78 Comments
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Leigh Stein's avatar

to be fair, 100 new friends sounds stressful

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SarahT's avatar

Totally stressful! Now if the question were lose ten pounds or gain one meaningful friendship, that would be more accurate to gauge where peoples heads are at

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

I love how this is being debated 😂

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Leigh Stein's avatar

agree!

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Carly Jacobs's avatar

That’s my thought like I’d rather do most things than have 100 extra people in my life.

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

I thought the same ngl 😭

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Sarah Shapiro's avatar

Immediately came here to say this!!!

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

You’re hilarious 😆

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Sofia's avatar

Critiquing porn is a good thing, but let's not forget to take the sources of our science and information into account; BYU (Brigham Young University) is a Mormon institution. I feel like it's important to mention that given the Mormon church's questionable biases surrounding sex.

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

The stats aren’t provided by BYU. The Times provided those from a different source

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Kristine Campbell's avatar

'Porn Literacy' is the new 'Stranger Danger'

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Sofia's avatar

Fr. Too easy to build up a moral panic, which in turn makes it too hard to bring up real issues.

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

I think that’s my point. People are so scared of sounding some type of way, especially progressive people, that we just don’t talk about it and act like it’s all good. Nothing to see here. Nuance

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

Like we shouldn’t be talking about it or?

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Zo's avatar

Absolutely. Gail Dines is a much more reputable source!

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

Oh the source isn’t the professor btw, those stats were collected separately by another body and sound pretty accurate to me

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Shanna Johnson's avatar

I remain skeptical of the long-term effects of new weight loss medications, particularly ones that require lifetime injections to be effective. However, as the daughter of a former alcoholic who now works as an addiction counselor in a prison, I am intrigued by the use of GLP-1s being explored to treat addiction, though I have questions about how such drugs would treat, let's say, an already thin person struggling with a non-food addiction. Can these drugs target desires other than eating? Or is it a blanket effect suppressor that dampens urges across the board? Curious, as always, to see where we are headed in this market. But will also never forget the days of speed being prescribed freely as a weight loss miracle, as well. How much have we really learned?

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emily's avatar

love this take. i also think the blanket use of weight loss drugs as a “miracle” is really harmful, not only because we don’t understand the long term effects/limitations, but also because it creates more vitriol towards people that might be happy with their weight even if society deems it unacceptable.

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

The long term effects on society are what I can’t wait to see 🥺

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

I’m also super curious about the long term side effects AND the possibility to target other addictions. It looks like there’s already research underway for that !

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Shanna Johnson's avatar

All that to say, compelling read, as always! <3

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

Thank you!

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Vitally Useless's avatar

I wish more people were talking about this benefit, we are so obsessed with weight that we are ignoring another potentially life saving outcome from these medications.

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

I think next year we’ll see a lot lore conversations this direction

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vitajexjexjex's avatar

100 new friends seems like kind of a burden? I already feel like I don’t have enough time or energy to keep up with the dozens of friends I have today!

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

It makes me happy that this is what people are fixating on but I feel you 😂

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Lauren Gallo's avatar

I genuinely need a case and consumer psych study on the rise of Hailey Bieber and Rhode, because it boggles my mind. The only way I can fathom is that it correlates with the rise of basic and minimalism in beauty rising at the same time and she and her team capitalized on it. But damn yo, being Skims of Beauty is so so accurate.

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

She knows what she’s doing. She understands her demographic and she understands culture. Sometimes it’s just as simple as that. I hear the product is mid though

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Lauren Gallo's avatar

Oh, it’s incredibly mid for sure there’s a bunch of other brands or products that I could think of that are much better, but I guess because it’s really basic it is good for people who have sensitive skin

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Lauren Gallo's avatar

But I mean in that case I just say get some first aid beauty instead

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Susana Mejia's avatar

The Djerf Ave news makes sense given it's an influencer turned business owner. The things she's being accused of come across as catty, petty, and unprofessional behavior but aren't surprising considering being born into a wealthy family doesn't automatically qualify someone to run a business.

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

She’s a weirdo and I’m so sad because I know she’ll just go on thriving lol

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Susana Mejia's avatar

also, hi big fan of your newsletter!!!

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

Happy to have you here!

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kiran raphael's avatar

When she blesses us with the THICK post 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽. How is it that I love the long posts and the short and concise ones equally????

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

Magic

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Hannah Connolly's avatar

omg so much to say!!!

1. that Sofia Coppola news is huge

2. will this Matilda Djerf cancellation stick, do you think?

3. Obsessed with ‘pick up a book’ ♥️

4. What is your prediction for ‘the next tiktok’??

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

I too now what an imprint. Matilda sounds like a freak. Idk what the next TikTok will be. Reels and YouTube shorts will be all to happy to absorb that space. I don’t think TikTok will go away though. They might sell idk

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Aurelie Chazal's avatar

The reaction to the Netflix parental leave news is so interesting. I saw the news on Reddit and the reaction there was a mix of "and they wonder why birthrates are falling" and "Canada and other countries offer long parental leave by law and the US sucks".

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

Different platforms different reactions. That’s another story 😂

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John Birmingham's avatar

I had a little surgery yesterday and waking up to this delightful column was just what I needed. I don’t even know what Skims are but I enjoyed it all. Thanks.

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

I’m so glad to aid in your recovery!

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John Birmingham's avatar

Also “Literature as luxury is my Roman Empire.” Is the best line I’ve read all week.

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

I thought it was pretty good too!

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emily's avatar

we the people have had ENOUGH celebrity RTD beverages!!!!!

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

lol clearly not

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Petya K. Grady's avatar

i came to say the same. enough with the beverages. it's all ruining our teeth! (according to my dentist who said that all the fizzy drinks are bad for your tooth enamel). also, my brain cannot take so much marketing. 😂😬

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

I’m just perplexed as to the fact that the market is somehow still observing all of this

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Kelly Williams's avatar

While I really like HB and find her style (because of Dani Michelle) to be great, I will probably always root for SG. As if she needs me.

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

I love the dedication. Happy for her

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Zohra's avatar

Amazing newsletter, as always! So much depressing news though… but you do manage to deliver it entertainingly. Excited for the big reveal on Monday! 🎈

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

I do try my best 🥹

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Martha's avatar

This newsletter is PACKED with news. Slay. I’m initially repulsed by the name prose hoes but open to having my mind changed. And this Matilda Djerf news is CRAZY.

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

Prose goes is cringe sigh

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Martha's avatar

sooo cringe

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tariro makoni's avatar

EIHG in as seen on??? — what a day

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

A day indeed!

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Dejaih Smith's avatar

This was all so interesting! From AI spys to a trend up for female wellness/healthcare for 2025-Ev Williams was a shock for me!

So good!!!

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

Ev Williams was a shock got me too. Godspeed to him

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