Reading - A Dying Art?

[Sire Of Dragons]

Unfortunately in this day and age too many allow their lives to become too busy or overly dramatic to just sit and relax.

Its become too easy to turn the tv on or get lost in a video game. The invention of visualization in motion has changed who we are.

More people read the magazine articles telling them how they should be living their lives instead deciding for themselves. They wanna live up to the fantasies put into their minds from soap opera's and prime time.

This "example" could get me into trouble ... many women (not all) (notice I said "many") expect too much from relationships based on the romance novels, magazine horoscopes and the corrupt hollywood version of what love is. Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman were the start of a never ending domino effect.

People were not meant to live the way it is portrayed on television. Thats called imagination, not reality. For that matter reality tv is just disgusting.

Not everyone is at fault for problems that occur in their lives, but many bring it on themselves by being followers.

The expression used to be "relax and curl up with a good book" Like many things, we've lost touch with the simplicities.

As for myself I wish I could be living in an earlier time.

[LJonesy]

All of us do, Sire

What i find that now reading is now taken over by certain "Intellectual" circles. When in the end they just appear as pompus fools who think they know they tolstoy and shakespeare. Not only has the common-person lost their touch with it, any hope of reestablishing it will be tainted with the current image of someone who reads. I guess i'm being general by that current image, but as long as you get my meaning...

[Sire Of Dragons]

I could never be a part of those so called intellectual circles, I'm way too controversial. I can speak from both sides of a fence on issues where most people are cursed with tunnel vision.

Therefore they are unable to comprehend my words, or are just too closed minded to see other perspectives. Others just cannot deal with the fact that I look right thru them and see things they won't even acknowledge about themselves. Most simply are blind to logic.

Truth hurts, its scary. People find it easier to believe in something less impacting on their hearts or their small mindedness. Truth has become unacceptable. Hence the followers I mentioned.

What does all this have to do with reading? People don't like to read anything that might just put them in touch with themselves anymore.

They just shake their heads and turn away. Life's new has become "to each their own" Not enough people care anymore.

Ok I'm finished preaching.

[Lith]

Reading has a long history of being "intellectual". For most ages, only the rich and well-educated could read, since reading's a rather useless activity in terms of survival, and one difficult to make money at even in this day and age. It's only been in recent centuries that reading's been valued by the general public, and that mostly in connection with science and the Industrial Revolution. That in conjunction with cheaper means of acquiring books changed things. But did it, could it change things permanently; are we settling back down into older patterns of civilization? I dunno.

[Sire Of Dragons]

But did it, could it change things permanently; are we settling back down into older patterns of civilization? I dunno.

HA! I wish. It is for to laugh

[Montero]

Originally Posted by Sire Of Dragons

More people read the magazine articles telling them how they should be living their lives instead deciding for themselves. They wanna live up to the fantasies put into their minds from soap opera's and prime time.

This "example" could get me into trouble ... many women (not all) (notice I said "many") expect too much from relationships based on the romance novels, magazine horoscopes and the corrupt hollywood version of what love is. Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman were the start of a never ending domino effect.

People were not meant to live the way it is portrayed on television. Thats called imagination, not reality.

<snip>

As for myself I wish I could be living in an earlier time.

Well - (naughty grin ) romantic love originated in a MUCH earlier time - the medieval court of Eleanor of Acquitaine. Courtly knights were something she tried to wish into being - with her as their central icon. The whole poetic yearning, troubadour thing has been going on for centuries with those who have sufficient income to have the time to spare on it.
Now nearly all of us have time to spare, and cheap entertainment, so the myth spreads. I think all unrealistic yearnings are dangerous - glamorous lifestyle as per Hollywood, magazines, adverts, just as much so.

You could argue that some infidelities are started by glamorous romance notions - folks are busy working on step 1 - getting together, that they forget to move onto step 2 - living together and just repeat step 1 and get together with a new person.

And now I'm off to curl up with a good book and my purring cat.