Writing Isekai MC not reacting to slavery

AliceShiki

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Keyword being weirdo. Y'all don't risk getting banned. I mean, you can do that, but I doubt you can risk it better than me.

Yeah I'm bragging and you better damn well believe I'm owning up to it.

That's something very weird to be proud of, but we're technically all in danger by randomly hijacking a thread in a subforum that was supposed to be serious! xD
 

XianPiete

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Do you think it's weird? What does that say for the character? A lot of MCs who are supposed to be nice guys don't really mind at all that slavery is around. Isekai authors tend to dislike "hero of justice" mc so maybe that's why they're so nonchalant about it?

I feel like the majority of the protagonists in Isekai are intentionally written to be Machiavellian. They end up sent to a new world never pining for the connections they left behind, family, friends, acquaintances with maybe the occasional thought about a pretty girl or a deceased grandparent. They quickly toss aside the morality of our world and embrace the might makes right mentality of the new world. Many Isekai protagonists become agents of slaughter in their new world. You mentioned slavery but would someone who seems to have a problem with personal connections and sees no real value in the lives of others ever really care about someone else being enslaved? For that matter, many of these protagonists freely collect harems because they lack the ability to care about the feelings of their romantic interests.
 

LostinMovement

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An Isekai MC not caring about slavery doesn't surprise me in the least. If you look up the scientific definition of a psychopath, almost 90% of Isekai MC fall into a spectrum or another within this term.

As @XianPiete mentioned, they adapt almost instantly to wherever world they find themselves in. Psychologically balanced people go into shock first, they despair, grief and then have no choice but to pick themselves up and adapt.

I went abroad for a year during my studies and I remember some hard days when I missed my family and my friends so much I couldn't stomach food. Now, imagine yourself being being thrown into a strange and foreign universe where everything is unknown to you and your first reaction is, "oops, I guess that happened. Look, now I have superpowers, Yay ! Now let me go and collect some chicks to fuck."

Most Isekai MCs are neither emotionally nor psychologically sane to begin with. In fact, few of them are downright terrifyingly apathetic when you read further into their characters. An example of this is the MC of the Legendary Mechanic webnovel. During the 600+ narrative, not once does he question why he is trapped within a game and there isn't a single chapter where he thinks or wants to go back to his world. We have no idea who he was before as a person, about his loved ones or his connections. Some of the so-called NPCs in the novel have better backgrounds than him, who is supposed to be a 'real' person.
 
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ShyMaskedMan

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An Isekai MC not caring about slavery doesn't surprise me in the least. If you look up the scientific definition of a psychopath, almost 90% of Isekai MC fall into a spectrum or another within this term.

As @XianPiete mentioned, they adapt almost instantly to wherever world they find themselves in. Psychologically balanced people go into shock first, they despair, grief and then have no choice but to pick themselves up and adapt.

I went abroad for a year during my studies and I remember some hard days when I missed my family and my friends so much I couldn't stomach food. Now, imagine yourself being being thrown into a strange and foreign universe where everything is unknown to you and your first reaction is, "oops, I guess that happened. Look, now I have superpowers, Yay ! Now let me go and collect some chicks to fuck."

Most Isekai MCs are neither emotionally nor psychologically sane to begin with. In fact, few of them are downright terrifyingly apathetic when you read further into their characters. An example of this is the MC of the Legendary Mechanic webnovel. During the 600+ narrative, not once does he question why he is trapped within a game and there isn't a single chapter where he thinks or wants to go back to his world. We have no idea who he was before as a person, about his loved ones or his connections. Some of the so-called NPCs in the novel have better backgrounds than him, who is supposed to be a 'real' person.
I agree, MCs are definitely psychopath, like you said, they adapt almost instantly, they have no problem killing other living beings the next despite being a modern citizen with almost no experience in cutting or preparing livestocks' into food ingredients. There are a lot to be said.

But well these are fantasy fictions, so I guess MCs are specials among any other special people. Ultra rare breed maybe more 1 among 1 million or 1 among 1 billion.
 

BenJepheneT

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They quickly toss aside the morality of our world and embrace the might makes right mentality of the new world. Many Isekai protagonists become agents of slaughter in their new world. You mentioned slavery but would someone who seems to have a problem with personal connections and sees no real value in the lives of others ever really care about someone else being enslaved? For that matter, many of these protagonists freely collect harems because they lack the ability to care about the feelings of their romantic interests.
Yo Socrates, it's a harem romcom. Nothing but lazy and thoughtless writers. That's all.

