The Big Story: The Happiness Files
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Atlantic
4 days ago
- Atlantic
Turning a Hobby Into a Habit
This is an edition of the Books Briefing, our editors' weekly guide to the best in books. Sign up for it here. During the coronavirus pandemic, I flirted with more hobbies than I can recall. I began by picking up the musical instruments lying around my parents' house—their piano, my sister's cello. I then ordered a ukulele online, inspired by a friend who marveled at the ease of learning the chords. Next came YouTube yoga, and then bird drawing (because I happened to find a guide to drawing birds on my parents' bookshelves). At the beach during the summer of 2020, my friend and I enlisted her 13-year-old neighbor to teach us how to surf. Then, perhaps inevitably, I tried knitting and crocheting. First, here are two new stories from The Atlantic 's books section: A novelist's cure for the 'loneliness epidemic' 'Preamble to the West,' a poem by Iris Jamahl Dunkle I have kept up none of these pursuits. It's not because of perfectionism or a lack of free time, those oft-cited foes that prevent us from turning a hobby into a habit. I'm simply more of a dabbler, an approach that Karen Walrond celebrates in her book In Defense of Dabbling, which Sophia Stewart wrote about this week as part of a list of books that demonstrate 'the possibilities that lie in our hobbies—even the ones we might be bad at.' Walrond believes that informally experimenting with new things is a great way to find joy in the world around you, and I agree—but I do think I've fallen victim to the need for instant gratification, jumping from one activity to the next as my attention drifts. After reading Stewart's list, I realized with some regret that I don't direct any level of sustained attention to areas of my life outside of work. I feel a bit jealous when I hear about someone casually taking up birding or woodworking, only for it to unexpectedly change their life. So it might be time for me to find a hobby and stick with it. I've noticed a common theme among the activities that seem to have the strongest effects on their practitioners: Many of them are physical endeavors, though they don't have to be strenuous or dangerous (white-water rafting counts, but so does gardening). In my own life, I've found that things requiring some amount of fine motor control or hand-eye coordination, such as needlework and tennis, allow me to focus on the process, rather than the result, while not thinking about the past or worrying about the future. Instead of rushing to a destination or chasing an immediate reward, I'd like to learn from the journey. 'The decision to pursue an activity simply for one's own enjoyment,' as Stewart writes, 'is deeply human.' Eight Books for Dabblers By Sophia Stewart These practices can enrich our lives, regardless of if we're any good at them. What to Read The Index of Self-Destructive Acts, by Christopher Beha Beha's big-swing novel, set in the late 2000s, follows Sam, a young data-crunching blogger from the Midwest who gets hired to work at a legacy New York magazine. He arrives in the city certain that when one has the right information, the world is 'a knowable place'—but he is soon forced to reconsider his rational worldview. Sam encounters an apocalyptic preacher, falls for the daughter of a profile subject (though he's married), and cranks out a near-constant stream of articles while struggling with unexpected doubts. The novel takes on heady themes, but it never feels dull or brainy, and all the people I've shared it with over the years love it too. My New Yorker father told me how well it portrayed the city after the 2008 financial crisis; my friends in journalism affirm its perceptiveness about the industry's 'content farm' days; my church friends appreciate how it takes religious belief seriously. I push it upon pretty much everyone I know. — Eleanor Barkhorn Out Next Week 📚 Trying, by Chloe Caldwell 📚 Sunbirth, by An Yu 📚 What Is Free Speech?, by Fara Dabhoiwala Your Weekend Read Comfort TV Is Overrated By Shirley Li The human brain—more specifically, the way it's wired to enjoy jitters—is partly responsible for how well these shows have been received by viewers. 'Our body doesn't always know the difference between a heart-rate increase associated with watching The Bear versus going for a walk,' Wendy Berry Mendes, a psychology professor at Yale, told me. People have always sought excitement by being spectators; doing so causes, as Mendes put it, 'vicarious stress'—a fight-or-flight response that feels good because it involves zero risk. Watching a horror movie can produce the effect, though Mendes pointed out in an email that horror tends to unfold at a more extreme pace, causing reactions infrequently experienced by audiences. (Think of how jump scares can dramatically startle viewers.) The intense shows holding viewers' attention these days, meanwhile, can conjure a sense of ongoing anxiety. 'Certainly, that unremitting pressure' in The Bear, Mendes wrote, 'is something more common than running from a zombie.'
CBS News
5 days ago
- CBS News
This week on "Sunday Morning" (August 3): The Money Issue
The Emmy Award-winning "CBS News Sunday Morning" is broadcast on CBS Sundays beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET. "Sunday Morning" also streams on the CBS News app beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET. (Download it here.) Jane Pauley hosts our annual "Money Issue," this year focusing on securing a fulfilling retirement. COVER STORY: How safe is our Social Security safety net?The Social Security Administration was already at its smallest size in 50 years when, in early 2025, Elon Musk's DOGE team eliminated another 14% of its employees. Former Social Security Administration commissioner Michael Astrue says those in the Trump administration trying to drive change don't understand the system and could put benefits at risk. Correspondent David Pogue reports. [Originally broadcast April 13, 2025.] LIFESTYLE: The allure of bucket listsA recent study showed nine out of 10 participants have made a bucket list, many of which include daring feats, like skydiving. Correspondent Susan Spencer looks into the do's and don'ts of making a bucket list, and joins an 83-year-old who gets to live her dream of driving a race car, thanks to Wish of a Lifetime from AARP. [Originally broadcast April 13, 2025.] For more info: LIFESTYLE: How the FIRE movement is inspiring early retireesNik and Adinah Johnson retired in their forties to spend time with their kids, play golf and produce podcasts … and they're not alone. They're part of a movement that looks at work a little differently – as a means to an end. It's called FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early). They explain to correspondent Luke Burbank how frugality enabled them to quit the rat race, and how you can, too. But doing so might mean changing your relationship with money and stuff, Vicki Robin (co-author of "Your Money or Your Life") tells Burbank. For more info: Read more: WORLD: Americans seeking retirement overseasA lower cost of living, and a sense of adventure, are leading more and more Americans to retire overseas. Correspondent Seth Doane talks with ex-pats who now live fulltime on the Mediterranean island of Gozo, part of the Maltese archipelago; and with Jennifer Stevens, executive editor of International Living, which offers advice and seminars for those considering living or retiring abroad. [Originally broadcast April 13, 2025.] For more info: FINANCE: The father of the 401(k)In 1981, Ted Benna created the first 401(k) plan, which allowed corporations to contribute, tax-free, to workers' retirement accounts. That allowed companies to get out of the pension business, but gave employees more responsibility over their retirement funds. "Sunday Morning" contributor Kelefa Sanneh talks with Benna about how an obscure tax-code provision led to our current financial planning for retirement (and, at a time of precipitous stock market shocks, more angst). [Originally broadcast April 13, 2025.] For more info: TECHNOLOGY: Meet the "grandfluencers"After Diane Shiffer retired from working as an educator and social worker, she took on a new calling: as a social media "grandfluencer." Known on TikTok as YourChubbyVintageNana, she now has nearly two million followers across platforms, as she goes all-in on "the Nana vibe." Correspondent Faith Salie talks with Shiffer, and with Barbara Costello, of Brunch With Babs, both part of a growing number of older content creators who are finding audiences and post-retirement careers in social media. [Originally broadcast April 13, 2025.] For more info: U.S.: A warplane retirement homeAt Davis Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, the Arizona desert heat is the retirement setting for some of our nation's most heralded military aircraft. Correspondent Lee Cowan investigates the mission these vintage craft still perform today. He also visits the Planes of Fame Air Museum, in Chino, Calif., where old, restored warbirds once again take to the skies. [Originally broadcast April 13, 2025.] For more info: MOVIES: Cheech and Chong: Older and wiserThe comedy duo Richard Anthony "Cheech" Marin and Thomas Chong made their names and fortunes playing laid-back potheads. Now 79 and 87, respectively, they're back on movie screens in "Cheech and Chong's Last Movie" (which may not be an accurate title). The best buds talked with correspondent Tracy Smith about their legacy. [Originally broadcast April 13, 2025.] To watch a trailer for "Cheech and Chong's Last Movie" click on the video player below: For more info: COMMUNITY: Not exactly wasting away in this MargaritavilleLatitude Margaritaville, a 55+ community, is inspired by the vibes of the late musician Jimmy Buffett. It's just one of the 800 active adult communities in the U.S., where retirees are finding community, and more. Correspondent Martha Teichner reports from the Daytona Beach community where it's always five o'clock. [Originally broadcast April 13, 2025.] For more info: MEDIA: AARP and the business of an aging audienceAARP began as an advocacy group for older Americans concerned about Social Security, Medicare, and family caregiving. Today it represents 110 million Americans in the 50+ demographic who are living longer and retiring later. "Sunday Morning" national correspondent Robert Costa talks with AARP's CEO, Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan, and editorial director Myrna Blyth, about the organization's importance to an increasingly important target group for advertisers; and with actress and talk show host Drew Barrymore, who at age 50 has embraced being on the cover of AARP: The Magazine. [Originally broadcast April 13, 2025.] For more info: ANIMAL WELFARE: A visit to chimpanzee sanctuary Chimp HavenMore than 300 residents spend their retirement years at Chimp Haven, a sanctuary for chimpanzees, that is spread out across 200 acres in Northwest Louisiana. Correspondent Conor Knighton reports on the special care given to chimps of all ages, many of whom have given much of their lives to scientific research. [Originally broadcast April 13, 2025.] For more info: NATURE: Chimpanzees in LouisianaWe leave you this Sunday with retired chimps living the good life at Chimp Haven in Northwest Louisiana. Videographer: Mike Hernandez. GALLERY: Notable deaths in 2025A look back at the esteemed personalities who left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity. The Emmy Award-winning "CBS News Sunday Morning" is broadcast on CBS Sundays beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET. Executive producer is Rand Morrison. DVR Alert! Find out when "Sunday Morning" airs in your city "Sunday Morning" also streams on the CBS News app beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET. (Download it here.) Full episodes of "Sunday Morning" are now available to watch on demand on and Paramount+, including via Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, Chromecast, Amazon FireTV/FireTV stick and Xbox. Follow us on Twitter/X; Facebook; Instagram; YouTube; TikTok; Bluesky; and at You can also download the free "Sunday Morning" audio podcast at iTunes and at Now you'll never miss the trumpet!
Atlantic
5 days ago
- Atlantic
The Big Story: The Happiness Files
Join Atlantic editor in chief Jeffrey Goldberg and contributing writer Arthur C. Brooks for a discussion about Brooks's new book, The Happiness Files: Insights on Work and Life. Based on Brooks's popular ' How to Build a Life ' column in The Atlantic, The Happiness Files offers practical wisdom to help readers lead a life that feels full and meaningful. Subscribers will enjoy this exclusive virtual conversation and have the opportunity to pre-submit questions for Brooks to answer live during the session. Submit your questions here. To join their conversation, return to this page on Monday, August 11, at 2:30 p.m. ET. If you're a subscriber, you'll receive an email reminder before the event starts. Or add the event to your calendar here.
