At some point along the way, I stopped being a writer, and I became a black writer. I never used to be a black writer. I used to write 'Spider-Man,' 'Green Lantern,' whatever was lying around. 'Thor,' 'Hulk,' whatever. Now, if the phone rings or when the phone rings, it's almost exclusively some project that has something to do with my ethnicity.
Interpretation
The quote reflects on the transformation of identity and how societal labels can influence artistic expression.
Christopher Priest discusses the shift in his identity from simply being a writer to being categorized as a 'black writer', highlighting how societal expectations and racial identity can shape creative opportunities. This transformation illustrates the complexities of race in the artistic world, where minority voices can often be pigeonholed into specific genres or themes that may not encompass the full range of their talents and experiences.
In practice
In a discussion about diversity in literature, one could quote this to highlight the importance of representation.
I believe in the religion of reason -- the gospel of this world; in the development of the mind, in the accumulation of intellectual wealth, to the end that man may free himself from superstitious fear, to the end that he may take advantage of the forces of nature to feed and clothe the world.
If you seek authenticity for authenticity's sake you are no longer authentic.
I should very much like to remain in the darkness of not having been analyzed.
On the night that the Second World war was declared, there were crowds in the street. It was a summer's night and there was a blackout. On every side you heard people crying: 'Look at the moon!' The moon had been there every minute of their lives and they'd never seen it.
The world has not gone one step beyond idolatry yet.
All man are the same except for their belief in their own selves, regardless of what others may think of them
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