I figured I would make a blog post for this topic since I do want to post it but I don't want everyone to comment/debate/derail the thread... My posts tend to have that happen to them. So, recently, I started thinking about conflict resolution between multiple parties and points of view from a storytelling perspective. In lots of interactive and visual media, it simply is kill or be killed. In video games, it is so natural and normal to kill enemies, and sometimes harmless NPCs, without a second thought for experience points (so you get stronger) and loot (so you look cooler and are stronger) In the popular-movie world, its natural to have buildings topple over, gun fights, gore porn, highway accidents, without ever thinking of all the innocent bystanders or whether the conflict had to come to this in the first place. We're a culture that believes in the idiom: "Violence is never the answer" or any variation of such yet our popular media is filled with the exact opposite. Now, I'm an amoralist, I do not believe in a set of holy ways to be or think certain guidelines are borne naturally in humans. So, I cannot accept the idiom and therefore I am not trying to make a case against it or call our society hypocritical or cruel. There are times where an opposing force, whether it be another human, a group, or ideology, cannot be reasoned with or a middle ground cannot be found. I wouldn't ask anyone to turn the other cheek or allow something so dangerous to another to exist. It would be counter-survival. In past media, it was natural to see in black and white as the "bad guys" could be aliens, evil forces from the beyond, or whatever else which its existence solely depended on hurting humans. You can't find middle ground against something that does nothing but hunt and eat humans for survival or some amalgam of dark forces that only wishes to destroy the world. They don't have a better nature to appeal to, they have no desire for peace, but only to rend, consume, and destroy. That is the black of black and white. However, more and more, we're seeing media that showcases intelligent creatures and humans who are capable of communication and often end up fighting for 'victory' rather than settling differences or finding a third option. Why? The third option is hard and, arguably, less cool than an all-out fight. Could it also be that we are simply accustomed to resorting to violence or that our views are superior and therefore we have no choice to put an absolute stop to another set? Now, violence does have its place, and I am not saying it's lesser or even wrong to have violent media or to beat up orcs in video games. However, is it a bit too habitual to kill or be killed? Now, in the Marvel universe, we have heroes that do no kill. They incapacitate, jail, and reform villains. We have villains with humanizing motives that stop their ways when ultimately confronted or realize their folly. Friends, family, and even foes help them let go of their grudges, their sadness, and they move on before imploding the world with their high-tech rockets. In anime, we have the same thing and many of those scenes are often considered the best and most emotional in a series where people can overcome their differences and choose a happier alternative. All the giant mech robots and absurd weapons won't make you forget the brutal murder of your parents, but dang it does a good cry help. And isn't that why we believe the characters we root for are the strongest even if they can't hold themselves in a fight, even if they let others push them around, even if they themselves can't come to grip with their own feelings? Because they help others to let go of their pain that causes them to go "evil". As writers and futures authors who may be read by a few handful people, millions, and even generations, perhaps we should start thinking whether our antagonists are all that bad and whether there is a way to create less violence in our stories. No, sometimes killing is the answer, but sometimes there is a third option. It's harder to get to, and it certainly is the long way around, but perhaps that'll be the reason why someone chooses to try harder to overcome difficulties rather than have a "me vs. them" mentality and perhaps it will bring forth less violence where none is needed. It's silly to think such a butterfly could exist but when almost all our media is violent perhaps it's not so silly to try and create less of it.
It has been a while since I written down my thoughts, I think I stopped existing for a while, Just letting time drag me down into rapture. Golems came to see me recently, Commands from the Primer demanding my attention, Took time and skill to avoid the summons, Such a bother... The lover is doing fine, Off battling battles I rather not think while I play housewife Though my art certainly benefits from it. I've made jewelery, started to learn a language, and even got back to my usual haunts, Life couldn't be better. Work found me, it seems, my expertise quickly gaining me much praise and control, I believe I'll nest for a while with this work, It suits my life at the moment despite not being the glamorous kind I'm used to. I've recently met a man who thinks he and I could be collegues in our mutual endevors, I've yet to find out whether he is a dreaming amateur or a serious practitioner, Though he seems to be rather reclusive...
Once again, it seems the guild has little work for me. A few meetings. Banal all of it but it had to be done. Any income I achieved was just as quickly squeezed out. Good side, lover is finally back from questing. Busy as ever but a home is now on the horizon for us. Bad side, I seem to have lost my muse or my spark, so to say. Without proper grounding, I find it hard to begin laying new ground for myself. I find myself oft visiting others of my ilk. My true friends long gone I choose to try and seem busy and important as I once was. They thank me in words and I find a sense of life once more. However, the effect is as ephemeral as their thanks. I seem to have found a hobby in languages. I forgot how much fun learning can be. I rarely learn these days. I know too much. By years end, I hope to achieve some semblance of fluency. Hopefully, by then, I'll also find my muse.