If only half of these isekai protags are written with this in mind.
 

BenJepheneT

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An Isekai MC not caring about slavery doesn't surprise me in the least. If you look up the scientific definition of a psychopath, almost 90% of Isekai MC fall into a spectrum or another within this term.

As @XianPiete mentioned, they adapt almost instantly to wherever world they find themselves in. Psychologically balanced people go into shock first, they despair, grief and then have no choice but to pick themselves up and adapt.

I went abroad for a year during my studies and I remember some hard days when I missed my family and my friends so much I couldn't stomach food. Now, imagine yourself being being thrown into a strange and foreign universe where everything is unknown to you and your first reaction is, "oops, I guess that happened. Look, now I have superpowers, Yay ! Now let me go and collect some chicks to fuck."

Most Isekai MCs are neither emotionally nor psychologically sane to begin with. In fact, few of them are downright terrifyingly apathetic when you read further into their characters. An example of this is the MC of the Legendary Mechanic webnovel. During the 600+ narrative, not once does he question why he is trapped within a game and there isn't a single chapter where he thinks or wants to go back to his world. We have no idea who he was before as a person, about his loved ones or his connections. Some of the so-called NPCs in the novel have better backgrounds than him, who is supposed to be a 'real' person.
I agree, MCs are definitely psychopath, like you said, they adapt almost instantly, they have no problem killing other living beings the next despite being a modern citizen with almost no experience in cutting or preparing livestocks' into food ingredients. There are a lot to be said.

But well these are fantasy fictions, so I guess MCs are specials among any other special people. Ultra rare breed maybe more 1 among 1 million or 1 among 1 billion.
What if isekai is just a way for God to curb Earth from sociopaths by creating a simulated sandbox for them to go crazy on? The isekai truck was never an accident; it's a catalyst to save the core planet from sociopathic, high-libido looneys from procreating.
 

ShyMaskedMan

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What if isekai is just a way for God to curb Earth from sociopaths by creating a simulated sandbox for them to go crazy on? The isekai truck was never an accident; it's a catalyst to save the core planet from sociopathic, high-libido looneys from procreating.
So true! I haven't been sent though? *joke *bad joke
 

AliceShiki

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Yo Socrates, it's a harem romcom. Nothing but lazy and thoughtless writers. That's all.

If only half of these isekai protags are written with this in mind.
It's a good thing at least some of the writers realize that sensible characters would actually question their current situation and wish to go back home though! It's what differs the good authors from the mediocre ones~
What if isekai is just a way for God to curb Earth from sociopaths by creating a simulated sandbox for them to go crazy on? The isekai truck was never an accident; it's a catalyst to save the core planet from sociopathic, high-libido looneys from procreating.
*gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaasps* Truck-sama is our savior!!! :blob_aww: :blob_aww: :blob_aww:
 

Discount_Blade

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What if isekai is just a way for God to curb Earth from sociopaths by creating a simulated sandbox for them to go crazy on? The isekai truck was never an accident; it's a catalyst to save the core planet from sociopathic, high-libido looneys from procreating.
Are you God? Or at least a demi-God bastard child of another deity? That was some very cosmic-level sounding insight there... ..awfully suspicious?
 

Discount_Blade

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It's a good thing at least some of the writers realize that sensible characters would actually question their current situation and wish to go back home though!


See maybe I'm one of those sociopaths mentioned because to be honest, I can honestly swear that if I got sent to another world where I was extremely Overpowered in comparison with the norm there.....and as long as it wasn't an awfully miserable planet like Berserks world or something....I'd be amazingly fine with it. I have a few friends and some family but.....I could give them up for a new life elsewhere and a new family made there. Am I bad?

I mean I know exactly which powers I would want and everything.
 

ForestDweller

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See maybe I'm one of those sociopaths mentioned because to be honest, I can honestly swear that if I got sent to another world where I was extremely Overpowered in comparison with the norm there.....and as long as it wasn't an awfully miserable planet like Berserks world or something....I'd be amazingly fine with it. I have a few friends and some family but.....I could give them up for a new life elsewhere and a new family made there. Am I bad?

Nah, I can sympathize.

I would be sad first though. I loved my parents and my little sister after all. But eventually, I'll get over from it, possibly by starting my own family in said fantasy world.
 

