Books and Problematic Authors

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I'm finding it harder to separate the author from their works as time goes on.

I don't see that I should spend money on someone I'd despise when there are so many alternatives.

Of course, the fact that there seem to be so many people who do and say things that I have never even dreamed of doing or saying is sad and, to me, surprising.

But then, I'm a white, cis, straight, middle class, well-off married man. I essentially never have people behaving badly towards me.

Given that I rarely pay attention to an author's personal life, that's not a problem for me. I read the book and if I enjoy it, I enjoy it. I suspect that quite a few authors that some here read might not stand up to extensive scrutiny. Who was it that said, you show me the man and I'll find the crime?

[Thasaidon]

I am still waiting for someone to give me a serious example of racism in Rider Haggard.

[Paperbackstash]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Names. Authors, book titles and publishers, please. Whose art is the literary world being deprived of in this day and age of anybody-can-write/sell-a-book?

There are examples if you google this, especially in YA or are around on Twitter news at all. Several authors withdraw their own books due to harassment and targeted campaigns instead of publisher cancellation due to online pressure/bullying. It varies case by case, even with death threats and boycotts.

Just a few articles mentioning a few books/authors. Several of these articles mention more than one book or author example.

• The Toxic Drama on YA Twitter
• How a Twitter Mob Derailed an Immigrant Female Author’s Budding Career
• Kosoko Jackson pulls debut novel over sensitivity concerns - also another indepth article on this same book/situation, Teen Fiction and Perils of Cancel Culture
• Why are Young-Adult Fiction Writers Cannibalizing Each Other?
• Torn apart: Authors who write about marginalised communities are facing abuse, boycotts and even death threats. What is cancel culture doing to young adult fiction?
• Teen Twitter Fiction is eating its young
• US author loses book deal for twitter shaming
• Bestselling children’s author dropped after throwing her support behind JK Rowling amid ‘transphobia’ row - Bestselling Scottish author Gillian Philip has been let go by her publisher after putting “I stand with JK Rowling” in her Twitter handle.
  In dropping Linda Fairstein, the book industry reveals its cowardice
  

[Paperbackstash]

Originally Posted by Rbneader

Same. People who complain about 'cancel culture' are just using it to push their views on others. You can see it happening in this very thread.

Or some people just find most of it ridiculous.

[DiapDealer]

The topic of what some call "cancel cuture" is really about power. There are people who are accustomed to being in a position of power, and there are those who seek to be heard by those people used to having power. The point most often missed by those complaining about what they and theirs choose to call cancel culture is that nothing ever really gets cancelled by it. As in the example of the Woody Allen memoir: Allen is still in a position of power (deservedly or not), and he still found an outlet for his story.

Toppling a statue has never ripped a single page out of a history book (nor will it stop a parent from indoctrinating their children RE the notion of a "War of Northern Aggression" if they're so inclined). No powerful person boycotted has been successfully silenced.

There's no cancellation. A little power might be stripped from those who have it to spare, and some voices that would traditionally not be heard at all will get a little airtime for a change. The only real "danger" of your so-called dangerous, creeping "cancel culture" is that those who are not used to being challenged, may have to get a little used to it.

[najgori]

Originally Posted by DNSB

OTOH, do you feel comfortable posting the image of a page and reading books by an author accused by her children and others of child sexual abuse and rape? Who knew of and did not report her husband's sexual abuse of children?

I never use any of Eric Gill fonts in my work and I really hate that Gill Sans is on Kobo.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by MGlitch

Jon, it's implied in his statement. No one is going to make a reasonable argument for the government to not litigate against child abusers using that quote.

There are those that would take that statement at face value and and go with it as is without consenting. So it is important to add that word in so it's not taken out of context.

[MGlitch]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

There are those that would take that statement at face value and and go with it as is without consenting. So it is important to add that word in so it's not taken out of context.

What about consenting adults in the living room. Or in a tent. Or in a cave. Or in a basement? Or a kitchen?

Do hotel rooms count?

What if on the floor plan it’s called a living room but the occupants use it as a bedroom? What if on the floor plan it’s a bedroom but the occupants use it as a living room.

Stop being daft Jon. As I said no one can make a reasonable argument using that quote for anything other than consenting adults. Yes there are people who can make an argument using it for non consenting adults but the argument wouldn’t stand up to even mild probing.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by MGlitch

What about consenting adults in the living room. Or in a tent. Or in a cave. Or in a basement? Or a kitchen?

Do hotel rooms count?

What if on the floor plan it’s called a living room but the occupants use it as a bedroom? What if on the floor plan it’s a bedroom but the occupants use it as a living room.

Stop being daft Jon. As I said no one can make a reasonable argument using that quote for anything other than consenting adults. Yes there are people who can make an argument using it for non consenting adults but the argument wouldn’t stand up to even mild probing.

Daft is as daft does, and playing gotcha about something so trivial qualifies as daft in my book.

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

There's no cancellation.

Like ^&**^ there is't. Yeah, the Woody Allens and J.K. Rowlings of this world can pretty much ignore it, sure. But I suggest you read (and follow the links in) Paperbackstash's post.

Cancel culture is real. Even if the biggest fish aren't hurt by it, smaller fry most certainly are.

[MGlitch]

Originally Posted by issybird

Daft is as daft does, and playing gotcha about something so trivial qualifies as daft in my book.

I'll just sit and giggle that this chain of posts was brought about by Jon playing gotcha to a quote mentioned in another post.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by MGlitch

I'll just sit and giggle that this chain of posts was brought about by Jon playing gotcha to a quote mentioned in another post.

You know, you don’t have to pick up the bait. Once you do, you’re complicit - or equally daft, as I said. You could have taken the high road, but instead you chose to prolong an entirely futile back and forth. Who’s the bigger fool, the one who posted in earnest, or the one who takes pleasure in trying to trip him up? So enjoy your laugh, but it’s unearned.

[JSWolf]

What actually started this wanting to get authors terminated?

[issybird]

I think what people are overlooking is that it’s not about the publishers reacting in high moral dudgeon after a Twitter campaign. It’s always just about the money.

[MGlitch]

Originally Posted by issybird

You know, you don’t have to pick up the bait. Once you do, you’re complicit - or equally daft, as I said. You could have taken the high road, but instead you chose to prolong an entirely futile back and forth. Who’s the bigger fool, the one who posted in earnest, or the one who takes pleasure in trying to trip him up? So enjoy your laugh, but it’s unearned.

I’d take this advice from someone who hadn’t said

Originally Posted by issybird

I’m invoking Godwin’s Law here. You lose.

To a comment which was perfectly within the bounds of problematic authors and their books.

But please do go on about taking pleasure in tripping up people who posted in earnest. Or shall I save you a seat in the daft posters room?