Damsel is merely a word, not a title...

Wanting something requires dopamine signaling, but liking something doesn’t.

If you have a mental illness/disorder that affects dopamine, you might feel that you don’t want to do the things that you like. You do still like them. You will appreciate having done them.

Let your likes guide you.

(If you want to read more, here’s one experimental paper about it. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5171207/ This theory called the incentive-sensitization theory was originally created to explain behaviors in addiction but can be applied elsewhere as well)

website

each time you load the site, it shows one randomly selected, verified fundraiser that's low on funds.

"what do you like about the sexy gay hockey show based on a romance porn book with lots of sex?"

"oh well I think the plot and the characters are really great!"

They might be more skilled at something, in a way you should respect to accomplish things. They may have power over you, such that you need to listen to them to avoid pain. They may be someone you look up to, because they're accomplished in some way.

But fundamentally everyone you could ever meet, from presidents to scientists to writers to elders, should be treated no better than, say, your buddy Kev. They don't need deference Just Because, they aren't inherently smarter on axes you haven't seen evidence for, and they do not deserve or require Respect in some amorphous fashion.

1. The FBI's Famous Cases & Criminals archive (fbi.gov/history/famous-cases) has detailed breakdowns of real fraud cases, Ponzi schemes, and confidence operations. The language they use is clinical and precise, which is perfect for getting the procedural details right.

2. The FTC Consumer Sentinel Network publishes annual reports on the most common fraud tactics in the US. Great for understanding how modern scams actually work and what makes people fall for them.

3. The Smithsonian's American Art Museum has a free digital collection of forgery case studies. If your character forges documents or art, this is gold.

4. Court Listener (courtlistener.com) is a free legal database where you can read actual court transcripts from fraud trials. Want to know how a real con artist talks under oath? This is where you find out.

5. The Internet Archive's collection of old newspaper crime sections. Search for "confidence man" or "swindle" in papers from the 1920s through 1960s and you'll find incredible real stories that would feel too dramatic for fiction.

Bonus: The Psychology of Fraud section on the Association for Psychological Science website has accessible articles about why people trust, how deception works cognitively, and what makes someone a convincing liar. Essential reading if you want your con artist characters to feel psychologically real.