#author: this persona is all about adolescence which of course means I will only address sexuality gender & race

[isfjmel-phleg]

Ever open a book of literary criticism of something you love, get partway through, and realize that you, certified ordinary person, could do a--well, maybe if not better, then at least more interesting job of it?

[terfstillmeanslesbian]

Shame and Narcissistic Rage in Autogynephilic Transsexualism

by Anne A. Lawrence (a trans woman), published online: 23 April 2008

One of the most important contributions made by Dreger’s article is her description of the extraordinary lengths to which some of Bailey’s male-to-female (MtF) transsexual opponents went in their attempts to discredit him, his book, and his ideas. By Dreger’s account, their campaign against Bailey continued for at least two years after the publication of The Man Who Would Be Queen (TMWWBQ; Bailey, 2003). Examination of the Internet sites maintained by some of Bailey’s principal transsexual opponents suggests that the campaign against him remains ongoing. The attacks, as described by Dreger, went far beyond writing scathing reviews of TMWWBQ. They included orchestration of charges of professional misconduct against Bailey, filed with Northwestern University and the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation; attempts to turn Bailey’s colleagues against him; attacks directed against Bailey’s children; and efforts to discredit or silence nearly anyone who openly supported him. Dreger’s article suggests that many of Bailey’s opponents intended not only to discredit Bailey’s book, but also to destroy its author. The duration, intensity, and sheer savagery of the campaign waged by many of Bailey’s MtF transsexual opponents is astonishing, especially given that Bailey’s book sold only about 4200 copies and probably would have received little attention, in either its print or Internet versions, were it not for the publicity that his opponents themselves created.

One could imagine that Kohut (1972) was describing the campaign conducted by some of Bailey’s MtF transsexual opponents when he wrote the following:

[There is a] need for revenge, for righting a wrong, for undoing a hurt by whatever means, and a deeply anchored, unrelenting compulsion in pursuit of all these aims…. There is utter disregard for reasonable limitations and a boundless wish to redress an injury and to obtain revenge…. The fanaticism of the need for revenge and the unending compulsion of having to square the account after an offense are…not the attributes of an aggressivity which is integrated with the mature purposes of the ego…. Aggressions employed in the pursuit of maturely experienced causes are not limitless…. The narcissistically injured [person], on the other hand, cannot rest until he has blotted out [the]…offender who dared to oppose him, [or] to disagree with him. (pp. 380, 382, 385)

These excerpts are taken from Kohut’s description of narcissistic rage, a concept that I believe is central to understanding many of the attacks against Bailey and their implications.

In this essay, I argue that much of the MtF transsexual campaign against Bailey can be understood as a manifestation of narcissistic rage. It is no coincidence, I believe, that most of Bailey’s principal opponents fit the demographic pattern associated with nonhomosexual MtF transsexualism (see Lawrence, 2007). I propose that nonhomosexual (i.e., presumably autogynephilic) MtF transsexuals are probably at increased risk for the development of narcissistic disorders— significant disorders in the sense of self—as a consequence of the inevitable difficulties they face in having their cross-gender feelings and identities affirmed by others, both before and after gender transition. As a result, many autogynephilic transsexuals are likely to be particularly vulnerable to feelings of shame and may be predisposed to exhibit narcissistic rage in response to perceived insult or injury. It is not hard to understand why Bailey’s book was experienced by at least some nonhomosexual MtF transsexuals as inflicting narcissistic injury and why this led some of them to express apparent narcissistic rage. I propose that narcissistic disorders in autogynephilic transsexuals are important and probably common phenomena, which deserve more extensive study than they have thus far received. I also suggest that clinicians and scholars should be aware of the susceptibility of autogynephilic transsexuals to narcissistic injury and should try to avoid inflicting such injury.

It is widely accepted that transsexualism represents a fundamental disorder in a person’s sense of self (Beitel, 1985; Hartmann, Becker, & Rueffer-Hesse, 1997), and this may be particularly true of nonhomosexual MtF transsexualism. Indeed, it is hard to imagine a more dramatic example of a disturbed sense of self than for a person who has lived an outwardly successful life as a man to believe that he genuinely is, ought to be, or would be happier living as a woman. It is not surprising, then, that the field of self-psychology, which is concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the sense of self, offers a theoretical and clinical perspective that is relevant to understanding the dynamics of nonhomosexual MtF transsexualism.

Kohut (1971, 1972), one of the most influential theorists in the field of self-psychology, wrote extensively about how individuals develop a stable, cohesive, and positive sense of self. He also discussed the genesis of narcissistic disorders, which can arise when something interferes with the development of a healthy sense of self. Kohut observed that two fundamental processes, mirroring and idealizing, supported the development of a healthy sense of self during childhood and contributed to maintaining a healthy sense of self in adulthood. Mirroring occurs when children or adults experience themselves as being witnessed empathetically (i.e., both accurately and approvingly) by other people. Idealizing occurs when children or adults are able to experience a sense of unity or identity with a person (often a parent) or an entity (e.g., a cause or an ideal) that they perceive as powerful and admirable.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that many nonhomosexual MtF transsexuals do not receive satisfactory mirroring and idealizing experiences, either before or after gender transition, although I am aware of only one article (Lothstein, 1988), limited to three case reports involving preschool boys, that has formally addressed mirroring and idealizing experiences in gender-dysphoric males. Unlike their homosexual counterparts, nonhomosexual MtF transsexuals do not display pervasive femininity during childhood and adolescence, but many exhibit at least some feminine interests and behaviors (for a review, see Lawrence, 2004). The nonhomosexual MtF transsexuals I have interviewed usually report, however, that any feminine characteristics they displayed during childhood and adolescence were not witnessed approvingly. On the contrary, they report that they were criticized, ridiculed, or shamed for displaying feminine interests and behaviors and quickly learned to conceal them (see also Seil, 2004). Concealed characteristics cannot, of course, be empathetically mirrored and can become an ongoing source of shame. Erotic cross-dressing, which is probably nearly universal in nonhomosexual MtF transsexuals (Lawrence, 2007), is especially unlikely to be empathetically mirrored and is likely to feel especially shameful. Usually it is conducted in secret, which precludes any mirroring. If erotic cross-dressing is witnessed, as in the case of accidental discovery, it is usually met with severe disapproval. The need to conceal elements of the self in order to experience approval from significant others is both a cause and an effect of feelings of shame, and these feelings may be especially intense if the concealed elements are related to one’s sexuality (Tangney & Dearing, 2002), as is true in autogynephilic transsexualism.

Nonhomosexual MtF transsexuals may also find it difficult to idealize and identify with parents or caregivers of either sex during childhood and adolescence. The nonhomosexual MtF transsexuals I have interviewed commonly report that they felt distant or estranged from their fathers and male caregivers during childhood. Typically, they say that they felt closer to their mothers, other female relatives, and female caregivers, whom they often idealized. They often report or imply, however, that they were unable to identify fully with these female figures, perhaps due to the many masculine traits and interests they also observed within themselves. Because of an inability to fully identify with women, these autogynephilic transsexuals may be prone to experience their feminine characteristics, including their desire to cross-dress, as egodystonic and shameful (Seil, 2004).

After gender transition, the situation often becomes no better and may become worse. Nonhomosexual MtF transsexuals who transition to live as women want to be regarded as women and treated as women. The male-typical aspects of their appearance and behavior, however, often make it difficult for them to be seen as other than transsexual women. Sometimes they may be seen simply as men pretending to be women. This makes it likely that they will experience frequent unempathetic reactions, including overt disrespect or derision, harassment, denial of basic civil rights, or violence, as Dreger observed. Because their feelings of being or wanting to be women are so central to their sense of self, they may experience the negative reactions of others as implying that they are inadequate in a deep and fundamental way, leading to further feelings of shame (Tangney & Dearing, 2002). Autogynephilic transsexuals may also find it harder to fully identify with women after transition than before, because the differences they inevitably observe between themselves and natal women become harder to rationalize after transition. Before transition, these differences can be attributed to the necessity of temporarily maintaining a socially acceptable masculine persona; after transition, when this excuse evaporates, autogynephilic transsexuals may be forced to confront reality. Nonhomosexual MtF transsexuals often seem to expect that, with enough effort, they will be able to pass undetected as natal women after transition; but because their appearance and behavior are rarely naturally feminine, this expectation usually proves to be unrealistic. Tangney and Dearing (2002) observed that persons prone to narcissistic disorders ‘‘typically develop many unrealistic expectations for themselves…that, in effect, set the stage for shame. With each failure to achieve ambitions—ambitions that are often grandiose— the narcissistic individual is apt to feel shame’’ (p. 72).

