Jaywalking, Ecuador's gangs and Bhutan's happiness
Outriders Magazine #338
Economy and Society: Bhutan, South Korea, China
Despite facing economic challenges, the resilient people of Bhutan, often referred to as the "kingdom of happiness" due to its focus on gross national happiness (GNH), are working hard to overcome these difficulties. The country is dealing with issues such as emigration and high youth unemployment. In 2023, about 1.5% of the population relocated to Australia for work and study. Bhutanese tourism, one of the country's primary sources of income, has yet to recover since the pandemic. Over half of the women in Bhutan are employed, but youth unemployment was at 28.6% in 2022. Additionally, one in eight Bhutanese people lives in poverty.
In South Korea's capital, Seoul, authorities are taking active measures to address the declining birth rate. They are investing nearly $5 billion over the next two years, representing a significant increase from previous years. The new plan includes providing 5,000 long-term rental homes for newlyweds, monthly housing subsidies for parents without homes, and financial assistance for couples to cover wedding and furnishing costs. Last year, South Korea's birth rate dropped to 0.72 children per woman, the lowest in the world.
As the demographic crisis worsens, China is adopting an innovative approach to tackle the issue. The country is converting kindergartens into senior care homes. From 2021 to 2023, preschool children declined by nearly 15%, bringing the total to just under 41 million. Thousands of Chinese kindergartens have scaled back operations, closed entirely, or changed their focus to survive. Simultaneously, the number of institutions providing care for older adults has doubled since 2019, exceeding 410,000 facilities.
American Road Rage and Legal Jaywalking
How to deal with road rage? The instructors of an aggression management course in San Antonio shed light on the profound impact of the country's events—especially economic factors and the polarisation of society—on what happens on the roads. This insight into the root causes of road rage can help us all better understand and navigate our increasingly volatile roadways. According to the Gun Violence Archive, the number of people injured or killed in road incidents involving firearms in the US has doubled since 2018. In Texas, road rage has already involved the use of firearms, knives, ice axes, wooden beams, tyre tools, PVC and water pipes, sticks, hammers, shovels, axes, ball bearings, marbles, frozen water bottles, bricks, rocks, and even spears.
The New York City Council has legalised jaywalking—the time-honoured practice of crossing the street outside a crosswalk or against traffic lights. However, pedestrians outside a crosswalk do not have the right-of-way and should yield to other vehicles. The new law is intended to end racial disparities in enforcement — more than 90 per cent of jaywalking tickets issued last year were to Latinos and blacks, despite studies showing that jaywalking rates are similar across racial groups. This disparity has raised concerns about racial profiling and unequal treatment in law enforcement.
Other cities and states, including Denver, Kansas City, California, Nevada and Virginia, have decriminalised jaywalking. This shift in legislation is a significant step towards reclaiming our streets for pedestrians. According to the advocacy group America Walks, the auto industry introduced the laws in the 1930s to keep people off the streets and make more space for cars. Understanding this historical context can help us appreciate the importance of these changes and their potential to create safer, more inclusive communities.
Balkan Elections: Moldova, Bulgaria, Romania
Moldova’s pro-European president, Maia Sandu, won the presidential election in a decisive second round, securing over 55 per cent of the vote and defeating former prosecutor general Alexander Stoianoglo. Stoianoglo, endorsed by the pro-Russian Socialist Party, has advocated for closer ties with Russia. The president’s national security adviser raised concerns about Russia’s “massive interference” in Moldova’s electoral process, indicating it had the potential to distort the election results. Additionally, Moldovan authorities warned that fugitive oligarch Ilan Shor spent $39 million attempting to influence the election in favour of Russia, targeting 138,000 Moldovans.
In Bulgaria, the pro-Russian Velichie party is challenging the results of the recent snap election, in which it lost parliamentary seats by just 30 votes and failed to secure the necessary 4 per cent of the vote. This election marked the seventh parliamentary contest in three years, highlighting the resilience of Bulgarians amid ongoing political crises exacerbated by active Russian propaganda on social media. The GERB party, led by former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, won the election, garnering over 26 per cent of the vote.
In Romania, presidential candidate Elena Lasconi has accused independent candidate and former NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană of potentially collaborating with a "troll farm" ahead of the presidential elections set for late November. Geoană is alleged to have worked with Tal Hanan, a former Israeli special forces agent suspected of influencing over 30 elections worldwide through methods including hacking, sabotage, and automated disinformation on social media.
Coping with the Trauma of Natural Disasters
Human-induced climate change has intensified, increasing the likelihood of the ten deadliest extreme weather events of the past 20 years. Storms, heatwaves, and floods that have impacted Europe, Africa, and Asia have resulted in over 570,000 deaths. The deadliest drought in the past two decades was the 2011 drought in Somalia, which claimed more than 250,000 lives. This study was conducted by scientists from the World Weather Attribution (WWA) group at Imperial College London, with significant contributions from Dr Friederike Otto and Geert Jan van Oldenborgh. They developed a pioneering method for tracking the impact of global warming on weather patterns, emphasising the urgent need for global cooperation to address this issue.
Recovering mentally after a natural disaster is a crucial aspect often overlooked. Experts highlight the importance of educating people to support one another and create a sense of safety. In the aftermath of the devastating floods in Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul, which displaced 500,000 people and affected 2 million, researchers are actively seeking solutions. Their study found that 45% of residents experienced moderate to severe anxiety in the month following the floods. Many also reported symptoms associated with acute stress disorder, such as difficulty concentrating and feelings of derealization. These traumatic experiences are becoming increasingly common, with around 4.5 billion people now at risk of extreme weather events.
