Fictions & Morals: Harry Potter and an evangelical walk into a bar... | Inside the Text Podcast

We talk about fiction in moral terms all the time, from saying certain movies are inappropriate for kids, to claiming that video games aren't political. But when you think about it, how does fiction function morally if it's just made up? To answer that question, we have to ask a couple others: What is fiction? And what is moral?
In this first episode in a series about the moral function of fiction: Harry Potter, evangelical Christianity, literary theory, and fake news, and other sundry characters.
For more about history as fictive, watch this video by PBS Idea Channel: • What's The Difference ...
For more about how the U.S. military and popular movies get intertwined, watch this interesting video by Pop Culture Detective: • Military Recruitment a...
For more about semiology, watch this short series I did about it a long time ago: • Playlist
Get in touch and find a transcript of this episode at insidethetext.wordpress.com.
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References:
Harry Potter: Witchcraft Repackaged (2001, Jeremiah Films)
Alun Munslow, "Where Does History Come From?" (March 2002, History Today)
Terry Eagleton, How to Read a Poem (2007)
Terry Eagleton, Literary Theory: An Introduction (2008)
William Gibson, Neuromancer (1984)
John Fiske, Television Culture, 2010
2016 Donald Trump press conference, • Donald Trump To CNN Re...
Whitney Phillips, "Putting the Folklore in Fake News," culturedigitall...
Abbot & Costello, "Who's On First?" • Video
Leo Tolstoy, What Is Art? (1897)
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Music:
Intro and outro music by Jedd Cole
Stefan Kartenberg, Oryk Taiko Rhap, CC BY, ccmixter.org/fi...
CARL iCON, Quasi una fantasia, CC BY, ccmixter.org/fi...
Kimiko Ishizaka, Aria (BWV 988), freemusicarchi...
Soft and Furious, You're Magic, freemusicarchi...

[@simbasmiles5525]

I’m falling in love with this channel

[@ElectricDidact]

yay ^___^

[@WoohooliganComedy]

Thanks, Jedd! I really enjoyed this one. Analysis of how we interpret things is a particular interest for me in part because I think it helps me develop my social skills that are a bit rusty due to autism.

[@ElectricDidact]

Cool! So glad you liked it ^__^

[@flanthief]

I love the quality of your videos! It feels like I'm listening to a NPR show or something. Please keep posting. I feel like it would greatly improve your content if you actually sat down and watch the media you mention frequently in your videos but have very little knowledge on the context. Eg Kiki's delivery service, Harry Potter and so on. Being able to compare your experience growing up through life with these films being vilified and then being immersed in it would add another layer to your analysis

[@plifal7799]

Really great stuff, so happy to see you back - I hope your anxiety isn't too bad

[@ElectricDidact]

Thank you so much ^__^

[@ajmoore9758]

My history prof always says "We are historical producers and consumers."

[@ElectricDidact]

truth

[@animorph17]

Primary component of IRL witchcraft. The Rule of Three. Anything you do to the world will be delivered onto you threefold. If you are vile and bring terrible things to the world, then three terrible things of equal value will be subjected onto you. If you are helpful and make good things happen in the world, then three good things of equal value will be bestowed onto you. As such, never use witchcraft to curse someone, it's always going to hurt you more than it hurts the other guy, according to it's own rules. Likewise it's objectively a good idea to go around helping people and being generally nice. It will always be rewarding in some way, even if (by another rule) abusing this to try and get specific rewards cannot, and will not work. In the mythos this is meant to be something almost metephorical, and more about how you think of the world. Hateful and filled with spite? Don't expect to succeed in life. Helpful and generous? The universe itself will give you an edge. In practical, secular terms ... this means that if you give you're neighbor a favor then they're liable to help you out the next time you ask. While if you punch your neighbor in the face, you increase the statistical likelyhood that he'll come back with two friends of his to punch your face in.

[@Furore2323]

*ahem* When you are referring to PBS Idea Channel, the correct phrasing is 'links in the doobly-doo'. Other than that, this is TERRIFIC.

[@ElectricDidact]

^__^