Jonquilyn Hill
Appearances
Today, Explained
Fear is the economy killer
You just described some pretty huge structural problems. What exactly changed in this short amount of time?
Today, Explained
Fear is the economy killer
So, you know, Europe gets that Vance shaped wake up call in Munich. And, you know, I also imagine that Trump's take on the war between Russia and Ukraine has also shaken up the continent. What what do you do when that happens? What's the solution that they've come up with?
Today, Explained
Fear is the economy killer
Heather, I have a question. This is just something I've personally wondered. Maybe it's because, like, I was 18 in 2008, but, like, is there, are there, like, what will make me say, oh, girl, there's a recession happening? And she's here. Like, are there things or you just got to wait and see? That's a good one.
Today, Explained
Fear is the economy killer
Are we going to see a real change to the way European lives look? I mean, it's often pointed to Europe as look at the social services they have. Look at, you know, health care, all these different things. Are we getting to the end of that? Is that going to no longer be the standard in Europe?
Today, Explained
Fear is the economy killer
So with all of these changes coming about, are we sure the Europeans are going to stick together? I mean, when it comes down to actually writing these checks, are countries going to follow through?
Today, Explained
Fear is the economy killer
Henry Foy, Brussels Bureau Chief for the Financial Times. Our show today was produced by Miles Bryan and Carla Javier, edited by Jolie Myers, engineered by Andrea, Kristen's daughter, and Patrick Boyd, and fact-checked by Laura Bullard. I'm Jonquan Hill. This was Today Explained. And hey, if you find me kind of endearing, you're in luck. I host a podcast called Explain It To Me.
Today, Explained
Fear is the economy killer
New episodes drop Sundays, right here in the very place you're listening right now.
Today, Explained
Fear is the economy killer
Let's get into the stock market first, because that's where we've seen some of the most dramatic change. Stocks went way up after Trump was elected, and since they've fallen dramatically. Why? What is going on?
Today, Explained
Fear is the economy killer
Are American consumers changing their behavior in reaction to all of this?
Today, Explained
Fear is the economy killer
Tariffs, the stock market, doge cuts. Americans are getting bad vibes from the economy. But if consumers quit spending, a vibe session could turn into a real session. I'm Jonquan Hill, guest hosting today's show. And all this is coming up on today, Explained.
Today, Explained
Fear is the economy killer
Yeah. What impact has we seen on jobs? Are people concerned about that at all?
Today, Explained
Fear is the economy killer
Why does it matter that people are afraid? Does that have an impact on the economy?
Today, Explained
Fear is the economy killer
So the way you're describing the U.S. economy makes it sound like we really depend on buying stuff. Does it have to be that way?
Today, Explained
Fear is the economy killer
Coming up, how Trumponomics is making Europe great again.
Today, Explained
Fear is the economy killer
It's Today Explained. And it turns out things are going kind of okay on the other side of the Atlantic. So we brought on Financial Times Brussels Bureau Chief Henry Foy to get into the Europe of it all.
Today, Explained
Fear is the economy killer
Yeah, we've been talking about the American economy since Trump's election back in November, but I kind of want to rush him on this. I want to get all the different perspectives. How has this played out from the European perspective?
Today, Explained
Our trillion-dollar credit card bill
There was this brief moment a couple years ago when it looked like Americans just might finally get their credit card spending in check. We were spending less during COVID and those federal stimulus checks meant a lot of us were actually making more money.
Today, Explained
Our trillion-dollar credit card bill
How did we get to the point where there can be these wild, wild interest rates?
Today, Explained
Our trillion-dollar credit card bill
So we're at a record high right now, but have Americans always carried credit card debt since these cards have been available?
Today, Explained
Our trillion-dollar credit card bill
Like when you put your Amex on the card and everyone's like, ooh, it's so heavy. It's metal.
Today, Explained
Our trillion-dollar credit card bill
That sounds like a good way to get your credit card information stolen.
Today, Explained
Our trillion-dollar credit card bill
It's Today Explained. I'm Jonquan Hill, filling in as host. And today we're talking to this guy.
Today, Explained
Our trillion-dollar credit card bill
Are there states or lawmakers who are advocating for capping these interest rates right now?
Today, Explained
Our trillion-dollar credit card bill
Nick's been following the rapid growth of credit card debt, talking to banks and credit card companies and regular people dealing with debt. And he says the first thing you've got to understand about credit cards right now is interest rates.
Today, Explained
Our trillion-dollar credit card bill
Is there a way to get off this credit card ride? Like, is there a way you can just opt out and say, I'm not doing this? No, no, no.
Today, Explained
Our trillion-dollar credit card bill
That's CNET's Nick Wolney. You can read his latest on credit cards, Maxed Out, Inside America's Credit Card Debt Crisis, and What We Do Next over at CNET.com. Today's episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlain, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Amina Alsadi, and engineered by Andrea Christian's daughter and Patrick Boyd. I'm Jonquan Hill, and this is Today Explained.
Today, Explained
Our trillion-dollar credit card bill
I wonder, do people understand what they're getting into when they get these high limit, high interest credit cards and then don't pay off their balance every month? Do people even realize that they're getting a high limit, high interest credit card?
Today, Explained
Our trillion-dollar credit card bill
Over the past year and a half, as Americans were putting more on their credit cards than ever before, interest rates rose on those cards by nearly a third.
Today, Explained
Our trillion-dollar credit card bill
As you were doing that explanation, I couldn't help but hear the voice of my mom. Like I remember the first time my credit card limit got raised and I didn't add. They were just like, yeah, hey girl, you want some more thousands to spend? And my mom was like, no, that's what they want. Like, don't do it.
Today, Explained
Our trillion-dollar credit card bill
Coming up on Today Explained, we're revisiting an episode from earlier this year about how Americans racked up over a trillion dollars in credit card debt and what it'll take to get out of it.
Today, Explained
Our trillion-dollar credit card bill
Is this credit card debt evenly distributed throughout demographics or are there subsets of people in the country who are feeling this a lot more?
Today, Explained
Our trillion-dollar credit card bill
I want to talk about the almighty credit score, like which is part of the reason people even get credit cards in the first place. You know, you needed to get a car. You need to get a house like you need it for all these things. What is this doing to people's credit scores?
Today, Explained
Our trillion-dollar credit card bill
Yeah, I guess it's like it's it's one of those things where it's like, OK, in the grand scheme, you probably need a credit card before your frontal lobe develops. But it's like, should you have a credit card before your frontal lobe develops? I don't know. I think of me at 21. No, take that away from her.
Today, Explained
Our trillion-dollar credit card bill
More with CNET's Nick Wolney when Today Explained returns.
Today, Explained
Our trillion-dollar credit card bill
Today Explained, we're back with CNET's Nick Wolney talking credit cards. Okay, Nick, wasn't there legislation post-financial crisis that was supposed to fix all of this and ease the burden on credit card holders?
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
It seems like, you know, they're paying attention to the regulations. They're doing something, but they're not doing any more than they really have to or, you know, as of now, need to do. Does this mean that bright headlights aren't a safety issue? The fact that they're not being regulated more?
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
There's literally a subreddit dedicated to this. And there are even scientists who dedicate their time to setting it. Like John Bullough, a research scientist at the Light and Health Research Center at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
Yeah, and you know, NHTSA is not the only player here. There's also car manufacturers. How are they responding? Because it sounds like their customers are not happy.
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
That's writer Nate Rogers. If regulators and car companies aren't taking action, is there anything we can do to avoid getting blinded on the roads? One more break and we'll find out. We're back. We've talked about the rules of the road, or lack thereof, when it comes to bright headlights. How are we supposed to manage while we wait for regulations to catch up?
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
Automotive and tech journalist Tim Stevens told me the worst offenders actually aren't new cars.
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
Okay, I want to get some clarity because you're blowing my mind a little bit here. So if I get a car with these headlights, it's not an accident. I have to actively choose to get these bright-ass headlights.
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
Yeah. Speaking of everyone else, is there anything we can do to get these modified lights dimmed?
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
A constant refrain we've heard working on this episode is that there's difficulty regulating and car manufacturers aren't exactly springing into action. Is there an effort to develop technology that could successfully dim these LED headlights?
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
Can you tell us more about that adaptive beam technology? You know, is it successful? How does that work?
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
Okay. In the meantime, while we're waiting for that to happen, are there things we can do when we're driving at night if we're struggling to see with those bright lights?
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
I'd love to get your thoughts on the question we got from our listener. Are headlights brighter than they used to be?
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
Remember John Belot, who ended up having and loving a job no kid dreams of, being a lighting scientist? I asked him what solutions he'd suggest for the bright lights problem too.
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
Is there any chance that we could get something from federal regulators that all automakers would be required to do across the country?
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
Before we go, we wanted to go back to Mark Baker, the guy who says he was so incapacitated by headlights that he had to quit his job. He's obviously thought a lot about helping people avoid being triggered by overly bright headlights.
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
Thanks so much to Mark Baker and all our car and lighting experts who helped us answer Reid's question today. We're making a show soon about post-high school graduation blues. If you have a question about those next steps, give us a call at 1-800-618-8545. This episode was produced and sound designed by Hadi Mawagdi. It was edited by Miranda Kennedy. It was fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch.
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
And Patrick Boyd was our engineer this week. I'm your host, Jonquan Hill. Talk to you soon. Bye.
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
And does that include LED lights and non-LED lights that have gotten brighter, or is it just these LED lights that are brighter?
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
Okay, so LED and non-LED lights are brighter, both low beam and high beam. But for the purpose of this conversation, let's focus on LED lights. That's the industry standard, right?
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
Are there other factors coming into play when we talk about the brightness of headlights and drivers?
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
What's happening because it feels like everyone has their brights all up in my car. It looks like y'all got ring lights for your headlights.
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
John, thank you so much for confirming that our listener, Reid, is not losing it. Yes, lights are indeed brighter than ever, but they're also appearing brighter than ever. We're going to say goodbye to John for now, but when we're back, we'll find out who's responsible for these bright lights.
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
Hey there, I'm John Glenn Hill, and this is Explain It To Me, where we answer the questions that matter to you most.
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
Can somebody please just explain it to me? And these days... I only really get behind the wheel when I'm out of town. So when I noticed a change in cars on the road, I thought it was just me. But then we got a call from Reed and he also worried it was just him.
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
We're back. It's Explain It To Me. Looking at why headlights are so bright these days, it's a question that's literally tormented our next guest, Mark Baker. He says that his intense experience with headlights led him to a diagnosis of mild autism and changed his life. He now runs an organization to protect people from the impacts of LEDs, the Soft Lights Foundation.
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
How did you get involved in this? Like what inspired you to, you know, take this up?
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
I understand you've had quite a few people sign a petition about this. Could you talk about that a little bit?
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
Marks also lobbied Congress to get a hearing on the impact of LED headlights, and he's tried working with state legislatures to pass light intensity laws, but he has as of yet to score a W for all his efforts. So how did we get here? We reached out to Nate Rogers, who explored all this in his extensive article for The Ringer called Asleep at the Wheel in the Headlight Brightness Wars.
Today, Explained
Blinded by the headlights
Why did car manufacturers make that switch in the first place?
Today, Explained
Retire? In this economy?!
How would you like to listen to Explain It To Me without any ads? Vox members now get ad-free podcasts. Members get all kinds of cool benefits as a thank you for supporting our work. Stuff like unlimited reading on our website and exclusive newsletters. Go to vox.com slash members right now to sign up.
Today, Explained
Retire? In this economy?!
So depending on a lot of different factors, some of us may be in the workforce longer than we anticipated, or we may have to go back on the job market after we've left it. How can generations work together in the workplace? Stay tuned.
Today, Explained
Retire? In this economy?!
Okay, so we heard from a lot of you about your concerns around 401ks, but we also got a call from Marsha in Oklahoma who had another kind of concern about her generation.
Today, Explained
Retire? In this economy?!
Our producer Gabrielle called Marsha back to hear more about her new job working for the city of Tulsa.
Today, Explained
Retire? In this economy?!
We posed Marsha's question to Professor Bobby Duffy. He lives across the pond where he studies generational differences at the Policy Institute at King's College London.
Today, Explained
Retire? In this economy?!
What are some of the big questions you have about retirement right now?
Today, Explained
Retire? In this economy?!
You studied how much these stereotypes hold up in reality. What data were you collecting and where from?
Today, Explained
Retire? In this economy?!
Did you find that these generational stereotypes hold up to reality?
Today, Explained
Retire? In this economy?!
I just worked eight hours and you expect me to go make dinner right now?
Today, Explained
Retire? In this economy?!
Are there benefits you've found to intergenerational workplaces?
Today, Explained
Retire? In this economy?!
Do you have any practical tips for baby boomers who are navigating intergenerational workplaces? And especially for those who maybe were like stopped working, now they're back or, you know, it's like, OK, I'm going to have to work a little longer. I'm going to be with people who are younger than me. How should they navigate that?
Today, Explained
Retire? In this economy?!
Oh, really? Yeah. We shared what we learned from Professor Bobby with Marsha.
Today, Explained
Retire? In this economy?!
This is Noah Shidelower, economy reporter at Business Insider. He has a particular focus on older Americans. I called him up because he's heard from more than 3,000 baby boomers.
Today, Explained
Retire? In this economy?!
I appreciate it. Thanks to everyone who called in to share your experiences for this episode. Coming up, we're doing an episode about personal style. Why it's so hard to figure out what to wear and what not to wear and where to even start when it comes to developing your style. Are you trying to find it? Or have you already figured it out? If you did, how'd you do it?
Today, Explained
Retire? In this economy?!
Give us a call and leave us a message. Our number is 1-800-618-8545. This episode was produced by Gabrielle Berbet and Carla Javier, who also runs our show. It was edited by our executive producer, Miranda Kennedy. Melissa Hirsch checked the facts. Andrea, Kristen's daughter, and Patrick Boyd mixed and engineered. And I'm John Fullen Hill. Talk to you soon. Bye.
Today, Explained
Retire? In this economy?!
What are you looking for to better understand how this economy is impacting older Americans?
Today, Explained
Retire? In this economy?!
For those that are panicking, are they panicking unnecessarily? Do they need to be this concerned?
Today, Explained
Retire? In this economy?!
Okay, so don't do anything you would regret. Easier said than done, though. So how can you prepare for the worst case scenario? I'm going to ask one of my favorite personal finance columnists after this break.
Today, Explained
Retire? In this economy?!
We're back. It's Explain It To Me. And I'm here now with Michelle Singletary, personal finance columnist with The Washington Post.
Today, Explained
Retire? In this economy?!
Hey, you're listening to Explain It To Me. I'm Jonquan Hill, and I know I'm not supposed to, but after hearing all of this news about the economy, its ups, its downs, I did the thing they tell us not to do. I looked at my 401k, and you guys, it was not cute. I started to worry. I even more so for my parents and other people their age.
Today, Explained
Retire? In this economy?!
Yeah, what do you fear that could happen? What's the worst-case scenario?
Today, Explained
Retire? In this economy?!
Okay, so I was particularly interested in this episode because my parents are boomers. And, you know, I tend to give that generation a lot of grief. But it does come from a place of love. You know, what advice do you have for listeners who are like me, where you want to be able to help the older people in your life, whether that's with advice or anything else?
Today, Explained
Retire? In this economy?!
How do you recommend that listeners start that conversation with the retirement age folks in their lives?
Today, Explained
Retire? In this economy?!
What should people prioritize when they look at their finances?
Today, Explained
Retire? In this economy?!
What advice do you have for people who are at retirement age but haven't been able to save as much? Is there anything they can do to play catch up?
Today, Explained
Retire? In this economy?!
They're so much closer to needing that money than I am right now.
Today, Explained
Retire? In this economy?!
Financial advice can admittedly be a little frustrating because I think we hear the same thing over and over again, you know, like sit tight, stay the course, don't make any rash decisions. What do you say to people who feel antsy right now who want a different answer than what they usually hear? Yeah.
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
All right, Joe. Thank you so much for explaining this to us.
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
Coming up, what if I told you there's a potential cure-all on the horizon? Would you try it? That's after the break. It's Explain It To Me and we're back, this time with my colleague Dylan Scott, who covers health for Vox. Okay, so we've spoken about seasonal allergies and related issues with indoor air quality. How effective are the allergy medications that are available over the counter?
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
You know, it feels like there are so many options. You've got your pills, your sprays, all these different things. What is the landscape like?
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
So, your reporting shows that, you know, we might be on the cusp of another medication revolution for allergies, almost like the one allergy cure to rule them all. But it's not a new medication per se. There's some history there.
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
I'm plagued by them myself. As the weather gets warmer, there's this fine gold dust that settles on everything and that's when the sneezing really begins. And it makes sense. One in five kids are allergic to pollen and about a quarter of all adults are too. Wir werden darüber sprechen, wie wir sie besser machen, aber bevor wir das ausarbeiten können, müssen wir verstehen, woher sie kommen.
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
So, you know, we've talked about Zolaire in the context of seasonal allergies, but are there other allergies that this medication could help with?
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
Also habe ich Tanilu Tumala gesprochen. Sie ist ein Ehr-, Nose- und Schmerzschwester bei NYU Langone Health.
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
That honestly is amazing. I'm sure there are plenty of people who will be able to say, oh my gosh, I can have shellfish or peanut butter or these things that I have not been able to have. What is the cost of Zolaire looking like? You know, pharmaceuticals are notoriously expensive.
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
Also, gerade jetzt, die vorderste Pollen, mit der wir uns beschäftigen, ist die Baumwolle. And so when trees grow, they produce pollen. And a lot of times these pollen, the pollen is dispersed, especially early in the mornings. And when certain individuals, not everyone, but unfortunately, when certain individuals breathe in this pollen, it triggers an immune response inside their bodies.
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
Earlier we heard from an ear, nose and throat doctor about how climate change is making allergy seasons longer and more intense. Do you feel like American science is ready to face these challenges, you know, with so many attacks from the Trump administration on federal funding for scientific research?
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
Mit dieser Immunreaktion erzeugt man eine Kaskade von inflammierenden Reaktionen. Es werden also bestimmte Zellen im Körper aktiviert, die alle diese inflammierenden Marker erzeugen, z.B. Histamin. Dies schafft viele verschiedene Symptome. Aus der Nasensicht her sind die Hauptsymptome Nasenkongestion, also, dass es schwerer ist, durch den Mund zu atmen.
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
Es schafft Schnaufen, und es schafft eine Menge Nasendrainage und Mucosproduktion.
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
Ist die Allergie-Saison jetzt anders als in der Vergangenheit?
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
Die Allergie-Saison hat sich in den letzten Jahren verändert. Und es gibt ein paar Gründe dafür. Und einer der Gründe, die ich wirklich wichtig finde, ist der Klimawandel. Also in den letzten 30 bis 50 Jahren, als das Umfeld wärmer geworden ist, As precipitation patterns have changed, the data also shows that the pollen allergy season has changed as well.
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
But basically over the past like 30 to 50 years or so, the pollen season is about three weeks longer. And there's slight variation depending on what region you're looking at in the US. And there's about 20% more pollen in the air. So with warmer temperatures starting earlier in the year, the ground thaws and trees are able to grow earlier in the year.
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
Im Sommer, weil es nicht so kalt und schnell wird und der Boden nicht so schnell kühlt, steckt die Radweihpollen länger als früher. Das ist der Grund, weshalb wir das langweilig sehen, weil es einen früheren Anfang der Pollenallergie-Saison gibt und die Pollenallergie-Saison länger im Sommer dauert.
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
Okay, so this makes something in my life make sense because it'll be fall and I'm like, oh, is this a cold? Is it flu? And then I test negative for that, but I take allergy medication. I feel better. And I'm like, oh, that explains that. Should we expect seasonal allergies to just continue to get worse as climate change keeps going? So.
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
Es gibt Studien, die versucht haben, zukünftige Projekte zu schauen, wie sich die Pollenallergie-Saison weiter verändert und verändert wird. Yeah, I want to get into impact now. What are the most common complaints you hear from your patients when it comes to seasonal allergies? Whenever the trees start blooming like now, the bugs start coming out.
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
Es gibt ein paar Symptome, die ich von Patienten oft höre. Und der große ist, dass ich durch meinen Nase nicht atmen kann. Und ich fühle mich immer, als ob mein Nase flüssig ist oder ich immer meinen Nase schlagen muss. Und natürlich gibt es nur das ständige Gefühl, dass man schnauzen muss oder ständig schnauzen muss. Es ist du!
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
Und was ich von meinen Patienten oft höre, sind die spezifischen Symptome, die nach allergischer Rhinitis auftreten, nämlich die Nasenallergie-Symptome. Und die drei Hauptsymptome sind Nasenkongestion, Schwierigkeit, durch den Nase zu atmen, erhöhte Mucosproduktion, also wie eine Postnasendrüppung oder ständig deinen Nase zu blöden und dann zu atmen.
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
Aber dann ist ein zweiter Wunsch, den ich von meinen Patienten oft höre, ist, dass ich nicht alle Nacht schlafen kann, dass ich nicht gut durch meinen Nase atme, das beeinflusst meine Schlafqualität. Und dann auch, ich fühle mich nicht, dass ich während des Tages so gut aufmerksam bin. Und das ist tatsächlich ein riesiges Verständnis in Kindern auch.
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
Studien haben gezeigt, dass Kinder, die Allergien haben, ob es zu Pollen, Mold, Schmerzen, Tierverletzungen sind, sie sind auch nicht so gut in der Schule, in bestimmten Studien, weil sie von ihren Allergien-Symptomen beeinflusst sind. Und das beeinflusst ihre Möglichkeit, sich während des Schuljahres aufmerksam zu machen.
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
Gibt es mehr seriöse Auswirkungen an Allergien?
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
So basically when you're introduced to these allergens, and we're talking about pollen here specifically, and it creates this immune reaction in the body that then causes this cascade of the inflammatory reaction, that can increase your risk of having an asthma attack, which is a huge respiratory concern and definitely is a major driver of people having to go to the emergency department to be able to protect their breathing.
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
Is there anything you want our listeners to know before we let you go?
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
Anything we haven't touched on? There's a lot of different ways that climate change is impacting allergies beyond just pollen allergies. One of the other things that we're seeing is the increased risk of mold exposure with worsening natural disasters in the face of climate change.
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
I've had allergies my whole life. When trees grow they produce pollen. Allergies suck.
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
Explain It To Me is back. And unfortunately, so are your allergies. And the worst of it is, you can't escape them inside. Enter Joseph Allen. He's the director of Harvard's Healthy Buildings Program.
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
Hey, I'm John Glenn Hill, and you're listening to Explain It To Me, the podcast where we answer the questions that matter most to you. A couple weeks ago, we asked to hear about your allergy struggles, and we found out a lot of you have them.
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
Wissen wir, wie prävalent Allergien für Indoor-Allergen sind?
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
I would love to go back in time and kind of talk about the history of this building quality situation. Let's start back in the mid-1800s and take us on through. What's it looking like? What do we know?
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
I'm curious how those disparities show up when it comes to indoor air quality.
Today, Explained
Why are my allergies getting worse?
Okay, sagen wir, jemand hört das und sagt, lass mich mein Indoor-Leib zusammenbringen. Lass mich mein Indoor-Aeroqualität-Leib zusammenbringen. Was empfiehlst du, dass sie tun? Gibt es Dinge, die sie kaufen sollten, Dinge, die sie tun sollten?
Today, Explained
Did diversity ever work ... at work?
OK. Admittedly, you know, when I hear that, especially comparisons to lunch counters, like my initial gut reaction is to eye roll. And I'm kind of curious what you think about this idea on the right that there should be this kind of, quote unquote, colorblind equality.
Today, Explained
Did diversity ever work ... at work?
Is this just going to kind of be a rebrand? Like we're just going to find different words to use for these programs?
Today, Explained
Did diversity ever work ... at work?
So that's what companies have to do. But what does it mean for you if you work at a company rolling back its DEI initiatives? That's after the break. It's Explain It To Me. We're back with another question from our caller, Em.
Today, Explained
Did diversity ever work ... at work?
OK, so our caller M also had another question that I want to play for you.
Today, Explained
Did diversity ever work ... at work?
Okay, I want to play you a question from another caller. His name is Chang, and I'd love to know what you think about this question.
Today, Explained
Did diversity ever work ... at work?
To get an answer to this question, I knew just who to talk to, Abdullah Fayyad.
Today, Explained
Did diversity ever work ... at work?
Okay, let's talk through what we mean when we talk about DEI. I think we should stay focused on private companies instead of the federal sector, because that could be its own conversation. But yeah, what exactly are we talking about?
Today, Explained
Did diversity ever work ... at work?
Okay, so what does all of this mean for employees? Should people be worried about their jobs right now? Let's go back to Vox.com policy correspondent Abdullah Fayyad.
Today, Explained
Did diversity ever work ... at work?
So I'm curious what you think about this idea of using business practices to create more equity in the world. You know, people... quote Audre Lorde a lot, the master's tools can never dismantle the master's house. Is it naive to think that this is a way to enact change and create a more equitable workplace?
Today, Explained
Did diversity ever work ... at work?
All right, Abdullah, thank you so much for explaining this to us.
Today, Explained
Did diversity ever work ... at work?
Okay, that's it for us this week, y'all. After last week's episode on men and dating, a lot of you wrote in to ask us to talk about women's perspectives. Well, we heard you, and we are. Next week, we'll be talking about the women of Gen X and whether or not they're really having the best sex of their lives right now. Let us know what you think about this week's episode.
Today, Explained
Did diversity ever work ... at work?
And if you have a question you want answered, something you want us to explore, give us a call. The number is 1-800-618-8545 or you can send a voice memo to askvox at vox.com. This episode was produced by Hadi Mawagdi. It was edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, with sound design by Patrick Boyd. I'm your host, Jonquan Hill. Thanks so much for listening. Talk to you soon.
Today, Explained
Did diversity ever work ... at work?
Yeah, what does it actually look like? You know, I feel like it's a buzzword that gets thrown around. I mean, we saw Kendrick Lamar perform at the Super Bowl halftime show. And there were people who reacted and said, this is a DEI halftime show. And that is not what we're talking about when it comes to these businesses. How does DEI manifest in companies today?
Today, Explained
Did diversity ever work ... at work?
We've ended the journey of so-called diversity, equity and inclusion policies.
Today, Explained
Did diversity ever work ... at work?
You know, these companies have chosen to diversify even though they weren't required to. What's the reason they give for going above and beyond when it comes to these initiatives?
Today, Explained
Did diversity ever work ... at work?
Yeah, you know, it's interesting. Em was curious, you know, in saying, am I being too cynical? Like, is this just about business? Is this just saying, okay, this is the best way to be profitable? Or is it kind of like, oh, out of the goodness of our hearts, We want to better represent America in our business. Sort of what's the thought process behind these decisions?
Today, Explained
Did diversity ever work ... at work?
OK, so there are these instances where DEI policies are in place, but they aren't all that effective. We've talked a little bit about this pendulum swing from DEI, and it's happened both on the right and on the left. When did we start to see that pendulum swing back on DEI? How did we go from like, you know, this peak moment in 2020 to where we are now?
Today, Explained
Did diversity ever work ... at work?
All right. Thanks, Abdullah. I want you to stay close because I have a few more questions for you. But first, we're going to take a second to talk with an innovator in the world of diversity, equity and inclusion about where DEI falls short. That's coming up next on Explain It To Me. This is Explain It To Me. We're back. And today we're getting to what all the hullabaloo around DEI means.
Today, Explained
Did diversity ever work ... at work?
We reached out to Eric Ellis. He's the CEO and president of a corporate coaching organization called Integrity Development. Basically, a lot of his job is to help companies meet their diversity, equity and inclusion goals. Right now, in 2025, those feel like buzzwords. But Eric's been in the game a long time.
Today, Explained
Did diversity ever work ... at work?
Hey, y'all. I'm Jonquan Hill, and this is Explain It To Me, your hotline for the questions that matter most to you. You've reached the Explain It To Me hotline. You've got questions.
Today, Explained
Did diversity ever work ... at work?
I want to take us to the now. You know, earlier in the show, we talked with my colleague, Abdullah Fayyad, and he walked us through, you know, this backlash against DEI and how it predates Trump. But since coming into office, President Trump has instituted a lot of big changes in the federal workplace and also at universities because, you know, federal grants.
Today, Explained
Did diversity ever work ... at work?
Have you seen a major change in how for-profit companies are responding to this in the wake of the Trump administration?
Today, Explained
Did diversity ever work ... at work?
You know, it's really interesting to think of, I don't know, the values companies hold, because, you know, we saw all these black squares in 2020, all of these, and now it's just such a reversal. I'm like, just the pendulum has been swinging back and forth. And it's kind of like, okay, well, what is it you actually think and believe?
Today, Explained
Did diversity ever work ... at work?
OK, I'm glad you brought up white guys, because speaking of white guys, we need to talk about where a lot of this stems from. You know, recently, a New York Times podcast interviewed the conservative activist Chris Ruffo. He played a major role in rolling back affirmative action. And he also came up with a lot of the anti-DEI policies that the Trump administration is implementing right now.
Today, Explained
Did diversity ever work ... at work?
I want to play a quick clip from that for you.
Today, Explained
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
Yeah, this seems so sticky because... There aren't really federal laws protecting genetic data. Are there any safeguards out there, maybe on like a different level, a state level, something? Is there anything out there?
Today, Explained
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
So the market for genetic data testing was really booming at one point. What happens next? Is this going to go away?
Today, Explained
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
Okay, so now you've got what you need to reach out to the family you didn't previously know you had. How do you go about doing that, though? That's next.
Today, Explained
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
That definitely got my antenna up, so we gave her a call. It turns out she was looking for her dad. I always knew my dad was out there somewhere. When she first reached out to us, she'd never met him.
Today, Explained
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
We're back. It's Explain It to Me. And Libby Copeland's book, Lost Family, looks at how DNA technology has impacted families. I wanted to know what got her so interested in this.
Today, Explained
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
You know, if someone's taken one of these at-home DNA tests and they realize they have a family member, how should they go about trying to connect with them?
Today, Explained
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
And what's the proper way to go about this? You know, do you show up on their doorstep? Do you DM them on Instagram? Do you write a letter? Like what what do you do?
Today, Explained
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
So I want to ask you something about the caller who sparked this episode. Her name's Hannah, and she found her dad on Ancestry.com, and she found out she has five siblings. What approach would you suggest in that kind of situation?
Today, Explained
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
What did you know about your dad growing up? Did you know him at all?
Today, Explained
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
I guess there's a question of what do you do with that? But I think it's also a question of... What are people looking for when they're looking to connect with new family? Yeah. You know, are you trying to figure out like, oh, where did I get my eyes? Are you trying to figure out where did I get my personality? Are you trying to figure out genetic health? All of it. Yeah. Right?
Today, Explained
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
I also wonder how much we should make of the similarities we see in family that's found when it comes to personality traits, you know? Yeah. I guess it's that nature versus nurture question.
Today, Explained
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
Yeah, Libby, in all of this talk of found family, we haven't really talked about managing the existing family you have. How do people juggle that desire to find out about new family members without unintentionally hurting or alienating the people who have been there for them all along?
Today, Explained
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
Do you think at-home DNA tests have been a net positive?
