Politics and writing
Writing and maintaining a private life used to be easier - any professional, and your private life for that matter. Now, this is all before the advent of the internet, of course. In our current era of existence, the notion of the who the individual is and what they reveal to the world is almost blended into one, giving the public persona more reign over the…possible core psyche, depending on which philosophical argument you fall into: a singular self hidden behind many masks or purely malleable self or infinitely regressive one or all of the above, etc. It doesn’t matter, screw it. The point is, very few individuals choose to guard more than they share, and they often find themselves judged for not voicing their opinions and concerns.
Now we’re delving into an ethical question…
Especially if it involves modern American politics, the most contentious it’s ever been. For those who don’t know me, I have a degree in philosophy, focusing on the philosophy of mind and politics. I read, studied, and wrote heavy papers ranging from pre-Socratic’s to Plato’s Republic to Hobbes’ Leviathan, Machiavelli's The Prince, Hegel’s Phenomenology of Spirit (which the Preface has been grossly used during the rise of fascism in Europe) to Benjamin, Nietzsche, Sartre, Freud, Lacan, Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Zizek and on and on. None of this is a brag, I’m communicating that my political and life perspective hasn’t been shaped by meme’s, the news, or any wannabe strongman cult of personality, but by personal experience and the fortunate decision to spend years not learning what to think, but how to think.
Many of the names listed above knew how to communicate their political stances by use of prose and other mediums that conveyed their perspective by forcing their reader into introspection, challenging them to apply ethical reason and - depending on the philosopher, looking at you Nietzsche - one’s own emotions. Yes, this allows room for gross interpretation, such as Hegel’s and Nietzsche’s work, both used by Mussolini/Gentile for Italian fascism and Nazi’s for Nazi fascism. Amongst others, of course, this is but an extreme summation. Many of these great thinkers were ostracized, condemned, attacked, and even sentenced to death for their political views. And if they voiced their views without the classical philosophical vernacular, still condemned. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
In my private life, I’m very open about where I stand politically. And while I like to connect with my readers - all 1 of you, lol - I still like to keep a lot to myself. As I wrote in a previous Rambling, if you read my book(s) you’ll see where I fall in the complicated and yet uncomplicated world of politics, ethics, social constructs, blah blah. Truthfully, I just wish to be a writer, a fantasy writer more specifically. I could’ve written a treatise on politics and the mind, but let’s be honest, it can be very, very dry shit and the majority of modern society doesn’t have the attention span for pure logical writing. Not a knock against people, but that’s where we’re at. Give a fantasy reader Truth and Wind by Sanderson and they’ll read it in one sitting; hand them Less than Nothing by Zizek and it’ll take them weeks to break through the first chapter. Thus I can discuss politics and mind using a fantasy setting with a sarcastic summoner, an idealistic princess, an alcoholic priest, a dry facetious legendary warrior etc. to create a world where I can discuss many forms of politics using classic and modern tropes.
Does that make me “unwilling” to make a public statement? Is the unwillingness to publicly decry an event in a more candid form cowardly? Is my reticence a display of fear in losing followers, readers? Honestly? Not even a little. Why? To begin with, I don’t have a following. Hell, I don’t even have reviews on Amazon for my book. I personally know every single person who has purchased a copy from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and so on. I’m terrible at marketing and consistently face inner turmoil if The Heart of the North is good - it is, far from perfect, but I enjoyed it - and am still toiling away at book 2. So, I don’t exactly have anything to lose “fanbase” wise by speaking my mind. Next, is it out of fear of retaliation? Hmm, I have mentioned in a Rambling how dangerous it is to have an opinion. Not a new concept for humans. Always someone who never fully developed their brain stem, never learned reason and empathy, continues to drag their knuckles on the ground and refuse to apply an iota of decency. These people don’t hesitate to read everything on social media and give you their full opinion, however irrational and even violent it is.
In a world of doxing, unhesitating violent commentary, and now fascist government officials with their gestapo stormtroopers terrorizing our last bastions of safety, we’re questioned on why we don’t speak up or turn our writer’s pages into political commentary, or, hell, even make a comment or two? I suppose, for me, it’s because I like my privacy and just wanted to be a damn writer…
However! It was Elie Wiesel who said, “Always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” And in this day and age, we’re all the victim, the tormented, even though it’s to a massively varying degree. For now. In the end, they always come for everyone. So, I will make a statement for my singular reader: What Trump, his administration, and those behind the administration - let’s be honest, Trump is nothing but a focal point, the cult of personality for this fascist movement, but not the “mastermind” - what all these people are doing is absolutely, unequivocally vile, inhumane. ICE’s numbers grew from a surge of white supremacists who’ve now been granted legal authority to quench their sordid appetites.
In this nation, we’re at a crossroads, neither for the first time nor shall it be the last in the great experiment we call the United States. As of right now, the experiment is failing and the inmates are running the asylum. There is no such thing as a quick fix or a peaceful resolution. Nor is there a “placing the nation back on the right path.” Why? Because our history is rife with racism, misogyny, and class warfare. But it’s always had potential, and the realization of that potential will require the majority of those who live here to decide its future. Diversity, patience, ethics, compassion, empathy, reason, love, acceptance, these concepts are the most attacked because they’re the bedrock of not only a positively thriving society, but of what makes life so damn amazing.
It’s 0353 in the morning and there’s a blizzard outside, and I didn’t sleep well. Going to call it as I can write and write for hours ad nauseam. A one-line summation: what’s happening is a violent, grotesque act upon the preciousness of life by those who hate themselves, but do not deserve our pity; stand however you can.
But do stand. Okay, that was two lines…
Peace,
Patrick