Amos Oz, Dies Aged 79

Hello Gentle Reader

Amos Oz was a giant of contemporary Israeli literature alongside: David Grossman and A.B. Yehoshua. Globally, Oz was often viewed as a perennial contender for the Nobel Prize for Literature. Yet on December 28^th of two-thousand and eighteen, Amos Oz, lost at the fight against cancer at the age of seventy-nine. He died peacefully surrounded by his loving family. During his life time, Amos Oz was considered one of the greatest—and at times, divisive—writers of Israel. Throughout his lifetime he had published forty books, ranging from short story collections and novellas, to novels, children’s books, as well as collections of essays and articles on a variety of subjects, which included literary criticism and political commentary. His novels are often paraded as the source of his recognition, and are the hook, line and sinker to draw and retain readers to his work. His novels and short stories were noted for their realistic characters, which were painted with all the follies of the human psyche and soul, but graced with an ironic touch to smooth out their shards and edges. His novels also allowed him the creative expressive measures to offer critical insight into the political and cultural situation of Israel and its constant battle to maintain its sovereignty, its security, and legitimacy in a contested and volatile region. His political views were often direct and concrete, but also pliable and flexible enough to be able to justify either perspective he wished to choose. Amos Oz is often credited as being one of the first prominent Israel intellectuals to have supported a two-state solution with Palestine. The conflict over the Gaza strip, Oz has famously stated is not a conflict fueled by differentiating cultures or religions, but rather a violent real estate argument, which neither party will win, until a long and painful compromise has been reached. Despite being a adamant advocate for a two-state solution, Oz was also known for supporting military action against the Palestine’s (when he saw it as necessary, as well as other defensive maneuvers against neighbouring nations). Despite the at times conflicted nature of his political perspective, Amos Oz was often considered a moderate writer of little to no political inflammation. Furthermore his literary work was world renowned, internationally recognized, and translated into a multitude of different languages—including Arabic. This often placed him as a strong contender for the Nobel Prize for Literature, first on the basis of his literary work: critically appraised and reader appeasement, not to mention his international acclaim was well-known for those who sought out to read new and interesting works—to be blunt: to call Amos Oz, ‘obscure,’ was insult and injury. With regards to his political stances, perspectives, articles and essays, he was considered moderate, understandable, and negotiable on the matters. He was not seen as a zealot but the vast majority; nor was he considered a bleeding-heart intellectual, but a shadowy and informed individual who could take either stance, with a sober and realistic outlook and disseminate the facts with ease and authority. From a public relations perspective he would be considered ‘perfect,’ for the Nobel Prize, he could appease political motivations with being inflammatory, while also stand firmly on his own literary output, as a true literary leaning intellectual. Despite this, Amos Oz never did receive the Nobel Prize for Literature. Even though he did not receive the literature prize, despite all the speculation, Amos Oz, will certainly survive the test of time for years to come, without the golden crutch. His work burns, snaps and crackles with the intensity, the rage, and uncertainty of the time. His characters and narrators are realistic, complete with human difficulties, trivialities, and follies, but are grounded and even humbly rounded off with a dosage of subtle humour and irony.

Amos Oz is and was one of the greatest contemporary Israeli authors of the time, and his time. His work is infused with his passions and his rage against injustices. Yet they are also literary, personal, and driven with narratives of his homeland, of his own history, and preoccupations with the questions of the importance of history, life, literature, conflict, religion. Some are the very same questions—if not universal questions—people ask themselves every day, in some fashion or another. It is unfortunate to end this way, so close to the New Year, but rest comfortably and contently.

Rest in Peace, Amos Oz.

Thank-you For Reading Gentle Reader
Take care 
And As Always 
Stay Well Read

M. Mary 

The Swedish Academy General Meeting

Hello Gentle Reader

The Swedish Academys’ supplementary investigation into the accusations that member and poet: Katarina Frostenson, had broken the statuettes of secrecy, has recently concluded. This second investigation was solicited by current Permanent Secretary of the Swedish Academy Anders Olsson, and its findings remain consistent with the initial investigation petitioned by former Permanent Secretary Sara Danius. The investigation concludes on numerous occasions, Katarina Frostenson prematurely provided information regarding the winning laureate to her husband, Jean-Claude Arnault, who then subsequently advertised the information on a selective basis.

