2024年4月刊
記憶法;Zelenskyy;規培醫生;淨化排毒好定壞?93 as fit as 40-year-old;conspiracy theory;轉基因;後太陽花;Bird brains;台灣or烏克蘭?Raw Milk Bill;自閉症細路;American Democracy falling;生唔不生細路?;台灣嘅7-11點解咁好;勞工階級湊細路;spent days in a cave;US border;
- 記憶法
都幾耐未大量背嘢,對上一次應該就係考研嗰陣,但都唔算背得多
有時都會諗自己年少時點解可以背咁多嘢,比如話高中第一次月考嗰陣寫完數學就默政治科嘅知識點……諗返起都幾癲,當然,當其時未到嘔心嘅地步嘅,後邊政治科嘅內容簡直冇辦法接受,我都自然地做咗一個「理科人」
reduce,relate,recall,repeat,rest
呢5個R,大致上我都認同,不過我以前又好少會reduce,因為……真係唔知邊啲係唔使要,同埋對當時嘅我嚟講,背多啲又唔覺得太麻煩?畢竟已經「馴化」咗咁多年……但大學之後,就明白reduce好重要,一方面因為記背嘅機會少咗,記憶力都差咗;另一方面都係因為有咗更多自己想做嘅嘢,例如睇書、打波、睇電影、打機之類,所以唔覺有必要花咁多時間精力喺呢啲背誦複習上。anyway,最重要嘅repeat而家都少咗,被動波多咗,唔理得咁多嚕
- Zelenskyy
唔經唔覺已經兩年,從烏克蘭總統Zelenskyy嘅角度嚟睇下發生咗乜嘢事:從之前嘅情景喜劇演員,將喜劇搬入現實參加選舉,畀選為總統;同Trump傾,以為外交上更加牢靠,結果畀單方面泄漏,真係邊個都信唔過……;喺有美國情報警告嘅情況後仍然樂觀,之後果然入侵,成為戰時總統;開始時覺得處於劣勢,願意協商喺有所犧牲下求和,到後尾睇到布查嘅慘況,同埋戰況穩住陣腳,有返信心可以持久地守衞國家。加油撐住吖!
- mysteries not solved
永遠都係知道嘅少,未知嘅多
“Geologists had found that the moon was covered in a special kind of rock called anorthosite,” Unexplainable producer Meradith Hoddinott explains on the show. “Glittery, bright, and reflective, this is the rock that makes the moon shine white in the night sky. And at the time, it was thought, this rock can only be formed in a very specific way: magma.”
The indication there was magma means the moon must have formed in some sort of epic cataclysm: “Something that poured so much energy into the moon that it literally melted,” Hoddinott says. Scientists aren’t precisely sure how it all played out, but each scenario is a cinematic story of fiery apocalyptic proportions.
月球究竟係點形成?表面嘅岩石目前只有岩漿先可以形成,要點樣先可以成嚿球體熔化?
Illusions teach us that our reality isn’t a direct real-time feed coming from our ears, eyes, skin, and the rest of our bodies. Instead, what we experience is our brain’s best guess.
But how do our brains do this? And how can scientists use that information to help people, invent new tools, or understand ourselves better?
同後邊嘅喺洞穴住夠500日挑戰一齊讀會有更深刻嘅體會
- 規培醫生
心噏,做到頂唔順放棄自己嘅生活……
究竟,有冇當人係人?定係人人都係韭菜只係睇幾時被割?係,係可以請病假,但都驚因此導致規培唔過,而且請咗假都唔可以完全係唞,都要做埋啲手尾——工作量太大,平時都做唔晒
作为医学生,他们未来想要走上工作岗位,必须“四证合一”——即学历证、学位证、规培证和执医证必须都拿到手。而学历证、学位证和规培证被‘攥’在规培医院手上,但凡缺一个证,他们八年的努力都会白费。
同時我都唔知究竟有冇佢嘅朋友或者屋企人收到佢嘅求救?又或者佢哋已經見怪不怪?而我都擔心,佢都冇時間、經濟(出身農村、規培工資又勁低)同朋友甚至屋企人維繫感情。但,呢啲問題又有乜意義?我無意繼續傷害被遺下喺呢個世界嘅佢嘅屋企人同朋友
呢個社會真係病得好緊要,即使係噉,我哋都要當自己係人,將自己擺喺第一位,活着就係最大嘅禮物
- 淨化排毒好定壞?
根據有專業認證的營養學家、也是美國營養飲食學會(Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)的發言人梅莉莎.普瑞斯特(Melissa Prest)的看法,並沒有優質的研究顯示淨化或排毒能造成長期的好處。有些甚至可能有害,尤其是在沒有醫學監督的狀況下。
但另一方面,也有些人信誓旦旦,說他們在淨化之後感覺比較好──更有活力、思慮更清晰,比較不會脹氣。普瑞斯特說,這也不意外:「如果某人之前吃了很多精製食物、纖維不多、水果跟蔬菜也很少,那他們現在換掉那些食物,就算只是少量,改用營養豐富的食物取代,當然他們會覺得比較好。」
說到底,特定的飲食改變,可能會有暫時的好處,但即使如此,也會有相當多需要注意的事隨之而來。
間歇性斷食是另外一種熱門的排毒策略,通常是只在8-12個小時的時間窗口內進食。這種作法也可以促進身體產生某些暫時性的變化。
最明顯的就是,不給身體吃東西,會引起一種名為自噬作用(autophagy)的機制,在這種機制中,細胞基本上就是清掉自身老舊、損壞的成分。身體本來就持續在進行自噬作用,但斷食可以哄騙身體自噬得更多。但這未必是好的。
「自噬作用當然扮演了打掃房子的角色,如果你增強這種作用,你的房子可能也會打掃得更乾淨。但我們不知道的是,什麼時候會跨過把房子打掃乾淨的那條界線、開始扔掉家裡最好的瓷器。」戴爾.阿貝爾(E. Dale Abel)說,他是內分泌學家、加州大學洛杉磯分校的大衛.葛芬醫學院醫學系系主任,也是加州大學洛杉磯分校健康醫學系執行醫療總監。
都幾有道理,長期嘅話感覺好有問題,間唔中嘅話就應該還好
