Society Archives

Why Critics Say Ranked-Choice Voting Is a Bad Idea

Why is ranked-choice voting (RCV) a bad idea? What drawbacks have critics identified? How successful has RCV been in elections so far? Ranked-choice voting is a system in which voters rank candidates by preference on their ballots, and it’s gaining popularity across the United States. However, critics say ranked-choice voting is a bad idea due to its complexity and potential to waste votes. Keep reading to learn why critics say ranked-choice voting is a bad idea for the U.S.

Why Are Dogs So Expensive Right Now? Blame COVID

Have you thought about getting a dog in the past couple of years? Why are dogs so expensive at the moment? If you thought the pandemic was the best time to buy a puppy, you’re not alone. During the past few years, dog sales spiked dramatically. As the law of supply and demand tells us, when something is in-demand, prices go up. This affected every part of the dog-owning industry, from food to vet care to the dogs themselves. Here’s what you need to consider before buying a puppy in 2022.

The Positive and Negative Effects of Technology

What are the positive and negative effects of technology? Do the positives outweigh the negatives? There is no straight answer to whether technology is good or bad for us. In many cases, technology lends a helping hand in accessibility and environmental purposes. However, the integration of technology at work and school has proven to be negative in many ways. To decide whether or not technology is good for us, take a look at these positive and negative effects of technology.

Richard Cooper: The Unplugged Alpha (Book Overview)

What is Richard Cooper’s The Unplugged Alpha about? What is the key message to take away from the book? In The Unplugged Alpha, Richard Cooper—best known for his YouTube channel “Entrepreneurs in Cars”—argues that modern men have been taught three big lies regarding how society works. Specifically, men have been led to believe that women are second-class citizens, that masculinity is a bad thing, and that humans are monogamous. Below is a brief overview of Richard Cooper’s The Unplugged Alpha: The No Bullsh*t Guide To Winning With Women & Life.

Threats to Election Workers Might Make Voting Harder

What’s causing the recent election threats? Why are poll workers being impacted? How could voting be affected? Heading into the midterm elections, threats and political pressures have left the U.S. with a potential shortage of election workers to staff polling locations. A sufficient number of election workers is crucial to the democratic process and to running elections smoothly. Keep reading for an overview of the poll worker shortage and election threats facing the 2022 midterm elections.

The Top Advantages and Disadvantages of Capitalism

Are you on the fence about capitalism? What are the advantages and disadvantages of capitalism? Capitalism is an economic system where resources and firms are privately owned without government intervention. There is an ongoing debate between critics and supporters of capitalism because of its many advantages and disadvantages. Below, we’ll look at why capitalism is a heavily debated topic around the world.

Could the Protests in Iran Lead to Government Reform?

Why are there protests in Iran? Could the recent protests lead to lasting reforms? Violent protests are sweeping Iran as citizens condemn a woman’s death in police custody and, more broadly, the government’s oppressive theocratic rule. However, Iranians have protested the regime before and failed. Read on to learn more about the protests in Iran and if they have the potential to cause government reform.

What Are the Economic Benefits of Vaccines?

What role do vaccines play in a country’s economy? How can increasing vaccination rates help combat poverty in underdeveloped countries? Vaccines are one of the most underestimated ways to increase a country’s standard of living. In underdeveloped countries, where infections are prevalent, increasing vaccination rates can even help lift the populace out of poverty. Keep reading to learn about the economic benefits of vaccines.

GDP and Standard of Living: Are They Even Related?

How accurately does national GDP reflect a country’s quality of life? What are the flaws with benchmarking a national standard of living against GDP? Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is commonly used as an indicator of a national standard of living. However, this is not necessarily the case. According to Vaclav Smil, the author of Numbers Don’t Lie, there are several reasons why we shouldn’t use GDP as a measure of a country’s quality of life. Here’s a look at GDP and standard of living.

Social Alienation in the Soviet Union: A Tool for Repression

What is social alienation? How has it been used as an authoritarian tactic to gain power? One of the ways the Soviet Union controlled its citizens was via social alienation—conditioning them not to care about or connect with each other. This worked to repress dissident movements. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn discusses this tactic in The Gulag Archipelago. Continue reading to learn how the Soviet government exploited social alienation in the general population as well as in the gulags.