Happy Sunday. Today we bring you the top 5 leading, thought-provoking Fediverse stories via murmel.
The disparity in how we tolerate different issues often depends on factors like visibility, ubiquity, and lobbying power, with air pollution being a prime example of a problem normalized despite its severe health impacts. Powerful corporate lobbies, particularly from the oil, car, and wood-burning stove industries, have a significant influence on political choices, perpetuating harmful practices. This “Pollution Paradox” results in the dirtiest industries investing heavily in politics, obscuring the public’s understanding of the health risks associated with pollution. Efforts to create cleaner environments, like low emission zones, face fierce opposition and misinformation campaigns funded by dark money. The government’s reluctance to implement stricter air pollution regulations, influenced by lobbying groups such as the National Farmers’ Union, continues to prioritize corporate profits over public health – We are being poisoned every day, so why do we keep voting for more pollution? Ask a lobbyist (The Guardian UK edition ~ Opinion/Air pollution)
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A male birth control method is showing promising results in early clinical trials. Researchers at the Endocrine Society’s conference in Boston presented findings on a hormonal gel that, when applied daily, significantly reduced sperm counts in 86% of participants after 15 weeks. Despite this advancement, the gel is not yet market-ready, and male birth control options remain limited to condoms and vasectomies. The delay in developing male birth control is partly due to biological challenges and a lack of financial incentive from pharmaceutical companies, highlighting underlying sexism in drug development. Nevertheless, this progress marks a significant step towards more equitable sharing of contraceptive responsibility – A male birth control gel is one step closer to reality, and that’s worth celebrating (The Guardian UK edition ~ The Week in Patriarchy/Contraception and family planning)
Rachel Clarke, 73, has been elected as the new mayor of Bideford, becoming the second transgender mayor in the UK. Rachel began her transgender journey three years ago, following the death of her wife, after having hidden her true identity for decades. She initially became a district councillor in Torridge in 2021, later transitioning to a town councillor for Bideford and serving as deputy mayor. Rachel’s journey has involved significant personal and financial sacrifices, including selling her house to afford surgery in Turkey due to long NHS waiting lists. As mayor, she aims to serve and support her community, promote acceptance and diversity, and organize events such as Bideford Pride 2024 – Devon’s first transgender mayor appointed (Devon Live ~ News⯈Devon News⯈Bideford)
Kyiv is buying the West time to prepare for a broader conflict, but there’s concern that this time isn’t being used effectively. Historical parallels with 1938 suggest that failing to support Ukraine adequately could lead to wider wars. NATO is stronger but criticized for slow and insufficient support to Ukraine. Germany and France face particular criticism for not committing fully, and there’s a lack of a coordinated war economy in Europe. A Ukrainian defeat could embolden Russia and destabilize the region further, posing significant risks to European security – ‘We’re in 1938 now’: Putin’s war in Ukraine and lessons from history (The Guardian UK edition ~ News/Europe/Ukraine)
Renée DiResta, a scholar at the Stanford Internet Observatory, is often vilified by right-wing critics like Michael Shellenberger, who claim she seeks to control public information. Despite this portrayal, the real DiResta focuses on researching social media dynamics and misinformation. Her book, Invisible Rulers, explores how influencers, algorithms, and online crowds shape public opinion, often privileging sensationalism over facts and eroding trust in institutions. DiResta argues that while social media has democratized information, it also enables the spread of falsehoods due to its inherent design and the motivations of its most vocal users. She suggests that the solution lies in responsible algorithms, better media literacy, and compelling, truthful communication from experts and institutions – Influencers, Bullshitters, and How We Lost a Shared Reality (The Bulwark/Substack)