#For the record I understand the value of the material and the subject

[ziekkfreak2-0]

So much stuff I wanna learn, but every time I do, a lil goblin in my head reminds me I have to prioritize my education. I don't even want to learn half the stuff they're teaching us...

[mariacallous]

One phrase encapsulates the methodology of nonfiction master Robert Caro: Turn Every Page. The phrase is so associated with Caro that it’s the name of the recent documentary about him and of an exhibit of his archives at the New York Historical Society. To Caro it is imperative to put eyes on every line of every document relating to his subject, no matter how mind-numbing or inconvenient. He has learned that something that seems trivial can unlock a whole new understanding of an event, provide a path to an unknown source, or unravel a mystery of who was responsible for a crisis or an accomplishment. Over his career he has pored over literally millions of pages of documents: reports, transcripts, articles, legal briefs, letters (45 million in the LBJ Presidential Library alone!). Some seemed deadly dull, repetitive, or irrelevant. No matter—he’d plow through, paying full attention. Caro’s relentless page-turning has made his work iconic.

In the age of AI, however, there’s a new motto: There’s no need to turn pages at all! Not even the transcripts of your interviews. Oh, and you don’t have to pay attention at meetings, or even attend them. Nor do you need to read your mail or your colleagues’ memos. Just feed the raw material into a large language model and in an instant you’ll have a summary to scan. With OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Anthropic’s Claude as our wingmen, summary reading is what now qualifies as preparedness.

LLMs love to summarize, or at least that’s what their creators set them about doing. Google now “auto-summarizes” your documents so you can “quickly parse the information that matters and prioritize where to focus.” AI will even summarize unread conversations in Google Chat! With Microsoft Copilot, if you so much as hover your cursor over an Excel spreadsheet, PDF, Word doc, or PowerPoint presentation, you’ll get it boiled down. That’s right—even the condensed bullet points of a slide deck can be cut down to the … more essential stuff? Meta also now summarizes the comments on popular posts. Zoom summarizes meetings and churns out a cheat sheet in real time. Transcription services like Otter now put summaries front and center, and the transcription itself in another tab.

Why the orgy of summarizing? At a time when we’re only beginning to figure out how to get value from LLMs, summaries are one of the most straightforward and immediately useful features available. Of course, they can contain errors or miss important points. Noted. The more serious risk is that relying too much on summaries will make us dumber.

Summaries, after all, are sketchy maps and not the territory itself. I’m reminded of the Woody Allen joke where he zipped through War and Peace in 20 minutes and concluded, “It’s about Russia.” I’m not saying that AI summaries are that vague. In fact, the reason they’re dangerous is that they’re good enough. They allow you to fake it, to proceed with some understanding of the subject. Just not a deep one.

As an example, let’s take AI-generated summaries of voice recordings, like what Otter does. As a journalist, I know that you lose something when you don’t do your own transcriptions. It’s incredibly time-consuming. But in the process you really know what your subject is saying, and not saying. You almost always find something you missed. A very close reading of a transcript might allow you to recover some of that. Having everything summarized, though, tempts you to look at only the passages of immediate interest—at the expense of unearthing treasures buried in the text.

Successful leaders have known all along the danger of such shortcuts. That’s why Jeff Bezos, when he was CEO of Amazon, banned PowerPoint from his meetings. He famously demanded that his underlings produce a meticulous memo that came to be known as a “6-pager.” Writing the 6-pager forced managers to think hard about what they were proposing, with every word critical to executing, or dooming, their pitch. The first part of a Bezos meeting is conducted in silence as everyone turns all 6 pages of the document. No summarizing allowed!

To be fair, I can entertain a counterargument to my discomfort with summaries. With no effort whatsoever, an LLM does read every page. So if you want to go beyond the summary, and you give it the proper prompts, an LLM can quickly locate the most obscure facts. Maybe one day these models will be sufficiently skilled to actually identify and surface those gems, customized to what you’re looking for. If that happens, though, we’d be even more reliant on them, and our own abilities might atrophy.

Long-term, summary mania might lead to an erosion of writing itself. If you know that no one will be reading the actual text of your emails, your documents, or your reports, why bother to take the time to dig up details that make compelling reading, or craft the prose to show your wit? You may as well outsource your writing to AI, which doesn’t mind at all if you ask it to churn out 100-page reports. No one will complain, because they’ll be using their own AI to condense the report to a bunch of bullet points. If all that happens, the collective work product of a civilization will have the quality of a third-generation Xerox.

As for Robert Caro, he’s years past his deadline on the fifth volume of his epic LBJ saga. If LLMs had been around when he began telling the president’s story almost 50 years ago—and he had actually used them and not turned so many pages—the whole cycle probably would have been long completed. But not nearly as great.

[dailycharacteroption]

Deity Drop 8: Ferrumnestra

And now let’s take a moment to acknowledge one of the many new deities in Second Edition!

Last time we talked about the elemental lords, I mentioned that there were actually eight elemental lords (or twelve, apparently my ability to do math fled me when I did that entry), but that four of them were sealed away and the four from the planes of wood and metal were lost to the multiverse along with their planes due to the imbalance.

But now that imbalance has been corrected with all four imprisoned lords freed, the planes of metal and wood are slowly returning to the multiverse proper, and with them, the lords that rule over them.

Now, back in the First Edition days, the baseline assumption of the elemental planes was that the two elemental lords of each plane were each set on the binary of good vs evil (which I have to imagine was a holdover from the D&D days of the Elemental Princes), but the rulers of metal and wood do not strictly follow that binary (and in fact, there is evidence that the only reason the “evil” lords are that way is because of the collective unconscious associating the specific aspects of the elements they rule over with morality).

Which brings us to our subject, Ferrumnestra, demigoddess of rust and entropy!

It may seem odd to think about an infinite plane as coming to an end, but the nature of elemental metal is that even the most pristine structures and formations must submit to the march of time. All will become dust eventually. A few lucky things might be reclaimed or rebuilt using materials extracted from the ruins and the dust, but entropy is inexorable, and even infinity cannot keep it at bay forever.

And this is where Ferrumnestra comes in. It is her duty to break down and consume that which has outlived it’s prime and use on the plane of metal. Abandoned structures, regions overcome by rust, and the relics of dead civilizations are all meals for her to consume, leaving nothing but scraps and detritus behind.

She is not malevolent, but she is uncaring. Everything must die and fall into obscurity, and that may include those that don’t get out of her way, but there is no cruelty behind it. Some may assume that this makes her akin to an animal, but in truth, she simply understands her role and is devoted to it.

