Status Updates From Heroes, Villains, and Heali...

"Oooh, this book has some good assignments. I especially like the chapter about changing your thoughts - as the book has concrete suggestions and examples, rather than just saying: "Stop thinking like that" and leaving it there."

This book gives me so much to think about. About survivors & victims, but also about abusers & spectators, and the language society in general uses when refering to abusive situations. I have felt a bit distanced for a big part of the book, since it constantly says: ”This is for MEN, not for you”. But I think that distance has also ironically made it easier to reflect on my own experiences. Very worthwhile.

Oh woww, this is dark. Maybe it goes without saying that this book about child sexual abuse needs a huge TW, but I’ll say it anyway. Especially now, 70% into the book, as the author described in detail what happened to himself as a child.

I find it very confusing that the author keeps talking about how ”survivors = heroes” and ”victims = villains”, while at the same time clamouring about how we can only heal through getting rid of black and white thinking. I wonder if he means that once people are healed, the are no longer either one of them?

I don’t know HOW many times the author have managed to squeeze in ”As a male survivor of child sexual abuse…” in these mere 3,5 hours. The sheer repetition makes this feel like the school project of a kid at times. It’s a shame, since the subject of the book itself is both interesting, and important to talk about. I wonder if the repetition is intentional, to make survivors feel more valid or something.

”More confused than ever, the doorbell rings.”

I’m no expert in English, but there are many weird phrasings in this book. 🤨

”A villain is just a victim whose story hasn’t been told.”

(The author was quoting someone else here, but it’s a good quote nontheless)

So far it’s a very interesting read. I’ve thought a lot about trauma and identifying with certain anime tropes, but this is the first time I get to deep-dive into a similiar take on American superheroes. The book is explicitly written by men for men, which provides an interesting perspective while also… Lacking nuance? It highlights to me how much of our patterns are due to socializing, regardless of gender.