How Things Do (and Don’t) Become Popular & How to Navigate Difficult Social Situations With Ease

“Eat your veggies – they’re good for you!” Every parent has said that to a child and yet, as a parent, you probably shouldn’t. I start this episode of the podcast with some fascinating research about what to tell kids about healthy foods. (http://www.chicagobooth.edu/about/newsroom/press-releases/2014/2014-05-08) What if I told you that nothing really goes viral? You’d probably say, “Of course it does – cat videos, songs, lots of things go viral.” Well, not according to Derek Thompson, senior editor at the Atlantic magazine and author of the book Hit Makers: How to Succeed in an Age of Distraction (https://amzn.to/2HtzsCC). Derek reveals exactly how things become popular – and it isn’t the way you might think. In schools today there is a lot of emphasis on typing on a keyboard rather than writing with pen and paper. So you may be surprised to hear the benefits kids receive by simply writing on paper – and maybe schools should re-think their policies that deemphasize penmanship in early grades. (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/03/science/whats-lost-as-handwriting-fades.html?_r=0) Who hasn’t been socially anxious? I am sure you’ve been in one of those situations where a lot is on the…