Why is Kevin a sadist with psychopathic tendencies?

 Probably, traditionally, like every year, you and your whole family will sit in front of the TV to watch the cult "Home Alone". I'm guessing that many of you admire the main character - after all, he is such a charming and, above all, brave hero. What if I told you that the same charming Kevin is also a sadist with psychopathic tendencies, and the two burglars known from the movie did not deserve such brutal treatment?

But let's start from the beginning. Kevin McCallister - this is the name of the main character of the film, is an 8-year-old boy who is accidentally left at home while his family goes to Paris for Christmas. In the second part of the boy's adventures, in the movie "Home Alone in New York", history seems to repeat itself. This time, our hero accidentally boards a plane flying to New York, instead of to Miami, where his family was supposed to spend Christmas.

In the first part of "Home Alone" we can look at the conditions in which our main character grows up. He belongs to a privileged family, which is visible both in the architecture of the family's huge and luxurious house and in the expectations of the burglars, who describe the McCallister house as the richest on the entire street.

And here comes the thought - the boy is not missing anything. Yes, but this is only an appearance. Even though Kevin grows up in a wealthy environment, he experiences a lack of adequate attention and understanding from his family. As we well know, luxury cannot replace the warm relationships with loved ones that Kevin misses. His emotional needs are neglected, which increases the feelings of loneliness and misunderstanding. Additionally, our hero must deal with difficulties resulting from his relationship with his brother. His lack of acceptance and sympathy makes Kevin vulnerable to an even greater sense of alienation.

These conditions, combining a privileged background with a lack of proper attention and emotional support, create an ideal environment for the development of sadistic and psychopathic tendencies. Kevin, despite superficial well-being, struggles with internal conflicts and lack of understanding, which leads to the development of qualities that should not be nurtured in a child.

At this point, it is worth touching on the definition of sadism and psychopathic tendencies to understand how closely they fit the sweet (seemingly) Kevin.

Sadism involves taking pleasure in watching others experience pain or discomfort. People with a sadistic personalities exhibit repetitive, cruel behavior and aggression. The amount of sadistic behavior of Kevin is downright terrifying - from scaring people, through shooting them, to burning them and setting traps. Now let's look at some of the most common psychopathic traits, combining them with examples from the movie.

The first feature is superficial charm. At first glance, nothing is disturbing in Kevin's smile - this optimism makes us feel good and automatically arouses positive emotions. However, this is only appearances - our hero certainly knows how to play a cute boy, as long as it brings certain benefits. However, under the guise of innocence, there is cunning towards intruders, and perhaps even manipulation towards us, the recipients. After all, he's such a charming and brave boy, isn't he?

The second feature of a psychopath is excessively high self-esteem. Kevin is an eight-year-old who thinks he can outsmart everyone. This awareness can be defended in the second part of the film, but there we can also notice that Kevin actually enjoys escaping from his captors. It is worth noting here that in one of the scenes, our hero recorded incriminating evidence about the criminals chasing him and could have reported them to the police at any time, but for some reason, he did not do so.

Another thing is the fact that Kevin felt great in the role of a 10-year-old tourist traveling through New York. It is worth remembering that the boy had the option of returning to his family - in the first situation it was enough to call the police, and in the second - to notify the airport staff that the boy was not on board the plane. Instead, our hero chose to wander around New York alone and waste his parents' money on a hotel and other pleasures.

The third feature is the constant need for stimulation. Stimulation is an activity that arouses interest and excitement. And we can conclude that Kevin deliberately puts himself in a dangerous situation to feel intense emotions. The boy may be deliberately exposing himself to danger to gain a reason to take revenge on his tormentors later. This is closely related to the concept of being a sadist. With each physical injury and insult he throws at the criminals Harry and Marv, the boy becomes happier and happier. The definition of sadism clearly states that sadistic people exhibit repeated aggressive and cruel behavior, which is exactly what Kevin does to Harry and Marv. Our hero loves the dominance he has over them and the fact that he causes them pain.

The fourth feature is pathological lying. In the movie "Home Alone" we can see that the boy's lies are much less serious. He lies to the cashier when he does his grocery shopping, and he lies to his parents when they ask him about what he did while they were away.

However, in the second part of Kevin's story, the boy committed full-blown credit card fraud, lying (or technically, withholding the truth) to the airport clerk, which resulted in him being left alone in New York at his own request. Then, he also concealed the truth from the staff of the hotel where he was staying and lied to the owner of one of the toy stores, Mr. Duncan. This leads us to a simple conclusion - Kevin's lies have evolved over time, becoming something like a pathological lie, i.e. one that is repeated extremely often.

When we combine Kevin's charm and the previously mentioned features, we get a very manipulative person. Why? The boy manipulates people into thinking that they are worse than him, e.g. less intelligent. Example? In the first part of "Kevin..." our hero is in a store and is shopping. He walks up to the counter, and when the cashier asks him about his mom, Kevin quickly turns the tables. He makes the salesman feel stupid for questioning an innocent-looking 8-year-old boy.

Another feature of our hero is manipulativeness. Kevin's adventures show us how quickly he can come up with a good lie that adults will be willing to believe. This is evidenced, for example, by Kevin's arrival at the Plaza Hotel. During check-in, he makes the receptionist feel confused by the story the boy told. His behavior shows that by making up stories on the spot and lying pathologically whenever the opportunity arises, he easily achieves his goals and gets what he wants. Therefore, it is not surprising that he easily manipulated the actions of burglars, who, moreover, were neither exceptionally intelligent nor clever.

The sixth characteristic is a lack of remorse and guilt. Here, in addition to the two thugs - Harry and Marv, there is a poor pizza delivery guy involved. You may wonder - why him? But this supplier is a 17 or 18-year-old kid who is probably going to school and working minimum wage trying to make ends meet. How did Kevin behave towards him? He left him an 80-cent tip and scared him with the sounds of gunshots. As a result, our supplier got into his car and drove away in panic. Who knows if he even made it back to work alive or if he was in a car accident. One thing is for sure. This boy was too traumatized to even report the incident to the police. And Kevin has no reflection on the fact that you shouldn't pretend to shoot people, especially in the United States.

Combining all 6 features, we have the perfect foundation to talk about Kevin not as a small and sweet boy, but as an absolutely cruel, unscrupulous young man who, moreover, is not adapted to life in society. Kevin is portrayed as a complex character, exhibiting manipulative traits, a lack of empathy and a tendency to cruelty, which suggests the presence of sadistic tendencies.

Let's also analyze Harry and Marv, two criminals, or more precisely, thieves, who in the first film call themselves the Wet Bandits, and in the second film they call themselves the Sticky Bandits. Harry and Marv decided to rob the houses on Kevin's street, including the property of the boy and his family. In fact, this house was their most important prize. However, their goal was not achieved because they were sent to prison. And this was right after they had suffered advanced injuries that no human could survive. The same thing happened in the second movie. When Harry and Marv tried to rob Duncan's toy chest, they were beaten and then arrested. They got what they deserved, right? Well, not really.

When considering the morality of Kevin's actions against criminals, we draw attention to the fact that although they are villains, Kevin's self-defense calls into question the limits of the acceptability of self-defense. Even though Harry and Marv's goal was to commit a crime, Kevin resorts to extreme measures, including numerous traps that seriously injure them. In the context of ethics and morality, one may ask whether such behavior is proportionate to the act. If you catch someone committing a crime, can you afford to torture them before the police arrive?

Kevin not only stops thieves from stealing, but also deals damage to them that may exceed the limits of self-defense. Even though the Wet Bandits suffer the consequences of their actions, the question arises whether Kevin transgressed certain moral standards by torturing the perpetrators rather than doing anything else that would be far short of abusing them. There is also the issue of justice and whether lynching can be considered equivalent to real social justice. Although Harry and Marv face deserved consequences, Kevin's methods lead to reflection on the ethical aspects of his actions. Defending property or safety is understandable, but when we cross boundaries that ruin someone's health or life, the question arises about the moral justification of such actions.

Moreover, there is a risk that this type of lynching may set a dangerous precedent, where individuals decide to punish others outside the legal system. And here the question arises - whether justice should be provided only by authorized institutions or individuals.

Kevin is a spoiled child who lives in the richest house on his street - he likes to get angry, he is selfish and thinks that the world revolves around him. Let's go back to the beginning of "Home Alone." When the boy wakes up, it does not occur to him that his family has abandoned him, but that they evaporated and his greatest wish has come true. What does he do in such an unpleasant situation for a small child? Does he cry or maybe feel negative emotions? Well, no. He celebrates freedom and the fact that he can use the comforts of home as much as he wants.

The boy believes that he has magical power thanks to which he eliminated the existence of his family. And of course you can understand that someone said in anger and nerves that he wanted his family to disappear. But Kevin, after regaining his composure, is still glad that he finally got rid of his loved ones. After arguments, people usually do not want bad things for the other person, because without these extreme emotions we look at the world more objectively and we do not want our loved ones to disappear. Kevin, on the other hand, wants his family to be gone, even though he looks at the matter coldly and distantly.

