Quantum Conversations

In this episode of QC, my guest and I continue our conversational dive into symbols and mythological figures and how these have been co-opted (some might say, hijacked) by brand names, organizations and even political movements. We discuss the ancient origins of these symbols to better understand their truer meanings and the long-standing imprint they have on our collective consciousness.

SOME LINKS TO REFERENCES FOR THIS EPISODE:

https://www.dailysabah.com/arts/medusa-mosaic-in-turkiyes-burdur-reopens-for-visitors-after-winter-break/news

https://www.thecollector.com/who-is-the-ancient-gorgon-medusa/

https://windswaves.wordpress.com/2019/08/26/hidden-from-view-the-medusa-myth-from-ovids-metamorphoses-to-peter-paul-rubens/

https://www.theoi.com/Pontios/Gorgones.html

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377531699_Was_Medusa_a_Priestess_of_Athena_On_Ovid_Metamorphoses_4794-803

https://medium.com/@sfoster_16117/the-caduceus-origins-and-symbolism-of-the-staff-with-serpents-8d7412db32dc

https://www.caduceusmedicalgroup.com/for-patients/legend-of-caduceus/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_of_Asclepius

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caduceus

https://mythopedia.com/topics/asclepius

https://mythopedia.com/topics/hermes

https://thegoodlifefrance.com/the-origin-of-french-gargoyles/

https://www.northstargallery.net/blog/2020/10/about-gargoyles-grotesques

https://www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-other-artifacts/gargoyles-0012253

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hippocratic-oath

https://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/topics/greek-medicine/index.html

https://journals.lww.com/jpbs/fulltext/2015/07001/things_you_don_t_learn_in_medical_school__caduceus.13.aspx

https://scarletarosa.tumblr.com/post/636502518079340544/ningishzida-mesopotamian-god-of-the-tree-of

https://www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-other-artifacts/swastika-origins-001312

https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-29644591

https://www.navajorug.com/blogs/news/whirling-logs-motif

https://hyperallergic.com/933272/why-native-artists-are-reclaiming-the-whirling-log/

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Tetraskelion

https://buddhastoneshop.com/blogs/news/buddha-swastika

Suggestions or queries? Email us at: [email protected]

QC is back with a brand new season 2! In this episode, our host and a special guest, explore some mythological figures through their more well-known and ubiquitous company logos. How is it that we can instantly recognize the brand's that have co-opted the iconography and yet know so little about the ancient origins and stories behind them? Grab a cuppa as we dive into a topic that really deserves its own podcast.

Some references and suggested further readings:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melusine

https://blogs.bl.uk/european/2015/10/the-tale-of-m%C3%A9lusine.html

https://www.maerchenatlas.de/miszellaneen/marchenfiguren/melusine/

https://www.istitutomarangoni.com/en/maze35/community/hear-the-sirens-the-untold-story-behind-the-starbucks-logo

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-siren-on-your-starbucks-cup-was-born-in-7thcentury-italy

https://www.colorado.edu/classics/2018/06/19/sirens-ancient-greece-and-near-east

https://vaulteditions.com/blogs/news/discover-how-ancient-symbolism-influences-contemporary-graphic-design-five-examples-you-will-definitely-know

Nike Goddess Overview: https://www.theoi.com/Daimon/Nike.html

Nike Goddess : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nike_(mythology)

*For more info about the Nike company origins: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nike,_Inc.

https://crfashionbook.com/culture-a35217668-true-story-versace-medusa-head/

https://sublimista.it/gianni-versace-pietrificato-dallo-sguardo-di-medusa/

https://www.thecollector.com/who-is-the-ancient-gorgon-medusa/

https://www.historydefined.net/the-tragic-story-of-how-medusa-became-a-monster/

https://windswaves.wordpress.com/2019/08/26/hidden-from-view-the-medusa-myth-from-ovids-metamorphoses-to-peter-paul-rubens/

https://www.thecollector.com/temple-artemis-corfu-medusa-head/

https://www.timetravelrome.com/2024/08/17/roman-villa-of-casignana-in-calabria-and-its-mosaics/

In this Season 1 Grand Finale episode we take a look at the genesis for this podcast, the somewhat long and winding road it took for us to get here and why the show's creator decided focused on certain kinds of topics. We'll also take a look at what we've learnt in the process and hint at some possible topics and themes for Season 2!

So grab yourself a cuppa, have a listen and maybe you'll want to have your own...Quantum Conversation!

Our idea of regulated time comes down to two major inventions of the mid 1800s. In an effort to streamline and make things more efficient, how did everything become more complex and full of quirks? Is there a way to embrace a more natural temporal rhythm? Listen in to QC's storytelling hour, filled with fascinating histories, intrigue, money, power and a bit of mayhem.

