CONTENTS 00:00 Part 0: Twilight 05:00 Part 1: Fiction 18:30 Part 2: Desire 44:21 Part 3: Fantasy 1:22:54 Part 4: Power 1:51:28 Part 5: Death 2:22:12 Part 6: Identity

@ccchhheeennn2

3 ай бұрын

I'm here so fast you're amazing have a nice weekend ♥

@carolinem.5044

3 ай бұрын

🎉

@markfelt5650

3 ай бұрын

oh thank god you're back

@houthererskine

3 ай бұрын

love you mothaa, from vietnam

@roadrunner7545

3 ай бұрын

I have missed you ContraPoints! So glad you're back!

Did Natalie just use Twilight as a trojan horse to deconstruct sexuality and kink in the world at large? Respect

@PinkElfHSP

3 ай бұрын

I know! It's amazing and just what I need.

@marianatheschizoid5912

3 ай бұрын

Yes! That’s why she’s amazing.

@stefanlittle

3 ай бұрын

The ushe

@unclearctica2792

3 ай бұрын

Maybe twilight was a Trojan horse in itself

@Ormseitr

3 ай бұрын

I have to dwell on my like for this comment was the 666th like, and that gave me dopamine. Thank you weird goblin gods of random stuff occurring online. And Natalie. Thanks to you also, you saint of deconstruction.

Natalie is a woman of her word. 10 months ago she ended her video with “Harry Potter is dead to me, I’m switching to Twilight,” and here we are. Another masterpiece of a video.

@Rebecca-oh5yh

3 ай бұрын

Indeed. I thought that she was joking when she said she was switching to Twilight. She. Was. Not.

@gorillaguerillaDK

3 ай бұрын

Well, in all fairness, at that time she had been working on this project for some time. All depending on when that sequence where she said it was filmed, and the start sequence of this one where she told us she had been working on this for 18 months….. So it was not so much a prediction, as it was her basically giving us a clue on what she was already working on….

@EvaUnit1301

3 ай бұрын

@@gorillaguerillaDK yep. I never said it was a prediction, just that she was true to her word and delivered on the tease. 👍

@Something-ln8pi

3 ай бұрын

Forshadowing

@gorillaguerillaDK

3 ай бұрын

@@EvaUnit1301 She absolutely did - and I was merely trying to expand on your great comment.

A friend once told me this and i’ve never forgotten so i’m sticking it here: Twilight is an average harem anime. Every weird and fetishistic thing that got it noticed is at or below average levels of weirdness/fetish for a harem anime. Dark, loner protagonist (somehow friendless despite being conventionally attractive) gets noticed by a cool vampire chick, who falls for them for sketchy reasons. A buff werewolf girl falls for them too, because reasons. They get involved in some weird vampire politics stuff and faff about with their love interests for probably too long before settling down and picking a waifu. Animate it, genderswap it, give it a japanese dub and no one would’ve noticed it existed outside its target market.

@richardsilva5110

Ай бұрын

BRILLIANT

@Ch1oe2472

Ай бұрын

That's also the conclusion I came to, which explains why I hate harem anime just as much.

@fruitygarlic3601

Ай бұрын

Twilight is just Urusei Yatsura but kinkier and with an assumed female fanbase.

@catfan913

2 күн бұрын

there isn't inherently anything that makes twilight sticks out. it just happened to get really popular, and that's why everyone noticed it

"inexperienced in every kind of poverty except poverty of brains" is a badass line

@Abstractionyo

49 секунд бұрын

old people have the most fire and intricate insults out there

This channel is my favorite Bible study group

@MsVampyBoo

3 ай бұрын

Slaymen

@lorenloiselle1733

3 ай бұрын

Are old testament or new

@stoodmuffinpersonal3144

3 ай бұрын

​@@lorenloiselle1733Idk they don't have them down here 😂

@lorenloiselle1733

3 ай бұрын

@@stoodmuffinpersonal3144 autocorrect. Meant testament

@phthalo7401

3 ай бұрын

The good ol' Bible Study Discussion Meeting

Haven't read the books. Haven't watched the films. Have watched the full 3hr Contrapoints analysis in a single uninterrupted, unblinking sitting.

@Em-jc7ct

3 ай бұрын

You're not alone. The question now is, do we watch/read it?

@deadeaded

3 ай бұрын

@@Em-jc7ct You might as well. The simple prose style makes it relatively quick read, and you can almost certainly find cheap copies at your local used book store.

@goatmeal5241

3 ай бұрын

Or library---if you are confident/comfortable enough with yourself to imagine being seen checking it out. Libraries are great!

@karinhernmarck8281

3 ай бұрын

Same! And I am rewatching it now, to make sure I get closer to getting it.

@weedidi7144

3 ай бұрын

​@@goatmeal5241Where I live you don't have to have any human contact to borrow books from the library. Check them out and return them in automats.

Putting a note on screen that says “I am not saying this I am quoting” is honestly so smart

@squibble08

Ай бұрын

it is very smart, but fyi most serious video essayists do that! not specifying when youre quoting something is rather dishonest. also important to cite where the quote is from (which she does)!

@phastinemoon

23 күн бұрын

@@squibble08I think they’re referring to the fact that she’s specifically including a visual cue that that’s what she’s doing, because of her experience with people clipping her out of context and then claiming “see - she SAID this thing, she believes it, CANCEL HER!”

41:42 as someone who studied violin for 12 years, i agree that "musical edging" is the best way to describe the beauty of the trill lmao

I love so much that the final say in it all is "Say what you will about Stephanie Meyer, but at least she doesn't tweet."

@vs6584

3 ай бұрын

She never gave off narcissistic vibes like Jowling Kowling. She was too busy having to defend herself for being the most normal thing imaginable: a woman with sexual fantasies.

@pablocanal8900

3 ай бұрын

Yes! protecting herself against the mind reading machine, she truly has the powers of Bella

@theelectricant98

3 ай бұрын

Unbelievably based

@brianmccullough4578

3 ай бұрын

Tiresias is wrong, i like to enjoy at least 3 parts of my wife! Tbh i didn’t realize there were 10…..I’m gonna keep looking tho! Practice makes perfect

@mx_problematique

3 ай бұрын

The genuine gratitude I have to her for this is overwhelming

My grandfather was THE biggest twilight fan I've ever known. He found the Twilight series just after my grandmother passed away, and the books helped to fill a void in his life. He loved the books and he loved the movies. He loved the books so much, he installed a stereo system around his entire property so he could listen to the audio books wherever he was at, inside or out. And be listened to those books every waking hour. I was a young boy at the time, so I felt an obligatory disdain for the gushy love story, but my grandfather explained it to me, and I decided it was acceptable. He had a signed copy of each book, and when he passed, he left each of his children one of those books. RIP grandpa Eddie.

@pumpkinschannel777

3 ай бұрын

Grandpa Eddie sounds amazing omg. Thank you for sharing this memory. It really touched me.

@sseriksson4076

3 ай бұрын

This is such a beautiful story about the power of literature ❤ thank you for sharing

@cookie8162

3 ай бұрын

​@michaelrmurphy2734 Well, having a grandfather would mean he has a father unlike you.

@tahsina.c

3 ай бұрын

​@@michaelrmurphy2734 how? It reads like something an old mormon dude would write tbh

@danielgadomski5129

3 ай бұрын

​@@michaelrmurphy2734 ya lost buddy?

Hits on a true note how female “virtue” is considered more valuable than a girls life. This subtext is constantly written into the social concept of how girls are raised.

@Tracey66

Ай бұрын

That also speaks to how a fetus’ life is more important than a woman’s life. It’s right in the mix with a woman wouldn’t have gotten pregnant if she wasn’t a slut.

I don't mean to get all sentimental, and I doubt you'll read this comment as there's 16k of them already, but you are quite possibly the most influential thinker in my life. I first discovered you in 2017 when I was a closeted trans Tumblr teen with blue hair and black framed glasses, and your content has thoroughly inspired me throughout the years. I'm incredibly happy to have had you as a positive figure to look up to as a young trans person. Your politics, your art, your philosophy and most importantly your empathy make you an incredibly important voice of our time. Thank you for what you do. This video is absolutely amazing.

@Ugubgugb

Ай бұрын

Do you still have blue hair?

@neckpeck2738

28 күн бұрын

​@@UgubgugbI haven't been blue since highschool, currently it's a very washed out red with grown out roots. But yes, I do still dye my hair :)

@gyaradosho

18 күн бұрын

Same here, thanks Natalie ❤

When I told my aunt that she shouldn’t spend money on the lottery she said “I know I’ll never win, but for just 6 bucks a week I can dream about what I’d do with the money if I did” and that made a lot of sense to me.

@SLYKM

3 ай бұрын

Well I would just say you can do that for free, but it's just 6 dollars so not a big deal.

@NewbiaLeogetti

3 ай бұрын

My econ professor in college advised us to play the lottery for exactly this reason.

@eileensmyth3417

3 ай бұрын

Yes, it's like paying for the fantasy a movie delivers, but it's more a choose-your-own-adventure fantasy.

@felle7522

3 ай бұрын

That lottery ticket helps some people be sane enough to keep going in life.

@sourgummiescureyourpain4555

3 ай бұрын

Just another ruse of capitalism to make us dream of what it'll never let us reach. But fair enough if it keeps you sane. I opted for opiates for most of my life, closed that chapter and am now trying to cultivate better coping mechanisms.

"French philosopher and pervert" applies to literally so many of them 😭

@thecomfortinthesound

3 ай бұрын

Rousseau comes more or less immediately to mind lol

@kayleehog

3 ай бұрын

My first thought was Voltaire 😢

@babyxblue

3 ай бұрын

Let's not forget the time when French philosophers tried to legalize pedophilia 💀

@god...itsbrutalouthere9105

3 ай бұрын

Let's not forget about the time when French philosophers tried to legalize ped0ph1l1a 💀

@babyxblue

3 ай бұрын

Let's not forget about the time when French philosophers tried to legalize literal p3d0*******

I want this video to be a college class. I want a reading list, a syllabus. I want to take notes on the lectures and write weekly reaction essays and take a midterm and write a final paper. I think that would fix me.

Never heard of Barbara Cartland before and I am obsessed with the unintentional camp of her wardrobe

“Pride and Prejudice didn’t end with Darcy hunting down Wickham in a high-speed carriage chase” MAYBE IT SHOULD HAVE

@thequietdreamer2186

3 ай бұрын

If it’s any consolation: the Newcastle regiment that Wickham was shoved off to? IRL, they were dealt horrendous casualties at Waterloo. So if it helps, you can pretend that a French cannonball practically vaporized him.

@drariet9190

3 ай бұрын

As it should​@@thequietdreamer2186

@Tama-Hero

3 ай бұрын

I literally yelled this at my screen

@elijahpaden4151

3 ай бұрын

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is always there if you're looking for Pride and Prejudice but it's an action movie.

@Littlepea2890

3 ай бұрын

@@thequietdreamer2186thank you for this

Not Natalie psychoanalyzing my AO3 history-

@sesil2020

3 ай бұрын

Exactly the comment i was gonna make!

@XimenaGM

3 ай бұрын

me 💀😭

@yaraa101

5 күн бұрын

I KNOW

Natalie needs to win a Pulitzer prize for this. This is an incredible video essay.

Rewatching with my parents, sipping from the "don't talk to me until I've had my God" mug my brother got me for my birthday

reaching the end of a 3 hour contra video and realizing i have to wait another 18 months is my yearning.

@arempy5836

3 ай бұрын

It takes 2 babies to make one Contrapoints video

@gabrielgray2345

3 ай бұрын

Raising the lambs necessary to slaughter in order to make these videos takes time

@AB-fh9zh

3 ай бұрын

@@gabrielgray2345all 120.000 of them.

@Horus070

3 ай бұрын

I was wondering if the was another KZreadr that had given up on making videos… I’m glad that was not the case. She is just taking more time instead of

@d.w.stratton4078

3 ай бұрын

Felt.

I know you probably won't read this, but I still feel the need to say: thank you Natalie. Your essay on incels was the first time I became interested in politics and culture. You showed me an entirely different point of viewing the world, showed me a field of academics that I didn't even know existed. Last year I started university and I'm majoring in culture studies. And it is thanks to you that I'm doing what I love now. You showed me the way of looking at simple things like envy or cringe and seeing so much more beneath the surface, even Twilight is worth 3h serious analysis! You're an inspiration. Thank you for everything.

@katabatic-winds

3 ай бұрын

seconding this. I started following you (Natalie) in 2016 or so and it was your videos among some others that radicalized me. You're a huge part of the reason I'm involved in leftist politics today

@silveryfeather208

3 ай бұрын

Same, I'm sad she's not as frequent. Because I think she's one of the few that's more balanced. Like I either see extremes of 'men suck' or 'feminazi women!!' with no actual analysis

@teethsv4824

3 ай бұрын

Real

@AmirM52

3 ай бұрын

Jokes on you looks like she actually did read your comment

@spiritbond8

3 ай бұрын

Yes, she is an absolute godsend. The amout of work and research and TALENT that goes into these videos is staggering. These are not "video esseys" they are contemporary philosophical works of huge value.

my dad and i didn’t get along very much but i miss him and he was somehow a devoted twilight fan (favorite was new moon). died last year, making him possibly one of the last 67 year old Black men firmly on team jacob ever. i never saw the movies, but i’m watching this for him today. thanks natalie

54:00 I'll never get over the perfect combination of "Almost everything that went into Twilight was unconscious" with Charlie side-eyeing Bella staring absently out the car window.

"Aren't you overthinking Twilight?" "No, it's the children who are under-thinking it." Love that.

@Lucifersfursona

3 ай бұрын

Learning I even have the right to be angry at the *_ADULTS_* who create these things to show to vulnerable kids like it’s remotely appropriate or okay is a small balm

@overgrownkudzu

3 ай бұрын

@@EverintheRising oooor maybe you're overstating harm here, and kids above a certain age are able to reflect on and recognise problematic aspects of the story if they're given proper information and not every piece of media people under 18 could read must be 100% sanitised of everything bad.

@Horus070

3 ай бұрын

@@EverintheRising LOL I read JAWs when I was 9 years old… I remember reading a sex scene between the wife of the police chief and the oceanographer… which Never happened in the movie

@leahscontemporary

Ай бұрын

​@@overgrownkudzuword vomit if I ever heard one

@dobrickgenevo

Ай бұрын

"What are you doing?" Spreading awareness, and informing the human public about the imperative to stop commodifying animal-persons.

I hope that when Natalie looks at viewing stats for the first few days of a new video she understands that many of us are delaying watching it until we are mentally and emotionally ready to absorb the philosophical hot takes and outstanding visuals.

@burtonfzz

3 ай бұрын

Its a pity that KZread algorithms doesn’t like such behavior and don’t promote videos that have such dynamic. It might be a reason why Natalie went all the way to Patreon. KZread like viral short videos that were viewed instantly. Usually you cant create a deep exploration video that involves a lot of brainpower to watch in this scenario 😕 KZread algorithms focused on creators like mr.beast - short, kinda entertaining (I don’t think so personally but overall people think something like that), with extremely video editing. The amount of research conducted by Natalie vs mr.beast (and his huge crew) can’t be compared to. Of course he as a creator and as a professional is a unique case, but so do Natalie. But I personally prefer ContraPoints and, besides agony of waiting for a new video from Natalie, I prefer things that she do. But its hard to be fully financially free creating one magnificent video per year based on KZread monetization (and there is no product placement or ADs as well). And I think Natalie understands that and don’t rely on view count too much.

@atherisGAY

3 ай бұрын

I'm watching it now, having seen it uploaded minutes after it was uploaded... because I was just too busy to pay the attention a new video from her deserves

@atherisGAY

3 ай бұрын

Oh and at least two of my friends and me sat in a call the very next day going "New contraptions video! Haven't watched it yet! So excited for it." We all wanted to be in a good headspace

@Norabarnacle1922

3 ай бұрын

You are completely correct. I saw it uploaded and did not immediately watch for these reasons. I also have a massive crush on her so needed the time/space to appreciate the essay in all its glory. Natalie speaking about romance and desire literally “gives me the vapours”

@hadnoideahow

3 ай бұрын

It took me several days to prepare because as much as I thought I will be watching it in parts, that was just my other self lying to me. I watched it one go, as I knew I would.

This may be a small detail, but your music choices and mixing throughout this video were A+. I'm sure it took a lot of work, and it worked fantastically

@arathema

2 ай бұрын

And bonus points for the Amadeus callback joke at the hour and 42 mark, I snorted into my drink.

Ok, I apologise in advance because I’m gonna overshare and get all parasocial and weird for a minute, but you guys don’t know how much this essay has HEALED me. I’ve watched it in three separate occasions, beginning to end without interruptions, I’ve taken notes about it, I’ve pondered it endlessly. It legitimately makes me feel things 😂 I just want to thank Natalie for gifting us with this amazing breakdown of love, desire and heteronormativity, and especially for gifting me the DHSM concept, because it suddenly made SO many things make sense in my life. As a young girl discovering her sexuality surrounded by groomers, I always felt discomfort towards this submissiveness I was always being forced into. I instinctively knew there was more in me, that there were other ways of enjoying my sexuality, but they were always older, stronger, more experienced, more violent, and overwrote my desire with their own voice. Later, as an adult woman on a path of healing from various iterations of sexual violence, I turned to female-written erotica as an ally to get reacquainted with my libido (books were always a refuge for me), and bam, there it was again. The same compulsive submissiveness. The same dominant and aggressive men. Which, you know, it’s ok, I understand there’s women who enjoy it (in fact, I can say after watching this essay I understand it much better), but for me was not only retraumatising, it was… suspicious. Like, this was all there it was? These were the only ideas that could arise from the infinity of our desire, the same traditional structures again and again? And worse, WAS I THE ONLY ONE WHO NOTICED??? 😂😂😂 I guess what I’m trying to say is this essay made me feel less alone. And hopeful. Because not only this thing that haunted me has been observed and dissected by a brilliant scholar whom I admire, but she’s also offered hope. Yes, there is more than DHSM. There can be so much more. Sexuality is rich and fluid and meant to be enjoyed, and I’ll be ok in the end. That’s it, the cringe is over. Thank you for your attention 😂 PS: If anyone could kindly indicate the origin of the screencap of that domme pinning her sub against the wall that appears in the beginning of the video, I’ll love you forever. I need it because of reasons 🙏🏼

@theboxygenie

22 күн бұрын

What's DHSM? (Edit: I got it, it's default het sado-masochism.)

@maximumslap2687

22 күн бұрын

If you mean the scene at 1:27:57 then it’s from Cordelia (2019) with Johnny Flynn and Antonina Campbell-Hughes. Was wondering myself. (Edit: Welcome to the it’s-grotesque-and-confusing-and-nobody-seems-to-notice club, by the way. The concession stand is closed and the Devon Price honorary screaming closet is that way. My damage was being secretly clueless why people in love would want to get it on and vice versa until happening to read a particular love story that “made sense” for the first time in my then young adult life.)

@belsanempress5585

22 күн бұрын

@@maximumslap2687 why thank you so much for welcoming me, I’d very much like to visit the screaming closet 😁 Also thank you again for finding that Cordelia thing, I’ll go check it asap!!

@belsanempress5585

21 күн бұрын

⁠@@maximumslap2687Aw, thank you for identifying the movie, and for the welcome too! I’d very much like a visit to that screaming closet 😁

@avsusky

Күн бұрын

​@maximumslap2687 what was the love story?

"I am begging these people to learn to think psychologically instead of literally so that they're not constantly baffled and traumatized upon encountering literally the most common type of sexual fantasy that people have." Amen.

@nitsanraviddaos4797

2 ай бұрын

Amennnnn brother! (or sister, or sibling, I'm not judging just concurring)

@ShadowTheHedgehogOffical

2 ай бұрын

​@@nitsanraviddaos4797hi this reply is a banger lol hahahh

@kx7500

Ай бұрын

@@ShadowTheHedgehogOffical*”Disgusting black creatures, get out of my sight.”* My favourite real Shadow the Edgehog quote

@wordnado9788

Ай бұрын

For me the problem is that it is a fantasy. It says something about us, our economy. If most people met their needs they wouldn’t even want this

@ziglaus

Ай бұрын

​@@wordnado9788I was with you until you brought up economy. Yes, it says something about us. No, it's not about economy, lol.

i think the term “penetration,” though it’s the current “neutral” term, is still deeply rooted in patriarchy. If we lived in an oppressive matriarchy we might call it “consumption” or “ingestive” or smth. The term “penetration” isn’t even all that accurate. In common use, to penetrate or pierce an object is to create a hole where there was not one before. This does not describe the sex act it references, and we use it because of DHSM. One does not “penetrate” an open envelope by putting a letter into it unless you’re doing it wrong. I think not deconstructing that word, not realizing that maybe we describe sex that way because of cultural attitudes and not because that’s what’s actually happening, is a huge contributor to why many “radical feminists” wrote the things they write. ty for coming to my ted talk lmao… great video Nat ❤

@vayllonyx5360

3 ай бұрын

1:45:31 soap box again but BRUH BOTH PEOPLE ACTIVELY DOING THINGS TO MAKE THE OTHER PERSON FEEL GOOD IS KINDA DEFAULT?? or, certainly should be, and isn’t like… complicated or anything. Bottoms can move too, and unless you’re specifically doing a thing, they usually do lol.

