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torashisama · 1 year ago

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WoT about: "The writers keep giving time to plots that aren't bad, but do nothing to actually serve the story".

Disclaimer : As always, it's long.

Alll of these comments are from a discussion I had with a book reader in the comments of a post on S3E01 being written by S1E06 and S2E07 writer: Justine Juel Gillmer. Basically, the original poster was celebrating more Siuan (however it might be) and/or a possible Siuanraine reunion in S3.

Book Reader 1:

In a story about the potential end of all things, I can't honestly say that I care about Suianraine. Side romance plots are fine, but they're not what WoT is really about. I hope they give a little ship time to those who are craving it, but they really need to work on the Nerf Reborn. He's way weaker in the show than he is in the books. We need a Rocky montage to put the Dragon back on track.

Book reader 2 :

One of my biggest issues with this show. The writers keep giving time to plots that aren't *bad*, but do nothing to actually serve the story.

Moiraines family scenes? Well written and acted, but that's 30-40 minutes that we could have had in Falme, or building up the Horn, or generally building the legend of the dragon.

Book reader 1 :

Yep. The show wastes precious time on things which aren't central to the plot.

Torashi :

That mostly has to do with the fact that the show is not about Rand but about Moiraine and specifically about Moiraine's Quest which is something that most book readers seems to have overlooked and that's the most important and fundamental change from the books yet it's overlooked when it comes to understanding how and why everything plays out the way it does.

If we had to choose a character and declare them the main one for the show, it would be Moiraine. That's the main difference that explains most of the complaints bookcloaks and book readers may have with the show.

The books are about Rand. Here, it's about "Moiraine's Quest", and it gives the show more room to explore the characters deemed as side characters and one of the most interesting group of people in this universe in my opinion: Aes Sedai's and their warders.

Both are telling the same story but not from the same POV, and that changes a bunch of things and it includes what gets showed or not.

Book reader 1 :

I certainly didn't overlook that the show is focused on Mo. That is the biggest problem, as you say (pre post edit: I did not say that the the Mo focus was a problem, never had actually) . Book Mo isn't anywhere near a main character after TEOTW, so it's a very questionable decision to promote her to a main, outside of real world "politics". Pike is the most recognized actress **and** she's a producer.

While I get that non-readers don't mind it, I and millions of other readers waited 39 years for the books to be turned into a show.

We weren't waiting on Siuan and Moiraine.

Torashi:

I'm not saying that you're overlooking this but that those who did read the books tends to do so and fail to realise( pre post edit: or recognise really) that the things they're complaining about usually makes sense as Rand is not the main character anymore.

The pov's are mostly Moiraine's, and while it's different from the books, it doesn't mean that it's not good. The story is just told differently, and a lot of you guys fail to realise that while it's not what you hoped for, you at least get to experience the same story told another way and in the same world you grew up loving but on screen.

I understand that it's disappointing as it's probably not what you guys imagined and expected the show would be if you ever got to see it, but Rand, as the main character, probably wouldn't have worked as needed exactly because it's been so long since the books.

The classic hero trope is not as appealing as it used to be for TV, and switching the focus and putting it onto the Gandalfs of the WoT world probably was better so it ended up as the Moiraine's Quest show and not as the Randland show. It's also probably because it's usually better if most actors in a fantasy show are unknown so that their reputation and previous roles do not taint the ones they'll have in the show.

( pre post edit : in case some people don't get why I'm comparing them, it's to emphasise that all of these fantasy shows have 1 or 2 of their main cast and characters as the biggest stars so that they don't have to rely only on the existing fandom but can also count on their main celebrity to bring a wider audience (advertising aside) which allows for the rest of the cast to be lesser known or straight-up debuting and/or unknown actors)

For ex, Matt Smith and Paddy Considine probably are the most recognisable actors of HOTD (HBO) and they're brothers in the show and have a close relationship ( in case you didn't see it, Matt is Daemon and Paddy is King Viserys)

WoT (Prime) has Rosamund Pike and Sophie Okonedo as their biggest star, and they have a close relationship.

(Fun fact : Sophie wasn't even supposed to be in the show and probably wouldn't have accepted if she was offered the part but Rosamund specifically wanted her to play her love interest and Sophie had to be written to personally by Ros so that she would accept the role ( anyone who knows or follows Sophie's work knows that her playing Siuan was as probable as a WoT + GoT crossover episode) )

The Witcher( Netflix) they really just needed Henry Cavill as he actually is a mainstream celebrity and was at the prime of his career when he took the role.

Good Omens (Prime) : David Tennant and Micheal Sheen, they lead and are close. ( they really could have been fine with David here. Actually, he probably has one of the most dedicated fan base I've seen because of his performance as the doctor ) ( they also have benedict cumberbatch but I'm sticking to mains biggest star + they're closest relationships )

Carnival Row (Prime and original so a lil different): Cara delevigne and Orlando Bloom, biggest stars + close relationship.

Good Omens is focused on the gandalfs ( Crowley & Aziraphale) again btw and it's one of amazon most successful adaptations.

The Witcher is also focused on the Gandalfs of their world: Geralt & Yennefer (by extension)

WoT switched it to be the same : Moiraine & Siuan (by extension).

What i'm saying is that basically most of the complaints are related to missing things from the books, the cast diversity, things people wish they could have seen or wishing Josha's (pre post edit :Rand) or Daniel's (pre post edit : Lan) characters where depicted as in the books or it's blaming the show (pre post edit: or really mainly and mostly Rafe and sometimes the rest of the writers) for spending time on things that actually makes sense when you recenter yourself in what the show is actually doing which is telling the story from Moiraine's POVs.

Siuan is important so she gets time, Lan is important so he gets time (pre post edit : mainly referencing the Aes sedai + Warder focused episodes of S1, from Ep4/5 to Ep6).

Liandrin is a problem and has a grudge against Mo that leads her to be a threat not only because she's a red and black ajah but also because of an ulterior reason so she gets time and is developed, Moiraine is pushing everyone away even the only 2 people she could allow herself to be close to during her mission because of her depression and allow herself no other choice but to go to Cairhien alone which happens to be her hometown so we get a family reunion and see how much her quest for Rand impacted her and her family too and how unusual it is even for an Aes sedai( Alanna's scenes with her family).

The main problem isn't that the story is being told through Moiraine's POV but that they only get 8 episodes of approximately 1 hour each to tell a story that required 14 books to finish, they clearly need more or longer episodes per season to include more of what they initially intended to put in each season. ( pre post edit : in case you didn't know Lan was supposed to start training the boys from s1. you can check here )

For reference, GOT had 10 episodes for each season until S7 for 8 season out of 10 initially planned, each episode falling anywhere between 1h and 1h22 max, and it's only 5 books out on 7 planned.

There, we have 8 episodes falling anywhere between 54 minutes to 1h10 min max each, planned to have 8 seasons for 14 books.

(Pre post edit : so far, and yes i went to check the longest ep so far was 1h10 min and it's s2 finale in case you were wondering)

Original poster reaction :

OMG!!! I wish I could give you gold for this comment. I am getting tired of when I post something about the show, instead of people focusing on the show, they wanna bring the "but but but the books did this and that and it is nowhere to be found on the show", like I don't care, let's focus on what's happening in the show and can we only talk about that? You should make another main post pointing this out and that for the sake of productive conversations, this sub should stop complaining about what isn't on the show from the books and more on what we actually get, if it works or not let's stick to that!

Torashi :

I understand, but I totally get their reaction, too. It's been so long for them that it's probably hard to accept anything else than what they expected or wished they had.

(pre post edit :

While i do understand the frustration, i do not understand why you think it makes it fine to ruin (or tarnish) the experience of genuine show only fans by complaining and shitting on the show for missing things or not doing it the way you wanted it to be instead of going:

"That's cool i wish they had room for this or that, in the books there's this or that and whatever, you should check the books."

"The story is so much more richer even though the focus is not on the guide in the books. It could be interesting for you to see it from another PoV too"

You'd actually make show-only fans want to read the books. You guys have been tainted by so much display of lack of respect and gratitude towards those making and/or enjoying the show that I think that you're actually deterring show only fans from the books by dividing the fandom as much as S8 divided GOT fans and by making people afraid to read them before the show ends because of how ugly your reactions are and have been. (You guys are literally associated to Whitecloacks).)

Torashi:

What's infuriating me, though, is that most of the books things they wish they saw when that's what they're complaining about are things that had to be cut because they were details and did not impact the rest of the story as much and instead of complaining about the show having an insane amount of episodes, episode's length and planned seasons for 14 books each individually as big as an encyclopedia they blame Rafe who actually loved the books and is a fan too, that's literally why the books got approved to be on screen. Rafe he's a book fan that got lucky the same way Brandon Sanderson was a book fan that got lucky back then. He probably wish he could put more things in there too.

Instead of complaining about the real problem, they should be battling against, its straight up hate (from bookcloaks) and endless complaints about things that does not matter as its really just "yes but in the books" for choices that does makes sense when they stop being Rand centric while watching a show that isn't about the hero's journey but about the Quest itself.

(Pre post edit thoughts:

Robert made a mistake by calling his books: The Wheel of Time ,to then make most of the pov's and most of the story revolve around a single character. He should have called it "The dragon Reborn" or something along those lines, because most of book readers' new complaints I've seen so far, really are just about it not being ridiculously focused on Rand's story or like the books when they know that this is not a "Randland" show but specifically one that corrects this major flaw from the books by using the only character close enough, interesting enough and refreshing enough to tell this story trought a different lense that allows more freedom to explore other "z-list"/ side characters who actually plays a role in all of this, it's actually painfull to see so many book readers fail to realise that Moiraine really is just the best character to tell this story as she actually knows what's going on behind the scene whereas Rand is just clueless.)

E.g: Rand apparently being powerless (or rather not as powerful as they wished he would be already).

Even though he was alone and in hiding for the last 6 months and only ever channelled because he lacked control and only got to Logain once, because he stayed close but still ignored him for as long as he could. Until he left with Selene to then be found by Mo, he still kills Ishy, Turak and his guards, takes the shield off Egwene (pre post edit: who's struggling btw) and looks like he doesn't even break a sweat.

Yet, all some book readers allow themselves to see is him being "powerless" because he didn't get a flashy 1vs1 against the bad guy even though it wouldn't makes sense with his current development (that was impacted by what ? Cuts because of time/budget constraints ) and Egwene literally is the strongest and most experienced of them all right now because of the Sanchean (pre post edit : the bright side of being a damane lol ) and is one of the most developed character of s2 from EF5 because of what needs to happen with Siuan at some point in S3 and where her (really theirs) story might be going.

(more on this topic here)

This ends here, feel free to share your opinion on this.

#the wheel of time #wheel of time #wot on prime #moiraine damodred #wot show spoilers #torashi's answers #torashi's thoughts #long post #long ass post #unpopular opinion #probably unpopular

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granulesofsand · 1 year ago

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Hey! Do you happen to know of any resources about programming done by family cults with few connections/supplies?

