Yale’s Most Popular Class Ever: Happiness – The New York Times, January 26, 2018
Yale’s new course on “Psychology and the Good Life” is proving extremely successful, with one in four students enrolling in it (while half of undergraduates seek mental health care from the university during their time there). According to Laurie Santos, who teaches the course, the things Yale undergraduates often connect with life satisfaction – high grades, a prestigious internship, a good-paying job – do not increase real happiness. By contrast, if students end up showing more gratitude, procrastinating less, increasing social connections, there’ll be a radical change in culture.
The Startling Link Between Sugar and Alzheimer’s – The Atlantic, January 26, 2018
A high-carb diet, and the attendant high blood sugar, is associated with cognitive decline.
Now Is the Time to Talk About the Power of Touch – The New York Times, January 18, 2018
Empathetic physical contact is essential for life. Intimate touch engages the emotions and wires the fibers of the brain together. As the columnist explains, the power of loving touch is astounding, but the power of invasive touch is horrific. He rapidly surveys the way in which cultures all around the world treat emotional touching as something apart. His conclusion: “It seems that the smarter we get about technology, the dumber we get about relationships. We live in a society in which loneliness, depression and suicide are on the rise. We seem to be treating each other worse.”
The Case Against Juice Is Stronger Than Ever – Time, January 23, 2018
Juice does not deserve its health halo.
If You’re So Successful, Why Are You Still Working 70 Hours a Week? – Harvard Business Review, February 1, 2018
The former investment banker turned academic explains why our tendency to overwork and burn out is framed by a complex combination of factors involving our profession, our organization, and ourselves. At the heart of it is insecurity: Those whom she calls “insecure overachievers” – exceptionally capable and fiercely ambitious individuals, yet driven by a profound sense of their own inadequacy.
A Striking Stat:
Teenagers’ self-esteem and happiness have plunged since 2012, and their psychological well-being decreases the more hours a week they spend on screens.
Source: University of Michigan Study in Emotion, 1.22.18
