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[quote=Anonymous]Thinking today about the main reason this story has really gotten under my skin. It’s the way Larson & Friends were so duplicitous. The other stuff (the plagiarism, Ng digging in deeper on Twitter, the pile on from Gay and others, even the court case the slanted NYT Mag piece) are frustrating but they would not, on their own, capture my attention in this way.

What struck me and has stayed with me is the degree to which Larson and others courted Dawn’s friendship while privately loathing her. Two-faced is the right word but it doesn’t cover how weird, lazy, selfish, and hurtful this behavior is. I feel it must have a psychological description, or should.

It is not hard to avoid this. I have been in many situations where someone wanted to be my friend or wanted to be a closer friend, and I didn’t. It’s never caused a problem for me and I am still on good terms with all of these people, even what some might describe as a Stage 5 Clinger. You just stay polite and friendly but noncommittal. You don’t lead them on, just as you wouldn’t lead on a romantic interest. Eventually people find friends better suited to their personalities and interests. I never hate these folks or have strong feelings about them, I just see they are not a good friend for and keep them at arms length.

So why didn’t Larson & others do this. FYI I have taught classes at an org similar to Grubstreet and know this is often a source of these one sided friendships. But that’s why, ethically as a teacher, you maintain professional boundaries. So why didn’t these people?

I think it’s because they fed off the adulation and the position of power. I think they liked knowing Dawn and other aspiring writers like her looked up to them, courted their favor and friendship, and were so thrilled to receive it. I think in some level they encourages these infatuations (for instance by joining a private FB group, posting friendly/intimate messages on their wall, etc.). Knowing they could trash her later, portray her as an ignorant racist in their fiction, and get away with it.

It’s an abuse of power. Mostly social power, but professional too. It’s so revolting to me. Human cruelty at work. They did it because they could.[/quote]

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