間歇性斷食也能幫人更快達到酮症(ketosis)狀態,這種狀態下,身體會燃燒脂肪以取得能量,而不是利用血液中的葡萄糖。這是生酮飲食的終極目標,而生酮飲食包括了高含量的脂肪和適量的蛋白質,碳水化合物或糖的含量則非常少、甚至完全沒有。
「這種酮症狀態,跟大腦幾乎清晰和精神變好的感覺有關。這也是為什麼一旦我們進行了生酮飲食,大家真的會覺得有比較好。」令恩說。
然而,對其他人來說,生酮飲食的副作用則是可能會出現腦霧,阿貝爾說。
有啲得人驚,腦霧基本上係covid之後先開始瞭解,諗落都合理,興奮劑興奮完之後都可能會超攰,刺激到
在極少數的狀況下,淨化也可能會出現極端、甚至危及生命的影響。像是吃太多胡蘿蔔,或是其他維他命A含量很高的食物,可能會導致頭痛和骨骼弱化。過多的葉菜類也可能會造成腎臟損傷,因為葉菜類的草酸鹽含量很高。
其他的淨化,尤其是有極端卡路里限制的,也可能造成反效果。
「身體喜歡確認自己能持續運作,所以會進行各種處理方式以維持生存,」普瑞斯特說:「身體會減緩新陳代謝,這樣就能保存身體取得的能量。」
所以當你做過淨化、恢復你平時的卡路里或營養攝取量時,體重可能反而會增加。
「在那麼慢的新陳代謝率之下,無論剩下多少,可能都會被轉化成脂肪、或是儲存起來以備不時之需。」普瑞斯特補充道。
「葉菜類的草酸鹽含量很高」……中意食蔬菜嘅我陷入咗沉思,都係乖乖地mark返高草酸嘅食物算……
不過睇咗呢篇富含草酸鹽的食物,都定咗啲,食返多啲鈣就得~
大眾也可能會斷斷續續進行不同的淨化或飲食法。那些極端的波動,可能會對身體有害。
在糖尿病患者身上,從那些不時進行極端飲食法的人和維持健康飲食的人的DNA上,其實就看得出來有差別。阿貝爾說。
「從一種極端走到另一種極端,也可能會造成傷害。」他說──在你下次想重啟的時候,這可以讓你好好想想。
相反的,醫生和營養學家給的是常見的建議:維持多喝水、攝取足夠的水果蔬菜和纖維──而不只是在一月的時候這樣吃幾個星期而已。
「這一定會是我比較喜歡的:做出長期且可持續的改變。」令恩說。
- 93 as fit as 40-year-old
退休之後73歲先開始keep住做運動,結果到93歲時仲同40歲嘅一樣fit?就一齊嚟睇下佢點做到嘅:
Consistency: Every week, he rows about 30 kilometers (about 18.5 miles), averaging around 40 minutes a day.
A mix of easy, moderate and intense training: About 70 percent of these workouts are easy, with Morgan hardly laboring. Another 20 percent are at a difficult but tolerable pace, and the final 10 at an all-out, barely sustainable intensity.
Weight training: Two or three times a week, he also weight-trains, using adjustable dumbbells to complete about three sets of lunges and curls, repeating each move until his muscles are too tired to continue.
A high-protein diet: He eats plenty of protein, his daily consumption regularly exceeding the usual dietary recommendation of about 60 grams of protein for someone of his weight.
都唔算話超難,當然最難嘅係要堅持,人體嘅適應力足夠強大,去適應噉樣嘅鍛鍊,都要加強鍛鍊先得喇~
Exercise won’t erase the effects of aging. But it may slow our bodies’ losses, Morgan’s example seems to tell us. It may flatten the decline.
- 後太陽花
幾有啓發性嘅一篇文章
自2008年的野草莓運動起,民間社團藉由國家主權、環境保護、居住正義、性別平權、勞權、反媒體壟斷、程序正義等倡議運動漸次結盟,最後動員出一股同時聚結了「台灣認同」、「民主憲政」、「社經改革」三項旨趣的龐大政治力量。
最明顯的一條路線爭議,當屬「反黑箱」或「反自由貿易」的表態取捨:對在318當晚之後大量湧入的參與者來說,自由貿易和民主並不衝突,他們要表達的是對國會踐踏民主憲政之程序正義的不滿;然而對長期關注者而言,反服貿的原理基礎則恰恰是對自由貿易的左翼批判。在議場內外、在立院週邊的不同空間,對這些問題有著非常不同的答案。而運動究竟要透過學運明星去爭取曝光和更廣大的社會支持,還是走全民審議、公民憲政會議的全民主路線,則是另一條若隱若現的暗線,相互競合著。
可惜的是,現場運作的日常幾乎耗盡多數參與者心力,未足預見這些矛盾與差異,將會在運動退場後造成哪些效應。而324的行政院事件的發生,除因為馬政府的冷處理,讓運動者焦慮於民氣散去、難以有效對體制進一步施壓外,也有著這些沒被回答、無法即時有效溝通的所形成的壓力,被外部化後的結果,且至今仍是眾多參與者重大運動創傷的來源。
警察暴打學生的畫面引起社會廣泛同情,為運動爭取到了最重要的民氣,也讓運動必須儘可能降低爭議、以最大共識對外團結發聲。330反服貿大遊行,在民氣展現為對警察暴力的普遍憤怒下,創下始無前例參與人數,而瞬間湧入的媒體關注造成的大量曝光,以及關注的角度,也讓運動最後無可避免走向明星化。
好多嘢都好難預料到,所有嘢都係由其歷史發展、背景支撐同各種突發事情共同影響,搞到今時今日噉,大部分都係無可奈何;只係當我哋可以馬後炮噉睇,就知道時至今日嘅影響係喺一開始就埋下伏筆
太陽花屆滿十週年之際,面對的是運動內核精神的三項支柱早已鬆脫離散、乃至於各自孤立枯萎的現實,甚至成為被 Z 世代所鄙視的政治正確。運動最重要遺產之一:台灣作為自主獨立之國家行動者的想像,褪色為無自覺意識的「天然獨」,一部份甚至抗拒認知國家危機存在的事實;太陽花精神遺下的空殼,則反被民粹型政治人物撿起當作大旗,甚至直接挪用「社會正義、憲政民主」的詞彙,來搶奪綠營的社群基礎、削弱民主的合法性,在對現有建制感到不滿、無力的社會氛圍再度浮現的此刻,從自發倡議的行動公民,陷溺成接受明星魅力的號召參與「改變」、「跳脫藍綠」的粉絲型選民,陷入「為自己賦權」的假象。
大概,又要行返自我啓蒙、集體參與實踐先可以更清醒地瞭解局勢,作出更好嘅決定
專門研究學生自治的輔大法律學院博士後研究員吳律德指出,台灣是全世界唯一有全國統一規範學生參與校務會議代表比例的國家,但這只是表面做法。實際上,台灣的教育體質仍維持升學主義的本質,更重要的關鍵是「沒有培養青年設定議題的能力」。
