Coming soonish

I've started making notes for my next novel. Just as a teaser, ask yourself this question: How much more fun would it be to read about the Brownings' (Robert and Elizabeth Barrett) love for each other if they were space pirates instead of Victorian poets? Well, this next book will not answer that question at all, but it will definitely be fun. I'll be writing it in November as I take part in NaNoWriMo, so you won't see it probably until next year, but if you're jonesing for something entertaining and not at all heavy to read, you might like to read my effort from last year. You can find it on Amazon or at my own personal e-store at CreateSpace.

Is Number Six the paragon of modern man we think?

Don't get me wrong--I love The Prisoner, and who doesn't want to be as fiercely individual as Number Six, but I had some thoughts on the issue while I was watching an episode the other day.

Number Six is an example of a man who stands for himself. He refuses to cooperate simply for the sake of being a good citizen. He draws boundaries between himself and the community, seemingly just for the sake of having his own thoughts and reasons. To his way of thinking, it shouldn't matter to The Village why he does the things he does. He isn't harming any of the citizens, participates with the community to the extent he wishes (which is very little), and yet the constantly-changing streams of Number Twos keep attempting to coerce him into sharing information he doesn't see as relevant to them. I can appreciate that desire for privacy.

Starting with the idea that The Village is obviously an analog for society in general and Number Six is an example of a man who wants to live his own life within that society. The big question I asked myself then was: How well would a man like that function in real life?

He's unnecessarily harsh with people because he begins every relationship with a paralyzingly high level of distrust toward everyone. They must somehow prove worthy of his trust, which is nearly impossible, since there's some conspiracy theory that could discredit anyone's actions and motives. It just wouldn't work because nothing could get reliably done.

Life depends on some basic level of trust towards each other.