On the Subject of My Discussions with Dead People
I present this to you as further evidence that I am a nerd.
I don't know how this habit started but sometime in my past, I think it was in high school, I came up with a way to pass large swaths of time.
I would try to hold a conversation, in my head, with a long dead historical figure. Not only that, but the conversation would begin with some modern subject and would back-track through all the scientific, technological, political, and sociological changes in history in order to sufficiently explain the concept.
For example...
"Good morning Mr. DaVinci!"
"Ah Bongiorno Miss Julie. How are you this fine day?"
"I'm quite well, thank you. I just had a wonderful night last night."
"Oh really, what did you do?"
"My girlfriend and I watched 'The Full Monty' on DVD."
"I'm sorry? What is the full monty on deeveedee?"
...aaaand you're off.
Now, where do you begin? Do you jump right in and explain the movie, or do you explain the developments of the theatre? How about the technology that makes a movie possible? How about the steel market in England in the 1990's? Electricity?
Do you gloss over DVD technology? This is DaVinci after all, he'd probably be interested. Do you gloss over the meaning behind the phrase "The Full Monty"? Again, this is DaVinci, he'd probably be interested.
I like it because its kind of a puzzle that you can take with you. It puts your communication skills and your historical knowledge through the ringer. Because not only do you end up trying to explain a modern concept, but the further into history you go, the more you have to adjust the person's frame of reference.
I don't know how this habit started but sometime in my past, I think it was in high school, I came up with a way to pass large swaths of time.
I would try to hold a conversation, in my head, with a long dead historical figure. Not only that, but the conversation would begin with some modern subject and would back-track through all the scientific, technological, political, and sociological changes in history in order to sufficiently explain the concept.
For example...
"Good morning Mr. DaVinci!"
"Ah Bongiorno Miss Julie. How are you this fine day?"
"I'm quite well, thank you. I just had a wonderful night last night."
"Oh really, what did you do?"
"My girlfriend and I watched 'The Full Monty' on DVD."
"I'm sorry? What is the full monty on deeveedee?"
...aaaand you're off.
Now, where do you begin? Do you jump right in and explain the movie, or do you explain the developments of the theatre? How about the technology that makes a movie possible? How about the steel market in England in the 1990's? Electricity?
Do you gloss over DVD technology? This is DaVinci after all, he'd probably be interested. Do you gloss over the meaning behind the phrase "The Full Monty"? Again, this is DaVinci, he'd probably be interested.
I like it because its kind of a puzzle that you can take with you. It puts your communication skills and your historical knowledge through the ringer. Because not only do you end up trying to explain a modern concept, but the further into history you go, the more you have to adjust the person's frame of reference.