Category: Awareness
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Can Buffy the Vampire Slayer Teach Us About Change and Self-Expression?
Read more: Can Buffy the Vampire Slayer Teach Us About Change and Self-Expression?Why is Once More, with Feeling so unforgettable? The Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode Once More, with Feeling is the seventh episode of the sixth season of the supernatural drama television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003). It stands out as the only musical episode, making it a truly unique moment in the series. This…
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Black Box Diaries: What Does It Reveal About Gender Roles and Cultural Change in Japan?
Read more: Black Box Diaries: What Does It Reveal About Gender Roles and Cultural Change in Japan?How does Japanese society perceive the #MeToo movement? This post marks the first time I discuss a piece of content I haven’t personally watched. Why? Black Box Diaries is a Japanese documentary released in October 2024 in the UK and the US, but it has yet to be released in Japan—if ever. Recently nominated for…
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What a Wonderful World – Can We Still Believe in Its Message Today?
Read more: What a Wonderful World – Can We Still Believe in Its Message Today?Was What a Wonderful World a message of hope in dark times? Performed by Louis Armstrong, What a Wonderful World was released in 1967, during the turbulent era of the Vietnam War. Rooted in the soulful depths of jazz, the song was written and composed as a beacon of hope for the millions suffering from…
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How Does Zootopia Challenge Our Perceptions of Prejudice and Neuroplasticity?
Read more: How Does Zootopia Challenge Our Perceptions of Prejudice and Neuroplasticity?How do our brains shape our understanding of the world? Zootopia is a 2016 American animated buddy cop comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. Set in a world of anthropomorphic animals, it follows an unlikely partnership between a small rabbit police officer and a cunning con artist fox as they work together to…
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Mrs. GREEN APPLE, “Columbus,” and the Power of Influence—How Does History Shape Our Perception?
Read more: Mrs. GREEN APPLE, “Columbus,” and the Power of Influence—How Does History Shape Our Perception?Is Mrs. GREEN APPLE a Product of the Japanese Music Industry? For the past few years, Mrs. GREEN APPLE has been highly present in various television shows featuring music. Whether this is purely a business strategy—like many other bands and groups in Japan—remains unclear. However, there is no denying that they produce catchy songs, and…
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Can Music Help Us Break Free from Dogma? Exploring Machine Head, Religion, and Trauma
Read more: Can Music Help Us Break Free from Dogma? Exploring Machine Head, Religion, and TraumaHow do beliefs shape our reality? Machine Head is an American heavy metal band formed in 1991 by vocalist/rhythm guitarist Robb Flynn, who remains the only original member of the band. A drummer friend of mine introduced me to their music, and I was immediately drawn to the raw energy of their tracks, seamlessly blending…
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V for Vendetta: How Can We Break the Cycle of Oppression Through Awareness and Action?
Read more: V for Vendetta: How Can We Break the Cycle of Oppression Through Awareness and Action?V for Vendetta is a 2005 dystopian political action film directed by James McTeigue from a screenplay by the Wachowskis. I hadn’t initially planned to write about V for Vendetta yet, as I felt its message could easily be interpreted as a call for chaos and anarchy. However, history has shown us time and again…
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Zatoichi and Self-Awareness: Can a Blind Swordsman Teach Us to See the World Differently?
Read more: Zatoichi and Self-Awareness: Can a Blind Swordsman Teach Us to See the World Differently?Zatoichi is a fictional character created by Japanese novelist Kan Shimozawa. He is an itinerant blind masseur and swordsman of Japan’s late Edo period (1830s and 1840s). The story became a movie series, followed by a television series, both featuring the same actor—who likely served as the inspiration for Admiral Fujitora in One Piece. More…
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How Can Final Fantasy Tactics Teach Us About Mastery and Self-Discovery?
Read more: How Can Final Fantasy Tactics Teach Us About Mastery and Self-Discovery?Final Fantasy Tactics is a 1997 tactical role-playing game by Square, released in 1997. This is the first installment of Final Fantasy as a tactical RPG, yet it has been cited as one of the greatest video games ever made. It is also the first entry set in the fictional world later known as Ivalice,…
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Schindler’s List: “Whoever saves one life saves the world entire.”
Read more: Schindler’s List: “Whoever saves one life saves the world entire.”What does it take to break free from passivity? Schindler’s List is a 1993 American epic historical drama film directed and produced by Steven Spielberg. It is based on the historical novel Schindler’s Ark (1982) by Thomas Keneally. The film follows Oskar Schindler, a German industrialist who saved more than a thousand mostly Polish-Jewish refugees…