It's downright terrifying when we, the audience, are left alone with Kevin. The hero then looks into the camera, looking us straight in the eye and sending a signal that we are now in his world after he eliminated his parents. Kevin is very aware of the consequences of his own actions. He knows that he has, in a sense, caused the disappearance of his own family and does not want to face the consequences for his own actions. So what does he do to avoid taking responsibility for the disappearance of 11 people? He pretends to be a noisy party so that no one will suspect that no adult is home. These artificial people are actually meant to show how Kevin views others, and Harry and Marv are a metaphor for Kevin's guilt. We, from our viewer's perspective, know that they are thieves, but Kevin does not know this, he interprets them as people who have come to draw consequences for what he did, that is, for the disappearance of his entire family.

Kevin, remembering one of the criminals as a Policeman, has no problem torturing him. This is one of the reasons why the boy did not call the police, because from his perspective he was the one who tortured the Policeman. So in the scene where the boy runs away from the thieves' car, he is not actually running away from them, but from the specter of punishment that he is afraid to accept.

If our hero did not have sadistic traits, his behavior in the situations presented in the movie "Home Alone" would probably be more empathetic and based on healthy interpersonal relationships.

Under normal circumstances, a child who is provided with emotional support and understanding from the family behaves in a completely different way. In a threatening situation, such as sudden and unplanned loneliness, the child's reactions would be directed towards seeking help and safety, rather than using traps or inflicting physical harm.

The lack of sadistic traits means in practice that the child would be more willing to resolve conflicts peacefully and cooperate with others rather than manipulate or torture. Finally, such a child would likely demonstrate greater awareness of the consequences of his or her actions.

And someone will probably say that he is just a child and has the right to unusual behavior. However, we must remember that every cruel adult murderer or criminal sends certain signals during adolescence to which society must respond. For example, when a child abuses animals, it is an appropriate signal to react, because this trait will germinate and in a few years it may be transferred to people. Downplaying such behavior with the phrase "he's just a child" is extremely irresponsible. If a person (regardless of age) takes pleasure in causing suffering to others, it is worth reacting before it is too late. If a child is a pathological liar, this trait will also develop in adulthood.

I encourage you to examine Kevin's story for yourself. Consider whether this analysis is not quite accurate and people are fooled by his sweet face, when in fact under this mask there is a sadist with psychopathic tendencies.

A new major volcanic eruption is underway in Iceland

 In Iceland, there was a powerful volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula, in the southwest of the country. The eruption, which began around 22:17 GMT on Monday, produced spectacular images of orange lava rising into the night sky, surrounded by rising red smoke. The Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) said the eruption occurred about 4 km from the city of Grindavik.

The eruption opened a 4 km fissure from which fountains of lava were ejected. At its southernmost point, the rupture was 3 km from Grindavik, the nearest fishing town, where nearly 4,000 residents had been evacuated a month earlier for fear of an imminent eruption after thousands of small earthquakes shook the region.

The eruption released 100 to 200 cubic meters of lava per second, several times more than previous eruptions in the region. Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson, a scientist who flew over the eruption site with the coast guard, estimates that twice as much lava has already been released than during the month-long eruption on the peninsula this summer​​.

Gudmundsson said he expects the intensity of the eruption to gradually decrease, but scientists are not sure how long it will last. "It may end within a week, but it may last much longer," he said.

Police raised the alert level and civil defense authorities warned residents and tourists not to approach the eruption area. "This is not a tourist attraction and should be observed from a distance," said Vidir Reynisson, head of Iceland's Civil Protection and Emergency Management​​.

The Reykjanes Peninsula is a volcanic and seismic hotspot in southwest Iceland, close to the capital, Reykjavik. The region is known for its volcanic activity, being part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a crack in the ocean floor that separates the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates​​.

Christmas blog...? So many thouthgs for and of a year...

 Unexplained sheep massacres in Peru - locals suspect chupacabra.

At the end of August 2023, in the rural landscape of the Chincheros province in Peru's Ocobamba district, a blood-curdling event took place that surprised both residents and authorities. This incident, involving the brutal killing of 33 sheep, has sparked a wave of speculation, fear and interest among locals and beyond.

The discovery was as macabre as it was mysterious. Two farmers woke up to find their sheep dead, each with a deep, inexplicable hole in their head. The lambs were also found missing their eyes, adding a layer of horror to an already gruesome scene

As the news spread, theories began to circulate among residents. Many pointed to the mythical Chupacabra, a folklore creature known for allegedly hunting farm animals. The name Chupacabra, which translates as 'ibex mammal', seemed to resonate with the way the sheep were found: missing their eyes and, shockingly, their brains.

Authorities, trying to provide a rational explanation, proposed that a puma may have been responsible for the attacks. This theory, although plausible due to the presence of such wild fauna in the region, did not fully convince the local population. The nature of the damage - particularly the precise removal of organs - seemed to be beyond the capabilities of the known fauna in the area.

The incident opened a broader dialogue about the intersection of myth, mystery and reality in rural communities. For centuries, stories about creatures like the Chupacabra have permeated the folklore of many cultures, serving as explanations for the inexplicable deaths of farm animals. But in these modern times, where science and logic dominate, such events challenge our understanding of the natural world.

This case also highlights the delicate relationship between rural communities and their natural environments. Wildlife predation is a common threat to farm animals, but events of this bizarre nature are far from ordinary. This raises questions about potential new, unknown threats - whether from undiscovered species, changing animal behavior, or something completely unexplained.

While the investigation continues, the Ocobamba mystery remains unsolved. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the mysteries that still exist in our world, often lurking just beyond sight, in the shadows of folklore and beyond the reach of modern understanding.

Deja vu - the mystery of the mind or memory error

Deja vu, a French term meaning "already seen," has long intrigued people around the world. It is a phenomenon when we think that we have already experienced a given moment, although logically speaking this is impossible. Since the end of the 19th century, scientists have been exploring this mystery, proposing various theories, ranging from mental dysfunctions to errors in the functioning of human memory.

In the early 21st century, scientist Alan Brown decided to collect and analyze existing research on deja vu. His review revealed primarily the paranormal trend that dominates literature, but Brown also found research describing deja vu experiences among ordinary people. Key conclusions regarding this phenomenon emerged from these analyses.

It turns out that about two-thirds of people experience deja vu at some point in their lives. They are usually triggered by a specific scene or place, or a conversation. A possible association of deja vu with certain types of epileptic seizures in the brain has also been reported in the medical literature.

Brown's research introduced deja vu into the scientific mainstream, inspiring scientists to conduct experiments to explore the mechanisms of the phenomenon. His work became an impulse for further research, also in my research group. We focused on the Gestalt dating hypothesis, which suggests that déjà vu can occur when a current scene spatially resembles one you no longer remember.

Our experiments used virtual reality to manipulate scenes and observe participants' reactions. As predicted, deja vu occurred more often when people were in a scene with a similar spatial arrangement to one they had previously seen but had no memory of. These results suggest that one of the factors of deja vu may be the spatial similarity of the new scene to the one stored in memory.

However, spatial similarity is not the only possible cause of deja vu. Current research points to many other potential factors. Intensive research is underway to discover other mechanisms of this mysterious phenomenon. Deja vu remains one of the greatest mysteries of the human mind, fascinating both scientists and ordinary people.

This phenomenon, although seemingly elusive, sheds light on the complexity of the human psyche and the workings of memory. The study of deja vu is not only about searching for answers to the question about its nature, but also a deeper exploration of the secrets of the human mind and the ways in which we receive and process information from our surroundings. The question still remains: is deja vu just an error in our memory, or perhaps the key to understanding deeper aspects of human consciousness? Research is still ongoing and the mystery of deja vu is still waiting to be solved.

Secrets of the Sibyl of Kumae, her prophecies and legend

The Sibyl of Cumae, also known as the Cuman Sibyl, was a priestess who presided over the Apollonian oracle at Cumae, a Greek colony near modern-day Naples. The word "sybyl", derived from the Greek "sibylla", means prophetess. The Sibyl of Cumae was one of the most significant figures in the legends of early Rome, which was recorded in book VI of Virgil's "Aeneid". Her importance is also evidenced by the fact that she was the most famous sibyl among the Romans, surpassing other famous sibyls such as the Sibyl of Erythraia or Dodona.

Cumae, located about 12 miles west of Naples, was probably the oldest Greek mainland colony in the western part of the world. Founded around 750 B.C. by the Greeks of Chalcis, Cumae took over the most fertile parts of the Campanian plain. After the Roman conquest in 338 BC, Cumae became a peaceful rural town, and in 1205 it was destroyed. Remains of fortifications and graves from various periods of the city's history were found on the acropolis hill and in other places.