Today, Explained
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
That was Libby Copeland. Thanks, Libby. Also thanks to Emily Mullen and to Hannah for telling us her story. If you have questions you want us to explore, give us a call. Right now we're working on a show about recession pop and other recession indicators. What questions do you have about how to measure the scale of what's on our economic horizon? That's 1-800-618-8545.
Today, Explained
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
How did you feel about that growing up? I mean, knowing that you had your dad out there, but not really having that relationship with him.
Today, Explained
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
This episode was produced by Hadi Milwagdi. It was edited by our executive producer, Miranda Kennedy. Fact-checking by Melissa Hirsch. Engineering by Brandon McFarlane and Patrick Boyd. I'm your host, Jon Glenn Hill. Thank you so much for listening. Talk to you soon. Bye!
Today, Explained
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
So you emailed us and before this conversation, you and I had a shorter conversation and you told me that... I actually recently found him. What? Yeah, I know.
Today, Explained
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
just awesome okay so originally you wrote us to ask how do you find a long-lost relative but you found not just one but five others in addition how can we help you now what are some things we can explain for you
Today, Explained
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
We gotta take a break, but when we come back, why there's controversy around finding family members.
Today, Explained
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
We're back. If you've used at-home DNA tests to find out where your family's from or your genetic information, you might have some questions right about now, especially around privacy. Because 23andMe, one of the companies behind these at-home tests, has filed for bankruptcy. I called up Emily Mullen, who covers biotech for Wired.
Today, Explained
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
I asked her to start by walking us through the history of these at-home DNA tests.
Today, Explained
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
OK, so 23andMe wasn't the only, you know, at home DNA testing site that we had. There's also Ancestry.com and there are others. But right now I want to stick with 23andMe. So originally this company was huge. It was gigantic. You could walk into Target or Walmart and see a whole wall of tests. Like what what happened?
Today, Explained
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
Okay, we spoke with a listener named Hannah, and she used Ancestry.com to find her father, but it turns out she didn't even need to use her DNA. There was information already there. Is that common? How much of our DNA is already on these sites?
Today, Explained
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
So fast forward and 23andMe's declared bankruptcy. What exactly happened? How did we get there?
Today, Explained
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
So what can you do if you've submitted your DNA to 23andMe, but you're like, wait, what's going to happen to my data? Is it going to go to like TBD company? Yeah.
Today, Explained
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
This is Explain It To Me. I'm Jonquan Hill. Each week, we answer the questions that matter to you most, like what our weird economic outlook could mean for you. But sometimes we get a question that's way more personal than that.
Today, Explained
Why does dating suck for guys?
This is Explain It To Me. I'm Jonquan Hill. And this is producer Hadi Mawagdi.
Today, Explained
Why does dating suck for guys?
Okay, Hadi. Our caller Rohan told us he's not necessarily looking for dating advice, but he does want support. Like a role-playing public service-y kind of thing to help him learn how to approach women in real life and online. Were you able to find that for him?
Today, Explained
Why does dating suck for guys?
model they don't have that big brother that's taking them out and going oh here's what you do next here's this because big brother's in the room playing video games and eating pizza just like they are okay so these are thoughtful men they've struggled with relationships they've learned a lot and now they have the water tank in austin thanks for taking us there hottie okay let's go to charlie who runs the group
Today, Explained
Why does dating suck for guys?
Yeah. OK, this is very good advice, but I understand how it can elicit eye rolls from men who are struggling with dating. You know, I've heard my fair share of like, oh, you need to work out yourself. Love comes in, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And I've like I've been it. Listen, I've been in the trenches. I have been on those apps. It is rough out here.
Today, Explained
Why does dating suck for guys?
Like, what do you say to men who are like, OK, that's fine. But like, yeah, I'm still not getting dates. I still haven't found my person. Like, OK, I love me. Now what? Yeah.
Today, Explained
Why does dating suck for guys?
Charlie, we invited you on the show because, you know, we got a call from one of our listeners, Rohan, and he is struggling to meet women. He says he doesn't usually approach women in public. What should he do?
Today, Explained
Why does dating suck for guys?
Hey, y'all. I'm John Glenn Hill, and this is Explain It To Me, your hotline for the questions that matter most to you. We recently got a call from Rohan.
Today, Explained
Why does dating suck for guys?
I wonder how do you get past... you know, the quote unquote cringe of it all. I think, you know, I don't know if it's the internet. I don't know what it is about the time we're in, but it's like any sense of earnestness is considered embarrassing, but it takes earnestness to make the kind of connections you're talking about. How do you get past that?
Today, Explained
Why does dating suck for guys?
That was Charlie McKeever. Today's show was about men, but in a couple weeks, we'll be talking about women and their dating lives. Specifically, Gen X women and how they're navigating sex. How has your sex life changed through the decades? Anything surprise you? Give us a call at 1-800-618-8545 or send a voice memo to askvox at vox.com. This episode was produced by Hadi Mawagdi.
Today, Explained
Why does dating suck for guys?
It was fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, edited by Miranda Kennedy, with mixing by Patrick Boyd. Our supervising producer is Carla Javier, and I'm Jonquan Hill. Talk to you next week. Bye!
Today, Explained
Why does dating suck for guys?
Yeah. And you piqued my interest. I wanted to hear more about how it's going for Rohan.
Today, Explained
Why does dating suck for guys?
Yeah, I'm curious. Do you and your friends ever talk about this? Like, what kind of conversations do you guys have with each other about this?
Today, Explained
Why does dating suck for guys?
Yeah, I definitely get what you mean. Like, you know, I've seen my fair share of colorism in dating, especially in my early 20s. It sounds like you use dating apps. Do you mind telling me which ones you're on?
Today, Explained
Why does dating suck for guys?
He wants to know why people in their 20s and 30s are dating less.
Today, Explained
Why does dating suck for guys?
Ooh, okay. I am well-versed in all three of these apps. Okay, walk me through your approach. So, like, say you're on an app, you see a woman you want to match with. Like, what's the next step?
Today, Explained
Why does dating suck for guys?
I'm sorry, Rohan. That's all right. That sucks. That is like not OK. And that sucks.
Today, Explained
Why does dating suck for guys?
Yeah, it's like people forget, no, you're talking to another person on the end of that phone.
Today, Explained
Why does dating suck for guys?
So that's kind of like the landscape of stuff online. I'm curious, do you ever try to approach women like IRL?
