>> Her most common playmate in most installments is her brother (in this series a few years younger). Beyond that, she seems to get along well with her father and uncle. However, if she doesn't commonly have same-age playmates that would affect her social skills somewhat.<<
Wednesday may also be used to her family accommodating her in ways she doesn't really notice, until other people don't and relations break down as a result.
>>I think of "inappropriate affect" as a social/cultural thing: smiling while apologizing or cheering at a funeral are inappropriate social behaviors in mainstream American culture, though they may be a perfectly accurate representation of someone's feelings in-the-moment.<<
Exactly. They're entirely about other people's expectations. Folks like Wednesday, who rarely match anyone else's expectations, are highly prone to say, "Fine, fuck you all, I'll stay alone where I can be myself."
>> If emotional expression garners an unpleasant response from others, than the person may end up hiding them.<<
Very true, although Wednesday doesn't seem to struggle with repression the way most people do with that approach.
>> Given Wednesdays unconventional interests and preferences, she may have just put most of her feelings where people won't use them as an excuse to bother her.<<
Possibly true, although look at how she handled Nero's loss: deciding not to cry because it didn't change anything, rather than because it made her a target. That also strongly implies she doesn't experience emotions the usual way, since most people find crying a relief of pressure -- that's why it exists.
>> (The whole "Women are good at emotional labor" thing can't be helping, either.) <<
Yeah, that premise lasts a fast 5 seconds in Wednesday's presence. Or mine. Well, I'm not a woman, but people often think I am, and then are surprised and disappointed when I refuse to do or am glaringly bad at things I told them so. Or when I jump up and hit things.
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dancing_serpent
Thoughts
Date: 2023-03-27 06:50 am (UTC)Wednesday may also be used to her family accommodating her in ways she doesn't really notice, until other people don't and relations break down as a result.
>>I think of "inappropriate affect" as a social/cultural thing: smiling while apologizing or cheering at a funeral are inappropriate social behaviors in mainstream American culture, though they may be a perfectly accurate representation of someone's feelings in-the-moment.<<
Exactly. They're entirely about other people's expectations. Folks like Wednesday, who rarely match anyone else's expectations, are highly prone to say, "Fine, fuck you all, I'll stay alone where I can be myself."
>> If emotional expression garners an unpleasant response from others, than the person may end up hiding them.<<
Very true, although Wednesday doesn't seem to struggle with repression the way most people do with that approach.
>> Given Wednesdays unconventional interests and preferences, she may have just put most of her feelings where people won't use them as an excuse to bother her.<<
Possibly true, although look at how she handled Nero's loss: deciding not to cry because it didn't change anything, rather than because it made her a target. That also strongly implies she doesn't experience emotions the usual way, since most people find crying a relief of pressure -- that's why it exists.
>> (The whole "Women are good at emotional labor" thing can't be helping, either.) <<
Yeah, that premise lasts a fast 5 seconds in Wednesday's presence. Or mine. Well, I'm not a woman, but people often think I am, and then are surprised and disappointed when I refuse to do or am glaringly bad at things I told them so. Or when I jump up and hit things.