Nothing really coherent occurred to me to write about this week, so here's a little ramble…
I was watching a little interview with an actress who was a lot more candid than most. She talked about experiences with some famous performers, and she had some things to say that were not very flattering to those people - at the same time, she was also very impressed with them. One legend she worked with was acting inappropriately but she said she didn't mind at the time, because of certain circumstances.
The other guy, she said, was less charming and even a bit skeevy. She had honest critical opinions of him, but followed up by saying he was and is a GREAT actor (and she's right). I loved that she said that. And what she followed up with was even better: she said that people are more than one thing. All people are more than one thing.
In a time that seems WAY too divided, where we're so nasty to each other. Maybe I'm just on the Internet too much. Too much YouTube, where videos click-baiting with provocative titles appeal to people and make money.
I can only imagine how crazy things must be for people who're on other social media platforms through the day. I don't do any of those platforms and I still get hit daily with people being outraged, furious, “panicking” and “melting down”…(I guess if I left YouTube I would see almost none of this).
To steer this into fiction writing and story-making or comic-making, maybe these conflicts could inspire conflicts in people's stories. Definitely looking at the mistrust and misunderstandings (and purposeful stoking of those flames by others who make money from it) could be helpful in our writing. But to have stories with real power, I think we'd have to look deeper into some of these conflicts and realize that a lot of it is kind of artificial. Or at least it's been pumped up a thousand times by the amplifier of the Internet.
Not sure of my exact point here, but this is what's on my mind today anyway - and that as more years go by, I feel compelled to go easier on people (in action, but also in words and in thoughts about them). If I had a cornball, cheesy wish for us all (and I do, since I'm a cornball), it would be that - that we go a bit easier on each other. And, hey, while we're at it, let's go a little easier on ourselves.
-Hallmark Banes
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We gonna be awright?
Banes at 12:00AM, Jan. 25, 2024
7 likes!
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JohnCelestri at 12:16PM, Jan. 26, 2024
@Ozoneocean: Yes, I know we are in agreement! 😃 I'm just contributing to this conversation as best I can!
Ozoneocean at 9:59AM, Jan. 26, 2024
@johnCelestri - oh I know the permutations ☺️ but people forget about progression and only see conflict/tension in a one eyed way where they block out all other aspects, but it's not actually the only part of a story (whether clfiction or not) that interests a reader and makes a good story. Linear progression towards a goal is just one of those things but there are others.
JohnCelestri at 4:34AM, Jan. 26, 2024
@Ozoneocean, I think the term "conflict" in story is very misunderstood. I've always treated it as tension between two goals, which can be seen as needing resolution. It can be the cliche of a "White Hat Hero" battling a "Black Hat Villain"; or an interior self-delusion being awakened by learning to accept the reality of the status of a personal relationship. However you term it, conflict is needed for the story to be worth the time to experience it. Even an essay needs to have the conflict of overcoming a reader's ignorance of the writer's reasoning/point of view. Otherwise, why write it? ;-)
Ozoneocean at 7:27PM, Jan. 25, 2024
@Ironscaf - "The desire to learn things". THIS is very important and bad content writers and fiction writers never understand that. The bog standard basic-bitch idea behind interesting writing is that "conflict equals story". This is NOT the whole of the story though but morons think is is so that's why we always get boring sh1t supplied to us from all angles. Things like progress towards a goal can be even MORE important and pivotal - that can be in the form of learning, character development, love stories, whatever. But in terms of stories and social media that comes across as revealing important an interesting information, which people CRAVE. People don't crave conflict.
Ironscarf at 9:37AM, Jan. 25, 2024
The algorithms thrive on outrage and polarisation, which is why most social media sites are becoming useless to those of us who just want to share our work, grow an audience, hang out with other artists and learn things. The desire to learn things is a red flag of tofu eating wokeness in some circles.
