Month: May 2018

Buddhism, Health, Living, Media&Culture, Philosophy, PsychologyLeave a comment

Living Lighter with Less

Fernando Kaskais

Photo by Thomas Martinsen | https://tricy.cl/2L9Ob6y Matthieu Ricard explains how to let go of attachments and be content with what you have. By Matthieu Ricard We all need to have roofs over our heads and enough food and comfort to stay in good health. And we should do whatever is necessary to come to the aid of all the people on earth, numerous indeed, who are still deprived of these things. Remedying the inequalities and the poverty in the world is an essential duty. Being content with simplicity is the need of getting rid of what is superfluous. I have to … Continue reading Living Lighter with Less

Africa, Brain, Curiositys, Media&Culture, Music, PsychologyLeave a comment

Drums, Lies, and Audiotape

Fernando Kaskais

ILLUSTRATION BY DANIEL HERTZBERG When I was invited to drum in Ghana, I gladly accepted. Then something went wrong. BY ALEXANDER GELFAN My wife Ingrid and I had been in Aburi, Ghana for just over a week when our host, Kwame Obeng, informed me that I’d be joining the royal drummers for a performance at the chief’s palace the following afternoon, in celebration of an important holy day. It’s not as if I was unprepared. I’d first met Obeng three years earlier, when he came to Toronto to coach a drumming troupe made up of Ghanaian immigrants and a lone … Continue reading Drums, Lies, and Audiotape

Curiositys, Media&Culture, Music, Philosophy, ScienceLeave a comment

The chords of the universe

Fernando Kaskais

Photo by Edward Webb/Gallery Stock It’s no surprise that mathematics has influenced music. But did you know that the influence goes both ways? Eli Maor is a former professor of the history of mathematics at Loyola University Chicago. He is the author of eight previous books, the latest of which is Music by the Numbers: From Pythagoras to Shoenberg (2018). Published in association with Princeton University Press an Aeon Partner Edited by Marina Benjamin My interest in the relations between music and mathematics started at an early age. My grandfather played his violin for me when I was about five years old, and I … Continue reading The chords of the universe

Brain, Living, Media&Culture, Philosophy, PsychologyLeave a comment

See the Person

Fernando Kaskais

Even though it’s, everyone longs to be seen, to be known. Who is behind the mask? The Practice: See the person behind the eyes. by Rick Hanson Ph.D. Why? Most of us wear a kind of mask, a persona that hides our deepest thoughts and feelings, and presents a polished, controlled face to the world. To be sure, a persona is a good thing to have. For example, meetings at work, holidays with the in-laws, or a first date are usually not the best time to spill your guts. Just because you’re selective about what you reveal to the world … Continue reading See the Person

Brain, Curiositys, Health, Living, Media&Culture, PsychologyLeave a comment

How to Recognize Your Inner Critic

Fernando Kaskais

tur-ilustation/Adobe Stock There’s a tiny voice in the back of our minds that plays off our greatest anxieties, giving its dialogue an addictive quality. Here is a guided meditation to help loosen the grip of problematic thought loops that keep us mired in self-criticism. By Sharon Salzberg  This practice is really about communicating with the inner critic, and, as for Lilah, the first step is to catch that voice when it appears. We notice that the critic lives in a world of absolutes, with little room for nuance or gray areas. Her favorite words are should, always, and never, and blame … Continue reading How to Recognize Your Inner Critic

Brain, Drugs, Health, Living, PsychologyLeave a comment

Alcoholism and Borderline Personality Disorder

Fernando Kaskais

Dave and Les Jacobs/Getty Images The causes and effects of co-occurrence By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, P Unfortunately, borderline personality disorder (BPD) frequently co-occurs with other conditions that impact mental health. Alcoholism is one disorder that is common among people with BPD. The Prevalence of Alcoholism in BPD There is a remarkable overlap between substance abuse disorders and borderline personality disorder. One recent study found that about 78% of adults who have been diagnosed with BPD will also have a co-occurring substance use disorder at some time in their lives, meaning the symptoms and course of BPD and the substance use disorder occur at the same time. … Continue reading Alcoholism and Borderline Personality Disorder

Brain, Drugs, Health, Media&Culture, Psychology, TechnologyLeave a comment

Technology is Not a Drug: Debunking the Biggest Myths About ‘Technology Addiction’

Fernando Kaskais

There’s a tiny kernel of truth to our concerns, but the available evidence suggests that claims of a crisis are entirely unwarranted. BY Christopher J. Ferguson HOW CONCERNED should people be about the psychological effects of screen time? Balancing technology use with other aspects of daily life seems reasonable, but there is a lot of conflicting advice about where that balance should be. Much of the discussion is framed around fighting “addiction” to technology. But to me, that resembles a moral panic, giving voice to scary claims based on weak data. People don’t think that depressed people who sleep all day have a … Continue reading Technology is Not a Drug: Debunking the Biggest Myths About ‘Technology Addiction’

Curiositys, History, Literature, Media&Culture, Philosophy, Politics, PsychologyLeave a comment

Why read Aristotle today?

Fernando Kaskais

image edited by Fernando Kaskais Modern self-help draws heavily on Stoic philosophy. But Aristotle was better at understanding real human happiness by Edith Hall is professor in the department of classics and Centre for Hellenic Studies at King’s College London. She has published more than 20 books, broadcasts frequently on radio and television, and publishes widely in mainstream and academic journals and newspapers. Her latest book is Introducing the Ancient Greeks (2014). Edited by Nigel Warburton In the Western world, only since the mid-18th century has it been possible to discuss ethical questions publicly without referring to Christianity. Modern thinking about morality, which assumes … Continue reading Why read Aristotle today?

Art, Curiositys, History, Media&Culture, Music, Philosophy, PsychologyLeave a comment

Was Classic Rock a Sound, or a Tribe?

Fernando Kaskais

Dylan Martinez / Reuters Steven Hyden’s book Twilight of the Gods argues that the appeal of the now-dwindling Baby Boomer guitar gods was only ever personal. by SPENCER KORNHABER What was classic rock? The question sounds confrontational—how rude to put the Rolling Stones in the past tense when Mick Jagger is still honing his workout routine!—but, of course, the very name classic rock has always implied a was. In 1992, Nirvana jockeyed against contemporaries of their day, from Guns N’ Roses to Kris Kross, for airwave space. Today, “Heart-Shaped Box” still glowers on the radio, but often next to the pre–Kurt Cobain likes of The Who and … Continue reading Was Classic Rock a Sound, or a Tribe?

Brain, Curiositys, Freak U.S.A, Health, Psychology, UnbelievableLeave a comment

Mapping The Tsunami Of Suicides Across America

Fernando Kaskais

by Tyler Durden Suicide is a very complicated public health issue, influenced by demographic characteristics, socioeconomic factors, as well as health- and crime-related factors. Since the Great Financial Crisis (GFC), a tsunami of suicides has swept across America, making it the tenth leading cause of death, and in 2015, accounted for more than 44,000 deaths. Understanding the geographic patterns of suicide can better inform the nation that something is not quite right. Although government researchers have presented state-level trends in suicide rates, data at the county-level has been widely overlooked. The ‘County-Level Trends in Suicide Rates in the U.S., 2005–2015‘ report, … Continue reading Mapping The Tsunami Of Suicides Across America