Bite Me, Deconstructionists

[the_gneech]

Wanna tear apart a genre or even just a franchise? Want to expose a paternalistic and imperialist undercurrent to the superhero genre? Want to blast Star Wars for being a thinly-veiled divine-right monarchy? Want to deride Tolkien for being twee and reactionary? Want to stick it to the steampunkers for not wringing their hands enough about whatever injustice of the period comes between the axe and your particular grindstone?

Consider the possibility that you might be an insufferably self-important tosspot and HAVE A NICE HOT CUP OF STFU INSTEAD.

-The Gneech

Comments

[kevinjdog.livejournal.com]

Deconstruction is what makes MST 3K great, though. ;)

It has its place in a balanced study of storytelling and art. When it gets insufferably self-righteous as you say is when asshats making blanket judgments based on one incredibly subjective aspect.

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Yes, but MST3K is done without being a bunch of wankers about it. ;)

Deconstruction can be a great thing, actually. See The Incredibles for instance. But it can also be really, really annoying. (See Alan Moore.)

-The Gneech

[daemionfox.livejournal.com]

quote: also be really, really annoying.

So, basically any webcomic forum.

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

I dunno, I always found the folks in THIS forum (http://www.talkaboutcomics.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=237) to be a nice bunch!

-The Gneech

[exatron.livejournal.com]

So, is there a way to do a humorous deconstruction of pretentious deconstruction without being pretentious yourself?

[mecampbellesq.livejournal.com]

My favorite commentary about deconstruction comes from none other than Frank Miller, in his introduction to one of the ASTRO CITY compilations: "What's the point of deconstructing something if you're not going to build it up again?"

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Heh. And he should know! :D

-TG

[athelind.livejournal.com]

I see we read the same blogs today.

... but wait, no words for the people who blast Sparkly Vampire Romances as glorifying creepy stalkers and empty-headed protagonists?

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

... but wait, no words for the people who blast Sparkly Vampire Romances as glorifying creepy stalkers and empty-headed protagonists?

I did cover that in my initial draft of this post, actually, but it got edited out; it boiled down to, "Yes, this applies to genres I don't care for myself, too."

-TG

[kevinjdog.livejournal.com]

We know about the real world of the era steampunk is riffing off. And the picture is not good. If the past is another country, you really wouldn't want to emigrate there.

You know, real dog/human hybrids would be vile, disgusting abominations to be pitied!

I see what the Gneech means now... "I hate your genre, so look at my perceived reality of it!"

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Heehee. :) Just imagine all the fun hostile deconstructionists could have with furry comics.

Or better yet, don't. It'd be like the good ol' days of alt.fan.furry. :P

-The Gneech

[doodlesthegreat.livejournal.com]

a.f.f. had good days?

[lookingaround17.livejournal.com]

Yup, wherever the folks want to be pretentious, things are gonna suck, and not in a good way. To me, pointing out that some story/work "could be seen as fill-in-the-blahblah from one viewpoint" is fine; to be utterly ego-wanky all over it is yuck.

[ladyfox7oaks.livejournal.com]

THIS... Thank you.

[genecatlow.livejournal.com]

You hadn't heard? Deconstructionists themselves are a franchise! ;)

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

...fully owned and operated by DarkerAndGritter, Inc...

-TG

[genecatlow.livejournal.com]

Oh, you did know. Thought so. DanG was almost ready to be publicly traded until the NASDAQ itself walked up and bitchslapped it. And then just strode off without a word.