Bret Easton Ellis Slams Self-Censorship Among Artists

[ganondorfguy101]

This man changed my perception on literature. It's OK to write a book that has large amounts of graphic violence and sex. It's life, so why shield it from ourselves?

[stratocaster1986able]

He looks like Tintin.

[elsquibbs]

If it's common for authors to self-censor themselves in order to get published, it may indicate a void in the marketplace for a publisher who will push the boundaries and print the unprintable.

[ReadLearnandBecome]

I remember when I was a kid and I realized that I could read about things in books that would never be talked about on TV or only after the subject is sanitized to make the audience feel safe and secure. Books can open up the world to you and make you realize there are other ways of thinking about things besides what our society has decided is socially acceptable. Reading has made me less certain in my opinions and I think that's good.

[theenigmajjames]

@ReadLearnandBecome Well said. I think Chuck Palahniuk has talked about what great freedom there is when writing a book. You can literally go anywhere within a novel. he said a book is as private and as consensual as sex. Good stuff there. He says, if you want the freedom to go anywhere, talk about anything, then write books. And Chuck and Bret both, along with others of course, have taken full advantage of that freedom. And thank God for them.

[jsmithbab6]

@Thastorcyclone I am afraid, i think your life is under thread

[patrickcorliss]

@PopCultureInstitute

Writers censor themselves every time they write text. Picking and choosing words for clarity of meaning is the craft.

Nobody writes the way they think and few the way they talk.

As an example, a mind may harbour offensive words and images that don't get put on paper or canvass. That's conscientious editing.

Better artists like James Joyce may try to capture these thoughts. The problem arises when you become intimidated and distort the message through fear.

[bertmarx]

he looks like freddie roach...

[thegirl44]

@PopCultureInstitute

We ARE hearing the opinion of an established writer, I'd imagine that varies greatly from someone like myself who has a limited publishing history. Even the example of "Lolita" wasn't Nabokov's first published work. It's easy to be a purist or take the high road when you know that your publishing house is going to publish any old thing you write simply because there's an audience. Stephen King has been putting out sub standard books for years because of this very fact.

[elsquibbs]

Good video.

[Solarcoreg]

i've never read American Psycho. Only watched the movie but now I'm interested. Gotta pick it up at the library.

[thegirl44]

@Solarcoreg

Be patient with it. The first quarter of the book is a motherfucker to get through but once you do it's a very worthwhile read.

[Solarcoreg]

@thegirl44 Thanks! I have a feeling I'll enjoy it.

[thegirl44]

@Solarcoreg

Anytime. It does my heart good to know that there's people out there that still read actual books, not to mention take the time to go to the library :).

[quidproquo2004]

@Solarcoreg Nothing can prepare you for the experience -- not even the movie.

Good luck with it!

[Graffight]

97th!!

[paritoshmehta123]

first?