FLOWERS.........the magic of nature
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really a sublimated desire to have two dozen cats :-)
Robert Brault
Happy Caturday!!
Miles, one of our 2 adopted Maine Coons, and one of our total of 3 cats ;-)
Thank you to the kind lady a Psychologist
who allowed me to photo this.
Thanks!
Made from New Zealand Kauri pine info.
Kiwis are proud of their timber.
In time a small person to stand inside.
Keep your eye on this space for the new and improved version of
The Wall Mini Music Case.
Thank you one and all.
Cheers Marsmart.
Thank you everyone, I am on a short two week break
and will attend to unanswered mail on my return
thank you for understanding.
is really a sublimated desire to have two dozen cats :-)
Robert Brault
HAPPY CATURDAY!!
emma, our rescue cat, proving an arm rest has multiple uses ;-)
#macromondays #orange
Even an Superhero like Spiderman needs from time to time a break from all the crime in little world! All that crime can be exhausting! But what we all know is also counting for him :)
With ovomaltine you can`t do it better - but longer !
According to a 2007 study by psychologist David Lewis, letting chocolate dissolve slowly in your mouth produces as big an increase in brain activity and heart rate as a passionate kiss—but the effects of the chocolate last four times longer! Trust science to tell us things we already know!
Vielen Dank für Eure Besuche, Kommentare und Sternchen!
Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved
With ovomaltine you can`t do it better - but longer !
According to a 2007 study by psychologist David Lewis, letting chocolate dissolve slowly in your mouth produces as big an increase in brain activity and heart rate as a passionate kiss—but the effects of the chocolate last four times longer! Trust science to tell us things we already know!
So the little tiny people are taking breakfast to get their extra boost - getting ready for the Day !
#MacroMondays #chocolate
Vielen Dank für Eure Besuche, Kommentare und Sternchen!
Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved
The art of love is largely the art of persistence.
Albert Ellis
(American Psychologist)
Enjoy your weekend guys! ...hopefully we will see some sunshine... :-)
Thank you geeo123 for such a nice words in your testimonial!
You have to check his stream, he is so very talented!
Explore #147 on Friday, June 12, 2009 Thank you :-)
How many others get tears when they peel strong onions?
For some reason, when I took this shot, the words of Smokey Robinson and the Miracles came to mind. I used to love their song, The Tears of a Clown and due to my quirky, twisted brain the words ‘Cook’ and a ‘Clown’ were connected!
Perhaps a psychologist can explain!
1930s - A psychologist, August Dvorak, put brass rivets on a typewriter's J and F keys. Move on to the 1950s - IBM decorated those same keys with tiny plastic ridges. They remain there today. They guide touch typists and those with impaired vision to locate their fingers amongst the keys. Typos down, speeds up.
Typing on a touch screen is just not the same. No tactile feedback. Apple tried adding device vibration but that didn't work. A future for surfaces that deform to digital commands?
A still in use 20 year old Apple keyboard, whose keys have a satisfying clack, poses for Macro Mondays. Were they tempted to remove the ridges in the quest for minimalism?
Психологи отмечают, что Желтый цвет, среди прочего, также символизирует желание самоутверждения. Лучше всего это демонстрирует Осень.
What is Shadow Self?
Famous psychologist Carl Jung defined our shadow as the dark side of our personality that is full of uncertainty and governed by base level animal type instincts. He was deeply invested in the research of ancient esoteric knowledge and spiritual scriptures to not only treat the mind but also the soul of man.
When you've plowed up a furrow of doubt
d
r
o
p
p
e
d
the seeds of distress and despair
in my spirit
I'll wager you're proud
of the fine crop of weeds you have sown
daring peace to come near it.
Then you slink in the shadows
applauding your plot as the proof
of your own co-existence.
Illusion made manifest
wholeness forgot
while I struggle
with human subsistence.
If my only device
was a temporal mind
then each falsehood might grow
unrefuted
but steeped in eternity
reaching behind your disguise
it's a >>snap<< to uproot it.
I've already raved about the Harris pebbles. The rock strata are no less captivating. I find this kind of subject so enjoyable to photograph. It's a very immersive process, what psychologists call getting in the flow. Harris offers such a diversity of subject matter, there is always something to photograph, whatever the weather. This is a gift to the travelling landscape photographer. Who wants to be sitting around waiting for a sunset that might never happen when there are fascinating details like this to explore?
Nikon Z7, 14-24/2.8 S. Original photograph copyright © Simon Miles. Not to be used without permission. Thanks for looking.
Can you see what I see?
It looks to me like two titans going at each other in the clouds. The face of the beast on the left is confronting the horned creature on the right.
This phenomenon known as "pareidolia" was once considered a form of mental illness - seeing random shapes in meaningful forms. Now of course, such anthropomorphisms are recognised as ways that human beings have created a sense of meaning in their world. More than that, some psychologists see it as a marker of creativity related to the constructive use of the imagination. So what do you see?
At least one theory of religion has been created from this idea. Stewart Elliott Guthrie in his book, "Faces in the Clouds: A New Theory of Religion" (Oxford University Press, 1993). This has led some people to seeing things like pyramids or Sphinxes on the surface of Mars. The most famous of these Martian examples were the "canals" that were supposedly seen by the late 19th century astronomer, Percival Lowell (he first published about this in 1895). This is likely to have inspired the great imagination of H.G. Wells, who two years later produced the novel, "War of the Worlds" in serial form. It was a huge success (as was Orson Wells' radio play some decades later).
And so we are back to "Clash of the Titans".
along with my sons and brothers we strung a lot of fence on the old homeplace in rural eastern Oklahoma in years past...it feels good now to see it still standing strong after the old folks are gone...and I must admit that the psychologists are right... it is all about our boundaries...
They’ll grow up with what the psychologists used to call an ‘instinctive’ hatred of books and flowers. Reflexes unalterably conditioned. They’ll be safe from books and botany all their lives.
- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World
Psychologists often use the technical term framing: The framing effect is a cognitive bias in which people decide between options based on whether the options are presented with positive or negative connotations.