@ElliWoelfin

3 ай бұрын

Very good thought :)

@runefaustblack

3 ай бұрын

What's DHSM? (Google only tells me it's Diagnostic Health Services something)

@rmd3880

3 ай бұрын

@@runefaustblackdefault heterosexuality sadomasochism

@ilovetaylor2169

3 ай бұрын

⁠@@runefaustblackwatch the video Natalie coined the acronym in the video……it stands for default heterosexual sado masochism It basically means that men are automatically assumed to be the dominant one in a relationship.

“When ur only analytical tool is a sledgehammer, you see every problem as an author who’s legs aren’t hobbled yet”- I think this is what Judith Butler was saying about censorship?

@kerbalengineeringsystems7415

Күн бұрын

also is this a _Misery_ reference

“Yes I saw the StrangeAeons video”

On the note of Death, Sex and Twilight I had an ephiphany a couple months ago about why i as a young gay cis male teen was so gripped by Twilight. It was because of AIDS. I had grown up through the tail end of the AIDS crisis and therefore was terrified of the kind of sex I as a horny gay teen couldn't stop thinking about. As Edward was pushing away Bellas physical advances I understood immediately it was because the physicality of sex for them would be death because thats how i felt anytime a man i wanted came close to me.

@manzijoel5224

3 ай бұрын

Oh my God, this just opened a can of worms I didn't realise existed. Thanks, will be mulling over this connection for the next decade.

@hotfunnycoolgirl1000

3 ай бұрын

kzread.info/dash/bejne/hKao1tatitSpg9Y.htmlsi=kQ8_XFqb4bNzybam

@fossilfighters101

3 ай бұрын

+

@TeagueChrystie

3 ай бұрын

+

@Shmoe101

3 ай бұрын

Did you ever come to terms with this fear?

I feel like I'm watching the bible and all my questions about the universe are slowly being answered

@mdeliacloherty

3 ай бұрын

😆

@rhonaldneitzel2410

3 ай бұрын

Even though ironically the Bible has so many holes, hypocrisies, and misinformation as well 😭

@PrestoJacobson

3 ай бұрын

Nat is better than the bible!

@CharaViolet

3 ай бұрын

Ariana what are you doing here???

@lvl11717

3 ай бұрын

I’m realizing the guy I called my ‘Edward’ as a teen was really my groomer 😭 oh no. Maybe it actually did impact me negatively…

13:41 That awkward moment when not only do I recognize these covers, but I also know exactly where they exist on my bookshelves

a complete list of everything i have learned from contrapoints: 1. spunch bob is the ubermensch 2. Bella Twilight is the second coming of Christ

"Fight between the mormon vampires and an army of ethnic stereotypes" 😂

@4203105

3 ай бұрын

No, the Mormon vampires fought on the same side as the ethnic stereotypes. Well I guess against the other ethnic stereotypes, but that side only had one of those (Italiens). The "good guys" had a bunch of ethnic stereotypes.

@cassif19

3 ай бұрын

@@4203105 I'm not cultured enough about Twilight and it shows

@angelsunemtoledocabllero5801

3 ай бұрын

It results that the real horror was racism all this time.

@zab416

3 ай бұрын

@@cassif19 It was confusing. I think Natalie misspoke a little there. If this piques your interest, that fight sure is...something.... in both the book and I'm told it's SOMETHING in the movie version lol.

@VoteBidentoSaveDemocracy

3 ай бұрын

​@@4203105Since when did Italians stop being white?

I cannot believe content like this is free

@Zanator1

2 ай бұрын

All thanks to her patrons giving her enough money to research this in so much depth and put all the props together.

@cmcintyre101

2 ай бұрын

I learned so much!

@oohlala2011

2 ай бұрын

I had the same thought and literally just signed up for her Patreon, because wtf this is incredible

@aya-h98

2 ай бұрын

My thoughts exactly!

@TysonDylan0

Ай бұрын

Usually you "pay" for it by watching ads

"Bella and her polycule of monster men" 💀

There were no less than 5 times through out this video that i completely forgot i was watching a twilight video until it was mentioned again. At least twice I was really confused as to why it was even brought up

The cycle of being a Contrapoints viewer: 1. Enjoying the latest video more than you thought possible. 2. Being hyped for the next one. 3. Intensifingly worrying about the possibility there will never be another one. 4. Forgetting about Contra for half a year. 5. Seeing the title of the new one and thinking "well, that sounds weird." 1. ...

@TheCCress

3 ай бұрын

Forgetting about this channel is a flop. Stop doing that part

@stoyanpetkov3853

3 ай бұрын

@@TheCCressIt is pretty understandable when she doesn’t post for so many months. We are clearly all still subscribing, it is just that there is no new content to watch.

@eatplastic9133

3 ай бұрын

Yea I went though all of these, but haven't gotten to the part of forgetting. For me they are the same number tho because now when I see a new video of hers I try to cancel most of my plans so I can watch it as soon as possible...

@pattyofurniture

3 ай бұрын

1. Enjoying having my mind broadened on a variety of topics while being dazzled by her art. 2. Determining how/if this new information impacts my world view. 3. Yearning for CONTRAPOINTS content and checking her channel to see if I've missed something. 4. Hoping Natalie is alright and watching old content until I feel better.

@christophertaylor8166

3 ай бұрын

@@stoyanpetkov3853this is the direction most of her peers making similar content have gone due to a combination of increased ambition and burnout: much larger and more impressive productions far less often. It’s becoming increasingly clear that the kind of work people building their channel put in is almost never sustainable in the long haul for a variety of reasons. If you want to keep up the supply of that sort of entertainment, I think it’s best to just keep seeking out new creators. FD Signifier’s feed is a really great source for this; he’s more or less constantly finding and recommending the content of smaller channels producing good stuff.

THREE HOURS? God, I asked for a small mercy and you brought me salvation.

@kyriaemegawatt8397

3 ай бұрын

Right?? Im on day 4 Still havent finished This masterpeice

@robcoop6521

3 ай бұрын

Oh, wondered why this seemed to keep going. Didn't look at the time. Still a better story than...

@isitme

3 ай бұрын

Our God is a giving God(ess)!

1:12:56 I completely understand Dan Olson's exhilaration about this "transcendentally awful phrase". It's magical every time.

I wrote my philosophy final in high school on power dynamics and religion in twilight- mostly about ethics and transcending power, centering Carlisle. This video feels like the 10x longer follow-up essay that I’ve been meaning to write for years now….. but better.

1/6 of this video is her trying to convince us "It's about Twilight, I promise". I love it.

@theamazingsolt

3 ай бұрын

The other 5 are repetitive clips from twilight movies. 10/10 would watch again.

@drot13

3 ай бұрын

@@theamazingsolt I think that she could make entire video from just clips from Twilight and similar movies, but then I would miss her voice and humor...

@Sarcasticron

3 ай бұрын

EVERYTHING is about Twilight, didn't you know?

@shinkamui

3 ай бұрын

@@Sarcasticron well, at least 1/6 of everything still a better cuck story than twi-

@terpsidance.

3 ай бұрын

We've really entered the plot twist era of video essays...

"This book is bad, but it's bad in a way that's legitimately fascinating" me when reading Plato's _Republic_

@ContraPoints

3 ай бұрын

most of the philosophical canon tbh

@Lucifersfursona

3 ай бұрын

Me talking about the source of almost every special interest I’ve ever had in my life:

@Violaphobia

3 ай бұрын

@@ContraPoints”ok, but what if our tyrant was super based and banned all the bad art?”

