Originally Posted by Jedi Mind Trick

My question is, firstly: Do you enjoy this subject?

Originally Posted by George Orwell in "Why I Write"

Four motives for writing

Orwell lists "four great motives for writing" which he feels exist in every writer. He explains that all are present, but in different proportions, and also that these proportions vary from time to time. They are as follows:


1.Sheer egoism-

Orwell argues that many people write simply to feel clever, to "be talked about, to be remembered after death, to get your own back on grown-ups in childhood, etc." He says that this is a great motive, although most of humanity is not "acutely selfish", and that this motive exists mainly in younger writers. He also says that it exists more in serious writers than journalists, though serious writers are "less interested in money".


2.Aesthetic enthusiasm-

Orwell explains that present in writing is the desire to make one's writing look and sound good, having "pleasure in the impact of one sound on another, in the firmness of good prose or the rhythm of a good story." He says that this motive is "very feeble in a lot of writers" but still present in all works of writing.


3.Historical impulse-

He sums this up stating this motive is the "desire to see things as they are, to find out true facts and store them up for the use of posterity."


4.Political purpose-

Orwell writes that "no book is genuinely free from political bias", and further explains that this motive is used very commonly in all forms of writing in the broadest sense, citing a "desire to push the world in a certain direction" in every person. He concludes by saying that "the opinion that art should have nothing to do with politics is itself a political attitude."

Originally Posted by Jedi Mind Trick

I occasionally come to this forum to read the latest scholarly debates and interesting theories people here post. I really enjoy to see all of this activity and envy the depth of research and knowledge many in this forum have.

I tentatively have a historical Jesus frame of reference, but I also like to step out of that from time to time. What I am finding very interesting, to me at least, is that both sides seem to take great interest in the subject of Jesus and appear to enjoy their search/research. Those who do not see a real person find interesting reasons for their skepticism just as those who, though atheist or agnostic or whatever, do see a real historical person lurking around in the dusty halls of the past.

My question is, firstly: Do you enjoy this subject? Because it appears that many of you do. Secondly: If you do enjoy it, or more interestingly if you do not, why do you pursue it so intensely?

Originally Posted by George Orwell in "Why I Write"

Four motives for writing

Orwell lists "four great motives for writing" which he feels exist in every writer. He explains that all are present, but in different proportions, and also that these proportions vary from time to time. They are as follows:

1.Sheer egoism-

Orwell argues that many people write simply to feel clever, to "be talked about, to be remembered after death, to get your own back on grown-ups in childhood, etc." He says that this is a great motive, although most of humanity is not "acutely selfish", and that this motive exists mainly in younger writers. He also says that it exists more in serious writers than journalists, though serious writers are "less interested in money".

2.Aesthetic enthusiasm-

Orwell explains that present in writing is the desire to make one's writing look and sound good, having "pleasure in the impact of one sound on another, in the firmness of good prose or the rhythm of a good story." He says that this motive is "very feeble in a lot of writers" but still present in all works of writing.

3.Historical impulse-

He sums this up stating this motive is the "desire to see things as they are, to find out true facts and store them up for the use of posterity."

4.Political purpose-

Orwell writes that "no book is genuinely free from political bias", and further explains that this motive is used very commonly in all forms of writing in the broadest sense, citing a "desire to push the world in a certain direction" in every person. He concludes by saying that "the opinion that art should have nothing to do with politics is itself a political attitude."
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