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What is the female gaze? Thanks for asking! The term “female gaze” has been used in recent years to describe art that subverts the male perspective. The concept is seen as a response to Laura Mulvey’s 1975 essay about the so-called “male gaze”. Historically, this has been the dominant way of viewing art forms, with the male creator and male characters catering to male viewers. The rest of the characters often exist mainly to serve the male lead, his interests and his story. As a result, women have often been objectified or ignored, with their characters oversimplified.Why has this happened? Well, men are overrepresented in the film industry, so over the years most lead characters have been male. Even as recently as 2018, just 24% of protagonists in the 100 highest grossing films were female. To compound that issue, they’re generally surrounded by elements which appeal to male audiences. The female perspective has traditionally been suppressed. So when a female filmmaker, for example, brings a different viewpoint, we talk about the female gaze. Phil de Semlyen, global film editor at Time Out said: “I find the female gaze easier to define in terms of what it isn’t than what it is: it’s not about objectifying the female form or replacing fully-realised female characters with loose avatars for male sexual fantasy; it’s not framing sex scenes with tropes common to pornography aimed at men; it’s not about automatically relinquishing power and control to men in storytelling.”Is it about reversing the roles and objectifying men rather than women? Or is it more complicated? What are some examples of female gaze films then? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is white privilege?What is CrossFit?What is jiko sekinin?See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is white privilege? Thanks for asking! Like a lot of things, the concept of white privilege comes from the USA. It means that simply being white gives a person additional benefits or rights compared to those of other skin colours.Why are we talking about white privilege right now? The notion has increasingly been brought into the spotlight in recent years by movements like Black Lives Matter, who campaign for greater racial equality all over the world. White privilege is now a commonly used term in the rhetoric of antiracist groups, both online and offline. There has been a backlash, especially from conservatives, against the idea that such privilege exists. Tensions are running particularly high at the moment, due to ongoing protests around the world against racial violence and injustice. This follows the death of George Floyd on May 25th, at the hands of a white police officer in Minneapolis.When was born the concept of white privilege?The underlying concepts of white privilege date back to the work of black American sociologist W.E.B. Dubois in the 1930s. He observed that black farmers and labourers had less advantages compared to white people doing the same jobs. He introduced the idea of a “psychological wage” for white workers. This meant despite being poor, they still had greater chances of being admitted to public functions and better schools. Do white people have still white privilege? How can we reduce white privilege and get to a more equal society? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is CrossFit?What is jiko sekinin?What is FOGO?See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is CrossFit? Thanks for asking!  CrossFit is a branded fitness regimen which combines weightlifting, gymnastics, endurance and other forms of physical conditioning. The name comes from the constantly varied nature of workouts, which change every day to suit each individual. The methodology was developed from the 1970s onwards by American college gymnast Greg Glassman, who would go on to found CrossFit with his then wife Lauren Jenai in 2000. The company operates an affiliate model, licensing its name for an annual $3,000 fee to gyms which are known as boxes. There are more than 15,000 affiliates worldwide, with around 6,000 in the United States alone.What are the workouts like?CrossFit has some points in common with high-intensity interval training. Its workouts are short and certainly high in intensity, switching quickly between exercises with little rest. They focus on the main components of physical fitness, like stamina, strength, agility and balance. Most CrossFit gyms don’t have any mirrors, as the methodology is based on pushing your body to its limits, rather than obsessing over looks. Classes are often carried out in groups and generally divided into a dynamic warm-up, skill or strength work, the Workout of the Day and a cooldown. Simple equipment is used, like barbells, medicine balls and pull-up bars. While it attracts many devoted followers, CrossFit has also been criticised for its high risk of injury and links to the controversial Paleo diet.But why have we been hearing CrossFit mentioned a lot on the news and social media of late? What’s the fallout for the CrossFit brand? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is jiko sekinin?What is FOGO?What is shadow banning? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is jiko sekinin? Thanks for asking!Jiko sekinin is a Japanese term which more or less translates as “individual responsibility”. It’s more than just an expression. It represents a culture or even ideology of duty and guilt in the Land of the Rising Sun. Rather than attracting pity, the likes of homeless people, the chronically ill and even hostages are considered responsible for what happens to them. What’s more, they are expected to simply accept their fate and deal with it.Is jiko sekinin a recent phenomenon? The values of independence and individual merit have long been rooted in Japanese history and culture. But Jiko Sekinin is actually a relatively recent phenomenon, dating back to around the mid-1990s. Experts have traced its origins back to the crippling recession of the late 90s and the rise of neoliberalism. At the time, government officials blamed the country’s economic problems on its social system, which was seen as overly generous and egalitarian. They believed the road to recovery should be based on jiko sekinin and efforts to achieve individual success. This would lead to a more competitive, creative and healthy society. Does anyone actually support the idea? Has the coronavirus pandemic made jiko sekinin more apparent in Japan or in other countries? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is shadow banning? What is Black Lives Matter? What is asexuality? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is FOGO? Thanks for asking! You’ve probably already heard of FOMO - the Fear of Missing Out. Well here’s the opposite: the Fear of Going Out - or FOGO. With coronavirus lockdown measures easing in many countries, some people are still spending more time at home than usual, or not going outside at all. The cause? FOGO! Now this acronym is not actually new, even if it’s being used a lot more at the moment. It was coined way back in 2015 by Alexis Swerdloff writing in New York magazine. He wasn’t really writing about a literal fear of going out. The term was created more in comparison to FOMO and our feelings when seeing other people’s posts on social media.So what’s the difference between the two then?FOMO is the worry that others are having a rewarding experience, while we are left out. People often feel that the grass is greener on the other side. And we easily become envious when we see how great others’ lives appear to be. We want what they have, whether it be money, possessions, beauty or happiness. Seeing friends or colleagues on a great night out, and feeling excluded, is a common example of FOMO. On the other hand, those who have FOGO feel that the events people are posting about are more daunting than appealing. It’s also worth remembering that people are often very conscious of the image they’re conveying of themselves when posting on social media. Therefore they only share the highlights of their existence, creating a distorted version of reality.  How has COVID-19 affected FOMO and FOGO? What can we do if we’re feeling FOGO or any other kind of anxiety right now? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is shadow banning? What is Black Lives Matter? What is asexuality? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is shadow banning? Thanks for asking!Politicians and influencers are complaining about shadow banning more than ever before. The term refers to the secret silencing of a person, topic or community by social media companies. Posts aren’t actually removed from the platform, but have a much reduced reach, due to not showing up in followers’ feeds. What’s more, affected users aren’t told this has happened, which has led to accusations of deliberate censorship by the likes of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.When shadow banning was born? The origins of shadow banning go back as far as the 1980s, when forum moderators limited the visibility of posts by certain unpleasant users. But the practice has taken on a whole new dimension with the advent of social media and their increasingly complex algorithms. The term was popularized in 2018, when it was reported some Republicans were less visible on Twitter’s automatic search function. President Trump weighed into the debate with a trademark angry post - in block capitals, on Twitter of course.So why do social media companies do this? And how would I know if I’ve been shadow banned? Is shadow banning bad or good? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is Black Lives Matter? What is asexuality? What is ultracrepidarianism? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is Black Lives Matter? Thanks for asking! Since late May, hundreds of thousands of Americans have taken to the streets to protest against police violence, racism and inequality. Riots have broken out and curfews have been put in place in many cities. All this is a result of the death of African-American man George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer in Minneapolis.The Black Lives Matter movement originated in the U.S., following another tragedy. In 2012, black teenager Trayvon Martin was shot and killed by security agent George Zimmermann. When Zimmermann was acquitted the following year, three female activists created the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter on Twitter as a show of outrage at the verdict. It caught on, and gradually developed into a much wider movement, especially after the deaths of two more African-American men: Michael Brown and Eric Garner. Do black people really die more than others in the United States? In 2015, black men accounted for just 6% of the population, but a comparatively huge 40% of unarmed civilians killed by police. A study by the National Academy of Sciences found that one in a thousand black men can expect to die at the hands of the police. In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is asexuality? What is ultracrepidarianism? What are antibodies?See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is asexuality? Thanks for asking! Being asexual means different things to different people. Generally speaking, asexuality refers to the persistent lack of interest in sexual activity. One of the main criteria is not feeling any sexual attraction towards other people. Asexuality can be considered a sexual orientation, or a lack of sexual orientation. Awareness and acceptance of asexuality is still relatively recent, but a developing body of research is growing, from both psychological and sociological perspectives. So is being asexual the same as being abstinent?Asexual isn't the same as being abstinent. Abstinence is a choice to not engage in sexual relations, for religious or personal reasons. Asexuals don’t consider their lifestyle a choice; they say they are born asexual in the same way as someone is born straight, gay or bi. The most common misconception about asexuals is that they have some kind of illness and can be cured. There’s no scientific consensus to explain a person’s sexual orientation, or lack thereof. Therefore, it shouldn’t be considered a psychological disorder or problem.  Do asexuals stay single for their entire lives? Are there many closet asexuals out there? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What are antibodies?What is a drive-in? What is a Chief Happiness Officer?See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is ultracrepidarianism? Thanks for asking!An ultracrepidarian is someone who gives their opinion on just about everything, including subjects which are beyond their sphere of knowledge. A simpler label would be to call someone a know-it-all. It’s linked to a form of cognitive bias known in the field of psychology as the Dunning-Kruger effect. People overestimate their ability at a task, due to their inability to objectively evaluate their own competence. Where "ultracrepidarianism" is from? It’s believed the phrase originates from the 4th century BC, and famous Greek artist Apelles. He used to display his paintings in public and stand out of sight in order to eavesdrop on people’s comments. Upon viewing one of Apelles’ works, a shoemaker mentioned that the sole of a sandal was painted incorrectly. Apelles took the painting away and corrected it, based on the shoemaker’s observation. When he put the painting back on display, the shoemaker took pride and criticised other details of the artwork. Apelles then apparently jumped out from his hiding place and used the Latin phrase "sutor, ne ultra crepidam”.What does it mean? And why do I feel like I’m seeing a lot of ultracrepidarianism on TV and social media at the moment? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What are antibodies?What is a drive-in? What is a Chief Happiness Officer?See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are antibodies? Thanks for asking! Antibodies are Y-shaped proteins which are secreted by B cells in the human body’s immune system. Their function is to neutralize pathogens like bacteria and viruses which enter the body. They work by recognizing unique molecules in the foreign material, which are known as antigens. By binding to the antigens, antibodies are able to destroy disease-causing microbes, or block them from causing infections. When we recover from an infection, some antibodies remain in the body serving as memory cells. Their presence therefore protects against future infections from the same pathogen. Serology tests can be carried out to determine whether a person has such protection. A blood sample is taken from the patient and later analysed for antibodies and antigens.So why go to the effort of vaccinating people if the body is able to defend itself all alone with antibodies? Antibodies represent our third line of defense against disease, after surface barriers and the non-specific responses of the innate immune system. In most people, this multi-layered system slows down infections, so the body can produce antibodies. But some people’s immune systems are weaker than others, and some viruses like COVID-19 are more dangerous than others. On the other hand, vaccinating someone is a pre-emptive strategy to help their immune system develop antibodies as future protection. This consists of injecting inactivated components of a disease into the body. When a vaccinated person encounters the pathogen that causes the disease in question, the body is ready to respond very quickly. Many once-deadly diseases have been more or less eliminated through vaccines, such as smallpox, measles and mumps.So could we describe coronavirus as a flu which has mutated? And if you have been infected by coronavirus, does your body create antibodies? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen the last episodes, you can click here: What is a drive-in? What is a Chief Happiness Officer?What is Snapchat dysmorphia?See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices