Woman climbs onto wing of Alaska Airlines plane at Seattle airport due to 'anxiety'

President Biden signed a bill into law Monday increasing overall military spending despite objection to the bill over stripping coverage of transgender medical treatments

This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here.Around the world, authoritarians seem to be regaining their strength and daring. In the United States, a political coalition—one that includes people for whom, as my colleague Adam Serwer has memorably written, “the cruelty is the point”—is returning to power. It’s been a tough year for people who believe in liberal democracy. But during the Christmas season, let me make the case for a little faith in the resilience of goodness and justice—and how we can all learn something from Charles Dickens and one of his best-known works, A Christmas Carol.You don’t need to be a Christian to find solace in A Christmas Carol, because it’s not really a story about Christianity. It’s a story about one man’s bitterness, his regrets, and his repentance. More broadly, it’s about the joy that everyone can find by deciding to be a better person in a world that sometimes feels cold and overwhelming.The main character of the story is the legendary Dickens character Ebenezer Scrooge, an obnoxious miser who delights in his sneering misanthropy. (Many wonderful actors have played Scrooge in various adaptations, but I especially revere George C. Scott in the 1984 television movie.) Scrooge is a mossy cistern of cold, sour inhumanity. His miserliness isn’t just about hoarding wealth for himself; it’s about the petty vengefulness he takes in denying money to others. When two men come to his office to ask for contributions to alleviate the suffering of the indigent, one of them tells Scrooge that poor people would rather die than go to the workhouses and other nightmarish institutions to which they are consigned. Scrooge responds with calm and undiluted contempt: “If they would rather die,” he says, “they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.”I don’t want to overdraw comparisons to our current politics, but when political leaders are talking about creating mass detention camps in America, and voters—even those who were once undocumented immigrants themselves—approve of such ideas despite the danger to their own family, this kind of Victorian viciousness feels uncomfortably relevant.Back to Scrooge: What about the people who don’t want his money, the happy souls who are merely living their life and indulging in the joy of the season? Well, he hates them too. When Scrooge’s nephew, Fred, a good and gentle young man, asks his uncle why he deplores Christmas so much, Scrooge sneers: “If I could work my will,” said Scrooge indignantly, “every idiot who goes about with ‘Merry Christmas’ on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart. He should!” Scrooge, of course, will soon see the error of his ways. He will realize that despite attaining wealth and privilege, he is angry and unhappy because of a self-loathing that is mostly the result of his own choices. He will eventually beg forgiveness: Every year, I feel tears in my eyes when Scott, as Scrooge in the 1984 film, wipes the snow from an unloved stone in a barren graveyard, sees his own name, and pleads with the spectral Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come for a chance to change.The real hero of A Christmas Carol, however, is not Scrooge but his long-deceased business partner, Jacob Marley, whose presence in the story is brief but crucial. (He is, after all, mentioned in the famous first line: “Marley was dead: to begin with.”) Marley, in life a pinchpenny recluse like Scrooge, died seven years before the tale begins. When he comes to Scrooge as a frightening apparition on Christmas Eve, he is wrapped in a winding chain attached to now-useless ledgers and cash boxes. He laments to Scrooge that he is forever doomed to wander the Earth among the human beings he so assiduously ignored while making his money.Scrooge at first resists believing his own eyes, but he finally accepts that he’s talking with a damned soul. For Marley, it is too late, but he hopes to save Scrooge: “I am here to-night to warn you, that you have yet a chance and hope of escaping my fate. A chance and hope of my procuring, Ebenezer.” “You were always a good friend to me,” said Scrooge. Scrooge, however, doesn’t get it. He is confused by Marley’s damnation, because for him, material success is evidence of a virtuous life. (This is hardly a Victorian conceit: Think of how many people believe this right now.) When Scrooge tries to comfort the ghost, Marley will have none of it: “But you were always