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intertribalThe first commentary on the whole Bankrupt Nihilism brouhaha that I really agree with (and surprisingly, it comes from Black Gate): The Decline and Fall of Bankrupt Nihilism. One points Matthew Surridge brings up that I consider pretty important concerns the supposedly "heroic and inspiring" morality of old-fashioned fantasy, and particularly, states that there's a big difference between Tolkien's and Howard's morality: "[Howard's heroes] were concerned with doing right, but doing right by a moral code based around virtues like honour and strength. I think that’s a far cry from Tolkien’s Christian sense of morality."
The "virtues like honor and strength" part really got to me, because it reminds me of the kind of "morality" that infuses militaristic societies (you can see this in U.S. armed forces ads too). Hilariously, I recently used the exact phrase "honor and strength" in a short-story-in-progress as the straight-faced slogan of a genocidal army (this is a Suharto-inspired story, but it's obviously got wider implications).
Anyway, Surridge's main point is that this old-fashioned fantasy was not, as a rule, any more morally-upright than what's being written today. He also says that although "a certain stylistic approach has become broadly more common in fantasy, specifically because it’s an approach that’s perceived as more realistic" (this approach being dark-and-gritty), it's not "about the morality of the writers... so much as a greater focus on world-building, plot detail, and the amount of cruelty that one can expect to find in the world." Which I think is also pretty fair.
This whole ridiculous bankrupt nihilism conversation has made me realize that I think I'm a "moralist" writer, at least if that means my writing is concerned with discussing right behavior. I never really thought of it that way, but after reading this essay and thinking about the novel... yeah, it's all about right behavior (there are other things, too, but that's the backbone). I usually think of my writing as being "political," but I think that's just my poli sci background speaking. I've written things that weren't so driven by morality, and they never feel as whole or sincere or "worth it" after I get a bit of distance from them (in contrast to say, my ChiZine stories). The best writing compliment I've ever gotten is six years old, and came from one of my high school English teachers - that I "wield the pen like a sword." And I really need to remember that that sort of writing is my real mission.
The "virtues like honor and strength" part really got to me, because it reminds me of the kind of "morality" that infuses militaristic societies (you can see this in U.S. armed forces ads too). Hilariously, I recently used the exact phrase "honor and strength" in a short-story-in-progress as the straight-faced slogan of a genocidal army (this is a Suharto-inspired story, but it's obviously got wider implications).
Anyway, Surridge's main point is that this old-fashioned fantasy was not, as a rule, any more morally-upright than what's being written today. He also says that although "a certain stylistic approach has become broadly more common in fantasy, specifically because it’s an approach that’s perceived as more realistic" (this approach being dark-and-gritty), it's not "about the morality of the writers... so much as a greater focus on world-building, plot detail, and the amount of cruelty that one can expect to find in the world." Which I think is also pretty fair.
This whole ridiculous bankrupt nihilism conversation has made me realize that I think I'm a "moralist" writer, at least if that means my writing is concerned with discussing right behavior. I never really thought of it that way, but after reading this essay and thinking about the novel... yeah, it's all about right behavior (there are other things, too, but that's the backbone). I usually think of my writing as being "political," but I think that's just my poli sci background speaking. I've written things that weren't so driven by morality, and they never feel as whole or sincere or "worth it" after I get a bit of distance from them (in contrast to say, my ChiZine stories). The best writing compliment I've ever gotten is six years old, and came from one of my high school English teachers - that I "wield the pen like a sword." And I really need to remember that that sort of writing is my real mission.
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Date: 2011-02-21 03:40 pm (UTC)Well, it's definitely on the darker side, for you, so I can see that it would. What inspired it?
no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 03:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 03:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 04:04 pm (UTC)http://www.thetraveleditor.com/users/745/pictures/6330/photo-s1-3.jpg
no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 04:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 06:42 pm (UTC)But the line I will remember is the last. We do live in a time of miracles. Oh, yes.
But all I have to add to the actual discussion is that vir is the latin root for man and virtue. Be a man is to be good for a roman, and in light of coming from the disappointment of settling for The Eagle because The King's Speech was cancelled, is that there are many moralities out there, and it is interesting to bring them into conflict with each other.
Teh nihilism has one view of virtue, which it rejects. And that is where it grows dull. Feeling the need to poke it with a stick is not the same as being interested in it.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 06:54 pm (UTC)Re: yew limbs, you should have seen the tree that held onto my son. It was orangy red in color...
a time of miracles
Date: 2011-02-21 07:20 pm (UTC)Re: a time of miracles
Date: 2011-02-21 07:40 pm (UTC)