Is insulting fictional characters a thing now?

[Ihateregistering1]

So I was browsing the interwebz today, and came across this story:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2015/04/23/chris-evans-jeremy-renner-black-widow-slut-scarlett-johansson-avengers/26235729/

Here's one of the comments on it: "Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner should apologize for shaming Black Widow".

Ok, I get that people can complain that Chris Evans and Jeremy Renner were being juvenile (though I think it was abundantly clear they were kidding around), but "shaming Black Widow"? I mean, she's a fictional character, she isn't real, how can you shame someone who doesn't actually exist? Should I get in trouble for saying Harry Potter is a wimp? Or that Loki is an asshole?

 

[Parasondox]

Because some people can't separate fiction and real life.

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

It's essentially because people tend to hold their favourite fiction and fictional characters on pedestals they consider unassailable. Anything they disagree with being done, or used is a grievous insult. With less real news and more nerds/geeks getting into journalism as a whole, you're likely to see a lot of non-news like this. Either way that's USA Today, who the heck takes them seriously!?

 

[Sniper Team 4]

It was done in bad taste I think, especially with all the issues going on regarding women in, well, anything right now related to geek and nerd culture. It was like poking a bear with a stick I think. Not the brightest idea, but seemed pretty darn funny at the time.

I think they should have chosen better words, but I get the joke. As for insulting fictional characters, I've been doing it for years. The amount of hate I have for Sasuke from Naruto is pretty big, despite the fact that he's not real. And watching Jacen Solo from Star Wars fall that hard was heartbreaking, but by the end I wanted him dead and in the ground. Again, even though he's not real. People get attached to fictional characters. Now, if those characters are meant to be hated, then it's fine to insult them. But if those characters are loved? If people look up to them, and then hear anyone--especially a big name celebrity--insult them, it hurts. This entire concept is what builds fandoms, and causes fandom wars. The love of characters.

 

[Redd the Sock]

Try having a conversation about Neon Genesis Evangelion without insulting the main cast, most of which were designed to be unlikable. Nothing new there.

Getting unironically mad about it? That's new, but these days, sadly very unsurprising.

 

[Redd the Sock]

sigh actually yeah it was very awful wording considering kids are following the film.

I think however, its unreasonably reactionary to declare it somehow hateful towards widow as the female star. The same sentiments have been said throughout the films about Tony Stark who is "a giant whore". I get it. Terms like whore and slut in the archaic used to refer specifically to women, but just don't think thats true anymore. I can't count on one hand the number of women I've called a whore or a slut in my life. I'd need a calculator to count how times I've called my male friends whore and sluts this week.

I doubt its a "protect the children" thing, otherwise we'd have had a larger shitstorm with the first movie when Loki called Widow an old slang term for a lady's hoo-hah.

This is just another in an list of outrages that can be summed up as "how dare you [negatively] judge a woman's actions."

 

[Akjosch]

"Now"? Insulting fictional characters was a thing in Ancient Greece already.

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

Try having a conversation about Neon Genesis Evangelion without insulting the main cast, most of which were designed to be unlikable. Nothing new there.

Getting unironically mad about it? That's new, but these days, sadly very unsurprising.

It's not new. People have gotten actually angry about perceived insults to characters they like since fiction has existed. Go up to a trekkie and tell them you think Spock is an idiot, they'll get enraged. Same if you say Han Solo was nothing but a scum bag to a Star Wars fan. Even if you did it way back in the day people would still get mad at you for insulting a character they love.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

I'm a bit surprised that they did say "slut" and "whore". I personally didn't really think anything was wrong with it, a joke is a joke. Jeremy Renner seems to think so too, if this is any indicator: ""I am sorry that this tasteless joke about a fictional character offended anyone"

 

[infohippie]

IMO, one of the major problems in western society is the large number of people who have trouble separating fantasy from reality. I feel much more offended that they actually apologised than that they made such a comment in the first place.

 

[BreakfastMan]

Try having a conversation about Neon Genesis Evangelion without insulting the main cast, most of which were designed to be unlikable. Nothing new there.

Getting unironically mad about it? That's new, but these days, sadly very unsurprising.

I wouldn't even say that it is new. I have had people come at me before for saying that Shinji is a shitty person. None of the problems with fan culture is new, it is just made more visible (and therefore amplified) by the nature of the internet.

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

IMO, one of the major problems in western society is the large number of people who have trouble separating fantasy from reality. I feel much more offended that they actually apologised than that they made such a comment in the first place.

Don't pin this on western or even modern society. This kind of thing has happened all over the world since the beginning of time. At least they had the decency to apologize to the people they offended. Anymore that seems to be seen as a sign of weakness, rather than, you know, as civility, and common decency.

 

[Thaluikhain]

You can't shame people who don't exist.

You can say that being a slut is bad, being a whore is bad, and having an artificial leg makes you unattractive to everyone. Those are insulting people that do exist.

If I say that Captain America is terrible due to being American, I'm going to piss people off.

 

[Scarim Coral]

Hasn't it always been a thing since forever?

Example- like everyone hated Joffrey with a searing passion which in turn lead to alot of insult? Even I and many other hated Evangelion!

 

[Fappy]

You can't shame people who don't exist.

You can say that being a slut is bad, being a whore is bad, and having an artificial leg makes you unattractive to everyone. Those are insulting people that do exist.

If I say that Captain America is terrible due to being American, I'm going to piss people off.

Thank you.

The fact that people are missing the whole point of the controversy is equal parts hilarious and depressing.

For the record, I think people are overreacting to the off-color comments, but I agree that they were inappropriate. Evans seems to agree according to his apology.

 

[Thaluikhain]

The fact that people are missing the whole point of the controversy is equal parts hilarious and depressing.

Is it missing if you weren't trying to hit? It seems that a fair few people are being a bit disingenuous.

 

[Fappy]

The fact that people are missing the whole point of the controversy is equal parts hilarious and depressing.

Is it missing if you weren't trying to hit? It seems that a fair few people are being a bit disingenuous.

Fair point.

I wish people would stop bothering with their petty lines in the sand and discuss things honestly for once.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Well what else would we do on the internet if we aren't getting offended all the time... watch cat videos? Those are like so last year.