Active member
- Joined
- Dec 16, 2018
- Messages
- 335
@trapsarebetter
I know I'm just intruding on this conversation, and that this none of my business, but I fail to see how the term "NTR" is, as you put it, "an applicative only to the lesser minds of a self-inserter".
I mean, "NTR", in this case, would be netorare, which can pretty much be summed up as infidelity. Now, I must admit that this term gets thrown around a lot nowadays, and that, under the right circumstances, an instance of infidelity (or NTR, as it's commonly put) can play an important role in the development of the plot of a story. However, more often than not, it's entirely gratuitous. Manga authors, in a general way, don't have the same grasp of storytelling as novel authors do, and thus their attempts to add drama often come across as forced and grating. Drama is as good a drive as any when it comes to developing a story, but poorly done drama leaves a bitter taste than, say, poorly done action, or poorly done mystery, at least in my opinion.
Therefore, I view as valid and wholly logical the desire to avoid such instances when looking for a new story to read.
Forced drama, a playboll asshole, and NTR bait, (what @broadsword80 listed) most certainly does not a good a story make, as your comment would lead one to believe (especially if you note the modifier "forced" preceding "drama"). I can count on my two hands the number of mangakas who can weave those elements together into an interesting, quality story. Almost ways, they're nothing more than a recipe for a trainwreck, producing stories that are only enjoyed by people who derive pleasure from such things specifically, representing a group on the opposite end of the specter, yet analogous, in their desire to sate their debased desires through means of a story, to the vanilla-seeking self-inserters you mentioned.
That is why, even though I do not concern myself with when it comes to infidelity in published, written works, as the authors of such are usually masters of their craft and use such instances as solid storytelling vehicles, when it comes to manga I avoid "NTR" like the plague, because the skill required to properly handle this particular storytelling element is something most mangakas lack, resulting in poor stories that are, at least in my opinion, better off avoided.
Now, leaving logos aside and delving into pathos territory, I see nothing wrong with avoiding stories that contain aspects you're not fond of. There's nothing wrong with avoiding a story because it contains explicit scenes of gore, torture, rape, or whatever other wretched product the human mind can produce. Admittedly, compared to those things, infidelity most definitely is the lesser evil (if you don't consider the fact that rape and blackmail follow in the wake of NTR most of the time), but it's still an evil, nonetheless. Most people can't help but empathize with the protagonist of the story that they're reading; that what make fiction so magical to me: the ability to detach yourself from reality and immerse yourself in someone's life. Therefore, infidelity can, indeed, hurt the reader, especially if they delve too deep into the protagonist, and as such people are free to wish to avoid it. Moreover, as I previously stated, infidelity does not necessarily a good story make; there are many drama-filled masterpieces that conjure complex plots with no instance of such. Therefore, I don't find it strange to avoid it, especially considering that there are plenty of stories out there that are still very good without it.
Regardless, I rest my case. I wrote this, if you're wondering, for the same reason you replied, uninvited, to @broadsword80's comment in the first place: to share my opinion and introduce another perspective to this topic.
I know I'm just intruding on this conversation, and that this none of my business, but I fail to see how the term "NTR" is, as you put it, "an applicative only to the lesser minds of a self-inserter".
I mean, "NTR", in this case, would be netorare, which can pretty much be summed up as infidelity. Now, I must admit that this term gets thrown around a lot nowadays, and that, under the right circumstances, an instance of infidelity (or NTR, as it's commonly put) can play an important role in the development of the plot of a story. However, more often than not, it's entirely gratuitous. Manga authors, in a general way, don't have the same grasp of storytelling as novel authors do, and thus their attempts to add drama often come across as forced and grating. Drama is as good a drive as any when it comes to developing a story, but poorly done drama leaves a bitter taste than, say, poorly done action, or poorly done mystery, at least in my opinion.
Therefore, I view as valid and wholly logical the desire to avoid such instances when looking for a new story to read.
Forced drama, a playboll asshole, and NTR bait, (what @broadsword80 listed) most certainly does not a good a story make, as your comment would lead one to believe (especially if you note the modifier "forced" preceding "drama"). I can count on my two hands the number of mangakas who can weave those elements together into an interesting, quality story. Almost ways, they're nothing more than a recipe for a trainwreck, producing stories that are only enjoyed by people who derive pleasure from such things specifically, representing a group on the opposite end of the specter, yet analogous, in their desire to sate their debased desires through means of a story, to the vanilla-seeking self-inserters you mentioned.
That is why, even though I do not concern myself with when it comes to infidelity in published, written works, as the authors of such are usually masters of their craft and use such instances as solid storytelling vehicles, when it comes to manga I avoid "NTR" like the plague, because the skill required to properly handle this particular storytelling element is something most mangakas lack, resulting in poor stories that are, at least in my opinion, better off avoided.
Now, leaving logos aside and delving into pathos territory, I see nothing wrong with avoiding stories that contain aspects you're not fond of. There's nothing wrong with avoiding a story because it contains explicit scenes of gore, torture, rape, or whatever other wretched product the human mind can produce. Admittedly, compared to those things, infidelity most definitely is the lesser evil (if you don't consider the fact that rape and blackmail follow in the wake of NTR most of the time), but it's still an evil, nonetheless. Most people can't help but empathize with the protagonist of the story that they're reading; that what make fiction so magical to me: the ability to detach yourself from reality and immerse yourself in someone's life. Therefore, infidelity can, indeed, hurt the reader, especially if they delve too deep into the protagonist, and as such people are free to wish to avoid it. Moreover, as I previously stated, infidelity does not necessarily a good story make; there are many drama-filled masterpieces that conjure complex plots with no instance of such. Therefore, I don't find it strange to avoid it, especially considering that there are plenty of stories out there that are still very good without it.
Regardless, I rest my case. I wrote this, if you're wondering, for the same reason you replied, uninvited, to @broadsword80's comment in the first place: to share my opinion and introduce another perspective to this topic.