I believe in the power and importance of clean content.
I’m not the only one.
Here are articles from 7 other writers on Substack about why they write clean and uplifting content, how dirty and inappropriate content have largely taken over mainstream media, and why they believe media with high standards is better for both writers and readers.
K. M. Carroll, “Constraints in writing (and why they're a good thing)”
“Have you ever wondered why the most popular, the most influential books and movies, are the ones written for children? Children's classics have endured past adult classics, which are mostly only kept alive by the universities. Children's classics (A Little Princess, Little Britches, Swiss Family Robinson, Lassie, etc. etc.) are passed on by word of mouth by people who loved them as children.
“Children's books are written inside of constraints. They might talk about topics of interest to adults, but always it must be in a way appropriate for children. Lately in publishing, publishers have grown lax with the constraints, producing books not only inappropriate for children, but inappropriate for anyone.”
Carroll then quotes another writer’s argument that dirty writing is often lazy and low-energy writing. To write clean takes more effort—and therefore yields a better story overall. (There’s a lot of other great gems in the article, so go read it!)
Clifford Stumme, “"The Stalin in the Soul": How Authors Become Their Own Censors to Please the Market”
Clifford builds on an essay by Ursula K. Le Guin. He describes the common phenomenon of writers (or artists, filmmakers, etc.) departing from their original vision to “write to the market.” Perhaps that’s a quicker path to a good income. But they don’t achieve their vision, usually end up compromising on their morals, and rarely achieve a great artistic work that stands the tests of time.
Ian Thomas Wilson, “On Having Standards”
Ian lays out his reasons for not reading or writing “smut” (sexual content) and why those with clean tastes should not be mocked or derided by those without them.
“Everyone has tastes, but I take it to another level, due to my belief that what we consume forms our beliefs, thoughts and actions in ways we can’t fully comprehend.
“. . . Now, the moment you bring this up, people, particularly on the internet, go on the defensive. “You’re just a prude! What, are you trying to shove your beliefs down my throat? Real life isn’t Little House on the Prairie! Grow up!” They take pride in their reading of smut. They make a big deal out of how much smut they read or write and how they love their smut. The moment they find out you have standards, the claws come out. It’s quite annoying, if you ask me.
”I’m not telling you what you can or cannot read; please don’t try to shove your beliefs down my throat. You are allowed to like that, just as I am allowed to avoid it. It seems hypocritical of people who make such a big deal about not being told what to read or write should try to shame or pressure others into liking the same things.
“They’re right, of course, about the real world not being rated G; that doesn’t mean one has to be steeped in all the ugliness and sensuality of the world. It’s alright to read a book as a sort of escape from all that.
“It is my own opinion that too much fictional smut has much the same effect on one’s soul as the fungal smut; it rots away the grain, leaving only black, sooty dust in its place. My fear is that consuming too much of such explicit material would negatively affect how I think about others and how I treat them. And perhaps this is why the pro-smut crowd gets so up in arms; they know they’re wrong and they don’t want to be corrected.”
Rebecca P Minor, “Well, They Ruined It”
Rebecca shares two disappointed moments running into sex scenes in TV shows, then gives 3 compelling reasons for why she finds that content wrong:
Sex is a private activity. If it’s wrong to go watch strangers down the street have sex (and in most places that is illegal), why is is okay to watch actors do it on screen?
Sex scenes exploit actors, particularly female actors
God designed sex for the sacred context of marriage. It is not to be paraded around.
“Viewers deserve the option to enjoy new content without compromising on what aligns with a desire to live a holy and upright life that is beyond reproach in thought and deed.”
-Rebecca P Minor
Michael P. Marpaung, “The Edgification of Everything”
Michael describes a process evident in both Hollywood and—probably originally—in fan fiction communities, of taking something innocent, clean, or for a young audience and creating a version that ramps up the violence or horror.
Michael calls this “the edgification of everything.”
Michael argues:
“. . . Society (especially Western society) is geared towards edginess. It’s in the air we breathe. And as a result, we seem to have an instinctive aversion towards anything wholesome. It’s easy to blame a group of people for a problem. But sometimes, the problem is us.
“Before I end this, I want to clarify that edginess in and of itself isn’t necessarily evil. Violence, even graphic violence, has its place in storytelling. Same with “sensitive” material. I know this because I am speaking as a writer who at times had delved into “edgy” territory.
“But it’s clear that edginess had gone rampant, swallowing everything wholesome in its path. And this is bad - both for society and for individuals.”
K.M. Carroll, “Writers' responsibility”
Another article by K. M. Carroll. Carroll writes how one of the powers of fiction is to give us roadmaps or blueprints of how to live life. And if we’re giving people roadmaps that say, “do whatever you want, it’s fine, you’ll get off easy because you’re the protagonist” . . . where will that roadmap take them?
Simple Man, “Friends and Its Consequences Have Been a Disaster for the Human Race”
The author explores the impact that sitcoms and other light-hearted media have had on normalizing sexual promiscuity, encouraging superficial personalities, and degrading people’s ability to be sincere, authentic, vulnerable, respectful, and trustworthy.
From the article:
“Everything we consume and perceive with our senses has a deep impact on shaping who we are, what we believe in, and what we aspire to be. Watching perverted movies will lessen your sensitivity to sin and degeneracy and make it seem normal. Listening to degrading, violent music will have the same effect. And so on with every single input your brain receives.
“The same is true for things that are pure and good: listening to godly music, watching good, clean movies, talking to people committed to virtue, these will all start to shape you toward a better version of you.”
Conclusion
If you’re subscribed to this newsletter, you probably already share many of the same thoughts and feelings as these authors. Hopefully this post gave you some more reasons to support your choices, and helped you feel less alone in a media environment that frequently isolates and ridicules people with high standards.
Thank you, readers, for choosing clean content. Thank you for rejecting the short-term, carnal allure of filth and edginess in the media you consume, and instead seeking for higher, more inspiring works—and for voting for those works with your time, attention, and money.
Stories have the power to change lives. Thank you for choosing stories that will change you and the world for good!
Best,
Jeremy P. Madsen
Oh wow, thanks for including my articles! I feel very strongly about this topic, and have since my teens when I ran a strictly G-rated fan site. I was mocked and harassed, but I still have people years later who tell me how my site and work were a big part of their adolescence. I've never doubted it was the right thing to do.
>... one of the powers of fiction is to give us roadmaps or blueprints of how to live life.
This is a thing. I've a sense of honor and heroism from the fantasy stories and tales of heroism I listen to raptly. I distinctly feel sit/romcoms would degrade this sensibility.
I very much don't like how much of the media can't resist the allure of using allure. In basically all of the shows I'd like to watch at some point... I will likely to have to wade through some extended bedroom scene where the plot moves while they lay naked save the sheet covering them. Or something else just as offensive. Look, I just want stories about cattlemen, oilmen, and railroaders and the challenges they encounter. I know theirs is a hardscrabble life, where the temptations and desires for the softer things heightens, and they'll be there in part... but... Temptations shouldn't be the only draw to the story.