Dragon Fruit

What is propaganda? What we know? To begin with, what we positively know by now is that state-sponsored propaganda has exploded with the rise of social media and the numbers are staggering. To put it into context, only 20.7 million people watched the evening news broadcasts of ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox stations in 2016 . We also know that the classical understanding of propaganda as the “management of collective attitudes by the manipulation of significant symbols” still stands. What we don’t know? Intriguingly, despite the explosion of channels, botnets and content involved in digital disinformation, what we do not firmly know, is whether digital propaganda is actually successful. Certainly, the promotion of echo-chambers of hate and the online escalation of political polarization are tangible effects of digital propaganda, which cannot be ignored. What we should know? In view of the disruptive effects that digital propaganda has on societal discourse, it is important to know how to (counter)-react to systematic campaigns and efforts that seek to promote disinformation.Defensive counter-strategies are useful for exposing patterns of digital propaganda, identifying nodes of influence in the disinformation network and improving media literacy about how propaganda works and how not to play its game.

Build Your Own Castle or how to ne not envious Three scenarios—which would irk you the most? (a) Your friends’ salaries increase. Yours stays the same. (b) Their salaries stay the same. Yours does, too. (c) Their average salaries are cut. Yours is, too. If you answered A, don’t worry, that’s perfectly normal: You’re just another victim of the green-eyed monster. “My neighbor has a cow and I have none. I hope that his drops dead.” Admit it: A similar thought must have occurred to you at some point in your life. Of all the emotions, envy is the most idiotic. Why? Because it is relatively easy to switch off. This is in contrast to anger, sadness, or fear. it’s a waste of time. Many things spark envy: ownership, status, health, youth, talent, popularity, beauty. It is often confused with jealousy because the physical reactions are identical. The difference: The subject of envy is a thing (status, money, health, etc.). Paradoxically, with envy, we direct resentments toward those who are most similar to us in age, career, and residence. We don’t envy millionaires on the other side of the globe—just those on the other side of the city. As a supermodel you envy more successful supermodels. Case: Let’s say your financial success allows you to move from one of New York’s grittier neighborhoods to Manhattan’s Upper East Side. In the first few weeks, you enjoy being in the center of everything and how impressed your friends are with your new apartment and address. But soon you rea

How to be creative? What can boost your creativity? All this questions sometimes comes to our minds, when we can not find an appropriate words, ideas or draw an excellent picture. So, here are some tips which can help yoy boost your creativity: Read, read, read. It’s a lot harder to get the hang of creative writing if you don’t have any references to draw from. Notable writers throughout history have penned excellent examples of well-written creative work that should be required reading for any budding creative writer. Read famous works by great writers in plenty of genres to get a feel for where your interests may lie. Always be writing. Don’t ignore the random ideas that pop into your head. Even bad ideas can inspire good ones, and you never know what will trigger inspiration for a better idea later on. Keep a notepad or download a notes app for a handy way to jot down or record any content you may think of—it may come in handy in an unexpected way. Have a point of view. Fiction writing often has a story, message, or lesson to share. A narrative without a drive behind it will feel flat, and your audience won’t understand what the point of your story is or why they should care. Use your own unique voice to tell a story that resonates with your audience and connect with them in a way that leaves a lasting impression. Use literary devices. Literary devices help you write vividly and create imaginative scenes, which are integral to good writing. Metaphors, similes, and other