by Ana Zarb | Apr 8, 2021 | featured, Inspiration
In January 25, 2020, I decided to quit cold turkey (almost) every social media I was part of, namely Instagram and Facebook. I have thought about it for a long time and even wrote an article, a year prior related to the subject.
I’ve imagined I would collect everybody’s email, write down their birthday dates, and that’s how I was going to communicate with people. None of that happened.
In January 2020, I had just come back to Portugal from a month trip around France where I had some interesting but not so fun experiences with volunteering.
When I uploaded something to my IG Stories, the response I would receive was not matching to the reality of life. And I didn’t want to expose myself too much, so I also didn’t give people a chance to understand.
What I realized, however, was that it is easy to make it seem life your life looks a certain way on social media. That was when it hit me: if what I’m showing cannot be trusted, then nothing can.
Other reasons also played their part. I’ve seen so many documentaries on data storing and its dangers, on how manipulated we get, and how we’re losing the skill to concentrate and focus.
So I left.
And then came a pandemic
I had no idea this global crisis would hit this hard. Back in March 2020, when the lockdown was declared in Portugal, I had in mind things would be back to normal in no time. Who didn’t?
I went through lockdown and the whole year of 2020 oblivious of the state of things in the world and most especially in my home country, Brazil.
I was checking in with friends and family via WhatsApp, which at the time (and now still) was not possible to quit. But it is not the same as if I was following their day-to-day.
Here are some things I noticed after being back for about two months:
- My distraction level went up to the roof. I’m finding it hard to make myself finish a short video on YouTube and it takes me way longer to focus to write something up, as opposed to last year when I wrote every day for 3 months;
- I’m having a harder time remembering things I’ve seen online. There is so much visual information it seems they all mixed up in my headspace;
- I find myself reaching for my phone for no reason;
- The comparison game is strong, even though I fully understand what I see it is not most likely the reality.
Why did I come back?
- I want to stay connected and don’t want to miss out on what friends and family are doing and going through;
- I find it easier to stay in touch with new people I met via Instagram or Facebook;
- I do want to document and share things. Mostly learnings and processes along the way;
- It is a good way to share any artistic work I do.
There’s a book called Show Your Work (affiliate link) or in Portuguese, Mostre Seu Trabalho (affiliate link), by Austin Kleon, where he talks about documenting the process of anything you’re trying to make or achieve. He discusses the difficulties of self-promoting, but also its value.
My relationship with this means of communication has changed over the years and probably will continue to do so. I guess overall, an online social network is beneficial when used with real awareness and comprehension of what it really is. Also, having some sort of limitation in time usage has been helpful.
And you? Do find social media important? What for?
Let me know in the comments.
Your friend,
Ana.
![[Book review] Notes on the Death of Culture: Essays on Spectacle and Society, by Mario Vargas Llosa](https://anazarb.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Notes-on-the-Death-of-Culture-Essays-on-Spectacle-and-Society-e1616083595393-1080x675.jpeg)
by Ana Zarb | Mar 18, 2021 | featured, Reviews
After reading The Bad Girl by Mario Vargas Llosa I became an instant fan of the guy. Of his style of writing, of his stories, of his creativity. Notes on the Death of Culture: Essays on Spectacle and Society (La civilización del espectáculo) was no different. This book really spoke to me because it is a critic of today’s society and how our lives have become some sort of show which is not supposed to last very long or be remembered.
“What do I mean by civilization of the spectacle? That of a world in which entertainment occupies first place on the chart of current values, where having a good time, escaping boredom, is a universal passion. this life ideal is perfectly legitimate, of course. Only a puritan fanatic could reproach the members of a society who want to provide entertainment, recreation, humor and diversion to lives generally framed by depressing and at times numbing routines. But to convert that natural penchant for having a good time into a supreme value sometimes had unexpected consequences. These include the banalization of culture, the spread of superficiality, and, in the specific field of information, the proliferation of irresponsible journalism, which feeds off gossip and scandal.”
One of the subjects he extends himself in, and I enjoyed very much, is culture. He mentions how in the past there used to be high and low culture. The first belonged to the upper class and the latter to the lower one (I don’t even think the middle class really existed until the Industrial Age). That distinction provided the environment for the creation of great art, music, plays, etc.
This is such a controversial topic, because as much as it is important to universalize knowledge and culture there is a paradigm switch, from culture back then being something transcendent and meaningful to now being almost purely for entertainment, extremely commercial and very temporary.
“The essential difference between the culture of the past and the entertainment of today is that the products of the former sought to transcend mere present time, to endure, to stay alive for future generations, while the products of the latter are made to be consumed instantly and disappear, like cake or popcorn.”
I also found very interesting his take on the part intellectuals play in our society today.
“Because in the civilization of the spectacle, intellectuals are of interest only if they play the fashion game and become clowns.”
I agree with him on this one. In the past, we had leaders in our communities such as Gandhi or and Mandela who truly change their era because of their points of view and their attitude. Today, so much of the will to change the world get lost in our noisy way of living. Of course, we do still have such leaders, but their scale is not as broad as in the past.
Besides culture, he goes about how the spectacle spirit “poisoned” everything, from art to politics, from religion to economy, and even our sex and love lives. His writing can bring a lot of that “back in those days things were better” sentiment. Nonetheless, his arguments are solid and are reasonable.
One critique that can be made about this book and which is also valid it’s that though he presents the horrible state of our society today, he lacks in suggesting a solution. For me, after reading the book I don’t imagine how he could have come up with a list of solutions for so many deep and structural “problems”. Besides, that would mean writing a whole new book with completely different purposes than this one.
Anyway, I highly recommend this book for people who likes to discuss the topics of culture, society, art, culture, philosophy, political and economical systems… I don’t think is a read for everyone. So, if you can try a sample first, on kindle or elsewhere.
If you want, here are my affiliate links to these books in English and in Portuguese. ✨🤩
Happy reading!
Your friend,
Ana.
by Ana Zarb | Mar 12, 2021 | featured
When I was 12 years old, I’ve traveled for the first time by myself, without my parents or my sister. I went off to a missionary program 1250km away from home. Yes, there were people to take care of us, and I was not the only kid participating. But that was the very first time I had to learn on my own how to be resourceful and independent.
At 17, I attempt my first solo-trip outside my country. This time the destination is Grand Rapids, Michigan in the United States of America. I spent a year living as an American. And right after graduating from university, at 22, I decided to go to Australia. On the first trip, outside of my country that I had to completely take care of myself. No “real” adults to watch over me.
That was the first time I left Brazil, considering another country as a possible future home. I lived in two cities for almost a year. I did not stay in Australia, but it did contribute to the beginning of an almost impossible quest it would last a long time: where/what is the ideal country and city to live in?
Today, after living in Portugal for the past two and a half years, I cannot yet say the search is over, but I can predict an inconclusive verdict it is on its way.
What is a global citizen/citizen of the world?
According to Wikipedia, global citizenship is “the idea that one’s identity transcends geography or political borders and that responsibilities or rights are derived from membership in a broader class: “humanity”. This does not mean that such a person denounces or waives their nationality or other, more local identities, but that such identities are given “second place” to their membership in a global community. Extended, the idea leads to questions about the state of global society in the age of globalization.”
The same idea that global citizens are not attached to their original roots and that their individualization is benefited by globalization can be seen in this article written by Irene Skovgaard-Smith republished at BBC WorkLife. Here, she mentions how this concept can be so negatively perceived by people and governance, at times.
This author also conducted a study with professionals from different backgrounds working in the Netherlands and what she concluded is that is not so much that people who leave their countries are rootless like some suggest, but rather that “they construct and share a cosmopolitan identity and sense of belonging. This means that they feel less attached to their nation of origin and cultural background.”
Although I do not feel less attached to my home country and to my culture, which ironically comes out strongly when I’m surrounded by people from other nationalities, I can get behind this idea of identity transcending geographic borders.
That’s not to say I believe in a borderless planet and an “international passport”. I think it is important to have different cultures, different stories, and views of the world. At the same time, my personal identity has expanded so much because of traveling.
I think this is one of the reasons I like to write in English because I feel the most inclusive this way. Because there are parts of me in all these places I lived in and they live in me. It is also why it has been hard for me to decide on a city to settle. I can see beauty and dark in all of them.
Does that make me a citizen of the world? Well, I have become much more open, understanding, empathetic, and connected to people from all around the globe and their issues. Much more curious about the way they live and what I could learn (and I have learned a lot). There are moments I think I have lost some of my “brazility”. At the same time, I think this way of life is not sustainable long-term, especially for the ones, who like me, have been hopping from place to place every two or three years. And then again, I still feel I have some more searching to do…
Not easy.
As my quest, this piece is also ambiguous and has not point other than re/starting a discussion about globalization and living abroad.
What are your thoughts on the topic? Let me know!
Your friend,
Ana.
![[Book Review] Breakfast At Tiffany’s](https://anazarb.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/book-review-breakfast-at-tiffanys-e1598400348934.jpg)
by Ana Zarb | Aug 26, 2020 | featured, Reviews
There is something about someone saying good things about someone else that makes me immediately appreciate the someone else in question. That is how I knew I would like Holly Golightly and Truman Capote’s most acclaimed novella, Breakfast At Tiffany’s.
Through the eyes of the unknown young writer and narrator, we can see how a nineteen-year-old girl with a captivating personality, was able to make acquaintances with people from different paths such as the bar owner Joe Bell, the Italian mafioso Sally Tomato and even the millionaire Rusty Trawler and find in all of them a source of admiration.
The story of Holly or Lulamae does not build up very steeply, probably because it was not written in the first person, but mainly because the events are not the focus, but herself and her ideas. No matter how simple she looked, she was real. To me, that is one of the most interesting aspects of a person, their authenticity.
She, like most youngsters, is trying to find her identity but is doing so in a genuine manner, looking for beauty along the way and following her instincts. It is only so often you see her mentioning how she is trying to find what is truly hers, her cat, her street, her apartment, her place in the world.
One of my favorite quotes from the book is when she refuses an opportunity to work in a film that could have made her a star. She’s talking to her wannabe agent, O. J. Berman, from New York:
“‘She says, this is Holly, I say, honey, you sound far away, she says I’m in New York, I say what the hell are you doing in New York when it’s Sunday and you got the test tomorrow? She says I’m in New York cause I’ve never been to New York. I say get your ass on a plane and get back here, she says I don’t want it. I say what’s your angle, doll? She says you got to want it to be good and I don’t want it, I say well, what the hell do you want, and she says when I find out you’ll be the first to know.’”
Holly is proof that being open to the universe, to the hardships, to the criticism, to adventure and to love is inspirational and it pays off.
I found this to be an easy, quick, and pleasant read and Capote got it right to have this piece written with such a simple, light, and charming aura, that is so Holly Golightly.
Have you ever read it? What did you think?
Your friend,
Ana Zarb
by Ana Zarb | Dec 16, 2019 | featured, Inspiration
I began my 2020 two months ago, so when the new year do come, I am already in full motion. Or so I hope.
This
decision comes from a feeling of disappointment and frustration for not feeling
completely accomplished at the end of most years.
In 2013, I wrote this piece in Portuguese about how I was not going to do any resolutions for that year, other than being a good person in general.
Today, I understand
it is better to have a plan than to let the year, my life, pass by and being
only the spectator of it.
In 2019, I
read some books and heard many people which have really influenced this shift of
mentality about new year’s resolutions. One of the main books I felt too lucky
to have found was The Artist Way, by Julia Cameron.
Out of the many,
many things you can learn from Cameron in that book, I found that the most
important is the compromise you must have with yourself and with the things you
want in life.
No other
person can be as enthusiastic about your dreams and hopes than yourself. And
you’re the one who should commit with the vision and the values of the life you
want.
Two other
books had also impacted me, greatly: Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, by
Carol Dweck and, of course, Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl.
My Plans
for 2020
Having said
all that, I started planning how my 2020 is supposed to unfold. My keyword of
the year will be consistency.
At first, I
wanted to get involved in numerous projects, however I realized it is better to
commit consistently to just a few.
The main project: to read a book per week. That means reading 53 books in 2020. Because it is a leap year. [EDIT (20/06/20): Actually I’lll be reading only 52 books. I didn’t realize as I was writing a leap year would grant me just another day and not another week.]
I picked
this challenge specifically to practice my consistency.
I love
reading and I cannot pass on a good challenge. There’s also the added pressure
of making that a consistent habit. The aftermath is an imperative growth.
I will
document this reading journey on my Instagram account (www.instagram.com/catchthecatch), where I’m planning to make short
video resumes and reviews and hopefully discuss with everyone who wants to,
about the book of the week.
Another goal
will be to write a piece for this blog every week. Also, because I’m passionate
about writing and I want to improve it. I would like to post something new
every Monday, which is my second favorite day of the week.
The 3
reasons why I am talking about it
- I want to be held accountable by whoever read these articles I write. I want people to be a pain in my a**. But, hopefully, it is not too painful haha…
- It is also to say that if you do have things you want to get done, start planning and doing it now. So, it does not feel as such a burden to begin next year.
- Lastly, I would like to invite everyone to do the reading challenge with me. We can share tips, book suggestions, feelings and all. All to be done I guess it’s via Instagram.
About
the reading challenge
Right now,
I have a list of 27 books.
Who would
have thought it would be so hard to choose 53 books to read.
I’m trying
to mix genres, authors from different nationalities and continents, from
different gender, from different colors… Just trying to get a better view of
the world.
Also, I’m trying to avoid the self-help/personal development style. I feel too tempted try out everything it says. That takes time and I must be efficient in order to read this much.
So far, my list includes authors
such as George Orwell, Vinícius de Moraes,
Aldous Huxley, Lev Tolstoy, Yuval Noah Harari, Michelle Obama, Darcy Ribeiro,
Hermann Hesse, Martin Luther King Jr., Mario Vargas Llosa and many others,
naturally.
I will not define
this far ahead the order of reading. I probably will mix the long books with
the short ones, in order for it to be less tiring and actually doable. Again,
consistency is key.
So, bring it on
2020. I believe you are going to be wonderful.
Once again, if you would like to follow this journey or join me, make sure to follow me on Instagram at @catchthecatch.
Your friend,
Ana.
by Ana Zarb | Dec 9, 2019 | featured, Inspiration
I stumbled across this quote when reading Julia Cameron’s book, The Artist Way:
“Question: Do you know how old I’ll be by the time I learn to play the piano?
Answer: The same age you will if you don’t.”
It is simple. But it made me realize how easy it is to avoid the process at all costs.
For instance, when I start reading a new book, the first concern I have is: “Oh, this is going to take time, should I really do it?”.
By the time
I get to the middle of it, I think: “Well, it’s not that bad and I’m actually
learning something”.
As I
approach the end, I try to speed it up and get done with it. And when it is
finally over, I feel super accomplished.
Then I proceed to start a new book and the same cycle happens again. And again, and again. Until I decided to understand it.
That pain
of having to start something and the knowing you will have to continue will
never be mastered until we fully get a good grasp of the process.
After
comprehending it, it is much easier to identify where you are in it and enjoy
it.
Let’s be honest the majority of our lives will probably be spent in the middle of the book because it is the longest part. And even when we finish with one particular book, there will be others.
So, the sooner we accept that the beginning is hard as the end is quick, the more we can learn to have fun in the middle, in the process.
“We like to focus on having learned a skill or having made an artwork. This attention to final form ignores the fact that creativity lies not in the done, but in doing.”
Julia Cameron
It’s much more comfortable to look at the big picture and realize it takes time and conclude you would be a fool for even trying than to take the baby steps in order to make it there.
I spent a
lot of time this year, trying to master the pain of starting and continuing
something. Trying to accept the process and be friends with it. Letting it be
my teacher.
I tell you, it’s much more pleasant than making it your enemy.
“Focused on process, our creative life retains a sense of adventure. Focused on product the same creative life can feel foolish or barren.”
Julia Cameron
The good news is process produces results over time. Even though I love this idea, I admit it: it’s hard to put it to action, sometimes. That’s why I always try to observe real-life small progress and see how I have acquired them.
I wrote once about adulting in this article, and how it was so impressive that parents just know things. Their knowledge comes from a life of successive “trial & error” situations.
Recently, I realized that I, too, gained some of this form of expertise. I can now say that I know how to make good rice in 98% of the time.
As unimportant of an event, this might sound as, to me, it made me realized that I “mastered” something I kept working on for a long time until I finally got it right. And that got me even more confident about the process.
We are on the verge of a new year and we may think that there’s nothing to do with this year anymore, but that is not true, because it is all process. Life is process.
Start now
or start next year, it will probably take you the same amount of time. Start
now, though, and you will make it there sooner.
What do you
say?
Your
friend,
Ana Zarb.
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