Emily Cooke

Editorial Director at The New Republic

Editorial Director, @newrepublic; formerly of @harpers, @bookforum, @newinquiry

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Articles

90s Icons Who Ghosted the Limelight But Still Own Our Souls (Thanks to One Song)

2 weeks ago | medium.com | Emily Cooke

Because sometimes one-hit wonders are the real cultural powerhouses. By: Emily CookeAh, the ‘90s — a simpler time. When jeans were JNCO-wide, frosted tips were socially acceptable, and you couldn’t text someone “wyd” without first being born 15 years later. But dang, the music slapped. While the decade gifted us long-reigning legends like Britney, Mariah, and Missy, it also gave rise to a magical sub-species of musical marvel: the one-hit wonder.
Dating in 2025 Feels Like Zillow for Humans - So Here’s Where to Meet People IRL

2 weeks ago | medium.com | Emily Cooke

By: Emily CookeLet’s be honest. Modern dating has become a real estate app in disguise. You’re lying in bed at 11:47 p.m., hair in a messy bun or shirtless with crumbs on your chest, scrolling through endless profiles like they’re open houses:• “Hmm… 6’1”, stable job, emotionally available adjacent. Could use some updates, but move-in ready.”• Next. • “Looks good in pictures, but definitely haunted.”Swiping is exhausting.
Millennial Lingo We Can’t Stop Saying (Even Though It’s Soooo Not Cool Anymore)

2 weeks ago | medium.com | Emily Cooke

By: Emily CookeThere comes a time in every millennial’s life when you realize:You are not the pop culture pulse anymore. You are vintage. You are archival footage. You are someone’s quirky childhood memory. And nothing drives this dagger deeper into our distressed-denim-wrapped souls than our language — a beautiful, chaotic time capsule of words and phrases that Gen Z looks at like dusty artifacts in a museum.
My Six-Figure Friend Wants to Be a Construction Worker (And Honestly, Same)

2 weeks ago | medium.com | Emily Cooke

By: Emily Cooke⸻The other day, over overpriced oat milk lattes, my friend dropped a bombshell. This friend — let’s call her Claire — is the definition of corporate success. • Customer Success Manager. • Six-figure salary. • Work-from-home life complete with ergonomic chair, adjustable standing desk, and inspirational sticky notes. You know. The Dream.
Your Brain is Lying to You (and Honestly, It’s Kind of Rude)

2 weeks ago | medium.com | Emily Cooke

By: Emily Cooke⸻You think you’re in charge of your life, right? Cute. The truth is, your brain — that three-pound wrinkly meatball you carry around in your skull — is lying to you all the time. And not even in a clever Ocean’s Eleven way. More like a clumsy toddler trying to hide a broken vase behind their back. Let’s dive into the uncomfortable (but fascinating) reality:Your brain is a master of illusions.
17 Tiny Things That Secretly Mean You’re Doing Better Than You Think

2 weeks ago | medium.com | Emily Cooke

(No, you’re not a failure just because your laundry’s in the dryer for the third day.)By Emily Cooke⸻We live in a world where it feels like you have to be launching a startup, renovating a kitchen, writing a novel, and deadlifting a Volvo just to qualify as “doing okay.”But here’s the truth: You’re doing better than you think. Probably way better.
So You Went Viral on Medium… Now What? (Hint: You’re Not Retiring Yet)

2 weeks ago | medium.com | Emily Cooke

By Someone Who Has Definitely Imagined Spending Viral Money on a Private IslandCongratulations!You just went viral on Medium. Your notifications are a dumpster fire of glory. Your mother is finally proud. You’re mentally composing your Oscar speech. And then you check your Medium earnings…$148.32. Before taxes. Cue tiny violin. Welcome to the hilarious, humbling truth about virality on Medium:It’s amazing for your ego. It’s decent for your wallet. It’s pure gold for your future — if you play it right.
The Top 5 Most Viral Medium Articles Ever (and How to Steal Their Thunder)

2 weeks ago | medium.com | Emily Cooke

By Someone Who Once Went Viral…in Their Group ChatListen, going viral on Medium is a little like catching a unicorn: magical, improbable, and slightly sweaty. But somehow, some lucky souls have cracked the code, catapulting their posts into the stratosphere where angels (and Twitter trolls) sing their praises.
The Engagement That Never Came - How a Sociopath’s Lies Led Me to My Truth

2 weeks ago | medium.com | Emily Cooke

How dating a sociopath shattered my illusion of the “perfect man” and led me to something real. By Emily Cooke⸻I used to think the worst kind of heartbreak came from losing someone you loved. But I was wrong. The worst kind of heartbreak is discovering the person you loved never actually existed. Two years. That’s how long I dated him.
Acne vaccine: Experimental shot for common skin condition reaches clinical trials. Here's what you need to know.

2 weeks ago | livescience.com | Emily Cooke

Scientists are testing a vaccine to treat acne, a skin condition that affects around 95% of people between the ages of 11 and 30. If the shot makes it through trials, it could become the first-ever acne vaccine. Acne is an inflammatory disorder that causes hair follicles and pores in the skin to become clogged, leading to the formation of pimples that most commonly appear across the face, upper arms, trunk and back.