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“I know it because I saw it on a movie”

Francisco Miraval

There are few situations that really bother me, but one of those situations is meeting somebody who answers every question quoting a movie. It seems to me those encounters are happening with increasing frequency and it is becoming increasingly difficult to remain calm and keep smiling.

Years ago, for example, I met a young man who was teaching a class about the life of Jesus. It was a really good presentation, full with unusual details about the geography of the area where Jesus preached and about the people who listened to him.

The audience listened with clear amazement to every word the young man said. Obviously, everybody knew the end of the story, but they were enjoying the presentation. Eventually, the story came to the part when Judas betrays Jesus and when Peter denies him.  Suddenly, the young man stopped talking.

He looked to the audience and then he said, almost apologizing: “That’s when I stopped watching the movie because I had to go to sleep because the next day I had to go to work.”

What it was presented to the audience as true knowledge based on solid research it was just a retelling (well done, indeed) of a movie. The “knowledge” he presented to possess just ended at the point when the young man stopped watching the movie.

I think this is something happening frequently in our time. It doesn’t matter the topic, from space travel to unknown monsters, from serial killers to scientific discoveries, from music to literature, the answer is, “I know. I saw it on a movie.”

But the meaning of that answer is not “Now that I understand the topic and its context let’s talk about this,” but “I already watched the movie, so there is no need for us to talk about this.” And they even say that smiling and in a nice way. There is no bad intention at all. It is a real answer.

In some cases, when possible, I ask for information about the movie (year of release, actors, director) and about the approach the movie takes about the topic of reference. I usually stop there, because if I happen to say, “And what do you think about this,” either the conversation ends right there or we go back to the movie.

It is obvious that since immemorial times, humans have created all kinds of artistic expressions to explore those corners –real or imaginary– of the universe and our lives that otherwise will remain unexplored. Following that tradition, movies create situations that stir both our emotions and our thoughts.

Yet, the idea that the answer to everything is a quote from a movie seems to be not only a gross exaggeration but a sign of dangerous mental laziness. I think there is almost nothing we can to do change that situation.

Therefore, when one of my students answers quoting a movie, I always think, “Of all the classrooms, in all the towns, in all the world, he/she walks into mine…”

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