Writers Life | Karma Chameleon

The unlikely inspiration for my blog this quarter is my teenage crush, Boy George.

I’m sure you’re baffled and wondering, dear writers, what on earth a left-of-centre singer of the 80’s has to do with Christian writing. Let me tell you.

What’s in a Title?

But first, allow me to fill you in on the meaning of the title, Karma Chameleon. According to George, and I’m paraphrasing here, he came up with the title to encourage his fans to be unique (don’t be a chameleon) or suffer the consequence (karma). During his Melbourne concert last Saturday, he reminisced about what it was like to be strange in those days, ‘back then (in the 80’s) I was the only weirdo in town. Now we’re everywhere’.

We’re Not Weird

This got me wondering about the ‘now we’re everywhere’ part. I pondered on modern society and decided that maybe we’re not as unique as we think. Maybe we’re just as chameleon as our big haired, tie dye mad, Faberge wearing former selves, but ‘weirdo’ just happens to be the chameleon of the moment. If we’re all ‘weirdos’ together, aren’t we essentially blending in, being chameleons? My point is that societal norms and the spirit of the times are influential. Whether we wear ‘red, gold and green’ or beige and mother of pearl, we are influenced by the times we live in and the people with whom we share our todays.

Are We Chameleons?

As writers, I think it is important to keep this in mind. To keep our words authentic and Christ centred, we must first filter out the chameleon in us and ensure our stories come from our souls and not from common belief. Like the ‘now we’re everywhere’ comment, we too can misconstrue mass societal change and call it individuality. We are all at risk of unconsciously following the herd which will no doubt influence our writing. Of course, every writer knows that our stories must be relatable. This is a given, and a must if we want our work to sell. The awareness of the chameleon influence, however, will give use a fighting chance to fight against the grain and share a pure voice and view which is always good for the world.

After listening to and loving the song Karma Chameleon for decades, its intention has finally become clear. It’s inspired me to check myself for chameleon thoughts and tendencies before I put pen to paper, so to speak. My real-life setting can affect my writing and I owe it to my readers to be aware of this, and share uncontaminated words and stories, starting with you.