getting to know you day at CaC

I love today's question! It's been interesting looking back and figuring out how to answer it.

Here's the question for today: I want to know what book, movie and song not only changed your life, but also changed the way you thought about the medium. It could have been when you were a child or a teenager or just last week. Anytime in your life.

Book: This one is easy. The book that changed it all for me was Fahrenheit 451. I read this book when I was about 13 years old. It was an assignment for school, and I think every single school in the country... no, every school in the world... should require their students to read this book. Censorship is a dangerous and serious issue, and kids should be taught about it early on, so that they will know how to fight it! I never really thought about censorship and what it can mean for society until I read this book. It really changed the way I thought about the written word, and how important it is to preserve it. Even if I don't agree with what it says.

Movie: Dead Poet's Society. I know, I know... it's a cheesy choice. But when I saw this movie in high school, it made me really think about thinking for myself. It is a beautiful illustration of individual expression and learning to think for yourself. Schools shouldn't teach us what to think, they should teach us how to think, how to come up with original ideas, and how to express our own ideas and ideals. It was one of the first movies that actually made me evaluate the way I think. I always love movies, plays, and television shows that make me think, and Dead Poet's Society is the ultimate movie for that!

Song: This one is more difficult. The song that really changed how I felt about songs was "The Boxer" from Simon and Garfunkle. It tells the most vivid story, and even the music goes along with what's happening in the song. I could close my eyes and see the story progressing, and I could feel what was happening, not just in my mind, but in my body too. Everytime the boxer was hit, I felt the pain. That song still has that effect on me, even after hearing it hundreds of times since that first time. A song that changed the way I think about life, however, is "Seasons of Love" from the musical Rent. The lyrics are so powerful, and they really make me think about life and how I live it. I first heard this song shortly after graduating from high school, in a time when I was sort of trying to figure out what was important in life, and it was the perfect time to be reminded that the only thing that is really important is the love you give to others and the love you get in return. It's a beautiful sentiment and I try to live my life by it.