Nope, its not a review of the film, but rather a review of an article recently picked out by Zhang Yi designed to scientifically answer
"What IS love, actually?"
Scientists have been studying brain activities and chemical levels in all kinds of animals to try and answer this very question. In summary, they've discovered its basically oxytocin and vasopressin.
Glad thats cleared up...
...
... what? You wanted more details?.. FINE.
Many mammals have a connection between parent and child. In evolutionary terms, such a connection improves the odds the child will survive and thus is better for the species. This connection, in females at least, is produced by a large amount of oxy released during childbirth. In simple terms it produces a kind of addiction, in a similar way as cocaine or heroine, and associates it with the child.
Long term connections between lovers is far less common in mammals, and serves much less purpose in terms of survival. Studies in humans show that the chemical reactions and brain activities that take place when lovers see each other is in fact disturbingly similar to those that take place when a mother sees their child. Love between partners is basically a mutation of the bond of a mother.
Sexual activities release more of these chemicals and may, therefore, improve relationships.
OK, thats oxy, what about vas?
Well vas is the male equivalent. Similar to oxy, it promotes bonding and paternal instincts. Unlike oxy, it also encourages violent tendencies towards potential rivals. Interestingly, the effect of vas on males is NOT always guaranteed. Some males seem to have a certain gene which seems to greatly reduce the chances of them being happy in a long term relationship with anyone.
Some males are actually, physically and mentally, not able to feel "true" love. Ever.
The other interesting (aka worryingly scary) fact is that since scientists are learning more about the chemicals responsible for love, it suggests the mystical "love potion" may not stay so mythical. Theorectically, it may be possible to drug someone to love you, and weirdly they might not even get upset about it.
In fact, they'd probably love you for it...
Friday, May 1, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
South of the Border, West of the Sun.
South of the Border, West of the Sun was another novel from the Japanese writer Haruki Murakami, this time translated by Philip Gabriel.
Unfortunately, it lacked both the quality and quantity of The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle.
In terms of length, it wa only 187 pages long. That was less than half the length of Dave's Thesis, with smaller pages and bigger font.
In terms of storyline, it lacked any kind of magical quality found in Murakami's other book. Although a few slightly strange pages towards the end, which did nothing to add to the book though subtly suggest things may not be quite as they seem, it was generally a predictable tale from start to finish.
It follows the life of Hajime, who seems destined to fudge up his love life. He falls in love with a girl at the age of 12, although not in a physical way, but moves away after elementary school and despite thinking about her constantly fails to keep in touch.
He cheats on his first real girlfriend, with her cousin, to whom the girl is very very close. The girl never gets over it and her entire life is ruined. He feels deeply sorry, but apparently just couldn't help himself.
After bouncing around from girl to girl for a few years, he finally settles in with a wife, has two little girls and a great business. All is well. Until the love of his life from when he was 12 pops back onto the sceen. Needless to say, he's learnt nothing, and goes about ruining another fine relationship.
And that's pretty much the entire book from start to finish.
Throughout, Hajime trys to come across not so much as the "good guy," but certainly as blameless as possible. It's never really his fault. He just can't help it.
And it's true. None of us can truly control how we feel towards any other person. But we can all control what we do. Falling for someone new might happen to the best of us, no matter what our intentions. But the decent thing to do is to talk first with your current partner. Let them know exactly where they stand. Choose either or. In a relationship all anyone can do is treat their partner with respect and honesty. If the love dies down, no one might be to blame.
Hajime's actions are therefore packed full of blame and the book basically just feels depressing, with the main character being an unlikable tw*t, leaving pain and misery wherever he goes.
"I'm not blaming you for falling in love with another woman. I'm not angry, either. I should be, but I'm not. I just feel pain. A lot of pain. I thought I could imagine how much this would hurt, but I was wrong."
You can probably give this one a miss, unless u really like this kind of thing.
Unfortunately, it lacked both the quality and quantity of The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle.
In terms of length, it wa only 187 pages long. That was less than half the length of Dave's Thesis, with smaller pages and bigger font.
In terms of storyline, it lacked any kind of magical quality found in Murakami's other book. Although a few slightly strange pages towards the end, which did nothing to add to the book though subtly suggest things may not be quite as they seem, it was generally a predictable tale from start to finish.
