pop culture
Representations of mental health in pop culture; dissect and discuss popular psychology, mental illness stigmas, and media depictions.
“God-Fearing” Was the Most Powerful Control Spell Ever Cast
When most people hear “fear God,” they imagine trembling obedience — a cosmic authority waiting to punish, a sky-father with lightning in his fist. The phrase summons guilt, submission, and the dread of being wrong. But the truth is more nuanced. The distortion of that phrase — the way it has been weaponized — is one of the most powerful control spells ever cast upon humanity.
By THE HONED CRONE4 months ago in Psyche
Rising From Hell
The Alchemy of Survival: Turn the gaslight into fuel and fan your own flames 🔥 There’s a misconception that surviving abuse, betrayal, or trauma requires silence, shame, or meek compliance. That somehow, to be “good,” we must shrink into corners, lower our voice, and let the world dictate the terms of our suffering. That somehow, to survive, we must whisper, fold, and diminish ourselves until we fit inside the expectations of others.
By THE HONED CRONE4 months ago in Psyche
The Shrinking of a Man
There are strong men who build, and there are weak men who drain. Some learn that when they can’t stand in their own strength, they can still feel powerful by attaching themselves to someone luminous – a strong, loyal, resilient woman with empathy, creativity, and conscience. They study her light like a blueprint and then set about stealing the source.
By THE HONED CRONE4 months ago in Psyche
The Narcissist’s Glitch
Could it be that narcissists do feel empathy — but misinterpret it as manipulation? Maybe that flicker of awareness, that moment when they sense another human’s inner world, doesn’t feel like connection to them. Maybe it feels like danger. Like losing control. Like death.
By THE HONED CRONE4 months ago in Psyche
The Truth About Dark Empaths, Narcissists, and Wounded Healers
In the tangled web of online psychology buzzwords, few labels have sparked more confusion than the term dark empath. Depending on who’s talking, it’s either a chilling label for a manipulative narcissist—or a sacred survivor of abuse who has learned to transmute shadow into strength.
By THE HONED CRONE4 months ago in Psyche
The Weight of Labels
I did not get angry because I was attacked. I got angry because I felt invisible. That is what labeling does. It reduces a human being—a soul with thoughts, experiences, and convictions—into a set of categories that can be dismissed before they even speak.
By Peter Thwing - Host of the FST Podcast5 months ago in Psyche
Etsy Used to Be Magic. Now It’s a Failing Mall.
There was a time when Etsy felt like magic. It was the golden era of the handmade internet: the digital farmer’s market that honored the village markets of old, where artisans could finally make a living doing what they loved. Every listing felt personal. Every product had a story. You could scroll through the site or app, and find hundreds of items that were truly unique. It was once a space where the imagination was made tangible.
By Autumn Stew5 months ago in Psyche
When Inclusion Means Assimilation: Why We’re Done Playing ‘Normal’
Inclusion shouldn’t mean erasure. But for many disabled people, that’s exactly what it feels like. We’re told to “blend in,” “mask,” “act normal.” We’re praised when we suppress our natural communication styles, sensory needs, or mobility tools. We’re rewarded for being palatable, not authentic.
By Tracy Stine5 months ago in Psyche
Aurora by Stefano Labbia: Why we need films that tell our hiddens truths
We often think of cinema as spectacle—as grand gestures, sweeping vistas, and technological marvels. And yes, there is a place for that kind of awe. But the truest, most profound power of film doesn't reside in the size of the screen or the scale of the effects. It is found in its extraordinary capacity to reach into the quiet corners of our shared humanity, to articulate the silent struggles we all carry, and to knit us together through the simple, powerful act of storytelling. The magic is in the resonance. It is in the undeniable click of recognition when a story on screen mirrors a piece of the story within our own hearts, making us feel, fundamentally, less isolated.
By Kate Hydeen5 months ago in Psyche
