Life is largely returning to what it was
in early 2020, with even the most
COVID-cautious cities rolling back their
restrictions. Though the return to normalcy is a relief, the abrupt shift feels
unsettling to many. After two years of clear guidelines and restrictions, we
all have to figure out how to be people in the world again.
اضافة اعلان
Luckily, there is a whole category of podcasts
devoted to just that topic. These five shows, covering intimacy and dating,
office politics, family dynamics, and table manners, will help you navigate the
weirdness of daily life.
Were You Raised By Wolves?
This lighthearted etiquette
podcast is packed with useful tips, but also makes for easy listening thanks to
the rapport between the hosts, journalist
Nick Leighton and comedian
Leah Bonnema. Each episode is highly structured, usually beginning with an
“amuse-bouche” — that’s a snappy explanation of a hard-and-fast rule, like
which way you should pass the dishes at a dinner party (counterclockwise, FYI).
Leighton and Bonnema then delve into a more nuanced subject, like tipping,
table manners, or entertaining, and answer listener-submitted questions.
The show also features several recurring segments,
like “Vent or Repent,” where the hosts can either rant about an etiquette
violation they have recently experienced, or confess to one they have
committed.
Starter episode: “Declining Double Dates, Gifting
Unwanted Jams, Bailing on Weddings, and More”
Am I Normal? With Mona Chalabi
This affable,
thought-provoking show from the TED Collective takes an empirical approach to
one of the most subjective areas of all: normalcy. In each episode, British
journalist
Mona Chalabi tackles a different “should.” For instance: How many
friends should I have? Or how long should it take to get over a breakup? What
sets this apart from most advice shows is that Chalabi is a data journalist, so
she starts out by examining what statistics can objectively tell us about a
topic, before consulting experts (and sometimes her mother, a retired doctor)
to dig into the gray areas that numbers cannot touch.
Starter episode: “How Many Friends Do I Need?”
Big Mood, Little Mood
Slate was one of the
earliest players in the podcast game — its Political Gabfest began in 2005 — so
it is no surprise that its long-running advice column “Dear Prudence” made a
successful transition to audio. Between 2016 and 2021, that podcast featured
Daniel M. Lavery (who wrote as Prudence at that time) responding to listener
letters in more depth than a typical column would allow. But after Lavery moved
on from the Prudence role last year, his podcast shape-shifted into “Big Mood,
Little Mood.” The new show still sees Lavery giving guidance to letter writers,
but in the context of longer conversations with a diverse array of guests
including writers, comedians, and even fellow advice columnist
Heather Havrilevsky.
Starter episode: “Sore Loser”
Awesome Etiquette
No list of shows about
manners would be complete without this eight-year-old series descended from the
grande dame of American etiquette,
Emily Post. Hosted by her
great-great-grandchildren, Lizzie Post and Daniel Post Senning, “Awesome
Etiquette” is a haven for anyone seeking guidance on social mores. The Posts
have covered just about every issue imaginable over the show’s long run, like
how to correctly tip on to-go orders (it’s optional, but they suggest 10
percent) and how to approach a dinner party when your diet differs from the
hosts’ (give them plenty of notice, and if it’s a preference rather than an
allergy, be prepared to be flexible). And as the past two years have reshaped
the world, introducing new layers of planning and risk into the simplest social
engagements, their soothingly structured advice has never felt more welcome.
Starter episode: “Episode 385 — No Problem”
How’s Work?
Esther Perel, the well-known
couples therapist and author, has become a go-to expert on the subject of
intimacy and relationships. That is thanks in large part to her hit podcast
“Where Should We Begin?,” which lets listeners be a fly on the wall during real
couples therapy sessions. Her second series, “How’s Work?,” takes a similar approach,
but instead of romantic partners, it spotlights sessions between co-workers,
co-founders, and even family members who work together.
As Perel explains in the opening episode, we all
have a relationship “pattern,” which shows up just as much in the workplace as
it does in romance and friendships. Now that many Americans are heading back to
the office, this should be an especially illuminating listen.
Starter episode: “My Promotion Ended Our Friendship”
Read more Lifestyle
Jordan News
.jpg)
.jpg)
