Weekly Top Five Articles (2024)

Here are summaries of what stood out to me this week:

(1) “Helicopter parenting and competence frustration: Exploring mediators of college student maladjustment” by Eric W. Dolan, Psypost, (April 9, 2024)

A recent study highlighted in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships examines how helicopter parenting—where parents overly manage and control their college-aged children's lives—impacts the adjustment of first-semester college students. Conducted by researchers Matt Shin and Elissa A. Adame, the study explores the indirect effects of this parenting style on students’ academic, social, and psychological well-being.

The study surveyed 211 undergraduates from universities in the Southwest and Mid-Atlantic, revealing that helicopter parenting hampers students' sense of competence and autonomy. This lack of perceived competence often leads to poorer academic performance and difficulties in forming social connections. Similarly, the frustration of autonomy, where students feel they lack control over their decisions, correlates with decreased psychological well-being.

Key findings suggest that while the intentions behind helicopter parenting are typically protective and well-meaning, the style can inadvertently stunt important developmental processes in college students. The researchers advocate for a more balanced approach termed "nutritive parenting," which emphasizes autonomy support, structure, and involvement without overreach.

This shift in parenting strategy is crucial as students transition to the independence of college life, aiming to foster resilience and self-direction. The study underscores the importance of supporting young adults in a way that nurtures their growth into capable and autonomous individuals.'

(2) “The unsettling rise of the mega-stacked superhero body: It's become expected for every actor to be built like a brick sh*thouse. But why? And is it harming us?” By Sam Diss, British GQ, February 29, 2024

Sam Diss addresses the phenomenon of actors achieving increasingly muscular physiques for roles across various genres, not just those involving superheroes. This trend is evident in the massive transformations seen in stars like Alan Ritchson for "Reacher," Zac Efron for "The Iron Claw," and Will Poulter, who have all undergone significant physical changes to embody their characters.

The expectation for actors to have a chiseled physique has evolved from a niche requirement to a widespread industry standard. Behind the scenes, actors face immense pressure to "get ripped" for lead roles, often restructuring their entire lives around gym routines just to be considered for parts. This expectation can lead to severe physical and psychological strain, as evidenced by Ritchson's own admissions of bodily harm due to overtraining.

Experts suggest that this trend reflects broader cultural dynamics, associating ultra-muscular bodies with periods of political conservatism and societal instability. Historically, the rise of muscular figures in media has coincided with times of nationalistic fervor and cultural anxiety, echoing back to Reagan-era cinema as well as current geopolitical tensions.

The article also touches on the dark side of this physical ideal, highlighting the rise in muscle dysmorphia among men— a condition marked by an obsessive desire to be both big and lean. This is exacerbated by social media, which amplifies unrealistic body standards and perpetuates a narrow definition of masculinity.

This concern led to various interventions, from the creation of the American Posture League to the promotion of exercises and posture-corrective products. The scrutiny over posture also intersected with class and racial anxieties, where posture could signify social status. Moreover, this fixation led to invasive practices like mandatory posture photographs of college students, which later became controversial.

Linker critiques the ongoing narrative that poor posture predicts future health problems, arguing that such fears have often been exaggerated without sufficient scientific backing. The article concludes by suggesting that our concerns about posture may say more about societal fears and myths than about actual health, with modern digital monitors like Rafi being the latest in a long line of posture surveillance tools, replacing institutional oversight with personal technology.

(4) “Redeeming Time,” by Adam Phillips, Harpers Magazine (April 2024).

Adam Phillips explores the profound psychological and philosophical implications of the concept of second chances. He examines the role of second chances in mitigating despair, a despair that emerges from our perception of ourselves as inherently self-destructive and sabotaging our own potential. Phillips poses a thought experiment: what would life be like if no actions could be redeemed, no mistakes corrected, and every choice was seen as final? He suggests that such a life would be one of constant guilt and irredeemable shame—a life without the possibility of redemption or hope.

Phillips explores how literature, especially tragedy and comedy, often revolves around the theme of second chances. He explains that while comedies typically celebrate recovery and the possibility of repair, tragedies like those of Shakespeare often portray a hero's resistance to change and self-improvement, resulting in a narrative driven by self-justification and an inability to embrace the possibility of second chances.

The essay also connects the idea of second chances to broader cultural and religious narratives. In Christian theology, for instance, the concept of original sin implies that life itself is a second chance, an opportunity for redemption. This contrasts with a more secular view where life is seen as a series of uncoordinated chances, and where the idea of a providential design is absent.

Phillips argues that the awareness of second chances can fundamentally alter our approach to life. They introduce the possibility of transformation, allowing for personal growth and the reworking of past actions through new opportunities. This concept challenges the finality of tragedy and the stagnation it represents, promoting instead a dynamic view of human experience where growth and improvement are always possible.

The research differentiated between players based on the frequency of heading the ball and controlled for factors like age, fitness level, and history of concussions. It found that players who headed the ball over 1,500 times a year [about 4 times per say] showed signs of cognitive decline and brain damage. Lipton suggests that while soccer offers fitness benefits that can enhance brain health, excessive heading could negate these benefits.

James Noble, a Columbia neurologist, emphasized the importance of recognizing the risks associated with sub-concussive injuries, not just concussions. Lipton's team is expanding their research to understand better the long-term risks and benefits of soccer, including the potential for serious neurodegenerative diseases like CTE and Alzheimer's.

The findings indicate a need for greater awareness and possibly new guidelines to protect players from the dangers of frequent heading in soccer. This research could also have broader implications for understanding how to leverage exercise benefits for brain health and recovery from traumatic injuries.

Bonus:

woke up one day choosing violence (ha!) and simply dropped an atomic bomb on the notion of “Servant Leadership.”(A term I also detest). This article is making the rounds again.

Evangelicals have an incredibly bleak view of what it means to be a married man. They basically teach that his job is to be his wife’s manservant. And this isn’t even all of the negatives when it comes to complementarianism…In these evangelical teachings, a man has no legitimate claims of his own he can assert, no legitimate desires or aspirations he can hold, no mission in the world to undertake…Masculinity is reduced to self-sacrifice and service, primarily to his wife and children.