Orange is the New Black: Season 2 Discussion

[ProfPacker]

Yes, it is following the book
I am half way through it. I heard Piper Kierman say that the creators did use creative license in that the real life Alex and Piper were never incacreated together, the real Piper says that there was no sexual activity that she engaged in. So, to answer your question, the bare bones of the story were there and then, we'll was developed into the show we are drawn to

[Dude]

Bwah ha ha! The real plot thickens!
The real Alex is working on her own book!
She says they had a friends with benefits thing.
She was not Pipers first and Piper had many.
Too bad they couldn't have worked this out privately.
Hmm
The real Alex seems more than a little resentful about being
Portrayed as the bad influence!
I hope the show uses some of her side of the story too
Somewhere in the middle is the truth?

[imperfect_cupcake]

I was asking because the charachters.... Well there are shitty, horrible people in real life, like Healy. I have no doubt at all that any system is full of Healys. I know many sexist, mean assholes that don't get fired. In fact, get raises and move through the ranks.
I also know that people aren't all one way or another. For example in school the class I'm in, is 22 people. We've all been shoved together for two years. We all come from very different back grounds, different countries, different belief systems and different biases and bigotries.
One kid I was very friendly with was totally homophobic. In my normal everyday life, I'd never interact with someone like him. But I had to. I got to know S and I actually rather appreciated aspects of him. I also got to talk to him about being a gayer whenever he'd pipe up and slam homos. I did not go to the teacher and complain. Why? Because ratting on him would not have taught him a bloody thing. Just to keep his mouth shut. I had to work semi nude around him. I had to have him massaging me. And I him. So it was important we have some level of respect for each other. Even if that is tenuous. Working it out between us, rather than through an authority figure is a much better way to go.

We are stuck together for two years from 8am to 4:30 pm, eating together and getting semi naked together and touching each other. We all sort of try to work out things between us - and that can be really complicated considering each of us comes from a different back ground with different beliefs about what is respectful behaviour.

I can't even imagine taking that to the level of difference in a prison.
And I know from my working life that people in authority are often biased and bigoted. I can only imagine to work in the prison system (like my best mates mom when I was growing up) you'd have to be very tough, have a thick skin and you'd get worn out and jaded, pretty quick. His mom too no shit whatso ever and wasn't exactly empathetic.

I would not enjoy a tv show without complete and utter assholes in it. I like the characters are multidimensional and have various shades of good and evil in them. Makes them more realistic.

[ProfPacker]

there are many other systems where there are elements of what HB is saying. I know that after many years of working in inpatient psych hospitals, some nurses, social workers, orderlies administrators andpsychiatrists, etc. appear to develop that "thick skin" and (particularly when patients where approved by insurance to stay long stints) develop attitudes to different classes, races and psychiatric diagnoses particularly if they are non-compliant.

even if you are on staff and don't agree with those who have been in the system a long time, you are seen as niave. It is part of the human complexity that sometimes the lack of empathy is puzzling and troubling and the amount of aggression to those who need help is hard to take. Then, one day, you start to say the same things that those who you mocked as being hard ass and not therapeutic are saying and you have to either look at yourself and try to hold onto what you value as a way of treating people or you find yourself, at times, "going over to the other side" as a defense and protection. Very complicated and complex...that is what makes the show interesting. Even the assholes are given moments that the viewer may for a moment hold a different view of that character...until they are a cruel asshole again. Does this make sense?

[imperfect_cupcake]

Yeah, I do like that they make people three dimensional. Not just all good/all bad, Disney villan-good fairy kind of thing.

[Dude]

I am still tripping on the back story of all this.
The man they testified against is thriving in Nigeria.
He is still fighting extradition and thus far winning.
Their case against him seems to not be very good and he is
buddies with the president of Nigeria.

Definately not , someone to mess with

He was worth a mere 800 million back in the 90's and
has since become even more powerful ,successful and
established as a " legit" businessman.
Prince Buruji Kashamu.
He is on Facebook, FFs! He likes mcdonalds :] and being free...
I imagine.
If I was on that list of people testifying against him, I would go
Underground. Instead , this woman writes a book and is enjoying
her new celebrity status?
I don't get it.
Catherine Wolter ( the real Alex) just got off parole this past april.
In the article I read , she seemed to imply the parole thing as the reason she has not
spoken up earlier. She wants to get back with one of her prison wives.
Horrible mug shot , I'd be mad at Piper too. I couldn't find an official booking one for Piper.
Her sister Ellen , who had a romance with the guy might be the smartest
of all and stay discrete?

Yeah , yeah ( I know )
Back to Alex
They would not let her meet the real Alex ( before)
I'm hoping they will now before season 3.

[*Anya*]

Originally Posted by Dude

I am still tripping on the back story of all this.

She wants to get back with one of her prison wives.
Horrible mug shot , I'd be mad at Piper too. I couldn't find an official booking one for Piper.
Her sister Ellen , who had a romance with the guy might be the smartest
of all and stay discrete?

Yeah , yeah ( I know )
Back to Alex
They would not let her meet the real Alex ( before)
I'm hoping they will now before season 3.

If I was in prison (!) I would definitely want a prison hubby/butch.

My long-term ex used to work at Sybil Brand in LA and they used to put all the obvious butch dykes in what was commonly called "The Daddy Tank".

*Sigh*

In my fantasy version, I'm the only femme in the daddy tank.