u/Far-Building3569

Documentaries first exploded into many different types of audiences in the early 2000s, and I truly feel it to be a multifaceted media form. You can learn new information, see other cultures/lifestyles, and get entertained all at the same time

These are the documentaries that have stuck with me most from teenage hood to now- including the accurate links and why I recommend each video:

1. Women attracted to inanimate objects (Married to the Eiffel Tower- 2008)

LINK: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xInWMRzEan8&pp=ygUgYXR0cmFjdGVkIHRvIG9iamVjdHMgZG9jdW1lbnRhcnk%3D&ra=m

Why I recommend: What sounds like an absolute joke is the reality of less than 1,000 people worldwide. By following these women around the objects they’re attracted to, you get an inside look at one of the rarest paraphilias 

2. Liberian civil war (The Cannibal Warlords of Liberia- 2012)

LINK: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRuSS0iiFyo&pp=QACIAgHKBRhsaWJlcmlhIGRvY3VtZW50c3J5IHZpY2XSBwkJXADH7Pc6PqE%3D&rco=1&ra=m

Why I recommend: Filmed in a reality tv style, this is truly one of the craziest documentaries ever made.  Liberia has been through so much as a country- between the influx of African American immigrants, collapse of the economy, and even a civil war. This film follows famous guérilla warlords (such as “General Butt Naked”) in order to capture the reality of Liberia’s jails, hotels, streets, churches, and war torn history 

3. Crossdressers in Pakistan (The Open Secret- 2011)

LINK: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cvehhXaFh8U&pp=ygUgcGFraXN0YW4gdHJhbnNnZW5kZXIgZG9jdW1lbnRhcnk%3D&ra=m

Why I recommend: Pakistan is a conservative and Muslim society, but not everyone feels comfortable in those ideals. This film follows crossdressers in Karachi through various parts of their lives (family dynamics, dating, forced prostitution, the risk of HIV/AIDS, secret cliques, etc) as well as highlighting the debate between supporters of “Hijra” (a third gender in South Asia) and opposition of these alternative lifestyles 

4. Ideal age of parenting (Cherry Has a Baby- 2010)

LINK: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qPG_1p_rf5E&pp=ygUZY2hlcnJ5IGhlYWxleSBkb2N1bWVudGFyedIHCQk6CwGHKiGM7w%3D%3D&ra=m

Why I recommend: Pregnant journalist, Cherry Healey, is asking all the deep questions before becoming a mother herself. By meeting expectant moms aged 15-46, she strives to answer if there’s a “best age” to become a parent 

5. Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (When I Walk- 2013)

LINK: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=puCk6FPHTeg&pp=ygUXd2hlbiBpIHdhbGsgZG9jdW1lbnRhcnk%3D&ra=m

Why I recommend: One of the most honest and linear documentaries I’ve ever seen. Filmmaker Jason DaSilva documents his entire experience after being diagnosed with PPMS in 2006.Over the years, he also becomes an entrepreneur, husband (now divorced), and father all while navigating waning mobility and a loss of independence in New York City 

6. Born Again Virgins (True Love Waits Movement- 1995)

LINK: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DPQNO_rMYnQ&pp=ygUiV2FpdGluZyB1bnRpbCBtYXJyaWFnZSBkb2NpbWVudGFyeQ%3D%3D&ra=m

Why I recommend: This is truly a time capsule into vintage evangelical America. The true love waits movement convinced a bunch of teenagers living a wild lifestyle to be “reborn” as Christian’s- including a vow of celibacy until they’re old enough to marry. By following mostly teenagers in church youth groups during this film, viewers get to see what “the youth” were thinking and going through on their religious journeys in real time 

7. Colombia crazy drug (World’s Scariest Drug- 2012)

LINK: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ToQ8PWYnu04&pp=0gcJCUACo7VqN5tD&ra=m

Why I recommend: The illegal use of Scopolamine is sadly not too rare of a phenomenon in the Colombia crime world, but many foreigners have never heard of such a thing. Found inside a flower referred to as “devil’s breath,” scopolamine produces a high similar to a state of hypnosis and can lead victims very vulnerable to being taken advantage of 

 8) Disabled Dating (Disabled and Looking for Love- 2006)