In this photo winter is shown differently than usual, namely in a frame. Is it now also about framing?
The picture was taken on the facade of the German television station ZDF in Mainz.
217m above ground. I love these pulsing red anti-collision lights. I need one of these for my balcony.
Why these fences? We're not animals.
Just remove these fences. Just ask at the register when people buy a ticket... "are you going to jump? Are you? Because you look a little crazy. You look a little depressed. If you are going to jump the price is going up. €9 for a non jump ticket. €9000 for a jump. We accept credit card and a nice sturdy (closed) fernseturm coffin is included. Whats it gonna be? Our psychologist is here on Monday. It's free."
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Auf_eTFJEI
Qual è stata la mia sorpresa ieri, alla prima visita dal mio nuovo psicologo, quando invece del tradizionale taccuino per gli appunti, si è presentato con un asino di pezza! Ma mi sono dovuta ricredere, e nonostante la sua parcella non indifferente, credo che inizierò la terapia con lui!
What was my surprise yesterday, at the first visit by my new psychologist, when instead of the traditional notebook, he showed up with a rag ass! But I had to change my mind, and in spite of his non-indifferent fee, I think I will start therapy with him!
“One does not become fully human painlessly.”
-- Rollo May
American existential psychologist (1909 – 1994)
Psychologist: "What brings you here?"
BRUNO: "You were recommended to me."
Psychologist: "What problems do you have?"
BRUNO: "I get allergic skin rashes that appear at the most inopportune moments...."
Psychologist: "And where are the spots?"
BRUNO: "Gone for the moment, but I am afraid they might come back."
Psychologist: "What does your daily routine look like at the moment?"
BRUNO: "Mainly sitting on the wardrobe, because Mummy Kat has no time for me at the moment. There's not even any cuddles!"
Psychologist: "How about finding a gardening activity to get some variety, or visit friends.... It will distract you from your anxieties."
BRUNO: "Do you think so? I could give it a try...."
Just doing the shopping at the local supermarket and when we went back to the car, this gleaming Bentley Eight was parked nearby. It has a D prefix registration and was new in late 1986, registered in October 1986. Petrol engine of 6750cc.
It was Bentleys “entry level model”, the cheapest in their range and was priced at a modest(!) £50,000. Evidently this price was chosen after the advice of psychologists about their pricing structure but was still about £47,000 more than I could have afforded on my teachers salary!
A fashion psychologist once said, that clothes have the power to affect your mood because they can make you feel happier and more confident.
Hence, emerged the concept of "looking good, feeling good"...so that's the reason why I am all 'doll'ed up'...nothing special.
- - - - - - - -
However far away, however long I stay, and whatever words I say...
Read it on emptykingdom
* Did you want to be an artist as a child? If so, why?
Strangely enough, I wanted to be a comic actor when I was a kid. Now, people call me a “dark artist,” but I’m just using images instead of a psychologist! I just need to express myself.
* You’ve been working with digital art since 1998. Any other mediums you have used?
No, I’ve always been a digital “worker.” Started my first graphics work on the legendary Commodore Amiga with Deluxe Paint.
* Have you been to school for art or are you self-taught?
Self-taught. I’m really familiar with computers. My first one was an Apple II when I was nine years old. I remember tons of “syntax errors” to my inputs. Then I started with Applesoft Basic.
* Who would you consider your influences?
Hans Rudolf Giger and Dave McKean, on the graphic side. I get lots of inspiration from music. I listen to almost everything; from punk to classical. There’s also a lot of influences coming from B-Horror movies.
* What have you learned from them and how has it contributed to your style?
I just admire their work. Sometimes I read comments about my works like “That’s Giger-esque” and i just smile…
* You use digital tools to alter photography, but where do the photographs themselves come from? Do you take them yourself?
Some are mine, some are just stock photos. I don’t want “great shots” to start my works. Sometimes i start with crappy low res photos. I don’t have a set path for this.
* What equipment do you use?
It’s not so important. Nikon DSLR, sometimes Canon. I really don’t care about hardware. Photoshop is useful but I can do the same work with other tools.
* Describe your process
I usually start with an idea while listening to music. Then I try to find the right photo, the right texture, the right mood. That can take a few hours or a few days. Sometimes I find things in my trash that other people find wonderful.
* One effect in particular, that of flesh stripped away, revealing muscle and sinew is very impressive. Could you explain how you achieve this effect?
Just texturing, it is technically easy to achieve. Many layers with manual displacement of the texture. The real trouble is getting that kind of effect within a serious mood. I don’t want a comic vignette, horror is a serious thing. Realism is key.
* Your works often have text associated with them. Are they a part of the piece meant to describe or augment the work? Are they an afterthought or the inspiration?
All my works have lyrics related with something from my life. Sometimes it is not related to the work directly, sometimes I just need to cry with someone :)
* Where do you draw your inspiration and how do you pursue or develop an inspiring idea?
Sex, love, nature! And music, yes I can’t live without music!
* What’s next for you? How do you see your art changing, progressing?
My art is not changing, I’m always the same. I just don’t want to die without a few scars.
* What inspired you to use martial art film stills in the backdrop of your website?
I’m a superhero.
…
Okay, I’m not.
* What trends do you see in photography/graphic design these days?
Too many copycats. I hate it when someone asks how to reproduce a work of mine. I’m not angry but I don’t understand WHY. Try to find YOUR way, don’t follow the paths of others!
Be free!
This picture is #42 in the 100 Strangers Project - Round 3
Meet Nicole..
its been a little busy and a while since I posted here - so hoping to get right back into the groove. Met Nicole, a live wire young lady a few day back on my photo stroll. Nicole works as a hostess at a local restaurant as she gets ready to start college at he Penn state university- studying to be psychologist especially dealing with children and addiction. Confident and extremely articulate, and kind with a great attitude especially since she was really tired when I met her but completely engaged in the conversation and the pictures. In fact although we did a lot of no-smiles pictures I chose the ones with the smile just because that reflected the warmth Nicole exuded. She seemed to be an artist at heart - and loves writing and poetry. Her favorite memory - working as a camp counsellor last year - and you could see the joy in her face as she spoke of working with young kids. Honestly, this is just a summary of a fun and in fact a learning experience with a young lady who seemed mature beyond her years and head firmly on her shoulders and feet firmly on the ground. Wishing you all the best Nicole -hope all your dreams come true as you step into this phase of your life journey.
Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
For my other pictures on this project: 100 Strangers - Round 2.
For pictures from my prior attempt at 100 Strangers: 100 Strangers - Round 1.
HFF! Taken on a walk with my grandson today.
Best seen large by clicking on the photo.
Thanks for visiting, enjoy each day.
Last week, I listened to a great documentary... all about the question of happiness. Various experts (scientists, psychologists, neurologists, etc.) had their say, and they all agreed on a few basic points.
First off, we are hard wired to seek certain types of happiness. Pleasures, essentially. Sex, food, physical comfort... things needed for survival of the species.
Yeah yeah. Common sense evolutionary stuff.
But the second point was fascinating.
It was this:
Happiness is, by its nature, not designed to last.
Again, it makes sense through the lens of evolution. Take food, for example. You eat it, you enjoy it, you're satisfied, and all is well. But only for a little while. Within a few hours, you're back on the prowl... back on the trail of that so-elusive happiness.
You can extend that same line of thinking to pretty much anything that gives us pleasure/happiness. We're driven to pursue it, we get it (if we're lucky), we're pleased with that... but only for a time.
Survival-wise, it's good. Because... if we were much more easily satisfied; if happiness, once found, stayed intact forever... we'd stop wanting; stop seeking; stop even trying. And what would be the point of even getting out of bed?
I see so many ways that this applies in our society. For example, people with addictions are ensnared in an obvious cycle of pursuing/finding/losing that temporary satisfaction. Overeaters, too. There's something in their brains that can't stand the fact that the pleasure/satisfaction/happiness of tasting/chewing/digesting is oh-so-fleeting. They want to extend it, keep it going, so they keep on putting more food in their mouths.
So... yeah. Happiness is sort of like a carrot. Life uses it to keep us motivated... keep us reaching, wanting, yearning... and, every now and then, we get a little nibble. No point feeding us the whole damned carrot. That would be the end of "progress."
Depending on your point of view, this line of reasoning could be depressing. I find it encouraging. It helps to explain why we get such enormous pleasure from anticipation (and why, sometimes, the actual realization of something pales in comparison).
I think this has a lot to do with another feature of evolution - our amazing capacity for adaptation. We're designed to be alert for new things - dangers, pleasures, things unknown. And... since we can only be alert for so many stimuli at any given time... our brains have to sort of set aside their responses to those things familiar and comfortable.
Again, this explains all sorts of behaviour. Infidelity. Consumerism. Fashion. Hell... even science itself; its advances are driven by the same unquenchable human desire... in this case, for knowledge (and possibly fame, fortune, etc).
We were not designed to stay still, to be satisfied. Life drives us endlessly to seek more... experience more... experience more diversity... all in our inherent desire for happiness.
So... ironically... it seems like the best way to find satisfaction/peace/comfort/whatever is to simply accept the fact that it can never last... and to (pardon the cliche) focus less on the destination and more on the journey. Because what really seems to make us happy is the pursuit of happiness, the promise of it... the uneaten chocolate... the fresh-poured drink... the glimpse of thigh... the pending weekend... the planned vacation...
The horizon, basically. The future. That's where it's at in terms of happpiness. And never mind the fact that when we get there... it's gone, because it is, by definition, always just beyond our reach.
Hello there. Relevant comments welcome but please do NOT post any link(s). All my images are my own original work, under my copyright, with all rights reserved. You need my permission to use any image for ANY purpose.
Copyright infringement is theft.
ink on canvas, 13 x 18 cm
Political Pandemic - 2021
Pandémie Politique - 2021
Politieke Pandemie - 2021
Politische Pandemie - 2021
Pandemia Politica - 2021
Политическая пандемия - 2021
De vijand zit in de eerste colonne, niet in de vijfde
L'ennemi se trouve dans la première colonne, pas dans la cinquième
The enemy is in the first column, not the fifth
Our lives are in peril but nothing is lost because this pandemic is a world war. In the free universe, immense forces have not yet given, one day they will give us back our freedom
Niet de Chinezen maar de Rockefeller Foundation in 2010
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwUXLykvBu4
German psychologist explains it clearly, the corona measures are torture methods that are also used in China and North Korea
Duitse psycholoog legt het duidelijk uit, de coronamaatregelen zijn foltermethodes die ook worden toegepast in China en Noord Korea
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdUNkPERLbg
twitter.com/i/status/1387893178267848706
Texas March1, 2021 end of political pandemic
www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/ron-paul-how-texas-killed-covid
"Avant, j'étais une brebis égarée, sur les chemins de l'hygiène, je ne savais pas "(Karim Duval)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_48gKagPaB0
Jacques Attali, socialiste national et génocidaire
www.mythdetector.ge/en/myth/what-written-jacques-attalis-...
au printemps 2020, le gouvernement a autorisé le recours à des médicaments palliatifs habituellement interdits. ( en Belgique aussi )
www.francetvinfo.fr/sante/maladie/coronavirus/video-covid...
HOW TO FAKE A PANDEMIC AND INTRODUCE FASCISM WITHOUT RESISTANCE
www.martinvrijland.nl/nieuws-analyses/how-to-fake-a-pande...
The side that is locking people up for the crime of being healthy, arresting protesters, pepper spraying kids, beating up grannies, banning books and electronic messages, censoring social media, sending threatening letters, forcing small businesses to close, urging people to dob in dissenters and banning safe drugs that have worked for 60 years are all on the wrong side of history.(Malcolm Roberts)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iI12bTqpmaM
NL: www.ninefornews.nl/kijk-australische-senator-geeft-een-va...
