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   John Siracusa (siracusa@mastodon.social)'s status on Friday, 18-Apr-2025 09:24:32 JST John Siracusa

   When I was a kid, I wondered if the kids that bullied me in school watched the same movies and TV shows I did, but rooted for the bullies in those stories.

   As an adult, I watch The Handmaid’s Tale and wonder how many Americans watch it and root for Gilead.

   • Warner Crocker repeated this.
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     John Siracusa (siracusa@mastodon.social)'s status on Friday, 18-Apr-2025 09:24:32 JST John Siracusa

     in reply to

     The answer I came to as a kid is that bullies don’t see themselves as bullies, and so they root for the heroes in stories and root against the bullies.

     I used to think the same about the kinds of adults that vote for Gilead-type policies and politicians: that they don’t believe they’re doing this (even though they are) and so they root against Gilead and the other “bad guys” in media. But I’m no longer so sure about this.

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     Warner Crocker (warnercrocker@mastodon.social)'s status on Friday, 18-Apr-2025 09:27:49 JST Warner Crocker

     in reply to

     @siracusa Every villain sees themselves as the hero and every act of theirs as righteous