LINK: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ofzxzBRpKFM&pp=ygUbRGlzYWJsZWQgZGF0aW5nIGRvY3VtZW50YXJ5&ra=m

Why I recommend: Everyone wants to form deep connections in life, but society usually completely ignores profoundly disabled people who are going through the dating process. By following 4 individuals (Nick, Oldooz, Simon, and Clifford) viewers get a first look experience at the obstacles of finding a spouse while being disabled 

9. Genius Daniel Tammet (Brainman- 2005)

LINK: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf3-el-dJAw&pp=ygUZZGFuaWVsIHRhbW1ldCBkb2N1bWVudGFyeQ%3D%3D&ra=m

Why I recommend: I definitely find this to be the best savant documentary. Daniel Tammet does have autism, but he doesn’t spend the whole video wallowing about his disability or profiting off of sensationalism. By aiming to memorize many digits of pi, he’s genuinely using his interests productively 

10. Celebrity Superfans (Tom Felton Meets the Superfans-2015)

LINK:  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bt4-Tmb8khU&pp=ygUedG9tIGZlbHRvbiBtZWV0cyB0aGUgc3VwZXJmYW5z&ra=

Why I recommend: Tom Felton (Harry Potter Series) had a unique opportunity of being in one of the most famous franchises before the age of 13. In this film, he shows ordinary people a side of celebrity culture that is often underestimated by the general public 

11. American Poverty (America’s Poorest Kids- 2012)
    LINK: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mIyQ6zCjaP8&ra=m

Why I recommend: Most discussions about economics take on an either theoretical or heatedly political tone. By following around families with young children, viewers get to see how being impoverished longterm affects your quality of life in multiple aspects 

12. Orthodox Jewish Shidduch (A Match Made in Heaven- 2014)
    LINK: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kIaxkD8K-fg&t=3205s&pp=ygUYbmVpZ2hib3Job29kIGRvY3VtZW50YXJ5&ra=m

Why I recommend: Marriage is the backbone of a family’s future, and the Orthodox Jewish community goes about it in their own way. Despite these communities being notoriously insular, viewers get to see Jewish singles of different backgrounds flounder to find “the one” 

13. Eccentric people (Celebrating Eccentrics- 2015)
    LINK: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jm4Dez8pwhc&pp=ygUcRWNjZW50cmljIHBlb3BsZSBkb2N1bWVudGFyeQ%3D%3D&ra=m

Why I recommend: A lot of people pride themselves on being a bit weird, but some people go against the grain far more than most. A guy living in a cave without money, a “fun” political candidate trying to make England more lighthearted, and a lady completely besotted with ducks are only a few of the participants in a film striving to replace mockery with a recognition of underlying humanity in every soul

14. Mormon polygamy (Meet the Mormons- 2017)
    LINK: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CQxJIDSi0Sg&t=333s&pp=ygUbTW9ybW9uIHBvbHlnYW15IGRvY3VtZW50YXJ5&ra=m

Why I recommend: This video follows two polygamist families living in the Rockland Ranch compound in Southern Utah. Unlike many other FLDS programs, I find this one to be more upfront about their community’s beliefs, as well as showing their lives in a less sensationalized way. Sadly, tragedy struck with the Foster’s (the first family) later on. Baby Adonijah died in a house fire, and Lydia (the third wife) suffered a car accident causing severe injuries and a miscarriage. Abel Morrison has also married a 4th wife (Menna- a cousin of Marina, the third wife)  

15. Alternative Families (Extreme Parenting with Lisa Ling- 2011)  
    LINK: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=09bfFyESYJo&pp=ygUlbGlzYSBsaW5nIHRpZ2VyIHBhcmVudGludCBkb2N1bWVudGFyedIHCQk6CwGHKiGM7w%3D%3D&ra=m

Why I recommend: Being a parent is always going to bring unsolicited advice, but these individuals just don’t care. Whether it’s being a free range parent who “un-schools” the youngsters in their family, a tiger parent grooming their children for the Ivy Leagues, or even a pageant mom, journalist Lisa Ling strives to show America the reality of being in a fringe family culture 

16. Eating Disorder Rehab (Thin- 2006)
    LINK: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BYAapnyJ6o4&pp=ygUgVGhpbiBlYXRpbmcgZGlzb3JkZXIgZG9jdW1lbnRhcnk%3D&ra=m

Why I recommend: This one honestly feels more like a movie than real life. The film follows 4 individuals with eating disorders (Shelly- a psychiatric nurse who uses her feeding tube as a crutch, Polly- a woman who recently survived a suicide attempt, Brittany- a teen who denies having a serious problem despite liver failure, and Alisa- a divorced mother of two determined to get better for her kids) as they struggle to overcome their demons at a rehab facility in Florida. Over the months of filming, viewers see how intelligent and funny each woman is, the friendships that are formed, and the mental disorders determined to wreak havoc for life. Sadly, Polly died by suicide in 2008

17. Amina and Sarah Said Honor Killings (The Price of Honor- 2014)
    LINK: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jvzQqqzqfXA&pp=ygUgQW1pbmEgYW5kIHNhcmFoIHNhaWQgZG9jdW1lbnRhcnk%3D&ra=m

Why I recommend: One of the most gripping and tragic documentaries. Most in the western world take for granted the concept of honor killings. Sisters Amina and Sarah Said grew up in Texas with a European-American mother and Egyptian immigrant father. After expressing a preference for America’s liberal values over Islam and the prospect of arranged marriage back in Egypt, father Yaser Said murdered both his daughters in cold blood in 2008. The combination of old footage and conversational interviews aid the impact of this film. As an update, Yaser, his son Islam, and brother Yassein are all serving prison sentences after being finally captured in 2020

18. Danny Lambo (How Does a Multimillionaire Playboy Spend his Money- 2023)
    LINK: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BH_0XyVS0PM&pp=ygUXRGFubnkgbGFtYm8gZG9jdW1lbnRhcnk%3D&ra=m

Why I recommend: One of the most superficial seeming guys on earth actually has an interesting story. After a failed pop star career in Japan, Danny went fully off the rails and officially became a “playboy.” Now the owner of 9 Lamborghinis, Danny greatly enjoys street racing with his sports car friends. Through this video, viewers get a feel for his history as a luxury hotelier, failure to re-launch his music career, the beauty pageant industry, Danny’s struggle to gain custody of his son, and even his love of “boat bunnies.” Interestingly, Danny converted to Islam in 2024, but his lifestyle has stayed the same 

 19) Conversion Therapy (Cure me; I’m Gay- 2014)
LINK: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=T6X2kSHxPhg&t=2434s&pp=ygUbQ3VyZSBNZSBJJ20gR2F5IGRvY3VtZW50YXJ5&ra=m

Why I recommend: What may sound like rage bait to many was actually a small-scale medical experiment. Infectious disease doctor Christian Jessen is proud to live a gay lifestyle but opts to go through conversion therapy to see the effects (if any) it has on him. After several procedures, Dr Jessen travels to meet with leaders of the “ex gay” movement 

20. Owning Pet Monkeys (My Child is a Monkey-2010)
    LINK: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dAPE5JHlGUM&pp=ygUdT3duaW5nIHBldCBtb25rZXkgZG9jdW1lbnRhcnk%3D&ra=m

Why I recommend: We often hear about celebrities keeping wild things in captivity, yet these people are totally pedestrian. Despite the massive time commitment of owning a primate, as well as the risk of aggression, these families are fully convinced their furry friends deserve a place in the family 

21. Ancient Mexico (Engineering an Empire- 2006)
    LINK: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bK4ypIfEkjg&ra=m

Why I recommend: One of the least boring historical documentaries by a long shot. The Aztec Empire was one of the most advanced in the pre-modern world but constantly gets overshadowed by other civilizations (Egyptian, Roman, Greek, etc.) The combination of historians, CGI, and actors keep it fresh (although, I once saw an even better Aztec documentary I sadly can’t find anymore) 

I’m also really forward to hearing what documentaries you really like and why. Thanks for participating :)

I’ve been using survey apps since March 2026 and am so grateful to be making the extra cash

After first buying myself some stuff on Amazon with the money, I’m now saving up for specific, longterm purchases (an electric wheelchair, a house, and a new car)

I understand no survey app is going to pay you thousands and thousands, but I need to be able to make over $1 a day, and to cash out my earnings successfully in less than 3 months each time 

EUREKA has been the best for me so far, ATTAPOLL is ok but a bit disappointing, BRANDED is smaller scale earnings but still fine, I quit JUSTPLAY because it was only paying me around $0.05 every 4 hours, and PROLIFIC never approved me from the waitlist 

What other survey apps (if any) would you use, and do you have any other advice for me? 

