How thoughts arise

I’ve been thinking lately about where thoughts come from–if you read this article while you’re reading that novel and watch this documentary during the same time period vs being exposed to the same three things further apart from one another or in a different order, how does that affect what in particular you latch onto in each, and how does that then impact what conclusions you draw?  Not to mention all the things that go on in day to day life that change your understanding of the world.

So in (my) theory, one could read nine things in different combinations throughout life and keep drawing really fantastic new things from them.  And that leads me to thinking about what nine things they would be–which of course will be a different list now than it would have been ten years ago or will be ten years from now, so I guess there’s no way to really know so what’s the point.  But I know War Without Mercy by John Dower and Of Woman Born by Adrienne Rich are two of them.  That leaves seven.  I’d say comment below and tell me your nine, but no one comments.  Maybe no one is reading this.  I kind of hope no one is reading this.  Which probably means someone totally is.  Shit.