Instability Apparent

[dr_anitacoffee]

So, um...does anyone ever read a fic...or even just the summary of a fic...and immediately warning bells go off because it's pretty obvious that this person really needs to seek psychiatric help? There are a couple of specific authors on both ff.net and here at LJ whose entire bodies of work suggest that they would be unlikely to be cleared for any

Comments

[dr_anitacoffee]

See, I have less of a problem with applying traumatic or unusual experiences to a given character or characters than I do with completely bastardizing characters to make them a sort of Mary Sue by proxy. Or writing about exceptionally fucked-up things over and over, rather than it being a plot idea. If it helps them get their issues out, great, but I have a problem with lauding the realistic nature and high quality of something that has no relation to canon (or the English language). And I have a problem, quite frankly, with using fanfiction as a place to explicitly vent personal issues because it is classic attention-seeking behavior that is not conducive to mental health. I have pretty good radar as far as psychological issues go and I know the difference between preferences/ideas and a problem - yes, that sounds like bullshit, but it's a pretty legitimate claim. My rant is more geared toward my frustration that psychiatric disorders come on display and no one gives it a second thought.

I hope that made sense, as you can see in my comment above, I am fairly drunk due to unforeseen sucky things.

[lieueitak]

Your comment makes sense. I disagree with some of it, lol, but I get what you're saying. I can relate to wanting to read things that are in canon. I don't read a lot of fic, because I rarely find things that have an appealing plot, a modicum of proper grammar, and good characterization. I see tons of things that are lauded as being in character that I find offensively bad, and there are people who feel the same way about my work. People like what they like for whatever reason.

I don't think it's bullshit that you have a good radar as far as psychological issues. Some people do. With fic, is it that people don't give illness on display a second thought or that people don't feel it is their place to say something? If I saw a fic that I found truly disturbing, I might say something quietly to a friend I trust. I don't think I would call attention to it in a public way. Perhaps the person in question is inadvertently calling attention to it (or choosing to do so). But unless they were seriously causing harm or threatening to cause harm, I would feel like it's not my place to say something.

Sorry about your bad day. Enjoy your booze! :)