I was doom-scrolling X (Twitter) for the first time in weeks, and I almost regretted it.
My news feed was awash with rants, political discourse (read: fire-breathing Lefties and Righties), and hyperbolic tweets that, of course, attracted a tonne of engagement.
It seems the days when thoughtful content and art prevailed are all but gone.
Or is it? 🤔
Just as I was about to thumb my way out of the app for another month, I came across the most poignant quote I’ve read in years by someone who can only be described as the Father of Stoicism.
That guy?
Marcus Aurelius.
That quote?
"To offend a strong man, tell him a lie. To offend a weak man, tell him the truth."
I’ve always been a sucker for a quote, but this one had me nodding like a teacher’s pet. So much wisdom and truth packed into so few words. And like our timelines being dominated by rage-baiting drivel, it seems our world is also awash with weaklings who cannot be told the Wi-Fi is down without throwing a wobbly.
Sadly, these are the fools reality shows glorify.
These are the idiots who somehow find themselves in positions of power and legislate goofy policies.
But I suppose they are not completely useless.
If anything, they make those with more than three brain cells and a bit of grit between their teeth stand out like superheroes in comparison, which helps us to get a little further ahead in life.
And yes, I did just say ‘us’.
Those who partake in this daily discussion of ours are cut from a different cloth.
We have quirks, a hungry mind, and a thirst for a breadth of subjects that would cause many quizzers to blush. We also don’t mind indulging in material that may or may not challenge our beliefs.
These are the traits of winners and doers — not whiners and complainers.
And this is why, my dear disciple, you are a Legionnaire and this is the Legion.
I never wanted to write a generic “author newsletter.”
I wanted to create an experience.
A channel that promotes engagement and diversity in topics, however curious, provocative, or opposing they might be.
This philosophy also spills into my books.
The Divided Region is a perfect example of this.
My books are shorter than 95% of fantasy novels and filled with characters who say and do things that would have the saplings of our world demand trigger warnings.
I daresay if Marcus were still alive today, he’d give me a nod for striking my own path in this long-standing genre.
And if air were in his lungs, I’d do the next honourable thing and point him to the link where he could bag the Starter Bundle:
https://djjwatsonstore.com/products/TDR-Bundle
DJJW