Fics and political statements

[woodface]

I was really really enjoying reading a fic. I loved it. Until wham bam; out comes a political statement that stops me dead. I sit there staring at the screen thoroughly disgusted and wondering why I even bother reading fics when I know something could possibly be thrown in my face. And yes, it ruins the whole fic for me.

I've done it. I've been evil in AU fic and put in a statement that wasn't all too innocent. I plead not guilty on the account that I didn't name a political or otherwise engaged figure by name. But, bad example *g*

Seriously, should politics and fanfic mix? It's not the first time that reading a fic, I have been disgusted by a political statement and left cranky for the next couple of hours. I'd rather not have anyone from our "civilised world" compared to a goa'uld, no matter what they did.

Comments

[lisayaeger.livejournal.com]

I just got through reading your whole fic again plus the new part. I *love* where you're going with this. It's angsty and real. I hope you continue with this :-) Hope to see you tomorrow on chat again!

[woodface]

Thank you! And thanks for taking the time. See you tomorrow! =o)

[calyx.livejournal.com]

Honestly? I don't know. I don't read a lot of fanfic, so I may not be the best person to ask, but it seems to me that if someone is writing something for a large audience and they don't know who is going to read their work, they should leave their political opinions out of it.

But I know that quite a few other people would disagree. The excuse of "If you don't like it, don't read it" would probably be used.

That is just my opinion about it. I am sorry that you had a bad experience. *hugs*

[woodface]

Ah but the problem is that the author is a good writer. You read fic because you do like it despite of their political views. Then half way through you get a statement flung at you that makes you sick in the stomach. "Don't like it, don't read it" *shrugs* Fanfic is a far way from original fic. There's a reason why on television they don't use real figures in the series. Perhaps we should stick to that in fanfic as well.

[calyx.livejournal.com]

Good plan. :)

[seldear.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure I've done something similar before - put in a statement that might indicate my politics one way or the other.

I guess what you're counting on is the comparison between the real person and the fictional character/concepts having the same impact on your readers as it does on you - and that's not always a guarantee.

[woodface]

It's not about the garantee of impact. It's about the plan idiocy of comparing whatever person from our reality with a goa'uld.

And about political statements ruining a complete fic. I think most just do not belong in it.

[psquelly.livejournal.com]

Honestly? I love it when fanfic gets political. That's one of the reasons I love sci-fi/fantasy stuff. They can point out the ridiculous political crap without specifying things like Bush is a moron who's out to colonize the moon (my recent pet-peeve and personal interpretation of the whole let's build a space-station thing.)

However, that's the other point. That's why we have Kinsey and Maybourne. So we can point at the stereotypes and exaggerate them. We don't use Bush (instead "this administration") or Blair ("our allies") but poke at the fictional while saying something political. I don't think it should be current events, more of a general statement.

I guess what I'm saying is that I can see reason to have Daniel argue against the whole US=Earth thing, but not for Jack to go hunt down Bin Laden personally.