(no subject)

[dreamer_easy]

Writing the Other: A Practical Guide

Why? Why did I put off buying this? Why did I put off reading it?!

Comments

[antikythera.livejournal.com]

Ooooo. Want.

[dreamer-easy.livejournal.com]

It's matter-of-fact, practical, generous, non-judgemental, and aims to explain, convince, and educate. Which makes it the exact opposite of the dominant voice of anti-racism you and I have encountered on lj. It's also cheap as chips; I highly recommend it.

[antikythera.livejournal.com]

Well, that would be the difference between learning from a book (where one person talks to you and you listen) and learning from a community (where you have the opportunity to piss people off and everyone competes to be the loudest voice).

[dreamer-easy.livejournal.com]

The book's based on a course taught by the authors - it'd be interesting to learn how they deal with mouth-feet in their class. (I'm only a little way in, so maybe that'll be touched on later.)

Very briefly put, their argument is that the "reptile brain" will always throw up bigoted thoughts, but conscious thought - armed with facts and reason - can overcome those attitudes and assumptions, and that's exactly what writing is - considered thought. IMHO, that means writing is the perfect place to challenge bigotry, whether it's ours or our whole culture's. And again IMHO, SF is one of the very best places in all writing to do this, because it can allow us to powerfully explore alternatives. (I kind of knew all this, but to hear it from someone else is exciting, inspiring, healing.)

That loudest voice online, the dominant one, pays lip service to the idea that cock-ups are inevitable - and surviveable - but in keeping an indelible record of everyone's blemishes, gives away its real aim: to police the community and protect its borders. It explicitly refuses to educate or encourage anyone. It's powerless; it couldn't dent racism even if it intended to.

It is only the loudest voice, thankfully. There's plenty of grace and wisdom too. It's just difficult to find those gems under all the slag. Which is why books will always > Internet. :)