A thread by Andy Rowell
As usual, Malcolm @Gladwell's latest book "Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don't Know" (Sept 10, 2019) is stimulating in its stories and commentary. But this is a dark one: sexual abuse, suicide, abuse by police, scams, alcohol, rape, and torture. Gladwell is a story-teller, popularizer, opinion columnist, pundit, reporter, writer, commentator, searcher for truth. I think his tone invites pushback, further research, and correction. He respects academics and researchers. I think he is a force for good. I have read all his books and listened to all of his Revisionist History podcast episodes. I have very occasionally been disappointed in his sloppiness and flippancy, but more often his curiosity, love for learning, joy, moral seriousness, and humanity have given me much joy. The "Talking to Strangers" audiobook is better than normal audiobooks in that he has used recordings of quotes when possible. I thought this critique of Gladwell's work back in Oct 2013 was fair.
But I think he has matured since then—perhaps due to his return to Christianity while writing David and Goliath, which he shared publicly that month.
@spulliam
"The question is whether Gladwell is accurately conveying the science … whether he is getting the big ideas right." http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2013/10/malcolm_gladwell_critique_david_and_goliath_misrepresents_the_science.single.html …
(washingtonpost.com/local/author-m…)
This review out last week of "Talking to Strangers" is also fair:
Yes, I'm not sure the book has an overall thesis, except that sin is real. And yes, the stat about poets committing suicide frequently is thin but it is not important to Gladwell's argument. (theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/…)
A thread by Andy Rowell
As study after global study has shown, "pro-life" limiting access to abortion is not a significant factor in reducing the number of abortions.
The main factor that reduces the number of abortions is making contraceptives easily accessible, which often "pro-life" people oppose.
The abortion rate dropped in Ohio by 27% and in Texas by 30%, and by similar amounts in states that protected abortion access, including California, Hawaii and New Hampshire https://apnews.com/7e45fe6f70cf45f1823a45ef9ad2187c …
Number of abortions in US falls to lowest since 1973
NEW YORK (AP) — The number and rate of abortions across the United States have plunged to their lowest levels since the procedure became legal nationwide in 1973, according to new figures released…
apnews.com
"increasing access to highly effective methods of contraception (and thus preventing unintended pregnancies) is a more effective way to reduce abortion rates" [than restricting access to contraception]. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2019/07/29/reducing-access-to-contraception-wont-reduce-the-abortion-rate/ …
Reducing access to contraception won’t reduce the abortion rate
Increasing access to highly effective methods of contraception (and thus preventing unintended pregnancies) is a more effective way to reduce abortion rates.
brookings.edu
"1.4 percent of all abortions came after 21 weeks …
None of these Democrats [candidates for president] is explicitly saying, 'I support allowing third-trimester [28-40 weeks] abortions' — and, in fact, they seem to be trying hard to avoid doing so." (washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/…)
Reference:
Blake, Aaron. "Democrats’ leftward shift on third-trimester abortion." The Washington Post (Online), Sep 11 2019. This is also correct.
Daniel Grossman:
“Not all restrictions on abortion are the same — some create a minor obstacle that most patients overcome, while others result in the closure of large-volume providers, making it impossible for some to access care.”
Reference:
Belluck, Pam. "America’s Abortion Rate Has Dropped to Its Lowest Ever." New York Times (Online), Sep 18 2019. "43 states prohibit some abortions after a certain point in pregnancy.
– 22 states ban abortion between 13 and 24 weeks LMP (Last menstrual period).
– 20 states impose a ban at 24-28 weeks .
– 1 state imposes a ban … 25 weeks LMP onward" (guttmacher.org/state-policy/e…)
There is a some consensus about late term abortion:
– 43 of 50 states ban abortion between 13-25 weeks.
– Only 1.3% of abortions occur after 21 weeks.
– Third trimester abortion would be (28-40 weeks).
– Democratic presidential candidates are talking in generalities. See also:
for an argument that pro-life persuasion regarding the immorality of abortion and pro-life restrictions have reduced US abortion rate. But I am thinking about rates of abortion in different countries and the main factor is contraceptive access.
I am on the @LozierInstitiute blog with some thoughts on new Guttmacher data showing a 53 percent decline in the U.S. abortion rate between 1980 and 2017. #prolifehttps://lozierinstitute.org/guttmacher-report-shows-pro-life-progress-continues-as-u-s-abortion-rates-decline/ …