• Welcome to the Fantasy Writing Forums. Register Now to join us!

We are the writers of tomorrow's hostory.

BearBear

Archmage
Believe it or not, we have power in this, in culture, in politics, in every aspect of the lives of this world.

As writers we have a voice and an important obligation to set cultural norms, policy, laws, technology, science, naritives, and even religion.

"The pen is mightier than the sword"
- Edward Bulwer-Lytton c1839

It may not seem like much but imagine how your own morals have formed, remember those things that inspired you and in their number count those unforgettable moments on the screen, in books, in news, in every Ad, comic, rag and song.

None of those beautiful and moving works could have been made without us. We are thus the writers of history, we are the stuarts of tomorrow's culture as well. As we have seen recently, yellow journalists and fake news turned our world against eachother and I am absolutely certain writers like us can perpetuate it, taking our share of the resulting profits, or forge a better world.

I am but one lonely Bear. A Bear that doesn't need your patronage nor any need for profits. It's a freedom that a struggling writer has no luxury to consider but many of our inspirational predisessors had. Many of the authors of great works that didn't need to push one agenda over another to make ends meet, so don't fault those who do. Everyone has a right and an obligation to feed their families. But even under those constraints, where we can't obviously bite the hand that feeds us, we can still get a positive message out. It is the genius that we all have as writers and the drive that pushed many of us to put pen to paper.

That passion burning in your heart cannot be sated by cash and fame, I know this. It can be suppressed or even corrupted but do so at your own peril. Even though I know this, it's a fleeting knowledge and hard to grasp, but it's right.

I hope that you all can see for yourselfs what the truth is, that we are the true leaders, the true champions and heros of this world... and the villians.

What will you do with this power? What have you done? Look in your heart and see for yourself.
 

BearBear

Archmage
Omg a typo in the title and I can't change it? Like seriously? Le sigh... well, even hero's make mistakes.
 

Queshire

Auror
Not that I disagree with the sentiment, but I do feel the need to point out that trying to build a better world is, definitionally, pushing an agenda.
 

BearBear

Archmage
Not that I disagree with the sentiment, but I do feel the need to point out that trying to build a better world is, definitionally, pushing an agenda.

Interesting and thank you for that perspective.

Of course, and I often wonder, if I had the power to do so, which direction would I go? But then again, I do have the power, so the time to decide has passed and now I'm merely discovering the choice I made.

Is it only because I'm settled that I care about such things? Is it Maslow's hierarchy of needs exemplified or would I still make this same choice if I was hungrier?

Am I in fact being manipulated by those same forces I spoke about, to be the knight in shining armor or the ultra powerful supervillian, locking princesses in impenetrable castle towers?

My question is though, what about you? Are we obligated to repeat the sentiment of our ancestors? Are we obligated to moderate neutrality? Are you awake?
 

Queshire

Auror
Are we obligated to repeat the sentiment of our ancestors?
Nope.
Are we obligated to moderate neutrality?
Ehhhh.... I can not advocate for neutrality for neutrality's sake alone, but informed neutrality provides a variety of benefits in my opinion.
Are you awake?
Did Zhuang Zhou dream he was a butterfly or was the butterfly dreaming that it was Zhuang Zhou? I can't say that it matters.
 

Queshire

Auror
I'm both. Nothing matters so why not be optimistic? If nothing else it'll save you a few stress lines in the long run.
 

BearBear

Archmage
I'm both. Nothing matters so why not be optimistic? If nothing else it'll save you a few stress lines in the long run.
Is nihilism stress free? If it is then maybe it's not what I am. It doesn't feel right to me. As much as toxic positivity doesn't feel right.

Actually there is one thing that clearly matters to me: my reaction to what happens.

Nihilism seems boring, it feels static. If nothing matters than choices don't matter, ego doesn't matter, then why have any interactions at all? It feels lifeless.
 

pmmg

Myth Weaver
Funny that in a thread about our power to change the world we must admit to our lack of it to change the title of the thread….

A symbiotic relationship exists. We both shape and are shaped by the things around us.
 

Devor

Fiery Keeper of the Hat
Moderator
Not that I disagree with the sentiment, but I do feel the need to point out that trying to build a better world is, definitionally, pushing an agenda.

Not always. "Agenda" refers to a meeting agenda. That is, a list of talking points for the meeting. So in turn, pushing an agenda means pushing a very specific idea, specific like a meeting list. But making the world a better place can be very general, like "wanting my readers to smile," which it wouldn't really be accurate to call an agenda.


What will you do with this power? What have you done? Look in your heart and see for yourself.

For me, I do sometimes find my values slipping into my story. I can't really help it, or quite want to. But the themes and ideas that I'm actively developing in the story don't really fit into any common agenda. In some cases I'm not even sure I could pinpoint what some of those messages are, exactly; it's messier than that. One stated theme though is "just because it's funny doesn't mean it's not sad."

I will say it's my intention to respect a wide audience. Stories which appeal to very different people and create a commonality between them, in my opinion, do a lot of good, just for that, by not pushing an agenda.


Funny that in a thread about our power to change the world we must admit to our lack of it to change the title of the thread…

It's interesting how much is determined by our mindsets. For example, I do have the power to change the title of the thread, but alas, nobody has felt empowered enough to ask it of me.
 

BearBear

Archmage
It's interesting how much is determined by our mindsets. For example, I do have the power to change the title of the thread, but alas, nobody has felt empowered enough to ask it of me.
Such is life

What's important, I contend, is your reaction to it, not the event itself.
 
Top