Benefits of Reading in Visual Arts
“Be drawn to the visual arts for it can expand your imagination.” —Barbara Januszkiewicz
I’d talk about the numerous benefits I gain from reading various sources: nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and myths to enhance my knowledge, learn something new, help me relax, and serve as a source of inspiration to express my ideas in writing. Below you will find links to each post with their respective reading benefits in different genres.
- Reading a Gateway to Many Lives Part 1: benefits of reading
- Reading a Gateway to Many Lives Part 2: benefits of reading nonfiction
- Reading a Gateway to Many Lives Part 3: benefits of reading fiction
- Reading a Gateway to Many Lives Part 4: benefits of reading poetry
- Reading a Gateway to Many Lives Part 5: benefits of reading myths
However, my reading extends beyond words in books, screens, or electronic readers; reading also entails interpreting and understanding the information we absorb. I benefit from reading about visual arts, such as TV shows, movies, and video games.
When we’re treated with a visual sequence of events, dialogue, and action, that reduces the cognitive load required to visualize scenery in the passage of a book. The focus shifts toward paying attention to subtext, facial expression, tone and mood, body language, and foreground and background objects that may hint at or simply show the setting and its context with characters. Sometimes the difficulty with a visual sequence of scenes can overlook the dialogue because of the visual stimuli absorbed by our most powerful sense—sight.
TV shows
A much-needed vacation from the stresses of daily life can be found watching TV. They can support relaxation and stress relief. TV programs can also be educational by imparting knowledge about the past, the present, or various cultures through documentaries. In good faith, show current issues domestically and internationally.
“Television is the menace that everyone loves to hate but can’t seem to live without.” —Paddy Chayefsky.
TV shows are episodic, and films try to encapsulate content and context in one sitting and emphasize the story’s protagonist and theme. In contrast, TV shows lend themselves to developing many characters. For example, in one of my favorite TV shows, Supernatural, the central duo protagonists: Dean and Sam Winchester, are anti-heroes at no fault of their own and are raised to be hunters by their father after their mother’s death at the hands of a demon. They must confront and banish all the supernatural horrors that upend their world. The brothers struggle side by side to exterminate these supernatural beings that disturb their reality;. At the same time, we watch passively as their connection evolves; disagreements between their worldviews and memories of their upbringing impact their complex relationship.
Movies | Films
The ability of movies to teach is one advantage of watching them. The film lets viewers learn about many eras, civilizations, and historical events. Additionally, they can exacerbate rather than narrow the divide between political parties and other critical social and political concerns like sexism and partisanship. Movies may be quite funny and lighthearted in addition to being instructive. Comedy is a well-liked genre for a reason: it provides a welcome diversion from the severity of daily life. Even tragedies and thrillers occasionally feature humorous scenes that lighten the mood and offer a welcome break from reality.
“A film is a petrified fountain of thought.” —Jean Cocteau
For instance, in Peter Jackson’s adaptation of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, one of my favorite movies, we meet a group of people throughout three movies that almost perfectly summarize the book’s plot. In The Lord of the Rings film we recognize a few themes:
- Friendship: The Free Peoples of Middle-earth set aside their differences against a common enemy.
- Christ figures: Frodo, Gandalf, and Aragorn embody the three aspects of Jesus Christ’s ministry as priest, prophet, and king.
- Power: The One Ring is an object of power and desire, corrupting the wielder.
- Death and immortality: The One Ring of Sauron ultimately corrupted and took away the life of the men who had been promised immortality through the Rings of Power. At the same time, the elves possess both the gift and the curse of immortality.
The depth and creative power of written language cannot be captured by TV series or movies. Still, they give tremendous pleasure and insights into the human condition to a broader audience than would have chosen to read the books.
Video games
Video games have become a popular form of entertainment for people of all ages. They offer an immersive experience that can transport players to alternate worlds and allow them to be the hero of their own story. In recent years, there has been an increase in narrative video games emphasizing storytelling. These games are often praised for engaging players emotionally and providing a unique form of entertainment.
“Every age has its storytelling form, and video gaming is a huge part of our culture. You can ignore or embrace video games and imbue them with the best artistic quality. People are enthralled with video games in the same way as other people love the cinema or theatre.” —Andy Serkis
There are many benefits to playing narrative video games. Firstly, they can help improve your storytelling skills. By being placed in the role of the protagonist, you can make decisions that will affect the story’s outcome. This can teach you how to create exciting plots and develop characters that people will care about. Secondly, playing these games can improve your problem-solving skills and enrich your life.
Imagine an immersive medium combining visual stimuli, control, and embodying a character littered with narrative, dialogue, and sometimes voice-acting to further entrench you. That’s where the beauty of video games enters — no longer the active reader or passive observer but an amalgamation of both. In some games, choices are presented and affect the story outcome and your character’s development. This level of depth can teach you how to solve the mysteries in your life and recognize that every barrier and roadblock you face is an opportunity to use your cunning to overcome them.
Furthermore, we can find philosophical ideas and themes about nihilism, death, fate, and courage represented in video games like Dark Souls II, when Aldia says to the chosen undead:
Peace grants men the illusion of life.
Shackled by falsehoods, they yearn for love, unaware of its grand illusion.
Until the curse touches their flesh.
We are bound by this yoke.
As true as the Dark that churns within men.
All men trust fully the illusion of life.
But is this so wrong?
A construction, a façade, and yet…
A world full of warmth and resplendence.
Young Hollow, are you intent on shattering the yoke, spoiling this wonderful falsehood?
With Aldia’s words, we’re confronted with the existential question of whether we live under an illusion, a false narrative removed from reality, or expect to find meaning outside ourselves. Don’t toss aside visual arts like video games as something to kill time. Instead, find the right source of inspiration. It can have a profound effect on how you observe and navigate reality.
The Gist
TV shows, movies, and video games have been significant sources of insight, inspiration, and wisdom. Engaging fully with varied mediums allows you to appreciate a plethora of humanity’s art.
“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies . . . The man who never reads lives only one.” —George R.R. Martin
In the end, reading has many advantages because it provides a wealth of knowledge in the form of books, which are not just a repository for general knowledge but also for knowledge in particular fields and a love of language that can capture the sublime and beautiful aspects of life with poetry. It also offers entertainment.
Given the limited scope of human life, we can make it richer by exposing ourselves to various artistic mediums. This will enable us to live more mindfully and to access our compassionate side, allowing us to navigate challenging circumstances with moral courage, integrity, kindness, openness, and gratitude.