Some of the references cites and/or sourced in this episode:

https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/standardising-time-railways-and-electric-telegraph

https://www.networkrail.co.uk/stories/180-years-of-railway-time/

https://www.trains.com/trn/railroads/history/how-railroads-standardized-time-in-the-us/

https://www.rmg.co.uk/royal-observatory/history

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Observatory,_Greenwich

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Observatory

https://medium.com/@maham.saleem/the-1884-time-war-trains-time-zones-tensions-d841f59d245d

https://www.thoughtco.com/atlantic-telegraph-cable-timeline-1773793

https://www.gbps.org.uk/information/rates/inland/telegrams.php

https://newatlas.com/last-telegraph-message/28314/

https://www.richmondfed.org/-/media/RichmondFedOrg/publications/research/econ_focus/2018/q2/pdf/economic_history.pdf

https://valentiaisland.ie/history_culture/transatlantic-telegraph-cable/

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/cable-great-transatlantic-cable/

https://www.npr.org/2022/12/16/1139780043/what-is-time-physics-atomic-clocks-society

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Meridian_Conference

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Telecommunication_Union

https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/exclusive-itu-failed-says-former-policy-chief/

https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/400990-reigning-in-uns-little-known-international-telecommunication-union/

https://www.timeanddate.com/time/time-zones-history.html

https://www.timeanddate.com/time/aboututc.html

https://www.timeanddate.com/time/leapseconds.html

https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/axial-tilt-obliquity.html

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/the-ever-changing-planet-why-is-earth-suddenly-slowing-down/articleshow/93449558.cms?from=mdr

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2022/08/03/do-we-need-the-first-ever-drop-second-a-new-wobble-by-earth-caused-the-shortest-day-since-records-began-say-scientists/

https://www.businesstoday.in/visualstories/news/earths-pole-is-shifting-heres-how-it-can-affect-us-and-our-planet-55030-10-08-2023

https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/your-obsession-with-time-management-is-slowly-killing-you-science-says.html

https://annehelen.substack.com/p/the-diminishing-returns-of-calendar

Royalty-free sound bites & effects courtesy of Pixabay (many thanks indeed!) and Alitu's Music Library.

The practice of 2 sleeps, also known as biphasic sleep isn't some newfangled practice. It's ancient and research has shown it has existed throughout the world. So what changed and why is it worth rediscovering? Could this be a healthier sleep pattern for some of us? And, how does this forgotten habit converge with a major turning point in history and the continued vexing practice of changing times twice a year?

Some references cited and/or sourced in this episode:

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/01/09/health/sleep-history-wellness-scn/index.html

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20170517/History-of-sleep-what-was-normal.aspx

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220107-the-lost-medieval-habit-of-biphasic-sleep

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/biphasic-sleep

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4763365/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4720388/

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/oct/28/eu-daylight-saving-british-summer-time-greenwich-mean-

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/circadian-rhythm/daylight-saving-time

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time

https://www.nbcnews.com/specials/permanent-daylight-saving-time-pros-cons/index.html#section-pros-CN19wgKTlX

Poor sleep is a globally widespread problem which can be attributed to a whole host of prevailing attitudes about sleep not to mention the impact that all our tech paraphernalia has on our circadian rhythm. In this episode, we'll look at some of the factors and why there's little being done to meaningfully help improve our collective lack sleep. We'll also take a sneak peek at how differently some of our ancestors once slept and how this might have left a residual imprint on some of us today.

Some references cited and/or sourced in this episode:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7272128/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3561068/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6473877/

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0110825

https://ehtrust.org/key-issues/cell-phoneswireless/screens-and-sleep/

https://www.ecosa.com.au/blog/post/cant-sleep-lets-talk-about-low-frequency-emfs.html

https://healthmatch.io/blog/too-many-of-us-are-sleep-deprived-and-its-become-a-crisis

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/feb/08/how-modern-life-gets-in-the-way-of-sleep-chronic-insomnia

https://www.theguardian.com/society/gallery/2013/mar/29/electrosensitivity-technology-killing-us-photographs

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/sleep-deprivation-epidemic-health-effects-tired-heart-disease-stroke-dementia-cancer-a7964156.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9608227/

https://www.nature.com/articles/srep14914

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IARC_group_2B

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232228353_Pineal_Melatonin_Levels_Disruption_on_Human_Due_to_Electromagnetic_Fields_and_ICNIRP_Limits

https://www.philips.com/a-w/about/news/archive/standard/news/press/2019/20190307-philips-global-sleep-survey-shows-we-want-better-sleep-but-only-if-it-comes-easily.html

https://emfscientist.org/

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/01/09/health/sleep-history-wellness-scn/index.html

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvjgztX_Uo3ZDZBBW_t11ha4s7MYbWsTl

In this episode, we spill the beans on some of observable, everyday behaviours that vex and perplex us. We'll ask, are these daily annoyances and constant micro-aggression connected to "bigger picture problems"? What might these be and how could they be better addressed or channeled? Join us as we endeavour to have a productive rant!

