#analysis and etcetera

[muttakutagawa]

i like to think about Verlaine and the Frankensteins as like. a trio in terms of their personal philosophy on personhood

(and by extension how they all end up influencing chuuya to some extent or another)

while verlaine despises his existence as an artificial being (in a body that should be human but is instead "lines of code" as a manufactured singularity)

and i think adam happily reconciles the middle ground he occupies as both an android and as a human being,

i like to imagine eve wants to avoid the acknowledgement that she is to some extent human, she wants to be a machine and is frustratingly aware every single time she is painfully human despite being a made thing and not a born one

[licorice-and-rum]

SOC and Neoliberlism

So, as promised, here it is my analysis of Six of Crows and how neoliberalism is amazingly portrayed in Ketterdam, and how the city is an example of what happens in a community that is not provided for.

Before we begin, I wanted to say that English is not my first language, and, considering I read SOC in Brazilian Portuguese, I might translate some names literally or differently from the English version but I think it's manageable to read and understand my point. If not, I'll edit the text.

The first thing we have to understand is how neoliberalism works and the theory behind it, and then we'll talk about how it's portrayed in Ketterdam.

So neoliberalism is a theory born more or less at the end of the 20th century (70s-80s), and it finds its roots in laissez-faire capitalism, meaning that it's a political current that tries to suppress and/or eliminate the State's influence from the market. The neoliberalist view understands that the market can supply by itself the population's needs without help or limitations imposed by the State.

The thing here is that most people listen to this and think neoliberalism is about electronics, cars, and other stuff. The truth is, that neoliberalism aims to suppress the presence of State-run facilities in ALL corners of society, such as health care, housing, water access, electricity, etcetera.

So, we can use the American and Brazillian health systems to understand it better, for example:

In the US, the ones providing health care for the population are great corporations - they decide the price of care, they work together with pharmaceutical companies to define medicine prices, and the laws that bind them are pretty much only offer and demand. There is almost none State intervention to provide the population with accessible health care.

However, this brings problems, of course: not everyone (actually, most people) has real access to health care simply because they can't afford it, or they can't afford it without taking a big financial hit, which threatens their other basic needs, such as food, housing, water, electricity, etcetera. Not everyone can provide for their medical needs, such as diabetic and disabled people.

That leads to:

(a) an increase in poverty;

(b) a decrease in educational levels - if you don't have the means to pay for higher educational levels because of health care debt, or if you're sick and need to go to class and tough through it but you're not really learning anything, and so on, which leads to a major workforce in base level production and a minor class who has access to this education;

(c) an increase in overworking people - meaning that we have a lot of people taking on several jobs to be able to pay for things like health care, which increases the competitiveness between people, making individualism levels go up and breaking up human beings' natural sense of community.

I could also talk here about how this breeds isolation and increases the potential for mental health problems but I think you got what I was saying.

On the other hand, we have the Brazilian health care system (SUS), which is a universal gratuitous medical care service through the whole country. Its purpose is not profit, it's providing health care for the community, so therefore, any SUS unit is bound by State law and run by the State. By law, every SUS unit must provide for anyone who enters its premises in need of medical care. Everyone, Brazillian and foreigners, poor or rich, must be treated if they need to. It's the law.

Of course, that doesn't mean it's all rainbows and flowers, there are definitely many problems in SUS. However, what I'm trying to showcase here is that, when the needs of a population are met, the population itself is more resilient, their life quality goes up and so does their participation in their community.

On the other hand, in neoliberalism, when the State is absent from these areas of community service, the market is, in theory, the one providing for the community. In practice, however, what we observe from neoliberal policies in cities with a great poor population in Latam for example, is that when the State doesn't provide for the community, the market is unable to step up for them because of their obscene prices.

The poor population that doesn't have their needs met by the State or the market sees a great boom in criminal activities within their spaces. That's mainly why criminal organizations are so present in slums and favelas throughout Latin America: criminal organizations are a way for the community to provide for themselves and, as a means to become more powerful, they provide for the community in exchange for their services (not to say they do that for the good of their hearts, of course not).

It's why it's so common, for example, that criminal organizations such as PCC in Brazil pay for kids from favelas to undergo Law school, for example.

And that's is where I wanted to go to start the conversation in SOC: one of the main traits of Ketterdam is the Barrel and, in the Barrel, we have the presence of many criminal organizations, such as the Dregs, the Dime Lions, the Menagerie staff (not the girls, ofc), etcetera.

This, as observed by Kaz himself, is one of the only ways to survive on the Barrel - you filiate yourself to a gang because you need to be able to provide for yourself and, more times than others, for your family as well.

Kaz's story is actually a perfect example of how Ketterdam is the representation of America in the early 20th century in full policies of laissez-faire (neoliberalism): as we can see in Titanic and many other historical fictions, the said American Dream had people believing the US to be this economical paradise where they could all enter the market and become millionaires.

The result of it is the Great Depression, of course, but I'm getting ahead of myself here.

When Kaz and Jodi leave Lij for Ketterdam, Jodi believes he'll become a merchant - which is a pretty common belief of those who arrive at Ketterdam, as Pekka Rollins and Kaz himself state in Crooked Kingdom.

The reality of it, though, is much harsher, because the truth is that when you have a market that controls everything, as we see in Ketterdam with the Merchant's Guild (I think that's how it's translated?) and the Stadwatch as a police force, you see perfectly how neoliberal policies really work in real life:

You have a higher class who controls the market and the riches (question: who do you think got the money Shu Han sent to Ketterdam at the beginning of the first book: the people of the city/country or the merchants in the "government"?), and a lower class that, without support from the State or the market to have their needs met will turn to their own means to do so.

So you have the trafficking that brought Inej to the island, the unlimited gambling that Jesper was trapped in, the cons Jodi and Kaz fell for - it's all product of liberal policies.

And so, you have Ketterdam and its neoliberal policies (:

(I really love to make this kind of analysis, please, if you have something you want me to talk about, don't hesitate to ask)

[bloodcasket]

CARNAL ANALYSIS

PAIRING: Vergil Sparda x GN!Reader

WARNINGS: Pure NSFW, dirty talk, pet names, overall smuttiness, bondage, dominant Vergil, submissive reader, degradation, power-play, other mentions of bdsm related topics. Etcetera. Not proof read muahahaha, sorry guys.

DESCRIPTION: Nsfw headcannons for Vergil.

A/N: I don't like this sorry guys, but I promised :( this was rushed.

SULTRINESS ;

Vergil's tongue is precise, rough, his speech is sharp and his words are calculated.

His comments may appear snarky, or smart-witted, but it's all meant to tease you. To tell you he's always ahead, that he is the one with more power. He enjoys this sense of dominance.

In bed, Vergil carries this same tone of speech, his words are so teasing that it flusters you.

Vergil enjoys degrading as much as he loves praise, although he will never make a remark to bring your confidence down, rather just comments about how hungry you are to be bent over. A toy for him.

His praise toward you is more along the terms of possessive, growling heated words of desire, telling you that you're doing well, that you're all his. Your body, and your soul.

His favorite terms may be vixen, brat, wretch, greedy, pet, and foolish boy/girl/etc.

The half-demon himself much prefers praise from his partner, something that will stroke his ego when he's mounting you.

But if you wish to be smart with him, don't expect anything soft. He'll quickly pull you over his knee and spank some common sense into you.

GUILTY PLEASURES ;

Dominance. He wouldn't have it any other way. Submit to him willingly, and he'll be very much pleased.

Grinding. Seat yourself over his lap, and pleasure yourself over his thigh a little, it's entertaining for him to see you get off so easily.

Bondage. There's nothing more exciting to him than you complying to his control. To have your hands restrained, moaning softly, a beckon for him to ravish you, he's feral.

Prey/predator. Vergil finds it humorous knowing you attempt to out-run him, or win in your hiding. It's cute, innocent. He wins every time, but he loves the adrenaline rush as foreplay. To see your face flushed, temples slick with sweat, your mouth releasing soft pants once he's got you pinned. He could do this more than once.

Cockwarming. One of his favorites. It's quite common for him to drape you over his lap, and ease you further down onto his cock, hushing away your whines as you two sit in warmth. He could sit there forever, with a book in hand, your soft pleas dissipating into the night.

Overstimulation. He likes a challenge, loves the chase. The sound of pleads, begging, and sobbing. When he finally lets you cum, you're hysterical, too tired to even move forward, all from his fingers or tongue alone. Under his cock, you're sure to fall into pieces.

Voyeurism. There's something that riles him up knowing you're touching yourself. To hear you from the other side of your bedroom door, imagining you writhing in bed, playing with yourself so sexually. Bless if the door is cracked, he wouldn't mind a glimpse.

Discipline/Power-play. He won't tolerate a bratty attitude, he'll break you if you don't comply. A few spanks here and there, and you'll apologize, tears in your eyes, cheeks flushed. He hates how much it arouses him.

Finger-sucking/Worshipping. Whether receiving, or giving, he indulges in such lustrous concepts. What a dream it is, you on your knees, appraising him, and then obediently taking his fingers into your mouth. Very good.

Volume. He lacks volume, but when riled up, he's a growler/grunter. He takes pride when he hears your sweet melodies though, and would much rather keep his composure to enjoy hearing your pleasures.

LIBIDO ;

His hunger is rather limited. Although, his stamina is high, and if tempted the right way, you will be fucked so thoroughly you are quite literally weak. Limp, legs wobbly and your vision foggy from so many tears.

While Dante is the brother with confidence in his sexual interest, Vergil likes to be secretive, and quiet about it.

The eldest is too focused on other things to let sexual intimacy fog his thoughts. He could go for a very long time without pleasure, but with you as his companion, things become different.

Ways to arouse the dark slayer is by pestering him, trying his patience and belittling his skills, he'll quickly discipline you. The next is sweetness, speaking words of honey to him gets his lips molded all over yours, and suddenly, your body will be worshipped.

Vergil could go hours in bed, could you?

He'll most likely wear you out every and any session, whether romantic, soft, rough, or slow.

PHYSICAL ;

Vergil knows how to tuck, that's for sure, but he's a half-demon, don't expect something easy.

Sparda blood gives him quite a package.

Packs more length than girth.

On his lover he's not picky, worships your flesh.

Loves the flesh of your thighs, observing the way his fingers sink into you as he fucks you into nothingness.

Kissing and suckling on your throat is divine to him.

He does quite admire your hands though, the way they grasp the sheets, desperate. Or the way they pat him, endless whines and pleads escaping you as your hands weakly hold him, begging for mercy, begging for release.

Of course, they way they wrap his length also.

DISLIKES ;

Refusal of aftercare. Intimacy and love are very important to him, and if not given such love before, during, or after lovemaking, he will not be bothered to waste his time on anyone.

Quickies. He prefers to take his time, to feel the moment properly. Vergil is a man matured physically and mentally, he takes things rather seriously then spontaneously. He is educated in patience, if he must wait for intimacy, he will.

Multiple partners(threesome, etc). No other person is allowed in bed, it must only be you and him. He expects you to feel the same, because he's most definitely not sharing.

Exaggerated love-making. Everything he does is sincere, don't drag it or tell him white lies. Fake moaning or overdoing sexual acts will quickly irritate him.

Non-con. He enjoys the idea that his partner is willing to love him in such ways, so doing things that make them uncomfortable is off the table. Abusive/forceful sex is filthy to him, he hates it.

In public. He would much rather be in the security of his own home, with you. Although, if you arouse him in public, he will punish you later, even if you've already forgotten about it. He keeps track of these things.

[iguessyouregonnamissthepantyraid]

there's been a lot of analysis on reasons why kamala lost (palestine, the hasty slapped together campaign, the rightward drift of the dem party over time, a classic combo of misogyny and racism) and these are all valid reasons! but i truly, down to my bones, believe that it mainly boils down to tremendously bad timing and pure american ignorance. covid happened, trump handled it abysmally, the global economy tanked, and trump was immediately (rightfully!) ousted at the next election. but then the repercussions of covid and his poor policies hit, prices soared, and biden and harris got every ounce of the heat for it despite the fact that they were just the ones saddled with the job of cleaning up trump's mess. the vast majority of americans aren't even paying attention to policies or even watching any of the speeches or rallies held by either candidate. they just see prices going up at rates never seen before in our lifetimes, assume it must be the current administration's fault, and then proceed vote in what they think is their best interest. yes it's monumentally selfish. yes it's short sighted and wrong and from a place of mind-boggling ignorance. but like i truly believe that this election result and everything that follows is, more than anything, a long term effect that covid is still wreaking on us 4 years later. i'm not sure what to do with that, but there it is anyway. keep organizing and forming communities and protecting those who are going to be most vulnerable under this administration, the fight isn't over and the future is worth fighting for mister frodo, etcetera etcetera

[lani-heart]

This is a question I've been meaning to ask since I first found the circus series,but!

How does the hybrid-code system work? Like all of the colors? What separates a green hybrid and a yellow hybrid? What separates a red hybrid and a black hybrid? Where does purple fall into the chart? Are there any other colors we haven't seen yet? What do they all mean? That kinda stuff^^

Thank you!♡

This is a fun question :D

Green-code hybrids are friendly with other hybrids, humans, kids, etcetera. An example of a green-code hybrid is Wooyoung, and as you can see, he isn't a threat to anyone but himself. Kun or Doyoung would have to go through lots of analysis to pass a hybrid as green since if they do show signs of aggression it'll be under their negligence.

Yellow-code Hybrids are often hybrids considered to be either a threat to a hybrid or human but still can be adopted. I can see these hybrids as more like guardians than simply spoiled hybrids like Wooyoung. Yeosang and Seonghwa are the only yellow-coded hybrids so far. Yeosang specifically is a threat to humans but not hybrids. He isn't aggressive but can be seen as defensive. While Seonghwa is a threat to humans as well, he is also seen as defensive but can be agitated around other humans.

So the main difference of the yellow and green codes are how defensive they are or how territorial. If a hybrid is territorial against other hybrids but not aggressive then they'll be classified as yellow.

Orange-Code Hybrids are moderate threats to both humans and hybrids. So they can show aggressive behaviors and defensive behaviors to either protect themselves or simply because its in their nature. I don't remember if we've had an orange code hybrid besides San going down to the code eventually but it's a code that is seen to be a crossing line between adoptable and red codes. if they have some redeemable qualities they will be put up for adoption but under the warning for potential owners that they can be aggressive. Also not recommended with other hybrids or kids.

Red Code Hybrids... well they're hybrids that can't be adopted under any circumstances as they are a severe threat to humans and possibly hybrids. They only get these codes if they have attacked a human in the past. So an example, San is a violent hybrid who came from an illegal hybrid fighting ring that obviously has a violent nature. He also attacked our lovely protagonist and is coded and ranked as such. The same with Hongjoong, he attacked humans and clearly showed his distaste for them when they captured all the hybrids and evaluated them as such.

Now... Black code hybrids are hybrids under no circumstances should be left with someone who isn't qualified to handle them. They also have. mandatory show collar policy on them since they can be unpredictable. Often given to hybrids who've killed hybrids or humans before in isolated circumstances. As Hongjoong did... he almost killed our protagonist and needed to go through an investigation as a process for all of them since y/n was unconscious. Most of the time if a hybrid does commit this act they go through the risk of being euthanized or sent to another facility that's more strict. Like the adoption center was gonna do with San in the beginning of the story of euthanization he wasn't adopted and Kun with Hongjoong since he almost killed y/n.

Lastly Purple codes... hybrids who are a danger to themselves. There are obviously different circumstances. Wooyoung was at risk of being purple color due to his severe depressive episode but still was being analyzed since he went through something traumatic such as grief. San however the difference was he completely developed retrograde amnesia. At first, as clarity, he was a severe threat to himself as Kuns aw that he was the most dependent on y/n and was hurting himself by being chained up. So he would be placed in purple codes. I also see this as having a rank. So San would be Purple Code, rank 2 whereas Wooyoung was at risk of Purple Code rank 1

I don't think there would be any other codes besides ranks within the color codes which I haven't explained but I also don't wanna rant since I already did too much. I hope I made some sense T-T

[riskyalt]

I'm going to write this now as I'm watching the goodbye stream, to add my two cents and whatnot.

The community has always been a huge part of the project, if we put the actual server aside for one second. The fanart, fanfics, headcannons, theories, comics, analysis, videos, memes, all of it was just as important as the actual players and server happening. The community was as much the lifeblood of the project as the actors involved were, and for that I can give a big thank you to all of you in the QSMP tag reblogging and creating under QSMPblr. I've adored each passing moment here - that including the rougher eras because as a community I've seen very measured responses from people truly passionate about the purpose the QSMP was there to serve - to unite communities.

As I'm watching Quackity talking about the fact that even if the QSMP as a project has ended, his desire in bridging cultural and language gaps is still present and something he wants to continue creating for. So yes, even if the server is currently ending, what has been achieved will forever be present. I'd never even thought that I'd be in a community with so many different nationalities who are not afraid to express themselves in their own languages and cultures, and especially I'd never thought that I'd be eagerly waiting to congratulate mutuals on their national holidays and things like that. In that, it's made me want to get closer to my own culture since I've never really properly grown up where I come from and I think that is something to be cherished.

I'd never thought I'd rekindle my passion for language learning and now be able to watch videos and streams in Spanish to understand the majority of what's being said and laugh along in chat, nevermind that same passion being rekindled or created for thousands of others. We have so many languages here and it's insane to even think about isn't it? People in the community that speak: Portugese, French, English, Spanish, German, Korean and probably more! I've been trilingual for the major part of my life, and have known Italian really well for a long time on top of that, but the QSMP as a whole has opened up my perspective on language like I'd never thought anything could.

THAT BEING SAID. Thank you to the creators involved in the project. It was clear to me as early as from the first days - before the translator - when the creativity and passion of the creators broke through those initial barriers and helped form the meaningful connections we find today. The roleplayers that created stories and characters very near and dear to me are absolutely to be praised, personally, I'd say q!Cellbit, q!Roier and q!Etoiles are my favourite characters to come out of this and those that I will keep creating and blogging about. Every character that came out of this is incredible though, everyone even down to Jorgito the IV drip and Posolito the capybara are utterly, indisputably, definantly: peak. Im greatful to the duos or groups that have emerged thanks to the translator and opportunity, just a few examples being: Cellbit and Roier, Badboy and YD, Pierre and Maximus, Etoiles and Phil, Missa and Phil, Cellbit and Baghera, Tubbo and Pac, etcetera! All of these connections between CCs were really entertaining to watch, and all due to the QSMP.

ALSO THAT BEING SAID. Thank you to the actors behind the scenes doing as much of a part as the streamers themselves. The eggs were all absolutely wonderful as NPCs and breathed life into the server like no other. All of them, all portrayed such different characters with realistic personalities and struggles that to me have always been stupendous at staying in character at all points. Lullah, Chayanne, Richas, Tupperware (Dapper), Patitas de cheto (Bobby), Leo, Tillin, Juanna, Trump, Chunsik, Em, Pepito, Sunny, all of you eggos have made the QSMP an unforgettable experience, and you admins deserve to get recognition. Massive thanks also go to the designers, writers, actors and managers behind the project as well, just as important in keeping the server running and fresh in how it was.

General thanks to the project for achieving what it has. Uniting communities, creating an incredibly story and characters, opening mine and other's eyes to more diverse cultures, rekindling passion for language learning and just so much more shit I could talk about for hours. This server has been an incredible ride, but that doesn't mean I'm leaving it completely.

Of course, the QSMP was by no means perfect and I'm not trying to make it out to be. It has it's issues and I'm completely aware of that. I think the impact and beauty the server has had is something to be celebrated regardless because it's something on a scale not done before.

I'm still going to be here, posting and creating about this SMP even after it closes. I'm still gonna be here posting silly clips and making long posts like this one that will maybe get 5 notes - but that's fine with me. I'm proud to be part of this community and experience as a whole, since Day fucking 1 - and I regret none of it. To all the people I've met over this thank you so much for being the people you are, keep creating and learning.

Thank you, QSMP, QSMPblr and Quackity Studios.

[transmascutena]

what do you think about the incestuous relationships in revolutionary girl utena, and the root causes of the abuse? one of my favorite analyses I've read so far talked about how rape and incest aren't deviant, they are an extension of the patriarchal family unit. And do you have any thoughts/analysis about how it specifically manifests in RGU and the way the narrative communicates these themes?

It's so annoying the way some people act like the incest is just regular brother and sister complexes that's common in a lot of anime, and not an integral part of the show's themes about the Family fostering an environment ripe for abuse. The show treats these heavy themes seriously, and I wish I was smart enough to articulate my thoughts about Miki and Kozue, Anthy and Akio, etcetera. Hence, this ask.

Jsjsksks I know I sent an ask just yesterday about Revolutionary Girl Utena, but your analysis is so cohesive, and I really appreciate you bringing family/marriage abolition and amato-normativity into your analysis posts. It's very affirming to me as an aromantic asexual.

thank you so much! i will admit i also have a hard time putting my thoughts about these themes into words, because they are . a lot, so forgive me if this is a little rambl-y. but they are a huge and very important part of the show, so they're important to talk about.

i think i know the analysis you're talking about, and it's spot on. every kind of abuse we see in the show is a product of The System (patriarchy, the school system, the nuclear family, etc.) that's not to say that the abuse isn't purposeful, or that it doesn't often come from people choosing to do harm, but their ability to cause that harm is facilitated by these systems. for example, the system is not forcing akio to do what he does (although it is the reason he knows it will get him what he wants) it is just giving him the tools to do it effectively. abuse does come from people, but the systems are what makes the abuse so effective, and that's why we need to dismantle them.

this is something i've mentioned before, but a big part of why anthy was so trapped in her situation until the end, is because of the expectation to value family above all else, and to always love and forgive them no matter how they hurt us. and that is the reason why incest is so inherently toxic and abusive. it's not that it's "gross and unnatural" (such rhetoric really only serves to hurt and alienate victims anyway) it's that you cannot ever have a healthy relationship in a framework that tells you that you always have to stay with someone, and forgive someone, and love someone, no matter what. it doesn't matter if there's no age gap (seen in the kaoru twins) to create other kinds of power imbalances and it doesn't matter if they're not actually related by blood (seen in nanami thinking touga isn't her "real" brother, and in touga trying to use that against her.)

i've talked about how all this affects utena as well, and how even the state of not having a family makes you vulnerable to it, here.

it's not that siblings (or other family members) are more likely to be abusive people, but when they are, it is a lot harder to escape said abuse. leaving a regular abusive relationship is already incredibly difficult, but if they're you're family, it's even easier to fall into the mindset of "oh, but they really just want the best for me." when you've been taught that family is the most important thing in the world, leaving them is a huge decision. especially if you rely on them for material needs as well, like housing and food (which also happens a lot in romantic relationships and marriages.) there's also the way that with sibling incest in particular, especially if there isn't a big age gap, the victim will often be made to feel complicit in the abuse, either by their abuser or by society at large. like it's something "weird and taboo" that two people are doing together, rather than the abuse it really is.

that last part definitely manifests in the show, with the victim-blaming anthy recieves. from nanami especially. her desire to prove that she's "not like anthy" comes from an understandable place. she's dealing with figuring out that her feelings for her brother weren't what she thought they were, but it ends up with her putting equal amounts of blame on akio and anthy for the abuse she witnessed, even though there is a clear perpetrator (not helped by nanami already disliking and distrusting anthy.) it's clearest, i think, when she refers to them as "those perverted siblings" to utena.

it's funny (it's not) that this kind of thinking even manages to happen in the fandom itself. anthy is obviously not a perfect passive victim, and it's reductive of her character to say so, but the idea that she is as much an active participant in the abuse as akio is, is a take i have seen too many times for comfort. like, congrats, you fell for the exact kind of thinking that the show was trying to critique!

[junk-culture]

actually forget rating jane eyre adaptations based on their faithfulness to the book the quality of acting the chemistry the cinematics etcetera etcetera. let's base our analysis on how cute the dogs playing pilot are

[marabarl-and-marlbara]

hi i wanted to know if u have any good book recommendations? they can be about anything rlly i just want to become smarter

hi anonymous;

you:re as smart as you need to be, and really: you should read books out of passion (and fun) in lieu of pure raw erudition--mostly cause i think that is a fast way to burn yourself out by forcing yourself to read through dry garbage you don:t really want to read (this sounds loaded, but countering what i:m saying: if you are suddenly passionate about pursuing Pure Mathematics and want to just dive into math textbooks: then pursue that passion :-)) );

i do have recommendations, though! but i don:t think they:ll make you smarter; my favorite book as a kid was Howl's Moving Castle (hated the movie, garbage), it:s just a very fun fantasy book and it rekindled my love for reading after a long stint of trying-to-be-smarter by pursuing philosophical trash;

i really really really loved Squee! and Johnny the Homicidal Maniac as a kid, too; my dad sent them to me as a gift when i was really young & probably one of the only things he sent me that i deeply loved; i wish i still had those books, i:ve really been wanting to re-read them;

read Crying of Lot 49 this year and it moved me a lot--made me really interested in Pynchon as a whole; I'd rope a handful of American authors into this actually: Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Flannery O'Connor's A Good Man is Hard To Find, Cormac McCarthy's Outer Darkness were all amazing surprises to me that just made me really appreciate American authors (sort-of doofy but I really did just appreciate this southern tradition of writers in an inspiring sort-of geographical way, like: I know these lands! I am soaked in this dust! I have this same odd bigotry in me!) -- but I think all of those works/authors are great and you probably can't go wrong with anything any of them have wrote;

I'm currently reading My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante and really enjoying it; the cover/name makes you think of some harlequin romance novel but it's basically a femcel manifesto on hating someone so obsessively that it is indistinguishable from love; I'm currently listening to Stephen King's Duma Key and enjoying it--I'm listening through a lot of King books, just finished From a Buick 8 (loved it) (I'd rope King into the 'loving American authors' thing, cause he was a part of my culture growing up, you know? as doofy as it is, I'm kinda happy to have grown up alongside his career and output and it's been fun to finally delve into his stories);

also finished Nabokov's Pale Fire recent-ish -- if you like stuff like House of Leaves you might like it (it sounds sinful to compare that book to Nabokov but it's pretty apt, too); it's one of the few books I've read that actually made me laugh, and Nabokov is a beautiful writer, and Pale Fire is a book with enough depth that I think a reader could go through it several times and pluck out something completely new each time.

I don't think any of these would make you smarter; funny as it is: I think the KJV Bible is a beautiful read but I don't think I'd suggest it outside of attending church wholly because part of the poetry of the Bible comes from studying the context of a passage and all the lenses that come with it (I'd actually consider studying the 'academic biblical' analysis of the Bible as a church itself, not in contrast with church apologia); you can find a lot of odd inspiration in the works of prophets ala Mary Baker, Ellen White, various Catholic saints, Joseph Smith, Hubbard (wink, but sincere, I like Hubbard), etcetera--but I feel like inspiration or passion leads you to those works rather than some dull desire to soak up another persons passions in hopes that'll saturate you with something you've been missing. Ex: if you want to be a Christian Scientist: read Mary Baker; but likely if you wanted to, you'd already be reading--as circling as that sounds.

Take care, anonymous.

[datamodel-of-disaster]

Childhood as Serfdom

An analysis

(Or: I'm on my soapbox, enjoy/suffer the consequences)

I was gonna write a funny post about how being a child is kinda like being a medieval serf, but then I thought about it longer and actually it's not funny. So, be prepared.

People have a lot of resistance to the idea that children, legally and societally, are serfs. There is a visceral unwillingness to put together and see what the whole of laws and customs concerning minor persons actually amounts to, and I actually think that unwillingness is at the root of what makes so much "think of the children/protect the children" right wing rhetoric so effective.

In English, the word "serf" mostly brings to mind medieval peasants, but in Dutch it touches a little more on what it actually is. Lijfeigene, literally translated, "body-owned-one". A serf is not the same as a slave -he is not considered a tradeable good or personal possession, and cannot be murdered or raped with impunity. He can have property and this property is protected by the same laws that protect the possessions of free people. But similarly to a slave, a serf does not have self-determination over his own body, freedom of movement, or ownership of the fruits of his own labour. He is not legally considered an individual person so much as a part of an estate, a condition we'd still commonly describe as "unfree". In the medieval system of serfdom (at least in England) a serf had to pay for a "license" from his Lord to do just about anything, from marrying to repairing a fence. So we can say that medieval serfdom was a system where fundamental freedoms were paywalled rather than fundamentally denied, as in the case of slavery. There were ways to receive permission to do things, but the necessity of receiving (and, in the medieval use case, paying for) this permission was a fundamental aspect of the system.

Now.

Let's entertain this thought. Does childhood meet the criteria of serfdom?

Well.

Children have no freedom of movement.

You perhaps wouldn't look at the permission slip to go on a school trip as something in the same vein as a medieval serf's license to visit a cousin on a neighbouring estate, yet that is exactly what it is. "Where are your parents?", local police in suburbia giving a child a ride home if they get spotted walking alone, "No unaccompanied minors", parents being sued for leaving their kids home alone, the entire concept of "familial kidnapping" and the fact that custody is a matter of legal regulation when a couple divorces. Children's lack of freedom of movement is everywhere if you care to look.

When people get annoyed at "loitering" teenagers, they are contesting children's right to be in public spaces, unaccompanied and without specific purpose or permission.

When people judge parents for their children being a nuisance, they are explicitly acknowledging that the child's movements could be curtailed and controlled by the parents -indeed, they are stating such control to be the correct course of action.

Explicitly and implicitly, our society accepts and supports children not having natural freedom of movement, and places -for better or worse- the responsibility for their movement on the parents. In this, the parents are the Lord of the estate, and the child is a serf attached to this estate. Additionally, as the entire concept of custody shows, we have in fact codified the rights of parents to continued access to any children that were part of an estate that was legally split between them in a divorce.

Children do not have right of self-determination.

Children have precious little protection to their bodily integrity. From birth, they can be circumcised, have their genitals surgically "corrected" if they look too ambiguous to the eye of parents and doctors, have their ears pierced, be baptised or initiated in a religion, have cosmetic surgery performed on them, etcetera.

I am specifically not listing life-saving medical measures here, because yes -children are different from mature adults, and especially babies have no capacity to self-determine in matters of their own survival. We will address this matter of capacity later on. For the purpose of this exercise however, it is worth pointing out all the non-life-saving, non-essential actions that would be considered highly invasive if performed on an adult, yet can be freely performed on the body of a child with zero input or consent from the child itself.

Compared to that, all the less invasive ways in which children are typically allowed little to no self-determination, from choosing their own clothes to eating when and what they want to, seem less impactful. But they add up, and you should keep them in mind.

(And even in the context of life-saving measures; there are some hotly contested legal cases of parents wanting to deny life-saving or life-improving medical intervention to their children for religious reasons, that illustrate just how important our society considers the rights of the parent over a child's body. If these rights weren't considered almost inviolable, there would be no contest between them and a person's survival.)

When we look at what things children can and cannot do legally, the underlying assumption is always that children are in a form of diminished capacity with regards to self-determination, and must therefore be protected from decisions made in this diminished capacity. Hence we have concepts like statutory rape, child labour prohibitions, and laws that protect children from, for example, signing contracts. Most people will agree that children are not adults and do not have the same capacity to make fully informed decisions for themselves. So, it makes sense that there are laws that protect them from being taken advantage of.

In the context of childhood as serfdom it is more interesting to consider the conditions under which these protections can be circumvented.

Let me elaborate:

In the US, parents can take out loans and credit cards in the name of their child -while a child cannot legally sign a contract, a parent can essentially sign for them and saddle a child with debt long before they can even comprehend what that is. In some circles it even gets recommended to take out a credit card in a child’s name and diligently keep a good credit score with it so they can have a better financial start when turning 18.

In 37 states of the US, child marriage is legal if a parental waiver is provided, and in 20 of them there is no minimum age for marriage at all under these conditions. (Look, there it is again, the serf's license!) So while legally a child cannot consent to be married or sign a valid marriage license, a parent can consent for them. For additional context here; the "statutory rape exception" that allowed underage sexual activity if the participants were married was only amended in federal law in 2022, and similar exceptions are to this day still encoded in US military law.

But…Child labour is still actually prohibited, right? Right?

Well… no. Not really.

Children in the US can be employed in non-agricultural jobs from the age of 14 with parental permission, whereas for agricultural jobs the allowed age of employment varies between states and isn't federally determined, but can be as young as 10. Additionally, minors of any age may be employed by their parents at any time in any occupation on a farm owned or operated by his or her parent(s).

There are technically laws about how many hours and in what type of labour children can be employed, yet in practice there are a lot of potential exceptions, and these laws are (unfortunately) continually under attack. Which leads to my next point…

Children do not own the fruits of their own labour

Children can own property, in the legal sense. They can "hold title", as one says, of most items (except motor vehicles in some states in the US -remember this in connection to freedom of movement!), be the beneficiary of an inheritance, and receive gifts.

However.

Holding title does not mean they have the usufruct of the property, nor that they cannot be denied access or usage of it by their parent. More importantly…

In the US, a child does not have an automatic right to their own wages. Let me share you a couple excerpts of law:

Banks v. Conant, 14 Allen 497:

Whatever therefore an infant acquires which does not come to him as a compensation for services rendered, belongs absolutely to him, and his father cannot interpose any claim to it, either as against the child, or as against third persons who claim title or possession from or under the infant.

Cyclopedia of Law and Procedure:

As a general rule any property acquired by the child in any way except by its own labor or services belongs to the child, and not to the parent

Wheeler v. R. Co., 31 Kan. 640, 3 P. 297, 300:

As a matter of law a minor may own property the same as any other person. He may obtain it by inheritance, by gift, or by purchase; and there is nothing in the law that would prevent even a father from giving property to his minor child. A father may also so emancipate his minor child as to entitle him to receive his own wages.

So…

A child can be employed, with an employment contract signed by their parents, and any wages they earn automatically belong to their parents.

That is literally what it means to be a serf.

I am not saying that all children are exploited in the manners I described above. But it is an illustration of the culture we live in, that all these types of exploitation are in fact legal.

Almost any attempt to legally protect children in their developmental condition of diminished capacity leaves loopholes for parental exemptions. The right of a parent to make decisions about a child's life, body and movement is entrenched in our society and legal system.

Which leads to… "protect the children".

What we talk about when we talk about protecting the children

Endeavours to "protect children" come in multiple shapes.

There are the initiatives to improve the legal framework that protects the rights of children - such as the Californian law that forces parents of child actors to keep the child's wages in trust rather than automatically own them, or the amendments that removed the marital exception from the statutory rape law. They can be characterized as movements to chip away at the serfdom status of children, while still respecting the fact that children are in fact a vulnerable class of people who require protection.

Then, there are initiatives that aim to protect the rights of parents over children. Lately, many of those are essentially extensions of children's current serfdom status into the plane of the immaterial. Think, laws that aim to limit children's freedom of movement in cyberspace as well as public space. Laws that dictate what information children are allowed free access to. Laws that limit children's privacy from their parents, under the guise of protecting their privacy from strangers.

This latter category will often wrap itself in a layer of fearmongery anecdotes and moral panic language in order to gain support and justify exerting additional power over children. The reason this works is that to have a meaningful defence against it, someone has to consciously acknowledge the serfdom status of children, and consider it harmful.

Now, most parents aren't actively exploiting their child's labour, racking up debt in their name, or arranging their underage marriage. But almost all parents have exerted power over their child's freedom of movement, denied them privacy, taken their possessions as punishment or simply out of convenience, and forced their will on them in a million unimportant ways where letting the child self-determine would not have had any real impact on their wellbeing or safety. Acknowledging the serfdom status of children means acknowledging all of that as a kind of authoritarian lordship rather than benevolent custody.

Clearly, people have resistance to seeing themselves as -even mildly- villainous in any story, and the urge to defend one's parenting decisions is a strong one. As such, it's easy for someone to defensively think, "This power I have over my children is good, actually. I should have more of it, for their own good." And that is, at its heart, a fascist idea.

We will never dismantle fascist rhetoric as long as we remain comfortable with categories of people who are unfree for our convenience. And that doesn't just include children -I'd posit that it actually starts with children.

(Have mercy on me, I wrote this at work. Will add sources/bibliography later.)

[rustedleopard]

uty ship headcanons? Your character analysis are all really great and I like reading them so feel free to rant if you want.

I'm not really much of a shipper. Usually when I engage with a story I'm more interested in stuff like themes or characters or etcetera, so mashing two characters's faces together falls really low on my priority list (and for the rare few ships that I do have, I also tend to look at them from both a platonic and romantic angle because just focusing on the romantic aspects will start to bore me after a while). Not to say that shipping is a bad thing, it's just not my thing.

For Undertale Yellow, I don't really have any ships besides Staroba. I like that their dynamic has more of a sense of equality to it (as nice as they are to each other, both Starlo and Ceroba aren't afraid to call each other out on their shit), they're pretty funny together, and them being childhood friends to lovers is pretty cute. I only like/can see Staroba happening a few years after Clover passes though. Ceroba needs time to recover from her previous relationship and Starlo wouldn't push her into anything she's not comfortable with; he's respectful like that 👍. Plus, what ultimately turned Ceroba off from dating Starlo is that he was immature, and at the end of the True Pacifist story, Starlo is shown helping his family and starting to be more responsible. So I imagine that Ceroba would end up gradually falling for Starlo without her knowledge until she one day realizes and is like "Oh." Then cue a bunch of guilt because she feels like she's betraying Chujin by falling for Starlo and Starlo helping her gradually work through it. It's a slow burn 😅

(Any treatment of Staroba as a "Starlo gets the girl" type deal is an absolute turn-off for me. It's not about Starlo getting Ceroba like she's a prize to be won, it's about them growing into better people together and realizing that their feelings are mutual.)

.....And THIS is the part where I re-read the ask and realize that you probably want me to talk about my opinions on UTY ships overall. Hmmm. I'm putting the rest of this under a cut. Warning that this will be a bit headcanon heavy.

First of all, any sort of Clover × adult character ship (Martlet, Starlo, Ceroba, Dalv, Mooch, etc) or any minor × adult pairing is a strong NO from me. I don't care how you try to justify it, it's disgusting, I don't care for it, I don't want to see it. GET THE HELL OFF MY BLOG! This isn't me being a hard-ass, this is me expressing a normal opinion to have. If the person reading this ships minor × adult ships, then Leave. Now. Likewise if you take any minor × minor ship and do NSFW stuff with them. Yes, even if you age them up.

With that being said, I also want to state that I don't hate any of the ships I talk about below, I just don't ship them myself. These are just opinions/my interpretations of them and if you have different ones from me, then that's totally fine. I'm just some rando on the internet, don't let what I say stop your roll. I'm... also gonna try to be brief with it since there are quite a few ships to cover.

(EDIT: I was not brief. Oh my god, I was not brief!!!)

Clover × Flowey: I can't see this as a lovey-dovey standard-fare relationship, especially if it takes place during canon. I don't care if Flowey calls Clover his best friend and lets them rest at the end of the True Pacifist story, I found that moment wildly OOC and did not like it! Flowey said he hated them in both the Neutral and No Mercy run endings, and Clover didn't really do anything to bond with Flowey in the True Pacifist ending, so I don't see why he'd suddenly change his mind. Plus, I tend to see Clover as having pretty good judgement of character and that they have some suspicions as to why Flowey is helping them so readily. But... Let's just throw that out the window for this scenario! If Clover had feelings for Flowey, he would absolutely abuse that to lead them around by the nose. Flowey already tries to isolate Clover from their friends and control them by saying that their friends are a bunch of bozos and to focus on the mission and that Clover is too good for them. And if he had their romantic affection as well? What's to stop him from using that to push Clover to go to Asgore and not get distracted? It'd take him a few resets to get used to having Clover look at him like (⁠灬'_'灬⁠), because Flowey has his own issues, but once he's got it down pat, he'd exploit it as much as he can to control Clover. He wouldn't return their feelings either, and would probably start cackling to himself about how much of an idiot Clover is the split second he dives underground. Honestly, I deeply pity Clover in this situation. In a post-Undertale canon scenario, I could see them trying to be friends with each other, but if you're like me and headcanon that they get revived with ALL of their reset memories, being friends is the absolute best case scenario.

Clover × Kanako: Feels like a "pair the spares" situation more than anything. We don't know much about Kanako besides she was kind and smart and brave and well-loved. Nothing about her likes, dislikes, opinions, preferences, etcetera. This may be a bit mean but to me, she was more of a representation of an innocent child lost to Ceroba and Chujin's whole deal than she was her own character. Plus if things go the route of "Ceroba (and Starlo and Martlet, but they don't matter here) adopts Clover and becomes their new family," things get iffy there because they're siblings. Adopted siblings, but siblings nonetheless. But, hey, most of my opinion on how well this ship turns out hinges on what happens to Clover's familial situation post-everything (should they get revived) and how someone characterizes Kanako since she's a fairly blank slate. Do something good with it and I'll go 👍. (psst, would be really cool if you made Kanako dislike humans in a sorta "learned from her dad and perpetuates his bad habits" way. would make her and clover's relationship, romantic or platonic, very interesting and would make her feel more real and grounded..... i know that her spoon-behaviors in the true lab contradict this but i'm just sayin')

Clover × Chara: Two fascinating characters, both who went the "sacrifice myself for the sake of Monsterkind" route, to wildly different degrees of success. From what I've seen, a lot of Clover's characterization in this dynamic seems pulled from the Undertale Red + Yellow mod which... I don't agree with their characterization there. They never struck me as especially chatty, they just say what needs to be said and leave it at that (if anyone here is gonna be verbose, it's gonna be Chara). I also don't see Clover as trying to be upbeat and positive all the time, like in the UT Pacifist Route. Have you seen them in the UTY No Mercy route? Clover can get very serious when they see fit. Hell, even in Pacifist, Clover strikes me as the sort to give the impression that they're serious almost all the time because they don't emote much and are terse (even though they're pretty damn hilarious in their head. A shame 😔). But I digress. The biggest difference between these two is their opinions on humanity. Chara hates humans enough that they try to force their brother to start attacking humans and Clover cares about humans enough that they jump into a mountain that children were known to go missing in to bring justice to the five kids. Yet both of them had shitty lives back home. More than wanting to see them hold hands, I wanna lock them in a room together and make them talk about humans. Either some crazy understanding would bloom or it'd just be two 12-year olds squabbling forever. Place your bets here on how it would turn out.

Axis × Daisy: Nothing needs to be said because I can't come up with anything to say. I wish Axis the best of luck with putting trackers in his children though! 🙏

Martlet × Red/Papyrus/Moray: Gonna throw these all into the same category because I can basically say the same thing about all of them: they're fine. I won't seek them out intentionally but if a story/fanart happens to feature it, I wouldn't be turned off from it. Canon just doesn't give me anything to really work with for these ships so I just go meh. I will say though that while I am usually not a firm "X character has Y sexuality" person, I do tend to see Martlet as a lesbian. So if I stumble across a Martlet × Papyrus fic or fanart or something, there's a bit of a mental hurdle to overcome with me going "Oh, this person thinks Martlet has a different sexuality from how I headcanon her."

Ceroba × Alphys: TOXIC YURI!!! Two characters who hate themselves for their actions who also project their insecurities and the parts they hate about themselves onto the other person. While Ceroba would likely be giving Alphys a lot of shit and would usually instigate things, don't forget that Alphys can snap back if pressed (remember the Queen Alphys ending?). Minecraft Achievement: How Did We Get Here?

Ceroba × Chujin: In an AU where Chujin didn't die, it would've ended in the messiest divorce. Their relationship was a powder keg ready to blow: lack of communication, blind admiration, secrets being kept, one party pulling more weight than the other to cover living expenses, and I could go on. The only reason why they stuck together so long was because they loved each other, and well. Romantic relationships can't last on love alone. There's gonna be moments where there's no room for romance in a relationship because life is happening, and the split second they would've hit one of those moments: *KABOOM!!!* Therapy and proper communication could've saved them, but they're both too prideful and secretive to ever explore those routes.

Starlo × Dalv: Admittedly Corn Yaoi is one of the funniest names for a ship out there. Gives me a "Country guys make do" vibe from name alone (if you're a minor, please don't look that up. Or if you do, because I know realistically that I can't stop you, don't hold me responsible for it!). But besides that, I don't really feel anything for it. They only interact once at the end of one route out of four possible ones, they were far apart from each other on screen, and their conversation was mostly a "Hello." "Hi." situation. There's no chemistry or anything from that brief interaction to make their relationship stick out to me. I see their relationship as cordial, two people united by their affection for the same person who have friendly feelings for each other but it doesn't go beyond that. Sorry ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

(Small aside: I'm not the sort to get into ships between characters who don't meet/interact much in canon (....which I'm sure you've gleaned if you've read up until now), but judging by Orion's dialogue in routes where Starlo is spared, where he talks about going to Snowdin to investigate his family's corn being grown there, I like the idea of him meeting Dalv and developing feelings for him and being embarrassing about it. Whether it works out or not doesn't matter. Being awkward in romance should run in the Sunnyside family, me thinks.)

Starlo × Ed: Scandalous! But I headcanon that Ed and Starlo had a brief gay thing going on between them sometime after Ceroba got engaged. Starlo couldn't truly commit to it because he still had feelings for Ceroba so they agreed to break it off since it wasn't fair to either of them. They're on good terms, but there are still moments where Ed goes soft for Starlo.

I don't know if there's any other ships out there that I forgot to cover. There's probably a million. Uhh, this was a very broad topic to approach and I didn't realize it until I started typing. Maybe if there's a ship/topic out there that you want me to cover, feel free to ask. Though, perhaps be a bit more specific next time 😅

[hollowtones]

all these recent streams of you Just Reading Shit have been awesome. not just because you have a very engaging reading voice/flow, but because you always share really interesting commentary, and analysis, and background knowledge; it's a delight getting to hear your thoughts and trivia on draculas and EULAs and etcetera

it makes me so excited for if you ever get around to more novel-like games like disco elysium. long-ass and conversation-heavy streams are some of my absolute favorite of yours, and it's been so fun hanging out and being a part of your (very nice) chat

I'm glad you (& other folks, I assume) like 'em. They're some of my favourite streams to do, haha. It's fun to read for a group & talk about it! I don't even think I'm particularly great at live analysis / critique. I just like doing it. It's fun to have other folks weigh in, too.

I'll play "Disco Elysium" eventually. I know I'm probably going to enjoy it very much. I've got a big list of things I want to stream or otherwise work on, and it's a good but frustrating problem to have.

I'm glad to hear you think the community is a nice place. I try my best. Thank you for tuning in. :+)

[tothepointofinsanity]

Tearful Sayaka.

Some ramblings:

The doll was much bigger than I had anticipated. Well, more for my money's worth I suppose. I also didn't notice she had tears in her eyes when I made the purchase. Tragic.

Funny free gift that is the Madoka magnet.

Some thoughts/analysis of Sayaka below:

I really like Sayaka a lot (because that definitely wasn't obvious before already judging by what I draw) - she is not only love-themed (mermaid), but also angel and ocean themed. Aside from the metaphor that she embodies depression, Sayaka is like water itself. Volatile and moody... etcetera etcetera. Sayaka became a mermaid to survive the crushing waves of grief she felt, but by the time she realised she wanted normalcy and acceptance again, she had already traded her feet for tails.

Mirrors play a huge role in Sayaka's character without it being outright noticeable. In the show, she sees herself as a corpse, and believes that she is a magical girl that rouses only pity and disgust. Oktavia, her witch, lines the mirrors of her hall with memories of her former life, deemed so unbearable that she hides them behind closed doors (commence the sequence where Kyoko and Madoka enter the orchestra, where the doors open to them because they are both a part of this bygone memory). The mirrors are also reminiscent of the one from Snow White - the queen constantly summoning imagery of the princess, who was the object of her jealousy. While it can be interpreted that the "princess" is Hitomi, I think it is more appropriate that, in this case, the princess is the "old self" Sayaka once was; the peaceful life she had, once regarded without second thought, had became unobtainable, for never again would she be as fair (human) and desired.

The witch herself is an undulating armour of a knight, her face not freely gazed upon by anyone so simply. Sayaka also often shields her face out of habit in Rebellion, where it seems that she's crying into her hands during her own transformation, and deliberately hiding her face when singing the Cake Song. As opposed to just deducing this as Sayaka thinking she is ugly, she believes she is monstrous. Her self-loathing is intensified by the fact that her powers and motif revolve around water aside from music alone. Sayaka succumbing to her despair meant that she stopped trying to swim in an ocean, where she's surrounded by an infinite and spanning abyss reflecting her failed ideals. I think...much like Homura, Sayaka, once transformed, is sealed in a hell where the warden are themselves.

(If you made it this far, have a bonus picture. Here's Imposter Miku and a comically large Sayaka figurine lingering in the background.)

[ay-miphae]

"But What If They Were A SBURB Session?": A Mostly Self-Indulgent Analysis of the Source Characters' Classpects

Part 1 of ? of "I Can Run But I Can't Hide From My Past Hyperfixations, Therefore I Will Be Psychoanalyzing All The Source Characters Except It Gets Progressively Less Coherent"

Also shoutout to @digitalclowns for hyperfixating/brainstorming these with me!

Anyway within the Homestuck/SBURB universe, each player has a classpect (combination of class + aspect) which not only determines their superpower in an RPG context but also ties into their personality, values, and hero's journey. There's no one unified theory of classpecting, I take and welcome constructive criticism (both about my understanding of the theory and my characterization of the Source cast).

Class is kind of what you'd think of for an RPG class (knight, bard, rogue, etc). There's lots more different distinctions and such but overall, class describes a character's arc and hero's journey. There's twelve of these (14 if you count master classes)

Aspect is like an element (space, light, heart, etc) and often describes a character's personality, skills, ideals, etcetera. These often have both physical and spiritual facets, like Space refers to literal space and good spatial awareness, but also creation, benevolence, and possibilities. Twelve of these as well.

So, similar to SBURB, the characters of the Source have to escape their planet's apocalypse and seed a new world. Two main Homestuck-influenced headcanons here are that the Source characters spend three years awake on the ship before being able to enter cryosleep/undergo transformation into Forevers (that's how long the trip between universes in HS is... don't remember for sure though). Also the main influence of the Forevers in the humans' world is in constellations.

Okay uhh that was a long introduction I will get on to the extended rambling now

TH-1: Thief(?) of Space

Space makes or breaks a session. It is impossible to achieve the objective without SBURB without a Space player, similar to the way escaping Alpha would have been all but impossible without TH-1 on their side. The Spacebound are powerful, expansive, all-encompassing, they see all the possibilities, they have the best grip on controlling everything that is. Kind of like TH-1. He will grow, know his name. Also symbolized by the color green and I always feel the urge to overlay TH-1 with Source Green™️ so yea

In the interest of not having duplicate classes, I have TH-1 as a Thief. A Thief is in a constant need to prove themself, their powers in relation to their aspect (in this case Space) involve stealing it and accumulating it for themself. I see this as TH-1 maybe... wanting to prove his worth, like he's worth not being shut off. And at the end of his arc, he has nothing more to do than take all their Space for himself and his own purpose, and it (indirectly?) causes the loss of vitality and possibility for the whole session.

Anyway I also like Witch of Space for Lord of Space as potential classpects (Witch being a powerful class that controls their Aspect unbound, Lord being a VERY powerful and embodying master class though - given the sheer computational power TH-1 has over everybody else it's certainly possible although I don't know if I want to throw in master classes)

The Captain: Witch of Time

"Time is short, the hour's upon us!"

Time also makes or breaks a session. The Timebound is the keeper of the timeline and the session's emergency hatch. Time refers to literal time manipulation, also ambition, determination, being tenacious really. The Captain is responsible for the Starblade which is how they all survive anyway so he's very much integral to the plot, in my AU he really is kind of an overachiever kid who just... hits a massive burnout at some point. Also Time is symbolized by the color red, guess which Source character in particular I always draw in red

Like mentioned in TH-1's bit, a Witch is powerful, basically what you might imagine when you think of someone "with time powers," honestly Captain could go multiple ways on this one but yeah he really does embody and manipulate the spirit of Time, or determination. The Witch's setback is overkill, like they do TOO much and it kind of spirals out of hand, I see Captain's arc kind of like that as his unbridled energy just kind of... hits a brick wall on Y.

The President: Knight(?) of Breath(?)

I was stuck on this one for awhile but here goes.

Breath - freedom and personal agency. It kind of seems like the President is the opposite of that (or at least he should be, trying to unify the people and all that), which is how the class Knight ties into it. Also Breath is like the patron aspect of good-natured people who aren't like, overly intense. In many of our headcanons, the President's tenure is like a breath of fresh air compared to past political regimes, even if it all goes to pieces soon after.

Knight is described as a "deficit" class - they start out not really being able to use their aspect or manifesting as the opposite aspect (Blood in this case) - and then grow into it. Maybe he just never becomes fully realized. I dunno. He does try his best to unify everybody but he never really achieves the freedom from the 'Frame that he promises everybody. Anyway in a session, the Knight's aspect is typically what the session lacks, I think it's safe to say the Source crew definitely lost their freedom and personal agency.

The Preacher: Rogue of Blood

Borrowing some headcanons from a mutual here I think? Blood is about unity and bonds between people, I believe his part in Deathcry kind of serves that purpose.

A Rogue is like a Robin Hood archetype, they steal their Aspect (not sure where from though) and redistribute it to their team members. Usually at a cost to themself. Anyway headcanon here that Preacher woke up from cryosleep early, alone really, and his last transmission was what we hear in Deathcry - all the while suffering from a lack of said unity and companionship.

The Biologist: Maid(?) of Light

"I can feel her rays caress my skin"

Light is all about knowledge, certainty, luck, physical light as well as she sings a lot about Sirrah. And honestly, yeah she is the Brain Cell Haver, it seems like her role in the album is to be the vote of confidence, whatever she says or confirms goes. Even throughout 01011001 as Forever Ω she kind of reprises that role, not wanting to lose the progress they've made.

Maid is an active class, one who creates (so not really what it sounds like lol). I'm not totally convinced of this one but it is an active class that seems to fit. As a Maid of Light she would be creating knowledge, illuminating all their steps, forging the way to achieve more.

The Historian: Mage(?) of Void

"Trapped in this void, deprived of dignity and joy"

While Void is about secrecy and the LACK of knowledge you could also say that the Historian is the one who makes sure nothing gets lost to the void. I mean he's the one writing it all down, he's the one who has control of whether it's forgotten to memory or not. Do you see my vision.

Mage is a knowledge class. They know stuff. In my headcanon the Historian knows the Starblade inside and out, he's also very familiar with history (yeah) and almost every flavor of academia. Since the events of the Source he also knows how it is to be without. Nothingness, Void if you will. The Mage of Void, keeper of what is and what passes out of memory. (Also my friend's classpect :D it is a cool one)

The Chemist: Bard of Mind

"The guilt weighs heavy on my mind"

Also this is such a metal sounding classpect omg.

Mind - logic, determinism, understanding, and the facades a person sets up. He is pretty contemplative like that (also Mind would be my aspect and I see myself in him a lot lmao), he seems to be quite lost in his thoughts, and in my headcanons especially he craves logical consistency and peace of mind.

