Asking the right questions–finding no answers
by Shannon on Sunday, 29 of April, 2007 at 12:07 pm
I have to admit, I’m not feeling all that funny these last few days. Hell, I’m not feeling all that amused in general. Which is odd for me. I always try to find the humor in everything. The worse it is, the harder I look for that one flash of humor, like a match flaring in the darkness. The world is a lot less intimidating when you can find the ridiculous in it.
I wonder if that’s why I enjoy fantasy so much, the escapism of it. The sense that no matter how bad it gets, and even when it ends tragically, there is still a sense of order, a sense of logic. Something sorely lacking in the “real” world.
In good fiction things make sense, rules are followed, characters introduced are rarely left behind, death–while tragic–makes sense. In books people get to say their good byes, love seems less complex, feelings more easily expressed. By the time you reach the end of a good book, no matter how sad it was, you get the sense of completion, the sense that everything will eventually be okay for the characters you’ve come to love. That’s not so in life. Not as much as I would like at any rate.
Fairness, rightness, poetic justice those are the things the world could use more of. But that is not the way this world we live in works. Good people die for no reason, love is unrequited, noble thoughts and deeds are punished as often as honored. No, this world is nothing like the fantasy found in books.
Is that bad or good? Is it more important that we take the journey then worry about the destination? If our world did make sense, would we grow, would we strive to be better people? Would evolution have taken us beyond single celled organisms if that much logic was applied to the world? Is it our ability to recognize all the injustices and unfairness inherent in our lives that has brought us to the state we are now? Beautifully, and tragically, flawed, a study in contrasts, capable of great kindness and utter brutality sometimes within the space of one breath.
I wish I knew the answers. I wish I knew the questions for that matter. The ones to ask to understand it all, to put it all into perspective. But I suppose if I all ready knew these things, I wouldn’t bother learning anything else. I wouldn’t strive, or yearn, or hope, or even despair. And that’s what makes me what I am, the search, the faith–misplaced or not–that there is some purpose so grand in scale my tiny little brain will never comprehend it, but to stop is to resign myself to a state of living death. A life of going through the motions and finding nothing of satisfaction. Who could live like that? Not me.
So, I suppose I keep looking for the ridiculous, the humor, the glorious insanity of life, and take from it what I can. Now you have to ask yourself, are you doing the same? Are you living, or did you die ages ago? Dear reader, I hope you’re alive, and if not doing well, at least striving…yearning, hoping, and most importantly laughing.
Now, I promise to resume forcing my opinions on you and lay off of the philosophy books in the future. Thank you for your patience.
Category: Uncategorized, core dump
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Comment by Miriam Darnell
Made Sunday, 29 of April , 2007 at 11:00 pm
Very insightful, Shannon, but you know, as writers we should understand the need for hardship. When crafting the perfect story, we always think first about what the conflict will be that pushes our characters to the limit of their endurance. What brings out the best in people is challenge. What would Star Wars be without Darth Vader? What would BSG be without Cylons? What would Star Trek be without the Borg (or any other alien bent on making life hell for the Federation for that matter?). Pretty damn boring is what they would be. Without struggle there’s no story. There’s no need for heroes. And the story is what life is truly all about. If there is a god, she’s a writer!
I believe that no one is handed a challenge that is beyond their capability as their own personal hero. Some people have it way rougher than others, but have you noticed that the ones who have it the worst tend to be the strongest people? As a writer, who would you give more struggle to… Mal or Inara? Mal of course. Why? Because he’s stronger and needs bigger challenges. There are different types of challenges for different types of people too. For Laura Roslynn, fighting breast cancer is her own personal challenge. But something like that wouldn’t suit Starbuck. No, she needs the struggles to have greater external impact, like a punch in the face. No one wants to see Laura get punched. But Starbuck… that could be fun!
So apply this to real life. No one promised that life would be an easy ride. No one said that we could come here and be in bodies and frolick through flowery fields all damn day. How boring would that be? No, we each need our challenges and our stressors. Ones that fit us as individuals. Ones that bring out the very best in what we’re made of. I know this sounds harsh, but we need our bad guys in real life too so we’ll have someone to fight against. So we’ll have a chance to be heroes in our own right.
As writers we must learn to appreciate the struggles as well as the triumphs. For without one, the other can’t exist.
:-)
Comment by Shannon
Made Monday, 30 of April , 2007 at 10:15 am
I agree completly Miriam. WIthout those roadblocks, we would never even begin the journey. And anyone who’s thinking they’ve gotten through life without too much complication isn’t really living. They’re ducking their heads in the sand at the side of the road.
How’s that for an extended metaphor?
Shannon