The investigation summarized the following laureates were leaked by Katarina Frostenson in order:

(1996) Wisława Szymborska

(2004) Elfriede Jelinek

(2005) Harold Pinter

(2008) Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio

(2014) Patrick Modiano

(2015)  Svetlana Alexievich

(2016) Bob Dylan

The investigation advises the Swedish Academy to either exclude—or expel— Katarina Frostenson or urge her to voluntarily resign from the institution. It has been rumored that in two-thousand and fourteen, then Permanent Secretary Peter Englund, had grown suspicious of leaks within the academy, and questioned Frostenson about the heightened interest in the then unknown laureate, Patrick Modiano. Frostenson is said to have rebuffed the accusation. Yet, this would explain why leading up to the announcement date, how Patrick Modiano flew through the betting sites lists with lightning speed, considering years prior his name was rarely mentioned and he appeared to be a dark horse.

It should also be noted that Katarina Frostenson also stands accused of leaking of new elected members prematurely to her husband, who is said to have used this information for his own gain and at the expense of the Swedish Academy.

Testimonials provided for the investigation where often anonymous, as the witnesses had concerns regarding retaliation. Former academy member: Klas Östergren, has openly been named as testimonial witness in the investigation as well as playwright, Anna Kölén. It is rumoured that Peter Englund and Sara Danius were also interviewed during this supplemental investigation. Klas Östergren specifically testified that Jean Claude-Arnault informed him that Polish poet Wisława Szymborska would win the Nobel Prize in 1996; and Anna Kölén testified that Arnault openly touted that Elfriede Jelinek and Harold Pinter would receive the award in 2004 and 2005 respectively. Anna Kölén believes in an opinion article that she wrote that, Arnault often leaked names with audacity to showcase his knowledge, his connections, as well as his might, and to help him build relationships and further social advantages within the Stockholm cultural scene.

Other parts of the investigation have not yet been released, as they are currently under review by the financial crimes unit of the Stockholm police. Permanent Secretary Anders Olsson also did not comment on whether or not the academy will once again vote on whether or not to exclude Katarina Frostenson, but did state the investigation will be reviewed in full come the New Year, along with a solution.

On December 20^th, the Swedish Academy hosted its general meeting where three new members were formally inducted into the academy:

Chair No. 1 – (Justitieråd/Justice) Eric Runesson

Chair No. 11 – Mats Malm

Chair No. 15 – Jila Mossaed

The general meeting was contentious as the rest of the year. Held in the company of the Swedish Royal family and five hundred invited guests, the Swedish Academy inducts new members and reviews its year. Yet, some of the invited guests chose to boycott the event, including the Archbishop Antje Jackelén, and invited guest Agneta Pleijel. The blue table situated in the middle of the room like a grand dinner table of literary theatre, was also noticeably vacant. Eight seats were left vacant, which included four inactive members:

Chair No. 7 – Sara Danius

Chair No. 10 – Peter Englund

Chair No. 16 – Kjell Espmark

Chair No. 18 – Katarina Frostenson

As well as two vacant seats:

Chair No. 9 – (Previously held by, Jayne Svenungsson)

Chair No. 13 – (Previously held by, Sara Stridsberg)

Chair No. 14 – Kristina Lugn – was also noticeably absent during the meeting, as were other members, whose identities are not known.  

It’s a startling photo to review to see the academy in ruin and by its own volition; its own missteps; its own lack of governing capabilities. The meeting of December 20^th appeared somber in appearance and is an astute physical representation of the grave year of scandal.

As for Katarina Frostenson, through her legal representation, she is willing to voluntarily resign herself from the academy, but only after negotiating a settlement of monetary value, between herself and the Swedish Academy. Whether or not the Swedish Academy will entertain the thought of negotiating with Frostenson over her removal from the academy is yet unknown. To reiterate, Permanent Secretary Anders Olsson, has stated the academy will not agree on any solution until the New Year, and will not convict itself to any resolution prematurely until then.

The Swedish Academy now wraps up its year of calamity just before Christmas. Their general meeting a somber occasion wrapped in the cloak of pomp and ceremony that did little to conceal and mask the grievous wounds left behind. Chair after chair was vacant, while few were populated. Hopefully the Swedish Academy can find a appropriate solution away from cronyism and personal biases in the New Year, and begin to rebuild itself from ash and ruin, restore trust and peace among itself and the public, and begin anew to do the great work it has done in decades past.

Thank-you For Reading Gentle Reader

Take Care

And As Always

Stay Well Read

M. Mary

For Further Reading Please See The Following Links and Articles –

The Local Sweden: "Names of Nobel Prize winners were leaked: report,"

Sveriges Radio: "Witnesses: Arnault revealed Nobel laureates,"

SVT Nyheter: "Arnault revealed Nobel laureates in advance, according to witnesses,"

SVT Nyheter: "Anna Kölén: The Academy should publish the investigation,"

SVT Nyheter: "Katarina Frostenson ready to negotiate exit,"

Sveriges Radio - The Swedish Academy General Meeting [Photo]

Nelly Sachs, Honoured with Google Doodle

Hello Gentle Reader

If you are a resident of the United Kingdom, Germany, Bulgaria, Israel, Sweden or the United States of America, you would have seen a doodle on Google, commemorating Nelly Sachs’ 127^th birthday.

The illustration (which is displayed below) was designed and drawn by the German-Finnish artist Daniel Stolle. This doodle can also be found on the Google Doodles—Nelly Sach - Google Doodle Archive

[Please follow the yellow link noted above - it will also lead you to see earlier compositions as well as the finished product. Each one magnificent.] 

The illustration perfectly captures the works of Nelly Sach:

The type writer in the suitcase, displaying both her talents and occupation as a writer, and the fact she and her mother fled Germany during the opening of the Second World War, as they were Jewish. The pages of the type writer fling and fly forward into a starry sky. In the sky to hands seek each out, over a landscape reflecting of Sachs’ life, Berlin on fire due to the war. The chimneys of the concentration camps. The sanctuary of Stockholm, Sweden.

A few notes on Nelly Sachs’ life:

Sach was born December 10^th, 1891. She was born into a wealthy Jewish-German family during this time, and showed a proclivity for literary pursuits early on. She found mild success in the 1920’s as a writer, when her work was featured in a few magazines. Despite growing up in a wealthy upper-middle class family, Nelly Sachs’ childhood was regarded as being alienating and lonely; but she developed a great correspondence with fellow writers which included, Paul Celan (who she once affectionately referred to as ‘brother,’) and the Swedish author, Nobel Laureate and member of the Swedish Academy Selma Lagerlöf.

It was thanks to her correspondence with Selma Lagerlöf that Sach and her mother were able to flee Germany during the rise of Nazism and anti-Semitism, and take refuge in Sweden. There Sach supported her mother and herself by translating works from Swedish into German, and her poetry began to mature and change its perspective, though not without considerable strain both mentally and emotionally.

Nelly Sachs’ poems are noted for their discussion of the fate of the Jewish people during the holocaust. Though her poems are noted for their elegiac tone and their preoccupation with remembering those who were lost, they also express forgiveness and metamorphosis, as well as freedom from suffering, pain, and the horrors of the time. She was often considered a striking paradox of poet, a frail almost bird like woman who had the powerful lung capacity to shake the walls with her verse.

Nelly Sach is also a Nobel Laureate in Literature, specifically 1966, though she shared the award with the then renowned Hebrew writer, Shmuel Yosef Agnon. The Swedish Academy hotly debated the merits of Sach (she had a relatively small output of work—but a powerful one) her work had gained the recognition and support of also prominent members of the Swedish Academy, who continually advocated for her work. Opposition though was not lacking. Some members (though mainly Anders Österling) felt she could not support the entire Nobel Prize for Literature on her own; not surprising Österling was a greater fan of Shmuel Yosef Agnon.

Before she won the Nobel Prize for Literature, Sach won the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade. Upon receiving the award she stated: “I believe in you.”—Perhaps meaning Germany’s desire to never commit the atrocities that had been perpetrated years prior.

Despite being known as a poet of mourning, of remembrance and the penance of memory, of elegizing the suffering, and immortalizing those who had suffered; Sachs’ is also a poet of forgiveness and metamorphosis.

In her Nobel acceptance speech she recounted how her father would state, on the tenth of December in her hometown of Berlin: “Now they celebrate the Nobel ceremony in Stockholm.”

