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How Repulsive: On the merits of disturbing literature
- ktRolster 11y agoBeing disturbing is orthogonal to literature quality. It shouldn't be avoided, but 'disturbing' by itself has no particular merit, any more than science fiction or romance by itself has particular merit. Specifically, if you are going to force kids to read books in a class, you should find something that increases their worldview, gives them something new to think about, and whether that is disturbing or not shouldn't matter.
- Outdoorsman 11y agoI very much enjoyed reading this...thanks for posting it... Two very common pieces of advice are commonly given to beginning writers (which some take): 1} Find your voice...through repetitive practice...write compulsively until you do! 2} Open a vein...share yourself...reveal yourself...there are others like you who will appreciate what you write... This article does an excellent job of hinting at the value inherent in being honest with the reader... I divide types of fiction into two broad categories; others do, as well... 1}Escape fiction---meant to entertain... 2}Interpretive fiction---meant to entertain by illuminating segments of the human condition (honest sharing)... Interpretive fiction is more satisfying to me...the vast majority of the time...
- bcook 11y agoYour post was motivating enough to singularly encourage me to read the actual article. Truly, thank you for that. (Though, the article is a bit above my pay-grade... oh, the pain.)
- Outdoorsman 11y agoThanks...I owe thanks to the people who taught me the difference between escape and interpretive fiction... So, I'm repaying a debt, or attempting to pay it forward... I'm happy with either interpretation....
- bcook 11y agoA debt of kindness or knowledge?
- Outdoorsman 11y agoThe only honest reply that comes to mind is that we're likely finite beings and we should share whatever we think we've learned while we can....
- im3w1l 11y agoHow can we know one from the other?
- swayvil 11y agoYou want to be disturbed? HOGG by Samuel R Delaney : http://amzn.com/1573661198 http://amzn.com/1573661198 SHINTARO KAGO (comic artist) : https://www.tumblr.com/tagged/shintaro-kago https://www.tumblr.com/tagged/shintaro-kago It's good for you.
- scary_lit 11y agoRussian homeless children who live in the sewers and who are used by the Russian Mafia as a source for organs to sell--that fucked up enough for you? "The Butcher of Leningrad"--novel on that subject.
- carsongross 11y agoAristotle, Plato and a whole host of great thinkers, western and otherwise, would disagree. But I'm sure we are all much smarter than they were.
- jallmann 11y ago> Aristotle, Plato and a whole host of great thinkers, western and otherwise, would disagree. Oh man, you invoked the philosophers! This could have been such an interesting discussion, instead we're left with a rather oblivious appeal to authority. Was there something particularly objectionable about the article, rather than a dismissive deconstruction of the title? In The Republic, Plato makes an argument for censoring disturbing imagery. Paraphrasing the inimitable Bernard Knox: the better the descriptions of Hell are as poetry [1], the less suitable they are for an audience of boys and men on whom freedom places the obligation to fear slavery more than death. On the other hand, the crux of the article is this: > To disturb is, among other things, to guard against complacency: to make the reader face the underbelly of dark thoughts and actions, see how circumstances can make even good people go astray if they are not vigilant in honoring the best in themselves and in the outside world. I could nerd out for thousands of words, juxtaposing these two passages, and it'd be a very interesting (although perhaps self-indulgent) thought experiment. But not with this comment. [1] in reference to the Underworld of Homer's Odyssey
- PhasmaFelis 11y agoDisagree with what? I don't see a single soundbite-able thesis statement in the article.
- kbart 11y agoGood point. Disturbing things happen in real world, so it's sometimes necessary to write such things as well to reveal the dark corners of life and human mind. The examples of this articles are perfect. Porn and smut, on the other hand, serves no such purpose and is simply meant to satisfy reader's (sick) fantasies. I still find it strange though, why so many people read porn (aka Fifty Shades of Gray) instead of watching it on Internet which is much faster way to achieve the same effect.
- soylentcola 11y agoI think different people respond differently to various stimuli and sexual stimulation or titillation is no different. Just as some folks find reading the book to be more engaging than watching the movie, I'd imagine that depictions of sexual fantasies may be more appealing in written form rather than visual, depending on the person. The more I learn about people, the more I realize that the variety in sexual preferences and practices is pretty wide.
- Chris2048 11y agoI'm not so sure literature is as important as the people who study it think it is...