God Bless America
Susannah Breslin is a guestblogger on Boing Boing. She is a freelance journalist who blogs at Reverse Cowgirl and is at work on a novel set in the adult movie industry.
Artist: Zina Saunders, "Alaskan Roulette," July 4, 2009. (Thanks, Zina!)
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Aparently Miss Saunders has the power of looking straight into someone's soul. Wiiiiiiiiiitch!!!!!
Symptoms of Narcissistic Personality Disorder:
The narcissistic personality disorder is one of the top three most difficult personality disorders to treat. It is defined as an ongoing pattern of grandiosity and need for admiration, and a lack of empathy for others. It should be noted that it is three times more common in males than females. These individuals have an obvious self love, and believe they are knowledgeable and indeed expert in a wide variety of areas. They are usually shocked when they are not praised for their efforts. These individuals are preoccupied with success and power. They feel they are gifted and talented. They may make statements like, “I have a photographic memory,” when in reality they do not. They rarely admit to a mistake or wrongdoing. They rarely apologize when the occasion arises. These individuals insist on having the best of everything. They are grossly defensive, and unable to look at themselves objectively. They have an inflated and false sense of entitlement, and lack of sensitivity towards others. They feel they deserve whatever they want or need. These individuals are extremely self-absorbed. If they are giving, they usually give monetarily, and are unable to give emotionally. They are viewed by others as arrogant and snobbish, act condescendingly towards healthcare providers and therapists in the assessment phase. It is also very common for these individuals to act ingratiatingly and very complimentary in the first session, very similar to traits found in sociopathic personality disorder. These individuals are extremely sensitive to criticism, although may not show it outwardly. When their shortcomings are targeted, however, they may appear extremely wounded.
...
When you love yourself as much as a narcissist does, suicide is not an option.
http://www.peaceandhealing.com/personality/narcissistic.asp
Palin's shortsighted enough to play roulette with a semiautomatic.
Reminds me of that scene from Blazing Saddles-
Bart: [low voice] Hold it! Next man makes a move, the avttre(*) gets it!
Olson Johnson: Hold it, men. He's not bluffing.
Dr. Sam Johnson: Listen to him, men. He's just crazy enough to do it!
Bart: [low voice] Drop it! Or I swear I'll blow this avttre's head all over this town!
Bart: [high-pitched voice] Oh, lo'dy, lo'd, he's desp'it! Do what he sayyyy, do what he sayyyy!
(*Rot 13'd for your convenience)
Palin: Hold it! Next man makes a move, the bulldog gets it!
Olson Johnson: Hold it, men. She's not bluffing.
Dr. Sam Johnson: Listen to her, men. She's just crazy enough to do it!
Damn it! beat me to it...
At first I was apt to comment, "That's not a revolver," but then thought again, perhaps that's the point.
Is there a psychiatric term for people who diagnose others without license, training or even by request?
Seriously, she's a politician, and you're J. Random Internet Poster. She's not your patient, and you're not her doctor. Stop diagnosing her. She can be described as a narcissist, but not as having a personality disorder. That's an actual diagnosis given by actual doctors.
Roulette with a semiautomatic handgun. Awesome.
(Not that it would be the .)
@#4
"When you love yourself as much as a narcissist does, suicide is not an option."
I think that's part of the point. Self destructive behavior is not always seen as self destructive by the individual. Especially when that individual has some sort of personality dissorder mental illness.
When you love yourself as much as a narcissist does, suicide is not an option.
That doesn't mean that they won't threaten suicide to get their way.
@#9
"Seriously, she's a politician, and you're J. Random Internet Poster. She's not your patient, and you're not her doctor. Stop diagnosing her. She can be described as a narcissist, but not as having a personality disorder. That's an actual diagnosis given by actual doctors."
Dr. Enormo here. Pleased to meet you. She's batshit crazy.
Poll: 64 Percent Of Republicans Want Palin To Run In 2012
@4 - Good call. Ever hear of VenomFangX on YouTube? He is the dictionary definition of NPD.
I don't think the defition in #4 is unique to Palin and could be applied to pretty much any politician. Could anyone who voted for President Obama objectively read that definition and not see that it applies to him also?
@#17 joeoklahoma
"They have an inflated and false sense of entitlement, and lack of sensitivity towards others"
Really? Obama?
"When their shortcomings are targeted, however, they may appear extremely wounded."
Really? Obama?
"They are grossly defensive, and unable to look at themselves objectively."
Grossly defensive? Really? Obama?
"It is defined as an ongoing pattern of grandiosity and need for admiration, and a lack of empathy for others."
Lack of empathy? Really? Obama?
Yes... I realize that Obama is very popular and he has a big self-confidant grinning personality. And Im sure he has a pretty big ego. What person in that position wouldn't? But I think the definition goes a lot deeper than that.
I see this woman, in 10 years time, appearing on the new TV reality show
"I'm a politician, get me out of here!"
/KeithIrwin
This is not, I repeat not an actual photograph or portrait of Sarah Palin pointing a gun at herself. Boingboing is perpetuating a lie by claiming otherwise. I demand that Boingboing correct this mistake.
/KeithIrwin
Why the obsession with Palin? Both pro and con? It boggles the mind. If a VP isn't worth a bucket of warm spit, what is a failed VP nominee worth? We're now a hair's breadth away from TMZ:Politics, learning about the freshman congressman from Idaho eating ice cream and dripping it on his shirt.
Try THAT from a helicopter, beeyotch.
Budd Dwyer.
Classy BoingBoing, real classy. Making guns look bad.
Lovely work. It tells the story very well
Wow I want this picture for a wall hanging. Along with the nude presidents
Darren Garrison: Really?
I really don't like this image.
I think it's sick and and in poor taste. I have audio of the right-wing radio hosts at KSFO telling AP reporters to kill themselves. I have heard more than once from these radio people the line, "Be a man, get a gun, go in a room and do the right thing."
When the wingnuts start passing this image around, and they will, they will throw a hissy fit. It will prove to them that, "The liberals hate Sarah! She drives them crazy! They want her dead!" Now that doesn't mean we should write to avoid their hissy fits, but just be prepared for them and at least consider the occasional real emotion that triggers real outrage. Sadly there is so much faux outrage it's hard to tell.
I doubt they will read the comments here, but if they do I want them to know that I strongly disagree with an interpretation and suggestion of violence toward political leader. No matter which side they are on, it isn't not cool.
I know I might come off as a concern troll or overreacting, but I really think this isn't an appropriate image for Boingboing. If you Google me you will know I've spent years calling the right wing media on their suggestions of violence toward Democrats, liberals, journalists and Muslims. I do not condone any suggestions of the same toward Republicans, conservatives, talk radio host and Christians.
THANK GOD, this woman was not elected to be Vice President....
Can you imagine? (deep shuddering)
"Try THAT from a helicopter, beeyotch."
You have a beautiful mind, Dbarak!
"You see, quitters don't pull the trigger. I'm a fighter, and that means I have to end my life in order to keep going. It may be tempting and more comfortable to just keep your head intact, plod along, and appease those who demand: "Put the gun down and shut up", but that's the worthless, easy path; that's a quitter's way out. By pulling the trigger, I'll live forever and never shut up ... Now who wants to interview me after this?"
#17, first of all, Obama has nothing to do with this. Even if you can find a perfect liberal analog to Palin, even if you can find a hundred thousand perfect liberal analogs, that does not change what Palin is or is not.
Secondly, Obama has already apologized for mistakes he feels he's made. He's even apologized when he could have skirted by on a muttered excuse, or when other politicians would have embraced their mistake and called it success.
I'm not saying the man is perfect but when you see someone you like attacked, the appropriate response is not to attack someone you think the attacker likes. It's illogical, it does not address the accusation that you found offensive, and it's not at all productive.
@26 SE7A7N7
I can imagine. Then I imagined her running in, and winning, the next presidential election. Then I woke up on my office floor in a puddle of my own vomit.
