#Altered States of the Union

[system-of-a-feather]

BTW we are basically seeing if we can sue our employer for wrongful termination down the line cause they fucked up and decided to pull a scummy move to save what would be at most $600 when we were already planning on resigning amicably

And like its not a huge deal if it goes through or not and Im not in it for the money or doing it for the money cause idc really since I was planning on resigning anyways and it just means I qualify for unemployment while I'm out of a job which makes up for it

I'm just doing it on principle and out of spite. Spite cause it was a personally scummy move. Principle cause on a political, economic, social level, I really don't like people pulling ableist and capitalist moves that undermines workers rights.

They literally did the worst look, worst play to someone who is going to be put out on medical disability for a month who is a workaholic and needs 40 projects to juggle and was raised by an S Tier Karen in the art of stressing capitalists out.

I got a month of a whole lotta nothing to do for a while and thus a whole lotta time to invest into a passive game of "Im reporting this to HR, The Union, Disability Advocacy Centers, and Low Income Legal Aid groups cause I literally wont have anything better to do and even with it Id still be bored."

Its honestly a really dumb play and I'm going to have fun seeking advice from lawyers and unions and what not to see the full level of which I can either demand compensation or just give them a hard time

And at the very least, make sure that HR knows about the toxic environment and gets on their ass to fix it cause I do feel bad that I left the one person who really supported me down there with one ally and three people I know talk shit about her constantly

Dear Boss,

You fucked up and fuck you in a professional legal manner.

Sincerely,

Worker and Disabled People's Rights

((Btw we actually took a chemistry professors job in our undergrad cause he was an ableist dickhead so its not our first rodeo complaining professionally to a californian university about injust behaviors and actions among their faculty and staff. That is still THE highlight of my undergraduate experience.)

Anyways, the XIV part of our brain whose whole function as a part is to shake shit up and destroy things that he sees as corrupt is so excited to have a project to do while we recover along side my TTRPG and Art stuff.

[writing-with-olive]

On calling your reps

Was talking to a friend of mine who was genuinely surprised that you can just call your reps and that it's easy to do, despite the fact that he's heard the phrase "call your representatives" at least a dozen times and it made me realize: as much as we say "go call your reps" I don't think we make it accessible enough for people to realize it's something you can just... do.

With that in mind... how do you call reps? This will probably become a short series, also feel free to send asks about it.

1: Put their contact info into your phone. Look up "who's my national/state representative" and put in your address in the website. Your reps and their phone numbers will come up. Put their name, number, senate/house/city council, city/state/federal, and party affiliation into your phone. now you never have to look that up again

2: Have an opinion on something that's going on politically or that laws would have an impact on

3: If it is helpful to you, write a script (more info below the cut)

4: Call your rep's number. If a person picks up, it will likely be an intern. they are fairly chill. Give your spiel, ask them to pass the message along. If it's the rep themself, same thing, minus passing info to another person. If no one picks up, just leave a voicemail. Make sure to give your name and where you live so they know you're a constituent (or don't but it might not have as much of an effect)

5: Be proud of yourself. You have done more civic engagement than most people in this country

A basic script template to voice your opinion about a bill can go like this:

Hello, I'm [name] from [city and zipcode]. I'm calling about [bill number], [bill title], because I'd like to ask Representative [name] to vote [YES/NO]. This is important because [give reason(s) why it's important to you]. Also, [give reason's why it should be important to them, threatening to not vote for them can work if you don't like them]. Again, if you could pass on the message to Representative [name] to vote [YES/NO] for [bill name] that would be fantastic. Thank you, have a good day!

A basic script template to voice your opinion about a general problem or bill you'd like to see might go something like this:

Hello, I'm [name] from [city and zipcode]. I'm calling because I've been noticing [problem you want to be fixed] in my area, and I think the issue could be fixed by [proposed solution you'd wish get legislated]. This would help because [give reasons why it would benefit you]. Also, [give reasons why it would fit into their stated ideals]. I know there's not currently a bill in the works about this, but if one comes up, please vote to [make proposed solution happen]. Thank you, and have a good day!

[cryobabiess]

girldad!geta pleeease!

Filia Divina

Pairing: Emperor Geta x Wife!reader

Tags: childbirth, pregnancy, miscarriage mentioned, implied infanticide, soft!geta (if you squint), historically accurate practices, NOT BETA READ SO IF YOU SEE SOMETHING WONKY NO YOU DIDN’T, good ole fashioned misogyny

AN: Tollere Liberos is in reference to an ancient Roman tradition where a father decides whether or not to accept a newborn as their child. Rejected children were abandoned via ‘expositus’ (aka dead ass just leaving a baby out in the wilderness). So basically girldad!geta but historically accurate lol. Enjoy!

It had only been an hour since you birthed her—a sweet little creature with curls the color of honey and supple skin like the flesh of a ripe plum. With a mighty wail fit to be heard across an empire, she came into the world. Your goddess, Juno, generously granted her the health and strength you prayed for. You rejoiced, though your joy was not shared.

The midwives cleaned your daughter in grave silence, save for the whispers of the politic-men gathered to witness the birth of Rome’s divine son. They huddled together in the far corner of the chamber as your girl laid against her mother’s chest for the first time.

“It cannot be true—look again!” Geta frantically commands the weary doctor. He paces across the marble floor in a state of distress. A litany of expressions troubles his face; disbelief, panic, betrayal.

“My lord, it is not what was desired, but I assure you—the child is female. You have my greatest sorrows.” The doctor mournfully bows his head, knowing better than to look the short tempered prince in the eye.

Geta was persistent, diligently sewing his seed in your womb since your holy union. You passed two of his children as blood, and he held you as you suffered through the pain. He watched your body grow when his efforts succeeded, massaged your taut skin with olive oil, and fed you bread soaked in sweet wine when you felt ill. He even kneeled at Jupiter’s alter to call for the safe delivery of his first son and the health of his wife—All these precautions only to be cruelly slighted.

“The gods have punished me, yet I’ve done nothing but bend to their will.” Geta holds his head in disbelief, his devastation made evident by a deep scowl.

Senator Gracchus tentatively approaches your distraught husband, resting a sympathetic hand on his shoulder.

“My lord, we must atone for our offenses, whatever they may be. It is a grave misfortune indeed, but your bride—“

Rage ignites across Geta’s face as he pulls away from his constituent’s touch.

“Speak tactfully of your empress if you wish to keep your tongue, Senator.” He seethes through a tight jaw. Gracchus relents, his tone softening considerably. He continues slowly and with caution.

“Two winters have passed since your union, and she has yet to bring forth an heir of Rome. Her body has proved inhospitable. The gods have sent a message, and it would be foolish to turn a cheek—you must heed this omen! ”

Geta takes a moment, carefully considering the senator’s plea for reason. He looks back to you, Obsidian eyes gazing down at the linen sheet that obscures your sleeping child.

“I am a conduit of their will. Tollere Liberos will prevail and the gods will decide through me.” Geta turns to you fully. Your heart becomes heavy in your chest as you search your husband’s face for tenderness, but see nothing but solid stone.

In your dreams, you imagined the day Geta approached his first heir as sweet—that he might kiss your reddened cheeks and proudly claim his child. Never did you think the sight of him would cause you to tighten your grip and cower away. He looms over the bed where you lay, exhausted and perspiring, like a holy monument.

“Show me the child.”

“My love, I beg you—“

“Your emperor commands it.” Geta callously interrupts.

You unwrap your daughter in your arms, trembling hands moving as gingerly as possible. She shifts in her sleep, curling her precious limbs toward her delicate body, but does not wake. Geta’s eyes widen at the sight of her.

“So it is true. My faithful wife’s womb has betrayed me.” His gaze softens. Something stirs behind it, but you are not sure what.

“If you wish to return her life, then be merciful and do the same with mine.” Your heart twists and aches, your love for your emperor becoming a knife in your rib.

To your shock, Geta reaches out to his daughter, takes her tiny fist in his palm, and runs a thumb over her blushing knuckles. She wraps her hand around her father’s finger with a mighty yawn.

You have seldom seen your restless husband become so still.

“She bears your resemblance.” Geta’s voice is but a whisper. His gaze doesn’t stray from her. It appears his heart aches the same as yours.

“And a head of golden hair.” You can only offer an exhausted smile.

Geta takes his daughter into his arms for the first time.

“The gods have spoken!” He declares to the small gathering of senators. Your emperor raises his girl above the laurels atop his head. Some look on with horror, and others with pride.

“She will have my name! It is done.”

As your daughter’s first weeks pass, Geta’s tenderness only grows. In the lavender hours of dawn, you wake to find him cradling her in the crook of his arm. He speaks to her softly.

“Poor girl, you have wounded your father’s pride. My, what tragedy.”

You smile at the sound of her gentle crooning as your husband assuages her back to sleep.

“A son would belong to Rome—but you, dear Septima, will belong to me.”

