HSU publishes altruism researcher’s latest book
“What direction is our world going and what kind of future will our children inherit?” Founder of the Altruistic Behavior Institute Dr. Samuel P. Oliner explores this question in his latest work, “What Kind of Future Will Our Children Inherit?”
The book examines the areas of greatest concern regarding the future as a species: war and violence, hatred and holocaust, sexism and discrimination, climate change and heroism, love and religion, forgiveness and suffering. By combining the voices of multiple accomplished authors into one volume, the book paints a broad picture of these issues with a diversity of research and perspectives.
With editing support from the current Director of the Altruistic Behavior Institute and HSU Professor Dr. Ronnie Swartz, this book describes two sides to the future children stand to inherit: the glass half full and the glass half empty of what has been the trajectory of the world, it seems, since the beginning of human history. This collection of critical research addresses the direction humanity is taking in our interconnected world and advocates seeing this future in realistic, yet optimistic, terms.
What kind of future will children inherit? It is a future like all futures — it contains both an evolution of our species toward a higher level of consciousness and a resistance to such change. Despite the significant challenges that humanity faces moving forward, Oliner’s own work “indicates that goodness, defined as concern for others and for making the world a better place, is on
But Congress could help offset this outcome in several ways.
One of the most critical is helping parents find affordable child care facilities. More than a quarter of child care centers in the U.S. remain closed because of the pandemic, and those that are open are often unaffordable. Child care costs have increased 47% during the pandemic.
Biden wants to address this by providing $25 billion to directly support child care providers and $15 billion to help low-income families afford care.
While this funding would go a long way to ensuring mothers have access to affordable child care, the lack of flexibility at most providers means women with uncertain work hours or who need other accommodations will still struggle. A more comprehensive plan should include some support to hire babysitters or even child support vouchers that could be spent as needed.
The other side of this issue
is ensuring new mothers and fathers can take time off work to care for their children themselves. Biden’s proposal includes up to 14 weeks of paid family and medical leave, which will help ensure women don’t have to choose between a new baby and their career. UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE REFORM » Millions of Americans who have lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic have relied on the unemployment insurance system to pay for bills, rent and food.
But that system, in terms of staffing and technology, wasn’t designed to handle the unprecedented need seen today. About 5 million people made continuing claims for jobless benefits in January. That’s down from a record 25 million in May but still near the highest the figure had ever been previously.
Aid packages passed in March and December extended the benefits to people who don’t normally receive them — such as gig workers and part-time employees — and included a federal supplement. But these changes added
Biden wants to address this by providing $25 billion to directly support child care providers and $15 billion to help low-income families afford care.
strain to the system and made it more difficult to prevent fraud and process legitimate claims.
Keeping unemployment benefits flowing to people out of work due to the pandemic is essential to the economic recovery, both so that the unemployed can afford to live and also for the broader economy, which depends on consumer spending.
But this requires ensuring the system is effective and reaches everyone who needs help. Lawmakers could begin to do this by making some temporary changes permanent.
For example, traditionally, independent contractors, part-time employees and some other categories have been ineligible for unemployment benefits. In March, Congress created two programs that specifically provide them with benefits. But those programs expire in March.
Lawmakers shouldn’t simply extend them again but ensure these growing segments of the workforce always have access to benefits.
Lawmakers could also make sure extended benefits — that is, allowing the unemployed to receive up to 50 rather than only 26 weeks of insurance — don’t expire in the March.
And I believe the relief package should also consider investing to help state offices hire more workers, update their technology infrastructure and coordinate more effectively with other states. This should lead to timelier and more accurate payments and protect against the most sophisticated attempts at fraud.