I think you’ve pretty much got it. It’s a way to communicate that you’re thinking hard. It helps the speaker know what effect they’re having on the audience - if a lot of people looked confused or bored, the lecturer might adjust their delivery.

People love to do activities where their efforts and rewards have a strong correlation to each other. Athletics are an activity where hard work pays off. That’s rare at a job.

We elect world leaders who don’t know anything about any of those things. Why shouldn’t a singer or actor use their voice, too? At least they had the discipline to learn a craft.

This is a very broad question. But broadly, I think if you’re an artist, you probably got where you are by sharing your point of view with your audience in an authentic way. If you’re going to let fear of disapproval stop you from doing that, you might as well quit anyway.

Maybe try to find people to study with. Preferably from your class, but even setting up a few hours a week with any other students to have coffee together and just read in a quiet space can help you stay on task. Make use of your library and treat it like a job.

People spend too much time doing everything in the same physical space, and having books downloaded on devices doesn’t help at all. How is your boring textbook supposed to compete with the universe of more attractive activities on your computer? Create an environment for yourself that facilitates study. Structure your life around it.

I figured it was something like “still transitioning,” something like that. I agree that part’s a little difficult to parse, but I think Susie’s exasperation makes it work.

It’s entirely possible this is just attentional bias on your part. You noticed the more vibrant, active adults when you were younger because they were more interesting to you.

But generally, things are worse these days, too. I feel like people used to talk about the future optimistically when I was growing up. Maybe people still talk to kids that way now, but I don’t. And I don’t hear people doing it. So, maybe you’re on to something here.

That’s so encouraging, honestly. At times I’ve worried that maybe I was wrong not to circumcise my son.

I felt so strongly about it when he was born but as he grows up I care more about him having a positive body image than fulfilling my own philosophical position. I’m glad to hear that he won’t be the odd man out, so to speak.

It’s only 49‰? Color me surprised.

A People’s History of the United States blew my mind wide open in high school.

Are they scamming the rich to help the poor? I don’t have any sympathy for rich people falling victim to scams, but I wouldn’t throw a parade for someone who just did something selfish.

This country hates its children. And all vulnerable people. We continually treat them as disposable, exploitable resources instead of people deserving of protection and care.

Today’s kids regularly have to rehearse finding cover from a hail of bullets at school, try to prepare themselves for an unlivable ecology, and wonder if any random picture of them will instantly be turned into porn via the new basis of our country’s economy. Capitalism is going great.