In 1933, Adolf Hitler handed the power of Jewish cultural life in Nazi Germany to his chief propagandist, Joseph Goebbels. Goebbels established a team of of regulators that would oversee the works of Jewish artists in film, theater, music, fine arts, literature, broadcasting, and the press.Goebbels' new regulations essentially eliminated Jewish people from participating in mainstream German cultural activities by requiring them to have a license to do so.This attempt by the Nazis to purge Germany of any culture that wasn't Aryan in origin led to the questioning of artists from outside the country. Nazi book burning via Wikimedia CommonsIn 1938, English author J. R. R. Tolkien and his British publisher, Stanley Unwin, opened talks with Rütten & Loening, a Berlin-based publishing house, about a German translation of his recently-published hit novel, "The Hobbit."Privately, according to "1937 The Hobbit or There and Back Again," Tolkien told Unwin he hated Nazi "race-doctrine" as "wholly pernicious and unscientific." He added he had many Jewish friends and was considering abandoning the idea of a German translation altogether.The Berlin-based publishing house sent Tolkien a letter asking for proof of his Aryan descent. Tolkien was incensed by the request and gave his publisher two responses, one in which he sidestepped the question, another in which he clapped back '30s-style with pure class.His publisher sent the classy clap-back.In the letter sent to Rütten & Loening, Tolkien notes that Aryans are of Indo-Iranian "extraction," correcting the incorrect Nazi aumption that Aryans come from northern Europe. He cuts to the chase by saying that he is not Jewish but holds them in high regard. "I regret that I appear to have no ancestors of that gifted people," Tolkien wrote.Tolkien also takes a shot at the race policies of Nazi Germany by saying he's beginning to regret his German surname. "The time is not far distant when a German name will no longer be a source of pride," he writes.Here's the letter sent to Rütten & Loening:25 July 1938 20 Northmoor Road, OxfordDear Sirs,Thank you for your letter. I regret that I am not clear as to what you intend by arisch. I am not of Aryan extraction: that is Indo-Iranian; as far as I am aware none of my ancestors spoke Hindustani, Persian, Gypsy, or any related dialects. But if I am to understand that you are enquiring whether I am of Jewish origin, I can only reply that I regret that I appear to have no ancestors of that gifted people.My great-great-grandfather came to England in the eighteenth century from Germany: the main part of my descent is therefore purely English, and I am an English subject — which should be sufficient. I have been accustomed, nonetheless, to regard my German name with pride, and continued to do so throughout the period of the late regrettable war, in which I served in the English army. I cannot, however, forbear to comment that if impertinent and irrelevant inquiries of this sort are to become the rule in matters of literature, then the time is not far distant when a German name will no longer be a source of pride.Your enquiry is doubtless made in order to comply with the laws of your own country, but that this should be held to apply to the subjects of another state would be improper, even if it had (as it has not) any bearing whatsoever on the merits of my work or its sustainability for publication, of which you appear to have satisfied yourselves without reference to my Abstammung.I trust you will find this reply satisfactory, andremain yours faithfully,J. R. R. TolkienThis article originally appeared on 2.15.22

The legality of abortion is one of the most polarized debates in America—but it doesn't have to be.People have big feelings about abortion, which is understandable. On one hand, you have people who feel that abortion is a fundamental women's rights issue, that our bodily autonomy is not something you can legislate, and that those who oppose abortion rights are trying to control women through oppressive legislation. On the other, you have folks who believe that a fetus is a human individual first and foremost, that no one has the right to terminate a human life, and that those who support abortion rights are heartless murderers.Then there are those of us in the messy middle. Those who believe that life begins at conception, that abortion isn't something we'd choose—and we'd hope others wouldn't choose—under most circumstances, yet who choose to vote to keep abortion legal.It is entirely possible to be morally anti-abortion and politically pro-choice without feeling conflicted about it. Here's why.There's far too much gray area to legislate.No matter what you believe, when exactly life begins and when “a clump of cells" should be considered an individual, autonomous human being is a debatable question.I personally