對教育部承辦人員和學校行政來說,輔導跟倡議學生自治沒有誘因,自然很難維持。不過,當年參加過前兩屆「與署長有約」的許多高中生,現在都成為大學學生自治重要幹部,可見從小培養公共參與相當重要。台灣的教育體質也應該重視校外公共參與,這樣即使學生會長投票率低落,學生仍可培養出設定議題的重要能力。
唔係幾清楚台灣嘅情況,但以個人經驗嚟睇,有公共參與確實好重要,試諗下,如果平時都覺得冇相干,淨係讀自己嘅書、交朋友、娛樂諸如此類,真係實質上影響到自己先有參與慾望嘅話,大咗之後有咗選舉權都未必有熱情參與
台灣青年民主協會(簡稱青民協)理事長張育萌用「原子化」來形容現在的年輕人,其中一個原因是長達3年的疫情,造成人際互動的疏離。而現在的大學生在懂事時就身處社群平台活躍的時代,在念高中時開始習慣遠距上課,等到上大學後,少了實體組織、動員的經驗,「有種無力感,生活中還是有抱怨,但不知道要怎麼行動。」
何明修分析,2014年爆發的太陽花學運是多年來台灣社運能量的累積成果,沒有前幾年士林文林苑王家拆遷案 、大埔張藥房拆遷案、反媒體壟斷大遊行等一次次集結社運團體,不會有太陽花學運。
此外,國民黨執政時社運此起彼落,等到民進黨2016年全面執政後,向來與民進黨互動較為密切的社運團體明顯動能降低。過去5年,台灣大型社會運動僅有2018年同婚公投、2019年各校連儂牆聲援香港反送中運動,以及2021年藻礁公投受到較大矚目 ,2022年的18歲公民權修憲運動並未激起漣漪 ,與2013、2014年社運蜂起的氛圍已有很大變化。
社會力量都係一種能量,所以要不斷累積到爆發,應該話邊度都一樣,除非壓制嘅力量非常強大,噉就唯有用腳投票……
吳律德則強調,不應該過度指責年輕人,重點在於是否賦予青年適當的成長空間。師長抱怨學生都不積極參與學校自治,但實況是就算參與,學生權力也相當有限,當然參與意願不高,「學生自治參與率很低沒錯,但在大人世界裡,也沒有人想選里長。」
張育萌則提醒,太陽花學運時很多年輕學生才第一次關心公共議題,因此不必特別擔心「後318世代」對公共議題冷漠。太陽花學運後,青年參與公共議題的人數似乎減少,但事實上,若與10年前相較,當前參與公共議題的人,已經比太陽花學運爆發前多很多,只是當前年輕人是透過各種社群媒體等方式來表達關心。
儘管進入NGO後對於跟大學生溝通感到焦慮,但常聽社運圈前輩說故事的李芊,對於當前大學生參與公共議題仍有很多期待,而且充滿好奇:
「可能我比較老派,本能覺得只有靠線上組織跟倡議,而沒有做實體很可惜,但我知道要有不同人在不同位置做不同的事⋯⋯很想看看年輕人到底會怎麼做(當前值得關心的公共議題)?」
- 轉基因
中國民間對轉基因爭論的一個最為常見的説法就是:讓領導先吃。這句話看似有些情緒用事,但仔細想想確實很有道理。如果政府想要説服民眾接受轉基因,最有效的辦法莫過於領導們自己帶頭吃。但實際上大家經常看到的情況卻是中央直屬機關食堂會專門花大價錢採購非轉基因的食用油,這讓普通老百姓作何感想?
中國轉基因爭論之所以持續了這麼久,很大原因就是中國的官員們普遍缺乏最基本的科學素養,又懼怕失權,不願相信主流科學家們的意見。熟悉中國政治的讀者肯定知道,任何事情,如果“大領導”不認可,基層官員再怎麼努力也是白搭。
中國之所以突然放開轉基因種植,很可能是情勢所迫。要知道,去年全球轉基因領域並沒有出現什麼重大利好的新消息,中國民眾對待轉基因的態度也沒有發生180度大轉彎,這次轉基因新政的出台沒有任何鋪墊,和當年清零政策的突然取消極為相似。
作為一個中央集權國家,中國早已習慣了通過行政命令來推行新政。這個做法在某些情況下可以非常高效,但卻很不可靠,因為這對大領導的決策能力提出了很高的要求。一旦大領導的思維、知識和視野跟不上時代,老百姓就沒有任何其他選擇,只能跟着大領導一起沉淪。
interesting,好似次次都係被逼無奈先改變
轉基因首先是一個科學問題,支持轉基因最積極的其實就是科學家。他們做了各種實驗證明轉基因食品很安全,既不會導致癌症,也不會讓人不孕不育,對環境的影響也很有限。很多質疑的聲音認為推廣轉基因作物會降低生物多樣性,使得作物適應環境、抵抗災害的能力降低。然而,在數千年的農業進程中,許多作物都經過了人工的馴化、挑選和改造,早已不是自然進化的野生品種,和“天然”狀態已經相去甚遠,而轉基因作物只是增加了特定的性狀,並非創造了什麼新物種。要説降低生物多樣性,也是農業本身的代價,轉基因的出現並沒有加劇這個問題。另外,轉基因不但不會降低農作物的抗災能力,反而有助於增加它們的抗逆性。因此科學家們不理解為什麼老百姓會反對這項技術。
與此同時,科學記者們也撰寫了大量科普文章為公眾講解轉基因的原理,解釋科學家們進行的各種安全實驗,他們同樣不理解老百姓為什麼不相信他們認真撰寫的文章,反而去相信各種陰謀論。
類似的現象在幾乎所有的科學爭論中都曾經出現過。很多人把問題歸咎於大眾的科學素養差,但他們忽略了一個原則,那就是科學從來都只負責提供事實,不負責指導人們的選擇。
總之,科學只負責研究大自然的工作原理,人卻會根據自己的偏好做出自己想要的選擇。科學家和科普作家們與其抱怨大眾缺乏科學素養,不如想辦法把科學事實解釋清楚,幫助更多人做出更明智的選擇。畢竟科學家們科研的錢大都來自納税人的口袋。
普通老百姓很難看出這一點,往往會被這些人的頭銜唬住。其實大家大可以相信主流科學界的立場,因為科學共同體有着很強的自淨能力。歷史證明,任何錯誤的科學結論都會很快被揭穿,少數科學家的偏見是不會長久的。
這個道理不但適用於轉基因,也適用於其他科學領域。比如一直有少部分科學家不認同氣候變化,但這樣的人在科學家羣體當中的比例不足5%。再比如,至今仍然有不少科學家反對預防性疫苗,認為它不夠安全。但這一派的觀點同樣只佔很小的比例,絕大多數科學家都是支持疫苗的。
關於轉基因和核電站本身的好壞問題已有太多文章,本文不再贅述。我只想提醒各位讀者,環保組織不一定都是以保護環境為己任的,因為環保組織和任何組織一樣,首要的目的都是維持自己的生存。因此,判斷一個組織的性質,最可靠的方法就是看一下它的資金來源。
目前絕大部分環保組織的資金來源都非常多樣化,既有從民間募集來的善款,也有慈善基金會捐贈的款項,甚至還包括從政府機關和企業拿到的贊助。但綠色和平組織很不一樣,這個組織一直標榜他們不從任何機構拿錢,其經費大都來自民間募集的善款。這麼做的好處是不必受任何機構的影響,可以做到相對獨立。缺點就是他們必須迎合公眾的情緒,很多時候甚至不惜犧牲科學精神。
啱吖,睇主流大多數時候都係啱,畢竟如果連主流都錯嘅話,只係時間未夠,等多一陣就ok
科學的核心就是質疑精神,這是毫無疑問的。但我們也要防止質疑精神的濫用,其結果就是販賣懷疑的陰謀論。
質疑精神當然是很有必要的,但需要有知識和理性,並遵從一定規則。如果濫用懷疑與恐懼,就會導致逢新必反,人類是沒有辦法進步的,人類的很多問題也不會有更好的應對方式。因為當你反對新事物的時候,其實是在變相支持、維護舊的東西,那為什麼不去質疑一下舊的東西究竟有多大的危害呢?
