🌍 Culture Making

• 🕯️Good art in dark times

  A thought-provoking exploration of the role of fiction in reflecting and transcending the darkness of our times.

• 🧤We don't believe because we don't recall

  A reflection on how our interactions with memories and artifacts shape our experience of beauty and loss, inspired by Proust's poignant insights.

• 🦠Metaphor as metastasis

  A thought-provoking exploration of the language and metaphors we use to discuss economic growth and regulation.

• 🐄Patent US690236

  A fascinating glimpse into an early 20th-century invention designed to ease the milking process.

• 🌲The quietest place in the lower forty-eight

  This excerpt highlights the profound tranquility of Olympic National Park and its unique auditory experience in nature.

• 🏙️City Silhouettes by Jasper James

  Beijing-based photographer Jasper James captures the striking juxtaposition of humans and urban landscapes in his reflections series.

• 🍽️Dinner with strangers

  Alain de Botton explores how religions foster community and encourage connection with strangers, inspired by rituals like the Catholic mass and Jewish Passover.

• 🏡Paving the home

  This piece highlights the transformative impact of cement floors and paved streets on health, economic stability, and quality of life in Mexico.

• 🏞️fictional landscape, by Kyle Kirkpatrick

  Pondering the allure of book-carving that resembles a miniature landscape model.

• 🚲Forever Bicycles, by Ai Weiwei

  An exploration of Ai Weiwei's powerful exhibition "Absent," highlighting his impactful work featuring 1200 bicycles.

• 🎶New Years Rulin's

  Reflecting on Woody Guthrie’s poignant New Year’s resolutions reveals the bittersweet trade-offs of artistic pursuit. "SEND MARY AND KIDS MONEY" serves as a powerful reminder of the familial sacrifices behind the music and culture he created.

• 🐴The right to a horse

  A thought-provoking perspective from Vint Cerf on the distinction between technology and human rights.

• 🌱Rethinking one’s own position as a creator

  Brian Eno explores the idea of composers as gardeners, nurturing music rather than controlling it.

• ⚗️Six or more glasses daily!

  Exploring the curious legacy of radium and the fascinating misconceptions surrounding its early discovery.

• 🌍Technology is not the enemy (uncoolness is)

  An exploration of how technology's role in language preservation is changing perceptions among indigenous communities.

• 🤖Der Bibelschreiber (The Bible writer)

  Exploring the intersection of faith and technology, robotlab's work reflects on the roles of writing and progress in human experience.

• 📖Knowing the end of the story

  From a study on storytelling, it seems that knowing the outcome can enhance the experience of both short stories and mysteries.

• 📜Colonial dress, detail

  Exploring the intersection of art, imperial history, and creativity through Susan Stockwell's unique paper dresses.

• 🍔We can has cheeseburger!

  Reflecting on the complexities behind something as simple as a cheeseburger, Waldo Jaquith explores the implications of our modern food systems.

• 🌍Man/Woman/Boy/Girl

  Exploring the juxtaposition of creative discipline and artistic representation in a global context.

• 🌍Best. Toys. Ever?

  Reflecting on the timeless joy of play, Jonathan Liu highlights the simplicity and creativity that come with Dirt as a toy.

• 🦈Leaves and teeth

  This beautiful tiny basket, adorned with shark's teeth, symbolizes Nauru's rich cultural heritage amidst its modern challenges.

• 🎶Secular praise songs from Western Kenya

  A fascinating exploration of The Kawere Boys, a popular Benga group from Kenya, showcasing the interwoven relationships between artist and patron through music in Luo culture.

• ⚖️Power and love

  Reflecting on the interplay of power and love, Martin Luther King, Jr. provides profound insights on justice and humanity.

• 🔮Yearning to know the end of the story

  Exploring the intertwined nature of identity and destiny through the lens of prognostication.

• ⏳How not to do your physics homework

  Reflecting on the intersection of scientific ambition and historical significance, this narrative explores the entangled destinies of Foucault's pendulum and the Bunker Hill Monument.

• 🧠Class, power, and empathy

  A study reveals how social class influences emotional recognition abilities.

• 🏔️Petroglyphs

  Exploring the beauty of ancient rock drawings and their connection to early human culture.

• 💰Powerlessness and shopping

  Exploring the interplay of powerlessness and consumer behavior, this post discusses how feelings of inadequacy can drive excessive spending on status symbols.

• 🧼Washing away your sins

  This piece explores the powerful connection between metaphors and our physical sensations, particularly regarding morality and cleanliness.

• 🎶Snippets of recognition

  It's intriguing how quickly we form opinions based on brief experiences, especially in music.

• 🥾The gift that keeps on giving?

  From Zac Mason, a reflection on the unintended consequences of consumer charity in Mali.

• 🎨About complaining

  James Murphy reflects on the power of creativity in expressing dissatisfaction.

• 🌸Drawing and the telephone

  Quoting David Hockney.

• 🎨Guarding Matisse, photo by Andy Freeberg

  An exploration of the unique experiences of women who oversee Russian art museums, specifically highlighting the patience required to engage with art on a deep level.

• 🌍Why can’t we eat spaghetti too?

  Diving into Rachel Laudan's critique of the simplistic notions surrounding traditional and modern food practices.

• 🔍Same goes for grace?

  Quoting Lawrence Block.

• 🧟‍♂️Cities, wandering, serendipity and (wait for it) zombies

  A reflection on how a mobile app can transform urban navigation into a playful adventure while encouraging exploration.

• 🎶Performance’s magical mix

  Quoting Yo-Yo Ma.

• 🏗️Cement bag graphics

  A fascinating exploration of the artistic and cultural significance of cement bag graphics from around the world.

• 🍓Thinking too much about strawberry jam

  A fascinating exploration of how overthinking can distort our preferences, as seen in a jam taste test.

• 🌾Terraced Rice Field, Yunnan, China, photo by Thierry Bornier

  A captivating fusion of cultivation and topography is beautifully showcased in the terraced rice fields of Yunnan, China.

• 🎨Design, color, and cultural power

  A Portuguese communication designer reflects on the cultural richness of her students in Mozambique and their misconceptions about design practices.

• 🎭It creates no wealth or goods

  Exploring the complexities of play, work, and art through Roger Caillois' insights on the nature of leisure and productivity.

• 📚Salvaje de Corazon

  A chilling reminder of the unintended consequences our cultural creations can have.

• 🎬Subtractive creations

  Exploring the beauty of cinematic silence and the art of subtraction in storytelling.

• 🧵Counsel woven into the fabric of real life

  An insightful observation on the nature of storytelling and the wisdom it imparts.

• 📚Love and language

  Elif Batuman reflects on her journey through love, literature, and the unexpected choices we make.

• 🌽The daily grind

  An exploration of the impact of maize processing on Mexican culture and women's roles in society.

• 🔥Re-kindling, by Shawn Smith

  Artistic exploration through the lens of low-resolution imagery is at the heart of Shawn Smith's work, as seen in his piece "Re-kindling."