#& no i will not be providing further context :)))

[isa-ghost]

I fully agree with this (/genuine). And I do wish people would stop using it because of the historical-and-still-current context behind the phrase.

But I am curious about what OP's opinion is about a take I see a lot in defense of using the phrase as a quirky (perhaps even cringe) positive phrase. I've seen loads of people say "well over time words/phrases/images can get a new context behind them that overwrites (but doesn't erase) the previous bad one. It takes power away from the people who use [thing] in a derogatory way." Basically the same kinda logic we use when reclaiming slurs, I guess? Maybe that's too extreme of a comparison though, I dunno. Another example I thought of is how Tupperware is (was?) a company, but we call *all* plastic containers similar to that Tupperware, which completely diminished the company's sway over product competition since it became a blanket term. I'm probably oversimplifying that a bit but it was another interesting educational post I read on here ages ago. I tried looking for it on my blog but the only thing that came up was the post about how they went bankrupt.

Anyway, to an extent I agree with the idea of "new positive context," but like with basically everything, I think there's nuance to it. I think there are times where changing the context behind something simply doesn't work and/or shouldn't be the route people go down, period. And of course there are instances where people abuse the idea and use it as justification for shit they shouldn't. Same kinda deal as "death to the author."

But also the internet (and perhaps younger queers in general in this case?) has a terrible habit of completely disregarding important context or at the very least not acknowledging/respecting said context to the degree they should, if they do so at all. And I'm as sick of that as plenty of other people are.

So I guess that is to say I can see both sides of the argument and am curious to hear if OP (or anyone else) has some additional info that I lack? If there's things about this I can be taught beyond "hey this is an ongoing issue, stop enabling the people who seek to use it to harm us by using it like it's something cute and quirky," I'd really like to learn what those points may be. Especially because then I could take those myself and further spread the word by educating people just like OP.

I think once upon a time I was actually a "we can reclaim this with a new positive context and take the power away from the people who use it to do harm" person myself but then I came across posts like this one and actually put some real thought into the topic and changed my mind? (I say that with uncertainty because I don't actually remember ever explicitly agreeing with takes in favor of the positive context use). Which is another reason I'd appreciate further discussion about why this is a case where "new positive context" shouldn't be the way people go about it. The stronger the argument for it, the better or whatever, right?

Also I'd like to provide a precautionary clarification that I'm asking OP/anyone else here if they have additional insight instead of "googling around" or something myself because I personally tend not to trust stuff like that since misinformation is so rampant, especially with how common the use of ai-generated bullshit is. It's also, in my opinion, better to hear things directly from people you Know for certain are from [group] or have experience with [thing]. I digress.

i fear the battle is lost at this point but i still flinch every time i see "gay panic" used as a cute positive phrase. Like let's go on say wikipedia.org for a second and try typing that one in folks

edit: i caved and looked in the notes and my god you people are stupid. Stop talking about this like it's ancient history. The gay/trans panic defense is quite literally still legal in the majority of the US. Look at this map since you apparently don't have wikipedia or like any kind of search engine on your computers

[reverie-dreamscape]

My counterarguments to Nagito Komaeda influences Hajime Hinata into homosexual activities accompanied with his feminine aura he spreads through his toxic submissive homoerotic flirting by Goku Nr.1hater.

Note: I am fully aware that this account and the thread could be satire, but I decided to respond just for fun. Please know that I have no ill will towards the original poster (OP). My responses are portrayed seriously but are meant to be taken as informative and lighthearted. I will only address the first part of this thread due to the image limit and because I do not feel further follow-up is necessary. Additionally, I will not be discussing any religious incentives as I prefer not to engage in discussions about personal beliefs forming opinions on certain topics. Shoutout to suitov for reposting and sourcing the thread on Tumblr. (CW: Mentions of cancer and discussion of intimacy.)

The term 'rivals' is inaccurate for describing Hinata and Komaeda's relationship throughout the game. Rivals compete for a common goal or superiority over one another in a competitive setting, such as sports teams vying for titles and notoriety. Hinata and Komaeda's situation is more about conflicting goals and misconceptions. Komaeda's goal is driven by his ideology that hope is the absolute good, often achieved through sabotaging means. In contrast, Hinata's sole goal is survival, and as the protagonist, he is thrust into the role of investigator.

Furthermore, Komaeda's behavior often creates conflict between them. He exhibits antagonistic traits, such as challenging others' deductions and beliefs during Class Trials and displaying suspicious behavior through his blunt communication and off-putting mannerisms. However, he isn't purely an antagonist, as he both hinders and aids Hinata's ability to solve cases. We must remember that we view Komaeda through Hinata's eyes throughout the game. This means that we, as the audience, don't fully understand Komaeda's reasoning and thought processes. Our perception of his character is shaped by the narrative and others' opinions about him. We see Hinata's comments and reactions, as well as how his classmates often ostracize and villainize Komaeda. Consequently, the audience tends to do the same. This is why the Free Time Events (FTEs) are crucial—they provide insights into any given character that we wouldn't naturally get from the main story.

