🔊 Do subliminal videos work?

Happy Sunday! It’s August 27 — people are talking about the new law in Texas for public school chaplains, subliminal videos on TikTok, and more.

As always, we’ve summarized and organized the different shades of perspective, so you can see the big picture quickly.

⛪ In the news: Public school chaplains

A new Texas law allows public schools to replace counselors with chaplains — clergy members responsible for providing spiritual care. Is this a good idea?

⛪ The Guardian says there's strong opposition to the law. Critics claim it violates students' religious freedom and will lead to indoctrination. Families should be the ones deciding which faith to engage with, not schools.

⛪ The ACLU opposes the law on different grounds, saying it violates the 1st Amendment and families' rights to choose their own religious communities.

⛪ And some chaplains themselves actually oppose the bill, writes the Denton RC. The law's loose definition of "chaplain" opens the door for untrained individuals to engage with students.

⛪ But Dallas News thinks students can benefit from discussing spirituality at school — chaplains will help them better cope with the stress of today's world.

🔊 Cultural trend: Do subliminal videos work?

“Subliminal videos” on TikTok (here’s an example) promise listeners life-changing power or physical transformations — reinforced by quiet affirmations in the audio. Are these BS, or is there method to the madness?

🔊 The Atlantic says that while subliminal videos may sound silly, believers take the practice very seriously. Our subconscious is incredibly powerful, and supporters say the methods are proven by results.

🔊 i-D Magazine thinks there's a good reason people believe: Our brains respond well to subliminal messages. People may see results because of a positive reinforcement loop.

🔊 But Twitter user @miserycals thinks there's no way these videos really work. Just use some critical thinking!

🔊 Either way, Vice writes that subliminal videos are getting more popular across the internet. Who knows, they could be the next big thing.

Quick hits

⚫ A white man armed with a high-powered rifle killed three Black people at a Dollar General store in Jacksonville, in what local law enforcement described as a racially motivated crime. (Reuters)

💰 Donald Trump raised $7.1m for his presidential campaign in the 3 days since he had his mugshot taken in Atlanta. (BBC)

🇷🇺 Russia's investigation committee confirmed the death of Wagner Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin after performing genetic tests. (The Independent)

♟️ Magnus Carlson defeated Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaawon (aka Pragg) to win the FIDE Chess World Cup in Azerbaijan. (The Guardian)

That’s it for today. Reply at [email protected] to let me know what you think of our newsletter, or to suggest a topic for next time.

Here at Shades we’re trying something new – quick summaries from different points of view. We think it’s a better way to stay informed and see the big picture. Please reach out if you’re curious to learn more!

- Jeff (co-founder of Shades)