Three possible scenarios for the Israel-Hamas conflict. De-risking’s impact on global geopolitics. A five-day office week is now a thing of the past. The weathering effects of stress on our health and longevity. Can nature help take the ‘forever’ out of forever chemicals?
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“The constant strain – the chronic sources of stress – resets what is “normal,” and the body begins to change”
(about the Weathering effect – in the fourth article)
ARTICLE OF THE WEEK
David Rovella, Middle East Shockwave
(Bloomberg, 19 October 2023)
In this mini-documentary, Bloomberg journalists explore the potential fallout of a widening Israel-Hamas war. They elaborate three different scenarios: (1) a full war between Israel and Iran, (2) a proxy war in the region involving Israel, Lebanon and possibly Syria and other militia groups supported by Iran, like the Houthis in Yemen, and (3) a conflict confined to the Gaza strip – the most likely scenario in Bloomberg’s opinion. For each, they offer forecasts about oil prices, inflation, and global growth, showing how each scenario would imperil more lives, worsen poverty and threaten the global economy (gifted video, less than 7 min).
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Henry Farrell and Abraham Newman, The New Economic Security State
(Foreign Affairs, November / December 2023)
How de-risking will remake geopolitics. The authors of “Underground Empire: How America Weaponized the World Economy” elaborate on how the US and China’s markets are heavily enmeshed, despite being trapped “in a feedback loop of action, counteraction, and hostile suspicion.” Since in today’s world, trade can no longer be disentangled from security, the definition of security is expanding considerably, encompassing economic and environmental issues. To respond (or adjust), the US has adopted a “small yard, high fence” approach to technology control, with strong measures taken to restrict a limited set of products and techniques. Putting this into place is a considerable challenge (metered paywall that requires prior registration, reads in 10-12 min).
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Nicholas Bloom, The Five-Day Office Week Is Dead
(The New York Times, 16 October 2023)
With this, the case as to whether we’ll be working from home or not is settled. One of the most authoritative experts in the field has a warning for us: “Working from home is here to stay. I can prove it with data – lots and lots of data showing that returning to the office (R.T.O.) is Dead on Arrival.” In short: Hybrid work arrangements have killed the return-to-office hype. Employees equate a mix of working in the office and working from home to an 8% rise. They don’t have to deal with the daily hassle and costs of a commute; and in fact, the process of getting to work is more despised by employees than the need to work. As for employers, “remote work cuts overheads, boosts productivity and is profitable” (gifted article, reads in 5-7 min).
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Akilah Johnson and Charlotte Gomez, Stress is weathering our bodies from the inside out
(The Washington Post, 16 October 2023)
This is focused on the US, but its findings have much broader implications. When asked why people suffer from chronic diseases in the prime of life, physicians and public health experts always point to the same culprit: stress. It causes illness, disability, and shortens lives. As a recent book shows, striving to get ahead in an unequal society like the US contributes to people aging quicker, becoming sicker and dying younger. The reason why Americans live shorter lives than their peers in other rich nations is because life in the US brings an accumulation of unremitting stress, especially for those subjected to inequity. This doesn’t just come from immediate and chronic threats; even the anticipation of those menaces causes persistent damage (gifted article, reads in 7-9 min).
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Anna Turns, Can we take the ‘forever’ out of forever chemicals?
(BBC Future, 19 October 2023)
There are more than 9,000 different types of “forever chemicals” (or synthetic PFAS: per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). They are persistent and ubiquitous, used to make everything from firefighting foam to non-stick coating on cooking pans; and can be found in rainwater, soil, humans, and wildlife. Since many are linked to negative health impacts, scientists are now working on ways to clean up their long-lasting effects. Some are looking to nature for inspiration. Read on! (Free access, 5-7 min).
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