Astronaut and Drone

The picture shows two known symbols facing each other, to illustrate the simple drone's rising power against the astronaut, as the dominant observation post on Earth.

 

Myths and archetypes in cinema - the case of Ernest Udet

Many central archetypes operate in the individual psyche and society: the feminine-masculine, the evil, the almighty hero, and the Sacrifice Savior. The archetypes operate in the woman's psyche as in the man's psyche. As reality becomes more complex, the need for archetypes becomes more important.

Cinema is a place where the myth clearly stands out. We need heroes to identify with, and film actors sometimes become a model for human lives. Famous actors are like cultural archetypes. They guide us over time as a stable mythological model, where they are more important than the various characters they replace on screen.

Many actors, because their personality is built around the persona of the actor and not around their true self, fail to form a strong enough personality. The imaginary may also cause the actor over-pride and arrogance. In many cases, the adoption of the character of the false hero is very easy, for the actor and the fans, but the disillusionment is very difficult. This is also because commercial cinema underestimates the depiction of grim reality.

Ernest Udet was an example of such a star. He, too, was endowed with a personality that was not strong enough in relation to the persona of his actor. In many cases, the adoption of the character of the false hero is very easy, for the actor and the fans, but the disillusionment is very difficult. The original myth that is appropriate for comparison in the context of the Nazi regime is the legend of Daedalus and Icarus.

Modern cinema deals extensively with archetypal-mythological models of male-female relationships. The anime and the animus strive in these films to connect into one complete being. In every culture we will find that the myth revolves around opposing pairs, which are binary pairs like life-death, man-god, heaven-earth, blessing-curse and more. The inclusion of opposites is the key to individuation, the wholeness of the self, which is the goal of every individual.

The archetype of the opposing duo has deep roots in popular and military culture: the brotherhood of the warrior duo, the warrior bond with his weapon, and the brotherhood of the unit and the nation. The nature of close ties is flexible. In Udet's case, he was in competition with Herman Goering for the role of squadron commander and failed. Later, during his Nazi career as a senior general, he was in a contest, in which he also lost, against Erhard Milch, for his proximity to Goering and control of the Ministry of Aviation.

Each archetype also receive a negative aspect, which may take over. The magic of evil is a magnet for filmmakers. In the mountain movies, in which Ernest Udet got his fame as a hero pilot, the captives must be rescued at almost any cost. In the face of demonic evil forces one must embark on an active and collective struggle of survival. If at the same time the protagonist manages to maintain a photographic and human brotherhood, and inner forces develop in him, the journey is an initiation into life.

An archetypal duo associated with evil, and an important component of the fighter pilot myth, is the "hunter and prey". Richthofen described in detail his teenage experiences as a cavalryman and hunter, as the primary basis for his flying skills and military leadership. Herman Goering was filmed as a proud pilot alongside a plane he shot down. Hunting is proof of masculinity. It legitimize the abandonment of the sacred connection to others. It encourages a violent mentality. Hunting is also an expression of the ability to disengage from religion.

The military hero embodies the best qualities that the younger generation seeks to instill. The warriors were a focal point of admiration in every generation, in their lives and deaths. Their qualities were focused on one character, who was an exemplary public and a savior, and took on a mythical character. A particularly revered hero is a superhero, omnipotent, with superhuman powers. Behind the character of the superhero is the personality of the magician archetype, powerful, omnipotent, and with a variety of appearances. A situation in which the "I" identifies with the archetype of the magician creates something that does not belong to him. It's inflating the self beyond its dimensions. Man becomes in his own eyes a supreme man. Archetypes have intense and non-personal energetic power. The temptation to be drawn into identification with the magician's personality is inversely related to self-confidence, ego power, and self-awareness.

Germany's famous aircraft squadron in the First World War was nicknamed the "Flying Circus". Its pilots were among the elite of German officers, who adhered to military and moral code, which was expressed in strict adherence to military norms and integrity. Many of them came from the ranks of the German nobility. Richthofen belonged to a noble family with Prussian military heritage. The flying circus officers were unable to put on the wizard mask. The aura of the superhero did not suit them. The trickster archetype suited. The cunning clown, who is a part of magician archetype, was suitable for their image in the general population.

The German society in crisis needed a leader to connect the character of the trickster to the character of the hero. This was Adolf Hitler, who understood his role well. The former corporal was able to inflate his ego without being blamed. This attracted to him and to the Nazi movement all the shadow forces, which are expressed in an aspiration for honor, control, superiority, competition and power, and are characterized by exploitation and deception. The parallel between Hitler and the archetypal magician figure exists in the context of other archetypal figures, such as the almighty hero, the trickster clown, the hunter and the hunted, and the Sacrifice Savior. All are popular in the German folk tradition.

