The edits are so dumb my conspiracy theorist brain wonders if they are doing this to pump sales. They are certainly getting headlines. Headlines mean money!
I sometimes look at left-leaning websites (other than HN) to get a broader view of the world, and the support for the bowdlerization of Dahl seems near 100 percent among our more righteous, liberal, blue-stockinged thinkers.
I hate myself for knowing this, but there is such a thing as resistance marketing. In a sense, it is a way to get automatic contrarians, because some will go to support whatever is forbidden or has the appearance of being so. I would not be that surprised if what you said was an actual marketing campaign depending on fake controversy.
The metafilter comments seem to blanket-approve edits. No room left to discuss the edits themselves.
Consider the Magic Faraway Tree edits. The children no longer go on adventures without adult supervision. Never mind that venturing out and exploring is a fundamental curiosity for children - it's inherently risky and potentially dangerous, and that's the point.
Other edits include new characters and lands introduced. Lessons on gender quality in response to someone asking for help with chores.
It's creative contamination. Heavy-handed tonal modification of the story, disrespects the author efforts to create a specific atmosphere and world, and have that maintained for the life of the art work.
Along comes Netflix or whoever the estate owner is, and sets the 'Sensitivity Enforcement Team on the task. Words and ideas go flying in a bizarre censorship frenzy.
I sometimes look at left-leaning websites (other than HN) to get a broader view of the world, and the support for the bowdlerization of Dahl seems near 100 percent among our more righteous, liberal, blue-stockinged thinkers.
Example: https://www.metafilter.com/198336/Dont-gobblefunk-around-wit...