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The rise and fall of the Mayan civilization, and its resilience in the face of European conquest
Just as in antiquity, akin to the Old World, the grand Mayan metropolises ascended and subsequently declined alongside their kingdoms. Over the course of approximately two millennia, numerous other cities, including those of the Maya, underwent expansion, prosperity, and eventual decay in their own epochs. Upon the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century, Tulum, Tayazal, Utatlán, and Iximche emerged as prominent Mayan dominions, yet years of Spanish despotism severed their ties with the Maya. Other centers of civilization were razed, and untold lives were lost, both military and civilian. This catastrophe was primarily characterized by brutal atrocities, catastrophic epidemics introduced by Europeans, and the heavy-handed intervention of the…
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Weber, Kafka, Mann: Insights into Alienation, Doubt and Anxiety among Late German Modernists
Any book about Max·· No biography of Weber will ignore the famous quarrel between Weber and Schumpeter, and the magnificent masterpiece “Weber’s Biography: Thought and Will” is naturally no exception. Later history proved that regarding the cost of the Soviet social experiment, Weber’s fears became reality, while Schumpeter’s “optimistic” predictions seemed “frivolous”. The reason why Weber was not optimistic about the prospects of the Soviet-style social model was because, in addition to the heavy cost of violent social change, he was well aware that with the increasing specialization and complexity of technology and management, the trend of rationalization and bureaucratization of social and economic life would It will not be…
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Matisse: The Misfit Northerner Who Ran Away from Everyone
Writing about Matisse is nearly a desire of mine, simply because he is arduous to comprehend. The curator of the Matisse Museum in the Northern Province of France and a Matisse scholar, when conversing with me about him, one word he stressed repeatedly was: northerner. Later, I gradually apprehended the underlying meaning encapsulated within this term, which encompasses what we commonly perceive as quintessential French attributes: romantic, nonchalant, whimsical, rebellious… I apologize if it does not encompass individuals from northern France. In the annals of art history, Matisse also embodies an enigma that eludes precise explication. Scarcely anyone can lucidly elucidate why Matisse “became Matisse”? Numerous artistic movements subsequent to…
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Oppenheimer: The Man Behind the Atomic Bomb
On the 30th of August, the biographical masterpiece titled “Oppenheimer” emerged in China, captivating widespread attention. This cinematic creation revolves around the eminent American physicist and distinguished figure known as the “father of the atomic bomb,” Robert Oppenheimer. Acclaimed by film critics as the quintessential opus of this century, the film is an adaptation of the renowned literary work “American Prometheus: Oppenheimer’s Triumph and Tragedy.” It delves into the narrative of Oppenheimer’s intellectual leadership during the final stages of World War II, specifically his pivotal role in the conception and production of humanity’s inaugural missile—the atomic bomb. From its nascent idealism to the compromises necessitated by the intricate political milieu,…
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How to Develop a Growth Mindset in the BANI Era
With the widespread dissemination of mobile Internet and the rapid ascent of AI, humanity has entered the BANI era. BANI derives from the capitalized initials of the four English terms: Brittle (fragile), Anxious (apprehensive), Nonlinear (disordered), and Incomprehensible (unfathomable). BANI encapsulates a form of psychological instability, uncertainty, and panic. It embodies perplexing and disquieting times. To thrive in such an epoch, one must embrace a mindset of growth. What characterizes a growth mindset? This notion originates from the seminal work “Lifelong Growth” by psychologist Carol Dweck. Broadly speaking, individuals possess two distinct cognitive modes: a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. Individuals with a fixed mindset crumble under the weight…
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The Demon Poet Who Challenged God and Marriage
“I solemnly vow that I shall never, through silence, align myself with egotistical and influential individuals; I pledge to dedicate my existence to the pursuit of beauty.” – André Moloyer, “Biography of Shelley” In the year 1811, on the 25th of March, a young Shelley faced expulsion from Oxford University due to his dissemination of the pamphlet titled “The Inevitability of Atheism,” which ardently advocated for materialism. Consequently, his father, a devout Christian, promptly disowned and evicted him from their familial abode. This transpired when Shelley had barely reached the tender age of 18. Shelley, undoubtedly the most familiar Romantic poet to the Chinese populace, gifted us with the now-famous…
