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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Shiroiken" data-source="post: 8017442" data-attributes="member: 6775477">This is something that should always be taken into consideration when looking into things in the past. If you've read the mathematical story Flatland, you might have noticed the significant sexism in both the 1st and 2nd dimensions. it's jarring to the modern reader, but at the time it was written, women were considered "lesser" than men, and this concept comes through in the writing. When looked at in context of the times, it shows the failure of the times and the progress made since. Another thing that is important to look at is if it is a trope that's utilized, rather than a direct form of prejudice. For example, a lot of the writings about "savage Africa" were written by people who'd never been anywhere near it, and knew nothing but the existing tropes used by others. To me, this is very different than an author who makes direct prejudice against a known group (as Lovecraft did), since the first can be attributed to ignorance, rather than malice. It doesn't make it right, but ignorance is much less of a sin than actual malice. Fortunately for us, in the modern age we have access to a million-fold the amount of information those in past had, leaving those with actual prejudice very little room to hide.</blockquote>