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Today I looked at reviews on a story I posted on Fictionmania and found this one, from a reviewer calling themselves "King" - "I would ask you to reflect on whether the stories and work you're doing is a force of good or one of wrong. What's the legacy being left behind and is it one of moral good. We all have the capability to do good,and you should reflect on the values and ideas being normalized and propagated by yourself. Please do better".
I have to say that these words did give me pause, and perhaps we should all reflect on whether our fiction has a greater purpose.
The story in question was one of those fantasies about a sister feminizing her brothers to (in her view) right a societal wrong, where (in my usual fashion) both the victims end up as happy females.
I don't think that anybody should go to Fictionmania for moral guidance but "the moral of the story" is that evil motives may result in happy outcomes of the victims.
But what about our writings being a force for good? I for one, would like to think of my stories as being (in the main) uplifting tales of successful transitions resulting in love and happiness, with a few tales of tragedy thrown into to remind us that the world is not always ideal.
I am often appalled by pornography that "normalizes" violent sexual behavior, but we cannot deny that it exists.
Am I wrong? Or am I just propagating wrong?
Maryanne
Comments
Forces for Good?
Maryanne i cant speak for others but bc is a force for good in my life .the stories support me help me forget rl for a little while and help me deal with what every is going on
Is it a fair question?
I'd like to think that my writings, on the whole, are a force for good. And since I want to think that, I guess I would probably agree that the question is, at least at some level, fair.
Of course, a whole lot of people in our society aren't going to find anything good in stories that "promote" the heretical notion that gender isn't wholly determined by one's genitals, but that's really a different question. I'd say if you believe in your writing -- if you think it's a force for "right, as God give you to see the right," then that should be enough.
Emma
My stories come from my soul,
Every person has a sense of right and wrong, good and evil. Our life experiences make us who we are and NO ONE can tell me what I'm writing is wrong! I accept some not like my writings, But I write the truth of my life experiences. No one can tell me otherwise!
Boys will be girls... if they're lucky!
Jennifer Sue
Focus?
Is the question targeted more to the 'forced feminization' stories that use elements of mind-control and other methods that 'rewrite' characters? In such a context or, as mentioned, pornography that normalizes violent sexual actions, then the question has a much different connotation than being aimed simply at stories involving gender-bending. And the query of 'do the ends justify the means' is broader still, one eternally debated.
Each author individually will likely need to answer the question for themselves, as I doubt a 'one size fits all' response is possible.
Just my two-cents worth, anyway.
- Erisian
The question in my mind
I have to wonder who is qualified to judge good and evil? While what I write is in my opinion all G rated and I often work hard at keeping it light, there are some who see the dark side to it. In my latest offering, "If It Was Your Husband," the first comment was from someone who was disturbed by the "forced fem" aspect of it.
For me, forced fem is when someone is physically forced, or mentally coerced. Simply making a bet, or cutting a deal with someone that has them dabbling in trans territory and coming to enjoy the adventure isn't really forced. Especially if they knew going in where it was leading.
To others, if the person in question didn't come up with the idea independently, but was it was introduced by a third party, then it skates a thin line between forced and not forced and they feel it falls most often in the forced category. No doubt if they are manipulated with dire consequences if they don't comply, it's forced. If they just go along with the idea because it's easier than not or because they feel the other person will feel better, then it's not forced.
In the end, it perspective.
I like to think my work is merely entertaining.
Hugs
Patricia
Happiness is being all dressed up and HAVING some place to go.
Semper in femineo gerunt
As the person who left the comment……
Regarding forced fem, I agree with your comment regarding physical force or mental coercion - hence my original comment. Is it not coercion when the husband comments that he knows his wife will not give up until he eventually gives in and does what she wants? Is it not coercion when she uses rewards like his favorite meal, or increased intimacy when he goes along with what she wants? How is that NOT mental coercion?
Is this not how we train a pet? Through coercion, punishment and reward?
Hence my comment.
As for whether your or anyone else’s writing is a force for good or bad, I think that can only be interpreted in how it is seen by the individual reader. Even a story which uses forced fem, or violence in pornography, can be a force for good if it in some way causes the reader to realize that they are opposed to the actions described in the story. If an author’s writing causes the reader to contemplate their own feelings, and ultimately to make a sound moral judgement that an action as depicted is morally or ethically wrong, then the story is a force for good no matter what it depicts.
After all, isn’t the most important thing about a story the feelings it drives in the reader, and not what happens to the characters?
Yes, your story did make me feel uncomfortable - but I see that as a good thing. It tells me that my morals are truly against one person forcing or coercing another to do something they would not normally do. Isn’t that a good thing?
D. Eden
Dum Vivimus, Vivamus
Feeling scolded
I suppose what irked me about this review was that I was not really being invited to reflect upon the question, which I did, and others who have added to this blog have done. No, here I have been told to do better regrading "the values and ideas being normalized and propagated" by my writings. I am still not exactly sure what those are. If they do refer to forced feminization then I would plead not guilty. I have only ever written one of two stories with any element of torture, a few more with a hint of mind control, some blackmail OK, but I have written hundreds of stories about people driven by circumstance sometimes, but making a choice. But what immoral behavior am I normalizing? Don't worry, I am not truly vexed by this. I just thought it might interest a few, and I think it has!
Maryanne