True to her nature, Ferrumnestra firmly believes that the past does not matter and that one must continue on into the future, which is noble in it’s own way, though people who value history or see it repeated may not agree with her, but that suits her just fine, because her role is to destroy that which is forgotten, not what is still remembered, and in doing so, she clears the way for renewal.

Ferrumnestra takes the form of a truly massive isopod crustacean made of rusted metal, and true to that form she spends most of her time collapsing and devouring rusted-out structures and objects with her powerful jaws.

As a metallic detritivore, she has no realm of her own, instead wandering the plane of metal in search of areas being consumed by rust and time to perform her duty, happy to ignore anything that gets in her way.

I have to imagine that those that worship the Lady of Rust do so out of a melancholy reverence for entropy and the need for the old to give way to the new. Demolition crews, gravekeepers, and others whose work involves controlled destruction are all applicable followers Some even make pilgrimages to the plane of metal to help demolish old structures for her, though like all others they have to keep clear of their goddess. Of course, as a morally-neutral divinity, there will be those that interpret the devotion to entropy in different ways, such as those that honor and record the memory of that which they return to nothingness as well as those that believe that they should judge what is and isn’t necessary anymore.

Wholly devoted to her task, Ferrumnestra has little interest in interpersonal relationships with other deities. I imagine she must have a cordial relationship with her counterpart Laudinmio, as well as most other elemental lords, with perhaps the exception of Ayrzul, who has made a polluted mess of the plane of metal due to his invasion and thefts long ago.

She also doesn’t have much in the way of servants, though she is often followed by swarms of ore lice, and perhaps has a kinship with rust scarabs and other metal elementals that lean on the side of the entropic and scrap-like side of the element.

As a creation of Second Edition, she has no published list of domains for the previous edition.

Her 2E list, however, is decay, destruction, metal, and void, reflecting her entropic role. Meanwhile, she also grants spells related to conducting electricity through metal, poisoning foes with toxic heavy metal powder, and summoning scouring clouds of rust.

Obediences aren’t in Second Edition (Though they may be coming with the Divine Mysteries book), so we don’t have an official published source of what hers might be.

It can probably be assumed that Ferrumnestra persists into the era of Starfinder, still performing her duty as she always had. Only now there’s more metal in play. I imagine that junkers may pay homage to her as they sort through what scrap is still usable and what should be left as her share, recycled and broken down for raw materials.

That will do for today, but now it's time to head back to the top of the list and cover one of the major core deities again. Look forward to it!

[tessarionbestgirl]

"Aegon is injured and Aemond may or may not have something to do with the fact". This is what Aemond's actor said regarding ep 5. Therefore, we don't know for sure what Aemond wanted or didn't want to do at Rook's Rest so we are again in for a guessing game. And this is one of my problems with the show. They think they are being oh so mysterious and whatnot with this kind of "storytelling" but the truth is that it's just extremely frustrating. The characters have very little screentime (aemond has less than 3 minutes per episode ffs), a lot of important events are just skipped and what little we see is unclear and ambiguous so I have to guess or create headcanons. Like, sorry, but I'm not interested in this. Idk, this show and everything related to it just leaves me annoyed, confused or even angry. What's your experience regarding this?

I understand the annoyance and frustration over this aspect of the show because big part of my dislike for Fire & Blood comes from exactly that same reason. Is a fake story book that I don't even know if half of it is true or not with countless inconsistencies regarding war events and ambiguities about characters motivations.

And a adaptation can only be to a extension better or worse than the source material. So Ryan and his team, have in hands a complicated situation. I know he says to the public that he approached the material as being green propaganda. But he is lying, a lot of things he does with TB to me are prove of that. A lot of pr for House of the dragon is all about what they want you to believe for now what their intentions are. So if we take a lot of what they say in face value we are being lied to. So any HC you and I could created base on that is just end feeling like a betrayal and pointless.

But the final product speaks for it self more than the actors or Ryan or Sarah. Because they did lay ground for the conclusion of the story to be " in war there is truly never a winner" and one of the core of the story from George idea is to end with you questioning who was the right side or the dance.

They say for exemple the it was recorded dubious if Daemon or Aemond actions are intentional or not. But we also see they feeling guilty over it. S1 had a big discussion on the fandom over Daemon taking Rhaenyra to the brothel was intentionally done to tarnish her honor or not, and this season we see him feeling guilty over it, same with B&C same with Aemond and Luke's situation.

Whatever, if this is intention to adapt the the questionable reality of book or make people speculate who is justified or not. That end up just add to a theme on the show,in witch, is about how the intentions don't matter and will not matter in the end. Viserys all him wanted was have a peaceful family life but as Alicent said "he intentions died with him" and that goes for all characters.

Aemond always felt he deserved the crown more than Aegon, maybe he wanted to hurt his brother but he is willing to pay the price of killing his own brother and become the monster that history eventually will paint him to be? That is what they are trying to say with Heleana asking him that and Alicent growing fear of what her son is becoming.

So I will say that my problem with this subject is way less annoying in the show than in the book and while in part I find fun to speculate over those dubious thing they do, I also feel uncertaint over what they will do with those characters, this season I am very scared of the possible out come for Alicent as character. And I certainly despite the fandom discourse that is generated by the "open in the air" scenes. I think that is the factor that frustrating me the most. Because there was a time where was fun to engage on public conversations about media. But HOtD fandom is so toxic and lack any media literacy that even end up affecting how I sometimes interact with the fandom and watch the show.

And that is a big irony of it all because I sure despite Ryan intensions and how he will end the show. The fandom will not change their mind of who is the true winner/justified and what the story is about.

[bzhitstruth]

My thoughts about DD's hat

This hat caused a lot of noise, and this is understandable - DD focused attention on it and posted a million photos and videos with this hat wherever he could. Just today the video appeared on five platforms - Weibo, Douyin, Instagram, YouTube and BiliBili. Of course, everyone understands that it has special meaning for him. The same thing happened once with the panther logo, which DD also placed everywhere. Such activity has been unusual for him lately; the hat has broken all records.

I just want to speculate on this topic because there are some things that seem dubious to me, contrary to popular opinion.

The turtles assume that GG gave DD the hat, brought it from Singapore, there is a hat shop downstairs of the hotel where he lived, and he bought it there.

I have an unpopular opinion about this. I think the hat is really connected to GG, perhaps it was the gift from him. But I think that the hat is not from this store. On Weibo I found the screenshot of a fan’s correspondence with the store on Instagram. I'm not sure if this is a genuine screenshot or not, but if it is genuine, then the theory about buying the hat from this store is incorrect:

I looked at this store's Instagram account and it seems they really don't have any hats like that. Their hats are in a certain style and are made in a certain way, but DD's hat is different, it differs in weave, and the shape of the ribbon, and style. This becomes clear if you look through the many hat models from this store. I do not exclude the possibility that I am mistaken, and that the screenshot may turn out to be fake.