其實噉諗,如果得返懷疑論嚟反對,基本上就可以確定冇實質證據反對
- conspiracy theory
Don’s wild stories had seemed innocent and even silly before, but in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic they suddenly seemed plausible. At a scary time, when questions about the virus outnumbered answers, the conspiracy theories filled in some of the blanks.
Belief in conspiracy theories is a common, and usually harmless, part of people’s instinctive need to identify threats and explain the unknown. They can be an entertaining diversion for many, though for some, obsessive interest in these claims can lead to social isolation, paranoia and distrust.
啱嘅,其實信陰謀論都唔係乜嘢大問題,畢竟人多多少少都會有啲錯誤嘅觀念,只要唔影響到日常,而又唔強迫其他人信嘅話,就ok(當然,信嘅人應該都唔會覺得自己係信緊陰謀論,但無論信乜嘢,上邊嘅都係通用嘅
“There was nowhere to go. It was just gone,” she said. “At that point, I think I’d decided that I didn’t need it anymore.”
Don wasn’t happy when Ramona told him she was done with conspiracy theories. He also wasn’t pleased when she mentioned that she wanted to go back to school and finish her degree.
One day the arguments turned violent, Ramona said. Don had always made Ramona feel safe and protected, but after he hit her, she knew that would never be true.
It was the final clue she needed.
都幾好彩,斷開一段時間之後羣組已經俾封咗,啱好唔使再掂返;而最後嘅騙局一旦發生,人就會變得清醒而果斷
- Bird brains
For most of the twentieth century, psychologists dismissed the interior lives of birds because avian brains are smaller and differently structured than those of mammals. But it turns out that bird brains are much denser with neurons and consume less energy, giving crows similar cognitive abilities to large-brained mammals such as great apes, elephants, and whales.
His study showed that crows not only retain long-term memories but also learn from their peers and pass behaviors from one generation to the next. Other experiments have shown that members of the corvid family, which includes crows, jays, and magpies, can read one another’s intentions, plan for the future, and solve puzzles using abstract reasoning and tools.
應該要問嘅反而係,點解會預期佢哋唔識呢?都係太依賴經驗而想當然咗
Mollaret seemed to think that, because crows are smart, their behavior should be predictable and programmable—even if his own behavior wasn’t. He was treating ecology like a subset of mechanics, as though the crows themselves could be turned into cogs in a machine.
Evolution had empowered crows to expose the weak spots in our designs, and I found myself admiring their mischief as a rebellion against our hubris. “Crows and ravens have co-evolved with us since the time of Neanderthals, and yet we’ve never domesticated them,” Marzluff, the Seattle ecologist, told me. The real mark of crow genius may be its ability to maintain independence in spaces that humans think of as their own.
Here was a third way to connect with crows, beyond culling or training them: simply getting to know them in the spaces we share.
We were the crow vending machine, I realized, and the birds had mastered the art of manipulating us for rewards. Spilled trash seemed like a small price to pay for proximity to such clever minds.
其實就係一種交流交往嘅過程,唔存在訓練或者培養,而只係相互影響——都一同改變自己嘅行為,而無所謂先後次序
- 台灣or烏克蘭?
幾有意思嘅一個題目。無論係支持邊一方,都有佢嘅背景同邏輯
我認為對這場辯論的真正看點,其實就在於美國人怎麼有建設性地討論「怎樣做對國家最好」的這件事。
在這一點上,柯吉伯與史奈德這兩人論述中的共同點,就跟兩人的差異之處一樣值得重視。
儘管兩人立場南轅北轍,一個是親共和黨的智庫成員,另一個則是親民主黨的大學教授,一個偏右一個偏左,一個強調東亞一個強調東歐,一個強調經濟理性與效益極大化,另一個更訴諸休戚與共的感性及共同價值;BUT,兩人都毫無疑問地代表美國,反映了美國底下的兩種重要聲音。
他們同樣關注美國利益,認同中國是美國當前最大的安全挑戰,同樣認為中俄兩國已組成聯盟,同樣強調美國盟邦與民主價值的重要性。兩人的不同在於手段,在於優先次序的考量差異。
- Raw Milk Bill
Politico | Marc Novicoff | How Raw Milk Went from a Whole Foods Staple to a Conservative Signal
But Iowa has flipped — it’s a Republican state now, from the presidential vote to the governor’s office to the near-supermajority Legislature — and that flip has occurred alongside even larger shifts in national politics, spurred on by the rise of Donald Trump. With Trump has come a new GOP electorate, one more rural, more working class, less ideological and generally more distrustful of lobbyists, big business and “the experts.” And that has been a big help for a cause that is bucking just about every one of those groups.
Though raw milk’s appeal remains small, its increasing popularity among Republicans nevertheless demonstrates a scrambling of the political poles in which the American left-of-center, long associated with anti-establishment sentiment, has become more deferential to institutions as the right-of-center, long associated with the establishment, has seized the iconoclastic fervor inherent in America’s DNA.
