Mind control: Not heroic, sorry to say.
So I'm reading this series where the lead character can influence the minds of others, by forcing them to see things that aren't there, or believe things that aren't true. There's a scene that's explicitly set up for her to explain to a tertiary character how it's not really immoral, because it's short-term, and has no lasting effects, and it's not going to be antithetical to a person's nature due to the way her powers work. Which aren't really her powers, it's a trick of special linguistics she learned due to her job.
I mean. Seriously. The whole argument was set up to explain to the readers why we should not worry about the mind control. Because it's not wrong! The lead character said so!
Except. EXCEPT. This character leans on her special linguistics to force people into doing things throughout the last three books and it's basically mind control.
THAT IS NOT GOOD GUY BEHAVIOR. I'm not sure the writer believes she's writing heroic protagonists. I think she believes it? But oh my God. It's so wrong.
It drives me up a wall because mind control is not right for your protagonist to do and still be a hero.
Look, I love vampire novels and movies, I read and write a lot of stuff with mind control. Trust me, I know from creepy mind-altering noncon, okay? It doesn't matter if you have your protagonist patiently explain to the audience how their special mind control isn't really noncon, it's still noncon! This entry has been cross-posted to Dreamwidth (
comments). Comments are welcome on either post.
I mean. Seriously. The whole argument was set up to explain to the readers why we should not worry about the mind control. Because it's not wrong! The lead character said so!
Except. EXCEPT. This character leans on her special linguistics to force people into doing things throughout the last three books and it's basically mind control.
THAT IS NOT GOOD GUY BEHAVIOR. I'm not sure the writer believes she's writing heroic protagonists. I think she believes it? But oh my God. It's so wrong.
It drives me up a wall because mind control is not right for your protagonist to do and still be a hero.
Look, I love vampire novels and movies, I read and write a lot of stuff with mind control. Trust me, I know from creepy mind-altering noncon, okay? It doesn't matter if you have your protagonist patiently explain to the audience how their special mind control isn't really noncon, it's still noncon! This entry has been cross-posted to Dreamwidth (
comments). Comments are welcome on either post.