Religious architecture evolved to banish dark spaces, like the Abbey of St Denis and the towering, many-windowed mosques of Mimar Sinan
PERHAPS THE world seems a dark place at the moment. You might say that some societies are stuck in the Dark Ages. You can procure all sorts of illegal things on the dark web, or visit landmarks associated with death and suffering as part of the dark-tourism industry. You might know a dark horse—someone who keeps you in the dark about their skills and interests. In the Anglophone world, darkness has several symbolic meanings, few of them positive.
Darkness makes it hard to see clearly, and so it has become bound up with ignorance. In his “Allegory of the Cave”—which imagines people who have been imprisoned in a cave since they were children and who believe shadows on the wall to be real objects—Plato stated that he sought to “compare the effect of education and the lack of it on our nature”. Those who are rational and well-informed are considered “enlightened”, and the word was adopted for the intellectual movement of the 18th century.
Darkness has played an important creative role. When Japan rapidly industrialised in the 1930s, bringing electric power to 90% of its population, Junichiro Tanizaki, a writer, lamented that it had made much in the country ugly. Under the harsh glare of a light-bulb, Noh opera became a ridiculous clown act, traditional black lacquerware appeared tasteless and interiors became “a mere void”, empty of the shapes and shades of shadow.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
MLB's Dave Stewart Says A's Can Take Astros If They Beat Rays, Watch Out!Dave Stewart says the 'Stros better be rooting for the Rays tonight!!!
Read more »
Cover Story: Joaquin Phoenix on Joker, Rooney, and RiverCalm amidst the controversy surrounding his new movie, The Joker, talks about his complicated journey, why it doesn’t define him, and how he’s finally learned to leave the darkness on the set.
Read more »
Darkness on the Edge of Cougartown“It’s considered an older man’s right to date younger women and also just an inevitable result of biology. But a woman who goes out with a man ten years younger would be described as having ‘scored’ or ‘gotten her hands on him’”
Read more »
Trends Shares Gauzy 'Branches' Video: Premiere'Stylistically it took on a very minimalist approach. We really like the muted colors in the sense it conveyed this darkness which I was definitely experiencing during the process of writing the lyrics to that song.'
Read more »