The Sibyl of Kumae is known for predicting the future by "singing the fates" and writing on oak leaves. These leaves were placed at the entrance to her cave, and if the wind scattered them, the Sibyl did not help re-arrange them, making it impossible to recreate the original prophecy. It is also known for the story of the sale of the Sibylline Books to King Tarquinius Superbus, the semi-legendary last king of the Roman Kingdom. After the king refused to buy the books due to their exorbitant price, Sibyl burned three of them and then offered the remaining six again for the same price. When the king refused again, she burned three more books and sold the rest.

The sibyl also acted as a guide to the underworld (Hades), the entrance of which was located near the Avernus crater. She was Aeneas' guide in his descent into the underworld to visit the spirit of his dead father, Anchises. She warned him that this was not an easy journey. Even though she was mortal, Sibyl lived for about a thousand years. She gained this longevity when Apollo offered to grant her a wish in exchange for her virginity; she grabbed a handful of sand and asked for life to be as long as the number of grains of sand she held. Later, after rejecting the god's love, he allowed her body to wither because she did not ask for eternal youth.

In 1932, Amedeo Maiuri discovered a cave known as "Antro della Sibilla", the identification of which he based on Virgil's description in Book 6 of the Aeneid and on the description of an anonymous author known as pseudo-Justin. The cave is a trapezoidal corridor over 131 meters long, carved out of the volcanic tuff rocks, leading to the innermost chamber where the Sibyl was believed to have made prophecies.

The figure of the Sibyl of Cumae and her cave at Cumae are fascinating elements of ancient Greek and Roman history, combining mythology with history. Their mystery remains unsolved, and the legends still arouse the interest of researchers and history enthusiasts. This story not only sheds light on ancient divination practices, but is also an important part of the region's cultural heritage.

​The mystery of the Estonian town of Merivälja where a UFO buried in the ground was found

In picturesque Estonia, near Tallinn, there is one of the most mysterious places in the world that has fascinated ufologists and scientists for years. Merivälja, a seemingly quiet town, hides a secret that has intrigued the intelligence services of three countries. The story began in the 1960s, when a car mechanic, Virgo Mitt, while digging a well, came across a metal object with a smooth silver-gray surface. Despite his best efforts, he was unable to dig it out or avoid it.

Preserving fragments of an unknown metal resembling aluminum, Mitt was unaware of the consequences of his discovery. Soon, unusual phenomena began to happen in his house - knocking at night, moving furniture and books. Mitt's friend, a physicist, became interested in a fragment of metal that, as it turned out, contained almost 40 elements that did not occur together in nature.

In 1969, a mysterious fragment came into the hands of scientist Herbert Wiiding, which brought further unexpected surprises, including cases of electric shock when touched. Wiiding conducted experiments in which over 300 people participated, and their reactions to metal varied - from shocks, through slight vibrations, to burns.

In the 1970s and 1980s, a sample of "object M", as the metal fragment was called, was tested at various institutes in the USSR, but the results of these tests were kept secret. Then "the most mysterious man in Estonia" - Ennu Parve - got involved in the case and handed over the fragments for examination in several institutes.

The famous Estonian ufologist Igor Volke was a direct participant in these events. These studies were carried out with a huge amount of effort and resources, including the use of excavators and specialized equipment. It was noticed that strange knocking was heard in Mitt's house, and at night a green glow emanated from the hole he had dug.

Attempts to reach the object ended in disturbing incidents, including the loss of consciousness by the researchers. In 1984, a layer of pyrite was discovered, leading to the theory that it created the magnetic anomaly. However, the work was suspended.

In 1989, after Wiiding's death, a safe with all documents related to "Object M" disappeared from his office. The death of the discoverer of "Object M", Virgo Mitt, was also mysterious and unexplained.

These events have given rise to many theories, including that "Object M" is a multi-purpose ship from Sirius, a spacecraft beacon, a science laboratory, and something more. Some say it is an alien probe intended to correct the Earth's psi field.

In 1991, an expedition from Japan arrived in Merivälja, but their work was interrupted by the Estonian government. Many questions remain unanswered, and the mystery of Merivälj continues to intrigue both scientists and UFO enthusiasts.

Today, Merivälja is a prestigious suburb of Tallinn, and Mitt's house is visited by tourists and researchers. However, the mystery of this place remains unsolved, and many people still wonder what really hides underground in this mysterious Estonian town.

People often feel like someone is watching them

Have you ever felt like you were being watched? This universal experience, confirmed by science, seems to be common to most of us. Surveys in the UK, US and Scandinavia found that over 80% of women and almost three quarters of men have experienced the feeling of being watched.

Various studies indicate that this feeling can be reproduced in laboratory conditions. Professional observers, such as private detectives and paparazzi, confirm the reality of this phenomenon. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, described this feeling in literature. William Carter, who commanded a Gurkha patrol during an anti-terrorist operation, also recalled a personal experience where the feeling of being watched saved his life.

Scientists are unable to clearly explain this phenomenon, often dismissing it as superstition. However, it deserves serious research, as it may reveal the secrets of our brain. “Direct gaze” experiments since the 1980s show that people are correct about 55% of the time, which is better than random guesses. The results of these studies have also been published in scientific journals.

The basic question is: how is this possible? How does our brain detect that we are being watched? One hypothesis suggests that our skin acts as a sensor. However, this seems inappropriate because the feeling of being watched does not depend on areas of bare skin.

Another hypothesis is that the weak electromagnetic field around our body captures gazes. Our bodies, especially the brain, produce electricity that can be recorded by EEG electrodes. It's possible that our electromagnetic field registers a disturbance when someone looks at us.

Another theory suggests that vision is a passive process and that light reflecting off objects is interpreted by our brain. However, some scientists propose the "extramission" theory, suggesting that vision may be external in nature. This theory seems more intuitive, suggesting that we see the world not only inside our brain, but also outside. This could explain how we can sense other people's gazes.

Regardless of the theory, the phenomenon of being watched remains a fascinating mystery that combines elements of psychology, biology and neuroscience. Despite advances in research, this mystery still remains unsolved, sparking the curiosity of scientists and laypeople around the world.

The little-known story of the Christmas tree

 The Christmas tree is one of the most important holiday symbols. This is a decorated coniferous tree that can be either natural or artificial for Christmas. In the past, the tree was associated with pre-Christian folk tradition, the cult of the evergreen tree, and a symbol of a new beginning. What is the real story of the Christmas tree? Check out the most interesting information on this topic.

Before the Christmas tree became a symbol of the holidays, tree branches were used to decorate homes in ancient times. In Egypt, during the winter solstice, houses are filled with the leaves of green date palms - the ancient Egyptians treated them as a victory over death. On the occasion of the solstice, the Romans decorated their houses with laurel and ivy, and the Celts with holly branches. Therefore, it can be said that the custom of decorating houses with plants that were assigned various symbolisms has been known since ancient times.

Norse mythology also mentions a giant tree, Yggdrasil, which was important to the Vikings. It was supposed to mark the axis of the world and the beginning of its creation. At the same time, the Vikings also believed that the tree connected heaven and earth. It is worth adding that in Scandinavia, the ash tree is still considered Yggdrasil, whose branches can supposedly cover the entire universe and are still a symbol of a new beginning. The pagan Saxons, unlike the Vikings, believed in the Irminsul oak - for them it was a connection between earth and sky.

It is worth adding that the Christmas tree is also associated with the legend of Saint Boniface, who was a missionary - he converted pagan Germans (in Germany). He was supposed to one day cut down Thor's oak, considered sacred by pagans. After the oak was cut down, it fell on nearby bushes and destroyed everything except a small fir tree. The missionary then stated that the tree was more powerful than the oak and was a symbol of eternal life. He also said that this fir tree reflects the immortal Jesus Christ. It's hard to say how much truth there is in this story - after all, it's just a legend. However, it is known that the Christmas tree motif returned at the beginning of the 15th century.

At the beginning of the 15th century, members of the Brotherhood of Journeyman Bakers in Switzerland placed a Christmas tree in the hospital of St. Spirit in Freiburg. However, they did not put just a tree there - they decorated it with fruit, colorful wafers and gingerbread. The oldest records of decorating a tree for Christmas come from Alsace, which is located on the border of today's France and Germany. It was there that conifers were first mentioned and decorated for Christmas with paper decorations, nuts and apples. Mentions of such customs come from 15th and 16th century church sermons. At that time, Christians criticized the custom of decorating the Christmas tree, considering it pagan and reprehensible.

Even though the church was unfavorable to the custom of decorating the tree for Christmas, people loved decorating coniferous trees for the holidays. Even Martin Luther, the famous German religious reformer, was a supporter of decorating a Christmas tree on Christmas. Christmas trees became famous among Protestants in Germany, as evidenced by a painting by Luke Cranach the Elder from 1509. There is a Christmas tree decorated with candles, presented as an immortal tree and a symbol of reborn life. The Christian Church, seeing the enormous interest in the Christmas tree, slowly began to "take over" the Christmas tree and incorporate it into religion. However, he gave it his own symbolism - just like the decorations that appeared on the tree.

