1 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:07,680 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Annie and Welcome to Stuff I Never 2 00:00:07,720 --> 00:00:09,799 Speaker 1: Told You, a production of I Heart Radio's How Stuff Work. 3 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:23,800 Speaker 1: And yes it is just me today, listeners, because Samantha, 4 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 1: our lovely co host, Samantha was in an accident on 5 00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:31,040 Speaker 1: they here to record. She is fine, She's totally fine. 6 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 1: But it means that we are doing I am doing 7 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 1: another in show for a classic solo and I thought 8 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 1: we could bring back an episode that Kristen and Caroline 9 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:46,920 Speaker 1: did on Shine Theory, because Shine theory came up in 10 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:52,040 Speaker 1: our episode on women supporting women, and shine theory is 11 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 1: this idea that powerful women are your go too, is 12 00:00:56,480 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 1: they're the best type of friends to have. But that 13 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:02,560 Speaker 1: kind of clashes with the other narrative that we frequently 14 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:07,520 Speaker 1: here that powerful women are cutthroat or that there's all 15 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:11,759 Speaker 1: this cattiness involved. So we thought that we would bring 16 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:14,160 Speaker 1: this one back, get to the bottom of it, and 17 00:01:14,240 --> 00:01:20,399 Speaker 1: so I hope you enjoy Welcome to Stuff, Mom Never 18 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 1: Told You from how stup Works dot com. Hello, and 19 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: welcome to the podcast. I'm Kristen and I'm Caroline, and 20 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:34,840 Speaker 1: this week on the show, we're going to talk about friendship, 21 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:39,279 Speaker 1: and today we're talking about something called the shine theory, 22 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:43,680 Speaker 1: which has to do with women and success and friendship, 23 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:46,960 Speaker 1: which is going to lead us into conversations about jealousy 24 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 1: and competition within female friendships in particular. Um, and the 25 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 1: thing is, Caroline on stuff, Mom never told you we 26 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 1: root for sisters doing it for themselves and succeeding all 27 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:01,720 Speaker 1: the time. We're all out that we're all about uplift 28 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:08,520 Speaker 1: and empowerment. But what happens when your friend becomes really successful, 29 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 1: or if you're someone who meets someone else who might 30 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 1: feel out of your league success wise? How do we 31 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:21,160 Speaker 1: deal with those feelings of maybe unworthiness friendship wise, or 32 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 1: competition or envy that might naturally arise in these relationships. Well, 33 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:29,520 Speaker 1: first of all, envy is, as we'll get into, totally natural, 34 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 1: totally normal, might even have its roots in some sort 35 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:37,360 Speaker 1: of evolutionary psychology purpose. Um. So, you know when we 36 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 1: were all hunter gatherers on the planes and I was 37 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:42,560 Speaker 1: envious of your spear, you know that would encourage me 38 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:46,280 Speaker 1: to get a better spear myself. But it can sure 39 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 1: create kind of a sticky situation when it is in 40 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:52,679 Speaker 1: your friend group. Yeah, and uh, there's even a song 41 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:54,880 Speaker 1: about this, by the way, for Morrissey fans out there, 42 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 1: we hate it when our friends become successful. If you 43 00:02:57,160 --> 00:02:59,240 Speaker 1: want to just listen to that while we're talking about 44 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 1: this the per fickt Um. But first off, we thought 45 00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:05,840 Speaker 1: we should kick off with some wise words from a 46 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:09,519 Speaker 1: couple of the most successful women out there, because they 47 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:13,400 Speaker 1: have some pretty insightful things to say about how you 48 00:03:13,440 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 1: should treat successful women or successful people in general. So 49 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:21,000 Speaker 1: Amy Poehler, godmother of Stuff, Mom never told you in spirit, 50 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:24,320 Speaker 1: she doesn't know this, but she is um. She was 51 00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:29,240 Speaker 1: talking in her book, Yes please about success. I mean, 52 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 1: obviously she's best friends with the even more successful Tina Fey, 53 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:37,760 Speaker 1: and she said, quote, rooting for other people's failure does 54 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 1: get in the way of your success. So it's that 55 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 1: whole warning against kind of watch out for your own schadenfreud. Yeah, exactly, 56 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 1: And I mean I think that's a great attitude. There's 57 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:48,920 Speaker 1: there's sort of an ugliness and I don't mean physical ugliness, 58 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:52,520 Speaker 1: I mean an internal ugliness obviously to rooting against someone, 59 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:56,760 Speaker 1: especially if they are your friend. And Taylor Swift, who 60 00:03:56,800 --> 00:04:00,240 Speaker 1: we've talked about recently and who we did mention quite 61 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:04,560 Speaker 1: a bit about her very high profile lady friendships. She 62 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 1: talked too about how she surrounds herself with smart, beautiful, passionate, driven, 63 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 1: ambitious women, and she says other women who were killing 64 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:16,720 Speaker 1: it should motivate you, thrill you, challenge you, and inspire you, 65 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:19,120 Speaker 1: rather than threaten you and make you feel like you're 66 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:22,520 Speaker 1: immediately being compared to them. Now, some might hear that 67 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:25,760 Speaker 1: and say, well, t Swizzle, it's so easy for you 68 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:30,680 Speaker 1: to say that because you're so singularly successful. She's in 69 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:33,719 Speaker 1: her own league, like no one can really compete with 70 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:35,640 Speaker 1: her except maybe Katie Perry. But we're not going to 71 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:39,279 Speaker 1: get into that. Um So what about in our more? 72 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 1: What about for for folks like you and me? Caroline, Well, 73 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 1: I think we can transition pretty well off of Taylor 74 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 1: Swift because Marcy bianco over at Mike was sort of 75 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:54,120 Speaker 1: looking into Taylor's comments about not only friendship and lady friends, 76 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 1: but also feminism and saying that the message is quote 77 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 