G.Y.

Category: Life

Best Articles Collection About Life and Life Hacks

  • Shepard Tone -The Illusion of Music That Keeps Rising and Going Nowhere

    Shepard Tone -The Illusion of Music That Keeps Rising and Going Nowhere

    You Can Lose Yourself Until Waiting to the End – Shepard Tone

    While listening to this tone, you can lose yourself until waiting for the end.

    Sometimes we have seen illusionists (also known as magicians) on TV or in circuses.

    Their job is to make things that don’t really exist appear as if they are happening, and the word illusionist means someone who makes deceptive visions.

    Illusionism does not only exist in magic shows, it exists in many other places; one of them is MUSIC.

    I’m going to talk about an old but still used — and even preferred — musical illusion; SHEPARD TONE.

    In this illusion, the song flows and flows as if it is constantly rising, but musically it stays where it is, that is to say, “It is constantly rising and going nowhere”.

    Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvSD1EAlAUQ

    You will easily understand the Shepard Tone in the video below. It’s like the music keeps going up and up and up and up and on and on but it doesn’t go anywhere, it doesn’t end. And that keeps you with the music all the time.

    Video on Youtube

    As you listen, the music goes on and on, but it uses only one piano and the same notes. So how does this happen?

    The answer is very simple: The octave difference. An octave is the division of a note up to the thin sound obtained by thinning it by 7 notes. 

    For example; the 8-note sequence from Thick C to Thin C (do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-si-do) is considered an octave (In short, the range of sound is important for the octave, not the note).

    As you can see in the video, when the notes are pressed in order, they continue with a difference of about an octave.

    This results in a continuously rising sound. We can liken this to the “Barbarian’s pole” below, the shape found in front of barbershops in foreign countries.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barber%27s_pole#/media/File:Barber-pole-01.gif

    If the notes are pressed in reverse order instead of ascending, a continuous descending sound is heard.

    The octave difference creates this illusion because the high octave becomes less and less audible as the notes progress, while the middle octave remains the same and the lower octave becomes more and more audible.

    Thus, when going from the high octave to the low octave, the high, middle and low octave sound is heard predominantly, respectively, and then if it continues with the high, middle and low octave again in this order, it continues like a sound rising forever.

    The reason why it is perceived this way is that the brain perceives things that are constantly rising or vice versa descending and perceives them as if they are constantly happening.

    The falling octave cannot be followed by the brain, it thinks that it is following the one with a higher octave, which is by definition an “Illusion”, which occurs when the brain follows the wrong order. Here is an example,

    In the endless staircase section of Super Mario 64, SHEPARD TONE was used to match the scene. In the video, SHEPARD TONE is one of the best examples of how the illusion is realized.

    A continuously rising sound is obtained by using two different octaves (blue and orange). As can be seen, continuously rising music is obtained by switching from low octave too high octave (the notes indicated in orange replace the blues).

    Video on Youtube

    Here, in fact, the sound ups and downs made by the notes are not linear (straight), but a kind of helical structure is used as in the picture on the side and creates the “MUSIC ILLUSION THAT CONTINUALLY RISES AND GOES NOWHERE”

    Here the brain is constantly following the loudest sound and creating an environment that is constantly rising and the illusion is created. So what does it mean to use this in music? Using this kind of music creates continuity.

    It creates a desire to reach the point where the music ends and makes you want to follow and connect. Pink Floyd used this. Maybe that’s why their songs are so popular. Actually many people have used the Shepard Tone illusion.

    One of them is Hans Zimmer. He used the Shepard Tone differently in the soundtrack. 

    It’s an incredible idea because the music will constantly push the movie forward, it will increase the attachment to the movie, to the plot, and to the characters.

    Hans Zimmer’s composition with Shepard Tone is called “The Mole” (from the movie Dunkirk (2017)). 

    At the beginning of the song, there is the ticking of the clock and sounds similar to the wind howling, but from 2:25 onwards, the part that creates this effect continues almost unchanged until 3:25 and lasts exactly 60 seconds, and after that, the song continues for 20 seconds, 20 seconds intervals with small changes, using the Shepard Tone illusion.

    The fact that it lasts exactly 60 seconds is both Hans Zimmer’s and Christopher Nolan’s (Director and Screenwriter) interest in “time”.

    Especially in the soundtracks of the films they worked on together, “INTERSTELLAR” starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain and Michael Caine and “INCEPTION” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Marion Cotillar and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, both Oscar nominees for Best Music, there are hidden sections about time.

    If the question of how to hide time in music is in mind, “The Mole” gives a good answer.

    The sound at the beginning of the soundtrack, starting at 4.10, is a recording of the ticking of a wristwatch. 

    This helps Shepard Tone to show how important time is in the movie and how it will keep you on edge as the movie progresses.

    Video on Youtube
  • Are The Left Handers Smarter Than Right Handers?

    Are The Left Handers Smarter Than Right Handers?

    These and similar questions about left-handers are common but are they really true – Left-Handers

    The idea that left-handedness may be related to general intelligence (or any other cognitive ability for that matter) seems to be related to the fact that the origin of hand preference has little to do with the hands themselves.  Left-Handers

    Unless the person takes any action, it is impossible to judge whether a person is left-handed or right-handed just by looking at their hands.

    Left- and right-handed people’s bones, muscles, tendons, and other parts of their hands typically don’t show any noticeable differences. 

    Instead, the preference for using one hand over the other for fine motor tasks such as writing comes from the brain. 

    Therefore, it is at least conceivable that genetic or environmental factors that influence brain development in such a way that a person is left-handed may also affect the development of brain areas associated with intelligence.

    Are Left-Handed People Really Smarter?

    Accordingly, it is not impossible that left-handedness and intelligence are linked. But is it really so? Empirical studies show surprisingly ambiguous results. 

    Some studies find that right-handed people are more intelligent, while others find the opposite. Such differences between studies are not uncommon in the science of psychology and can often be explained by sample characteristics and specific methods used to assess hand and intelligence. 

    Therefore, it is difficult to determine the true effect by looking at individual studies.

    To finally settle the debate on left-handedness and intelligence, Eleni Ntolka and Marietta Papadatou-Pastou, two researchers from the University of Athens in Greece, conducted a so-called meta-analysis of published studies on left-handedness and intelligence (Ntolka & Papadatou-Pastou, 2018). 

    A meta-analysis integrates the results of several experimental studies, which has the advantage that the sample size is much larger, increasing statistical power and that the analysis is less likely to be affected by the sample characteristics of individual studies.

    Overall, Ntolka and Papadatou-Pastou (2018) integrated the results of 18 studies measuring full IQ scores in different hand groups. In total, data from 20,442 individuals were included. 

    Three meta-analyses were conducted on possible differences in standardized IQ scores between their groups:

    Comparison of left-handed people with right-handed people
    Comparison of left-handed and ambidextrous people with right-handed people

    Comparison of ambidextrous people with right-handed people
    Are Left-Handed People Smarter?

    There is no difference in average IQ scores between right-handers and non-right-handers, or between right-handers and mixed people. 

    There was a statistically significant effect for comparison between right-handers and left-handers, showing that right-handers have a higher average IQ than left-handers. 

    More importantly, this impact was very small and unlikely to have any significant real-life impact.

    Assuming that left-handers have an average IQ of 100 and both left-handers and right-handers have similar variation in their data, right-handers will have an average IQ of 101.05. Also, the effect lost statistical significance when a study was excluded from the meta-analysis.

