Reality Meltdown
- 10/22/02
So here I am, thinking about things. I'm here to discuss the review as opposed to a summary.
Let me get the clear and simple for everyone: Reviews kick Summaries dirty asses.
Why? A summary has only so much to offer. A summary is only helpful if you've never gone out and done soemthing yourself. If you're too lazy, stupid, or tired to experience something, a summary helps clean up. But thats all it can do. Clear up and catch up, and only so much.
Look at a review, though. A good review can help someone decide if they'd like to see something. A good review wont spoil the plot,so it's still worth it to go and see whatever it is. Reviews, if they're written well, can also clear up details that might have been lost on someone. Maybe you missed a bit of the plot, and the review can help clear something up for you. Maybe you didn't see it the way the review did, and the reviewer can then lead you to see things you didn't notice before. A great review makes trying it a second time as good, or better, than the first.
A summary, on the other hand, has some drawbacks. A summary can't give you the same thign as the whole. I once heard someone describe Cowboy Bebop as being about the past. Well, yeah, it is. But to say that, and whats more, so blandly doesn't give justice to this show (fantastic show). It just boils out all the flavor, all the changes, even the values of that theme. A summary looses all that value. Nothing can replace the actual experience of doing it. Not that summaries aren't helpful, especially if you're confused; but alot of people take that as the end. They're confused, "oh, I get it now", and that's it. Some things deserve to be seen again. If you missed it the first time, try it again. If you don't like it then, you just don't like it. Big deal, move along. But you might find you DO like it once you see all the pieces. Maybe there aren't any mroe pieces, maybe you got it all already. No loss. Summaries don't help you learn, grow; understand. They only regurgitate the plot.
A review has one hard line to tread. It expresses some sort of value on the piece presented. I mean, the reviewer either liked it, or they didn't like it. And this value doesn't suit everyone. Some people like french food, some Kung-Foo movies. Some both. Some neither. So reviews always suffer that. It always says what you thoguht of it, and other people can disagree. Sometimes they saw it in a better light than you, they saw things you missed.
So value a good review. If you see something we missed, tell us. Everything can change. Anything can be discussed.
