Opinions on featured content and why it bothers me

BlueWindyHood 2016-07-12 06:55:33 UTC #41

And its not even satire. We literally get told that. I have a friend who's sex ed class showed them a pancake, limp-wristedly threw blueberries at it and called that fertilization. US sex ed is deplorable, and difficult to satirize because its so out there already.

BlueWindyHood 2016-07-12 06:56:10 UTC #42

If you're not interested in finding out then maybe don't chime in.

Zikul 2016-07-12 06:59:00 UTC #43

You forget, just like a piece of published work has the right to exist (unless it breaks against what free press and free speech speak for), people also have the freedom of speech, and press, to express concers and opinions. It's when we start robbing people of this freedom that we can truly start speaking of censorship.

Public lynching is something else altogether - this is people being critical about something that was not only put in public media. I myself got an email trying to sell me this garbage, despite the fact that I'm not even on the app - it's also one of the reasons I unsubscribed to the tapastic news letter. I'm no longer interested in getting this content in my inbox, and the fact that tapastic staff is directly financially supporting and commissioning this content, has further solidified my decision to not get the app, as well as discouraged me from ever submitting any of my novels to them - I don't want my work associated with this kind of content, it doesn't feel professional.

carloswebcomic 2016-07-12 07:00:11 UTC #44

Right, so I need to be interested in American Christian conservatives in to be able to speak my mind now?

But that's satire. Satire is making fun of something by exposing how ridiculous it is.

J.Z.Castillo 2016-07-12 07:05:32 UTC #45

@carloswebcomic here's the glorification.

" Try attending Lumber Cove High, where hormones run rampant, natural births reign supreme, and popularity is measured in baby showers and ultrasound selfies."

We can tell that the social pyramid of this school is based on your pregnancy and the events leading up to the birth. If that is not glorification, damn, I have no clue what is.

BlueWindyHood 2016-07-12 07:11:57 UTC #46

Satire only works if it's more extreme than what exists. There's literally no way to satirize US sex ed, Carlos.

Zikul 2016-07-12 07:17:43 UTC #47

You say you have never featured BDSM, but that's because you don't know what BDSM is - there have been stories with BDSM themes that were not upfront about it, that you've featured, and there are some in the Popular section too. Just because something doesn't have the awareness of what it is (nor the knowledge or research to properly present it), doesn't mean that that isn't what it is - just look at Fifty Shades of Grey. I know people get up in arms over that one, but I'm just saying - I know in my town, two people actually died due to getting into BDSM solely based on that work, and that's just so, so tragic.

noxfox 2016-07-12 07:18:35 UTC #48

Tun dun dun, they ARE a professional doing client work:

Jacquie Walters and Taylor Cox are currently Staff Writers on Amazon's "The Kicks." Prior to that, they wrote freelance episodes for Dorothy of Oz and Clarence for Cartoon Network. They also wrote animated and live action content for DreamworksTV featured on Netflix, Verizon, and AwesomenessTV. Additionally, they are both on Main Stage sketch teams (iO West and Second City) and their work has been featured on Huffington Post Comedy, BuzzFeed, MTV, Cosmopolitan, Thought Catalog, Right This Minute, and more! Taylor is a junior curling champion and Jacquie is a trained opera singer. We'll let you decide who was bullied more in Middle School.

And even then you don't need to be a pro to be responsible. It's way too easy to throw a can of worms and say "I thought you liked cans of worms".

Well, maybe you should consider that you're the one faulty this time? I grew up in Europe, in an atheist family who was pretty open-minded, and that doesn't prevent me from seeing that the representation in this comic clearly looks like fetish. And fetish is glorification.
@mrjonzap highlighted it very well. When it's about popularity, it's glorification.
And as @BlueWindyHood put it, it was indeed extremely awkward to satirize something that already looks like a terrible bad joke. I'm still very unsure what came through the mind of the authors (I did try to contact one of them to inquire further when the newsletter was released, but she never answered)

BlueWindyHood 2016-07-12 08:14:21 UTC #50

Except it IS a big deal in the long run, because eight years later I still have nightmares and flashbacks, and people still say "it doesn't matter anymore it happened forever ago!". Fun fact about trauma: it doesn't go away or get better just because time marches on.

Zikul 2016-07-12 08:20:34 UTC #51

"It really isn't a big deal in the long is it?"

