Wait... Who Lives in a Barrel?

I wonder how good reading really is for you, sometimes.

Yes, I realize that's a strange statement, especially coming from someone who obviously enjoys the written word. But it's true. The reason this line of thought keeps on meandering into my stream-of-consciousness, is because I know for a while I was simply spending all my free time reading books. Last year, every free second I got, I just wanted to read books. And you know what? I'm not so sure that was the best thing for my brain. I'm not so sure the best way to become intelligent is by constantly reading. As is most likely apparent, I do believe words are wonderful tools. I nearly salivate over them sometimes. At the end of the day, though, what makes books better than documentaries, shows based in history, or even intelligently written cinema?

As an example, I'm just finishing up When We Were Orphans, by Kazuo Ishiguro. It's a delicious book, and a great pleasure to read. The narrator is interesting, and without his perspective, the book would be boring. Books, quite simply, have certain strengths other media just can't imitate. For instance, when trying to truly explore the perspective of a character, words work the best. Sure, other media can successfuly imitate literature's strengths: look at Harrison Ford's voice-over in Blade Runner. But it's just not the same. Books, and to a lesser extent other forms of literature, simply do that more naturally.

But at the same time, the combination of sounds and visuals that film provide also give film a different, unique touch. Can you truly capture the feel of a close-up in a book? What about a panoramic view looking down from a mountain? Try as hard as they might, books simply cannot describe these things and get the same effect as films would.

So I was thinking about the differences between the two media as I watched Reign: The Conqueror. (It's basically this kick-ass anime about Alexander the Great's life, for those not in the know.) I suddenly realized how much I was learning from the show, and how much it was really making history "come alive," to borrow an ironically unlively phrase.

I was meeting the various characters, and learning in particular about Hephaestion, Diogones the Dog, and Dinocrates. I'd heard of the first two before, but simply hadn't known them very well. What's up with this Hepheastion fellow, was he really having sex with Alexander? And what about Diogones? Living in a barrel? WTF?

But watching that show, I'd really come to understand Alexander the Great's time period much better.

So is When We Were Orphans supposed to be better for me than Reign? I've enjoyed Orphans greatly, but have I learned much from it? It simply doesn't seem fair to say the former is more educational than the latter. I understand that reading literature can build one's vocabulary, but I hadn't come across any new words. I understand that literature is more educational because it doesn't spoon-feed everything to you, but I found Reign less easy to understand and much less straightforward than Orphans. Is Orphans still better for me to read? Is the knowledge gained from Reign less valuable than the simple act of reading?

I know I've heard that TV watchers have less brain activity than people who are sleeping. I know I've heard that Americans are spending any extra leisure time they get on television, and that's what's making us so dull. I know most adults would judge a child that only reads books much better than one who watches tv and then reads maybe a book or two a year.

But why? How? When I'm watching a byzantine television show, trying to puzzle everything out, how is it my brain is barely functioning? Could that possibly relate to me? Do most people simply zone out in front of the screen, instead of passionately participating with what they're watching?

I don't know. But I'd love to hear what you think.

Orson and the Amazing Technicolor Prostitutes

So I said, "That's not a male prostitute, that's my wife!"

To those of you who are wondering, "Is that the best he can come up with after two and a half months?" Well... err...

I guess it's kind of cool that a cyclone was actually named Orson.

*Scratches head*

But yeah, I'm sorry. I kind of doubt this blog is going to be posted on anything resembling a normal schedule. That said, how much of me could anyone handle, anyway?

*Johnny in the front row turns into a pillar of salt*
Damn it!