But I'm quite sure that this hat has special value for DD, because he constantly tries to show it. Yesterday and today, solos tried to “wash” this hat, claiming that DD allegedly bought it himself. They even found DD's photos from 2017 wearing a similar hat and tried to claim that it was the same hat, but it was a different hat, that could be seen with the naked eye.

And today, shortly after this attempt at "washing", DD bombarded us on various platforms with many videos of this hat, and in this video there is the interesting detail: the only time DD touches the hat and lifts it occurs at 23rd second. I won’t guess whether this is a coincidence or not.

There are several signs that this hat has a special meaning for DD:

1. DD posts an unusually large amount of materials with this hat. He's showing off. I had a similar feeling recently with Leica - “look carefully from all sides at what I have, how wonderful it is!”. And during the event, DD was in a good mood and smiled a lot; in my subjective opinion, he looked like a birthday boy.

2. The origin of this hat is still unknown; no brand has yet claimed the right to it. It seems strange that DD would wear an accessory of an unknown brand to the important event, especially since this accessory has become the center of attention.

3. If GG has nothing to do with this hat, then it is difficult to explain the appearance of his vlog at such a strange time, unfavorable for GG, because many people's attention was focused on the GQ event.

4. DD knew full well that the hat would cause a stir, if only because it initially reminded everyone of Luffy's hat. DD simply cannot help but understand this, and yet he made and continues to place a sharp emphasis on this hat.

5. DD didn't part with the hat all evening, both of his outfits were with it, although the second suit no longer involved boating, but DD designated it as a yuppie gentleman costume, and the hat was also in theme. There is not a single photo or video where he is without hat (except those where his head is not visible).

We have a certain chain of events: 1. GG goes to Singapore. 2. There is the hat shop at GG's hotel. 3. Two days after GG’s arrival, DD appears wearing the hat similar to those sold in the hotel store. 4. GG posts the Singapore vlog in the middle of showing off DD's hat. 5. In GG’s vlog there are shots of the hotel; it seems that the hat store is located not far from that place.

There may be a wrong link in this chain of events - the hat is not from this store.

My version of events: DD had been preparing for the event for a long time, and his costumes were thought out in advance, including the hat. The GQ program involved boating, and the boater hat was very appropriate. I don't think DD decided to wear this hat at the last minute because GG returned from Singapore on December 4th and DD flew to Shanghai on the 6th. Most likely, such a hat was already part of DD’s costume, the look was thought out in advance by the stylist (probably by DD too). Perhaps GG saw this hat in Singapore and decided to bring it to DD, and DD put it on instead of the one that was supposed to be in advance. This is why GG's Singapore vlog suddenly appears at an unusual time, in the middle of the event, when DD is posting materials. In any case, I think that there is some kind of connection between the hat and Singapore. Perhaps it is the already mentioned by many people Nanyang style, which is a Singaporean style and includes such hats, and then the connection with Singapore becomes more obvious.

I'm not sure of anything, this hat literally messed with my head, and the case is not solved for me yet. One thing I can say is that this hat clearly has some kind of secret, and it hasn't happened without GG's participation. I hope that someday we will learn the secret of this hat, perhaps new circumstances will become clear. This often happens in the world of GGDD - explanations for many things come gradually, sometimes even after years. Let's wait and see. 💚❤️.

Everything that is written here is fiction, CPN, fake.

[kaurwreck]

I don't think the Book in Bungou Stray Dogs is real, at least not insofar as there is a skill-created item that bends reality when alternative realities are written into its pages. Fyodor has convinced both the meta audience and the characters that the Book exists, just like he manipulated Ace into killing himself and for similar reasons. That being said, by claiming that such a thing exists, ensuring that there are "rules" to such a thing that obfuscate the most glaring limitations and contradictions likely to cultivate doubt, and leveraging the resources available to them, Fyodor and the Decay of Angels are able to influence others' actions and amplify their psychological and material impact, thus effectuating the reality they wanted.

(It's why visualization is an effective tool for accomplishing goals, by the way. Envisioning the reality you want for yourself vividly and emotionally stimulates your brain chemistry into experiencing and recording that reality as if were a memory or sensory perception, influencing your subconscious understanding of its attainability— which then lends you the motivation, confidence, and self-efficacy to make it so.)

It's not only Fyodor who rewrites reality by convincing others that it's possible. Natsume Sōseki rips out the pages of the third volume in the series that Odasaku is reading, informing him that there was an ending, but it was atrocious, so Odasaku should write his own. Odasaku was in a state of inertia, suffering his reality on belief it was immutable. His encounter with Natsume made him realize that the future he saw remained the same only if everything preceding it did too. Just because there was a certain outcome to his choices didn't mean he had to accept it— he could make different choices. While he did not get the outcome he wanted for himself, he nevertheless shaped his outcome with his choices. He couldn't change the choices of others, but he chose how he responded to them.

That's what he imparts on Dazai too. Perhaps much of his suffering isn't within his ability to change. But where he could choose wonder and goodness, he should.

It's a recurring theme for most of the characters since the uncertainty of existence and the subjective nature of reality framed much of their namesakes' works, but to name a few:

Yosano thought she couldn't live because her skill was too cruel. So Ranpo offered her a reality where her skill's exploitation wasn't inevitable, but a choice that was hers to make.

Ranpo thought he was alone and surrounded by monsters, rendering his world terrifying and colorless. Fukuzawa rewrote Ranpo's reality by reframing the predatory malice Ranpo perceived in others as clueless ignorance. He gave Ranpo means to channel and celebrate his perceived differences, but impressed on him that he and others had inherent value worth protecting. Because Ranpo believes him, he's surrounded by people instead of monsters. Further, the glasses Fukuzawa gave Ranpo were a cheap trinket, but because Ranpo confers on them his acquiescence to Fukuzawa's narrative, they facilitate Ranpo's remarkable powers of deduction.

N revealed to Chuuya that self-contradicting singularities can become stable in lifeforms if sealed by human will, which can be imparted on inorganic lifeforms as coded patterns since will is manifested so long as the lifeform believes itself capable of will. He needed Chuuya dead before Verlaine came for him but didn't want Arahabaki to die with him if it were possible instead to separate it from Chuuya and weaponize it by other means. Chuuya wasn't willing to donate his singularity to N's military research, so N attempted to bypass Chuuya's will by (i) convincing Chuuya that he wasn't human and (ii) torturing him into speaking a code phrase that N claimed would separate Chuuya from his singularity. It was important that Chuuya believed himself to be nonhuman because if he thought he was preprogrammed to accept the code phrase, he was more likely to cede his will to the code phrase on belief he wasn't capable of resisting. N also needed Chuuya to say the code phrase because if Chuuya chose to say it on the belief that saying it would end the torture by releasing Arahabaki, then he'd manifest the will to break the seal (even if subsconsciously). Chuuya wouldn't relinquish Arahabaki on his own, so N had to craft a reality where Chuuya didn't have a choice by convincing him of the same. Chuuya decided he did have a choice, so that was the reality that became realized.

