3 Keys To Enjoying Literature and Getting the Good Stuff Out of Reading

Reading is by no means the most popular pastime of today's  youth. To most who are not active readers, there is the  perpetual notion that there isn't much to be gained by reading,  or at least nothing that can outweigh many other activities  like movies, video games, or other forms of entertaining media.

Well, it's sad but true that most are also sadly mistaken. A  story is a story is a story is a story, right? Wrong.

While originality is a myth when it comes to stories and  literature, real value and entertainment are not. You hear of  the classics in school like Shakespeare, Lord of the Flies,  Count of Monte Cristo, Dante's Inferno or Divine Comedy,  Picture of Dorian Gray, Adventures of Tom Sawyer and  Huckleberry Finn, and countless others, but those titles and  authors inevitably become synonymous with BORING.

Well, there are 3 keys to enjoying those classics of literature  and getting some real entertainment and value out of your  readings. These books don't have to be boring, in fact they can  be life-changing when these simple keys are applied. Reading  won't be a burden anymore, at very least it will be a pleasant  pastime.

Key # 1:

Symbolism

This is probably the most important key to keep in mind when  reading. It might even be handy to have a little literature  symbolism dictionary around, like Ferber's Dictionary of Literary Symbols which  I would personally recommend. But, even without a symbolism  dictionary, just think about what possible meanings certain  things that stand out could have.

For instance, once a friend came to me who was in a different  English class, and was extremely excited about this book that  her class was reading. So, I asked her to tell me what it was  about.

The first thing she said was that it was the story of a girl  who had Leukemia.

Now, I stopped her right there, and asked her what Leukemia  was. She told me it was cancer of the blood.

So, I told her that I could tell the story was about a girl who  had a disease that was going to tear her family apart. She  stared at me, amazed. She asked how I knew that.

Well, it's quite simple really. Cancer is a disease, it makes  the body eat away at itself. Blood is a symbol for family, as  people who are family have the same blood, or the saying 'blood  is thicker than water' attributed to familial relationships.  So, she has a cancer that is affecting her blood = She has a  disease that will eat away at her family or family  relationships.

The book was My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult, which  personally I haven't read. But, applying the basic concept of  symbolism to aspects of a story or character can shed a whole  new light on what's really going on in the story.



Key # 2:

Recognizing Motifs

Motifs are recurring important ideas or images throughout a  work. The way these can enhance the pleasure of fictional reading is the subtleties they convey.

For instance, let's take Macbeth, by William Shakespeare. In Macbeth, blood is an outstanding motif. It appears in the story only when something important beneath the surface is taking place. More specifically,in Macbeth, blood appears when a character reaches a 'point of no return'.

It's important to pay attention to what is a motif in a work of literature. Because the reader recognizes blood as a motif, the reader can discover what that motif applies to, and it can shed a different light on whats happening in the story. In this case, the reader can recognize that when blood appears in the story, a character has reached a 'point of no return, and the reader can then understand in greater depth what causes the character to do the things they do in the rest of the story.



Key # 3:

Choose a Genre

Starting off trying to read the classics can be daunting. The third key to enjoying literature is to find a niche that sparks your interest. If a type of book bores you, find a different kind.

Literature is divided into genres as well as time periods. I had a Literature teacher once who could not stand Victorian literature (i.e. Jane Eyre, or anything by the Bronte sisters), because of the style of writing and morals portrayed, but she still taught a few of the works to us.

Personally, once upon a time I happened upon the Picture of Dorian Gray, and became infatuated with Decadent Literature or literature from the Aesthetic movement. From there I learned about similar types of literature, and came to enjoy many types of books.

So, just find a type of book or niche that might interest you, or something that is very popular like Clockwork Orange or Hitchhiker's Guide o the Galaxy that have had movies made based off of them.

It's okay though, if you don't like a book, even if you try and apply these keys. There are just some books that will have a flavor you like, and some that are hard to turn the page in. The third key to enjoying literature though, is to just find the right genre to start. Once you find one type that you like, you will naturally open up to more and more types that are similar, and soon enough you will find great pleasure and value in reading.

