Welcome to 5 Bites Friday: my weekly article where I share
the contents of my learnings from the past week in my life.
1 – what I’m reading
Pakistan Beyond the Crisis State edited by Maleeha Lodhi – a
book of 17 essays written by the field specialists which covers Pakistan’s
issues, from past to present, in different areas: economy, military
intervention, terrorism, failure of institutions, and so on. Both an honestly critical
and practically hopeful account of Pakistan’s history, present, and the way
forward.
2 – this week’ article
Plato the mythmaker @aeon – a study of Plato’s polarizing
role in rationalizing the field of philosophy but through making his own myths.
Enjoy! @aeon – the philosophy of ‘enjoyment’ from the philosophers
new and old. Despite its fleeting nature, enjoyment is the philosophical good.
Depression: a change of consciousness @psyche – taking the post-dream
consciousness as the example, this article explains how in depression one goes through
a total shift of thinking.
Why self-harm @aeon – a personal, psychological and environmental
study of the alienating act of self-harm and the heartbreaking reasons for why
one commits it.
Dual ideas of 21st century @theatlantic – the US-China
strategic war of economy one hand and the collective fight of all nations
against the global issue on the other will shape this century.
A new look at globalization @aeon – taking the hedgehog
(single view) and the fox (multiple views) analogy, this article explains six
narratives of globalization and merges them together to build a collective
narrative.
Steinbeck’s diary of discipline @themarginalian – Popova’s
study of Steinbeck’s diary about the writing journey of his award-winning novel
‘The Grapes of Wrath’; a case for discipline and habit against one’s internal
monsters.
3 – what I watched
Candyman (2021) – a fresh and chilling horror movie about
the revival of mythic Candyman, who when named five times, appears to kill his
caller. A horror fun to watch.
The Souvenir (2019) – a movie about a young student wanting to
enter film-school and make her own feature film and her falling for a charming
man who later reveals to be a heroin-addict. Slow and beautiful.
Burning (2018) – based on Murakami’s short story, this thriller
movie follows the life of three youngsters: a grad who want to write a novel, a
troubled, lonely girl, and a rich guy who likes to burn old greenhouses. Attractive
plot and lovely performances.
Moving On (2019) – a divorced husband moves to his sick
father’s house with his two kids, and later his sister moves in also. Since their
work starts soon and their father’s health deteriorating, they decide to sell
the house. Heart-touching and true.
4 – Song: a poem by Christina Georgina Rossetti
Sing no sad songs for me;
Plant thou no roses at my head,
Nor shady cypress tree:
Be the green grass above me
With showers and dewdrops wet;
And if thou wilt, remember,
And if thou wilt, forget.
I shall not feel the rain;
I shall not hear the nightingale
Sing on, as if in pain:
And dreaming through the twilight
That doth not rise nor set,
Haply I may remember,
And haply may forget.
5 – this week’s quotation
It is part of the nature of man to start with romance and build to a reality.
Ray Bradbury