Bard is NOT what it sounds like. Bards are agents of chaos, passive destroyers, they let things go up in flames. Also in many headcanons Chemist is something of an agent of chaos. You could also say that by developing Liquid Eternity, the trade-off for extending their lives and such was incapacitating everybody's minds. "Liquid eternity perpetuates our lives, but does it paralyze our minds?" Man you are so right for worrying about that. It does.

The Counselor: Sylph of Heart

"In our hearts they shall never die"

Heart is about the self, feelings and relationships as well. And that's the Counselor's area of expertise, as she helps everybody work through their feelings and identity it seems. She's more ...personal than the Diplomat, the other emotional support guy, as she validates everybody's emotions and generally seems to relate to everyone on a more personal level.

Sylph is the closest to a healing class. She heals their hearts and feelings. It works. It works really well. Ty Rain for pointing this one out :D

The Diplomat: Heir of Hope

"This is not over, even if it all seems hopeless"

Hope - I don't know if there's a better way to describe the man, he's all like "yeah but trust we CAN make it and it WILL all be better!" Like his weapon is just unbridled optimism in the face of disaster, so much so that you have to wonder where it's all coming from. He's all yellow vibes and warm colors just like Hope

An Heir becomes their Aspect, the most classic "hero's journey". I haven't thought about his arc much but the guy literally is on the Starblade to embody Hope. What a fella.

The Opposition Leader: Prince of Rage

"A cold-blooded war rages on"

Conversely to Hope, Rage is about the tearing down of belief, cynicism and "okay but get real here". OL seems fueled by anger at the system, he's the one who feels the active need to tear it all down and Do It Right. For some reason I associate OL with purple which is also Rage's patron color

The Prince is also a destructive class (yea both Prince and Rage are kind of destructive, didn't have a better character to assign them to), going back to his need to tear down and rebuild the system. As for personal arc I think the Prince's is about coming to terms with themself but not too sure about that one.

The Astronomer: Page of Life

"Is this our destiny, a life forevermore?"

My beloved son whose characterization I've thought of more than any other character in this album, stand by for A Textwall.

Life is about growth and yeah maybe literal life too, my understanding of Life comes from this comment (by Tamago?? idk it's on a Google Doc I have bookmarked):

You ever meet a genuine person who's just like "hey I like astronomy and fantasy" and they like astronomy and fantasy? That's Astro. He, like... doesn't do MUCH on the album aside from validating "Yeap that is Happening," his other core trait in my headcanon is that he is Very Idealistic. It's only later on when he appears on 01011001 as Forever 🕈 that he grows into this role of an advocate for life, vitality, of the planet being able to exist and be "a world that's living." I have random unwritten dialogue in my head between Captain and Astro that can be summarized as Captain telling him "please stop trying to be so benevolent to everyone else and take care of your OWN needs too" which I think also fits. He also sings a whole chorus about Planet Y being alive so there's that too.

Anyway. Page. Is a weird class. They have a long character arc, start out without a lot of skill, but given enough time they're near unstoppable. Astro is one of the two characters we track through the several billion years of Source AND 01, and Biologist/Forever Ω strikes me as more of an active leader through all of it. So it makes sense that Astro/Forever 🕈 could be a Page. Throughout his arc he's taking more and more responsibility (idk if that's the best way to phrase it) as he, unwillingly at first, becomes the advocate for the Forevers' vitality and regaining their life. Developing Time Telepathy, his statement of wanting a "world that's living" - pretty significant to his goal of wanting Earth to live in spite of watching both Alpha and Y fall.

The Prophet: Seer of Doom

Doom is about death and finality and fate and that these things bring positive changes as well. Lowkey the aspect of someone who's doomed by the narrative but persists anyway. Anyway if there's anybody who's in touch with their destiny or metaphysical purpose, it's the Prophet.

Seer is exactly what it sounds like, often passively receiving flashes of insight from an unknown source. Literally the Prophet. Seer of their fate.

Realized I had these refs, the infodump never stops. Both classes and aspects can be divided into dichotomies and different pairings, don't mind me, just more random observations. Who am I if I'm not constantly overanalyzing everything at I-should-be-asleep-o'-clock

"Physical" aspects: The ones in control of physical reality and existence: TH-1 and Captain (fan favorites tbh. the most characterized in canon lowkey) The ones in control of relationships and unity: President and Preacher

"Mental" aspects: The ones in control of knowledge: Biologist and Historian (braincell havers) The ones in control of perception of the self: Chemist and Counselor (they appear together in a lot of the same kinds of songs, I think it tracks)

"Spiritual" aspects: The ones in control of belief or what I can best describe as "gut feeling": Diplomat and Opposition Leader (the two politicians, look at 'em go) The ones in control of progress or finality: Astronomer and Prophet (OH MIGRATOR IT MAKES SENSE THAT THEY HAVE OPPOSITE ASPECTS. THE GIRLS ARE FIGHTING)

Active classes: Biologist, TH-1, Captain, Historian, President, Opposition Leader. The ones who take a more vocal role in the story.

Passive classes: Counselor, Preacher, Diplomat, Prophet, Astronomer, Chemist. They're there, more low-key, still very important.

The ones who create and heal: Biologist and Counselor

The ones who steal and redistribute: TH-1 and Preacher

The ones who embody and manipulate: Captain and Diplomat

The ones who know: Historian and Prophet

The ones who overcome and exploit: President and Astronomer

The ones who destroy: Opposition Leader and Chemist

[illugremlins]

Rant about Peter Pettigrew and JK's Shit Writing

I hate how he is portrayed because, in my opinion, it just doesn't align with the backstory we have.

Let me preface, I am not a Golden Trio HP fan, but a Marauders fan. So, a lot of my takes and characterisations are heavily fanon-influenced, especially since a lot of the characters I write/read about we know very little of. To add, the characters we do see and interact with in the books are the grown, traumatised versions of themselves. Naturally, as adolescents, before the first war, Azkaban, the death of all their friends, the birth of their children, etcetera, they'd behave differently.

Onto Peter. Peter is one of the biggest cowards and lowlives in the HP universe. He's so heavily devoted to Voldemort despite being pissless-scared of him and doesn't hold a damn candlelight to nearly any of the characters in terms of bravery, strength, or the ability to hide his intentions and cowardice.

On that note, we're supposed to believe he managed to trick two of the smartest students at Hogwarts into changing him to Secret Keeper over Sirius or Remus, who we see as much more competent, brave, and intelligent as well as loyal? Really? That he'd managed to trick so many people into believing that Sirius betrayed them?

It would make more sense, then, to have Peter be a much more secretive, deceptive character. To be written with a backbone. (I read once that someone envisioned Peter to sort of be like Oliver from Saltburn. Mousy, quiet, but incredibly smart, sly, and manipulative.)

This is just one of my many gripes with JK Rowling's writing, though. If not for the nostalgia, or had I read Harry Potter at this age, I doubt I would've liked it as much. The world-building is poor, the characters' ambitions are screwed, and Harry, for some-fucking-reason, chooses to become a Wizard Cop despite all the atrocities he went through. He names his kid after SNAPE?! All because the man loved his mother? And then DUMBLEDORE?! Who is as awful, if not worse, of a villain than Voldemort.

It's a kid series, I understand, but I wish there were more consitencies with the characters.

Edit:

It's been so long since I read the series so I've been corrected. Again, I'm a Mauraders fan so I have a different perspective and analysis of the characters.

It was Sirius who made the decision to switch the Keeper to being Peter. Golden Trio fans see Peter as a character that just never resonated with the Marauders and used them as shields, but I find that narrative hard to believe simply because of where I am in the fandom.

I like how @fanfic-lover-girl explained it in their reblog.

I still don't like how he was written. I do think his appeal is in how weak he is, but I feel like that weakness only falls into cowardice. I think I'm also being hypercritical because I don't like JKR and the plot devices/holes.

Still agree with the sentiment of fuck JKR, though.

[rachthepoet]

Satellite Analysis

There's always one song from an artist's release that their following chooses to adopt as their own, and Satellite quickly became the said embraced, and it's not hard to puzzle together why that is. Musically, it's atmospheric and pleasing to the ears, and the shifts in intensity offer stompin' dance breaks. It's impossible to not shimmy your shoulders when listening — believe me, I've tried. Distinct from the danceability, though, is a tenderness so dear that it flies under the radar. And maybe not so separated, as the production and music even aid it when listened closely.

As a song, it delves into the complexities of a relationship where communication and connection seem to be drifting apart. Painting a picture of someone trying to reach out to another, for they're no longer in each others' lives. It's a longing for dialogue and reconnection as the emotional distance is ever highlighted through extended metaphor. It takes the simplistic human desire and nature for companionship and dips it into an intoxicating otherworldly basis.

Here's a deep dive into Harry Styles' Satellite, from a poet.

Satellite, A Metaphor 🛰️

Felt like Augustus Waters typing that just now. Anywho. The song orbits around an extended metaphor, with a symbol strong enough to stand alone at the heart. The Satellite. And understanding it all thoroughly is the key to understanding this piece in all its wonder.

First, let's talk about the symbol itself. A satellite is, by dictionary definition, an artificial body placed in orbit around the earth, moon, or another planet to collect information or for communication. In this scenario, the satellite is an extension of the speaker as the speaker has become much like the satellite itself. Got it? And I feel like it's relevant to mention how the relationship between a satellite and the object it is orbiting is often a give-and-take dynamic. The satellite will send signals to the object and the object keeps the satellite connected. And, when there's a disconnection — a break in the two's casual communication — there's a need for recalibration — seeking that connection with the other person again.

