#'fascinated with the mechanics' type of perspective | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

xanderjkz · 4 months ago

Text

Charlie Dalton- Misery Behind Walls

I finally figured out what makes Charlie's character such an interesting one (from my perspective)

There are alot of interpretations of his character but what the fandom can agree the most on is that this mf cares about his friends. Almost in a way that is above regular standard.

Okay sounds weird but why did I say it when it's never really shown? Well he often is in the moment when the other poet has a breakthrough in the movie. When evil Tom literally made Neil's day worse, he was the first to speak to him. But to base this little theory on a bigger proof I'd like you to remind the only scene where this big care is vocalised:

"Fiete you're going insane!" I'll be not be misinformed about my state of mind! Let's move on! He literally asks so many damn questions that Knox gets annoyed with it. And the tone Charlie uses in that scene isn't one to mock him or put Knox in question. He's just curious if Knox has thought this through. Because he cares!

But why? What is so damn interesting about this dude caring? What makes Charlie the way he is?

Charlie somewhat hides his care for his friends behind the nice wall of Humour. Humour is beautiful, it's Twistingly and contently a nice way of escapism. Humour is provoking a peal of laughter out of someone and that's what Charlie does. But over the years when you use this way of coping you start to twist in the wrong way. It's a wonder how anyone who uses this type of coping mechanism can even recognise themselves in the mirror. After a while, you hide your internal feelings behind a wall too. For yourself you become unrecognisable.

But why?

It's established in the first 10 minutes of the movie that Charlie is from a family of bankers who are fond of him continuing the legacy. And we know that he is from a wealthy family. And most wealthy kid trope in media follows the structure of pressure and unobtainable views. Wealthy people don't want to be touched by anything lower. So they have to obtain this image of untouchability. This is probably the way Charlie has been raised. Money is more important. And like most wealthy kids, they get neglected for that money.

Every kid wants love. And this is what Charlie probably chased. And still is. And love can be interpreted in lots of ways but as I see in myself, I always tried to get attention so they think of me. If they can't love me, then I should at least linger on their minds. So what's the quickest way to gain attention and potential Recognition?

(Here he more tries to loud than funny but the need for the same thing is still there)

He started to build his personality in a way that would later bring him to complete self-isolation. He doesn't give a fuck about money. And he most definitely doesn't want to go down the same way his father did. But something in him always wanted that recognition, so he didn't go against anything.

But then Keating happened

So we made clear that something inside him can't separate personality from coping, right? So what happens when a teacher comes around with the opinion to go against the system? Doubt? Anger? Or fascination?

Visionary

Charlie, if asked, def would've told you that life comes to him how it wants to be. As long as he makes his friends happy, then he is fine. Not happy but fine. So when Keating tries to bring new things into the mix, everybody began to rethink their story.

Todd got more comfortable

Neil pursued something he always wanted

Knox got the guts to ask a girl out

So what's up for Charlie? He becomes vulnerable with himself. As he lost his personality in humour so did the familiarity with himself. So every lesson he becomes more bold and Indulgent in poetry and the revolution.

But a journey to find oneself takes long. God a 16-year-old won't find it within 4 months. But for what it's worth he tries. Throughout the movie, these boys drift apart from tradition and self-destructive ideologies. The first time Charlie makes this change in his consciousness is this one:

(Love how he looks in the angle)

Doing poetry doesn't bring attention to himself, not in the way we established he needs. So why is he doing this now?

"You yap too much, we get it" well fuck you, I'm getting to the better part

The reason for his somewhat impulsive reaction is the way he saw himself in Keating. Keating is a poet, but Charlie at first doesn't care about that. What he does care about is the cheeky way Keating moves his lips. From the comments about Meeks and Pitts names to the way he openly makes a name for himself. He thinks of Keating as this older version of himself. And he doesn't know what to do with it.

(Again this is going on in his head without him actually verbalising it to himself. Everybody does that, just writing it down)

So now this boy is chasing something he thinks can bring him to the Keating kind of level. In this path, he slowly becomes more radical with his thoughts, in a way that is pushing things over the edge. But in a boiling kind of way.

First, we have him ripping out the page. Then, the playboy scene and then this one:

I'd like to believe that this was the first time that his inner self formed a sentence. In scenes before that one, he is fidgeting around, trying to really get into it. He liked what he heard. And while he is still clinging to this version poisoned on humour, he's getting out of it. BUT

This scene is where he lets himself go. And it's safe to assume that something must have happened between the pic before and now. What is it? Heck, I know. All I know is that he tested the water and realised it's alright. (Again he is a 16-year-old boy, every 16-year-old has doubts) so everytime we do see him in the cave, he's wearing the damn hat.

So what have we established:

He cares deeply for his friends

He hides his need for recognition behind jokes

He somehow lost himself in it

He sees himself in Keating

Then learns how to be his inner self again (partly)

And he's doing poetry! Or Poetrusic...

But why did I say partly? Well, this movie is called DEAD Poets Society. And who died at the end of the movie? Ofc His CHILDHOOD best friend Neil. (This is heavily implied but even if they aren't, Neil was the closest to Charlie). He was probably the first person to know about it and definitely jumped into impulsiveness. In a way where he takes over the responsibility. Let's be real if this was at the beginning of the story he would've been one to be non-functioning but after he got his punishment and faced his worst, he knew that there are things to not be self-centered about. It's obvious that Charlie told the others. I mean, these boys look so distributed that they definitely couldn't form any sentence to the others. So it is Charlie. It had to be.

But he does let his emotions out. Not vocalising them but he shows the others that he understands. Particularly in three scenes:

( I literally wrote something AMAZING BUT FFS TUMBLR DELETED IT)

These scenes show him care and breaking. He let's his voice break while shoving snow into Todd's mouth. To clean Todd and to drown his thoughts aswell. He has to be there but God he breaks. Because he cared

He cared so damn much for Neil. And it was that stupid system that took him away. His inner self is caring, Poetic and confronting. But how?

With all his emotions that are directed at the system regarding Neil's death, he does his first rebellion. And that not singing. The singing is only a recognition of the fact that evil Tom isn't at fault. Being in the front row and not singing? Fucking provoking.

So what's next? Now that he has found his last finding piece? The confronting kind? Not the part hiding behind humour? (If you notice he hasn't cracked a joke since Neil offed. Ofc bc the times are dark but he could've said one after the funeral. But he didn't, he was just angry)

Well....

His last scene.

He knew what would happen once Cameron walked away. He knows his roommate too much. But the reason why he punched Cameron wasn't for the fact that they couldn't work it out on the remix but more for the fact that he saw Cameron as the system. As Cameron kept digging, Charlie thought that this was the way out. Every person who experienced grief knows it's all over the place and often not understandable. If I could explain it, I would say that he had the hope of starting the rebellion needed. But he couldn't.

He failed at confronting it to its most effective stage.

He managed to comfort his friends, he managed to change his mind. But sometimes confronting ends at the start.

But it was he who failed, not the mindset. It was the rest but most importantly todd who continued it...

It's sad to not hear anything after his expulsion but I think it would be even more heartbreaking. Charlie is a lot of things but the most important one is that he is a boy. Utterly experiencing things he shouldn't have. To think that he ended his time at Welton, disproving the thing he mostly cared for (which was attention to himself) just to find himself while so is...beautiful. He broke free and now has to be alone to find his future. This is both tragic and hope-fulfilling. Wherever he ended up, I hope Charlie learned to deal with Neil's death as well...

Or I'm delusional and he's just a 16-year-old boy without depth.

Again characters are always up for debate and everyone has their interpretation. I finally wrote down mine and think it's important to share. Do with it what you want but please remain polite. Except when you crack a joke

I want jokes 🔥

#dps #gale hansen #charlie dalton #dead poets society #dead poets fandom #essay #neil perry #todd anderson #gerard pitts #steven meeks #richard cameron

61 notes · View notes

egg-emperor · 6 months ago

Note

Maybe Eggman admires Big for being fat and physically capable. Eggman takes pride in the size and shape of his body so maybe he gets excited whenever he sees another fatty who can perform athletic feats.

Yesss I do like to imagine them both feeling a type of kinship. From Eggman's perspective, meeting another fat guy who is also very strong and comfortable with his body, though not in the extremely egotistical way he goes about it lol

And for Big it's finally meeting another guy who is fat and is the same height. He's used to always looking down at everyone else and being the fat one. And one of my favorites which makes part of this canon: he has a funny mustache like Eggman!

