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Matt Ries has lived in Florida only three years, but everyone told him last summer was unusually hot. That was followed by three hurricanes in close succession. Then temperatures dropped below freezing for days this winter, and snow blanketed part of the state.To Ries, 29, an Ohio native now in Tampa, the extreme weatherincluding the bitter coldbore all the hallmarks of climate change.“To me it’s just kind of obvious,” said Ries, a project manager for an environmental company and self-described conservative-leaning independent. “Things are changing pretty drastically; just extreme weather all across the country and the world. . . . I do think humans are speeding up that process.”About 8 in 10 U.S. adults say they have experienced some kind of extreme weather in recent years, according to a new poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, with about half saying they’ve been personally affected by severe cold weather or severe winter storms.Among those saying severe cold was among the types of extreme weather they experienced, about three-quarters say climate change is at least a partial cause of those eventssuggesting that many understand global warming can create an unstable atmosphere that allows cold air from the Arctic to escape farther south more often.Midwesterners are most likely to feel the brunt of the cold weather, with about 7 in 10 adults who live in the Midwest experiencing severe cold in the past five years, compared with about half of residents of the South and the Northeast and about one-third of those in the West, the survey found.“It’s counterintuitive to think, ‘Oh, gee, it’s really cold. That probably has something to do with global warming,'” said Liane Golightly-Kissner, of Delaware, Ohio, north of Columbus, who believes climate change is influencing many weather extremes.Golightly-Kissner, 38, said it was so cold this winter that schools were closed and her family let faucets drip to prevent burst pipes. She remembers one extremely cold day when she was a child in Michigan, but she says now it seems to happen more often and over multiple days.The poll also found that, while only about one-quarter of U.S. adults feel climate change has had a major impact on their lives so far, about 4 in 10 think it will in their lifetimesincluding on their health, local air quality, and water availability. About half of adults under age 30 believe climate change will impact them personally.About 7 in 10 U.S. adults believe climate change is occurring, and they are much more likely to think it has had or will have a major impact on them than those who say climate change isn’t happening.Americans are catching on, said Anthony Leiserowitz, director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, who credits a combination of media coverage, political leaders speaking up, and public concerns that creates a “symbiotic relationship.”“We have seen growing awareness among the American people that climate change is affecting them here and now,” though many still see it as a distant problem that their grandchildren will have to worry about, he said.Rosiland Lathan, 60, of Minden, Louisiana, said she’s a believer because it seems that summers are getting hotter and winters colderincluding a couple years ago, when snow and ice kept her car stuck at work for several days.This winter, she said, there was a stretch of temperatures in the teens and 20s, while a couple of summers ago, it got “real, real hot” with highs in the 100s.“It’s normally hot in Louisiana, but not that hot,” Lathan said.Hurricanes, wildfires, and other natural disasters, like the devastating Southern California fires, also have many concerned that climate change could lead to higher property insurance premiums and household energy costs.About 6 in 10 U.S. adults are “extremely” or “very” concerned about increasing property insurance premiums, and just over half are similarly concerned about climate change’s impact on energy costs, the AP-NORC survey found. About half are “extremely” or “very” concerned that climate change will increase costs for local emergency responders and infrastructure costs for government. Republicans are less worried than Democrats and independents.The survey also found broad support for a range of measures to help people who live in areas becoming more susceptible to extreme weather and natural disasters, with the exception of restricting new construction in these communities.About 6 in 10 U.S. adults said they “somewhat” or “strongly” favor providing money to local residents to help them rebuild in the same community after disasters strike, while similar shares support providing money to make residents’ property more resistant to natural disasters and providing homeowners’ insurance to people who cannot get private insurance. About one-quarter of Americans neither favor nor oppose each of these proposals, while around 1 in 10 are “somewhat” or “strongly” opposed.When it comes to restricting new construction, opinion is more divided. About 4 in 10 “somewhat” or “strongly” favor restricting new construction in areas that are especially vulnerable to natural disasters, about 4 in 10 have a neutral view and about 2 in 10 are “somewhat” or “strongly” opposed.Golightly-Kissner said she believes there should be rebuilding restrictions or tougher building standards in disaster-prone areas.