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It's really very simple. Tom Send a noteboard - 04/12/2010 12:31:16 AM
Wikipedia isn't the best source of information and I knew referencing it would ultimately probably not help.

Let me go back to the fundamental premise on "suspension of disbelief" as that concept was discussed in every literature class I took in college. "Suspension of disbelief" is not the same as "belief". It is when someone ignores the elements that are implausible or impossible for the sake of the story. The person still believes or doesn't believe in what they believed and didn't believe in before starting the story, but chooses to ignore or at least not dwell on those points.

This is easily applied to many of the points that you mentioned:

1. The Superman point. A person who believes that super beings could exist does not need to suspend disbelief regarding that because there is no underlying disbelief to begin with. However, he may still need to suspend disbelief that no one can identify Superman as soon as he puts on regular clothes and a pair of glasses to become Clark Kent because it still seems implausible. Another person, who doesn't believe that Superman could exist, would have to suspend disbelief on both points. Once again, the viewer (or reader, if we're talking the comic books) must simply ignore, overlook or not dwell on the implausible elements.

2. The horror movie point. Obviously, someone who suspends their disbelief isn't going to shout out "look out behind you!" (though stupid people tend to make stupid comments like that in theatres regardless). They just don't bother dwelling on the implausibility of a vampire/werewolf/monster/zombie attack, or an undead serial killer, or whatever it is, in order to vicariously feel the thrill of the scare that ensues. Someone who believes in ghosts won't have as much to ignore in a movie about a haunting as someone who doesn't, but the person who doesn't believe in them isn't required to automatically "believe".

3. The fairy tale point. Once again, we ignore the implausibility of animals talking, of magic carpets and wands and elves and fairies, of magical secret places on the other side of wardrobes or rabbit-holes to enjoy the story. We don't believe these things can exist, but pretend that they can exist to recreate the sense of wonder and mystery that accompanied a lot of things when we were little.

In every single one of these examples, there are points when the implausible elements can be pushed to such a level that the viewer or reader finds the suspension of disbelief impossible. This is the hallmark of bad cinema or literature because it breaks the story flow. It's not that the person "stopped believing" in something fake that they had "started to believe", but that the viewer or reader's attention is drawn consciously to a point that is so absurd it cannot be ignored. Remember what watching Highlander 2 was like - "Okay, this is a load of bullshit. Now they're all aliens, and there CAN be more than one?" Remember Phantom Menace - "We can measure the Force because it's really about little bacteria in you, the best pilot in the Galaxy at the age of six".

Political correctness is the pettiest form of casuistry.

ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius

Ummaka qinnassa nīk!