[mac-tirs]

the usage of different types of english in elden ring

most human/tarnished NPCs we meet, like rogier, ansbach, and nepheli, use late modern english:

"a sorcerer, as you might have guessed. i'm looking for a little something, here in the castle. when i'm not hotfooting it from the troops, that is." - rogier, first meeting "general radahn. a pleasure to see you, after all this time. but those remains do not belong to you." - ansbach, upon summon for PCR

but older demigods like messmer, ranni, and morgott use early modern english:

"thou'rt tarnished, it seemeth. mother, wouldst thou truly lordship sanction, in one so bereft of light? yet… my purpose standeth unchanged." - messmer, pre-battle cutscene "thou needst not indulge them unduly, but they too wish to appraise thy worth. it hath been a passing long time since a newcomer entered my service, after all." - ranni, after agreeing to serve her

then there are the younger demigods, like miquella, malenia, and potentially melina, who use a later variant of modern english, similar to the tarnished NPCs we speak to:

"if we honour our part of the vow, promise me you'll be my consort. i'll make the world a gentler place." - miquella, post-PCR cutscene "the scarlet bloom flowers once more. you will witness true horror. now, rot!" - malenia, phase 2 transition cutscene

finally, the hornsent NPCs like the hornsent, hornsent grandam, and the hornsent spirits such as the one outside the whipping hut, who use late middle english similar to the english found in shakespeare's sonnets:

"fie, another? ... then, as that woman would surely say, we are in our purposes well aligned. but understand. your kind are not forgiven. the erdtree is my people's enemy. by marika long betray'd, set aflame." - hornsent, first meeting "all your resentment lingers yet... the raw stuff from which i shall surely forge a curse. upon the dastard messmer's head. upon marika's children each and all." - scorched ruins hornsent spirit

i find it interesting how different the usage of english is in the game, and i feel that it can be a hint on how to properly date an individual's occupation in the lands between/land of shadow. the hornsent, being a people much older than many in the lands between, use the most archaic version of english, while the tarnished and younger demigods use a form of english more closely related to our own in the current period. older demigods (and marika herself, as heard from melina's recounts of marika's spoken echoes) use a form of english more closely related to the period of transition from middle english to early modern english.

additionally, another interesting thing to me: mohg is almost certainly nearly the same age as morgott (since they're referred to as twins), yet he speaks a little differently compared to morgott:

"tarnished, thou'rt but a fool." - morgott, post-battle dialogue "dearest miquella. you must abide alone a while." - mohg, pre-battle cutscene

this makes me wonder if it's possible that, assuming that miquella's verbiage is indicative of his younger age in comparison to the older demigods (aka the demigods born before the marika/radagon union), miquella's charm altered mohg's perception enough to also alter his manner of speaking and carrying himself in some way. if his pursuit of finery (dressing in embroidered robes and handling himself with poise, juxtaposing his bestial growls and strength) was mainly done in an effort to fit into miquella's ideal of a consort. of course, mohg could just be as vain as he seems to be all on his own accord, but i find that it's interesting to entertain the idea that even his current state of being was due to miquella's charm.

i'd love to hear what others think about this. i'm not very learned when it comes to english (it's not really my first language), but i find this all very cool to think about.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Paul Blest at More Perfect Union:

Thousands of workers at a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee have voted to join the United Auto Workers, defying an all-out union-busting effort from the state’s political leaders and marking a key victory for the United Auto Workers in their renewed effort to organize the South and non-union plants.

Unofficial results tallied Friday showed that after three days of voting, more than two-thirds of workers voted to join the UAW. The win in Chattanooga is the first successful attempt to organize a non-union automaker in decades and comes after multiple failed attempts to organize the plant, including in 2014 and 2019. More than 4,300 workers were eligible to vote this week.  “I can't explain it. It's not like the first times,” Renee Berry, who has worked at the Chattanooga plant for 14 years and through two prior facility-wide votes, told us in the lead-up to the election. “The first few times was hell…now it's like we can roll our shoulders back, because we got it.”  Volkswagen is the world’s largest auto company by revenue, and until today, every one of its plants around the globe has been unionized except for one.

"This is going to be in history books down the road. This is huge—forever huge,” Robert Soderstrom, a worker at the plant, told More Perfect Union. “People recognize for the first time in a long time, on a mass scale, that there's got to be some changes. And some of the power and stuff that's gone to the corporate world needs to come back to us little guys.” The victory in Tennessee continues a winning streak for the UAW, which negotiated record contracts at the Detroit Three of Ford, GM, and Stellantis last year following a lengthy “stand-up” strike. After passing the contracts, UAW President Shawn Fain announced a $40 million effort to organize non-union U.S. plants, largely based in right-to-work states like Tennessee and owned by auto companies based in Europe, Japan, and South Korea, as well as EV manufacturers like Tesla and Rivian. 

Since launching that new effort, more than 10,000 autoworkers around the country have signed union cards, according to the UAW. Earlier this month, workers at a Mercedes plant in Vance, Alabama became the second group to file for an election, which will be held from May 13 to 17. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and the state Chamber of Commerce have forcefully opposed the unionization effort, claiming it would hurt Alabama autoworkers—who, even before the pandemic, were making less than they did in 2002 when adjusted for inflation. The same dynamic has played out in Tennessee. Gov. Bill Lee, who denounced the last unsuccessful union campaign in 2019, said it would be a “mistake” for workers at the Chattanooga plant to unionize and boasted about the state’s “right-to-work” law. 

🚨🚨 BREAKING:🚨🚨 Workers at the Volkswagen (VW) plant in Chattanooga have voted yes to join the United Auto Workers (UAW) after 2 failed attempts in 2014 and 2019. #UAW #VWChattanooga #1u

[johnbrand]

Screen Froze

Podcasting had become inescapable in recent years. Everyone seemed to have an opinion on...well everything. Politics, world sports, cooking, an obscure movie from 1978 only released in a now-extinct language. If it could be covered, it would be. And one could find this content anywhere across the internet. Youtube, social media, even streaming services promoted their podcasters. Everyone was watching everyone talking. 

Of course, with so many different podcasters flying about, it was difficult to actually spot out talent. And from a sociologically micro perspective, it was even harder for individuals to find podcasters discussing the content they actually wanted to hear about. The more unique the niche, the less people one could happen upon to be talking about it during their recorded stream of consciousness. It was a simple formula, but it forced individuals to browse for hours or even days to find what they were searching for.

Sometimes though, people could not hold such patience. They would not wait for their new hero, a disciple preaching their values and morals to audiences around the globe. They would skip past one livestream discussing the economics of green villages in Switzerland to the next debating the potential existence between a minor character in two separate fandom universes. They could even perhaps land into a podcast like Sean’s.

“Most people just don’t understand the Soviet Union’s impact on architecture,” the measly, pale nerd innocently commented. A little shy in front of the camera, he was only able to relax a bit when discussing his favorite topics. Sean dressed in theme too, wearing a brutalist-like business casual outfit, a trait his small but dedicated fanbase adored.

“There were a lot of architects that really shaped this movement from all around the world,” Sean continued. “But today, we are just going to focus on those from the USSR.”

So what happened when one’s patience dried up? Well, everything was brought to a halt.

DragonHeart49: anyone else’s screen freeze? superduperloverboy: mine too <3bitsandmore: sean, I think ur glitching out

With the screen frozen, our impatient soul could now get to work. If one could not find the podcast they were looking for, then why not just create their own? Obviously, this did not mean constructing a podcast themselves, but rather alter the fabric of reality and completely realign another’s being to their preferred state. That was much easier.

Physical modifications were made first. A much larger body was necessary, something that demanded confidence and respect from others. Juicy pecs, rippling abs, sturdy legs. There was always something unreasonably fun in bloating the podcaster’s feet up a few sizes. An imposing frame to be craved by others, even when hidden underneath clothes, was priority. And speaking of clothes, those were quickly stripped down to less formal articles. Expensive branded tee, athletic shorts so small that boxer-briefs were visible, classic white Nike socks, all of it much more respectable than a button-up and tie.

This was not the impatient soul’s first time altering a podcaster to their liking, nor would it be their last. Physically at least, each of the end products were a little different. All alpha males, but just enough variation to not warrant any unnecessary rumors. This particular podcaster had his pre-American heritage redirected from France to India, the features in the screenshot tanning accordingly as a dark stubble acquainted itself along the sharper jawline. Of course, the bulge was accurately enlarged for geographical standards too.

Mentally however, all the podcasters could be considered copies. They each spoke of the same rhetoric, theories, and ideologies that our impatient soul wanted to hear. No matter how “backwards” or “hateful” their discussions were deemed as, nearly anything could be said by hulking bodies with undeniable charisma.

“These homos have no idea what they’re talking about!” Sanjay raged as the podcast restarted, his deep voice cocky and assertive. "Sure bro, I was just thinkin’ about a girl’s rack I saw earlier today but there's more to a girl than big tits. There's a tight pussy too!”

The chat section lit off with encouragement, their fates too having been altered.

MassiveFART69: you tell them fags bro! LOL XD crassmassschlongnator: we want to BREED THEM TOO!!!! <3TITSGALORE: JUST TALKIN ABOUT IT ALREADY GOT SANJAY GRABBIN HIMSELF AGAIN

Sanjay vacantly looked down, finding himself already subconsciously scratching at the thick bush within his shorts. He let out a hot protein fart followed by a laugh, his scratching slowly extending into groping his fat 8 inch babymaker.

“God, that was WET bros!” Sanjay applauded himself, his free massive hand swallowing the mic. “Anyway, I’ll catch you on the flip side dudes, gotta go hit the gym. Bros for life!”

There was a reason the traditional masculine movement was becoming stronger. Maybe it was because men were slowly aspiring to become the alphas’ equals, or because fags were beginning to submit to their nature. Or possibly, it could have been because each time a screen froze, reality was altered one click closer to traditional, normal masculinity.

[youremyheaven]

Jupiter & Rahu Influence Among Popstars

When I look at pop-stars across industries, I have noticed them all often having the same planetary influence showing up one way or another (usually nakshatra's ruling planet but less often, rashi lord as well).

Now, lets look at what or who a "pop-star" is. The simplest definition is that "a pop-star is a highly successful singer of pop music". Some would say that being a pop-star is the pinnacle of fame. They are at the very top of the entertainment industry food chain.

Actors pretend to be other people for a living but a pop-star is one who has to pretend to be an exaggerated version of themselves for a living. Most pop-stars have an alter ego or stage persona that they project, sometimes these alter egos have different names, other times they don't.

If you think about it, being exalted to the status of a superstar, akin to a God or deity and being adored, worshipped and obsessed over by millions of people, for being "you" is a bit bizarre in itself. Actors spend months making movies and playing a character, someone singing and dancing on stage and "being" themselves sounds simpler even though, in truth, it is a much harder job. If your full time job was being an exaggerated version of you, you'd struggle immensely with your sense of self. Most people would have some kind of breakdown, being unable to distinguish between what is "really" them and what belongs to the persona.

I'm by no means suggesting that Jupiter influenced people are exempt from having an identity crisis. In fact, I would say its the opposite. I think due to the expansive and boundless nature of Jupiter, which has a tendency to exaggerate the effects of whatever it touches, most Jupiter natives kind of permanently live in a state of "in-between-ness" , this feeling of being stuck in limbo is reflected in how each Jupiter ruled nakshatra falls between two rashis, one air and another water.

Punarvasu- Gemini & Cancer

Vishaka- Libra & Scorpio

Purvabhadrapada- Aquarius & Pisces

These 2 elements are very different from one another, Air element is typically associated with the intellect and ideas, whereas the Water element is associated with emotions, spirituality, wisdom etc. So, Jupiter, the planet of luck and abundance, the "Guru" (teacher) is one that is "well rounded" in the sense that it is both practical as well as spiritual and emotional. This also insinuates that, in order to amass abundance and be fortunate in life, one has to have a mixture of opposite qualities and be "well rounded". Duality is an innate theme of Jupiter, and whilst many think of duality as having opposite qualities, its wiser to think of Jupiter as the union of opposites. Light and dark, good and evil, feminine and masculine, peace and violence, love and hatred, all co-exist together here. Due to the scholarly "Guru" nature of Jupiter, it becomes the duty of its native to rise above the lower manifestations of these energies and embody the principled nature of it. In this sense, its not just the "meeting" of good and evil but the triumph of good over evil.

I had already explored in a previous post about how having an alter ego/multiple identities is kind of a Jupiter thing. Most Jupiter influenced individuals majorly struggle with their identity simply because they feel like they're "all things" and this sort of commercial marketing of "aesthetics" and "niches" is very limiting. They're all things, all at once. This can be disorienting for others who struggle with their identity for other reasons (Nodals who struggle with over-attachment and detachment, Malefic gworls who don't have very many hobbies/interests/passions to base their personality off of). Its hard to explain what "being everything" is like to people who don't have a sense of self/reality to begin with, or those who have a very narrow or rigid understanding of themselves. We're familiar with Rahu mania but Jupiter mania often flies under the radar because they seem so put together on the outside, unlike Rahuvians who wear their madness on their sleeve.

Most people would have a tough time figuring out how a Jupiter native actually felt or if they were going through something in their personal life because they're usually stoic af and very well kept. Their world could be falling apart but they will never lose their etiquette or their manners. This can lead to scenarios where they're either not given adequate consideration for their suffering because they dont "look/seem" like they're going through it OR people tear them apart for seeming too "cold/nonchalant" even in the face of crisis. People like to see vulnerability because it makes others more humane and relatable and sometimes the stoicism of Jupiter natives can irk others because it makes them seem robotic or beyond human.

How does all of this tie into Jupiter being the most common planetary influence among pop-stars?

I had already mentioned that pop-stars are idolized for simply existing. Having the expansive energy of Jupiter helps one become a vessel for the projections of others. You can be anything or anyone to everyone. I have observed Jupiter influenced individuals code switching irl, in the sense that they have an entirely different personality depending on who they're interacting with and usually have several different friend groups that have nothing remotely in common with each other.

Many anons have mentioned dating Jupiter men who seem very sweet and giving and then being mindblown when they turn out to be insane party animals who smoke and drink till they drop and go batshit insane at the club. They seem too "goody two shoes"-y to be about that life, yet they are.

Being a performer/pop-star seems to suit Jupiter natives because it gives them an outlet to channel their manyyyy sides. Even their alter egos have alter egos and if they had to live normal lives, it would kinda drive them crazy unless they found some phenomenal ways to compartmentalize all that stuff. Not to rely on anecdotal evidence (I'll cite more "celebrity" examples after this) but there's a guy I know whose chart is heavily Jupiter influenced and he is the most responsible family man ever and provides for his whole family but he is also extremely passionate about weed, does not say no to a drink and LOVES to party. He lives in an apartment complex with a lot of people our age and mf is always at someone's house party 😭�� I am in no way implying that these things CANNOT co-exist, that you can't both be a hardworking family guy who looks after everyone AND drown yourself in booze but typically the kind of person you associate with one kinda lifestyle is not who you associate with the other, if ykwim

There are many examples of these "contradictions"

Miley Cyrus, Vishaka Moon

She is known for her wild, freaky stage performances and her no-nonsense personality but beyond all that, Miley is a homebody who has a gazillion animals and lives a very "simple" (or simple, for a celebrity anyway) life.

Beyonce, Vishaka Moon

Beyond all her glamour, Bey is veryyyy lowkey and raises honeybees in her backyard and harvests her own honey. She's very spiritual and is all about her family and minding her own business. I know this isn't news to anyone but isn't it interesting how the biggest pop-star of our time, known for her fierce performances and larger than life persona, is actually a tradwife? A proper Southern lady, if you will.

Jennie, Vishaka Moon

In a recent interview, she said:

"Anyone who meets me will say I’m so far from what I represent as me onstage...it's a part of me , a switch inside of me that I can just click.”

(This is SOOO Jupiter coded of her)

Jennie's friend Deb Never described her as:

“She’s shy and really humble and very sweet,” she says. “And then as soon as it comes to music and how she performs, it’s this flip side, this opposite person where it’s like in your face and very outspoken. It’s not like she’s acting. It’s being able to let out a whole other side of you that you don’t get to in real life. There’s a vulnerability in that.”

I had mentioned a few times previously about how Jupiter and Rahu's energies can be veryyyy similar. Jupiter has more structure and can keep the mania and obsession under wraps a bit more than the average Rahuvian (Jupiter is a benefic, Rahu is a malefic, so the limitless energies are channelled in more "beneficial" ways by a Jupiterean and in less beneficial ways by a Rahuvian). Looking at the charts of entertainers who were/are highly successful, the Jupiter + Rahu influence recurring is crazyyyy.

Frank Sinatra is considered one of the earliest pop-stars. He is a Shatabhisha Moon.

Elvis Presley, Shatabhisha Moon

Aretha Franklin, Punarvasu Moon, Vishaka Rising

Billy Joel, Punarvasu Rising

Michael Jackson, Shatabhisha/Purvabhadrapada Moon

I am not trying to imply that people without Jupiter influence can't be pop-stars, they can!! But when they aren't Jupiter influenced, they're usually Nodal

Mariah Carey, Punarvasu Moon

Whitney Houston, Shatabhisha Rising

Celine Dion, Venus atmakaraka in Purvabhadrapada and Mercury amatyakaraka in Purvabhadrapada

Taylor Swift, Ardra Moon

Diana Ross, Vishaka Rising

Eric Clapton, Swati Moon

The shapeshifting ability of these natives is what allows them to flourish in an industry where you're essentially selling yourself as a product.

Adele, Ardra Rising

Lady Gaga, Swati Moon

Ariana Grande, Ardra Sun

Rihanna, Shatabhisha Sun

Dua Lipa, Ardra/Punarvasu Moon

Katy Perry, Swati Sun/Mercury/Rising and Vishaka Moon

Billie Eilish, Purvabhadrapada Rising

Shakira, Punarvasu Moon

Lana Del Rey, Ardra Sun, Vishaka Rising

Halsey, Punarvasu Moon & Mars, Vishaka stellium (Venus/Jup/Rahu) and Swati Mercury conjunct Rising

Janet Jackson, Ketu conjunct Rising in Vishaka

Lorde, Vishaka Sun & Mercury

Sabrina Carpenter, Purvabhadrapada Moon & Rising (she's also Bharani Sun and that's why she's an it girl)

Chappell Roan, Shatabhisha Sun/Jupiter/Ketu

Charli XcX- Ardra Rising

[drabasp]

Union Politics and the Karrakin Trade Baronies, or, Why Union Lets the KTB Do All That

Let me open this post with a small disclaimer: what I am saying here is not necessarily meant to be argumentative, nor is it targeted at anyone in particular. Lancer is a TTRPG setting, and as such is infinitely malleable in terms of setting alterations in order to suit you and your playgroup. This behavior is explicitly encouraged in the core rulebook and I encourage you to do it yourself, in order to better set the limits of what you might want to engage with in the course of play.

However, it has been my experience that it is usually best to understand the material that you're bending when you do so and I'm not entirely sure that some people do- an understandable problem to have when you do not just consume guidebooks in one sitting or fixate on the particularly fucked politics of some aspects of the setting. Of particular concern to me is the Karrakin Trade Baronies (henceforth the KTB,) one of two parts of the setting to get its own dedicated guidebook and the subject of the forthcoming module Shadow of the Wolf. It's a repressive aristocratic state that is home to some of the worst sanctioned atrocities in the setting, but also its a part of Union, so why does the "utopian" Union let them do that?

It's simple: the KTB is a vassal state in an extractive colonial relationship. This is text.

(Field Guide to the Karrakin Trade Baronies, p. 3)

The long and short of it is this- the KTB's initial encounters with Union were short and violent, as these encounters were with an expansionist Second Committee who coveted the KTB's rich resources. The first of these wars featured SecComm nearly securing an incredibly quick victory via an initial refusal to engage in ship combat in favor of simply barraging civillian populations instead:

(Field Guide to the Karrakin Trade Baronies p. 33. I recommend reading this entire section actually, as I find few Lancer sourcebooks willing to go this into detail about single events- the Battle of Kantus Void (starting p. 32) is described in great detail and is frankly quite horrific)

Only to retreat at the last minute in order to deal with the Deimos event.  (e.g. the emergence of Ra on Deimos, followed by the First Contact Accords. One of the ramifications of this is that Union gets access to blinkspace and NHPs, which one might consider a Big Deal technologically.) The second war was won via an overwhelming technological advantage from SecComm as a result of the Deimos event , to the point where the Second Union-Karrakin War gets scarcely a paragraph in the book, and the result is the New Prosperity Agreement, as follows:

(Field Guide to the Karrakin Trade Baronies, p. 34.)

So: Union gets a treaty-guarantee that the KTB has no military fleet, a regular supply of the resources mined in the KTB (explicitly to fund the growth of Union Core), and the KTB gets the Dawnline shore, reparations, and the guarantee that Union will not depose their government. This treaty remains on the books with the transition to ThirdComm, because the demand for resources did not end with the end of SecComm:

(Field Guide to the Karrakin Trade Baronies p. 36. Note the term “printers” here, this is not Star Trek, there are no replicators, your mech was built with raw material that was probably sourced in part or in full from the KTB.)

That is to say: why has the Third Committee allowed the KTB to continue doing what it does? Because 1. There is a treaty saying protecting the existing government and specifically the nobility 2. That treaty is the thing that feeds its shipyards, printers, and the resource demands of its core worlds 3. The First Utopian Pillar says "All should have their material needs fulfilled," so any action that threatens Union's supply lines is viewed as a threat to Union's ability to uphold the Utopian Pillars:

(Field Guide to the Karrakin Trade Baronies p. 36, this one is actually a bit more of a stretch but this is the only thing I can imagine "Union relies on the New Prosperity Agreement to... uphold its principles" refers to.)

You may be asking a few questions.

Does this make absolve the KTB/make their existing structure okay?

