Why reading is important

You may have noticed that I have a thing for reading. If you are just starting out and want to know some of the benefits or wish to convert someone with a book-o-phobia of reading, you may want to find justification in the following text.

First of all, Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful festive season and were able to relax with your loved ones. To start off 2019 with a lightweight and yet important topic, I would like to discuss some of the most important reasons why you should start reading.

I mean, many people talk about the importance of it – but why exactly? What concrete benefits do we get when we indulge in a book? After all, in a quickly changing world where technology offers instantaneous entertainment and pleasure, one needs to know why one should dedicate so much time to a hobby which will take longer to deliver.

Therefore, I’ve compiled a list of some of the most important reasons to read. Without much further ado, here we go!

Reading can teach you things

This should be obvious, but reading can teach you a whole range of things. Even in fiction, you may be confronted with details as to how particular things are done, or it may give you a metaphorical representation of real-life situations you may find useful to read about ‘in theory’.

The reason why reading is an effective method to learn stuff is because it forces you to slow down and concentrate. Rather than half-listening to a lecture or falling asleep while watching a documentary, your brain is active as you decipher the meaning of a given text in front of you. Furthermore, while reading you learn ‘alongside’, i.e. without searching for the knowledge, you nevertheless get it, which can stick in your brain much more effortlessly.

Reading improves your use of language

Another obvious one but reading greatly improves your language use – not just in terms of vocabulary, but also in grammar, style and, syntax. You learn new words and new ways of forming sentences and thus get to know the whole potential of any given language.

Considering we read, write and speak every day of our lives, this is obviously incredibly important. If your articulation is more impressive and comes across as more elegant, you are bound to have more success in life than if you utter strange guttural sounds whenever someone asks you for something.

Reading helps you focus and concentrate

Ironically, one of the main reasons some people dislike reading is also one of its main benefits: focus and concentration. Unlike films where you can just switch off (although you may lose touch and not find your way in), books require your undivided attention.

Regular reading will train your brain to attain and maintain focus. By staring at a page and watching how words form sentences and create a whole story, you are teaching yourself to remain sturdy and concentrate on what you are reading. These are skills increasingly lost in our tech-driven world.

Reading encourages your creativity

Reading enhances your ability to think creatively and rekindles your imagination. This is based on the fact that words are, well, just words, rather than concrete sounds or images. But as the text forms a story (in fiction, at least), your imagination creates an entire world in your mind.

‘So what’, I hear you say? Well, thinking creatively and using your imagination is another key skill required during your entire life. Problem-solving skills, abstraction, thinking ‘outside the box’ are all linked to your creative intelligence. And reading will help you!

Reading is cheap and fun entertainment

For those who are already into reading it may seem more obvious than to newcomers, but reading is unbelievably entertaining – and also unbelievably cheap. Buying books second-hand or borrowing them from the library are only two ways to get hours of entertainment for little or nothing.

In our day and age when we have access to the internet, free or cheap reading material is even more abundant. Getting tired while reading on-screen? Then buy an ebook-reader – they are comparatively cheap and imitate the feeling of reading a printed book. There’s really no excuse; reading has never been cheaper than now.

Reading can provide room for bonding

You know how people bond over similar interests, like smokers always seem to hang out together? Well, the same can be said for readers. But instead of asking what films you’ve seen recently, you can now discuss your newest finds in the world of literature.

Talking about books with your peers is great exercise for your mind. Not only are you practicing your memory, but you are also gaining a greater understanding of the book through your conversation partner’s approach to it.

Closing thoughts

As you can see, the benefits of reading are manifold. There are virtually no downsides to picking up a book and indulging in this great pastime. Just make sure not to lose yourself completely when you get addicted and forget to live.

Did you enjoy the article? Know of any other good reasons to read? Then why not leave a comment in the section below? Otherwise, why not share it on the social media of your choice? Then click on one of the tender buttons below.

How to read a difficult novel

You’re stuck with a difficult novel, either because you wish to improve yourself or because your university or school requires you to read it? Follow these tips to get to grips with it!

When reading classical literature, it’s often the casethat a particular text may feel impenetrable. The language may be old-fashioned, the syntax complex, or it may be particularly heavy onrhetorical devices which might make it difficult for you to understand. Perhapseven the subject matter feels completely remote and boring to you.

