"Fur Babies" > Babies (?)

"Fur Babies" > Babies (?)

Dude, why does everyone have a pet but nobody has a baby? What should we make of the rise of doggy daycares and pet clothing? Is this late stage capitalism? Is it the increasing unaffordability of having kids? Is it the loneliness epidemic? Maybe all of the above?? Join Jackie and Zoe as we learn about the history of pet keeping in America, recent trends in pet ownership, and we use virtue ethics to evaluate our relationships to our furry friends.Whether you have a pet, are considering getting one, or don’t want one but just want to understand what the hell a Bark box is, join us. If you want to learn more about our messy relationships with animals, I highly recommend the book Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat [https://www.harpercollins.com/products/some-we-love-some-we-hate-some-we-eat-second-edition-hal-herzog?variant=39278403780642] by Hal Herzog, PhD And the paper that Zoe claims she will definitely read is: Autonomy, Slavery, and Companion Animals [https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2166&context=bts] by Heather Kendrick, PhD Dude, I went down such a rabbit hole when researching for this episode. Every paper mentioned, and a few others besides, are linked below. "My Little Son, My Everything": Comparative Caregiving and Emotional Bonds in Dog and Child Parenting by Udvarhelyi-Tóth et al, 2025 [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41375417/]  Majority of Americans think of their pets as family members | Pew Research Center [https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/07/07/about-half-us-of-pet-owners-say-their-pets-are-as-much-a-part-of-their-family-as-a-human-member/] Separation-related behaviour indicates the effect of functional breed selection in dogs (Canis familiaris) - ScienceDirect [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168159119301443]  The 2020 Five Domains Model: Including Human–Animal Interactions in Assessments of Animal Welfare - PMC [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7602120/] The Welfare of Dogs as an Aspect of the Human–Dog Bond: A Scoping Review - PMC [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11240373/] We love our pets, and our spending proves it : Beyond the Numbers [https://www.bls.gov/opub/btn/volume-12/we-love-our-pets-and-our-spending-proves-it-1.htm] Similarities and differences between dog–human and human–human relationships - PMC [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12012045/] A $1,000 Dog Grooming Session? The Wellness Industry Is Booming. - The New York Times [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/09/business/dog-grooming-wellness-costs.html?unlocked_article_code=1.WlA.yP5S.SKEJrDd9yXPS&smid=nytcore-android-share] Animal Liberation (book) - Wikipedia [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_Liberation_(book)]  The Case for Animal Rights - Wikipedia [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Case_for_Animal_Rights]  The Animal Welfare Science of Working Dogs: Current Perspectives on Recent Advances and Future Directions [https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2021.666898/full] Operational Details of the Five Domains Model and Its Key Applications to the Assessment and Management of Animal Welfare - PMC [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5575572/]  All in the Family: Pets and Family Structure - PMC [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12177977/] Dog Population & Dog Sheltering Trends in the United States of America [https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/8/5/68] Future estimated annual expenditures of raising a child, assuming a higher inflation rate of 4 percent after 2020 [https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Brookings_Cost-to-raise-a-child_inflation-adjusted-2.pdf]  2025 AVMA Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aftermash.substack.com [https://aftermash.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Middle Class Who?

The American Middle Class! This episode started as a desire to understand the base definitions of income and class in order to better understand my own personal position (and privilege) in society. But it turns out a Merriam-Webster consensus of this stuff does not exist. Which is preposterous, because in middle school I learned about The Scientific Method, which tells me that to build a useful experiment you must have a definition of your population and your problem.  So join me (Zoe), an Upper Middle Class White B***ch with Expensive Hobbies, and Jackie (who also identifies as upper middle class), as we create a definition of the American Middle Class so that maybe we (and we alone) can solve the problems facing it. Show notes on our substack [https://aftermash.substack.com/p/middle-class-who?r=7id9oy]! But here's a sneak peek of the resulting definition I come up with: Zoë’s Diagnostic Criteria for The American Middle Class (modeled after the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders): Four or more of the following metrics must have been present during the same 3 years within the associated geographic location of the household unit during that time period. AND at least one metric achieved must be (1) Having achieved at least the median income of associated geographic location for the last 3 years OR (2) Have not been delinquent on mortgage payments for more than 60 consecutive days.  - Having achieved at least the median income of associated geographic location for the last 3 years - Have not been delinquent on mortgage payments for more than 60 consecutive days - Able to afford a healthcare plan - Every working adult has a reasonably-functioning car (exclusive of dependents) - Emergency fund of with at least three months worth of expenses covered - Can save for retirement at the rate of your maximum employee-matched retirement account or ROTH-IRA max contributions for the year - Have not been delinquent on credit card debts as it relates to necessities of living for more than three consecutive months in the last 3 years - The value of the Consumers Good Index can fluctuate 10% without changing behavior This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aftermash.substack.com [https://aftermash.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Don't read Yesteryear

