I find it very interesting that you of all people see a sharp distinction, here. I am under the impression that fandom is a *very* important part of your life, not only your virtual but also your real life. Is it so much crazier to write fictional stories about real life people than to have real life conventions about fictional ones?
IMHO, the lines are very blurry. If you met Patrick Stewart in uniform at a Star Trek convention, wouldn't that make Captain Picard a lot more real to you than, let's say, me, who you've never met? He probably behaves much more like a normal person than I do :-)
And have you ever asked yourself how real *you* appear to other people? I, for instance, know you only from what you write. I've never even heard your voice. So is this Hmpf person more real to me than Captain Picard? I've heard his voice. I've seen him move. I know his beliefs, his life story, even some of his relatives. Who is more real? The only difference I see is that I'm reasonably convinced that Captain Picard does not exist, whereas I'm reasonably conviced that you do. But is that difference so important? I don't perceive it as such. If I write fiction, a song or poetry about or draw a picture of a person I've not invented myself, it's because that person has touched me in some way. Fictional or not doesn't influence whether I do it. BTW, fiction about real people is not just something weird people like me create. There is an animated series about Jackie Chan, for instance.
Fiction about Real People...hmpfJuly 9 2003, 09:34:32 UTC
well, I don't have much time, having to finish writing a text on bronze age daggers *and* being sick ATM; so here's just a quick reply.
It is, to me, not a matter of reality but of *respect*. Also, there is a difference between a cartoon series about Jackie Chan (who, btw, doubtlessly authorised it) and *pornographic* RPS that does not even try to conceal who the author is fantasising about. Everybody is free to fantasise about whatever they want. E.g., hypothetically speaking, you're free to fantasise about me, although I would feel more comfortable if you didn't. (And please, don't tell me if you do... I really don't want to know!) It's your mind, and I can't control what's happening in it. However, as soon as you would make any fantasies about me *public* I would consider it a severe violation of my private sphere. All this is speaking hypothetically, of course. I don't want to accuse you of anything like that.
RPS is *public*, and that makes all the difference for me - and doubtlessly for the rock stars and actors who are being slashed, too.
Re: Fiction about Real People...
anonymous
July 10 2003, 04:46:33 UTC
> there is a difference between a cartoon series > about Jackie Chan (who, btw, doubtlessly > authorised > it) and *pornographic* RPS
What does "RPS" stand for ? And apparently I misunderstood the topic. Sometimes I'm a bit slow on the uptake. Now that I re-read your initial posting I feel very stupid (well, I get that feeling regularly:-). It should have been very obvious from the beginning what kind of stories you were talking about. My only excuse is that it was long time ago that you explained the term "slasher fanfic" to me. Seems I didn't really integrate it into my vocabulary. As you may remember I don't read fanfics and have no contact to the "scene". But it's a weak excuse. I have absolutely no idea how I could be so far off track.
Needless to say (I hope) that I have never written or drawn anything pornographic involving real people. And of course I would never consider it. And I agree one hundred percent that putting stuff like this on the Internet (well, even writing it in the 1st place) is tasteless.
Re: Fiction about Real People...
anonymous
July 10 2003, 04:52:56 UTC
I feel so embarassed. This was was certainly one of my worst screwups ever. I'll have to remember to not ever enter a fanfic discussion again. I'm very very sorry.
I find it very interesting that you of all people see a sharp distinction, here. I am under the impression that fandom is a *very* important part of your life, not only your virtual but also your real life.
Is it so much crazier to write fictional stories about real life people than to have real life conventions about fictional ones?
IMHO, the lines are very blurry. If you met Patrick Stewart in uniform at a Star Trek convention, wouldn't that make Captain Picard a lot more real to you than, let's say, me, who you've never met? He probably behaves much more like a normal person than I do :-)
And have you ever asked yourself how real *you* appear to other people? I, for instance, know you only from what you write. I've never even heard your voice. So is this Hmpf person more real to me than Captain Picard? I've heard his voice. I've seen him move. I know his beliefs, his life story, even some of his relatives. Who is more real? The only difference I see is that I'm reasonably convinced that Captain Picard does not exist, whereas I'm reasonably conviced that you do. But is that difference so important? I don't perceive it as such.
If I write fiction, a song or poetry about or draw a picture of a person I've not invented myself, it's because that person has touched me in some way. Fictional or not doesn't influence whether I do it. BTW, fiction about real people is not just something weird people like me create. There is an animated series about Jackie Chan, for instance.
MSB
Reply
It is, to me, not a matter of reality but of *respect*. Also, there is a difference between a cartoon series about Jackie Chan (who, btw, doubtlessly authorised it) and *pornographic* RPS that does not even try to conceal who the author is fantasising about. Everybody is free to fantasise about whatever they want. E.g., hypothetically speaking, you're free to fantasise about me, although I would feel more comfortable if you didn't. (And please, don't tell me if you do... I really don't want to know!) It's your mind, and I can't control what's happening in it. However, as soon as you would make any fantasies about me *public* I would consider it a severe violation of my private sphere. All this is speaking hypothetically, of course. I don't want to accuse you of anything like that.
RPS is *public*, and that makes all the difference for me - and doubtlessly for the rock stars and actors who are being slashed, too.
Reply
> about Jackie Chan (who, btw, doubtlessly
> authorised
> it) and *pornographic* RPS
What does "RPS" stand for ?
And apparently I misunderstood the topic. Sometimes I'm a bit slow on the uptake. Now that I re-read your initial posting I feel very stupid (well, I get that feeling regularly:-). It should have been very obvious from the beginning what kind of stories you were talking about. My only excuse is that it was long time ago that you explained the term "slasher fanfic" to me. Seems I didn't really integrate it into my vocabulary. As you may remember I don't read fanfics and have no contact to the "scene". But it's a weak excuse. I have absolutely no idea how I could be so far off track.
Needless to say (I hope) that I have never written or drawn anything pornographic involving real people. And of course I would never consider it. And I agree one hundred percent that putting stuff like this on the Internet (well, even writing it in the 1st place) is tasteless.
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