“Across the 12 countries spanning a wide range of cultures, people described “cool” in surprisingly similar ways. Across the globe, people consistently identified coolness with six traits: extroversion, hedonism, power, adventurousness, openness and autonomy.”
Carl Jung had a lot to say about aging and how to live meaningfully in later life. His perspective isn’t about rigid rules but more about embracing psychological growth and self-understanding. Key points include:
Embrace Individuation – Jung believed that the later years are the time to focus on becoming your true self. This involves reflecting on your life, integrating different parts of your personality, and accepting both your strengths and weaknesses.
Value Inner Life Over Outer Achievements – As you age, external accomplishments matter less. Jung advised cultivating the inner life—dreams, imagination, contemplation, and spiritual awareness—because this is where enduring fulfillment comes from.
Stay Connected to Your Shadow – Don’t deny or suppress the darker, hidden aspects of yourself. Recognizing and understanding them brings wisdom and reduces inner conflict.
Develop Meaningful Relationships – Relationships remain crucial, but Jung emphasized depth over quantity. Older age is a time for authentic connection, mutual understanding, and passing on wisdom.
Accept Mortality – Aging is a natural process. Facing your mortality with awareness allows for a richer, more conscious experience of life, and reduces fear of death.
Creativity and Contribution – Jung saw the later years as a chance to contribute through mentorship, art, writing, or any creative pursuit. This allows life to have purpose beyond personal gain.
Balance Between Action and Contemplation – Jung stressed alternating between engaging with the world and turning inward. Both are essential for mental health and spiritual growth in later life.
A good way to summarize Jung’s advice: aging well is about self-acceptance, inner development, meaningful connections, and continuing to contribute to the world in ways that reflect your authentic self.
“You are a light. You are the light. Never let anyone — any person or any force — dampen, dim or diminish your light … Release the need to hate, to harbor division, and the enticement of revenge. Release all bitterness. Hold only love, only peace in your heart, knowing that the battle of good to overcome evil is already won.”
If a painting is created mainly to match a luxurious interior rather than to express something deeply personal or challenge ideas, then it leans more toward decorative art, even if it’s technically a painting. It becomes part of the decor rather than a standalone statement.
That raises an interesting question—does the intent of the artist or the way the artwork is used define whether it’s fine art or decorative art? If someone paints with raw emotion and meaning but it ends up as a luxury wall piece, does that change what it is?
Especially with modern abstract painting—it’s everywhere in high-end homes, hotels, and corporate spaces. A lot of it seems designed to be aesthetically pleasing but not too thought-provoking, so it blends into the environment rather than demanding attention. It feels like abstraction has been commercialized into a luxury good rather than a form of deep expression, at least in many cases.
Of course, that doesn’t mean all abstract art today is purely decorative. There are still artists pushing boundaries and using abstraction in meaningful ways. But a lot of what sells seems to be more about fitting a vibe than saying something.
You are what you hate. What you hate says a lot about who you are and what you value. _ The response in the body when we dislike someone
In order to understand what happens in your body when you dislike someone, you can start by trying to understand #fear. As Robert Sapolsky writes in “Why Your Brain Hates Other People,” when we see someone who even looks different from us, “there is preferential activation of the amygdala,” which means the brain region associated with fear and aggression flares up. This visceral, emotional reaction can spark a long-term pattern of dislike when it’s validated by action: if you perceive that someone has hurt you, your fear of them becomes rational.
Our negative feelings toward someone get stronger as bad experiences with them pile up, and these negative thoughts trigger the fight-or-flight response in our bodies. As AJ Marsden, assistant professor of Psychology at Beacon College in Leesburg, Florida, puts it, “our fight-or-flight response is our bodies way of dealing with a stressor.” ⠀ Stressors that trigger fight-or-flight need not be life or death, though, says Marsden: “Sadly, our body cannot tell the difference between an actual stressor (being chased by someone with a knife) and a perceived stressor (having work with someone you hate).” This is why seeing posts from your high school bully can make you feel the anxiety of being bullied all over again: your fearful associations with disliking the person trigger your own need to protect yourself. ⠀ Source: headspace.com
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