What is the appeal of Glennon Doyle

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to find mommy and inspirational bloggers to be a guilty pleasure - like Glennon Doyle, Brenee Brown, etc. But now I just can't really get anything out of it because it's so clear they are messed up personally.

I never got the enormous appeal of brenee brown, probably because she reminds me of many other ph.d.'s in the psychology field and personally she always struck me as thin skinned, defensive and insecure. She seems to have softened but star quality and the enormous national stage she commands? Baffled. I think personally she probably struggles with it too...I have known other clinicians and faculty/researchers who are so wise, warm and charismatic. Life is funny, these things don't always square.

I can't with Brene Brown either. Ugh.

[Anonymous]

I don’t get the cult following, but some of her writing can be very funny. And unless I learn that her charitable stuff is fraudulent, I can’t be bothered to dislike her.

[Anonymous]

I think she used this list serv back around 2005...couldn't prove it but I swear I read stuff that sounds like her stories way back when.

[Anonymous]

She strikes me as someone who likely has a personality disorder. I think most people who are attracted to fame probably do.

[Anonymous]

I just have this terrible feeling that she’s going to break Abby’s heart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My sister went to college with Glennon and has always said that Glennon is first and foremost a fiction writer. Notably the alcoholism and eating disorders are exaggerated.

She’s a fraud and mentally ill.

I have no dog in this fight but I find it bizarre that anyone would claim to know the extent of anyone else’s demons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With the caveat that I personally am not drawn to her, I think her whole thing about how being a mom is hard, marriage is messy, it's okay to be falling apart even when you have a ridiculous amount of privilege etc. resonates with a very specific type of UMC mom who feels (rightly or wrongly) like there isn't a place for them to complain or be messy in society, at least as they perceive it. She has reframed not having your life together as personal growth and authenticity, which gives her followers permission to lean into the mess instead of fixing it.

I am also very much not drawn to her, but a friend of mine, who is very together in all the ways that matter, seems to like her - or did several years ago.

I think she's appealing to a lot of people that are dealing with things that didn't go their way in spite of doing everything "right." And I get that. Not my cup of tea, but I get it.

[Anonymous]

A woman I went to college with was a semi-famous mommy blogger and continues to be totally attention-seeking on various platforms and now she literally charges people to "solve problems for them." It is totally fascinating to me. Like, she's not a licensed therapist, and she's not a certified coach, and she's never worked in a consulting firm, but she just holds herself out there as someone who will talk to you on the phone and then tell you how to fix your life or your business or your marriage or whatever. And she charges hundreds of dollars! I guess because she is confidently and openly going on all the time about her life and kids and drama, people hire her. As someone said in this thread or the other one on Glennon Doyle -- some people follow these women for the train wreck aspect, but other people seem to because if you are a mess you gravitate to women who seem to have their shit together....and some will apparently even pay those women to tell you how to get your shit together. If only it were that easy.

[Anonymous]

I find everyone in this category to be insufferable. Elizabeth Gilbert is the worst one IMO. I guess I feel a little bad about feeling that way seeing another PP calling out universal hate for female bloggers, but there is something about this particular flavor...the 'monetize telling struggling young moms how to make it through this difficult times in their life and marriage' only to have their own lives be so clearly dysfunctional that feels manipulative and dishonest.

They also all in their own ways seem to change with the fame and therefore invalidate much of the advice/thoughts they had when they were just a normal person but continue to give advice as now a 'super rich white lady empire builder' and seem to not be aware that its a fundamentally different type of life/advice they are now promoting.

Anyway all dishonest. I take it back about Elizabeth Gilbert though the worst one is Hollis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to find mommy and inspirational bloggers to be a guilty pleasure - like Glennon Doyle, Brenee Brown, etc. But now I just can't really get anything out of it because it's so clear they are messed up personally.

I never got the enormous appeal of brenee brown, probably because she reminds me of many other ph.d.'s in the psychology field and personally she always struck me as thin skinned, defensive and insecure. She seems to have softened but star quality and the enormous national stage she commands? Baffled. I think personally she probably struggles with it too...I have known other clinicians and faculty/researchers who are so wise, warm and charismatic. Life is funny, these things don't always square.

I can't with Brene Brown either. Ugh.

A few points: Brene Brown is a social worker, not a psychologist. She also has a Ph.D. and a legitimate faculty appointment at an actual university. Finding her style grating is a matter of personal preference, but it's not the same as someone like Glennon Doyle, who has no robust credentials in anything while putting forth the illusion of expertise. That may be part of her charm, in the way that some people find Sarah Palin or Kim Kardashian charming: they're complete BS artists. It's one thing to find people like that entertaining, but thinking they provide actual expert advice in things that matter is troubling. Hard pass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to find mommy and inspirational bloggers to be a guilty pleasure - like Glennon Doyle, Brenee Brown, etc. But now I just can't really get anything out of it because it's so clear they are messed up personally.

I never got the enormous appeal of brenee brown, probably because she reminds me of many other ph.d.'s in the psychology field and personally she always struck me as thin skinned, defensive and insecure. She seems to have softened but star quality and the enormous national stage she commands? Baffled. I think personally she probably struggles with it too...I have known other clinicians and faculty/researchers who are so wise, warm and charismatic. Life is funny, these things don't always square.

I can't with Brene Brown either. Ugh.