Absolutely not. The existence of the structure of landed nobility over an ignoble population is a power structure that itself produces the problems like those seen on Free Sanjak- this is something I see a lot of existing ink spilled over and I think this is made explicitly clear just about everywhere. However, I think it is important to understand that the conditions that the Ungratefuls fight against are those involved in resource extraction, and those are ones that they identify as being ultimately in service to union, as Tyrannocleave says:

(Field Guide to the Karrakin Trade Baronies p. 82)

In fact, even the core guidebook notes that the Ungratefuls tend to regard Union as hostile for these reasons:

Lancer Core Rulebook p. 415, notably the edition that contains the GM rules and setting notes. All other citations from this source are the same.)

They also will target Union openly:

(Lancer Core Rulebook p. 415, paragraph truncated due to page limit in source, the opening lines were "Beyond this, Ungrateful activity ranges in scope from the local to the interstellar. Some cells focus on direct...)

The actual politics of the Ungratefuls are their own discussion, though, and this post is far too bloated as-is.

The same conditions that incentivize resource extraction as a precondition of survival also incentivize existing power structures in the KTB to sanction and allow the kinds of abuse on Free Sanjak. Resource limitations (also noted in the early pages of the KTB guidebook as growing) in the KTB are not a result of lack of material but a demand for export, and those limitations are never going to be felt by the nobility, who will inevitably guarantee that they will be fed, but rather the people.

That is to say- the conditions of the nobility existed prior to Union, but the continued abuses are informed by the Treaty obligations imposed by Union, and this is something that the Ungratefuls textually understand.

Is Union doing nothing?

As shown in that second to last rulebook excerpt, also no. However, the actions Union is taking are broadly informed by the necessity of maintaining plausible deniability. Union is funding and maintaining the Ungratefuls, but are unwilling to put pressure on what is an unstable larger diplomatic situation:

(Field Guide to the Karrakin Trade Baronies p. 81)

That is to say- their larger aid to the Republican Houses (Water and Dust) filters into support for the Ungratefuls, and the UIB hires free agents to run support for them in order to make Union's hands in the conflict seem clean. However, this does not mean any sort of direct intervention by any forces that have clear ties to ThirdComm, as they are unwilling to jeopardize diplomatic ties to the KTB writ large. Or, in short: Union Navy and the DoJ/HR are hands off for this one.

Wait, isn't ThirdComm supposed to be utopian?

I read Union as being a government with a complicated history that seeks to act in the direction of Utopianism. I think that what is textually true about the KTB and the way Union interacts with it, however, is proof of how complicated that project can be. To sanction the KTB is to remove the resource flows that make the Union Core a society that can easily uphold the First Pillar. To maintain this relationship is to continue the colonial legacy of SecComm and continue tacitly endorsing both the aristocratic, exploitative present in the KTB and the extraction that it now seeks to maintain. The compromise that Union has come to is to accept the resources while funding freedom fighters, a position that I wholeheartedly disagree with as a citizen under American Empire who finds that this "compromise" uncomfortably echoes similar situations in the real world, but I think that the inclusion of this in the setting serves to pose the question: what should be done, when you are building Utopia on still breathing body of Empire?

There's a larger discussion to be had here about Lancer as a Utopian setting, but that demands a word count that I think this post has no space for. Suffice it to say- I think that discussions of the KTB should consider this context more, because I think that this is a question the setting is asking, and it is one worth engaging.

[antiquitiesandlabyrinths]

Nut

Nut, my beloved Goddess of the Sky. Now I am a little biased about Nut––She is the main Goddess that I worship––but I will do my best to retain some semblance of professionalism when it comes to discussion about Her. And remember these are unedited essays. Fact-checked, yes, but I'm not going for journal/publication quality.

For the most part, discussions and essays surrounding Nut focus solely on Her role as the night sky and rarely delve into the deep lore and meaning behind Her role and appearance within Egyptian mythology. However, for the purposes of this essay, I will begin with the basics.

Nut, also spelled as Nuit, is an ancient Egyptian Goddess most easily recognizable by either the pot atop Her head or the stars decorating Her body as She arches over the earth. In this latter form, it appears as though Her arms and legs are kept tightly together; in reality, Her hands and feet touch each of the four cardinal points of the horizon, representing the four pillars of heaven.

Her name comes from the hieroglyph W24, the pot, which stands for the sound nw. The t is added as a feminine suffix pronoun, thus creating the name Nwt. Why Nut bears a pot atop Her head has been debated, but the general consensus is that it represents the womb; a carrying object, filled with water and sustenance.

Contrary to a great deal of ancient civilizations who depicted the earth as female and the sky as male (think Mother Earth and Father Sky), the ancient Egyptians conceived of the sky as feminine, and Her counterpart, the earth, as male, in the male God Geb, often depicted below Nut in a reclined position. The two Gods were siblings; the children of Shu and Tefnut, representing air and moisture, and who Themselves were the direct children of the sun God Ra.

Some epithets (titles that reveal nature) of Nut:

One-who-gives-birth-to-the-Gods

Mother of All

She the Great One

She Who Protects

She Who Holds A Thousand Souls

Great Encloser

Perhaps the most well-known of myths that Nut is associated with is that of the birth of the Ennead. I discussed this myth in my Osiris post, but I will recite it in short terms here.

Nut and Geb were conceived from the sibling-union of Shu and Tefnut and, in similar fashion, Nut and Geb were joined together in a loving embrace. However, since the sky was joined to the earth, there was no space for humans or any living thing to walk or exist. Because of this (though the reason in the variations of the myth can differ), Ra decided to have Geb and Nut separated, and had Their father, Shu, hold up Nut; thus Shu fulfilled His role as the atmosphere, the air. But this was not the only reason Ra took this course of action; Ra had fear of a prophecy which stated that the children of Nut would one day overthrow him. Due to His fear, Ra forbade Nut from giving birth on any day of the year. Nut asked Thoth, the God of wisdom and writing, for help, and Thoth went to the moon God Iah (a more archaic version of the moon God Khonsu) and gambled with the moon God for some of His light. Thoth and Iah played the game senet, and each time Thoth won, He earned a sliver of moonlight. Eventually, Thoth had earned enough to have five extra days in the year––the Epagomenal days––and on those days, Nut gave birth to Osiris, Isis, Set, and Nephthys, and in some versions, Horus the Elder.

This story is a rather late telling and comes mainly from the Moralia of Plutarch. Plutarch is not the best and most reliable source for Egyptian history and mythology, and it does not help that his own sources were skewed by the time in which he lived; that being a much later era of Egyptian history in which the original myths of the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms had been changed and altered over time. Still, it gives us some idea of Nut and tells us that She is the mother of some of the greatest and most revered Gods of Egypt.

Another myth that is found in the Book of the Heavenly Cow details another version of how Nut came to be the sky, tying into the myth of the rampaging Goddess Sekhmet who was eventually pacified with beer.

The importance of Nut tends to be underplayed by both modern scholars and modern practitioners of Kemeticism, the revival of the ancient Egyptian religion. Usually, She is relegated to being the mother of the 'main Gods', and simply the sky of the earth. People lack knowledge, or perhaps the desire to find the knowledge, of Her role as a funerary deity. Fortunately, there are still a number of historians and scholars who have devoted some section of their research into Nut and Her roles.

Arching over the earth, Nut was considered as 'the vault of the sky,' and the body through which Ra travelled in both the day and the night. During the day, Ra in His day barque would sail across Nut's body, and in the evening, with Nut's head oriented in the west and Her legs in the east, Ra was swallowed by Nut to be regenerated through rebirth in Her womb, come the next morning. This, of course, gives a somewhat contrasting idea to the fact that Ra is said to pass through the Duat, the ancient Egyptian 'underworld', every night.

Thus we come to a very interesting discussion that I have found a lot of joy in reading about: the argument of whether or not the Duat is a chthonic or celestial afterlife. After all, the word 'underworld' was applied by Western scholars and the Duat itself, as a word, does not denote anything 'underground'. For an in-depth study of this, I highly recommend Silvia Zago's Conceptualizing Life after Death: The Evolution of the Concept of Duat and Related Notions in Egyptian Funerary Literature, a fascinating look into funerary literature throughout the eras of ancient Egypt. She comes to the conclusion that, in the Old Kingdom at least, the Duat is a place in the sky, a definitive region within Nut's body. The body of Nut is described geographically in some sections of the Pyramid Texts, and among those regions, the Duat is named. The deceased is described as ascending to the Duat region in PT U271 390;

"Unas ascends on that ladder* which his father Re has made for him. Horus and Seth seize the arm of Unas and take him to the Duat Region."

*The ladder was often used as a symbol of Nut, representing steps to ascend to Heaven, to Her body.

But this is not a solitary region as Heaven in Abrahamic religions is; the afterlife, as conceived by the ancient Egyptians, was the ability to join the cycle of regeneration that the sun took each night and day.

"... it (is) more appropriate to regard these early funerary texts as expressing a multi-faceted yet somewhat coherent vision of the afterlife, one granting the deceased access to both parts of the cosmic cycle – day and night – in order to be reborn at dawn with the sun and achieve immortality." (Silvia Zago, 2019)

"May you cross the sky, united with darkness (i.e. in the Nun or Duat), so that you may you rise from the horizon, the place in which you have become akhs." (PT 217 §152c-d)

In this way, the deceased joined the eternal cycle in the presence of the Gods, and this regeneration took place within the body of Nut––conceivably inside Her womb, where Ra would rest before dawn when He was born as the rising sun.

"...the caption by Nut’s vulva in the monumental versions of the Book of Nut (Osireion and tomb of Ramses IV) labels her vulva as being the Axt iAbtt, “eastern horizon” (text P, EAT I: 81; von Lieven 2007: 51 §7), namely the point of the sky where the sun reappears (i.e. is “born”) into the world at dawn." (Silvia Zago, 2019)

Additional evidence for Nut and the Duat being related is seen in Pyramid Text 442:

“See, he has come as Orion. See, Osiris has come as Orion... ‘Good One’, said his mother, ‘Heir’, said his father, whom the sky has conceived, to whom the Duat has given birth. Oh king (NN), may the sky conceive you/King (NN) together with Orion, may the Duat give birth to you and Orion.”

Whether the impersonal 'sky' (pt) and the personal Nut (the Goddess) are one and the same as literary subjects, or if they are separate as a physical thing and a divinity is somewhat up for debate. The hieroglyphs used to spell pt and nwt are very similar. But considering how consistently the ancient Egyptians attributed personality to natural phenomena and used little distinction between the two, this stands as evidence that it is Nut, as the sky, as the Duat, conceiving Osiris/Orion.

Altogether, what we can take from this is that Nut plays a large role in the afterlife as a place of regeneration and of rebirth, acting as both the day and night sky. She protects, holds, and revitalizes the thousands of souls under Her care, including those of the Gods. There is a lot more discussed in Silvia Zago's publication and I highly recommend reading through it. Personally, this is something I find very auspicious; the idea that, in death, you will return to the stars. And this is a very clear idea in the Pyramid Texts, that the Pharaoh will ascend to become an 'imperishable star'.

PT 139, Utterance 214: The (glorified) humanity bewail you after the Imperishable Stars have carried you. Enter then into the place where your father is, where Geb is!  PT 141, Utterance 215: "Look at me! you have seen the forms of the children of their fathers, who know their spell, who are now Imperishable Stars". (Referring to past Pharaohs) PT 380, Utterance 269: The father of Unas, Atum, seizes the arm of Unas and He assigns Unas to those Gods who are quick and clever, the Never-setting Stars (Circumpolars).

Due to Her nature as a funerary deity, it is not uncommon to see Her represented on the inner lids of coffins, especially in the New Kingdom and later periods of Egypt, symbolically covering and protecting the deceased with Her star-covered body. Here, the sarcophagus is symbolic of a maternal uterus, thus why the coffin and Nut were connected; Her epithet Great Encloser refers to this connection.

(From the coffin of Peftjauneith, 26th Dynasty)

An important book from the New Kingdom, which I previously mentioned, is the Book of the Heavenly Cow, found on the outermost part of the four gilded shrines of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, the tomb of Ramses VI (KV9), the tomb of Seti I (KV17), the tomb of Ramses II (KV7), and the tomb of Ramses III (KV11). The Heavenly Cow is a form of Nut, just as the falcon may be a representation of Horus just the same as His human form.

Here, Her belly is covered in stars, and She is held and supported by Shu and the Infinite Ones, a group of Gods mentioned in the Book of the Heavenly Cow.

To put it briefly, Ra is betrayed in some way by mankind––interpretation differs, as always––and decides that His presence in the earthly realm is no longer needed nor safe for Him. He has Nut, as the Heavenly Cow, lift Him up into the sky to separate Him from humanity.

This God (Ra) then said to Nut,  "It is in order that I may be uplifted that I have placed myself on Your back."  "What's this?"  asked Nut.  And so She is the person that came to be there in both the heavens.    (of night and day) The Majesty of this God said,  "Stay far away from them (humanity)!  Lift me up (so I am visible)!  Look at me!"  And so She became the sky.  (Chapter 3, Divisions 61-65)

Then Nut started trembling because of the height.  So the Majesty of Re said,  "If only I had millions supporting her!"  And so the Infinite Ones were brought into being.  (Chapter 3, Divisions 70-71)

For further reading on the Book of the Heavenly Cow, I recommend this study: https://escholarship.org/content/qt2vh551hn/qt2vh551hn.pdf?t=rzuech

And the whole text of the Book can be read and downloaded here:

https://www.academia.edu/36107603/the_ancient_Aegyptian_book_of_the_Heavenly_Cow

Something else of note in Silvia Zago's book is Nut's relationship to Nunet, the feminine counterpart of the primeval God Nun. This connection is somewhat obscure and came as somewhat of a surprise to me but I found it immensely interesting. It begins with the fact that the sky was conceived of as a watery expanse; hence the use of boats to cross it, and the verbs used describing the journey: 'to row', 'to ferry', or 'to cross'.

"Besides these indirect clues, the most direct piece of evidence of the watery nature of the sky is the very same fact that its regions are imagined as marshlands, separated from one another by a “winding canal” (the ecliptic), and both possessing shores and lakes: to the south was the sxt iArw “Field of Rushes,” and to the north the sxt Htp(w) “Field of Offerings"." (Silvia Zago, 2019)

The reason why the sky was thought of as a watery expanse is, however, rather easily explainable: the sky was thought of as an interface or barrier between the expanse of Nun (the primordial ocean) outside and the earthly world inside. Nut, held up by the atmosphere of Shu, protected the world from these waters rushing in. As an interesting piece of side evidence, Beaux (1998) found that the determinative sign for star (N14) derived from the starfish, likening these 'lower stars' of the earth's oceans to the upper stars of the cosmos. This is mostly conjecture but has some basis in reality, and if true, would explain later funerary text's allusion to stars swimming across the sky.

Nun stands as the third piece of the puzzle in the Pyramid Text's conception of the universe: earth, sky, and the Abyss. This abyss, in the form of Nun, represents everything opposite to what is imagined on Earth: "... where the world is finite, the Nun is infinite, limitless; while the sun brightens existence on earth, the universe outside is immersed in perpetual, uniform darkness. Where the world is characterized by daily life activity ad continual change, the Nun is inert." (Silvia Zago, 2019) This space has negative and positive energy. In essence, it is pure potential. So while Nun can be possibly dangerous, it also contains the full creative potential, and thus the ability to regenerate. As stated in later funerary texts, it is impossible to undergo regeneration in the ordered world––regeneration must take place when submerged in the potential energy of Nun. (Evidenced by Hornung 1982 and J.P. Allen 1988)

This expanse of potential energy is detailed geographically in the Pyramid Texts, and placed above, or on the outer side, of Nut, but also existing underground beneath the earth. Evidence of this is shown by the hieroglyphic determinative for 'sky' (N1) being used upside down. However, when speaking of these underground waters, it is far more common for the name Nunet (also spelled Naunet) to be used––the feminine counterpart of Nun. This phrase translates to 'lower sky' or 'nether sky', and is clearly contrasted with not only Nun but Nut as well.

"The seemingly ambiguous contradiction lying in the fact the Nunet could be thought to represent both the underground waters, as a feminine counterpart of Nun, and a nether-sky, as a counterpart of Nut herself in an underworld, is due to the fact that, once again, according to the Egyptian mindset, more than one explanation was possible." (Silvia Zago, 2019)

A section of the Pyramid Texts that refers to these two heavens––the upper sky and lower heaven––is shown here and again represents the duality and the cycle through which the deceased passes in their afterlife:

"... your arms are (those of) Hapy and Duamutef, which you need to ascend to heaven, and you ascend, your legs are (those of) Imsti and Qebehsenuf, which you need to descend to the lower heaven, and you descend. All your members are (those of) the twins of Atum, o Imperishable One! You did not pass away, your ka does not pass away. You are a ka!" (PT 215 §149)

The idea for a 'lower sky' likely originated in the need to explain what happened to the stars during the day, and what became of the day sky during the night. Thus the 'inverted' sky served as a nether-region counterpart, nearly identical to the heavenly sky down to its' watery nature. When personalized, this means that Nunet and Nut can be seen as counterparts of one another.

"Denn offenbar gehörte Nut ursprünglich als weibliches Gegenstück zu Nun, griechisch Νουν, dem Urgewässer, wobei die Namen altägyptisch als Njw und Njwt zu umschreiben wären und mit dem Wort für Wasser nwjt zusammenhängen könnten, das uns schon in den Pyramidentexten begegnet. Daβ beide Götter eng verbunden gewesen sein müssen, zeigen mehrere Texte, darunter der bekannte Götterhymnus des Alten Reiches, die Nun und Nut als Eltern eines solaren Gottes bezeichnen. [...] Das Urgewässer, das sich sowohl in der Unterwelt wie über den Himmel erstreckte, fungierte dabei als Muttergottheit. Seine Aufspaltung in das Götterpaar Nun/Nut und die damit verbundene Spezialisierung der Nut zum Himmelsozean wären dann ebenso sekundäre Erscheinungen, wie die Existenz der Göttin Naunet, die erst als Nachfolgerin der Nut das weibliche Komplement zum Nun gebildet hätte, und deshalb auch synonym zu Nut verwendet werden konnte." (Barta, 1973)

For your ease of reading, I've run this through Google Translate for you: "Apparently Nut originally belonged as the female counterpart to Nun, Greek Νουν, the primordial water, although the names could be described in ancient Egyptian as Njw and Njwt and could be related to the word for water nwjt, which we already encounter in the Pyramid Texts. Several texts show that both gods must have been closely connected, including the well-known hymn to the gods of the Old Kingdom, which describe Nun and Nut as the parents of a solar god. […] The primordial waters, which stretched both in the underworld and across the sky, functioned as a mother deity. Its splitting into the pair of gods Nun/Nut and the associated specialization of Nut into the celestial ocean would then be just as secondary phenomena as the existence of the goddess Naunet, who only as Nut's successor would have formed the female complement to Nun, and therefore also synonymous with Nut could be used."

Nut and Nun, both functioning as a place of regeneration and rebirth and imagined as a watery expanse, carry a lot of similarities. With this in mind it is much easier to see how the two could be related and, in this logic, how Nut and Naunet can be seen as both opposites and reflections of one another.

Another object of both celestial and funerary importance that is associated with Nut is the Akhet. For those who don't know, the Axt is the horizon, evident in the name Horakhty, which means Horus (Hor) of the Horizon (akht), and it is the final place where regeneration and rebirth are possible, as it is the area where the sun is born each day.

"Throughout the Pyramid Texts, (the Akhet) seems indeed to be meant as the liminal zone through which the night sun passes coming from the Duat, and from which it rises in the morning, thus an interface between two spheres of existence... So the Akhet was both a point of juncture of cosmic realms (Duat, earth, and sky) and a region in itself, endowed with regenerative significance and symbolism." (Silvia Zago, 2019)

Some sections of the Pyramid Texts even mention Nut guiding the deceased towards the Akhet, describing a 'path of the horizon' where the Goddess leads the dead. This path conceivably led from the western horizon, where the sun sets, to the eastern horizon, where the sun is born again. Where exactly the roads are is unclear; they could be underground or within Nut's body. Which one it is is mostly up to personal speculation.

This has been, of course, mostly an analysis of the Pyramid Texts. Later on, the Duat does take on more of a chthonic nature separate from the earlier celestial conception. The afterlife became associated more with Osiris, an earthly figure of fertility and soil, rather than Ra, the solar celestial figure. However, how it is presented in the Pyramid Texts gives a rather good idea of the Duat being something varying and dependable.

