Culture & Religion — August 11, 2009

Glued to the TV at 3:30PM? You Have Company.

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

The New York Times recently presented an eye-opening graph derived from the American Time Use Survey. This unique project seeks to map out what Americans are doing every day, broken down minute-by-minute. The results reflect our under-employed age. At 3:30 PM, 13% of Americans are watching TV and movies – 27% are working. No word yet on what percentage are reading the Big Think blog. Check out the link for more.

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Person disguised as a ghost with sunglasses, sitting at an outdoor table.

Neuropsych

Why we ghost

The psychology of people who cut off all communication—and how that affects their partners.

A collage featuring hands holding a plant, additional hands in sepia tone, a grid background, orange accents, and the text "Reclaim Meaning" with the number 4.

Thinking

How to reclaim meaning in a changing world

What if the barrier to a fulfilled life isn’t technology but culture?

Satellite view of the United States at night reveals illuminated cities and areas, with dense clusters of lights in the eastern region, highlighting vibrant economic hubs reminiscent of workforce data concentrations, contrasted by the sparser illumination in the western regions.

The Present

America’s workforce desperately needs a data overhaul

A National Center for Data and Evidence could supplement our archaic and expensive system and more accurately measure AI’s impact on jobs.

An open book with abstract designs: the left page displays a horizontal row of color blocks, while the right page features a hand touching a network of connected circles, highlighting strong connections.

Business

Why our “weak-tie” connections are actually super-strong

Sure, “who you know” matters — but your best contacts will be the ones you don’t know very well.

Arms burdened with a large stack of papers, folders, and rolled-up documents, a person exemplifies toxic productivity. Their black bag hangs precariously from their arm as they navigate the weight of their workload.

The Learning Curve

How to break free from your “toxic productivity” cycle

Psychotherapist Israa Nasir explains how a “value-aligned life” can help us crush our goals — without being crushed by the need to accomplish more.

Up Next

Politics & Current Affairs

Going Silent On Human Rights

One of the bad things about the Obama administration is that human rights have taken a backseat to more pressing concerns abroad. A case in point was Joseph Biden’s recent […]