This Labor Day, spend time with seven back-to-school stories about how parents have taken over dorm life, why middle-school friendships still shape who we are, why we can’t quite escape dreams of being back at school, and more:
Exploring the American idea through ambitious, essential reporting and storytelling. Of no party or clique since 1857. http://theatlantic.com
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This Labor Day, spend time with seven back-to-school stories about how parents have taken over dorm life, why middle-school friendships still shape who we are, why we can’t quite escape dreams of being back at school, and more:
“The girl descends to where / light stops reflecting secrets tanning beneath the sun. / She falls away from shadows pointing fingers.” Read “At a Family House Party in San Jose, California,” a poem from Thea Matthews’ forthcoming collection, “Grime”:
The invention of Ozempic may be as transformative as the development of insulin therapy was a century ago, Gary Taubes argued in 2024. That should make us very nervous:
In “Caught Stealing,” Darren Aronofsky does a “great job summoning a bygone Lower Manhattan,” David Sims writes. “Where Aronofsky is less successful, however, is making the action as alluring as its romantic backdrop.”
Why do so many people think Donald Trump is good? The work of a moral philosopher helps illuminate some central questions of our time, David Brooks argues.
What makes private schools truly ludicrous is their insistence that they are engines of “inclusivity,” Caitlin Flanagan argued in 2021. “If these schools really care about equity, all they need to do is get a chain and a padlock and close up shop.”
Today, Labor Day stands for little more than summer’s end, sales, and maybe a barbecue. But it was originally meant to honor both the individual worker and what workers accomplish together through activism and organizing, Chad Broughton wrote in 2014. https://theatln.tc/AIcURZrb
"In extraordinary times, citizen soldiers mobilize to reinforce civilian authority and protect their neighbors," writes Christopher Purdy, reflecting on serving in the National Guard. "Over the past six months, that trust has shattered":
“The girl descends to where / light stops reflecting secrets tanning beneath the sun. / She falls away from shadows pointing fingers.” Read “At a Family House Party in San Jose, California,” a poem from Thea Matthews’ forthcoming collection, “Grime”:
Grand juries are not delivering the indictments that the Trump administration is asking for—and that may just be the start of a massive legal failure, Quinta Jurecic argues.
The novelist Lauren Grodstein traveled to the country of Georgia in search of food and a story. She found a new understanding of how to stand up for democracy:
Tennis is now easier to pick up than ever. “But its real advantage over other sports is what happens when you keep on playing,” Alexandra Moe writes.
"Universities should see the White House’s campaign as a wake-up call rather than the root of their troubles—a warning that they have to rebuild trust among not just prospective students, parents, and donors, but also voters and elected officials across party lines," E. Thomas Finan argues.
When @olgakhazan.bsky.social introduced her favorite movie to a friend, she felt unreasonably nervous: “I was worried that she would dislike it so much that she would kind of dislike me too, through osmosis.” Jitters such as hers, it turns out, are common.
This Labor Day, spend time with seven back-to-school stories about how parents have taken over dorm life, why middle-school friendships still shape who we are, why we can’t quite escape dreams of being back at school, and more:
Trust in government “fell off the cliff during Vietnam and Watergate, and it’s basically been down ever since,” Dan Balz said on @washingtonweekpbs.bsky.social. He joined @jeffreygoldberg.bsky.socialto discuss lessons from his nearly 50-year career at “The Washington Post”:
Fictional renditions of AI are more revealing of our fears about ourselves than they are about machines, @radiofreetom.bsky.social argues. Do we crave peace and order so badly that we give control over humanity to something smarter—and less emotional—than ourselves?:
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s core strategy for MAHA is the same one Michelle Obama used for “Let’s Move!”—and it will likely fall short for the same reason hers did a decade ago, Tom Bartlett argues.
“The girl descends to where / light stops reflecting secrets tanning beneath the sun. / She falls away from shadows pointing fingers.” Read “At a Family House Party in San Jose, California,” a poem from Thea Matthews’ forthcoming collection, “Grime”:
So many statues honoring sports heroes are disappointing, Sally Jenkins argues—but one honoring a tennis legend rises above the rest.
Higher education is changing, but the "formative parts of the college experience—growing up, making friends, and making mistakes—aren’t going anywhere," Isabel Fattal writes. The Wonder Reader explores what it feels like to be a young person right now:
Food companies are capitalizing on some of MAHA’s favored dietary principles. The trend might change American diets for the worse, @yeahyeahyasmin.bsky.social reports. https://theatln.tc/dLYAQjKA
Grand juries are not delivering the indictments that the Trump administration is asking for—and that may just be the start of a massive legal failure, Quinta Jurecic argues.
