Life & Style

If ignorance is bliss, as a poet once wrote, it also can be said that human beings “are creatures who want to know and not to know”. The world, writes American political scientist and historian Mark Lilla in his timely book, Ignorance and Bliss, is going through a phase in which the denial of “evident truth” is rising. It’s a world where “mesmerised crowds still follow preposterous prophets, irrational rumours trigger fanatical acts, and magical thinking crowds out common sense and expertise”.

‘Holiday from reality’

A professor of humanities at Columbia University, Lilla’s arguments that people seem to favour ignorance are compelling. In these murky days when everything seems to be at sea, he offers an amazing insight on the human being’s incorrigible “will to ignorance”, a term coined by German philosopher Nietzsche. It seems after spending a lifetime searching for knowledge, humans have taken “a holiday from reality”. No wonder, resistance to knowledge is now being backed by an ideology that is supportive. In the face of such developments, those devoted to reason and logic have started to feel like refugees.

Quoting from George Eliot’s Daniel Deronda, Lilla asks: “It is a common sentence that knowledge is power; but who hath duly considered or set forth the power of ignorance?” While some people are naturally curious about learning why, there are many others who are indifferent. There are reasons to avoid knowing about particular things, and many of those reasons are perfectly justified. And then there are those who have developed a disinterest for gaining knowledge simply because they believe what they already know is the truth.

Lilla provokes readers to think about this. In the Introduction, he writes that Greek philosopher Aristotle taught that all human beings want to know. “Our own experiences teach us that all human beings also want not to know, sometimes fiercely so.” The most obvious resistance to knowing is rooted in fear. People resist any aspect that is related to their morality and religiosity being questioned, because they are afraid of getting exposed. By questioning such firm beliefs, people run the risk of upsetting ideas they’ve built their lives around, with no guarantee of any satisfactory replacement. However, if ever questions have to be raised without any chance of them being resisted, it has to take place in a state of total ignorance.

Ignorance and Bliss by Mark Lilla

Imagined pasts

Ignorance and Bliss is all about how ignorance ought to be viewed and how it should get valued. It views ignorance independent of bliss, and for good reason. At this time when politics is filled with lies and fake news, the question worth asking is whether the root cause of the problem lies with the public.

Gaining knowledge is an emotional experience, as is resisting knowledge. How to live with such contrasting emotions in a given time is the focus of the book, and our present predicament. The intimate struggles with aspects of self-knowledge feature prominently in it. Even self-knowledge depends on resisting other kinds of knowledge about the world. The chapters in the book concern fantasies, exploring that power in us which inspires resistance to acknowledging reality.

Lilla explores several human sentiments such as innocence, nostalgia, emptiness, and taboo, to get some clarity on the knowledge/ignorance dilemma. Clarity is hard because the search for an answer often remains subjective. Knowledge and ignorance co-exist. Those who feel ignorance is bliss may actually have a “distaste for the present” and go rushing to “restore an imagined past”, says Lilla. On the contrary, the more we know leaves us with the challenge to know more. A quest that never ends.

Fascinating and challenging, the book makes a compelling argument that a will to ignorance is as strong in us as any desire to have knowledge, and that we are caught between the will to know and the will not to know. Such are the times that wanting not to know appears to be much stronger than wanting to know.

The reviewer is an independent writer, researcher and academic.

Research indicates that apples may possess anti-cancer properties due to compounds like triterpenoids, flavonoids, and polyphenols. Studies suggest these components can inhibit cancer cell growth and reduce the risk of various cancers, especially for smokers and heavy drinkers. Consuming flavonoid-rich foods, including apples, could protect against cancer and heart disease, though further research is needed.

Does your diet include apples? If not, it might be time to add some, because apples truly could save you a trip to your doctor’s office. We all have heard that apples can keep the doctors away, and it turns out to be just that! Along with the many health benefits of eating apples, some studies now hint at its anti-cancer properties. Several compounds found in apples are linked to fighting cancer cells. A 2007 study by researchers at Cornell University found that triterpenoids, and several other compounds found in the apple peel, either inhibit or kill cancer cells in laboratory cultures. Yes, that’s right. Some apple peels a day, could decrease your risk of cancer.

“We found that several compounds have potent anti-proliferative activities against human liver, colon, and breast cancer cells and may be partially responsible for the anti-cancer activities of whole apples,” Rui Hai Liu, Cornell associate professor of food science and the senior author of the study, said in a statement. Previously, Liu had identified that several compounds called phytochemicals, mainly flavonoids and phenolic acids found in apples and other foods, appear to have anti-cancer properties, including inhibiting tumor growth in human breast cancer cells.

A study by scientists from Germany, the University of Hawaii, and the University of Southern California found that the flavonol quercetin, which is found naturally in apples and onions, is beneficial in preventing and reducing the risk of pancreatic cancer.A 2016 study found that an apple a day can reduce cancer risks because of the presence of flavonoids. The study suggested that polyphenols in apples might have the potential to reduce the risk of several forms of cancer formation and metastasis. The polyphenol phloretin in apples inhibits the growth of cancer cells through inhibition of the type 2 glucose transporter.

A 2019 study by researchers at Edith Cowan University found that consuming flavonoid-rich items such as apples and tea protects against cancer and heart disease, particularly for smokers and heavy drinkers. They found that participants of the study who consumed 500mg of total flavonoids each day had the lowest risk of a cancer or heart disease-related death.“It’s important to consume a variety of different flavonoid compounds found in different plant-based foods and drinks. This is easily achievable through the diet: one cup of tea, one apple, one orange, 100g of blueberries, and 100g of broccoli would provide a wide range of flavonoid compounds and over 500mg of total flavonoids,” lead researcher Dr Nicola Bondonno said.

Another 2021 study observed that the anticancer effects of apples come from their phenolic compounds such as phloretin, quercetin and its glycosides, chlorogenic acid, catechin, and epicatechin. They also pointed out that the evidence suggests that triterpenoids, present mainly in apple skin, have significant chemopreventive and chemo-protective effects. “Apple phytochemicals provide many beneficial health effects and could work as a preventive tool in cancer,” the study said, and the scientists added that further studies are required to confirm apple’s anticancer effects and bioavailability in humans.So feel free to munch on apples, this time knowing that the sweet treat is also reducing your risk of cancer.

Alternate nostril breathing is a staple yoga technique known for balancing the body’s energy and calming the mind. It involves breathing through one nostril at a time while blocking the other.

How to do it:

Sit comfortably with your spine straight.

Use your right thumb to close your right nostril and slowly inhale through the left nostril for about 6 seconds.

Close the left nostril with your ring finger, hold your breath for 6 seconds.

Open the right nostril and exhale slowly for 6 seconds.

Inhale through the right nostril for 6 seconds.

Close the right nostril and hold for 6 seconds.

Exhale through the left nostril.

Repeat this cycle for 5 minutes.

This pranayama reduces stress and anxiety, and thus induces sleep

There are two major types of inflammation: acute and chronic inflammation.

Acute inflammation starts rapidly, becomes severe in a short time, and symptoms may last for a few days, and then settle down when the cause is under control.

Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, is different. It is slow, long-term inflammation lasting for prolonged periods of several months to years. The World Health Organization (WHO) ranks chronic diseases as the greatest threat to human health. Chronic inflammation is linked to many severe diseases such as:

• excess weight

• diabetes

• cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and stroke

• Infections like hepatitis C

• autoimmune disease

• cancer

• arthritis

• depression

• Alzheimer’s

• asthma

When Karthic Rathinam — then a third-year product design student in Pune — moved out of his hostel into an unfurnished studio apartment, he decided to build his own furniture. “I experimented with wood, and steel, but with little money left after spending on basic living expenses, I couldn’t afford to build things with those materials,” he says, adding how cardboard boxes that held his belongings took his fancy. “That’s when it hit me. Why not try building with cardboard? I built a bed, table, chair, and shelves out of cardboard and ended up using them for six months.” 

Karthic Rathinam
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

This got Karthic studying cardboard’s structure, limitations, and possibilities. In 2021, Karthic designed a cardboard-based sanitizer stand that went viral on WhatsApp. “I sold over 80,000 units initially that were deployed at Metro stations in Delhi,” says the designer, who went on to set up his firm, Out of the Box, the same year. 

Now based in Chennai, Karthic began with eight products including a table, table lamp, stool, laptop stand, tabletop desk organiser, shelving options. Today, the 26-year-old and his team have branched into packaging and sculptures. They also conduct workshops in design colleges and schools.

A snapshot of Karthic’s former office in Gujarat
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

He explains how they use high-strength corrugated cardboard sourced from specific partners. “It’s not the same cardboard that you will find in your regular parcel boxes,” he clarifies, “It’s triple-layered, very strong corrugated boards. Our furniture is designed to be lightweight yet structurally strong, and entirely adhesive-free. All pieces are DIY and use the interlocking technique. Imagine IKEA, but for cardboard,” says Karthic, adding how the material’s versatile nature makes it ideal for temporary installations such as movie sets, exhibition stalls, etc. 

The stool can hold up to 300 kgs
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Their stool, for instance, can hold a weight of 300 kilograms. “How do we know this? We made six people stand atop it,” he shares. With in-depth research, the team has managed to eliminate odour, improve aesthetic with colour printing, and make the products water- and oil-resistant. “It’s not waterproof, but definitely water-resistant. Also, we are not claiming it will last you a lifetime, It will last you for a good two years, and maybe more if maintained better,” affirms Karthic. “The products are fully recyclable. You can give them to your paper mart vendors. Even if you decide to trash them, cardboard finds a way back to you in another format.”

An installation at Australian Consulate, Chennai
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Over the last three years, these cardboard offerings have taken the fancy of not just students and designers, but corporate clients as well. “We’ve had clients for the sanitiser stands from South Africa, Dubai and London. One of the biggest highlights was when a South African client licensed our design to distribute across 54 countries. Since cardboard has the capability to get branded or printed, we can custom products too,” says Karthic, whose Anna Nagar office has been using cardboard furniture for the last two years. “Even Startup TN [a State government initiative] has a small corner with cardboard furniture which people use on a day-to-day basis,” says the designer who has also designed life-size sculptures for events such as Madras Art Weekend and Echoes of the Earth. 

The products are light-weight, water and oil-resistant
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Addressing challenges faced in maintaining sustainability while scaling up, Karthic says that the biggest was logistics. “At one point, shipping cost more than production. Also, while our material is sustainable, ensuring quality, strength, and water resistance at scale needs intense R&D. The lack of strong design protection laws in India has also made it difficult to prevent copycats, which hurts original creators,” he explains.

Products by Out of the Box
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

As for limitations with cardboard products that he aims at addressing, the designer says working on making them fire-resistant is on priority. “Secondly, many still underestimate cardboard’s strength. We’re working on more demo videos to change that, alongside scaling for global markets,” says Karthic, who is now looking at ‘smart’ cardboard products that integrate tech and tactile elements such as varied textures, interactive exhibits, and a line of cardboard sculptures “that blend art with function”. “I am also building a cardboard house where I can stay, and I am hopeful that this project will be an example for others to create cost-effective temporary structures such as security cabins, makeshift homes on construction sites, etc,” he concludes. 

Details on outofthebox.sale/

Who says life starts slowing down in your 40s? While it is true that one needs to start taking care of themselves much much earlier, it is never too late to turn your life around, even if you have entered your 40s! UK based Indian origin couple Rajni Singh and Dale Aston, now in their 40s, are redefining fitness and how!Early marriageRajni, who recently shared the couple’s journey on IG, revealed that they got married at 23 (that her husband later corrected to 22). By the time they reached their late twenties, they were already parents to two children, which kept them extremely busy.Taking charge of their lifeThe reel Rajni shared showcased the couple through two decades of being together, welcoming children, putting on weight, and finally taking charge of their health and fitness, and now rocking in their 40s. Rajni shared the reel with a catchy song, and it went viral in no time, grabbing 11.5 million views. Many commented on the journey of the couple, with one user saying, “Your age seems to be going backwards!” Another noted, “Your strength and flexibility are so inspiring—what an achievement!” Rajni’s husband too chimed in saying, “We were 22 not 23 when we got married, Hardships define you ” Take a look...5 ways to get fitter in your 40sHere are some tips to get you startedPrioritize health check upsRegular checkups are key in your 40s. Visit your doctor for annual physicals and recommended screenings like blood pressure, cholesterol, and cancer tests. These help catch problems early when they are easier to treat. Talk openly with your doctor about any concerns and follow their advice on vaccines and lifestyle changes.

Pay attention to your dietWhat you eat matters more than ever. Focus on whole foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Avoid too much processed food, sugar, and salt. Eating well helps keep your weight in check, lowers your risk of heart disease and diabetes, and supports your energy and mood.Stay activeAim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week, such as brisk walking, cycling, or swimming. Include strength training twice a week to keep muscles and bones strong. Exercise reduces the risk of many diseases, helps manage stress, and boosts mental health.

Get quality sleepSleep is when your body heals and recharges. Most adults need 7 to 9 hours of good sleep. Poor sleep can raise stress hormones and increase risks for high blood pressure and blood sugar problems. Create a relaxing bedtime routine and keep a consistent sleep schedule to improve sleep quality.Manage StressStress can affect your body and mind, so find ways to relax and recharge. Try meditation, deep breathing, yoga, or simply spending time in nature. Don’t hesitate to seek support from friends, family, or professionals if stress feels overwhelming. Managing stress well improves your overall health and quality of life.—

In 2010, Mallika Sherawat made a dramatic and unforgettable entrance at Cannes while promoting her film Hisss. But instead of a glamorous gown, she opted for a simple yellow and black strappy dress, paired with a truly bizarre twist: she had three real snakes wrapped around her neck. As she smiled for the cameras, a boa constrictor slithered beside her, turning the red carpet into a live-action version of Khatron Ke Khiladi. While the stunt certainly got attention, her outfit, which was far too casual for the occasion, and the snake theatrics, didn’t win over the fashion critics.

(Image Credits: Pinterest)