    These findings led the authors to conclude that the absolute magnitude of differences in IQ between left-handers and right-handers is extremely small and that any intelligence differences between the two groups in the general population are negligible.

    So no matter what the fun fact sheets on social media tell you: Sorry Left-handers including me, we’re not smarter than the rest of the population in the world.

  • Why We Get Cold When We Have a Fever?

    Why We Get Cold When We Have a Fever?

    Many people have wondered why we get cold when we Have a Fever.

    One of the most common situations we encounter when we are unprotected against diseases is high fever.

    When the body temperature is higher than the ambient temperature, the ambient heat starts to feel cold to us and we feel cold. The body also loses heat rapidly through sweating.

    Fever is one of the protection mechanisms of our body. The normal temperature of the human body is 36 degrees, and during times of illness, this situation rises up to 6 degrees.

    When our fever rises, it is urgently necessary to lower the body temperature, which causes the protein that the body needs to decrease.

    High fever is like an emergency exit door that activates the body’s protection mechanism against diseases. The microbes in the body during this disease can be expelled from the body in a short time with the acceleration of blood flow and breathing.

    When the body is too weak, a high fever activates all organs like a saviour. As the disease increases, the fever rises and can lead to the risk of convulsions. Let’s come to the main question;

    Why do we feel cold when we have a fever?

    We searched for an answer to this question, here is the answer… It is a symptom that occurs when the body temperature goes out of normal and reaches abnormality.

    It has been observed that almost everyone has a fever due to a throat infection, cough or cold.

    Fever is usually caused by bacterial and viral infections. However, it has also been observed that fever can be caused by a wound anywhere in the body, i.e. an inflamed area.

    The hypothalamus, a region of the brain that automatically regulates most of our body’s functions, keeps body temperature within a certain limit. Because of the temperature of the body, blood is drawn to the skin and heat is lost through sweating.

    If the temperature drops, muscles in the body produce heat by burning glucose. The increase in muscle heat output often goes unnoticed. But when the cold increases, the muscles try to give more heat and the person begins to shiver.

    Now you know the reason for shivering in the cold. A normal body temperature of 36 degrees Celsius to 37 degrees Celsius is an average value.

    The normal temperature of healthy people varies between 36.6 degrees and 37.2 degrees.

    The body temperature increases throughout the day, starting at 4 am in the morning and reaching its highest value at 6 pm in the evening. The difference between these two values can reach 1 degree.

  • Why We Itch and Why We Relax When We Itch

    Why We Itch and Why We Relax When We Itch

    Why Itching Makes Us Want to Itching More – Why We Itch

    Itching (scientifically known as “pruritus”) is a sensation caused by irritation of skin cells or skin-associated nerve cells, often experienced as a mild burning sensation, which can be electrical and periodic. – Why We Itch

    Although it can be uncomfortable when itching is not relieved because it is experienced as a kind of “pain”, itching serves as an important sensory and self-protection mechanism, just like other skin sensations such as touch, pain, vibration, cold and heat.

    It can alert us to harmful external factors.

    Nevertheless, due to the same nature of being a “source of pain”, Itching the itchy area reduces this “pain” and gives a feeling of relief. Itching itchy places, therefore, have a relaxing and happy effect.

    However, severe and uncontrolled itching can become unbearable if left untreated. Itching is a predominant symptom of many skin diseases and also occurs in some diseases that affect the whole body.

    How does itching occur?

    Itching is produced as a result of a complex relationship between the cells in our skin and the nervous system. Many cell types and proteins are involved in the sensation of itching.

    In most cases, itching is caused by dry skin, which causes micro-cracks in the skin, leading to local inflammation.

    The cells, therefore, release molecules such as histamine and quinine, which stimulate neurons called prurireceptors, C-fibers that are specialized to detect itching, and the brain recognizes this as “itching” and triggers the itching response.

    In general, stimulation of these receptors by mechanical, thermal or chemical agents can trigger the sensation of “itching”.

    We can categorize the stimuli that trigger prurireseptors under 4 headings.

    1. Immune response chemicals (histamines) and painkiller (opioid) chemicals.

    2. Neuropeptides containing pain-regulating messengers released in the brain, such as endorphins.

    3. Neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine and serotonin.

    4. Prostaglandins, lipids that, among other functions, create pain sensations in spinal nerve cells.

    Their stimulation of the prurireceptors is often caused by inflammation, dryness or other damage to the skin, mucous membranes or conjunctival membranes in the eye (connecting the eye and eyelids).

    The C-fibers that make up the purinoceptors are exactly the same as the nerves that create the sensation of pain.

    Only their functional structure is different and their sole function is to transmit the sensation of itching. These neurons make up about 5% of the C-fibers lining the human skin.

    When these neurons are stimulated at the skin surface, they transmit the signal to the spinal cord and from there to the brain, which in turn triggers the itching or rubbing response.

    Local inflammation also causes redness, swelling and nerve stimulation in the surrounding tissue. This is why itchy areas are often red and swollen at the same time.

    Why does it feel good to itch an itch?

    Itching the itchy area triggers pain/pain and touch receptors in the same area, suppressing signals from specific purinoceptors. 

    This makes the local and temporary itching disappear. For example, random itching caused by a hair or insect touching your body or by transient events under your skin can be relieved in this way.

    However, if the problem causing the itching is ongoing (i.e. of a chronic nature), this Itching behaviour will not cause the itch to stop. 

    In some cases (e.g. insect bites), Itching the itchy area can even trigger even more purinoceptors, spreading the itchy element further into the area and causing the itching sensation to spread over an even wider area. 

    If you itch to relieve the itching experienced during the healing of open wounds, you may also open the wound further, slowing the healing process.

    Why is it so hard to resist itching?

    It is often very difficult to resist the sensation of itching because the scratching response is quite ancient and controlled by very old/deep areas of the brain, such as the thalamus. 

    In fact, many itches are processed in the spinothalamic pathway on the spinal cord and the itch response is produced before they even reach the brain.

    Therefore, it is very difficult to consciously resist this desire.

    Are there medicines to relieve chronic itching?

    Despite nearly a century of itch research, there is no single effective antipruritic treatment, but there are several topical and orally administered agents that suppress itching in specific clinical settings. 

    These agents include lotions and creams (such as calamine and hydrocortisone), antihistamines, opioid antagonists, aspirin and ultraviolet light therapy.

    Here are some things you can do to prevent itching.

    Try not to itch. This may seem like a contradictory suggestion, but avoiding contact with itch-inducing elements and resisting the urge to itch as much as possible will reduce the amount of itching.

    Moisturize your skin. Treating the skin barrier that is cracked for various reasons with therapeutic moisturizers will significantly reduce itching.

    Use antipruritic medications. In severe cases, you can reduce itching with creams containing pramoxine, capsaicin or menthol.

    Consult your doctor. In more advanced cases, consult your doctor before applying superficial corticosteroids or antihistamines and confirm that the cause of the itching can be relieved by these means.

    Apply cold pressure. Applying cold pressure for 10 minutes or so can soothe itchy skin.

    Keep your hands busy. You can keep your hands busy by using a stress ball to prevent itching the itchy areas. This can prevent the itching from increasing.

  • Why Generation Alpha Is The Future of Humanity

    Why Generation Alpha Is The Future of Humanity

    Generation X, Y, and Z definitions have come up frequently recently – Generation Alpha

    In fact, in many places, the term “Generation Z” has started to be used more often instead of “Young People”. Generation Alpha

    So what are these generations? 

