A few years ago, I learned about a rather controversial experiment involving a colony of mice, and the more I read into it, the more familiar it sounded. Not because I’d ever run an experiment on mice, but the conditions, patterns, and outcomes of the experiment looked eerily similar to what I’d seen and knew about the hood.

The experiment was called Universe 25. It was designed to create paradise for mice—a world with unlimited food, unlimited water, no predators, and plenty of space. Instead, it ended in the colony's collapse.

When I first learned about Universe 25, I didn't think, "Those mice remind me of people." I thought, "I've seen this neighborhood before."

Universe 25 illustrates something we've seen throughout human history: when the environment that gives people purpose, responsibility, and meaningful social roles begins to disappear, society doesn't just become less prosperous.

It begins to change at a fundamental level, affecting everyone, even those who don’t think they’re beyond the reach of society's fringe elements…

• ​Read the rest on my website​
• ​Read the rest on my Substack​
• ​Read the rest on my X​

Today’s Sponsor: Coveron

Back in 2025, my X account got hacked. Now, fortunately, my publisher had a direct connection at X, and they were able to get it back within a few hours, but not before the scammer had tricked a few of my followers into sending $600 in a scam to buy laptops.

Most people don’t have those connections at publishing and media houses, so when it happens to them, it’s FAR more devastating.

My boxing coach had his Facebook hacked 3 years ago, and not only did it gut his business, but he never got it back—and he’s going through the same thing now as a new group of hackers has gone after his LinkedIn account.

These days, most people are careful about protecting their devices. We install antivirus software. We use VPNs. We create stronger passwords. But there's another problem that's becoming just as common: having your personal information stolen.

Data breaches happen constantly now. Companies get hacked, passwords leak, email addresses end up on the dark web, and most people don't find out until someone has already tried to open a credit card or take out a loan in their name.

Again, this has happened to me not once but twice: I suddenly received a credit alert about a new phone line being delinquent after hackers got a bunch of phones and just bucked on the bill, leaving me responsible. A few police reports saved me, but it’s not always the case.

That's where today’s sponsor, Coveron, comes in.

Instead of trying to prevent every breach—which, honestly, isn’t even possible—Coveron continuously monitors your digital identity and lets you know when something important changes.

It scans the dark web for exposed email addresses, phone numbers, passwords, and other personal information, and monitors your credit for suspicious activity. If something looks off, you get alerted early enough to actually do something about it.

Upon setting it up—which was quick and painless—I immediately learned about breaches at Substack and LinkedIn, which were not big news, but sensitive information connected to my email account was leaked.

Coveron doesn't stop at notifications. If the worst happens and your identity is stolen, they provide dedicated recovery support along with up to $1 million in identity theft insurance on eligible plans.

That can help cover things like legal expenses, lost wages, and the cost of restoring your identity. They even include cyber extortion protection on higher-tier plans, which is becoming increasingly relevant as ransomware and online scams become more sophisticated.

The service comes from the same company behind NordVPN, so it's built by a team that's spent years working in cybersecurity. And if you're already using NordVPN, the higher-tier Coveron plans integrate with it, providing both online privacy and identity protection in a single ecosystem.

The reality is that identity theft is one of those problems you don't think about until it happens. By then, you're already playing defense. Monitoring your identity is a lot like having smoke detectors in your house.

You hope they never go off, but better to have them and not need them than need them and not have them.

You can see which plan makes the most sense for you and take a look at the current offers they're running. It's one of those services you hopefully never need—but if you ever do, you'll be glad you already had it in place.

If you'd like to check out Coveron for yourself, use the discount code edlatimore for 5% off.

Hard Lessons Of The Day

The difference between "amateur" and "professional" is mindset–not money.

Compensation is just a lagging indicator.

Amateurs practice until they get it right. Professionals practice until they can't get it wrong.

If you don’t have a tolerance for boredom, then you will only do something as long as it’s fun and exciting.

The problem with this approach is that fun and excitement are only reserved for the initial phase. Everything will eventually be miserable.

They’ve told you not to rely on motivation because it’s fickle—and that’s correct. It’s also only a half-truth.

The other part is more important:

Drudgery is a sign that you’re making progress. It’s what separates those who are actually interested in developing proficiency from those who are just looking for a good time.

Hard Lessons From The Hurt Business: Boxing And The Art of Life

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