Timothy Garton-Ash, Why we must not let Europe break apart
(The Guardian, May 9, 2019)
The great historian argues that the European project is in big trouble, but is still worth fighting for. Old and new rifts are everywhere: between the north and south, west and east, two halves of each society, and more (including within countries). In the meantime, right-wing nationalists are peddling the return to an ill-defined “Europe of nations”. For centuries, Europe has torn itself apart, only to then put itself back together again, but this time is different because outside powers are engaged in a scramble for Europe (and not vice versa). Today’s deepest European challenge is this: do we really need to lose it all in order to find it again? (long read – 20 min, but a must).
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David Wallace-Wells, Jared Diamond: There’s a 49 Percent Chance the World As We Know It Will End by 2050
(New York Magazine, May 10, 2019)
This is an interview with the great public intellectual who just authored “Upheaval”. Everything stems from his key argument that: “At the rate, we’re going now, resources that are essential for complex societies are being managed unsustainably”. An interesting point about big business and climate change: “I see that corporations, big corporations, while some of them do horrible things, some of them also are doing wonderful things which don’t make the front page”. Interesting throughout (reads in 10 min+).
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Adam Gopnik, Can We Live Longer but Stay Younger?
(The New Yorker, May 13, 2019)
Aging, like bankruptcy in Hemingway’s description, happens two ways, slowly and then all at once; but even if aging at some speed is ultimately inevitable, what happens when we age is far from self-evident. With greater longevity, the quest to avoid the infirmities of aging is more urgent than ever; and it may be that the real trick is not how much we age but how much we don’t. A bit long (15min +), but insightful and relevant to us all!
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Maria Godoy, It’s Not Just Salt, Sugar, Fat: Study Finds Ultra-Processed Foods Drive Weight Gain
(NPR, May 16, 2019)
This is the biggest challenge for the global food industry: how to preserve the convenience, abundance and low cost of food without sacrificing health. Over the past decades, ultra-processed foods – made from cheap industrial ingredients and engineered to be super-tasty and generally high in fat, sugar and salt – have come to dominate many diets, most notably in the US. A new randomized controlled trial shows that consuming them is addictive: they lead people to overeat and gain weight (observational studies also show that they generate poor health outcomes) (reads in 5-6 min).
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Clay Skipper, Why Walking is the Key to Being More Productive
(GQ, May 16, 2019)
We are biased because we wrote a book on the subject (Ten Good Reasons to Go for a Walk), but the case for moving slowly and thoughtfully in an age of speed and convenience is becoming increasingly relevant and essential. This is an interview with Kagge, an explorer who walked the three poles (North, South and Everest). Go for a walk: you’ll feel better, you’ll think better! (reads in 5-6 min).
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