Narrative A

Although the pandemic tech boom allowed companies to increase their workforces by as much as double, recent economic woes have, unfortunately, shattered that brief market boom. The US Federal Reserve has reacted to inflation by hiking interest rates, leading to a reduction in available venture capital while digital ad revenue is also down. The firms that over-hired during the pandemic are now being forced to downsize.

Narrative B

Layoffs are the old-school way of dealing with recession. Companies should today find alternative strategies because social media has made everyone a workers' rights activist with a global microphone. Beyond the poor optics, companies that conduct mass layoffs have been proven to perform more poorly than those that avoid them because of the cost of restructuring and the low morale among remaining staff.

Nerd narrative

There's a 50% chance that the annual US unemployment rate will be at least 6.06% in 2027, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Establishment-critical narrative

The desperation of wealthy parents to get their children into prestigious schools is astounding. The fraud not only reflects the extraordinary lengths these influential people can go to but also exposes the vulnerability of a flawed education system. While the story may have ended with the culprits behind bars, the fund-raising-admission process link is left unscathed, leaving the rampant world of college elitism intact.

Pro-establishment narrative

Although there are certainly monetary barriers to attending prestigious schools, the unraveling of this scam attests to the steps that have been taken to address this. While the deeply integrated classism in the prestigious US college admissions system cannot be changed overnight, Singer's sentencing is a start.

Anti-China narrative

The Philippines' position is that there is no territorial conflict with China. The reality is that China is claiming territory that belongs to the Philippines. The Philippines will continue to work with China and the other parties through diplomacy and dialogue. However, the Filipino position is clear it will not give up even a square inch of the territory of the Republic of the Philippines to any foreign power.

Pro-China narrative

China has a solid historical and legal basis for its claims. China has never changed the basis or scope of its claims and has worked with ASEAN countries to maintain regional stability. The most significant risk to peace and stability in the South China Sea is the inappropriate intervention and frequent interference by countries outside the region. Nations without territorial claims in the South China Sea should respect efforts made by countries in the region to maintain peace and stability.

Nerd narrative

There is a 5% chance there will be a deadly clash between US and Chinese armed forces before 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Left narrative

This is but the latest in a series of eviction and demolition schemes happening across India. These actions target so-called "illegal" sites that have been around for decades, operating legally and within the full view of the government until it no longer benefits leaders. Human beings who have lives and attachments to the locations are uprooted simply because they're seen as poor and disposable.

Right narrative

This case went on for six years in the Uttarakhand High Court, which ordered the illegal encroachments into government lands belonging to the utility to be removed peacefully. Yet, the Islamist-Leftist-Liberal faction keeps trying to depict the administration as the villain by turning a legitimate eviction drive into a human rights issue. As long as the law applies to all in India — Hindus and Muslims — squatters will never be the victims.

Pro-establishment narrative

The issue of homelessness is not a left or right issue, but rather a health crisis affecting both homeless and non-homeless city residents. This is why some of the most liberal cities — like Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, and Washington, DC — have begun to outlaw such dangerous encampments. Leaving mentally ill or drug-addicted people vulnerable to busy streets and violent crime is not compassion, it's reckless.

Establishment-critical narrative

With nowhere else to go, homeless people only endure further hardship and trauma when their encampments are bulldozed away. These laws don't just remove inconvenient tents, but also the food, clothing, and other goods these people require to stay alive. Cities are deciding to scrap vital programs without providing viable alternatives. With political and economic life embracing austerity, these policies are inhumane and cruel.

Anti-Russia narrative

Russia's Patriarch Kirill is not an authority in global orthodoxy, and worse, he has openly supported Putin's invasion of Ukraine. The proposed ceasefire was nothing but a cynical trap and Russian propaganda.

Pro-Russia narrative

As countries that predominantly follow the Eastern Orthodox tradition, Russia and Ukraine should observe the ceasefire so that people can safely celebrate and worship on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Nerd narrative

There is a 3% chance that Russia will be removed from the UN Security Council by 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Establishment-critical narrative

This temporary freezing of funds is just the latest step in the ongoing battle to combat the HDP's long list of wrongdoings. The party has long colluded with the terrorist PKK and its affiliated groups, transferring taxpayer money to and actively providing personnel in defiance of the democratic and universal rules of law to undermine the unity of the Turkish state.

Pro-establishment narrative

The continuous attempt to dissolve or otherwise limit the HDP — including through the dismissal of dozens of HDP politicians from office since 2015 — undermines the ability of Turkish voters to chose their representation, and is thus an attack on democracy and pluralism. This latest move must be condemned.

Cynical narrative

The court has clearly become an election tool for the ruling government; it's no coincidence that it ruled this way just months before general elections despite rejecting the same request twice in the past year.

Left narrative

Jordan Peterson is known for decrying “victim culture,” yet he loves to play the victim. His roots are in academia, but since becoming a public figure, he has left teaching, citing reasons that don't really make sense. Not only is he a hugely controversial figure, but also a tremendously influential one, which brings a set of responsibilities he's not adhering to. Until he does, he must stay in his lane of academia.

Right narrative

Let’s just call it what it is Jordan Peterson is having his professional career and reputation threatened by political bullies. The only “wrongdoing” Peterson has committed is dissenting from the prevailing woke ideology. Professional bodies are supposed to ensure the competency of practitioners, not police language and political beliefs.

Pro-Palestine narrative

Younis is a hero of the Palestinian struggle for freedom from occupation and deserves to be celebrated for his sacrifice. Though extremists in the Israeli government may attack him rhetorically, Younis will continue to stand firm in his commitment to the Palestinian cause.

Pro-Israel narrative

Younis is not a hero, but simply a terrorist. His release is another example of the moral disparity in this conflict. Israelis are seen as oppressors and occupiers when they call for peace, but Palestinians are lauded as heroes for murdering Israelis.

Nerd narrative

There is a 50% chance that Israel will recognize Palestine by September 2068, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Narrative A

Markets already want to know when the Federal Reserve will start making cuts. While many have warned US inflation hasn't turned the corner yet, the markets are demanding change. With the ADP report potentially causing the Fed to raise interest rates even further, it's perhaps too early to be having such a discussion.

Narrative B

The Fed must stop raising interest rates. Domestic inflation is driven by profits rather than wages, which interest rates don't directly affect. Impacting workers rather than businesses, the government should use other means to tame inflation such as windfall profit taxes and antitrust enforcement.

Cynical narrative

Discussion of a healthy labor market and raising interest rates often neglects the deadly fingerprints of COVID. Fed Chair Jerome Powell himself correlated a tight job market to the pandemic deaths of nearly 500K American laborers. Factor in perhaps 4M long COVID sufferers, and the picture of just why the US job market is so "tight" has more context.