GOLD
Closet Alchemist
In regards to my concerns for money I recently vocalized the fantasy of turning lead into gold. I was told to write it all down. I do not know if this was meant to exorcise my issues or what. Here it is.
I do not know why this escapism is better than simply finding treasure, winning the lottery or the most fantastic of all, inheriting some money. Perhaps it is the nature of escapist fantasy that it is more involved or it simply takes longer to ponder as a way to savor the vacation from your own life. For some reason the idea of making gold is rational enough that I feel that the idea of an element close to gold’s density is necessary, something heavy. My fiction couldn’t allow for the creation of matter only the reconfiguration. Otherwise it would all be silly or unlikely. I suppose the best escapes are the ones threaded with the most reality.
Due to the mental damage I’ve done to myself reading thousands of comic books, tens of thousands really, my transmutation daydreams seem to involve super heroes. I can’t say what usually is involved in such flights of fancy; magic spells, super science or aliens but for me it is superheroes. I recall that early ideas incorporated the use of super powers belonging to Firestorm: the Nuclear Man. He had many abilities one of which was to reconfigure matter with the energy blasts that shot from his hands. Also his head was on fire.
Strangely these musing involved a certain amount of restraint as to how much gold could be made. It seems to be both an issue of upsetting the market and raising suspicion as to the origins of the gold. This also brought into question what could be transmuted. That is to say what is a likely shape for gold? Would rocks be more likely than a statue, what is the least curious form to find gold in? Why were these details more important than what I would do with the money?
The latest bout of gold fever is somewhat different than past ones. Firstly it involves the questions of “whom do I sell gold to?” I could find out but otherwise I have no idea of how to go about the exchange of metal for tender. It also focuses on the practicality in using lead, which has me asking how many lead mallets would be a good amount to transmute? That is to say what is exactly the right amount of mallet heads. For some reason I associate lead mainly with the mallets, almost exclusively.
The other odd thing is that there was a shift on personal control. Previously I would have Firestorm’s, Element Lad’s or whomever’s powers and do the transforming myself. This last set seemed to involve a second party, specifically the Silver Surfer. He would in fact do the deed for me. Now this is where it gets weird.
Why the Silver Surfer or why not be the Silver Surfer myself? Part of this storyline involved a reluctance of SS to create the gold. His argument being that not only is gold of false value but money in itself will not give happiness. I would then argue that it would give me the luxury of choice and freedom (arguably illusions themselves). Still he would be unwilling. I would then offer a wager. He, the Silver Surfer, would transmute lead for me and go on his way (SS is not from earth and perhaps important to the whole yarn is that he spends his time off world, traveling the space ways) and return a year or so later. If in that time I did not better myself or do something with my life he was free to take away those things that I accumulated in that time, effectively taking the gold back. I felt confident that I would of course rise to the occasion and be the person I could be with the chance I had.
So these are my gold fantasies. At least on paper I recognize the cautionary tales of money and happiness. Perhaps though I really need to focus on the advice of the Silver Surfer. What do I need to be happy, what does it mean to do something with your life? Why is this my fantasy?
In regards to my concerns for money I recently vocalized the fantasy of turning lead into gold. I was told to write it all down. I do not know if this was meant to exorcise my issues or what. Here it is.
I do not know why this escapism is better than simply finding treasure, winning the lottery or the most fantastic of all, inheriting some money. Perhaps it is the nature of escapist fantasy that it is more involved or it simply takes longer to ponder as a way to savor the vacation from your own life. For some reason the idea of making gold is rational enough that I feel that the idea of an element close to gold’s density is necessary, something heavy. My fiction couldn’t allow for the creation of matter only the reconfiguration. Otherwise it would all be silly or unlikely. I suppose the best escapes are the ones threaded with the most reality.
Due to the mental damage I’ve done to myself reading thousands of comic books, tens of thousands really, my transmutation daydreams seem to involve super heroes. I can’t say what usually is involved in such flights of fancy; magic spells, super science or aliens but for me it is superheroes. I recall that early ideas incorporated the use of super powers belonging to Firestorm: the Nuclear Man. He had many abilities one of which was to reconfigure matter with the energy blasts that shot from his hands. Also his head was on fire.
Strangely these musing involved a certain amount of restraint as to how much gold could be made. It seems to be both an issue of upsetting the market and raising suspicion as to the origins of the gold. This also brought into question what could be transmuted. That is to say what is a likely shape for gold? Would rocks be more likely than a statue, what is the least curious form to find gold in? Why were these details more important than what I would do with the money?
The latest bout of gold fever is somewhat different than past ones. Firstly it involves the questions of “whom do I sell gold to?” I could find out but otherwise I have no idea of how to go about the exchange of metal for tender. It also focuses on the practicality in using lead, which has me asking how many lead mallets would be a good amount to transmute? That is to say what is exactly the right amount of mallet heads. For some reason I associate lead mainly with the mallets, almost exclusively.
The other odd thing is that there was a shift on personal control. Previously I would have Firestorm’s, Element Lad’s or whomever’s powers and do the transforming myself. This last set seemed to involve a second party, specifically the Silver Surfer. He would in fact do the deed for me. Now this is where it gets weird.
Why the Silver Surfer or why not be the Silver Surfer myself? Part of this storyline involved a reluctance of SS to create the gold. His argument being that not only is gold of false value but money in itself will not give happiness. I would then argue that it would give me the luxury of choice and freedom (arguably illusions themselves). Still he would be unwilling. I would then offer a wager. He, the Silver Surfer, would transmute lead for me and go on his way (SS is not from earth and perhaps important to the whole yarn is that he spends his time off world, traveling the space ways) and return a year or so later. If in that time I did not better myself or do something with my life he was free to take away those things that I accumulated in that time, effectively taking the gold back. I felt confident that I would of course rise to the occasion and be the person I could be with the chance I had.
So these are my gold fantasies. At least on paper I recognize the cautionary tales of money and happiness. Perhaps though I really need to focus on the advice of the Silver Surfer. What do I need to be happy, what does it mean to do something with your life? Why is this my fantasy?
posted by reino @ 11:52 AM
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