If the preceding analysis is accurate, one might expect that narcissistic disorders would be common among nonhomosexual MtF transsexuals. Surprisingly, there is little solid empirical evidence on this point. The few studies that have examined personality disorders among transsexuals usually have found that these disorders in general—and disorders in Cluster B, which includes Narcissistic Personality Disorder (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2000), in particular—are more common in transsexuals than in nontranssexuals. Most studies, however, either have not reported data on Narcissistic Personality Disorder specifically or have not reported results for MtF and female-to-male transsexuals separately; almost none have reported results for homosexual and nonhomosexual MtF transsexuals separately. The notable exception is a study by Hartmann et al. (1997), conducted with 20 MtF transsexuals, half of whom were androphilic (homosexual) and half of whom were gynephilic (nonhomosexual). Hartmann et al. found ‘‘significant psychopathological aspects and narcissistic dysregulation in most of our [MtF] gender dysphoric patients.’’ Both homosexual and nonhomosexual MtF transsexuals displayed levels of narcissistic pathology that were similar to, or slightly higher than, a clinical sample of patients with nonpsychotic psychiatric problems, including some patients with narcissistic disorders. Hartmann et al. used cluster analysis to assign their transsexual participants to one of four categories, representing different patterns of narcissistic pathology. Their category of greatest interest is ‘‘the classic narcissistic self,’’ which encompasses most of the traits associated with Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Hartmann et al. observed that ‘‘gynephilic patients are higher (but not statistically significant) in… the ‘classic narcissistic self,’ which is largely due to high scores in the scale ‘narcissistic rage’.’’ This finding confirms that high levels of narcissistic rage are present in at least some nonhomosexual MtF transsexuals.

It is certainly not difficult to find evidence of narcissistic personality traits, including a sense of entitlement, grandiosity, and lack of empathy (APA, 2000), in some of Bailey’s principal MtF transsexual opponents. Perhaps the most obvious of these is a sense of entitlement, the belief that one is deserving of special treatment. This is evident, for example, in their outrage that Bailey described them in a way they felt was inconsistent with their identities and in their belief that Bailey had an obligation to address what they believed to be evidence for a ‘‘third type’’ of MtF transsexual. A sense of entitlement is also evident in the demand some of them made that the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association conduct an investigation of Bailey. The grandiosity of some of Bailey’s opponents comes across most clearly in the Internet sites that some of them maintain, which contain, for example, claims of their supposed ability to pass undetected (in ‘‘deep stealth’’) as natal woman, despite the presence of many unmistakably masculine features, and reports of their discovery of supposed facts about transsexualism that have escaped the notice of other researchers for decades. Their lack of empathy is most apparent in their utter disregard for the feelings of the persons they attacked, with the attack on Bailey’s children providing perhaps the most egregious example.

The grandiose, unrealistic sense of self that is characteristic of many persons with narcissistic disorders can be understood as a defense against what would otherwise be overwhelming feelings of inadequacy or shame (Kohut, 1971). In the case of nonhomosexual MtF transsexuals, this unrealistic sense of self might include the belief that one passes undetectably as a woman, despite having unmistakably masculine physical characteristics; that one has a ‘‘female brain’’ in one’s male body, despite having male-typical interests and attitudes; that eroticism had nothing to do with one’s gender transition, despite an extensive history of cross-gender fetishism; and that one is exclusively sexually attracted to men, despite a past history of attraction to, and sexual activity with, women. Although there may be a temptation to disparage this unrealistic sense of self, it is arguably preferable to some alternatives, which might include a life of ‘‘empty’’ depression, overwhelming feelings of shame leading to suicide, or returning to an unsatisfying and unfulfilling life as a man. 

An action that threatens to disrupt the grandiose, unrealistic sense of self that many narcissistic persons maintain is experienced as a narcissistic injury. Kohut (1972) noted that narcissistic rage—the disproportionate, compulsive pursuit of revenge that seeks to obliterate both the offense and the offender— is one of two possible responses to narcissistic injury: ‘‘It is easily observed that the narcissistically vulnerable individual responds to actual (or anticipated) narcissistic injury either with shamefaced withdrawal (flight) or with narcissistic rage (fight)’’ (p. 379). Tangney and Dearing (2002) pointed out, however, that rage is by far the more effective response for reconstituting a damaged sense of self:

Feelings of self-righteous anger can help the shamed person regain some sense of agency and control. Anger is an emotion of potency and authority. In contrast, shame is an emotion of the worthless, the paralyzed, the ineffective. Thus,...by turning their anger outward, shamed individuals become angry instead, reactivating and bolstering the self (p. 93). 

So, narcissistic rage, although very unpleasant to experience, is nevertheless an understandable response to perceived narcissistic injury.

