Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Are you ever afraid to write?
Writing is criticizing in one way or another and at times it can be frightening. One must remember that it is okay to challenge the beliefs of others and that it can only lead to advancement and diversity. I must remind myself of this idea on a daily basis. Sometimes it is not only frightening to write, but it is also frightening to think. Everyone has those moments when they are in a state of shock and disappointment over what they are beginning to believe in or what they are beginning to doubt, especially when they know that those close to them feel the opposite way. Writing these ideas down and expressing them is another step even farther. Being accepted by the outside world is a necessity to most people for good reason, and it is very easy to feel different than those around you in a negative way. Although it is easy to be apprehensive over new thoughts or feelings, they are a necessity to discovering who you are growing into. We all lead different lives and we should be proud of being our own person. We should let no one stand in the way of who we are, what we believe or how we feel. No one should ever be afraid to wear their own skin or write their own words.
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Wearing one's skin is like writing. I like this image very much. Derrida reinforces that he doesn't regret his strong opinions, just that he might regret if the theories he makes harm someone. There are consequences to such a powerful agent. And the written word is such an agent.
ReplyDeleteI like that you explain a fear of writing through a fear of examining new ideas. It's an interesting connection.
ReplyDeleteThis is very well written, and I love it! I love your ideas and how you present them, especially your last sentence!
ReplyDeleteSome folks today -- upon reading this post -- thought it might be strengthened if you invoked the text -- Derrida's interview on youtube "Fear of Writing." What do you think about incorporating some of that? Note that Mike B's post uses as much Derrida as he feels like; he isn't inclined to make use it of it all. He speculates but does not research. How do you feel about invoking something partially?
ReplyDeleteI think it is very interesting that in responding to "are YOU afraid to write" you failed to (in a bold way) put yourself in the response. You gave a solid, general answer. Although likely unintentional, you did answer the question with your response. You proved to your reader you do fear writing, and you do fear the critiques that come along with putting your heart and sole on a page.
ReplyDeleteI like how you included the part about some people "being afraid to think". I agree with this statement. Some people do worry about saying something that differs from the consensus and being ridiculed for not understanding. This is well-written. Good job!
ReplyDeleteI think this is a unique take on the piece. I didn't initially think of it in this way, so I really appreciate it. The way you explain and elaborate your thoughts with your word choice is also very well done!
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statement that sometimes it is frightening to think. There are many times when a thought or belief enters my mind, and I immediately want to erase it because it scares me. But if you fear your own thoughts and don't express them, no one will know who you truly are.
ReplyDeleteI love the last line of this blog " No one should be afraid to wear their own skin or write their own words." I agree with every aspect of that, but since you have written from such an objective point of view, does this mean you ARE afraid of your writing?
ReplyDeleteWell written, flows progressively with one thought fitting right in with the previous and the next one. Just wondering what your thoughts if you take your writing as serious as Derrida.
ReplyDeleteVery relaxed piece. The tone of this piece persuades the reader without making you seem obnoxious. I like how you wrote that conflicting beliefs is what leads to advancement; very well put.
ReplyDeleteI agree and like the comment about wearing your own skin. Do you feel the same way about writing as you described?
ReplyDeleteThe way that you wrote this shows some of your fears of writing. I really like your explanations and example. The way you write is beautiful. You can be afraid to write something, but don't let that stop you.
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoyed the use of the metaphor of owning your writing like wearing your own skin. It was this sort of inventive and creative comparisons that made this piece so interesting. You did not just create an argument and support it, but you also generated images that added a whole new layer of thought.
ReplyDeleteI like the fact that at first you seem to be at unease with your writing, but then continue to say, "Although it is easy to be apprehensive over new thoughts or feelings, they are a necessity to discovering who you are growing into." You have good points that you should not be afraid to write about how you feel because its your own thoughts and that shouldn't change.
ReplyDeleteYou mention how it is often frightening to actually think - think things which you know will conflict with the beliefs of those around you. This is however, very core to the heart of writing. And it raises the question "why do we write?" in my head. . .Why do we write when we know people will disagree with us, when we know people could shun us, could judge us? . .Many times it is because we need to release some form of pent-up emotion. . other times it is to change what we believe is skewed perception. . .your statement was very powerful and reminded me of those things . . You really capture the essence of why we as humans write . . .or why we should write.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for the advice!
ReplyDeletethis is really powerful and so true. i go through something like this almost everytime i write. i get afraid of what someone will say or if they will hate what i write or how i write. it is almost crippling but as you say you have to wear your skin. good advice
ReplyDeleteFirst off I want to thank everyone for their comments and constructive criticism. I am going to edit this piece accordingly.... First I have a few questions to answer though....
ReplyDelete1. I take my writing extremely seriously. I've known that I've wanted to be a writer almost all of my life. The only thing thats ever stood in my way of being a better writer, I think, would be the that I am an extremely cautious person. Yes, I am afraid of my own writing. I would never want to offend anyone in any way and I definitely do not want any one to get the wrong ideas about me as a person. Normally I prefer writing works of fiction; WSC has somewhat gotten me to come out of my shell but I know I'm still not 100% there. Expressing my ideas is most of the times frightening for me because I am always concerned for the people around me.
2. Unlike some of the things I've read, my cautious personality has NOTHING to do with my friends or my family. My friends and my family are the greatest people in my life and I care about them immensely. Say what you want about my writing but please don't insult the way I think or the people I care about the most. My personality and my ideas have nothing to do with them whatsoever, I am my own person and I will continue to grow at my own rate, regardless of what you or anyone else thinks about me.
I agree with Professor Lay. I really enjoy your comparison of wearing your own skin and writing your own words. I think that sentence was perfect in summing up your whole idea and it was great imagery and voice. I also enjoy how you didn't just admit to your fear of writing sometimes but then showed us your thought process on how to get around that. It helped me to understand how I should be more comfortable with my writing and I found it quite interesting to entertain the idea that you probably have to remind yourself of all those things every time you write. I also wonder if this writing assignment helped you because it made you confront the fact that you do fear sharing your thoughts sometimes; creating a vulnerability that you proceeded to talk yourself down from.
ReplyDelete"No one should ever be afraid to wear their own skin or write their own words." I love this, and I love your thoughts in this post! I agree very much with everything you said. Awesome, awesome, awesome. =)
ReplyDeleteWe should not hide who we are. We portray an inner-most part of ourselves when we write, consciously or unconsciously putting a piece of us into each word. Just as the media is starting to campaign against the dangers of focusing on physical beauty (beauty is only skin deep), the writing community should practice the free speech given to us by law, without fear of repression and judgment.
ReplyDelete