Stop offloading the hard stuff to A.I.

Many of us offload heavy thinking to A.I., and our brains are going soft in the process. Cal Newport, professor of computer science at Georgetown University, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how employing computers to do our deepest thinking dulls our ability to concentrate and the things we can do right now to keep us sharp and alert. His recent essay published in The New York Times is “There’s a Good Reason You Can’t Concentrate.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Recent graduates take heart: There is meaningful work out there for you.  Jodi Kantor, Pulitzer-prize winning New York Times investigative reporter, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how to find passion in your work, what it takes to find out what we’re good at and how to choose work that the world needs. Her book is “How to Start: Discovering Your Life's Work.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

If you know someone who falls in love at first sight over and over again, there’s a word for that: emophilia. Daniel N. Jones is professor of management in the College of Business at the University of Nevada, Reno and core faculty within the Interdisciplinary Social Psychology Program. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the red flags for people in love with falling in love, why they might be missing huge pitfalls of potential partners and ways to build healthy partnerships beyond the initial butterflies. His book is “Falling Fast: The Perils and Possibilities of Emophilia.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

 Putting your cute family on social media is clickbait gold — but what does it do to the kids? Journalist Fortesa Latifi joins guest host Courtney Collins to discuss family reality content and the perks, money and fame that come with it, the dangers of celebrity, and why, as viewers, we’re so hooked on the every move of total strangers. Her book is “Like, Follow, Subscribe: Influencer Kids and the Cost of a Childhood Online.”    Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Schools around the country are shuttering their Black studies departments—often without regulatory prompting. Jafari S. Allen is a professor of African American and African diaspora studies at Columbia University. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why schools, now admitting less Black students than before DEI crackdowns, are blaming low enrollment for shutting down these departments, and why these cuts are often preemptive, before any penalties are incurred. His article “The Erasure of Black Studies” was published in The Chronicle of Higher Education. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

We’ve heard a lot about the loneliness epidemic in this country, but it might be worth asking: Do we even like spending time with people anymore? Derek Thompson, staff writer at The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the phenomenon where we’re on our phones but digitally surrounded by people, and how this isolation is rewiring us to be more anti-social – including in both our personal relationships and political lives. His article is “The Anti-Social Century.”This episode originally aired February, 6th 2025. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The manosphere is an undeniable force right now, and there are people who will teach you how to join it. Charles Bethea, staff writer at The New Yorker, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss immersive camps that teach men how to become alpha males, what that actually means, and the surprisingly emotional reaction men have once they dive into the grueling physical activities asked of them. His article is “How to Become an Alpha Male.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In dating, finding “the one” might be easier if you stop assuming “the one” will be a perfect match. Paul Eastwick is professor of psychology at UC Davis, where he serves as the head of the Social-Personality Psychology program and the director of the Attraction and Relationships Research Laboratory. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why we need to look past imperfections when choosing a mate, why what we know about evolutionary biology has been exaggerated, and the pros and cons of dating apps. His book is “Bonded by Evolution: The New Science of Love and Connection.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

If the definition of “green” is yellow plus blue, how do you define “yellow” and “blue”? Kory Stamper is a lexicographer who has written dictionaries for nearly 30 years at Merriam-Webster, Cambridge Dictionaries and Dictionary.com. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the difficulty of defining colors, why they are nearly indescribable, and why it took the help of scientists to create descriptions of everything around us. Her book is “True Color: The Strange and Spectacular Quest to Define Color – from Azure to Zinc Pink.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Even in our darkest moments, we can build the skills to keep our spirits up. Deepika Chopra is a psychologist, visual imagery expert and founder of Things Are Looking Up, a consultancy devoted to the intersection of science and soul. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how to develop optimism, how it’s a key to optimal health, and why this isn’t about toxic positivity. Her book is “The Power of Real Optimism: A Practical, Science-Based Guide to Staying Resilient, Curious, and Open Even When Life Is Hard.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices