Exhausted America, the grindset has been intentionally promoted and structurally enforced over decades. Brittany sits down with Erik to discuss how we got here – and how we can untangle the culture from these working conditions.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.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy