Community
![](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/f8430c21-467c-4022-921f-9c2d68f24db9/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
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
![A man walking by a girl in Amish clothing on a hoverboard near a pink house with a “Dead End” sign in front.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/bd42d67b-ce14-45eb-86b5-34b84cc46a21/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
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.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/c38ed2ca-8617-4900-ba80-821a5900abd4/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
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.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/362c7dc9-c370-4dd3-8f98-dd0d4f7135df/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Pleasures and pastimes
film
A club for ‘dull men’ may just inspire you to see the unremarkable anew
Directed by Andy Oxley
![Black and white photo of a man seated with a watering can and top hat, alongside a standing woman in a dress, in a vintage setting.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/244e2d71-5d4a-4202-b264-56eaa2e17910/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
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 muslim woman in a colourful orange sari reaches up to touch a decorative panel above a shrine](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/de4c3635-42b3-49e4-8c89-0bb03e94448e/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
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
![Photo of a woman with a hair clip looking out of a train window, resting her chin on her hand. The outside view is white and indistinct.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/c6f1ea4f-bdb8-40bf-80a3-01dee96e4d85/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Travel
film
‘It pulls you in’: the staff seduced by the rhythms of the Trans-Siberian railway
Directed by Anastasia Kirillova
![Photo of people wearing yellow rosettes counting votes at a table filled with ballot papers during an election or polling process.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/d0010a36-c71e-4293-87af-75f8758931aa/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
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
![Photo of people standing outside terraced houses, clapping. The houses are decorated with Welsh flags and rainbow flags.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/c5f7eb82-dfdb-4aa8-80bd-c8bb415e2184/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
History of emotions
idea
True gratitude is a communal emotion, not a wellness practice
Positive psychology touts the personal benefits of gratitude. It’s actually a challenging emotion that binds communities
by Michal Zechariah
![Black-and-white photo of people watching two musicians on stage in a small, wallpapered room with a single light bulb hanging.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/8a9b43b8-1791-479b-8dc7-397071b4c201/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Music
film
Faith, struggle and song intertwine in this classic film on Appalachian music
Directed by John Cohen