Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[SalmonGod]

I think some of the strongest messages are delivered by showing the audience something in its raw form.  Try to incorporate a biased perspective, and people put up their defenses.  You'll only reach those who already agree with you.  Strip down some element of reality into its basest components and/or place those components into another formula to see how things interact differently.  People are left to make their own judgments, when presented an idea that is familiar to them in a format that is unfamiliar.

This is what fiction is all about.  Most people just see it as entertainment, but I think exploring the contents of our imaginations (which are entirely constructed of real experiences) is a powerful way to explore who we are and who we can be.

[Siquo]

Yeah, you can only work from common ground.

I love siding with the current wave of crypto-nazis, going along with their ideas, and then taking the next logical step, which they'll agree upon, and the next which is less agreeable, and the next etc until they themselves become nauseated by the shit that comes out of my mouth.

It's fun

[Korgus]

Just read that, and you may note that it's from a site with the catrchphrase 'FWD (feminists with disabilities) for a way forward'. I think in this case the disabled part trumps the feminist part...

I saw that. I suppose it's not really feminists I have a problem with, it's these overeducated, ultra-PC people who think everything has to fit with their worldview.

It could just be my foggy memory, but was Mortal Engines not also full of one-dimensioal action girls?

No, no it wasn't. There was one character like that, and she was not one dimensional. Even that review said so.

Yeah, I'm not seeing the "whiny."  I'm always willing to concede if you can explain why you feel that way, other than a kneejerk reaction of "that woman insulted my stuff," but I'm not seeing it right now.

I just think they're whining about stuff that isn't harmful or deliberate in any way. Although there is a pretty big element of "they insulted my stuff" as well. 

[Virex]

I think some of the strongest messages are delivered by showing the audience something in its raw form.  Try to incorporate a biased perspective, and people put up their defenses.  You'll only reach those who already agree with you.  Strip down some element of reality into its basest components and/or place those components into another formula to see how things interact differently.  People are left to make their own judgments, when presented an idea that is familiar to them in a format that is unfamiliar.

The problem is that people first have to recognize something as wrong. Now, with 50's style racism you can assume that almost everyone will see the problem and you need not give it any special treatment. However, when it comes to literary maltreatment of for example women or disabled persons, that's often not the case and if people don't see it as wrong, describing it in it's raw form is only going to get people to agree with your book instead of with normal morals.

[scriver]

Just read that, and you may note that it's from a site with the catrchphrase 'FWD (feminists with disabilities) for a way forward'. I think in this case the disabled part trumps the feminist part...

I saw that. I suppose it's not really feminists I have a problem with, it's these overeducated, ultra-PC people who think everything has to fit with their worldview.

Isn't that the reason your angry about it - that it doesn't fit your view? It certainly seems so to me.

Also, "overeducated"? Are you seriously using that word without irony? Because really, if you're that bothered by people knowing things better and more than you, then go get yourself and education. Or two.

[Korgus]

I have nothing against education in general, I'm going to be doing a physics degree if I get the grades. I just don't like people with Masters degrees or Phds in useless subjects (English Literature, Philosophy, anything ending with "Studies" etc.).

[KaelGotDwarves]

What you see as useless is another factor of the human experience and therefore important - even if the bachelors version only mostly leads to retail jobs

Also, physics is one of your "useless subjects" if compared to any sort of Engineering (theoretical vs. practical application of sciences), so I'm rather inclined to laugh at your statement.

[Korgus]

I can see why people would do them, I just dislike the kind of people who do them.
And physics is a hell of a lot more likely to lead to a job than philosophy or women's studies.

[KaelGotDwarves]

Well, that's just your opinion.

As for the job market, well, no. Last I checked pure physics majors are about as shit out of luck as philosophy majors unless you have specialisation, which you could argue likewise for Liberal Arts.

Jobs come down to three things. Your experience, abilities, and who you know.

Engineering (mechanical/chemical/petroleum/etc except computer science) and health professionals will always have a job somewhere though.

[Vector]

I can see why people would do them, I just dislike the kind of people who do them.
And physics is a hell of a lot more likely to lead to a job than philosophy or women's studies.

Just for reference, I'm a math and rhetoric student.

Sorry for being so inherently unlikable =)

[Siquo]

Look, the guy is still in High School, what would he know? 

And with that generalising and discriminatory line, how is the stance here on age-ism?
I always felt that was a real hard one, but only the old and the young suffer from it, but also gain from it, and making generalisations based on age is often very well-put.

Even though there's babies who can talk and elderly who walk marathons, a lot of times age is a good indicator of someone's mental and physical capabilities.

[Phmcw]

I can see why people would do them, I just dislike the kind of people who do them.
And physics is a hell of a lot more likely to lead to a job than philosophy or women's studies.

Just for reference, I'm a math and rhetoric student.

Sorry for being so inherently unlikable =)

Peh, Mathematicians and their superiority complex over physicians.And to physicians :  SOCIOLOGISTS ARE HUMAN BEING TOO.


Edit V2: On topic, what annoy me is that the author criticize Harry potter for being not Feminist enough when it's already a realistic version of women condition in a fairly liberal society.
There are several women in diverse position of power, no annoying one that is abducted every five minute, Hermione is one major character and as feminist as you could want...
It's a bit like if you criticized it for not being eco-friendly enough, or not promoting free software enough.

Ps : The most powerful of the young is Hermione, and not by birth power but by hard work and cleverness. There is no need for Ginny to be powerful.

[Korgus]

Look, the guy is still in High School, what would he know? 

Finished a month ago, actually.

[Vector]

And with that generalising and discriminatory line, how is the stance here on age-ism?
I always felt that was a real hard one, but only the old and the young suffer from it, but also gain from it, and making generalisations based on age is often very well-put.

Even though there's babies who can talk and elderly who walk marathons, a lot of times age is a good indicator of someone's mental and physical capabilities.

I'm not really sure how I feel about it right now.  There's loads of positive and negative representations of children and the elderly in works of fiction.  I don't really feel things are as problematic in that direction.  And, furthermore, I can't allow my own experiences to guide me, because apparently I've always come off both exceptionally young and old, simultaneously.  The current age range is pretty much 12-40.  I wish I were kidding about that one.

On the other hand, I have noticed that people often completely change how they talk to me based on my stated age.  I won't change how I'm acting at all, but when older people think I'm their age, they sympathize with me, share their experiences.  When I mention or otherwise indicate precisely how old I am, they immediately start telling me not to worry--basically, they start going "oh, okay, she doesn't know anything, it's just youthful nerves."

And, similarly, I think a lot of folks assume that kids/old people are either a. endlessly annoying or b. angelic or c. incapable before they get to actually know anything whatsoever about the person in question.  That's not such a good idea.  I really tend to dislike dehumanization.

[Siquo]

Of all the -isms I think that's the most wide-spread one. Even I do it, and the "age range" is everything outside of your age range. I was talking to a group of 21 year olds a while ago and felt really old. Only when they found out how old I really was they, too, suddenly changed their demeanor towards me.

Also, I've been proven wrong in my generalisations often, when 13 yr olds were wise beyond their years and elderly people were surprisingly modern in their views, and still I notice myself doing it.
The reason this ism bugs me is because I continue to do it, even though I strongly dislike all discrimination (yes, ALL of it. Even species-ism. Yes, I know how ridiculous that can become when held as a principle).