h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm flattered that you've drawn on my comments for your article.

All I'd add is that 'reflecting your own personal moral compass' doesn't mean preaching. The usual 'don't tell, show' rule remains. Writers can only show their characters behaving in ways that are good or bad(or mixed, as most of our actions are) and show the outcomes of their actions. And those outcomes need to be probable - not contrived to make a moral point.

Oh, very well put, indeed. Especially the part about not contriving the story to make a moral point.

I appreciate your comments, always. It's nice to know that these little essays spark some discussion - which is all they're supposed to do, since I'm not qualified to speak with any authority on anything.

The discussions often give me the idea of where we might like to go next. Then I go and add silly pictures and links to Gutenberg, in the hopes of getting something started.

Hi Dmitri and Minorvogonpoet! I don't always take part in these discussions but I always read every installment of this series Dmitri! In my own writings I actually try and complicate moral issues. I have of course my own system of morality, but the thing is I have characters with quite different takes ... and their systems of morality might be as valid as my own! 'Bad guys' could be characters who are merely mistaken, whose actions end up being counterproductive ... sometimes because of small mistakes, sometimes because of major oversights, sometimes because of arrogance, sometimes because of factors beyond their control. Bad things may happen to good guys for similar reasons. They may even end up inadvertently harming people. There are always factors that cannot be calculated beforehand, or controlled during an event. So who's bad and who's good? Is there such a thing as an ironclad set of principles? And then might it even be possible to find 'causes' that transcend concepts of good and evil in a way that might be shocking but justifiable? And I mean precisely that while ordinary 'good' people might find the behaviour abhorrent, they might when confronted with the *reasons* behind the behaviour, find themselves having difficulty making any solid argument against it. But not for the sake of upsetting the idea of morality ... because in the end I do believe in the principle of good. I want to show that there are more factors in play than people in general seem to notice. And one of the things I aim for most of all is challenging my *own* assumptions and preliminary conclusions. The thing is to put these ideas through the grinder ... this might mean being merciless with good as well as evil characters and pushing principles to their breaking point to see what is ultimately left. Geez, I really hope I can get this stuff finished and published some time so I could 'show' you guys!

I hear you, Willem.

It's a good idea to let the characters have their heads and...well, maybe teach us something, I agree. If we knew all the answers, why bother?

I try not to be too tortuous about it, though. But they're your characters, you go right ahead and be mean to them.