Tolerance isn’t just nice, it’s a civic virtue we all can build
At a time of rising intolerance, the century-old work of C E M Joad reminds us what tolerance really is and why we need it
by Kiran Kumbhar
Relate
The bonds that tie us: family, friendships, love and community
How to talk to yourself
Self-talk is a proven way to boost motivation, think clearly and process your emotions. These tips will help you use it well
by Maryellen MacDonald
Loafing around at Rikers
What making – and breaking – bread in jail taught me about work and friendship
by Jamie Valentino
The empathy lie
In medicine, empathy came easy. In friendship, it fell apart. An autism diagnosis helped me understand why
by Zoë Read
The existential struggle between being a ‘we’ and an ‘us’
Sartre’s phenomenology reveals how a shift from subject to object (and back) is not merely a matter of grammar
by Tris Hedges
Guides
View all
How to adventure beyond the same old foods
Most of us develop comfort zones with food. Expand your palate and discover new flavours, techniques and connections
by Nina Mukerjee Furstenau
What to do when someone goes on the defensive
Our natural impulses often make matters worse. Here’s an approach that works, grounded in conflict resolution and psychology
by Adar Cohen & Nick Wignall
Popular
How luxury brands engineer desire with behavioural economics
From scarcity to market architecture, luxury fashion is manipulating our tastes. But a vintage countermovement has begun
by Charlotte Wren
For young people, AI is now a second brain – should we worry?
As a resident tutor, I’ve seen how students are using AI as more than a tool. It’s a psychological shift we’ll soon all make
by Rhea Tibrewala
Even if we could speak to animals, should we?
AI could satisfy our deeply held desire to talk to other creatures. But the potential for harm might outweigh the benefits
by Virginie Simoneau-Gilbert & Leonie Bossert
Why AI’s hallucinations are like the illusions of narcissism
Unable to handle uncertainty, AI mimics the narcissistic compulsion to fill voids with plausible but false narratives
by Jennine Gates
A brief escape from social media
After leaving my phone behind for a week and coming back to it, I saw my social media use in a stark new light
by Tamur Qutab
The words that make an apology convincing
Research on the psychology of apologising finds that certain word choices are more convincing because of their mental cost
by Alice Gregory
The existential struggle between being a ‘we’ and an ‘us’
Sartre’s phenomenology reveals how a shift from subject to object (and back) is not merely a matter of grammar
by Tris Hedges
My cousin Anna
As a Korean adoptee, I’d never expected to meet a blood relative. Then a 23andMe email landed in my inbox
by Andrew Lee
Popular
View allHow luxury brands engineer desire with behavioural economics
From scarcity to market architecture, luxury fashion is manipulating our tastes. But a vintage countermovement has begun
by Charlotte Wren
For young people, AI is now a second brain – should we worry?
As a resident tutor, I’ve seen how students are using AI as more than a tool. It’s a psychological shift we’ll soon all make
by Rhea Tibrewala
Even if we could speak to animals, should we?
AI could satisfy our deeply held desire to talk to other creatures. But the potential for harm might outweigh the benefits
by Virginie Simoneau-Gilbert & Leonie Bossert
Why AI’s hallucinations are like the illusions of narcissism
Unable to handle uncertainty, AI mimics the narcissistic compulsion to fill voids with plausible but false narratives
by Jennine Gates
Notes to self
View all
Videos
View all
More than laissez-faire love – demystifying modern polyamory
Memories of home adopt surreal shapes in a Sudanese expat’s art
More than just a feeling, love can guide our moral compasses
‘Sonic branding’ and other ways food marketing keeps you hooked
What comfort can images give us when someone we love is gone?
Freedom, joy and struggle – stories of Los Angeles street life
Fight like a mother
Doctors said my son would die. I wouldn’t believe them, raised millions of dollars and travelled the world for a cure
Amber Freed, as told to Lina Zeldovich
My cousin Anna
As a Korean adoptee, I’d never expected to meet a blood relative. Then a 23andMe email landed in my inbox
by Andrew Lee
Blame the ‘greedy bastards’, and you protect the greedy systems
The most vehement and damaging charges of ‘greed’ get directed at precisely those who are being stripped of everything
by David Keen
Defensible space
My husband was in crisis and our home faced wildfire. When it came, I saw the cost of holding the line
by Moonshine Matthiessen
Why AI’s hallucinations are like the illusions of narcissism
Unable to handle uncertainty, AI mimics the narcissistic compulsion to fill voids with plausible but false narratives
by Jennine Gates
Experiments in resistance
When I tested people’s blood after a protest, I discovered that science itself could be a form of dissent
Alexander Samuel, as told to Christine Ro
Accidental millionaire
When a big deposit appeared from nowhere in my account, it changed my life – but not how you’d think
by Kelvin Njeri
Even if we could speak to animals, should we?
AI could satisfy our deeply held desire to talk to other creatures. But the potential for harm might outweigh the benefits
by Virginie Simoneau-Gilbert & Leonie Bossert
The circle held
A bike crash left my husband paralysed. What happened next taught me something profound about community
by Sadie Witkowski
Mind the accent
When I spoke like someone I wasn’t, people listened more closely. What did that say about them – and me?
by Erica Mayor
Again, again, again
I’m not infertile, but I experience recurrent miscarriages. I worry about how many more I can take
by Jami Nakamura Lin
How luxury brands engineer desire with behavioural economics
From scarcity to market architecture, luxury fashion is manipulating our tastes. But a vintage countermovement has begun
by Charlotte Wren
Severe joy
I wanted conviction to tell me if I could be gay and Catholic. My convictions told me something bigger
by Will Martino
For young people, AI is now a second brain – should we worry?
As a resident tutor, I’ve seen how students are using AI as more than a tool. It’s a psychological shift we’ll soon all make
by Rhea Tibrewala
The words that make an apology convincing
Research on the psychology of apologising finds that certain word choices are more convincing because of their mental cost
by Alice Gregory
Stealing my father
I’d long had a rocky relationship with my dad. Then, a predatory caregiver took over his life
by Mark Teich