Well, I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree, mate. I get the feeling we're never gonna get each other on this issue.
The checklist can be a product of bad writing, but checklists will always lead to it too, which is the bigger issue. When you stop caring for the merit of a story as your first priority and focus on its political correctness parameters to appeal to the cancelers who aren't really fans of anything other than of themselves having power, you're gonna go down the wrong path.
You...Realize I agree with on mandated checklists being bad (AND unnecessary), right? And you're starting to misrepresent the whole thing as "there are neurotic cancelers out there hunting for people who don't follow a diversity checklist, because they desire POWER!" which couldn't be further from the truth.
You're conflating people who take issue with problematic authors (and then basically decide to stop supporting that author) with the issue of creators resorting to diversity checklists. Which is
not the same issue.
Also, minorities don't like or want the checklists either. It leads to token flat characters and poorly delivered writing.
It's literally autistic to demand complete benevolence out of someone before you can enjoy something they produced without feeling guilty, and you really have no way of knowing people's dark secrets either which can cause you to doubt everyone and everything.
Have I ever, at any point in this discussion, said a person must be completely benevolent in order for me to enjoy their work?
No. I didn't.
What I
said was that I have a line.
Which is, quite simply, "Don't be a massive asshole to the point where my distaste for you is greater than any joy I can wring out of your work, ESPECIALLY if you are the sole creator of that work". I do not think that's unreasonable or neurotic.
As for people's "dark secrets", I don't worry about them, because how the hell would I even know what it is? Worrying about shit I can't possibly know is a recipe for senseless anxiety and I already have to cope with enough of that in my daily life, thank you very much.
Finally, that "literally autistic" line...
Hi. I'm actually
on the autism spectrum (Aspergers).
And yet I actually
DO recognize that people are nuanced and complicated and multifaceted!
My issue is that sometimes
a person pisses me off more than the joy I could get from their work.
A sentiment, which, surprise surprise, is shared by a considerable number of people who are NOT autistic.
Seems to me like it's got nothing to do with autism.