#and society being extremely desensitized to it

[neptune-scythe]

unpopular opinion but Bobby and Chim should have apologized to Buck for shoving and punching him

it is never okay to put hands on another person without their permission, especially in a violent/aggressive manor, and Buck deserves acknowledgement of those wrongs and apologies for it

[smallnico]

durge desensitizes to casual positive affection and friendship compilation

also known as real feline durge hours. esper's companions look at them and say Is Anyone Gonna Manhandle That Murderous Twink and then not wait for an answer. contexts/explanations under readmore for the curious

lae'zel and esper do morning exercises and meditation together. most of the time they pass the time in silence, but sometimes they're joined by the local wildlife. esper is a great fan of showing their friends things they might find interesting as a form of affection instead of words, especially with lae'zel, since they have a common discomfort with small talk.

esper doesn't like looking at themself in the mirror, so their makeup is always ancient and haphazardly applied, a fact that distresses the more image-conscientious shadowheart. she and esper have a sibling-like relationship fuelled by mutual amnesia and goth solidarity, among other things, but sometimes a sister has to take it upon herself to fix her stinky sibling's wings.

i already expanded on wyll and esper's dynamic a bit in this piece and i didn't feel like drawing the same thing twice, but suffice it to say, they have absolutely no idea how to talk to each other, but still look out for each other. the joke here is about how i've done a couple of long rests in-game with just alcohol i've found. hey 5 camp supplies is 5 camp supplies

jaheira unearths esper's forgotten mother issues. no real things to add here. no thoughts only cub.

gale said way back in act 1 that esper reminded him of tara, and esper isn't leaning into that on purpose per se, but as i said for lae'zel, they like getting their friends things those friends might enjoy. they also love chaos. show your evocation wizard some love by bringing him extremely destructive spells to play with. show your durge some love by casting chain lightning and letting them watch

i have no justification for this one lmao. esper isn't a Huge fan of being picked up and hefted around like a sack of oats, but maybe they should've thought of that before being small and scoop-uppable. socially, esper and halsin don't click especially well, but esper is fundamentally a creature, and therefore pretty easy for halsin to understand. obviously they don't mind that much :J

esper and karlach voted two most touch-starved nerds in faerun, they help each other cope by sleeping in a cuddle pile like cats. karlach runs warm even after getting her engine tuned up, but esper doesn't mind. she's cozy

astarion is by far the person esper is the most verbal with, probably because he's the only one who really thinks the durgeisms that slip out are funny and #relatable. everyone else errs on the side of caution with esper, but astarion knows he's allowed to take liberties with them, and he does. they have the same sense of humour. these two freaks are completely insufferable together because they're vibing so hard on a level incomprehensible to everyone around them, but astarion can put a stop to esper's self-destructive internal stress engine, and esper can drag him into helping and working hard. the others have no choice but to tolerate them as a couple because no matter how unhinged they are as a unit, they're so much worse for society on the whole as individuals. do not separate them

if you read all this, hope you enjoyed this illumination of esper's party dynamics, i love you <3 enjoy

[tobiasdrake]

We need to stop being so startled every time violence happens in America.

"IN AMERICA!?!?"

Yes, in America. The United States is the gun violence capitol of the world. We have school shootings so often that our population has become desensitized to them. Companies are selling antiballistic backpacks to keep your children safe. This is a viable product.

"IN AMERICA!?!?"

Far-right extremism has been on the rise for two decades and our government has been at best reluctant and at worst complicit in it. Armed civilian militias show up to suppress minority demonstrations in any city they occur in, alongside the armed government militia armed with weapons that are legally classified as war crimes.

"IN AMERICA!?!?"

We have a subjugated minority population that has seen avenues for non-violence steadily removed over the years. Right to protest? RIPPED AWAY. Right to unionize? RIPPED AWAY.

Violence is the last resort of the disenfranchised, and our society has forgotten that in its eagerness to silence and crush the people it's designated as acceptable targets. One by one, people are running out of alternative options.

"IN AMERICA!?!?"

We live in a propaganda state. There is no clearer evidence of that fact than the way the news clutches its pearls and pretends that acts of violence have not been a defining element of modern American culture since its inception. This country is built on blood, and we will never be able to escape that violence so long as we pretend it isn't real.

"THIS IS NOT WHO WE ARE", we say reflexively, based not on any real fact but on blind, patriotic self-delusion. It was a ONE-TIME THING that happens every week.

This is America. It's an open secret that we live in a house with no front door. The door isn't unlocked. It isn't even ajar. There is no door. The doorway is wide open at all times.

(No, this is not a border metaphor; Fuck off)

It's time to stop gasping in shock when violence occurs and start having conversations about what we need to do to make there be less of it.

But we don't want to have those conversations. Because the topics they might center on - Gun control, police abolition, eliminating poverty, access to healthcare, education reform, stochastic terrorism, home-grown cells of literal terrorists - are conversations that many of us simply don't want to have.

We've analyzed the causes of political violence again and again and again, and it's always the same. But instead of doing anything, we've enshrined those causes as Sacred American Values to ensure a perpetual state of political violence. We know what we have to do. And we refuse.

We refuse to try and put a door on the front of the house.

We'd rather just act performatively appalled each and every time the house is robbed.

[sapphic-agent]

How would you have redeemed Bakugou?

I'm glad you asked😈

So, this actually isn't a very hard question to answer. Bakugou should have been an easy character to redeem as a) he's young and b) he embodies everything wrong with society so as our main character resolved (or should have resolved) to change that, it should have been easy to change Bakugou along the way. Let me break it down.

Class 1A doesn't like Bakugou A big point of contention for not only Bakugou but 1A as characters is the fact that he's explicitly awful to Izuku (and them even if it isn't as bad) and half of 1A doesn't care while the other half outright admires him. Kirishima and Mina especially as a later point of both their characters is that they don't like bullies, yet they end up as part of his friend group and take his verbal abuse.

