{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/69f1f631d7e73f5a692d1d3c/6a7f71e8116d80d19d93f8eb?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Why does everything feel meh? We're in the era of joyless decadence","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/69f1f631d7e73f5a692d1d3c/1786737299120-8660d03e-1010-48d9-aabf-0ef0b4de6dd4.jpeg?height=200","description":"<p>We should, in theory, be happy. Thanks to our phones, we can do practically anything – listen to our favorite bands' entire discographies, have extravagant meals delivered to our door, travel the world through an endless scroll. So why do so many of these experiences feel so joyless? Why do so many of us feel so empty all the time? Hosts<a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/profile/kai-wright\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"> Kai Wright</a> and<a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/profile/carter-sherman\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"> Carter Sherman</a> wrestle with these questions with academics<a href=\"https://guardianbookshop.com/making-oscar-wilde-9780198802372/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"> Michèle Mendelssohn</a> and<a href=\"https://www.charlietyson.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"> Charlie Tyson</a>, who argue that we are living in an era of decadence without pleasure. While decadence always arises in times of extreme inequality, they say that tools like AI and GLP-1s reveal how we've lost our ability to truly enjoy things – and, ironically, reclaiming decadence may help us finally have fun.</p><p><br></p><ul><li>Michèle Mendelssohn and Charlie Tyson’s Guardian essay:<a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/jul/26/age-of-decadence-pleasure-ai\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"> Why does everything feel joyless? Welcome to the age of decadence without pleasure</a></li></ul><p><br></p>","author_name":"The Guardian"}