Blog — FOTI PITRAKKOS

The Inclusive Power of the Fantasy Genre

But there is another kind of experience inherent in storytelling, fundamental to being human.

It is the experience of imagining, of transportation into worlds of wonder, of exploration and immersion.

It is being swept of your feet, or discovering you can fly - whatever your preference.

It is the young girl who imagines a rainbow-feathered parrot on her shoulder, and a big, black captain's hat on her head, sailing towards a chest of shining gold.

And no genre can quite compete with fantasy in this regard. Ne genre is quite so inclusive.

"The Boys." A Very... Different... Take on the Superhero Genre

What do you think would happen in our world if a class of people rose who were literally invulnerable and almost all powerful?

It wouldn't be Marvel. It would be super hero privilege. It would be narcissism, indomitable sociopaths, and even outright psychopathy run amok!

Religion, Despair and Good for Good’s Sake.

The damnation story is a real one. We have done such horrible things to each other, and we are really effective at coming up with new ways to generate suffering. We fight wars over love and candy. We murder our families for a dime. We seethe at the happiness of our friends. We eat without any concern in front of the starving. We chase pleasure like predators.

What other conclusion could we come to, but that we are evil?

But this is not the case.

Not by a long shot. Not at all.

blog postFoti PitrakkosJanuary 13, 2020ethics, moral philosophy, morality, religion, despair, hope, humanity, humanism Comments

Street Epistemology - A Conversational Game Changer.

The key is, it’s not about arguing for one side or another. It’s not about the belief itself, but the how one arrived at that belief. It’s about getting us to think about these things, to look at our methods for forming beliefs under a microscope – it’s very meta.

Why You Should Watch "The Good Place." Or Not. But Maybe?

The deliberate inclusion of morals in storytelling is a tricky task to tackle (try saying that three times). It’s a delicate balance to explore morality in a story without bias or agenda. Come on too strong and things can start to feel preachy real fast.

And no one enjoys a long, humourless sermon about how bad they are - well, I can't speak for everyone. Demons probably deliver such speeches to their children at 21st birthday parties. (I'm going to write that story!).

Off the Rails – The Fool’s Favour

The fool is incapable of taking life too seriously. The fool can laugh at themselves, and in doing so, can laugh in spite of themselves.

blog postFoti PitrakkosDecember 24, 2019fools, stream of thought, pride, ego, vanity, embarrassment, humility Comments

How Can I Be Clear, When Nobody Let's me Speak?

I’d be lying if I told you I write for one hundred percent clarity. I try to, more and more these days. I figure, if I cannot strive for complete honesty in my writing, where can I do so? I have thoughts. I want to make them as clear as I possibly can.

But there is a sneaky devil called Ego that likes to whisper in my ear sometimes, too many times. It says, “you could make that sentence prettier, ya know,” or, “bit dry, don’t ya fink? How ‘bout makin’ em laugh, to freshen fings up a bit, aye?”

The Fear of Controversy

Controversy is like a creeping mist at the entrance to a dark cave. It is no wonder we fear it, for who knows what sleeping horrors lie lurking within. But we must learn what the cave is hiding from us – otherwise, how will be ever be prepared when the horrors within wake up and crawl out to greet us?

The Master and the Apprentice

Let’s say we have a Master Blacksmith and her apprentice. She tells her apprentice to “move these iron rings from that part of the floor to this part of the floor.” And the apprentice does their task, happily and enthusiastically – they are grateful to be there, learning what they have a passion to learn.

They move these rings, and they move these rings, and they move these rings, and they…

Then they drop the ring on the floor, in disgust and defiance. “I will not move another damned ring!”

Who Let Fear onto this Thought Train?

Fear is a tool. Courage is what we build with it, one step at a time.

blog postFoti PitrakkosNovember 25, 2019fear, courage, philosophy, stream of thought Comments

The Derailed Train of Thought