"The Observant Reader"

While preparing an extensive list of book for the next days, I stumbled upon an interesting dispute - 5-year old, but still actual, I think - regarding the reflection of Orthodox Judaism in some literary works.

Long time ago, I had a discussion about a haredi friend about avoiding movies and books most likely to produce negative feelings. I was the one to pledge that I could take the risk of such effects for the sake of the curiosity of discovering the world of the imagination. We didn't address the issue from the perspective of bitul Torah, but simply from the point of view of the content of such works. We are faced daily with yezer hara including when we look in our own mirror but we don't have to accuse arts but most likely our weaknesses and incoherent thinking. Sometimes, going out in the street could be a more resourceful inspiration for evil inclinations than a book that we know it's the product of the imagination. Anyway, this is a completely different discussion about right and wrong and how do we build our resources for fighting and countering the evil around us and within ourselves.

In general, I am open to discussions about reasons and explanations and coherent arguments, "pros" and "cons" included. What I am not sympathetic to - at all - is the lecturing tone about what "we" should do or not, simply because "they knew how it is to be on the other side and had the revelation of the one and only way to be". What do you want, to turn me to a standard person made according to your secrets wishes for yourself? No way! What I love to see around are the differences: more or less observant - for an enormous amount of reasons - happy or sad, smart or less smart, curious or lazy, wise or a little bit crazy. When you are coming a little bit later on the scenery you would be shocked, but I am sorry to disappoint you, it was always like this. Relax, take a book and think a bit more about human behavior. I loved a lot Tova Mirvis'answer: "Oh, and as for my own sheitel? Sorry, Wendy. Only my hairdresser knows for sure".