☆ Chat Time 4: Why Countryhumans and Countryballs Isn't Just "Fiction"?
(Warning: This post is not written for entertainment purposes or to attack anyone. It has been written solely to bring up a very serious issue within the fandom and to encourage reflection upon it.)
●The Weight of Real Flags●
I have no intention of attacking anyone or just trying to grab attention but I still want to ask you all this: When we use real flags for Countryhumans and Countryballs, how right is it to make those kinds of ship making and similar things? How comfortable do you feel about this?
Because I don't feel comfortable about it at all. And it’s not just about seeing it and feeling uncomfortable. I can’t even do it myself anymore when I’m imagining or creating my own alternative versions. I used to be able to do it back then but I can't anymore because I know this is not such a simple matter. I can never view those characters as ordinary characters or just regular people.
I admit that in the past, when I first started this blog, I used to be a bit harsher and more radical regarding the whole shipping issue. I was new around here too and back then, I did it simply because I deeply wanted to express my opinions that way. But nowadays, I can think more balanced. Yet, even when I think more balanced, there are some things that haven’t really changed.
In fact, the issue is not just about shipping. Some ships might not be a big deal but things like sexualization are a problem or it’s totally normal to see this being used as an insult or a propaganda tool. I believe these kinds of things can’t just be covered up by dark humor anyway. Not everything can be swept under the rug with dark humor. What I specifically mean by shipping here is my disgust towards things that lean into sexualization.
Whether we accept it or not, real flags are used in these fandoms. And each of those flags has its own special and important meanings. (I am not going to make a comparison between Countryhumans and Countryballs here because this issue is completely a common problem for both.) That's why this issues is so noticeable and has a negative impact more than other ordinary fandoms. You can adapt a completely fictional character to anything but you can't view the symbol of a real nation as just some random fiction material. This is not just something to have fun with on the internet and move on; it is also a permanent digital footprint we leave behind for the future. As time goes by and our understanding of history and the world develops, these posts that seem normal today might lead to great regret or very serious misunderstandings in the future. We must accept the real-world experiences and the weight behind these symbols.
Of course, whether you accept this or not is your choice. Whether you apply it or not is your choice. I cannot force anyone. But I will speak what is right.