That's inaccurate. She shot herself in the foot.
I actually find her delightful. Just... not cut out for politics. Didn't she notice all the flak that W got? Deservedly, of course- dolt!
She's the drill that the GOP (Greedy Old People) are using to drill holes in the bottom of their boat, to let the water out.
Maybe she'll end up as a commentator for Fox Gnus, or handing out samples of cheesy crackers in the Wasilla Ralphs grocery store.
Spocko: I think the real question is, what does this image mean to you?
When I first saw it, I wasn't quite sure what it was supposed to say. Were they implying that she should commit suicide? That seems to be your understanding of it, but it wasn't the first one that came to my mind. Perhaps they are implying that she's crazy enough to do it, or that she's hit rock bottom and ready to pull the trigger, or that she's desperate and seeking attention (the crazed desperation is clear in her eyes).
Then again, she's also holding a semi-automatic handgun as oppossed to a revolver, guaranteeing a shot. If, as the name implies, this is related to Russian Roulette, maybe they are implying that she's stupid enough or irrational enough to take a risk that's gauranteed to fail. Assuming the "Alaskan Roulette" is a reference to her quote that she's familiar with the Russians because she can see Russia from her house, maybe it's meant to be a joke about the nonsense in her statements or the way she does things (i.e. "Alaskan Roulette: This is how we do things in Alaska").
As you pointed out, the suicide-by-gun motiff may even be a reference to the right-wing KSFO hosts telling people to kill themselves -- instead, they turn the image around on a prominent right-wing figure, perhaps to show how it looks from the other side, or as reply of "You first."
So, is this image and its author really suggesting violence against Mrs. Palin? The right-wing talking heads over at KSFO may think so and they might even make a big deal about it, but that doesn't make this image sick, in poor taste, irresponsible, or anything else that implies it never should have been made. It doesn't matter what you say, there will always be somebody who doesn't like it -- as long as this image says something valuable, we shouldn't be concerned about who it will offend.
I CAN SEE HEAVEN FROM MY HOUSE!
The narcissistic personality disorder is one of the top three most difficult personality disorders to treat. It is defined as an ongoing pattern of grandiosity and need for admiration, and a lack of empathy for others. It should be noted that it is three times more common in males than females. These individuals have an obvious self love, and believe they are knowledgeable and indeed expert in a wide variety of areas.
And they gravitate toward jobs in the performing arts and politics. Very insightful. Find a president, a member of Congress or an Oscar winner in the last 40 years who didn't have narcissistic personality disorder and you've accomplished something.
And while I still don't want Palin anywhere near the White House, I find her detractors to be far more rabid than the woman herself. The artist who came up with this picture is a case in point - quite a bit of obsession and projection at work there. I suggest psychiatric help.
My best friend's son did exactly this. It doesn't matter who is in the picture, it is never funny. Never.
I look forward to ignoring the rest of Ms. Breslin's posts.
Today's cover story from DoubleX.com (from yesterday) via Slate.com:
"Does Sarah Palin Have Narcissistic Personality Disorder?
No. But she’s still vindictive, dishonest, and unjustifiably self-righteous."
http://www.doublex.com/section/news-politics/does-sarah-palin-have-narcissistic-personality-disorder
The point is that Sarah Palin she keeps reacting like someone is holding a gun to her head (the MSM, bloggers, Democrats, leftists, unions, etccc...) and MAKING her do and say these crazy things that she can't (and usually doesn;t need to, aside from the gun held to her head) explain.
She is her own persecutor in chief, she will be her own undoing. It's only fun to watch because she's not a great human being but she holds herself out to be a saint.
Whatever, next!
I thought the point of the image is that she's committing political suicide.
Santa's Knee here.
@35Okiedokie:
I am sorry that this reminds you of a personal tragedy.
The image is not supposed to be evocative of humor - it goes deeper into the current situation concerning Mrs. Palin's current political issues.
YOU are reading this as painful. To YOU. YOU are the one causing YOURSELF pain. The artist has done nothing and the article's author is non-culpable as well. YOU are hurting YOURSELF.
