People reading one short story that was “literary” and one that was “science fiction” – identical stories except for small details like the protagonist using an airlock instead of a door – had wildly different reactions. The readers of the second kind of piece “assume the story will be less worthwhile, one that doesn’t require or reward careful reading, and so they read less attentively. This then lowers their scores on objective comprehension tests because they miss so much. Interestingly, they don’t even realise it, because they still report that the story required less effort to understand. It’s a self-fulfilling bias – except we can now show objectively that the weakness is with the reader, not the story itself.”
Tag: 11.23.17
How Do You Build A Tradition Of Modern Dance In Russia, Where Ballet Reigns Supreme?
Work your butt off in both the U.S. and Russia, and go to the provinces. “It’s easier because that weight of tradition, history and classical heritage that major theaters like the Bolshoi and the Mariinsky have … the regions are much more flexible now. They don’t have such rigid boundaries.”
What John Lasseter’s Departure Will Mean To Pixar And Disney
Industry analysts and experts in the animation community said Lasseter’s absence could be a significant blow to the studio if his departure becomes permanent because the executive has been such a key figure in its success. Lasseter is the chief creative officer of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios.
The British Pride Themselves On Their Choirs. But How Good Are They?
“Are Britain’s leading choirs actually the best? We wouldn’t know, because as a concert-going public we take almost no interest in foreign ensembles. Attracting an audience in the UK is one of the most difficult challenges an overseas choral group can face.”
Of Art And Fallen Artists (Do We Reject The Art Now?)
“Wrestling with what to do with the product of tainted executives, artists or news figures is not that far from the eternal issue of how (or even whether) to separate our views of art from our views of the artists. Wagner was blatantly anti-Semitic. Alfred Hitchcock abused actresses who worked for him, so openly that you can see his dysfunctional psychosexual power dynamics right onscreen. Roman Polanski was convicted of having sex with a 13-year-old, but does that mean “Rosemary’s Baby” should have been pulled from circulation?”
Britain Has Been Thrown Out Of The “European Capital Of Culture” Program
The Government has been advised to discontinue the selection process for the five bidding cities – Belfast, Dundee, Nottingham, Milton Keynes and Leeds – “immediately”. The DCMS said it is “deeply disappointed” with the decision and is in “urgent discussions” with the European Commission on the matter.