7
POPSThe Hollow Lives of the Happy <<<Who wouldn't question this apparently hollow form of American happiness? Aren't all of us late at night, when we're honest with ourselves, opposed to shallow happiness? Most likely we are, but isn't it possible that many of us fall into superficiality without knowing it? Aren't some of us so smitten with the American dream that we have become brainwashed into believing that our sole purpose on this earth is to be happy? Doesn't this unwitting affection for happiness over sadness lead us to a one-sided life, to bliss without discomfort, bright noon with no night? My sense is that most of us have been duped by the American craze for happiness. We might think that we're leading a truly honest existence, when we're really just behaving as predictably and artificially as robots, falling easily into well-worn "happy" behaviors, into the conventions of contentment.>>>
6
POPSThe Real Victims For some, it's as simple as a game of Risk with the goodies on one side and the baddies on the other. As elsewhere in many regions of the world it is tiny pawn peoples whose voices are forgotten as their lives are crushed between imperial pincers.
6
POPSBeautiful Observatory of Kielder Visit sites. It looks like a friendly resource for all sarlovers. They have camps in spring. The Kielder Forest in beautiful Northumbria is a great place to enjoy an outdoor holiday.
7
POPSCulture versus Biology: the Darwin Legacy This is a very good article, succinctly describing the ideological structures underlying the uses and interpretations of science; also on the humanities-sciences dichotomies. I have highlighted a short section as there is a contemporary championing of technological innovations especially in neuroscience towards a utopian future eugenically designed to eliminate the 'inferior' : such dangerous rhetoric is severed from all human values, history and ideology.
1
POPSUK Recession is Months Away Not surprising news. But a chance to reflect on the past 18 months. First, there was denial of an economic slowdown. Then the idea of recession was laughed at. Now the discussion is of whether the recession will be a big one or a little one. Interesting contemporary case study of how the rhetoric of denial runs parallel to the realities.
6
POPSUK Weather for Month Ahead The nights are drawing in, the last Bank Holiday of the year looks to be a washout, inflation is roaring, the credit crunch squeezing, and winter is around the corner. But hey the footie season has started! What joy to be British.
6
POPSThis is Fernando Torres Sunderland 0 Liverpool 1 Scorer: Fernando Torres First day of UK football season. (Hard luck, wiganfootie. Long way to go)
14
POPSAribeth Aribeth appeared on CM the other day. Hiya, Aribeth!
10
POPSMessy Truth about Georgia Article deals with US foreign policy. What's horribly remarkable about this human tragedy is how utterly predictable have been many responses by those unwilling (or unable?) to consider the situation in its full historical complexity.
8
POPSCultural Neuroscience I do believe this attention to culture as every bit as important as brain activity, indeed inseparable from it, is crucial for the way we think about thinkinfg and how we think we think we are.
7
POPSTen Dubious Clip Tips for Mental Health <<<Transcultural Psychiatrists would certainly have a few dilemmas with the above list. The serious Neuroanthropologist probably does too! But what the heck, I put them here just for fun! Mind you, the list might lead to some interesting questions about what could be considered the definitive TOP 10 FOR BRAIN HEALTH applicable across cultures!>>> (article author). There are grains of truth floating about in this fun , of course. I infer the writer is inviting readers to confirm the state of their own mental fitness by indulging in a healthy demolition of such breezy tips lists. I'd say you should be able to rattle off ten major objections to the list fairly quickly if your mental health is robust.
8
POPSAmerica: State of the Nayshun
the real cost of America's hate-affair with knowledge is paid by children, for whom words like "learning" and "wisdom" sound biblical and words like "intelligence" elitist and judgmental. Those of us old enough to remember the sixties well remember that every classroom had at least one kid (usually an immigrant from Canada or Pakistan) whose father (usually an academic or ACLU attorney) had turned the television set into a planter. But those of us who have survived The Love Boat, Three's Company and Charlie's Angels to enter the world of Rap and shows about whinnying wannabe Britneys celebrating million dollar Sweet Sixteen parties have survived to witness the reversal of culture—a new barbarism and a vulgarity that, unlike the old vulgarity, incoherently accepts political correctness while exploiting and expanding every stereotype, every dumb opinion, every rude form of discourse. It's a barbarism fueled by technologies made available to the know-nothings by the know-hows, free speech
5
POPSGobal Warming Stopped in 1998 <<<n the end, reporters covering climate change should keep in mind that the relationship between temperature and human greenhouse gas and aerosol emissions is considerably more complicated than we often assume, and natural forcings tend to dominate year-to-year variability.>>> But who on earth can bother with complicated thinking?
2
POPSScientist Fears Catastrophic Temperature Rises Stupid so-called scientists! What do they know? Only a few of them come out with nonsense like this. Most real scientists know it is all part of a socialist conspiracy. Anyway, the Singularity will be with us soon and we will all live for ever and have orgasms at the touch of a button.
8
POPSPlacebo Very good article on market place of bizarre therapies and drugs in treatment of 'mental illness'. Deserves critical engagement of intellect which won't please some. (BTW, 'placebo' means 'I will please').
23
POPSThis Will Blow You Away! I have just seen the clip on the site (only just over a minute long) on the BBC news. Please do have a look, it/s stunning.
13
POPSConceptual Thinking versus Metaphor I too think that, useful as it is, syntax-locked rational discourse is but a pale ghostly existence contrasted with the vital richness of metaphor and image-ination.
10
POPSTurkey is Centre of the World Despite the fragile situation, if Turkey were to organise autonomy for Kurds in its own borders, northern Iraq, Syria and Iran it would be a heroic act of enormous historical import.
8
POPSDownward Spiral of Empire <<<The human ego loves to be "right", and some people prefer to watch the world burn with great glee and vitriol. But this is not the time for ego my friends; ego is what got us here. We have been called "lunatics", and now we are being called wise women and men, but it isn't about labels. It's about moving into the next phases of collapse with sensitivity, compassion, and humility, realizing that when people take their own lives in the throes of their own private and our collective collapse, there but for the grace of Something Greater goes any of us. Perhaps if they had been willing to look at the truth, they might have been able to hang around a little longer-or not. Nevertheless, our work is to continue waking ourselves and others up, which may be easier than it was five years ago, and meet everyone with kindness and empathy. It was very painful, yet sometimes a little bit fun to be called a lunatic, but now, the lunatics rest their case>>>
9
POPSFalling to Bits to Grow Anew It's a fascinating theory, new to me but am looking further. (See wiki article at source). I'm reminded of R.D. Laing's phrase"break through, not break down". This may give some solace or nourishment to those feeling that their distress is something to do with a broadly spiritual crisis.
1
Clips
Latest Pops
Latest Comments
Most Pops
Tags
Print
Save
Turn on live update