Knowledge is Power.
That mantra still rings true. Your pursuit should be relentless and neverending. There was a time in history when only the wealthy were privy to an education and ignorance was the greatest oppression. The ability to read was more than just a tool to navigate through life, its was FREEDOM. I still remember the first book I ever read, Aesop's Fables, The Lion and the Mouse. You couldn't tell me NOTHIN!! I remember how I felt and thinking, even then, my life would never be the same.
So why now are there SOOO many folks walking around that have not read book the first? Since when did it become cool to be dumb? Why are we now embracing ignorance in leu of being well-read? With everyone seemingly in pursuit of truth, why have we now turned a blind eye to one of the most comprehensive sources for knowledge? The old saying goes "if you want to hide something, put it in a book!". I am sad to report that rings so true in today's society. We have no idea where things come from, how things work, social structure, economics, etc. To watch The Great Gatsby, A Streetcar Named Desire, To Kill a Mockingbird, or The Color Purple and not realize that these fine examples of cinematic art all originated within the pages of an extraordinary work of fiction would have me feeling some type of way! I movie is not a replacement, its a visual accompaniment. Ask anyone who has read the book prior to seeing the movie, the book is ALWAYS better.
Stop talking to me about the Bible if you have not read at least 85% of it. Don't quote me no mess you heard Farrakhan say second-hand if you haven't and don't intend on reading the Koran. I don't want to discuss your position on reparations for slavery if Uncle Tom's Cabin is not apart of your literary arsenal. Last but certainly not least, don't you even try talking to me about the Harlem Renaissance if you have never read any James Balwin. I exist in a completely different place than you do, and am deathly afraid that the love of ignorance is contagious, please stay away!
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