Have you ever heard how great a writer Albert Einstein was? How about Sir Isaac Newton? How well did Noah Webster write? Let's get more current and ask how well does Bill Gates write? Steve Jobs?
Nobody holds any of these examples up as being wonderful writers, and yet these same people (as examples) have changed the way our lives are lived... tremendous changes that have affected millions of people worldwide. All that without ever being given kudos over how well they write or have written.
Brilliant writers, those that 'say it so well', are plentiful given how many years writing has been published, but few, if any, have changed the world as much as the words of those that have not been recognized for their writing abilities.
It is not the way the words flow and color the mind as much as how the words ignite the imagination to look far beyond our base reality. E=mc2 is a brilliant equation but offers little in wordsmithing, but yet that simple 5 symbol work solved problems far beyond what had been known of life than ever before. Einstein received far-reaching recognition for his equation but nobody ever said, "That Einstein... what a writer!"
The writings of Sigmund Freud were never known for their story telling. His understanding of conscious and subconscious, or the Id and Ego, although they were mystery solving did not compare with the mystery writing of a Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. If Bill gates writes anything about computers and their ability to vault many of the world's barriers to information, he (quite possibly) would not get favorable comments on how polished and great his writing is.
Sure, the famous writers throughout time like Longfellow, Poe or Whitman... even the numerous books that sell by Stephen King are said to be 'good books,' (or they wouldn't sell) but what is it that defines a good book?
Good books transport us beyond our mundane life. They tell stories, some of which are true and others works of fiction based upon some common attributes of reality - the human condition.
When writers write of not the science of the human condition, but write of how people deal with their human condition (or of others), that is what is considered good writing - it's personal. Those that write personably have a good chance of being considered a 'good writer' if they indeed write clearly and passionately about the personal.
Conversely, those that write about the condition of the environment, that write about mathematics, about man's psyche or any 'non-personal' observations (even though it required a personal observation) somehow don't fall under the category of 'good writers.' Few exceptions would be writers like Stephen Gould and his ilk - those that are able to write about earth sciences and hold the interest of readers without making the text too scientific, afterall, science may bore most people to death!
What is it about the written word that either holds the imagination or bores the imagination? It's much like listening to a speaker versus a story-teller - one informs and the other captivates the listener's imagination.
Odd that philosophies and sciences hold little excitement for the majority of readers. Is it because those that write about such things do not have the same ability as a story-teller? The writings of these philosophers and scientists becomes answers to questions about the why's and how's of natural phenomenon and human behavior... but never taken as being 'great writing!'
However, if we read a novel, say Herman Melville, we are apt to claim Moby Dick as a brilliant piece of writing... but not necessarily a problem solver, informing the reader of ways to fill in the dots to improve their lives in understanding how the mind works, or why Moby Dick acted as he did, or the psychology of Ishmael.
It is the entertainment value of story-telling that is so important to us. It matters little if the story is fiction as long as it is entertaining. And given the amount of entertainment we desire versus the amount of education we require, the disparity is rather large. Have we been starved for entertainment and are eager to pursue fulfilling that gap?
Years ago I came up with what I called the '3E's' - Entertainment, Education, Enlightenment. I put Entertainment as the first 'E' because not only is it the most important for myself, but I feel it's important for the general populace - we need to be entertained. Entertainment gives us joy and hope, makes us smile and more tolerable of our human condition. Entertainment lessens our burdens and allows us to see the beauty of the world. Those that are deprived of any entertainment are unhealthy - the moan and groan, they bitch and make life miserable for others. If those same folks would allow for some entertainment in their lives they would be better people. Entertainment stirs the e-motions, our laughter, our tears, our fears and cheers. This stirring enhances our perceptions and can e-ncourage us towards e-ducating ourselves and even e-nlightening our Self.
Education is a must if we are to grow and expand. Education allows us to change, and like Nature, it is natural for us to change, to evolve as humans, to adapt to differiing environments, to more easily live in any condition. By knowing something new, we have changed. Knowing comes from learning... education, either through schools, reading books, observing life, nature, humanity, you name it, observation can either instill more good into our lives than not. Educating ourselves improves our lot in life, no matter what it is we are educating ourselves about.
Enlightenment is defined as the condition of being informed spiritually... a fair definition, but one that we, humanity, have not fully grasped or even embraced. Enlightenment, being based upon spirituality, is still a condition that most people know exists, mostly through their religious indoctrinations, but are woefully lacking in the ability to fully accept and talk about. The early flashes of enlightenment we have are those moments when we have realizations - those sparks of knowing something without ever needing to question it again... we simply accept that moment of truth as the way it is, period. There are plenty that can talk of their religious idols - Buddha, Abraham, Jesus, Mohammed, etc.,the words they have spoken, the deeds they have done, but there is very little to no understanding that all these named people (and many more) have attained enlightenment and are sharing both the experience and the effects the enlightenment have had on their lives... and a willingness (desire) to share the experience with others.
To sum it up - no one 'E' is more or less important for the human condition, for our human condition. These three 'E's', entertainment, education and enligtenment, are the Trinity of our Truth in Being that fulfills our compassion and understanding of Life. The 3E's, when accepted as being the three keys to becoming whole (holy), bring us full circle as completed humans, alive and wonderous, curious, loving, giving, sharing humans that instill the greater good for not only other humans but all of life.
Not only read the words of writers, but understand the words and listen to the space between words. The words of entertainment, the words of education, the words of enlightenment come not from the writer, but from the silence of the writers moment to share with you the experiences that the writer had during their journey through the silence of their being.
Cecil
October 16, 2005
<center>* * *
The Ethereal Goblet
from which
all Gods drink
the One Light
[a 2005 performance in acrylics]</center>
) Thanks for reading and replying!!
Thanks for the kindness.
)