#a highly skilled individual

[georgiasedify]

Standing on bidness

Taking care of business Standing on bidness is another way to say that a person did something really well (similar to slayand ate that. For example, they may have dominated a game. They might have completed a compelling presentation at work. Or they could have made a ton of money off investments.

[midnightwind]

I really do need to buy the Origins and Veilguard art books because I'm just making shit up about the Crow Houses again

[dental1234]

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[monstersholygrail]

In a Free Use City, there are two ways you can get promoted. You can put in the hard work by taking on extra responsibilities, going longer hours, and putting in the initiative. Or… you can sleep your way to the top. In a Free Use City, sleeping your way to the top isn’t frowned upon but instead highly encouraged. Especially by your bosses.

While everyone tries to sleep their way to the top, you’d be surprised to know that most people get promoted through hard work. Because… In a Free Use City, sleeping your way to the top is actually harder to achieve than putting in the work of the job.

When you decide to sleep your way to the top, you are heavily surveyed and judged based on your ability and skill of fucking and pleasing your bosses. The committee that makes the decision all must be pleased with your individual performances.

Even lost in the throes of pleasure, they remain focused on how well your pretty lips looked wrapped around their thick cocks, how deep you can take them down your throat, how much you can hallow your cheeks and swirl your tongue around their lengths. They count how long they can deep throat you and the amount of time it takes before your tears are dripping down to their heavy balls. Some count more tears as a positive while others consider it a negative.

The next part of the evaluation has them slowly moving down to your holes. They evaluate how turned on you got just from sucking them off. Similarly, some wanna see you leaking buckets while others wanna prep you themselves. They dip their fingers inside of you, teasing you just right. Analyzing how tight you are and how tight you can clench around them.

But they don’t take the time to stretch you. No, that would be cheating on the evaluation form. They need to know how well you can naturally take their fat cocks down your tight core. Some of them give you more points the more you arch and writhe as your body accommodates their girth while others remove points for not just taking it like a good whore.

As they finally properly fuck you, their analytical gaze never wavers. Evaluating your stamina and how quick you bring them to the brink of an orgasm. They have you ride them so they can see your entire body as you bounce on their cocks. So that they can see how deep they’re taking you, their cocks creating a nice pretty bulge in your belly with each brutal thrust. Even the way you cum around their cocks is evaluated and processed in the promotion consideration.

Very few workers meet all the requirements and surpass the points needed to fuck their way to the top. But you don’t care about the odds, you don’t even care all that much about the promotion. You just really wanna fuck all your bosses.

And you end up being the highest scored employee in the history of their company… Congratulations, you’ve just been promoted.

[hedge-rambles]

Harrow is exceptional but I'm pretty sure the average bone adept can raise a skeleton easy enough. Harrow's OP status is more the fact she can raise a skeleton from a single finger bone. Very few bone adepts can do as much with as little as Harrow can.

The standard Ninth cavalier wears panniers to carry around kilos of bone for their necro to use. Gideon doesn't have to though, because Harrow doesn't need that. She could conquer the average town with nothing but the contents of her pockets.

Fighting the average bone adept is "two skeletons burst out of a corpse and shamble towards you". Fighting Harrow is "weird looking goth kid throws some dice (?) on the floor, they transform into a battalion of skeleton soldiers moving in perfect lockstep before pulling you all apart".

Most adepts can do the standard tricks of their houses I think, but you're 100% right that we've mostly seen either the absolute cream of the crop: some of the most talented necros in the system (and also Judith) or fucking lyctors. Most are not nearly as good at them.

But even the Ninth had spirit callers who could bring Wake back for a few seconds. Abigail is special because while your average Fifth can call someone 400 years dead with their bones, Abigail could do it with one of their old socks. Dr Sex was dead for like 250-300 years when some Fifth academic called him back, which wasn't considered particularly noteworthy (merely rude, let the man rest).

BoE still make headway though because they use guerrilla tactics and specialist knowledge. They know not to fight head on if they can avoid it, and they know what can make it all go terribly wrong (e.g. sniping someone who's not the necro). And also because, well, outside the Dominicus system necromancers are a lot weaker. There's just so much less ambient thanergy to work with, hence the need for fresh deaths. Without those to power them, a necro on a thalergenic planet is just a nerd who gets out of breath tying their shoes.

The Nine Houses must be absolutely terrifying to fight.

And not just because their invasions start with a drop ship full of pimply 14 year olds inexplicably armed with zweihanders whose entire remit is to cause a mass casualty event for necromantic purposes...

We're mostly introduced to the schools of necromancy at the beginning of GTN, before we have broader context beyond "ooh, new magic system." But if you think about it in light of what we later learn about the Cohort:

Second House: they can literally drain your life force to power up their cavaliers. "It’s said they all die screaming"

Third House: that pile of corpses in no man's land? They're being used as a power up. Also, someone's just rearranged your face; your arse is on backwards.

Fourth House: that pile of corpses in no man's land? They're bombs now. And if you corner a Fourth House necro, they're a bomb too!

Fifth House: at best, they're the weird technicians for the Houses' horrifying blood and monolith based FTL system. At worst, it doesn't matter if you kill yourself to avoid capture or if you hold out under interrogation until you expire, they can still interrogate your ghost.

Sixth House: drop a cigarette or shed a hair on a clandestine operation? These guys now know your age, shoe size, and approximate location. They know what you had for breakfast. They know what you held in the last 12 hours.

Seventh House: that pile of corpses in no man's land? They're armed and marching on you now.

Eigth House: why is he glowing? WHY IS HE GLOWING?!

Ninth House: the guy next to you's bones just became an IED.

[scribefindegil]

Still thinking about how the dominant conception of mushroom-hunting in my (USAmerican) culture is fear and revulsion and the idea that anyone who eats a mushroom they found in the woods is courting a terrible death. And I don't want to push back too aggressively; it's better that people think the hobby is too dangerous to bother with rather than having people who are so blasé about the dangers that they end up poisoning themselves. But it still gets a little annoying sometimes. So, for the record, some more nuanced information:

There are a small number of mushrooms that will kill you if you eat them. Most field guides make sure to describe these species carefully so you know what to avoid.

There are a rather larger number of mushrooms that will make you sick but not kill you. Many of these are also noted in field guides, especially if they look at all like any of the edible species.

Many choice edibles are very visually distinct and don't have any non-edible lookalikes. Many foragers stick with these safe choices permanently. (I do this!)

Some edible mushrooms *do* have poisonous lookalikes. Individual foragers can decide how confident they are in their identification skills and what level of risk they're comfortable with accepting.

You need to learn how to use a field guide if you want to gather mushrooms for the table. For most people, this is not a difficult skill to develop, although it takes practice.

You need to learn how to see what is actually in front of you instead of what you want to see. Many misidentifications come from people ignoring obvious field marks out of wishful thinking.

You need to learn about what grows in your region, and if you move, stop foraging until you've had a chance to research the new region. Sadly, many mushroom poisoning cases are recent immigrants who mistook a toxic mushroom for an edible variety from their home country.

It is extremely possible to forage safely. It is also very possible to forage recklessly. You need to be aware of your own skills and temperament to decide whether it's a hobby that will work for you.

If you want to learn more about mushrooms (both poisonous and edible varieties), I highly recommend the book Chanterelle Dreams, Amanita Nightmares by Greg Marley.

[iclegalnz]

With explicit Green List & Sector Agreements, enjoy a quicker route to residency for highly skilled individuals. A world of opportunities is yours if you receive at least 6 points based on your qualifications, income, and work experience in New Zealand.

[planetsandstarsandstuff]

Astrology Notes/Observations:

(please do not copy or repost on other platforms)

Every time a Saturn-Venus native tries to reduce signs of aging, an angel loses its wings 💔 but seriously, old age suits these people SO well - if you have this placement please keep all your greys and fine lines!! I beg! (i may be slightly biased because i think aging looks great on everyone, but these individuals wear it particularly well).

Mars-Moon/Cancer Mars/Mars influencing the 4th house = angry criers

I find those with Neptune influence on the ascendant can seem to resemble almost anyone they stand next to; they may often be told they remind others of different people. (Neptune = illusions, fluidity, ambiguity, Ascendant = physical appearance).

Mercury in the 5th house synastry: We may be more likely to use pet names/terms of endearment here, even if it's not usually our thing - it feels natural to express affection (5H) in conversation (Mercury). The nicknames we have for each other may also be unique or creative in some way.

Those with Venus in the 1st have an eye for beauty and can really excel in fields related to artistry, appearance, or refinement of some kind (e.g., makeup artistry, styling, design, illustration, etc.) These people instinctively know what looks good.

3H Mars synastry 🤝 arguing like siblings

Having Capricorn over the 5th house can sometimes indicate having a preference for music/films/books that are quite dated; these people tend to have a highly developed and mature taste in art/media.

Having Neptune influencing the 3rd or 11th house can indicate feeling invisible or forgotten among peers - these people might feel they blend into the background in social settings.

Mars transits tend to instill a sense of urgency in whichever house is being affected. For example:

Mars transiting our 6H - feeling pushed to get our life in order, driven to create structure + take action surrounding work/responsibilities.

Mars transiting our 9H - feeling pushed to expand our horizons (possibly through long-distance travel, higher education, etc.) feeling anxious/unsettled staying where we are in life, wanting to explore.

Mars transiting our 10H - feeling pushed to determine our 'purpose'/vocation or take action in pursuing our ambitions, feeling driven toward success.

8th housers often take pride in their ability to psychoanalyze people; they are not, however, always good at it - these people can be real armchair psychologists (sorry).

Saturn transiting the 5th house: Things that may have otherwise been fleeting interests can become long-lasting fixations during this time (i.e., romances, hobbies, modes of self expression). Saturn is infusing this normally carefree house with a sense of gravity and endurance.

Having Uranus in the 4th house can sometimes point to living far away from family or being habitually away from the home/family.

I've found Mercury-Venus aspects in synastry (particularly the harsh aspects) can show up as the Mercury person constantly pointing out Venus' flaws or insecurities, sometimes without even realizing. Mercury can also be critical of Venus' social skills and may try to correct qualities of theirs they perceive as unlikable. Venus is put off by the Mercury person's endless nitpicking and might pull back from connecting as a result.

We might find we cry more easily when the Moon is transiting a water sign (Cancer/Scorpio/Pisces) or when transiting Moon is forming an aspect to our natal Moon. This can also be true for transiting Moon touching our IC/4th house.

I've noticed Mars-Mercury natives tend to enjoy banter more than most.

Neptune influencing Mercury/3H in the natal chart can sometimes indicate being good at impressions or being able to easily alter one's voice/speech - this can be a great placement for actors (especially voice actors).

I find those with 7th house placements are often more codependent/relationship-oriented than those with Libra placements alone.

I know it's been said before, but Scorpio risings really do resemble vampires (Nicole Kidman, Diana Ross, Kate Bush, Prince, Lana Del Ray, Frank Ocean, Lily Rose Depp, Fiona Apple..i mean come on!!)

I recently came across a video of Sheryl Lee Ralph discussing the freedom within her marriage, saying "[My husband] has his own life, I have my own life. He has his own real career, I have my own real career. He has his light to stand in, I have my light to stand in. [...] He's doing his thing, I get to do my thing. We also live in separate places; when I go to see him, love to see him. When it's time to leave, 'bye-bye, see ya soon.' I'm telling you, life is good; perfect!" I looked up her chart and of course she's a Sagittarius Venus LMAO - she really is in her ideal relationship. (Jupiter-Venus natives may relate to this as well.)

That's all, thanks for reading!

[grittyghoul]

Person I reblogged wrote in tags about DBT but if you have access to a practitioner who does DBT and CBT hasn’t worked I would recommend trying it. I’ve definitely seen it work for people (anecdotally) and if you don’t have access to a practitioner since the goal of DBT is to provide you a useful skills so it can be more like a class than a talk therapy session, there are tons of free online courses, worksheets, talks, etc to teach yourself those skills, which can be harder but better than nothin. The development and philosophy of it is pretty interesting too

dang therapists really have one move and it's always cbt. girl I live under the poverty line, changing my way of thinking isn't going to fix my money issues. It's not gonna fix bigotry. A coping skill that will help me in the moment isn't going to fix my chronic anxiety then they turn around and hit you with the "Maybe you aren't trying hard enough" maybe you need a new job

[charmedreincarnation]

MAYA’S MORPHICS FIELD CHALLENGE

Hello everyone :) School is starting, and that's a time when stress levels can peak for anyone in the manifesting community. It's tough to wake up to another school year without your dream life, and I know how draining it can be. You might feel like you have to focus on your journey while also tackling school, which is challenging enough on its own. I hope this can help with anything related to manifesting reality, the void state, shifting, lucid dreaming, school, and mindset. Remember, you're not alone in this journey, and it is inevitable you achieve all that you desire!

What are morphic fields

Morphic field audio refers to soundtracks that are designed to interact with the concept of morphic fields, which are theoretical fields that influence patterns and behaviors in nature. These audio tracks often incorporate elements like binaural beats or isochronic tones, which are sound frequencies intended to influence brainwave activity and promote specific mental states.

The idea is that by listening to these audio tracks, individuals you can tap into or resonate with morphic fields, potentially enhancing focus, relaxation, or other desired states. The concept is rooted in the belief that sound can influence the mind and body in ways that align with the patterns and connections proposed by morphic fields.

Subliminals or and affirmation tapes with morphic fields

When using morphic fields with subliminals, you can experiment with different approaches to see what works best for you.

Simultaneous Playback:

Play the morphic field audio and subliminal tracks at the same time.

Sequential Playback:

Before: Start with the morphic field audio to create a receptive mental state, then follow with the subliminal tracks. This can help prepare your mind to absorb the affirmations more effectively.

After:

Begin with the sublininal tracks to plant the affirmations in your subconscious, then play the morphic field audio to reinforce and integrate the messages.

Layering:

If you have audio editing software, you can layer the morphic field audio beneath the subliminal tracks, creating a single, cohesive audio experience. This method requires some technical skill but can be very effective.

Experiment and Adjust

Everyone's response to these techniques can vary like all methods so feel free to experiment with different methods and monitor how you feel. Adjust the timing, order, and volume to find the combination that resonates best with you :) it doesn’t have to be methodical at all

Specified Morphic Fields

You can also find specific morphic fields tailored to your desires, such as lucid dreaming, shifting realities, or entering the void state. These specialized audio tracks are designed to help you achieve particular goals by using specific frequencies and energies.

Similarly to binaural beats or isochronic tones Sounds, it’s best to listen to morphic fields in positive environments because they are highly receptive to surrounding influences. Ensure that your surroundings are calm and uplifting. This might include a tidy space, soft lighting, or calming scents like lavender or sage.

Stay away from negative influences like for example watching horror movies or engaging with negative shifting or void content while listening to morphic fields. Instead, pair your listening sessions with positive and inspiring content. This could include watching manifesting videos, glow-up transformation videos, or reading success stories related to shifting and lucid dreaming.

Combine this with affirming and persisting

the only three affirmations I use are:

I can shift

I will shift

I have shifted

This is very simple and effectively covers the past, present, and future, making it easy to repeat. The brain loves mantras, and these affirmations are designed to reinforce your belief in your ability to shift. This repetition helps to rewire your subconscious mind, aligning your thoughts and actions with your desired outcome. Keep it simple, stay consistent, and watch as your affirmations help manifest your shifting journey.

The challenge

Compile a playlist of subliminals or affirmation tapes, whichever you prefer.

Listen to them while playing morphic fields. You can use headphones or play them out loud; it doesn’t matter.

If you don’t want subliminals or affirmation tapes, find specific morphic fields for your desire, such as wealth morphic fields or shifting morphic fields.

They are easy to find on YouTube. Just search up your topic and then morphic field feel feee to use the ones I recommend as well!

4. Do this in a positive environment. Engage in activities like scrolling on Tumblr, reading success stories, or watching lucid dreaming tips.

5.Outside of this, use the three affirmations: "I can shift," "I will shift," "I have shifted."

You can replace these with anything related to lucid dreaming, the void state, or manifesting—whatever suits your goals, e.g: “I can wake up in the void,” “I will wake up in the void,” “I have woken up in the void before”

6.Make this routine fit your schedule.With school starting, you’ll be busy, so keep it simple and easy!

[kleopatra45]

Degrees of Mars in the Natal Chart

Mars in Aries Degrees (1°, 13°, 25°):

These degrees suggest a highly passionate and driven approach to action and assertiveness. Individuals with Mars at these degrees may be impulsive, courageous, and quick to initiate new endeavors. They have a strong desire to lead and can be competitive, enthusiastic, and proactive in pursuing their goals.

Mars in Taurus Degrees (2°, 14°, 26°):

Degrees in Taurus imply a determined and persistent approach to action and physical energy. Those with Mars at these degrees may exhibit patience, endurance, and a methodical pace in pursuing their ambitions. They are grounded, practical, and focused on achieving tangible results, particularly in areas related to stability and material security.

Mars in Gemini Degrees (3°, 15°, 27°):

These degrees suggest a versatile and mentally agile approach to action and assertiveness. Individuals with Mars at these degrees may excel in communication, networking, and multitasking. They are curious, adaptable, and energized by intellectual challenges, often seeking variety and stimulation in their pursuits.

Mars in Cancer Degrees (4°, 16°, 28°):

Degrees in Cancer imply a protective and emotionally driven approach to action and assertiveness. Those with Mars at these degrees may channel their energy into nurturing and defending loved ones, home, and security. They are sensitive to emotional cues and may act from a place of instinctual protectiveness.

Mars in Leo Degrees (5°, 17°, 29°):

These degrees suggest a bold, expressive, and sometimes dramatic approach to action and assertiveness. Individuals with Mars at these degrees are confident, charismatic, and motivated by creative self-expression and recognition. They thrive in leadership roles and may exhibit a flair for theatrics in their endeavors.

Mars in Virgo Degrees (6°, 18°):

These degrees imply a meticulous, detail-oriented approach to action and physical energy. Those with Mars at these degrees may excel in tasks requiring precision, organization, and problem-solving. They are diligent, analytical, and motivated by a desire for efficiency and improvement.

Mars in Libra Degrees (7°, 19°):

Degrees in Libra suggest a cooperative and diplomatic approach to action and assertiveness. Individuals with Mars at these degrees may seek harmony, fairness, and balanced outcomes in their pursuits. They are skilled negotiators, value teamwork, and may act with consideration for others' perspectives.

Mars in Scorpio Degrees (8°, 20°):

These degrees suggest an intense, passionate, and sometimes secretive approach to action and assertiveness. Those with Scorpio at these degrees are driven by deep emotional intensity, determination, and a desire for transformation. They are resourceful, strategic, and may pursue their goals with unwavering focus.

Mars in Sagittarius Degrees (9°, 21°):

Degrees in Sagittarius imply an adventurous, optimistic, and expansive approach to action and physical energy. Individuals with Mars at these degrees are motivated by exploration, freedom, and the pursuit of knowledge. They thrive on challenges, seek new experiences, and may act impulsively in pursuit of their ideals.

Mars in Capricorn Degrees (10°, 22°):

These degrees suggest a disciplined, ambitious, and goal-oriented approach to action and assertiveness. Those with Mars at these degrees are driven by a strong sense of responsibility, determination, and a desire for long-term success. They are willing to work hard, endure challenges, and strategically advance towards their ambitions.

Mars in Aquarius Degrees (11°, 23°):

These degrees imply an innovative, unconventional, and sometimes rebellious approach to action and assertiveness. Individuals with Mars at these degrees are motivated by humanitarian ideals, social causes, and a desire for personal freedom. They are independent thinkers, catalysts for change, and may challenge traditional norms in their pursuits.

Mars in Pisces Degrees (12°, 24°):

Degrees in Pisces suggest a compassionate, imaginative, and intuitive approach to action and assertiveness. Those with Mars at these degrees may act from a place of empathy, creativity, and sensitivity to the needs of others. They are spiritually inclined, adaptable, and may find motivation through artistic or altruistic pursuits.

©️kleopatra45

[georgiasedify]

Standing on bidness

Taking care of business Standing on bidness is another way to say that a person did something really well (similar to slayand ate that. For example, they may have dominated a game, completed a compelling presentation at work, or made a ton of money off investments.

[astrologydray]

Pluto through the degrees

Pluto’s degree in the natal chart adds a layer of intensity, transformation, and power dynamics to its placement. Since Pluto moves slowly, its sign reflects generational themes, but the degree can show a more personal, specific expression of Pluto’s energy in your life.

0° – A raw, potent expression of Pluto’s transformative power. This degree indicates an individual who is here to experience deep soul-level change, often initiating powerful shifts in their environment.

1° – A pioneer of transformation. Can be unafraid to venture into the unknown, breaking societal or personal taboos with ease. May experience profound changes early in life.

2° – Balances power and stability. This degree carries a subtle yet strong intensity, often leading the individual to confront hidden fears or authority figures.

3° – A strategist and deep thinker. Pluto at this degree may indicate someone who uses power subtly but effectively, often working behind the scenes.

4° – A strong foundation for transformation. This degree can bring challenges in family or home life, forcing the individual to break ancestral patterns.

5° – The creative destroyer. This degree brings a dramatic approach to change, often leading to reinvention in careers, relationships, or self-identity.

6° – A healer’s degree. This Pluto placement often signals someone who undergoes personal crises but emerges with the ability to help others transform.

7° – Highly intuitive and possibly psychic. This person may feel a deep connection to the unseen realms and have an almost instinctual understanding of power.

8° – Magnetic and intense, with a natural authority. This degree often manifests in strong leadership skills or a deep desire to control one’s fate.

9° – A revolutionary and visionary. This Pluto degree is drawn to radical transformation, often shaking up institutions or personal belief systems.

10° – A mix of intensity and practicality. This degree may bring an individual who understands both destruction and reconstruction, making them adept at long-term planning.

11° – The “Master Number” amplifies Pluto’s intensity. This degree often signals a person who influences others on a mass scale, whether through leadership, psychology, or spirituality.

12° – A mystic and alchemist. This degree carries an almost supernatural ability to shift energy and manifest transformation.

13° – A karmic degree. Pluto here suggests deep, fated experiences, often linked to power struggles or the need for personal rebirth.

14° – The shadow worker. This placement indicates someone who is drawn to uncovering hidden truths, either in themselves or in society.

15° – A powerful creator-destroyer archetype. Can be relentless in pursuing transformation, with little patience for stagnation.

16° – Associated with breakthroughs and breakdowns. Pluto at this degree often brings sudden, intense shifts in life direction.

17° – The communicator of deep truths. This person may write, speak, or teach about power, trauma, and rebirth.

18° – A degree of karmic cycles. This Pluto placement may indicate themes of death and rebirth, both metaphorically and sometimes literally in close experiences.

19° – The balance between darkness and light. This person must learn to wield power wisely, often facing moral dilemmas.

20° – A master of reinvention. Pluto here gives the ability to start over from scratch, no matter how many times life forces change.

21° – A social transformer. This person is often drawn to activism, systemic change, or dismantling outdated power structures.

22° – Amplifies Pluto’s ability to destroy and reconstruct. May have a significant impact on the material world.

23° – A degree of secrecy and hidden influence. Often associated with people who work behind the scenes in powerful positions.

24° – The magician’s degree. This Pluto placement suggests an ability to channel and harness energy for deep transformation.

25° – Highly independent and willful. This person resists control but also struggles with their own power dynamics.

26° – The investigator and researcher. Pluto here brings an intense desire to uncover the truth, often leading to careers in psychology, law, or the occult.

27° – A revolutionary spirit. Pluto at this degree often leads people to be involved in drastic societal or personal changes.

28° – A shamanic energy. This placement carries deep, spiritual transformation and often involves a profound rebirth at some point in life.

29° – Pluto is at its most extreme here. The person may experience intense crises, forced transformation, or a last-minute awakening that alters their life forever.

[randomness-is-my-order]

i think one of the most wonderful traits of wei wuxian is how socially competent he is, which is why it always annoys me if he is mischaracterized as someone who is unaware about how those around him feel, just because of the way his relationship with lan wangji pans out in the books. the dynamic between them was extremely multifaceted and what seemed obvious to us was very rightfully NOT obvious to wei wuxian and he hardly had time to sort those feelings out, given the kind of harrowing ordeals he was going through. but that aside–the way wei wuxian’s “social competence” manifests isn’t just social courage–in that, the risk of embarassment or self-consciousness doesn’t stop his self expression–or just his general forwardness and social butterfly tendencies but also–and imo, most importantly–his perceptiveness and astute reading of people around him which comes from a deep understanding of the human social element, at the individual and the societal level.

he has full awareness of how his station is looked down upon in the cultivation world and so while others in his situation may bend or break–wei wuxian cleverly toes the line between the two until taking a stance becomes necessary. he deeply understands the ugly dynamics running within the jiang family and clan and acts accordingly–be it his prompt efforts to placate jiang cheng or his conscious silence when madame yu is in a mood or even his acceptance of the whipping in lieu of restoring stability for the clan. despite his personal biases against jin zixuan, he can recognise his bravery. even his scandalous move to begin undressing in the cave shows that he knows exactly what would make lan wangji tick.

hell, i’d say even his initial thought about how the resentment of the dead can be redirected towards a target shows his striking comprehension of how emotions work in general. what’s more, he’s able to recognise the machinations nie huaisang had employed and he was also aware of the bigger picture associated with how fickle and easily swayed mob mentality was when everyone took part in bashing jin guangyao when certain truths came to light. when he was first brought back to life, he quickly and correctly deduced what kind of life mo xuanyu must have led and how he could act in order to easily humiliate the mo family. he empathised with jin ling and yet realised how he was brought up left something to be desired and so, tried to inculcate some of his own highly regarded values to him.

the deft manner in which he handled the juniors speaks for itself–a good teacher will always have good communication skills and wei wuxian went above and beyond just “good”. his people skills on nighthunts are extremely helpful–his ability to make tongues loose simply by charming people is highlighted more than once. just off the top of my head–him politely appealing to jin guangshan about the wen remnants and apologising for “intruding”, him readily handing in his sword at the indoctrination camps, him suggesting to jiang cheng that he should leave the clan once he was at the burial mounds–all of this (and much much more) demonstrates wei wuxian’s competence at guaging complex social dynamics, which is why, when he goes against the current and stands firm, it is a deliberate, well thought out decision, one made after considering the risks and repercussions, and that makes wei wuxian’s stance at the end that much more powerful. he is not stumbling his way through life, is not unheeding of his social status, is not a “mad genius with poor social skills”. hell, i would say wei wuxian’s ability to see straight through people is more impressive than even his insane intellect and to reduce that aspect of him feels like a disservice to his character. because when it comes down to it, the fact of the matter is that the murky social world through wei wuxian’s lens is actually astonishingly clear.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

What kind of bubble is AI?

My latest column for Locus Magazine is "What Kind of Bubble is AI?" All economic bubbles are hugely destructive, but some of them leave behind wreckage that can be salvaged for useful purposes, while others leave nothing behind but ashes:

https://locusmag.com/2023/12/commentary-cory-doctorow-what-kind-of-bubble-is-ai/

Think about some 21st century bubbles. The dotcom bubble was a terrible tragedy, one that drained the coffers of pension funds and other institutional investors and wiped out retail investors who were gulled by Superbowl Ads. But there was a lot left behind after the dotcoms were wiped out: cheap servers, office furniture and space, but far more importantly, a generation of young people who'd been trained as web makers, leaving nontechnical degree programs to learn HTML, perl and python. This created a whole cohort of technologists from non-technical backgrounds, a first in technological history. Many of these people became the vanguard of a more inclusive and humane tech development movement, and they were able to make interesting and useful services and products in an environment where raw materials – compute, bandwidth, space and talent – were available at firesale prices.

Contrast this with the crypto bubble. It, too, destroyed the fortunes of institutional and individual investors through fraud and Superbowl Ads. It, too, lured in nontechnical people to learn esoteric disciplines at investor expense. But apart from a smattering of Rust programmers, the main residue of crypto is bad digital art and worse Austrian economics.

Or think of Worldcom vs Enron. Both bubbles were built on pure fraud, but Enron's fraud left nothing behind but a string of suspicious deaths. By contrast, Worldcom's fraud was a Big Store con that required laying a ton of fiber that is still in the ground to this day, and is being bought and used at pennies on the dollar.

AI is definitely a bubble. As I write in the column, if you fly into SFO and rent a car and drive north to San Francisco or south to Silicon Valley, every single billboard is advertising an "AI" startup, many of which are not even using anything that can be remotely characterized as AI. That's amazing, considering what a meaningless buzzword AI already is.

So which kind of bubble is AI? When it pops, will something useful be left behind, or will it go away altogether? To be sure, there's a legion of technologists who are learning Tensorflow and Pytorch. These nominally open source tools are bound, respectively, to Google and Facebook's AI environments:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/08/18/openwashing/#you-keep-using-that-word-i-do-not-think-it-means-what-you-think-it-means

But if those environments go away, those programming skills become a lot less useful. Live, large-scale Big Tech AI projects are shockingly expensive to run. Some of their costs are fixed – collecting, labeling and processing training data – but the running costs for each query are prodigious. There's a massive primary energy bill for the servers, a nearly as large energy bill for the chillers, and a titanic wage bill for the specialized technical staff involved.

Once investor subsidies dry up, will the real-world, non-hyperbolic applications for AI be enough to cover these running costs? AI applications can be plotted on a 2X2 grid whose axes are "value" (how much customers will pay for them) and "risk tolerance" (how perfect the product needs to be).

Charging teenaged D&D players $10 month for an image generator that creates epic illustrations of their characters fighting monsters is low value and very risk tolerant (teenagers aren't overly worried about six-fingered swordspeople with three pupils in each eye). Charging scammy spamfarms $500/month for a text generator that spits out dull, search-algorithm-pleasing narratives to appear over recipes is likewise low-value and highly risk tolerant (your customer doesn't care if the text is nonsense). Charging visually impaired people $100 month for an app that plays a text-to-speech description of anything they point their cameras at is low-value and moderately risk tolerant ("that's your blue shirt" when it's green is not a big deal, while "the street is safe to cross" when it's not is a much bigger one).

Morganstanley doesn't talk about the trillions the AI industry will be worth some day because of these applications. These are just spinoffs from the main event, a collection of extremely high-value applications. Think of self-driving cars or radiology bots that analyze chest x-rays and characterize masses as cancerous or noncancerous.

These are high value – but only if they are also risk-tolerant. The pitch for self-driving cars is "fire most drivers and replace them with 'humans in the loop' who intervene at critical junctures." That's the risk-tolerant version of self-driving cars, and it's a failure. More than $100b has been incinerated chasing self-driving cars, and cars are nowhere near driving themselves:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/10/09/herbies-revenge/#100-billion-here-100-billion-there-pretty-soon-youre-talking-real-money

Quite the reverse, in fact. Cruise was just forced to quit the field after one of their cars maimed a woman – a pedestrian who had not opted into being part of a high-risk AI experiment – and dragged her body 20 feet through the streets of San Francisco. Afterwards, it emerged that Cruise had replaced the single low-waged driver who would normally be paid to operate a taxi with 1.5 high-waged skilled technicians who remotely oversaw each of its vehicles:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/03/technology/cruise-general-motors-self-driving-cars.html

The self-driving pitch isn't that your car will correct your own human errors (like an alarm that sounds when you activate your turn signal while someone is in your blind-spot). Self-driving isn't about using automation to augment human skill – it's about replacing humans. There's no business case for spending hundreds of billions on better safety systems for cars (there's a human case for it, though!). The only way the price-tag justifies itself is if paid drivers can be fired and replaced with software that costs less than their wages.

What about radiologists? Radiologists certainly make mistakes from time to time, and if there's a computer vision system that makes different mistakes than the sort that humans make, they could be a cheap way of generating second opinions that trigger re-examination by a human radiologist. But no AI investor thinks their return will come from selling hospitals that reduce the number of X-rays each radiologist processes every day, as a second-opinion-generating system would. Rather, the value of AI radiologists comes from firing most of your human radiologists and replacing them with software whose judgments are cursorily double-checked by a human whose "automation blindness" will turn them into an OK-button-mashing automaton:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/08/23/automation-blindness/#humans-in-the-loop

The profit-generating pitch for high-value AI applications lies in creating "reverse centaurs": humans who serve as appendages for automation that operates at a speed and scale that is unrelated to the capacity or needs of the worker:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/04/17/revenge-of-the-chickenized-reverse-centaurs/

But unless these high-value applications are intrinsically risk-tolerant, they are poor candidates for automation. Cruise was able to nonconsensually enlist the population of San Francisco in an experimental murderbot development program thanks to the vast sums of money sloshing around the industry. Some of this money funds the inevitabilist narrative that self-driving cars are coming, it's only a matter of when, not if, and so SF had better get in the autonomous vehicle or get run over by the forces of history.

Once the bubble pops (all bubbles pop), AI applications will have to rise or fall on their actual merits, not their promise. The odds are stacked against the long-term survival of high-value, risk-intolerant AI applications.

The problem for AI is that while there are a lot of risk-tolerant applications, they're almost all low-value; while nearly all the high-value applications are risk-intolerant. Once AI has to be profitable – once investors withdraw their subsidies from money-losing ventures – the risk-tolerant applications need to be sufficient to run those tremendously expensive servers in those brutally expensive data-centers tended by exceptionally expensive technical workers.

If they aren't, then the business case for running those servers goes away, and so do the servers – and so do all those risk-tolerant, low-value applications. It doesn't matter if helping blind people make sense of their surroundings is socially beneficial. It doesn't matter if teenaged gamers love their epic character art. It doesn't even matter how horny scammers are for generating AI nonsense SEO websites:

https://twitter.com/jakezward/status/1728032634037567509

These applications are all riding on the coattails of the big AI models that are being built and operated at a loss in order to be profitable. If they remain unprofitable long enough, the private sector will no longer pay to operate them.

Now, there are smaller models, models that stand alone and run on commodity hardware. These would persist even after the AI bubble bursts, because most of their costs are setup costs that have already been borne by the well-funded companies who created them. These models are limited, of course, though the communities that have formed around them have pushed those limits in surprising ways, far beyond their original manufacturers' beliefs about their capacity. These communities will continue to push those limits for as long as they find the models useful.

These standalone, "toy" models are derived from the big models, though. When the AI bubble bursts and the private sector no longer subsidizes mass-scale model creation, it will cease to spin out more sophisticated models that run on commodity hardware (it's possible that Federated learning and other techniques for spreading out the work of making large-scale models will fill the gap).

So what kind of bubble is the AI bubble? What will we salvage from its wreckage? Perhaps the communities who've invested in becoming experts in Pytorch and Tensorflow will wrestle them away from their corporate masters and make them generally useful. Certainly, a lot of people will have gained skills in applying statistical techniques.

But there will also be a lot of unsalvageable wreckage. As big AI models get integrated into the processes of the productive economy, AI becomes a source of systemic risk. The only thing worse than having an automated process that is rendered dangerous or erratic based on AI integration is to have that process fail entirely because the AI suddenly disappeared, a collapse that is too precipitous for former AI customers to engineer a soft landing for their systems.

This is a blind spot in our policymakers debates about AI. The smart policymakers are asking questions about fairness, algorithmic bias, and fraud. The foolish policymakers are ensnared in fantasies about "AI safety," AKA "Will the chatbot become a superintelligence that turns the whole human race into paperclips?"

https://pluralistic.net/2023/11/27/10-types-of-people/#taking-up-a-lot-of-space

But no one is asking, "What will we do if" – when – "the AI bubble pops and most of this stuff disappears overnight?"

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/12/19/bubblenomics/#pop

Image: Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

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[plutosunshine]

What trauma can become your power? Chiron in the houses

Chiron in the 1st house

Chiron in the first house signifies a deep inner wound related to personal identity, self-esteem, and the sense of self. This may stem from trauma experienced in early life when a person felt inadequate, rejected, or misunderstood in their unique expressions. Individuals with this placement often struggle to justify their existence, prove their worth, or meet others’ expectations to earn love and recognition.

However, this wound can become a source of incredible strength. Over time, individual learns to accept themselves as they are, with all their imperfections, vulnerabilities, and unique traits. This journey of self-discovery and acceptance not only helps heal their wound but also inspires others who face similar inner conflicts. Chiron in the first house makes a person highly sensitive to issues of individuality and self-expression, and their personal struggle with these themes becomes a powerful tool for helping others.

Chiron in the 2nd house

Chiron in the second house often indicates a wound related to self-worth, self-esteem, and material security. People with this placement may experience feelings of inadequacy, inner shame, or fear from an early age, believing they are undeserving of abundance or stability. They might have faced situations where their value was questioned by others, or they struggled to identify what makes them unique and worthy.

However, this wound carries the potential for profound transformation. As individual begins to work on recognizing their true worth, they can develop a powerful sense of inner resilience and learn to view the material world as a tool for growth rather than a source of fear. By overcoming self-doubt, they can become an inspiring example for others, demonstrating that a person’s value is not determined by external circumstances but emerges from inner confidence and self-acceptance.

Chiron in the second house has the power to transform this wound into a source of strength, helping the individual not only to build their self-esteem but also to guide others in discovering their true worth. Such a person may develop a unique gift for healing issues related to money, abundance, and self-worth, both in their own life and in the lives of those around them.

Chiron in the 3rd house

Chiron’s wound in the third house is associated with themes of communication, learning, self-expression, and interactions with the immediate environment, including siblings, neighbors, and close acquaintances. This placement may point to painful experiences related to the inability to be heard or understood, fear of saying the wrong thing, feelings of intellectual inadequacy, or traumas in relationships with relatives. A person with this placement often struggles with internal conflicts around expressing their thoughts and ideas, feeling that their voice does not matter or that their words are not taken seriously.

However, this wound can become a source of strength when the individual finds ways to overcome their inner fears and begins to see their experience as a unique gift. This transformative process often involves recognizing the value of their own voice and the power of words. Such individuals are capable of developing exceptional communication skills and becoming sources of support and inspiration for others. They may excel as teachers, writers, counselors, or lecturers, helping others overcome fears and learn self-expression. Their early pain teaches them to be attentive listeners and empathetic conversationalists, sensitive to the subtleties of communication and able to create a space for meaningful dialogue.

Chiron in the 4th house

Chiron’s wound in the fourth house is associated with matters of home, family, roots, and emotional security. This can manifest as a sense of lacking warmth, acceptance, or support during childhood, feeling alienated from one’s relatives, or an inability to find a place that feels like “home.” A person with this placement may experience an internal conflict between the desire to put down roots and the fear of being rejected or emotionally vulnerable.

However, the potential for transformation arises through working with this wound. By overcoming these inner fears and learning to create a sense of home within themselves, the individual can become a source of support for others, particularly for those who face similar challenges. They learn to transform pain into strength, developing a deep understanding of emotional needs and creating a space where others feel safe and accepted.

This wound becomes a source of strength when the individual recognizes that their ability to be empathetic, caring, and supportive has grown out of their own pain. This experience helps them build strong connections with others, grounded in genuine emotional depth and sincerity. A person with Chiron in the fourth house can become a symbol of healing energy within the context of family and emotional relationships.

Chiron in the 5th house

Chiron in the fifth house is often associated with a deep wound related to self-expression, creativity, love, and inner joy. People with this placement may feel unworthy of being in the spotlight, fear rejection for their talents, or struggle with insecurity in matters of personal fulfillment. This can manifest as a sense that their creativity is not valuable enough or as painful experiences connected to romantic relationships.

However, this wound, when worked through, can become a source of incredible strength. Those with Chiron in the fifth house have the potential to gain profound insight into how to help others embrace their uniqueness, support them in finding joy, and express their creativity. They can become mentors, inspiring others to overcome their fears and be true to themselves. This transformation not only makes them stronger but also more empathetic to the suffering of others, allowing them to use their wounds as a tool for healing, both for themselves and for those around them.

Chiron in the 6th house

Chiron’s wound in the sixth house is associated with a sense of inadequacy in daily life, service to others, and care for one’s body and health. People with this placement may experience inner conflicts stemming from feelings that they are not good enough in their work, that their efforts are undervalued, or that they are unable to care for themselves or others in the way they desire. This can manifest as chronic anxiety, difficulties establishing a healthy routine, or a tendency toward perfectionism that drains their energy.

However, this wound can become a powerful source of strength. A person with Chiron in the sixth house has the ability to transform their struggles into profound wisdom and an understanding of how to navigate daily challenges. They can become excellent mentors, healers, or specialists who help others organize their lives, overcome work-related difficulties, or improve their health. This experience teaches them to embrace imperfection in themselves and others and use it as a foundation for growth.

The core strength here lies in approaching oneself and others with compassion, recognizing the value of even the smallest efforts, and helping others find harmony in their everyday lives. Such individuals become a source of inspiration, demonstrating that wounds do not define us but can serve as a foundation for meaningful service that brings joy and purpose.

Chiron in the 7th house

Chiron’s wound in the seventh house is often associated with painful experiences in relationships and challenges related to finding a balance between oneself and a partner. This can manifest as feelings of rejection, disappointment in love, fear of intimacy, or a constant need to please others at the expense of one’s own needs.

However, like any Chiron wound, this trauma carries immense potential for healing and transformation. By recognizing their fears, failures, and behavioral patterns, individuals with this placement can develop deep empathy, wisdom, and the ability to support others through emotional and personal crises. This wound becomes a source of strength when they learn to harmonize with themselves, find a balance between independence and closeness, and build healthy relationships based on respect and mutual understanding. In doing so, they become an example for others, inspiring deeper and more conscious connections.

Chiron in the 8th house

Chiron in the eighth house often indicates deep emotional wounds related to themes of loss, transformation, intimacy, or matters of life and death. This can manifest through painful experiences such as betrayal, fear of losing control, or difficulties trusting others in close relationships. However, these very wounds can become a source of incredible strength and inner growth if the person is willing to recognize their significance and transform their experience.

Healing pain in the eighth house is possible through embracing vulnerability and exploring the power of transformation. This process can turn the fear of change into an ability not only to accept transitions but also to help others navigate through periods of crisis. People with Chiron in the eighth house can become remarkable mentors or healers, possessing a unique ability to understand others’ pain on a deep level and show them paths to healing. Their strength is born from the realization that true transformation begins with accepting the darker aspects of oneself, ultimately leading to inner freedom and empowerment.

Chiron in the 9th house

Chiron’s wound in the ninth house is associated with deep scars in the realms of higher education, philosophy, faith, the search for meaning, and travel. A person may feel an inner conflict or insecurity in their beliefs, doubt their own knowledge, or experience the pain of being unable to find their place within a worldview system. This wound often manifests as a sense of rejection of their ideas or beliefs or as a feeling of losing connection with something greater—be it cultural, spiritual, or intellectual belonging.

However, it is precisely through working with this wound that a person can gain immense strength. Chiron teaches us to heal our pain by sharing our experiences with others. The wound of the ninth house can become a source of wisdom if one recognizes that their unique journey, even if it has been full of doubt and searching, can inspire and guide others. They may become a teacher, philosopher, or guide, helping others find meaning in life and expand the boundaries of their worldview. By accepting their wound, the person becomes open to a diversity of perspectives, which makes them incredibly wise and tolerant. Thus, Chiron’s wound in the ninth house transforms into a source of strength, helping not only the individual but also those around them, building bridges between different cultures, religions, or philosophical systems.

Chiron in the 10th house

Chiron in the 10th house indicates wounds related to social status, career, achievements, and attitudes toward authority. This may manifest as a feeling of inability to achieve success or fear of responsibility. Such individuals often face criticism from society or loved ones, which can lead to self-doubt and uncertainty about their professional abilities. However, this vulnerability can become their strength if they recognize their fears and transform them into wisdom.

By overcoming the inner conflict tied to self-esteem and societal recognition, a person with Chiron in the tenth house can become a mentor to others, helping them overcome their own professional and personal barriers. This wound can provide a deep understanding of the nature of leadership, teach the balance between ambition and emotional needs, and show how to maintain resilience in challenging circumstances. Thus, Chiron in the tenth house has the potential to transform the pain into a source of inspiration and support for others.

Chiron in the 11th house

Chiron in the eleventh house indicates a wound related to themes of friendship, acceptance in groups, social ideals, and a sense of belonging to a community. A person with this placement may feel isolated or misunderstood within a collective, face betrayal by friends, or experience the sense that their uniqueness prevents them from being part of something larger. However, this wound can become a source of growth and strength. By working through their experiences, the individual learns to value their individuality and use it to build harmonious connections with others.

Chiron in this house grants the ability to mentor or inspire others, particularly those who feel “different” or out of place. The trauma associated with rejection can transform into the gift of creating communities where mutual understanding, respect, and support flourish. Thus, personal experiences of pain become the foundation for helping others find their place in the world.

Chiron in the 12th house

Chiron in the twelfth house often indicates a profound emotional wound connected to feelings of loneliness, separation from the world, or the suppression of emotions. This may stem from experiences of loss, hidden fears, or repressed traumas that a person carries within themselves, often without fully realizing it. The wound of Chiron here is tied to the subconscious, to what is hidden from the external world, and sometimes the person may feel lost, not understanding where their pain and anxiety originate.

However, this very wound can become an incredible source of strength and transformation. If a person becomes aware of their inner fears and wounds, they can learn to work with them, transforming them into compassion and wisdom. Chiron in the twelfth house offers the potential for deep healing—not only of oneself but also of others. Such a person can become a guide for those who are suffering, possessing a unique gift for delving into the hidden corners of the soul and helping others understand and embrace their shadows.

The key to turning the wound into strength is accepting one’s vulnerability and exploring the inner world through meditation, psychological work, or spiritual practices. Chiron in this house teaches that weakness can become a powerful resource for inner growth, and through serving and helping others, a person can find profound meaning and personal healing.