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We are being lured by the siren song of cynicism. We have to choose a different route.

“Why do people have to suck so badly?” my teen asks me after watching a viral video of horrible human behavior.

I understand the sentiment. I really do. I’ve asked myself the same question many times in recent years. Why are people like this? What is wrong with people? How can people be so stupid/cruel/selfish/ignorant/etc. And every time I have to pause, reflect and recognize what I’m hearing.

It’s the siren song of cynicism. That strangely alluring voice that lulls us into a negative state of complacency at best and abject nihilism at worst.

I see—and feel in myself—cynicism as a natural, reactionary response to the ugly realities of our world, but also to our current digital climate. So much of the discouse we consume is filtered through social media algorithms that reward undernuanced hot takes and keep the cycle of negative sensationalism churning. The bad stuff gets our attention, which prompts people to talk about the bad stuff, which triggers algorithms that push more of the bad stuff, which creates a feedback loop informing us that everything is terrible.


Cynicism seduces us because it’s easy. It doesn’t actually feel good, but it feels comfortable because it doesn’t ask anything from us. Hardened cynics sometimes see themselves as the intellectually honest among us, having real insight into people and problems, but it’s simply not true. Cynicism requires no deep digging, real reflection or soul searching. It’s the easiest thing in the world to call the world a dumpster fire, toss up our hands and say, “Welp, everything and everyone sucks, so what’s the point?”

Hope, on the other hand, is hard. It requires going beyond our impulsive reactions to headlines and soundbites and to enage with humanity holistically. Far from being some kind of unthinking, Pollyanna-ish, head-in-the-sand idealism, I see hope as the natural outcome of truly diving into the reality of human existence.

But how do we get there? How do we ignore the pull of cynicism and navigate toward hope instead?

First, we can look to the past to see how far we have actually come.

I was watching the Olympics the other night and marveling at what human beings have figured out how to do. We started off rubbing sticks together to make fire. Now we have people who can artistically dance around on ice, spin multiple times through the air with the utmost perfection and precision, and land on one foot on a 1/8-inch blade. Not only that, but they do it to beautiful music that humans have composed, with musical instruments humans created, recorded on technological equipment that humans invented.

Not only was I watching this marvel happen, but I was doing so all the way on the other side of the planet, in the comfort of my home, where hot air blows out of the walls, clean water pours out of the refrigerator that keeps our food cold and lights turn on and off with the flick of a finger.

And that’s just the basic, everyday life stuff we’ve figured out. Thinking of all of the ways humans continue to advance and progress is mind-boggling.

Sure, we still separate ourselves into artificial groups and fight over stupid things, but we also have created global organizations that collaborate to do incredible work to solve problems. Yes, our advancements have caused an imbalance in our relationship to the planet, but we also have developed the science to understand and begin to mitigate those impacts. Indeed, people can still be bafflingly ignorant or closed-minded, but we have access to everything that humans have ever learned available at our fingertips. That’s incredible.

Our material progress may have outpaced our collective spiritual progress, and our political will to enact workable solutions might be a mess, but there’s no reason to believe we won’t figure those things out too. Look at all that we’ve been through and what we’ve accomplished. We are far more capable than we give ourselves credit for, in all areas.

Second, we can choose the filters with which we view the present.

When we look at the challenges we face and the difficulties in meeting those challenges, do we see a sign that humans are inept or a sign that we’re trying to figure things out? Learning and problem-solving are messy, nonlinear processes. Sometimes progress is two steps forward, one step back. Growth involves growing pains, especially when we’re actually growing the fastest. Building something new often requires tearing down something old first, and destruction feels like destruction even when it’s necessary.

There’s also the simple truth that we find what we look for. If we look for what is bad, wrong and unjust in the world, we’ll find it. That stuff is there, no question. And some of it definitely needs our attention; ignoring a problem doesn’t make it go away. But focusing on the negative all the time is a choice—one that doesn’t serve anyone well.

I could easily spend an entire day finding examples of how people are awful, how it seems like we’re going backward in some ways, how society is totally messed up and how the future is doomed. (Just spend the day on Twitter. It’s all there.) If my goal were to justify a cynical outlook on humanity, I could easily do so.

But I could also spend an entire day finding examples of how humans are amazing, how people come together to help one another, how organizations are solving problems and providing for people’s needs, how progress is being made in all fields of human endeavor. If my goal were to justify a hopeful vision for humanity, I could easily do that as well.

Each of those scenarios is a choice. Which day seems like it would lead to a better outcome, either for me personally or for the world at large?

The negative, cynical stuff is constantly in our faces because of how media and social media work, but the positive, constructive stuff is all around us. We need to balance positivity with addressing real problems, but when we put more focus and energy into supporting and amplifying the things we want to see than the things we don’t, we steer our ship toward hope.

Finally, we can remember that the future is still unwritten.

One of the hallmarks of cynicism is the sense that nothing changes, that we’re going to be stuck in the same stupidity of our own making forever. But none of us has a crystal ball. We don’t know what the future holds and how humanity will change through the inevitable ups and downs on the horizon. We couldn’t have predicted we’d be here now three years ago, and we don’t know what things will look like three years from now.

We can choose to envision a dystopian future—there are plenty of books and movies we can use for inspiration if that’s what we want to do. Or we can choose to envision something better or greater than what we have now. Neither is guaranteed in any way, so we do have a choice in the matter.

Any psychologist will tell you that visualization can be a powerful and transformative tool. Just as we see what we look for in the present, we are more likely to create what we envision for the future. That’s not to say that we can control everything, but we can decide what direction we try to encourage humanity to go with our lives. When we look forward to a future in which humanity and our planetary home thrive and flourish, we’re much more likely to seek out ways to move us in that direction.

Hope is a choice we make daily, in our thoughts and in our actions. Cynicism can sing to us all it wants, but we will hold the wheel steady, look for the light on the horizon and steer that direction instead.

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Robert Irwin honors his father’s legacy—wrestling crocs and teaching us to respect nature

Steve Irwin was just one of those too-good-for-this-world celebrities. For me, he’s right up there with David Bowie, Dolly Parton and Betty White. Though his methods were unconventional, Irwin found his own wild way of bringing the natural world to the masses, with unbridled passion and enthusiasm.

As he wrestled with dangerous beasts, we got up close and personal with some of Mother Earth’s most misunderstood, learning that there’s so much more to love than fear. His moniker might have been The Crocodile Hunter, but he was definitely more of a wildlife warrior.

Steve’s son Robert Irwin recently posted a video to his Instagram, and man, is this kid not only the spitting image of his father, he also honors Steve’s legacy of providing wildlife education and promoting conservation … all while nearly being eaten by a giant reptile. Proving that boldness never really goes out of style.


In a recent teaser video for the latest season finale of Animal Planet’s “Crikey! It’s the Irwins” series, Robert Irwin goes in, up close and personal, for his first feeding with Casper, a massive leucistic (completely pale) saltwater crocodile.

Like most crocs, Casper is wild, ferocious and territorial. “Since dad first got Casper … he’s had that instinct,” Robert tells us.

Robert will need to see if Casper is happy in his new enclosure by seeing if he strikes.

Meat in hand, Robert stomps on the ground, sending vibrations over to Casper, who definitely gets the message. As he lunges out of the water, Robert jokes, “Oh yeah, he’s keen” before we get an aerial view of a high-speed crocodile chase and the video abruptly ends. It is a teaser, after all.

This might seem like a piece of theater, but there’s more to it than that. As Robert points out, this activity is actually for the crocodile’s happiness and well-being.

Robert’s caption reads, “We prioritise natural behaviour with our crocs. By getting in their enclosures with them, and letting them put on those huge strikes from the water’s edge, they get to use all of their predatory instincts and they just love it!”

Don’t just take Rob’s word for it. As Basic Biology states, inherently stealthy crocodiles “ambush their prey as they drink from the water’s edge.”

In addition to facilitating this hunting method, many zoos and conservation institutes meticulously design their crocodile enclosures to match the same environments found in nature; everything from sandy pool bottoms to mimic the bottom of a lake to natural visual barriers like fallen trees.

The Australia Zoo, owned by the Irwins, is itself one of the world’s leading research centers dedicated to studying crocodile behavior. According to the zoo’s website, the conservation organization regards Steve’s capture and study techniques as the “world’s best to this day.”

I mean, just looking at some of his greatest catches, the man did have a knack for it.

Robert seems to be following in those footsteps. I’m so here for it.

To quote Steve, “the message is simple: love and conserve our wildlife.” With the same genuine heart, fearless love and unbeatable positivity, Robert’s work (and really, the work of the entire Irwin family) keeps that message alive.

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Britney Spears Offers ‘A Tease Of What’s To Come’ With A ‘Get Naked’ Dance

Now that Britney Spears is no longer under a conservatorship, fans are wondering what the pop icon will do next. She has suggested recently that she has some plans, and now she is again teasing something she’s working on.

In a video Spears posted on Instagram yesterday, she’s wearing a revealing outfit in a dance studio as she dances to “Get Naked,” from her 2007 album Blackout. Spears wrote in the post’s caption, “This is 13 seconds of me in heels [high heels emoji] before I dyed my hair purple [purple heart emoji] …. This is a tease [smiling devil emoji] of what’s to come !!!! My song “Get Naked” [headphones emoji] !!! Hope you guys are having a great day !!!!! Pss No hair and make up [lipstick emoji] !!! Just PLAYING around folks !!!!”

As for what exactly this video teases, that isn’t entirely clear at the moment. In recent days, though, Spears has been eager to share that she has things in the works, as she wrote in a post from earlier this month that she has “so many exciting projects ahead.” Spears has an informal offer from Madonna to join her on a world tour, as Madonna said recently, “Stadium, baby. Me and Britney, what about that? Not sure if she’d be into it, but it would be really cool. We could, like, reenact the original kiss.”

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The Final ‘Better Call Saul’ Season Will Roll Out In Two Parts, And Here Are Those Premiere Dates

AMC’s hit Breaking Bad prequel Better Call Saul, starring America’s Sweetheart Bob Odenkirk, will return for its highly anticipated final season later the year.

The season will be split into two parts, possibly to lessen the blow of the show coming to an end, and the first will premiere April 18th on AMC and consist of seven episodes. The second half of the season will premiere July 11th. Airing the final season in two parts will also allow the show to be eligible for Emmy nominations both in 2022 and 2023.

Season five ended almost exactly two years earlier on April 20th 2020. Production for the sixth season was halted last summer, when Odenkirk suffered a mild heart attack on set. The final season will hopefully tie up some loose ends while showing the lovable but flawed Jimmy McGill’s transformation into Saul Goodman, the breakout star of Breaking Bad.

“In my eyes, this is our most ambitious, surprising and, yes, heartbreaking season,” said co-creator and showrunner Peter Gould in a statement. “Even under incredibly challenging circumstances, the whole Saul team — writers, cast, producers, directors and crew — have outdone themselves. I couldn’t be more excited to share what we’ve accomplished together.”

AMC also announced a short animated series Slippin’ Jimmy that will premiere digitally this spring. Produced by Rick and Morty animators written by Better Call Saul show-runners, the six episode series will tell stories of young Jimmy McGill’s childhood misadventures in Chicago. There will also be new episodes of the Better Call Saul Employee Training Video streaming later this year.

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Doja Cat Covers Hole’s ‘Celebrity Skin’ In Her Super Bowl LVI Taco Bell Commercial

Doja Cat gets one heck of a makeover in her new ad for Taco Bell, as she and a group of friends escape a drab clown college in the search of some Fire sauce. Set to air during Super Bowl LVI, the ad is set to the tune of Doja covering Hole‘s “Celebrity Skin,” which lands right on the red ball nose as Doja and her friends’ clown makeup flies off during their trek to the local Taco Bell (or maybe one a little further away, considering it’s dark by the time they get there).

It’s not the first time a Doja Cat commercial has soundtracked a Taco Bell ad. Late last year, her soon-to-be single “Get Into It (Yuh)” popped up during an ad about geeky cosplayers falling in love at first sight on the subway. Doja wasn’t above using her new position as Taco Bell partner to lobby for the return of the chain’s fan-favorite Mexican pizza menu item, prompting some fans to urge her and Chief Impact Officer Lil Nas X to make it happen.

