Most of us are probably familiar with the famous quote by Mahatma Gandhi that says, "be the change you wish to see in the world". I think writing is one of the areas in which we absolutely have the power to make changes and influence. It's one of the ways a person can make a difference.
Writers of all sorts--scriptwriters, novelists, journalists, essayists, marketers, and even story boarders--have some of the best "reach" when it comes to influencing society. I'd never really thought too much about it until recently. I remember, though, that I grew up with shows which showed diversity, and people who were okay being themselves.
He-man was a totally buff dude that wielded weapons, protected the innocent, fought for justice and also wore frilly aprons and served up some amazing dishes in the kitchen. It was showing that it's okay to be who you are, and do "unusual" things. I mean, really, things are only unusual for a little while because of weird stereotypes that tell us "only girls do 'x'" or "only boys do 'x'". That stuff is completely stupid because we are all complex people with tons of hidden abilities, talents--and for most of us--a wide variety of interests.
When I was young I had way more toys to choose from, and while I wasn't allowed to get toys with guns, I could get certain figures, legos, constructs, Barbie dolls, stuffed animals, puzzles, cars, trucks, and whatever I liked. Lots of marketing when I was growing up showed diverse people using toys so there was less stigma against who could have a toy. It made it seem more accessible to everyone, and how could parents legitimately argue about who could play with toys, when the very commercials showed multiple types of people playing with them?
Slowly, as time went on, marketing became lazy or perhaps just ignorant of some of the most important aspects involved in their job. It wasn't actually just to sell toys, but to give people the freedom to envision themselves how they want, to open up possibilities for people of all types. When you include more people, you also sell to a broader audience. But, sadly, they narrowed their scope and probably alienated people because they just didn't think about diversity and inclusion, and the effect marketing has in contributing to a healthy society. They undervalued their own reach and power.
What types of things are all around us, showing us subtle messages of who we are supposed to be and what "normal" looks like? Why is "abnormal" so scary to society? We don't have to buy into those messages, but how awesome would it be if we had the ability to just...change those messages to something more true and helpful to society? How awesome would that be? All of the writers of the world have that much power! That's pretty darn epic, if you ask me. You probably didn't ask, but I'm saying it anyway. :P
If you're hoping to be a writer, or maybe you're already a writer, don't forget the enormous amount of potential you wield to change society for the better. Never underestimate the power of the written word! It really is the mightiest weapon we possess.
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