50 Shades - Great, or the Greatest?

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Replies

  • JeriAnne84
    JeriAnne84 Posts: 543 Member
    The safe word is "pickles".

    ....

    If these books became classics to be read in a college course then our society and future is doomed.
    That's ridiculous, it rhymes with tickles. Dorky choice and potentially very unsafe, too.

    And I agree with your opinion on "doomed".

    Calm yourself it was a joke.
  • WolfChylde
    WolfChylde Posts: 50 Member
    "50 Shades of Grey was originally fanfiction based on the Twilight series, which was then published as a novel (along with 2 subsequent books). It sold over 100 million copies around the world and topped best-seller lists everywhere. It’s about to be adapted into a film, set to come out early next year.

    It follows a college student named Ana Steele, who enters a relationship with a man named Christian Grey and is then introduced to a bastardised and abusive parody of BDSM culture.

    While the book is paraded as erotica, the relationship between Ana and Christian is far from healthy. The core mantra of the BDSM community is “safe, sane and consensual”, and 50 Shades is anything but. None of the rules of BDSM practices (which are put in place to protect those involved) are actually upheld. Christian is controlling, manipulative, abusive, takes complete advantage of Ana, ignores safe-words, ignores consent, keeps her uneducated about the sexual practices they’re taking part in, and a multitude of other terrible things. Their relationship is completely sickening and unhealthy.

    Basically, “the book is a glaring glamorisation of violence against women,” as Amy Bonomi so perfectly put it.

    It’s terrible enough that a book like this has been absorbed by people worldwide. Now, we have a film that is expected to be a huge box-office success, and will likely convince countless more young women that it’s okay not to have any autonomy in a relationship, that a man is allowed to control them entirely. It will also show many young men that women are theirs to play with and dominate, thus contributing to antiquated patriarchal values and rape culture."-aconissa
  • AglaeaC
    AglaeaC Posts: 1,974 Member
    The safe word is "pickles".

    ....

    If these books became classics to be read in a college course then our society and future is doomed.
    That's ridiculous, it rhymes with tickles. Dorky choice and potentially very unsafe, too.

    And I agree with your opinion on "doomed".

    Calm yourself it was a joke.
    Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to critique it that way. I thought it came from the second or third book, neither of which I've read. Oops.
  • Mr_Bad_Example
    Mr_Bad_Example Posts: 2,403 Member
    I'm just gonna wait for the movie version of "Trapped!"
  • Veil5577
    Veil5577 Posts: 868 Member
    I'm just gonna wait for the movie version of "Trapped!"

    :laugh:
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
    Dear America,

    You gave us Twilight. Please accept our small gift of 50 Shades of Grey in return for your generous gift.

    Kind Regards,

    Great Britain
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    "50 Shades of Grey was originally fanfiction based on the Twilight series, which was then published as a novel (along with 2 subsequent books). It sold over 100 million copies around the world and topped best-seller lists everywhere. It’s about to be adapted into a film, set to come out early next year.

    It follows a college student named Ana Steele, who enters a relationship with a man named Christian Grey and is then introduced to a bastardised and abusive parody of BDSM culture.

    While the book is paraded as erotica, the relationship between Ana and Christian is far from healthy. The core mantra of the BDSM community is “safe, sane and consensual”, and 50 Shades is anything but. None of the rules of BDSM practices (which are put in place to protect those involved) are actually upheld. Christian is controlling, manipulative, abusive, takes complete advantage of Ana, ignores safe-words, ignores consent, keeps her uneducated about the sexual practices they’re taking part in, and a multitude of other terrible things. Their relationship is completely sickening and unhealthy.

    Basically, “the book is a glaring glamorisation of violence against women,” as Amy Bonomi so perfectly put it.

    It’s terrible enough that a book like this has been absorbed by people worldwide. Now, we have a film that is expected to be a huge box-office success, and will likely convince countless more young women that it’s okay not to have any autonomy in a relationship, that a man is allowed to control them entirely. It will also show many young men that women are theirs to play with and dominate, thus contributing to antiquated patriarchal values and rape culture."-aconissa

    O.M.G.! Next thing you know, they'll start producing movies where some sicko puts people through a series of nasty puzzles until most of them die. I mean, why do people watch this stuff, right? We need to control what people read and watch so that it's more wholesome and supports our own ideology and agenda.
  • Dogwalkingirl
    Dogwalkingirl Posts: 320 Member
    This book was HORRIBLY written and I hope you are joking even considering it could be classified as 'literature'
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    I didn't read the book...or books... It hasn't gotten great reviews.
  • Catchphrase33
    Catchphrase33 Posts: 40 Member
    This has made my day! Thank you!
  • delicious_cocktail
    delicious_cocktail Posts: 5,797 Member
    This has made my day! Thank you!
    :flowerforyou:
  • Yurippe
    Yurippe Posts: 850 Member
    Very important question. Is this the book that mentions body wash 53 times? I'm actually serious this time. It was very annoying.

    Don't use bodywash on your sex. You'll get an infection.

    uh oh.

    When?

    I'm not crazy, it was the body wash book! You know it's a good read when the thing that really sticks with you is, "why does she write so much about body wash?" Looks like I wasn't the only one to think so since they are now making 50 Shades Body Wash. I hope ironically.

    https://www.etsy.com/listing/152394465/fifty-shades-body-wash-shower-gel-bubble
  • KinzieElise
    KinzieElise Posts: 584 Member
    Ah, yes. S&M for people who don't know anything about S&M.

    The fact that it is a competent and comprehensive introductory guide to alternative lifestyles is only one small part of the value of the set.

    You have got to be joking. Seriously. Please be a troll, if not please do some research...hell, Wikipedia would probably be better than 50 Shades of Abuse.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Am I the only one who enjoys violence in a book? Girl with the Dragon Tattoo had two violent scenes, one of which was very satisfying.

    Actually I loved that series.

    sometimes hard to read- but they are very good.


    also- this is a good read

    http://m.tickld.com/x/many-women-do-not-agree-with-me-on-this-subject-but-its-important


    Here's the buzzfeed thing about the secretary
    http://www.buzzfeed.com/juliapugachevsky/reasons-to-watch-secretary-before-you-watch-fifty-shades
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    Fairly simple question. I've never seen a work of fiction so thoroughly explore women's issues. Can't believe they're making it into a film, considering Hollywood's penchant for populist pandering. Hard to believe that they'll tackle the hard issues like identity and sexual politics, and womens liberation -- all themes masterfully explored in the series.

    I'm not looking forward to it. The book has done enough damage as is. Don't get me wrong, I'm not some staunch conservative that doesn't think sex should be talked about. My beef with it is that 50 shades did BDSM all wrong and moved into the realm of abusive and non consensual. Normally that would be okay, so long as everyone took it as the fiction that it is. The problem is women and men took 50 shades as a 101 beginners guide to BDSM and thousands of "50 shades bondage kits" hit the market. I can almost guarantee the people who bought these didn't bother to learn anything about BDSM, safe words, or really discuss what they wanted and didn't want to try before giving them a spin. It gives BDSM a bad name, not to mention it can lead to a lot of potential risks and getting seriously hurt if they take it too far without knowing what they are doing.

    Yea, safe, sane, and boring. Where's the fun in that?
  • AglaeaC
    AglaeaC Posts: 1,974 Member
    Thanks for the reminder, I never got past the middle, need to finish it.
  • yellowlemoned
    yellowlemoned Posts: 335 Member
    Fairly simple question. I've never seen a work of fiction so thoroughly explore women's issues. Can't believe they're making it into a film, considering Hollywood's penchant for populist pandering. Hard to believe that they'll tackle the hard issues like identity and sexual politics, and womens liberation -- all themes masterfully explored in the series.

    I'm not looking forward to it. The book has done enough damage as is. Don't get me wrong, I'm not some staunch conservative that doesn't think sex should be talked about. My beef with it is that 50 shades did BDSM all wrong and moved into the realm of abusive and non consensual. Normally that would be okay, so long as everyone took it as the fiction that it is. The problem is women and men took 50 shades as a 101 beginners guide to BDSM and thousands of "50 shades bondage kits" hit the market. I can almost guarantee the people who bought these didn't bother to learn anything about BDSM, safe words, or really discuss what they wanted and didn't want to try before giving them a spin. It gives BDSM a bad name, not to mention it can lead to a lot of potential risks and getting seriously hurt if they take it too far without knowing what they are doing.

    Yea, safe, sane, and boring. Where's the fun in that?

    Safe - yes
    Sane - preferably
    Boring - absolutely not.

    That's how real bdsm should work.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    r u for real? btw the trailer looks like a higher budget skinemax movie.

    Please note I haven't seen the film. If it's half as thorough as the texts, it will likely become a classic; perhaps studied in college courses devoted to the subject matter.
    It is the greatest love story of our time! It's a lesson in character development and growth. It's a masterful work of beautiful words strung together by a woman who probably walks on water and flies on angel wings, she's so perfect in her writing.

    Every college-level English lit class should teach these books. ALL OF THEM.

    Thank God I'm not alone here. Also thank you for the link from that columnist. Some choice exerpts for the naysayers:
    "In short, Anastasia is a totally believable and realistic depiction of a normal twenty-one-year-old female American college student[...]"
    "This is why the immense popularity of Fifty Shades of Grey is actually great news for men. It’s a signal from the female gender—not unlike the one broadcast by Shawna—transmitting an exciting and encouraging message to men everywhere[.]"
    "If Jane Austen (another bestselling female British author) came back to life and read this book, she would kill herself." (The implication I think is out of shame that Austen's work would not be up-to-par.)
    You get it. You REALLY GET IT. :drinker:
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    if it requires a "safe word" I am so out!!!

    there is no way I would walk around with sex toys in my lady parts
    maybe I am naive but I dont see this being something for the majority of women

    to me 50 shade is just a modern romance novel without Fabio on the front
    we all know how spectacularly written romance novels are
    It outsold Harry Potter.

