Love
idea
It’s possible to become wiser in who you entrust with your love
Love is not merely irrational – there’s a sense in which it’s also based on reason, which means we can get better at it
by Joel Van Fossen
Conflict and conflict resolution
idea
Does national humiliation explain why wars break out?
For a nation, humiliation isn’t just a feeling – it’s a story. Understanding this can help countries move beyond aggression
by Raamy Majeed
Communication and language
idea
For this unsung philosopher, metaphors make life an adventure
Susanne K Langer understood the indispensable power of metaphors, which allow us to say new things with old words
by Sue Curry Jansen & Jeff Pooley
Love
idea
There’s no good reason to love each other – and that’s a relief
Loving is an unreasonable decision (we are all extremely unpleasant little beasts) and that’s what allows it to survive
by John Kaag
Gender
idea
Too many men lack close friendships. What’s holding them back?
Some masculine norms are a straightjacket, depriving men of the connections they need. It takes bravery to leave them behind
by Angelica Puzio Ferrara
Communication and language
idea
To have deeper conversations, try being more of an asshole
Conversation is a game with rules about politeness and norms. To move beyond small talk, you need to risk breaking them
by Idil Çakmur
Virtues and vices
idea
Social comparison is driving us to despair. It doesn’t have to
In the social media age, it seems impossible not to measure ourselves against others – but we can dodge the worst pitfalls
by Wojciech Kaftański
Ethics
idea
What makes a map ‘good’? On the ethics of cartography
Rendering the world in a responsible way means wrestling with what gets depicted on a map, how, and for whom
by Nat Case
Communication and language
idea
Let me open a treasure chest to explain how metaphor works
Once maligned by philosophers, metaphors are a key communication tool for extending the power of literal speech
by Elek Lane
Freedom and choice
idea
Relationships are important, but so is feeling free to end them
Comparing ‘relational mobility’ and people’s average happiness across different cultures reveals some intriguing patterns
by Thomas Talhelm & Liuqing Wei
Parenting and families
idea
Moving through the world pregnant, my body became everyone’s
And I knew that, once I became a mother, I would be only more visible, more public, more available for scrutiny
by Katie da Cunha Lewin
Emotions
idea
Cuteness has a powerful pull, and it’s written all over your face
Our typical responses to cute things might seem cheery and unserious, but they signal something vital about us
by Makenzie O’Neil