Michelle Duggar- A Control Freak?

[luv2laugh]

I know they're Fundies and preach about submissiveness but for some reason I get the feeling that Michelle is a control freak. She gets the most air time and it almost seems like Jim Bob is afraid of upsetting her sometimes. I feel like she secretly wears the pants...

[valsa]

It wouldn't surprise me.

I know some people like to think that she's just a poor widdle brainwashed victim of JB and Gothard but I don't buy that shit for a second.

[Marian the Librarian]

I know they're Fundies and preach about submissiveness but for some reason I get the feeling that Michelle is a control freak. She gets the most air time and it almost seems like Jim Bob is afraid of upsetting her sometimes. I feel like she secretly wears the pants...

Except when she's taking them off for J'Boob.

[snickerz]

I do think she's been the "mastermind" of most of their craziness.

[NurseNell]

I know they're Fundies and preach about submissiveness but for some reason I get the feeling that Michelle is a control freak. She gets the most air time and it almost seems like Jim Bob is afraid of upsetting her sometimes. I feel like she secretly wears the pants...

Yep.

[FundiesInMyFamily]

I do think she's been the "mastermind" of most of their craziness.

Quoted for truth!

[emmyfair]

I think Michelle is scary as hell - and I think a lot of mean is hiding behind that whispy baby voice and bad perm. I highly suspect she far more involved than the Duggars would ever let on.

[finleeport]

It wouldn't explain why would they teach women to submit if Michelle is secretly wearing the pants.

Unless she's exercising what little power she has in order to maintain some independence of her own. Like in The Handmaid's Tale, the elite women (the wives) can bully the handmaids.

[chiccy]

Oh yes, Michelle certainly wears the pants in that family. I think Jim Bob worships her and still thinks of her as the catch she was for him back in the day. I blame Michelle for the whole involvement in Quiverfull; I think Jim Bob would not have gone the ultra-crazy route if it had been up to him.

[luv2laugh]

Oh yes, Michelle certainly wears the pants in that family. I think Jim Bob worships her and still thinks of her as the catch she was for him back in the day. I blame Michelle for the whole involvement in Quiverfull; I think Jim Bob would not have gone the ultra-crazy route if it had been up to him.

I second that statement.

[valsa]

I think Jim Bob would not have gone the ultra-crazy route if it had been up to him.

I don't give him that much credit. I don't think they would have had the million kids if not for Michelle, but I bet they still would have practiced patriarchy no matter what (and I do consider patriarchy to be ultra-crazy)

[AudreyE]

I think about Anna a lot. I'm sure she fancied herself walking in Michelle's footsteps, and that will never happen. Michelle is a diva, and Anna will have to pry the spotlight out of her cold, dead hands. I think it is entirely possible that Michelle is a bitch to Anna in private.

Then you factor in the abject disappointment of realizing your husband is a complete douche bag...

[bananacat]

Jim Bob was the one who started out a conservative fundie-lite and then brought Michelle into it. I don't think she's completely brainwashed and she may have been responsible for going from fundie-lite to super-duper-fundie, but Jim Bob certainly isn't just an innocent little puppy following her around wherever she goes. They're both equally responsible, in my opinion. And I can definitely see the Jim Bob as the angry type if Michelle seriously disagrees with him. I think that if they can't both agree on something, it will defer to him.

[ilovetchotchkes]

Quoted for truth!

Seconded. For sure. I definitely think this is true- how Jim-boob acted after Josie was born, when he was like, close to tears.... he may be a patriarchial IDIOT, but he lacks cunning. She's running the show.

[AudreyE]

Seconded. For sure. I definitely think this is true- how Jim-boob acted after Josie was born, when he was like, close to tears.... he may be a patriarchial IDIOT, but he lacks cunning. She's running the show.

That is a great way to put it. He lacks cunning; Michelle is crazy like a fox.

[Kitty]

Seconded. For sure. I definitely think this is true- how Jim-boob acted after Josie was born, when he was like, close to tears.... he may be a patriarchial IDIOT, but he lacks cunning. She's running the show.

Thirded. Jim Bob has actually shown emotion through the series. Even during interviews, Jim Bob sounds like he's reliving those horrible moments, while Michelle's grinning like an idiot and giggling, or trying to explain it to an invisible kindergartner.

I don't believe for one second Jim Bob conned Michelle into this whole patriarchy bullshit. The only reason he's going with it is because it benefits him and makes Michelle happy.

[FlorenceHamilton]

I think JB won the first round and she agreed to a fundamentalist patriarchal lifestyle. J' chelle took it to another level realizing that this would give her power. I am with the group that thinks that JB lacks the cunning. I think j'chelle beat him at his own game a long time ago. I also believe that JB has no clue that this happened to him. J'chelle, however know exactly what she did.

However, we must also consider that JB is a used car salesman by trade.

[ChunkyBarbie]

I think JB has swallowed the Gothard Kool-aid without question. I also think the only reason Michelle stays with it is SHE benefits from it and glories in the attention and servitude of the J'slaves. If they were still living in that little house and she was responsible for the cooking, cleaning, laundry, and Howler Monkey care, she would have stopped reproducing long ago. She would have convinced JB the doctors didn't feel it was safe. As it is, they have always had sone help. Before the J'slaves it was from neighbors, church women and Grandma.

[dawn9476]

Probably and if there is a heaven, I hope it helps her daughters because that is probably who she takes her need for control on the most.

[blondezilla]

Oh yeah.. You can tell Michelle cracks that whip when the cameras are gone. Or quite possibly while the cameras are still there, what with the magic of editing and all. I could see some fire in her eyes in last week's episode.

[Guest Anonymous]

I see Michelle as the type to coyly make suggestions so that JB thinks they are his.