#Says ED

[elsaclack]

Yeah okay so like I said in the tags of the last post I’m rising from my tumblr grave to say that the ban on TikTok is symptomatic of a MUCH larger and more terrifying problem. Because yes, on its surface it’s silly dances and asmr and cooking videos and whatever, but in truth and at its core, TikTok single-handedly revolutionized the way 170 million Americans communicated with each other AND the rest of the world. Non-Americans love to point out how America-centric Americans are, but fail to realize that we are purposefully raised in an isolated, insulated environment where we are told from basically day 1 that America Is The Best and not to even bother taking a look around because it’s all downhill from outside of here. TikTok has, for MANY Americans, single-handedly destroyed that notion and allowed them (us!!) to broaden our world-view and realize that actually, things are better in other countries, and it did so in a kind, empathetic, and compassionate way.

And yeah most people wake up to the truth of that on their own as they get older, but holy shit!! The VAST majority of the Americans on TikTok are millennials and gen z (and even some older gen alpha)!! People who are becoming disillusioned with “The American Dream” (said with the HEAVIEST sarcasm) while they’re still school-aged or are just entering young-adulthood!! People who are entering - or TRYING to enter - the American workforce who suddenly have an unfiltered window into non-American lives and are wondering why tf we’re struggling and penny-pinching and toeing the line of poverty while our rich elected officials sit around and fight and argue over everything that actually matters to the citizens they supposedly represent and get richer all the while. THAT is why they’re banning the app, and that fact alone should terrify every single American citizen.

Not to mention the precedent it sets for other social media platforms!! You think some nebulous, unproven, and unfounded “threat to national security” will stop with TikTok?? They’ve already censored Adult Material on tumblr, who’s gonna stop them from coming back and doing it again or getting rid of it altogether for the exact same reason? It’s a blatant act of censorship and a direct attack on the American first amendment right to free speech.

NOTHING radicalized me the way tiktok did. I watched people in my life who were STAUNCH Trump supporters in 2016 AND 2020 wake up to the truth and vote blue for the first time in their lives BECAUSE OF TIKTOK, and did so with al the nuanced understanding that even Democrats are severely failing this country, but are at least better than the alternative. That level of awareness and presence in the average US citizen scares American politicians.

The fact that the vast majority of them - including the ones loudly opposing the ban!! - bought stock in Meta BEFORE the ban was legalized/upheld by the Supreme Court?? That Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk were legally allowed to lobby congress to ban TikTok when BOTH stood to DIRECTLY financially gain from their biggest competitor being banned in the US and are guilty of unethically gathering data and selling it to MULTIPLE third parties?? The fact that Trump is now teasing that he may or may not intervene to save TikTok when he was the one who talked about banning it in the first place AND ALSO OWNS HIS OWN COMPETING SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM??

It’s the burning of Alexandria. It’s the loss of a significant chunk of culture. It’s the sharp and sudden loss of contact with the rest of the world for more than half of all American citizens. It’s the loss of $240 BILLION dollars in the GDP when the country is already TRILLIONS of dollars in debt. And on an individualistic level, it’s the loss of millions of small businesses and primary income streams for so many individuals and families who found their primary audience on TikTok. Is the app perfect? HELL no. Are there significant changes needed to make it a safe environment for all users? ABSOLUTELY. But that can also be said of ANY social media platform. TikTok openly fostered connection and communication and creativity and compassion that is completely unique to that platform! It made so many people - myself included!! - feel less alone. I get the feeling I know what the general consensus is about TikTok on this site, but the ban on this app should scare the shit out of everyone.

[big-moon-little-moon]

so called TPK enjoyers once they realize their graph paper wife is a part of the P that's supposed to get TK-ed

bonus:

[bairdthereader]

There's one in every friend group (and we love them).

Bonus--Confused Nick is confused:

[ohmyglobwhatthefrickamievendoing]

The fact that izzy apparently just hangs out in stede's room doing his own thing is so funny because what's he gonna do when stede&ed start fucking?? they're gonna have to lock him out of the bedroom like the family dog that's yowling at the door

[merrigel]

Sometimes your buddy tells you to do smth with your OCs and things spiral out of control?? (song is Lost Library by Louie Zong!)

[aspennntree]

kid who’s met god voice: no im agnostic

[weaverofink]

watching fma 2003 again :)

[chimneyz]

controversial opinion: hen and chimney's friendship is more fleshed out and compelling than buck and eddie's. there i said it, it had to be said

[0gata]

Im not good at making comics but this has been plaguing my mind hrjwjajwjw

[mwagneto]

face of a man who just speedran the 5 stages of grief realising he still wants to fuck this guy

[inkyrainstorms]

There is a light, I feel it in me

but only, it seems, when the dark surrounds me

@aroace-get-out-of-my-face do you understand what this post did to my brain chemistry. Do you. You and anon, do you understand. Fuck, man

full comic under the cut!

[muchmossymess]

my contribution to the fmab fandom, slowly but surely (click for better quality)

[thebeloathed]

They all could be switched around and it'd still be true

[mitskilover0001]

[transfagged]

i actually love that stede refused to give izzy the time of day. fandom can have their izzy redemption but its really important that at least at this point, stedes inherent kindness does not extend to someone who tried over and over again to completely ruin his life. stede doesnt owe someone who went above and beyond bullying (turning him in to the AUTHORITIES) anything at all actually, especially when it was to get in the way of not just his happiness but also to try to control ed

[kevinsdsy]

bonus (it is the kevin day effect CONFIRMED by jean moreau)

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all for the game social media au — summer olympics edition (pt. 5): CAN WE ALL SAY THANK YOU @kevindavidday BC SHE CAME UP WITH THE KEVIN COMING OUT TWEET AND IM QUITE LITERALLY SO OBSESSED OMGGG

canon kevin would put a gun against my head for making him come out as a boy kisser but all i have to say about that is i’m just a girl and can’t a girl be silly on the internet about her hyperfixtation??? exactly!! 🙂‍↕️