queenxenia
xenia tchoumitcheva's official behind the scenes magazine
Wednesday, 17 August 2011
Friday, 8 July 2011
Am Ende verlieren wir das Interesse an gedanklicher Vertiefung
Kultur leben |
Am Ende verlieren wir das Interesse an gedanklicher Vertiefung
Von Xenia Tchoumitcheva
Vergessen Sie die griechische Schuldenkrise und auch die Sorgen der EU! Soeben komme ich zurück von einem Ausflug nach Chalkidiki, dem Geburtsort Aristoteles’. Ich konnte nicht anders, als mich an der Warmherzigkeit und der positiven Lebensweise der Griechen zu erfreuen. Und das, obwohl die meisten von ihnen gerade eine schwere Zeit durchmachen. Der Zauber der Antike ist an jeder Ecke spürbar – und er wirkt inspirierend. Wenn wir also schon das Haushalten nicht von den Griechen lernen können, so vielleicht etwas anderes. Ich fragte mich auf dem Rückflug: Wie kann es sein, dass einige Menschen, die vor mehr als 2000 Jahren gelebt haben, die Welt und ihre sozialen Gesetzmässigkeiten so gut wie wir – oder teils sogar besser – erfassen konnten? Hat sich unser Gehirn nicht weiterentwickelt seit den Sophisten, die ihr Leben damit verbrachten, veraltete Theorien über die Welt zu kritisieren?
Vielleicht ist das schon die ganze Wahrheit: das Leben hat sich beschleunigt, die Gesellschaft mit ihm – und der Normalbürger hat gar nicht mehr die Zeit, sich konsequent einem Problem oder einer Theorie zu widmen. Immer hat man etwas anderes zu tun: irgendwohin unterwegs sein, Geld verdienen, Beziehungen pflegen, das alles, während wir durch unsere Städte hetzen. Und weil wir so viele verschiedene Dinge tun, glauben wir, auch gesamthaft mehr zu leisten – das Gegenteil könnte aber der Fall sein.
TV, Internet, Magazine, Radio – sie alle werfen uns nur Häppchen hin, kleine, konsumierbare Dosen, die sich nicht unangenehm breitmachen. Die tiefgreifende Auseinandersetzung mit einer Frage und ihre Einordnung in einen grösseren Kontext bleiben auf der Strecke. Mehr noch: unser verinnerlichter Häppchenkonsum droht auf lange Sicht diese Art der Weitergabe von Wissen zu eta-blieren! Millionen von täglichen Blogbeiträgen, Facebook- und Twitter-Nachrichten widmen sich der blossen Verlinkung von anderswo entstandenen Informationen. Verstehen wir «reduce to the max» weiterhin derart falsch, besteht die Gefahr, das Interesse an einer gedanklichen Vertiefung gänzlich zu verlieren.
Wie finden wir also unsere Kontemplationszeit? Eine Strategie, die sich in den USA grosser Beliebtheit erfreut, nennt sich schlicht «Mindfulness». Diese mit buddhistischen Meditationsstrategien angereicherte psychologische Therapie zur Stressreduktion hat einen einfachen Kern: der Patient wird dazu angehalten, aufmerksam mit der eigenen Umwelt umzugehen, ohne in erster Instanz über sie zu urteilen. Das betrifft die Beschäftigung mit den Dingen um uns herum ebenso wie das simple Erkennen und Betrachten von allem, was uns neu oder fremd erscheint. Sobald erkannt, so die Lehre, solle bewusst die Initiative ergriffen werden, um Entscheidungen zu treffen. Agieren statt – wie sonst üblich – reagieren.
Wie finden wir also unsere Kontemplationszeit? Eine Strategie, die sich in den USA grosser Beliebtheit erfreut, nennt sich schlicht «Mindfulness». Diese mit buddhistischen Meditationsstrategien angereicherte psychologische Therapie zur Stressreduktion hat einen einfachen Kern: der Patient wird dazu angehalten, aufmerksam mit der eigenen Umwelt umzugehen, ohne in erster Instanz über sie zu urteilen. Das betrifft die Beschäftigung mit den Dingen um uns herum ebenso wie das simple Erkennen und Betrachten von allem, was uns neu oder fremd erscheint. Sobald erkannt, so die Lehre, solle bewusst die Initiative ergriffen werden, um Entscheidungen zu treffen. Agieren statt – wie sonst üblich – reagieren.
Diese Technik ist langsameren Kulturen längst bekannt. Sie praktizieren seit Jahrtausenden Yoga, verbringen Wochen oder Monate in Zurückgezogenheit oder haben andere Praktiken, um zur Besinnung zu kommen. Der Sabbat, Tag der Ruhe der Juden, an dem nicht bloss das Arbeiten, sondern auch alle anderen Routinetätigkeiten verboten waren, diente ebenso der Sammlung von Kräften wie der christliche Sonntag – zumindest letzterer spielt aber heute kaum noch eine Rolle. Die Regeneration, die gerade in unserer beschleunigten Welt eine zentrale Rolle spielen müsste, existiert vielfach nicht mehr.
Eine Idee braucht kontinuierliche geistige Nahrung und vor allem das richtige Umfeld, um zu gedeihen. Das Sammeln von Eindrücken und Informationen in der dissonanten Informationsorgie, die auf uns einwirkt, kann einen Geistesblitz hervorrufen – das menschliche Gehirn braucht aber Zeit, um ihn auch zu verarbeiten. Das falsch verstandene «reduce to the max» muss einem richtig verstandenen «Weniger ist mehr» weichen!
Thursday, 9 June 2011
Sunday, 22 May 2011
The need of a dream
I'm not going to start pulling out numbers about the Royal wedding, nor talk about the 2,2 billion people who watched it on television- as we are all sick of the countless pictures and articles about the pretty couple. I would like to take it as a starting point for reflection, however.
I do admit, with slight embarrassment, that I associate and include myself, with the charmed, moved crowd. Critics say it is a largely commercial, hypocritical event and everyone seems to have a word on the matter, but let's not deny it - we all need a piece of fairy tale in life.
I do admit, with slight embarrassment, that I associate and include myself, with the charmed, moved crowd. Critics say it is a largely commercial, hypocritical event and everyone seems to have a word on the matter, but let's not deny it - we all need a piece of fairy tale in life.
I wish more governments invested in positive examples - in philosophy, in arts, in sports. There was much hype around Amy Chua's 2011 book about her tough parenting methods and the hours of piano practicing she inflicted every day on her 7 years old daughter Lulu. But the Chinese "Tiger Mothers" are just one example of how some cultures are educating their future generations.
This is something that cannot yet be said about our capitalistic, western world. Population's role models can be found in vulgar reality shows (not only the Big Brother, but also shows like the Only Way Is Essex, or the American Jersey Shore - an hymn to ignorance and impoliteness), it's heroes are football players and its biggest aspirations become those of having a bigger house, the latest fashion item or a faster car. Their end goal is consumption and their real God to the "Sir Money".
I don't consider this a negative fact: ambition to have a better life is totally legitimate and a motor for growth.
What is unacceptable about today's society is that rulers and self-made millionaires sometimes allow themselves to praise the fact that they have managed to succeed without having ever read a book or been any good at reading or writing. They actually offer their ignorance as a proof of their more serious devotion to the art of making money.
Today's socially important characters have little to do with the citizens of mark of the Princes of Italian Renaissance or the Age of Enlightenment, who were as able to rule a nation as to compose poetry, play the flute or know history in-depth. I am unsure of how many modern politicians could defend the category nowadays, Sarah Palin isn't one of them.
What is unacceptable about today's society is that rulers and self-made millionaires sometimes allow themselves to praise the fact that they have managed to succeed without having ever read a book or been any good at reading or writing. They actually offer their ignorance as a proof of their more serious devotion to the art of making money.
Today's socially important characters have little to do with the citizens of mark of the Princes of Italian Renaissance or the Age of Enlightenment, who were as able to rule a nation as to compose poetry, play the flute or know history in-depth. I am unsure of how many modern politicians could defend the category nowadays, Sarah Palin isn't one of them.
Great Britain's royal wedding not only was a celebration of love, the religious rite and the tradition of marriage - it has given us a glimpse back to a time where well manners, decent dresses and formal kind gestures were a standard. Maybe an inspiration to look back to the centuries and dream of higher standards in terms of culture and education, a brighter future than just a dry, plain money making process that works in the short term - until the Tiger Mom's multi-talented children grow up.
Monday, 4 April 2011
Don't let it get in your way.
Who still believes in the motto "fake it till you make it"? Promoting the image without any real substance to back it up, in fact - lying to create momentum and opportunities and get ahead in a career, community or simply among a circle of friends.
There were times in the past when taking such a risk has really paid off, but nowadays the balance in the substance vs. image debate has taken a remarkable swing towards the latter. If everyone wastes times appear more than they really are then won't we be losing more precious time that could be spent in being productive, in trying to prove to others that we've somehow made it?
I think that in this image conscious society the way we appear, the ideas we give to others about our skills and success, and the value we place on gossip and rumour about us and the number of times our name has been published/pronounced in public has become way too important.
I'm not saying we should disregard appearance - if you walk into a bank dressed and smelling like a deadbeat it is very unlikely someone is gonna ever consider giving you a loan for your innovative unique business idea.
Human beings that live in a society need to feel accepted, recognized and respected - that is a given. But already decades ago the psychologist Maslow put those kind of esteem needs below what he considered the most important for a living person: the so-called 'self-actualizing' needs, those of fulfilling one's own potential without caring much about others' opinions.
Not only could this extreme search for social consent put at risk one's gradual build up of professional or private persona, it's also getting on the way of genuine happiness. Caring too much about approval, reputation and appearance is a big distraction from what actually matters: substance.
We often hear it from people who had the guts to go an unorthodox way in order to follow a dream: they were told at the very beginning - it will never work, that's isn't for you, you won't make it - guess what they did? They didn't try to second guess people's opinions. And they made it.
The star financier Warren Buffett says that people have an Inner and an Outer Scorecard - "if the world couldn't see your results, would you rather be thought as the world's greatest investor but in reality have the world's worst record? Or be thought as the worst and you were actually the best?". You should put the emphasis on your inner valuation of yourself, and that should be the source of your satisfaction.
From a purely commercial point of view you can't sale hot air forever, production must come first, sales and marketing has to be the last step of the chain.
In a more spiritual, oriental approach: why not just quietly be? Forget all the noise around you, focus on the here and now, and go your own way.
There were times in the past when taking such a risk has really paid off, but nowadays the balance in the substance vs. image debate has taken a remarkable swing towards the latter. If everyone wastes times appear more than they really are then won't we be losing more precious time that could be spent in being productive, in trying to prove to others that we've somehow made it?
I think that in this image conscious society the way we appear, the ideas we give to others about our skills and success, and the value we place on gossip and rumour about us and the number of times our name has been published/pronounced in public has become way too important.
I'm not saying we should disregard appearance - if you walk into a bank dressed and smelling like a deadbeat it is very unlikely someone is gonna ever consider giving you a loan for your innovative unique business idea.
Human beings that live in a society need to feel accepted, recognized and respected - that is a given. But already decades ago the psychologist Maslow put those kind of esteem needs below what he considered the most important for a living person: the so-called 'self-actualizing' needs, those of fulfilling one's own potential without caring much about others' opinions.
Not only could this extreme search for social consent put at risk one's gradual build up of professional or private persona, it's also getting on the way of genuine happiness. Caring too much about approval, reputation and appearance is a big distraction from what actually matters: substance.
We often hear it from people who had the guts to go an unorthodox way in order to follow a dream: they were told at the very beginning - it will never work, that's isn't for you, you won't make it - guess what they did? They didn't try to second guess people's opinions. And they made it.
The star financier Warren Buffett says that people have an Inner and an Outer Scorecard - "if the world couldn't see your results, would you rather be thought as the world's greatest investor but in reality have the world's worst record? Or be thought as the worst and you were actually the best?". You should put the emphasis on your inner valuation of yourself, and that should be the source of your satisfaction.
From a purely commercial point of view you can't sale hot air forever, production must come first, sales and marketing has to be the last step of the chain.
In a more spiritual, oriental approach: why not just quietly be? Forget all the noise around you, focus on the here and now, and go your own way.
.
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
Sunday, 20 March 2011
fake girl Carre Viiip
the girl describing herself as me
and using my name in a french reality
is obviously NOT me.
people are crazy nowadays, I am absolutely not doing any reality.
ps. her real name is Anastasia READ ARTICLE
ps. her real name is Anastasia READ ARTICLE
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