I read most of the books in high school because everyone was talking about it. I had mixed feelings about it, making fun of a lot of it, but also liking the idea of being desired (although not in the way the characters depict it). My ex had told me before that he basically obsessed over me before we dated: Carving our initials into a tree, vowing “I would be his someday,” etc. At the time I thought it was endearing, completely forgetting all the red flags I had read in those books, and I had a bad home life, which he took advantage of. He would systematically isolate me when we did date and would abuse me. I was 19 at the time and in retrospect as a 30 year old, I see so clearly the flags that were there that I had ignored previously. Despite everything, I don’t regret it, as if I didn’t endure my suffering, I wouldn’t have met my fiancé when I was out celebrating being single again when my ex & I finally broke up. In my adult years, I discovered I have a kink for being dominated (lightly - nothing heavy or extreme). I suppose these books somewhat were my first awakening to that? I realized that I want not only the love of my partner, but to have the trust with them to entrust myself with them and my kink (as you can imagine, that’s difficult). I also think that some women who are viewed as “strong and independent” who have the kink have it because they want to be able to let loose for once. I know it somewhat feels like that for me, as I handle most things in my partnership with my fiancé. So being able to have someone else in charge can also be a relief in a sense.

Natalie is a machine that turns things I am not interested in into things I am interested in

I wish i could show this video to my 12 year old self, who stood up in front of her 7th grade english class and read out the essay she wrote on Edward Cullen’s Hero’s Journey. 😂

@undertakr

3 ай бұрын

bless

@wesleyhart1950

3 ай бұрын

You know what? Good for her. That took real bravery and some good old 12 year old enthusiasm. I bet she made some great points. 🤍

@beafraid5467

3 ай бұрын

Honestly I applaud that 12 yo, I read twilight when I was 14 and I would never have the courage to do that in front of my peers.

@celisewillis

3 ай бұрын

That is so sweet 😊 why do you think 12-yr-old you wrote about Edward's journey vs Bella?

@c0wb0yfriend

3 ай бұрын

joseph campbell would be so proud

Legit pastor here. Ordained pcusa. Contrapoints, your Biblical interpretation is spot on. Frankly, you understand this better than 95% of my congregants. Well done.

@rishaa682

3 ай бұрын

Most pastors don’t understand the bible lol

@Patmorgan235Us

3 ай бұрын

​@@holliebrokaw3716my favorite thing was the LifeWay poll where a significant number of people who identified as evangelicals denied the divinity of Christ.

@meaverly

3 ай бұрын

pcusa is a really good church, what a lovely surprise to see an ordained member is a contrapoints fan.

@LimeyLassen

3 ай бұрын

@@rishaa682 For the ones who went to college, it's more like they understand it but play dumb and tell the flock what they want to hear.

@andieallison6792

3 ай бұрын

@@rishaa682you can say that about the public in general. Yes I'm including atheists/agnostics in there too.

clicked on this like "eh I don't care about twilight, but guess I'll see what contra says about it..." and got literally your BEST and most interesting video yet holyyy moly

I will never grow tired of any Twilight analysis. Watched a bunch. And this is one is the most interesting one

I read the Twilight saga when I was 12, and I remember having a lot of contempt for Bella in New Moon. I found her grieving of Edward pathetic, unrealistic, and toxic. In that, I felt a kind of smug superiority to both her and Meyer; I would never be so torn up over a man because I was strong and independent. I’m now 20 years old and currently experiencing limerence following a breakup. It’s more painful than I could’ve ever imagined. Combined with pre-existing mental health issues it’s almost unbearable. I can barely eat, sleep, or study. There isn’t a moment of the day I don’t feel physically ill. I constantly imagine all the other people my ex could be pursuing and think “Why not me?” I didn’t think I would ever relate to Bella in this way, but here I am. Turns out she is me and I am her. I am thoroughly humbled. Edit: wow hello, I didn’t expect this comment to resonate with so many people. Thanks for the support everyone! The Internet can be cool sometimes.

@legrandliseurtri7495

3 ай бұрын

Your comment reminds me of a review of the Twilight movies that a French KZreadr made a while ago. He mostly just makes fun of the series, but there's this one part where he talks about Bella screaming in her bed because Edward left, and after he first jokingly said something like:''lol what a wimp'', he added(translating as best as I can):''Just wait until you get dumped by someone that you profoundly love. Oh, I understand, the first time that I saw this scene, I reacted like you, and the movies, and the love story between Bella and Edward don't deserve such a scene...But you'll see, one day you'll also be screaming into your pillow because you feel like you life is fucked''

@mewho8057

3 ай бұрын

Pain doesn't go away, but we get better at handling it and living alongside it. There will come a time when you will find it difficult to remember how overwhelming this pain once was. Corny as heck, but this too shall pass

@melina_0455

3 ай бұрын

​@@legrandliseurtri7495 which KZreadr was it?

@BeUnadulterated

3 ай бұрын

I am sorry you are going through the break up. From experience, I will say it is about the most intense pain you can feel. Some may say it doesn't go away but I wanted to say it actually does or becomes so minimal it doesn't feel like pain. You can get to the point of being able to look back and laugh, enjoy the good times, and even wish the person that caused you so much pain the best. I know it doesn't feel like that is possible at the moment but that is ok to feel. It takes time and it is ok to feel what you feel. It is totally normal. The healing process is different for everyone but it is possible to heal through what at the moment feels unbearable.

@aurettew1795

3 ай бұрын

@@melina_0455 It was Durandal if I'm not mistaken.

I love that vampires are like, “I’m immortal, I’m immortal,” and then their whole existence is just trying to not get killed.

@randomjunkohyeah1

3 ай бұрын

I have a feeling that if something like an “immortality injection” that stops aging was to be invented, that’s exactly what would happen to those that get it

@ruffethereal1904

3 ай бұрын

It's funny how even in undeath, they still can't escape the permanence of your end, just in a different form.

@juanitopantuflapantufla2605

3 ай бұрын

I mean, that's the whole point, they are anti natural leeches that should not be alive

@awandererfromys1680

3 ай бұрын

It's rather hard to find but the 1987 film _Near Dark_ does a great take on that. It's dark, depressing, sad, and strips away all the romance surrounding vampires. One of the best vampire movies around imho.

@leahscontemporary

3 ай бұрын

and then you have the twilight vampires that can't be killed without extremely effort

The internet is slowly becoming so weird to me, and one of the biggest things is how much I see genders hating each other in heterossexuality. As a gay man, I get a little sad seeing all these femme and masc personas hating each other so much (it goes beyond the straights, but they are in the roots of it). I can see this dynamic as an interdiction that creates desire, and it was always there, but what about tenderness? You are a saint bringing the understanding of fusion to the scared and lost heterossexuals of our time. And you're not even straight nor cis! You bring the very questions that torment the youth and dissolve barriers of normalcy and queerness ❤

I love how in Part 5 Natalie aligned the neckline of her dress exactly with the pattern on the chair to make the shape of a bleeding heart. This has got to be like my 8th watch, there's always something new to notice

The IRONY of someone calling Twilight '50 shades for teenagers' when 50 shades is, quite literally, Twilight for adults

@d0ubl3d

3 ай бұрын

I think that’s the joke

@MyScorpion42

3 ай бұрын

@@d0ubl3d but are they in on the joke?