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Mars 2020. COVID-19. « Pandémie » Premier confinement. Perte presque sans précédent des libertés annonçant la ruine de la France, tant spirituelle, que matérielle et économique.
Nous avons depuis, subi en continu le lavage de cerveau distillé par les médias propagandistes « mainstream », financés par les milliardaires asservis au pouvoir, imposant une propagande inique, lavant le cerveau des Français, au gré d’une désinformation permanente
www.francesoir.fr/opinions-tribunes/covid-19-diagnostic-t...
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Geen medicatie maar sedatie, geronticide
www.ninefornews.nl/journaliste-doet-schokkende-ontdekking...
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Jan Theuninck has been painting the evolution of Western totalitarianism for 20 years - he saw the evolution within the political spectrum where the socialist parties were lost (Fagospatose, 2001) in the Third Way (The third way is no way, 2004) movement of Clinton , Blair and Schröder with which they gave a face to communitarianism of the New World Order. He has often compared the latter to a new kind of National Socialism. His attention has always been fixed thanks to the more than 50 years of misery with blackmail games of the services and torture practices with chemical and energy weapons (Beyond the limit, 2001, Rinascimento, 2009, The culture of learned helplessness, 2011, Neostasi, 2012, Derailed system , 2012, The banality of Evil, 2013, Zersetzung, 2014, ils nous tiennent, 2015, Submission, 2015, Threat, 2016, Utopia, 2016, Conformity, 2017, Brainwashing, 2018, Warnung, 2019, Dein Kampf, 2019, Censorship, 2020, Post-truth society, 2020 and in 2021: Political Pandemic, New World Order, The Great Reset, Angel Vaccine, Aryan Corona Passport, Cytokine Storm, Back from never been away .
(In 2014 he already painted Virus Attack without believing that this would become a climax of the Davos counter-revolution years later)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jan Theuninck is a Belgian painter
www.boekgrrls.nl/BgDiversen/Onderwerpen/gedichten_over_sc...
www.forumeerstewereldoorlog.be/wiki/index.php/Yperite-Jan...
www.graphiste-webdesigner.fr/blog/2013/04/la-peinture-bel... (année 2016)
www.eutrio.be/expo-west-meets-east
"Hi Doctor Blue," said the man on the phone. "I'm 55 years old and I'm a compulsive masturbator."
"How compulsive?" asked the radio psychologist, a woman in her 60s with more than a little experience with the subject at hand.
"Oh," said the man. "It's pretty bad. Five, six, seven times a day."
"Oh," said the psychologist. "And do you have a job?"
"Yes," said the man.
"Are you successful?"
"Yes," he said, sounding somewhat incredulous. "Believe it or not, I am. But I'm sure I could be a lot more successful if I wasn't... you know. Taking matters into my hands all the time."
"Right," said the psychologist. "Here's what I want you to do. Are you okay financially? Do you have a partner? Does your partner work?
"Yes," said the man. "Yes to all of the above."
"Good," said Doctor Blue. "Here's what I want you to do."
"Hang on," said the man. "I need to get a pen."
"Don't bother," said the doctor. "This is easy to remember."
"Okay," the man said. "Shoot."
"What I want you to do," said the doctor, "is schedule a vacation. Take six or eight or... hell... even 20 weeks away from your job. And do nothing but masturbate... all day, every day."
The man said nothing in response so the doctor said, "Are you still there? Did you hear what I said?"
"Uhh, yes," said the man. "I heard you."
"So?" said the doctor. "Can you do that for me? Seriously. Just try it, alright? And call me back when the time is up, and see how you're feeling."
So the man took the radio psychologist's advice. He cancelled all his work obligations and, for the next six months, did little other than eat, sleep and masturbate. His world grew very small and dark, lit only by his fantasies.
At the end of this period, his penis was rubbed raw. Even with the slipperiest lubes he could find, his skin couldn't handle the friction.
There was friction in his relationship, too. His partner soon grew tired of his "therapy," not to mention having to be the household's sole provider. On top of that, the partner wasn't getting any sex because the man was too busy (and sore from) masturbating.
When the six months was done, the man called back to Doctor Blue and her radio show and reported what had happened. He was not feeling happy. Not at all.
"Good," said the doctor. "See?"
But the man didn't see. "What do you mean?" he asked. "What am I supposed to see?"
"Well," she said. "How do you feel about masturbating now?"
He paused. "It hurts."
"What else?" she prompted.
"Well," he said, "it's ruining my relationship. And, after months of not working, not bringing in any money, I feel like a loser, like a parasite."
"And what do you have to show for your six months off?" she asked.
"Other than a VISA bill the size of Mount Everest? And a bad case of chafing? Not much," he said.
"See?" she replied. "You've learned your lesson."
"Huh?" he said. "I don't follow. What, exactly, do you think I've learned?"
"That anything done to the exclusion of everything else soon loses its attraction."
"But," he said. "I still want to masturbate. Every day. All the time."
"Yeah, well," said the doctor. "That's life. And that's your other lesson from all of this. You are who you are, and you do what you do, and the way you've found to cope with it, all on your own, is probably the best you'll ever do."
The man was silent.
Not because he had nothing to say. In fact, he had a lot to say. He was angry. And let down. And frustrated. And chafed, dammit. But no one in the listening audience got to hear that part, because, as soon as the man had said "I still want to..." his phone line had, courtesy of Doctor Blue's producer, gone dead.
So the man went back to work, and back to his old routines, and that was pretty much that. He got over his anger, and his chafing healed, and he started having sex with his partner again, and masturbating half a dozen times a day again.
One afternoon, as he was rushing to squeeze one more in (or out, as the case may be), he felt his brain go back to a place where it hadn't been in a long time. He found himself, fleetingly, wishing he could just chuck everything else and do nothing but masturbate, forever.
And then he remembered: he had tried that. And six months had been too long. So, surely, forever would not be a good thing. And speaking of things, his apparatus was suddenly limp in his hands. As if it had, finally, lost its allure.
...nothing funny or fancy today.....
It looks like a brain to me...