Today the Nobel Ceremonies will take place. Unfortunately no Literature prize will be handed out this year. Thankfully to googles doodle though, those fortunate enough will be able to reconsider and reflect on perhaps one of the most overlooked poets of the twentieth century: Nelly Sach—who on this day fifty-two years ago: “a fairytale has come true.”

If one final note should be made about the doodle it is this: it is artfully done, capturing Sachs’ preoccupations with writing and the suffering caused by the holocaust; but most importantly the ability of the human spirit to change and become something new, and the ever powerful process of forgiveness.  

Thank-you For Reading Gentle Reader

Take Care

And As Always

Stay Well Read

M. Mary

All Rights to Daniel Stolle 

The Closed Company

 Hello Gentle Reader

Earlier this week the Swedish Appeals Court, found Jean-Claude Arnault’s initial conviction not only stood, but also added another six months to his sentence, while finding him guilty of a second rape. Arnault continues to profess his innocence with relation to the charges, and his lawyers announced they plan on appealing this added conviction further to the Supreme Court.

Friend and ally Horace Engdahl has refuted the court’s decision as baseless, and decried the extended prison sentence and added conviction as unjustified, due to the evidence being testimonial in nature, with little to no ‘physical evidence,’ produced by either the prosecutes or accusers. Beyond throwing his support behind Jean-Claude Arnault, Horace Engdahl has also once again taken it upon himself to offer a dissenting opinion of the current gender divide forming in the world. His new book “De Obekymrade,” or “The Obsessed,” Engdahl takes aim and issue with the current fragmenting social climate. It’s considered a personal polemic testament and observation of social movements currently at work—specifically the ‘MeToo Movement.’ When discussing “De Obekymrade,” stated it will offer the perspective from the other side of the conversation and reaffirmed it is not a misogynistic manifesto.

Despite this, Horace Engdahl then makes a ludicrous claim in another direction, which undermines his previous statements. In refrence to the recent departure of Jayne Svenungsson and alluding to: Sara Stridsberg, Sara Danius, Lotta Lotass as well as Katarina Frostenson) Horacen Engdahl proposes that men are perhaps better equipped to dealing with the power struggles, pressures, and extreme stresses associated with institutions like the Swedish Academy, in a recent documentary with Sveriges Television.

As for the fate of former Permanent Secretary Sara Danius, it has been reported that she is considering returning to her work with the Swedish Academy. According to an article with Expressen, Sara Danius had stated she would wait for the court’s decision before she decided to either move into an active role with the Swedish Academy or remain passive. In the meantime she was featured in a calendar photoshoot celebrating the ‘MeToo Movement,’ where she was depicted as Joan of Arc, with an ensemble of armour and sword. For now it appears Sara Danius will remain passive or inactive with matters concerning the Swedish Academy.

Katarina Frostenson remains the greatest liability for the Swedish Academy. Despite being declawed and toothless, the notoriety of her husband’s conviction and his previous behaviors will shadow her; not to mention her own lacking moral compass with regards to ethics on conflicts of interest, especially of a financial nature. Yet, the Swedish Academy continues to hold a stony silence with regards to the Frostenson problem. The academy has requested she voluntarily resign from her seat and she refuses, going so far as to hire a lawyer to help navigate the legal proceedings she herself may face, as the Swedish Academy once again takes the mantel of an investigation to inspect and examine her alleged transgressions.

Yet it is not entirely fair to crucify Katarina Frostenson as the only member who should resign from her seat with the academy. There are a few members who have failed astronomically in their duties past and present both as Permanent Secretaries as well as members of the academy. They have shown themselves to lack moral probity, sober thought, clear and concise perspective, and an ability to rely on simple principles and pillar of justice. These members have been quick to criticize the short comings of others in order to protect either their own personal vested interest or reputation, often at the expense of the academy’s reputation, and on the backs of other members. These members have proven themselves to being rotten and lacking in simple ideas of comradery beyond their corrupted version. Their actions along with the scandal, have subsequently tarnished the Nobel Prize for Literature, and forced the Nobel Foundation to demand caveats and concessions, as well as suggest amendments and reforms on the threat of punitive action.

Next year there is the expectation the Swedish Academy will announce two winners for the Nobel Prize for Literature, to make up for this year’s postponement. The question is, will the chosen writes accept the award, or will the Nobel Prize rise above the trivialities of scandal and remain a shining golden beacon of culture and literary merit?

