Polemical and preachy. I think that people who use these words in a derogatory manner have issues. The last person I recall who used the word polemical to dismiss things was this strange person who I guess was attracted to intelligent men just in the way that women are often attracted to power. And intelligence is a sort of power. So I guess in that way she was attracted to me. And thus as my idea of a good time is talking about intellectual stuff she was an intellectual poser. But it was just a pose. Ultimately she actually found talking about religion, politics, sociology quite boring.

And then when someone said things she disagreed with, they were a polemcists, etc. And this was some kind of derogatory quality.

It turned out that she was a moral monster BTW. Which probably goes along well with finding religion and politics boring...

Then there was this guy recently who in response simply to the the phrase "I'd like to write books with some social critique.." (and perhaps also because he looked up what one of my favorites book I earlier mentioned was and was trying to take an unfair shot at me), bizarrely replied with this long shpiel(sp) about being preachy, having 2D characters, etc.

What is funny is that his favorite two books were a rightwing preachfest that makes Fox News look fair and balanced and a Stephen King book (how much more 2D can the bad guys get then Stephen King?)

The reality is that as long as he agrees or it's irrelevant, then it's not preachy or annoyingly 2D. The minute he doesn't agree with what is being said then suddenly it's preachy, etc.

I think that perhaps I should consider it a warning sign whenever anyone uses the word 'preachy' or polemcist/polemical. Most like the person in question has issues.

All literature has social critique in it. That's what makes it literature. If it has nothing so relevant, then it's just fantasy fiction or sci fi. Occasionally works get miscategorized of course.

The majority of fiction simplifies the characters. It's understood that such is usually happening. Not a problem when it's something irrelevant like Stephen King or something you agree with. But if you disagree? Then suddenly most people start finding things wrong with it. Like endless things have been found wrong with Ayn Rand....

But I think if you dismiss something for being preachy or polemical, the problem is probably you. Personally I've never done such a thing. Even Ayn Rand, as much as I disagree with her, I still respect her for having an actual opinion about things that matter and trying to share her opinion. I don't hold it against her for making the characters more simplistic then real life.