#and how hostile environments will effect the children that suffer through them

[wildflowercryptid]

i just realized that both juliana and florian end up dating the " villains " of scarvio's plotlines...

[ethanlivemere]

Half-Life²: Anticitizen - Chapter 3

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

_____________________

Chapter 3

Trespass

The true citizen knows that duty is the greatest gift.

The true citizen conserves valuable oxygen.

The true citizen cooperates with his Civil Protection team.

The true citizen’s job is the opposite of slavery.

The Consul’s brief messages echo across the pavement, each one followed by a hollow chime. It has an almost hypnotic effect, as I find myself staring up at the cluster of screens hanging over the intersection. It’s an Orwellian sight to behold: the citizens going about their day while the Consul’s watchful gaze looks down from above.

The true citizen embraces the Universal Union.

I think back to my encounter with the Vortigaunt. It had been a shock to hear English words coming from the mouth of the alien. Its voice was guttural and rough, and it continually made insect-like hissing and clicking sounds, but it spoke English nonetheless. Quite eloquently, even. Vastly different from Black Mesa, where the hisses and clicks had been the only components of their communication. But perhaps the bigger shock in seeing the Vortigaunt was not what it said, but the way it spoke to me. Like I hadn’t killed dozens of its kind in Black Mesa after seeing them slaughter my coworkers. After such hostility, I expected this Vortigaunt to charge up a bolt of green energy and attack me, and my instincts wanted me to reach for a weapon I didn’t have. The last thing I expected was for it to greet me as an ally.

“Your presence gives us hope, Freeman,” it had said. “As you saved my kin in the border world, so shall you save us again on this miserable rock. For now that the lesser master lay defeated, the greater must also fall in time.” Ah, so that’s how it is, I thought. When I killed the Nihilanth, I freed the Vortigaunts from their enslaver, and now they expected me to do the same once more. I remembered the slave camps and factories on Xen, where, for just a brief moment, they didn’t attack me – until the Nihilanth’s Controllers arrived and forced them to fight. They must have realized I was their one hope for freedom. A freedom which, ultimately, was very short-lived.

The Vortigaunt then walked to the contraption that held another one of its kind in its dark liquid. It placed its two-fingered hand against the glass and, despite its alien features, I could see sadness fall across its face. “The Vorti-cells drain power from my kin to support the Combine’s machinery. Those who enter them seldom emerge. The few who do are weakened almost to the point of collapse. Truly, it is a fate far worse than the shackles I bear.” The shackles were different from the ones worn by the Nihilanth-enslaved Vortigaunts. Instead of shining green, they were a dull gray. Their design remained very similar, though. Wrist bracelets, a collar, but also a sort of codpiece that I didn’t remember seeing on the Nihilanth’s slaves. Apparently the Combine deemed it necessary to cover the Vortigaunts’ loins – even though they housed no visible organs of any kind.

The Vortigaunt proceeded to grab a broom from against the wall and told me it had to resume its duty or suffer punishment. It seemed rather ironic, almost comedic even, that an alien race powerful enough to power factories was also being employed to sweep the streets. Recalling the instructions Jeremy had given me, I asked the Vortigaunt if he knew how I could get to the Manhack Arcade, where Barney was supposed to meet me. “Ah,” he responded pensively. “The Manhack Arcade. The hall of the unwitting executioners.” He proceeded to give me clear directions. I was to go to a place he called the Stenographer’s Chasm and then continue in a straight line. I wondered what he meant by ‘unwitting executioners’, but before I knew it, he had already said his goodbyes and disappeared around the corner.

The strange encounter had left me confused and a bit shaken, but I resolutely continued my journey and followed the Vortigaunt’s directions. I had a hard time imagining what this ‘Stenographer’s Chasm’ could be, but I could never have imagined what it turned out to be. An enormous, Combine-modified warehouse consisting of one long room that extended far into the ground, filled with rows of workers perched on stools behind desks, frantically typing on typewriter-like machines. But the stools and desks weren’t on the ground: they were mounted onto single, suspended rails that ran across the room. There were multiple levels of these rails and desks reaching all the way to the ceiling and down into the chasm. The workers had nowhere to go. My guess was that at the end of their shift or when their quota was fulfilled, the rails transported them to a place where they could safely dismount their stools. Until then, they could do nothing but work. I didn’t know what it was they were doing. What kind of paperwork could the Combine have? They didn’t seem like the type to bother with those kinds of things too much. Then again, an intergalactic empire is bound to have some unavoidable paperwork. Probably keeping track of resources and the like.

More disturbing sights awaited me, though. It all began at a building that produced a continuous sound of whirring and chugging, like a giant steam engine. Looking through the window, I saw a black and white tiled hall that was filled with enormous, diagonal pistons moving back and forth. At their base, people were working on the large engines that seemed to drive the pistons. I then realized that the engines weren’t just large, the figures knelt at their base were also small… they were children. Children, no older than twelve, were working on heavy machinery under the watch of Metrocops. And that wasn’t the only factory where children were being forced into labor. A bit further down the street was a smaller brick building that housed a large furnace. More children were stationed at a conveyor belt that lead into the furnace. They took white, ellipsoid objects from barrels and placed them onto the conveyor. They weren’t being burned in the furnace: they reemerged out of the side, attached to the ends of poles, and were transported into another machine. I had seen the white objects before on the brown-robed, flamethrower-wielding beings in the station and on posters that Jeremy had referred to as ‘Cremators’. These were Cremator heads. I tore myself away from the windows and continued my way through the industrial area. I never looked through another window again.

The factories eventually made way for a busier commercial district, which is where I find myself now. It’s the busiest place I’ve seen in this city, apart from the military parade. This must once have been a street with many successful shops, but now most of the display windows stand empty. One of the buildings still in use houses the same ration dispensers I also saw in the station. Another one showcases multiple television screens, all of which display the Combine logo.

“Can you believe it? Free TVs!” says a citizen gazing through the window.

“Don’t get too excited,” his companion replies in a cynical tone. “Those things only have one channel: the Consulcast.” He points over his shoulder at the cluster of screens overhead, where the Consul’s many faces are still naming the values of a true citizen.

But the Consulcast nor the free TVs are the reason why there is so much traffic on this street corner. In fact, I’d wager the Combine strategically placed those here so that as many citizens as possible would be exposed to the propaganda. The real eye-catcher everyone seems to be here for is across the street: the Manhack Arcade. It’s a large building that forms the corner of the street. Completely Combine-made, no recycling of old buildings. The people in the street flock towards the wide entrance on the corner, which is flanked by two Metrocops. Above it hang a number of yellow posters and banners and even more screens, all showing Combine logos and imagery.

I wonder if I should go in. Jeremy told me Barney would meet me at the Manhack Arcade, but it’s unclear if that means outside or inside. It seem risky going into a Combine facility, but it doesn’t seem like the citizens get scanned like they did at the checkpoints, and I could probably slip by the two guarding Metrocops unnoticed by hiding in the crowd.

I wait a little longer, hoping Barney will show himself. The clouds have gotten darker still, and before long a light drizzle starts pouring from the sky. Not only am I not dressed for rainy weather, I also want to avoid getting into too much contact with this water, which, judging from the greenish color of the clouds it originates from, could have all kinds of toxins or undesirable pH values. And so, when an exceptionally dense group of people approaches the entrance to the Arcade, I join them and walk past the Metrocops without either of them giving me a second glance.

Inside is a corridor that leads to the main room. Like the Stenographer’s Chasm, it’s long, tall, and extends down into the ground. Instead of rails with desks and tired workers, this room is filled with catwalks leading to strange machines. Citizens queue in front of them and when it’s their turn, they step onto a pedestal in front of the machines, grab hold of two control handles and lean forward to place their heads in some sort of virtual reality display built into the arcade.

A screen above the player allows bystanders to follow the game. A citizen near me has just started: at first, the screen shows only a grid of red lines in a black void. Then, the grid bends and reshapes itself into a three-dimensional environment that resembles a ruined building. Several humanoid shapes appear in yellow and orange tints, like heat vision, but with a clear red outline to them. The player navigates the environment, seemingly flying, and moves towards the outlined targets. The targets start moving around, trying to evade the player, but eventually he catches up to one. It’s not clear what happens, but when the player bumps into the target, the red outline disappears and a score of one hundred appears in the bottom right corner of the screen. “Ha ha, got one!” the player exclaims. Another nearby player is already at a score of eight hundred, when one of the targets suddenly rushes at him, holding up some kind of long object. The screen goes black and the words ‘GAME OVER’ appear on the screen. “Damn it!” the man shouts. “I was almost at my high score!”

Something’s not right. The way the targets move – it doesn’t look like a video game character. Much too erratic and lifelike. And from what I’ve seen of the Combine so far, I doubt they would put effort into providing ground-breaking AI technology for their panem et circenses. The Vortigaunt’s words echo through my mind: ‘the hall of the unwitting executioners’. I can put two and two together, but I don’t want to. I refuse to believe that what I fear is true. People slaughtering their own, cheering while they do it – and without ever realizing what they did. Or, at least, I deeply hope they don’t.

I don’t want to stay here any longer. Watching these innocent people enjoying the Combine’s twisted games turns my stomach. I have to find Barney. But how can I simultaneously hide from the real Metrocops and try to get Barney to see me?

As I pace through the room, I notice a Metrocop eyeing me. It’s hard to tell with the gas masks, but it seems like his gaze is following me. Is he Barney or a suspicious guard? I try to act inconspicuous and wait for a signal. Suddenly, the Metrocop turns away and walks towards a door. He interacts with the locking mechanism and it opens before him. He throws another prolonged glance in my direction before stepping through, out of sight. I wait. The door doesn’t close behind him. I cautiously make my way to the door. It leads to some sort of backstage corridor, clearly a ‘staff only’ area. I can’t see the Metrocop. I look around the Arcade one last time, but none of the remaining guards seem to notice me, so I enter the corridor. It’s cold and dark, and my footsteps are loud on the metal floor. I arrive in a small room with one of those Combine consoles. The wall is lined with a rack containing dozens of small, deactivated drones whose purpose I can’t discern. I hear the door I entered through close.

“Hey, you!” I hear from one of the neighboring corridors. A Metrocop – the one I followed in here – enters the room. “Do you have your identification?” He menacingly steps towards me. Seems it wasn’t Barney after all. Tough luck. “You are not supposed to be in here. I need to see your identification.”

Well, I seem to have gotten myself into a sticky situation. The Metrocop is trying to drive me into a corner, drawing his stun baton. “Overwatch, restricted incursion in progress in sector 8. Permission to enact civil judgement?” he says to seemingly no one. There’s a short blip and a burst of static following his question. I’m not thrilled about the prospect of ‘civil judgement’, so I decide not to wait until he gets his answer from whoever Overwatch is. I place my hands on my head, feigning surrender, while I scan the exits. The corridor back to the main Arcade hall is sealed and I can’t tell where the others lead, so I’ll have to trust my instincts.

Either the Metrocop has received his permission from Overwatch, or my eyes darting around the room have made him suspicious, because he suddenly swings his stun stick at my head. I try to duck and the blow lands against my elbow, sending a shock through my entire arm as blue sparks fly from the weapon. In response, I kick at his shin as hard as I can. He grunts and loses his balance, and I take the opportunity to dart down the nearest corridor. I hear the Metrocop’s heavy boots give chase behind me as he mumbles a status report to Overwatch. I round a corner, praying I won’t run into a dead end. I see a T junction ahead. Suddenly, I hear a deafening bang behind me, and the sound of a bullet hitting metal. Damn. He has a gun. I have to reach the junction as fast as possible. No time to look which way to go. As the echo of the gunshot fades out, I speed off into the left corridor just before another bullet plunges itself into the wall.

Suddenly, my surroundings open up into a larger room that’s two thirds Combine architecture and one third concrete rubble, remainders of whatever building was here before they installed their Arcade. I could get out through the collapsed walls and floors, but I’d be an easy shot. There’s also what looks like a Combine elevator with a bright red button inside it. I have milliseconds to make a decision. How far behind is he? Can I pull it off?

I slam my fist into the red button, rush back out of the elevator and then dive behind a half-collapsed wall. The doors close and the elevator starts to rise as I flatten myself against the concrete, bent rebar poking into my shoulder. My left arm is numb from the shock of the baton. I hear the Metrocop charging into the room. I hold my breath and pray he falls for my trick. It’s a trick as old as time. He stands still and I wait, my heartbeat ear-deafening.

“Subject is headed for top floor, secure perimeter around elevator.” I have to keep myself from sighing in relief. He isn’t gone yet. In fact, he seems to just stand still in front of the elevator. He must be waiting for the elevator to reach its destination. If he waits for the top floor units to report an empty elevator, my cover is blown.

