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Anticipating Catastrophe
Written by Seth Baum
This summer I was on a flight from Australia to Japan. I took my shoes off at security, just like I always do. But this time, my gesture drew little smirks from the others nearby. I looked around: no one else had their shoes off. Someone commented to me with […]
Author Archive
Seth Baum
Executive Director of the Global Catastrophic Risk Institute (http://gcrinstitute.org). Based in New York City. Recently finished PhD from Penn State Geography & post-doc at Columbia University Center for Research on Environmental Decisions. Active with the Society for Risk Analysis on global catastrophic risks, which are risks of events that could significantly harm or even destroy civilization at the global scale.
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Backwards Steps For American Democracy
Written by Seth Baum
New rules in several U.S. states make it harder for many citizens to vote. The rules – which include restrictive voter ID and proof of citizenship requirements, reduced early voting periods, and disenfranchising former felons – appear to be a dishonest, anti-democratic power grab by the Republican party. As such, […]
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The Planet Needs Our Help
Written by Seth Baum
When it comes to big planet-scale environmental issues like climate change, some people dismiss individual actions like driving less or eating less meat. They say that our actions aren’t important, and instead we need large-scale policies that will influence everyone’s actions. While policy can help, it’s wrong to dismiss individual […]
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Curing Aging Could Transform Society
Written by Seth Baum
Some people want to live forever, and they are actively working to accomplish just that. These people view aging as a curable disease, and they are supporting and conducting research to cure it. I don’t share this goal, but I do agree that if they succeed, society could be dramatically […]
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Earth Day, Conspiracy, & World Government
Written by Seth Baum
On April 22, 2012, the 43rd Earth Day was celebrated. On the same day, Vladimir Lenin celebrated (posthumously, of course) his 142nd birthday, meaning he was born exactly 100 years prior to the first Earth Day. As far as I can tell, this is a coincidence. But some people aren’t […]