Today, Explained
Why does dating suck for guys?
He's asking because he's been having his own trouble on the dating scene. The state of dating, particularly for men, has been everywhere.
Today, Explained
Why does dating suck for guys?
Yeah, I get what you're saying. It's this idea of like, OK, no one wants to be creepy. No one wants to be cringe. But people do want to know where they stand. But you kind of have to be forward in that way and risk the, oh, does someone think I'm creepy? Does someone think I'm cringe to get that clarity?
Today, Explained
Why does dating suck for guys?
If you could come away with like something after listening to the episode, what would you want it to be? Like I have marching orders or I feel good about what I've learned.
Today, Explained
Why does dating suck for guys?
Okay, so we're gonna get Rohan some dating help. And look, I'm no man expert. So Hadi, our producer who you met earlier. Hi. He paid a visit to a men's relationship group at a bar in Austin to figure out how we can be Rohan's proverbial wingman.
Today, Explained
Why does dating suck for guys?
That's coming up. We're going to figure out how to help guys get dates. Stay tuned.
Today, Explained
Why does dating suck for guys?
It's Explain It To Me. I'm Jonquan Hill. Before the break, we heard from a caller who's struggling in the romance department. And when it comes to all matters of the heart, there's one go-to person here at Vox. Senior reporter Allie Volpe. Okay, Allie, is Rohan an outlier or do his struggles with dating sound familiar to you? I don't think he's an outlier at all.
Today, Explained
Why does dating suck for guys?
Producer Hadi Mawagdi knows about them firsthand. Okay, Hadi, you were pretty excited about taking this question from Rohan. Why was that?
Today, Explained
Why does dating suck for guys?
We all know that TikTok where it's like, you know, if you found somebody on apps, you got the last chopper out of nom. But it seems like guys specifically are having issues. Why is that happening?
Today, Explained
Why does dating suck for guys?
But it sounds like the standards have also changed. What's changed and why have they changed?
Today, Explained
Is a house still a good investment?
To get an answer, I called up James Rodriguez, senior real estate reporter at Business Insider. Do you ever just like scroll through Zillow dreaming of what it would be like to own your own home or am I telling on myself?
Today, Explained
Is a house still a good investment?
You know, we've been talking about these climate scores as a way to help people find a home to buy, but so much of our wealth in America is tied up in home ownership. I wonder if there's a flip side to this where it's negatively impacting home values.
Today, Explained
Is a house still a good investment?
of property value in in specific neighborhoods overall how much of a science versus an art is it to factor in climate change predictions like you know there's geopolitics there's a human factor on top of weather and all these external events like how do you do that
Today, Explained
Is a house still a good investment?
OK, so the story is bigger than just climate. And in fact, the story of home buying is bigger than any one single factor. What that means for those of us still considering opting into the Home Ownership Society and also what to do if you aren't. That's coming up after this break. We're back. This is Explain It To Me, and I was super excited to get to call up our next guest.
Today, Explained
Is a house still a good investment?
So the conventional wisdom is that buying a home is the way to build wealth in here in America. Is that true? Has that ever been true?
Today, Explained
Is a house still a good investment?
OK, so I have to admit, I am a brown ambition listener. You know, I'm trying to get my big girl finances in order. So I'm very happy to be talking with you today about homeownership, which feels like one of the big girl finance things.
Today, Explained
Is a house still a good investment?
Yeah. It's interesting. This question we got jumped out to me because it's one that I have too. So I'm a renter and I have a lot of friends who have bought or just starting to buy. And I admit that I have not completely given up a little bit of a dream of owning a sexy condo in the city. Like that is how I see it.
Today, Explained
Is a house still a good investment?
I don't know if I'm like, I'm not trying to have a yard or anything, but you know, I could, I could live in a condo.
Today, Explained
Is a house still a good investment?
Yeah. And we've been told for years that buying a home is this important milestone for adulthood. And, you know, it's this first step to building equity and wealth and generational wealth. I wonder what you make of the question from our listener. Like, should she buy a house? Is this something she should be working towards?
Today, Explained
Is a house still a good investment?
Yeah. So if you sit down and you go through these numbers, you do the checklist, you find out where you are emotionally, lifestyle, and you're like, okay, buying a house, that is for me, that is what I want to do. What are the first steps? What do you suggest that a person do?
Today, Explained
Is a house still a good investment?
Like you're a different person than we talk about right now.
Today, Explained
Is a house still a good investment?
When people are looking at their finances, is there a limit on how much they should budget for home ownership-related costs?
Today, Explained
Is a house still a good investment?
that's if you want to buy a home but say you can't buy a house or you know there are some of us who just don't want to how do you build that equity because home ownership is kind of raised as this this is how you do it this is how you get a net worth this is how you do xyz what if you don't want to buy into that what can you do oh you get some bitcoin obviously no just kidding
Today, Explained
Is a house still a good investment?
That's Mandy Woodruff-Santos. You can find her on her podcast, Brown Ambition. We're working on a show about what to do after you graduate. If you're in middle school or high school and have thoughts about what you want to do after you get your diploma, give us a call. 1-800-618-8545. This episode was produced by Hadi Mawagdi and Carla Javier, who also runs our show.
Today, Explained
Is a house still a good investment?
It was edited by a different Miranda than our caller, Miranda Kennedy, with fact-checking by Melissa Hirsch and engineering by Andrea Christenstadter. Special thanks to Bird Pinkerton. I'm your host, Jonquilin Hill. Talk to you soon. Bye!
Today, Explained
Is a house still a good investment?
Yeah, I want to talk a little bit about why that conventional wisdom around home buying and building wealth isn't hitting quite like it used to. What's different for today's homebuyers? Hmm.
Today, Explained
Is a house still a good investment?
Is this the case in particular for zoomers and millennials who are looking to buy homes in their 20s and 30s? Like, it just feels so like, I don't know, I just think of, oh, baby boomers, they got to get their house for like $5. And now the rest of us have been priced out. And they're aging in place. Like, there's just so much. And I don't want to just blame baby boomers.
Today, Explained
Is a house still a good investment?
Hey, I'm Jonquan Hill and this is Explain It To Me, the show where you call 1-800-618-8545 and we find the answers to the questions that matter most to you. Miranda Hales from the Twin Cities and called in with a question that's on more than a few people's minds.
Today, Explained
Is a house still a good investment?
It's very easy to do that. That's a little unfair. But yeah, what's what's keeping these younger generations out?
