Are there any real-life issues that fiction SHOULDN'T address?

[thejboy88]

In the realm of fiction, many issues from real life have been addressed over the years. There have been negative issues, like war, genocide, murder and abuse. There have been positive issues, like acceptance if differing social groups, or how good people can triumph over evil and the like.

But, are there any real-world topics that you feel should NOT be addressed or tackled by fiction? I know that with topics like war and genocide having already been done, that pretty much leaves the gate wide open for what can be done in fiction, but even so, I'm curious to see if there's anything you think should not be done in any form of fiction.

 

[Tanis]

Nope.
Why should there be?

 

[Gengisgame]

The popular and technical answer will be no, it should be open to anything.

The real answer is that all that really matters is whether people want to see it, your not going to get a childrens film from Disney about a reformed child molester who shows the townsfolk a leopard can change his spots, although you may get a low budget youtube channel that does this for a niche audience who like the idea of such a taboo premise.

 

[DefunctTheory]

Any story where evil xenos, mutants, and traitors are portrayed in a favorable light, or victorious. Such story telling is heresy, and the crafter of such foul insults to the God-Emperor should be put to death, and their works destroyed for the good of the Imperium.

 

[Kae]

I don't think so, I would say that there are some things that you need to be really good at before writing but even then trashy tasteless fiction should be allowed to exist, so really no, sure there are things that will offend people but that does not mean that they should not be attempted.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

The existence of Zombie stories. No fiction is ever allowed to know of zombies. Zombie stories should exist in the real world, and never in fiction.

Just think about it; how many of our favorite stories would have never happened if a single character had ever seen or read a zombie story before? LITERALLY TENS OF THOUSANDS!

 

[The Lunatic]

Nope.

I don't believe any material is off the table, nor do I believe that any material has to be handled in any specific way.

By all accounts people are allowed to response to it by talking about how they don't enjoy it, and why. How they feel it could be improved and so on.

But, I don't think there's ever a point where anyone gets to say "This doesn't deserve to exist".

 

[MCerberus]

The heat death of the universe, other then that not a lot though I'd definitely steer clear of writers tackling hard issues without the ability for it.

Also anything that goes in Slaanesh's head

I see wee have a big crunch fanboy in this thread.

OT - The inability to create a fictive work on any subject would mean the society/humanity has gone static and we're living in an era devoid of one of the key aspects of the human mind. Putting something off-limits to fiction makes it so that it can never be a part of humanity at all, a null-space within our feelings, history, and ambition. As humans, we not only should create fictions of subjects it's hard to make stories about, but we have a duty.

Whether it's a kid working out his feelings growing up for a school assignment, a comic artist exploring the holocaust (seriously, read Maus), a sci-fi writer imagining what humanity at peace looks like, or using a talking horse as an exploration of celebrity culture and nihilism, or finding political expression through memes most dank it should be done.

Judge the results all you want.

 

[Glongpre]

Any story where evil xenos, mutants, and traitors are portrayed in a favorable light, or victorious. Such story telling is heresy, and the crafter of such foul insults to the God-Emperor should be put to death, and their works destroyed for the good of the Imperium.

I find the stories where the villain wins pretty good because they are so rare. Stuff like Brazil by Terry Gilliam. There are so many feel good stories that a well done depressing one is enjoyable. Gives me perspective and makes me think about stuff.

OP: Fiction should address whatever it wants. And it already has!!!

 

[davidmc1158_v1legacy]

I suppose the one subject that probably should be off-limits is [REDACTED] of course. I mean, I would think anyone could see the issues of trying to tackle [REDACTED] in a fictional setting given how upsetting the subject is, regardless of a person's religious or economic belief.

 

[1981]

No. But timing is important. I agree with what's said about e.g. United 93.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

SNIP

How do you feel about Tau? 'cause up until the space slugs in their brains chemically enslaving people thing, they were the nicest most 'Star Treky' of all the races in 40k.

 

[DefunctTheory]

SNIP

How do you feel about Tau? 'cause up until the space slugs in their brains chemically enslaving people thing, they were the nicest most 'Star Treky' of all the races in 40k.

The Tau are nothing but another foul Xenos species, galactic rats that will one day be purged so that the God-Emperor's blessed light may fill the entirety of the galaxy. The Milky Way is humanity's rightful home, and there is no room for the twisted, imperfect form of the Tau.

Long live the Emperor!

 

[WindKnight]

It really depends on who's telling it, and the context.

Leaving aside the aspect of timing or 'too soon', it really depends on if the creators can handle the subject sensitively, tactfully and respectfully. If not... you get something like captain planet trying to do a story about AIDS when they just don't have the ability to do so.

 

[Bobular]

I don't think anything should be off the table for fiction, but I do think somethings should be off the table for certain writers. If you're not going to handle a sensitive topic with the care it deserves (not including things like parody) then It should be took off you and you should sit in the corner.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Depends...is this "shouldn't" as in, "there should be a law against this", or "shouldn't" as in, "c'mon, don't do that"?

There's an awful lot of things that fit under the latter category. You shouldn't write a story about how the Holocaust was a good thing, for example, but I'd not legislate against it.

 

[CrazyCapnMorgan]

Giant mutant hamsters with the ability to shoot artillery sized turds at super sonic speeds, destroying even metals such as titanium, when they consume the smallest amount of fiber.

*friends talks in the background*

Whaddya MEAN we don't have those in real life?

*sigh*

Nevermind me, go back to your lives...

*walks away, sulking*

 

[KissingSunlight]

I don't think anything should be off the table for fiction, but I do think somethings should be off the table for certain writers. If you're not going to handle a sensitive topic with the care it deserves (not including things like parody) then It should be took off you and you should sit in the corner.

I think this comment is floating into censorship territory. I have been reading reviews about the movie Bad Moms. A few critics were complaining that the movie was written by two men. Last month, I got into a debate with someone who said white people who express opinions that he disagrees with about the legal system are invalid. Because, black people are affected by the legal system. Disqualifying people different than you, because of their race and gender. Worse yet, when people of different race and gender expressing opinions or telling stories that you disagree with. I believe that is censorship. How would you feel if you express a thought about a different gender or race, and have people trying to shut you up for expressing it?

No. But timing is important. I agree with what's said about e.g. United 93.

What was said about United 93? I skipped that movie, because I thought it was propaganda. I am not a conspiracy nut. I do believe that United 93 was shot down by the Air Force. They made up the story to hide that truth.

As for the OP, I am someone who believes that you can joke about anything. We should have no sacred cows. People should get over themselves believing that they and/or other people or topics should be off limit to joke about or to talk about. If you don't like the story, joke, etc., than move on with your life. Enjoy something that you would like.