Could romantic love be bad for us? It can be argued that it’s a disruptive force—a “cognitive distortion field”—that can potentially upend our lives. When “hijacked” by romantic love, the brain redirects your energy onto another person and refocuses your goals to revolve around them, even if they’re not a good person. If you look at love in this way, it causes you to be inauthentic, can make you disregard your previous life trajectory, and potentially puts you in harm’s way. Read full article here
Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here
Merv
June 1, 2023
