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Latest Topics

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Can the Artificial Be Art?

Artificial Intelligence has already caused changes in the way we conduct our lives. Will it change the way we make and perceive art? It has been predicted, for example, that AI will replace many jobs in the film industry. AI has been used in many types of writing and "artwork" already: legal and business documents, advertising, students’ assignments …
What is your definition of art? Can something created by AI be called art? How would AI affect the creation and appreciation of the arts, especially visual and verbal arts? Would anyone want to explore this topic, philosophically and prophetically?

  • Can't wait to write about this. I have thoughts. – Sunni Ago 1 day ago
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2

Who's the best Robin?

A comparison of characterization, compatibility, and narrative function of the Robins within the Batman and greater DC universe.

The writer has five potential options to choose from, Dick Grayson a.k.a Nightwing, Jason Todd a.k.a Red Hood, Tim Drake a.k.a Red Robin, Stephanie Brown a.k.a Spoiler, and Damien Wayne.

Each served as Robin for an extended period and all contrast Batman in their own ways. The writer can present a case for and against each of them both from the text and metatexually such as referring to sales or fan receptions.

  • Good start. Rather than just "who's the best," however, consider going deeper and doing a full compare/contrast between the five incarnations. Consider the strengths and weaknesses of everyone, and when you choose an overall "winner," explain why their strengths rise above the others', while their weaknesses are less egregious or more humanizing/endearing. – Stephanie M. 6 months ago
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Supernatural Age-Gap Romance: Dope or Nope?

In stories where some characters are immortal – i.e. living for a very long time without aging – the subject of romance can be a touchy topic. It is hard to find people with shared life experience when everyone else measures life in decades rather than centuries. There is often a question of power imbalance when one side of a relationship is so much older than the other.
On the other hand, an immortal character finding romance with a regular mortal is an example of love bridging gaps. It means the immortal has chosen to care about people, even though he will outlive all of them.
Examine arguments for and against these age-gap romances. Examples include Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Twilight, the Immortal and Dupli-Kate from Invincible, Thor and Jane Foster from Marvel, and more.

  • Diana Prince and Steve Trevor. – T. Palomino 4 days ago
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Writing Love Triangles Well

Love triangles are often associated with romantic fiction, but are also common in other genres like young adult, fantasy, or speculative fiction. A love triangle usually involves a female protagonist being pulled between two male love interests, but can be gender-inverted or use LGBTQ examples.

This trope is popular among many readers, but just as many claim to hate love triangles. Detractors say the trope is overused, with players often too attractive or otherwise perfect to be believed, and surrounding situations that are contrived if not outright cliche.

Using some of your favorite–and perhaps least favorite–examples of love triangles, discuss what sets some apart from others. What does it take to write a love triangle well? What are some common mistakes authors make when writing this trope? Why and how can a badly written love triangle still have legions of fans? Has the trope evolved in any significant way, and if so, what new versions and expectations should authors be aware of?

  • I'd also potentially really look at how this is done in LGBTQ+ works, and consider examining what makes that structure different from other written love triangles, if there is any difference at all. – Siothrún 2 weeks ago
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1

Is Harry Potter's Lord Voldemort an obsessed creative?

There is a very interesting blog entry on the Harry Potter Amino Apps page that compares Lord Voldemort (nee Tom Riddle) from the Harry Potter series to Andrew Nehman, the protagonist of Whiplash. The main thrust of this argument is that both characters come from a long line of mediocrities, and develop an obsession with being the best in their chosen fields in order to counter this, even if it costs them their humanity and personality. They also share at least one other similarity that goes unremarked upon in the blog: namely, that both of their mothers died in childbirth.

The question is, does Voldemort have any other traits that make him similar to other obsessed creatives (real or fictional) besides just Nehman? What, if any, artistic talents does he possess, and what are some of the lengths he goes to master them? In terms of his characterization, just how essential a role does creativity play in making him who he is? Is there actually anything to the idea that Tom Riddle/Voldemort’s backstory and arc are that of an obsessed artist or creative personality, or does he just happen to have some traits in common with one obsessively artistic character purely by chance?

    9

    Death Note and Nihilism

    The successful manga Death Note by Tsugumi Ohba is about what if one person (the main character Light Yagami) could kill anyone they wish by simply writing down a name.

