“Through much of human history, frugal simplicity was not a choice but a necessity – and since necessary, it was also deemed a moral virtue. But with the advent of industrial capitalism and a consumer society, a system arose that was committed to relentless growth, and with it grew a population (aka ‘the market’) that was enabled and encouraged to buy lots of stuff that, by traditional standards, was surplus to requirements. As a result, there’s a disconnect between the traditional values we have inherited and the consumerist imperatives instilled in us by contemporary culture.”
Author: Douglas McLennan
Trump Architecture Through The Decades – A Review
“The Trump Organization does not seem to be guided by any feeling for what it wants its buildings to look like, and obviously not (given the propensity of its projects to land in the red) by simple economic horse sense. Not only is there no there there, but the more theres they build, the less there there is.”
The Most-Downloaded Christmas Songs Of All Time
A caveat: downloading is a fairly recent phenomenon, so the results might surprise you. “As researched by Billboard, the answer lies within Nielsen Music, which began tracking all digital-music sales in 2003.”
Norman Foster Wins Competition To Design Prado Extension
First proposed by the Spanish government in 1995, the project to restore the only surviving part of Philip IV’s Buen Retiro pleasure palace, which housed Spain’s Army Museum until 2005, has been hampered by years of austerity. The building was officially assigned to the nearby Prado last October.
How Much Is JK Rowling Really Worth?
Rowling is an entire industry. Books, movies, theme parks… she’s created an international creative franchise and everyone seems to celebrate her success. And she’s been rewarded. “A close look at Ms. Rowling’s sources of income suggests that she’s worth more than $1 billion, even allowing for a large margin of error.”
Remember How Hollywood Box Office Was Way Off Last Summer? Nevermind – Now It’s On Track For A Record Year
Disney’s “Finding Dory” is the leading grosser of 2016 with $486.2 million, followed by Disney’s “Captain America: Civil War” with $408.1 million, Universal’s “The Secret Life of Pets” with $367.6 million, Disney’s “The Jungle Book” at $364 million and Fox’s “Deadpool” at $363.1 million.
This Whole Mindfulness Thing – Is It Overrated?
“The idea that we should be constantly policing our thoughts away from the past, the future, the imagination or the abstract and back to whatever is happening right now has gained traction with spiritual leaders and investment bankers, armchair philosophers and government bureaucrats and human resources departments. So does the moment really deserve its many accolades?”
Detroit’s Contemporary Art Scene Is Flourishing. So Detroit Institute Of Arts Plans A Contemporary Makeover
“A DIA more fully engaged with the art of our time could have a catalytic influence on Detroit’s cultural scene and the artists who live and work here — especially at a time when there’s so much action in artists’ studios, in the galleries and on the street.”
This Week in Audience: The Trump Era Will Force The Arts To Define Its Audiences; The Stories We All Respond To…
This Week: The Trump victory forces theatres to figure out who its audience is… A classic example of starting small in Kenya and developing a demand for books… How did an 80-year-old self-help book get on this year’s bestseller list?… The six stories to which we all respond… Authenticity and an unlikely concert venue.
London Blackout Hits West End Theatres
The electrical outage was almost perfectly times to disrupt theatre performances Friday night. The power went out just after 7 PM and didn’t go back on until after 9.