While preparing a new project, I came across the fascinating psychologist George A. Miller:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magical_Number_Seven,_Plus_or_M...
Fuji GSW 690 III
65mm 5.6
Fuji RVP 100F expired 2005
Sekonic L-758D
Handheld 1/15 second
As a psychologist, I’ve often come across people who are rigidly skeptical about such things as paranormal phenomena, religious experiences, Freud, and multiple personality disorders. First, they will say there is no scientific evidence to support it. Then, when presented with such evidence, they will insist it’s not good research, even though they can’t explain what “good” research is – or, if they succeed in finding flaws, they refuse to acknowledge that even the best research in psychology has flaws. As a last resort, they’ll simply dismiss all of psychology with a wave of the hand.
I have to say that I’m skeptical of such skeptics, especially those “professional skeptics” whose mission to debunk something they simply refuse to believe makes me think of that famous quote from Shakespeare. Me thinks he doth protest too much.
The american psychologist Harry Harlow (best known for his maternal-separation, social isolation experiments on rhesus monkeys) and his partner describe how they had the “fascinating idea” of inducing depression by “allowing baby monkeys to attach to cloth surrogate mothers who could become monsters:
The first of these monsters was a cloth monkey mother, who, upon schedule or demand, would eject high-pressure compressed air. It would blow the animals skin practically off its body. What did the baby monkey do? It simply clung tighter and tighter to the mother, because a frightened infant clings to its mother at all costs. We did not achieve any psychopathology. However, we did not give up. We built another surrogate monster mother that would rock so violently that the babys head and teeth would rattle. All the baby did was cling tighter and tighter to the surrogate. The third monster we built had an embedded wire frame within its body which would spring forward and eject the infant from its ventral surface. The infant would subsequently pick itself off the floor, wait for the frame to return into the cloth body, and then cling again to the surrogate. Finally, we built our porcupine mother. On command, this mother would eject sharp brass spikes over all of the ventral surface of its body. Altough the infants were distressed by these pointed rebuffs, they simply waited until the spikes receded and then returned and clung to the mother …
Peter Singer, Animal Liberation
Have you ever felt so low with no energy, no will, no visions... or even worse, feeling NOTHING at all? Quite a lot of times people neglect the need of mental health, because it’s so incredibly important to be aware and take care of it. It’s as important as your physical body!
In this post I’m coming out publicly for the first time about my mental condition. One thing for sure, I’ve been doing so much MUCH better compare to 3 years ago, 5 years ago, and so on. For so many years I didn’t know how much I needed professional help because most people around me just thought of me being weird, dramatic, and too emotional at times. They told me to not sweat it, be happy, and move on. I’ve tried so many things even changing my lifestyle for the better which worked in a way, but it has never been “permanent”. So last year was the first time I went to a psychologist and found about my clinical depression, but worse... I have a high chance, a slim thread, in developing split personality. So l’m dealing with bipolar but not sure what type yet.
The very first self harm I did was when I was 13 years old, and I didn’t know why I did it. Some family member found out and instead of supporting me they just got angry for doing something “stupid”. My worst self harming experience happened between 2011-2016. But after that I stopped ever since. But the worst of all... I had several suicide attemps as well. Anyway, I just want you to know that if you’re dealing with any mental issues please do SEEK HELP! If you don’t have the budget then go talk to a loving supportive community. I will be sharing more of this sometime soon. Also, I actually created this piece last year but never got to post it. I send you much love & light✨
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I was really quite perturbed this morning to read that University College London psychologists have concluded that always looking on the bright side of life can be bad for you. According to this new research, feeling under stress helps us cope better with bad news. The scientists say that the discovery adds to increasing evidence that pressure is sometimes a good thing and sheds fresh light on depression. Experiments in the laboratory and real world found stress combats the human tendency to be over-optimistic. You can read about it here www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-6032201/Always-looking...
But this study seems to be complete rubbish like pretty well every other report you ever read regarding a healthy lifestyle. There is no magic formula for happiness and health.
Apparently optimists, like me, don't cope so well with disappointment....if it happens. I suppose the fall is greater. They say stress helps in preparing for disappointment. Whereas a depressed pessimist is used to it. And being down is just normal for another day. But the report seems to conclude stress is also bad for you. Probably worse than being an optimist.
I'm not going to let myself be worked up by the thought of how long it took this team to conclude this study, or how much it stressed them, and how much tax payers money was wasted on this, but with all those brain cells, couldn't they do something more worthwhile? When I was briefly at Uni I was surprised at how many chose to take Psychology as one of their subjects in First Year. It seemed they were all optimistic it was an easy option. I was never aware that any of them was able to put their studies to any good use afterwards
When crossing the troll's slate bridge, taking you into the magic forest at Dinorwic quarry, I like to think optimistically: that the slate won't suddenly crack and pitch me downwards. And that I won't slip on its wet top and slide over the unguarded edge. Or that some troll will come out from under it. Or that ghosts won't emerge from the dark ruins hiding in the fog amongst the trees beyond
The slight trepidation I feel within parts of the vast quarry add to the atmosphere and experience. The exercise and adventure calms me. Makes the world feel good. And I can carry on being the eternal optimist. For good or bad.
When examining advertising campaigns throughout history different political, economic, and social issues are very obvious. Advertising always seems to mirror not only what is occurring across mass society, but also the themes unique to a diverse group of sub cultures in society during a particular time period. After closely exploring fashion ads throughout history it was clear how the ideas about body image have changed over time. Gradually it has become acceptable to show more and more skin and advertising in general has become much more sexualized. In the book Adorned in Dreams, Elizabeth Wilson explained how people have used fashion as a way to represent themselves and their reactions to society across the decades. She says, “In all societies the body is ‘dressed’, and everywhere dress and adornment play symbolic, communicative and aesthetic roles. Dress is always ‘unspeakably meaningful’.” Wilson goes on to describe how in the twentieth century the integrity of dress has progressed to disassociate itself from the rigid behavioral codes that once sustained it. Fashion has been freed to become both an aesthetic vehicle for experiments in taste and political means of expression for dissidence, rebellion and social reform. In this book Elizabeth has set up an important foundation for further analysis into current fashion advertising. Many of the issues presented in contemporary advertising convey very similar messages about body images; however more distinctions can be made based on the market a particular ad is targeting.
