Identity crisis! What identity crisis?
01/09/2004 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 

I don’t know if this is true planet-wide but have you noticed how many TV programmes there have been around about old folk reflecting on their lives lately?

Hello everyone

I don’t know if this is true planet-wide but have you noticed how many TV programmes there have been around about old folk reflecting on their lives lately? As many such programme are produced by younger people, one has to speculate as to whether there is an identification or a reminder that people are growing old. It’s either a good topical item or it's catering for our generation, eager to move us along in this ‘fast generation’. It can also be interpreted as a national identity crisis and a reminder that nothing is forever and the older generations are slipping away without any reflection on the past. Maybe at some future time, a producer will use it as a precedent for future programmes saying they were reasonably successful.

I often find it that way when I see a generation of rock musicians who are looking very old now and invariably shorn of their long hair of rebellion as they reach pensionable age. A sharp reminder that no one, outside of Heinlein’s Howard families, is getting any younger not to mention we all become part of the Establishment at some time because our values for each generation are the only things left. If our statistical demographic we ran earlier in the year is anything to go by, many of you are of the same age generation as myself and rather more scarily, to him at least, my publisher. As such, you might well be noticing the same things or, after this editorial, have a greater awareness of them.

Something we never really consider when we are younger is just how precious life is. Well, unless an immediate family or friends death happens unexpectedly. It’s probably in our genetic make-up not to be so concerned and take some risks with our own lives if we are to change and develop. Rebels finding a cause if you like. Then again, we all think we’re indestructible when young and anything else can catch up as we get older. We also go through phases of identity crises, questioning our self-worth usually after having to question something potentially changing in our lives that either did or didn’t happen.

At some point, we become less self-absorbed and occasionally ignore our own problems to help others as a result. I suspect that comes a lot from being able to share our knowledge with others for whatever reason we think appropriate, be it one-upmanship or domination of others as much as a desire for self-sacrifice and a desire just to be helpful, like ye editor here. Asimov once commented that the Laws of Robotics are a good set of instructions for humans as well. Maybe our programming chip isn’t as good as it could be?

As we get even older, there’s a stronger desire to retain our looks and whathaveyou from our youth even if our genetics can slowly remind we that we can start looking like our parents as we approach middle-age and on the wicked slope of limited memories. Saying that, there’s a lot more that can be said on how a change in our diet and exercise habits each generation has made us significantly different to our forefathers and foremothers. Either way, it shouldn’t stop us reflecting on our own mortality as each generation above us passes away and baring accidents, see the decades slowly catch up on us as we move up the line. To have a decent life span, one has to be a survivor in everything we do. It is also the survivors who set the pattern of ‘the Establishment’ for those who follow or change, whether its for the better or worse depends on who’s there to clean up the mess or slip something under the carpet as much as reflect on or do anything good that happened.

In the western world, we tend to see life as a more precious commodity than probably other parts of the world. In parts of the world where life is seen as being cheap, its value can seem lower despite our efforts to help in famine or removing despots. Even so, there is a level where many of us define life and it’s usually beyond the womb than anything that happens before sentience is considered developing. I’m not exploring that subject as it was covered here in recent months but an element most people go through affectionately called the ‘identity crisis’ or what we go through when we question our self worth and whether it can be attributed to the individual or to a group.

Various things can trigger off such ‘identity crisises’. Often as not, it’s triggered by having to think hard about a life-style or something that is likely to change it radically and whether or not to take such a step. It also questions whether we did the right thing in a crisis and any self-guilt tends to be over whether we could have done it better or not. It depends on how moral you are and that largely comes from upbringing.

From a writing POV, I find it odd that this aspect of change is rarely explored in our fiction and whether this has anything to do with how we view our society. Not seeing the woods for the trees springs to mind. Fictional characters are far too ready to accept change without facing much thought as to how much things are changing in their lives. As some elements of writing have to develop from within ourselves, it seems odd that it is forgotten or not used but then, fiction might be reflecting how we treat life today.