Asian Migrants: Vietnam and Saudi Arabia
In the early months of this year, Vietnam was the leading source of migrants attempting to cross the English Channel illegally into the UK. Many Vietnamese migrants cite failing businesses and debts as reasons for leaving the country. One Vietnamese smuggler informed the BBC about how he creates fake documents to help his compatriots obtain legal work visas for their journey across the English Channel. Travelling from Vietnam through continental Europe to the UK ranges from $15,000 to $20,000. Experts indicate that Vietnamese migrants often fall victim to organised crime gangs and are exploited as slave labour in the British Isles.
Additionally, a report from the Saudi branch of the law firm AS&H Clifford Chance concerning Saudi Arabia's bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup has been criticised for "whitewashing" the country's history of exploiting and suppressing the rights of migrant workers. Commissioned by the Saudi Football Federation and submitted to FIFA, the report largely avoids discussing the exploitation faced by migrant workers, who will be essential for building infrastructure and providing services for the tournament. These workers frequently endure unpaid wages, fake contracts, illegal recruitment fees, and sudden deportations. Furthermore, the report fails to address the imprisonment of women's rights activists and dissidents, the severe restrictions on freedom of speech, and the execution of at least 200 individuals in the first nine months of 2024.
E-Commerce in Thailand and Google’s Troubles in Russia
In 2023, Indonesians spent over $53 billion on online shopping. Indonesia's logistics and parcel delivery systems, a country comprising 17,000 islands and a population of 270 million, face unique challenges. When TikTok sought an e-commerce partner in Indonesia, Tokopedia quickly became the preferred choice. Tokopedia's extensive network of warehouses, motorcycles, and “sprinters”—drivers equipped with innovative software—has transformed the delivery process. This software assists dispatchers and drivers in navigating traffic on narrow side streets in remote areas and congested highways in Jakarta, the country's capital, highlighting Tokopedia's dedication to efficient and reliable service.
Google is significantly changing how ads work on Google Local Services, which may impact millions of small businesses. Beginning November 21, only those businesses with a verified Google Business Profile will be eligible to advertise. This change affects businesses in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and select businesses in the United States and Canada. As a result, the visibility and reach of unverified businesses could be limited. The verification process can take up to seven business days, which may delay advertising for some companies.
A Russian court has imposed an extraordinary fine of $2.5 decillion on Google for allegedly blocking pro-Kremlin propaganda on YouTube. To provide perspective, a decillion is followed by 33 zeros, making this one of the most significant fines in the tech industry. This astronomical amount is the culmination of four years of fines, with Russian law mandating that the amount doubles weekly. The original fine of 100,000 rubles, imposed on the American tech giant in 2020 after the media outlets Tsargrad and RIA FAN won lawsuits regarding restrictions on their YouTube channels, has now escalated to this unprecedented penalty.
How Gangs and Guns Are Destroying Communities: Scandinavia, the U.S., and Ecuador
The Nordic Council 2024 in Reykjavik – attended by the prime ministers of Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway and Iceland – discussed, among other things, the alarming spread of Swedish gang-related crime to neighbouring countries. Sweden, with one of the highest rates of gun violence per capita in the European Union, saw 55 fatal shootings in 363 incidents last year. In 2023, Denmark, Norway and Finland recorded a total of six fatal shootings, underscoring the international nature of the gang problem.
According to a Commonwealth Fund report, the rate of gun deaths in several U.S. states in 2021-2022 was shockingly comparable to places in the world with civil wars or gang wars. For instance, the overall rate of gun deaths in Mississippi is almost twice as high as in gang-ridden Haiti. Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama have higher gun death rates than Mexico, Montana higher than Colombia, Wyoming, Arizona, and Oklahoma higher than Brazil, and suburbs in New Jersey higher than Nicaragua, Mali, and Djibouti. These statistics are truly alarming.
In Ecuador, the devastating impact of gang violence is all too real. Gangs have unleashed a wave of violence and extortion, leading to mass migration to the U.S. The country is home to five of the ten cities with the highest murder rates in the world. Since around 2018, drug trafficking, gang wars for control, and violence have rocked Ecuador. Entire communities and industries have been hit, with investment falling, wages falling, and jobs being lost. Authorities have deployed the military to combat the gangs, but Mexican and Albanian cartels back them.
Social Bonds: Boxing in Goma, Pigeon Racing, and the Concept of the “Third Place”
The Democratic Republic of Congo is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Muhammad Ali’s historic boxing match against George Foreman, famously known as the Rumble in the Jungle. This match, held in Kinshasa, the capital of Congo, was a significant moment in boxing history, and its legacy continues to inspire young fighters in the region. Despite decades of conflict and crisis, grassroots community activism has helped preserve boxing traditions, leading to events like the one at Nyama Boxing Club, where young fighters have the opportunity to pursue their careers.
Pigeon racing, a sport deeply rooted in New Jersey's cultural fabric, is in decline. While immigrants from countries such as Portugal, Poland, and the Philippines have revitalised the sport, shrinking open spaces and fading traditions have decreased participation. Once a symbol of community and heritage, the sport faces opposition from animal rights activists who argue that it exploits animals for prize money and encourages illegal gambling.
Sociologist Ray Oldenburg defines a "third place" as a location other than home or work where the financial barrier to entry is low. These places—post offices, laundromats, coffee shops, beer gardens, parks, and main streets—serve as vital social connectors. They play an essential role in fostering a sense of community and combating the public health threat of loneliness. Shaw Skate Park in Washington, D.C., is one such example. In a divided America, third places are gaining renewed attention on podcasts and social media, offering hope for stronger social connections.