💥 7 conversational grenades that can blow up any party

We put the power of life and death (of the convo) in your hands.

OK, hear me out… Mark Wales has rounded up seven “conversational hand grenades” that can instantly end any social interaction. His goal? Help you avoid them. But what if… you’re trying to leave?

Suddenly, these seven don’ts become seven dos. Want to tank the vibe fast? Try oversharing about your rash, interrogating strangers about their salary, or lobbing a “just joking” insult across the room. It’s basically a masterclass in making people regret inviting you.

If you’re polishing your small talk game, consider this your no-fly list, but if you’re one awkward exchange away from disappearing into the night and binging Only Murders in the Building, consider it your parachute.

Either way, it pays to arm yourself.

Image of the day

🐒 Jane Goodall’s quiet warning about grudges, conflict, and the human ego

Her legacy wasn’t just scientific, it was deeply, stubbornly hopeful.

Jane Goodall, the pioneering primatologist and world-renowned animal advocate, has passed away at the age of 91. Her groundbreaking research into chimpanzees didn’t just reshape our understanding of animals, it reframed how we see ourselves.

One of her most powerful parting insights? Chimps are better at forgiveness than we are.

“They’re very good at reconciliation,” she said in a haunting interview with the Museum of Science. “We hold grudges. We fight wars. If we were a little bit better at just making things up without continuing to fight…”

In this tribute by Ryan Reed, we trace the full arc of Jane’s legacy, from tool-wielding chimps to her reflections on arrogant humans, curious kids, and the small choices that shape a better world.

And what did we learn?

In our last issue, we shared a study that revealed perhaps the biggest threat AI poses to humanity and asked you what you thought of this emerging new technology. It seems GOOD readers are not fans of artificial intelligence.

• Do you want Terminators? Because this is how you get Terminators. (14.3%)

• AI will ruin the environment, devastate the middle class, and make the rich richer. No thanks. (46.2%)

• Properly regulated AI will improve our lives in ways we haven't even thought of yet. (30.8%)

• AI is a nothing burger, Silicon Valley hype that will fade away soon. (2.2%)

• I don't care! I'm just tired of hearing about it. (0.0%)

Reader CJS723 wrote for teh majority: “AI could be a positive but as it is being utilized presently, it is a destructive force, in my opinion. The negatives outweigh the positives.“

🤵 People who think they’re high-class might be emotionally clueless

“Stop crying, Buffy, you’ll get your tears in my caviar.

Ryan’s headline for the full story calls the study “startling,” which is a violation of our style guide. Right there in the middle of page 3, Ryan. No snark in the headlines! Because really, is it startling that people who think they’re high-class struggle with empathy?

The researchers used a literal ladder to measure how people saw themselves. The individuals who placed themselves near the top were worse at reading emotions, both one-on-one and in group settings. According to the findings, the higher you climb, the less you notice how other people feel.

Also fun (in a “we’re all doomed” kind of way): separate research shows smarter people might have less empathy, too. So if you’re rich and clever, you might just be a… oops, style guide says I can’t use that word. Let’s go with “jerk.”

Do you have something GOOD to share?

We’re always on the lookout for uplifting, enlightening, and engaging content to share with readers like you. If you have something you think should be featured in the Daily GOOD, let me know!

💬 From the group text…

Recreate classic movie scores with nothing but some random junk lying around? They’ve got this in the bag!

Join the Group Text! Send us your social media gold.