Tony's Top Reads, Videos and Podcasts - July 2026
- Jul 25
- 3 min read
READS
The economy is strong, wages are up, and unemployment is low, yet something is clearly broken in how we feel. Derek Thompson digs into new research showing a sudden, across the board drop in American happiness since 2020 that has nothing to do with income or employment. Worth a slow read if you’ve ever wondered why the numbers say one thing and the national mood says another.
Apollo’s Marc Rowan has $1 trillion under management and just posted a record quarter, and he’s still telling investors he’s never been more worried about an outside shock hitting the economy. Between AI, tariffs, and geopolitics, it’s a good reminder that strong headlines and a calm portfolio aren’t always the same thing.
A handful of AI driven mega caps now make up nearly a third of the S&P 500, which means your “diversified” index fund may be far less diversified than you think. Bethany McLean makes a compelling case for actually knowing what’s inside the funds you own. Timely, and a little unsettling.
A viral thread on what its author calls “brain rot”: the slow, invisible erosion of attention, memory, and depth caused by nonstop digital stimulation. It’s a sobering look at what our phones may be doing to us, and a nudge toward reclaiming a little boredom.
Shane Parrish and Morgan Housel packed a career’s worth of insight on wealth, risk, and human behavior into one short, quotable thread. Save it, screenshot it, read it again in six months. You’ll get something new out of it each time.
Best known for The Chronicles of Narnia, Lewis was also a sharp, often overlooked thinker on equality, freedom, and the danger of a society run by well-meaning planners who answer to no one. This essay pulls together his warnings about trading self respect for comfort, and it feels morerelevant today than when he wrote it.
VIDEOS
Success and character are not the same pursuit. David Brooks lays out the stages people move through on the way to a life that’s actually well lived. Twenty minutes, well spent.
Brooks’ Five Big Bonds & Commitments:
Spouse and Family • Vocational • Community • Faith • Friends
Back pain touches almost everyone at some point, and yet so much of what we assume about it turns out to be wrong. Dr. Jen Gunter clears up the myths in a quick, practical watch. Send this to anyone who’s ever thrown out their back reaching for the remote.
Country star Eric Church steps away from the guitar to talk about faith, family, marriage, and ambition, and the internet is buzzing about it. Skip the cap and gown; the message holds up at any stage of life.
PODCASTS
Pastor Rick Warren offers grounded, practical wisdom on protecting your heart, literally and figuratively, from the wear and tear of daily life. A gentle, encouraging listen.
Back by popular demand: Andrew Huberman’s deep dive into what alcohol actually does to sleep, metabolism, and long term health. If it changed how you think about happy hour the first time, it’s worth a second listen. It’s still changing how I live, over a year later. BONUS WEBINAR!
If you weren’t able to join our recent cybersecurity webinar, don’t worry. You can catch the full recording on our YouTube channel by CLICKING HERE.
No matter your age, profession, or level of technical experience, cybersecurity plays an
important role in our daily lives. The more we know, the safer we can be.
QUOTES TO PONDER:
"An investment in knowledge pays the best interest."
~ Benjamin Franklin
"The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled"
~ Plutarch
"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."
~ Mahatma Gandhi
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