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Minds blown: are we getting dumber?
- Russia's economy is projected to grow by approximately 1.3% next year, following an expected 3.6% growth this year, before potentially faltering due to high defense spending and interest rates.
- The Russian ruble is expected to continue depreciating against the Chinese yuan, which may become a military issue if import prices rise, while subsidized loan schemes for businesses and households are anticipated to be unwound.
- Russian businesses are expected to curtail investment plans due to unaffordable borrowing costs, and households face sudden higher bills as subsidy schemes end.
- Financial markets anticipate further increases in Russian interest rates in the weeks ahead, contributing to difficulties in covering defense spending that rose by 25% to approximately $170 billion in the September budget.
- VEB anticipates the Russian economy will grow by approximately 2%, contrasting with the IMF's projection of 1.3% growth for next year.
- The gap between the most and least skilled individuals is expected to widen globally, with low-skilled populations becoming more suspicious and feeling alienated from politics.
- Education systems for children and adults are likely misfiring, potentially exacerbated by technology like Netflix and TikTok reducing the ability to concentrate on complex texts.
- Numeracy and literacy skills are expected to decline for individuals once they pass the age of 30.
- High-skilled individuals are expected to earn 75% more than low-skilled individuals at the median and report higher levels of happiness and better health.
- Foreign-born populations in rich countries are expected to increase, which may negatively affect test scores in languages that are not the test-taker's first language.
- Test performance varies by region, with populations in the Netherlands, Norway, and Japan expected to perform better than average, while young adults aged 16 to 24 in England are expected to achieve significantly higher scores than in the past.
- Putin is expected to hope for a quick end to the war through potential actions by Donald Trump.
- Shalom Nagar is expected to eventually recover his faith and study of "mitzvot" to come to terms with the trauma of executing Eichmann.
- Future episodes are expected to feature show editors Chris Impey and Jack Gill, Deputy Editor Jonjo Devlin, and Sound Designer Will Rowe.
- Stephanie Studer is expected to explore the costs of being good in relation to Good Samaritan laws on an upcoming Weekend Intelligence episode.