what is wrong with people?

[kattahj]

So, over at the imdb.com Ben Barnes boards, one fan asks: "Should we send him erotic fiction?"

That's not even the worst bit. The worst bit is all the commenters saying, Yes, let's.

Can I crawl in under a rock now? WTF is wrong with people? Do they realize that sending sexual fantasies to a perfect stranger is just as creepy as that guy at the

Comments

[wee_warrior]

Ew indeed.

I always feel it would be helpful if everyone could just agree that in the world of fiction, actors are just lending their features to the cause. Or in other words, that Ben Barnes you love is not that Ben Barnes who looks exactly like him. You would think it's not that difficult...

[kattahj]

That would be very very helpful indeed.

I mean, okay, reading interviews with the guy, I do go, "I think I like you. And your parents." But I wouldn't dream of thinking that it gives me any right to act as if he's not a perfect stranger.

[wesleysgirl]

GOD, the stupid. It burns!

[kattahj]

Tell me about it.

[sundayscat]

Yuck. Why would anyone think that's a good idea? I wish i could be more articulate but; consent issues much?

It's one thing to fantasise about actors and write rpf or whatever but forcing them to be aware of it is just deeply disturbing.

[kattahj]

Yeah, articulation is the main reason I haven't replied to them, because if people can't see the OMGYUCK then how on earth do you explain it?

[janedavitt]

I read the comments and my lip is curling with disgust. Oh, people.

[kattahj]

I think the worst comment for me was when someone said that they didn't think he'd be disturbed because he didn't seem "prudish". Not wanting strangers to tell you their sex fantasies is no more prudish than not wanting to be flashed on the street.

[janedavitt]

Absolutely! Or being uninhibited but not wanting to have an audience when you have sex.

[therru]

My personal opinion is that RPF in itself is crossing the line, so... yeah.

[kattahj]

I think having sexual fantasies about celebrities is okay, and sticking those fantasies online is okay as long as they're properly labelled so no one can stumble on them by mistake, but the key word is fantasies, as in not real, as in don't bring the actual celebrity into it.

[therru]

Well, you're entitled to your opinion, as is everybody else! :)

I feel that having sexual fantasies about real, existing people is perfectly OK, whatever gets you off. Publishing those fantasies, however, in whatever media, is invasive and not OK, regardless of whether the subject is a celebrity or not. (Fantasies about fictional characters is a completely different matter, though.) That's how I feel on the matter; though I gather that I'm pretty much alone in thinking like this.

I also feel that it tends to blur the line between fiction/fantasy and reality. That's not in itself a problem if people are very clear in their minds about which is which, but apparently some people aren't!

[kattahj]

I think I'm more icked by romans a clef, whether sexual or not, since the readers often tend to assume those are truthful, which for the most part isn't the case with online RPF readers.

Interestingly enough, RPF is legally on safer ground than FPF is, which has me going o_O. (That's one of the reasons I don't have much sympathy for authors who think regular fanfic should be forbidden because it hurts their feelings. I can write a novel about an author called "Anne Rice" if I want to, but not about a vampire called "Lestat"? Weeeird. Not that I want to do either, I hasten to add. *g*)