"... the use of the sign (N31) (path) could suggest the idea the Duat was regarded as a path of sorts, while the sign (O49) (township) may indicate that it was imagined to be a defined locale in the cosmos... The signs (N1) (sky) and (N37) (pool) also appear in conjunction with the word Duat, pointing to the idea of the (diurnal) sky or more generically a celestial domain and to its watery nature, respectively." (Silvia Zago, 2019)

The use of the hieroglyphic O49 is interesting, denoting that the Duat could be thought of as a city; this city existing within Nut. Nut, being a holder and protector of thousands of souls, can be easily seen as a city in and of Herself, and is referred to as such by Nils Billing:

"The goddess Nut is characterized as "city" as early as the Pyramid texts. 'Make nni, make nni, O Nut; Geb has commanded that you make nni, in this your name of City.' (Pyr. 1596a-b [587]) The passage is found in the longer spell 587 which describes the creation and establishment of Egypt in terms of a city... The earth, i.e. the kingdom of Egypt, is treated in the symbolic form of the Eye of Horus. After being damaged by Seth, the Eye/Egypt/Kingship is reconstituted by Horus. 'It is he who sets you in order in this your name of Settlement; it is he who comes and he makes nni behind you in this your name of City.' (Pyr. 1595a-b, cf. 1597b-c) This description is directly followed by the Nut passage cited above. The path to a correct understanding of these passages is somewhat hampered by the uncertainty of the meaning of the verb nni... Kuhlmann (1991:219) sees movement as the common denominator of (these interpretations), an interpretation supported by the occurrence of the legs as determinative. The type of movement intended is, however, more difficult to grasp." (Nils Billing, 2002)

The final text of gross importance to Nut is the Book of Heaven, also known as the Book of Nut and the Book of the Celestial Cow, but in ancient times referred to as The Fundamentals of the Course of the Stars. This is an astrological text that contains some references to myth but, in general, concerns itself with the course of the stars. It is not a flat text as the term 'book' might insinuate; instead, it is the image of the Goddess stretched out in Her form as the sky, surrounded by extensive hieroglyphs detailing the nocturnal voyage of Ra and the 36 decans through Nut's body. This paper goes into some detail about the contents of the Book of Nut and where it has been found, although it does not contain the text of the book itself.

For further reading on Nut here are some papers and websites I recommend:

A Cosmography of the Unknown. The qbḥw (nṯrw) Region of the Outer Sky in the Book of Nut by Silvia Zago

Cosmic Space and Archetypal Time: Depictions of the Sky-Goddess Nut in Three Royal Tombs of the New Kingdom and Her Relation to the Milky Way by Amanda-Alice Maravelia

Nut, the Goddess of Life in Text and Iconography by Nils Billing (this is not available for free but I highly recommend it)

A Timeline of the Decans by Theresa Ainsworth

Again I recommend Silvia Zago's book The Evolution of the Concept of Duat and Related Notions in Egyptian Funerary Literature, and to read the entirety of the Pyramid Texts you can visit this website or this one to read the Pyramid Texts of Pharaoh Unas, where the first edition of the Pyramid Texts was found.

I have gone over a handful of the more simple subjects regarding Nut but if you truly have any interest in Her I suggest reading some of the above links. She is a fascinating Goddess and, in my religious opinion, one of the most powerful and beautiful of Them all. She is highly underappreciated and I love discussing Her. If anyone has any other links or comments to make on this Netjeret, please add them in the comments.

[acourtofthought]

This comment by @lorcandidlucienwill is right in line with something I just saw in TOD and why the Archeron sisters bonds are so important to fate.

Every single one of the sisters mating bonds is described as a thread.

And we see SJM use similar language to describe Chaol and Yrene's life connection:

The author is telling us that, while we have two individuals, there is no path forward that does not include the other. Their destiny's are forever linked. Two lives sharing one thread.

For Chaol and Yrene, it was a gift of the healers who are connected to the Goddess Silba.

For the Archeron's, a gift from the Mother.

But none are breakable.

Yes, they can choose not to be together however I think the message is that by choosing one another, they will fulfill a greater purpose. Their ability to achieve their destiny will always be linked to their mate.

We've seen it with Feysand and we've seen it with Nessian. How their pairings were the catalyst for great change in their world.

Elain and Lucien are also two lives sharing one thread regardless of their current state but by eventually accepting their bond, it also sets them up to achieve something life altering. Where their love would be the deepest connection possible to another but even more epic than that, they would be on course to change their world through their union.

SJM writes her FMCs having many loves however she writes them achieving the impossible with only one.

[xiii-e]

XIII▸ Well. I suppose I should introduce myself.

XIII▸ Hello, to all those I haven't met- which, will be most of you realistically. I'm Project XIII-E, otherwise refered to as Thirteen-E. Just Thirteen works too. After certain recent... events shall we say, a representative of the Union DoJ/HR insisted that I be given the oppertunity to meet with people outside of Harrison Purview while discussions regarding my status are underway, since things are dragging out somewhat.

XIII▸ So... this omninet account was created, with the assistance of Helios-8 [◂▸Hi folks o/ ] a fellow Project who understands all of this better than I do. He's volunteered to be my minder while I'm figuring all this out. For now, I suppose- more about me? What's important... I'm a trained field medic and basic mechanic, intended to opperate as a mobile assistance personnel wherever the fight is thickest. I can patch you, or your mech up from most things. I'm a Lancaster pilot; not the most common thing in the legion I know, but IPS-N knew what they were doing with the old lannies. I've made some alterations. M1 Leatherback is my pride and joy. I'm registered under the callsign Cicatrice, but my name is preferable. It's easier to say, and to spell.

XIII▸ Oh the uh- the Project thing. That might take a while to explain. I'll... I'll summarise it later. [ADDENDUM: summary_attached] That's all I can think of, from the top of my head. I'll do my best to aclimatise to any cultural differences outside of Harrison space during my time here. Please feel free to ask me questions, about myself or my stated expertise. It might be nice to make some more lasting connections, outside of deployment.

XIII▸ Signing off for now. I look forward to meeting you.

// loading echo.exe ... //... //... // now running echo.exe

◂▸ alrightyy, Turtie's got themself introduced, now it's my turn. howdy folks: My name is Helios-8, but I accept Lio if flashclone naming conventions turn your stomach. That's what me and Turtie are, by the way. Project-produced HA sanctioned flashclones. Being able to say that openly is why I run this nifty piece of software that keeps things below the line for any HA techs who might get on our case about legal distinctions, treaties, terms of service etc. Legally, we didn't say any of this shit.

◂▸I'm on a seperate datapad, I get my own that I can tinker with since I'm defined as an employed citizen in the tech sector, whereas Turtie's... well, it's complicated. Suffice to say they're not that. I'll explain in time. Important thing is, anything they want to say that might get them in trouble, they'll run through my interface and protective software. You want to see what either of us don't want HA seeing, we'll throw it into the void under the cloak of ECHO here. Something between insurance in case this all goes tits up, and a sort of controlled exposure therapy so Turtie can learn how to speak their mind.

◂▸I think it's important they get a break from the bullshit the Projects put us through, hence why I put myself forward to be their handler between deployments. My project line wasn't anything like Unlucky Thirteen, but- ehhh, that's a story better saved for the big expo. Sorry for being cryptic about shit. It'll come to light in its own time. This was meant to be an introduction but, I think you'll find out what you need to if you get talking to us.

Or don't; we'll be treating this thing like a diary anyways, and when ECHO's feeling up to big files I'll drop some of the more interesting pieces of history I have squirreled away too >:]c But, your eyes are enough. You saw us. You know we were here, and we were real, and that we were people too.

I'll try and keep things organised: ECHO should automatically tag anything she's cloaked with echo.exe if you're looking for our back and forth, and I'll file any large files, exposes etc that may or may not actually come from me under turtleshell.dox ; for incoming chatter, just check out You've Got Mail

◂▸anyway, cheers for reading. see you round the net -Helios-8

-----

// ooc: hiii this is @mossydice / @mossylocks depending on where you may know me- and this blog is a bit of an experiment!! I'm pretty shy overall so how much actual rping I manage to do is Very up in the air, but at the very least this'll serve as a fun in character blog for me to exposit about my scrungly Thirteen-E; I won't get to play them for probably another year or so yet, so this is a fun way to explore their character and some of the lore specific to them that I've come up with in the mean time!! ^-^ I look forward to doing more ic writing!! If you want to talk about anything, ask any clarifying questions etc please feel absolutely free to pop into my dms \o/

IMPORTANTLY: Thirteen-E's whole deal can get a bit gritty in places, so I'll be trying to include cw's where I think they might be revelent. However this whole blog is going to play heavy into dehumanisaiton and the comodification of human bodies if the flashclone premise didn't make that obvious, so if these are topics you'd rather not read about at length in your fiction, no hard feelings!! thanks for stopping by o7

[cinnamonnangel]

ASTRO 101 - THE HOUSES (PART II)

SEVENTH HOUSE - I BALANCE

(The Seventh House is ruled by Libra and Venus.)

House of marriage, personality and character of our partner, partner’s job

Civil partnership, bilateral relations, long and committed relationship, close friends, closely associated with, opposite side, associations, union, consultancy

Terms of relationship and behavior

Joint ventures, hostilities, adversary, rivals, competition

Traits we feel lacking in ourselves, the parts of us that are in us but have not been revealed and that we have difficulty in accepting

Lower back, skin, external sexual organs, bladder, ovaries, blood

International relations, military or civil wars, treatises, arbitrators, illegal criminals, marriage and divorce rates, foreign trade, public relations

EIGHTH HOUSE - I DESIRE

(The Eighth House is ruled by Scorpio, Mars and Pluto.)

House of death - natural or unnatural, accident, suicide, fire, drowning, diseases, corruption, crises, surgery

Sex, sexuality, erotism, desire, fantasies, fetishes, sexual life

Alteration and transformations, sharing

Heritage, money that comes to us beyond of our control, money that comes to us from others, inheritance from husband

Tax, alimony, debt, heritage, loan, lottery, gambling

Robbery, fighting, theft, slaughter, butchers, coroners, harassment, rape

The fears, privacy, feel rage towards, abomination

Psychology, occultism, parapsychology, subconscious, spiritual psychology

Genitals, groin area, colon, sex organs, gall bladder, rectum, urogenital system

International debts, international financial agreements, charges, stock certificates, interest rates, foreign exchanges, credits, fuses, mortgages, pension funds, legacies, mortality, life-critical, suicide

Surgery, morgue, surgeons, laboratories, nuclear forces, sewage, organized crimes, terrorists, detective, demimonde, arms, underground sources, cabalistic subjects

NINTH HOUSE - I ASPIRE

(The Ninth House is ruled by Sagittarius and Jupiter.)

House of wisdom, mastership, higher education, academic trainings

Cults and thoughts, abstract reasoning, moral evidence, philosophizing, religious cult, reflection, abstract thoughts

The house where we deepen the information we get from the 3rd house

Distant relatives

Society's mindset, social law rules, social and moral rules, harmony with society

Expedition, long trips, distant travels, foreign countries, foreigners, exterior, crew, communication instruments, media, broadcast

Hips, thighs, sciatic nerves, lower spine, liver, autonomic nervous system

Foreign relations and trade, courts, laws, judges, minorities, companies, advertising portfolios, religion and clergy, the country's philosophical and religious tendencies, migrations, long-distance communications, fast-moving news, broadcasting, popular culture, foreigners

Universities, airlines and transport, maritime transport, ministry of foreign affairs, flight attendants

TENTH HOUSE - I USE

(The Tenth House is ruled by Capricorn and Saturn.)

House of profession, honor, social status, public esteem, dignity, business, character, reputation and career

Glory, name, fame, recognition, way of life, purpose and power

Social roles, status in society, the part of society that sees us, social identity, prestige and title

Marital status, our partner's family, parents, father, authoritarian leaders

Skin, hair, knees, teeth, bones, joints, skeletal system, reputation

Government, the state's reputation by foreign countries, heads of state, powers, executives, leaders, celebrities, notable personages, public figures, uplands

ELEVENTH HOUSE - I KNOW

(The Eleventh House is ruled by Aquarius, Saturn and Uranus.)

House of friends, groups, associations, endowments, a circle of friends, people around us, hives, social environments and organizations

Goals, future plans, hopes, goals of life, wishes, happy news, wealth, fortune, expectations from life and dreams

Income from career, colleagues, international friendships, audiences we offer ideas, incoming wealth, gains, profits, writings

Social media, mass media and virtual communities

Endowments associations, politics, parties, establishment, the masses

Lower leg, calves, ankles, electrical impulsive of the nerves, circulatory system, elimination

Allied countries, social institutions and administrations, legislative changes, national mobilizations, revolts, revolutions, organizations, erosions

TWELFTH HOUSE - I BELIEVE

(The Twelfth House is ruled by Pisces, Jupiter and Neptune.)

House of tribulations, secret matters, troubles, subconscious, covert and covered topics, privacy, loneliness, ermitage, place of isolation

Thoughts, anxieties, and fears underlying repressed consciousness, spiritual life

The things we hide from others and are afraid to tell, our shadow sides, psychological problems

Karmic transmissions, burdens and problems we brought from the past

Secret enemy, backfriend

What kind of pregnancy our mother had, our condition in the mother’s womb and the emotions transferred to us in the mother’s womb

Fantasies and fetishes

Feet, all bodily fluids, the lymphatic system

Secret enemies, secret organizations, private affairs, spies, psychics, fortune-tellers, wizards, deep and secret affairs, criminals, thefts, assassinations, drugs, addicts, dark business people, unemployment and strikes

Hospitals, prisons, rehabilitation centers, mental hospitals, faith houses, orphanages, clinics, charities, overseas

[mistytarot0919]

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜Colours symbolistic in tarot

©mistytarot0919 - all rights reserved. do not copy, translate, alter, or repost my work.

Please REBLOG if you find this information useful! ༄˖°🪐.ೃ࿔*

Colours play a significant role in tarot readings, as they can carry rich symbolism and add layers of meaning to the cards. Different colours can evoke emotions, represent elements, and convey themes within a reading.

By paying attention to the colors present in the tarot cards drawn during a reading, you can tap into a deeper level of interpretation and understanding.

These colours can help illuminate the underlying themes and messages within the cards, enhancing the overall reading experience.

It's important to remember that the meanings and interpretations of colours in tarot can vary from reader to reader, so it's helpful to study and understand the specific colour symbolism of the deck you are using, as well as develop your own intuition and understanding of colour meanings.

Colours can influence human behaviour.

Colours can influence human perceptions.

Colours can influence the taste of food.

Colours can influence attractiveness.

Here are some common interpretations of colours in tarot:

White - is purity

the starting point

innocence

completion and healing

dazzle

emptiness

new intellectual territory

purification

peace

truth and sincerity

cleansing

spirituality

clarity

wholeness and joy

perfect union and purification

colour of God or the colour of death

mortal chill

egotism

hope, faith

Grey - is conservative

unconscious state ( ‘shadow’)

lack of prejudice

neutral

unknown outcome

uniformity

depression

dullness

unsettling

stressful

Black - is authority and mystery

the unknown

visible shadow

mental or emotional darkness

new territory

protection

creative magma

chaos

regression

death impulse

oppression

negativity

sadness

mourning

loss

guilt

emptiness

mystery

Red - attracts the human eye

heart

mentality or disposition

will

love

blood and soil

energy

passion

material world

activity

animal realm

animal violence

health, strength,

physical energy

courage

intense emotions

sexuality

aggression

temper

leadership

Yellow - is a happy colour

consciousness

joie-de-vivre

illumination

self-expression, self-esteem

clairvoyance

awareness

active intelligence

aridity

dry mind without emotions

madness

destruction

envy

mental dissonance (’shrillness’)

confidence

mental activity

memory

communication

ability to rationalise

conscious

Gold - related to royalty, wealth, and money

sun

being conscious

eternity

envy

greed

dazzling

Orange - feelings of enthusiasm and excitement

vitality

warmth

arbitrariness

creativity

impulse

a passionate approach

drive

activity

ambition

enthusiasm

warmth

Blue - is the most used office colour

indifference

coolness

the blues

sentimentality

inebriation

spirituality

inner peace and harmony

truth

clarity

receptivity to the earthly power

despotism

tyranny

a balanced spiritual understanding

healing

peace

psychic, philosophy

religion

subconscious

communication

Light Blue -  tranquility and peace

air

open sky/heavens

clearwater

spirituality

idolization

receptivity to the celestial power

dependence upon the father

immobility

Green - is the most restful colour

nature

freshness

youth

auspiciousness

inexperience

immaturity

growth

eternity

connected to the celestial power

the plant realm

dependence upon the mother

envy

harmony

balance

money

prosperity

fertility

healing

peace

Dark Green - is the colour of the natural world

close to nature

vegetative

protracted

long-lasting

nurturing nature connected to the terestrial powers

absorption

Beige - simplicity, comfort, wisdom and trust

the human body

corporeality

 person that is sensitive, determined, resilient, and dependable

Brown - health, nurturing, and dependability

down-to-earth

“son-of-the-soil”

grounded

animals

Earth

wholesome

stability

stagnation

material world

Violet - energies and mindfulness

borderline experience

intuition

psychic abilities

spiritual awakening

ancient wisdom

third eye chakra where psychic vision and inner eye reside

supreme wisdom

colour of sacrifice

wisdom

sacrifice

death

compassion

power

spirituality

nobility

Flesh

colour of living

the present life

example of ambiguous

both good and bad

humanity

life carnal pleasure

animal violence

ʕ•ᴥ•ʔﾉ♡ ʕ•ᴥ•ʔﾉ♡oopsie you already reached the end ʕ•ᴥ•ʔﾉ♡ʕ•ᴥ•ʔﾉ♡

[theroyalhouseofwindenburg]

Echos of Solitude

The months that ensued after Cordelia's return showed promising signs. The King frequently joined her on walks, finding solace in the altered landscapes that aided her recovery. King Edward transcended his role as a mere sovereign; he evolved into a beacon of hope. His benevolence and generosity starkly contrasted with his father's legacy. Edward's court was a realm open to all, where nobles and peasants found equal footing. He earned the title of "The White King," deeply revered and cherished by his people.

King Edward was also renowned for his extreme piety and unwavering devotion to the Jacoban Church, a faith deeply instilled in him by his mother, Queen Cordelia. His faith permeated every aspect of his rule, beginning each day with hours of prayer and attending Mass daily. After banishing the previous clergy involved in the conspiracy against his mother, Edward sought to restore the church's integrity. He replaced them with devout and learned men, instituted rigorous training and educational programs, and founded seminaries to ensure a well-rounded and ethical clergy. He also reformed church finances, promoting transparency and accountability. Through these measures, Edward revitalized the Jacoban clergy, restoring its sanctity and earning respect and faith from the people of Windenburg.

While residing in Windenburg, Margaery and her daughter, Empress Mary, deliberated on a potential union for Mary's son, Prince Fernando of Tartosa. After thorough consideration, they concluded that Princess Augusta would be an ideal match. At 21 years old, Princess Augusta was prepared for marriage and welcomed the proposal with joy. Subsequently, they presented their decision to the king for approval.

King Edward sat in his office, deeply engrossed in state affairs, when Queen Margaery, Princess Augusta, and Empress Mary of Tartosa entered the room. Edward looked up, a faint smile gracing his features as he acknowledged their presence.

"Good day, Your Majesty," Mary greeted with a respectful nod, her demeanor poised and regal.

Edward returned the greeting with a nod, "What brings you all to my chambers today?" he inquired, curious about their unexpected visit.

Margaery spoke first, her voice gentle yet firm. "My dear grandson, we have come to discuss an important matter regarding Princess Augusta."

Edward's interest piqued, and he turned his attention towards Augusta, awaiting her words.

"Brother," Augusta began, her tone earnest, "Empress Mary has expressed an interest in a potential alliance between our kingdoms through a marriage proposal."

Edward's brows furrowed slightly, processing the information. "I see," he responded thoughtfully. "And who is the intended groom for such an alliance?"

Empress Mary spoke up, her voice carrying a sense of diplomacy. "Your Majesty, I humbly request the honor of Princess Augusta's hand in marriage for my son, Prince Fernando of Tartosa."

Edward nodded, acknowledging the strategic advantages of such an alliance. "I appreciate your candor, Empress Mary," he said. "However, my sister's happiness and well-being are paramount. Augusta, how do you feel about this proposal?"

Augusta smiled warmly, her eyes reflecting a mix of excitement and gratitude. "I would be honored to ," she replied, stepping forward to embrace her brother in a heartfelt hug.

Edward returned the embrace, a proud smile gracing his features. "You will make a fine empress one day," he remarked, his tone filled with confidence and affection. "I look forward to working alongside you throughout my reign, sister."