believe life begins at conception, but that's my religious belief about when the soul becomes associated with the body, not a scientific fact. As Arthur Caplan, award-winning professor of bioethics at New York University, told Slate, “Many scientists would say they don't know when life begins. There are a series of landmark moments. The first is conception, the second is the development of the spine, the third the development of the brain, consciousness, and so on."But let's say, for the sake of argument, that a human life unquestionably begins at conception. Even with that point of view, there are too many issues that make a black-and-white approach to abortion too problematic to ban it.Abortion bans hurt some mothers who desperately want their babies to live, and I'm not okay with that.One reason I don't support banning abortion is because I've seen too many families deeply harmed by restrictive abortion laws.I've heard too many stories of families who desperately wanted a baby, who ended up having to make the rock-and-a-hard-place choice to abort because the alternative would have been a short, pain-filled life for their child.I've heard too many stories of mothers having to endure long, drawn out, potentially dangerous miscarriages and being forced to carry a dead baby inside of them because abortion restrictions gave them no other choice.I've heard too many stories of abortion laws doing real harm to mothers and babies, and too many stories of families who were staunchly anti-abortion until they found themselves in circumstances they never could have imagined, to believe that abortion is always wrong and should be banned at any particular stage.I am not willing to serve as judge and jury on a woman's medical decisions, and I don't think the government should either.Most people's anti-abortion views—mine included—are based on their religious beliefs, and I don't believe that anyone's religion should be the basis for the laws in our country. (For the record, any Christian who wants biblical teachings to influence U.S. law, yet cries “Shariah is coming!" when they see a Muslim legislator, is a hypocrite.)I also don't want politicians sticking their noses into my very personal medical choices. There are just too many circumstances (seriously, please read the stories linked in the previous section) that make abortion a choice I hope I'd never have to make, but wouldn't want banned. I don't understand why the same people who decry government overreach think the government should be involved in these extremely personal medical decisions.And yes, ultimately, abortion is a personal medical decision. Even if I believe that a fetus is a human being at every stage, that human being's creation is inextricably linked to and dependent upon its mother's body. And while I don't think that means women should abort inconvenient pregnancies, I also acknowledge that trying to force a woman to grow and deliver a baby that she may not have chosen to conceive isn't something the government should be in the business of doing.As a person of faith, my role is not to judge or vilify, but to love and support women who are facing difficult choices. The rest of it—the hard questions, the unclear rights and wrongs, the spiritual lives of those babies,—I comfortably leave in God's hands.Most importantly, if the goal is to prevent abortion, research shows that outlawing it isn't the way to go.The biggest reason I vote the way I do is because based on my research pro-choice platforms provide the best chance of reducing abortion rates.Abortion rates fell by 24% in the past decade and are at their lowest levels in 40 years in America. Abortion has been legal during that time, so clearly, keeping abortion legal and available has not resulted in increased abortion rates. Switzerland has one of the lowest abortion rates on earth and their rate has been falling since 2002, when abortion became largely unrestricted.Outlawing abortion doesn't stop it, it just pushes it underground and makes it more dangerous. And if a woman dies in a botched abortion, so does her baby. Banning abortion is a recipe for more lives being lost, not fewer.At this point, the only things consistently proven to reduce abortion rates are comprehensive sex education and easy, affordable access to birth control. If we want to reduce abortions, that's where we should be putting our energy. The problem is, anti-abortion activists also tend to be the same people pushing for abstinence-only education and making birth control harder to obtain. But those goals can't co-exist in the real world.Our laws should be based on reality and on the best data we have available. Since comprehensive sex education and easy, affordable access to birth control—the most proven methods of reducing abortion rates—are the domain of the pro-choice crowd, that's where I place my vote, and why I do so with a clear conscience.This article originally appeared on 01.22.19

