Things Which Are Difficult To Explain

[Dannyboy-the-Dane]

Yes, on quite a few levels. Let's take the most extreme example - if someone copies a crime or act of violence they've seen in fiction, can we truly say the creator has no responsibility for it? Most people seem to say it's totally the responsibility of the wrongdoer, and make no mistake, I am not the sort of person to blame a computer game for someone's actions. That wouldn't stop me feeling guilty though.

 

Let's say I outline a vague scheme in a comic for a supervillain to destroy something. Obviously I wouldn't make it detailed enough to be useful to terrorists, but if my comic even gave the tiniest spark of inspiration for a real terrorist attack, I'd feel massively guilty. The first thing I decided was not to draw guns, but it's escalated from that.

 

Of course, all this makes me seem highly narcissistic, as though my work would be important enough for someone to copy. The less extreme (but more likely) outcome would be that I may encourage a child to be interested in a genre that is unsuitable for them. Whilst I enjoy a Roger Moore Bond film I don't really approve of how violent many films in that sort of genre are (heck, even one 007 film, Licence to Kill, is way too violent).

 

So the obvious thing would be to make my books really genteel and inoffensive, but then I always bring it back to the violence and the "action" sort of thing, leading me to think I sort of have a split-personality that pulls me both ways (though not in a mental illness way).

 

I probably need a shrink. Thanks for listening though.

 

Hey, no problem. I hopefully don't need to say that you're worrying way too much, though. Do you realise that you're taking on your own shoulders other people's responsibility? It's a noble thought for sure, but you're actually giving people an excuse for acting irresponsibly. You have the right to produce whatever material you may wish - it's other people's responsibility not to misuse it in any way. If they do, they're not fit for society. That can never be your fault.

 

I do understand your pattern of thought, though, and I don't pretend to be able to help you. You're right in that you should probably talk to a psychologist about it.

[The fish]

Oh I am going for it but its just having a set/structured time would help me personally. I'm trying to squeeze it into my life but I sleep for six hours a day, travel for 2, at uni for 9-12 hours, work on this place for about 2 which leaves very little time in the day.

 

Read/listen whilst travelling?

[Ashley]

I listen here and there and occasionally read. I have post it notes on my desk at uni. I'd like to listen to podcasts and stuff more but sometimes a song is better to get me in the morning mood. Although trying to listen to local songs more so its a mixture.

[EddieColeslaw]

Let's say I outline a vague scheme in a comic for a supervillain to destroy something. Obviously I wouldn't make it detailed enough to be useful to terrorists, but if my comic even gave the tiniest spark of inspiration for a real terrorist attack, I'd feel massively guilty. The first thing I decided was not to draw guns, but it's escalated from that.

 

What if it leads someone to take a stand against terrorist attacks as a result of reading your comic? It could also inspire non-violent readers in a different way, or provide them much-needed entertainment without being a bad influence (e.g. people who enjoy gory films don't necessarily start torturing people).

 

I'm not trying to tell you want to do or change your mind, I understand that you'll only feel comfortable with it if you decide it on your own. Just attempting to put a positive spin on it

[Hamishmash]

My gayness. You'd think it'd be simple, but some people have a LOT of questions.

[Grazza]

What if it leads someone to take a stand against terrorist attacks as a result of reading your comic?

 

Funnily enough, I actually did the first one because I was furious people would plant bombs in my country (these were the 1990s - the days of the IRA), so I invented fictitious terrorists and a character to bash them!

 

It could also inspire non-violent readers in a different way, or provide them much-needed entertainment without being a bad influence (e.g. people who enjoy gory films don't necessarily start torturing people).

 

Again, with all this navel-gazing, I forgot that I might actually be able to entertain people!

 

It's made me feel a lot better just to type this out.

Edited January 27, 2011 by Grazza

[Diageo]

Funnily enough, I actually did the first one because I was furious people would plant bombs in my country (these were the 1990s - the days of the IRA), so I invented fictitious terrorists and a character to bash them!

 

 

 

Again, with all this navel-gazing, I forgot that I might actually be able to entertain people!

 

It's made me feel a lot better just to type this out.

How would you even know any attacks were inspired by you anyway?

[Paj!]

That's a very interesting/thought-provoking reason, Grazza.

 

Hmm.

 

Although of course, EVERYTHING has been destroyed/done in books, comics and films already so I doubt your drawings would ever inspire terrorism, and of course most people would just say "Well it's not like you told them to do it" etc etc.

 

But interesting view./ I understand.

[Frank]

As languages seem to be 'it' in this forum I'll share.

Absolutely love languages and I plan to do at least 3 languages when I get to college. French, German and Japanese. I also know Irish and love it.

 

I'm also really interested in Swedish, Russian and Italian. Hopefully I'll get a chance for them all

My advice would be to listen to music with that language. I always listen to Edith Piaf (as an obvious example) and my French is greatly improved. Once on a roll I think/talk in French involuntarily

[Charlie]

As jayseven has pointed out, languages are useful for getting jobs and so on, and also let you access a whole new body of literature, etc. But these points are largely qualitative and (perhaps) debateable, and not my point. Teaching someone tourist phrases is definitely not the best way to learn a language even for the purposes of being a tourist - if all you want are phrases, then you need a phrasebook, not a GCSE, and you'll end up in trouble if ever someone deviates from the script. Some simple knowledge of the structure of language is infinitely more helpful, even if you just want to ask for two beers. The repetition-based approach that seems to be lurking behind British language teaching is ultimately based on 50-year-old behaviouralist theories that have long since been abandoned.

 

Of course it isn't the best way to learn a language and I apologise if that's what I implied, I'm just saying that the vast majority of young people have no interest in learning a language. The few people who want to learn it properly should be given the opportunity to, of course, as it is a great thing to have and as jayseven said, a great skill which opens a lot of doors.