Oppression in its mildest form

Woah...back to the slightly more depressing prompts. Today's is a quote by Friedrich Engels. POLITICS. It's so thick in the air today you could choke on it. This quote, however, "The state is nothing but an instrument of oppression of one class by another-no less so in a democratic republic than in a monarchy." Take out everything after the dash. Now replace "The state" with "Life". I could say that somewhat describes life right now. Take oppression a different sense and it is true to everyone. Take it in the sense that today's generation looks at things and all of a sudden, I've brought racism, sexism, and all the other -isms into the conversation. However, take it as the former sense, the true one, and then this other claim becomes visible. One in which we oppress one choice or idea for the other. The decisions we make in life are based on the ideas we have. Just because we've chosen one idea over the other does not make the first cease to exist. We oppress one idea for another. But whatever idea we choose to oppress doesn't make it invalid or invisible...dun dun dun...#deepthoughts?

-jekoli

Tom Wolfe Video - The lesson he taught without meaning to

My first thought was, "What a snazzy white suit." Now that I know Tom Wolfe is known for wearing one often, he shall be, to me: Tom Wolfe, Writer in White Suit. Just as Hemingway is: The Grouchy Blunt One. Usually when watching videos, it is easier to talk more, because there are visual details that can be added. However, in his interview, it was Wolfe's words that truly caught my attention. Particularly his reasons for becoming a writer. From what I understood, the desire to be a writer comes from three main things: Passion, Purpose, and Character. One must love writing to be able to dedicate themselves to doing it for a living. Wolfe said he found it magical. The next component, Purpose, is important because it is what connects writer to reader. What am I writing about? Readers want to know. Finally, character. That is what keeps the reader connected to the writer. Keeps them interested. Makes a writer's name something that sticks to a reader's mind. Passion. Purpose. Character. And a snazzy white suit...I don't know....

-jekoli

The rain will flow

"Don't be a writer. Be writing". William Faulkner. First, I thought I knew him, but I don't. Is he related to Neil Faulkner? Or is Faulkner a common name? Just a thought. Second, what did he mean? I guess we're all here to find out, or try to guess. Or maybe some of us know. What do I think? Well, maybe he meant that we shouldn't try to be something. I think it comes to us and then we become it. Don't try to be a writer. Just write and we'll see where this goes. Not to be disrespectful but when a teacher says, "We're all writers." I don't really believe it. There are some who just have trouble expressing themselves. We're all writers, perhaps in the second option of the literal meaning. But writing should come naturally. It's kind of like rain. It flows when it does. You can't make it rain. You can pretend sprinklers are imaginary raindrops but that only goes so far. The one thing I can say though, because I'm trying to be more positive, is that the rain will flow. Nothing can stop that.

-jekoli