Some topics I discuss in this fourth installment of Rob Henderson’s Office Hours:
The Social Paradox and the tension between our desire to fit in and stand out.
Research on the personality traits of conscientiousness and extraversion. Introverts often assume acting more outgoing will feel fake or forced, but in studies where they’re instructed to be more social, they end up reporting greater happiness than control groups who weren’t given that prompt.
Even minor social gestures—saying hello to the barista, chatting with your Uber driver—lift mood more than people expect. We’re built for social connection, even in small doses.
Extroversion is the strongest personality predictor of positive emotion. Just as neuroticism maps onto negative emotion, extroversion is tightly linked with feeling cheerful, enthusiastic, and resilient.
A simple habit I recommend: turn your phone grayscale and silence nonessential notifications. It’s a small way to reduce distraction and reclaim a little more of your mind.
Why do so many young people dream of becoming influencers—while also growing more anxious about standing out? I talked through this strange contradiction and what it says about modern identity.
The most revealing thing about social media isn’t what people post—it’s what they don’t show. I shared why carefully curated profiles might actually reflect fear, not boldness.
Young people spend less than an hour a day with friends now—down from over two hours just a decade ago. We’re more “connected” than ever, and somehow lonelier than ever.
The U.S. military is facing a recruitment crisis—and it’s not just about “woke ads” or politics. I suggest deeper structural and cultural reasons why young people aren’t enlisting.
What I’m currently reading and why
I shared a short stack of favorite books, including a dark but brilliant novel written from the perspective of a serial killer by one of the sharpest essayists alive.
I answer a question about perfectionism and gender—specifically, whether success is sometimes used as a coping mechanism.
Join me for my next live video in the app.
