“We contain multitudes; you can be happy and jealous at the same time.”

-Mur Lafferty



(This post went live for supporters on May 21, 2025. Join the Fabulists or support my newsletter at Ghost if you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes!)

We’re back! In this episode, we talk about the bullies that can sap our confidence and creativity again, today’s bully is the Blade, a stern knife that can cut deep.

(I also announce my new cozy fantasy, it’s real now! I am of course stressing over storytelling complexities (again).)

Let’s talk about the Blade, and everything it stands for: mainly, jealousy, a feeling that can be sharp and painful. But fear not, we also discuss how to deal with these feelings and how to shut this bully up.

Transcript

Links



* Ted Chiang and “Story of Your Life”

* Arrival (Film)

* Six Wakes (Book)



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“Jealousy and Bully #2: The BLADE” is brought to you in large part by my supporters, the Fabulists, who received an early, expanded version of this episode. You can join our Fabulist community with a pledge on Patreon or Substack!

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CREDITS

Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja,