'Conspiracy theorizing is a deeply ingrained human phenomenon'

'The internet is worse than a brainwashing machine'

Charlie Warzel and Mike Caulfield at The Atlantic

The "revision of Jan. 6 among many Republicans is alarming," but it is "also a powerful example of how the internet has warped our political reality," say Charlie Warzel and Mike Caulfield. The internet "may function not so much as a brainwashing engine but as a justification machine." As the "mob stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, the justification machine spun up, providing denial-as-a-service to whomever was in need of it, in real time."

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'Ramaswamy is right: America needs more 'tiger moms' for the sake of our kids'

Neetu Arnold at USA Today

Vivek Ramaswamy has "identified a real problem, despite the poor messaging," as "reading and math scores among American students have been declining for years," says Neetu Arnold. Despite "people's fears about so-called tiger parenting and its prevalence in the Asian American community, those parents must be doing something right." Instead of "fearing the excesses of tiger parenting culture and settling for the current state of American education, we should adopt its best features" and "Americanize tiger parenting."

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'A last chance for Iran'

Richard Nephew at Foreign Affairs

There are "still many good reasons to not bomb Iran," as "striking the country would inject more chaos and instability into the Middle East," says Richard Nephew. The "odds of failure are high: even the most accurate strikes might only delay Iranian nuclearization." The "best, most durable solution to the issue remains a diplomatic agreement." The U.S. "must make a final, good-faith attempt to negotiate a halt to Tehran's nuclear program early in the Trump administration."

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'Veganuary' is just the beginning'

Scott Miller at the Miami Herald

Eating "meat, eggs and dairy is cruel, unnecessary — and bad for you," so "why limit yourself to Veganuary"? says Scott Miller. You can "celebrate 'Flaxbruary' by loading up on ancient grains, like chia, hemp and flax seeds," while "'Meat-Is-Murder March' is a reminder that animals endure horrific suffering when they're raised and slaughtered for food." Twelve "months of integrity, kindness and empathy will fill your spirit with a sense of hope and joy."

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