ain’t really your life, ain’t really ain’t nothing but a movie. Repeat. Ad infinitum. Was reminded today, after reading a superb review of Thomas de Zengotita’s book Mediated, of how much my life resembles a B movie.  A really, really unoriginal B movie.  Thoroughly mediated.  Thoroughly cliche. Can you think of any moment in your [...]

Another article glossing over the significance of soft power for the easier-to-comprehend (and market) horrors (fascination?) of physical violence. For those unfamiliar with HTS Since 2007, the Pentagon’s Human Terrain System (HTS) has been placing social scientists in every Army combat brigade, regiment and Marine Corps regimental combat team. There are now more than 500 [...]

This photo helps anchor Tristes Tropiques in reality for me.  Hard to believe he’s nearing his 101st birthday.  Thanks @kerim for this. This beast of an intellectual is one of the few scholars who are responsible for blowing my mind all over the place with their theories of humanity.  I still use his ideas on [...]

From a new Ad Age white paper, with projections on the 2010 Census: “The concept of an ‘average American’ is gone, probably forever,” demographics expert Peter Francese writes in 2010 America, a new Ad Age white paper. “The average American has been replaced by a complex, multidimensional society that defies simplistic labeling.” The message to [...]

“A new report by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project shows that the internet is not changing the fundamental socio-economic character of civic engagement in America. When it comes to online activities such as contributing money, contacting a government official or signing an online petition, the wealthy and well-educated continue to lead [...]

Came across an interesting report via MindHacks on the different conceptions of happiness between East Asians and European-Americans.  I’m always happy to see research that closely and thoughtfully considers the impact of culture on pretty much any behavior or concept often taken as universal.  As an anthropology and psychology student I always approached psychological research [...]

1.  First of all, know what fois gras is. 2.  Take a class on etiquette.  And romance. 3.  When she asks if she’s fat, say no.  Tell her she’s beautiful and that, in fact, she should eat more because she looks too thin. 4.  Being French means loving to cook.  Really cook.  Not what we [...]