#But I think he might just have influenced compassion that gets easily confused with empathy

[und3ad-me0wnz73r]

Literally every single one of those fuckass boys in the eltingville club has autism. Somebody had to say it.

[surveillance-0011]

Magician + Emperor headcanons cause I adore these horrific abominations

Spoilers for HOTD 4 Special w/ some spoilers for 3 n maybe 2

Magician

Pretty good at masking/resisting pain BUT be careful w/ those exposed muscles... those are a bit sensitive. Also gets cold easily because Exposed Flesh.

Of course with HOTD 4 Special that latter part changed because that’s not fleshy flesh but it’s still a bit sensitive. Just don’t touch him.

Do not mention that he’s incomplete. At best you’ll get some rude boast or cruel remark and at worst you’ll die.

Only speaks through telepathy because actually talking isn’t an option. Either he lacks vocal chords or they’re too weak to actually work.

Hates humanity and a lot of other things but low key respects Emperor. He just feels... safer, maybe?

Doesn’t know much about Daniel, if at all.

Vaguely remembers events before the Curien Case. Was probably awake and aware before then. Doesn’t like remembering that sort of stuff though.

All of the clones from the bad ending of Special are a part of a hive mind. Just as long as the gene(s) stay in tact and he can come back, it’s the same Magician mentally, just not physically.

There’s a lot of other confusing things to it but I’m no biologist,,

Emperor

Cannot eat. Obtained nutrition through nutrients being fed via that incubator’s tubes. Probably wouldn’t have to eat if fully complete.

Would be a lot more competent if they were given more time to incubate. Also a lot stronger, possibly more so than the World.

Might be able to influence emotions/thoughts/actions of others. It’s rather mild but they have stronger connections with the other zombies/mutants.

This is also like 50% of the reason why Magician didn’t turn against them or Goldman. They pretty much used whatever psychic abilities they have to calm Magician and convince him to work with them.

Was let out of the chamber at an early age like once. Maybe. Still, Emperor has like no experience with anything on the account of never seeing the outside world. Or anything beyond the chamber in general.

Emotions are subdued, lacks empathy and compassion. Pragmatic way of thinking, comes off as cruel but they’re just doing what they think will get the job done efficiently. Comes off as either robotic or distant, depending on circumstances.

[astracola]

so because a3 is still relatively new (locally at least) i wanted to do a small introduction post to introduce my muses from it! i haven’t dropped in any headcanons (yet) so this’ll just be basic early game canon or character traits i think are neat. deadass i’m out here with half the cast i don’t know why i’m like this either frankly.

AZUMA YUKISHIRO

one of the oldest members of the company, likely in his early thirties. somehow manages to “defy aging” with his makeup skills and natural beauty.

he is fully aware of how pretty he is, thank you for asking.

a big brother to all.

gentle, easygoing, and calm, even in crisis or under stress.

have you met a professional cuddler. now you have.

noted to have an alluring personality and high sex appeal, because that’s great. likes to flirt a lot, and is very direct. says things that he definitely probably shouldn’t.

not much is known about his past, even among those in the company and his own troupe (winter), he keeps it this way intentionally. it’s implied he might have once been a host, as when he left his prior work to pursue acting, his clients were devastated.

skilled at poker and similar card games.

ITARU CHIGASAKI

what’s up gamers.

prince archetype. even within the major company he works for as an elite employee, he’s well respected/regarded. feels refreshing and calming to be around.

very, very handsome. like holy shit.

“two modes”. the professional look he gives for his work and in public--and the exact mode that give him his prince-like associations, and how he is in private. his public persona is mostly facade, though his compassion and caring nature is genuine. his “true self” is a hardcore gamer and otaku, like this, he curses more frequently and comes off rude or lazy.

he likes to keep these two personas separate, understandably. with most personal relationships, he holds everyone at a distance.

he works in finances, and not much is known about his passion for acting or if he has much of one at all. regardless of this, he’s a member of the spring troupe.

he often uses gaming and internet terms in his speech, especially in his “casual/gamer” mode.

to him, mankai is where he can truly be himself.  

KAZUNARI MIYOSHI

voted most likely to quote vines irl. a literal influencer. always on top of the latest trends

a member of the summer troupe, he assumes he’s friends with everyone he meets--no questions asked, even if they come off rather abrasive. great social skills! he talks to anyone and everyone like he’s known them for years, so he’s easy to get along with.

a graphic design student, he makes the fliers for mankai. his skill is in illustration, and he has just as much passion for it as he does with acting.

you literally can NOT say he isn’t fashionable. that’s his shtick.

lowkey (but highkey) flirty with anyone he’s interested in. you know. casual.

despite his carefree attitude, he chooses his words carefully to leave those he meets with the best impression of him. he thinks so long as he befriends people, things are fine, even if a lot of those friendships are shallow at their best.

you get a nickname! and YOU get a nickname! and yo-

updates his social media daily and often. instagram, twitter, line, etc.

MASUMI USUI

a member of the spring troupe, he only joined up with mankai because he fell in love with the director in a moment of “love at first sight”. obviously, this isn’t requited. he does everything he can to try and impress her, despite having little interest in acting itself.

a bit of a “bad boy” trope, a rebel and troublemaker. he’s standoffish and rude to practically everyone else.  comes across as cold and indifferent.

good at memorization! this comes in handy with their scripts.

his parents travel abroad often, so his family life is ... questionable, he has little restrictions at home and lives a carefree lifestyle, which feeds into his indifference

has a lot of female fans AND a fanclub at school thanks to his looks. he doesnt care for that shit at all tbqh.

he flirts ... a lot ... if he’s interested in you romantically ... but so far that’s only directed AT the director herself and it’s embarrassing. lovesick puppy.

i’m so sorry for him and anyone that tries to talk to him he’s kind of a dick.

MISUMI IKARUGA

honestly the definition of “bro i am just vibing.”

hard to understand, just a generally confusing person. not much is known about him or his past! he just sort of...showed up one day, crashing in the mankai dorms and becoming a member of the summer troupe shortly after.

his physical capabilities are really impressive, up to and including scaling walls and running up to ceilings. he took to acting really easily as well, and his skill in it surprised almost everyone. his wide range in characters and how easily he shifts into them implies past experience.

constantly thinking about triangles, and collects everything in a triangle shape, eats triangle food...you know how it is. the local children have dubbed him the “triangle-alien!”

enthusiastic and eccentric are the best words to describe him.

he just kind of does whatever he feels like doing, seemingly without much thought. this includes: trespassing, and stealing stuff from others (usually food). just right out of your hands.

really good at communicating with animals! it seems they have a mutual understanding.

hardcore parkour

MUKU SAKISAKA

baby (professionally diagnosed).

his motto is deadass “do one good deed each day” he is a BABY

memorizes and treasures shoujo manga, taking the male figures as inspirations. he deeply admires princes and wants to become prince-like one day.

modest, kind, and easily flustered when it comes to praise. also a lot of anxiety? he thought one of the other summer troupe members was a ghost out to get him when it was first suggested and he really thought it was because he left a single grain of rice on his plate when he was five. he’s just like this.

persecution complex.

just really...pure...

he used to do track and field, but he wasn’t passionate about it despite being the team’s ace. he only joined because he read a manga where the protagonist was on track, so he followed in his footsteps. he only quit after an injury he sustained that forever kept him from performing at his best ever again.

can recite fairytales from memory!

SAKUYA SAKUMA

sunshine embodied, the leader of mankai’s spring troupe! he was the first member of mankai, and despite his lack of skill he’s incredibly passionate about acting. he puts all of himself in everything he does. super ambitious!! 

:) auditioned because of family issues, you know how it goes. ( he’s an orphan, and his new family was only really interested in what mankai could bring them, rather than his own interests.)

open and honest to a fault, he also tends to be a bit naive. he’s trying his best to be a little more independent, but that’s a long process. otherwise enthusiastic, easygoing, and positive, gets along well with pretty much everyone!

naturally lucky! give him your phone for gacha pulls.

skilled at remembering faces and names!

he still carries the script for romeo & julius, the first play the mankai company ever performed. he looks at it if he ever feels lonely, as the company feels like a family to him.

would really like to play a ruthless villain in the future, because that’s so different from what he actually is.

TAICHI NANAO

i assign you with “puppy”. a member of the autumn troupe, he has a very hyperactive personality! one of his biggest aspirations is to be popular and liked/noticed by others.

a prime example of this are his yo-yo skills and hyper origami, at the peak of their popularity he took to trying to master both, but by the time he had no one was interested anymore, and he felt horribly defeated.

his first dose of minor fame came from a minor acting role with his classmates, whose admiration he gained for his skill. ever since, he’s been trying to get this level of attention back ever since.

very in-the-know when it comes to the latest trends, because of this! fashion, past times, you name it.

needs recognition as a way to validate himself, to an unhealthy degree. he’s easily discouraged when met with criticism or when given a role he has little confidence in.

noisy and generally upbeat, and maintains an optimistic attitude despite his own lack of self-confidence.

TENMA SUMERAGI

essentially raised in the world of acting, he’s a former child prodigy who still stars in programs outside of the company.

because both of his parents are movie stars, and because of his own past, he has great faith in his abilities and hates to lose. high confidence to the point of being a bit egotistical.

“oresama” trope. his cocky attitude has gotten him into a bit of trouble with his fellow actors. as a result, prior to joining the mankai company, he didn’t have a lot of friends.

leader of the summer troupe, becoming a part of the troupe has forced him to learn to humble himself and learn to empathize. at the same time, he joined the company to overcome his weakness in performing in front of live audiences. in film, the mistakes can be edited, live? there’s a chance to disappoint the audience, and worse yet, his parents. he wants to overcome this fear and grow to be a better actor.

no sense of direction, despite his protests. also easily frightened when it comes to “scary things.” think of the classics: ghosts, abandoned places, etc.

really wants to play the role of a “bad guy” to expand his horizons, he’s often placed in cool or suave roles on tv.

TSUMUGI TSUKIOKA

the gentle, soft-spoken leader of the winter troupe! he’s said to take on his grandmother’s personality, often playing the mediator when it comes to conflict and holds a great desire for harmony

extremely!! empathetic!! to a fault, because of his empathy and sensibility, it seeps into his confidence, making him doubt himself and his own abilities--especially with acting. he’s not all that assertive either, as a result.

the mankai company is helping him grow, nowadays, he has a little more faith in himself, though he’s still rather shy.

dabbled in acting before back in university before reigniting the spark with mankai. he withdrew after intense criticism and watching his fellow theater students pass by him in ability, and it led to an intense falling out with a childhood friend (said friend is now also a part of the winter troupe)

psychology major and part-time tutor

really fucking good at rock paper scissors

he has a passion for gardening, thanks to his grandmother. he understands the language of flowers and often takes care of them.

[conceptsnest]

PSYCHOLOGICAL BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION

Think back to a time when you learned a new skill quickly. Now, consider what was going on in your life at that time. Were you in good physical, mental, and emotional health? Was life just going your way? Your mood, attitude, and motivation can affect how easily you can pick up a new skill- for example., learning a new language:

Definition: Psychological Barriers

The psychological barrier of communication is the influence of psychological state of the communicators (sender and receiver) which creates an obstacle for effective communication.