The thing is, you know that you probably should read them, or if not, they’re almost always part of the required reading at school or university. Whether Joyce’s Ulysses, Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury or Woolf’sMrs Dalloway, you’re sure to struggle at some point in your life.

But it needn’t be that way. We’ve all been there, and chances are you’ll always stumble across another difficult novel at some point in your life after you’ve completed the one you’re currently brooding over.With the right tips, however, you can at least ensure that you understand mostof it – and perhaps even find it enjoyable.

Prepare the reading

A lot of the authors who wrote the ‘classics’ we read lived in very different times and in very different circumstances. Having but a basic understanding of the cultural context of your novel is therefore very important and may give you a leeway into the novel. Read up on the author on Wikipedia ordo some research on his or her ‘school’ of literature. Historical context is also very important. Knowing a little bit about the psychological aftermath of WWI before tackling Mrs Dalloway, forinstance, can go a long way.

Most importantly, however, read up on the novel itself. Things such as its publication date, its background, how the ideas came about, what the novel’s themes are, can all help. If you don’t mind spoilers too much you might even wish to read a brief synopsis, enabling you to know roughly what’s going on while reading. I probably needn’t mention that this is not a replacement for actually reading it.

Don’t look up every word you don’t understand

Although it may seem counterintuitive to understanding a difficult text, do try to avoid looking up each and every word you don’t understand. It severely breaks the flow of your reading process and may end updemotivating you until you give up. Instead, try to gather its meaning from thecontext of the text, or else just skip it – chances are it’s not that importantin the long run anyway.

However, do look up words which are important – such as when they’re mentioned several times throughout the novel, for instance. If you skip one which turns out to be important later, you can always return to it. But the main thing is to keep yourself motivated and keep going – on firstreading you’re trying to get the wider picture, not the minor details.

Mark important passages

Use either a text marker or, if you don’t want to ruin the book, place small bookmarks (sticky notes are ideal) throughout the novel at locations you wish to reread either because you think they’re important or because you just enjoy them. Even the most difficult classic usually contains at least some passages which speak to you or amuse you and which are well worth re-reading.

That way you’ll also gather a sense of the scope of the book and remember where what happened and when – aside from starting to determine some passages which may be useful in an essay later on. Appreciate the novel for what it is and do this as often as necessary – or as often as you see fit.

Try not to skim the text

Unlike individual words, which you should feel free to skip when necessary, try to avoid doing the same for larger chunks of text. Novels build up, after all, and chances are you’ll want to retain everything to make sure you’re keeping up with the plot, characters, and the underlying subject matter. Skimming the texts means that you risk of missing the juicy bits.

Of course, you may find this difficult at first, especially if you read a particularly difficult text or if you don’t usually read classical novels. If it helps, try doing short bits at one point at a time and then return back after a short break of a few minutes. Nobody will kill you for taking your time with a difficult novel, and if you’re at school chances are you’ll have plenty of time anyway for each text.

it is a particularly difficult text or if you’re not used to reading classical novels. If it helps, try doing short bits at one point at a time and then return back after a short break of a few minutes. Nobody will kill you for taking your time with a difficult novel, and if you’re at school chances are you’ll have plenty of time anyway for each text.

Try to enjoy it

Last – and most important – try to enjoy the text. Treat it like you would any other novel. After all, as works of art they’re primarily meant to be enjoyed, in some form or other. Don’t worry too much about analysing it when reading it for the first time, but just try to flow with the sound of the words, the imagery and the plotline – as a timeless classic, it’s most likely full to the brim with great stuff.

The primary reason you may find yourself not enjoying a novel is because of the archaic language. Even novels written in the early 20thcentury can feel very foreign to us now. But if you stick with it and read it at your leisure – while maintaining an open mind – chances are you’ll grow used to the language and enjoy the novel consequently. What’s even better: the more often you practice, the more likely it is you’ll relish the next novel even more.

Closing thoughts

Of course, there’s never a guarantee you’ll like a novel, even if you do manage to understand everything. It may just not be to your personal taste in terms of writing, or the plot may be too far from your personal experiences for it to speak to you in any way. But by following these tips, you’ll at least have the means at your disposal to approach it.

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It’s Christmas – Get into the spirit with these top reads

At long last, it’s Christmas. Time for mince pies, Christmas pudding, mulled wine – and heart-warming Christmas tales from across the centuries. Here’s a list of some of the best to get you right in the mood.

