Why is sobriety suddenly, like, kind of cool?

PLUS: More of WIRED's best longreads from this week.

View this email in your browser  |  Manage newsletter subscriptions  04.24.22   SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE    The End of Alcohol Glamorous influencers are blending science and superstition to help people "change their relationship to drinking." Did I miss out by getting sober the old-fashioned way? BY VIRGINIA HEFFERNAN | 15-MINUTE READ Do you drink? Probably. Do you want to drink less? Also probably. Lucky for you, cutting back is pretty easy these days. Sober bars are cropping up everywhere, and alcohol-free beverages are flying off shelves. Meanwhile, a whole class of influencers are making "content" that promises to, as they like to say, "change your relationship to drinking." But ... why? Why is sobriety suddenly, like, kind of cool? To find out, we asked Virginia Heffernan, one of our regular contributors, to investigate the new temperance. Virginia has some skin in the game: She got sober 10 years ago—"the old-fashioned way." Translation: in Alcoholics Anonymous. The question she set for herself was: How are younger people pursuing sobriety? Are their methods similar to the 12 steps, or opposed? Her essay answers these questions and more, suggesting that the ultimate question isn't so much how we get sober. It's why. Jason Kehe | Senior Editor     I Don't Understand Anything Anymore BY KC COLE | 7-MINUTE READ The sense of overwhelming muchness is chaotic and confusing. That's all right by me.     In the World of NFTs, Who's Making Money Off Your Image? BY MATHANA | 9-MINUTE READ Celebrities struggle with ownership of their image. It's time to prevent "portrait piracy" before the rest of us need to worry too.     Time Got So Much Weirder. The World Needs a New Lexicon BY PAUL FORD | 3-MINUTE READ Our days aren't ruled by the sundial or the pendulum clock anymore. They're measured in binges and darkmodes.     The End of Astronauts—and the Rise of Robots BY DONALD GOLDSMITH AND MARTIN REES | 5-MINUTE READ Human space travel has captured the global imagination, but robots may be a better, cheaper, and safer option.     Crypto Is Poised to Reshape Taxes—and Cities BY ADAM WILLEMS | 7-MINUTE READ Tokens like CityCoins could turn taxes into another investment vehicle, for better or worse.     You—Yes, You!—Would Be a Better Owner for Twitter Than Elon Musk BY DANNY SPITZBERG AND NATHAN SCHNEIDER | 5-MINUTE READ The platform's essential infrastructure should be controlled by a user-owned democracy. GET WIRED Spring Sale. Give yourself the gift of information. Get the print edition of WIRED and exclusive subscriber-only stories for just $29.99 $5. Subscribe now.         Have questions or comments? Reply to this email.   This e-mail was sent to you by WIRED. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, wired@newsletters.wired.com, to your address book.   View our Privacy Policy Unsubscribe or manage your newsletter subscriptions