Impending apocalypse got you down? Me too. Fortunately I got a boost of hope from a book I recently read that is designed to help its readers create meaningful connections despite differing opinions on climate change. This book helped me prepare for a conference that was ultimately canceled, but the learning remains and will hopefully continue to guide me through a more thoughtful 2022.
Fall is officially here, meaning Election Day approaches. This year on the ballot we’ve all got local and statewide judicial races, and you probably have some decisions to make for your municipality and school board as well. Local elections receive far less attention, but getting involved now may be even more crucial than voting in our big, national elections.
Voters across PA will soon be selecting judges for several court seats, including their Courts of Common Pleas. There is very little visibility into the workings of the court system, making it exceptionally hard to make an educated decision. Fortunately, some of my friends are attorneys who work in the county court system and helped me understand what to look for in a good candidate.
Ballot questions are often written to be confusing and take advantage of psychological principles. Because of that, Pennsylvanians and Americans in general are unlikely to vote them down. This week, we’ll take a closer look at how the PA legislators are about to grant themselves more power without ever needing a super-majority to do it. (And remember to request your ballot if you haven’t already!)
Disproportionate attention is given to our presidential elections every four years, and we’re so exhausted afterwards that we never want to think about politics again. However, state and local elections are full of important decisions, which is why ignoring them has made presidential elections increasingly more dire. The ballot measures in this year’s PA primary are open to all voters and need our attention.
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.