This is so cute he looks at Eggman and thinks "hey he has one just like me!" the boys are both beautifully fat and have precious whiskers and have the cutest ship name of BigEgg, a perfect match fhsjfnskgdgh 🥰

I can see Big finding it cool that they both have big round bellies, are tall, have whiskers, and if he saw body hair on Eggman's chest and tummy he'd think "he has a bit of fur like me too!" 💜 I like to imagine them having fascinations and curiosities with their similarities and differences so they compare what they both have and explore what they don't with each other

Because then they also have a bunch of perfect opposites attract attributes, like Big lives in nature while Eggman's world is all mechanical, Big is simple minded and Eggman is a 300 IQ genius, Big is chill af and Eggman has a terrible temper, Big is selfless and cares for his friends and Eggman is selfish and only cares about himself, Big is pure hearted and Eggman is evil hearted

They're so underrated man. With that there's another similarity between them irl too, in the way that Eggman and Big are commonly hated, seen a joke, or at least not cared about for various reasons in fandom, a lot of the times being because they're fat and not "conventionally attractive" and very misinterpreted characters

Big boys gotta stick together and give each other the loving they deserve! ;) ❤️🥚💜🐈

That's why I really wish Eggman could win the poll so we could see them in the Sonic Channel art together! When he inevitably doesn't I'll do it myself and finally completely draw them together and post it because if the rest of the fandom is gonna deny us from letting that happen officially then I'll have to do it myself :P

#dr eggman #eggman #dr robotnik #eggman x big #dr. eggman #bigegg #my post #asks

38 notes · View notes

grey-sorcery · 1 year ago

Text

Title: Psychic Abilities: First Steps

Suggested Reading

Biases in Witchcraft Dualities Psychic Abilities & Mental Illness Shadow Work: First Steps Energetic Senses The Subtle Body Warding Basics

*- Closed or Semi-closed cultures/practices This article uses yellow text, which may be difficult to read outside of dark-mode.

Understanding Psychic Abilities

Psychic abilities often refer to skills or talents enabling individuals to gain information or influence beyond the scope of human senses or scientific understanding. Such capacities are frequently posited to transcend the boundaries of time, space, and matter. While they can be classified into various types – such as clairvoyance (perceiving remote or hidden information), telepathy (transmitting thoughts), and precognition (predicting future events) – the mechanisms underpinning these phenomena remain the subjects of controversy and speculation.

Historical Perspectives

Throughout history, diverse cultures have recognized and integrated the notion of psychic phenomena into their daily lives and spiritual practices. From ancient civilizations like the Greeks and Egyptians, who consulted oracles and seers for guidance, to indigenous tribes who believed in the power of shamans and medicine people to communicate with forces beyond human perception, psychic phenomena have occupied a significant niche.

In the medieval period, psychic occurrences were often intertwined with religious or supernatural explanations. Those who claimed to possess these abilities were either revered as divinely gifted or, conversely, vilified and persecuted for heresy or witchcraft. Notably, the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods began to scrutinize such claims, emphasizing empirical evidence and rationality. This shift led to a decline in the public acceptance of psychic phenomena as mere superstitions or the result of charlatanism.

Modern Interpretations

In contemporary times, the debate surrounding psychic phenomena has bifurcated into two dominant perspectives: the skeptics and the proponents.

Skeptics, often armed with a scientific background, posit that claims of psychic abilities lack empirical evidence. They argue that such phenomena can be explained by cognitive biases, logical fallacies, or mere coincidences. For instance, the confirmation bias might lead someone to remember only the instances when a psychic prediction was accurate and dismiss those when it was not. They also highlight instances where purported psychics have been exposed as frauds, using tactics such as cold reading to feign genuine abilities.

On the contrary, proponents assert that the existence of psychic abilities is a genuine and untapped dimension of human potential. While acknowledging that fraudulence exists, they argue that there are genuine cases that defy conventional explanations. They contend that science, in its current form, may not be adequately equipped to understand or measure these phenomena. Some postulate that advancements in neuroscience, consciousness research, or quantum physics might one day elucidate the enigmatic nature of psychic abilities.

Types of Psychic Abilities

Clairvoyance

Derived from the French words "clair" (clear) and "voir" (to see), clairvoyance essentially translates to "clear seeing." Clairvoyance refers to the claimed ability to gather information about an object, person, location, or event without any known humanly means. This phenomenon is often described as receiving visual information in the form of symbols, colors, or visions. Throughout history, many societies have revered clairvoyants as powerful figures. In some cultures, they played significant roles as advisors to rulers or as mediators between the physical and unseen worlds. Contemporary society, with its emphasis on empirical evidence, often views clairvoyance with skepticism, yet there remains a persistent cultural fascination with this ability. In many spiritual traditions, clairvoyance is seen as a heightened state of consciousness, a gift or a skill that connects the individual with higher dimensions or spiritual guides.

Telepathy

Stemming from the Greek words "tele" (distant) and "pathos" (feeling), telepathy can be understood as "distant feeling." Telepathy is the purported transmission of information between individuals without using known human sensory channels or physical interaction. It encompasses the transfer of emotions, thoughts, or even complex ideas. From ancient legends to modern science fiction, telepathic communication has captured the human imagination. While empirical research in telepathy remains inconclusive, it is a recurrent theme in popular media, underscoring the human yearning for connection. Mystic traditions may regard telepathy as a manifestation of universal interconnectedness, suggesting that at a deep level, all consciousness is one and separateness is an illusion.

Precognition

The term derives from the Latin "prae" (before) and "cognitio" (getting to know), effectively meaning "foreknowledge." Precognition involves knowledge or perception of future events before they occur, without any logical basis for such foreknowledge. This might manifest as dreams, feelings, or intuitions. Predicting the future has been a universal human pursuit, with precognitives often serving crucial societal roles as prophets, oracles, or seers. However, contemporary views on precognition are split, with skeptics pointing to cognitive biases as explanations. Many mystical traditions suggest that time, as humans perceive it, is an illusion. In such a framework, precognition might be understood as accessing timeless dimensions where past, present, and future coexist.

Claircognizance

"Clair" (clear) combined with "cognizance" (knowledge) indicates "clear knowledge." Claircognizance denotes an intuitive ability to just "know" something, without any logical basis or prior information. Individuals with this ability might suddenly know facts, insights, or understandings without knowing how they acquired them. The concept of inherent knowledge or insight is recognized in many cultures, often attributed to divine inspiration or profound intuition. However, in a world valuing empirical data, such spontaneous knowledge can be met with skepticism. Some spiritual interpretations posit that claircognizance is a connection to universal knowledge or the collective consciousness, suggesting an innate ability to tap into an omniscient source.

Clairsentience

Combining "clair" (clear) with "sentience" (feeling), clairsentience means "clear feeling." Clairsentience refers to the ability to physically feel or emotionally sense the energy or emotions of people, places, or events. This might manifest as gut feelings, sudden mood changes, or physical sensations. Empathy and heightened sensitivity have been recognized across various cultures. While some view clairsentience as a heightened form of empathy, others approach it with caution due to its inexplicable nature. Within mystical traditions, clairsentience might be seen as an enhanced sensitivity to the energy or vibrations of the universe, reflecting a deep interconnectedness of all things.

Compulsion

Derived from Latin "compellere," meaning "to drive or push together." Compulsion, in this context, refers to the purported ability to influence another's thoughts or actions without overt persuasion or physical interference. Historical records are replete with tales of individuals who held sway over masses, their compelling presence seemingly altering the will of others. Modern interpretations often approach such claims with caution, exploring psychological mechanisms behind suggestibility. Some spiritual interpretations suggest compulsion is an exertion of one's will or energy over another, tapping into the subtle dynamics of interwoven consciousness.

Common Misconceptions

While psychic abilities have been recognized and debated for centuries, modern society often conflates them with broader supernatural phenomena. To distinguish: psychic abilities are often defined as potential innate capacities of the human psyche, whereas supernatural phenomena encompass a broader range of occurrences that supposedly defy natural laws. An example of such a conflation might be equating clairvoyance solely with ghostly apparitions or haunted locales, limiting the nuanced understanding of psychic phenomena. This conflation can be attributed to myriad factors, including cultural narratives, folklore, and limited exposure to diverse interpretations of psychic occurrences.

The Hollywood Influence

The entertainment industry, particularly Hollywood, has significantly molded perceptions of psychic phenomena. From sensationalized depictions of mediums speaking to the departed in horror movies to superheroes with telepathic abilities saving the world, these portrayals often prioritize spectacle over accuracy. While they capture the imagination and offer thrilling narratives, they may distort or exaggerate the nuances of genuine psychic experiences.

Hollywood's penchant for dramatization means that psychic abilities are frequently portrayed with an added layer of spectacle, potentially leading the general populace to harbor unrealistic or skewed expectations. For instance, telepathy in movies might be showcased as characters having fullblown conversations without speaking, while actual anecdotal accounts might reference fleeting impressions or emotions.

Skepticism and Belief

Public opinion on psychic phenomena is polarized, with skeptics and believers often at odds. Skeptics caution against gullibility, pointing to instances of fraud, the influence of cognitive biases, and the lack of empirical evidence as reasons for disbelief. On the other hand, staunch believers might dismiss skeptics as close minded or overly analytical.

However, a nuanced view acknowledges that both skepticism and belief have their merits. Blind skepticism might close one off to exploring uncharted territories of human experience, while unbridled belief risks being deceived by charlatans. An informed approach considers available evidence, remains open to possibilities, and constantly seeks deeper understanding, free from dogma.