A few points: Brene Brown is a social worker, not a psychologist. She also has a Ph.D. and a legitimate faculty appointment at an actual university. Finding her style grating is a matter of personal preference, but it's not the same as someone like Glennon Doyle, who has no robust credentials in anything while putting forth the illusion of expertise. That may be part of her charm, in the way that some people find Sarah Palin or Kim Kardashian charming: they're complete BS artists. It's one thing to find people like that entertaining, but thinking they provide actual expert advice in things that matter is troubling. Hard pass.

But whether their advice is actually "expert" or not, if someone finds it helpful, what does it matter? What's the actual harm?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to find mommy and inspirational bloggers to be a guilty pleasure - like Glennon Doyle, Brenee Brown, etc. But now I just can't really get anything out of it because it's so clear they are messed up personally.

I never got the enormous appeal of brenee brown, probably because she reminds me of many other ph.d.'s in the psychology field and personally she always struck me as thin skinned, defensive and insecure. She seems to have softened but star quality and the enormous national stage she commands? Baffled. I think personally she probably struggles with it too...I have known other clinicians and faculty/researchers who are so wise, warm and charismatic. Life is funny, these things don't always square.

I can't with Brene Brown either. Ugh.

A few points: Brene Brown is a social worker, not a psychologist. She also has a Ph.D. and a legitimate faculty appointment at an actual university. Finding her style grating is a matter of personal preference, but it's not the same as someone like Glennon Doyle, who has no robust credentials in anything while putting forth the illusion of expertise. That may be part of her charm, in the way that some people find Sarah Palin or Kim Kardashian charming: they're complete BS artists. It's one thing to find people like that entertaining, but thinking they provide actual expert advice in things that matter is troubling. Hard pass.

But whether their advice is actually "expert" or not, if someone finds it helpful, what does it matter? What's the actual harm?

You don't see an issue with people following the advice of someone with no legitimate credentials on a topic? Plenty of things can "seem" helpful that actually aren't. Our country has a weird fixation with ignoring actual experts and thinking they know best, to no one's benefit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to find mommy and inspirational bloggers to be a guilty pleasure - like Glennon Doyle, Brenee Brown, etc. But now I just can't really get anything out of it because it's so clear they are messed up personally.

I never got the enormous appeal of brenee brown, probably because she reminds me of many other ph.d.'s in the psychology field and personally she always struck me as thin skinned, defensive and insecure. She seems to have softened but star quality and the enormous national stage she commands? Baffled. I think personally she probably struggles with it too...I have known other clinicians and faculty/researchers who are so wise, warm and charismatic. Life is funny, these things don't always square.

I can't with Brene Brown either. Ugh.

A few points: Brene Brown is a social worker, not a psychologist. She also has a Ph.D. and a legitimate faculty appointment at an actual university. Finding her style grating is a matter of personal preference, but it's not the same as someone like Glennon Doyle, who has no robust credentials in anything while putting forth the illusion of expertise. That may be part of her charm, in the way that some people find Sarah Palin or Kim Kardashian charming: they're complete BS artists. It's one thing to find people like that entertaining, but thinking they provide actual expert advice in things that matter is troubling. Hard pass.

But whether their advice is actually "expert" or not, if someone finds it helpful, what does it matter? What's the actual harm?

You don't see an issue with people following the advice of someone with no legitimate credentials on a topic? Plenty of things can "seem" helpful that actually aren't. Our country has a weird fixation with ignoring actual experts and thinking they know best, to no one's benefit.

Especially if they are their “authentic” self to readers while actually rewriting their own history. There have been numerous indications on multiple websites that Glennon’s history is not what she says it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to find mommy and inspirational bloggers to be a guilty pleasure - like Glennon Doyle, Brenee Brown, etc. But now I just can't really get anything out of it because it's so clear they are messed up personally.

I never got the enormous appeal of brenee brown, probably because she reminds me of many other ph.d.'s in the psychology field and personally she always struck me as thin skinned, defensive and insecure. She seems to have softened but star quality and the enormous national stage she commands? Baffled. I think personally she probably struggles with it too...I have known other clinicians and faculty/researchers who are so wise, warm and charismatic. Life is funny, these things don't always square.

I can't with Brene Brown either. Ugh.

A few points: Brene Brown is a social worker, not a psychologist. She also has a Ph.D. and a legitimate faculty appointment at an actual university. Finding her style grating is a matter of personal preference, but it's not the same as someone like Glennon Doyle, who has no robust credentials in anything while putting forth the illusion of expertise. That may be part of her charm, in the way that some people find Sarah Palin or Kim Kardashian charming: they're complete BS artists. It's one thing to find people like that entertaining, but thinking they provide actual expert advice in things that matter is troubling. Hard pass.

But whether their advice is actually "expert" or not, if someone finds it helpful, what does it matter? What's the actual harm?

You don't see an issue with people following the advice of someone with no legitimate credentials on a topic? Plenty of things can "seem" helpful that actually aren't. Our country has a weird fixation with ignoring actual experts and thinking they know best, to no one's benefit.

Especially if they are their “authentic” self to readers while actually rewriting their own history. There have been numerous indications on multiple websites that Glennon’s history is not what she says it is.

Sure, if they're giving advice on psychiatric meds or something. But aren't most of these people touting things along the lines of "be true to yourself" and GRATITUDE? I share the cynicism, but it's not like that's deep enough to require credentials.

[Anonymous]

I agree, PP.

I see how Glennon annoys many. I have loved her and hated her. But I cannot in any way saying "be brave" and "be love" and "help others" really needs to be credentialed for it to not be dangerous.