Los tres filtros de Sócrates

Lo que no es útil para la colmena, no es útil para la abeja” –Marco Aurelio.

¿Cuántas veces en nuestras vidas  nos encontramos con  personas que les gusta el cotilleo, lo que conocemos vulgarmente como “bochinche”, y que buscan la atención del oyente para descargar sus palabras? Empecemos a  educar a estas personas y eliminemos esta mala práctica de la convivencia humana. Los tres filtros de Sócrates nos ofrecen una fórmula para lograrlo.

En una ocasión a Sócrates lo visitó un amigo para contarle un chisme que a su vez le contaron sobre otro amigo mutuo.  Sócrates lo interrumpió y le preguntó  a su amigo si él había aplicado la prueba de los tres filtros a quien le narró el la historia.

“Los tres filtros, no sé que es eso” -  le respondió su  amigo.

“Entiendo” – le dijo Sócrates – “entonces permíteme aplicártelo a ti”.

“Lo que vas a contar de nuestro amigo… ¿es verdadero?” preguntó Sócrates.

“No lo sé” – le contestó.

“Veo”, dijo Sócrates, y volvió a preguntarle: “lo que vas a contar de nuestro amigo, ¿es bueno?”.

“Definitivamente no”, le contestó.

Por último le preguntó Sócrates, “Lo que me vas a contar de nuestro amigo, ¿me es útil?”.

“No… no creo que te sea útil”, le dijo.

“Entonces”, le dijo Sócrates  a su amigo: “si lo que me vas contar de nuestro amigo no es verdadero, ni es bueno y tampoco me es útil…, para qué me lo vas a contar?”.

Con este ejemplo Sócrates le enseñó a su amigo no solo que no era bueno estar pendiente del cotilleo sino que a la vez  uno puede vivir una vida moral utilizando principios o valores en la vida diaria.

La Verdad, la Bondad y la Utilidad son principios y prácticas que debemos todos cultivar en beneficio no solo de nuestro ser interior,  sino también como norma de convivencia en la sociedad en que vivimos.

Siempre:

• la Verdad será superior a la mentira,
• la Bondad será mejor que la maldad,  y
• la Utilidad estará sobre la inutilidad de las cosas o eventos del diario vivir.

Empecemos a aplicar el triple filtro de Sócrates y veremos que nos podemos convertir  en agente de cambios y construir una sociedad más justa, fraterna y solidaria.

Fuente: http://www.filosofiaparalavida.org/2012_11_los-tres-filtros-de-socrates.html

What does Language Level A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2 mean?

The Common European Framework divides learners into three broad divisions which can be divided into six levels:

Basic Speaker A1 Breakthrough or beginner A2 Waystage or elementary Independent Speaker B1 Threshold or intermediate B2 Vantage or upper intermediate Proficient Speaker C1 Effective Operational Proficiency or advanced C2 Mastery or proficiency

The Common European Framework describes what a learner is supposed to be able to do in reading, listening, speaking and writing at each level:

	Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. Can introduce him/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and things he/she has. Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.
	Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.
	Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes & ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.
	Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
	Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit meaning. Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.
	Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarise information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express him/herself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in the most complex situations.

Link: http://www.deutsch-als-fremdsprache.org/en/faq/323-what-does-language-level-a1-a2-b1-b2-c1-and-c2-mean.html

Sensacionalismo (Wikipedia)

Sensacionalismo es un término periodístico peyorativo, que denuncia la manipulación informativa tendente a producir sensación, emoción o impresión.¹ Es aplicable a todos los medios de comunicación (especialmente la prensa escrita, la radio y la televisión). También se utilizan otros términos: amarillismo o "prensa amarilla" y periodismo del corazón o "prensa rosa" (para los asuntos de escasa trascendencia objetiva, pero que despiertan gran interés entre el público, como la vida privada de personas famosas).

Los medios de comunicación sensacionalistas se caracterizan por difundir información polémica, chocante o que llama mucho la atención, en perjuicio de otros asuntos o de los aspectos objetivamente más importantes de tales asuntos. Es común que en los medios de comunicación sensacionalistas se tienda a vertir repetidamente información falsa o dañina. Los objetivos del sensacionalismo son espurios para el periodismo: la obtención a toda costa de mayor repercusión (audiencia o tirada), y por tanto mayores beneficios económicos, o la manipulación de la opinión pública (con un determinado propósito: empresarial, político, social o ideológico).

Esta forma de prensa popular se inició con la llegada de los periódicos New York Sun (1883) y New York Herald (1885), que además de abaratar sus precios, editaba artículos de interés humano tales eran como sucesos en las ciudades, casos policiales, noticias de farándula y espectáculos. Más tarde en Argentina nace el diario Crítica (1913), que se le atribuye a Natalio Felix Botana, éste tenía las mismas características que los anteriores.

El sensacionalismo también se puede dar en otros ámbitos, como la música. El sensacionalismo musical se concreta en las campañas publicitarias realizadas por parte de las discográficas para poner de moda a un grupo o artista, explotar su imagen y conseguir las mayores ventas posibles (a estos grupos o artistas se les suele catalogar como "comerciales" -música comercial-).

Fuente: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensacionalista

Massage and Sleep Disorders

Massage is often used to help babies sleep, and it can be useful in treating sleep disorders in adults. Massage is one of several hands-on strategies known collectively as bodywork. And if you've ever had a good, thorough massage, you know the feeling of being "worked over." But you also know how relaxing it can be.

The benefits of massage are many. It is regularly used in sports clinics and rehabilitation centers to loosen or soothe sore, aching muscles. Massage also helps to reduce stress, improve circulation, release tension, lower heart rate and blood pressure, and possibly even strengthen the immune system. These relaxing effects may therefore make massage a helpful aid in restoring restful sleep. Massage may be especially beneficial in treating sleeping problems that stem from stress, migraine headache, pain, and muscle and joint stiffness.

You might want to spring for a massage from a professional. One session may be all it takes to get you hooked. If you do opt for a professional massage, be sure to tell the practitioner if you have any particular illness or injury that they should be aware of, such as arthritis or fibromyalgia.

One of the good things about massage, of course, is that you don't have to visit a professional to capture its benefits. You can ask your partner, friend, or family member for a soothing rubdown. You can also give yourself a mini massage, focusing on the muscle groups that are within reach. Using small, circular movements with your fingers and hands, you can massage your scalp, forehead, face, neck and upper shoulders, lower back, arms, legs, and feet. There are also a variety of massaging devices available in various price ranges that can help extend your reach or provide soothing heat as well as relaxing vibrations.

Homemade Massage Oil

Oil allows your hands to move freely over the body during massage. While a variety of massage oils are on the market, you can also make your own. Choose a vegetable-based oil that has little or no scent of its own. Almond oil is a good choice because it is light and odorless. Avoid olive oil, which is too heavy and pungent. Then, to enhance the experience, you can add a few drops of an aromatic essential oil, such as lavender or chamomile, both of which tend to have a relaxing effect.

Link: http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/natural-medicine/alternative/natural-sleep-aids4.htm

The Brain on Music (The Mozart Effect)

Have you ever used music at work to jack up productivity or change your mood? Interestingly some rhythms. such as baroque, induce enzymes in the brain and add amazing well being and focus.  Other tunes leave you punchy … and unable to focus. Has it happened to you? 

Music holds an immensely powerful influence over the brain and yet few workplaces  benefit from addictive musical sounds. Listen to inspirational music and calm your thinking to see how it works. Or ratchet up brainpower with Makeba’s, Pata Pata. Then read on to discover what research could offer your day.

Across genres, you’ll find that music puts you in touch with your inner beliefs and desires and the cadence can create an amazing mental landscape for you to read, relax or reflect on your day.

Or it can make you moody, edgy and anxious. How so? Music shifts your brain waves that control how neurons talk to one another. Watch the visible shift happen for people in this video.

Start with your favorite tunes from Psychologist Don Campbell’s list here and tell us how music alters your mental states. In his book The Mozart Effect, Campbell shows the following results for listeners:

Gregorian chant creates quiet in our minds and can reduce stress.

Slower Baroque music, such as Bach, Handel, Vivaldi or Corelli, can create mentally stimulating environments for creativity and new innovations.

Classical music, such as Haydn and Mozart, often improves concentration and memory when played in the background.

Romantic music, such as Schubert, Schumann, Tchaikovsky , Chopin and Liszt, enhances our senses and increases a sense of sympathy and love.

Impressionist music, such as Debussy, Faure and Ravel, can unlock dreamlike images that put us in touch with our unconscious thoughts and belief systems.

Jazz, blues, soul or calypso music can uplift and inspire us, releasing deep joy or even deep sadness, conveying wit and affirming our common humanity.

Salsa, rhumba, merengue and any form of South American music sets our hearts racing, gets us moving, both relaxing us and awakening us at the same time.

Big band, Top 40 and country music engage our emotions and comfort us.

Rock music, from Elvis Presley to the Rolling Stones, stirs passion and activity, and so can release daily tensions. Rock can also mask pain and cover up unpleasant noises. It also has the power to create dissonance, stress or physical pain if we are not in the mood for energizing.

Ambient or New Age music such as Stephen Halpern and Brian Eno has no dominant rhythm, so it elongates the sense of space and time, inducing a state of relaxed alertness.

Heavy metal and hip-hop music excites our nervous system, and sometimes leads us into acting out dynamic behavior and self-expression.

Religious and sacred music such as hymns and gospel moves us to feel grounded in the moment, and leads to deep peace and spiritual awareness. Sacred music often helps us to transcend pain.

Consider what tomorrow could bring at work if you swing a bar or two of mental and musical acumen into a project today. It’s also fun to match the music with the moment and watch what you learn

Not surprisingly, research also suggests that music may recruit neural mechanisms similar to those previously associated with pleasant or unpleasant emotional states.

Link: http://www.brainleadersandlearners.com/multiple-intelligences/musical/the-brain-on-music/