50 Shades of S#!T

The thirteenth blog challenge topic is...

A Book That Changed My Views On Something...

I don't think I've ever read a book and had one of those epiphany moments.  A moment where the earth stops and I have a sudden realization that everything I've felt or believed is a lie.  A moment where I've questioned my belief in this or that or myself.  There have been books that have effected me, I mean that is one reason books exist or why authors write...to connect with readers and invoke a response of some kind.

 

Controversial books are controversial because they have specific themes or depict situations that not everyone likes or agrees with.  They might also be thought provoking or shake people's foundations in some way.  Slaughterhouse Five, The Communist Manifesto, and The Adventure's of Huckleberry Finn are some that come to mind.  The God Delusion is a more recent one that never fails to rile people up.  But, if we are talking about blowing minds & inciting a riot we can't leave out Darwin's Origins of the Species...that one will live in infamy.  I've read some of these and many more that have made controversial lists or been banned.  However, they haven't really resonated on a level that would produce an existential about-face.  There is one book, a series rather, that has effected me to my very core.  It hasn't changed my views in the way I think this prompt meant, but it has changed my view on society.

E. L. James' 50 Shades of Grey trilogy is complete and utter trash.  It's poorly written...the plot is almost nonexistent, characters are two dimensional, unlikeable & un-relatable, and, seeing as its an "erotic" novel, the sex/romance is downright boring and trite. The prose is weak & sounds like a high school aged girl's diary.  I actually wrote a FaceBook post about it...

 

This series has changed my view on our society and how it never ceases to amaze me the commercial success of different things. I get that this is fiction, total "fantasy."  I really don't care what your kinks are, truly I don't.  You can love/fantasize about bottle nosed dolphins and butt plugs for all I care...your choices don't dictate the course of my life at all.  I even applaud those who have the courage to have an opinion, those who aren't afraid to embrace what gives them pleasure.  What I can't support is delusional-isque people rallying behind shit like this series who completely ignore the fact that it showcases unhealthy, abusive relationships.  Why has this series had so much mainstream success?  Maybe its because we as a society have become desensitized to the sexualization & debasement of individuals, namely women.  There was a recent ad campaign which had women posing with implied nudity wearing digitally added dresses made of milk. *Cue shit storm*  I get that it was artistic in nature.  I don't always get art, but I get that it is art...if that makes sense.  The issue here is, why naked ladies wearing milk dresses?!?  If sales are so bad that you have to resort to almost nudity to boost revenue...I think business execs needs to reevaluate their choices.  We as a society are bombarded with sexual imagery and innuendo on a daily basis.  TV, internet, print...sex sells & most of us voluntarily eat it up and ask for seconds.  For this reason, it was no surprise to me that this series amassed a large, loyal fandom.  It just saddens me that the fans defend it so vehemently when it clearly romanticizes dysfunction.  Its dangerous subject matter masquerading as fluffy chick lit.

I'm suddenly craving chocolate chip cookies...