Thanks so much for the guidance :)

Christopher Reeves- Christopher tragically became a quadriplegic in 1995 after falling off a horse 

Stephen Hawking- Stephen Hawking managed to live in a wheelchair for a whopping 50+ years after an ALS diagnosis aged 21

Selma Blair- Selma Blair has started using a cane after a multiple sclerosis diagnosis 

Tim Curry- Tim Curry suffered a severe stroke in 2012 and has been wheelchair bound ever since while he continues to accept voice acting roles  

Cherylee Houston- British soap opera star Cherylee Houston has been a disability rights activist for her entire acting career 

Eric Dane- Eric Dane spent the final years of his life in a wheelchair after a fatal ALS diagnosis 

Ali Stroker- Ali Stroker broke major barriers in 2015 when she became the first Broadway actor to be confined to a wheelchair 

Christina Applegate- Christina Applegate has been open about her use of a cane since her multiple sclerosis diagnosis 

 Michael J Fox- Michael J Fox has started publicly utilizing canes, walkers, and wheelchairs after breaking several bones due to the instability of walking with Parkinson’s Disease 

Elizabeth Taylor- Elizabeth Taylor greatly struggled with her mobility in later years after having compression fractures in her back and needing a hip replacement 

Franklin D Roosevelt- FDR was a paraplegic after contracting polio, but he used crutches and leg braces in public to hide the true severity of his disability from the public eye 

Frida Kahlo- Frida Kahlo eventually became a full time wheelchair user years after shattering her pelvis in a trolley bus accident 

Which celebrity has inspired you the most? 

While both Buddy and Duff have expanded into multi-hyphenate business moguls in the years since they first went on air (including competing together on Buddy vs Duff), I wanted to know people’s opinions on the original shows as someone who grew up watching them but never watched their other television ventures 

For context:

Bartolo “Buddy” Valastro is a New Jersey baker in charge of the family run Carlo’s Bakery after the death of his father.  The bakery places a large emphasis on traditional techniques (like piping by hand), very indulgent fillings-like buttercream and chocolate fudge, heirloom recipes, and mainstay pastries in addition to the specialty cake orders 

Buddy worked with his 4 sisters, cousins, and brother in laws at the bakery, so Cake Boss regularly showed family milestones and blowout fights 

Despite facing several setbacks (a hernia surgery, a hand injury, a DUI, etc) Valastro’s family continued to successfully work for the Hoboken/Manhattan community 

Jeffrey “Duff” Goldman is a Baltimore/Los Angeles baker who began running Charm City Cakes in 2002 after finishing pastry school. Duff hired many of his friends from university and the undercover music scene to make up his hardworking staff

Charm City placed an emphasis on highly artistic, massively sized cakes with special effects and often used traditional engineering techniques to create the masterpieces 

While Ace of Cakes showed much less of Duff and his employees’ personal lives than Cake Boss, the staff often worked at a more relaxed pace and would show the changes that happened in the bakery over time (such as building a basement and buying an ice cream freezer)

Duff definitely didn’t limit himself to the DMV community. In contrast to Buddy, Goldman got many celebrity chef aligned opportunities early in his career- whether making terracotta warriors for National Geographic, a cake for the New York stock exchange, cakes for three Harry Potter premieres, and more 

Now that you’ve had a refresher on both guys and shows, I’m looking to hear your honest thoughts on both

Feel free to explain your reasoning :)

I only lightly follow the news of the Baldwin family/Alec and Hilaria, so please do not be overly harsh with me

 Alec and Stephen Baldwin are both famous Hollywood actors who have been in show business for over 30 years. While they’ve had some clashes (namely over differing political and religious beliefs) the brothers seem to maintain a degree of closeness and were even involved in a car crash together in October 2025

