Hey readers,
Fridays at the Future Perfect newsletter will be dedicated to roundups — what we liked from our broader world this week, along with some things we didn't care for. Think of it as a glimpse into our Slack channel, just with fewer GIFs. Enjoy! —Kelsey Piper
Hunger (FiftyTwo):
In this piece for Fifty Two (an incredible longform publication focused on South Asia), Andrew Fidel Fernando reports on the human costs of Sri Lanka's crisis, ranging from hunger and malnutrition, to lost income from farming, to fuel shortages. At Future Perfect, we often talk to experts and focus on the broad policy implications of decisions. Fernando's piece digs deep into how policies acutely affect people: "She knew she could not nourish her body as she had for previous pregnancies. When a relative brought papaya and mango, Nilanthi ate much of it herself, leaving little for her two older children, aged eight and 12. 'What else to do but be heartbroken?' she asks." —Siobhan McDonough
Activists acquitted in trial for taking piglets from Smithfield Foods (the Intercept):
In 2017, activists with the animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere entered a Utah factory farm at night to document alleged cruelty. While there, they spotted two sick piglets that they removed from the farm and placed into animal sanctuaries. Breaking into the farm didn't get them in legal trouble, but taking the piglets did: Utah prosecutors charged two of the activists with felony burglary and theft, facing down years in prison if convicted. But on October 8, the activists were acquitted of all charges by a jury of their peers. It was a successful test of the group's risky legal strategy: Participate in nonviolent direct action that may either put its members behind bars or win favorable rulings for their cause, but will definitely expose the inner workings of the meat industry either way. —Kenny Torrella
The World Bank and IMF Are Getting It Wrong on Climate Change (Foreign Policy):
The World Bank is facing protests this week against its $15 billion in financing for fossil fuel programs in the developing world. I personally find the idea of rich country residents protesting gas plants for people in Myanmar and Brazil, to name two highlighted by the group (Big Global Shift) leading the campaign, pretty morally abhorrent. The US alone offers at least $20 billion in fossil fuel subsidies every year, and it is currently ramping up production. And we have the temerity to lecture the Global South for wanting more energy? Big Global Shift even attacks a program in India that would make a fertilizer plant three times as energy efficient. How could that possibly be bad? There's a better way, as Vijaya Ramachandran and Arthur Baker argued in this April piece. The World Bank's primary job is cutting global poverty. It should stay on that mission, rather than hypocritically lecturing the countries least responsible for the climate crisis. —Dylan Matthews
Babies in Tigray dying at 4 times pre-war levels, study says (AP):
A major new study out of Ethiopia's Tigray region shows that maternal mortality and neonatal mortality have shot up since war boiled over in the region nearly two years ago. The fighting has made it hard to access medical care and vital medical supplies have run out. It's heartbreaking to see so many mothers and babies dying. It's also heartbreaking to see mainstream media largely silent about the ongoing tragedy in Tigray. With independent journalists barred from the region, it feels especially important to bear witness to what's happening and highlight it however we can. —Sigal Samuel
What does sustainable living look like? Maybe like Uruguay (New York Times Magazine):
If there's one movement that Future Perfect stands in opposition to, it's degrowthism: the idea that we can only save the planet by radically shrinking the economy. This deeply reported magazine piece holds up the South American country of Uruguay as a model of degrowthism-lite, maintaining a decent standard of living while keeping energy consumption low. But Americans would need to cut their per-capita energy consumption by more than three times to reach Uruguayan levels — a total political non-starter. There's a reason that US presidents live in fear of rising gas prices and that European leaders are panicked about a coming energy crisis: Voters do not enjoy being told to live with less. At the same time, poorer countries would need to massively increase energy consumption just to pull even with Uruguay. A more successful climate model relies on expanding clean energy options for all while seeding the new technologies that can allow us to have more, but with a lighter footprint. There's a reason that the Inflation Reduction Act, the most ambitious climate legislation ever passed in the US, doesn't say a word about carbon limits. — Bryan Walsh
This is life in the metaverse (the New York Times):
If you've ever put a VR headset on, you loosely know what Facebook's metaverse is like. It's a little disorienting and cartoonish — legs are a recent addition to avatars, for instance — but it can be a nice form of entertainment. Tech reporter Kashmir Hill went headfirst into the metaverse to try to understand why people use it and whether or not the platform is the future. She found annoyed parents, kids who shouldn't be there, trolls, entrepreneurs, gamers, and those who dearly wish for escape. The contrast between the joy a virtual reality can elicit versus the sadness of its appeal hasn't left my mind for a few days. Finding community and pleasure is certainly important, but there's something bleak about this uncanny future that's unfolding in front of us. —Izzie Ramirez
Questions? Comments? Email us at futureperfect@vox.com or find me on Twitter at @kelseytuoc. And if you want to recommend this newsletter to your friends or colleagues, tell them to sign up at vox.com/future-perfect-newsletter.