*MySmiley*
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Easy life of Lightside heroes and pathetic incompetence of the Shadow - so what's new in Wot... - 28/11/2010 03:38:14 PM 2954 Views
Re: Easy life of Lightside heroes and pathetic incompetence of the Shadow - so what's new in Wot... - 28/11/2010 04:05:48 PM 1588 Views
Re: Easy life of Lightside heroes and pathetic incompetence of the Shadow - so what's new in Wot... - 29/11/2010 12:27:27 AM 1510 Views
Re: Easy life of Lightside heroes and pathetic incompetence of the Shadow - so what's new in Wot... - 29/11/2010 12:36:49 AM 1486 Views
Re: Easy life of Lightside heroes and pathetic incompetence of the Shadow - so what's new in Wot... - 29/11/2010 01:59:18 AM 1519 Views
Yes, she still lets herself be ruled by her desire to control everything - 29/11/2010 02:39:34 AM 1501 Views
I vote it has come to pass - 29/11/2010 02:48:26 AM 1347 Views
*facepalm* - good point, not sure how I missed that. *NM* - 29/11/2010 03:12:00 AM 799 Views
Re: I vote it has come to pass - 29/11/2010 09:42:51 AM 1359 Views
Prophecy never said she would be angry at the time, - 29/11/2010 11:36:53 AM 1407 Views
lol true, gg *NM* - 29/11/2010 11:52:54 AM 786 Views
Aviendha's vision doesn't automatically mean the Light will win - 28/11/2010 05:32:56 PM 1764 Views
She doesn't even see that. The arches just show a possibility. - 29/11/2010 07:12:05 PM 1317 Views
Indeed - 28/11/2010 06:16:41 PM 1406 Views
am i the only one who acknowledges that it's a jerk deal for jerks - 28/11/2010 08:00:23 PM 1632 Views
i think most people feel that way - 29/11/2010 09:06:44 AM 1447 Views
I agree with you - 05/12/2010 05:13:38 PM 1227 Views
Re: am i the only one who acknowledges that it's a jerk deal for jerks - 29/11/2010 06:40:18 PM 1357 Views
I'm sure that all the men Ituralde lost would agree with you about it being a breeze -_- - 29/11/2010 12:32:56 AM 1353 Views
Byar was compulsed - 29/11/2010 12:46:01 AM 1682 Views
I agree that he was part of Graendal's plan, but - 29/11/2010 02:16:45 AM 1335 Views
Re: I agree that he was part of Graendal's plan, but - 29/11/2010 09:44:05 AM 1295 Views
Re: Byar was compulsed - 29/11/2010 12:54:38 PM 1633 Views
Re: Byar was compulsed - 29/11/2010 12:59:31 PM 1354 Views
Re: Byar was compulsed - 29/11/2010 01:10:18 PM 1448 Views
He disbelieves in the Heroes - 29/11/2010 03:33:27 PM 1314 Views
I think that's his mind deceiving itself - 29/11/2010 07:19:05 PM 1377 Views
I didn't say he was necessarily Compulsed - 30/11/2010 07:40:51 AM 1293 Views
Do we have his reaction to the Heroes themselves? - 30/11/2010 11:55:42 AM 1383 Views
Re: Do we have his reaction to the Heroes themselves? - 30/11/2010 12:05:44 PM 1256 Views
he makes no mention of the Heroes. - 30/11/2010 10:42:13 PM 1362 Views
They did get another thing right - 29/11/2010 12:40:52 AM 1360 Views
Not Mat's fault, really - Verin didn't rehash her opinion of him. - 29/11/2010 02:18:17 AM 1322 Views
It's the WOT Red Shirt syndrome - 29/11/2010 04:29:12 AM 1459 Views
I don't want everyone to win and end up happily ever after though. - 29/11/2010 04:33:06 AM 1338 Views
The disney ending is not realistic - or at least not as believable - 29/11/2010 04:41:04 AM 1481 Views
You, good sir, are - 30/11/2010 06:53:49 PM 1276 Views
I also think Lan will be saved right before the end. - 29/11/2010 06:50:34 PM 1265 Views
Re: I also think Lan will be saved right before the end. - 30/11/2010 01:47:27 AM 1389 Views
It's a well told story with fun characters overall, but it's definitely not "War & Peace" - 29/11/2010 06:33:12 PM 1444 Views
+1 *NM* - 29/11/2010 07:18:13 PM 717 Views
it is. I love it anyways, though - 29/11/2010 07:23:24 PM 1253 Views
War and Peace was very thematic - 30/11/2010 05:00:30 AM 1701 Views
Doublethink for the win! *NM* - 30/11/2010 07:35:20 AM 756 Views
Re: War and Peace was very thematic - 30/11/2010 09:35:50 AM 1334 Views
I'm not really sure if or why any reader would need to suspend disbelief to enjoy WoT - 30/11/2010 10:31:49 PM 1310 Views
Please tell me what drugs you're on - 01/12/2010 04:04:39 AM 1429 Views
It's called 'reality' - I agree with LadyLorraine & Moratcorlm - 01/12/2010 07:57:35 PM 1320 Views
You are absolutely wrong. - 02/12/2010 04:53:52 AM 1301 Views
You are incorrect - you should read the definition you reference before posting it. - 02/12/2010 04:19:16 PM 1444 Views
No, I read the ENTIRE article, unlike you. You have to scroll down a bit. - 02/12/2010 05:47:13 PM 1220 Views
No, you need to read and comprehend. That was a THEORY. - 02/12/2010 07:11:01 PM 1140 Views
It's really very simple. - 04/12/2010 12:31:16 AM 1480 Views
mk, I think I understand more what you meant now after reading this exchange - 05/12/2010 05:42:47 AM 1334 Views
I still don't agree; sorry. I don't think this theory applies to everyone. - 06/12/2010 05:30:41 PM 1444 Views
No, those are disbeliefs that you must suspend. - 01/12/2010 08:18:25 PM 1223 Views
You have to feel the characters are somehow believable to empathize with them. - 02/12/2010 01:05:29 AM 1297 Views
I don't see how WoT's writing (Before, or now) prevents that - 02/12/2010 04:12:54 AM 1129 Views
I'm not arguing that it necessarily does for everyone, just that YOU HAVE TO SUSPEND DISBELIEF - 02/12/2010 04:48:51 AM 1317 Views
That's a load of crap... - 02/12/2010 06:03:13 AM 1467 Views
Sure - 01/12/2010 01:30:03 AM 1266 Views
Black Tower - 30/11/2010 01:50:29 AM 1248 Views
Re: Black Tower - 30/11/2010 01:57:48 AM 1392 Views
I agree with everything. - 30/11/2010 01:37:11 PM 1570 Views
Hopper's death... oh god... - 01/12/2010 01:00:12 AM 1514 Views
while i miss hopper - 02/12/2010 04:19:28 AM 1271 Views
Re: while i miss hopper - 02/12/2010 05:30:52 PM 1399 Views
Hopper wasn't that important, either, though. - 03/12/2010 02:32:10 PM 1189 Views
Re: Hopper wasn't that important, either, though. - 03/12/2010 03:10:54 PM 1237 Views
It would be awesome if it were, though. - 03/12/2010 04:41:42 PM 1365 Views
Re: It would be awesome if it were, though. - 04/12/2010 09:54:09 PM 1329 Views
- 05/12/2010 07:07:44 AM 1205 Views

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