Are you anti proship too or just anti radq? (I’ve encountered a lot of anti radq blogs only to find out they’re profic…)
The tl:dr for anybody who doesn’t want this yapfest is No, I am not proship. I do not support proshippers or darkshippers, and will not change my views nor my beliefs for anybody.
Nope !!! I do not believe the ideology of “ship and let ship” when it comes to certain dynamics that include dark, taboo, or illegal ship pairings (I.e: adult x minor , extreme power imbalance , heavily toxic or abusive , incest , etc.)
I believe that fiction DOES take part in shaping reality , and when it comes to people saying things such as “well you like watching murderers and don’t say anything” , if you can’t tell the difference between “this rape fic is so sexy” and “oh, this is a VILLAIN. This person is really bad.” Then fiction has affected your reality. Fiction DOES take part in shaping reality whether people like to admit it or not. It could happen in a lot of different ways too !! For example(s) ! It helps in shaping human emotion and provides things like empathy or perspective. Reading or watching stories, real or fictional, activates the brain’s emotional centers, which allows people to understand lives and feelings outside their own experience. Or cultural shifts, where books and films can spark massive social changes, raise public awareness, or normalize representation for marginalized groups. Behavioral influence when stories set trends, alter costume habits, and model social norms (like increased interest in specific hobbies, travel destinations, or lifestyle choices) after a popular release. This can also be the way for dark, taboo, or illegal topics consumed through media if you cannot tell fiction apart from reality. It may shape your personal beliefs to thinking “oh this is okay to engage in and isn’t bad !!” It can also cause negative, real-world consequences if negative stereotypes in media are shown, these can reinforce real-world prejudices, while powerful cautionary tales or propaganda have historically shifted political movements and public safety habits. Now obviously there are larger parts that play a role in a person’s behavior, like personal values, existing beliefs, and real-life environments, but fiction is still there playing a role, albeit smaller, as well.
I also think it’s important to talk about the excuse many people use, both those who make the dark types of media and those who just defend it, and calling it a “coping mechanism”. While it MAY be that way, it’s seriously important to realize and understand not all coping mechanisms are good or healthy for the individual, those around them, or a mix of both (as shown in one of my recent posts talking about that !!), and instead of reaching out to said person to provide different forms of support and other, healthier coping methods they could try out and use, they promote the user to continue. It also becomes a problem when rather than using said “coping mechanism” and keeping it private for yourself, when you share it on the internet then harass or bully others who express their discomfort having to see such media (whether it be triggering to the user, just uncomfortable in general, or something else).