Talent vs. Character
While I was reading Ender’s Game (as chronicled in my previous post), a friend informed me that the author, Orson Scott Card, was an active opponent of same-sex marriage. Though I’m not gay, I support gay rights. So when I heard this, I was torn: I was in awe of Card’s undeniable talent, but I was repulsed by his bigoted actions.
And Orson Scott Card isn’t my only “Talent vs. Character” dilemma. I like some of Woody Allen’s films, but I think he’s a dirtbag for marrying a woman who was virtually his adopted daughter.
So what do I do? Do I picket Orson Scott Card’s house? Do I create www.woodyisadirtbag.com?
As it turns out, I resorted to nothing so grandiose: I decided not to support their actions with my money. A simple financial boycott of their talent.
But who am I really hurting with my boycott? I don’t get to read Speaker for the Dead (the highly-praised sequel to Ender’s Game), while Orson Scott Card loses only a couple of dollars in royalties. I don’t get to experience a Woody Allen movie, while the filmmaker is only deprived of a single ticket sale.
Well, I’m not above bending the rules a bit. The same friend who told me about Card’s intolerant deeds also came up with a way for me to skirt my boycott: buy Speaker for the Dead used. That way, I get to enjoy the book while not contributing money to its author. And I confess, I still read Woody Allen’s occasional pieces in the New Yorker, consoling myself that I already paid for the magazine subscription, so why not?
By taking this stance, I know I open myself up to the same judgment. I have controversial beliefs I’m sure many people don’t agree with (for example, my pro-gay rights stance, as mentioned above). And I’ve done things in my past I’m not proud of. So if a potential reader is turned off by my views or history, I shouldn’t be surprised if she decides not to buy my book. (I just implore that she shouldn’t deny herself the splendor that is The Alpha and the Omega and purchase the novel used.)
What were some of the “Talent vs. Character” quandaries you’ve faced? And how did you ultimately deal with them?
