Resistance Creates Beauty
If there's something I'm especially proud of, apart from being a father and the incredible title of this post (What a title, eh?), it's writing a book (well, two, because you can never brag too much). It was precisely there where I learned, in a totally unexpected way, this lesson that has stuck with me ever since like acne on a teenager. Let me give you some context first. I came here to talk about my book! The Only Truth is a story told in first person by Martina, a young woman who soon discovers she's trapped in a time loop. No matter what she does, at the end of the day everything resets to its original state. In short, nothing remains. This is the framework. These are the self-imposed limits. In a reality where nothing endures, how can I make things remain? These boundaries forced me to be creative. Martina soon discovers she's not alone. Within this reality, this loop where no one seems conscious, there are others like her. People who remember between repetitions. Who aren't "reset." I called them, in another burst of originality, the awakened (see how creative I am?) These awakened have managed to dodge the strict laws that the cyclical passage of time imposes on them within the loop. They've organized themselves in such a way that they're able to, at least, minimize this enormous problem. That's where the figure of the "retainer" is born (once again being incredible at naming things... I don't do it on purpose, I swear, it just comes naturally) whose only job is to memorize. Where only memory endures, memory becomes the most powerful tool. This way, these awakened built their own "database"; a group of people destined to memorize events, situations and important information, and respond to pertinent questions for the development of our protagonists. If you want to know more, La Única Verdad[ES][EN] and its second part, La única realidad are for sale on Amazon. Limitation as Catalyst See where I'm going? The limitation forced me to be creative. I discovered this through the process (I had to live it firsthand), but it's been with us forever. Let me give you some examples. The Evocative Power of Haiku A haiku is a Japanese poetic form of 17 syllables distributed in three verses (5-7-5) that expresses an image or moment with extreme brevity and precision. Think about it. 17 syllables to convey the essence of a moment, an emotion, or a universal truth. The magic lies in the violence of the restriction: You can't express anything, only suggest There's no space for filler, each syllable is life or death You must hope the reader completes the powerful image you're trying to paint In 17 syllables, Bashō captured silence, solitude, nature, the vital cycle... none of this would be (or work so well) without the brutality of the restriction. Koji Kondo and 8-bit Music In the 8-bit era, musical compositions were limited by the processing capabilities of the first video game consoles: simple sound waves and few simultaneous channels. You probably don't recognize the name Koji Kondo, however, I'm absolutely convinced you know his creations. He's the composer of works as recognized as Super Mario Bros and The Legend of Zelda. The Legend of Zelda Title ThemeLike any composer, Kondo would have wanted to use complete orchestras, dozens of instruments and sophisticated effects. But 8-bit consoles only allowed him three simultaneous sound channels and a few basic waves: square, triangular, and noise. Kondo embraced the limitation. Technical poverty forced melodic richness, and today, his works endure. The Elegance of the Cage You won't see me trying to turn this into a motivational act. It's simply a formula that works for me and that I (generously) share with you. In return I only ask that you buy my books. What less could I ask, right? RIGHT?? The next time you face a project and feel you lack resources, time or tools, smile. You've just found your best creative ally. Embrace those restrictions. Don't try to hide them or dodge them, build around them. Make them the pillar of your creation. It's not about running freely through infinite meadows, but about dancing elegantly inside the cage.
