#Contradictions

[odinsblog]

[princesssarisa]

I think in Wicked (the musical at least – not sure about the novel), there's a bit of an uneasiness between the theme of "everyone is morally gray, no one is all bad or all good" and the fact that Elphaba is a freedom fighter against a fascist government that commits atrocities against a minority group.

Yes, the Wizard has some sympathetic qualities, Elphaba has some flaws and briefly turns to villainy toward the end, and Glinda is a mass of moral grayness under her perky pink facade. But for the most part it's clear who the villains are (the Wizard and Madame Morrible), Elphaba's stance against them is clearly heroic, and Glinda's choice to work for them is clearly a moral sell-out, with which she struggles and from which she eventually redeems herself. When the Animals' treatment parallels the treatment of Jews in Nazi Germany, you can't take a "both sides" view of the situation. But every now and then, the show seems to do just that – whether in the song "Wonderful" with the Wizard's talk of "moral ambiguities" (though of course in that song, he's trying to justify his actions and manipulate Elphaba into joining him), or Elphaba and Glinda's reconciliation in "For Good," where they paint themselves as having been equally at fault. And again, and again, I've heard people say "There are no real villains in Wicked: the whole point is that there are two sides to every story and neither side is all good or all bad." But if that's the intended message, does it honestly fit with a plot that involves fascism and racial persecution?

Another work of fiction that I think has some uneasiness between its themes is Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Namely between "the Beast as a suffering, misunderstood outcast" and "the Beast as a powerful bully who needs to be humbled and change." I think a lot of the controversy about that movie stems from the uneasiness between those two themes.

On the one hand, the Beast is a spoiled, selfish prince, who was cursed as punishment for shutting out a poor beggar woman, who has a terrifying temper, and who orders others around and throws tantrums when he doesn't get his own way. His beastly appearance and mannerisms can be seen as outward symbols of his bad behavior, which is based in toxic class privilege and masculinity. From this perspective, Gaston is his kindred spirit, which is emphasized by visual cues: e.g. their similar striking blue eyes, or Gaston's pelt-covered, horned chair in the tavern that looks like the Beast's silhouette. The difference between them is that the Beast finally realizes he was wrong and changes his ways, while Gaston only becomes more beastly. But on the other hand, the Beast is also an "other", who hides from the world, who struggles with basic social skills, who is full of insecurity and self-loathing, whom Belle bonds with because they're both misfits, whose bestial mannerisms and overpowering rages are at least partly because the spell is warping his mind (in other words, a magical mental illness), and whom a mob tries to murder just because he looks scary. Analogies have rightly been drawn between the Beast and victims of racism, homophobia, or other prejudice. From this viewpoint, Gaston is his opposite: the type of privileged boor who receives undeserved hero-worship just because he's handsome and charismatic, and who persecutes "others" like the Beast.

When people view it chiefly as a story about the taming of a powerful bully, you hear accusations of "Stockholm Syndrome" and of the dangerous fantasies of changing an abuser. Viewing the Beast as a misunderstood outcast, who finds acceptance in a fellow outcast and who overcomes his mental health struggles and bad coping mechanisms as a result, reduces those accusations. But if you view the Beast chiefly as a misunderstood outcast, then his character arc can feel disempowering: so much of it consists of learning to be more people-pleasing and self-effacing, not to mention re-learning "normal" human manners and behavior (as an autistic person, I know I've sometimes felt "He needs to mask to be loved"), and he becomes fully "normal" by becoming human again in the end.

Maybe there is no uneasiness between these different themes: maybe it's just complexity. Maybe my feelings on the subject shows that I'm autistic and struggle with things that aren't black-and-white. But in both of these works of fiction, I do sometimes feel as if the writers were trying to tell two different stories at once, which sometimes fit together, sometimes not.

Does anyone else feel that way about other works of fiction? Can you name any other stories with multiple themes that seem slightly opposed and uneasy together?

[serenityquest]

[pizzacade]

The Doctor's contradictory origins (i.e: Being half-human, loomed, and possibly being the Timeless Child) even stumped the Celestial Intervention Agency agent, Maris, with she even suggesting that the higher-ups of Gallifrey are to blame for it.

