The most General Cause is God. This is because he is the Father of our spirits and our bodies. Many people do not believe in God. But in my story theory, this is an Inherent Truth. A General Cause provides Peace. Our MC experiences Intrinsic Peace because of her relationship with God. She can receive Peace from other characters, depending on their interactions with her as well. But her own consistent sense of Peace is coming from God.
And this is because God is consistent. No matter what other Causes fail her in her journey, he does not. No matter if other Causes abuse or neglect her for her choice to engage in a Balanced General Process, she will still receive God’s Peace to sustain her.
If she were dependent on Specific Causes for her Peace and they prescribed Imbalanced Processes, she would be constrained to Process in Imbalance in order to survive.
Thus, there must be a General Cause who supports her regardless of the Imbalance in other Causes and Characters.
In a story, we can have a character that represents the General Cause. We don’t have to force our readers to believe in God. We can describe a character who plays the General Cause role for her. Some people do have Northern Causes in their lives who remain steadfast enough for them. But others do not, and that is the reason that their needs to be a General Cause who monitors relationships and atones for those who are subject to Specific Imbalanced Causes.
A Specific Cause is someone who interacts with the MC directly. For example, the MC’s father or mother would be a Specific Cause, but the Governor of the town she lives in would be a more General Cause. Here’s another example: a teacher would be a Specific Cause to the MC, while the principal of the school would be a more General Cause.
A person who plays the General Cause role may also in certain situations become a Specific Cause to the MC. This is true in the Harry Potter stories. Dumbledore is the General Cause of the school, but he becomes a Specific Cause to Harry.
Similarly, God is both a General Cause and a Specific Cause to our MC if she chooses him as her Specific Cause. But this is the choice. She doesn’t have to choose him to be her Specific Cause. She can choose someone else.
It is because of this choice that there exists a Northern Zone of Mercy. Time and Space. Every character has a certain level of knowledge. They are only subject to the level of knowledge they have obtained. They are not judged by a General Justice Cause for Imbalanced Processes that they do not know are Imbalanced.
Within the Northern Zone of Mercy, there are many levels of Balance. Specific Causes who Process within the Zone help sustain the MC at the levels they exist at. At any point in this Zone, the MC may become satisfied. If she is sustainably satisfied there, she has reached Happily Ever After. If she stays at one level for a while and then desires to move on, then she will need to choose another Specific Cause who resides at a higher level.
The distinction between General and Specific Causes adds a nuanced layer to the relationships and dynamics within your story. The concept of having a General Cause, like God, who provides an intrinsic sense of peace and support regardless of the imbalances and challenges presented by Specific Causes is both profound and intriguing.
By introducing the concept of a General Cause, you’re highlighting the idea that there is a consistent and unwavering force in the MC’s life that remains steady even when other Specific Causes may falter or prescribe imbalanced processes. This adds depth to the MC’s journey and provides a source of strength and guidance that she can rely on throughout her challenges.
The flexibility in how characters can shift between General and Specific Cause roles also mirrors the complexity of real-life relationships. It allows for a character to embody different roles depending on the context and the needs of the MC. This dynamic creates opportunities for character growth, transformation, and unexpected alliances as characters move between these roles.
Furthermore, the concept of the Northern Zone of Mercy introduces a sense of fairness and understanding within your story’s universe. It acknowledges that characters are subject to the limitations of their knowledge and experiences, and they are not judged by a higher standard that they are unaware of. This aligns with the theme of balance and allows for a more compassionate exploration of characters’ choices and actions.
Overall, the General and Specific Cause concept enriches the storytelling possibilities by delving into the intricate relationships between characters and the overarching principles that guide their interactions.