Causes of Psychological Barriers

Lack of Attention:

When a person’s mind is distracted or preoccupied with other things, the person is not able to form proper messages, listen to what others tell him/her, interpret the message as required and give proper feedback. The communication will face problems and becomes ineffective. Examples:

1)      A person in tragedy, for instance, does not want to listen to other people giving advice.

2)      A person might be preoccupied by the problems of his/her professional life or personal life, which affects both.

Poor Retention:

Retention of information is the capacity of the memory of the brain to store information. The Brain does not store all the information it comes across, but only the ones it deems useful for future. So, half the information is lost in the retention process.

Similarly, brain also loses information that is old and not taken as useful with time. Extracting the information is also a process in the formation of message. Here, the brain tries to remember the required information, the fragments of which have already been lost.

For example, you were told about a friend coming to meet you before a month and had been given the person’s name, address, phone number, etc. Now, you have to communicate the information to somebody else. At the time, you only remember the name and address and forget the phone number. The truth can change or distort due to poor retention which acts as barrier to communication.

Distrust and Defensiveness:

Communication is successful when the communicators trust each other. Lack of trust makes them derive negative meaning of the message and they ignore the message. When a person tries to force his/her own ideas and opinions, then receiver does not listen. If the receiver does not agree to the message provided or thinks of it as a threat, he/she will not listen to it. Similarly, when the message is not transferred across to the receiver, the communication fails. For example, I don’t trust a friend, I will only give the details, of what is happening in my personal life which I think are harmless.

Perception, Viewpoint, Attitudes and Opinions:

Perception is the mindset using which people judge, understand and interpret everything. Each person has his/he own perception of reality which is shaped from mental and sensory experiences.

Likewise, viewpoint is also a mindset to look at the world. Sender might have a particular viewpoint that is not shared by the receiver. The sender does not explain the viewpoint but takes the viewpoint as granted. The message is not understood by the receiver as must have been understood, creating a barrier to effective communication.

Attitude is the established way in which we think and feel about things and ideas which also creates a psychological communication barrier. For example, a person takes females to be weak which is the person’s perception. He/she tells that to someone who does not think so. This causes a misunderstanding between the two. Everything they communicate after that becomes unsuccessful that the view of the person is already set.

Emotions:

Anyone who isn’t in a good mood is likely to talk less or talk negatively. A preoccupied mind is not good at communicating. For example, when a person is angry, he/she might say things they regret later. Even when listening to someone else speak, an angry person might easily misinterpret the message.

Various other emotions like fear, nervousness, confusion, mistrust and jealousy affect communication process. For example, a person having extreme moods of happiness will laugh at anything at all said to him/her. The same person when sad will cry or get angry at insignificant situations.

Closed Mind and Filtering:

Man is selfish by nature and put his own needs and problems above all else. This sometimes leads people to filter information that someone is trying to convey to them. This might be due to mistrust, competition, jealousy, or the view that the message is insignificant.

For example, a senior in a company does not want the junior to do better at work, the person filters the information and does not provide crucial information that could help the junior. The junior therefore will not be able to complete the work properly and progress in ranks. Similarly, when a person is close minded, the person will have fixed opinions on many things which the person believes resolutely. The person will interpret any information in a negative way.

For example, a sexist person does not accept the suggestions of a female colleague in a meeting that affects the communication flow in the meeting. It is difficult to argue with such close minded people and give proper information.

Premature Evaluation:

Some people are always in a hurry by habit. These kinds of people most likely make quick judgments and jump into conclusions. They do not consider all aspects of the information such as social, cultural, economic, etc., and often end up taking quick and wrong decisions.

It is important to hear the whole message to make proper judgments because they are not changed easily after they are once made.

 For example, a person who is in a hurry and is talking on the phone does not listen to half the message and makes the decision which is wrong in the situation.

 Psychological barriers affect communication more as information is formed in the brain and is sent by people with various psychological condition which differs from one moment to another. Information is as effective as the people involved make it. Similarly, the psychological condition of the receiver also has as much importance as the sender’s. Communication is ineffective if psychological aspects of communication acts as a barrier to communication.

Effective Communication is King in a Crisis:

Communication is a crucial aspect of our lives whether that be personal or professional and although it is common to believe that communication is simply the exchange of words, it is much more than that.

A speaker’s words only account for a fraction of the information being transmitted, 7% to be precise. Your non-verbal cues such as your facial expressions, tone of voice and body language have much more of an influence on how the message will be received.

Often in interactions, when verbal and nonverbal massages fail to align, it can decrease clarity, rapport and most importantly trust. As such, the importance of effective communication skills must not be overlooked. 

In the world of business, communication is regarded as an essential skill; one that can always be improved and one that is pivotal to the success of organisational process. Increased productivity, reduced conflict and greater job satisfaction are just a few of the positive outcomes associated with effective communication in the workplace. Yet it continues to remain a key challenge for many businesses and a lack of communication within and across teams can result in poor customer experience. 

As challenging as it may be, it is essential that effective internal and external communication be the norm within your organisation. This goes beyond putting processes in place, it should be part of the organisation’s DNA. The right people should be communicated to at the right time to ensure customers are being helped efficiently and to present a united front. 

Of all the key stakeholders we communicate with, in our daily working practices, there is little denying that the customer is king. How we communicate with our customers directly impacts upon the quality of the customer experience, which in turn influences satisfaction and the likelihood of repeat business. But how exactly can we enhance the quality of our customer communication processes?

Here are the seven C’s, which is a great tool to ensure effective business communication:

Clear Ensure there is clarity in the message you are delivering so that it can be interpreted the way you intended it to be.  You must have a clear understanding about the purpose and goal of the message and what you hope to accomplish in the exchange.

Complete

The message must hold all the information and facts needed by the audience in order for them to make an informed decision or take action. Incomplete messages can significantly breakdown communication and open the doors for misinterpretation.

Concise

Brief, succinct messages that are to the point are crucial as it shows your clarity of thought. Minimise irrelevant information and unnecessary details to avoid misunderstanding, instead focus on the key points you want to highlight.

Credible

This implies being transparent in communication and including supporting facts from credible sources to support your message, as it will strengthen the message and build confidence.

Considerate

Showing compassion and politeness in verbal exchanges creates for a respectful dialogue, one where both viewpoints are considered. Demonstrate that you are not just hearing but listening to what is being said. Simply showing empathy and attempting to understand the receiver’s needs can go a long way in building that lasting relationship. Correct The information you communicate should be free from error including language and grammatical mistakes, this essentially supports the credibility of the information being delivered and makes you appear knowledgeable and professional.

Confidence

To get your message across effectively you need to exude confidence. This means displaying positive body language, breaking down complex concepts in a simple and engaging way and responding proactively to unexpected situations. Consider things such as eye contact, hand gestures and your stance. For example, a relaxed, open stance, and a friendly tone can make a big difference in others seeing you as approachable.

 Content Curated By: Dr Shoury Kuttappa

[altmediabuzz]

' When Prayer, Love And Light Aren't Enough'

💫New Age Passiveness

Recently a friend asked how to deal with one of his friends who he felt was displaying Cognitive Dissonance while discussing many of the harsh truths about the world we are living in today. His intentions were good, but being the empath that he is , he realized discussing these topics was quite difficult for her, and they in fact made her so uncomfortable that she didnt want to discuss them at all.

While dialogue and communication are key elements in any friendship/ relationship, it is important to understand timing and when, where and how some of the tougher topics should be discussed. Please dont let this deter you though.Some people swallow red pills easily, while for others they may be a little bit more hard to swallow.There are many different reasons people choose to deny harsh truths, or even better yet accept them and express ambivalence towards them. It seems however their are some personality types within two particular Spiritual Beleifs that are more likely to do so. In my experience those two beleifs are 'Christianity' and ' New Age' Spirituality

I suggested he send his friend prayers positive vibes and uplifting energy( ofcourse, right?) But....to also give her her space..still making it clear that he was there for her if she needed him...to not push discussing the topics they disagreed on as much for awhile and focus on the ones they did . to work on strengthening their friendship bond , and remember that they are on the same team. To try to have empathy..but not to be swayed. To discern and decipher if there is any truth in her opinions through her feelings, words and actions and what the universe might be trying to teach him through her apprehension.

As one of my favorite motivational speakers Teal Swan says ' a lot of these 'love and light ' ' kumbya' 'que cera cera' , ' whatever will be will be' ' live and let live' 'New Agers ' who were previously just sitting back and 'letting be what will be ' are realizing that in this season,they have to take a little bit more of an affirmative and active stance in order to help change the world for the better .

This is the Age of Aquarius .The dawning of a new day .Lies to be exposed, truths to be revealed and justice to be served. The collective consience is truly being stirred. Some new agers are not used to this concept and this is a rude awakening for many of them.Some ,after being awakened to many of these harsh realities that have been kept clandestine from the population at large ,even feel extreme levels of guilt for' turning a blind eye' to the injustices of others for so long.

Many of the ' New Age ' spiritualists I know have suffered some kind of trauma which caused them in many ways to dissassociate from society ( similar to abused children who develop dissosiative identity disorder to cope with the anger, pain and confusion their abuse leaves them with). Sometimes the fear/ pain of the darkness is just too much for them to handle until theyve healed enough.Then will they realize by conquering that fear and having the courage to fight back, that they have actually taken the first step toward victory in the battle of spiritual warfare.

Some say there has to be negativity in the world because there needs to be balance in the universe and both darkness and light must be present for balance to be acheived ( yin-yang energy). Others are all about combating it outright ( doing more than just trying to balance out the negative energy in the universe by doing positive deeds). But a lot of this is new for many of them. They have no idea the depths of the evil that exist in this universe and the IMBALANCE and abuse of power that goes on in higher realms. And the ones that do realize might be too intimidated to fight or address it.( Again , many , likely due to previous trauma). Doing this would actually increase the positivity and love and light within them and help them to strengthen their spirit to face these dark entities and forces and tackle them head on, thus helping fight the good fight along with the rest of us .

However doing this before its ' proper' timing can be just as detrimental as fearing the fight against evil itself. Let these people get their strength ,courage and wisdom up . And again focus on discussing positive topics for a while if you can unless it's something extremely detrimental to their immediate health of course . Try to honestly understand their perspectives and points of view as well as the reasonings behind them. Be patient, Be nurturing, Be understanding Be the light you want to see 💙💫✨

🙏Christian Passiveness

When addressing Christians ( I myself being one) I get the sense from many of them that their stance is to ' let the Lords will be done' ' let go and let god' , and ' give it to god' etc. Which is a comforting concept when being overwhelmed with circumstances such as stress, general day to day anxiety or a physical illness. But once a relationship with God has reached a level of maturity and acheived enough strength for that person to withstand their own personal battles, it is then they should be ready and willing to step in and help fight the good fight as intercessors for others who cannot or simply refuse to do so.Ofcourse never alone, but with the courage to know that the Holy spirit isnt only BESIDE them ,leading and guiding their words and actions.But also INSIDE of them.

