Introductions

Having spent the last two-and-a-half years at university, I’ve gotten pretty good at writing introductions. You outline your answer to the question, set out the steps you will take in getting there, and reduce the argument to a nice abstract summary. To quote one of my lecturers: “It’s not a whodunnit. Don’t keep us in suspense.”

So. I am James, I’m a politics student at the University of Exeter. I’m in my third year and hoping to stay and complete a masters in Political Thought. Political theory is my thing and I’m aspiring for a career in researching and teaching it. Sometimes — very rarely these days — I write fiction, too. Mostly sci-fi, horror, or weird. Every other blog I’ve tried to keep I gave up on, so I hope this will be the exception.

I’m also autistic, which I think gives me a unique perspective on things. When you realise you’re unable to discriminate exactly who is saying what sometimes, or recognise that someone can say one thing and mean another, it becomes clear that the tiny intricacies of our nature govern our lives in unseen ways. Our interactions with the world are strange, fractal and kaleidoscopic moments of connection that are fully formed yet incomplete; things go on, but not in a wholly causal way. It’s more like a game of Chinese whispers, or snowflakes melting into each other, the edges of meaning blending together. The line between how a thing is said and how it feels is blurry. Or that’s one idea, anyway.

I’m hoping this blog will basically be a personal exercise in making me do stuff. Actually creating something and exercising a moment of control is really important and therapeutic for me, and I’m hoping this will be an extension of that. Expect personal experiences, politics and philosophy ideas, book reviews, maybe the odd bit of travel writing, and even some fiction if you’re lucky.

I’ve picked the title ‘Time Can Be Rewritten’ because it’s a reference to my favourite show — Doctor Who — and a nice little totem of my personal beliefs. That’s to say, the world and it’s conditions aren’t fixed. Rather, with some hard work and imagination we can change it, and find a better story to tell ourselves.

That’s the introduction done. Enjoy your stay.