We're particularly interested in resources for that or for a few specific program types (beta, epsilon, and gender role (subservient wife)) in a more general sense, with healing/program deactovation being the focus.

🗝️🏷️ RAMCOA, deprogramming

I don’t know that there are resources that combine both, or at least not obviously, but I have several links that might be helpful.

Please be aware that I haven’t been through all affiliated links nor read the majority of longer papers on this topic. My system communication is not good, but I’ll leave a note for the others so you might be better informed.

Links:

https://nonstatetorture.org (overview, examples, frequently referenced by survivors, uses primarily girls/women language)

https://www.icsahome.com/home (every kind of cult, outdated articles but not unhelpful, hard to navigate)

https://www.cherylrainfield.com (use the menu search bar, types of RA, recognizing programs, haven’t heard anything bad about the author yet)

Keywords:

(Terms I feel are safe enough or worth the effort)

“Ritual Abuse Torture” (fairly recent, multiple articles, maybe explicit)

“ISCA” (before or after a term to get a database article, easier than clicking around, some are old)

“IBLP” (Duggar cult, widespread but gives familial deprogramming information, triggering and sometimes fetishized)

Red Flags:

(There is some good but you gotta sift)

“Narcissist” (relies on demonization of PDs, scary, sometimes good ideas but makes me physically ill)

“Satanic Panic” (they don’t mean it as separate from RA, discounts survivors)

Satanic Ritual Abuse (if recent, usually dismissive, cynical from outsider perspectives)

Podcasts (fetishize ‘true crime’, the ones that don’t sometimes pretend DID isn’t a thing, be prepared if you look)

Word Vomit:

This segment exists for my own memory issues and to try and get feedback from systemmates who I don’t have access to, it should be skippable.

Familial/generational groups are oft mentioned in discussion of RAT (Ritual Abuse Torture), and can be found in linkage to informal or formal high control groups and as separate entities.

A familial group operating independently will rely on occupational knowledge of those involved. Some will be situated in a remote farmland where everyone is expected to work with crops, livestock, upkeep, or household chores.

Remote groups are less likely to have access to pharmaceuticals and premade equipment, but may include members with related expertise. A talent in engineering or medicine may be utilized to perform previously unavailable techniques.

Methods of programming depend on the subculture the group came from, and may be quite improvised if no precedent has been set. Any materials available may be used, and there might be efforts to create material specifically for programming.

Beta programming is enforced with heavy gender roles and strict punishment, often a painful sexual assault or related humiliation. Ideas are sprung from environmental influence; epsilon programming can be done with any animal naturally found in the environment, pets, sometimes videos or given instructions on how to behave.

Undoing programming is similar to less complex conditioning. Finding individual identity outside group parameters, creating positive experiences where negative ones forced a reaction, loosening the hold of trauma and untruths told by perpetrators.

I just switched in and I can’t help with this, I’m only posting it. This is a topic we’re interested in for us, too, so we’ll keep looking and come back to it.

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mentalhealthinfilm · 7 months ago

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Mental Health Representation in Film

Film is one of the biggest pieces of media and it has been for years and seemingly will not be going away any time soon. Since this is such a major media landscape one major thing that films should have is good representation. There are plenty of negative and positive representations of different things in film, but the focus of this will be on the representation of Mental Health in film.Before we can talk about what films have good or bad representation, we must talk about what representation is. Representation in film is how a project decided to depict a commonly marginalized or underrepresented group. An example of poor representation in film would be the Native Americans in Peter Pan (1953) and an example of positive representation would be African communities in Black Panther (2018). Now that there is a basic understanding on representation, I will be talking on an example of negative representation of Mental Illness in film. The 2019 film, Joker, depicts mentally ill people as “betrayed by society, weak, poor or lower class”. An analysis of the film written by Charles Soffel at Marymount University focuses on these major issues with the portrayal of mental illness with a focus on this pushed narrative that mental illness leads to violence which is not true. This idea of negative representation of mental illness in Joker is backed up by a list of films that have bad representations of mental illness made by Comic Book Resources. This list says that “Joker uses Mental Health conditions to justify violence” which is accurate in a way since the film shows that mental health can lead to these awful things if it goes unnoticed or if it is ignored which is not true in the light that the film is putting it in. This representation of Mental Illness creates this narrative of fear behind it due to fear that this psychotic lifestyle of violence and freakouts is an exaggerated reality.

The negative representations go beyond Joker. In an article by PBS titled “Mental Illness in Film” the author goes on to talk about how these false perceptions of mental illness, specifically schizophrenia that we see in an abundance of films, make people fear the thought of potentially having these illnesses or even crossing paths with someone who does. A quote from the article encapsulates the negative effects very well by saying:

“The National Institute of Mental Health in its statement on schizophrenia notes that ‘most violent crimes are not committed by persons with schizophrenia, and most persons with schizophrenia do not commit violent crimes.’ Laurie Flynn, former NAMI executive director, might as well have been speaking about any of these movies when she said of Me, Myself and Irene: ‘This movie reinforces a total misunderstanding of what schizophrenia really is. This character's violent, unpredictable behavior will be unfairly associated with having schizophrenia. It's terribly stigmatizing.’ NAMI's March makes the point that these demonizing portrayals "cause people to fear and isolate the mentally ill,’ and can discourage those suffering from psychosis from pursuing treatment”

This further enforces that negative and blatant incorrect representations can create these awful narratives of mental health. All of the talk about negative representations brings me to the actual meat of this post which is what does positive representation look like and why is it important to have it in film. The importance of positive representation is best stated by Montare Behavioral Health which stated in an article titled The Portrayal of Mental Health in Media that “By depicting real-life stories and struggles of the battles of poor mental health can not only help people to recognize that treatment may be necessary, but it also removes the stigma previously commonly associated with these diseases.” This makes good representation as a benefit to those who view these films because this can help break the stigma along with allowing people to acknowledge they might have a problem and to reach out for help. The first film that came to mind when I decided to focus on this topic was the 2012 film adaptation of Stephen Chbosky’s 1999 novel Perks of being a Wallflower. The film follows Charlie, a young teenager starting highschool, who has dealt with some heavy things in his life specifically the suicide of his best friend less than a year back, the death of his aunt which he blames on himself due to the fact that she died in a car crash while getting his birthday gift, and we would later find out that he suppressed the memory of being sexually assaulted by the same aunt. The film shows the audience a glimpse into how mental illness can look to someone with Charlie directly talking to the audience about the things that are going well and the things that are getting worse. The film portrays PTSD, depression, and psychiatric care in a very positive light. The film also portrays the major negative stigma behind mental illness especially in the beginning of the film with Charlie being ostracized by people who used to be his acquaintances just because he was the “freak” that spent most of the past summer in the hospital due to depression. The reality of the situation is that especially when the film was set, the 90s, mental illness had such a negative stigma that you were looked at as crazy if you had anything wrong with you.

The film also depicted an extremely accurate portrayal of the importance of those around you and a support group. In the beginning of the film, Charlie is very quiet and closed off with his only friend being his English teacher and he is so closed off that he is brought to writing the answer to his teacher’s questions on his paper instead of raising his hand. He soon finds a support group with two seniors, Sam and Patrick, who take him in with open arms especially when he is invited to a party and unknowingly gets high after having a weed brownie. This prompts him to have a heart to heart with Sam while she is making him a milkshake where he mentions that his best friend shot himself the year prior leaving him friendless and broken. Sam relays this to Patrick who then makes a toast to Charlie and he has officially made friends. These friends allow Charlie to be himself and which allows him to enjoy himself which he has not done in a while. We did not realize how good that this support group was for him until he was pushed out. Charlie starts to spiral and starts having these flashbacks that makes him blackout major moments. These flashbacks resembled more of a dissociation rather than what actual flashbacks do which could him suppressing the sexual assault that he endured when he was younger which was not realized until he had a sexual encounter with Sam. This encounter causes him to spiral quickly where he eventually calls his sister rambling about Aunt Helen and which then prompts her to tell her friend to call 9-1-1 and send them to her house.

The positive representation that comes in the film's final minutes come from a character that we meet after Charlie has this episode, Dr. Burton. With the help of Dr. Burton, Charlie is able to confront the awful thing that happened to him and learn how to live with this. One of the film’s most powerful moments in my opinion comes from when Dr. Burton informs Charlie’s parents about what Charlie has gone through and there were no words spoken in this scene but we can see his parents consoling him and having positive reactions. This scene creates a positive atmosphere of talking about problems with people you love because there are too many people that fear talking about their problems because they fear looking crazy.

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transtundras-fr · 10 months ago

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I hope this reads as gently and kind as I mean it: You wanted to do a very kind thing to make a difference in an extremely fucked up situation happening right now. I think that is wonderful, and I love that you're still trying to do just that despite it not being allowed directly on Flightrising.

However it is getting to the point where the situation is moving away from that very important and noble cause, and now it's being made about you in particular. I do not think it was appropriate to take their initial removal reason and cause a situation where others believed that staff was doing this out of malice, or that they said something they did not. I also did not see your unedited post, so my apologies if I am misspeaking on the content that staff asked that you retract.

I don't think you did this intentionally! But I do think it's important to recognize that these actions are now causing Flightrising to reconsider the previously allowed exceptions to their call-to-action rule. Yes, you are correct that if they choose to walk back on that exception it is their choice. But you cannot deny that this situation would not be happening if staff was not yet again experiencing misinformation and false claims being spread about their moderation actions and staff. I also think it's a bit disingenuous to lump "from the river to the sea" with other solidarity phrases, as this one in particular is truly being misused by antisemitic groups and I think the concerns FR outlined in their message to you are justified and backed up by the current state of things, especially on social media.

Although I don't agree with Anon's tone, I think the question "What exactly are you hoping to accomplish here?" is a good one to consider. What positive and constructive things can be accomplished in relation to Palestine from heading down this path of following up this situation with Flightrising staff? I only ask this as you mention a few times in your tags that you're not sure what to do.

I truly think the best action in this situation would be to move on and focus on your original goal.

Hi,

Thank you very much, this came off in a constructive way, and does raise some good points. While I don’t agree with your stance on From The River To The Sea, I do think this brings up something important.

This has become a me vs staff problem, which is not at all what I intended when I created Bisan. My goal with Bisan was to expose the FR community to easy to access resources about Palestine and also show my solidarity via one of my favorite platforms. However, with the back and forth it has become centered on me, and I want to make something very clear. I stated in the original post I was not seeking a statement from staff, and I do not nor will EVER condone harassment of them. I get they’re people, my goal here was not to cause further issues.

Asides from asks/questions, I am going to leave this specific gripe alone until staff makes any further response. My opinions are still strong in that From The River To The Sea should be allowed on FR, as well as other slogans like Land Back and BLM. If anyone learns anything from this, please go donate to accredited orgs and continue to educate yourself on the crisis in Gaza. Additionally, please encourage staff to keep these slogans on site.

I’m tired, this has been a lot.

#tundra talks #thanks again for the ask #I do appreciate it

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bloodpen-to-paper · 1 year ago

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Disclaimer: I made this as of reading Chapter 25 so if any of this is revealed after, know that I didn't see it yet. I'm also keeping this post up despite my belief that it may be wrong because I still consider it an interesting case study for Dotty as a character.

