#It's just that no matter what political beliefs you or they have you shouldn't wish them death

[thesuperiorbeing]

i really with people would stop saying they wish people would kill themselves

I get the funny haha joke of the "you should kill yourself NOW" but actually, literally wishing death on someone is too far

Some people are shit, I get it. Some people are absolutely, horrendously, bad or mean. But wishing death on them? That's not helping. In fact I'd argue it's hurting your cause

[ellestra]

The Voice from the Outer World

Dune is a story of failure. SPOILERS for Dune Part 2 below

Power corrupts and all of that. We all know this. So we would be able to avoid it, right? If you know what happens you can chose another option. You would be different.

And here's a story that shows that even when you know all of this and more and can literally see the future it's still not enough.

I get why people often think that to avoid this the person in power shouldn't want that power. That this would make them somehow immune. And this logic has multiple faults (like - how can you be good at doing something you hate?) and one of them is that just not wanting to abuse power doesn't mean you would do right things with it.

We are reminded multiple times in the film (and the books also aren't shy about it) that Fremen religious belief in a saviour is not something that arose naturally. It's a belief seeded by Bene Gesserit's Missionaria Protectiva. They seeded superstitions and myths in different cultures so they could use them in a future emergency. Everything Fremen believe about their Mahdi was created so their faith could be used by a Bene Gesserit in need. And both Jessica and Paul are aware of this even before they even set a foot on Arrakis.

It's specifically made for the saviour to be a foreign one (Lisan al-Gaib is The Voice from the Outer World) because the people who made and planned to use this prophecy were ones from an outsider culture. Paul doesn't hijack Fremen beliefs to insert himself as their white saviour. These beliefs was specifically created for someone like him to use.

It was made with purpose of hijacking Fremen religion into protecting the foreigners who know how this prophecy was constructed. This is a parasitic belief (cuckoo-like faith) and the truth doesn't set anyone free. We see why with Stilgar as he wants to believe so much that everything becomes a sign. Even when he's told this has been fabricated and he was manipulated he warps it into something that supports his beliefs not undermines them. I'm sure you've seen this in real life, in real politics if not religion.

Jessica and Chani got changed the most from their book versions. They've become opposite sides of the ideological divide. Not between religion and lack of it - Jessica obviously not a believer - but between using people and letting them decide their own future.

Book Jessica is more apprehensive of Paul's choices. She's often more worried he may not survive the trials than pushing for them for power. In here she becomes the driving force for using the messianic belief Bene Gesserit implanted for Paul's benefit. She makes sure Fremen believe he fits the story. She doesn't care about Paul's wishes to avoid this burden. She knows it doesn't matter when he tells the people the truth about Bene Gesserit, their abilities and their manipulation techniques. Belief is impervious to proof and confirmation bias makes you reject all evidence to the contrary.

But then, in the film, Jessica is kind of possessed. Stilgar warns Paul not to listen to the djinn but neither he nor his mother can stop listening to the voices. The film removes Alia's book doings but replaces them with foreshadowing of what she becomes. She whispers the truths about the future to her mother even before she is born. Funny, how this change makes her, not Paul, the first fully prescient Atreides. She is manipulating the events when Paul refuses to and that's a foreshadowing too. When Jessica took the Water of Life while pregnant she did it for the power this new position among the Fremen would give her. Alia never stood a chance. She was pre-born into this.

The only one trying to stand in the way of succumbing to the power corruption is movie version of Chani. She was never believer in a saviour. She wants her people to save themselves. They already have a plan for a better future that doesn't involve killing worlds for the Empire they never wanted anything to do with. They were not supposed to be warriors of the prophet. She sees this for what it is - a way to control her people. She understands this is just another form of enslavement. The only difference is that this one is embraced. No one listens to her when she tells them the truth. They only see what they want to see.

The power that comes from being close to the rule is just as blinding when you stand close to the throne as it is when you sit on it.

And the sad part is she knows she played a part in this happening to as she convinced Paul to give this a try. She didn't see the visions he saw so she hoped he can remain the person she fell in love with. When he submits to the way prescience shows him and takes over the faith we feel her heartbreak. She watches him becoming what he feared and everyone around him stops her from trying to save him because they get something out of it (not just the other Fremen or Jessica - Gurney puts atomic arsenal in Paul's hands).

Paul doesn't bring freedom. He just changes who holds the power but in the end the structures of power remain (the similarities between Saudarkar and Fremen are not accidental). And billions die so it can happen. But billions is a an abstract number. It's much easier to feel the consequences when they hit close and personal.

Everyone around Paul gets to gain something - Gurney gets revenge on Rabban, Jessica and Stilgar get to destroy the Harkonnens and the Emperor. They are on top now. The power corrupts before you even hold it. Just the promise of power is enough.

This film version of Chani doesn't let us forget that this is what we watch. That what is happening is not a good thing. We as humans have tendency to gloss over big numbers of deaths when it's some unseen people with whom we have no emotional connections. Through her eyes the loss is so much more personal. She loses her Usul to Paul Muad'Dib. And he takes her people and her planet too.

As Paul says - they are Harkonnens too. And they do what Harkonnens do too. The difference was always cosmetic.

And one more thing. A lot is said about Arabic and Muslim influences in Fremen culture and religion but they aren't the only ones. One other is the word used for the places where Fremen live - Sietch. It comes from Zaporozhian Cossack name for their fortified encampments - sich.

In the West the name Cossacks invokes the cruel Russian Imperial forces that tsars used to pacify conquered territories. But this is not what comes to my mind first. In the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth they were free people living in the borderlands of the Commonwealth on the territories often attacked by the Ottomans. The constant raids from the Turks meant they were warriors and constantly moving. But this also allowed for a lot of freedom as there wasn't a lot of direct control over these territories for the same reason. This meant that they were often joined by anyone wishing to have that freedom - from peasants escaping indenture to nobles escaping the law.

The dissatisfaction with the Polish rule eventually lead to an uprising and this part of Ukraine joined Russian Empire. That Empire destroyed all the freedoms Cossacks had and those independent warriors became just another enforcers of conformity for the Empire. They've become exactly what they fought against. I often wondered if Herbert chose the name Sietch intentionally to invoke this turn of events.

[rainbowsky]

Hi- first have to say I love your writing, your organization, you’re just amazing! I’m a middle-age mom of four who has never, ever been in any sort of fandom or “shipped” a couple in 40+ years of consuming tv, movies, music, etc. Got introduced to TU via my teen daughter and very quickly was bjyx before I knew it was a thing, before I even saw any BTS. Googled the actors, saw some BTS, and just thought “of course.” I mean, of course! (TBC)

(Cont) I’ve read just about everything here but if you’ve answered this, pls point me to it. My question is, how do the “antis” or “solos” reconcile the BTS with their POV that DD and GG aren’t gay, hate each other, are using the other, etc? [redacted]

Hi! Thanks so much, I'm glad you're enjoying my blog. 😊

Sorry, I removed some of your ask because I don't like long asks, and you (perhaps unwittingly) included some theories/ideas I don't agree with and don't want on my blog.

As for your question, I have talked about similar topics quite a bit in the past. You can look through my 'solos belong to moling su sect' tag for my posts about solos if you want to dig a little deeper, but I personally don't think there's any point in going down that path. Solos are free to believe (or not believe) whatever they want, and it shouldn't really have anything to do with us.

This question is inviting me to psychoanalyze, theorize, and speculate about what they think and believe, but in my opinion there's nothing good that can can come out of doing so. I have done some of that in the past, and in my opinion it's totally pointless. If anything, it just helps create the perception that we should be digging into topics like this - something I definitely do not believe.

