Getting in Step with African Music
June 20, 2024
An earlier article here explored some of the depths of traditional African music. It has often been commercialized, so I’ll now recommend some of my
New Faces from Ancient China; the Sanxingdui Site
June 19, 2024
In 1980 archeologists started to excavate a walled city about 40 km north of Chengdu, at a place called Sanxingdui. What they found revolutionized many
From Line to Spontaneous Flow; Daoism in Chinese Culture
June 18, 2024
A previous article here explored Confucianism, but many Daoists have been critical of its orientation to politics. They have emphasized harmony with nature and not
Expanding beyond One System of Concepts and One Way of Observing
June 16, 2024
I think this is the most exciting time in history to ask big questions, given the number of cultures and historical periods we can explore.
A Person Can Only Be Both Conservative and Liberal
June 15, 2024
Conservatism and liberalism by themselves are self-contradictory. A Westerner who calls himself conservative supposedly honors the most time-tested values that have inspired people in Europe,
The Growth of Islam in the Malay World; A Fascinating Cultural Fusion
June 11, 2024
The growth of Islam in Southeast Asia has always intrigued me. The faith has been uncompromising in its basic tenets. God is Tawhid (unity) and
The Worldwide Malays
June 10, 2024
We’ll get back to ancient Greece shortly, but after taking a long voyage to the Malay world. Both cultures were oriented to the sea and
The Western Mind’s Roots in the Body
June 9, 2024
Ancient Greeks’ minds had many deep roots, including the body. Their especially intense love of athletic games helped encourage them to assume that reality is
Ancient Athenian Democracy’s Roots in the Theater
June 8, 2024
Theater was yet another type of experience that reinforced ancient Greeks’ views of the world. It converged with many other experiences, including law, agriculture, the