The more I progress into the story, the more I'm fascinated by the idea of Dotty being the one who made Julia's contract.

I've seen people point out that Dotty and Bob were the only ones present during Julia's death, and Dotty's reaction in that moment was quite peculiar. She had an easy-going smile on her face the whole time while Bob was incredibly stressed and desperately trying to get Julia to avoid being squashed to death. She may as well have been watching her favorite color paint dry.

When Julia and Kamille died, Tonny and Bob were sympathetic in acknowledging the difficulty they would now face accepting they had died and were now immortal. However, Dotty was nothing but joyful at their arrival. She welcomed Julia and Kamille with open arms, excited to befriend them and get them accustomed to their new lives. Dotty seemed just fine, happy even, to see someone die if it meant they joined the circus. Its not a stretch to say that her joy at someone's death granted they join her family would quickly turn sour if that person were to leave the circus... the way that they do.

Another detail I noticed was during the group circus bonfire in chapter 16; Tonny was approached by one of his circus members who wished to use her contract to die, and Dotty was watching them looking concerned. She couldn't hear their conversation, but if I had to guess she knew that what was happening wasn't good; perhaps, she even knew a death was coming. She's probably seen the death of a circus member many times with how long she's been around. Granted, I doubt anyone would feel good about a member of their undead found family wanting to kill themselves, but we had this moment focus specifically on Dotty, and I don't think it was just for dramatic effect.

Finally we have the reveal in chapter 20 that it was Dotty who was the reason for the circus existing. Before her, it was just a nameless castle full of miserable people stuck inside. Then she transformed it into the Anthonn Gremminger Traveling Troupe, and introduced group dancing and parties to liven it up. Dotty took a chance on this place and the contract to get her and Bob out of what she saw was the much worse situation. She created an entirely new lifestyle for herself and the others to make the people there happy. It makes sense that she wouldn't be favorable to the idea that Tonny would help them die when she did so much to get them to want to live.

Based on Dotty's behavior, she also doesn't seem to understand the idea of someone not being happy in the circus. When Julia was distraught with the news that she would outlive her mortal loved ones, Dotty took her reaction as being "so excited she turned white from excitement!" when it was actually Julia being in shock. Though this scene was most likely for comedic effect, it does give us a glimpse into the way Dotty views the situation, and her inefficiency in recognizing how others may view the same situation. We know Julia is not happy in the circus, yet Dotty only ever responds to this issue when Julia becomes unavoidably explosive in her stress. She is typically only ever happy when talking with Julia because she won't acknowledge Julia's misery (whether deliberately or because she doesn't realize it). The contract was her and Bob's ticket to freedom from an incredibly repressive situation, one that provided them the amazing deal of getting an eternity together of endless dancing and parties. She doesn't understand that some people just don't want the life she has, and that they loved their lives before they died. Its why she brushes off Julia's complex feelings about dying; she doesn't see it as an issue, just a temporary bug before Julia eventually accepts how great the circus and the afterlife are. The idea of people asking Tonny to kill them because they're dissatisfied with this life completely destroys the mindset Dotty has about not just their life, but her own that has now become so inextricably linked to the people of the circus.

Thus the heart of the issue comes down to this: Dotty wants everyone to stay alive, and Tonny wants to give them a choice in the matter. As the only one capable of ending the lives of this immortal undead group, of course Dotty would want him dead if her goal is to stop anyone from ever leaving. It may not be personal, Dotty may even love Tonny like family, but if she must make the choice between her beloved troupe and the one taking them away... all it takes is one forged contract and a boisterous puppet maker to make sure her undead circus life stays eternally perfect.

#I saw theories saying the attic monster made the contract and I think that's probably the truth #but Dotty as the contract maker would be a cool turn of events #if anyone wants to make an AU about it tag me #marionetta #marionetta dotty #marionetta webtoon #marionetta webcomic #marionetta spoilers

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autumn-foxfire · 2 years ago

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Whoo 🙌 salt on! Glad it was cathartic! The concept of “clean blame/no nuance villains” seems to be pretty universal. You pick your favorite blorbo, you make him the whumpe because it’s easier than acknowledging the other side, or accepting the complexity and errors of your personal fav. I’ve seen it often, and hell, I am a guilty party, sometimes I just wanna give a guy a strained relationship with his dad when it’s not that bad in canon, it’s just for fun writing so I can found family him with his co-workers. Or you know, Rose and Leon in Pokeani, that’s another frequent cited example. The people have spoken and they wanna go 🥺 noo poor baby, and have the villain hurt people so you can get more concerned protective fury in there. Just the media enjoyers experience, but I get the oversaturation of it for those who really see into the balance of everyone’s characters, rights and wrongs and perspective, it feels cheap and incredibly misunderstanding the full scope of what makes them who they are to be the characters you recognize and enjoy. Oof, that feels like the DabiHawks writer experience. This is so universal ngl just based off character design stereotypes, I would’ve thought Zhongli would’ve been the fandom fav. Reading all that, I can 100% agree with you, that sounds aggravating as hell. I hope you know some writers who don’t do that. Salting in a group chat about fandom takes is also very cathartic esp when there’s that one person who salts with hilarious energy and phrasing. I think you’re probably that person XD someone out there is reading your post and chugging apple juice in solidarity and pointing going “PREACH!!! EXACTLY”

I like exploring tensions between characters too (I have a series with Childe and Zhongli specifically doing this) however I find that often people don't really care for the nuance of the situation and only like to focus on the feelings of one character. Often it ends up being the one who doesn't often show emotion that is ignored too...

It makes me feel icky when people do that T-T Just because you're not expressive doesn't mean you don't feel, you know? And when a character reacts with anger and hurt, that doesn't mean that they're right! We like to sympathise with characters and their emotions to the point that we often don't realise that sometimes they're being pretty irrational.

I don't think I'd have an issue with this if it was an offshoot of fandom who enjoys doing this but it seems like the whole fandom barring a few will make Zhongli the "villain" and have to make it up to Childe rather than being "both did pretty hurtful things to one another".

I'm always someone who likes to look at both sides though instead of just saying one person is at fault because a lot of the time, they're not the only one whose wrong and or they're reacting to others and how they're reacting might not be the best it doesn't mean the blame can solely fall on them, you know?

I have a real-life example of this even, a friend got pretty drunk the other day and was doing stupid stuff that were annoying my other friends, however I was sober and saw everything go down, while the friend doing dumb stuff was going too far, our other friends had been egging him on. However when people sobered up, they were soley annoyed with that friend doing dumb stuff and weren't thinking why he had done it.

It's easy to pin blame on one person, it's harder to look back at the event and think "actually all sides have a role to play in this". And I find fandom also falls into the same trap when analysing media.

I try not to be salty too often so, because I'd rather not be negative all the time (it's why I slowed down on answering asks at first too, as I know people were venting however I was afraid I was becoming way to cynical as a response). But doing it from time to time is good.

#personal #thanks for the ask!!

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jcmarchi · 3 days ago

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Improving health, one machine learning system at a time

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/improving-health-one-machine-learning-system-at-a-time/

Improving health, one machine learning system at a time

Captivated as a child by video games and puzzles, Marzyeh Ghassemi was also fascinated at an early age in health. Luckily, she found a path where she could combine the two interests.

“Although I had considered a career in health care, the pull of computer science and engineering was stronger,” says Ghassemi, an associate professor in MIT’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and the Institute for Medical Engineering and Science (IMES) and principal investigator at the Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems (LIDS). “When I found that computer science broadly, and AI/ML specifically, could be applied to health care, it was a convergence of interests.”

Today, Ghassemi and her Healthy ML research group at LIDS work on the deep study of how machine learning (ML) can be made more robust, and be subsequently applied to improve safety and equity in health.

Growing up in Texas and New Mexico in an engineering-oriented Iranian-American family, Ghassemi had role models to follow into a STEM career. While she loved puzzle-based video games — “Solving puzzles to unlock other levels or progress further was a very attractive challenge” — her mother also engaged her in more advanced math early on, enticing her toward seeing math as more than arithmetic.

“Adding or multiplying are basic skills emphasized for good reason, but the focus can obscure the idea that much of higher-level math and science are more about logic and puzzles,” Ghassemi says. “Because of my mom’s encouragement, I knew there were fun things ahead.”

Ghassemi says that in addition to her mother, many others supported her intellectual development. As she earned her undergraduate degree at New Mexico State University, the director of the Honors College and a former Marshall Scholar — Jason Ackelson, now a senior advisor to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security — helped her to apply for a Marshall Scholarship that took her to Oxford University, where she earned a master’s degree in 2011 and first became interested in the new and rapidly evolving field of machine learning. During her PhD work at MIT, Ghassemi says she received support “from professors and peers alike,” adding, “That environment of openness and acceptance is something I try to replicate for my students.”

While working on her PhD, Ghassemi also encountered her first clue that biases in health data can hide in machine learning models.

She had trained models to predict outcomes using health data, “and the mindset at the time was to use all available data. In neural networks for images, we had seen that the right features would be learned for good performance, eliminating the need to hand-engineer specific features.”

During a meeting with Leo Celi, principal research scientist at the MIT Laboratory for Computational Physiology and IMES and a member of Ghassemi’s thesis committee, Celi asked if Ghassemi had checked how well the models performed on patients of different genders, insurance types, and self-reported races.

Ghassemi did check, and there were gaps. “We now have almost a decade of work showing that these model gaps are hard to address — they stem from existing biases in health data and default technical practices. Unless you think carefully about them, models will naively reproduce and extend biases,” she says.

Ghassemi has been exploring such issues ever since.

Her favorite breakthrough in the work she has done came about in several parts. First, she and her research group showed that learning models could recognize a patient’s race from medical images like chest X-rays, which radiologists are unable to do. The group then found that models optimized to perform well “on average” did not perform as well for women and minorities. This past summer, her group combined these findings to show that the more a model learned to predict a patient’s race or gender from a medical image, the worse its performance gap would be for subgroups in those demographics. Ghassemi and her team found that the problem could be mitigated if a model was trained to account for demographic differences, instead of being focused on overall average performance — but this process has to be performed at every site where a model is deployed.

“We are emphasizing that models trained to optimize performance (balancing overall performance with lowest fairness gap) in one hospital setting are not optimal in other settings. This has an important impact on how models are developed for human use,” Ghassemi says. “One hospital might have the resources to train a model, and then be able to demonstrate that it performs well, possibly even with specific fairness constraints. However, our research shows that these performance guarantees do not hold in new settings. A model that is well-balanced in one site may not function effectively in a different environment. This impacts the utility of models in practice, and it’s essential that we work to address this issue for those who develop and deploy models.”

Ghassemi’s work is informed by her identity.

“I am a visibly Muslim woman and a mother — both have helped to shape how I see the world, which informs my research interests,” she says. “I work on the robustness of machine learning models, and how a lack of robustness can combine with existing biases. That interest is not a coincidence.”

