Cap'n Nick ([info]capnnick) wrote,
2006-01-30 16:57:00
  • Mood: hopeful
  • Music: 311 - Homebrew

Tragedy

I got the hairs cut. The hairs are short again. I don't like this, but it looks okay. Maybe the long hairs would look okay, too, if they ever got long without developing horrible split ends. Perhaps some day we will see, and the world shall be filled with goodness and leprechauns.

I talked with the haircut dude and a middle-aged woman about The Da Vinci Code. I have never read The Da Vinci Code, and now I am starting to regret this. Everyone and their dog has read this book and I hate being left out of the loop, especially when it seems to be tied into that general church paranoia that I detest so vehemently. It sickens me that so many people take comfort in the corruption of this institution. And really, I think that's what a lot of people are doing, when they justify their own apathy by railing against hypocrisy and swindling in churches as if this were universal, biblically-based policy instead of a widespread and tragic perversion of the church's true purpose. Is anyone not a sinner? Will any body of sinners rise above its foundation? Of course not. But, God still gives his gifts to these bodies and we have no excuse not to take them.

I doubt I'll be reading it any time, soon, though. It's been crazy homework up 'round these parts and I haven't had much time for recreational reading. I am working on one novel, though; Jane Austen's Emma. It's not nearly as zippy as Pride and Prejudice but it does have a lot of the same flavor, and that I appreciate.

I also got some new cartoons, thanks to the Clara. Oh, she is too good to me, fueling my addiction in the heart of this P2P-forsaken wilderness. Let me say right now that Honey and Clover is on all the right kinds of crack. Symbolic bicycle wheel! Midget love triangle! Life is good.


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  • 31 comments

[info]joshchristopher

January 31 2006, 00:06:45 UTC 6 years ago

I'm actually letting me hairs grow out. I've got that really nice thick, smooth, good hair that's the envy of all the ladies.

Not that I already aren't.

[info]capnnick

January 31 2006, 16:01:21 UTC 6 years ago

Josh, he's one bad motha-SHUT YO' MOUTH!

I'm just talkin' about Josh.

[info]dejaentendurock

January 31 2006, 01:35:14 UTC 6 years ago

I've never read the Da Vinci Code either, but for some reason, people like to think that fictional books are reality. I, in turn, had picked up some more of my crazy ideas about Christ before I became a believer and relayed them on to my friend Ryan who in turn replied, "That's crap! They have to write books AGAINST THAT book, because people take fictoin seriously!"

"ohhhhhhh" I said....

and.....that's basically the end of that story.

Moral of story: Fiction is FICTIUOUS (sorry....I don't know the spelling for that word)

More comments:
Jane Austen rocks.
And long hair is bad....be glad you chopped it off. I had having long hair.....it's evil.

[info]bigsleepj

January 31 2006, 06:24:48 UTC 6 years ago

Fiction may be Fictitious, but the problem with the Da Vinci Code is that it claims that its ridiculous history is factual. And many people believe it because the author assures the reader that its true. I mean, people can go along with the silliest things as long as a movie or a book claims "its based on a true story." A good example is the Oscar-winning movie "Fargo" (1996).

At the start of Fargo the movie says "This is a true story. Out of respect for the living the names have been changed, out respect for the dead the events remained unchanged." That statement is totally a false. The movie is entirely fictional and at several times the story takes some incredibly dark and absurd turns which some might have though unbelievable at times, yet many people went along with it "because it is based on a true story". There was even an urban myth (taken by many for fact but long dispelled) that a 'crazy Japanese women' fooled by the movie died in the cold of Minnesota looking for a treasure buried by one of the characters. The authors of Fargo did this as a test or experiment, and obviously it worked.

[info]alruff

January 31 2006, 15:36:03 UTC 6 years ago

You have to remember that, with any fictional work, the burden of belief is on you. It isn't the fault of the writer if they want to provide you with a good time and play on gullibility.

As you said, The Da Vinci Code is a work of fiction. If morons take unverified fact and proclaim that it is true, then they deserve to be sold beachfront property in Arizona. Dan Brown never said what aspects of his book were real, and people deserve what they get.

Alex Out.
Studio SIXGUNS

[info]capnnick

January 31 2006, 15:54:31 UTC 6 years ago

Of course. Authors shouldn't care about the potential societal effects of their work.

[info]alruff

6 years ago

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[info]capnnick

6 years ago

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[info]bigsleepj

January 31 2006, 16:40:35 UTC 6 years ago

You have to remember that, with any fictional work, the burden of belief is on you. It isn't the fault of the writer if they want to provide you with a good time and play on gullibility.

True enough. I was once fooled by a fake bibliography in a Michael Crichton book and I was also fooled by Fargo and my reaction was more amusement than anger. But both the Coen brothers (who wrote & directed Fargo) and Michael Crichton admit that its stylistic devices. Dan Brown however gives strange answers. When he was interviewed he was asked "How much of this novel is based on fact" and he answered "All of it. The paintings, locations, historical documents, and organizations described in the novel all exist." That is a very strange answer - I'm not sure if its ambiguous but it certainly isn't a proper answer. In fact it almost contradicts some of his answers to similar questions. It is this type of pseudo-intellectualism (for lack of a better defining term off the top of my head) I object to.