Why did so many of Bailey’s MtF transsexual opponents appear to experience TMWWBQ as inflicting narcissistic injury? Bailey’s presentation of Blanchard’s concept of autogynephilia, and the transsexual typology and theory of transsexual motivation associated with it, seems to have been the real focus of most of the anger directed against the book. In oversimplified form, Blanchard’s theory might seem to imply that nonhomosexual MtF transsexualism is little more than sexual fetishism. Because most of Bailey’s principal opponents fit the demographic pattern associated with nonhomosexual MtF transsexualism, Blanchard’s ideas probably seemed utterly inconsistent with their sense of self. But Blanchard’s ideas were hardly new they had first been presented some 15 years earlier. So, why was the reaction against TMWWBQ so intense? I believe there were several reasons.

First, Bailey’s summary of Blanchard’s ideas was, as far as I am aware, the first to appear in a book intended for general readers and was, therefore, harder to ignore; previous presentation of Blanchard’s ideas had been limited to scientific journals, textbooks, and a few Internet essays. Moreover, Bailey presented Blanchard’s ideas in uncompromising terms: not just as a theory with strong empirical support and powerful explanatory value, but as the defining truth about MtF transsexualism. Anyone who rejected Blanchard’s theory, Bailey seemed to imply, was either ignorant or a fool. Finally, Bailey made little effort to describe MtF transsexuals in an empathetic, affirming way. Admittedly, he had some complimentary things to say about his two main informants, Terese and Cher, and he was a strong advocate for the availability of sex reassignment surgery to both types of MtF transsexuals. But his characterization of autogynephilic transsexuals as unwomanly (‘‘there is no sense in which they have women’s souls’’; Bailey, 2003, p. xii), as not ‘‘primarily’’ (p. 167) having a disorder of gender identity, and as untruthful (pp. 172–175) undoubted struck many of his MtF transsexual opponents as insensitive at best and gratuitously insulting at worst. His statements implying that many or most homosexual MtF transsexuals are prostitutes (p. 184) or shoplifters (p. 185) certainly made the situation no better, if only by suggesting a pattern of disrespect. In short, it is not hard to see why many of Bailey’s MtF transsexual opponents experienced his book as inflicting narcissistic injury and why they reacted with narcissistic rage.

What conclusions can be drawn from the foregoing analysis? First, I propose that there are good theoretical and clinical reasons for believing that narcissistic disorders are prevalent among nonhomosexual MtF transsexuals. At present, however, there is little solid empirical evidence to support this belief. I suggest that this would be a promising area for additional research, especially because the results could have important clinical implications. Meanwhile, clinicians and scholars should perhaps be more aware that angry reactions they elicit from nonhomosexual MtF transsexuals might represent narcissistic rage, rather than mature, instrumental anger. This awareness might aid in interpretation and also facilitate empathy.

Second, I suggest that clinicians and scholars should be aware of the susceptibility of autogynephilic transsexuals to narcissistic injury and should try to avoid inflicting such injury through insensitivity or carelessness. Virtually all transsexuals are likely to have been shamed and criticized for their gender variance before transition, and virtually all transsexuals—but perhaps especially autogynephilic transsexuals— are likely to encounter subtle or blatant disrespect, harassment, discrimination, or violence after transition. Autogynephilic transsexuals undertake painful and expensive treatments and often suffer severe losses in their efforts to live in a way that feels authentic and vital. They deserve sensitive, respectful treatment that reflects an awareness of the narcissistically wounding experiences they are likely to have suffered in the past. In particular, we should use care, and perhaps even forbearance, in our choice of descriptive language. I have suggested, for example, that it might be helpful to begin to describe autogynephilic transsexuals as persons who want to ‘‘become what they love’’ (Lawrence, 2007), as an alternative to more stigmatizing descriptions.

Finally, attention to sensitivity and respect in descriptive language might eventually make it easier to conduct the research that will lead to a better understanding of autogynephilic transsexualism. Largely due to the polarized climate created by the controversy over TMWWBQ, such research would be difficult, if not impossible, to conduct at present. But, if clinicians and scholars make a concerted effort to think about, speak about, and write about autogynephilic transsexualism with sensitivity and empathy, the climate for such research might eventually improve.

[recentanimenews]

Bookshelf Briefs 2/16/20

Black Clover, Vol. 19 | By Yuki Tabata | Viz Media – The nature of these volumes is they tend to be between 9-11 chapters no matter what, and while some thought is always given for an appropriate “cliffhanger” (and there’s a good one here), it does sometimes mean that the emotional beat can happen earlier than the author might like. That’s definitely the case here—this book is front-loaded as hell, with the absolute highlight being Noelle reuniting with her family, kicking ass, and her older brother apologizing for the constant abuse he hurled at her. It’s really fantastic. The rest of the book can’t help but feel like an anticlimax, though there is a nice bit at the end where Asta and company make a chaotic entrance to join in the fight. Which isn’t over yet, so next time? – Sean Gaffney