Candles on the Christmas tree have become a symbol of light, and therefore of Jesus Christ. The light coming from the Christmas tree was also supposed to stop evil spirits. Fortunately, today, instead of candles that are dangerous to the tree, we hang Christmas lights on it. There were also handmade decorations made of straw and paper hanging on the Christmas trees, such as the famous paper chain. There were also cookies, dried fruit and bells - the latter were supposed to symbolize good news and happiness. At the top of the Christmas tree there was a star of Bethlehem, which is still considered a sign of the birth of Jesus Christ.

​The first bauble was produced in 1847. It was invented by Hans Greiner, who blew a bauble out of thin glass. Greiner had no money to buy Christmas decorations. The man worked at the Lauscha glassworks in Germany, where he was motivated to create his own Christmas decoration. He thought for a long time about what to decorate the Christmas tree with. Taking advantage of the benefits of his job, he blew a round bauble made of thin glass, then took it home and decorated the Christmas tree.

Hans Greiner admitted that the bauble looks really beautiful on the Christmas tree. With his superior's consent, he started making more and more of them at the steelworks. This is how Greiner began mass production of baubles. Other people really liked the idea of decorating the Christmas tree with them for the holidays. Thanks to the fact that the steelworks started producing baubles invented by Hans Greiner, it was saved from bankruptcy. The steelworks began to earn huge amounts of money from the sale of baubles. Over time, many family craft workshops were opened around the world, recognizing the potential in the production of baubles, producing Christmas tree decorations.

Decorating the Christmas tree became popular in France and England, and then the custom was also adopted by the inhabitants of Southern Europe. Decorating the Christmas tree in the 19th century also gained popularity in the United States, mainly thanks to German immigrants. At first, the people of America turned up their noses at the tradition of decorating conifers, considering it a strange idea. However, when beautiful Christmas decorations arrived in the United States from Germany in the 1890s, trees suddenly began to appear in all homes. Americans passionately decorated their Christmas trees, over time also adding electric lights, which allowed the tree to glow for many days.

The most famous Christmas tree in America is the one in New York, specifically the one that stands every year in the Rockefeller Center. Workers from New York were the first to decorate a Christmas tree there in 1931 - they placed a huge tree on the square and then decorated it with cranberries and handmade chains. Two years later, another tree was erected there, but with lights. Since then, the Christmas tree stands in the Rockefeller Center every year, uniting people who gather around it. The American Christmas tree in New York is considered the most famous Christmas tree in the world.

In Poland, the custom of decorating conifers for Christmas was started by German Protestants, who brought the tradition of decorating the tree to Poland between the 18th and 19th centuries. At first, Poles were reluctant to decorate the Christmas tree, but this custom spread from year to year literally everywhere. The first in Poland to decorate Christmas trees were aristocrats, then the nobility, and later city dwellers. In the interwar period, Christmas trees appeared in Polish villages. Decorating the Christmas tree has replaced the old decoration and decoration - the decorated tip of a conifer above the ceiling and a sheaf of wheat and rye, which was placed on the Bounty Day in the corner of the room, ears up.

Over time, in Poland, every Christmas Eve, children hung straw chains, apples, chocolates and cookies on spruce, fir or other conifer branches. Nuts and paper decorations made by children often landed on the tree. Paper chains were also particularly important, as they symbolized - according to folk tradition - strengthening family ties and protection against evil powers. Today, handmade decorations are a thing of the past. Most people choose ready-made decorations, which can be purchased in most supermarkets every year. It's a pity that the tradition of decorating the Christmas tree has changed so much. What is important, however, is that we still decorate the tree for Christmas and we often have as much fun with it as we did when we were children.

Who really is Santa Claus in pop culture?

 Santa Claus is known in pop culture as an elderly man with a white beard and a red costume. Most legends about Christmas support the version that St. Santa Claus distributes gifts to children in a large sleigh pulled by reindeer. According to many fairy tales, Santa Claus lives at the North Pole or in Lapland, and Elves help him wrap presents. Who really is Santa Claus? How has his image developed over the centuries? Check out the story of the most famous Christmas character in pop culture.

The prototype of the figure of Santa Claus, who gives gifts to children, is Bishop Nicholas of Myra. Most legends revolved around his figure, including: about how the bishop gave away all his wealth to the poor. In the Middle Ages, due to his honor and goodness, Nicholas began to be considered the patron saint of children. He was usually depicted as an old man with a long gray beard who held a bag full of gifts in his hand. On December 6 (the anniversary of the death of Bishop Nicholas), according to 12th-century records from France, nuns dressed as Nicholas delivered gifts to children from poor families. In Polish sources, the cult of giving gifts was first documented in the 15th century. In many countries, Santa Claus delivers gifts on December 6 to celebrate Saint Nicholas Day. In others, his character hands out gifts on December 24, Christmas Eve, or December 25, Christmas Day - of course, only to children who have been good. What do naughty little ones get? Well, a warning in the form of... a long rod.

It is worth knowing that initially Santa Claus was not associated with the northern part of the globe. For the inhabitants of medieval Holland, Sinterklaas, or the local Santa Claus, arrived by ship from warm waters together with his helper Zwarte Piet. The two of them delivered gifts to the children together. Of course, today most people associate Santa Claus with sleighs, snow and Lapland, and not with sailing on the seas, but the Dutch version of Santa Claus talks about just such an exotic character - it was one of the first versions of the children's Christmas hero. Interestingly, Sinterklaas still arouses many emotions in the Netherlands. Children are very anxious about his arrival, which often results in stress-like symptoms. Parents sometimes scare naughty children that Sinterklaas will take them to Spain in a bag, which instills great fear in them. The problem of children's stress related to celebrating Sinterklaas Day is widely commented on in the media - not necessarily in a positive context.

In 1823, Clement Clarke Moore wrote a poem titled "Christmas Eve", in which the character of Santa Claus is described exactly as we associate him with today. Santa Claus would come to children on Christmas Day from the North Pole, carrying a huge sack of gifts. He moved in a sleigh pulled by reindeer. The image of Saint Nicholas was also popularized by Thomas Nast in his illustration published in Harper's Weekly (January 1, 1881). It was in this illustration that Nicholas put on an elven hat, not a bishop's miter, for the first time.

In our country, Santa Claus and his elves are not the only ones responsible for handing out gifts on Christmas. In almost every corner of Poland, Christmas gifts are brought by... someone else. The history of Santa Claus in our country became confused after World War II, mainly due to the Great Migration of the People and cultural divisions in the three partitions. In Poland, we have many names for Nicholas and even more traditions related to this figure.

In Lower Silesia, it is customary that Christmas presents gifts on Christmas Day. In Upper Silesia, the Child is responsible for this. In Małopolska and Cieszyn Silesia, gifts are left under the Christmas tree by little angels, and in the Tarnogród Plateau, it is done by dwarves. In Kujawy, Western Pomerania, Kashubia, Pałuki and Greater Poland, Gwiazdor gives gifts to children on Christmas Day. So when does Santa Claus appear? Well, on December 6, good children in Poland also receive gifts.

The figure of Santa Claus has always been controversial. Some identify him with Father Frost (Russia), others with Sinterklaas (Netherlands), and still others with the Three Kings (Spain). What is worth knowing about Santa Claus? Here are some interesting facts about this character.

Santa Claus has 31 hours to deliver gifts to all children. Where does this number come from? Why isn't there 24 hours to hand out gifts? Well, it's all due to... differences in time zones.

Santa Claus is referred to in many different ways around the world. In China it is called Shengdan Laoren, in Japan Santa Kurosu, and in Hawaii Kanakaloka.

The famous red-nosed Rudolph is a marketing gimmick! It was invented in 1939 for the needs of the Montgomery Ward department store chain. Despite everything, the reindeer, Santa's famous helper, has become very popular in pop culture.

The song "Jingle Bells" is associated with Santa Claus and is probably most associated with Santa's sleigh. Interestingly, it was composed in 1857 as a Thanksgiving piece in a Boston Sunday school. For unclear reasons, the song became popular in America and later around the world.

According to one legend, a man was once very poor, so he decided to sell his three daughters to a brothel. Saint Nicholas – or then Nicholas of Myra – found out about it. In the evening, he threw three purses of money down the chimney to the stranger, which fell into the shoes and stockings his daughters had left to dry. This is where the custom of hanging socks and shoes on the fireplace for Santa Claus to fill them with gifts comes from.

The famous Santa Claus outfit, i.e. the red costume and hat, became popular in the 1930s. All thanks to the Coca-Cola advertisement created by Fres Mizen. It is in this advertisement that St. Nicholas appeared for the first time in a red coat and headdress. This advertisement cemented the image of Santa Claus in the public consciousness. The hat with a white pompon that Santa Claus wore is the most characteristic element of his outfit. It has also become one of the most popular Christmas symbols.

Image of Saint Nowadays, Santa Claus is used for commercial purposes. It is used by traders all over the world. The figure of Santa Claus appears in stores and on television already in November, staying there until the New Year. Santa Claus is most often depicted as an elderly man with a long white beard, a red suit, and a sleigh pulled by reindeer - of course accompanied by Elves.