@dalellll

3 ай бұрын

Is that irony or is that just... "Memes which are so deep and dank that they return to normal"

@dalellll

3 ай бұрын

@@MyScorpion42If they're not in on the joke, yes that's funny, but, i mean, doesn't it kind of show that they have correctly understood what they read

@notacaulkhead

3 ай бұрын

y'all whooshed fr

"'Aren't you overthinking Twilight?' No" said Nat at 1:50:56 of an almost 3-hour video. I really missed her.

@dragongirl7978

3 ай бұрын

Right? I was so excited when this video popped up and it is such a masterpiece.

@rishaa682

3 ай бұрын

I guess you’ve never been to an English or Literary class before?

@honeysluiced

3 ай бұрын

@@rishaa682 lmao be silent.

@laurenm3148

3 ай бұрын

One of my favorite moments too! I laughed out loud irl

@choosecarefully408

3 ай бұрын

The funnier thing is, comedian Jimmy Carr summed this up in one joke. He collected the most popular answers to surveys answered by women in what they wanted in a man. Everything suits serial rapists/killers, stalkers. There's nothing woke in woke culture. Those of any gender who want men have fantasies about 'being taken.' This *is* way over-thinking it all.

I think this might be the best video Natalie has ever made, and that’s a high bar.

@chrislawuk

Ай бұрын

That’s what I was thinking. Just masterful.

Not "me and Draco"😂 There was no need to call out the teenage good girl me 😂

20:15 "The Volturi are like a Mormon's idea of Catholics: you know, they live in the Vatican, they speak Italian, they're gay..." I choked laughing at this. I'm going to watch a few more times to get it out of my system before I go back to my food.

@leahscontemporary

3 ай бұрын

I wonder why thats only exclusive to Mormoms tho

@officialgoogleyoutube

3 ай бұрын

@@leahscontemporaryBecause the author (Stephenie Meyer) who created the characters is Mormon.

@MegaRambit

3 ай бұрын

Listen, I was raised Mormon. My dad converted from Catholicism to be with my mom. (All three of us have since left the church.) This part made me scream laughing, I immediately had to run and show Dad that part, it was so funny

"Men want to be desired." We've been told from such a young age then women are to be desired and men must do the desiring. That beauty is the most important aspect of being a woman and aggression is the most important aspect of being a man. I've struggled with this myself. I want a woman to want me, not submit to me.

@xBrakit

3 ай бұрын

Feel this in my soul, I echo this sentiment.

@connorc1635

3 ай бұрын

Its the same for me, its weird complaining about oppressive sexual stereotypes as a cis straight white guy, but I never really fit into typical male sexuality, all the examples of straight male sexuality that I saw seemed predatory and exploitative and objectifying, like none of the men around me or in media could see women as anything but a potential sex slave or something, so despite my powerful sex drive, I really repressed my sexuality for a long time because my own sexual desires felt evil and disgusting, I did not want to let this thing turn me into something that would hurt and devalue the women I loved, something I am still battling to this day, even though I know that i would not do those things. I just want to be desired, I feel like a broken toy that no one wants. I do not fit in to normal male sexuality and so I am trying to find my way alone, trying my best to not reveal that i am not like other guys so that I do not get bullied and harassed by men (and some women) who see any deviation from the norm as making someone an incomplete, unlovable, and useless man. Its like actually loving women is seen as wrong, you can be attracted to women, but genuine love and respect is seen as being a "beta" or "cuck" or whatever stupid buzzword grifters are using now.

@circlebird9013

3 ай бұрын

@@connorc1635 I wish I could save this comment holy shit

@ilikecookies9796

3 ай бұрын

@@connorc1635 You sound like a very sweet dude.

@iwishihadseenthatlol

3 ай бұрын

That’s hot

as a trans man and a christian who hasnt watched your videos and who loves thinking about gender and sexuality and christianity this was surprising and hilarious and thought provoking all at once. Thank you!

as a former 1D(wattpad) and current BTS(ao3) fan, those 13 years old with English as a second language are creating history.

“Bella and her polycule of monster men” THAT got me

@sabsab878

3 ай бұрын

Ah, if only…

@naheemquattlebaum2267

3 ай бұрын

*chuckles in Anita Blake*

@Plunkcown

3 ай бұрын

🎵she did the mash🎶 🎶she did the monster mash🎵 🎵the monster mash🎶 🎶it was a graveyard Smash 😏🎵

Mozart knew what great DJs know today: you gotta have some good build up before the beat drops

54:18 the way I got clocked. I remember going on family vacations and reading smut novels with those same exact covers LOL. I stumbled into a tag on googlereads called "MMF" so instead of the woman being persued by all the hot men, my novels were about everyone pursuing everyone or a man being pursued by another man AND a woman. And bc my family did no speak English I was able to read all of them with no worries. Now that I think about it's so bizarre that I was siting on the couch while the rest of my family were fooling around while I read that a man was being destroyed by another dude while he was eating out a girl as a 15yo Hispanic boy LMAOO. It's been 10 years since i read a novel like that lmao I think I my revisit som of my favorites of that time hahaha

Natalie is so damm funny. One of my personal favorite things about history is Elliot just dunking on the 1800s equivalent of bodice rippers, as if she didn’t publish a 700 page Gothic romance herself. Not like other girls, but the 1870s.

Lowkey painful to witness how my intimate, deep, dark feelings are actually so basic that philosophers have been tearing them apart for like, 500 years, but it's worth it to have the clarity and joy of you articulating the how and why behind them so effectively. Thank you.

@ninanung5945

3 ай бұрын

Feel ya, but it’s more like 2000 years… and we thought we were special 🥲

@andrewcapra7153

3 ай бұрын

Several points in the video made me feel like I had tried to take a shortcut through a dark alley and Nat stabbed me in the gut behind the dumpster. If this had come out a decade ago I could have avoided the consequences of my younger self deciding that fabricating false memories of trauma was easier and preferable to confronting my feelings about sex and desire despite there apparently being entire library shelves of discourse about them.

@Darkloid21

3 ай бұрын

Not…really? A lot of this sounds like reaching, especially the part about fiction and definitely the one on desire. And her take on long term relationships is…well wrong as is that on love. What she is describing isn’t love. What happened with Bella screaming isn’t love. Like…I’m a little disappointed with this video.

@randomjunkohyeah1

3 ай бұрын

@@Darkloid21 You really did just restate “she is wrong” with different wordings 4-5 different times and not elaborate at all, huh?

@Darkloid21

3 ай бұрын

@@randomjunkohyeah1 If I elaborated it would take forever to read. But to start the notion of Buddhism and desire isn't correct. It's not that desire is bad or causes suffering but rather attachment that is what does. Even then it's not entirely bad either. It's far more nuanced and complex than she makes it out to be. Same thing for pleasure and what she takes to be love in Twilight with Bella screaming in that one scene. That wasn't being in love that's infatuation. Actual love is different from that. I could go on but like I said it would take forever. She really misses the mark on this video and I already lost some respect for her after that weird tangent about Vaush in her last video.

I was so sure the yin/yang, light/shade part was going to end with "and they blend together to create... fifty shades of grey".

