LINK TO THE ARTICLE: http://www.vanityfair.com/style/society/2014/06/monica-lewinsky-humiliation-culture
DEFINITIONS:
Schadenfreude (135)
Notoriety (136)
Indemnification (137)
Resuscitated
(139)
Narcissistic (140)
Surreptitiously (142)
Imbroglios (142)
Derision (143)
Obliquely (143)
Pundit (145)
Bonus:
Prufrockian (139)
QUESTIONS:
Answer TWO of the following…
Q1: Far from
simply calling out men for misogyny in this essay, Lewinsky also singles out the cruel indifference of other women. What charges does she level at her fellow women, and why
does she feel that women—even women known as feminists—were so eager to throw
her under the bus?
Q2: How does
Lewinksy’s essay directly respond, in some sense, to Amanda Hess’? Though Hess
is talking about on-line stalking and Lewinsky is discussing a pre-internet
scandal, how are the two related? In other words, how might one essay help us
understand the other?
Q3: Why does
Lewinsky’s name keep coming up in the “national conversation?” What does she
represent for both political parties, and why does she characterize
this continuing attention as “abuse”?
Q4; According to
Lewinksy, quoting the historian Nicolaus Mills, we have entered a “culture of
humiliation.” What caused this? Did new technology, like the internet, create
this? Or was it already here, and factors of modern life have merely
intensified it? How does her story exemplify this “culture of humiliation”?
Vocabulary
ReplyDelete1. Schadenfreude- satisfaction or pleasure felt at someone else's misfortune.
2. Notoriety- the state, quality, or character of being notorious or widely known.
3. Indemnification- something that serves to indemnify; compensation.
4. Resuscitated- to revive, especially from apparent death or from unconsciousness.
5. Narcissistic- having an undue fascination with oneself; vain.
6. Surreptitiously- obtained, done, made, etc., by stealth; secret or unauthorized; clandestine.
7. Imbroglios- a misunderstanding, disagreement, etc., of a complicated or bitter nature, as between persons or nations.
8. Derision- ridicule; mockery
9. Obliquely- in an oblique manner or direction.
10. Pundit- a learned person, expert, or authority.
11. Prufrockian- Of or relating to The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, a poem by T. S. Eliot, published 1915, marked by weariness, regret, embarrassment, and longing.
Questions
Q2. Lewinsky’s essay responds to Amanda Hess’ through the fact of people endlessly shaming women. Although Bill Clinton was equally involved in this relationship, Lewinsky received a majority of the flack. Partly because she was not the president, and partly because she was the other woman. By linking these essays together we see how differently woman can be treated in this world.
Q4. We have entered a “culture of humiliation” very easily. A majority of the internet is embarrassing pictures and videos of people. Our society thrives on the embarrassment of others so we can direct the embarrassment away from ourselves. I am sure humiliation was a big part of live before the internet, but this new way of life has intensified that. Lewinsky’s story is a perfect example of our “culture of humiliation.” She felt that she should hide under a rock for ten years because of the embarrassment she faced. Although I do not agree with her actions, I must ask myself why she was forced into that much humiliation, and yet the Clinton Family gets to move on with their lives like nothing ever happened.
Schadenfreude- pleasure derived by someone from another person's misfortune.
ReplyDeleteNotoriety- the state of being famous or well known for some bad quality or deed.
Indemnification- compensation.
Resuscitated- make active or vigorous again.
Narcissistic- an inflated sense of self importance.
Surreptitiously-kept secret.
Imbroglios- an extremely embarrassing situation.
Derision- contemptuous ridicule or mockery
Obliquely- not in a direct way; indirectly
Pundit- an expert in a particular subject or field.
Prufrockian- Ties to the poem The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Eliot
Q1.Lewinsky's past actions call for ridicule, but she was thrown under the bus by feminists because what she did goes against what they stand for and by mocking her, they show that they don't approve of what she has done.
Q4. I think that the culture of humiliation was already here, things like the internet just jump started it with sites like Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, etc.... While there are some people who get enjoyment out of the humiliation of others, there are the group that would take it too far if humiliated and do things that could be dangerous to themselves or those around them. Her story proved this when how every time she tried something everyone referred back to the scandal she had with Clinton in '98.
Cameron Corbin “Shame and Survival”
ReplyDeleteDefinitions:
Schadenfreude- pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others
Notoriety- the state of being famous or well known for some bad quality or deed
Indemnification- the act of compensating someone for harm or loss
Resuscitated- to have revived someone from unconsciousness or apparent death
Narcissistic- having an excessive or erotic interest in oneself
Surreptitiously- to have kept secret out of fear of rejection
Imbroglios- an extremely confused, complicated, or embarrassing situation
Derision- contemptuous ridicule or mockery
Obliquely- not in a direct way
Pundit- an expert in a particular field or subject who is frequently called on to give opinions about it to the public
Prufrockian- resembling middle class conformity
Questions:
2. Amanda Hess and Monica Lewinsky’s articles are very similar in the fact that they call out our modern culture as being very favorable towards males. They definitely point out various aspects of the world we live in as being misogynist. Reading the essays together helps one better grasp the full extent in which our culture is misogynist.
3. I think Monica Lewinsky’s name keeps coming up in the national conversation because of the time period in which it happened. The 90’s were a very pleasant time period; wars were limited, the world economy was good, and the American middle class was growing at its fastest rate in nearly 50 years. There was not as much negative news comparatively, and as a result this made the Monica Lewinsky scandal seem like a much bigger deal than it in reality was.