The Horsemen of Death | Disney Ruins the Public Domain | Stalin’s Chicken
Post #33 from December 17, 2023
1/ Healthy: The Horsemen of Death
There are four diseases that will most likely lead to your death: Cancer, the insidious thief of cells. Alzheimer's, the mind's slow, cruel erosion. Diabetes, the silent saboteur of sugar. Stroke, the lightning strike of blood's betrayal. These, not lions and tigers and bears, are the true foes of our extended years. Yet, worrying about every shadow beast lurking in the statistical undergrowth is a fool's game. The enemy is likely already inside of you and you are unwittingly helping it to grow.
Don’t waste fear on terrorists or ticks or plane crashes. Focus instead on the whispers of your ancestry. The family history etched in your genes. Arm yourself with knowledge, with healthy habits, with the quiet defiance of preventive care. Let the rest fade into the background noise of "what ifs," for in the end, the wisest fear is not the unknown, but the preventable.
In 2019, 74% of people died from noncommunicable diseases.
<1% died due to interpersonal violence.
*2019 data is referenced because it is the last full year pre-COVID-19. Following and recent years include deaths from COVID-19 and can be difficult to interpret.*
2/ Wealthy: How Disney Ruined the Public Domain
Mickey Mouse is about to turn 100, but he won't be entering the public domain just yet. While copyright law typically allows for works to enter the public domain after a set period, Disney has successfully lobbied for extensions, keeping their iconic characters under copyright protection for longer. This has sparked debate about the balance between protecting intellectual property and fostering creative freedom. This ongoing debate hinges on a crucial question: how long should the creative gates remain locked for iconic characters like Mickey, and at what cost to the free flow of art and cultural ideas? Should artistic creations, even those as beloved as Mickey, be kept under such restricted guard for decades after their creation?
Adam Ruins Everything can explain in 2minutes:
3/ Wise: Stalin’s Chicken - A Story on Love and Fear
A tale from history comes to us from the halls of the Kremlin in 20th century Moscow. It goes like this:
In the Kremlin's hushed chambers, amidst advisors frozen rigid with apprehension, a spectacle unfolded. Josef Stalin, the iron-fisted dictator of the Soviet Union, summoned a chicken be brought to him. To demonstrate how easily one could control another, he held the chicken for all to see. Then, with chilling deliberation, plucked its feathers one by one. The air crackled with tension as the chicken writhed in agony, its defiance stripped bare. Finally, he dropped the chicken and it attempted escape. When it could find no escape, it returned to Stalin’s feed and there it stayed. And then, a twist. Stalin, with a gesture as abrupt as his cruelty, scattered grain on the floor. The ravaged bird, still trembling, hobbled towards the offering. A moment of hesitation, then it pecked, its fear seemingly replaced by a desperate hunger. The chicken was now bound to its oppressor by a loyalty forged in pain.
This chilling tale, a lurid lesson attributed to history, lacks both records and witnesses. Very likely, it is a fiction added by the editors of history.
Stories, even unverified, can burrow deep into the folklore of history, becoming symbols and lessons that transcend timelines. Loyalty, in this parable, is not a freely given pact, but a consequence of utter domination. Love and fear, twisted into instruments of control, bind the victim to their tormentor through dependence.
Ultimately, "Stalin's Chicken" may not be a verified chapter in history, but it reminds us that stories, real or imagined, hold the power to shape our understanding of the world, and to challenge us to think critically about the choices we make and the legacy we leave behind.
Go Deeper: Big Think: Stalin’s Chicken
Stay healthy, wealthy, and wise.
With warmth,
Fernando R.F.
(Note: This blog is not written by a medical or financial professional. It's important to consult with a healthcare professional before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle, especially if you have any underlying health conditions. They can provide personalized guidance tailored to your individual needs. It is important to do your own research and determine the best course of action together with an expert.)
Go Deeper:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_Term_Extension_Act
https://bigthink.com/the-past/joseph-stalin-chicken-anecdote/