Consider This from NPR

The world faces key deadlines for climate action in coming decades. But most of us are more focused on the short term — today, tomorrow, maybe next year. So what do we do about that?NPR's Rebecca Hersher explains why humans have so much trouble prioritizing climate change.And Esme Nicholson reports on climate protesters in Germany who are taking increasingly disruptive steps to demand action.In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

A small group of Republican hardliners set out to block Kevin McCarthy, their party's leader in the House of Representatives, from becoming Speaker. That same faction has taken on GOP leaders before.We speak to Paul Kane, senior Congressional correspondent and columnist for the Washington Post, about the history behind this week's standoff in the House and what it means for Congress.In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

High mortgage rates and a low supply of homes for sale has made homeownership feel out of reach for many Americans. And yet it remains an important way for Americans to build wealth.We speak with Chris Herbert, with the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University, about how homeownership became such an important part of the American Dream, and about other ways to build wealth.In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Although not widely known, 37-year-old Tobias Jesso Jr.'s name pops up on the credits of some of today's biggest musical hits. He's written for Adele, Harry Styles and FKA twigs among many others. Jesso Jr.'s body of work as a songwriter has earned him a Grammy nomination in the brand-new category Songwriter of the Year. And although he got his start in the music industry as a solo artist, he says he feels more at home behind the scenes. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

It's that time of year - the ball has dropped, the champagne bottles are empty and you have a list of resolutions to start living your best life in 2023. There's plenty of expert advice to help us succeed at making a budget or running a 5K. But research and polling show that many people fail to reach their goals. If you routinely give up your resolutions by February, maybe the key to succeeding is rethinking the whole idea of what a resolution is.NPR's Elissa Nadworny talks with Marielle Segarra, host of Life Kit about why focusing less on goals and more on intentions may be a better approach to making resolutions. And Faith Hill of The Atlantic shares why she decided to stop making New Year's resolutions. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The United Kingdom is, for many, synonymous with stability. But 2022 has been a year of turbulence and change for the U.K.In one, chaotic four-month stretch, the U.K. went through major transitions involving three prime ministers and two monarchs. We look back at what this turbulence meant for the United Kingdom, and ahead to what new leadership could bring, with NPR's London Correspondent Frank Langfitt.In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Artificial intelligence is now so much a part of our lives that it seems almost mundane. So is that something to be excited about? Or is the world a scarier place because of it?NPR's Bobby Allyn reports on how some new AI advances showcase both the power and the peril of the technology.And NPR's Ari Shapiro talks to Brian Christian, author of the book "The Alignment Problem: Machine Learning and Human Values", about what we might see in field of artificial intelligence in the year to come. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

You've heard the saying, 'Blood is thicker than water,' right? Yet for many people, family is not just about blood or DNA — it's about deep connections .For those people, chosen family could be close friends, people who share similar identities, people who went through similar experiences, or something else that forms a bond.We hear stories from people about their chosen families.We also speak with marriage and family therapist and sexologist Dr. Lexx Brown-James, about why chosen families are vital in people's lives.In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Rep. Kevin McCarthy is the GOP leader in the House of Representatives and he's campaigning to become Speaker in the next Congress. But a handful of House Republicans say they won't support him.Associated Press' chief congressional correspondent Lisa Mascaro talks about McCarthy's strategy.And NPR's Elena Moore reports on what young conservatives want from their party. In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Malcolm Alexander and Frederick Clay both spent decades in prison for crimes they didn't commit. Both were eventually exonerated and released.Clay has received compensation from the state of Massachusetts, but Alexander is still battling the state of Louisiana in court. We hear from the two men about what it's like to fight for compensation for their wrongful convictions — and why that fight is about more than just the money.In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy