New research from the University of Vermont finds the most viewed content on TikTok relating to food, nutrition and weight perpetuates a toxic diet culture among teens and young adults and that expert voices are largely missing from the conversation. Published today in PLOS One, the study found weight-normative messaging, the idea that weight is the most...
Culture
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Japan’s ‘Waste Not, Want Not’ Philosophy Has Deep Religious and Cultural Roots, from Monsters and Meditation to Marie Kondo’s Tidying Up
The word “waste” is often frightening. People fear not making the most of their time, whether at work or at leisure, and failing to live life to the fullest. Warnings against waste run especially deep in Japanese culture. Many Americans are familiar with the famous decluttering technique of organization guru Marie Kondo, who wrote “The...
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In Mexico, Day of the Dead Is Actually a Celebration of Life
During the Day of the Dead celebrations that take place in late October and early November in Mexico, the living remember and honor their dearly departed, but with celebration — not sorrow. Marigolds decorate the streets as music blares from speakers. Adults and children alike dress as skeletons and take photos, capturing the annual joy-filled festivities. It...
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Sacheen Littlefeather and Ethnic Fraud – Why the Truth Is Crucial, Even It It Means Losing an American Indian Hero
When Sacheen Littlefeather died on Oct. 2, 2022, obituaries reflecting on the actress and activist’s life held her up as a Native American trailblazer. But there is serious issue with this assessment: A suspicion among those who knew her – myself included – that her claims to American Indian heritage were not what they seemed...
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Romeo and Juliet – Miami City Ballet
Few stories are as well-known as the classic Romeo and Juliet, and unless you are the most jaded individual, it touches you in ways familiar and new, if you give it a chance. The play, film versions, the orchestral music score by Prokofiev, the opera, even the original poem; all have their special charms. Add...
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Dating Profile Text Perceived as More Original May Spark More Attraction
A new study involving users of online dating sites has revealed a link between the perceived originality of text in dating profiles and better impressions of attractiveness. Tess van der Zanden and colleagues at Tilburg University in The Netherlands present these findings in PLOS ONE and reveal the features of “original” profiles. Previous research has...
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Powerful Women Heading Up Dating Apps Are Framed as Young and Sexy
People are swiping on dating apps in record numbers and roughly half of these individuals identify as women, which may be the reason why the dating app industry recently assigned the top leadership roles to women. Indeed, this past year, the most powerful dating apps in the world — Bumble and Tinder — were both...
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Diwali: A Celebration of the Goddess Lakshmi, and Her Promise of Prosperity and Good Fortune
This year Diwali, a popular festival for Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs, will be celebrated on Oct. 24, the Amavasya, or new moon day, of the month of Kartik in the traditional Indian lunar calendar. Devotees across around the world will bring festivities into their homes by lighting earthen lamps called diyas, setting off fireworks,...
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Recruiting Male Allies Boosts Women at Work
When women and men raise their voices together in the workplace, managers are more likely to support gender equity issues, such as equal pay for equal work. That’s the finding of a new paper from a researcher at The University of Texas at Austin. In a recent study, Insiya Hussain, an assistant professor of management at...
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Erotophilia and Sexual Sensation–seeking Are Good Predictors of Engagement with Sex Robots
Simon Dubé’s study examines the personality traits of people who are more willing to experiment with erobotics Advances in technology, in particular artificial intelligence (AI), are impacting our everyday lives in ever more ways — including our sex lives. Sex robots — life-size, lifelike machines powered by AI and used for sexual purposes — are...