New Age Influences and How to Avoid Them

The New Age movement, originating in the late 20th century, amalgamates various spiritual and metaphysical beliefs. While it has popularized many esoteric concepts, including some pertaining to psychic phenomena, it often does so without rigorous foundation or context.

To avoid undue New Age influences when exploring psychic phenomena:

Educate Yourself: Delve into historical, cultural, and scientific perspectives on psychic abilities. Understand that the New Age interpretation is just one among many.

Question Sources: Not all literature or speakers on psychic topics are reliable. Discern between those who have done comprehensive research and those echoing popular yet shallow narratives.

Practice Discernment: Be wary of commercialized aspects of the New Age movement, such as workshops or products that promise quick psychic awakenings without any substantial groundwork.

Theosophical Influences and How to Avoid Them

The Theosophical Society, founded in the 19th century, aimed to explore, study, and disseminate knowledge about the mystical and unknown. However, its interpretations of psychic and spiritual phenomena are specific to its doctrine.

To steer clear of Theosophical biases:

Broaden Your Horizon: While Theosophy offers a rich tapestry of esoteric thought, it's essential to explore other cultural, philosophical, and spiritual perspectives on psychic phenomena.

Recognize Distinctive Theosophical Concepts: By identifying core Theosophical tenets, one can differentiate them from other psychic or spiritual beliefs.

Engage in Open Discussion: Interacting with a diverse group of thinkers, researchers, and practitioners can help in discerning Theosophical influences from more universal or varied interpretations.

The Science Behind Psychic Abilities

Psychic phenomena have long captured human curiosity, leading to extensive investigations, both informal and academic. Over the past century, numerous institutions have endeavored to study psychic abilities under controlled conditions. These include efforts by prominent universities and independent research bodies.

One well-documented approach has been the use of Zener cards — a set of five symbols (circle, cross, waves, square, star) — to test for extrasensory perception (ESP). Participants predict the sequence of cards, and results are assessed against statistical probabilities to discern any significant deviations suggesting psychic abilities.

Another area of interest has been the study of telepathy, where participants, often in isolated chambers, attempt to transmit or receive thoughts, images, or emotions. Success rates beyond chance levels could, in theory, indicate telepathic capabilities.

Controversies and Criticisms

Despite the extensive body of research, psychic phenomena remain a contentious topic in the scientific community. Some of the primary criticisms include:

Replicability Issues: A foundational principle of science is that experiments should produce consistent results when replicated. Psychic phenomena, however, often lack this consistency, leading many to question their validity.

Methodological Flaws: Critics often point out potential flaws in the design or execution of psychic experiments. These could range from insufficient controls, potential biases, or even fraud.

Statistical Interpretations: While certain psychic studies claim statistical significance, skeptics argue that these could be anomalies or the result of incorrect data interpretation.

Potential Explanations

Given the elusive nature of psychic phenomena, several hypotheses have been proposed, ranging from the purely physiological to the quantum mechanical:

Subconscious Perception: Some suggest that what's perceived as psychic ability might be heightened sensitivity to subconscious cues. This could mean picking up on subtle body language, temperature changes, or even pheromones.

Quantum Mechanics: Some posit that the nonlocality principle in quantum physics, where particles can be interconnected over vast distances, might provide a framework for understanding psychic interconnections. Though this argument tends to be provided by those who do not understand quantum theory.

Unified Field Theory: Drawing from physics, some speculate that a yet to be discovered unified field might explain the interconnectedness of consciousness. Though this argument also tends to be provided by those who do not understand quantum theory.

Potential Biases Within Scientific Approaches

While the scientific method prides itself on objectivity, biases can infiltrate any field of study, including investigations into psychic phenomena:

Confirmation Bias: Researchers, like all individuals, can unconsciously favor data that aligns with their preexisting beliefs, potentially overlooking data that contradicts their hypotheses.

Publication Bias: Studies producing positive or sensational results are often more likely to be published than those with null or negative findings. This can skew the available literature and public perception.

Cultural and Historical Biases: Western scientific paradigms, rooted in materialism, might inherently dismiss phenomena that don't fit within this framework, whereas other cultures might approach the same phenomena differently.

It's crucial to approach psychic research with an awareness of these biases, ensuring comprehensive and balanced investigations.

Comfort with Paranormal Explanations and Experiences

Across the globe, individuals vary in their comfort levels with paranormal explanations. For some, a spiritual or mystical interpretation of an event is natural and enriching. For others, such interpretations might provoke discomfort, skepticism, or even fear.

Some cultures have rich traditions of spiritual and mystical experiences, making paranormal explanations more accepted and integrated. Direct personal experiences with phenomena that defy conventional explanations can either enhance comfort with the paranormal or, paradoxically, provoke greater skepticism. Awareness and understanding of various phenomena, whether through formal education, personal research, or exposure to diverse viewpoints, can influence one's comfort levels.

Developing Psychic Abilities: A Comprehensive Approach

The initial phase in understanding psychic abilities requires identifying subtle indications that point towards their potential presence. Historically, various cultures have believed in the capability of certain individuals to perceive information hidden from the regular senses. These potential indicators might include:

Heightened Sensitivity: Some individuals report a heightened sensitivity to their surroundings, especially in terms of emotions and energies. They often feel strong empathic connections, allowing them to sense the emotions and moods of those around them, even if subtly expressed.

Frequent Déjà vu: The sensation of having experienced something previously, even when encountering it for the first time, may indicate a potential psychic inclination. While this phenomenon can be explained by various neurological processes, some interpret it as a sign of precognitive ability.

Predictive Dreams: Though dreams often arise from the subconscious mind processing daily events, some individuals note dreams that appear to foretell future events. While not always accurate, these dreams' predictive nature often stands out due to its specificity and detail.

Practice Techniques

To nurture psychic abilities, one must employ certain techniques and exercises that are designed to enhance these potential faculties. Here are some scientificallyacknowledged methods that might be beneficial:

Meditation: Meditation is a tool that aids in focusing the mind and building awareness of one's thoughts and surroundings. By practicing regular meditation, individuals can develop a heightened sense of intuition and possibly tap into deeper levels of perception.

Mindfulness: Being present in the moment can help individuals become more attuned to their surroundings and the subtle energies therein. Practicing mindfulness, like meditation, can be a foundation for honing psychic skills by fostering a keen awareness of the world around us.

Exposure to Varied Stimuli: Engaging with diverse environments, cultures, and experiences can sharpen one's intuitive skills. By exposing oneself to a broad array of stimuli, it becomes easier to identify patterns and connections that might not be immediately obvious.

Consistent Training

Consistency is vital when cultivating any skill, and the development of psychic abilities is no exception. Regular practice and a commitment to growth are imperative. Keeping a record of experiences, feelings, and intuitions can be beneficial. Over time, patterns may emerge, providing insights into the development and accuracy of psychic abilities.

Seeking feedback from trusted sources helps in gauging the accuracy of one's psychic perceptions and offers opportunities for refinement. Engaging with literature and scholarly articles on topics like parapsychology, cognitive science, and neurology can provide a rounded understanding and facilitate better practices.

Identifying Cognitive Bias

While exploring psychic abilities, it is crucial to be aware of cognitive biases. These are systematic patterns of deviation from rationality in judgment, where individuals create their own subjective reality from their perception. Examples include:

Confirmation Bias: The tendency to seek, interpret, and remember information in a way that confirms one's preconceptions. In the context of psychic abilities, this might manifest as remembering only accurate predictions while disregarding inaccuracies.

Apophenia: The human tendency to perceive meaningful patterns within random data. This could lead individuals to believe they've identified significant psychic insights when, in fact, they're drawing connections from unrelated events.

Identifying Mental Illness Symptoms that Seem Like Psychic Abilities

It is essential to differentiate between genuine psychic experiences and symptoms of mental illnesses. Some symptoms can mimic psychic phenomena, such as:

Hallucinations: These are sensory experiences in which a person can hear, see, smell, taste, or feel something that isn't there. While some might interpret these as psychic visions or messages, they are often associated with conditions like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

Delusions: Strongly held beliefs despite evidence to the contrary. For example, believing that one has a unique ability to predict events or read minds, when, in reality, evidence does not support these claims.

Hyperactivity and Racing Thoughts: Conditions such as bipolar disorder can lead to periods of hyperactivity and rapidly changing thoughts, which can be misconstrued as psychic energy or heightened intuition.

If you or someone you know shows symptoms of mental illness, you can find a list of assistance and services at the end of THIS article.

Psychic Abilities and the Mind

The intricate network of the human brain, with its myriad neural connections, governs how we think, act, and perceive the world. Central to our understanding of psychic abilities is the role of cognitive functions. These are the mental processes that allow us to carry out tasks, make decisions, and interpret the world around us. A cornerstone of cognition, memory allows us to store and retrieve information from the past. It's been posited that individuals who claim to have psychic abilities might have an enhanced or different utilization of memory, allowing them to recall events or details others might overlook.