One of the dangers of being the magician archetype is narcissistic, arrogant and forceful arrogance. Goering's pompous figure, Hess' lust for control flying to Britain on his own, and Udet's debauchery were all expressions of this. As long as the hero has no other way to deal with life, he needs his grandiosity. But the magician denies his feelings, and operates in primitive mechanisms of denial and division. He therefore avoids the integration of real emotions, and a real adaptation to reality. As a person he is superficial and lonely. He is connected to technology as compensation. He is a technological hero. He is stuck in a kind of adolescence. His personality is characterized by immature idealization, and immature faith in the future, from which idealism and over-boldness that know no bounds may develop.

The comic books with the blatant graphic illustrations are one of the important sources for the super heroes of the movies. For example, Batman and Superman were heroes of comic books before becoming heroes of movie series. Today's superheroes began as illustrations, and received most of their grandiose design and power in cinema. Ernest Odet was a gifted cartoonist. Carl Ritter, the important Nazi filmmaker and agitator who made nearly a hundred films, and was also a fighter pilot and flight instructor, started as the owner of a graphics studio. Hitler was a painter, and his graphic ambitions were the source of his spiritual power.

A major motif that characterizes comic book characters like Superman, Spiderman and Batman, is that they have super-virtuoso powers. Their abilities express the urge to break free from the limitations of human existence and take off beyond them. The mythical motif of supernatural flight expresses it. The desire for super natural flight pushed humanity on its path to evolution. Aviation joined this desire. Early commentators used the mythological legend of Daedalus and Icarus as a metaphor for describing its achievements. The Nazi's miracle weapons, on which they hung their hopes, after the great failures of the Luftwaffe, were also mostly aviation: the jet, the rocket interceptor, the cruise missile, the ballistic missile, the long-range bomber, and more. The "bad guys", the Allies, had flying abilities that turned out to be even more powerful. As such, they challenged the Nazis even more.

One can look at superheroes from the perspective of a narcissistic disorder. Of lack in parental love, which creates a bond in creating a relationship and empathy for other and reinforces a sense of insecurity, seeking compensation in a fantasy about. Modern consumer and impersonal society encourages this fantasy by fierce achievement competition. The impulse is not an authentic inner fulfillment, but a victory over the other, who is sometimes also endowed with the same superpower. As a result of this extremism, the bad guys are utter villains. The grandiose urge may excite all evil forces in the psyche. 

One of the other dangers of the magician archetype is over-narcissistic, arrogant and forceful pride. As long as the hero has no other way to deal with life, he needs his grandiosity. But the magician denies his feelings, and operates in primitive mechanisms of denial and division. He therefore avoids the integration of real emotions and a real adaptation to reality. As a person he is superficial and lonely. He is connected to technology as compensation. He is a technological hero. He is stuck in adolescence. His personality is characterized by immature idealization and immature faith in the future, from which idealism and over-boldness that know no bounds may develop. Evil Hitler, Goering's pompous figure, Hess' lust for control who flew to Britain on his own, and Udet's debauchery, were all manifestations of this.

The negative hero is a double of the positive hero. They wear masks, which hide their true identity. They run away from painful emotions and translate them into an urge for revenge. The Nazis wore masks. They hid, for example, the rearmament of the army and the re-establishment of the Luftwaffe, as much as they could. They deceived the leaders and peoples of Czechoslovakia and Austria and conquered their countries. The Holocaust took place under the guise of fraud, when the victims were allegedly sent to labor camps, and up to the last minute did not really believe that this was their end.

The evil hero is a double of the good hero, as in the split of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", which is one of the descriptions of Nazi society. The cognitive ability to sharpen contradictions is the base for creating symbols. Every archetypal element in human life is double-faced. Each archetype also receive opposite aspect, which may take over. In many mythical stories, the source of evil is the clinging to a particular object as the sole source of satisfaction from the ego's desires. In the "Ring of the Nibelungs" myth, for example, the ring allows him to be enslaved to greed, and is therefore eventually thrown back into the waters of the Rhine. In other stories, the source of evil is the unbearable, governmental, parental or communal hierarchy.

The magic of evil is a magnet for filmmakers. The evil theme in Ernest Udet's films is that of the egocentric desires. In all the mountain films, the protagonists' feelings regarding the rescue of their loved ones, who are trapped in the storm, are described in detail. The answer is the same in all movies: rescue the trapped, even at the cost of sacrificing life. In the face of demonic evil forces one must embark on an active and collective struggle of survival. If at the same time the protagonist manages to maintain his humanity and positive inner forces are developed in him, the journey is an initiation to life.

The Nazis, in the name of this opposing egocentric desires, became addicted to the forces of control and power. They preferred the mythical principle over human existence. They set out on a crusade into heaven, which was also a crusade against the infidels in their faith. Therefore in Udet's case, the evil ego from which he was freed in the movies reappeared in his failed private life.

The Comics magazines are  an important source of the movies' mythological heroes. For example, Batman and Superman were heroes of comic books before becoming heroes in movies. . The comic book heroes draw power from small, rejected animals, which have a hidden power: a spider for Spiderman, and a bat for Batman. The identification with a weak and mysterious animal allows for a metamorphosis in the hero's soul.