Even the men and women of the National Guard seem flummoxed, at times, over what exactly they are supposed to be doing in the nation’s capital, @ashleyrparker.bsky.social and @nancyayoussef.bsky.social write.
Trump's newest crypto endeavor isn't just another instance of his self-promotional ethos in action, Will Gottsegen argues in The Atlantic Daily.
Staff writer and former assistant professor Tyler Austin Harper used to put "Melancholia" on his course’s syllabus. “One student raised his hand and demanded: ‘Why did you make us watch that?’” he writes in The Atlantic Daily.
“Diversity of thought is, in many ways, harder to be comfortable with than demographic diversity,” Arthur C. Brooks writes. Corporate leaders should turn curiosity about others’ beliefs into a cultural norm. It’ll be great for their business too: https://theatln.tc/7IegYzMp
Pete Hegseth’s move to reinstall a Confederate statue is, at worst, a move to show that “he and the Trump administration are making common cause with apologists who believe that the wrong side won the Civil War,” Mike Nelson argues.
Staff writer and former assistant professor Tyler Austin Harper used to put "Melancholia" on his course’s syllabus. “One student raised his hand and demanded: ‘Why did you make us watch that?’” he writes in The Atlantic Daily.
Grand juries are not delivering the indictments that the Trump administration is asking for—and that may just be the start of a massive legal failure, Quinta Jurecic argues.
So many statues honoring sports heroes are disappointing, Sally Jenkins argues—but one honoring a tennis legend rises above the rest.
Parents are taking over dorm-room furnishing—and, in the process, robbing their kids of an opportunity to practice independence. Meagan Francis on the era of peak dorm decor: https://theatln.tc/80yeu93J
“The girl descends to where / light stops reflecting secrets tanning beneath the sun. / She falls away from shadows pointing fingers.” Read “At a Family House Party in San Jose, California,” a poem from Thea Matthews’ forthcoming collection, “Grime”:
Higher education is changing, but the "formative parts of the college experience—growing up, making friends, and making mistakes—aren’t going anywhere," Isabel Fattal writes. The Wonder Reader explores what it feels like to be a young person right now:
Pete Hegseth’s move to reinstall a Confederate statue is, at worst, a move to show that “he and the Trump administration are making common cause with apologists who believe that the wrong side won the Civil War,” Mike Nelson argues.
We asked 12 staffers at The Atlantic: What’s the one book you recommend again and again to friends and loved ones? One of their favorites will, we hope, be the title you pick up next: https://theatln.tc/VebePpnm
Staff writer and former assistant professor Tyler Austin Harper used to put "Melancholia" on his course’s syllabus. “One student raised his hand and demanded: ‘Why did you make us watch that?’” he writes in The Atlantic Daily.
Grand juries are not delivering the indictments that the Trump administration is asking for—and that may just be the start of a massive legal failure, Quinta Jurecic argues.
So many statues honoring sports heroes are disappointing, Sally Jenkins argues—but one honoring a tennis legend rises above the rest.
Scientists know that extreme weather events are becoming more severe, Austyn Gaffney reports. But the Trump administration’s actions are holding them back from predicting how bad floods could get:
Even as most congressional Republicans are avoiding their constituents, Mark Alford of Missouri bucked his party and held 15 public events this week. @elainegodfrey.bsky.social reports on what the representative heard:
Higher education is changing, but the "formative parts of the college experience—growing up, making friends, and making mistakes—aren’t going anywhere," Isabel Fattal writes. The Wonder Reader explores what it feels like to be a young person right now:
In “Caught Stealing,” Darren Aronofsky does a “great job summoning a bygone Lower Manhattan,” David Sims writes. “Where Aronofsky is less successful, however, is making the action as alluring as its romantic backdrop.”
Trust in government “fell off the cliff during Vietnam and Watergate, and it’s basically been down ever since,” Dan Balz said on @washingtonweekpbs.bsky.social. He joined @jeffreygoldberg.bsky.socialto discuss lessons from his nearly 50-year career at “The Washington Post”:
Donald Trump has said he will meet with Vladimir Putin next week in Alaska to talk about ending Russia’s war in Ukraine. @jonkarl, @tylerpager, @JonLemire, and @vmsalama joined @jeffreygoldberg on @washingtonweek to discuss what to expect from the meeting:
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin met in Alaska yesterday. @IgnatiusPost, @KannoYoungs, @MacFarlaneNews, and @vmsalama joined @JeffreyGoldberg on @washingtonweek to discuss what the U.S.-Russia summit might reveal about the future of the war in Ukraine.
This week, Donald Trump fired U.S. intelligence officials, including those with expertise on Russian election interference. @lbarronlopez, @jonkarl, @michaelscherer, and @mviser joined @JeffreyGoldberg on @washingtonweek to discuss this and more.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has spent the past six months working fast to embed his Make America Healthy Again creed into American life. Nicholas Florko and Stephanie Bai discuss the status of the country’s health overhaul in The Atlantic Daily.