If anyone deserves to be paid well beyond what they the basic necessities, it's teachers. And if any social program is deserving of oodles of funding, it's public education. But here we are, in a world where schools have to make tough budget decisions and underpaid teachers pay hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars out of their own pockets to supply their classrooms with everything they need to create a vibrant learning environment for their students. How much do teachers spend on their classrooms?When you go into a classroom and see all the colorful posters and charts on the wall, the hands-on learning centers, the reading nooks with the bean bag chairs and shelves of books, the well-organized supplies and all the other cool educational materials that turn a dull, drab space into a place where kids want to engage and learn, you may not realize how much of that stuff was purchased on a teacher's dime. Some schools offer a small classroom budget, but it's rarely enough to cover everything a teacher needs. And on top of all that, teachers often buy snacks for their students because kids can't learn well when they're hungry. If you ask the average teacher how much it costs to put together their classroom and keep it going all year, many will tell you they're afraid to add it all up. One survey found that 93% of teachers spend their own money on their classrooms and the average annual amount teachers spend is $915. Teachers spend money to make their classrooms engaging environments.Photo from PixabayIt's even worse for first-year teachers, who are starting from scratch and who are at the lowest tier of pay. And yet so many teachers will sacrifice what they have to make sure their kids get the best educational experience possible. That's why the #clearthelist campaign matters. What does #clearthelist mean and how can you help?Many teachers have classroom wish lists on Amazon that anyone can purchase from, with the items going straight to the teacher. When you start looking at teachers' lists, you realize how much it takes to create a classroom and how ridiculous it would be for a teacher to try to fund all of it themselves. If you're a teacher with a wish list or someone who wants to help clear a teacher's list, we're collecting and sharing links to make it easier for everyone. Just click on this link to the video below, and either drop your wish list in the comments or click on a link that a teacher has dropped to see if there's anything you can help out with. Isn't it a bit dystopian to have to crowdfund classrooms?Yes. Yes it is. In an ideal world, schools would be overflowing with funds and teachers would be paid like doctors and engineers. Kids in school—literally our future—would be equipped with everything they need to learn and grow and become the world-changing forces they have the potential to be. It's absurd that we have to argue this point, as if education isn't the single most important investment a country or society can make to improve the lives of everyone who lives there. Teachers in the U.S. usually have small budgets for their classrooms.Photo by National Cancer Institute on UnsplashBut since we're not quite there yet, it's up to the community of people who care about students, teachers and education to bridge the gaps. If everyone pitches in a little bit—even buying just one item helps—we can make sure that the financial burden of creating a great classroom doesn't fall solely on teachers' shoulders. Click here to drop and find teacher wish lists.

South West News Service reports that when Sharaine, 32, and Wilson Caraballo, 42, moved their family of seven into a new home in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, last year, they weren’t sure how they’d be received."Our biggest fear moving into a new neighborhood was, 'What if our neighbors don't like us?' What if, because we have a lot of kids, they make a lot of noise and we come from a big family, so what if there's any conflict with the neighbors?" Sharaine told USA Today. "We're the only Black family in our neighborhood."But all that fear quickly dissipated when their new neighbor, Paul Callahan, 82, showed up with a ladder and offered to help the family spruce up their new home.“He was coming over with tools. He’d bring screwdrivers and teach Wilson how to fix up the garage, and Wilson followed all his advice,” Sharaine told South West News Service. The recently-widowed octogenarian soon became a fixture at the Caraballo house. Now, he stops by nearly every day and can always be found at the family’s cookouts.Callahan has become a great friend to the family’s children, whom he entertains with stories from his past. "The kids run up to him like that's their grandfather," Sharaine said. "Paul is definitely a family member. He's no longer considered a neighbor."Callahan believes that it’s all about taking the time to be friendly."You get many chances to talk to people. If you don't take a chance, you may miss a friend," Callahan said. "It doesn't hurt to be nice. That's the other thing, it costs you nothing, but a lot of times, you get a better return."This article originally appeared on 8.16.23

Brendan Fraser might be making the greatest career comeback ever, racking up accolades and award nominations for his dramatic, transformative role in “The Whale." But the OG Fraser fans (the ones who watch “Doom Patrol” solely to hear his voice and proudly pronounce his last name as Fray-zure, for this is the proper pronunciation) have known of his remarkable talent since the 90s, when he embodied the ultimate charming, dashing—and slightly goofball—Hollywood action lead. Let us not forget his arguably most well known and beloved 90s character—Rick O’Connell from the “Mummy” franchise. Between his quippy one-liners, Indiana Jones-like adventuring skills and fabulous hair, what’s not to like? During a double feature of “The Mummy” and “The Mummy Returns” in London, moviegoers got the ultimate surprise when who should walk in but Brendan Fraser himself, completely decked out in Rick O’Connell attire. The brown leather jacket. The scarf. Everything. "I am proud to stand before you tonight," he told the audience. "This is a film that was made in Britain. You should know that! Even the second one, too. Be proud. Thank you for being here."He continued, "We didn’t know if it was a drama or a comedy or a straight-ahead action or romance, a horror picture, more action, all of the above. No idea until it tested in front of British audiences. Thank you for that.”Fraser then asked the crowd if anyone hadn’t actually seen the movie yet, before shouting, “Outstanding!” when somebody raised their hand. He then quickly made a polite plug encouraging people to go see “The Whale” before whisking himself away, saying, “I won’t take up any more of your time.”Uh, yeah…I don’t think any time spent with Brendan Fraser is a waste. Do you?Watch the adorable clip below: As to whether or not "Mummy" fans will ever see a new Rick O'Connell story up on the big screen—only time will tell. In the meantime, we'll keep watching this video on repeat. This article originally appeared on 1.24.23

We can almost always expect to see amazing acts and rare skills on “America’s Got Talent.” But sometimes, we get even more than that. The Mayyas, a Lebanese women’s dance troupe whose name means “proud walk of a lioness,” delivered a performance so mesmerizing that judge Simon Cowell called it the “best dance act” the show has ever seen, winning them an almost instant golden buzzer. See on Instagram Perhaps this victory comes as no surprise, considering that the Mayyas had previously won “Arab’s Got Talent” in 2019 and competed on “Britain’s Got Talent: The Champions.” But truly, it’s what motivates them to take to the stage that’s remarkable. “Lebanon is a very beautiful country, but we live a daily struggle," one of the dancers said to the judges just moments before their audition. Another explained, “being a dancer as a female Arab is not fully supported yet.”Nadim Cherfan, the team’s choreographer, added that “Lebanon is not considered a place where you can build a career out of dancing, so it’s really hard, and harder for women.” Still, Cherfan shared that it was a previous “AGT” star who inspired the Mayyas to defy the odds and audition anyway. Nightbirde, a breakout singer who also earned a golden buzzer before tragically passing away in February 2021 due to cancer, had told the audience, “You can't wait until life isn't hard anymore before you decide to be happy.” The dance team took the advice to heart. For the Mayyas, coming onto the “AGT” stage became more than an audition opportunity. Getting emotional, one of the dancers declared that it was “our only chance to prove to the world what Arab women can do, the art we can create, the fights we fight.”The Mayyas went on to fulfill their promise of a truly hypnotic performance. Starting in a single file line, the women created magnificent shapes while moving in flawless synchronicity. At one point the group even became a pair of eyes (a major crowd pleaser). According to ET Canada, Cherfan blended moves from both Chinese and Lebanese folklore. It made for a wholly original celebration of cultures, not to mention one breathtaking spectacle. The judges—and the audience—were left dumbfounded.It was no time at all before judge Sofia Vergara leapt up to give the Mayyas their well-deserved golden buzzer. “There are no words to explain to you what we were feeling over here. It was the most beautiful creative dancing I’ve ever seen,” she told the team.Howie Mandel added, “You said you were going to hypnotize us. When we sat here and we watched the movement and the perfection and the time and effort that went into that, we were hypnotized by what you did.”You can watch the Mayyas’s spellbinding act below. Prepare to be hypnotized yourself.This article originally appeared on 6.22.24

