Twilight, the Uncertain Knight, and the Distressed Damsel

[Mark]

I agree with hexgrid in that the villainization of the Twilight series is very much like the demonization of D&D in the 80s (. . .)

You believe that there is a religious right movement to suppress the spread of Twilight popularity rather than simply some concern by parents to be sure to educate their youngsters regarding the poor emotional choices and self-esteem issues displayed by the supposed protagonist? Seems very different to me.

 

[Jeremy Ackerman-Yost]

Read the books first. Don't go in LOOKING for the conclusion you've already drawn, just read them like you would read any old fantasy novel. I bet you do not come away with the conclusion you've already drawn, IF you can try and eliminate your bias going in.

Actually, I went in with very little bias, evidenced by the entire joke-y first post I made here. After that, the internet hoopla about this seemed hyperbolic, so I talked to two women I know who had tried to read the books. Neither were able to finish them, specifically because both of them were reminded by the books of their past abusive boyfriends, and it made them uncomfortable.

Perhaps I chose a biased population to sample. It happens. But I'll take the word of two people I trust over internet vitriol on either side, thanks.

 

[crazy_monkey1956]

I would still follow Mistwell's advice and read the books for your self and form your own opinion.

 

[Jeremy Ackerman-Yost]

If the stack of books I want to read ever shrinks to the point that books I've been warned not to read by friends actually make it into the stack, I'll take it under advisement.

 

[Mark Chance]

I would still follow Mistwell's advice and read the books for your self and form your own opinion.

I wouldn't. There are too many good books out there to be wasting precious time on drek like the Twilight series.

 

[hexgrid]

You believe that there is a religious right movement to suppress the spread of Twilight popularity rather than simply some concern by parents to be sure to educate their youngsters regarding the poor emotional choices and self-esteem issues displayed by the supposed protagonist? Seems very different to me.

"Very much like" does not mean "identical."

Of course the two situations are very different in some ways. I think they're similar in that the concern is unwarranted.

 

[Mark]

"Very much like" does not mean "identical."

Glad no one used the word "identical" despite the implication by your quotation marks.

Of course the two situations are very different in some ways. I think they're similar in that the concern is unwarranted.

I think the concern of institutional entities in the 80s over D&D was unwarranted while the concern for any parent over what their children (as minors) are reading is obligatory. In what significant ways do you feel they are similar?

 

[crazy_monkey1956]

The similarities primarily exist in that the material is being villainized, so to speak, by those unwilling to actually experience it for themselves (whether playing D&D or reading Twilight). Both sources are or were being blamed for causing problems or issues that existed long prior to the source material itself.

Just as D&D does not cause people to go on psychotic rampages, Twilight does not cause people to get in to abusive relationships.

On the topic of parental guidance, it applies equally to D&D. Just as I won't let my kids read the Twilight books until they are about 16 or so, I didn't let them start playing D&D until they were 10, and then only with me DMing so I could control the content that entered the game.

 

[Mark]

The similarities primarily exist in that the material is being villainized, so to speak, by those unwilling to actually experience it for themselves (whether playing D&D or reading Twilight).

The objections I am hearing and reading to Twilight are from people who are actually familiar with the content. It happens to be preceisely why they object to it since if they were not familiar, if they didn't know about the problematic nature of the protagonist, (her poor choices, low self-esteem issues, etc.) they would have a hard time objecting to those specific aspects.


Are you finding that there are people who are objecting to the series on other grounds that are not actually part of the series and thus showing those who object as not being familiar with the material?

 

[crazy_monkey1956]

The primary objection appears to be the abusive relationship angle. We have seen in this very thread that that particular argument is being accepted by those unwilling to actually read the book. Where-as, if one reads the book, one may come away from it with that opinion, or that that opinion is unfounded based on unintended metaphors based on the vampire element of the main male protagonist, or that the book is harmless drivel, or some other opinion.