GeniesLoki

But the problem is that because we decided that these things are bad, you don't really have much of an option for expressing them in their healthy form. The best you can really manage is "morally permissible in small doses", or a kind of problematic fave.

If, on the other hand, you're a massive jerk who doesn't give a fuck about what anybody thinks, you have the option to express these traits as much as you like because you're *already* an asshole.

And if you're a man who has some or all of these traits - even if it's entirely reasonable doses - and are looking for representation... these terrible characters are kinda the only place you have to look, because the healthier versions are not represented on screen anywhere.

To clarify, you're not just talking about being very confident in your abilities, you're talking about overestimating your abilities and having that be a good thing?

Hmm. A little? Overestimating your abilities isn't ideal, but overestimating your chances of success can be a good thing. I was thinking more of the sort of arrogance you get with "I'm great and I know it" which is a little independent of how accurate the "I'm great" part is.

Yeah, good example.

And I guess although I said it's independent... it's probably only good to have if you're *actually* great. Like being pleased with your abilities is good at every level, but "I'm great and I know it" stops you from becoming great if you're not already.