It follows the life of Hajime, who seems destined to fudge up his love life. He falls in love with a girl at the age of 12, although not in a physical way, but moves away after elementary school and despite thinking about her constantly fails to keep in touch.
He cheats on his first real girlfriend, with her cousin, to whom the girl is very very close. The girl never gets over it and her entire life is ruined. He feels deeply sorry, but apparently just couldn't help himself.
After bouncing around from girl to girl for a few years, he finally settles in with a wife, has two little girls and a great business. All is well. Until the love of his life from when he was 12 pops back onto the sceen. Needless to say, he's learnt nothing, and goes about ruining another fine relationship.
And that's pretty much the entire book from start to finish.
Throughout, Hajime trys to come across not so much as the "good guy," but certainly as blameless as possible. It's never really his fault. He just can't help it.
And it's true. None of us can truly control how we feel towards any other person. But we can all control what we do. Falling for someone new might happen to the best of us, no matter what our intentions. But the decent thing to do is to talk first with your current partner. Let them know exactly where they stand. Choose either or. In a relationship all anyone can do is treat their partner with respect and honesty. If the love dies down, no one might be to blame.
Hajime's actions are therefore packed full of blame and the book basically just feels depressing, with the main character being an unlikable tw*t, leaving pain and misery wherever he goes.
"I'm not blaming you for falling in love with another woman. I'm not angry, either. I should be, but I'm not. I just feel pain. A lot of pain. I thought I could imagine how much this would hurt, but I was wrong."
You can probably give this one a miss, unless u really like this kind of thing.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
"It's like when you put instant rice pudding mix in a bowl in the microwave and push the button, and you take the cover off when it rings, and there you've got rice pudding. I mean, what happens in between the time when you push the switch and when the microwave rings? You can't tell what's going on under the cover. Maybe the instant rice pudding first turns into macaroni cheese in the darkness when nobody's looking and only then turns back into rice pudding... I would be kind of relieved if, every once in a while, after you put rice pudding mix in the microwave and it rang and you opened the top, you got macaroni cheese."
The Wind-up bird Chronicle, written in Japanese by Haruki Murakami and translated to English by Jay Rubin, begins like a bag of instant rice pudding mix and ends up with delicious macaroni cheese. It's strange, it's illogical, but it's a damn fine read.
It tells the story of Toru Okada, a happily married individual who has recently quit the job he was unhappy with and is now living the good life, cooking, cleaning, reading and enjoying jazz. The early chapters biggest worry is the disappearance of the couple's cat. Things take a turn for the worse, however, when Toru's wife also does a disappearing act, ending their life together without even saying goodbye.
Where has she gone? Why has she left? Will they ever get back together? Will the cat come back? The quest to answer these questions bumps into several more along the way, the answers to most being far from straight forward, the answers to many being non-existant.
So, how does Toru go about finding his answers? He does what any loving husband would. He climbs down a dried up well and sits there for a few days...
..mmm.... macaroni cheese....
If you still need further encouragement to read the book, turn to page 11, 4 lines down, start reading from "I'm in bed. I've just come out of the shower, and I'm not wearing a thing."
And there's plenty more where that comes from.
Enjoy.
The Wind-up bird Chronicle, written in Japanese by Haruki Murakami and translated to English by Jay Rubin, begins like a bag of instant rice pudding mix and ends up with delicious macaroni cheese. It's strange, it's illogical, but it's a damn fine read.
It tells the story of Toru Okada, a happily married individual who has recently quit the job he was unhappy with and is now living the good life, cooking, cleaning, reading and enjoying jazz. The early chapters biggest worry is the disappearance of the couple's cat. Things take a turn for the worse, however, when Toru's wife also does a disappearing act, ending their life together without even saying goodbye.
Where has she gone? Why has she left? Will they ever get back together? Will the cat come back? The quest to answer these questions bumps into several more along the way, the answers to most being far from straight forward, the answers to many being non-existant.
So, how does Toru go about finding his answers? He does what any loving husband would. He climbs down a dried up well and sits there for a few days...
..mmm.... macaroni cheese....
If you still need further encouragement to read the book, turn to page 11, 4 lines down, start reading from "I'm in bed. I've just come out of the shower, and I'm not wearing a thing."
And there's plenty more where that comes from.
Enjoy.
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