“It is your name I breathe, your hands I seek;It will be you when you are gone.And yet the dream, the name I never speak,Is that that lures me on.It is the golden summons, the bright waveOf banners calling me anew;It is all beauty, perilous and grave—It is not you”
Only a poet can speak thus of infidelity and yet make it sound sinless and beautiful. Louis Untermeyer in his poem simply puts the conflict of the human heart in words.
But a lot of writers fail to be as convincing and not inspire scandal while trying to write about a similar theme. I came across a writer who had written an article on how monogamy is overrated and made a list on why polygamy makes more sense. While she did not put the link to her original article, she wrote about how she was very upset about the way people were responding to her write-up. A lot of people made personal attacks on her, called her names and accused her of trying to glorify cheating and infidelity. Because apparently if an obscure writer writes about the benefits of polygamy, the next day we all will forget what monogamy means. Just like how the muggle population thinned out during the potter rage days.
Honestly I do not even know what to make of the whole thing. I for one am a strong believer in monogamy. One disappointment at a time. But does that mean I have a problem with two adults in a consensual open polygamous relationship?
A. Who cares?
B. No.
C. None of my business
D. Nobody cares
And then out of curiosity I read old archaic laws that existed across the world for those who committed the “grave crime” of cheating on their spouses. The punishment for adultery ranged from – stoned to death, death through impalement, decapitation by execution, drowning to death. And by the attitude and angst some people display, they would want some of these laws around even now.
No one should undermine the power of any kind of online literature (even if it is supremely terrible) and the influence it can have.
But are we that easily swayed? Perhaps.
Can a work of fiction inspire infidelity? Perhaps.
Should the writer then have refrained from speaking her mind? – No.
Writers need to speak their mind and be prepared to deal with mixed responses. Readers need to understand that the writer is a person made of flesh and blood and is prone to being hurt too. Negative responses and difference of opinion is welcome, but making personal attacks is not acceptable if you do not know the writer personally.
And well, some of us writers are too sensitive and cannot take criticism.
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P.S. I ll burn you at the stake if you post negative comments
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