Horimiya, Vol. 13 | By Hero and Daisuke Hagiwara | Yen Press – This manga has too many cast members in it we have to remember, especially given that it only comes out now about once every six months or so. We see Iura dealing with his younger sister, who is having exam worries, and it’s meant to contrast to his “the guy nobody likes” persona at school, but I can’t really retain enough about what he was like for it to really impact. One good thing about this volume is that Hori is relatively behaved, so there’s a lot less of the “wacky” consent issues we saw in prior volumes. When she acts relatively normal, she and Miyamura remind you why we loved this manga in the first place. That said, it really does not appear to be headed towards any specific conclusion. How long will it go on? – Sean Gaffney

Levius/est, Vol. 1 | By Haruhisa Nakata | Viz Media – I probably should have read the Levius omnibus before picking up Levius/est. As far as I can tell, the first volume is mostly a recap of the original series told at an astonishingly breakneck speed. (Levius ended prematurely when Ikki ceased publication; Nakahata essentially had to restart the series in a new magazine, Ultra Jump.) It’s admittedly impressive how much ground Nakata manages to cover in such a short span, but I’m hoping that Levius/est finds a more sustainable and enjoyable pace soon. I want to see the mixed martial arts matches between cyborgs that will either save or destroy the world. I want a chance to actually get to know the characters beyond a surface-level lightning overview of their tragic backstories. I want the worldbuilding to not need to rely on heavy-handed exposition. Right now, Levius/est‘s greatest strength is Nakata’s stylish artwork, but something more would be welcomed. – Ash Brown

Magus of the Library, Vol. 2 | By Mitsu Izumi | Kodansha Comics – Having enjoyed the first volume of Magus of the Library, I was looking forward to the second, even if the series is not always the most subtle of works narratively speaking. But I can’t help but love the underlying message of libraries (reading in generally, really) as a method of gaining knowledge, expanding one’s horizons, and developing empathy for others. At the same time, the work acknowledges the potential harm the written word can cause depending on its use. As a librarian, I can especially appreciate Izumi incorporating real-world social, economic, and political concerns surrounding libraries (fairly accurately, actually, although with simplification) into the fantasy setting of Magus of the Library. Other related areas the second volume of the series specifically addresses include bookselling and bookbinding. The volume also serves as something like a travelogue and introduces new characters destined, I’m sure, to become Theo’s cohorts in training at the Central Library. – Ash Brown

Murcielago, Vol. 13 | By Yoshimurakana | Yen Press – OK, the master swordsman arc did not finish off quite as fast as I’d hoped, but that’s fine, as it gives us a chance to see Kuroko in action some more (and still really struggling, which is cool), as well as Himiko’s dynamic entrance in her car, always a treat. After that’s resolved, we start a sequel arc, as Goldmarie’s body is not lying mouldering in the grave as it should be, but has gone missing. And now there’s a bunch of murders happening in and around the sewers, which gives the artist another chance to lovingly depict a lot of corpses and gore. Murcielago is never going to be children’s entertainment, but it’s a lot of fun provided ultraviolent lesbians are your bag. – Sean Gaffney

My Hero Academia, Vol. 23 | By Kohei Horikoshi | Viz Media – So Izuku has multiple powers now. That said, he’s still having trouble learni8ng about them at all, so has to finish the fight quirkless. Honestly, Uraraka is the MVP of this battle, and there’s some nice ship tease with her and Izuku as my reward. After that, we switch over to the dark side of the cast—it even gets pointed out, with one chapter being called “My Villain Academia,” and a heavier focus on the League of Villains, who are falling on hard times at the moment. Things are not helped by a new, more corporate set of villains trying to get their foot in the door, and the volume ends with a confrontation. This has become one of the biggest Jump series, and it’s well deserved. – Sean Gaffney

My Hero Academia, Vol. 23 | By Kohei Horikoshi | VIZ Media – There is so much going on in this volume. As the battle training with class B comes to a close, Midoriya learns that he will eventually inherit six additional quirks from past wielders of One for All and Shinso gets to use his power to save someone and earns admission into the hero course. Mina gets a couple of badass panels while Uraraka gets several (as well as a rare smile from Aizawa). I love how much Aizawa has taken Shinso under his wing as well as a glimpse and a reference to someone he and Mic knew when they were students, a boy called Shirakumo. We also meet the Meta Liberation Army, who are determined to take down the League of Villains. Todoroki and Bakugo get their provisional hero licenses and we learn a little of Shigaraki’s backstory. Phew! I love this series so much. – Michelle Smith

