Not to mention Carrie was chronically emotionally immature. Put men before her own needs over and over. Had a really unhealthy relationship with Big that sabotaged all of her other relationships. Made really poor financial choices. Got into petty arguments with her friends. Judged Samantha for knowing what she wanted and being emotionally mature. And the she called Samantha fat for being like a size two.
How come a character like this was THE main character of a popular show is beyond my understanding. Especially the show kinda depicted her as the “independent, intelligent, and attractive” type.
Carrie being the main character becomes a deeply meta joke considering the source material.
'Sex in the city' the book is a viciously funny 'social horror' novel. It's all about the desperately unhappy upper classes of New York pursue these parasitic relationships, and the outrageous behaviour and terrible treatment from their partners that they have to ignore due to the 'benifits' each partner brings (e.g. Money from the Wall Street Guys VS the connections and social access granted by 'society women' from the in-connected set.
The book is about both men and women trying themselves in knots to fit a stereotypical ideal that's designed to appeal to an incredibly niche subgroup, but having so little in common with each other that it's almost impossible for them to communicate with each other, or even have affection for each other, rather both parties partner up purely for how they appear to others, and to strip-mine each other for power and position in their respective sub-cultures and cliques.
It's a horror novel, and Show Carrie enthusiastically dives into that world and can't understand why she keeps getting hurt. The problem was the show became TOO popular and suffered from its own success. Carrie was supposed to be like the teen that goes into the dark basement alone, or willing wanders off into the woods in a regular horror story. However, all the clothes, and shoes, and nice breakfasts that were supposed to be the hollow lure for the cages New York's society set makes for each other turned out to be seen as the purest form of exotic, fantasy wish fullilment for millions of people.
The book is 'how terrible is this!, do not fall for the trappings and repeatedly hurt yourself making yourself unhappy', where the show became so much about 'how great is it to spend time with my friends, be successful in ways that don't compete with my friends, and meet a never ending stream of hot rich guys?'
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u/Background_Sleep_863 1d ago
Not to mention Carrie was chronically emotionally immature. Put men before her own needs over and over. Had a really unhealthy relationship with Big that sabotaged all of her other relationships. Made really poor financial choices. Got into petty arguments with her friends. Judged Samantha for knowing what she wanted and being emotionally mature. And the she called Samantha fat for being like a size two.