In FebÂruÂary 2020, a parÂoÂdy news site postÂed the headÂline: “GWAR asks NPR’s Tiny Desk Staff if They’re Ready to Get Their A******* Ripped Open.” In July 2023, NPR made good on the joke, invitÂing the heavy metÂal band to perÂform their own tiny desk conÂcert. NPR writes: “As the band of interÂgalacÂtic monÂsters strapped guiÂtars to their batÂtle-worn bodÂies, thunÂder and rain poundÂed the NPR buildÂing outÂside. As if the late Oderus UrunÂgus was pissÂing his blessÂing from ValÂhalÂla, the propheÂcy had finalÂly been fulÂfilled: GWAR came to destroy the Tiny Desk once and for all.” Enjoy.
Today’s PretÂty Much Pop feaÂtures panÂel of parÂents: your host Mark LinÂsenÂmayÂer, NY Times EnterÂtainÂment Writer and PhiÂlosÂoÂphy ProÂfesÂsor Lawrence Ware, eduÂcaÂtor Michelle ParÂrinelÂlo-Cason and pop-culÂture philosoÂpher Chris SunaÂmi. We take on the mass of largeÂly aniÂmatÂed films by DisÂney, Pixar, DreamÂworks, IlluÂmiÂnaÂtion, etc. We’ve all watched them with our kids, and many adults devour them even in prefÂerÂence to othÂer types of films.
So what’s the underÂlyÂing ideÂolÂoÂgy of this kind of media? What mesÂsages are they conÂveyÂing, and are these subÂstanÂtial or even coherÂent? What eleÂments in these films can adults relate to?
We touch on Puss in Boots, TurnÂing Red, Soul, Trolls, EnoÂla Holmes, The Polar Express, todÂdler eduÂtainÂment, things we watched as kids, and stoÂries by Roald Dahl, Lewis CarÂroll and L. Frank Baum. Our hosts recÂomÂmendÂed The BabysitÂter’s Club, The MysÂteÂriÂous BeneÂdict SociÂety, the stuÂdio GhiÂbÂli films, and the Series of UnforÂtuÂnate Events books.
“Let’s talk about the physics of dead grandÂmothÂers.” Thus does theÂoÂretÂiÂcal physiÂcist Sabine HossenÂfelder start off the Big Think video above, which soon gets into EinÂstein’s theÂoÂry of speÂcial relÂaÂtivÂiÂty. The quesÂtion of how HossenÂfelder manÂages to conÂnect the forÂmer to the latÂter should raise in anyÂone curiosÂiÂty enough to give these ten minÂutes a watch, but she also addressÂes a cerÂtain comÂmon catÂeÂgoÂry of misÂconÂcepÂtion. It all began, she says, when a young man posed to her the folÂlowÂing quesÂtion: “A shaman told me that my grandÂmothÂer is still alive because of quanÂtum mechanÂics. Is this right?”
Upon reflecÂtion, HossenÂfelder arrived at the conÂcluÂsion that “it’s not entireÂly wrong.” For decades now, “quanÂtum mechanÂics” has been hauled out over and over again to proÂvide vague supÂport to a range of beliefs all along the specÂtrum of plauÂsiÂbilÂiÂty. But in the dead-grandÂmothÂer case, at least, it’s not the applicÂaÂble area of physics. “It’s actuÂalÂly got someÂthing to do with EinÂstein’s theÂoÂry of speÂcial relÂaÂtivÂiÂty,” she says. With that parÂticÂuÂlar achieveÂment, EinÂstein changed the way we think about space and time, provÂing that “everyÂthing that you expeÂriÂence, everyÂthing that you see, you see as it was a tiny, litÂtle amount of time in the past. So how do you know that anyÂthing exists right now?”
In EinÂstein’s descripÂtion of physÂiÂcal realÂiÂty, “there is no unamÂbiguÂous notion to define what hapÂpens now; it depends on the observÂer.” And “if you folÂlow this logÂic to its conÂcluÂsion, then the outÂcome is that every moment could be now for someÂone. And that includes all moments in your past, and it also includes all moments in your future.” EinÂstein posits space and time as not two sepÂaÂrate conÂcepts, but aspects of a sinÂgle entiÂty called spaceÂtime, in which “the present moment has no funÂdaÂmenÂtal sigÂnifÂiÂcance”; in the resultÂing “block uniÂverse,” past, present, and future coexÂist simulÂtaÂneÂousÂly, and no inforÂmaÂtion is ever destroyed, just conÂtinÂuÂalÂly rearranged.