If there is no objective, preordained reality, then reality becomes malleable and subject to revision. Not because of any preternatural superpower, but because people operate within the limits they perceive to exist. The Book doesn't need to exist to influence the characters; they think it exists, so they behave as though it does, functionally altering their realities around its existence.

But, for each situation I can recall that is attributed to the Decay of Angel's possession of the Page, there is another explanation that is more plausible and very much feasible based on the Decay of Angels' evidenced resources and modus operandi. They don't need the Page to orchestrate what they did, but convincing the Agency that they have the Page inflated their ability to inflict terror and amplified their influence over the variables molding the Agency's perception and behavior.

Anyway. If you give me any instance of the Book bending reality, I'll tell you why I disagree and what I think actually happened.*

*Don't cite to Beast. I haven't read Beast yet, so I won't speak to it.

[arlnlms]

Is blogging still relevant in the age of TikToks and Instagram?

MDA20009 Digital Communities │ Week 4

Blogging, what even is that? For some, especially Gen Z, it might sound like a relic of the past (around the early 2000s?), where people spilt their thoughts in long-form posts instead of short clips, something our millennial friends (Gen X) were into back in the day. Or maybe it just feels a little… outdated?

To answer the question of what a blog is, it's simply a kind of website that is updated frequently and offers information on a particular subject. When blogs first came into existence, they were essentially just online diaries where users could record entries about their everyday activities. Since then, they have changed and evolved into a vital platform for information sharing and updates between individuals and companies. It's a great place to get information, insight, and practical guidance (Weiner 2024).

So now for the main question, "Is blogging still relevant in the age of Tiktok and Instagram?". Well, it depends. 

Okay, let's all admit to the fact that attention spans nowadays are shorter than ever. We're all guilty of endlessly scrolling through TikTok or Instagram, trapped in the algorithm dishing out entertainment that doesn't require too much brainpower to comprehend. It's an integral part of our lives now. It's easy to assume that blogging might have lost its spark in this fast-paced, dopamine-driven world (I can't believe I thought of that).

Or so we thought...

The reality is that blogs are different because they're not designed for instant satisfaction. Instead, I feel like they offer depth in certain aspects. I feel like blogs allow for distinction, context, and a real understanding of a topic. It's where people can go to slow down and dive deep into topics or issues they're curious about. And that's where the value lies. Sure, you're not going to get that viral moment with a blog like how you would on Tiktok or Instagram, but that's kind of the point, no?

When people want a quick laugh or to catch up on the latest trend, they head to TikTok. But when they're looking for something more significant, like detailed information, how-tos, or even just a good, thought-provoking read, people are turning to blogs. But, Instagram is also a form of blogging platform as it also started alongside the blogging era (Corrine 2021). Some people still use it in the same style as a blog but that appeared to not work out well because Instagram does not allow clickable links in captions. Although you can say something like "link in bio," it is not the same as actually clicking on the link (Corrine 2021).

Community

TikTok and Instagram are great for instant interaction. Sure, one will always find their community through these 2 famous social media platform. Because the materials on these platforms is easily shared and frequently becomes viral, communities can grow rapidly. But the connection often feels fleeting, just temporary (Lang 2023).

Blogging, on the other hand, builds a sense of community in a different way. People visit blogs because they're invested in the content, and that naturally creates a more engaged, loyal audience. It's less about trends and more about shared interests. The readers who visit these blogs often return because they feel a deeper connection to the content creator and the discussions being had.

From the way I look at it, I think it's a 50/50 split because not everybody is a blog enthusiast. For some users, TikTok and Instagram offer a quicker, more visually stimulating experience. Others, on the other hand, who value detailed information and enduring knowledge will favour blogs. Every platform has a specific function, and the "best" community will vary depending on the level of community interaction one is seeking.

Searchability

Now let's divert the question to searchability. We can't deny that blogs might come up first rather than a Tiktok video or Instagram reel when one types in questions like "budget-friendly laptop for students" or "recipes for broke uni students" into a search engine.

Although, based on my experience, blogs may be very useful for some when it comes to searches like that, especially like recipes, or product reviews that need more than 1 minute where the reader might want a detailed breakdown or comparison, like, for example, comparing the specs of an iPhone 16 with the Google Pixel 9. However, when it comes to being a person like me that needs quick visual demonstration going back to that short attention span thing (because somehow i can't visualise instructions by reading), then that's where Tiktok and Instagram might come in handy. I'm sure many from my generation would agree to this and appreciate that 30 second Tiktok tutorial because we want something quick. So, it all comes down to a person's preference in the end.

So,

At the end of the day, blogs provide depth and lasting value that TikTok and Instagram lack in a sense. So, rather than competing, they actually complement each other. These days, the main goals of blogs should be to provide insightful content and resolve readers' issues (Corrine 2021). Despite its seeming old-school, blogging is nevertheless still booming.

List of references

Weiner, A. (2024, July 16). What is a blog? Definition, types, benefits and why you need one. Wix Blog. https://www.wix.com/blog/what-is-a-blog

Corinne. (2024, June 12). Is blogging dead? The rise of Instagram and TikTok. Skinnedcartree. https://skinnedcartree.com/2021/04/is-blogging-dead-the-rise-of-instagram-and-tiktok.html

Lang, K. (2023, August 30). What Does it Mean to Build a Community on Social Media? (And Why You Should). Buffer: All-you-need Social Media Toolkit for Small Businesses. https://buffer.com/resources/social-media-community/

[peachdues]

So I’m 38. As someone who honestly has a lot of past trauma which we won’t get into, I personally take fandoms I’m in serious because it’s honestly all I have. I prefer being alone after a event happened in my life and honestly I feel my safest when I’m alone with fiction. I am in therapy and my therapist said my lifestyle is okay as long as I’m not a danger to others or myself.

The point being even if a person is online and dedicated to fiction it’s not normal for them to act like this.

Many people like me exist. We do not act like this. I worry people like this give us who are like this a bad reputation. My therapist gave me a statistic years ago forgive me for not knowing, essentially some people are online a lot and read and watch series as a way to forget serious real life trauma. It’s why I hate the phrase chronically online because some people are like this because of serious trauma.

