#also this made me realize how much of my cyberpunk writing is just health fantasies....replace broken body with robot parts Please

[cyberpunkboytoy]

Another Noiz simp here~

Actually, I wanted to touch a not-so-fun topic and I don't really have anyone to discuss this with. And well, it's always interesting to know what other people have to say, so...

What do you think about Noiz' route/good ending being ableist?

I see this statement resurfacing in the fandom every once in a while. And while I partially agree with it I don't think that having to be 'fixed' in order to get access to anything even closely resembling happiness was the N+C writers' original message. It did end up looking like that, but I think they were going for something more metaphorical, and because they depicted a state very close to a real existing condition the whole thing is giving mixed signals.

'You deserve acceptance and your differences don't matter' → 'Get magically cured in the end'

'People who can't love you for who you are will never be satisfied with you, you don't live for their approval' → 'Strive to fit the notion of normal and successful to be worthy of the person you love'

...and all that.

But, despite feeling a bitter aftertaste because of these aspects of the story I still like the idea of him 'regaining' the sense of touch. He's an interesting character and watching him being put in a situation where he has to experience something shockingly new and learn how to adjust is just...fascinating. And as someone who headcanons him as autistic I can imagine how I could use that to develop this headcanon even further.

Aw hell yea, this is exactly the kind of stuff I love to think about. (Fun fact, I actually used to work in disability adovacacy. And have a writing degree. This is my whole shit right here.)

So in terms of being "magically cured," I think it's important to note that the trope isn't always explicitly abelist—a lot of times, yea, but I've also seen this critique thrown at didabled power fantasies. Other disability advocates have weighed in on this topic that for some, a magical cure narrative can work as a fantasy even as they function as erasure for others. As disabled people aren't a monolith, different needs will create different desires for representation/coding.

One of my roommates actually has the condition Noiz's story simulates (which has made it VERY entertaining to tell them about the game), & they told me if they could have their sense of touch magically work they'd be all for it. Personally, some of my disabilities are integral to my identity & I'd kill anyone who threatened to 'cure' them...but if I could snap my fingers and get rid of my chronic pain & joint instability? I'd do it in a heartbeat.

That said, I agree with you that it feels more metaphorical. Noiz's narrative has always struck me as being about isolation and connection, and then experiencing the world anew through a newfound sense of conectedness. Emphasizing that narrative by letting him connect with his world not only interpersonally but also through touch felt like very effective writing.

While there's plenty to critique in Noiz's good ending, the use of his lack of touch as a narrative tool has never felt wrongfooted to me.