You Are What You Write
Posted: September 7th, 2008 | Author: Seth | Filed under: Idea, Thought | Tags: barack, blog, Bruge, government, Idea, In, In Bruge, kanye, movie, obama, pyrosarco, technology, Thought, west, write, writing | No Comments »Everyone has heard the saying, “You are what you eat,” but lets apply it to writing. If all you write about is random things, throw in a couple of pictures and keywords, you are going to get a couple random people to your blog who just stumbled across it. They weren’t actually looking for it, they just happened across it and it wasted their time. Right now that is what my blog is and that needs to change.
Let me take the thought a little bit further though, hopefully something worthy of a comment by my friend Adam Hake who occassionally reads my better rants and comments. I wouldn’t think any less of him if he already abandoned this blog because of its useless, frivolous, digressions.
Two days ago and again today, I watched the movie In Bruges. The movie is not amazing by anyone’s standards, but never the less, it is entertaining at times and serves to tell its story. In the movie the baddest guy says that if he ever killed a child, he would stick his gun in his mouth and blow his head off right there. Later in the movie he accidentally kills a midget who he assumes is a child and before killing himself he say, “You have to stick to your principles.”
That is a novel concept in this day and age where people say one thing and do another. You can lie flat out to a person and it is emotionless. Today people can lie via phone, text message, instant message, email, or one of the various other forms of communication out there. I have had it happen to me countless times. People say they are going to do something and then completely blow it off. Then you go back and point it out in writing, and they deny it or ignore it all together.
Common people, you’re as good as your word. If it is constantly a lie, then so is your life. But let me take it in another direction. You are what you write–emotionally, religiously, politically, musically, et cetera. I judge people on their thoughts, opinions, lyrics, speeches. The only difference between someone like Kanye West and Barack Obama is what they write, and it really isn’t that far about. Both preach change for those who are in need, those who struggle. But Kayne lays it over some beats and spits lyrics about change through gaining individual great wealth. Cars, clothes and hoes–the staples of life? Don’t get me wrong, I like Kanye’s music, but what happened to the guy who was talking about religion in Jesus Walk–about how his play count was going to go down because of religion–and now he’s moved away from Jesus to embrace Barry Bonds and drunk and hot girls. Kanye writes about life in the fast lane and that’s what he is.
Obama on speeks words about change through politics. Through government programs, tax cuts, reforms, and community effort. His words are heard over applause, but the process is slow and doesn’t help the poor get any richer, just more comfortable. He has to be careful what he says because he isn’t selling a lifestyle, he is selling himself. He is probably as much about the people as he is about the power therefore his words are crafted to make himself look better, to give you hope and he is crafty and hopeful.
I try to write things as I see them, keep the peace, and expand my thoughts. I will say that I don’t want to bash Obama because I have no reason to–he was just used as an example but a good one. You are what you write. Man up to it.