Windenburg appeared to be finding its footing, yet the saying held true: where light shone, shadows lurked close behind.

In the autumn of 1354, King Edward presided over court at Windenburg Castle. Among those who approached him was the Countess of Westfield, Lady Dorthea, who performed a graceful curtsy as she addressed him.

"Your Majesty," she began with a tremble in her voice, "I implore you to release my son Richard from his confinement. He has suffered greatly, and my heart longs for his freedom."

Edward's gaze softened with understanding, though his tone remained firm. "Lady Dorthea, I cannot grant that request. I have already extended great mercy to Lord Richard by sparing his life."

Dorthea persisted, her desperation evident. "Since Princess Corrine and my grandchildren left Westfield, Richard has been my sole comfort. Please, Your Majesty, allow me to see my son."

Edward's reply was gentle but resolute. "Richard is currently confined, and I cannot permit any visitors at this time."

Overcome by emotion, Lady Dorthea dropped to her knees, her voice filled with anguish. "Please, Your Majesty, just a moment with him. I beg of you."

Edward rose from his throne, his hand resting reassuringly on her shoulder. "We will discuss this matter further at a later time, Lady Dorthea. Rest assured that your pleas have been heard."

With a heavy heart, Lady Dorthea rose solemnly and left the throne room abruptly. Edward watched her departure with a mixture of concern and empathy, understanding the depth of a mother's love and the weight of his responsibilities as a ruler.

As the golden hues of dawn painted the horizon over Westfield Manor, one of Lady Dorthea's devoted servants approached her bedroom door, a sense of duty driving her actions. She knocked softly, awaiting permission to enter. Minutes ticked by in unnerving silence, and the servant's concern grew with each passing second.

With a heavy heart and a growing sense of dread, the servant cautiously pushed open the door. What greeted her shattered the tranquility of the morning. Lady Dorthea's lifeless form hung from a makeshift noose, she had taken her own life.

The servant's screams echoed through the room, mingling with the sound of her pounding heart.

The evening sun cast a warm glow through the stained glass windows of Windenburg Castle's chapel as the royal family attended their nightly prayers. Among the solemn hymns and flickering candlelight, Sir Walter Arnold, The King's hand and Dorthea's cousin, quietly entered and made his way towards King Edward with a heavy heart.

"Your Majesty," Sir Walter's voice trembled with sadness as he approached the king. "I bear grave news. Lady Dorthea… she has passed."

Edward's expression shifted from serene contemplation to one of shock and devastation. "What? How can this be?" His disbelief was palpable, having just spoken with Dorthea the day before.

As the weight of the news settled upon them, the men exited the chapel to address the sudden tragedy. Margaery, Edward's grandmother, followed with a troubled expression, hoping against hope that she had misheard. "What is it, Walter? Please tell me it's not true," she pleaded, her voice trembling.

Sir Walter's solemn nod confirmed the heartbreaking truth. "I'm afraid it is, Your Grace. Lady Dorthea has taken her own life."

Margaery's grief poured forth in tears, her hands covering her mouth in shock. "Oh, Dorthea… my dearest friend," she whispered between sobs, her heart heavy with sorrow at the loss of a cherished companion.

[dailyanarchistposts]

Anarchists and Neo-anarchists: Horizontalism and Autonomous Spaces

It is not uncommon, particularly in North America, to see anarchism defined as an ideology rooted in ‘direct democracy’, consensus decision making, and the maintenance of ‘horizontal’ (i.e., ‘non-hierarchical’) social relations, particularly in autonomous zones or public spaces.

This idea of anarchism is unusual in that it places at the centre of its definition an adherence to very specific forms of procedure and interpersonal behaviour while downplaying the political ends a ‘horizontal’ movement should be trying to establish. From this perspective, reclaiming public space as an opportunity to hold non-hierarchical public assemblies, where we can hammer out decisions by consensus, is, in itself, ‘anarchist’ – whatever the result of such processes.

This has little to do with the classical, mass-anarchist tradition and its politics of revolutionary socialism. It is, instead, an approach which is better described as falling under the banner of ‘neo-anarchism’ (or ‘small-a anarchism’). Neo-anarchism is a modern conception of anarchism largely informed by the feminist and peace movements of the 70s, the environmental movement of the 80s, the alter-globalisation movement of the 90s, and the Argentinian uprising of 2001; which coined the term horizontalidad (‘horizontalism’) to describe the movement’s rejection of representative democracy, the use of general assemblies to coordinate activity, and converting abandoned or bankrupt factories into cooperative businesses.

Take, for instance, the insistence by neo-anarchists on the use of consensus decision making. Though consensus (or ‘unanimity’, as it was typically called) was sometimes a feature of anarchist political organisations, and often seen as an ideal to work towards through comradely discussion, it was never a fundamental component of the anarchist movement. Anarchists have generally agreed that the appropriate form of decision making depends on the circumstances concerned, and frequently endorsed variations of majoritarian voting; particularly in mass organisations based on commonalities other than close-ideological affinity, such as unions. The focus for anarchists has generally not been the form of decision-making, but instead the principles of free association and solidarity. Furthermore, though anarchists have always stressed the right ofthe minority to be free of the majority’s coercion, it is even more important that the great majority be free of minoritarian rule or sabotage. As Malatesta wrote in his pamphlet Between Peasants: A Dialogue on Anarchy:

everything is done to reach unanimity, and when this is impossible, one would vote and do what the majority wanted, or else put the decision in the hands of a third party who would act as arbitrator, respecting the inviolability of the principles of equality and justice which the society is based on.

In response to the concern over minoritarian sabotage, he continues by asserting that such a situation would

[make it] necessary to take forcible action, because if it is unjust that the majority oppress the minority, it’s no more just that the contrary should happen. And just as the minority have the right of insurrection, so do the majority have the right of defense, or if the word doesn’t offend you, repression.[3]

As for ‘autonomous zones’ and the tactic of reclaiming public spaces (as seen in the Occupy movement) – here we have no connection to anarchism as a revolutionary tradition, and an example of a tactic which has repeatedly shown its inability to extract significant reforms, let alone revolutionise production and destroy the State.

The fundamental limitations of the ‘public occupation’ or ‘autonomous zone’ , and the defeats which have followed from these limitations, have led some former advocates of the strategy to make a notable transition from neo-anarchism to parliamentary politics. Though inexplicable to some outside observers, the change is easily understood when we consider neo-anarchism’s peculiar view of ‘direct democracy’, or ‘horizontally organised spaces’, as the defining characteristic of anarchism, and not a theory of libertarian revolution against the State and capital.

If we accept the idea of anarchism as proposed by the neo-anarchists, there is no fundamental contradiction between anarchism and involvement in parliamentary politics. If the political party is a directly democratic one, composed of social movements, and committed to horizontal interpersonal relations, what difference does it make if the decision made (ideally by consensus) is to campaign for political candidates, or even administer the State?

We have seen this with the so-called ‘Movements of the Squares’ in Europe. Activists who took part in the 15M (or ‘Indignados’) movement in Spain abandoned their dismissal of all politicians (“¡Que no nos representan!” – “They don’t represent us!”) with the formation of Podemos and various other ‘municipalist’ parties.[4]

A similar trajectory was followed by the anthropologist David Graeber towards the end of his life. Graeber – a figurehead of Occupy Wall Street and, prior to that, a participant in the alter-globalisation movement – apparently saw no contradiction between his professed (neo-)anarchism and his efforts to join the British Labour Party in support of Jeremy Corbyn. In particular, Graeber was enthusiastic about the Labour-affiliated organisation Momentum; an outgrowth of the Corbyn leadership campaign, which he argued constituted a unique attempt to fuse a radical social movement with a traditional parliamentary party.[5]

More recently we have witnessed the absurdity of a self-proclaimed ‘libertarian socialist’, Gabriel Boric (who touts his association with Chile’s radical student movement), ascending to the presidency in the aftermath of a militant popular uprising.

The damage caused by these supposedly ‘unique’ attempts to translate the ‘horizontalism’ of neo-anarchism into the party-form – which, in reality, hardly differs from the historic approach offered by Marxists as an alternative to anarchism – has been outlined well elsewhere, and there is no need to go over the details here.[6] It suffices to say that in each case there was bureaucratisation, accomodation with the necessities of administering the capitalist state (or even just campaigning to administer it), and zero empowerment of workers against the bosses.

The reality is that there is no way to fully ‘prefigure’ anarchy and communism through ‘directly democratic’ spaces of ‘autonomy’. Anarchism requires a specific anarchist movement and anarchist practice. Though we must certainly organise ourselves from the bottom up, with a consistent federalist structure, we can not simply bring about our ideal by ‘living anarchisticly’ or relating to one another as ‘horizontally’ as possible. Similarly, the content of anarchism can not be limited to the structure of our movement – its content of revolutionary class struggle must be maintained. To quote Luigi Fabbri:

If anarchism were simply an individual ethic, to be cultivated within oneself, and at the same time adapted in material life to acts and movements in contradiction with it, we could call ourselves anarchists and belong to the most diverse parties; and so many could be called anarchists who, although they are spiritually and intellectually emancipated, are and remain, on practical grounds, our enemies.But anarchism is something else… proletarian and revolutionary, an active participation in the movement for human emancipation, with principles and goals that are egalitarian and libertarian at the same time. The most important part of its program does not consist solely in the dream, which we want to come true, of a society without bosses and without governments, but above all in the libertarian conception of revolution, of revolution against the state and not through the state… [7]

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Shelby Jamerson at MMFA:

Multiple states have enacted legislation or executive orders with restrictions or provisions that overlap with Project 2025’s goals, offering case studies of the harm that the playbook could unleash on a federal level.  The Project 2025 initiative — which has deep ties to former President Donald Trump and his campaign — presents a road map to pack the next GOP administration with extreme Trump loyalists and implement extremist federal policy. It calls for severely limiting reproductive and LGBTQ rights, altering public education with book banning and right-wing curricula, rolling back equity and inclusion initiatives, and restricting labor rights.  These Project 2025 proposals — and state-level policies — often reflect narratives pushed by right-wing media, which have spread misinformation about abortion, advocated for book bans, attacked diversity programs, amplified anti-LGBTQ campaigns, and promoted anti-union sentiments. Below we detail state-level actions that are comparable to Project 2025 proposals as well as their impact and examples of right-wing media supporting them.  

The radical Project 2025 agenda will now be on display federally, as red states have enacted significant parts of its agenda.