[usc goose]

So do you think you can best judge a person based on their movies, books or music? Just curious. Let's say the criteria is whether or not you think you'd be friends with a person based solely on one of the choices, which would it be? Or alternatively, the people with whom you best get along; with which category of media would your tastes most align.

I gotta say books. Being a fan or not a fan of particular types of music or movies, I can deal with that. If a person own's a bunch of Ayn Rand or Ann Coultier without a good balance of books, that's something I would find much more of a red flag.

Not that it's good to judge people at all of course...

 

[choomanchoo]

It was toss up between books and music, basically I just flipped a coin,and music won, let see where this winds up,

 

[Assorted]

I'd also say books. Then music, finally movies. Movies are probably the last thing I'd judge somebody with.

 

[stewtheking]

I said music, as it's much easier to make a judgement there based on their collection. I will say that if I meet somebody, and they let slip they don't listen to music, or have no interest in it, I then instantly switch off and have no time for that person. Similarly with books, if they don't read, and haven't tackled any big serious books (1984, Catch22, War&Peace etc...) and this isn't a source of shame for them, then I can't really take them seriously. Movies I can take or leave as a diagnostic criterion.

Music collection is the obvious choice out of that and books, because people tend to keep music, and often use a library to read books.

 

[fraseyboy]

I said books because I like to have discussions about a book with people who have read the same book. However, it would be pretty close between books and music.

 

[skellington]

You can judge people on all three, but only at a very superficial level. My best pal has never read a book (outside of school), only has one CD (the Top Gun soundtrack) and only watches horror movies. Yet he's one of the toppest blokes you're ever likely to meet, so really I don't think you can use these things to judge someones merits.

 

[The Pieman]

Personally I believe the size of one's cranium is of the utmost importance.

Bloody hell, if you judge a person on whether they read a balanced selection of books or what music they listen to, you probably haven't been actually communicating with them. There is an expression, "Never judge a book by its cover.". There is a lot of truth in that.

Simon

 

[mofonyx]

I don't read books but I listen to music.

So, music.

Speaking of which, I wouldn't want to be in any of your company because you would judge me poorly! I don't read at all.

 

[Romanee]

My choice: Don't judge. Try to understand and appreciate.

 

[LFF]

While I agree with Romanee - if I had to - I would go with music. It's more universal than movies or books.

 

[Barock]

It's close, but books really. Unless they don't read books, in which case it would have to be the music. Or you could judge them for not reading books at all. Or listening to music. Or both... OK I'll stop...

 

[Vicomte]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stewtheking /img/forum/go_quote.gif I said music, as it's much easier to make a judgement there based on their collection. I will say that if I meet somebody, and they let slip they don't listen to music, or have no interest in it, I then instantly switch off and have no time for that person. Similarly with books, if they don't read, and haven't tackled any big serious books (1984, Catch22, War&Peace etc...) and this isn't a source of shame for them, then I can't really take them seriously. Movies I can take or leave as a diagnostic criterion. Music collection is the obvious choice out of that and books, because people tend to keep music, and often use a library to read books.

Edit: Catch-22 and 1984 are two of my favorites, by the way.

People that have never read a book in their life irk me ever so slightly. Some even brag about it, as though it is some sort of accomplishment. I'm not saying you have to try to be an intellectual, but at least understand that people have been reading for entertainment for hundreds of years.

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mofonyx /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't read books but I listen to music. So, music.

x2

Lots of people don't read books, while I don't know anyone who don't listen to music. Hence its safer to judge by music...

 

[blessingx]

All three in order:

1. Books
2. Movies
3. Music

Unless someone is completely outside my cultural perspective or they have a strong argument of getting textual information online, etc. (and I rarely buy that argument for depth), I judge them quite harshly on the books or lack of books they read. The fact that some people feel quite comfortable saying "I'm not much of a reader" is up there with "I'm not much of a thinker". One quarter of Americans reportedly didn't read a book last year.

Similarly, though lesser in depth and experience, I know too many people that view film simply as entertainment and a desired cheerleading mood amplifier (vast majority of love stories, sci-fi, action, etc.). They couldn't imagine meeting a screenwriter or director half-way and experiencing something new. Capital "A" Art isn't even on their radar, but at least they're watching films.

With music, the vast majority of people know the target and most feel they "good music." Sure they can make an awful lot of mistakes along that search, but they're at least exploring artists within whatever their much perferred genre is or listening in anothers car radio once in a while. Except for maybe two people I've met in my life, everyone feels music can be moving, they can dig deep (even if narrowly) and it seems we're all more speaking the same language versus film or literature.

When I think of cringe inducing, socially acceptable responses for the three forms it goes something like this:

Lit
Q: Do you like George Saunders?
A: Hmm, I really don't have time to read anymore

Film
Q: Do you like Michelangelo Antonioni?
A: Are they in English? This one looks awfully slow.

Music:
Q: Do you like Bob Dylan?
A: I suppose he was fine in the 60s. I can't take his voice though.

EDIT: For some reason the last half of my post is no longer there. Oh well. Anyway I believe in using all three, but that leaves about 97 more traits to take into consideration too. And commonness isn't the primary target in the above three or other traits.

 

[NightWoundsTime]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vicomte /img/forum/go_quote.gif Edit: Catch-22 and 1984 are two of my favorites, by the way. People that have never read a book in their life irk me ever so slightly. Some even brag about it, as though it is some sort of accomplishment. I'm not saying you have to try to be an intellectual, but at least understand that people have been reading for entertainment for hundreds of years.

I used to read, and wish I still could find the motivation to do so. Between TV, movies, video games, and most importantly music, I just can't bring myself to sit down with a book. I also used to be capable of listening to and enjoying justabout any music while reading. Now I require complete silence, and silence bothers me.

My actual book collection is small, but I've got some weighty stuff. Infinite Jest is the last book I really tried to read, and the hilarious thing is I keep going back to it a few pages at a time, but not often. Someday I'll finish it and see if I can get into the record books as the guy who took the longest to read that book. We're talking 6 years already... and I'm not halfway through.