能夠集中到咁大一部分嘅能量,你都唔好話Trump差得去邊,當然肯定都唔完全關Trump事,佢只係咁啱遇到呢個時代。時代已經變喇,是否準備好應對同迎接?當然,如果你問我今年嘅選舉情況,一開始我會覺得係台灣嘅翻版:儘管對執政唔算太滿意,但反感投票下都係唔畀Trump上。但係呢,選舉制度嘅差異就好難講喇,總括嚟講,如果真係要揀一個,我諗都係Trump機會大啲,因為Trump嘅問題基本上講過好多次,而家主要睇搖擺嘅支持度,而偏偏佢哋嘅需求好難滿足,無論邊個執政
After decades of highly processed foods, skyrocketing obesity rates and a glut of ingredients impossible to pronounce, some consumers began to seek out food they understood to be natural, healthy and better for the planet. By 2001, the organic food market in the United States was valued at $8 billion; it’s now $63 billion. Raw milk, its enthusiasts claim, contains probiotics, enzymes, and vitamins that are reduced, damaged, or made inactive by the pasteurization process. (The FDA disagrees, in a 10,000-word post on its website.) Some other raw milk drinkers just prefer the creamier, sweeter taste.
In the 2000s, there was never any question what slice of the political spectrum this organic food revolution belonged to: liberals, of course.
呢個背景都幾得意,科技發展肯定都會有問題,但唔代表出咗問題就要翻番轉頭嘅。因為問題唔係出喺新產品差,而係用(呢度就係食)嘅人問題。就好似而家醫療條件好咗,就博命玩殘自己嘅身體,反正有藥或者手術幫到手……
但都要留意到,一開始呢個議題係自由派主推。跟住就會睇到covid嘅影響:
Covid is sure to have played a role here, the era where many liberals internalized that trusting the experts distinguished them from Trump and those they considered anti-science (or worse, anti-vax). One study found that whether a school planned to reopen in the fall of 2020 was much more related to its county’s support for Trump in 2016 than it was to local Covid numbers.
But if raw milk is a rage against the machine, why does that mentality belong so much more frequently to Republicans, not the organic-food liberals of old? Because, thanks to education polarization (Republicans today dominate with the less-educated and Democrats dominate with the more-educated), and trust polarization, most of the people most likely to distrust the experts are Republicans. That wasn’t always the case
Conservatives, on average, trust everything less, from experts to politicians to media to other people in general. The latter — Republicans’ disproportionate general distrust of other people — has even skewed polling, since Republican voters are now less likely to answer polls, according to Democratic pollster David Shor.
而受眾嘅組成變化都好大程度改變政黨嘅方向,畢竟最後都係要穩固自己嘅票倉先有機會發圍
The Democrats supporting it, unlike perhaps some Republican raw milk proponents, still believe the CDC is valuable, especially when it comes to life-or-death matters like cancer screenings or infant vaccine schedules. But they believe Americans should be able to assess health risks for themselves without it becoming a referendum on the value of all science.
都啱嘅,當年嘅情況有呢個必要性,但而家情況唔同咗,係時候鬆綁,就好似制裁噉,都應該更加有彈性、隨時可加碼或撤銷
- 自閉症細路
作為一名特殊教育的老師,從早上八點到下午三點半學生離開,要時刻保持警覺的狀態。哪個學生需要我,我就需要出現在哪裏,而且要以正確的方式出場。因為雖然對於正確的標準,看起來並不明晰,但每個老師和學生的互動方式,永遠都在被評判正確與否。當另一位老師在幫助教室裏自理能力最低的學生上廁所時,被K老師説給了太多的口頭提示,給學生反應的時間並不夠。這之後,我每次給出學生一個指示後,都默數到10,才給出下一個指示。每一個互動的細節都要做到百分之百的正確,才能有效,同時,老師的語氣要永遠是認真和耐心的。比如等十秒,比如提示他們説完整的一句話,掌握之後,再逐漸往上走,説出更復雜的句子結構,從 I want marshmallow 到 I want to work for marshmallow 到 Can I have marshmallow?
就噉睇都覺得好難,既幫到佢哋,又唔會過分特殊化,呢種balance,合理而唔易做到
她的語言能力完全跟普通小孩一樣,但習慣性拒絕老師給的任何指示。我不理解為什麼她也被叫做自閉症兒童,因為她在社交上並沒有障礙。也許自閉症的譜系太廣了,目前不管是社會共識、還是學術研究,對特殊教育的科學分析都還不夠。自閉症就像是電腦裏“其它”文件夾,用一個簍子裝下所有無法歸類的。
都幾奇怪,所以唔正常但又無法歸類就等於自閉症?究竟點為之正常呢
這些事情曾經對我來説,可能就像一場滑稽的表演。但開始這份工作之後,我已經沒有了這種傲慢。我的知識體系,在這裏沒什麼作用。我沒有任何專業知識來做指導,甚至到這個時候我都還不瞭解特殊教育到底是什麼。為此我只能依靠直覺和經驗,以一個一個“單個的人”去理解我的學生們。
我只能通過理解這些細節,進而理解他們每個人,才能跟他們建立聯繫,才能讓他們在面對我時,覺得安全,這樣孩子們才會跟我分享他們的世界。
我意識到,要修復自己,老師必須同時是更高的和平等的存在。我必須要在更高一層,而不是他們的對抗面,才能理解他們為什麼要這樣,他們不是為了故意要傷害我,不是為了讓我受苦,而是有一些事情發生了,在他們的腦子裏,他們説不出來,他們沒有被賦予使用語言來表達自己的方法。於是他們把所有無法用語言表達的轉換成暴力、吶喊、哭泣。
作為一個人,我感覺到了孩子們的掙扎。但我同時要是平等的,才可以讓他們跟我建立聯繫。
應該話,同邊個相處都係噉。而唔同嘅係,因為自閉症嘅世界難以進入同理解,所以要自己相對多地受委屈同暴力,而又唔可以怪佢哋
我承認,當D打人的時候,我有幾秒鐘沒有把他看作學生,而是看成了敵人,把我的朋友打進醫院的敵人,雖然在現實中,我還是一如既往地在操場上跟他一起玩,跟他説着一個老師應該説的話,努力嘗試可以改變這種糟糕狀況的方法。但在找到這個方法前,他就離開這所學校了。我後來瞭解到,D的爸爸媽媽離婚了,他由媽媽帶着,媽媽酗酒、經常暴力對待他。 他被轉到新學校後不久,因為打人被送進去了精神機構。
這件事情聽起來是一個插曲,但卻讓我不可避免地對很多事情產生了一些絕望的情緒。
雖然難以理解同進入,但始終都係有根有據,可惜且sad嘅係,有時真係冇咁多人手同精力幫到佢哋
學校在面對一些棘手情況時,也只能踢皮球一樣處理。
另外,學校像是一個官僚系統一樣在運作(雖然它本來也是一個系統),將主要精力用於爭取更多的政府撥款,對實際問題,卻選擇模糊掉。老師在這個系統中並無多少話語權,即使校長在例會上説很多學校很看重你們、很愛你們的話,作為老師,卻總覺得自己只是一個被要求時時刻刻做聖人,也被剝奪了情感的“行為校正機器”。
再有,就是我發現,公立學校裏設特殊教育的教室被稱作融合式教育,這樣可以讓自閉症兒童慢慢接觸並習慣於社會和羣體的運行規則,但這樣的機構裏,也會存在官僚系統的普遍問題,包括應對具體問題的能力、經驗、專業性不足。
而老師都係消耗品……大部分助教都係一個禮拜就走
不可否認的是,如果要尋找希望的跡象,希望也是無處不在的。也許進入自閉症兒童的世界,跟他們建立聯繫,發生有效互動的基本原理很簡單——只是讓他們覺得安全,覺得安全才有可能分享和求助,但這可能需要漫長的幾個月或幾年。到現在,我也沒去搜索什麼是特殊教育,雖然有很多老師説特殊教育就是自閉症羣體。自閉症是什麼,我也沒查清楚。因為我們對使用語言來建立聯繫的懶惰,似乎很多人都説自己有自閉症。每個人都喜歡説自己自閉、社恐,似乎人類中的大多數都在不同時刻患有自閉症。但深陷孤獨的人,是不會使用自己的語言,説自己自閉、孤獨的。
跟別的特殊教育的老師一樣,我每天放學,就好像用盡了一天所有的力氣,需要像進入急症室一樣馬上回家,修復力量。因為在每天的八小時工作中,我需要保持高能量的狀態,隨時準備用完美的方式介入行為轉變和語言使用。我也學會了主動拒絕了一種公立學校特殊教育的老師集體無力感的拖拽:跟人建立聯繫,跟深陷孤獨的人建立聯繫,瞭解他們、共享同一個世界,怎麼會是一件讓人感覺不好的事情?怎麼會是一件只能讓人消耗能量的事情?
