I see myself as a writer; I’m a professional liar.
– Harlan Ellison, 1976
Every now and then, we need a little reminder of our need to be antagonistic toward the establishment and really break things open that need to be broken.
In this interview from British television in 1976 (sorry, it won’t let me embed here), Harlan Ellison speaks about a bit of his life and his consistent efforts to be a thorn in the side of those in power.
The world might be a better place if we could stir up a little trouble as teachers and students by being a little more contrarian.
Interviewer: “I’ve read your stories and I was quite disturbed. There’s a lot of violence sometimes.
HE: “There’s a lot of violence in the world.”
Truth.
Interviewer: “I would call you a science fiction writer. Now, is that exactly what you are?”
HE: “No, that is exactly what I am not… I take contemporary events and look at them through the lens of fantasy and see what they really mean in mythic terms.”
Critiquing the world as it is through stories has been the primary mode of improving society since societies first formed.
On why he owns a gun (after describing taking out a sniper outside his home):
I own a gun because as much as I’d like to believe the world is a soft, pink & white bunny story, it isn’t. I deal with reality; I’m a pragmatist.
I still miss Harlan.
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