“So if someÂone you knew dies, then, of course, we all know that you can no longer comÂmuÂniÂcate with this perÂson. That’s because the inforÂmaÂtion that made up their perÂsonÂalÂiÂty disÂpersÂes into very subÂtle corÂreÂlaÂtions in the remains of their body, which become entanÂgled with all the parÂtiÂcles around them, and slowÂly, slowÂly, they spread into radiÂaÂtion that disÂpersÂes throughÂout the solar sysÂtem, and evenÂtuÂalÂly, throughÂout the entire uniÂverse.” But one day could bring “some cosÂmic conÂsciousÂnessÂes which will also be spread out, and this inforÂmaÂtion will be accesÂsiÂble again” — in about a bilÂlion years, anyÂway, which will at least give grandÂma’s reassemÂbled intelÂliÂgence plenÂty to catch up on.
Based in Seoul, ColÂin Marshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities, lanÂguage, and culÂture. His projects include the SubÂstack newsletÂterBooks on Cities, the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles and the video series The City in CinÂeÂma. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall or on FaceÂbook.
“If you want to underÂstand ancient Rome, its archiÂtecÂture, its hisÂtoÂry, the sprawl of the Roman Empire, you’ve got to go Rome.” So says archaeÂolÂoÂgist DarÂius Arya in the video above, makÂing a fair, if obviÂous, point. “But you also have to go to the VesuÂvian cities”: that is, the setÂtleÂments locatÂed near the volÂcano Mount VesuÂvius on the Gulf of Naples. “You have to go to HerÂcuÂlaÂneum. You must go to PomÂpeii. Not just because they’re famous, but because of the levÂel of preserÂvaÂtion.” This preserÂvaÂtion was a side effect of the exploÂsion of VesuÂvius in 79 AD, which destroyed all life in HerÂcuÂlaÂneum and PomÂpeii, but also kept the basic strucÂtures of both cities intact; visÂitÂing either one today allows us to “get immersed in the world of the Romans.”
He does so with high-resÂoÂluÂtion travÂel footage, but also with his explaÂnaÂtions of the city’s archiÂtecÂture and urban planÂning, breakÂing down the details of everyÂthing from its grand Forum (“anticÂiÂpatÂing modÂern pracÂtice by almost 2,000 years” as a “pedesÂtriÂan-only precinct”) to its comÂplexÂes of baths, to its therÂmopoÂlia (“essenÂtialÂly ancient fast-food restauÂrants”). Even more revealÂing are its humÂbler feaÂtures, such as the stepÂping-stones across streets that allowed citÂiÂzens to avoid “the rainÂwaÂter, sewage, and aniÂmal waste that would accuÂmuÂlate there.”
“Almost every buildÂing in PomÂpeii has inteÂriÂor wall paintÂings, from priÂvate resÂiÂdences to pubÂlic spaces such as baths and marÂkets,” says BraÂvo, and these omnipresent works of art “offer valuÂable insights into the everyÂday life and culÂturÂal valÂues of ancient Roman sociÂety.” (And indeed, they’re still offerÂing new ones: just last month, a redisÂcovÂered PomÂpeiÂian fresÂco showed the world an ancient preÂcurÂsor to pizÂza.) They also eviÂdence the surÂprisÂing popÂuÂlarÂiÂty of trompe-l’œil, where artists creÂate the illuÂsion of walls conÂstructÂed from solÂid marÂble, or even lush outÂdoor spaces. Even the already-grand Domus Romana, the form of housÂing of choice for affluÂent PomÂpeiÂians, incorÂpoÂratÂed paintÂings to look grander still. Even once you make it, as the ancients clearÂly knew, you’ve still got to fake it.
Based in Seoul, ColÂin Marshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities, lanÂguage, and culÂture. His projects include the SubÂstack newsletÂterBooks on Cities, the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles and the video series The City in CinÂeÂma. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall or on FaceÂbook.
