1 big thing Axios

According to the Surgeon General, about one in two American adults report experiencing loneliness. As self-help voices continue cropping up in every corner of the internet on staving off loneliness and finding happiness, Laurie Santos of Yale--host of The Happiness Lab podcast--brings a scientific perspective. She says research tell us we're bad at knowing what makes us feel good, but that getting better at it could have far-reaching consequences for society as a whole: "Ultimately, social connection really needs to be our bottom line in terms of public health."
Finding connection in lonely times: Why it may matter more than we ever realized.

Plus, a push for loneliness legislation.

And, intergenerational friendship as a meaningful--but less common--type of social connection.

Guests: Laurie Santos, professor of psychology at Yale University and host of The Happiness Lab podcast; Erica Pandey, author of the Axios Finish Line newsletter
Credits: 1 big thing is produced by Niala Boodhoo, Alexandra Botti, Alex Sugiura, and Fonda Mwangi. Music is composed by Alex Sugiura. You can reach us at podcasts@axios.com. You can send questions, comments and story ideas as a text or voice memo to Niala at 202-918-4893.
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As AI keeps getting better, how do we keep up? There's been a lot of news this week about leadership at OpenAI, just one company that's leading the way in the AI space. But amidst that chaos, AI technology keeps marching ahead.
Ina Fried, Axios chief technology correspondent and co-author of the AI+ newsletter, has been testing out and writing about AI tools as they emerge and improve, from one that lets you create your own personal deepfake to an AI assistant that lets you attend multiple meetings at once. She shares the latest, and what these tools mean for us all.
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U.S. politics have gotten more polarized, and more extreme. Today, Tennessee attorney Chloe Akers has a new plan to do something that can feel nearly impossible: elevate the voices in the middle. She tells Niala Boodhoo: "We're not using any other playbook to solve what we believe is the pervasiveness of extremism and how damaging that can be on the democratic process. We are creating a playbook."
One Tennessean's new solution to an old problem.
Plus, what being a moderate today really means, and a reality check on other efforts to bring people back to the middle.
Guests: Chloe Akers, founder and CEO of "The Best of Tennessee"; Axios senior contributor Margaret Talev
Credits: 1 big thing is produced by Niala Boodhoo, Alexandra Botti, Fonda Mwangi and Alex Sugiura. Music is composed by Alex Sugiura. You can reach us at podcasts@axios.com. You can send questions, comments and story ideas as a text or voice memo to Niala at 202-918-4893.
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Young people were struggling before the pandemic. Today, their mental health challenges are acute—and social media is making it worse. U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has been sounding the alarm, and he tells Niala Boodhoo: "If we don't do something now, we are at risk of losing a generation of young people."
How does the Surgeon General plan to fix America's urgent youth crisis?
Plus, a reality check on efforts in Washington and beyond to make social media safer for kids.
Guests: U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy; Axios tech and policy reporter Ashley Gold
Credits: 1 big thing is produced by Niala Boodhoo, Alexandra Botti, Fonda Mwangi and Alex Sugiura. Music is composed by Alex Sugiura. You can reach us at podcasts@axios.com. You can send questions, comments and story ideas as a text or voice memo to Niala at 202-918-4893.
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José Andrés has become a recognized figure on the scene in the aftermath of global disasters. The chef-turned-humanitarian traveled to Haiti more than a decade ago to cook food for victims of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake. Today: he's on the ground in war zones.
How does one man lead an emergency response organization as the emergencies keep growing and changing?
Plus, an update on food insecurity in the U.S., and why the numbers may come as a surprise.
Guests: José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen; Axios markets correspondent Emily Peck
Credits: 1 big thing is produced by Niala Boodhoo, Alexandra Botti, and Alex Sugiura. Music is composed by Alex Sugiura. You can reach us at podcasts@axios.com. You can send questions, comments and story ideas as a text or voice memo to Niala at 202-918-4893.
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On November 2nd, join host Niala Boodhoo for a new show from Axios that digs deep with leaders in business, politics, and culture on the ideas shaping our world. Plus, Axios journalists share context and reality checks all along the way.
The bottom line: Listen every week for conversations with leaders and thinkers you know—or need to know—in 20 minutes or less. New episodes every Thursday.
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