Reading...in the Dark Ages

In an earlier post, I talked a little bit about why we read in this day and age. If anything, it is seen as more of a hobby or leisure activity. But reading hasn't always been such a simple pastime.

In a classical civilization course that I'm taking at BYU, we are currently studying the era between the Roman Empire and the Renaissance. These centuries are known as the Middle or "Dark" Ages, and rightly so. Almost no one could read, and so books in general served an entirely different purpose. Here are the main points that I saw:

--Reading was basically a premium ticket to salvation, since the only book read was almost always the Holy Bible. You were in good shape if you could read the Word.

--Reading was very expensive, with a decorative family Bible usually amounting to the value of a standard house. And that doesn't even account for the weeks and months the monks spent handwriting each and every word, on every single page.

--There was certainly a narrow scope of what could actually be read, especially since almost everyone was illiterate. So basically, whatever the church wanted to publish, that's what you had to read.


I think that to wrap up, I just want to make a few observations about censorship and the role it played (and plays) in maintaining certain morals in society. Since the circulation was controlled by the church, they could make people read exactly what they wanted them to. It worked out pretty well for them, considering that much of the classic Greek and Latin works were preserved...but there's not a lot of particular hallmarks from the actual time period. So did censorship work? Maybe. I think that a lot of really creative ideas could have been silently suppressed by early church censorship. Of course, there is a line to draw somewhere. I think that maybe the morals of society should allow for free publishing, but without damaging the peaceable status of families within society. Draw the line somewhere good.

The Power of Confiding in Friends

This week, I have learned a little clearer the great power and peace that comes through friends. I feel like in this life, the battles and struggles that we fight are tough. Usually, many of us think we have to face these fights alone. I was able to study important spiritual topics with my roommates these past few days, and it has made quite the impact.

We all have friends, and we all need friends. They help us to not get caught up in self-deception, self-pity, or even self-destructive behaviors. There are lots of ways they can help us, we just need to be humble enough to seek their help.

So, this week as I continue to make important life decisions, there will come times when I will need an additional hand. So whether they come in the form of late-night chats, car rides, or conversation over a meal, I will take advantage of whatever chance I get. Sometimes it can be hard to get help, but just remember Jake's Theorem--that thing you're dreading, it's never as bad as you thought it was going to be.

Why We Read

So, I have been thinking about some of the changes that we see in our increasingly modern society. One of the things that is less and less common is reading. I am talking about the true art of deep, soul-searching, pondering reading. I love exploring the human experience, and I think reading is one of the best ways to do it. Here are my top five reasons why we read (or should read):

1)  We learn more about who we are by reading about others. Often, I can find similar qualities in someone else, and it helps me to relate m life experiences to theirs.

2)  We love to go to a different world. Why else would we read about fantasy in a world of magic, sci-fi, or romance?

3)  We analyze the human experience. It's awesome to learn about folly and triumph, and learn a little bit more about why we do what we do.

4)  We learn a lot about the world around us, including words, names, places, and cultures.

5)  We do it be a part of something greater. It's nice to know that when we have read a book, we join shoulder to shoulder with so many others who have done the same.

I, for one, am determined to try harder to appreciate books and reading. I want to make sure that I always seek for more learning throughout life.

The College Woes

Well, this week was quite abnormally busy. It kind of feels like everything is starting to pressure in a little bit more. And of course, I always seem to have a fantastic checklist ready to go, only to find that it grows, not shrinks. Everything that I plan out carefully is, by the end of the week, pointless. It happened again this week, and sometimes it can be disheartening.

This is sometimes a big burden, because it adds lots of stress. I am the kind of person who can feel great when they start knocking things off the list. So it's a great help to be able to finish things, whether they be academic, social, or spiritual.

So, this week, I am going to try and start working out these checklist items during the week, instead of saving them all for the weekend. I'm going to try and take things one at a time, and hopefully be efficient with my time.

Online Interviewing

So, in my business communications class here at BYU, we had the opportunity to hold a mock video interview via Skype. It's something that is becoming increasingly common with the widespread technology--it makes a more personal interview possible from long distances. These interactions can be anything from preliminary to very final.

I really enjoyed the flexibility of being myself, even long distance. I am a people person, so it's important for me to be able to interact with another human being. All the nuances and body language are huge helps for me, and I feel more confident and genuine when I can rely on those tools.

One thing I realized as a big challenge is to keep looking at the camera! I really want to be able to look at myself, or at least the interviewer. But when I do, my eyes get taken off of direct eye contact, and I'm looking away from the person I'm supposed to be looking at! So that's something to work on for sure.

It was fun, but only practice. I'm sure that I'll experience the real deal soon enough.