It's (almost) Friday. Except you think it's Tuesday.

Did you know that the Beatles were largely responsible for the downfall of Communism in Russia?
Or that that the Canterbury tales were written in accentual-syllabic meter (specifically, generally iambic pentameter with occasional breaks of trochaic pentameter or an extra syllable)?
Or that Zachary Levi got his start in musicals at the age of 6?
Neither did I. Now I do, though, which makes me wonder...what's the point? Why do we learn? I enjoy it for sure (well, almost always,) but does it actually help me to know what years the Tudors were in power?
Of course you could make the argument that those years are important for understanding the historical context of British literature from that time period. But if that's true, shouldn't I bet trying to memorize every ruler for the past (*insert length of time since writing began) years in every country where there were significant contributions to literature? Which, of course, begs the question "what is significant literature"?

Here's a stab at an answer - note that although I do not claim to have all or any of the answers, I have recently decided that I am still going to try and find answers.

I think that stories make us who we are, and that the most critical information is "that which edifieth"; information that connects to what we already know and lights up the huge space of the universe a little bit more than it its. In this case, any knowledge can be valuable - if knowing that Zachary Levi started his acting career by singing in musicals connects to something you already know and allows to you start understanding a pattern in human existence, go you. You study that celebrity culture. I think the most important patterns (or lack of patterns) of human existence are all related, so here's my "information wanted" sign:

Seeking enlightenment. Will accept any form of assisting knowledge,
including how grasshoppers harmonize their chirping. Prefers
stories.

(I think stories are more often true than "facts" because they aren't trying to be.)

Happy thinking and Thanksgiving, readers.

Love, Jessie