I Like Being Informed But I Hate Being Informed

I was reading a graphic novel set in the middle east. The story about a king murdering his wives intrigued me. I consumed the first six chapters like chocolate ice cream, but when I got to the end of the seventh chapter, it turned into raw broccoli.

A story set in the Middle East; the main characters had dark skin and hair. Their clothes were vibrant colors. The setting had sand and sun, and the houses were mud brick.

The scene that made me stop was when a Greek woman walks into the main character’s bed chambers. The main character just became queen. The white woman said she was her handmaiden, but the main character doesn’t want her. The handmaiden informs her that she has no choice. Then the queen accuses her of being a spy.

My first thought was, “Why is the white person automatically bad? Identity politics?” What ideology are you trying to make me believe through writing a story with that orientation before the story? What narrative are you trying to push? Why isn’t the handmaiden of the same ethnicity as the rest of the characters? I didn’t know if I should continue reading the story or not.

I did continue reading but after some reflection.

I like being informed about current events, culture war, etc., but sometimes it gets in the way. Like the example…