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Based on "Body language expert: 7 cues that make you instantly more likable | Full Interview" from Big Think Watch the original video

The Unspoken Language: How to Master First Impressions and Forge Deeper Connections

Episode summary

Behavioral researcher Vanessa Van Edwards explains that making a strong first impression hinges on quickly signaling perceived warmth (trust, likability) and competence (effectiveness, capability). She cites Dr. Susan Fiske's foundational research, which shows that people instinctively assess these two traits within seconds of seeing someone, not just when they start speaking. This perception, not actual warmth or competence, dictates initial connection.

To improve likability, Van Edwards advises using "cues" across four channels: words, non-verbals, voice, and "ornaments" (attire, background). Key positive cues include a "happy hello" (speaking on an out-breath), a "palm flash" (showing open hands for trust), and appropriate gaze (60-70% eye contact in Western cultures). She cautions against "blocking" (crossed arms) and emphasizes that while some cues are universal, context and culture are crucial for accurate observation.

In a world brimming with communication, it's easy to assume that our words do most of the heavy lifting. Yet, as behavioral researcher and best-selling author Vanessa Van Edwards reveals, the most potent signals we send are often entirely silent. A Harvard lecturer and expert in the 97 signals of charisma, Van Edwards emphasizes that mastering these unspoken cues is the secret to making impactful first impressions, establishing a memorable presence, and communicating with genuine influence.

Decoding the First Few Seconds: The Science of Presence

Forget the myth that your first impression begins when you start speaking. Van Edwards asserts a surprising truth: it happens the moment someone sees you. In those fleeting seconds, sometimes less than one, the foundation for an entire interaction is laid. Nailing this initial encounter makes everything easier; fumbling it creates an uphill battle for connection.

At the heart of a powerful first impression lies the ability to establish two critical elements: presence and trust. Drawing on foundational research by Dr. Susan Fiske, Van Edwards explains that presence is built on two pillars:

1. Warmth: This encompasses your likability, openness, and trustworthiness. It answers the fundamental human question: "Can I trust you?"
2. Competence: This speaks to your effectiveness, capability, and productivity. It addresses the equally vital question: "Can I rely on you?"

The faster you can signal, "You can trust me, and you can rely on me," the more memorable and effective your presence becomes. But here's the crucial twist: it's not about your actual warmth and competence, but your perceived warmth and competence. You might be the most brilliant and trustworthy person in the room, but if you're not signaling these qualities clearly, others simply won't believe it. The goal isn't to fake confidence, but to align your inner intention with your outer expression.

How do we send and receive these vital signals? Through cues – the subtle yet powerful social signals humans constantly exchange. Van Edwards identifies four channels through which these cues are transmitted:

• Words: Beyond conveying ideas, our choice of words also signals warmth and competence.
• Non-verbal: Body language, facial expressions, and gestures are potent indicators of trust, reliability, and knowledge.
• Voice/Vocal Tonality: How we say words—our volume, pace, and cadence—matters just as much as what we say.
• Ornaments: The smallest channel, yet impactful. This includes the colors we wear, our jewelry, our background, and even props in a profile photo.

Cues can be categorized as either positive, stimulating connection and engagement, or negative, signaling disinterest, discomfort, or anxiety. Understanding their cyclical nature is key: we decode cues from others, internalize their meaning (e.g., "Uh-oh, I'm not safe"), and then encode our own social signals back. This dynamic was vividly illustrated in a study where participants, after receiving a cue of social rejection (like an eye roll), experienced dilated pupils and began to encode nervousness and anxiety in return.

Van Edwards also takes a moment to debunk a widespread myth: the overgeneralized Albert Mehrabian study that claims 93% of communication is non-verbal. While non-verbal communication is undeniably critical, especially for conveying authenticity (our non-verbals often override our words, as in "I'm so happy to see you" delivered with a frown), the exact percentage is elusive and context-dependent. The true goal is to make our cues purposeful, putting others at ease, and ultimately, putting us in the driver's seat of our interactions, fostering genuine confidence.

What if someone sends us a negative cue? How do we prevent it from derailing our emotions? Dr. Matthew Lieberman's research at UCLA provides a powerful answer: labeling. In fMRI studies, participants viewing fearful or angry faces "caught" the emotion, activating their amygdala. However, when taught to label the emotion ("anger," "fear"), the amygdala disengaged. This demonstrates the empowering effect of labeling cues – it's the only way to stop the emotional hijacking process and regain control.

Mastering Your First Impression: Seven Cues for Instant Likability

Armed with the knowledge of warmth, competence, and cues, Van Edwards offers practical, actionable cues to make an instantly likable first impression.

1. The Power of Touch

Our innate human instinct is to reach out and touch when we first meet someone. This isn't just a social custom; it's biological. When humans engage in skin-to-skin touch, our bodies produce oxytocin, the chemical of connection, rapport, and trust. Whether it's a handshake (1-3 pumps typically), a high-five, or a hug, the amount of touch correlates with the amount of oxytocin produced. Choose the touch that's culturally appropriate and comfortable for you, recognizing its profound impact on immediate connection.

