Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Surprise! That didn't quite work as expected, but it worked!

Happy accidents that work out are great fun. It reminds me of the phrase from the A-Team, "I love it when a plan comes together." In stories especially, accidents can make the plot twist and turn. However, they can also create the fabled "gift of the gods" effect where something comes out of nowhere and saves the day without any real reason other than the author wanted it that way. It feels rather cheap.
 
Apparently wine was an accidental result, as were many other inventions. I wouldn't be surprised at all if some of the best things in life are complete accidents. I can't even begin to count the number of times luck has been on my side and made all the difference. Sure, you can't count on luck, but it's a lot of fun when it goes your way.
 
It could be because unpredictability is hard to guess. We all enjoy trying to outsmart the story. Accidents make it more challenging. Maybe that's why stories like "Game of Thrones" draw such a huge audience? When even the top main characters aren't safe, then who knows what can happen? That's entertaining.
 
- M

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