Eudaimonia

On the perennial puzzle of how to live well in our complex world

Self-knowledge and personal growth Relationships, work and leisure Values and ethical living

An otter rolling on a moss-covered rock, eyes closed in a relaxed pose with a blurry background.

Animals

idea

You can think like an animal by silencing your chattering brain

The desire is partly whimsical, but a brief shapeshift across the taxonomic gulf could help us better empathise with animals

by Bryony Tolhurst

Photo of an elderly man sitting on a chair surrounded by various ornate coffins in a room with a chequered floor.

Death and dying

idea

As a society, we’re not death phobic, we’re death complacent

Our culture is routinely diagnosed with an excessive fear of mortality. A calm look at the evidence tells a different story

by Ingemar Patrick Linden

Black and white photo of a couple kissing, with focus on a woman’s hand wearing a ring and watch.

Love

guide

How to think differently about love

Poets, philosophers and scientists all tell stories about the nature of romantic love. It can be liberating to critique them

by Arina Pismenny

A woman holds a square mirror that blocks her face; it reflects rocks and grass. There is blue sky and clouds in the background. The only element in focus is the reflection on the mirror.

Painting and sculpture

film

Losing her eyesight, a painter’s art evolves with the way she sees the world

Directed by Liberty Smith

Photo of a beachside blackboard offering a humorous deal near a weathered pier, stating “£100 receipt given for every £10 spent.”

Anxiety

idea

If you think you are ‘just not a math person’ then think again

Understanding how mathematics anxiety takes root points to ways to overcome it, opening up new opportunities and pastimes

by Nathan T T Lau & H Moriah Sokolowski

A kakapo, a flightless parrot, perched on a mossy branch in a forest setting.

Cultural diversity

idea

Insularity can be a good thing, for creatures and cultures alike

The plight of threatened species can help us understand – and respond to – the endangerment of local ideas and practices

by Antone Martinho-Truswell

Photo of a museum exhibition with three tall, thin sculptures on pedestals and people observing them, with white shadows of the figures painted on the background wall.

Compassion and empathy

guide

How to see the humanity in anyone

Practising a form of ‘deep curiosity’ can help you connect with yourself and others, even if they’re on the ‘other side’

by Scott Shigeoka

Black and white photo of a hand holding a scallop shell. The background is blurred and the shell shows detailed texture.

Work and vocation

film

A poetic, sea-soaked tribute to the ‘cockle women’ of Wales

Directed by Lily Tiger

Photo of people in winter clothing exiting a tram at a busy station.

Autism

idea

Late autism diagnosis: it’s a relief, but who’s behind the mask?

By the time an adult learns they’re autistic, they have often been covering up for years. A period of self-discovery awaits

by Leonie Mercedes

Photo of a person in a white vest and jacket with folded hands and a tattoo, viewed through a mesh screen.

Conflict and conflict resolution

idea

Restorative justice fits human nature more than retribution does

As recognised by ancestral wisdom and Indigenous practices, our need to repair relationships is a deep-rooted instinct

by Flavia Corso

Photo of various name badges with colourful lanyards laid out in rows for an event or conference.

Memory and nostalgia

guide

How to get better at remembering

Frustrated by elusive names and misplaced phones? The science of memory reveals ways to improve your powers of recall

by Elizabeth Kensinger & Andrew Budson

Desert with a blurred yellow road sign and distant hills under a blue sky.

Altered states

film

Ride along on a road trip suffused with LSD, petty theft and true love

Directed by Aric Allen