Stephen has been married to Brazilian graphic designer Kennya (Deodato) for 37 years and has two daughters with her, while Alec has had two marriages (Kim Basinger: 1993-2002; Hilaria Hayward Thomas: 2012-present) and has 8 children in total

However, there are some factors that lead me to believe things may be very awkward between the lady Baldwin’s 

Kennya is only 2 years younger than her longtime husband, while Hilaria shares a whopping 26 year age gap with Alec that she once called “a flex” to people magazine 

Kennya lives a fairly quiet life with no social media presence and seems to remain largely out of the public eye (the last major story between Stephen and Kennya was when he was accused of cheating on her with his Venezuelan masseuse in 2018), while Hilaria has 1 million instagram followers and has featured on several reality tv shows (“The Baldwin’s”), DWTS, World’s Dumbest etc 

Then, there’s the ethnic aspect. Kennya is obviously a real Brazilian national (her father was even a famous composer in her native country) while Hilaria was caught in December 2020 of pretending to be Spanish for over a decade- including creating a fake accent and pretending to forget words like “cucumber”

Beyond that is the family aspect. Hilaria has repeatedly admitted to the public that she has a great relationship with her stepdaughter (Ireland) and wants their whole family unit to remain close. Meanwhile, Stephen and Kennya’s daughter (Hailey) admitted she’s “not super close” with her parents in 2024.Additionally, it’s always possible that Kennya and Hilaria have gotten stuck in the middle, or even pressured to pick sides, in the arguments Alec and Stephen have had over the years 

Basically, things seem like they’d be awkward between Hilaria and Kennya from my vantage point, but I wanted to know more information/your thoughts on the matter as well :)

Yes, I did put random stock images on this post. I’ve noticed posts with pictures get better responses than one’s without 😂

My birthday is this week, and I’m looking for inspiration/funny stories of things you like to receive

So far, I’ve gotten two paperback books from my aunt

I’m thinking of asking my dad to set me up a high yield saving’s account at our bank (so I don’t have to do the work lol), to clean out a junk room in our house (so I can use it as a study), and to get lunch or dinner from a restaurant

Those gifts are basically free/very cheap though, so I’m looking for further inspiration or just to learn what different people like

I haven’t requested any gifts in around 7 years or so now and would get stupid stuff like socks, cameos from shows I used to watch as a little kid, or a printed family picture as a result

I’m not a materialistic person, but I do feel birthday’s are an excuse to ask for certain items/experiences you wouldn’t easily be able to get on your own

Thanks so much for reading and replying :)

Medicare/Medicaid completed a research study to find the average ER waiting room times by state in 2024

For the Americans on here, how well does this match your lived experience?

LINK: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-emergency-room-visit-times-by-state/

Brokeback Mountain is an American western adapted from the 1997 short story by the same name

In the film, the two main characters (Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist) are working class cowboys hired as ranch hands up on the fictional Wyoming mountain away from most civilization during the summer of 1963. Far from a quick romp in the sun, the two men strike up a lifelong homosexual affair 

The longterm infidelity, overt depiction of gay sex, and a hate crime scene proved to be more controversial than anything else being shown in theaters at the time 

Brokeback Mountain was banned in China, Russia, Malaysia, UAE, and the Bahamas over “spreading gay propaganda”

In the US, the movie was removed from Utah cinema chain Megaplex and also banned in Massachusetts’ Norfolk men’s prison over “graphic content” concerns 

Actor Ernest Borgnine spoke out about the direction of westerns- even going as far as to claim “John Wayne must be fuming in his coffin” over the way midcentury American cowboys were being emasculated. Mark Wahlberg was also asked by director Ang Lee to audition for a lead role but got “too creeped out” after reading 15 pages of the script and ultimately turned down the opportunity 

The American Family Association also held an unsuccessful protest campaign to get the DVD’s removed from Walmart shelves- writing that the movie was “Neo-Marxist homosexual propaganda intended to normalize subversive sexual ethics” 

Despite such strong opposition, Brokeback Mountain is now a cult classic that won three Oscar’s and was even turned into an opera that premiered in Madrid, Spain in 2014

Now 21 years old, Brokeback Mountain is often now considered a “quintessential LGBT movie” by supportive fans

LINK: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0388795/

 I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts as well :)

Survey was completed by Budget Direct in 2020: https://www.mentalfloss.com/geography/maps/cats-vs-dogs-map-shows-which-pet-world-prefers

Do you prefer cats, dogs, or a completely different animal?