I’m not going to lie: I love Christmas. From the seasonal food and drink to the bright-lighted decorations, from the special Christmas offers to the Christmas carols, everything is wonderful. Is it superficial and just a lot of commercialism? Perhaps in part, but I do think there’s something underlying the holiday season which is a bit more genuine.

Especially when it comes to our Christmas stories, there’s been a good number of great ones throughout the years. Some come particularly close to capturing ‘what Christmas is actually about’. They’re usually heart-warming, fun and endearing. Not to mention most of these stories have brilliant film adaptations, meaning that you can enjoy both reading and watching them!

So without much further ado, here’s my list of some of the best Christmas classics to read this December!

Valentine Davies – Miracle on 34th Street

Probably better known as the 1947 film of the same name, Davies wrote this short novella after the script for the film. You can see why – it’s an endearing tale, and it earned him an Academy Award for Best Story, and it proved to be hugely popular. There’s no question about it: this film is very ‘Christmasy’.

It tells the story of a little girl who is highly doubtful of the myth surrounding Santa Claus. Her mother hires a man called Kris Kringle to pose with kids at a store – but he claims to be the real Santa. Needless to say this leads to the threat of institutionalisation, but the girl and her mother come to his aid. It’s moving, funny and entertaining, and reading it is just as good as watching the film. Just avoid the remake…

J. R. R. Tolkien – The Father Christmas Letters

It’s endearing to what lengths parents will go to ensure their children have a lovely time at Christmas. J. R. R. Tolkien with no exception, and starting in 1920 he wrote a ‘letter from Father Christmas’ each year until 1942 for his own. They were released posthumously for the whole world to enjoy.

The stories aren’t always told from Father Christmas’s perspective, but sometimes from the perspective of his secretary (an elf, as one might quote rightly expect). They narrate the adventures of Father Christmas, his helpers, a North Polar Bear and his cubs. Some of the stories even feature references to WWII and battles against goblins. The Letters are imaginative and enjoyable, and the story of their creation is absolutely moving – earning them a spot on this list.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle

Oh my god! It’s a Sherlock Holmes story – set around Christmas time! What more could you get? …well, to be fair, as far as exploring Christmas itself goes, this is probably not the strongest entry on this list, but it does contain Arthur Conan Doyle-typical depictions of Victorian/Edwardian London during Christmas time.

It’s probably best to think of this as the late 19th-century equivalent to modern-day Christmas TV specials (such as Dr Who, Downton Abbey etc.) – and it’s brilliantly entertaining. It tells the story of how a priceless blue carbuncle is stolen and a reformed thief is believed to be the culprit. It’s even one of the more humorous Sherlock Holmes stories with plenty of witty remarks and hilarious situations. Great for a light read.

Dr Seuss – How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

I must confess, I’m not the biggest Dr Seuss fan around. It’s just not something I grew up with, and as an adult, while I find some of his rhymes playful and enjoyable, they just don’t do much for me. Nevertheless, I can hardly ignore how important How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is in the world of children’s literature, and I do enjoy this one quite a bit.

The Grinch is a bit like a cartoony version of Ebenezer Scrooge and plots to steal everyone’s presents to ruin their Christmas, only to realise that they still enjoy it by being there for each other. It’s genuinely quite heart-warming to see him realise ‘the true meaning of Christmas’ – and the original cartoon adaptation is almost perfect. Certainly a must-read at some point, especially with/for younger children.

Hans Christian Andersen – The Little Match Girl

Not so much an actual Christmas story as a story set around Christmas, this is no doubt the most depressing of all on this list. It tells the story of a little girl selling matches in winter who ends up freezing to death. She uses her matches in a final act of trying to warm herself and sees some endearing visions of a better life.

Hans Christian Andersen’s writing is amazing, and this story is no exception. There are probably few fairy tales that evoke emotions as well as this, and it certainly makes people want to give money to charity – an excellent achievement by any standard, especially for a Christmas story.

Charles Dickens – Christmas Stories (incl. The Chimes and A Christmas Carol)

I hate to be predictable, but I’d easily put Charles Dickens on the top of this list on any given day. After all, he did practically invent some of the Christmas traditions we still celebrate today (at least in the West), and his stories are moving, funny, astonishingly well-written and all-around just enjoyable.

While there are quite a few good ones to choose from, predictably A Christmas Carol is by far the greatest, and perhaps the most famous Christmas story of all time (well… apart from THE Christmas story). Not only that, but it’s also an excellent story to adapt for television – which you probably already know. I always get excited when seeing new adaptations and like to watch a new one every year.

Closing Thoughts

I hope you found this list enjoyable and will seek out at least some of these to read this December. Christmas is a time of joy to the world and has many great elements to it, and these stories all capture the spirit of the season excellently well. Merry Christmas!

Did you like the list? Think of a book I should have added? Then leave a comment in the comment section below! Otherwise, if you liked it, why not share it on social media? Then click on one of the tender buttons below according to your favourite choice.

Ave Satani: The Devil in Literature

It goes without saying that Satan has fascinated humanity since… well, a very long time indeed. Representations of evil predate Christianity’s version by millennia, and some devils are consequently heavily inspired by pre-Christian tradition. The most fascinating aspect of him is probably that there are so many variations. But what are the coolest most haunting representations of Satan in literature?

From simple two-dimensional portrayals of absolute evil to highly complex characters with confusing motivations, representations of the devil in literature are as varied as they are many. It just goes to show how pre-occupied humans are with the idea of evil and temptation, and what characteristics we believe best represent pure evil.

If you move away from straight-forward portrayals of Satan, things become even more confused. Captain Ahab and/or Moby Dick can be read as versions of the devil himself; Sauron or Lord Voldemort come close to being Satanic manifestations; even in less fantastical literature – such as much of Dostoevsky’s work – we can find figures who could be said to be ‘of the devil’s party’.

Consequently, when selecting my list for a few examples of fascinating ‘Satans’, I had to limit myself drastically. I will only list figures who are actually the devil, not Satan-like characters. But even then there are countless options to choose from, and all vary.

Additionally, I will also just pick some of my favourite representations. You could write endless essays on any given of these characters, so rather than doing an ongoing list with no descriptions, I thought I’d focus on just a few of my favourites to give you a quick taster, in the hope that you may find it interesting. There are, doubtlessly, many, many other Satans out there which you may find equally or more engaging than the ones I’ve chosen. So! Without further ado, here it goes.

Dante’s Three-Headed Satan

In Dante’s Inferno from the Divine Comedy, Virgil leads the poet through the circles of hell on their path to purgatory. On the way, they must brave some of the most horrific things imaginable, with each of the nine circles representing an individual sin – lust, gluttony, greed, wrath, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery.

Unlike some of the other representations, this Satan is passive. Having committed treachery to the Christian God, he is condemned to the very centre of the ninth and innermost circle of hell, where he is frozen waist-deep in ice and suffering eternally.

On top of that, Dante’s Satan has three heads which are constantly crying a mix of blood and pus. Each mouth is perpetually chewing on some of history’s great traitors – two murderers of Caesar and Judas Iscariot. Overall, it’s a pure depiction of absolute misery.

Dante’s hell is primarily a warning to wrong-doers: commit one of these sins, and you will end up here and suffer in this way. Treachery is by far the worst sin and woe be you if you are found guilty of it. No wonder this still remains one of the most popular depictions of Satan to this day.

Milton’s Fallen Hero

My personal favourite representation, Satan in Milton’s Paradise Lost is primarily a figure fallen from grace. Of course, Dante’s version is also the ex-archangel Lucifer, but here we get the full story and Satan’s gradual fall into slime, muck, and all that’s bad.

Also, this Satan is far more active. After losing the battle against the heavens, God bans Satan to hell where he rules over his own kingdom. And at first he still maintains his glory and his honourable appearance. Only as the poem goes on does he gradually become deformed, twisted, malicious.

Added to that, Satan is by far the most eloquent character in the poem. He convinces Eve to eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge, after all. Milton cleverly depicts how Satan’s rhetoric gradually becomes more flawed and full of inconsistencies as he develops, in the same way that he starts out as a fallen angel and ends up appearing as a mere serpent.

Milton also gives us fascinating insight into Satan’s psyche. It’s not that he is just evil per se, or that he hopes to make himself feel better after his fall. As he puts it: ‘Nor hope to be myself less miserable by what I seek, but others to make such as I’. In that mindset, hell is wherever Satan goes. It’s a particularly miserable way of seeing the world and tearing everything down with you. In that way, we all possess the potential to become like Satan (yay).

Twain’s contempt for the human race

To leave the realm of drama and poetry and enter the world of prose, I’ll finish with Mark Twain. Unlike virtually all his other work, The Mysterious Stranger is incredibly dark, depressing and twisted, and casts a rather upsetting shadow over a writer otherwise known for adventurous and uplifting subject matters (while also exploring the problems of racism and slavery, of course).

