Welcome back to this week's edition of the Sunday Spectrum, your weekly snapshot of knowledge and culture. This week, we wrapped up February, which means summer has ended (in Australia).

This week, we delve into the complexities of human psychology, scientific discoveries, and the pursuit of life fulfilment. As well as two war-related stories. Join us as we explore these intriguing topics, offering insights and inspiration to fuel your week ahead.

Table of Contents

• Articles

  • Is greed good or bad?

  • Uncovering anxiety: Scientists identify causative …

  • 4 Ways to Find Greater Fulfillment in Life

• Content

  • The US Covered Up Japan's Worst War crime

  • Roy Benavidez

• Entertainment

  • Avatar - The Last Airbender Netflix

• Quote

Articles

Is greed good or bad?

The article from Psychology Today explores the dichotomy of greed, examining its perceived benefits and detriments. While some economists and evolutionary theorists argue that greed can stimulate the economy and provide evolutionary advantages, recent research indicates that although greed may lead to higher income and more resources, it often results in less life satisfaction, shorter-lasting relationships, and fewer children. The article concludes that while greed can contribute to financial security, it does not foster happiness or strong relationships.

Uncovering anxiety: Scientists identify causative pathway and potential cures

Researchers at Tokyo University of Science have unveiled a new pathway in the brain that plays a crucial role in anxiety. Their discovery focuses on how delta opioid receptors influence anxiety behaviours in mice. This finding paves the way for developing innovative treatments for anxiety disorders, aiming for higher efficacy and minimal side effects.

4 Ways to Find Greater Fulfillment in Life

The article from Psychology Today offers four strategies to achieve greater life fulfilment, drawing from the philosophical insights of Søren Kierkegaard. It emphasises cultivating self-awareness, embracing life's uncertainties, taking personal responsibility for choices, and acknowledging mortality. These principles guide individuals towards more authentic and meaningful living, encouraging them to confront and reflect on their existential challenges.

Content

The US Covered Up Japan's Worst War crime

This video I found on Youtube by ‘Hello Future Me’ is brilliant. It dives deep into one of the most dark spots in the history of Japan, Unit 731. Unit 731 was a covert biological and chemical warfare research and development unit of the Imperial Japanese Army. It engaged in lethal human experimentation and biological weapons manufacturing during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) and World War II. It is estimated that 200 - 300 thousand people were killed in these explorations.

Check it out if you are interested.

Roy Benavidez

In the following clip from the Modern Wisdom podcast, Chris and Tim Kennedy discuss the best stories from military heroism you probably never heard of.

Roy Benavidez was a member of the United States Special Forces during the Vietnam War. To keep it short, Benavidez’s most notable story was on May 2, 1968, when a 12-man Special Forces patrol was surrounded by an NVA infantry battalion of about 1,000 men. Roy who was well aware of this armed only with a knife, jumped from the helicopter carrying his medical bag and ran to help.

During the battle, an NVA soldier accosted him and stabbed him with his bayonet. Benavidez pulled it out, drew his knife, killed him and kept going, leaving his knife in the NVA soldier's body. He later killed two more NVA soldiers with an AK-47.

At the end of the battle, he was evacuated to the base camp, examined, and thought to be dead. As he was placed in a body bag a doctor came and examined him and believed he was dead. As the doctor was about to zip up the body bag Benavidez managed to spit in his face to show that he was alive.

Benavidez had a total of 37 separate bullet, bayonet, and shrapnel wounds from the six-hour fight with the enemy battalion.

Entertainment

Avatar - The Last Airbender Netflix

Something that I had been excited for, for quite a while got released in the last week. The live-action Avatar series. It is a rendition of the much-loved animated series. The story is very similar but with slight changes, check it out if you were a fan of the original.

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