The “friendship plot” in fiction is the narrative of two friends that inevitably ends in sorrow. In many cases, it’s not a simple drifting apart that causes the end of the friendship, but tragedy; the friend dies or otherwise disappears. The friendship plot makes its home not in adult books, but in children’s stories. Why? Because friendship is connected with childhood, and introducing children (fictional and real) to loss forces them to grow up.
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
