The Western genre has been more than entertainment—it’s served as a powerful tool for American identity and propaganda. Uncover how the Western myth has shaped perceptions of American values, from Manifest Destiny to Cold War patriotism, and how it continues to reflect and critique the nation’s ideals.
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Follow the Western genre’s journey through its decline in the late 20th century to its resurgence in the 1990s and beyond. This article explores why the Western fell out of favour and how filmmakers and authors revitalized it to reflect contemporary values and complexities.
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From the straightforward moral binaries of early Westerns to the complex ethical questions in revisionist films, this article delves into how the Western’s portrayal of justice has evolved. Discover how the Western has responded to shifting societal values, offering insight into the nature of law, order, and justice.
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The Western genre’s themes resonate globally, inspiring interpretations in Italy, Japan, and Latin America. Explore how different cultures have adopted and transformed the Western to reflect their unique histories, from Spaghetti Westerns to samurai films and beyond.
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Trace the Western genre’s evolution, from its early romanticized tales of frontier life to the gritty realism of modern classics like Blood Meridian. This article provides a comprehensive look at how key authors and filmmakers have redefined the Western myth for new generations and kicks off my “Myth of the West” cycle.
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This article delves into the uncharted territories of human survival, morality, and existential dread through a comparative analysis of Warlock by Oakley Hall, Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy, the film Sorcerer, and Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me by Richard Fariña. Although set in vastly different landscapes and eras—from the lawless American West to the countercultural 1960s and the brutal South American jungle—these works converge on themes of rebellion, chaos, and the limits of human endurance. Through shared influences and resonant themes, this article unravels how each narrative confronts the human struggle for meaning in worlds that seem determined to thwart it.
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Christina Rossetti’s Goblin Market, a richly textured narrative poem, can be interpreted through various critical lenses. One of the most fascinating is the intersectionality between Rossetti’s exploration of temptation, redemption, and duality in Goblin Market, and the philosophy of Cartesian Dualism, a concept popularised by René Descartes. By examining these two seemingly distinct works — a Victorian-era poem and a 17th-century philosophical treatise — we can uncover a deeper discourse on the nature of the body and soul, desire and restraint, and the internal conflicts between mind and body.
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Alan Moore, the legendary author of Watchmen and V for Vendetta, argues that fandom, once a source of passion and community, has become toxic, shaping modern culture and politics in worrying ways. He highlights the entitlement and hostility within today’s fan communities, drawing parallels to historical fandoms—from Roman gladiators to football hooligans—and calls for a return to an uplifting, creative spirit. Moore’s reflections challenge readers to rethink fandom’s role in society and its potential for both unity and division.
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Since its launch in 2019, Birmingham Tech Week has evolved into a premier event in the UK’s tech scene, celebrating innovation, collaboration, and entrepreneurship. Founded by Yiannis Maos to highlight Birmingham’s tech potential, the event draws tech leaders, startups, and investors to exchange ideas and showcase the region’s growing tech ecosystem. Through the years, Birmingham Tech Week has expanded from a local event to an international platform, with themes ranging from digital transformation and sustainability to diversity and emerging technologies. As the city cements its role in the UK’s tech future, the event continues to foster growth, investment, and collaboration.
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This article critiques Metallica’s post-Cliff Burton era, describing the band’s decline into monotony and mediocrity after their bassist’s tragic death in 1986. The piece argues that while Burton brought dynamism, complexity, and energy to the band’s early work, his loss left Metallica producing slow, plodding, and repetitive music, a “miserabilist dirge” devoid of the fun and rebellion that once defined their sound. It highlights the band’s shift towards commercialism, repetitive riff structures, and melancholic lyrics, contrasting the thrilling chaos of their early thrash days with their later, more self-indulgent and uninspired output.
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Imagine listening to a song in a language that sounds like English, but you can’t quite understand any of the words. Your brain keeps trying to make sense of the lyrics, but it’s a futile effort. Welcome to the fascinating world of “Prisencolinensinainciusol,” the iconic 1972 song by Italian singer and songwriter Adriano Celentano. While the title alone is a mouthful, the song itself is even more perplexing—a song that sounds like English but is completely and utterly gibberish.
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Choosing the right Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software is crucial for scaling your sales, marketing, and customer service efforts. Two of the most popular options available today are HubSpot and Pipedrive. Both platforms offer a range of features to help businesses manage their customer interactions and sales processes effectively, but they differ significantly in terms of their focus, pricing, and functionality.
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In today’s competitive business landscape, identifying the right customers can make all the difference between sustainable growth and wasted resources. This is where an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) comes into play. An ICP allows businesses to target organizations that are the perfect fit for their products or services, improving sales efficiency and overall customer satisfaction.
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This article explores the parallels between the extravagant plumage of peacocks and the luxury of Ferraris, questioning the purpose and value of waste and excess. While a peacock’s feathers serve a biological function by signaling genetic fitness, a Ferrari in central London is a symbol of conspicuous consumption, displaying wealth rather than evolutionary advantage. The article delves into the complexities of waste in human society, examining how luxury can signal success but also reflect social inequality and environmental degradation. Ultimately, it argues that waste must be balanced with meaningful values to avoid becoming destructive.
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In sales and marketing, two concepts often come up when discussing customer targeting: the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and the Buyer Persona. While these terms are sometimes used interchangeably, they serve distinct purposes and focus on different aspects of your target audience. Understanding the difference between the two is crucial for aligning your marketing and sales efforts effectively.
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In the world of sales, focusing on the right prospects is key to success. One of the most important tools that sales teams use to achieve this is the Ideal Customer Profile, or ICP. But what exactly is an ICP, and why does it matter so much in today’s competitive marketplace?
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The Ogdoad, an ancient group of eight primordial deities, played a foundational role in Egyptian cosmogony, symbolizing chaos and pre-creation forces. Worshipped in Hermopolis, they represent key elements like water, infinity, darkness, and hiddenness. These forces later influenced the emergence of more defined gods, such as Ra and Amun, who organized chaos into divine order. The Ogdoad’s themes of chaos, rebirth, and transformation shaped Egyptian religious thought, influencing creation myths and the balance between order and chaos, light and dark, and life and death.
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