Seewalds 43: Pants may Have Been Worn Or Not

[HerNameIsBuffy]

Continued from here...

 

Edited January 5, 2020 by Coconut Flan

[scoutsadie]

I think either it was someone else in pants, or Jessa in a skirt with weird shadows.

It's been at least a week since I've seen the photo...just didn't want this new thread to stay empty. Ha!

[Giraffe]

I don’t care if she was in pants or not, but I like the thread title. ?

[indianabones]

Whoever was in the video was clearly wearing pants, but we aren't sure whether it was Jessa or someone else since their face is cut off. Tap the right arrow to watch (the person holding Ivy in her carrier).

 

Edited January 5, 2020 by indianabones

[FighterJet]

This has nothing to do with Jessa wearing pants, but I thought I'd share an impression I recently got with you guys.

I suspect Spurgeon is starting to understand how crazy life in the Big House really is.

There have been little hints thrown here and there, recenty. Now that Michelle has likely entered a ragin' hormone menopausal stage (no offence to menopausal gals) she doesn't worry about maintaining her sugary façade as before: during that Counting On episode (don't know which one exactly) where they did the giant Jenga tower outdoors, she could be seen going after Spurgeon with those crazy flashlight eyes of hers, trying to make him stand still with the rest of the group. She put on the sweet-sounding and oh-so-surprised mask out of face-saving habit when calling "Spurgey! Spurgeeeeeey!! No Spurgeeey you MUST obey!", but you could tell she was losing her temper. Spurgeon looked at her as you would look at an alien : probably the mindset rift is already too great between grandmother and grandson. Now, we've got a few glimpses of Spurgeon: he is young, but he sure doesn't seem like a reckless trouble-maker. He comes off more like the inquisitive, responsible type, imo, so I think Michelle would've been triggered by his independent streak (oh, the scandal) rather than by the nature and motives of his 'stepping out of line', which to her probably matter little. Obedience comes first in the Big House, as Gothard, the Pearls and many IFB pastors preach.

Another example can be found on Jessa's IG, when she announces Spurgeon, who's standing next to Henry in front of the Christmas tree, that they were to spend Christmas at the Big House. Once the destination was revealed, you could see Spurgeon's expression changing slightly, the light fading from his pupils in a mix of pensiveness and disappointment.

Benessa's boys have always looked happier and more natural than the average Duggarling, according to me. If it is true that they're experiencing a different kind of parenting than the one their mother was brought up with, then their reactions to Big House Rules and Vibes shouldn't be all that surprising.

Anyone else noticed these things?

[Bad Wolf]

I wonder if our friends across the pond are enjoying this thread title, pants being underwear in the UK. It certainly puts a different aspect on things.

[coexist]

I think I've spent entirely too much time on this at this point analyzing Jessa's ring in other photos/videos, smh! Part of me is really leaning toward it being Jessa in the pants, based on hair color/length and style of wedding ring. (I thought it might've been Ben's sister Dani at first but she doesn't wear a ring and her hair color is darker.)

The other part of me agrees with the person in the other thread who thought the pants (or was it the shoes?) don't seem to be Jessa's style.

At the end of the day though, I don't care if she's wearing pants in public or not, US or UK definition. ?

[SassyPants]

Aside from board style swim shorts, have we ever seen Jessa in pants? I think if Jessa wanted to wear and was comfortable wearing pants, we’d see her in pants. The only reason why Ben might be opposed is because his employer, Michelle,  is anti-pants. 

[nst]

21 hours ago, FighterJet said:

This has nothing to do with Jessa wearing pants, but I thought I'd share an impression I recently got with you guys.

I suspect Spurgeon is starting to understand how crazy life in the Big House really is.

There have been little hints thrown here and there, recenty. Now that Michelle has likely entered a ragin' hormone menopausal stage (no offence to menopausal gals)

no offense taken 

Peri menopause is not fun. I REPEAT NOT FUN - wait till you go through it. 

I can only imagine what Michelle is going through

My peri menopause is not fun. 

carry on....

my boss is still away this week - happy week 

on another note. I think Jessa has taken over Ben's instagram and writes what she wants people to read

Edited January 6, 2020 by nst

[Idlewild]

1 hour ago, SassyPants said:

Aside from board style swim shorts, have we ever seen Jessa in pants? I think if Jessa wanted to wear and was comfortable wearing pants, we’d see her in pants. The only reason why Ben might be opposed is because his employer, Michelle,  is anti-pants. 

Jessa may have skirts only beliefs or she may  only wear pants well away from cameras. However these 2 have 3 small children and no obvious means of financial support other than the show so they are probably wise to go along with JB & M’s views otherwise they might have to get jobs. 

[LacyMay]

We've seen them wear pants while skiing (which hardly counts but does put them a step ahead of the Bates Sisters.)

I don't think that JinJer are as independent of the Duggar Gravy Train as we like to believe. Even with her new found wardrobe choices she seems to be in her parents good graces. 

Jessa might actually believe in skirts only or just do it for show but she may also genuinely just feel more comfortable in skirts and dresses. I don't love pants and if I lived in a climate mild enough to get away with just skirts I would probably wear primarily skirts too. We also know that Jessa has struggled with body image so that might play into it as well. 

[clueliss]

Since all you can see are Jessa's lower legs  and the baby carrier blocks her body/thighs - It is entirely possible those are something like sweatpants and she's got a skirt over it.  

[coexist]

1 hour ago, clueliss said:

Since all you can see are Jessa's lower legs  and the baby carrier blocks her body/thighs - It is entirely possible those are something like sweatpants and she's got a skirt over it.  