The point of this I suppose is me explaining that not all of us are like this as I feel it gives people like me a bad reputation. I rarely see behavior like this I can assure you it’s not normal. Even for me with series issues in my life I have never done this.

I’m so sorry you dealt with this

Thank you for sharing this, I understand it can be a touchy subject.

For the record — I very much understand the value of fandom, and of finding community online — after all, I’m an active participant in it. I’ve been very open about how I came to the Demon Slayer fandom, and how much it has helped me since I endured one of the most traumatic things a person can endure in their lifetime, so trust me — I get it.

I’m sure that somewhere in all of this, amidst my snark and eye-rolling, my original message has been a bit distorted (by the OG anon) — which is, everyone is going to make their fandoms/faves/etc., what they will. Not everything I think or say will be everyone’s cup of tea, and that’s fine. I don’t write for a majority, or for anyone, really — I write for myself, as a creative catharsis. My husband collaborates with me, and it’s something we enjoy doing because we’re both voracious readers.

I don’t post on here because I want to satisfy people — I post what I want to write because it’s expression, and making it public is a way to ensure I don’t ignore this hobby of mine. The fact that a single person on here then takes the time out of their day to read what I’ve written — let alone, like/comment/reblog it — truly astounds me every single time it happens. I’m so grateful to each and every person who does that; and clearly, it resonates with a few people.

My point is, and has been through this whole shitshow, that the source material means something different to everyone — so live and let live. When I say “it’s not that deep,” I’m saying it because (1) I’m an asshole, and (2) because how we personally engage in and consume media shouldn’t be affected by how others choose to do so.

Thank you for reaching out and for being so open. And thank you for being kind. I truly hope that anon realizes that no one is backing them up, so maybe they take the time to reflect and consider why they feel the need to flood other writers’ inboxes because they want attention.

[terra-feminarum]

Hey, um, I saw your post about how the patriarchy is crumbling and I have a few questions?

None of this is meant to come off as rude or sarcastic, I'm just really hoping my Autism is misreading your tone or something but

Why is...porn bad?

Why would it be better for the gender roles to swap, instead of establishing a solid, neutral society where we're judged by our character, not our genitals? (I got this point from you mentioning it was a good thing for society to be "woman centric" and for men to move in with their wives instead)

I also don't understand what a TRA is (from your bio). In general I don't spend much time in these circles, they stress me out.

Thank you for your questions!

1) Why is porn bad?

I think there is nothing inherently bad about erotic material. Sexuality isn't dirty or wrong and using photos or videos for becoming aroused doesn't seem morally wrong to me.

But there are things that make me opposed to porn. One thing is how it depicts women. Porn frequently, more often than not, depicts women as submissive to men and porn very often includes degradation and even torture of women. Porn depicts women who don't enjoy themselves, who twist themselves in uncomfortable positions to look good to the audience, who have all their body hair ripped off, who have bodies modified to accommodate the preferences of men, it depicts women who wear restricting and uncomfortable clothing, and the list goes on. From their head to toe, these women are modified to look like the thing men equate with "woman".

This affects to how both men and women see women. To be attractive, women should look like this. We should modify our bodies in costly, time-consuming and uncomfortable ways. Porn teaches both men and women that a woman is a sexual object, that her sexuality is for the gratification of men, rather than her own.

We all know representation is important in how we see different groups of people. People talk about porn like it's separate from the rest of our lives. But really, if most of men watch porn on a regular basis, it will affect how they see women. It will. What if all straight people watched gay people being degraded on a daily basis and jerked off to it? Could they see gay people as equal after years and years of this conditioning? What if gay people watched it too, gay people being degraded and tortured by straight people? How would it affect their self image?

And then there is the human trafficking and abuse of women in the porn industry. This is a subject I don't unfortunately know a lot about. Anyways, a lot of women participate in porn under duress or are trafficked. So, watching porn is often watching recordings of rape.

2) Why would it be better for the gender roles to swap, instead of establishing a solid, neutral society where we're judged by our character, not our genitals?

I don't want gender roles to swap. I don't want women dominating men.

I see it this way: I don't know if it's nature or nurture but women and men seem to act differently and hold different values. Look at sex segregated schools: girls will thrive, boys will bully each other. Women seem to be prone to non-hierarchical co-operation, to empathy, to understanding complex systems and dependencies, like ecosystems. Men seem to be prone to hierarchies, to violence, to competitiveness, to picking systems apart and fixating on one part without seeing the whole picture. When men lead, we see wars and climate catastrophe. Female leaders are typically more invested in peace and protecting our environment and taking into account those who need help.

I might be wrong, but personally I think part of this comes from the ability to create new life. A lot of women know how it feels when someone is totally dependent on you. Women understand nurture as the structure that keeps the society stable and sustainable.

I believe true equality can be achieved only in a matriarchal society. When women have power, we tend to distribute it to others according to their ability to take responsibility, not hoard it just for the sake of being a leader. Women tend to distribute material goods to each according to their need where as men tend to hoard it. Typically women will use their income for the good of the whole family whereas men tend to use it for their own pleasure. Power should mean responsibility and empathy, not dominating others.

I see these patterns everywhere. There are selfish women, too, and women who make unfair and bad decisions. But look at the women and men in your everyday lives and notice the patterns. There are differences.

Whatever the reason for this difference, we need women in charge to save us. The world is now led by men and I don't know if we will survive it. Imagine a world led by women. Imagine the decisions they would make without having to compromise with men and their short-sighted fantasies of unlimited growth.

3) I also don't understand what a TRA is (from your bio).

TRA is an abbreviation of trans right activists, usually used by radfems.

[softness-and-shattering]

Ideally learning history is hand in hand with learning about historicity - how we know what we think we know, how to look at evidence, how to evaluate sources for authenticity and bias and intent, what we can learn ffom differrent types of sources. This stuff gets advanced but at least the basics are important.

History isnt the same thing as what was in the past. History is our understanding of what was in the past based on evidence and some educated guesswork, and interpretation and translation, always biased towards what survived. Like people werent smaller two hundred years ago, we only have small sized clothes intact now because anything big enough to be repurposed was repurposed. We know more about the wealthy and the rulers because more was recorded about them than the lives of peasants and serfs. And they were buried much more extravagantly.

Thinking about the tapestry where the weavers wove themselves little icons with their appearance and initials in the margins. They were weaving the history so they quietly put themselves into it too. Love that for them.

Some amount of schooling probably needs to be subject matter that students dont find incredibly interesting, and there are some things wherr knowing the correct basic facts are important. Maybe teachers need to do a better job explaining that theyre teaching skills through the material rather than the value being in able to memorise a bunch of dates, and what those skills are necessary for (everything, not being scammed, not falling for falsehood and propaganda, how to tell if youre being lied to, how to investigate for truth). I remember a lot of math class asking what the point of it was and the answer was like, building bridges, well I dont see that in my future. Math probably also needs rehauling. No one wants to be scammed or fooled.

[pravatchemistry]

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[adithyawrites18]

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[dankusner]

OPINION What child sex trafficking is and isn’t

Most fears are misinformation, and understanding the crime is part of prevention

Child sex trafficking is a dark subject, clouded by misinformation and myth. Questions like “Will my child be snatched by a stranger at Walmart?”, “Is my car being marked to signal we are a target for trafficking?” and “Are children trafficked because of the Super Bowl?” frequently surface.

For the record, the answer to all these questions is a resounding “No.”

However, the fear underlying these concerns is valid and worth addressing:

“I’m worried about child sex trafficking. I do not want it to happen to my family, to my children or in my community.”

For some, this concern leads to a critical follow-up question:

“What can I do to help prevent child sex trafficking? Is there a role for me?”

To start, it’s essential to understand what child sex trafficking is — and what it’s not.

At its core, child sex trafficking is a severe form of child sexual abuse in which an individual under 18 exchanges sex or sexual acts for any item of commercial value.

According to the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act, “any item of commercial value” is broadly defined and includes goods, services, drugs, money, rides or even shelter.

Importantly, cases of child sex trafficking do not require proof of force, fraud or coercion.

Traffickers are typically not pedophiles but entrepreneurs. They are in it for profit.

Traffickers systematically target children who are entangled in a web of deprivation and oppression and often are not sought after, searched for or believed.

Risk factors for child sex trafficking include drug use in the family, child sexual abuse and neglect, food insecurity and dating violence.

Tragically, most children who experience sex trafficking are exploited by people they know, including parents, relatives, friends or intimate partners.

For children without stable housing, sexual exchanges may be seen as a necessary means of survival, ensuring food and shelter.

Some children even self-negotiate exchanges, perceiving agency in their actions.

However, because individuals under 18 cannot legally consent to commercial sex, these situations constitute child sex trafficking. Despite this, children may be reluctant to seek support from service providers or law enforcement.

Recently, child sex trafficking using technology like social media has garnered attention.

While national data confirms that technology can play a role, it is far less common than broader forms of technology-facilitated sexual abuse.

In most cases, technology-facilitated sex trafficking is an extension of either child sexual abuse material — child pornography that is filmed and sold — often without the child’s knowledge — or in-person sex trafficking.

Contrary to popular belief, research does not support the idea that children primarily meet their exploiters online.

Awareness is a vital component of prevention.

Sharing accurate information about child sex trafficking is essential, but for those seeking actionable steps, here are three tangible ways to make a difference:

Advocate for change.

Support policies and initiatives addressing child homelessness, food insecurity and drug endangerment.

Tackling these root social problems strengthens community resilience and reduces risks for child sex trafficking.

Educate your children.

Talk to them about healthy relationships, child sexual abuse and online safety.

Teach them how to set boundaries, recognize red flags and seek help if they encounter troubling situations.

Shift societal narratives. Child sex traffickers exploit societal stigmas surrounding commercial sex to discourage disclosure and prevent victims from seeking help. Avoid framing commercial sex in ways that imply moral failure. Instead, emphasize that children experiencing trafficking are victims of exploitation. By fostering understanding and empathy, we hinder traffickers and support recovery for survivors. Human trafficking is a complex issue, but by addressing misinformation, promoting systemic solutions and fostering open communication, we can create a safer environment for all children. Together, our actions can make a meaningful impact in preventing and responding to child sex trafficking.

Jennifer O’Brien is an associate professor at the University of Texas at Arlington School of Social Work and a research affiliate at the Crimes Against Children Research Center. The opinions expressed in this article represent those of the author and do not reflect the views of UTA or the University of Texas System.

[theartisticgamingwitch]

A new years resolution: Painting in rainbow mayo (oil paint)

At the dawn of a new year 2025, many of us seek fresh challenges and creative pursuits. And i picked oil painting all year almost. This timeless medium offers a wealth of techniques and possibilities that can transform any artistic journey. And ill admit i was prejudice to it because of my own lack of experience with the medium. So heres what im gonna do:

Gather Oil Painting Supplies! Before i even begin, my ass needs to gather the essential materials.

Oil Paints: A basic set including Titanium White, Ivory Black, Yellow Ochre, Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Sienna, Cadmium Red, and Cadmium Yellow. But i found a ebay seller that will sell me the worlds rarest colors

Next is brushes, paint thinner, galkyd, a painting box, canvas, and rags.

Then theirs youtube to learn some shit

Blocking In: Start by sketching the composition with a thinned paint mixture. Block in the large shapes and basic colors to establish the composition.

Underpainting: Create a monochromatic underpainting to establish values (light and dark areas) before adding color.

Fat Over Lean: Apply thicker (fat) layers of paint over thinner (lean) layers to ensure proper drying and prevent cracking.

Blending: Use a dry brush or your hands to softly blend colors together for smooth transitions.

Scumbling: Lightly drag a dry, stiff brush with a small amount of paint over the surface for a broken color effect.

Glazing: Apply transparent layers of paint over dry layers to create depth and luminosity.

Color Theory and Mixing Understanding color theory is crucial in oil painting:

Primary Colors: Red, blue, and yellow are the primary colors. Mix them to create secondary (green, orange, purple) and tertiary colors.

Complementary Colors: Use complementary colors (opposites on the color wheel) to create contrast and harmony.

Neutral Colors: Mix complementary colors together to create neutral shades and tones.

Experiment with mixing colors on your palette to discover unique hues and shades. Keep a record of your mixes for future reference. Note to self make a WHOLE post on the color theory war here

Developing Your Style Take inspiration from the masters but strive to develop your own unique style. Practice regularly, and don't be afraid to make mistakes. Each painting is a learning experience that brings you closer to your artistic goals. Explore different subjects, from still life and landscapes to portraits and abstracts.

Proper Cleanup and Safety Oil painting involves using materials that can be hazardous if not handled properly:

Brush Cleaning: Clean brushes thoroughly with turpentine or mineral spirits after each session. Wash with soap and water to remove any remaining paint.

Paint Disposal: Dispose of leftover paint and solvents responsibly to avoid environmental contamination.

Ventilation: Ensure your workspace is well-ventilated to avoid inhaling harmful fumes from solvents and mediums.

Protective Gear: Wear gloves and a mask to protect your skin and lungs from potential toxins.