Anyone who has found themselves in a relationship with a narcissist knows how confusing, disorienting or downright terrifying it can be. There are conflicting statistics on what percent of the population has Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), but it ranges anywhere from 1% to 6%. The average American knows 600 people, which means we all know at least a small handful of pathological narcissists personally. But it's people who are in close relationships with narcissists who bear the brunt of their pathology. Whether you were raised by a narcissistic parent or fell in love with a narcissist, it's likely you've been abused by someone to feed their narcissistic needs. NPD can be particularly challenging to treat because most narcissists will nor or cannot admit that anything is wrong with them. Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis found that most narcissists are actually aware that they are narcissists, but rather than see it as a problem, they embrace it and take pride in it. (Of course.) However, a self-aware narcissist can get help through psychotherapy, if they are willing to do it. Since most don't see the problem, many won't. But many or even most isn't all, and one man is on a mission to use his Narcissistic Personality Disorder diagnosis for good. Lee Hammock has been diagnosed with NPD and has been in psychotherapy for it since 2017. He calls himself a "self-aware" narcissist and uses social media—particularly TikTok—to share insider insights into a narcissist's brain. Hammock describes why he decided to share the ins and outs of his disorder: "The point of these videos is to help bring awareness from the other side of the narcissistic abuse spectrum. All my videos give perspective on why many narcissists do what they do and the possible different reasons behind them. The victims and survivors get validation and the narcissists (those that are willing) get to see that you can get help and that you are not alone."He explained how he ended up here: @mentalhealness Reply to @dubyuhbee hope this helps. I’m on a mission. Hammock's videos speak for themselves. There are tons of them, and they give amazing insight into a narcissist's perspective from the point of view of a narcissist who actually works to understand and manage his own disorder. Here's a sampling: @mentalhealness Narcissists and toxic people move fast. Slow down and stop ignoring the red flags @mentalhealness Reply to @balushijam narcissist don’t want to see you happy with anyone else. They think they are the best you’re going to get #narcavengers @mentalhealness Narcissistic people would rather you leave than to work on any of their issues @mentalhealness Collab with @Nia Renee Narcissists like to play games with you in order to start arguments, throw you off or in order to play the hero. #narcavengers @mentalhealness Reply to @donna28c narcissist see any discussions about your feelings as criticism #narcavengers @mentalhealness Reply to @meowmeow2342 narcissist have limited emotional capacity and the people closest to us get treated the worst #narcissist #ITriedItIPrimedIt @mentalhealness Sometimes we are the issue. Therapy helps #npd #narcissism #narctok #narcs #narc #narcissist @mentalhealness It’s never a good time to finish a conversation or argument with a narcissist. Leaving things unfinished causes them buildup #ShowUsYourDrawers #narcs #npd He even weighed in on the Kanye West situation, not diagnosing West with NPD, but explaining how his actions are right out of the narcissistic playbook. @mentalhealness I’m not saying he’s a narcissist, but if he isssssss Kayne is definitely taking things to a narcissistic obsessive level #kayne #kanyewest #kimkardashian Hammock has been honest about the fact that that making and sharing these videos and getting likes on them actually feeds his narcissistic ego, but it's a healthy turning of the tables on the disorder. And it really is serving a need. If you read through the comments on Hammock's videos, the most common response is recognition. So many people have interacted with narcissists and see those interactions in these videos, which is both validating and relieving. People who have been victims of narcissistic abuse are not alone, and Hammock helps them see that. He even helps people who might be narcissists themselves maybe—maybe—become more self-aware that their personality disorder is something that needs management.You can find Hammock's videos on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.This article originally appeared on 3.23.22