A small animal with metamorphic power is the bird. The young generation of Germany in the Weimar Republic developed state-of-the-art gliders and flying techniques which imitated the flight of birds. They discovered, among other things, the hot air thermals, which birds use to soar in circles. In this way the gliders broke many distance records during the 1920s. Otto Lilienthal, the Jewish pilot who built gliders with wings that mimic the wings of a bird, was immortalized in a magnificent burial shrine.

In fairy tales miraculous events take place that save the heroes. The rescuer can be an external figure, but at the same time the statement comes true: "God helps those who help themselves." Moreover, the path is often more important than the goal. The messages around embarking on a journey are complex. It is difficult to know whether the master is a deceiver who intended to plunge the hero into the abyss, or whether the fall is a way to mobilize mental resources. It is faith and effort that bring salvation. The Red Baron, and the silver aerobatic plane that Udet brought from the United States, were such guides. It was impossible to argue with the Nazi fantasy, because it was part of their ability to survive.

The journey with the guide leads to the theme of the Sacrifice Savior. The myth of the victim is ancient, and has many meanings, both positive and negative. It involves the sacrificial archetype. When a person sacrifices himself, there is an identity between him and the world, and this is the key to a new consciousness. Often self-sacrifice comes as compensation for the sin of pride.

The spirit of sacrifice is one of the qualities of fighter pilots, and it was nurtured by the Nazi regime. Death while flying, in battle or as a result of a technical malfunction, or human error, often occurred at the beginning of the aviation era. The pilots were therefore perceived as sacrificing their lives voluntarily, as Sacrifice Saviors. Richthofen's death made him a myth. The official denial of Ernest Udet's suicide was sweeping, and it was reported that he died in a flight accident. Hitler and Goebbels committed suicide with a cyanide pill. So did Goering at the end of the Nuremberg trial. They have all voluntarily sacrificed themselves. 

Since the Savior Sacrifice motif is a powerful archetype, it emanates from the self even without conscious intention. The shape of the airplane resembles the cross of Christ, which is a major source of self-sacrifice. The Germans were only a few months away from completing the development of their wonder weapons, when a turning point occurred in the war that led to their defeat. The German people were driven, at the very end, by a powerful unconsciousness.

Magneto

Magneto (Max Eisenhardt) is a fictional character appearing in Americancomic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, the character first appears in The X-Men #1 (cover-dated September 1963) as an adversary of the X-Men.

The character is a powerful mutant, one of a fictional subspecies of humanity born with superhuman abilities, who has the ability to generate and control magnetic fields. Magneto regards mutants as evolutionarily superior to humans and rejects the possibility of peaceful human-mutant coexistence; he initially aimed to conquer the world to enable mutants, whom he refers to as homo superior, to replace humans as the dominant species. Writers have since fleshed out his origins and motivations, revealing him to be a Holocaust survivor whose extreme methods and cynical philosophy derive from his determination to protect mutants from suffering a similar fate at the hands of a world that fears and persecutes mutants. He is a friend of Professor X, the leader of the X-Men, but their different philosophies cause a rift in their friendship at times. Magneto's role in comics has varied from supervillain to antihero to superhero, having served as an occasional ally and even a member of the X-Men at times.

His character's early history has been compared with the civil rights leader Malcolm X and Jewish Defense League founder Meir Kahane. Magneto opposes the pacifist attitude of Professor X and pushes for a more aggressive approach to achieving civil rights. Magneto was ranked by IGN as the Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time.

Ian McKellen portrayed Magneto in a majority of the X-Men film series, while Michael Fassbender portrayed a younger version of the character.

source: Wikipedia

Superheroes, Star Wars movies and aviation culture in the 20th century

The fighters have been a focal point of admiration for every generation, in their lives and deaths. Their qualities were focused on a single character who was exemplary to the public and the savior, and received a mythical character. A particularly revered hero is a super-omnipotent superhero with superhuman powers. The superheroes have undergone a transformation process throughout history, created because they belonged to the popular culture of their time, which had a characteristic emphasis, and used the technological means at its disposal. The characters of ancient superheroes, from the Bible and Greek mythology, became knights on horses in medieval societies. The early heroes of the early twentieth century were aviation pioneers and fighter pilots. Superheroes in the colorful comic booklets were very popular in the United States during the interwar period. After World War II, with the development of space flights, and at the same time as television viewing, the superheroes were identified with the first spacecraft pilots, such as Gagarin and Armstrong. In the early 2000s, the superheroes underwent another transformation, with the development of computing technologies, and now appear mainly in Marvel films. As reality became more complex, the need for archetypes became more important. Cinema, as a multidisciplinary and multidimensional medium, is a place where most of the myth appears, as both cinema and myth appeal to as broad a common denominator as possible.

