Why we want to believe in every wellness fix

Impromptu

#Politics #News Talk #News #Washington Post

6:24

Grumpy helps a reader choose the best hydrangea for their hometown. Plus, Grumpy’s gripe of the week. You can find us online at southernliving.com/askgrumpy Ask Grumpy Credits: Steve Bender aka The Grumpy Gardener - Host Nellah McGough - Co-Host Krissy Tiglias - GM, Southern Living Lottie Leymarie - Executive Producer Michael Onufrak - Audio Engineer/Producer Isaac Nunn - Recording Tech Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…

about a year ago 24:58

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A fitness influencer posted a video of his over-the-top morning routine that’s racked up nearly a billion views. What does the video’s popularity tell us about our culture’s obsession with so-called wellness? Are people just searching for meaning in a world that can feel out of control? Columnists Drew Goins, Molly Roberts and Ted Johnson talk about our culture’s endless appetite for wellness fixes.

Here’s the video referenced in the show.

Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

89 episodes

Why we want to believe in every wellness fix

Impromptu

47 subscribers

published about a year ago

MP3•Episode home

Here’s the video referenced in the show.

Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

89 episodes

#Politics #News Talk #News #Washington Post

All episodes

1
There’s nothing beautiful about this big bill 22:05

1 day ago22:05

22:05

Republicans are haggling over the details of how much to cut Medicaid and food stamps while also trying to give bigger tax breaks to the richest Americans. Meanwhile, the rating agency Moody’s has downgraded the United States’ perfect economic score for the first time, because of how much this bill could run up the national debt. Dana Milbank, James Hohmann and Natasha Sarin talk about whether the Republicans can get this legislation over the finish line and why America is suffering from “boy-who-called-wolf energy” when it comes to the federal debt. Check out our Memorial Day Sale to subscribe to the Washington Post. It’s just $2, every four weeks, for your first year. Additional reading by our columnists: Natasha Sarin: The Trump administration’s tax math doesn’t add up Subscribe to The Washington Post here .…

1
AI is getting smarter. But are we? 26:05

5 days ago26:05

26:05

The debate over how to use AI in schools, and what constitutes cheating, is not unlike other arguments about tech and learning in recent decades — be it students using graphing calculators to solve problems or Wikipedia to do research. But will AI be more disruptive than anything we’ve seen before? Columnists Molly Roberts, Megan McArdle and Monica Hesse discuss how they’re using AI in their work and personal lives, and how they think we can create a helpful — and hopeful— AI future. Check out our Memorial Day Sale to subscribe to the Washington Post. It’s just $2, every four weeks, for your first year. Additional reading from our columnists: Megan McArdle: Don’t be fooled. This is the calm before the AI storm. Megan McArdle: If you haven’t been worrying about AI, it’s time to start preparing Molly Roberts: AI is forcing teachers to confront an existential question And here’s a link to an article mentioned in the episode: Everyone Is Cheating Their Way Through College (New York Magazine)…

1
The Art of the Grift 21:34

8 days ago21:34

21:34

Since President Trump took office, people with money have been cozying up to him — from tech billionaires donating to his inauguration fund, to Qatari royals offering him a $400 million plane. And Trump’s newfound love of cryptocurrency is providing an easy vehicle to get money into his and his family’s coffers. Dana Milbank, Molly Roberts and James Hohmann discuss the return on investment people are getting (or not) for trying to curry favor with the president. Additional reading by our columnists: Molly Roberts: With crypto, Democrats finally put up a fight Dana Milbank: As the world goes to hell, Trump is living his best life Subscribe to The Washington Post here .…

1
Birth rates are falling. So what? 24:46

12 days ago24:46

24:46

There’s been a bit of an obsession with declining birth rates lately, particularly on the right. That has sparked conversations about policies that might entice people to have more children. But all the talk seems to ignore the social issues beneath the trend — which might be why policy interventions around the world haven’t been able to reverse it. Drew Goins, Molly Roberts and Bina Venkataraman discuss some solutions to falling birth rates and whether it’s really the huge problem people are making it out to be. Additional reading: What Trump doesn’t know about the cost of raising kids You can’t bribe and shame your way to more babies…

1
Trump’s math is just … no 24:14

15 days ago24:14

24:14

President Trump is warning Americans that they might need to give up some new dolls and pencils as his tariff plans upend the world economic order. But as people brace for the trade wars to hit their pocketbooks, there’s still a question of whether Trump will back down. Dana Milbank, Catherine Rampell and Eduardo Porter discuss the broken calculations on both tariffs and the Republican budget bill. Additional reading by our columnists: Eduardo Porter: As America goes rogue, China eyes an opening Catherine Rampell: Trump demands wartime sacrifices — just not for himself Dana Milbank: As wreckage piles up, Trump and his aides retreat to fantasyland…

