u/Potential_Being_7226

From the article:

>Neuroscience shows that heavy social media use can overstimulate the teen brain’s still-developing reward pathways in ways similar to addictive behaviours like gambling.

>This immature system also makes teenagers more sensitive to social feedback and less able to cope with rejection. This leaves them vulnerable to highs and lows of online interaction, including the rapid, repeated negative comments that can intensify emotional stress.

>Think of the teen brain as a highway under construction. The emotional expressway — the limbic system — is wide open for speeding. The pre-frontal cortex — the brain’s traffic-control centre responsible for judgment and impulse control — is still being built.

>This imbalance means that the fast emotional traffic often outruns the signals from the control centre, creating traffic jams in judgment and rational thinking and making it harder for teens to pause, reflect and assess consequences.

---

Selected supporting research linked in the article:

Maza MT, Fox KA, Kwon S, et al. Association of Habitual Checking Behaviors on Social Media With Longitudinal Functional Brain Development. JAMA Pediatr. 2023;177(2):160–167.

https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.4924

Silk, J. S., Sequeira, S. S., Jones, N. P., Lee, K. H., Dahl, R. E., Forbes, Erika. E., … Ladouceur, C. D. (2023). Subgenual Anterior Cingulate Cortex Reactivity to Rejection Vs. Acceptance Predicts Depressive Symptoms among Adolescents with an Anxiety History. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 52(5), 659–674.

https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2021.2019048

Yuste, Rafael MD, PhD; Baler, Ruben D. PhD; Volkow, Nora D. MD. Addictive-like Dimensions of Problematic Use of Social Media. Journal of Addiction Medicine 20(2):p 162-167, March/April 2026.

https://doi.org/10.1097/ADM.0000000000001525

>State representative Justin Pizzulli, R-Scioto County, introduced a bill that would fund a $1.5 million study on the reintroduction of elk.

>HB641 would mandate that the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) conduct a study of habitat suitability, ecological risks, logistics of sourcing and relocating elk and long-term management strategies.

>“It has the potential to create a large economic investment into our state,” Pizzulli said. “They’re beautiful creatures that I think people want to see.”

>Why should Ohio bring elk back?

>Hunting is a billion dollar industry in Ohio, according to a 2023 report commissioned by the Ohio Division of Wildlife. Pizzulli believes elk hunting, in particular, has the potential to revitalize many rural towns in Ohio – especially in the southeast corner of the state.

>“Down in my neck of the woods, we're always looking for additional revenues,” Pizzulli said.

---

“They’re beautiful creatures! Let’s bring ‘em back so we can kill ‘em and make some money.” …is what I hear when I read this.

You know, white-tailed deer were nearly eradicated and then reintroduced to the eastern US and now I can’t grow plants. (I exaggerate, but not by much. These beasts, graceful as they are, are destructive to native flora. I can’t get them to leave my elderberry and ground cherry alone.)

This effort is misguided. Species reintroduction is not the way. Habitat protection and habitat continuity (that is, preventing habitat fragmentation) must be the goal, but we’re not going to be able to do that when we’re fracking the ever-loving fuck out of every corner of our state.

>Over the last couple of years, there have been numerous news stories about rising electricity costs in West Virginia. Some residents have to pay more for their monthly electric bill than their mortgage payment. Federal data shows West Virginia’s retail electricity rates have grown faster than most states over the past 25 years. West Virginia residents also use more electricity on average than residents of other states, which compounds the problem. There are several central reasons why West Virginia’s electricity rates have soared recently, including rising fuel costs in the global market. The short answer is coal. The longer answer is below—and more complicated. Before diving into what is driving electricity costs in West Virginia, it is imperative to understand the structure of West Virginia’s electricity system.

Excerpt:

>This doesn’t mean they were doing it wrong. Turning your attention inward can feel challenging. Often, it brings you into contact with experiences that you normally try to push away, such as feeling bored, uncomfortable or agitated. However, we’ve also found that facing difficult experiences during mindfulness training can have positive effects.

>In particular, adopting an accepting attitude toward your experiences seems to drive many of the positive effects of mindfulness. Our research shows that developing the capacity for acceptance through mindfulness meditation can reduce feelings of loneliness and increase positive emotions, such as happiness. It also reduces stress hormones and helps people notice more positive experiences during stressful situations.

>In these studies, we have found that acceptance is the critical driver. When acceptance is removed from mindfulness training, these benefits largely disappear.

OP’s note: The following is an excerpt from the linked essay, which is a bit on the longer side (just want to provide a head’s up that it’s not a quick read.) My thoughts are included in a separate comment below the post.

---

>…“Truth and Politics” allows us to see the alternative pathway Arendt charts for seeing as others see. In praising our imaginative capacity to think ourselves into others’ shoes, Arendt sidesteps empathy, not to argue for the cold clear light of reason but to animate imagination, with its dual commitment to attachment and detachment. Imagination may stop short of love, but it is loyal to the existence of others and offers a way to conjure up their concerns even when (in fact especially when) we are spending time alone.