Your writing is exactly the kind of thing I think the world and the internet especially needs. Never less than erudite, I feel like I’ve actually spent time with some quality academia after coming away from one of your essays. Thank you so much. I love what you do.
something about the entire trope has always irked me so it's interesting to think about the psychological side of the cannibalism and its poetic analogies. tying it to dominance and possession was an incredible way of highlighting the all the metaphor's nuances beyond what the popular consensus of its meaning tends to idolize. will be thinking about this for a while!
Mm yeah! Precisely. I love that people are discovering new stuff to obsess over but it’s easy to water it down even for yourself to the point that it loses a lot of the depth.
As a hair puller and skin picker, I lean towards loving the cannibalism metaphor. I don't think metaphorical cannibalistic relationship dynamics are healthy at all, but from the point of the (consensually?) cannibalized person, maybe it is the truest act of devotion and sacrifice. Anyways in response to your Sartre reference, I find Beauvoir's take on love less cannibalistic and more hopeful haha. Loved this piece :)
My relationship with this metaphor is always complicated for how it was engraved in my life. In my culture, "eating up" someone is almost used daily. Since the frequent use of this and similar sayings was effective in normalising the metaphor, I often did not even think about psychological or philosophical side. It was simply an everyday saying for me. That's why this is a great article. As a fellow sociologist I admire your analytical skills and the way you write.
It was the first thing that came to my mind! I always struggled with explaining why we use "you're so sweet i could eat you" or similar phrases to foreign people.
Haha it’s something I say a lot! I tend to tell my friends that they’re delicious or that I’m going to eat them. But I know it definitely tracks further back with like adults talking to babies and etc
Honestly, I stopped after few people seemed to feel uncomfortable 😭 We say that to kids too but we don't compliment small children too much for fear of the evil eye, or we try not to say that they are cute, sweet, etc. We usually say "what an ugly thing you are" or we compare them to animals that are small but are considered ugly in society. Like foals, for example! Psychological effects are questionable hahaha
I’ve been pondering the idea of love as consumption vs devotion, and you analyzed excellently the toxicity, control and possession around cannibalistic imagery. This is a great piece!
Your writing is exactly the kind of thing I think the world and the internet especially needs. Never less than erudite, I feel like I’ve actually spent time with some quality academia after coming away from one of your essays. Thank you so much. I love what you do.
I love you
something about the entire trope has always irked me so it's interesting to think about the psychological side of the cannibalism and its poetic analogies. tying it to dominance and possession was an incredible way of highlighting the all the metaphor's nuances beyond what the popular consensus of its meaning tends to idolize. will be thinking about this for a while!
Mm yeah! Precisely. I love that people are discovering new stuff to obsess over but it’s easy to water it down even for yourself to the point that it loses a lot of the depth.
As a hair puller and skin picker, I lean towards loving the cannibalism metaphor. I don't think metaphorical cannibalistic relationship dynamics are healthy at all, but from the point of the (consensually?) cannibalized person, maybe it is the truest act of devotion and sacrifice. Anyways in response to your Sartre reference, I find Beauvoir's take on love less cannibalistic and more hopeful haha. Loved this piece :)
My relationship with this metaphor is always complicated for how it was engraved in my life. In my culture, "eating up" someone is almost used daily. Since the frequent use of this and similar sayings was effective in normalising the metaphor, I often did not even think about psychological or philosophical side. It was simply an everyday saying for me. That's why this is a great article. As a fellow sociologist I admire your analytical skills and the way you write.
That’s interesting! I know I’ve heard that said before, but I didn’t even think of it. Thank you for sharing! 🌸🌸
It was the first thing that came to my mind! I always struggled with explaining why we use "you're so sweet i could eat you" or similar phrases to foreign people.
Haha it’s something I say a lot! I tend to tell my friends that they’re delicious or that I’m going to eat them. But I know it definitely tracks further back with like adults talking to babies and etc
Honestly, I stopped after few people seemed to feel uncomfortable 😭 We say that to kids too but we don't compliment small children too much for fear of the evil eye, or we try not to say that they are cute, sweet, etc. We usually say "what an ugly thing you are" or we compare them to animals that are small but are considered ugly in society. Like foals, for example! Psychological effects are questionable hahaha
Well said, every time I see this metaphor I just want to roll my eyes
I’ve been pondering the idea of love as consumption vs devotion, and you analyzed excellently the toxicity, control and possession around cannibalistic imagery. This is a great piece!
As are you!! 🌸🌸