I support the “fiction isn’t real so nothing matters” mindset but tbf at a certain point it can tip over into “the curtains are just blue” territory
like yes actually there is a conversation to be had about how a characters actions are framed and how they thematically fit with the rest of the story and it can in fact reflect the author’s beliefs. some authors are even trying to make a point
not all depiction is glorification but sometimes it is and you need to be able to tell the difference. not because your immortal soul will be tainted by reading The Bad One, but because you need to have reading comprehension skills
So many people are so focused on not falling for discourse brain that they start denying a story’s ability to be art.
Like yeah actually, sometimes a story means something and can be engaged with and critisized and discussions can be formed around what happened and the meaning and message and intentions and that doesn’t have to be toxic or falling into any pipeline or carrying water for whatever thing of the day is being pathologized into people’s opinions (but from the right side so it’s actually good).
Not everything needs to be this entirely static thing that’s only purpose is to be observed, we aren’t all watching millions of permutations of paint drying.