Article Published 22 MARCH 2017
Public House Version:(It existed at one point I assume it was either discarded or magazine exclusive. regardless there is no other legal version than this)
Original Blog Post:
http://donscontrolledchaos.weebly.com/blog/not-enough-mac-and-cheese-in-my-potato-salad
Public House Version:(It existed at one point I assume it was either discarded or magazine exclusive. regardless there is no other legal version than this)
Original Blog Post:
http://donscontrolledchaos.weebly.com/blog/not-enough-mac-and-cheese-in-my-potato-salad
TOO MUCH MAC AND CHEESE IN MY POTATO SALAD
by Don Juan Mancha III
I'm a writer.
The term "fledgling" or "wannabe" would have preceded writer as close as a few days ago. Let the distinction be made today.
I've been watching the storytelling landscape, part for inspiration and part for admiration. And something that's come up recently is equal representation in the media.
Now do I think its important?
Well…
As somebody who likes to tell stories it would be wrong of me to omit key players in it.
If I go to China, Chinese people will be there.
If I go to Africa I’m going to find me some brothers.
And since all humans live life, there are few problems that, at their core, can’t be experienced by everyone at some point.
Life is too big a play to not offer all a role.
In fact life is more like those mandatory plays that your school makes you perform in.
Kids cry, Other kids run off stage, It’s awful.
As a storyteller I’ve noticed more and more characters from different walks of life wander into my stories.
And I can’t help but wonder what the story landscape itself would look like if left to its own devices.
But diversity is cool. Its hip. Its in.
Replacing a straight white character with a gay black one probably won’t destroy a series.
But at the same time if someone is scared a story won't be accepted because of a lack of people groups, to the point where they don’t show anyone, we all lose.
Telltale’s The Walking Dead blew me away. Not because a black guy was its main character, but because it was a good game!
Good stories don’t need White, Black, Gay, Straight, Chinese, Japanese, Norwegian. Christian, Muslim, or Buddhist people.
All a good story needs is people.
People brave enough to put pen to paper, or hand to keyboard.
And to everyone complaining about a lack of diversity in a story, or a story being bad, if you have a cell phone and the time to complain. You could be writing your own.
Get on it.
Eat your fruits and vegetables.
The term "fledgling" or "wannabe" would have preceded writer as close as a few days ago. Let the distinction be made today.
I've been watching the storytelling landscape, part for inspiration and part for admiration. And something that's come up recently is equal representation in the media.
Now do I think its important?
Well…
As somebody who likes to tell stories it would be wrong of me to omit key players in it.
If I go to China, Chinese people will be there.
If I go to Africa I’m going to find me some brothers.
And since all humans live life, there are few problems that, at their core, can’t be experienced by everyone at some point.
Life is too big a play to not offer all a role.
In fact life is more like those mandatory plays that your school makes you perform in.
Kids cry, Other kids run off stage, It’s awful.
As a storyteller I’ve noticed more and more characters from different walks of life wander into my stories.
And I can’t help but wonder what the story landscape itself would look like if left to its own devices.
But diversity is cool. Its hip. Its in.
Replacing a straight white character with a gay black one probably won’t destroy a series.
But at the same time if someone is scared a story won't be accepted because of a lack of people groups, to the point where they don’t show anyone, we all lose.
Telltale’s The Walking Dead blew me away. Not because a black guy was its main character, but because it was a good game!
Good stories don’t need White, Black, Gay, Straight, Chinese, Japanese, Norwegian. Christian, Muslim, or Buddhist people.
All a good story needs is people.
People brave enough to put pen to paper, or hand to keyboard.
And to everyone complaining about a lack of diversity in a story, or a story being bad, if you have a cell phone and the time to complain. You could be writing your own.
Get on it.
Eat your fruits and vegetables.