Regarding her thought process, Ghassemi says inspiration often strikes when she is outdoors — bike-riding in New Mexico as an undergraduate, rowing at Oxford, running as a PhD student at MIT, and these days walking by the Cambridge Esplanade. She also says she has found it helpful when approaching a complicated problem to think about the parts of the larger problem and try to understand how her assumptions about each part might be incorrect.

“In my experience, the most limiting factor for new solutions is what you think you know,” she says. “Sometimes it’s hard to get past your own (partial) knowledge about something until you dig really deeply into a model, system, etc., and realize that you didn’t understand a subpart correctly or fully.”

As passionate as Ghassemi is about her work, she intentionally keeps track of life’s bigger picture.

“When you love your research, it can be hard to stop that from becoming your identity — it’s something that I think a lot of academics have to be aware of,” she says. “I try to make sure that I have interests (and knowledge) beyond my own technical expertise.

“One of the best ways to help prioritize a balance is with good people. If you have family, friends, or colleagues who encourage you to be a full person, hold on to them!”

Having won many awards and much recognition for the work that encompasses two early passions — computer science and health — Ghassemi professes a faith in seeing life as a journey.

“There’s a quote by the Persian poet Rumi that is translated as, ‘You are what you are looking for,’” she says. “At every stage of your life, you have to reinvest in finding who you are, and nudging that towards who you want to be.”

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favvvy · 10 days ago

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How to Come Up With Press Releases That Will Be Hard for Anyone to Ignore

Issued press releases seem to be one of the most useful public relations tools, what allows them to act as a spokesperson for companies. If comprehensive and complete, it has the ability to grab attention, convey your purpose, and even enhance your brand image. This is however not the case as journalists or the audiences themselves are bombarded with a lot of content. Here's how to create press releases that are a follow-action and attract attention.

Have at the back of your mind a guiding purpose for the release.

While preparing this type of document, think of your desired outcome. Would you like to unveil a recently developed product? Or would you want to tell people about a new organization? Having distinct goals improves the effectiveness of your communication efforts because it is clear what the objectives are. Assume for example you want to create brand awareness the aim of your press release should explain how your brand is different from others.

How is the general culture of the realistic audience focused on press releases interpreted culture working.

Targeting specific group of readers also enables effective outcomes. Who are you addressing, journalists, opinion formers or specific populations? If the group encompasses techies, then the copy and the ideas should also relate to them. Knowing the audience aids in the development of a communication that is powerful and relevant.

Grab the Audience’s Attention with the Headline

The headline serves as the bait that lures in the audience. Combining a few words together, a headline can be a little overarching, engaging, and insightful by telling an important aspect of the news. Instead of stating, “Company Launches New App,” use innovation to your advantage. “Revolutionizing Productivity: [Brand] Unveils Cutting-Edge App.” An effective headline should encapsulate everything in just one or two sentences and get the readers hooked.

Keep It Simple but Focus on What Matters

At this point, your reader is expecting you to include in your introductory statement the answers to the “5 Ws”, who, what, when, where, and why. Because press releases are commonly read by journalists as a matter of routine, it is important to summarize the most critical elements of the story in the beginning. It’s very simple, it’s your elevator pitch, short but packed with vital and interesting details that create an incentive to read on.

Include Citations and Add an Emotional Perspective

Quotes from executives, team members, or customers can also personalize and bring your press release to life. Quotes offer a human context to the narratives making them both interesting and believable. A good example is a comment from the CEO during the launch of a product highlighting its importance and relevance to the purpose of the business.

Use Simple and Clear Language

Do not use complex terminologies that are relevant to your profession. Your press release should be applicable to everyone regardless of their occupation. It is important for the press release to be written in a plain manner so that it can be utilized by journalists and passed on to the masses.

Make It Visually Appealing

Embed multimedia elements such as photos, videos, or infographics to improve interaction. Images not only improve long texts but also provide a better impact on the storyline. A good shot of the product and a short video explaining what the product has to offer can spark great interest.

Include a Strong Call to Action (CTA)

There are steps that a reader should take after going through the contents of the press release. A good CTA knows that after reading your press release the target audience has to perform some kind of action such as going to your website, subscribing for a webinar, etc.

Optimize for SEO

Search engine optimization, or optimization of a website for search engines, should not be recognized only when writing blog posts. The use of keywords in the press release can actually make it easier to locate because of the search engine. Ensure that your keywords appear organically and include links to other pages when necessary.

Customize Distribution

It is vital to connect with the right publications as it is important to have a well-written press release. Make it a point to remember the target audience of the journalist or publication and alter your pitch for effectiveness. Make sure you understand their desires and how to tweak your outreach in order to make your release appropriate for their audience. Having such a personal approach increases the level of chances of you being featured.

Monitor and Analyze the Outcome

Please don’t stop at the distribution- make sure you look into the outcome of the press release. Was there any press coverage as a result, was the company’s website or social media platforms traffic boosted? Google Analytics and media monitoring tools are effective methods to determine the effectiveness of the measures taken.

Use the Help of Experts

There is a skill in creating press releases that are elegant and informative. 9FigureMedia has been rated the best startup PR firm for creating and distributing effective press releases which helps to increase exposure. Engaging these professionals helps in ensuring that your press releases do not go unnoticed in the besieged repository.

Conclusion

While formally making an announcement, press releases are never just about making a statement, it’s always an opportunity to market your brand’s leadership and ability to tell a story. Adhering to the principles of simplicity, audience selection, and appropriate distribution, it is also possible to conduct an effective campaign with the help of press releases which creates a big impact. In today’s world, propelled by a good press release and well-aligned PR efforts, a brand can elevate itself higher than ever imagined before and have a lasting impression.

#business #startup #entreprenuership #entrepreneur #public relations #pr firm #pr agency #small business #ceos

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wealthview · 11 months ago

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CMR Green Technologies IPO Date, Price, GMP, Review, Company Profile, Risk, Financials 2023

New Post has been published on https://wealthview.co.in/cmr-green-technologies-ipo/

CMR Green Technologies IPO Date, Price, GMP, Review, Company Profile, Risk, Financials 2023

CMR Green Technologies IPO: CMR Green Technologies Ltd. is a subsidiary of the CMR Group, India’s largest producer of aluminum and zinc die-casting alloys. They operate through twelve manufacturing plants across India and are known for utilizing advanced technology and sustainable practices in their metal recycling and alloy production processes.

CMR Green Technologies IPO Details:

IPO Dates: The IPO dates have not yet been officially announced.

Offer Size: The offer size is also not yet disclosed.

Price Band: The price band for the issue is yet to be determined.

Also Read: How to Apply for an IPO?

#Allotment Details #Company Profile #Financial Performance #IPO #IPO analysis #UPCOMING IPO #News

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pressagie · 1 year ago

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Hi, how are you? I saw you were offering free readings and was interested in asking a question. I would like to know what’s coming towards me next in love? I’m single. Can you use the lenormand deck. Can you also add a song? Please 😊 Thanks! - JD

JD, what's up? We're finally doing this, let's go!

Note: I added some info to the bottom of my pinned post, and I recommend (to everyone who sent in questions) giving it a read :]

Situation

— your anchor to the topic

THE MOON

The way The Moon card came out indicates a sense of loneliness, and being aware of it – not just being alone, in a neutral/positive way, but feeling somehow uneasy in that (single) state. It seems like this comes from (and becomes worse because of) you acting, without reason, like that will always be your reality. Might be something to unpack, and I don't think it would be too hard for you, if you decide to do so.

Context

— external factors at play

THE CROSS

In the past, you used to hold some beliefs that were more hopeful in regard to how you felt about (and even acted towards) love, connections, yourself, and love for yourself. This may not be (immediately) clear to you; at the time you could have done it without even thinking and/or due to outside influences – but it is somehow connected to The Moon issue, as it could be a reminder and inspiration to present-you.

Focus

— what really matters

THE STORK + THE CHILD

The Stork speaks of positive action you take towards other people or a person – this does not necessarily mean a romantic relationship (what, I'm assuming, you asked about); it could be searching for a community, a family or any kind of connection that helps you feel good, and more a part of something, with those who function like you, and aim for similar places in life. Where do you (figuratively) want to go?

The Child, on the other hand, points to you thinking about a bad past experience, when you might've been taken advantage of, and it burdening this present one (The Stork) – even though they are not the same! Try to keep that in mind and recognize where you actually stand, and you can have a better time.

Advice

— results taste better with a grain of salt

THE SCYTHE + THE ANCHOR

The Scythe and The Anchor came out hand in hand, meaning these are tools to utilize together.

On the one hand: make the most of this/these new connection(s); find your space, and allow yourself to grow from there.

On the other hand: be sure that you're not in a group or with a specific someone because you'd rather have anyone than no one, ending up in situations that do not benefit you – or in which the other(s) feel(s) used. Don't lose track of yourself, as well as why it all started.

To clarify: none of this seems like it's about manipulation and abusive dynamics. More like miscommunication and similar mistakes that can still cause some harm. So, remember to maintain and respect everyone's boundaries, including your own.

Overall (and the most probable scenario): if you check in with your feelings, and let them guide you, you'll be happily surprised by what you take from this experience.

Outcome

— one possibility within reach

THE OWLS

The Owls card comes towards the end of this timeline, in a disruptive position. It signals a conversation or encounter that you won't understand for what it is, and that will be incompatible with the peace you might have established by then. It demands an active response to clear up.

Don't despair! There's no need to worry about The Owls right now. For better or worse, nothing lasts forever. When the time comes, and everything settles, this could even end up being a favorable change or, at least, a learning experience. Either way, you'll know it's coming, and can deal with it according to what you discover along this journey, as well as the paths you choose.

The Chain by Fleetwood Mac in Rumours (1977)

Thank you for trusting me to read for you. I would love to know what you think: if this resonates with your circumstances, and what comes of it. Don't be afraid to give me honest feedback and suggestions, after all, it'll help me become a better reader :]

Do you want to expand on this or have another topic to explore? Leave me a (follow-up) question!

You can always include the numbered tag associated with your reading(s), and I'll add it to the future posts as well, so they are identified as belonging to the same querent, and easier to find – check below, next to #OMEN DEAL.

For Ko-fi tips (zero pressure)

I honor the spirit who helps with my practice – for winding and guiding my path, learning how to sit with me, and being a light to read by.

Elioth Gruner's Milking Time / Araluen Valley

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olivebranchtherapygroup · 2 years ago

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EMDR Therapy in Somerville, NJ

EMDR Therapy, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy, is a psychotherapy that helps people heal from emotional distress or trauma. This established therapy shows that much like how the body can heal from a physical wound, so too can the mind heal from a psychological trauma.

Through imagery, mindfulness and other cognitive techniques, EMDR Therapy works to meet your needs. Typically, EMDR Therapy requires you to focus on your anxiety, or traumatic thoughts, while doing back and forth eye movements, listening to alternating tones, and/or feeling alternating vibrations in your hands. This process helps the brain to resolve emotional trauma and gain insight into your circumstances.

