How the Ivy League Broke America
The meritocracy isn’t working. We need something new.
The Most Controversial Game on the Internet
Wyna Liu, the editor of the New York Times game Connections, discusses her process and the particular ire her puzzles inspire.
Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid
It’s not just a phase.
The Perception Gap That Explains American Politics
Americans overwhelmingly—but, it turns out, mistakenly—believe that Democrats care more about advancing progressive social issues than widely shared economic ones.
The Atlantic Gift Guide
The Atlantic has chosen 65 gifts for bringing more merriment, adventure, and wonder to the ones you love.
Why Are You Still Cooking With That?
Black plastic spatulas, nonstick pans, and other Thanksgiving cooking worries
How Gen Z Came to See Books as a Waste of Time
Young people might be responding to a cultural message: Reading just isn’t that important.
A Ridiculous, Perfect Way to Make Friends
Group fitness classes aren’t just about exercise.
25 Feel-Good Films You’ll Want to Watch Again—And Again
Anxious? Here are some of the best and most rewatch-friendly movies to soothe your mind.
The Trends Atlantic Writers Love and Hate
Six answers to the question: “What’s a trend you wish would come back, and one you wish would go away?”
The Business-School Scandal That Just Keeps Getting Bigger
The rot runs deeper than almost anyone has guessed.
Moderation Is Not the Same Thing as Surrender
Democrats do not, in fact, face a choice between championing trans rights and completely abandoning them.
A Guide for the Politically Homeless
Those left adrift by Trump’s rise must now engage in a new project.
The Elite College Students Who Can’t Read Books
To read a book in college, it helps to have read a book in high school.
What Pete Hegseth’s Nomination Is Really About
Revenge on the military is just the start of it.
Photos of the Week: Doo Dah, Horse Play, Cloud Falls
An autonomous delivery robot in Barcelona, a heat wave in Australia, a triceratops auction in France, a lava flow in southwestern Iceland, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, and much more
Always a Girlboss, Never a Tradwife
A new Netflix documentary explores the cost of Martha Stewart’s chase for domestic perfection.
The Trump Marathon
If Americans want to hold Trump accountable in a second term, they must keep their heads when he uses chaos as a strategy.
This Is What Happens to All the Stuff You Don’t Want
I ventured into the belly of the holiday-returns beast.
The Nature You See in Documentaries Is Beautiful and False
Nature documentaries mislead viewers into thinking that there are lots of untouched landscapes left. There aren’t.