Best Posts Series § 5

Best Posts Series § 5

LITERATURE

Culture is a Fiction. "If you think studying "culture" is something different from studying literature, that it leaves literature behind, I have a different perspective for you." And his additional post: Three Kinds of Magic.

Unusual Book Designs. The post is in Russian, but the pictures are the important part. If you want to ask for explanation about a certain book, feel free.

And, in case you missed it before: Books of the Year: The Best Books of 2012. My book recommendations / mini reviews.

SOMETHING SMALL TO THINK ABOUT

Decision fatigue. "Researchers have found that your willpower goes down, as does your ability to make good decisions, when you've had to make a series of decisions over the course of a day. […] President Obama indicated that he's cut his wardrobe down to blue suits and gray suits, so that he can cut down on the time spent deciding. Good call, Mr. President. […] A regular routine isn't limiting to creativity. It's freeing because it conserves your energy to make the important decisions related to your creative life."

The Tradeoff Between Ambition and Happiness. In this case, the main value isn't even in the originality of the post itself, but in beginning this conversation. First of all, with yourself, if you feel it may apply to your life.

Screw Optimism and screw “sanity”. "Optimism is wonderfully adaptive as long as optimists aren’t your leaders or analysts, and don’t run your nuclear power plants […] Likewise I am beyond tired of the excessive stigmatization of anger and hatred."

POLITICS

The problem of “good enough.” “Idealism is the only mindset which produces change. […] The wet noodle mindset of “good enough” has never produced any value for anyone except exploiters and rulers. The willful acceptance and tolerance of evil generates more evil, and has never generated anything but more evil."

Mark Kitto "You'll never be Chinese: Why I'm leaving the country I loved." [From August 8, 2012] An interesting analysis of China's situation, both China's current problems and predictions about the country's future.

The Modern King in the Arab Spring. The point of view of Jordan's Abdullah II, the region's most pro-American Arab leader.

CENTURY OF THE SELF - watch here. "This series is about how those in power have used Freud's theories to try and control the dangerous crowd in an age of mass democracy." I haven't watched it yet, but the series seems interesting.

Corn, Ethanol, Farms, Food and the Logic of the Granary. Discussion of US farm subsidies.

Women & Influence - some powerful facts concerning women in political office.

SOCIETY

For Amusement Only: the life and death of the American arcade. The article also shows that blaming social ills on games is anything but a new phenomenon.

If you are interested in fashion, you may like THREAD FOR THOUGHT blog. "How fashion intersects politics, economics, gender, race, & pop culture."

If you like analyzing pop culture, look at Jane's take on Yeah Yeah Yeah's new video for their single "Sacrilege".