Sep. 15: Journal Writing and the Triumph of Individual Thought

In today's meditation Fred White shares the opening of 1984 which was about "individual rebellion in a society that strives to crush individualism". In For Further Reflection he states that "writing is a triumph of individuality, a celebration of our most precious asset: the freedom to think for ourselves and assert our views about any topic".
As someone who thinks of themself as a writer this reading to today was a reminder of another reason we Americans have such a previledged life. I am reminded of the Russian writers who were sent to slave labor camps is Siberia, German writers sent to concentration camps, and Chinese writers to were sent to detention centers or killed because they dared to write something against the established government/society. Yes some of the things we might write would not sale but we can still write them if we want too. In fact some with write some of the most absurd things and present them as fact when they are really just their beliefs about something. If you question this just look at all the various books, presented as fact, regarding what the author sees as a conspiracy.
The wonderful thing is that if there is no one that agrees with them their books go unpublished but if there are people who believe as they do their book will be published and have some sales. Sometimes the sales are not what the publisher had hoped, or the author, but regardless the author was allowed to publish his book. In today's world of on-line publishing any thing can be published at least on line.
Isn't it great to be an American living in a free world.