Innovations in people power are changing how government decisions are made, from Brazil to Kenya, Switzerland and Taiwan. This story was first published at The Correspondent here: https://thecorrespondent.com/521/democracy-isnt-working-five-ideas-that-are-already-helping-to-fix-the-problem/68953409074-cce461a9 Voice-over/producer: Eleanor Caudill Executive producer: Jacco Prantl

When it comes to negative experiences in childhood, the body seems to keep score. But even small changes can positively affect health in later life. This story was first published on The Correspondent here: https://thecorrespondent.com/170/trauma-can-be-inherited-we-need-to-understand-what-were-passing-on/22499192980-d9ba47c5 Voice-over/producer: Emi Paternostro Executive producer: Jacco Prantl If you have questions, please email: hello@thecorrespondent.com

We live in a society where it’s easier to get a Michelin-star meal delivered to our doorstep than it is to get a medical mask that protects our nurses and doctors. And it’s designed that way. But we can change it for the better, just as we can change ourselves. This piece was first published on The Correspondent: https://thecorrespondent.com/683/our-world-is-built-for-profit-lets-build-one-that-protects-us-instead/90393816502-1ff6d3c9 Want to support journalism that looks deeper than the headlines to show you how the world really works? The Correspondent is an online platform for unbreaking news. Set your own membership fee and join us today to get access to our full catalogue of articles and podcasts: thecorrespondent.com/join Voice-over/producer: Abhijit Shylanath Executive producer: Jacco Prantl If you have questions, please email: hello@thecorrespondent.com

Keep a distance from each other. Work from home. Or rely on a social safety net. The measures against the coronavirus pandemic are made by and for those parts of the world that can afford to retreat in individualism. But for millions of people in cities like Lagos, Nigeria, there’s no such thing as socially distancing yourself. This story was first published on The Correspondent here: https://thecorrespondent.com/378/why-social-distancing-wont-work-for-us/50027617332-261bb46a Want to support journalism that looks deeper than the headlines to show you how the world really works? The Correspondent is an online platform for unbreaking news. Set your own membership fee and join us today to get access to our full catalogue of articles and podcasts: thecorrespondent.com/join Voice-over/producer: Jumoké Fashola Executive producer: Jacco Prantl If you have questions, please email: hello@thecorrespondent.com

The longest year of the 21st century is about to end; New Year resolutions ahoy. It's that time again when we embrace self-care, and a booming self-care industry serenades us with its baubles. But the seemingly fun, empowering idea of self-care has an ugly underside: it is weaponised against those who are most vulnerable and have the least access to resources. This story was published on The Correspondent here: https://thecorrespondent.com/820/the-time-has-come-to-take-the-self-out-of-self-care/108525519080-eaedd328 Want to support journalism that looks deeper than the headlines to show you how the world really works? The Correspondent is an online platform for unbreaking news. Set your own membership fee and join us today to get access to our full catalogue of articles and podcasts: thecorrespondent.com/join Voice-over/producer: Eleanor Caudill Executive producer: Jacco Prantl If you have questions, please email: hello@thecorrespondent.com

It’s in your smartphone, you brush your teeth with it and it’s even in your mattress. Plastic is everywhere – and it’s not going anywhere soon. But as important as the material is, we treat it carelessly because we’ve been taught that it’s worthless. We can start to change that. This story was published on The Correspondent here: https://thecorrespondent.com/809/plastic-is-a-brilliant-material-but-our-relationship-with-it-is-trash/107069688946-7585b361 Want to support journalism that looks deeper than the headlines to show you how the world really works? The Correspondent is an online platform for unbreaking news. Set your own membership fee and join us today to get access to our full catalogue of articles and podcasts: thecorrespondent.com/join Voice-over/producer: Jumoké Fashola Executive producer: Jacco Prantl If you have questions, please email: hello@thecorrespondent.com

Progress is a measure of things being different, not necessarily better. And talking about it as an achievement can actually make it more difficult to spur real forward movement. If we want to understand our society’s progress, we need to change the way we speak about it. This story was also published on The Correspondent here: https://thecorrespondent.com/720/why-the-world-can-get-worse-by-constantly-saying-its-getting-better/95290699680-8e501010 Want to support journalism that looks deeper than the headlines to show you how the world really works? The Correspondent is an online platform for unbreaking news. Set your own membership fee and join us today to get access to our full catalogue of articles and podcasts: thecorrespondent.com/join Voice-over/producer: Emi Paternostro Executive producer: Jacco Prantl If you have questions, please email: hello@thecorrespondent.com

