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Friday 19 June 2009

Everything I know, I learnt on TV

So I am back - finally sorted out the many, many, many problems with my laptop and ready to start posting once again.

OK, the title is completely incorrect (how could it be when I don't even have TV) but it's so catchy I couldn't resist using it. When I say TV I'm including film, tele and fiction books. Basically it occurred to me yesterday as I was watching 'Angels and Demons' - much better than I was expecting by the way - that if I hadn't read the book or saw the film I wouldn't have any clue who the Illuminati were or many of the laws of Vatican city. I'm not saying any of this information is necessary in life but it is that sort of general knowledge I mean. It's the sort of thing that they don't teach at school because it's not necessary; and so it is either learnt through discussion, or in most cases, through fiction.

Almost everything that classifies as general, world knowledge, I have aquired through this medium. Take Doctor Who - before the last series I had no knowledge of Pompeii. I had never come across it yet everyone seemed shocked that I didn't know. So I'm most certainly not condemning it though of course the fact that the information is conveyed through fiction can be a problem, when it isn't clear what is and what isn't factual.

So that's the ramble for today - look out for more posts on their way soon.

1 comment:

Aspie_rebel said...

You put that the title is completely correct, when I think you mean incorrect.

And just so you know, the part with the doctor causing one of the most devastating volcanoes in Pompeii is under some scrutiny by historians.
But good post.