This might just be me, but whenever I get tired my moral filter goes down the hole. No, I do not mean that the moments before I enter sleepdom that I rip open a cliffnotes book and find the cow's milk in Tess symbolizes abandonment. I am talking about a physical dreariness that allows humans to become more "real". Say for example, after a great night's rest, you come down stairs and your child is watching TV when they are suppossed to be doing homework. You are more likely to simply scold them, and just turn off the TV. However, reverse the setting to nightime, when you're exhausted from the day, you're more likely to curse at them and perhaps throw a chair (maybe they only do that on Jerry Springer). But, is the happy well rested side more real than the angry, annoyed, and tired side? Or vice versa?
Perhaps after supreme degradation from the day's work that you just turn off your moral filter. That, not to be offensive, you're more crude just because you don't really care. Isn't that the same thing as showing your "true colors?" I'm not exactly sure myself, but I've certaintly said regretful things when my moral filter has been shut down.
The end. Feel free to comment what your own personal belief is on the issue of a moral filter.
P.s. - I know from personal experience, although not truly a moral issue, my vocabulary goes from "splendiforous" to "great" to "awesome" to (positive sounding grunt) as the day goes on. Its interesting to watch the effect of dreariness on people.
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I have to agree. When I become more and more sleep deprived, I am more and more likely to let my “inside head” thoughts escape from my mental cage. For instance, I tend to curse more and make more sexual references. Two things, I am not well known for.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if this affects writers as well. Do you suppose, that the “awful” and “violent” moments in novels come from their worn-out, I need some R&R states. I think that might be highly plausible. Maybe when Tess is raped or the horse dies, Hardy was just having a bad day. If so, he must have had an awfully tiring month or so when he wrote about Tess and Angel being separated (i.e. when he left her and went for Brazil). Personally, I thought that would never end.
P.S. I’m amazed you even grunt at that stage. I just usually glare or nod my head.
I think that writers reflect their "inner" views in their works, not just in novels but also in a variety poems and plays. I agree with you about Thomas Hardy; he probably wrote "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" after negative experiences in his personal life or after a long day of observing Victorian women.
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