Thank-you For Reading Gentle Reader

Take Care

And As Always

Stay Well Read

M. Mary

For Further Reading (and watching) –

Sveriges Television - Documentary - "The Closed Company," 

The Globe & Mail: "Swedish court adds second rape conviction for man in Nobel scandal,"

SVT Nyheter: "Horace Engdahl on the new book: "Will beat the pure feminists"'

Expressen: "Sara Danius: "I am a passive member, I wait and see"

Even in Hell There’s Human Resources

Hello Gentle Reader

Human Resources as a business function is best defined as: the organizational unit which seeks to recruit, acquire, promote and retain the human assets of an organization or corporation. This is why individuals who are employed by human resources often squeak with bubbly glee: “we manage people.” That’s right Gentle Reader; human resources are the people behind those oddly worded and verbose job postings, which include lines like the following:

“[You bring] An optimal combination of passion and drive, technical expertise, interposal skills, creativity and customer focus.”—Despite the fact that the posting had already laid out its required professional experience and educational background, prior.

“[Young bring] Strong communication and influencing skills with the ability to present complex issues effectively”—Influencing skills—how sociopathic in nature.

“[You are] A self-starter, someone who can work individually while also a team.”—You are able to work independently and get your work done, while Susan is playing on Facebook next to you.

“[You are] Safety conscious,”—You won’t get hurt or killed in the next six months.

“[You bring] a passion for technology, people and process.”—It’s an information technology job, they are passionate about technology—people questionable.

“[You bring] strong oral, verbal, and written communication and presentation skills, with the ability to lead a conversation.”—First off ‘oral,’ and ‘verbal,’ are the same, pick one or the other, either or would have made the point; using both together only makes the statement redundant and the poster to appear stupid. Furthermore, why not just leave the sentence at: ‘strong oral and written communication skills.’ Leading a conversation as a requirement or skills sounds absurd.

Those long winded, overwritten, redundant job postings Gentle Reader, are done up by the ebullient Barb at human resources. Some call her ‘Bubbly Barb,’—most call her: ‘Bubonic Barb.’ The leader of each department or business unit sends their position proposal and posting to human resources to review. There it is reviewed before an administrator—like Barb—shrugs her shoulders over the professionally worded job posting, and decides to colour it up with her human resources lingo, whereby a initial short and sweet document has exploded into the ruminations and verbiage of a department who is out of touch and out of control.

A quick search via the internet or casual conversation with an individual (or any individual), and all will inform you of the horrors of human resources. Almost everyone has a painful and dreadful story about a human resources encounter. After all: they are the corporate cancer, and the exhaustion of employees.

The question of what makes human resources so hotly hated varies. Some proclaim it’s due to its desire to being bureaucratically bulbous, road blocking needed change and corporate renovations, for the sheer sake of flexing its muscles to show its own importance and weight. While in other circumstances, it institutes redundant policies and procedures to make the organization convoluted and complicated, while also attaching penalties and punitive action to misdemeanors and other offences to ensure compliance and control is maintained. In this fashion, human resources believes, it sits at the pinnacle of organizations and corporations; whereby it is no longer a servant or worker, but master and ruler. Though technically it does not sit at the top of the organizational chart or the corporate food chain; it does exist and thrive in the shadow of those who do occupy those radiant reigning positions. In these shadowy refuses human resources exercises soft powers and self-important bureaucratic authority.

Soft power by human resources is the institution of the now famous term: corporate (organizational) culture. This is the propaganda machine of human resources. Corporate cultures have been designed and created by human resources to institute a sense of commodity and unity amongst employees, while also building bridges with employers. This is the part of an organization where you will hear employees talk about going from adequate to acceptable, or striving for mediocrity, or searching for the last doughnut. This is where human resources uses its acute communication skills—also known as: “leading conversation abilities,” “oral and verbal presentation services,” and “influencing talents,”—to concoct a cult like concoction reminiscent of Jones Town; or a soviet era ideology to subdue and subject both employee and employer to a rigid code of conduct, based on a set concept of values and beliefs, promoted by the company and embodied in both management and employee. Here you will find internal staff training being promoted and propagated by human resources, who also willing facilitates these indoctrinating courses. Terms such as: open door policy, open dialogue, entrepreneurial spirit, creative ideas, among a plethora of other related terms, are discussed and shared to employees both new and old, as well as the eluded expectation that employees are expected to embody and behave by this culture.

