Walter The Warmonger
‘A seasonal story about a man whose grasping, endless pursuit of everything might leave him, and the rest of the world, with nothing’- Luke Clancy, Culture File, RTE Lyric FM
Walter The Warmonger is a short story written and performed by Lisa Fingleton in response to the wars around the world. The story was recorded by Culture File, RTE Lyric FM and is available now on the RTE Culture File Podcast
It is also available on Soundcloud
How did the story come about?
Lisa is horrified by the wars around the world and the profiteering from war through arms sales. She cannot understand warmongers who inflict such relentless violence and aggression on innocent victims with no apparent remorse or hesitation.
She finds herself asking questions.
Is there any way to reach warmongers and those entrenched in battle, to change the trajectory from war to peace?
Is radical transformation to a more peaceful existence on earth really possible for people?
What could she do as an artist and writer to help?
This character Walter came to her and she was not impressed. He is a mean and miserable man intent of profiteering from war. But worse, he is infiltrating minds and hearts around the world brainwashing people into believing that war is somehow ‘normal’. He is ensuring that children from a young age are playing war games which become more and more violent as they age.
She asks if it is possible to overcome the Walter within us all to create a peaceful world?
How do we demilitarise ourselves?
How do we keep our hearts and arms open to those fleeing war and seeking refuge?
After writing the story Lisa looked up the meanings of Walter and warmonger:
Walter
It derives from the Old High German Walthari, which is composed of the root words walt—”power”—and hari—”warrior.” Together, these create Walter’s meaning, “commander of the army.”
Warmonger
A person who encourages or advocates aggression towards other countries or groups
Speaking Peace While Selling Arms, Lisa Fingleton, 2023