Author: sereshk

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Music, Emotions and Cultures: Persian Traditional Music

Image showing violinist and artist Farid Farjad playing his violin, from a CD cover.
Image courtesy music.apple.com – Click to listen to music on music.apple.com

Music is special. It seems that the earliest ways to express sound may be even older than human speech. Human speech developed over time, thousands of years at least, from earliest ways to express simple sounds through strings of combined sounds as first words, eventually shaping the first sentences.

Speech is nothing short of a miracle. So is human understanding. Because there are languages and cultures.

Music, in turn can sometimes help to bridge gaps. In understanding and realization. Music is actually another miracle, if you look at it closely. All across the world music has become a way to express feelings, emotion.

Love, friendship, sorrow and  joy, fear and sadness, anger or fury; images that float through our minds can be  triggered by listening to music. Some types of music have become universal and indeed can make people in concerts feel connected just by listening.

In recent decades the research into the helping and healing aspects music can have and thus be used for, have been made and recorded in the science of music therapy.

The above is one of my favourite albums of Persian music: Few types of music to my mind convey this close connection of sadness and joy actually at the same time: In traditional Persian music, possibly due to a very moving history, joy and sadness are presented in the tune as well as the rhythm, interchangeably.

So you can have a joyful rhythm and a sad tune that can render it perfect to help connect to those parts of our souls that cannot always be joyful; and yet remember that sadness and joy in life can be there at the same time and thus help. Be resilient.

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“AI is Your Friend?” or: Why Humans Beat AI Anytime

Image of a red round light bulb with a yellow center representing the fictional talking computer HAL 9000's eye.
HAL 9000’s red eye… (Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

1968, as early as all that…: HAL 9000 – epitome of all AI and ‘talking’ computers… Its voice and red eye apparently made it particularly enticing for the characters in the movie… I never watched that movie, but around IT you cannot possibly escape the ideas surrounding it… 😉

“Google is your friend”? In many fora online after Google had first been established as a fast search engine you could find that as a reminder to “go and search” for yourself.

Long before AI became such a hype there was talk about computers taking over – roles, work, or the whole world…
At the moment AI seems to be – or increasingly to become – a ‘friend’ in a new manner.

I am lucky I was raised by smart parents who knew a thing or two about people, psychology, humanity, mankind… being human, in short.

I also was around other cultures a lot where being human still means – to be a feeling, thinking, at times vulnerable, being with brains and heart, instead of a marketing figure who is always perfect according to such rules as they can be found in TV advertisements as well as other kinds of Hollywood movies.

“2001: A Space Odyssey” – The movie by Stanley Kubrick, award-winning director, is considered a classic by this time – and a state-of-the-art pointer for other movies of this kind.

Let’s spread the word: AI is not a friend. It’s not a therapist. It’s not something to put in the place of humans.
It does not have compassion, it hasn’t got a heart – and it has no brains!
Failures and pitfalls in that direction can be tragic, so recent news tell us.

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“One Swallow Does Not Make a Summer” – Or: How To Judge – or Not…?

A table in a laboratory sowing several tubes, small glass bottles and testing equipment for chemical substances.
Image free via freepik.com (no AI involved)

In science you make a rule from thousands of occurrences of the same phenomenon… if it is the same. There are strict rules for creating new or even corrected rules in science. The same is true for the law, legislation and courts of law: In order to be sure of what you do or say, you have to be very careful of your facts, and your witnesses, if any.

That’s why in everyday life you meet so many people who judge often based on – almost nothing: One day, one situation, one occurrence, even a chance correlation of two events – and ‘lo and behold’ they make up a story about people, a place – or they pass judgement.

It’s easy that way: Passing judgement, on others. It makes you feel fine(r) about yourself. And you can stop worrying about your own shortcomings…

Well, it depends, of course. Because not everybody is the same.

Even the bible, a book full of wisdom, if you know how to read it, has that, already, Matthew, 7, 3:

“3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?” (King James Version)

“3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” (New International Version)

There’s the idea that two events occurring at the same time can be made into a story… such as a stork flying across the sky while a baby is born… Makes it – what?

“Storks bring babies…?”

Are you quite sure…?

Drawing of a smiling stork flying past carrying a baby inside a folded cloth in his beak.
Image free via Ecosia filtered search, Creative commons
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Conspiracies…? Facts! – Interpretations or: “Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?”

Image of a chicken on a road, walking and screenshot of the website of the Department of Physics of Harvard University
Screenshot: Taken today at below linked page at 14-10-2025_16-11-25, local time; image courtesy K_2_K from Pixabay

When you look at the news, at what people spread around in channels, chats, feeds, social media (so-called, rather) you get the idea that half the time the rumours of yet another conspiracy theory are afloat.

It’s not easy to separate facts from interpretations, ‘sensation mongering’ from the real thing.

I’d like to add a few pointers here, for all who were wondering:

It’s always easy to speculate about the future; but just as AI… 😉 we can be wrong… 😉

When you want to get at the truth of facts, and differentiate them from interpretations, the first step would be to realize:

What exactly is a fact?

What is not?

A comparatively easy example is this:

    • An egg is a fact.
    • The answer to how it came there (on the table, on the street, squashed, or whole…) is interpretation. If you are lucky, you know for sure because you squashed it yourself…

In all other cases, check your sources – carefully!

This is regions of the world with democracy and freedom of speech as well as opinion – and thoughts.

It’s always a good idea to be careful. You never know who will suffer from falsified reports – or simple rumours…

Here’s a fun page from Harvard Department of Physics about the different ways to explain a fact, depending on perspective (note: these are made-up sentences… ! 🤣 ) :

Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?

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CEASEFIRE!!!!!!! Israel and Palestine!!!! PEACE AHEAD…!

Image of Palestinians at the shores returning home
Picture from The Times UK’s article Palestinians return home after Gaza peace deal — as it happened

It’s unbelievable and almost seems a miracle – yet: This is about humans, everywhere, there’s always a chance to turn down new roads!!!

My heart goes out to all who suffered pain, the loss of loved ones and severe hardships, bombings, destruction and living in hunger and rubble.

To all in power: Make this about peace and peaceful coexistence! Dignity for all concerned, not power games and ‘superiority’ for the few.

This FANFARE is to celebrate this wonderful step, because to feel it too makes it even more real:

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Peeping Toms – and Marys? – ‘Devices and Desires’…

Two pictures, an eye peeping from behind a hole in a wallpaper and the photo of a nightclub sign advertising a peep show
Images by Kev and Tumisu from Pixabay, my graphics

The ‘peeping Tom’ for generations has described aptly what I am about to deal with here: The secretly watching male, who’s too dumb for a vivid imagination and too cheap for spending money on the ‘real thing’:
The male (and female?) person who watches others using any kind of device, in the analogue days telescopes or binoculars, to catch at least glimpses of those others in ‘private states’:
Any stage of undress, close encounters of the private and loving kind they miss out on themselves so sadly…

Perhaps it is no coincidence that ‘a Tom’ is also short for a roving male cat…

It is sometimes sad, sometimes rather annoying, when you realize them being about – and often just plain ridiculous and proof of very small minds.

They are not using the – especially these days – ample means and opportunities that often are even sold cheap online; not using the human imagination based perhaps on tales or books or even movies to make their own ‘reality’…

Woody Allen let one of his characters put it nicely in his comedy “Bullets over Broadway”: ‘reality is for those who cannot make their own.’

These days I presume, with so-called – in this respect – equality of the sexes around – women might be ‘peeping’ too; but that is a guess.

Just as in former centuries (married) men used to boast about their ‘adventures’, the nice term ‘swaggering’ makes it even clearer; while women were the ‘true gentlemen’, who relished in silence, even though from necessity rather than want…

To this day, the statistics in these matters especially are hard to determine and not easily published. Not all that is loudest is the most of any kind – nor right….

The right to privacy is a human right and apart from an invasion into the privacy of those that are watched, it’s a punishable offence…

Still, to put not too fine a point to it… all those who read this and start thinking: Perhaps new ways can be found, anyway:
There are those that seem to be the natural counterpart of peeping Toms or Marys: the exhibitionists…

So, inhibited masses, unite!

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Quiet vs Talk? – Talk and Quiet!

Sunset at a lake, with a pavilion shape against the sunlight, providing a sense of calm.
Times can be tough, I have seen many and gone through a lot of such times. I still consider myself lucky, in many respects.

I find that talking can be overestimated. But so can quiet. As has been said similarly elsewhere:
there’s a time and place for everything.

Sometimes we talk to others in order to exchange ideas, or information.

Sometimes we talk to others to feel close by being understood and listened to.

Sometimes we talk to others so we can make the heart’s burden lighter, or to let off the steam of anger.

Sometimes we talk to others to clear up things or answer questions.

But often, there’s nothing of the above necessary. We are at one with ourselves and our emotions and ideas.

In such times, being quiet can be the order of the day. Know that our near and dear understand.

In hard or sorrowful times, a good cry can help. Or letting off steam by punching something…

Hugging near and dear helps.

Work helps.

And laughter helps. Always.

(First published in 2021, reposted.)

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Never Assume or: Appearances Can Be (Very) Deceptive or: The Art of (Not) Judging Your Peers

Image of a blue natural crystal stone, grown into a multi-faceted shape.
Image by Alana Jordan from Pixabay

Knowing your fellow man – or woman. In theory it is easy: Just talk to them – or look at them and you know. Right?

Wrong.

We only understand and really recognize what we have seen before. Of course, there are universal truths. Yet, there are also differences in detail.

They depend on experience. On discretion someone may have learned in the course of a lifetime…

I for one for example have learnt to be very careful with what – or whom – I talk about. Usually, that is.

So easily people actually jump to conclusions.
In those conclusions there are just as much ‘wish(es) father to the thought’ as the quote from Shakespeare goes; as well as ideas based on often culturally or individually dependent views and perspectives involved.

So, a wolf would expect a wolf to behave like one. Yet, when there’s a sheep inside – or a fox maybe, or a hare, or a squirrel, or a bear… or a bit of all of them:
What is the conclusion then?

When we want to know about people the first order is: Patience!

Although many of us conclude about basics of another human being inside of seconds, we still should keep an open mind:

So often, appearances can be deceptive.

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Perfidy Perfected: The Trump-Putin Axis Revisited – Window Dressing Or: Threats as a Means to Close Deals

The flags of the USA and Russia closely together, in folds, as if laid out on a table.
Image licensed via Adobe CC

The New York Times won a Pulitzer Prize for it: The reporting on contacts between Trump and Putin all those years ago, when he first ran for office: The election of 2016 already had been influenced on a broad scale by Russian hackers.

Additionally, the contacts between other members of the Trump-family, such as his nephew, to Russia and Putin or his ‘entourage’, have been proven.

Not so long ago Trump could be seen practically worshipping Putin when meeting him.

Trump seems to have stated publicly even that he envied Putin his status: To be able to have people to ‘jump through hoops’ basically at his command. Something Trump has been craving and is as yet denied by the constitution of the USA.

What is going on?

I think it is safe to suppose that all this threatening scenery has been moved just as on a stage: Make us believe in the threat – and invest: In weapons and the weapons’ industry.

In return, Putin at some point will ‘get’ Ukraine. And no more NATO in front of his territory.
Which sounds alright.

Otherwise: It seems a huge campaign in order to get Trump raised NATO-members’ annual in weapons. To 5% from 3% originally. Do the maths: Depending on the gross national product, per year. That’s billions of dollars the US-way. Weapons that are produced mainly in the US. Weapons that most of the other NATO members will order from there.

Add the raised tariffs and you have your threatening setup and deals-closing all complete.

By a man whose whole history is about making huge amounts of money; who did not care a hoot about anyone, when going bankrupt on purpose in the 1960s, hurting thousands of small stakeholders and sinking them.

Who promises yet never really comes through with bettering living conditions, employment rates, for those at the bottom of society’s ladder.

Who praised himself for being that kind of deal-closer: Threaten them and be done with it. Who has done so – or at least tried – repeatedly.

North Korea comes to mind, a couple of years ago. Some threats and fears raised of actual military action in the seas close to Korea. And suddenly:
– Silence. Shaking of hands and alleviation of said threats…

At the time it seemed too good to be true already. It does so even now. Looking at all the other examples, mentioned. At Gaza. At Ukraine.

Putin and Trump: Meet the ‘family’.

 

Note: There are facts. There are interpretations. Most of what I cite here, is fact and can be verified.

The conclusion I draw is my interpretation.

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Safety, Security, Self-esteem – in Business – and in Life… Standards and Self-confidence

Ballet dancer in mid-dance, elegantly poised, swan lake theme, white swan
Image by Niki Dinov from Pixabay

Self-confidence: It’s sometimes also called ‘coolness’, unfortunately. To my mind these two concepts do not have the least bit in common. Self-confidence, if it is real, knows about the good – and the bad – and therefore does not need to hide the latter.
Nobody is perfect.

‘Coolness’ very often comes with boasting and pretence…

To know about drawbacks and the small weaknesses of life can make us feel insecure: Did I do right?  Was it ok? What did they think about it?

In business very often the adage is to always show your strengths, not a weakness. There is even a saying about it: “Fake it till you make it.”

Men and women often deal very differently with the whole question of feeling and appearing strong and confident – or insecure.

As a tendency in many cultures and regions of the world, especially in business, showing off, pretending, is seen to be a manly thing.
Perhaps because men are supposed, since patriarchy ‘started’, to be the ones to always be cool, calm and collected – and in a fight, in war, be the ones to even give up their own life.

It makes me very sad every so often, this strange idea of war and fighting being inevitable and therefore needing to be prepared…

Reactions to that kind of feeling are different and very much according to outlook, perspective and background as well as experience.

That adage about faking it, though, can do as much damage, almost. Because people push and shove, if needs seems to be, to stay esteemed, a good worker, a good colleague and a knowledgeable person.

With it fear can start: Apart from existential fears of losing a job, or a loved person, or a friend – or our life, there is a fear of losing ‘face’, the prestige, the estimation of others.

Dealing with that kind of emotion can be a challenge, especially when we didn’t learn at some time to acknowledge it as part of human life.

Because feeling insecure, with the advent of adolescence, becomes a natural part of life.

What can help, is experience. And – in business – learning about standards:
Once we know what the average or good standard is supposed to be we can stand on that ground more easily. And, from there, get a grip on details – and a view and new perspective on the inevitable –

and the many, many good things besides!

That’s why lots of experience and training, with good breaks in between, will teach you – self-confidence, and understanding of the human side of life. In ourselves as well as others.

Nobody can be always cool, calm and collected.

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