The majority of reports show that EMDR Therapy is more effective than traditional forms of therapy, expediting the healing process. Here at Olive Branch Therapy Group, many members of our clinical team are certified in EMDR Therapy and are ready to help you heal.

How Does EMDR Therapy Work?

There are eight phases in EMDR Therapy. The time it takes to move through these eight phases depends on you as an individual and should in no means be rushed. We believe that it is most important that you first establish a good connection with your therapist and feel comfortable talking to them about your history and what your goals are for treatment.

For each of your anxieties, traumas, issues or “targets”, your therapist will seek to help you work through the eight phases. While some targets many only take you one session to work through all eight phases, other issues or targets may take longer.

After agreeing with your therapist that EMDR therapy is a good fit, you will be asked to focus on a specific event. Your therapist will ask you to pay special attention to the negative image, belief, and body feeling related to this traumatic experience. They will then ask you to also focus on a positive belief that would indicate your issue was resolved.

While you are focusing on your trauma, or target, your therapist will begin sets of side-to-side eye movements, tones or taps. You will be instructed to pay attention to what happens during each touch, movement or sound, and what thoughts or feelings you may have spontaneously throughout the process. These sets of eye movements, sounds, or taps are repeated until the target or trauma becomes less disturbing. At any point in time you can ask your therapist to stop.

Ultimately, EMDR Therapy aims to help gain insight into the past, present and future surrounding your trauma. Through EMDR Therapy, you will form better insights into past memories that are contributing to the problem, present situations that are disturbing, and what skills you may need to better cope in the future.

Who Could Benefit from EMDR Therapy?

EMDR has been shown to be most helpful in those who suffer from trauma and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD.) While EMDR Therapy was primarily established to help those suffering from PTSD, today EMDR has been found to help those suffering from grief, depression and many other issues.

How to Get Started with EMDR Therapy

You’ve taken the first step in taking better care of yourself. You recognize the importance of mental health and now you’re ready to reach out to someone. We couldn’t be happier to help! Please don’t hesitate to contact our team at Olive Branch Therapy Group to schedule an appointment or if you have any questions. We look forward to helping you find the peace you deserve.

#trauma #edmr therapy #ptsd #depression #Grief And Loss #individual counseling #trauma therapy

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padayonrikay · 2 years ago

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SOCIOLOGICAL

According to X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioigba’s Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama, when using the sociological approach, a critic “examines literature in the cultural, economic, and political context in which it is written or received.”

The critic might look at the society – or context – in which the text was written. He might ask fundamental questions such as “What does the work of art mean to the society?”. “How can the work of art reveal societal issues or concerns?” or “What does the work of art reveal about the society which the author lived or experienced?”

He might look at the culture of the society, including standards of behavior, etiquette, the relations between opposing groups.

There are three vital paradigms used to closely analyze through a sociological perspective. We have here structural functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism.

SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM

In the film, in the context of the modern world, technology plays a crucial role in the lives of people. It connects friends and family, it allows one person to express his or her self through updates. Here, social media delivers its function to connect a complex web of people around the world.In the film, stability and order was presented in the first half of the video where social media gives the persona a certain comfort, happiness, and peace.

There are two specificities of social function, the manifest and latent function.

Manifest function is when social media serves to connect people on a global scale with each other. As seen, social media is a platform to share, respond, and connect to different people.

Latent function (unintended consequences): Allows individuals to document and share the best part of their lives resulting in remarkable social profile and self-esteem. This was shown in the first part of the film where the woman would post pictures of her “so called daily and healthy lifestyle” which give her a euphoric feeling when these posts are recognized by others through heart reactions.

However, another concept in this approach is the “social dysfunction” which in this case is social media. Social media is a powerful driver of social and personal improvement, for example, which is a useful function. But it’s also a destabilizing force.

However, in analyzing film through structural functionalism, we get rid of the bad effects of anything to the society. We only see the good functions and how they would positively affect the lives of people. This is the limitation of this approach. The bad side of social media will be tackled on the next approach which will be discussed by Ms Onglatco.

CONFLICT THEORY

According to Conflict Theory, society is seen as composed of different groups that struggle over resources - power, money, land, food, and status. The conflict will always exist because of its constant struggle for limited resources.

In the short film entitled Social Life, we have seen that the woman is documenting her life daily in order to get validation from the society and prove that she is living her best life. Moreover, the conflicts that can be seen here are the following:

1. Social media leads the woman to compare her life with other people and tries to create an ideal virtual image that is far different from her actual life.

2. The woman wants to document and decorate her life through IG stories and make it appealing to other people, but in reality, she lives a pretentious and lonely life.

3. The woman seeks validation through the likes that she receives every day, until one day she gets 0 notifications and is awakened to the fact that real and satisfying life can only be found outside social media.

SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM

Now, to comprehend and apply the last theory of sociological perspective widely known as the “Symbolic Interactionism,” let us focus on this statement:

“Our understanding of the world is subjective depending on who we are and who we interact with.”

This is supported by the idea that individuals perceive the world in unique ways depending on their interpretations of language, concepts, events, and so on. But through connection, we are able to share our different perceptions.

And that is what symbolic interactionism wants to tell us.

Symbolic interactionism states that social interaction shapes the meaning we ascribe to objects, processes, and systems in society.

This paradigm is even more relevant today as the world becomes increasingly interconnected through the internet, a virtual portal that allows us to interact more often and with more people.

For instance, in the short film Social Life, notice how the interactions over digital media shape the opinion and behavior of the woman. In posting a photo, both the woman and her reactors understand that hitting the reaction button as a form of interaction would mean that a person liked the post, it may be because of her outfit, makeup or activity. And that would also mean she has created great content. That is the case because that is the meaning created by both of them. Receiving fewer engagements was assumed to mean that her content was a flop.

In a deeper sense, understand that the actions of the woman would suggest that she seems to search for validation based on the interactions given to her in the social media world. If there are more notifications, comments, and likes on her post, she assumes that she was more appreciated by people. If she receives otherwise, it appears to her that less attention is given. As a result, this social interaction forced her to do extra effort in creating more content despite the fact that it was all for a show-off.

Social media contents are also interpreted by people as a sign of someone’s current status in life. This idea influenced the woman’s perspective about the world that made her do update as to mean that she was productive, healthy, and by far in a great state. This belief is shaped by who she was and the individuals she interacted with.

In conclusion, social conflict theory proves that humans are self-interested and we struggle greatly with power and in proving ourselves in the society. The consequence of this concept is that individuals who have wealth and resources would secure and preserve them, while those who lack them will take whatever necessary steps to get them.

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mogai-sissybutch · 3 years ago

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I think it is prudent to remember that being trans and masculine will have people targeted for harassment and the danger of being perceived dangerous, in some situations irrespective of assigned gender at birth

Being disabled and masculine likewise gets perceived as a threat deserving of disproportionate and unprovoked violence

#It is good to recognize issues and focus on specific groups in specific posts!#I just hope it doesn't lead to stripping nuance and letting people with relevant issues fall tot he side yknow #Intersex people multitransitioning people nonbinary people of all birth assignments and transition goals etc #Masculine trans people don't necessarily share birth assignments and that's important and valid!

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bailey-writes · 4 years ago

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So You Want Your OC to be Jewish

So you’re writing a story and you want to make a Jewish character—great! I’m here to help. I always want more Jewish representation but I want good Jewish representation, so this is my attempt to make a guide to making a Jewish character. What are my credentials? I’m Jewish and have been my whole life. Obligatory disclaimer that this is by no means comprehensive, I don’t know everything, all Jews are different, and this is based on my experiences as an American Jew so I have no idea, what, if any, of this applies to non-American Jews.

If there’s anything you want me to make a post going more into detail about or if there’s anything I didn’t mention but you want to know please ask me! I hope this is helpful :) Warning, this is long.

Jew PSA

If you are Jewish you can use the word Jew(s), e.g. “She’s dating a Jew.” If you are not Jewish you cannot use the word Jew(s). This is not up for debate. Non-Jews calling us Jews has a negative connotation at best. Don’t do it and don’t have your characters do it.

Basics, Plus My Random Thoughts that Didn’t Fit Anywhere Else

A confusing enduring issue is, what is Judaism? It’s a religion, but some Jews aren’t religious; is it a race? A nationality? A culture? A heritage? The only constant is that we are seen as “other.” There’s a lot of debate, which makes it confusing to be Jewish and as such it’s common for Jews to struggle with their Jewish Identity. However many people agree that Jews are an ethnoreligious group, aka Judaism is a religion and an ethnicity.

Temple/Synagogue/Shul = Jewish place of worship. Shul is usually used for Orthodox synagogues.

Keeping kosher = following Jewish dietary rules: meat and dairy can’t be eaten together and you can’t eat pork or shellfish. Fish and eggs are pareve (aka neutral) and can be eaten with meat or dairy (but again not both at the same time.) When eating meat it has to be kosher meat (e.g. kosher Jews are allowed to eat chicken, but not all chicken is kosher. I know it’s kinda confusing I’m sorry.) Kosher products in stores will have symbols on them to identify them as kosher. If someone is kosher they’ll probably have separate sets of utensils/plates/cookware/etc. for meat and dairy

Shabbat/Shabbos/Sabbath = holy day of the week, day of rest, lasts from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. Depending on observance Jews might have Shabbat dinner, attend Shabbat services, or observe the day of rest in its entirety (making them shomer Shabbat)

Someone who is shomer Shabbat will refrain from any of the prohibited activities. These can easily be looked up but include: working, writing, handling money, cooking, and using technology.

Bat/Bar/B’nai Mitvzah = tradition where a Jewish boy/girl becomes a man/woman. Celebrated at 13-years-old for boys, 12- or 13-years-old for girls. Girls have Bat Mitzvahs (bat means daughter in Hebrew), boys have Bar Mitzvahs (bar means son in Hebrew) and twins or two or more people having one together have a B’nai Mitzvah. They will study for this for months and then help lead services and, depending on observance level, read from the Torah. The ceremony is often attended by family and friends and followed with a celebration of sorts (in America usually this means a brunch and/or party.)

Goy/gentile = non-Jew. These words are not slurs, they are literally just words. Plural of goy is goyim and is a Yiddish word, plural of gentile is gentiles.

Jewish holidays follow the Hebrew calendar, meaning that according to the current solar/Gregorian calendar the dates of our holidays are different each year.

Jewish law recognizes matrilineal inheritance. This means that Jewish law states your mother has to be Jewish for you to be Jewish. This is because of reasons from biblical times that I can explain if you wanna come ask, but as you can imagine is a bit outdated. While Orthodox Jews might embrace this idea and only consider someone Jewish if their mom is Jewish, many Jews are more flexible on the idea (and yes, this does cause tension between Orthodox Jews and other Jews at times.)

Judaism =/= Christianity

Some people think Judaism is just Christianity without Jesus (some people don’t even realize we don’t believe in/celebrate Jesus so newsflash, we don’t) and that’s just wrong. Yes both religions share the Old Testament, so they also share some history and beliefs, but the entire ideologies of the religions are different. In brief, they are similar in some ways but are not the same.