Discount_Blade

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Nah, I can sympathize.

I would be sad first though. I loved my parents and my little sister after all. But eventually, I'll get over from it, possibly by starting my own family in said fantasy world.


I haven't seen my younger siblings since I was 12. Me and my dad haven't ever been civil. I'd just as soon spit on his tombstone as shake his hand. Me and my mom used to be close, but we live far apart now and I've neve been the person who does long distance. I can sense exactly when my affection starts dropping. We've communicated by phone only for last 10 years. I have no other family I would miss too much. I have a friend who would probably be heartbroken but...I just cant see myself holding back like that for even them as much as they probably deserve it from me. I feel guilty saying it but it's true. Hell I might miss my cat the most and I could get over that in a few days i imagine.

Family just isn't something I grew up cherishing since its brought me more bad then good.

Hell, I might be a little cold huh?
 
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AliceShiki

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See maybe I'm one of those sociopaths mentioned because to be honest, I can honestly swear that if I got sent to another world where I was extremely Overpowered in comparison with the norm there.....and as long as it wasn't an awfully miserable planet like Berserks world or something....I'd be amazingly fine with it. I have a few friends and some family but.....I could give them up for a new life elsewhere and a new family made there. Am I bad?

I mean I know exactly which powers I would want and everything.
You aren't bad, you just don't have close ties to the people near you anymore... If you don't have close ties, it's easier to start again.

Personally speaking, I'd be quite troubled by it at first, and worried about how my family would feel when I suddenly disappeared with no warning, but... As time passed, I'd probably get over it and try to come to terms with it.

But well, I'd need time. And I'd worry about them from time to time, and I'd still like to visit them if possible... This kind of thing~
 

Vaerama

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What do you guys think of the excuse that the country couldn't survive without slavery? And how poor peasants and people in debt in general having to sell themselves / their children to slavery to survive? I've seen stories saying those reasons to be the "positive" side of slavery.
Citizens of my (western, wealthy) country (the united states of america) tend to be highly anti-slavery (and usually focuses on one particular example, rather relevant to our country)... while at the same time purchasing coerced/slave-styled/live-in-workplace/14-16-hour-days-of-work/with-suicide-nets/all-crammed-together made goods :)

Hypocritical? If they know, *and* can do anything about it? Yes. I remember various events, like with the Nike(?) shoes, or some fashion stuff made in Bangladesh, and yet the massive outcry by influential persons didn't make a dent: now the clothes come from thailand, and vietnam, (and any of a dozen others, myanmar got a name change (from burma) so that's an exciting way around consumer attention... not that there ever was any), and all of the shoes and smartphones the world over like to be made in similar places.

Ours is a world full of loopholes, and you're going to be hard pressed to find a valid legal document anywhere in the world *stating explicitly* that somebody is a slave... but people can be effectively put in the same general conditions (poor), for the same general length of time (indefinitely), with the same care for their health and well-being (very little, to none).

And that's nothing to say about the hell that goes into growing our food, and collecting our diamonds: blood is on Avacados and Diamonds alike. Heck, even before the coronavirus stuff: I could barely find foodstuffs made in the USA if I wanted them, let alone consistently, except maybe cheese, and I do like me some cheese if I'm honest. :)

The practices behind these things have largely put their <internal> competitors out of business, and the price for those who wish to avoid being so hypocritical is staggeringly higher than it necessarily should be. It's no way to live, and yet hundreds of millions of people are engaged in a process that is scarcely better than dying... a fate that comes to many of them with regularity.

If you're going to put slavery of any kind in your story... one also has to realize the horrific travesty of the human experience that comes with it, or they'll be making rather light of the topic (which is fine, I guess, you do you :D). The slaves in Rome and Carthage and any of the places along the old Arab Slave Trade did not have a good time, even if there was 'sometimes' a light at the end of the tunnel (in some places, in some conditions, sometimes contracted 'voluntarily'... but that light often enough disappeared due to myriad reasons). There will be divides between treatment by the rich, the moderately rich (your best bet in roman style slavery), and the goddamned and forsaken mines.

Not to forget the classics: sex slaves, and invisible workers, those are really some of the most proud and righteous human activities that have ever existed... as if.

TLDR:

Society has always been Janus-faced about slavery (and everything else). Either you face it, or you look the other way :)
 
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