How do clothing companies exploit workers?

 Perhaps you are among people who love chain stores such as H&M or Zara. What if I told you that these clothes were made by modern-day slaves?

You probably know Mr. Seb as an exploiter of workers. This meme illustrates the situation of some Poles in the labor market, where the employee's boundaries, health, and time devoted to work are not respected.

Today, however, we will discuss the foreign, not Polish, reality of an extremely prosperous business such as the fashion industry. We will look at how chain stores, which you may often pass on your way to school or work, exploit their employees (paying them pennies on wages) and, at the same time, do not respect the natural environment.

In the film "Shopaholic", the main character (played by Isla Fischer) gets into big financial problems due to her shopaholism. A woman cannot ignore shop windows because the clothes scream at her to buy them. The title shopaholic cannot do without buying clothes that are attractively priced, have an interesting cut, and represent newer trends that change even several times a season.

We can therefore say that contemporary fashion is cheap and available. Fashionable clothes cost up to several dozen zlotys and are within reach. From the outside, we see a variety of styles and colors to choose from, good prices, and elegant commercial premises. But there is also the other, dark side of the coin.

All because the fast fashion industry generates huge profits. According to the Fast Fashion Global Market Report 2023, the fast fashion market is extremely profitable. Its value in 2023 is estimated at USD 122.98 billion and by 2027 it is expected to reach USD 184.96 billion.

In short, the fast fashion movement means following dynamically changing trends and adapting collections to designs known from catwalks. It is worth mentioning that there used to be two fashion seasons - spring/summer and autumn/winter. Today there are dozens of them! Global fast fashion brands produce up to 50 collections a year.

Fast fashion are popular fashion chain stores that are characterized by a wide range of products and reasonable prices. Low purchase cost often means the unsatisfactory quality of clothes containing e.g. polyester or acrylic. Importantly, such clothes deteriorate faster - blouses become stretched, sweaters become pilled, and trousers become frayed. In such a situation, the natural step for the consumer is to purchase the necessary clothing again. And so the circle closes - we have to buy more often because clothes, due to poor quality, deteriorate faster.

You may be wondering when this shopping frenzy started? The beginnings of the fast fashion movement date back to the youthful rebellion of the 1960s and 1970s. However, the post-war years were also crucial in the creation of fast fashion. In 1947, a certain Erling Persson opened the first Hennes store in Sweden and sold women's clothes. 20 years later, he took over the Mauritz Widforss store in Stockholm and changed the name of his company to Hennes&Mauritz. In short: H&M. And although the Swedish chain is not the only one in the fast fashion category, it is, among others, has become a symbol of fast, inexpensive, and easily accessible fashion.

​The phenomenon of fast fashion is related to the trend of consumerism, which (to put it very simply) involves the pursuit of possessing and accumulating material things. Some of the most serious consequences of consumption are, among others: degradation of the natural environment or the issue of fairness in trade in material goods. This accumulation, however, does not result from the actual needs of the individual - none of us needs countless amounts of items - in this case, clothing. The problem, however, is that the mass media fuels our desire to constantly purchase items because their message says: you need it. As a result, instead of simply dressing in clothes, we consume fashion. And the world was constructed in such a way as to fuel this consumer desire.

Nowadays, due to the fact that we have almost instant access to what is created by designers, as well as due to the possibility of rapid production, trends change practically from week to week. At first glance, we, as consumers, do not incur any costs of fast fashion - clothes such as T-shirts can be purchased for just a few zlotys. However, a huge part of society does not realize that the results of fast fashion are the so-called hidden costs – i.e. consequences for our environment and future generations. The fast fashion industry has a lot of consequences. Among them, among others: polluting the planet resulting from the mass production of polyester, acrylic and nylon, or violating basic workers' rights.

To illustrate how big a problem we are dealing with, let's look at some statistics. On the European Parliament website we can find the following information:

“It is estimated that the production of one T-shirt consumes 2,700 liters of fresh water, which is enough for one person for 2.5 years on average. Textile production is responsible for approximately 20% of global clean water pollution due to the dyeing and finishing of products."

“Consequently, the clothing industry is responsible for 10% of global carbon dioxide emissions – more than emissions from international flights and shipping combined.”

The next statistic is that every year at least 39,000 pieces of used clothing are collected in the Atacama Desert. It's worth asking a question here - do you realize what journey your pants had to go through to be able to buy them?

Let's imagine that a given manufacturer produces hundreds of thousands of pairs of jeans every year, including: in Bangladesh. These pants are sent to stores e.g. in the USA. If they sell, that's the perfect scenario. But what if not? Then they will go on sale. From the sale, such jeans go to the so-called second circulation - outlet or second-hand store. However, it is worth remembering that such businesses are usually not very profitable because they involve activities such as selection, packaging, description and transport. And here we come to the point.

Often, companies cut corners and send unsold jeans to a landfill, somewhere in Africa, Asia or South America. Therefore, the jeans we see in the store can end up in a landfill again in just a few months.

Consumers are often blamed for the increased popularity of fast fashion, but it is companies that are trying to generate more and more interest in their products due to the enormous profitability of the clothing sector.

Behind the production of things that we can see every day in chain stores, there is huge exploitation of workers. The factories where clothes are made are located in uncontrolled buildings. Sometimes it happens that the building collapses, resulting in the death of sewing workers. Just like the factory in Bangladesh. Youtuber and propagator of minimalism, Anna Grzelczak, said this about the fast fashion phenomenon:

“When I think about fast fashion, the first thing that comes to my mind is the disaster that happened in Bangladesh in 2013. As a result of the collapse of the Rana Plaza building, 1,100 people died and 2,500 were injured. The building collapse is the largest construction disaster in modern history. Rana Plaza was a factory that produced clothes for fast fashion companies.”

Every year, the Baptist World Aid report looks at the condition of the fashion industry and reveals which companies do not adopt ecological solutions. This time it turned out that only 10 percent fashion brands around the world pay their factory workers decent wages that are enough for them to live on. According to a report by Baptist World Aid, employees work an average of 13 hours a day and earn $85 a month, while 40 percent companies cannot indicate where the raw materials used to produce their clothes come from, nor have they established a way to track them.

The clothes we buy in shopping malls are usually made in Asia. Sometimes also in Eastern Europe. As we can read in one of the articles, there are as many as 4,000 clothing factories in Bangladesh. However, their number is decreasing - in 2013 there were as many as 5.9 thousand of them. In the "What She Makes" report from 2017 we can read, among others, that:

“Fashion is a huge business and the industry has flourished over the last two decades. Global clothing exports have more than quadrupled, from $108 billion in 1990 to $445 billion in 2015. (…) All this money flowing around the world shows why many governments in developing countries see the apparel industry as key to the success of their economies and to increase revenues. Clothing is one of the largest exports in Bangladesh, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Indonesia," writes Oxfam.

What are the earnings of employees of these sewing factories? According to Oxfam, the situation is worse in Bangladesh. The average hourly wage is just 30 cents.

The Fairwear Foundation has published a graphic showing who earns how much from the clothes we buy in chain stores. Assuming that the t-shirt costs PLN 59.90, as much as 59% of the price (i.e. PLN 35.30) is taken by the store's margin. The brand profit is 12%, the material cost is also 12%, and the transportation cost is 8% respectively. But what about the wages for a factory worker? As the graphic shows, the employee receives only 0.6% of the price of the T-shirt, or 40 cents!

Unfortunately, the exploitation of employees by large corporations is simply profitable for them. On the surface, everything looks inconspicuous - a pleasant image of a company that is involved in various social initiatives, such as ecology, is created. However, there is no mention of the enormous exploitation that lies behind this image. A fashionable term used by large corporations is the so-called cost optimization, which (through various methods) bypasses employee rights. What does this optimization mean? This is nothing more than trying to squeeze as much energy and commitment from employees as possible, with minimal financial outlay. And this is nothing new - cost optimization has always existed and is embedded in the functioning of capitalism. In short - someone offers you a job, and someone else cashes it in, keeping the profit for themselves. The less he pays and the more work he does, the greater his profit.

The best solution is to simply not contribute to the development of the fast fashion movement. You should use the available resources - try to repair clothes instead of throwing them away, buying second-hand, or giving clothes to friends. However, let's try to use our wardrobe for as long as possible to respect the planet.

I hope that this material will trigger some reflection in you that will help you resist the constant temptations of big sales and constantly changing clothing collections.

Sources:

1. Buczyński J., What happens to unsold clothes from stores and second-hand stores? (online), access: https://jackobbuczynski.com/blog/co-dzieje-sie-z-niesprzedanym-ubraniemi-ze-sklepow-i-lumpeksow/, [access date: December 10, 2023].

2. Budka M., The real cost of fast fashion. Cheap brands are flooding the world (online), access: https://www.money.pl/gospodarka/realny-koszt-fast-fashion-tanie-marki-zalewaja-swiat-6737892357704512a.html, [access date: December 10, 2023] .