The capacity to concentrate on specific stimuli or events in our environment is critical for any psychic exploration. An acute sense of attention might enable some individuals to pick up on subtle cues or information generally unnoticed by the average person. Processing Speed is the time it takes for an individual to interpret and respond to stimuli. A heightened processing speed might allow for faster interpretation of sensory input, which some argue could be linked to certain psychic phenomena.

Role of Subconscious

The subconscious mind, operating below the level of conscious awareness, is a vast reservoir of thoughts, memories, and feelings. Its role in psychic abilities is a topic of significant interest.

Our subconscious continuously processes information, even when we are not actively thinking about it. These processes can lead to sudden insights or "gut feelings" that seem to come out of nowhere but might, in reality, be the result of the subconscious working behind the scenes. While dreams are a regular part of the human experience, some propose that they can serve as a conduit for psychic information. The subconscious mind, active during dreaming, might present information in symbolic or direct ways that could be interpreted as precognitive or clairvoyant insights. The subconscious mind plays a pivotal role in our emotional responses. Some individuals claim to "feel" others' emotions, suggesting that their subconscious minds might be more attuned to emotional stimuli from the environment.

Perception and Intuition

At the intersection of psychic abilities and the mind lies the realm of perception and intuition. These faculties determine how we interpret the world and react to it, and they play a potentially significant role in psychic phenomena.

Enhanced Sensory Perception: Some who claim psychic abilities report a heightened sense of sight, hearing, or other senses. This enhanced perception allows them to detect stimuli that others might miss, potentially leading to insights that seem psychic in nature.

Gut Feelings: Intuition, often described as a "gut feeling," is a form of innate understanding or knowledge without the need for conscious reasoning. While everyone experiences intuition to some degree, its role in psychic abilities might be more pronounced. This intuitive sense might be more developed or refined in some individuals, leading to perceptions that are out of the ordinary.

Pattern Recognition: Humans are naturally inclined to seek patterns in the environment, a trait that has evolutionary advantages. However, some propose that those with psychic inclinations might have an enhanced ability for pattern recognition, allowing them to see connections or insights that might elude others.

Ethical Considerations in the Exploration of Psychic Abilities

The exploration of psychic abilities is not merely an introspective journey; it often intersects with the lives of others, especially when abilities are employed to provide insights or guidance. Herein lies the critical juncture of ethical use versus misuse.

Objective Approach: It is paramount for individuals claiming to possess psychic abilities to approach every situation with an objective mindset. Allowing biases or personal beliefs to interfere can lead to skewed interpretations, which might misguide those seeking counsel.

Financial Exploitation: With the commercialization of psychic readings and related services, there is a risk of financial exploitation. Ethical practitioners should be transparent about their services' costs and avoid exorbitant fees or manipulative tactics that compel repeated visits.

False Claims: Authenticity and truthfulness are fundamental. Individuals should refrain from making unsubstantiated claims about their abilities or the results they can achieve, as this can mislead and potentially harm others.

Respecting Privacy

Delving into the personal lives of others, whether intentionally or inadvertently, comes with significant ethical implications.

Unsolicited Readings: It is ethically questionable to provide unsolicited readings or insights into another person's life or situation. Even if one believes they have valuable information, it is essential to respect boundaries and only offer insights when explicitly asked.

Confidentiality: Similar to medical or therapeutic professions, individuals offering psychic services should maintain strict confidentiality. People's personal information, emotions, and situations should never be divulged without explicit consent.

Consideration of Potential Harm

The potential repercussions of psychic readings or interventions are not always immediately apparent. Therefore, a deep sense of responsibility and foresight is required.

Emotional Impact: Interactions can leave a lasting emotional imprint. Whether the information shared is positive or negative, practitioners must be sensitive to how it might affect an individual emotionally and mentally.

Dependency: There's a potential risk of individuals becoming overly reliant on psychic insights, sidelining their own judgment or decisionmaking abilities. Ethical practitioners should encourage autonomy and personal growth rather than fostering dependency.

Physical Actions: On rare occasions, insights or predictions might prompt individuals to take specific actions in their lives. It's crucial for those with psychic inclinations to understand the weight of their words and the potential physical ramifications they might have on others.

Psychic Abilities in Different Cultures

The concept of psychic abilities, while interpreted differently, exists in some form across various global cultures. Each culture's perspective provides a unique lens through which to understand and appreciate these phenomena.

Eastern Perspectives

In many Eastern traditions, psychic abilities are often interwoven with spiritual and philosophical systems.

Buddhism: Within Buddhist traditions, especially in Tibetan Buddhism*, there are references to "siddhis," which are supernormal powers attained through meditation and spiritual practice. These can range from clairvoyance to precognition. While these abilities are acknowledged, they're often considered secondary to the ultimate goal of enlightenment.

Hinduism*: Ancient Hindu scriptures, particularly the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, detail various psychic abilities termed "vibhuti." These abilities are said to emerge as one progresses along the path of yoga. However, they're treated with caution and are not the primary focus of spiritual development.

Daoism*: In Daoist traditions of China, psychic phenomena might be attributed to the harnessing of "qi" or vital energy. Daoist practitioners often engage in exercises to cultivate and balance qi, which in turn can lead to heightened abilities.

Western Perspectives

The Western world, influenced by a mix of JudeoChristian beliefs, scientific rationalism, and GrecoRoman philosophies, has its own take on psychic phenomena.

Ancient Greece: Oracles, like the famed Oracle of Delphi, played essential roles in ancient Greek society. These priestesses were believed to possess the ability to communicate with the gods and offer prophecies.

Medieval Europe: During the Middle Ages, individuals who claimed to have psychic abilities or other supernatural powers often faced persecution, associated with witchcraft and heresy.

Modern Era: With the rise of spiritualism in the 19th and 20th centuries, psychic abilities gained renewed interest. While often met with skepticism, especially from the scientific community, there remains a segment of the Western population that believes in and seeks out psychic experiences.

Indigenous Beliefs

Indigenous American Cultures: Among the Navajo*, there are individuals known as "hand tremblers" who are believed to diagnose illnesses or predict events. Similarly, the Lakota Sioux have "heyokas" or sacred clowns, who act in ways contrary to societal norms and offer unique insights.

Aboriginal Australians*: Dreamtime stories and spiritual beliefs play a central role in Aboriginal culture. The concept of "Dreaming" refers to both the ancient stories of creation and the personal dreamjourney of an individual, which can offer guidance and insights.

Shamanic Cultures of Siberia*: The term "shaman" originates from the Tungusic peoples of Siberia. Shamans in these cultures serve as intermediaries between the human and spirit worlds, accessing knowledge and healing through altered states of consciousness.

Maori of New Zealand*: The Maori have "tohunga," experts in specific areas, including those who interpret signs, dreams, and omens. They play a crucial role in guiding societal decisions and understanding the world.

African Cultures: Among the Dagara* of West Africa, there are individuals recognized as having a unique connection to the spirit world, often identified at a young age and trained to serve the community. Similarly, the Zulu* of South Africa have the "sangoma," traditional healers who diagnose and treat illnesses and communicate with ancestors.

Psychic Abilities and Personal Growth

The exploration of psychic abilities transcends mere curiosity about the supernatural. For many, it is an avenue towards profound personal growth, fostering a deeper understanding of oneself and one's place in the larger tapestry of human experience.

Self-awareness and Understanding

The journey into psychic phenomena often demands a heightened sense of selfawareness. This introspective path can lead to significant personal revelations.

Delving into psychic practices necessitates continual selfreflection. This process can unearth previously unrecognized aspects of one's character, beliefs, and motivations. Such insights offer opportunities for personal development and transformation. The exploration of psychic abilities can help individuals distinguish between their inner voice — that intuitive sense of knowing — and the cacophony of external influences. Recognizing and trusting this voice can guide decision making and foster a stronger sense of identity.

Some individuals believe that their psychic inclinations provide clarity about their life's purpose or direction. By tapping into these abilities, they feel more aligned with their personal and spiritual goals.

Emotional and Mental Health

The intertwining of psychic exploration and emotional and mental wellbeing is multifaceted and profound.

Processing Trauma: For some, psychic practices serve as a conduit for addressing and processing past traumas. By confronting these issues, individuals often find a path to healing and acceptance.

Managing Stress: Techniques often associated with psychic development, such as meditation and mindfulness, are beneficial for managing stress. These practices promote relaxation, mental clarity, and emotional balance.

Boosting Confidence: Recognizing and honing psychic abilities can bolster confidence. Individuals often feel empowered by their unique insights and the validation they receive from accurate perceptions or predictions.

Influence on Relationships

The ripple effects of psychic exploration extend into interpersonal relationships, shaping interactions and connections in various ways.

Enhanced Empathy: A heightened sensitivity to the emotions and energies of others can foster deeper empathy. This understanding can lead to more compassionate and supportive interactions with loved ones.

Navigating Conflicts: With increased intuition and perception, individuals might find it easier to navigate conflicts. Recognizing underlying issues or emotions can facilitate communication and resolution.

Building Trust: For those who share their psychic experiences with close friends or family, it can foster trust. When perceptions or insights prove accurate, it reinforces the bond between the psychic individual and those they interact with.

Psychic Abilities and Shadow Work

Shadow work refers to the process of confronting and understanding the darker, often suppressed facets of oneself. The interplay between psychic abilities and shadow work is intricate.

Unearthing Hidden Fears: Psychic experiences can bring to the surface latent fears or insecurities. These revelations, while challenging, are essential for personal growth. By addressing these fears, individuals can move towards holistic wellbeing.

Confronting Denial: Denial is a defense mechanism, shielding individuals from painful truths. However, psychic insights can pierce this veil, forcing a confrontation with realities one might prefer to ignore. This confrontation, though initially unsettling, is a step towards authenticity and selfacceptance.

Integration for Wholeness: The culmination of shadow work, when combined with psychic exploration, is the integration of all aspects of oneself. Recognizing and accepting both light and dark facets lead to a more balanced and whole self.

If you enjoyed this article, and would like to binge more, check out my Masterpost!

Patreon Shoutouts!

Meegs Jinsu

Thank you so much for your continued support!

Patreon supporters of Mystic ($10/mo) or higher had access to this article 2 weeks in advance. If you'd like to checkout my Patreon benefits, check out this post.

This article was reviewed and edited by ChatGPT

#witchcraft #psychic #psychic abilities #intuitive #beginner witch #witchcraft community

164 notes · View notes

cheese-ducks · 2 months ago

Text

TWRP ORIGINS

Chapter 13: New Perspectives

Previous chapter Next chapter

Main Masterlist

August 7th, 2007

It's been forever since I've used this thing. I honestly thought I threw it out. Mom bought me this notebook assuming I'd use it for songs and feelings or shit like that. Instead I found my old angsty poetry and a bunch of dick drawings. Why did I expect nothing less? Anyway, Sung is probably the reason I’m writing this down. He seems like the type of nerd to journal. Speaking of Sung, I actually took his advice and started working on No Pants Dance again. It’s actually sounding pretty rad if I do say so myself. I’m still kind of embarrassed about showing it off, though. Mom came in earlier today while I was working on it, and I totally freaked out. Luckily, (I think??) she noticed the random traffic cone Sung had brought home from the Atomic Hawk. He said he needed to "study it further". I just hope the construction guys he took it from didn't notice. He better help me think of an explanation for why I have it. I think Mom is genuinely starting to worry about me, even more than usual.

Ship's log 08-87007

The findings from Mission Atomicawk were a total success. I don’t care if that is not the name of the food place, the human said it was close enough. From my observations humans have stricter social habits than I initially realized. Honoring Stone's request, I did as his brother would do. I stayed silent, and did not speak unless spoken to, or if it wouldn’t listen laughter from the group. It’s strange to me, how those were. The only times the human feels qualified to speak. It continued like that throughout the night. According to Stone that is a common occurrence on earth. Fascinating. I need to conduct additional research and what better subjects than my own bandmates? I will report my findings as ASAP as possible. The human taught me that.

August 11th, 2007

Sung and I are freaking the fuck out at the moment. I mean, changing emotionally is one thing, but we did something NUTS today. Even he was confused. At what he called "musical combat training", it was going pretty well. I was having fun playing, the guys thought I was funny, Stan even complimented me directly, instead of referring to the group and tacking me on at the end. Everything was fine until I went to tuck my hair behind my ear. It was more pointy than usual. I booked it to Andy’s bathroom and sure enough, they were Sung's ears, alright. I had no clue what to do, but luckily Sung reminded me about the disguise from the other night. Thank God I forgot to take it out of my backpack. I put them on and no one noticed until dad picked us up. The second I got in the van he asked about it. I told him I was trying something new, and he didn’t believe that for a second. I should feel more freaked out about this, but honestly, the fact that Sung is nervous about this too, is kind of comforting.

Ship's log 08-81200727

Holy shit, I have a ton of findings to report! First, I inquired about my colleagues pasts which led to interesting results. Lord Phobos informed me he felt a similar way to the human. The key difference being that while his choices were made for him, the human chooses not to make a choice. Both circumstances seem to have left them with profound levels of anxiety and loneliness. Commander Meouch was slightly harder to crack. He wouldn’t tell me anything directly, but I did overhear a conversation between him and Lord Phobos. Apparently, his rough exterior is a defense mechanism developed over his time with those brutish smugglers. To take his words, when the smugglers hit him around, he hit them right back, even harder. Havve's story was quite similar. Deemed unworthy of artificial life, he was tossed aside at the first imperfection. It was strange hearing these stories. My empathetic inclination acted in a way I’d never felt before. I was genuinely sad for them, independent of influence, coming from deep within my being. It was unexpected. Just like the accident at the human's musical combat training. I needed to know why. For the first time in my life I wondered what exactly I was. I didn’t find anything definitive, but I didn’t find a damn close match in a study on ancient galactic beings. I found this description of a being made of star dust and soundwaves, that was traditionally solitary, and could perceive the emotional energies of lifeforms around them. The most damning piece of evidence came from the last sightings of these beings; 13 billion years ago. I read the rest of the study, completely engrossed, finding similarities between myself and the descriptions. Suddenly I found the explanation for the unique incident:

"I theorize that due to their impermanent, genetic makeup, if the species were to take a host for an extended period of time, eventually the two beings would fuse into one. Each retaining half their genetic makeup, but still remaining whole. They would live as a fully new, being, not remembering their separation." - Prof. Rakken Heliat.

I must tell the human at once. As much as I’d love to test the theory, I fear it may be permanent. I couldn’t do that to either of us. I have a mission, a noble purpose. He has a life, a loving family. I couldn’t selfishly take that from either of us. I’ll discuss it nonetheless.

August 19th, 2007

Holy shit, I think they’re onto me!! Mom and dad have noticed for sure!!! Last night while Sung(who has been weirdly quiet recently) and I were trying to sneak out, we heard them talking about me. They heard on the news that if your kid is super distant and weird they're probably on drugs. They don't genuinely believe that shit, RIGHT?? To be fair I am writing this in my room with my disguise on. I somehow woke up with Sung's eyes and ears so I’ve been in here all day. Sung won’t answer me. I KNOW YOU'RE THERE ASSHOL

.........................................................................................

"Hey, pal."

Jack jolted at the sudden sight of his dad, standing in the doorway with the dad look that Jack knew anywhere.

"Whatcha up to, bud?"

"J-just writing." He adjusted the sunglasses in case his dad could see the cosmic horror that lie beneath, but it only made him more suspicious.

"Ok, kid. Cut the bull. What's going on with you?"

"Uh, I..." His mind begged for Sung's help, but he still didn't answer. "Come on, man!" He muttered.

"Alright, take off the sunglasses"

"What? I can't!"

"Take em off or I'll take em, your choice, kid." Curt ordered.

"I really can't. You just have to trust me on this one, dad." The panic in his voice was barely hidden. Either he let his parents think he was on drugs or he let his parents think he'd gone insane. Both were terrible options to be fair.

"Please, dad. Trust me."

Curt paused for a moment before backing away from the door.

"Ally!"

"No! Please don't tell mom!"

Ally dashed up the stairs to see her husband and son pulling the bedroom door open and shut, specifically Jack nearly pulling the doorknob off.

"Jack! What is going on?" She scolded.

Jack paused to come up with a plan. He couldn’t lie to his Mom. He couldn’t lie to either of his parents. What was the alternative? Reveal his recent disfigurement and scared of the hell out of them. What would they say? How would they react? The fear he felt while telling Stone was tripled in this moment, he felt paralyzed.

Curt ripped the hat and sunglasses from Jack's head, expecting to find large pupils or red eyes. Both parents screamed upon seeing their son's face. Fortunately, Jack wasn't there to see it.

"The initial state of bewilderment will pass I assure you."

The parents stood in shock, unsure what to make of this situation. Sung sighed as he took a step forward, but the adults recoiled in response.

"Greetings. I did not anticipate we'd meet this way. I sincerely apologize for any terror and apprehension I have caused."

"What the hell have you done to my son?" Ally demanded.

"I was just getting to that. I-"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU KNOW, STANLEY?" Curt shouted into his cellphone.