However, thanks to one line in The Giggle, the real culprit was teased; The Toymaker.

Russell T. Davies has gone on record saying that thanks to Toymaker's machinations, all origins are in fact valid, meaning, like the Joker, his origins are multiple-choice.

From Twelve Angels Weeping: A Gallifreyan Noir, The Giggle novelization, and TARDIS Wiki.

If you can, please read this story; the twist villains at the end will excite you.

[beforevenice]

one must be sincere. sincere at any price, even to our own detriment.

// albert camus

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

[journalofanobody]

Haiku

my fragmented self

can accept contradictions,

embracing them all

-- Michael Boiano

[pratchettquotes]

Ridcully flailed at a passing shark. "They won't attack you if you make a lot of noise and splash around," he said.

"I thought that's when they will attack you, sir," Ponder called out.

"Ah, an interesting practical experiment," said the Dean, craning to watch.

Terry Pratchett, The Last Continent

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

[Thanks Frances]

+

“I am astonished, disappointed, pleased with myself. I am distressed, depressed, rapturous. I am all these things at once, and cannot add up the sum. I am incapable of determining ultimate worth or worthlessness; I have no judgment about myself and my life. There is nothing I am quite sure about. I have no definite convictions - not about anything, really. I know only that I was born and exist, and it seems to me that I have been carried along. I exist on the foundation of something I do not know.”

– Carl Jung [Poetic Outlaws]

[nando161mando]

[howifeltabouthim]

'He is wonderful and awful. Well, no, he isn't awful. I'm awful. And I mustn't exaggerate about him. I was just terribly in love.'

Iris Murdoch, from A Fairly Honourable Defeat

[everydayesterday]

I want a house in the middle of nowhere, but close to an urban center with great culture (museums, cafés) that has an international airport and a comprehensive hospital. Tall ceilings, natural light, but cozy, with nooks for breakfast and reading. Minimalist interior, but not lacking in colour. A house with plenty of wide-open space, but without an overly expansive floorplan. An ocean view, a mountain view. Gardens, but ones that could be left untended and manage themselves - perennials. A housecat or two, but ones that could travel with us without too much bother. Glorious audio system, and large, crisp video screen, but a tranquil, calm house, away from the nonsense of mindless pop culture and media. Walking and hiking trails for solitude, but with her always nearby. Forever love, with the passion of nascent romance.

[todays-me]

It is both a pleasure and a nightmare to be so filled with contradictions.

[blueopinions49]

In your opinion, are there enneagram types and mbti types that are impossible combinations (Ex: entp 2)?

INXX and E8

Fe dom and E5

Te dom and E2, E4 maybe E9 ?

Se dom and E5

Other than that I believe that the system has allot more flexibility to offer than allot of people read into it. Also with the popularization of Jungian Typology things can get a bit more murky. For Example

ENTP+E2 sounds ridiculous to me however in jungian. EN(F) [if I am not mistaken it's written like that] NeFe+E2. Sounds more plausible and accurate. Which is why I am usually very very careful when mixing systems since contradictions can come from multiple areas.

Such as:

Misunderstanding on the readers part (Ex: The E9 can't be intuitive) Usually revolves around misunderstanding what the enneagram system is about in general. Since the system is ego based not characteristic based like big 5.

Being very hyper literal: this is the most frequent mistake I see and it usually comes from people taking stuff like the gluttony of 7 very literal or the narcotization of E9 too.

Not focusing on the big picture: For example ive seen very dumb arguments as of recently stating that ISTP (Ti-SE-Ni-Fe) and ENTJ (Te-Ni-SE-Fi) cannot be E8. Usually not taking into account the full function stack as well as how Carl Jung developed MBTI. Also interesting fact Carl Jung even theorized that you have two aux functions not 1.

In conclusion I dont believe every single combination is possible however there is allot of flexibility in the systems.

[toastedwrittenthoughts]

The Pink Lady Code

For those of us who are excited to hear the upcoming Pink Lady Pledge, I would also like to remind those who do not know.. They also have a code... Apparently.

