Why I Wrote The Heretic: The Interview

The thought occurred to me given my experience in journalism and public relations, I could interview myself. It's kind of like sending yourself a postcard. The present self writes to the future self. When the present self receives the postcard, it's a message from the past self. Aren't thoughts fun?

I've been asked what's the difference between journalism and PR and I answer "about three years."

So here goes, the interview between my Reporter/PR self and Writer self.

RP: Why did you write 'The Heretic?'

WR: I'd spent 40 years working on some stuff and decided to share it with other people.

RP: Why wait 40 years?

WR: I was going to keep it to myself. But I've realized most people don't have the time to study what I've dedicated most of my life to understanding. The struggle to provide for yourself and those you love and care about is all consuming. You don't have the energy after working hard all day and/or night to engage in reflective thought.

RP: How did you manage to find time?

WR: I never really worked that hard. Early on I was labeled a 'Daydreamer.' On rainy days as a kid I'd sit up in our tree house and read books and think.

RP: You have a reputation as a misogynist, why share anything?

WR: You mean misanthrope. I'm misanthropic, there's a difference.

RP: Right, sorry, I was just going to point out you didn't get married until you were 45.

WR: Doesn't make me a misogynist. I made a lot of mistakes in relationships, I was just fortunate not to marry any of them.

RP: OK. Given your misanthropic reputation, why bother to share this information?

WR: Love. Unconditional Love.

RP: What? Didn't you say that people who drive SUVs should ride horses to work? Or people with Hummers should ride donkeys? Or that people who use cell phones more than once a day are devolving? Or that people who tailgate are sociopaths who deserve to be flogged in public?

WR: Yes.

RP: Didn't you say that in 50 years colleges will be full of monkeys texting each other, hoping to recreate the works of Shakespeare? Don't you have a pathological hatred of rich people?

WR: Yes. I admit to a biblical, prophetic attitude toward elites. It goes beyond repulsion and hatred. It's in the very fabric of my soul.

RP: You are on record as hating Christmas. Is this a Scrooge thing? From Bah Humbug to Santa Claus?

WR: I still despise the materialism of the Christmas season. People can believe in Santa if they want, along with the tooth fairy, Easter bunnies, chocolate eggs and democracy.

RP: How did you get from misanthropy to unconditional love?

WR: Long story short, death, loss, grief and in the midst of the deepest and darkest period of my life, I met someone who changed me and transformed me.

RP: You fell in love? I thought you were too old and cynical for that sort of thing.

WR: I didn't see it coming. I didn't think I was capable of unconditional love. Not for one person, much less all of humanity. But most importantly, I stopped hating myself.

NEXT: How I wrote 'The Heretic' to be like a record album.