Weekly Top Five Articles
Why novels matter, raising your kid's IQ, loneliness in retirement, and more. . .
Here’s what stood out this week. . .
(1) Why the novel matters, Deborah Levy, The New Statesman (December 5, 2024)
We read and write fiction because it asks impossible questions, and leads us boldly into the unknown.
Levy passionately argues for the enduring power and importance of the novel as a unique literary form. The novel, she contends, does not merely recount stories but boldly asks impossible questions, creating a space where readers and writers alike confront the unknown. It challenges us to grapple with obscurity, clarity, and the deep complexities of human experience.
Levy emphasizes that novels matter because they embrace contradiction and ambiguity. They offer both solace and disruption, immersing us in stories that are at once intimate and distant, intellectually engaging and emotionally devastating. Through this dynamic interplay, novels lead us to new understandings that transcend mere information consumption. Unlike scrolling through social media or skimming articles, novels require time, solitude, and attention—qualities that allow for profound self-reflection and connection.
The essay explores how language shapes a novel's impact. For Levy, language is both a tool and a force of its own—powerful, evocative, and sometimes frightening. Writers like Gertrude Stein, who eschewed conventional grammar, illustrate how breaking rules can provoke new ways of seeing and feeling. Similarly, NoViolet Bulawayo's assertion that "words were power... words were life" captures the transformative capacity of language in fiction.
Levy also examines the imaginative participation required from readers, likening it to Marcel Duchamp's view that a spectator completes a work of art. Novels invite readers to co-create, to step into characters’ lives, and to carry their stories with them long after the final page. This imaginative partnership enables us to see through others' eyes, changing our own perspectives in the process.
The novel’s importance extends beyond narrative and form. It becomes a vessel for exploring life's most pressing questions: What does it mean to live? To be human? To lose or reconstruct a story we’ve clung to for years? Levy points out that the greatest novels often capture the coexistence of immense power and vulnerability, providing a voice to the complexities of strength, fragility, and the negotiation of reality.
Ultimately, Levy believes the novel endures because it delivers the impossible. It can illuminate beauty in fleeting moments, as Baudelaire suggests, and disrupt cultural norms, exposing the flattening effects of conformity. The novel remains a space for subversive, transformative exploration, offering both writer and reader a chance to live imaginatively—even when facing the harsh realities of life, as Levy illustrates through her father’s poignant final days.
In an age of fleeting attention spans, Levy’s reflections remind us why novels continue to matter: they are not just entertainment but a means of navigating the human condition, making the impossible possible, and holding a mirror to both our individual and collective existence.
(2) All the Little Data: Speaking the Language of Robots, by Nicholas Carr, The Hedgehog Review (Fall 2024)
Carr examines how the constant flow of digital notifications and metrics profoundly shapes our daily lives and self-perception. While Big Data dominates technological discussions, Carr turns to the smaller, pervasive pieces of information—shipping updates, fitness trackers, weather forecasts—that surround us. These seemingly trivial updates offer convenience and a sense of control, yet they subtly reshape how we experience the world.
Carr illustrates this with a personal anecdote about purchasing a shirt, detailing the flurry of notifications tracking every step of the transaction. This phenomenon extends to navigation apps, media consumption, and even social media, where identities are reduced to metrics like likes and follower counts. Little data personalizes our lives, making us feel empowered, but it also abstracts us, turning relationships and experiences into transactional exchanges.
Drawing on philosopher Theodor Adorno, Carr observes that today’s digital systems are less tools we use and more environments we inhabit. Smartphones and constant connectivity embed us in a "mirror world," where we live as abstractions in an endless stream of data. This shift diminishes the ambiguity, mystery, and depth that define human experience, narrowing our perception of the world.
Carr concludes with a vivid metaphor: during a medical test, his blood—a vital substance—was reduced to a list of numbers. This transformation, he argues, mirrors the broader impact of little data on our lives, turning the living into the quantified.
Carr invites readers to reflect on what we lose in this age of relentless datafication: not just the richness of human experience but the depth of what it means to truly live.
(3) Physical activity boosts IQ in kids and teens by Eric W. Dolan, PsyPost (December 10, 2024)
A recent meta-analysis published in Pediatrics reveals that structured physical activity programs can significantly enhance intelligence in children and adolescents, with an average IQ increase of 4 points. This cognitive boost, comparable to the gains from an additional year of education, underscores the dual importance of exercise for both physical and mental development.
The study analyzed data from 14 randomized controlled trials involving over 3,200 participants aged 18 and younger. Researchers focused on general intelligence, measured by IQ, as well as two subdomains: fluid intelligence (problem-solving and adaptability) and crystallized intelligence (accumulated knowledge and skills). While significant gains were observed in general and fluid intelligence, evidence for improvements in crystallized intelligence was limited.