Now I don't like/appreciate most of these but if ROTPL were to address them, I would appreciate it. Read them at your own discression, again, I'm just the messenger...

The Pink Lady Code.

Rule 1: Obey the Pink Lady Pledge: Act cool, look cool, be cool. Til' death do us part, think Pink!

Rule 2: At no time is a Pink Lady to become romantically involved with a non-T-Bird member. Restriction is rescinded only after graduation from school or expulsion. A Pink Lady will not date a: Jock, nerd, Preppie, anybody non-cool, or member of a rival school or gang. T-Birds, not NERDS!

Rule 3: The Pink Lady jacket symbolizes that the wearer is the girlfriend / consort of a T-Bird member. Upon leaving the Pink Ladies under duress (violation of rules 1 and 2, expulsion, illness, death, school transfer) or personal choice, wearer must return the jacket to the T-Birds to avoid damaging said T-Birds' reputations. `They got a Rep to protect'. Rep is everything.

Rule 4: A Pink Lady must present herself in appropriate attire at school at all times - Pink Lady jacket a must! Flashy, seductive costumes are not allowed, as they allow non-T-Bird students (and other males, staff included) to see what is for T-Bird eyes only. Seductive attire appropriate only to be worn at functions if accompanied by their T-Bird escort / boyfriend.

Rule 5: A Pink Lady is to have a cigarette and matches / lighter on her at all times, for herself - cigarette equals `cool' - plus her fellow Pink Ladies and T-Birds (and favored Rydell staff) who might perchance wish to bum a smoke.

Rule 6: No Pink Lady is allowed to interfere with other Pink Lady to T-Bird relationships. If the leader of the T-Birds is spoken for, unattached Pink Lady is not permitted to trespass on fellow Pink Lady relationship. If the leader of the T-Birds is available (Pink Lady girlfriend leaves - see rule #3), unattached Pink Lady may make advances on unclaimed T-Bird leader. See rule #4, apply it. The prettier the Pink Lady, the more interested the unattached T-Bird will be.

Rule 7: Returning to Rule #2, Fraternization outside of T-Birds, if all members of the T-Birds are accounted for - have Pink Lady girlfriends - unattached Pink Lady must remain single. Addendum: If unattached Pink Lady has interest in non-T-Bird student, and wishes to pursue relationship with said student, see rule #3.

Rule 8. Contrary to popular belief, (see Rydell school year 1958-1959 (Grease), Premarital `coupling' (Sliding into home base - thank you, Louis DiMucci) isn't a requirement for being a Pink Lady. Just don't die a virgin or die wearing your mother's underwear.

Rule 9: If you're a non-romantic friend of the Pink Ladies, you're a friend for life. Friendship (non-fraternizational) may include nerd/brainiac (good for assistance with essays), and jock. NOT allowed: Gossip Girls (Patty Simcox), or annoying cheerleaders (Stacie & Gracie).

ADDITIONAL - Added June 16, 1962 If unattached Pink Lady meets and falls for former-nerd-turned-badass-biker, who saved the butts of T-Birds and Rydell students, fraternization rules rescinded!! (Co-signed by Johnny, Goose, Louis, Davey, Stephanie, Sharon, Paulette, Rhonda, Dolores).

It may be just my personal opinion, but I've got a scene in my head that I would want to play out..

Hear me out.

I would want a situation where the Pink Ladies are at the Frosty Palace or down where they race the cars and a few guys come over and the Pink Ladies start getting hit on or flirted with. They are polite or some flirt back (but with no real heat behind it) and the T-Birds clock it. They stroll up, nonchalantly- a little smug because they are not worried about a damn thing because the girls can handle themselves and each TBird finds their pair with the Ladies, join their sides. Looking like a force to be reckoned with.

"Hit the pavement fella's. These lovely Ladies are spoken for."

"They looked lonely, not like we could see any signs to say they arn't."

"Dont need em. You're in TBird Territory. And eveyone around here knows... our girls are the Pink Ladies. So if you aint a TBird, you aint got a chance.."

"Meaning you can look, but you can't touch."

"What, is that like a rule of your gangs?"

"Our code. And yes. Always will be."