Category: Social Relations
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The Power of Dreams: From Warcraft 3 to Global Unity
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Read more: The Power of Dreams: From Warcraft 3 to Global UnityDreams, often overlooked as mere byproducts of sleep, hold remarkable potential for creativity and self-discovery. Over the past few months, I’ve immersed myself in self-help literature and podcasts, particularly those focusing on sleep, such as Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker. Many of these resources highlight the benefits of maintaining a dream diary, especially for…
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Finding Purpose in Redemption: Lessons from Ordinary Angels
Read more: Finding Purpose in Redemption: Lessons from Ordinary AngelsDuring a recent flight to Paris, I stumbled upon the movie Ordinary Angels, starring Hilary Swank. I hadn’t heard of it before but decided to give it a try—and it spoke to me deeply for numerous reasons. Inspired by a true story that took place during the 1994 North American cold wave, the movie follows…
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How a Manga, a Middle School Friendship, and a Global Perspective Shaped My Vision
Read more: How a Manga, a Middle School Friendship, and a Global Perspective Shaped My VisionMy short trip to Paris to visit my dad also gave me the chance to reconnect with my best friend from middle school. We met at a prestigious middle school in Paris, located near the Eiffel Tower, surrounded by stereotypically wealthy French students. He comes from Algerian ancestry, and I am of Chinese descent, which…
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Kickboxer, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and the Power of Awareness
Read more: Kickboxer, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and the Power of AwarenessI met a good friend recently, someone I’ve known since we both joined the same IT course 12 years ago. He’s not just a friend but also a martial arts champion of France, which immediately brought to mind a movie I loved as a child: Kickboxer, directed by David Worth and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme.…
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“2001: A Space Odyssey” and the Future of Humanity: Reflections on Consciousness, AI, and Global Unity
Read more: “2001: A Space Odyssey” and the Future of Humanity: Reflections on Consciousness, AI, and Global UnityI recently watched 2001: A Space Odyssey by Stanley Kubrick during a flight to Paris to visit my father. Despite its iconic status, I had never seen it before. My only prior knowledge was the use of Richard Strauss’s famous classical piece, “Also Sprach Zarathustra.” Watching this masterpiece for the first time, I was struck…
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Oshakashama by Radwimps: A Reflection on Hypocrisy and Society
Read more: Oshakashama by Radwimps: A Reflection on Hypocrisy and SocietyI was introduced to the song “Oshakashama” by Radwimps by yet another drummer friend. As a bass player, I have often sympathized quickly with drummers—the rhythm section of a band needing to play in sync to create the foundation on which the other instruments and vocals can work freely. The better the foundation, the better…
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Lessons from Kimba the White Lion: A Call for Mutual Understanding and Global Citizenship
Read more: Lessons from Kimba the White Lion: A Call for Mutual Understanding and Global CitizenshipI watched the anime version of Kimba the White Lion on French TV as a child. The manga, written by Osamu Tezuka, the creator of Astro Boy and Black Jack, dates back to the early 1950s. Though Disney has never officially confirmed it, many striking similarities exist between Kimba the White Lion and their iconic…
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Uplift Spice’s “Justice”: A Dark Reflection on Society and Inequality
Read more: Uplift Spice’s “Justice”: A Dark Reflection on Society and InequalityI first discovered Uplift Spice through their song Kanojo, introduced by the now-defunct French television channel, NoLife TV. Despite not being as famous as the major hits dominating the Japanese music scene, their music left a lasting impression. I was surprised when a drummer friend of mine turned out to be a big fan of…
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Green Book and the Power of Cultural Understanding
Read more: Green Book and the Power of Cultural UnderstandingWhen I watched Green Book for the first time, I was shocked by how Viggo Mortensen transformed himself for the role. While I hadn’t seen many of his movies before, his portrayal of Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings still holds a special place in my memory. The 2018 film, directed by Peter Farrelly,…
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Building Empathy: Lessons from “Another Day in Paradise”
Read more: Building Empathy: Lessons from “Another Day in Paradise”A French friend I met in Japan once sang Another Day in Paradise by Phil Collins during a karaoke session. While I knew Phil Collins as the drummer of Genesis (yes, I’m not that young, though it’s still not my generation), I hadn’t heard this particular song before. The beauty of karaoke, especially when you…