我開始意識到,或許,除了語言,我和我的學生們還可以用別的方式建立聯繫,分享自己所處的現實。就如幾天前,我看到學生E在平板電腦上畫的畫。她用她的畫告訴我,在她的世界裏,魚在頂着彩虹往上飛。
true,與人相處遠遠唔止得語言呢一種,只係我哋慣咗同埋主要用呢種。希望大家都可以治癒自己,希望不滅
- American Democracy falling
Politico | Nahal Toosi | Why the World Is Betting Against American Democracy
As voters cast ballots in the Iowa caucuses Monday, many in the United States see this year’s presidential election as a test of American democracy. But, in a series of conversations with a dozen current and former diplomats, I sensed that to many of our friends abroad, the U.S. is already failing that test.
The diplomats are aghast that so many U.S. leaders let their zeal for partisan politics prevent the basic functions of government. It’s a major topic of conversations at their private dinners and gatherings.
I was told, a Trump win in 2024 would accelerate America’s polarization — but a Trump loss is unlikely to significantly slow or reverse the structural forces leading many of its politicians to treat compromise as a sin. The likelihood of a closely split House and Senate following the 2024 vote adds to the worries.
The diplomats focused much of their alarm on the U.S. debate over military aid to Ukraine — I was taken aback by how even some whose nations had little connection to Russia’s war raised the topic.
In particular, they criticized the decision to connect the issue of Ukrainian aid and Israeli aid to U.S. border security. Not only did the move tangle a foreign policy issue with a largely domestic one, but border security and immigration also are topics about which the partisan fever runs unusually high, making it harder to get a deal. Immigration issues in particular are a problem many U.S. lawmakers have little incentive to actually solve because it robs them of a rallying cry on the campaign trail.
So now, “Ukraine might not get aid, Israel might not get aid, because of pure polarization politics,” said Francisco Santos Calderón, a former Colombian ambassador to the United States.
簡單嚟講,就係執政希望一次性同時解決多個問題,但係其民意基礎、程序性、關聯邏輯冇搞掂,導致反對、擔憂、唔理解嘅聲音勁大,睇上去好似乜都有,但做唔好甚至冇做到,分裂程度亦會相應擴大。事實都的確如此,就算今年Trump冇選上,呢個現象都唔會消失,問題都一樣喺嗰度
There’s a growing sense among foreign diplomats that moral or national security arguments — about defending a country unjustly invaded, deterring Russia, preventing a bigger war in Europe and safeguarding democracy — don’t work on the American far-right.
Instead, some are stressing to U.S. lawmakers that funds for Ukraine are largely spent inside the United States, creating jobs and helping rebuild America’s defense industrial base (while having the side benefit of degrading the military of a major U.S. foe).
正因為美國嘅力量如此之大,而全球如此密切關聯,一旦美國行返孤立主義,全球嘅局勢都要大洗牌,唔單止而家嘅俄烏、哈以,印太、亞太等等都會變天
“It is right that countries debate their foreign policy stances, but if all foreign policy issues become domestic political theater, it becomes increasingly challenging for America to effectively play its global role on issues that need long-term commitment and U.S. political capital — such as climate change, Chinese authoritarianism, peace in the Middle East and containing Russian gangsterism,” a third European diplomat warned.
The current and former diplomats said their countries are more reluctant to sign deals with Washington because of the partisan divide. There’s worry that a new administration will abandon past agreements purely to appease rowdy electoral bases and not for legitimate national security reasons. The fate of the Iran nuclear deal was one example some mentioned.
呢種對於連貫持續性嘅唔穩定都幾頭痕,deal咗都驚以後退出或者唔認……當外交變成安撫國內矛盾同情緒嘅工具時,就好難避免做一啲本身唔應該做嘅嘢
When I asked diplomats what advice they’d offer America’s politicians if they were free to do so, several said the same thing: Find a way to overcome your divisions, at least when it comes to issues that reverberate beyond U.S. borders.
“Please create a consensus and a long-term foreign policy,” said Santos, the former Colombian ambassador. “When you have consensus, you don’t let the internal issues create an international foreign policy crisis.”
- 生唔不生細路?
