Comments on: On being morally manipulative

By: Glenda Larke

Glenda Larke — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 01:50:00 +0000

And some not so subtly, too... but I maintain that we should not condemn a piece of literature/art on the grounds of the writer/artist's stance alone. We may perhaps say his stance is silly , but a work of fine literature is still fine if it is well written, even if we don't like the message.

Taking a stance and adhering to a theme is not moral manipulation.

We can, of course, condemn someone if they try to manipulative us with lies passed off as the truth.

By: David The Man

David The Man — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 18:41:00 +0000

In that case, then a lot of movies out there are actually subtly trying to morally manipulate us or brainwash us!

By: David The Man

David The Man — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 18:39:00 +0000

Can we actually liken this moral manipulation as simply brain washing? Would it be as simple as that?

By: Glenda Larke

Glenda Larke — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 20:58:00 +0000

Pity they didn't make a better movie out of an interesting book, though. I have just re-read the first volume, and enjoyed it all over again. All the nonsense things that puzzled the film reviewer were explained perfectly in the written word.

If ever there was a case for reading the book first, this is it.

By: Alex

Alex — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 04:57:00 +0000

What a nonsensical statement. I found nothing “morally manipulative” about Golden Compass.

By: Jo

Jo — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 16:59:00 +0000

Ain’t that the truth

By: hrugaar

hrugaar — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 14:57:00 +0000

PS – press reporters and politicians do a fair amount of ‘moral manipulating’, don’t they? But how often do people take notice of that? ;P

By: hrugaar

hrugaar — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 14:48:00 +0000

I haven't yet read the book or seen the film, but I did go and read the discussion page.

I may be being monumentally thick or unenlightened (and it wouldn't be the first time!) but I still don't really understand what the person meant by 'morally manipulative', nor has she yet explained either her use of the term or examples of where it can be found in the text/film.

I agree with glenda that heavy-handedness with the allegory, moralising or didacticism, can be very tiresome, even if one shares the same belief system. But I wouldn't say that I was being 'manipulated' just because someone was throwing chunks of didacticism or slamming atheistic pish-tush in my direction.

Actually I think 'manipulation' would be something far more subtle, perhaps almost subliminal, and require a fair amount of skill to achieve without being rumbled. And specific examples of where it has (allegedly) been used, and how it works - and thus how it may also be avoided - could be rather interesting. :)

By: Jo

Jo — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 06:33:00 +0000

Personally as a non author but avid reader, I get teed off if anyone harps on beliefs to the detriment of the story, I haven’t yet read Golden Compass but I now own it (ebook) and will shortly get round to reading it. The last Narnia book was OK in my perception, not good, but OK. However, I have recently been reading Donita K. Paul’s Dragon books. The stories aren’t bad, but there is an over abundance of religion which, although disguised, is recognizably intended to be Christian and too much so. There are other religions in the world. My father was an atheist but believed in children having a Christian upbringing to teach them right from wrong.

By: 2paw

2paw — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 03:49:00 +0000

I am still trying to come to terms with the elephants on wheels. I read the whole series but I didn’t like it very much, I prefer hios detective books. It wasn’t my cup of tea, but I am happy for other people to love it. I agree about the last Narnia book though. I always felt that both the LOTR, The Hobbit and the Narnia books were fairly didcatic but I liked them and so I just got over it.