a good man of business, Jacob,” faltered Scrooge, who now began to apply this to himself. “Business!” cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. “Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!” These last three lines chill me, yet encourage me.Scrooge’s repentance comes after years of a wasted life and a night of trauma and shame. The rest of us, however, don’t have to wait. Each of us, every day and in our own small way, can resolve right now that mankind is our business, that the common welfare is our business, and that charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence are all our business, no matter what we do to fill our days or put food on our table—and no matter whom we voted for.Americans can’t control much of what’s about to happen in their national politics. Some of the people about to govern the United States may be determined to be conscientious public servants, but others seem convinced that their fellow citizens are, to use the president-elect’s words, “vermin” and “scum.” These people will bring division to our public life. Responding in kind, or acquiescing, or withdrawing entirely and believing in nothing, will all be powerful temptations. Giving in to anger or despair is easier, of course, but such feelings are empty emotional calories that eventually leave people spiritually starved. We might hope that others will change their mind, but the sustainable path is to control what’s in our own heart.The graveyard scene in the 1984 production of A Christmas Carol was filmed in the town of Shrewsbury, England. The stone marker that Scott’s Scrooge discovers in the snow was left in place, and for 40 years, it’s been a tourist attraction.Last month, someone vandalized it, smashing it into pieces.For all I know, the culprits could have been local kids experiencing their first tangle with beer (and the stone has since been repaired), but I found the news dispiriting: It seemed like a perfect comment on our modern age of cynicism and avarice that someone trashed the place where Scrooge found his redemption. Learning of this vandalism was part of why I decided to write about A Christmas Carol today. As heartening as it is to think of Scrooge’s happy repentance, it reminded me that we are better served by heeding Marley’s words—so that we never find ourselves in the snow, staring at our own grave, and wondering whether we still have time to set things right.Related: The most unsettling Christmas Carol The most beloved Christmas specials are (almost) all terrible. Here are three new stories from The Atlantic. The Walmart effect Good on Paper: Are young men really becoming more sexist? The end of news Today’s News Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, the rebel group that toppled Bashar al-Assad’s regime, announced in a Telegram post that its leader has reached a deal with other rebel leaders in its coalition to dissolve all factions and merge them under the defense ministry. American Airlines resumed service this morning after a brief outage that grounded all planes. Residents along California’s coast are under high-surf and flooding threats, a day after a major storm. More From The Atlantic You are drinking the wrong eggnog Elizabeth Bruenig on Joe Biden’s moral wisdom Two different ways of understanding fatherhood The Space Telescope Advent Calendar Evening Read Illustration by Kyle Ellingson How to Not Fight With Your Family About PoliticsBy Elizabeth Harris My family includes a farmer and a fiber artist in rural Kentucky, who rarely miss a Sunday service at their local Baptist church; a retired Jewish banker on the Upper West Side of Manhattan; a theater director in Florida; a contractor in Louisville; a lawyer in Boston; and a gay Republican. Talking about politics at our family gatherings can be like smoking a cigarette at a gas station—there’s a good chance it will make the whole place explode. What’s always impressed me about our big, mixed-up family is not just that we survive Christmas dinner, but also that the family includes several couples who disagree politically with the people they live with every day: their own spouses. They haven’t voted for the same candidate, much less for the same party, in years. Read the full article.Culture Break Joanne Joo Watch. The protagonists of Babygirl (in theaters) and Black Doves (streaming on Netflix) are stuck in their “perfect” lives—and find illicit fulfillment outside them, Sophie Gilbert writes.Listen. Check out our list of the 20 best podcasts of 2024.Play our daily crossword.Stephanie Bai contributed to this newsletter.When you buy a book using a link in this newsletter, we receive a commission. Thank you for supporting The Atlantic.

Editor’s Note: Is anything ailing, torturing, or nagging at you? Are you beset by existential worries? Every Tuesday, James Parker tackles readers’ questions. Tell him about your lifelong or in-the-moment problems at dearjames@theatlantic.com.Don’t want to miss a single column? Sign up to get “Dear James” in your inbox.Dear James,I’m typically quiet and mind my own business. But in recent weeks, I’ve been having conflicts with people over minor things. Just today, I got yelled at twice. I’m not sure if it’s me or them or a phase of the moon.Early this morning, I was driving in my neighborhood. Visibility was poor because of the long shadows of winter morning. A man dressed in black crossed the street, and I didn’t see him at first. I did stop on time, but I felt an apology was in order, so I lowered my window and said I was sorry. He came over to the car, already screaming at me, and leaned in to continue screaming in my face.Then this afternoon, I took my dog to our neighborhood park. I often allow the dog some off-leash time, as many of my neighbors do. This time, my dog took off and ran into the yard of a house bordering the park. The house’s owner, who was outside, ran at the dog, yelling, using some choice words. I put the dog on leash, apologized, and quickly left.In both these instances, I was in the wrong. But I was surprised at the intensity of the reactions. Am I an asshole? Or is everyone about to blow a fuse? Or are these random occurrences, and I’m reading too much into them?Dear Reader,Excellent atmosphere in this letter. “The long shadows of winter morning”—right on. And the whole sense of transgression in the second episode, of instability and triggered boundaries: love it.You definitely don’t sound like an asshole. Assholes cannot write descriptive prose. (That may not actually be true. Good essay topic, though. “Assholes Cannot Write Descriptive Prose: Discuss.”) Also—and less controversially—an asshole has no concept of being in the wrong. Or he does, but he applies it only to the other guy. You, in contrast, are rather haunted by these incidents, and you worry about your role in them.The day you describe, with its yellings and its psychic abrasions, is the sort of day that can make an occultist out of you. You start thinking about astrology, tarot, vibes, telepathy, the underworld. I do anyway. Is some planet somewhere pulling in the wrong direction, like a truculent mule? Is the mass mind devolving? Am I unwittingly putting out some kind of freaky energy, to elicit this response?I relate deeply, for what it’s worth, to the dilemma of your rogue dog. My dog, Sonny, is a born crosser of lines and violator of spaces, and we have both been scolded, shamed, and exiled many times. On balance, I think it’s been good for me. (For him too, possibly, but Sonny—being a dog—keeps his counsel.)I’ve thought a lot about your question: Are these random occurrences? And my considered answer is: It doesn’t matter. Maybe you were a little off, tired, out of sorts. You drove distractedly for a second; your dog moved too fast for you. So what? No harm was done, and in both cases you apologized. Screw that shouty guy in the street, and screw that irritable homeowner and enemy of dogs. Leave them to their little rages and fist-shakings. Leave them to their blood pressure. Do not invest them with the mysterious power of augury.Raising a glass to rebel canines everywhere,JamesBy submitting a letter, you are agreeing to let The Atlantic use it in part or in full, and we may edit it for length and/or clarity.