I have talked to solos about these topics in the past, and the thing that stood out to me about those discussions is that they're just different people who have different views. Might as well ask why anyone has a different view about anything.

If you've ever tried talking to someone who is opposite to you on the political spectrum, surely you've experienced how different and unwavering another person's views can be. Trying to unravel all of that can be a huge mess, and is ultimately just a waste of time.

The reality is, different people have different levels of investment in the type of material we focus on, they have different interests and motivations for being involved in fandom, they have different backgrounds and leanings, and they have different views and interpretations of everything they see. Even different turtles have different views and interpretations.

We don't need to spend a moment thinking about any of it. In fact I urge people to just avoid solos, avoid trying to speculate about them or digging into their perspectives or beliefs. It doesn't matter what they think, and most of their thoughts and feelings about this topic are hateful and homophobic. It is harmful to dig into and spread these ideas.

I have a whole post about that here.

I say this all the time, but we need to stay in our own lane. Focus on GG and DD and their projects. Enjoy being a turtle. We shouldn't waste our time or brain cells worrying about what haters and naysayers think, or why.

This isn't just about avoiding negativity or fan wars, is also about respecting other human beings. They have their own views and their own experience of GG and DD, and they have every right to experience it in the way they want to. It's not our role to try to change their perspective or even to evaluate and judge them. Live and let live. Yes, even when they don't extend us the same courtesy. Perhaps especially then. Be the change you wish to see in the world.

"Why don't people believe BJYXSZD?" should never be asked in a way that implies that anyone who doesn't is stupid or blind. And I'm saying that as someone who's guilty of doing that all the time. No one is obligated to dig into the evidence, and no one is obligated to believe.

There are a LOT of turtles who don't believe, either, and they're still turtles and they still love and support GGDD and still bring a lot of great value to this fandom. If we can accept them, surely we can come to terms with the fact that solos don't believe, either.

PS] Just one thing I wanted to reply to that didn't get posted from your ask - there is definitely no world in which solos believe that they were once a couple and broke up. There may be a rare person out there who fits that description, but the vast majority of solos don't believe that their idol is gay or has had any kind of a romantic relationship with the other one. A huge percentage of them are extremely homophobic or at least heteronomative.

[vaporwavedoggie]

Hello yes, I'm going to rant on tumblr dot com about my religion and what true Christianity is and should be

I promise you this is just me getting my message out there and trying to get through to more.. hateful Christians hopefully

Alright so. I understand there are many interpretations of The Bible. Let's start off with the whole "Lgbt+ folks are evil and ungodly" shit.

Do yourself a favor and look up the original Latin translation of the Bible. You know, the one that has all those books removed?

Yes yes, so the original translation didn't originally talk about homosexuality, it talked about men... sleeping with boys. That's right babey, the Bible originally said being a pedo is a sin, not two guys fuckin.

And nowhere in the Bible does it say being trans is a sin ahahhahah

And here's a little thought experiment for you: even if it WAS a sin, you know what else is considered a sin in The Bible? Eating pork and wearing mixed fabrics. I'm not Google, look this shit up yourself.

So are yall REALLY going to pick and choose what sins people are allowed to do?? And ignore the MAIN MESSAGES OF THE BIBLE?? You know, "love thy neighbor", how only God can judge you and you shouldn't just anyone else bc you know, you're not God...

So imo what I've realized being a Christian is. A lot of Christians aren't focused on spreading the teachings of Jesus. They're focused on pushing a political agenda and personal beliefs in the name of God

They're focused on having a power trip and putting other people down. If they were TRULY focused on the teachings of the Bible, they'd accept EVERYONE REGARDLESS OF WHO THEY ARE. Hell, Jesus was friends with prostitutes and the homeless. He didn't judge anyone

He just spread his word and his word was a message of kindness. Interpret The Bible how you will, but do you really think Jesus or God would want you to hate your fellow brother in his name? To wish harm or death upon anyone else just because you don't agree with their lifestyle?

True Christianity focuses on spreading love. I'm so out of touch with many Christians because I don't believe in hate. I don't believe in judging, because the Bible literally says not to judge anyone when you have sinned yourself. And everyone ever has sinned.

And when I tell people I'm Christian, I have to go into my beliefs because many are afraid that like most, I don't accept anyone and I'll spread blind hate. Which isn't how it should be. Hell I'm LGBT+ myself. It's pretty fucking sad that there are so many Christians that spread hateful rhetoric that nowadays, when you tell people you're Christian, they have to question whether or not you'll harm/judge them. Which isn't how it should be at all. This isn't the message Jesus wanted to spread.

So tl;dr: regardless of if you're LGBT, a sex worker, a drug addict, homeless, whatever the hell you are, God loves you and accepts you, as he does all his children. I understand if you have religious trauma and I won't push my religion down your throat

But in MY version of Christianity, my God is a loving God. I don't talk about my religion much but I'm tired of seeing hateful Christians. I promise you not all of us are like that, and regardless of your lifestyle I fucking love and accept you and won't judge you no matter what

My tumblr is a safe space for yall. All walks of life are welcome here. You are loved. And not just because it's what The Bible taught me, but it's because this is the message I believe with all my heart and will continue to spread.

I love you!! Rant over

[theconstitutionisgayculture]

I really, really wish everyone on the right would stop pretending certain people are awesome and on our side and everything they've ever done has been good actually just because they do one or two things that are pretty cool now.

This is mostly about Tulsi Gabbard, who despite being pro-government healthcare, pro-DACA, pro-Green New Deal, and pro-gun control, among other positions we wouldn't accept from people who have actually run as Republicans, is being turned into some kind of populist right wing hero just because she calls out the extreme left sometimes and left the Democrat party.

But it's also about Mel Gibson, who is apparently part of a group that stops human trafficking (which is good, if true), which means some people are now trying to pretend he's been using his movies and his public statements to expose truths and fight for freedoms forever, when mostly he's just been going on drunken anti-semitic rants.

It also applies to a lesser degree to people like James Gunn, who has about 30 tweets joking about being a pedophile but because he calls out cancel culture after being fired for five minutes because of those tweets he's suddenly based. Or Chris Pratt*, who has never publicly spoken about his political beliefs on anything, but because he's publicly religious and didn't want to film a campaign ad for Biden, we assume he's a secret right wing Hollywood guy and it's "safe" to watch his movies.

I'm not saying we shouldn't admire or respect someone for doing a good deed or supporting a righteous cause. Far from it. One of my other problems with the right is, paradoxically, how they'll sometimes cast someone who is right 99% of the time away like they're stale bathwater because they did something we don't agree with once. That kind of attitude doesn't win anyone over to our side. But that's also my point. We're way more willing to put horribly imperfect leftists (or potential leftists) on a pedestal just because they're on "our side" once or twice, while we demand ideological perfection from anyone we already think is with us at all times. Keep perspective. I know Trump worked out really well for us, but populism and populist euphoria, while at least somewhat necessary to politics these days, is a dangerous thing to indulge in too much. It's how you end up with cults of personality around people who end up destroying movements.

*So Chris Pratt doesn't really fit into the theme of this post, but I wanted to put him here anyway because it startled me how quickly people went from "He's just another Marvelshit actor" to "OMG he's just like us!" It's disturbing because, A, we don't know what his beliefs are and it's weird to assign him ours just because we like one thing he was public about, and B, because it shouldn't matter what his beliefs are. We rightfully disdain Hollywood and the culture it breeds and the people who thrive in that culture, but the moment a Hollywood lifer says something that even remotely sounds like they might not be left of Stalin we freak out and start acting like twitter stans? Come on, guys. Don't worship celebrity. And don't be so quick to assign virtue to people who have never publicly shown it. Someone at Chris Pratt's level, if he is truly "on our side", should be using their money and influence to do something about it besides going to church and mentioning God every so often. If someone from Hollywood shows up publicly at the March For Life, or publicly donates to a reputable pro-2A advocacy group, or does something like pay the legal bills of the Jan 6 political prisoners, that's who I'll respect and praise. But just not publicly being a raging leftist shouldn't be enough to get us creaming in our pants.