    How will the Alpha generation differ from other generations?

    First, let’s take a look at where the definition of generation comes from.

    Social, economic and technological changes over time also change people’s lives. From daily routines to basic needs, from expectations to behaviours, many things are changing.

    Accordingly, it can be said that people living in different time periods have different characteristics. In other words, people living in certain time periods can be defined by similar characteristics in general and form a generation.

    Generations such as X, Y, and Z are also used to describe the characteristics of people born in the same period.

    6 Generations from 1925 to 2025

    There are currently 6 generations living together that have changed and will change the world we live in.

    The Silent Generation/Traditionalists (1925–1945),

    Baby Boomers (1946–1964),

    Generation X (1965–1979),

    Generation Y (1980–1995),

    Generation Z (1996–2009) can be sorted by birth year.

    The new generation born after 2010 is called Generation Alpha (2010–2025).

    Certain time intervals are given in defining generations. However, people born on the same date but with different social, economic and technological opportunities may not be in the same generation.

    However, it is wrongly portrayed on social media and in many other places as if it is enough to be born in a certain date range to be included in a generation.

    The important thing here is to have similar characteristics in general. The society we live in shapes our dreams, expectations, needs, behaviours and many other characteristics.

    While generations have distinct general characteristics, individual characteristics should not be ignored.

    It is seen those information technologies, which occupy more and more space in our lives, play an important role in shaping the Y generation and beyond.

    Generation Y was 16 years old in 1996 when the Internet became generally available.

    1996 is also the birth year of Generation Z. It took a certain amount of time for personal computers and the internet to become widespread and a part of our lives. We can say that the Alpha Generation is the first generation born into digital technology in a real sense.

    Generation Alpha

    Those born in this generation, also called the global generation, were born in an environment where technology and the internet are used and embraced in every field compared to previous generations.

    They see many opportunities that previous generations considered luxurious or difficult to access as basic needs. Because for them, smartphones and tablets are an ordinary part of their lives.

    In this regard, they are supported by their parents, Generation Y, and their older brothers and sisters, Generation Z.

    Let’s take a look at the observed and predicted characteristics of Generation Alpha:

    They have advanced technology usage skills. They are more aware of technology literacy than their predecessors.

    They have a positive attitude towards innovation and change. They can quickly adapt to new situations.

    They do not allow communication barriers such as language and physical distance to limit them; they can create their social circles on a global scale.

    They like to meet and exchange information with new people from different cultures, backgrounds and ages.

    In this way, their friends are not limited to those to whom they have physical access.

    They like to act alone and be independent.

    In addition to being individual, they can quickly come together for a specific purpose and take physical/virtual action.

    They are sensitive to many events happening around them. They have a high level of awareness.

    They have developed critical thinking skills.

    They have high self-learning skills.

    They want to manage the learning process themselves.

    They find the information they discover themselves valuable, not the information presented to them.

    They do not hesitate to ask for help when they face difficulties.

    When they encounter failure, they accept it as a part of learning and try again.

  • Why Our Hands Sweat and Shake Social Phobia

    Why Our Hands Sweat and Shake Social Phobia

    You may have Social Phobia without realizing it.

    What is Social Phobia ?

    Social Phobia – It is defined as the fear of doing something wrong that will humiliate oneself, such as blushing, sweating, trembling hands while sitting, talking or doing any action in public.

    Therefore, the person avoids going out in public. 
    The person is worried that he/she is constantly being controlled and that something is wrong with his/her actions and work.

    He or she is afraid of doing something wrong, of being embarrassed in a crowd and therefore humiliated.

    They cannot speak, read aloud, write or work in public. He hesitates to enter a crowd.

    When he/she has to, he/she gets bored. He becomes restless, overwhelmed. He/she may even panic, his/her face turns red, breathing and pulse rate increase.

    Frequency of occurrence

    Social phobia is a common problem that is experienced by 3 percent of the population, with a 10–16 percent chance of encountering it in each individual’s lifetime.

    Approximately 40 percent of social phobias occur before the age of ten and 95 percent before the age of twenty.

    It is equally common in men and women.

    What are the Symptoms?

    – Extreme shyness

    – Fear of humiliation in social settings

    – Fear of not being able to perform in a crowd

    – Frequent panic attacks, hand tremors, facial flushing, excessive sweating, palpitations, dry throat

    These symptoms occur in the following situations:

    – When you are introduced to someone

    – Talking on the phone

    – When a guest arrives

    – Being watched by others while doing something

    – At home or when eating out

    – When doing work in public

    What are common social phobias?

    – Speaking, eating or writing in front of others

    – Using public toilets

    – Participation in negotiations and meetings of all kinds

    What are the consequences of untreated social phobia?

    – Failure at school

    – Professional limitations (poor performance)

    – Narrowness in social relationships

    – Substance abuse

    – Unnecessary medical examination

    – Using alcohol to calm anxiety

    – Depression

    – Fear of going to crowded places

    – Suicidal thoughts and attempts

    What happens if it is not prevented?

    People with social phobia have thoughts that they will be judged negatively in various social situations.

    1. A pronounced and chronic fear of meeting strangers or being in the presence of others in one or more social situations or performance situations. The person is afraid (or shows signs of anxiety) of engaging in behavior that would cause embarrassment or humiliation.

    2. The encounter with the feared social situation almost always leads to anxiety, sometimes in the form of a panic attack.

    3. The person is aware that their fear is excessive or meaningless.

    4. Feared social situations or performance situations are avoided or endured with extreme anxiety.

    5. The distress interferes with the person’s daily professional or social activities or relationships, or the person has intense phobia-related distress.

    6. In people under 18 years of age, the duration is at least 6 months.

    They also often experience physical symptoms of anxiety when they encounter situations they are afraid of.

    In social phobia, the most common symptoms during fear are: Palpitations, trembling, sweating, muscle tension, torsion in the stomach, dry mouth, flushing or chills, pressure in the head.

    Why does social phobia happen?

    In social phobias, the fear of abnormal evaluation is an obsession. There is negative conditioning in social relationships. “I can’t do anything, I’ll mess everything up”.

    They also present their social behavior with extreme contempt. They always dwell on negative events.

    Overprotective but emotionally unsatisfying upbringing of children is thought to play a role in social phobia.

    As these children grow up away from social relationships, they become more attentive to what others think about them or comment on them.

    What is recommended for treatment?

    Depending on the patient’s condition, medication, behavioral therapy or both are applied.

    Social phobic benefit from treatments.

    When left untreated, social phobia negatively affects the person’s work, social and private life, and reduces the quality of life.

    Therefore, social phobia is a disease that needs to be treated.

    Test Yourself — Do you have social phobia?

    1- Are you afraid of being the center of attention?

    2- Are you afraid of being ridiculed in front of others?

    3- Do you often try to avoid any of the following positions?

    – Public speaking

    – Talking to people in positions of authority

    – People watching you

    – Eating, drinking or writing in front of others

    – Entering communities

    4- If you are exposed to these situations, do you blush excessively, shiver, feel overwhelmed, vomit or have an urgent urge to go to the toilet?

    If you answered yes to any part of questions 1, 2 or 3, you may be social phobic.

    If you answered yes to question 4, you are social phobic.

