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Quinta-feira, 2 de Abril de 2020

7 Great Online Events Every Culture Lover Can Attend from Home

Lottie Miles, M.A.

learning-mind.com

Posted April 2nd, 2020.

 
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In this post, we will look at 7 great online events every culture lover can attend from their home. With these online events, we can all expand our minds at home, no matter what’s keeping us there.

The coronavirus has ravaged many of our spaces of cultural exploration like nothing we’ve ever seen before. Fortunately, even as the last galleries, music venues, and cinemas close their doors, there has been an explosion of culture that everyone can enjoy from the comfort of their own homes.

Some of this has been inspired by books we’d long left sitting on the shelf. Even better, our classic cultural venues are finding innovative ways to bring art to us in new ways.

7 Great Online Events When Stuck At Home

Music

1. Online Events for Opera Aficionados

The stunning Metropolitan Opera house in New York is opening its doors to their Live in HD series. Each week, they will be offering up operas from encores past. Starting with Wagner week, including the inspirational Der Ring Des Nibelungen tetralogy and culminating with ‘Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg’. Each day delivers a new delight.

Other venues, such as the Royal Opera House in London, are also streaming past shows live over the internet. With all this provided for free, opera has never been more accessible from your sofa.

2. Live-Streamed Gigs & Concerts

Venues and bars were some of the earliest places to have their doors slammed shut. Fortunately, musicians across the globe used to packing out stadiums have taken to live-streaming from their living rooms to keep us from missing out.

Neil Young has promised a sing-along by the campfire. Check out the World Health Organization (WHO)’s ‘#Together, At Home: Global Citizen Solidarity Sessions’ concert series for global acts.

Billboard & Vulture have also put together a packed line-up of everything going on in the music world. Go clubbing with friends over Skype, Zoom, or other social distance friendly communications channels with these gigs.

Art

3. Google’s Take a Look Inside

With over 3,000 museum tours available virtually, Google allows you to visit cultural sights online.

Stroll from the spiraling ramp of New York’s Guggenheim the Great Court in the British Museum in London in minutes. Or marvel at Van Gogh in Paris’s Musée d’Orsay over breakfast, before feasting on the Acropolis Museum’s artifacts for lunch. Keep as cultured as kombucha from the comfort of your own home with these fabulous ways to enjoy art.

4. Online Museums

Museums are also opening the proverbial online doors to their artwork and other collections.

Check out the ‘Museé du Louvre’s Ancient Egyptian treasures’ in Paris if you love the ancient wonders. Rembrandt’s stunning collection of portraiture in Amsterdam (1590-1670) is also now available for your casual perusal. The Rivoli’s latest exhibitions have also been released in the Digital Cosmos.

Whilst nothing can beat seeing the same paint struck on the canvas by art’s greats in the flesh, gaining an understanding of their works is actually easier online.

Theatre & Comedy

5. Online Comedy Events

If sitting in a comedy club fills you with dread, why not enjoy the array of comedy online events?

Mark Thomas’s comedy with a social purpose Check Up: Our NHS at 70 is ideal for the times. The proceeds raised from this goes to supporting food banks in the UK.

Or why not check out the innovative improv show ‘Haggis!’ designed live by Facebook and Twitter users in March 2020. Or check out New York comedy club Caveat who are streaming their shows on their YouTube channel. Screaming with laughter is also offering 2 online shows every month whilst they are closed down.

6. Online Theatre Events

Theatre is alive with free streaming services springing up across the globe for some of the world’s biggest theatres. The National Theatre in London will soon be streaming their shows on YouTube. Whether Twelfth Night, Jane Eyre, or One Man, Two Guvnors is your thing, there is plenty to be happy about with their online events.

The Coronavirus Theatre Club has also released lots of interesting shorts and monologues with impressive results. The Stage has also compiled a more comprehensive list of online theatre events culture lovers can enjoy from their sofa.

Film

7. New ways to watch films

During the peak of the Coronavirus crisis in China, an online platform saw half a billion people watch a major movie release. People are also finding new ways to engage with each other from their homes.

If you can’t meet at the cinema, what’s the harm of sticking on a video call and watching films together online. You can also use apps like TwoSeven on Firefox or Google Chrome browsers for a more in tune experience. Doing things together can help us avoid emotional distancing in times of social distancing.

Have fun at home with these cultural events online

During these times more of us are having to spend long periods of time indoors. To help get us through this, we need to think of more fun things to do at home. Fortunately, thanks to the innovative responses of our cultural sphere everyone can find online events to suit their tastes.

Or why not break away from the norm and try something new? With so much on offer for free, now is as good a time as any to explore your cultural side. As much as venues seem like such an integral component of the arts, culture is always what we make of it.

Lottie Miles

https://www.learning-mind.com/

About the Author: Lottie Miles

Lottie Miles is a professional researcher and writer with a passion for human rights. She has 4 years of experience working within the NGO sector and has a Masters Degree in Social Policy. She has a keen interest in exploring ways in which happiness habits can help to improve mental health and wellbeing. In her spare time, she likes doing crossword puzzles, painting and traveling.

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Organised religion is unnecessary to spirituality.

Excellent teachings of the masters have been contaminated by the dogmatic control of these religions.

Discernment yes; judgement does not.
If you use discernment you are free to research with an open mind.

With discernment it is possible to reach the spirit of the letter of any writing and it is also much easier to listen to the voice of the soul that comes from the heart.
Individually you can be helped to find your Truth that is different of everyone.

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publicado por achama às 23:56

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The Unknown History of April Fools’ Day: Origins and Traditions

Sherrie Hurd, A.A.

learning-mind.com

Posted April 1st, 2020.

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Tricking people has become a normal pastime on the first of April. However, the history of April Fools’ Day is more interesting than that.

For as long as I can remember, my friends and family have been playing tricks and lying to me on the first of April. Some of these tricks have been pretty shocking and frightening. But the origin of April Fools’ Day is much more than telling someone a lie and watching them “freak out”.

The History of April Fools’ Day

Many people assume the history of April Fools’ Day originated from France, but we don’t know this for sure. In fact, there are a few origins of April Fools’ Day that circulate within society. Although we see this holiday as a purely frivolous day, it wasn’t always just about fooling people. It was a bit deeper than that, and one of the rumors of origin did indeed come from France.

Some of the historical facts and rumors:

1. The French Calendar

One story or rumor comes from 1582 when France changed from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. The significance of this comes from the fact that France originally celebrated its New Year on April 1^st on the Julian calendar, but when the Gregorian calendar came into use, this changed the New Year to January 1^st, as we celebrate the holiday today.

Some people didn’t get the news as quickly as others and continued to celebrate the new year on April 1^st. These individuals became known as “April fools” because to others they were jokes. Everyone who did know of the transition played pranks on them and made fun of their ignorance of the change.

2. A published poem in 1561

One belief that completely changes the idea of French origin comes from a poem written by the Flemish writer, Eduard De. Dene. This writer wrote a poem about a man who sent his servant on fake errands all day long on April 1^st.

If indeed, this was the first incident considered an April Fools’ joke, it contradicts the origin concerning the French calendar. Supposedly, the French calendar was changed after this poem was written. This is one reason why the history of April Fools’ Day is such a mystery.

3. Vernal Equinox

Some believe that April Fools’ Day started because of the Vernal Equinox, the start of spring. People of the Northern Hemisphere believed that nature was playing tricks on us by using its unusual weather.

As spring is the transformation of cold into mild weather, the weather itself is often unpredictable, almost as if it’s playing tricks on us. Just when you think it’s getting warmer, springtime throws in a couple of cool days to remind us that winter isn’t quite completely gone yet.

4. Roman Hilaria

There is also the belief that April Fools’ Day originated in Ancient Rome. Those who were members of the Cult of Cybele celebrated Hilaria by mocking the magistrates and dressing up in costumes. This celebration of sorts in March was apparently inspired by Egyptian beliefs in Isis, Seth, and Osiris.

5. April Fools in Scotland

There was also a tradition for April Fools’ Day in Scotland, as it spread throughout Britain. The Scots celebrated the first of April by hunting “the gowk”. It was a two-day event, with the “the gowk hunt” being on the first day.

The “gowk” was a fake bird, also known as a cuckoo bird, which is a symbol for a fool. People were told to hunt down this bird as a joke. The second day was called “Tallie day” where individuals pinned signs, such as “kick me” on other’s derrieres. It seems that as the ideas of April Fools’ spread, the jokes continued to become even more imaginative.

6. Modern April Fools’ Day

Society has gone much farther to celebrate April Fools’ day in modern times. Television stations and radio broadcasts fooled many people with fake announcements to scare and amaze us. All throughout history into modern times, this holiday was observed almost as much or more than other holidays. It was just celebrated in different ways.

Notable April Fools’ Day Pranks

There are a few pranks that should be remembered for their outrageous claims. These April Fools’ Day jokes go far and above simple comedy. Some of the jokes had people scratching their heads in confusion and wondering if the world was going crazy. Let’s take a look at a few notable pranks.

The 1950s

Apparently, many people were convinced there was a spaghetti harvest in Switzerland. This is hilarious because we should all know that pasta itself is not grown in any garden. Then again, some people think cotton is man-made, so go figure.

1968

“Fooles Holy day” represented April 1^st when everyone was supposed to gather at the Tower Ditch for the “lion washing ceremony”. This became a popular prank, especially for out of towners. Can you imagine a special day for watching the bathing of such wild beasts?