[queerprayers]

I’m struggling with my faith right now for like.. ideological, ethical reasons. Even though I know loving Jesus=/=cosigning everything my fellow christians do its just been rough. I havent prayed in some time, theres this distance thats awkward to make steps to mend. I miss that feeling I had before when I was super certain of my faith, its hard to rebuild it.. I’d like it if you pray for me, cuz I feel like you’d get where I’m coming from

I do get where you're coming from, beloved. You've been in my prayers. I'm so sorry it's been so long.

It's understandable and even necessary to be cautious of what other Christians do and believe, it always has been. There will always be people who abuse in the name of religion, and with ideas as big and diverse as the ones Christianity has, there will always be some who hold harmful ones. I commend you for thinking and dealing with these issues--it is much better to struggle on this subject than to ignore it.

There is no perfect community. Any communal belief or action with our fellow humans can and will result in harm. Any political group, or organization, or even book club, has the capacity for conflict and harm. The bigger a community or set of beliefs is, the more capacity for harm. We cannot let this prevent us from living in community with each other, though. We cannot hold out for the perfect group of people--there isn't one. We also have to be careful of the urge to leave everything and create our own community. "Well, my local communist group has some problematic people in it so I'm gonna start my own." "Someone in my religion is racist, so I'm gonna start my own." This isn't how we build community. It can be necessary, but it should not be our first choice.

Everyone has a line with this. Everyone has to investigate current harm and problematic people/organizations and past mistakes and make our own decisions. There are bigoted people who attend my church: for some people, this would be reason enough to leave, I know that. And someday I probably will--I do hope to attend a more affirming church in the future. But what do I do with the community I've been given while I'm a part of it? I extend a welcome to broken, flawed people, and try to help them heal. This is my choice, and not one anyone should be forced into, but I do believe it's my duty.

You have to find your line. You have to decide what communities are worth trying to change, and which should be abandoned. You have to find the courage to leave, or the courage to stay--both are hard.

Re: your other point: rebuilding a relationship with faith is complicated. I would urge you to remember a few things. I completely understand missing what you had, but you don't have to get back there. You might not be able to. You will hopefully regain some of things you had, but you'll also probably end up somewhere completely different. You had that certainty, and now you have this struggle, and wherever you'll be next, you'll bring all these things with you. Don't be discouraged if your faith doesn't look it did before. It doesn't have to and maybe it shouldn't. Grow past this struggle, don't go back to before you struggled. Don't pretend you didn't experience this. This matters, as much as it hurts. Don't rebuild exactly what you had, because it's probably not where you will flourish now. Build something bigger, something more able to handle this struggle. If our faith falls apart (which is natural and even necessary), it means we need something. If we keep rebuilding the same thing over and over, we shouldn't be surprised that it isn't strong enough. Even if it was right for us at one point, it isn't anymore.

An awkward distance from God is so real. It's like ghosting a friend: is it weird to respond to this text four months later? It's also like me with my inbox: well, this ask wishing me a happy Ascension week is still unanswered. What do I do now? The answer, in both cases, is: yeah, it might be weird, but reaching out is the right thing to do. If you haven't prayed in ages, it can be scary, and it feels like there's no way to bridge that gap. I have some good (and also maybe scary) news, though: you are the same distance from God as you've always been. Sometimes I use the language of being closer to/farther away from God, but what I think I mean is, how aware we are of God, and how close to God's will for us are we. Because the truth is, we can't run away from God. There is no distance. God is in us, around us, with us. I believe you--you feel an awkward distance, and you can't feel God with you. But God doesn't feel that. Unlike the friends I ghost, God doesn't feel a distance, or awkwardness. They miss talking with you, but They're right there. You just have to say hi (if you'll forgive the informality of that advice).

Anyway, this may be a bit much for one prayer request, I think. But my point is: where you are is familiar to me, and so I know you can move on from it. God is there, exactly where They were when you felt close to Them. Here's my prayer for you:

God, keep this person close. Help them feel your presence; bring them back to you. Hear their prayers, even if they're awkward or distant or halting. Grant them the patience and forgiveness to be part of community. Give us all the courage to repent of our religion's sins, and the ability to do the work of reconciliation and rebuilding. Amen.

<3 Johanna

P.S. If you need a place to start, go to the Psalms. They've always been there for me. They've got a particular desperation to some of them that I'm partial to.

[ancientgoddessofegypt]

hi, what are your thoughts on bml (taurus, 7th house) square jupiter (10th house, in leo) and quintile pluto (3rd h)? it also squares my moon..

thanks in advance <3

Taurus 7th BML: An individual who is sensual, charasmatic, THE TRUTH, the way.. the light.. im not just saying that as a compliment it just is what it is.

7 house bml deals with a lot of stares, gossip and unwanted attention. you may be used to fights or people nit picking at you from the way you dress, be yourself and sovereignity. people make use you for their own benefit so be mindful. be aware of your circumstances because not everything is what is seems.

the spot light is necessary for your growth. get comfortable with others looking to you for support, inspiration, and desire. you can make money off your looks alone. naomi campbell did it (she has this in her 7th), so why cant you?

you have a special star quality about you that is unique to those around you. they dont know what it is but it doesnt matter. so just strut your stuff and be a 'mean' girl if need be. people test you to see if you are anyways, why not give them what they ask? they'll respect you in the long run.

the square to jupiter in the tenth could be your beliefs and self expression could be a little different from the outer world. people may look up to you but they can also despise you. the 7th house is the house of enemies so the square makes the envy more prominent. this shouldn't alarm you though, they hate will bring you up to the spotlight even more. so nothing to worry about.

jupiter in leo shows a persona whos good on camera as well as in first view. people look to you and see a big aura and gravitate to you much easier than most. you could be a star if you just try. dont forget to look to yourself as the royalty that you are. your beliefs need to express your love for yourself and your ability to be great. you have a tendency to each others to be themselves (square to 7th) and the world could love you for it, however close friends, business partners or family could have a problem with this powerhouse of an energy you may have. inspiration still ticks at peoples wounds, never forget that.

You can be well known in whatever it is you wish, just be careful what you wish for. cause you just might get it.

the quintile to pluto is a special talent. your speech and the way you write and attract people of all walks of life wanting to hear what you have to say with passion and rigor. you're an energy cleanser with the way you speak with so much freedom. never hold back how you feel and don't think about respectability politics because your gift is in the way you allow yourself to speak through the pain, traumua, or whatever it is you hold bare to your heart. what ever you leave hidden can be absorbed by others through your poetic words. adding this with the moon aspect, we will love to analyze what you say and find more pieces to the puzzle that you didn't put there because people will love to just getting to know you and feeling as if they connect to you. this can also

[lanaroslin]

9 Life Lessons from Ayn Rand

Ayn Rand - American writer and philosopher. The founder of the philosophical system called "objectivism". She is known as the author of "The Fountainhead" and "Atlas Shrugged".

Use reason in everything. "There are no evil thoughts except one; the refusal to think". One of the main pillars of objectivism is absolute reason. Just wishing for something to happen is not enough. Stop following such superstitions (religions, other unfounded beliefs) would make your life simpler, more rooted in reality and more successful.