2. The Happy Hello

A common mistake is holding one's breath when saying "hello," resulting in a high-pitched, anxious tone. Van Edwards advises practicing a "happy hello" by smiling and saying the word on the out-breath. This relaxes your vocal cords, allowing your natural, warmer voice to shine through. Practice this before phone calls, video meetings, or walking into any new social setting to immediately signal warmth and competence.

3. The Open Palm Flash

From our "caveman days," seeing someone's open palms signaled safety – they weren't hiding a weapon. Today, visible hands still convey openness, honesty, and trustworthiness. When entering a room or starting a video call, a subtle "palm flash" (e.g., "Good morning, everyone" with open hands) disarms others. Avoid hiding your hands in pockets, behind your back, or behind objects, as this can unconsciously trigger distrust.

4. The Engaging Gaze

Eye contact, like touch, stimulates oxytocin production. Even in cultures where physical touch is less common, making eye contact is a powerful way to forge connection. In Western cultures, aiming for 60-70% eye contact is ideal – enough to show engagement without being staring. Make eye contact when you are making an important point and when they are making an important point, allowing for natural glances away during processing.

5. Fronting for Connection

This cue involves subtly angling your torso, toes, and head towards the person you're speaking with. It's a non-verbal sign of respect, indicating that you are "on the same page" and fully engaged. Even in a group setting, fronting towards the speaker creates a deeper sense of connection and attentiveness.

6. The Open Torso (Anti-Blocking)

Crossing your arms or holding objects in front of your body creates a physical barrier, signaling closed-mindedness and disengagement. Research even suggests that the longer you cross your arms, the more closed-minded your own thinking becomes. Consciously opening your torso—uncrossing arms, keeping hands visible, not holding books or bags in front—signals openness and a willingness to connect.

7. Embracing Vulnerability

The pursuit of a "perfect" first impression is a trap. Instead, aim to be real and human. If you're feeling nervous, it's okay to admit it. Vulnerability is an aspect of warmth and can be incredibly disarming. Van Edwards, a self-proclaimed "recovering awkward person," uses this honesty to connect. By focusing on putting others at ease, you can also alleviate your own nervousness, creating a virtuous cycle of comfort.

Building these cues into your behavior is like retraining muscle memory. Start with low-pressure environments: practice your "happy hello" on the phone, then add "gaze" and "palm flash" on video calls. Gradually move to in-person interactions with friends and family. Initial discomfort will fade, and these powerful signals will become natural, empowering you to feel your most confident self. If a cue never feels authentic after multiple tries, it's not for you – authenticity is always paramount.

Beyond First Impressions: The Art of Reading People

The ability to observe and interpret others' cues is a "secret social superpower." Observation, Van Edwards explains, is an active, intentional skill of decoding emotional signals and hidden intentions. To become a master observer, she introduces her "Three C's":

1. Context: Cues mean different things in different settings. Always consider the context before interpreting a cue. For example, disengagement might be due to a red-eye flight, not your conversation. Giving the benefit of the contextual doubt allows you to respond appropriately, often with warmth.
2. Culture: While some cues are universal (like eye contact producing oxytocin), the amount or type of a cue (e.g., appropriate eye contact duration, acceptable forms of touch) varies significantly by culture. Mirroring and matching the prevailing cultural norms can foster rapport.
3. Clusters: Never interpret a single cue in isolation. A nose touch, for instance, might signal lying, but it could also be an allergy. Always look for a cluster of three to five cues to confirm your interpretation. The goal is not "gotcha" moments, but understanding overall behavior patterns and underlying emotions to inform your next step.

Beyond spotting individual cues, notice if others are mirroring you. When we genuinely like someone, we subtly and unconsciously mirror their vocal tone, body language, and gestures. This natural human instinct to get on the "same physiological page" is a strong indicator of connection.

Another powerful cue to observe is the eyebrow raise. Universally, raised eyebrows signal interest and curiosity. Our eyebrows literally lift to allow us to see more clearly when something intrigues us. Whether in a business pitch or a social conversation, an eyebrow raise indicates you've sparked genuine interest – double down on that point!

Red Flags: Spotting Negative Cues

Just as important as sending positive cues is recognizing negative ones that signal discomfort or disengagement:

• The Shame Cue (Eye Blocking): When someone touches the side of their forehead or covers their eyes, they are literally trying to "block out" something that makes them uncomfortable or ashamed. If you spot this cue, pause and build rapport: "Everything okay? Any questions?" Give them permission to share what's bothering them.
• Sudden Distancing: When someone leans back, steps away, or tilts their head back, their body is instinctively signaling, "I don't like this; I want to get away." Note what you just said, as it likely triggered their discomfort.
• The Question Inflection: Ending a statement with an upward tone, making it sound like a question, often betrays uncertainty or even deception. Our brains instinctively shift from listening to scrutinizing when this occurs. If you hear someone "ask" a number or a boundary, question their certainty and protect yourself.