The Canadian novelist Miriam Toews’s new memoir reckons with the death of her father and sister—and examines the forces that made her a writer, Maya Chung explains in The Atlantic’s Books Briefing.
The golden age of online shopping is over. Ian Bogost on how the end of a legal loophole could make purchase more expensive:
Scientists know that extreme weather events are becoming more severe, Austyn Gaffney reports. But the Trump administration’s actions are holding them back from predicting how bad floods could get: https://theatln.tc/HgB3eLHb 🎨: Akshita Chandra / The Atlantic. Source: CSA Images / Getty.
Chess grand master turned politician Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen of Lithuania tells Garry Kasparov that Europe must do more to support Ukraine against Russia, especially as America takes a step back. Listen to the latest episode of “Autocracy in America”:
Motivated by Zohran Mamdani’s win in New York, the Democratic Socialists of America are dreaming big, Arash Azizi writes. But little from their recent convention suggested a movement intent on winning elections and coming to power:
An aircraft flyby in Romania, a giant dust storm in Arizona, a grape harvest in France, a grizzly bear in Yellowstone National Park, an apple spill in Germany, and much more—via The Atlantic Photo:
Americans love pumpkin spice. Tariffs may test how much they’re willing to pay for it, Rachel Sugar reports:
The Canadian novelist Miriam Toews’s new memoir reckons with the death of her father and sister—and examines the forces that made her a writer, Maya Chung explains in The Atlantic’s Books Briefing.
AI can be used to automate tasks—and entire jobs. But it could also be designed to collaborate with humans. David Autor and James Manyika on why we should focus on the latter: https://theatln.tc/Ptr6gnOw
The golden age of online shopping is over. Ian Bogost on how the end of a legal loophole could make purchase more expensive:
A fight over community lending represents a small but pivotal test case of the Trump administration's willingness to cross the voters who powered the president’s 2024 victory, Toluse Olorunnipa reports.
Many now talk about 21st-century indie with pitying nostalgia—but its artistic influence is ongoing. @skornhaber.bsky.social on a new book that argues how indie rock shaped a generation of listening preferences:
Higher education is changing, but the "formative parts of the college experience—growing up, making friends, and making mistakes—aren’t going anywhere," Isabel Fattal writes. The Wonder Reader explores what it feels like to be a young person right now:
European officials say they can't tell what exactly Putin promised Washington behind closed doors, what U.S. officials took away from their discussions with Moscow, and where that leaves peace efforts, Vivian Salama and Jonathan Lemire report:
So many statues honoring sports heroes are disappointing, Sally Jenkins argues—but one honoring a tennis legend rises above the rest.
Donald Trump’s recent executive order against flag-burning will not only encourage more of it, @davidcole-gtown.bsky.social argues, but “could also hand flag-burners a legal defense in the rare situation when they might otherwise be prosecuted”:
Trust in government “fell off the cliff during Vietnam and Watergate, and it’s basically been down ever since,” Dan Balz said on @washingtonweekpbs.bsky.social. He joined @jeffreygoldberg.bsky.socialto discuss lessons from his nearly 50-year career at “The Washington Post”:
Even as most congressional Republicans are avoiding their constituents, Mark Alford of Missouri bucked his party and held 15 public events this week. @elainegodfrey.bsky.social reports on what the representative heard:
The golden age of online shopping is over. Ian Bogost on how the end of a legal loophole could make purchase more expensive:
“It feels like the CDC is over.” Current and former CDC officials say that the departure of several top leaders will further undermine the agency’s ability to provide reliable guidance to Americans, Tom Bartlett reports.
Many now talk about 21st-century indie with pitying nostalgia—but its artistic influence is ongoing. @skornhaber.bsky.social on a new book that argues how indie rock shaped a generation of listening preferences:
In the 19 states that have enacted significant abortion restrictions since Dobbs, many pregnant women experience “delays, confusion, and other substandard care,” @olgakhazan.bsky.social reports:
The New Jersey Meadowlands—known dumping grounds that are also a salt marsh—represent an ideal of 21st-century conservation that weighs human and ecological interests. Legal protections for such places, however, are now under threat, Kyra Morris writes:
The MAGA movement is focused on touting only the exceptional parts of our past “because having to look too closely at the disturbing parts of American history would mean having to look closely at the disturbing parts of themselves,” Clint Smith argues:
“With the world’s attention focused on Gaza, the situation in the West Bank is sliding toward another crisis,” Jon Finer writes:
In “Caught Stealing,” Darren Aronofsky does a “great job summoning a bygone Lower Manhattan,” David Sims writes. “Where Aronofsky is less successful, however, is making the action as alluring as its romantic backdrop.”
