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TheSearch4Etika t1_iwvn8k7 wrote

Reply to comment by Demonthrall22 in [Image] Do Not Back Down. by btce_arno

I don't think you know what stolen Valor means.

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Cool-Maize-2551 t1_iwvz71f wrote

Oh you’re right! I took it at face value, and now after having looked it up, I’m very confused about how it applies. Care to enlighten me? 😊

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Demonthrall22 t1_iww13c0 wrote

Valor: “great courage in the face of danger, especially in battle.”

This person is taking the way you feel about John Wick, and trying to apply that to their quote, so that you get tricked into respecting their quote more.

Most people think stolen valor means “wearing an armed forces uniform to gain respect and honor when you’re not in the armed forces.”

While that is an EXAMPLE of stolen valor, it is not the only way valor can be stolen.

Valor is stolen anytime someone tries to falsely apply someone else’s courage and honor to themselves without earning it.

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Cool-Maize-2551 t1_iww2fwl wrote

I see! Thanks for clearing that up for me. 😊

But, can’t it also be interpreted as people simply making connections across different things? And using the image to make it relate to more people simply because it’s a popular movie franchise?

Is it really as manipulative as how you’ve outlined? In all instances?

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Demonthrall22 t1_iww52w5 wrote

Clearly wearing a navy seals uniform when you’re not a seal is more manipulative than the situation above.

But it is manipulative indeed. They are applying john wick to something that has absolutely no connection to john wick.

Ask yourself this: why would a quote need an image at all? And if so, why not use an image of the person who wrote the quote? How would you feel if someone put a picture of you behind this quote?

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Cool-Maize-2551 t1_iww6xi2 wrote

I see where you’re coming from about the quote! And I understand your line of thinking.

Personally, I don’t think that it’s as manipulative as all that. Even if the person just did it to garner respect, I don’t begrudge them that because I don’t see it as harmful or malicious in this context.

Policing internet memes, those that don’t harm others in its messaging, doesn’t sit right with me.

I could take quotes with or without images, personally, but I don’t begrudge others who make connections between ideas and images and the persons in them when they’re trying to spread positivity.

If it were me presented in an inspiring context, I personally would be flattered, honestly! To know that something bearing my likeness potentially uplifted a lot of people? That would make me happy.

But of course, I understand that you don’t have to see it that way and that’s fine; we’re different people!

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JCPRuckus t1_iwx44mn wrote

>why would a quote need an image at all?

Need is a bit of a loaded word. But I think it's obvious how a picture (which is proverbially worth a thousand words) could reinforce the message of a quote.

>And if so, why not use an image of the person who wrote the quote?

Because what's to say that's the best image to reinforce the message of the quote? It's fair to say using a portrait of someone else is a bit odd. But considering it's a fictional character who's story almost perfectly reflects the message of the quote it makes a lot of sense.

The character of John Wick walked completely away from a life of violence, until violence randomly found him again. Then he fought back with everything he had. The arc of his story is an excellent match for the quote.

>How would you feel if someone put a picture of you behind this quote?

John Wick is a fictional character. It really doesn't matter how he feels, because he doesn't exist. And it doesn't matter how Keanu feels, because we're supposed to understand that this is John Wick as portrayed by Keanu, not Keanu himself.

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