• Media Psykhe
  • @elaineiswatching
  • Jekyll and Hyde
The Web Recluse

Essays, Lectures, and Rants : The Thoughts Of Elaine Barlow

  • Home
  • Essays
  • First Coffee Thoughts
  • Videos
    • Jekyll and Hyde
    • Jem and The Holograms
    • YouTube Shorts
  • Podcasts
  • Experiences
    • Audiobooks
    • Gaming
    • Comics
    • Cigars
    • Television
  • Contact

New Here?

If you are new to my website and my writing here are some random bits to start with. I hope you enjoy your stay!
First Coffee Thoughts

Realism ≠ Pessimism

August 17, 2024
Seven Secrets Issue 1
EssaysFirst Coffee Thoughts

Why Don’t You Just

October 19, 2023
EssaysTelevision

I Very Much Doubt It

March 1, 2012
The Forged #1 by Greg Rucka and Eric Trautmann
Comics

The Forged #1

5 out of 5More Please!
Font ResizerAa
The Web RecluseThe Web Recluse
Search
  • Categories
  • Forums
  • More Foxiz
    • Sitemap
Follow US
Made by ThemeRuby using the Foxiz theme. Powered by WordPress
Home » On Lonely Battles …
CoSoThoughts

On Lonely Battles …

Elaine Barlow
Last updated: June 22, 2025 2:48 pm
by: Elaine Barlow
Original Publication Date: November 28, 2022
Reading time: 2 minutes
SHARE

Summary

Having friends and/or allies can make a huge difference ... but even more so when you realize you have neither.

Elaine @thewebrecluse

November 28 2022 12:17am

Loona’s PTT came on during my first workout this morning and it brought so many thoughts flooding into my mind about individual struggles.

As I watch Jiwoo continue to engage in a brutal and solitary fight for justice – not just to benefit herself but for others in an industry of slave labor – I think how unfortunate it is that so many of these fights for fairness, for justice, for basic rights are spearheaded by one brave and desperate person. Why should that be? When it’s everyone’s fight.

It’s hard to fight when you’re alone especially … when you’re surrounded by people suffering the same as you but who don’t have the strength or courage to stand up with you … so you’re alone against impossible odds and suffering alone. I don’t have to imagine what that is like because I have been in that space before, long before I took control of my own life … and it’s an awful, exhausting place. But it makes you realize how strong you are and how you can’t rely on anyone but yourself.

I am by no means victim blaming those who are too afraid to come forward and fight for themselves … I’m only saying that I can’t imagine how it must be to watch someone fight FOR you and suffer FOR you when you stand back and do nothing.

As someone who has moved away from a lot of people who stood by and watched terrible things happen while I fought a solitary battle, I can say that having friends and having allies can make a huge difference … but even more so when you realize you have neither.

TAGGED:ChuucosocountersocialKim Ji WooKpopLoonasocial mediasocial media post

A Note From Elaine

This is my experience, not yours.

I don’t write reviews perse. I write about MY EXPERIENCE with media. If it resembles a review that’s because I’m trying to communicate what media means to ME which has absolutely NOTHING to do with YOU. The existence of my experience doesn’t invalidate yours in any way. If you are triggered by what other people write about art, that is a YOU issue and you should seek help for your emotional dysregulation problem instead of attacking or bullying others for expressing their SUBJECTIVE EXPERIENCE with art. You are not the center. Yours is not the default experience.

Latest Podcast

Jekyll and Hyde – Chapters 8 (Part 2)

Elaine Is Reading: Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde > Chapter 8 – Part 2

As far as I'm concerned, Chapter 8 is the absolute best chapter in the entire book. This is also where the story pretty much comes to a very abrupt end.

Audiobooks

A Study in Scarlet Women (The Lady Sherlock Series Book 1) by Sherry Thomas

A Study In Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas

The book is BRILLIANT and it speaks to me on so many levels that no other book has.

Audiobooks React
September 9, 2025
Tomb Of The Sun King (Raiders of the Arcana) by Jacquelyn Benson

Tomb of the Sun King by Jacquelyn Benson

Reading Tomb of the Sun King is like going all the way Egypt just to take a selfie in front of a pyramid and then taking a video of yourself getting fucked on a sarcophagus just to post it on Instagram. Alex Picard's performance is the only reason I'm continuing this book.

Audiobooks React
August 26, 2025

Latest Videos

Previously On JaTH – S01E05

This episode has everything: Lions, children in trunks, moral dilemmas, Jerrica getting slapped, thick necks, holographic Golden Girls, and Takin It All.

July 24, 2025
Jekyll and Hyde – Chapters 8 (Part 2)

Jekyll and Hyde – Chapter 8 (Part 2)

It is a shame that the two people who have the most interesting perspectives in the entire book are the only two people to never have their stories told.

August 4, 2025

Essays

First Coffee Thoughts August 26th 2025

How (Not) To Survive

Just because you CAN'T handle something, doesn't mean there is something wrong with those who can. Stop being the problem and become part of the solution.

By Elaine Barlow
August 29, 2025
First Coffee Thoughts August 23rd 2025

On Cherry Picking For Comfort

The world does not exist as only pieces of what works FOR YOU. Refusing to see the wider truth of the world and others is dangerous and delusional.

By Elaine Barlow
August 26, 2025

Comics

Lazarus - Volume 2 by Greg Rucka
Comics

Lazarus Volume 2 (Lift)

In the world of Lazarus there is the wealthy and then there is Waste. In 2025, in the United States, I am considered Waste and reading a comic about the brutal dislike, disregard, and destruction of Waste is too difficult.

5 out of 5Have to stop
Lazarus #3 by Greg Rucka and artist Michael Lark
Comics

Lazarus #3 and #4

I can relate to the control that everyone has over Forever; being treated like a problem or as "bad" because you are different from what others want.

4.6 out of 5Made A Connection

Get TheWebRecluse Newsletter!

No spam! End of week content updates only!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

You Might Also Like

First Coffee Thoughts December 19 2024
First Coffee Thoughts

You Need To Become Media Literate

By Elaine Barlow
June 30, 2025
First Coffee Thoughts

Anger Isn’t A Flex

By Elaine Barlow
June 27, 2025
First Coffee ThoughtsTelevision

A Different View

By Elaine Barlow
June 30, 2025
Elaine Is Reading : Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Chapter 6&7 - Part 1
Jekyll and HydeVideos

Jekyll and Hyde – Chapters 6&7 (Part 1)

By Elaine Barlow
July 24, 2025
First Coffee Thoughts

Others Are Waiting

By Elaine Barlow
June 26, 2025
First Coffee Thoughts

Protect Your Peace

By Elaine Barlow
June 30, 2025
Elaine Cosplay Jem

Why No

Comments?

Because this is my life. Not a conversation.

I use this space to journal, to express myself, to have fun … to be me.
Who I am, how I express myself in my own space, my feelings and my lived reality are not up for debate and don’t need your commentary.
You’re a guest here.
Not everything you see online requires your input or opinion.
In fact, almost NONE of it does.
Learn to just enjoy and accept who people are.

Elaine As Jekyll and Hyde

© 2009-2024 Elaine Barlow / ☰ / The Web Recluse.
All gif animations and drawn art by the amazing Christina Oei
No part of the materials available through the thewebrecluse.blog or thewebrecluse.com websites, their subdomains and any affiliated websites, may be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated or reduced to any electronic medium or machine-readable form, in whole or in part, without prior written consent of Elaine Barlow.  Any other reproduction in any form without the permission of Elaine Barlow is prohibited.

Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?