1: that gain power, we have to champion women who have 78 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 1: access to it, and this is sort of the basis 79 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 1: for what Ann Friedman calls the shine theory. Yeah, we've 80 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:15,159 Speaker 1: sited in Freedman so many times on the podcast. She 81 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:17,719 Speaker 1: is a freelance writer. You've probably seen her work in 82 00:05:17,839 --> 00:05:21,039 Speaker 1: York Magazine. She writes regularly elsewhere as well, and she 83 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 1: also hosts a podcast called Call Your Girlfriend with one 84 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:28,919 Speaker 1: of her very successful lady friends. And she wrote this 85 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:32,440 Speaker 1: piece in York Magazine in two thousand thirteen, I believe 86 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:36,400 Speaker 1: about shine theory, and it went viral. I mean, it 87 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:39,119 Speaker 1: might partially be because it was headlined why powerful women 88 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:42,200 Speaker 1: make the best friends, um, but it it definitely started 89 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:45,719 Speaker 1: a lot of conversations. And one thing that she says 90 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:48,800 Speaker 1: in this piece is quote, when you meet a woman 91 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:55,080 Speaker 1: who is intimidatingly witty, stylish, beautiful and professionally accomplished, befriend her. 92 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:57,120 Speaker 1: In other words, you know what I had to do 93 00:05:57,160 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 1: with Caroline, you know. So surrounding yourself with the best 94 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:06,360 Speaker 1: people doesn't make you look worse by comparison, It makes 95 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:08,760 Speaker 1: you look better. And again, why am I sitting so 96 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:12,359 Speaker 1: close to Caroline? Answer? She's shining upon me. This is 97 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:14,600 Speaker 1: literally we're sitting in a long dining room table and 98 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 1: Kristen is literally sitting next to me. I don't understand 99 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:19,720 Speaker 1: side by side, but honestly, it's cold in here, so 100 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:22,599 Speaker 1: it's keeping me warm, right, and so she uses the 101 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:27,040 Speaker 1: example of Kelly Rowland and Beyonce because you know, they 102 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 1: were all in the same group together along with Michelle 103 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:33,599 Speaker 1: Let's not forget poor Michelle UM. But Beyonce, of course 104 00:06:33,680 --> 00:06:37,119 Speaker 1: blew up and became the social phenomenon, and Kelly Rowland 105 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:40,720 Speaker 1: herself has an incredibly successful career. I mean, like, I'd 106 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:43,000 Speaker 1: like to put out records and be a judge on 107 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 1: The X Factor if that's in fact the show that 108 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:49,800 Speaker 1: she's on. UM. But basically, Kelly Rowland had to work 109 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:52,720 Speaker 1: through her own envy issues with Beyonce and even wrote 110 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 1: a song about it, about seeing your friend blow up 111 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:57,960 Speaker 1: and becomes so successful and having to deal with those 112 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:00,960 Speaker 1: kind of feelings of being left behind. But yeah, so 113 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:05,440 Speaker 1: Friedman talks about how Kelly Rowland great example because she's 114 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:08,919 Speaker 1: positioning herself next to Beyonce and she's all the better 115 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 1: for it, not worse for it. And when she published 116 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:16,560 Speaker 1: this song that was autobiographical about her jealousy of Beyonce 117 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:19,240 Speaker 1: and coming to terms with that, Beyonce then listen to 118 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 1: it and then sent Kelly an email or maybe a 119 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:24,320 Speaker 1: text message. I don't know how they communicate, and he's like, hey, 120 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:27,480 Speaker 1: that was really amazing and honest and thank you for 121 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:31,080 Speaker 1: being you, And I wish I could get a text 122 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:35,440 Speaker 1: like that from Beyonce. Maybe it was a singing telegram, 123 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:39,360 Speaker 1: but oh cool, alright, cool as if it happened. Um. So, 124 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 1: the basic idea is that the people we surround ourselves 125 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:46,240 Speaker 1: with not not only reflect who we are, but they 126 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 1: should reflect who we want to be. And so by 127 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 1: befriending and bonding with powerful, awesome women, you're helping build 128 00:07:56,760 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 1: your own personal network, whether that's for your personal life 129 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:03,440 Speaker 1: for your professional life, and that your friends should really 130 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:06,720 Speaker 1: encourage you to be better, not drag you down. Yeah, 131 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:09,600 Speaker 1: and this does remind me of stuff my mom told 132 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:11,920 Speaker 1: me when I was a kid, in terms of you 133 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:15,040 Speaker 1: are the company that you keep, so be careful of 134 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:17,680 Speaker 1: the friends that you make. And it seems like a 135 00:08:17,760 --> 00:08:20,840 Speaker 1: grown up version of that in a way, because it's 136 00:08:20,840 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 1: not only sort of holding yourself to a higher standard 137 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 1: by virtue of these powerful, successful people holding you more accountable, 138 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:32,959 Speaker 1: but also allowing maybe outspoken friends in your life to 139 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:36,080 Speaker 1: kind of call you out when you need to be 140 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:39,360 Speaker 1: called out a little bit for maybe going on dates 141 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:42,920 Speaker 1: with questionable people or maybe not being as ambitious as 142 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:47,320 Speaker 1: as you possibly could be those kinds of things as well. Yeah, 143 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:51,280 Speaker 1: and she cites Joe Freeman's nineteen seventy six essay on 144 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:57,960 Speaker 1: feminists not necessarily doing this, not necessarily being supportive of 145 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:01,600 Speaker 1: one another. So it's not like minister some magical unicorn 146 00:09:01,640 --> 00:09:04,800 Speaker 1: group of women who are immune from some of the 147 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:08,520 Speaker 1: less desirable personality traits when it comes to friendship. And 148 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:13,079 Speaker 1: in that essay, Freeman's sights and Selma Delolo who said, 149 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:15,960 Speaker 1: quote achieving our accomplishment of any kind, which seem to 150 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:20,160 Speaker 1: be the worst crime, you're immediately labeled a thrill seeking opportunist, 151 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:23,439 Speaker 1: a ruthless mercenary out to make her fame and fortune 152 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 