Writing Challenge ~ Where would you rather live? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Bees · 08-04-2008, 10:02 AM

Where would you rather live?

A thread like this was originally authored by Willravel in the Tilted Philosophy forum several months ago.
I wrote a poem in response to Will’s thread and now I thought it might be fun to create a writing challenge around it for the Tilted Literature forum.

To prepare for the challenge you must download the brilliant painting in the following link (warning, the pic is effin huge, 5MB).
http://uploadingit.com/files/528718_...nough_2500.jpg

Now read the brilliant words of Willravel that set the philosophical stage for the challenge:

Quote:

Here we see an amazing contrast between a hyper-futuristic metropolis and a simple agrarian village. While the message of the picture deals with pollution, it begs an entirely different question in my mind:

In which society would you rather live?

I myself am quite torn. While I recognize that the evidently simple way of life is more natural and healthy for humans, I also recognize my love of human development and see all of the great dreams of science fiction that could be. This illustrates a fundamental paradox in humanity which seeks to find balance between looking back and looking forward. I see immense benefits to each way of life and incredible drawbacks.

In the simple society one may not have access to state of the art medicine or "things", but you're surrounded by everyone you know and love. There is a fundamental disconnect with the people that you're surrounded by every day in the metropolis. You may know a few of your neighbors and people from work, but every day you walk by thousands of strangers.

What do you think?

Where would you rather live? CHALLENGE DETAILS

Read Will's words and scroll around in the brilliant image and see if you can find "Your Place" in it. You might be a sheepherder or a beekeeper in the agrarian society or a cyberpunk playing a future VR version of Call of Duty in the hyper-futuristic metropolis. Try not to let Windows resize the painting to fit onto your screen; keep it at full size so you can scroll around and examine the incredible details.

Please write about what you see in the painting and about where you would rather live; in the futuristic metropolis or in the agrarian society. You may choose any format you like; prose, poem or a short story or simply tell us your choice and a few reasons for your decision.

Be Introspective!

I have a big head start on this since I have already written a short poem describing my choice and what my life is like in "My Place". I will be posting my poem here shortly after some people have had a chance to view the painting and contemplate their choice.

Willravel · 08-04-2008, 10:23 AM

Living in the shadows of tomorrow's dawn
Ages bygone and yet ages to come.
Simplicity in the face of inexplicable complexity,
Staring tomorrow in the face, and having tomorrow stare back.

Early to bed and early to rise,
not truly lacking, but overshadowed still.
Seen as primitive. Seen as primitive.
The double edged sword steams as it cools in the liquid barrier.

Bees · 08-04-2008, 10:48 AM

How appropriate that you are the first responder Will; with another batch of brilliant words.

Willravel · 08-04-2008, 10:55 AM

TY. I'm really not much of a poet. You should post yours in here. It was really excellent!

Bees · 08-04-2008, 11:07 AM

.
This city is too sterile for me
I won't live with my head in a cloud
I gladly give up creature comforts
to walk in the dirt barefoot and proud

Now happy in my new agrarian life
though the effluent of your burn out life drops
Into our river see how thoroughly cleansed
to nourish our bountiful crops

Although our vibrant life
lies easily in your view
Your sight is too myopic
to have any kind of clue

We once worshipped cave shaman’s
totemic figures fired in clay
Now our women gathering the herbs
create the natural way

Surrounded by our loved ones
and babes in tow
How we glory in our bonfire's
soothing warm glow

Agrarian state of the art
Every person doing their part
.

08-04-2008, 10:48 AM	#3 (permalink)
Bees Crazy Location: New Hampshire, US	How appropriate that you are the first responder Will; with another batch of brilliant words. __________________ *The sands of time past keep shifting according to how we remember or forget or refashion it in hindsight, which is no sight at all.* Kajal Basu

08-04-2008, 11:07 AM	#5 (permalink)
Bees Crazy Location: New Hampshire, US	. This city is too sterile for me I won't live with my head in a cloud I gladly give up creature comforts to walk in the dirt barefoot and proud Now happy in my new agrarian life though the effluent of your burn out life drops Into our river see how thoroughly cleansed to nourish our bountiful crops Although our vibrant life lies easily in your view Your sight is too myopic to have any kind of clue We once worshipped cave shaman’s totemic figures fired in clay Now our women gathering the herbs create the natural way Surrounded by our loved ones and babes in tow How we glory in our bonfire's soothing warm glow Agrarian state of the art Every person doing their part . __________________ *The sands of time past keep shifting according to how we remember or forget or refashion it in hindsight, which is no sight at all.* Kajal Basu

08-04-2008, 10:23 AM	#2 (permalink)
Willravel ... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.	Living in the shadows of tomorrow's dawn Ages bygone and yet ages to come. Simplicity in the face of inexplicable complexity, Staring tomorrow in the face, and having tomorrow stare back. Early to bed and early to rise, not truly lacking, but overshadowed still. Seen as primitive. Seen as primitive. The double edged sword steams as it cools in the liquid barrier.

08-04-2008, 10:55 AM	#4 (permalink)
Willravel ... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.	TY. I'm really not much of a poet. You should post yours in here. It was really excellent!