“In addition to being false, a growing body of research in psychology and neuroscience suggests that believing in meritocracy makes people more selfish, less self-critical and even more prone to acting in discriminatory ways. Meritocracy is not only wrong; it’s bad. ... Meritocracy is a false and not very salutary belief. As with any ideology, part of its draw is that it justifies the status quo, explaining why people belong where they happen to be in the social order. It is a well-established psychological principle that people prefer to believe that the world is just.”

— A belief in meritocracy is not only false: it’s bad for you

“The older I get, the greater power I seem to have to help the world;
I am like a snowball - the further I am rolled, the more I gain.”

- Susan B. Anthony

I always thought these words said, "The world is falling down so you might as well crash with me," which is what made me think of this song today. I guess that's not the lyric after all, but that's how this music will always fit for me,

A few friends shared this song with me a few months back — Every so often it comes to mind again.

Red Brocade
Naomi Shihab Nye, 1952

The Arabs used to say,
When a stranger appears at your door,
feed him for three days
before asking who he is,
where he’s come from,
where he’s headed.
That way, he’ll have strength
enough to answer.
Or, by then you’ll be
such good friends
you don’t care.

Let’s go back to that.
Rice? Pine nuts?
Here, take the red brocade pillow.
My child will serve water
to your horse.

No, I was not busy when you came!
I was not preparing to be busy.
That’s the armor everyone put on
to pretend they had a purpose
in the world.

I refuse to be claimed.
Your plate is waiting.
We will snip fresh mint
into your tea.

Copyright © by Naomi Shihab Nye.

via

On the turning away
From the pale and downtrodden
And the words they say
Which we won't understand

Don't accept that what's happening
Is just a case of others' suffering
Or you'll find that you're joining in
The turning away

It's a sin that somehow
Light is changing to shadow
And casting its shroud
Over all we have known

Unaware how the ranks have grown
Driven on by a heart of stone
We could find that we're all alone
In the dream of the proud

On the wings of the night
As the daytime is stirring
Where the speechless unite
In a silent accord

Using words you will find are strange
And mesmerized as they light the flame
Feel the new wind of change
On the wings of the night

No more turning away
From the weak and the weary
No more turning away
From the coldness inside

Just a world that we all must share
It's not enough just to stand and stare
Is it only a dream that there'll be
No more turning away?

Be A Light

Ghostlight Project at BVT






I want to remember that this night happened.

discomfort

I hope this summer is an aberration, that next season or maybe next year will feel normal again. It feels like the world has been in a holding pattern, waiting for this moment to pass. The weather, politics, culture - it's all going to get back to normal, right?

Or maybe I'm just a privileged white girl starting to feel what people in other parts of the world (or even here) have always felt.

Good Bones

by Maggie Smith

Life is short, though I keep this from my children.
Life is short, and I’ve shortened mine
in a thousand delicious, ill-advised ways,
a thousand deliciously ill-advised ways
I’ll keep from my children. The world is at least
fifty percent terrible, and that’s a conservative
estimate, though I keep this from my children.
For every bird there is a stone thrown at a bird.
For every loved child, a child broken, bagged,
sunk in a lake. Life is short and the world
is at least half terrible, and for every kind
stranger, there is one who would break you,
though I keep this from my children. I am trying
to sell them the world. Any decent realtor,
walking you through a real shithole, chirps on
about good bones: This place could be beautiful,
right? You could make this place beautiful.

(via)

faces that melt your heart

My sister gave me these over-sized Lego blocks to bring to our adopted Somali refugee family. The kids took to them immediately and built tottering Dr. Seuss-like vehicles using the wheels included in the set. These photos don't do justice to their beautiful faces.

Above: Makruma (in yellow) - her brother Guled (who jumped in behind her when he saw the camera) - and Asma in the background

Above: Grandma Hawo and baby Sundus
Below: Asma & Makruma (looking like a little yellow flower)




Makruma got intrigued with my camera and asked to take this last photo (above) - which started a giggle fit when she saw her family on the camera's display

Nature's Way

This should be the background music for the weather report these days.

"I really, truly believe that people can sense care. In the same way that they can sense carelessness. I think this is about respect that we have for each other. If you expect me to buy something where all I can sense is carelessness, actually I think that is personally offensive. It's offensive culturally, because it shows a disregard for our fellow human. ... Good design for me starts with that determination and motivation and I don't think there's anything, ever, that's good that's come from carelessness. The sad thing is that so much of what we're surrounded by in the physical world that is a product of manufacture, so much of it testifies to carelessness. The one good thing about that is if you do care it is really conspicuous."

- Jonathan Ive, Apple's Head Designer
via

Genius.

Wall Therapy - Rochester, NY

(Click here to visit their website)


"Wisdom is knowing I am nothing
Love is knowing I am everything
And between the two my life moves."
- Nisargadatta Maharaj







Pretty Girl Productions Presents:

“At the moment, our society’s notion of success is largely composed of two parts: money and power. But it’s time for a third metric, beyond money and power – one founded on well-being, wisdom, our ability to wonder, and to give back.”

- Arianna Huffington at 2013 Smith College Commencement Address

via

right on

meanwhile, down in Australia...

... it's so hot, they added new colors to their weather map! (story here)



Australia is in the midst of a heatwave that has lasted since September 2012 - now creating "catastrophic" fire conditions in proximity of the country's major population (story here)

Kaleidomatic!

I'm not usually a tech-y geek, but I am totally addicted to this iPhone app!!!
The above images were all generated from random stuff in our living room (green curtains, bookshelves, etc). It's even more awesome to watch it in motion - Turns everything you see into a Grateful Dead show! 8)))