Much vested interest, smugness and ideological puritanism have greeted the pending revolutions in obesity treatment, emissions-free personal transport and an end to the seeming inevitability of going gaga in one's old age.
Until recently it seemed impossible that the progression of Alzheimer's disease could be drastically slowed, that weight loss could be made exponentially easier with a simple regular injection or that electric vehicles (EVS) might be produced affordably from more sustainable resources.
Most people are therefore elated at news of donanemab, a veritable bollard against Alzheimer's if it's detected early, the highly effective weightloss injectables - Ozempic, Mounjaro and others - and the impending flood of cheap Chinese EVs onto the world market.
These are far from magic bullets, but why so much indignation about breakthroughs that'll improve life for a probable majority?
Denne historien er fra August 26, September 1 2023-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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Denne historien er fra August 26, September 1 2023-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
First-world problem
Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.
Applying intelligence to AI
I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.
Nazism rears its head
Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.
Staying ahead of the game
Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?
Grasping the nettle
Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.
Hangry? Eat breakfast
People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.
Chemical reaction
Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.
Me and my guitar
Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.
Time is on my side
Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?
The kids are not alright
Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.