1996

In the year 1996, Taco Bell, a fast-food restaurant, announces that it has purchased the Liberty Bell and renamed it the Taco Liberty Bell. This prank is just silly, but it is amusing.

2008

BBC releases clips of flying penguins and publishes a story called, “Miracles of Evolution”. The story states that Penguins are migrating from the Arctic and moving to the jungles of South America. Believe it or not, some people fall for this prank.

April Fools’ Continues

Although we really don’t know the set date in which this routine came to be, we still enjoy pranking people. It is also a day we celebrate around the globe with colorful antics and amusing jokes. So, today, try to see the origin of April Fools’ Day as a beginning to poking fun at your friends. After all, we need a little hilarity in today’s crisis.

Go out and play that joke, have some fun, and remember to be kind.

References:

Sherrie Hurd

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tags: archaeology, culture, history, humor, sherrie, sherrie h, sherrie hurd

publicado por achama às 02:59

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Quinta-feira, 30 de Janeiro de 2020

Thought-Provoking TED Talk Shows What Power Our Words Actually Have

Sherrie Hurd.

learning-mind.com

Posted January 29th, 2020.

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We speak, sometimes without even paying close attention to the words we say. Our words are sometimes babbling, and not really any form of instruction or description at all. After viewing a TED talk about language, I started to look differently at the way I formed my words.

Lera Boroditsky delves into the why we speak, how we speak, and the differences in cultural languages. This TED talk brings innovative ideas to wrap your brain around, but you will have to listen with your entire being to understand.

What happens when we talk?

Basically, we force air out of our mouths in different ways and the hisses, puffs and such travel through the air to others. When they enter the ears of other people, they hit the eardrum and are translated into thoughts. Because of language, we can transmit thoughts across vast distances.

There are around 7 thousand languages that are spoken all around the world. Each language works in a different manner. They aren’t just different numbers, letters or exclamations, and they also have different structures. They also come from different ways of thinking as well. So, we might ask ourselves, “do bilingual people have more than one way of thinking?”

Structures of language

One example of different structures of language comes from an aboriginal tribe in Australia. Instead of saying things like “Your left foot”, they would say, “your southeast foot”.

Also, instead of saying ‘hello’ when greeted, these natives ask you which way you are going. You may reply with “I am headed southeast.” Although this may sound incredibly strange, these aboriginal people are much better adapted to directions than many of us are. This is established with simple language.

Age progression and language

People of different languages think about time differently as well. If you looked at photographs of the aging progression of someone, and the youngest photo was on the left, English speakers would look from left to right. Other cultures may glance at the photos in the opposite direction.

As for the aboriginal people, they would order the photos in different ways according to their facing direction. So, to them, time is not locked within us, it is locked within the landscape…from east to west. Reminds you of the suns travel across the sky during a day, doesn’t it?

Understanding photos in language

If you saw a photo of a group of animals, as an English speaker, you would count them to know the number, right? Well, it isn’t the same with others. For those who weren’t taught the linguistic trick of counting with numbers, this might be difficult. After all, not everyone has the number “6” or “3”, so when matched with other photos of the same number of animals, they might not understand the point.

Language and color

For many people, there are numerous words for colors and shades of colors. For others, there are few names. On the other hand, in English when we say the overall color “blue”, Russian speakers have two separate words for light blues (goluboy) and dark blues (siniy). Because of this linguistic difference, Russians recognize and differentiate between light and dark blue much faster than English speakers.

Feminine and masculine

In some languages, nouns have genders. For instance, Spanish speakers see the sun as masculine and the moon as feminine. It’s the opposite for German speakers, with the moon being the masculine form and the sun feminine. This means that those who use masculine and feminine forms also use masculine and feminine descriptions when talking about them. If a bridge is considered masculine, then it might be called “strong or sturdy”…masculine words.

Languages and events

An event, such as an accident, is described differently according to different languages. If someone leans over and bumps a table, knocking over a lamp, an English speaker might say, “She broke the lamp”, while Spanish speakers may simply say, “the lamp broke”. According to Spanish people, accidents shouldn’t be correlated with someone doing something bad. English people remember who did it. Spanish people remember their intention.

The effects of language

Words are powerful, and now you can see how they have various effects from one culture to the other. They can have big effects, as they can decide how time works, they can have deep effects as they show the differences in how we understand quantity.

Language can govern how fast we differentiate between colors and how we perceive objects in our lives. And finally, words can shape how we feel about and how we handle situations and events. This includes blame and punishment, both decided by language.

So, you see, language isn’t just about speaking carelessly and understanding that there are various dialects. It’s about how we perceive these various languages. Unfortunately, we lose a different language about every week, and soon there will be a great reduction in the various cultural dialects. You have to ask yourself, what does this mean for the world.

I guess we have to wait and see.’

