I really wish people could try and grasp a very simple concept: fiction is not reality.

Some fiction is certainly triggering to people due to past trauma. Wanting to avoid such media is totally understandable – it’s why warnings of possibly objectionable content are included with a film’s rating. This isn’t what I mean.

I’m referring to the type of people who declare anyone that enjoys anything they find objectionable for any reason outside of trauma (in other words, objections based on subjective moral opinions) is a terrible person. As a media fan and a creator, it’s enraging and unbelievably nasty and small minded to say such things, unless we’re talking about something that’s made with the explicit goal of spreading hatred that is.

There are plenty of things I don’t enjoy in media. I don’t judge anyone who feels differently, morally or otherwise. I will never understand those who not only judge, but essentially spout views that are awfully close to the kind of crap I expect from Jack Thompson types. That is, they want all media they hate banned.

The most baffling part of all is that these opinions invariably coming not from the ultra-conservatives (they are there too, but easily ignored) but my side. The liberal side. And I will never understand it.

There’s something Stephen King said in his book On Writing that I hold as a mantra when writing myself: fiction is not the moral Olympics. It is not church.

You know what I do when I read about a piece of media I’m interested in watching and realise quite quickly from summaries that it won’t be for me?

I don’t watch it.

It’s that simple.