Well, that’s what Montaigne said, perhaps summing up the point of philosophy. But look at how philosophers die: Socrates (ordered to kill himself), Hypatia (flayed by a mob of angry Christians), Francis Bacon (caught a chill while experimenting with refrigeration), Nietzche (syphilis)… and Camus, who thought no death could be more meaningless than one in a car accident. Guess how he died.
Tag: 02.17.09
Giorgio Armani Gives $1M For Arts In NYC Schools
“The money will be used to create the Armani Arts Institute, an umbrella program that will fund arts initiatives in schools serving some of the city’s most disadvantaged populations.”
So Mr. Darcy Is From Mars And Miss Bennet Is From Venus?
“Elton John’s Rocket Pictures is developing a new spin on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, this time featuring a nefarious seven-foot extraterrestrial with hideous mandibles and a penchant for human blood. Yes, it’s Pride and Predator.”
But Generally, We Shouldn’t Let Architects Do Motor Vehicles
“The fact is, while architects are fine at designing chairs, tableware, even earrings, when it comes to automobiles, their efforts are usually flawed, if not just plain laughable.” Steve Rose offers examples by the likes of Zaha Hadid, Frank Lloyd Wright, Jan Kaplický (“an octopus on roller skates”) and Buckminster Fuller.
Not-For-Profit Newspapers: The Only Way Forward?
“Most journalists probably find something vaguely creepy about this idea; it’s a little too high-minded, abstract and self-congratulatory to fit with their self-image as regular Joes and Jills. There are also legitimate concerns whether foundations or other public supporters would influence editorial content or direction. But the alternative is disturbing.”
In Deal, Radio Stations Pay Lower Fees To Stream Music
“Radio stations will pay lower fees through 2010 to recording artists and labels for streaming music on the Internet under an agreement with the organization that collects royalties. The deal between SoundExchange and the National Association of Broadcasters, announced yesterday, replaces government-set rates called too high by providers of music over the Internet.”
B’way Survey: Advance Sales Climbed, Critics Have Clout
“International ticket sales for Broadway shows dipped slightly last season, but advance purchases rose. Those were among the trends logged by the Broadway League in a study of Rialto demographics in the 2007-08 season.” Last season saw “the highest percentage (12.4%) of children or teens on the Rialto in 30 years,” the survey found, “and legit critics still have the power to sell tickets to Broadway plays.”
The Youth Of Britain Love Music So Much (More Than Sex), They’ll Steal It
“More than 60% of young people would rather give up sex than music, rising to 70% for 16-19 year-olds. […] 70% said they don’t feel guilty for illegally downloading music from the Internet. 61% feel they shouldn’t have to pay for music. And around 43% of the music owned by this age group has not been paid for.”
Technology Will Save The Smithsonian, Says New Secretary
Wayne Clough: “Our job is to authenticate and inform the significance of the collections, not to control access to them. It is no longer acceptable for us to share only 1% of our 137 million specimens and artifacts in an age when the Internet has made it possible to share it all.”
In Defense Of Shame
“[T]he fear of shame triggers a deep, probably pre-verbal, instinctive part of our brain. Think about a time when you were publicly caught doing something you shouldn’t have–your heart rate increases, the back of your neck crawls with the beginnings of a blush, you instinctively look away from wherever your eyes were just focused. No one has this sort of immediate and uncontrollable physical reaction to the prospect of a tax deduction a year or more hence.”