The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway Why America Feels So Unhappy — with Derek Thompson
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Feb 5, 2026 
Derek Thompson, journalist and author known for longform writing and the Plain English podcast, joins to unpack why Americans feel unhappier despite better health and safety. He discusses media-driven negativity, social comparison from screens, AI’s role in widening inequality, and the promise and policy questions around GLP-1 drugs. Short, sharp conversations on tech, culture, and what shapes modern well-being.
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Use Subscription Cancels As Leverage
- Non-participation (canceling subscriptions) can be a low-disruption political signal that impacts markets.
- Scott Galloway recommends canceling services that financially empower objectionable policies to apply consumer pressure.
Canceling Uber Revealed Big Spend
- Scott discovered he was spending roughly $35,000 a year on 3,700 Uber rides across ten years.
- That realization came while canceling his Uber account and highlighted hidden subscription costs.
Curate A Healthier Media Diet
- Develop a 'nose' for news negativity and seek solution-focused content as 'vegetables' in your diet.
- Balance your media consumption by adding more constructive, less-processed sources to reduce pessimism.
