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Chapter 3 "Aggressive Dog gives in to hugs"
There is no such thing as a bad dog! There are dogs with past experiences and dogs with bad experiences. But even that is not a reason for the vast majority of dogs not to put their full trust and confidence back into a new human being. Here is an example (please watch to the end):
Chapter 5 "Comfortably Numb"
"Comfortably Numb" is one of the greatest songs ever written (number 179 of the 500 greatest songs of all time in the Rolling Stones magazine). Here is a version without Roger Waters from the 1994 concert P.U.L.S.E. Many people here also say that this is the best guitar solo in music history.
Chapter 5 "Kleines Beispiel (Small Example)"
Erich Fried, my favorite poet, said it very well in his poem “Kleines Beispiel (Small Example).” He compares us human beings and life to a battery in a flashlight.
Chapter 7 "The CTB Principle"
Your dog is an independently thinking and feeling creature. It has its own will and needs, largely due to thousands of years of instincts and behaviors programmed into its DNA. There are also tremendous breed differences. These needs and temptations will lead your dog away from you as the handler. The list in the diagram is not exhaustive.
Chapter 8 "Leonard Cohen - Anthem"
One of my favorite quotes from a song is by Leonard Cohen. From his world-famous song “Anthem”. There is nothing perfect. And that is a good thing because it is only through the imperfect crack in everything, including you, that the light can enter you.
“There is a crack, a crack in everything.
That’s how the light gets in.”
Chapter 8 "Lamb - As satellites go by"
Don't try to be perfect and accept that nothing in this world is flawless and perfect. This is what makes us unique and gives us the opportunity to learn from our mistakes and grow. Another beautiful quote from a song. This time by the band “Lamb” and called “As Satellites Go By”:
“Could it be we’re stars‘ reflections?
Tiny sparks in one great velvet sky
Perfect in our imperfection
As satellites go by.”
Chapter 9 "The Little Prince"
I believe that “The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry is one of the few books that, even after 80 years, has lost none of its truth, its deep hope for awake and sensitive people, its extreme power to show you the essential values of life, or its topicality.
Chapter 14 "Pink Floyd - Mother"
A particularly impressive work of art dealing with this phenomenon of exaggerated maternal love comes once again from the band Pink Floyd, whom I have already quoted many times. The song “Mother” is also from the album “The Wall” and describes how much such a misunderstood protective role constricts and makes each individual a mental cripple:
Chapter 14 "Can dogs sense emotion? - Horizon: The Secret Life of the Dog - BBC"
Dogs are the only animals that have developed the ability over thousands of years to reliably read the emotions of another species (namely us humans). Here is a video that shows how dogs have become attuned to us humans and our emotions:
Chapter 16 "Pink Floyd - Two Suns in the Sunset"
“Final Cut” was the last album that frontman Roger Waters and his bandmate and guitarist David Gilmore released together before the band broke up in a dispute. And yet, I consider it to be one of the band’s most impressive and moving albums. Here is the song “Two Suns in the Sunset”, in which a man is driving his car down the highway, thinking about his life, and then the nuclear war starts:
Appendix "Ricky Gervais - After Life"
This show is such a wonderful, sensitive and carefully told story that I’m sure it will touch you as well. What really impressed me about it is how Ricky Gervais always manages to make you love even the most bizarre and absurd characters. Nobody is exposed. They all have their human, loving moments. As strange as some of the characters may seem.
Appendix "Klaus Kinski - Jesus Christ Savior"
It is an absolutely fascinating piece of contemporary history because rarely is it shown so vividly and clearly how much most people deliberately want to misunderstand other people. Kinski only wants to perform his stage program. Some members of the audience, however, want to believe that Kinski really believes he is Jesus Christ and constantly interrupt the performance with their comments.
Appendix "Gregory Roberts - Shantaram"
A convict from Australia escapes from prison to India. There, he finds himself in a completely different culture and has to adapt. He becomes a tour guide, a passport forger, a doctor, and part of the Indian mafia. In the process, he undergoes a transformation that teaches him that his Western values are not necessarily set in stone and are universally applicable.
Appendix "Larry Niven and David Gerrold - The Flying Sorcerers"
The alien is a human from Earth, and the furry natives of the planet are the strangers to us. The story is told entirely from their point of perspective. The authors treat their protagonists with such affection and humor that I laughed out loud several times while reading this book. It’s a story that shows you that magic and science can sometimes be one and the same. It shows you how important it is to approach things with an open mind, especially when you think you know better.
Appendix "Sergei Lukianenko - Spectrum"
The book is about ethical principles that we humans have defined and, therefore, think apply everywhere in the universe. It is about the arrogance of believing that one’s own point of view is the morally superior and, therefore, correct one. It is about the question of whether it is enough to justify one’s actions because, according to the general opinion, one is one of the “good guys”. It is about immortality, about awake, sensitive people and about the meaning of life.
Appendix "John Strelecky - The cafe at the edge of the world"
In this short novel, author John Strelecky makes sure that you, the reader, ask yourself the right questions. You will automatically re-evaluate your life at the end of this story. What is it really about? Am I just comfortably numb, or am I awake and on my way to a happier version of myself?
Appendix "Matt Haig - The Humans"
Dr. Andrew Martin is a math genius. But one night, he is found naked by the police on the university campus. An alien being of superior intelligence has taken possession of him. And it doesn’t have a good opinion of us selfish, violent and overly ambitious humans. This being undergoes a metamorphosis in the new body and learns that it is precisely the mistakes and shortcomings that make up a large part of a happy life.
Appendix "Donnie Darko"
The film follows Donnie, a troubled yet brilliant teenager who begins experiencing bizarre visions after surviving a near-fatal accident. His encounters with a mysterious figure dressed in a creepy rabbit costume named Frank lead him down a dark path where reality seems to bend and distort.
Appendix "Pink Floyd - The Wall"
Even though the album was written in the seventies, it is more relevant than ever. It is an absolute piece of music history. It is no coincidence that “The Wall” is the world’s best-selling double album, with over 31 million copies sold. Be sure to listen to it loud and all at once with headphones! I recommend reading the lyrics of the song while you listen.
Appendix "Pink Floyd - The Final Cut"
I have never heard rock music so personal, so haunting, and so emotional. Be sure to put on a pair of headphones, as the album also comes alive through the various sound effects, all recorded using dummy head technology. They create an incredibly vivid image combined with highly emotional music.