We wanted to love Yesteryear, the buzzy new book by first-time artist Caro Claire-Burke. It's everywhere right now, and like you, we were sucked in by the titillating premise: a tradwife influencer who lives on a farm waking up in the 1850s and learning what "traditional life" really entails. It's catchy, it's unique, it makes you wonder what the twist is at the end of the book. But we swear, it isn't worth it, and we will break down for you why. This is our first bonus episode! We will be back on Tuesday with our regularly scheduled programming. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aftermash.substack.com [https://aftermash.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Why Does Dating Suck So Much?

Dating sucks; anyone who has spent any amount of time “on the market” in their 20s or 30s can tell you that. We all love to hate on dating apps. “They don’t work,” we gleefully confess to each other, which is a universal truth we all know... because all of us are still swiping. Dating apps are like social media, or #grindset culture: we love to hate them and yet we secretly can’t stop using them. The tech overlords commodified one of the most fundamental tenets of being alive: the seeking of human connection. But that doesn't make it any less important. So what can we do about it? Why?? Why do dating apps suck so much?? Do they actually, or do we just love to hate them?? What actually works in seeking and keeping a partner, according to science?? Will I ever get married or will I die alone?? This and more in today’s episode. Side note: if you are seeking love, I recommend reading the book that helped change my relationship with seeking relationships: How to Not Die Alone, by Logan Ury. The sources referenced in the podcast: Stock Buybacks Are a Key Example of Extractive Corporate Power [https://rooseveltinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/RI_Stock-Buybacks-key-example-of-extractive-corporate-power-Fact-Sheet-201910.pdf] The real effects of share repurchases - ScienceDirect [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304405X15001476] 10 Essential Pieces of Expert Dating Advice | Psychology Today [https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-psychology-of-relationships/202402/10-quick-pieces-of-dating-advice-from-relationship]  U.S. women are outpacing men in college completion, including in every major racial and ethnic group [https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/11/18/us-women-are-outpacing-men-in-college-completion-including-in-every-major-racial-and-ethnic-group/]  "Scarcity of College Men and the Decline in Marriage Among Non-College Americans" [https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5086363], by Clara Chambers, Benjamin Goldman, and Joseph Winkelmann.  “Where Have All the Good Men Gone?” Gendered Interactions in Online Dating - PMC [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4043335/] What's The Biggest Challenge Men Face On Dating Apps? [https://web.archive.org/web/20180209145512/http://hingeirl.com/hinge-reports/whats-the-biggest-challenge-men-face-on-dating-apps-a-qa-with-aviv-goldgeier-junior-growth-engineer/]  Aspirational pursuit of mates in online dating markets | Science Advances [https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aap9815]  From Looking for Love to Swiping the Field: Online Dating in the U.S. | Pew Research Center [https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2023/02/02/from-looking-for-love-to-swiping-the-field-online-dating-in-the-u-s/] Dating App Use Linked to Worse Mental Health | Psychology Today [https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-asymmetric-brain/202512/dating-app-use-linked-to-worse-mental-health]  Why investors don’t fund dating | andrewchen [https://andrewchen.com/why-investors-dont-fund-dating/]  Dating App Revenue and Usage Statistics (2026) - Business of Apps [https://www.businessofapps.com/data/dating-app-market/] Red Flag/Green Flag: What to Look for When You’re Dating [https://www.gottman.com/blog/red-flag-green-flag-what-to-look-for-when-youre-dating/] (PDF) Leveling the Playing Field [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/278039644_Leveling_the_Playing_Field] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aftermash.substack.com [https://aftermash.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

New Years Resolution Checkin

In this fifth episode of After MASH podcast, Jackie and Zoe are breaking from the typical format. Instead of one host subverting a childhood belief about xyz thing, we’re just chatting. And this week, as we leave the first third of the year (**sweats casually**), Jackie and I are checking in on our new years resolutions. We’re talking about how we feel about them (Jackie LOVES them), how we got about them (Zoe swoons over a process), what they are (not run of the mill), and how we’re doing (all right). And that’s all the detail you’re going to get. If you care about two 31 year old friends talking about our resolutions, take a listen. At the very least, take this time to reflect on what you hoped you would get done this year and how it’s going. And it’s never too late to start. The calendar is arbitrary, after all. Best, Zoë, Jackie, and Jae This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aftermash.substack.com [https://aftermash.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]