The periodic transition between different types of characters is not sharp, and there is an overlap between them, as well as sub-genres that are characteristic of the interim periods and situations where no clear superhero characterization has taken place, or when a different characterization is needed. For example, in the 1930s, dictatorial political leaders, such as Hitler and Stalin, enjoyed a superhero image. Following the political crises in the 1960s in the United States, during and after the Vietnam War, superheroes such as Rambo, who were more human and represented personal and social protest, appeared on the movie screen. At the other end of the arc of superheroes are the simple real men who survived unbelievable hardships, led by Holocaust survivors. The survival motif is central to popular culture, but only dozens of films have been made about real survival journeys, as opposed to the countless works of fiction. Much research has been done on Holocaust survivors, but their image has not yet been created as superheroes. Their personal stories blended into the overall myth of Holocaust and Revival of Israel.

The "Star Wars" film series is based on the pattern of superheroes in the stories of mythology, as developed by Professor Campbell, the renowned expert on myth theory. "Star Wars" may be his most well-known legacy left behind. Within this film series, nine sequels have emerged, which are the canon of the series as a feature epic. The first movie in the series came out in 1977, and the last one in the end of 2019. It's about 40 years, then. The series gained unprecedented popularity. It was defined as redefining cinema, as it created an imaginary universe full of details. It has acquired millions of fans on the level of religious believers, and is recognized in almost every home across the globe. Some claim it have changed the world. It is an escapist replacement for the complexity of the race to space, which is one of the characteristics of modern life and central in every country.

The nine-movie canon consists of three trilogies, which represent the parts of the human soul and its evolution, according to Id, Ego, Super Ego. The Disney-owned franchise company also develops it through spin-off films, unique complexes at Disneyworld sites, and as a merchandise that includes computer games, books, comic books, clothing and toys. In this way, the brand reaches every soul in the way that is most appropriate, according to the latest branding and marketing approaches.

Professor Joseph Campbell has been a major source of inspiration for the series creator, George Lucas, and they also formed a personal friendship. Campbell's main book is "The Hero with Thousand Faces ." This book presents the defining characteristics of the superhero figure, who are kept behind many embodiments in different cultures and eras. The Star Wars movie series is entirely based on this theory. The films include a gallery of typical archetypal mythological characters, such as the superhero character, the mentor, the distressed maid, the trickster, the evil hero, the omnipotent magician, and the like. At the same time, the superhero in the series is going on a journey, known in terminology as "The Hero's Journey". This journey includes many stages of development, which are well characterized by the stories of superheroes of all cultures.

Because in much of the twentieth century, the superhero character was identified with pioneer pilots of airplanes and spaceships, two of the star heroes of "Star Wars," Han Solo; the trickster who is Luke Skywalker's faithful friend, and his son Ben, who became an evil hero by the name of Kylo Ran and the successor of Darth and Wader, are of central importance. The importance of the transformations undergone by Han and Ben Solo is also linked to the importance of the dream of flying to the development of the soul. Aviation ability has been identified, from the dawn of humanity, as a characteristic of gods. Han's "Millenium Falcon" spacecraft is the fastest in the galaxy, and it is the object most identified with the series, with the exception of Luke Skywalker's Light Sword. Harrison Ford, who plays Han Solo in the series, is a superstar of Hollywood, and portrayed another superhero character created by George Lucas, Indiana Jones.

Filmmaker Hans Bertram created several aviation films in Nazi Germany. During World War I, some of the most successful fighter pilots were soon promoted to become communicated icons of valor, warriors who donned the national spirit of the war. This was particularly evident in Germany, in the form of the Flying Circus pilots and their commander Richthofen. They became national icons, with a prominent presence in film and print, and in all circles of society. Between the two world wars, aviation films were constantly reinforced, helping to shape contemporary thinking about aviation development. Aviation achievements envisioned a new, stronger and more disciplined German Reich capable of dealing with multiple industrial claims and joining the twentieth-century imperial competition. The memory of World War I was built through the myth of the war experience, which legitimized it by changing the real-life picture. The main image engraved in the collective memory of this war, to this day, is that of the gallant fighter pilot. The distinct symbol of totalitarian and mythical modernism in Nazi Germany was the airplane. Not the airplane per se, but its connections, not the pilot per se but the concepts it entails, were the focus of attention. They served as a means of liberating revolutionary burdens of the past.

In Nazi Germany, the superheroes of American comic booklets were not popular, nor were other superheroes of this style. The Nazis saw themselves as a supreme race, according to the "Superman" model designed by Nietzsche, their official philosopher. The popular superheroes were characters from German folklore and history, such as in Richard Wagner's operas, and from the aviation world, whose heroes were considered to embody the "Suprmman". Bertram was among them. He was part of the famous Pilots Gallery, with Charles Lindberg at the top, who became superheroes in the world media. In 1927, Lindberg crossed the Atlantic alone by airplane. On his return he was honored as king, and millions came to a parade in his honor in New York.

In May 1932 Hans Bertram set out with a friend from Germany to a flight around the world. They had a forced landing in a desert in Australia, and undergone a two-month survival journey, with extensive media coverage on the search for them. He returned to Germany in April 1933, after a year of great upheaval in Germany as well, during which the Nazis came to power. He wrote his story in a book, which became a bestseller with seven million copies in Nazi Germany. He then moved on to writing screenplays and directing films. The story of his survival journey in Australia overlaps with the mythical ''Hero Journey'' that NAzi Germany needed at that time. This is in light of its plot, its exposure in the media, and its connection to the motifs of ''survival'' "superman" adopted by the Nazi regime. Bertram is probably the only pilot in Nazi Germany to have completed a "Hero's Journey," and who has written a non war-propaganda book on the subject. His most famous film is "The Baptism of Fire," a full-length documentary from 1940 about the campaign in Poland, which was characterized by devastating German bombings from the air.

The images of aviation and pilots on television and cinema in the State of Israel involve the military dependence on the air force, which created here the myth of the "best air force in the world". This myth is also rooted in Israel's relations with the United States, which include American popular culture. Therefore, it is interesting to see how major television events, such as the first flight to the moon or the crash of the Columbia Space Shuttle, and ''Star War'' movies, have affected Israeli society. At the same time, it is interesting to review the films that deal with the Israeli Air Force and their impact.

Air transport has become central today. The issue is complicated, in part because, unlike maritime and land transportation, which are the cradle of civilization, aviation is a new dimension. Important, capital-intensive development projects in aviation may shape the fate of a nation. But they are largely startups, which have a very high percentage of failure. Two examples of this are the attempt to land the Israeli spacecraft "Genesis" on the moon, and the development of the "Lavi" aircraft.

The need for heroes in the aviation field is motivated, besides the race for space and the race to develop new aircraft, also by the need to develop the infrastructure of airports, which have become civilization centers due to the airports cities around them. The airports of cities have replaced the maritime port cities, which until recently were the centers of the human race.The "Terminal" theme is well-developed in the Star Wars series. Its many forms, together with the gallery of figures appearing in it, present an alternative order to the constant chaos experienced by passengers today. This chaos, resulting from the routine of the experience, runs counter to the flight aura that existed until World War II.

Another important connection between superhero films and modern-day reality is that these films, in many cases, show sections of a world on the verge of destruction, usually as a result of the invention of new weapons by the forces of evil. The Holocaust worldview in these films overlaps with the  Jewish Holocaust survivors worldview, whose world was also destroyed. The good ending in these films, when usually the good people beat the bad guys, is a therapeutic move. The general destruction worldview is also close to everyday reality, as politicians regularly warn of a disaster that could result from enemy attacks, usually from the air. That is why every citizen takes to himself the images of the imminent destruction, as seen in the superhero films, for the promotion of his personal affairs. Those who have experienced the devastation to the truth, such as the Holocaust survivors, are usually left behind in the race to fulfill their dreams.

The main negative aspect of the development of air power is the many wars that have been decided by it, such as the Vietnam War and the Yom Kippur War. In addition, airborne terrorism has become an integral part of daily life. Its climax was in the attack on the Twin Towers in New York in September 2001. We are witnessing it today in cyber threats, the incessant rocket launches toward Israel, and the passengers and baggage checks before flights. Serious aerial accidents are an integral part of reality, from the era of early aviation to the present.

One of the results of the importance of aviation to human existence in all strata is that the discourse on aviation has become an unconscious part of everyday discourse and is difficult to isolate. Therefore, it is important to see if the awareness to the issue in Israel does not diminish the understanding of the relationship between the Holocaust and aviation. This connection was expressed by the fact that senior Nazi pilots, who were crowned superheroes, played a major part in the final solution planning. A multifaceted aviation culture is evolving nowadays, in the face of the reality imposed on us like a mountain. The Star Wars series does not provide a complete set of tools for understanding the world of flying and aviation, but the complexity it presents is certainly a progression, as opposed to the stalwart approach to the topic so far in popular culture.

Pareidolia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pareidolia is a psychological phenomenon in which the mind responds to a stimulus, usually an image or a sound, by perceiving a familiar pattern where none exists.

Common examples are perceived images of animals, faces, or objects in cloud formations, the Man in the Moon, the Moon rabbit, hidden messages within recorded music played in reverse or at higher- or lower-than-normal speeds, and hearing indistinct voices in random noise such as that produced by air conditioners or fans.

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Pareidolia can cause people to interpret random images, or patterns of light and shadow, as faces. A study found that objects perceived as faces evoke an early activation of the fusiform face area at a time and location similar to that evoked by faces, whereas other common objects do not evoke such activation. This activation is similar to a slightly faster time that is seen for images of real faces.

Cognitive processes are activated by the "face-like" object, which alert the observer to both the emotional state and identity of the subject, even before the conscious mind begins to process or even receive the information. This robust and subtle capability is hypothesized to be the result of eons of natural selection favoring people most able to quickly identify the mental state, for example, of threatening people, thus providing the individual an opportunity to flee or attack pre-emptively. In other words, processing this information subcortically — therefore subconsciously — before it is passed on to the rest of the brain for detailed processing accelerates judgment and decision making when a fast reaction is needed.