My Hero Academia: Smash!!, Vol. 3 | By Hirofumi Neda| Viz Media – Again, I like how this gag series is handled. It’s character-based exaggeration, but it also follows the main storyline for the most part, so it can use multiple modes of humor. It’s also not above pointing out its own flaws—when Momo is lacking confidence, Eraserhead tells her to spend a week living with Uraraka, and the latter is quick to point out that “my poverty being of service to you” is offensive. Of course, the series is also not above mocking her love of rich person’s food over and over again, so. We even get a good look at the league of villains here, and they’re just as goofy. This is still a lot of fun. – Sean Gaffney

The Quintessential Quintuplets, Vol. 7 | By Negi Haruba | Kodansha Comics – Somehow I missed reviewing the sixth volume of this series, and it’s a shame, as the seventh book is fantastic, possibly the highlight of the series in general. After spending about half of it leading up to the exams, and reminding us what’s at stake, we see the girls taking them one by one, each flashing back to their own issues and challenges—the biggest of which may be Yotsuba’s, as she reveals she’s the one who failed the makeup exam at their old school, and the others left with her in solidarity. The results are brought off perfectly, but Nino is saved for last, and she’s the one who gets the best part, right at the end. Still one of the best romantic comedy manga we’ve seen in some time. – Sean Gaffney

The Way of the Househusband, Vol. 2 | By Kousuke Oono | Viz Media – There’s not really much here in plot or characterization beyond the surface. But when the surface is this, you absolutely don’t care. Househusband is all about style, and in that the book succeeds dramatically. I liked that it featured his wife a bit more in the various chapters, and you can see why he loves her. Everyone keeps mistaking him for doing horrible yakuza deals, even when he’s pushing spices for birthday parties. That said, you really can’t blame them given he’s also pushing his yakuza thoughts into his everyday life, such as the yoga poses, which was absolutely hilarious. We also meet his wife’s family, and their desperate attempts at bonding, which they do after a fashion. This is a whole lot of fun. – Sean Gaffney

Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 22 | By Mizuho Kusanagi | VIZ Media – This volume begins with the aftermath of the adventure in Sei, with Lady Riri dealing with the gratitude of her people, which she doesn’t feel she’s earned; Hak reflecting on adolescent memories of Su-Won, whose ability to see the world impartially means he has no special attachment to anyone; and the Four Dragons working to get back a hairpin for Yona that Su-Won gave her. Then we’re off to another adventure in a foreign land. One of the princesses of Xing is sure they’re Kohka’s next target for expansion and proposes war while her younger sister proposes preemptive surrender in order to save lives. Would-be assassins raid the latter’s compound, where there are a couple of badass fighters and lots of kitties. It’s very much a transitional volume, but still quite good. I’m always bummed whenever I run out of Yona to read. = Michelle Smith

By: Ash Brown

[thevividgreenmoss]

I always liked Louis C.K.’s standup, but I loved his show Louie. The surreal wackiness was, for me, the most accurate rendering of what it actually feels like to live in New York (that was, until Broad City came along, and did Louie but better). I loved Louie’s odd moments of seriousness (Parker Posey’s character’s recounting of her childhood cancer has haunted me for years). There’s an extraordinarily funny and touching episode that takes place in Afghanistan (and who else in the last decade talked about Afghanistan instead of pretending the war didn’t exist, and thought to present the country we invaded and ruined as a fundamentally human place inhabited by ordinary people, all of whom are entranced by the sight of a cute yellow duckling?) Yes, at times, Louie himself could be a bit of an asshole. But he was always relatably an asshole, in situations where we all can be jerks, and the women he dated were all real, well-written people (see especially Parker Posey’s character).

I finally stopped watching Louie in season four, after an episode where I finally noticed the misogyny behind the mask. In the episode, titled only “Model,” Louie goes to the Hamptons. After bombing a comedy gig, he meets a wealthy and gorgeous blonde model who found his gig funny for some reason. She takes him home and they have sex. During the act, he accidentally punches her in the face, knocking her unconscious. Was this meant to be funny? I’m still not sure. The scenario was unrealistic, not surreal; eyeroll-y, not edgy. The blonde model didn’t have a personality; she existed to fuck him and be punched. Maybe you were supposed to laugh at her for fucking Louie, or laugh with Louie for punching her; but either way you were definitely not supposed to laugh at the pathetically transparent fantasy of it, because that part was intended to be serious. (In a later episode of season four, “Pamela”, which I did not watch until much later, Louie attempts to rape his friend Pamela, but fails at it. Lol?)