Be selfish. "Man - every man - is an end in himself, not a means to the ends of others". There is no contradiction between following your interests and helping others. The problem is that we often act against our own interests and wishes. Stop sacrificing yourself for others if those activities are of no benefit for you; if you don't fell any pleasure in doing them.

Follow your own values. "Value presupposes a standard, a purpose and the necessity of action in the face of an alternative". Rational selfishness = your main duty should be towards yourself. The duty of a man is to do what he wishes as long as his wish does not depend primarily on other men; don't limit the freedom of others. You should not be condemned if you do nothing; you are not morally obliged in any way to save them. Whatever your moral values are, follow them in anything you do even when it is not always in your immediate self interest.

Don't play the victim. "Evil requires the sanction of the victim". You cannot demand others to give up their lives to make you happy; nor should one wish to sacrifice one's self for the happiness of others. It makes no sense to play victim to denigrate yourself on order to gain sympathy or love from others. What we expect from others influences how others respond to us. Don't stay stuck in a role given by others; don't offer the permission to anyone to make you feel isolated or feel like a victim.

Develop your self-esteem. The more we use reason in life, the more self-esteem we can have. When you don't have the courage to fight for what you want to achieve in life you will lose your self-esteem. First try building your confidence on rational grounds, by analyzing your skills first; accept yourself for who you are.

Be honest. "There are no white lies, there is only the blackest of destruction, and a white lie is the blackest of all". Honestly is the recognition of the fact that you cannot fake existence. To lie, in any form means to sell ourselves short. To avoid lying shouldn't be because you are afraid of punishment in the afterlife; it is so easy to lose ourselves, to sell ourselves. Our emotions are programmed by the way we reason, sometimes the way we reason is faulty = we need to analyze often the way we reason, the way we think. The white lie is a lie about a small or unimportant matter that someone tells to avoid hurting another person. Be honest and your life will become simpler, more authentic, the relationships with other people will improve.

Earn your money honourably. "The man who damns money has obtained it dishonorably; the man who respects it has earned it". Ayn Rand viewed capitalism as the only political-economic system compatible with her philosophy; system based in respect for human beings as ends in themselves, not as means. Everyone should earn their money in an honorable way, we all need to give our moral respect to a society which was built across so many generations = work for companies and projects that we can be proud of, to pay our taxes and be a good citizens. Earn your money honorably and you will live an honorable life you can be proud of.

Never give up. "Don't even give up what you want in life. The struggle is worth it". We all have a hero inside us who is able to overcome any difficulty, we just have to trust that we can reach the world we desire through our own efforts. Think of the moment as a test that you need to pass.

Always keep growing. "What greater wealth is there than to own your life and to spend it on growing?". in order to avoid suffering in this constantly changing world, we need to constantly evolve, learn more about the right principles, upgrade our guidance system. We need to continue to grow in order to keep our mind and spirit fresh and healthy, and to fell that every day we are growing into better human beings.

[weemietime]

(1) I never attribied those belifise to you because of you being Jewish, I attribied them to you because you rebloged that post and the "Who starts war, who wins" post

(2) 4th post was mistyped and what I meant was "so should tel Avi be in ruble..." which is why I never clarified that was talking about the Israeli right wing and not you

(3) Martyrdom is very tied to Palestinian nationalism, Islam, and Islamist ideology and with Hamas being a Palestinian Islamist group that will be shown in full force, which is bad some parts of Muslim culture is bad and that is one of them

(4) "To me not saying this is what you are saying" it was a joke I know your not saying the children yearn for the bombs, I'm sorry if that was lost in text

1. I think it's a good policy to adopt that you shouldn't conflate everything someone reblogs with being 100% what they believe. Not everyone uses Tumblr like that.

If I didn't say the words myself, or I didn't reblog with "I agree with everything here," then I don't intend to endorse 100% of everything I reblog. I typically reblog things that I generally agree with or that contain good pieces of information.

That being said I can understand why the initial question was asked, since I did reblog it, which is why I clarified my own beliefs in my answer to your very first question and explained that those words didn't match my real opinions.

2. I get you. I don't think civilians should be targeted for things their government does, no matter who it is. I do not agree with pretty much anything that comes out of the Israeli right wing and I consider most of them to be lunatics.

That being said, I have a more nuanced understanding of the Israeli psyche because I know the context under which a lot of these beliefs are developed. I am sure you would say something similar for how Palestinians are radicalized into supporting Hamas or similar groups.

3. I completely agree.

4. Oh yeah, I got that it was a joke, I am just not very funny lolol. But I just wished to clarify my actual opinions on this as well so there is no room for doubt. I am a moderate on Israeli politics and a pretty far leftist in general politics.

So generally I want to be clear that I don't support warfare of any kind, even though I am more on the Israeli "side,"--(I view this terminology as somewhat reductive as really, it's the civilians of both sides who are losing) as I do not believe Israel started this conflict--I think it's a shanda when any child dies and I hold Israel responsible for when it fails to discriminate between a civilian and a combatant.

5) (to your next ask) Yes I can understand your statements very well, with the exception of the rubble one, but you clarified that in a way that I understood. Your spelling and English is very good! I commend your ability to hold conversations like this in a second language. My own capacity to speak my secondary languages is not as good as yours!

[alwek]

Spiders In My Head: Identity

We've been debating with ourself recently if we want to attach our professional persona to this blog. Our face isn't attached to either, so it's not like it'll change anything other than our professional name will be attached to this blog.

I don't forsee it changing the way I do anything here. The other persona follows the same philosophies that this blog does. I will be me, and nothing else. But who, or what, is me?

The persona I would be attaching here is a musician. And also a youtuber don't fucking at me. I like to entertain. What can I say? I recently finished writing the first few songs I want to release before my EP. Only one of the 4 songs has nothing to do with beliefs and is just a party song, but isn't that still also me?

We made this blog as a way to be stupid, abrasive, reactionary, and volatile. As a way to practice interacting in the real world. As a way to figure out who I am. To send myself out into the world and see what people think. To put my ideas into practice, to explore myself, ourself, to mingle and open up about our pastimes and share tidbits of life. To explore everything that could possibly make up "me."

I've been question my identity as trans again recently. I know absolutely I will continue to do HRT, I love the things it's doing to me, and the way it makes me feel about my body, but it still feels weird to call myself transgender. I want to look like a woman. I want tits, but I also really like my cock. I don't mind it, it's nice, feels kinda right to have in a way my flat chest never did. Then I always remember my expirences with the intersex community. How I always felt jealous that they got to be like that, how I envied the fleshy situations they had. I remember telling a couple of them that, and how weird they thought it was.

I always liked the idea of being both. And to find out that it was something you *could* be, I wanted to be that too. Gender sucks, let me be freaky with it, ya know? But is that something you can transition to? Would I be stepping on things I shouldn't be by saying I want to identify as intersex? Or is that specifically a biological birth thing? But then what is transitioning if not changing your sex? Wouldn't stopping half way be stopping at an intersex junction of some kind? But then all this opens up the argument of how much are people "allowed" to change their biology. What constitutes unchangeable biology? Does it even fucking matter when it doesn't hurt anyone?

I want to be famous for my music. I want to be able to talk about my music here. I want to be intersex. I want to be left to do to myself what I wish. I want to be seen. I want to build something, a community, a culture, something! But I suppose that's a different bug.

It's hard to build an identity when you have an identity disorder. I've always liked the in-between options, it's like, fuck your dichotomy, my mere existence disproves it, so just let me do what I want. What do I want? I don't really know. To be happy in my flesh, I guess.

I like my cock. I like my new tits and can't wait for them to get bigger. I don't want to be a man or woman. I don't want to be both or neither. I just want to be happy. And all these identity politics just sound so terribly fucking stupid.

[officialtayley]

i'm sorry but the amount of crazy takes i've seen on this topic is insane. while i'm pro-palestine i'm also very aware that every activism is selective because there is no way you can address every tragic and injustice happening in the world. because this conflict gets so much coverage some expect every public person to come out and say something about this particular issue. notice no one ask paramore about their stance on situation in yemen or about sharing sources to help people there… like their lives are worth less than palestinians or jewish people or ukrainian people, and barely anyone talks about them. people dare to say that them not speaking up about this particular thing makes all things they've done in activism as unauthentic even some say "marketing tactic". no, activism is not black or white. no, you should not erase or discount their efforts to for example support minorities (i can't believe how many people try to do it... saying they won't care about anything activism-related paramore will do in the future as to them it just won't matter) because they're silent about global conflict which they historically never talk about… frankly these kind of opinions are more ignorant about what's happening in the world cuz it makes it feel like this is the only thing in the world that deserves attention. being political and making political statements during shows or via music or via their social does not equal having to speak up on every issue that people want them to, it means you speak up when you have capacity and you have strong views and beliefs and you feel like you have something meaningful to say and your voice does matter in this whole thing. i'll say one personal thing - i do what is in my capacities to help palestinian people but as i live close to ukraine so the war there hit me really hard as some of my closest friends were stuck there. while every tragic makes me feel just so terrible as i'm just very empathetic person but that time i could actually go and help trying to make a difference that shows, right? because in this case i repost stuff, i donate but i don't see a direct impact on these people, unfortunately all i see is more innocent people being killed. so to the point - i helped organizing refugees' situation in my country and even despite the fact there were times when we really struggled with money/other resources to help these people i never in my mind i had a thought that i wish paramore had posted a donation link.

and i get what you're saying, but tbh it just goes to shows that when it comes to worldwide things it's very selective. i get we tend to care more about what happens in our own countries or continents as we are closer to it and it absolutely then means it gets 10x more coverage too, but i think the main issue is that when you make using your platform a very big part of who you are and what you stand for then actually maybe you should be trying to speak up for more than just idk what happens in the US. your activism shouldn't just stick to your home country. they want to act like they're aware of global issues and yet very, very rarely speak up about ANY. no one is wishing they'd throw up a donation link, but i think people are just tired of their silence, not just on this particular thing, rather many things and eventually it builds and this is what's making people sort of become annoyed. i also don't agree it means their activism in the past has been for marketing, i think they absolutely meant it, people are just frustrated.

[asmrelaxs-blog]

What does "discourse free" indicate? What is your opinion on [discourse] What is a "prompting inquiry?"

Discussion free means I WILL NOT be associated with any type of kind of discussion based on politics or ideas, whether that is reblogging articles involved with politics or answering asks connecting to them. A "provoking inquiry" is something that would certainly lead me to opening up a discussion worrying politics or ideas. If you have actually sent in an ask that I have actually not addressed, as well as it was something along these lines, that is why I overlooked it. If for some reason you truly require to ask me an inquiry like this, ask it off anon so I can answer it privately Asmr Nazerke. I never recognized how screwed up Tumblr was when I initiated my open plan. I do not have time to experience my fans and also obstruct every person I do not concur with, and despite how I specify my beliefs, someone will certainly be mad. It is best to maintain myself totally eliminated from it in order to preserve a cool blog. This blog site is literally just for relaxation. That being said, in one of the most vague terms I can perhaps muster, I will block blogs made for inciting violence against others. This shouldn't be a shock. It's common modesty. TLDR: This blog is except talking about viewpoints, starting battles, or spreading out hate of any kind of kind. I desire this blog site to stay a discourse complimentary location for relaxation. This is made to be a refuge for everyone. As well as in order to preserve that security, I will certainly obstruct anybody trying to incite physical violence (if I catch them. I can not see whatever). Everybody rates right here no matter age, race, gender, sexual orientation, or faiths, however reveal hate as well as violence will certainly not be tolerated!

Less major, extra basic inquiries:

Is this a stim blog?

My initial intent for this blog site is to be based upon ASMR, however I reblog as well as comply with numerous stim blog sites, as preferred stim audios and also ASMR triggers have a tendency to overlap with one another, and also because there are not many active or quality ASMR blogs on Tumblr. I am completely fine with those who stim utilizing this blog site to do so as well as it is urged! Because I am new to the concept of stimming, I do not desire to insert myself in the community with limited expertise.

Do you make moodboards or stimboards?

No, I am sorry yet I do not. Not just do I have no suggestion how to make those, but I feel like they make blogs looked jumbled. There are many various other blogs around that would be happy to take your request, though!

How usually do you publish/ how active are you?

My line up is presently set to once a day.

Do you use trigger warnings?

Yes, I have a list of the various trigger as well as web content cautions here. Thanks to the brand-new tumblr filtering system, we can all stay clear of points we do not wish to see, also on mobile!

Are you open up for requests?

I'll have the whether I remain in the summary and generally the ask box will certainly be identified with a yes or no.

Why do your old messages have the headphone () or swirl () emoji on them?

I made use of to make use of these emojis as a fast shorthand as to exactly how each article should be appreciated. The earphone emoji implies the post needs to be paid attention to, and the swirl means it must only be seen.

Why you don't utilize you the emojis anymore?

I just thought it looked irritating eventually. If you reblog my old messages you can delete the emoji enhancements SO LONG as the subtitle does not additionally debt a resource. ASMR BASICS:

What is ASMR?

ASMR represents Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, which is a feeling of leisure or calm, that can be produced by certain audios, visuals, or experiences. An everyday instance can be obtaining your hair brushed, that makes you feel tranquil and sluggish, or listening to ocean waves as well as sensation unwinded by it. Some individuals can additionally really feel tingles along with the experiences of calm, but not every person who enjoy ASMR have felt it before, so it is not required.

What are "Triggers?" I believed those were bad things?

In ASMR, the word "activates" is used in a positive feeling and also describes the certain sounds or sensations that cause a person to loosen up and/or obtain tingles. Popular sets off consist of crunchy noises, light clicky or crinkly audios, soft talked/ murmuring noises, white sound audios (such as ear cleansing or mics being lightly combed), and also eating sounds. ~ ABOUT ME: ~.

Who are you?

You can call me Bex if you want. I am 23 years of ages and also pass she/her pronouns. , if you are a small and my age makes you uneasy do not hesitate to inform me as well as I will certainly unfollow you and/or you can block me. .

What is your major blog?

If you are interested in following me there, my major blog site is bextheboo. I upload memes and shitposts primarily. Sometimes the humor obtains grown-up, so if you're younger then you have been alerted. I additionally have a food blog site if you're like me as well as enjoy food photos, it's called hungry-tummy if you're interested!

Why do you make use of ASMR?

I use ASMR to soothe my anxiousness. It places me into a sleepy and very calm mind state where I feel risk-free and loosened up. Often I utilize it to help me drop off to sleep, although I frequently wind up getting tangled up in my headphones or having strange desires from subconsciously listening to all of it evening long.

Have you ever before obtained "Tingles"?

Yes I have! My really first tingles were from the sound of two screw brushes (mascara brushes) having their bristles scrubed together from a video clip that has actually since been deleted, unfortunately. I feel tingles on the back of my head, in an area to the left somehow. If you've never ever obtained tingles, then do not worry, everyone is various! Some individuals evidently just do not feel them which's totally all right, they do not happen really usually for me, but that doesn't make paying attention to ASMR any type of less delightful. The objective of paying attention to it is to loosen up and be calm. Yet do not hesitate of branching off and also attempting brand-new kinds of ASMR to locate your triggers! I didn't assume I would certainly appreciate consuming noises or inaudible murmurs, however I really do! That being stated, in the most vague terms I can potentially summon, I will certainly block blogs made for inciting physical violence versus others. I desire this blog site to remain a discourse cost-free place for relaxation. My original intent for this blog is to be based on ASMR, yet I reblog and also comply with numerous stim blog sites, as prominent stim sounds and also ASMR activates tend to overlap with one another, as well as since there are not lots of energetic or high quality ASMR blogs on Tumblr. I am entirely great with those who stim using this blog to do so and also it is urged! Not only do I have no concept exactly how to make those, but I really feel like they make blog sites looked jumbled.

[journalbynics]

A voter's perception (Election 2022)

After keeping my calm during the campaign period and staying away from political tweets every day for my inner peace, I honestly had enough after seeing the disappointing results wherein candidates with questionable backgrounds were leading.

Due to this, my perception of people I know who voted for those candidates is tainted. I cannot fathom how they still root for the obviously unqualified personalities than those with so many qualifications for the jobs. I unfriended many Facebook friends including my relatives and can't help but hold a grudge against them. I mean, how can they be so blinded? Yes, we should follow the government but if we see something wrong, we're the ones who should stand up and tell them they made a mistake.

We shouldn't tolerate them. Yes, everybody has a chance but if they refuse to change and be accountable, why should we trust them?

When the opposition side is already celebrating and mocking us for who we support, that's just mean.

When we're campaigning they said, we should focus on our own candidate and stop accusing theirs. (tho, that's just stating facts)

Now that they're winning, how come they're so focused on our losing candidate and mocking us?

What a bullshit. Anyway, I know supporters have differences too. Some really went out of line but in the end, I'm proud that I'm not.

I never called anyone 'bobo' or 'tanga'. Just blind and close-minded, because they really are even if they are presented with facts and evidence.

I wish people learn to have a long patience and think first before saying things. But honestly, I kinda understand their anger and tiredness of explaining when the other party's not even exerting effort to explain issues. That's not fair but we should remember...

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, but lose his soul?" -Mark 8:36”

We should be educated and well-mannered at the same time.

Maybe I'm too emotional

But your apathy is like a wound in salt

Maybe I'm too emotional

Or maybe you never cared at all 🎵

As I am unfriending on Facebook, I wonder about the views of my closest friends. I'm aware some of them shared the same beliefs that I have. Some, I have no idea. They never shared their opinion. Just that they know they are privileged. I admire their honesty but I wish they also made the right choice or at least took even a little time to know the candidates even if they're mostly busy. I admit that I didn't speak up a lot about my candidates publicly before as well. (I just believe I could do more to improve myself on my own too.) But just like my opening statement, I've had enough. Silence speaks a lot too. I just really wish they gave a hint about their beliefs too. I understand that they are scared somebody would question them but what are they afraid of if they feel confident about who they support? (I may have been silent during the campaign period but elections are the most relevant time to speak up. And I hope they did.) Their silence is really more confusing that it lets me down a little bit too.

Speaking up about political matters on Twitter exhausts me too because there's too much tension. I also feel like tweeting something is so easy and I don't have enough time to process everything. Through Tumblr, I think I found the safest platform for me to speak politically. This doesn't end here.

"Walang nasayang, Hindi tayo nabigo, Ang pinakamahalaga, Hindi pa tayo tapos, Nagsisimula palang tayo." - VP Leni Robredo

[rosemary-is-in-pesterquest]

ooh! I have thoughts on Eridan!

okay so, to me, Eridan ties into this thing that homestuck has going on with a lot of its more morally grey characters... the question of how responsible young people are for their negative qualities and actions, and where the age threshold for personal responsibility is.

the characters in homestuck all straddle this line between being young enough to consider them victims of the forces that influence them, while also old enough to understand what they're doing and how it affects others... especially because a lot of these kids come off as really smart for their age, and very precocious. we've all been through phases in our lives that make us cringe, not because we're ashamed of something harmless, but because we recognize that we had absorbed something harmful, and took longer than we wish we had to unlearn it. it could be as simple as being kind of a jerk in a misguided attempt to seem cool, or as dramatic as actually hurting someone in an attempt to remedy one's own insecurities by putting down others to seem better by comparison... but how far can you push that before people aren't willing to forgive? before people abandon the notion that better guidance and more appropriate role models could reform someone? and it's especially interesting when you consider how old homestuck's core audience might've been when they first encountered this story, and how it affected their perception of the characters if they saw them as peers, rather than as children from an adult's perspective.

so to talk about Eridan, I wanna frame this in terms of his classpect, because it actually goes a long way towards contextualizing his behavior. Eridan is a prince of hope, meaning that he destroys hope or uses hope to destroy... and this can be seen in practically every conversation he has. if Eridan is contacting someone, it is because he expects something of them. advice, or consolation, or a solution to a problem he's having... it's always something. when he contacts Kanaya, he wants her to auspistize between him and Vriska. when he contacts Feferi, he wants her to give him encouragement, and maybe date him when he asks. and in every case, the way he demands these things by being rude, whiny, or self pitying, makes people reluctant or unwilling to give him what he expects. he destroys what he hopes to obtain.

it goes deeper than that though. Eridan has absorbed this ideology of sea dweller superiority from living on Alternia... and he actually takes it way farther than it even makes sense to. the aristocracy on Alternia use the lower class for all sorts of menial work that they feel entitled not to have to do themselves. they might have the ability to freely cull individual low bloods for any reason, but eradicating all land dwelling trolls would leave a lot of unpleasant yet necessary tasks with no one to do them. I don't think Eridan actually wants to live in a reality where sea dwellers have to pick up the slack of doing things like sanitation work, or construction or something... but another concept that is heavily tied to the hope aspect is delusion. Eridan is exaggerating. he's trying to agree with Alternia's ruthless class structure so hard that it's actually kind of absurd. but Feferi calls him on that... she says she thinks that he self sabotages on purpose. because he knows, at least in some capacity, that the consequences of getting what he "wants" would actually be really uncomfortable to live with.

so not only is Eridan's goal to destroy... it is also a false goal that he constantly undermines. and all of his waffling between grandstanding and self pity destroys his romantic prospects, which are what he actually seems to want the most.

if you look at the way Eridan pursues relationships, he actually makes a lot of logical sense, but not a lot of emotional sense. he's idealized the act of perfectly filling the relationship requirements of each quadrant. he wants Feferi to be his matesprit, which is purely based on the fact that she's high enough on the hemospectrum to be an appropriate match in terms of status. he wants Vriska to be his kismesis, and Kanaya to be their auspistice, and there are hints that Karkat might've been someone he was considering for moiraillegience, though it wasn't emphasized as much. and there you go! his goal is specific, but it's based more on ideals than on the actual needs and feelings of the people involved, and it's totally self centered... he always wants them to cater to his own needs. the reason why he gets as nihilistic as he does on the meteor, is because all of his endeavors to achieve these relationships are falling through. he feels like he has no hope of mending his existing connections, because he still only sees them in terms of people either giving him, or not giving him, what he wants. but the rest of their race is dead. as the last twelve trolls in existence, they only have each other as romantic options. and as Eridan gets more and more desperate, he gets more and more demanding, which is the exact quality that drives everyone away from him to begin with, and it culminates in him having a "if I can't have what I want then nobody can have any of their hopes either" meltdown.

to backtrack a bit, I wanna reconsider questions such as, when is a kid old enough to be held responsible for their own negative qualities? like... when are you comfortable with ceasing to blame environmental factors? when are they just a bad person? is it after they've refused a certain number of chances to make better choices? when do they reach an age, or level of bad behavior, that makes you think they can't be helped to reform from these negative qualities? where does an adult lose their patience for the idea that a kid is just a victim of their upbringing?

obviously Feferi is Eridan's peer, but these are basically the questions she grapples with when she talks to Eridan. it's like growing up next door to a kid whose parents have some aggressively wrong-headed political stances. as you grow, that kid might mirror their parents' way of thinking... and by the time the two of you are in your teens, it's hard to ignore how much of a jerk that kid is becoming. but you've seen them at every step of their development. you know where it comes from. maybe theirs is the dominant political belief in the community, even if your own parents aren't like that. maybe you wonder if you would've agreed with them if you grew up under their circumstances. you've felt the pressure, but you haven't lived in it like they have, and maybe if they just had the chance to grow up under different conditions, they wouldn't be this way. and you are aware that you could be an influence on them... maybe they need you to help them see another perspective. you always got along so well as kids. when did things even change? and that's kind of where I imagine Feferi is at when we're introduced to her and Eridan. it's a crossroads between believing that you might still matter enough to them to change their outlook, and the persistence of their ingrained beliefs. it's tiring to do that kind of work, over a long period of time, to minimal results. when is the appropriate time to give up? in this way, Feferi's own hopes for Eridan fade over time. she says at one point that she was mainly acting as his moirail so he wouldn't try to underfeed her lusus and kill the land dwellers that way. she's not sure how serious he is, and she can't take that risk. deep down, I'm pretty sure Eridan knew he was never actually going to commit a genocide... but his need to grandstand, and legitimate belief in his caste superiority, had convinced Feferi enough that she still felt obligated to manage him as though he was a real threat.

these characters are thirteen years old. they're right at the edge of childhood and adolescence... right at the age where children aren't quite so innocent. they want to assert themselves. they aren't mature, so there's a lot of responsibility that they still shouldn't be trusted with yet, but they've become aware enough to feel like that's demeaning, and to want to be taken seriously. in an effort to make people acknowledge them without looking down on them, they'll try just about anything. they don't have the experience to know what they're doing yet, so it doesn't always work in their favor, and that's frustrating. you can see bits and pieces of this in homestuck's characters. like with the way they try to paint themselves as an authority on something, or shit talk each other in order to emphasize their own strengths. it's a really interesting theme, because homestuck pushes some of these young characters really far in terms of how bad the things they've done can be, or how much their lived experiences have taught them that what they're doing is acceptable. they can be really self aware in some ways, and come off as really childish in others. it's hard to know what you'd do about them in real life... and your answer changes depending on your own age and perspective. it's a really cool gray area to poke around in, and homestuck is excellent at it.

wtf I like Eridan now

[dreamedfyre-a]

❝ My brother has many flaws, ❞ A gentler start to her disagreement, despite the ease with which Helaena would have affirmed he would never. Her belief in him has not waivered; whether or not that is clear judgment remains to be seen. Aemond had been her protector, or something so akin to it as to make no difference; he had failed her but once ( terribly, horribly, the night he hadn't been there to slay the assassins who sought his head, who had taken her son's instead ). Wild, unforgiving, dangerous — all that and more he had been called, not without reason. But to her he had been safety; Helaena does not wish to believe he would turn cruelty upon them. ❝ Yet I do not think he lacks loyalty to his family. Aemond wouldn't do that to you, however displeased with the situation he may be. ❞

The fear it would prove otherwise doesn't have the time to settle. Helaena may be plagued by the thought later, wonder just how had Aemond made mother so certain he would have her atone for her sins on the streets. Perhaps she will even consider confronting him directly; but for now, the matter is all but forgotten, mouth agape and eyes widened at the reveal of who the small council meant for mother to marry.

❝ Greyjoy? ❞ Indignation is colored by a thousand reasons to oppose it; reasons she holds her tongue before saying, every disagreement bitten back. The Iron Isles are too far, the Greyjoys don't keep to the Faith but rather to their Drowned God, they are allowed to take concubines, and isn't Dalton Greyjoy close to her age? Mother knows; she needs not to hear every reason why it would be a terrible match. Instead, Helaena offers, ❝ What of the Redwynes? Theirs is one of the most powerful fleets in the realm. ❞ And the Arbor is far from here but close to Oldtown. Not some island renowned for being harsh, and, more importantly, where her mother's faith may be as disdained as her ways and beliefs.

Silence overtakes, then, as mother struggles with her condition ( well attended, nonetheless; she needs not to call for the maid for her to be there, ready to help ). She thinks of Aemond, of punishment and cruel fates; shouldn't queens be more than mere bargaining chips?

A lesson already taught; a wife is not a son, a queen never as valuable as an heir. Women could be replaced; why not sold for political advantage, as well? Their lives are worth less; doesn't matter if the price is meant to be paid in blood or with their own bodies.

Violet eyes blink, attention returning to the Dowager Queen. Helaena smiles; not a happy smile, no — one filled with melancholy. ❝ I do not doubt your love. But is there wanting when one does not have a choice? ❞

I did not want any of my children. Heartless words from a heartless mother, but she bites it back. If indeed there had been any good in her heart, it had been carved from her chest the night they took Jaehaerys' head — the night she made a choice. Helaena loves them. Any price would have been paid for their safety, but she had not wanted them.

A fault her own, perhaps.

She can almost envy the freedom describe, and thinks mother does too. No weight of family name, no burden of the crown. No forced marriages, no children born from duty, no expectations to uphold. They will have a mother who loves them, who wants them, a father whose absence will never be lack of desire to be present.

This is what people should dream of, instead of wishing to be princesses and queens. Queens had to hold their son's lifeless body and pay for another's sins.

The light huff that meets mother's mention of her disappointment at Daeron's birth could almost be mirthful. She can't quite recall if any intended gifts had been taken back, but she does know she hadn't wanted another brother. Helaena misses him. Would that he was here.

( What a gift for treasuring that she did not initially want, brothers and sons alike. )

Even that softness fades at her mother's request, blood turning to ice inside her veins and making her go stiff. No. Head shakes with the word she won't yet say, denial fierce even before the former queen may finish her request. Dutifully had she fulfilled everything that was asked, everything, and once she would have taken to this, too, for duty and even more so for love — the love she bears for her lady mother, the love she bears for the father whose blood she does not carry, the love she will bear for the child born of their love.

But it isn't about love or duty. It's about the poison; hers, or that in their Targaryen blood, she cannot tell. Cursed, all of them, though her crime is greater. Even harsh Visenya had loved and protected her child, a man known for his cruelty; she cannot be trusted with caring for a child.

Had mother not seen how horribly she failed her own?

Nails dig upon her flesh, with the intensity of one who wishes to carve a path to the bone. She thinks of Jaehaerys, his mutilated body in her arms, his blood on her hands, and tears glisten in her eyes; she thinks of Maelor, little more than a babe, and the sword she had pointed at his neck, and Helaena feels sick. How could she care for any child after that?

❝ No, ❞ Refusal spoken at last, choked out, but firm. She shakes her head again, nails pressed deeper against the skin of her arms. ❝ No. I can't — you know that. ❞ Anyone else, anyone but me. If Ser Criston cannot, then uncle Gwayne, Daeron, Aemond, Aegon even; they are all better options. None of them would choose one of their children to die. A son for a son. Rhaenyra's son had been taken, but no one had made her choose which son to kill. Maybe she wouldn't have chosen, either. Maybe that rot belonged to Helaena alone.

