Who do we blame for this?

[Tsukuyomi]

With the 50 Shades hype slowly burning down, only likely to be re-kindled when they pull a movie out of it, I find myself waiting to see what abomination of literature will be hoisted onto the pedestal of worship for the masses. As I was thinking about the possibilities of what will be next in terms of genre, setting, plot and such, I asked myself the question I'll ask everyone:

Many of us gnash our teeth and wail about the poor quality of the recent titles such as Twilight, 50 Shades, etc. We direct rage at the books and the authors. But who's REALLY to blame for this? After all the fact that these things exist tells us it's not terribly difficult to get published. There's dozens of books that are variations on the Twilight theme and likely going to be many more that are variations on the 50 shades theme in the future.

The Authors merely wrote what they wanted to write. (unless this was their evil plan to take over the world without being thwarted by those meddlesome Joes) The books, for however bad they are, merely exist. They don't force people to read them or like them. If we're going to be outraged about awful things, I'd say it's best to be outraged in the right direction. But who do you point the finger at for all this?

 

[Bertylicious]

... But who do you point the finger at for all this?

The church of Scientology.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Can't say I disagree with that. Stuff doesn't tend to get published unless there's a market for it (though you have some people who are so certain of what will sell they don't feel the need to consult actual facts).

 

[Verzin]

I blame the public. *Shakes fist* Get off of my damn literary lawn you philistines!

 

[Bertylicious]

Can't say I disagree with that. Stuff doesn't tend to get published unless there's a market for it (you have some people who are so certain of what will sell they don't feel the need to consult actual facts).

It could be argued that Marketing creative ventures is just an excercise in trying to capture the zeitgeist; afterall if you're succesful you'll reflect what people are feeling and they'll buy your product.

There are loads of people creating art for arts sake, it's just that most of it is garbage or created by people being so autor-ific as to render the subject matter impenetrable to wider audiences.

 

[Hazy992]

I think we should blame John Barrowman!

*shakes fist*

Or Dinkleberg!

Or Wernstrom!

 

[Colour Scientist]

Why is everyone so worked up about this book?

It's just a bit of erotica, it's not claiming to be Shakespeare. For a lot of women, erotica is almost as good as porn, some women even prefer it.

Also, I'd like to know how many people ranting and raving about it have actually read 50 Shades of Grey or the Twilight Saga.

 

[shrekfan246]

Also, I'd like to know how many people ranting and raving about it have actually read 50 Shades of Grey

I've never even heard of it, so this thread is news to me. Why are people getting worked up over it?

Hazy won me over with that Fairly OddParents .gif though, so I think I need to join the bandwagon just for the sake of it.

Dinkleberg! *shakes fist*

 

[Colour Scientist]

Also, I'd like to know how many people ranting and raving about it have actually read 50 Shades of Grey

I've never even heard of it, so this thread is news to me. Why are people getting worked up over it?

Hazy won me over with that Fairly OddParents .gif though, so I think I need to join the bandwagon just for the sake of it.

Dinkleberg! *shakes fist*

It's just a book that came out that has a lot of sex in it and has gained a sizable female audience, lots of people are pissy about it for some reason. That is literally it.

 

[Colour Scientist]

It is literally a Twilight fanfiction that got published and is about as creepy as you'd expect a Twilight fanfiction to be.

How is it Twilight fanfiction?

 

[shrekfan246]

It is literally a Twilight fanfiction that got published and is about as creepy as you'd expect a Twilight fanfiction to be.

It's just a book that came out that has a lot of sex in it and has gained a sizable female audience, lots of people are pissy about it for some reason. That is literally it.

I like how you both used the word "literally". It literally made me laugh.

I hope these forums don't explode with hatred over this for the next few weeks, it was just finally starting to die down with the whole "sexism" topic...

A quick Google trip later --
Holy damn, this thing has sold faster than Harry Potter did? Where the hell have I been? So is it being criticized because of the rumors of it starting as a Twilight fanfic? If that's the case, then... well, at least it would make a little more sense than people getting into an uproar because it's an erotica novel.

Wait, Universal, Sony, Paramount, and Warner Bros. have all submitted bids for movie rights to this? ... wow, I really don't pay attention to much of anything happening in the outside world.

 

[shrekfan246]

Yay, the server melted down as I was trying to post. That's just grand.

 

[shrekfan246]

Please delete or something if you can, I didn't mean for this to happen...

 

[shrekfan246]

I never asked for this. I don't even know how it managed to post so many times, I only tried to refresh the page once.

 

[shrekfan246]

So getting your post duplicated five times really sucks.

 

[shrekfan246]

So getting your post duplicated five times really sucks.

Try being the one quoted in the post. Ha. How'd I go from 0 to 5 quotes in the blink of an eye? THought I was popular for a second.

Yeah, I hit the "post" button and got a "The server was reset!" message, and instantly went "Oh fuck..." and now... yep. Five posts. That was a fun experience!

Anyway, I suppose if the forums do get into an uproar over this I'll probably need to avoid those topics. I'm not going to bad-mouth something I know very little about, and I don't care enough to read the story in question. I'm a bit shocked that movie rights are already being established though, that seems a bit... strange, especially given the content matter of the story in question.

 

[Doclector]

50 shades whatnow? I hadn't heard of this. Seeing it mentioned next to twilight means I'm not sure whether I want to know.

Some are saying we should blame teens, but shouldn't be angry. I...disagree. A lot. Teens aren't young children, most of them should be aware when what they're reading is, well, crap. Worse than that, it's not just teens who read and support it. We live in an idiotic culture, where somebody looking good is a substitute for them having a personality, that's what's went wrong here.

Who should we blame for that? I don't know, but I have an awful feeling the answer's everyone.

Still, I guess I shouldn't be complaining too much. It's not as if this crowd interfere with my enjoyme-

Spoiler

Oh wait. They do. They crowd around book stores, giving me wierd looks, and laughing at me for looking at "old books" and "nerdy stuff". Their crap has infested my beloved gorram fantasy/sci fi/horror sections, to the point where I'm afraid of trying new authors in case I've stumbled upon a twi-like in disguise. More of this sh** is getting funding, where funding could be given for better things. Hell, how am I gonna feel in the future if I make it as a film-maker, only to discover people only want to fund more teen-vamp-romance crap!? Sure, maybe there's jack all I can do about it, maybe they have the right to like crap, but it sure as hell doesn't mean I lack the right to be angry.

 

[ReservoirAngel]

Also, I'd like to know how many people ranting and raving about it have actually read 50 Shades of Grey or the Twilight Saga.

I've read the first 3 Twilight books. My brain started rejecting itself before I could get to the final one.

Not going near 50 Shades with a ten foot barge pole though, so I'm not going to rant about it. It's not my thing, so I avoid it wherever possible. I really don't get what the big deal is about films that target women or teenage girls or whatever becoming movies is. It's not like they're forcing people to watch them.

I hate the fact that the fucking Bourne films exist, but I don't rant about it. I just stay the fuck away from them.

 

[clipse15]

Probably the same group of people responsible for making money off those shitty star wars novels. Who cares about this really? Let people enjoy their thing. Eveyone likes something that can be argued as shit.

 

[Dags90]

I really don't get what the big deal is about films that target women or teenage girls or whatever becoming movies is. It's not like they're forcing people to watch them.

I think part of it is just not getting that it's meant to be erotic and refinement isn't needed. I've already made plans to see Magic Mike, and the last thing I'm thinking when looking at the trailer is "Gee, the cinematography is really nice". Magic Mike is sort of obviously meant to be brainless sexploitation with a romance injected to make it seem like the movie has some sort of reason for existing.