Content related to world events and other things happening outside my daily life
On this, the second anniversary of Radical Moderate, we will be looking into the traditional second anniversary gift: cotton. It is one of the most widely produced textiles on earth, with farms spread across multiple countries. Unfortunately, it usually requires a lot of land, water, and chemicals to produce. This post will look into consumer options and how to make the most responsible wardrobe choices.
Halloween is the time of year when we think of death and of natural cycles coming to an end. But what is Halloween like when we’ve already been thinking about death all year? This post examines our attraction to the expression of death in art. Watching outbreak movies during a pandemic and laughing at dark humor during times of crisis may actually be a psychological necessity.
Four years ago, I wished that people would pay attention to their elections and get involved wherever possible. For better or worse, it would appear that I got my wish. Pennsylvania is seeing record voter registration and overwhelming activity at the polls already. Here is what you need to know as a PA and Allegheny County voter before heading to the polls (or your mailbox).
Presidential elections have become more divisive in recent years, in part because of our perceptions, which are shaped by social media and the 24-hour news cycle, but also because we seem to be investing more authority in the executive office and federal government. Both sides of the aisle have been skewing economically right and socially authoritarian over time, making each subsequent election more critical.
In the time of the internet, information is at the tip of our fingers, but how that information is prioritized in reaching us is less straightforward. Our internet searches and social media feeds are individually tailored based on our unique data profiles – and the implications are much broader than what we see. How we are informed impacts how we act, and how we vote.
In the lead-up to the 2020 general election, our country seems more polarized than ever. What if I were to tell you that the divisions aren’t as big as they seem, and the candidates are closer, ideologically speaking, than you could possibly imagine? Using information from The Political Compass, see where our candidates stand on economic and social issues – and where you do too.
Staying with my parents for a month this summer was mostly wonderful and occasionally trying as personal politics clashed. We were often in agreement about whether or not to wear masks, but less so about the government’s response to the global pandemic. This week I describe my political crisis of faith as I observe a growing divide between myself and my party.
Our knowledge about the virus grows and changes with each new puzzle piece: who can transmit it, when and how it can be transmitted, how serious the resulting disease and lasting impacts can be, and how best to prevent the spread. During my own COVID-19 scare, we figured out what to do at home to protect our families, friends, and coworkers.
Choosing to stay home and limit contact with friends and loved ones can be incredibly difficult for anyone. The pandemic so far is the longest amount of time I’ve been away from my parents, with the exception of when I lived in Japan. While spending so much time apart from them has been terrible, I’ve been terrified of unknowingly passing the virus to them.
In worrying about the health and safety of my family, friends, and coworkers over the past five months, I have done a lot of research about epidemiology and best practices to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus. As violent opposition to health-protective policies becomes a regular topic on the news, I wondered what contributes to such vehement resistance to scientific facts.