Now, time for the grandiose metaphor at play. The feeling being portrayed is one of being stuck in perpetual orbit — close yet distant, constantly revolving around the person they care about without being able to connect. A distinct emotional distance carries on through the whole song, and there's not a clear resolution — which is something I actually prefer, for that's not how things truly are. Sometimes one is just stuck in perpetual orbit. He utilizes the celestial to explore themes of longing, unrequited dynamics, and the struggle to maintain connection when life pulls people in different directions. But, even in this melancholia, there's a balance with an added sense of hopefulness, for he remains present and waiting.

Lyric Pull Apart

[VERSE 1] You got a new life Am I bothering you? Do you wanna talk? We share the last line Then we drink the wall 'til we wanna talk

In the very first line, You got a new life, which straight away addresses that a significant shift has taken place. The receiver's day-to-day schedule differs from what it used to be, and, as I find he likes to do within his writing, this can be taken literally and metaphorically. In the literal sense, they are busier, have more activities or responsibilities than previously, etcetera. Yet, metaphorically, the receiver's perspective on things has changed significantly since the last time the two were close (emotionally, physically, or both).

Then, from the second line onward, he's already tip-toeing around the desire to start a conversation, spark a connection, and initiate this recalibration. Yet, due to his insecurities, there's an underlying fear of being a bother to them — unsure if they share the same desire for rectification — but still asks if they can speak.

Issues in communication are present consistently in his catalog of pieces, whether in relationship to the self or within relationships. I find this essential to explore, the patterns in someone's work and the evolution. Each time it has been referenced in the past, the representation surfaced in two ways: (i) a general resistance to communicate/refusing to take the blame for issues sprawled in front of him; (ii) waiting for a conversation to begin without doing anything himself to initiate it. But, things are different now. And this is a common theme across the "Harry's House" album, where lots of his old themes are present but have evolved to something more reflective and mature. Now, he's initiating, inviting the person to connect with him after time estranged. Stepping over that fear and continuing to try. Do you wanna talk? Because I really want to! I do!

The last two lines, We share the last line / Then we drink the wall 'til we wanna talk, are where, admittedly, I got a bit muddled at first. I concluded that we're in the midst of another literal and metaphorical situation, where it can be taken both ways with upheld substance, much like the nature of the first line. Literally, also known as prominent drug/alcohol references, it would make sense. There's this pre-determined need to not be sober when reopening communication, perhaps to be more honest and open to the more difficult things that could come. They need to remove some of the tension built up. In this case, drinking the wall leads to a wine rack. The other option is spinning yourself into the more abstract, with Then we drink the wall 'til we wanna talk being another variation on breaking down the walls. Walls and tension have been built up, and they need to evaporate it sip by sip.

Also, an additional sentiment is that We share the last line could be referring to the line preceding inside this very song. The line that comes before that ending couplet is: Am I bothering you? Do you wanna talk? And I love the idea of referencing a song inside said song. Feels like a lite version of a matryoshka doll. Anyway. Since "we" is used here, there can be an assumed sense of mutuality where both wish to communicate (another difference and progression from themes in previous albums, interesting to note). So, they share the last line, Do you wanna talk?, as that's the initiation for said communication.

[PRE-CHORUS] I go 'round and 'round Satellite

This is where that grandiose metaphor comes in. The speaker compares himself to a satellite going around and around a planet, which in turn is someone he considers his world or a big center of gravity to his life, even after their connection has broken. The purpose of the artificial satellite is communication, but it's kept at a perfect distance from the body around which it orbits — the receiver needs their space, so he's quite literally giving them space. Even in the metaphors residing in space, you have to smile at wordplay.

Additionally, the phrasing I go 'round and 'round represents the satellite's orbit pattern, but I theorize there's a second connotation alluding to repetitiveness. He spins 'round and 'round over and over, letting himself be known, but the other person won't open the door. And it wouldn't be the first time in "Harry's House" that there was a cyclical ideation, soon to be seen in the song Boyfriends that follows directly after.

[CHORUS] Spinnin' out, waitin' for ya to pull me in I can see you're lonely down there Don't you know that I am right here? Spinnin' out, waitin' for ya to pull me in I can see you're lonely down there Don't you know that I am right here?

He's spinning out in orbit and waits, Waitin' for ya to pull me in, and that's all he can do. All that can be done is to circle around the person and quietly observe them. And one of these observations that he makes is that the person is lonely, I can see you're lonely down there. There are many conclusions one can come to to fathom the reasoning behind this, but, to remain within the context of the song -- he believes they're lonely in terms of them being left alone to think about their thoughts, thoughts they previously shared with him in moments of emotional intimacy. The said emotional intimacy he's orbiting around, trying to recalibrate and bring back connection. He desperately wants to be a part of these conversations again. Even deeper, the isolated down there phrasing could be a play on the common saying of someone feeling down, which can contribute to an emotional shutout, which then, further, contributes to the disconnection.

Don't you know that I am right here? is the core question of the piece. The speaker has made it clear that this orbiting is done with his own will, but there's also frustration, wondering how long he can go on in this cyclical desperation to reconnect. There's melancholy and desperation as he observes the other meticulously, and sees they're lonely. But he's always been there, and they either don't realize or refuse to. Therefore, it leads him to a moment of pondering, wondering: Don't you know that I'm here for you? To communicate and help you through? I can see you're lonely down there, but I'm here with open arms, so you don't have to be anymore. I'm waiting for your green light to eliminate this tense space between us.

And that leads perfectly to the double meaning of Spinnin' out: the more colloquial meaning is another way to express that someone is panicking, which could be an emotion surfaced because of this distance and space between. Then, if one wants to dive deeper, you bring in the following Waitin' for ya to pull me in, which can have an accompanying meaning of gravity to tie in with the celestial theme — he's waiting for them to take him by the hand, both metaphorically and literally, and show reciprocation in the desire for reconnection.

[VERSE 2] I'm in a L.A. mood I don't wanna talk to you She said, "Give me a day or two"

The second verse and the first are opposites, and that's interesting. And, in my guesses, there are two separate readings possible, and depends on perspective. Whether you read it from the speaker's mouth or the receiver's.

Starting with the latter, this second verse is a response. And it shouldn't be lost how the length is shorter and more brief. When considering this being from the receiver to the speaker, it comes off as dismissive. A shutdown of the hand of the speaker's reaching out, as the receiver quickly asks for more space and time, Give me a day or two, with a brief explanation, I'm in a L.A. mood, while sneaking in the real intention in this stalling, I don't wanna talk to you. Though he's constantly open to reconnection, the other is not.

Now, if there's no perspective change, the speaker's reverting back to old habits in reaction to frustration. A prime example of the reaction to the action, or in this case nonaction, is how he regresses back to his struggle with communication and says in the most obvious manner: I don't wanna talk to you. It's a bit jarring after the song thus far shows a desire, almost desperation, for communication. But there's some more reasoning, and it lies in the line before, I'm in a L.A. mood. He's using the phrase to embody the professional and work mood and mindset, and how one usually compartmentalizes work and private life. I'm shoving it into the back of my mind for now, which could also provoke a bad mood as well. Followed then with She said, "Give me a day or two", maybe either bringing in the other perspective briefly or just an encouragement to keep himself focused for another day or two. A bit of a sloppy interpretation, but one nonetheless, and I hope it all made sense as I tried to verbalize it.

[PRE-CHORUS AND CHORUS REPETITION]

[BRIDGE] Right here, right here Spinnin' out, waitin' for ya I'm here, right here Wishin' I could be there for ya Be there for ya Be there for ya, for ya For ya Be there for ya

The beloved bridge, and very much well-loved by myself, as well. What began as an easy, swaying, otherworldly melody has now built up to an explosion of emotions expressed. The frustration amplifies, as he keeps being turned away again and again. As the speaker waits for them to see him and listen, the receiver doesn't seem to be able to reciprocate. Though his care for them remains genuine and prominent, the impatience courses vigorously. All his frustration builds up from the first verse and progresses through the piece, leading up to right now, the bridge we all love, as he lets it all out. He yells. He cries louder. He's right there.

This is the visual I get in my hand. A ghostly figure of the speaker in front of the receiver, with his hand on their shoulders, but they're unable to feel his touch. But he's trying to shake them, and trying to make them see again and again that he's right here. I'm here, right here sounds comforting, like he's trying to give solace to his other. I'm here. You're not alone, you don't need to be lonely. Then, he continues on to say Wishin' I could be there for ya which illustrates the emotional distance and physical distance simultaneously, as he cries out that extra mile about how he just wishes so deeply he could be there for them.

Satellite is grounding your partner while floating in their gravity, waiting for them to pull you in and let you be there for them. It makes me think of long nights, at the end of summer, when you lay outside on a picnic blanket and finally bear your soul out to someone under the stars to the soundtracks of the season. The music makes you feel like you’re floating into another place and time. It’s like a cacophony, the musicality of the song reflecting Harry’s exasperation. Whirring guitars, sun-dappled synths, and even cymbals bloom all over the song, and it all sticks with you for a long time.

dedicated to this anon and this anon <3

Thank you for reading, you’re absolutely incredible! If there are any songs you’d like me to make an analysis of, please send your request to my inbox! along with any questions or insights you might have yourself!