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sulphuricgrin · 2 days ago

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Thalmor and Fascism, a 'short' analysis

Hello! Welcome to my breakdown of the Thalmor party that gained power steadily after the Oblivion Crisis and soon created the Third Aldmeri Dominion. I follow Umberto Eco's Ur-Fascism (or Eternal Fascism: Fourteen Ways of Looking at a Blackshirt) and use his points as I delve further into how the Dominion might work in the 4th Era. I also use historical parallels and create world-building ideas for scenarios one could use. (ex: in fanfic, RP, etc.)

The parallels with real-world fascism make the Thalmor’s ideology both chillingly familiar and deeply immersive. >:3

By integrating these traits into world-building, I want the Dominion to become more than just an imperial power—it becomes a pervasive and insidious force shaping every aspect of life within its borders and beyond. These features not only make the Thalmor a more compelling enemy but I think also creates rich opportunities for storytelling.

I'm also planning a one-shot TES parody of sorts of Ur-Fascism, written by the father of one of my OCs. That's the reason why I started this to begin with. That, and my love for history, philosophy, and all things Elder Scrolls.

Fair warning, this is a long post! +3.6k words! So strap in, and please, I encourage talk/criticism, but keep it civil. Obviously this is only my interpretation and I tried my best at this. I would love to hear what others think.

I offer my short paper to Hermaeus Mora to store in Apocrypha ;)

1. The Cult of Tradition

The Thalmor’s reverence for ancient Elven supremacy mirrors real-world historical movements that glorified an idealized past to justify oppressive ideologies.

TES: The Thalmor frame the time before the rise of Men as a lost golden age of Elven dominance. They’ve always venerated the old, almost mythological Aldmeri civilization, despite very little history has survived. They could hold the Ayleid Empire (a high point of Elven civilization) as a model, ignoring its brutal practices like slavery and human sacrifice. They vilify human achievements, such as the Empire of Man under the Septim Dynasty, as an aberration in Tamrielic history.

Historical Parallel: The cult of tradition can be seen in Fascist Italy under Mussolini, where the regime idealized Ancient Rome. Fascists claimed to restore the grandeur of the Roman Empire to evoke pride and justify militaristic expansion. Similarly, the Nazis glorified an Aryan past, constructing myths of ancient Germanic peoples as paragons of civilization to reinforce their racial ideology.

Implication for World-Building: The Thalmor’s obsession with restoring ancient Elven dominance could involve deliberate distortion of history, erasing inconvenient truths about the Ayleids and glorifying their achievements to unite the Dominion under a shared identity.

2. Rejection of Modernism

The Thalmor’s disdain for change and multiculturalism reflects their rejection of modernity in favor of an exclusionary, stagnant worldview.

TES: The Altmer have a history of xenophobia. The Thalmor oppose the integration of races and cultures within the Empire, viewing it as a dilution of "pure" Elven tradition. They also resist technological and cultural advancements driven by non-Elves, such as innovations from the Empire’s blending of cultures. Their policies enforce strict adherence to Elven superiority, preventing any progressive mingling of traditions.

Historical Parallel: This echoes the Nazi and Fascist rejection of modernist art, multiculturalism, and democracy. The Nazis, for example, condemned modern art movements like Expressionism and Cubism as “degenerate art” while promoting a “pure” Aryan aesthetic. Similarly, fascists saw liberal democracy as corrupt and promoted authoritarian control as a return to a purer societal order.

Implication for World-Building: The Thalmor could actively suppress creative or intellectual progress, possibly banning works by humans or elves that deviate from their idealized Elven cultural norms. Their strict cultural laws could possibly lead to an underground resistance of artists, scholars, and mages seeking to preserve diverse traditions.

3. The Cult of Action for Action’s Sake

The Thalmor’s focus on aggressive policies and grandiose actions often prioritizes symbolism over practicality.

TES: The Thalmor's enforcement of the White-Gold Concordat—especially the persecution of Talos worship—is a clear example. The ban on Talos worship is more symbolic than practical, aimed at asserting dominance over human cultures rather than resolving tangible problems. Similarly, their brutal measures to crush dissent, such as burning shrines and executing priests, serve to showcase their power rather than address any real threat posed by Talos worshippers. Their actions seem more about demonstrating power and control than about achieving specific, practical goals.

Historical Parallel: This parallels Fascist Italy’s grandiose projects, such as Mussolini's attempts to “modernize” Italy with large-scale public works that were often inefficient or impractical but served as propaganda. Similarly, Nazi Germany emphasized militarization and dramatic displays of power (like the Nuremberg rallies) even when these actions were economically or militarily unsustainable.

Implication for World-Building: The Thalmor could undertake elaborate but ultimately impractical projects, such as reconstructing ancient Elven temples or waging unnecessary wars to expand their influence, draining resources while reinforcing their narrative of Elven superiority.

4. Disagreement is Treason

The Thalmor’s intolerance for dissent ensures their ideological purity but creates a climate of fear and oppression. They suppress dissent with brutal efficiency, labeling any resistance to their rule as heretical or treasonous.

TES: The Thalmor persecute anyone who challenges their rule or ideology. This is seen most clearly in Skyrim, where even whispering a prayer to Talos can lead to imprisonment or death. Their Justiciars patrol Tamriel, rooting out dissidents and executing them as traitors, regardless of the validity of the accusations. This mirrors a broader policy of suppressing free thought to maintain their narrative of unquestionable Elven superiority. There’s also the Night of Green Fire, were they attacked Altmer dissident refugees who had fled persecution in Alinor.

Historical Parallel: This is reminiscent of the totalitarian regimes of the 20th century, such as Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia. In Nazi Germany, opposition parties and individuals were quickly silenced, with dissenters labeled as traitors or “enemies of the state” and sent to concentration camps. Stalin’s Soviet Union similarly purged perceived enemies, creating a culture where questioning authority could result in imprisonment or execution.

Implication for World-Building: Within the Dominion, paranoia would dominate daily life, with Thalmor spies embedded in communities and neighbors reporting on one another. This pervasive fear could lead to widespread distrust among Elven citizens, undermining the very unity the Thalmor claim to promote.

Criminalization of Debate: Debating Altmeri policies could be considered treason. Citizens speaking against the Thalmor might be arrested or "re-educated."

Idea: Characters might rescue political prisoners or distribute forbidden pamphlets challenging Thalmor doctrine, or they could be forced into “re-education”.

5. Fear of Difference

Fascist regimes thrive on creating "others" to vilify and unite the populace through a shared enemy, using xenophobia and racial supremacy as key tools.

TES: As mentioned in #2, the Altmer have a history of closed borders and xenophobia. The Thalmor's ideology is rooted in the superiority of Elves over Men and other races. They actively foster division by portraying humans—especially Nords and Imperials—as inferior beings who disrupted Tamriel's natural order. This fear of difference extends to cultural and religious practices, as seen in their persecution of Talos worshippers and their disdain for mixed societies like the Empire. (The problem with Talos worship also stems from just the idea of a human achieving divinity, which is what every Altmer strives towards through their practice of the Path.)

Historical Parallel: Nazi Germany used antisemitism and anti-Slavic sentiment as core components of its ideology, portraying Jews and other minorities as existential threats to the purity of the Aryan race. Similarly, Imperial Japan framed non-Japanese Asians as inferior and justified brutal colonial domination under the guise of superiority.

Implication for World-Building: The Thalmor could implement policies that segregate or exclude non-Elves from certain professions or cities within the Dominion. Their propaganda might frame intermingling of races or cultural traditions as a dire threat to Elven purity, driving a wedge between the Dominion's Bosmer, Khajiit, and Altmer populations. (We don’t see any Bosmer or Khajiit Thalmor/Dominion soldiers within Skyrim by 4E 201, but that’s very likely just to villainize one race.)

Segregated Settlements: Towns in Dominion-controlled regions could be segregated by race, with Altmer areas enjoying more lavish infrastructure while Khajiit or Bosmer neighborhoods languish.

Idea: Characters might assist oppressed communities in improving their living conditions or organizing resistance.

6. Appeal to a Frustrated Middle Class

Fascist movements often gain traction among those who feel displaced or diminished in status, using resentment and promises of restored glory to rally support.

TES: The rise of the Third Aldmeri Dominion likely appealed to Altmer who resented their perceived loss of status under the Empire, particularly after the Oblivion Crisis and the Empire's weakening influence. By promising to restore Elven dominance and undo the damage caused by human rule, the Thalmor capitalized on the frustrations of disenfranchised Altmer elites and middle classes.

Historical Parallel: Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany drew significant support from the middle classes, who felt economically and socially marginalized after World War I and the Great Depression. The Nazis promised to restore Germany’s national pride and economic stability, appealing to those disillusioned by the failures of liberal democracy and internationalism.

Implication for World-Building: In the Dominion, the Thalmor’s rise might be tied to social unrest among Altmer artisans, merchants, and scholars (the most important roles within Altmer society) who felt overshadowed by Imperial influence. Those Altmer could display open disdain for humans or non-Altmer races, citing the Thalmor’s rhetoric as justification. Those promises of prosperity could mask policies that disproportionately benefit the Altmer elite while exploiting the Bosmer and Khajiit.

Economic and Social Tensions: The middle classes in Summerset Isles might be portrayed as benefiting from the Dominion’s policies, creating resentment among Bosmer and Khajiit laborers who are exploited for the Dominion’s expansion.

Idea: Characters might witness these attitudes in “quests” dealing with class or racial tensions.

7. Obsession with a Plot

Fascist regimes fuel paranoia by inventing or exaggerating conspiracies, framing all opposition as part of a grand, malevolent scheme.

TES: The Thalmor's rhetoric portrays Men as orchestrating the downfall of Elven civilization. Their ban on Talos worship is part of a broader narrative that blames human cultural and religious practices for undermining Elven power. They likely propagate myths of human conspiracies to keep the Dominion united against a common enemy.