Online Resources and Communities Tutorials: Numerous online tutorials, from YouTube channels to art websites, can provide step-by-step guidance and tips.

Books: Invest in quality books on oil painting techniques and color theory.

Art Communities: Join online forums and social media groups to connect with other artists, share your work, and receive constructive feedback.

[fishtomale]

posting stuff about my forgotten realms / dnd ocs under the cut and then i’m going to reblog oc ask games. this is your warning. also some of them do have full player character sheets but i’m not sharing that unless someone shows interest. focus is on these 4 characters and their dynamics within an adventuring party.

Characters

Name: Osza (she/her)

Species: Yuan-ti

Subtype: Pureblood

Class: Bard

(Eventual) Subclass: College of Glamour

Background: Acolyte

Alignment: Neutral Evil

As a Pureblood Yuan-ti Osza wasn’t born with an obvious path towards the power and success her culture valued, but as she grew she did find comfort funneling her service and gifts for musical performance towards the serpentine gods’ temples where she would worship and work. Osza valued her role and social network in all the serpentine gods’ temples, but would eventually focus her efforts towards Sseth whose temple housed her dear friend, Tizhali, whom she grew close to. It wasn’t until later that Osza would learn that Tizhali had been raised to be the ideal sacrifice to their god, Sseth- a willing one. In distress Osza tried to convince her friend to flee her station with her, but she ultimately failed. It was then, the day of her dear friend’s death, that Osza swore to empower her own voice so that no one else would oppose or leave her ever again, setting out to gain favor and power in Sseth’s eyes that she may one day join his court and consume his flesh as a means to reabsorb her friend’s sacrifice.

Name: Cypress (he/they/it)

Species: Fairy

Class: Rogue

(Eventual) Subclass: Scout

Background: Scribe

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Cypress led a charmed and esteemed life in The Feywild as a major legal scribe who recorded dealings between the major courts and houses of powerful fey. While Cypress did find fulfillment in his opportunity to put his observational skills to use in this role it was in fact at home with his two young children, Finch and Briar, that he experienced the most joy and purpose. This was all well and good until a group dedicated to the Seelie court apt on securing their own legal scribe, and therefore their own spin on history, in an upcoming deal used their magic to seal Cypress out of the The Feywild binding him to The Material Plane. Upon entering this new realm Cypress found himself scared and confused, the skills he had learned to survive in The Feywild holding little potence in this alien realm as even a beast as simple as a cat was able to overpower him and steal sight in his right eye. Cypress seeks only to survive long enough to find a way home and see his children grow up safe and happy.

Name: Stag (he/him)

Species: Human + Reborn (Undead)

Class: Barbarian

(Eventual) Subclass: Path of the Berserker

Background: Outlander

Alignment: True Neutral

Stag's body was at some point raised as an undead servant via a Lich's necromancy to serve as muscle to guard it's hideout, an unfeeling, unthinking mass animated only to follow simple orders, until one day, Stag's consciousness came back to him. Stumbling out of the Lich's grasp and into civilization with only a name and a vague impression of the world he previously inhabited it didn't take long for Stag to realize that things had changed since last lived as a conscious being. The world no longer functioned by might alone, and all creatures had grown more cunning in their tactics, meaning he'd have to adapt fast if he wanted to survive long enough to understand this new world and remember crucial details of his past life.

(I'm still designing this character, so I don't have an image for her. Osza may be in a sense the leader of this group but this character, Leonora, is in a way the narrative and emotional lynchpin of the group, so I keep making changes and alterations. The information given for Leonora is more subject to change than the rest of the characters shown.)

Name: Leonora (she/her)

Species: Aasimar

(largely human with lineage of Lathander)

Class: Paladin

(Eventual) Subclass: Oath of Redemption -> Oathbreaker

Background: Folk Hero

Alignment: (initially) Chaotic Good

Leonora always took immense pride in her worship of and shared lineage with Lathander, valuing his principles of renewal and rebirth above all else. Leonora was more than happy when she came of age to leave her village and follow in the path of the Oath of Redemption paladin believing it the most direct way the show divine mercy to those who need it most. Even among paladins of the same oath Leonora was known for being not only naive, but foolish, in her over willingness to dismiss danger and threat in others in situations where she thought the individual, no matter how depraved and power hungry, was worthy of redemption. Leonora's moral fortitude is put to the test when she joins the very harmful party of Osza, Cypress, and Stag with the goal of guiding them towards the path of Lathander's light and forgiveness.

Dynamics

Osza and Cypress were the first two members of this traveling party, and while there are power struggles on occasion between Osza, Stag, and Leonora, Osza is generally understood to be and treated as the leader of the group.

Even if not openly, all the members of this party (especially Osza and Leonora) are quite sentimental and do care for one another quite a lot, but still often verbally justify staying as one party even when goals diverge because they see themselves as having complimentary skills and as being stronger together.

Though Osza is the only evil aligned character initially I would consider the impact of the group as a whole evil based on their willingness to associate with and support Osza and because of their selfishness in fully prioritizing their own goals.

The party by and large presents themselves as being only motivated by self preservation and pursuit of their own individual goals, but does function in the understanding that given the chance their fellow party members would assist them in accomplishing these goals. This is not the reality.

Osza sees others she cares about putting themselves in danger or making moves that would separate them from her as betrayal to the highest degree, so Osza will constantly interfere on behalf of Leonora’s self sacrificing goals and tendencies and Osza will ultimately try to interfere when Cypress has a chance to return to The Feywild because she sees that as abandonment.

Stag not only sees Leonora’s way of letting her enemies live as foolish but also as offensive and uncaring as he anticipates any foes that aren’t vanquished to be a possible and likely threat to one’s friends, family, and home.

Though hardened and sometimes harsh in his delivery of what he believes to be the truth Cypress does take on a sort of fatherly role to the group as the eldest and the only known father (Stag spoilers).

Stag has to learn to appreciate and respect people of different types, be it women in authority, newly emerged races and species of Faerun, or those who have builds and skills he doesn’t see as ideal for survival (ie; doesn’t prioritize strength). Stag says rude and out of pocket things but is actually quite good at receiving feedback and very willing to apologize when called out.

Every party member is a menace in their own way. Osza is knowingly manipulative and controlling and seeks to gain favor with a god who values acts of cruelty even if she is functioning from a place of deep trauma and insecurity. Cypress’ internalization of Fey values makes it so that he sees transparency and the bodily autonomy of others as easy to override so long as he doesn’t cause them physical harm or pain, despite he himself fearing being trapped above all else. Stag is fearful and programmed to utilize his strength first and foremost to a point that he isn’t really equipped to deal with external problems in a non-violent manner. Leonora does not initially understand or care to understand what it means to suffer by another and therefore leaves difficult tasks like killing or subduing a threat to others, and will eventually become quite hypocritical when she decides all she cares about is protecting the lives of her friends / party members at any cost.

