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The past few weeks have brought an almost unfathomable surge of news.
Although it’s important to stay abreast of the very real, and very serious, threats to our democracy, our happiness columnist, Arthur C. Brooks, warns against gorging on all things political from now until the election.
“For quality of life’s sake—yours and others’—you would do well to put boundaries around the time and emotional energy you devote to politics this fall,” he writes.
To that end, you’ll find a collection of nonpolitical Atlantic stories. We hope they offer you a brief respite from the news cycle.
1. What does it really mean to “free” Britney Spears?
Our Culture writer Spencer Kornhaber takes a pop-princess-filled look at the complexities of sexism and fame, and the meaning of liberation.
2. The pandemic has made almost every relationship long-distance—and that’s a good thing.
The current crisis, Eva Hagberg argues, “offers an opportunity to decouple good relationships from physical intimacy and to open up other ways for friendships to flourish.”