Historical Parallel: The Nazis famously promoted the stab-in-the-back myth, claiming that Jews and communists betrayed Germany during World War I. Stalinist Russia similarly fueled paranoia with fabricated conspiracies, such as accusing political rivals of plotting against the state during the Great Purge.

Implication for World-Building: The Thalmor could use propaganda to spread exaggerated stories about Imperial plots, such as secret Talos cults planning to overthrow the Dominion. This paranoia would justify oppressive policies and galvanize Elven citizens to report suspected traitors, deepening societal divisions.

Conspiracy Theories: Thalmor propaganda could exaggerate Imperial plots, creating paranoia.

Idea: NPCs might warn characters about spies everywhere, leading to “quests” involving false accusations, actual Imperial agents working to undermine the Dominion, or the real spies being from the Thamor.

8. The Enemy is Both Strong and Weak

Fascism often paints enemies as simultaneously omnipotent (to justify fear) and weak or degenerate (to inspire contempt), creating a contradictory but effective narrative.

TES: The Thalmor frame Men as both a dire existential threat and as an inferior, corrupt race destined for subjugation. For example, the Empire is portrayed as a decaying shadow of its former self, yet it is also seen as a powerful adversary whose influence must be eliminated to restore Elven supremacy. This contradiction serves to keep the populace vigilant while reaffirming their racial superiority.

Historical Parallel: Nazi propaganda depicted Jews as both a weak, parasitic race and as cunning masterminds behind global conspiracies. Similarly, Cold War propaganda in the U.S. framed communism as both an inefficient system and an existential threat capable of destroying the free world.

Implication for World-Building: The Thalmor could disseminate propaganda that mocks the declining state of the Empire while simultaneously warning of its "hidden strength" through Imperial-backed Talos cults or covert military alliances. This narrative would keep the Dominion in a state of perpetual war-readiness, fostering paranoia and militarization.

Contradictory Narratives: The Thalmor could mock the Empire as weak and corrupt while simultaneously portraying it as a looming existential threat.

Idea: Characters might investigate inconsistencies in Thalmor messaging and uncover deliberate manipulation.

9. Pacifism is Trafficking with the Enemy

Fascist regimes view peace or compromise as betrayal, advocating for perpetual conflict to maintain unity and reinforce their strength.

TES: The Thalmor’s stance toward the Empire and Talos worshippers exemplifies this mindset. Despite the signing of the White-Gold Concordat, the Thalmor show no interest in genuine peace. They exploit the treaty to destabilize the Empire and justify continued hostilities. Their relentless pursuit of Talos worshippers, even in regions nominally under Imperial control, signals their refusal to tolerate coexistence.

Historical Parallel: This trait is reminiscent of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, which glorified war as a tool for national renewal and strength. Hitler dismissed diplomacy as weakness, emphasizing militarization and expansion as ends in themselves. Mussolini similarly viewed war as a mechanism to revitalize the Italian people and demonstrate national greatness.

Implication for World-Building: The Thalmor could have internal propaganda glorifying war as a sacred duty of all Altmer. They might train their youth in military academies that indoctrinate them with a belief in perpetual conflict as necessary to reclaim and preserve Elven supremacy.

Perpetual War Machine: In Dominion regions, resources could be heavily taxed to fuel war efforts.

Idea: Characters might aid farmers, merchants, or workers struggling under the burden, while the Thalmor justify this as a necessary sacrifice for Elven supremacy.

10. Contempt for the Weak

Fascist ideologies promote the idea that strength is inherently virtuous and weakness is despicable, justifying oppression of those deemed inferior.

TES: The Thalmor’s belief in Elven superiority leads them to view other races, especially humans, as weak and undeserving of respect or autonomy. Their treatment of the Bosmer and Khajiit within the Dominion could possibly reveal a hierarchy even among their allies, where Altmer dominate, and others are relegated to subservient roles. The Thalmor’s disdain for the “weakness” of the Empire is evident in their rhetoric and actions, portraying its willingness to negotiate as proof of its inferiority.

Historical Parallel: This mirrors the Nazi ideology of Lebensraum (living space), which framed Eastern Europeans as subhuman and justified their subjugation and extermination to make way for German expansion. Fascist Italy similarly dehumanized colonized peoples in Africa, justifying brutal exploitation under the guise of spreading civilization.

Implication for World-Building: Within the Dominion, the Thalmor might implement policies that systematically disenfranchise Bosmer and Khajiit while celebrating the physical, magical, and intellectual prowess of the Altmer. The Thalmor’s propaganda could depict other races as servile or parasitic, encouraging Altmer citizens to feel pride in dominating these “weaker” peoples.

Propaganda Celebrating Strength: Altmer architecture, literature, and art could be designed to evoke themes of Elven might and dominance, depicting other races as subservient or parasitic (point 10). For instance, public statues might show Elves towering over Men or crushing symbols of Imperial power.

Oppression of the “Weak”: Non-Altmer races could be forced into hard labor or conscription.

Idea: Characters/NPCs could share stories of family members sent to fight in far-off conflicts, providing characters with morally complex choices about intervening.

11. Everybody is Educated to Become a Hero

Fascist regimes emphasize the importance of sacrifice for the nation, glorifying those who devote their lives to the cause and framing ordinary citizens as warriors for the state.

TES: The Thalmor cultivate a culture where every Altmer is expected to serve the Dominion’s cause, whether through military service, loyalty to the state, or ideological compliance. The Justiciars are portrayed as paragons of Elven virtue, exemplifying the ultimate commitment to the Dominion’s ideals. Citizens are likely educated to believe that their sacrifices, no matter how small, contribute to the restoration of Elven greatness.

Historical Parallel: Nazi Germany placed significant emphasis on the concept of the "Volksgemeinschaft" (people's community), where every German was expected to contribute to the nation’s goals. Similarly, Fascist Italy glorified the ideal of the selfless soldier and the hardworking citizen as heroes of the state. In both cases, youth programs like the Hitler Youth and Balilla were used to indoctrinate the next generation into these values.

Implication for World-Building: The Dominion could have institutions that indoctrinate young Altmer into Thalmor ideology, teaching them to see themselves as part of a sacred mission to reclaim Tamriel for Elvenkind. Public ceremonies might honor fallen Thalmor agents as martyrs, reinforcing the idea that dying for the Dominion is the ultimate act of heroism.

Hero Cults: The Dominion might establish festivals or holidays commemorating key Thalmor victories and honoring fallen agents. Schools could teach children patriotic songs or hymns about their duty to restore Elven supremacy, with heroic figures like early Thalmor leaders mythologized. (Maybe? This seems too far.)

Idea: Characters could infiltrate these events to gather information or sway public opinion by exposing the truth about these “heroes.”

More World-Building Ideas

Points 9-11 underscore the Thalmor’s militarism, supremacist worldview, and ability to co-opt individual lives into their grand vision for Elven dominance. These elements not only enhance the narrative tension between the Thalmor and their opponents, but could also create opportunities for characters to encounter internal resistance movements, oppressed groups, and Altmer citizens questioning the cost of their rulers’ ambitions. I believe after the Great War, tensions would be even higher.

12. Machismo

Fascist regimes glorify a hyper-masculine, militaristic culture that celebrates dominance, aggression, and disdain for non-conformity or “soft” values.

TES: The Thalmor embody this through their emphasis on martial prowess and superiority. While not tied to gender in the traditional sense, their ideology promotes a cultural machismo centered on Elven dominance, physical and intellectual superiority, and disdain for perceived "weakness." They scorn the cultural diversity of the Empire and other races as decadent or effeminate. Their authoritarianism also seeks to suppress dissent, intellectual inquiry, or emotional expression that doesn’t align with their rigid ideals.

Historical Parallel: Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany glorified masculine ideals of physical strength and aggression while marginalizing traits like compassion or introspection. Mussolini often emphasized virility and militaristic values, while the Nazis celebrated the archetype of the strong, disciplined Aryan soldier. Non-conforming individuals, particularly LGBTQ+ people, were persecuted as threats to this hyper-masculine ideal.

Implication for World-Building: The Thalmor might promote a rigid cultural code that prizes dominance, obedience, and aggression, possibly extending to martial tournaments or ceremonies that celebrate Altmer “purity.” Artistic expressions or philosophies emphasizing introspection or diversity could be banned or dismissed as “decadent.” They would continue with the tradition of marrying proper matches to keep their family blood “pure.”

Propaganda Festivals: The Thalmor could organize grand public events where martial displays (military parades?) glorify Elven strength. These events would reinforce the idea that the Dominion thrives through dominance and order.

Suppression of Non-Conformity: Non-militaristic or “soft” cultural traditions—like Bosmer storytelling or Khajiiti spirituality—might be ridiculed or suppressed, leading to underground movements that preserve these traditions.

13. Selective Populism

Fascist regimes use rhetoric that claims to speak for “the people,” but this “people” is defined narrowly, excluding minorities and dissenters.

TES: The Thalmor’s concept of “the people” explicitly excludes humans and often sidelines their Bosmer and Khajiit allies. They frame themselves as the sole representatives of Elvenkind, claiming to act in the best interests of a unified racial identity. However, their vision of unity ignores or suppresses internal dissent among Altmer who reject their ideology, as well as non-Altmer who are relegated to subordinate roles. Their claim to represent all Elves is thus selective and exclusionary.

Historical Parallel: Nazi Germany used the idea of a Volksgemeinschaft (people’s community) to create a narrow vision of unity, excluding Jews, Romani people, and political dissidents. Similarly, fascist regimes often co-opted populist rhetoric to claim they acted in the name of “the true people” while disenfranchising anyone who didn’t fit their criteria.

Implication for World-Building: Within the Dominion, the Thalmor’s rhetoric might emphasize solidarity among Elves, but their policies reveal stark inequalities between Altmer, Bosmer, and Khajiit. Resistance movements could emerge within these oppressed groups, challenging the Thalmor’s selective definition of unity and exposing their hypocrisy.

Elven Hierarchy: Bosmeri and Khajiiti groups could face higher taxes, forced military conscription, or exclusion from political power.

Resistance Movements: Selective populism could foster alliances between oppressed groups—such as humans, Bosmer, and Khajiit—who band together to challenge Thalmor dominance.

14. Newspeak

Fascist regimes manipulate language to limit free thought and ensure ideological conformity. They simplify language and control its meanings to make dissent or complex ideas impossible to articulate.

TES: The Thalmor could enforce linguistic purity within the Dominion, outlawing words, phrases, or writings that contradict their ideology. For example, they might ban texts that celebrate Talos, Imperial culture, or non-Elven achievements. The Thalmor’s propaganda would use simplified, emotionally charged language to emphasize Elven superiority and demonize humans. Over time, this manipulation of language could erode the population’s ability to think critically or question authority.

Historical Parallel: George Orwell’s concept of Newspeak in 1984 was inspired by real-world totalitarian regimes, such as Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia, where propaganda and censorship shaped public discourse. The Nazis used simplistic, repetitive slogans like “Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer” to embed ideology in everyday life. Stalinist Russia altered history books and redefined terms to serve the Party’s goals.

Implication for World-Building: The Thalmor might use the Divine Prosecution, making them responsible for censoring Imperial and Talos-related literature while promoting carefully curated texts that reinforce Thalmor ideology. Dissidents could smuggle forbidden books or create underground presses to preserve cultural diversity and historical accuracy.

Censorship Laws: The Thalmor could outlaw specific languages, such as Cyrodiilic, in Dominion territories. Altmer children might be taught revised histories that erase human contributions to Tamriel’s culture and development.

Idea: “Forbidden Literature” - Characters might encounter hidden libraries or secret meetings of scholars seeking to preserve banned texts. These locations could serve as hubs for resistance or offer “quests” to recover lost knowledge.

More World-Building Ideas:

Cultural Propaganda: The Thalmor could sponsor plays, books, and artworks that glorify ancient Elven achievements while mocking or demonizing human cultures. This would reinforce both their fear of difference (point 5) and their obsession with a plot (point 7).

Perpetual Fear Campaigns: Justiciar crackdowns on "Imperial spies" or "hidden Talos worshippers" could escalate over time, creating a culture of fear where anyone might be accused of treason. This aligns with points 7 and 8, as the threat is exaggerated to justify authoritarian control.

Resistance Movements: Bosmer and Khajiit characters might form secret organizations to challenge Altmer dominance. Characters could align with these groups or face pressure to spy on them, adding moral and faction-based dilemmas.

Thalmor-Run Education: Schools in Dominion territories might indoctrinate children into Thalmor ideology, with NPCs lamenting the loss of older traditions. Characters could disrupt this system by recovering banned texts or creating underground schools.

Religious Persecution: Talos worshippers might practice in secret, creating opportunities for characters to assist them or decide whether to betray their location to the Thalmor.

Civil Unrest: Cities in Dominion territories might feature visible tensions, with oppressed groups protesting or clashing with Justiciars. Characters could influence these outcomes by siding with either the protesters or the authorities.

#tes #tes skyrim #the elder scrolls #tesblr #thalmor #the third aldmeri dominon #altmer #the elder scrolls skyrim #tes v skyrim #tes v #fascism in fantasy

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olrastrologytarot · 3 months ago

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Dionysus: The Multifaceted God of Wine, Ecstasy, and Transformation

Dionysus, also known as Bacchus in Roman tradition, is one of the most complex and multifaceted deities of ancient Greek mythology. As the god of wine, revelry, and ecstasy, Dionysus occupies a unique place in the pantheon, embodying themes of transformation, liberation, and the duality of human experience. This essay explores the various aspects of Dionysus, his mythology, and his cultural significance.

Origins and Birth

Dionysus’s origins are both divine and somewhat mysterious. According to myth, he is the son of Zeus, the king of the gods, and Semele, a mortal woman. The story of his birth is one of transformation and intrigue. Hera, the jealous wife of Zeus, tricked Semele into demanding that Zeus reveal himself in his full divine splendor. The sight was too much for Semele, who perished in the blaze. Zeus saved the unborn Dionysus by sewing him into his thigh, from which the god was later born, making Dionysus a god with a unique connection to both the mortal and divine realms.

God of Wine and Festivity

Dionysus is most famously known as the god of wine, viticulture, and festivity. He represents not only the pleasure and intoxication associated with wine but also its transformative power. Wine, in the Dionysian context, is not merely a beverage but a conduit for experiencing the divine and transcending ordinary reality. It symbolizes both ecstasy and chaos, revealing the dual nature of Dionysus's influence.

Festivals dedicated to Dionysus, such as the Dionysia and the Bacchanalia, were central to Greek culture. These festivals involved theatrical performances, particularly tragedies and comedies, which were believed to be inspired by the god. The Dionysian festivals were not only a celebration of the harvest but also an opportunity to explore the boundaries of human experience and to engage in communal revelry.

The Cult and Mysteries of Dionysus

The worship of Dionysus was marked by ecstatic rituals and mystery cults. The Dionysian Mysteries, which were held in various forms across Greece, were initiatory rites that promised personal transformation and enlightenment. These mysteries often involved rites of purification, symbolic death and rebirth, and ecstatic dance, reflecting the god’s role in breaking down social norms and exploring the depths of human consciousness.

Participants in these rituals often wore masks and costumes, embodying the god’s ability to transcend ordinary identities and societal constraints. Dionysian worship emphasized the ecstatic experience of divine presence, achieved through music, dance, and the consumption of wine. This state of ecstasy was seen as a way of connecting with the divine and accessing hidden truths.

Symbolism and Attributes

Dionysus’s symbols include the grapevine, ivy, and the thyrsus, a staff entwined with ivy and topped with a pine cone. The grapevine and ivy represent his association with fertility and growth, while the thyrsus is a symbol of his power and authority. In artistic depictions, Dionysus is often shown in a state of revelry, accompanied by a retinue of satyrs and maenads, who embody the wild and untamed aspects of his nature.

Dionysus’s dual nature is central to his symbolism. On one hand, he represents joy, liberation, and creativity, often associated with the freeing effects of wine and the exhilaration of artistic expression. On the other hand, he also embodies chaos, madness, and the breakdown of order, reflecting the destructive potential of his divine influence.

Mythological Narratives

Dionysus’s myths often explore themes of transformation, conflict, and the struggle for acceptance. One notable myth is the story of his journey to establish his cult in the city of Thebes. King Pentheus, who refuses to acknowledge Dionysus’s divinity, is ultimately torn apart by his own mother, Agave, who has been driven into a frenzied state by the god. This myth illustrates the consequences of resisting or denying the transformative power of Dionysus and highlights the god’s capacity for both creation and destruction.

Another important myth is the story of Dionysus and the pirate ship. According to legend, Dionysus was once captured by a group of pirates who did not recognize him. As punishment, he transformed the ship into a sea of wine and turned the pirates into dolphins, demonstrating his power and the divine retribution against those who do not honor him.

Cultural and Philosophical Impact

Dionysus's influence extends beyond mythology and religion into art, philosophy, and literature. The concept of the Dionysian, as articulated by the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche in his work "The Birth of Tragedy," represents a fundamental aspect of human existence, characterized by a celebration of chaos, creativity, and the primal forces of nature. Nietzsche contrasts the Dionysian with the Apollonian, which embodies reason, order, and rationality, suggesting that a balance between these forces is essential for a full and meaningful life.

In literature and art, Dionysus has been a symbol of the power of transformation and the limits of human understanding. His presence in tragic dramas, such as those of Euripides, often serves to challenge societal norms and explore the nature of divine influence on human affairs.

Conclusion

Dionysus is a deity who embodies the complexities of human experience, from the ecstatic highs of celebration to the dark depths of chaos. As the god of wine, revelry, and transformation, he represents both the joy and the danger inherent in breaking free from societal constraints and exploring the full range of human emotions and experiences. Through his myths, rituals, and cultural impact, Dionysus continues to be a powerful symbol of the divine’s capacity to both create and destroy, to liberate and to confound. His legacy endures as a reminder of the profound and often paradoxical nature of existence itself.

#mysticism #mystic #occultism #deity worship #hellenic deities #hellenic pagan #hellenic polytheism #hellenic worship #hellenism #cult of dionysus #dionysus deity #chatgpt #Dionysus

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writingquestionsanswered · 6 months ago

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Hi,

'm writing a novel set in the 1900s, including scenes from WW1. Any tips on maintaining accuracy for that period and writing in the style of novels from that era?

Authentic Portrayal of a Historical Era

If your story is set in another time and place, you'll need to do some research to make sure you get the details accurate. Luckily, there's information available online, in books, and on YouTube of just about every historical era in every place.

I want to take a moment to stress the importance of place, because life in early 1900s New York City would have been a little different from life in early 1900s Sacramento, for example. Likewise, life in an early 1900s Scottish village would be quite different from life in an early 1900s Indian village. So, make sure your general research pertains to the country of your story's setting, and that your specific research is geared toward a specific village, town, city, or region--or at the very least (if your specific location is imaginary) the closest real world proximity. Likewise, it's also very important to take socioeconomic status into account, because once again, life for an early 1900s socialite and her family in Manhattan would be quite different from the early 1900s life of a farmer in rural Manitoba.

When you're doing your research, you'll want to pay close attention to the following details:

-- societal rules and norms -- rules and norms around love and marriage -- role of culture and religion -- clothing, architecture, decor -- food and drink -- music -- customs, traditions, festivals -- typical occupations -- treatment/roles of women -- treatment/roles of children -- typical home life -- government and justice system -- transportation, tools, and weaponry -- notable "pop culture" and current events -- slang, idioms, and popular sayings -- important mythology, folklore, and urban legends

YouTube is a great resource for documentaries and documentary style videos to get a good breakdown of particular topics. Like, for example, let's say one of your characters is a wealthy New York socialite. There are videos on YouTube that will show you how a wealthy American or British woman (for example) would dress in the early 1900s. Likewise, you can watch a video about World War I or anything specific to WWI that you want to learn about.