As illustrated through the movie “Happiness Machines”, an important tool in advertising is the ability to create desire. The “desire”/ Consumer society was born after World War I as a response to the fears of the new industrial society that was a product in America from the war. Based on what Bernays had previously learned from his Uncle, Sigmund Freud, about the human mind and subconscious thinking, he realized this would require him to transform the way society thought about products and turn America from a needs based society into a desire culture. He had to create the new types of customers. Bernays began to create many of the techniques of mass consumer persuasion we still use today. He began to glamorize products by placing advertisements linking products with celebrities who used them. He used product placements in movies and dressed the stars for film premiers with the clothes and jewelry from other firms her represented. He told car companies they could sell cars as symbols of male sexuality. He also employed psychologists to claim a product was good for you and pretended they were independent studies. Finally he paid celebrities to repeat the new and essential message; you bought things not just out of need but to express your inner sense of yourself to others. “Wearing certain clothes will make you more attractive”. This caused a change in society called consumerism.
Today desire is still constructed through political, cultural, and economic conditions, but it is also invested with the power to authorize and normalize those conditions (Helstein, That’s Who I Want to be: The Politics and Production of Desire within Nike Advertising to Women). Susan Bordo described how ads play off of the female fear of food and desire to gain control. In Hunger as Ideology Susan Bordo explains the negative effects advertising has on womens’ body image. Throughout history advertising has played off of womens’ fear of food and desire to gain control and while doing so has embedded the idea that men are superior to women and food should be feared by women, as it is a sign of weakness. Marketers try to sell products by showing it as a tool to gain control over some aspect of their lives. Not only do advertisements play off of females’ struggle for control, they also must be considered as gender ideology- that is, as specifically servicing the cultural reproduction of gender differences and gender inequality, quite independent of marketing concerns. Although it is arguable, these desires seems to be an underlying theme in most advertisements. Different markets have unique desires that take precedence in their lives, thus the major distinctions between modern fashion ads lies in the specific market a brand is targeting.
One of the most dominant types of fashion advertising is that of high-end brands. The pages of fashion magazines are filled with ads for brands such as Gucci, Dolce and Gabbana, Fendi, Christian Dior, and Prada just to name a few. Although all the brands have unique ads with their distinct trademark on them, there is an eerie similarity between them all. Slender, blonde, Caucasian females seem to dominate the script for high-end fashion advertising. Although in the 21st century advertising seems to becoming more culturally diverse, even the “ethnic” models have very westernized features. The typical ad depicts this female adorned in the latest fashions by the designer and is preposterously posed in a glamorous setting. Often times sex appeal is created either from the way the model is posed or the ‘lack’ of clothing covering her body. Occasionally males are used in these ads as an accessory to the women. Although society in general has become immune to these imagines since they have become so common, the messages they enforce about body images are not acceptable.
According to The Beauty Myth, as found in the Naomi Wolf readings, a thin, white, blonde woman is considered the 'perfect woman' and the most beautiful woman to feature. The typical high-end fashion ad plays to that stereotype. In The Beauty Myth, Wolf argues that it is men that create this idea of what or whom is "beautiful". It is the men in society that deem white, thin, blonde woman as beautiful, not women. Men create these "beauties" so that culture can remain male and male dominated, as argued by Wolf. The idea of male dominance is very clear in the advertising industry. The readings from Fresh Lipstick by Scott support this idea of the male dominated gaze. Scott mentioned that a male point-of-view shot is just another way for men to continue to dominate society.
This first set of ads comes from the Fall/Winter 2007 fashion ad campaigns of some of the top high-end designers in the industry. Many of the models are either well known super models of famous celebrities. Ads like these are extremely common today in the fashion industry. They are neither innovative nor distinct and they only help to reinforce the body image crisis currently plaguing the general public.
The role the fashion industry plays on society is haunting. The westernized ideals and images of beauty are rapidly scattering through humanity. As discussed in Making the Body Beautiful by Gilman, aesthetic surgery is a growing industry. More and more people want to have western features and the age of the patients undergoing these surgeries keeps getting younger. Gilman said, “Patients seeking rhinoplasty…frequently show signs of guilt-tinged, second-generation rejection of their ethnic background masked by excuses, such as not photographing well.” When people are constantly bombarded with images of Caucasian females modeling the latest fashions and depicted as the “ideal beauty” it creates a desire to have those same features. “Happiness in our modern world is in part defined by the desire to vanish into the world beyond ourselves where there is no difference. We want to become happy like everyone else and thus be absolutely unique in our happiness. This contradiction is at the heart of the matter. The heart of the matter in aesthetic surgery is the common human desire to ‘pass’ (Gilman, 330).” By filling the fashion magazines with models that all share similar features it creates the idea that through plastic surgery one can achieve those same features and in doing so fit into society.
Another popular type of high-end fashion advertising is shock value. Certain brands choose to fulfill their consumer’s need for desire by use of shock value. These ads typically depict a fantasy world in which they illustrate deep desires that might not be considered proper to openly discuss. An example of this type of advertising is the Fall/Winter 2007 ad campaign by Dolce and Gabbana. According to Domenico Dolce the image is artistic and was meant to “recall an erotic dream, a sexual game.” Protesters complained that the ad depicted rape and was demeaning to women. Spain’s Labor and Social Affairs Ministry said in a statement, “One could infer from the advertisement that it is acceptable to use force as a way of imposing oneself on a woman, reinforced by the passive and complicit manner of the men looking on.”