What seems to me to be the biggest difference is that Christianity (from what I understand) has a heavy focus on sins, more specifically repenting for/gaining forgiveness for your sins. In Christianity you are born tainted by original sin. In Judaism we believe everyone is born pure and free from sin and everyone is made in God’s image. Judaism has some concept of sin, but doesn’t focus on them and instead focuses on performing Mitzvot (plural, singular form is mitzvah. Direct translation is “commandment” but basically means good deed or act of kindness. It also relates to the commandments, so following the commandments is also performing mitzvot.) Examples of mitzvot include anything from saying a prayer or lighting Shabbat candles to helping a stranger or donating to charity (called tzedakah). One of the main tenets of Judaism is tikkun olam, which directly translates to “repair the world” and means exactly what it says on the tin. Instead of focusing on being forgiven for doing bad Judaism focuses on doing good. The only day we focus on past wrongdoings is Yom Kippur, one of our most holy holidays, discussed below.

Holidays

Rosh Hashanah – The Jewish New Year, occurs around September and lasts for two days, though Reform Jews often only celebrate the first day. Day of happiness and joy, celebrated by eating sweet things for a “sweet new year” (often apples dipped in honey) and circular challah to represent the end of one year and beginning of another. Also celebrated with services and blowing the shofar (rams horn.) Some spend the day in prayer and/or silent meditation. Possible greetings: chag sameach (happy holiday; can be said on almost any holiday), Shana Tovah, or happy new year (which is what Shana Tovah means, some people just say it in English.)

Yom Kippur – Day of Atonement. Occurs ten days after the start of Rosh Hashanah. One of if not the most solemn day for Jews, but also the most holy. The day is spent reflecting on yourself and any past wrongdoings and atoning. The day (sundown the night before to sundown the day of) is spent fasting, a physical way of atoning. We do this in hopes of being “written in the Book of Life” and starting the year with a clean slate. The shofar is blown at the end of the holiday. Most Jews will end the fast with a grand meal with family and friends. Most common greeting is “have an easy fast,” but happy new year is still appropriate.

Sukkot – Celebrates the harvest, occurs on the fifth day after Yom Kippur and lasts seven days. Celebrated by building a temporary hut outdoors called a sukkah and having meals inside it, as well as shaking palm fronds tied together (called a lulav) and holding a citrus called an etrog. Very fun and festive holiday. Possible greetings include chag sameach or Happy Sukkot.

Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah – Some Jews (mostly Reform Jews and Jews living in Israel) combine both holidays into one day while some celebrate them as two separate days. Either way they occur immediately after Sukkot. Shemini Atzeret is similar but separate from Sukkot and features a prayer for rain; Sukkot is not mentioned in prayers and the lulav isn’t shaken but you do eat in the sukkah. Simchat Torah celebrates finishing reading the Torah, which we will then begin again the next day. It’s a festive holiday with dancing and fun. Some Temples will roll the entire Torah out and the children will run under it. Appropriate greeting for both would be chag sameach.

Rosh Hashanah through Simchat Torah are referred to as the High Holidays.

Chanukah – We all know about Chanukah, celebrating the reclaiming of the Second Temple and the miracle of the oil lasting eight days. The most represented Jewish Holiday there is. Unfortunately it’s one of the least significant holidays for us. Occurs around November or December and lasts eight days and nights. Celebrated by lighting candles in the Menorah each night with a prayer and kids usually get gifts each night. Also celebrated with spinning tops called dreidels, fried foods like doughnuts (sufganiyot in Hebrew; usually the jelly filled ones) and potato pancakes called latkes. Greetings: happy Chanukah or chag sameach.

Tu B’Shevat – Birthday of the trees, basically Jewish Arbor Day. Minor but fun holiday, sometimes celebrated by planting trees. Occurs around January or February.

Purim – Celebrates how Queen Esther of Persia defeated Haman and saved her people, the Jews. Occurs in Spring. Festive holiday traditionally celebrated by dressing in costumes, eating sweets, and giving tzedakah (it’s also technically commanded you get drunk so woohoo!) Whenever Haman’s name is mentioned you make a lot of noise, booing and using noisemakers called groggers. Greetings: happy Purim, chag Purim, or chag sameach.

Passover/Pesach – Celebrates the Jews being freed from slavery in Egypt. Occurs in Spring and lasts eight days. The first two nights (some only celebrate the first night) are celebrated with seder, a ritual meal with certain foods, practices, prayers, and readings from a book called the Haggadah and often attended by family and friends. Most famous prayer/song of the holiday is the four questions, which ask why that night is different from all other nights and is traditionally sung by the youngest child at the seder. The entire holiday is spent not eating certain foods, mostly grain or flour (the food restrictions are complicated and differ based on denomination so look it up or ask a Jew.) We eat a lot of matzah during Pesach, which is like a cracker kinda. I personally hate it but some people actually like it. Greetings: happy Passover, chag pesach, or chag sameach.

Tisha B’Av – Anniversary of the destruction of the Temple. Occurs in Summer. Very sad, solemn day. Some celebrate by fasting from sunrise to sunset. Not the most widely celebrated holiday. Some also commemorate the Holocaust (also called the Shoah) on this day as it was the destruction of a figurative temple.

Denominations

There are a bunch of denominations in Judaism, we’ll go into it briefly.

Religious denominations:

Reform/Reformed: This is the least religiously observant level. Often Reform Jews don’t keep kosher or observe Shabbat, their services on Shabbat will use instruments. Reform Jews probably attend services for the high holidays at the very least and probably had a Bat/Bar Mitzvah. Might say they consider themselves more culturally Jewish. Their Temple/Synagogue will be the most “liberal”—aka have more female/diverse Rabbis and a more diverse congregation. I’m Reform and my Temple’s lead Rabbi is a woman and we used to have a Rabbi who’s a queer single mother.

Conservative: More religiously observant and more generally traditional. Might keep kosher or observe Shabbat, but not necessarily. Services likely won’t use instruments (not supposed to play instruments on Shabbat). Most likely had a Bat/Bar Mitzvah, but girls might not read from the Torah, though this depends on the congregation. They do allow female Rabbis, but in my experience it’s less common.

Modern Orthodox: Very religiously observant but also embrace modern society. Will keep kosher and observe Shabbat. Men will wear kippot (singular=kippah) and tzitzit under their shirts. Women will cover their hair (if they’re married), most likely with a wig, and wear modest clothing (only wear skirts that are at least past their knees and long sleeves). Emphasis on continued study of Torah/Talmud. Parents will likely have jobs. Might have larger families (aka more children) but might not. Services will be segregated by gender, girls won’t read from the Torah publicly, and female Rabbis are very rare. Children will most likely attend a religious school. Will attend shul services every Shabbat and for holidays.

note: there are some people who fall somewhere between modern Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox, or between any two denominations really. as you can imagine people don’t all practice the exact same way.

Ultra-Orthodox: Very religiously observant and not necessarily modern. Will keep kosher and observe Shabbat. Men will wear kippot or other head coverings and tzitzit under their shirts, and are also often seen wearing suits. Women will cover their hair (if they’re married) with a wig or scarf and wear modest clothing (only wear skirts that are at least past their knees and long sleeves). Emphasis on continued study of Torah/Talmud. Men might have jobs but might instead focus on Jewish studies, while women most often focus on housework and child-rearing. Don’t believe in contraception (but this is kinda nuanced and depends). Will often have very large families because having children is a commandment and helps continue the Jewish people. Might be shomer negiah which means not touching members of the opposite sex aside from their spouse and some close family members. Services will be segregated by gender, girls won’t read from the Torah publicly, and there won’t be female Rabbis. Children will attend a religious school. Will attend shul services every Shabbat and for holidays.

Ethnic denominations (the different denominations do have some differences in practices and such but tbh I don’t know much about that so this is just the basics):

Ashkenazi: Jews that originate from Central/Eastern Europe. Yiddish, a combination of Hebrew and German, originated from and was spoken by Ashkenazim and while it’s a dying language it’s spoken among many Orthodox Jews and many Jews of all levels know/speak some Yiddish words and phrases. Majority of Jews worldwide are Ashkenazi.

Sephardi/Sephardic: Jews that originate from the Iberian Peninsula, North Africa, and southeastern Europe. Ladino, a combination of Old Spanish and Hebrew, originated from and was spoken by Sephardim. It is also a dying language but is still spoken by some Sephardim. After Ashkenazi most of the world’s Jews are Sephardic.

Mizrahi: Jews that originate from the Middle East and North Africa.

Ethiopian Jews: Community of Jews that lived in Ethiopia for over 1,000 years, though most have immigrated to Israel by now.

Stereotypes/Tropes/Controversies/Etc.

There are so many Jewish stereotypes and shit and I ask you to please be mindful of them. Stereotypes do exist for a reason, so some people will fit stereotypes. This means your character might fit one or two; don’t make them fit all of them. Please. Stereotypes to keep in mind (and steer away from) include:

All Jews are rich.

All Jews are greedy.

All Jews are cheap/frugal.

All Jews are [insert job here]. We’ll go into this more below.

All Jews hate Christians/Muslims/etc.

All Jews are white.

First of all Ethiopian and Mizrahi Jews exist, many Sephardi are Hispanic, and today with intermarriage and everything this just isn’t true.

All Jews have the same physical features: large and/or hooked nose, beady eyes, droopy eyelids, red hair (this is an old stereotype I didn’t really know existed), curly hair.

Many Jews do have somewhat large noses and curly hair. I’m not saying you can’t give these features to your characters, but I am saying to be careful and don’t go overboard. And don’t give all of your Jewish characters these features. As a side note, it is common at least among American Jews that girls get nose jobs. Not all, but some.

Jews are secretly world elite/control the world/are lizard people/new world order/ any of this stuff.

STAY AWAY FROM. DO NOT DO THIS OR ANYTHING LIKE THIS. If you have a character that’s part lizard, do not make them Jewish. If you have a character that’s part of a secret group that controls the entire world, do not make them Jewish.

Jews have horns. If you have characters with horns please don’t make them Jewish.

Jews killed Jesus.

The blood libel. Ew. No.

The blood libel is an antisemitic accusation/idea/concept that back in the day Jews would murder Christian children to use their blood in religious rituals and sometimes even for consumption (did I mention gross?) Not only did this just not happen, but it’s actually against Jewish law to murder, sacrifice, or consume blood. Yes these accusations really happened and it became a main reason for persecution of Jews. And some people still believe this shit.

Jews caused The Plague.

The reason this conspiracy exists is because many Jews didn’t get The Plague and the goyim thought that meant it was because the Jews caused it/cursed them. The real reason Jews didn’t get it is because ritual hand-washing and good hygiene kept them from getting it. Sorry that we bathe.

Jewish mother stereotype.

Ok, listen. I know stereotypes are mostly a bad thing but I have to admit the Jewish mother stereotype is not far off. Jewish moms do tend to be chatty and a little nagging, are often very involved in their children’s lives, and they are often trying to feed everyone (although they don’t all cook, my mom hates cooking.) They also tend to be big worriers, mostly worrying about their family/loved ones. They also tend to know everyone somehow. A twenty minute trip to the grocery store can turn into an hour or two long trip because she’ll chat with all the people she runs into.

Jewish-American Princess (JAP) ((I know calling Japanese people Japs is offensive. Jews will call girls JAPs, but with a completely different meaning. If that’s still offensive I am sorry, but just know it happens.))

This is the stereotype that portrays Jewish girls/women as spoiled brats basically. They will be pampered and materialistic. Do these girls exist? Definitely. I still recommend steering away from this stereotype.

Names

Listen. Listen. There are some names that Jews just won’t have. I won’t speak in definites because there are always exceptions but you’ll rarely find a Jew named Trinity or Grace or Faith or any form of Chris/Christopher/Christina etc. Biblical names from the Old Testament? Absolutely Jews will have those names they’re actually very common.

I’m in a Jewish Sorority. My pledge class of ~70 girls had five Rebeccas and four Sarahs. Surprisingly only one Rachel though.

When it comes to last names I have two thoughts that might seem contradictory but hear me out: a) give your Jewish OC’s Jewish surnames, b) don’t give your Jewish OC’s the most Jewish surname to ever exist.

By this I mean I would much rather see a character named Sarah Cohen or Aaron Levine than Rachel Smith. Just that little bit of recognition makes a happy exclamation point appear over my head, plus it can be a good way to hint to readers that your OC is Jewish.

On the other hand, please don’t use the most stereotypical Jewish names you’ve ever heard. If you have five Jewish OCs and one of them is Isaac Goldstein then fine. If Isaac Goldstein is your only Jewish OC I might get a little peeved. There are tons of common Jewish surnames that are recognizable and easy to look up, so don’t revert to the first three that come to mind. Maybe it’s just me, but I find it yucky, for lack of a better word.

Jobs

We all know there are certain jobs that are stereotypical for Jews to have. We’re talking lawyer, dentist, doctor, banker type stuff. To an extent these stereotypes exist for a reason, many Jews go into those careers. Do not make these the only careers your Jewish OCs have. Stereotypes might have reasoning behind them but it doesn’t mean they aren’t harmful. If you have multiple Jewish OCs some of them can have these careers, but not all of them. I do know a lot of Jewish lawyers, dentists, and doctors. I also know accountants, people involved in businesses (“mom, what does Brad do?” “he’s a businessman” sometimes there just aren’t more specific words), people involved in real estate. I don’t actually know any bankers personally, and with money and stuff being one of the most common and harmful Jewish stereotypes I would suggest steering away from that.

These are common fields for Jews, but Jews can have literally any job. Please feel free to get creative. And if you have more than one Jewish OC you can think about making one of them a Rabbi, but DON’T do this if they’re the only Jewish OC. Please.

Yiddish

So I mentioned Yiddish earlier. Like I already said, it’s not a very widely used language anymore but there are some words and phrases that are still used by a lot of Jews (in America at least.) Here’s a list that is absolutely not comprehensive:

Oy vey = oh no

Shvitzing = sweating (but not just a little bit. Shvitzing is like SWEATING)

Kvetch/kvetching = whine/whining or complain/complaining

Mazel tov = congratulations; this is the same in Yiddish and Hebrew

Chutzpah = nerve or gall (e.g. “He’s got a lot of chutzpah for breaking up over text like that”)

Kismet = fate; I just learned this is Yiddish

Bubbe and Zayde = grandma and grandpa

Schelp/schlepping = drag/dragging, can also mean carry or move (e.g. “I had to schlep the bag all around town” doesn’t mean they literally dragged it)

Schmutz = dirt or something dirty (e.g. “you have schmutz on your face”)

Schmatta = literally means rag but can be used to refer to ratty blankets or clothes

Plotz = collapse (usually used in the sense of “I’m so tired I might plotz” or “she’s gonna be so excited she’s gonna plotz”)

Schmuck/shmendrick = both mean more or less the same, a jerk or obnoxious person

Shtick = gimmick, routine, or act (can be used like (“I don’t like that comedian’s shtick” or “he always makes himself the center of attention it’s his shtick”)

Spiel = long speech, story, or rant

There’s so many more so look them up and think about using them, but don’t overdo it. A Jewish person isn’t gonna use a Yiddish word in every sentence (or even every day or every few days.)

Israel

In my community at least it’s very common that by the time your college-aged that you’ll have been to Israel at least once.

Israel is a controversial topic within the Jewish community and in the world. It’s sensitive and complex. I really, really suggest not getting into it. Just don’t bring it up because no matter what you say someone will be unhappy. Just don’t do it.

Ashkenazi Disorders

Ashkenazi Jews have some sucky genes (I’m Ashkenazi so I can say this, you cannot.) These sucky genes cause certain disorders to be more prevalent for us. Children only get the disorder if both parents are carriers of the disorder, so Jews usually get genetic testing done before having children. If both parents are carriers the risk of the child getting the disorder is high, so parents might reconsider or have some indecisiveness/fear. Some of these are:

Tay-Sachs

Cystic Fibrosis

Canavan Disease

Familial Dysautonomia

Gaucher Disease

Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Fanconi Anemia

Mucolipidosis IV

Niemann-Pick Disease

Torsion Dystonia

Bloom Syndrome

Ashkenazi Jews also have a high prevalence of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, which increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer in women and increase the risk of breast and prostate cancer in men.

Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and Lactose Intolerance are also very prevalent

In a dorm of like 40 Jews, six of them had Crohn’s.

Ways to Show Your OC is Jewish

Wears Jewish jewelry, e.g. Star of David (also called Jewish Star and Magen David), Chai symbol (means life), jewelry with Sh’ma prayer, or hamsa (but beware this symbol is used outside of Judaism).

Mentions their temple, their Rabbi, having a Bat/Bar Mitzvah, going to Hebrew School, Shabbat, or a holiday coming up.

Have someone ask them a question about Judaism.

Have someone notice they have a mezuzah on their door.

Most Jews will have a mezuzah on the doorframe of the front door of their house/apartment, but they could even have one for their dorm room or whatever. It’s traditional to kiss your hand then touch the mezuzah when walking through the door, but most Jews don’t do this every time, at least not most Reform or Conservative Jews.

Have them call out antisemitism if you’re feeling spicy

The end! I hope this helped and if you have any questions my ask box is always open!

#writing advice #writing tips #writing help #jewish characters #judaism #writing resources #writeblr community #wtwcommunity #i said i would make this post literally months ago but i finally did it!

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the-littlest-goblin · 4 years ago

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*shows up to @essek-week 6 days late with all the prompts shoved into one fic*

based on this post by @slayerscake

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Essek, for all his magical skill, had very little experience being a fighter. But you pick things up when you travel with a group that gets in as many scrapes per day as the Mighty Nein—you don’t necessarily learn how to fight well, but you certainly learn how to fight alongside the Mighty Nein.

While Jester is a cleric, try to go unconscious near Caduceus.

“It’s not that she refuses to heal,” Fjord explained gently as he inspected the gash across Essek’s sternum for signs of poison. They were all a bit paranoid now since discovering that their previous monster encounter had, unbeknownst to them, injected a slow-acting venom into every bite. “She just prefers to take the enemy out first. It’s a strategy thing, you know. Save the healing for after the fight, once the danger’s gone.”

Essek turned his gaze over to Jester. In their post-battle huddle, while Caduceus hummed a healing prayer for the group and Fjord dressed Essek’s wound, she was several yards away helping Veth saw off one of the beast’s talons as a trophy.

Fjord continued, “Of course, if you’re like, actually dying in front of her, she’ll heal you. I mean…” he trailed off. Sure, Essek hadn’t exactly been dead-dead when he’d collapsed next to Jester during the fight, but he wasn’t far from it. The last, ironic thought he’d registered before consciousness slipped away was how fortunate it was to fall in battle right next to a cleric. As his eyes fell shut, it was with anticipation that he would be up again in a second to rejoin the fray.

When he had finally awoken, it was Caduceus’ face smiling over him, not Jester’s, and the ferocious monster had long since been turned into a carcass.

“Mm-hmm.”

Fjord sighed and sat back on his heels. “Just, maybe next time, if you have to go down, try to go down closer to Caduceus.”

“Noted,” Essek grumbled, watching with nauseated fascination as his skin knit itself back together in time with the melody of Caduceus’ spell.

When in doubt, polymorph.

“I am a bit surprised you don’t already have this in your repertoire. I have found it to be incredibly useful.”

Essek shrugged, shoving off the automatic sting of embarrassment that came with admitting ignorance. He didn’t need to feel that way around Caleb.

“Well, I have rarely found myself in a position to fly over rough terrain or transform a terrifying monster into a sloth. Until now, that is.”

Caleb laughed lightly. “Such is the adventuring life, I suppose.” He smiled, taking a break from flipping through his spellbook to look up at Essek. Even this brief moment of eye-contact felt so charged with energy that Essek had to avert his gaze, the sense-memory of guilt welling up in his throat threatening to choke him. The intensity of Caleb’s undivided attention was still difficult for him to bear. His fingers twitched to rub at the burning spot on his forehead. Instead, he gripped his pen tighter.

“Here.” Caleb flipped his book around to show Essek the page dedicated to the Polymorph spell, covered in transmutation runes. Essek recognized a few of the symbols in passing. “This should be easy for you to copy down. Then we can practice a bit. I think you’ll find casting it on yourself makes for a rather enjoyable pastime.”

Buff the lesbians.

Essek’s eyes darted between Caleb and Caduceus, unsure how to interpret this piece of advice. “Um, can you be more specific?”

Caduceus blinked at him, seeming confused. “Specific how? You mean like, which spells you should use on them?”

“No, I meant specific as in to whom you were referring. I just…” Essek glanced awkwardly around the table. Most of the group was distracted, digging into the enormous feast provided by Caleb’s clowder of feline servants. They were all worn out from a long day of hard travel and enjoying the warm reprieve of the tower.

Essek cleared his throat, trying to discreetly lower his voice without making it obvious that he was being secretive. “I have not exactly been given a briefing on all of your individual sexual preferences.”

“Oh, I can fix that!” Jester cut in. Apparently Essek’s attempts to be clandestine had failed, as they always seemed to with this group. “Caleb is—”

“That is alright, thank you,” Essek swiftly cut her off. His cheeks were already burning red-hot. “Can you please just tell me who ‘the lesbians’ are in this circumstance?”

He could feel Beau’s glare boring through him all the way from the other end of the table as she stared incredulously over her magical flask of whiskey. “You should really be able to figure that out yourself, man.”

Squishy wizards stay away from fights.

“Stay. Here.” Yasha’s growl was twice as terrifying as the insectoid beast screaming over their heads, and Essek was pretty sure the force from her shoving him behind the rocks was going to leave just as big a bruise as getting smacked by the creature’s tail, if not bigger. “Hide.”

“I was trying to help,” Essek muttered, a mixture of shame and indignation pushing him to defend himself to her.

