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Self-knowledge and personal growth Relationships, work and leisure Values and ethical living

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Ancient Chinese painting of a procession with figures holding banners and an umbrella on a brown scroll background.

History and philosophy of mental health

idea

Chinese philosophy has long known that mental health is communal

The early Chinese philosophers knew that a healthy mind comes from a harmonious community, not a matter for individuals alone

by Alexus McLeod

Photo of a man walking and a child on a hoverboard near a pink house and a ‘Dead End’ sign on a suburban street.

Technology and media

idea

To be more tech-savvy, borrow these strategies from the Amish

With their focus on values and intentionality, the Amish offer a lesson in thinking critically about digital technology

by Alex Mayyasi

Volunteers in blue vests handing out hot meals to people on a city street.

Civic life

guide

How to be a hands-on citizen

You can be so much more than a well-informed consumer: it is in your (and our) power to change society from the ground up

by Jon Alexander

A man sitting on a chair in a lush garden with blooming flowers, a cobbled path, and a red garden shed in the background.

Pleasures and pastimes

film

A club for ‘dull men’ may just inspire you to see the unremarkable anew

Directed by Andy Oxley

A muslim woman in a colourful orange sari reaches up to touch a decorative panel above a shrine

Mental health across cultures

idea

Why a Sufi approach to healing mental illness is so powerful

In Sufi shrines, rituals offer sufferers a path beyond the fear and isolation of their mental distress

by Bhrigupati Singh

Black and white photo of a man in a top hat with a watering can seated, woman standing in period attire, vintage interior.

Play

idea

What TikTok videos have in common with Victorian parlour games

TikTok and Insta videos are the Victorian parlour games of today, allowing us to share in the emotional benefits of play

by Kim Beil & Ryan Tacata

A woman with her hair up looking out of a train window, resting her chin on her hand. The outside view is white and indistinct.

Travel

film

‘It pulls you in’: the staff seduced by the rhythms of the Trans-Siberian railway

Directed by Anastasia Kirillova

Photo of people counting ballots at an election table, wearing yellow rosettes, with focus on a woman and a man in the foreground.

Values and beliefs

idea

To be a responsible citizen today, it is not enough to be reasonable

To survive society’s problems, today reasonableness isn’t enough; we need citizens to recognise beliefs have consequences

by Francisco Mejia Uribe

Two men near a graffiti-covered wall with chipped paint, one standing and gesturing, the other sitting on the pavement.

Cultural diversity

idea

Cultural differences are far more nuanced than East vs West

It’s simply not the case that ‘Eastern’ cultures are relationally-minded, while ‘Western’ societies are individualistic

by Matt Huston

Music

film

Faith, struggle and song intertwine in this classic film on Appalachian music

Directed by John Cohen