#It’s not a zero-sum game

[canichangemyblogname]

Coffee stop stranger to my friend watching a TikTok video: “A terrorist organization uses that phrase to call for jihad, just so you know.”

Me playing dumb because I know this person is just being Arabophobic and Islamophobic: “Which phrase? Alhamdulillah?”

*a pause while they “think” because they don’t know Arabic and have no clue what they’re actually arguing against*

Them: “Yeah. You kids need to stop saying it. It makes people uncomfortable.”

Me: “THANK GOD you were here to tell us. Where would we be without you?”

Old people are so bold and they love to comment on things that are none of their damn business 😑

[fireflywitch]

there’s this rush and this pressure, sometimes, for huge, mind-blowing numbers on ao3. thousands of kudos and comments and ppl obsessing over ratios, but like - there’s something so incredibly wonderful about, idk, even ten kudos. ten? you mean ten people, TEN total strangers, found something I wrote and clicked on it and read it and liked it? ten comments: you mean ten people took the time to tell me what they thought about my work, took the time and energy to write about MY WORK in their little comment bubble? ten people?? fifty?? one hundred???

but even just one - if one single person took the time out of their day to tell me how much they appreciate the little bit of my soul I just put out into the world - idk, it just means everything, doesn’t it?

[kunosoura]

Man it’s crazy how there’s always a plausible reason for why the terms Trans women use to identify each other and talk about their particular issues are either evil or actually belong to everyone. CAGAB terminology is misgendering and Transfem belongs to everyone and “Tranny” can be reclaimed by everyone who’s trans and “Transfem” can be used by anyone who feels it describes them and so for that matter, can “trans woman” (and saying otherwise is intersexist), TMA/TME is binaristic/misgendering/whatever.

Like I’m a very relaxed person in general and I have zero interest in policing lgbt slur reclamation or individual identities or anything but like is it not glaringly obvious who is being systemically deprived of the language to discuss their particular circumstances here

[restlesshush]

The end of supernatural is basically impossible to resolve because what it boils down to is Cas has two favourite items, and if you take either of them away from him he will start crying, but they should absolutely Not be in the same place

[toupeetoucher]

day 4.....clover and custard........one of my fav assigns its too good

i dont have a specific animal i associate w clover so i made her a baby chick just like custard enjoy

[bogkeep]

idk why there's so much discussion around the ~*morality of traumadumping*~ when it's a VERY solvable social conundrum. all you need to do is ask something like "hey is it ok if i talk about this thing? it's kind of heavy" and respect the answer

[miabrown007]

Adrien is so tired of the new wave of fangirls every time he makes it to the Vogue's most eligible bachelors list. so Marinette jokingly suggests this year he should date someone while the results are being complied, thus avoiding making the list.

but Adrien thinks, dragging an unwitting girl into this and dropping her the next week would just be cruel. and Marinette thinks, as Adrien's very good friend and achingly platonic superhero partner, she should have really shut up instead of offering to help.

[shalom-iamcominghome]

It seems, sometimes, like people sometimes almost expect converts/converting people to hate where we come from, and if I'm honest... I think connecting with judaism has made me want to connect with my roots even more.

I'm thinking about starting to learn the languages (some of) my family would have spoken before emigrating to where I live now (german and italian), and, hell, I've learned a lot about xtianity since officially embracing judaism and diving head-long into it.

In my experience, judaism doesn't inherently demand that you forsake everything you were or are. What is asked of you is to embrace judaism. To recognize g-d, to worship g-d, to willingly join the jewish people. That is not the same as demanding you to spit on what led you where you are now. Nothing will change my past, my heritage, and judaism has actually helped me appreciate where I come from. I want to connect with myself, my family, because I embrace judaism.

I don't want to speak to other people's experiences, so just a reminder that this is only my story as a student, as someone who adores judaism and appreciates the experiences that were a one-way ticket right to where I am now.

[crimsondinnerparty]

Hannigram: The Ultimate Zero-Sum Game

If there’s one thing *Hannibal* nails perfectly, it’s the complex, borderline insane dynamic between Will Graham and Hannibal Lecter. But what makes their relationship so captivating is how it's a zero-sum game from start to finish.

One of them has to lose for the other to win—and sometimes, it feels like winning is the worst thing that could happen to either of them.

What Is a Zero-Sum Game?

In basic terms, a zero-sum game means that for one person to gain something, the other has to lose an equal amount. It’s like a tug-of-war where both sides can’t win at once. And that’s exactly what Will and Hannibal are doing the whole time—pulling each other apart in this twisted dance of love, manipulation, and survival.

