Left narrative

Marijuana ought to be legalized, even for recreational use. Its legalization could reduce disproportionate penalties and contamination risks. Such a move would also undercut drug cartels and the illegal market, although aggressive regulation and enforcement must be put in place alongside any change in legal status.

Right narrative

Marijuana legalization has already been a policy failure, with limited impact on reducing incarceration and no evidence of reducing racially discriminatory policing. The rise in non-casual users, with around 16M Americans suffering from marijuana use disorder, highlights the potential for personal degradation.

Nerd narrative

There's a 50% chance that legal international trade in recreational cannabis will take place by Sept. 2029, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Pro-establishment narrative

It is simply undeniable that the war in Gaza has taken a terrible toll on its population, and the US is committed to alleviating that suffering. Nonetheless, baseless accusations of genocide are unhelpful. The only way to assist the Palestinians in Gaza is to find a cease-fire and resolution to this conflict through negotiations.

Pro-Israel narrative

The fact that South Africa's vendetta against Israel is legitimized through international legal proceedings is an absurd mockery of justice. Indeed, all this case does functionally is strengthen Hamas' military position in Gaza, as Israel is forced to fight with its hands tied behind its back. South Africa even went so far as to host a Hamas delegation in Johannesburg before submitting its latest request, demonstrating what side it's on.

Pro-Palestine narrative

The double standards applied to Israel become more and more ludicrous with each passing day of this immoral and unnecessary war. Just the mere suggestion that Israel may face consequences for its actions is enough to elicit accusations of supporting terrorism. Israel has committed regular massacres in Gaza in addition to the famine it has created. It should be treated like any other rogue state.

Nerd narrative

There's a 2% chance that Hamas will have de facto power in the Gaza Strip on Jan. 1, 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Narrative A

While this might be a boon for AI research, it will be a disaster for privacy and the rights of users on Reddit and other sites that have been used for AI training. Large-language models vacuum massive amounts of data as part of their training, and Reddit users could have their every word added to ChatGPT and potentially exposed to the world. More guardrails are needed to ensure training models respect our privacy.

Narrative B

If we want AI tools to continue to grow in sophistication, then we have to accept that the models have to be trained on a large volume of high-quality data. Instead of a "wild-west" situation where designers scrape online data without authorization, a recent turn towards licensing deals will ensure that training data is managed in a conscientious way that is fair to all parties involved.

Nerd narrative

There is a 50% chance that if there is an artificial intelligence catastrophe this century, it will happen by July 2035, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Narrative A

The Church is correct in its cautious but still respectful attitude toward miracles. The most important thing for Catholics to believe in, which is a miracle in and of itself, is Jesus Christ. The rest, which are rare for a reason, are only periodic reminders of his existence. Catholics don't need lots of miracles to have a strong faith, but they are certainly helpful reinforcements.

Narrative B

While belief in miracles is an innocent tradition for many Catholics, it doesn't mean you must or should take them seriously. Even regarding Jesus' miracles, theologians have claimed that they were more symbolic than factual. Whatever your belief, you don't need to believe in, let alone live by the idea that miracles are real.

Nerd narrative

There is a 50% chance that the Catholic Church will elect a new Pope by October 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Pro-Israel narrative

A Palestinian state should only be recognized after a peace agreement with Israel is reached, which requires mutual recognition and compromise. UN member states should focus on fostering trust and respect between the parties rather than imposing outcomes. Prematurely recognizing Palestine undermines the efforts of UN members to promote the rule of law and the international legal order.

Pro-Palestine narrative

Although it's doubtful a Palestinian state would be viable in the face of Israel's ongoing military occupation, Spain seems ready to stand up for what's right. This decision makes perfect sense given Spain's historical and cultural ties to the Arab world and its commitment to humanitarianism. Governments across the West have expressed a desire for a two-state solution, but Spain is putting its money where its mouth is.

Nerd narrative

There's a 34% chance Israel will recognize Palestine by January 2070, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Narrative A

It seems Scheffler truly was confused and didn't mean to disobey. It was a dark and rainy morning, with police car lights blinding everyone attempting to figure out the traffic situation. Scheffler doesn't deserve these charges, but everyone, including the police, should learn to be more cautious in these sorts of scenarios.

Narrative B

Pro athletes, no matter how famous, aren't above the law and should not be treated as such. Not only is special treatment unfair, but it gives the impression that laws are malleable when enough money and power are involved.

Narrative A

An attack on the Jewish community of France is an attack on all of France. French Jews are facing a climate of danger and fear. These antisemitic acts and their implied message that Jews do not belong in French society are abhorrently wrong. The fight against rising antisemitism should be a moral obligation for all French citizens.

Narrative B

While the burning of a synagogue is likely a blatantly antisemitic act, the exact motivations of the suspect are still unknown. The man was in France undergoing medical treatment, and while authorities were looking for him due to an expulsion order, he was not known to be dangerous. Since he was shot and killed and is not able to defend himself at trial, a full investigation must be undertaken before people make assumptions.

Left narrative

Abbott has shown he has no respect for independent legal proceedings. Especially in light of Perry's racist texts and social media posts becoming public after his conviction, he does not belong out on the street. Abbott and Perry's other right-wing advocates show they value human life less than they're devoted to bloodlust, bigotry, and street violence.

Right narrative

Abbott had no choice but to pardon Perry, considering Texas law and the Travis County district attorney's eagerness to ignore it while prosecuting this case. The protests grew into riots, and no one could blame Perry for being scared and acting to protect himself. There might've been exculpatory evidence unethically omitted from the trial, as well.

Narrative A

The discovery of the Ahramat branch may reveal why ancient Egyptians chose the region to build the pyramids, in what way they used the mega waterway to transport the giant materials, and how the bodies of pharaohs were moved to their final burial place within the structure. The study provides a blueprint archaeologists can use to uncover one of history’s greatest mysteries.

Narrative B

The study's findings aren't surprising. At best, it could contribute to previous hypotheses that a branch of the Nile went close to the Great Pyramid at Giza or that the Egyptians had carved canals into the pyramid fields to move granite blocks sourced from locations hundreds of miles south of their sites. We may never know exactly how these monumental structures were built in a seemingly barren desert landscape.

Nerd narrative

There's a 50% chance that the Great Pyramids will be recognizable for at least 37.4K years, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Pro-Trump narrative

Blanche has exposed Cohen’s disdain for Trump and showed the jury that he's not a trustworthy witness. Cohen is a serial liar and his testimony was a disaster for Democratic Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s politically-motivated sham prosecution.

Anti-Trump narrative

Cohen was the perfect witness to expose Trump’s criminal tendencies. Blanche tried to tie a hodgepodge of unrelated attacks together to frame Cohen as a questionable witness, but instead he exposed the efforts Trump will go to in order to save himself.

Nerd narrative

There's a 70% chance that Trump will be found guilty of at least one felony in his New York "hush money" criminal trial, according to the Metaculus prediction community.