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Culture War Roundup for the week of October 30, 2023

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To me, there is no "organic" or "inorganic" retelling of a tale. There is only the storyteller's art, and what you make of the material you are given. If I was retelling the Greek myths, there are parts I would embellish and polish and things I would omit and they all feel perfectly natural situated in the particular time and place I am in. Saying any of the changes I would make are "inorganic" is to assume there's some way I "should" be telling the story, which I reject.

If all art is organic, you should prioritize a bit more trying to argue against the authoritarians today in control over the race swapping issue.

Since those who are now in charge share your ideals when it comes to art they appreciate but not when it comes to art they label as all sorts of ist. Which relates also with the race swapping they are doing. Clearly some art is better than others in their eyes because it ticks diversity or ideological boxes.

In which case you need to be arguing more against them and it seems your voice is joining them.

You seem to assume something I don't agree with. Sure, bring on every variant of John Henry under the sun! Give me a white Black Panther, or an Asian Othello - nothing is forbidden in storytelling. I have experienced multiple versions of Cyrano de Bergerac, and I would imagine if you asked a person 100 years ago about a version where he's a little person, they would have thought it strange, and yet I loved Peter Dinklage's portrayal of the character in the musical.

Then your proposal isn't particularly relevant since what you say you are in favor and what is happening are quite different. Race swapping in practice is not the one that white black panther happens. I think it is important if you are true to your claims of favoring race swapping in an even handed manner, to oppose the current way it is implemented.

Or you don't care if it is evenhanded and race swapping is good anyway, at any point, even if blatantly one sided? In that case it is suspicious and it seems you are converging with an one sided agenda. It is easy to argue general principles in favor of the outgroup getting it, if you are out to get your outgroup. More convincing if you argue it in a way and in a time and place that would benefit what one suspects your outgroup to be.