#twrp #twrp band #twrp au #twrp origins #doctor sung #oc character #my fic

7 notes · View notes

crumblinggothicarchitecture · 9 months ago

Note

tbh it's not just insinuation of you doing some class discrimination that is gross, other things listed by them as accusations towards you are at least equaly as disgusting, if not more. "ableism, classism, racism" i'm sorry, i didn't know swift is disabled, poor or non-white, oh wait, she is neither of these. yes, grammar policing can be used to discriminate, but when it's used to punch down people, who actually belong to these categories.

also there are literal college courses focused solely on swift's writing, but you as someone with english lit degree can't do some grammar analysis on your private blog? is other anon as offended about these courses and sending them emails about how discriminatory it is to pick apart someone's writing? of course not, because the only people, who would spend money an that type of a course are rich ts fandom cultists, who wouldn't say anything, that might be actually critical about swift. also anon doesn't actually care about picking apart someone's writing, they only care about swift's writing being put under some criticism, because otherwise they would be sending offended emails to every school or critic for the crime of literary analysis.

it's almost as if swift trained these people with her never ending victimhood and copying, to look in her name for any struggle to steal whenever she is being criticized. not an ounce of critical thinking or just common sense to look at it for a second and realize that these don't apply to swift. "so yeah not a good look" yeah, but not on crumblinggothicarchitecture

Sorry, this took a minute for me to get to <3. I appreciate this perspective. I didn't even mention that in the ask, but it's so weird to accuse someone of being racist, ableist, classicist just because I analyzed Taylor Swift’s poor grammar. Swift is the one who calls herself a writer and claims she one of the best writers on the planet right now. So, it stands to reason that I would use my English Degree to analyze her grammar if, for any reason, I felt she actually wasn't a good writer.

If I say that someone isn't a good writer. I'm not going to just state that and leave it there. Obviously, it's on me to effectively argue my point. I do, however, have ways to argue my point. So, naturally, I will get into some linguistic or literary criticism of Swift.

I'm not sure that Grammar-Anon really understands what I am trying to do here. Besides, I think you're right about them not knowing that linguistics is an actual academic discipline. Are the people who dedicate their whole lives to studying and teaching grammar also being racist, ableist, and classicist? LOL.

The English language is such a beautiful medium for expression. It's one of my favorite languages, among many, to read poetry in because it has such an amazing breadth of vocabulary words with which to express emotion. In most linguistic study, it is the mechanism of language itself that scholars pull into study. Fascinating stuff- and people study it all. There are scholars whose life's work revolves around understanding AAVE dialects, or understanding Louisiana Cajun dialects, or understanding mid-Atlantic dialects, or Jewish-New York regionalisms. This is just a short list of regionalist dialects I've personally read about in the last few months- however, the list is expansive and covers much more than just the American continent. For instance, there is a whole subset of academic study centered on the post-colonialist use of English Language in India. Scholarship in this field often takes into account feminist theory, Marxist theory, or Post Colonialist theory. (Again, I just listed my favorites, but there are many more theoretical lenses through which people study the impact of grammatical praxis).

This is something people make into their whole life's work- it's not somehow offensive to participate in low-stakes grammatical analysis of Taylor Swift.

You're right, some people just can't handle the idea of putting her work under the microscope because it would impact their narrow-world view if someone said actually Swift is a bad, unoriginal writer. Imagine the meltdown if twitter Swifties found me :O

I've been giving Swift a pass for years, mostly because I would dismiss her music as simple pop-music. It's meant to be fun. I would listen to it, because it was an easy break from the dense, challenging stuff I would read for classes. However, now I'm going to tear apart Swifts work. It's the principle of the matter now because she seems to think she's the greatest American poet to ever live. I am both bored, as summer approaches and I have nothing else to work on, and frustrated that she's pretending to be a poet.

She's not a tortured genius. She's a trust fund baby who got as far as she did on mediocrity because of her parents' money. We "wouldn't last an hour in the asylum" where they raised her- Ha. She wouldn't last a second working a part-time job after school to pay rent. I get upset when people accuse me of some type of classist's attitude purely because I use my education when they know nothing about my story. I got a lucky break.

Education is my road out of abject poverty. Nothing else was going to save me. I did it all on my own, with the help of a bunch of scholarships, lucky breaks, and really wonderful teachers. Now, in my real life, I am the teacher now. I want to root for people. I critique for the sake of wanting people to improve their skills.

Taylor Swift's arrogant attitude and unwillingness to face criticism just gets under my skin. So, what do I do? I'm not fond of ad hominem attacks. Instead, I will make some good arguments about her bad writing and have some fun in the process. :)

So yeah- I guess it's not a good look.

#anti taylor swift #taylor swift #ttpd #academia #the tortured poets department #english lit student #linguistics #literary criticism #literary theory #self

22 notes · View notes

qoldenskies · 2 months ago

Note

Mind Control!!!!

ok first of all caged lungs broke me. i love it but it broke me and it is the best mind-control thing i've ever read bc you rlly take the aftermath srsly and the slow, insidious, uncanny-vally way the brothers turn against donnie is!! so good!!! thats my fav type of mind control personally :)

anyway with that said i think anything else mind ocntrol related post clipped wings would be EXTRA traumatizing for the brothers. like we've seen the claustrophia and stuff for donnie but imagine that theyre on a mission and hypno does a mind control spell to make say leo attack his brothers and they all. um. they all react pretty viscerally. having your head messed with like that for so long is gonna be pretty traumatizing, so i think any situation where they feel smthing similar coming up, theyre deufaulting to panic and/or kill mode

honestly the CL mind control fascinates me because it'd still be a psychological horror from any of the OTHER'S perspectives. was just dropped in the newest chapter that leo genuinely felt horrified when he smacked donnie for the first time, which explains this line

like its horrible but i dont see it as an intentional guilt trip at all. it was like raph crying when he put his hands around his throat; it was one of the moments where they realized just how far this was gone and because of the curse thought why did you do this to me? they came so close to the realization that something was wrong and it redirected that fear and anger to pin it on donnie instead.

"i can't even look at you right now" is so loaded knowing what leo was going through.

okay i got distracted with some of the leo fighting back signs BUT YESS I WOULD LOVE TO UNPACK SOMETHING KINDA SIMILAR.... ive mentioned raph being kraangified as something that would fuck him up Bad but i think exploring something like that from leo's perspective would be really interesting especially considering how his coping mechanisms work. raph responded by shying away into himself and leo fought. he gentled around donnie but he lashed out at EVERYBODY after coming to, and it really only took kitsune kicking his teeth in to make him slow his roll.

hypno's mind control is very straightforward with how it operates though, it might be more interesting to do something that makes them more cognitively aware when they come back because i think it'd add to the trauma of the prompt. and also dear lord if it was JUST leo i could not imagine raph and mikey's reactions. because would there be a moment where they only see an enemy in the shape of their brother, spurred into attack mode BECAUSE of all the harm they watched leo inflict on donnie under the curse?? do they genuinely act aggressive towards him even after the control is broken out of suspicion, even though they logically know he didn't mean it, but they cant help it either because it was triggering too???

this especially works well knowing leo was the Worst when cursed. they witnessed leo harm donnie a lot, while in most cases with raph for example it was usually only behind closed doors.

#ask #canary continuity #qolden bthb

17 notes · View notes

reflections-in-a-critical-eye · 1 year ago

Text

I've asked myself many times over the course of three years about how would I react to information that comes to contradict a specific image I have about people. And the answer would differ, more or less, depending on a myriad of factors, such as my mental wellbeing, my attitude toward the fandom, the group, the members, etc. The truth is, I only knew how I would respond the moment it happens and I was pleasantly surprised in a way. I see it as a sign that I'm doing better or at least I'm on the path of doing better.

These are things that I didn't want to allow to come to surface in the way I used to handle the BTM blog. Perhaps because the point was to create a platform in which I could offer the rational, researched perspective which I considered to be the correct one. I'm not retracting any of that. I still believe that it is possible to offer a more complex perspective if I can back it up with knowledge from various fields, but it was also one of my defense mechanisms.

Without expanding on the personal reasons, it has become very easy for me to separate my rational and emotional side. So much, that even when I should be staying in the moment and let my emotions take space, I can't really do it, I need to come up with a rational explanation so it can make sense. I then applied this to BTS as well. I couldn't just say I like this group when someone would ask, I would have to tell them about all the studies I read and how my fascination is mostly intelectual, when in truth it was both. I used to talk about jikook only in the context of analysis, be it GCF through semiotics or various types of interpretations when it came to their performances or fandom reception in terms of their dynamics. It had to be in the context of rational fascination and curiosity because I was merely trying to justify myself on why I care that much about two strangers that I look at on my phone. Again, my intellectual curiosity is real, but that has always been only one side if the coin, but it was one that I pushed.

It's about shame actually. I can't actually accept that I have such an interest. It doesn't fit with the idea I have of myself. And sometimes I don't like it because it makes me question my intellect, my critical thinking. How can I be so good academically and at the same time I fear that I've fallen into a fandom trap? I'm smart, right? Right?

I'm sure a lot of people have dealt with or ar going through this process of cognitive dissonance. How does one deal with the mere idea that something they believe in based on their understanding of the world, their ability of decoding (not in a conspiracy sense, but in a Saussurean way) can turn out to be wrong? We see something that resembles a specific behavior that we are surrounded with our entire lives, sometimes we ourselves engage with, but we've identified it wrong on others? Of course, it's through the visual medium, one that is edited. It's a puzzle with large chunks missing, but we're getting a general idea of it. But we can be wrong. So how do we deal with that? Well, I don't have a correct answer.