The fragment actually exists in several attempts Twain wrote between 1897 and 1900 and features the story of three young boys called Theodor, Seppi and Nikolaus who live in an Austrian village (although some of the attempts are set in other locations).

Satan moves to the village and predicts a grim future. When one of his prophecies comes true, the boys ask him for assistance, but his help is generally less than merciful. In one case, for instance, he predicts a long disease-ridden period for one of the characters, and his act of mercy is to kill the boy immediately, thus preventing the period of suffering.

Twain’s Satan is so effective because he holds an absolutely detestable and grim view of the world. When he departs towards the end of the story, he leaves the boys with the words: ‘Here is no God, no universe, no human race, no earthly life, no heaven, no hell. It is all a dream – a grotesque and foolish dream. Nothing exists but you. And you are but a thought – a vagrant thought, a useless thought, a homeless thought, wandering forlorn among the empty eternities!’

Goethe’s and Marlowe’s Tempter

‘Hang on’, I hear you say, ‘didn’t you promise not to include Satan-like characters?’ Yes, I did; but I do consider Mephistopheles from Marlowe’s Dr Faustus and Goethe’s Faust Satan. He looks like him, talks like him, he’s a supernatural being. In other words, in every important way, Mephisto IS Satan.

Also, these two may be the same character from the same story, but Goethe and Marlowe were different writers (duh) from different countries (double duh) who wrote in completely different time periods (tripe duh), so it’s difficult to do both of them justice at once. They’re both fascinating in their own way and both plays are absolutely excellent and need to be seen or read by anyone who’s interested in Satan (or literature, for that matter).

Nevertheless, in crucial ways they are identical, which is why I am putting them together. Both only appear after Faust summons them (meaning that we invite evil into ourselves), both are witty and eloquent, both act evil primarily through temptation, and both depict hell as being the absence of God (by which they mean the absence of everything that is good).

There are good reasons why the Faust story is so popular, and I believe everybody I’ve talked to said that Mephisto is their favourite character. He’s just fun, and anyone can understand how flirting with the devil to get personal pleasure and gain might be a tempting prospect. Of course, a real Mephisto is unlikely to appear if you summon him, but your life may feel like a real hell if you invite misery into your own home the same way Faust does in both ‘versions’ of this story.

Closing thoughts

As you can see, there are many excellent depictions of Satan in literature. Hopefully some of these will inspire you to go on your own treasure hunt for other depictions. Or even just to seek out these works if you didn’t know them before.

I believe part of the reason humans find Satan so fascinating is because of our own proclivity towards maliciousness. Given the right circumstances, anyone can become ‘evil’ and act in a way which inflicts suffering on other people. But it’s good to be aware of it. By exploring ‘absolute evil’ in literature we are able to warn ourselves of what the absolute worst can lead to.

Did you enjoy this list? Know of any other ones I should have included? Then please leave a comment. Otherwise, why not share this post? Then please click on one of the tender buttons below to share it on the social media of your choice.

High-Brow vs Low-Brow: Does it matter?

If you’ve ever spent any time discussing topics related to the arts with anyone, chances are you’ve noticed the great (sub-conscious) divide between popular and ‘high’ culture. The deeper you dive into the topic, the more it seems as though there never will be peace. But does the difference really matter?

You probably know the type. The oh-so sophisticated person who has profound insight into everything related to culture, who only listens to music considered high-brow, reads exclusively the classics and is excessively opinionated. The type who snidely condemns reading anything regarded as popular (their targets often include books with a huge following, such as the Harry Potter series).

On the opposite end, you have those who immediately get an allergic reaction whenever anyone mentions a classical composer or a poet. They immediately assume you’re being close-minded and pretentious, and surely the only reason you like those things, they believe, is because you wish to come across as educated. And the pop/rock they listen to, the pulp fiction they devour, they think, is just as profound and insightful as ‘high culture’. If only the ‘others’ weren’t so close minded, they’d surely get just as much recognition as ‘high’ culture.

Of course, in most cases it’s not a malicious attitude, but a sub-conscious bias. People generally (but not always) enjoy what they happened to have grown up with. But is it really necessary to condemn either extreme of the debate? Is it really worth anyone’s time complaining about what other people enjoy? Surely good things can be found in both popular and ‘high’ culture, as well as in any fringe subculture for that matter?

