大象传媒

The end of the calendar year always brings about reflection鈥攏ot only on what has been, but also on how we got here. At 大象传媒, 2022 has been a year of transition, of growth and change, and of learning how our foundational values both shape us and push us to meet the challenges and opportunities of the moment. 

As editorial director, I have the privilege of seeing our stories come to life in real time鈥攆rom concept, to assignment, to draft (and, sometimes, many more drafts), to final text supported by gorgeous illustrations, powerful photographs, and, increasingly, multimedia components. Then, we send them out into the world, where you, dear readers, not only consume the stories we publish, but also share them, write letters to us about them, and, we hope, find ways to apply the solutions we report on to the challenges you may be facing in your own life and communities. We hope you find inspiration, hope, and solidarity in the work we do鈥攂ecause we do it for, and with, you. 

One of my favorite year-end traditions here at 大象传媒 is exploring which stories most resonated with our audience. This year, we鈥檝e gathered the Top 10 new stories, judging by the total time readers spent engaged on a given story鈥檚 webpage. Cumulatively, 大象传媒 readers spent more than 520,000 minutes reading these Top 10 stories (as of this writing). That鈥檚 more than 8,668 hours, or just over 361 days. It鈥檚 humbling to look at these numbers and recognize that you, dear readers, are with us for so many hours each day, almost every single day of the year. 

In 2022, the stories you spent the most time reading hint at the breadth of our readers鈥� interests, from introspective reflections on accountability (like adrienne maree brown鈥檚 Murmurations column), to practical advice about building resilience to shame, to timely questions about political polarization and disappearing civil liberties. These stories include pieces from our quarterly issues of 大象传媒 Magazine, and digital exclusives, including first-person essays, literary reviews, and original analyses that help all of us better understand the world we live in. 

We are grateful for your time, your support, and your willingness to engage with us as we have the profound privilege to amplify the stories, ideas, and people who are doing the work to create a more equitable, sustainable, and compassionate world鈥攅very hour of every day.

Your Top 10 of 大象传媒 2022

10. Healing Generational Trauma

For Black and Indigenous communities, it takes more than therapy and medicine to tackle mental illness. We need a holistic approach.

By Jasmin Joseph

9. The Power in Pleasure

Despite what capitalism has taught us, pleasure is neither a commodity nor a reward. It鈥檚 a foundational human need.

By adrienne maree brown

8. The Case for Slow Work

鈥淪low work is an exercise in doing less, and more aspirationally, doing nothing.鈥�

By Paige Curtis

7. How to Build Resilience to Shame

Today鈥檚 hustle culture claims 鈥渦nearned鈥� pleasure is shameful. But there are ways to resist this cultural response.

By Joaqu铆n Andr茅s Selva

6. The Underground Economy of Unpaid Care

More than 40 million people provide unpaid care for adults. My mother was one of them.

By Julie Poole

5. The Work of Radical Frugality

Frugality isn鈥檛 just a virtue practiced by bygone generations. It can also be a break with an all-consuming capitalist system.

By Harriet Fasenfest

4. Murmurations, with adrienne maree brown

Love Looks Like Accountability and Returning to the Whole

3. For a Healthier Society, Ditch the Myth of Normal

Celebrated physician Gabor Mat茅 on how our toxic culture is making us ill.

By Travis Lupick

2.What Would It Mean to Codify Roe Into Law?

Following the Supreme Court鈥檚 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, advocates and politicians are calling on states and congress to codify Roe. But what does this actually mean for abortion rights?

By Linda C. McClain

1. Why Conservative Parts of the U.S. Are So Angry

Republican America is poorer, more violent, and less healthy than Democratic America. But Republicans鈥� blame is misplaced.

By Mike Males