18 Jan 2010

Only for Readers with Brains

What is the use of telling you a story? You are part of a group of people who want only entertainment; choose to read silly and semi-porno stories in cheap magazines which do not hope to gain participation from readers who are capable of using their brains.
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That’s Uthaya Sankar SB giving an introduction to a story.
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Outrageous, bold, blunt and confident, with a tinge of sarcasm and arrogance. That is Uthaya, a writer who does not fail to capture the attention of his audience with his outspokenness and, not to forget, provocative introductions.
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Strong in his conviction to write for readers who have brains, Uthaya pointed out in a paper [title: Genius dan Maru Malarchi] he presented at the Malaysian National Literary Seminar held in Universiti Sains Malaysia from November 7 to 8 that there is a greater demand for stupid writing than there is supply.
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“If I write stupid literature, my works will definitely appeal to more readers,” he said, adding that he anyway prefers to write for the small thinking community rather than a mass of readers with low mentality.
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“I dislike reading and writing works which try to teach the readers as if they are people who cannot think for themselves. I don’t want to insult the readers’ intelligence.”
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His statement in the May 1997 issue of Dewan Sastera created a heated debate, especially the part that said:
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I am confident that only people who know how to use their brains will read my works. So, I respect their mind and intellectuality. Maybe it is true that not many people like my works. But I only need (at least) 10 readers with brains to make me continue writing! It is not difficult to find 10 people with brains, right? [Read complete statement]
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He also holds proudly to the principle that his stories do not have endings, or solutions to questions.
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“Writers are people who raise questions for readers to ponder,” he added.
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(Cheah Phaik Kin, “Only for Readers with Brains,” New Straits Times, 2 December 1998; this statement also used as blurb for Sasterawan Pulau Cinta, USSB: 2001)

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Sila gunakan Bahasa Malaysia atau Bahasa Inggeris yang betul apabila mengemukakan komen. Hanya komen yang menggunakan bahasa yang betul dari segi ejaan, tanda baca dan struktur ayat akan dilayan. Pencemaran bahasa diharamkan!