These negative cues are not meant for "gotcha" moments, but as alarm bells. They give you permission to trust your gut and take control, allowing you to address the underlying issue and build stronger connections. Like a muscle, the fusiform face area of our brain (responsible for facial recognition) improves with observation practice, making you more socially confident and less rattled by negative signals.

The Silent Power of Listening: How to Be Conversationally Present

Active listening isn't just a "nice to have"; it's a "need to have." It's an active physical and emotional behavior, focused on understanding, not just replying. Van Edwards champions the concept of "listening loudly" – sending clear signals that you are deeply engaged. One mental hack she suggests is pretending you're about to introduce the person on stage; this makes you listen to remember, actively seeking "nuggets" and facts you can celebrate later.

Cues for a Listening Presence

• The Lean: Leaning in is a non-verbal "bold" or "highlighter," signaling intense interest in what the other person is saying. It encourages them to continue.
• The Slow Triple Nod: A measured "Mhm. Mhm. Mhm." has been found to make others speak 67% longer. It's a non-verbal "tell me more" that conveys agreement and curiosity. Be careful not to "bobblehead" (too much nodding signals low competence) or nod too fast (which signals impatience).
• The Head Tilt: Universally, tilting your head exposes your ear, signaling a desire to hear better and understand more deeply. It can even soften the blow when delivering bad news.
• Avoiding Aggression: Beware of the "chin jut," a sign of aggression. Also, avoid the "judge duty" of peering over your glasses, which can unintentionally come across as judgmental.

Overcoming Barriers to Listening

Two significant barriers can hinder our listening presence:

1. Our Body (Self-Soothing Gestures): Habits like rubbing arms, cracking knuckles, or fidgeting are "pacification gestures" – anxious movements to calm ourselves. They don't actually calm you down, but they distract others and can even be contagious. Instead, use a displacement tactic, like pinching your thumb and forefinger or gripping a pen, to channel anxiety invisibly. Note that in romantic settings, some self-touch (like playing with hair or jewelry) can be a "pining gesture," signaling flirtation.
2. Our Face (Resting Bothered Face - RBF): Some people's neutral facial expression (their "face at rest") can unintentionally appear tired, sad, or angry. If your RBF conveys a negative emotion, people will assume you're listening with that emotion. Become aware of your RBF (perhaps by watching yourself on video) and counteract it with extra verbal warmth cues if needed.

Breaking these habits takes practice. Use environmental anchors (leaning on a desk or podium) to ground yourself. Choose clothing, hairstyles, and jewelry that don't tempt you to fidget or adjust, setting yourself up for success.

Beyond physical cues, your mindset is a powerful hack for active listening. Cultivate a mindset to build connection, listening to remember details for future conversations and to discover what "lights them up." This leads to capitalization, where you take what someone says and add to it, making it bigger or better – whether by contributing to their hope or offering support for their sadness.

The ultimate warning sign that listening is off track is when the other person doesn't ask you questions back, indicating a conversational narcissist who only wants to hear themselves talk. When they ask for your opinion ("What do you think about that?"), you know it's your turn to speak.

In mastering these unspoken languages—the cues of first impressions, observation, and active listening—we unlock the profound ability to build deeper connections, navigate social situations with confidence, and truly influence those around us. It's a journey of intentional practice, transforming discomfort into natural, empowering habits that reveal our most authentic and charismatic selves.

Based on "Codex Runs My Inbox Now" from Every Watch the original video

Reaching Inbox Zero in the AI Age: How Codex Revolutionizes Email Management

Episode summary

The speaker, from the channel Every, claims that "Codex has just like completely changed how I'm able to process information that come into my email," enabling him to hit inbox zero for 13 consecutive weeks—a feat he'd "literally never happened before in my life." He demonstrates a custom app built with Codex that sweeps his inbox, generating interactive cards for each email. These cards summarize the email, draft replies, and allow him to quickly dictate actions like scheduling meetings (with calendar access) or approving sponsorships, drastically reducing time spent on previously procrastinated tasks.

Viewers can replicate this by using Cora.computer when it launches, or by prompting Codex directly to build a similar "inbox sweep app." The speaker provides a detailed prompt, emphasizing a Codex-native app that tracks all decisions on the file system and learns from user interactions to improve over time, making advanced automation accessible regardless of technical skill.

Imagine looking at your inbox at 2:00 PM and seeing only 30 emails. For many, that might sound like a dream. But what if that was considered "crazy high" because you've consistently hit "inbox zero" for 13 weeks straight? This extraordinary feat, previously unheard of in a lifetime of email management, is now a daily reality thanks to a revolutionary AI agent called Codex.

The creator of the YouTube channel Every demonstrates how Codex has fundamentally transformed his approach to information processing, especially email. By automating mundane tasks and intelligent drafting, Codex frees up invaluable time, shifting focus from administrative drudgery to engaging, creative projects. This isn't just about clearing emails; it's about reclaiming productivity and leveraging AI to work smarter, not harder.

