Two Futures at Risk: Child Marriage and the AI Takeover

In this episode of Living The Good Life, hosts Deb Morais and Steve Kass shine a light on two urgent and seemingly unrelated issues shaping the moral and social landscape of our time: child marriage in the United States and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence in daily life and education.

First, Deb and Steve unpack the disturbing truth that child marriage remains legal in more than 30 states, often enabled by loopholes that override minimum age requirements. Drawing from a recent New York Times article by Nicholas Kristof, they explore the legal, social, and religious factors that perpetuate this practice - and the devastating consequences for young girls deprived of agency, safety, and opportunity. The conversation calls for greater public awareness, policy reform, and community vigilance to protect vulnerable children.

The discussion then pivots to another complex modern issue: the accelerating impact of artificial intelligence on education, creativity, and human independence. The hosts examine how tools like ChatGPT are reshaping classrooms, professional writing, and even parenting, sometimes at the expense of critical thinking and academic integrity. They weigh the benefits of AI for research and organization against its potential to erode authentic learning and creativity.