There will be an attempt to drain the life of vital forces with all sorts of negative thoughts and actions that will disrupt the flow of life from time to time. Storytelling of the distorted types will inculcate aggressive thought processes, only to jeopardise the internal mechanism of perceiving life from a completely antithetical viewpoint. Gradually the lethargy sets in; to take control of the mind to influence and tutor it to decide on some inelegant actions which are not only self-destructive but also a threat to the people around.
The propensity to take a plunge into the most conventional narrative may not be a choice but a powerful push towards conformity. No wonder, the ubiquitous chicanery, eats into the truthful intentions to make them infirm. It is not our ignorance, but the weakness to believe in all the deviously woven stories. There will be many excuses presented to vehemently persuade an individual and a society to a more manufactured, streamlined, and myopic to comprehend life.
Among all the dark projections of life, there is a beacon of hope in literature. If one decides to take literature seriously and immerse into authentic storytelling to understand true culture of life transcending human pettiness and puerile behaviour, then all of the negative aspects have to be tastefully highlighted in stories to better understand the human characteristics. Such stories, not under anyone’s notorious influence can deconstruct human behaviour and in fact, present the other aspect of human nature that can conquer such adverse and antithetical situations and flow toward more fertile lands.
Literature that is critical of society attempts to reflect on the fertile territories and the human will to adapt to more fulfilling and a more reciprocating society. We usually have a blunt approach to defuse a critical situation, which could have been weeded out at its nascent stage if we as a society were more thoughtful about reforming them before they became a formidable threat. Literature encourages storytelling, encourages energetic minds to think and question, and allows them to come up with a comprehensive way of planning a future. From being a social guardian, keeping a keen eye on social change, human behaviour, historical challenges, cultural barriers, and degrading languages, literature can provide an alternative narrative to save society from disintegration.
Art, creativity, and literature are essential in developing a more open-minded course for every human being to think freely and contribute to the development of society without the fear of being silenced with nonsensical prejudices. They are dynamic, and every such creative endeavour will birth a critical thinker who can analyse life from diverse perspectives. Look for meaningful storytelling, as creative people have the responsibility to the well-being and formation of a more meaningful society. The reflection of life will depend on the nature of mirror you hold in front of a child.
~Amitav
Amitav Chowdhury 