❝ I can't. You can't trust me with that. Not me, least of all me. No. ❞

A soft, almost wistful sigh slips from her lips and Alicent gives her daughter a gentle smile. Though Helaena was oft thought to be the most gentle soul, the most innocent, the most KIND--her mother knew, better than anyone, that there was a FIRE in her daughter's blood. Something that no amount of Hightower blood could douse. And she wouldn't change it for the world.

"...Aegon may not, but Aemond would. I know that as soon as those VIPERS have convened in my absence--likely now, they will scramble to give your brother the regency. And he would order it to send a message to the others," she murmured, her free hand reaching up to clasp the pendant at her throat.

The seven-pointed star. The beacon of the faith she was in flagrant disregard of. Her nausea now mixes with zealous guilt. She would fast for a day in repentance.

"Lord Jasper proposed my hand to Lord Dalton Greyjoy to stymie the support of the Iron Islands. Ser Criston and I had been equally disgusted by the offer, but I suppose now I will be given no choice," Alicent explained quietly, her brows knitting together. She had hoped now that Viserys was dead that there would be little chance of being married off for political gain.

Unfortunately, she's now proven her continued fertility--it made for a powerful bargaining chip.

She leaned forward a little as a grasping sickness roiled in her belly, threatening to vomit. A maid scurried over with a pot and Alicent contemplated for a moment before the nausea passed and she waved the lady away, a hushed 'thanks' following behind her.

Helaena's observation wasn't made with accusation or malice, but the weight of it still hurt her mother. Alicent tilted her head to the side, leaning back against her chair as she pulls her blanket higher on her body. "I wanted you and your siblings, my dear girl--but it is...different this time," she admits, giving her daughter a final squeeze of her hand before it settles in her lap, palm resting over her womb.

"Before," she murmured, the ghosts of her past flickering on bloodless lips. "I had no choice. My duty was to provide HEIRS to the Targaryen dynasty...although it pleased your father to neglect his duties to my children. I had no joy in the act, no pleasure, no desire..."

Again, she feels almost guilty for disparaging her late husband. Especially now when she did crave his lucid wisdom as the war waged on.

"But I had you all. I felt you all stir and kick and MOVE and knew in my heart that you were mine--at least for the time."

Alicent bows her head and sighs, chewing on her lower lip. "This child is heir to NOTHING but the sins of its mother and father. And though this should fill me with dread, I...this child will be mine. Heart and soul. I do not have to share them with the crown, with the people. I do not have to share them with my father. They will be mine," she whispered, turning her head to gaze at her second-born.

Her lips turn up softly and she crinkles her nose a little, settling back in her seat. "You were incredibly disappointed that Daeron was a boy. I think you took the stone dragonfly that you had brought for him back," she recollects with a nostalgic smile. Alicent chuckles a little and sighs. "If anything happens to me, Helaena--I will entrust this babe to you. You are the only one I can trust to care for them. Ser Criston, though his heart may yearn to claim them--cannot. I trust you, my darling girl. You alone."

[mysticmistral]

I just beat Pokemon Sword, haven't started the DLC yet. Have some memes about one of my favorite characters.

Totally not based off of real life events.

Just my thoughts and opinions on the game below....

Bede deserves to have a good life not under Chairman Rose, make is own goals and not think about appeasing someone who forgot his name even though apparently Rose took him in. He probably sees Rose as a father figure after loosing his parents and is trying to get the chairman to acknowledge his achievements for once and not focus on the champion Leon. It must suck to lose your chance at proving yourself to someone endorsed by the very being you want to defeat just to get your father figures attention.

I felt bad for beating Hop. Not as bad as I did defeating Wally back in ORAS but still. Hop gives off the feeling of someone who was always in his brothers shadow, who's just known for being the champions little brother. I feel like his family didn't help much at all with now much Hop is obsessed; he breaths to become the champion to just feel equal. Maybe he wants his family to notice him for once, no longer neglected. He loves his brother clearly, but he's a bit over obsessed. I like that he becomes a Professor Assistant for Sonia and doesn't focus on trying to be Leon, but to be himself.

Leon is an okay champion, I kinda got tired of everyone being 'undefeated' this and 'undefeated' that. If I was at the legal age to buy alcohol and swore to start a drinking challenge, I would be dead. It was his only trait, and a trait shouldn't be your accomplishments. His little gimmick of getting lost is fine, it was mildly amusing at times. He seems to treat Hop like another Galar citizen, not his little brother. Like another person who idolizes him. I don't know if he was just never around, but I would think an older sibling would try to tell the younger to follow their own path and make their own goals, not allow an unhealthy about of idolization (is that a word?) He got the champion title at the age of ten, so what did he do for the years after? Never see his family?

Sonia is okay, but she's more of a book than a character, that and a Revive giver. I think we as players should be the one discovering the lore of Galar, not her. She got an arc more than the player and she did literally nothing but point out The Darkest Day, something I feel like the player could've done and it would've added a bit more accomplishment for the player in figuring out.

I miss petting Pokemon. That's kinda weird, but it added a bit more bonding to the whole thing, not just swinging around a toy or throwing a ball. Why would some Pokemon even find that amusing?

Chairman Rose is eh. I liked how he wasn't all 'take over the world evil' like others, he had good reasonings but nevertheless, he is a businessman and political figure who the people look up to. They know how to cut corners, but Oleana is there for that. He's too busy and focused on work, like how he doesn't care about the champions words or spend time with Bede, as he forgot the kids name at one point. He's so passionate about this future like Lysandre was in Kalos, and yet he just gives up after you defeat him? Never to be seen again? Lysandre died after standing his ground for his beliefs (cool motive, still murder), no matter how flawed they were. I mean, Rose is a bit more... Mature I guess, to accept the Jail time, but I think one last conversation would have been great. Oleana is just boring, her theme is great along with Rose's but we don't know anything more than she's the party pooper assistant who does the more extreme stuff to make sure Rose's goals are achieved. One Marcos Cosmos (Is that the groups correct name?) guy asks if he have dang LIFE INSURANCE. As in, you die and your loved ones get money. Sure the after conversation is he had some other kind, but Oleana would definitely kill people. The company would do something about it.

Ghost Girl Paula. Rest in Peace. Kid in Frank's house.. Who da HECK you talking to?

There's no Absol in the game, I refused to get the game until I could get my hands on one. Once I get through Crown Tundra I'm getting an And I with Super Luck, get some eggs from them, put them in Pokemon Home, get them out and use an Absol for my journey when I restart.

The animations are... Ehhhh. I love that you can't see the pixels and stuff like the 3Ds. I wish the game had a flying animation for the Flying Taxi, not gonna lie. But Hop's animations are just Hau's from Sun and Moon. But the Pokemon still are stiff and just hop??? There's no turning animation??? The Pokemon can't follow you even though there sprites are in the game? The SCALING! A TREEVANT IS NOT SMALLER OR EQUAL HEIGHT THAN A LUCARIO! Everything is so dang out of proportion! Treevant looks like the size of a kid!

I personally would've liked to see some familiar faces. I liked how Looker appeared in all of the 3Ds games and had a major role in XY and Sun and Moon. Or maybe that was Ultra S/M, I can't remember. I want to see Lillie as a fully fledged Trainer, or Lusamine back in the good light, or Emma from XY who was left to look after Looker Bureau or AZ, or fricken Zinnia from Oras who left! I've been wanting to see Zinnia for so long! Those after story characters who grew on you, unlike those annoying Sworbert and Shielbert guys. I wanted to kill those guys. The only -bert I care for is Siegburt.

And I wish they had color wheels for skin tone, hair and eyes.

That is all I have to say about it. It's a good game, just not one that sticks out. Kinda sad about Megas being gone but I guess Dynamax and Gigantimax is fine too...