Part Human, Part Animal: What Therianthropes and Tricksters Reveal About Human Nature

A therianthrope is a mythical being that is part human, part animal, with some examples including the centaur, faun, satyr, werewolf, weredog, werecat, mermaid, siren, and minotaur. In furry fandom slang, the term therianthrope term also refers to someone who feels or believes she is partly or wholly a non-human animal, but for the purposes…

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The Value and Impact of Controversial Art

In many areas of life, controversy can carry negative connotations. When something is controversial, you might assume the worst, thinking that it must involve an opinion or action that is hateful, prejudicial, dangerous, or deplorable in some way. In art, controversy is a very different thing. There is a long history of artists and artistic…

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Mark Twain on the Root Cause of Antisemitism

In 1898, Harper’s Magazine published an essay by Mark Twain titled Concerning the Jews, in which the author responds to a letter from a lawyer who asks Twain to explain why antisemitism is so rampant in society and why Jewish people throughout history have born the brunt of so much hatred and hostility. Twain essentially…

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Fears About Ageing and Old Age: The Root of Negative Attitudes Towards Older People

Ageism, a form of prejudice and discrimination based on age, was originally formulated by the psychiatrist Robert Neil Butler in 1969 to refer specifically to prejudicial attitudes towards older people, old age, and the ageing process; discrimination against older people; and the stereotyping of older people. Nowadays, ageism applies as a general term for prejudices…

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Why Are People Often Reluctant to See a Psychiatrist?

People living with mental illness may be eager to seek relief for their condition yet decide to avoid visiting a psychiatrist. Of course, psychiatry is not the only field that deals with the treatment of mental health conditions but it is the institution that specifically exists to diagnose, prescribe treatment for, and treat conditions that…

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