Mani S.

truly a waste of time

Revisado: 07-09-23

confused in its genre, theme and character, here's the definition of I got it for free but I still want my credit back

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a very delicate play on expectations

Revisado: 11-02-22

in the future, there will be technology where interactive story experiences like this and the one shown in Ben Winter's Self-Help will be possible. but this story doesn't show the gap in the technology. instead it uses that gap to create an interesting new voice of sentient narration and authorial self reflexivity. quite enjoyed this.

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racist review bombers

Revisado: 10-26-22

not every day do I choose to take a stand against racists. but today, I'm gonna. so pasting this review here to counter the racists.
irony is when you notice that people who criticise show are exactly the people who are identified as problematic in this play. there are many kinds of racists. some hate people who are different than themselves. but there is another kind of racism, from people who claim that they're not racist, but do not want the racist actions of their ancestors to be mentioned. these are the historical revisionists who protest that people who bring up the past shouldn't because it makes the feel bad about who they are. perhaps it is important that they learn that feeling bad is important. they need to learn where their privilege comes from. you don't have to like this drama. but if you're review bombing this just because it makes you uncomfortable, you've made it clear why we need more works like this.

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review bombing racists

Revisado: 10-26-22

reposting this comment so there's some balance to all the silly review bombing.
irony is when you notice that people who criticise show are exactly the people who are identified as problematic in this play. there are many kinds of racists. some hate people who are different than themselves. but there is another kind of racism, from people who claim that they're not racist, but do not want the racist actions of their ancestors to be mentioned. these are the historical revisionists who protest that people who bring up the past shouldn't because it makes the feel bad about who they are. perhaps it is important that they learn that feeling bad is important. they need to learn where their privilege comes from. you don't have to like this drama. but if you're review bombing this just because it makes you uncomfortable, you've made it clear why we need more works like this.

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racist review bombing

Revisado: 10-26-22

irony is when you notice that people who criticise show are exactly the people who are identified as problematic in this play. there are many kinds of racists. some hate people who are different than themselves. but there is another kind of racism, from people who claim that they're not racist, but do not want the racist actions of their ancestors to be mentioned. these are the historical revisionists who protest that people who bring up the past shouldn't because it makes the feel bad about who they are. perhaps it is important that they learn that feeling bad is important. they need to learn where their privilege comes from. you don't have to like this drama. but if you're review bombing this just because it makes you uncomfortable, you've made it clear why we need more works like this.

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esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

mixed bag. some good. some very biased and weak

Revisado: 10-22-22

this is basically five courses each consisting 12 lectures. the last sets about American and some parts of the Asian lectures did a good job by going beyond just retelling the stories. others were problematic, as they reek of orientalism. Uneven as the first two professors tell the stories and tries to find themes.

First prof takes to many knowing pauses that condescend.. like "it is always a man.." without contextualising or exploring why it is important. Worst offence is looking at other religious contexts as myth without turning the same eye on themselves. Christian mythology is completely ignored, as if it is not myth, implying it as the truth.

a grating aspect in the discussion of Hindu mythology spent a good chunk of time of only 2 lectures discussing how Hindu beliefs are creating trouble in contemporary cultural context. While not untrue, this isn't the space to discuss it, unless the course is titled socio political implications of world religions. why is there no comparable exploration of how religious fervor caused the crusades or the conflict between catholic and protestant mythologies? isn't it funny how Indian revivalism of Hindu mythology is concerning, while American Christian extremism or the conflict in Israel isn't? I'm not saying that every mythology course should be political or apolitical. but it is important to be fair and apply the same approach to all aspects of the field.

Even prof Voth, who is usually quite engaging and objective makes awkward assertions like, a medicine pole is an object of religious significance similar to those collected by people in the 16th century. As if contemporary crucifixes are decorative toys. This implicit and explicit bias of western professors digressing that their religion is real and the others are just myths is infuriating.

There seems to be a free hand given to professors, and instead of a rigorous exploration of the topic that you find in the great courses on scientific topics, you end up getting a broad and generic discussion of whatever the professor likes.

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generally enjoyable, but with one glaring flaw

Revisado: 10-20-22

can't believe I'm leaving a negative review for a lecturer whose other courses I've enjoyed a lot.

I understand the any lecture is just one person's argument about a text. Even if it is a contentious one, as long as there is substantial engagement with the actual details to develop the idea. In this, Prof Greenberg doesn't disappoint. This isn't my first set of lectures by him and I'm used to his energetic and sometimes over the top approach. However, there's always a possibility that the musicologist reads their own opinion into the text without actual proof. Prof Greenberg is guilty of using generous hyperbole to make something seem obvious even when it is just his view. This too I can ignore as rhetorical force.

I've enjoyed his impassioned approach, but there were a few jarring moments which took me out of the lectures quite forcefully. His knowledge of midsummer nights dream is questionable. He mistakes characters names and obscures the basic tension in the plot by misnamingand confusing helena as hermia. He uses exasperated tone to gloss over his ignorance. I found it egregious as it directly impedes the flow of the argument he is making.

The worst offender, however, was
Timothy Bottom. This shows lack of basic research. A Google search suggests that he has only watched the movie and is confusing the actor Timothy Spall with the character Nick Bottom. This isn't excusable for both the prof and the great courses company.
Perhaps my criticism is too much. He's after all, a musicologist and not a literature professor. But if he is going to speak so assertively, he needs to know how verify his info with a basic Google search. Ultimately, the title professor comes with some responsibility. People who listen to him aren't always scholars who scrutinise every sentence with a critical eye and cross references. Often these are people trying to expand their knowledge willingly on their own free time. They don't deserve their intelligence insulted with misinformation. I'm particularly thrown by the fact that the misinformation isn't even deliberate, but a result of the research team not being bothered to check facts.

having said all this, this set of lectures did introduce me to some great concert works and taught me to appreciate them by being attentive to the details.

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excellent and informative

Revisado: 09-13-22

one of the best great courses I've ever heard and I've done a few of them. funny and informative, this is an excellent course that offers insights into some of the peculiarities of language. of course, the only shortcoming is that there's not more of it. wish I can keep this one for myself, as I heard it on the plus catalogue.

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got it for free but still want my credit back

Revisado: 09-11-22

I normally don't leave negative reviews. and I don't mind the odd pulp fiction where something enjoyable is utterly implausible. but this book takes the cake, it reads as if the author deliberately set out to write the most illogical and contemptible characters. and in that regard, she has succeeded. this book is trash and it pretends not to know it. the fact that it has a huge audience to be a best seller makes a little sad.

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esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

educational and actionable

Revisado: 08-04-22

these works by Dr macmillan are really fun and useful. I liked that they show a long view of what it means to embrace a healthy diet. highly recommended

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