“These extreme weather conditions, they’re not going anywhere, and it would be hubris for us to continue in the same way,” she said. “I think we we have to change. We have to look toward the future and what’s the best way to keep our lives together when this happens again. Because it’s really not a question of if, it’s when.” Webber reported from Fenton, Michigan. _ The AP-NORC poll of 1,112 adults was conducted Feb. 6-10, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 4.1 percentage points. _The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find the AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. Tammy Webber and Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux, Associated Press
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Back in the day, philosophers werent just deep thinkersthey were the ones shaping society, questioning the status quo, and pushing humanity forward. They didnt just sit around pondering big ideas; they were the architects of real change. Fast forward to today, and while we celebrate speed, innovation, and getting things done, we often forget to pause and ask the bigger questions: Why? What if? In a world thats more complex than everwhere technology is evolving at breakneck speed, society feels increasingly divided, and global challenges loom largewe need to bring back deep thinking. The future depends on bold, unconventional minds willing to challenge the norm, embrace nuance, and seek real transformation instead of just quick fixes. The case for a renaissance of thought In 2023, a World Economic Forum survey found that 50% of global leaders felt “overwhelmed” by the pace of change, while only 23% believed their organizations were prepared to handle future challenges. Simultaneously, a Gallup study revealed that only 33% of employees feel engaged at work, signaling a lack of meaningful connection in professional environments. These statistics underline a truth that feels almost countercultural in an age of immediate gratification: we are collectively running fast, but toward what? We have more data than ever before, yet we struggle to interpret it meaningfully. We are more connected digitally, yet we feel increasingly isolated. Its not just technology we need to master but the thinking required to shape its purpose and impact. Reflection on my own experience I learned the power of reflection the hard way. Early in my career, I was driven by achievementalways focused on the next milestone, the next goal, the next thing that needed to be done. I equated movement with progress. But at one point, despite all the success, I felt unfulfilled. It wasnt burnout exactlyit was a realization that I was optimizing for speed rather than impact. I decided to do something radical: I deliberately slowed down. I took time to step back from the work itself and deeply reflect on what truly mattered to me. What kind of leader did I want to be? What legacy was I building? What problems was I solving, and were they the ones that really needed solving? The insights that emerged from that reflective period didnt just change the trajectory of my workthey changed how I approached everything. I started asking better questions. Instead of just striving for efficiency, I focused on significance. Instead of merely executing, I became intentional about impact. That shift unlocked a level of innovation I hadnt accessed beforenot because I was doing more, but because I was thinking differently. What happens when deep thinking is lost Think about how social media started out. It was supposed to bring people together, connect the world, and make communication easier. And in many ways, it did. But along the way, its also fueled polarization, spread misinformation, and taken a toll on mental health. The focus was all about growing fast and scaling upwithout much time spent questioning the bigger picture. What if, from the start, we had asked tougher questions about how these platforms might shape society? What if deep thinkers and contrarians had been part of the conversationnot to slow things down, but to make sure innovation actually worked for the greater good? Outlier thinkers in action Big shifts in history have often come from people willing to challenge the norm. Consider Rachel Carsonwhen she wrote Silent Spring in 1962, she wasnt just questioning pesticides; she was sparking an entire environmental movement. Or Bertrand Russell, who didnt just study philosophy and mathhis ideas shaped everything from education to politics to science. More recently, theres Tristan Harris, a former Google design ethicist who started calling out the addictive nature of tech platforms long before most people realized the impact. These kinds of thinkers remind us that progress isnt just about what we buildits about how and why we build it. A framework for outlier thinking To foster a culture of deep thinking and contrarian innovation, individuals and organizations can adopt the following framework: Question the Obvious: Encourage an environment where its not only acceptable but expected to challenge assumptions. For example, instead of asking, How do we grow faster? ask, Should we be growing in this direction at all? Shift the focus from optimization to purpose. Embrace Intellectual Humility: Outlier thinkers are not afraid to admit what they dont know. This humility creates space for exploration and allows leaders to approach problems with curiosity rather than preconceptions. Studies from Harvard Business School show that intellectual humility is correlated with better decision-making and more collaborative teams. Slow Down to Think Deeply: Allocate time for what philosopher Blaise Pascal called “sitting quietly in a room.” This doesnt mean abandoning productivity but recognizing that reflection is an investment in clearer, more impactful actions. Diversify Perspectives: Surround yourself with people who challenge your thinking rather than reinforce it. Philosopher John Stuart Mill argued that encountering opposing views sharpens understanding and fosters better solutions. Create opportunities for debate and collaboration with diverse thinkers. Focus on Long-Term Impact: Resist the allure of short-term wins. Ask questions about legacy and unintended consequences, such as What ripple effects could this decision have in 10 years? This lens can help avoid the pitfalls of reactive thinking and promote sustainable innovation. Bringing back deep thinking doesnt mean hitting pause on actionit just means making sure that action actually matters. Its not about making more decisions; its about making better ones. Its not about getting answers faster; its about asking the right questions. For leaders, entrepreneurs, and anyone trying to create real change, thinking differently isnt just a personal challengeits a shared responsibility. We need the courage to ask the questions others avoid, to look beyond the obvious, and to inspire others to do the same. As Nietzsche put it, He who has a why to live can bear almost any how. In a world full of complexity, finding our collective why might be the most important thing we do.
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Pop culture subreddit r/Fauxmoi is facing accusations of defamation from YouTuber and podcaster Ethan Klein. Klein first rose to internet fame through his YouTube channel, h3h3Productions, which he co-created with his wife, Hila Klein. The channel now boasts 5.71 million subscribers. The Kleins caught the attention of r/Fauxmoia subreddit inspired by the popular Instagram story page Deuxmoiafter Hila shared an Instagram story claiming that a potential collaboration fell apart due to antisemitism. In response, the subreddit was flooded with posts resurfacing alleged problematic behavior and controversial language used by the Kleins on camera. Ethan fired back at r/Fauxmoi, sharing the subreddit post with his two million Instagram followers, comparing the subreddit to a neo-Nazi forum. According to a follow-up post on r/Fauxmoi, Klein then escalated the situation further by going live on YouTube, where he launched into a tirade against multiple subredditsincluding r/Fauxmoiclaiming he was being mass gaslighted and declaring, Ive never seen anyone in the history of the internet be harassed like this. Klein went on to say that the criticism against him was so extreme that Russian propagandists would blush at the hate campaign going against us. During the livestream, Klein also issued veiled threats, saying, A lot of these people think theyre safe, but they will soon find out theyre not, while hinting that hes preparing stuff and working behind the scenes. He urged his followers to stand back and stand by because theres something in the works that I just cant wait for. In an interview with Kate Lindsay, who writes the Embedded Substack and co-hosts Slates podcast ICYMI, one of the lead moderators of r/Fauxmoi, an anonymous college student from Canada, describes how the situation has escalated to the point where two moderators were forced to delete their accounts due to the harassment and doxxing threats they were receiving. Most people discussed on the subreddit have meaningful public reputations to maintain, and this means that pursuing petty claims against social media users and engaging in conspiracy theories is perceived as being beneath their station, the mod told Lindsay. When it comes to influencers (particularly those whose content is based largely on engagement and feuds rather than substance), they are often more sensitive regarding their reputations, and have less PR and business savvy. (Neither Klein nor Reddit responded to Fast Company‘s request for comment.) But can a subreddit even be sued for defamation? Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 states that online service providers cannot be held liable for content posted by users. This means that platforms like Reddit are not considered publishers of user-generated content. However, its still possible to sue for unfair content moderation. What this saga means for free speech on the internet, and the right to gossip and share information online, remains to be seen.
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