What startÂed as a scheme to get taxÂpayÂers on board with pricey rurÂal sewÂer projects in the 1980s has grown into a counÂtryÂwide tourist attracÂtion and a matÂter of civic pride.
Each municÂiÂpalÂiÂty boasts its own unique manÂhole covÂer designs, inspired by speÂcifÂic regionÂal eleÂments.
A comÂmuÂniÂty might opt to rep its local floÂral or fauÂna, a famous local landÂmark or fesÂtiÂval, an hisÂtoric event or bit of folkÂlore.
MatÂsumoÂto City highÂlights one of its popÂuÂlar folk craft souÂvenirs, the colÂorÂful silk temari balls that once served as toys for female chilÂdren and bridal gifts.
Nagoya touts the puriÂty of its water with a water stridÂer — an insect that requires the most prisÂtine conÂdiÂtions to surÂvive.
HiroshiÂma pays tribÂute to its baseÂball team.
OsaÂka offers a view of its casÂtle surÂroundÂed by cherÂry blosÂsoms.
Most of Japan’s 15 milÂlion artisÂtic manÂhole covÂers are monoÂchroÂmatÂic steel which makes spotÂting one of the vibrantÂly colÂored modÂels even more excitÂing.
In the fifty some years since their introÂducÂtion, an entire subÂculÂture has emerged. VetÂerÂan enthuÂsiÂast ShoÂji MoriÂmoÂto coined the term “manÂholer” to describe hobÂbyÂists parÂticÂiÂpatÂing in this “treaÂsure hunt for adults.”
A lessÂer adverÂtised joy of workÂing in food serÂvice is achievÂing comÂmand of the slang:
MonÂkey dish…
Deuces and four tops…
Fire, flash, kill…
As you may have noticed, we here at Open CulÂture have an insaÂtiable hunger for vinÂtage linÂgo and it doesn’t get much more vinÂtage than The Boke of KervynÂge (The Book of CarvÂing).
This 1508 manÂuÂal was pubÂlished for the benÂeÂfit of young nobleÂmen who’d been placed in affluÂent houseÂholds, to learn the ropes of high sociÂety by servÂing the sovÂerÂeigns.
Few famÂiÂlies could afford to serve meat, let alone whole aniÂmals, so underÂstandÂably, the preÂsenÂtaÂtion and carvÂing of these preÂcious entrees was not a thing to be underÂtakÂen lightÂly.
The influÂenÂtial LonÂdon-based pubÂlishÂer Wynkyn de Worde comÂpiled step-by-step instrucÂtions for getÂting difÂferÂent types of meat, game and fish from kitchen to plate, as well as what to serve on seaÂsonÂal menus and speÂcial occaÂsions like EastÂer and the Feast of St. John the BapÂtist.
The book opens with the list of “goodÂly terÂmes” above, essenÂtial vocab for any young man eager to prove his skills around the carÂcass of a deer, goose, or lobÂster.
There’s nothÂing here for vegÂeÂtarÂiÂans, obviÂousÂly. And some 21st-cenÂtuÂry carÂniÂvores may find themÂselves blanchÂing a bit at the thought of tearÂing into a heron or porÂpoise.
If, howÂevÂer, you’re a medieval lad tasked with “disÂfigÂurÂing” a peaÂcock, closeÂly observed by an entire dinÂing table of la crème de la crème, The Boke of KervynÂgeis a lifeÂsaver.
(It also conÂtains some invaluÂable tips for meetÂing expecÂtaÂtions should you find yourÂself in the posiÂtion of chaumÂberÂlayne, MarÂshall or ushÂer.)
In any event, let’s spice up our vocabÂuÂlary while resÂcuÂing some aged culiÂnary terms from obscuÂriÂty.
Don’t be surÂprised if they work their way into an episode of The Bear next seaÂson, though you should also feel free to use them metaphorÂiÂcalÂly.
And don’t lose heart if some of the terms are a bit befudÂdling to modÂern ears. Lists of Note’s Shaun UshÂer has takÂen a stab at trufÂfling up some modÂern transÂlaÂtions for a few of the less familÂiar soundÂing words, wiseÂly refrainÂing from hazÂardÂing a guess as to the meanÂing of “fruche that chekyn”.
(It’s not the “chekyn” part givÂing us pause…)
TerÂmes of a keruer —Terms of a carvÂer
Breke that dere — break that deer
lesche y brawne — leach the brawn
rere that goose — rear that goose
lyft that swanne — lift that swan
sauce that capon — sauce that capon
spoyle that henne — spoil that hen
fruche that chekyn — ? that chickÂen
vnbrace that malarde — unbrace that malÂlard
vnlace that cony — unlace that coney
dysÂmemÂbre that heron — disÂmemÂber that heron
dysÂplaye that crane — disÂplay that crane
dysÂfygure that pecocke —disÂfigÂure that peaÂcock
vnioynt that bytÂture — unjoint that bitÂtern
vntache that curlewe — untack that curlew
alaye that fesande — allay that pheasÂant
wynÂge that partryche — wing that parÂtridge
wynÂge that quayle — wing that quail
mynce that plouer — mince that plover
thye that pegyÂon — thigh that pigeon
borÂder that pasty — borÂder that pasty
thye all manÂer of small byrdes — thigh all manÂner of small birds
tymÂbre that fyre — timÂber that fire
tyere that egge — tear that egg
chyne that samon — chinethat salmon
strynÂge that lamÂpraye — string that lamÂprey
splatÂte that pyke — splat that pike
sauce that playce — sauce that plaice
sauce that tenche — sauce that tench
splaye that breme — splay that bream
syde that hadÂdocke — side that hadÂdock
tuske that barÂbell — tusk that barÂbel
culpon that troute — culponthat trout
fynne that cheuen — fin that cheven
trassene that ele — ? that eel
traunche that sturÂgyÂon — tranchethat sturÂgeon
vnderÂtraunche yt purÂpos — underÂtranch that porÂpoise
Just last month, we feaÂtured here on Open CulÂture the disÂcovÂery of a PomÂpeiÂian fresÂco purÂportÂed to depict an ancient ancesÂtor of pizÂza. For most of us pizÂza-lovÂing milÂlions — nay, bilÂlions — around the world, this was a notable curiosÂiÂty but for Max Miller, it was clearÂly a chalÂlenge. As the creÂator of the hit Youtube chanÂnel TastÂing HisÂtoÂry, each of whose episodes involves faithÂful re-creÂation of dishÂes from eras past, he couldÂn’t posÂsiÂbly have ignored this develÂopÂment. But it also posÂes even stiffer difÂfiÂculÂties than most of his culiÂnary projects, proÂvidÂing him not a recipe to work with but a picÂture, and not a parÂticÂuÂlarÂly detailed picÂture at that.
The fresÂco’s genre is xenia, which, Miller explains in the video above, “comes from the Greek word that referred to a sort of social conÂtract between hosts and guests.” The ancient Roman archiÂtect VitÂruÂvius (he whose work inspired LeonarÂdo’s VitÂruÂvian Man) described how the Greeks, after becomÂing wealthy, “began proÂvidÂing dinÂing rooms, chamÂbers, and storeÂrooms of proÂviÂsions for their guests.”
The food and drink they brought out for their dinÂner parÂties became the subÂject of xenia artÂworks like this fresÂco from PomÂpeii, which hapÂpens to include a familÂiar-lookÂing round bread. What’s more, “some scholÂars have sugÂgestÂed that one of the ingreÂdiÂents that probÂaÂbly is on this bread is sort of pizÂza-like, insoÂfar as it is a kind of spreadÂable cheese.”
The qualÂiÂty of that ingreÂdiÂent, called moreÂtum, seemÂingÂly makes or breaks this ancient pizÂza, and so Miller spends most of the video explainÂing its prepaÂraÂtion, drawÂing details from a poem attribÂuted to VirÂgil. Those folÂlowÂing along in their own kitchens will need to gathÂer a couÂple heads of garÂlic, large handÂfuls of parsÂley and cilantro, a small handÂful of rue, and ten ounces of white cheese. When you’ve made the moreÂtum, you can bake the Roman bread, loaves of which were preÂserved by the exploÂsion of Mount VesuÂvius, then spread on the moreÂtum and “top it with things like white cheese, dates, pomeÂgranÂates, or whatÂevÂer else you saw in the fresÂco.” Miller notes that actuÂal PomÂpeiÂians probÂaÂbly wouldÂn’t have sliced the final prodÂuct, but rather picked off and eatÂen its topÂpings one-by-one before getÂting around to the bread: a pizÂza conÂsumpÂtion method pracÂticed by more than a few of us modÂerns, at least in childÂhood.
