Rashmi Navalpakkam, Week 12 - The Paradox of Vulnerability

        Expectations, societal stigmas, judgements, boundaries, and openness - all of these relate to one common sentiment: vulnerability. The stereotypes that have formed around vulnerability and my experiences with the feeling of being vulnerable have allowed me to realize what a complex paradox vulnerability truly is. 

        Strength and vulnerability are two things that have always been seen as extremely contrasting. The pressures and influences of society force us to see an inverse relationship between strength and vulnerability; when strength increases, we usually imagine that our vulnerability towards things decreases, in turn making us stronger. However, this inverse correlation is quite contrasting from reality, in which we see that there is a positive direct correlation between strength and vulnerability.

        As I was reflecting on my Person of American Significance over the past few weeks, I couldn’t help but notice how Marilyn Monroe perfectly embodied the paradox of strength and vulnerability. When delving into the legacies of Monroe, I came across Monroe’s lasting impact on feminism and sex symbolism. There were many sources that highlighted feminism as Monroe’s strength while sex symbolism was Monroe’s vulnerability, but I saw things quite differently. While being branded as sex symbolism may have been a vulnerability for Monroe, it certainly didn’t negatively impact her life. Monroe acknowledged her vulnerability and used it as her strength, sharing it with other younger women through her mental health talks and openness about her gender struggles. 

        I think that Monroe’s story tells us a lot about how strength and vulnerability have a positive correlation. Vulnerability is not a weakness, it is in fact a strength, and being able to accept and embrace it with all openness is what allows us to grow and develop. Maybe if the characters in Everything I Never Told You tried to express and understand each other’s vulnerabilities better, they would be able to form a closer, trustful, and compassionate relationship with each other. 

Comments

  1. Peter ShrFebruary 29, 2024 at 10:58 AM

    Hi Rashmi! It was so interesting to read your discussion on the correlation between strength and vulnerability, as it subverted my perception of the two. I appreciate how you drew conclusions from your Person of American Significance beyond the analysis from your sources. This drives your blog to delve deeper into the interactions between fundamental emotions. Your strong explanation of how vulnerability allows for greater strength is intriguing, as it is then related to Celeste Ng’s Everything I Never Told You. However, I want to explore where exactly the positive correlation is true, because I do not believe that it applies for every individual. Instead, it is more as if one’s vulnerability, or any other form of turmoil, can make or break them. In this way, whether vulnerability leads to strength or weakness varies. The connection you draw between two seemingly opposing notions also reminds me of fear and bravery. While some people are able to achieve dangerous tasks because of the absence of fear, true bravery to me is the measure of how much fear is overcome. For instance, two soldiers could be marching into war, appearing to have the same determination and pace. However, the one who is more afraid of death would be the braver soldier, as he or she demonstrates greater inner strength to achieve the same feat.

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