A Trusted Friend in a Complicated World

Society

As your trusted friend, we’re here with the “Reader’s Digest version” of social issues that impact the world around you. From gun violence statistics to the history behind the black power fist, and how to be an LGBTQ ally, our explainers will break it all down.

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20 Things Animal Shelters Desperately Need Right Now

Animal shelters and rescues largely depend on the kindness and generosity of animal lovers, especially during the quarantine. These are...


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Personal Space: How Close Is Too Close?

Even before coronavirus, we all needed a little bit of space. Here’s why.


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What Kills Bacteria—and What Doesn’t

Looking to disinfect your house and your stuff during the coronavirus pandemic? Here's what you need to know.


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I’ve Homeschooled My Kids for 3 Years—These Are My Best Tricks

While many parents are being forced into homeschooling for the very first time because of COVID-19, I've been doing it...


Coronavirus Guide: How to Keep Your Family Safe and Make the Most of Together Time

Timely advice for working from home while protecting your family, as well as inspiring stories of everyday people dealing with...


50 Powerful Photos That Prove the Earth Still Needs Our Help

From the coronavirus to the threat of extinction for certain species, the earth's rapidly changing climate presents many human-exacerbated challenges.



13 Gender Inequality Examples That Show How Women Still Aren’t Equal to Men

Why it's better than ever to be a woman—except for these imbalance issues the world still needs to work on

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Why Even Hate Speech Needs to Be Protected

Being able to tell people what they may not wish to hear must extend, above all, to those who think...


When Anti-Semitism Showed Up, This Whole Town Responded

"Silence is acceptance," said the Billings police chief. "Billings should stand up and say, 'Harass one of us and you...


What Could Happen If Glaciers Continue to Melt

Once upon a time, we couldn't have imagined a world without ice. But as we're watching glaciers melt before our...


10 Islands You Can Still Visit in Hurricane Season

Although no Caribbean destination is completely hurricane-proof, these gorgeous islands come closest to being year-round tropical paradises.


The Nicest Place in Mississippi: Jourdan River Estates

Hurricane Katrina wiped out 58 of the 60 homes here. But the town’s back with a bang, celebrating their recovery...


The Most Popular Destination This Summer May Surprise You

New research shows that Americans are searching for flights to one sunny destination in droves this summer say the experts...


13 Things You Never Realized Were Shrinking

For better or worse, these things are getting smaller and smaller—and you probably haven't even noticed.


The One Thing Natural Disaster Survivors Wish They’d Done Differently to Prepare

If you're in the path of a hurricane or another natural disaster, what's the one thing you should always do?...


How to Become a Vegan: 12 Tips from the Experts

Whether you're giving up animal products for the sake of your health, animal rights, climate change, or any other reason,...

Is This the Last Photo Ever Taken of JFK?

On the night of November 21, 1963, President John F. Kennedy flew to Texas for a five-city re-election campaign tour....


Montecito, CA

It was a tough winter in the idyllic California town of Montecito. First, wildfires, then, a deadly mudslide. Now, the...


Roseland Collegiate Prep in Santa Rosa, CA

When Sonoma County burned in the wildfires of 2017, the community scrambled to help those most affected help get back...


Westport, IN

Like something out of a black and white movie, Westport is one of those classic American small towns with chivalry...


Houston, TX

When Houston was devastated last year by Hurricane Harvey, the city proved what it was made of: nice, kind people,...


Sausalito, CA

Sausalito isn't all easy living and Golden Gate views, it's community, strength, and resilience too. As California wildfires ravaged the...

Rockport, TX

When Hurricane Harvey barreled through the Gulf, it left a devastated Rockport in it's wake. But as the name suggests,...


Gatlinburg, TN

When wildfires swept this community tucked away in the Smoky Mountain, they found refuge in the only place they could...


What Really Happened in Chappaquiddick? 15 Facts About the Shocking Ted Kennedy Scandal

In 1980, Reader's Digest commissioned reports on tidal conditions and the speed of the car on the night of the...


How to Help Prevent School Shootings: 7 Things That Will Make a Difference

Figuring out how to help prevent school shootings is essential to protecting kids and teachers, and these simple but...


The Untouchables: Is Diplomatic Immunity Going Too Far?

Is it time to change the legal practice?


110 Powerful Black History Month Quotes That Will Inspire and Move You

These Black History Month quotes will move and motivate you!