1: over the dead bodies of selfless sisters who have buried 153 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:30,880 Speaker 1: their abilities and sacrifice their ambitions for the greater glory 154 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:36,360 Speaker 1: of feminism. Wow. And I mean and that rings true 155 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:39,679 Speaker 1: today as well, not just within feminism but in our 156 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:43,360 Speaker 1: friendships in general. And it doesn't help that and we'll 157 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:45,439 Speaker 1: talk about this more in define later in the podcast, 158 00:09:45,679 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 1: that a lot of times of female friendships that have 159 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:51,839 Speaker 1: been modeled for us in pop culture have always had 160 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:56,040 Speaker 1: those undercurrents of competition. And I hate to use this 161 00:09:56,120 --> 00:10:01,640 Speaker 1: word but cattiness. Yeah, exactly, And I mean one important 162 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:04,720 Speaker 1: feminist figure who's always argued for women supporting one another 163 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:08,040 Speaker 1: is Gloria Steinhum and Kristen and I heard firsthand Gloria 164 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:11,719 Speaker 1: Steinham talking about the importance of even if you disagree 165 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:16,240 Speaker 1: with someone, supporting them in their efforts to do better. Yeah, 166 00:10:16,280 --> 00:10:19,040 Speaker 1: And going back to Amy Poehler, she has a great 167 00:10:19,679 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 1: one liner about that, which is simply good for you, 168 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:25,000 Speaker 1: not for me. And that's fine, and that's all it 169 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:28,160 Speaker 1: has to be. Um. But the thing is, especially when 170 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:31,040 Speaker 1: we're talking about this within the context of feminism, the 171 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:34,479 Speaker 1: more we get distracted by fighting mongst ourselves and competing 172 00:10:34,720 --> 00:10:39,320 Speaker 1: and fuming with jealousy, it does give away ground to 173 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:42,880 Speaker 1: the status quo and a patriarchy because it is a 174 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:47,920 Speaker 1: distraction away from doing the work right exactly. Some people, though, 175 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:52,120 Speaker 1: did not like this shine theory uh Slates. Hanna Rosen 176 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:55,400 Speaker 1: was not a huge fan of this idea because she 177 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:58,400 Speaker 1: saw it as too calculating. She basically called it forming 178 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:02,240 Speaker 1: a strategic alliance and stead of forming an actual genuine friendship. 179 00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:06,320 Speaker 1: And she wonders whether, according to this theory, that you know, 180 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:09,280 Speaker 1: if you've surrounded yourself purposely with all of these powerful, 181 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:13,520 Speaker 1: really super ambitious women. If one of them loses a job, 182 00:11:13,679 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 1: goes through a hard time, you know, finds herself in 183 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:18,079 Speaker 1: a funk for three weeks and doesn't get out of 184 00:11:18,080 --> 00:11:20,560 Speaker 1: her pajamas, do you have to kick her out of 185 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:23,200 Speaker 1: your of your high powered social group all of a sudden, 186 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 1: or if or if she shows any type of jealousy 187 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:29,480 Speaker 1: or weakness. Yeah. Funnily enough, she thinks that the advice 188 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:33,040 Speaker 1: is quote old fashioned, a relic from the days when 189 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:36,280 Speaker 1: women didn't see themselves as worthy competition for men, so 190 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:40,679 Speaker 1: they fought one another for scraps, which is a pretty 191 00:11:40,920 --> 00:11:45,520 Speaker 1: damning assessment. Yeah. She suggests instead that if you're going 192 00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:48,520 Speaker 1: to try to have a strategy for your friendships, that 193 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:52,559 Speaker 1: you should try compartmentalizing between your professional acquaintances and your 194 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:56,920 Speaker 1: actual really close lady friends and then just recognize and 195 00:11:57,080 --> 00:12:01,600 Speaker 1: ride out the waves of envy as they come and go. So, basically, 196 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:04,160 Speaker 1: you have these different friend groups for different purposes, one 197 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 1: of which is your true genuine group of friends. One 198 00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:09,280 Speaker 1: is the kind of friends that you have to help 199 00:12:09,280 --> 00:12:12,720 Speaker 1: you get ahead, um, and that you can use them 200 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:15,440 Speaker 1: to sort of kind of let off steam about the 201 00:12:15,520 --> 00:12:20,320 Speaker 1: other group when you need to. While overall I by 202 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:23,959 Speaker 1: the shine theory, but there is it seems like there 203 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:26,520 Speaker 1: needs to be this distinction between what the shine theory is, 204 00:12:26,559 --> 00:12:29,319 Speaker 1: which seems like it's more along the lines of friendly 205 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:35,760 Speaker 1: networking rather than cultivating best friendships. Right, Because the feeling 206 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:38,800 Speaker 1: that I got having read that and then reading Rosen's 207 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:43,000 Speaker 1: column about it, was that, Yeah, the shine theory is 208 00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:46,880 Speaker 1: great in that, yes, you should always encourage your lady friends, 209 00:12:46,880 --> 00:12:48,920 Speaker 1: and you should always strive to be the most genuine 210 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:51,160 Speaker 1: supportive friend that you can and hope that you receive 211 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:57,560 Speaker 1: that same treatment um in response. But yeah, I almost 212 00:12:57,640 --> 00:12:59,840 Speaker 1: feel like that might be a recipe for not so 213 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:03,199 Speaker 1: genuine friendships and even the development of like a friend 214 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:06,520 Speaker 1: of me relationship, which you and I have also talked about. Yeah. Well, 215 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:10,160 Speaker 1: I was actually bene listening to call your girlfriend over 216 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:14,600 Speaker 1: the weekend in Freedman's podcast and they mentioned the shine 217 00:13:14,679 --> 00:13:18,680 Speaker 1: theory and her co host said, oh, well, and you know, 218 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:21,640 Speaker 1: I don't shine if you don't shine, And that kind 219 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:23,480 Speaker 1: of hammered at home a little bit more to me 220 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:26,320 Speaker 1: of like, Okay, that makes more sense than a day 221 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:29,040 Speaker 1: to day with your friends of like you we want 222 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 1: to help each other be the best ladies that we 223 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:36,040 Speaker 1: can be through our friendship. I get that, but yeah, 224 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:39,440 Speaker 1: there's also the factor to where, especially if you're a 225 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:42,520 Speaker 1: career oriented woman who spends a lot of time and 226 00:13:42,559 --> 00:13:46,959 Speaker 1: invest a lot of mental and emotional energy into her job, 227 00:13:47,240 --> 00:13:49,600 Speaker 1: I should just make this first person because I'm talking 228 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:54,040 Speaker 1: about myself. I've found that that it's really important for 229 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 1: me to have friends where career is not a topic 230 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:02,080 Speaker 1: that we even really go to, you know, like, I 231 00:14:02,120 --> 00:14:04,280 Speaker 1: feel like we need a break from it at some point. 