Pareidolia can be considered a subcategory of Apophenia, unmotivated seeing of connections accompanied by a specific feeling of abnormal meaningfulness, Eearly stages of delusional thought, over-interpretations of actual sensory perceptions, as opposed to hallucinations. Apophenia has come to imply a universal human tendency to seek patterns in random information, such as gambling.

Rocks may come to mimic recognizable forms through the random processes of formation, weathering and erosion. Most often, the size scale of the rock is larger than the object it resembles, such as a cliff profile resembling a human face. Well-meaning people with a new interest in fossils can pick up chert nodules, concretions or pebbles resembling bones, skulls, turtle shells, dinosaur eggs, etc., in both size and shape.

The Rorschach inkblot test uses pareidolia in an attempt to gain insight into a person's mental state. The Rorschach is a projective test, as it intentionally elicits the thoughts or feelings of respondents that are "projected" onto the ambiguous inkblot images. Projection in this instance is a form of "directed pareidolia".

In his notebooks, Leonardo da Vinci wrote of pareidolia as a device for painters, writing, "If you look at any walls spotted with various stains or with a mixture of different kinds of stones, if you are about to invent some scene you will be able to see in it a resemblance to various different landscapes adorned with mountains, rivers, rocks, trees, plains, wide valleys, and various groups of hills. You will also be able to see divers combats and figures in quick movement, and strange expressions of faces, and outlandish costumes, and an infinite number of things which you can then reduce into separate and well conceived forms."

There have been many instances of perceptions of religious imagery and themes, especially the faces of religious figures, in ordinary phenomena. Many involve images of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, the word Allah, or other religious phenomena.

Publicity surrounding sightings of religious figures and other surprising images in ordinary objects has spawned a market for such items on online auctions like eBay. One famous instance was a grilled cheese sandwich with the face of the Virgin Mary.

Pareidolia also arises in computer vision, specifically in image recognition programs, which can spuriously detect features. In the case of an artificial neural network, higher-level features correspond to more recognizable features, and enhancing these features brings out what the computer sees. These reflect the training set of images that the network has "seen" previously. Striking visuals can be produced in this way, notably in the DeepDream software, which falsely detects and then exaggerates features such as eyes and faces in any image.

Electronic voice phenomena (EVP) has been described as auditory pareidolia. Allegations of backmasking in popular music, in which a listener claims a message has been recorded backward onto a track meant to be played forward, have also been described as auditory pareidolia. A psychologist invented an algorithm for producing phantom words and phrases with the sounds coming from two stereo loudspeakers, with one to the listener's left and the other to his right. Each loudspeaker produces a phrase consisting of two words or syllables. The same sequence is presented repeatedly through both loudspeakers; however, they are offset in time so that one when the first sound is coming from the speaker on the left, the second sound is coming from the speaker on the right, and vice versa. After listening for a while, phantom words and phrases suddenly emerge, and these often appear to reflect what is on the listener's mind, and they transform perceptually into different words and phrases as the sequence continues.

Various European ancient divination practices involved the interpretation of shadows cast by objects. For example, in molybdomancy, a random shape produced by pouring molten tin into cold water is interpreted by the shadow it casts in candlelight.[citation needed]

A shadow person, also known as a shadow figure, shadow being or black mass, is often attributed to pareidolia. It is the perception of a patch of shadow as a living, humanoid figure, particularly as interpreted by believers in the paranormal or supernatural as the presence of a spirit or other entity.

Pareidolia is also what some skeptics believe causes people to believe that they have seen ghosts.

Human Face and Dragon shapes of Europe

Below is a map of Europe in the form of humanized face:

Figure of Europe as a pumpkin head

The first conclusion that emerges from the map is that Russia and the countries bordering it must join the EU. Not only geographical connection, but also the human and economic reasons demand it. The current political structure in Russia is flexible and it can take this opportunity.

The Mediterranean is also a part of  Europe's humanized face and inevitable partner of the EU in the future.

The same applies to the entire Middle East, including Iran.

Another anthropomorphic idea, with a lesser degree of personification, but one that is more known and consistent with the suffering of the Jews in Europe, is of the continent is in the form of a dragon. Its head is the Iberianpeninsula, the body is the European plane from France to the Urals, the legs are the Italian and Greek peninsulas, and Scandinavia is the large tail. The British Isles, which are not shown here, are the flames bursting from the dragon's head. The Baltic Sea is a human figure who is riding facing backward on the Bull's back

Europe as a dragon

This expression in the form of mythological dragon correspond to the mythological legend of Europe and Zeus who, disguised as a bull, seduced the princess Europe in Crete. The Bull's shape and attributes are similar to that of the dragon. It is an uncontrollable monster and the only way to cope with it is to turn away quickly and outsmart it, as did the Minoans in Crete with their acrobatics on bulls, and as the Spaniards does in their bulls fights.

From the mating between Europe and Zeus was born Minus, the father of Minoan Crete culture, which is the cradle of European culture. The identity between the human name and the mathematical concept [-] is not accidental at all, given the mythological-anthropomorphic background described here.

