Aside from trauma, it seems to me that very few things are more effective at triggering denial than when our identity is threatened. American exceptionalism is an example. But rather than whine about the great social services and infrastructure some other countries have compared to the US as a way to break through, I’m going [...]
Archive for the ‘Culture’ Category
September 16, 2011
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Instanbaltimore
By asalvo1 in CultureLeaving my world behind allows me to experience other cultures, and also helps me see my own. I’m in Istanbul at the International Symposium of Electronic Art (ISEA) to find out what others are doing, see the Istanbul Biennale, and talk about prosocial media research. Istanbul is cool. Baltimoreans would love it, as does everyone [...]
July 6, 2011
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Feedback
By asalvo1 in CultureIt’s summer now, things are at least trying to slow down a bit—maybe we’ll have some time to reflect. Those of us who have been producing the weekly films for this column are going to take a break from that for a few weeks. Instead, I’ll be doing some written posts during the summer—sharing some [...]
April 28, 2011
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Culture, Art and Science
By asalvo1 in CultureThis article is a continuation of A Baltimore Education, posted on March 9th. In that article, I described how my early experiences teaching school helped me understand that the world outside of school—family, community, and culture has an enormous effect on what goes on inside school.
April 8, 2011
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Government shutdown is a red herring.
By Lee in CultureSo, parts of the government less essential than bombing distant lands are shutting down. We have an impasse over the budget. But if you read WhoWeAm you are used to entertaining the idea that politics aren’t about the issues. Issues are symptoms. The actual problem is hidden underneath—a clash of culture with some biology mixed [...]
April 5, 2011
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Why aren’t they looting in Japan?
By Lee in CultureWhy aren’t they looting in Japan? Surely, under those circumstances citizens are owed whatever they can grab. Who are they kidding? Who could blame them? You’d be a fool not to. If you don’t someone else will. At times like these, it’s every man—now person, for his or herself. But somehow, they don’t.
Tags: behavior, culture, philosophy, values, wisdom
March 28, 2011
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Is Life in the US a Game of Winners vs. Losers?
By Lee in CultureI’ve been thinking about winners and losers lately. Have you noticed that political contests on the US seem to be more about who’s winning and who’s losing—who’s scoring points, rather than developing support for ideas and leadership? Duh. Okay, less obvious: I’m wondering if one of the reasons many in the US seem unmoved by [...]
Tags: behavior, culture, philosophy, Politics, values, whoweam