What's better than a heartwarming story of holiday cheer? How about a heartwarming story that turns out to be a hilarious moment of holiday embarrassment? When Mary Katherine Backstrom of Fort Myers, Florida, decided to do a good deed for a stranger in a gas station convenience store, she had no idea that her most embarrassing moment would result in a viral story viewed by millions. It all started when the writer and mother of two was killing time at the Wawa, a local gas station and convenience store, before picking up her kids from school. She had just been reading a story on Facebook about how everyone is so generous over the holidays and how the spirit of giving lifts everyone's mood, so she decided to pass along some of that spirit to someone else. The woman behind her in line was just buying a ginger ale, so Backstrom offered to pay for it. It was a simple but lovely act of kindness, the woman was moved, and holiday magic was made.Backstrom left the store to go back to her car, still full of the Christmas spirit, and found a man cleaning her windshield. Blown away by the magic of the holidays and the reverberating kindness of strangers, Backstrom walked up to the man, gave him a huge hug, and told him how much she loved humanity and the magic of Christmas.Only one problem—it wasn't her car, it was his. Oh. My. Word. The awkwardness of it all.You have to hear her tell it, complete with infectious laughter, and don't be surprised if you feel compelled to watch it over and over again. When Christmas cheer meets abject embarrassment, holiday hilarity is born.The Facebook Live video has been viewed more than 23 million times in just a few days, and has already been shared nearly 100,000 times. Clearly people are loving it.Backstrom told Upworthy, "I think the reason it is resonating is that the holidays can be a very hard time for adults, and we forget about the levity of holiday magic, and crave it in these times." She admits she was highly caffeinated and a little sleep deprived—as most mothers of young children are—when she hugged and gushed all over an unsuspecting stranger, but she hopes to continue to live her life "with reckless joy.""This one moment has returned so much laughter and encouragement to my life that I have to think there is something to this," she says. "Humans miss warm interactions, even if they are a little...erm...bizarre."Here's to the bizarre, awkward, recklessly joyful human moments that bring us all together.This article was first published on 12.09.19.

It's a dancer's worst nightmare. You're in the middle of a performance you've rehearsed over and over when all of a sudden you forget what you're doing. Everyone else is in sync, and you're hopelessly out of step, trying desperately to not make it obvious that you're completely lost. That's sort of what happened to Utah Jazz dancer Danielle Bush earlier this week during a basketball half-time performance. Bush didn't forget the routine, though—it just suddenly changed on her in the middle of it. The song, the routine, all of it. To her credit, Bush rallied, smiled and did her best to improvise, but it was clear she was lost. For a torturous 20 seconds, she tried to keep up—and then she figured out what was really going on. What started out as a nightmare turned into a heartwarming surprise that the rest of her fellow dancers were in on. Watch: Utah Jazz dancer realizes the routine is different than what she practiced, soon finds out the reason:pic.twitter.com/6meKzkONU0 — Rob Perez (@Rob Perez) 1640058526 How can a video be so painful to watch and yet end up with such a happy ending? The poor girl was so confused until she actually heard what the song had been changed to—Bruno Mars' "Marry You"—and realized it had to have been changed for her. According to KSL News, the proposal had been planned in secret since earlier in the month. Bush's boyfriend (now fiance) Brandon had asked Jazz Dancers director Ashley Kelson if it were possible to pop the question on the court. "I wanted to make it big and special for her for sure," Kelson told the outlet. "Making it a part of the routine was so much fun."Kelson scheduled Bush to be at a community event during a rehearsal where the other dancers learned the alternate routine. The team only had one practice to rehearse the proposal, and they pulled it off beautifully. "It was an honor to plan with Brandon and be a part of their special moment and just proud of my team for keeping it a surprise," Kelson said. "It definitely was a team effort."And it was definitely a proposal to remember. Congratulations, Danielle and Brandon! This article originally appeared on 12.23.21

Keeping things challenging. The post The Beatles song Paul McCartney called “slightly above my level” first appeared on Far Out Magazine.