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How BookTok Can Help You Overcome Your Reading Phobia
As school is about to start, whether it’s the book list assigned by the teacher or the “big book” they want to read during the summer vacation, the students’ holiday progress bars are “unable to hold on”. Recalling that when I was studying abroad, I once suffered from “reading phobia”. Unlike Chinese, which can read ten lines at a glance, all-English materials greatly reduce my reading efficiency, and each course has a huge reading list waiting for me. Every week before class, I would be thankful if I could finish half of the tasks assigned by the teacher. But the book must be read and the flag must be set…
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The Invitation to Linguistics: 6 Revelations About the Power of Language
I recently reread “The Invitation to Linguistics”, which is truly an exceptional book that was belatedly appreciated due to its title. It is unrelated to linguistics. Instead, it elucidates, as the author articulates, “the circumstances in which language serves as a tool for exchanging knowledge, emotions, and more, as well as the circumstances in which language exercises control over us.” The Taiwanese translation title, “Language and Life,” proves more fitting. During my initial perusal, I focused on honing critical thinking abilities. However, upon revisiting it, the book provided copious inspiration in terms of contemplation and existence. Revelation 1: Language is not reality, and maps are not the territories they represent.…
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A Literary Journey Through the Enchanting Landscapes of Morocco: Following in the Footsteps of Canetti, San Mao, and More
The mere mention of “Morocco” alone is sufficient to ignite our boundless reverie. In my perception, Morocco embodies a tempestuous maiden, swirling in a wild dance. Every time her skirt ascends, the yellow sand twirls in sync with her silhouette. Whether she be a speck of desert dust or the object of a fated admirer’s gaze, she serves as a portal to bygone eras. Throughout my ten-day sojourn, I traversed several cities akin to Elias Canetti, including Fez, Chefchaouen, Ouarzazate, and others. Amidst the ancient city walls, I immersed myself in a symphony of diverse sounds, endeavoring to decipher the dissonant and boisterous undertones concealed behind the limited phrases that…
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Socrates’ Trial: A Lesson in Facing Criticism
At the septuagenarian stage, Socrates encountered a tempestuous ordeal: three Athenians—the poet Meletus, the statesman Anytus, and the orator Leon—conspired to depict him as a grotesque malefactor. They leveled accusations against him, alleging his disrespect towards the deities of the city, his subversion of the social fabric of Athens, and his incitement of the younger generation to rebel against their paternal figures. They deemed it imperative to permanently silence or even eliminate him. On the day of Socrates’ trial, a jury comprising five hundred citizens convened. The public prosecutor sought to portray the philosopher as a man of deceit from the outset—an individual who delved into profound inquiries, propagated heretical…
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The Fox’s Deeper Symbolism Beyond Mystery and Legend: Cunning, Treachery and the Writer’s Totem
In addition to mysterious allusions and legends, the meaning of the fox has a deeper interpretation space. The thinker Isaiah Berlin famously said about the fox and the hedgehog: the fox is a pluralist, and the hedgehog is a monist . He classifies those writers who attribute everything to a single central idea, such as Dostoevsky, Ibsen, and Proust, as hedgehogs; those whose thoughts are diffuse, and whose actions and ideas are sometimes unrelated , and even contradictory writers, such as Joyce, Pushkin, and Balzac, are classified as foxes. Dubravka Ugresic, a Dutch writer born in the former Yugoslavia, interprets the fox as a totem that shuttles between fiction and…
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The Beat Generation of Calcutta
Many of my friends who are still decadent in their 40s are from Calcutta. They are talented but addicted to alcohol and drugs. They are decadent at home, eating and using home food, but they are very rude to their parents. They are India’s “beat generation”, or should I say, they are the next generation of “beat generation” – even more beat generation. ”Wen” Qing is a child of the Renaissance, and the Indian Renaissance is the son of British colonialism. The colonization of India by the British East India Company began in Calcutta, Bengal. Since then, the westerly wind has blown into the South Asian continent, bringing in capitalist…
