What Mister Darcy taught me

Last week there was a girl in my class nagging about how there was a guy she liked who was a little bit reluctant to get "more serious," as she put it. While I was trying to solve some dopey discrete mathematics problems a couple of rows behind her, she kept disclosing all the details of her solution to everyone who was willing to pay attention: "So I said: 'Hey, man! There are other guys I like as well, so we either start a relationship now, or it's over.'"

For a reason unknown to me my abdominal muscles start contracting a little in situations like those, so I've been getting a lot of workout without visiting the gym lately. Moreover, it makes me sad to learn there are people starting relationships knowing that they're only marginally better then the rest. For the past year or so I've been feeling exceedingly confused about situations alike because they didn't make sense to me. Allow me to elaborate with another example.

There is an internet company named Avid Life Media, whose mission it is to hook up like-minded individuals. What this like-mindedness entails is told by their various 'brands', or websites. They host CougarLife, a community for 'sexy, older women' looking for 'ambitions, young men', they also provide the internet commune with SwapperNet 'the most authentic swingers community'. Swing, I thought it had something to do with a dance from the late 40s of the last century, but this website isn't targeted at fervent dancers. Instead, it's aimed at couples and individuals who are looking for multi-way intercourse. And then there is Avid Life's flagship, Ashley Madison: a dating service for married individuals who are actively looking to pursue an affair.

I was vexed.
All my life I'd grown up believing that Love was something profound, honest and romantic and now, all of a sudden, enormous dating communities emerge that have nothing profound and honest about them. And at the same time there are also crazy individuals and companies claiming that their operations are related to Love but I completely fail to see the link. Feeling completely alienated from the modern approach to romance I thought: "I don't want to be part of this circus anymore, lets call it a day."

Fortunately I got about reading 'Pride and Prejudice' before making any drastic decisions.
What happens in Austen's novel on the romantic level is completely different from the contemporary situation, at least, that's what it seems like if you consider the instances I described above. Mister Bingley and Jane meet a couple of times and then get separated for a long while and they crave for each other (though in a very non-physical way) and in the end they meet again, finally declare their love for each other and get married. It's even more stretched with Mister Darcy and Elizabeth for they despise each other at first and leaded by their pride and prejudice they continue to do so (in word, not in thought) for a considerable while and at the end all their romantic scruples lead them to the other's hand.

To me, 'Pride and Prejudice' presents us with a unique vision of what the core of Love is like, the kind of Love you write about with a capital 'L'. It's not directly related to any interaction on the physical level, yet it's on a much more emotional basis. This core of Love never changes, hence we can still comprehend and relate to what Austen, George Elliot and Shakespeare had to say on the subject. The cloud that surrounds it changes through the years, though. Fueled by people's unhappiness with their current situations instances as mentioned above come into existence.

The striking fact I observe is that while you already may have found Love, the profound kind, you'll never know for sure. And this unknowing, this uncertainty, is able to put you out of reach of what you already had.

I'm very happy to have gotten around reading a 1813 novel which seemed a little dusty and boring at first.

Cedric Vella - "Youtube My Facebook"

They said he thought Facebook was getting boring. That it wasn't the same as before. That he no longer felt a connection with the 500 friends he had on there. So he did what anyone would do. He jumped in and brought it to life.

[link.]

Baruch turned his head towards his new neighbor and saw that he had wrapped his head into his collar up to his nose. When he breathed out vapor left his nose in curly shapes that somehow reminded Baruch of impressionist painters.

Taken from At the Pond by Julius de Hond.

Upon reading Julius' brilliant short story, I was feeling inspired.

Martin Luther King Junior's "I Have a Dream" Speech Visualized

Last week, the internet was abuzz with praise and remembrance toward Martin Luther King Jr., and more specifically, his "I have a Dream" speech. And rightfully so. I'd always known how much of a moving person he was and how much of an impact he had on American history but what I didn't know was how stupendous his speech was at a deeper level. At least, that was until I'd seen Nancy Duarte's analysis of his words. Taking the beauty of infographic concepts, Duarte literally "maps out" the groundbreaking speech in a way that is formulaic, but at the same time, beautiful.

It's been a while since I've given a speech, but if and when the time comes where I have to write one, I'll know, with enough repetition, metaphor, and familiar and political references, I'll be golden. And maybe will be able to leave a mark in history, too. :)

[video by duarte design]

Mike Libby: Insect Lab

Though it comes off as a bit strange at first, there is something undeniably mesmerizing about the whimsical creations of Mike Libby as he takes insect specimens and adorns them with bits and pieces of antique watches to the point where they look like they're coming straight from the pages of a science-fiction novel.

His collection is featured in a book he calls "Insect Lab". Needless to say, seeing the juxtaposition of nature and technology is absolutely stunning. And although I never really understood the purpose of collecting/framing insect specimens, I also never really truly appreciated their beauty until now.

You can browse through his full collection, here.

Sierra Magazine Visualizes Global Carbon Footprints With a U.S. Map

The numbers themselves are scary: with 4.5% of the global population, the United States contributes to 20% of the world's carbon emissions. We've all heard these types of statistics, but as it is often the case, numbers don't always create as much of an impact on the psyche as images do. Pictures are, after all, worth a thousand words. But this map created by the wonderful folks at Sierra Magazine is worth more like a billion.

Taking the carbon footprints of each state and labeling it with it's global counterpart of equal environmental impact, we are presented with an infographic that is scary as much as it is amazing.

[read more about it, here]

Kelsey Brookes: Microbiologist-Turned-Artist

Kelsey Brookes was a young man living a life others strive to live. He had a steady career as a microbiologist, savings, and what many would consider to be a path toward a very successful life. But some time down this path, Brookes decided to head towards a different direction. A very different direction. Brookes wanted to do something more interesting with his life. He wanted to give a shot at following his two passions in life: surfing and art.

For many, or for me at least, this sort of struck me as a step backwards. "He's turning into a total bum!", thought I, as I watched the camera shot close in on his long blonde strands of hair and his big bushy beard. But obviously that was me just succumbing to superficial stereotypes, and doubly obvious was the fact that there was more to this man than what first met the eye.

The more I listened to Brookes speak, the more I realized above all other things, Brookes is really brave. To take the plunge into following one (or two) of his passions and to be driven enough to make it function as a career is truly admirable. Because at it's very core, our life paths can often times be condensed into a few core decisions, and when it comes down to it, I hope that I'll be brave enough to pursue my passions. I hope to be like Kelsey Brookes.

[video produced by Freunde von Freunden]

Welcome

Well, I hope you get the reference. But just in case, here's a little hint.