Mainstream economics still thinks growth is essential, but this blind belief in GDP is just enriching the rich and killing the planet. We don’t need more growth to improve people’s lives. By working less, buying and producing less, and investing in public services, we can improve quality of life – and fight the climate crisis. This story was first published on The Correspondent here: https://thecorrespondent.com/357/outgrowing-growth-why-quality-of-life-not-gdp-should-be-our-measure-of-success/413218170519-b4d036a5 Want to support journalism that looks deeper than the headlines to show you how the world really works? The Correspondent is an online platform for unbreaking news. Set your own membership fee and join us today to get access to our full catalogue of articles and podcasts: thecorrespondent.com/join Voice-over/producer: Abhijit Shylanath Executive producer: Jacco Prantl If you have questions, please email: hello@thecorrespondent.com

The grief caused by death is similar to the pain of distance, but our photographs can help bridge the gap to our loved ones. The pictures we carry with us are a defiant refusal to believe that all our good times are behind us. This story was published on The Correspondent here: https://thecorrespondent.com/484/trapping-ghosts-photographs-dont-lock-us-to-loss-they-remind-us-to-live/578221852516-10b276d0 Want to support journalism that looks deeper than the headlines to show you how the world really works? The Correspondent is an online platform for unbreaking news. Set your own membership fee and join us today to get access to our full catalogue of articles and podcasts: thecorrespondent.com/join Voice-over/producer: Jumoké Fashola Executive producer: Jacco Prantl If you have questions, please email: hello@thecorrespondent.com

2020 has been a trying year for parents, with close to a million school kids affected by lockdowns and school closures. Parents have struggled to arrange a schedule for schooling and playtime. The good news: play doesn’t need to be planned – and it shouldn’t be. This story was published on The Correspondent here: https://thecorrespondent.com/812/dear-parents-stop-organising-your-kids-playtime/107493788556-054898e8 Want to support journalism that looks deeper than the headlines to show you how the world really works? The Correspondent is an online platform for unbreaking news. Set your own membership fee and join us today to get access to our full catalogue of articles and podcasts: thecorrespondent.com/join Voice-over/producer: Eleanor Caudill Executive producer: Jacco Prantl If you have questions, please email: hello@thecorrespondent.com

The World Health Organization focused on investing in mental health as the theme for this year’s World Mental Health Day. That might sound sensible, but it’s precisely this language of ‘investment’ that is taking the mental health conversation backwards. This story was first published on The Correspondent here: https://thecorrespondent.com/764/investing-in-mental-health-is-doomed-to-fail-because-humans-arent-stocks/101114020216-ef36b48d Want to support journalism that looks deeper than the headlines to show you how the world really works? The Correspondent is an online platform for unbreaking news. Set your own membership fee and join us today to get access to our full catalogue of articles and podcasts: thecorrespondent.com/join Voice-over/producer: Abhijit Shylanath Executive producer: Jacco Prantl If you have questions, please email: hello@thecorrespondent.com

There's an idea among many 'climate people' that large-scale environmental disaster will finally force governments to act. But talking about catastrophe will only bring catastrophe. Instead of waiting for disaster, there are other ways to bring about radical climate action. This story was first published on The Correspondent here: https://thecorrespondent.com/329/apocalypse-never-why-climate-catastrophe-wont-make-us-change/43555204231-a33f6054 Want to support journalism that looks deeper than the headlines to show you how the world really works? The Correspondent is an online platform for unbreaking news. Set your own membership fee and join us today to get access to our full catalogue of articles and podcasts: thecorrespondent.com/join Voice-over/producer: Jumoké Fashola Executive producer: Jacco Prantl If you have questions, please email: hello@thecorrespondent.com

The idea that individuals can't solve the climate crisis has gained momentum in progressive circles. They say we can’t change the world by shaming each other for air travel or eating meat. But how much are ideals worth if they don’t demand sacrifices? This story was also published on The Correspondent here: https://thecorrespondent.com/796/yes-its-all-the-fault-of-big-oil-facebook-and-the-system-but-lets-talk-about-you-this-time/105316520056-9134847d Want to support journalism that looks deeper than the headlines to show you how the world really works? The Correspondent is an online platform for unbreaking news. Set your own membership fee and join us today to get access to our full catalogue of articles and podcasts: thecorrespondent.com/join Voice-over/producer: Emi Paternostro Executive producer: Jacco Prantl If you have questions, please email: hello@thecorrespondent.com

Philosophy can seem like endless discussions of a bunch of abstract theories. So in episode two of The Good Life, Emily Dreyfuss spoke to philosophy historian Massimo Pigliucci about how it can help us practise a better life. The transcript of this podcast is published on The Correspondent here: https://thecorrespondent.com/793/podcast-emily-dreyfuss-interviews-massimo-pigliucci/949518098243-87c6d9fa Want to support journalism that looks deeper than the headlines to show you how the world really works? The Correspondent is an online platform for unbreaking news. Set your own membership fee and join us today to get access to our full catalogue of articles and podcasts: https://thecorrespondent.com/join Executive producer: Jacco Prantl Sound: Jacco Prantl - Radiomonsters If you have questions, please email: hello@thecorrespondent.com

