Private and Public, Dark Youtube And News

By Alex Ness
February 9, 2021

LIFE & POLITICS

I received a small number of emails recently about the article I did about contact comic creators directly rather than pump me for my possible insights about the same creators.  I was told that I was painfully naive by one writer.  And then others who wrote suggesting that I was cynical to suggest I don't know the views of said creators. By this I surmised that they are suggesting that the truth is known, so I should just confess. The particular issue seems to be if the people in question were Trump followers. I'd argue that there are many reasons to respond with that to suggest I do not know.

First, I am not in daily or personal contact with any comic book creator that I am being asked about. I realize with texting, video chat, emails, and various social media you can communicate daily, but that is not the same thing. All of us have personal interactions that are more real than anything found online.  That isn't a complaint about online and texting sorts of communication. But as chat and text language has evolved, the idea of nuance has been cast aside for quick and easy communications, and clarity is not a primary result. That isn't saying I don't write Mike Baron, Alan Dean Foster, Jamie Delano, Mike Grell or other creative friends. It is saying, however hard you try, there is a distance. This distance prevents a level of communication where you really do know how people think or feel.

Second, I am aware that some people put on appearances for dealing with the public. It might surprise people, for all I am distinctly open about, that I have an intimate and personal life that others are fully unaware of it even existing. I write because it is in me, but in a way, by my poetry and by my blogging, I am controlling the narrative that I am a part of being.  I'm aware of other writers dislike of me. I'm aware of how some think of me as an obscure writer with nothing to say. That hasn't an effect upon my output, nor my reasons for writing. RE: Famous people or relatively famous people often create or present a public personae. An example of this is Dave Sim, of Cerebus fame, was famous for assuming a wildly outside the box outlook or as a drunk but drinking ginger ale and pretending it to be a cocktail, to evoke reactions in people. Similar to Andy Kaufman's brand of humor, the point would be to unbalance those offended by showing their prejudices instead of the supposed view of the person in question. The movie Borat and the character were devoted toward exposing the real thinking people have versus the public personae they present. (Off topic, but I thought Borat had humor, but it was truly depressing and horrifying to watch.)

Third, intimacy and privacy between people means that there are things that are said in private that are not other people's business, and I am not required to divulge what was said except in rare legal procedures.  There are some legitimate reasons that people want to know, but I can't trust that they'll be as concerned for the privacy and well being of the people who are being discussed or inquired about.  For example, seeking to know if a creative talent is Jewish might be a question about the roots of their spiritual or cultural views. Or it might be an under the surface question that seeks to strengthen a person's anti Semitic views. Or, a question about beliefs might seem to suggest a political outlook.  So, let us say that I am a Christian and I am also a poet.  Rather than suggest that what I believe allows me to sin at will, what I consider by being upfront with what I believe, is to say I need forgiveness, I need grace and repentance, for I have done numerous, countless actually, stupid or immoral, unkind things.  I believe in many things, philosophical, religious, political but the nature of any of those beliefs is not something you, the reader, necessarily have enough insight or information to understand. 

Lastly, since we only have words to communicate with, let me say that whatever I think about a creative person is unimportant. Outside of it possibly influencing my appreciation for the works of that creative person, how someone votes isn't why I like or dislike them. My father thought I was more right wing than Pat Buchanan. My father in law said I was two steps left of Ted Kennedy. Neither were/are correct.  The truth is, I've owned books written by both, and appreciate each one's ability to present ideas. I'm not a centrist. I am neither to the American political right, nor to the left. As a person who has taken a great many courses and have degrees in political science and in history, my interest is less from my own possible loss or gain, as to the process, how things evolve in modern society, and what factors influence how we view the world, and how we vote.

YOUTUBE SUGGESTED VIEWINGS

DARK 5
DARK DOCS
DARK SPACE
DARK FOOTAGE
DARK FILES
DARK SKIES

When you visit Youtube you likely have preferences, and interests that are reflected in your viewing behavior.  Despite the desire from youtube to model your viewing after monetized product, you follow your own path.  I like military events, space exploration, true crime, politics, and unexplained events and circumstances.  I don't always pursue research on youtube, but I often do, and the channel Dark 5 and the various tangent channels provide interesting content, really high caliber editing, and a distinctive and clear narrative voice.  As with anything in the present, there are some flaws in facts or statistics, and some annoying idiosyncratic repeated errors, such as calling aircraft jets, whether they have propellers or jet engines... but overall the quality is good, the subject matter never fails to be interesting, and I find the selections to be worth pursuing intellectually.  More than once the videos inspired a creative work I did, new information is always exciting to find.

STORM KING COMICS NEWS RELEASE

You already know that John Carpenter Presents Storm Kids: THE GRIMMS TOWN TERROR TALES: RISE OF THE CANDY CREEPER is being released tomorrow, but did you know our FIRST plush toy, the real star of the story, Grubb The Troll will be available exclusively at our web store!? Head over and follow Storm King Productions  for more details. About The Book: In this spine-tingling tale of mystery and adventure, Hansel & Gretel must face off against the nefarious Hildaga Vontrix, a devious witch that commands a legion of ghouls, ghosts, and goblins. Hansel & Gretel's tale begins when they return home to find their family's home ransacked and their parents are missing. They soon find their way into a hidden liar under the family house where they discover their mother and father have been leading a secret double life, as suburban parents by day and heroic monster hunters by night; a family tradition dating back hundreds of years. Hansel & Gretel must now pick up where their parents left off and rise to become the new protectors of Grimms Town. Armed with an awesome array of techno-magical weapons designed for paranormal butt-kicking kicking (technological devices fueled by magical energy), coupled the mysterious ability to control a mystical element called terramana, they will embark upon a heroic adventure to find their missing parents. Along the way they learn of a secret family curse that gives them the power to fight evil, but also puts them in danger of becoming evil themselves. With the help of their whimsically-weird Aunt Zoe and a goblin called Grubb that's about as fierce as a puppy, they will fight to protect Grimms Town from the many creepy and dreadful things that go bump in the night. The Grimms Town Terror Tales combines the suspenseful intrigue of Stranger Things with the zany ghoul-capturing antics of Ghostbusters. With a mix of humor and spine-tingling terror, these tales are sure to captivate readers both young and old alike. Trailer Storm King Comics-Every Dream Should Be A Nightmare!

ABOUT GETTING REVIEWS FROM ME

First off, I can be found on Facebook, Twitter or through email at Alexanderness63@gmail.com. I accept hard copies, so when you inquire at any of these places, I'll follow through by telling you my street address. I no longer have a post box, although I regret that.  It was a crushing defeat to no longer have a p.o. box, when I came to realize I was getting so little product it made no sense to pay for the privilege to not receive mail at both my home and at the post office. If you send hard copies for review I will always review them, but if you prefer to send pdf or ebooks to my email, I will review these at my discretion. I don't share my pdf/ebooks, so you can avoid worry that I'd dispense them for free to others.

My Poetry Blog alexnesspoetry.blogspot.com
Published  alexnesspoetry.blogspot.com/2007/01/My-Work.html
Amazon amazon.com/author/alexness
Personal Blog catastrophicmemories.blogspot.com
Lovecraft Horror cthulhudarkness.blogspot.com
Atlantis MU, Lemuria alexnesslostworlds.blogspot.com

Jean de La Bruyère "Life is a tragedy for those who feel, and a comedy for those who think".