(Put a pin in that 'crush' part; I'll get back to it.)

Hinata doesn't despise Komaeda; he struggles to understand him. Hinata is a realist who is cynical and often blunt. He was disheartened by Komaeda's detrimental behavior during the first chapter. This incident changed their once casual relationship during the prologue to one of confliction for the rest of the game. This is why you can't access Komaeda's FTEs after the first chapter—Hinata would have no reason to engage in conversation anymore because Komaeda broke his trust. His responses reflect this, as he acts more defensive, dismissive, and annoyed.

Hinata also has a habit of walking away from complex or emotionally driven situations to clear his head, as seen several times during Komaeda's FTEs and in Chapter 2 when Komaeda was tied up in the old hotel. Despite this, Hinata is fundamentally empathetic, and even without the FTEs, you can tell his relationship with Komaeda was complex and that he did want to understand him.

In Chapter 5, after discovering Komaeda's body: (Note: I'm using the dialogue from the official English translation of Super Danganronpa 2, which fan translators have shown to be a poor translation. This includes tone, character speech patterns, and context.)

His response to the Monokuma file: "What a tragic situation... just reading this is making me depressed."

His response after checking the Monokuma file: "I... never thought I'd have to investigate Nagito's body..." "He probably didn't expect to end up like this either."

While investigating Komaeda's body: "I never expected Nagito...to die like this..." "He was always spouting nonsense about hope and trying to confuse the hell out of us..." "But even so...dying like this is just too cruel." "Also... he wasn't completely useless... There were times we were only able to reach the truth because of him." "But... everything good and bad about him is gone." "We'll never be confused by him again. We'll never be saved by him again..."

(As someone who studies neurology as a hobby, this had me in stitches. It took me several minutes to get a hold of myself.)

The images in the top right and left corners are of neuron cells. The myelin sheath is a protective structure around the axons of neurons that facilitates the effective transmission of communication within the nervous system. Axons are nerve fibers that connect neurons for communication. The myelin sheath prevents electrical signals from dissipating while traversing through the nerves, reducing the energy required for the task.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks healthy tissues, affecting the central nervous system (CNS), including the spinal cord and brain. MS specifically damages the myelin sheath, resulting in the disruption of electrical signals, leading to symptoms such as motor impairment, balance issues, and cognitive impairment, such as memory problems and difficulty with problem-solving skills. It can even cause loss of sight through optic neuritis, which involves inflammation or damage to the optic nerve. The optic nerve is a cranial nerve that connects the eyes to the brain. The other images are electrocardiograms (ECGs), which represent the electrical activity of the heart or heartbeat lines.

So, is the theory that Komaeda has MS? Because he doesn't; he has Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) and Malignant Lymphoma.

Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that reduces tissue in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, leading to cognitive decline. Komaeda’s diagnosis is the behavioral variant of FTD (bvFTD), which profoundly influences his behavior and personality. Patients with bvFTD experience disinhibition, an impulsive behavioral trait characterized by a loss of self-control and judgment due to gratification. This can lead to inappropriate social behaviors, comments, and repetitive behaviors. Patients often lose the ability to perceive others' emotions, leading to symptoms like apathy and withdrawal. Apathy is a loss of interest in activities and loved ones. This is why most patients with FTD often don't recognize that their behavior is inappropriate or detrimental.

Malignant Lymphoma is cancer developing in white blood cells called lymphocytes, resulting in the development of lymphoma in lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are a system of glands that filter germs and help fight infections. Lymphoma is cancer that develops in the nodes, typically causing swelling in the neck, axilla (underarms), and groin. Stage 3 lymphoma is defined by the presence of cancer in regions on both sides of the diaphragm, which is the muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen. This means you can find cancer both above and below the diaphragm. His spleen and liver would also be at risk of enlargement, as these are part of the lymphatic system. Symptoms of lymphoma include lymphadenopathy (enlarged lymph nodes), fever, night sweats, weight loss, and fatigue. Despite lymph nodes being a primary part of the immune system, Malignant Lymphoma is not considered an autoimmune disorder.

The first image is a conversation between Monomi and Hinata after she untied and let Komaeda out of the old hotel. Mind you, this was after Koizumi's death.

Monomi: "Yes, it was me." Hinata: "You... why'd you untie Nagito without anyone's permission?" Monomi: "D-Did I do bad?" "I just wanted everyone to get along... and, you know... cooperate..."

Hinata has every right to be frustrated by Monomi's choice. Hinata last spoke to Komaeda after bringing him food in the old hotel, and that conversation didn't leave the best impression on him, which is something I'll go more in-depth about later in this thread. Hinata had just finished his own investigation into Koizumi's death, which probably caused him a lot of discomfort and grief. He already struggles with skepticism and the thought of being stuck on an island with a potential murderer and classmates he doesn't know personally would leave anyone easily irritable. Hinata and Nanami had also just completed the Twilight Syndrome Murder arcade game, leaving them with more questions than answers for the investigation, which probably frustrated Hinata as it was Komaeda who encouraged him to play it. But this is not evidence of him hating Komaeda; this is him being wary and uncomfortable about the thought of Komaeda running around after what the first Class Trial revealed.

The second conversation is directly after Hanamura's execution during the first Class Trial, and everyone is confronting Komaeda's behavior.

Komaeda: "Well, I don't mind what you think of me..." "In actuality, thanks to Byakuya, I'm starting to feel a small desire to live." "Mostly, I just want to watch everyone destroy all the despair that comes for you, one after the other...!" "Ahaha, just kidding!" Owari: "Hey, can I punch ya? I just won't be satisfied till I punch ya!" Hinata: "Fine..." "Let's stop this already... It's just going to be a waste of time if we keep dealing with him...!"

Hinata never stated he hated Komaeda; this is an assumption Komaeda made. Something he comments on right after: "That stings... I felt you and I were quite similar."

We need to keep in mind that Hinata spent the entire prologue with Komaeda by his side, who was openly friendly to him and provided information and guidance as Hinata was the last to explore the island. Despite being strangers, this casual interaction probably left a sense of camaraderie in a strange and frightening situation. Furthermore, Komaeda spent the investigation with Hinata, furthering this feeling of association through helping each other. Hinata is allowed to be hurt and frustrated by Komaeda's dangerous behavior. But equally, Komaeda is allowed to be hurt by the sudden shift in Hinata's behavior and giving him the cold shoulder because he is facing the consequences of actions he doesn't understand are indecorous.

Komaeda's voice never sounds like moaning. Not in the English dub nor the original Japanese recording. His conversation is clear, easy to understand, and perhaps a bit airy, but not moaning. Komaeda's voice is purposely portrayed as raspy and breathless due to his underlying health issues. It's supposed to sound like he is struggling to catch his breath or has respiratory issues. Even out of context, with only audio, it can't be mistaken for moaning—it's merely conversation. The music elevates the tension, and Komaeda sounds almost playful and, at times, could be mistaken for menacing in the way he speaks. The only time he seems to make a noise similar to moaning is towards the end when he is asking Hinata to come back to help him eat, as he is unable to while tied up. He had previously stated that he was too embarrassed to ask a girl and was hoping Hinata would lend him a hand. Komaeda hadn't eaten for a day, which would have elevated his desperation.

A common symptom of Lymphoma is the loss of appetite, due to its nutritional deficiencies, and it can contribute to weight loss. This is caused by factors like feeling full, gastrointestinal issues, or even lymphoma growing in the abdomen and pressing on the stomach or spleen. It's possible he could be suffering from low appetite, as he only requested toast and milk from Koizumi. (Apparently, he isn't fond of rice. Rice is a very filling main and side dish, so this could contribute to his low appetite.) This means he could be even hungrier than initially considered.

Since I'm already discussing this, Komaeda is within a healthy weight range for teenagers who are 180 cm (5'9"). His lanky build, broad shoulders, and protruding collarbone could result from bone structure and muscle composition. He could simply have low body fat instead of being underweight, but I fully understand any fan who considers him underweight, as it does make sense for his build and health. Furthermore, and I can't believe I'm talking about this, men can moan, and while moaning can be arousing, its intended purpose isn't for seduction. Moaning is an involuntary vocalization, which are sounds we produce without conscious control, such as laughter or shouting in surprise. Involuntary vocalizations are all physiological responses, such as how nervous laughter can be a coping mechanism for embarrassment or anxiety. This is caused by external stimuli, like experiencing pain, so you cry out.

Moaning as a term falls under several categories of vocal expressions, with the one being referred to here derived from physical pleasure, like intercourse. Moaning is a non-verbal communication of enjoyment.

Komaeda isn't doing that. None of his dialogue in this scene is intentionally suggestive. The only subjects brought up were: the Twilight Syndrome Murder arcade game, questioning why Hinata had arrived instead of Koizumi, if anyone has played the game yet, how they shouldn't turn away in the face of a challenge, and Hinata helping him eat.

Also, prostitute is an outdated term, we refer to them as sex workers now.

I've already spoken about Hinata walking away from situations to organize his thoughts, but we have to consider the context of this scene. This is the first time Hinata is seeing Komaeda after the first Class Trial. After Komaeda had broken his trust, Hinata now perceives Komaeda as unpredictable and untrustworthy. This is Hinata facing someone who he was closest to during that murder attempt and who could have been his target if Togami hadn't thwarted Komaeda.

Because Komaeda was fully committed to killing someone, no matter his reasoning, that was still detrimental to his relationship with Hinata. Hinata has every right to be put off by Komaeda's casual greeting and undisturbed reaction to his own captivity. He is not in the wrong for walking away from someone he believes is manipulating him, even if in reality it is a misunderstanding, as Komaeda was simply attempting to encourage him and, by proxy, his other classmates to be proactive and prevail even when things seem dim.

Do you believe this because Komaeda has exhibited symptoms of being physically attracted to Hinata and thus wants to experiment intimately with him, despite him starving and being tied up by classmates who ostracized him for behaviors he can't control?

Or do you believe this because you want to villainize a Queer-coded character who is shipped with the protagonist, whom you deem heterosexual, and thus recontextualize any situation Komaeda is in as sexual to corroborate that he is a predator?

I'm not saying that Komaeda couldn't display intimate behaviors during inappropriate times, as bvFTD does cause him to struggle with social cues. We do see him unintentionally being flirtatious towards Hinata as an attempt at humor and lightening the mood. But the intentions of the thread are starting to worry me.

Why would it be unacceptable for Komaeda to potentially seek intimate relations with Hinata? He is a teenager who has found familiarity with another student his age, who might be the same sex he is attracted to and with whom he has already become friendly. Most teenagers explore romantic relationships with their classmates, especially if said classmate already piques their interest. Maybe Hinata is attractive. Maybe Komaeda likes his personality, or maybe he feels comfortable enough to explore those subjects with him. Furthermore, it's not uncommon for gay men to be into straight men, like actors or celebrities. Komaeda hitting on Hinata or attempting to hook up with him isn't malicious, nor does it make his behavior unacceptable.

Guy friends do make romantic jokes with each other, and considering Komaeda often uses humor, he could potentially just be having fun with a person he feels a common association with. As he does say, he loves his classmates and refers to them as friends.

(By the end of this thread, I will have done enough research to become a successful romance fanfiction writer. :])

Komaeda wasn't lying about his diagnosis; he was lying about not having it to keep Hinata at arm's length. While Komaeda may speak of the misfortunes in his life in an almost excitable way, there is an underlying level of anxiety to his actions. He is afraid his bad luck will affect those close to him.

In Danganronpa 2: Ultimate Luck And Hope And Despair, Volume 10, he walks by countless bodies, people who were indirectly harmed due to his luck cycle. His luck is the direct cause of his isolation, both in terms of lacking parental figures in his life and his socialization. His social impairments are further exacerbated by his bvFTD. Komaeda felt connected and comfortable enough to share his diagnosis with Hinata but, in the end, when he began to suspect Hinata was growing pity for him, he placed a barrier between them again.

Island Mode: Nagito's Ending "...Hajime, I thought I would die on this island." "I thought I would finally be released from the cycle of good and bad luck, but I was clinging to false hope..." "I was always looking for hope somewhere within my sight, or within my reach." "But now...it's different." "The time I've spent with you on this island has taught me that hope was inside me from the very beginning."

Komaeda fears being misunderstood, rejected, and isolated by the people around him. He has a duality of self-loathing where he objectifies himself by advertising himself as a physical tool for hope, yet he desires others' acceptance and love. His actions are never out of intentional deception or manipulation; as I said at the start, he simply sabotages as a means to create opportunities for his ideology to flourish.

He wasn't telling Hinata about his diagnosis to deceive him; he was telling him because he felt connected to him. Furthermore, Komaeda is aware that he has a lying problem, which is why he ends up with the liars' disease during Chapter 3. He lies because it keeps that social distance or because he believes it would be a net positive in the end, but he also lies unintentionally.

I think this is the only time I can actually agree with you. He is purposely drawn to be unsettling. Hinata's words read as him being uncomfortable or disturbed, and the swirling eyes indicate despair. It is very probable that Komaeda has always been in despair, which would explain his more eccentric behaviors, as he acts similarly during his time as a Remnant of Despair.

Hinata doesn't know Komaeda, which is why he is constantly trying to understand him. If you played through Komaeda's FTEs, Hinata questions himself multiple times about why he bothers attempting to converse with Komaeda. Yet he does anyway, and while he walks away just as confused, he does feel he made some progress.

Free Time Event 5: "In the end, everything Nagito said..." "...I don't know what was true and what was lies." "But even so, there might've been a definitive truth hidden somewhere in his words..." "If there wasn't...there's no way I could feel this mysterious bond between Nagito and me." "If...he does obtain the hope he wants, what is he going to do...?" "Strangely enough...I feel like I want to see that..."

Sounds like more conformation for my theory that he has always been in despair to me.

Komaeda likes to tease and joke around with Hinata. He is optimistic towards others and attempts to lighten the mood through humor and misplaced jokes. His repetition of certain phrases could be an attempt to carry a bit between them. A bit is a term that originates from stand-up comedy and refers to an inside joke between mutuals that gets carried throughout a performance.

Komaeda enjoys poking fun at Hinata, making slight jabs at his appearance and intelligence in a non-harmful way. This is likely due to Hinata's more defensive and cynical nature. Hinata can be occasionally dramatic, and Komaeda is attempting to be friendly with him to lift his spirits but unintentionally ends up provoking him instead.

Komaeda can come off as threatening. He is one of the taller students and behaves in ways that could be uncomfortable to others. However, this doesn't mean he is trying to be dominant in any given situation. He is misunderstanding social cues, non-verbal cues, and spatial awareness.

These aren't pajamas; they are jinbei (or jinbe). Jinbei is a two-piece men's wear made of thin fabric worn during summer, as Japanese summers tend to be very hot. They are stitched and designed specifically for managing the heat. Dark blue, grey, and black are considered baseline colors for them. This photo isn't meant to show the dichotomy between them—it's just artwork of them. Hinata and Komaeda are often paired together for promotional displays. They are the most thematically tied-together characters in the franchise after all.

Hinata and Komaeda have a lot of parallels in terms of narrative and character growth. Both were fostered in a social hierarchy that treated Ultimates as dignitaries who were set for life after graduation and excelling in their work fields, while the talentless were considered disposable and merely arbitrary within social camaraderie. Both were self-isolating, self-conscious teenagers who viewed their worth through high expectations and conformity. Komaeda's obsession with the Ultimates was most likely exacerbated by Hope's Peak Academy, which pioneered a social hierarchy contributing to oppression and dissonance between people. Both Hinata and Komaeda had to learn that talent does not make a person, and they learned that through each other.

Hinata and Komaeda's expressions don't matter in this context. If we did want to analyze this, Komaeda's more subdued expression contrasted with Hinata's more energetic expression could simply be because they are relaxed in this moment. Hinata would not be grossed out if Komaeda's hands were to touch or accidentally brush against his. It would be a brief, maybe awkward moment of exchange. He might ponder it briefly, but he would maintain a composed outward demeanor.

Let me get this straight: Hinata asked Komaeda to remove his clothing, yet you believe Komaeda is being inappropriate for accepting the offer? Shouldn't we be questioning why Hinata is asking for such a personal thing to begin with? He isn't even diverted after Komaeda's acceptance; his ending question sounds more curious and even prompting. Komaeda's response isn't self-absorbed in any way; he is just being open and casual about it. Honestly, he probably doesn't care if Hinata sees him nude—they're both guys, and he feels comfortable around him. Furthermore, Hinata didn't even initiate the question under the guise of it being for swimming; Komaeda is the one who assumed it was for swimming. Also, being nude isn't inherently sexual, and Japan has nude public hot baths known as onsens.

Izuru isn't controlling Hinata's mind. The Kamukura Project was an unethical human experimentation aimed at achieving the Ultimate Hope through implanting artificial talents. These talents were studied from students attending Hope's Peak Academy. This same academy developed the Reserve Course Department, a tuition school for the talentless to attend, both as funding for the project and to have the students be lab rats. It was an invasive set of neurosurgeries aimed at manipulating and enhancing cognitive functions through the repression of existing memories, emotions, and personality traits in order to mold the Ultimate Hope.

Kamukura is Hinata; he was renamed by the researchers, and the name originated from the founder of Hope's Peak Academy. Komaeda didn't know Hinata prior to the Kamukura Project, and even then, he was unaware of who Kamukura was outside of potentially knowing he was part of human experimentation. Kamukura reacts in self-defense within the context of this scene. He is removing Komaeda's weapon because Komaeda aimed the gun at his face. Grabbing his waist wasn't unintentional; he is the Ultimate Analyst who works within the confines of logistics to pursue conclusions and reactions. He probably grabbed his waist to prevent him from stepping away while removing his gun.

Oh thank god, I thought we were going in reverse, and I was never going to escape this thread.

Hey, remember when I said I would get back to the whole crush thing?

Komaeda does display behaviors associated with having a crush. A crush is defined as a neurological response where neurochemicals coincide to develop physical responses. These neurochemicals travel through neurotransmitters and typically include dopamine, norepinephrine, oxytocin, and serotonin. Neurotransmitters transport chemicals between neurons, muscles, and glands, processing all bodily information like movements and sensations.

Dopamine is a hormone responsible for gratification, through satisfaction and motivation.

Norepinephrine acts as both a hormone and a neurotransmitter and is responsible for the body's ability to recognize stress and concentration.

Oxytocin is a primary hormone for the reproductive system.

Serotonin is both a hormone and neurotransmitter responsible for happiness.