The Codex Advantage: A Collaborative AI Agent

At its core, Codex isn't just another AI tool; it's a comprehensive, collaborative agent designed to integrate deeply into your workflow. One of its unique features is an in-app browser, allowing users to perform virtually any browser-based task directly within Codex. This means your AI agent isn't just a separate chatbot; it's a co-pilot that sits alongside you, observing, learning, and assisting within the very applications and websites you use.

What truly sets Codex apart is its extensive access. It can tap into your computer's file system, interact with various applications, and gather any information it might need to get work done. This level of integration enables the agent to collaborate with you, going back and forth, refining tasks, and executing complex instructions.

But Codex's capabilities extend beyond mere assistance. It can "make stuff." The creator proudly showcases a custom email management app he "vibe coded" himself using Codex – a testament to its ability to build bespoke solutions even for non-technical users. This custom app is the secret sauce behind his inbox revolution.

The Inbox Sweep App: A Deep Dive into AI-Powered Email

The custom email app, powered by Codex, operates on a simple yet incredibly effective principle. Several times a day, Codex sweeps through the user's inbox, transforming each email into an actionable "card."

Each card is a concise summary, providing key information about the email's content. Should more detail be needed, the original email is just a click away. Crucially, Codex automatically drafts a reply for each email, anticipating the most likely next action or response.

The user's interaction then becomes a streamlined, conversational process. Instead of manually sifting through emails, drafting responses, and navigating different apps, the user simply scrolls through these cards, dictating instructions to Codex.

• Scheduling: For an email requesting a meeting with "Doug," the user can simply say, "Hey, can we actually maybe I'd like to meet with Doug near my office. Can we propose somewhere in Brooklyn?" Codex, with access to the user's calendar, will then handle the complex task of finding suitable times and drafting the email to Doug.
• Sponsorships: When a request for sponsorship comes in, Codex drafts a reply to the relevant person. A quick "This looks good" from the user is all it takes to approve and send.
• Introductions: For an email requiring an introduction, the user can instantly mark it as done: "I already made the intro. You can archive this one."
• Complex Logistics: Even for detailed tasks like scheduling a "Codex walk-through" with Greg Eisenberg, Codex leverages its calendar access to propose specific times, eliminating the manual back-and-forth.

This system effectively offloads the mental overhead of email management. Tasks that typically lead to procrastination – like checking calendars, looking up documents, or formulating replies – are handled autonomously by Codex. The user's role shifts from a doer to a director, reviewing and guiding the AI agent.

Beyond the Inbox: The Company Feed and Information Mastery

The power of Codex isn't limited to personal email. The creator demonstrates its application in managing internal company communications through a "company feed." In a 30-person company with constant meetings and Slack activity, staying abreast of every development is a monumental challenge.

The company feed, maintained in a separate Codex thread, aggregates all relevant internal information:

• Meeting Transcripts: It pulls data from transcribed meetings stored in Notion.
• Slack Messages: It gathers important discussions from Slack channels.

This consolidated feed presents the user with a series of cards, each representing a piece of information or an action item. Each card is assigned a status: "to review," "Codex needs to do," "Codex is currently working on," or "dealt with."

The process remains the same: the user reviews items "to review" and queues them for Codex. For instance, during an internal debate about whether to use "archive" or "mark as done" for a feature, the user can simply tell Codex, "I'm kind of into the mark as done category. Can you just tell Brandon and Kieran that I vote for mark as done?" Codex then executes this instruction, even for discussions in meetings or Slack channels the user wasn't present in. This allows for effortless participation and decision-making without being bogged down by every detail.

The Magic of Compound Learning and Autonomous Execution

One of the most profound aspects of this Codex-powered workflow is its ability to learn and improve over time. Every decision and instruction given to Codex is recorded on the user's file system. Codex logs whether an email was deemed interesting, archived, or if a reply was drafted.

"It just watches what I do, and then it just gets better over time," the creator explains. This "compound learning" means Codex continuously refines its understanding of user preferences, improving its ability to:

• Identify relevant information.
• Archive or hide unwanted content.
• Determine the most appropriate next action for any given item.

Once instructions are given, the "execute" function brings it all to life. For both the inbox and company feeds, Codex takes all the queued work – sending emails, conducting research, updating records – and carries it out autonomously. This transforms a potentially overwhelming list of tasks into a few moments of review and delegation.

Building Your Own AI-Powered Workflow: Accessibility and Future

For those eager to replicate this transformative workflow, there are two primary paths. The team behind Codex is developing "Cora," a native Codex app that will offer a pre-built flow similar to the demonstrated email system. This will be available at cora.computer in the coming months.