Doja’s making something of a habit of recreating classic tunes and movies with her brand partnerships, especially the ones for the Super Bowl. Last year, she put her own spin on Grease for Pepsi, stepping into the classic role of Sandy and covering “You’re The One That I Want.”

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Suns Guard Cam Payne Hopped In A Twitter Space And Called The Lakers ‘The Worst Team In The West’

The Los Angeles Lakers are down horrendously. After suffering a 107-105 loss on Wednesday evening to the threadbare Portland Trail Blazers, the Lakers fell to 26-30 on the year and got called out by two of the greatest players in franchise history. Add in that the trade deadline is right around the corner and the team is trying to figure out whether it has enough stuff to do anything of note — including ending the Russell Westbrook experiment in L.A. — and things are a bit tense right now in Tinseltown.

The fact of the matter is, the Lakers just do not strike a ton of fear into their opponents, even though they possess LeBron James and Anthony Davis. This was hammered home after the Blazers game, when Phoenix Suns guard Cam Payne hopped into a Twitter Space and let L.A. have it.

“We the No. 1 team in the world, and you worried about the f*ckin’ Lakers,” Payne said. “They the worst team in the West.”

After being told the Space was being recorded, Payne both stressed that it’s fine if anyone on the Lakers hears him and made it a point to say “we respect every team in the NBA.” He also spoke further, saying that he understands there are only 450 players in the NBA and that in order to make it to the league, you have to be good.

“It really don’t matter,” Payne said around the 3:04:20 mark of the Space when he was asked if he wants to play the Lakers, just before the above clip. “Whoever we gotta play, that’s who we gotta play.”

“If there was a million of us, then I’d be cool with what you’re talking about,” he’d go on to say.

Payne, of course, broke out for the Suns last postseason in their opening round win over the Lakers, and Phoenix legitimately is the best team in the NBA this season. Still, between this and Patrick Beverley chirping at Westbrook on Twitter on Thursday morning, it’s been quite a day for the Lakers.

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Geraldo Rivera Came For Tomi Lahren Over The Anti-Vaxxer Canadian Truckers Who She Calls ‘Freedom Fighters’

During a tense episode of Fox News The Story, Geraldo Rivera pushed back on Tomi Lahren‘s praise for the Canadian truckers anti-mandate protest that’s been hell for local residents and causing disruptions in other countries. Lahren attempted to paint the truckers as freedom fighters, which left Rivera astounded at what he was hearing.

“Their behavior has been nothing short of thuggish in Ottawa,” Rivera fired back at Lahren following her glowing remarks. While describing the damage the protest has done to everyday Canadians, and even Americans where supply chains have been disrupted, Rivera refused to accept Lahren’s framing that the truckers are sticking it to the elites. “To give them the mantle of freedom fighters is absolutely, appallingly naive.”

As things turned into a back-and-forth, Lahren bristled at Rivera’s use of the word “thuggish,” but the Fox News host was only getting started. Via Mediaite:

Later in the segment, Rivera called the truckers’ actions “selfish.”

“We want this behind us,” he said. “It’s been two years. I get that. But when you have protestors bringing Confederate flags and swastikas, and then to paint them in the same portrait as you name our Founding Fathers, I mean, what the hell is that about? This is very destructive.”

As their on-air dust-up started to make headlines, Lahren defended herself on Twitter by responding to Rivera’s rhetorical question: “Fighting for freedom is what it’s about!”

The situation was yet another example of Rivera trying to change the minds of his Fox News colleagues, which generally, never seems to works. As Lahren demonstrated, they stubbornly stick to their guns.

(Via Mediaite)

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Mark Ruffalo Plays Ryan Reynolds’ Dad (And Reunites With Jennifer Garner) In ‘The Adam Project’ Trailer

In an unexpected but not unwelcome father-son pairing, Mark Ruffalo plays Ryan Reynolds father in Netflix’s latest sci-fi feature, The Adam Project.

