Reflections: Why Writers Write

The dimino effect and the emergence of communication

Inherent within the human heart and soul is the desire and the ability for self expression, as well as the need to communicate that self expression to others. That is why writers write. If that were not so, there would never have been any form of writing or the communication of it, by humankind.

This article will discuss my theory on how human self expression and the communication of it with respect to other human beings, first originates and then, develops further. I will show how it is communicated to others, using a model that I am going to refer to as the pebble effect.

How we all love to take a pebble and to let it skim across the water!

Consider this as a form of writing on the water, for a moment.

Or, take a pebble and toss it into a pool of water and watch the formation of concentric rings, which appear to radiate out from the center.

Now consider that in terms of how writing begins to be manifest to others, by an individual as a form of communication.

I am going to suggest that the desire to express ourselves or self expression, begins in the heart and soul because God within us, cannot be contained. This desire has to find some kind of an outward expression.

Employing a model that demonstrates the pebble effect, I will suggest that self expression begins with the individual. I will depict this as the initial or first point of impact, when the pebble hits the water.

From there, communication begins, as it spreads outward to others like the concentric ripples that form on the water.

The first communication of self expression would be with respect to another individual or a second person. Then, the horizon of communication could be perceived as expanding to a couple, family, community, country, world, universe, or multiple universes.

The pebble effect model is a helpful tool with respect to comprehending human society and their interaction in terms of communication. It is useful in terms of perceiving what occurs with regards to the emergence of writing.

For a moment, let us look at the large picture with respect to self expression and its communication to others, in terms of actual writing.

We are all familiar with the words wholistic or holistic. They do not require further definition. Taking each one of those words and expanding them further or coining the words wholological and holological, one begins to see the picture as a greater whole.

Wholological could signify the science of the totality of the whole. Holological would signify the science of the sacred or holy part of the whole. Wholological would focus on the non-spiritual aspect of the whole and holological would designate the spiritual aspect of the whole.

Taking this a bit further, consider the reality that we are all seeking to be complete or whole in terms of healing, health, wholeness and happiness. This is an inherent need for human beings and a desire within us that always seeks to be fulfilled.

It is often said that "No man is an island."

How true this is. We are brought into this world in terms of community and seek to maintain that interaction and communication, regardless of our circumstances or status in life. (Even someone abandoned on an island, seeks to communicate in terms of writing in one form or another. No one really wants total isolation from all of the rest of the people in the world, although we do value our personal privacy to some extent.)

Thus, we have an inherent need and a desire to communicate with others. Our self expression would be meaningless in time, without someone else to share it with. The ultimate gratification in writing comes in sharing it with others.

From a wholological perspective or taking a scientific look at the whole of the emergence of writing, from a non-spiritual direction, consider this possibility, using a newborn infant, as an example. The infant is born with needs and desires for both self expression and communication. Initially, he or she learns how to express those needs and desires to his or her mother.

How quickly he or she finds out that some form of self expression, directed toward the mother is either a rewarding or a non-rewarding experience. It may also be a neutral experience in terms of not being either one way or the other.

As the infant becomes aware of having been or not having been rewarded, there is an increase in his or her personal knowledge and awareness with respect to the positive, negative or neutral response to early attempts to communicate basic needs and desires.

A baby, who is a bit older, quickly learns that playing with his or her food is one of many ways to communicate with a parent.

Watch the patterns that a child makes, by playing with his or her food on a highchair tray.

This could be considered to be a primitive or early stage of writing or as an attempt to write. (There may be few people who will agree with that idea.)

Note that while there is the potential of a positive or negative re-enforcement from the parent, which either encourages or discourages the initial early attempts at writing, the baby is aware of both the positive and the negative reaction or lack of response, to what he or she is doing or has done, as well as some degree of awareness with respect to the reality that he or she is communicating, in some manner with someone else.

Communication brings about the possibility of a response of pleasure or displeasure, or one of a non-response for the baby.

Quietly watch a baby moving food about on a tray. He or she may appear to be creating all kinds of different designs, which he or she seems to be pleased with. These, in some sense, could be regarded as words. We are not always aware that this might be some primitive or early form of writing, as the baby's way of communicating his or her self expression.

Then watch a baby who is angry, frustrated or upset, as he or she strikes out at the cereal, baby food or whatever he or she is eating with displeasure, causing it to splash all over the tray or drop on the floor. What the baby is communicating has a negative context in terms of what he or she has written this way. This gives a totally opposite message or one might suggest it is written in a different context. 

As the baby becomes a toddler, if properly taught and encouraged, he or she will attempt to do some form of writing, but in terms of playing with sand, paint or finger painting. An older child learns to write in terms of actual words with crayons, pencils, paint brushes and more acceptable writing tools.

I think that the holological or scientific look at the sacred or holy aspect of self expression and the communication thereof to others, comes at a later date, perhaps to an older child or one who is in the early adult stage of development.

Considering the whole picture, the self expression and communication needs and desires are gradually expanded and expressed in terms of actual writing.

We do not know at what point actual writing, as we comprehend it, emerges. It is probably at an earlier stage of development than we realize.

I am going to suggest that writing diminoes in some way, from what was appeared to be non-existent to something that appears to be existent. Obviously, there is a pre-existent need and desire for self expression, that suddenly takes on a form of an existent stage that can be proved. The existence of the communication of self expression to others surfaces in terms of writing.

A dimino effect or an emergence with respect to writing, allows something to come into being and because it is legitimate, it will stand the test of time.

This is opposed to a domino effect where something is totally dependent on something else that stands prior to its existence. It topples as soon as what it is dependent upon, falls over. This is more commonly known as the domino effect. Each domino leans on the previous one. If and when the first one falls over, for whatever reason, the rest of them will all fall down as well.

The dimino effect reveals that writing stands as an emergence of the communication of self expression directed toward others.

So, whether you are skimming pebbles across the water, or dropping pebbles into the water, consider the pebble effect, at least with respect to self expression and the need or desire to communicate it to others, in terms of writing on the water.

In summary, let me suggest that why writers write has to do with the inherent need of the individual for self expression and communication. Self expression emerges initially and then, leads to successful or unsuccessful attempts at communication.