Key findings include:
Consistency Across Groups: Exercise benefits were evident across all age groups and baseline IQ levels, including children with lower starting intelligence.
Broad Applicability: The cognitive benefits were consistent regardless of the duration or type of intervention.
Potential for Equity: The study highlights exercise as an inclusive tool to support diverse populations, including children at cognitive disadvantages.
The findings suggest that exercise fosters brain plasticity, making it a powerful intervention during critical developmental periods. However, the study also noted variability in exercise programs, with differences in type, intensity, and frequency making it challenging to pinpoint optimal strategies.
Lead researcher Javier S. Morales emphasized the broader implications of the study: "Exercise programs not only improve intelligence but also contribute to happiness, socioeconomic success, and long-term health." Future research aims to identify the most effective exercise characteristics and develop practical recommendations for schools and communities.
The takeaway? Encouraging regular physical activity in kids isn’t just about fitness—it’s a critical investment in their cognitive and emotional development. Schools and parents should prioritize active lifestyles to unlock the full potential of young minds.
(4) It’s not digital illiteracy: Here’s why older adults are drawn to dubious news, by Eric W. Dolan, PsyPost (December 7, 2024)
A recent study in Public Opinion Quarterly challenges the common belief that older adults engage with unreliable news primarily due to digital illiteracy. Instead, the findings suggest that partisan bias and entrenched political identities are the key drivers of this behavior.
Older adults are more likely than younger people to interact with dubious news sources, particularly hyperpartisan content. However, the study revealed that they often outperform younger individuals in identifying false headlines during controlled experiments. This finding undermines the assumption that digital illiteracy is the primary explanation for their higher engagement with low-quality news.
The research, led by Ben Lyons from the University of Utah, analyzed survey data and real-world online behavior from nearly 10,000 Americans during the 2018 midterm elections. Participants assessed the accuracy of various news headlines and completed a digital literacy intervention. The results showed that partisan bias—not a lack of digital skills—drove older adults to engage with unreliable news. Their stronger partisan attachments led them to favor news that aligned with their political beliefs, often to denigrate opponents.
A significant finding was the role of hyperpartisan content—stories rooted in fact but presented with extreme bias. Unlike outright false news, hyperpartisan stories drew high engagement among older adults, highlighting how partisan filters shape news consumption.
The study suggests interventions to combat misinformation must address the influence of entrenched political identities rather than solely focusing on digital literacy. As Lyons notes, “Older adults do share more misinformation, but it’s due to their stronger partisan attachments, not a lack of skills.”
Future research will explore age-specific strategies to counteract the effects of hyperpartisanship, aiming to inform public policy on misinformation interventions. This study highlights the complexity of addressing unreliable news and the need to consider psychological and political factors alongside digital literacy.
(5) “Loneliness and isolation rates among older Americans return to pre-pandemic levels, but still remain high,” by Eric W. Dolan, PsyPost (December 9, 2024)
A recent study published in JAMA reveals that while loneliness and social isolation rates among older Americans have returned to pre-pandemic levels, they remain alarmingly high. About one-third of adults aged 50–80 report feeling lonely or socially isolated, with those experiencing physical or mental health challenges facing significantly higher rates.
Key Findings:
Persistent Loneliness and Isolation: In 2024, 33% of older adults reported feeling a lack of companionship, and 29% felt socially isolated, similar to levels in 2018 but much lower than the spikes during the pandemic (41% and 56%, respectively).
Disparities in Impact:
Older adults with poor mental health reported the highest rates of loneliness (75%) and isolation (77%).
Those with physical health challenges or lower incomes were also disproportionately affected.
Individuals living alone or not working experienced elevated rates of both loneliness and isolation.
Age and Income Gaps: Adults aged 50–64 and those with household incomes below $60,000 were more likely to experience loneliness and isolation than older or wealthier peers.
Health Implications:
Loneliness and social isolation are linked to serious health risks, including depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, and cardiovascular issues. These findings underscore the importance of addressing these challenges as key components of public health for aging populations.
Solutions:
The study highlights the need for tailored, low-cost interventions:
For Clinicians: Regular screening for loneliness and isolation should be incorporated into healthcare practices.
For Families and Communities: Intentional efforts to connect with older adults—through calls, visits, or invitations—can make a meaningful difference.
For Policymakers: Investments in community centers, transportation, and other resources can help reduce barriers to social connection.
As study author Preeti Malani noted, “Loneliness and social isolation can be addressed—often in low-cost ways that benefit everyone. We all have a role to play in being part of the solution.”
By fostering connections and supporting older adults, communities can improve well-being and mitigate the long-term health risks associated with loneliness and isolation.