I think it's funny that Carol essentially represents a very common writer/creative trope in media and one of the reasons people are having trouble empathizing with it is because she is a woman (and arguably queer).
It is literally such a stereotype in shows\movies etc. for a creative to disparage their work despite having success. And people are convinced she is legit miserable and hates her fans when her actions indicate otherwise.
She likes her work! I have seen this spoken about in numerous interviews. Look at her cabinet full of copies, look at the way she is eager to find out if she made top 20, shuffling around for Helen's phone in the ice hotel. I also don't think it supposed to be acting when you see the liveliness and enthusiasm on her face while she is reading an excerpt from Bloodsong of Wycaro to her fans.
Despite being at the end of the tour, you still see her writing full length messages while signing and engaging with them.
In the interviews Rhea and Vance have talked about how "She doesn't hate her fans. She hates herself." This is why she calls her fans "dummies." What she is actually saying is 'why would you fall for an imposter like me? You must be a fool, a dummy.'
They have also said she puts down her success because she is afraid of the stakes. If she acknowledges how great it is to have such success, that means she could also lose it.
In the scene with Hivemind Larry, he brings up Moira McAllister and Carol says:
Oh but look who KEPT the "dumb" hat?
Who was holding back tears when Larry told her that her fantasy world literally kept the woman who knitted that hat from killing herself?
If you are familiar with fandom spaces, you know these kinds of stories aren't melodrama. The fandom spaces that are notoriously filled with disabled people, neurodivergent people, queer people, who have been excluded or felt like outliers, relying on fantasy to keep them going. Carol is touched by finding this out. That is why she pulls that hat out shortly after that conversation while in a drugged/impaired state.
C'mon, this is legit such a common trope. In many ways, it is stereotypical marriage of writer and imposter syndrome (and hey I am enjoying it.) I just find it crazy that there seems to be a certain group of people (other websites really, not here) completely taking the things she says at face value like she just hates the world. We have seen this play out in so many other stories. Why is the assumption that she is just a horrible, miserable woman rather than the typical brooding artist?
If she hated the world, she would be happy seeing everyone reduced to drones that she could take advantage or order at her whim. That, so far, isn't what we have witnessed though— have we?
Anyways happy episode 6 release day! Can't wait for 9pm EST!
annaxmalina
dailybridgerton
romaincrisis
dededos
vaporwave
turnnoffyourmind