Comedians joke about everything, except comedy. When it comes to their art, they employ a frigid joylessness that puts all caricatures of feminists to shame. Louis C.K.’s new jokes are not to be criticized. They’re angry: viciously so, directed at trans people and people with disabilities and teenagers whose friends were murdered. The pretended “accidental” nature of C.K.’s punching is gone. Now he’s just hitting us in the face.

Maybe he’s being daring. Maybe Louis C.K.’s “surprise sets” are simply pushing the boundaries of comedy just like he pushed the boundaries of consent by masturbating in front of female comedians against their will. There’s nothing bold, however, about being shitty. There’s nothing particularly rebellious or inventive about bigotry. They call it “reactionary” for a reason: It’s an unthinking backlash, the automatic spasmodic reaction of the old when confronted with the new. There’s a reason conservative can never be “the new punk.” It is, by nature, totally square.

Louis C.K.’s new comedy—which is really his old comedy, without the barrier of distance created by his persona—are regressive not just in politics, but in content. The leaked jokes from his new sets are adolescent in character. I remember edgelords at my high school making basically the same gags about the word r*tarded, racial penis size, etc, etc, yawn. But this kind of humor is adolescent for another reason, too: because it’s concerned ultimately with coolness, superiority, which is found in other, more marginalized people’s discomfort and humiliation. There’s another word for this: sociopathy. What it comes down to is a sense of permanent disengagement: There is a difference between myself and the world; I am better than the world; my self-expression matters more than others and shouldn’t face social consequences. I am furious and offended, but I have a right to my feelings; anyone who is offended by meis an over-sensitive, earnest, tryhardy loser. I am unaffected by the pain of others. I am separate from it.

Separateness is always an act, a self-delusion. We are not that different from other people (sorry, conservatives, you are not special snowflakes!) And the space between a real self and a persona is also an act, which exists in various shades of consciousness. Everyone who has ever created a persona (and most people have online) is aware of this. You can pretend all you like that your screen name is not-you: but of course it is you, a part of you, a side of you. You would not say these things if you did not think them, even if just in character. Your relationship between your self and your persona is healthy only if you honestly acknowledge what’s true and what’s not.

Not everyone who uses a persona is unaware of the scope of this distance; not everyone is faking it. That is to say, everyone with a persona is a liar, but not everyone is a bullshitter. Harry Frankfurt’s short and essential work of philosophy, On Bullshit, lays out important distinctions between liars and bullshitters. A liar knows they are lying, which means they know what the truth is, and have a certain respect for it. But a bullshitter either doesn’t know or doesn’t care, and is fundamentally unable to handle being caught. Louis C.K. is a bullshitter. His old comedy rested on a contradiction that didn’t exist: As Matt Zoller Seitz wrote in Vulture: “Anxious laughter erupted from the tension between the person that C.K. had portrayed himself as being (thoughtful, sensitive, self-interrogating) and the worst-case-scenario person he envisioned in his stand-up bits (narcissistic, lazy, vicious).” Louis C.K. was always this worst-case-scenario person, really, and the decency was a mask. And he’s mad as hell now, not just at the lost millions and the currently canceled movie called “I Love You, Daddy” (ick) but that we finally see into the bullshit, and we know for certain that he’s shit all the way down.

This is the distinction to look for, and it’s very subtle: There must be a clear, unambiguous, delineation between the artist and the mask they’re wearing, a measurable degree of daylight between author and character. This is what Junot Diaz never achieved, despite all the critics’ desire to see it. He was always his misogynist protagonist Yunior, and Yunior was always him, and you could tell because most of the women in his novels, like the blonde in the “Model” episode of Louie, lacked their own reality. Diaz’s work is bullshit—beautifully written bullshit, but nevertheless an attempt to perform awareness rather than being aware, to occlude personal sexism by pretending to critique it. Lena Dunham, who gained her fame by playing the role of the obnoxious asshole (but feminist because she’s a woman), has finally been fully understood by most people as an authentically obnoxious asshole (and not feminist, because she doesn’t actually care about women besides herself). Kevin Spacey collapsed the waveform between self and persona entirely in his recent bizarre videowhere he addressed his fans, in character, as Frank Underwood. He said, “Oh, sure, they’ve tried to separate us. But what we have is too strong. It’s too powerful.” By “us” he appears to have meant himself and his fans; but he might as well have meant Kevin Spacey and Frank Underwood. The waveform will always, eventually collapse; bullshit will always win out. It’s impossible to maintain an insincere act forever. You must either walk away from it, or become it completely.

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US choose offers asylum to Singapore teenager blogger

A Singaporean teenage blogger who turned into jailed two times for his on-line posts insulting his government was granted asylum to remain in the America, an immigration judge in Chicago dominated.

