Fictional Ethics
I came across an article discussing the ethics of creating fictional material, which made me think about how my books affect society. The article asked: Are fiction authors liars? Do the authors intentionally deceive readers? The answer to these big questions depends on how an author presents their work. Suppose an author honestly informs their readers about the fictional content. In that case, they are acting ethically, but if an author attempts to pass along a fictional event as accurate, they are irresponsible.
Of course, there are many gray areas. For example, a news report “takes a creative look into the problem” or embellished facts. Countless movies are released with the disclaimer, “based on true events.” We must accept that “true” stories contain a fictional percentage. The soft power term to satisfy the lawyers is “dramatized.”
I prefer to stay out of this gray area and have never claimed that my published work contained factual events. However, I do get near reality. For example, in my first book, I developed the concept that the ruler of ancient Egypt, Cleopatra, is immortal. To be clear, I am attempting to get readers to believe a dead woman has been alive for hundreds of years. This “fact” is untrue, yet I gloss over this evidence.
How would I respond to the allegation of lying? On the first page of this book, I declare my book to be a work of fiction in a written statement with a specific legal clause. “This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.” I also market the book in the fiction category.
Am I behaving unethically? In my mind, I made up a story and never intended to deceive anybody. If a reader ever suggested that my story is real, I would immediately defend my work as 100% fiction. So, we’re good? Right? Well…
People have Star Wars themed weddings, and they name their children after the characters. Fans firmly believe in Harry Potter’s magic. Are we deceiving ourselves? Sometimes, we take things a bit too far, but a healthy society has a wealth of fantasy to buffer against the harsh blows of reality.
Let’s tackle this issue head-on. Darth Vader never existed and will never exist. That is true, but a few diehard fans believe he is “in a galaxy far, far away.” We can conclude Darth Vader kind of exists. Now, hold on. Nothing would happen if a judge ordered Darth Vader to appear holding his lightsaber. At best, an actor would show up in costume while holding a plastic prop.
Did George Lucas intend to deceive his audiences when he created Star Wars? He certainly put a lot of effort into making realistic movies. Clearly, he only intended to create a fantastic film and not fool people into thinking his story was real. How would George Lucas respond to people who believe in the force? He would probably shake the hands of his diehard fans but secretly know they were a little off balance. How would George Lucas respond in a courtroom? He would vehemently declare his creation fictional and laugh at the absurd notion that any part of his movie is genuine.
What about an author who passes off their fictional creation as truthful? We now have a universally understood term for this: fake news. In my mind, this attempt at fooling people is unethical.
But what if we bend the truth? Fact: There have been allegations that the mayor embezzled school funds. Statement: “The mayor stole our tax dollars. -An anonymous source.” This statement is a thinly veiled lie. The anonymous source could be somebody who has no idea what is happening. What is the harm? Is this person raising awareness? No, this individual is lying in an unethical attempt to get their views spread.
Can any good come out of fake news? Let us pretend somebody wrote a phony story that upset people, and the resulting interest brought a positive change. This is an ends justify the means argument that tarnishes authors, society, historical records, and the media. The bad situation could have been exposed in a well-written article with documented facts and a well-thought-out solution.
Are my ethics holding me back? Should I write fake news to bring attention to an important subject? I must live with myself, and I would rather be a nobody author than an notable person propped up by lies. The world has far too much fake news, urban legends, based on true events, creative interpretations, retellings, alternative theories, simplifications, and distorted facts.
In life and literature, I do my best to behave honestly and try not to deceive. I do not believe that those who choose a different path qualify as authors.
Of course, there are many gray areas. For example, a news report “takes a creative look into the problem” or embellished facts. Countless movies are released with the disclaimer, “based on true events.” We must accept that “true” stories contain a fictional percentage. The soft power term to satisfy the lawyers is “dramatized.”
I prefer to stay out of this gray area and have never claimed that my published work contained factual events. However, I do get near reality. For example, in my first book, I developed the concept that the ruler of ancient Egypt, Cleopatra, is immortal. To be clear, I am attempting to get readers to believe a dead woman has been alive for hundreds of years. This “fact” is untrue, yet I gloss over this evidence.
How would I respond to the allegation of lying? On the first page of this book, I declare my book to be a work of fiction in a written statement with a specific legal clause. “This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.” I also market the book in the fiction category.
Am I behaving unethically? In my mind, I made up a story and never intended to deceive anybody. If a reader ever suggested that my story is real, I would immediately defend my work as 100% fiction. So, we’re good? Right? Well…
People have Star Wars themed weddings, and they name their children after the characters. Fans firmly believe in Harry Potter’s magic. Are we deceiving ourselves? Sometimes, we take things a bit too far, but a healthy society has a wealth of fantasy to buffer against the harsh blows of reality.
Let’s tackle this issue head-on. Darth Vader never existed and will never exist. That is true, but a few diehard fans believe he is “in a galaxy far, far away.” We can conclude Darth Vader kind of exists. Now, hold on. Nothing would happen if a judge ordered Darth Vader to appear holding his lightsaber. At best, an actor would show up in costume while holding a plastic prop.
Did George Lucas intend to deceive his audiences when he created Star Wars? He certainly put a lot of effort into making realistic movies. Clearly, he only intended to create a fantastic film and not fool people into thinking his story was real. How would George Lucas respond to people who believe in the force? He would probably shake the hands of his diehard fans but secretly know they were a little off balance. How would George Lucas respond in a courtroom? He would vehemently declare his creation fictional and laugh at the absurd notion that any part of his movie is genuine.
What about an author who passes off their fictional creation as truthful? We now have a universally understood term for this: fake news. In my mind, this attempt at fooling people is unethical.
But what if we bend the truth? Fact: There have been allegations that the mayor embezzled school funds. Statement: “The mayor stole our tax dollars. -An anonymous source.” This statement is a thinly veiled lie. The anonymous source could be somebody who has no idea what is happening. What is the harm? Is this person raising awareness? No, this individual is lying in an unethical attempt to get their views spread.
Can any good come out of fake news? Let us pretend somebody wrote a phony story that upset people, and the resulting interest brought a positive change. This is an ends justify the means argument that tarnishes authors, society, historical records, and the media. The bad situation could have been exposed in a well-written article with documented facts and a well-thought-out solution.
Are my ethics holding me back? Should I write fake news to bring attention to an important subject? I must live with myself, and I would rather be a nobody author than an notable person propped up by lies. The world has far too much fake news, urban legends, based on true events, creative interpretations, retellings, alternative theories, simplifications, and distorted facts.
In life and literature, I do my best to behave honestly and try not to deceive. I do not believe that those who choose a different path qualify as authors.
You’re the best -Bill
March 25, 2020 Updated December 21, 2024
