Enlightenment Now

Steven Pinker, the Harvard College professor of psychology at Harvard University is the author of Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress.

This blog promises to be about 'Images and Ideas'. So far there have been more images than ideas. I thought I would add a post about the book and Pinker's response to criticism of it.

I found it a great book, myself. I am quite persuaded that there is a distortion in journalism which feeds off bad news, and blinds us to positive changes. I am also convinced that pessimism is self-fulfilling. If people believe that things are getting worse and there is nothing that they can do about it, is is not surprising that they become passive and despairing.

Here is a TED talk by Pinker, which summarizes his views if you haven't read his book.

He has been criticized by some people for his optimism. Here is a lengthy response from him, which is worth reading.

Enlightenment Wars: Some Reflections on ‘Enlightenment Now,’ One Year Later

Years ago I gave a talk: Attitudes for Survival: can doom prophesy inhibit change? It reviews some of the evidence about attitude change.

Black and White

I recently bought a little Fujifilm mirrorless camera, an X-E3. Fujifilm made films which were much favoured by photographers. Their new digital cameras have the option of making digital images look as if they were shot with the old films, such as Provia, Velvia, Astia and Acros. More here.

Acros is Black and White. The photos look great.

A recent Mexican movie is called 'Roma'. Check it out on Netflix. It is also black and white, and absolutely beautiful.

It sometimes seems to me that images of the Gold Coast are distorted by the priorities of the tourism industry, real estate and promotions like the Meter Maids. Glossy colourful pictures of dream homes, beaches, and girls in bikinis. It contributes to the clichéd image of the Gold Coast as being shallow and glitzy. I should like to honour some of the competent genuine characters who live and work on the Gold Coast, with some photos of people in black and white. 

Here are a few samples.

Bruce Makin, tennis mate and emu farmer

Emu

Wal Mayr, bushcare worker. This photo reminds me of Dorothea Lange's famous photo of a migrant family in the depression.

Migrant mother, by Dorothea Lange, 1936

Chad, digger driver mending the tennis court.

Mica, Brent and Dazz, pouring concrete

Dazz on the concrete hose

Mick minding his concrete truck

Using a rail-saw

A builder and his shed

The Grampian Mountains and Warrnambool

We had a holiday in Victoria with my daughter Anna, her partner Sim, and Aelie (5).

The first few days we spent walking in the Grampians, a national park in the west of Victoria. We flew to Melbourne and drove to Hall's Gap.

Granny George reading to Aelie

Anna and Aelie resting in the shade.

We went to a flash 'foodie' restaurant in Dunkeld called Parker St @ Royal Mail Hotel. Highly recommended.

An emu near our AirBnB.

Then down to Warrnambool on the coast for a few days.

Coastline near Warrnambool

Scientists studying a marine ecosystem

Delinquents chasing seagulls

Artists with mermaid

Anna and Sim

Natural collection on Shelly Beach

Sim and Aelie watching ducks