J_Scarbrough at 8:33AM, Jan. 25, 2024
We live in a toxic culture now where we're expected to treat each other like absolute shit, because apparently, that shows strength and resilience, that you won't back down and let people push you over; that showing kindness, compassion, and empathy are signs of weakness, being a pussy, and even being woke. Even some religious leaders out there are disturbed by how so many so-called Christians are contesting the teachings of Jesus because, according to them, concepts like turning the other cheek, loving your neighbor as yourself, and the like won't wash in today's society. For all intents and purposes, Jesus Christ was the OG Bleedin' Heart Liberal, and they don't like that.
Ozoneocean at 6:09AM, Jan. 25, 2024
True, people are more than one thing.
InkyMoondrop at 5:46AM, Jan. 25, 2024
I've learned on my local facebook feed, from comments sections of any news article really, that everything is political and everything political is something to go apeshit about, either condescendingly laugh at the other or throw insults and them, attack, etc. So from time to time, when I'm mentally equipped enough to deal with it I write something very agreeable and see how some still find a way to argue, to pick a fight, because they just have to, they're compelled to start a fight where there is none... and I'm just being extra nice to them and write things like "that's an interesting perspective. Well, it's the way I feel, but I might be wrong, after all, I've been wrong about a lot of things before." and it usually takes a while for them to realize that no matter how hard they try, they can't argue with me and give up. The online sphere became so combative, that if someone doesn't play their game, they just don't know how to react. It's scary but not hopeless, 'ya know.
bravo1102 at 5:18AM, Jan. 25, 2024
Terms like "gaslighting" , "dog whistle " were things I was brought up to ignore because "sticks and stones may break my bones but words cannot hurt me". Then came the whole bullying awareness about 20 years ago when I wahad a breakdown suffering the PTSD from my own childhood bullying and Suddenly we were all to aware of it. But a lot of this isn't bullying but just discussion so people became more and more pavlovian in their responses. Say this word and suddenly there's a pile of people saying you're -phobic or mansplaining. Actually got tagged with that for suggesting that people should talk less and listen more. In other words not explain but listen. Oh the irony.
JohnCelestri at 5:10AM, Jan. 25, 2024
I meant: "and selling those 'eyeballs' to advertisers."
JohnCelestri at 5:09AM, Jan. 25, 2024
The internet's "Socila Media" platforms are (in a way) modern day "yellow journalism"...stirring up outrage to get eyeballs looking at that content and seeing those "eyeballs" to advertisers.
PaulEberhardt at 4:14AM, Jan. 25, 2024
If I got a meltdown from anything that annoys me - especially on YouTube and the internet - my home would be a Chernobyl-style waste. The thing is that these days apparently people just can't keep their distance from what they watch and read, as in maintaining one's reserve. Being able to do this is directly linked to your ability of critical thinking. That's why all these instances of what seems to be an utterly humourless outrage-anger-woke-cancel-culture worry me. They undermine critical thinking in its very name. I said seems to be, because they're not a majority but just the ones who shout loudest, I'm sure. --- I agree there's plenty of stories to be got from this. Dystopian, satirical, moral, spooky, you name it, possibly even fun ones.
bravo1102 at 4:01AM, Jan. 25, 2024
I try to avoid YouTube comments unless for something that I really know about like historical movies. I still get thank yous from people who appreciate comments I left on the movie The Legion explaining some of the King Arthur lore in the movie. I've learned to try to leave reading lists because people often want to learn more and leaving sources heads off debates because I can refer them to my sources as opposed to engaging in a social media pissing contest. That's for me and Ozoneocean. XD He can frustrate tge hell out of me but I love the guy.
edniz at 2:53AM, Jan. 25, 2024
I use an extension which enables me to make the comments section invisible, so that I don't check them out or see them by accident. But the best thing to do really is to limit your Youtube usage or be very careful with what you click. Quitting altogether doesn't feel like an option to me as there are things I genuinely need to or want to use it for, so I try to be extra careful instead. This is serious stuff, "you are what you eat". And believe me, you won't even miss it once you get out.
plymayer at 1:15AM, Jan. 25, 2024
Yep.