【推荐1】We are living in an age in which data is strongly favored, especially when it’s reported in the media. “Big Data” is considered even more reliable as it consists of very large amounts of information. Percentiles are considered hard evidence, even if the conclusions drawn from the data don’t mean a whole lot. For example, “40 percent of adults say they use Instagram and about three in ten report using Pinterest or LinkedIn,” a Pew Research Center survey reported in April 2021. Is that a lot or a little? I don’t know, but the numbers are seemingly presented as being significant in some way.

Meanwhile, unless an argument is “data-based”, it is considered flimsy. One might repeatedly see something with his/her own eyes, but ironically (讽刺地), in this era of data, it matters little. Observations and any conclusions drawn, even by experts in a relevant field, have been downgraded to “personal perspectives”, even though they are based on real, documented behavior.

In short, if something is published in a journal with quantitative support, it carries much weight. If a cultural anthropologist (人类学家) with a Ph.D. reports a particular trend from field research, however, it is considered a short amusing story that may complement the “real” data-based studies. People want to know the “sample size” of cultural research, not understanding that valuable insights into human behavior can be gained without metrics (度量学) and analytics.

The many weaknesses associated with quantitative research should not be ignored, either. There are numerous ways to design a study and gather findings, each one likely to produce different results. The move to online research has made findings much more questionable, as nothing got from the Internet should be taken too seriously. Besides, how questions are both asked and answered is highly subjective and dependent on many variables.

Why do we love data so much? Words are imprecise and have multiple meanings, while numbers are precise and definitive, a big reason why we put so much faith and trust in data regardless of its source. To legitimize (证明……有理) this post, note that 88.6 percent of what I’ve said is true.

【推荐2】When COVID-19 hit and gyms began to close, Laura Novak was let go from her job as a part-time trainer. Despite losing a large part of her income, Novak knew she had another source to depend on: Tik Tok. As a former gymnast, the 31-year-old is often sharing clips of herself training on the bars or doing another type of workout while making money through brand partnerships.

Novak stressed that Tik Tok, which she’s been on since August of 2019, has been a really helpful source of income right now as a fitness trainer.

The timing of a potential ban of Tik Tok doesn’t bode well for the company that recently announced a plan to hire 10,000 staff in the U.S. over the next three years. The company also announced that it would give creators in the U.S. over $1 billion in the next three years “to encourage those who dream of using their voices and creativity to spark inspirational careers” on Tik Tok.

While social media Apps and their popularity have always been precarious, Tik Tok has managed to be a win-win situation for the platform’s creators and brands looking to reach specific audiences. Sam Gach, a 28-year-old in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is known for posting yoga tutorials on Tik Tok. Gach told in media that while he’s on other platforms, Tik Tok has become one of his most important ones.

“It’s my fastest growing platform,” Gach said, who has 89,600 followers on the App. “It’s a bit nerve-wracking, but I think right now, from what I’m hearing, it sounds like it may not be banned, but it’s still very uncertain.”

Gach said “If it is though, I would not be happy about it,” adding he’s made a few thousand dollars from Tik Tok in the last month, but it’s all still very new. Gach said if Tik Tok got banned, it would certainly negatively influence his ability to build an audience.

【推荐3】Social media allow teenagers to create online identities, communicate with others and build social networks. These networks can provide teenagers with valuable support. Teenagers also use social media for entertainment and self-expression. And the platforms can expose teenagers to current events, allow them to communicate across geographic barriers and teach them about different kinds of subjects, including healthy behaviors. However, social media use can also negatively affect teenagers, distracting them, influencing their sleep, and exposing them to bullying (恐吓), rumor (谣言) spreading, untrue views of other people’s lives and peer pressure.

There are steps you can take to encourage responsible use of social media and limit some of its negative effects.

Set reasonable limits. Talk to your teenager about how to avoid letting social media affect his or her activities, sleep, meals or homework. Encourage a bedtime routine that avoids electronic media use, and keep cellphones and iPads out of teenagers’ bedrooms. Set an example by following these rules yourself.

