presents “Two Voices” – a discussion about writing
by 2 writers, Alfred Brown and Anh Thi
| (male) ALFRED | (female) ANH |
| That’s a tough one, as I’d first have to consider writing as a way to save or enlighten my soul. Saving a soul suggests it must first be lost or damned. Sounds like Christianity and original sin.
And for Christianity, salvation comes in kind acts and a moral life. Enlightening a soul, as opposed to a mind, suggests it is not about acquiring knowledge as much as it is reaching some kind of spiritual height or liberation. Sounds like Buddhism/Hinduism and approaching nirvana. And for them it comes through meditation and non-attachment. No religion I know suggests writing as a way to get to the goal. |
Writing helps me work through issues. It’s not the approach of someone putting their thoughts down in a diary.
Rather, it’s taking something big or small that I observe in myself, in the world, or in other people, and creating a story to explore the dynamics and struggle of it. That’s where the enlightenment comes in for me. I am enlightened by writing out how an idea evolves, and what I learn about the issue and myself is a catharsis.
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| So that leaves me with inventing a religion so that a soul can get fixed in some way through writing. And inventing a religion to satisfy some convenient goal, be it to divorce your wife, or because that’s where the money is, or to answer a question, is not something I’m interested in.
If I invent a religion (or a semblance of one), it will be because I honestly think society could benefit from a new philosophy and dictum for living. |
Does writing save me? To the extent that it allows me to express myself.
Without the ability to express myself through writing, I would wither into mindlessness. And then nothing would matter. I am a dynamic force for myself, in my world, for my family and friends because I learn, think, explore and come into being through my writing. |