Top Stories
What we’re reading, watching and listening to this week.
My 4-year-old asked for a smartphone. Here's what I did next as a parent.
Kids mirror our tech habits, writes Prohuman Foundation advisor Alexandra Hudson in USA Today. Her "Presence Pact" urges no phones until high school & device-free family time to protect kids’ mental health. She offers ideas like 'presence protectors,' and the 'digital sabbath,' in a framework designed to help families coordinate to reclaim presence, closeness, and wellness at home.
The stakes are high. Rising rates of anxiety, depression and social isolation among young people have been linked in part to excessive screen time and premature access to smartphones and social media. . . .
To truly protect children, parents and caregivers must adopt their own set of phone norms − because children’s habits grow from what they see modeled at home.
Our Stories Come True: An alignment problem in humans.
Writing in his own Hamlet’s Chimera, Prohuman Foundation ambassador Seth Chalmer explores the concept of “self-fulfilling misalignment,” drawing parallels between AI and human behavior, where negative expectations can lead to harmful outcomes, as evidenced by programs like D.A.R.E. inadvertently increasing drug use. Chalmer advocates for mindful speech and positive framing, emphasizing dignity, charity, and hope to cultivate constructive habits and character development—he quotes Shakespeare: “Assume a virtue if you have it not.”
We know the power of self-fulfilling alignment or misalignment in our feelings and thoughts.
If you’re feeling down, merely decide to try to cheer up and focus on happier things, and (barring a diagnosable mental illness) it will probably happen. As Oscar Hammerstein wrote, “Make believe you’re brave, and the trick will take you far. You may be as brave as you make believe you are.”
My 2001 Hit Song, ‘Superman,’ Is for the Hostages in Gaza
Writing in the Wall Street Journal, musician John Ondrasik says of his Five For Fighting mega-hit that “It became an anthem for the heroes of 9/11. Sadly, America lost that unity after Oct. 7.”
After Hamas massacred and kidnapped innocent Israelis on Oct. 7, 2023, I dedicated “Superman” to hostage Alon Ohel, now 24, and all the innocent souls held captive in Gaza. I joined a broader awareness campaign about the hostages: their names, their stories, their families and the outrage of their captivity. I felt a special kinship with Alon because he’s a piano player like me. Instead of sharing his art, he’s trapped in a tunnel beneath Gaza.
“Rethinking July 4th”
Prohuman Foundation advisor Chip Hauss, writing in his Substack The Dot Connectors, critiques uncritical patriotism and suggests an effort at purposeful reflection as the U.S. nears its 250th anniversary next year. He highlights Mark Eckhardt’s One Million Truths initiative, which encourages Americans to submit electronic postcards addressed to a favorite historical figure, sharing hopes for the nation.
[One Million Truths] has set itself the ambitious goal of getting one million average Americans to send electronic “postcards” to a current or historical American they admire that lays out the writer’s hopes for their country during these turbulent times.
Are Political Parties Obsolete—or Our Best Hope for Change?
In Prohuman Pathways, Lura Forcum recounts a debate about the relevance and future of political parties. Her civil exchange with partisans, independents, reformers, and skeptics, revealed broad agreement and a shared desire for accountability and decency in politics.
My fellow panelists shared deep frustration with the parties, but very few wanted to get rid of them altogether. Instead, they wanted ways to make the parties more responsive to voters, less beholden to insiders, and more open to competition. People wanted accountability, not annihilation.
We landed on a point of agreement, but the path we took to get there was just as—if not more—important. We took the path of civility, and that made all the difference.
July Prohuman Book Club Informal
This month at the Prohuman Book Club, members and guests will enjoy guided discussion and community building. We'll learn about each other, and discover more about what draws our growing community together. Come and tell us who you are... what you're reading, thinking about, building... and why!
Opinions expressed in selected articles do not necessarily reflect those of the Prohuman Foundation. We value diverse perspectives that enrich our understanding of topics close to our mission: to promote the foundational truth that we are all unique individuals, united by our shared humanity.