#‘they’re what’s wrong with society’

[thebaldursmouthgazette]

I think it’s really weird that so many people are interpreting leaving the veil up as “keeping the status quo” and therefore bad.

First of all there are some “status quos” worth keeping. For example, medical personnel washing their hands to avoid infecting their patients is currently the status quo in most of the world. We don’t want to get rid of that, because then more people will die for absolutely no reason. Destruction for the sake of destruction is not a good approach, and just because something is currently the way the world works does not make it bad.

The veil was bad and destructive (to the status quo in fact! But also like, the world in general) when it went up, but that was several thousand years ago. And during those several thousand years, the world adapted to its presence. Mortal society and spirit society both adapted to its presence, and both would be destroyed by it coming down. And to what end? A world that is different, but no better, than it was before. There is no real benefit to the destruction of the modern world, the biggest benefit is that it will ease Solas’ conscience that he has undone something he regrets (and only at the cost of lives he doesn’t consider real or of consequence)

But secondly we aren’t keeping the status quo, we’re destroying it. You are all just focusing on the wrong status quo.

When speaking to Mythals fragment she speaks from the perspective of a god, conversing with foolish mortals who are “a thousand years from knowing the proper words” to describe what Elgar’nan and Ghilan’nain are doing. If you tell her the people of Thedas do not need gods she calls you “a petulant child who complains that your room does not have enough pretty toys” and tells you “you’ve no idea how many monsters lurk outside the walls of the house your parents created to keep you safe”. She says something similar if you deny her godhood as an elf.

Elgar’nan names himself the “world’s creator” and claims that he was trying to restore glory, casting the mortals of Thedas once again as foolish children, incapable of making decisions for themselves, needing him to guide them so they could blossom and thrive.

Solas too, has acted since inquisition like he is far wiser and more knowledgeable than all the mortals he encounters. He does not even truly consider them people. While he does not claim the title of god himself, he certainly holds himself like one, and treats mortals as foolish children all the same. This is reflected in his first ever words to Rook: “you have no idea what you have done” in a disembodied voice, echoing with power around the fade prison. He knows best. All who oppose him just don’t have the capability to understand. They’re just mortals, you see.

Before the final battle Viago declares that “Thedas will be free”. It’s a riff on his “the crows rule Antiva and Treviso will be free” slogan, designed as a direct response to the daily announcement by the occupying antaam in Treviso that "the Antaam will rule Antiva, and Treviso will learn to kneel."

But free of what? What statement of freedom is being made on this day? It is freedom from the “gods”. Freedom from the machinations of people who have put themselves in a position of godhood, and declared that they should govern the world because the mortals are foolish children who do not understand enough to make their own decisions.

The veil never needed to come down. That is something Solas decided was necessary. And he ignored every mortal trying to convince him otherwise because he decided he knew better. These mortals did not need to be listened to. They are tiny children, incapable of understanding his actions and the reasons for them.

With the deaths of Elgar’nan and Ghilan’nain, and the banishment of Solas, Thedas has declared itself to not need gods. The people of Thedas are not foolish children incapable of understanding. They’re not going to calmly place their head on the chopping block, trusting that it’s okay because Solas knows best and sure it looks to them like they’ll all die horribly, but they’re just naive children who do not understand as Solas does. They have said no, we do not need you. We do not want you. We do not think you are our betters. You are not gods, and you are certainly not our gods.

We’ve not maintained the status quo, we’ve demolished it. We’ve gone up to the people claiming godlike superiority and told them to go fuck themselves, they’re no better than us.

But I think some of you aren’t seeing this because you believed Solas when he told you he knew best.

[insanechayne]

Hi there, I don’t have you blocked and have followed for a while cause I appreciate most of your takes. But I’ve also actually been homeless, for four and a half years in fact, and I will say that on this topic you’re absolutely wrong

Homelessness is actually on a 70/30 split, wherein 70% of homeless people are not on drugs or mentally ill, but rather have fallen on hard times. That’s the category I fell into, and I met many others with this same fate. This 70% is often unseen because we’re the “working homeless”, we still hold jobs (or try to apply for work where we can), keep to ourselves, and live in motels or our cars or tents.

