tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post2197179864526763860..comments2024-03-28T07:27:17.868-04:00Comments on Jungle Red Writers: ON VIOLENCEJungle Red Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16646429819267618412noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-17608915516712342812007-05-01T16:40:00.000-04:002007-05-01T16:40:00.000-04:00My campus had a lockdown due to gun threat last we...My campus had a lockdown due to gun threat last week, but I don't blame the movies, books or video games the student was exposed to. <BR/><BR/>The students who have shot up school all fall into a profile. They are drawn to things that glorify violence, but their actions are not caused by them. And I'm not sure that any book that includes violence neccessarily "glorifies" it, either. The worry would be when young people are exposed to works that protray killing and <I> enjoying</I> killing in a positive or acceptable light. That's what the shooters enjoy. It supports their mindset, but doesn't cause it. <BR/><BR/>Is writing something they find supportive (even if you don't intend it to be) wrong? Wouldn't someone inclined to that find inspiration elsewhere? A hunter's safety handbook shows how to dress out a deer, but in the hands of a sociopath, that's how to dress out their next victim. The local paper or Reader's Digest runs a factual article on the BTK killer and that becomes inspiration.Rural Catholic Womanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00042421637636646604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-60481178372991210592007-04-26T14:11:00.000-04:002007-04-26T14:11:00.000-04:00I don't think one story can cause one person to do...I don't think one story can cause one person to do something violent, a direct cause and effect, but I'm quite certain that the stories and myths we tell ourselves shape our culture. When stories glorify violence, the culture accepts more violence. While I agree that stories reflect whats going on in the culture, I think they also help reinforce the values.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-28972193919189780982007-04-26T01:31:00.000-04:002007-04-26T01:31:00.000-04:00You've presented some great food for thought and I...You've presented some great food for thought and I admire your desire to analyze what you write within the context of social responsibility. I don't believe written fiction can change anyone's perception of the value of human life any more than I believe The Catcher in the Rye can motivate someone to shoot the President or Ozzy Osborne makes teenagers want to kill themselves. I worry about the inclination of responsible artists to self-censor. Stories that incorporate murder are as old as story telling because killing is and always has been an integral part of our humanity. Stories about people who cross that line fascinate normal people. As human beings, we think about death a lot (OK maybe I think about death a lot). To me, great books are almost always a reflection of something we already know and understand, illuminated in a unique way by the author’s particular style. I hope excessive violence that doesn’t serve a purpose within the story would naturally be culled out of any book worth reading, just as anything else that’s not needed would be. Thank you for such a thought-provoking post.Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00665632105920753931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-29476247060761245252007-04-24T19:23:00.000-04:002007-04-24T19:23:00.000-04:00Great idea. Call Hallie. At Home. She loves that.A...Great idea. Call Hallie. At Home. She loves that.<BR/><BR/>And from what I've read of your story--you absolutely succeeded.Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17420701704169428286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-26924411247248592852007-04-24T15:05:00.000-04:002007-04-24T15:05:00.000-04:00I'm of the opinion that writers tend to reflect li...I'm of the opinion that writers tend to reflect life; writing about violence and tragedy is our way of processing the mayhem around us. The story I wrote is an attempt to make right a thousand wrongs. I wanted to write a happy ending for lives that didn't appear to have one. As Hallie said, to create justice. I'm sure I'll wake at 3:00am thinking about what you wrote here. Should I call you?<BR/><BR/>AmyLynne Griffin and Amy MacKinnonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11107479565926998943noreply@blogger.com