Friday, May 3

SOCIETY

How Individual Rights And Government Regulation Are Both Necessary For A Free Society – Masks And Mandates
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SOCIETY

How Individual Rights And Government Regulation Are Both Necessary For A Free Society – Masks And Mandates

I’ve been thinking a lot, recently, about the tension between demanding “individual rights” – in the sense of deciding whether or not to wear a mask – and calling for more action on the part of our government to protect us from the coronavirus pandemic. I’m a political theorist, which means I study how communities are organized, how power is exercised and how people relate to one another in and between communities. I’ve realized – through talking to friends, and thinking about the protests against COVID-19-related restrictions that have taken place around the country – that many people do not understand that individual rights and state power are not really opposites. The laws and policies that governments enact set the framework for the exercise of our rights. So, inaction on the part of...
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More Young Adults Are Living With Their Parents – Is That Necessarily A Bad Thing?
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SOCIETY

More Young Adults Are Living With Their Parents – Is That Necessarily A Bad Thing?

When the Pew Research Center recently reported that the proportion of 18-to-29-year-old Americans who live with their parents has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, perhaps you saw some of the breathless headlines hyping how it’s higher than at any time since the Great Depression. From my perspective, the real story here is less alarming than you might think. And it’s actually quite a bit more interesting than the sound bite summary. For 30 years I’ve been studying 18-to-29-year-olds, an age group I call “emerging adults” to describe their in-between status as no longer adolescents, but not fully adult. Even 30 years ago, adulthood – typically marked by a stable job, a long-term partnership and financial independence – was coming later than it had in the past. Yes, a lot of emergi...
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As the coronavirus rages in prisons, ethical issues of crime and punishment become more compelling
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SOCIETY

As the coronavirus rages in prisons, ethical issues of crime and punishment become more compelling

Across the United States, prisons and jails have become hot spots for COVID-19. Governments at the state and federal level are being pressed to release inmates before the end of their sentence in order to minimize the spread of the disease. So far more than 100,000 of them have been infected with the coronavirus, and at least 802 inmates and several correctional officers have died. New Jersey’s correctional facilities have been hit particularly hard. With 29 deaths for every 100,000 inmates, they have the highest COVID-19-related death rate in the nation. In response, New Jersey has already released more than 1,000 inmates, and Gov. Phil Murphy on April 10, 2020 authorized a case-by-case review of prisoners who are at greater risk. Additionally, the state legislature is considering a bi...
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Humans are hardwired to dismiss facts that don’t fit their worldview – Coronavirus responses highlight how
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COVID-19, SOCIETY

Humans are hardwired to dismiss facts that don’t fit their worldview – Coronavirus responses highlight how

Bemoaning uneven individual and state compliance with public health recommendations, top U.S. COVID-19 adviser Anthony Fauci recently blamed the country’s ineffective pandemic response on an American “anti-science bias.” He called this bias “inconceivable,” because “science is truth.” Fauci compared those discounting the importance of masks and social distancing to “anti-vaxxers” in their “amazing” refusal to listen to science. It is Fauci’s profession of amazement that amazes me. As well-versed as he is in the science of the coronavirus, he’s overlooking the well-established science of “anti-science bias,” or science denial. Americans increasingly exist in highly polarized, informationally insulated ideological communities occupying their own information universes. Within segments of t...
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More than 1 in 5 Americans are taking care of their elderly, ill and disabled relatives and friends
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SOCIETY

More than 1 in 5 Americans are taking care of their elderly, ill and disabled relatives and friends

I’m studying how the COVID-19 pandemic is changing caregiving. Immunocompromised people, seniors with dementia and anyone with a chronic disease are more likely to experience the most severe COVID-19 symptoms. Caregivers face new worries due to the coronavirus, including whether they can they still assist their vulnerable relatives and friends and what they should do if they themselves or someone they live with gets sick. This quandary affects about 21.3% of Americans. The total number of Americans doing this unpaid work has reached an estimated 53 million in 2019, according to the latest data collected by the National Alliance for Caregiving, an advocacy and research organization, and AARP. That number, which excludes people caring for children without disabilities, is up from 43.5 mill...
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5 lessons from the coronavirus about inequality in America
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SOCIETY

5 lessons from the coronavirus about inequality in America

The coronavirus is a global threat, but the pandemic has an uneven impact across the U.S. It exacerbates existing inequalities and creates new challenges. I think this crisis can teach several important lessons about inequality in America: how it hurts, who it hurts the most, why that’s the case and what can be done about it. 1. Staying home is a luxury For millions of Americans, staying at home is a luxury they cannot afford. The comfort and well-being of all Americans depends on grocery clerks, delivery drivers and factory workers putting their own safety second so they can stay on the job. While the upper middle classes take their work with them, working and middle-class Americans are tethered to their jobs: 52% of college-educated people can work from home, as compared to just 12% of...
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Brain boosters for the sheltered-in-place
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SOCIETY

Brain boosters for the sheltered-in-place

Being cooped up and a drastic change in daily routines can result in sluggishness — a general feeling of discombobulation. However, everything from nutrition, to exercise, to fresh air, to games and puzzles can stimulate the brain and enhance mood. Informed Harvard Medical School Jan. 29, “Any mentally stimulating activity should help to build up your brain. Read, take courses, try ‘mental gymnastics,’ such as word puzzles or math problems, experiment with things that require manual dexterity as well as mental effort, such as drawing, painting and other crafts.” Most independent booksellers, struggling for at least two decades because of the Internet and online sales, are currently considered “essential” businesses during state-mandated quarantines and have experienced increased sales o...
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5 ways parents can motivate children at home during the pandemic – without nagging or tantrums
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SOCIETY

5 ways parents can motivate children at home during the pandemic – without nagging or tantrums

Parents have always helped with homework and made sure their children fulfill responsibilities like chores, but the extended and often unstructured time families are spending together during the current crisis creates new challenges. After a disaster like a hurricane or fire, establishing structure is important to keep consistency and maintain a sense of control for both parents and children. This includes creating a schedule and communicating clear expectations and guidelines on things such as screen time. But how do parents get children to follow the schedule and fulfill responsibilities without nagging and in a way that prevents blowups and tantrums? Wendy Grolnick, a psychologist and parenting expert who has worked with parents in disaster situations, has studied how parents can hel...
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6 things you can do to cope with boredom at a time of social distancing
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SOCIETY

6 things you can do to cope with boredom at a time of social distancing

More and more of us are staying home in an attempt to slow down the spreading coronavirus. But being stuck at home can lead to boredom. Boredom is a signal that we’re not meaningfully engaged with the world. It tells us to stop what we’re doing, and do it better – or to do something else. But, as a social psychologist who studies boredom, I know that people don’t always make the best choices when bored. So if you’re stuck at home, dutifully practicing your social distancing, how do you keep boredom away? About boredom We can feel bored even with jobs and activities that appear to be meaningful. For example, researchers have found anesthesiologists and air traffic controllers find themselves bored on the job. What this research reveals is that just because something is objectively meanin...
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Working From Home? 5 Things You Need in Your Home Office
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SOCIETY

Working From Home? 5 Things You Need in Your Home Office

When you work at home, even part time, you discover that a makeshift desk area on a kitchen counter or the dining table isn’t the best setup. Having a dedicated home office, even if it’s compact, makes a big difference in comfort and productivity. Once you’ve chosen a room or area for your home office, here are five must-haves to include in it. Janiczek Homes 1. Comfortable Chair If sitting at a desk is a big part of your workday, make sure you have the right chair for the job. This is especially important if you work at a computer. Look for an overall fit that supports your back and encourages good seated posture. Features to look for include adjustable seat, arms and back, as well as legs on rollers and a seat that swivels so you can easily get in and out of the chair and reach for ...
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