Now yes, the other 30% are most often drug addicts or mentally ill in some way, or just choose to live off the grid like that. And they make the rest of the homeless population look bad because they’re what’s most often seen in society. They’re a “loud minority”, which makes them appear to be the majority. Many drug users don’t care where they’re shooting up, and aren’t above begging to get what they want. Many mentally ill folks on the streets don’t really know what’s going on around them and aren’t getting the help and care they need. These people present as burdens because they can be dangerous, but then it gives a skewed view of homelessness as a whole.

This is my lived experience. Having to beg for money to try and stay alive (most often for food and water that could last in a car) pushes people away. Family shuns you, and people you thought were friends will just block you out of nowhere. My own mother said to me “nobody likes a beggar”, as if anybody likes being homeless and needing to beg to survive. Many people don’t want to help the homeless, they just want us to go away. And when you slip below that line most people don’t even consider you human anymore, and they treat you like garbage to be thrown away, regardless of your specific circumstances. There is almost no help for people in this situation, and the population of homeless grows every single day. I was lucky to be able to get out and get back on my feet, and I am truly blessed to be living the life I am right now.

I’m not going to blame wealthy people or anything like that for what happened to me. But I will say there needs to be more actual help for the homeless, because one you’re in that situation there’s very little chance of ever getting out. If I hadn’t been lucky (or rather had God working in my life) I’d still be homeless right now.

IIRC, homelessness is often caused by drug and/or mental issues that no amount of money can fix. How is that the fault of "the wealthy elite"?

"Her parents died suddenly and then her life got worse" glosses over a lot of things happening, and we're just supposed to assume it's all rich people's fault?

That nobody homeless is responsible for their own state? That they're never criminals who hurt others?

Based on absolutely no evidence?

Seems kinda sus.

You can't expect most people to just take the side of the homeless over the boogeyman rich people, out of class solidarity.

Some rich guy doing something "bad" has a lot less impact on my daily life and wellbeing than someone on my block leaving used needles on the sidewalk.

If I'm lucky.

Might be something a bit more...natural.

Treating all homeless as helpless little victims who deserve endless support from Society™ and ignoring the problems they may cause for themselves and others is classist.

And also ableist.

Whoops, it turns out moniquill has me pre-blocked.

[rabbits-of-negative-euphoria]

if I’m honest, I have never seen so much blatant actual antisemitism in my life as I have in the past 2 weeks. overwhelmingly on the left, but on the right too. I didn’t know it was this bad.

[phantomsies]

getting all the education/degrees I can and planning so I can get the fuck out of this country >>>>

[cryptvokeeper]

I dare not speak it in the tag because I value my energy but no one has the correct opinions about nosferatu 2024 except for me

[jasontoddenthusiastt]

I think fans want Jason to be a good person or be becoming one. To have a character that is well meaning and compassionate but decided murder is ok and to stand against main heroes who’s beliefs and actions go against the people he cares about and wants in his life. It’s confusing for people. People want their fav characters to be happy. But Jason can’t have his family’s support and follow his moral code. He’s cares about people and Gotham, and he’s an asshole who kills. It’s messy. It’s not black and white. I don’t even think Jason cares about being a good person or in the right anymore. I think he cares about what will save the most people instead.

Oh my goodness gracious I’ve been bamboozled

Batman’s definition of Good is not synonymous with absolute good/right no matter how much dc insists it is. Torture, battery/assault, surveillance, those are all condemnable actions too. I won’t get into the exhausting and frankly dumb debate of comic book morality wrt killing because I’ve already reblogged plenty of posts from other people who explained my thoughts on the matter far better than I ever have the patience to sit down and articulate. I also just think the notion that there’s something to be done about fictional characters who kill nazis and senseless murderers is stupid. Jason’s point is that the “main” heroes’ sanitized definition of right has its unaddressed holes and flaws which ultimately result in more preventable fatalities, and that he’ll work to correct those missing spots.

