#all the big -isms

[tuulikki]

Why, then, did the killings go on for so long? The same irrationality lies at the heart of many other mass murders. In the Soviet Union, for example, shooting or jailing political opponents at first helped the Communist Party and then Josef Stalin gain absolute power. But after there were no visible opponents left, seven million more people were executed, and many millions more died in the far-flung camps of the gulag. So many engineers were seized that factories came to a halt; so many railway men died that some trains did not run; so many colonels and generals were shot that the almost leaderless Red Army was nearly crushed by the German invasion of 1941.

In the Congo, as in Russia, mass murder had a momentum of its own. Power is tempting, and in a sense no power is greater than the ability to take someone's life. Once under way, mass killing is hard to stop; it becomes a kind of sport, like hunting. Congo annals abound in cases like that of René de Permentier, an officer in the Equator district in the late 1890s. The Africans nicknamed him Bajunu (for bas genoux, on your knees), because he always made people kneel before him. He had all the bushes and trees cut down around his house at Bokatola so that from his porch he could use passersby for target practice. If he found a leaf in a courtyard that women prisoners had swept, he ordered a dozen of them beheaded. If he found a path in the forest not well-maintained, he ordered a child killed in the nearest village.

Two Force Publique officers, Clément Brasseur and Léon Cerckel, once ordered a man hung from a palm tree by his feet while a fire was lit beneath him and he was cooked to death. Two missionaries found one post where prisoners were killed by having resin poured over their heads, then set on fire. The list is much longer.

Michael Herr, the most brilliant reporter of the Vietnam War, captures the same frenzy in the voice of one American soldier he met: "We'd rip out the hedges and burn the hooches and blow all the wells and kill every chicken, pig and cow in the whole fucking ville. I mean, if we can't shoot these people, what the fuck are we doing here?" When another American, Francis Ford Coppola, tried to put the blood lust of that war on film, where did he turn for the plot of his Apocalypse Now? To Joseph Conrad, who had seen it all, a century earlier, in the Congo.

—King Leopold’s Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, & Heroism in Colonial Africa

Reading this due to current events (Congo, Palestine, Ukraine, Myanmar, Azerbaijan, Xinjiang, Tigray, Manipur… nothing ever changes, does it)

[blood-starved-beast]

Interesting phenomenon about Nemesis and her fandom reception is that people are going all over her for being a hot mean woman but few acknowledge how much of a loser she is

And I don't necessarily mean it in a tsundere sort of way but in the way that she is completed and utterly constipated in how she engages her relationships. Trying to admit to liking someone is like pulling teeth. She has no rizz. Her flirtation attempts suck ass yet she asks Melinoe to hit her and audibly moans when she does (in contrast, when she hits Mel it's small damage compared to what Nem asks of her)

Melinoe asks her how she and Artemis are handling things, and Nemesis postures, a lot (which is what she does) only to admit under the smallest bit of pressure that "it's fine" in the weeniest voice that in fact, tell you it's not fine. She says it's "not fair" that her mom's weapons, the Nocturnal arms, don't respond to her and even when Melinoe points out how she has Stygius, Nem insists in an equally weenie voice. She gets defensive when Melinoe does anything that could be seen as coddling (like arguing with Hecate about her).

Nemesis hadesgame, big muscle mommy (which she would absolutely hate being called that actually), is a Weenie Hut Loser.

[cabeswaterdrowned]

Sorry (not) but I find anyone who acts like Blue is making something out of nothing when she’s mad Adam’s first question is about the kissing to be like. Deeply suspicious. Of course she is mad that’s the first thing he asked her! They’ve been walking on eggshells around each other and not really communicating since the last aborted kiss attempt which is on both of them to some degree, but when he comes around to her it’s only for this and when she has so many fears and insecurities about not properly belonging in the gang because she’s a girl (which is founded based on the fact aside from Noah they’ve all been misogynistic towards her at some point even if it was passive) and not being respected, when she’s also an outsider at home because of a different thing she can’t control. And you can not say that her feeling Adam is treating her like a thing to have and not a person he connects with is unfounded he again literally “I got Blue without you!” screamed at Gansey, consistently going to her after they fight (he did it end of TRB after repugnant too) to validate himself or just generally when he’s falling apart looking for validation from her like in the apartment scene. It’s not a bad thing to seek validation from your partner and in TRB before I’d say the last quarter I think Blue and Adam were genuinely connecting and developing a friendship while also exploring their feelings/attractions to each other, which did always have elements of seeking escape or validation for both of them in different ways, but it’s dissolved into that so much now. And I do think Blue is to some degree mad at Adam because he’s here and available to be mad at when she’s also mad at Gansey for it (I don’t think they’re *in the wrong * for not inviting her but they are in the wrong for not even considering she could want to go or at least want to be in the loop, also even though it’s Gansey’s party if Adam is trying to be her *boyfriend* it was kind of his place to ask her) so she’s conveying anger at Adam when the anger is for both of them, and also more general factors she’s frustrated by, but also Adam has the exact same response of channeling emotions that aren’t solely about Blue through their fights (and to his credit he is self aware that he does this) so again crucifying Blue for it is whack imo. Also to check myself on shipper-brain for the Adam-Gansey aspect of it, well obviously I read that here as a factor because I’m me, but for arguments sake on the premise Adam has No feelings about Gansey that are anything other than platonic Blue would still have a right to be mad about him prioritizing his platonic male friends over her and treating them with more respect, obviously, because misogyny exists (also these are not two contradictory readings in that I think they’re both factors. Signed an Adam Stan).

[pitconfirm]

lance x pierre. thoughts?

they would have an incredible friends with benefits relationship and pierre would grow feelings for lance but ultimately pierre could not match lance’s long term freak so it wouldn’t work out

[fisheadz]

Finally found the little handheld gaming console music thingy for Desmond, got jumpscared by Agent Fuckboy, got some new dialogue from him and Tonia (though Tonia was much more helpful), updated some of my notes, yada yada, had fun.

Also, new theory, (mild spoiler?) do you think Max was so angry about the divorce and Alice taking away Maddison, partially because he has experience with abusive stepparents and doesn’t want her to ever go through that if Alice does remarry? Because it’s real now, I declare it.

Also also, (more spoilers) do you think that Mayer/the CIB mentioned Desmond in the meeting that Lucas mentioned in his message? It makes sense that Desmond would be the first one he’d call, but he also mentioned that they might be coming for Desmond now. Maybe Rosemary was able to send the message that he was a target before you-know-what? Or maybe I’m just looking too deep into things whatever.

And Max has a mild cat allergy. Totally.

[doomface]

yeah i love vtm lore*

*the vtm lore my friends and i have personally scooped out, added to, and cobbled back together meticulously like a frankenstein that hardly resembles its original self 

[mielmoto]

paradoxically, though certainly fond of sweets and sugary things, honey does generally prefer tart, bitter, and sour treats.

there's room for flexibility to make those things, as a confectioner—but her main draw toward sweet-making in the first place was less out of her own taste preference and more out of a) enjoying the techniques/processes/complexities of candy-making and pastry craft, and b) she likes making things which other people find indulgent, exciting, and decadent.

[wokeuplaughing]

what is venture bros

it's an adult swim cartoon about the shitty son of a super scientist his two sons and their bodyguard. it's inspired by/is satirizing 60s cartoons (specifically jonny quest) but it becomes its own thing pretty quickly while still maintaining the aesthetics. excellent character writing really funny episode concepts and it manages to improve upon itself with every season like I was consistently impressed by the quality increase both visually and with the storytelling. the show initially aired in 2003 and the last official season was in 2018 but they released a movie this year but the humor during the early seasons is fucking rough to say the least like I honestly suggest skipping the first episode it's such a bad pilot even on my rewatch I skipped it lmao

[meownotgood]

i’m not rly an avid tumblr user but u are seriously my fav blog and writer like……. ever... like i just love everything u post whether its writing or not, and u also have the Aki Disease just like me and i just resonate with u and ur posts sm. i would love to be ur friend too idk if that’s weird LOL but i just love ur work and ur blog so much ur so awesome thank u for all of ur posts and love for aki 🫶🏻🫶🏻

I appreciate it... thank you so much for saying so... I'm proud to be your favorite writer and blog, thank you for enjoying my fics and my little aki space 💪 you are always welcome here!

