The Next Big Idea Daily

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Your Brain on Spirituality Oct 30, 2026

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Can spiritual practices help us, even if we’re not sure what we believe? In How God Works: The Science Behind the Benefits of Religion, psychologist David DeSteno explores what rituals surrounding gratitude, care, and loss can teach us about living better. And in The Awakened Brain: The New Science of Spirituality and Our Quest for an Inspired Life, Columbia psychologist Lisa Miller examines what happens in the brain when we experience a deep sense of connection.

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The New Appeal of Autocracy Oct 29, 2026

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What happens when people start seeing democracy not as the solution, but as the problem? In American Caesar, religion scholar Bradley Onishi examines an emerging alliance of Christian nationalists and technocratic thinkers who believe America needs a strong leader to impose order. Then former U.S. ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul widens the lens in Autocrats vs. Democrats, exploring how the United States’ relationships with China and Russia have shifted—and what the Cold War can and can’t teach us about today’s competition between political systems. Together, they consider the appeal of concentrated power and the challenges facing democracy at home and abroad. ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠

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When Your Best Friend Isn't Human Oct 28, 2026

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A chatbot is always available, endlessly patient, and happy to hear about your day. But is that connection—or a convincing imitation? In Artificial Intimacy: Who We Become When We Talk to Machines, MIT’s Sherry Turkle asks what we risk when we turn to machines for companionship and care. Then, in Shared Wisdom: Cultural Evolution in the Age of AI, data scientist Alex Pentland explores how communities learn from one another—and how we might design technology to strengthen that exchange rather than undermine it. Together, they raise a question that’s bigger than what AI can do: What do we still need from each other?⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Are You Burned Out, or Just Tired? Oct 27, 2026

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You’ve hit your goals, kept everyone happy, and earned a little time off. So why doesn’t a weekend away fix the exhaustion? In Breaking Burnout: How High Achievers Break the Success Myths Driving Exhaustion, Overwork, and Burnout, former C-suite executive Nabeela Elsayed examines the ideas about achievement that keep us working past our limits. But understanding exhaustion also means noticing work that rarely gets counted. In her 2023 book Emotional Labor: The Invisible Work Shaping Our Lives and How to Claim Our Power, journalist Rose Hackman explores the effort of managing other people’s feelings—and why that burden falls so unevenly. Together, they ask what changes when we stop treating self-sacrifice as part of the job.⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Is Playing It Safe Holding You Back? Oct 26, 2026

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Waiting until things feel safe before making your next move? You might be waiting a while. In Worth the Risk: The Seven Myths That Keep Us from Taking the Chances We Need to Take, economist Allison Schrager challenges the idea that uncertainty is our biggest problem—and asks what we lose by avoiding it. Then, in her 2021 book Choose Possibility: Take Risks and Thrive (Even When You Fail), technology executive Sukhinder Singh Cassidy takes on the pressure to make one perfect, life-changing leap. Together, they explore how to get moving without treating every decision like a bet on your entire future.⁠⁠⁠⁠

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The Startup End Game Oct 23, 2026

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Building a startup is often framed as a race to scale. But what happens after growth—and how early should you plan for the ending? In the 2022 book Exit Path: How to Win the Startup End Game, Touraj Parang explains why founders should start with the end in mind, preserve their options, and build momentum toward a successful exit. Then, in the 2021 book Masters of Scale: Surprising Truths from the World’s Most Successful Entrepreneurs, June Cohen and Reid Hoffman share lessons about embracing imperfection, learning from rejection, and knowing when to pivot.

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Hierarchy Is Broken. Here's How to Fix It. Oct 22, 2026

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Why do workplace hierarchies so often fail the people inside them? In Level Up: Why Hierarchies Are Broken and How to Fix Them, Stanford organizational psychologist Nir Halevy examines how rank and power distort organizations—and what people at every level can do about it. Then, in the 2023 book Power to the Middle: Why Managers Hold the Keys to the Future of Work, McKinsey leaders Bill Schaninger, Bryan Hancock, and Emily Field argue that middle managers aren’t dead weight. They’re the crucial link between strategy and the people doing the work. Together, the books make a case for rebuilding hierarchy around responsibility, coaching, and useful authority—not bureaucracy.

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Ancient Wisdom for Modern Overload Oct 21, 2026

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What if feeling better isn’t about finding the next new thing, but remembering what we’ve stopped doing? In The Great Remembering: Powerful Ancient Practices—And the New Science Bringing Them Back, TED Talks co-creator June Cohen explores how movement, shared rituals, and time in nature can help us navigate hard times. Then, cultural historian Tiffany Jenkins considers another resource worth reclaiming: a private life. Her 2025 book, Strangers and Intimates: The Rise and Fall of Private Life, asks what happens when we share everything with strangers but struggle to connect with the people closest to us. Two perspectives on making modern life feel a little more human.⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Success Is a Team Sport. Here’s How to Find Your People. Oct 20, 2026

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Success is often told as a solo story: one talented person works hard, then makes it. But who noticed their potential, challenged their thinking, or opened a door? In Lift: The Three Hidden Forces That Launch Remarkable Lives, Jeff Cunningham explores the people and circles that help us rise. Then Carnegie Mellon researcher Rosalind Chow’s The Doors You Can Open: A New Way to Network, Build Trust, and Use Your Influence to Create a More Inclusive Workplace asks how we can do that for others—not just by offering advice, but by using our influence to make their strengths visible. Together, the books show how to be lifted—and how to lift someone else.

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How to Use AI Without Getting Dumber Oct 19, 2026

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AI can help you finish the work faster. But what happens when you stop practicing those skills? In The Collision: What AI Does to Us, MIT professor Eric So explores how tools that boost today’s productivity can quietly weaken tomorrow’s judgment—and how to use them without outsourcing your thinking. Then, in his 2024 book Irreplaceable: The Art of Standing Out in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, AI expert Pascal Bornet considers the other side of that challenge: developing the creativity, critical thinking, and authentic connections that make your contribution distinctive. How do we get more from AI without becoming less capable ourselves?⁠⁠⁠⁠

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