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fjtorres · 09-23-2011, 08:46 AM

It is strictly a matter of taste and approach; there is nothing inherently immoral or unethical in writing about recent or ongoing affairs. But *how* you go about it will make a difference.
It is all about perception.

As a baseline, non-fiction can be as current as can be as long as it is not *perceived* as exploitation or propaganda but rather information. Of course, since one person's "information" is another's "propaganda" or "disinformation"... It is possible to be too current and be presenting incomplete or inaccurate portrayals to people who "know" different.

Fiction has all those downsides but magnified as it is not generally assumed to be informational so the kneejerk reaction of the masses is that a too-current subject or setting is exploitation and intentional provocation. Mostly because it *has* happened in the past.

How soon is too soon?
World War II is generally safe because most of the participants are dead and there is a "consensus" of sorts as to who were the white hats and the black hats. So pretty much anything is fair game. (Just don't bring up Dresden. And be careful how you portray the nazis if you don't want to be banned in Germany.)

Afghanistan? It is an ongoing, shadowy affair that tramples pretty much everybody's sensibilities for one reason or another so you'd better be careful or out to provoke.

Everything else in between?
Depends on whose sensibilities are at stake and whose politics are impacted.
And since these days pretty much everything is political...

"There be dragons..."

09-23-2011, 08:46 AM	#7
fjtorres Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,732 Karma: 128354696 Join Date: May 2009 Location: 26 kly from Sgr A* Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000	It is strictly a matter of taste and approach; there is nothing inherently immoral or unethical in writing about recent or ongoing affairs. But how you go about it will make a difference. It is all about perception. As a baseline, non-fiction can be as current as can be as long as it is not perceived as exploitation or propaganda but rather information. Of course, since one person's "information" is another's "propaganda" or "disinformation"... It is possible to be too current and be presenting incomplete or inaccurate portrayals to people who "know" different. Fiction has all those downsides but magnified as it is not generally assumed to be informational so the kneejerk reaction of the masses is that a too-current subject or setting is exploitation and intentional provocation. Mostly because it has happened in the past. How soon is too soon? World War II is generally safe because most of the participants are dead and there is a "consensus" of sorts as to who were the white hats and the black hats. So pretty much anything is fair game. (Just don't bring up Dresden. And be careful how you portray the nazis if you don't want to be banned in Germany.) Afghanistan? It is an ongoing, shadowy affair that tramples pretty much everybody's sensibilities for one reason or another so you'd better be careful or out to provoke. Everything else in between? Depends on whose sensibilities are at stake and whose politics are impacted. And since these days pretty much everything is political... "There be dragons..."