Say A Little Prayer For Gen Z – How Young Folks Are Finding (Or Moving Away From) Religion

For more than two weeks in February, Asbury University hosted a round-the-clock religious revival, making headlines across the world and inspiring other colleges to host revivals of their own. But wait a minute, aren’t Zoomers supposed to be less religious? While there is a general trend towards disaffiliation with religion, digging into the data paints a more complicated picture of a generation in flux. How has living in a time of tremendous social change influenced Gen Z’s attitudes towards religion–organized or otherwise? And within this generation, how does religious feeling differ between certain groups? Joining us to answer these questions and more are Daniel A. Cox, director of the Survey Center on American Life and a senior fellow in polling and public opinion at the American Enterprise Institute, and Richard Flory, executive director of the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture.

‘Buy American:’ Can Policy Help Blue Collar American Jobs Or Do Global Markets Make It Unfeasible?

President Joe Biden, like many of his recent predecessors, is attempting to increase the amount of domestic manufacturing, with his plan resulting in a $50 billion investment into the semiconductor industry. This bipartisan ‘Buy American’ policy shows a unilateral preference to increase manufacturing jobs for blue-collar Americans—but what will the impact of this policy be and does it have long-term viability given the push-and-pull nature of the global economy? The concept of the global economy has grown since the 20th century policies of American presidents since Richard Nixon, sending off manufacturing jobs with the promise that prices would be cheaper for consumers and the international workforce would see more economic growth.

Today on AirTalk, we attempt to dig into the past and future of ‘Buy American’ as method of economic growth and maintaining blue-collar jobs with Milken Institute chief economist William Lee and Mark A. Peterson, UCLA Interim Chair of its department of Public Policy and professor of Public Policy, Political Science, and Law.

Should I Have Kids? Why The Question Feels Much More Complicated For Today’s Young Adults

One of the most fundamental questions to consider in life is whether or not to have children. Well, today it is. Decades ago, for most, it likely felt less like a question and more like an assumption that you would have kids at some point. Some today might know for sure that they either do or don’t want kids, which is great. But for a lot of young adults considering their future, the question feels more complicated and messy. First off, younger generations recognize the devastating effects of climate change and wonder whether it’s responsible to bring a kid into the world. There’s also soaring inflation, more awareness about generational trauma, not to mention the psychological and physical tolls it can take on you. Joining guest host Austin Cross to discuss this complicated question is Claire McInerny, producer for the podcast Terrible, Thanks for Asking, which released her episode “Should I Have Kids?” earlier this week, and Merle Bombardieri, a licensed social worker and author of “The Baby Decision: How To Make the Most Important Choice of Your Life.”

FilmWeek: ‘Creed III,’ ‘Operation Fortune: Ruse De Guerre,’ ‘Transfusion’ and More

Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell and Andy Klein review this weekend’s new movie releases in theaters, streaming, and on demand platforms.

• “Creed III,” Wide Release
• “Operation Fortune: Ruse De Guerre,” Wide Release
• “What We Do Next,” Laemmle Monica Film Center[Santa Monica], Regal Foothill Ranch Theater & AMC Burbank Theater
• “A Little White Lie,” Lumiere Music Hall [Beverly Hills] & Harkins Theater At The Grove; On digital & on Demand
• “Pacifiction,” Laemmle Royal
• “Hunt Her, Kill Her,” In Select Theaters
• “Blueback,” In Select Theaters
• “Unseen,” Available on Digital & on Demand March 7
• “Transfusion,” Laemmle Glendale
• “Children Of The Corn,” In Select Theaters; Available on Demand & Digital March 21
• “Casablanca,” In Select Theaters March 5 & March 8 Only

Larry Mantle And The FilmWeek Critics Discuss The Best International Feature Category

In preparation for the 95th Academy Awards, our FilmWeek critics discuss the Oscar nominees for Best International Feature Film which include ‘All Quiet On The Western Front,’ ‘Argentina 1985,’ ‘Close,’ ‘EO,’ and ‘The Quiet Girl.’ Joining Larry to discuss the prospective winners and share their favorite international film of the year are critics Tim Cogshell, Andy Klein, Wade Major, Peter Rainer, Amy Nicholson and Lael Loewenstein. You can see all our critics live Sunday, March 5th at the Orpheum Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles as we break down the major Oscar categories and relive the best of 2022 in film. Tickets are on sale now at LAist.com/events. We hope to see you there!