The Optimist's Guide to the Apocalypse

Welcome to the week.

First: In case you missed it, we published our 2024 gift guide this week, and I think it might be one of our best ones yet, so check it out!

Speaking of the holiday season, I hope you can protect your peace at the dinner table during this politically fraught time, but whatever the conversations sound like, knowledge is power, so let’s get to the news while we still have it! 🙃 

This week:

• 🏭️China’s historical emissions top EU

• 💊Antibiotic development hurdles

• 🫘The magic of beans

• 🌐Breaking up Google’s monopoly

• And more

Have a great Thanksgiving,

— Willow

41,614+ people who give a shit got this post in their email, for free.

🙋‍♀️ Vote!

Last week, we asked: How has your social media usage changed over the last few years?

You said:

🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ It hasn't (14%)

“I do not subscribe to or use social media.”

🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ I use it more often (19%)

“Still on Facebook.”

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 I use it less often (35%)

“My work (hospice chaplain and parish priest) is very intense, I need time to recover. I found that being on FB was also intense, too much to sustain with my current work load. As much as I love the connections and stimulation, I need to disengage and simplify my emotional life.”

🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ I've quit or taken a break (15%)

“My mental health is impacted by the use of all types of social media. I avoid now.”

🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ I've changed what platforms I interact with (14%)

“I moved off of X entirely months ago, and for a while was on Spoutible, which I still would support, but I've just stopped doing the text thing. I'm on Instagram and I've become more active on certain forums on Reddit.”

⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Something else (write in!) (3%)

“I don't do social media; too many wierdos.”

New Shit Giver Jojo is here because “I work in the solar energy space doing strategy and I went to school for environmental science! Want to stay up to date on science news as life can get busy sometimes.“

Hell yeah! So happy to have you here.

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