Today, Explained
Is a house still a good investment?
Yeah. Can you sort of run through kind of what the home buying experience and, you know, growth has been like from the boomer side and then sort of compare it to how it goes now?
Today, Explained
Is a house still a good investment?
What would it mean for the economy if housing wasn't this go-to way to build wealth? Like if that was not the answer for how do I get a net worth?
Today, Explained
Is a house still a good investment?
That threat of wildfires and floods James mentioned, it's real. How much has climate change raised insurance prices and how much should we really worry about that when we're thinking of buying a home? That's coming up after the break.
Today, Explained
Is a house still a good investment?
We're back, it's Explained It To Me, and we're talking about whether it's a good idea to buy a house these days. It's 2025 and climate change is definitely a factor. So I called up Dr. Jeremy Porter. He heads up research into housing and climate for First Street. They analyze the climate risk of homes and share that analysis with websites like Zillow and Redfin.
Today, Explained
Is a house still a good investment?
Hurricane Debbie wreaking havoc across the coast.
Today, Explained
Is a house still a good investment?
This is a question I've wondered about, too. OK, I'm going to be honest. I love to scroll through real estate websites. But should we be buying homes? Given the economy and the interest rates, it can often feel like a fantasy. The market is just so much more different than it was when our parents were looking for starter homes. Is this really where our money should be going?
Today, Explained
Is a house still a good investment?
That's really interesting. Our caller is in her late 20s, Miranda. She lives in the Twin Cities, and she's considering whether buying a house is the right decision for her. What would you say to someone like her?
Today, Explained
Is a house still a good investment?
I wonder how all of this plays a role in like inequity and gentrification and things like that. Like who's getting pushed where? Who's having the impacts of climate change?
Today, Explained
Why is personal style so hard?
Yeah, that seems like such a bummer. It seems like there's this growing number of people who are refusing to keep up with trends. Does that resistance feel new or has that been there kind of the whole time?
Today, Explained
Why is personal style so hard?
All this frustration makes sense. It feels like the trend cycle has gone from a season to 24 hours. Also, there were once rules for what to wear. Not anymore. We're supposed to wear what we want now. But what do you do if you don't know what you want to wear? My colleague Constance Grady tried to figure this out.
Today, Explained
Why is personal style so hard?
How do economic realities factor into the fashion industry and predictions about what's going to be new? You know, I mean, I can't even fathom what tariff fashion is about to be.
Today, Explained
Why is personal style so hard?
Okay, so we've learned where style comes from. But now, what do we do with it? How to dress yourself after the break.
Today, Explained
Why is personal style so hard?
So we know finding our personal style is hard. A lot of it isn't even in our hands. But some of it is. That's what we went to our next two guests about. Two very stylish and very online people who think about this for a living.
Today, Explained
Why is personal style so hard?
Okay, so Lagan, I want to start with you. I want to ask you about your clients. So you're a personal stylist. Are there themes that come up when you're talking with a new client who's looking for your services?
Today, Explained
Why is personal style so hard?
Like, and what's the first thing you tell someone who's like, oh my gosh, how do I figure out what to wear?
Today, Explained
Why is personal style so hard?
I want to pose a question to y'all that we got from a listener. So someone sent in a voicemail and it's from a caller and it's about dressing curvy bodies.
Today, Explained
Why is personal style so hard?
Yeah. Okay. I want to do a rapid fire with you all. This will be really quick. Say the first word or answer that pops up in your mind. Okay, desert island piece of clothing. So the thing you can't live without. A silk blouse.
Today, Explained
Why is personal style so hard?
Okay, and what is the longest you've held on to one piece of clothing?
Today, Explained
Why is personal style so hard?
I'm curious how you all feel about how the internet has changed your relationship with fashion. Y'all are both very online. I mean, that complimentary. I am too. Do you think the internet has made it easier or harder to figure out what your own style actually is?
Today, Explained
Why is personal style so hard?
Before we go, thank you for all your calls about personal style and fashion. So we're asking for your help for another upcoming episode. Spring is the season of love and possibility, but it's also the season of allergies. Explain It To Me wants to hear your stories of seasonal allergies, your outdoor ones and your indoor ones too, if you suffer from them.
Today, Explained
Why is personal style so hard?
Call 1-800-618-8545 or send a voice memo to askvox at vox.com. That's 1-800-618-8545 or askvox at vox.com. This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlain. It was edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checking by Melissa Hirsch, and engineering by Matt Billy. Also, special thank you to Carla Javier, who helped develop Explain It To Me and who ran our show.
Today, Explained
Why is personal style so hard?
Um, you, like me, are a millennial, so is it safe to assume that you grew up mainlining Stacey and Clinton on what not to wear also?
Today, Explained
Why is personal style so hard?
Yeah, how about pants that fit? I don't know, call me crazy, but it feels like that's an option!
Today, Explained
Why is personal style so hard?
So the pendulum has swung. Why has it swung so much? You know, we went from these cinch wastes and blazers to wearing, you know, business casual at the club to, you know, I mean, if I go into the office, there is like a dress up sweat pant that I will wear on occasion. You know, I will wear a pair of jeans. How did we change so much in the span of like a couple decades?
Today, Explained
Why is personal style so hard?
You can be who you are and you can be a fat person and you can live a full, fulfilling life while being fat.
Today, Explained
Why is personal style so hard?
Okay, Constance, you learned a lot during this whole process about the new rules or the lack of rules we have now. But did you do it? Did you figure out your personal style?
Today, Explained
Why is personal style so hard?
So that's Constance's fashion journey. But what about all those outside forces dictating her style choices? Who's doing that? And why are they doing it? We'll find out after we pay a few bills.
Today, Explained
Why is personal style so hard?
This is Explain It To Me. I'm John Glenn Hill, and we recently asked you what you want to know about personal style. And man, so many of you called in to tell us.
Today, Explained
Why is personal style so hard?
Okay, how would you introduce yourself at like a party?
Today, Explained
Why is personal style so hard?
That's Avery Truffleman. She's a fashion writer, and yes, she's also a podcaster. She hosts a show called Articles of Interest. It's about what we wear and also why we wear it, how trends happen, and who dictates them. Avery tackles all this and more on her podcast.
Today, Explained
Why is personal style so hard?
I think something that's been a big through line is trends, you know, where they come from, how one emerges over the other. Can you tell us a little bit about that pipeline? Like, how does that happen?