Some optional readings related to this episode:

https://www.ao-world.com/2019/08/27/uks-first-mobile-phone-slow-lane-created-for-distracted-walkers/

https://www.eatthis.com/news-looking-phone-while-walking/

https://exploringyourmind.com/the-smartphone-zombie-staring-at-your-phone-while-you-walk/

https://qz.com/489041/study-its-okay-to-use-your-phone-while-walking-down-the-street-but-not-at-dinnertime

https://medium.com/@almightypress/how-clickbait-is-destroying-journalism-aae1b635361d

https://www.onlineoptimism.com/blog/youll-be-shocked-by-how-much-content-marketing-can-learn-from-clickbait/

In 2013 Prof. David Graeber's published his viral, online essay "On the Phenomenon of Bullsh*t Jobs". A little over a decade later, this still seems resonant. We'll consider how a skewed ideology of values is entrenched in our social conditioning and how it is masterminded by the entities running the current economic paradigm. We'll ponder what it might take to shift our mindset and push back against the prevailing system of our work culture.

References cited and/or sourced in this episode:

https://strikemag.org/bullshit-jobs/

https://www.newyorker.com/books/under-review/the-bullshit-job-boom

Also recommended:

https://www.smh.com.au/public-service/the-modern-phenomenon-of-bullshit-jobs-20130831-2sy3j.html

https://www.vox.com/2018/5/8/17308744/bullshit-jobs-book-david-graeber-occupy-wall-street-karl-marx

https://charleseisenstein.org/books/sacred-economics/

Sacred Economics: A Short Film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEZkQv25uEs

https://www.thephilosopher1923.org/post/beyond-bullshit-jobs

https://davidgraeber.org/articles/the-bullshit-job-boom/

https://www.britsoc.co.uk/media-centre/press-releases/2023/august/many-people-feel-they-work-in-pointless-bullshit-jobs-research-confirms/

https://www.thejournal.ie/readme/work-life-balance-busy-2058921-Apr2015/

https://evonomics.com/anything-working-less-not-solve/

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/04/work-more-less-quality-of-life

https://www.positive.news/economics/10-arguments-shorter-working-week/

In this episode we'll explore toxic work environments, why so many of us are miserable in the workplace, what's being said (and what isn't) about this ongoing issue, why the Great Resignation hasn't gone away and why it'll take a whole lot more than "experts" and beanbags in offices to change things.

Some references cited and/or sourced for this episode and other related readings:

https://www.businessinsider.com/toxic-workplaces-culture-work-leadership-social-culture-2022-9

https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/career-transitions/202110/are-all-workplaces-toxic-these-days

https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/talent-acquisition/toxic-culture-top-reason-people-quit

https://itbrief.com.au/story/tech-workers-stuck-in-toxic-company-culture-to-walk-away

https://www.forbes.com/sites/markcperna/2022/06/01/toxic-work-culture-is-the-1-factor-driving-people-to-resign/

https://www.predictiveindex.com/blog/toxic-work-environments-15-signs-of-workplace-toxicity/

https://sifted.eu/articles/employees-switching-job

https://sifted.eu/articles/toxic-workplaces

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/03/30/economy/great-resignation-uk-australia-europe/index.html

https://www.euronews.com/next/2022/05/25/no-end-in-sight-for-the-great-resignation-as-inflation-pushes-workers-to-seek-better-paid-

https://www.lepaya.com/blog/the-great-resignation-europe-2023

https://www.indeed.com/hire/c/info/future-of-the-great-resignation

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/08/nearly-50percent-of-people-are-considering-leaving-their-jobs-in-2024.html

https://fortune.com/2024/05/09/people-thinking-about-quitting-jobs-great-resignation-redux/

https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/why-every-leader-needs-to-worry-about-toxic-culture/

https://www.fearlessculture.design/blog-posts/the-always-on-culture-is-harming-your-company-why-it-needs-to-go

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/01/18/whats-wrong-with-the-way-we-work

Burnout seems to be increasingly on the rise. There are countless articles and studies on its detrimental impact but most of the advice falls on deaf ears in the workforce and studies offer little more than lip service. Is it possible that the real, underlying issues on burnout are being purposely ignored? And, if so, why?

Some of the references cited and/or sourced :

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/15/well/live/burnout-work-stress.html

https://euagenda.eu/upload/publications/untitled-178342-ea.pdf

https://europeanstudiesreview.com/2022/04/25/a-look-at-european-legislation-designed-to-prevent-burnout/

https://www.wired.com/story/overemployment-work/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2021/04/21/11-signs-of-professional-burnout-and-ways-to-overcome-it/

https://www.betterup.com/blog/signs-of-burnout-at-work

https://mentalhealth-uk.org/burnout/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/burnout/art-20046642

https://www.wilmarschaufeli.nl/publications/Schaufeli/481.pdf

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/2158244017697154

https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/en/publications/2018/burnout-workplace-review-data-and-policy-responses-eu