Quoted from bert Once started, it is impossible to control the destiny of any thread. The thread's author -- and yes, even mods -- will often stand helpless in the steam-roller path of inertia, unchecked chaos, and random smartasses. And, yes, it is completely against the rules for me to have any fun at all.  Ever. I'll pass this on to bern.

Duly noted.  Have a great day ol' chap.

Too many comments so I didn't read them all.

I doubt that it will ever be media that's the main motive for every murder than occurs out there. It's just easy to pin it on films.

Quoted from M.Alexander In light of the recent Colorado shooting spree, James Homes was clearly influenced by the Joker.   Obviously there's more to it than just that.  But the bottom line this isn't the first time a lunatic's gone on a murderous rampage imitating something he's seen on TV or film. So, my question is this -- anybody feel the need to be a bit more selective and responsible as to what you put on the page, lest it gets produced into a film and some pshycho watches it and decides to imitate it?

Why the writer? Why not the director, the actors, or the producers? Why does the responsibility go to the writer? What about DC comics?

I can't control other people or how my work might influence them. If we had so much power as that, wouldn't there be massacres at every drop of a hat?

Influencing the audience is always a possibility no matter what you put on the page, but the responsibility begins with the individual who makes the CHOICE to act upon it.

No, I will not change what I write.

Quoted from cynatnite Why the writer? Why not the director, the actors, or the producers? Why does the responsibility go to the writer? What about DC comics?

Because it all starts with the writer.

And of course there's other factors involved.  But that's beside the point.

This is a screenwriting site.  That's why I posed the question.  

Quoted from M.Alexander Because it all starts with the writer. And of course there's other factors involved.  But that's beside the point. This is a screenwriting site.  That's why I posed the question.

In this instance, it did not start with the writer of the movie.

Quoted from cynatnite In this instance, it did not start with the writer of the movie.

That's a lame argument.  And again, beside the point.  But, oh well.

It always starts with the creator of the idea and hopefully, that's the writer.

I take responsibility for my script but none for the actions someone takes as a result of my script. I get sick of people not taking responsibility for their actions. That's my simple version.

The problem with responsibility is that it is never one dimensional, whether it is on a personal level or societal. Responsibility, displayed on a graph from A to Z, has many components to it and is left to interpretation every step of the way. The old adage of: “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts” is true and therefore to believe that one cog in the machine of responsibility can change the outcome is impossible if not down right ridiculous.

For clarification, and the rise of this argument, I can name many factors more responsible than that of the writer. But let’s just focus on a few because the rest is just more affirmation of the argument.

When it comes to responsibility of what is disseminated into the public consciousness one only needs turn to the TV that runs non-stop in the average American household with 1,000’s of ADD inducing channels and programs.

The TV is the gateway of the masses, a connection to the world around them. But even deeper still, as far as responsibility goes, are the rating boards that decided what can be viewed and by what age group.

And the buffer between the two? (because there is always a buffer or should be)

Parental responsibility.

I see shows on TV for kids and teens that, while unquestionably entertaining, have inappropriate content AND context. Look at much of our “Reality TV” and tell me young impressionable minds aren’t finding their role models and modes of behaviour in the wrong place.

Some might want to point the finger at mental problems but that has no place in this argument as it is an “unknown variable” and does not rear its head until it is too late for anything to be done about it. That is why when these events happen it is so shocking and leaves us asking, Why? and Who is to blame? If history has taught us anything, there MUST be a scapegoat. A finger MUST be pointed to help us make sense of the senseless.

The problem with this is, just like responsibility, a finger can not be pointed in only one direction because all the sums that make up that whole are too innumerable.

The other problem with responsibility is where it comes from. Where does it come from? It comes from the pesky thing known as perception. The perception we have on most of our beliefs that are developed over years of developmental environments and paved by societal norms. What this means is that perception while differ from person to person, continent to continent, ideology to ideology, ad naseum. This brings us finally to our topic of the writer’s responsibility.

I think that most people here would agree writing is an art form. Not only in the form, structure and format of our words but the worlds it creates that provide what humans have craved, if not needed since our earliest known history on planet earth. Entertainment! I can’t imagine a world without it and we have all those artists to thank over the centuries for staving off the insanity a banal life would produce.

Where would we be if every one of those artists, whether it be poet or musician, painter or inventor, philosopher or scientist, if before they started their work thought, “What if my art upsets or offends someone?” I am sure almost none of them did because to be true to yourself, true to your art, and in this case true to your story IS the responsibility.

There are no clear cut answers but that… be true. How anyone else may or may not interpret your work can not be your basis for art because all you will have left is a censured shadow of what art should be. I could never feel good about that, but then again, this is only MY perception.

John

I partially want to open this back up if this thread is dead, due to that anti-Islam film "Innocence of Muslims" that is causing so much trouble lately.
I would have to say that I dont think the writer should take responsibility for something that has nothing to do with them or their content but in the case that it is caused by its content and message one should take full responsibility. In this case the maker of the film in a news article went out and stated that he made the video to show islam as a hateful religion upon other things and of course everything is so back and forth from politics now but I think something like this the writer should take full responsibility when doing something so rash and stupid.

What you are talking about and the topic of discussion are two completely different things. We create fiction, albiet sometimes against the backdrop of real world issues,  while this guy made an incendiary documentary meant to invoke response or reaction.

IMHO This isn't art. It's hate propoganda against an entire culture in the guise of supposed truth.

John