Life is all about interpretation and analysis of our surroundings and how we internalize those stimuli. In my opinion, life is fruitless without a periodic reflection of what is going on in said life. It is beneficial to spend a few minutes each day reevaluating one's current situation and surroundings; essentially stepping away from life for a moment just to get a broader sense of what it looks like.
Much like in reading text, life can be analyzed many different ways. You can skim the book and catch the fun parts but ultimately gain no deep insights or understanding of the topic. Or, you can focus on passages and consider their implications and internalize the multiple messages they may hold. This does not apply only to texts, however. I believe in the power of enjoying each aspect of a day for what it's worth; everything from working hard and gaining valuable life experiences to just taking time to watch the sunset.
Media is an essential part of not only my own life, but our society as a whole. Movies and music, in particular, have played significant roles in my life. Often times, these forms of media provide the stage for a scene of my life. Everyone has this. The song that reminds you of the time you were with your family during the holidays. That one that reminds you of your favorite date, or a particularly fond period in your life.
This is not to say that all movies and music is worthy to partake. Where many media outlets are full of complexities that you can analyze deeply, many others promote less than worthy ideals. The best way to not be fooled subconsciously by such trickery is to consider the meanings during viewing, and not passively watching. Being a smart consumer is everything in a media context.
Brandon, you have fantastic insights! I really like your comparison of how analyzing life can be similar to how we analyze text. Far too often, myself included, we catch ourselves experiencing film, music, or text to simply escape reality for a short period of time. The idea of escaping into the media is not necessarily a bad thing; it definitely has its place. It can become a problem if it is taken to the extreme however. I feel that many of us are inherently lazy and we must learn to discipline ourselves to become better active learners; to act and not be acted upon. As we learn to better analyze text, as well as our own lives, we will gain greater wisdom and knowledge. I agree with your statement of how we can achieve a greater sense of analysis in our life: Making time to ponder and evaluate our life and not rushing through the daily events where we run the risk of missing the bigger picture of what we can gain from life's experiences. This takes effort and practice, but the results will be rewarding.
ReplyDeleteYou had other fantastic things to say, but that section in particular stood out to me. Well said!