This ad continues to be filled with Caucasian individuals all scantily clad and exposing extremely cut bodies. Naomi Wolf, in The Beauty Myth, explains how images such as this can have negative consequences on men as well as women. “So powerful is pornography, and so smoothly does it blend in with the advertising of products…that many women find their own fantasies and self-images distorted too…So rare is it to see sexual explicitness in the context of love and intimacy on screen that it seems our culture treats tender sexuality as if it were deviant or deprived, while embracing violent or degrading sex as right and healthy (Wolf, 140).” Men also face the stereotypic ideal of how they are supposed to look and act; men must be in shape, toned, tall, with good hair, teeth and eyes. Today, men make up one-third of all cosmetic surgeries. Images are damaging and may lead to inferiority and inadequacy, and can lead to cosmetic surgery. Men are finally understanding and feeling the affects that advertising and unrealistic expectations of beauty. However, women have been dealing with these issues throughout history.
Along with enforcing very negative messages about body images through the use of male positioning and facial expressions the ad creates a very negative message about male superiority. The men is this ad are holding the female down and forcing themselves upon her. She looks on with a very blank expression, implying that she is dazed and not enjoying herself. The men in the background are just looking on and not doing anything to help her or interfere with the act. In Fresh Lipstick Scott mentions the arguments Beauvior makes that women have an inbreed fear of being raped and becoming the sexual prey of men. Women learn to see themselves as an object viewed from the outside, thus she begins to dress in a way to attract a lover. This involves imagining how one might appear to the desired male (226). This ad perpetuates this fear and seems to allocate rape.
Although the ad campaigns for high-end fashion brands may seem innocent at first glance, upon further investigation it is obvious that they are enforcing negative messages about body image. If these brands clutter society with so many negative messages surrounding body images, how can they continue to remain so popular? It seems as though the designers of these ads knows that their main audience viewing their actual campaigns are not their actual clients purchasing the products. The majority of the people who wear these clothes have personal shoppers or stylists who buy their clothes for them. Rather, the images in these ads are designed to create a desire among a lower class of society to achieve this rich and luxurious lifestyle; however, the consequences resulting from the message of how to achieve this particular lifestyle is devastating.
In Self-Help, Inc. McGee describes how there is a growing interest in the self-help society. The movement can be traced all the way back to the Bible as the first example of a self-help book. Today there is a book to teach people how to help themselves succeed in just about every aspect of life. Advertising seems to foster self-anxieties and endless imperfections. It is important to acknowledge the growth of this trend in society since it seems to parallel a slow shift toward more conscious advertising. In the early 1990s sales of self help books went up 6% following the trends in society of unemployment and a bad economy. In the past ten years there has been a noticeable amount of ads produced in effort to portray positive messages about the body.
The ad campaign by the French brand Nolita is an attempt to create a more positive message about the body image. The author of the campaign is famous Italian photographer Oliviero Toscani. The campaign is designed toward young women who keep up with fashion and is called to draw public attention to such awful disease as anorexia. The ad billboards feature a 27 years old French woman named Isabella Caro who weighs a mere 68 pounds. She says that she has decided to show her body for people to know and to see how the disease impacts the body. It is common knowledge that there is a major problem with eating disorders in the fashion industry. As previously mentioned the typical model has an abnormally tall slender frame. Maintaining this body image is generally unnatural, but models will go to any length to ensure that they stay at a dangerously low body weight.
Women are continually bombarded with advertisements and commercials for weight-loss products and programs. This type of advertising has been around for a long time and continues to enforce negative views of food for women. The media starts targeting girls from a young age and over time the idea is cemented in girl’s heads that food is bad. Many of the advertisements show the power that food has over women. They illustrate how the female psyche is in a constant state of starvation through their efforts to sell products that can create a “cool” or casual relationship with food for women. The issues surrounding food are a lot deeper and more serious than advertisements are willing to admit. Most often women feel upset and depressed and unhappy when they discuss compulsive eating or over indulgence. Since the Victorian era it has been considered taboo to show women eating, particularly in sensuous surrender to rich, exciting food (Hunger as Ideology, Susan Bordo).
Naomi Wolf made a lot of important points about the gravity of eating disorders. She illustrated how it is a vicious cycle that can often lead to death. When people diet the body often feels as if it is starving and chemicals in the head get messed up. It is really hard to control and basically anyone who diets is at equal risk for becoming anorexic or bulimic. Female fat is a sign of sexuality and reproductive ability. There have never been any studies on females that indicate being over weight can lead to other health concerns or put them at higher risk for death. Every study that has been done on obesity has involved male subjects; yet, females are the ones put under constant pressure from society and the media to be thin. It is acceptable for men to be fat, and men should have hardy appetites. It is age old and universal that if there is ever a shortage of food the women are the first to do without. In reality women really need just about as many calories as men and women suffer more serious problems if they are malnourished. Eating disorders effect a significant population in society. It is really scary because it is such a psychological problem that is seems there is no real way to prevent any one person from getting it unless the entire mind set of basically the world is transformed (The Beauty Myth, 179-116).
This ad from Nolita is defiantly a step in the right direction; however it does not do enough. Rather than say how to help someone with an eating disorder it almost seems to criticize the individual with the problem. People with eating disorders already have very flawed and negative self-images. Although this image is not seen as sexualized at all, it is merely because of the condition the model is in. She is still naked and being shot from a male gaze. It seems like a more effective approach would be to illustrate ways to prevent the problem or find a path to recovery; however, it is nice to see the problem is finally being recognized in the fashion industry.
Although the fashion industry is filled with images that perpetuate negative body images in society there seems to be some hope for improvement in the new century. It is very difficult to find ads that do a really good job of portraying positive body images, but they do exist. Some brands do a really good job of producing campaigns that portray a positive body image. United Colors of Benetton has a really unique campaign. It is interesting to note that the photographer for this campaign is also Oliviero Toscani, who shot the pictures of Isabella Caro for the Nolita campaign. Benetton Group's advertising campaigns are not only a means of communication but an expression of our time. Through their universal impact, they have succeeded in attracting the attention of the public and in standing out amid the current clutter of images.
