It's crazy to me how Dostoevsky predicted the influencer victim complex in 1872.

@gabtheory0

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Why it worked

The video succeeds by bridging high-brow literary analysis with trending pop culture discourse, creating a 'smart' take that feels relevant and shareable.

Summary

The creator discusses how Dostoevsky's novel 'Demons' predicted the modern 'influencer victim complex' and applies this analysis to the current discourse surrounding Chappell Roan. She argues that some celebrities perform a hatred of fame to cultivate an identity of being a misunderstood martyr.

Structure

1Introduction of the Dostoevsky theory regarding influencer victim complexes.
2Analysis of the character in 'Demons' and his obsession with being seen as persecuted.
3Application of this literary analysis to the current public discourse around Chappell Roan.
4Discussion of the 'aesthetic of persecution' as a branding tool for celebrities.
5Closing question to the audience about whether celebrities truly hate fame or enjoy the victim narrative.

Call to action

Let me know your thoughts in the comments and always stay spicy.

On-screen text

Dostoevsky on Chappell Roan lol

Original caption

Dostoevsky called out these types HARD #dostoevsky #reading #books #chappellroan #gabtheory

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Transcript

It's crazy to me how Dostoevsky predicted the influencer victim complex in 1872. I swear he already wrote about Chappell Roan without knowing. So I just started reading Demons by Dostoevsky and the opening pages he describes his main character who is obsessed with being seen as a persecuted man, not someone who is actually persecuted. Sound familiar? Someone who likes the identity of persecution. The narrator literally says that being called an exile and a persecuted intellectual slowly lifted him onto this pedestal of vanity. And I could not stop thinking about the discourse around Chappell Roan right now. Seems like this weird psychological paradox of fame. Some people just don't want recognition. They want recognition for their suffering. They chase fame and immediately perform how much they hate it. And that performance of hating fame becomes part of the brand, which is exactly what Dostoevsky was describing in his main character of Demons. Not persecution, the aesthetic of persecution. The identity of the misunderstood martyr is sometimes more intoxicating than success itself. It's so wild to me that Dostoevsky wrote this 150 years ago about intellectuals in Russia and the psychology still feels extremely modern. Do you think some celebrities actually hate fame or do you think they just love the story of being victimized by it? Let me know your thoughts in the comments and always stay spicy.