This is the Take. It's where you come to understand more about your favorite movies, shows and culture. Our video essays make the story worlds you enter richer and deeper. Think: Endings Explained, Character Studies, Hidden Messages and Symbols Revealed, Actor and Director Profiles, and more. We want to share our love of visual culture with the world. So here's our Take.
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Seinfeld's Elaine Benes: Morally Grey, Majorly Hilarious | Explained
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Go to http://zocdoc.com/THETAKE to download the Zocdoc app for free and book a top-rated doctor today. Seinfeld’s Elaine Benes is one of the most iconic and hilarious characters of the 90s – played by the comedy legend, Julia Louis-Dreyfus. She stood out for being the only woman of the friend group, but also because she was (at least at first) also…
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How Toxic Productivity Took Over Our Entire Lives
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Go to http://factormeals.com/thetake50 and use code thetake50 to get 50% off your first box plus 20% off your next box. Workaholism and hustle culture are certainly nothing new, but now it’s not just about being efficient at work, but reworking *every aspect* of your entire life to be “productive.” There’s a pervasive feeling that nothing in life i…
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Analyzing 3 Body Problem's Deeper Symbolism
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Go to http://zocdoc.com/THETAKE to download the Zocdoc app for free and book a top-rated doctor today. Netflix’s new hit adaptation 3 Body Problem is filled with symbolism, but what does it all really mean? The book on which the show is based is famous for leaning hard into the science aspect of sci-fi, creating an engaging but incredibly dense wor…
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"Content Creator" Finances Onscreen v Real Life, and the Real Costs of the Career
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From shows like Emily in Paris and You to movies like Not Okay and Ingrid Goes West, influencers and content creators of all kinds have begun popping up more and more as they become a larger part of our everyday lives. And just like their real-life counterparts, these on-screen influencers can give us some pretty unrealistic ideas about what it’s l…
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Movies & TV's Most Unrealistic Job Salaries: Writers, Teachers, Lawyers, & more
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So many film and tv characters have jobs that seem to be almost no work and all pay, pretty much the exact opposite of how things are in their careers in real life. From freelance writers somehow managing to live the high life, to public school teachers who seem to be financially secure and have so much free time, to lawyers who spend more time enj…
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Movies & TV's Most Unrealistic Grand Gestures: Dates, Proposals, $$$ Gifts, & more
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The Romantic Grand Gesture is one major romance trope that film and TV just can't get enough of. From filling a room with candles or bouquets of flowers to orchestrating a flash mob proposal, there are some wild romantic gestures in media that are so unrealistic they’re almost laughable, but... we love them nonetheless! Let’s take a minute to zoom …
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From real life Horse Girls like Bella Hadid and TikTok #HorseGirls to book and tv icons like The Saddle Club, Horse Girls are everywhere. It's long been a trope both on screen and in real life – you probably knew a Horse Girl growing up, or maybe you were the Horse Girl. The trope often splits in two directions: the bratty rich-girl equestrian and …
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Bradley Cooper's Failed Oscar Run & The Reason For Awards "Desperation"
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Bradley Cooper spent years perfecting his performance (plus writing and directing) in hopes of securing an Oscar for Maestro, but instead, his performance was seemingly overshadowed by his "desperation" to win, and the Oscar for Best Actor instead went to quiet frontrunner Cillian Murphy. Cooper’s Oscar’s journey actually highlights an interesting …
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Why Rich Kids On Screen Are Always Miserable
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'Poor Little Rich Kids' like Succession's Kendall, Shiv, and Roman and Gossip Girl's Blair Waldorf seem to have everything, and yet… they’re still miserable. Hearing the old adage “money can’t buy happiness” can be grating, especially in financial times like these – but there is a kernel of truth in it. So to get a better understanding of this trop…
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Movies & TV’s Most Unrealistic Personal Finances: Friends, SATC, Emily in Paris, & more
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Film and TV love to show partly-relatable, partly-aspirational lifestyles that… actually don’t make a whole lot of sense when you really think about them. Of course, we’re not always watching movies and shows just to see real life, and it can sometimes work well when media choses to let go of realism a little bit to have more fun. But this can also…
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Capote vs The Swans: Scandal, Lies, And Secrets... But What Was True? | Feud, Explained
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Go to https://www.expressvpn.com/thetake and find out how you can get 3 months of ExpressVPN free! Feud: Capote vs The Swans follows the downfall of arguably the most famous American mid-century writer, Truman Capote. His best seller In Cold Blood catapulted him to stardom, and with his natural magnetism and inclination for spectacle catapulted him…
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Dune: Part 2 and Paul's Dark Turn, Explained