However, the true power of Codex lies in its accessibility for custom creation. Even without deep technical expertise, users can "vibe code" their own applications. The creator demonstrates this by crafting a simple prompt:

"I want you to help me make an inbox sweep app. Here's how it should work. It should connect to my email. You can either use the Cora CLI or Gmail. Either one should work. For every email that's in my inbox, I want it to create a card that shows me what the email is about and then proposes a next action, whether that's a draft or any other thing that makes sense. And then it should allow me to just like swipe through my email or scroll through my email and just get through my email just by talking to each card. And what I want it to do is I want it to track every single step in the process. And it should be Codex native. So, what that means is I want the app to be responsible for the state. So, all the state should be on the file system. And I want the app responsible for rendering the view, but it should be built to be used inside of Codex in the in-app browser. Can you just build that end to end? I want you to set a goal with an unlimited budget. And make sure the goal is really detailed and you have a set of validation steps where you step through it yourself to make sure that it works."

By simply inputting such a prompt into Codex (running in "auto review mode" with "extra high" settings), the AI agent takes over. It sets itself a detailed goal, outlining the steps to build the end-to-end Codex native inbox feed app. The user can then leave it, confident that Codex will return with a functional application remarkably similar to the one demonstrated. This democratizes complex engineering, making sophisticated custom tools available to anyone.

The Future of Work with Every.to

This innovative approach to productivity is part of a larger philosophy championed by Every.to. Described as a "frontier AI lab for the future of work," Every is dedicated to exploring how advanced AI models and products can enhance creative work across various domains – writing, coding, and design.

Through their videos, daily newsletters, and products like Cora and Monologue, Every shares these insights, empowering individuals and organizations to stay at the cutting edge of AI-driven productivity. The compound engineering workflow, a core engineering philosophy, enables both technical and non-technical users to build sophisticated solutions like the Codex inbox system.

The transformation of email management from a time-consuming chore to a streamlined, AI-assisted process is just one example of how Codex is reshaping our relationship with digital information. By shifting the burden of mundane tasks to an intelligent agent, individuals can unlock unprecedented levels of productivity and reclaim their focus for what truly matters: creative, impactful work. The future of work is here, and it’s conversational, collaborative, and incredibly efficient.

Based on "Pete Hegseth's American crusade | Code Switch" from NPR Podcasts Watch the original video

The Secretary of Holy War: Pete Hegseth's American Crusade and the Perilous Blurring of Faith and State

Episode summary

NPR's Code Switch explores Pete Hegseth's vision of American nationalism as a "holy war" for "human freedom," rooted in Christian nationalism and the historical Crusades. This worldview, detailed in his book American Crusade, is exemplified by his "Deus vult" (God wills it) and "kafir" (infidel) tattoos, which he views as a "come at me, bro" gesture to Muslims. Hegseth's rhetoric, as seen in his call for a "360° holy war" against "leftist specters" and his belief that "providence of our almighty God" protects US troops in Iran, suggests an endless global conflict.

Religious scholar E. Matthew Taylor warns that Hegseth's "crusader mentality" and the reintroduction of "holy war" into modern foreign policy, especially against a theocratic regime like Iran, is "the most dangerous foreign policy situation" he's seen, leading only to "tragedy and harm" by pitting civilizations against each other.

In the vibrant political landscape of Washington D.C., public figures often navigate a delicate balance between personal convictions and their official duties. However, a recent event on the National Mall, "Rededicate 250," and the public statements of figures like Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, have brought into sharp focus a growing concern: the blurring lines between Christian nationalism, American identity, and military policy. This phenomenon, explored in depth by NPR's Code Switch, suggests a dangerous trajectory where religious fervor increasingly shapes national and international affairs.

"Rededicate 250," an all-day prayer gathering sponsored by the White House, was ostensibly a celebration of the United States' upcoming 250th birthday. Yet, as religious scholar E. Matthew Taylor notes, the event featured "some of the most active Christian nationalist leaders that you can find in the country." Among them was Senator Marco Rubio, who appeared in a pre-recorded video, asserting that "all of American history is steeped in Christianity," from westward expansion to the moon landing, with scripture at its heart. He proclaimed, "From that command [to preach the gospel] came America."

Similar sentiments were echoed by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who also contributed a pre-recorded video. Hegseth invoked George Washington's prayer during the bleak nights of the Revolutionary War, urging attendees to "follow George Washington's example. Let us pray as he did." This public display of religious conviction, while perhaps not surprising given Hegseth's known practice of holding Christian worship services monthly at the Pentagon, raises questions about the appropriate intersection of faith and state.

The roster of speakers at "Rededicate 250" further illuminated the Christian nationalist leanings. Robert Jeffress, a prominent Southern Baptist megachurch pastor from Dallas, delivered a sermon characterized by its exclusionary rhetoric, openly stating that religions like Mormonism, Islam, Judaism, and Hinduism "lead people to an eternity of separation from God in hell." Franklin Graham, son of the renowned televangelist Billy Graham, added to this militant theological framing, reminding the audience that "God also hates" and "God also is a god of war." Such pronouncements, as Code Switch co-host Gene Demby wryly observed, make one wonder if they're discussing Jesus or a deity of combat.

