Viewing the World
Why fiction is good for you - Ideas
Is fiction good for us? We spend huge chunks of our lives immersed in novels, films, TV shows, and other forms of fiction. Some see this as a positive thing, arguing that made-up stories cultivate our mental and moral development. But others have argued that fiction is mentally and ethically corrosive. It’s an ancient question: Does fiction build the morality of individuals and societies, or does it break it down?
The Parallel Film: Herzog’s “Cave of Forgotten Dreams” : The Beautiful Brain
Cave of Forgotten Dreams is the latest film from German director Werner Herzog. The film premiered in New York City on October 2nd at The New Yorker Festival. Director Werner Herzog (left) inside the Chauvet cave. When Werner Herzog was granted access to film in the very secretive Chauvet cave in France—sealed for 30,000 years with pristinely preserved Paleolithic wall paintings, and discovered in 1994—he at first resisted his producer’s suggestion that he document it in 3D."Don’t ever trust a movie. Trust in imagination. Trust in your own ecstasy. Trust in the ecstasy of truth"" by Oct 11
Does Your Language Shape How You Think? - NYTimes.com
Words as Hidden Inferences - Less Wrong
Art Students' Mental Health: A Complicated Picture - Arts & Academe - The Chronicle of Higher Education
By Daniel Grant Art institutes, like all colleges, strive to put their best foot forward when appealing to prospective students and their parents: These are our art studios; this is our distinguished faculty; have a look at our art library. However, considering how many students avail themselves of mental-health therapy in the course of a given year—10 percent of the student body at the Rhode Island School of Design, 25 percent at the Maryland Institute College of Art, 30 percent at the Savannah College of Art and Design—perhaps the college’s counseling center should be a stop on the tour.
Separate truths - The Boston Globe
What we need is a realistic view of where religious rivals clash and where they can cooperate. The world is what it is. And both tolerance and respect are empty virtues until we actually know whatever it is we are supposed to be tolerating or respecting. by Aug 30
This article makes the important point that not only are religions different, but to ignore their differences is dangerous and unproductive. Although the idea behind all religions or one tries to make up for past wrongs, the fact that it is untrue only adds to our misunderstanding of other cultures and religions. And, since this idea does not have basis in the world of facts, it actually does nothing to make cultures more tolerant or understanding of each other. This type of feel-good message is common in our public discourse. Rather than grapple with reality, we instead pretend that the world is simple and easy to deal with. When the world isnt as rosy as we had painted it, the public is left feeling confused and apathetic. Without facts or knowledge of history, we are unable to combat injustice, fear, and ignorance. The whole world seems to operate without logic or meaning.We become unforgiving and unwilling to understand others. by Aug 30
From Separate Truths, by Stephen Prothero (Boston Globe) I understand what these people are doing. They are not describing the world but reimagining it. ~SP by Aug 30
Seeing reality - differences are important by maia.alina Aug 30