Loneliness is a national crisis. But there is a way to tackle it – Guardian, February 8, 2020
From pubs to factories, the spaces where Brits socially connect are in decline. Thankfully, there’s a group bringing local people together.
Masks are wellness now – Slate, February 21, 2020
Protective facemasks are becoming the next major wellness trend—thanks to our increasingly apocalyptic world, filled with fires, epidemics and anxiety. They were the “must-have accessory” at London’s recent fashion week, with masks bedazzled with rhinestones and made of mesh presented as haute fashion. The problem is, most don’t protect you very well.
Gratitude helps you cooperate. Does it also make you a sucker? – Behavioral Scientist, February 2, 2020
The answer is no. A great deal of empirical evidence shows that gratitude makes life better. In particular, it fosters cooperation—a fundamental human trait. Several experiments have shown that grateful people do make good peers and partners, but also that they are not suckers or complacent. Grateful people expect more moral behavior not only from themselves but also from others.
Can we have prosperity without growth? (The “de-growth movement) – New Yorker, February 10, 2020
This article explores the “de-growth” trend—i.e., embracing zero or even negative GDP growth—and how it’s gaining traction (at least in the richest countries). The critique of economic growth, once a leftist fringe position, is now gaining mainstream attention in the face of the climate crisis. If a de-growth movement really takes off, it would mean reversing consumerism’s financial and cultural dominance in public and private life, which would, in turn, radically overhaul social values and production patterns.
Preventing the death of the world’s rivers – Project Syndicate, February 6, 2020
The author of Water, Peace, and War: Confronting the Global Water Crisis argues that the world’s main rivers are under unprecedented pressure from contamination, damming and diversion—all of which are straining water resources, destroying ecosystems, jeopardizing livelihoods, and damaging human health. He thinks international cooperation could save riparian systems, but only if we first recognize the consequences of doing nothing.
Striking Stat:
Slow travel is the #1 type of trip Asian travelers desire in 2020—representing 22 percent of searches.
Source: Skyscanner’s APAC 2020 Travel Trends