I didn't see the soldiers go by this year. It has been an eerily quiet holiday. Even my new boss forgot. What a strange thing to happen. Maybe we rather just stop thinking about the deaths of old and new soldiers. It has been a busy year for chaos. Couple of years, I should say. My new contract is going well. I have been recommended. The overseeing of the new operation planned will be mine to handle. It will mean more money, I can't argue. No real good connections with my fellow workers. It'll be back to the guild for me once the job is done. My friend vanished I tried sending him a message and mundane and magical both failed me. It seems he disappeared. Or died. Though no one is talking. He was of little import to me, but still strange. He was like a puppy at me. He didn't seem like the type to up and vanish. Oh well. My lover is doing well. The fighting slowed, they are bringing all the fighters home for the holidays. Hopefully, better work will come around this time. Close to home, safe, and peaceful. Already found another venture, lover is ever so busy. Soon, we'll move in together. It will be good. I just need to figure out how to acquire the cash. Winter is getting worse. Stopped the fighting. Not good for me though. Hate the freeze. My research on some local wildlife is going well. Hopefully I'll get something out of my work. A few interested parties wish to speak to me. Maybe I'll become famous. My instruments need repairs. The cold is damaging them. Short on funds too. Always something. Things are looking up, despite it all. I just need to keep pushing. The world won't dare to push back hard anymore. I made sure of it. I have suffered enough. Gods, I miss doing that.
The guild got my on detail duty. Inspecting and detailing artisan works. Gotta keep customers safe from faulty magicks. It's small trinkets mostly but the high class always had a taste for a bit of warding. I think it's my favorite work yet. No idea where the lover is at lately. Seems any issues that risen have been dealt with. Keeping busy, I hope. Lover is restless without work. I must keep an eye out for some contacts. Guild only needs me for the cold season before they ship me off back to the lists. They always have more work but nothing I care to handle. I miss the old days. Where my friends were still, relatively, young. They got replaced. Where my dogs were still pups. Those long summer days. Where my work mattered and changed the world a little. Before I gave up. These new people are strangers to me, they who seem to own pieces of the world. I can't understand them and I do not like them. Perhaps I just need to get with the times. One problem at a time. I gotta raise myself up, once more, and make room for what I believe in. First things first.
Negotiations with the guild didn't go overly well. I got the contract but on their terms. Lover is rather upset that it won't be my game changer. I think we had a fight. Who knows what is going in that head. At least it's something for now. Gotta eat, Gotta pay, Gotta work Gotta, Gotta, Gotta Big Gs Wish that was for grand as in thousand Odd jobs keep rifling me at me At least there is that to keep me busy Lover's necromancer issue seems to have died down Something about wild monsters on the loose now Bet lover appreciates my quasi-encyclopedic knowledge on those things Not that I can help much Guild always sends my lover far away from me I swear they hate me At least for now things are settling down With any luck, it'll stay that way until years end. Three months left Where did I put all my time? Sounds about right.
Golem came by the home today. Message from the guild, needing me for a contract. I think I'll take it, Not much else to do The money would be good Funds are low That ain't never good Saw the lover, Many of his men died Damn necromancers are not making it easy for him It's getting cold too, Hopefully that'll slow the damned things down. Been trying to perfect my skills Training has been a focus lately Hopefully the contract won't prove bothersome in that respect For now, I'll just see what they need from me.
October 9th 2013 October 9th 2013 For a moment, I just wanted to pretend I had OCD. I know it makes no sense and only I find it funny but you gotta amuse yourself. I had bad dreams again. I'm used to them but these were more the hallucinatory types than the emotional wrecking ball kind. So many blue and green spiders climbing into my bed. They had a taste for blood. I tried rolling myself into my blanket but they just squeezed in. I had to open my eyes real wide to make them disappear. My lover called and complained that I sounded tired again. I'm always tired; the bad dreams make sleep restless. He said he'd get me a charm to catch bad dreams. I hope it works. I could stop drinking to sleep. Waking up with aching bones beats the bad dreams any night. It'll be a while before he can help me. There's a zombie infestation and he decided to join the effort in putting the damned things down. I always hated necromancers. At least we got ways to communicate still. I've lost enough friends due to the world being messed up. I went to the guild for work, didn't find any. It was all meant for those with different skills than me. Maybe I'm just good for nothing in this world. On the bright side, I found this. View attachment 22920 Where is my talking and comforting lion? Hopefully Big Bear won't read this wrong, he's the best friend I could ever ask for. He's been keeping busy as of late and I hate bothering him with my problems. I gotta find something to do soon. Either for money, fame, or glory. A man needs something to feel productive.