    Since that’s how the Death Note works, *spoilers* it isn’t surprising that Light loses not only his life but also any compassion he had towards the people he personally knew, including his own family.

    As a result, the story of Death Note shares possible connections to the philosophy of nihilism by Friedrich Nietzsche.

    Analyze those connections in the Death Note manga to nihilism’s definition and practice. Include also how Death Note has been mistaken like nihilism (link) as something to literally follow in real life (link)

    Please note that this topic doesn’t focus on the Death Note anime/show but the original Death Note manga only (i.e. where Light was told early on that there is nothing after death by his Death Note’s shinigami owner.) Therefore, that aspect of the Death Note manga connects back to nihilism as an example since nihilistic belief is also about there being no afterlife.

    • I would point out that the show does point out that Light does end up changing things because the crime rate went down tremendously. SO, I wouldn't say 'attempt to change life never works.' To relate an Anime to a Philosopher, we need actual evidence of the philosopher. – SpectreWriter 9 years ago
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    • In regards to your first link, I would be wary of it. He makes mention of Nietzsche's famous quote, "God is dead!" but he does not give context to it, or even make mention-- for those who have not read, The Gay Science-- where the quote comes from. The quote comes from section 125 in The Gay Science and the section is italicized, The Madman. For your sake I'll quote it, The Madman.-- Have you ever heard of the madman who on a bright morning lighted a lantern and ran to the market-place calling out unceasingly: "I seek God! I seek God!"-- As there were many people standing about who did not believe in God, he caused a great deal of amusement. Why! is he lost? said one. Has he strayed away like a child? said another. Or does he keep himself hidden? Is he afraid of us? Has he taken a sea-voyage? Has he emigrated?--the people cried out laughingly, all in a hubbub. The insane man jumped into their midst and transfixed them with his glances. "Where is God gone?" he called out. "I mean to tell you! We have killed him,--you and I! We are all his murderers! but how have we done it? How were we able to drink up the sea? Who gave earth from its sun? Whither does it now move? Whither do we move? Away from all suns? Do we not dash on unceasingly? Backwards, sideways, forwards, in all directions? Is there still an above and below? Do we not stray, as through infinite nothingness? Does not empty space breath upon us? Has it not become colder? Does not night come on continually, darker and darker? Shall we not have to light lanterns in the morning? Dow we not hear the noise of the grave-diggers who are burying God? Do we not smell the divine putrefaction?--for even God putrefy! God is dead! God remains dead! And we have killed him! How shall we console our selves, the most murderous of all murderers? The holiest and the mightiest that the world has hitherto possessed, has bled to death under our knife,--who will wipe the blood from us?.... That is most of the section. For a better knowledge of Nihilism and Nietzsche in general, I refer to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Not only is it free, but every article provides citations to tell you where this idea came from and why they are citing it. It might even be interesting, in staying with the Nietzsche vein, to think about the possibility that either Light or L are the Übermensch (Overman or superman in German). – garland41 8 years ago
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    • Another thing people should take into account is how the anime deconstructs the notion of justice and how more terrifying it is to look at when seeing it is more based on power rather than actual morality, which is itself more relative than people realize. – Vicious237 1 week ago
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    2

    Screen Queens: The Influence of Golden Age Actresses

    Audrey Hepburn, Julie Andrews, Vivien Leigh, Marilyn Monroe, and several other actresses are legends in Hollywood history. Although most are now deceased, these women have made indelible marks on their genres and the film industry as a whole. Most of these "screen queens" are in fact so iconic, one mention of certain films they starred in brings that actress to mind. Some have played roles so well, their names are inextricably linked with their characters, to the point that some viewers believe no one else could ever fill that actress’ shoes.

    Compare and contrast 2-3 of these "screen queens," or others you might think of. What did they bring to iconic roles that arguably, no one else could? What did their presence do for Hollywood history, and what changes did they precipitate? Can any of today’s actresses hope to live up to these women, and are there in fact "modern" versions of them today? If yes, do the modern actresses do their forerunners justice?

      1

      2000s Anime and its Theme of Justice

      The 2000s had quite a few anime that dealt with what it means to "become" justice, in a sense. Fate Stay Night has a protagonist who tries to fight for his sense of justice. Claymore examines the topic in a more brutal way that also deals with what it means to be human, and, of course, Death Note and Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion both examine what would happen if their protagonists were given a means to end the wrongs of the world in which they live, only to pay a price for it later.

      The topic taker should examine each of the anime listed, if possible, and compare and contrast how each anime dealt with the theme of justice it wanted to convey. How did each anime handle the toll it took on its protagonist? What could be gleaned from the outcomes of the individual anime surrounding what it means to be a savior figure, even if that ideology is subjective?

      Furthermore, the topic taker should delve into whether or not the sense of justice being displayed is entirely subjective to the protagonist of the anime, or if it tackles the idea of objective justice and the toll that takes on groups as opposed to the individual. The topic taker can include other anime that they feel may fit this idea, so long as it was released between 2000-2009, as there seemed to be a trend with anime around that time that shared a certain thematic work and aesthetic which is to be examined in this topic specifically. In this regard, the topic taker could also deepen the topic by looking into what was going on in Japan and/or the world in general at the time to see if current events or recent history evoked the theme of justice being culturally relevant to its viewers. The topic taker may also include, briefly, how anime from the 2000s with this theme of justice may have influenced other anime to re-examine the themes later on, such as with 2012’s Psycho-Pass or more current day anime.

        Film

        Kill Bill’s Enduring Impact — Two Decades of Echoing Retribution
        Kill Bill’s Enduring Impact — Two Decades of Echoing Retribution
        Mean Girls — 20 Years of Sass, Pink, and Cultural Rule
        Godzilla: Japan’s Journey and Relations with the World in Recent Films
        Corner Office: The Danger of the Isolation

        TV

        Bad Boys: Dark, Dangerous, Disturbing… and Delicious
        Bad Boys: Dark, Dangerous, Disturbing… and Delicious
        Mystic Pop-Up Bar: Unearthing This Underrated Gem
        How Andor Uses Audio to Explore Oppression and Rebellion
        From Mythology to the MCU: Egyptian and Norse

        Animation

        Spider-Man: The Trans Advocacy
        Spider-Man: The Trans Advocacy
        Superman vs. The Elite: What is Justice?
        Villains of the Shrek Universe: From Nursery Rhymes to the Grim Reaper
        Laika and the Power of Eyes: A Soul’s Quest for Self-Possession

        Anime

        The Ick: Anime Tropes that Repel Viewers
        The Ick: Anime Tropes that Repel Viewers
        Male-Female Friendships in Anime: Can We Really Be Just Friends?
        Demon Slayer — The Silent Oppression of Nezuko
        Hallyu & Anime: A More Than Welcome Ongoing Love Story

        Manga

        One-Punch Man’s Saitama: The Alienation of a Hero
        One-Punch Man’s Saitama: The Alienation of a Hero
        Vagabond: Beautiful Lessons in Takehiko Inoue’s Manga
        Exploring the impact of social medias through Helter Skelter and Black Mirror’s Nosedive
        Berserk, Sisyphus, and The Indomitable Human Spirit

        Comics

        Superman, Alienation, and Evil
        Superman, Alienation, and Evil
        Why Don’t Superheroes Change the World?
        Continuity and Connectivity in Comic Book Movies
        Comics in Education: Benefits and attitudes

        Literature

        And Then There Were None: Agatha Christie and Her Deconstruction of the Mystery Genre
        And Then There Were None: Agatha Christie and Her Deconstruction of the Mystery Genre
        Returning Gravitas to American Girl
        1984: What Does it Tell us About The Purpose of Life?
        Classic Literature’s “Infinity Girls”

        Arts

        The Creative Industries in Bangladesh: The Case of Coke Studio Bangla’s “Deora”
        The Creative Industries in Bangladesh: The Case of Coke Studio Bangla’s “Deora”
        Japan: Art, Eroticism, and Religion
        Why Should We Separate Real Art From NFTs of the Bored Ape Yacht Club Type?
        Tehching Hsieh: The Experience of Time and Duration in Performance Art

        Writing

        Is the Pen Mightier Than the Keyboard?
        Is the Pen Mightier Than the Keyboard?
        Whump And Its Role Outside of Fandom
        Movement and Location: A Brief Comment on Meaning in the Literary Experience
        Writing About Place