What’s in a name? Plenty, that’s what. Names have significance- just ask all those parents-to-be armed with their baby name books and lists of choices. They will tell you it must be “perfect,” this label that their unborn child will carry throughout their (hopefully long and successful) life. Names are meant to convey an impression, and be a calling card for the bearer telling others that they are honorable, intelligent, successful, attractive, hip, and/or named for a special place, time or event.
So if we ponder why Weiner chose “Carlos Danger” as his online moniker, what conclusions might we draw about how he wanted women to perceive him? Let’s start with the images that come to mind when we think of this name. What about sexy Latin, great lover, bad boy, intense, mysterious, and/or romantic- to name a few possibilities. Anthony Weiner, the awkward, gaunt, middle aged, married man with a small child, masquerading as a sexy, dangerous Latin. Now that is something to wrap our minds around. After all, with all the potential choices out there and a surname that could lend itself nicely to his “hobby,” why did he choose this one?
Maybe it’s so obvious that we feel the need to look deeper. Much has been said about the compulsive and destructive behavior he uses online; and while it is true that he exhibits a compulsion to expose himself to anonymous women, even at the risk of losing his marriage, family and job- the question is why.
Mr. Weiner was most likely an introverted “geek” while growing up. His awkwardness is still present today. Then, as a congressman he got a lot of attention from his constituents, and it may have been the first time in his life that women expressed an attraction and perhaps even pursued him- and that coupled with the power politicians enjoy may have been a real turn on. He went from invisible to center stage, from quiet intellectual to the passionate and strong voice of a leader. What is sexier than power here in Washington?
Therefore this behavior could have grown from an increasing need for more attention, especially from women. When he had to resign office he lost not only the position, but the identity and power that went with it. Life after Congressman must have been hard, especially married to a successful and very connected woman. So he turned to Carlos Danger as a way to live that persona virtually- over and over again. Sadly, his imaginary self has been his undoing. If only he could have found a way to help Anthony Weiner to be an attractive, cool guy- loved and respected by his female and male constituents alike, he just might have been able to get the fix he needed and keep his day job along with it.
