User:Atcovi/ENG225/Literature and Life - Discussion Board One

Intro

 * Show us a video of the world around you, like your house/apt./yard/pets/etc.
 * Write about what you want to do in the future. It doesn't have to be job or school related if you don't want it to be. Our lives are not defined by work.
 * Tell us about something or someone you love.
 * Are you an artist? Post some of your work! Play us a song, read us a poem, but PLEASE don't bore me to sleep.
 * Are you super passionate about something? What is it? Why?
 * How are you feeling? You want to explore that with us? Go for it.
 * What are you reading/watching/listening to?

Response
For the second question, I want you to respond to the Why Literature Matters Content Page. I posed several questions there for you to consider: [first post should not be posted here]
 * Should we be careful what we read b/c of how it influences us?
 * Why are stories more lasting and spreadable than facts?
 * How can we use this knowledge to our advantage?
 * How do you want the future to look and what should we be reading to get there?

Personally, I'm proud to say that I've recently got back into reading. I am currently on a 10th day streak and I've finished a couple of books (albeit those books are targetted for children, but it doesn't hurt to get a nice blast from the past!). Especially coming from a religious family, literature takes an important position in my life. As a Muslim, reading the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam, is a practice that I take on almost daily & shapes the way me and my family live. In a community filled with various values and belief systems, literature seems to shape these differences. My friends are religious Christians, so they read the Bible on an almost daily basis. Safe to say, literature is more than just words in my community!

I believe stories spread more than facts due to the flexibility and expressiveness fictional stories can be. The video perfectly encaspulates this: "When we pick up a book, turn on the TV, or watch a movie, we're carried away down the currents of story into a world of imagination". In a "world of imagination", the author has full control. They are able to pick and choose what characters to present, what those characters can/cannot do & the stories they deliever. I have a strong feeling people enjoy the tales fictional stories can present, which is why we have many legends nowadays that are still being taught to every incoming generation (for example, the story of Medusa).

Due to the popularity of such stories, it may be worthwhile to approach certain books with caution. It's obvious that the impact of literature is massive. For example, religious literature remains as extremely influential in today's societies. Examples of religious literature include the Bible, the Qur'an, and the Bhagavad Gita. In today's world, not only do we have millions of people reading these books & taking the lessons and stories they pose to heart, but we also have industries tailored to oppose these influential literatures. With this mentioned, caution should be used for literature that are universally-banned and goes against the modern conduct the world has tailored itself into today's age. Examples of this type of literature could include antisemitic literature, such as On the Jews and Their Lies by German Reformation preacher Martin Luther.

Although the potential for negativity, we can use this influence to our advantage by writing books that tailor to respecting one another, tolerance, mannerisms, ethics, etc. Especially if these books can target the youth, we can do our part in making our world a better place. In the future, I hope to see literature that advocates for a society based on tolerance & literature that opposes radical and degenerate viewpoints.