Reading material for November 10, 2026

How Crunchy Moms became “the most dangerous” group on Facebook

In March 2025, less than three months after Mark Zuckerberg announced Meta’s new hands-off approach to moderation and misinformation, the “Crunchy Moms” Facebook group came into existence.

Its administrators describe it as “a supportive space for moms who want to raise their families using toxin-free products, low-tox alternatives, and clean ingredient solutions”. But what it really is was a hotbed of false medical information that could hurt people, especially children and their mothers, who turn to the group for community, advice and affirmation.

The group focuses largely on health, though some posters also come to seek parenting tips, product recommendations and other non-medical questions. Many posters appear to take it as a given that group members are (or should be) against vaccinating their children. They frequently describe vaccines and their ingredients as deadly, toxic or poisonous.

Read the full article here.

How “deep reading” can cure your brain rot

Nowadays, “brain rot” is rampant: Most of us spend more time than we’d care to admit mindlessly scrolling low-quality content online, with 63% of U.S. adults ages 18 to 29 admitting they are online “almost constantly,” per a 2025 Pew Research Center survey.

This spin through the algorithmic meat grinder often leaves us feeling mentally exhausted. A 2025 study also found “brain rot” content leads to emotional desensitization, cognitive overload, and negative feelings about oneself.

Deep reading, on the other hand, isn’t just passively scrolling whatever our feeds throw at us without scrutiny or pause. It’s slowing down enough to approach what you’re reading in a critical and analytical manner. It’s putting yourself in a character’s shoes, if you’re reading fiction.

It also prioritizes understanding as well as knowledge—which aren’t always interchangeable. Research even shows deep reading is effective at countering misinformation, as well as reducing stress and loneliness.

Read the full article here.

When White American Christians Lose

“This difference – between the beneficiaries of cultural power and those who’ve endured its worst tendencies – seems too obvious to deserve even this much commentary, yet the despairing white Christians seem oblivious. Their cultural privilege has stopped up their ears to the cries of the vulnerable and shut their eyes to those being harassed by the president to whom they have tied their faith.”

Read the full article here.