On a broader scale, it is possible for nations as a whole to go through a gestalt identity crisis. Generally speaking, this happens when something effects all or most of the people. Every major war has that effect. Peace time usually not. With Britain, our country significantly changed aspects of our social classes that made it impossible to switch back into the servitude we once had. In recent times, it's been the mounting terrorist attacks and the reminder that no country, including those of the Moslem variety, are free from such assaults that should be evoking some sort of gestalt identity crisis but really hasn’t so far. How such problems are dealt with appears to be more like shoring up the breeches rather than any significant radical approach to dealing with such problems. Certainly, not a national identity crisis. There seems to be a stronger desire to go back to ‘normality’, whatever that is, in the same way or ease we might change a TV channel. Life might be good in the western world, it’s just a shame that it hasn’t caught on quite so well in the third world or middle east.

The one thing that tends to put a damper on any terrorist action is removing the reasons for them to happen in the first place. This shouldn’t be seen as surrender or even coming to terms with the terrorists but more to reduce resentment which in terms reduces recruitment to such causes. You don't see a content nation wanting to go to war unless they are forced to by circumstances. From our side of the block there can be a desire to sort out another nation’s problems when its deemed partially our fault and that makes it easier to sleep at nights rather than let some atrocity take place and wipe our hands of the matter.

The writer ability to look at both or different points of view taking over here, folks. I’m not necessarily taking sides. Thing is, though, it should work both ways and makes you wonder why terrorists themselves don’t have some sort of identity crisis and consider the real effect of their actions on people who’s been pushed into their ‘war’. Violence might get you noticed but it’s unlikely to change the world in the way they see it will. Again, trees before forests. They aren’t really looking at the bigger picture and the only real way to change ‘the Establishment’ is to work from within rather than peck at it from without. There are no real winners in such a war just a lot of casualties and life’s too precious to waste.

It’s a very odd state of affairs that the changes the terrorists want really is no more than a change in power and then get back to the same as before with someone making the decisions at the top. It makes them no better than any other dictator. The options for any true political leader tend to be limited for particular decisions. Taxes have to be made to pay for community amenities. Trade agreements to keep everyone working. Trying to please everyone is an impossibility but being seen to do the right thing even harder. When you have political leaders who are out solely to line their own pockets and their family and friends, you tend to have dictators and there’s still far too many of them around the world. Thankfully, they tend to last only a generation with their mostly complacent off-spring finally getting deposed and nations developing their own form of democracy. Gestalt national identity crises and changes then really do take place as few would want more of the same.

If anything, it's a demonstration that people have a desire to want better when they are given the chance. Returning the world to how it was tends not to work very well. Traditionalists always lose out to whoever has a better or more effective way to dealing with a problem. Think what it would be like without a decent sewage removal system! Dealing with something the old way all the time tends to repeat a problem rather than move it in some new direction and maybe a better answer. As nations, we are all guilty of that. Solutions are rarely found at the end of a bullet or in the blast of a bomb. They shake the order up a little and then a sudden announcement to continue as before. What is really needed is a solution that will do the least damage and the most help to its people. Nothing will ever be truly equal in a single step but the effort will move things forward to the generations to come.

When I was growing up, it was actually thought to be quite normal to have a world war every 20 years or so as a means to get rid of bad blood and sort out the social order. As we become more ‘civilised’ ie preferring a particular lifestyle, we’ve been slowly growing out of such habits but also appear to have been losing some of the purpose or motivation that can drive us or any nation as a whole. Change is more of a subliminal thing these days. 10 years ago, a mobile phone was seen as something for the rich and now nearly everyone has one.

The use of computers as a communication medium, let alone for all the other chores you use yours for has shrunk the size of this planet considerably and I doubt if anyone wants to change that. Such a change in emphasis has to the world-wide if it is to shape the human race as a whole rather than just the better off nations. We’re evolving at a social level in ways that even our SF authors never contemplated as happening so fast. For good or bad, we might stay together as a people but we also find it too easy to draw sides without really think about them and their consequences as well.

So why do I think we’re over-due for a national identity crisis? How does thinking about where we are going and doing something about it differ from when we were young? Not a lot. Having things too easy can make any nation complacent. A re-think of our values, not only in how charitable we are - after all, that’s only money - but in how we treat others can only help towards a more tolerant world. The quality of life should be shared throughout the world. In places like the Middle East, there should be a firmer appreciation of living is better than dying. No one’s come back from the Promised Land to confirm or deny it's there. No matter what your religious views are, wouldn’t it be better to hang back and sort out this world first rather than moving on on a hope?

