Why I love Germany September 10, 2009

Germany is not the country that is…eh…commonly loved. Apart from the sadly known historical background it can’t boast with great nature, climate, awesome sightseeing or else. Germany is just not a place one normally visits as a tourist. In Europe the masses head to Italy or France, may be UK… But Germany?

To me personally Germany has always been an attraction. There are many facts in my biography connected to Germany, I posted some of it here.I believe it is not only for my love to German language, but actually it is my love to German people that takes me there again and again…

I went ot Berlin few days back and was again pleasantly surprised by the amazing friendliness and readiness to help of Germans.

What I really like about Germans is how they are clearcut in their expressions, direct in communication and well structured. It goes well with some parts of my own character I think. And these are also the things that I miss in any other country I visited!

One more thing that fascinates me is the sense of Friendship. Germans are great friends, once they have enclosed you in their hearts – it is forever. It reminds me a lot of Russian friendship.

As usual I traveled with my camera and took some pictures for you. These are probably not the typical sights of Berlin, but that is what I found cute or interesting.

Who wants money? July 18, 2009

“Me!” would be probably the first reaction of all most of the people.

Do you really want money? – if even now the answer is ” yes” then you are already a millionaire.

The truth is, only a tiny percent of mankind  really wants money and these are the same people who own great material riches. I talked to some people who know personally the so-called Russian oligarchs (people who became incredibly rich and influential  in a short time) – they say that it is the love for money as object that has driven them all to becoming so rich.

The truth is that an average citizen of any country is not really interested in money. Sure, no one would mind comforts and other benefits that money brings with. However it is a very seldom case that someone is interested in possessing huge sums of money as such. And the one who is obsessed with the idea usually gets it!

Why this?

Someone who wants the world to remain as it is does not want it to remain. June 11, 2009

I saw this poster on a Vienna street and could not but share it with you. Powerful sentence, isn’t it?

Someone who wants the world to remain as it is does not want it to remain. Erich Fried (1921-88), Austrian writer

Why I do not watch TV since years June 8, 2009

(image by me)

I gave up watching TV about 5 years back and I am still very much satisfied with that decision. Moreover I keep learning from other people that they either reduce their TV consumption or set it aside as well. So there seems to be a trend about it!

Now I can honestly admit that I do not miss TV at all. Really! Let me give you some reasons why and tell you how I survive without this powerful mass media.

1. HOW DO I GET INFORMED ABOUT WORLD’S HAPPENINGS?

I gather information about world’s happenings mostly from the web, seldom from newspapers and magazines. AND: it is important for me to be able to read news at least in 3 languages (English, Russian and German), sometimes in 4 (+Italian), which gives me a more balanced overview and is in fact a kind of a vaccination against total brainwash. It amazes me how often one and the same happening being interpreted in different countries. And then I think how differently it will be percepted by the people…and where from so much hatred results…OMG!

2. DON”T I MISS GOOD FILMS?

Sometimes, once in several months I want to see some really good feature film or a  documentary, then I go to the cinema or watch a DVD. I came to a conclusion that there is no need to watch so many films, because most of them are simply not worthy of my precious time (hope my two good freinds script-writers will  forgive me). I watch the lives of people around and it is so much more interesting! – so many amazing situations, miracles, dramas, emotions… No film-director can ever show it better than the life itself!

Another thing  may be my love for detail in a daily life and photo-hunting is a lovely hobby – my “rose coloured glasses” makes life colourful and enjoyable every moment.

3. IT SAVES TIME!

The News you will never read/hear/see May 22, 2009

 (my hands by vova)

Today no political overturn happened in 193 countries.

Today 6,634,9090,512 have not died.

Today 6,634, 236,502 people have not been infected with the  Influenza A virus subtype H1N1 (pork fue).

Today 192 cities have not been afflicted by hail.

and so on…

Why will we never get this news reported to us?

Because it is considered to be not captivating enough to deliver good news, to show that huge part of the world is doing actually well, leads a peaceful and good life…

NO, We don’t need to know all that. We have to know how much trouble is everywhere and we have to feel scared and depressed. All the time. Because it is the best way to control us.

 

LOVE; axinia

Looking for alternatives: a symposium on the idea of communism March 17, 2009

(image by me)

An interesting article found in the GUARDIAN, let me quote some abstracts:

The speedy panic with which our governments agreed to throw billions of pounds away to restore “confidence” suggests that the dream is over and we are awakening to a strange new socialism, in which an increasingly authoritarian government has taken public control of financial capitalism in order to save it from itself. We read today that equal pay reviews no longer matter. Migrants are left to starve on the streets as the government heads off the far right by pandering to it. And so it’s precisely now that the question of an alternative must be re-opened.

Against this backdrop, Birkbeck College this weekend hosted a symposium on the idea of communism. Originally planned as a meeting of philosophers and those who enjoy hearing their debates, the unexpected material circumstances of history instead gave the event a genuine sense of urgency. Even the BBC came to hear Slavoj Zizek, Alain Badiou, Jacques Ranciere, Michael Hardt, Toni Negri, and others speaking on the possibilities and challenges of reinventing the communist ideal today.

The conference was happily free of dogmatism. No one on the stage was there to represent a particular party or doctrine. There were disagreements, but at heart was a simple proposition. Communism is an idea that has been with us in different forms for thousands of years, as Terry Eagleton pointed out. The task is now to think what the concepts of egalitarian voluntarism, self-organisation, common ownership of common means of production, abolition of class-structured society, and freedom from state power can mean today.

First, the question of the role of the state and the economy remains open. While Judith Balso, Toni Negri and Alain Badiou insist on creating new political movements at a distance from the state, Zizek and Bruno Bosteels point to the experiences of Bolivia and Venezuela as contemporary proof that by taking power, a progressive radical movement can survive even against overwhelming reactionary forces.

Perhaps the true question is: why communism?

Sorry, but I have to post it: the best of Russian propaganda March 4, 2009

Sorry for those readers who don`t know  Russian, but I really have to post this absolutely brilliant video:

it is a new propaganda clip which was forbidden because of being “too negative” – to me it is the best example of the a HARD TRUTH about us all, especially about the youth.

To me it seems to be highly motivating  – it burns the heart to start DOING something for my country.

BECAUSE THERE IS NO ONE ELSE WHO WOULD DO IT INSTEAD OF ME.

Great, simply great! It reminds me of the Matrix film…

I know it is propaganda, but damn it…it is so inspiring!!!

LOVE, axinia

Brainwash: how do they do it with you February 12, 2009

I ran into the topic of Propaganda on one Russian site  – the Encyclopedia of Propaganda (here) and was taken aback by the baldness of the facts and methods. My first reactions was – everone should read that!! Unfortunately I could not find such a detailed information in English, but will try to quote some important moments here.

Propaganda is generally an appeal to emotion, contrasted to an appeal to intellect. It shares techniques with advertising and public relations. Propaganda, in a narrower use of the term, connotes deliberately false or misleading information that supports or furthers a political (but not only) cause or the interests of those with power.

Propaganda has been a human activity as far back as reliable recorded evidence exists. Today we call it brainwash –the name that reveals the true nature of this phenomenon.

Common media for transmitting propaganda messages include news reports, government reports, historical revision, junk science, books, leaflets, movies, radio, television, and posters. In the case of radio and television, propaganda can exist on news, current-affairs or talk-show segments, as advertising or public-service announce “spots” or as long-running advertorials. A number of techniques based in social psychological research are used to generate propaganda. Many of these same techniques can be found under logical fallacies, since propagandists use arguments that, while sometimes convincing, are not necessarily valid.

Below are some of the typical brainwash techniques:

Will crisis boost blogosphere? February 9, 2009

image by axinia

Everyone seems to blog… everyone?? No, there is still a great potential for blogging to spread around the Earth – and the great current crisis seem to be the driving force.

The print media business is experiencing serious difficulties and the readers switch to the online media. And  – suddenly they find themselves slipping into the blogosphere. Once tasted blog-reading one can hardly leave it. The authentical experiences of people taste crunchy and one gets easily addicted. One becomes a blog-reader and then one day, at some point one finds  himself/herself blogging!

Being the cheapest and most authentic form of information services, blogging will definitely boost this year.

 At least some positive  outcome of the crisis. 

LOVE,

axinia

The Obama-test for America January 31, 2009

 

A lot has been said about the hope Barak Obama has brought about in the USA and around the world.

To me personally the main intrigue of his presidency will be in seeing the impact of IDEALISM on MATERIALISM.We have just learned from the Davos summit that recently the 40% of worlds money (50 billions of Dollars) has vanished into the deep black whole (where it probably originally came from). To be realistic, there is nowhere to exept help and immediate recovery from.

At the same time the amount of faith and optimism connected with Obama`s avatar is truly fascinating – millions do hope that he will perform a wonder and save the sinking world…

The USA has a notorious image of being a very materialistic country. My theory and a strong personal belief is that it is only idealism and high spirits of people that can perform wonders.