The Best of Vox

ChatGPT can talk like a person. You shouldn’t think of it as one.

«If we want to make real headway in evaluating the capacities of AI systems, we ought to resist the very kind of dichotomous thinking and comparative biases that philosophers and scientists strive to keep at bay when studying other species.»

These countries tried everything from cash to patriotic calls to duty to reverse drastically declining birth rates. It didn’t work.

It’s a good time to be a worker and a bad time to be a consumer — the problem is most people are both.

The best bedtime routine is one you enjoy.

Three mind-bendy conversations about glass later, I see the sublime in my windowpanes.

«(That’s because the closer a glass is to the ideal state, the less it’s able to reconfigure itself, and the longer it takes to reconfigure itself. And a system that takes a long time to move is “stiff,” as Ediger says — a.k.a. solid. )»

In a time when loneliness is more pervasive than ever, why not extend an invitation?

«study found that people who mingled with more loose acquaintances or strangers in a day reported better moods and a higher sense of communal belonging»

On TikTok Shop, influencers are profiting by promoting sketchy health trends in order to sell products.

Preparing yourself for the worst is easier than you might think — and it’s never been more important.

Buildings waste a lot of energy. One low-tech solution could fix that.

Some types of air pollution slow global warming — but at the cost of millions of deaths a year.

Older, more tenured people are increasingly quitting their jobs.

Over the past few days, I’ve been reading the major plans for what comes after social distancing. You can read them, too. There’s one from the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute, the left…

The "Off-Facebook Activity" tool lets you see — and somewhat control — what other sites and apps tell Facebook about you

Recode obtained a recording of a Mark Zuckerberg Q&A and internal survey results that show how Meta’s struggles are impacting staff.

The "male friendship recession" is having dire consequences.

If you think a pal is way less (or way more) invested than you are, here’s what to do.

«A lopsided friendship happens when one friend is more active in maintaining contact and the other friend is more passive about keeping the connection going»

Inflation is a tough egg to crack. We gave it a try anyway.

Forty years ago, the Fed pushed the economy into a recession to stop inflation. Here’s how it played out.

Longtermism is influencing billionaires and politicians. Should it guide the future of humanity?

People want to help Ukrainians, and Airbnb has emerged as one way to do it. But is it the most effective?

What history teaches us about how autocrats lose power — and how Putin might hang on.

From feeding troops to answering hotlines, volunteers are mobilizing for the war effort.

Airbnb is laying off a quarter of its staff.

How dopamine fasting works — and doesn’t

Everything and anything can be a trend on the internet. Why are we so determined to name them?

«Trend brain, as I call it, encourages us to simplify everything online into something either buyable, understandable, or moral (and therefore worthy of consumption).»

One of the real challenges that we’re facing is that we don’t have a lot of information

«The paper argues that our lack of understanding about the collective behavioral effects of new technology is a danger to democracy and scientific progress.»

The Dropout, Super Pumped, and WeCrashed try to break up our love affair with tech founders. They don’t totally succeed.

Why do so many TV shows and movies look like they were filmed in a gray wasteland?

How rituals can help you approach basic tasks more mindfully.

«Currey describes a ritual as an activity that eases a person into a focused mindset, a liminal state that is conducive for thinking, creating, or just being. “Rituals create and mark a transition towards a different kind of mental or emotional state,” he said. This can look different for every person, but it’s helpful to approach rituals as a soothing, meditative activity that allows the participant to be physically and mentally present»

Here’s what to do if you regularly wish you could hire someone to make all your choices for you.

«Keeney advises asking yourself, “What do I hope to achieve by addressing this choice?” and focus on aspects that aren’t easily quantifiable.»

Budgeting tips won’t get you very far if you don’t address the elephant in the room.

Crypto is a solution in search of a problem — or problems.

«there’s no situation in which a hyper-capitalist, unregulated system will just sort of naturally trend toward a more equitable society.”»

Admitting wrongdoing isn’t a failure, it’s an opportunity.

«Fetterman’s research shows admitting wrongness actually improves our reputation. By owning up to our errors, others see us as friendlier and more agreeable.»