The "American Crusade" and its Architect

Pete Hegseth's worldview is not merely expressed through public prayer gatherings or pre-recorded videos; it is explicitly articulated in his 2020 book, American Crusade. In it, he calls for nothing less than "a holy war for the righteous cause of human freedom." This rhetoric is not confined to the pages of a book; it permeates his public statements, even in his capacity as Secretary of Defense.

During a recent appearance on 60 Minutes to discuss the ongoing war in Iran, Hegseth declared, "If Iran thinks they're going to attrit our will, they're wrong. Our capabilities are better, our will is better, our troops are better. The providence of our almighty God is there protecting those troops, and we're committed to this mission." When pressed by CBS's Major Garrett about the religious context of his remarks, Hegseth acknowledged his personal faith and his encouragement for troops to "lean into their faith, rely on God," adding the oft-quoted maxim, "There's no atheists in foxholes."

For E. Matthew Taylor, Hegseth's statements and writings are deeply rooted in a "hardline theological community" that champions the idea of "Christendom"—a historical vision of lands ruled by Christian emperors and tyrants. Taylor starkly reminds us of Christendom's legacy: "Christendom gave us the Crusades, it gave us inquisitions. It's given us countless holy wars." Hegseth himself draws this direct line, writing in American Crusade: "Do you enjoy Western civilization, freedom, equal justice? Thank a crusader."

Tattoos as Declarations of War

Beyond his words, Hegseth's body itself bears witness to his "Crusader" identity. A large chest tattoo features multiple crosses nested into each other, known as a Jerusalem cross. On his arm, the Latin phrase "Deus vult" (God wills it) is inscribed, which Hegseth himself describes as a "battling cry of the Crusades." But perhaps the most provocative of his tattoos is the Arabic word "kafir," meaning non-believer or infidel, which first publicly appeared after his nomination as Secretary of Defense.

Taylor unpacks the significance of these tattoos. While Hegseth often highlights the Jerusalem cross as a "common Christian symbol" to deflect criticism, its context alongside "Deus vult" makes its Crusader association undeniable. "Deus vult" was, according to legend, the shout of assembled clerics to Pope Urban II after his brutal sermon initiating the First Crusade, signaling God's sanction for violence against Muslims.

The "kafir" tattoo is particularly inflammatory. As Taylor explains, Hegseth, in his book, interprets "kafir" as "an enemy of Islam." By tattooing it on his arm, Hegseth is effectively declaring, "I am your enemy." While most Muslims would understand "kafir" simply as an unbeliever, often referring to pagans rather than Christians or Jews (who are "people of the book"), Hegseth's intent, Taylor argues, is a "middle finger to Muslims," a "come at me, bro" statement. It signals an unwillingness to accept any narrative of friendship or common ground, embracing a posture of confrontation. These tattoos, combined with the title of his book, unequivocally cast Hegseth as a "modern-day crusader."

The Crusades: A Brief History

To fully grasp the implications of Hegseth's rhetoric, it's crucial to understand the historical Crusades. These were a series of actual wars, spanning approximately 200 years beginning in the 11th century, launched by Pope Urban II. Initially, their stated goal was to reclaim Jerusalem as the Holy Land from Muslim control. Over time, the context shifted to defending Europe, but the core identity remained: a "Christian holy war" against a religious enemy.

The Crusades took on a logic of their own, as "people thought that they were doing the will of God through violence," legitimizing aggression with a "universal adapter." This historical precedent of sanctioned religious violence is precisely what Hegseth appears to admire and seek to revive.

Hegseth's American Nationalism: An Endless Conflict

Hegseth's concept of "American nationalism" is, for Taylor, indistinguishable from his "Christian nationalism" and his understanding of "Western civilization." These are intertwined layers of the same conservative, right-wing culture, which he believes is under existential threat. His book targets "all isms that he doesn't like"—globalism, multiculturalism, Islamism, elitism—as a "multivalent force of various ideologies" synchronized against this civilization.

He envisions a "360° holy war" against these "leftist specters" dominating education, religion, and culture. The solution, in his view, is a "mindset of violence and militancy," with Donald Trump cast as the "lead American Crusader" defending civilization against "incoming hordes of people who don't love freedom."

But what does "winning" look like in this vision? Taylor points out the profound danger: Hegseth's vision translates into an "endless conflict." Today, Christians and Muslims each comprise about a third and a quarter of the global population, respectively, with the Muslim population rapidly rising. To imagine these two massive populations engaged in perpetual war is a "formula for endless conflict around the world." Hegseth, Taylor suggests, desires this militancy, rejecting "lily-livered liberals who just want to sit around and talk about multiculturalism and interreligious dialogue and inclusion."

The Iran War: Ideological Jet Fuel

The implications of a Secretary of Defense holding such a "Crusader" worldview are particularly dire when prosecuting a war. President Trump has publicly stated that Hegseth advised him to go to war with Iran. This places a man steeped in "Crusader rhetoric" at the helm of a highly volatile foreign policy situation.

