Summary

The article reflects on the value of Medium as a writing platform, using a Christmas Eve narrative featuring a fictional character named Ke-ku-ro to express gratitude for the diverse community of writers and the opportunities for connection it provides.

Abstract

On Christmas Eve, the author recounts a conversation with an imaginary figure named Ke-ku-ro, who is humorously described as both a nuisance and a beloved companion. They discuss the impact of Medium, despite its imperfections, acknowledging the platform's role in fostering a global community of writers. The narrative draws a parallel between historical acts of peace, like the 1914 Christmas truce during World War I, and the camaraderie found on Medium, suggesting that without the platform, the world would be without a significant source of connection and creativity. The author extends festive greetings to fellow writers and expresses appreciation for the existence of Medium, likening it to the fictional town of Bedford Falls from the classic film "It's a Wonderful Life," implying that Medium's presence enriches the lives of its users.

Opinions

The author expresses a fondness for Medium, despite acknowledging its flaws and the mixed sentiments of its user base.
Ke-ku-ro's character is used to voice both criticism and endearment towards the Medium community, highlighting the diversity of writers and their content.
The article suggests that Medium plays a pivotal role in bringing together individuals from different backgrounds who might otherwise never interact.
There is a clear appreciation for the stories and experiences shared on Medium, with the platform being compared to significant historical events of unity and peace.
The author implies that Medium has a profound impact on its users' lives, similar to the uplifting message in Frank Capra's film "It's a Wonderful Life."
The narrative emphasizes the importance of taking a moment, particularly during the holiday season, to appreciate the positive aspects of the Medium community and the platform itself.

It is a Wonderful Life. Thank you, Medium.

We all have opinions and express them incessantly, mainly how Medium sucks. On one December evening, we can reveal the truth.

Ke-ku-ro is perched on the edge of my writing desk, swinging his legs contentedly. He is wearing one of those fake polyester-fur Christmas caps that people put on their Labradors before facebooking them. I’ve told him it’s undignified, but he retorted that so is life in general, and we left it at that. It’s Christmas Eve, and Ke-ku-ro claims he is helping me write this in a genuine tone. What he is truly doing is sipping from his mug of hot tea with ouzo and being a sarcastic nuisance. I love the wee bastard.

“We have to get a Publication to publish this tonight,” he says.

“Don’t be daft”, I reply. “The editors deserve some downtime, tonight of all nights.” “No, no,” he insists with his usual vigour.

“We’ll post to Illumination and tell them it’s a public service message regarding the Ten per cent affair!” “Steady there,” I warn. “We’ll embellish that Governing Board escapade of yours in another story, soon enough. Tonight we’ll be just delivering festive wishes to all of our friends on Medium.”

Ke-ku-ro huffs and puffs, and spits droplets of tea into my right ear. “Mediumers? You bunch of self-loving scripters and keyboard-bangers, life-experience peddlers, soul-searching wretches, sultans of swinging content, agony authors, click-baiters unabated, arrogant verse wizards, garrulous gurus and trolls, navel self-gazers, money-making idea snatchers, snake-oil carpet baggers …”

“Shut up,” I tell him.

“It’s Christmas eve, and we’re dropping a note to everybody.”

“So, play me a memory, offer a writing prompt.”

“Righty,” he sighs.

“Christmas morning 1914, German and British soldiers exchange gifts and play soccer in No Man’s Land.”

“For which side were you playing, Ke-ku-ro?” I ask him. He just smiles sadly, bobbing on the desk’s edge.

From a Truce in No Man’s Land, to one in the Sky

So here goes.

Springing from Ke-ku-ro’s suggestion of a truce, this is a message of goodwill to friends and foes alike, and to all the souls in between.

A communiqué that includes even the mean people on Medium, the spiritual descendants of the merciless Focke-Wulf 190s from the other Great War. On all other days, our Liberator’s bomb hatches would be open, six kilometres above snow-blanketed Bavaria, cold shrieking through the holes in the cockpit, the Browning AN/M2 .50-cals cocked for the one-nineties, the nerves steeled to offer no quarter.

But not tonight. There shall be nary a hint of dark sarcasm as we, fiction writers, peer through the scratched perspex bay windows at the breaking mists around us.

Thank you, Medium, for existing, with your warts and all! Thank you for providing a writing community where people from all corners of the world may meet who would otherwise never know of each other, let alone converse.

In the parallel universes that you, Medium, had not been born, there was no rejoicing in the thick of the front lines on Christmas 1914, Frank Capra died of pneumonia as a child in Bisacquino in January 1900, Jimmy Stewart was killed by flak in his B-24 above Fürth in February 1944 — and *Bedford Falls is a dark and forlorn town. Thus, I wish a Merry Christmas to all that the occasion means something, and a heartfelt 25th of December to the rest!

And among others, roaring high above the clouds, it is delightful knowing kind May More, Marcus aka Greg, Dr Mehmet Yildiz, J.S. Adam, Argumentative Penguin, The Garrulous Glaswegian, Matt Hampton and Holly J. See.

Photo by Library of Congress on Unsplash

*Bedford Falls is a fictional town in Frank Capra’s 1946 Christmas fantasy movie It’s a Wonderful Life where Jimmy Stewart’s character experiences a revelation. My other hallucinations