232 00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:07,880 Speaker 1: It is nice to talk to people with other passions 233 00:14:07,920 --> 00:14:11,520 Speaker 1: and with their energy being directed in different areas instead 234 00:14:11,559 --> 00:14:14,800 Speaker 1: of just, you know, people exactly like yourself all the time. Yeah, 235 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:16,400 Speaker 1: and I think you have to it goes both ways 236 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:19,320 Speaker 1: to like to the point of what Hanter Rosen was 237 00:14:19,320 --> 00:14:20,960 Speaker 1: saying about, Well, what if you have a friend who 238 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:22,520 Speaker 1: lost a job. What if you have a friend who's 239 00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:25,360 Speaker 1: not so successful, do you kick her out of the club? No? 240 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:27,280 Speaker 1: And I think that it's you have to keep that 241 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 1: in mind too, when if you are the more successful friend, 242 00:14:31,320 --> 00:14:34,080 Speaker 1: how you treat and talk to your friends who are 243 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 1: maybe taking different paths than you are, and accepting that 244 00:14:37,280 --> 00:14:40,160 Speaker 1: as well. So it's a I mean, I like the 245 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:42,480 Speaker 1: shine theory. I like the concept of the shine theory, 246 00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:47,160 Speaker 1: but as always, there's clearly more nuance to it than 247 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:51,480 Speaker 1: just make friends with powerful women, right exactly. Um And 248 00:14:51,520 --> 00:14:54,880 Speaker 1: of course, if you are the more successful woman, then 249 00:14:55,040 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 1: chances are some people in your social group might be 250 00:14:58,680 --> 00:15:01,320 Speaker 1: envious of the things that you've a pomplished. Yeah. And 251 00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:04,800 Speaker 1: there has been a lot of research on jealousy and 252 00:15:05,080 --> 00:15:08,680 Speaker 1: envy in general. So first we want to share a 253 00:15:08,680 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 1: few facts about the purpose of jealousy why it exists, 254 00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:17,160 Speaker 1: because it seems like this, well, it is a negative emotion, 255 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:21,840 Speaker 1: but it does have a purpose in the natural world. 256 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:25,200 Speaker 1: And we're citing a paper by Sarah E. Hill and 257 00:15:25,320 --> 00:15:30,080 Speaker 1: David M. Bus called the Evolutionary Psychology of Envy. Right, 258 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:33,560 Speaker 1: super interesting stuff that if you read it, and I 259 00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:36,240 Speaker 1: encourage you to do so, it makes you feel like 260 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:40,240 Speaker 1: way less of a crazy person. Oh yeah, envy is 261 00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:44,720 Speaker 1: Envy is supernatural. It is I mean super natural to words, 262 00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:50,000 Speaker 1: not supernatural as in a deity. Um. Right, it is 263 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:53,680 Speaker 1: innate and it likely played a role in like I 264 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:57,320 Speaker 1: talked about earlier, getting the better spear, resource acquisition and 265 00:15:57,400 --> 00:16:01,800 Speaker 1: human survival because it motivates certain things like submission, ambition, 266 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:05,840 Speaker 1: or destruction. Basically, you choose between like I'm super envious. 267 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:09,280 Speaker 1: That means I'm getting ambition, I might acquire something better 268 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:11,920 Speaker 1: or find a way to do it myself, or you 269 00:16:11,960 --> 00:16:14,440 Speaker 1: know something terrible, like ah, you've got the better spear, 270 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 1: so I'll destroy yours so that I feel better about myself. 271 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:32,960 Speaker 1: But let's move away from spears and actually talk about 272 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:35,720 Speaker 1: social groups, which is what we're here to actually talk about. 273 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:41,000 Speaker 1: And envy has really been shown to lead to basically 274 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:46,480 Speaker 1: talking smack about a person to your peer group because 275 00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:51,200 Speaker 1: that helps lower or it can help lower an opinion 276 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:55,400 Speaker 1: of someone. So that's that's another like peer group focused 277 00:16:55,560 --> 00:16:59,520 Speaker 1: way of using envy as a destruction tool. But it's 278 00:16:59,520 --> 00:17:02,080 Speaker 1: a seek it of emotion because we know it's negative 279 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:05,399 Speaker 1: and we don't want to admit that we're being outperformed 280 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:08,200 Speaker 1: because what does that mean. Envy is like, Okay, you 281 00:17:08,320 --> 00:17:11,240 Speaker 1: have something that I really want, so I'm feeling envious 282 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:13,320 Speaker 1: of you, and that might spark a whole slough of 283 00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:16,679 Speaker 1: negative emotions like hostility and insecurity and all this stuff. 284 00:17:17,080 --> 00:17:19,240 Speaker 1: But I don't want to tell this other person over 285 00:17:19,320 --> 00:17:22,560 Speaker 1: here Kristen has something that I want, because that just 286 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:25,640 Speaker 1: makes me seem like, oh, well, I don't have enough 287 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:28,240 Speaker 1: for I don't have what I need or should have exactly, 288 00:17:28,280 --> 00:17:31,640 Speaker 1: which is where shine theory would come in to say, 289 00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:36,240 Speaker 1: rather than giving into your insecurity, take advantage of it, 290 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:39,919 Speaker 1: befriend make a you know, build the bridge between you 291 00:17:40,119 --> 00:17:44,520 Speaker 1: and that thing that you want. And shine theory jumped 292 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:47,760 Speaker 1: out in this paper when they noted that quote. Researchers 293 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:51,160 Speaker 1: have long noted that people reserve their feelings of enviousness 294 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:54,879 Speaker 1: for those who are similar to themselves and for advantages 295 00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:58,960 Speaker 1: that are in self relevant domains. In other words, it's 296 00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:03,840 Speaker 1: understandable that we might have feelings of envy for the 297 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:06,520 Speaker 1: women who are surrounding us, especially if they're in similar 298 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:10,600 Speaker 1: kinds of careers or industries, because it tends to crop 299 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:12,480 Speaker 1: up the most around the people who are the most 300 00:18:12,520 --> 00:18:14,320 Speaker 1: like us, because that would lead us to think, well, 301 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:16,760 Speaker 1: you have everything that I had, but except for that 302 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:20,440 Speaker 1: one thing. Why does your hair look amazing every single day? 303 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:25,280 Speaker 1: That's right, Chris, I'm not talking about me. Yeah, And 304 00:18:25,320 --> 00:18:27,760 Speaker 1: that hair thing is not just a joke. I mean 305 00:18:27,840 --> 00:18:33,359 Speaker 1: it plays into an evolutionary psychology theory on women's envy 306 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:37,080 Speaker 1: in particular, we tend to have greater envy and response 307 00:18:37,160 --> 00:18:42,359 Speaker 1: to our same sex peers being more attractive, whereas guys 308 00:18:42,359 --> 00:18:47,560 Speaker 1: are more envious of richer or guys with better resources. 309 00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:51,320 Speaker 1: And that you know, goes back to Okay, well what 310 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:55,359 Speaker 1: do men and women want? Traditionally, and women are seeking 311 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:58,200 Speaker 1: to be provided for and men are seeking a hot, fertile, 312 00:18:58,240 --> 00:19:04,480 Speaker 1: young mate. Basically, I know, yeah, that's there's always there's 313 00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:09,439 Speaker 1: always that factory and evolutionary psychology seems like. But I 314 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:12,280 Speaker 1: did find it interesting that the researcher has mentioned that 315 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:18,840 Speaker 1: envy should peak during our peak reproductive years. So because 316 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:23,520 Speaker 1: it's all about ultimately, according to evolutionary psychology, it ultimately 317 00:19:23,560 --> 00:19:26,800 Speaker 1: as is everything about babies, Yeah, fighting for resources and 318 00:19:26,800 --> 00:19:31,280 Speaker 1: those resources are sperm. Yes, but there's There's also been 319 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:37,160 Speaker 1: a lot of non evolutionary psychology research conducted on jealousy 320 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:43,560 Speaker 1: and competition within female friendships, and it starts long before 321 00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:46,760 Speaker 1: our careers get off the ground. And one of the 322 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:52,480 Speaker 1: most fascinating things to me about gender differences in friendships 323 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:55,359 Speaker 1: that you see come up a lot in studies is 324 00:19:55,400 --> 00:19:58,679 Speaker 1: that girls tend to hold their girl friends, and I 325 00:19:58,680 --> 00:20:02,160 Speaker 1: mean girl, like young girl tend to hold their girlfriends 326 00:20:02,520 --> 00:20:06,679 Speaker 1: to hire standards. We think about friendships more often. We 327 00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:11,080 Speaker 1: expect more things like kindness, loyalty, and commitment from our friends. 328 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:14,080 Speaker 1: We self disclose more to our girl friends. I mean 329 00:20:14,119 --> 00:20:18,280 Speaker 1: think about I mean just the excitement of telling or 330 00:20:18,440 --> 00:20:21,440 Speaker 1: hearing a secret from a friend when you were a girl. 331 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:23,239 Speaker 1: I mean, that was that was so much of what 332 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:28,640 Speaker 1: it was. And while that establishes this foundation for girl 333 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:31,960 Speaker 1: friendships being so incredible, it also sets us up though, 334 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:38,600 Speaker 1: for chelsea and disappointment and competition too, because we're so invested, right, 335 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:40,680 Speaker 1: And then that leads us to what this study, which 336 00:20:40,760 --> 00:20:44,080 Speaker 1: is in the journal Developmental Psychology in two thousand five, 337 00:20:44,200 --> 00:20:48,159 Speaker 1: was saying about, how you know girls are there's so 338 00:20:48,240 --> 00:20:51,120 Speaker 1: much more of an intimacy level and female friendship than 339 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:54,320 Speaker 1: in the friendships of young boys, to the point where 340 00:20:54,560 --> 00:20:57,560 Speaker 1: the interference of a third party tends to be a 341 00:20:57,600 --> 00:21:01,960 Speaker 1: significant source of tension between friends and the primary basis 342 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:07,399 Speaker 1: for the breakup of friendships. Yeah, and researchers usually anticipate 343 00:21:07,520 --> 00:21:13,600 Speaker 1: jealousy interfering in girl friendships just because we have quote deeper, 344 00:21:13,680 --> 00:21:16,680 Speaker 1: more intimate friendships. And they also went on to say, 345 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:19,680 Speaker 1: in this study quote, girls in general reported higher levels 346 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:23,400 Speaker 1: of jealousy surrounding friends. So this is something that we're 347 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:28,240 Speaker 1: dealing with in our formative years. Um. But interestingly too, 348 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:32,720 Speaker 1: that gender difference might also be due to a gendered 349 00:21:32,880 --> 00:21:37,520 Speaker 1: stigma of jealousy being thought of as more of a 350 00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:40,719 Speaker 1: feminine emotion, probably because, like we were talking about with 351 00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:44,680 Speaker 1: the evolutionary psychology of envy, if you express envy or jealousy, 352 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:47,160 Speaker 1: you're sort of tipping your hand a little bit right, 353 00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:51,320 Speaker 1: signaling weakness. So, for instance, if boys are feeling jealous 354 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:54,000 Speaker 1: within the confines of these friendships, they have a tendency 355 00:21:54,040 --> 00:21:57,200 Speaker 1: to just say that they're upset versus they're jealous of something. 356 00:21:57,640 --> 00:22:00,879 Speaker 1: But Caroline, this is dealing with young her girls. What 357 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:07,280 Speaker 1: then happens when puberty hits and sexiness walks in the room. 358 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:10,119 Speaker 1: Oh my god, I feel like everybody could probably guess 359 00:22:10,119 --> 00:22:14,720 Speaker 1: the answer to this. Uh, nothing good, nothing good, nothing 360 00:22:14,720 --> 00:22:17,520 Speaker 1: good happens. Um. I mean, it's so interesting. The studies 361 00:22:17,520 --> 00:22:21,120 Speaker 1: that we read that basically threw a sexy lady into 362 00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:25,200 Speaker 1: the mix of two female friends showed over and over 363 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:28,960 Speaker 1: again that if a if a sexy lady walks in 364 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:32,439 Speaker 1: the room and encounters two female friends. The minute she 365 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 1: walks back out, the two female friends are going to 366 00:22:34,560 --> 00:22:36,359 Speaker 1: be like, am I God, did you see her? I 367 00:22:36,359 --> 00:22:39,480 Speaker 1: bet she's just here to bang the professor. Whereas if 368 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:41,119 Speaker 1: a woman with like her hair and a nod on 369 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:43,680 Speaker 1: the top of her head, wearing a T shirt and pants, 370 00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:46,000 Speaker 1: you know, if I walk into the room, if I 371 00:22:46,040 --> 00:22:48,960 Speaker 1: walk into the room, they don't think anything of it 372 00:22:49,040 --> 00:22:51,760 Speaker 1: at all. Yeah, yeah, there's no we're not We're not 373 00:22:51,840 --> 00:22:56,200 Speaker 1: bringing sexy back. But this The fascinating thing, though, too, 374 00:22:56,640 --> 00:23:02,160 Speaker 1: was that only until recently, really recently, scientists didn't even 375 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:07,359 Speaker 1: really understand the entire concept of female competition. It was 376 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:10,880 Speaker 1: assumed to be more of a male thing, obviously relating 377 00:23:10,920 --> 00:23:15,560 Speaker 1: to uh, gendered patterns of aggression and violence and adding 378 00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:18,720 Speaker 1: a little more complexity to this as well. Uh. The 379 00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:22,760 Speaker 1: New York Times was reporting on how female competition used 380 00:23:22,800 --> 00:23:26,760 Speaker 1: to be sort of a giant question mark because past 381 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:33,080 Speaker 1: evolutionary analysis thought that our ancient poligionist societies just eliminated 382 00:23:33,119 --> 00:23:36,840 Speaker 1: any compulsion for female mate competition because hey, the hottest 383 00:23:36,920 --> 00:23:40,360 Speaker 1: dudes just have multiple wives, no big deal. But more 384 00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:44,720 Speaker 1: recent analysis has opened up that scenario a little bit 385 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:48,200 Speaker 1: for female competition because they now think, well, women probably 386 00:23:48,240 --> 00:23:53,480 Speaker 1: would have still competed for the best resourced sperm contributor. 