                           Singapore Teenager Blogger

Amos Yee changed into jailed in 2015 for 4 weeks for hurting the nonsecular feelings of Christians and posting an obscene photograph as a part of his attacks on the island’s overdue chief Lee Kuan Yew – whose son Lee Hsien Loong is now the high minister.

He has jailed again in 2016 for 6 weeks for insulting Muslims and Christians in a sequence of movies published online, however, critics declare the real purpose became to silence him.

“Yee has met his burden of showing that he suffered beyond persecution due to his political opinion and has a nicely-based worry of destiny persecution in Singapore,” Cole wrote.

Cole said testimony all through Yee’s listening to confirmed that at the same time as the Singapore authorities said the motive for punishing him worried faith, “its real motive turned into to stifle Yee’s political speech”.

He said Yee’s prison sentence changed into “unusually long and harsh” especially for his age.

Department of Hometown Protection lawyers had adverse the asylum bid, pronouncing Yee’s case failed to qualify as persecution based on political beliefs.

It changed into unclear whether they would enchantment the decision or if Yee might continue to be imprisoned if they did. attorneys have 30 days to the attraction.

Singapore, an island republic of five.6 million which has long been criticized for strict controls on dissent, takes satisfaction in its racial and social brotherly love, which it regards as important for balance in an unstable location.

 Money On every occasion Someone Visits Their Weblog

Again to school would not need to imply empty pockets for teenagers. In reality, just due to the fact a brand new college yr has begun, would not always translate into putting an give up to the Cash that you may have made in the course of the summer vacation. Clever teenagers realize that there are loads of things that they could do to maintain the Money rolling in without it taking too much time away from their research.

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One Manner in which many young adults get started out in running a blog is by using establishing an account at Blogger, a website owned by Google. Once a youngster has opened a loose account you can put up your Weblog and deliver the internet address to all your buddies. Anyone and each person can view your Blog. That is step one to start making money rapid.

However, for a few young adults, one among the most important drawbacks to making money with a Weblog is not knowing what to write down. properly, recently I discovered an amazingly Clean Way to feature content material to my blogs without ever having to write a word. Now not most effective that, I will make Cash On every occasion A person visits my Weblog! The approach includes including content material for your website online which, while Someone visits your Blog, you receives a commission. Even though methods similar to this – which include Google AdSense software, had been around for years, there are other applications at the net that don’t contain clicking on classified ads inclusive of with AdSense.

I talk this and lots of strategies on my teen Cash Making web page. but no matter what strategies you operate to monetize your Blog, it’s crucial that you also spend a while using site visitors to it. Because it doesn’t count number how suitable your content is, without visitors, you might not make any Cash – in spite of the method I mentioned above. Of path, if you have masses of friends, you could bypass out the URL for your Blog on your friends. And when you have a myspace page, you need to without a doubt post it there.

blogging has made success stories out of quite a few teens. One 13-yr-old brings in over one thousand dollars a month from his Blog. by using beginning a Weblog, the opportunities are endless. Something you do, enjoy making your Weblog. but most of all, dare to dream because the sky is the limit. If a 13 yr antique can rake in extra one thousand dollars a month, so are you able to!

Teen Bloggers making a living online

Are you conscious that right now, bloggers are making money online? Yes, and it isn’t always just a bit of cash; they’re incomes quite nicely. How? It is thru online running a blog.

running a blog has been practiced through human beings from all walks of lifestyles and in any age. whether or not younger or vintage; so long as they have got something to mention approximately something, they need to write down about it through internet blogs. This premise is backed up by means of the evidence of Millions of bloggers writing various posts out there. Currently even though, a massive variety of bloggers on the net come from the adolescent age bracket.

You may think how come that Someone as young as thirteen years vintage has a whole lot of guts to mention approximately something. Can a 13 12 months antique youngster even earn lots- or Millions of bucks through blogging? a few may think that a tremendous, scheming person expert is on the back of a youngster’s persona. but often times, the only who is, in reality, writing the ones articulate and easy blogs is certainly a kid mendacity in his bedroom.

Many teen bloggers claim that they write Blog approximately the matters they’re accurate at; what they like and the component that definitely pursuits them the maximum. through this, they’re capable of permit their thoughts waft smoothly and ultimately create a Weblog that is clearly well worth studying.

As long as you could write, you may surely create your very own blogs. Blogs that many readers find very useful are usually those that receive buzz. making a living on-line through your blogs all boil right down to the subject your Blog touches, its importance and the impact it has on the Thousands and thousands of readers available.