November 29, 2004

Why I Write - George Orwell

The Literature Network posts an essay by George Orwell in which he gives a look into why he and others write. There is an element of truth to this for bloggers as well:
Putting aside the need to earn a living, I think there are four great motives for writing, at any rate for writing prose. They exist in different degrees in every writer, and in any one writer the proportions will vary from time to time, according to the atmosphere in which he is living. They are:

1. Sheer egoism.
Desire to seem clever, to be talked about, to be remembered after death, to get your own back on the grown-ups who snubbed you in childhood, etc., etc. It is humbug to pretend this is not a motive, and a strong one. Writers share this characteristic with scientists, artists, politicians, lawyers, soldiers, successful businessmen ? in short, with the whole top crust of humanity. The great mass of human beings are not acutely selfish. After the age of about thirty they almost abandon the sense of being individuals at all ? and live chiefly for others, or are simply smothered under drudgery. But there is also the minority of gifted, willful people who are determined to live their own lives to the end, and writers belong in this class. Serious writers, I should say, are on the whole more vain and self-centered than journalists, though less interested in money.

2. Aesthetic enthusiasm.
Perception of beauty in the external world, or, on the other hand, in words and their right arrangement. Pleasure in the impact of one sound on another, in the firmness of good prose or the rhythm of a good story. Desire to share an experience which one feels is valuable and ought not to be missed. The aesthetic motive is very feeble in a lot of writers, but even a pamphleteer or writer of textbooks will have pet words and phrases which appeal to him for non-utilitarian reasons; or he may feel strongly about typography, width of margins, etc. Above the level of a railway guide, no book is quite free from aesthetic considerations.

3. Historical impulse.
Desire to see things as they are, to find out true facts and store them up for the use of posterity.

4. Political purpose.
? Using the word 'political' in the widest possible sense. Desire to push the world in a certain direction, to alter other peoples' idea of the kind of society that they should strive after. Once again, no book is genuinely free from political bias. The opinion that art should have nothing to do with politics is itself a political attitude.

9 comments:

Danny White said...

I found a free home based business opportunity work at home resource blog/site that really helped me
get a handle on home based business opportunity work at home.

I thought your posters might find this home based business opportunity work at home resource useful.

home based business opportunity work at home

Check it out if you get time:-)

Webmaster said...

I found your blog on advertising online services and thought it might be of interest to my readers at myadvertising online services site. Check it out if you have time.

Roberto Iza Valdés said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Dale's Gmail said...

Hi Blogger, your blog is excellent. As I was surfing around today looking for detailed info on based best business home I somehow ended up on your page. As your Why I Write - George Orwell is not exactly related to my search, I am certainly glad I stopped by. Oh well, back to surfing and I am sure I will find what I am looking for, and should you ever need information about based best business home, then stop by for a look. Thanks for the post.

Anonymous said...

Hi Blogger...Wow! While I was searching for info on based business home internet opportunity I somehow found your page. Obviously I ended up a little off base, but I am certainly glad I stopped by for a read. While I am here, I just wanted to drop a quick note to comment your blog...now to move on and continue my search for based business home internet opportunity. Should you ever need it, there's lots of information on this site about based business home internet opportunity.

Paul said...

Pick up these 10 simple steps to niche web site
success FREE, then create yourself a powerful niche web site
site that will finally earn you money! niche web site

Dale's Gmail said...

Hi Blogger, your blog is excellent. As I was surfing around today looking for detailed info on based business home online opportunity I somehow ended up on your page. As your Why I Write - George Orwell is not exactly related to my search, I am certainly glad I stopped by. Oh well, back to surfing and I am sure I will find what I am looking for, and should you ever need information about based business home online opportunity, then stop by for a look. Thanks for the post.

Roberto Iza Valdés said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Broadband Guy said...

Why I Write - George Orwell is an interesting read. I've been reading a ton more blogs and blogging myself much more now that I have 17.99 Verizon DSL. 17.99 Verizon DSL sure makes running a blog alot faster, you should swing by my site sometime and see if you can get DSL too now that it's cheaper than dialup ($12.99 a month!) WOO HOO!