<p>Something&#8217;s going on with Americans.</p>
<p>We are talking to each other less, but we’re seemingly more engaged in politics than ever before. More than one in 10 Americans <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/05/08/how-connected-do-americans-feel-to-their-neighbors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">don’t know</a> any of their neighbors. We may be living in a “friendship recession” as 12% of adults report having no close friends and the number boasting 10 or more has tanked since 1990. Instead of engaging with others, we are checking our phones an <a href="https://www.reviews.org/mobile/cell-phone-addiction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">average</a> of once every five minutes.</p>
<p>Online, we’re seeing political <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2024/06/12/how-americans-navigate-politics-on-tiktok-x-facebook-and-instagram/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posts</a> everywhere from X to Instagram. But even back in 2020, two-thirds of Americans were already <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2020/02/26/almost-seven-in-ten-americans-have-news-fatigue-more-among-republicans/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">complaining</a> they felt worn out by the news.</p>
<p>This presents an opportunity for conservatives, one we have often not taken.</p>
<p>Unless we’re complaining about Bad Bunny or celebrating Sydney Sweeney, conservatives have largely ceded the cultural conversation to the Left. General coverage of lifestyle, pop culture, and human interest content has become the purview of the liberals at magazines and websites that would prefer for each heartwarming story about a successful GoFundMe campaign for a cancer patient to end in a call for universal healthcare.</p>
<p>In recent years, we’ve seen a shift among conservatives toward more lifestyle content, with the rise of the Make America Healthy Again movement. Almost overnight, conservatives began talking about protein-maxxing and incorporating beef tallow into your beauty routine. But we are often not engaging with the broader culture unless there’s an easy Right vs. Left angle.</p>
<p>That’s a problem. A problem we want to solve here.</p>
<p>At Upstream, we don’t want to focus on stories because there is an immediate partisan takeaway. We want to engage with topics in hopes of reaching a better understanding of our fellow Americans and, ultimately, how to live our own lives well.</p>
<p>Conservatives and traditionally minded people seem to be swimming upstream when it comes to the rest of American society. It may be more difficult, but we wouldn’t sacrifice our values for a life of ease. Plus, if politics is downstream from culture, we should be paying more attention to what’s upstream.</p>
<p>The purpose of this section is to be conversational, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be controversial. The questions about how to live a good life have divided humans for thousands of years. Socrates wasn’t killed for nothing.</p>
<p>We want to engage in considered and thoughtful arguments about everything from what to buy at the grocery store and how to engage with that Oscar-nominated film everyone is talking about, to when to get your kid her first cellphone and where to find products from brands whose values you support. Here we ask the big and small questions, and we champion individual agency.</p>
<p>Upstream is The Daily Wire&#8217;s home for articles on all of these subjects, which you can <a href="https://www.bentkey.com/topic/upstream">find here</a>. We welcome submissions; interested writers can send pitches to upstream@dailywire.com.</p>
<p>“Everything depends on the individual human being, regardless of how small a number of like-minded people there is, and everything depends on each person, through action and not mere words, creatively making the meaning of life a reality in his or her own being,” Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl wrote in &#8220;Yes to Life: In Spite of Everything.&#8221;</p>
<p>When Americans are feeling alienated from each other and are turning for solace to political outrage or AI companionship, exploring how to live the good life is an imperative. Here, you will find real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.</p>

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A video goes viral showing a baby being refused his mother by two gay "dads". This is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we will have an important discussion today about surrogacy. 

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The Matt Walsh Show

Ep. 1765 - This Video Is One Of The Worst Things I've Seen In A Long Time 

The Strait of Hormuz officially opens for business (kind of), the Pope makes “shocking” comments on immigration, and President Trump promises UFO disclosure at TPUSA. 


The Michael Knowles Show

Ep. 1956 -  Pope Leo's "SHOCKING" Immigration Comments EXPLAINED

A false miscreed has corrupted our leadership class.


The Andrew Klavan Show

Ep. 1275 - Dumb, Dumber and Progressive

President Trump announces a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, a murder-suicide involving former Democratic Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax shakes Virginia, and France and Britain hold a conference to secure the Strait of Hormuz – after the Iranian conflict ends. Get the facts first with Morning Wire.

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Ep. 2738

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U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26 [Member Exclusive]

A ceasefire goes into effect between Israel and Lebanon, a tragic murder-suicide rocks Virginia, and Dairy Queen deploys AI in the drive-thru. Get the facts first with Evening Wire.
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Ep. 2737
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Evening Wire: Lebanon Ceasefire Begins & Murder-Suicide Rocks VA | 4.16.26

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Introducing Upstream: The Daily Wire’s New Home For Culture And Lifestyle