The Ozempic era should change how we think about self-control
Struggling to manage weight can seem like a failure of raw willpower. GLP-1 drugs highlight how misguided that view is
by Matthew C Haug
Ideas
Expert insights, perspectives and provocations to stimulate your mind
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
Do you weave historical events into your own life story?
Some people watch history pass by. Others high in ‘historical consciousness’ truly live it – and seem to benefit as a result
by Şebnem Ture
Can an entire society be mentally ill? A perspective from 1960
Video by The Search for America
When dreams touch reality – the liminal world of sleep paralysis
Why are we so drawn to characters that take us to moral extremes?
Stressed about a date or an interview? Video games may offer a surprising salve
James Earl Jones reads Kurt Vonnegut on why art is central to a meaningful life
From cave art to subatomic sketches – how drawing has accelerated human progress
Embrace conflict, reject authority – William Blake’s radical vision of a meaningful life
Popular
Is it wrong to be good friends with a bad person?
Many think the answer is obvious: we ought to cut immoral people out of our lives. But that isn’t necessarily the best option
by Yiran Hua
Guilty pleasures are more than just giving in to temptation
Psychologists are discovering what’s going on when you do something you enjoy, but also feel weird or embarrassed about
by LaCount ‘JJ’ Togans
The trait that makes some people so frustrating – and alluring
Conscientiousness is constantly touted as a virtue, so what’s life like for people with the opposite trait – disinhibition?
by Janan Mostajabi
You don’t need perfect features to be physically beautiful
New research reveals that physical attractiveness is more about personal compatibility than meeting universal standards
by Annett Schirmer
Is narcissism really on the rise among younger generations?
A fresh investigation of vast numbers of young people from around the world has thrown up some surprising results
by Jakob Pietschnig & Sandra Oberleiter
Why we should treat caffeine like the brain-altering drug it is
Like billions of people, I use caffeine. But there is a glaring double standard in the drugs we stigmatise or celebrate
by Jonathan Simone
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
Popular
View allIs it wrong to be good friends with a bad person?
Many think the answer is obvious: we ought to cut immoral people out of our lives. But that isn’t necessarily the best option
by Yiran Hua
Guilty pleasures are more than just giving in to temptation
Psychologists are discovering what’s going on when you do something you enjoy, but also feel weird or embarrassed about
by LaCount ‘JJ’ Togans
The trait that makes some people so frustrating – and alluring
Conscientiousness is constantly touted as a virtue, so what’s life like for people with the opposite trait – disinhibition?
by Janan Mostajabi
Guilty pleasures are more than just giving in to temptation
Psychologists are discovering what’s going on when you do something you enjoy, but also feel weird or embarrassed about
by LaCount ‘JJ’ Togans
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
True courage isn’t being fearless, it’s fearing well
Aristotle created the blueprint for the bravery we need to resist injustice and do the right thing, even at our own risk
by Andrew Culbreth
The neural reward that makes avoiding your fears feel so good
We’re told that facing our fears can help us overcome them – but this misses the other intoxicating part of the equation
by Muhammad Badarnee & Mohammed R Milad
Despair can help us mourn lost futures and chart new paths
Hope is indispensable. But when false hope blinds us to reality, a short bout of despair might be the antidote we need
by Juliette Vazard
Is narcissism really on the rise among younger generations?
A fresh investigation of vast numbers of young people from around the world has thrown up some surprising results
by Jakob Pietschnig & Sandra Oberleiter
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
‘Invisible diseases’ burden both body and mind. Can therapy help?
Hard-to-diagnose illnesses aren’t ‘all in the mind’. But recognising their links to mental health can help reduce the pain
by Karina Waluk
What do Japan’s hikikomori reveal about our lonely world?
Unemployed and isolated, the residents of a hikikomori rehab centre hold up a mirror to a society that’s failing them
by Alain Julian
The trait that makes some people so frustrating – and alluring
Conscientiousness is constantly touted as a virtue, so what’s life like for people with the opposite trait – disinhibition?
by Janan Mostajabi
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
For the Puritans, embracing God’s will could get dangerous
The group at the heart of American origin stories had a complex relationship with despair – and a need to reckon with it
by Alexandra M Lord
Do we really need breathwork gurus to tell us how to breathe?
Breathing was once a natural reflex. How did it become a high-stakes biohacking ritual taught by wellness celebrities?
by Oriana Walker