On a sunny and cool but otherwise unremarkable morning recently, I was thinking about how much our attitudes determine how we react to the news. This is personally relevant because one constant in my routine is sorting through a lot of news stories — hundreds of them —every day.
The overwhelming majority of those stories convey bad news of one variety or another, like the war in Ukraine, the remnants of the pandemic, political infighting in Washington, environmental decline and climate change, economic stresses like inflation, inequality, racism, police violence, disparities in opportunities and the inadequacies of our education system.
But also tucked away in there among the headlines is good news in the form of promising advances in medicine, neuroscience. space exploration, archeology, the arts and sciences that offer a glimpse of hope that we as a species may enjoy a better future.
Scientists are regularly discovering more about how and why our bodies age, and many believe it is only a matter of time (that old bugaboo) before we can extend life more or less indefinitely.
Even though it is not imminent, what would living forever actually be like?
Certainly we would not want to perpetually experience the horrors of life currently in Ukraine or Afghanistan on our path into an unending future. We’d probably appreciate infinite love, beauty, health and happiness in our lives however.
So many of our cliches suggest that these qualities are simply a matter of our state of mind. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” etc. In fact, it is argued in august circles that outside of our consciousness, about which we know very little scientifically, the physical world with its horrors and beauties may not even exist.
In other words, everything may be nothing beyond what we perceive it to be. That brings to mind an old Rolling Stoneadvertising campaign: Perception = Reality.
That is still considered one of the best advertising slogans ever, and when combined with Marshall McLuhan’s “The Media is the Message,” encapsulates much of the intellectual framework for the way media developed on the web.
TODAY’s NEWS (42):
Russian offensive widens as US imposes new trade sanctions (CBS)
Slowed on the Battlefield, Russia Widens Bombardment of Ukrainian Cities (NYT)
Kyiv, other cities under fierce bombardment as Moscow ramps up ‘indiscriminate’ assault (WP)
Russian warplanes, artillery widen attack, hit industry hub (AP)
France says Putin is not ready to end Ukraine war (Reuters)
How Russia is recruiting mercenaries (BBC)
Exiled Russian oligarch makes prediction about stopping Putin (CNN)
Zelenskyy denounces abduction of Metripol mayor, reports 1,300 Ukrainian troops lost (Fox)
Ukraine foreign ministry accuses Russia of kidnapping mayor (NHK)
The War in Ukraine Is Just Beginning — Conflicts, though typically started easily, can be brutal, intractable, and difficult to end. (Atlantic)
Russia Says Power Being Restored at Chernobyl, Denies Claim of Plant Takeover (WSJ)
Intelligence points to more risk of Russian chemical attack, officials say (WP)
How a Line of Russian Tanks Became an Inviting Target for Ukrainians (NYT)
Putin’s pre-war moves against U.S. tech giants laid groundwork for crackdown on free expression (WP)
Westerners Have Been Texting Russians About the War in Ukraine — A website developed by hackers is a new tool in the West’s battle to counter Russia’s propaganda campaign. (WSJ)
Russia threatens to attack western weapons shipments to Ukraine (Financial Times)
VIDEO: U.S. Must Bear Rising Gas Costs to Penalize Russia, Harris Says (AP)
Italy seizes Russian billionaire Melnichenko's Sailing Yacht A (Reuters)
Ukrainian official: Israel’s Bennett told Zelensky he should take Putin's proposal to end war (Yahoo)
As companies leave Russia, their assets could be seized (AP)
Amid war and brutality, Ukrainians are transformed and united (WP)
U.S. and Allies Move to Further Isolate Russia From Global Economy (NYT)
Russia strikes near Ukraine's capital; mosque reported hit (ABC)
Poland’s two largest cities warn they can no longer absorb Ukrainian refugees (WP)
US accuses Russia of using UN council for ‘disinformation’ (AP)
This Is a Uniquely Perilous Moment — Smaller-scale tactical nuclear weapons could bring the great powers into a brutal, deadly, and unprecedented conflict. (Atlantic)
End of an era in Russia as sanctions bite and Western companies take flight (CNN)
Europe’s Trains Take Fighters to Ukraine, and Bring Back Refugees (NYT)
Russian footholds in Mideast, Africa raise threat to NATO (AP)
What is the Deltacron variant of Covid and where has it been found? (Guardian)
Getting Kids to Wear Masks in Class Was Tough, Removing Them Can Be Just as Difficult (WSJ)
NASA opens sample taken from the Moon 50 years on (Phys.org)
Geologists Have Closely Analyzed Two Bizarre 'Blobs' Detected Deep Inside Earth (ScienceAlert)
Moon battle: New Space Force plans raise fears over militarizing the lunar surface (Politico)
Scientists Are Recording Ocean Sounds to Spot New Species (WSJ)
El Salvador court orders arrest of former president over 1989 priest massacre (Guardian)
Russian Demands to Ease Sanctions Halt Nuclear Talks With Iran (NYT)
Waiter Asks If Couple Would Like To Pack Him Up In Little Box And Take Him Home For Later (The Onion)
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