Monitor your teenager’s accounts. Let your teenager know that you’ll be regularly checking his or her social media accounts. You might aim to do so once a week or more. And make sure you follow through.

Explain what’s not OK. Discourage your teenager from gossiping, spreading rumors, bullying or damaging someone’s reputation—online or otherwise. Talk to your teenager about what is appropriate and safe to share on social media.

Encourage face-to-face contact with friends. This is particularly important for teenagers who are vulnerable to social anxiety disorder.

Talk about social media. Talk about your own social media habits. Ask your teenager how he or she is using social media and how it makes him or her feel. Remind your teenager that social media is full of unrealistic images.

If you think your teenager is experiencing signs or symptoms of anxiety or depression related to social media use, talk to your child’s health care provider immediately.

【推荐2】For years, caffeine has been the “drug” of choice in many cultures. Caffeine has been considered socially acceptable because it is found in drinks like tea or coffee. People who consume a lot of caffeine based drinks may think they are addicted depending heavily on the substance. But if they stop using such drinks, they will experience slightly uncomfortable symptoms for a few days. The real addiction may be emotional. Many people claim they cannot start their day unless they get their “fix”. which is, in many cases, a cup or two cups of coffee. Even young people who may no touch tea or coffee are still putting caffeine into their bodies when they have energy drinks, which have high amounts of caffeine.

Caffeine is a bitter substance found in coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate, kola nuts, and some medicines. It has many effects on the body, including helping to activate the central nervous system. This can make you more awake and give you increased energy.

America's National Institutes of Health (NIH) says drinking two to four cups of coffee a day is not harmful to most people. But it warns that too much caffeine can make irritable and worried. It may also cause headaches, abnormal heartbeats and other problems. The NIH says women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should limit their consumption of caffeine. And it says caffeine may affect how the body reacts to some drugs and vitamins. It suggests talking with a doctor if you have questions.

Would you like a drink of coffee or tea? A mathematical study showed that few people have Type 2 diabetes in countries where people drink a lot of tea. It showed that tea--especially black tea-might be the best choice. It found black tea is better for your health than coffee. However, coffee is one of the world's most popular drinks-perhaps the most popular. Results of a large American study may help to make it even more popular. The study showed that drinking coffee might help reduce the risk of oral or pharyngeal cancer, a deadly form of cancer.

【推荐3】Walter Benjamin, the German philosopher, once noted that boredom was the “dream bird that hatches the egg of experience”. However, the creative flights of fancy which often arise from having little to do are being killed off by social media, researchers argued. Viewing mindlessly through attention-grabbing posts and videos prevents “profound (深层的) boredom” that can drive people on to new passions or skills. Instead, people find themselves in a state of “superficial boredom”, which does not motivate creative thought.

Dr Timothy Hill, leader of the research team at the University of Bath, said, “The problem we observed was that social media can ease superficial boredom. But that also consumes time and energy, and may prevent people progressing to a state of profound boredom, where they might discover new passions. Profound boredom may sound like a negative concept but, in fact, it can be intensely positive if people are given the chance for undisturbed thinking and development.

Researchers interviewed 15 people during the pandemic (流行病), when boredom was more likely because of restrictions. Many described being trapped in regularly daily walks and watching television, with many turning to social media to pass the time. But although the participants said that social media provided a temporary escape from superficial boredom, it also appeared to exacerbate it, leaving them feeling they had wasted their time.

The pandemic was a painful and consuming experience for thousands of less fortunate people. But there are stories of those in lockdown who found new hobbies, careers or directions in life. Switching off devices could help people reach the state of boredom which pushes them on to new hobbies or achievements.

This research has given us a window to understand how the “always-on”, 24/7 culture and devices that promise an abundance of information and entertainment may be fixing our superficial boredom but are actually preventing us from finding more meaningful things.