Shangri-La 1977 "Utopia means elsewhere." John Malkovich
(A brilliant thought which makes many statements at once.) This journal entry is important to me because it represents the beginning of my enjoyment of writing. I was just beginning to explore creativity, instead of simply writing the facts of my days. I wish I'd kept those stories. I was told by students and the teacher that some were very good. Creative writing class is the only time I wrote true fiction.
In 7th grade we were studying Shangri-La and told to write a report about how we would make a utopian city. I had to read mine for the class and was embarrassed because it was stupid even for 7th grade.
I described a plan to replace every house every 30 years. That would eliminate slums and crime and poor people. All the neighborhoods would be new with only rich people living there. As if rich people don't do crime and are all perfectly happy utopians.
I'm having trouble doing better for this creative writing assignment. I don't think anything close to utopia is possible as long as selfish people rule societies and superstition rules minds. Nobody else wants to get involved in government, it's too scummy.
