Anti-hero's charm
Popular films and series depict criminals as anti-heroes which makes them more relatable.
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The Argument
There is a new moral paradigm when writing characters which has taken a rise in the anti-hero kind. Films and series depict criminals as heroes or antiheroes which makes them more relatable. This sympathy may prevent the viewer to condone the character’s flaws and transgressions.
Counter arguments
Modern audiences are not swayed by good vs evil schemes anymore because the moral content is not imposed on them as it used to be in earlier centuries. This doesn’t make the society amoral, but more tolerable and free to express their own judgment.
Premises
[P1] Popular films and series have main characters that are not presented as villains but as anti-heroes.
[P2] An anti-hero charms the audience, in spite of their flaws of character, bending the viewer’s ethical boundaries.
Rejecting the premises
[Rejecting P1] A good story needs a good villain, and sometimes the villain is more interesting than the hero.
[Rejecting P2] Liking an anti-hero is not necessarily a reflection of the viewer’s personality nor their moral values.
Further Reading
Anti-Hero - Examples and Definition of Anti-Hero [1]
Exploring How We Enjoy Antihero Narratives by Daniel M. Shafer & Arthur A. Raney [2]
Why Our Obsession With TV Antiheroes Is Destroying Our Souls by Georgi Boorman [3]
Anti-Heroes: Is There a Goodness of Purpose? by Brian A. Kinnaird [4]
References
- https://literarydevices.net/anti-hero/
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263189247_Exploring_How_We_Enjoy_Antihero_Narratives
- https://thefederalist.com/2017/09/14/obsession-tv-antiheroes-destroying-souls/
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-hero-in-you/201309/anti-heroes-is-there-goodness-purpose