WQA’s Guide to Internet Research Researching a Historical Topic Setting Your Story in an Unfamiliar Place Writing About Difficult to Research Topics

Happy researching and writing!

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I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

♦ Questions that violate my ask policies will be deleted! ♦ Please see my master list of top posts before asking ♦ Learn more about WQA here

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splashstar01 · 5 months ago

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Amazing Merthur meta (just for funsies) from a purely non-biased POV.... an AI.

I asked CHATGBT (do remember that Merthur is CANON and has been now for a 12 years or since 2012!):

"why would prince Arthur propose to Merlin but yet still pursue Gwen and then marry her but treat merlin like his husband and in the end confess his love to merlin and try to pull him into a kiss before dying"

CHATGBT:

This complex dynamic can be explained through various elements in the storyline that highlight Arthur's internal conflict, societal pressures, and true feelings. Here's a breakdown of potential reasons for Arthur's behavior:

1. Societal Expectations and Pressure:

As a prince, Arthur is expected to marry someone who is deemed socially acceptable, and Gwen fits this role better than Merlin. Marrying Gwen helps maintain his royal image and fulfill his duties.

2. Personal Conflict:

Arthur might be deeply in love with Merlin but struggles with the expectations placed upon him. His engagement and marriage to Gwen could be seen as attempts to adhere to societal norms while his heart remains with Merlin.

3. Emotional Attachment and Genuine Love:

Despite his marriage to Gwen, Arthur's bond with Merlin is profound and undeniable. He treats Merlin like his husband because, emotionally and spiritually, Merlin is his true partner.

4. Fear and Denial:

Arthur could be in denial about his feelings for Merlin, choosing to marry Gwen in an attempt to suppress his true desires. However, his actions and treatment of Merlin reveal his true emotions over time.

5. Sacrificial Love:

Arthur may believe that marrying Gwen is the best way to protect Merlin from the scrutiny and potential danger of being in a relationship with a prince. His actions towards Merlin show his deep care and love, even if he cannot publicly acknowledge it.

6. Final Realization and Acceptance:

In the end, Arthur's impending death forces him to confront his true feelings. His confession and attempt to kiss Merlin signify his acceptance of his love for Merlin, demonstrating that, at the end of his life, he values honesty and authenticity over societal expectations.

This intricate relationship can add depth to the narrative, showcasing the complexities of love, duty, and personal identity within the constraints of societal expectations.

~I totes agree, thank u, CHATGBT! 🥰

#merthur #merlin #arthur pendragon #bbc merlin #merlin bbc #merthur meta #chatgbt

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sonics-atelier · 6 months ago

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To draw a parallel between Feyre's actions in the Spring Court and concepts such as colonization and mass genocide, it's important to analyze the nuances and consequences of her actions. Here’s a detailed breakdown :

( because you idiots can't comprehend it can you ? )

Reasons for the Parallel:

1. Disruption of Established Communities :

- Colonization : Historically, colonizers disrupt existing societies, imposing new rules and systems, often disregarding the welfare of the local population.

- Feyre’s Actions : By undermining Tamlin's rule and sowing chaos in the Spring Court, Feyre disrupts the lives of its inhabitants, forcing them to live in fear and uncertainty.

2. Exploitation of Power Dynamics :

- Colonization : Colonizers typically exploit their superior power to dominate and control indigenous populations for their own benefit.

- Feyre’s Actions : Feyre, leveraging her position and abilities, manipulates the internal politics of the Spring Court primarily to serve her personal vendetta against Tamlin, rather than considering the impact on the common citizens.

3. Cultural and Social Displacement :

- Colonization : Indigenous cultures and social structures are often eroded or obliterated under colonial rule.

- Feyre’s Actions : By destabilizing the Spring Court, Feyre causes significant social upheaval. The citizens’ trust in their leadership and societal norms are shattered, akin to the cultural displacement seen in colonized societies.

4. Infliction of Psychological and Physical Harm :

- Genocide : Beyond physical violence, genocide includes the infliction of psychological terror and destruction of ways of life.

- Feyre’s Actions : Although not a literal genocide, Feyre’s actions inflict psychological harm on the Spring Court’s residents, instilling fear, paranoia, and instability, which mirrors the psychological impacts of genocidal actions.

5. Manipulation and Betrayal :

- Colonization : Colonial powers often employ manipulation and betrayal to achieve their goals, breaking treaties and exploiting trust.

- Feyre’s Actions : Feyre deceives and manipulates Tamlin and his court, betraying any semblance of alliance or trust for her personal goals.

6 . Brought to my attention by @wingsdippedingold , Justification Given :

Political Leadership and Setting a Better Example:

1. Responsibility to Protect Civilians :

- As a political leader and High Lady, Feyre holds the responsibility to protect all civilians, including those in rival courts. Her actions should prioritize the welfare of innocents over personal grievances.

2. Ethical Use of Power :

- Leaders must use their power ethically, avoiding actions that harm innocent people. Feyre’s actions reflect a misuse of power for revenge, rather than for justice or the greater good.

3. Diplomacy over Sabotage :

- Effective leadership often requires diplomacy and conflict resolution rather than sabotage and subterfuge. Feyre could have sought diplomatic means to address her issues with Tamlin without causing widespread harm.

4. Setting Precedents :

- As a leader, Feyre’s actions set a precedent for future interactions between courts. By resorting to manipulation and causing civilian suffering, she undermines principles of justice and fair governance, encouraging a cycle of retaliation and conflict.

5. Moral Integrity :

- Leaders are expected to uphold high moral standards. Feyre’s actions, driven by personal vendetta, showcase a lack of moral integrity, damaging her credibility as a just leader.

Conclusion:

While Feyre's actions may not be a direct parallel to colonization and mass genocide in their most extreme forms, the underlying principles of causing widespread harm to innocent civilians for personal gain and disrupting societal structures draw notable similarities. As a political leader, Feyre’s actions should reflect a commitment to protecting all people under her influence, employing ethical and diplomatic solutions, and maintaining moral integrity to set a positive example for governance and conflict resolution.

#anti feyre #anti feyre archeron #sincerely screw the white zionist bitch #applies to both feyre and sjm btw #colonization #mass genocide #displacement #displaced #spring court #acotar #a court of thorns and roses #acotar analysis by sonics-atelier #acotar analysis by sonics atelier #pro tamlin #tamlin acotar #tamlin #spring court colonization

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mariacallous · 4 months ago

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Even as a growing number of foreign governments commit to protecting the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) people, others are actively marshaling their resources against them. From the Hungarian government’s legal and political attacks on LGBTQI+ people to Iraqi legislation that punishes those who “promote homosexuality” and increases criminal penalties and fines for same-sex relations, the negative trends are significant and concerning.

In many places, politicians blame LGBTQI+ people for a wide array of societal ills to boost their popularity at home and their geopolitical interests abroad, distracting from the real economic, social, and political challenges their countries face. In Georgia, for example, the ruling party may have used anti-LGBTQI+ rhetoric to manipulate the political landscape ahead of elections. Meanwhile, in Lebanon, a country long considered relatively welcoming for LGBTQI+ people in the Middle East, one activist described a political leader’s rhetoric as “the manufacturing of a moral panic in order to justify a crackdown, and to deviate public attention away from their unpopular policies.”

Although human rights are seen by some as a lower-priority foreign-policy issue for the United States than so-called hard security threats, the failure to protect them abroad can have significant negative consequences for U.S. interests. Now more than ever, the United States needs to push back against foreign-government repression of LGBTQI+ rights while also doing this work at home. As U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken put it recently, this matters “not just because we have a moral imperative to do so,” but because doing so “helps strengthen democracy, bolster national security, and promote global health and economic development.”

Across a range of issues, it’s clear that anti-LGBTQI+ policies and rhetoric can cause significant damage to many of the United States’ top foreign-policy priorities.

To start, efforts to repress LGBTQI+ rights are often a canary in the coal mine for more severe persecution to come. A 2022 report found, for example: “From Nazi Germany to genocide in Darfur to the breakup of former Yugoslavia, the imposition of ‘moral’ codes that directly assault sexual and gender identities and freedoms came before widespread state-led physical violence and atrocity crimes.”

The targeting of LGBTQI+ people can also be a precursor to, or occur alongside, abuses against other vulnerable populations. The Taliban-promoted sexual assault of and life-threatening attacks on LGBTQI+ people, for example, have occurred concurrently with brutal restrictions on women’s and girls’ participation in education, work, and other aspects of public life. Likewise, vicious torture of gay men in the Russian Republic of Chechnya has taken place against a wider backdrop of long-term human rights abuses by Chechen authorities.

Erosion of LGBTQI+ human rights can also signal and exacerbate the breakdown of democratic norms and institutions, including restrictions on independent media and judicial review, serving as a bellwether for the state of civil society more generally. Russia’s recent detention and prosecution of LGBTQI+ people have paralleled its crackdown on independent journalists, human rights defenders, and civil society.

Countries in which the human rights of LGBTQI+ people are less respected also frequently have greater levels of corruption, partly because discriminatory legal regimes create barriers to reporting wrongdoing by corrupt officials, making LGBTQI+ people an easy target for extortion. Corruption, in turn, compounds other pressing problems: It degrades the business environment, drives migration, and impedes responses to public health crises and climate change. States with endemic corruption are also more vulnerable to terrorist networks, transnational organized crime, gang-related criminal actors, and human traffickers. This is, in part, because threats to transparent and accountable governance are among the root causes of radicalization, and restrictions on LGBTQI+ and other civil society organizations reduce the capacity of those groups to mitigate the conditions conducive to violent extremism, terrorism and other criminal activity.