@evoregnar5354

3 ай бұрын

XDDDD

@evoregnar5354

3 ай бұрын

How can this video essay be even more funny

@randomjunkohyeah1

3 ай бұрын

Fifty genders of grey

As Taylor swift i accept you apology miss points

this is incredible, my inner-middle-schooler feels seen for the first time thank you so much for all you've done for humanity

@ruffnerd

2 ай бұрын

(heterosexuals are always saying this)

"People think Furries are weird now, but your grandfather fought in World War II then came home and thought it was totally normal to be attracted to women dressed up like rabbits." That shook me UP holy shit

@NIHIL_EGO

3 ай бұрын

Weebs into nekogirls are sweating and shaking rn.

"Women are not sexual, how do I know? Ask them and they almost always say no" I had to pause and chuckle to myself because this is SUCH an FUNNY thing for a straight man to say

@fipachu

2 ай бұрын

Well, maybe he wasn’t straight. I do get your point though, it’s also sad. Any way you slice it dude was missing out on some exciting things.

@MeganMarieFox

2 ай бұрын

And we're all forced into this ONE corporeal form! Might as well have fun with it, hot damn

@Gossy367

2 ай бұрын

Reminds me of some of the conversations that happened when WAP came out

Anyone else get a little wave of appreciative warmth at Stephanie Meyer saying she doesn't need the world to know her every thought?

your voice is so calm and soothing even when you say things like "a little healthy sadism never hurt anyone" 🤣🤣 i now have a new channel to binge, this was incredible

"The feminine urge to be Daddy's Mommy" is gonna be living in my head paying $0 rent for days now.

@pax6833

3 ай бұрын

That's definitely a quote

@ltbq

3 ай бұрын

"I regret to inform you the cuck tent is racist" made me lose my entire mind

@psychlops3394

3 ай бұрын

I will be joining you in this boat.

@theodoravellum4589

3 ай бұрын

This perfectly sums up my need to dominate Daddies.

@py_a_thon

3 ай бұрын

Isn't that just a variation of ancient greek philosophy? Specifically: Oedipus Rex?

Part 3, specifically the discussion around "My Secret Garden", made me think of the modern day misunderstanding of the song "Baby it's Cold Outside." At the time it was understood that she DID want to stay but had to be "convinced" like a "proper lady." These days, we listen to the song and condemn him for not respecting her boundaries when she said no. Specifically the "hey what's in this drink" line was widely condemned, but that was slang during the time the song released that denoted there was hardly any alcohol in the drink at all and they would've preferred a stiffer pour. Baby it's Cold Outside basically was a ravishment fantasy song that absolved the woman of blame so they could do exactly what both of them wanted to do in which the man provides her with excuses, shows he is on the same page, and basically offers himself up as a scapegoat to take the social blame.

@Justanotherconsumer

3 ай бұрын

The problem, and the harder issue, is that this is the fantasy forced on women by our culture. My wife deals with domestic violence survivors who tried to live out their fantasy and… it didn’t end well.

@Amy3422

3 ай бұрын

I've heard that take and the song *could* be performed in playful and innocent ways. The issue is that the lyrics are indistinguishable from things real date rapists say and assuming implied consent because a woman's refusals aren't forceful/convincing enough is how real date rapes happen. Even in the original clip, the man is blocking her exit from the room & using physical pressure to prevent her leaving. That may be fine in a fantasy for women, but you wouldn't play an excerpt from 50 Shades over the mall radio. Most people who hear "Baby It's Cold Outside" hear it without context. I heard it multiple times from coed high-school choirs. At that point, the only messaging comes from the lyrics, and the lyrics by themselves are rapey, and the message that a no sometimes means yes was being normalized to teens by teachers.

@fluidthought42

3 ай бұрын

​​​@@Amy3422 As I've heard someone else put it, rape culture removes women of the capacity to openly say yes to sex (as the song is supposed to be put in the context of, of a soft "yes") but that also subsequently denies the visibility of an obvious but soft no. When women are expected to act as madonnas to fulfill on proper femininity consent becomes much more muddier and difficult to ascertain. So it's appropriate to criticize the song as representing the rape culture it's a reflection of, but not the song itself as being that of a literal rape.

@Amy3422

3 ай бұрын

@@fluidthought42 This is well put, yes. The song glorifies rape culture regardless of whether or not it depicts a real assault.

@randomjunkohyeah1

3 ай бұрын

I think that song would stick around less if we had another classic male-female Christmas duet to replace it with. I can’t think of any others off the top of my head

“learn to think psychologically instead of literally” 👏👏👏👏 nailed it

This was genuinely one of the best and most enlightening things I have ever seen. It hit so many sweet spots and tied up so many particular interests for me it's honestly difficult to believe. Your works once helped me build the basis of my current worldview and identity, and now they still hit me with breakthrough revelations. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

You have NO IDEA how much I needed a two-hour contrapoints video about Twilight right now. The universe doesn't usually provide in such a direct and specific way but man am I grateful for this.

@yachatta5997

3 ай бұрын

Ikr? Same here

@victorbee8828

3 ай бұрын

Omg yes agree 💯

@johnnyc2764

3 ай бұрын

Luckily, you got one and a half of what you asked for because this is very nearly 3 hrs

@just_some_donkus

3 ай бұрын

Same here… this was released at the perfect time for me

@ThumpingThromnambular

3 ай бұрын

*god

Bible nerd popping in to add that the Greek word for resurrection is "anastasis" (ἀνάστασις). So on top of all the cruciform elements in the section on Fifty Shades, the two main characters are named Christian and Resurrection.

@DarkishArchon

Ай бұрын

Whoa

@Anastasia_1467

Ай бұрын

Nice

@leokaptra

Ай бұрын

😦

@tonysunders1462

Ай бұрын

OLVVV

@estherflecksing6305

Ай бұрын

Ok wait maybe the author is more of a genius than we thought? Like their names literally set them up for Christian to worship HER

I could listen to Mother play the piano forever. Natalie, you are so gifted. Your passion for music makes it all the more beautiful.

As someone that DID hold up Twilight as a love standard (and has since grown away from my entire self worth hinging on my romantic relationships), this is borderline spiritual for me. I did a pretty wide loop between loving Twilight, to hating it, to loving it for the meme, and now to seeing it solely as art, that can be enjoyed thoroughly, but should be taken with a grain of salt because it's FICTION, not a manual on love. Your videos never disappoint, Natalie. Thank you

"some people are born straight, and others have straightness thrust upon them." Absolutely S-tier setup for that line.

@babyxblue

3 ай бұрын

Time stamp plss

@garyprime6983

3 ай бұрын

@@babyxblue1:26:42

Please, never quit. The quality of this is so high it makes the whole experience exquisite. I love how the internet has made it possible for creators like you to just create.

@KD_Oliveira

3 ай бұрын

Her videos are the ONLY piece of media ever for which I'd be willing to spend 3 complete hours (divided throughout an entire week tho) watching till the end. And being a ADHD delu-loser myself, I consider this a 100% true achievement. Congrats to her.

@alveolate

3 ай бұрын

definitively a better love story than twilight.