[gavigupta]

What Are the Costs Associated with SAP Course Fees in Thane?

As a student eager to enter the world of enterprise software, understanding the financial commitment involved in pursuing an SAP certification is crucial. The rise of SAP (Systems, Applications, and Products in Data Processing) in various industries means that acquiring SAP skills can significantly enhance career opportunities. However, the diversity of courses available and the varying SAP course fees in Thane can create confusion for aspiring students. In this blog, I will explore the key factors influencing the costs of SAP training, the overall value of certification, and how to navigate the options available in Thane.

The Importance of SAP Training

Before diving into the specifics of course fees, it’s essential to grasp the importance of SAP training. In today's business landscape, SAP plays a pivotal role in managing data and streamlining processes across different sectors. Organizations rely on SAP systems to enhance operational efficiency, making it a crucial skill for professionals in finance, supply chain management, human resources, and more.

For students like myself, obtaining an SAP certification not only provides a competitive edge in the job market but also equips us with practical knowledge applicable in real-world scenarios. The demand for SAP skills is steadily rising, making it a worthy investment for anyone serious about their career in technology and business.

Exploring the Cost Factors

When it comes to understanding SAP course fees in Thane, several factors contribute to the overall pricing structure:

Course Specialization: SAP offers a range of modules, including SAP FICO (Financial Accounting and Controlling), SAP MM (Materials Management), and SAP HANA (High-Performance Analytic Appliance). The fees associated with these courses can vary significantly. For example, foundational courses like SAP FICO may range from ₹40,000 to ₹80,000, while more specialized courses, such as SAP HANA, could cost between ₹80,000 and ₹1,50,000.

As a student, I realized that focusing on specialized training can lead to higher salaries and better job prospects. Therefore, understanding which modules are in demand is crucial in making a financially sound decision.

Mode of Instruction: The training format can also influence course fees. Many institutes offer in-person, online, or hybrid learning options. While in-person classes may provide a more immersive experience, they typically come with higher costs, often ranging from ₹60,000 to ₹1,20,000.

Personally, I opted for online training due to its flexibility. This choice allowed me to balance my studies with part-time work. While online courses can be more affordable, they require self-discipline and motivation to stay on track.

Institution Reputation: The reputation of the training institute significantly impacts fees. Established institutes with a track record of successful placements often charge higher tuition because their courses are more recognized by employers. As I researched various training centers, I focused on their alumni reviews, placement records, and the curriculum offered.

While some institutes might present lower course fees, they may lack the same level of industry connections or comprehensive training programs. I found that investing in a reputable provider often resulted in better job placement opportunities.

Course Duration and Resources: The length of the course can also affect pricing. Short-term programs might be less expensive but may not provide the depth needed for advanced roles. Conversely, longer courses tend to delve deeper into subjects, justifying their higher fees.

Additionally, it’s important to consider the resources included in the program. Some institutes provide extensive study materials, access to online libraries, and practice exams, all of which can enhance the learning experience. I found that these additional resources were invaluable in preparing for the certification exams.

A Student's Approach to Budgeting for SAP Training

Navigating the costs associated with SAP training requires careful budgeting. Here’s how I approached this process:

Evaluate Your Financial Situation: I started by assessing my current financial standing, including savings, student loans, and potential income from part-time work. Understanding my financial limits helped me set a realistic budget for my SAP training, encompassing all associated costs, including certification fees and study materials.

Seek Financial Aid and Scholarships: Many training providers offer scholarships and financial aid programs specifically for students pursuing SAP certifications. I explored these opportunities to ease my financial burden. Some institutes even have tie-ups with companies that sponsor students, which can significantly offset costs.

Consider Payment Plans: Another strategy I employed was to look for training providers offering flexible payment options. Many institutes allow students to pay their course fees in installments rather than a lump sum. This approach enabled me to manage my finances better and reduce stress regarding upfront payments.

Conduct a Comparative Analysis: I spent time comparing different training institutes, focusing on their course offerings, fees, and additional support services. By doing so, I identified several reputable institutes that provided excellent value for the investment. I learned that a slightly higher fee could translate into better resources, job placement services, and networking opportunities.

Evaluating the Return on Investment

When considering SAP course fees in Thane, it’s essential to evaluate the potential return on investment (ROI). Investing in SAP training can yield significant benefits in terms of career advancement and salary increases.

Enhanced Employability: Having a certification in SAP makes you a more attractive candidate to potential employers. As companies increasingly seek professionals who can efficiently manage their SAP systems, being certified can give you a competitive advantage.

I found that many job listings specifically mentioned SAP certification as a requirement or preferred qualification, emphasizing the importance of this credential in the job market.

Higher Earning Potential: SAP-certified professionals often command higher salaries compared to their non-certified counterparts. Research indicates that individuals with SAP certifications can earn up to 20% more than those without. As I evaluated the financial implications of the training, I realized that the initial investment could pay off significantly in the long run.

Career Flexibility and Growth: One of the most appealing aspects of SAP training is the versatility it offers. SAP skills are transferable across various industries, allowing for greater career flexibility.

As someone interested in finance and data analytics, I knew that having SAP skills would enable me to pivot into different roles and sectors throughout my career. This adaptability is a valuable asset in today’s rapidly evolving job market.

The Role of Networking in SAP Training

In addition to gaining technical skills, one of the most significant advantages of attending a reputable training institute is the opportunity to network with industry professionals.

Connections with Industry Experts: Many training providers host workshops and seminars featuring guest speakers from various industries. Attending these events allowed me to gain insights from experienced professionals and establish valuable connections. Networking can often lead to job opportunities and mentorship, which are crucial for career growth.

Peer Networking: Engaging with fellow students pursuing SAP training also provided networking opportunities. Many of my classmates had diverse backgrounds and experiences, which enriched the learning environment. Collaborating on projects and study groups fostered camaraderie and allowed us to share resources and insights, further enhancing our understanding of SAP.

Final Thoughts

Navigating the landscape of SAP course fees in Thane can be challenging, but with the right approach, it becomes manageable. By thoroughly understanding the factors influencing costs and carefully budgeting for training, students can make informed decisions that align with their career aspirations.

Ultimately, investing in SAP training is a strategic move that can lead to enhanced employability, increased earning potential, and diverse career opportunities. As I reflect on my journey, I am confident that the skills and knowledge I have gained will pave the way for a successful career in the world of SAP. The road ahead is promising, and I am excited about the opportunities that await me as a certified SAP professional.