Books/movies/music that has influenced your personality

Well it's been quite a while since I last made a thread outside the EH, so um... hai.

There have recently been a few threads about various influences that have shaped who we are, most notably Vegan's thread about great thinkers and Saul's more general thread about people we look up to. However I wanted to explore a somewhat different source of influences -- namely media such as books, movies, tv shows, music, and even videogames. These aren't things that are often mentioned as significant influences, but I do believe that media such as these do help to shape personalities to some extent. So ZU, tell me what your most influential media have been.

I'll start with mine, in roughly chronological order:

Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd: Praising this album would really be redundant, so I'm going to skip that altogether and dive straight into what it meant to me. The first half of the album has a very strong message of not letting your fears and regrets govern your life, and hearing that presented so elegantly in musical form really opened my eyes to what life was really all about during my teenage years. The track "Time" really hit the nail on the head about not letting life pass you by and living it to the fullest of your ability with as few regrets as possible, and to this day still gets me emotional whenever I listen to it.

Octavarium - Dream Theater: Much like the previous album this one also had a profound impact on me, with the only difference being I heard it a few years afterwards. It served as a strong reminder of what I learned from Dark Side of the Moon, but with a lot more emphasis on some issues which were on my mind back then. The track "The Root of All Evil" really served as a morale booster during a somewhat difficult part of my life, and the track "These Walls" made me realise I didn't need to be as introverted as I used to be during my teenage years. The title track "Octavarium" still sends shivers down my spine whenever I listen to it, and the words "step after step we try controlling our fate, when we finally start living it's become too late" has forever been etched into my mind.

His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman: Definitely a great read on its own without attaching any meaning to it, but it really touched on so many different subjects at a time when my worldview was still developing that it's undoubtedly one of my most important influences. It really helped to open my mind to new ways of thinking and looking at things from a completely different angle than what I was used to.

Beautiful Garbage - Garbage: Though definitely not as influential as the other two albums mentioned, all of Garbage's albums and especially Beautiful Garbage had songs which helped give me a different perspective on social issues and subjects usually considered taboo in more "traditional" societies for lack of a better word. I singled out Beautiful Garbage because it's considered the most personal album of lead singer Shirley Manson, and I could really relate to a lot of the songs.

Neon Genesis Evangelion: Widely considered one of the weirdest and most confusing anime out there, when I first watched it I was still a beginner in anime and I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Just the first episode was enough to shake me up and as I continued watching something resonated with me and I began to see parts of myself in the three main characters, especially Shinji. Granted it was period where I was going through a bout of depression so it's only logical it affected me so much, but seeing the characters evolved and interacted up to the finale really made me realise I could change anything I wanted about my own personality. The whole message of not being afraid to reach out to others even though doing so leaves you vulnerable to being hurt by them was very important to me.

V for Vendetta: What started with Garbage was pretty much solidified the first time I watched this movie (and later also read the graphic novel) because it really helped me to see past the absurdity of certain beliefs that only serve to discriminate between people, at a time when I was struggling with these notions myself. I wasn't such a fan of the anarchist and vigilantism elements present within it but the themes of corrupt government, totalitarianism, and discrimination were things I could relate to.

I felt like this thread would be more suited to this section as it's more personal in nature than simply discussing the media themselves, but if a mod feels it's better suited to Entertainment feel free to move it there.

Probably music is the most. I don't really get affected by the media though.

I like to think I'm not influenced by anything from the media, as the very thought scares me.

But I can't deny some influences: House, Modest Mouse, Socrates has influenced me to not be Socratic, but I wouldn't really call those dialogues "media." Some others, I'm sure, that escape me at the moment.

The news has left me cynical. I no longer think humans are capable of anything better than what is already possible.

Eh...Experience has made me, me.

Everytime I set a standard for people, it gets broken again and lowered.

Some people are fine, but most are just down-right f***ers.

...I think I may have phrased the title misleadingly. By "media" I'm specifically referring to influential books, movies, and music that may have had some impact on you, not "the media" as in news and tv programs.

Definitely Batman.

I am a creature of the night! and a symbol for justice

Disney princess films, doubtless. They gave me so many complexes I can't even count; but foremost I'll mention the fact that my hair has never been up to my standards. Seriously.

Zelda games. They got be interested in fantasy and in writing, which spurred my love of research, which made me a bit of an unintentional smart-ass.

