Anyway, the subject in question is morals in writing (as you might have guessed from the title) and whether creators should feel at all obligated to always (or even most of the time) have morals in their work. My specific focus is going to be on my own feelings and experiences and questions, so naturally there is going to be a bias towards certain types of morals and themes, especially because I've been thinking of this a lot lately through the lens of Christianity and being a creator who is also a person of faith, but by all means this topic isn't limited to just that! And in the comments I welcome anyone to give their perspective no matter what it is or what informs it!
Here is what I posted in the Messages and Morals thread:
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- This.Useless.Heart.:
- I was gonna make a new thread on this subject, but I guess I'll just try to revive this one, if that's alright. This is a subject that has been on my mind and heart a lot lately. I have recently been saved and become a Christian, and while I don't believe secular media is bad, it has been sort of impressed upon me that secular media should have morals and values (or at least not be, like, amoral and go against scriptural messages).
This has left me wondering if, as an author, I have a responsibility to write stories with morals and/or Christian values and/or religious themes. I mean sometimes I do write that stuff into my works, especially if I feel lead to do so, but sometimes I don't. I've always written stories like that, like half the time they do have a theme of some sort, but the other half of the time, they don't.
I guess I was just hoping to discuss this topic with some other writers. What do you guys think? Do you think writers, especially those who have faith/are religious, are under any obligation to put morals and themes into their works? Is it something they aren't obligated to do, but should do? Or is it something that doesn't matter that much?
At this point, I've more or less concluded I'm fine writing whatever I want, within reason, but that it's important to make sure my work has more "hay" and less "sticks". "Hay" and "Sticks" comes from a quote that I cannot find the source for, that my husband recently shared with me when we discussed the subject of secular media. The quote says that basically we should be like the wise cow and consume the hay and leave/spit out (some quotes say "leave" and some say "spit out" I don't know what the original is, but I like "spit out" better personally) the sticks. This means, in this context, when we consume media we watch it for its merits, in this case its morality or moral messages, and we disregard those aspects of the media that we may consider amoral or of little to no value. For my husband and I, as Christians, that means when we watch a show we need to examine it through a Christian lens to determine its value for us. Does the show teach lessons that are compatible with the teachings of Scripture (note: this doesn't have to mean it teaches explicitly religious lessons) or at the very least does the show not conflict with them? What, then, does this mean for media that teaches nothing at all? I would say, it means it doesn't apply, and that as long as the thing in question doesn't directly oppose our morals and the teachings of our religion then we can consume it guilt-free (although said thing is arguably a waste of our time, but I don't know how I feel about that particular line of thought.)
Back to my writings and my opinions though, I am still of the opinion that works do not have to have morals or messages in them. I think it's good if they do, or it can be good. As a creator, I sometimes feel compelled to put messages or moral themes in my works, but sometimes I don't. This hasn't changed for me, even after being saved. Sometimes I just don't feel a work needs a message of any kind, and I'm still inclined to think that's fine. Still, it's something I think about from time to time, and I've been thinking about it a lot lately. Sometimes I can't help but wonder if I do have a responsibility as a creator to use my works to teach, to do more than simply entertain. If I do, does that mean all of my works have to have messages? It's definitely food for thought, and I'll be totally honest, sometimes it feeds my anxiety (unfortunate side-effect of a lot of food for thought for me is that when I think a lot, that nasty part of my brain will think a lot, too.)
Anyway, I have written a lot here! I appreciate anyone who is still reading. I think I said everything I wanted to say. I hope I did, and I hope it made sense. Now I would absolutely love it if whoever is still reading this would comment with their thoughts. What do you guys think? Do you feel you have any sort of responsibility to write works with morals and messages? Do you tend to write works like that? Do you tend to consume media like that? Any other related thoughts, rants, questions? I'd love to hear from you!