this post was submitted on 06 Jun 2026
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Yeah, so the premise is itβs a fairy tale being told to a kid going to bed.
What do you want? Here kid lemme read you the βThe Man's Guide to Women: Scientifically Proven Secrets from the Love Lab About What Women Really Wantβ by John Gottman, PhD, Julie Schwartz Gottman, PhD, Douglas Abrams, and Rachel Carlton Abrams, MD.
Narrated by Eric Michael Summerer
Anybody want a peanut?
Did you purposely miss the point I was making for the bit, or do you genuinely believe your example is what I was trying to say?
Creating good relationship models in childrens media is important, kids are still learning what these sorts of relationships are supposed to look like.
The relationship between Westly and the princess is not a good example of a good relationship, and yet it's portrayed as the hight of romantic fantasy in one of the most popular cult classic films of the last half century.
The behaviour displayed by Westly is behaviour a lot of men have adopted for interacting with women.
So maybe, just maybe, and stay with me here becausr this bit is complicated- if there were more examples of good relationship for these men to have grown up watching, they wouldn't have internalised this mode of behaviour.
A respectful relationship in a fairy tale shouldn't be treated as impossible or unobtainable, it should be normal.
If you still don't understand, don't bother replying.
I think I need to rewatch it because I thought the power balance was OK (considering she's literal royalty so fuck that) and yeah he's fawning but I thought it was good boundaries because it's just like in his head? but it's one of those subtle things like if it's at all unwelcome or burdensome then it's a bad example but if it's just a private crush thing? then idk. Like I said I probably need to rewatch with a feminist lens to get all the text and nuance + 202X mixins that may have changed the context.
I do try to interrogate stuff like this. One litmus test for it is would I have an issue if it was two gay women? or gay men? romantic asexuals? It sidesteps a bit of the gender and chaser politics, so it's not perfect, but it can help me see past my own biases.
Anyway sorry if I come off as defensive. Full disclosure maybe I am a bit, but I'm trying not to be.
You didn't mention it, but her behavior towards him is just as problematic.
Edit to add : The Princess Bride is a comedy. There's a lot of behavior in it that you're not supposed to emulate. Part of the fun, especially for kids, is the smug little glow of "I know better than to do that!"
Yeah but the ratio is pretty funny oh sensitive one
Friend, do yourself a favour and turn off them numbers β https://lemmy.world/settings then uncheck "Show upvotes"