FA+
Shop
You're the Gutter Killer (Rantling about dark themes Art)
8 years ago
I felt the need to come across and doing this journal to address a problem I've seen a lot recently involving pictures of dark theme or anyway ambiguous nature. As you can tell the problem I'm talking about is with people just brandishing their whitest sword and just jumping on a campaign to eradicate this evil from the internet and possibly the world. Now this can be justified to a variety of reasons but I think the two primary ones are to be considered people being just flat out fucking mental and invasive OR a simple problem with ignorance. I'm just taking this journal to explain a pair of things that might be a little obvious for some but extremely hard to understand for others apparently.
Now I wanna talk about two things specifically: Gutters and Catharsis. Keep in mind that I'm no professor and I'm not trying to play the smartass role here. I'm open to criticism and discussion, not only that, but I encourage it as it could only either make my argument stronger or right a wrongly view I had on the subject.
One problem I see with dark themes in art is that people assumes additional information (that's never been stated or confirmed or in the art piece itself) and use it as a justification for any kind of judgement and possibly even flat out harassment they might deliver to all the people involved with the piece. I'll address this problem immediately because it's possibly the most moronic kind of situation to stumble upon.
Let me talk to you about GUTTERS. Gutters are the blank space between one vignette and the other in comics. They alone hold most of the narrative power of this whole medium and a good use of gutters can -and probably always will- make the difference between a good comic and a bad one, regardless of artistic quality in the drawings.How? Let me show you one simple strip I've made (copying Scott Mccloud's "Understanding Comics") I want you to to see this strip and imagine in your head what has just happened in that scenario. Describe it to yourself and be 100% honest, no smartass moves here.
https://i.gyazo.com/86a468826bbf872.....ef5a252304.png
Now take that moment and think clearly of what you THINK just happened in that white space, between my two vignettes, that I'm not showing you. Did by any chance your scenario involved the rabbit getting stabbed and screaming in pain? I can assure you that's not the case in this story, but you already guessed so much I'm sure. In fact the two scenes are completely separated. What happened is that you completed the scene with the most likely scenario to connect the two pictures you were presented with. This is why comic book reading is considered an ACTIVE reading from the reader: you're not just reading a story but also completing it in your mind. Filling each gap the writer and artist expertly left blank for you to fill in with your assumptions and your expectations. The same way a writer doesn't describe some characters appearance so that the reader can fill in that gap with their favorite interpretation of them (and I want you to keep this writing trick in mind for later) a comic book writer tends to leave white space to be filled actively by the reader with whatever passage of time he sees fits (and here comes the ability of a writer/artist to make you think and imagine exactly what they want).
https://i.gyazo.com/ad1de827b13ed84.....61aa553dc2.png
I want to make two points with this strip. First I didn't kill anyone. If you thought that the rabbit was gonna die by the second pannel then you're the one who used the gutter space to actively create a narrative where he dies. Watch out: I did left that option of narrative open but that doesn't mean that it was my intention to end up on that narrative, THAT'S NOT THE STORY I WAS TELLING AND LATER ON I EVEN MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE STORY GOES IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
But the second point is the important one, that connects directly to the world of dark theme arts and porns. I did show an isolated house with an alarming scream coming from it. This house is not connected to the other two characters shown in the strip, so we don't know why this scream did occur. Was someone killed? Or maybe just startled by a bug? Or maybe they were happy? You. Can't. Know. There's absolutely no way for you to know FOR CERTAIN. BUT this leaves the story with a gap that can easily be filled with the most horrible scenario by my most sadistic readers.
Remember that writing trick about not describing everything so that the viewer can fill in the gaps with what their favorite interpretation of the story is? That's exactly what VERY often happens with dark themes art and porn. Whatever is not explicitly said in the pic has been left blank for the viewer to fill in with whatever he prefers and likes the most. If you're going to imagine and picture the most horrible scenario that not even you can like in a piece -especially pornographic since those has to please the highest range of fantasies- THAT'S YOUR DOING, you have no right, what so ever blame it on someone for leaving that interpretation open UNLESS THAT INTERPRETATION IS GOING TO HURT SOMEONE. BUT even then you should NOT jump on the white knights wagon but instead be an adult and contact the artist and make them know of this possible interpretation and give them the chance to clarify things and possibly correct the story/piece. Remember that sometimes some theories you might see as "certain" are just way too far fetched when presented to others.
But I hear someone saying: "What about those pics that obviously have some indisputable bad shit in it?" (murder, pedophilia, drug addiction, violence ecc.)
That's the second thing I wanted to talk about: Catharsis.
To clarify for those who don't know what catharsis is "Catharsis is the purification and purgation of emotions through art or any extreme change in emotion that results in restoration and renewal". Basically what this means is having some emotions and feelings you want to express or feel -that could hurt you or others- out of your body and spirit by any means that doesn't result in their most negative facets -like the before mentioned hurting of yourself or others.
In classical times this was a term of great importance and the Greece were so involved in the catharsis as a societal need that the great dramas of the past were almost a mandatory event. You HAD to see the tragedies in play on the great theaters because living and feeling the tragic emotions and desires of the characters in play was the mean to have your body and mind purged of those same negative feeling, of those same negative needs.
Now I'm not here to discuss on the many facets and aspects that the term catharsis has taken over the history but I want you to keep in mind one important aspect of it: it's always the purification of the mind and body through any means that can fulfill the needs and desires of that mind and body, regardless of them being sexual or not.
Now I'm gonna talk about the sexual ones, obviously, because I'm a fucking furry and this is fucking furaffinity, but this an argument that's also valid for pulp stories, splatter movies and so on.
We human have needs and desires that can go beyond what we can control. I could be the most placid and calm human in this world but have the most violent or degradating sex scenarios in my mind, that's not something I can control and it surely is not something healthy to just keep concentrated within me without any outlet. So how can I get rid of these feelings without actually hurting anyone (or myself if I'm sub)? Here comes drawn porn.
Drawn porn has the rare quality of being able to show the most absurd, incredible, out of this world scenarios, without hurting anything or anyone (let alone the savings in scenography). It's not just a matter of "satisfying a crazy ass fantasy" but doing so BY LETTING IT BE JUST A FANTASY! Never taking those dangerous needs and desires into the real world, where they could hurt and possibly even kill someone, purging them out of your mind and body before they can become dangerous for you or others.
Of course the counter argument for this could be "but you're fueling a perverted fantasy". But that's wrong! As I said you're not fueling it: you're just satisfying it in a safe way that doesn't hurt anyone and keeping your mind free of those needs. Now if you someone can't stop at the fantasy, if someone can't stop and find "catharsis" in these kind of safe outlets then AND ONLY THEN they become a threat to themselves and/or others. But again that's not a good excuse to be jumping on the white knight wagon and harass the hell out of people who still haven't done anything wrong. You should let them seek professional help, let them open about those problem so they can actually receive help BEFORE they become criminals. You'll get absolutely nothing in making them hide away if not making sure they WILL hurt someone someday.
Let me be clear here: I'm saying that finding catharsis in these sick, perverted DRAWN PICTURES, is good. And you should keep doing it for as long as it makes you happy, but the moment you start craving something more is the moment you should tell it to a professional and stop immediately what you're doing. The moment you see someone saying they like something seemingly bad in a FANTASY SCENARIO you should let 'em be. The moment you see someone saying they like something seemingly bad in a REAL LIFE SCENARIO you should ASK FOR CLARIFICATIONS before becoming just another problem yourself.
TLDR: Don't assume shit about other people fap material. Don't assume shit about people based on their fap material. And don't play the "Superior Judge ™ " unless they're clearly hurting a real living being. ALWAYS ASK FOR CLARIFICATIONS BEFORE TURNING INTO A FUCKING MORON.
I've done some kinda dark stuff myself. ( http://www.furaffinity.net/view/23559042/ It's got the drug content you mentioned ) It's not incredibly realistic, though I get what you're saying.
Is it still catharsis if I don't actually have the urges to commit the rapes (sans transformations, of course) depicted in my gallery, though? It's not really an outlet for me, it just happens to be the kind of smut I'm into.
No, actually come to think of it I usually imagine myself on the receiving end of what my character's giving out in the pictures where I'm doing something depraved to someone else, so maybe it's that after all.
Catharsis is an important part of art itself, that's undeniable—without having to reference ancient Greek narrative conventions, it's why we enjoy movies like Avengers even though thousands of people die once the third act start rolling, or why villains (both on the fantastic side like Darth Vader, but also realistic, like Breaking Bad's Eisenberg/Walter White) are so popular. Speaking for myself, I loathe mafiosi, for example, and so do a lot of other people; but movies like The Godfather and games like Mafia are still incredibly popular.
But the examples of breaking bad and the godfather are perfect for my point, thanks for bringing them up!
(tra l'altro complimenti per l'inglese, oh)
(e grazie mille ^^")
everything about what you have put here is pretty truthful, I think that first part about gutters can be easily described as "dont be a fucking asshole and assume something without context and then jump to that assumption" which at this point in time should be some fucking common sense but I know people out their really are morons and dont both to wait.
the other one though? I kinda have a small argument against that, so here is the thing. I totally agree with everything you are saying HOWEVER, I will state that this safe haven that people use to trying and have a healthy outlet to their "weird/unique/wild" fetishes or fantasies isnt always a "safe haven" people who jump gun at the first individual thats drawing one of the "unheard of" kinks (to use porn as a example) will also publicly show it and praise its existence? and you see thats where i kinda draw my line, I understand its a faucet to get those fantasies out but they should be for you AND ONLY YOU, those things are bad for a reason and their is a extremely big reason they have to do it in a fantasy setting and not in a real one in the first place, people continuously praising the existence of those images without whole heartily acknowledging why they shouldn't exist in the first place is the exact reason people get jumped on in the first place, if you really need that outlet and you really need to find a healthy way to get it then do it, please by all means do it and get it to your hearts content and I would never judge a person for doing it, BUT FOR THE LOVE OF FUCK DONT SHOVE IT IN OTHERS PEOPLES FACES AND SAY HOW GREAT IT IS?!?!?! when we as a society have demand how wrong it actually is??? and dont get me wrong I dont wanna shame people into hiding what they do I just want people to understand that what they desire is truly unethical and they need to take that caution and treat it appropriately, cause if that isnt fixed then people who need that faucet will never be free from social justice dipshits
But I see two problems with that argument
First: This is not a passive fruition media. You must ACTIVELY go into a porn dedicated or inclusive site, then you must ACTIVELY look or stumble upon a small 200x100 tumbnail or title of a kink you don't like, then you must ACTIVELY click on said link, then you must ACTIVELY look at said picture/story/whatevs with an intent different from what it was created for. It's not "shoved in your face", you actively took four different steps, three of which were specifically intended to see that piece that you already knew before the second step was not in your flavors.
The only counter argument for this that I see is that "why should you have to share them in the first place?" well
Second problem: we humans are social animals and catharsis IS a social experience. There are multiple reasons why they should be free to share those porns, first and foremost that THEY'RE NOT HURTING ANYONE and THEY'RE NOT SPREADING A CULTURE OF HATE OR VIOLENCE (unless we're gonna consider stories like breaking bad and the godfather harmful and to be censored away). It's obvious that the fruition of said stories and porns should be done by adults capable of distinguishing right from wrong and FANTASY from REALITY. But they need to share those porns, they need to feel like they're helping someone else with their same fantasies and feel part of a group that accept those fantasies and doesn't judge them for those. Hiding that art away is never gonna work. Trust me me they KNOW it is unethical, that's why they satisfy said things in art and drawn picture and not in real life. Obviously there will always be idiots who can't understand society norms but that's a problem on both sides that shouldn't be used as the excuse for people to become fucking witch hunters.
And to back up even further this argument I have but one request: tell me one time in history that prohibitionism has worked
and I already stated that of course its meant to be fantasy but you have to accept that whatever it is SHOULD NOT be praised in any sense, and in some cases sharing your "well earned porn" is the sense of praise people desire, and in my honestly opinion you should sooner seek help for wanting such a "kink" in the first place even it its left to fantasy world? yeah they arent hurting anyone but you said it yourself, fuel to the fire and eventually some people may try to act on their whims in real life, and in my general opinion exposure to that item can effect the person to want to act. the more they get it the more they feel they need to KEEP getting it and you know what thats called? addiction, and you know what addiction has done to society *points fingers at drugs and alchohol*. People get this stuff act like they have a dependence? and if they dont get it they will suddenly start dying like a smoker on withdraw. In this day and age I dont trust people to actually be adults in the first place? have you noticed Americas current president, its those same "adults" that got him their in the first place. I dont trust society enough to ACT APPROPRIATELY with that sensitive material? not that it doesnt have to exist or that it cant exist, but instead that people who are getting it really do not give a fuck about any and all consequences that others may face du to it, and then SOCIAL JUSTICE FAGS will appear and try to say that? but instead be huge assholes. and although im comparing this kink to alchohol that doesnt mean in any way im treating it the same nero, I never said that prohibitionism was the best choice, I said that people who do it should take better care to ACTUALLY use it properly and not just fling it out like their ID in a stripclub
First as long as the tags go I think I've already addressed that: you've got to take FOUR different steps to get yourself involved with those pics, THREE of which are directly targeted at getting involved with art you ALREADY KNOW you're not going to like EVEN if the pic is not properly tagged.
As for considering it "praising" I think that's definitely the worse possible way to look at it, at possibly the root and source of this whole drama. There's a reason why I've been talking about catharsis and it's because I wanted to make it clear that finding catharsis in these things is perfectly natural. Condemning people for liking this kind of stuff would be like condemning people for liking stories like the before mentioned godfather and breaking bad. I think there's one term that we're so sadly forgetting but it's really the base and most important term people should learn and understand. "WORK OF FICTION". We're not, ever trying to condone or praise such abusive behaviors done in real life against people or animals or what ever whose never gave their consent. A WORK OF FICTION is just that, "fiction", as long as it doesn't go all the way into reality -in any kind of abusive way- it should NEVER be treated any differently from any other work of fiction. . With obvious care to protect minors from such material. But that's about as much as we, as responsible adults, are required to do. What do you do when you see a movie title that's not of your liking? You move on and look for another movie. You're not gonna condemn netflix for having kung fury between its library, you're just gonna leave that movie there and go and see the new Aziz Ansari live or whatever. And if nothing in netflix catch your eye you're just gonna leave that site and go somewhere that's more adapt to your liking.
I wanna make one thing very clear: by making a community of disputable content an HIDDEN community (and forcing them to share their material in secrecy -because if there is one thing that prohibition has taught us is that you will never EVER stop the sharing- it will become an hidden community) you're just creating a safe heaven for those same dangerous individuals you're so scared about. No one knows the line that separates fiction from reality better than those who are into those things, and they're the perfect spotters for wannabe criminals. But the moment you start mixing the safe, adult individuals with the dangerous, mentally unstable ones you're forcing those adults to stay silent. They won't be able to tell people "ehy, I was talking with X about Y and he seems unable to contain himself" because he will be seen just as bad as a person as X, possibly even passing some real shit because he wanted to alert everyone of an actual danger.
I wanna make this clear: I believe that shaming and trying to witch hunt those fetishes and really anything of dark themes out of the radar is only going to make it easier for the people you guys are so scared of to do the shit they're constantly doing already. If you let a community build around these things in a way that you -or a more competent government- can see and MONITOR you will be able to pin point EXACTLY the dangerous individuals you want out of the way and make it possible for the community itself, that loves these content, to protect itself and everybody else from these individuals
but I will have to say I still disagree with these points to a extent unfortunately
If I can say anything is that there is no blaming game and both sides will always be at fault and no matter what it will continue without change to both points of view,
id like to think my point of view is pretty neutral so I feel what im talking about is rather valid even if you say otherwise