"Google can no longer adequately represent Apple’s interests: Google must now defend against a broad effort to break up its business units," Apple said.

Christmas Eve is definitely going to be the slowest day on the sports calendar as only one game highlights the schedule – the Hawaii Bowl.

The defense authorization bill, which directs Pentagon policy, provides a 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5% increase for others.

The Parker Solar Probe passed within just 3.8 million miles of the sun's surface — seven times closer to the burning ball of gas than any other mission has gotten.

A Peruvian police officer dressed as the Grinch, the cantankerous and green-furred villain, busted suspected drug traffickers in the South American country's capital days before Christmas. 

The show remained incredibly popular right up to its final episode.

'Dubai chocolate' desserts draw tons of views on social media — and long waits at Bryant Park's Winter Village.

A lawsuit was filed against the Federal Reserve on Tuesday about the stress test and its lack of transparency.

The family of a South Carolina bank teller gunned down during a 2017 robbery is livid after President Biden commuted her killer's death sentence just days before Christmas.

The excitement and cheer that typically descends on the Palestinian town of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank during Christmas were nowhere to be found.

Former New York Republican Gov. George E. Pataki told "The Cats Roundtable" that he views sanctuary states rejecting federal law as similar to Confederate states.

Of 37 federal prisoners whose punishments were reduced to life in prison, two committed murders in Northern Virginia and four killed people elsewhere in the state.

Christmas Day is a matter of hours away, but will the stock market be open on Christmas Eve?

How does it feel... to know that A Complete Unknown opens in theaters this week?

The actor recently spoke about one of his hardest roles to date.

Heart-pounding footage shows the moment a boat blew its top at a Florida marina, leaving one person dead and another five injured on Dec. 23. The small boat exploded around 6 p.m. and then the fire spread at Lauderdale Marina as shell-shocked bystanders looked on helplessly, per video from EarthCam.

Trump's promise reupped his campaign vow to seek the death penalty against violent offenders.

The rap legend is excited for his daughter's news, and Cori is looking forward to this next chapter.

Some travelers are dealing with delays after American Airlines issued a ground stop for all U.S. flights due to a "technical issue" on Christmas Eve. The Federal Aviation Administration lifted the ground stop after the brief outage. CBS News correspondent Skyler Henry has the latest from Atlanta.

Princeton University's Gender and Sexuality Studies (GSS) program will offer classes "sex work" and "queer spaces," emphasizing power dynamics, pornography and more.

According to the Heartbreak Kid, he turned down what would have been one of the most anticipated grudge matches ever.

If the Los Angeles Dodgers miss on re-signing outfielder Teoscar Hernández, they could make a blockbuster trade for Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr.

"It's always the goldens," one viewer of the viral post said, while another added: "He shopped until he dropped."

"My daughter Reagan is an only child and loves her furry brothers," proud mom Cori Tessier told Newsweek.

The groups said they did not want to kill the stress testing program, which provides an annual bill of health to the nation's biggest firms, but argue the process needs to be more transparent.

Social media users could relate to the passenger in the Reddit post, with one saying traveling as person over six feet tall can be "torture."

“With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of our member, Hannah Katzir of blessed memory, following a prolonged battle with complex medical complications after her release from captivity,” the statement read.

Dr. Mary Stevenson, a dermatologic surgeon, said a lot of factors can lead to brittle, easy-to-chip nails. But if yours are constantly breaking, there's hope to finally make them grow and get stronger.

A high-yield savings account may be worth it for savers — especially those with short-term savings goals.

Federal immigration officials said the accused, Sebastian Zapeta, a Guatemalan citizen, entered the U.S. illegally after he was previously deported in 2018.

The world needs more moments like this.

The Mega Millions jackpot is estimated to be $1 billion -- which would make it the seventh-largest in the game's history.

The DJ had a framed headshot prominently displayed in the club following his death -- now, with the building's future use in flux, his son wants it back.

Biden claimed the bill was "too hurried'' in garnering bipartisan congressional approval -- but some observers said he was likely predominantly concerned about the appointments President-elect Donald Trump might be able to make to the posts once in office.

Calls to end New York City's sanctuary policies escalate after a previously deported migrant was arrested in connection to the death of a woman lit on fire on a subway train.

Columnist David Marcus fondly recalls his Jewish father, who made sure Christmas was special for him and his brother.

A WalletHub survey found that Americans are anticipating a slightly more frugal Santa Claus this Christmas.

Former President Bill Clinton has been discharged from the hospital after being treated for the flu, a spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Flights were grounded for about an hour on Christmas Eve, one of the busiest travel days of the year, before the airline restored its systems. But heavy delays are expected.

Calls have grown among Syrians to hold those responsible for atrocities during Assad's regime accountable.

The movie is a must-watch over the holidays, and is still popular 40 years after its release.

Trey and co. will be at the Knicks and Rangers' home from Dec. 28-31.

General manager Brian Cashman isn’t about to declare a postseason in which the Yankees lost an all-time great an unmitigated success. He’s too smart for that. So we’ll do it for him.

Swiss Olympic snowboarder Sophie Hediger was killed after an avalanche struck a resort where she was, officials said on Tuesday. She was 26.

Rebecca Chanel's eldest is fighting sleep since his younger brother arrived so, in "desperation," she decided to get creative.