US bevolking vs. kiescollege : er klopt iets niet

https://worldmapper.org/us-presidential-election-2024/

https://worldmapper.org/maps/us-presidential-election-2024-results/

Romanticism as a Uniquely Western Movement

How significant is it that non-Western societies did not go through the Romanticism period? Is the West the only region where feelings play such a great role in society or is the rest of the world simply catching up now? 

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That’s a great question. The absence of a "Romanticism period" in non-Western societies is significant, but it doesn’t mean that emotions or individual feelings were historically unimportant outside the West. Rather, different cultures have had their own ways of valuing emotions, creativity, and personal expression.

1. Romanticism as a Uniquely Western Movement

Romanticism emerged in late 18th- and early 19th-century Europe as a reaction against the Enlightenment’s rationalism and industrialization. It emphasized emotion, individualism, nature, and the sublime. In that sense, it was a direct response to particular Western developments—such as scientific rationality, industrial progress, and rigid social norms. Because these conditions were not identical elsewhere, the same kind of Romantic backlash didn’t occur in many non-Western cultures.

2. The Role of Emotion in Non-Western Societies

The idea that non-Western societies were less emotionally driven is misleading. Many cultures had rich traditions emphasizing deep feelings, spirituality, and personal expression:

• China & Confucianism: Confucian ideals stressed social harmony and duty over individual emotion, but classical Chinese poetry (e.g., Tang Dynasty poets like Li Bai) was highly emotional and personal.
• Japan & Mono no Aware: The Japanese aesthetic of mono no aware (the bittersweet beauty of impermanence) captures something similar to Romantic longing.
• India & Bhakti Movement: In medieval India, the Bhakti movement was intensely emotional and individualistic, focusing on personal devotion to deities.
• Islamic & Persian Literature: Poets like Rumi and Hafez celebrated intense emotions and spiritual longing, centuries before European Romanticism.

3. Is the Rest of the World “Catching Up”?

Rather than catching up, many non-Western societies are integrating certain Romantic ideals through globalization. The modern emphasis on individualism, self-expression, and personal emotion in social media, literature, and relationships reflects a kind of worldwide "Romanticization" of life. However, this doesn’t mean these cultures lacked emotional depth before—just that these values are becoming more dominant today.

Conclusion

Romanticism, as a formal movement, was specific to the West, but emotional expression has always been present in different forms worldwide. The modern global spread of individualistic and emotional ideals isn’t necessarily non-Western societies “catching up,” but rather an ongoing cultural exchange where Western Romantic ideals are merging with local traditions

I love Venice 😍

 

I love Venice 😍

Flashback Venice 2021 😍

Dolomieten aanraders

 3 lusvormige trails in de Dolomieten

1)Croda da Lago circuit

Puntu ru Curtu

Val formin

Forcella Rossa

Trail 435

Forcela Abrisola

Becco di Mezodi

Lago Federa

Rifugio Palmieri

Trail 434

Trail 437

2) Val Fiscalina - Croda dei Toni

- Rifugio Fondovalle

- Tre Cime di Lavardeo

- Rifugio Locatelli

- Rifugio Pian di Cengia

- Rifugio Zsigmondy Comici

3) Monte Civetta Circuit from Palafavera

- Rifugio Coldai

- Sentiero Tivan

- Forcela delle Sasse

- Rifugio Vazzoler

- Rifugio Tissi (overnachten?)

- Lago Coldai

Andere highlights

https://youtu.be/kiYoMZmaaLU

- Seceda 

- Sassolungo

- Lago di Braies

- Tre Cime di Lavaredo

- Mordor

AI can enhance storytelling, but the authenticity and intention behind a creation remain key to its emotional resonance.

Generating beautiful video's is becoming relatively easy with AI. Isn't that going to reduce the emotional value of these video's?

ChatGPT zei:

That's an insightful question. The ease of creating beautiful videos with AI indeed raises concerns about their emotional value and cultural significance. Here are some perspectives on this issue:

1. The Role of Effort and Craftsmanship

Traditionally, the emotional value of art often correlates with the perceived effort and skill involved in its creation. Knowing a video required years of expertise, planning, and hard work can make it feel more special. If AI makes high-quality video creation effortless, some might argue it devalues the medium by flooding the market with content that lacks a personal, human touch.

2. The Emotional Impact of Context

The emotional value of a video often depends on its context rather than its technical perfection. For instance:

• A simple home video of a family event can evoke deep feelings because of the personal memories it represents.
• A movie or video becomes valuable when it tells a meaningful story or reflects human experiences, regardless of how it was made.

AI can enhance storytelling, but the authenticity and intention behind a creation remain key to its emotional resonance.

3. Overabundance and Desensitization

If stunning visuals become ubiquitous, people might become desensitized to their beauty. This has happened with other forms of media (e.g., digital photography or CGI in movies). What was once groundbreaking can feel mundane when it becomes commonplace.

4. New Opportunities for Personal Expression

On the flip side, AI democratizes video creation, enabling people without technical skills to express themselves creatively. Personal stories and unique perspectives can now be shared more widely, which could enhance the emotional diversity and relatability of videos.

5. The Importance of Human Connection

AI-generated videos lack the human imperfections and emotional subtleties that often make art deeply moving. For this reason, human-created videos may retain their appeal, especially in contexts where authenticity matters.

Balancing AI and Human Creativity

Rather than diminishing the emotional value of videos, AI could redefine it. The challenge is ensuring AI remains a tool for amplifying human creativity and not a replacement for it. By blending human intention with AI's capabilities, creators might produce works that are both technically impressive and emotionally profound.

What do you think? Could AI's accessibility lead to a renaissance of personal storytelling, or does it risk overwhelming us with soulless content?

Blijkbaar ben ik fan van pre-raffaëlitische kunst :)

Pre-raffaëlitisch verwijst naar de kunst- en literaire stroming van de Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (PRB), een groep kunstenaars en schrijvers die in 1848 in Engeland werd opgericht. Ze noemden zichzelf "pre-raffaëlitisch" omdat ze terug wilden keren naar de heldere, gedetailleerde en symbolisch rijke stijl van kunst die bestond vóór de tijd van de Italiaanse schilder Raphael (1483–1520). Ze beschouwden zijn werk, en dat van de kunstenaars na hem, als te academisch en verstoken van spiritualiteit.

Kenmerken van pre-raffaëlitische kunst:

1. Inspiratie uit de natuur: Gedetailleerde en realistische weergaven van flora, fauna en landschappen.

2. Symbolisme: Objecten en scènes hadden vaak diepere betekenissen.

3. Middeleeuwse thema's: Veel werken bevatten verhalen uit de middeleeuwen, de Bijbel, mythologie of Shakespeare.

4. Heldere kleuren en nauwkeurige details: Ze gebruikten een verfijnde techniek om levendige kleuren en texturen te creëren.

5. Romantische en melancholische sfeer: De schilderijen hebben vaak een dromerige, melancholische of mysterieuze uitstraling.

Belangrijke leden:

• Dante Gabriel Rossetti: Vooral bekend om zijn schilderijen van vrouwen met opvallende rood haar en intense expressies.

• John Everett Millais: Zijn schilderij Ophelia (1851-1852) is een beroemd voorbeeld van de stroming.

• William Holman Hunt: Gefascineerd door religieuze en morele thema's.

Literatuur en invloed:

Naast schilderkunst speelden poëzie en literatuur een belangrijke rol. Rossetti was ook dichter, en de beweging beïnvloedde schrijvers zoals Algernon Swinburne en William Morris. De stroming legde bovendien de basis voor de latere Arts and Crafts-beweging.

Bekende werken:

• Ophelia (Millais)

• The Light of the World (Hunt) > Heb ik gezien in St Paul's Cathedral in Londen

• Proserpine (Rossetti)

Het pre-raffaëlitisme benadrukte eerlijkheid, schoonheid en de spirituele kracht van kunst, en het vormt nog steeds een invloedrijke beweging in de kunstgeschiedenis.

Is elon musk underestimating the power of the civil justice system with respect to his government efficiency ideas?

Elon Musk's views on government efficiency and his critiques of bureaucratic systems may not fully account for the balancing role the civil justice system plays in protecting individual rights and ensuring accountability. Musk often emphasizes speed, innovation, and lean management, inspired by private-sector principles. However, this focus can sometimes conflict with the deliberate pace and complexity of the civil justice system, which prioritizes fairness, transparency, and thoroughness over efficiency.

Here are a few ways in which he might be underestimating its power:

1. Checks and Balances:

The civil justice system acts as a crucial check on government overreach, corporate malfeasance, and violations of individual rights. Proposals to streamline or simplify governance processes might inadvertently weaken these safeguards.

2. Due Process:

Efficiency-driven reforms could clash with the principle of due process. The civil justice system ensures that decisions are made carefully, allowing all parties to present their case, which is essential in upholding justice even if it slows down proceedings.

3. Public Accountability:

Courts provide a forum for holding powerful entities, including governments and corporations, accountable. The transparency and scrutiny involved in civil litigation serve as a counterbalance to the risk of unchecked authority that could arise in an overly streamlined system.

4. Complexity of Societal Issues:

Government inefficiency often stems from the complexity of managing diverse stakeholders and priorities. While Musk's efficiency-driven approach works well for focused, profit-driven ventures, public systems must address broader societal needs, which the civil justice system helps to adjudicate.

5. Precedent and Stability:

The legal system relies on precedent to provide consistency and predictability. Rapid changes aimed at increasing efficiency might disrupt this stability, creating unintended legal and societal consequences.

That said, Musk's critiques do highlight genuine issues, such as excessive red tape or slow adaptation to technological change. However, any reforms should carefully balance efficiency with the civil justice system's fundamental role in protecting rights and ensuring fair governance.