Everyone has their elite little group of people who are influences on their lives. Your opinions could have been molded by theirs or you formed your own and learned later that you and them are on the same page; or even that you discovered them through researching your views or something along those lines. You feel personally insulted when someone says something negative about them, and you hold them in such high regards that you could call them your idol (or your god if you aren’t the religious type).
I am an aspiring writer. Not just one form of writing or the other, I mean any and all kinds. I’ve done poetry and songs, attempted novels and short stories, and these columns. I have created stories since I was very, very young in various ways. I don’t want to make this piece too autobiographical, though.
I am not a religious person by any stretch. I’m actually quite the militant atheist. But I too have my group of celebrities that I hold on a position that a religious person would hold their God.
Edgar Allan Poe and Alan Moore are my favorite authors of all time. They were the spark that inspired me to want to create worlds. I was introduced to Poe in middle school when we were assigned to read “The Raven” and “Tell-Tale Heart”. I always wanted to emulate (and at times did) Poe’s writing style mixed in with Moore’s political allegory. My love for Alan Moore came much later than my love for Poe. Reading “V For Vendetta” and “Watchmen” threw me into political awareness. I got into song writing when I was very young and used both influences in my work.
Bill Maher (from his television show to his stand-up and everything in between), to me, is a political oasis. Stuck in a nation where the left isn’t liberal enough and the right makes me want to leave the planet, Bill Maher was the first voice of reason I heard at a young age. Through him, I took it upon myself to learn about Neil deGrasse Tyson and other people Bill Maher has included on his panel in his show.
Brian Warner, better known as Marilyn Manson, is the most cited individual when discussing what makes me, me. His philosophy, music, and art are a great deal responsible for who I am and the way I see the world. On a very intrapersonal level, Manson has done more for me and my personal development than anyone I can name. My past is filled with darkness, things I don’t wish to share on the internet at this time, and Manson helped me through it all.
I’ve done a lot of talking about myself in this piece. Contrary to human nature, I don’t like doing that. My group above is quite the band of misfits, but that only contributes further to their appeal. Regardless of who it is or their importance in the world, we all have people that make us feel like were not alone when we’re young.
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