The Censor Ship
I'm sitting here trying to think of a good topic to write about this week. Valentine's Day was yesterday, so I'm tempted to write another Goblin Games installment. I started writing a dream travel segment for Book 3, so there's plenty to be said about dreams and dreaming. We've had another snow dump and cold snap today, so there's plenty to kvetch about there. But nothing is really standing out as a topic I want to invest time and energy into right now. I'm freezing in my apartment today, which doesn't help, but I also feel frozen in my words. I seem to have boarded a cruise on: The Censorship.
First off, puns are awesome. Get off your comedy high horse and giggle. It's ok. I won't tell anybody.
Secondly, I can't take credit for this pun. I ran across it first in one of the Piers Anthony "Xanth" novels years ago, and I'm pretty sure he credited the idea to one of his readers who submitted the idea to him. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - especially the puns. Always recycle those.
When it comes down to it, I think my biggest problem is that I've been spending too much time on Facebook again. (Stay with me here, this thought train does actually connect somewhere.) This week, especially, has been a constant barrage of infuriating articles and updates about current events involving...
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And that's the crux of it, isn't it? As an entertainer (in this case an author of fantasy fiction) there is a significant paradox in which you find yourself. When you're just starting out, you don't want to make waves. You don't want to be controversial in a way that will alienate your readers/viewers/listeners. When you're just starting out, you don't have very many fans to start with. Losing followers by expressing a controversial opinion is not unlike shooting yourself in the foot (in a very literal sense). Pretty soon you won't be able to stand on your own let alone climb the proverbial ladder to success and/or fame. Conversely, once you reach a certain level of fame, it's almost more irresponsible NOT to use your platform to speak out. We see this regularly with J.K Rowling (author), Stephen King (author), Chris Evans (actor), Ellen Paige (actor), Lady Gaga (musician), and countless others who aren't even necessarily in the most stable positions in their fame or career, but who still use their platform to speak out against the things they see wrong.
I've seen arguments that go both ways in this regard. Some people suggest that celebrities should stick to their craft and keep their opinions to themselves. They argue that celebrities already have too much influence on public opinion without them also getting political or pushing for certain causes. On the other hand, I've also seen celebrities publicly blasted for Not speaking out or using their platform of fame to reach and inform the masses. In short, it's a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation. But whether or not a celebrity can survive the professional consequences for speaking out or staying silent is all really a matter of timing and position.
As for me, my position is pretty weak professionally and now is most definitely NOT the time for me to be spouting off my opinion in a public forum. For all intents and purposes, I'm a "nobody" - just another profile on Facebook or Twitter, somebody blasting their Blog out into the endless void of the internet, somebody self-publishing books (apparently for my own amusement and the amusement of a few others). If I express my opinion or views publicly maybe... MAYBE... a handful of people will see it. But here's the thing, that's potentially all it takes. Because I'm an unknown entity trying to gain ground and exposure, all it takes is insulting the wrong person or getting blocked from the wrong connection to have all of my efforts thus far go up in flames. That is not a risk that I am willing to take.
But what does that kind of censorship do to a creative person? Nothing good.
As a writer, words are my superpower. I create with them. I explore with them. I fight the forces of evil with them. I bring people together with them. I give a voice to those who don't have one with them. I drag things people don't want to see into the light with them. That is the power of the written word.
Feeling the need to censor myself for the sake of expediency, tact, avoiding pointless arguments, shielding myself from attacks, not stirring up problems for friends and family, it takes away that power. It leaves me unable to be my best. Now, don't get me wrong. I know full and well that getting into any level of argument on Facebook/Twitter/etc. is pretty much a waste of time and energy. It creates too much stress and mental toxicity with absolutely zero benefit. There's no point in it. But every time I back down, every time I leave an ignorant or hurtful comment unchallenged, every time I see another article describing the current situation, I find myself having to swallow that poison pill of outrage and disgust all over again. I let go of as much of it as I can, but that toxicity continues to build up inside of me. I try to work it out via exercise or whatever, but it's still there. And every time I think things have a chance to get better...well, let's just say it's not, and it doesn't look like it's going to get better anytime soon without a major intervention. More and more, my potential allies keep turning out to be in league with the enemy and, frankly, it's exhausting not knowing who I can trust anymore. So I censor myself, keep swallowing that poison pill, and give up a little bit more of my power every day. Then I get to the end of the week and discover that I have nothing left to give because I've already caged or poisoned all of my words.
There's a whole other track I can follow about feeling censored and stifled creatively, but I seem to be running long on this entry as it is. Maybe I'll pick it up later another time. Until then, stay safe, stay warm, and stay strong. We've only just begun to fight.