Not only are anti-LGBTQI+ policies a drag on economic growth, but they are also detrimental to public health. Punitive laws fan the flames of stigma and discrimination, in turn making vulnerable communities reluctant to seek life-saving and public health-protecting services. Across 10 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, for example, HIV prevalence in countries that criminalize homosexuality is five times higher among men who have sex with men than in countries without those laws.

Taken together, the failure to protect LGBTQI+ people’s human rights can create disastrous effects for U.S. interests. State-sponsored discrimination and violence undercut the United States’ tremendous investments in international anti-corruption efforts, counter-terrorism programs, economic development, and public health. And, as the COVID-19 pandemic made clear, a disease threat anywhere can quickly become a disease threat everywhere. The same can be said for terrorism, corruption, and economic instability. When governments target LGBTQI+ people, they also increase the chances that the symptoms and consequences of this repression will spread in their communities and across borders.

Given the stakes, it is crucial that the United States uses the tools and powers it has to promote accountability for human rights abuses and mitigate their harms to U.S. citizens and businesses.

In this respect, the recent heightened repression by the Ugandan government is illustrative. In May 2023, Uganda signed into law the Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA), which mandated the death penalty for certain “serial” offenses and a 20-year prison sentence for the mere “promotion” of homosexuality. Although the legislation was decried by human rights advocates, it was lauded by some of Uganda’s geopolitical partners as evidence of shared interests. Shortly after the legislation was passed, the late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi visited Uganda and made the unfortunately common—and demonstrably inaccurate—claim that homosexuality is a Western import. He also identified opposition to Western support for LGBTQI+ people as “another area of cooperation for Iran and Uganda.” In similar fashion, an editorial on the pro-Kremlin Tsargrad website summarized the law as “a geopolitical victory [for Russia], which they see as the direct result of years of their hard, methodical work [on a] global anti-LGBTQ hate campaign.”

The AHA was the final, egregious straw amid an ongoing decline in respect for human rights, including of LGBTQI+ people, and democratic backsliding in Uganda, and the United States’ response was swift and comprehensive. Underscoring the link between the violation of the human rights of LGBTQI+ people and broader harms to American interests, U.S. President Joe Biden described the law as part of an “alarming trend of human rights abuses and corruption.” The United States issued a business advisory; updated the U.S. Travel Advisory and Country Information Page for Uganda; expanded existing visa restrictions to include those repressing vulnerable populations, such as human rights advocates, LGBTQI+ people, and environmental defenders; supported the World Bank’s decision to pause Uganda’s access to new funds; and imposed sanctions on the Commissioner General of the Uganda Prisons Service for widespread violations of human rights, including credible reports of physical abuse of political opposition and LGBTQI+ people. President Biden also determined that Uganda did not meet the eligibility requirements of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), “on the basis of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights.”

Although the law remains in place, these actions and international attention have had effect: Uganda’s government has not conducted widespread roundups of or ordered death sentences against LGBTQI+ people. But violence, abuse, and evictions have increased in the country, and arrests of LGBTQI+ people have persisted and likely risen under an earlier, colonial-era law that criminalizes same-sex conduct.

As the situation in Uganda demonstrates, the United States has options to respond to foreign governments that fail to uphold their human rights obligations. These measures can be unilateral, as is the case for issuing travel advisories or removing trade preferences, or multilateral, which could involve working with the United Nations, the World Bank, or other multilateral institutions. They can also be affirmative, as opposed to punitive—for instance, expanding humanitarian and development assistance for human rights defenders and mobilizing private sector capital to support businesses that operate consistent with international non-discrimination standards.

As with all diplomatic efforts to address wrongdoing, the choice among these options will vary depending on circumstances, such as whether a government is launching a new campaign against LGBTQI+ people or has an older but little-enforced criminal law on its books. Inevitably, the importance of raising human rights concerns will be weighed against other U.S. priorities, and human rights will not always prevail. However, increasingly, LGBTQI+ issues are being integrated into bilateral relationships, even when doing so is not easy and when quiet diplomacy is the only option. In all circumstances, consultation with LGBTQI+ civil society must be prioritized in weighing the benefits and risks of action to ensure that efforts do not contribute to backlash or negative repercussions for LGBTQI+ people on the frontlines of global human rights movements.

In a recent State Department convening on LGBTQI+ rights in U.S. foreign policy, Secretary Blinken made our commitment clear, telling civil society leaders: “Our promise is this: We will be with you every step of the way. We’ll persevere with you. We’ll listen to you. We’ll learn from you. We’ll help resource and support your fight. And we’ll bring our strength together with yours so that finally together we can build a world where all people are genuinely free—free to be who they are, free to love who they love.”

Although this work may have been in the spotlight during Pride month, it requires our focus year-round. Indeed, our national security depends on it.

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annoyangle · 4 months ago

Note

Is weirdmaggeddon coming after your book comes out?

WEIRDMAGEDDON NEVER ENDS! IT ONLY CHANGED FORM INTO ONE THAT YOUR WORLD CAN PROCESS! LOOK AROUND YOU! LOOK AT THE WEATHER! LOOK AT THE AIR! LOOK AT THE FOOLS ON DISPLAY! LOOK AT THE BREAKDOWN OF SOCIETAL NORMS AND SACRED TRADITIONS! WEIRDMAGEDDON IS NOW AND FOREVER NOW THAT I'M HERE!!

#ask bill cipher #inbox reply #I'M SPILLING SECRETS!#AND IT'S JUST GETTING STARTED KIDS

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eightmandibles · 1 year ago

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Mawaru Penguindrum Phrases Breakdown

I've written a big long post breaking down some of the repeated phrases of the show Mawaru Penguindrum because rewatching it a year ago gave me brainrot. Hope those who r interested enjoy.

Alright this has been occupying my brain for so long it should've started paying rent so I've decided to finally write it all up. Some of these are my own thoughts, but a lot of these are pieces of interpretations that are floating out there on the web. I just didn’t find any one place that compiles them all and puts them together.

Mawaru Penguindrum is the first Ikuhara show I ever watched and something about it really changed my brain forever even though I didn’t really understand what I was watching the first time through (because I was in middle school). I love its surreality and the density of its visual metaphors that all feed into each other has me like an insane person complete with a red string conspiracy board (that will be a section later). It’s show that challenges the viewers to piece together concepts and leaves questions for them to answer on their own, some intended and some probably not as much. I admire the ambition and the commitment to exist in a space that's between trite judgements of black and white, good and evil, and to trust the viewer to really engage with the work.

In this blog post I’m going to break down some of the major catchphrases of the show because they exemplify how the visual/thematic density rewards viewers who spend the time to really engage with the material. It also personally fascinates me as someone who enjoys these puzzle box-type themes and narratives that have the answers staring you right in the face from the beginning, but you just didn’t have the tools to understand what you were being cryptically told.

MAWARU PENGUINDRUM

We gotta start from the beginning and break down the title first of course.

MAWARU: spinning, turning, rotating - which brings themes like revolution and cycles to mind

It’s probably also nod to Revolutionary Girl Utena (though both shows share a lot of themes in examining and trying to challenge or examine societal norms, structures, and cycles).

PENGUINDRUM:

First layer of understanding: the physical diary that the Kanba and Shoma must find (actually it’d be more accurate the say the first layer is just being like “this is a nonsense word” but I digress)

Let’s do another layer of breakdowns -

PENGUIN: Flightless birds that belong neither to the land or the sea - chosen to represent the idea of the “unchosen.” Those in Antarctica need to rely on their community to survive in their harsh environment, huddling and rotating (mawaru…) to keep everyone warm.

There’s a common rumor out there that Ikuhara said penguins were also chosen because it sounds like “pingguo” which is apple in Chinese. Honestly I believe it because he seems to be the kind of person to say stuff like that, but also I’ve never found a source on this.

DRUM: An instrument that keeps a steady beat…like a heartbeat…badum tss. The apple in the show always being red reinforces this association.

Second layer of understanding: When the diary is lost, what the “penguindrum” is exactly becomes more nebulous and we start operating in a metaphor-as-reality world. In terms of visual representation in the show, the “penguindrum” is the “apple” the siblings have been sharing among themselves.

The Penguindrum being represented by an apple means there’s a lot of associations tied into its image. In the show, apples are a visual metaphor for being "chosen". Classically, apples are also the fruit of original sin (like fate…not to jump ahead but remember this for later) - which ties into the concept of “punishment” that Himari's fate is framed as.

Because of the breakdown from earlier (and also all the chest puncturing imagery in the show lol), we can also understand the Penguindrum to be associated with the heart - often in turn associated with love, which is a very loaded concept to dig through, especially as presented in the show (romantic, platonic, and/or familial connections; sacrifice, community, etc.)

Taking these all together, a third layer of interpretation is that Mawaru Penguindrum refers to the cycle (Mawaru) of sharing bonds/fate/connection/love (Penguindrum) between the show’s characters.

SURVIVAL STRATEGY

This phrase is what signals the Princess of the Crystal's presence and initiates the transformation sequence that takes the brothers into a surreal world.

The common reading of this is again the reference of penguins needing to huddle together to survive the cold of Antarctica. They rotate who bears the cold wind of the outside circle in order for the whole flock to survive. Basically, we need the help and support of each other to survive the cold winds of an uncaring society.

While thinking on this phrase, I was struck by how every character’s drive in the show can be explained as “survival strategies” they learned as children. Perhaps it’s a bit of a stretch to apply it in the way this phrase is used in psychology, but I do think it at least refers to the ideology characters take on as children due to their traumatic childhood events or from flawed role models.

Ringo’s “survival strategy” is the most explicitly stated in the show: in episode 6, she believes her parents are on the verge of divorce because she is not Momoka - therefore to keep her family together she resolves to become Momoka.

The origin of Kanba and Himari’s core approaches to life appear in the flashbacks of episodes 5 and 9 respectively. The Takakura parents each protect the two adopted children from injury by glass, a nod to their original unchosen fate. In doing so, they’re set up as the direct masculine and feminine role models that the two children learn from and model themselves on. I’m not sure it’s accurate to say that the lessons they internalize are strictly “wrong,” because I don’t think Penguindrum is interested in discussing characters like that, but they definitely are flawed.