Taylor describes this as "the most dangerous foreign policy situation that I've seen in my lifetime." Hegseth's framing of the war, his "bombastically kind of trumpet[ing] American victories and then interlac[ing] his own theology into that," directly echoes the ideas of Urban II and the concept of Christians engaged in holy war sanctioned by God.

Iran, led by religious extremists rooted in a radical vision of Shiite Islam, is indeed a theocracy. However, Hegseth's response is not to tamp down the religious dimensions of the conflict but to stir them up. He envisions the U.S. as a Christian nation, a kind of counter-theocracy, a "bulwark of Western civilization to stand against these invading Muslims."

Introducing religion into modern warfare, Taylor warns, is "introducing ideological jet fuel." How do "global enemies, eternal global enemies, reconcile or have a ceasefire or mend fences or have dialogue?" When a nation founded on the separation of church and state, with no established religion, has its Secretary of Defense frame a conflict against a theocratic regime as a "holy war," the rest of the world looks on "completely befuddled." The only foreseeable outcomes, Taylor concludes, are "tragedy and harm."

Pete Hegseth's "American Crusade" represents a perilous convergence of faith, nationalism, and military power. His rhetoric, his personal symbols, and his strategic vision signal a departure from traditional American principles of governance and diplomacy, advocating instead for a global, religiously-charged conflict with potentially catastrophic consequences for global peace and stability. The question remains whether the nation, or the world, is prepared for a Secretary of Holy War.

Based on "Inside Trump’s Strategy to Push Out Immigrants, and How Tech Giants Targeted Teens at School" from New York Times Podcasts Watch the original video

The Unseen Hand: How Policy and Algorithms Reshape Lives, From Immigration to the Classroom

Episode summary

The Trump administration aggressively pursued a "fundamental transformation" of U.S. immigration policy, moving beyond high-profile raids to implement a wave of bureaucratic "tweaks" designed to make life harder for non-citizens and compel them to leave. This included denying green card holders government-backed loans, cutting daycare subsidies for American children of non-citizens, and revoking work permits for many asylum seekers, as exemplified by the firing of a Salvadoran woman who legally cleaned airplanes for 30 years due to a change in secure airport access rules.

Simultaneously, social media giants like Meta, Snap, TikTok, and YouTube are facing over 1,400 lawsuits from school districts alleging they deliberately engineered platforms to keep teens glued to screens, even during class. Internal documents reveal strategies like YouTube noting "increasing usage in schools Monday to Friday could decrease this gap" and Snap referring to classroom phone use as "under-the-desk time," sending alerts to students during class. While companies argue parents and schools bear responsibility, a $30 million settlement with a rural Kentucky district suggests potential billions in future liability.

In a week marked by legislative maneuvers and shocking corporate revelations, two distinct narratives emerged, each illustrating the profound, often hidden, ways that policy decisions and technological designs impact the lives of millions. From a quiet overhaul of immigration policies to the deliberate targeting of students by social media giants, these stories paint a vivid picture of the forces shaping contemporary society.

The Quiet War on Immigration: A "Fundamental Transformation"

The halls of Congress recently witnessed a marathon session, culminating in the Senate’s approval of a staggering $70 billion in funding for President Trump's immigration crackdown. Pushed through using a special filibuster-proof process, this legislative victory for Republicans wasn't just about bolstering the visible operations of agencies like ICE. It signaled a deeper, more insidious strategy to fundamentally alter the landscape for non-citizens in the United States.

Beyond the high-profile raids and border enforcement, the Trump administration has been enacting a wave of new rules and bureaucratic "tweaks" designed to "squeeze immigrants" from the inside out. The goal, according to Nick Nehamas, who covers the federal government for The New York Times, is clear: "to pull every lever to make life harder for immigrants in the United States and compel them to leave the country."

Consider the story of a woman from El Salvador, a legal resident who for nearly three decades diligently cleaned airplanes at Logan Airport in Boston. Her job, which involved meticulous cleaning of bathrooms, seats, and aisles, was abruptly terminated. She, along with dozens of other legally employed immigrants, lost their livelihoods not due to any fault of their own, but because a bureaucratic adjustment by the Trump administration changed who qualified for access to secure airport areas. Her long-held immigration status, once sufficient, no longer met the new criteria.

This seemingly minor change is emblematic of a broader, systemic effort. The administration's quiet policy shifts have far-reaching consequences:

• Financial Exclusion: Green card holders are finding themselves unable to secure government-backed loans, limiting their access to capital and economic integration.
• Family Impact: American children, born in the U.S. and thus citizens, are now at risk of losing crucial daycare subsidies if their parents are not citizens, creating a ripple effect of hardship on families.
• Economic Barriers: Many immigrants are being barred from obtaining commercial truckers' licenses, effectively shutting them out of vital industries and economic opportunities.
• Healthcare Access: Refugees, often among the most vulnerable, can no longer sign up for Medicare or receive Affordable Care Act subsidies, jeopardizing their health and well-being.
• Work Permits: A significant number of individuals seeking asylum are now unable to obtain work permits, leaving them in a precarious limbo without the means to support themselves while their cases are processed.