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Go to http://factormeals.com/thetake50 and use code thetake50 to get 50% off. Dune: Part 2, starring Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and a host of other stars, has become a huge hit – crossing $80 million in only its first weekend at the box office. It’s no surprise that people love the second installment in Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of the 1965 Fr…
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The Office: Review Every Amazing, Ordinary Season With Us | Extended Take
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Go to http://zocdoc.com/THETAKE to download the Zocdoc app for free and book a top-rated doctor today. The Office is a beautifully crafted comedy that manages to bring the laughs, tug on our heart strings, and make us appreciate the magic of or everyday, ordinary lives. Over it's 9 seasons, we watched the characters stumble and grow, rooting for th…
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30 Rock Why Jenna Is An Unhinged, Relatable Icon
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30 Rock’s Jenna Maroney still managed to stand out in a sea of hilarious characters. She was unbelievably vain, shallow, manipulative, unstable, thin-skinned… but instead of being annoying and unlikable, she became one of the most entertaining, iconic characters of modern television. So, how did Jenna manage to capture that ‘beloved star’ status th…
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The Mean, Hot Mom Problem On Screen, Explained
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Moms can be many things, but on screen if they’re hot they also often happen to be kind of evil – or, if not outright evil, still pretty bad. From The Graduate's Mrs. Robinson and Mad Men's Betty Draper to The O.C.'s Julie Cooper and Regina's Mom in Mean Girls and beyond, this trope pops up all over film and television. Thankfully this is finally s…
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Big Bang Theory: Why Bernadette Was The Meanest *And* Nicest Character
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The Big Bang Theory’s Bernadette's (Melissa Rauch) tiny stature and high pitched voice might make her seem unthreatening at first, but one wrong move and you’ll quickly learn that she's not afraid of anyone or anything. But, instead of making her hated, her willingness to stand up for herself and speak her mind actually made her beloved – both on t…
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Paris Geller: from Villain to Smart Girl Icon | Gilmore Girls
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Gilmore Girls’ Paris Geller is many things: hyper-intelligent, laser focused, extremely intense… but she became a beloved character because as the show went on we got to peel back the layers and see Paris as less of a looming threat and more as a real person. While things always seemed to turn out great for Rory Gilmore no matter what (at least for…
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The O.C.'s Marissa Cooper: The Darkness Behind The Beauty
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At first glance, The O.C.’s Marissa Cooper might seem like the epitome of the ‘poor little rich girl’ trope – she’s gorgeous, lives in a mansion in southern California, and never seems to be having a good time. But the show gave us a chance to see beyond the outer facade of Marissa’s seemingly-perfect life and into the darkness hiding beneath that …
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The Love Bomber Trope: Rom-Com Dream to Total Nightmare
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Love bombing has been a huge topic of conversation in recent years, and if we take a closer look, we might start to notice that the TV and movie characters who we thought were so lovable and charming are actually doing this too – from self-identified “nice guys” like How I Met Your Mother’s Ted Mosby to full on bad guys like Chuck Bass from Gossip …
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The Curse: That Crazy Ending Explained, and Nathan Fielder's Version of "Reality" TV
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Nathan Fielder uses his brand of awkward, uncomfortable humor (and a hint of darkness) to flip the script on contemporary TV’s obsession with reality. From creating cringe comedy that’s achieved cult status on his shows Nathan For You and The Rehearsal to his latest hyper-real horror show with Benny Safdie, The Curse, he shines a light back on the …
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Boy Meets World's Angela: The Sad Story of the 90s Teen Icon
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Boy Meets World's Angela Moore (Trina McGee) quickly became one of the most influential Black teen sitcom characters of the 1990s when she joined the cast in season 5 and became one half of the show's best power couple with on-again-off-again boyfriend Shawn Hunter. But as beloved as she was, she still ran into a number of problems both on screen a…
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Annoying Overachiever Trope: Obnoxious, Ambitious Perfectionists (& Why We Love Them)
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Annoying overachievers seem to somehow be doing everything, perfectly, all of the time which, while great for their resume, can get a little old for the more “average” people around them. But while they might make being perfect look easy, oftentimes a peek below the surface shows us that there are complex motivations that drive these ambitious figu…
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Gilmore Girls: A Coffee-Fueled Recap of Every Season
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Gilmore Girls, the early 2000s hit following Lorelai, Rory, and their town full of quirky friends, is one of our favorite shows. We've done several videos digging into specific aspects of the show, but today we're taking a look back at the whole thing. So whether you're a long time fan who wants to enjoy a bit of nostalgia or someone who's never wa…
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Poor Things, Explained: Empowering or Exploitative?
