Here's a short fun video (under two and a half minutes), I just made for your Halloween pleasure. It stars a character I've used before and may use again. He's quite a character.
Also, we recently had the first Gorst Underground Film Festival! Everyone had a great time! Ethan Minsker (the "Man in Camo") came all the way from New York and filmed there. He also showed his documentary about art and his life (thus, "Man in Camo" his art brand). And won! Here is Ethan's video on Facebook about our film festival. He is the nicest guy and quite inspiring. Check out his website and pick up a book or two and he has DVDs. We swamped books. I got two of his books and two of his DVDs. A really interesting guy!
By the way, neither GUFF or Ethan have anything to do with my political opinions here. These are the opinions of my own. And of most of the decent and respected people, you see on TV and I don't mean Fox News. Or the White House, sadly.
Cheers!
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IF this is all how most of America wants to go, then that's one thing. But, that is not what is happening. Aside from that, the direction I see them going is to me, very anti-American, anti-freedom, definitely anti-democratic. At times inhumane and certainly uncompassionate. But then Republicans are basically all about numbers over humanity.
What I find amazing about all this, along with Republicans telling me I don't know what I'm talking about, all liberals and demcrats are wrong and stupid and yet...so many notable people, respected, and highly informed and intelligent, AROUND the world, agree with what I believe. Kind of telling, kind of nice.
As we are experiencing true horror in America now in seeing who we really are overall, through such volatile times, through a president who has serious personality issues bordering on mental illness. If not an actual full-blown mental illness. Recently through a partisan sycophantic supporter who has attempted to bomb Democrat opposition leaders...anyway....
That being said, let's take a look at this atmosphere today and another way to view it....
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| Cover of audiobook - In Memory, Yet Crystal Clear |
Science fiction is an excellent catalyst to view today's reality. That is what so many writers before me have done. Star Trek in the 1960s was good at this, reflecting who we are, what we're doing to one another, where we're headed.
On my story In Memory, Yet Crystal Clear, one reader's brief but succinct review said of the story:
"Fascinating and creepy - I found this book to be intriguing and unsettling all at the same time. The story was very original, the writing was solid, and the narrator was spot on. I would recommend it if you like dark, futuristic type short stories."
I've been saying this for a while now about this dystopian sci fi story of mine. In Memory, Yet Crystal Clear, (now an audiobook) is about what is going on today. This is exactly why I originally wrote it back in the 1980s. Back then, under Pres. Reagan. I saw a kind of cult of personality going on. I even liked the guy. But I wasn't then as aware of politics as I probably should have been.
The story is about how a nationalistic leader can affect America with their own mental illness. First, let's parse nationalism and patriotism. One is not the other. Today nationalism reflects negative appeal and patriotism positive and that's really all you need to know about them. But many are confused about what they are celebrating. And too many, know and enjoy it, much to most people's consternation.
"Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first." - Charles de Gaulle. One has to ask themself, is that how you see America?
The media then is warped and ends up covering things they really shouldn't, far too much. Like "The Caravan", overburdened mostly with frightened women and children simply seeking safety. All while the media should be ignoring all that Mr. Trump says in his abusing facts, news and let's face it, America and the democratic process. Much like his overall extremist conservative Republican party.
So why IS a sci fi, horror and science fact author speaking out when it can hurt one's brand from the greatest amount of sales?
Because, science fiction, as well as speculative fiction authors, are quite typically aware of things coming down the road from that of the mainstream media or citizenry. That is in part, their job. To entertain, while warnings and awareness seep into the readers (or listeners).
But this has nothing to do with partisan politics. This merely has to do with an accurate observation of our current reality and they presenting it in a way most likely to be allowed in, so reflection can later take place in a more gentle process than open confrontation. Which, as we're seeing, isn't very productive and is leading to violence. Violence, over reasons of ignorance.
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Second, I am speaking liberally about Pres. Trump, not clinically.
The concerns are still real, and quite relevant. If I am seeing problems with this man as president, I would argue that I have more veracity and education in this than many who also see problems with him from a more general perspective. And obviously more than those who do not see any problem.
Of that audiobook, one reader's review said:
"Brilliant and thought provoking! 'More knowledge is always better than less' - "I couldn't agree more. This intellectual piece is brilliantly written and thought provoking. I will be listening to it many times in order to grasp every thought and nuance of the paper. It is not only well written but well read and is a pleasure to ingest. Many of the topics and ideas covered can be applied to life, no matter who you are. I highly recommend taking some time to listen and ruminate on this delightfully intelligent work."
It is in the nature of the genres of science and speculative fiction to foresee and disseminate to the public. They need to be by their very nature, futurists. Seeing what is coming down the line. then sharing that in creative and entertaining ways. To not speak out what you are clearly seeing...well, is that wise, or responsible? Will that come back on you once everyone sees it, then wondering:
"Why didn't you warn us, speak up, if you saw it? Isn't that your job?"
Yes... it is.
As Mr. Trump's own mental aberrations now course through America's veins of news and partisan social media and therefore America's minds, there is only one way to stop it. Trump cannot handle being POTUS. He needs to be removed. Now, before it's too late.
But it won't happen fast enough...and so, then what? Well, we're seeing that now. Already.
Republicans being shot on a baseball field by a Bernie Sanders supporter in an overly partisan environment that exists in great part because of Congressional Republicans AND now with Trump pushing the limits of decency. Eventually, decent people become enraged by them, too. Back then Bernie came out the very next day to speak against this kind of thing.
Enraged by Trump's really foolish and simplistic rhetoric, which works so well on his supporters, which presidents do not do because THEY KNOW this kind of thing will happen. That it's dangerous to citizens, citizens they are responsible for protecting, even from themselves.
Of course finally a mentally ill conservative Trump supporter bombs people he doesn't agree with. It was some might argue, inevitable. We don't do that!. Then Trump came out and what? He takes no responsibility, but blames the mainstream media for his stupidity in not acting like an American president... and again...we DO NOT DO THAT kind of thing! And again, for a reason, we do not do it. It is irresponsible and dangerous. As we're seeing!
Why would Trump add more fuel to that fire? It benefits him, it pleases him.
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| No, no sir, you do not |
About that...let's STOP calling Trump a "media genius". He is not a genius by any means.
Donald Trump to be fair and honest here is a fool who has no shame as a narcissist, authoritarian. End of story. He has merely effectively tried things others haven't that proved useful. He throws things out, drops what doesn't work, and picks up what does. THAT'S not genius. That's sloppy work anyone can do. That's someone who doesn' know what he's doing and is guessing, failing, trying again, guessing succeeding, and doubling down. Typically pushing the "button" too hard. Like a child.
If I walk up to you, try hugging you, slapping you, shaking your hand and you react best to shake hands, how exactly does that make me a genius by seeing how best I can manipulate you by shaking your hand? That's all he is doing in the media! It's why he's on Twitter.
When you are all those things that he is, even stupid people would tend to rise. He simply very simply did things no one else would do. Period.
That happened to resonate. With a vocal minority, his base. And so he's now president.
Which says more about his supporters than the man himself, about Republican, conservative types, and says MORE about them NOT being geniuses than it does about Trump being more than of average intelligence. Don't lower your intelligence by raising his. It does no one any real good. Not in the long run.
Too many actually highly intelligent people who have had direct contact with him denigrate his intellect. YOU HAVEN'T worked with him. Why not believe those who have? People I know and trust have told me what he's like. I wouldn't even want to be in the room with someone like that. yes, he'd be nice and congenial but that is the tact of a narcissist. And it won't end well, for you.
Those who know him and speak out, they must be on to SOME thing there.
That's why I wrote this dystopian sci fi story decades ago, seeing all this coming. That we were headed into something like this even back then. As a sci fi story first published in 1990 in a horror magazine THIS was what I was concerned about. Someone like Donald Trump arriving on the scene as a national leader. A terrifying situation. And it's here. Now.
One man's mental illness as a leader brings America into a state of social mental illness.
Only it's even more insidious in this story by attempting to show how invisible this can be, and in a way that seems utterly unreal. Kind of as we're seeing today. Speculating on its effect regardless of the transport of the mental illness. Be it a Pres. Trump, or some sci fi technology. The fact remains, it is transported through media by tapping into the fabric of our consciousness, directly into the societal veins of America and then into the hearts and minds of her citizens.
And that's exactly what we're living now, in an entirely other and more obtuse way. Through, a president such as, Donald Trump.
Take another look at today, through a lens of a sci fi story that might just help put perspective on what we could be experiencing in our lives if we don't get a handle on it...very, very soon.
Anyway...have a great Halloween!
While the kids are eating their acquisitions, or even while they are walking the neighborhood acquiring, you can be creeping yourself out listening to a new audiobook and gaining an interesting perspective on our current reality. As frightening at times as it can be.
What better time than on Halloween! Just keep a close eye on the kids as you wander and get lost in the atmosphere of the night and the story.
In Memory, Yet Crystal Clear by JZ Murdock...is now on Amazon, iTunes, and Audible.com. Narrated by Tom Remick.