From Stranger ThingsShawn Levy, the film tells the story of Adam, a troubled boy with a habit of getting into fights at school after the death of his father, played by Ruffalo. Reynolds plays the adult version of Adam as he time travels back to meet his 12-year-old self after his ship breaks down. Eventually, the pair meet up with Ruffalo, who plays a well-known scientist (sound familiar?) who was researching time travel before he died. Also starring is Zoe Saldana as Reynolds’ love interest, who has mysteriously gotten lost while time traveling, and Catherine Keener.

This also marks to return of one of the greatest on-screen couples of the 21st century, Ruffalo and Jennifer Garner, since they co-starred in 13 Going On 30. Maybe they will share a pack of razzles?

Here is the official synopsis from Netflix:

Reynolds plays Adam Reed, a wounded time traveler from 2050 who has ventured into the past on a rogue rescue mission to search for Laura, the woman he loves, who got lost in the time-space continuum under mysterious circumstances. When Adam’s ship gets damaged, he’s sent spiraling back to 2022, and the only place he knows from this era of his life: home. That’s where a 12-year-old version of himself becomes Adam’s suspicious and reluctant ally as the older incarnation tries to heal, rebuild his ship, and continue his journey. About a year before the time traveler’s arrival, Adam’s dad died, who was a scientist whose work posthumously helps open the door to leapfrogging through time. It’s still raw for the kid, who misses him deeply, but the older Adam has grown to resent his absent father over the decades.

The Adam Project premieres March 11th on Netflix. Check out the trailer above.

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Latto ‘Could Hear’ Doja Cat On A Remix Of Her Hit Single ‘Big Energy’

Latto‘s hit single “Big Energy” has been climbing the Hot 100 ever since its release last year, clocking in at 15 weeks on the chart and currently holding at No. 34 — its peak position to date. With the song doing so well, the timing is better than ever for Latto to release a remix and potentially launch it even further up the standings. But who would be on it? When a recent interview with Bootleg Kev brought up Doja Cat as a potential guest feature, Latto agreed that she “could hear it,” although she remained coy about details, only admitting that the remix is in the works.

It wouldn’t be the first time the pair has collaborated. In 2020, both rappers were tapped to appear on the remix of Chloe X Halle’s hit song “Do It” along with City Girls. Also, incidentally, the song right behind Latto’s on the Hot 100 this week is Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More” featuring SZA, so both artists could absolutely receive a boost from collaborating.

Doja Cat’s services are in high demand though, with artists like Baby Tate seeking to pair up with her on Doja’s “Get Into It (Yuh)” and burgeoning punk rapper Snot seeking her attention on his own song named after her. But Doja herself has said that she wants to be more picky when it comes to collaborators in the future, which could make it harder for other artists to secure her co-sign.

In any case, Latto’s got enough to do right now as she prepares to headline the Monster Energy Outbreak Tour along with emerging TikTok rapper Kali this spring (Kali would also make for a great guest if Latto wanted to help the younger artist with a leg up). However it turns out, the “Soufside” rapper will likely keep rising in popularity as she plans the release of her second album.

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The Raptors Will Send Goran Dragic To The Spurs In Exchange For Thad Young

A pair of veteran basketball players who changed teams this offseason are being flipped for one another. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Toronto Raptors and San Antonio Spurs came to terms on a deal ahead of the NBA trade deadline that will send Goran Dragic to Texas and Thaddeus Young north of the border.

Dragic went to Toronto this past offseason in the sign-and-trade that sent Kyle Lowry to the Miami Heat. It had been speculated for some time that the veteran guard would not spend all that much time in Toronto, as a number of teams were interested in acquiring his services. He did, however, appear in a few games at the very start of the season for the Raptors before leaving the team to tend to a personal matter, and has not taken the floor since Nov. 13, 2021.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, this might not be a lengthy stay in San Antonio, as the Spurs and Dragic are expected to work on a buyout.

Young, meanwhile, went to the Spurs in the trade that sent DeMar DeRozan to the Chicago Bulls. He appeared in 26 games for San Antonio this season, but made clear he was not a fan of his situation back in December. Young averages 6.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 14.2 minutes per game this year.