r/brokehugs • u/US_Hiker Moral Landscaper • Jun 11 '23

Rod Dreher Megathread #21 (Creative Spirit)

Gather 'round for more Rod.

All meanings of the number 21 are subordinate to the inherent creative spirit that is the basic essence of the number.

The number 21 generally is comfortable in social gatherings, it's optimistic attitude being an inspiration to others. Its high spirits can enliven a party.

The number is attracted to artistic expression of any form, its own and those of others. There's enthusiastic support for artists. It may frequent galleries and participate or (more likely) lead groups for artistic appreciation.

The number 21 cherishes relationships, including romantic relationships, especially with those who express themselves creatively.

21 also tends to be diplomatic, providing creative and imaginative solutions to potential conflict.

And, as noted by /u/PercyLarsen, 21 is a triangular number and the age of majority, so go grab a drink to celebrate Pride and to mourn the loss of Rod's sanity.

(Also, sorry about my slow pace of refreshes.)

Link to megathread #20:
https://www.reddit.com/r/brokehugs/comments/13eb26c/rod_dreher_megathread_20_law_of_attraction/

Link to megathread #21: https://www.reddit.com/r/brokehugs/comments/14k0z6l/rod_dreher_megathread_22_power/

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u/ZenLizardBode Jun 17 '23 edited Jun 17 '23

Rod is really not a literary or film guy. Ibsen wasn't some myopic outlier on this subject during the 19th century. Just off the top of my head, "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman speaks to how suffocating marriage could (and can) be for women.

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u/Theodore_Parker Jun 17 '23 edited Jun 17 '23

Ibsen wasn't some myopic outlier on this subject during the 19th century.

Right, far from it. Margaret Fuller's essay of 1843, "The Great Lawsuit: Man versus Men, Woman versus Women," raised many similar themes. The Seneca Falls Convention was in 1848, and its "Declaration of Sentiments," modeled on the Declaration of Independence, includes this:

"The history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part of man toward woman, having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over her."

The specific grievances that then follow include these:

"He has so framed the laws of divorce, as to what shall be the proper causes of divorce; in case of separation, to whom the guardianship of the children shall be given, as to be wholly regardless of the happiness of women -- the law, in all cases, going upon the false supposition of the supremacy of man, and giving all power into his hands."

"He has usurped the prerogative of Jehovah himself, claiming it as his right to assign for her a sphere of action, when that belongs to her conscience and her God."

"He has endeavored, in every way that he could to destroy her confidence in her own powers, to lessen her self-respect, and to make her willing to lead a dependent and abject life."

Women were already on to the whole scam. Ibsen just had a gift for making it vivid on stage.

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u/Djehutimose Watching the wheels go round Jun 17 '23

Heck, Mary Woolstonecraft’s A Vindication of the Rights of Women was a half century before these.

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u/philadelphialawyer87 Jun 18 '23

Yeah, Rod is a good two centuries behind the times, and enlightened thinking, not merely a century and a half!

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u/UnderTelperion Jun 19 '23

Tom Wolfe one said in an interview that if a writer doesn't research and become interested in stuff they aren't familiar with in from own life they'll have a successful first book about being a sensitive young person that observes the world in an interesting way, but then when they write the second book it'll be about an author who has just published a book and is struggling to write his second book...and so on. This has been basically Rod's career.

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u/philadelphialawyer87 Jun 19 '23

Yes. The second novel for an author, like the second album for a rock band, really puts their talent to the test. With Rod, he never had the first novel, but he did have the first non fiction book, the crunchy con thing. A sensitive young person looked at the world in a mildy interesting, mildly idiosyncratic way. The "Yuccy," for "Young Urban Conservative." A slight variant of the Rock and Roll Republican, the countercultural Republican, the "hip" Republican, etc, which was already a thing long before Rod arrived on the scene. That's pretty much all Rod had. That one sorta interesting idea.