How do all?
We all having as positive a time as we can at the moment?
I’ve been having a few pretty odd sparks of inspiration over the last week, hence the non-post last week, but suddenly, I’ve managed to create something which could be an interesting addition to my pot of stock for conventions going forward so watch this space for more information as and when.
Now, back to the regularly scheduled programming.
I think it’s fair to say that the world is feeling the financial pinch at the moment.
Choices by ‘nutters’ have resulted in problems everywhere. Vladimir Putin’s deranged flexing against Ukraine continues to cause suffering everywhere with no actual positive outcome and we’re all grabbing our belts and tightening away. In the UK, Brexit is the festering cancer that is having more and more negative impacts on us, allied to a government that appears to be running like a supermarket deli counter, with MP’s waiting for their number to be called before they have a go as PM.
Is it any wonder we’re all nervous?
Everyone is seeing the amount of money they have wither as inflation increases and strange choices are made by the powers that be and it means that there are important choices ahead for all of us concerning how we make use of the money we have.
We’re all seeing money questions now but all in all, this isn’t a new topic to be concerned by.
We all need food and water. We need shelter. Heat. Clothing. All of these things are what we need as humans, but the question is where do we get them? Do we build our residence wherever we want? Do we just take the things we need from anyone we can, their needs be damned? Should the strongest survive at the expense of the weak?
Our societies have developed over the years where there are exchanges for things because we all recognise that we need to work with everyone else to make life that much easier. Bartering one object for another or providing a skill for an object developed into the use of money to buy things and the work that you do you’d be paid for so you could buy more things.
We’ve collectively agreed on a way to keep us all moving the wheel of life round as we go.
Now writing stories, be they in almost any genre, requires at least some thought on the nature of money. How is it this society is going to fit together to function? Do we have the same idea of currency as we have but it’s just called something different? Are there competing currencies out there that are not fully trusted by anyone? Do societies have barter rules in place? Where do people fit into the idea of transactions? Do slaves exist?
All these questions are important bricks in the foundations of being able to construct a world to have a story take place within and they allow you to ask the bigger questions of your characters. Why are they doing what they’re doing if they only receive a tiny payment? Why is the ruler trying to take from the populous more than they can afford just to have it themselves? Should you be able to sell a human? Could you sell a part of yourself? If you have enough to live comfortably, why go in search of so much more?
Searching for the motivation of characters in stories is one of those things that can give so much meaning and depth to a narrative. If we can see and understand the reasons a character goes about things, we may not agree with them, but we can at least comprehend. Understanding is what it all boils down to and any system of remuneration we use can give us context.
We all get up every day and head off to work because we know that we’re going to be paid for that work, and that in turn will give us the chance to buy things we need. Trying to comprehend the way that others could view financial interactions is an interesting way to explore wider motivations.
As with almost all topics, stories can act as a perfect vessel to allow us a way of making sense of the world around us.
And I can tell you some interesting ones for a very reasonable fee.
Stay safe all.
Owen Elgie 