How paranoid nationalism corrupts | The Vegans Who Refuse to Date Meat Eaters | The rise of 'house hushing': is it the key to a tranquil life?

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Don't like ads? Go ad-free with TradeBriefs Premium How paranoid nationalism corrupts    PEOPLE SEEK strength and solace in their tribe, their faith or their nation. And you can see why. If they feel empathy for their fellow citizens, they are more likely to pull together for the common good. In the 19th and 20th centuries love of country spurred people to seek their freedom from imperial capitals in distant countries. Today Ukrainians are making heroic sacrifices to defend their homeland against Russian invaders. Unfortunately, the love of “us” has an ugly cousin: the fear and suspicion of “them”, a paranoid nationalism that works against tolerant values such as an openness to unfamiliar people and new ideas. What is more, cynical politicians have come to understand that they can exploit this sort of nationalism, by whipping up mistrust and hatred and harnessing them to benefit themselves and their cronies. The post-war order of open trade and universal values is strained by the rivalry of America and China. Ordinary people feel threatened by forces beyond their control, from hunger and poverty to climate change and violence. Using paranoid nationalism, parasitic politicians prey on their citizens’ fears and degrade the global order, all in the pursuit of their own power. Continued here The Vegans Who Refuse to Date Meat Eaters    On February 16 of 2020, Charlie Stevenson and Ashley Surette swiped right. They'd joined a dating app just two days before, on Valentine's Day. Surette had posted a photo of her dangling from the sky in an aerial lyra hoop in front of a deep blue ocean—and Stevenson loved her smile. They talked every day for a month, and when the pandemic hit shortly after, Surette moved from Merrimack, New Hampshire, into Stevenson's house in Barre, Massachusetts. "All of our friends probably thought we were completely insane," says Stevenson, a 45-year-old information technologist. "But sometimes you just know." The secret to their effortless connection? Sharing a plant-based lifestyle, they say. In fact, they met on Grazer, a swanky-looking dating app for vegan singles. A dating app for vegans only probably seems like the kind of over-the-top bit you'd see played out in a show like Portlandia. But there's certainly a market for them: Many people like Stevenson and Surette, vegans who eschew all animal products for welfare and environmental reasons, would never date someone who eats meat. Today, vegan- and vegetarian-only dating spaces are thriving, especially online. Since it launched in June 2022, the Vegan Dating Lounge Discord—which only accepts users after they fill out a questionnaire about their feelings on issues like honey and horse riding—has steadily climbed to more than 2,000 members. Grazer, which hit the app store in 2017, doubled its user base after rebranding in November 2022 and daily active users have increased tenfold. Meanwhile Vegpal, a vegan dating and friendship app launched in the summer of 2021, has grown its user base sevenfold in the last year alone. The apps all declined to reveal exact numbers; it's likely they pale in comparison to the 75 million users on Tinder. Still, the growth of online dating spaces for plant-based people is clear. Continued here The rise of 'house hushing': is it the key to a tranquil life?    'House hushing' is a new interiors trend that's making (the right kind of) noise in these troubling times. Here, experts reveal how to turn down the volume and create peace I really want a quiet life. Everything feels overwhelming to this frazzled midlifer; my mind is a hot mess of "sandwich generation" stresses, work anxiety and impending planetary doom. I have tried to foster the calm I crave: we moved to a detached house in a quiet suburb; installed secondary glazing and thick curtains; I put my desk facing the garden. So why, when I enter what should be my haven from a noisy world, do I feel so wired? Where's my peace and tranquillity? Well, let's take a look at what greets me when I arrive home, as seen through the eyes of Rachel Cordingley, from home organisation and decluttering company, A Tidy Mind: "Paper, paper, shoes, shoes, shoes… chicken postcards… WD40. Is this a table?" Continued here

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