Cabin fever might set in quickly on Mars, and it might be contagious. Quarters would be tight. Governments would be fragile. Reinforcements would be seven months away. Colonies might descend into civil war, anarchy or even cannibalism, given the potential for scarcity. US colonies from Roanoke to Jamestown suffered similar social breakdowns, in environments that were Edenic by comparison. Some individuals might be able to endure these conditions for decades, or longer, but Musk told me he would need a million people to form a sustainable, genetically diverse civilisation.
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Posted inNonfiction, Reading List
Rest in Peace: Stories About Death Care
I’ve been thinking: What would my life look like if I were not afraid of death? Thinking too closely about not existing, not having a consciousness, sends me spiraling into a panic attack. Protestant Christians believe in an afterlife—a heaven, a hell. I did, too, for a while. I was confident, fervent, about heaven. I was no longer afraid to die. Now I’m not so sure. Nothingness scares me, but so does an eternity spent somewhere else.
Posted inReading List
The Intersection Between Religion and Mental Health: A Reading List
This week, I’ve compiled four pieces about the intersection of religion, mental illness, safe spaces and alternative caregiving.
Posted inNonfiction, Reading List
Cats and Their People: A Reading List
Three stories about our relationship with cats.
Posted inNonfiction, Reading List
What Burns Within Us: Five Stories About Fire
Here are five pieces on fire-eaters, firefighters, fire-walkers and fire-growers.
Posted inEditor's Pick
Cats and Their People: A Reading List
This week’s reading list from Emily includes stories from SPIN, Rookie, Aeon, and xoJane.
Posted inEditor's Pick
Longreads’ Best of WordPress, Vol. 3
Here are 10 of our favorite stories right now from Aeon, Grantland, Brooklyn Quarterly, The Awl, Texas Observer and more.
Posted inNonfiction, Reading List
Longreads’ Best of WordPress, Vol. 3
Our latest collection is now live at WordPress.com, featuring stories from Aeon, Grantland, Brooklyn Quarterly, The Awl, Texas Observer and more. Get the full list here.
Posted inNonfiction, Reading List
Tiny Houses, RVs, and Other Places We Call Home: A Reading List
Here are four pieces exploring different approaches to space and home—from living on wheels to escaping the grid.
Posted inNonfiction, Quotes
The Pros and Cons of Praising Children
At Aeon, Carlin Flora looks at the pros and cons of praising children and what psychologists say to avoid: Over-praising children (You’re amazing!) can make them feel your standards are very high, causing the fear that they won’t be able to keep living up to them, say the psychologists Jennifer Henderlong Corpus of Reed College […]
