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> IMO this article comes off a little strong. Is that not the point? The author could have tempered their words to fit into something more palatable to a wider
by munificent 5y ago
> IMO this article comes off a little strong.
Is that not the point? The author could have tempered their words to fit into something more palatable to a wider audience. But then they'd be saying what they think would be easily received and not what they actually felt.
I whole-heartedly agree with the author that much of the difficulty for many writers is having the courage to say what they mean. And it takes courage to say that that's the problem, because it risks hurting readers' feelings. But that kind of shock might be necessary to get people out of their rut.
And, even if not, if it's what the author feels, I respect their honesty. I'd rather read something heartfelt that I disagree with than a pile of prose whose sharp edges have all been rounded off to the point that only a meaningless pebble remains.
- birdyrooster 5y agoIt’s also likely that this was something they wrote to themselves and then shared it with a wider audience. It says more about their internal monologue than it does about them admonishing the reader. For me the art in this article is about their grappling with a universal struggle and how they have tried to come to terms with a solution.
- watwut 5y ago> The author could have tempered their words to fit into something more palatable to a wider audience. The issue is also tempering to the words to what is actually true about world and human psychology. Something being funny or insulting or strong in words does not imply it brings in deep truth. Pretty often, it creates false description of world. And the words being strong are making that lie more convincing. > But then they'd be saying what they think would be easily received and not what they actually felt. Feelings are not facts. It way more honest to write about feelings in a way that makes it clear you write about feelings. Instead, articles like this pretend to describe the world around and not feelings. > And it takes courage to say that that's the problem, because it risks hurting readers' feelings When you lie about other people mental state or make it up, them objecting is 100% valid. Their feelings are rightfully hurt. Because the actual issue is not that you was impolite, it is that you are saying untrue things about them.
- twodave 5y agoI don't know that I agree that was the point. Writer's block doesn't have much in common with writing tactfully. That said, I can appreciate the article as an honest viewpoint and still disagree with (parts of) it myself.