(This blog is no way an expression of feelings toward anyone I have gotten one of these emails from. These are my feelings about the emails themselves).
Today, it happened again. I got one of those emails that clipped excerpts from books and then, subsequently proceeded to bash the entire book based on just that which was quoted. There were not page numbers listed, so I can't go back and look up those passages to read them in context, as part of a larger work. I can only take them for what and how they are presented to me in the email.
Today, it happened again. I got one of those emails that clipped excerpts from books and then, subsequently proceeded to bash the entire book based on just that which was quoted. There were not page numbers listed, so I can't go back and look up those passages to read them in context, as part of a larger work. I can only take them for what and how they are presented to me in the email.
As a lover and creator of literature, this infuriates me. With emails like this, people are not given the chance to make up their own minds about the book (or the person that the book is about as was the case with the email that quoted sections from Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama). All it really does is circulate information that is not given in any context but that which the sender wants to be seen in. Why is this bad? I feel it’s bad because the majority of Americans will take this information at face value. They will not take the time to actually read the work (with an open mind) and then judge it. That scares me.
How are we supposed to actively govern and decide what’s best for our nation if we can’t even take the time to research all angles and sides of the problems that we face? The answer: We can’t. We are letting our nation down when we take information, especially such as what to read and not to read, at face value. We are letting someone else make our decisions for us.
If you have read the book and do not agree with its contents, then fine do whatever. But, if you have not read the book (or seen the movie, etc.), I do not believe you have any right to openly criticize it and pass on your thoughts about it BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT ACTUALLY READ IT. Those are not your thoughts; they are someone else’s. (Although I do appreciate that the person who sent this to me stated that she had no actually read the book. That was nice! So, thanks!)
Please people, stand up for yourself and decide your own thoughts about something before you criticize or judge it. It isn’t fair to yourself, or the author.
And if you don’t want to read the book because of what it is supposedly so bad about it, then read it for something else. Read it for its use of symbolism, metaphor, style, or tone, whatever! But at least read it before you give your opinion of it.
And another, final thing: Sending emails like that could have the reverse effect of what you want. Before this email, I’ve heard a little bit about this book. I think I may have seen it in the bookstore or something. Didn’t think much of it. Wasn’t going to read it. Now, I want to read it! I want to see what is so “bad” about it. It’s the same thing like when everyone was saying how bad The Golden Compass and those books were. Saying all of that made me want to read them because everyone else said I shouldn’t or couldn’t.
If you want to ban the book from your house after you’ve read it, fine. But, let everyone else make that decision on their own, after they have read the book themselves.
Because of the nature of the book in the email, I want to say that all of this comes from a very literary stance, not religious or anything of that nature.
I am do not at any time wish to force my thoughts on you. This blog is written with the hope that you read it, as you should read anything, with an open mind, and then take from it what you will.
How are we supposed to actively govern and decide what’s best for our nation if we can’t even take the time to research all angles and sides of the problems that we face? The answer: We can’t. We are letting our nation down when we take information, especially such as what to read and not to read, at face value. We are letting someone else make our decisions for us.
If you have read the book and do not agree with its contents, then fine do whatever. But, if you have not read the book (or seen the movie, etc.), I do not believe you have any right to openly criticize it and pass on your thoughts about it BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT ACTUALLY READ IT. Those are not your thoughts; they are someone else’s. (Although I do appreciate that the person who sent this to me stated that she had no actually read the book. That was nice! So, thanks!)
Please people, stand up for yourself and decide your own thoughts about something before you criticize or judge it. It isn’t fair to yourself, or the author.
And if you don’t want to read the book because of what it is supposedly so bad about it, then read it for something else. Read it for its use of symbolism, metaphor, style, or tone, whatever! But at least read it before you give your opinion of it.
And another, final thing: Sending emails like that could have the reverse effect of what you want. Before this email, I’ve heard a little bit about this book. I think I may have seen it in the bookstore or something. Didn’t think much of it. Wasn’t going to read it. Now, I want to read it! I want to see what is so “bad” about it. It’s the same thing like when everyone was saying how bad The Golden Compass and those books were. Saying all of that made me want to read them because everyone else said I shouldn’t or couldn’t.
If you want to ban the book from your house after you’ve read it, fine. But, let everyone else make that decision on their own, after they have read the book themselves.
Because of the nature of the book in the email, I want to say that all of this comes from a very literary stance, not religious or anything of that nature.
I am do not at any time wish to force my thoughts on you. This blog is written with the hope that you read it, as you should read anything, with an open mind, and then take from it what you will.
My name is Nikkie Prosperini. I believe in the power of words.
1 comment:
Nikkie, I feel the same as you. You have verbalized it so eloquently.
We don't seem to want to take the time to actually read or think for ourselves anymore. We want everything quick and condensed. No time or discipline to read--no problem, I read someone else's summary. Can't actually have a conversation with someone--hey, I can read their Tweet 'cause we all know that 140 characters tells me everything about what's really going on in their life. We want to be told what the truth is, instead of searching and finding it for ourselves. Such a shame. Glad you are back. I enjoy reading your thoughts.
By the way, how are you doing?
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