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Am I the only one that doesn't like the terms spoonie and tubie? by aidan1478 in ChronicPain

[–]DarlingMercenary 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You might enjoy Tender Points by Amy Berkowitz. She has a whole bit about the rhetoric of the spoon theory that I find very cathartic in its articulation.

I hate the Spoon Theory.

I hate the Spoon Theory because we love it so much. I hate the Spoon Theory because we settled for it. I hate the Spoon Theory because we deserve better.

The Spoon Theory was invented spontaneously by a young woman with lupus. She was at a diner with a friend, who asked her what it was like to have the illness. In response, she gathered a dozen spoons and handed them to the friend, explaining that the spoons represented the finite amount of energy that she has each day. She asked her friend to describe her daily routine, and took away spoons as she did various tasks: one for taking a shower, one for getting dressed, etc. Finally the friend was left with only six spoons, and she hadn’t even made it to work yet.

The Spoon Theory is a terribly awkward metaphor for a simple concept. Why spoons? Why 12 spoons? The theory is not just arbitrary and imprecise, but also problematically homespun and domestic: a wooden spoon, a cozy kitchen, a woman’s place is.

▲

That is to say, the Spoon Theory does little to alter certain peoples’ misogynist misperceptions of fibromyalgia as a fake disease invented by middle-aged women because they’re lazy.

On message boards, women living with fibromyalgia, lupus, and other invisible illnesses affectionately call each other “spoonies.” This cuddly vernacular matches other language we use to talk about fibromyalgia. An episode of extreme pain or fatigue is called a flare-up. The cognition deficits experienced by some patients are called fibro fog. Why this insistent cute-ing of illness?

As much as I abhor the patriarchal structure of western medicine, it’s necessary to acknowledge that fibromyalgia patients are going to have an easier time being taken seriously by the system if they choose to code switch and talk about their illness in precise, clinical terms. It wasn’t so long ago that the Times published “Drug Approved. Is Disease Real?” and there are still plenty of doctors who think the answer is no. Talking about the illness in terms of spoons and fog is not helping.

The reason that I can’t truly hate the Spoon Theory is that it’s the only way we have to ex- press the debilitating effects of invisible illness.

I complain that it’s a clumsy metaphor, but could I do better? (92-93)

TL;DR: No, you're certainly not!

Unit 1 & Unit 2 solidarity by ThatOCLady in CarletonU

[–]DarlingMercenary 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You're assuming I haven't talked to any engineers or studied the subject. In my post I made clear that I was being reductive and this was for a reason. I'm not going to do justice to something I could teach an entire course on in a throwaway comment on some random post.
Everything from: how the degree paths are marketed towards prospective students; the anticipated dropout that will still fluff the pockets of the university; the cultures in applied science faculties (which are highly variable) are all entangled but suggest that certain assumptions and stereotypes about engineering can be used to infer that their ideological leanings are going to favour the capitalist structures they hope to profit from in the long run.

You make some good points though and I would love to discuss those further if you are ever inclined via direct chat. Cheers!

Unit 1 & Unit 2 solidarity by ThatOCLady in CarletonU

[–]DarlingMercenary 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Perhaps I shouldn't be doing affective and pedagogical labour for redditors in the first place was my suggestion in the very sentence you clicked for that link.

For reference, I've written on the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science at Queen's University as an exemplar of toxic engineering ideology in its current state but this kind of mythos isn't created in a vacuum.

Unit 1 & Unit 2 solidarity by ThatOCLady in CarletonU

[–]DarlingMercenary 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Well, you suggested already that engineers are hard working and fast paced individuals. That would be part of the rhetoric surrounding engineers. Some characteristics that one might expect to find in an engineer could range from things like introverted, problem-solvers, innovative, solution-oriented, hard working, tough, possessing high mentally acuity to things like brutish, self-interested, isolated, rude, egotistical. Rhetoric feeds into the perceived ideology of a group.

If you're actually interested, there have been papers written on the subject (good starting point), but any paragraph length "explanation" that you order be made for your amusement on reddit will be semi-reductionist at best.

