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I’ve been seeing this discussion lately across all fandoms & I think there needs to be a serious conversation about fiction vs reality & the fear that imagination = endorsement. In defense of taboo: The myth that media creates monsters, discomfort ≠ endorsement, a thread 🧵

1. I worry that with the rise of the internet, algorithm-driven micro-cultures, and the return of puritanical values, many people are losing the ability to distinguish between fiction and reality. This has serious implications for how we consume and interpret media.

2. If you think fictional depictions of "bad things"—whether romanticized or not—are equivalent to endorsing such behavior, I urge you to reflect. Fiction operates in a moral space SEPARATE from real life. It isn't bound by the same rules of legality or ethics.

3. Ask yourself: Why do you assume that consuming "dark media" promotes or condones real-world harm? Why is your first thought that encountering a taboo topic in fiction will lead to its normalization or practice in reality?

4. The very existence of taboo themes in fiction highlights their recognition as unacceptable in real life. Both creators and consumers understand this distinction. If you cannot make this distinction, you are consuming media that is above your weight, and you are not ready for it.

5. (And before you say: but what about kids! kids could read this! they don’t have the wherewithal to distinguish fact from fiction!

    5a. You completely underestimate the ability of a child to consume and decipher media

    5b. Warnings, tagging, rating systems, u/CommonSense Media exist

    5c. The onus is on parents to monitor their child’s media consumption activities online & in real life—it is NOT the creator’s responsibility to ensure the material stays out of children’s hands nor is it their responsibility to consider potential child consumers when creating it

6. If your immediate reaction to taboo content—kink, violence, or other dark topics—is “This perpetuates harm,” consider this: does your discomfort with such fiction reveal more about your fears or biases than about the media itself?

7. Fiction is a space for exploration, imagination, and sometimes discomfort. But discomfort ≠ danger. If you fear that consuming certain media will lead to real-world harm, perhaps the issue lies not with the media but with how you’re processing it.

8. Research has consistently shown that consuming media about “bad things” doesn’t lead to real-world harm.
    -People who play first-person shooter games don’t become school shooters
    -True crime listeners don’t turn into serial killers
    -Fanfic readers don’t act on taboo scenarios

9. Fiction provides a space to engage with complex ideas and emotions, safely removed from real-world consequences. It’s not a blueprint for behavior, nor should it be treated as such.

10. Blurring the line between fiction and reality undermines the power of storytelling. Creative expression shouldn't be policed based on fears of what‼️might‼️ happen.

11. Instead, we should trust individuals to navigate narratives responsibly. Stories challenge, provoke, and expand our understanding of human experience. Let fiction remain fiction.

12. All of that is to say: scrutinize what you consume, why you consume it and why you enjoy it, but do not conflate consumption with endorsement.
 
And if all else fails, just remember: if you don’t like it, don’t read it. /end 🧵