“I know. You can help by staying alive.” A hint of softness entered Yasha’s gruff voice, although its effect was mitigated when she hefted up her massive sword. Essek instinctually slunk away from the arc of the blade. “Fighters get close, wizards hang back. That’s how we do things in this family.” She smiled at him, and another layer of the ice around Essek’s heart melted. “That’s how we keep you and Caleb from snapping like twigs. Save the close-range spells for when things are really desperate.”

Essek nodded his affirmation. Yasha turned and began running back into the melee, letting out an almighty roar. Just before she went out of range, Essek reached out his hands, whispering the incantation and twisting his fingers around the fabric of time that surrounded her large frame. Yasha paused for a moment as the effects of the Haste spell hit her, then turned to flash Essek another smile and a thumbs up.

That’s how we do things in this family.

You have to look sexy when using spells.

“I really do not understand the purpose of this.”

“We’re just trying to help you out!” Veth grinned at him mischievously. Somehow, the ghost of a goblin’s snarl showed through her straight halfling teeth. “Every good adventurer knows aesthetics are crucial to effective spellcasting.”

“That’s not—”

“Plus, we’re not fighting in the cold anymore,” Jester added. “We don’t want you to get overheated in the middle of battle.”

“That… really isn’t an issue.” But he knew resistance was useless when it came to these two. Resigned to his fate, Essek dutifully lifted the mantle over his head and began undoing the fastenings of his cloak.

Outer layer discarded, he lifted his arms up half heartedly to show his self-appointed image consultants the results. “Is this satisfactory?”

“Hmmmm,” Jester tilted her head to the side, considering him. “Can you try rolling up your sleeves?”

“I’m not taking off my shirt!”

“No one asked you to!” Veth hopped off her chair to circle around Essek, studying him with an intensity she usually reserved for things she was about to shoot. “Now, show us your stance.”

“My what?”

“You know, your sexy fighting stance.” Veth stopped in place, whipping out her crossbow and striking a dramatic pose.

“Um…” Essek attempted to mimic her, one hand on the meteorite pendant that served as his arcane focus, the other reaching out as if he were about to cast a spell. “Like this?”

Jester tapped a finger to her lips thoughtfully. “You know, now that I’m thinking about it, that tank top did look really good on you, Essek.”

Essek put his head in his hands.

If you get charmed there is going to be a very high chance of Beau punching you to snap you out of it.

A constellation's worth of stars swam in Essek’s vision, pain bursting through his head like a reverberating drum; he could feel the nasty bruise blooming at his temple where Beauregard had struck him. Blinking away the stars, he turned just in time to see Beau’s fist heading towards him once again, this time making expert contact with his jaw. The force of this second blow sent him hurtling toward the ground, knocking the wind out of him.

Amid the pain, a sense of clarity slowly came over him, cutting through the pleasant, misty haze that had overtaken his faculties. It gave him just enough presence of mind to scream an indignant, accusatory, “Ow!” at Beau.

She flashed him a cocky grin, seemingly amused by his tone. “Look man, this is what happens. Get charmed, get hit. Now square up.”

Essek held up one hand in an attempt to stave her off, gasping for breath. The buzz in his brain was receding; somehow, Beau had punched the spell’s effect right out of him. “No really, I’m fine now, it worked—”

But she was already going in for another punch. Helpless to stop her, Essek braced himself for the hit, thinking that if nothing else, he had to admire her thoroughness.

#critical role #critrole #essek thelyss #essek week #my writing #what is a timeline but a miserable little pile of scenes?

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tea-and-la · 4 years ago

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“Katara is Hot-Headed”

.... okay, so i’ve seen this ICE cold take enough time to warrant a formal post. i’ve seen and strongly agree with the posts i’ve seen that refute this, like @shewhotellsstories post here. but unfortunately, this sentiment is still something that’s widely accepted in the atla fandom. it’s no surprise that “katara is hotheaded” is the common argument for “why zutara doesn't work.” and while it’s more than irritating that zutara antis love to align them in ways that are only negative in nature, i’m not going to get into that. i’m going to focus on katara.

one of the key defining aspects of katara’s personality is her patience. she is unwavering in her faith of aang (through their numerous supportive talks), as well as her encouragement of her friends when they need it (ex. toph in the runaway and sokka in sokka’s master.) but most notably? let’s talk about the desert episode because this is where katara’s patience really shines.

there are a lot of things going on in that episode. aang is dealing with grief from the loss of appa and lashes out at both toph and katara while also intermittently flying away from the group. what would a “hot headed” or quick-tempered person do in this situation? let’s look at some of the dialogue:

aang: [Enraged.] How could you let them take Appa?! ‌ Why didn't you stop them‌?!

toph: [Defensively.] I couldn't! The library was sinking! You guys were still inside and-

aang: [Snaps at Toph in a harsh way.] You just didn't care! You never liked Appa! You wanted him gone!

aang looks extremely furious at Toph as Katara walks over to him. She puts her hand on his shoulder to try and calm him down.

katara: We're all concerned, but we can't afford to be fighting now.

in that dialogue, katara inserts herself in to mediate. she recognizes that he’s in a dark place, and she sees past the harshness of his words to see that they come from a place of hurt, not malice. she reacts with empathy and understanding.

a quick-tempered person would not have responded in this way.

the majority of this episode, katara is essentially the leader of the group. it’s swelteringly hot, which is enough for any hot headed person to get irritated, but she doesn’t.

toph: Katara, can I have some more water?

katara: Okay, but we've got to try to conserve it.

sokka: [As he points to his mouth.] We're drinking your bending water. [He tries to define the taste of the water, smacking his lips. Disgustedly he exclaims.] You used this on the swamp guy! Urch!

toph: It does taste swampy.

katara: [Sad tone.] I'm sorry, it's all we have.

in this scene, even momo complains about the taste of the water, the only water they have. and katara’s response was to apologize for something she can’t control.

after this point, she has to lead toph through the sand, while sokka is high on cactus juice and aang is upset. instead of getting frustrated, she tries to inspire hope into them all:

aang: [Hopelessly.] What's the difference? We won't survive without Appa. We all know it.

katara: [Encouraging.] Come on, Aang. We can do this if we work together. Right Toph?

toph: As far as I can feel, we're trapped in a giant bowl of sand pudding. I got nothin'.

katara: [Hopeful.] Sokka? Any ideas how to find Ba Sing Se?

Sokka and Momo lie side by side on their backs, arms and legs stretched out. Sokka smiles blissfully.

she does get annoyed, but she doesn’t direct that frustration at any of them, unlike a quick tempered person would do.

katara: [Grabs her head in annoyance.] Ugh ... We're getting out of this desert, and we're going to do it together! Aang, get up. Everybody, hold hands. We can do this. We have to.

the point of these excerpts isn’t to say that anyone else in the gaang is horrible. i just wanted to point out the moments when she could’ve gotten frustrated and lashed out, but didn’t. not once.

patience and quick temperedness are antonyms of each other. and imo, the fact that so much of katara’s character is defined by her patience (even outside of this specific episode) and nurturing (for over 80% of the show) is enough to refute her “hotheadedness.” especially, when the other members of the gaang are allowed to be upset and/or angry on occasion and their dispositions/temperaments are not immediately associated with hotheadedness. maybe unpack why that is.

let’s take the instance when she and toph argue in the chase. first of all, this episode is characterized by all of the members of the gaang being sleep deprived (i.e. not in their normal states), so their attitudes should be taken with a grain of salt. (what humans do you know that are happy-go-lucky when they haven’t slept enough?)

anyway, the episode starts with katara attempting to lightly hint to toph about group dynamics.

katara: So Toph, usually when setting up camp, we try to divide up the work.

toph: [Shrugging casually.] Hey, don't worry about me. I'm good to go.

katara: Well, actually what I'm trying to say is, [Holds arms out in gesture.] some of us might fetch water, while someone else might set up the fire pit, or put up the tent. [Momo flies over to her, dropping several berries he had collected into her hands.] Even Momo does his fair share.

toph: [Breezily.] Katara, I'm fine. I can carry my own weight. I don't need a fire, [Pats bag.] I've already collected my own food and look, [Earthbends a rock tent over her.] my tent's all set up.

katara: [Slightly irritated.] Well, that's great for you, but we still need to finish

toph: [Angered.] I don't understand what's the problem here!

katara: Waves her hand dismissively and walks away.] Never mind.

from the above excerpt, she drops the issue and doesn’t lash out. later, she even goes back and tries to make amends with toph. she even tries smiling before she heads over there.

Cuts to Katara, who sets down a jug of water. She looks over at Toph, sitting comfortably beneath her earth tent. Her dull expression changes to one of slight happiness. She approaches Toph who is eating some sort of food item.

katara: [Rubs back of head sheepishly.] Hey Toph, I wanted to apologize for earlier. I think we're all just a little tired and getting on each other's nerves.

toph: [Casually.] Yeah, you do seem pretty tired.

katara: [Growing disgusted.] I meant all of us.

Cuts to shot of inside Toph's earth tent as she lazily tosses the food item onto the ground and lays her head down to rest.

toph: Well, good night.

katara: [Slightly irked.] Good night.

none of her mannerisms and word choices are characteristic of someone with a temper. despite toph’s slight unintentional antagonistic remarks, katara doesn’t react.

later, after they managed to evade the azula’s tank train for the night, they land appa. and katara tries, again:

toph: [Leaping off Appa and lying on the ground, relieved.] Ah, land sweet land! [Rises and says cheerfully.] See you guys in the morning!

katara: Actually, can you help us unload?

toph: [Points a finger at Katara in irritation.] Look! I didn't ask you to help unload my stuff! [Turns and begins walking away.] I'm carrying my own weight.

katara: [Angrily.] That's not the point. [Approaches Toph.] Ever since you joined us, you've been nothing but selfish and unhelpful!

toph: [Enraged.] What? Look here, sugar queen, [Points finger at Katara.] I gave up everything I had so that I could teach Aang earthbending. So don't you talk to me about being selfish!

the only times when katara reacts in anger that could be perceived as impulsive, is when she is insulted by Pakku and when Sokka suggests that she leave the Fire Nation town without helping. Both of these are hardly instances of hotheadedness, and moreso a reflection of who she is as a character: someone who doesn’t turn her back on people who needs her and someone who fights injustice.

why would we call katara hotheaded for not settling for being antagonized by a misogynistic asshole? she was a trailblazer in that scene and it meant so much to the little girls of the Northern Water Tribe. similarly, why would we call her hotheaded for not being able to turn away from people who are in need? after all, that’s a core part of her character’s trauma: feeling of survivor’s guilt that there was something she could’ve done to save her mom. it’s part of why she has to act to help others. her passion isn’t synonymous with hotheadedness.

#pro katara #atla #i'm tired of seeing this take #like i truly don't care of you hate zutara or not #but please stop saying that katara is hotheaded #it isn't really consistent with the show #the only times i can think of are when she attacks jet when he comes back #and when she does the same to zuko when he tries to join the group #i mean they both betrayed her so she was right to feel angry #none of her anger was irrational #and implying it as such kinda has uncomfy vibes

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