THE RECKLESS WRITER

I’ve always aspired to make some sort of contribution to humanity. I’ve daydreamed about discovering a breakthrough that would allow the human race to pierce the veil of lies that trick us into inflicting harm on one another.

You won’t find the answer by sifting through the collected works of history. The fact that we are not living in an enlightened age is evidence that the ultimate discovery is still out there waiting to be found.

Generative AI can only repackage what we already know. It can add special effects, but no soul. You could put The Odyssey in space, but it’s still The Odyssey. You can’t reveal anything about the unknown by placing an ancient work in a dynamic new setting.

As a writer, I’ve always wanted to succeed on my own merits. When readers approach, I want them to select my work not because it’s the only option, but because it stands out as the best. It contains some new revelation.

Unfortunately, not everyone who participates in a competitive marketplace holds themselves to the same standard.

The value of competition versus suppression

True creatives don’t waste their energy suppressing the competition. We need competition. Competition pushes us to be better. The better our competitors, the better we become.

It’s only been in the last decade or so that I’ve matured enough to recognize that not everybody shares that kind of idealized perspective. There are many who prize the illusory concept of winning over merit. These individuals want to control the narrative, and their ruthlessness is derived from their essential mediocrity.

We don’t have to ascribe to that belief. However, if we’re going to be effective observers of the human condition, we have to understand that some people will do their best to remove narratives they do not want the world to see.

Some people are inspired by quality. Others want to gather up all your work and throw it into a…