#Most if not all of the characters have a biased if not outright immature perspective of their actions

[magioftheseas]

Mu claims to have never bullied anyone and I don’t think she’s lying. I think she only thinks of bullying as physical and doesn’t see verbal/emotional bullying as a type of bullying. “Everyone was doing it” and all, so when her “friends” eventually turned on her it probably felt especially unfair.

Probably! That said, she DOES still seem guilt-ridden about what she did despite being voted innocent. It's gonna be fun to see that bubble burst so fucking hard in the third trial.

[watermelonsloth]

Shikamaru’s Sexism Could’ve Worked

I think everyone’s aware that all throughout part 1 Shikamaru was a raging misogynist, but a lot of people ignore it. It makes sense why; it’s an immediate character ruiner and the author couldn’t even be bothered to remember it when shippuden rolled around. On one hand, it’s funny to think that the implication of Shikamaru’s sexism dissipating over the time skip (a time skip that characters only matured over) is that sexism is something only the mentally equivalent of children have and you’re supposed to mature out of it. On the other hand, I see it as yet another missed opportunity.

Addressing the idea of biases is not only an interesting topic when it’s actually discussed, but it’s also in line with the series’s theme about understanding bringing people together. Yes, it’s funny to say bigotry is the result of immaturity, but it isn’t accurate. Bigotry is the result of the belief of a group of people is fundamentally different from you that ranges from simple biases that align with common stereotypes (like women being submissive, Jewish people being greedy, etc.) to believing a group isn’t human.

I don’t think Shikamaru is quite extreme enough to view women as nonhuman, but he doesn’t just have simple biases. Keep in mind that I mean the sort of everyday biases most people have when I say “simple biases”. They’re more expectations for how someone will act based on a group they’re a part of and they’re mostly subconscious. Bigotry is an extremely harsh term for it because it’s just ignorance. A person hasn’t interacted with a group much so they base their conclusions about that group on what they’ve heard from others or seen through media. Shikamaru isn’t just presumptuous, he makes judgments and condescends women based on their sex. I’d say he’s somewhere in the lower-middle range; he isn’t outright discriminatory, but he’s an asshole coworker who says some dumb shit.

So, what would I do with him? I’d give him an arc similar to the ones Sokka from ATLA and Louis from Beastars have. The character’s beliefs are challenged by a character/through a scene(Team Avatar get captured by the kyoshi warriors and Legoshi’s character respectively), then while still in a state of worldview confusion, they interact with people from the group they’re biased against which changes their perspective(Kyoshi warriors/Suki and the Shishigumi). I don’t want anything to think that I believe it’s the responsibility of the marginalized group to educate or walk ignorant people to a place of tolerance or understanding because it’s not, but I do believe that the only way you can view people as equals is by interacting with them as equals.

I see it playing out like this:

The chunin exams stay the same with Shikamaru still beating Kin and Temari. The focus is establishing his character, his strengths and weaknesses in combat, and his dynamic with the other cast members.

Shikamaru gets a scene to show his opinion on Tsunade becoming the first female Hokage to expand on the assumptions he’s working under specifically (women only care about superficial and frivolous things, and they’re weak in combat).

During the Sasuke Retrieval arc, he gets his ass absolutely kicked by Tayuya and he’s saved by Temari, who says she arrived to help mend the relationship between Suna and Konoha. (Tayuya challenges his assumption that women are weak and Temari challenges the assumption that women are superficial.)

Over the training period/in shippuden, Shikamaru would further interact with the female cast (on screen) and have his biases challenged even more by characters like Sakura, Ino, Hinata, TenTen, Temari, and Tsunade furthering their skills and showing competency both in and out of combat.

This could culminate in something dramatic like a fight against a female villain (Konan, genderbent Hidan, or new villain) that he actually takes seriously or he could simply move past his ignorance.

I know that you can argue that all of this happened, but I’m not giving Kishimoto points for doing all of his good character writing/development off screen.

[musclesandhammering]

aside from anderson cooper do you mind giving us your Thoughts on other pundits/journalists?

Oooh boy. I love you for indulging my 2 decade-old hyperfixation.

Well first off, I don’t actually watch much legacy media for news purposes. They all have the same corporate slant and, while I don’t hold it against the individual pundits/journalists, I’m aware that the info they’re presenting is highly cherry-picked and biased toward the establishment and teaming with false neutrality bs so.. you know.

I got started watching cnn because I remembered being a little kid and seeing Anderson Cooper on tv when my parents were watching Katrina coverage or whatever. So I started watching him and then went back and watched some older stuff etc so… he was the initial deal. I just sort of started following other pundits for fun because of their proximity to him.

Also, disclaimer that I strongly prefer his older tv persona (war reports, snarkiness, grunge aesthetic, etc) and most of the PRT fandom content I’ve found has been from like 2005-2010 anyway so… most of these opinions are based on an outdated media sphere lol.

With all that being said…

When it comes to semi-modern stuff, I love the whole cnn crew. I think they’d be hilarious in a mocumentary a la The Office or something. John Berman is the funniest guy on the network and Jake Tapper has the best deadpan. Don Lemon was annoying and endearing at the same time. I never liked Chris Cuomo. He seemed pretension and way too dudebro-ish.

As far as PRT people specifically, Stephen Colbert is an absolute treasure. He’s ridiculously smart and quick witted but he’s never needlessly harsh like some late night hosts. I like him now better than when he was on The Colbert Report because he doesn’t have to play a character all the time and can just outright say what he feels.

Jon Stewart is probably the most progressive host on mainstream tv, which of course makes him delightful. He also has a way of calling out mainstream journalists without making it personal. And I still remember the time he went on Crossfire and humiliated Tucker Carlson <3.

Rachel Maddow seems like the coolest person in the room at all times and she’s so incredibly smart. But she has this thing where she seems to recognise (and call out) the conservative tendencies of other networks like cnn without realising that msnbc is no better when it comes to corporatism, upholding the status quo, and being anti-progressive. In fact, that’s something everybody on msnbc does, not just her. But I still have a soft spot for her though.

Keith Olbermann is the guy that used to be outspoken leftist champion in the very early 2000s- getting righteously angry when other dems were obsessed with decorum, clapping back at Fox pundits who tried to smear him, and saying things the dem establishment didn’t always want said. But somewhere between then and now he revealed himself to be a weird, immature, somewhat narcissistic asshole who can’t take any criticism and has somehow morphed into a centrist defender. It’s one of the most disappointing downfalls of the fandom. But despite all that, I still think of the day msnbc fired him as a national tragedy.

And I’m glad he got what was coming to him, but from a rpf perspective, I miss when Bill O’Reilly was the main villain 😂.

[cloudybookash-blog]

k b 1-25

100 Warm Up DnD Character Questions        

1. If your character wasn’t an adventurer, what livelihood would they lead?

Well she’s royalty so I guess she’d go on to be Queen if she stays in her country, but if she forfeits her rule and moves - maybe she’d like to be a politician.

2. Who in the party would your character trust the most with their life?

hmm… to be fair I don’t think she’d willingly trust anyone with her life, a real ‘I’m in charge of me and you’re in charge of you’ type. Though she does on numerous occasions rely on others to save her life one way or another.

3. What are your character’s core moral beliefs?

I would say before her character arc she firmly believes in Good vs. Evil trope, where she believes you’re either good or bad - there’s no moral middle ground. Go big or go home I guess. The only thing I know that over rides this belief is her loyalty, but I’m not sure that’s a moral belief.

4. What relationship does your character have with their parents and siblings?

I think I’ve answered this question before, loves her mother, admires her father, cherishes her older brother, one-sided love with her little sister, and wary but unconditional love for her younger brother.

5. Does your character have any biases for or against certain races?

I would say yes, before her character arc I think she internalises a lot of negativity towards her own people, and others that come from her planet. As well as a select few others that she meets on the new planet. obviously after he character arc, this changes.

6. What is your character’s opinion on nobility? On authority?

As nobility herself I would assume (lol, I say like I didn’t create her tf??), she would firmly believe in being knowledgeable in places of authority or leadership to better the community, country, and/or the people. She’d be very, VERY against corruption in political/authority areas. But otherwise, I think she’d outright assume all people in a position of power are there to do the best they can by the people they serve.