387 00:23:53,760 --> 00:23:57,199 Speaker 1: So it's it's all very romantic, it's very egalitarian, it's 388 00:23:57,320 --> 00:24:02,679 Speaker 1: very progressive. Um, but not jokinging female competition is only 389 00:24:03,040 --> 00:24:06,199 Speaker 1: recently been studied, and it is once you throw that 390 00:24:06,359 --> 00:24:09,840 Speaker 1: sexiness into the equation that it does come out, unfortunately, 391 00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:12,959 Speaker 1: at least according to the limited researches out there in 392 00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:17,240 Speaker 1: the form of female to female So what shaming. Yeah, 393 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:22,200 Speaker 1: So researcher Sarah B. Hurdie has is researching female competition, 394 00:24:22,440 --> 00:24:25,600 Speaker 1: and she points out that it's only since the nineteen eighties, 395 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:27,800 Speaker 1: which is really when more and more women started getting 396 00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:31,520 Speaker 1: into stem fields that people turn their attention to studying 397 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:37,000 Speaker 1: women's competition and and uh, female on female competition and aggression. Um. 398 00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:40,080 Speaker 1: Of course, as we've talked about before, female on female 399 00:24:40,080 --> 00:24:44,240 Speaker 1: aggression does tend to be a little more passive aggressive, 400 00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:48,719 Speaker 1: a little less actually aggressive aggressive or especially physical. I mean, 401 00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:51,720 Speaker 1: we have to protect our delicate selves, right, Yeah, we're 402 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:54,800 Speaker 1: less likelier to to punch each other. Yeah, don't punch 403 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:56,280 Speaker 1: me in the baby maker, because we've got to be 404 00:24:56,320 --> 00:24:58,359 Speaker 1: making all those babies, all lot sperm I acquired with 405 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:00,280 Speaker 1: my new spear, and not in the face, because how 406 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:03,879 Speaker 1: will I find the best sperm contributor. Instead, I'm just 407 00:25:03,880 --> 00:25:07,040 Speaker 1: gonna say horrible things about you behind your back, right, 408 00:25:07,160 --> 00:25:09,640 Speaker 1: because that goes back to the whole envy discussion of 409 00:25:09,960 --> 00:25:12,720 Speaker 1: talking about someone behind her back to basically take her 410 00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:15,320 Speaker 1: down brick by brick, behind the scenes, instead of just 411 00:25:15,359 --> 00:25:18,679 Speaker 1: doing it to her face. Yeah, which is really no 412 00:25:18,920 --> 00:25:22,720 Speaker 1: less damaging, arguably even more damaging than punching someone in 413 00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:28,840 Speaker 1: the in the ute. And this is our way, according 414 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:34,800 Speaker 1: to Dr Hurdie, that women limit access by maintaining advantage 415 00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:39,480 Speaker 1: in the negotiation of the resource, the resource being our 416 00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:44,639 Speaker 1: ability to find a decent person to procreate with um. 417 00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:48,879 Speaker 1: But moving on from that, Joyce Benison at Emmanuel College 418 00:25:48,920 --> 00:25:52,920 Speaker 1: has also studied female jealousy and competition, and she identified 419 00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:58,359 Speaker 1: to Psychology Today three unique characteristics of jealousy and women. 420 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:03,000 Speaker 1: One ailed aggression rather than physical confrontation. We've already covered 421 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:07,639 Speaker 1: that too high status women are less motivated to invest 422 00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:11,040 Speaker 1: in other women, and women who try to distinguish or 423 00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:16,159 Speaker 1: promote themselves threaten other women, and will encounter hostility and 424 00:26:16,520 --> 00:26:19,359 Speaker 1: enter shine theory needing to come into play, and the 425 00:26:19,560 --> 00:26:25,080 Speaker 1: three social exclusion to protect against potential competitors. So I 426 00:26:25,080 --> 00:26:29,280 Speaker 1: mean we we play dirty. Yeah, but I mean this 427 00:26:29,280 --> 00:26:32,359 Speaker 1: this supposedly like natural drive to be doing all of 428 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:37,960 Speaker 1: this definitely follows us into our careers and jealousy reflecting 429 00:26:38,040 --> 00:26:41,760 Speaker 1: gender dynamics in the workplace, because when you think about it, 430 00:26:41,800 --> 00:26:46,560 Speaker 1: there are so few women as CEOs in the boardroom 431 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:51,439 Speaker 1: in high power positions. So hopefully we're not fighting for 432 00:26:51,480 --> 00:26:54,720 Speaker 1: sperm in the office, but we're fighting for very limited 433 00:26:54,760 --> 00:26:59,160 Speaker 1: positions of power, and so that still will involve those 434 00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:03,760 Speaker 1: more the more veiled aggression, maybe the feelings of envy 435 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:07,080 Speaker 1: and trying to take someone down behind the scenes so 436 00:27:07,160 --> 00:27:09,240 Speaker 1: that you're still being perceived as like, oh, I'm a 437 00:27:09,240 --> 00:27:12,200 Speaker 1: team player at work. Yeah, but I do think one 438 00:27:12,200 --> 00:27:15,320 Speaker 1: of the most damaging ways if you are a woman 439 00:27:15,480 --> 00:27:20,119 Speaker 1: vying for that limited seat, I mean stepping on the 440 00:27:20,160 --> 00:27:22,520 Speaker 1: backs of other women in order to get there is 441 00:27:23,520 --> 00:27:26,480 Speaker 1: I mean, I guess if you're out for yourself, okay, 442 00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:29,040 Speaker 1: but you're not helping other women in the process. And 443 00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:30,320 Speaker 1: and the fact of the matter is there are some 444 00:27:30,359 --> 00:27:33,280 Speaker 1: people for which they don't care. They don't care about 445 00:27:33,280 --> 00:27:35,879 Speaker 1: that at all every woman on a reality show. I 446 00:27:35,920 --> 00:27:38,680 Speaker 1: love those montages on YouTube of of women going I'm 447 00:27:38,720 --> 00:27:41,800 Speaker 1: not here to make friends. Yeah, because I mean there 448 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:46,160 Speaker 1: is I think still this assumption that women are going 449 00:27:46,200 --> 00:27:48,879 Speaker 1: to naturally be competitive with each other and be jealous 450 00:27:48,920 --> 00:27:51,560 Speaker 1: of each other, and shine theory does tip it on 451 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:53,159 Speaker 1: its head a bit of saying, hey, you know, we 452 00:27:53,200 --> 00:27:55,199 Speaker 1: can be successful, we can also be friendly, and we 453 00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:59,560 Speaker 1: can also maybe buck these perceptions that women in positions 454 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:04,840 Speaker 1: of lead ship and power are aggressive and angry and unfriendly. Yeah, 455 00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:07,520 Speaker 1: because that doesn't help at all either now, and neither 456 00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:10,479 Speaker 1: does the loneliness that comes when you're looking at social 457 00:28:10,480 --> 00:28:13,960 Speaker 1: media for hours on end and some woman on social 458 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:17,880 Speaker 1: media's posting pictures of her trip to Bali. I'm not 459 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:21,320 Speaker 1: speaking from person or just a dinner parties you weren't 460 00:28:21,359 --> 00:28:25,760 Speaker 1: invited to, not speaking from personal experience eide of the Caroline. Yeah, 461 00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:28,000 Speaker 1: social media, I mean we're gonna we're going to mention 462 00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:31,760 Speaker 1: social media because women spend a lot of time on 463 00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:36,440 Speaker 1: social media. And as probably every every listener has seen 464 00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:38,680 Speaker 1: a trend piece on this, there have been so many 465 00:28:38,760 --> 00:28:44,240 Speaker 1: studies now linking Facebook and Instagram in particular to feelings 466 00:28:44,240 --> 00:28:48,880 Speaker 1: of loneliness, lower self worth, and jealousy because we're seeing 467 00:28:49,360 --> 00:28:51,280 Speaker 1: we're seeing things that we don't have. I mean, yes, 468 00:28:51,280 --> 00:28:56,640 Speaker 1: these are images that are curated and filtered and cleverly captioned. 