The latest campaign by the United Colors of Benetton depicts the faces of four different species of apes. The print reads, “If we don’t do anything to save them, in ten to 15 years the great apes could disappear from the majority of the areas where they now live.” There were about two million chimps in Africa one hundred years ago, now there are little more than 150,000. They are dying out as a result of the expanding human population, deforestation, the destruction of their habitat, hunting and traps. The situation of mountain gorillas and orang-utans is even worse. The number of wild apes is falling while the number of orphans in sanctuaries is rising. This campaign does a great job of bringing awareness to important social issues. Some of the other ads depict the problems with starvation, AIDS and heart disease to name a few. Several of the communication projects created by Fabrica, Benetton’s research center have also been developed in cooperation with prestigious associations (including FAO, UNV, WFP) obtaining important acknowledgements at an international level.
Although these ads do not show the clothes, it creates the desire to help fight these problems. Through the campaign people realize that United Colors of Benetton does a lot of work with different organizations and that through buying this brand they are helping to support a very good cause. In that sense it is effective in creating a desire and does not perpetuate the negative body images that the fashion industry has been continually associated with.
Another genre of fashion advertising that seems to do a good job of portraying positive body images is in campaigns for athletic apparel. Currently both Adidas and Nike are attempting to produce campaigns that generate positive body images and messages. Nike’s campaign is a good effort to demonstrate more positive messages about body image, but it has been causing a lot of controversy. Nike’s new ad campaign, “Big Butts, Thunder Thighs, and Tomboy Knees” has been criticized because they highlight the butt, thighs, and knees of women athletes who could hardly by any means be considered out of shape. The campaign seems to have back fired and while those butts, thighs and knees should be praised, the manner that the ad presents the body parts almost condemns them. As explained in The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf, in modern society women are expected to have split personalities and lifestyles. Women feel pulled in different directions, such as housewife, working women, athletic social, etc. It seemed that this would have been a great opportunity for Nike to reach the diverse desires of all women, but this campaign does not seem to be there quite yet.
While the campaign seems to have stayed away from the typical genre of fashion advertising, it is not very effective in creating a more positive body image. The images are black and white and shot in a way to eliminate the male gaze or cultural inequalities. However, the depiction of these well-oiled, muscle crunching body parts has sparked some questions. If the message is supposed to be about authenticity, hard work, and in-your-face reality, how about showing a little more sweat and a little less creatine? Furthermore, this ad seems to be appealing to current Nike customers while the whole point of advertising is to try and attract new consumers. Finally, the ad is a copy of the dove campaign which totally strips it of any creative or unique credit the campaign could have been given.
The Adidas campaign launches a new global basketball movement featuring NBA All-Stars Tracy McGrady, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Chauncey Billups and Gilbert Arenas. The movement of the “It Takes 5IVE” campaign is based on the idea of believing in something bigger than the individual-believing in five, believing in team. Adidas wanted to tap into the idea that there is more to the game then just individual achievement and focus on the value of being part of a team. That is the true spirit of the game of basketball. By bringing together five of the game’s most successful athletes and having them deliver the message that real success can only come from being part of a team, and that any individual achievements cannot measure to the success that five players on the court can achieve together shows that teamwork is the most essential aspect to a team sport.
This campaign seems to do a much better job of creating a positive message; however the message creates a desire for team work to help you succeed. While this is a good message, it is not a positive message about body image. Since this campaign stays away from assisting the fashion industry in creating negative body images and more importantly negative overall messages, it is a pretty good campaign.
Finally there are a few campaigns from popular designers that do a rather good job of staying away from continuing the negative body images being produced by the fashion industry. Both Tommy Hilfigure and Old Navy have ads that completely stay away from the body and in that sense they are not effective at creating a positive body image either, rather they are neutral. In the Tommy Hilfigure ad a herd of sheep are standing in front of an American Flag and the tag line reads “follow the flock.” This ad is cute and creates the desire to fit in and then eludes to the idea that through buying Tommy Hilfigure clothing you will be like everyone else; however, as previously stated, people in society today desire control over their destination and the idea of being like everyone else seems to distract from the notion of controlling one’s destiny. The Old Navy ad also uses animals by creating ads depicting images of their icon dog. These ads are effective at getting the name of the brand to the public, but it creates no desire and is therefore not as effective as the Tommy Hilfigure ad.
Overall, fashion advertising is dominated by ads that encourage negative body image through highly sexualized poses, a majority of male gazes, and unrealistic body types. There is not enough cultural diversity in today’s fashion advertising. The ads are effective at creating desire; however, the desire is to achieve unrealistic and unhealthy goals. In the past few years some very significant changes have been made, but it isn’t enough right now. It is a gradual process so it will probably take some time before any major noticeable differences appear on the pages of the top fashion magazines. Hopefully the steps that are taking place now will have a lasting positive impact on the body images created through future fashion advertising.
I have always been the entertainer in the family. I suppose psychologists would blame that on being the middle child, and I suppose astrologists would blame it on being a Gemini, but I blame it on being precocious and having a vivid imagination. Whatever the reason, I learned early that I could act, and so I did.
I got the lead rôles in just about every play and musical I was in. Prince Charming, Trapper John, etc etc etc. I was picked to be in a TV commercial for (against?) child abuse — I'd forgotten that 'til just now.
Of course, such natural skills came in useful in real life™ as well. I won't say I was a liar, but I was about as truthful as Tom Sawyer when need be. I don't think I ever got in serious trouble because I could sell my version of the truth (except when the girls grabbed me in the school yard and serially kicked me, necessitating me whuppin' all three and the subsequent visit to the principal).
These days I am perfectly comfortable speaking in front of crowds. What I haven't gotten over is my fear of karaoke, which is surprising given that I have a fine voice. I suppose I am scared by the thought that I am a contestant in American Idol, although unlike most of this week's contestants, I wouldn't have a problem remembering the words.
This is my one hundred sixteenth daily self-portrait for 365 Days and the letter E for An Alphabet of Life.
15 March 2007
About this image. I have learned that I am just plain crap at cloning. My software is not up to snuff and my skills are weak. Sorry. I tried hard, but it wasn't working. So, I cropped my head and floated it over the background. I think it is a surreal version of the comedy/tragedy masks.