Left on Read pt. 9
Left on Read pt. 9
art is everywhere, the attention theory, video games, sensitive content, digitization
Left on Read is a weekly curation of articles, essays, and other media consumed throughout the week that I found thought-provoking, amusing, or just moved to share. Cheers to more reading!
1. learning-loving & meaning-making: India: where art is a way of life!
I just love anything and everything
shares. Here, she reflects on her recent visit to India and shares a beautiful sentiment on the inclusivity of art she noticed. She writes “In the West, art is commissioned, explained, auctioned, predominantly enjoyed by the rich and privileged, and often guarded by a veneer of pretension. In India, art feels omnipresent and heterogeneous! Instead of being confined to the hushed halls of galleries or exclusive collections of the affluent, art is deeply embedded into every aspect of daily existence.”I also can’t help but think about the viral thread on Twitter from The Cultural Tutor where Sheehan Quirke discusses minimalist design and the death of detail. Around the time this was posted, I had fallen victim to the beige and white minimalism trend and didn’t care much about what this thread had to say, however, I realized Quirke made really good points. There’s nothing wrong with minimalism, but I find the social drift to absolute simplification and lack of detail sad, really. Ironically, when I’m surrounded by diverse elements, that’s when I feel the most creative.
Like Maalvika frames it, art surrounds us ceaselessly, often camouflaged within the folds of daily life. It’s a reminder that even in the mundane, there exists an abundance of art and beauty if we just take a moment to observe.
2. Literary Hub: In Literature, Considering Love as Both Attention and Absorption
*will read anything and everything exploring love*
This one discusses the attention theory of love. It introduces the idea that love is about cultivating attention and understanding each others minds; and does so by weaving together philosophical perspectives from the popular “36 Questions That Lead to Love” by the New York Times and literary examples, including Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road”.
A line that stood out to me was “When we love someone, we are not just loving what they do, we love the thoughts they give us access to.” I find that so beautiful. I think it also unveils why when a relationship ends, it’s not only the loss of shared moments and shared activities that causes anguish—it’s also the disconnection from the thoughts and ideas that once were a source of joy and understanding. Love is built on the exchange of inner worlds.
3. The New Statesman: What video games taught me
An invitation to reconsider the preconceived notions about video games: Imogen West-Knights discusses a collection of essays that challenge stereotypes of gaming and challenge the perception that video games are not as culturally significant as books or films.
4. New York Times: The Year in ‘Sensitive Content’
“Instagram explains that when it identifies an image that “some people might find upsetting,” it makes it “harder to find.” I wonder what it means by that. Is the child’s death upsetting, or is it the documentation of his death that is offensive?”
Life has been a cruel awakening lately. Nothing is “normal” about the loss of innocent lives, and if admitting this truth makes you uneasy, let’s address the discomfort.
5. Wired: The Danger of Digitizing Everything
“Digitization” holds the allure of a transformative approach promising efficiency and connectivity in various areas of our lives. Medical breakthroughs, accessibility, inventions that make life easier and more streamlined, it’s a good thing, right? However, has technology gone too far?
I’ve been seeing a lot of people online (lol) discuss how the internet used to be this place we would visit. The large wooden desks that housed our chunky monitors in the early 2000s, a printer, the overflow of wires, the tower of CD’s, ugh. So many good memories were made there. When we left that space, we left the internet. I love that as a collective, we’re realizing and acknowledging our addiction to screen time. A personal goal of mine this year is to engage in more non-electronic activities in the morning before starting work and after work in an attempt to decrease my screen-time. Reading has been one way I’m doing that but I think I also need something that works my brain a little more, like a puzzle.
More of ‘Left on Read’
Let’s keep the conversation flowing
🙇🏽♀️ I’d love to read your thoughts on any of the articles and essays shared above. Feel free to share your recent reads, any compelling pieces that have lingered in your mind, or just a hi! It’s all welcome.
Ooh thanks for linking that Wired article, this topic is near to my heart as a librarian and digital archivist