This American Life 245: Allure of the Mean Friend
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Jul 27, 2025 
Join Josh Hamilton, an actor known for his poignant readings, as he shares Bernard Cooper's emotional tale about the bill from his father that encapsulates his entire childhood. Meanwhile, Jonathan Goldstein confronts the very bullies who haunted his school days, revealing lingering tensions. They explore the intriguing allure of mean friends, discussing how meanness operates in various social circles and even testing if kindness yields better results in the workplace. This thought-provoking dialogue on social dynamics and friendship keeps you captivated throughout.
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Jackie Cohen's Junior High Reign
- Jackie Cohen was the meanest popular girl in junior high and ruled her social group with strict rules.
- She and her friends kicked out anyone who didn't fit their strict standards for appearance and behavior.
Mean Girls Tap Dark Truth
- Mean girls allure people by acknowledging their flaws brutally, breaking social pretenses.
- This raw honesty taps into a dark craving for brutal truth, making their cruelty oddly captivating.
Waitresses' Niceness Experiment
- An experiment with waitresses showed that being aloof could increase tips for certain customers.
- However, results varied, as some customers tip consistently regardless of niceness, revealing complex social dynamics in service.
