In our everyday affairs we often rely on experts’ opinions. That is, we tend to leave things we do not understand up to those studying and practicing them. But life is no one’s field of expertise. You yourself must become an expert on living.
Displaying all posts in Miscellaneous category.
On Haiti
January 17, 2010 (23:10)
I have been monitoring the situation in Haiti and tend to agree with David Brooks from The New York Times:
[S]ome cultures are more progress-resistant than others, and a horrible tragedy was just exacerbated by one of them.
Even such monstrous phenomena like earthquakes have a lot to do with culture. How do you live, how do you treat your neighbors, what is your relationship to reality—these are the things that are going to define endurance and sustainability of your settlement.
Now, should we make efforts to translate our culture to the Haitians? It may be slightly better in organizing, but from a global perspective it still looks primitive, immature. It fails to meet the challenges of the new era, whether it is terrorism, climate change, or overpopulation. I strongly suggest that we shall question the reliability of the way of living that we ourselves are used to.
Think of all the suffering we can prevent.
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Being Creative
October 25, 2009 (22:08)
Living is an art. And like any other art it lays upon the harmony between technique and freedom, known and unknown. The technique of life is very simple: it is breathing, eating and thinking. But if you develop only technical side, you can’t get a proper functioning human being. So there is another side of life, which is called spiritual—we better call it creative. Not being creative just while you are drawing or playing music, but being creative in your daily life.
So what does it mean—to be creative? It means that you are looking at everything with a fresh mind, from which come great enthusiasm, involvement and native curiosity. Then there is no place for habit, and all actions are new.
The Self-Murder
July 17, 2009 (22:31)
Just finished a website for The Self-Murder, a show with outstanding cast and live music (piano and viola) by Russian director Alexey Klimov. It will be performed at Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August.
New Room
July 14, 2009 (21:54)
At last my new room is almost ready. It took a year to accomplish all the work, more than 10 people were involved. It was designed and planned for very special purposes.
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***
July 3, 2009 (03:53)
Variety on Ivan Vyrypaev’s Oxygen:
The effect is like that of a Peter Greenaway movie as made by drug-crazed Orthodox Russian monks who’ve watched too much MTV.
Well, I like the movie. It’s done in the form of entertainment but its purpose is not to entertain.
Hello World, Again!
June 30, 2009 (20:50)
I am back and I am better than ever.
As you have probably noticed, I’ve switched to English. Since my Russian friends were always too lazy to read my entries, no one should feel disappointed about it.
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