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Poor Things, the new Yorgos Lanthimos film starring Emma Stone, has been racking up nominations and wins on this year’s award circuit. But it also sparked a bit of controversy thanks to one major feature of its plot… So what is the film actually about, and is it empowering or exploitative? Here’s what you need to know about Poor Things, those scene…
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How Sheldon Became The Heart Of Big Bang Theory
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The Big Bang Theory's Sheldon Cooper is definitely a smart guy, but there were still some things he had to learn to have a happy life filled with strong connections. Let’s take a deeper look at Sheldon’s story and why his personal growth was such an important part of the show.By The Roost
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Best of 2023: Our Favorite Films & Shows, Performances, Underrated Releases, & More!
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We’ve pulled together some of our favorite releases from this year across film and TV! This is definitely not an exhaustive list, but we wanted to share some things we loved this year with you (and hope that you'll share your favorites with us, too!) We’ve split them into ten categories, from the best performances, to the best zany comedies, to the…
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Modern Family’s Alex: The Dark Side of Being the Smart Girl
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Let’s unpack Alex Dunphy's life as the Smart Girl, what actually caused her problems, and how she overcame them (plus the real reason she and Haley were always fighting.)By The Roost
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Inside The Hollywood Method Acting Backlash
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After being heralded for decades, method acting has in recent years begun receiving a lot of backlash .So what’s really behind this turn?By The Roost
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Niles Crane: The Moments That Prove He Was The Funniest (& Best) Character
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Frasier might have been the titular character of the hit sitcom, but Niles was clearly the star of the show. Let’s take a look at what made him so hilarious (and lowkey relatable) and unpack why he provided such an important balance to the show!By The Roost
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Netflix vs Carl Rinsch: The Mystery of the Missing Show | Controversy Explained
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How did some basically unknown director allegedly scam Netflix for over $50 million dollars? And why is Keanu Reeves involved?!By The Roost
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The Gilded Age: Yes It’s Boring, Yes We Love It Anyways
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HBO’s The Gilded Age initially got off to a pretty rocky start, but even with all of its faults, there was just something about the show that kept viewers coming back. So what is the show's true magic?By The Roost
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Saltburn, Explained: Does The Ending Ruin The Film?
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Saltburn, the new film from writer-director Emerald Fennell, was initially hailed as a shocking eat-the-rich psychological thriller, but upon its release, audiences have found that while it’s definitely a fun ride, it ends up lacking much of the promised bite.By The Roost
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How A24 Built Its Own Fandom & Saved Indie Film
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A24 has become known for producing deep, introspective indie films that feel different from Hollywood’s usual fare. What's their secret?By The Roost
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The Crown on Diana's Final Weeks & Her Tragic End | Season 6 Part 1
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In the first four episodes of The Crown season 6, the show paints a touching, insightful picture of the weeks leading up to Diana's passing. So let's analyze this portrayal of her relationship with Dodi and the loss the world felt at large.By The Roost
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May December: Analyzing A Shocking True Story & Problematic Trope | Controversy Explained
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How close are May December's portrayals to the real Mary Kay Letourneau and Vili Fualaau? Let’s unpack the true story behind the film, and what the film's really trying to say.By The Roost
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Sex and The City, A Total Analysis | Total Take
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Why exactly was Sex and The City so different from what came before, and why did it have the impact it did?By The Roost
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The Blue-Eyed Girl Trope: What Blue Eyes Really Symbolize
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Whether she's a sweet innocent or an alluring vixen, let's take a deeper look at the blue-eyed girl, analyze her two main types, and explore what really drives the blue eye obsession.By The Roost
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Our Flag Means Death Season 2, Unpacked: Why It Resonates Deeply
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We’re unpacking the show’s deeper messages, taking a look at why the show works so well, and exploring where a possible season 3 could take our favorite pirates!By The Roost
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How Indie Films Are Fixing Hollywood’s Intimacy Problem
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After seemingly falling out of fashion for a while, it looks like sex scenes are making a comeback in one arena: prestige indie films. So what’s really going on here, and what does it mean for films (and audiences?)By The Roost
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Justin Timberlake: What Britney Revealed + The Era That Shaped Him
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Why are people really mad at Justin Timberlake now post-Britney book release, and where do these changing attitudes fit into the larger societal shifts we’ve seen since the early 2000s?By The Roost
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Gen V Recap: Character Arcs, Story Breakdown & The Boys Connections
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Let’s break down how Gen V flips Gen Z tropes, unpack all of those shocking twists, take a deeper look at what everyone’s pain secretly represents, and explore what those surprise cameos could mean for The Boys Season 4!By The Roost
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The Actor-preneur: Why It’s The New Actor Career Path
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From Margot Robbie starting a production company to Ryan Reynolds becoming incredibly wealthy by hawking… well, a little bit of everything ,let’s take a dive into the world of the “actor-preneur” and unpack what’s really driving this trend.By The Roost
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Matthew Perry: Friends, His Brutally Honest Memoir & True Legacy
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Matthew Perry was most well known for his iconic turn as Chandler Bing on Friends, but his real life was of course much more complex, and unfortunately much darker, than the sitcom character he became synonymous with.By The Roost
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Female Horror Victim Tropes: The 5 Types We Can’t Escape
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While horror films are rife with peril of all kinds, one dark thread is the brutality with which female victims are slain. The female victims usually fall into one of five categories, so let’s unpack each one and take a look at what they really represent.By The Roost
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The Momager & Almond Mom Evolved From This Dark Trope
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What drives the stage mom to push her kid towards fame, even at their own expense? And why does she seem to keep evolving with the times, but never in a way that’s better for kids?By The Roost
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Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, Explained + What Was Really True
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While Killers of the Flower Moon might seem far from Scorsese’s usual fare, if we look closer, we see that his dark cinematic cannon actually prepared him to bring this story to the big screen in a number of surprising ways.By The Roost
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Frasier: Why The Sequel Is Dividing Viewers (Is it Any Good?)
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Today, we’re taking a look at the new Frasier reboot so far, why it’s caused such a split in opinions, and unpacking if it really has a chance of holding a candle to the original.By The Roost
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Succession’s Logan Roy: Inside A Media Mogul’s Psyche
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In the world of Succession, Logan Roy was a larger-than-life captain of industry that clawed his way to the top with no remorse and reveled in keeping an iron grip on that power until the very end. So how did Logan grow beyond this initial sprout of real world connection and develop into one of the most iconic antiheroes of the modern era?…
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The Difficult Woman Trope: How The Label Evolved & Why It Sticks
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When a man puts himself first, without worrying about what society thinks, he’s an aspirational character. But give those same attributes to a woman, and she becomes difficult.By The Roost
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The Full Time Child Trend: A Strange New Career Path for Millennials & Gen Z
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The job market, like so many things nowadays, is total chaos. But some young people have found a surprising solution: getting paid to be… stay at home children.By The Roost
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