A class of politically powerful ‘giant’ companies, not ‘big’ government, is quashing ‘animal spirits’. Political violence on the rise. The ‘secrets’ of living longer are relatively simple and not secret, they’re not big business either. But there are leading roles for AI and friends.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“There is a real danger in focusing so much on extending the number of years in our lives that we neglect to focus on the life in those years.” (Brad Stulberg in the article on longevity)

ARTICLE OF THE WEEK

Adrian Wooldridge, Neoliberalism Isn’t the Problem. Giant Companies Are
(Bloomberg, 25 July 2024)
The global business columnist warns that “we are in danger of embracing a bunk version of recent history that says: “the age of neoliberalism” is giving way to “the age of big government.” He sees something different: the breakdown of the age of entrepreneurialism that flourished in the 1980s and 1990s now replaced by an age of consolidation, in which big companies became increasingly intertwined with big government. “Big companies are getting bigger and more valuable”: five tech companies each worth more than a trillion; three big investment houses (BlackRock, Vanguard and State Street collectively managing around $22 trillion) and so on.  He exhorts us to get serious about antitrust and to unleash what Keynes called the “animal spirits” of capitalism (gifted article, 7-9 min).
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Brad Stulberg, The Key to Longevity Is Boring
(The New York Times, 11 July 2024)
Today’s obsession with health and longevity is intensified by a potent ecosystem of influencers and podcasters sponsored by supplement and tech companies and all sorts of pseudoscientific wellness products. But the key to a longer, healthier life is no mystery. Research shows that health and longevity come down to five fundamental lifestyle behaviors: (1) exercising regularly, (2) eating a nutritious diet, (3) eschewing cigarettes, (4) limiting alcohol consumption and (5) nurturing meaningful relationships. “This stuff is simple, somewhat boring and harder to make money off than trendy supplements, complex-sounding theories and new gadgets — but it’s what actually works” (gifted article, 6-8 min).
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Rachel Kleinfeld, The Rising Tide of Political Violence
(Foreign Affairs, 19 July 2024)
Packed with facts and data, but short on solutions. The recent attempted assassination of Donald Trump is part of a global trend of political violence growing in many democracies. “Although each country’s violence has differing local causes, there are clear patterns that echo across countries. American political violence has much in common with that taking place in Germany and India, as well as in France’s most recent election. In all these states, a significant portion of the attacks are largely the product of radicalized partisans, often egged on by parties” (metered paywall that may require prior registration, reads in 8-10 min).
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Nick Hilden, Ray Kurzweil Still Lives in Utopia
(Nautilus, 17 July 2024)
Limitless optimism and outrageous predictions! In his latest book (“The Singularity Is Nearer”), the futurist doubles down on the Singularity – the moment when technology would outpace its human creators, resulting in an unpredictable, possibly uncontrollable explosion of superintelligent machines. He predicts for example that by 2030, humans will attain “longevity escape velocity,” because science will have figured out how to add more than a year to lifespan for each year that passes thanks to AI-led medical and pharmaceutical innovations. Keep reading and explore Utopia (metered paywall, 5-6 min).
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David Robson, Want to live a long life? Start prioritizing your friends
(BBC Future, 23 July 2024)
As a segway to the second article. In his new book (The Laws of Connection – The Scientific Secrets of Building a Strong Social Network), the science writer explains why and how social networks may influence our health as much as exercise. The “biopsychosocial” model of health has been growing for decades, showing that our friendships can influence everything from our immune system’s strength to our chances of dying from heart disease. An article packed with scientific evidence which also makes the case for causation rather than correlation (free access, 6-8 min).
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