"The Bad Guy as Good Guy" - a Response

[lawlip0p]

My mother brought home this article from our church bulletin (read it here:http://www.johnxxiii.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/107187_Bulletin050513W.pdf) for me to read and, seeing Dexter Morgan’s picture front and center, I had to read it right away. I'm a huge fan of Dexter, and really of any series that strays from the typical "good vs evil"

Comments

[awakenyourfaith]

This is what makes good writing, what makes compelling television shows that we want to tune in every week to watch. Not only do we question the protagonist’s morality and decisions, we also question our own. And I don’t think anything that makes us question our own ethics should be criticized or labeled as bad. I agree with you one hundred percent. I don't know why the media is compelled to blame fictional TV shows and characters for very real problems - reading too much into them is a good way to put it. Maybe they're just looking for a scapegoat? I don't know. It wouldn't be the first time, but I could go on forever about how people blame TV shows for problems that are entirely in their control (even for problems that are not).

[lawlip0p]

It really is ridiculous! Like, these are not real people - they are characters. They are created to primarily to entertain, perhaps secondarily to teach the viewers a lesson. There was violent crime and bloodshed happening long before Cable TV and video games, people!

So... the response I received from the article's writer (who is the 'communications director' of this/my parents' church... what a joke) is completely horrible. He was so rude and degrading to me for having a different opinion than him! He told me he feels sorry for me and that I am obviously nothing more than a college student taking an ethics class. I was so offended I e-mailed his boss, and I'm hoping he'll get into some trouble for it. I told them, this is why people (young people especially) are turning away from the catholic church - people like this guy, who only want to slam their self-righteous opinions down everyone's throat, and won't stop for a second to hear another person's side of the story.

[fire_rose17]

One thing I always loved about Code Geass was the moral ambiguity. Yes, Britannia was a dictatorship and Charles was a tyrant, but in his own twisted way that only he and Marianne understood, he was trying to help the world. Lelouch may have been leader of the rebellion, but his motives were also incredibly selfish, and in his heart of hearts, Suzaku wanted to die for a cause regardless of any idealism. Neither of our protagonists were wrong and neither were right. They were flawed, they destroyed as much as they created, hated and loved each other in equal measure. And I loved both of them for it.

Sometimes I get annoyed at fans who hate Suzaku. The only reason they sympathize with Lelouch is because he is the protagonist and the story is mostly from his point of view. What they don't realize is that there is no clear cut right or wrong, and that isn't the point of this story.