Speaking of YA Literature

I'd like to thank my friend Cassandra for posting this link on facebook.  I'm so glad to see that reputable newspapers are printing/posting articles like this (other than the Christian Science Monitor, which - while a good paper - is rather predictable in this area).


Darkness Too Visible - Wall Street Journal


It even includes a poll where you can vote and see the results.  Unfortunately for the future, declaring these dark themes and graphic detail in youth fiction as more harmful than helpful is in the vast minority, shown by a stunning 89.5% to 10.5%, respectively.


This brings once again to the forefront of my mind the concern I have had for a while regarding the literature of today's popular culture.  With Twilight came a whole new way of viewing "the bad guy", and sure, some can validate it as saying they were "veggie-vampires" and it was a good illustration of how not all people belonging to a single nationality/sex/creed/color/etc., are bad and therefore is a good way to show youth that there are exceptions to every rule, but isn't that the problem in the first place with teenagers?  Don't they all feel like they're the exception to the rule?


But I digress.  Since the revolutionary take on the undead, suddenly it became ok for every otherworldly creature that used to be the stuff of nightmares and horror movies to just be a misunderstood victim in their own right.  And then came the attack on all that is actually good!  The newest trend is to portray angels - heaven's denizens/messengers - as manipulative and elitist, if not downright hostile towards humanity.  I know that there are many authors who are agnostic at best, but come on!  Angels evil?  Seriously?


What is most disheartening about the whole trend is that it seems to have affected the adult literature in a vastly different way.  Today's adult literature reads like YA.  It is all quick reads of angst and debauchery with little to no challenge to the reader's vocabulary.  Most authors are college graduates in the discipline of English, correct?  Why aren't they using their superior knowledge of the language to help the masses regain that intellect and use those vocabulary words from days gone by?  Why settle for titillation?  Because it sells?  Surely you're in it for more than that.


I apologize for the - once again - lengthy post with absolutely no humor.  I will redeem myself later.  At least you all know where I stand.