@Spocko
I'm with you. It's a disturbing image, and I don't think it communicates anything interesting enough to balance that out.
Hmmm...I thought this was supposed to be a directory of wonderful things, not a directory of one-sided political hit pieces. Could you please segregate this political stuff into a separate section of the blog??? I don't think that's too much to ask. I think the vast majority of Boing Boing readers on all sides of the political arena would appreciate not having this crud clog up the entire blog.
I think the over the top craziness of this artwork captures Palin's recent actions perfectly. Crazy person = Crazy depiction.
That's unmistakably an old Crossman bb gun she's holding to her head. It shoots darts, too. I've seen other artists make that same mistake. I guess they use images of it as a model.
@okiedokie If it was Jesus, you might smirk.
Maybe the original Megatron? That would be bizarre.
There has to be a sense of humor in you somewhere. =[
Zina Saunders went through a lot of effort to create an image that is hateful, pointless, and stupid.
Whatever you think of her politics, Governor Palin does not deserve this. The uproar from a similar image of the current president would be deafening. This is a political hack job, not a "wonderful thing."
Small wonder we get such uncaring scumbags running for office. Nobody else wants to put up with this kind of BS. Nobody else wants to have people create this kind of commentary about them. Yeah, I know, free speech and all that. It's your right to be a jerk if you want to. But don't be surprised when there are consequences.
@ Santa's Knee - I understand. If it were a funny funny picture of Ted Kennedy drowning someone and my daughter died of drowning, I'm a sick individual to not think it funny.
I understand the point the artist is making (political suicide), but I'm tired of the artists who think this sort of thing is funny (no matter the subject of the art)
@davidget - Jesus? nope. Megatron? hmmm not a human, so maybe, but only slightly.
I have a wonderful sense of humor, but the part of me that used to laugh when people blew their brains out died a few years ago. On the other hand, I am reading "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" and am having a helluva lot of fun.
@ #47 posted by ab3a
Personally, I wouldn't want someone in office who couldn't handle this kind of heat. Maybe harsh political satire is a good litmus test.
@ #20 Darren Garrison:
FTW!
"I think the vast majority of Boing Boing readers on all sides of the political arena would appreciate not having this crud clog up the entire blog."
I'd rather see parodies of politicians than One. More. Damn. Post. About. Wacko. Jacko.
@okiedokie, Fair enough. =]
Maybe the Megatron image would be similar to Escher's hands and he'd be pointing himself at himself. . . >
. . . something about "prying the gun out of my cold dead hands."
@51: And here I thought it was a picture of Michael Jackson.
Now that I know it is SP, shouldn't the gun be pointed at her foot?
@ spocko When the wingnuts start passing this image around, and they will, they will throw a hissy fit. It will prove to them that, "The liberals hate Sarah! She drives them crazy! They want her dead!"
GREAT! Then they will hyperventilate even further and put up more and more candidates just like her!!
That's not a crazed, despairing look in her eyes.
That's a crazed, threatening, triumphant look.
It says "Hah! You bastards! I've gotcha now! Do what I want or I'll blow my head off!"
The comparisons to the Blazing Saddles scene are apt, except that she's fooling herself, not her detractors. And I think it characterizes her "fight by quitting" speech very well.
okiedokie, I'm sorry this image brings up personal tragedy for you.
Besides, what's so controversial about a picture of Peggy Hill holding a gun up to her head?
This was painted the day after Palin's somewhat squirrely resignation. The artist's comment is "Could Sarah Palin's puzzling speech yesterday mean the end of her political career?" It's a reference to political suicide. It's a metaphor. Can you say 'metaphor'?
Moderator note: There's a current thread on Obama. That would be the appropriate place for comments about him.
@Anitnous,
Yes, it's a very obvious metaphor for a very obvious point that's much more easily made in words than in pictures. Sometimes there is artistic and/or political value in presenting your message in a shocking or disturbing way, but this isn't a case of that. It's the case of getting attention through shock value, with the only message being the same pedestrian point that was already being made by bloggers and pundits everywhere.
"Vote Republican or I shoot this dog!"
http://www.slate.com/id/2222523/?from=rss
2nd wrst gstblg vr, bt t's cls, tht "G bm s cl" n hs lrdy bn dclrd #1.
Have you ever noticed that whenever Sarah holds a press conference, whatever she talks about, it's always comes back to being about herself? "SHE doesn't believe in the old politics-as-usual." "SHE likens hockey moms (and by extension, herself) to being pitbulls-with-lipstick." "SHE is a maverick."
Palin always seems filled with some strong emotion: pride, anger, barely contained irritation... She must be exhausting to live with. I don't envy Todd.
"2nd worst guestblog ever"
More WATB's. Wow, did RedState shut down or something? I want more and knowing Susannah Breslin I bet she can bring it. I want those exclusive pool side pics, the ones we didn't get to see. heh...
Well, this did make people post their feelings...
...I hate feelings...
...Must overcome feelings with bacon...
People, people, people. The image is not of Palin threatening suicide but of Palin threatening assymetrical warfare.
Keep your terms straight.
For those of you who seem to be confused about the point of my painting, here I am, Zina Saunders, the artist of said picture, to clear it up.
After Palin gave her bizarre resignation speech on Friday, there was a lot of talk that she had committed political suicide. My painting is a depiction of that metaphor. I'm in no way suggesting that she should shoot herself in the head, or even in the foot. The picture is symbolic. The idea is an established idiom in American English.
I'd also like to point out that Gov. Palin, as well as the other politicians I have commented on in my pictures, fought tooth and nail (uh oh, there's another idiom) to succeed in politics, and thereby give up the right to privacy that ordinary people expect.
I'm glad my picture sparked such a lively discussion here and around the web.
#34 POSTED BY TROOFSEEKER
i believe that is an insult to hardwroking men and wimmen out there that hand out samples of foood for a living!
in reference to
"handing out samples of cheesy crackers in the Wasilla Ralphs grocery store"
"Leave Her alone,(cry cry tears whimper), Leave her alone,(whimper cry cry)."
That said the two licensed Psychologists in my family agree Narcissistic Personality Disorder add to that Borderline Personality (I love you, I hate you, repeat ad nausea). Add that all together and what do you have?,,,to quote Nick Cave in novel "The Ass saw the Angel",,,"crazier than a sack full of ass holes". But what fun to watch and listen to the far right kvetch about her being abused by the media.
Uhm. I think my reaction to this image is "cheap shot." In all possible senses.
Maybe the Republicans *are* more efficient than Democrats. The Dems form circular firing squads; in the GOP each politician takes responsibility for his or her own elimination.
"... Leave Alaska just as you found it, for others are following you."
Anon #70-
I meant no offense to people who hand out samples in markets, but "hard working"? Come on. It ain't bricks.
Oh, and Zina? Thanks for coming! Nice work, but I still think it was a shot to the foot, more than a political suicide, at least in her desperate party. They're liking her even more after quitting again! -Go figure.
Zina - it's great work, despite Spocko being disturbed. Hey, art *should* disturb some people.
Demedian @ 72 - That said the two licensed Psychologists in my family agree Narcissistic Personality Disorder add to that Borderline Personality
Any Psychologist who gives diagnoses based on TV appearances is just as correct as Senator Bill Frist giving a medical opinion on Terry Schiavo's condition based on her TV appearances.
Sorry JJJasper, not true, tell me you can not diagnose Good 'ole Manson just by watching him speak, grandiose personalities really stick out. Sure maybe you can't tell exactly what caliber bullet someone was shot with by looking at the hole, but you know they where shot,,,
#73 POSTED BY TROOFSEEKER
that is still very very politicaly incorrect as i know from personal experience my mom raised me while she did samples and demos, often using her own money to pay for it while earning min wage while my dad was notoriously absent.
bad form bad bad form,
we all know palin was inexperienced and easy to laugh at, but still dont equate her to a human being that actually serves a purpose in life.
