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Opinion: Art Has a Moral Obligation To Create Edgelords

Tyler Durden. Donnie Darko. Light Yagami. Three totally different fictional dudes that have nothing in common, except for one thing: They’re three of the greatest characters in fiction. And they’re all literally me. Okay, maybe that’s two things. But so what? Sometimes my ideas are literally too complex to be just one idea. And that’s what I want to literally talk about today: Ideas.

You see lately, the Western mind has become coddled and overly sensitized by people who fear big ideas. And to these people, I just wanna say: Get over yourself! Art has a moral obligation to create edgelords!

People think too black and white these days. They’re literally too quick to think in sky-daddy terms like “good” and “evil.” Let me be clear: there are no real bad guys. There are just people who have been forced to live on the outside margins of “SOCIETY” because they see the darkness of the world for what it is and Big Nurse Milk Mommy doesn’t like it. Let me be clear: In this house, Rick from “Rick and Morty” is not the bad guy. Jigsaw is not the bad guy. Gru from “Despicable Me” is not the bad guy. Those are three brilliant dudes whose intelligence has put them outside of society. And they are all literally me.

And believe me, I have room to talk. I’m an artist too. I write: I write in my journal, on my vintage typewriter and on my own arm constantly. I have written several poems about pain in the dark recesses of my bedroom. Now some people will tell you that’s not a good thing to be doing, that art is about self-expression and joy. But they’re wrong. Art is not about little bunnies frolicking in the meadow. Art is literally about men who like women who like things that men like. Art is about wearing a Guy Fawkes mask all year round, not just on the Fifth of November. Art is about keeping a katana above your bed every night, so that when shit goes down, the blade may taste blood!

People say I shouldn’t be so dark and edgy because I literally grew up in the suburbs. But every awful thing you can think of can be found in suburbia or imported in three business days. Drugs, murders, orgies, hunchbacks. Hunchbacks for sex reasons! You don’t know.

So let me be clear: I’m not for everyone. I’m kindred to Ignatius J. Reilly, Daniel Plainview and several Ryan Gosling characters (BUT NOT KEN). I would rather have dinner with the Phoenix, Leto and Ledger Jokers than a supermodel. I’m going to write Travis Bickle’s name on the ballot in the next election. Because I’ll finally be old enough to vote. If that scares you, then back away little kid… I’m literally not for you. I listen to Nine Inch Nails, Radiohead and the Smiths. I make real art. And if you’re into that… you can subscribe to my substack. I’ll put a link in the comments. Enter, if you dare…