The internet is buzzing with information. But sometimes we place our attention in the wrong places. Amidst the beauty hauls, morning routines, and gaming videos; there is a inspiring, thoughtful and pensive corner of the internet; ready for those willing to seek it. Read more to find out websites and youtube channels that will feed you hunger for thought.
The New York Times
This recommendation is definitely approved by your english teacher; and rightfully so, as it is a genuinely good source for current affairs, innovative thoughts, and information on the arts. My favourite part of the NYT is a toss-up between the T Magazine and the Opinion Pages. On one hand, I appreciate the sophisticated approach when commenting about culture and art; on the other, I love the personal take on current affairs that these writers carefully and logically craft out. Regardless, one thing is for sure: head here for quality journalism.
Vox
While the news website is good, nothing gets better than the youtube channel. I am not talking about their coverage on the 2016 US presidential debate, but rather their innovative explorations into sciences, history and art. My favourite series is Vox Almanac where Vox’s Phil Edwards explores bizarre topics ranging from the oxford comma, internet bars and the salem witch trials. Here you find answers to questions that you didn’t know you wanted the answers to.
Blank on Blank
‘Blank on Blank’ is exactly like what the channel suggests: blank, insert famous person; on blank, insert a provocative topic. I found this channel through the video of Carl Sagan on Extraterrestrials, and fell in love with almost every video since. The list of icons range from Kurt Cobain to Heath Ledger, from John Lennon to Robin Wiliams. I cannot tell if I appreciate this channel more for it’s uncovered voice interviews from the past, or for its quirky doodles that only accentuate the content that these interesting people talk about.
The School of Life
Started by one of my favourite pessimistic intellectual, Alain de Botton, ‘The School of Life’ is a channel that essentially tries to teach life lessons that are normally not found in school. It explores vital ideas to do with love, relationships, sex, society and art. As an avid philosophy student, my favourite parts of this channel is its interesting videos on philosophy, that are always paired with stylistic animations. However, other parts of this channel may seem preachy and obnoxious.
Brain Pickings
What is essentially a blog filled to the brim with accounts of inspiring people and their thoughts on certain life matters, is everyone’s crash-course into the world of ideas and creative thought. To anyone that is interested in literature, arts or film; this blog is for you as it encompasses ideas from all these fields. Although the content may get a bit repetitive, It is a miracle that the author Maria Popova writes and runs this blog all by herself!
Even though summer is coming to a close, nothing should end the feeling of lounging in the sun with a book in hand. These following books will broaden your mind with unique thoughts and foreign lands, and inspire you so much that you’ll feel like you’re wandering in an unknown place once again just like you did in your summer adventures.
+ Summer in Algiers- Albert Camus
Albert Camus’ famous collection ‘The Myth of Sisyphus’, may be tedious to many, but within it are many hidden gems -- ‘Summer of Algiers’ is one of them. The light-hearted, descriptive style of writing is beautifully crafted to recreate the beauty of Algiers. Spanning only a few pages, I completed this on a bus en route to a beach located faraway from the city followed by another similar essay called ‘The Minotaur’. When I arrived at the beach I had a remarkable appreciation for the sparkle in seas, the simple joys of sunbathers; and a strong nostalgia for a city that I’ve never been to -- oceans across and decades ago.
+ On Photography- Susan Sontag
As someone that loves taking photos, this book gave me a new perspective on photography and it’s impact in the 21st century. It is extremely relevant in a time of visual culture especially with the presence of apps such as Instagram and Snapchat. After reading this book I became aware of the implications of photography, and conscious of the power this art form has on perception and understanding.
+ The Secret History- Donna Tartt
Last summer I completed the literary genius ‘The Goldfinch,’ a book that is more similar to a brick than a readable text with it’s 784 pages. This rewarding experience inspired me to try ‘The Secret History,’ a more compact and shorter read. However, this does not make it lacking of Tartt’s interesting style. Themes such as art and beauty that are found in her other works are present in this too. While the storyline might be slightly disturbing at times, after all it starts off with a murder, but one thing is for sure: the gripping story line surely makes it hard to put down once you start reading.
+ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe- CS Lewis
It is safe to say that Narnia (just like Harry Potter) were the books of my childhood. Many long summer days were spent lying on my bed, reading these captivating fantasies, imagining what Aslan would be like in real life. The idea of talking trees, white witches and a wardrobe that can transport you to a mysterious place was (and still is) so fascinating to me that I believe anyone, even adults will be blown away by the rich imagination that flows through the lines of CS Lewis.
+ Franny and Zooey- JD Salinger
Although I’ve read this book a few summers back, very little books have stuck with me for so long. Just like ‘The Catcher in the Rye’, it isn’t written to be interesting; in fact it lacks thrilling plot points to create the slight excitement. Instead, it is a book that examines the human condition with great precision, leaving small details for you to relish in by the time the story closes.
For the longest time, the art world have been a boys club -- the Guerrilla Girls remind us of this constantly. But with the shifting dynamics of artists, we see a more honest depiction of the female form and a gradual emphasis on sensibilities. These following female photographers redefines the way the world is portrayed; this time through the eyes of girls.
Charlotte Wales- @charlottemwales
I first stumbled upon this photographer after watching this stunning Vogue video, turns out her ability to make people glisten and glow is not exclusive to her cinematography but to her photography as well.
Olivia Bee- @oliviab33
Olivia’s heart-breakingly raw portrayals are coming-of-age stories through her camera lenses. While the lighting and colours create a dreamy effect, it is the stories she creates with the people that makes her photography interesting.
Miss Bean- @missbeann
The overwhelming use of blue tones in Miss Bean’s photography makes for an unique visual experience. It conveys an simplicity that seems surreal and otherworldly at times.
Petra Collins- @petrafcollins
This former rookie contributor has the incredible ability to make some of the most high-profile celebrities relatable. Through her soft neon lights she explores millennials’ relationships with their digital selves and their habits within their homes.
Don’t forget to check out @girlgazeproject on instagram to support more female photographers!
Crowdfunding, a method of raising money by the contributions of many individuals, could potentially be the beacon of hope for many young creatives out there who want to kickstart their own businesses. However, crowdfunding’s growing influence doesn’t stop in the realm of business; instead it will pave way for a more innovative and ethical future.
The true appeal that crowdfunding has is in how it ties people together and creates something great with the help of many people that believe in the same thing. The most astonishing mark that crowdfunding have left us is an unexpected one. In fact, the Statue of Liberty was crowdfunded in 1885 through Joseph Pulitzer’s newspaper ‘The New York World’. When the statue was given to the US as a diplomatic gift, the New York Governor and the Congress refused to pay for the pedestal which meant that the Statue of Liberty couldn’t be erected. The outcome was $101,091 (equivalent to over $2.3 million) and an iconic addition to New York.
While the concept of crowdfunding is not necessarily a new one; it is indeed booming with the presence of the internet. In fact, you have probably heard about crowdfunding already. It has been everywhere: youtubers asking you to donate to their patreon, filmmakers collecting money from indiegogo, creatives launching companies from kickstarter...the list is endless.
The reason for this sudden boom is definitely caused by the accessibility social media gives us. We can easily help out a person from the other side of the world with a click of a button because of virtual currency and online payment system. Pitching ideas is also a lot more interesting with visual media such as infographics and videos. Gathering a group of people together isn’t a problem either when you can easily reach out to your instagram followers of youtube subscribers.
Many of you have heard of the phrase, “your money is your vote.” This is predominately true nowadays. Thanks to crowdfunding, we see this being applied to the field of enterprise. We can now become more involved in which companies we want, and picking in terms of our shared vision, their passion, and the potential they have. This is very much revolutionising the way business start. Before if you wanted to start a company, your only options were to use the money you have already (probably limited unless your family is well off) or get a loan from the bank. What this means is that your creativity and your potential career is literally in the hands of the bank. Since the bank checks up on your background information-- for example your race, social status, and experience -- this means that certain marginalised groups would have a lesser chance in getting a loan.
Of course, an alternative route to money will allow more creative opportunities to people that wouldn’t usually get a voice, allowing companies with more diverse visions. As people aren’t giving money with desire for money to be returned unlike banks, but rather how ideal the vision is; the companies would have more allure than how profitable it is. This could mean a rise in more ethical businesses that are more conscious about worker rights, the environment and trade ethics. This would completely change the scope of businesses, paving way for more individual businesses. It could even impact the power that big cooperations have in a way unimaginable before. It would also allow certain people to break through the cycle of poverty with a chance that wouldn’t be possible before-- now all they need is a convincing cause and a good vision.
It also allows existing creatives to break apart from cooperations larger than themselves for more creative freedom. An example could be a musician with a management and record label that restricts the way they want to be expressed. But they couldn’t leave because they don’t have enough money for their career. In this case, crowdfunding could be a viable option.
+ How will this affect YOU?
As young individuals, many of us are unsure about what we want in the future. Others might just know what they want already. Either way, this is a sign that there are multiple roads for us to go, and that there are more opportunities for us. It is a great way that could change the way we look at our careers.
People are starting to gain understanding about the control big money and cooperations have over individuals, and how it impacts our daily lives either in polices or more simple things like our consumer goods. Crowdfunding allows us to change this.
It is empowering for youths to know that they can use websites like this to achieve their ambitions especially when they have always felt restricted due to financial reasons
There is no doubt that one day you’ll find a verse or a line that will remain engrained into your memory and your heart. But the hardest part is to find this verse out of all the verses out there. Read more to find out how to find poems that you might end up loving.
+ Go to a bookshop
Spending time in a bookshop is great in that you are surrounded by so many options that you can easily jump into. Simply flick through the poetry shelf and find a book with an interesting title, or a poet that you’ve heard before but know little about. From there you can skim read the poems and see if you like the feel of it-- you never know, that might be how you’ll find your favourites!
+ Bring the search online
There are lots of online platforms that have a great and active poetry community where you can find creatives spreading their work. Tumblr and Instagram are just a few. Just search up poetry into the search bars and you’ll be ready to go. Certain searches such as #spilledink will help enhance your search. Other websites such as allpoetry and poets.org also have a wide range of poems, ranging from Shakespeare to Wilfred Owen.
+ Think school
Weirdly enough, I found most of my favourite poems through school. The reason for this could be that school, in a way, forces you to read poems outside your comfort zone; and by discussing the poem with your friends and teachers makes you feel a lot more passionate about the poem. Of course, writing numerous essays on certain poems in school might cause you to resent a poem but reading poems from school could be a good starting point.
+ Everywhere else!
Chances are, your favourite movie, band, book or celebrity have mentioned a poem before. Noone will ever forget the powerful poem scene in ‘10 Things I Hate about You’ or the “O Captain my Captain” scene from ‘Dead Poets Society.’
“But all art is sensual and poetry particularly so. It is directly, that is, of the senses, and since the senses do not exist without an object for their employment all art is necessarily objective. It doesn’t declaim or explain, it presents.” ~William Carlos Williams
Philosophy, or “Love of Wisdom” in Greek, could sound like the most tedious and unstimulating subject in the world. Or it could seem pretentious, elitist and way too complex to fathom. Truth is, all of us have probably thought about concepts linked to the field of Philosophy before. Read more to find out why Philosophy is more than the thoughts of old Greek men, and instead could be an enlightening subject to delve into.
Philosophy, to me, is an infinite exploration of thought. All these concepts of life, death, and existence, abstract and obscure, are merged seamlessly alongside more pragmatic concepts of ethics, and duty. It is a perfect mishmash of everything— there are empiricists yet there are also rationalists. For a moment, it feels like everything is connected in a disconnected way. You may not realise but Philosophy is the base of many subjects you do enjoy. Concepts could be found in Literature, Maths, Art and Science. It is really the trunk of the tree that is education.
+ The Experience
Learning philosophy is really the complete experience. There will be times where you physically want to hit your head on something because of an overly-skeptical or pretentious philosopher; yet there will be times where nothing bothers you at all. It almost doesn’t matter if there are no absolute answers anymore because of the whole process that it brings you through. Philosophy is such a broad subject that it almost seems limitless. There’s an element of imagination to philosophy especially from the always lingering “what ifs” and “what about”. At the end of the day, philosophy isn’t the place to have the best time, or to find answers; instead, it’s the place to challenge your thought, learn more about the world, and let your curiosity flourish.
