I think one of the worst things a story can be is unproblematic.
Nothing makes a story more unreadable than being able to see the author squirm apologetically for the story they actually want to writeโwringing their hands and imploring the reader please, please donโt be mad, I know itโs ideologically questionable but I need you to not be mad at me!
For example: a Good Kingโข๏ธ. Itโs one thing for a story to present a fictional monarchy and ask me to root for it. Itโs another thing for a story to say, hey, I know what youโre thinkingโbut donโt worry! I can justify this premise! I have introduced a lot of convoluted self-aware political justifications for why my king is good and likable without actually asking any risky ideological questions! These characters arenโt actually problematic! Donโt be mad at me!
Commit to the bit. Apologetic, defensive writing designed to bypass obvious criticisms often winds up offending me far more than stories that are just kind of surface-level problematic. If Iโm gonna be a hater you cannot stop me; the more you insist that a character is actually a good oil tycoon because of all these exceptional situations and beyond my reproach, the more I resent you and hate your stupid book.
