by Hess, 25 August 2007
Edited 29 Sept 2007, for minor errors
Evil Demon Alters! The introduction
There is a really, really pernicious concept that seems to float around multiplicity forums, and it's the stereotype of the 'evil demon alter'. If you've been in those communities, you probably know exactly what I'm talking about. The scared host comes in and makes a post about how their scary evil demon alter is either:
A) having anonymous promiscuous sex
B) is threatening to hurt people somewhere
C) is keeping them from being faithful to Lord Jeeeeeeezus Christ
...or something else the 'host' doesn't particularly like. It could be anything, like, say, wanting to put anchovies on the pizza whereas the host would prefer pineapple or tuna. And of course, the post is followed by several comments saying that they wish that they could help, and a few snarking at them for being so stupid on teh intarwebz.
Problems with the idea of evil demon alters in and of itself
I'm sure that you'd like to know exactly WHY the idea of an EVIL DEMON ALTER is particularly pernicious. There are various reasons for that. Firstly, that evil demon alter is hardly ever allowed to speak for himself. It's always the host, coming in to make him/herself look as though he/she is completely responsible, and there's nothing that he/she can do about that uncontrollable alter. I really don't think that that set-up is in the 'alter's' favour, either - the opinion of the 'evil alter' is COMPLETELY framed by the host. There's no way that he can come in and refute the claims of his being a nasty person, or to give an explanation of exactly *why* he acts that way.
Also, when it comes to the host's coming in to post about evil demon alters in forums, I'd think that the host knows more about that evil demon alter than some of the people in the forums and communities do. Shouldn't the host try to handle it WITHIN the group, or amongst friends who may know more about him? (Now there's something to be said by getting uninvolved people to help to analyse the situation in a support community, but it's not good when you're just painting EVIL DEMON ALTER to be completely unreasonable.)
Problems with people's behaviour towards evil demon alters
Of course, there are problems with the way people plan on treating 'evil demon alters'. Besides not letting them speak for themselves, they're often punished and just locked away (or worse, killed) without being reasoned with, because it's assumed that they don't know a damn thing about reason and logic, because they've been pegged with the EVIL DEMON ALTER label, and with the way the 'host' thinks about the evil demon alters, there's no way for them to speak for themselves. Even the ones who REALLY do bad things can be TALKED to, and maybe sent to therapists within the group space, or told NOT to front for the group's own good. They don't seem to emphasise personal responsibility at ALL when 'evil demon alters' are concerned. It seems to be either 'lock them up!!!11' or 'ZOMG EV0L DEMON ALTAR IZ RUANING MAI LAIFE NAO!!!!11' Like it or not, there is no easy way to deal with others all the time, whether they're in a multiple system or NOT.
Some friends of mine whom I've discussed this idea with and I think that if people treat some of their odder group mates as evil demon alters from the start and keep on doing it, it's inevitable that these people are going to get pissed off and are going to do things just to act out BECAUSE they've been treated like shit, not because they're inherently arseholes.
Edited 29 Sept 2007, for minor errors
There is a really, really pernicious concept that seems to float around multiplicity forums, and it's the stereotype of the 'evil demon alter'. If you've been in those communities, you probably know exactly what I'm talking about. The scared host comes in and makes a post about how their scary evil demon alter is either:
A) having anonymous promiscuous sex
B) is threatening to hurt people somewhere
C) is keeping them from being faithful to Lord Jeeeeeeezus Christ
...or something else the 'host' doesn't particularly like. It could be anything, like, say, wanting to put anchovies on the pizza whereas the host would prefer pineapple or tuna. And of course, the post is followed by several comments saying that they wish that they could help, and a few snarking at them for being so stupid on teh intarwebz.
I'm sure that you'd like to know exactly WHY the idea of an EVIL DEMON ALTER is particularly pernicious. There are various reasons for that. Firstly, that evil demon alter is hardly ever allowed to speak for himself. It's always the host, coming in to make him/herself look as though he/she is completely responsible, and there's nothing that he/she can do about that uncontrollable alter. I really don't think that that set-up is in the 'alter's' favour, either - the opinion of the 'evil alter' is COMPLETELY framed by the host. There's no way that he can come in and refute the claims of his being a nasty person, or to give an explanation of exactly *why* he acts that way.
Also, when it comes to the host's coming in to post about evil demon alters in forums, I'd think that the host knows more about that evil demon alter than some of the people in the forums and communities do. Shouldn't the host try to handle it WITHIN the group, or amongst friends who may know more about him? (Now there's something to be said by getting uninvolved people to help to analyse the situation in a support community, but it's not good when you're just painting EVIL DEMON ALTER to be completely unreasonable.)
Of course, there are problems with the way people plan on treating 'evil demon alters'. Besides not letting them speak for themselves, they're often punished and just locked away (or worse, killed) without being reasoned with, because it's assumed that they don't know a damn thing about reason and logic, because they've been pegged with the EVIL DEMON ALTER label, and with the way the 'host' thinks about the evil demon alters, there's no way for them to speak for themselves. Even the ones who REALLY do bad things can be TALKED to, and maybe sent to therapists within the group space, or told NOT to front for the group's own good. They don't seem to emphasise personal responsibility at ALL when 'evil demon alters' are concerned. It seems to be either 'lock them up!!!11' or 'ZOMG EV0L DEMON ALTAR IZ RUANING MAI LAIFE NAO!!!!11' Like it or not, there is no easy way to deal with others all the time, whether they're in a multiple system or NOT.
Some friends of mine whom I've discussed this idea with and I think that if people treat some of their odder group mates as evil demon alters from the start and keep on doing it, it's inevitable that these people are going to get pissed off and are going to do things just to act out BECAUSE they've been treated like shit, not because they're inherently arseholes.
Personal Take
I've sometimes been classed as the EVIL DEMON ALTER!!111, not necessarily by my group mates, but by other people who don't take the time to get to know me, so this rant is kind of personal. (For the record, I'm neither evil, nor a demon, nor an alter!) They just make judgements about my writing style, personality, sense of humour or what have you and I'm suddenly pegged as EVAL DEMON ALTER HESS!!1111 who should be avoided at all costs because I'm JUST NOT TRUSTWORTHY, and I'm pushed aside because I 'look bad'. Come ON. I'm tired of being treated like shit and I'm sure that a lot of other people labelled EVIL DEMON ALTERS! will agree with me.
- Hess
go back to the articles!
go back home
I've sometimes been classed as the EVIL DEMON ALTER!!111, not necessarily by my group mates, but by other people who don't take the time to get to know me, so this rant is kind of personal. (For the record, I'm neither evil, nor a demon, nor an alter!) They just make judgements about my writing style, personality, sense of humour or what have you and I'm suddenly pegged as EVAL DEMON ALTER HESS!!1111 who should be avoided at all costs because I'm JUST NOT TRUSTWORTHY, and I'm pushed aside because I 'look bad'. Come ON. I'm tired of being treated like shit and I'm sure that a lot of other people labelled EVIL DEMON ALTERS! will agree with me.
- Hess
go back to the articles!
go back home