A Little Happier: Do You Agree: Pregnancy and Volcanoes Seem Anachronistic

4 min

•Apr 27, 2026about 1 month ago

Summary

Gretchen Rubin explores Andy Warhol's concept of anachronism—things that seem oddly out of place in modern times despite still occurring. She shares Warhol's famous observations about pregnancy and volcanoes, then builds her own list of contemporary practices that feel surprisingly antiquated.

Insights

The difficulty of self-direction in work is a universal challenge; external guidance simplifies execution and reduces decision fatigue
Anachronism is a useful lens for examining modern life—noticing what feels 'out of time' reveals assumptions about progress and change
Seemingly absurd observations can contain deep truths about human nature and cultural expectations when examined closely
The gap between technological advancement and unchanged human practices creates cognitive dissonance worth exploring

Trends

Philosophical frameworks for examining modern life and cultural contradictionsInterest in Andy Warhol's non-visual work and written observations as cultural commentaryExploration of what aspects of contemporary life feel outdated despite persistenceSelf-awareness about work productivity and the role of external structure in motivation

Topics

Andy Warhol's philosophy and writingWork productivity and self-directionAnachronism in modern lifeHuman nature observationCultural change and technological progressDecision fatigue and task managementPregnancy and reproductionNatural disastersFood production systemsSecurity and border controlAviation safetyHealth and cardiovascular events

People

Andy Warhol

His philosophical observations about anachronism and work are the primary focus of the episode discussion

Gretchen Rubin

Host of the podcast who shares Warhol's ideas and develops her own list of anachronistic modern practices

Quotes

"When I think about what sort of person I would most like to have on a retainer, I think it would be a boss. A boss who could tell me what to do, because that makes everything easy when you're working."

Andy Warhol

"The hardest part about working is telling yourself what to do. Once you know what to do, things get much easier."

Gretchen Rubin

"When I look around today, the biggest anachronism I see is pregnancy. I just can't believe that people are still getting pregnant."

Andy Warhol

"Is there anything that happens today that seems somehow anachronistic?"

Gretchen Rubin

Full Transcript

AT&T believes in connecting people to greater possibilities, and they do that through a network that keeps people meaningfully connected to those who matter most, friends, family, and more, so the moments that matter feel closer and clearer. Because it's not just about being more connected, it's about being better connected wherever life takes you. When the connection matters, it has to be AT&T. To find out more, head to att.com backslash connect to change. AT&T, connecting changes everything. I'm Gretchen Rubin, and this is A Little Happier. I like some of Andy Warhol's art, but I love his writing. He is the most extraordinarily interesting writer and observer of human nature. I find myself quoting him all the time. For instance, I often find myself quoting a comment he made in The Philosophy of Andy Warhol, from A to B and back again. He wrote, when I think about what sort of person I would most like to have on a retainer, I think it would be a boss. A boss who could tell me what to do, because that makes everything easy when you're working. I find that so true about work, that the hardest part about working is telling yourself what to do. Once you know what to do, things get much easier At times I wish I had someone around who could just tell me what to do Sometimes too Andy Warhol makes observations that seem odd eerie or even nonsensical but that strike a deep chord with me For instance, in the same book, he wrote, When I look around today, the biggest anachronism I see is pregnancy. I just can't believe that people are still getting pregnant. This is obviously a ridiculous thing to say, but somehow I feel that I know exactly what he means. Inspired by Andy Warhol, I've been keeping a list of things that I would add, things that seem anachronistic, when I think, wow, is this still happening in the same old way? Here is my list. Volcanoes erupting, Museum guards standing in galleries Political adversaries of the Russian government being thrown out of windows Birds causing an airplane to crash Growing crops for food Relying on a physical wall to keep out intruders Heart attacks rising in frequency during the Super Bowl Obviously, I see the absurdity. It's ridiculous to think that growing crops for food seems anachronistic. And yet, I do have that vague feeling. How about you? Is there anything that happens today that seems somehow anachronistic? I'm Gretchen Rubin, and I hope this makes your week a little happier.