Sharing a value for life is probably the most valuable gift we can share around the world. Each nation has its own identity crisis but this tends to be a common belief. Some have yet to get that far. If all the people in the world can stop short and think what they can do to better the world first before removing life from it then progress might be made. To do such things requires demonstrations from all sides in coming to negotiation tables and sorting out their differences it we’re all to live in this brave civilised new world.

Be happy. Be safe. Enjoy the rest of the website.

Thank you and good night

Geoff Willmetts

editor: SFCrowsnest.co.uk

PS The coal tits are in the garden. If you don’t want to see your discarded fruit go to waste, don’t forget garden birds like starlings have a sweet beak for apples and grapes.

Serious thinking (all right, I do it sometimes): After my pointing out the virtues of Omega 3 fish oil in this column, you can’t turn anywhere in some British pharmacies for seeing them. An unfortunate consequence is now the absence of halibut liver oil. They might be smaller capsules than cod liver oil but they are kinds handy for arthritis sufferers and need to be re-instated on the shelves. You heard it here first and I’m shaking the tree once more.

(Less Serious) Thought For The Month # 1: You know how rumours are and now it can be told. Did you hear that Tom Cruise auditioned for ‘Lord Of Rings’ but failed cos he wasn’t tall enough?

(Less Serious) Thought For The Month # 2: While we’re on the rumour mill, there are plans to make a soap opera based on ‘Brigadoon’. It’s going to be the longest day with the most going on serial.

PS If you’ve survived this far in the editorial, let me reiterate something from the website newsletter and the above editorial. As you can see from the main page, we have one of the biggest SF/fantasy/horror monthly reviews columns on the Net. Our success has increased the number of books that comes in and our policy is to read everything before giving a review. You want the bottom line about what you’re going to read. We roadtest books so you have some idea of what you’re letting yourself in for when all you’ve got to go by is the cover and promotional blurb. That means actually reading the product and telling others what you think. For that, we’re always on the outlook for reviewers.

Apart from the ability to put words into sentences, you also need to know how to précis, either know or do a little research on associated subjects and can express opinions constructively expressing good and bad points about the books you read. I did say you have to love books and willing to read beyond your favourite authors, didn’t I?

If you like reading books in the genre, think and show you can write a decent review and, most importantly, live in the British Isles (sorry, expense, time and distance travelled prohibits elsewhere), contact me below for my ‘Reviews Flyer’ - put this in the subject ebox and we’ll see if you’ve got what it takes. We can’t pay you but a review for the price of a book has to be a good incentive.

We have one of the most popular SF review columns on the Net. Think you’re up to writing a review or do you think it's a hard thankless task?? If you think the former and can write, then you’re really going to think you’ve landed your hands in the biscuit tin.

PPS: For those keeping track, I’m still about 20 months (late November 2002) behind cos I had to replace a dead computer motherboard and re-install the software kept me a little busy this month and getting caught up with the short story pile.

With going through the ebook samples, I have removed some who’ve gotten published elsewhere. Thank you for your patience but let me know if you’ve sold elsewhere so I can reduce my pile or if you’ve changed address, especially e-mail address. I can’t give you my comments unless either is up to date. Currently, doing spot-checks to see if you’re still there when I reach your sample in the slush pile is making it easier on my time and catching up.

This isn’t much of a repeat, just to show you’re not forgotten. Those sending in ebook samples, be prepared for a long wait and read the Guidelines elsewhere on this website. They are there to help you do some of the right things and reduce the number of times I’m repeating myself over silly grammatical errors and spelling mistakes that you shouldn’t be making. It makes editing a lot easier if any editor has less work pointing out poor English which should have been sorted out in the first place and focus on what really should have been paid attention to.

There’s an old editorial adage, if you can’t aim for perfection why should an editor nurse-maid you to that state? If you’re a writer, then you should understand the words and grammar of the job you’re supposed to be writing or are you considering it as mundane and boring as any other job to get right? Fall in love with making every sentence the best you’re ever written, read up and understand the rules of grammar. Be prepared to put a story away for a few weeks and go back to it for a self-edit. A lot of the time, errors will just stare you in the face when you didn’t see them the first time round. Once you know where your weaknesses are, they can be sorted and allow you to move a little higher up the ladder towards making your material look its best.

Please don't confuse this with my short story slush pile which is kinda low at the moment. We’re always willing to give short story writers a chance to be seen if they can withstand my scrutiny even if we can’t pay for their efforts.