The topic of fiction and how it affects reality is a complicated issue that many dispute over constantly in online spaces.

It all boils down to interpretation and influence. Fiction is not generated. It is created by real people and consumed by real people, and as a result, it isn’t as easy to figure out what someone’s intentions are, whether malicious or seeking to heal trauma through a fictional outlet.

While fiction itself does not directly cause behaviour, it can shape perspectives and normalise ideas.

Two people may be critical of triggering topics in fictional media, but remain aware that it is nothing but fiction, and thus cannot and will not affect their personal livelihood. Whereas you may have two other people, who may become impressionable to said triggering topics and believe it to be normalised.

I find the “fiction to cope” argument quite interesting for both sides, and there is no side I lean heavily towards, as my studies focus on both spectrums regardless.

Though, if I had to give my personal advice, as someone with a disorder that causes me to be impressionable, I tend to stay away from overtly ‘edgy’ media that don’t handle triggering topics well.
It’s obvious when certain media contains graphic content for shock value purpose/catering towards…. other interests – contrary to a media that handles it well and can portray it accurately.

I also do find the amount of children proudly engaging in adult media quite distressing. They are at an impressionable age, and the constant exposure is definitely damaging to the development of a child’s brain.

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