humankind is not without mistake // unlike that which they build with their hands

[qualapec]

Midterms tomorrow, in a class with content that is not only tedious, but I have also been neglecting slightly. I caught up on my homework, but studying for the test has been a massive info dump and I'm not sure how much sunk in tonight.

Tomorrow's going to be stressful. SO, meme (ganked from redbrunja who I am in an eternal game of meme-tag with!):

Okay,

Comments

[qualapec]

*wheezes* Oh wow, honestly, a lot of my favorite tropes are things I don't approve of in real life. (Fair warning, this list is full of fairly objectively disturbing and depressing things). For the most part, I'm able to separate fiction and real life really well, which I think is what allows me to do it, but I also understand that everyone has different comfort levels, and this can sound REALLY BAD if people aren't expecting it.

The first thing that comes to mind is anything having to do with body horror and loss of bodily autonomy, particularly for men. I feel like it's my response to how the metaphor of the human body is treated in fiction, and how female bodies are disproportionately robbed of autonomy, and there's always this level of respect that male bodies are given. I'm kind of fascinated by tearing that down and examining it + putting men in situations that would normally fall to women, and on the flip side, positioning very feminine women in roles that normally fall to men. I feel like it gives me a chance to deal with the things I feel whenever I see a woman in that position, but to view it from the safer lens of a male character. Obviously, IRL, everyone deserves human respect and bodily autonomy and the idea of that being taken away is terrible. This is also one I understand I have to be really careful with, since I understand that those themes can be super triggery for a lot of people.

Execution/death sentences are a trope I keep falling back on. It's one reason why I'm drawn to characters who have committed crimes. The constant threat of a character answering for those things is super narratively appealing to me for some reason. I also think the execution/mercy dichotomy is kind of appealing to me because it's a variant on death/resurrection. However, in real life I'm pretty staunchly against the death penalty, because Prison Industrial Complex combined with human error. Like, realistically I understand that sometimes dangerous people need to die, but there are so many flaws in our system and human rights violations associated with it all that I'm not comfortable with it at all. Alternatively, I like examining characters being forgiven and shown mercy for things that I'd never want to see someone IRL forgiven for.

I also tend to write a lot about character death or threat of death, which is kind of my way of trying to forget that it exists and happens IRL. In fiction, I like using death as a tool to examine who characters are on the inside and what matters to them. IRL, I'd live to watch the cold-death of the universe, if I could. I also kind of view it as the ultimate enemy in any work of fiction, and I love examining the dichotomy between despair and hope. However, again, in IRL, I understand how chilling and terrifying and painful it really is. Fiction is my way of dismantling that, but again, I understand that it's something that's super triggery for a lot of people.

I also like, recognize that this list makes me sound super morbid! I swear I try to be a happy, thoughtful person IRL, but a lot of shadow and loss comes out in my writing for some reason.

Fiction has basically been my way of dealing with things that make me uncomfortable IRL for a really long time.

[redbrunja]

*wheezes* Oh wow, honestly, a lot of my favorite tropes are things I don't approve of in real life.

Not to be bitchy, but duh. I am the LAST person in the world you need to explain the concept of 'approve in fiction, disapprove in real life' too.

The first thing that comes to mind is anything having to do with body horror and loss of bodily autonomy, particularly for men.

Did we talk about elements of body horror with Bucky Barnes in Cap 2?

However, in real life I'm pretty staunchly against the death penalty, because Prison Industrial Complex combined with human error.

PREACH. Just the fact that it COSTS MORE to execute someone than to imprison them for life is enough for me to go 'not worth the tax payer dollars' EVEN LEAVING ASIDE all the other misuses of the prison system.'