Upsetting the Established Order

"My words will either attract the strong of mind or offend the weak one"

- Unknown

"What is freedom of expression? Without freedom to offend, it ceases to exist."

- Salman Rushdie

From the very first draft of the very first chapter, we realised that The Chronicles of Enoch were going to offend some people, perhaps a lot of people. We know that the topics we are going to be handling are some sensitive ones.

We ar, however, of the long-held opinion that it is, effectively, the job of the artist to challenge how people think about and perceive what is around them. It is our job not only to entertain but to challenge ideas and lead our readers (in my case) to ask questions; not only about the topics we dramatise, but our words themselves. A true writer wants debate and opposition because that means people are thinking and they are talking.

"As a writer, you know you are doing your job well when they try to stop you from doing it."

- Anon

If we are faced with controversy, that means we are challenging what needs to be challenged but, of course, as with everything else, there are lines that should not be crossed and consequences for crossing them.

Lines in The Sand

We know that we are supposed to defend freedom of expression and challenge societal norms. We know that controversy is part of our reason of being in many cases. We remember those who stood up when no-one else would and wrote what nobody else seemed to dare to.

We do indeed have the right to write what we want to, it is enshrined in the values of both Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Expression.

I take my stick and point at the sand.

Just because you can does not mean that you should.

I draw the line and wait for the inevitable questions.