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What if you could change your personality? | The Gray Area - September 7, 2026 - Vox

If you could change anything about your personality, anything at all, what would it be? And why would you want to change it?

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Writer Olga Khazan spent a year trying to answer those questions, and documented the experience in her new book Me, But Better: The Science and Promise of Personality Change.

In this episode, which originally aired in March of 2025, Sean speaks with Olga about the science of personality change, the work it takes to change yourself, and what makes up a personality, anyway.

00:00 Intro

02:16 What is ‘personality?’

08:07 Neuroticism and you

15:31 The ‘best’ personality

19:52 The science of personality change

29:57 Is being ‘well-adjusted’ always good?

31:38 Practical ways to make changes

Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling)

Guest: Olga Khazan, author of Me, But Better: The Science and Promise of Personality Change.

We would love to hear from you. To tell us what you thought of this episode, email us at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 1-800-214-5749. Your comments and questions help us make a better show.

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How to undo the damage of sitting all day | The Gray Area - September 4, 2026 - Vox

We’ve all heard that "sitting is the new smoking," but the research behind that phrase goes much deeper. How bad is sitting for you really?

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In this episode guest host Bryan Walsh is joined by Manoush Zomorodi — host of NPR’s TED Radio Hour and author of Body Electric — to explore how our sedentary, screen-filled lives are reshaping our physical health from the neck down. Manoush shares findings from her own clinical trial, where she partnered with scientists to determine the minimum amount of movement the human body actually needs to function.

Whether you're a desk jockey or a parent concerned about screen time, this conversation offers a practical, science-backed approach to reclaiming your physical health in a digital world.

00:00 Intro

01:57 The hidden cost of sitting

09:13 Kinking your body and brain

17:23 The active couch potato trap

21:18 What screens are doing to your eyes

27:53 Shifting our relationship with technology

32:41 One minute of movement in practice

Guest Host: Bryan Walsh, Senior writer, Coefficient Giving

Guest: Manoush Zomorodi, Host, TED Radio Hour and author of Body Electric.

And you can watch new episodes of The Gray Area on YouTube. New episodes drop every Monday and Friday.

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Olympic weightlifting, explained - September 2, 2026 - Vox

Olympic weightlifting is defined by only two moves: the snatch and the clean and jerk. But behind what seems like a simple contest to see who can lift the most is a sport built on technique, speed, strategy, and psychology.

We speak to Matthew Tung, a competitive weightlifter who represents Hong Kong internationally, who breaks down how the lifts work, the strategy behind athletes changing their declared weights mid-competition, and how a lifter can miss four of their six attempts and still bring home gold.

In this video, we explore what it really takes to compete in Olympic weightlifting and what the rest of us can learn from athletes who have pushed strength training to the extreme.

Read more about professional weightlifting:

Weightlifting in Olympics: Everything you need to know https://www.olympics.com/en/news/weightlifting-olympics-rules-history-snatch-clean-and-jerk

A Guide to Competitive Weightlifting

https://www.usaweightlifting.org/news/features/2022/july/29/a-guide-to-competitive-weightlifting

Hong Kong’s first pro weightlifter in 12 years had to compete in tracksuit borrowed from footballer, learned to lift from YouTube

https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3253998/hong-kongs-first-pro-weightlifter-12-years-had-compete-tracksuit-borrowed-footballer-and-learned

This Northeastern grad taught himself weightlifting and is now competing internationally

https://news.northeastern.edu/2024/09/10/international-weightlifting-competition-matthew-tung

Unique aspects of competitive weightlifting: performance, training and physiology

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22873835/

This video is presented by Colgate. Colgate doesn’t have a say in our editorial decisions, but they make videos like this one possible.

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Angie Nixon’s playbook to be Florida’s next senator | America, Actually - September 1, 2026 - Vox

Florida state Rep. Angie Nixon overcame a 17-to-1 fundraising gap to win the state’s Democratic Senate primary. Can she score another upset victory in November?

In this special episode of America, Actually, Nixon joins Vox’s Astead Herndon to break down her primary win, her progressive policy stance, and her strategy to become Florida’s next US Senator.

00:00 How Angie Nixon pulled off a stunning upset

01:55 The grassroots strategy that powered her victory

03:38 Can progressive policies win statewide in Florida?

07:01 From union organizer to Senate candidate

11:06 Why progressives struggle to reach Black voters

14:35 Nixon on Israel, Gaza, and supporting BDS

16:39 Policing, public safety, DEI, and reparations

22:49 The Democratic establishment, DSA, and the socialist label

America, Actually publishes video episodes every Saturday tackling key issues in politics, culture, and the economy. Subscribe to Vox’s YouTube channel to get them. Listen to episodes of America, Actually on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite app.

If you enjoy our reporting and want to hear more from Vox journalists, sign up for our Patreon at patreon.com/vox. Each month, our members get access to exclusive videos, livestreams, and chats with our newsroom.

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