469 00:28:56,760 --> 00:28:59,560 Speaker 1: We hope to, you know, make your life look as 470 00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:01,840 Speaker 1: great as possible. But still, but it's weird. It's almost 471 00:29:01,840 --> 00:29:05,080 Speaker 1: like it's almost like the way that fake sugar like 472 00:29:05,200 --> 00:29:08,040 Speaker 1: will never satisfy your brain because your brain wants real sugar, 473 00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:10,240 Speaker 1: and so it keeps searching. It's it's almost like you're 474 00:29:10,320 --> 00:29:13,680 Speaker 1: you're in a fake competition with other women on social 475 00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:15,960 Speaker 1: media when you look at their amazing pictures of their 476 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:19,720 Speaker 1: trip or their dinner or their vacation or husband or 477 00:29:19,760 --> 00:29:26,240 Speaker 1: whoever whatever. Because so envy is supposed to spark ambition, right, 478 00:29:26,360 --> 00:29:28,400 Speaker 1: you see something you want and you're like, I've got 479 00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:30,320 Speaker 1: to figure out a way to get that for myself 480 00:29:30,360 --> 00:29:33,640 Speaker 1: and do do well for myself. But the image that 481 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:37,720 Speaker 1: people present of themselves on social media, it's not anywhere 482 00:29:37,720 --> 00:29:40,440 Speaker 1: close to being reel. Yeah, you might post pictures of 483 00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:43,120 Speaker 1: an amazing trip you took, but that doesn't cover up 484 00:29:43,160 --> 00:29:44,760 Speaker 1: like maybe you had a bad day, maybe you're not 485 00:29:44,800 --> 00:29:47,920 Speaker 1: feeling good about yourself, maybe you yourself or insecure, and 486 00:29:47,960 --> 00:29:50,760 Speaker 1: so it's almost like people are envious of something that 487 00:29:50,760 --> 00:29:53,320 Speaker 1: they don't fully grasp and so that like breeds this 488 00:29:53,320 --> 00:29:57,680 Speaker 1: whole feeling of insecurity and instability and envy when really 489 00:29:57,720 --> 00:30:00,440 Speaker 1: you should just be congratulating on your friend on a 490 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:02,960 Speaker 1: good trip and saying, hey, how you doing. Yeah? I mean. 491 00:30:03,040 --> 00:30:05,719 Speaker 1: And when it comes to that realness factor on social 492 00:30:05,760 --> 00:30:08,480 Speaker 1: media and our curated images, I would like to highlight 493 00:30:08,560 --> 00:30:12,200 Speaker 1: that my Twitter avatar that is fake blood on my face, 494 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:15,960 Speaker 1: not real ladies. You don't need to be envious. Um. 495 00:30:16,120 --> 00:30:19,680 Speaker 1: And also I think that you just came up with 496 00:30:19,720 --> 00:30:25,400 Speaker 1: something that we should call the splendid theory. So yeah, hello, 497 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:30,320 Speaker 1: shine theory, me splendid theory, and together, what would that 498 00:30:30,400 --> 00:30:36,440 Speaker 1: make fool's gold? But before we close out this conversation, 499 00:30:36,560 --> 00:30:39,600 Speaker 1: we did want to take a look at television because 500 00:30:39,640 --> 00:30:44,400 Speaker 1: we mentioned earlier about how media representations of female friendships, 501 00:30:44,400 --> 00:30:49,080 Speaker 1: particularly in movies and television, often, you know, follow the 502 00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:51,320 Speaker 1: assumption that we all secretly hate each other and they're 503 00:30:51,360 --> 00:30:55,000 Speaker 1: all fre enemies. And there is still a lot of 504 00:30:55,040 --> 00:30:58,960 Speaker 1: that on TV. Just look at the Real Housewives franchise 505 00:30:59,160 --> 00:31:03,600 Speaker 1: and the Batch aller but I think in some ways 506 00:31:03,800 --> 00:31:07,560 Speaker 1: it has gotten better. We do have some examples of uh, 507 00:31:07,880 --> 00:31:10,480 Speaker 1: female friendships on TV. And I'm only focusing on TV 508 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:12,840 Speaker 1: just because there's not even time to get into film, 509 00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:16,000 Speaker 1: but there are examples of friendships where shine theory is 510 00:31:16,040 --> 00:31:17,880 Speaker 1: at work, not just in a sense of a career, 511 00:31:17,920 --> 00:31:20,800 Speaker 1: but supporting people through life decisions too. And I think 512 00:31:20,800 --> 00:31:25,280 Speaker 1: that that's something especially for me as an adult woman 513 00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:28,280 Speaker 1: with my friends who have now had for years and 514 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:31,880 Speaker 1: years and years too. It's it's not just the career 515 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:35,760 Speaker 1: success that can stoke envy, but it's also the life success. 516 00:31:36,040 --> 00:31:38,480 Speaker 1: We're all starting to hit the milestones you're starting to get, 517 00:31:38,520 --> 00:31:43,320 Speaker 1: like engagements and marriages and pregnancies and divorce and that, 518 00:31:43,760 --> 00:31:46,080 Speaker 1: and that plays a role in things as well. Yeah, 519 00:31:46,120 --> 00:31:49,600 Speaker 1: it is refreshing to see depictions of female friendship that 520 00:31:49,720 --> 00:31:52,680 Speaker 1: seemed very genuine. I mean, take a show like Girls, 521 00:31:52,720 --> 00:31:54,920 Speaker 1: which wait, don't turn off the podcast. I know not 522 00:31:55,040 --> 00:31:57,920 Speaker 1: everybody is a fan, but when you have a show 523 00:31:57,960 --> 00:32:01,440 Speaker 1: like Girls, I feel like that's still depict doing genuine 524 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:04,560 Speaker 1: female friendships and all of the messiness that can come 525 00:32:04,560 --> 00:32:07,360 Speaker 1: along with it. These women are being pitted against each other. 526 00:32:07,400 --> 00:32:10,560 Speaker 1: There's not cattiness per se, but there's genuine love and 527 00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:14,680 Speaker 1: support just on the same token as there is insecurity 528 00:32:14,800 --> 00:32:18,400 Speaker 1: and sort of measuring up against one another. Yeah, and 529 00:32:18,600 --> 00:32:23,560 Speaker 1: Broad City. Hello. Is there a more dedicated duo of 530 00:32:23,640 --> 00:32:27,600 Speaker 1: female friends on prime Time? I don't think so, because 531 00:32:27,720 --> 00:32:31,880 Speaker 1: I think that Alanna would would murder for Abby and 532 00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:33,960 Speaker 1: she would also marry her if she could, if Abby 533 00:32:34,040 --> 00:32:37,120 Speaker 1: would have her um and then even to a Sex 534 00:32:37,120 --> 00:32:41,000 Speaker 1: in the City. You know, those friendships showed time and 535 00:32:41,040 --> 00:32:45,600 Speaker 1: again lots of support through milestones and successes and even 536 00:32:45,640 --> 00:32:49,480 Speaker 1: through failures too, And I feel like in that way, 537 00:32:49,920 --> 00:32:53,760 Speaker 1: Sex in the City was a healthy model Parks and recreation, 538 00:32:54,160 --> 00:32:57,920 Speaker 1: Leslie Nopes, undying love of Anne right. And I think 539 00:32:57,920 --> 00:32:59,800 Speaker 1: one of my favorites, even though I hate this show 540 00:32:59,840 --> 00:33:03,800 Speaker 1: now out is Grey's Anatomy, the friendship between Meredith and Christina, 541 00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:07,640 Speaker 1: because I remember so clearly the episode where Christina said 542 00:33:07,640 --> 00:33:09,880 Speaker 1: that Meredith was her person, because I was like, oh, 543 00:33:10,840 --> 00:33:14,560 Speaker 1: there it is. That's my friendship reflected in these two 544 00:33:14,600 --> 00:33:18,160 Speaker 1: fictional characters. Because I feel that way about a couple 545 00:33:18,200 --> 00:33:21,880 Speaker 1: of ladies too, and it's like they're they're my my people, 546 00:33:22,040 --> 00:33:24,840 Speaker 1: my tribe, my my people who will tell me when 547 00:33:24,840 --> 00:33:28,120 Speaker 1: I'm full of crap, but who will also support me unconditionally. 