1
What college costs — and what it’s worth 25:20

19 days ago25:20

25:20

With tuition costs rising and student debt weighing many Americans down, how valuable is higher education in this day and age? The answer is complicated. On average, people with a college degree earn much more, and there’s social benefits, too. But it doesn’t pay off for everybody, and with AI encroaching on white-collar work, the decision becomes even trickier. Drew Goins, Molly Roberts and Heather Long talk about college’s true value and which alternatives deserve more investment. Additional reading: Heather Long: How can more young people live the American dream? There’s a simple answer. Subscribe to The Washington Post here .…

1
Has it been 100 years? Or 100 days? 23:54

22 days ago23:54

23:54

Read more from our columnists: Dana Milbank: For the Trump administration, it’s amateur hour Philip Bump: The bubble that created Trump is the reason he’s stumbling Monica Hesse: If Kilmar Abrego García is doomed, we all are Subscribe to The Washington Post here .

1
Why religious people are happier 28:16

26 days ago28:16

28:16

Americans have been turning away from organized religion for decades — but recent research suggests that trend might be stalling out. And studies do show that people affiliated with a religion tend to be happier and healthier. So should more people be joining up? And are there ways to make some of the most ancient religions a little more modern, or at least more open to progressive ideas? If not, where else can people find community and a sense of belonging? Drew Goins, Molly Roberts and Shadi Hamid discuss the usefulness, or not, of religion. Subscribe to The Washington Post here .…

1
RFK Jr. just doesn’t get it 22:25

29 days ago22:25

22:25

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s tenure as HHS secretary has been every bit as troubling as many feared. He won’t outright support vaccines, despite a measles outbreak. He’s insulted autistic people by saying the disorder is preventable. And he’s losing scientists who might be able to actually help with his promises to fight chronic disease and get Americans to eat healthier. Dana Milbank, Leana Wen and Robert Gebelhoff discuss the potential consequences of Kennedy’s reign and whether he can keep together the varied assortment of fans who’ve rallied behind him. Additional reading: Leana S. Wen: Why a worsening measles outbreak is a big deal Who are RFK Jr.’s ‘MAHA moms’? They might surprise you. Trey Johnson: Don’t listen to RFK Jr. on autism. Meet my special-needs son. Subscribe to The Washington Post here .…

1
Has the right revived comedy — or destroyed it? 22:33

5 weeks ago22:33

22:33

Bill Maher’s visit to the White House appears to mark a shift in how some comedians and late-night hosts will approach the second Trump presidency. But what role should political and subversive humor play during these very serious times? Can it bring Americans together — or just offer a form of escapism? Post Opinions’ Drew Goins, Molly Roberts and Theodore R. Johnson discuss the current landscape of the genre and where it could be headed next. Additional reading by our columnists: León Krauze: Bill Maher went to Washington. He got played. Subscribe to The Washington Post here .…

1
Will Trump blink on deportation? 21:22

5 weeks ago21:22

21:22

President Trump appears to be thumbing his nose at the Supreme Court by defying its rulings on deportation. And he escalated the issue this week during a visit from El Salvador’s president, when both leaders refused to try to return a Maryland father mistakenly deported to a notorious prison. Columnists Dana Milbank, León Krauze and Jason Willick discuss whether defying the rule of law could finally catch up to Trump —and if he'll take a hit on one of his most popular issues. Additional reading by our columnists: Jason Willick: The Supreme Court’s crafty Trump rebuke Subscribe to The Washington Post here .…

1
Does anybody want to visit the U.S. right now? 21:59

6 weeks ago21:59

21:59

Global travel has boomed in recent years, sometimes to the point of annoying locals. But with all that’s happening with U.S. foreign policy, might we soon be begging for tourists to return? Post Opinions’ Drew Goins, Molly Roberts and Catherine Rampell discuss the impact of Trump’s policies on travel, and how local economies and tourists are often bound to each other, whether people like it or not. Subscribe to The Washington Post here .…

1
How many ‘shocks to the system’ can America take? 20:10

6 weeks ago20:10

20:10

Additional reading by our columnists: Dana Milbank: The economy. The Constitution. Is there anything Trump won’t destroy? Philip Bump: What America could look like a decade from now Heather Long: Something worse could be coming for the economy than a recession Subscribe to The Washington Post here .

1
Don’t whitewash this national treasure 21:26

7 weeks ago21:26

21:26

Is nothing safe from the culture wars? President Trump has found a new battleground: the nation’s museums. He’s demanded that art and stories that he says divide people based on race be removed from the Smithsonian's dozens of institutions. The Post’s Drew Goins, Molly Roberts and Monica Hesse discuss what’s at stake when our history is papered over, and how art can make us uncomfortable or overwhelmed, but sometimes that’s the point. Additional reading by our columnists: Monica Hesse: What exactly does Trump think is in the Smithsonian? Monica Hesse: Don’t say (Enola) Gay Subscribe to The Washington Post here .…

1
Is gravity catching up to Trump? 19:31

7 weeks ago19:31