Europe riding Zeus who seduces her disguised as a bull

Will the EU be a 'Dragon' which does not accept into its ranks Islamic states, or a 'Human Face' with more flexible ethnic expressions?

America will react to the strengthening of the European Union through ties between the states of North and South America, creating together a political and economic bloc.

China's reaction will be similar, in the form of ties with the countries of South, East, and Central Asia.

The fate of Israel in light of the strengthening EU can only be imagined. Will it be strengthen or weaken? Will it join the EU or stay away with people who dwells alone?

The Map of the Holy Land as a Human Figure can deal with any possible scenario.

See also: Human figure of the Baltic Sea

Russian Bear slideshow in YouTube

Russian Bear is a widespread symbol for Russia, used in cartoons, articles and dramatic plays since as early as the 17th century, and relating alike to Tsarist Russia, the Soviet Union and the present-day Russian Federation.

The following slideshow is a collection of Russian Bear images as discovered by general search in the web. Some 140 different images where this symbol is presented where found. They were divided into  categories.

Enjoy!

Russian Bear symbol categories:

Russian bear on Russia map

Russian Bear on the Russian flag

Russian Bear as a sympathetic figure

Russian Bear as a warrior

Russian Bear control the oil supply

Russian Bear with U.S.A

Russian Bear as Vladimir Puttin

Russian Bear as suffering Russia

Russian Bear as a brutal empire

Russian Bear in 19th century world politics

Russian Bear in 20th century world politics

Russian Bear in 21th century world politics

Russian Bear

Russian Bear is a widespread symbol for Russia, used in cartoons, articles and dramatic plays since as early as the 17th century, and relating alike to Tsarist Russia, the Soviet Union and the present-day Russian Federation.

The following slideshow is a collection of Russian Bear images as discovered by general search in the web. Some 140 different images where this symbol is presented where found. They were divided into  categories.

Enjoy!

Syrian Tank – Syria map as Tank

Syrian Tank – Syria map as Tank

Human face of the Balkan

The Balkan has a human face profile shape facing east

Balkan is the name of South East Europe.

This sub continent is pastoral with many mountains and valleys, bays and shores.
The people are colorful, and play heart penetrating Gypsy music.

Presently, the area includes the following countries:
North: Moldova, Romania,Hungary
Center: Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia
South: Greece, Macedonia, Albania

Tendency to divisiveness and factionalism is typical to the Balkan from ancient history.
Continuous bloody wars between the Balkan states in early 20th century sparked the First World War.
Prolonged civil war in the late 20th century led to the division of Yugoslavia.

You can combine all parts of the Balkans together under one idea by sharing border lines of the countries, to create a distinct shape of a human face profile facing east.

Human profile of the Balkan resemble that of a shepherd boy, and immediately remind of the Balkan folklore and Balkan folk music.

Here are some characteristics of the 'Balkan Face':
Eastern Alps and the Carpathians are vertex.
Coastline of the Adriatic Sea is the rear head.
Coastline of the Black Sea is the forehead.
Danube River is the eye.
Istanbul peninsula is the the nose.
Coastline of the Aegean Sea is the mouth.
Thessaloniki peninsula is the tongue.
Peloponnese island is the chin.

Pumpkin Face of Europe

Pumpkin face of Europe is a drawing of a face in a pumpkin shape of the Halloween style, in accordance with the complex map of the European continent.

There is a long tradition of political cartoons showing the geographic map in human appearance, to make a political statement of any kind.

European countries were the subject of this genre for many years, but it is quiet a new concept for the entire continent, and this original illustration was created following the establishment of the European Union.

The main characteristics of the pumpkin face can imply to the political characteristics of the European Union, and the state of neighboring countries that are not members of the EU.

Israel is not more than a toothpick for this emerging giant.

Human Shape of America

Fukushima Dice

One chance in a million

Brown Man

Spirited Away - The best Japanese Anime movie

Balkan Boy – Human Face of the Balkan Region

Balkan Face – The nose is Instanbul's peninsula

Click here for a larger view

It is possible to integrate the whole Balkan under one common idea, by adding together the external borders lines of the war torn Balkan states, to create a clear shape of human face profile that turn rightward.

The Balkan is the name of South East Europe.

It is a pastoral land of many mountains and valleys, and shores with many bays.
The people are colorful, and play heart penetrating Gypsy music.

At present, this region with dynamic borders includes the following states:
At North: Moldova, Romania, and Hungary.
At Center: Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia.
At South: Greece, Macedonia, and Albania.


Factionalism is typical to the Balkan from early history.
Continuous bloody wars between Balkan States at the early 20 century ignited the First World War.
A prolonged civil war at the end of the 20 century resulted in dividing Yugoslavia into smaller states.


A new state was declared in the Balkan region: Kosovo.
United States and most of the European Union recognize it.
Serbia's head of state condemned Kosovo's declaration of independence.
Russia, Serbia's ally, resent firmly this declaration too.
Serbian demonstrators broke into the US embassy in Belgrade and set it on fire.


