All Forms of Art

  When The Walking Dead premiered in 2010, Rick Grimes ( Andrew Lincoln ) was clearly positioned as the hero. He was the sheriff, the moral compass, and the audience's guide through the apocalypse. Then there was Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus). He wasn't even part of the original comics. He was introduced as the rough younger brother of Merle Dixon (Michael Rooker), an angry, crossbow-carrying redneck who looked more likely to become a villain than a fan favorite. Yet within just a few episodes, viewers had already fallen in love with him.  So why do we love Daryl Dixon so much? The answer goes far beyond his crossbow, motorcycle, or survival skills. It's rooted in psychology, storytelling, and one of television's most satisfying character arcs. The Appeal of the "Bad Boy with a Good Heart" Psychologists have long noted that people are drawn to characters who challenge first impressions. At first glance, Daryl seems intimidating. He's rude, impulsive, di...

A book about parenting, sort of… When you become a parent, inevitably, you’ll probably read about it. You’ll say you don’t care about these books, and you’ll be filled with fear that you’re somehow doing something wrong. The way I interpreted it, at least, this one basically tells you to “Get over it!” Shaping or Letting Them Flower? Its title might seem odd, but it’s actually a pretty interesting theory about two ways of being a parent and caring for your children. The Gardener The gardener is the person who cares for their flowers, provides the best they can, and lets them flourish.  They do the best they can, but there are many factors interfering with their garden. They know they can’t control everything and do not expect a precise result or outcome at the end of their task. The Carpenter The  carpenter  is the new parenting model that most parents try to adopt when caring for their children, and Gopnik compares it to a carpenter who selects ...