Viewing Characters Complexly: The Sexist Trap I'm Tired of Seeing

[ladychi]

John Green, young adult novelist and one half of the internet phenomenon known as the VlogBrothers, has this thing about viewing people complexly. He argues, basically, that we have to view the people around us as complete human beings with thoughts and motivations and flaws every bit as real as our own

Comments

[dabhug]

Excellent!

[kelleypen]

You know, my birth mother is a professional story teller. She'll spend days, weeks sometimes, just getting to know each character. She can tell you all about them if you ask--favorites, what bothers them, back story galore. Almost none of this ever comes out in the story, but spending that much time in each character's head is what makes the story live.

[momdaegmorgan]

Thank you soooooooo much for this!

I'd love to send it to a certain message board I'm on in the hopes that it would help to diminish the amount of character bashing that's there, but unfortunately, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't make a bit of difference to them. If only everyone could think like you (well, and write like you *G*).

[jessalrynn]

PREACH IT! *grins*

Isn't it weird how the man is never listed as a "whore" even when he IS being dismissed? *sighs* I'm really glad you wrote this.

Thanks!

[ladychi]

*bumps fist in sisterhood solidarity*

I KNOW, right? It's totally okay for men to sleep with whomever they like, but heaven forbid another woman DARE actually want to sleep with HIM. It's a weird prejudice. *shrug*

(Using my CJ icon because I'm feeling a bit like her today.)

[papilio_luna]

*slightly drunken comment is slightly drunken

[plaid_slytherin]

With fictional characters, I've found that my spectrum isn't between "love" and "hate", it's between "interested (ergo, love)" and "not interested." I can't hate fictional characters.

I hate characters. Not actively, or anything. I'm not going to, like, join an "I hate River Song" club or graffiti "Tessa must die" on nearby walls. (Yikes, and that was two women. Here, have Draco Malfoy.) I hate characters who do things that make me mad, that I find it irksome to read about/watch, etc. Maybe this is disinterest? I just feel disinterest is something like "having no feelings toward," (like, idk, Elton, or Bridge Bunny B) whereas, I do find myself thinking while watching Torchwood episodes, "Man, Owen is irritating."