A Top Ten List!

Erik Kain

Erik writes about video games at Forbes and politics at Mother Jones. He's the contributor of The League though he hasn't written much here lately. He can be found occasionally composing 140 character cultural analysis on Twitter.

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6 Responses

  1. Cascadian says:

    1. There can be no humility without humiliation. I can’t repeat this too often.

    2. Evil is sexy and exciting, but there is very little frisson to behavior that’s “beneath you.”

    3. Guilt, unlike shame, is something a person can feel proud of. Piling self-congratulation onto sin adds insult to injury.

    I think Helen’s great tragedy is that she fell for smells, bells, and frocks; instead of whips, chains, and leather.Report

  2. Who says you can’t have both?Report

  3. E.D. Kain says:

    Who says you can’t have both?

    Now that’s a good question…Report

  4. Rortybomb says:

    Pro-shame and pro-smoking? If anyone deserves to be shamed…Report

  5. Cascadian says:

    Who says you can’t have both?

    True enough to anyone who has perused Justine. A false dichotomy for sure. I’m sure Sullivan would agree as well. Whether it’s true in your case is open. One could make quite a living on #1 (which has become the new family joke) alone.Report

  6. Joseph says:

    #5 seems to be just an example of Helen projecting her own self-regard onto everyone. I’m certainly far harder on myself than society would ever be. Indeed, one could simply write a similar post on the modestly-producing virtues of self-loathing, but that would not make it any kind of universal truth.Report