I don't know if I can write this...

[elfs]

I started writing a story this morning, before work, that got me thinking: can you successfully write a story that completely defies the values you believe in, and mean it?

To give you the heads-up, my lead character, Michael Montreve, is an American who shares two of my strongest values. First, that a commitment to the Jeffersonian notions of sovereign freedom and democracy are tantamount, and that the concepts of noble versus commoner and sole citizenship based on blood or soil are decadent, corrupting, and inhumane. Secondly, that the universe does not and cannot act with either malice or charity. It does not care about us. There is no supernatural out there acting for or against our best interests, and that ultimately all of the universe is amenable to analysis and human understanding.

In order to be true to the story that popped into my head last night, Michael will have to be adamant about these two values-- and will ultimately have to reject them. He will have to accept that he is both tied to his grandmother's land in ways he cannot understand, and that there are forces in the universe greater than his reason.

Huh. 1000 words in and already having doubts. An interesting exercise, no matter what.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Biological dependency on precise levels of soil micronutrients, perhaps? For example, selenium - some people have mitochondrial problems after ingesting it, while other people instinctively resort to pica (eating dirt) to get more of it. It doesn't have to be a natural soil nutrient, either.

Aliens carrying out a centuries-long biological experiment keep their specimens from wandering by doping soil in regions with various tailored long-chain polymers, and splicing dependencies into the genes of their subjects. Specimens in their homeland/designated petri dish function at their full capacity. Travelers lack the key nutrients, become lethargic, and are dominated by those living in their home soil.

This can be used to explain bigotry. Imperialism becomes dependant on bringing the cultures (and foods) of home - particularly lightweight but nutrient-rich condiments. Conquerers who adopt foreign ways (and foods) become weak, enforcing the idea that the conquering culture is superior in every way. When natives of invaded lands are forced to adopt the culture (and food) of the invaders become weak, it reinforces racist ideas. Napoleonic soldiers believe it is their blood that makes them strong, rather than the smelly cheese laden with halide-coded buckyballs that they spread on their rations. British soldiers believe their stiff upper lips and inbred royal families help them overwhelm the opposition; instead, it's the concentrated soil markers in the vile marmite that they have with their tea.

Re:

[elfs.livejournal.com]

Huh, but no. While that's intriguing (and certainly a fun idea for a science fiction story, although it's been done before), I'm more interested in adversity of man vs. the gods. I like the idea of both man and god coming to embrace each other's values.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_candide_/]

As I told you in a different one of your posts, Elf, culture is a very, very strong force.

There's your reason why Montreve feels, "tied to his grandmother's land." It is culturally, "in his blood," that is, it's a part of his Nurture. It's part of who he his by route of who raised him. (Even if he never knew this particular grandmother, he was still raised by a parent who did.)

As for, "the forces in the universe greater than his reason," I got nothin. Because I do believe such force exist; they're just not personally interested in the details of my life, is all. ^_^