I have a difficult hair texture. I accept who I am, but that doesn’t mean I can’t daydream (obviously none of these people are me lmao)

If I had straight hair, I’d cut it to my shoulders or grow it longer and cut bangs/fringe

If I had spirally curls, I’d grow them as long as possible

If I had light brown colored hair, I’d dye it in a way that actually looks natural

And so on….

So, I’m curious… are there styles you wish you could pull off but don’t suit your natural features?

Don’t get it twisted. Even independent films can be just as shocking and major blockbusters

Described by critics as “Lord of the Flies with skateboards,” Kids takes place over a single day in Manhattan with a troubled friend group that includes Telly (16 years old), Jennie (16 years old), Ruby (15 years old), and Darcy (13 years old)

The movie explores many hot button issues- including teenagers experimenting with their sexualities, casual drug use, petty crime, and (of course) HIV/AIDS in a time before the disease could be found undetectable on blood tests

In particular, I find the free clinic scenes, the emotional neglect Telly experiences from his mom, and the things Jennie sees at the house party to be most controversial

As this film is over 30 years old, it’s often forgotten about despite it’s controversial nature

LINK: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113540/

As such, I’m really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on Kids :)

While I don’t have the ability to draw/paint beautiful creations, I’ve always been able to appreciate beautiful art

Robert Gonsalves (1959-2017) was a Canadian painter who was inspired to create magical realism paintings after being inspired by progressive rock albums and Victorian architecture around Toronto

To me, Gonsalves’ work with optic illusions and muted color palettes reminds me a lot of the dreamcore aesthetic, as well as daydreams I’ve had and even popular fantasy novels

If you have a favorite artist in terms of their creative aesthetic, please share about the creator/pics of the artwork!!!

The Skin I Live in is a Spanish thriller adapted from the 1984 French novel Tarantula (Mygale)

While I’m obviously not going to spoil the plot twists, a male plastic surgeon spends decades trying to design a special type of skin immune to burns and insect bites

He keeps a victim held captive in his house to try medical experiments on, but the reality of the situation is much more shocking than this

I honestly feel this film would be much more controversial today than it was 15 years ago but am looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the matter :)

LINK: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1189073/

Obviously, these aren’t pictures of my childhood home/family, and obviously I’m only asking people fortunate enough to grow up with homeowner parents (vs a rented apartment, trailer, motel room, etc)

If there was a way to either live with your parents forever, inherit the house outright after they die, or buy the house with your own money… how would you honestly feel about the idea?

I’m not looking to hear blanket doomerism statements like “In this economy blah blah blah” or “I hate my parents”

If you had the opportunity, would you take it and why?

A few months ago, I decided to follow booktuber/bookstagrammer Pens and Poison (Liza Libes) because I thought she was a beautiful woman with a unique aesthetic and appreciated how she focused on classic literature vs solely trendy “booktok” stuff

She’s a fairly prominent influencer, as she has a sub stack page, 45k+ YouTube subscribers and 125k Instagram followers

To clarify more, Liza is a Soviet American Jew who graduated from Columbia University, started her own essay writing company, has published three books of her own, and is absolutely obsessed with classics (especially Dostoyevsky in a major way)

Her “calling card” arguments (how she came to appreciate America as an immigrant, viewing historical literature through a historical lens when it comes to racism, that artwork doesn’t need to be inherently political) all make sense. But then… Liza does the opposite of what she claims to believe in

Not only does Liza say some confusing blanket statements about novels (that Sally Rooney is the worst person to ever be published, that long books are always better than short, that any book published today will go “into the trashcan” within 10 years since it’s too trendy, that publishers never read classic literature, etc) but she also seems to be PUSHING political rhetoric while claiming to want the opposite

Whether it’s watching random videos of a polyamorous YouTuber and berating her for “ruining” Anna Karenina, telling people to read political non fiction works like Sartre and Ayn Rand, claiming all mainstream publishing companies are “blacklisting” novels with conservative and religious themes, claiming that all US universities are blatantly pushing “Marxism, nihilism, and socialism” in their English classes, etc Liza seems much more like following the Ben Shapiro of literature than someone who wants to actually inspire their audience to appreciate older works of fiction

For those who are familiar with Ms Libes’ posts, do you feel she’s being intentionally deceptive or that she just developed a stronger interest in politics than literature over the past few months?

