Stereotypes. That's a very touchy topic. Good thing I got opinions on it. In terms of comics and games, should stereotypes still exist? I say, yes.
Let me explain.
Comics and Games are some of the (if not THE biggest) forms of escapism. People want to experience these fantastic and engaging stories about the land of make-believe: Super Heroes, Adventurers, etc. These are stories of fantasy for us -- an that's the key word: fantasy. We are more attracted to the fantastical versions of ourselves. We see the muscular hero or the hot girlfriend characters as something to strive for. It's what we wish we could have. Are all heroes muscle-bound beef sandwiches? No. Are all girlfriends (or women for that matter) perfect hourglass 10's? No. I think it would be wrong to remove these stereotypes simply because it "doesn't fit with real life". No shit. It's fantasy.
On the same token, there are many cases where stereotypes are harmful. Racial, Gender, and Religious stereotypes can be easily, EASILY offensive and in bad taste. In those cases, I agree that stereotypes need to disappear. I also agree with that in the case of equality and diversity. Can a super hero story have badass female lead and save the man? Hell yeah. Why not? As long as the reader isn't pulled out of the story by having the diversity shoved down their throat, then it's all good.
Stereotypes is a very grey topic. The easiest way to discuss and overcome it, is to just be a sensible, level-headed person. Don't be so for it that we end up offending, and don't be so against it that everything just feels like a PSA or a PR stunt.
No comments:
Post a Comment