Less the Children Be Forgotten

Summary

The web content describes the emotional journey of a young artist and his mentor, paralleling the experiences of writers within the Illumination publication, highlighting the impact of leadership, the value of human connection, and the disappointment of being overlooked by automated processes.

Abstract

The narrative begins with a young boy, a talented painter, who is diligent and self-motivated in his artistic pursuits. His sole source of feedback is a caretaker, also a painter, who is often too preoccupied to engage with the boy's work. When the boy finally musters the courage to present his completed painting to the caretaker, he is met with dismissal and his work is destroyed. This act of disregard mirrors the sentiment felt by the writers of the Illumination publication towards the treatment of their leader, Dr. Mehmet Yildiz, whose reputation was unjustly tarnished. The writers emphasize Dr. Yildiz's role in inspiring them to excel and the collaborative environment he fostered, leading to high-quality content on the platform. They question the rationale behind discouraging such a nurturing atmosphere and the shutdown of Illumination without warning or human intervention. The text underscores the importance of human interaction and intervention in the creative process and the success of the publication, contrasting it with the impersonal nature of automated systems that fail to recognize the value of their work.

Opinions

The author conveys a deep sense of injustice and disappointment in the way Dr. Mehmet Yildiz was treated and how the Illumination publication was handled by the platform.
There is a strong belief in the value of mentorship and leadership, as exemplified by Dr. Yildiz, who encouraged writers to push beyond their limits.
The writers feel that the human element, including intervention and connection, is crucial to the creative process and the success of their publication, and should not be overshadowed by automated processes.
The text expresses a sense of community and mutual support among the writers of Illumination, emphasizing daily communication and encouragement as key factors in their resilience.
The author is troubled by the ease with which the platform can dismantle the efforts of hundreds of contributors without proper communication or consideration, likening it to being left in darkness.
The writers take pride in their association with Illumination and the collective talent it represents, seeing it as a beacon of human connection in a increasingly automated world.

In a Time of Darkness

The little boy worked diligently on his painting, displaying a skill that was beyond his years. He studied, asked questions, and practiced his art daily. For weeks, the little boy worked on his project with his only reward being self-satisfaction. There was no one to give him feedback on his progress, save for maybe the caretaker.

The caretaker was also a painter of many years, but usually too busy to bother with the boy. Unless it was to discipline him, then his attention was swift.

The boy approached the caretaker tentatively, but proud of the finished painting in his hands.

“Caretaker, can I show you what I have created?”

“Not now,” scolded the caretaker. “I’m busy.”

“It will just take a moment,” the boy pleaded.

“Didn’t you hear me boy? I said I was busy!”

“I just want to show you . . .”

The caretaker stood up quickly from his work and snatched the painting from the boy. He took one glance at it, crumpled it in his hands and threw it to the floor. Without another word, he turned coldly back to his work.

The boy looked down at his destroyed work of art and lowered his shoulders slowly. He dropped his chin to his chest and walked away, in heartbroken silence.

Yes. This is how I felt. This is how many of us felt. Our work of art that was Illumination callously destroyed, and our leader Dr. Mehmet Yildiz kicked to the edges of despair.

The mistreatment of Dr. Yildiz and the damage caused to his reputation was unwarranted. He had been, from my very first encounter with him, to this day, nothing but the consummate professional. He had inspired all of us to stretch outside of our comfort zones to become as great as he believed we could be. Many of us took up his challenge, and continue to do so, making us stronger writers and providing greater amounts of high-quality content for the readers on the platform.

Why would creating an environment like this ever be discouraged? Why should Illumination’s potential ever be shuttered?

The unfairness of it all, that our human work was taken down by some automated, unfeeling process. No warnings, no responses to our pleas. We sought human intervention. We sought human connection. Does that still exist here?

It does inside the Illumination publication. Human intervention is what lead me here. Human connection is what motivates me to keep going. Human intervention is the lesson I apply to take action for building visibility. And human connection is what it takes for all of us to be successful — not just one of us, not just one publication, not just one platform.

ALL OF US!

There have never been any attempts to spam me. This is daily communication from people who actually take the time to talk to me, to get to know me, work with me, and teach me. The encouraging daily messages are greatly appreciated. They help me stay connected with our writers, old and new. They help me connect with their work that I might not see, if left solely to the larger platform process. I am honored having my name posted alongside a group of amazingly talented writers. And I am happy to be listed as someone other writers can reach out to for questions, or concerns, or just simply to connect. As humans do.

I was deeply troubled by the turn of events, that a publication and a profile with hours and hours of effort put into them, by hundreds of writers and dreamers, could simply be turned off with a few keystrokes, or perhaps even without the aid of a human hand at all. And to be left in the dark, the absence of illumination, was the most unjust punishment of them all.