3. Ciszak P., Slavery in Europe works undercover. Exploitation takes place under labor law (online), access: https://www.money.pl/ Gospodarka/raporty/artykul/wyzysk-pracownikow-whitewashing,23,0,2147095.html, [access date: December 10, 2023 ]

4. WHAT IS FAST FASHION AND WHY I DON'T SUPPORT IT (online), access: https://www.youtube.com/watchv=7s2BH_ViqMA&t=118s&pp=ygUXZmFzdCBmYXNoaW9uIGFuaWEgZ2VtbWE%3D, [access date: December 10, 2023].

5. Emissions from airplanes and ships: facts and figures (online), available: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/pl/headlines/priorities/powiedz-klimatu/20191129STO67756/emisje-z-samolotow-i -statkow-facts-i-numbers-infographics, [access date: December 10, 2023].

6. Ethical Fashion Report 2022 (online), available: https://www.tearfund.org.nz/Portals/0/Ethical%20Fashion/2022%20Ethical%20Fashion%20Report.pdf?ver=hFVoWr__xzqEPLfTDOja3Q%3D%3D, [date of access: 09/12/2023].

7. Fast Fashion Global Market Report 2023 (online), access: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06251081/Fast-Fashion-Global-Market-Report.html?utm_source=PRN, [access date: 10/12/2023] .

8. Just A., Fast fashion from the inside - the dark side of fast fashion (online), available: https://sknep.pl/2023/03/09/fast-fashion-od-podszewki-ciemna-strona-szybkiej-mody /, [access date: 10/12/2023].

9. Kojzar K., 30 cents per hour for work in a factory that may collapse. This is the reality of fast fashion (online), access: https://oko.press/prawdziwa-cena-fast-fashion-wyzysk, [access date: December 10, 2023].

10. Clothing giants profit from exploitation. There is a new report (online), access: https://businessinsider.com.pl/wiadomosci/odziezowi-giganci-zdrowie-zyski-z-wyzysku-raport-clean-clothes-campaign/ff2dqnr, [access date: December 9, 2023 ]

11. Report 2017 (online), access: https://whatshemakes.oxfam.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Living-Wage-Media-Report_WEB.pdf, [access date: 10/12/2023] .

12. Suchcicka A., Exploitation in the fashion industry. A decade since the biggest disaster in the industry, little has changed (online), access: https://300 Gospodarka.pl/news/wyzysk-w-przemysle-modowych-dekade-od-najwiekszej-katastrofy-w-branzy-niewiele-sie-zmienilo , [access date: 10/12/2023].

13. What if fashion were good for the planet? (online), access: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/ATAG/2020/656296/EPRS_ATA(2020)656296_EN.pdf, [access date: 10/12/2023].

​14. Impact of textile production and textile waste on the environment (online), access: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/pl/headlines/society/20201208STO93327/wplyw-produkcji-tekstyliow-i-odpadow-tekstylnych- na-environment-infographics, [access date: December 10, 2023].

How addictive are bets and betting shops?

 Betting has long tempted the imagination of sports and risk enthusiasts. They contain not only emotions related to winning or losing, but also subtle mechanisms that can seduce even the most prudent players. You may have seen many advertisements for bookmakers, but they almost never talk about the mechanisms that will make you addicted to this system - especially people who advertise this business try to avoid this topic.

According to Yale Medicine, a gambling clinic, as many as 1% of Americans are struggling with the problem of complete addiction to gambling, including bookmaking.

First of all, let's analyze the character of Jim Bennet - the main character of the 2014 film "The Player". In his case, gambling and subsequent loss of money on casino games lead to self-destruction. He borrowed so much that his total debt grew to exorbitant proportions, and the desire to play with the main character did not stop. This triggered a rollercoaster of increasingly worse situations - increasing debt, payday loans, a desire to get back at them, and problems with local gangsters. As it turns out, the mechanisms of playing in a casino and playing in bookmaker are very similar. Let's find out what really makes a person addicted to such entertainment.

THE CLOSE-TO-WIN PHENOMENON

Bookmaker bets are characterized by the possibility of betting on several events on one coupon, which is won only when all of them are successful. This means that the total price of the ticket increases dramatically, but as you can guess, the probability of winning decreases significantly. To illustrate this with an example, we bet that at least two goals will be scored during each of 10 football matches. There may be a situation where this will actually happen in nine of them, but the last match will end with a score of 1-0 for one of the teams. This generates the feeling in the punter that he was very close to winning and his thoughts were accurate, but in the end he still lost. Such a coupon makes the player come back to the bookmaker to bet on subsequent matches because recently he "was on the verge of winning".

ILLUSION OF SKILL

The basic difference between playing in a casino and betting is that you can bet on real sports events according to your own preferences and independent analysis. With each spin of the roulette wheel, there is the same probability of drawing black, red and green, but in bookmaking these chances vary. When playing with a bookmaker, we seemingly have the impression that our analysis will increase the chances of winning, but in reality, predicting the outcome of a football match, for example, is not that easy. This result may be influenced by many random factors, such as a sudden injury to the team's best player or even unfavorable weather conditions. There is an element of randomness in every gambling game, which is why we are always one step behind those who created them. Therefore, it is better to invest in yourself - the return on such an investment is much more likely, as evidenced by our guide to getting your dream job.

LOYALTY CARDS

Very often, when playing at stationary points of many bookmakers in Poland, you can come across so-called loyalty cards. Depending on the company, they provide different benefits, but their general idea is to promote players who play very often for quite high stakes. For example, if we play for the appropriate number of days in a row with coupons worth £15 in total, after a few days we will receive a bonus on the card, for which we can bet on subsequent events without our own contribution. At first glance, it looks interesting because we get free funds to play, but it is associated with many dangers. It just becomes addictive because we have to show up every day, we have to lose money every day, and we have to spend some time analyzing matches every day to get an unquantifiable return. In this way, bookmakers are able to keep customers for longer.

EASY ACCESS – EASY EMOTIONS

In addition to the possibility of playing at stationary points, bookmakers also offer us their websites, which are available to customers 24/7. This means that anywhere on Earth and at any time of the day or night you can allocate funds to bet on sports events. As you may have guessed, this gives players access to easy thrills as they can even put their monthly paycheck on the line from their bed. In this case, punters become addicted to emotions and adrenaline when betting, which makes them want to keep playing.

VIRTUAL SPORTS AND LIVE BETTING

The vast majority of bookmakers in Poland offer virtual sports and live betting. The former are simply simulated and computer-generated sports events that can be bet on. They are characterized by the fact that a few minutes after placing the bet, we receive the result of the event, which, if we win, may result in a quick profit. Live bets are settled just as quickly. Thanks to this, players have access to quick cash turnover and do not have to wait long for a given event to end. As it turns out, punters can fall into the trap of such games and it is difficult for them to stop betting, because we have a chance to win every 5 minutes.

DID YOU WIN? WIN EVEN MORE

There is an old Polish saying that "appetite grows with eating" and it is no different in the case of bookmakers. It is natural that most people who bet on coupons do it to add a few zlotys to their monthly budget. When they finally manage to hit the desired winnings, these people start to believe that they can actually make money on these bets. They are looking for another win, betting on new events, and they fall into a vicious circle from which it is very difficult to get out.

PROMOTIONS AND SPECIAL BETS

Bookmakers often launch promotional campaigns in which they attract players with increased odds, promise additional funds in the event of winning coupons, and also offer the so-called “risk-free” bets, which unfortunately may turn out to be a trap. In the case of the latter, if the player misses the ticket, he or she receives a refund of the entire stake or a certain percentage as a bonus on the loyalty card. However, it is important to understand that the term "risk-free" does not guarantee its complete absence, as there is still a significant probability of losing both your own funds and those that have been returned.

Another way to attract players is to introduce "safe" bets. The idea is to bet on a larger number of matches at a higher overall price on the so-called ribbon. In this case, if there is one error on the coupon, the winnings will be ten times the invested stake. Bookmakers are perfectly aware of how probability works, so they encourage players to add more events to the coupon, realizing that in this way the chances of winning it drastically decrease.

POSSIBILITY OF BETTING FOR LOW STAKES

When someone decides to visit a casino, they usually do not plan to bet small amounts such as £5 or £10. The atmosphere and culture in casinos are different from those that can be seen at a bookmaker, where you can play for just one zloty. Many addicted people started innocently, betting on a few bets for small amounts. It happens that new players experience a moment when they are one match short of winning (the previously mentioned closeness phenomenon). When they miss only one or two hits out of ten events, the thought may arise that it is worth increasing the amount, while reducing the number of bets on matches, giving in to the desire to win. If a punter manages to win a larger amount, he will subconsciously stop feeling the same satisfaction from smaller wins, and this in turn may lead to a constant increase in the stakes for which he will play.

SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE

Society has a completely different approach to playing in a casino than with a bookmaker - these are often two separate categories that are assessed in different ways. Playing in a casino is often perceived as riskier, which can result in a negative outlook due to the high risk of losing money. In turn, playing with a bookmaker is perceived as a form of fun and exciting competition. One of the key factors that influences this differentiation is the fact that match betting is associated with sporting events that are popular and widely watched. This makes the public see it as a way to have additional entertainment while watching their favorite teams or players. Players often compare their coupons or boast about their picks on social media (e.g. rapper Drake does this). He posts a screenshot of a bet worth hundreds of thousands of dollars on Twitter. Thanks to this type of promotional activity, an ordinary person can feel a connection or similarity with the star because he made the same bet.

  ESCAPE FROM PROBLEMS

People often treat betting as an escape from everyday problems. The first reason is the desire to emotionally relieve yourself. Typing can provide a temporary respite from the stresses and problems of everyday life. The next reason is a break from monotony. Gambling can provide intense emotions that are a different state from everyday life. Winning is associated with excitement and reward, and playing with a bookmaker can be a way to achieve something that may be more difficult to achieve in other areas of life. Even though gambling provides short-term relief, it can actually make problems worse. Seeking an escape from betting can complicate your life and lead to serious financial, emotional and social consequences.

Gambling is a dangerous pastime that can ensnare many people, even the most attentive ones. Betting is an area where emotions, hope for an easy victory and apparent influence on the outcome of events can lead to addiction, which is why it is so important to understand these mechanisms and make conscious decisions in the context of the risk they entail. If you feel that the problem of addiction affects you or your loved ones contact your doctor for help also there are many places offering help, also, you can visit: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/404355684767 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/354918374835

Sources:

Gambling Disorder (online), access: https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/gambling-disorder [access date: November 28, 2023].

The cult of plastic surgery

 Is there a cult of plastic surgery in the 21st century?

According to The Aesthetic Surgery Society, the number of surgical procedures in 2021 increased by 54% in the United States alone. In Canada, the leading plastic surgery procedures are Botox and rhinoplasty. Although cosmetic surgery is available to everyone, women perform 94% of all procedures.

As it turns out, plastic surgery is an object of interest, regardless of age. As many as 43% of school-age patients admit that they want to undergo more surgeries in the future, which shows the huge scale of not only the fashion for plastic surgery, but also the lack of acceptance for one's own body.

Is aesthetic medicine a modern invention?

The concept of aesthetic medicine covers a group of treatments performed on the human body, aimed at restoring or improving the natural appearance. Such techniques include dental, dermatological and cosmetic treatments, as well as plastic surgery.

Treatments aimed at modifying the human body have been known for millennia. In the 6th century BC nose, ear and mouth reconstructions were carried out in India, while in China, from the 10th century AD, women's feet were reduced because the ideal then was a woman with small legs. In the 19th century, face lifts were performed in Great Britain, often resulting in the patient's death due to the materials used, i.e. a solution of arsenic and lead. Marilyn Monroe also owed her face and image to plastic surgery - to make her face more shapely, a kind of implant, which was a sponge, was sewn into her chin.

The trends we observe today show that medicine has gone beyond reparative functions, understood as providing help to people in need. Today, activities in the field of aesthetic medicine very often "repair normality". The treatments are not so much about removing bodily dysfunctions, but about perceiving the body as not being good enough, despite being fully functional. Therefore, instead of accepting their appearance, some people decide to undergo invasive treatments to change their appearance and thus improve their self-concept. However, one should ask oneself here - does plastic medicine, the aim of which is to eliminate uncertainty about one's own body, not raise this uncertainty again?

Nowadays, appearance has become a kind of calling card of a person. It can even provide information about your economic, professional, family or social position. Fashionable clothing, hairstyles, makeup, body shape and body structure promoted in the media indicate how the ideal of a woman and a man is defined. It is the press, television, cinema, the showbiz industry and the Internet that determine what is now fashionable and desirable in appearance. Just as in the past, advertisements showed that you can become someone better by using, for example, a specific slimming product, now the media shows that to achieve a state of fulfillment, all you need to do is undergo plastic surgery.

People (especially young people), based on such an image, try to live up to contemporary canons. However, if you do not have the right amount of money, like Bella Hadid, who is known for her spectacular transformation, you may be a bit frustrated... Because it depends on your economic status whether you can afford such a transformation.

The body has become an item of possessions, not a part of a person.

What we can notice in today's world is that the body is no longer treated as something permanent and unchanging. Currently, it is a project that needs to be constantly improved.

In the early 2000s, the American music station MTV broadcast a program called "I Want a Famous Face", in which very young people, both girls and boys, undergo surgery to look like famous people. The format instilled in the participants the idea that along with their new appearance, they would also receive the fame, prestige and wealth of the stars they resembled.

But what is not said about plastic surgery? Too little attention is paid to the side effects and consequences of such treatments. How does it look in the media? Operations are primarily glorified and identified only with advantages. The exception is the "I want to have a famous face" program, where each case of a successful procedure is "balanced" by the testimony of a person whose surgery caused undesirable side effects.

As Magdalena Wieczorkowska, head of the Department of Sociology at the Medical University of Lodz, rightly notes, in the modern world we can observe the phenomenon of a split perspective on medicine. In common discourse, it is said that every surgery carries the risk of complications and unwanted side effects, while on the other hand, aesthetic medicine treatments are advertised as minimally invasive, harmless and leaving no permanent marks on the body.

So you might get the impression that these are two different medicines. One of them is life-saving medicine, difficult, complicated, painful and high-risk. The second one is a world of painless treatments, nice and caring staff, free of risk, pain and threats. This split is as bad for patients as it is for medicine itself. And this second method of imaging procedures can be found very often, among others: on social media.

Of course, the cult of plastic surgery and its glorification in the media has various consequences. This is primarily the risk of addiction to plastic surgery, which is a behavioral addiction. One of the most striking examples of the excessive use of such procedures is the character of the eccentric Catwoman - Jocelyn Wildenstein. As a young woman of delicate beauty, over time she began to dream of having more feline features. It ended with a grotesque effect and the loss of a huge amount of money.

Plastic surgery may also involve the risk of psychological problems for both the patient and his immediate surroundings. Many people think that after the procedure not only their appearance will change, but also their character and personality, and financial, marital and social problems will disappear. However, the clash with reality may turn out to be brutal, because (as mentioned earlier) many aesthetic treatments result not from the need to repair a real defect, but from the need to feel better and accept yourself. Let us remember, however, that acceptance is a psychological process that takes place deep in our mind and it is difficult to replace it only with an external change - i.e. surgery.

Another possible consequence of the growing cult of surgery is the increase in social inequality and polarization between the rich and the poor. Because, as we said earlier, aesthetic medicine treatments are today synonymous with high social and material status. This is even reflected in the popular and quite cheeky air "There are no unattractive people, only poor people."

The financial consequences are also worth emphasizing - sometimes a given treatment must be repeated to improve or maintain a satisfactory effect. In addition, there are also consequences related to setting ideals of beauty and success, and thus redefining interpersonal relationships, which are no longer based on knowledge, experience, views or interests, but are determined by external appearance. Excessive focus on appearance and constant improvement may also be associated with moral consequences, i.e. blurring the line between what is real and natural and what is artificial and created.

As psychologist Joanna Węglarz argues, more and more people use aesthetic medicine treatments, including teenagers of both sexes, for whom body image is a very important element of self-perception.

It is difficult to draw the line between necessary treatments that are part of therapy and whimsy. In the latter case, after the first surgery it may be difficult to stop and say "stop". – she explained. – According to research, people who have low self-esteem and perceive their value through the prism of others' judgments are often put under the scalpel. In such cases, it is worth going to therapy instead of going to a surgeon, because plastic surgery usually does not improve self-esteem in the long run.

But why exactly do people decide to undergo plastic surgery? Research indicates primarily the influence of the media, evolutionary interests and personal factors related to the patient. An interesting example here is Michael Jackson, who began his adventure with surgery at a very young age. His desire to change his appearance resulted from hatred towards his father, whom he was very similar to.

Nowadays, there is great technological progress in the field of plastic surgery. This progress has naturally made it safer and less invasive, provides faster recovery times, and lowers the cost of procedures. This has led to people being less afraid of the consequences of having them carried out at home.

Another reason is the obvious influence of the Internet, including social media, on the perception of one's own body. Creating a certain ideal of women and men has led to some people starting to notice flaws in themselves that they had not seen before, which led to general dissatisfaction with their appearance. Various aesthetic treatments have become a simple means to get rid of this dissatisfaction. Social media set all kinds of trends and standards because people have quick access to the latest looks of stars and influencers they follow, e.g. on Instagram, especially created for commercial purposes.

However, it is not the case that appearance-changing surgeries are only a subjective invention of individual people. Very often, surgeries are a response to urgent needs, for health reasons, as plastic surgery can be a method of treating many diseases - e.g. rhinoplasty can improve breathing, and eyelid surgery allows for better vision. Another cause may be congenital defects or simply aversion to certain body features. An example of such a modification would be the plastic surgery of protruding ears.