You don't think that's a bit of a low blow when it comes to debating, adressing someone in particular who have had traumatic experiences? There's no way they wouldn't get defensive against such an insensitive and directed comment, there's only one way they could answer to it.

If this is just you voicing your opinion clumsily (which I hope), then so be it - but if you're trying to start an argument with someone who is in a weakened and defensive mindset, then I really have nothing more to say to you.

TomSawyer 2016-07-12 08:35:18 UTC #52

I'm not talking about you personally
I'm talking about whatever is in the content

I'm not debating anything

I'm not even really interested in this
Can you please relax. This site is suppose to be friendly

noxfox 2016-07-12 08:36:43 UTC #53

I don't think anyone here happens to be some godly being gifted with omnipotent powers, who can predict the future and how people will react to what they read. Damn, I still have very vivid memories of books/cartoons I've watched as a small kid, and that traumatized me for years. I'm still uncomfortable with certain things about myself because of what I keep on seeing in the media, constantly, awful messages and bad portrayals that make me feel like I just don't belong. And I can tell you that my past teenage self would have been extremely upset by a comic like Learning Curves.

It's this kind of idea that "it isn't a big deal" to have unhealthy romance, abusive friendships, peer pressure winning another day, etc in the media, that's causing a lot of the shit we see around us. Have you never questioned how much of an influence all the books, movies, cartoons, comics, games etc have on people, especially children? Then maybe you should read some studies about it, because they, at least, have clear insight on the topic. Yes, media do have an impact on us, and so in the long run. We shape our society through culture, and like it or not, pop culture is still culture. The most prominent one, even. We'd like to think we are so smart that we're not influenced by those things, but we all are, and it's no use to dwell in denial.

So yes. It's a big deal, and it's a big deal in the long run. A very big deal.
Imo, people who don't think so probably shouldn't publish anything they create, because they certainly aren't responsible enough to engage in something that has such an impact on society. There are certainly other things they can do. We don't need more toxic content.
The good comics out there are mostly made by people who are aware of the issues of representation in the media, and try to invert the curve, by creating safer, healthier content.

Zikul 2016-07-12 08:38:04 UTC #54

I am relaxed, believe it or not, I'm capable of analytic mentality and calm at the same time. I blame my Asperger for that.

However, I find it quite interesting that you'd go into a debate, say your opinion, and not accept you're part of the conversation? But, that's derailing the topic, I guess.

TomSawyer 2016-07-12 08:41:24 UTC #55

I just wanted to say something

I don't consider just saying something, a debate
Because I'm not fighting for something

Personally I couldn't careless
I'm going to apologize if what I said didn't come out properly

Zikul 2016-07-12 08:44:48 UTC #56

I accept your apology.

I don't think we have the same definition of debate - for me, it's the sharing of opinions and learning through listening and meeting up with others, maybe even changing your mind, not fighting, fighting is not constructive, debating is (unless everyone part of the conversation are really bad at it). Fighting for something implies not listening to other peoples views or declining to offer up your own for discussion.

noxfox 2016-07-12 08:50:48 UTC #57

To debate, "débattre" in French, literally means "un-fight." That's why the "debates" we see on TV usually are anything but debates, more like arguments in which people just try to be right and prove the other wrong, not listening to each other, trying to force their opinions in complete disregard of reason, and that's really, really pathetic.

A true debate is more like Zikul said, an actual conversation in which opinions are shared and contemplated with reason

carloswebcomic 2016-07-12 09:27:42 UTC #59

Getting a bit personal, aren't we?

Zikul 2016-07-12 09:38:54 UTC #60

They are as entitled to their opinion as anyone else, I don't think it's right to bar people from a debate based on the content they produce themselves. In fact, I'd even love it if the authors behind Learning Curves would chime in themselves - but I doubt that will happen.

r0ckrabbi7 2016-07-12 10:16:37 UTC #61

Let me paraphrase that: they do not feel bothered by the content of Learning Curves, since they themselves are a person that produces content which might be seen as inappropriate to a certain target. So trying to bash it into his head as to why Learning Curves is bad will do nothing, yet a good portion of people keep arguing with him, even if it is already quite obvious by his replies that it is a fruitless effort - everyone remains firmly by their beliefs.

Zikul 2016-07-12 10:19:16 UTC #62

A discussion doesn't have to change peoples minds, and they are just as much for viewers as the people involved. If I only talked to people who listened to me, I would do very little talking - however, I talk just as much to evolve my own thoughts, as I do for the benefit of others.