I would have kept up a general indifference/disdain for Bakugou that was showed at the beginning of the show. Kaminari (another one who ends up as part of his group unfortunately) clowning him should have been kept up the entire series, as well as Tsu pointing out how awful and annoying he is. Bakugou's attitude should have kept him ostracized from the majority of the class.

Because Kirishima is a big part of the reason Bakugou starts to change, I would keep him Bakugou's friend. But he doesn't tolerate any of Bakugou's disrespect and consistently calls him out.

Uraraka and Iida defend Izuku from Bakugou This kind of ties in to the first point, but I think Uraraka and (especially) Iida should have shown more concern. Bakugou's behavior isn't normal and I think the two of them of all people should have been aware of that. I mean, you see your friend who doesn't defend himself and looks terrified for his life being yelled at and assaulted by someone with a dangerous quirk and you don't do anything?

I feel like for who Iida is, he would look down on that and would make the effort to chew Bakugou out. Izuku's friend constantly calling something out would stress to him (and the audience) the fact that how Bakugou treats him isn't okay and shouldn't be condoned.

Aizawa chews him out Unfortunately, Aizawa has to give Izuku a hard time because that's who his character is, but he should have been just as hard (if not harder) on Bakugou. Bakugou, who has been careless with his quirk and has deliberately disobeyed his instructors. Bakugou, who threw a literal temper tantrum at the Sports Festival. Bakugou, whose actions put fellow classmates in danger.

I've said this before, but it's so insane to me that he consistently sticks up for Bakugou while actively talking down to Izuku. You would think that Bakugou would be the kind of hero Aizawa hates.

He loses to Todoroki (or Uraraka or Shinsou) Him losing would be the start to him having to deal with failure. He should have been humbled this early in the show. It would have also been a great segway into him learning that saving people should be a hero's top priority, not being the best. Winning isn't everything and it should be the last thing on a hero's mind.

And I know the whole point in canon is that he didn't get to win the way he wanted to, but that doesn't negate the fact that he still won and was regarded at the best in 1A.

His actions at the Sports Festival turn pros away Idk about anyone else, but I would not want a walking PR liability nightmare in my agency. He threw a temper tantrum on live television. He attacked his unconscious, defenseless opponent and had to be knocked out. Why on Earth was he still given so many offers (over 3,000 is beyond ridiculous, I would even say Todoroki's number was dumb too)? And the fact that Tokoyami and Iida were given way less offers is just insulting, they got third place.

This would have been a good time to stress that his actions have consequences and that he can't do and say whatever he wants and still get everything.

The fact that everyone- students, teachers, and pros- are so desensitized to his attitude and behavior is extremely concerning (especially for the teachers and pros).

Best Jeanist teaches him more I appreciate Best Jeanist's efforts, but let's be real he focused way too much on Bakugou's style. I give him leeway because he isn't a teacher (and still did way better than Aizawa), but Bakugou needed a reality check. He should have been more focused on teaching Bakugou and telling him why his attitude needed to change.

(He also should have been kept around for the work studies. Bakugou didn't spend nearly enough time with him. And why is it that the only adult who genuinely wanted Bakugou to be better past getting stronger the one who had to "die" and disappear? Any other hero could have been used and it wouldn't have changed anything)

Bakugou doesn't pass the final exam This has been said a lot so I won't go into how he passed and Sero didn't, but the fact that his actions here went completely unchecked is disgusting. He was deliberately uncooperative and assaulted his teammate and somehow still passed? Excuse me? Aizawa has expelled students for less, but Bakugou didn't immediately fail? Anyone else would have been suspended at the very least.

Bakugou needs to be held to the same standard as everyone else. Giving him special treatment just enables his terrible behavior.

Aizawa actually admits fault in allowing Bakugou's behavior to go unchecked and actually makes good on his promise to fix it The fact that Aizawa spent that press conference deflecting from the actual issue is extremely annoying. Yeah, Bakugou works hard. So do all your students and you're not singing their praises. Not a word about Izuku who literally works out during class whenever he can. Not a word about Uraraka who learned hand-to-hand combat.

That all means squat diddly when Bakugou has repeatedly broken rules and received less than a slap on the wrist for it. Using how hard he works as an excuse is a copout, especially when it was his own actions that got him kidnapped in the first place. He knew he wasn't supposed to confront the LOV and insisted on it anyway.

Todoroki doesn't fail the provisional licensing exam For once, Bakugou has to face the full consequences of his actions on his own. And this is where he really starts to ponder if Best Jeanist was right and that his behavior isn't becoming of a hero. If everyone else passed and he didn't, doesn't that mean that he really is doing something wrong?

(Personally, I would make it so that he would have to try against in his second year, but that's subjective)

Bakugou doesn't get to know about OFA Instead of rewarding his terrible behavior, All Might should have given him a reality check. That being strong isn't what makes a hero. That Izuku earned One For All because of his heart. That the toxic ambition that Bakugou has is what helped shape Endeavor into a monster (let's pretend he knows about the Todorokis) and that he's going down the same road.

And this would be the turning point for Bakugou. What makes him stop and look at himself in the mirror and realize that he doesn't want to end up like that. That he doesn't want to be a monster.

And that's when everything I mentioned before finally clicks for him. This is where Bakugou really starts to change, and not because he forced his way into knowing a secret that was none of his business. But because he's being forced to realize that his actions aren't hero material.

This is where Bakugou begins to actually put in the effort to change. Not to get him what he wants, but because it's the right thing to do.

(None of that save to win bullshit)

Small, but meaningful changes Bakugou begins to be more mindful of his behavior. It's nothing big, but he makes an effort to stop insulting his classmates. If he starts, he stops himself. If he does, he owns up to it and apologizes.

He drops the shitty nicknames and starts to show the bare minimum of respect towards his classmates. He leaves Izuku alone. He takes it upon himself to go to Aizawa (not that I think canon Aizawa would be much help, but let's pretend for the sake of this) and ask how he can improve. He makes the genuine effort to change and improve. He actually gets better.

Accountability Bakugou confesses what he did to Izuku to Kirishima. Kirishima is rightfully upset and chews him out, but understands that Bakugou is genuinely trying to change. He tells him that he needs to find a way to apologize.

And Bakugou does. He apologizes to Izuku privately and owns up to everything. Not just in Aldera, but everything that happened in UA too. He shows actual remorse and sincerity, no excuses or reasons and no sugarcoating. Just a real apology owning up to the fact that there was no justification or logic behind his behavior and a promise that he will be better.

And Izuku thanks him. He doesn't accept or refuse it, he just says thank you.

1A somehow overhears. And Izuku's friends give Bakugou a piece of their mind. The rest of the class is rightfully horrified and upset. This leads to Bakugou being even further ostracized from the class (they aren't mean to him or anything, but they don't like to be around him).

Save to Save Bakugou's arc comes to completion when he risks his life to save someone. Not Izuku, just someone, anyone. Someone who needed to be saved. It isn't even during the PLA War or any other significant event, it's a random occurrence. He doesn't think about it, his body just moves. He saves that person successfully, and then collapses from his injuries.

Maybe he lives, maybe he dies. Who knows? That's not the important thing. What's important is that it signifies that he really did change by willingly giving up his chance of being the #1 to do the right thing.

That is how I would have redeemed Katsuki Bakugou.

[certifiablyinsanez]

My boomer mother told me once, “we thought we would change the world too”. And she isn’t wrong. Boomers were forefront of the hippie counterculture, the anti-war front for the slaughter in Vietnam, were home to the Gay Liberation Front, Stonewall, the Civil Rights Era, and the entire second wave of feminism that fought for our right for abortion, contraception and the right to self determination. They were the people that perished in the AIDS Epidemic and the ones who took care of those afflicted. When you look at the historic track record, boomers would seem to be our natural allies rather than those we are in constant conflict with.

This is something Gen Z needs to keep in mind, not for the future, but right now. Gen Z is often convinced that we are the generation who is gonna save the world. But I can say with confidence that this is not the case. Not only would that sentiment disregard historical precedent, it also allows us to disregard the ugly truth of what we are rapidly becoming. Gen Z is reactionary as hell. You’ll tell someone “we should have love for our fellow people” and some fucking keyboard warrior will say something stupid like “eVEn pEdO’s???”.

I never thought I would complain about cancel culture, but here I am. Because people can’t seem to differentiate between holding people accountable for reprehensible behavior versus having a whole “guilty before proven innocent” mentality. We all grew up in an imperialist, colonial society. White supremacy has not left a single inch of the earth untouched. Every single person has done something wrong in their lives; it’s a feature of the times we live in. It’s a feature of being a human person period. I’ve seen people harass an artist who has been extremely vocal about Palestine and has used their platform for donations and attention and people were in arms about something distasteful he did in like 2002. Be so ffr guys.

I see European Gen Zers saying the most abhorrent things about Romani people. They still actively call them a slur, and when called out they always reply “that’s just what they are”. Some brag about how desensitized they are to gore or sexual content because they were so young when they were exposed. I still remember kids at lunch trying to convince me to watch an ISIS beheading video and couldn’t conceive why I refused to watch it. I’m gonna say it.

So many of yall are just as apathetic and narcissistic as boomers, if not more so. Because boomers pretend, but yall are brutally honest about it. Sure a whole bunch of us believe in liberation and see how shitty capitalism is, but a good chunk are also so extremely far right that even my boomer republican father would balk at the things they readily say. I actually have had conversations with my dad as his queer communist child and I think we had more agreements than these right-wingers in my own generation.

This trend is enormously widespread with Gen Alpha but Gen Z isn’t clear of it either. The inability to fortify their own mental understanding using concise, accurate, and vetted information. In the 14 years I’ve interacted in fandom spaces (where this happens all the time), I’ve never seen such a trend as now where a singular person will just pull something out of their ass and people all over the internet just readily agree. People believe photoshopped photos every day. We make fun of old people for believing everything on the internet, but we’re equally guilty.

Listen I can go on for ages, but let me make my point clear here. We are quickly becoming the very thing we all hated most, and I’m sick of the mass facade that we aren’t.

End of rant.

[cozmicnymph]

Hot Take: Dark Romance is Unhealthy, and No One Wants to Admit It

Okay, I’m about to drop what’s probably the hottest take right now, but I hate dark romance—at least, the vast majority of it. Yeah, sure, we all have guilty pleasures, and an occasional dark romance here and there isn’t the end of the world. But overall? It’s incredibly unhealthy, and I’m tired of people brushing that fact under the rug just because it’s a book instead of a movie or a website.

Like, why are we all just okay with fantasizing about literal crimes being committed against us, as long as the abuser has a sexy nickname? How is that not ungodly unhealthy? It reminds me of people writing love letters to serial killers on death row—like, these men murdered people in horrific ways, and yet women still fall in love with them.

And honestly, it’s not that different from the studies showing that kids who start watching p*** at 12 or 13 end up desensitized by adulthood, seeking out increasingly extreme content. But somehow, we recognize that as a problem when it comes to video content, yet turn a blind eye to books. We judge p***, we judge excessive masturbation, but dark romance is the same thing—just in written form. You’re still consuming explicit content, still absorbing all the details, and arguably, it’s even worse because the author has to make you imagine it vividly without a screen.

And when I bring this up, people hit me with the classic, "It’s not real, so it’s different!" And like... sure, I can kind of track the logic—if it’s just the occasional guilty pleasure, like a Twilight-era he snuck into my room to watch me sleep kind of thing, fine. But let’s be real: these books depict literal crimes, and people are actively bragging about getting off to them. That’s not normal.

If I turned around and said, "Oh, this drawing of a 5-year-old in explicit art is fine because she’s just an anime character," people would rightfully lose their minds. Because that’s f*ed up. It doesn’t matter if it’s real or not—it’s still messed up. But because dark romance is popular, profitable, and in words instead of visuals, people defend it and call me crazy for saying minors shouldn’t be touching this stuff.

