Why Should Writers Express Meaning Through Story? | Robert McKee Answers

Original Post Date: July 5, 2011 - Robert McKee teaches the function of a Controlling Idea, and the writer's task of communicating meaning through the climax of your story.

[@Melvin7727]

I think there's a contradiction between the idea that life is intrinsically meaningless yet there is still this habit of "creating" meaning and conveying it through story. There must be SOME kind of meaning that belies the motivation to discover meaning. Otherwise why would anyone do anything? Why make a story? Why discern a good story from a bad story? Why distinguish up from down? Modern people answer this by saying everything is relative. Okay, so it's relative. That doesn't change the fact that the meaning exists, it just exists in between perceptions rather than sourced from perceptions.

[@jameslabs1]

Very cool. Thanks

[@gshamshad855]

True enlightenment

[@jrnhokland532]

Robert McKee is my screenwriting master. I am deeply grateful for what he’s taught me, but his atheism has been meaningless. But in THIS interview he’s onto The Truth: «Here’s a meaning I think is intrinsic to life: Human beings suffer. Life suffers everywhere.» That’s Lord Buddha’s First Noble Truth. That’s meaning for you. «We would like for our fellow human beings to live life in peace, with little or no suffering.» Absolutely! NO suffering is possible! That’s Lord Buddha’s Third Noble Truth. «Everything you can do as a human being that somehow helps diminish the amount of suffering in the world is a good thing and a meaningful thing.» The VERY BEST thing to do? Lord Buddha’s Second and Fourth Noble Truths reveal the cause of suffering and the path to end that cause. So here’s what we must do. Use McKee’s craft to dramatize the arc of an atheist fanatic’s path to Nirvana, and you not only have a bestseller, - you have saved the world by arcing McKee! Long live McKee! Sadhu sadhu sadhu!

[@lvvry1855]

Hilarious the nihilistic view of the world and existence. Mathematicians have shown the impossibility of life and nature occurring by chance. Only a plan could have produced such effects. That's math! Have faith, Bobbie! :)

[@prezadent1]

Mathematicians have shown no such thing. And if they showed the exact opposite of what you say, you would find a way to shoehorn in god.

[@THORFXMX]

Correct mathematicians have calculated the probability of the Cambrian period where almost all life exploding at the same time nearly impossible.

[@BooksForever]

Those mathematicians were hacks if they encouraged you to draw that conclusion from any given set of probabilistic calculations.