(no subject)

[feotakahari]

Some heroes in fiction aren’t strong, but accomplish great things because they have the will to resist oppression. People who aren’t strong can see themselves in those heroes.

Some heroes aren’t smart, but accomplish great things through will, and people who aren’t smart relate to them.

Who do you relate to if you lack will?

Comments

[palominocorn]

I'm not sure if this is rhetorical or not, so apologies if I answered a question you're no actually looking for an answer to.

I have a few thoughts on this:

1. Most people, IME, think they have more will than they really do. Thus people think they're Granny Weatherwax but actually they're her sister Lilith and would lose themselves in a hall of mirrors.

2. A lot of people with low will have explanations (often legitimate ones, like mental illness or stress) for why their willpower is so low. "I have willpower but I'm dealing with a lot and I just don't have the energy to deal with this" (maybe not in so many words).

3. Occasionally you'll find someone who's been so ground down by life (or maybe just a few abusive people) who admits they're weak-willed and probably also a whole host of other negative qualities (which might not necessarily be true). They might relate to no characters at all, or to villains, or to "problematic" heroes.

4. Personally, I don't think I've ever related to a character on the basis of willpower. I relate to nerdiness, modes of speech/behavior, tragic life histories, goals for the future... a lot of things, but not really will.