Ok, so before you partake in a bit of unregulated UQF, I got a favor to ask. Huge favor actually (a genuine solid, if you will): bear with me while I work out the kinks. This is a kind of an experiment in storytelling that I think could work given two things – first, time to get a good groove, see what works and what doesn’t (all that good stuff), and second, as I collect and catalog more screen shots there will just be more to work with and so the options for coherency should improve accordingly. I hope.
But regardless [or irregardless, if that’s your fancy – and if it is then don’t let any nerds try to tell you it’s wrong. Honestly, those people are enough to want me to start saying iririrregardless in complete disregards (know what? fuck it! complete disirregards) of propriety] of any improvements in quality that experience should bring (lol sometimes tho), this is not a mode of story telling that will most likely ever have the kind of neat prose that many folks are looking for in their diversions. Fair enough – then it’s probably not for you (no hard feelings, ya bastahds).
The overall vibe (as kids these days would say) I am going for is that you are overhearing a conversation between many voices, and just like that experience would be in real life the ability to discern whose words belong to which voice would be a process; but if you kept listening pretty soon some of the main voices should become far more recognizable as well as the different positions being expressed.
And it’s ok that Dimmer That Darkness starts out a bit confusing tbh – the beginning of the story is that there is a world of chaos, a world of collapse, an apocalyptic world perhaps (ever seen one of them irl? Don’t worry if you haven’t yet – soon enough, my friends, soon enough…) and so the opening scene of the story is supposed to convey a sense of chaos. In a more straightforward prose narrative I would have to find other ways of conveying this sense of chaos. Dystopian fiction is not exactly a fringe genre these days, so I’m sure you’ve read some examples of this lately. Or if you are more cinematically minded, the opening part of this movie would be showing a montage of news clips (or other some such) to show the general shape of the collapse/ crumble/fraying/societal-disintegration. So just as that montage wouldn’t make much narrative sense if all you read was the transcript and expected it to be a straight-forward telling of events, neither would the opening of this story. Instead I am trying to convey a certain pattern of events and various reactions to them. But seriously, folks, I hope that it’s not so chaotic that it doesn’t make sense. If it is, sorry for stealing those few minutes of your life I guess (notice I said stole btw, don’t expect any recompense for damages, psychic or otherwise).
The first episode of Dimmer Than Darkness opens with a call to a meeting – think of it like a town meeting for the survivors (so far) of the collapse – where people are trying to decide what to do…about the future, about the present, about survival and the possibility for something more. All that good stuff that many modern human societies seem to banish from the public discourse for some pretty weak reasons. The first speaker is supposed to be expressing what I take to be the dominant view of what got us to this point (nb: this point, our point, is the beginning of the fucking collapse, so this is not supposed to be a very sympathetic position) followed quite unseamlessly by the voices of people who want more than mere survival. As if the world-views and their attendant policies that broke our beautiful world would ever be good strategies for survival in an even harsher landscape! I know – it sounds ridiculous because it is. And yet…and yet it still seems to be the dominant world-view of a huge swath of “very serious people”, these days. Way too many people still hold on to this world-view imho. Of course I hope that UQF or any of my other ramblings might be of some help nudging people away from that bit of cultural idiocy, but then who doesn’t want to believe themselves to be more important than they really are lol?
Anyway, if you watch this episode simply as a passionate conversation between the voices of resignation and the voices of hope about how to live in a world of darkness and ruin then that should hopefully help to make the meaning that I was going for shine through. Honestly, this is just an experiment in storytelling – one that I think has a good chance of being some fun for me and maybe even a few others.
One last thing: this episode was made to be set to music, so you should press play on whatever music streaming service you use (or vinyl or cd or cassette or 8-track or whatever) of “Visions of a Life” by Wolf Alice for the best possible viewing experience. One last aside: if Wolf Alice does not make a regular appearance on your play lists then I know at least one way you can make your life considerably better at this very moment. Trust me, I’m a doomer.
Anyway, who’s ready to get started on a little unquest?
About Me
Has a PhD in Comparative Literature and is trying to see if there’s anything he can do with it in a world that is wobbling on way too many axes at once. Has some opinions about stuff but despite all that he’s really just a big sweetie.
To further encourage my shenanigans you can go to: buymeacoffee.com/NatMurphy
