The Lord of the Rings was written a while back, and we're supposed to have learned from the mistakes of the past. That author is dead, and you can't expect him to write the next book better.
I'm interested in why you're calling vito_excalibur a hypocrite.
I think that politics and entertainment aren't completely separate entities that never infringe upon each other, and I'm not sure that trying to keep them completely apart is a good idea. Have you ever heard this quote?
“Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”
In other terms, the things that you consume as entertainment are in your head. If you consume a lot of it, it's in your head a lot. There is some risk, I feel, of some problematic ways of interaction becoming more normative than they might otherwise if you didn't consume so much.
I wouldn't judge you for it, but I'm not altogether sure I want Harry Dresden around in my head. I mean, you didn't actually answer my question. He seems like an ass of a character. I don't actually care that he rides zombie dinosaurs. The books seem sexist, and that's a problem for me. I don't care that it's "just entertainment."
And I don't regard this as importing my politics into my entertainment, or making myself feel better about my life choices. Being female isn't really a life choice.
I have looked at these books, and decided they might be too problematic to bother with reading. And now I have another male friend telling me that critics are "oversensitive." So if I go read one, and decide the critics are right, I am going to be so seriously fucking pissed you will not believe it.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
asenathwaite
Re: hoo boy, this opens up a can of worms....
Date: 2010-05-05 07:05 pm (UTC)I'm interested in why you're calling vito_excalibur a hypocrite.
I think that politics and entertainment aren't completely separate entities that never infringe upon each other, and I'm not sure that trying to keep them completely apart is a good idea. Have you ever heard this quote?
“Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”
In other terms, the things that you consume as entertainment are in your head. If you consume a lot of it, it's in your head a lot. There is some risk, I feel, of some problematic ways of interaction becoming more normative than they might otherwise if you didn't consume so much.
I wouldn't judge you for it, but I'm not altogether sure I want Harry Dresden around in my head. I mean, you didn't actually answer my question. He seems like an ass of a character. I don't actually care that he rides zombie dinosaurs. The books seem sexist, and that's a problem for me. I don't care that it's "just entertainment."
And I don't regard this as importing my politics into my entertainment, or making myself feel better about my life choices. Being female isn't really a life choice.
I have looked at these books, and decided they might be too problematic to bother with reading. And now I have another male friend telling me that critics are "oversensitive." So if I go read one, and decide the critics are right, I am going to be so seriously fucking pissed you will not believe it.