Me in 2020/2021 would have been more affected because my mental health was not good. I was functionally depressed and I clinged so much onto BTS, Jikook and the small community that I found myself in at that time, that I would have felt a lot more torn than I am now.

A couple of years later and having to actually go through a situation in which my understanding of people's relationship might not be accurate, I realized I'm fine. And I think it's because it made me really register just now that I finally learned how to have fun with it. It took me three years. By having fun, I mean genuinely being able to simply enjoy the little things. I'm still on the path of not being ashamed for liking kpop or spending time talking about the dynamic/relationship of two people.

What prompted this post was reading what is currently being written in the jikook tag. Yes, I had this big introductory chunk that perhaps people won't bother reading, but I'm doing it for myself. If I can't be honest while writing stuff into the void for strangers to read, then what is the point?

I get frustrated very easily. I like debates and contradictory points of view, but not always. And that's because I like to be right. Almost all the time. So when I see something that I believe it lacks logic or I find it absurd, then my fingers are itching. I don't comment or DM people, I can control myself. I'd rather get out of the app and do something else.

What I want to say is I was surprised at how much fanfiction is being written. More that usual. Shipping contains a big deal of fanfiction by its nature. Gestures and events taking place at different times are interpreted and having information added that fills the gaps. People do that because they have to make sense of what they see.

They like to make relationship timelines. They speculate on first kisses and first sexual experiences. That's their imagination. None of us has any way of knowing. The element of fiction is heighted when people feel like they are losing control of the narrative. When they are unsure of what they are seeing. Which is what usually happens in the shipping community on a yearly basis. Anons flooding the bloggers' inboxes because they need confirmation or they didn't get any ship content in a month or two which means something is wrong.

There's this understanding that the shipper/supporter is delusional while the one who stops shipping is the rational one. From what I've observed throughout time and mostly now, that is a false distinction. The so-called rational fan makes use of fiction just as the shipper. The difference is in purpose. One talks about why the supposed romantic relationship is real and the other tries to refute that. But both categories seem to need fiction in order to build their arguments. That is because none of them have access to someone's private life and relationship, so the gaps need to be filled with speculation. There is no right or wrong version here, despite how much the idea is being pushed. And me writing about this won't make a difference. It's simply how the fandom works. The one who position themselves on the side of anti-delulu will always be seen as the less crazy one. The similarities will fade for the collective consciousness of the fandom.

I think it's difficult for a lot of people, regardless on which side they find themselves on, to accept that the option of simply not knowing is enough as well. Or knowing, but without getting anal about it. But it's hard and they write posts after posts, anons are sending asks over asks because there has to be a firm answer. Only a few allow themselves to be in between lines.

I'll bring back something that I always used to say. Shipping and involvement in the fandom is a lot more about us and less about the people we're talking about. It's about fullfiling some needs, of needing a community, of focusing on the idea of love. Those things can still be done in a way that still makes the experience enjoyable. But not everyone can and I'm not blaming it.

There's a way to just like how people behave with each other and imagine things without adding so much weight to it. Regardless of the true nature. It's our imagination, there's no need for a moral inquisition to tell anyone how to think or that they should stop thinking a certain way. Touching some grass is a cliche and an expression I ended up hating, but I do believe that being connected to discourse on a daily basis can really alter our sense of reality and what we consider to be real issues. We really should pay more attention to that and take some distance if necessary.

#m thoughts #jikook #kpop shipping #bts shipping #fandom discourse

52 notes · View notes

pandor-pandorkful · 4 months ago

Text

It's time for another ADHD-fueled ramble! This one is about Homestuck, kind of. Saw a post about someone never reading it in spite of being a tumblr oldie, and that lead to some introspective reminiscing. Maybe it's interesting, maybe it isn't.

I reckon a lot of folks who read Homestuck were kind of peer-pressured into it. I was no exception, though the pressure applied was relatively passive. And if my memory serves me, I started reading Homestuck on MS Paint Adventures before I was a regular tumblr user... sometime in 2011, I think? The year I took off between grad school year 1 and 2, or maybe just slightly before that...

Anyways, around that time I noticed most of my Silent Hill fan art buddies on deviantArt suddenly switched to drawing trolls pretty much non-stop out of the blue.

I felt confused, and kinda left out. I was already feeling like being so overwhelmingly distracted by grad school had permanently damaged my connection to those friends...

So in kind of a last ditch effort to not lose yet another friend group, I dove headfirst into the webcomic, hoping to understand why the steady stream of old man yaoi had been replaced by weird preteen aliens.

If you've read the majority of Homestuck, you know what an effort that was. Its first few chapters are incredibly long and slow paced. By the time I even caught up to the trolls actually being visually introduced, I think my SH-turned-HS friends had moved on to something else entirely. :B

(Later I'd learn that the majority of HS fans during the height of it's popularity were, uh, kinda "fake fans". In that they skipped directly to the troll chapters. :B)

Granted, I had taken the longest possible road to catch up with MS Paint Adventures. When it comes to comics, any comic, I am a completionist. Maybe it's the anxiety from feeling like I'm always missing out on CONTEXT due to ADHD... My brain is broken and I must read everything in chronological release order, so that nothing is missed. (This is a big reason I never got into superhero comics.)

Homestuck was only the current series on MSPA, there were several other completed or abandoned series as well. So I started at what seemed like the very beginning, with Jailbreak. By the time I was done with Problem Sleuth I was very hooked on the throwback to text-based adventure games meets forum shenanigans baked into a comic formula.

Homestuck itself was delightful, from an adventure game mechanics perspective. It had all the frustrating backtracking and plodding story of a classic hardcore adventure, as well as the wild traditional-format-breaking jankiness of the experimental web comics imagined in Scott McCloud's "troubled middle child*," Reinventing Comics. (*as he described the book to me when I asked him to sign my copy lol)

No wonder so many readers skipped straight to the troll chapters! You really had to have a very specific string of incredibly niche, nerdy interests in order to appreciate the slow-burn of the chapters leading up to the trolls... and apparently that's exactly what I had.

Like, to the point that it took me a long ass time to warm up to the trolls at all. Maybe it was because I was an older reader than the typical HS fan and had actually experienced more eras of the internet, but the trolls were just as annoying as the real life types of internet trolls they were based on.

I don't think I started to actually like any of them until the second set of trolls were introduced. The generational conflicts between old-internet and then-current types of trolling was fascinating and honestly hilarious.

By the time I was finally caught up, the comic was close to it's first ending. (And in my opinion, only ending. As I didn't bother checking in with Hussie's later attempts to rekindle the series.)

Having read through everything on MSPA that came before Homestuck, as well as stumbling into Andrew Hussie's even older comics, blog posts and Picard/Riker ST:TNG fan edits on youtube, I had built up maybe an unrealistic hope for the future of MSPA: I was excited for the next comic project to come once Homestuck was finished.

What a big assumption! I don't think anyone would have an easy time just moving on to "the next project" after making something that had garnered as big of a reaction as Homestuck did. So watching Hussie spiral into milking HS for all he could really shouldn't have surprised me.

In an ideal world, artists, writers, creators in general would be able to just move on from project to project. Creation to creation to creation. But we're not machines, and none of us exist in a vacuum. We need to survive somehow, and our feelings of importance and self worth can get so dangerously tangled up with the reaction others have to our work.

Some may find success and never work again. Some may find success and seek to recapture that high for the rest of their life. Some will never find success and give up creating altogether. Who am I to judge or hope for anything from any creator? I'm barely holding on by the whites of my knuckles and the skin of my teeth myself.

But part of me still grieves for the "Next MS Paint Adventures Project" I made up in my head. Something that scratched the itch for interactive comics in new and exciting ways. With brand new characters, settings and bizarre lingo to get used to. There would be references to prior projects, just as HS was peppered with references to Problem Sleuth and the other MSPAs, but on the whole it would be a self-contained work, as it's predecessors were. Another volume for the abstract digital bookshelf.

MS Paint Adventures is dead, the site is just Homestuck now. Flash, the format that made up the very backbone of the comic, is dead and banished. I haven't chatted with most of my old dA buddies in over a decade. We all move on, or don't, in one way or another.

7 notes · View notes

mbti-notes · 1 year ago

Text

Anon wrote: Helloo, I'm a 24 year old INTP woman. I've been reading your blog for 6 years now. Back then I knew about type but not typology and cognitive functions. Your blog made everything very clear, as well as fascinating, so thank you very much for that.

I was interested in psychology, because I felt inadequate then and had a hard time relating to people. I wanted to achieve a lot so I knew I had to work on my weaknesses first, to balance everything. MBTI theory showed me exactly what those were. The stress was big too at the time, I was alone, abroad for my studies and I'm from a third world country, the adaptation was hard and I struggled a lot with that as well as other hardships due to material conditions.

