I have selected a few points around the list to which I would like to directly respond, I thought it economical to condense in one post. I hope this is okay.
Ellynne said:
Regular consumers of porn show a marked tendency to
be more callous towards women and to minimize rape as a criminal offense.<<
To which Dana replied:
Is this cause or effect--i.e., haven't these
attitudes been formed before the individual becomes a consumer of pornography?<<
My response: Whilst it is most certainly true, that there are people who do not respect common decency, and who have no compunction regards taking what they want, or doing what they wish, due to a deviant set of moral guidelines - and - to whom the removal of porn would make absolutely no difference to their behavioural patterns whatsoever - I personally don't think that this is the whole issue...To take the case of impressionable youth, if something is shown to be an acceptable form of expression, then many of the younger set(who may not have been provided with a set of moral principals during their formative years)may very well develop a distorted view as to what is acceptable behaviour towards not only the opposite sex but pretty much toward anyone in general. OR To take the case of the previously mentioned natural deviant...whilst lack of porn will not prevent this character from going about his/her 'business' I think that an open acknowledgement that this is unacceptable material, will make said deviant stop and think a bit more before going ahead with any plans that he/she may have. To openly approve of this type of material is in some respects saying to this type of mind - Hey, it's okay...express yourself. This is not an argument against the average Joe, enjoying a bit of smut/whatever, but more a statement as to what I think it represents to the uninformed mind and what statements (allowing this type of material to infiltrate the non porn areas)this makes to our deviant types about our general regard for one another as a whole. It is in these two areas that I think the problem can manifest.
Dana said:
Any fiction is something that the writer has dreamed
up and wants other people to see. Personally, given a choice between reading about the crew blowing up a Federation installation, except somebody gets trapped in the basement without a working teleport bracelet and [omitted in the interests of good taste and list etiquette] I'd tend to choose the latter.<<
Now this does confuse me, you just gave a brief rundown on a similar scene from S-L-D, I would have thought that as a B7 fan - the first scenario would be more to the average fans taste. Fan fiction is by definition - fiction based on a show or whatever and/or its character(s) of which any given individual is a fan - I would have thought that B7 fan fiction would be more about what the show is about, otherwise, why call it fan fiction? I have to wonder, just how many fans of B7, Star trek and the like are actually fans of the show or just see characters with whom they would like to immerse in the realm of porn/slash.
Steve said:
They show at various times that they fancy women,
but that cannot be said as a declaration of heterosexuality unless they also say they don't fancy men.<<
I don't think it is feasible to expect every single individual to declare that they don't fancy the same sex just to prove that they are heterosexual - I think the fact that all the men on B7 having either declared an interest in the opposite sex and/or actually kissed or had sex with women only and no such declarations or actions occurred between the men, pretty much speaks for itself.
===== Cheryl. (My favourite 'Blake's 7' moment) What a fiasco! We could take over the ship you said, if I did my bit. Well, I did my bit, and what happened? Your 'troops' bumble around looking for someone to surrender to, and when they've succeeded, You, follow suit! (Avon to Blake. "Spacefall")
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