Hannibal Wants to *Consume* Will

Let’s be real: Hannibal doesn't just want to be friends with Will. He wants to **own** him. Hannibal's love is this dark, possessive thing where he needs Will to embrace the darkness completely, to be his mirror. Think about it—every time Hannibal talks about "seeing" Will, it's always about how *he* sees Will’s potential for violence and darkness, and how Will just needs to step into it.

Season 2, “Mizumono”: Hannibal’s attempt to flee with Will wasn’t just an offer; it was an ultimatum. For Hannibal, Will’s refusal to fully join him led to one of the most violent, heart-wrenching betrayals in the series. Hannibal leaves Will bleeding out on the floor not because he’s rejected but because Will *failed* him by not becoming what Hannibal wanted him to be.

Will’s Struggle: To Keep His Soul or Surrender It

On the other side of this is Will, constantly fighting against Hannibal’s pull. What makes this a true zero-sum game is that if Will gives in to Hannibal—really gives in—he loses who he is. Will’s whole battle is about preserving his empathy, his sense of right and wrong, but the deeper he goes into Hannibal’s world, the more that slips away.

Season 3, “Digestivo”: When Hannibal lets himself get caught just to stay close to Will, it shows how far this game has gone. Hannibal’s giving up his freedom, but it’s all part of trying to win the ultimate prize: Will’s loyalty. Will is trapped because any attempt to leave or resist Hannibal brings him back into this twisted love, even at the cost of his sanity.

The Finale: Both Can’t Survive

Fast forward to the series finale, and we see the game come to its ultimate end. When Will finally acknowledges his attraction to the darkness Hannibal represents, he’s no longer just resisting—he’s accepting that there’s no middle ground for them. It’s all or nothing. So what does he do? He takes them both off the cliff. In a true zero-sum game move, Will realizes that for either of them to win, they both have to lose. And so they fall together.

“The Wrath of the Lamb”: That final scene is the perfect metaphor for their entire relationship. Will’s decision to pull them both into the abyss is the only way to escape the endless push and pull. They can’t just be together; they can’t just walk away. If Will fully embraces Hannibal, he’s lost to the darkness. If Hannibal lets Will go, he loses the person who sees him most clearly. So, they fall.

Endless Cycles of Power-

Even when one gains the upper hand—Will trapping Hannibal, Hannibal framing Will—this only pushes them deeper into each other’s worlds. Hannibal sees Will as a masterpiece in progress, something to mold. But the second Will truly gives in, he stops being himself. The balance between them means that love, survival, and destruction are all the same thing.

In Conclusion: Their Love Is a Zero-Sum Game

The Hannigram relationship is tragic because it’s unsustainable. They are trapped in a game where the only real "win" comes from total domination or destruction. Hannibal's love is about consuming Will, and Will’s love (or resistance) is about holding onto whatever is left of himself. Every moment of their relationship is about pushing the other to a breaking point, and neither can win without annihilating the other.

In the end, love isn’t just complicated between these two—it’s a weapon, a means of control, and a game where survival means the loss of something essential. **They can’t exist together without breaking each other apart.**

---

Hannibal once said, “Killing must feel good to God too… He does it all the time, and are we not created in His image?” In Hannigram’s case, this line rings true: their love is all about creation and destruction. To love, for them, is to annihilate.

-—————————————————————————

[tea-and-secrets]

I will never understand why people can’t just use proper pronouns for others. It’s not hard and all misgendering somebody does is make you look like an asshole or an idiot. It’s not gonna change the pronouns that you “don’t approve of” or whatever they’re just not going to talk to you anymore. “I’m not calling one person a them” “it pronouns are dehumanizing” “Neopronouns bring down the movement” all I hear is “I’m too stupid to learn a new word because it’s scary” like damn. Get a grip.

!

[rotzaprachim]

society if people donated the cash they’re currently sending to internet scams to vetted anti starvation initiatives

[hunxi-after-hours]

this performance haunts me

translation notes:

'louba' and 'louliga' refer to the sun and the moon, respectively. I cannot for the life of me find a solid source on this. most commentators seem to agree that here, 'louba' and 'louliga' are being used to refer to someone's father and mother.

after the first chorus, the lines "I'm sorry / I cannot change" are incredibly ambiguous, particularly as to whether the line should be interpreted as "I cannot change" or "I cannot change it"

[sealrock]

coming to a store near you.

(template.)

[yinyuedijun]

ok I guess this is happening

[sparklingmusicofstars]

The cover of the July 2024 issue of Comic ZERO-SUM magazine

[ear-motif]

how does one cope with knowing that every moment of their happiness can only exist with the continued exploitation of colonized nations. like even if i kill myself it wont be enough and even if i devote my life to change it wont be enough because all forms of my happiness are predicated on theft and destruction.