The technological chapter of climate transformation can be whatever we choose to make it. If we allow it to be a bulldozing, profit-driven enterprise, the energy transition will fall apart – ratcheting impacts of climate change. This story was first published on The Correspondent here: https://thecorrespondent.com/561/renewables-are-cheap-and-effective-now-lets-make-them-just-and-humane-too/74247336834-88405429 Want to support journalism that looks deeper than the headlines to show you how the world really works? The Correspondent is an online platform for unbreaking news. Set your own membership fee and join us today to get access to our full catalogue of articles and podcasts: thecorrespondent.com/join Voice-over/producer: Eleanor Caudill Executive producer: Jacco Prantl If you have questions, please email: hello@thecorrespondent.com

We’re uncomfortable with death – we either run from it or approach it with a stiff upper lip. But the pandemic has confronted us with our own mortality, making it clear we lack the tools and techniques to deal with such immense loss. So to live a life not crippled by fear, we have to be able to face our fear of dying. This story was first published on The Correspondent here: https://thecorrespondent.com/758/why-surrendering-to-death-grief-and-loss-is-fundamental-to-reimagining-how-to-live/100319931052-fc0af824 Want to support journalism that looks deeper than the headlines to show you how the world really works? The Correspondent is an online platform for unbreaking news. Set your own membership fee and join us today to get access to our full catalogue of articles and podcasts: thecorrespondent.com/join Voice-over/producer: Abhijit Shylanath Executive producer: Jacco Prantl If you have questions, please email: hello@thecorrespondent.com

The evidence is clear: once US Americans drop their labels, they are more aligned on what they actually believe their government should do – yes, even on healthcare. This story was first published on The Correspondent here: https://thecorrespondent.com/234/democrat-or-republican-on-the-big-polarising-issues-you-actually-agree/30969477396-9bd2f2fa Want to support journalism that looks deeper than the headlines to show you how the world really works? The Correspondent is an online platform for unbreaking news. Set your own membership fee and join us today to get access to our full catalogue of articles and podcasts: thecorrespondent.com/join Voice-over/producer: Emi Paternostro Executive producer: Jacco Prantl If you have questions, please email: hello@thecorrespondent.com

A new study finds just how divergent the interests of US partisan donors are from those of the party base. With the 2020 election expected to be the costliest ever, the potential for consensus narrows as politicians dial for dollars. This story was first published on The Correspondent here: https://thecorrespondent.com/762/us-elections-are-bought-and-the-people-paying-dont-want-the-same-things-we-do/100849323828-bc2dbf37 Want to support journalism that looks deeper than the headlines to show you how the world really works? The Correspondent is an online platform for unbreaking news. Set your own membership fee and join us today to get access to our full catalogue of articles and podcasts: thecorrespondent.com/join Voice-over/producer: Jumoké Fashola Executive producer: Jacco Prantl If you have questions, please email: hello@thecorrespondent.com

As a doctor in Kenya, I saw that quality care is almost always sacrificed to profit – something that happens around the world. Now is the time to consider a healthcare system that exists beyond just the white walls of the hospital. This story was first published on The Correspondent here: https://thecorrespondent.com/497/in-hospitals-our-dignity-is-up-for-sale-heres-how-we-return-care-to-healthcare/596841596428-b213a2d1 Want to support journalism that looks deeper than the headlines to show you how the world really works? The Correspondent is an online platform for unbreaking news. Set your own membership fee and join us today to get access to our full catalogue of articles and podcasts: thecorrespondent.com/join Voice-over/producer: Abhijit Shylanath Executive producer: Jacco Prantl If you have questions, please email: hello@thecorrespondent.com

Blockchain technology is going to change everything: the shipping industry, the financial system, government … in fact, what won’t it change? But enthusiasm for it mainly stems from a lack of knowledge and understanding. The blockchain is a solution in search of a problem. This story was first published on The Correspondent here: https://thecorrespondent.com/655/blockchain-the-amazing-solution-for-almost-nothing/86688067070-5f7a9dd3 Want to support journalism that looks deeper than the headlines to show you how the world really works? The Correspondent is an online platform for unbreaking news. Set your own membership fee and join us today to get access to our full catalogue of articles and podcasts: thecorrespondent.com/join Voice-over/producer: Emi Paternostro Executive producer: Jacco Prantl If you have questions, please email: hello@thecorrespondent.com