Lunch Break Reads: October 8, 2025

Jaya Saxena traces how the word “foodie” went from a niche label for people obsessed with flavor and craft to something almost meaningless. She looks at the ways food culture exploded through TV, Instagram, and travel, and how what started as genuine curiosity turned into performance.

Masha Hamilton drives the length of I-95 talking to people about Trump, faith, loss, and what it means to belong to a country that feels like it’s splitting apart. Her writing isn’t angry or preachy; it’s tender and deeply human. Cheney Orr’s photography adds another layer, capturing the exhaustion and resilience in people’s faces. It’s a piece that reminds you how complicated this country is and how much we still need to listen to each other.

Sy Safransky’s gentle, wise reflection on what our pets teach us about love, loss, and being alive. His memories of his cat, Cirrus, remind us to play while we can, care for the bodies we have, and accept that nothing we love lasts forever. It’s a deeply moving piece about devotion and gratitude.

Evan Ratliff wrote a great article for Wired in 2009 about disconnecting and disappearing in the digital age. It is a great read. But last year he released a podcast setting out to do almost the opposite: letting AI voice agents do the heavy lifting in our lives. Season One is a top winner at this year’s Independent Media Initiative award, and season two is on its way. Hope you enjoy the show as much as I did!