+ Self-exploration
Some people think that philosophy is where you find all the answers, but it really isn’t. Why do we suffer? What is meaning? The only answer is that there are no answers, but that doesn’t take away the persistent enduring desire to know. It is like exploring the world, just in a different level. I think philosophers explore the depths of human thought, just like how astronauts explore the universe, and that is what I really admire from all these great thinkers. In a way I would like to read about these thinkers as a form of self-improvement.
+ Open-mindedness
Albert Einstein once said, “The more I learn, the more I realise how much I don't know.” This is the usual case in Philosophy. You often find yourself in limbo between opposite sides of the debate, unsure which side you completely agree with. Of course, this allows you to understand other people better, and the way they think. Your verdict wouldn’t be based on what is conventionally “right” anymore, or based on what people of your culture or people around you think; instead, it will be completely one based from your mind.
+ Self-expression
Sometimes when you try to explain what you feel towards deep philosophical ideas such as life or death, you become entangled in your thoughts, trapping you further. It’s almost like falling into quicksand. But once you read about a philosopher’s thought process, it helps you formulate your ideas in a more understandable way. You learn to approach ideas in terms of ethics and logic, and everything just makes more sense. It teaches you how to think and structure your thought. It also teaches you, simultaneously, how to pick out logical flaws. Also, whenever you feel like you’re thinking something totally absurd or unconventional, it always helps to know that somewhere on the other side of the world, maybe 500 years ago, some man with lots of facial hair thought of something more absurd and wrote a long book with around 400 pages that people now praise him for.
Sometimes you don’t need a high-budget, a crew of famous celebrities, action scenes, and twerking to make a good music video. These following music videos focus on the smaller moments or simpler ideas to flaunt the song and bring out meaning.
+ The Vaccines- I Always Knew
The dreamy, slightly nostalgic melody is reciprocated in the music video which quite literally conveys the ride that is love. With all the colours, and the movement; it almost feels like an indie rom-com condensed to less than 4mins.
+ Radiohead- No Surprises
What is essentially a one-shot of the lead singer being submerged in water, is heart-wrenching and emotive. We are drawn to music video on a completely emotional level, focusing strictly on the subtle changes of his facial expressions. The way the water slowly inches upwards only reflects the depressive element in the songs’ lyrics.
+ Sonic Youth- Incinerate
The fuzzy, lo-fi sound is presented aesthetically on a visual level. The purpose of this music video isn’t to be interesting or perfect. Instead it feels like what you’d get when holding a 90s camcorder while dancing around in a gig. But the colours and the movement only present
+ The Strokes- Hard to Explain
This song is garage rock at it’s finest. But paired with the erratic nature of this music video, it really makes it “Hard to Explain”. This music video is a compilation of clips that are utterly meaningless strung together, but possibly more meaningful separately.
A few weeks ago I was confronted by the arguably hard question:“How do you find your music?” My response was a long sigh, several shrugs and then finally “Um... spotify probably?”
“How DO I find my music?” This question triggered a spiral of thoughts and it all ended with a giant “Oh no!”. The answer wasn’t that complicated. I could trace every single song I’ve ever found from a certain spotify playlist or a certain movie I liked, or even a certain place...
This is probably the most pretentious sounding thing I will ever write. But soon after I realised that scarily enough I could link everything I enjoy together.
For example, in year 8, I went through a massive dystopian-scifi phase. Triggered by the popularity of ‘The Hunger Games’ it resulted me to find other books of the similar genre such as “1989”, a book that changed the way I think. When I went through my angsty-depressing-teen lit phase (that I’m sure many other people went through) after reading ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’, it linked me to other books such as ‘Franny and Zooey’ and ‘The Catcher in the Rye’. This is exactly the same with my music: yr9 was pop-punk, yr10 was garage rock, and now it’s shoegaze.
But what’s the problem with this anyways? Well, I have never left these genres that I was exposed to. I never read horror or mystery and in many ways I have been stuck to this web of genres, digging myself deeper, thus limiting myself. (”Limit” makes it seem purposeful, but I see the problem as more passive.) I have always viewed capital-A Art (including music, film, books and all that snazzy jazz) as a way to broaden your mind, branch out to other fields such as politics and philosophy, and relate to people that have more differences than similarities to you. I am also one of those people that take pride in my tastes of music, film, and literature. You may call it pretentious, but I see it more as self-indulgent.
The core problem is this singularity and restricted way of consumption and appreciation. We often limit ourselves to few genres or certain themes in all art forms. This might not mean we dislike other forms, it’s just that we wouldn’t be exposed to it. The reason I think, is human nature, the nature of art and the way art is marketed nowadays.
This problem is one of those that lurks like a whiff of odour in the dark alleyways of cities. It wouldn’t intoxicate anyone, but it definitely isn’t pleasant. It doesn’t directly affect any stakeholders, or cause physical nor mental harm; instead, in a larger picture, if you look at humanity, culture, individual thought in it’s entirety, it is prevalent indeed. It is a general problem, affecting many— yet, the resolution isn’t simple at all.
But... WHY IS IT A PROBLEM?
It makes it hard to branch out in ways larger than simply art
Art connects us to larger things such as politics, culture, ideas, and people. For example, a person into Anime would learn a lot more about asian culture and asian ways of living, opening their eyes to different festivals and food. But if you didn’t watch Anime, this different side would be harder to access.
We become too quick to judge
A person could easily go “I don’t like rap” by basing their opinion on a few rap songs that appear in the Hot 100s once in a while, yet
We become less open-minded to different ideas
Art is the vessel of ideas, and through it flows personal thought. Restricting one vessel (even unintentionally) restricts the person. Through art we relate to different struggles, either of race, or of social class; we understand different emotions
THE WAY WE ARE
To all those avid-psychology learners out there -- yes, this is another case that Social Identity Theory applies to. Tajfel (1979) theorised that we all belong to certain “in-groups” and “out-groups”, basically groups that we belong to and others that we don’t. Say you belong to the working class. It would only make sense for you to like and be exposed to things that people similar to you conventionally like/are exposed to. After developing this identity, it will also mean that you are more likely to develop similar tastes to people around you.
We usually talk about art and the things we like to people that like the same thing as us. Your group of friends probably like the same type of music, and this might just be of chance or because of other social factors. When talking about a shared love for a band to a friend for example, the enthusiasm and adrenaline just increases exponentially as the love keeps bouncing off each other through verbal communication. Nothing is more exhilarating than this never-ending, passionate ramble. Nothing is better than sharing a common interest.
In addition, it is hard for us to step out of our comfort zones, because we fear venturing into a genre that we might ultimately dislike. We like to read the same thing because we know that we like it. Personally, I find it harder to watch a new genre of movies (especially when I have to pay for it) because of this. This is exactly the reason why I have never watched a horror movie in the cinema before.
THE WAY ART WORKS
Alain de Botton believes that art serves five main purposes. It makes us feel hopeful by showing us things that are “aesthetic”, yet it also shows us the raw and human side in all of us. It makes up for parts of us that we feel like we lack, and it helps us appreciate little things that we usually dismiss. In a way, we appreciate the same type of things, because its the ones that triggers us the most.
This is completely true. Artists have always written with the intentions to be emotive, it is like bleeding into a page, screaming into a song, or crying through the forms of paint. All art forms, let it be music, films, or literature, allows us to feel connected, passionate, emotive, and feel enlightened with a larger beauty. This is why it is so permanently engrained in all of us.
According to Nietzsche, our view on beauty depends on the way we see things. We are the source and cause of beauty. Through Art an artist reflects the beauty within him to the word. As he famously said: "The world is a work of art that gives birth to itself.”
Most of us appreciate and love art because of it’s overwhelming beauty. Our perception of beauty is reflected in the type of art we love. However our interpretations of beauty are usually the same, hence we find ourselves constantly going deeper into one particular genre.