The problem with people who exclusively indulge in ‘high’ culture

The problem with being highly discriminating against anything popular and which society wouldn’t regard as high culture is that it limits your options. Rather than going out there and exploring the market for anything new, you’ll often find that you first listen to what a particular group of people say is worth looking at / listening to / reading.

Some might consider it a rather close-minded approach. While it is true that a work of art which has withstood the test of time has a comparatively high likelihood of being good, it is never guaranteed. Also, individual tastes might mean that it just isn’t for you – even if the work, per se, is good. If you’re exclusively consuming artwork which ‘others say’ is going to expand your horizon, you’re barring yourself from finding hidden gems elsewhere.

Artists, too, never really discriminate in the same way that consumers do. Before capitalism guaranteed the emergence of the middle-class, it was very difficult to distinguish between popular and high culture – indeed, even Shakespeare first wrote and acted for a company dedicated towards entertaining ‘commoners’ in a dodgy neighbourhood. Only time (and his genius!) raised him into the ranks of ‘high’ culture.

The modernists, too, blurred the lines between the two. Eliot, Pound, Woolf, Joyce: all of them enjoyed enough privileges, but nevertheless indulged in popular culture and used it in their own ‘high-brow’ work (alongside what their contemporaries considered high-brow).

At the end of the day, limiting oneself to high-brow culture means limiting one’s perspectives. It’s essentially the same as limiting oneself to popular culture. The only difference is that the dictating entity which tells you what’s good isn’t the wider, but the ‘elite’ population.

The problem with people who exclusively indulge in popular culture

Popular culture has a much larger market, and therefore only consuming popular culture is less limiting (in terms of volume). But by condemning everything ‘high-brow’ as pretentious, you’re barring yourself from a wonderful world with a lot of variety.

Due to the nature of open markets, popular culture often lacks variety. The people creating such art know what is popular, and so they repeat the same tropes over and over again – ensuring that the consumer’s intake is less varied than may seem at first (hence why, for instance, many people say that pop music always sounds the same). It’s just a simple sales strategy.

Also, a lot of ‘good’ popular culture has its roots in high culture. Stephen King was inspired by both Edgar Allan Poe and Lovecraft; Tolkien’s work was heavily inspired by Anglo-Saxon and Norse poetry. Many of our contemporary crime thrillers draw their ideas from the works of figures such as Agatha Christie. Although I must note that she blurs the line between popular and high culture…

For the sake of personal development, there are really worse things one can do than to bridge the language gap between something old (and which is therefore difficult to enjoy) and by doing that to open up the world of ‘high’ culture and to see what the fuss is about. Avoiding it entirely and condemning it as elitist is no better than condemning everything popular. Of course it may have to do with considering such art ‘difficult’. This displays an underestimation of one’s own capabilities. It may also be because it reminds you of dull schoolwork, which in reality is very different from picking it up yourself. Identify your subconscious bias and give it a go. You may surprise yourself.

The solution: mix and mingle

There’s not really any way around it. To avoid both pitfalls, all I can recommend is to be more open-minded about things. Why would you bother condemning Harry Potter for not being particularly important (in literary history) when it probably produced more new readers than any other book series before (aside from its entertainment-value)? Why would you condemn Macbeth as being elitist and pretentious when it’s actually deeply thrilling once you’ve gotten used to the language?

In the end, all you can do is to remind yourself not to close your mind to new things. No matter which side you feel more at home at. You can find hidden gems, beautiful books, gorgeous music anywhere you look. People are varied and flexible enough that a single person may equally enjoy a great deal of varied art. Muse, Klaus Nomi, Ella Fitzgerald and Gustav Mahler? Why not!

And if you don’t want to – or can’t – break out into new areas and enjoy art and culture from places and streams you don’t know or enjoy, that’s also not the end of the world. But then don’t go around complaining about other people who enjoy things you don’t. In short, act open-mindedly. Live and let live.

Closing thoughts

I must reiterate that a lot of the problem has to do with a subconscious attitude. Most people who act in that way are probably unaware of it. But it does, in the end, put a lot of pressure on an activity that should be about personal freedom, as well as the freedom to enjoy whatever you want.

Do you agree with my thoughts? Do you know of better methods to overcome the divide? Then please leave a comment. Otherwise, why not share it on the social media of your choice? Then please click on one of the tender buttons below.