So, when I saw this image for the first time a few moments ago, it wasn't the gun that got my attention. It was her BAT-SHIT-CRAZY EYES. Those BAT-SHIT-CRAZY EYES represent the fact that she's BAT-SHIT-CRAZY. And it's not that the painting is calling for Palin to commit suicide, but that she's already committing political suicide by being BAT-SHIT-CRAZY.
Zina. I've been to your site and I think that if I had seen this image in context of your other work I would have been less upset about it. You really have some great political illustrations that are both fun and relevant. (I think I remember someone national using your excellent "Morning After" illustration.
Yes, I understand a metaphor and a political metaphor at that. I AM half human after all.
Here's the deal, I understand the mind set of the Right Wing Authoritarian very well. I know how they they use material like this.Because of that one thing I like to do if force a pre-buttal into the discussion. I might not stop the hissy fit, but at least when it happens we can instantly push back with it.
I'm reminded of the MoveOn contest for political ads. Do you remember what the right hissy fit over? "Two of the ads compared Bush to HITLER!!!!"
And the right rode that one into the ground. Now in the future when the right pulls this out Zina (and they will) you can remake your point about it being a political metaphor. You can also point to people like me who are strong liberals who didn't saw it and didn't gleeful say, "Frak ya!"
You more than anyone will know how the right wing will use this image as an example of how the left picks on Sarah. Remember how she used the photoshop of Trig.
When you come across them, you might want to keep track of how THEY talk about it and insert yourself into the conversation. Also, you might decide to charge them for printing it, copying it or hot linking to it. I know the people here are very much in to Creative Commons, but sometimes you can use copyright just like Disney, they want to play, they pay. If they want to use the opportunity to bitch and moan about how people are picking on Sarah, make them PAY for the opportunity to use your work. Or make them come to your website and get ad revenue/illustration gigs out of it.
I understand how fair use works and how political campaigns like to use photos in ads and expensive media campaigns for free, if they want to use your work to illustrate people picking on Sarah I hope you will make money on the deal. You are very talented and deserve to profit from your work.
@37
And while I still don't want Palin anywhere near the White House, I find her detractors to be far more rabid than the woman herself.
Nailed. Thank you.
I find her detractors to be far more rabid than the woman herself.
I don't know. This sounds like rabies to me.
Anony @76-
I did not mean anything demeaning about grocery store demo ladies- only that they should be outgoing and pleasant and pretty, as Palin is (and I'm sure your mother is!). The job doesn't require any political aptitude or knowledge (or geography). Your mother would probably make a better governor for Alaska. I'll bet she's not a quitter, either, or hiding some secret agenda.
I did not mean anything demeaning about grocery store demo ladies- only that they should be outgoing and pleasant and pretty
And men in public jobs should have big muscles, too. The rest can just work underground somewhere or be turned into soylent green.
and millions if not billions of poor, brown people worldwide thank the gods she is out of the picture and will not be part of the usual machine to rain red hot metal on them and their families while learning to pronounce the name of their countries badly.
oh, sarah is going to be so mad at you when she sees this! don't you realize that she quit politics so that you would stop these attacks on her? when, oh when will the world stop making fun of wonderful wonderful sarah? oh boo hoo, i have to go cry now.
i'm waiting for the photo . . . preferrably an after shot.
Anti-
Would you take a sample of CheezWhiz-on-a-cracker from an angry broad with open facial sores?
I've worked 'underground' (literally!) for many years, on mfg. floors. I'm sure no corporation would want my fugly mug representing them publicly. I'm not offended. I get it.
My point was simply that I think it would be the ideal job for Sarah Palin- she's pretty, well dressed and delightful, because she keeps her dark secrets well hidden behind a pretty smile.
Troof, Cheez Whiz on a cracker? But we already get free samples of that, from thee.
You betcha!
spocko "You more than anyone will know how the right wing will use this image as an example of how the left picks on Sarah."
You do realize that they use everything to promote the idea that they're being persecuted, right? When criticism is actively twisted to be interpreted as persecution, the only solution would be for us to not say anything, hmmm?