Shoma deals with guilt from his family’s “sin” and grapples with the idea of taking responsibility for his parents’ actions.

Tabuki and Yuri still believe themselves to be “unloved children” and that’s why they keep pursuing Momoka or seeking revenge for her. They struggle to believe there’s a place in the world for them without their savior there.

Masako is a pretty clear one as well - she internalizes her grandfather’s habits and beliefs in order to try and fit in, even if it never earned her any respect in his eyes.

The childhood of the characters in the show informed how they viewed the society they grew up in, and what they needed to do or become in order to survive.

YOU WHO WILL NEVER AMOUNT TO ANYTHING, FIND THE PENGUINDRUM

Honestly I’m obsessed with the phrases that first sound like absolute nonsense, but cool absolute nonsense. This is the phrase that made me want to write this blog post in the first place.

The phrase is the call-to-action by the mysterious Princess of the Crystal. On first viewing, we can interpret so little of this sentence it’s really just a tool to sound cool and give us a snapshot of the Princess of the Crystal’s personality - haughty, cryptic, and generally unhelpful. It gives Kanba and Shoma a goal, even though neither us nor them understand what the hell it is.

YOU WHO WILL NEVER AMOUNT TO ANYTHING

As the show goes on, the themes and concepts around being a chosen or unchosen child arise. Those who are unchosen and unloved go to the Child Broiler to be turned into glass. This is semi-metaphorical and semi-literal (diegetic might be an appropriate word in a weird way) - metaphorically it can be interpreted as becoming a forgettable, blandly molded member of society, though being processed is acknowledged more like death in the show. In some ways that’s still accurate.

Each of the siblings started without an apple, literally-metaphorically starving of love and unchosen - originally they were fated to never amount to anything.

FIND THE PENGUINDRUM

Obviously this initially refers to the diary in the show, but as we broke down earlier PENGUINDRUM eventually takes on a more loaded meaning akin to love, bond, and connection.

So over the course of watching the show, the phrase transforms from a one-sided order and condemnation to a call to action. Put all together with a little more elaboration: You who were unchosen and unloved from the beginning, in order to survive in this harsh world you must find love and connection with people to share your life with, through good and bad.

I COME FROM THE DESTINATION OF YOUR FATE

Time to bust out the conspiracy red string board, literally-metaphorically.

The Red Line is the literal, metaphorical, and thematic spine of the show. There are two big starting categories for viewing The Red Line in the show, which then mix together to create new meanings as the show references it through imagery and dialogue.

First up, the Red Line refers to an actual train line that the entire show takes place upon, the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi line. The entire show is structured around the train line which starts with the Ogikubo Station and ends at Ikebukuro, with important locations being linked with the actual train stops. It was one of the train lines attacked in real life as part of the Tokyo subway sarin attack in 1995 which the Pingu group’s terrorist attack in the show is a very transparent reference to. This single point in time in 1995 is the origin of almost everything in Mawaru Penguindrum, and in fact almost half the cast is born on the exact day the Pingu group attacks, just to emphasize how closely their fates are tied to the attack.

Second, the Red Line can be seen as a representation of fate, as in the red string of fate. Fate and destiny are concepts brought up over and over again, with Shoma and Ringo having their own monologues about it in the first two episodes (and Kanba having his much later). The visualization of the red string of fate can also be seen in the ending animations.

Somewhere in between is the Red Line as the metaphor of a train to visualize fate. Fate is something that can’t be changed - just like how trains run on fixed tracks with fixed destinations. Of course this is challenged in the show - Momoka even uses the metaphor of changing train tracks to explain her ability.

Now, fate has its own set of associations, such as: destiny, love, connection, bond (hmm familiar), as well as superstitions like fated meetings, fated demises, divine determination.

These can start branching off into concepts like blessings, sins, retribution, and karma (cue the Fate monologues again). And now we start getting back into the idea of cycles: downward spirals of getting what one deserves for their actions, passing on one’s sins to those after you - or virtuous cycles of doing good deeds and passing love and care forward.

Often in discussions of fate, familiar questions arise. Does the beginning determine the end? Is the end fated from the beginning? And so the Red Line becomes the Red Circle, another visual device seen throughout the show. It’s all over the motion graphics of the show and appears around the train stations as well as around ‘95’, referencing the originating incident of it all - the beginning of the Takakura family that determined their end.

What I love about this use of the Red Line is that however you progress your understanding of the its importance to the show, it all helps you further understand any concept Mawaru Penguindrum is discussing. This coherence and repetition of visual metaphors is what allows the show to feel more texturally and thematically cohesive even when it starts getting loose in a plot sense.

(Going back to the initial phrase, I COME FROM THE DESTINATION OF YOUR FATE is said by the Princess of the Crystal in her introduction monologue. It likely lampshades the predetermined ending that the Takakura brothers are so desperately trying to avoid. But also, there is a much funnier, much more literal interpretation I enjoy - Ikebukuro, the last stop on the train line, is where the aquarium the siblings visit is. It’s also where the brothers bought the novelty penguin hat for Himari. So the Princess of the Crystal literally came from the destination (last stop) of your fate (the red line)!)

LET’S SHARE THE FRUIT OF FATE

This turns out to be the secret key phrase needed to activate the diary in order to change the tracks of fate, which Ringo uses at the end of the show in order to prevent another train attack from succeeding.

It’s probably not too hard to piece together what the fruit of fate is after all of this. In a sense, this phrase is just a repeat of Mawaru Penguindrum, just as an actual sentence with a bit more coherence.

I’ll bear your burdens and you’ll bear mine, and in doing so, let us forever be connected.

Wow, finally expunged these thoughts from my brain. Maybe somewhere in me there's still something left for a discussion on how the show uses repeated imagery and visual metaphor to communicate information and associations to the viewer that are vital to actually understanding what's going on because it's a narrative that half exists a non-literal thematic space but for now:

Thanks for reading!

#mawaru penguindrum #ikuhara #mpd #finally committed to writing this after dying from the booster side effects #i'm sure there might be translation differences from the original japanese but I think my logic will still hold

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residences-of-the-darkforest · 8 days ago

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Dark Forest Residences: Flightfur & Lilybeak

Flightfur

Aliases / Nicknames: Love

Gender: she-cat

Sexuality: pansexual

Family: unnamed mother, unnamed father, Lilybeak (daughter), Birchkit, Sunkit (sons), Tadpoleclaw (mate, formerly)

Other Relations: unnamed mentor, unnamed apprentice, Softbark (mother-in-law)

Clan: ThunderClan

Rank: warrior

Characteristics: loves racing, good reflexes, tends to get over emotional (positively and negatively)

Murder Motive: protect her daughter

Number of Victims: 1

Number of Murders: 1

Murder Method: clawing

Known Victims: Tadpoleclaw

Victim Profile: her former mate, her daughter’s attacker

Cause of Death: throat ripped out, murdered

Cautionary Tale: ??

Story:

She was on her own the moment she became expecting.

She was delighted at first, until she shared the news with her mate and saw his face fall.

She had lost one kit the day that they were born, and her remaining son was incredibly sick, requiring attention at all times. Flightfur wasn't able to sleep for days, her worry wouldn't let her.

Her son--Birchkit--didn't live past more than a moon.

Flightfur shrank into her grief, becoming bitter and angry. Bitter at the world for stealing her children, angry at her so-called 'mate' for never comforting her or visiting them before they died.

How dare he?

How dare he bow his head at the vigil? How dare he give a speech about his poor dead children, who he never bothered to see?

All the moons Flightfur spent exhausted, ungroomed, on the verge of a breakdown!

All the times she went to him, begging for help, and he came up with excuses or promised to help 'later,' but never would.

All the worries she expressed, wishing that he would just come see his kits before it was too late, to just be with her again.

How dare he be pretending to feel the pain that was tearing Flightfur up inside?

It ate her up completely--the rage, the sorrow, the grief. It left her a shell of her former self, living day by day staring into space.

While she suffered in her misery, Tadpoleclaw moved on just fine not even a moon after his kits were in the ground.

After....how long? Moons...Years? Her daughter, her last surviving kit, was an adult now. She was walking in the forest alone, when she spotted Tadpoleclaw and Lilybeak writhing on the ground. At first, she thought that they were training, when the spray of blood hit her.

In a flash, she realized that her daughter was in danger. In that same flash, her instinct kicked in and she sprang forward, ripping Tadpoleclaw from her baby and tearing at him with her claws, screaming her hatred as she tore and tore and tore, unleashing all her hatred for him and all that he's put her through.

His face and chest were unrecognizable, marred completely by long red, ragged lines and pools of blood. When her ears stopped ringing, she heard voices behind her and sprung around to face a shocked patrol.

She tried to explain, stammering, but her heart was beating so fast and she still wasn't sure what had happened, it was all a blur...

She looked to her daughter for help. She could tell them what was going on.

Her daughter kicked that bird skull that she's been fascinated by since kithood, before telling everyone that Flightfur attacked Tadpoleclaw unprovoked.

Flightfur didn't have any time to speak a word before Tadpoleclaw's new mate leaped from the crowd and bit into her throat.

Lilybeak

Aliases / Nicknames: Weirdo, Lilyfreak, Skull-lover, Dungpelt, other various insults

Gender: she-cat, agender-leaning (she/they)

Sexuality: asexual, panromantic

Family: Finchfur (mother), Tadpoleclaw (father), Birchkit, Sunkit (brothers), Softbark (grandmother)

Other Relations: unnamed mentor

Clan: ThunderClan

Rank: warrior

Characteristics: essentially “blind” to societal norms, loves the smell of rot, loves birds, loves her skull, obsessive of her skull, always lets her skull decide her fate

Murder Motive: the skull said “negative”

Number of Victims: 6

Number of Murders: 6

Murder Method: neglecting help, lying

Known Victims: Tadpoleclaw, Finchfur, several unnamed Clanmates

Victim Profile: her father, her mother, cats in danger

Cause of Death: eye puncture, murdered

Cautionary Tale: ??