[info]alruff

6 years ago

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[info]bigsleepj

6 years ago

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[info]alruff

6 years ago

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[info]bigsleepj

6 years ago

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[info]kazekami

January 31 2006, 02:30:34 UTC 6 years ago

my mom read it even though my dad was against it. She said that one of the main charachters is a preist. And she said that the book isn't anti catholic. She said the only problem witht he book is that it contains enough truth that it can sway those with little faith. SHe found herself with the governing officers of the Knights of Columbus, my dad belongs to the orginization. And drug her to something where the wives of the guys in charge as well as the guys were supposed to find a way to get the wives involved too. Well they touched on the books. none of them had read the book and started saying things they heard that weren't true. My mom explained about the book and they freaked out. My mom always said, as did my professeurs at school that if your going to make an arugment about somethin you better know what your talking about. You need to actually read before saying anything. My mom even said it's a fictional book.

I love Jane Austin. =D

[info]nocturne_wolf

January 31 2006, 02:39:38 UTC 6 years ago

My sis tried to read The Da Vinci Code and said it was terribly boring.

By the way, do we get to see evidence of the haircut?

[info]capnnick

January 31 2006, 16:06:11 UTC 6 years ago

There have been many requests to this effect. I may soon have to oblige.

[info]spazzlet

January 31 2006, 04:33:30 UTC 6 years ago

I read Emma. It was for a school assignment, though, and - because I am an idiot and didn't start really reading it until the night before I was supposed to have it finished - it was really difficult for me to finish. I got a good grade on the test, though! @.@ I should reread it now, so I can actually appreciate it as more than an assignment, though.

Oh, and I've seen an episode of Honey and Clover! I watched it tonight with Clara. I agree, even after just seeing the one episode, that it is indeed on all the right kinds of crack. Heheh. It's also very pretty. This helps. ^ ^ (I can't remember any of the character's names, though. >.>)

[info]sandrock

January 31 2006, 06:01:44 UTC 6 years ago

I am in the business of spreading joy. Teehee.

[info]capnnick

January 31 2006, 15:58:40 UTC 6 years ago

I see you are~ ^_^. Nice icon.

[info]capnnick

January 31 2006, 16:09:05 UTC 6 years ago

I'm having the same problem with Emma, strangely enough. That happens to me a lot with these older novels; they introduce everyone at the beginning and then I forget their context by the time they come back up again.

[info]spazzlet

February 16 2006, 21:31:51 UTC 6 years ago

Haha, I know what you mean. (It can be especially confusing when characters are only referred to by their last names.) @.@ I remember that in the beginning of that book, I read nearly two pages about Emma's father thinking that he was a completely different person. ^ ^;;

[info]bigsleepj

January 31 2006, 06:02:53 UTC 6 years ago

Now, now, Nick. The Da Vinci Code is an excellent educational tool. Its is a variation of those "What's Wrong with this Picture" Puzzles. "Alright, class, point out the factual innacuracies perpetuated by this book."

I've read part of it - I have to say the writing is dreadful. And contrived. And that was just half of the first chapter. But considering how many people believe the book's claim that its historically accurate then it might be a good idea for you to read it someday, and then read something dispelling the factual innacuracies. I mean, the Da Vinci code might be forgotten in a hundred years (time sinks all bad literature, eventually) but for the next decade it is definitely here to stay (my publications on the Influence of the Space Amoeba through History is certainly going to be the next Da Vinci Code for sure!).

I mean, in the future I think most Christians are going to have to come face to face with these idiotic heresies and need to be able to fight them. You'll certainly deal with them when you leave the seminary, so its a good idea that you get a head start on the subject. And the fact that the movie-version is coming only means that the book's historicity is going to come to the forefront again.

The Wikipedia has an article called "The Criticism of the Da Vinci Code" which points out some of the factual innacuracies. It might be a good place to start.

[info]alruff

January 31 2006, 15:52:10 UTC 6 years ago

Yeah, but isn't Wikipedia user-generated?

Trust books by people you know.

Alex Out.

[info]bigsleepj

January 31 2006, 16:41:31 UTC 6 years ago

As I said, its a good place to start.

[info]kazekami

February 3 2006, 06:47:36 UTC 6 years ago

there is alos a documentary called Decodeing Hisory. They did 2 episodes on the Da Vinci Code and explained the historical inacuracies as well. It was quite intresting.

[info]pho999

January 31 2006, 06:05:48 UTC 6 years ago

The book sucks. You're not missing anything. Not just for Scriptural inaccuracy, but plain sloppy writing. I mean seriously. I could see it all coming.

And if you really want to know what happens, just watch the movie when it comes out. Bleah.

[info]capnnick

January 31 2006, 15:57:57 UTC 6 years ago

I didn't read The Da Vinci Code but I did read another book by Dan Brown, Digital Fortress. I'd say the same thing about that one. It felt like reading an action movie, and I don't mean a good action movie.

[info]alruff

January 31 2006, 21:05:40 UTC 6 years ago

I write bad action movies!

Alex Out.

[info]pho999

February 4 2006, 06:22:59 UTC 6 years ago

Someone once told me that all of Dan Brown's books have the same plot anyway. The DaVinci Code has the same plot as Angels and Demons, only with different characters and with religious connotations. (If I remember correctly, A&D was about some genetic thing?)

[info]gray_nezumi

January 31 2006, 12:19:04 UTC 6 years ago

Hahaha "Midge love triangle", yeah. X3 Its so cute though...

[info]katydid2005

January 31 2006, 17:41:34 UTC 6 years ago

Ive never read the Davinci Code either, but I read The Rule of Four, which is supposed to be similar & I thought it was very good.

Some people just cant determine where that line between fact & fiction is, but that will always happen. Children do it the most though. Their innocence makes me smile... So many of them at camp last year were asking if any of our British counselors knew Harry Potter personally, lol...

& yes, I must see this new haircut!
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