In the process of studying for my AI presentation, I came across the quote: "Ultimately, all speech acts are an attempt to get another agent to believe something or do something." By "speech" he means "communicative", and by "agent" he means "logical being". It struck me in two ways: first was that music is a form of communication, as is dance. Therefore, both music and dance either try to make someone believe something or do something. My music teacher, prof. Buehrer, said he thinks music makes us do more than it makes us believe. I didn't get it at the time, but emotions, specifically feeling emotions, is doing something. Music does not make us believe anything in particular because it is not an argument. If anything, it is a demonstration or a proof that causes us to think of the argument that it serves to demonstrate. This argument is that all natural things, including the formation of sound, have basic patterns that interpenetrate one another across categorical boundaries. [shrugs] Anyway, the second thing that struck me was that, assuming this to be true, every conversation can be reinterpretted. Why do people say hello? To make people believe that there is a relationship between them. Why do people make statements about things? Either so the other person will believe them, or so the other person will also talk about that topic. When you get right down to it, every phrase and sentence can be linked to an intention. Try it; take a random aim conversation either still sitting open on your computer or saved somewhere on your harddrive (you know you do it now and then) and analyze every single line (yours and theirs) for what intention it served. In every single case, either it tries to make the other person believe something or do something, or your imagination is broken. (I bet if you think a line has no intention, it's because the line is smalltalk and serves to reinforce the intention of another line). I suppose, then, that it is only those people who do not speak unless spoken to who truly believe in their own beliefs and rely on their own actions. The more someone speaks, the more they want others to believe something or do something, no matter what might be coming out of their lips. In that case, introverts truly are quiet types, and extroverts talk a lot. What about me? I'm an introvert in many ways, yet I talk all the time, often to strangers. Do I need others to believe things about me? It seems I do. And yet, I still profess to reject them and their opinions. I suppose I am truly lost and powerless in my mind, and alone save for two (my love and my Lord) in my heart, for I accept no one, even myself. I feel that once, I learned to not be this way, but reverted back when my brother was distant. Can I do it again, and be that person who felt alone but was truly open to everyone? Or will I lash myself to the mast, unable to resist the temptation to hear the siren's call of social life, and so torture myself in their presence? I do not know. The future is a mystery to us all, and even crashing rocks that loom before us could be averted, or the sea rush back into its place before our arms give out, or gentle arms lift us up and wrap us in a sea-shawl that will bear us safely to the shore. Do not lose faith in your Penelope, whether she is a dream or a girl or an ambition, no matter how far from you she may be. She is your salvation, though years may be spent far from her arms and hope seem to fade upon distance shores. Though your will may be weak, has your heart lost sight of her, or forgotten her face? No, no! She is as real to you as ever, though it may seem there is no vehicle with which you might reach her. Do not lose faith in her. Do not lose hope. She still waits for you.