  • 10 Facts That Make People Hate You

    10 Facts That Make People Hate You

    Everyone has a story and everyone can be part of each other’s story somewhere – People Hate You

    You know you’re going to have a good time with someone within the first few seconds of seeing them. 

    Many of our relationships are based on those first moments when we see people. After that, everything else becomes important.

    From your surname to your skin odour, from your diction to your gestures and facial expressions, everything plays a role in your relationship with the other person. Of course, some things cannot be changed, but science is also looking at the emotional changes that cause people to hate each other. 

    When the reasons why people hate each other are put together, 10 interesting things are listed:

    1. Hiding emotions

    It is better to behave in a way that is influenced by your true feelings.

    People cannot form close relationships indiscriminately. They look for people who will give them the best return on their investment, and moments, when emotions are hidden, are coded as uncertainty and indifference.

    In this way, the result is frustration.

    2. Being too nice

    You may say, “My feelings demand it, if I feel the need to treat someone nicely, I will.”

    Have you heard about the “repulsion of altruism”?

    It is the same both in groups of friends and in intimate relationships.

    The more altruistic you are, the more uncomfortable the other person is.

    It is useful to keep a good dose.

    3. Humble bragging and self-promotion

    Some people secretly brag through self-criticism to impress friends and potential employers.

    A recent Harvard Business School study warns of the dire consequences of this behaviour. It says that it is especially important to be transparent with your interviewers during a job interview.

    4. Becoming increasingly tense, stressed

    Even the smell of sweat changes when you are angry. 
    In other words, this condition has not only a psychological but also a chemical effect.

    Stress-induced sweating gives biological warnings to your immediate environment.

    At the same time, even if you hide your stress, if someone feels it, don’t be strange, they have already received the warning.

    5. Not smiling

    Smiling is difficult for most people, especially in tense situations.

    We all know that relationships built with a smile are more sincere.

    It is also less likely that a person you meet with a smile will forget you.

    6. Pretending that you don’t like the other person even though you do

    When we think someone likes us, we tend to like them too.

    The same can be explained by the fact that the loved one in a group begins to feel affection for that group.

    Even if love starts unilaterally, it is not an ongoing process unless it is reciprocated.

    Concealing love allows the other person to experience several of the above points at the same time:

    Because you hide your feelings, they feel insincere and the feeling of insecurity increases.

    If you don’t show the love you feel, you potentially end it.

    7. Having a name that is difficult to read

    It might be the most ridiculous item on the list and I think it’s really unfair.

    If you evaluate how you feel about easy-to-read names like Mike or Lisa and hard-to-read names like Vougiouklakis and Leszczynska, then it’s true.

    In conclusion, you are lucky if you have an easy-to-read and memorable name.

    8. Mention celebrities often

    It may make sense to bet on celebrities to win or lose the attention of the people you talk to, but sometimes it doesn’t

    A phenomenon called “Name-Dropping” is said to be a source of distrust.

    Even mentioning that you are a relative of someone famous falls under this category.

    9. Asking someone about yourself before they talk about you

    This article deals with a feature similar to self-disclosure.

    This identification should be mutual between individuals.

    Otherwise, if you ask questions about yourself to people who don’t give a damn about you, you’re just making the relationship worse.

    It only takes one thing for the process to be mutual. And that is “Love”.

    10. Having many Facebook friends

    Facebook!” I hear you say.

    The average number of friends for a person at a normal social level is 300–350.

    If your number of friends is much higher than that, people will start to envy you and hate you.

  • Success Secret In Life — Mind Control Method

    Success Secret In Life — Mind Control Method

    You want to succeed in life but you don’t know how. – Mind Control 

    Mind Control – You want to succeed in life but you don’t know how. You are not alone. But do you think that your life can magically change? I mean, you want to suddenly become successful in life with a magic wand, right? Of course, we do and there is even a solution for that.

    It’s not really my solution, it’s somebody else’s solution, but it really works. With this simple technique, anyone can be successful. Even if they were born mute. It is very easy to learn and use and success is guaranteed. What I’m talking about is mind control.

    What is Mind Control?

    It is the power of the mind that uses your thoughts and emotions to change the future for the better. It looks like a high-tech gadget and the price can be very expensive, but it’s not. It is free.

    Anyone can do it, but people believe in other things. They’re looking for ways to succeed in life with other things. For example, games of chance…

    We all need luck, but he wants more to win the lottery. We all need success, but nobody does anything more to be successful.

    What can I do to be successful in life?

    You can be successful by using the mind control technique. With two simple changes, you can make your life more successful.

    1. Think about what you want from this life: Think of all the things you dream of having and make a list. Write them down in a notebook. 

    What do you want and what do you want to have?

    2. Meditate on these goals several times a day until you achieve them one by one.

    Mind control is really just these two things.

    What are the Benefits of Mind Control?

    It makes your life interesting. What does it mean to make it interesting? You start doing things you haven’t done before.

    Your learning speed increases. Think of it as increasing the amount of CPU in your brain. By buying more ram, you will make your brain work faster.

    You can reach your goals faster. You will achieve everything you want faster. Because you will acquire many skills and abilities.

    You can become rich. If your goal is to make a lot of money, yes, you can do it.

    There will be those who don’t believe it, but mind control has been practised successfully for years and the chances of success are easier than winning the lottery.

    It is also very simple to apply and even a child can achieve success with mind control.

    How to Mind Control?

    Think about an event or a situation in your life. Something you did at the time. For example, something like buying foreign currency. You did it on time and got rid of a problem or increased your income.

    For example, I got into this business at the right time. You say it was a turning point in my life. You did it with the power of the mind, but you were not aware of it. Many people don’t realize it either.

    You followed your mind and you succeeded. That is mind control in short and simple terms. These are not commands that you give yourself. It doesn’t force you to do something on impulse. But mind control starts by making it happen when you want to do something.

    If you want something very much and you keep it in your mind all the time, you are giving orders to the subconscious mind. Because it’s in your mind all the time and your mind can’t think of anything else.

    The way to be successful in life is mind control and that’s how it works. Everyone’s success lies in this.

    As I said at the beginning, the magic wand is mind control and it gives you everything you need to be successful.

    What do you want to do with your magic wand? 

    So I’m asking you now, you have a magic wand in your hand. Name 3 things you want from this wand. Leave a comment if you want it to be on the record.

    – End the drought

    – Finding a cure for cancer

    – Being gifted

    – 5 million $ in your bank account

    – Speech skills for your cat. Don’t laugh, I know people who want that 🙂

    – The ruling party losing the election etc.

    Actually, you don’t need any of these things to be successful in life. If you can control your own mind 100%, you can have all of these things. So what can you do with mind control?

    – You can stop smoking.

    – You can overcome stress.

    – You can increase your reading speed.

    – You can increase your learning speed.

    – You can increase concentration.

    This is what the magic wand can do by using the powers in your subconscious mind.

    How Can I Achieve Success Without Being Influenced by Others?


    I am sure you have thought about this, that’s why I added this title. You said, “I can control my own mind, but my external environment disrupts all my plans.

    There are two ways to control someone else’s thoughts. One is to establish authority over their thoughts by making logical explanations. He can also do this on scientific grounds. The other is to use your emotions.

    Your subconscious mind takes every order given by others. That’s why it has an influence on how others control your mind.

    The solution to this is also simple. I will give the same answer. If you control your own mind, others cannot have authority over your mind.

