You are what you read...

I'm Harry Potter, I'm Harry Potter...

According to an MSN blog post I read recently (and we all know that everything we read on the internet must be true, right?), you are what you read. But, what exactly does that mean? According to a study published by the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, when you read about characters in your favorite novels that you identify with, it might actually affect the way you think and behave. How cool is that? The study's researchers contend that "when people read a fictional story they vicariously experience their favorite character’s emotions, thoughts and beliefs in a process that’s been dubbed 'experience-taking'."

That means that when I'm reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and I get to the part towards the end when Harry must face off with Voldemort in a stunning spectacle of bravery, that, I, too, am brave. It makes sense doesn't it? I mean, once you've gone on this journey with someone, felt what they've felt, ridden their emotional ups and downs, connected with them on a personal level, you're changed somehow. I think I'm beginning to really like this concept. As long as I never feel connected to Voldemort (which I guess would mean that I was a low-life, self-hating, dark-arts-loving meany-pants) then all will be well. I'll keep you posted...