To Begin... Separating Art from the Artist
I'm really new to Tumblr, so I'm setting up an FAQ sort of thing that won't be on here for a couple of days. Besides that though, let's get started.
Is it possible to "separate the art from the artist"? ---
TW! TALKS ABOUT MATURE THEMES SUCH AS SA AND OTHER TRIGGERING SUBJECTS!!!
--- I know that a lot of people think it is possible. I also understand that some people believe it isn't. In my *humble* opinion, it depends on the book. (I will not specifically name books or authors, but I will definitely hint at them ᕙ(▀̿ĺ̯▀̿ ̿)ᕗ)
So, for example, I recently read this YA series (which is definitely not appropriate for the 12-17 portion [the approximate 94%] of the target audience) and let's just say it had a LOT of problematic things in it. Like, a lot.
On popular social media apps like TikTok and Instagram, people openly support this author.
I ask myself, "Why do they overlook everything bad about this series?" and "Why do they just accept this author and the sort of societal ideals that this author places at the highest regards?"
Long story short, it's normally because of one thing:
They like the content of these books. And that's the reason they like abusive characters. That's the reason they like killing off BIPOC and LGBTQ representation in literature, the reason they excuse the lack of healthy relationships, the reason that authors only write female characters with tiny waists or hourglass curves or a "taught stomach".
When we like something, we tend to get an urge to defend it.
At the end of the day, though, we all need to learn that we have to be better. It doesn't matter if we feel so passionately about something that we decide to overlook every single problematic thing about it.
Could you love someone that's abusive? Could you love someone who drugged you, brought you home, and then had non-consensual sex with you, only for you to hate him for about a month and then want to marry him?
You might think I went a little too far just now. But there are truly books like this out there. And you may not have realized it before, but a lot of you read these books, and then you praise these authors. You tell them about how these books have changed your life, about how you want to just immerse yourself into that beautiful world they created—one that budding readers think that they understand.
Why do these authors desensitize extreme problems in their work if they "don't support or condone shit"?
I recently saw a book on a writing platform that, I will state right now, looked absolutely dreadful. I read the small blurb at the beginning and wanted to cry already. I pushed through the first 10 chapters of that book, and what I found almost exactly reflected the third paragraph that I just wrote (Content-wise, of course. I would like to think I have better grammar than a fifth grader).
So, as the site recommended, I posted a review on the book's page.
Everything sort of went downhill from there, because about a day after I submitted my thoughts on that god awful story, the author replied.
In summary, the comment contained a little bit of backlash similar to this:
"Nowhere in this story did I ever say that I condone shit.—
[We now insert a break into your daily program to say, "THEN WHY DID YOU ROMANTICIZE IT???"]
—So think before you comment shit like that on my book."
[For accuracy, insert more derogatory terms to represent middling intellect here]
Guys, if you don't support people who rape other people (or any living beings in general), then don't write a story about a girl who somehow gets a needle plunged into her neck at a considerately crowded bar, taken home by said guy that drugged her, raped by, again, said guy, knocked up by said guy (you getting the theme yet, sweetheart?) and then proceed to fall in love with the crazy psycho and marry him.
Can you see how this might be a little problematic? (It's really problematic, I'm just sugar coating it a bit for all of you who aren't quite ready to face the truth.)
If this looks anything like the content you are writing, then think about your choices, because one, something either went very wrong in your education about healthy, meaningful relationships, or two, you are writing about a horrible thing and are trying to inform people about it while simultaneously not romanticizing drugging, rape, sexual assault, or any other sort of abuse. Which, by all means, do.
A good amount of the time, your work is a direct reflection of you, and who you are as a human being. Be smart about what you put out into the world, because you never know how greatly it will affect a person.
Well, that was the end of my TED talk. I hope you liked it, and feel free to comment any of your stupid opinions below, because I will most definitely reply to all of them to tell you why you're wrong❤.
As I said earlier, I will try to put up a sort of comment/recommendation thing to get this page more interactive with readers and writers alike. If you've got any tips on how to run my Tumblr, I will gladly take any of them. I'm new at this.
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