In a dubious revolution in
child-rearing, the super-
stitions of old wives have
been replaced by the su-
perstitions of child- rearing
experts. Mothers are now
pelted with advice on how
they are harming their
kids, from sleeping on their
backs during the third tri-
mester to praising them
with “Good job!” The advi-
sories, no matter how oner-
ous, contradictory, or tenu-
ous, ratchet ever upward,
since who wants to take a
chance?
A savior for whipsawed
mothers is Emily Oster, a
professor at Brown—not
of pediatrics or psychology
but economics. In best-sell-
ing books (Expecting Better,
Cribsheet, and most recently
a scary word, can be a hu-
manizing force. As one
mother put it, “She re-
stored my sense of being
an adult with a working
brain and not just a work-
ing uterus.”Pinker is the Johnstone
Professor of Psychology at
Harvard University and the
author of The Blank Slate
and RationalityThe Family Firm), her pop-
ular newsletter, and social
media, Oster weighs trade-
off s, distinguishes trivial
from substantial risks, and
evaluates evidence for cau-
sation in a messy world.
Enriching this analytical
brilliance is the common
sense and empathy that
come from being a mother
herself.
Oster shows how data,Scientists in Africa
have been monitor-have been monitor-
ing and sequencing ing and sequencing
pathogens since long pathogens since long
before the pandemic. before the pandemic.
The world benefi ted The world benefi ted
from this network from this network
when scientists includ-when scientists includ-
ing Sikhulile Moyo, ing Sikhulile Moyo,
laboratory director laboratory director
for the Botswana- for the Botswana-
Harvard HIV Reference Harvard HIV Reference
Laboratory, and Tulio Laboratory, and Tulio
de Oliveira, director of de Oliveira, director of
South Africa’s Centre South Africa’s Centre
for Epidemic Response for Epidemic Response
and Innovation, identi-and Innovation, identi-
fi ed and reported the fi ed and reported the
emergence of the emergence of the
Omicron variant last Omicron variant last
November. It was November. It was
a transformational a transformational
moment and a shift in moment and a shift in
paradigm—one that paradigm—one that
for me symbolized for me symbolized
that excellence in sci-that excellence in sci-
ence can originate in ence can originate in
Africa. Africa.
The international The international
response to news response to news
of this discovery—of this discovery—
which included travel which included travel
bans imposed on bans imposed on
African countries by African countries byother nations—was other nations—was
complex. It made me complex. It made me
refl ect on what global refl ect on what global
cooperation and cooperation and
solidarity must look solidarity must look
like when we fi ght a like when we fi ght a
common threat like common threat like
COVID-19. COVID-19.
Every generation Every generation
has people who has people who
inspire subsequent inspire subsequent
generations. Sikhulile generations. Sikhulileand Tulio have the and Tulio have the
potential to be that for potential to be that for
people who will work people who will work
in public health and in public health and
genomics. We have genomics. We have
not seen the end of not seen the end of
their contributions. their contributions.Nkengasong is the Nkengasong is the
director of the Africa director of the Africa
Centres for Disease Centres for Disease
Control and PreventionControl and PreventionEmily Oster
Data interpreter
BY STEVEN PINKER
Tulio de OTulio de Oliveira &liveira &
Sikhulile MSikhulile MSikhulile Moyooyooyo
Paradigm Paradigm shifters shifters
B Y J O H N N K E N G A S O N GB Y J O H N N K E N G A S O N G
OSTER: CODY O’LOUGHLIN—GUARDIAN/EYEVINE/REDUX; MOYO SOURCE PHOTO: COURTESY MOYO/PROPHOTO STUDIOS GABORONE; OLIVEIRA SOURCE PHOTO: NYANI QUARMYNE/PANOS PICTURES/REDUX; QUESTLOVE: BAFTA/CAMERA PR ESS/REDUX46 TIME June 6/June 13, 2022