A lot of these posts seem to hinge on the premise that the "good" guys always win. As if that's a necessary element for a story to have. Every character is the protagonist of their own story.Â
Now obviously as enlightened people in the twenty-first century we accept that certain modes of thinking are deleterious to social cohesion. Slavery, murder, and destruction of property are wrong. Throughout much of history however, these concepts have been less than consistent. The fact that a character might ascribe to an unpleasant philosophy may label them a villain, but it doesn't doom them to failure.Â
Stories don't always end happily ever after. Sometimes the aggressive jerk who starts a fight winds up beating the peaceful person who didn't want any trouble to begin with. As story tellers, we shouldn't close ourselves off to possibilities by starting with the assumption that bad guys get theirs.
Now obviously as enlightened people in the twenty-first century we accept that certain modes of thinking are deleterious to social cohesion. Slavery, murder, and destruction of property are wrong. Throughout much of history however, these concepts have been less than consistent. The fact that a character might ascribe to an unpleasant philosophy may label them a villain, but it doesn't doom them to failure.Â
Stories don't always end happily ever after. Sometimes the aggressive jerk who starts a fight winds up beating the peaceful person who didn't want any trouble to begin with. As story tellers, we shouldn't close ourselves off to possibilities by starting with the assumption that bad guys get theirs.
