Odds & Ends: June 6, 2025

Gattaca. Kate and I recently introduced our kids to a film we’ve long appreciated that deserves wider recognition: Gattaca. The film is noteworthy for several reasons: its distinctive color palette and unique retro-futuristic aesthetic, Michael Nyman’s hauntingly beautiful score (try “The Other Side“), and a plot that’s both philosophically rich and uncannily prescient. Gattaca anticipated the bioethical dilemmas we’re now beginning to face, while also delivering a powerful message about the human ability to struggle against and transcend the dictates of fate. In a society where genetic engineering determines your destiny — leading to rigid societal strictures that often become self-fulfilling prophecies — Ethan Hawke’s Vincent refuses to accept the limits imposed on him and instead decides to do whatever it takes to reach the stars.

Rich 90’s Dad Cologne. I spotted this cologne on Huckberry, and its name cracked me up. Rich 90’s Dad. Who wouldn’t want to smell like a rich 90’s dad? I picked up the 10ml bottle to give it a shot, and I’ll be darned, the scent is great and really captures its eponymous archetype. Bergamot and lemon give it a fresh opening, while lavender, sage, and geranium add sophistication in the middle, all grounded by a rich base of musk, sandalwood, and amber. When I’m wearing it, I feel like I should be driving my BMW, chatting on my Motorola car phone, and heading to a racquetball match with my fellow rich ’90s dad, Troy. I love how this cologne doesn’t take itself too seriously yet still delivers a quality fragrance. 

10 Natural Laws of Successful Time and Life Management by Hyrum Smith. I picked this up partly for nostalgia — Smith is the guy who created the Franklin Planner, which I used religiously back in the ’90s and early 2000s. Before smartphones took over our lives, that leather-bound planner was everything for me: calendar, task list, and note-taking system, all rolled into one. Smith later teamed up with Stephen Covey to form Franklin Covey. This book lays out the philosophy behind effective time management. There are lots of solid reminders about prioritizing what matters and aligning your daily actions with your long-term values. 

Training the Suppression of Unwanted Thoughts. I came across this study that goes against the grain of the conventional wisdom about dealing with unpleasant and unwanted thoughts. For decades, therapists and self-help gurus have warned against trying to suppress unwanted thoughts, citing the famous “white bear” phenomenon — also known as the rebound effect — where deliberately trying not to think about something paradoxically increases the thought’s frequency and intensity. But this new research from Cambridge suggests the opposite might be true. Researchers trained 120 people from 16 countries to actively suppress their fearful thoughts about future events over three days of online sessions. Instead of the predicted rebound effects, participants showed reduced anxiety, depression, and negative affect. And the benefits lasted for three months. Participants didn’t just benefit during the study; 82% continued using the suppression techniques on their own afterward, reporting better mood and less anxiety. 

On our Dying Breed newsletter, we published Sunday Firesides: You Make the Magic and Dying Breed Dialogues: Ron Jones on Reviving Classical Physical Education.

Quote of the Week

A fool at forty is a fool indeed.

—Edward Young

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.