life & trend-spotting

i've oft-times found myself shaking my head in disagreement or disbelief that some people I know actually spout out their liking or familiarity with certain icons or events - without first bothering to actually understand what they're talking about. i've got no qualms whatsoever about people having opinions per se, and it's perfectly alright by my book to say 'i like this, for *insert whatever off-hand reason here*' and be done with it. what i find disagreeable is that some simply refuse vigorously from taking any effort to even vaugely understand their ideas and position. still, that isn't even half as bad as someone specifically refusing to put in any effort yet continue to speak as though they do or have.

case in point: an acquaintance (used to considered a friend but i've found this particular habit of his i'm describing now terribly disconcerting) raved on about how he thought richard branson was fantastic - minor bits information of which he'd glean from 3rd, 4th, 5th sources, mainly from hear-say and casual conversation. i suggested, he's written an autobiography, why not read it if you're so interested? (i am reading it now btw). no, this person replied, he's not keen on reading. similarly, he claimed to have thought long about religion and on his own faith (he's rc), and made many statements which i thought could simply have been resolved, dealt with, or clarified, if he only knew and opened himself to knowledge and understanding of what has happened before. so i bought him a book by the pope on the latter's thoughts in the millenium - this person rejected it outright, said he can't be bothered.

i don't understand! if you're so keen on something, you might not do certain things to increase your interest (after all, most of us are slackkkkk, innit?), but at least you won't close your mind to any avenue of knowledge, would you?

i've also decided to become a trend-spotter. the graphic novel (blankets) which i so wanted to get a few days ago was reviewed in the papers today. mind you, it isn't a particularly new book - i think maybe one, two years old? but still...! maybe i'd pair that with my idea to publish a bi-weekly or monthly magazine just like 'the new yorker'.

that being said, i realize that unless i actually do it, it's just words, and nothing more. i will be more than a dreamer, but only a reader, reading about the stuff of life lived by do-ers, or a poet, gloryifing history as created by others