Story:

Her father was never really in the picture--it wasn't until she became an apprentice that Lilybeak even knew which warrior was him.

Her mother...Well, she was in the nursery with her, but that's as far as their interactions went, not including formal greetings or patrols. Lilybeak didn't blame her. She had lost one kit the day they were born, and Lilybeak's remaining littermate was incredibly sick, requiring attention at all times.

He didn't live past more than a moon, but instead of turning her attention to her last surviving kit, she shrank into her grief, becoming bitter and angry.

That was okay. Lilykit had her grandmother. Softbark taught Lilykit to wean, to walk, and every other important thing a young cat must know. She also taught her granddaughter special skills, like how to perfectly pluck a bird of its feathers or clean the meat completely off the bones so that nothing is wasted.

Lilykit was so proud of herself when she had finished her first--successful--clean of a crow. Softbark pulled the skull from the rest of the body and passed it to her, encouraging her to always look at it in a time of need or confusion.

She had meant for Lilykit to remember her success, but the kit took it literal.

That skull was everything to her, moreso when her grandmother passed.

Lilykit could never be sure if her mother ever heard her questions, or if she just didn't care enough to provide answers.

But that skull...She could always be sure that it was there. It would always help her, guide her.

It was simple enough. When she was plagued by a question or choice, she would gently kick the skull. If the mouth laid open, it was affirmation of the positive. If it closed, negative.

When the only guiding figure in your life is the skull of a long-dead animal, you're bound to be off when it comes to...societal norms and thought processes.

When a warrior had tried to take her skull away, thinking it junk, she had wailed and bit onto his tail so hard, she hit bone.

Her peers teased her for it, calling it gross and weird and pretending to gag at the smell when she curled up beside it while asleep.

They tried to take it from her one day as a joke...Lilypaw had to spend half a moon's worth cleaning the elders from ticks, but at least she got her point across. No one ever bothered her about her skull again. Weird glances, sure. Whispers, whatever. Lilybeak didn't care.

While others voiced their disdain of her new name, Lilybeak was delighted! Lilybeak, just like her friend!

Then that warrior...her father? Yes, she remembered, her father asked to go on a walk. When the skull confirmed that she should go, she did so, holding it delicately in her jaws.

Tadpoleclaw tried to act understanding and patient at first as he attempted to explain how strange Lilybeak's obsession was, but when Lilybeak refused to listen, he became frustrated. He asked her why she had to be so weird, doesn't she know they whisper about him too, as her father? What cats think of him to have her as a daughter?

He shouted at her to get rid of the skull or he would. Lilybeak told him that she had to ask it first. That enraged Tadpoleclaw and he tore it out of her jaws, throwing it to the ground. Then he placed a paw on it, pressing down..

Lilybeak shrieked and shoved him off, and they fell into a whirlwind of tooth and claw.

Before Lilybeak knew it, Flightfur had killed Tadpoleclaw, and a patrol was demanding what was going on. Flightfur looked at Lilybeak pleadingly, so Lilybeak gently kicked her skull to see what she should do.

It was closed. Negative. She couldn't go forward with telling the truth. So she raised her chin and announced her mother's crime.

It would only be the first time the skull had lead to someone's death.

Three times, a Clanmate was in danger--hanging from a broken branch, trapped on icy water, and faced against a badger. All three times, those Clanmates died because when faced with the choice to help or not, the answer was negative.

Not always. Sometimes it was positive, and she sprang into action and saved the cats in danger.

Whether she saved someone or didn’t had no affect on Lilybeak’s conscience. She was merely following what she was being told—that skull was for her, no one else. It was in her best interest to follow everything it told her.

If she didn’t help someone, it was probably because she would only be putting herself in danger. If she did, it meant she was safe enough to do so.

If she had told the truth about Tadpoleclaw’s death, maybe she would have been blamed as well, instead of treated as the lucky survivor of Flightfur’s rampage.

Then Lilybeak took her skull into battle. It would be hard to fight and worry tugged at her, but she needed it with her always.

Then she saw a Clanmate getting attacked by two opposing warriors. She kicked the beak…negative. She turned away.

But she hadn’t been without audience. That cat’s father had seen her neglect. He was farther and couldn’t help in time, but Lilybeak could have easily stepped in if not so obsessed with that weird beak.

Consumed by rage and grief, he snuck over to her nest that night. She slept a tail-length away from everyone else, the only one unbothered by that smell.

He picked up the skull that she loved so much, and slammed it down.

Additional Information:

—Was initially just gonna be Lilybeak, but I started writing and realized the mom has a strong motive. Flight was chosen because did her similar fur pattern.

—Lilybeak was suggested by @meowstival and @colonies-of-the-shells-and-fish !

—Because she was killed by the beak as well as buried with it (out of respect for her strange love), she has it with her in the Dark Forest.

—Both Tadpole and the dad that killed Lily are in StarClan.

—The dad slammed the skull down blindly, not really sure where he was going because cats aren’t really used to stabbing with items in their mouths. He ended up puncturing Lily’s eye, deep enough to kill her!

#Long post #Profile #resident profile #Resident #Dark forest oc #dark forest warrior #Murder #dark forest resident #Dark forest profile #dark resident #Dark profile #Place of No stars oc #Lilybeak #Finchfur

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videostarblogs · 4 months ago

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5. yamanba gyaru

yamanba gyaru is a bold and extreme substyle of the gyaru fashion movement that originated in Japan in the late 1990s and early 2000s. it is characterized by its striking and unconventional appearance, which challenges traditional beauty norms. here's the details breakdown of yamanba gyaru fashion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

origins and development

yamanba gyaru evolved from the earlier gyaru substyles, particularly ganguro, which emphaszied tanned, bleached hair, and heavy makeup. the term yamanba refers to a mythical mountain witch in Japanese folklore, highlighting the wild and exaggerated nature of the style. this substyle emerged as a rebellion against traditional Japanese beauty standards and societal expectations, embracing a more radical and expressive and societal expectations, embracing a more radical and expressive form of self identity. it gained popularity among Japanese youth who sought to stand out and make a bold statement.

key motifs

deep tan and white makeup: one of the most distinctive features of yamanba gyaru is the deep, artificial tan combined with white makeup accents/ white eyeshadow, white eyeliner, and white lipstick or concealer are used to create a dramatic contrast against the tanned makeup.

bleached or colored hair: hair is typically bleaches to a platinum blonde or dyed in bright, unconventional colors like neon pink, blue, or purple. hairstyles are often voluminous and styled in waves or curls.

bold and colorful makeup: besides the white accents, yamanba gyaru makeup includes heavy use of colorful eyeshadows, dramatic false eyelashes, and thick eyeliner.

layered and flashy clothing: the clothing in yamanba gyaru fashion is eclectic and vibrant. it often includes layered outfits with bold patterns, neon colors, and flashy accessories like large hair clips, beads, and chunky jewelry.

platform shoes: oversized platform shoes and boots are a staple in yamanba gyaru fashion, adding to the exaggerated and towerlinh appearance

music

the yamanba gyaru aesthetic is often associated with energetic and rebellious music genres such as j-pop, eurobeat, and para para music. these genres complement the lively and bold nature of the fashion

here are some artists to listen too

Kiryu

BiS (Brand-new Idols of Succession)

GANG PARADE

PassCode

SCANDAL

Yoyoka

The GazettE

Dadaroma

DOLL$BOXR

X JAPAN

movies

yamanba gyaru fashion hasn't been prominently featured in mainstream movies, but it aligns with the subverse and countercultural themes found in certian Japanese films and media that explore youth rebellion and identity. documentaries and features on Japanese street fashion often showcase yamanba gyaru as part of the broader gyaru subculture

here are movies I suggest

Kamikaze Girls (2004)

Love Exposure (2008)

Tokyo Gore Police (2008)

Female Prisoner 701: Scorpion (1972)

Tokyo Tribe (2014)

Suicide Circle (2002)

Death Powder (1986)

Tokyo Vampire Hotel (2017)

book and other media

manga and anime: some manga and anime feature characters inspired by gyaru substyles, including yamanba. titles like gals! by mihona fuiji provide a glimpse into the gyaru lifestyles and fashion.

magazines: magazines such as egg have historically featured yamanba gyaru, providing fashion tips, makeup tutorials, and showcasing street snaps of those embarrassing the style.

social media and online communities: platforms like Instagram and TikTok, and various fashion blogs have become essential for yamanba gyaru enthusiasts to share their looks, connect with like minded individuals, and keep the subculture alive. online communities and forums dedicated to gyaru fashion also play a significant role in fostering the yamanba gyaru community.

moodboards

outfit inspo

overall, yamanba gyaru is a radical and expressive fashion subculture that embraces bold colors, exaggerated makeup, and a rebellious spirit. it challenges conventional beauty standards and celebrates individuality and creativity.

make sure to like, reblog if you want and follow my blog for more fashion breakdowns like this!!! my requests are open aswell:)))

videostar signing off...............

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deer-sabaism · 5 months ago

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facts about cannibalism — i have weird hyperfixations, i know.

what's cannibalism? cannibalism is the act of one individual of a species consuming all or part of another individual of the same species as food. cannibalism exists in the animal kingdom and rarely among humans for various reasons, ranging from survival to ritualistic practices.

the first type is defined as eating members of another group (conquered enemies, for example) and the second one, the eating of members of your own group, usually associated with ritual burial ceremonies.

cannibalism has been documented throughout human history, with one of the earliest recorded instances being the Gough’s Cave in England, where human bones from approximately 15,000 years ago showed signs of cannibalistic practices.

in certain cultures, cannibalism was performed as a ritualistic act, believed to transfer the strength or spirit of the consumed to the eater.

the Fore people of Papua New Guinea practiced transumption, a form of cannibalism, until the late 20th century, which led to the spread of the fatal prion disease kuru.

throughout history, there have been numerous accounts of cannibalism for survival. sailors lost at sea, explorers in uncharted territories, and victims of sieges and famines have resorted to consuming human flesh.

the case of the Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, which crashed in the Andes in 1972, is a well-documented instance where survivors ate the deceased to stay alive.

many cultures have myths and folklore featuring cannibalistic giants or monsters, such as the Wendigo in Algonquian folklore, which is said to embody both the act of cannibalism and the insatiable greed that leads to it.

cannibalism has been a recurring theme in literature and film, often used to explore themes of survival, horror, or the breakdown of societal norms. movies like "The Silence of the Lambs" and books like "Hannibal" by Thomas Harris have brought cannibalism into popular culture.

cannibalism is illegal in most countries, though the act itself is not explicitly mentioned in the law; rather, it is often prosecuted under laws against murder, desecration of corpses, or assault.

in medical science, the transplantation of human organs and tissues can be seen as a form of cannibalism, though it is, of course, conducted for life-saving purposes and with consent.

research into prion diseases like kuru has provided valuable insights into neurodegenerative diseases and the risks associated with consuming human neural tissue.

with advances in lab-grown meats and other synthetic food technologies, some speculate about the ethical implications of creating human flesh for consumption without the need for death or harm.

cannibalism can cause severe psychological effects, including trauma, PTSD, guilt, shame, dissociation, social isolation, and stigmatization. it can deeply impact identity and self-perception, particularly when conflicting with cultural or religious beliefs. survival cannibalism may lead to survival guilt, while instances involving psychopathy can reflect broader antisocial behaviors. long-term mental health issues like depression and anxiety are also common. thw psychological impact varies based on individual resilience and circumstances.

climate change could potentially increase instances of cannibalism in the animal kingdom as resources become scarcer and species are forced into closer quarters or new territories.

there have been rare instances of self-cannibalism, known as autophagy, where individuals consume parts of their own bodies, often as a result of mental illness or extreme starvation.

cannibalism is studied in various academic fields, including anthropology, psychology, and biology, to understand its historical, cultural, and biological aspects.

educational discussions about cannibalism can challenge students to think critically about ethical issues, human behavior, and the diversity of cultural practices around the world.

cannibalism, a topic as old as humanity, spans across cultures and continents, revealing both dark and fascinating aspects of human history. Whether driven by necessity, ritual, or psychological compulsion, the act of consuming human flesh highlights social and ethical issues.

thanks for reading :)

#cannibalposting #cannibalistic #cannibalism #educational #fun facts #g0r3c0r3

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vashtijoy · 2 years ago

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probably a silly question, but i was under the impression that mental shutdowns can either kill or put someone in a coma, while psychotic breaks make the victim abandon all societal norms and whatever inhibitions they had. sort of like. it will make them act like their worst self and desires and intrusive thoughts but it won't kill them. is this wrong? :0 i guess even in my interpretation a psychotic break can make someone act in such a way that will cause them serious body harm or death. but can a psychotic break kill on its own?

You have it right, anon! Definitions again:

psychotic breakdown—more literally something like "mental rampage", this is the result of Akechi using Call of Chaos on someone's shadow. The game implies (with statements like "once the chains on [their] heart are broken") that the things people do during a breakdown are things they can't admit they want to do; the things they repress down into their shadow. These result in "accidents and scandals", and (probably?) won't kill you directly.

mental shutdown—the result of Akechi killing someone's shadow, this is haijinka, more literally "cripple-ization" or "making someone a human wreck" (thanks so much, y'all)—note that 廃人 haijin is derogatory and "should be used with caution".

Here's Japanese Wikipedia (via Google Translate bc I'm both lazy and busy this morning) on haijin:

When people are generally called "haijin", most of them refer to cases in which sociality is significantly impaired compared to healthy people . Because of the particularly strong discriminatory elements, it is used when the mind is destroyed or activity is hindered due to congenital (or acquired) mental disorders, or when normal social activities are difficult.

Note that, while these are two very different things, with very different effects, the localisation typically muddies the water by saying shutdown when it means breakdown, or vice versa. Or by turning "shutdowns and breakdowns" into one or the other. Or by describing something else entirely as a mental shutdown—the cases in that post are breakdowns, but they're a specific subset of breakdown. So when you hear these mentioned in English, think about what they're describing, and which definition it meets. The characters are often validly confused about what's going on, but the terminology is also usually muddled, one way or another.

how fatal are they tho

Using @cincosechzehn's original spreadsheet as an indicator, we see five mental shutdowns in canon, as part of the plot: Wakaba, Kayo, Kobayakawa, Okumura and the SIU Director. Out of these five, the only five we see onscreen, four of them die and one recovers.

Those are bad odds. Those are really bad odds. That's an 80% kill rate. Like, the SIU guy and Okumura may not be in good health, but by their nature mental shutdowns are going to tend to target older people in power. Wakaba and Kobayakawa may just in the wrong place at the wrong time—but that's still 40%; going brain dead in the real world is not safe.

On the upside, the only person we hear about having a mental shutdown and not dying immediately does begin to recover in the medium term. But Sae (a reliable source, unlike the TV news) tells us people "lose consciousness, never to recover"—which likely makes those odds a bit worse.

Based on this, I would be really hesitant about saying "mental shutdowns aren't fatal". 80% fatal is essentially "only not murder because I missed". Additionally, it looks like Shido and the SIU Director may sometimes send the Cleaner in to "clean up", when a shutdown victim doesn't die first time—for instance, he may have been responsible for that truck that hit Kobayakawa. Not sure about this one yet.

what about the psychotic breakdowns?

Again, a psychotic breakdown seems to make you rampage and do something you secretly want to do, but are usually restrained from by little things like morality and not hurting others. They often seem so targetted (Akechi gives X a psychotic breakdown to make them do useful thing Y) that I think there must be an interrogation element—like he talks to the shadow to see what it wants to do, and maybe has to take time to find one that will serve his purpose. For instance, if he wants a flashy subway accident, he can't CoC a random train driver who it turns out just wants to slam on the brakes and jerk off.

So the breakdowns are described as "accidents and scandals", because sometimes they're devastating, but sometimes someone just loses their mind and does something weird. Or they start swinging a knife around on a train.

And here we need to get into intent. Akechi doesn't have a death note, after all. He can't just write down "this guy smashes his train through several stations at top speed, eventually derails it with catastrophic effect, and nobody dies." He sends the driver in knowing the likelihood is that the result will be a lot of dead people.

Because that's what happens. Akechi starts the ball rolling, probably with a rough idea that it will serve the purpose he was assigned, and then he has to let it roll and see where it lands.

This is why almost the first thing that happens in the game is that we get told about a "rampage accident" that is fatal:

(I figured this list really deserved its own post.)

Here's the top item on that list again:

バス暴走死傷事故 basu bousou shishou jiko reckless bus driving accident that caused injuries and deaths

This is a really interesting choice for the top item in the list. It's a case of 暴走運転 bousou unten "reckless driving", sure. But Japanese players are going to get very used to that word bousou, very quickly, in the context of the 精神暴走事件 seishin bousou jiken—the psychotic breakdown cases.

This is an explicit link between the word bousou—Akechi's word that describes his unique signature skill and his effect on others and ultimately his combat style—and a fatal accident. And it's right up at the front of the game, when about all we know about "psychotic breakdowns" is that some girls were talking about them as a spooky occult thing, on the train into Shibuya. Like, they could have chosen almost any of the things on this list to make fatal. But it was this one, and IMO that's important. The subway train derailing may not have been fatal, but the first thing the game wants us to know about psychotic breakdowns is that a. that people are terrified by them, b. that they can be extremely dramatic, and c. that people die from them.

To address your question again, specifically: no, people (probably; see below) don't die just from having a psychotic breakdown. But nobody "just" has a psychotic breakdown. The point is to make them do something—and the thing they do may well be devastating, and cause devastating injuries, up to and including deaths. Or it may just be personally devastating.

but then there are the chats and news stories

There are a lot of in-game rumours about psychotic breakdowns, and a lot of what appears to be misinformation, mainly because the difference between psychotic breakdowns and mental shutdowns is not clear.

One rumour is that breakdowns lead to mental shutdowns: "those people end up going brain dead", "they become haijin during interrogation". Another is that "you suddenly pass out ... [and] die in a lot of pain". Well, rumours are rumours.

But we also hear that "the news is saying the [train] driver couldn't even speak when they tried asking him questions". Of course, we know the news is controlled... but then we have to ask ourself what else they aren't reporting on.

doesn't akechi give himself psychotic breakdowns

The quick answer here is no. You could maybe argue that he does when the only example we had was the engine room, but in the third semester we get his Showtime, when he uses it repeatedly to put himself into a berserker rage. It looks like it gives him a bit of a headache afterwards, or makes him dizzy.

Call of Chaos just doesn't seem to work the same on Akechi (or, for that matter, on the two ordinary shadows he casts it on) as it does on people's shadows, when it goes "up the chain" and controls them in the real world. The immediate thing I'd point out is that Akechi doesn't drool blood (that I've noticed, at least) and his eyes don't roll back in his head (you can see his irises, albeit tiny and extremely crazy). Akechi can still speak, though he doesn't make much sense. He's not entirely out of control (despite being in, seemingly, a blind killing rage, he never attacks Joker in the Showtime—and there's a plot bunny for anyone who wants to pick it up and run with it.)

He is not experiencing exactly what his victims do—though he's experiencing something very similar: a lifting of his "chains", his inhibitions. It really seems like a true psychotic breakdown may be something that lingers with you, that lasts a long time, that probably leaves you in ruins. I'm not sure we ever hear of anyone who had one and was fine afterwards, though I can't swear to this.

#asks #persona 5 #p5 meta #goro akechi #call of chaos

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