“We can frame experience in two ways: propositional and narrative. Propositional thought hinges on logic and formality. Narrative thought is the reverse. It’s concrete, imagistic, personally convincing, and emotional. And it’s strong.” Maria Konnikova looks at the case of a prolific and persistent young grifter, and how she used narrative to disarm her targets and ward off suspicion.
Tag: 12.29.15
What Exactly Does A Book Editor Do? A Lot More Than Before
“These days there is more pressure on editors to acquire best-sellers, and they are much more involved in marketing a book. And that, he says, leaves precious little time for actual editing.” (audio and text)
‘The Beggar’s Opera Of Broadway’ And Its Backwards Birth
That’s what British critic Kenneth Tynan called Guys and Dolls. Matt Trueman write that the musical “taps into that particularly American sensibility of optimism in spite of everything, and furthermore, it’s exquisitely put together. It has no right to be, given its bumpy road to Broadway.”
Slowdown In The Art Markets?
“It is worth noting that the art market is really a set of loosely related mini-markets, all of which behave very differently. But for the first time in years we are seeing a similar trend across each of these distinct markets: a slowdown.”
Oldest Theatre In English-Speaking World Set To Celebrate 250 Years
Says Bristol Old Vic artistic director Tom Morris, “The average lifespan of a theatre across the 18th and 19th centuries was 17 years. It is a complete fluke that it has survived.”
Spotify Hit With $150 Million Class Action Over Unpaid Royalties
“Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker frontman David Lowery … has filed a class action lawsuit seeking at least $150 million in damages against Spotify, alleging it knowingly, willingly, and unlawfully reproduces and distributes copyrighted compositions without obtaining mechanical licenses.”
An Ambitious Curator’s Plans To Make Toronto A Global Showcase For Contemporary Art
“We’re starting from zero. There is room now for a real contemporary art museum, a 21st-century museum. And this is going to be it.”
A New Mission For Canadian Libraries: Lending Musical Instruments
“The Joe Chithalen Memorial Musical Instrument Lending Library in Kingston has about 800 instruments that it lent out more than 5,000 times last year.”
With Scathing Letter, Myung Whun Chung Resigns As Seoul Philharmonic Music Director
“It is sad that [the musicians’] achievements have been overshadowed by one person‘s fabricated statements. Lies and corruption may cause scandals, but human dignity and truth will prevail in the end. … Perhaps it is a reflection of Korean society that this has been allowed to happen.”
Scientists Suggest Why Some Of Us Aren’t Good At Planning The Future
“Lately, scientists have come up with an intriguing hypothesis for why some people keep failing at long-term planning — they view their future selves as strangers. In fact, the more you view your future self as a distinct entity from your current self, the more likely you are to put off tasks (like saving for retirement) that will benefit you in the long term.”