Avatar: The Last Airbender made me think about genocide, death, and corruption. I realized that the world in Avatar is not that different than the world we live in today. There is genocide, death, and corruption surrounding us, yet we refuse to acknowledge them.

Star Ocean: Till the End of Time - It's influenced my theories of existence, how I think about the foundations of matter, and I find I can connect it daily to a myriad of subjects. That's the top one for me.

Crash (2006) -Opened my eyes to all the racism and prejudice I knew was there, but never acknowledged due to extreme naivete. Really a work of art.

Damian Marley's music has given me a lot of insight of how ****ed up the world is, especially America and capitalism, and how people could improve the world a lot by being less materialistic and actually thinking about what the long-term consequences will be for humanity because of the things we are doing today.


Example:

Ray Bradbury's sci-fi novel Fahrenheit 451 has pretty much pointed out to me how stupid the mainstream society of today is. I found it simply astonishing that a book written in the 1950's could so accurately predict what the future would be like.

Awesome thread!

I'd say the first bit of media that influenced me was an album by the Outfield called Play Deep. I believe it came out in 1986.Most people would recognize the single, "Your Love." But at age 4 or so, my uncle gave me his cassette tape and I listened to it over and over all throughout my childhood. The album as a whole is solid and good all the way through, with interesting lyrics, catchy but unique melodies, fantastic lead guitar work, and a nice range of emotions and flavors in the songs.
I believe this (along with other musical factors such as my dad being a class of '76 stoner rocker guitarist, hehe) helped me appreciate good songwriting and musicianship. This song is not the most musically adept song on the record but it holds a special place in my heart. it was always my favorite. One of the BEST bridges in a song ever, IMO, which is around 1:40.



One other major musical influence on my personality (I could name several so I'll stick to the major one) would be Steely Dan. Their dark humor, irony, and subtlety is comforting in that I know I'm not alone in my weirdness. I feel like a member of a club with a secret handshake and an understanding that there's just something different about a Dan Fan. I can't really explain this all without writing a thesis, so I'll just share one song that sums up why this band is so amazing to me in their lyrical genius, musical expertise, and all-around smartness.
Listening to this song is almost a religious experience for me.

Spoiler: Lyrics if you're so inclined to dig deeper  

Hello one and all
Was it you I used to know
Can't you hear me call
On this old ham radio
All I got to say
I'm alive and feeling fine
If you come my way
You can share my poison wine

CHORUS:
No marigolds in the promised land
There's a hole in the ground
Where they used to grow
Any man left on the Rio Grande
Is the king of the world
As far as I know

I don't want your bread
I don't need your helping hand
I can't be no savage
I can't be no highwayman
Show me where you are
You and I will spend this day
Driving in my car
Through the ruins of Santa Fe

CHORUS

I'm reading last year's papers
Although I don't know why
Assassins cons and rapers
Might as well die

If you come around
No more pain and no regrets
Watch the sun go brown
Smoking cobalt cigarettes
There's no need to hide
Taking things the easy way
If I stay inside
I might live til Saturday

CHORUS

OK so on to movies. As a girl I was in love with Anne of Green Gables. So I think that made me appreciate my red hair and love of books like her, and admire her sharp wit and firey personality. There's a lot of Anne in me. in fact that's my middle name (just Ann though- alas, no "e.") <3

Finally, a book. Well, I've read a lot of books but no book stands out in my mindas influential than one that I actually just read last year. It didn't so much influence my personality, rather, it kind of affirmed and solidified my up-till-then unrealized life philosophy.
I'm talking about Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein It's about a man whose parents were part of a space mission to mars (his mom got pregnant on the long trip there), and was the only survivor after a tragic event. He was raised as a martian. Later in like, as a young man, he comes to earth for the first time and must hide (he's wanted for certain reasons), but must also try and figure out humanity, and awaken his own true humanity that lies within him.

READ THIS BOOK. It will change your life. But you HAVE to read the unabridged version. The book was HIGHLY censored when it was first published in 1961, but later it was published the way he had written it. So make sure if you get a copy, that it's the full thing.

Originally Posted by Cookie

Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd: Praising this album would really be redundant, so I'm going to skip that altogether and dive straight into what it meant to me. The first half of the album has a very strong message of not letting your fears and regrets govern your life, and hearing that presented so elegantly in musical form really opened my eyes to what life was really all about during my teenage years. The track "Time" really hit the nail on the head about not letting life pass you by and living it to the fullest of your ability with as few regrets as possible, and to this day still gets me emotional whenever I listen to it.

QERGQRTBQNRTHJ

Why aren't we friends?

Pink Floyd is my favourite band of all time, they and Led Zeppelin truly transformed my life. I doubt I would be quite the musician I am today without their influence.

Just such perfect imagination and progression, what Pink Floyd did will never be matched, it's just amazing.


Uhm other media is probably Starcraft. The lore surrounding that game features alot of philosophy with regards to metaphysics believe it or not. The Zerg and Protoss are synonymous with balance and the Yin Yang.

I'm going to go right out and say Karate Kid. The remake, not the original.

It taught me what respect was, what it means to achieve a goal that would benefit my future since I've only got a few more years before I have to start making life decisions.

Originally Posted by Fierce Deist

Crash (2006) -Opened my eyes to all the racism and prejudice I knew was there, but never acknowledged due to extreme naivete. Really a work of art.

That was a very emotional yet blunt movie which really didn't hold back in showing how crappy life can be, but still managed to end on a somewhat hopeful note. I can see why it would have affected you so much.

Originally Posted by Radek

Damian Marley's music has given me a lot of insight of how ****ed up the world is, especially America and capitalism, and how people could improve the world a lot by being less materialistic and actually thinking about what the long-term consequences will be for humanity because of the things we are doing today.

It's a powerful, emotional song and you can really hear that emotion expressed in the singer's voice as he addresses those issues. A great listen.

Originally Posted by Sailboat

Ray Bradbury's sci-fi novel Fahrenheit 451 has pretty much pointed out to me how stupid the mainstream society of today is. I found it simply astonishing that a book written in the 1950's could so accurately predict what the future would be like.

I've heard about that book before but I've never really had a chance to read up on the classic dystopian novels such as this one, 1984, and Brave New World, but I'm sure they would be both a good read and influential to me if (when) I finally do read them.

Originally Posted by Fruitbat

Awesome thread!

Thank you. ^^

Originally Posted by Fruitbat

I'd say the first bit of media that influenced me was an album by the Outfield called Play Deep. I believe it came out in 1986.Most people would recognize the single, "Your Love." But at age 4 or so, my uncle gave me his cassette tape and I listened to it over and over all throughout my childhood. The album as a whole is solid and good all the way through, with interesting lyrics, catchy but unique melodies, fantastic lead guitar work, and a nice range of emotions and flavors in the songs.
I believe this (along with other musical factors such as my dad being a class of '76 stoner rocker guitarist, hehe) helped me appreciate good songwriting and musicianship. This song is not the most musically adept song on the record but it holds a special place in my heart. it was always my favorite. One of the BEST bridges in a song ever, IMO, which is around 1:40.

One other major musical influence on my personality (I could name several so I'll stick to the major one) would be Steely Dan. Their dark humor, irony, and subtlety is comforting in that I know I'm not alone in my weirdness. I feel like a member of a club with a secret handshake and an understanding that there's just something different about a Dan Fan. I can't really explain this all without writing a thesis, so I'll just share one song that sums up why this band is so amazing to me in their lyrical genius, musical expertise, and all-around smartness.

I think a lot of people underestimate the effect music can have on us. Sure, a large part of music is entertainment but there's so much more to it than that. Music is pretty much the expression of human emotions in musical form, so its only logical that it would affect us. And that's especially about pieces of music close to your heart where:

Listening to this song is almost a religious experience for me.

Is the only real way to describe how they make you feel, and I would describe some of the songs close to my heart in very much the same way - an almost religious experience.

Originally Posted by Fruitbat

Finally, a book. Well, I've read a lot of books but no book stands out in my mindas influential than one that I actually just read last year. It didn't so much influence my personality, rather, it kind of affirmed and solidified my up-till-then unrealized life philosophy.
I'm talking about Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein It's about a man whose parents were part of a space mission to mars (his mom got pregnant on the long trip there), and was the only survivor after a tragic event. He was raised as a martian. Later in like, as a young man, he comes to earth for the first time and must hide (he's wanted for certain reasons), but must also try and figure out humanity, and awaken his own true humanity that lies within him.

READ THIS BOOK. It will change your life. But you HAVE to read the unabridged version. The book was HIGHLY censored when it was first published in 1961, but later it was published the way he had written it. So make sure if you get a copy, that it's the full thing.

