"Historically, women who gain motherhood with someone else's baby occupy an uncomfortable place in society. In folklore, elves or fair folk took the rightful child and replaces her with one of their own. The changeling child" - Barbara Sumner, Tree of Strangers page 54. Listen Here:
play.acast.com/s/two-lucky-bds/s1e6myth-mythology-adoptionfog Sande and Lance return after their long and glorious Southern Hemisphere hiatus - full of energy and life. In episode six of Two Lucky B*#%*@ds, released on March 12th, 2021 (run time 52.09) they consider chapter six of Barbara Sumner's book Tree of Strangers and the topics that arise from it for them. They discuss adoption in myth and mythology, the role and place of the orphan archetype, and the impact of adoption fog. The episode opens with a rather comical discussion around Christmas and the giving of gifts (Lance mentions a gift that he had received, the first two seasons of the CBS Drama This is Us where adoption is a main focus of the show - check it out here: www.facebook.com/NBCThisIsUs/). The topic of conversation then turns to the adoption in myth and mythology, and Sande introduces the Jungian concept of the orphan archetype fierceandfiery.com/2020/05/04/the-orphan-archetype/ From here Lance and Sande explore the impact of adoption on the development of self-worth and the negative impact that can occur from feelings of abandonment (a topic which has been explored widely in research, for example: digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=2017&context=gradreports They then explore the Christian scriptures and the adoptive stories contained within (such as the story of Moses), as well as delving into the difficulties that can arise when it is interpreted literally. This then leads on to an interesting exploration of folk stories like Rumpelstiltskin and Rupunzel and the orphan archetype found in them. Lance questions whether these are truly examples of adoption, whereas Sande sees this very differently. They then consider other stories containing orphan or adoptee characters - like Harry Potter, Batman and Superman. Lance then wrongly suggested that Carl Rodgers was adopted even though one of his parents remained alive (it was in fact Erik Erikson). While Erikson was adopted by his step-father he was still living with his mother, and so continued to have connections with his family of origin, unlike those adopted through the closed stranger adoptions of the 50s, 60, and 70s. Similarly Moses continued to have connections with his birth family as well, despite being adopted by the Egyptian royal family. The episode concludes with a discussion of adoption fog, and the notion of "living in the fog". For more about this check out Lance's blog about 'adoption fog": confessionsofahopefilledadoptee.weebly.com/blog/category/adoption-fog Lance explores how the phrase has been weaponised by many of those in the adoptive community. This leads onto a discussion of ancestry and "who are our ancestors". As ever a rollicking ride through the adoptive experience.
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