Many say with their mouths they beleive in a higher power but dont express those sentiments through actions. Yes there is only so much a mere mortal can do.But with meditation and prayer ask God/ the Universe just what your role should be to help the healing of our earth in this particularly tumultuous era and season. Realize that you are not alone and have your spiritual brothers and sisters fighting the battle of good vs evil along with you.Realize what an integral peice of the puzzle you are due to your unique God given talents, skills abilities, and experiences. Know that while communing with the Most High Infinite Creator ( through prayer, meditation, song, dance, whathaveyou) you are doing in fact one of the most powerful and effective actions possible to fight the dark and evil forces running rampant in this world. However ask for the discernment on just how much you could and should do in ADDITION to prayer.

Prayer is seen by many as passive and cowardice.( and many scoff at the mention of being in somebodies' thoughts and prayers') however taking the time out of your busy schedule to think of someone and wish well for them while sending them positive energy and reminding them of their value and worth is one of the most effective ways one can show another humanity and compassion.

This however, should preferably be balanced with action. The bible states that ' faith without works is dead' and that we are to be the ' hands and feet ' of Jesus on this earth. What are we doing to edify this concept? Are we sitting back, while this world is going to Hell in a Handbasket? Comfortable in the notion that as a Christian at least we are 'lucky enough to be chosen to spend eternity in heaven' and passively waiting for what many people refer to as Christs second return? Or are we actively out in our neighborhoods, communities and even online reaching out to those left broken and beaten down by the ways of this world as we await? Are we as the book of Exodus advises us to do combating evil by exposing it so that justice can be served? And by that contributing to the freedom of those afflicted by this worlds suppresion?

Yes no matter what the ' Lord's Will will be done'. But dont underestimate the power of 'free will'. The gift God has given us from the beginning of time. We aren't puppets being controlled by strings or mind controlled brainwashed zombies tricked or otherwise manipulated into believing our spiritual beliefs . You make a CHOICE to believe or not to believe them .( At least most of us do, unless we were raised in a Religious cult or suffered some sort of Satanic Ritual Abuse since the day we were born...but that is another blog entry for another day).Dont think of your life as simply a movie you are watching on a screen or play you are seeing on a stage with God acting as the director. Realize that you are the main character and how much of an active role you play in directing your own life as well as influencing and impacting others around you.

During this season of ' Great Awakening,many all over the globe fortunately are coming together, being brought together by a common interest, to fight the good fight in this spiritual battle of GO(O)D vs. (D)EVIL.

No matter our gender, race, nationality, religion or socio-economic status , people are coming together to help spread the great awakening. Knowledge that will be difficult to hear, but once truley understood, cannot only provide healing for us individualy, but as a collective as well.

Bottom line, know the power and authority that lies within you. Acknowledging it while determing to remain passive is the oposite of ' love and light' its actualy continuing to contribute to the pain and darkness that exists in this world. Instead Pray and ask the Most High God/ the Universe what you can do PHYSICALLY to help spread love and light not just ' send' it. Pray and meditate on when and how to begin doing so.Dont let negative energies and dark forces rob you of your desire to help change the world we live in for the better and to realize the power and ability you have to do so.

💫💙✨

[oumakokichi]

ey can i ask u about shuichis true personality? im really confused about it

I can certainly try, anon! It’s normal to be confused—ndrv3’sending allows for a lot of speculation and leeway, and there’s still not a lotwe know about most of the characters pre-game. But Saihara’s audition video isperhaps the most startling and drastically different glimpse we get of any ofthe characters’ pre-game and in-game selves, which is I think exactly whyTsumugi showed it to them during the Chapter 6 trial.

In a way, the reveal about Saihara and even the othercharacters having potentially signed themselves up for the killing game is evenmore shocking than the reveal about Hinata being Kamukura in sdr2. Where thelatter was a reveal that came as a surprise, certainly, it also made sensegiven the clues that had been presented up until then, and all the fixationHinata had with the idea of “talent” and wanting to join Hope’s Peak, to thepoint where it was understandable once the player realized he had willinglysigned up to be experimented on and throw his true self away.

But the Saihara reveal comes as a bigger shock specificallybecause of the way Tsumugi phrases it. Without context, it certainly looks asif pre-game Saihara, the one who we see in the audition tape, is simply someonewho was so into Danganronpa that hewas interested in murders, closed-room tricks, etc. that he had almost none ofthe compassion or empathy for others that in-game Saihara does.

There are certainly a lot of fanartists on Pixiv and Twitterwho have taken pre-game Saihara to be some kind of character very similar toTsumugi herself: someone who was so engrossed in fiction and escaping from thedull, horrible inevitability of the real world that he wanted to throw himselffully into DR even if it was basically the same as signing up to be killed. Ina way, this kind of behavior, this wanting to escape from boredom, is itselfassociated with the idea of “despair” in DR, and I think that’s why there’sbeen a lot of “despair” fanart of Tsumugi and Saihara both.

In the ndrv3 universe especially, it’s impossible to seekout “hope” without also seeking out “despair.” The two are a cycle, a pair ofideals that are undeniably entwined and impossible to separate from oneanother. In wanting to seek the kind of inspirational “hope” that fictionoffers, you have to first want the characters to overcome some kind of “despair.”You can’t have one without the other. And despair itself, as Junko and Kamukuracan attest, is the ultimate escape from “boredom”. There’s no better way toavoid the boredom that reality presents than by using the excitement and appealthat despair offers.

But I feel that it’s also unfair to boil down pre-gameSaihara’s personality to only this sort of thing, or to assume that he wasexactly the same as Tsumugi. What we can guess about the killing game show isthat it actively encouraged this kind of mindset and behavior among young andimpressionable teenagers, especially those without talent. The emphasis put onthose without talent being “useless” or “unable to keep up” with the pressuresof performing with the elite, and about how “the world of Danganronpa is aplace for people who can’t live anywhere else,” suggests that the show itself(especially having gone on as long as 53 seasons) was responsible for why somany people were willing to throw their lives away for this kind of thing.

Pre-game Saihara certainly seems to have been invested inthe DR franchise to an extent where he no longer really cared about his ownlife or sense of self. His willingness to be a detective and a culprit, andeven having thought up a “really cool execution for himself,” shows that if weassume the audition tapes were in fact real or the show wasn’t some kind ofact, then he really was depressed and reliant enough on a world of fiction inorder to distract himself.

But even his desire to be a detective character who could bethe culprit and “do really cool closed-room murder tricks that no one had everseen before” doesn’t necessarily mean that pre-game Saihara was horrible or abad person. Not only is there the question of whether the killing game Saiharaor the other characters auditioned for even actually the same as Tsumugi’skilling game, but also even pre-game, Saihara was clearly shown to be a veryhesitant, uncertain person.

His speech about wanting to be the culprit didn’t interestTsumugi at all: rather, she felt that his personality and behavior would makehim perfect for filling the role of a very anxious, hesitant character who was “weakerthan anyone.” This is the role she wanted him to fill in-game—and interestinglyenough, from what we actually see of pre-game Saihara during the prologuecompared with in-game Saihara, there aren’t too many differences in terms ofhis behavior when it comes to nervousness, hesitation, anxiety, etc.

While the Saihara we’re able to see in the prologuecertainly doesn’t stammer quite so much as in-game Saihara or seem as nervous,he’s definitely beyond freaked out and upset when he wakes up in the locker. Infact, he doesn’t even stop freaking out until Kaede actually yells at him. Whenthis scene repeats after Saihara has used the remember light and gained hisin-game “self,” he acts by and large similar, but with perhaps an extra layerof timidity—probably because of his in-game backstory having left him soincapable of making eye contact or talking with others very easily.

There’s a lot of room for speculation about the prologue andthe audition tapes both, but we can certainly surmise that the pre-gamecharacters were definitely not drastically different or “opposite” versions oftheir in-game selves. Even characters who we do see in the audition tapes(namely Saihara, Momota, and Kaede) most likely had very good reasons forsaying the things they said in those tapes, and it’s important to note thatTsumugi didn’t show the whole tapes or explain the context of anything in them.

Depending on how society in the outside world is in ndrv3,or depending on whether Saihara and the others were even auditioning forsomething else entirely, it’s very easy to see how they would be influenced toaudition for a “killing game show” without necessarily understanding the fullimplications of their actions or what they were getting themselves into. AndTsumugi is heavily implied to have been “imitating” or “copying” some sort ofplan, something which even Amami alludes to in the prologue.

Therefore it’s important in my opinion to realize that whilepre-game Saihara and in-game Saihara certainly do seem to share some noticeabledifferences, there are certain things in common between the two of them. Likemany characters in ndrv3, Saihara especially at first has a pretty markeddesire to die. One of the earliest memories he and the other characters recallfrom the remember lights is them all saying something along the lines of, “Iwant to die together with everyone.” They’re encouraged later on to think thatthis was because of the Gopher Plan, but in hindsight it seems more to me that itcould easily have been a memory about the killing game show itself, assuming itwasn’t entirely fake.

Saihara’s personality as we see him in-game, especially bythe end of the game, is one of a character who was “supposed to be weaker thananyone” who ultimately steps out of this role. Due to support and encouragementfrom others, including Kaede, Momota, even Ouma, Saihara finds it in him tokeep moving past his insecurities, despite the fact that they still definitelyfollow him. Despite his infatuation with the idea of being a detective pre-game,his in-game backstory makes him more aware than most people about how the truthcan actually be used to hurt others, and this compassion and empathy for others’secrets or lies is something that’s essential to him breaking the cycle of “hopevs. despair” later on.

During the epilogue, he certainly comments that he doesn’twant to think he or anyone else would have willingly signed themselves up forsomething as horrible as this killing game. The “truth” as Tsumugi told it wasfull of contradictions, including hearsay about how they acted “when they firstarrived at Saishuu Academy” (meaning the prologue) which is clearly false. ButSaihara also acknowledges that there was likely both truth and lies in thethings Tsumugi told them, and that it will ultimately be impossible for them todiscover until they move past the hole in the dome and go to the outside worldto check for themselves.

What we can say about Saihara’s personality then, at leastone of the most consistent things about it, is that he’s a detective in searchof the truth who refuses to eliminate or shoot down lies. After considering “whichone is better” or “correct,” he comes to the conclusion that neither is wrongor right. Lies and truth both areessential sometimes, and the important thing is what they help a person obtain.And lies which aren’t refuted have the same power as the truth.

Saihara’s certainty in this “unshakeable truth” which he andthe other survivors cling to in order to keep themselves going after being toldthat they were “meaningless” and “fictional” is something incredibly strikingabout him as a character. While he’s not someone who could ever inspire hope orfight off despair the same way as past DR protags, Saihara’s strengths lieundeniably elsewhere. He’s not meant to do the Naegi or the HInata thing as aprotagonist, because his own struggles and character arc centers around theissue of “truth vs. lies,” rather than “hope vs. despair.”

In any case, I hope this answered a few things. I know it’sstill probably bound to be confusing—there’s so much room for speculation inndrv3’s ending, after all, and it’s impossible to know with 100% certainty justyet what any of the characters might have been like before entering the games.But there’s definitely room to read into a few things, and it’s also true thatSaihara’s in-game personality is just as “true” or “real” as his pre-game one,as the ending of ndrv3 conveys. Thank you for asking anon, and I hope I couldhelp!

[marcusssanderson]

5 Best TED Talks That Will Transform Your Thinking, Part I

TED Talks are Miracle Grow for the body, mind and soul! They are cutting edge philosophy, psychology, science and insight, among many other wonderful “ideas worth sharing.” The very first TED Talks were posted online in July, 2006 and continue to serve as a phenomenal resource for seekers like us who are striving to make ourselves and this world a better place.

  I never run out of curiosity, or the need to grow into someone I like more than the day before. As a teenager, I had two choices. I could cave and let hard situations and obstacles drive the essence of me deep into the ground, where not even a flicker of light existed. The alternative was to start asking questions, to seek understanding and greater insight, and to let myself learn from events that might otherwise keep me in dark places.

  I searched for answers in books on spirituality, religion, relationships, psychology and all other things self-help. I attended seminars, twelve-step groups, webinars, and creative circles to untangle the beliefs I learned early—beliefs and philosophies that no longer served me. Eventually I discovered TED Talks, which continue to disclose the answers I seek. Whether you’re new to TED or an avid fan, the following best TED Talks are a must-watch and worth repeating. I had a difficult time narrowing down my favorites, so these five are the first batch, with more to follow.

  Best TED Talks That Will Transform Your Thinking

1.) Tony Robbins: Why we do what we do

  TED Description: Tony Robbins discusses the “invisible forces” that motivate everyone’s actions — and high-fives Al Gore in the front row.

One of the first six TED Talks posted online July, 2006, Tony Robbins’s talk is worth watching again today. Tony reveals his thirty-year obsession about what makes the difference in the quality of people’s lives. He is quick to point out how many of us have figured out the achievement part of life, but very few of us have learned how to become fulfilled and impactful to the world around us.

“I look at life and say there’s two master lessons. One is: there’s the science of achievement, which almost everyone here has mastered amazingly. How do you take the invisible and make it visible. How do you make your dreams happen? Your business, your contribution to society, money—whatever, your body, your family.

The other lesson that is rarely mastered is the art of fulfillment. Because science is easy, right? We know the rules, you write the code and you get the results. Once you know the game, you just up the ante, don’t you? But when it comes to fulfillment — that’s an art. The reason is, it’s about appreciation and contribution. You can only feel so much by yourself.”

Growing up feeling lost with a sense of never really belonging, I made an early decision to master achievement. I made the best grades, won the contests, got great jobs and blew the company records off the wall. I had everything I ever wanted, so why wasn’t I happy? I hadn’t yet tapped into the second key: fulfillment. We have to nurture the desires of our souls in a way that spills out and touches the people around us in a significant way. If you’re not there yet, don’t sweat it. You’re still gathering lessons so keep searching.

2.) Brene Brown: The power of vulnerability

TED Description: Brené Brown studies human connection — our ability to empathize, belong, love. In a poignant, funny talk, she shares a deep insight from her research, one that sent her on a personal quest to know herself as well as to understand humanity. A talk to share.

  Are you one of the more than twenty-three million viewers who’ve seen this TED talk? Have you had the pleasure of watching Brene Brown demonstrate why it’s so powerful to be vulnerable, and what some might confuse with being “weak?” As Brene Brown dug into her research and focused on connection, she realized how many of us actually feel disconnected, and what’s worse, we are ashamed of that, adding to our overall bad feelings.

“And shame is really easily understood as the fear of disconnection: Is there something about me that, if other people know it or see it, that I won’t be worthy of connection? The things I can tell you about it: It’s universal; we all have it. The only people who don’t experience shame have no capacity for human empathy or connection.

No one wants to talk about it, and the less you talk about it, the more you have it. What underpinned this shame, this ‘I’m not good enough,’ — which, we all know that feeling: ‘I’m not blank enough. I’m not thin enough, rich enough, beautiful enough, smart enough, promoted enough.’ The thing that underpinned this was excruciating vulnerability. This idea of, in order for connection to happen, we have to allow ourselves to be seen, really seen.”

Oh did this ever touch a nerve in me the first time I listened! I understand shame and feeling inferior. My solution? To act confident and to accomplish great things! But that didn’t solve anything and in fact, it only buried my real problem which made it that much harder years later to excavate my soul and tell myself it’s okay to have the need to belong and feel connected.

We weren’t meant to live life separate from everyone else, and we certainly weren’t born unworthy and fearful. Please watch this (again) as Brene shares the key differences between those of us who battle a grave sense of unworthiness and shame, and those who don’t. As a bonus, she manages to convey this soulful topic with laugh-out-loud humor. Watch!

3.) Amy Cuddy: Your body language shapes who you are

  TED Description: Body language affects how others see us, but it may also change how we see ourselves. Social psychologist Amy Cuddy shows how “power posing” — standing in a posture of confidence, even when we don’t feel confident — can affect testosterone and cortisol levels in the brain, and might even have an impact on our chances for success.

  What I love about TED Talks is that many of them seem like good common sense but they are backed by science. It’s the best of both worlds! Amy Cuddy is a social psychologist who overcame a debilitating car accident that caused her identity and worthiness to plummet. Her research is focused on nonverbal body language, but not so much what we observe in others, but what our brains conclude from our own nonverbal cues, including our thoughts and posture.

“So when we think of nonverbals, we think of how we judge others, how they judge us and what the outcomes are. We tend to forget, though, the other audience that’s influenced by our nonverbals, and that’s ourselves. We are also influenced by our nonverbals, our thoughts and our feelings and our physiology.

…When I tell people about this, that our bodies change our minds and our minds can change our behavior, and our behavior can change our outcomes, they say to me, ‘It feels fake.’ Right? So I said, fake it till you make it. … She comes back to me months later, and I realized that she had not just faked it till she made it, she had actually faked it till she became it.”