Anyway, for years I've read some of your recommendations and digged deeper into the human's psyche. Into psychology and social sciences as a whole, even though I'm in a STEM field. I tried my best to work on my emotional intelligence and really choose a career path taking into consideration my type and aspirations, even going against my parents will to do so.

Since I've been working on this for so long and with awareness, I'd like to test my maturity, what can I do to know if I'm well-developed ? If I have a good grasp of my functions ? If I worked through my traumas ? Them, being beaten for the slightest thing as a kid. I'd love to tell myself that I do, but I don't think I have enough perspective to test it objectively, so what do you think?

Thanks a lot in advance, you're really doing an amazing work, stumbling upon your blog felt like finding a hidden treasure in some lost island in the vast ocean. One must be lucky and aware of its value to recognise the remarkable craftsmanship you put into it. You have my admiration for that. Wishing you the best in life 🙌

----------------------

I appreciate your kind compliments. Funnily enough, I also treat my blog as a hidden treasure chest of sorts. It's a place I stash gems and pearls (of wisdom) that I've picked up. I make them rediscoverable rather than just leaving them in the junk drawer of my mind, lol.

The way you frame the question is rather narrow given that "maturity" is quite a big and complex concept. If your question was sparked by reading the ego development section, there are reliable ways to assess it, but doing so isn't likely to provide you with useful information. There are a wide variety of factors that influence maturity, so it's not something that can be changed through sheer force of will. The process of maturation must be respected and allowed to progress at its own pace, rather than forced toward some imagined result.

Because maturity is such a huge topic, I'll limit the discussion to what I believe is relevant to INTPs. One thing I've noticed is that INTPs tend to confuse "development" and "growth". To be fair, these two words are often used interchangeably and their definitions can be quite vague in psychology. I'll explain how I distinguish them:

Development is about improvement of your ability to make good use of the inner resources you already possess. These resources include things like your talents, skills, and constructive traits that help you reach important goals or milestones in life.

Growth is about transformation, which usually involves a dramatic change to your attitude, perspective, worldview, or self-concept. When you "grow as a person", there is a significant shift in how you conduct yourself or live your life.

If you're science oriented, you can think of development as doing things to increase mechanical efficiency and quantifying the progress, whereas growth is like an unpredictable chemical reaction that creates a qualitatively new state of being. To distinguish development and growth in this way is not to say that they are separate. Purposeful self-development is one important factor that contributes to growth, but it is not enough in itself to cause growth. When INTPs believe that development is the same as growth, they hit an invisible wall as soon as they possess enough self-confidence to handle most of life's problems. What are they missing? Making good use of intellectual abilities, materializing talents, and improving skills will certainly help you be a more capable or competent person, but it doesn't necessarily help you grow into a more mature person.

Maturity (as defined by the stages of ego development) isn't a skill you can work on systematically like math or violin, and it isn't even an end goal in itself. Maturity is a side-effect of sustained psychological growth. If you want to know how to become more mature, then a focus on self-development isn't enough, it is also necessary to understand what spurs psychological growth.

If growth is like a chemical reaction that creates a qualitatively new state of being, then an important aspect of growth is actively exposing yourself to new experiences that have the potential to alter your psychology. Such experiences could be as simple as changing up a stale daily routine or as complex as moving to a completely foreign country. The key point is you are continuously learning new and important life lessons. This is why greater maturity also implies greater wisdom. Wisdom isn't just about what you know or how much you know; it's about being able to apply what you know with enough nuance, sophistication, and adaptability to create objectively good or beneficial results in everything you do.

Another difference between development and growth is there could be one method of development that works for many people for self-improvement, but there is no simple formula for growth. A new experience that significantly alters your psychology might have no effect whatsoever on mine. Why? Each person has their own unique lessons to learn based on what's happening deep in their unique psychology.

If you must learn from life experience in order to become mature and wise, then is it worthwhile to control what kinds of life experiences you have? Yes and no. Oftentimes, the experiences that provide the most opportunities for learning are the ones you find most challenging. Challenges usually bring some pain, so people tend to avoid them rather than use them as opportunities for growth. You shouldn't just randomly take on each and every challenge you see, but you also shouldn't exert such extreme control over your life that you miss out on unexpected or fortuitous challenges that would spur growth. The challenges you get to control are things like: pursuing higher education; stepping out of your comfort zones; confronting painful memories; talking to people you disagree with; etc. The challenges you don't get to control are things like being born into a dysfunctional family or suffering a tragic loss. Unexpected challenges are just as, if not more, important because they strongly compel you to build strength and resilience.

The advantage of knowing type theory is you get to know yourself better, especially when it comes to being aware of the challenges that you inflict upon yourself because of flawed perception and judgment. Being able to spot the weaknesses of your personality opens up many opportunities for learning and growth.

Are you able to identify all your patterns of function misuse? What do those patterns tell you about your challenges?

Are you successfully minimizing/mitigating instances of function misuse in your everyday life, i.e., meeting your challenges?

Are you able to use your functions optimally, i.e., to apply them appropriately and wisely to form a healthy relationship between yourself and the world?

Have you built up a healthy sense of self and practice proper self-care through introverted function development?

Have you learned how to adapt well to your environment(s) through extraverted function development?

Are you striking a good balance between the introverted and extraverted sides of your personality (i.e. neither is extreme)?

If you are on the right track in type development, life doesn't necessarily get easier, but you become much more adaptable to life's challenges. The results you get should speak for themselves.

If you are a mentally healthy individual, the desire for progress and growth never really ends, so it's natural to wonder about what more there is for you, especially in times when life is going relatively well. However, asking how to "test" yourself is kind of a suspicious question to me because it makes me wonder what the underlying motivation is. Sometimes, it's an indication that there's something wrong with the approach. A "test" implies there's a formula, but maturity doesn't work that way. You say you don't have the perspective to test yourself objectively? That is precisely how you know you have more maturing to do. When your perspective seems too small, then there's something you need to learn in order to broaden it. But I can't tell you exactly what that something is. You'll know it the next time you experience true growth. To paraphrase Kierkegaard: Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards. This is the difficulty of being human.

What I can say is, at 24, you haven't lived much. You've still got much more ahead of you than behind you. You have a lot of lessons yet to learn. Personality type only tells you that some of those lessons have to do with your functions. But the rest is unpredictable. Some lessons come with the mistakes you'll inevitably make throughout life. Yet more lessons will come with the ups and downs of fate. And even more lessons will come as you get much older and gradually lose all the things you hold most dear.

If you want, I can give you some questions to reflect on for building self-awareness. Maybe some of them can lead you toward growth.

What sorts of thoughts frequently run through your head?

What feelings do you frequently experience?

What is your overall mood most of the time?

Are you aware of your needs and do you attend to them well? Are you aware that you have physical, emotional, cognitive, social, esteem, aesthetic, spiritual, and transcendent needs?

Are you aware of your passions and joys and give yourself enough space to experience them regularly?

Are you aware of your wants and desires? Are you able to explain where they come from or what motivates them?

Are you aware of your identity? Are you able to describe the things that define you as an individual? Are you able to explain how those things came to define you?

Are you aware of your worth? Are you able to describe your method of appraising/evaluating yourself, explain why you use that method (and not some other method), and justify that it is a good method?

Are you aware of how you are perceived by others? Are you able to express yourself authentically? Are you able to recognize and respect the authentic expressions of others?

Are you aware of the roles/positions you occupy in society? Are you aware of how those roles/positions affect your relationships with the people around you? Are you aware of all the duties, obligations, and responsibilities you have to yourself and others?

Are you aware of your moral values and how well you abide by them? Are you able to explain how you came to adopt them?

Are you aware of your core beliefs about how the world works? Are you able to explain how they came into being and how they influence your behavior?

Are you aware of the criteria/standards you use to define "success"? Are you able to explain their origin and justify them as being the most appropriate criteria/standards to use?

Are you aware of your aspirations? Are you able to explain why you've set the life goals you have previously pursued, are pursuing now, or will pursue in the future?

Are you aware of your potential? Do you have an ideal self that you wish to become? If so, are you able to explain how you came to construct that image of yourself? Are you able to envision more than one possibility for expressing who you are (other than what you are at present)?

Are you aware of your guiding principle/philosophy of life? Are you able to explain where it came from or why you chose it?

Mature people understand themselves more deeply than the average person. Depth of self-knowledge is necessary for making wise decisions in life. When you have meta-awareness of yourself, such as your needs, desires, preferences, strengths, weaknesses, motivations, biases, etc, you'll eventually be able to transcend your subjectivity as needed in order to operate more objectively. When your perspective seems too small (i.e. subjective) as an INTP, then you ought to use Ne to actively expose yourself to new knowledge/experiences that expand your horizons. By doing this, you should eventually encounter challenges that spark growth reactions.

#intp #auxiliary ne #development #maturity #wisdom #growth #self awareness #ask

43 notes · View notes