Like, first of all—it’s literally illegal to distribute explicit material to minors. I don’t care if teenagers are already having sex; that’s not the point. There’s a difference between doing something and consuming harmful, exaggerated depictions of it for pleasure. And don’t even get me started on the "his d** was bigger than her forearm"* nonsense—like, that’s not normal, it’s not healthy, and in most cases, it’s not even physically possible. That kind of unrealistic portrayal screws up expectations about sex and romance.

Oh, and one more thing—can we talk about how the cutesy art on some of these smut books is misleading as hell? Yes, parents should research what they buy for their kids, but when a book has pastel, soft aesthetics and gets mixed in with general romance in bookstores (looking at you, BAM), parents are unknowingly buying straight-up smut for their kids. Even if it’s not dark romance, there needs to be clear labeling. A tiny "18+" sticker isn’t enough—put it on the back, put it in bold, something. I shouldn’t have to flip through the first ten pages to figure out if a book is safe to read.

This Is NOT About Purity Culture

Before anyone comes at me—no, this has nothing to do with purity culture, or anti-sex rhetoric, or anti-masturbation, or any of that. I’m not some 30-year-old suburban mom telling my kids the stork brings babies. This isn’t about hating sex; it’s about how we, as a society, are actively normalizing and enforcing deeply harmful ideals under the guise of "it’s just fiction."

Even if you walk into dark romance knowing it’s fictional, that doesn’t change the fact that it’s wildly popular, actively pushed, and people will pressure you to read it. I’ve even had people hide the fact that the books they were giving me were dark romance. Now, does that mean every dark romance reader does that? No. But it’s happened to me enough times to raise a red flag.

The human psyche is fragile. And it’s insane to me that we, as a society, are just collectively desensitizing ourselves to some deeply traumatic content. Generations today are already dealing with so much trauma, and instead of breaking that cycle, we’re just adding more to it by constantly consuming and glorifying content that romanticizes harm. That’s not healthy.

And before someone tries to twist my words—I am not talking about people who use dark romance as a coping mechanism for past trauma. If that’s how you work through things, that’s your business. I don’t relate to it as a survivor, but I’m not here to judge how people heal.

I am talking about straight-laced readers who don’t have trauma tied to this but still actively enjoy dark romance because they’ve desensitized themselves so much. The people who started with soft, fade-to-black romances, then needed a little more spice, then needed explicit scenes, then straight-up p***, and now they’re reading about graphic abuse and calling it hot. That’s what I have a problem with.

So if you’re reading this and dark romance is your coping mechanism, this isn’t aimed at you. You’re not my target audience. But if you’re one of those people who mindlessly consumes and glorifies it just because it’s trendy, I am side-eyeing you hard.

[aviancataclysm]

do you even straight fly bro (headcanons + no bg ref below as usual)

(refsheet updated for redesign feb 10 2025)

besties/rivals with cataclysm. they/it

when they went from extreme to insane, they couldn't handle the community's torn reactions and all that so they took fleeing into the woods away from society literally (without warning too - this caused cata to become super duper depressed for a while) for a few years before suddenly deciding to return for absolutely no reason other than boredom.

they've never been interested in forming any kind of relationship with anyone, and the only reason why cata is their best and only friend is due to the time they spent together being the center of top play attention. they previously felt bad about it due to feeling "abnormal" and "selfish" for not wanting to interact with anyone, but after the self-exile they've fully embraced their reclusive personality. bro is the type to silently leave the room when there are 3 or more people in the same enclosed space as them

on the topic of that, they actually think of relationships as something that'll only end in pain (separation/conflict) and it's a huge part of why they don't make friends

they don't remember the time when there were more ice carbon levels because they've been blocking out the memories since the mass deletion of roadbose lvls; but i imagine them as family who lived in something of a mansion prior to everything that happened

their attitude towards level difficulty and stuff is very different from cata's. cataclysm felt that he fell from grace when he went from top 1 to entry over the years, but icdx became known to the world at a time when people were still figuring things out - plus the fact that they were hack-verified meant that they didn't get to spend time with their creator to learn the basics of the world and was forced to jump right in. this forced them to become desensitized to most criticism as well as learn social customs by trial and error, but in the end they were still just a confused kid. when they were downrated, they gave absolutely zero craps about going from former top 1 to insane demon (they didn't enjoy being lowkey worshipped anyway) but it was the community going crazy over it that drove them to isolate themselves

uses all lowercase and italics in text, writes in cursive as default, on tumblr i also apply cursive text to them

they are capable of floating (and ignoring wind while doing so) effortlessly, so they almost never touch the ground.

in reference to the use of player colors in the level, they can change the colors of their hair, eyes, and clothing at will.

they can also go translucent or even fully invisible - they use this to escape social situations a lot of times. they can also make sudden flashes of very bright light (reference to That one Cube Section)

cata calls them "dia" as a nickname. they do not allow anyone else other than him to call them that. (in lore, "dia" is a nickname used by the rest of the ice carbon family for them - and they have a bit of trauma with this matter whoopsie daisy)

they very rarely smile, but they're just not used to smiling being the default "relaxed expression". they're chill most of the time

uses "xd" (strictly lowercase) when being sarcastic and does the peace hand sign (✌️) a LOT (and they still think referencing the disappearing meme while going transparent is funny)

their humor is the same brand as cata's (dry ironic stupid memes) but with a lot more confusing logic (or the lack of it) - they like to do unnecessary and absurd mental gymnastics to throw people off, but i like to think their logical thinking is still very much intact. probably

voiceclaim is remainings for now

they smoke/vape sometimes . good thing that levels cant really get long term consequences from those haha

their first language is korean :3

will update post if i think of more hcs

[wintrrliqht]

On Twitter on tiktok like everywhere. I wish people would think and have some empathy cause we’ve become desensitized to people’s vulnerability and pain :/ wishing her the best recovery but also when we don’t know anything making edits out of a situation is horrible. On that note I wish people would stop this with not just Nika but everyone, I’ve seen countless edits of Azzi and Paige with injury clips and it’s just horrible!

Society has completely went downhill of being empathetic and giving people their time to heal. Everything needs to be published or they will d!3.

Nika is an extremely strong woman and I hope that she can heal from this. Fans making edits with that extremely painful video most likely have the best intentions but there is really a time and place to make edits. I don't think anyone would want to see one of their most vulnerable moments in an edit for views.

I hope that she is okay🙏🫂

[wonviiii]

Genshiken Part 1- Blog #13

Genshiken explores the lives of different college students in a club dedicated to anime, manga, and gaming. From the very first episode, the social rejection of otaku culture is highlighted by both the “outsiders” and the people who also dwell in such interests, an example being the main character, Kanji Sasahara. The location of the anime club room is an indicator of this as it is tucked away in a desolate location. However, once inside, the room is unexpectedly colorful and welcoming- a symbol of how otaku spaces are often misunderstood, yet in reality, they are just vibrant spaces full of passion, just as any other club would be. Sasahara is initially hesitant, and although he understands the other club member’s conversation of the shows, he actually does not admit to having watched them, feeling embarrassed. This moment captures a key struggle many otakus face- the fear of being judged for their interests, even within their own community. Makoto Kousaka, in contrast to Sasahara, is proud to admit that he wants to join the club, and he takes an interest in anime, manga, and games. However, he is followed by a girl, Kasukabe, who disapproves of his interest and even says that it does not suit his appearance and past personality and therefore wants him to get rid of this hobby of his, emphasizing how hobbies are often subject to societal expectations, especially regarding who is “allowed” to enjoy them. Kasukabe’s distaste stemming from the belief that her childhood friend has turned into something undesirable is a theme that recurs throughout the series, dictating that being an otaku is a sign of social failure.

 Later episodes explore tensions through Madarame, who injures himself but prioritizes attending the convention over seeking medical help. His dedication to his hobby, at the cost of his health, brings up the extremes of otaku culture. In addition, something I noticed that really threw me off was the fact that the convention itself was male-dominated in nature. Almost all attendees were men, and the few women that were present were often in sexualized roles, such as maid costumes or high school girl uniforms promoting the booths. The lack of female representation is rather unsettling, especially considering the only times something was female-dominated was the manga and anime itself that portrayed mainly all women's bodies. This shows a disconnect between the community’s obsession with fictional women and their understanding of the real ones. This disconnect can also be seen when Madarame is attempting to converse with Kasukabe in the clubroom. His discomfort around real women as he seeks to escape reality by making it into a video game really contrasts with his knowledge of fictional female characters. His comment about her nose hair- expressing shock at how a girl could have such an "imperfection" reveals how his perception of women has been wrapped by unrealistic anime portrayals.

Lastly, a significant turning point in Sasahara’s journey is when he fully immerses himself in the convention, and he begins to feel a sense of belonging as he looks around. Yet, not soon after, he himself begins to judge those who seem different than himself. Particularly those who don’t fit the stereotypical otaku mold. He looks down on a man attending with his girlfriend and another that is dressed too “cool” to attend to an event for “losers.” He struggles with judgment yet also perpetuates the same judgment on others that society has taught him. This moment of hypocrisy really drives the nail down onto the double standards and how society desensitizes individuals to the scrutiny of judgment. All in all, the show talks about conflicts with self-acceptance, societal stigma of ridicule and misunderstandings, and the consequences of dwelling too much in fantasy. Therefore, I believe it’s not only a critique of society but also of otaku culture itself. 

[flango87]

I’m thinking about how we are seeing, and will continue to see, major media and zionists paint Aaron Bushnell as insane, but really this has been the most sane reaction we’ve seen. I want to clarify that I think it’s incredibly important to not glorify Aaron, as I’ve seen some people do, because a) he’s just a person, glorifying is a form of dehumanization, and b) despite any other good work he did, he was still incredibly complicit in this genocide, being a part of the US military. He literally said this. He knew this. So just so we’re clear that I do not intend to glorify him with saying this. But this really was the most sane reaction we’ve seen. He was a person of clarity. Learning about the other work he was doing in community organizations, seeing his posts online, and just all of the thought and preparation put into his self immolation. Not only in the way he did it, so that it was explicitly clear the message he was sending, so that major media couldn’t ignore it, so that the video was sure to be seen, but the act itself. The clarity of it all. And this is exactly what he said, “this will be seen as extreme, but this is what the ruling class has decided is normal”. I’ve been having moments of feeling insane, questioning if I’m losing it because of my reactions to everything happening rn. I’ve been having people question me. I’ve had the general reaction of, ‘yeah, things are bad, but life goes on, you need to find ways to cope’. After Aaron’s protest im questioning my sanity in the opposite way. How am I not doing more? How is everyone not doing more?? Obviously there are a lot of people working hard and doing everything they can, but that’s a select few. The vast, vast majority of people are doing far from enough. Things are continuing as normal, jobs, events, all of it, because we are letting it. Major organizations and people with influence are hosting fundraisers, saying ‘ceasefire now!’, and calling It a day. Idk. I know there is a lot of work going on, and it’s just difficult to see. I know we can’t riot tomorrow and shut it all down, and there is so so much work that needs to happen before the bigger stuff. We need mutual aid programs, education, organization. But still…. Aaron was right. What he did was not extreme at all. We need to be more extreme. And maybe I’m just projecting here, because I know that I should be doing more. But given the extreme weight of our collective situation… protests and workshops look comical next to it. That’s not to say they’re not necessary, or important, but we need to remember the gravity of everything. We need to never allow ourselves to get used to this. We need to never allow this to be normalized. Idk, this is a very messy attempt at sharing my thoughts, but Aarons self immolation has shaken me to my core. I think it has for a lot of people. What he did was intended to be not only a wake up call, but a call to action. Let it call you. Question and push what our society calls ‘reasonable’ every day. Do not become desensitized. Act urgently, but not frantically. Talk to everyone in your life, learn about mutual aid and get involved, join organizations already advocating for justice, and be extreme. Let people think you’re extreme. Reacting in an extreme way is the only sane reaction to an extreme situation. If you’ve read this all, thank you for reading my ramble. I hope you take something from this.

[thelivingfractal]

🧩 The Deeper Truth Behind the Antioch High School Tragedy: Systemic, Psychological, and Societal Layers 🧩

The tragic incident involving Solomon Henderson at Antioch High School in Nashville is more than just another headline. It reveals deeper, interwoven layers of systemic, psychological, and societal failures that contribute to such violence. Moving beyond surface-level explanations and media narratives is crucial if we want to grasp the full scope of why these events continue to happen.

1. A Crisis of Identity and Disconnection

At its core, Henderson’s actions reflect a profound sense of disconnection and alienation—an experience shared by many young people today. The underlying psychological struggles that push individuals to such extremes often stem from:

🔹 Lack of Belonging and Purpose In a society that measures worth through superficial metrics—social media influence, academic success, material wealth—many young people struggle to find true meaning. When they don't fit within these constructs, they seek validation in harmful spaces.

🔹 Online Echo Chambers The internet has become a breeding ground for extremist ideologies, providing a false sense of belonging for those who feel rejected. Racist, misogynistic, and violent communities offer an illusion of camaraderie and purpose, preying on the vulnerable.

🔹 Unresolved Emotional Trauma Emotional wounds—whether personal, systemic, or societal—fester when left unaddressed. When individuals have no healthy outlet for their pain, it can manifest in destructive and harmful ways.

2. The Education System: A Factory Model for Compliance

Schools are not designed to nurture emotional well-being or personal growth; instead, they serve as institutions that prioritize conformity and obedience over individuality. This system leaves students feeling:

🔹 Disempowered and Unheard Rigid structures often ignore the emotional and psychological needs of students, prioritizing grades and compliance over self-discovery and emotional intelligence.

🔹 Disconnected from Authentic Growth The push for standardized achievement discourages creativity and authenticity, forcing students into molds that suppress their unique potential.

🔹 Overwhelmed by Pressure The relentless demands to perform and conform create a cycle of stress, burnout, and eventual disillusionment with the system itself.

In many ways, school shootings are symptoms of an educational system that fosters alienation, competition, and judgment rather than connection and empowerment.

3. Society’s Role: Manufactured Isolation and Despair

Modern society has cultivated an epidemic of isolation, while simultaneously pushing unattainable ideals of success, beauty, and self-worth. Some key contributing factors include:

🔹 The Erosion of Community Traditional support systems—such as family, close-knit neighborhoods, and spiritual guidance—have weakened, leaving individuals to navigate life’s challenges alone.

🔹 The Illusion of Consumerism People are conditioned to believe that fulfillment comes through materialism and external validation, which only deepens feelings of emptiness and disconnection.

🔹 Normalization of Violence Constant exposure to violence through media and entertainment has desensitized individuals, making extreme actions feel increasingly accessible, and for some, even justified.

4. A Cultural Void: The Root Cause

Beneath all of this lies a cultural void—an absence of true connection, purpose, and understanding of what it means to be human. We live in a world that values competition over collaboration, status over authenticity, leaving young people feeling lost and directionless.

5. The Illusion of “Revolution” Through Violence

Those who commit violent acts often believe they are enacting some form of revenge or revolution against society. In reality, they are trapped in a cycle of destruction that only perpetuates the very system they claim to reject.

🔹 The Copycat Effect Many perpetrators are not revolutionaries; they are individuals replicating trauma responses, seeking empowerment through destruction rather than true change.

🔹 The Inevitable Aftermath Each act of violence adds another name to the list, and yet, the underlying systemic failures remain unaddressed. The cycle repeats itself.

6. What Needs to Change

If we truly want to prevent future tragedies, we must go beyond reactive measures like increased security or gun control. Real change requires a deep, systemic shift in the way we nurture individuals and build communities:

🔹 Reforming Education Schools should prioritize emotional well-being, creativity, and individualized learning over academic performance and rigid conformity.

🔹 Mental Health as a Right, Not a Privilege Emotional support and mental health resources must be accessible to everyone, without stigma or financial barriers.

🔹 Rebuilding Real Community Connections We need to foster authentic, in-person relationships that provide support, guidance, and a sense of belonging.

🔹 Rethinking Societal Values Our culture must shift from one focused on consumption and competition to one that prioritizes inner fulfillment, connection, and compassion.

Final Thoughts: Facing the Uncomfortable Truth

The reality is that these tragedies are not isolated incidents; they are reflections of deeper systemic failures. More control, more surveillance, and harsher punishments are not the solution. What’s needed is radical transformation—one that fosters true connection, healing, and purpose for every individual.

Ignoring these truths ensures that history will continue to repeat itself. It’s time for honest reflection and meaningful change.

Let’s start the conversation. What do you think are the deeper issues behind these tragedies? How can we collectively create a more connected, compassionate society?

[shiroandblack]

[TW: abuse, suicide, incest, matricide, pyrophobia, underage sex, Freudian mother-son relationships]

PART I

Listen, everyone probably had a vampire phase at some point in their lives. Most of the time it's Twilight and while I definitely did has a Twilight phase, I have to say it's honestly not as bad as my Vampire Knight and Diabolik Lovers phase.

So the thing with Vampire Knight is that the Purebloods, the highest ranking vampires are basically Targaryens. They marry brother to sister to keep their vampire bloodline pure. But that's honestly not the worst part. In fact as someone who's already pretty desensitized to incest in fiction (I reiterate: in fiction), the worst part for me was the fact that Kaname was Yuuki's ancestor. It's not a branch to branch incest, it's incest up and down the family tree. To this day, I have no idea why the author did this. I mean if Kaname had just been her brother, it still would have been icky but not as much as Yuuki getting on with her ancestor. Also the destroying all vampires plot was so out of pocket in my opinion. Partly because the author laid down the fact that most Purebloods eventually commit suicide because they lose all joy/motivation to live after living thousands and thousands of years quite a few times, so I was honestly expecting more of an exploration of what being a Pureblood means. These people are worshipped by vampire society as their kings and queens and yet they're probably the unhappiest vampires of them all, and they are also locked up by their own people (re: Shizuka Hio), they are both the predator and the prey and that honestly would've been super interesting to explore. But I digress.

Next up we have Diabolik Lovers, now buckle up because all those trigger warnings are about to become extremely relevant.

Diabolik Lovers felt like a fever dream and a guilty pleasure all at the same time. The gist of it is the adoptive daughter of priest is basically sent to a mansion filled with hot vampires to be their sacrificial blood bank (thanks, dad!). Now this is where you might think 'oh that's easy all 6 brothers fall in love with her' but hahaha no. No, no, absolutely not.

In the game Yui (our main girl) has a backbone and basically says "well, if I'm getting my blood sucked until I die then it's my right to choose who's sucking my blood in the first place" and so she basically chooses one of the brothers to drink her blood. I much prefer the game because honestly Yui's life in the anime is fucking miserable. MISERABLE. She gets sucked to the point of unconsciousness by all these brothers like very fucking day and she has to suffer abuse under their hands. Basically, in the anime Yui deals with 6 red fucking flags but in the game she deals with only one with you know, sprinkles of kidnapping and shit because other fantasy creatures like demons exist in this world.

But yeah, in all honesty Twilight is absolutely tame compared to the other vampire shit I went through during my phase.

[kaitlynwgst]

Blog Post #5 (10/03)

How is real world privilege shown through fiction?

In the Black Mirror Episode Nosedive, it shows the how the society depicted uses merits which rate people based on every interaction they have. People with higher ranking are treated better, given more opportunities, and have access to nicer things. Ranking from higher raked people hold more power making it so people who grew up around highly ranked people are more likely to have a high rank. This translates to the real world in that people who are born into wealth family are surrounded by wealth powerful people all the time and in turn that are able to use those connections to gain access to more things such as better colleges.

What does privilege look like in a digital age?

With the development of social media came a new type of privilege. Like privilege that those with high rankings in the Black Mirror Episode Nosedive experience people with large social media following also experience privilege that is similar in many ways to other types of privilege such as the privilege the wealthy experience in that they are give access to more and are treated better based on their status. Someone who has a huge social media following might be given products for free, be taken on all expenses paid trips by brands, or even get a job based on the number of followers they get. However, this privilege doesn’t stand alone in that people who have famous relatives, were born to rich families, or are conventionally attractive, which is based on a white Eurocentric standard, are more likely to gain a large following that people who are not born with that advantage.

Is it truly possible to leave race or gender behind in cyber space?

Some believe that a persons race and gender don’t matter online that when people are online, they can leave that all behind and just exist. But the reality is that no matter if a person makes their race and gender known online it still affects the way that they interact with the online world. People are shaped by their experiences and the effect of real-world experiences don’t just go away because a person is online (Kolko). Race and gender matter online because they have a effect on the way that people experience the real world which will in turn effect the way that they experience cyberspace.

What are the effects of harmful stereotypes in games?

“It’s just a game!” is an excuse that has been used over and over again when video games are called out for the harmful stereotypes that are included and encouraged in them. While yes it may just be a game that doesn’t change the potential harm that they can cause one example of this can be seen in 3D Realms Shadow Warrior which depicts extremely harmful and racist stereotypes in the game (Ow). These harmful stereotypes when overt make the games unenjoyable for many to play but then they are included more covertly they can begin to desensitize people to them making them more and more okay with the harmful stereotypes being depicted because after all “It’s just a game!”.

Kolko, B. E., Nakamura, L., & Rodman, G. B. (2000). Race in cyberspace. Routledge.

Ow, Jeffrey A. “The Revenge of the Yellowfaced Cyborg Terminator: The Rape of Digital Geishas and the Colonization of Cyber-Coolies in 3D Realms’ Shadow Warrior.” Asian America.Net: Ethnicity, Nationalism, and Cyberspace.

Brooker, C. (Writer), Wright, J. (Director). (2016, October 21). Nosedive (Season 3, Episode 1) [TV series episode]. In A. Jones, C. Brooker (Executive Producers), Black Mirror. Zepportron.

[wikifuck]

Social Menices

I was watching the original Ice Age movie and I realised Manny represents a milder version of the rather common trope of a grumpy and usually conical person, usually a guy, who often dislikes kids, learning to get with the program and stopping being a disrupter to the social homogeny. Often this character development is spurred by being saddled with a child, implying that "negative" character traits are cured by being forcefully made into a parent.

As someone who looked up to a lot of the funnier, more extreme versions of these characters, I can say that this is ass. I didn't "grow up" by starting to like kids, I mellowed out from a cynical teenager and through that started tolerating children. Hell, even now I'm pretty sure entrusting me with the care of a child would count as child neglect.

What I find interesting is the character of Sid, specifically how Manny has to "grow the fuck up" from his disruptive ways but he does not have to. I would argue Sid is in fact way more socially disruptive than Manny is, yet he has to over the course of the story learn very little. Yes, over the series he does mellow out with his bullshit if I remember correctly, but that isn't caused by the gods declaring him an evil deviant but just a casual writing decision to make him slightly less grating to the nerves. Or maybe I just got desensitized to him over the years.

So I wonder, why are people like Sid not considered a problem in media or in society? Why do the Mannyes of the world have to change but the Sids do not?

I suppose Sid represents the socially dominant unsocialized boy who is too annoying to bother teaching so people just tolerate him. But why is Manny not tolerated? I'm pretty sure that if someone took the time to sit Sid down and explain to him in detail why his behaviour is unacceptable, he would instantly get better. Yet no one bothers.

