Responding to Wendy, Neil wrote:
I prefer to think of myself not as a shit-stirrer
but
as a crap-defuser.
Very noble, very idealistic, but above all very
futile. You're not going to
change anyone's perceptions of anything by forcing
your own on them. Rather
you're going to get them digging their heels in.
Indeed. There is nothing remotely as effective at getting me to ignore your posts, dismiss your opinions, and reinforce my commitment to my own position as taking that kind of >insulting
"anybody who agree
with me is not only wrong but disgusting and stupid and evil" tone.
As I've just said to Neil, I didn't say that. You can post what you like. I'm posting what I like. I don't necessarily want you to agree with me, I just want people to THINK about what gets said. And if I have to offend a few people to get them to think about why they consider their opinions to be the right ones, then offend them I shall.
After all, if you don't respect my opinions, why should I respect yours?
But whenever I post, there are only one or two people who do actually answer my posts rationally. Everyone else just screams and rants. That's no way to get me to respect *your* opinions!
On the other hand, you can leave the women alone
and have them
unrealistically impervious to any kind of injury
whatsoever. It's
one of those charming double binds that us writers
have to struggle
with.
Personally, I *much* prefer to see women and men treated equally in this way. Reading a piece of fiction where I felt the author was deliberately being "nicer" to the women because they were women would annoy me intensely
But take any piece of hurt-comfort fiction at random, switch the sex of the character (e.g. make it Cally not Avon) read it through and see how it sounds. It's not the violence, it's the sadism I don't like. (and note: I said *I* don't like. If you like sadism, that's up to you).
Wendy
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Penberriss Wendy S.