Several scientific reviews use "like air" to describe the ubiquitous impact of modern technology and pollution:
The phrase appears in several significant long-form articles and literary contexts, often used as a metaphor for things that are essential yet overlooked until they are missing. 1. ‘LinkedIn is like air to me’ (Nature, 2025)
Author Nuno Soares argues that top management often views food safety "like air" , taking it for granted because "nothing has happened before". Like Air
: How certain privileges and systems operate invisibly in the background.
: This "optimistic bias" leads to a dangerous lack of investment in preventative systems. 3. "But Still, Like Air, I'll Rise" (e-flux) Several scientific reviews use "like air" to describe
: Extensive systematic reviews on ScienceDirect discuss the psychological and economic "shadow" air pollution casts over society, affecting life satisfaction and mental health.
This long-form Nature career column explores how scientists and researchers have come to rely on social platforms for professional survival. The article details: : How certain privileges and systems operate invisibly
A long-form journal article from e-flux that adapts Maya Angelou’s famous imagery to discuss systemic structures and the invisibility of labor. It examines: