Rant Thread

Unread post by **Snowy** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 8:22 am

Can people please just STOP assuming that everyone finds cats being killed in films funny? Oh my god I can't even begin to describe my stress and disgust right now. Stumbling around Imgur mindlessly, a place where people love cats, and somehow I manage to come across a gif of a cat being shot and blown up. It was from a film, so obviously fake, but IT CAN STILL AFFECT PEOPLE. Any animal lover like me will know how it feels to see their favourite animal killed on screen, even if it is fake. I know I'm not the only one out there either because I got into a massive discussion on a YouTube trailer for a film about how distasteful said trailer was and loads of people agreed. Cats get to me the worst and films seem to think it's okay to do this. Why is it okay to kill animals but forbidden to kill children?

It's happening more and more and it's gotten to the point where I need to look online to see if an animal gets hurt or killed in a film before I go watch it. I never go to the cinema anymore out of absolute fear unless I know for sure that nothing bad will happen. I won't watch horrors anymore. I don't know how I'm going to survive this weekend when all my friends are wanting to sit and watch horror films (I'm thinking of escaping to my mum's house for the weekend...) because people don't know how much this affects me.

I've ranted about this before. I went to the cinema recently and a horrible, horrible trailer was shown before the actual film. I didn't go back to the cinema for over a month and even then, when I did, I only went to see animated films because I knew things like that wouldn't be shown before them. For clarity this time though: When I was a child, about 12 or 13 years old, I came home one day from school and, as I did every day, shouted for my cat, Misty, to come to me. She was dead on the road. I saw her. And I was beyond horrified, I cried and cried for days, I couldn't go to school for about a week. And ever since then, any hurt that has come to a cat on screen has deeply affected me. It sends cold shivers down my spine and that time at the cinema I actually had to leave and I sat outside and just cried. None of the staff members actually came over to see if I was okay, of course.

But now I can't even go on to Imgur of all places without seeing that kind of thing. A place where people are supposed to adore cats, apparently.

This might be such a trivial, silly thing to some people but my cats are like my kids - would you like to see children get hurt or be killed on screen when you have children of your own? No. That's the reason it's (for the most part) forbidden. So why is hurting animals okay? The film that got to me the most that wasn't a cat was 'I Am Legend'... I just... Wow. That was a powerful moment. It was really well done I'll give it that but so ridiculously heartbreaking, but that's why they did it. Because people love dogs, dogs are a 'man's best friend'. But killing cats is apparently funny. I fucking hate people.

Unread post by **Lupis** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 3:03 pm

Killing cats isn't funny anywhere and I'm very surprised and very disgusted that someone posted it as a funny thing. Anyone who thinks that killing cats is funny will probably think the same thing about any animal- they're also a scary ass person who should be avoided.

I'm with you- I HATE anything where animals get hurt. It makes me feel ill and can lead to emotional breakdowns. I know it's fake, but I hate it. It feels like one of those cheap gimmicks that writers use to add danger or emotions to a situation- they KNOW people will react strongly to an animal dying, so they throw in animal death to avoid needing to actually write something good. It's like using rape in storytelling- of COURSE people will react strongly to that, put some actual effort in and write something heartbreaking that isn't some cheap trick that works no matter what.

Unread post by **cowmuflage** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 3:27 pm

That stuff never bothers me.

I disagree I don't think animal death is always "some cheap trick" it can be done well too just like a rape scene can. I'm kinda sick of hearing everyone say all of those kinds of things are cheap or "bad writing" because I've seen heaps of good things that use them well. It's like the idea people have on Tumblr that having a character be gay or something makes them a better character. It's not always true!

Sure it's true most of the time it's used because the writer is lazy but not always

Dear Cosplayers if you are going to cosplay as someone with a different skin colour can you please wear gloves I do not like having to clean my product because of your shitty grey paint. Also I wish people would not yell really loudly when they see something for fuck sakes it's the real world not magic tumblr land no one likes people who write in all caps so they certainly don't like it when you do it in real life!

Unread post by **Snowy** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 4:29 pm

Cow it's fine if it doesn't bother you but my point is that it does bother a lot of people. And a lot of the time it is just some cheap crappy trick to make a scene more shocking and/or funny. The 'funny' ones piss me off the most though since I think it's sickening that people can find something like that funny. That and I have honestly never seen a well-written rape scene.

Though I do agree about the gay thing, I feel like a lot of the time people put gay characters into their film, game or book to make it seem more interesting. Fair enough if it's relevant to the actual story but if it's not it just baffles me as to why it even matters. Like when J.K Rowling just randomly told us that Dumbledore was gay, so what? That doesn't have ANYTHING to do with the plot at all. Not insulting J.K Rowling or her books though, I think they're brilliant, I just don't understand why she ever brought up that fact other than for more attention.

Unread post by **Lupis** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 4:39 pm

Yeah I've never seen a needed or well-written rape scene either. I'm sure they exist, but that wasn't the point of my argument- I'm sure those kinds of scene exist. But the vast majority of them are crappy and just for shock factor.

As for gay characters- I'm ALL FOR random gay characters with no real "point" to their gayness. Random extras in books are ALWAYS straight. Why? There's no reason for them to be straight. Why are they straight? But as soon as the extras are gay or not straight, the book gets flack. There doesn't need to be a point for a character to be gay or what have you. That's just people for you- some of them are gay.

Now, when the book is all about some straight guy and then the author claims they're totally diverse because of that one background character with three lines of dialogue, THAT bugs me.

(As for Dumbledore, I have SO MANY PROBLEMS with how that was done, ugh. There was like- one line that made any reference to his sexuality and suddenly J.K. Rowling got ALL THE PRAISE for having a gay main character. But nobody even knew he was gay, please stop. If you're going to pat yourself on the back for diversity, please actually include diversity. The Harry Potter books are wonderful for many reasons but diversity is absolutely not one of them.)

Unread post by **Krysteena** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 4:41 pm

Dumbledore was gay?! Shows how much I pay attention when I read the books

Unread post by **Snowy** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 4:44 pm

It's a funny topic to talk about and not one that I can really do well, so I won't put much effort into this.

I just find that when an author goes 'oh yeah and this character is gay by the way' when it's got absolutely nothing to do with anything, when sexuality isn't even a topic in said book, that the author is doing it purely because they know people are going to praise them for it. If there's a gay character in a book and it actually relates to something that's going on, I'm totally okay with that and if it's written well I really approve of it too.

But Dumbledore was a good example of just... wat? This isn't even relevant! So yes Kayro, Dumbledore was gay. Wasn't said in the books. J.K Rowling just decided this one day.

Unread post by **Krysteena** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 4:50 pm

Ooh okay. Seems kinda odd to just be like "Hey, this badass over here, yeah? Plot twist he's gay!" But that's not a bad thing. I've got nothing against gay people (One of my best friends is gay) but it does seem odd to just say "oh, he's actually gay". You've got Voldemort running around rampant and all hell is breaking loose...yet we worry about sexualities. Eh, oh well.

Unread post by **Moonlost** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 5:19 pm

I can recall... one instance in storytelling in which I felt that rape was used to an effect beyond cheap drama. It was an episode of House MD, where the titular character has to essentially play therapist for a woman who went through an assault and rape. And what made that episode work (in my opinion) is that they writers chose to focus on the emotional fallout that this woman was going through, and used it to springboard into other moral topics.
Her rape wasn't just used for shock value. It wasn't used as a cheap plot beat to enrage other characters into action. She and her development were the focus of the story. Even then, the rape was something that had happened to her in the past, and the episode followed her through the process of accepting that and putting it past her. It was a hard process, and not entirely resolved by the end of the episode. She still bore scars, but, there was hope for her.

Rape is a topic that can be addressed in storytelling. But it's such a heavy topic that one needs to address with the respect it deserves. it cannot be a "thing that happens to a woman". (And yes, rape happens to men too, but it's a very rare occurrence in media to depict it - unless it's done for humour and that's just as disgusting.) It cannot be used to spur on the friends and family of the victim into action, at least not without also addressing the victim's story and actions.

Animal death is, sadly, used as a cheap ploy to raise the stakes. Animals are seens as pretty innocent creatures in our culture, so having an enemy kill a pet is an easy way for a writer to establish a dude as a bad guy who needs to be stopped. And it's usually pretty tastelessly done. It can be handled well, I think Snowy's example of the recent remake of "I Am Legend" is a great example of this, because the dog was really more of an established character than pets usually are. For a good majority of that movie, you just had Will Smith and his dog as protagonists, so the dog's passing was a strong, tragic moment. Or, again, so I felt.

As for the whole Word of Gay, honestly I think I'm fine with it. Yeah, it doesn't change anything and may just be done for attention. But damn it, there are so few characters for queer people to look up to that I'm more than willing to let it pass by. Yeah, sure, it doesn't matter. But at the same time, it doesn't matter. I like to interpret that as nobody making a big deal out of a character's sexuality because it's an accepted part of that universe's society. They're not "the gay person", they don't need to rub their sexuality in your face. They're just a person who happens to be gay.

Unread post by **Snowy** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 5:30 pm

Completely different rant here because omg this guy is getting on my nerves. I traded with you ONCE so STOP FUCKING EMAILING ME ALL THE TIME!!

Pokefarm · Unread post by **Lisaara** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 5:30 pm

On the topic of gayness, I'm more irritated at 'yaoi fangirls' that go "omg these two hot guys are totally gay for each other and its canon!" regardless if they even spoke to one another or have a female love interest. They rub it in your face. Kingdom Hearts was killed for me cause of Axel x Roxas fangirls. I can't ever like it again cause that's all I have associated with it not aside from Kairi being a flat and bland character.

But if you ever try to do a 'what if so and so was straight' to a gay character, they fucking maul you. Double standards much?

Unread post by **Lupis** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 5:37 pm

Junrei wrote:But if you ever try to do a 'what if so and so was straight' to a gay character, they fucking maul you. Double standards much?

...Um, yeah, there's a point though.

See, there are six hundred thousand million straight characters. Like- a LOT. To the point where people just pretend that they're gay because at least in their headcanon they can be represented.

And then you get a gay character. It's awesome! You're finally represented! ...Wait, okay, people want to turn them straight. Great. Awesome. Because the other six million straight characters wasn't enough.

If someone took an asexual character (hahahahah I'm lying they don't exist) and then people went "BUT WHAT IF: SEX" I'd be pretty damn pissed off, too.

Unread post by **Syleye** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 5:56 pm

double standards are never right. period. No excuses either you are okay with people making up their own little fantasies are you aren't no one should be allowed to pick and choose what others are allowed to make up in their own minds.

Unread post by **Moonlost** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 5:57 pm

A lot of yaoi-shipping also happens because, well, any love interests the characters have just aren't as interesting or developed as the person they're meant to be in love with. Let's go with the classic ship: Kirk/Spock. Sure, both have romantic relationships. And I think Spock maybe sorta has a wife? Ugh, it's been so long since I last watched the classics.
Regardless, the problem for fanwriters is that the vulcan chick Spock had intimacies with during his Ponfar, or the many womens that Kirk has bedded were footnotes at best. Outside of being a character for main character X to bump uglies with, they have little to no agency or personlality. In the meantime, these two characters are interesting, fleshed out and have a close friendship that could border onto something more physical. They're just more interesting to write about for some people.
And hey, even if it is a matter of "omg these dudzz r totes hot togthr tehy shuld bang", well, nothing wrong with that either. If people want to just fantasise about a pairing, so long as they are doing it in a way that isn't harmful to themselves or to others, then they should be allowed to do so. Anyone with a sexual orientation has their kinks, I don't think it's fair to bash people for theirs just because it's not to your tastes.

If they're being obnoxious and shoving it in your face without you wanting them to, then you can punch them for being awful.

mounts · Unread post by **Arthur** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 6:17 pm

I'm upset. Vague.

~edited~

Pokefarm · Unread post by **Lisaara** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 8:57 pm

Moonlost wrote:A lot of yaoi-shipping also happens because, well, any love interests the characters have just aren't as interesting or developed as the person they're meant to be in love with. Let's go with the classic ship: Kirk/Spock. Sure, both have romantic relationships. And I think Spock maybe sorta has a wife? Ugh, it's been so long since I last watched the classics.
Regardless, the problem for fanwriters is that the vulcan chick Spock had intimacies with during his Ponfar, or the many womens that Kirk has bedded were footnotes at best. Outside of being a character for main character X to bump uglies with, they have little to no agency or personlality. In the meantime, these two characters are interesting, fleshed out and have a close friendship that could border onto something more physical. They're just more interesting to write about for some people.
And hey, even if it is a matter of "omg these dudzz r totes hot togthr tehy shuld bang", well, nothing wrong with that either. If people want to just fantasise about a pairing, so long as they are doing it in a way that isn't harmful to themselves or to others, then they should be allowed to do so. Anyone with a sexual orientation has their kinks, I don't think it's fair to bash people for theirs just because it's not to your tastes.

If they're being obnoxious and shoving it in your face without you wanting them to, then you can punch them for being awful.

Pretty much. I wouldn't care so much if they weren't rubbing it in my face all the time, mauling me for doing the same thing they did to my straight dudes(minus declaring it's canon when it isn't cause I don't do that shiz). I've met very few yaoi lovers that weren't extremely obnoxious and rabid with their likes. I'm cool that people like stuff, but I'm not cool with double standards and obnoxious fanbrats.

Unread post by **Nachtwulf** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 9:50 pm

My beef is "Wranduin" right now. There's zero zilch zippo evidence that Wrathion even likes anything that isn't himself, WHY GOD WHY JESUS FARKING CHOPSTICKS is wranduin shipping so gaggingly popular? Anyway, Wrathion's what, two? Anduin's 14? Jesus, you people are sickos.

Pokefarm · Unread post by **Lisaara** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 10:42 pm

Nachtwulf wrote:My beef is "Wranduin" right now. There's zero zilch zippo evidence that Wrathion even likes anything that isn't himself, WHY GOD WHY JESUS FARKING CHOPSTICKS is wranduin shipping so gaggingly popular? Anyway, Wrathion's what, two? Anduin's 14? Jesus, you people are sickos.

Anduin is 16 - 18 but still. I agree with that....100%. It's not so much them liking it as it is them acting like it's canon when it isn't.

Unread post by **Finduilas** » Mon Oct 27, 2014 2:04 am

still have the flu

not good

Unread post by **cowmuflage** » Mon Oct 27, 2014 2:06 am

Sorry I've just spent four days 10 to 6 at a convention so I'm super sore and pooped but the gay comment I said was towards the Tumblr mindset of a character being gay/what have you is better then what ever the writer wants it to be. Don't take that as me hating gays or anything!

I really hate it when people bring up sexuality of a character when the thing they are from never brings it up! Just like can't we like the character for who they are and not who they want to bang?

If that makes no sence well I've had no sleep all labour weekend so I'm sorry!

But shall I complain about how much of a cluster fuck Armageddon was this year?

First my table was between the wrestleing and LoL stages so when ever they did anything the crowds would block my table! Ugh! So badly planned. I payed $380 for that table! :/

Seeing as I have a one of the chicken chibis in my commission prices I had a few people ask about them and I felt bad because I had none of those stickers XD But they have my contact details but they wont get mates rates like Lupis did!

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