Glorifying violent psychopaths will cost more than just the price of admission.
One of the most dangerous entertainment products ever conceived of aired last night. The likelihood that disturbed young people may miss the social commentary, and believe these characters to be heroes is a chilling idea.
That some may decide to emulate what’s clearly meant as satire raises fundamental questions about the responsibility of entertainers, and those that fund their work.
Over the past decade and a half, characters just like the ones featured last night have driven countless young people to join extremist movements like CITI, AETNA, CAP, Harvard, and the notorious Model UN.
Murder simulators that desensitize them to the point where carrying out industrial scale mass killings is considered bettering society.
To make these heinous characters sympathetic. To delve into their justifications verges on celebrating their twisted goals and sick world view.
If our society is incapable of confiscating briefcases and closing the speech and debate club loophole, the least we can do is keep corrupting influences like this insidious event from twisting the minds of our youth.
Some people may claim entertainment products like last night’s are explicit in their opposition to white supremacy and misogynist violence, but one need only look at the actions of the fandom to see just how toxic an influence it has.
How many more times must we collectively mourn over the heinous actions of a small group of deranged individuals before we take seriously the threat this violent and bigoted ideology represents?
Some will try to claim it’s merely a few bad apples, that their actions aren’t connected to the culture they consume, but this seems particularly naive.
Others think perhaps we merely need to be more careful in the writing of our frivolities, that simply taking sufficient care to make them less harmful, and reforming their production will solve the problem.
No! I for one feel the only rational answer is to do away with the twisted farce once and for all. No more primaries. No more debates. No more liberal democracy. DOWN WITH THE JOKER.
Jean Krill is is the co-editor and co-founder of Zero Balance. His writing navigates the many disparate visions of a radically better future.