Quote:
Originally Posted by Worldwalker
...
Assuming all of the following were just a matter of conscience, not legality, I've asked myself: Would I, for instance, accept a million dollars for a novel which is essentially child pornography (fictionalized, mind you; no actual children involved)? Would I accept a million dollars to write press releases and PR material for a political party I routinely vote against? How about a hostile foreign government? Or the RIAA? How much would I charge for an essay extolling the benefits of DRM? In short, how much of my soul is for sale, and at what price?
I won't know the answer for sure until someone waves that million-dollar deal under my nose, of course. It's easy to be virtuous about imaginary money for nonexistent writing. I like to hope that my conscience would overcome my need to pay my bills and I'd be able to say "I got by without this money for all these years; I can continue getting by without it," and turn it down. (mind you, the closest I've ever come was turning down an offer from TSR for my comprehensive index to Dragon Magazine, almost 20 years ago, because they were really lowballing it, but that's another story) So I'm really interested in the point of view of a real writer, not a dreamer.
...
|
Very interesting questions, Worldwalker, that any man can only answer for himself and then only then truthfully, when he is faced with them.
Have you read Vonnegut's Mother Night by the way?
One of the 'morals' of the story is this:
Quote:
|
We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.
|