Genre theory - why?

[centuriancode]

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I look at genre theory and the arguments between theoreticians about it, and I cannot understand why they argue over seemingly pointless details. There must be a reason, in the theoreticians' minds if nowhere else, but what is it?

I am not talking about broad genres, those have clear purposes in helping audience, author, and publisher, but there seem to be debates over things that will never matter to any author, or reader, or publisher so why would there be argument over it?

Can anyone answer me, for I wish to know.

[I.refuse.a.name]

Erm, genre theory is all about trying to rationalise and understand our contextual environment and values and stuff. The subtle details may seem pointless, but it's these fragile distinctions that shape our perceptions of society and analyses of it. Eventually these subtleties shape whole genres and sub genres. Besides, if genre theorists spend their whole lives studying genre they're bound to examine the fine details, even if they seem pointless to everyone else:P

Beyond that I can't really explain, maybe it'll make more sense to you as you get further into the course and develop your own opinions about it

[roar84eighty]

genre theory is gr8 dont diss

best fun in english extension wow i wish they had pure genre theory exam not crime writing or science fiction. we discuss genre because it reflects people's context mang thwaites says 'genre develop according to societal condition' fiske say genre 'embody the crucial ideology of the time'

hence we must delve into genre theory to better understand composers its so fun postmodernism so excitin cause its basicaly semiotics

[proletariat]

Hmm woah I thought it was only my school doing genre theory for ext but yeah there is alot of important stuff in it, even though studying it seems REALLY pointless D: I wanted to pull my hair out the questions are sometimes really sneaky D:

[centuriancode]

Is there any problem with the implicit and unstated definitions of genres that the general public has? I admit that trying to write an essay using implicit definitions could be a little tricky, but are the implicit definitions flawed so that more finicky and problematic explicit definitions must be found?

[Pyrokinetic]

Genre theory is quite interesting its just that most teachers don't know how to handle it properly and can make learning it seem like a burden.

Its mostly about the concept of a generic corpus and its symbiotic relationship with mass media. How the interplay between the 'conventional form' and constant variations of that form (as a result of shifts in contemporary consciousness) grease the wheel of genre and stimulate interest anew. You discuss this in terms of Crime Fic and apply it to your prescribed texts and related texts to demonstrate the directions that the genre is currently taking.