9.18 | Culture Friday: Overclocked childhood

Fri » Kids caffeinate their way through exhaustion, while education tries to engineer the struggle out of learning.Also: John Stonestreet takes on cultural contradictions over the body and false equivalence over Islamism. Steve Limkeman returns to Middle-earth 25 years later to ask why its wonder still enlarges the real world. Plus: George Grant meets late-blooming reader Scotty Smith, who says books became “a radical gift in my life.”EP 3490 · Fri Sep 18, 2026Today’s stories—> Friday morning news> Culture Friday: Overclocked childhood> LOTR: Wonder, recovered> Quest with George Grant: The late reader★ Order your commemorative sticker celebrating 15 years and 100 million downloads. theworldandeverythinginit.org/stickerThank you for supporting The World and Everything in It ❤️ wng.org/donate──────────────Additional support comes from Boyce College, which offers a Christ-centered education built on the truth of God’s Word. Every student—no matter their major—takes 30 hours of Bible and theology, learning how to think biblically, live faithfully, and lead with conviction.Formed from the 160-year legacy of Southern Seminary, Boyce College prepares students for maximum faithfulness in the world, the workplace, the church, and the family. Learn more at boycecollege.comFrom WatersEdge Kingdom Capital. Asset management for churches, schools, and ministries — backed by 80 years of experience. watersedge.com/capitalAnd from Dordt University. Offering fast-track Ag degrees to help graduates make an impact in agriculture sooner. Dordt.edu