8 Practical Questions That Have No Answer

 These are 8 very practical, simple questions that have no sensible answer.

1. Why do scientists call it "re"search when looking for something new?

2. Why do they call them apartments if they're all stuck together?

3. If pro is the opposite of con,then is progress the opposite of congress?

4. If vegetable oil's made of vegetables, and olive oil's made of olives...what's baby oil made of?

5. Isn't it a bit unnerving that doctors call what they do "practice"?

6. Why does your feet smell, and your nose run?

7. Why do you park in a driveway, and drive in a parkway?

8. Why do they call it a building if it's already built?

Simple Quantum Theory

Quantum theory or quantum mechanics sounds like some topic only discussed between intellectuals and those with an already advanced understanding. Really though, the basic concepts are not all that hard to grasp for the average person.

Here I will attempt to give a very very simple and basic comprehension of what quantum mechanics is, and what it's basic applications are.

First off, what is Quantum Mechanics?

Well, think of it this way. We have basic scientific rules that we agree on for our everyday lives. Like gravity, kinetic and potential energy, friction, and other principles of physics.

But when we try to apply these principles on a very large scale (say, to stars, solar systems, galaxies, and 'empty' space), our laws are inadequate and ineffective. They do not necissarily apply. So, we come up with a different kind of theory to explain these things, and we call this Relativity. Most of you may have heard of Einstien's Theory of Relativity. Well, now you know what he's actually talking about! It's just a theory of how things work on a very very large scale.

Likewise, we must develop a different kind of theory for things that operate on an extremely SMALL scale. Like atoms, waves, and particles. This is called Quantum Mechanics. It is simply a theory for how things work on an extremely small scale.

The reason why the current understandings of quantum mechanics are seemingly so hard to understand is because in our everyday theory we have a large tendency to think of things as "this or that". It is a fruit, or a vegetable. Light is a wave, not a particle. Or light is a particle, not a wave.

Well, there was some debate about this, and in the relatively famous DOUBLE-SLIT experiment, a more modern theory came to suggest that it is both a wave AND a particle. This is an aspect of quantum theory called DUALITY. More specifically, Wave-Particle duality.

When it comes to quantum mechanics, it is also proposed that light is neither a wave nor a particle. This is where quantum theory can surpass our normal conceptions of the way things are. So, what is light then if it is not a wave or a particle? (A wave and a particle are the most base forms of matter/energy that we have discovered). Well, quantum theory proposes an answer to this question, but we won't go into that here.

Now you should have some basic idea of what quantum theory is all about! Not as difficult as you thought, huh?

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Dallas Gay Bachelor Auction Set for March 15

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Yay for liberals with balls.

Anyone wanna hit this guy up?

Sorry, only men plz.

No-Nonsense Psychology

So I found this site for a magazine called Anxiety Culture. It's pretty much the summation of the effects of consumerism and industrialism on our psyche, and there's an article here titled: Is Your Boss An Asshole?

I'm sure most of us don't have a problem answering that question (under non-self-incriminating circumstance).

"Phil Laut, author of Money is My Friend, gives a psychological explanation of why we hate our bosses: Our parents told us that we shouldn’t take money from friends, and that we shouldn’t take money (or sweets, or puppies, etc) from strangers. That leaves “known enemies” as the only people we can take money from – so our bosses become “known enemies” in our minds.

I find a sociological explanation more plausible: We hate our bosses because of Social Darwinism and the competitive market system. If we’re all at each other’s throats economically, then it’s not surprising that we feel resentful towards those with economic power over us.

An even simpler explanation is that we hate our bosses because they behave like assholes. It probably goes with the job."

Or, it could be just so simple as Boss man tells us what to do.

Since we've already hit puberty and took it upon ourselves (supposedly) to discover what is best for us and to lead our own lives, it still happens that a lot of us get stuck working at least 8 hours a day doing work we can't find the value in but do it anyways, because Boss-man says so. Boss man tells us what to do with our time, and we have to listen to him.

