Footnotes to a Conversation, April 10, 2023

Luscious Colour

The Colour of Ink is a film about ink and about a man who has devoted his entire career to developing natural ink colours. In the process of profiling Jason Logan and his search for non-toxic ink, we learn the history of ink and meet some of the people using ink to make art. I’m fascinated by the combination of creativity, nature, and colour and would really like to watch the film.

“As a celebration of bespoke, handmade materials, The Colour of Ink is more than a testimonial to the fecundity of the planet, although that is certainly enough. It is also a poem to creativity itself. Endless invention and reinvention, all fuelled by the human need to capture the nature of existence, in washes of colour and specificity of line.” [The Tyee]

Pagan Rites

I am delighted to see that King Charles III has included a Green Man, flowers, birds, and bees on the Coronation invitation. He’s obviously holding fast to some of his environmental interests despite his new role. [The Guardian]

The Green Man is frequently seen as a symbol of regrowth. I’ve tended to associate Green Men with Great Britain, but they can apparently be found world-wide. [Wikipedia]

Combatting Conspiracy

There have always been people who suspected a conspiracy hiding behind everyday events, but the Covid pandemic has certainly increased the number and the intensity of conspiracy theories. Cian O’Mahony has recently completed a doctorate on conspiracy theory interventions. He defines a conspiracy theory as “a belief that explains events by invoking malicious groups working in secret.” For example, a belief that Bigfoot exists is only a conspiracy theory if you believe that a group of people is trying to keep that information secret.

Arguing with someone who supports conspiracy theories has proven ineffective, but O’Mahony points to some methods aimed at honing people’s critical thinking skills that are worth exploring further. However, a different researcher says, “Interventions may decrease belief in certain conspiracy theories by pointing out issues in the information presented, but they do not take away the social causes underlying belief,” such as personality, paranoias, financial insecurities, and feelings of marginalization. [Live Science]

Unseen Labour

To end on a more positive note, I was delighted to read about a tapestry being installed in Britain’s National Portrait Gallery that celebrates essential workers – refuse collectors, ambulance drivers, and paramedics, among others. [The Guardian]

Footnotes to a Conversation is a weekly Monday feature covering an assortment of topics that I’ve come across in the preceding week – books, art, travel, food, and whatever else strikes my fancy. I also post occasional articles on other dates, including frequent book reviews and travel tales.

If you share my love of nature, check out EcoFriendly West, an online publication encouraging environmental initiatives in Western Canada, and Nature Companion, a free nature app for Canada’s four western provinces.