A crush is developed based on a variety of triggers, ranging from physical attractiveness, close proximity, and reciprocity. Reciprocity is the act of mutual understanding through reciprocating attractions or exchange of support. There are a multitude of physical, behavioral, and emotional responses. Komaeda growing flushed and heavily breathing are common physical reactions to having a crush. Whether it was Kamukura's affiliation with hope, their close proximity, or Kamukura's appearance, Komaeda in this moment potentially could have gotten flustered by him. As we later see, he reaches out for him.

This equally could be a misunderstanding, with Komaeda reacting indecorously to suddenly being shot due to his desensitization to violence. His childhood was swarmed in violence, from being on the plane with his parents during their gruesome death and the plane crashing, to being kidnapped by a serial killer who potentially harmed him before stuffing him into a trash bag, and the aforementioned people who were indirectly harmed by his luck. Also, he fell over because the shot launched him back.

(I reached the photo limit. This is the last one guys.) Thank you for reading.

[valtsv]

digging your own grave and building your own tower are the same thing btw

[janitorpostman]

people who are like "oh no they ruined Caitlyn she is on the bad side now" am I the only one glad that Caitlyn's character took this turn? She was the face of the enforcers to the viewers for such a long time. She was kind, compassionate and diligent, the perfect "good cop".

But that's not a fair representation of the enforcers now, is it.

Vi and Powder were orphaned by enforcers. Kind? No.

When in order to survive, they snuck into Piltover to steal goods to sell them, it was enforcers's job to catch and punish these kids, no questions about what kinda life drove these children to do that asked. Compassionate? No.

When Vi got kidnapped arrested. She was put in prison for 6+ years, I doubt there was ever a due court process to determine whether this child was really guilty and deserved imprisonment or not. Diligent? No.

[missionlameturtle]

We got so close & then took a hard left - it's not the headline's fault that you didn't read the story.

This "headline" isn't awful - it isn't actively misleading or outrageously inflammatory, if anything it's long & bland - although I doubt it's actually a headline since it seems to just be a standalone tweet. But as far as headlines go, it's fine, & the headline proposed above is way worse. A headline is an ad! Its purpose is to get you to read the article.

A headline that perfectly summarizes its article is a bad headline.

Reporters don't get paid to write headlines. (Many reporters don't write their headlines at all.) Reporters get paid to carefully lay out nuance and evidence in full-length articles. A two-to-ten word headline is never going to convey nuance and complexity because a) that's not how nuance and complexity work, but also b) that's not its job.

If the headline does a bad job of getting you to read the article, that's a headline problem. If a headline actively misleads or is incredibly inflammatory, that's also a headline problem. If a news outlet makes a claim like this without writing a full article, that's a misinformation problem.

If you don't read the article because you can't be bothered to click through, but clearly are engaged by the headline and it obviously has relevance to the story, that's a you problem.

Also, most importantly, LeadingReport is an altright fake news site. Even if there was a big problem with the "headline" in question (its only real problem rn being that it isn't a headline and so doesn't provide an article with further context), getting mad about an altright fake news site publishing misleading news is like getting mad about an ice cream store selling dairy products.

WHAT???? Fuck him

[ayyy-imma-ninja]

"Oh my ears and whiskers! It's not the time for tears!"

[sneegsnitties]

alive but gay and i want to be gay and happy not gay and sad are basically the same thing to me

[georgeknightley]

extremely normal things happening on the elis james & john robins show

[elodieunderglass]

Extra children have been dispatched effectively. Still a wine take but I grabbed some links for context.

It was, I believe, initially a USA government education initiative that instructed Americans to rinse chicken meat under cold running water before preparing it to remove the dirt and bacteria introduced by food processing. this is quite old fashioned advice. and the us government has since issued the opposite instructions, stating that rinsing chicken before cooking spreads the germs around. But of course it’s waaaay more nuanced than that, so… below the cut !

My mother is part of the American generation that firmly believes that you should wash chicken. This was TAUGHT to people. It may be because they killed their own chickens; but I believe it was some kind of widespread advice or public health education initiative.

It’s important to be mindful about criticising this practice uncritically ; today, the practice of washing chicken is commonly practiced by marginalised people in the USA. If you google “why Americans wash chicken” you’ll find a lot of threads about “why don’t white Americans wash their chicken”. Reasons for washing chicken can range from religious practice to cultural backgrounds to recent generations slaughtering their own meat; there are lots of articles about this, but here is one stating that as many as 7 in 10 Americans still wash chicken meat: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/wash-raw-chicken-meat

There is (reasonable) opposition today in marginalised communities against taking the new state advice; partly because, as the article states, it conflicts with the genuine reasons behind existing washing practices, but also largely because the usa government is no longer a trustworthy authority in public health matters. When that trust collapses as much as it has, we shouldn’t blame citizens for following their long-held household practices instead, or for retaining the reasons behind them.

