Re: The R & S Words
Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2014 10:11 am
Unfortunately, I don't think we can have an unemotional discussion about this topic - which is why it's usually shut down pretty quick when talked about on the channels - and I get it. It's something that some people have had to deal with. But to say that it adds no value to a narrative is just a flat out lie. This game is based on the narrative, and rape/suicide are both very horrible actions that (obviously, look at this forum) affect people very strongly. How can that not add more layers to a story? And is that not what we're all here for - the narrative and story?
The most prominent and recent example (and I'm getting a bit tired of always referring to it...) is Game of Thrones. No spoilers, don't worry. But in this last season we went through a very large story arc of a certain evil character showing us that he actually has a good deal of redeeming qualities. Then, what does he do? Rapes a family member. It's a hard pill to swallow, it makes everyone hate him once more, and it makes the audience feel uncomfortable and dirty. There were so many things going on in that scene - from hatred and anger to reflecting quite poignantly what the overall state of the relationship between the two characters was now at - and, most obviously, it told us how stupid we were for trusting that character, for thinking they could ever continue their good streak.
As an author you can say 'I'll have Joe kill an adult instead of a baby' but will it really have the same affect - or the reaction you want? Literature has the unique position of, in my opinion, being able to touch on these horrible things and shed light on them without promoting that people actually do it. Sometimes, literature is even a strong voice against rape culture because of its voyeuristic qualities (see, American Horror Story series, a show that will make you so completely uncomfortable because it has no qualms about throwing rape culture in your face, among other things).
Sorry, this is quickly becoming a tangent. In the end, Onyx is right - there will be the greater majority who will feel uncomfortable or outright angry about having these things in the game. I could sooner change your minds about politics than I could about this subject - but I did want to make my opinion a little clearer, after that last post.
The most prominent and recent example (and I'm getting a bit tired of always referring to it...) is Game of Thrones. No spoilers, don't worry. But in this last season we went through a very large story arc of a certain evil character showing us that he actually has a good deal of redeeming qualities. Then, what does he do? Rapes a family member. It's a hard pill to swallow, it makes everyone hate him once more, and it makes the audience feel uncomfortable and dirty. There were so many things going on in that scene - from hatred and anger to reflecting quite poignantly what the overall state of the relationship between the two characters was now at - and, most obviously, it told us how stupid we were for trusting that character, for thinking they could ever continue their good streak.
As an author you can say 'I'll have Joe kill an adult instead of a baby' but will it really have the same affect - or the reaction you want? Literature has the unique position of, in my opinion, being able to touch on these horrible things and shed light on them without promoting that people actually do it. Sometimes, literature is even a strong voice against rape culture because of its voyeuristic qualities (see, American Horror Story series, a show that will make you so completely uncomfortable because it has no qualms about throwing rape culture in your face, among other things).
Sorry, this is quickly becoming a tangent. In the end, Onyx is right - there will be the greater majority who will feel uncomfortable or outright angry about having these things in the game. I could sooner change your minds about politics than I could about this subject - but I did want to make my opinion a little clearer, after that last post.