Steven Barnes's Blog, page 31
February 22, 2018
What does the Killmonger tragedy teach us?
(Warning: Black Panther spoilers ahead. When we look at movies LIFEWRITING style, that happens!)
Lifewriting says that our fantasies and myths reflect our inner world. And our inner worlds are shaped by the fantasies and myths and stories. The best are touching us on a deep level. Let’s take a look at a story thread people have debated, not from “this is truth” but “this is a way to connect the fiction we love with the lives we lead.
Is Eric Killmonger hero or villain?
Make no mistake: a...
February 20, 2018
BLACK PANTHER (2018)
I think that people become addicted to arguing. Why? Well, sometimes it does work. But they forget their actual outcome: to solve a problem or determine “what is true.” To experience more pleasure than pain in life.
Why then do people so often get exhausted, express frustration, anger and fear because of conducting or witnessing apparently endless argument? Because they have forgotten their ultimate goal.
ULTIMATE GOAL: To be happy
LONG TERM GOAL: to remove an obstruction to happines...
February 14, 2018
Healing Your Heart
My name is Steven Barnes, a NY Times bestselling author, master hypnotist and and martial artist, creator of the “Lifewriting” system of personal development. And after working with thousands of clients for three decades, I have something wonderful to offer you.
If you suffer from depression, fear and emotional isolation… if you feel unworthy of love… if you are frustrated with life, believe you will never find love, and can’t mo...
Happy Valentine’s Day
One of the groups I belong to is Matt Furey’s email copywriting group. The “Zen Master of the Internet” is a fun guy, who has created a life that fits him just fine, thank you, and has aligned his voice with his intents in a way that allows him to make boucoup bucks in a flow state. He said something valuable yesterday: “The true goal of the truly successful people I admire is to be locked in on a process. The process is the end result rather than the end result bring the end result.”
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February 13, 2018
“Star Wars” X “Roots” = Black Panther
People giving you the fish-eye when you say “Wakanda Forever”? Ask you what was wrong with “Meteor Man” or “Falcon” or “Luke Cage” or even the beloved “Blade”? Getting sick of the faux negative reviews and thinly veiled insult. Well, you aren’t alone.
I find that the set of people who don’t understand “Panther Fever” overlaps nicely with those who don’t grasp SF in general, or comic book movies in particular. And…to be honest, those who don’t understand or approve of BLM. They tend n...
Turning a weakness into a strength
I recently had a conversation with a reader who made a “terrible mistake.” Call him “Quint.”
Quint: I find myself in a position to ask you for some quick advice, if you don’t mind. I made a mistake this weekend, got out of hand, and while no one got hurt… feelings were hurt, people were scared, etc. I apologized profusely, owned up to the mistake… took responsibility for it. But I cannot stop obsessing over it myself. I cannot stop beating myself up over it. I will, with time, but it’s...
February 12, 2018
A lesson from “Shelly”
I remember my first girlfriend in college was a smart, pretty lady we’ll call Shelly. I met Shelly in the music department at Pepperdine when I was doing a nighttime radio chow. We started dating and finding out more about each other, as people do at that phase in their lives.
One day, I remember just hanging out with her, and she started talking about the life we could have together. Me teaching martial arts, her teaching music.
It was a lovely dream. I could easily see myself enjoyi...
February 9, 2018
Art, Craft, and the “Rocky” road to Black Panther
One great working definition of things like “Art” and “Craft” that all synchronize with a view of human existence in a useful way.
“Art” is Self-expression. If a two-year old Jason has a creative urge, reaches into the potty and smears feces on the way…points at it proudly and says “look!” That is art.
“Craft” is the language that allows you to COMMUNICATE that creative urge to others. You perform, the audience reacts. It is like a language. You are in Mexico, you want to say “that...
February 8, 2018
“Black People Don’t Write”
Here we are in Afrofuturism Month, discussing the power of myth is the ability to take the wisdom of “the ancestors” and emotionalize it so you can FEEL its truth. And when they are stories, not lectures, they bypass conscious thought…
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If you don’t believe in yourself, you don’t take action. Or you take weak action. And when you hit the Dark Night of the Soul, YOU WILL QUIT, or at the very least interpret this as “I cannot”. Take less action, get worse results, in a descending spir...
February 7, 2018
Of Panthers and Tigers
65 Reviews. 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. You know? Last year I was praying that Marvel wouldn’t lose its Mojo for just one more movie. Just one. All it had to do was be better than, say, “Ant Man”, which I enjoyed. Just that much. And I’d be happy. This is way above that minimum. It’s like “Star Wars” times “Roots”. I have a hard time imagining what it would be like to be 10 years old and see this happening. No one in the “Liberals damaged black people more than slavery” crowd could have the sl...