Is this all because the kind of personality type in real life he represents controls most things and likes to be told they aren't doing anything wrong, like the trope of the nerd boy getting the pretty girl without having to change anything about himself?

[super-hero-confessions]

i really wish more homewell shippers or the boys fandom that use/like homewell type elements like the "good boy" or "sweet boy" stuff were at least more aware of the fact that homewell is a case of grooming--an obvious one--that is not portrayed as sexy. the actor and actress are sexy, don't get it twisted. but the show itself ain't subtle at all.

think of how creepy and uncomfortable literally every scene is made to be between them. not an undertone, they specifically do not play music or adjust the ambiance in a lighthearted or loving way. and sometimes even have sounds echoing eerily, specifically to make it gross and awkward.

i'm already not one for a partner pretending to be a parent, but remember how homelander was supposed to be about eight-fucking-teen in diabolical and how she was teasing him--someone she'd clearly known since he was a child and had acted as a mother figure for--and manipulating him? yeah that. that's textbook grooming. she flat out gave him the mommy issues and kink.

noir enabled the bullshit but holy hell madelyn was so much worse.

this isn't even to say that people shouldn't have fun with shipping or kinks, but just... be aware? please. i've seen too many people up and go "look how much we use homelander's literal victimhood and grooming against him to infantilize and abuse him more while pretending its just so hot and not in the slightest problematic! isn't he so cute?" with their fics or art which let me be clear. would be perfectly fine if they didn't then try to be "holier than thou" about it.

and i don't mean that lightly, i mean it very obviously shows. there are tons of people out there with kinks for control and powerplay, dom, sub, the whole shebang. myself included! i get that homelander is an extremely tantalizing and polarizing character for that and fandom can be competitive.

what i don't get is how so many of the people who get off to the idea of further caging in a character who's been caged and controlled his whole life and making whump of him can be so blissfully unaware that their kink isn't any better or healthy than the ones that let homelander let loose to go full abusive monster or are closer to canon.

or up and try to say it somehow is.

y'all.

it is straight up getting off to the idea of homelander being forced to relive his childhood trauma and exploitive grooming from vought, with a new lover. except things somehow turn out better??? leik bitch what!? you can't be serious. we saying repeated abuse from the "right" person a.k.a. vought 2.0 the trauma bond reignited somehow makes a victim better???

okay.

fine, have the kink. but you can't seriously think that's less toxic than wanting him to be set free no matter how awful that may be for everyone else.

they're both toxic.

y ' a l l.

i have literally seen people trying to say butcher's toxic masculinity hang ups are a reason he would never bottom when him and homelander have the e x a c t same toxic masculinity hang ups. they are both giant insecure cunts who have trouble with vulnerability and became sadistic sociopaths because of abuse, that is the point.

the whole point of this show is to exemplify deeply problematic things and showcase how society and people are so desensitized to those things that they either don't matter to us, slip through the cracks, or shine a light on the hypocrisy of it all. with a few nasty jokes here and there. and for some of you in fandom it sincerely is flying way over your heads like i can't.

you cannot be that dumb i just you can't. please.

like homewell, like top "less alpha than raynor" butcher, indulge in toxic kinks. just try to be aware instead of hypocritical. the show is trying to teach us some things and i think they're worth picking up.

[briochebrioche]

Shin Sekai Yori ( I wanted to have a happy Friday )

First off, I would like to say that the cover of this anime having 5 smiling kids is false advertisement (it did not make me smile). The anime is a dark depiction of a society that has decided to control its population in a very immoral way using brainwashing and genetic modification. For me, the two biggest social critiques in this anime are prejudice and the idea of  the “wild child”.

The children of this world are an object of fear due to the uncertainty they come with. Because the society is ruled by those who have the psychokinetic powers of Cantus, they put some contingency plans in place to avoid violent abuse of the powers. Mainly, these come of in the form of the death feedback and attack inhibition. If a child can’t control their powers (karmic demon) or they’re able to use their powers against humans (Fiends/Ogres), then these really scary cats are used to kill them. Then, all traces of those kids ever existing are wiped from the other children’s memories. The people in power are so afraid of a violent uprising or potential threat that they are willing to kill any child that may show signs of becoming one. It’s kind of like Psycho-Pass, except more heartless, being killed for a crime you haven’t committed. It’s an exaggeration of the real-world fear parents have of their children turning out to be delinquents or criminals. Especially with things like school shootings in recent years, a close eye is being kept on the young population.

The other thing I feel is very important is the idea of a prejudiced society to an extreme. In this world, the humans who did not develop powers were genetically modified into these mole-rat-human hybrids that essentially worked like slaves for the humans. Although originally being humans themselves, they are treated as nothing but dispensable beasts. In the end of the show, Squealer is sentenced to a lifetime of extreme torture as punishment for the violent uprising he led. Everyone thought he got what he deserved, and nobody even questioned the cruelty of the punishment. Once Saki discovers the truth about the mutated humans, she visits Squealer in order to kill him and end his suffering. This is significant because Saki receives no death feedback from this action, despite knowing that Squealer is technically human (even though this is the exact trick she used to kill the Messiah). This means that even then, she did not consider him a real human, showing how deeply rooted this prejudice was. It felt like his cries for equality fell on deaf ears.

This, along with the war that happens in the show, reminds me of real-world campaigns for xenophobia. Particularly, the Japanese during WWII who took part in war crimes. During this time, the Japanese military had this idea of “if you’re not Japanese, you’re not human”. The most intense example of this was unit 731, a facility that specialized in extremely violent and cruel experiments using human subjects. The victims here were referred to as “maruta” or “logs” in order to further desensitize the staff to the horrors being committed. It really was just an awful display of how desensitization and a feeling of superiority can bring out the worst in people.

Overall, the show does a good job in portraying how a fixation on power and control can ruin a society.