幾中point,尤其最近都聽到唔少話低薪高房價所以少子化嘅觀點。
對現代女性來說,生育的機會成本(aka代價)真的太高。她這一生未來會損失的東西很多,除非她真的很喜歡、純粹衝動地想要孩子。
將 低薪高房價 與 少子化 連結的,檯面上持這種觀點的大部份是未婚男性(我的觀察)。
如果「現代男性」有能力把「現代女性」生育的機會成本吃掉至少一半,讓女性維持生活品質,女性生育的意願會大幅提高。
底下嘅一個評論都幾得意:「其實很多是不喜歡小孩或對小孩無感 沒那麼複雜 跟另一半做不做家事沒太大關係。社會預設大家都喜歡小孩 是因為其他原因選擇不生 才是一件莫名其妙的事」
確實係噉,不過因為少子化會影響到成個社會同經濟,所以有相關嘅研究同對策都可以理解,但就唔好預設個人意願喇
首先,隨著女性勞參率、薪資皆提高,結婚生子的機會成本也因此上升。當女性可以有結婚生子之外的更好選擇,就不需要藉婚姻來保障自己的經濟。
此外,面對少子化,政府直覺性透過發放一次性生育補助、育兒津貼等政策來激勵,但養兒育女的更高、更長期的成本,隱藏在家庭分工角色的僵固以及平衡家庭和生涯規劃的兩難。
台灣勞動部統計顯示,男女勞參率確實在「結婚」後明顯擴大。男性更常成為留在職場、賺錢養家的人;女性則受「母職懲罰」,得改變生涯規劃,成主要照顧者。
從數據上看,高薪族群雖晚婚,但結婚生子的比例較低薪族高,且普遍會生1~2個小孩。
由此,或許可以推論:當薪資越高,不論結婚、生子或買房,都讓人有更高自主權做出符合個人價值觀的選擇。
在結婚和生育有更多自主權,代表社會進步。不過政府也須了解「生育」的真正成本是什麼?公托、育兒請假制度等公共政策是否能讓想生小孩的人「敢生」,以及當少子化成世界必然走向,除了救生育,資源是否能投注在還未跟上此趨勢的各項政策。
导致生育率降低的更主要因素倒不如说是女性的受教育水平和自主意识的增长——简言之,总体上“读书少生娃多”。
他(斯宾格勒在《西方的没落》)一针见血地指出,“原始的妇女,即农妇,是母亲。从孩提时代起,她所渴望的整个天职,都包括在‘母亲’这个词之中”,但现代的文明女性却不再渴望只是成为母亲,“她们都只属于她们自己,她们都是不生育的”。
从全世界范围来看,东亚和南欧社会均带有浓厚的家族主义传统,因而也呈现出某些相似的社会特点,如:以“坚固的家庭”(strong family)作为社会秩序的原理、家长制和男权的社会构造、极低的生育率、啃老或父母照顾子女的现象突出。这样的社会即便经历了现代化,但对女性而言整个社会环境仍然并不友好。
只有女性获得了更多解放、权利和自主权,而不必担心自己遭到侵害或非婚生子女被社会歧视时,她们才愿意生自己想要的孩子而无须顾虑。
与此同时,这还需要社会福利的完善和法律的公平保障,否则开放同居、承认非婚生子女的结果可能又变成女性独自承受结果:未婚妈妈更容易贫困化,反倒只是方便了男性甩手。
在这样的结构下,对一个有充分自我意识的女性来说,多生孩子显然并非人生最佳选择,因为在这社会里,仅仅“做女人”本身就已经够累的了;但要赋予女性充分的自主权,则会带来牵一发而动全身的结构性变化。所以,问题的根本不在于没有办法,而是这个办法你敢不敢接。
但講得「法國例外」,就知道係幾難做得到。不過如果唔做,就連例外嘅資格都冇
- 台灣嘅7-11點解咁好
The store looms so large in Taiwanese life that it might as well be a government agency. At any 7-Eleven, you can pay your taxes, ship or pick up packages, drop off your laundry, check your blood pressure, return library books, send faxes, buy rail and plane tickets, purchase internet access and, as a bonus, use the receipts for everything to play a lottery.
勁誇張,似係萬能辦事處
the miracle of convenience that is 7-Eleven in Taiwan tells a different story, one that doesn’t belong to a single country. Its blend of Asian convenience and American consumerism could not exist without the free flow of people and ideas across borders and the contributions of immigrants. I would argue that the same is true for most of the world’s best ideas.
無須多言,都知點為之好
- 勞工階級湊細路
值得思考嘅題目,有資源、有知識先做得好嘅現代育兒,中產以上當然就可以;但勞工階級呢?冇咁多錢、時間,即使知道原有嘅方式唔係好好,但都唔知點樣先好(單單口講嘅話又覺得冇作用),於是又因為驚外人覺得自己唔教就更加表演式打罵
隨著教育與親職腳本的轉變,祖父母輩的傳統教養風格,包括讓孩子自然長大,或要求孩子配合大人生活節奏,已被視為「不適任父母」的做法。國家將體罰確立為不合理與不合法的管教方式,並整合老師與社工,建立監看高風險家庭的網絡,得以「兒童虐待」的理由來剝奪父母的親權。這樣的立法與政策旨在保護兒童有獨立於父母之外的人權,用意固然良善,然而也使弱勢父母面對更加強化的國家監看與道德壓力。
上述網友們的回應呼應了主流教養腳本的內容,指責行使體罰的父母是情緒管理失靈、教養知識不足、偷懶不願學習,或是大人賺錢優先。這樣的社會指責罔顧理想教養腳本內隱含的階級偏誤,與父母做小生意或打工的家庭生活在現實上有相當落差。
為什麼勞工階級家長較常使用或較為認同體罰的管教手段?第一個解釋是父母的教育與職場經驗的影響。勞工階級父母的職場經驗,除了擔任銷售員等例外,較少強調口才訓練,拙於言辭的階級屬性與重視說理與溝通的教養腳本距離較遠,因而傾向延續過去所接受的管教經驗。相對於中產階級父母有充分資源培養孩子的「興趣」、「創造力」等抽象能力,守規矩、腳踏實地、刻苦耐勞是勞工階級父母更重視的道德益品,必須透過嚴格管教來降低子女「不聽話」、「學壞」的風險。
其次,我也發現,許多勞工階級父母其實經過反思,認同體罰是必要或有效的管教手段;他們不贊同中產階級親戚的教養模式,認為過度強調跟小孩講道理,並不能達成管教的效果。
在上述對話中,我們可以感受到父母「不曉得要怎麼教」的挫折感,他們不像中產階級父母,可以透過讀書、上課、看雜誌來取得與教養相關的知識與資訊,就算他們有機會接觸到新興教養腳本,也因為家庭生活面臨的時間短缺、資源局限,以及父母的語言能力而難以實行。
在這樣的脈絡中,體罰可能成為勞工階級展演親職投入的一種方式,以避免被指責教養失職。小布媽經常使用體罰的方式,即便我們在進行家庭訪問或觀察,她打起孩子也不手軟,訪談中他們甚至詳盡描述自己對孩子生氣的程度、處罰的力道。我在現場經常感到尷尬,以為誤入母親情緒失控的後台,後來才明白她其實是有意識或無意識地藉此展演他們有在「努力管教孩子」,不論效果如何。
對多數勞工階級來說,全球化創造的流動機會或文化刺激有限,反而剝奪了他們的穩定工作、帶來更多的經濟風險。在此同時,全球化也為社會底層的人們打開了通往跨國婚姻之路,但這些全球家庭也帶來新的教養困境。求生存的日常拔河搖撼父親的男性自尊,容易造成婚姻裂痕,也讓孩子的童年生活籠罩在經濟困窘的現實陰影之下。
儘管面對資源的短缺,勞工階級家庭並不像中產階級容易放大生活裡潛在的風險、並竭盡所能去預防避免,相反的,他們傾向看輕生活裡的種種不安全,否則他們很難活下去。相較於中產階級家長,勞工階級父母對於什麼構成「益品」與「風險」的看法也相當不同。他們在教育目標上看重學業成績,相信考試是幫助下一代脫離做工生涯的有效捷徑,不像中產階級轉向重視課外活動與全人發展,以因應變動中的升學制度與勞動市場。對於品行的養成,勞工階級家長重視孩子的乖、聽話、服從,認為「學壞」是最大的風險;中產階級家長所追求的「創造力」與「自主性」,可能是他們眼中的「調皮」、「不聽話」。
新興教養腳本反而成為弱勢家庭養育孩子時不安全感的主要來源。相對於偏重說理、陪伴的理想教養腳本,使用體罰、忙於工作的父母擔心被體制視為「不當管教」、「疏忽」。學校強調父母有責任協助孩童學習,也讓缺乏足夠文化資源的父母容易被貼上「不適任」的標籤。國家介入親職教育,若未能反思其中的階級偏誤,未必能成為助力,反而強化壓力。
- spent days in a cave
By the time she turned forty, in 2013, she had a partner, a car, and a house. But she felt unsatisfied. She didn’t really care about financial stability, and, unlike most people she knew, she didn’t want children. She experienced an existential crisis. “You know you’re going to die—today, tomorrow, within fifty years,” Flamini told herself. “What is it that you want to do with your life before that happens?” The immediate answer, she remembers, was to “grab my knapsack and go and live in the mountains.”
我自己幾理解,人總有一死,如果冇做過一啲事,自己會覺得浪費咗生命