Her videos making fun of random influencers (such as what they’re learning in school, who they’re dating, etc) seem especially mean spirited to me, and I strongly wish Liza would devote more time recommending and analyzing novels from 1940 and prior than making conservatives the victim in some strange publishing conspiracy and completely holding all modern works in contempt to a cartoonish degree (especially when she literally published novels in the last decade)

Thanks so much in advance for adding your thoughts on the matter :)

Obviously, there’s a lot that can be criticized about Meri, Janelle, Christine, and Robyn (and Kody of course)

But as someone who got into this show rather recently, I wanted to start off on a more positive note of discussing what was each wife’s role in the family/things she did best

These are the things I’ve noticed, but I obviously want your feedback as well

MERI: The true head of the family

While I’m sure most polygamist families would claim the husband/father was the leader of their family, Meri really was the one who kept the house running overall

Whether it was being the human “tooth fairy” in the early years, starting the tradition of making all the kids pajamas for Christmas, disciplining children that weren’t even hers (such as yelling at Paedon- Christine’s son- when he hit Briana-Robyn’s daughter- in the eye), making decisions for the family (such as taking Garrison and Mykelti on a drive through downtown Lehi to avoid paparazzi taking photos of the younger children), getting the sister wives to go to the gym, and being the most welcoming sister wife to Robyn in the beginning… it’s clear that Meri often had more authority and discipline than anyone else in the family

JANELLE: The competent and stable wife

Both Kody, and fans/critics alike, often seem to underestimate Janelle. She might not be the most physically beautiful or comical, but she clearly seems highly intelligent

Janelle was the one in charge of being the family bookkeeper and making sure each wife’s family had the basics they needed. Janelle was the wife who most enjoyed working and said she took pride in being a “diligent worker bee.” Janelle picked the features she wanted in her Vegas home faster than any of the other wives. Her outfits were often more plain and simple compared to the other wives (especially Meri’s.) She and Kody apparently had a pretty consistent marriage/sex life compared to Meri and Christine, and she enjoyed bonding with all the children despite admitting to being a poor chef and not emotionally sentimental (such as telling Robyn she wouldn’t wake up in the middle of the night if Solomon was born)

CHRISTINE: The ultimate caretaker

If there’s any Brown woman that was basically destined to be a wife and mother regardless of religious beliefs, it’s definitely Christine

She stayed home with most of the children homeschooling them for over a decade. She would regularly cook for both her and Janelle’s 12 children and take the role of “head chef” for huge family gatherings (like 4th of July and Thanksgiving)

Christine was often the first wife to think of the children’s perspective before hers or Kody’s and advocated for her children more overtly than any other wife (such as when Truely had kidney failure or when Ysabel needed a scoliosis surgery)

She would often entertain as many children as she could (such as taking group photographs during holidays, the time she cracked an egg on the driveway, getting the kids to be active and go on hikes, etc) and Christine still maintains close family bonds with many of Janelle’s kids to this day

ROBYN: The generous spokeswoman

Robyn is by far the most criticized wife on the show, but that doesn’t mean she’s entirely demonic or evil

The most notable thing about Robyn seems to be how expressive she is about her beliefs. Robyn was the most excited to go on national news, and meet with that sociology professor, to advocate for polygamy. She also notably had several gay friends and heavily advocated for Kody, Meri, Janelle, and Christine to be more accepting of kids in their family that might want a gay marriage

The other thing was how much Robyn tried to perform generosity. While many fans definitely see her as two faced, she was willing to let her 3 oldest children live with her ex husband in their teen years if they preferred it, offered to be a surrogate for Meri, repeatedly expressed how much she wanted to be “friends” with her sister wives (and did seem to form a friendly bond with some of the older daughters in the family), and constantly expressed how much she wanted each of the wives to remain in the family

What do you think are the most noticeable things about Meri, Janelle, Christine, and Robyn?