loneliness
My late 30s were hard. Living alone in Cape Town, South Africa, I was holding out for a partner and children while my friends moved through weddings and baby showers without me.My parents and sisters (including my twin) lived in another province, freelance writing work was drying up, and as…
An app that asks a blunt question — “Are you dead?” — has become a hit in China.The app, called “Si Le Me” (Chinese for “are you dead”), requires users to “check in” by pressing a button. If they fail to do so for two consecutive days, the app alerts…
In 2026, quitting smoking and joining a gym are no longer enough for a new year’s resolution. Young adults, addicted to their phones and exhausted with dating apps, are resolving to seek meaning and connection IRL in ways that don’t include a hangover. And there are dozens of startups capitalizing…
