Reasonably Optimistic

Where have all the benches gone? Deputy Opinion Editor Mark Lasswell reflects on the causes and consequences of the “defensive architecture” replacing seating in public spaces. Plus, contributing columnist Rick Reilly shares just how hard it’s become to find an Airbnb or VRBO that doesn’t feel like the inside of a Target.

Additional reading by our columnists:

Mark Lasswell: This punctuation mark is semi-dead. People have thoughts.

Rick Reilly: I have decided never to go outside again

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American women have grown more independent economically in recent decades, giving them greater choice in whom to date or marry — and the choice to opt out altogether. But where does women's rising stock leave men, and how is it connected with today’s so-called masculinity crisis? Post columnist Shadi Hamid talks with Richard Reeves, founder of the American Institute for Boys and Men, about why to pay on the first date, whether we’re heading toward a world of surplus men and how to be a man women want to marry.

Here’s the study Richard mentions from the American Institute for Boys and Men: Will college educated women find someone to marry?

Additional reading by our columnists:

Shadi Hamid: Men are struggling to find love. Here’s why.

Rahm Emanuel: What’s really depressing America’s young men

Julien Berman: No, Gen-Z men aren’t special

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Additional reading by Washington Post columnists:

Colbert I. King: The spirit of Old Dixie rises in D.C.

Shadi Hamid: My gut instinct on Trump’s D.C. power grab was wrong

Megan McArdle: D.C. has a real crime problem. Federal control won’t solve it.

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We’ve got some news.

Read more about Dana’s new venture: We are losing our humanity. I am searching for an antidote.

Enjoy some of our favorite episodes:

What do men want?

Is it time to delete our social media accounts?

What the ‘tradwife’ trend says about modern life

Remote work changed the country. Can it change back?

AI is getting smarter. But are we?

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Try as he might, President Trump cannot seem to shake the controversy over his former friend Jeffrey Epstein. Why are people so interested in this case, and what are the political opportunities and costs? Dana Milbank, Jason Willick and James Hohmann discuss how this story might end, and whether it’s the one scandal that could finally stick to “the Teflon Don.”

Additional reading:

Jason Willick: Trump’s subordinates ran an Epstein Ponzi scheme. Now comes the bank run.

Editorial Board: Conspiracy theories take root when government misleads

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It’s summertime, and when you’re traveling by air, flights are often overbooked, seats are cramped, and unexpected cancellations and delays feel all too frequent. Why do passengers find themselves in this situation, and is there a way to make it better? This week, we’re revisiting an episode with Charles Lane, Catherine Rampell and Marc Fisher exploring how, when people primarily look for the lowest price, airline travel becomes a race to the bottom.

Additional reading by our columnists:

Bina Venkataraman: Flying is a nightmare. But it could be fixed.

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The weapons deal President Trump announced this week marks a shift in his attitude toward Russian President Vladimir Putin and the full-scale invasion in Ukraine. But can it shift the trajectory of the war? If not, what will? Damir Marusic, Max Boot and Kori Schake discuss what the deal means for Ukraine and how Trump’s growing hawkishness will play to his “America First” supporters.  

Read more from our columnists:

Max Boot: Putin took Trump for granted. He’s going to pay for his mistake.

David Ignatius: In squeezing Putin, Trump ‘escalates to de-escalate’

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A lot of famous bands go on long past their prime, doing nostalgia tours and squeezing their hits for all they’re worth. But not R.E.M., one of the biggest bands in the world during a stretch of the 1990s. The band went from regularly playing shows for more than 100,000 people to calling it quits. Contributor Will Leitch, who occasionally bumps into the former members of R.E.M. in the grocery store, talks about how rare and admirable it is to know when to move on, and how the music is still there for all of us even if the band is not. 

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A new immigrant detention center in Florida has been dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” by Republicans, who are now selling merch around the pop-up prison. It’s just one more stunt in a long line of immigration performance from President Trump and his administration. But is all this just a distraction from the difficulty of actually fulfilling his mass deportation campaign promises? And what happens to public support as Trump’s policies become more extreme? Dana Milbank, Eduardo Porter and Monica Hesse discuss. 

Read more from our columnists:

Monica Hesse: Alligator Alcatraz turns serious matters into cheap entertainment

Eduardo Porter: The profound hypocrisy underlying America’s immigration policy

Last month, Post columnist Dana Milbank hiked part of the Appalachian Trail with his brother. Along the way, he detached from the news and reacquainted himself with nature. In the process, he received a real-life lesson about how the world around us can reduce cognitive fatigue and enhance well-being. He reflects on his journey in a recent essay.

Check out some of the other columns about Milbank’s adventures in nature:

Dana Milbank: Technology broke our connection to nature. Here is a way back.

Dana Milbank: Nature’s lesson for the politically worried: Spring will come again

Dana Milbank: My new tractor will either extend my life or end it quickly

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