7. Describe your character’s current appearance: clothes, armor, scars they’ve picked up along the journey, etc.

This is actually the hardest thing to me, I have no idea what this bitch wears unless its armour or ceremonial but she’s on a new planet and needs to hide her identity so can’t walk around in clothes more suited to her country and the title she has there. I honestly default her to some type of shorts (probably board shorts for the quick drying) and a t-shirt or singlet with some type of covering garment for when it gets cold. BITCH DOES SHE EVEN WEAR SHOES? idk.

8. What location encountered in the campaign has your character felt the most “at home” in, or just generally liked the most?

… Actually haven’t thought about this… it’s because i’m a shit writer.

9. What deity, if any, does your character worship? What’s their opinion on other people’s worship?

I think, due to her home-planets current political sphere that she doesn’t have or believe in any deity. However, her friends on the new planet have like a million religions. I think broadly speaking she’s accepting as she does know what religion/worship is and its personal importance but doesn’t KNOW know. And then it’s just a lot of confusion having never been taught any religion or worship outside of royal gossip. So confused, but happy about it.

10. If your character had time to pick up any artisan’s tools, game set, instrument, etc., what would it be?

A flute maybe? idky, coz I said so, I guess. 

11. Describe your character’s current relationship with the player character sitting to your right.

Not applicable?

12. What is your character’s current goal, summed up in one sentence?

Bring peace. 

she’s the avatar, apparently.

13. Does your character ever want to “settle down” with a spouse, children, house, etc.?

I guess, maybe faaaaaar in the future though.

14. Has your character ever been in love?

Ya, the kind of love you don’t realise until the person is gone.

15. What battle in the campaign has been most memorable to your character?

I’m translating this for a book so I’d say maybe the first battle that’s fought on page, just because so much goes wrong and that’s where she finds out who/what she’s really facing. Either that, or whatever ‘battle’ went on off page as she was previously banished and I’m just trying to figure out ‘exactly’ what happened, did I mention i’m a terrible writer yet?

16. If your character wasn’t whatever class they are, what would they be instead?

So like, if they weren’t born into royalty?? Ah, I guess the bitch would be poor then… or a soldier, though I guess still poor.

17. What is your character’s favorite season?

Think I’ve answered this before and said winter, so … Winter!

18. What would your character’s Zodiac sign be, following stereotypical astrology?

Okay, so I just had to read through a list of personality traits for the zodiacs to answer this question and now want to answer for all five mains, so:

Z: Gemini.J: Ophiucus (he’s that bitch).ME: Scorpio. (surprised? same.)HH: Pisces. Though he acts like a Leo most of the time.M: Aquarius.

19. Where in the world does your character most want to visit?

Travelling is like a really easy thing to do in my book so... I wouldn’t know... maybe the Pixie Palace (it’s not as cliche as it sounds I just can’t figure out a better name).

20. What is the biggest mistake your character has ever made?

oooooooh, idk fuck, I’M SUCH A BAD WRITER!

21. Does your character have any noticeable scars? If so, what are their stories?

Her eye? fucked up ‘transport’ during escape.

22. What animal best represents your character?

am i allowed to say idk, idc? coz - idk and idc.

23. If your character could go back in time and change one thing about their life, what would it be?

I feel like this is a question I’ve already answered but I can’t remember... Maybe she might change her banishment (so she doesn’t get banished) although I feel like whatever she got banished for would have to have something to do with her immovable morals so?? Man, idk i’m a crappy writer who doesn’t think about the characters enough to know all this. Maybe she’d take back the fact that she screwed up the transport during her escape which got almost a hundred of her allies killed for nothing, or change who she brought to the first battle/how she went about preparing everyone for that moment so even more meaningless death didn’t happen (ooh, did I just answer q.20 on accident???)

24. Which other player character does your character find themselves having the most in common with?

I think she’s very different to the other characters, both in upbringing and personality. Of course there’s some intersecting like being as aggressive as ME, or being immature and prone to lapses in judgement like HH, or wanting nothing more that to help everyone like M. I would say the easier(/better?) question would be who she has the least in common with being Julian, I just think they don’t really have a lot in common, age is diff, hobbies are diff, perspectives on life are diff, goals are diff etc...

25. Does your character regret any particular choice the party has made?

Everything that took place before the first ‘battle’, just because they didn’t screen their inductees better, didn’t teach them properly or make sure everytone was on the same page and communicating with one another, lots of logistics problems before the first battle and the cost of those mistakes were pretty big so, I’d say she regrets that.