Justin Davidson: “The idea of a building that could be dismantled, rearranged, and reassembled has not generally fared well in the world of building codes and construction trades. The Fire Department does not take kindly to the idea that a staircase that’s there today may vanish by tomorrow. The arts, too, have rigidities of their own. Impresarios may not care to pin down a work with a label like “theater,” but the stagehands’ union wants to know whether a show falls under its jurisdiction.” – New York Magazine
Author: Douglas McLennan
Our Arguments Are Getting Fiercer, More Nasty. Might A Little Dose Of Scientific Method Help?
“More and less sophisticated arguments and argumenters are mixed and with plenty of idea exchange between them. Add anonymity, and knowing people’s intentions becomes harder, knowing what they mean becomes harder. Treating other people’s views with charity becomes harder, too.” – The Atlantic
How To Measure The Value Of The Arts In Prisons?
California has done a study on recidivism rates, trying to determine whether arts programs make a difference. Evidence is that they may not. But is this the right measure? – Washington Post
Big Tech’s War To Dominate The World
Apple, Amazon, Facebook, and Google are waging a war of all against all—a war for all of your time, all of your money, all of your worldly interactions and desires. They want to be your one indispensable partner for navigating life, and to get there, they must destroy one another. If the government doesn’t step in, the American public will become collateral damage. – The New Republic
Wonder Why Some Cities Just Work? Meet Barcelona
The city’s ability to invent and reinvent itself over and over again is no accident. Yes, the location is wonderful. But the city’s layout and design have conspired to serve as a template that can be endlessly recycled. – Vox
Breakthrough? Scientists Show They Can Reverse Memory Decline With Electrical Stimulation
After the intervention, working memory in the older adults improved to match the younger group and the effect appeared to last for 50 minutes after the stimulation. Those who had scored worst to start with showed the largest improvements. – The Guardian
Why Tell The Gwen Verdon/Bob Fosse Story Now?
There is something undeniably glamorous about their story—the prince and princess of American dance—and something undeniably magical in the work they crafted together. In 2019, this story should be an act of reclamation, at least for Verdon; of her agency, of her contributions, of her pain. But instead of focusing on her interiority, on developing her feelings of betrayal and resentment as more than Douglas Sirk-esque melodrama, it often shows her dancing around and on top of her emotions. – The New Republic
Why Printed Books Are Better For Teaching Kids To Read Than E-Books
Electronic books are becoming increasingly popular for storytime, but the researchers found the bells and whistles, such as sound effects and animation, can sometimes distract young children. – CBC
TV Viewers Are Skipping Ads. So Networks Are Changing Formats
How? Like micro-blocks – short ad breaks that are short enough -15-60 seconds that the networks hope viewers won’t fast forward through them. – Variety
The Shed Is A Huge Experiment: Let’s See What Happens
So far the Shed has raised an astonishing $500m. As is traditional in the US, where public funding for the arts is minimal and institutions rely on philanthropy, the names of the biggest donors are prominently displayed in the foyer. These include companies such as Coach and Google, who have neighbouring offices and stores. “We’ve got [wealth] right there in our face,” says Alex Poots, “and as long as they keep being generous, this kind of ecology is a transformer for arts. Call the Shed the Robin Hood, but let’s see if it works.” – The Guardian