It does sound like a great read and I always feel I should read more books that are considered great literary works instead of just new books being released, so I'll be adding this to my reading list.

Originally Posted by Saúl

QERGQRTBQNRTHJ

Why aren't we friends?

Pink Floyd is my favourite band of all time, they and Led Zeppelin truly transformed my life. I doubt I would be quite the musician I am today without their influence.

Just such perfect imagination and progression, what Pink Floyd did will never be matched, it's just amazing.

XD

Yeah, I doubt there will ever be another band that will be able to do what Pink Floyd did musically, but that is why they're so unique and close to my heart.

I wouldn't call them my favourite band, but they're really high up in my "bands I love" list. I will say however that I wouldn't be the person I am today if I hadn't listened to Dark Side of the Moon, and that says a lot for me. Definitely not a band to be overlooked.

This might sound incredibly cheesy on my behalf, but the film Ratatouille enormously inspired me during a time of some pretty major self doubt back when it was released in 2007. It helped me realize that I should ignore all the naysayers in my life, and pursue what I know and feel is right for myself. I still find it to be an incredibly inspiring and uplifting film for me even to this day.

Whilst most of these are Japanese anime series, it's still a media that has affected my life, so... so be it.

Hajime no Ippo:
This show about a boxer got me interested in boxing as a sport and the protagonist Ippo is such an inspirational character. He has an iron will and determination that is truly unswayable, he pours his heart and soul into everything he does and he is such a passive and friendly person, he is a boxer remember. The show in general showed me how hard boxing was but it definitely piqued my interest, if it weren't for this show, it wouldn't be hard to say I'd be a good ten kilograms fatter and less physically fit.

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
The overall tone and message of the show, to keep moving forward really spoke to me. The characters Simon and Kamina all spoke to me individually. Kamina was what I aspired to be, outgoing, fearless, charismatic, bold and able to capture the hearts of others and be a leader.
Simon was the shy side of me holding me back, but like him I wanted to develop into a more brave, outgoing and extraverted person, like Kamina. Like Ippo, their unwavering resolve is what pulls them through. Putting heart and soul into what they do to make it through whatever adversity stands in their way. This show really inspired me.

Legend of Zelda
Of course I'd have to give these glorious games mention! They got me in touch with my creative side, designing fantasy worlds with their own races, rules customs and such. The creative side of me was awakened by Zelda and to this day I am inspired by many elements of it in writing.

The Offspring (Band)
My favourite band of all time. Their music's sarcastic viewpoint and satirical view of things in the world in songs such as "Cool to hate" and "Stuff is messed up". Also if I want something to listen to, any of their albums are my first picks as I generally love their overall sound.

The whole Californian surfer style, and all that reggae esc kinda music like The Dirty Heads, Sublime, Pepper ect. I LOVE that music scene, its really influenced how i am, i'm a much more chilled out person because it all. It also made me want to do Music Technology at college, and hopefully i'll be able to move out to LA or Long Beach soon enough so i can be closer to the whole scene.

Originally Posted by Calliope

This might sound incredibly cheesy on my behalf, but the film Ratatouille enormously inspired me during a time of some pretty major self doubt back when it was released in 2007. It helped me realize that I should ignore all the naysayers in my life, and pursue what I know and feel is right for myself. I still find it to be an incredibly inspiring and uplifting film for me even to this day.

I don't think it sounds cheesy at all to be honest, the fact that it's an animated film doesn't really change the effect it could have on someone watching it. And yes, a lot of times something as simple as a good movie which inspires you to just keep pushing forward can work wonders when you're feeling down.

Originally Posted by Zaiku

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
The overall tone and message of the show, to keep moving forward really spoke to me. The characters Simon and Kamina all spoke to me individually. Kamina was what I aspired to be, outgoing, fearless, charismatic, bold and able to capture the hearts of others and be a leader.
Simon was the shy side of me holding me back, but like him I wanted to develop into a more brave, outgoing and extraverted person, like Kamina. Like Ippo, their unwavering resolve is what pulls them through. Putting heart and soul into what they do to make it through whatever adversity stands in their way. This show really inspired me.

Yes, definitely this show. If there ever was a cure for depression condensed into an anime then this is probably it. An incredibly uplifting and inspiring show about what willpower and determination can accomplish. Of course some of the stuff in it is clerly beyond the scope of real life, but the message is the same.