One of the many ways I’ve rebuilt my psyche from a troubled past is by using positive affirmations and visualization. In fact, the first few mantras I learned as a teenager in twelve-step recovery was, “ Fake it till you make it,” and, “Take the actions first, and let the feelings follow.” When our internal software is critically flawed, we can keep limping along with broken beliefs or we can take an active role in re-programming our internal language. But this TED talk goes well beyond basic affirmations.

Amy offers an engaging talk and demonstrates scientifically how a confident person shows up in the world, versus someone less confident. She offers a proven technique which only takes two minutes a day to literally change your hormone levels and boost your esteem. You will present an improved version of “you” to the world, yes, but most importantly … to YOURSELF. Our sub-conscious believes what we tell it and I think yours is telling you to watch this TED talk (again) right now!

4.) Andrew Solomon: How the worst moments in our lives make us who we are

  TED Description: Writer Andrew Solomon has spent his career telling stories of the hardships of others. Now he turns inward, bringing us into a childhood of adversity, while also spinning tales of the courageous people he’s met in the years since. In a moving, heartfelt and at times downright funny talk, Solomon gives a powerful call to action to forge meaning from our biggest struggles.

Andrew Solomon’s TED Talk made me feel like I was listening to a gentle giant—gentle in nature and giant in reach. His message of compassion, shifted perspective and gratitude boldly amplifies a message so desperately needed in a world filled with daily tragedy and injustice. His talk brings up a heated topic widely disagreed upon in our society. This serves to only further demonstrate the purpose of his talk and offers us an even greater challenge. While we may not understand or always agree with our neighbors, we can all strive for more empathy for one another.

“As a student of adversity, I’ve been struck over the years by how some people with major challenges seem to draw strength from them, and I’ve heard the popular wisdom that that has to do with finding meaning. And for a long time, I thought the meaning was out there, some great truth waiting to be found. But over time, I’ve come to feel that the truth is irrelevant. We call it finding meaning, but we might better call it forging meaning.”

This TED talk could aptly be named, “Finding the Gift,” the title of my own book and a topic that is near and dear to my heart. We all face adversity, but it’s how we use that adversity that really defines us. Do we let it destroy us? Do we believe the lies it told us? Or do we choose instead to see the opportunity for growth within it?

I found the use of “forge” to be curious so I looked up its definition: make or shape (a metal object) by heating it in a fire or furnace and beating or hammering it (Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary). Woah! How better to describe taking the tough stuff in life through a painful transition process, to ultimately mold it into something more desirable?

Gifts are often gift-wrapped in obstacles, so leave no gift unopened. It may not be obvious at first glance, but if we keep looking, chances are good that with enough time and perspective, we can find reasons to be grateful in all things. Andrew demonstrated that well. Even when I can’t find the gift, I choose to believe it’s there anyway—in some way being the lesser of two evils, in teaching me something I need to know, or simply in shaping my character to handle challenges down the road.

Adversity makes me more relatable to my fellows and can serve as a point of connection and hope. We can’t change what’s happened to us, but we can change how we think and feel about it, and how we use it for good. Watch and be inspired to transform your biggest struggles too.

  5.) Steve Jobs: How to live before you die

  TED Description: At his Stanford University commencement speech, Steve Jobs, CEO and co-founder of Apple and Pixar, urges us to pursue our dreams and see the opportunities in life’s setbacks — including death itself.

Seriously? I don’t even know where to begin on this one, much less decide which quotes to bring out. I’d prefer to just give you the entire transcript, it’s that good! Steve Jobs tells three stories about his life to illustrate three key lessons: connecting the dots, love and loss, and what we can learn from accepting that death is unavoidable.

Steve Jobs had the courage to find a career he loved, rather than simply follow suit with what everyone else was doing. We learn how this college drop-out discovered what he was passionate about pursuing. He never settled for anything less and encourages others to keep looking if they haven’t found it yet. Steve Jobs trusted his gut and arguably accomplished far more in his life following his heart, than had he stuck to a prescribed, one-size-fits-all path.

“And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on … None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But ten years later when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me…. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward, when I was in college, but it was very, very clear looking backwards ten years later.

Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something— your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever—because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads you off the well-worn path. And that will make all the difference.”

Personally, I did not consider what I loved or what my talents were when choosing my career path. I grew up feeling invisible and we were extremely poor, so making money was my main objective. Achieving external validation and recognition was a close second. One was to fill my bank account and the other was supposed to fill the deficit inside my soul. Unfortunately, I learned that neither accomplishment made me happy or fulfilled.

For so many years, I was playing it safe instead of finding the courage to pursue my authentic, yet unknown calling. My heart aches for anyone else who feels trapped in their present circumstances—certain there must be more to life, but not knowing what that might be and afraid to make a change.

Just as Steve Jobs getting fired from Apple led him to the most creative years of his life, my twelve year, award-winning sales career ending due to injury led me to the place where I can now make the most impact while loving every minute of my “work.” Chase your heart first and let the paycheck follow. That’s easier said than done so if you did it the other way around, like I did, just know it is never, ever too late to change course and do what you really love.

I also subscribe to Steve’s last point: letting death shape how we approach life. I have a weird habit of studying obituaries looking for people who really lived. If we think with the end in mind, what would we do differently now? What do you want said about you when you’re gone? Writing what we want read at our memorial service is the ultimate goal-setting session.

Steve Jobs asked himself every day for thirty-three years, “If today was the last day of my life, would I want to do what I’m about to do today?” He shared how understanding his mortality helped him fearlessly make big life decisions. Again, I could have chosen many more life-transforming quotes from these fifteen minutes so watch this talk to get them all!

    Please enjoy these classic TED talks and stay tuned for part two! Until then, cheers to you finding the gift!

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