#compare to s6 which introduced a very complicated and nuanced topic as white tears

[inmyarmswrappedin]

Saw a gifset where Mailin's mom asked who Mailin thought she was that she thinks she can sort out literature, and just ughhh. I hate the way this plot has been handled, beginning to end. I think the topic is relevant and I also feel like the renewed attack on "political correctness" (which was also a big topic in the 90s) is another sign of the recent rise of fascism and reactionary politics.

The thing is, the storyline was introduced under a faulty premise, because Mailin chose to analyze the Goethe poem for her final exam. And then she acted as if she'd been forced to or there was no other option if she wanted to pass the exam. And after this, it's been lacking in nuance and dialogue at every step of the way. I actually don't believe there's enough room in what's left of the season to introduce a proper discussion into the topic, but even if they did, what would be the point when everyone's positions (Mailin's, the school's, the mom's) have been so inflexible up to this point?

I am generally of the opinion that cultural objects (books, movies, music...) shouldn't be disposed of wholesale, but rather:

discussed in their historical context.

provided with additional context. Let's say you've assigned Robinson Crusoe, a dreadfully racist text. You can bring historical sources to help the students understand why the portrayal of Friday and the Savages is racist, help humanize them, help put their behavior in context with sources that explain their customs and culture.

discussed from our vantage point and through within post-colonial, anti-capitalist, intersectional feminist, queer, anti-racist(, etc?) frameworks.

However, there are times when a cultural object isn't appropriate for certain audiences, like, say, high school students, and that is also a valid option. Before the internet, it was seriously difficult to find a copy of The Anarchist Cookbook, a book that encourages middle America to learn to manufacture explosives, weapons, phreaking devices and drugs such as LSD, in order to bring the USA back to 18th century conditions. I believe this book has value when it comes to understanding the mind (and strategies) of far right US militias, but does it need to be studied at a high school level? Uh, no.

I think my opinion on this issue is fairly nuanced, even though I haven't touched on the topic of trigger warnings (which brings with it issues of access to education for students suffering from PTSD and other MI) in this particular post. And yet I'm sure other people have things to add, points in which they agree or disagree with me. As I said, this is a very complicated, yet hugely relevant topic today.

But you wouldn't know from watching Druck. The positions are: destroy the books Mailin doesn't like, do the final exams exactly as we prepared for them in class, or we have already sorted books into appropriate and inappropriate and Mailin(/teens) have no insight to offer on this topic.

It is hugely frustrating and I wish the writers hadn't touched this topic if they didn't intend on fostering discussion (which they clearly did not because the positions they've portrayed are so unmovable and uncritical). I genuinely believe that the storyline as portrayed this season is only going to make viewers be less interested in analyzing media, less interested in listening to other people's perspectives, and less willing to question mainstream values and culture