He doesn’t not care about doing what’s right. What he doesn’t care about (at least during his Winick characterization) is whether Batman thinks he’s right or wrong, because he sees the flaws in Batman’s methodology (and since he has a mind of his own). Batman’s methods alone cannot address Arkham’s revolving door and the rogues that come and go through those doors who have no intention (or capability from the doylist pov) of ever changing or undergoing redemption. Jason knows that he’s minimizing the number of preventable deaths by killing his targets, typically Characters Who Simply Do Fucked Up Shit Just Because, Why The Fuck Not?

Secondly, Jason is compassionate … to a fault. That was his fatal flaw. If he wasn’t so hell-bent on saving his potential birth mother he just met from that bomb despite everything she did to him prior, he could have protected himself instead, however slim his odds of survival were. What about his relationship with his other parents? He was a caregiver during his early childhood years for Catherine, until her death. Even mature adults who are financially stable find being a caregiver to a dying parent to be extremely burdensome on their bodies and minds, but he never complained about it or resented Catherine for being unable to care for him. Despite how none of his parents have really been what he needed them to be, he doesn’t blame them for their failings, and even continues to think highly of them (Bruce included).

And post-death? Enter Lost Days. Despite being dead set on plotting his revenge on Bruce, he constantly sidelines this in order to save other victims who are helpless like he once was. His own anger, trauma, and mission don’t remain his priority. (Sound familiar? Something something my own trauma above my son’s, mission above all else, etc.). Why would he waste precious time and risk his own life to do this if he wasn’t empathetic towards these victims or didn’t care about doing the right thing. He is simultaneously horribly traumatized and full of rage, and also incapable of ignoring what’s happening to victims around him (even as he claims that it’s indeed not his priority). And in that same vein, the entire premise of his rebirth outlaws run was that he doesn’t care if the public views him as a villain, an outlaw, so long as he can protect Gotham. And anyway where is this portrayal of him not caring about being in the right anymore. Almost every modern Jason story is about him grappling with where he stands with Bruce/Batman. During the early 2000s was probably the last time he did not care (hello, tentatodd??).

Jason has very evidently been portrayed as a kind and compassionate character. He is also simultaneously a calculated killer who doesn’t hesitate to kill when he deems necessary, and does so without remorse. It’s called being a Complex Character With An Edge™ that as you said, people so often claim to love. However when he fulfills that latter part, that seems to upset people because “killing bad”, and they then try to shave off and round out all his edges and claim he shouldn’t be that angry. In that case I guess you should just stick to liking traditional one-dimensional characters instead of claiming to like Jason but then encouraging his character assassination attempt by dc. Lol.

Lastly, who said anything about the batfam making Jason happy? Just because he’s written nowadays to want acceptance from Bruce (a shoddy attempt at forcing a non-existent nuclear batfamily), doesn’t mean that it’s a sound decision or that it does his character justice. I certainly don’t empathize with the idea that Jason needs the family’s approval or acceptance to be happy. (And anyway he has enough outlets for angst and pain aside from the batfam hello explore his other sources of trauma and do more deep dives into how he thinks when he’s alone). I don’t want them to magically make up and become one big happy family. This is not disney Lol. Besides, there are plenty of stories from dc that have that type of “wholesome” (hate that word utilization) characterization for Jason (Li’l Gotham, Tiny Titans, wfa, and even new stuff like the brave and the bold mini) and that is sufficient imo. Jason fans who are invested in the character deserve accurate, nuanced characterization and well-written stories, whether they be from his robin days (e.g., Batman: The Cult) or as red hood.