Based in Seoul, ColÂin Marshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities, lanÂguage, and culÂture. His projects include the SubÂstack newsletÂterBooks on Cities, the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles and the video series The City in CinÂeÂma. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall or on FaceÂbook.
Note: Over the weekÂend, the PrinceÂton philosoÂpher HarÂry FrankÂfurt passed away at the age of 94. After a long career, he became the author of the surÂprise bestÂselling book, On BullÂshit, which we feaÂtured in 2016. Please revisÂit our origÂiÂnal post below.
97 perÂcent or more of activeÂly pubÂlishÂing cliÂmate sciÂenÂtists agree: CliÂmate-warmÂing trends over the past cenÂtuÂry are extremeÂly likeÂly due to human activÂiÂties. In addiÂtion, most of the leadÂing sciÂenÂtifÂic orgaÂniÂzaÂtions worldÂwide have issued pubÂlic stateÂments endorsÂing this posiÂtion.
In view of such numÂbers, it’s underÂstandÂable that a subÂurÂban Joe with a freezÂer full of facÂtoÂry-farmed beef and mulÂtiÂple SUVs in his garage would cling to the posiÂtion that globÂal warmÂing is a lie. It’s his last resort, realÂly.
But such self-ratioÂnalÂizaÂtions are not truth. They are truthiÂness.
Or to use the old-fashÂioned word favored by philosoÂpher HarÂry FrankÂfurt, above: bullÂshit!
FrankÂfurt–a philosoÂpher at PrinceÂton and the author of On BullÂshit–allows that bullÂshit artists are often charmÂing, or at their very least, colÂorÂful. They have to be. AchievÂing their ends involves engagÂing othÂers long enough to perÂsuade them that they know what they’re talkÂing about, when in fact, that’s the oppoÂsite of the truth.
SpeakÂing of oppoÂsites, FrankÂfurt mainÂtains that bullÂshit is a difÂferÂent beast from an out-and-out lie. The liar makes a speÂcifÂic attempt to conÂceal the truth by swapÂping it out for a lie.
The bullÂshit artist’s approach is far more vague. It’s about creÂatÂing a genÂerÂal impresÂsion.
There are times when I admit to welÂcomÂing this sort of manure. As a makÂer of low budÂget theÂater, your honÂest opinÂion of any show I have LitÂtle Red Hen’ed into exisÂtence is the last thing I want to hear upon emergÂing from the cramped dressÂing room, unless you truÂly loved it.
I’d also encourÂage you to choose your words careÂfulÂly when dashÂing a child’s dreams.
But when it comes to matÂters of pubÂlic polÂiÂcy, and the pubÂlic good, yes, transÂparenÂcy is best.
It’s interÂestÂing to me that filmÂmakÂers James Nee and ChrisÂtÂian BritÂten transÂformed a porÂtion of their learned subject’s thoughts into voiceover narÂraÂtion for a lightÂning fast stock footage monÂtage. It’s divertÂing and funÂny, feaÂturÂing such omiÂnous charÂacÂters as NosÂferÂatu, Bill ClinÂton, CharÂlie Chaplin’s Great DicÂtaÂtor, and DonÂald Trump, but isn’t it also the sort of misÂdiÂrecÂtion sleight of hand at which true bullÂshitÂters excel?
FrankÂfurt expands upon his thoughts on bullÂshit in his aptÂly titled bestÂselling book,On BullÂshit and its folÂlowup On Truth.
We're hoping to rely on loyal readers, rather than erratic ads. Please click the Donate button and support Open Culture. You can use Paypal, Venmo, Patreon, even Crypto! We thank you!
Open Culture scours the web for the best educational media. We find the free courses and audio books you need, the language lessons & educational videos you want, and plenty of enlightenment in between.