@benamisai-kham5892

3 ай бұрын

​@@KD_OliveiraI didn't realize this was even near 3 hours until I read your comment. I was just enjoying it so deeply and wasn't paying attention to how long its been; I'm an hour in 😂

@louera

3 ай бұрын

right?? 🥹 Another creator I think y'all would appreciate is cjthex. He makes unexpected takes in a similar vein.

@ToucanTorte

3 ай бұрын

It's like a miracle

As someone who was a middle to high school aged girl during the peak Twilight craze, this is only just barely more in depth than the level of analysis we were applying to these books trying to figure out if we were bad feminists for thinking a hot man was hot

Man, this has to be my favorite Contrapoints video yet. So intelligent, so witty. I've never felt so enlightened and it was all about Twilight. Amazing work!

I can't believe she told the first funny "It's still a better love story than Twilight" joke I've heard in like 10 years.

@funguy398

3 ай бұрын

Tbf a list of "better love stories than twilight" would be good. I suggest "Galili" from Clive Barker

"The Feminine Urge To Be Daddy's Mommy" hit my hurt/comfort-loving ass over the head like a brick

i’ve thought hard about this and this is my favorite of all her videos

btw according to twilight eye color conventions, natalie has fed on animal blood in parts 0, 1 and 3, is hungry for blood in part 2, and, if i´m seeing the colors correctly, has fed on human blood in parts 4 and 5. in part 6 she´s got one red eye and one brown eye, which i think means that she has satisfied her hunger and yet is hungry for more! very fitting to the themes. i tip my hat off to you, miss points.

While a lot of people see Twilight as a golden example of heterosexual media, Kristen Stewart interprets it differently, earlier this year she said: "It's such a gay movie! I mean, jesus christ, Taylor and Rob and me, and it's so hidden and not OK, I mean, a Mormon woman wrote this book. It's all about oppression, about wanting what's going to destroy you. That's a very gothic, gay inclination that I love." She recognizes that the book is about fulfilling fantasies which are discouraged by society, for a heterosexual woman in the LDS church that means your hand being grazed by a big strong sparkly rich vampire man, but for a gay person the theme of "forbidden love" itself feels gay.

@shawnbay2211

3 ай бұрын

kristen having a queer reading of twilight makes her more of a queer icon than she already is!

@IvanTheDarkAngel

3 ай бұрын

I mean you could shoehorn a queer reading of just about anything

@annmarieknapp

3 ай бұрын

I actually feel my respect for Kristen Stewart has just surged!! Cool.

@Killjoy_Mel

3 ай бұрын

@@IvanTheDarkAngelAnd we do. The moment you write a story and publish it to the world, your own interpretation of the story you wrote becomes only one of all the other stories that simultaneously unfold, as each reader interprets what they see and read from their unique perspective based on their lived experience. Any story can be gay, because in our gay little heads, we only have so many tools to work a story with, and mine are all forged by the bisexual life experience. Thus, a story that reads straight for a person without the gay and bi life experience, reads bi for me. And that is OK. I'm a literature degree holder and you can't believe how quickly any notions about the 'correct way to read a story', the ownership and authority over the One True Story and One True Theme flew out of the window when I began my studies. So once more for the books: 'A written story is whatever its reader perceives it as.' The author might provide the calcium and the iron and the carbon for the 'body' as a writer, but it's the reader that decides ultimately what creature that story will be, and how it functions. No shoehorning needed. I'm sure for you Twilight is also a story that Stephenie Meyer didn't intend it to be, because what you read and interpret, you do differently from someone with Meyer's unique lived experience.

@WhiteScorpio2

3 ай бұрын

@@IvanTheDarkAngel And you should.

The most important thing I learned is that dolphins are above the law

@ruffethereal1904

2 ай бұрын

The open water is truly a lawless place.

@trunkage

2 ай бұрын

As nature intended

@scarylion1roar

2 ай бұрын

So long and thanks for all the fish

I can't tell you how encouraging this is.

you’re so good at placing things in their contemporary and long term historical contexts and interpreting them through different lenses, constantly bringing up different counterpoints and then breaking down why they’re valid or invalid, so mf fantastic every vid is a whole dissertation

"I can name at least three people who are attracted to men." This is my new favorite Natalie Wynn quote.

@johnhenninger1980

3 ай бұрын

yeah, ''me myself and I''

@manelneedsaname1773

3 ай бұрын

More like Natalie Win amirite

@Mene0

3 ай бұрын

2:39:48

@perrodetokio

2 ай бұрын

And all three of them are men as well 😃

@calicokush

2 ай бұрын

@@perrodetokio JT Leroy?

This video was really powerful for me. I’ve been an avid hater of romance books which pair women with abusive men. It’s always been a reflection of my fear that the women around me will find those relationships to be acceptable and therefore get hurt by the men around them. I had never thought to compare it to my own darker fascinations, nor was able to unstand there was a sameness to it all. The truth is, I was severely sexually abused as a child and I struggle to think logically about those sorts of topics, where I see similarities, I feel fear. At least now I can express that I am afraid, not necessarily that I dislike the media.

@wearmeout1

3 ай бұрын

great insight that a lot of people online could benefit from

@esterelina

3 ай бұрын

I totally agree and I understand you. I've been very wary of booktok and the romance books that are popular at the moment, because of this very reason. This video made me think about the topic a little more deeply. However, I find that sometimes romance readers don't think of certain books or tropes as "dark romance", even if they are. I feel very troubled when I see people enjoy books with abusive men, but don't categorize the books as "dark romance" but just "romance". Or, sometimes I come across a book that in my opinion shouldn't get categorized as romance at all because the relationships are so abusive, and yet you see people romantisizing them. Maybe it stems from the people reading those books not being able to accept that they enjoy reading such dark themes, so they try to soften their dark fascinations by seeing them as romantic? I don't know but it makes me uncomfortable. Especially paired with trends such as girls asking their real life boyfriends to do attractive things that men do in romantic books (like the doorframe lean thing, iykyk). To me, there's not a clear enough separation of fantasy and reality.

@Editorialzero

3 ай бұрын

I also feel this way. I am often almost hurt by the idea that women would want a man that so clearly is abusive and drags them back into traditional gender roles. I’ve never been in the camp of “oh reading this will make you more likely to get abused” because I do understand that fantasy is separate from real life and I’m confident in the ability of women around me to understand that. It’s more that I will never be interested in men like that (maybe I take on more “masculine” associated roles that were talked about in this video idk), and I don’t understand how other women can still find any value in the idea of a man like that at all. It’s unappealing, and I wish men like Christian Grey were extinct.

@meritmarinarainfo7338

3 ай бұрын

@@esterelina yeah, its so hard to tell if others are drawing that line in a safe place, and as a trauma victim it’s hard to look the other way. But I also am an avid believer that exposure brings knowledge, much of my suffering as a child could have been stopped if I had only known what was happening to me and had the words to express it. My hope is books like this ends up being education on appropriate behavior, however I do agree that some of them really lack any elements of regret for the male characters behavior in a permanent way. It’s hard not to be afraid of seeing others hurt by the same things that damaged you, and it’s totally valid to be wary of those things because of it, especially when you understand the origin of that avoidance. All that to say I hope you’re doing well, the world is a scary and sometimes painful place but we will get through it, there is so much love to be had too :)

@llynxfyremusic

2 ай бұрын

thst being said coho still sucks

Divine's "EAT SHIT!" would have been perfect after mentioning leviticus