As Nehamas observes, "It's really a fundamental transformation of how welcoming the United States is to immigrants." These behind-the-scenes efforts, while less dramatic than a border wall or mass deportation, are systematically dismantling the support structures and opportunities that once allowed immigrants to build lives and contribute to American society.

The Digital Classroom Battle: How Social Media Targeted Students

Meanwhile, a different kind of battle is unfolding in thousands of classrooms across the country. Social media giants — Meta, Snap, TikTok, and YouTube — are facing a tsunami of over 1,400 lawsuits from school districts nationwide. The core accusation: these companies have deliberately engineered their platforms to keep teenagers "glued to their screens," even during the school day, making teachers' jobs harder by fostering distraction and addiction.

The lawsuits have forced these tech behemoths to open their vaults, revealing thousands of pages of internal documents. These papers offer a startling glimpse into the companies' strategies for engaging young users, exposing a calculated pursuit of screen time that often directly targeted students within school walls.

Jennifer Valentino-DeVries, an investigative reporter at The Times, found the revelations striking. "It was striking to see these companies discussing ways to reach kids in the classroom, knowing that that was what they were doing, getting pushback from people within the company saying that this might be disrupting the class, and they went ahead and did it anyway." This suggests a conscious decision to prioritize engagement metrics over the educational environment.

Specific examples from the internal documents paint a damning picture:

• YouTube's School Day Ambition: An internal YouTube memo from 2015 explicitly noted that Saturdays generated "tens of millions more hours of viewing" than weekdays. Their conclusion? "Increasing usage in schools Monday to Friday could decrease this gap." The exclamation point at the end underscored their enthusiasm for this classroom invasion.
• Snap's "Under-the-Desk Time": Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, had a strategy document that candidly referred to phone use in schools as "under-the-desk time." They weren't just aware of it; they actively capitalized on it, sending alerts to students during class, prompting them to post about mundane things like "what was in their backpack."
• Meta's Student Ambassadors: Meta, Facebook's parent company, ran a program that paid teenagers to act as "ambassadors" in schools. Their mission? To hand out swag and post about new products online, effectively turning students into unpaid marketers within their own learning environments.
• Google's Willful Neglect: Google, which owns YouTube, was well aware that children were watching non-academic videos during class. Yet, for many years, the company "did not invest in ways to keep that from happening," demonstrating a clear lack of concern for the educational disruption.

In response to these revelations, the companies offered varied defenses. A Google spokesman claimed the documents were "outdated." Meta stated its school outreach program was primarily about soliciting feedback. Snap's spokeswoman emphatically declared, "We do not target schools." Overall, the tech giants have largely shifted responsibility, arguing that parents, schools, and even cell phone manufacturers bear the primary blame for children's phone habits.

However, the tide may be turning. A recent $30 million settlement with a small, rural Kentucky school district, which served as a test case for the broader litigation, suggests that the companies could be on the hook for billions of dollars as more lawsuits work their way through the courts. This legal reckoning could force a fundamental reevaluation of how these platforms operate, particularly concerning their youngest users.

A Voice for the Displaced: Remembering Marjane Satrapi

Amidst these discussions of policy and technology, the world also paused to mourn the passing of Marjane Satrapi, the Iranian-French author behind the groundbreaking graphic novel series Persepolis, who died at 56. Satrapi's work, which fused comics and memoir, introduced millions to the struggles of everyday Iranians during the Islamic Revolution, vividly depicting the overthrow of the Shah and her own upbringing in a repressive society.

Satrapi's unique contribution was not just to popularize the graphic novel form, but to offer a deeply personal, humanistic perspective on complex geopolitical events. As she once explained, "I wanted to show as an insider how I lived the thing... Just to say, you know, in my life, from my point of view, that is the way I lived the thing." Her books, later adapted into an Oscar-nominated animated film, emphasized a universal truth: "human being anywhere is the same."

Born in Iran in the late 60s, Satrapi's family resisted the changes sweeping the country, particularly the new restrictions on women. Sent abroad as a teenager, she later returned to Iran for art studies before ultimately settling in France, where she wrote Persepolis. Throughout her work, she explored a profound sense of dislocation, of living away from her homeland yet thinking of it constantly. In a poignant essay for The Times, she articulated this enduring connection: "To me, the word home has only one meaning, Iran."

Satrapi's passing reminds us of the power of individual voices to illuminate societal shifts, whether wrought by policy or technology. Her ability to translate personal experience into a universally understood narrative offers a poignant counterpoint to the bureaucratic machinations and algorithmic manipulations that increasingly shape our world.

The stories of a transformed immigration system, a digitally invaded classroom, and a beloved author's legacy all underscore a vital truth: the forces that shape our lives are often subtle, sometimes unseen, but their impact is undeniably profound. Understanding these dynamics is the first step toward navigating a rapidly evolving world.