People also decide to undergo such operations for very prosaic reasons. They want to increase their self-esteem and self-confidence, which is associated with the desire to gain social approval.

The purpose of this episode is to make you aware of how important the pursuit of the perfect appearance is in today's world. Motivations for undergoing plastic surgery may vary. However, it is worth remembering to exercise moderation and common sense, as in every area of life.

Sources:

1.BELLA HADID – THE TRUTH BEHIND THE GLOW UP (online) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHYbl-oHGds [access date: October 20, 2023].

2. CBOS, Research report: Are we satisfied with our appearance?, No. 104/2017, https://www.cbos.pl/SPISKOM.POL/2017/K_104_17.PDF. 

3. Gawron D., The impact of beauty treatments on the assessment of one's appearance and mood in middle-aged women, "Psychologia Jakości Życia" 2013, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 97-110.

Why will young people never be able to afford an apartment or house?

 We would like the memes comparing our lives as modern twenty-somethings to the situation of our parents when they were young to have nothing to do with reality.

This is a serious topic that can affect various areas of life, and one of them is even your psyche. After all, where you live has an impact on your well-being - if, for example, you still live with your parents, you may feel depressed by the fact that you cannot afford to become independent.

Housing crises are a universal phenomenon that regularly affect communities around the world. So much so that this motif has also spread to pop culture. One example of the use of this topic is the film "The Big Short", based on facts, starring Steve Carell and Brad Pitt, which tells the story of why there was no escape from the financial crisis in 2008. The film bluntly shows how business sharks are taking advantage of the current situation to profit from the entire system of pathologies that they managed to notice before others in the real estate and credit markets in the United States. "The Big Short" also shows episodes of real estate agents who talk about their work and "swindling" clients. On the other hand, we have victims of these practices, i.e. people who were deceived and lost their life's work.

So the question that worries young people is whether they will ever have their own apartment at all? Will they be able to afford to buy their own property alone, without the help of their parents and grandparents? Reality shows that this is unfortunately very difficult.

Cezary Maciołek from the Progres Group commented on this phenomenon.

“We observe that young people increasingly and very consciously decide to stay at home for several years after starting work. In this way, they want to save money faster to buy or rent an apartment and build a financial cushion, so that they can later enter independent life with a greater sense of security.

Research shows that young people leave their family home later and later. There are many reasons for this state of affairs. This is a direct result of the high costs of independent living. If your perspective is that it is difficult to find your first, well-paid job, you did not receive a scholarship during your studies and you do not come from a well-off family, it is natural that you would prefer to live with your parents. The key obstacles to becoming independent and renting your own place are financial issues, but also the availability of apartments at a decent price and the prospect of satisfactory earnings in a given city. It is also important whether our parents will be willing to support us financially, e.g. at the beginning of our move out. The above-mentioned issues significantly influence whether you decide to move out of your family home at all.

As we can read in the report of the consulting company ThinkCo. "Rental 2030. Directions of development of apartment rental in Poland", in the perspective of 2030, only the richest will be able to afford to buy an apartment. This leads to a simple conclusion - more and more of us will be forced to settle for renting. 60 percent of specialists creating this report believe that in seven years rental will be the leader in the real estate market.

As the classic says - appetite grows with eating. If someone is studying, they will not have high requirements, so renting will not be a big problem for such a person. However, the matter becomes more complicated when we have graduated, want to start a family and are slowly thinking about stabilization. Then you would need your own place.

Someone might think that young people are demanding these days and assume that they deserve an apartment. However, owning a flat is not a matter of vanity or the desire to live in luxury. Having your own place to live gives you a sense of security, influences your mental well-being, and gives you a sense of fulfillment and agency. In addition, many young people are pursuing higher education, competing in the labor market and constantly improving their professional qualifications, so it is natural that they want a return on this investment in themselves and their careers. This phrase can be, for example, your dream apartment.

To illustrate the problem we are dealing with, let's look at the current housing prices. Over the last few years, costs have increased significantly - in some locations they have even doubled compared to 2010.

From the analyzes of Expander and Rentier.io. shows that since January, apartment prices have increased by an average of 11 percent.

As the data show, it is not only Poland that is facing a problem on the housing market. As we can read on the Forsal.pl website, we are currently witnessing the worst construction crisis in Europe. And it's all because of costs, bureaucracy and strict regulations regarding energy efficiency. The crisis affects highly developed countries the most. New building permits in Germany dropped by over 27%. in the first half of 2023, in France they decreased by 28%. by July, while house construction in the UK is expected to fall by more than 25% this year. The situation is no better in Sweden, which is experiencing the worst stagnation since the crisis of the 1990s.

Your own place to live is an important need of every person, which gives a sense of security and belonging. By owning your own apartment or house, you become attached to a given place and its surroundings, and you also develop neighborly relations. If your financial situation does not allow for such a scenario, you can live with your parents or rent an apartment. This second option, however, does not give such a sense of security and belonging, but rather uncertainty and depression.

Economic realities clearly show that currently few people can afford their own apartment. Our reality reveals one paradox - we are too wealthy to live in a municipal apartment, but at the same time too poor to take out a loan for our own apartment. Magdalena Milert points out that this mainly applies to young adults who, due to little professional experience, have little earnings and therefore little credit opportunities.

Why have apartments become so valuable?

The "Safe 2% Credit" program certainly has a significant impact on the current price level. , which by mid-November resulted in over 82,000. applications and granting over 36 thousand loans with a total value of PLN 13.6 billion. This project shows that it is temporarily beneficial and actually helps Poles buy real estate. However, there is a risk that those who decide to take advantage of the program next year may have to take out a larger loan because housing prices will be higher. All because of the huge demand for purchasing real estate using the government program. It is worth mentioning, however, that not everyone who would like to have their own home will receive a loan. This is due to insufficient creditworthiness. The lack of it means that we are not reliable customers for the bank and therefore it will not grant us a loan.

The reasons for the increase in apartment prices can also be seen in the high dynamics of prices of construction materials, and higher costs of materials and workmanship translate into at least a 5% to 10% increase in apartment prices this year. The matter is not made easier by the fact of rampant inflation, which in August 2023 amounted to over 10%, and in February it was as much as 18.4%. Wages are rising, but we can realistically afford less, regardless of the value of a given product or service. The prices of both basic necessities and construction materials have increased, so the cost of building a house or apartment has become a huge financial challenge.

Do you hope to have your own apartment? Or maybe you are already its happy owner? Let me know in the comments.

Sources:

1.Badowski M., The housing situation of adult Poles is not optimistic. Every second person still lives with their parents (online), access: https://strefabiznesu.pl/sytuacja-mieszkaniowa-doroslych-polakow-nie-napawa-optymyzm-co-drugi-dalej-mieszka-z-rodzicami/ar/c3- 17599863 [access date: 03/12/2023].

2. Apartment prices are growing faster and faster (online), access: https://www.rp.pl/zdrowieosci/art39339181-ceny-mieszkan-rosna-coraz-szybciej [access date: December 3, 2023].

3. Gawrońska A., Apartments only for the rich (online), access: https://www.rp.pl/zdrowieosci/art38924471-mieszkania-only-dla-bogatych [access date: December 3, 2023].

4. Inspiring films for real estate agents (online), access: https://www.kupsprzedajwynająj.pl/filmy-dla-agentow-zdrowiesci/ [access date: December 3, 2023].

5. Kołodziej A., You will never be able to afford an apartment again. A big change is ahead of us (online), access: https://bizblog.spidersweb.pl/juz-nigdy-nie-bedzie-was-stac-na-mieszkanie-rewolucja-wybuchnie-za-7-lat [access date: December 3, 2023].

6. Maciejewski K., The Great Housing Crisis in Europe? This is just the beginning (online), access: https://forsal.pl/ Gospodarka/artykuly/9337107, Wielo-kryzys-mieszkaniowy-w-europie-to-dopiero-poczatek.html [access date: December 3, 2023].

7. Osak A., Apartment prices continue to rise, but the trend is slowing down. Housing Price Index [October 2023] (online), access: https://www.morizon.pl/blog/indeks-cen-mieszkan/ [access date: December 3, 2023].

8. Pruszkiewicz K., Even if we ate only bread, we wouldn't be able to afford an apartment (online), available: https://noizz.pl/spoleczenstwo/kazdy-mlody-czlowiek-ktory-mysli-o-mieszkaniu -tak-really-mysli-o-kredycie/e5e6vnr [access date: December 3, 2023].

9. Real estate market in Poland. New trends – report (online), access:https://cenatorium.pl/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/RAPORT-CENATORIUM-Rynek-zdrowieosci-w-Polsce-nowe-trendy-1.pdf [date accessed: 03/12/2023].

10. Spurgiasz K., What to do if we can't afford an apartment? (online), access: https://www.totalmoney.pl/artykuly/co-zrobic-gdy-nie-stac-nas-na-mieszkanie, [access date: December 3, 2023].