Bureaucratic authority is the true power of human resources. The business department of human resources believes itself to be a corporate management function following the mandate that it manages human assets. In this case, human resources believes itself to be referee of the organization, whereby it listens to both the banes of employees and the concerns of the employer, at which point human resources plays itself out as the meditating mediator. Reality, the concern or the complaint is lost in the bowels of the paper pushing procrastination. Then comes the policies on respectful workplace, which no one reads and no one follows, and human resources never enforces. Then there is the continual issue organizations have with the department, whereby they are forbidden from dismissing employees on any grounds out of the speculative fear of a lawsuit. On the flipside (and this is a true story) when an employee has been threatened at work and saw fit to call the authorities, the following day human resources takes it upon itself to schedule an impromptu meeting with the employee and harass them and belittle them over their actions by calling the police officer. Apparently, in such situations human resources felt it was more important for the employee to fill out an ‘incident report,’ and file it with safety to have it reviewed, despite the aggressive actions being made towards the employee during the situation.

Human resources believes itself to fulfill two functions: on one function it’s the potluck Peggy, always there with store bought cookies that were secretly microwaved just before the function, whereby she passes them off as just homemade. Then there is bureaucratic Bethany, with clipboard in hand she can deny and authorize—but most importantly deny, all actions the employees or the employer seeks to enact; be it recruitment or dismissal; but rest assured if a potluck is involved, its budget will blow  up and its approval will be guaranteed. Where else would Peggy be able to share her ‘homemade,’ cookies?

It comes to no surprise that the business unit that prides itself as the function which manages human assets is also named the greatest perpetrator or most complaint with workplace harassment—at least according to lawsuits. In a recent lawsuit filed against Microsoft, roughly 8, 360 women (information technology specialist and engineers) claim the company had denied them a total of 518 promotions, and a $100 million to $238 million dollars’ worth of pay between two-thousand and eleven and two-thousand and sixteen. Throughout the lawsuit, human resources is depicted and displayed as an incompetent and discriminatory faction within the organization, one which never investigated serious concerns brought to its attention, or reviewed policy infractions. Instead the lawsuit claims the department which manages people, had instead casually observed the situation with disinterest. In the event the human resources department did deem it appropriate to get involved, it only caused the issues to escalate further. Though the lawsuit is new, the issues presented by the plaintiffs and their depiction of human resources, is not new. A simple search via the internet and one will find forums, posts, discussions, blogs and tweets about the horrors of human resources; its inefficacies, its brutal chauvinistic attitude, its bureaucratic dominance, and its churlish promotion and propagating of corporate propaganda.

When I envision hell, I imagine human resources is managing the place. Right at death the bureaucratic process must start, with one waiting at the brimstone gates to gain entry. Only you have to sit through hours upon hours of orientation material, aptitude tests, and a three stage interview process. Afterwards you are admitted with a number, at which point you are to meet with your human resources case manager who will go over the specifics of your eternal stay, and will be a continual resource throughout your eternity of suffering. From there you are transferred to Peggy’s welcoming potluck, so you might as well have a cookie. Afterwards suffering should commence, but it doesn’t; its back to upgrading your orientation skills, going through safety protocols, and doing a lengthy review survey to share your experience so far. Apparently during this time someone complained about your performance, and you need to sit in front of disciplinary Deborah, who happens to be out of the office, so take a seat in the waiting room. When dear old disciplinary Deborah returns, she explains in her usual disgruntled and overworked manner that the complaint has been lost or transferred to your case manager. Your case manager is busy so you’re going to have to take a number and wait once again. You try to explain that she said you could use her anytime as a resource, there mocking Mitchell explains that can’t be true and tells you take your seat. However long later (time has no meaning in eternity) mocking Mitchell informs  you the complaint has been lost but you’ve missed required courses to move forward, and you are immediately thrust into a course about diversity and inclusion, followed by another on the theories of unconscious bias, and then a lecture on respectful workplace and emotional intelligence. Welcome to hell, Human Resources is here to help.

Thank-you For Reading Gentle Reader

Take Care

And As Always

Stay Well Read

M. Mary

For Further Reading:

Fortune: "HR Is Not Your Friend: Here's Why,"