I thought something similar actually. Not that the person's wearing a skirt, but that her shirt seems like it's a bit on the longer side and would possibly provide the same coverage a skirt would-- sort of like a tunic worn over tights or whatever. As the camera pans away you can catch a quick glimpse of the bottom of the shirt about mid-thigh, bunched up behind the car seat.

I do think it's interesting that we're shown Guinn holding Henry in full while MaybeJessa gets a tight crop to show only Ivy, but inadvertently also shows hair like Jessa's, a ring like Jessa's, and (when you've watched it for the eleventy millionth time) a flash of the bottom of a Jessa-like chin*.

*It really could be anybody's chin, hair, and finger. I don't have any strong need for it to be Jessa, it just seems likely to me that it is.

[Pecansforeveryone]

I was flipping thru fundie Reddit today and came across a poster who thought it likely that if Ben hadn't married Jessa he might have ended up drifting out of fundamentalism. Even if just into mainstream conservative Christianity which that, at least I find very plausible. Ben, for all his faults, does strike as having a genuinely thoughtful side to him. It just remains to be seen if he will allow time around his in-laws  to drive it out of him or he will genuinely grapple with any cognitive dissonance that might arise. 

[SassyPants]

1 hour ago, Pecansforeveryone said:

I was flipping thru fundie Reddit today and came across a poster who thought it likely that if Ben hadn't married Jessa he might have ended up drifting out of fundamentalism. Even if just into mainstream conservative Christianity which that, at least I find very plausible. Ben, for all his faults, does strike as having a genuinely thoughtful side to him. It just remains to be seen if he will allow time around his in-laws  to drive it out of him or he will genuinely grapple with any cognitive dissonance that might arise. 

He has not even reached full brain maturation...and he has 3 kids...shakes head

[Pecansforeveryone]

11 minutes ago, SassyPants said:

He has not even reached full brain maturation...and he has 3 kids...shakes head

I am as disturbed at Ben being a young husband and father as I am at Joy and Kendra being young wives and mothers. 

[neuroticcat]

39 minutes ago, SassyPants said:

He has not even reached full brain maturation...and he has 3 kids...shakes head

For me it’s less that they have kids so young but that they are in the cult and financially dependent so young. 

I know non fundie couples who married and had kids young and then rediscovered career goals and freedom as 30 somethings. Having kids young can teach a lot about responsibility and gives you space to figure out what other goals you might have. But having kids young in a cult that says MORE kids is the ultimate goal until grandkids come...welp...you are stuck in an endless treadmill if financially providing and with homeschooling there’s zero end in sight. 

[AtlanticTug]

4 hours ago, neuroticcat said:

For me it’s less that they have kids so young but that they are in the cult and financially dependent so young. 

We all say this a lot (I certainly have) but the reality is that their lack of (quality) education doesn't preclude them from performing honest work. I understand that it would be especially difficult for the women to break out and get jobs outside of the home but the men have zero excuse. Yes there are lazy fundie men like David Rodrigues but there are also fundie men who are doctors, or have successful businesses (Lauren's father for example). There is no reason why Ben can't be out there hustling. Austin works hard, it seems. At some point you are only financially dependent if you yourself choose to be. It's easier for the lot of them - Ben, Josh, Josiah, Joe - to ride the JB gravy train than to get up at 6 am like so many other working people across America.

[neuroticcat]

FWIW I totally agree that they have chosen financial dependence (as far as we know). I imagine they would choose it even without kids at this point. 

Edited January 13, 2020 by neuroticcat

[Mama Mia]

I really don’t get how working in a family business is so bad? The Duggar’s own literally hundreds of properties. Plus car lots and a variety of other small businesses. Those take workers. Physical labor workers for rehab and maintenance, sales people, admin people, landscapers. Ben may be perfectly happy in one of those roles. He seems to like having time to spend with his kids and at home, they live low-key, with minimal expenses. Even if they end up with a dozen kids - which, personally, I doubt, (My guess is 5-7, fairly spread out) they live in a cheap AF area, with free housing, and free or cheap cars - the mental stress will likely be more overwhelming than the finances. 

Edited January 13, 2020 by Mama Mia

[neuroticcat]

I think a family business in itself isn’t bad. But when it is tied to cultish authoritarianism it is another avenue of control.

[SassyPants]

And if they are working in a big, family business or legitimate, family businesses , how come they do not highlight those businesses or that big family business via their show? They have the perfect platform to inform the world on all their knowledge, expertise and skills. Man, what better to indorse and educate about a lifestyle  than  to actually show the world by way of your actions?  There is a difference between a successful, legal business and the scam JB Duggar has perpetrated for a decade +, while at the same time advocating to diminish the rights of others. 

[allthegoodnamesrgone]

15 hours ago, neuroticcat said:

FWIW I totally agree that they have chosen financial dependence (as far as we know). I imagine they would choose it even without kids at this point. 

Yeah, Jessa is in no hurry to go anywhere, she loves her life as a SAHM, in her little house and her family around her and her friends. Why would she want anything else? She's got it made, all they have to do is make sure to follow mommy & daddy's rules and all will be well. They will be cared for and they will always have comfortable life, with minimal effort. Or so they think. 

[HarryPotterFan]

On 1/5/2020 at 12:13 PM, FighterJet said:

they were to spend Christmas at the Big House. Once the destination was revealed, you could see Spurgeon's expression changing slightly, the light fading from his pupils in a mix of pensiveness and disappointment.

Spurgeon knows you get more freedom at the other kind of “big house”

[FighterJet]

13 minutes ago, HarryPotterFan said:

Spurgeon knows you get more freedom at the other kind of “big house”

Maybe we got our answer as to why Jessa calls it the "big house", after all. They even hold true convicts within their confines, be they car lot dealers, sister gropers or random 'helpers' (Caleb Williams).