Flamini would not take any device that permitted someone to send messages back or to otherwise have real-time contact with her. This left her at some degree of risk: she could break a leg out of reach of the panic button or the cameras and be unable to summon help. But she accepted—even welcomed—the danger in the scenario. She tried to visualize contending with a catastrophe: “how to stay calm in the face of pain, in the face of desperation, as death draws near.”
Her basic goal remained intact: to neither see nor speak to another human being for five hundred days. She didn’t even want to see her own face. “I wanted total disconnection,” she says. If her expedition worked as planned, it would feel somewhat like spending a year and a half inside a sensory-deprivation tank.
Godoy gave her tips on how to recognize hallucinations, so that she wouldn’t be scared by them, and encouraged her to verbalize her thoughts while in the cave, to give herself a greater sense of reality.
喺缺少感官刺激嘅時候,大腦就會行出嚟自行製造……究竟點為知真實?其實都好難分得清,因為所有資訊都係大腦處理過先有感覺,換句説話嚟講,無論係真實嘅外界物體反應,定係自己幻覺,都得到咗大腦嘅認證……雖然人嘅理性分析可以有唔同嘅質疑,只不過感覺上嚟講兩者係無分別,同樣覺得真實
Her cave adventure seemed to suggest that humans were naturally resilient and built to survive.
As the sun moved across the sky and we drank our coffee, I noticed her observations growing more sombre. The cave experience was not something that she “would recommend to anyone,” she said, adding, “I didn’t exactly lose consciousness, but the darkness saps you of life.” She went on, “The solitude, the social uprooting, it consumes you. Or, to put it a better way, you eat—you down nutrients—but you consume yourself.”
儘管人有好強嘅適應力,但處於黑暗、冇社交嘅生活根本係不可持續,文中都有講到平衡性、短期記憶力、時間觀念、對身後嘅動靜好驚之類都係有後遺症。生存嚟講嘅能量係夠(有食物有得充足休息),但生活嘅能量得唔到補充(人始終都係社會性生物),就會慢性死亡……但無論如何,佢都係完成咗呢個挑戰同壯舉,都幾令人敬佩
I wanted to ask Flamini if the whole Motril experience had left her disappointed, but before I could she was off the grid again, driving back to the mountains of Cantabria in her van. Soon, I was following her posts on Instagram once more. One day, she posted, “No es Huir. Es Ser”: “It’s not Fleeing. It’s Being.”
- US border
There are two competing narratives on why this massive surge has happened. Progressives often prefer to emphasize what are known as the “push” factors — the conditions that drive migrants to leave their home countries, like the catastrophic collapse of Venezuela’s economy and degradation of conditions in Nicaragua and Haiti. Crises like these, they argue, have simply gotten worse in recent years, both in the region and around the world, spurring more people to take the risk of emigrating to the US in search of a better life. So progressives tend to argue that harsh border crackdowns and efforts at deterrence, in addition to being cruel and immoral, won’t work, since the true root cause lies in migrants’ home countries.
In contrast, conservatives emphasize the “pull” factors, arguing that there are specific features of US and Biden administration policy and messaging that are driving the surge. People are mainly coming, they say, because they’ve heard that, with the way our system is set up, they have a pretty good shot at getting in. They know, for instance, that there’s a good chance that if they make an asylum request, they’ll be released into the US while their claims are being adjudicated — a process that can take years. They argue that with tougher policies of more detention, less leniency, and less generosity, fewer migrants will want to come.
可以從多個角度去睇同一樣事物,而覺得邊個角度係主要原因,就十分之主觀;最大嘅問題係冇辦法通盤解決,所以先要拗優先事項
Right now, with the patience of the American public running thin, both Republicans and Democrats seem more interested in pursuing policies that will help them look tough on the border in an election year, rather than a comprehensive approach to fixing the problem.
That’s because it’s a difficult problem to solve — but not an impossible one. Any solution has to balance the clear need to resolve migrants’ cases more quickly with international obligations not to return asylum seekers to danger. Immigration policy experts have researched these potential solutions for years, but few of them have actually been seriously considered by Congress.
It’s unrealistic, however, to expect that any one solution will lead to overnight success in solving the border crisis.
都係一個政治攻防嘅好主題,所以唔會有真正解決嘅一日……一日未搞掂,就可以日日講、攻擊對手嘅政策同立場,穩固自己嘅票倉,真係「正」……除非有更緊要嘅事項搶咗焦點,噉呢個問題就會更加少選民關注,更冇解決嘅必要性,而家起碼喺焦點,多少都要做啲嘢出嚟先交代到
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