Tuesday, April 06, 2010

I was thinking about how we read people. How we learn to read them.
And how more or less, people tend to be predictable.
Follow a trend line, like a stock.
Over time, you learn how a friend will likely use any information she comes by—so then you tend to watch what you share
But if your work was to write, would you or would you not use this knowledge?
What if your work area was non fiction? What if it were a shared experience?
Where would you draw the line, what would be ethical and what would not be ok?

Two solid articles, from NYT: Be sure to read the comments.

On self defeating behavior--
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/22/playing-the-victim/

Losing it--
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/28/magazine/28fasttrack-t.html?scp=1&sq=Dominique&st=cse

6 comments:

shiv said...

It is a difficult question to answer.. for, deep down somewhere, almost all fictional characters have a faint resemblance to real characters... and then to ease you out of your dilemma i have this observation.. you like or hate something in a person what you like or hate in yourself.. in short, your reading of the person may be a subconscious reading of your self...how much is ethical would then depend on the events you would describe rather than the traits that you attribute to your character....

PQ said...

Predicting people, I like playing that game and like it even more when sometimes my predictions aren't right and I am surprised.

On the self defeating behavior - although I have seen very very few people who are like that...

That article was quite good...could pretty much relate to the jobless phase there :-)

Anonymous said...

Again stopped by to read the 23rd Feb post. It has been what, more that 5 years? that I come and check the post for that day.

My baby was born on 24th Feb.

connected lives.

PQ said...

And yes remembered one more thing from that lady's article - loving her house...although I feel I love everything about this house, I haven't tried kissing the walls :-)

AmitL said...

How true! and,two nice articles. What I observe is, there are people who are too caught up in the web of life-and, due to this, they feel that 'whatever happens, happens for the worst'..some don't even want to visit a counsellor, to get their advice...
----
Re. how we read people and whether we'd use it if the work was to write- well,I would,albeit not direct-in an oblong way-you know, reducing something, adding something..so, it doesn't point to a specific person..are u doing something akin?

austere said...

Shiv-- true. so when and where would you draw the fine line between original and created?
And if it is something you'd NEVER do?

PQ- now don't scare me by saying that- pls don't relate.
What a beautifully written memoir that was, a tale of loss and painful repair, finding oneself inch by inch and putting it all together.
Have begun to follow her on reader.

Anon- oh yes, connected lives. And a colleague across the aisle is 24th born, and a hep designer friend is 25th born; so I look at them and wonder and nod at similarities.
Now there is only joy.

PQ- when I build my own, paint my own, I guess I will :D

Amit- its a tangled web, drawing you in and the person within it has no means of discerning.
Sometimes I get ideas off the TOI, but then fluff up the descriptions completely.