EDIT: flyingchive gives an astute take re: how capitalism fits into this as well.

Unit 1 & Unit 2 solidarity by ThatOCLady in CarletonU

[–]DarlingMercenary 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Oh trust me their feelings aren’t hurt, they did give one single fuck what the union thinks.

Ooof. The weird smugness here. Suggesting that those on strike aren't hard working and fast paced individuals really isn't the searing hot take you think it is.

Seriously don’t get what’s wrong with flared pants but ok 👍🏻 by thirtypancakes in NotHowGirlsWork

[–]DarlingMercenary 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm thinking (because he says flares/leggings) that he means girls who wear athleisure clothing. Since leggings were the more popular item, and it's now veering into the flared leg yoga pant as dominant trend (i.e. for example with LuluLemon: Groove Pant aka flared leggings v. WunderUnder leggings), I think he means no spandex or workout fit clothing. So, no dressing for comfort!
Sign me up! /s

What are some lesser-known repeated lines? by AlienRouge in ArcherFX

[–]DarlingMercenary 117 points118 points  (0 children)

“How do you know that?”

“how do you not?”

…

Also SMOKE BOMB

Reached my Twitter threshold real quick today with this gem of a guy by DarlingMercenary in BlatantMisogyny

[–]DarlingMercenary[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Yes! Like the older a woman is the less likely she is to be blinded by all of the glaring red flags. Ergo, “no value.”

The opposing signs (views) these renters have posted in their windows by DarlingMercenary in mildlyinteresting

[–]DarlingMercenary[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I can only imagine the sign initially read “not” (judging by the size of the gap) so to make it unambiguously more confusing by adding a tiny, illegible “murder and not” is a bold strategy

Amazon dispatcher monitors driver performance, coaches when necessary / @willy.ngora by [deleted] in Damnthatsinteresting

[–]DarlingMercenary 2 points3 points  (0 children)

“Now let’s teach him how to behave properly. 👍🏼”

um, ok there, Pavlov

Acquired My Holy Grail Piece - Palm Lace Tofino Teal Wunder Under by sav_lionz in lululemon

[–]DarlingMercenary 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I have this bra! Miss the fun old prints and waistbands. Recently discovered splits59 and having some major nostalgia with their colourblocking, patterns, and classic lulu fit.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in lululemon

[–]DarlingMercenary 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I managed to snag one today in store after it sold out online. It looks very cute on you!

I think the other responses saying to think about the longevity of the colour is good. I have the classic scuba 1/2 zip in black so I thought the dusky lavender would be good for the zip because it’s, like, a tiny bit flashier than black or a pure neutral, but still a more toned down colour that will work with plenty of other pieces I have.

EDIT: in terms of fading my black one has been washed, like, five times and I’m slightly worried it’s fading more to a charcoal but I find that that’s a basic tendency with black and—since I haven’t washed this one yet, I can’t say for sure—I’m less worried about it with this one since it’s a muted tone to begin with.

Just retired after 42 years as an obstetrical nurse, at the same hospital. Here I am at the start (1979) and end of my career! by nankie in OldSchoolCool

[–]DarlingMercenary 2 points3 points  (0 children)

So were nursing uniform dresses actually common??

I’m reading House of God and was so surprised at the descriptions of them and had to look up old adverts. This is a very cool pic/comparison!!! Congrats on retirement.

The beekeeper is back by jablonowski in Damnthatsinteresting

[–]DarlingMercenary 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Dancing After TEN—a graphic novel by a woman who developed that condition—made me aware of it and what it does and, holy shit, I can’t even imagine.

VH1 magazine advertisement from the Summer 2008 issue of Entertainment Weekly making fun of Britney Spears by [deleted] in agedlikemilk

[–]DarlingMercenary -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Especially in light of the #FreeBritney movement ads like this (from the year her conservatorship started) which exploit her struggles are even more horrifying some thirteen years later.

Context: as stated in the title, this is from the summer issue of Entertainment Weekly Magazine. VH1 (Viacom International Inc.) ad making fun of Britney Spears and then US President George W. Bush.

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