    Just sayin'.
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    Fairly simple question. I've never seen a work of fiction so thoroughly explore women's issues. Can't believe they're making it into a film, considering Hollywood's penchant for populist pandering. Hard to believe that they'll tackle the hard issues like identity and sexual politics, and womens liberation -- all themes masterfully explored in the series.

    I'm not looking forward to it. The book has done enough damage as is. Don't get me wrong, I'm not some staunch conservative that doesn't think sex should be talked about. My beef with it is that 50 shades did BDSM all wrong and moved into the realm of abusive and non consensual. Normally that would be okay, so long as everyone took it as the fiction that it is. The problem is women and men took 50 shades as a 101 beginners guide to BDSM and thousands of "50 shades bondage kits" hit the market. I can almost guarantee the people who bought these didn't bother to learn anything about BDSM, safe words, or really discuss what they wanted and didn't want to try before giving them a spin. It gives BDSM a bad name, not to mention it can lead to a lot of potential risks and getting seriously hurt if they take it too far without knowing what they are doing.

    Yea, safe, sane, and boring. Where's the fun in that?

    Safe - yes
    Sane - preferably
    Boring - absolutely not.

    That's how real bdsm should work.

    Good thing you're there to police it, huh? Whew!
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    Am I the only one who enjoys violence in a book? Girl with the Dragon Tattoo had two violent scenes, one of which was very satisfying.

    Actually I loved that series.

    sometimes hard to read- but they are very good.


    also- this is a good read

    http://m.tickld.com/x/many-women-do-not-agree-with-me-on-this-subject-but-its-important


    Here's the buzzfeed thing about the secretary
    http://www.buzzfeed.com/juliapugachevsky/reasons-to-watch-secretary-before-you-watch-fifty-shades

    Thanks! I'm gonna check it out.

    I will check out trapped also. I'm on my phone right now.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I'm just glad I've never read it. I almost picked it up out of curiosity and a sense of missing a cultural phenomenon. Now, I'm glad I didn't waste my time.
    If you ever get curious enough, the audio books are on YouTube. They are unintentionally ridiculously funny to listen to.

    I listened because I knew it needed to be criticized but I didn't feel comfortable doing so without reading them and there was NO WAY I could have gotten through reading them. Plus, I didn't want to give any money to the people responsible and I couldn't find anyone to lend the books to me and our library won't carry them.
  • Kelli8885
    Kelli8885 Posts: 13 Member
    Fairly simple question. I've never seen a work of fiction so thoroughly explore women's issues. Can't believe they're making it into a film, considering Hollywood's penchant for populist pandering. Hard to believe that they'll tackle the hard issues like identity and sexual politics, and womens liberation -- all themes masterfully explored in the series.

    You are amazing.
  • liftmeup1
    liftmeup1 Posts: 373
    You mean it isn't just a book that women get their stuff off to?....lol
  • kendall916
    kendall916 Posts: 4,222 Member
    I'm so glad I watched Secretary before I picked up the 50 shades book. I'm already dreading the movie I have a feeling it's going to be another Twilight bust.
  • Trechechus
    Trechechus Posts: 2,819 Member
    Yes. Glorifying sexual abuse is fantastic. It should be more mainstream.

    The series is an insult to the BDSM community and to those of us who have had to live through abuse.

    Also, you do realize that the series started life as an online Twilight fanfiction, right?
  • Gmtribble90
    Gmtribble90 Posts: 463 Member
    I have no intention of seeing the movie, nor have I read the book. It's basically going to be (as a male friend of mine called it) "Porn: The Movie". It makes me sick that movies like this and Don Jon (one my bf saw and I got REALLY irked...poor guy didn't even know what it was and couldn't leave the room because his father picked it for a "family" movie for them to watch together, along with his sis and stepmother...weirded me out and was worse when his sis said it wasn't that bad, but eh...guess I'm old-fashioned) are even made. I say it should be boycotted, but that's just my opinion...
  • kendall916
    kendall916 Posts: 4,222 Member
    Yes. Glorifying sexual abuse is fantastic. It should be more mainstream.

    The series is an insult to the BDSM community and to those of us who have had to live through abuse.

    Also, you do realize that the series started life as an online Twilight fanfiction, right?

    I agree!

    If you're curious/open minded about BDSM or the 'kink' lifestyle I'd recommend those to watch the movie Secretary first before watching the movie!
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
    I've heard a lot of ignorance regarding the books and now the coming movie, but this thread takes the cake. Holy crap, does it ever take the cake.

    I heard there was cake here.
  • delicious_cocktail
    delicious_cocktail Posts: 5,797 Member
    I saw the movie Secretary and the Maggie Gyllenhaal character in a dysfunctional family, psychologically destroyed, cutting herself, and was institutionalized - - all at the beginning of the film. But then James Spader swoops in and saves her with discipline and sex?! Treats her like one of his orchids. At least the protagonist of 50 Shades was treated as a human.

    Some people want to be outraged for the sake of it. By all means do that but don't deprive anyone else access to good solid scholarship on the basis of simple anti-populism.

    The whole "I liked BDSM before it was cool" thing is just so hipster.