Writers have always served as a wellspring of inspiration for the world. That is precisely why we must seek to be better at our craft.

The past few decades have witnessed a devastating decline in literacy, decency, accuracy, and proficiency when it comes to the written word.

When a world leader is so inarticulate that listening to him speak is likened to, “watching a drunk man attempt to cross an icy street” the standard of what is expected in the realm of communication is clearly lowered.

Yet after replacing such a conspicuous example with an articulate, educated, thoughtful leader the standard for professional journalism has barely seemed to change. Why?

Because writers often fail to recognize that influence is an enormous power and it is that power which writers can skillfully wield. When writers conform or adapt to the status quo of any age they forfeit this singular power and severely diminish or lose whatever influence they could have exerted in their generation.

Influence is a far greater power than any form of authority. Historically  speaking, empires come and go but the inspiring written word endures for ages - outliving and often proving to be an integral factor in the rise and fall of the empires that sought to rule forever.

Think on that for a moment please.

As a writer you possess the power to influence. A power which is greater than the mere ability to command.

Governments and other forms of authority may be able to command outward obedience or allegiance but writers can capture and move the human heart.

The pen truly is mightier than the sword in the long run.

Writers move people to think, to feel, to believe, to hope, to brilliance, and to action. People change their minds, their beliefs, and their lifestyles based upon some written word that has inspired them. And the change that one person experiences is often passed on to another and to another and to another because of that same written word.

A writer’s reach extends far beyond the writer’s geographical locale. The reach may surpass anything the writer ever intended or dreamed possible in their life -  especially in this age of the world wide web.

With all of this power to inspire, to move, to motivate, and to influence shouldn’t we aim higher than we have been?

If we aim at the moon we may hit the lamppost. If we aim at nothing worthwhile we will surely hit it.

It’s easy to settle for sensationalism, yellow journalism, and hype. It’s what we we have been raised on and inundated with for years. But just for a moment consider this: Should writers and editors seek to conform to the standard and pitiful status quo of our literary times or should we seek to aim higher, to improve upon what has been left to us, and to leave an even better form and future to those who will follow?

We don’t need to be preachy but we should be passionate. The desire to impress may be better replaced with the desire to leave lasting - even lifelong - impressions.

Not everyone is gifted to compellingly comment on current events, nor to write spellbinding fiction, nor to delightfully entertain others with satire. But no matter what our chosen form we can all seek to inspire. We can all strive to improve our craft. We can all conspire to be better at what we do. Whether we inform or entertain we can seek to allow those who read us to soar.

When I was young I was introduced to Socrates, Aristotle, Plato, Homer, and other masters of words. Deep inside I always wondered where were their contemporaries in our time? It may be arrogance to believe that any of us could stand among such giants of history but isn’t that far preferable to dwelling comfortably with the unethical, ill-mannered, moral midgets of our day?

I deeply admire so many of the writers in this forum. I believe you possess incredible gifts. You inspire me to write better and to be a better person.

But I believe we all can still improve. We can write better. We can edit better. We can choose better topics and communicate our responses to those topics in a more thoughtful and insightful way.

This forum must take care not to become an inbred, self-aggrandizing, commentary on itself and its writers. It can and should be so very, very, much more. OS offers a wonderful opportunity for thought and feeling and motivation and instruction and education and laughter to find wings and take flight.

To those of you who have inspired me to be my best I offer my humble heartfelt thanks. Open Salon can be a place where we all strive to better the world of writing - whether it be fanciful or factual in its focus. This is something I believe we can do. This is something I believe we must do or we’ll risk losing our precious opportunity to influence our world for the better.