Maybe that's why he's an asshole.

There's your no-nonsense 'psychology' for ya.

Really guys, it's not necessary to dig so deep to find answers to such a simple question, when everyone really knows the answer anyways: Boss is asshole 'cuz boss tells us what to do.

Your Heroes Are Not Perfect

Once upon a time there was a bird who could not fly. Like a chicken, she walked about on the ground, but she knew that some birds did fly. One day, she found an abandoned egg of a flying bird and decided to incubate it until it hatched. 

In due time, the chick cracked open the egg and came to life. He was the chick of a bird capable of flight from the time he was in the egg. So, after he grew a little, he asked his adoptive mother, "When will I fly?"
 

The land-bound bird replied, "Persist in your attempts to fly, just like the others." 

She did not know how to give the fledgling flying lessons, but the young bird did not realize this. His recognition of the situation was confused by the fact that he felt gratitude to the bird who had hatched him.


So, he said to himself, "Had my adoptive mother not incubated me, surely I would still be in the egg? Anyone who can hatch me, can surely teach me to fly. It must be just a matter of time. Suddenly, one day I will be carried to the next stage by her who has brought me this far." 

Note: This old tale appears in Suhrawardi's 12th century book, "Gifts of Deep Knowledge."
                                                        -Zensufi Stories

 One person cannot teach you all you must know.

Conscious Diversion

we are a hidden identity
muted by t.v. screens
subdued by radio frequencies
our individuality
is lost in the pages of magazines
is cross-dressed and kept tight inside the seams

our mind is like the KGB
our intellect a secret police
our words appease authority
'cuz we think it's some sort of remedy
but what we really need,
the real vaccine,
is to free ourselves from this complacency

I put this up here so you will see.

Past Lives

Stumbleupon is such a cute little browser tool. I think it was invented solely to prevent boredom and as a result of this toolbar thing I have discovered who I was in my past life:

Find Out Your Past Life

Basically you enter in your birthday and it will tell you who you supposedly were in your past life. Now if you don't particularly believe in reincarnation (like me) this might seems a little baseless, but I'd actually be interested to know how all of these results were discovered, and what the theory (if there is any) is behind it. So here it is:

Your past life diagnosis:

---

I don't know how you feel about it, but you were male in your last earthly incarnation.You were born somewhere in the territory of modern Austria around the year 1550. Your profession was that of a chemist, alchemist or poison manufacturer.

---

Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
You always liked to travel and to investigate. You could have been a detective or a spy.

---

The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:
Your lesson is to conquer jealousy and anger in yourself and then in those who will select you as their guide. You should understand that these weaknesses are caused by fear and self-regret.

---

Do you remember now?


Actually, I think the last part may be freakishly accurate. Two things that I am very estranged from are jealousy and anger.

Hmm, take it and see for yourself if it's got any accuracy.

And let me know!

Oscar Wilde Obsession

I've got a kind of obsession with Oscar Wilde.



Aside from being my favorite social critic of all time and earning my respect solely for being convicted of 'gross indecency' for his writings and his conduct, he was a rather loud bi-sexual and wrote one of the most amazing novels I have ever read.

But that's not all.

My man here also happens to be the self-proclaimed ruler of uncyclopedia:

http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Oscar_wilde

If you think you know what morality is, think again. Picture of Dorian Gray will fuck your world up. Social conventions will have no definition to you by the end of that book.

"The people who love only once in their lives are really the shallow people. What they call their loyalty, and their fidelity, I call either lethargy of custom or their lack of imagination. Faithfulness is to the emotional life what consistency is to the intellect - simply a confession of failure!"

Vandal!

Honestly, I never thought at the beginning of this that there could be consequences for what I was doing.

When I realized that what I was doing was some mild form of vandalism, I was thankful that everything thus far had been anonymous. And I decided everything I was going to do would remain anonymous.

I actually considered not doing the THIS IS NOT AN EXIT one in the bathrooms, but I just decided to use dry-erase marker instead of the more poetic lipstick. This way, the janitor wouldn't be burdened as much with cleaning dat shyt up later.

Haha, it seemed so ironic to me that I could get punished for trying educate people and make them think at school, because this was exactly what the people punishing me were trying to do for these kids.

FYI I graduated a few months later. I had the impression that no one knew it was me. At least, until the very last day at the senior walk-through.

As I walk down the main hall, lookin around at a few little poster things I put up on the walls, I finally reach the end where you shake the principal's hand. He looked at me, and he smiled, and for some reason I got the feeling that he knew. And that he'd known for a long time. He pulled me in for a hug, and I walked away a little dazed, and a little more hopeful.

Boyfriend Popping Zits

It’s the weirdest thing, I swear, when your boyfriend insists on popping your zit. As if your self-confidence weren’t low enough already, he’s got to point out some bump on your face and try to pop it himself. No “Baby you should go pop that zit,” or even simply a “You’ve got a zit right there“, as he points to your forehead. Oh no, he puts his fingers on either side of that zit and SQUEEZES.

Imagine this, for instance:

Your boyfriend is pinning you down and trying to get to your face, as you make some futile efforts to defend yourself. Then after a long struggle and acts of defiance you start hearing taunts like: ‘Aw, wah wah wah. Call the wambulance, ‘cuz Sarah’s a scaredy cat!’.

A little excessive, I’d say, for popping a little zit. Nevertheless:

“I’ll let you pop one of mine, come on. Just let me do it!”

“Um, no. I have no desire to pop one of your zits baby.”

And resume struggle.

Is anyone else the victim of this strange behavior? Or is popping each other’s zits an act of intimacy I wasn’t really aware of…

Oh and if you’re one of those weird boyfriends who do this to a girl, please enlighten me.

Is is permissible to pop your significant other's zits?
	Well, yes
	No, that's gross
	Idk.
pollcode.com free polls

The Lowest Denominator

I wish there were some sort of rhetoric to make what I'm about to say sound like more than a hollow complaint, I really do. I just have such a problem with society at large.

Hold on, bear with me. I know more than some of you must have just almost hit the back button there, but hang in for a sec and think about this for me.

Everything we provide and create caters to the lowest denominator. Everything. From education to household appliances and technology to public laws/rules/regulations to what we put in our bodies to, sad as it is, modern literature and music.

The problem with catering to the lowest denominator like this is that society becomes factored by the lowest, most insignificant parts of us. Stupidity, ignorance, laziness, false comfort and hollow satiation, spiritual deficit and overall mindlessness; that's what's capitalized on and milked out of us by...get this: ourselves, our motivations/motivators, and our means of attaining contrived goals.

Here I am in America complaining, and America has the best of this compared to the rest of the world.

See, people who wonder why the world economy is sliding haven't looked deep enough into what exactly we're doing and what we've done. If you wonder why you had to pay $4.50 for a gallon of gas and contented yourself with the idea that some monopolizing asshole in the middle east upped the price just to milk money from the U.S., you're just trying to clear your conscience.

You paid $4.50 a gallon because you fucking had to. Because without your automobile running, your life as you know it stops, and you will pay whatever you have to to ignore your dependency. Yeah, our American corporations that we trust to run the economy upped their price too to keep their precious profit and that's why the price-per-gallon was $4.50, but that's not why we paid it.

Car companies being run into the ground isn't why you will have to pay extra money to the government for the rest of your life. You need those companies, you need them for your everday functioning life, and that's why you're gonna pay it till the day you and your children die. We all will willingly pay for our dependency and our laziness, and we will pay to keep our eyes closed.

We pay to be factored by the lowest denominator. We pay to be factored by the lowest denominator. And the price is astounding, while the products received are shoddy imitations of cultural achievement.We intentionally pay for that crap, and then we willingly pay for the negative repercussions rather than bother to haggle the price or renegotiate the deal.

I hope I didn't get too vague there.

But if that's not frustrating to some degree, you have too many cc's of complacency, friend.