This 2022 article, which is in favour of washing meat, notes that in the late 1970s, cookbooks advised Americans to do so. https://maisonneuve.org/article/2022/09/23/rinse-and-repeat/

this also provides context such as:

 As the Black diaspora carried on washing meat, it became clear that anti-cleaning meat discourse was scolding us in order to affirm white standards of hygiene and cleanliness. People from cultures that wash their meat for religious purposes, such as the Jewish community when cultivating kosher meat, didn’t receive the same critical attention from food safety researchers as those who do it for cultural purposes, like Black, Asian and Latine communities.

(This isn’t a practice of all BIPOC Americans of course, it’s just to give a flavour of the discourse around the topic in the usa; specifically, state campaigns about “spreading germs” being alienating to existing cultural cooking practices, and so on.)

Anyway not my problem, moving over the atlantic - the worrying thing that Europeans and British people obsess over constantly is WHY Americans have this whole ritual/opposition to the ritual to begin with.

Americans were advised to stop washing chicken in the home because Americans started chlorinating the chicken in the processing plant - today, the meat is quickly dipped in a regulated bleach bath to kill the germs, and the USA government would prefer that you just cook it quickly after this, and not fuck around with it further. Bleach bath. Solved it. Don’t fuck around. That’s where the anti-washing campaign came from; evidence that it spreads germs that would have been destroyed anyway if you’d just left it alone.

Whereas Europeans and British people do NOT have bleach-washed chicken, they just have - as they will tell you at excruciating European length - clean well-regulated meat with sensible welfare, decent handling standards and reasonable processing protocols. In the Uk, the meat won’t have salmonella in it because British chickens are vaccinated and never had salmonella to begin with, it won’t have e.coli because animal shit rarely touches the raw meat, and so on. Whereas in the USA you must assume that the chicken definitely had salmonella, and the meat definitely touched poo! but don’t worry, the bleach bath and cooking process will take care of both 🤷 which is completely true if kinda unsavoury.

There isn’t any real evidence about chlorinated chicken being especially bad for you, or it being any worse than the salad leaves which get washed similarly in sanitising agent, even in the EU.

To me, it’s more unsettling because it’s a band-aid over terrible welfare. Why not just have better standards, more vaccines and better practices? But it’s not like it’s, in itself, toxic.

But “chlorinated chicken” is such an evocative mental image, isn’t it! Since I was around during Brexit, I had to tolerate SO MANY wet British liberal types wringing their hands about how post-Brexit food standard collapse would mean that British food would include filthy degraded chlorinated chicken. British liberal crunchy types cannot stop saying the phrase “chlorinated chicken” while also incidentally implying that anyone who eats such contaminated degraded food is also degraded.

So yeah! All very interesting but VERY hard to have a normal conversation about this on the internet, where everyone is bringing a different experience and their own reasons for it, while feeling visceral concern for doing it in other ways.

Personally I think it’s more interesting than explaining that “baked beans” actually means two different recipes in the USA and UK and are not the same dish, but also, a big difficulty is that meat is a lot less funny than beans! And, you know, people gotta make the exact same 4 jokes instead of learning something I guess

Elodie thank you so much for your US-UK translation research but I have to ask WHAT do you mean fried eggs are cooked differently? How many ways are there to fry an egg?

Reference here: https://www.tumblr.com/elodieunderglass/771840932030054400/i-cant-let-you-guys-continue-this-conversation

Yep, I can explain this easily

In the USA, fried eggs are cooked in butter and flipped. If you don’t flip, it’s called “sunny side up.” There is much talk of cooking them slowly. There is a belief, unfounded by any evidence, that there is a way to make sunny side up eggs that have FULLY cooked white and a runny yolk (I don’t think I have ever actually witnessed this, UsAmerican sunny side up usually has some amount of snotty white that you’re just expected to live with, or the yolk is not runny. Sometimes people overcome this by putting a lid over it, creating a steamed fried egg.) for the flipped ones, they are flipped once by spatula and left alone.

In the UK, you start with a pan that has a reasonable volume of hot oil, into which you crack the egg. The idea is cooking it quickly. When the egg has formed its round shape, the pan is tipped and hot oil collected with a spoon. The hot oil is spooned briskly over the whites a few times, cooking them solidly. The yolk may be covered or let alone entirely. People are not offered options in restaurants, this is simply how you fry egg.

The uk fried egg often has a lacy brown crispy edge. They are often thicker. The white has more of a cuttable, solid texture. There is less of the golden-cooked underside that I like though.

Another key difference is that UK eggs are usually stored at room temperature (chickens are vaccinated for salmonella) while USA eggs must be refrigerated (salmonella is considered an unavoidable natural ingredient that can’t possibly be regulated.) This has some impact on their texture and most serious egg people suggest cooking eggs from room temperature. Eggs can also be fresher in the UK. old eggs often wander about a little when cooked , while a very fresh egg stays round.

So the typical uk fried egg is compact, with more white to slice, while a USA fried egg is more thin. (I actually like a thin fried egg more, so USA wins there.)

I don’t have a preference myself. Each has pros and cons. But they are fried differently

[transgenderprototype]

[a-star-that-burns-brightly]

been thinking about this for a few days, and I feel the need to consult the masses

[zeebreezin]

doodle for today: @capn-twitchery ‘s Twitch but they’re holding the Weasel of Woe like this

[andwhatnot1]

Even in his final moment...

ZHUGE LIANG!

[evil-mcytblrconfessions]

I was pretty neurotypical but for some reason since i watched kenadian i cannot get his blorbo out of my head

I litteraly just spontaneously created an alternate personality that is just kenadian and he loves commenting everyhting that i do like it's some sort of debunk video.

just this morning i heard him say "You should use f5 you probably missed something" while i was searching for my phone i can't

.

[silenthowls]

⸻ 𝒂 𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒔

The day is December 26th, 2016. In these moments that lead into the interrogation, the rook finds himself at odds with everything and everyone. It is a pivotal moment that will change him more than he will ever know.

When Jin Yohan was young, his father sat him down and gave him a talking to. It wasn't something he did this time, but a lesson given for posterity. "Never talk to the cops", he said. "even if you think it's right to tell the truth." As a child, he never quite understood. After all, his parents would not tell him of any of the potential shady backend dealings and insider trading that his undeveloped mind could not yet comprehend. It was an entirely preventative measure — a lesson.

It is strange how muddled his head gets as he waits his turn. He battles against morals that suddenly want to appear, knowing giving into them would betray everything he fought to be a part of. How annoying, he muses internally, leaning back in the stiff chair. He keeps his arms folded, a guard.

The grief has finally caught up to him and now he can hardly manage to breathe or speak straight. Lack of sleep and food shows clearly on his face. The rings around his eyes are red and inflamed, deep with signs of mourning and regret.

The young man had been holding back the waterworks for the entirety of Hyungseo's missing period, and it only culminates when he is told that he is dead. Just as he feared. He has barely been able to function properly since then. Everyone knows it, too. How could they not after the way he shouted and shed an embarrassing amount of tears in front of everyone?

"All of you! All of you are responsible for what happened!" he howled, his rage only spurred on by a spat between other members shortly before. Something inside of Jin Yohan snapped. The mask of sanity slips and he releases every bit of vitriolic spit they all knew he had in him. He does what he can before he's led away — before he can raise his fists and turn the tragedy into a disaster. "Mark my words," he adds as he's pulled, a sentence ( among other words ) he soon forgets when everything goes dark. "My blood will be on your hands next."

His father reminds him again of what to do the evening before the interrogation, hand firm and unwavering. It had been frequent ever since Yohan's little show at Hyungseo's funeral; despite his mother's shocking pleads to take it easy on him this time. ( And even though he thrashed with all his might, that man always ended up beating him back into submission. It never mattered how good of a fighter Yohan was. He always let him because he deserved it. It is ultimately that bastard of a father that forces leads him to give into the whims of what others want him to do. )

As he shifts in the chair, the wooden joints squeak. He rubs his cheek, then his arm, the space above his heart. Everything hurts.

However, there are some things that must be done. Withholding information isn't necessarily lying, and giving snippets of the truth isn't necessarily ratting the entire club out. Even so, Yohan needed quite the convincing to not spill every secret, every piece of information in great detail. He sits here overwhelmed, exhausted, demoralized. No amount of standing like a zombie before Hyungseo's memorial would bring him back.

The detectives finally file their way into the room one by one, gently shutting the door behind them. It is not the first nor last time Yohan would be questioned in this way. His eyes follow them until they take their place across from him.

"Jin Yohan," the man speaks first, flipping through the file he has on him. He turns the page over and shoots him a smile. It is quite obvious both of them are making their attempts to soothe his nerves. They must have heard about his little series of outbursts. "How are you doing today?"

Yohan glances at the window behind them before making eye contact. He isn't so sure of himself — his mind in ruin. "As fine as I can be," he clears his throat midway to keep his voice from shaking. If only they all could see him now. "I'm tired."

"Did you have a good Christmas, Yohan? Get any nice gifts?" The ice breaking is too obvious now.

"No... Not really." The answer is firm and cold. His eyes avert so he doesn't begin to tremble like a leaf thinking about the night before. This is an interrogation, not a therapy session. "So... what do you want to know? It's about... H-hyu...—"

"Hyungseo. That's correct. We won't keep you too long. Don't worry. It must be hard for you. We only need you to answer a few questions."

[sml8180]

Me, giving Reginald a watch that more than likely contributed to the death of somebody in the process of its manufacturing?

More likely than you think.