Backstage for "A Visit to the Doctor" (Patreon)

Backstage for A Visit to the Doctor, #21 of the 52 Project.

When I was a kid, I read "Mr. Radagast Makes An Unexpected Journey", by Sharon Nastick. This was a middle school book that explained, in terms kids could understand, Bishop Berkeley's theory that reality is created by belief, and and speculated that you could make someone disappear by ceasing to believe in them.

The story was cute and appropriate for fourth graders, but I always thought the central idea was horrifying. Which didn't stop my brother and I from trying to manipulate reality by belief. Obviously, that never worked. What if it could?

I wrote this in my early 20's when it still seemed to me like controlling reality by belief might be possible. I am now very certain it's not, but it's still a horrifying idea.