Sherrie Hurd

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Terça-feira, 19 de Novembro de 2019

How Symbols and Meanings Affect Our Perception in the Modern World

Janey Davies.

https://www.learning-mind.com

November 18th, 2019.

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Do you get hungry when you see the golden arches of McDonald’s? Are you proud when you think about your National flag? You might not think these two things are connected, but they are. They are both symbols, and although they have very different meanings, they demonstrate how they affect our perception.

Symbols and Meanings

“A symbol is not just an image, but is like a door into the inner world of the soul.” Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee

Why We Have Symbols

Our brains have to process an enormous amount of data every second of our lives. Symbols help us to make sense of our surroundings. This is because they are a way of instantly communicating. They provide a mental shortcut that triggers recognition, understanding and feeling.

Symbols can take on many different forms. For example, a letter, as with the McDonalds’ example, or a simple cross to denote a religious building. Symbols include signs, gestures, objects, signals and even words. We have symbols because they have the ability to reach across a diverse range of races and cultures.

Not matter what language you speak, everyone knows what the Apple logo, the red poppy or the Swastika stand for. And with the increase in the use of emoji’s, we are going to use symbols even more to give us meaning.

Symbols Are Used For Communication

Our world is rife with symbols. Just think about it. Company logos, traffic signs, the male and female signs on toilet doors, these are all symbols and they all convey different meanings.

But symbols are more than just information. Think about the authority behind a policeman’s badge. The instruction your brain receives when it see a Stop Sign. The colour red, the colour green. A gold ring on your third finger. A Nazi Swastika. Symbols can have emotional meanings as well as being informative.

Symbols Have Emotional Meanings

Symbols represent ideologies such as religion and political concepts. As such, they are intrinsically linked with our emotions. In the US, the national flag is a revered symbol to be respected and honoured. In the UK, we don’t place so much importance on our flag. So you could argue that symbols have different meanings to whoever is reacting to it.

For example, to many Germans, the Nazi Swastika was a symbol of racial purity and German power. To the Jewish population, it instilled fear. Yet, some groups are now adopting this symbol to front their cultural agendas.

It is the same with religious symbols. The cross is sacred to Christians. However, a burning cross at night is not religious at all. Therefore, each symbol is loaded with meaning, dependant on the person viewing it. The person will associate that particular symbol with a certain feeling or emotion.

Symbols Unite Us As Groups

But symbols can also unite us into groups. The symbol will then serve as a link for members to express their identity, all without saying a word. The symbols we wear on our lapels, our uniforms or our flags reveal a common way of thinking. We instantly align ourselves by adopting certain symbols. These symbols connect us in a way that words never can.

So, in this context, the meanings behind the symbols we use are to show our identity within a certain group. By adopting one symbol over another, we are literally pinning our character to a flag for all to see. We are saying that we identify with others who adopt this symbol.

Why Are Symbols Powerful?

You only have to look at the world of sports to appreciate the power of symbols. Take Roger Federer. To many people, Roger is the epitome of someone at the very top of their craft. It’s not surprising then that sports brands fight to the death to sponsor him. Nike had that contract for years.

Now just think about that single Nike tick. What it represents to people. When you go to a sports shop and you have to choose between two pairs of trainers, you see the Nike pair with a tick. In your subconscious mind, that is no ordinary tick. That tick represents Roger Federer. His class, his wins, and his triumphs in the face of defeat.

It is a symbol loaded with meaning. That tick is a sign of a true sportsman, on and off the court. When you reach for the Nike trainers, for an instant, you are in that special Federer club. You are luxuriating in his success. But it’s just a tick, remember?

So, symbols instantly bring up a certain feeling or image or association. As such, they are often used in the media or for propaganda. Symbols have the power to unite or divide us.

Many of us added a French flag filter to our social media profile picture after the shootings in a Paris nightclub. Taiwanese students used sunflowers to protest against a secret controversial deal with China. Protests are banned in Thailand. However, students have begun using the three-fingered salute seen in the Hunger Games as a form of silent protest.

Even political parties adopt symbols. There is the red rose for Labour, a flying dove for the Libdems, the pound sign for UKIP. This is so that people who cannot read or write can easily vote for their party.

Symbols are everywhere. We cannot avoid them.

Final Thoughts on Symbols and Meanings

There’s no doubt of the power of symbols and what their meanings represent. They have an instant effect on us. We need to understand this. Then we can step back before we react and think about symbols and how their meanings really affect us.

References:

Janey Davies

About the Author: Janey Davies.

Janey Davies has been published online for over 8 years. She is the head writer for Shoppersbase.com, she also writes for AvecAgnes.co.uk, Ewawigs.com and has contributed to inside3DP.com. She has an Honours Degree in Psychology and her passions include learning about the mind, popular science and politics. When she is relaxing she likes to walk her dog, read science fiction and listen to Muse.

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