  • Precautions for Healthy Ageing Before Too Late

    Precautions for Healthy Ageing Before Too Late

    Can we avoid aging – Healthy Aging

    Check-up and health screening programs:

    Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of diseases through check-ups and health screening programs can significantly reduce the risk of diseases, permanent dysfunctions and disabilities that may occur in later life.

    Awareness of check-ups has decreased down to the 20s. Many families even bring their young children for check-ups. Thus, it is possible to take precautions before problems detected early become chronic.

    In addition, early diagnosis and regular treatment are also of great importance in diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, which progress insidiously for years without causing any symptoms or complaints, and which also damage vital organs such as the brain, heart and kidneys.

    Young people with close relatives with a history of chronic diseases such as heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, hypertension, anaemia or cancer are recommended to have a check-up once a year.

    This is because once the disease is detected, its treatment is much more expensive and health has already deteriorated once. For this reason, every person, even if they have no complaints, should periodically consult a doctor and undergo a general health check-up. Many diseases can be screened and suspicious findings can be detected during a check-up.

    In addition, depending on the complaints of the person, the research can be deepened in different areas. It is also possible to prevent problems detected at the beginning of the check-up before they progress with medical treatment or lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise. Early diagnosis also prevents the spread of infectious diseases, especially within the family, and greatly reduces treatment costs.

    Check-up

    is a health screening method consisting of physical examination, blood and urine tests and imaging methods. In addition, a complete medical evaluation is made by questioning the complaints of the individuals, their history of occurrence, their background, their family history, their habits, their medications, if any, and their allergy history. In the check-up control examination, all data are reviewed, possible risks are revealed and solutions are proposed.

    Which diseases can be diagnosed early with a check-up?

    Cholesterol
    Diabetes
    Hypertension
    Heart and Valve Diseases,
    Lung Diseases,
    Kidney Diseases,
    Lung Cancer
    Colon Cancer,
    Liver Cancer
    Pancreatic Cancer,
    Bladder Cancer
    Thyroid cancer
    Prostate Cancer in Men,
    Breast, uterine and cervical cancers in women,
    Vitamin and mineral deficiencies

    Some blood diseases can be detected through such check-up programs.
    Healthy and balanced nutrition: 

    The importance of nutrition in maintaining and improving health in old age is indisputable.

    It should be noted that some of the ailments that occur in the elderly are the result of poor eating habits in their youth.

    Sports and regular exercise: Regular exercise and physical activity at a young age reduce the incidence of cardiovascular diseases, stroke, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, dementia, depression and bone and muscle loss.

    Inactivity is a well-known risk factor, especially for cardiovascular diseases.

    The peak age for bone formation, and therefore bone mass, is 30 years of age.

    After the age of 30, bone formation decreases at a very mild rate, but more rapidly after menopause in women and after the age of 70 in men, while bone mass loss begins, resulting in increased bone pores and fragility. The female sex is an important risk factor; early menopause or menopause following early removal of the ovaries increases the risk.

    A family history of fractures due to osteoporosis or previous fractures is another risk factor. 

    A diet low in calcium, low exposure to the sun, lack of regular exercise habits, prolonged bed rest, smoking, coffee habit and the use of drugs that accelerate bone destruction (cortisone, goitre medications, epilepsy medications, heparin use) are risk factors that can be corrected in youth.

    Adequate calcium intake and vitamin D supplementation are essential for the prevention of osteoporosis.

    Muscle mass, which constitutes about one-third of total body mass in youth, decreases by half by the age of 75. 

    In muscle wasting, the number of muscle fibres decreases and the existing muscle fibres are weak. In parallel, there is also a loss of strength in the muscles.

    The decline in muscle strength begins in the 50s, but no deterioration in function is felt until the 70s. Muscle strength decreases by one-third in older ages, especially in the back and arm muscles, and by half in the waist and leg muscles.

    The incidence of muscle wasting increases with age and occurs in 4 out of 10 elderly people over the age of 80. Muscle wasting occurs earlier in women, but men lose more muscle.

    The important thing in muscle wasting is to prevent it before it occurs. For this, in addition to a balanced diet, regular exercise comes to the fore. 

    Muscular endurance exercises using light weights regulate both muscle blood flow and neural stimulation. As a result, the risk of falls is significantly reduced and mobility and the ability to live independently are increased.

    Keep your mind active by constantly learning new things: Remember that learning new things has a stimulating effect on the brain.

    Engage in activities that utilize your mental activity and read constantly.

    There is no age for learning, make an effort to increase your personal knowledge.

    Find hobbies and pastimes that make you feel good about yourself and develop your creative thinking. Do not hesitate to help young people in areas where you can help others with your life and work experience. Active and productive people hold on to life more firmly. Maintain your manual and other dexterity and reflexes by constantly using them.

    Eat a balanced and healthy diet: 


    Your daily diet should be varied and include all nutrients. Consume them in balanced and consistent amounts according to your activity level.

    Although the need for essential nutrients in older age groups is not different from that of younger age groups, the amounts needed may vary.

    If the elderly do not have a very active life and only do light exercise and walks, their daily energy needs are around 2000 calories. It is appropriate to provide half of this requirement from carbohydrates and one-third from fats.

    It is not difficult to exceed 2000 calories per day with high-calorie carbohydrates, but it may cause weight gain, so caution should be exercised. 

    Avoid foods containing saturated fats (margarine, tail fat, butter, etc.) and opt for olive oil, soybean, corn or sunflower oil and especially fish rich in omega 3. It is essential to get 1 gram of protein per kg of body weight per day.

    For example, a person weighing 70 kg should have at least 70 g of protein per day. Since the absorption of vitamins and minerals from the digestive system is impaired at advanced ages and the need for them increases, calcium, magnesium, B12 and other vitamins should be supplemented and vitamin D deficiency should be treated.

    Daily fluid intake of 2–2.5 litres is sufficient. This requirement may increase even more in cases of febrile diseases, extremely hot weather and excessive sweating due to intense exercise.

    Foods with high fibre content, such as whole grain products and legumes, prevent constipation by increasing bowel movements and can help lower blood sugar and cholesterol.

    Three main meals should never be skipped, and three snacks between them are very useful in balancing blood sugar. A variety of foods should be provided and eating the same things all the time should be avoided.

    Care should be taken to ensure that protein, fat, carbohydrate and vitamins are used in a balanced way in all meals.

    If meat is consumed at one meal, vegetables should be preferred at the other meal. Milk and dairy products, eggs, meat, legumes, vegetables, fruits and grains should be consumed in balance. Salt should be removed from the table.

    Low-salt foods can be flavoured with spices or sauces. Sugar consumption should be limited as much as possible. Storage conditions are very important to prevent food spoilage; it is essential to prepare enough food to be consumed at each meal and eat it fresh.

    Do not gain weight:

    Maintain your ideal weight. Reduce calorie intake. Excess weight is a risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

    Stay fit by exercising: Regular exercise protects against many diseases, including heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. At least 4–5 days a week, do 30 minutes of light intensive physical exercise. Walking, swimming, dancing, gardening and housework are enough activities to keep fit.

  • Why We Talk to Ourselves in Our Heads?

    Why We Talk to Ourselves in Our Heads?

    Is Talking to oneself Madness?

    Although talking to oneself is associated with insanity, this is not always the case. People with schizophrenia, who are commonly described as crazy, may talk to themselves, talk a lot, not talk at all or, most commonly, talk strangely.

    The impairment of speech in schizophrenia reflects the form of impairment in the patient’s thoughts.

    NOT BEING ABLE TO SUPPRESS IT WELL

    Talking to oneself in a way that is not associated with any psychiatric problem has an important place in human psychology. First of all, children talk to themselves more than adults.

    This is because the mental function called “repression” is still developing in children. “Suppression” means not expressing thoughts, feelings, desires, memories and behaviors that come to mind, not putting them into action or not even being conscious of them at all. Since children cannot suppress the thoughts that come to their minds and the desire to speak, they voice them out loud.

    Again, in relation to the “suppression” function, children experience their emotions more openly than adults. They express their emotions immediately when they are angry, sad or happy. When this expression is accompanied by speech, they appear to be talking to themselves. For the same reasons, children talk more in their sleep than adults.

    WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO?

    On the other hand, the relationships that children establish with their loved ones and the roles they assign to these people in their inner world play an important role in the development of human psychology. Every child has a dream of a mother, a father, a brother/sister or a sibling. These are very concrete and the child can easily talk to the imaginary mother, father and sibling in his/her inner world as if they were there with him/her.

    This may seem like self-talk or play, but the child is actually talking to and shaping the parents and siblings inside him/her. As the child grows up, these dreams of parents and siblings cease to be separate persons and become part of the child’s inner world.

    As the child grows older, he/she speaks less to himself/herself as a separate individual. In this process, one begins to perceive their voices as one’s own inner voice. The child’s conversations with his/her imaginary parents and siblings turn into the inner thoughts of the adult, becoming “the voice of his/her conscience”, “the voice of common sense”, “the voice of the devil within”.

    TALKING “HUMAN”

    The way the mind works during talking and thinking is different. Thinking has the potential to create more vicious cycles because it is not as relaxing and discharging as talking.

    This is one of the reasons why obsessions occur. Talking, on the other hand, allows the mind to work more actively and open new paths. When people talk, they understand problems better, solve them better, and vent better. If talking is prevented, the issues in one’s inner world harden and become heavy. This can lead to alienation from oneself.

    If the conversation is with someone who is trusted and understood, the person feels integrated. Someone who has no one to talk to can talk to themselves and review their decisions. It can lead to a better understanding of one’s own thoughts. Talking helps the mind to become better organized.

    Talking to oneself is sometimes like an exercise. There are many people who repeat to themselves hundreds of times the conversation they are going to have with their manager or the coming out speech they are going to give to a loved one.

    One can even motivate oneself by talking to oneself. Talking reveals and clarifies unconscious goals.

    Conclusion;

    Contrary to popular belief, talking to yourself is not a bad thing. Talk to yourself, talk to your loved ones, talk to those you are angry with, but just talk…

  • 10 Fun Things to Do When You’re Bored at Home

    10 Fun Things to Do When You’re Bored at Home

    I do it all when I’m bored or alone at home – Fun Things

    1. Watching a Movie is Always a Savior

    Watching movies is the first option that comes to mind for boredom at home. After all, the world of cinema is full of movies to watch, from classics to new productions.

    With a little research, you can create your list of movies to watch. Epidemic movies, science fiction movies, romantic movies and more… You can add to your enjoyment by creating a movie-themed environment with corn, drinks and snacks.

    2. Get rid of excess by organizing your closet

    By organizing your closet, you can kill more than one bird with one stone. First of all, you will find yourself something to do. At the same time, you will feel more relaxed because you will get rid of the bulge in your closet. Not only that, you can earn money from the work you do.

    You can put the products you don’t wear on second-hand goods sales sites, so you can put extra money in your wallet. If you don’t want to deal with sales, you can give your surplus to those in need. With this small favour, you will make both them and yourself happy.

    3. Both Fun and Health: Play Sports or Dance

    You can find tons of videos about it on the internet. If sports are not your thing, you should consider dancing. Dancing to your favourite songs for at least 20 minutes is definitely a good boredom buster.

    Moving will also release hormones such as serotonin and endorphins, so you are sure to feel better.

    4. Call people you haven’t seen for a long time

    A friend from university, an old neighbour, an aunt you miss, a cousin you haven’t seen for months… By calling them, you will not only get rid of boredom but also make your loved ones happy.

    Of course, you don’t have to limit your call list only to those you can’t see. You can call your best friend, brother, sister or partner and have a long chat and relax by telling them your troubles.

    5. Discover New TV Series

    The TV series sector has boomed, especially with increasing competition among online platforms. There is a wide range of quality and original productions offered to viewers. Moreover, it is well known that some series have become part of popular culture.

    In short, while discovering new series to relieve your boredom at home, you will have a fun time and you will not be a stranger to conversations about TV series. You can start by finding out what the best foreign TV series are.

    6. Use your time wisely and prepare a research list

    The suggestion to prepare a research list is also wide-ranging. For example, you can read the biography of a famous person you are curious about or learn about a historical event.

    From the successful sultans of the Ottoman Empire to inventors who made their mark in world history, from legends like Freddy Mercury to the details of the Cold War, you can do research on many topics. This way, you can avoid boredom and improve yourself by learning about the subjects that interest you.

    7. Enjoy Online Shopping by Chasing Discounts

    f you cannot go out and you love shopping, you may want to consider taking advantage of online shopping opportunities.

    You can start by making a list of the products you need, search for reliable sites and buy what you need at affordable prices. By using the campaigns offered by banks or platforms, you can avoid boredom while shopping smart.

    8. Play Games

    Card games or board games such as chess and checkers can help you escape boredom. If you are not alone at home, you can have fun with classic board games or timeless games like charades.

    You can also take advantage of the blessings of the age and consider online gaming. With popular games that keep millions of people glued to their screens today, you may find yourself with a new hobby that you will never give up.

    9. Learn to Play an Instrument

    Guitar, violin, clarinet, ukelele… You can learn to play a musical instrument that you dreamed of playing as a child or that you have always wanted to play. By using the information on the internet or enrolling in online courses, you can spend your time in a fun and rewarding endeavour.

    After all, there are many positive aspects of playing an instrument, supported by research. Activating many parts of the brain at the same time, reducing stress, improving self-confidence, being a universal language, and improving focus are just some of them.

    10. Cook or Try Different Flavors

    Most people know how much fun cooking can be. If you are already a regular cook, you can try different flavours. If you have never cooked before, you can take the first step in this enjoyable endeavour and gain a new experience.

    After all, today, every recipe from world cuisine to local flavours is accessible. Cooking with video tutorials has become an activity that anyone can do. 

  • 5 Most Unsolved Mysteries Of The Universe

    5 Most Unsolved Mysteries Of The Universe

    We’re still working hard to unravel the mysteries of the universe

    The more new things are found, the more intriguing they become. 

    Our universe is full of strange phenomena and we don’t know why some of them happen.

    1. Most of the universe is missing

    Astronomers are confronting a mystery that undermines much of what we thought we knew about the universe. 

    We once thought that the universe was dominated by two substances: normal matter, called “baryonic matter” (matter that interacts with light and other forms of radiation), and invisible “dark matter”, which is transparent to light and makes its presence felt only through gravity.

    But in the late 1990s, cosmologists made an unexpected discovery. The expansion of the universe was supposed to be slowing down because of the gravitational pull of the matter inside it, but instead it was accelerating.

     Evidence for this comes from supernova explosions in galaxies billions of light years away from Earth. According to previous models of cosmic expansion, these explosions are much fainter than expected.

    The culprit is called “dark energy” and it is thought to make up 70% of the universe. We don’t know exactly what dark energy is, but perhaps the most intriguing and even alarming aspect of the discovery is that it seems to be increasing. 

    Until 7.5 billion years ago, the expansion was slowing down. Then the force of dark energy overcame gravity and the expansion started again.

    Some scientists suggest that if dark energy continues to grow, after billions of years it will become so powerful that it will tear galaxies, stars and even particles of matter apart. In this case, our universe could end in the “Big Rip”.

    2. Impossible stars

    In 2011, scientists at the European Southern Observatory discovered a strange star: SDSS J102915+172927, located 4,500 light-years from Earth in the constellation Leo. This star, named Caffau’s Star, has about four-fifths the mass of the Sun. 

    Almost all of its mass is made up of hydrogen and helium, the two lightest elements in the universe. These two elements make up 99.99993% of the star’s composition. Heavier elements (metals) are almost non-existent.

    Such a pure and light star must have formed more than 13 billion years ago from raw cosmic matter left over from the Big Bang. The problem is that according to accepted models of star formation, this star should never have formed.

    For pre-star clouds to collapse and create enough gravity to form stars, they must either contain more metal than Caffau’s Star or have a mass greater than it. So small, low-density stars like this shouldn’t exist.

    3. Miranda’s secret

    In 1986, Voyager 2 flew past the planet Uranus and took pictures of the planet’s moon Miranda. Judging by the variety of surface features on this small moon, Miranda breaks the rule that small celestial bodies show no geological activity. 

    Astronomers have nicknamed it the “Frankenstein moon,” perhaps because it appears to have been torn apart and reassembled by an ancient planetary collision.

    But there is a problem with this theory. Miranda orbits so close to Uranus that if it were completely torn apart, it would never be able to come back together. That’s why some scientists think Miranda is being pulled into shape by enormous tides.

    4. Rectangular galaxies

    According to the laws of orbital mechanics, stars always follow elliptical orbits under the influence of gravity. Therefore, when they come together in large groups, they form either flat disk-like spirals or ball-shaped ellipticals. 

    It should be impossible for galaxies to have sharp rectangular corners, but astronomers have found a few such rectangular galaxies.

    For example, LEDA 074886 in the constellation Eridanus is a small, rectangular galaxy embedded in a nearby galaxy cluster. The question is whether this shape is a long-lived structure or a temporary coincidence. 

    Astronomers studying it with the giant Japanese Subaru telescope think the latter is more likely, and that a collision and merger between two galaxies may have scattered stars, creating the current box-like arrangement and triggering a wave of star formation at the new center.

    5.Orphan planet

    According to the standard definition, a planet is a celestial body of considerable mass orbiting a star, formed from the debris left over from star birth. So how is it that some planets wander alone in space, far from stars?

    Astronomers have discovered several such planets. The closest and most intriguing one has the catalog name CFBDSIR J214947.2 040308.9.

    First seen in 2012, this orphan planet is located about 100 light-years away, in the vibrant AB Doradus group (a cluster of young stars). With a surface temperature of about 400 degrees Celsius, it is probably a gas giant, much heavier than Jupiter. 

    It is still hot, either because of the events of its formation, or perhaps because of its own internal energy source, driven by gravitational contraction. It is too far from stars to reflect any starlight. We were able to detect it thanks to the infrared radiation from its surface.

    Like all orphan planets, astronomers are not sure how it formed. Perhaps it began its life orbiting a star, then got too close to another star and was ejected far away. 

    Or, if it formed in the same nebula as the cluster of stars around it, it might not be a planet at all, but a “sub-brown dwarf star”.

  • Pangea Ultima  is Super Continent and Already Started Forming

    Pangea Ultima  is Super Continent and Already Started Forming

    Earth Will Have Just One Continent

    About 100 million years ago, the plate movements that formed Pangea began to tear it apart. So Pangea began the process of splitting – Pangea Ultima

    A large landmass that would later become Europe, Asia and North America separated from Pangea. Antarctica and Australia stuck together, also broke away and drifted south. A giant landmass that would later become India broke off and moved northward for millions of years, eventually merging with Asia. 

    Over time, these giant landmasses reached their present locations and formed the continents we know today. If you look carefully, you realize that the continents are actually like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that fit together.

    The movement of the plates beneath the continents has not stopped, it continues. So the location of the continents keeps changing. 

    For example, North America and Europe are moving away from each other at a rate of 2.5 centimetres a year. 

    So what do you think these drifting continents will look like years from now?

    50 million years from now

    In 50 million years, the Atlantic Ocean will expand, pushing New York further away from North Africa (New York and Morocco used to be next to each other).

    Meanwhile, in the southern hemisphere, Australia will crash into southeast Asia.

    In Europe, Africa will move north, blocking the Mediterranean Sea. where Italy and Greece are located, a mountain range as high as the Himalayas, known as the Mediterranean Mountains, will form. (Istanbul will be wiped off the face of the earth.) It will stretch from Spain through southern Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

    100 million years later

    100 million years from now, the power of continental motion will render the Earth unrecognizable.

    The Atlantic will continue to expand, but along the western coastline, an area of sediment will form. the first sign of this can be seen in the Puerto Rico Trench in the Caribbean.

    The trench will extend north and south towards the east coast of North and South America. this huge area of sediment will consume the Atlantic Ocean, driving Europe and Africa towards the Americas.

    250 million years later

    250 million years from now, when intergalactic explorers return to their homeland, they will find a different planet from the one they have recorded. those of us living now will be nothing more than fossils. there will no longer be 7 continents, but 1 large landmass where most of the world’s landmasses are gathered: Pangea Ultima.

    Explorers will search for the remains of our cities, but when Europe and America collide, all the countries along the coastline will slowly disappear.

    Conclusion

    According to scientists, in 250 million years, the continents will come together again to form a supercontinent like Pangea.

    That’s why in about 250 million years, the Earth will look very different than it does now.

  • What Is The Giffen Paradox

    What Is The Giffen Paradox

    The Case of Buying More as Prices Rise – Giffen Paradox

    Giffen Paradox – Let’s say you go to the market and buy a product on the shelf for 1$ each. You came home and liked this product very much. The next day when you go to the same store to buy the same product, you see that the price is 2$. Would you buy more than one of these products? If the product you buy is a Giffen product, the answer is likely to be yes.

    Economic events are analyzed in two ways, one for the economy as a whole and the other for its smallest units. The former is called the macro (large) level approach and the latter is the micro (small) level approach. The micro level basically deals with human beings. The laws of supply and demand govern macro and micro-economic theories.

    Economists recognize that when prices rise, demand falls and forms a downward sloping curve, while when prices fall, demand forms an upward sloping curve. In 1895, the British economist Alfred Marshall gave us a mathematical explanation of how supply and demand are formed. After laying down the general rules, he also pointed out that there could be an interesting exception.

    What is the Giffen Paradox?

    Marshall said that in some cases a price increase can surprisingly increase demand. The first person to point this out was Scottish Robert Giffen, a well-known economist and statistician of the time. 

    Giffen saw that the potato famine in Ireland in the mid-19th century raised potato prices, which increased the demand for potatoes instead of decreasing it, and investigated the reason for this reversal.

    Alfred Marshall included Robert Giffen’s work in his textbook Principles of Economics. This led to the Giffen paradox. It was called the Giffen paradox because it was contrary to the law of supply and demand.

    Following this definition, today, goods whose demand increases as the price increases are known as Giffen goods. When the idea of Giffen goods was first introduced, in the 19th century, bread was one of the most important food items for the poor British population. 

    The poorest of the working class spent most of their income on bread, which was essential for survival. As the price of bread increased, the poorer people had to spend more of their income on bread to survive. As a result, the higher the price, the higher the demand.

    What is a Giffen good?

    A Giffen good is a low-income, non-luxury product that defies standard economic and consumer demand theory. Demand for Giffen goods rises when the price rises and falls when the price falls. A product can only be a Giffen good if certain conditions are met. 

    First, it must be a basic good, such as food, for which there are a limited number of substitutes. And, of course, the people who buy it must be too poor to afford to replace the staple with better quality goods. Some common Giffen goods are rice, salt, potatoes and bread.

    In 1947 US economist Georg Stigler denied this in Notes on the History of the Giffen Paradox but in 2007 US academics Robert Jensen and Nolan Miller in Giffen Behavior: Theory and Evidence: Giffen Behavior.

    Examples of Giffen Goods

    In fact, it is quite easy today to give examples of this paradox. Take the rise in meat prices for example. As the price of meat products increased, many of us gave up meat and started to spend our budget on more affordable food products. 

    As a result, the balance of supply and demand changed. Subsequently, prices of staple food products also increased. This led to the Giffen Paradox.

    In the same way, families with much lower incomes could buy a few ingredients and get through the day with a simple meal and bread, but with the increase in vegetable prices, this became impossible. 

    As a result, the staple food for many people has become bread, which is the cheapest and most filling. As a result, as the demand for bread increased, bread started to rise more.

    Similar Effect but a Contrasting Case: Veblen’s Goods

    When we talk about the Giffen paradox, we are talking about another situation that leads to a strange economic contradiction. Veblen goods are named after the American economist Thorstein Veblen, who formulated the theory of “conspicuous consumption”. 

    These goods are peculiar because as their price increases, so does the demand for them. But unlike the worthless Giffen goods, they are considered a symbol of high status.

    Conclusion

    The willingness to pay more is more to advertise wealth than to achieve better quality. A true Veblen good should therefore not be of significantly higher quality than its lower-priced equivalents. 

    When the price falls, the rich stop buying it. Cutting prices tends to reduce sales. This is why some stores never discount at the end of the season. Those who can afford it buy it, those who can’t have to grapple with the Giffen paradox anyway.

  • Boost Your Attention With Easy Methods

    Boost Your Attention With Easy Methods

    These techniques work for me and my friends – Boost Your Attention

    It is often frustrating to be distracted when we have a task at hand. But don’t immediately blame it on your brain – Boost Your Attention

    Our brains are easily distracted and have evolved in this way for a reason. While we place great importance on the ability to concentrate, our attention needs to be flexible.

    After all, this is how our ancestors managed to survive for hundreds of thousands of years. Finding prey and safety required them to pay attention to any new information or situation around them. This could mean the difference between life and death. 

    As a result, we became more skilled at the rapid processing of external stimuli. Today, even if new information or fast-moving objects in our environment are not life-threatening, part of our brain still works in the same way.

    What is Attention?

    Physically, we can define attention by looking at neural activity in areas of the brain associated with the object of attention. For example, if you are listening to music, neurons in your auditory cortex are activated. 

    If you are looking at a picture, there is increased activity in the visual brain at the back of your head. The parietal brain lobes in the upper back of the brain manage attention in three-dimensional space.

    The more you focus on a subject, the more intense and persistent this activity becomes. Gamma brain waves, which occur when neurons fire more than 25 times per second, indicate very intense focus, while slower brain waves indicate distracted attention.

    What can we learn from research to improve efficiency and attention?

    There is no secret recipe for increasing attention. There is no such thing as permanent focus. However, some methods can guide you if you want to increase your attention span. 

    Apart from the suggestions below, eating right, structuring your time, minimizing distractions and overcoming procrastination, whatever the reason, will of course come first.

    1. Distract the mind

    If you find it difficult to concentrate on what you’re doing, one of the best ways to distract yourself for a short period of time is to turn to something else. To understand why this works, let’s take a brief look at how the brain works. 

    In our brain, the frontal cortex controls our natural instinct to resist distractions and engage in more enjoyable things. In a state of concentration, the whole brain, including the frontal cortex, must be working. This requires more energy.

    But inevitably this energy runs out during the day. At this point, our minds start to wander to other things. If this is going to happen anyway, why not time it at the most opportune moment? 

    Psychologists distinguish between two types of distraction: intentional and accidental. Accidental distraction negatively affects the work. However, those who set this time themselves suffer less.

    2. Wandering

    How much you love your work but it takes willpower to concentrate on a difficult task. One way to increase willpower is to laugh. Research has shown that people who watched a funny video before puzzling over a difficult puzzle put in more effort than those who watched a relaxing but unfunny video. 

    This doesn’t mean watching cat videos all day long, of course. But it is important to take the opportunity to laugh once in a while, especially when feeling tired.

    3. Chaos does not in order to increase attention?

    To concentrate better, it is thought that you need to remove all external distractions. However, another theory suggests the opposite. Nilli Lavie, a psychologist at UCL University in London, introduced the ‘Attribution Theory’ in 1995. 

    According to this theory, there is a limited amount of information that our brain can receive and process from the outside world. When this capacity is full, the brain’s attention system kicks in and decides what to concentrate on. Lavie’s experiments suggest that it may be more productive to work in messy and cluttered environments than in clean, organized and quiet ones.

    When the perceptual fields are fully occupied, our brain will focus all its energy on the most important task. However, it is important to find the right distractions and not allow them to become energy-sapping. 

    The key is to find the right balance that doesn’t allow the brain to seek stimulation elsewhere. Most people find what works best through trial and error. Maybe you can start by leaving your desk untidy…

    4. Take a break from work

    When you’re swamped with work, you don’t even think about taking a break. But there is a lot of data showing that it is possible to get more done this way. The question is when to take a break, for how long, and what to do during it.
     
    Research shows that the limit of concentration is 90 minutes. After that, it is necessary to take a 15-minute break. There are studies showing that even mini-breaks of a few seconds work. 

    It has also been shown that doing physical exercise when you take a break from work, followed by a caffeine-containing drink such as coffee, strengthens the brain. Doing this outside in a park will be more effective. Time for a cup of coffee then.

    5. Don’t push too hard

    When you need to concentrate for a long period of time, it is good to have short periods of concentration followed by short breaks. 

    Brain scans at the Boston Attention and Learning Lab showed that those who tried to concentrate for long periods made more mistakes than those who followed a method of short periods of concentration, a short break, and then another period of concentration. 

    Similarly, a study at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam found that taking a short break and thinking about something else, rather than concentrating all the time, improved attention.

    Conclusion

    The more we know about the brain, the more clearly we see that stress damages concentration. For this reason, taking a break to calm down, regaining control, and working more efficiently seems to be the most important things to do.

    Resources and further reading

    A Wandering Mind Is an Unhappy Mind; https://wjh-www.harvard.edu

    What to Know About Gamma Brain Waves; https://www.healthline.com/health/gamma-brain-waves

    Circadian Rhythms in Attention; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

    Why Is It Hard To Stay Focused Throughout An Entire Day?; https://www.scienceabc.com/