“Sentimentality, the ostentatious parading of excessive and spurious
emotion, is the mark of dishonesty...the wet eyes of the sentimentalist
betray his aversion to experience, his fear of life, his arid heart; and
it is always, therefore, the signal of secret and violent humanity, the
mark of cruelty.”
-James Baldwin
There has been a lot of talk about vulnerability, the revealing of the self to the world rather than hiding. It strikes many people, including myself, as wise and courageous, because it is. What is not, though, is manipulation via the expression of vulnerability. That's drama.
I have seen so-called vulnerability used as a weapon. as a tool of avoidance and censure. Expressions of vulnerability fill up all the space, disallowing discussion. This is manipulation, not revelation. That is drama, not discussion.
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
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