Psychology Today
Genuine connection grows in the space between us, urging a shift toward collaborative, win-win communication that nurtures empathy, interdependence, and a healthier social ecology.
Mingle News
The Atlantic
Social media giants are now pivoting towards AI-driven interactions, as Mark Zuckerberg suggests AI chatbots might fill the gap in declining face-to-face socialization.
WHYY
Most Americans under 45 factor politics into dating decisions, prompting a WHYY discussion on whether love can thrive between partners with opposing political beliefs.
The Atlantic
As alcohol consumption declines and solitary vices like marijuana, online gambling, and internet pornography rise, Americans are increasingly pursuing pleasure alone, reshaping social habits.
The World According to Brian Substack
Beloved Philly DJ Pierre Robert’s passing symbolizes the decline of community-centered media amid corporate consolidation, eroding trust, and the fading era of truly local voices.
The Atlantic
Tech-enabled food delivery has transformed American dining, turning restaurants into profit-driven takeout factories and eroding the in-person experiences that once defined them.
USA Today
Los Angeles singles are attending The Feels, a dark-room event where guided eye contact, gentle touch, and deep conversation aim to help participants connect authentically.
Axios
A new trend is replacing doomscrolling with “analog bags” — totes filled with books, crafts, and other screen-free activities, embracing a return to offline wellness.
The New York Times
NYT: Candidates who embrace pragmatic, populist centrism consistently outperform ideological extremes, and Democrats in particular must reclaim the political center to restore voter trust.
USA Today
Jonathan Haidt warns that AI poses an even greater threat to kids’ mental health than social media, urging parents to act before serious long-term damage.
Reason
We’re seeing the rise of artificially intelligent ‘chatbot’ companions capable of romance and naughty talk, from G-rated to pornographic.
The Washington Post
A “Month Offline” challenge in D.C. helped a group discover how disconnection from constant connectivity reshaped their attention, relationships, and sense of presence.
NPR
In Ireland’s tiny town of Lisdoonvarna, Europe’s last great matchmaking festival keeps the spirit of old-fashioned romance alive as thousands gather each year.
NPR
Nearly one in five high schoolers has experienced or knows someone who has had a romantic relationship with AI, highlighting risks to privacy and wellbeing.
The Wall Street Journal
Despite the rise of social media, humans’ brains appear hardwired to maintain stable social networks of about 150 people, with closer circles within that limit.
The New York Times
One influencer’s advice has given some singles the permission — and confidence — to look for love offline. It’s “Sit at the Bar September.”
Parents
More parents are reviving landlines as a low-tech alternative to smartphones, helping kids build stronger communication skills while limiting screen time and online risks.
The Washington Post
Children’s room to roam independently was once measured in miles. Today, it’s often in feet. Here’s what they’re losing and what we can do about
Axios
Half of U.S. youth report that loneliness and family struggles disrupt their mental health daily, with sharp disparities tied to income and LGBTQ+ identity.
StudyFinds
In a digital age that shuns stillness, embracing profound boredom can restore reflection, depth, and a genuine connection with being.
Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood
Catherine, Princess of Wales asserts that the true key to lifelong health and happiness lies in nurturing meaningful human connections, beginning in early childhood.
Poynter
Medill’s annual survey finds audiences drifting from TV and print, wary of AI, and turning to independent content creators.
AXIOS
How college kids — or anyone, really — can truly think differently, or more calmly, about politics in charged moments
Axios
Here are 8 things college kids (but really all of us) can do to think and act more optimistically and optimally.
