Creative Risk.

At times I get a little scared of writing online about race, faith, gender, culture, history, politics, psychology, media, or even a simple story about a dude saving a girl — because I’m pretty sure I’ll offend someone or I’ll say something really insensitive and it’s so hard to know what’s wrong to say these days.  The internet has turned us into a raw nerve.  Most online people assume you’re a sexist racist mustache-twirling troll and they’ll kill you if you remotely run up on their categories. We’ve all drawn the line much too close to ourselves.

But you know — I suppose someone will always be offended, and online communities are never much happy with anything, and creativity has to take risks.  So if you have a story to tell and you really have a good heart about it, just write your thing and learn from the criticism and keep on writing.  I don’t think it’s wise to purposefully offend people, but I don’t think it’s wise to shackle yourself in a box in fear of someone else’s opinion.  I’d rather you be you and offend me, than you play it safe and be some watered down version of you.

— J