[swordmaid]

i want to start on the drizzt books for the drow content but so much of the drow infos I found from like the old handbook reeks of so much misogyny to me that i just want to stick to my own headcanons LMFAO

[getosugurusbangs]

i think one of my hotter jjk hot takes is that i don’t think kenjaku is gender-fluid

[m0thlegs]

y’all learned the term “media literacy” and have not shut the fuck up since

[navysealt4t]

can we please talk more about queer anger. im so fucking sick of being so angry and having no where to put it. im allowed to be fucking angry with the people and society that failed me

[friendlyfatbee]

I’ve come to realize that as an adult, I can dramatically flaunt around my dorm and wave my labcoat-like cardigan around like a mad scientist, and no one can stop me. What are they gonna do, tell me to grow up?

[starbuck]

I don’t believe in categoric “love languages” but, along those lines, providing is so important for me in my relationships, romantic and otherwise. I love you, so I provide for you, and maybe you’ll do the same for me. I want to be in a constant cycle of giving and receiving with my loved ones. I want to feel safe and appreciated and make others feel the same way. I want to anticipate their needs. I want them to openly express their desires to me without shame. If you want it, it’s yours. I love you.

[gxyhxrror]

Orpheus and Eurydice is so…like how does one not feel like Orpheus w everything they love…like ok if I keep going n know ur there maybe it’ll be fine, except if I actually look back at u & try to be *with* you…it’ll be lost

[miscellaneousjay]

This is so disappointing! All these bajillion-dollar companies and corporations gotta do is PAY THEIR PEOPLE!!! It literally shouldn’t be that difficult!!! Honestly, who was allowed to put a price tag on morals? Common sense? Empathy? DO BETTER!!! Because it’s really looking and steadily getting hopeless out here in these streets and the people SITTING ON LITERAL BILLIONS don’t want to do SHIT but ask the folks with shallow(er) pockets to attempt to save the day. ALL YOU CLOWNS CAN LITERALLY POOL YOUR MONEY AND SAVE THE WORLD WITH IT AND STILL (possibly) BE (considerably) WEALTHY!!!!

on the announcement that Disney+ is removing a plethora of shows and films from its service, please read these tweets from Willow writer John Bickerstaff. this is not a tax writeoff like Batgirl, because these projects have already been released. this is a move designed to cut off financial support in the form of residuals, and break the spirit of the strike. here is the deadline article that lists the films/shows that will be removed.

as always, donate to the entertainment community fund, vocally support the WGA online and irl, or join a picket in a major US city if you can. let them know they can't keep getting away with things like this.

[checkontherep]

please tell me why a boy i’m talking to calling me pretty has sent me spiraling

[luna-azzurra]

How to Create A Villain

The best villains? They don’t even see themselves as the bad guys. They’re 100% convinced that what they’re doing is right, even if it’s messed up. Maybe they’re trying to “save the world” by doing something super questionable, or they think enforcing strict rules is the only way to keep society in check. They truly believe they’re the hero of their own story, which makes them way more interesting and real.

And Yeah, your villain might want power, but the real question is: Why? Were they humiliated in the past and now want control? Did they grow up powerless and now crave it to avoid being vulnerable again? When you dig into their backstory and show us why they’re doing horrible things, it makes them a lot more relatable—even if they’re totally wrong.

Flat, one-note villains are boring. If your antagonist is going to stick with people, they need depth. Show us what’s going on under the surface. Maybe they lie awake at night, doubting their choices, or they’re still haunted by a massive failure that’s pushing them toward their goal. A villain with personal struggles and vulnerabilities feels way more human and way harder to fully

A great Villain doesn’t just fight the hero, they reflect them. They might have totally different goals, but at their core, they share similar traits, maybe ambition, stubbornness, or a tragic backstory. When the hero looks at the villain, they should see a bit of themselves, and that’s what makes the conflict between them so intense.

When the villain finally goes down, it should feel big. Their defeat shouldn’t just be a fight, it should hit them emotionally. Ideally, their downfall comes from their own flaws, maybe they got too arrogant or made a mistake because of their obsessive goal. The best villain defeats leave the audience feeling a little sad or conflicted, not just happy for the hero’s win.