Complaining: The Happiness Killer
In 15th-century Germany, there was an expression: Greiner, Zanner, which can be translated as “a chronic (长期的) complainer.” Are you a bit of a Greiner, Zanner? If so, you’re not alone. Survey data show that customers today are more than twice as likely to complain about a product or service as they were in 1976. A U. K.-based survey also observed a rise in job dissatisfaction over a two-year period before autumn 2022.
Complaints can be grouped into different categories. As is reported, 45 percent of complaints concern the behavior of others. For instance, parents repeatedly criticize their children for small issues like messy bedrooms or dirty clothes. Another 29 percent focus on personal discomfort. A common complaint in this category might be about feeling too hot in a room without air conditioner. The remaining 26 percent involve unpleasant obligations like unnecessary work meetings people are forced to attend.
The problem with all of these complaints is that it can feel helpful — but it typically isn’t . Although complaining might offer temporary relief, it’s bad for your happiness in the long run. Researchers who measured people’s mood before and after they complained found that those complainers’ mood was significantly worsening. Besides, complaining can also lower the happiness of the people around you. In some relationships, the negative effect can pass like a virus to those exposed. In other words, when people see others’ complaints expressing anger, disgust and sadness, they can, in turn, feel similar emotions.
As the 20th-century Bulgarian philosopher Archimandrite Seraphim Aleksiev observed, “Complaining is like the winter frost which, when it falls, destroys all the labors of the gardeners.”
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With its bright colors, easy-to-learn rules and familiar music, the video game Tetris has endured as a pop culture symbol over the past 40 years. Many people, like me, have been playing the game for decades, and it has been updated to adapt to new technologies like game systems, phones and tablets.
However, Tetris is much more than winning. The game, in which players must control blocks of different shapes as they slide down a screen, is based on a fundamental element of geometry, called dynamic spatial reasoning (动态空间推理). It is taught by mathematics educators and used by architects, engineers, animators, and many others. Players employ these geometric skills to progress in Tetris, so playing it both tests and improves a player’s dynamic spatial reasoning.
Spatial reasoning is the ability to visualize geometric figures and how they will move in space. So, dynamic spatial reasoning is the ability to visualize actively moving figures. The Tetris player must quickly decide where the falling game piece will best fit and then move it there. This movement involves both translation — moving a shape right and left, and rotation — turning its shape by 90 degrees at a time.
Spatial visualization is a key element of a mathematics discipline called transformation al geometry, which is usually first taught in middle school. In a typical transformational geometry exercise, students might be asked to represent a figure by its x and y coordinates (坐标) on a coordinate graph and then identify the transformations, such as translation and rotations, necessary to move it from one position to another while keeping the piece the same shape and size.
While it may seem simple, transformation al geometry is the foundation for several advanced topics in mathematics. Architects and engineers both use transformations to draw up blueprints, which represent the real world in scale drawings. Animators use concepts of transformations as well. While animators today use computer programs that automatically move figures around, they are all based on this kind of transformation.
1. Which is NOT a key reason for Tetris’s lasting popularity?| A．Its pleasure of winning the game. | B．Its bright colors and catchy music. |
| C．Its link to complex math and geometry. | D．Its simple rules and tech adaptability. |
| A．Logical reasoning. | B．Mathematical calculation. |
| C．Memory maintaining. | D．Spatial visualization. |
A．(a)  | B．(b)  | C．(c)  | D．(d)  |
| A．Tetris is a particularly useful tool for animation and architecture designs. |
| B．Spatial visualization is based on the constant change of a figure’s position. |
| C．Transformation algeometry behind Tetris can be applied to various fields. |
| D．Spatial reasoning is too difficult for middle school students to master. |
| A. flooded B. leaps C. increasingly D. combines E. reflects F. emphasizing G. pioneering H. crafted I. technical J. unexpectedly K. classic |
Chinese animations (动画) are booming
The “Black Cat Delective”, released 40 years ago, was a childhood favorite for many Chinese. Since then, Chinese cartoons have come a long way. While “Black Cat Detective” was simply drawn, current cartoons feature
These recent
In the 1960s, China’s animation industry saw a big downturn as American and Japanese films
Light Chaser Animation, a Beijing-based studio, has contributed to the popularity of cartoons in China. Its production “30,000 Miles from Chang’ an”
Are You Ready to Hug a Robot?
Getting hugged tends to be a powerful positive emotional experience. Hugs have been shown to enhance social bonding and emotional well-being. However, not everyone can get a hug
How can this problem be solved?
A new study, which
The findings of the study indicate that it is possible to design a robot that people enjoy to hug. Details matter here, as the intra-hug gestures played a significant role in determining how much the human volunteers enjoyed the hug.
