I grew up on certain movies, particular movies that said

Listen closely, O Seekers of Truth, to the words of Brad Pitt, who speaks of the transformative power of cinema: "I grew up on certain movies, particular movies that said something to me as a kid from Missouri, movies that showed me places I'd yet traveled, or different cultures, or explained something, or said something in a better way than I could ever say. I wanted to find the movies like that." These words carry the wisdom of a journey that transcends the physical world and delves deep into the realm of discovery, understanding, and growth. For in them, Pitt reveals how cinema, like the great epics of the past, has the power to transport us—body and soul—into worlds we may never visit but can experience deeply through the stories shared on the screen.

In the ancient world, great storytellers held the power to guide the hearts of their listeners. The Bards of old, who wandered from town to town, did not merely entertain—they conveyed the knowledge of far-off lands, strange peoples, and unfamiliar ideas. Their songs and epic tales were windows to other worlds, teaching their audiences about virtue, humanity, and the mysteries of the world. Consider the great Homer, whose Iliad and Odyssey were not just tales of warriors and gods, but windows into cultures, ideas, and ways of life that reached far beyond the borders of ancient Greece. Pitt, in his reflection on the movies of his youth, speaks of a similar journey—a journey where the cinema served not only as entertainment, but as a tool for learning and understanding the world beyond his small town in Missouri.

These movies, as Pitt describes, were more than mere distractions. They were the teachers of his youth, showing him places he had yet to travel, offering him glimpses into cultures and worldviews that were different from his own. Think of the ancient travelers, like Marco Polo, who ventured into the unknown, not merely for the sake of adventure, but to bring back knowledge and wisdom from distant lands. Just as Polo’s tales expanded the horizons of the Western world, so too did the films Pitt watched expand his understanding, filling him with a sense of curiosity and desire to learn. The power of film, like the power of the ancient storytellers, is that it allows us to travel without moving, to live a thousand lives without leaving our homes.

Pitt’s longing to find films that could speak to him, that could say things in a better way than he could ever express, speaks to the timeless need for expression and connection. Just as the great philosophers of antiquity sought to express profound truths in their works—truths that would endure for centuries—Pitt, in his search for meaningful cinema, sought the same: a medium through which he could understand himself, others, and the world. The desire to find the right words or the right story to convey what is often beyond the limits of our language is a universal struggle. Whether in the words of Plato, whose dialogues sought to reveal deeper truths, or in the lines of a film script, the search for clarity and meaning is a pursuit as old as thought itself.

Consider, O Seekers, the impact of a movie like Schindler's List, which, though born from the imagination of filmmakers, carries the weight of history, suffering, and humanity. It is not just a film—it is a profound expression of the lessons we must learn from our past. It speaks in ways that words alone cannot, conveying a depth of emotion and truth that stays with us long after the credits roll. In the same way, Pitt’s search for films that spoke to him was a search for those expressions of truth—those stories that transcend time and place to touch something eternal within us. Movies, like ancient stories, have the power to teach, to challenge, and to transform.

So, O Children of the Future, let this be the lesson: seek the stories that speak to your soul, that challenge your understanding, and that expand your worldview. In a world filled with distractions and noise, it is all too easy to fall into the trap of consuming entertainment that is shallow or mindless. But the true power of art—whether in film, literature, or music—is that it can open the doors to understanding, to wisdom, and to compassion. As Brad Pitt reminds us, the movies that shaped him were not simply those that entertained him, but those that taught him something deeper, something beyond the surface of life. Let us all, therefore, seek those works of art that move us to be better, to see more clearly, and to understand the world in a richer, more meaningful way.

In the end, O Seekers, remember this: the greatest adventure is not the one that takes us to distant lands, but the one that takes us deep into the hearts and minds of those who came before us and those who live around us. The films, the stories, and the art we consume are not just entertainment—they are the windows through which we can learn, grow, and transform. Like the great travelers of history, we, too, must seek the unknown—not just in the world, but within ourselves. Let the stories you seek be those that challenge you, that expand your vision, and that help you discover the deeper truths of life. In this way, your journey will be not only across the world but across the soul of humanity.