“Isn’t the whole point of things—beautiful things—that they connect you to some larger beauty? Those first images that crack your heart wide open and you spend the rest of your life chasing, or trying to recapture, in one way or another?” ~The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt
(The Dead Poets’ Society, 1989)
THE WAY WE CONSUME/APPRECIATE
As I mentioned before, I had a massive thing for angsty-teenage literature. (Actually my obsession over “angsty” things also stretches to the realm of music and movies.) In fact, I still do. Partly, the reason could be because just like the angsty teenagers in these books, I am one too (or so I’d like to think).
So why is this the case? Well I would like to borrow the wisdom of F Scott Fitzgerald, with a quote that is conveniently displayed on a poster in my English Literature class a wall opposite to my table.
“That is the part of the beauty of all literature, you discover that your longings are universal longings, that you’re not lonely or isolated from someone. You belong.” ~ F Scott Fitzgerald
Simply put, Fitzgerald is saying that we like the things we like because we relate to it and from this we feel less lonely and more accepted. I think this is a glorious perspective, and as a result of this I have copied it down multiple times in my Englit notebook.
Our consumption of Art is largely based on what we relate to. In The New Yorker’s article “The Scourge of Relatability” the writer Rebecca Mead talks about this idea intensively. Here she talks about how how “identification with a character is one of the pleasures of reading, or of watching movies, or of seeing plays”, and how basing the quality of books solely by “relatability” is a “failure”.
“To appreciate “King Lear”—or even “The Catcher in the Rye” or “The Fault in Our Stars”—only to the extent that the work functions as one’s mirror would make for a hopelessly reductive experience. But to reject any work because we feel that it does not reflect us in a shape that we can easily recognise—because it does not exempt us from the active exercise of imagination or the effortful summoning of empathy—is our own failure. It’s a failure that has been dispiritingly sanctioned by the rise of “relatable.”
This is the big problem, however it is only an umbrella the overlooks consequences that cause smaller problems. Most of us appreciate and love art because it is relatable or because we can link it back to something that is already present in our life. Due to this reason, it becomes a never ending circle of exposure.
THE WAY WE CONSUME ART IN THE MODERN AGE
This article by Vox, highlights how the evolution of consumption especially due to the rise of the internet could cause a singular and restricted approach to media. Here the writer uses the example of Netflix and movie consumption on the internet.
The writer states that:
Many people explore films is through the internet. A handy way to explore films is to follow the “You Might Like” cue to guide us. These websites (Netflix, youtube, imdb) have caches and other methods to track usage so they can recommend videos of similar style to ensure our liking.
The way we flick through movies online is almost random, and lacking of thought. It is easy to click on a new link; a lot easier than consciously making the decision of wanting to rent a movie, getting clothed and prepared to go to the video store, and then going through the tiresome process of picking a new movie. The latter example consists of more thought than the first.
The way movies are presented in a video stall is more open than on the internet. Movies aren’t organised by genres, instead they’re placed alphabetically. There are also shelves for best-sellers etc.
In a video store, you are browsing movies alongside other cinephiles, all of whom have different tastes to you. By looking at what other people watch, you can try out different things.
I find this idea completely relevant. For all my visual inspiration I resort to Tumblr or instagram. Here I generally follow accounts according to my interest. This leads to pretty limited exposure. This is similar to music where I listen to set playlists in spotify and listen to them again if I like them.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
Be more aware
Through realising the way we consume/appreciate art we can slowly detach ourselves from this monotonous routine that we subconscious adhere to. We can purposely true new things, venturing into new genres and stepping out of our habits
Revolutionise the way we become exposed to art forms especially through social-media
Now this is the tricky one. We all love the “recommended for you” youtube videos and the “spotify playlists”. What would 8tracks mixes and goodreads lists be like without being separated into genres?
Talk more about art
Talk about art to everyone! Not just people that like the same things as you! It is so much easier to talk about school work to classmates because we know we’d get an equal response. We are all annoyed about the amount of work we have to do— who isn’t? But we should try and step out of our comfort zone and talk about less monotonous matters and let our passion and humanity spill. We should express ourselves and talk about things we like. Through other people’s passion we’ll learn more about things we might be hesitant about thus learning more.
