{"id":4446,"date":"2015-12-28T15:51:40","date_gmt":"2015-12-28T15:51:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/?p=4446"},"modified":"2015-12-28T15:51:40","modified_gmt":"2015-12-28T15:51:40","slug":"2015-the-year-that-was-arts-and-culture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/2015-the-year-that-was-arts-and-culture\/","title":{"rendered":"2015, the year that was: arts and culture"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nick Lehr<\/a>, The Conversation<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

With the New Year approaching, we highlight the top arts and culture stories from 2015.<\/em><\/p>\n

Over the past year, there was no shortage of news events, artistic breakthroughs and cultural trends to write about. As always, we tried to provide an interesting twist to supplement existing coverage.<\/p>\n

With the 2016 presidential campaign heating up, our running series The Art of the Presidency<\/a> explored the nuances of running for the nation\u2019s highest office. Our writers analyzed how a good campaign logo<\/a>, song<\/a> and speech<\/a> \u2013 even a candidate\u2019s facial hair (or lack thereof<\/a>) \u2013 can influence voter support.<\/p>\n

For the desk\u2019s sports coverage, our academics added a layer of legal analysis to Deflategate<\/a> and the (ongoing) daily fantasy sports<\/a> saga. Meanwhile, our youth sports series<\/a> covered some of the most pressing issues young athletes face, from the rising costs of participating<\/a> to the ethics of signing up your kid to play football<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On the cultural front, we probed puzzling trends abroad \u2013 namely, some of the reasons that the Japanese have become so smitten with moss<\/a> and why Norwegians have begun using the word \u201cTexas\u201d as a synonym for \u201ccrazy.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

Of course, America\u2019s cultural quirks abound: why have Americans become increasingly paranoid<\/a> and susceptible to conspiracy theories? What\u2019s with the country\u2019s obsession with gambling and risk<\/a>? Why are our public bathroom designs so anxiety-inducing<\/a>? We also had to weigh in on the dad bod phenomenon<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n \"\"<\/a>
\n The dad bod took the nation by storm in 2015.<\/span>
\n Author provided<\/span><\/span>
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

Our writers took us inside criminal subcultures \u2013 into the world of suburban drug dealing<\/a> and inside the nation\u2019s prisons, where we analyzed the various ways inmates can lure prison staffers<\/a> into illicit relationships that involve favors like sex, money or drugs. As the Islamic State\u2019s (ISIS) numbers grew, we investigated some of the terrorist organization\u2019s creative recruiting methods, like how they\u2019ve used poetry<\/a> and music<\/a> to attract new members.<\/p>\n

With terrorist attacks at home and abroad, many seem to be focused on figuring out ways to purge the world of evil. Perhaps that\u2019s why exorcisms \u2013 long thought to be a relic of the Dark Ages \u2013 are on the rise<\/a>. But seeing the devil in everyday life \u2013 even in pop culture \u2013 isn\u2019t anything new; the same strand of thinking led many to label Dungeons and Dragons players<\/a> and metalheads<\/a> as satanic in the 1980s.<\/p>\n

Over the summer, Deadheads said \u201cfare thee well\u201d<\/a> as the Grateful Dead toured for the last time. And speaking of farewells, before we close the door on 2015, let\u2019s take a moment to remember some arts icons who are no longer with us.<\/p>\n

Neuroscientist and writer Oliver Sacks<\/a>, Star Trek\u2019s Leonard Nimoy<\/a>, poet Philip Levine<\/a> and designer Michael Graves<\/a> all passed away \u2013 as did Don Featherstone, the inventor of the pink plastic flamingo<\/a> (may his fledglings populate lawns for eternity).<\/p>\n

Six months after Bill Simmons unceremoniously left ESPN<\/a>, his former bosses shuttered Grantland<\/a>, Simmons’ acclaimed sports and pop culture website. And the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced earlier this year that JFK Airport\u2019s iconic TWA terminal<\/a> would be transformed into a luxury hotel.<\/p>\n

They\u2019ll all be missed. (Except perhaps Confederate statues<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

Finally, below you\u2019ll find links to the top 10 most-read arts and culture stories from the past year:<\/p>\n