Writers are the serfs of Hollywood

+ why meditation and self-compassion improve mental health US Edition - Today's top story: The exploitation of Hollywood's writers is just another symptom of digital feudalism [View in browser]( US Edition | 5 May 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [AI’s “free rider” problem points to regulation]( - [The simple but murky science of cloud seeding – podcast]( - [Think you followed the news this week? Take our quiz to find out]( Lead story I had always assumed writing for movies or TV was a relatively cushy gig. But the ongoing writers strike has disabused those notions. Sociologist David Arditi explains how the rise of streaming upended the TV industry – and [as the industry changed, so did the working conditions for writers](, which started to reflect many characteristics of the gig economy. While Hollywood writers might earn a lot more per hour than a DoorDash driver, they now lack the protections, wages and job security once taken for granted in pre-streaming days. There’s also the looming threat of artificial intelligence – which, as Arditi points out, has “been the one point of contention that studios have been unwilling to even discuss.” [[Sign up here to our topic-specific weekly emails.](] Nick Lehr Arts + Culture Editor Striking workers picket outside of Warner Bros. Studios on the second day of the Hollywood writers strike on May 3, 2023, in Burbank, Calif. David McNew/Getty Images [The exploitation of Hollywood’s writers is just another symptom of digital feudalism]( David Arditi, University of Texas Arlington The writers strike lays bare all the ills of working on one of the lowest rungs of the entertainment industry. Health + Medicine - [Mindfulness, meditation and self-compassion – a clinical psychologist explains how these science-backed practices can improve mental health]( Rachel Goldsmith Turow, Seattle University Many studies show that consistent meditation practice lowers depression, anxiety and self-criticism. - [Obesity in children is rising dramatically, and it comes with major – and sometimes lifelong – health consequences]( Christine Nguyen, University of Southern California The American Academy of Pediatrics has recently released new obesity management guidelines in order to help address the growing obesity crisis in children. Politics + Society - [Proud Boys members convicted of seditious conspiracy – 3 essential reads on the group and right-wing extremist white nationalism]( Jeff Inglis, The Conversation Who are the Proud Boys, what do they want and is there a path back into society for these extremists? - [Biden’s dragging poll numbers won’t matter in 2024 if enough voters loathe his opponent even more]( Charles R. Hunt, Boise State University It doesn’t make for inspiring politics, but political scientists have determined that for candidates, it’s more valuable to have an unpopular opponent than to be personally popular yourself. - [Can China broker peace in Yemen – and further Beijing’s Middle East strategy in the process?]( Mahad Darar, Colorado State University Yemen’s brutal civil war has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. But a recent Beijing-brokered rapprochement between two regional powers could unlock a path to peace. Economy + Business - [Prom price index shows cost of celebration is getting relatively cheaper – even at a time of high inflation]( Jay L. Zagorsky, Boston University Prom can be very expensive, but prices for clothes, photographers and other traditional gear haven’t climbed as much as everything else. Science + Technology - [Reconstructing ancient bacterial genomes can revive previously unknown molecules – offering a potential source for new antibiotics]( Christina Warinner, Harvard University; Alexander Hübner, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Pierre Stallforth, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena Ancient microbes likely produced natural products their descendants today do not. Tapping into this lost chemical diversity could offer a potential source of new drugs. Ethics + Religion - [AI exemplifies the ‘free rider’ problem – here’s why that points to regulation]( Tim Juvshik, Clemson University As a society, everyone is motivated to regulate AI development. For individual companies, though, the opposite is true. Podcast 🎙️ - [Cloud seeding can increase rain and snow, and new techniques may make it a lot more effective]( Daniel Merino, The Conversation; Nehal El-Hadi, The Conversation Cloud seeding – spraying materials into clouds to increase precipitation – has been around for nearly 80 years. But only recently have scientists been able to measure how effective it really is. From our international editions - [Gordon Lightfoot’s music raised awareness of Great Lakes maritime disasters]( - [Sudan: the longer the conflict lasts, the higher the risk of a regional war]( - [‘I’m always delivering food while hungry’: how undocumented migrants find work as substitute couriers in the UK]( The Conversation Quiz 🧠Here’s the first question of [this week’s edition:]( The music stopped for First Republic Bank on May 1. The bigger bank that bought First Republic is hidden in which of these fractured band names? - A. JPMorgan Chasez and *NSYNC - B. Hootie and the Bancorp - C. AC/TD - D. Sly and the Family Schwab - E. Bachman-Turner Overdraft [Test your knowledge]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Trying out new social media? Follow us: • [Mastodon]( • [Post.news]( • [Instagram]( • [LinkedIn]( - - About The Conversation We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. [Donate now to support research-based journalism]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](