Comments on: Poisons and paradise http://www.topofthemountains.net/2006/02/01/poisons-and-paradise/ "Hitch your wagon to a star." —Ralph Waldo Emerson Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:37:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Ben http://www.topofthemountains.net/2006/02/01/poisons-and-paradise/#comment-47 Ben Fri, 03 Feb 2006 18:18:57 +0000 http://www.topofthemountains.net/2006/02/01/poisons-and-paradise/#comment-47 Thanks for your comment! Don't worry, it'd be pretty hard to make me feel uncomfortable. :) And yes, considering that I <i>have</i> posted this stuff on the Internet, it's certain that I don't feel weird about having people read it. (In fact, to be perfectly honest, it's like a mini Christmas whenever someone reads my blog. :)) It is indeed a battle, and the social repercussions are difficult to deal with. It's hard to resist when everyone else is doing it and when entertainment is such an inextricable part of our modern culture, but I do know that it's worth it. Sublimity and true beauty await on the other side of the struggle, once you've won. Thinking back over what I've written, I see that one might possibly read my words as an attack on movies as an art form. Probably not, but in the off chance that someone <i>does</i>, let me say this: film has an amazing power to suspend the viewer's disbelief and cast the spell of a good story, a power that weaves together the magic of words, visual art, and music into a magnificent tapestry. There is nothing wrong with film itself. (I do realize that watching movies is passive, whereas reading books is active. But each has its own place in life, in proper proportions.) It's only when the media is used for less-than-admirable ends that it becomes tainted and corrupt. Phew! I didn't expect to write all that. :) Thanks for your comment! Don’t worry, it’d be pretty hard to make me feel uncomfortable. :) And yes, considering that I have posted this stuff on the Internet, it’s certain that I don’t feel weird about having people read it. (In fact, to be perfectly honest, it’s like a mini Christmas whenever someone reads my blog. :))

It is indeed a battle, and the social repercussions are difficult to deal with. It’s hard to resist when everyone else is doing it and when entertainment is such an inextricable part of our modern culture, but I do know that it’s worth it. Sublimity and true beauty await on the other side of the struggle, once you’ve won.

Thinking back over what I’ve written, I see that one might possibly read my words as an attack on movies as an art form. Probably not, but in the off chance that someone does, let me say this: film has an amazing power to suspend the viewer’s disbelief and cast the spell of a good story, a power that weaves together the magic of words, visual art, and music into a magnificent tapestry. There is nothing wrong with film itself. (I do realize that watching movies is passive, whereas reading books is active. But each has its own place in life, in proper proportions.) It’s only when the media is used for less-than-admirable ends that it becomes tainted and corrupt.

Phew! I didn’t expect to write all that. :)

]]> By: Nancy http://www.topofthemountains.net/2006/02/01/poisons-and-paradise/#comment-46 Nancy Fri, 03 Feb 2006 17:16:04 +0000 http://www.topofthemountains.net/2006/02/01/poisons-and-paradise/#comment-46 Amen!!! I accidently stumbled into your blog today, but I'm glad I did. You think you sort of know a person, and then you learn all sorts of new things about them. I hope that doesn't make you feel uncomfortable--but it was posted on the internet, so I'm taking it for granted that it doesn't. Anyway, I agree with your thoughts here. Since I've been home, I feel much less impressed by media in general and try to find other things to do with my time, but it seems like that's what everyone does. It's a lack of creativity and I'm probably just as guilty. It's a real battle. Amen!!! I accidently stumbled into your blog today, but I’m glad I did. You think you sort of know a person, and then you learn all sorts of new things about them. I hope that doesn’t make you feel uncomfortable–but it was posted on the internet, so I’m taking it for granted that it doesn’t. Anyway, I agree with your thoughts here. Since I’ve been home, I feel much less impressed by media in general and try to find other things to do with my time, but it seems like that’s what everyone does. It’s a lack of creativity and I’m probably just as guilty. It’s a real battle.

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