This is for the Absolute Write June 2012 blog chain. The topic is 'Weird Worlds'.
My world is a very strange planet where almost a quarter of the population live without electricity and where 14% of the total planet's population have to walk just to fetch water. However more than half of the population have a real, active phone account, but the total reach of mobiles is even more than that reaching two thirds of the population, because people share their mobiles.
I am sure you can guess that I'm not very subtly talking about Earth.
Our wealth is unevenly divided - the richest 10% account for 85% of global assets. The bottom HALF own only 1% of global wealth (According to the World Institute for Development Economics Research quoted in that paragon of fact, Wikipedia).
I don't know about you, but I can write about hover cars or worlds the size of a pencil or worlds where cheese never existed, but I am continually reminded that there is no place weirder than our own planet. Setting aside the larger inequalities and injustices large and small that somehow happen and the reasons for them, some of the general weird facts give good fodder for stories.They help spark off ideas for those more fantastical worlds.
For example 100 lightning strikes occur worldwide EVERY SECOND. What if they happened in one place? To one person? And they survived?
The deepest hole ever made was 7.6 miles deep - what might have been at the bottom of it?
The largest eggs in the world are laid by a shark - okay, I can't think of questions about that other than SHARKS? REALLY?
There is nothing so strange as people either! When we're looking for inspiration the best place to start is right is front of us. (I am interested in how you then Brainstorm those into stories)
To celebrate: Tell me a Weird Fact about the World or You...
My sources for the above were this site For the initial percentages, Wikipedia On the Distribution of Wealth and general weird facts from here
As this part of a blog chain, please please do visit the rest of the wondrous participants:
dclary (image)
Orion_mk3
Proach
pyrosama
areteus
MelodySRV
Diana_Rajchel
writingismypassion
randi.lee
magicmint
AFord
Sweetwheat
Nick Rolynd
Bartholomews blog - blog chain entry to follow
dclary blog - this months entry to follow
You are right - our world does offer some incredible facts! And in the end I find humans are the most complex of all. How they are capable of the acts of incredible kindness at the same time as committing the worst atrocities. I think that is why in all stories, no matter where they are set, the driving force is still related to human emotions and actions.
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely right there, emotion must be at the heart of our stories - thank you for a great comment!
DeleteThe Kola Superdeep Borehole you mention found three things: rock, hydrogen, and Hell. Or maybe just two of the three :)
ReplyDeleteAh ha ha, great comment! I am certain they found Hell in there ;)
DeleteMm. Great twist there!
ReplyDeleteAn interesting fact about me? I drowned in my past life :o!!
You drowned in your past life - wow! That doesn't sound good tho' Thank you for commenting!
DeleteInteresting. I didn't know that about sharks.
ReplyDeleteMe neither until I tried to research weird things for this post ;) Thank you for stopping by here, it's great to 'meet' you! :)
DeleteWow, some very cool facts there! That's neat! And sad. Hm. Thanks for stopping by, great to "meet" you!
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by here, very nice of you to, nice to meet you too! :)
DeleteWeird world indeed...
ReplyDeleteIndeed!
DeleteThank you for visiting and commenting ;)
Thanks for the follow :) And, also, tag: http://tlbodine.blogspot.com/2012/06/brief-pause-from-our-regularly.html
ReplyDeleteThank you for the comment and the tag ;)
DeleteWeird fact: when you stop caring is when things start to go right.
ReplyDelete