This is a great topic that I would like to explore with you; and one maybe I should write about more within my own stack. I'm still trying to figure out how to fill my vault with thoughts that matter without giving away creation. You're definitely inspiring me.
But, to start an argument and be sincerely contrarian, I think Q is a terrible example. His very existence requires him to continually show up to correct his own previous appearances. While very likely Q was just a way for writers to "do whatever because we have nothing," future writers had to reconcile his decisions and his very existence. I'm sure plenty of fans would disagree with me, but I found Q a stain on the Star Trek universe. I just can't discuss him in this context because . . . Q is simply a lazy way around a McGuffin (god-like being poses divine questions and demands answers or else).
That out of the way, I think we should explore the most important question of your post: What is a god exactly? What is divinity? Is divinity attached to all gods? Who defines a god? Are gods static or dynamic; as in, do they exist despite culture or are they a product of culture? How do they draw power? Does the first law of thermodynamics apply?
A god that only exists for the sake of story is no more than deus ex machina. A divine product of culture becomes religion embedded deeply into the psyche of the folk.
I agree with you about Q. For all his capabilities, they are only applied in a very narrow way. Q is first a narrative device and his grounding in the universe is secondary.
I think all the questions you ask about defining the god-like or supernatural beings are important to contextualize their existence and how charcters interact with them.
Balancing the power, limitations, motivations, etc. of a supernatural being and creating a level of coherence around why it intervenes in situation A, and does nothing in situation B, is key to worldbuilding and maintaining the reader's engagement.
I agree there is much more to say on this subject. It would be cool to read a future post on your Substack where you go into more depth on the topic!
I'm currently working on a post on why the folk is so important to worldbuilding, and it will likely contain some of these details. Folk memory or folk consciousness is the soil in which all these seeds grow into branching concepts. One thing that tends to keep me anchored is tying everything to culture—at least everything orbiting the people. But I think it's an interesting thought exercise to ask the question of whether deities are a product of nature or a product of culture.
I happen to like the Greek pantheon. From the limited books I’ve read, they are just as petty as mortals, so they have reasons for their interference in the lives of mortals. To me, as long as there is logic behind what anyone in a story does, whether that person is a person, god, dragon, kraken, etc., then the story is more engaging.
This is a great topic that I would like to explore with you; and one maybe I should write about more within my own stack. I'm still trying to figure out how to fill my vault with thoughts that matter without giving away creation. You're definitely inspiring me.
But, to start an argument and be sincerely contrarian, I think Q is a terrible example. His very existence requires him to continually show up to correct his own previous appearances. While very likely Q was just a way for writers to "do whatever because we have nothing," future writers had to reconcile his decisions and his very existence. I'm sure plenty of fans would disagree with me, but I found Q a stain on the Star Trek universe. I just can't discuss him in this context because . . . Q is simply a lazy way around a McGuffin (god-like being poses divine questions and demands answers or else).
That out of the way, I think we should explore the most important question of your post: What is a god exactly? What is divinity? Is divinity attached to all gods? Who defines a god? Are gods static or dynamic; as in, do they exist despite culture or are they a product of culture? How do they draw power? Does the first law of thermodynamics apply?
A god that only exists for the sake of story is no more than deus ex machina. A divine product of culture becomes religion embedded deeply into the psyche of the folk.
Hi Justinian,
Glad the post is providing food for thought!
I agree with you about Q. For all his capabilities, they are only applied in a very narrow way. Q is first a narrative device and his grounding in the universe is secondary.
I think all the questions you ask about defining the god-like or supernatural beings are important to contextualize their existence and how charcters interact with them.
Balancing the power, limitations, motivations, etc. of a supernatural being and creating a level of coherence around why it intervenes in situation A, and does nothing in situation B, is key to worldbuilding and maintaining the reader's engagement.
I agree there is much more to say on this subject. It would be cool to read a future post on your Substack where you go into more depth on the topic!
I'm currently working on a post on why the folk is so important to worldbuilding, and it will likely contain some of these details. Folk memory or folk consciousness is the soil in which all these seeds grow into branching concepts. One thing that tends to keep me anchored is tying everything to culture—at least everything orbiting the people. But I think it's an interesting thought exercise to ask the question of whether deities are a product of nature or a product of culture.
I happen to like the Greek pantheon. From the limited books I’ve read, they are just as petty as mortals, so they have reasons for their interference in the lives of mortals. To me, as long as there is logic behind what anyone in a story does, whether that person is a person, god, dragon, kraken, etc., then the story is more engaging.
I agree, Sam. They are certainly petty and capricious. I like that Mount Olympus has its own checks and balances.
One god's action is often blunted or counterbalanced by the scheming or intervention of others.