The Age of Innocence. I recently asked ChatGPT for a random movie recommendation from the Criterion Collection (I wrote a Dying Breed article this week about what that is and how I’ve been using it in my approach to watching films). It spit out The Age of Innocence. I was initially intrigued by the fact that it was a rated PG movie from Martin Scorsese who’s more famous for his R-rated fare. Based on the Edith Wharton novel of the same name, The Age of Innocence is set in 1870s New York high society. Daniel Day-Lewis plays Newland Archer, a man torn between duty and desire in a world ruled by unspoken codes. It’s a typical romance story, but what I really like about the movie is Scorsese’s eye for historical detail. He highlights the unspoken and forgotten meaning of social gestures, like the significance of giving a woman certain types of flowers or the way you fold a calling card. The cinematography is really rich; even though it sometimes only focuses on the little details of a Gilded Age household, it truly captures and holds your attention.
Ask What Your Gym Can Do for Your Country. Elisabeth Braw at the Financial Times writes about an interesting trend among Gen Z: they’re not only hitting the gym in droves (more than a third exercise regularly), they’re volunteering for civil defense groups. At least in Europe. Germany’s voluntary military service applications are up 15 percent, and Finland’s Reservists’ Association has added 4,000 new members this year. Braw argues that governments should capitalize on this trend by expanding civil defense organizations to be more like Sweden’s. During the Cold War, Sweden had nationwide groups of radio operators, truck drivers, and dog trainers, all supporting the armed forces indirectly; today, 380,000 Swedes are active in these organizations. The article makes a compelling case that we should be channeling today’s abundant gym energy into something bigger than individual gains and welcome the idea of coupling personal fitness with civic service.
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. Back in September, my son, Gus, and I decided to tackle this massive tome together. All 1,200+ pages of it. He beat me to the finish line by a week. But man, what a ride. This book is pure fun from start to finish. As Gus put it, the Count of Monte Cristo has “aura.” The guy can do anything. He’s impossibly wealthy, speaks every language, knows every secret, anticipates every move. He’s basically a 19th-century Batman. But beneath all the swashbuckling adventure, there’s wisdom on the value of patience and the corrosive nature of vengeance. The intertwining storylines can be tough to follow, but that complexity is part of the fun. You’re constantly discovering how everything connects. Wait and hope!
Cleveland Kitchen Classic Kimchi. Every morning, I eat a scoop of kimchi with my eggs. My go-to for a while now has been from Cleveland Kitchen. You can find it in most grocery stores. I started eating it for gut health. As I discussed with Dr. Brett Finlay on the podcast, fermented food (like kimchi) can help your gut microbiome. I don’t know if it’s changed my body’s bugs, but I like how it tastes. It’s got that vinegary burn that makes my eggs taste less boring. I reckon my dad would say kimchi puts hair on your chest.
On our Dying Breed Newsletter, we published 7 Stellar Biographies I Highly Recommend Reading, Becoming a Cinephile, Fifteen Minutes at a Time, and Sunday Firesides: True Free Speech.
Quote of the Week
Trouble is the next best thing to enjoyment; there is no fate in the world so horrible as to have no share in either its joy or its sorrows.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
