scholarly journals Ecospirituality in the Age of Technological Overkill: Domestic Reclamation in the Fiction of Alan Lightman and Don DeLillo

2011 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Butler
Keyword(s):  
Short Story ◽  
Cell Phone ◽  
Don Delillo ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Natural World ◽  
Geological Time ◽  
Redes Sociales ◽  
Connection To Nature ◽  
Short Story Collection ◽  
The Enlightenment

In exploring the link between ecospirituality and the hard sciences, I argue that the former provides a much-needed complement to the latter. The fragmentation of disciplinary pursuits fostered by the Enlightenment and by the continued progress of unquestioned technological advance as an end in itself finds its ultimate expression in our current disconnection from the natural world, from each other, and even from ourselves. As a corrective to such disconnection, ecospiritual impulses emerge in an attempt to unify a discombobulated subject, a self so fragmented by the multiple narratival requirements of a communication-obsessed age (where we can be reached by cell phone, regular phone, multiple email addresses, Facebook, and other social media) that the "contemplative" facet of being human within the rhythms of the natural world is all but obscured-indeed, is hardly given the requisite environment in which to function. Against this over-reliance on technology, on where the hard sciences have led us, ecospirituality emerges as a balm for the terrorized human spirit. Don DeLillo's recent novel Point Omega documents this poignantly. His narrator speaks of the "usual terror" of cities with their "endless counting down," with people constantly checking their watches and other time-keeping devices. DeLillo's protagonist moves to the desert where "geological time" becomes the paradigm through which a restorative calm is generated. Alan Lightman's fiction proves even more relentless in its depiction of the dissociation engendered by an over-reliance on technology. Lightman's protagonist in The Diagnosis is an information trader who suffers a breakdown and is only restored to well-being through a re-acquaintance with his own natural body rhythms along with those of the natural world. Many of the characters in the short-story collection Einstein's Dreams also find that a connection to nature counteracts the senseless competition of a consumer-driven, technologically-enhanced world.  Al explorar el nexo entre eco-espiritualidad y ciencias duras, sostengo que la primera proporciona un complemento necesario a las segundas. La fragmentación de los objetivos disciplinarios, promovida por la Ilustración y por un continuo progreso tecnológico incontestable, encuentra su expresión máxima en la actual desconexión del mundo natural, de los demás y de nosotros mismos. Contra dicha desconexión, los impulsos eco-espirituales surgen en un intento de unificar una materia confusa, un ser tan fragmentado por las múltiples exigencias de una época obsesionada con la comunicación (en la que se nos puede alcanzar por móvil, teléfono fijo, diferentes direcciones de correo electrónico, Facebook y otras redes sociales) que la faceta "contemplativa" de una existencia humana al ritmo del mundo natural no está del todo oscurecida, pero tampoco puede funcionar en su ambiente ideal. Contra esta sobre-dependencia en la tecnología a la que nos han llevado las ciencias duras, la eco-espiritualidad surge como bálsamo para el espíritu aterrorizado. La reciente novela de Don De Lillo Point Omega lo documenta de forma conmovedora. El narrador habla del "terror usual" de ciudades con su "interminables cuentas atrás", con la gente mirando continuamente sus relojes y otros dispositivos parecidos. El protagonista de De Lillo se muda al desierto, donde el "tiempo geológico" llega a ser el paradigma gracias al cual se genera una calma reparadora. La ficción de Alan Lighman resulta aun más despiadada al representar la disociación producida por la sobre-dependencia en la tecnología. En The Diagnosis, el protagonista de Lightman es un comerciante de información que sufre una crisis nerviosa y sólo le devuelve al bienestar el re-conocimiento de los ritmos naturales de su cuerpo y del mundo. También muchos de los personajes de la colección de relatos cortos Einstein's Dreams descubren que una conexión con la naturaleza contrarresta la absurda competencia de un mundo altamente tecnológico movido por el consumo.  

scholarly journals Improving Assessments of Connection to Nature: A Participatory Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabby Salazar ◽  
Martha C. Monroe ◽  
Catherine Jordan ◽  
Nicole M. Ardoin ◽  
Thomas H. Beery
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Concern ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Natural World ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Connection To Nature ◽  
Environmental Behaviors ◽  
Perceived Relationships ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Reducing Stress

Experiences in nature benefit humans in a variety of ways, including increasing health and well-being, reducing stress, inspiring creativity, enhancing learning, and fostering environmental stewardship values. These experiences help define the relationship people have with nature which is often correlated with a person’s level of environmental concern as well as their engagement in pro-environmental behaviors. A more informed understanding of the ways in which interactions with the natural environment can foster connection to nature requires that we are able to measure our perceived relationship to the environment. Dozens of tools measure people’s connection to nature—the strength of those perceived relationships with the natural world. Although the tools have been primarily developed to answer research questions, practitioners are increasingly interested in understanding whether and in what ways their work—in areas including environmental education, urban planning, and park management, for example—influences people’s connection to nature. In 2018, we launched a participatory process involving researchers and practitioners in a review of existing connection to nature assessment tools with the intention of identifying tools that would be useful to practitioners, as well as defining needs in research. This paper chronicles the process’s outcomes, including a discussion of opportunities for future research.

INTERVIEW WITH PETINA GAPPAH

Imbizo ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 92-98
Author(s):  
Faith Mkwesha
Keyword(s):  
Short Stories ◽  
Short Story ◽  
First Language ◽  
Short Story Collection ◽  
The Third ◽  
University Of Cambridge ◽  
Book Award ◽  
The University ◽  
The Guardian ◽  
University Of Zimbabwe

This interview was conducted on 16 May 2009 at Le Quartier Francais in Franschhoek, Cape Town, South Africa. Petina Gappah is the third generation of Zimbabwean writers writing from the diaspora. She was born in 1971 in Zambia, and grew up in Zimbabwe during the transitional moment from colonial Rhodesia to independence. She has law degrees from the University of Zimbabwe, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Graz. She writes in English and also draws on Shona, her first language. She has published a short story collection An Elegy for Easterly (2009), first novel The Book of Memory (2015), and another collection of short stories, Rotten Row (2016).  Gappah’s collection of short stories An Elegy for Easterly (2009) was awarded The Guardian First Book Award in 2009, and was shortlisted for the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award, the richest prize for the short story form. Gappah was working on her novel The Book of Memory at the time of this interview.

scholarly journals Petite idole énigmatique aux yeux allongés et pleins de rêve ». Les stéréotypes orientalistes dans Le Harem entr’ouvert d’A.-R. de Lens

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 200-210
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Sokołowicz
Keyword(s):  
Short Story ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Short Story Collection ◽  
Story Collection

The present paper describes some orientalist stereotypes concerning women and manifesting themselves in Le Harem entr’ouvert (1919), a short story collection by Aline Réveillaud de Lens (1881–1925), a French painter and writer, whose works are devoted mainly to North Africa. The paper focuses on three, most common, stereotypical representations of the Oriental woman according to which she is, firstly, a beautiful odalisque serving the man; secondly, extremely sensual and thus unfaithful and, finally, jealous and, sometimes, very cruel. The author attempts to explain the origins of those representations and to answer the question why A.-R. de Lens used them in her writings

scholarly journals The Intertextual Use of Greek Mythology in Agatha Christie’s Detective Fiction

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 321-331
Author(s):  
Tatiana Ternopol
Keyword(s):  
Short Stories ◽  
Short Story ◽  
Detective Fiction ◽  
Comparative Methods ◽  
Greek Mythology ◽  
Short Story Collection ◽  
The Face ◽  
Greek Myths ◽  
Story Collection ◽  
Over Time

This study investigates the intertextual use of Greek mythology in Agatha Christie’s short stories Philomel Cottage, The Face of Helen, and The Oracle at Delphi, a short story collection The Labours of Hercules, and a novel, Nemesis. The results of this research based on the hermeneutical and comparative methods reveal that A. Christie’s intertextual formula developed over time. In her early works, allusions were based on characters' appearances and functions as well as on the use of motifs and themes from Greek myths. Later on, she turned to using allusory character names; this would mislead her readers who thought they already knew the formula of her stories. Although not a postmodern writer, A. Christie enjoyed playing games of allusion with her readers. She wanted them not only to solve a case but also to discover and interpret the intertextual references.

scholarly journals Significance of Short Story Cycle in Rachel Joyce’s A Snow Garden and Other Stories: An Analytical Study Using Complexity Theory

2022 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Complex Systems ◽  
Complexity Theory ◽  
Short Story ◽  
Urban Setting ◽  
Centralized Control ◽  
Short Story Cycle ◽  
Short Story Collection ◽  
Evolving Networks ◽  
Story Cycle ◽  
Narrative Techniques

Rachel Joyce’s short story collection A Snow Garden and Other Stories (2015) is composed of seven stories which occur during a fortnight of the holiday, Christmas season. The collection uses narrative techniques which make it a unique set of stories. The stories have an urban setting and examine the intricacies of human relationships. The sense of interconnection highlighted by Joyce in the stories elevates it to a short story cycle. A short story cycle consists of individual stories which can stand on their own as complete narratives while also maintaining fictional links running through all the stories. The paper is an attempt to establish A Snow Garden and Other Stories as a short story cycle. It also argues that by narrating the interconnected nature of human lives Joyce’s work is exploring life as a complex system. As a scientific philosophy complexity theory explores the behavior of complex systems including human societies. Complex systems are self-organizing, dynamic, evolving networks that operate without any centralized control, similar to human societies. This paper will apply the principles of complex systems to reveal patterns of human behavior represented in Joyce’s work.

scholarly journals Interaksi Sosial pada Kumpulan Cerpen Jendela Cinta dan Hubungannya dengan Pembelajaran Sastra di SMA

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Arin Nafiana ◽  
Johan Mahyudi ◽  
Muhammad Khairussibyan
Keyword(s):  
Short Stories ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
Short Story ◽  
Georg Simmel ◽  
Short Story Collection ◽  
Sociological Approach ◽  
Data Collection Technique ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Exchange Data ◽  
Literary Learning

Abstrak: Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk (1) mendeskripsikan bentuk interaksi sosial dalam ketujuh cerpen pada kumpulan cerpen Jendela Cinta karya Fahri Asiza dkk. dan (2) mendeskripsikan pemanfaatan cerpen dalam kumpulan cerpen Jendela Cinta sebagai pembelajaran sastra di SMA. Metode yang digunakan adalah metode deskriptif kualitatif. Teknik pengumpulan data yaitu dokumentasi. Selanjutnya data dianalisis dengan teknik deskriptif analitis yang meliputi pengidentifikasian, pengklasifikasian, dan penyimpulan pada data-data yang terkumpul dari kumpulan cerpen Jendela Cinta karya Fahri Asiza dkk. dengan pendekatan sosiologi sastra, yakni teori interaksi sosial Georg Simmel. Bentuk interaksi sosial dalam teori ini berupa superordinasi dan subordinasi, pertukaran, konflik, prostitusi, dan sosiabilitas. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa ditemukan 37 data dengan rincian data 8 bukti data superordinasi dan subordinasi, 6 bukti data pertukaran, 11 bukti data konflik, 3 bukti data prostitusi, dan 9bukti data sosiabilitas. Pada bentuk interaksi superordinasi dan subordinasi satu di antaranya tergambar dalam hubungan antara tokoh majikan dan tokoh pembantu pada cerpen berjudul “Dia!”, bentuk pertukaran salah satunya tampak melalui tokoh Ratna dan ketiga adiknya pada cerpen “Malam Biru” saat bertukar informasi, bentuk konflik ditemukan satu di antaranya dalam perselisihan antara GAM dan TNI di Aceh yang diceritakan dalam cerpen “Terapung” dan “Bidadari Kecilku”, bentuk prostitusi ditemukan dalam cerpen “Bulan Mengapung” melalui tokoh Parjo dan teman-temannya, dan bentuk sosiabilitas satu di antaranya tergambar melalui keramahan tokoh Aminah dalam cerpen “Jendela Cinta”. Abstract: This research aims to (1) describe the forms of social interactions in the seven short stories called Jendela Cinta by Fahri Asiza et al. and (2) describe the use of short stories in the collection of Jendela Cinta short story as literary learning in senior high school. The method use is descriptive qualitative method. The data collection technique is documentation. Furthermore, the data were analyzed using descriptive analitytical techniques which include identifying, classifying, and inferring data collected from the short story collection of Jendela Cinta by Fahri Asiza et al. with a sociological approach to literature, based on Georg Simmel’s theory of social interaction. The form of social interaction in this theory is in the form of superordination and subordination, exchange, conflict, prostitution, and sociability. The result of this research indicate that found 37 data with 8 data details of superordination and subordination data, 6 evidence of exchange data, 11 evidence of conflict data, 3 evidence of prostitution data, and 9 evidence of sociability data. In the form interaction of superordination and subordination, one of them is illustrated in the relationship between the employer and the maid in the short story “Dia!”, one form of exchange was seen through the character Ratna and her three younger siblings in the short story “Malam Biru” when exchanging information, one form of conflict was seen in a dispute between GAM and TNI in Aceh which was told in the short stories “Terapung” and “Bidadari Kecilku”, a form of prostitution found in the short story “Bulan Mengapung” through Parjo figures and friends, and one form of sociability was seen through Aminah figures in the short story “Jendela Cinta”.

scholarly journals Gender stereotypes 2.0: Self-representations of adolescents on Facebook

Comunicar ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (48) ◽  
pp. 81-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Úrsula Oberst ◽  
Andrés Chamarro ◽  
Vanessa Renau
Keyword(s):  
Gender Stereotypes ◽  
Sex Role ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Redes Sociales ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Self Presentation ◽  
Bem Sex Role Inventory ◽  
Adaptive Use ◽  
Adolescent Girls And Boys ◽  
Bienestar Psicologico

Adolescent girls and boys use online networking sites differently, and girls have a higher risk of being harmed by non-adaptive use. The aim of the study was to assess the extent to which adolescents portray themselves according to gender stereotypes on their Facebook profiles. Participants were 623 Facebook users of both sexes who responded to the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) and the Personal Well-being Index (PWI). In the first step, the adolescents responded to the BSRI with respect to how they view a typical adult in terms of gender stereotypes. In the second step, half of them responded to the BSRI with respect to how they view themselves and the other half responded with respect to their self-presentation on Facebook. The results show that adolescents consider themselves to be less sexually differentiated than a typical adult of their own sex, both in their self-perception and their self-portrayal on Facebook. The study confirms that the psychological well-being of girls decreases considerably with age and that it is associated with a greater degree of masculinity. We conclude that adolescents produce accurate self-representations on their Facebook profiles, and both boys and girls tend to offer a less sexually differentiated self-concept and self-portrayal than that of the typical adult, with a slight preference for masculine traits; moreover, masculinity is associated with a greaterdegree of psychological well-being. Chicas y chicos adolescentes hacen un uso diferente de las redes sociales online, y las chicas presentan un mayor riesgo de verse perjudicadas por un uso no adaptativo. El objetivo de este estudio era investigar en qué medida los adolescentes se presentan en términos de estereotipos de género en sus perfiles de Facebook. Los participantes, 623 usuarios de Facebook de ambos sexos, contestaron el Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) y el Personal Well-being Index (PWI). En la primera fase, respondieron sobre cómo ven a un adulto típico en términos de estereotipos de género. En la segunda fase, la mitad de ellos contestó el BSRI en relación a cómo se ven a sí mismos, y la otra mitad cómo se presentan en Facebook. Los resultados muestran que los adolescentes se consideran más sexualmente indiferenciados que un adulto típico de su mismo sexo, tanto en su auto-percepción como en su presentación en Facebook. Se confirma que el bienestar psicológico de las chicas baja considerablemente con la edad, y que está asociado a un mayor grado de masculinidad. Se concluye que los adolescentes producen representaciones verdaderas en sus perfiles de Facebook, y que existe una tendencia hacia una auto-concepción y auto-presentación más sexualmente indiferenciada con una leve preferencia por rasgos masculinos, tanto en chicos como en chicas; además, la masculinidad está asociada a un mayor grado de bienestar psicológico.

scholarly journals Understanding music’s therapeutic efficacy: Implications for music education

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane Thram
Keyword(s):  
Music Education ◽  
Cell Phone ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Music Making ◽  
Biological Capacity ◽  
Average Person ◽  
Computer Addiction ◽  
Actual Participation

In the current era of electronic domination of human experience, be it via cell phone and/or computer addiction, or the ubiquitous television, actual participation in music- making is less and less common for the average person, child or adult. Passive participation through listening is most often cited by people as their major experience with music in their lives. When asked if listening has therapeutic effects, it is rare for anyone to respond in the negative. Likewise, for performers/active participants in music- making, be it solitary or as part of a group, invariably an enhanced sense of well-being from the act of making music is reported.This paper addresses therapeutic aspects of musical participation (singing, clapping, playing an instrument, dancing, listening) by providing a historical overview (12th c to present) of attitudes toward music’s therapeutic effects. It argues that music exists through the interaction of our biological capacity to make music with our cultural circumstances. How individuals benefit in all aspects their being – physical, mental and emotional – from engaging in the act of making music is illustrated with examples from field research in southern Africa. Finally implications for Music Education are explored which emphasize how more comprehensive integration of music into the curriculum can serve as an antidote to the increasing isolation and alienation of modern life.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document