The films “The Matrix”, “The Truman Show”, and “Room” seem to have one thing in common: they’re all various takes on Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. In the allegory, people are imprisoned in a cave for most of their lives, forced to face the cave’s wall. They only know of objects through shadows projected by people from behind a raised platform. Plato supposes they might struggle accepting reality from beyond the cave and that they would have a lifetime of learning to live in this new “reality”. 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