It is possible to integrate the whole Balkan under one common idea:

Adding together the external borders lines of the Balkan states create a clear shape of human face profile.

The profile turn rightward. Its nose is where Istanbul's peninsula is.

This human profile reminds of a shepherd-boy, which can be linked to the popular Balkan folklore.

Here are few of the characteristic of the 'Balkan Boy' figure:
The Adriatic Sea coastline is the back of the head.
The Black Sea coastline is the forehead.
The Aegean Sea coastline is the mouth.
The huge Danube River, the life line of the region, is the eye, partly closed, partly winking.

Click here gor a larger view

Humor in Business management

The sense of humor is essential for business leadership. This article describes the central place of humor in life and the possibilities of using the precise humoristic expression in business training with daily cartoons.


With the advancement of computers the good businessman can simulate all the routines before he goes to the business work.
He has the opportunity of concentrating more on the uncomputerised human expressions:
The customer service, the relationships among fellow workers, safety and self improvement.

The occupation with the human capital in business management is obligation to deal with emotions.
Emotions volumes are not measurable accurately, contrary to cognitive or physical volumes.
The reason is that emotions expand all the time. It gives them their unique attribute: The human ability of identify with the other and be empathic.

We can measure exactly sales volume, I.Q. and weight lifting, but not the intensity of love and hate.
For example: Questionnaires about satisfaction from a product or a boss give very limited answers.
This leaves the business leader exposed to mistakes of emotional intelligence and the computers cannot help him.


There is nothing better then the sense of humor, the best known therapy for the soul, for illuminating the human factor.
Humor is derived directly from an overloaded mind which seeks to facilitate the feelings it faces with others.
Any accurate expression of emotion is followed by humor as part of a relief.

The definition of humor is: Emotions made precise.




Isaac's ['Laugh' in Hebrew] Sacrifice


Every business negotiation is also a transaction of emotions. These are accurate emotions, purified through the long bargaining process.
After a deal is closed, there is a mutual sense of emotional relief between the negotiating sides.
While this sense of relief fades away down, It create a by product in the form of a lightness of the spirit, a sense of humor.


The precision of humor makes it suitable for the businessmen training.
There is a use for humor in all aspects of business communication, but currently it is limited in scale and methods.
Humor workshops for businessmen are relatively rare.

Large part of the business continuity, from the morning meetings, through the motivation papers and finally with the private learning,
is dedicated for advice on human resources.
The amount of humor in it is very small, compared to humor in ordinary life.
While daily life is a continuous effort for laugher, business life is a cooperated effort for making life more serious and heavier.

The business office needs steady humor supply. Otherwise its athmosphere may turn into acidly cynic.


Business fun is not as simple as it looks like. It demands professionalism both in humor and business. It has to be precise.
Otherwise there is a danger of getting out of focus. Laser precision is part of any humor. If the target is missed, the damage is big.

One medium of humor, the cartoon, is more suitable for the business office.
The Visual aspect of the cartoon makes it easy to grasp the content. It affords a visual relaxation in the visually intensive business world.


Two major daily cartoon series deals directly with the business work:

One is Dilbert by Scott Adams.

Another one is The Daily Cartoon by Randy Glasbergen.



An example of Glasbergen's cartoons


Let us compare between these two cartoon series:

Dilbert has not a very inspiring affect. The characters are clumsy. They create clumsier situations.
It is the result of their incriminating surface behavior. It is very hard to understand them. We laugh at them without very much intellectual gratification.

The Daily Cartoon by Randy Glasbergen is much more sophisticated. A delicate situation, the result of ordinary human behavior, is at the center and not a character.
The situation is mostly a very sharp event regarding money. The elusive world of money making motives finds here its accurate, funny representation.
The characters serve just as a mean for clarification. The subject is not a certain character with unique attributes, but a situation with a familier background.

The reliance on practical situations makes the Daily Cartoon by Randy Glasbergen a favorable choice for the business world.
If we could apply it on a daily basis, we would laugh all the way to the bank.


To do so we need a closer focusing on business stories.
Anybody can identify and act properly when facing a situation which was represented before him in a cartoon with dynamic replacing of characters.

There is a huge need for sophisticated cartoons in all that is concerned with hman resources. It is a business training technique.


The Business cartoons by Randy Glasbergen combines intensity with sophistication.
New cartoons are published every day and they are backed up by a huge archive.
The subjects of the cartoons deals directly with all the modern business environment:
computers and Internet work, management and workers, decision making, work morality and so on.
It covers in exactingness almost any field with a very positive affect.

Whenever I open my Daily Cartoon website I find also ideas and advice regarding other aspects of life, like health, family and self improvement.


I suggest cartoons as the best way for introducing emotional intelligence to businessmen.
Applying them to the daily business processes, adding more sub topics and finding ways for implementing them to the infrastructure of business management,
will give us a better world.