Social media, despite its reputation as the ultimate agent of self-promotion, actually feeds on self-loathing. Meghan Daum agentfeedlothe Change image and share on social
If you do the things you enjoy and are good at, I really have a feeling that that will lead to having a fulfilling life, and people with fulfilling lives are able to be 'good people.' Meghan Daum enjoyfeltfulfill Change image and share on social
When I made my final reckoning with the decision not to have kids, I also decided that I would use at least some of my extra time to better the lives of kids who are already here. Meghan Daum decidedecisionextra Change image and share on social
Just as I never liked bumper stickers - even though I do brake for animals, and if I had a kid, she would definitely be an honor student - I don't like the idea of expressing my views through social-media-controlled rainbow-or-anything-else-ification. Meghan Daum animalbrakebumper share on social
The reason it was so bruising when someone said I was from a rich family is that, like many of us, I'm deeply invested - probably overly so - in the myth of my own self-creation. I like to believe that I got where I am, such as it is, by working hard and charting my own course. Meghan Daum bruisechartcreation share on social
The search for happiness has long been a dominant feature of American life. It's a byproduct of prosperity, not to mention the most famous line in the Declaration of Independence. Meghan Daum americanbyproductdeclaration Change image and share on social
It's great that Time is moving in the direction of validating those who, by choice or circumstance, will never be parents. But the point is not simply that society should stop judging those of us who don't have children. It's that society actually needs us. Children need us. Meghan Daum childchoicecircumstance share on social
I've always been interested in this notion of what is authentic and how we define that and why our culture imposes certain emotions and emotional constraints onto experiences. Meghan Daum authenticconstraintculture Change image and share on social
For my part, if I'm working while flying, I'm often a bit relieved to be forced to shut down the computer on final descent. But I guess I'm a slacker. Meghan Daum bitecomputerdescent Change image and share on social
A young female essayist saying they're influenced by Joan Didion is like a young female singer-songwriter saying they're influenced by Joni Mitchell. Meghan Daum didionessayistfemale Change image and share on social
