I am an avid documentary watcher. A lot of my friends don't understand this. How I could come home from a long day of absorbing information just to learn about something I won't even be graded on?! Here is what I tell people who aren't as gung-ho about non-fictional television as I am:
"Absolutely nothing is more scary, suspenseful, beautiful, symbolic, tear-jerking, romantic or WEIRD than real life."
I fully accept this to be true. What director could ever make up the Ted Bundy tapes, the fascinating history of Korea, the invention and cultural influence of psychedelics, or the way that our world converts LITERALLY converts a toxic gas to a breathable one. Our past, present and future as a universe is truly the stuff of best-selling novels, feature-length films and video games, and yet we so often overlook the significance of real life because it is just that: real life. For some reason, many people are turned off by the idea of consuming facts simply because they are factual.
This is understandable, especially if you are a college student whose brain is about to explode from a constant stream of facts to memorize and projects to finish. However, I encourage anyone apprehensive about trying to enjoy a documentary or docuseries to first find subject matter that feels truly interesting to them! If you're a car mechanic, find a documentary on the history of vehicles, or where the technology of automobiles is headed in the next 100 years! If you're a teacher, see what educators from other countries have to say about their own education systems or find a film that outlines private schools in America.
While I do encourage finding a subject that sparks interest, I also love it when people try watching documentaries on things that don't pertain to them in the slightest or viewing something that makes them a little bit...*gasp*... UNCOMFORTABLE!! I believe in the value of experiencing film that explains from different perspectives a religion, morality system or lifestyle you don't necessarily agree with or have interest in pursuing! This is how we educate ourselves. THIS is what it is to be a lifelong learner. Allow yourself to hear other opinions without allowing ego and instinctual, automatic defense of your own belief to inhibit your ability to really listen.
As I referenced above, I recently watched a film about acid and its mass producers in the 70's. Am I an acidhead who wants to live out the rest of my days naked in the mountains with my many partners?
No, Mom. :)
Did I find it incredibly interesting how a bunch of young people so heavily influenced the political climate of an entire generation, for better or worse?
Absolutely!
Learn, always. Glean the good from what you see and remember the bad so that you can be aware of what you want to omit from your own life. Education is not heresy. Education is not blasphemy. It is possible to be objective and still hold fast to your own beliefs.
Peace and blessings!
- E
