Most Americans think ‘dad bod’ is the new six-pack, survey finds

Americans' acceptance and desire of "dad bod" is increasing every year.

  • The survey was commissioned by Planet Fitness, whose conducted surveys on dad bod for the past three years.
  • The results generally showed that Americans think dad bod is sexy, attractive, and indicative of a man who's comfortable in his own skin.
  • Still, research suggests that gaining weight in middle adulthood raises the risk of chronic disease and premature death.
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The tools of great communicators: Symbols, ceremony, and ritual

  • In some fundamental ways, humans haven't changed all that much since the days when we were sitting around communal fires, telling tales.
  • Although we don't always recognize them as such, stories, symbols, and rituals still have tremendous, primal power to move us and shape our lives.
  • This is no less true in the workplace than it is in our personal lives.
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Louis C.K., #MeToo, and accountability: Why binary thinking doesn't help

We may not learn and grow beyond the #MeToo era if we keep thinking in black and white, says comedian Pete Holmes.

  • The collective suffering society is going through with the #MeToo movement is the earmark that real change is happening, says comedian Pete Holmes. Abusers need to acknowledge their wrongdoing and, where possible, be open about their evolution and growth.
  • Comedian Louis C.K.'s abuses and return to the stage have divided the comedy community and society on a broader scale. The debate predominately has two narratives: Either C.K. is a monster, or he is a symbol of artistic freedom.
  • The truth, says Holmes, is likely in the middle, and our need to take a binary stance won't help us confront and grow from these complicated issues.
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23% of young black women now identify as bisexual

Among women, bisexuality is statistically on the rise.

MAURO PIMENTEL/AFP/Getty Images
Sex & Relationships

Since 1972, social scientists have studied the General Social Survey to chart the complexities of social change in the United States.

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Men who receive paternity leave want fewer children

A new study in Spain displays the powerful effects of empathy.

Photo by Melanie Stetson Freeman/The Christian Science Monitor via Getty Images
Culture & Religion
  • Men that take paid paternity leave in Spain are less likely to want more children in the future.
  • The study's authors believe that men become more aware of the overall costs of raising children.
  • Before the service was enacted, women spent 4.2 hours engaged in unpaid childcare labor compared to 1.3 hours by men.
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How to have better, more productive disagreements with people

Big Think Edge
  • When you find yourself in a disagreement with someone - whether you are discussing politics or football - you probably tend to view the experience as a waste of time.
  • Humans are stubborn creatures because we need to validate our own egos. That means no one wants to "give in." We all want to "win" the argument.
  • However, as Julia Galef, President of the Center for Applied Rationality, demonstrates in this lesson, if you are simply out to "win" an argument and validate your ego, you really aren't winning much of anything. You are actually missing out on an opportunity for learning and personal growth.
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