The selective prosecution of Trump’s political opponents could lead to a “dysfunctional cycle of revenge,” Conor Friedersdorf argues.
Scientists know that extreme weather events are becoming more severe, Austyn Gaffney reports. But the Trump administration’s actions are holding them back from predicting how bad floods could get: https://theatln.tc/9Tbvf2mj
Many now talk about 21st-century indie with pitying nostalgia—but its artistic influence is ongoing. @skornhaber.bsky.social on a new book that argues how indie rock shaped a generation of listening preferences:
Oleksandra Matviichuk, who leads the Center for Civil Liberties in Ukraine, discusses with Garry Kasparov Russia's failure to resist Vladimir Putin’s takeover and Ukraine’s success in fighting back. Listen to the latest episode of “Autocracy in America”:
In this week's Atlantic Intelligence, a conversation between Ian Bogost and Lila Shroff about how school has turned into an AI free-for-all:
In “Caught Stealing,” Darren Aronofsky does a “great job summoning a bygone Lower Manhattan,” David Sims writes. “Where Aronofsky is less successful, however, is making the action as alluring as its romantic backdrop.”
Trump's newest crypto endeavor isn't just another instance of his self-promotional ethos in action, Will Gottsegen argues in The Atlantic Daily.
"The idea that the law is a weapon the president uses to protect his friends and harass his enemies was brought into American politics by one man," Jonathan Chait writes. "He now happens to be the one man who is very definitively above the law":
Trump officials are threatening to charge three prominent Democrats with mortgage fraud—but in doing so, the administration is demonstrating “a far more serious and corrosive betrayal of the rule of law,” Conor Friedersdorf argues.
How fast can you solve this mini puzzle? The Atlantic’s mini crossword gets a little more challenging every day, with the most difficult puzzle on Sunday. Available on The Atlantic's homepage and app: https://theatln.tc/v24fqx9q
“I’m 19, and as childish as it sounds, I’ve fallen deeply for someone who will never love me back,” a reader writes to James Parker. “What do I do?” Read Parker’s advice in this week’s “Dear James”: https://theatln.tc/ESFb90Ht
The Canadian novelist Miriam Toews’s new memoir reckons with the death of her father and sister—and examines the forces that made her a writer, Maya Chung explains in The Atlantic’s Books Briefing.
The golden age of online shopping is over. Ian Bogost on how the end of a legal loophole could make purchase more expensive:
Even the men and women of the National Guard seem flummoxed, at times, over what exactly they are supposed to be doing in the nation’s capital, @ashleyrparker.bsky.social and @nancyayoussef.bsky.social write.
Americans love pumpkin spice. Tariffs may test how much they’re willing to pay for it, Rachel Sugar reports:
“Diversity of thought is, in many ways, harder to be comfortable with than demographic diversity,” Arthur C. Brooks writes. Corporate leaders should turn curiosity about others’ beliefs into a cultural norm. It’ll be great for their business too: https://theatln.tc/7IegYzMp
In the era of grade inflation, students at top colleges are more stressed than ever. @rosehorowitch.bsky.social reports:
Nearly every part of modern dentistry and orthodontics involves—and is enhanced by—plastic, @ZoeSchlanger reports. But the potential harm to patient health is still poorly understood. https://theatln.tc/G488Vri0
By gatekeeping health data, the Trump administration’s AI Action Plan risks hardwiring bias into the future of American medicine, Craig Spencer argues.
More than previous generations, Millennials determined to raise worldly kids have prioritized travel with their children. But that has turned vacation into something more ambitious, goal-oriented, and exhausting, @faith-hill.bsky.social reports. https://theatln.tc/4z5A0uTF
Taylor Swift’s music has long examined the idea of forever love, making her engagement to Travis Kelce existentially fitting, @julieebeck.bsky.social writes:
Many now talk about 21st-century indie with pitying nostalgia—but its artistic influence is ongoing. @skornhaber.bsky.social on a new book that argues how indie rock shaped a generation of listening preferences:
An aircraft flyby in Romania, a giant dust storm in Arizona, a grape harvest in France, a grizzly bear in Yellowstone National Park, an apple spill in Germany, and much more—via The Atlantic Photo:
Tehran is at war with itself over relations with the West. Arash Azizi on why Iran burned down a kosher restaurant in Australia:
Oleksandra Matviichuk, who leads the Center for Civil Liberties in Ukraine, discusses with Garry Kasparov Russia's failure to resist Vladimir Putin’s takeover and Ukraine’s success in fighting back. Listen to the latest episode of “Autocracy in America”:
Americans love pumpkin spice. Tariffs may test how much they’re willing to pay for it, Rachel Sugar reports: