Blog Headline of the Week
- One reason why humans are special and unique: We masturbate. A lot. (And before you think this is from some wacko, NSFW site, it comes from the Scientific American website.) (The Morning News)
Interesting Reading in the Interweb Tubes
- Inside the mind of the anonymous online poster (“The loudest, most aggressive voices grew mum when asked to explain themselves, to engage in an actual discussion.”) (Arts & Letters Daily)
- American Psychosis (“A society that cannot distinguish reality from illusion dies.”)
Bookish Linkage
- Simon Savidge looks at the perpetual struggle between reading long books and short ones.
- Lee Siegel raises some eyebrows arguing that fiction has become culturally irrelevant.
- How do you to find something good to read amongst the increasing number of self-published books?
- PEN American Center is launching an online reading group called PEN Reads to discuss literary works relevant to its mission. The PEN American Center was founded in 1922 “to advance literature, to defend free expression, and to foster international literary fellowship.” The first book is The Hour of the Star by Brazilian author Clarice Lispector.
- “Dick-heads” are planning a Philip K. Dick Festival in Colorado later this summer. (BoingBoing)
Nonbookish Linkage
- Scientists simulate the sound of “the God particle” — another of those science items that fascinates me even while it makes my brain hurt.
I think that, like in my writing, reality is always a soap bubble, Silly Putty thing anyway.
Philip K. Dick, September 1976
Re psychosis: a book I read recently whose title eludes me now made the point that human beings are wired to do almost anything other than change their minds. The author’s point was that we all need to kind of try extra hard to have our assumptions and conclusions challenged to make sure we’re dealing w/reality. Yet in the current political environment, people tend only to read Internet sources that confirm what they already think….