[blood-starved-beast]

~~~~DO NOT REBLOG~~~~

Not to be that person but I've been reading some critiques of totk and how it handles imperialism (and perpetuates pro-imperialist sentiment), and it makes me feel like I'm standing on the sidelines tapping my foot anxiously cause while I agree with the general argument cause yes it does in fact have pro-imperialist sentiment it fails to point out that it comes from Japan. Japan with its own history of imperialism and imperialism apologism specifically. So it's very close to but slightly off mark and makes me frustrated. Especially since this is not the only time Nintendo has inserted pro-imperialist sentiment (looking at you Po/kemon legends:arce/us) and How You Are Not Immune to Propaganda (@ Nintendo devs).

But I refuse to speak of it in detail as I am not Japanese, I am not Asian, and I'm too unqualified (both temporally with relation to my studies and also not in-depth enough) to speak on the subject.

So I'll just sit here. Leg stimming anxiously like I have restless leg syndrome cause yeah I completely agree but I would normally go about explaining why in a slightly different direction but alas I should not and will not.

The only, only thing I will say though, if to make this post relevant to anyone reading this, is that people need to understand that one has to approach Hyrule through the lens that it is created by a Japanese company. The Hyrule religion is based on the Japanese state religion and specifically inspired by the kind that emerged after the Meiji Revolution. This is pertinent to understanding the Hylia lore and Zelda and why the monarchy is Like That, and why it keeps popping up again and again and why they refuse to move away from that model. And this directly ties into the Japanese pro-imperialist sentiment we see in these games.

[wizardingsouls]

tag dump eight ft. muse-related tags* for charon greystone !!

*additional tags may show up on here in the future

[hussyknee]

I AM WHEEZING.

I know some dickheads have now decided that Judaism is the "bad, violent, terrorist religion" and Islam is the "good, peaceful" one, which is only to be expected of white people, but how much of an issue is it currently? Like I've seen some USAmericans sharing how the Islamic faith shapes Gazans values and perseverance (good) except with that distinct white hippie "I'm about to imprint on this like the world's most racist duck" vibe (bad), but I didn't think they're already turning on Judaism in numbers.

Do they realize that Christianity is also the same kind of comfort to Christian minorities in Asia and Africa? That it was Buddhists that genocided the Rohingyas in Myanmar and Tamils in Sri Lanka? That Hindu fundamentalists are even now trying to ethnically cleanse Muslims in India? How Hindus and Christians are terrorized and persecuted in Pakistan? That Muslims have had a long history of persecuting and ethnically cleansing Jews too?

Really tired of asking y'all to be normal about people's religions man. There's no religion that's inherently violent or exceptionally peaceful. It's just like any other ideology that becomes a weapon in the hands of ethnic power. Interrogate power, not religion, and respect people's belief systems insofar as they aren't in your business.

[cajuncardtricks]

quick little tag dump! feel free to keep scrolling.

˚. ✦.˳☁︎·˖  out of cajun seasoning.    //    ooc. ˚. ✦.˳☁︎·˖  listen to me very carefully.    //    psa. ˚. ✦.˳☁︎·˖  time to leave it to the luck of the draw.    //    prompts. ˚. ✦.˳☁︎·˖  live life like it’s one big game…cause it is cherei.    //    games. ˚. ✦.˳☁︎·˖  i shot out uh there sayin what’s up doc!    //    crack. ˚. ✦.˳☁︎·˖  the ragin cajun.    //    remy. ˚. ✦.˳☁︎·˖  after all this time i still manage to impress myself.    //    isms. ˚. ✦.˳☁︎·˖  i knew if i wore this trenchcoat long enough…i’d event’ly come in handy.    //    musing. ˚. ✦.˳☁︎·˖  did you get my calling card?    //    wishlist. ˚. ✦.˳☁︎·˖  i played my card and you play your game.    //    romy. ˚. ✦.˳☁︎·˖  leave it up to the chance of the cards.    //    jambit.  (vinterstarn.)

[daisies-on-a-cup]

if i had a sister i imagine it would go a lot like the first half of frozen

[aeide-thea]

[ID: Text reads:

But this demand for "accurate representation" in the mass media is naïve. If the petition is successful one image is merely traded for another, the new one perhaps a little kinder, a little gentler. But because control over that image resides outside the hands of those being portrayed, the image remains fundamentally alien. As the mass media are commercial, this separation is multiplied, for the range of possible imagery is reduced to that which will appeal and sell. At the end of the line the process is complete: transformed into a mass media commodity, you buy your own image back. Since these representations are often how we know one another in a mass society like our own, the consequence of separation from one's own image is estrangement from one another. Social relations become relations between (mis)representations. ("Consumption," p. 131)

/end ID]

really into this passage about media representation in Notes From Underground by Stephen Duncombe

[blue-jasmine2yas]

I understand why people want to die now. When trauma weathers down your imagination. When your ability to think out of the prison fades and damages. You created a quiet space in the chaos, and it still wasn’t enough. In the end you are a little ship that will wreck in the storm. It’s because you wanted to play somewhat fair and ignore what was happening. 

Why couldn’t you stop it? WHy couldn’t you prevent it. You spend the rest of the days making a portal to leave you rmisery, proceeding a gundred failrues. Still in the clothess you came in in to this hell hole. 

If someeone else took the pen and wrote they would say, something like, I don’t know, . . .  I was beginning to think there was only one failure, and it was me. So predicctabletabel. Tconumblr, home of the damaged. There was nothing wrong with our capacity to be happy, but tin the end they got ius. and blamed it onillness. it

And the rage that comes after that is jarring.