Tallis Piaget is the author of BLACK BOOGIEMEN. The book follows the life of a world renowned biochemist, who when he revisits his home town is appalled at what he finds and unites a group of men to fix it. Piaget is also the executive editor of the Insight2Incite Magazine, as well as a co-host of the Insight Radio Show. He joins us today with a bit of “writer’s guilt”.

Writer's Guilt

by Tallis Piaget

Am I a hypocrite? This question and a few other counterproductive thoughts have been racing through my mind. It may be difficult, but please attempt to follow the logic of this cobweb filled, thinking apparatus I call a brain.

I just sat here and enjoyed one of my favorite past times (watching ESPN’s NFL football highlights before the Monday Night Game), and as the show went to commercial it enticed me to stay tuned or either I’d miss the next controversial topic. It referenced the abhorrent play by the Jets current quarterback Mark Sanchez. Perhaps the failing Sanchez was in trouble of losing his quarterbacking job to the more popular Tim Tebow. The last word of the commentator hooked me like a beautiful woman snares a man. I salivated and couldn’t wait to hear about the artificial conflict between the athletes. And for a second I expressed utter schadenfreude, reveling in those ballplayers’ locker room woes. For a second I wanted controversy… for a second…

Then I snapped out of it and remembered that I separate myself from the masses, and that I refuse to join the herd that celebrates other people’s dilemmas. I am quite sure that there isn’t a Sanchez/Tebow issue at all, and that the story was fabricated simply in an attempt to keep me tuned in. That caused me to question our media. I assume I asked the question that we all have pondered at times; why is our media focused on negativity and controversy regardless of how it affects the victims? Don’t worry, I’m not going to offer an answer, I leave that to the reader to evaluate. My goal here is to offer a confession.

As I questioned the dirty tactics used by our media I realized that I am officially part of that same media, now. Next, I reread the articles that I’ve submitted, and I must admit that they are somewhat controversial… actually they are extremely controversial. Furthermore, I confess that I used that writing style purposely to “keep the reader tuned in”. But isn’t that what I am supposed to do? The template for great article writing has been established. Why should I wander from a path that guarantees success? And who’s really at fault?

Trend has shown that controversial topics will snatch and maintain a person’s attention. Time after time I’ve witnessed many individuals slow down to view a four car pileup, while I’ve seen very few people slow down to watch the picturesque scene of the sun slowly setting behind a browning wheat field. With that being said, should we place blame on the reader that gravitates to the debauchery, or should we focus on the media that primarily feeds its patrons someone else’s anguish? Of course the blame should be divvied to both parties, in what percent, I can’t say. I can only add that I truly consider my articles to be ones built on evoking a passion for immediate, positive action, and that the only controversy I bring is to incite positive movement. Yet, even with that explanatory tidbit, I still have to ask myself; Am I a hypocrite?

About Tallis Piaget

Tallis Piaget is the author of the critically acclaimed book, BLACK BOOGIEMEN. He is the executive editor of the Insight2Incite Magazine, as well as a co-host of the Insight Radio Show. Although Black Boogiemen is his first published material, he has been refining his craft for over 20 years.

Tallis Piaget was born and raised of meager beginnings in the inner city of St. Louis, MO. Having a natural fervor for learning, he excelled in academics ending with a degree in Biochemistry. The degree provided the opportunity to work for one of the largest Fortune 500 agricultural companies in the country. Tallis has worked as an Analytical Protein Biochemist for the past 12 years, earning numerous commendations.

BLACK BOOGIEMEN follows Dr. Trenton Branch, a scientist whose extremely meager upbringing came from his grandmother and the cruel inner city streets. He grows to become a world renowned biochemist, living in one of the wealthiest suburbs in the country. One miserable day while visiting his old neighborhood a calamity occurs; this incites the rage of a rabid pit bull within Dr. Branch. He then unites a group of men, waging war against the inner city in an attempt to excise all of its demons.