548 00:33:28,520 --> 00:33:32,120 Speaker 1: And an older sitcom as well that depicts strong female 549 00:33:32,160 --> 00:33:36,640 Speaker 1: friendships through life events is Girl Friends. As well as 550 00:33:36,760 --> 00:33:40,400 Speaker 1: Awkward Black Girl. You have the Gilmore Girls. Arguably, I 551 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:42,000 Speaker 1: feel like that's a little bit of a stretch. And 552 00:33:42,040 --> 00:33:44,920 Speaker 1: also Buffy the Vampire Slayer. We've got some strong female 553 00:33:44,920 --> 00:33:47,960 Speaker 1: friendships in there as well, So there's some good modeling 554 00:33:48,000 --> 00:33:51,800 Speaker 1: going on. And I do think though that for the 555 00:33:51,840 --> 00:33:53,760 Speaker 1: TV shows we just mentioned that are on the air 556 00:33:53,920 --> 00:33:59,360 Speaker 1: right now, it's interesting that most of them are created 557 00:33:59,800 --> 00:34:04,920 Speaker 1: by women. Yeah. I mean that's the importance of representation. 558 00:34:04,960 --> 00:34:07,080 Speaker 1: When people talk about why is it important to get 559 00:34:07,080 --> 00:34:10,800 Speaker 1: women in X Y Z Field, this is a great example. 560 00:34:10,920 --> 00:34:14,879 Speaker 1: You get more women's perspectives in the TV writer's room, 561 00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:19,719 Speaker 1: and then you get more realistic depictions of actual women. Yeah, 562 00:34:19,719 --> 00:34:22,839 Speaker 1: And I think that those depictions are important. I think 563 00:34:22,920 --> 00:34:27,000 Speaker 1: it is important, especially for girls to see I mean, 564 00:34:27,040 --> 00:34:30,760 Speaker 1: not that girls are sitting down and watching Gray's Anatomy. 565 00:34:30,840 --> 00:34:33,680 Speaker 1: To girls watch Gray's Anatomy, I don't know. I don't know, 566 00:34:34,280 --> 00:34:37,240 Speaker 1: but I think just generally it's so important for younger 567 00:34:37,280 --> 00:34:41,319 Speaker 1: girls to see healthy models of female friendship because from 568 00:34:41,360 --> 00:34:44,000 Speaker 1: the get go, least according to studies and according to 569 00:34:44,040 --> 00:34:47,800 Speaker 1: my experience when I was a girl, we invest so 570 00:34:47,960 --> 00:34:50,799 Speaker 1: much in our friends, and our friends means so much 571 00:34:50,840 --> 00:34:53,359 Speaker 1: to us, and when they break our hearts, it's like 572 00:34:53,680 --> 00:34:57,960 Speaker 1: no other heartbreak. And I feel like this follows us 573 00:34:57,960 --> 00:35:01,840 Speaker 1: in morphson evolves as we get older. And I really 574 00:35:02,560 --> 00:35:06,280 Speaker 1: love most of all Amy Poehler's advice of just don't 575 00:35:06,360 --> 00:35:09,960 Speaker 1: root for other people's failure. You know something's not for you, 576 00:35:10,080 --> 00:35:13,640 Speaker 1: that's fine, good for her, not for me exactly. So 577 00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:16,959 Speaker 1: let's hear from some listeners. What do you think about 578 00:35:17,040 --> 00:35:22,839 Speaker 1: the shine theory? How how has success and competition influenced 579 00:35:22,960 --> 00:35:27,120 Speaker 1: your closer friendships? And do you think that you should 580 00:35:27,480 --> 00:35:30,839 Speaker 1: make friends with powerful people or is that just kind 581 00:35:30,840 --> 00:35:33,160 Speaker 1: of networking? And guys, we want to hear from you two. 582 00:35:33,200 --> 00:35:36,880 Speaker 1: I know this was a lady focused conversation, but we 583 00:35:36,960 --> 00:35:39,560 Speaker 1: always want to hear your thoughts as well. Mom Stuff 584 00:35:39,560 --> 00:35:41,480 Speaker 1: at how stuff works dot Com is our email address. 585 00:35:41,520 --> 00:35:44,400 Speaker 1: You can also tweet us and mom stuff podcast and 586 00:35:44,560 --> 00:35:47,080 Speaker 1: messages on Facebook, and we've got a couple of messages 587 00:35:47,080 --> 00:35:58,000 Speaker 1: this year with you. Right now, Well, I have a 588 00:35:58,080 --> 00:36:03,120 Speaker 1: letter here from Samantha about depends episode. She says, I'm 589 00:36:03,160 --> 00:36:05,759 Speaker 1: a costume designer out in Seattle, and when it comes 590 00:36:05,760 --> 00:36:09,400 Speaker 1: to historical plays, the right undergarments are essential. While I 591 00:36:09,440 --> 00:36:12,000 Speaker 1: was interesting to hear about the political and social feelings 592 00:36:12,000 --> 00:36:14,880 Speaker 1: on underwear, I was saddened that you barely touched on 593 00:36:14,920 --> 00:36:18,160 Speaker 1: the function of these garments. If it weren't for coursets, 594 00:36:18,239 --> 00:36:21,520 Speaker 1: many Victorian and Edwardian dresses would look awful since the 595 00:36:21,600 --> 00:36:24,279 Speaker 1: dresses themselves were never made of fabric that could hold 596 00:36:24,360 --> 00:36:27,560 Speaker 1: structure or form. You mentioned that once World War Two 597 00:36:27,640 --> 00:36:32,120 Speaker 1: was over, we go back to constraining undergarments like bullet braws, girdles, 598 00:36:32,160 --> 00:36:36,000 Speaker 1: and petticoats, but the shape and design of those dresses 599 00:36:36,160 --> 00:36:39,080 Speaker 1: wouldn't be fully realized because without those bases, it would 600 00:36:39,080 --> 00:36:42,359 Speaker 1: look like a totally different dress. Even now, we used 601 00:36:42,440 --> 00:36:44,480 Speaker 1: banks to get the garments we wear to look like 602 00:36:44,520 --> 00:36:48,120 Speaker 1: they are intended to look. I love the podcast and 603 00:36:48,160 --> 00:36:52,359 Speaker 1: thanks for helping me become a better informed feminist. Keep 604 00:36:52,400 --> 00:36:54,640 Speaker 1: up the good work well. Thank you, Samantha. Thank you 605 00:36:54,719 --> 00:36:58,000 Speaker 1: for filling us in on some historical details. And Samantha 606 00:36:58,040 --> 00:37:01,160 Speaker 1: and some Mother listeners have also filled us in on 607 00:37:01,760 --> 00:37:08,480 Speaker 1: mispronunciation of the word shamis, which I woefully misled Caroline 608 00:37:08,600 --> 00:37:14,600 Speaker 1: into thinking it was pronounced camis. So my since serious apologies. 609 00:37:14,880 --> 00:37:17,320 Speaker 1: I don't know why that was thought was Camise always 610 00:37:17,320 --> 00:37:18,560 Speaker 1: said it that way in my head. It was just 611 00:37:18,600 --> 00:37:21,600 Speaker 1: like that serious c Anderson comic. Well, I now have 612 00:37:21,640 --> 00:37:26,239 Speaker 1: a letter from Sarah about our Glitteracy podcast and Columbo, 613 00:37:26,800 --> 00:37:29,960 Speaker 1: and it made me laugh. So here it is. She said, 614 00:37:30,040 --> 00:37:32,000 Speaker 1: love your podcast. I listened to it all the time 615 00:37:32,000 --> 00:37:33,960 Speaker 1: at work. Thank you for all your hard work. I 616 00:37:34,000 --> 00:37:36,759 Speaker 1: was just listening to the Cliteracy podcast, and I know 617 00:37:36,880 --> 00:37:40,560 Speaker 1: you were thinking that Columbo discovering the Clitterest reminded you 618 00:37:40,600 --> 00:37:45,160 Speaker 1: of Columbus, but I humorously started thinking of Detective Columbo 619 00:37:45,360 --> 00:37:48,399 Speaker 1: played by Peter Falk in the nineteen six eight TV 620 00:37:48,480 --> 00:37:51,400 Speaker 1: show Columbo, which side note, I totally watched that all 621 00:37:51,400 --> 00:37:55,280 Speaker 1: the time with my parents. I kept inwardly laughing every 622 00:37:55,320 --> 00:37:57,880 Speaker 1: time I thought of his catchphrase, it's just one thing 623 00:37:57,920 --> 00:38:03,080 Speaker 1: I don't understand, and applying it to the glitter is nothing. 624 00:38:03,200 --> 00:38:06,000 Speaker 1: He usually groundbreaking To actually tell you about the episode 625 00:38:06,040 --> 00:38:08,200 Speaker 1: other than that I enjoyed it and the thought of 626 00:38:08,239 --> 00:38:11,719 Speaker 1: Columbo the detective was super funny to me. I hope 627 00:38:11,719 --> 00:38:14,960 Speaker 1: it made you laugh too, and it did, Sarah, so 628 00:38:15,080 --> 00:38:17,680 Speaker 1: thank you and thanks everybody else who's written into us. 629 00:38:18,040 --> 00:38:20,000 Speaker 1: Moms Stuff at how stuff Works dot com is our 630 00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:22,040 Speaker 1: email address and for links to all of our social 631 00:38:22,080 --> 00:38:25,560 Speaker 1: media as well as all of our blogs, videos, and podcasts, 632 00:38:25,560 --> 00:38:29,040 Speaker 1: including this one with links to and Freedman's Peace About 633 00:38:29,080 --> 00:38:32,359 Speaker 1: Shine theory so you can read along. Head on over 634 00:38:32,400 --> 00:38:37,640 Speaker 1: to stuff Mom Never Told You dot com and that 635 00:38:37,680 --> 00:38:40,360 Speaker 1: brings us to the end of this classic episode. We 636 00:38:40,400 --> 00:38:41,920 Speaker 1: would love to hear from you if you'd like to 637 00:38:42,000 --> 00:38:44,680 Speaker 1: email as you can, You can emails at stuff Media, 638 00:38:44,719 --> 00:38:47,359 Speaker 1: mom Stuff at iHeart media dot com. You can also 639 00:38:47,400 --> 00:38:49,880 Speaker 1: find us on Twitter at mom Stuff Podcast or on 640 00:38:49,920 --> 00:38:52,480 Speaker 1: Instagram at stuff on Ever Told You. Thanks as always 641 00:38:52,480 --> 00:38:55,279 Speaker 1: to our super producer Andrew Howard, and thanks to you 642 00:38:55,320 --> 00:38:57,640 Speaker 1: for listening Stuff I've Never Told You his protection of 643 00:38:57,719 --> 00:39:00,160 Speaker 1: I Heart Radios how stuff Works. For more podcast as 644 00:39:00,160 --> 00:39:02,760 Speaker 1: from my Heart Radio, visit I Heart Radio app, Apple podcast, 645 00:39:02,840 --> 00:39:22,160 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. H