I'm just glad it was useful! Honestly, I didn't really know if it was my place to say it, and I had just hoped I didn't come off as gruff or dismissive
And that's not stupid at all, anon!
Instinctively, I'd say that yes, there's definitely a place for it. However, I'm not really sure how to put that into action either.
With the advent of tumblr transforming open-forum discussion more into this really big game of telephone, on a larger and less personal scale the easiest way may just be meta essays. They would give you a lot of breadth to talk about the intersection of personal experience, portrayal of this sort of thing in the media, and the way it flows down in a way the audience can relate to.
Plus it would give a hook (fictional characters people care about) while also giving the breadth to give voice to important criticisms--since like I think you were saying originally, too, desensitization is definitely an uncomfortable part of this, and can also unfortunately be part of what makes them "palatable".
Otherwise I think just talking about them in whatever way you're comfortable with (you definitely don't need to put yourself on the line) and how that filters down through media, and why that's good/bad/other is pretty constructive in itself.
Deconstructing and analyzing specific instances and characters is also always a good way to communicate. Even maybe advice for fic writers, to help them avoid engaging in harmful (and just as often lazy) cliches that do little more than press a button.
On LJ and DW it could also just be easier to talk to people directly.
Anyway, sorry for prattling on. It's mostly just brainstorming, but I really do think that anything that helps people understand the depth of what they're writing and consuming is a good thing.
Re: Sheltered fan rant
And that's not stupid at all, anon!
Instinctively, I'd say that yes, there's definitely a place for it. However, I'm not really sure how to put that into action either.
With the advent of tumblr transforming open-forum discussion more into this really big game of telephone, on a larger and less personal scale the easiest way may just be meta essays. They would give you a lot of breadth to talk about the intersection of personal experience, portrayal of this sort of thing in the media, and the way it flows down in a way the audience can relate to.
Plus it would give a hook (fictional characters people care about) while also giving the breadth to give voice to important criticisms--since like I think you were saying originally, too, desensitization is definitely an uncomfortable part of this, and can also unfortunately be part of what makes them "palatable".
Otherwise I think just talking about them in whatever way you're comfortable with (you definitely don't need to put yourself on the line) and how that filters down through media, and why that's good/bad/other is pretty constructive in itself.
Deconstructing and analyzing specific instances and characters is also always a good way to communicate. Even maybe advice for fic writers, to help them avoid engaging in harmful (and just as often lazy) cliches that do little more than press a button.
On LJ and DW it could also just be easier to talk to people directly.
Anyway, sorry for prattling on. It's mostly just brainstorming, but I really do think that anything that helps people understand the depth of what they're writing and consuming is a good thing.