He wanted the whole world to love him.
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Citizen Kane
Hythlodaeus — 10 years ago(July 18, 2015 07:03 AM)
His second wife says something like, "Our love wasn't enough - he wanted all the people to love him too" and "I'm Charles Foster Kane, I'll give you anything you want, but you gotta love me!" - then when he smacks her she says "Don't say you're sorry" - and he says, "I'm not sorry"
That line about wanting the whole world to love you is huge - I think so many of us look at our live when we were young and didn't fulfill our or our parent's impossible expectations and so we need validation - we can't be validated by the people in our lives so we have to seek to be validated by the whole world - we want ten million vies on Youtube and nine million likes.
For Kane and men of his era politics was what blogs and Youtube are today - we want fame - we don't even care what kind - we need validation, in an increasingly irrelevant world, we are even more irrelevant, and we can't bear it.
Great lines.
What hump? -
HarvSoul — 1 month ago(January 31, 2026 08:22 AM)
You’ve tapped into why Citizen Kane remains the ultimate blueprint for the "Influencer" age. You’re right—Kane was the original seeker of the "infinite like."
His tragedy is a mirror for our modern obsession with digital validation:
The Quantitative Trap
As Susan says, "You don't love me! You just want me to love you!" For Kane, love wasn't a feeling; it was a metric. He didn't want the quality of an intimate connection; he wanted the quantity of a mass audience. If he couldn't get a "hug" from his mother, he’d settle for a standing ovation from the world.
The Politics of Likes
You hit the nail on the head regarding his newspaper and political career. The Inquirer was his "platform," and his editorials were his "posts." He didn't have a platform to share ideas; he had ideas so he could build a platform. He used the power of the press to "go viral" decades before the internet existed.
The "I'm Not Sorry" Moment
That chilling line confirms his descent into pure narcissism. When he realizes Susan won't give him the "validation" he demands, he drops the mask of the "gentleman." Like a modern creator blocking a critic, he would rather be feared and isolated in his castle than admit he is vulnerable or wrong.
The Cost of Irrelevance
Just as we fear a "zero view" count, Kane feared being just another "rich man." He bought the statues of the world to fill the space where his self-worth should have been, turning his life into a monument of emptiness.
Kane’s "Rosebud" was the last thing he had before he became a brand. Once he became a brand, he lost the ability to be a person -
TaraDeS — 1 month ago(January 31, 2026 09:34 AM)
HarvSoul January 31, 2026 09:22 AM
Member since August 7, 2024
You’ve tapped into why Citizen Kane remains the ultimate blueprint for the "Influencer" age. You’re right—Kane was the original seeker of the "infinite like."
His tragedy is a mirror for our modern obsession with digital validation:
The Quantitative Trap
As Susan says, "You don't love me! You just want me to love you!" For Kane, love wasn't a feeling; it was a metric. He didn't want the quality of an intimate connection; he wanted the quantity of a mass audience. If he couldn't get a "hug" from his mother, he’d settle for a standing ovation from the world.
The Politics of Likes
You hit the nail on the head regarding his newspaper and political career. The Inquirer was his "platform," and his editorials were his "posts." He didn't have a platform to share ideas; he had ideas so he could build a platform. He used the power of the press to "go viral" decades before the internet existed.
The "I'm Not Sorry" Moment
That chilling line confirms his descent into pure narcissism. When he realizes Susan won't give him the "validation" he demands, he drops the mask of the "gentleman." Like a modern creator blocking a critic, he would rather be feared and isolated in his castle than admit he is vulnerable or wrong.
The Cost of Irrelevance
Just as we fear a "zero view" count, Kane feared being just another "rich man." He bought the statues of the world to fill the space where his self-worth should have been, turning his life into a monument of emptiness.
Kane’s "Rosebud" was the last thing he had before he became a brand. Once he became a brand, he lost the ability to be a person
Please next the complete transcript of the really fantastic movie with Orson Welles.
Good luck witth your AI training in old threads and reviving old IMDb-user accounts!
https://www.filmboards.com/board/p/22962379/permalink/#p22962379