: Re: Offensive aesthetics and naming conventions? So I'm writing a story that features an alien character, who happens to be a really "internet troll"-ish type with a somewhat godlike tech and a personal

@Shelley992

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SF's answer is more than adequate but your question contributes to the mounting problems of story-telling and media.

Whatever you write is going to offend somebody. Unfortunately, most people, particularly Americans are unaware of life outside their bubble.

Take, for example, Hollywood in the 1960's. Films contained virtually no female heroes, African American heroes or Hispanic heroes. Producers didn't realise this continued practice offended 65% of Americans (Women / Blacks / Hispanics).

With the advent of globalisation Hollywood almost went bust. 50 years they were churning out westerns and war films from a well-oiled production line but had no understanding of the world beyond America. Production costs soared to the extent that they were domestically irrecoverable. At a cost 0,000,000 Titanic would require every regular US movie goer to watch the film more than once to realise a profit.

Hollywood sought global investment to make movies just as the German economy was booming. Almost overnight there were no more War films or Westerns. Most of the planet has no interest in Westerns. And Germans really didn't want to invest in films where they got their asses kicked.

Writing not to offend anybody produces nothing of significance. The best thing you can do is write to your own values but be aware who you may be offending. Hollywood routinely offends the political right - but make a fortune doing it.

I have focussed this post on the film industry simply because the financial data is more readily available.

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