books Which works of art have changed your life?

[NomDeSpite 452]

(posted under "Books" because MLP Forums requires me to choose a prefix)

 

I have two questions I'd like to ask:

 

Question 1: Think of a piece of artwork, a book you've read, a film you've seen, a song you've listened to, etc. that has changed you and your life somehow. Which book/movie/song, etc. was it?


Question 2: What was the change that occurred?

 

- - - - -

 

This answer I give: many of the words that the character Father Zossima speaks in Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel "The Brothers Karamazov" have influenced my life choices, particularly the ones regarding the fulfillment of desire:

 

From Chapter 3, "Conversations And Exhortations Of Father Zossima":

 

The world has proclaimed the reign of freedom, especially of late, but what do we see in this freedom of theirs? Nothing but slavery and self-destruction! For the world says: "You have desires and so satisfy them, for you have the same rights as the most rich and powerful. Don't be afraid of satisfying them and even multiply your desires." ...And what follows from this right of multiplication of desires? In the rich, isolation and spiritual suicide; in the poor, envy and murder...

 

Interpreting freedom as the multiplication and rapid satisfaction of desires, men distort their own nature, for many senseless and foolish desires and habits and ridiculous fancies are fostered in them. They live only for mutual envy, for luxury and ostentation. To have dinners visits, carriages, rank, and slaves to wait on one is looked upon as a necessity, for which life, honour and human feeling are sacrificed, and men even commit suicide if they are unable to satisfy it. We see the same thing among those who are not rich, while the poor drown their unsatisfied need and their envy in drunkenness.

 

...how can a man shake off his habits? What can become of him if he is in such bondage to the habit of satisfying the innumerable desires he has created for himself? He is isolated, and what concern has he with the rest of humanity? They have succeeded in accumulating a greater mass of objects, but the joy in the world has grown less.

Edited February 3, 2014 by NomDeSpite

[Scootalove 10,692]

• Never Never by Korn

• The change that occurred was, I thought that I would never find love again but until I heard that song it showed me that I should learn from my mistakes and know that love will come again to me one day.

[Static Electricity 729]

A book that really changed my outlook paleontology was "All Yesterdays". Particularly the final part, which showed modern-day animals reconstructed with the same inaccurate process dinosaurs are.

 

One film that really affected me, and gave us a cool soundtrack, was "Requiem for a Dream". This article sums up why: http://thoughtcatalog.com/carrie-lynne-davis/2013/10/11-powerful-movies-that-will-completely-decimate-your-heart/

 

Those are all I can think of right now, I'll post more later.

[Guest90210 3,569]

 

• Never Never by Korn

 

 

I love that song. One of Korn's best and is definitely inspiring

 

Speaking of music, lots of music has inspired me in various ways, from trying to stay positive in a bad situation to just having a good time.

[Scootalove 10,692]

I love that song. One of Korn's best and is definitely inspiring

 

Speaking of music, lots of music has inspired me in various ways, from trying to stay positive in a bad situation to just having a good time.

I'm too addicted to that song. Any song can inspire you to stay positive, but Korn did it pretty well.

[Discordian 6,020]

I read a lot of webcomics. Some characters in webcomics really help put my own self and life into perspective. In the webcomic Ozy & Millie I always kinda looked up to Ozy's father. He was quite the character and he portrayed the type of person I want to be. To this day I've yet to find anyone as representative of the person I want to be than him. A close second would definitely be Fisk from Better Days/Original Life.

 

I know comics in general are sometimes not really considered art but it's the best I got.

[NomDeSpite 452]

One film that really affected me, and gave us a cool soundtrack, was "Requiem for a Dream".

A very draining and very difficult-to-watch film. It definitely shatters the idea that film's primary purpose is "entertainment". I see the same theme as Father Zossima's quotes from "The Brothers Karamazov", i.e. the problems that occur when you attempt to fulfill your desires.

Edited February 6, 2014 by NomDeSpite

[Static Electricity 729]

A very draining and very difficult-to-watch film. It definitely shatters the idea that film's primary purpose is "entertainment".

 

Despite being one the best films I've ever seen, I don't think I'd like to see it again 3: