Dave
Pew Research reported in 2024 that fewer U.S. adults are actively posting on major social media platforms, even while overall usage remains high. Many people still scroll, read, and watch. Fewer consistently share their own lives. That shift has created a noticeable social category online: people who remain present but largely invisible. They may occasionally … Read more
For a long time, I assumed artificial intelligence would mostly function as a productivity tool. The idea seemed straightforward. AI would help people work faster, automate repetitive tasks, and reduce the time spent on administrative work. Emails could be drafted in seconds. Reports could be summarized instantly. Presentations could be assembled in minutes rather than … Read more
“So how old are your kids now?” “Eleven and eight. Yours?” “Pretty much the same. Time moves fast, doesn’t it?” By the third variation of that conversation in one evening, something started to wear thin. Nothing was wrong exactly. The dinner was pleasant. The people were friendly. The conversation moved easily enough between work, schools, … Read more
There is a familiar type of person almost everyone knows. They enthusiastically agree to dinner plans weeks in advance, seem genuinely interested at the time, and then cancel the day before – sometimes even the same day. The behavior is usually interpreted in predictable ways. Friends may see it as inconsiderate, unreliable, or evidence that … Read more
For a long time, waking up early felt tied to discipline in my mind. The earlier the alarm, the more serious the effort seemed. Like many people running a business, I became drawn to the idea that productivity could be expanded simply by starting the day earlier. I run a publishing business with my brothers. … Read more
It is late at night. A glass of water is placed beside the bed. A phone charger is arranged within easy reach. A book is set down in the same position it occupied the night before. From the outside, the routine may look overly particular. It can appear like fussiness, rigidity, or preference for order. … Read more
The word busy occupies a special place in modern adult life. It functions as an explanation, a defense, and sometimes a social shield. Saying “I’m busy” usually ends a conversation immediately. Few people challenge it. Fewer still ask whether it is fully true. For many adults entering their sixties, however, the meaning of the word … Read more
The image is familiar in many neighborhoods. A person pulls into the driveway, turns off the engine, and remains in the car for several minutes before going inside. From the outside, the behavior can appear unusual or emotionally loaded. It is often interpreted as avoidance – avoiding family, responsibilities, or difficult conversations waiting behind the … Read more
Research on adult children caring for aging parents has repeatedly found that caregiving satisfaction is shaped less by the amount of care provided and more by the quality of the relationship underneath it. People who feel emotionally connected to a parent before caregiving begins often experience the work differently from those whose relationships were distant, … Read more
Loneliness in midlife often appears differently from how people expect. It does not usually emerge during holidays, anniversaries, or visibly emotional moments. Instead, many people describe a quieter experience – one that arrives during routine parts of the week, often without warning or dramatic emotion. A person may be moving through a normal Wednesday afternoon, … Read more