“Copy,” he says. My functional right hand grabs hold of a loose chunk of concrete near me. I hear him walk a few steps, and then a couple of beeps. “Elevator power disengaged. Heading to your location.” With that, he walks out of the room, and I can finally breathe again. They don’t know the elevator is empty yet. They think they have me trapped in an unpowered elevator. Now to finally get out of here.

Easier said than done, as it turns out. The ruins are a concrete maze, and I constantly have to watch my step. It doesn’t help that the rain that seeps down through the broken ceilings makes everything slippery. The downpour has changed into an outright storm: the water beats down loudly on the concrete and every now and then a roaring thunderclap tears through the sky. Meanwhile, I guess the Metrocops discovered I wasn’t in the elevator after all, because I suddenly hear the cold, disembodied female voice – Overwatch, I assume – echo through the air once more: “Individual, you are charged with anti-civil activities: 63 criminal trespass, 148 resisting arrest, 243 assault on Protection Team. All local Protection units: code alert: locate, contain, prosecute.”

I spot one of the lambdas painted by the resistance group on a pillar. It leads the way down a slope of collapsed floor into a sub-street level area. Knowing the Metrocops are looking for me again, I try to speed up my pace a little while heading down – a mistake. The wet rubble gives way and I lose my footing. The world spins around me as I slide and tumble down the slope. I try to shield my head with my arms. I roll over the floor after reaching the bottom before coming to a stop.

I lie on my back as my surroundings come back into focus. I’m in some sort of underground sewer chamber: I see a ladder on the wall leading up to a manhole cover and there’s a grate in the ceiling through which light and rain pours down in a small waterfall, though the ground I lie on is thankfully dry. I do a quick damage report: my palms are chafed and I’ll undoubtedly have a few bruises, but no lasting damage. I’m lucky I didn’t hit my head on any of the protruding edges of the concrete.

I become aware of a sound, just barely audible over the storm. It sounds like a fire – no, more like a flamethrower. At the same moment, I notice the dancing orange light on the brick wall, and my nostrils are assaulted with the stench of burning flesh. I immediately jolt up. Pain shoots through my back at the sudden movement. I look around and immediately spot the source of the sound: there’s a Cremator standing on the opposite side of the room. The two lanky, leathery-skinned arms sticking out of its brown robe carry a heavy flamethrower which, I notice for the first time seeing one up close, is connected to a spherical fuel tank in the middle of its stomach with a thin tube. ‘Flamethrower’ might be an incorrect word, however. Instead of producing flames, it shoots the green particle jets I also noticed being used to clean trains in the station. It must be some sort of corrosive liquid that only affects organic matter. The source of the orange light on the walls turns out to be a burning pile of charred flesh being sprayed by the Cremator. The flesh is being set ablaze by the green particles, but not only that: where the jets hit the flesh directly, it seems to blacken and disintegrate. Despite the fact that the corpses have turned black as coal and have been turned into an amorphous, ever-shrinking pile, I can still make out just enough to see that these were once people.

The Cremator stops what it’s doing and turns its white, oval head towards me, alerted by my sudden movement. Its tiny, expressionless eyes lock onto me. I hear mechanical breathing from the Cremator’s mouth-tube as it steps closer. It tilts its head like a curious animal before it points the nozzle of its weapon towards me. I could try to run, but I doubt I could get far enough to evade the scorching cloud. I briefly wonder if I should not have moved an played dead. It probably wouldn’t have saved me from being disintegrated.

“Cremator! Stand down!” A Metrocop charges in and stands between me and the Cremator. “This prisoner is property of Civil Protection and is to be transferred to Nova Prospekt for processing.” The Cremator tilts its head again, then turns around and returns to its previous work. The Metrocop turns around to face me. I should be worried, but I’m not. Despite its distortion, I have already recognized his voice. I once again hear the click of the mask detaching and am greeted by Barney’s smug grin. I’ve never been happier to see that stupid grin.

“So Gordon, is this what you call ‘not drawing any attention to yourself’? You’ve got practically every Metrocop in the sector looking for you!” He reaches out and grabs my arm to pull me onto my feet. The numbness from the stun baton is almost gone, though it now hurts from the fall instead. As I rub my elbow, I glance at the Cremator. It seems to be minding its own business, but I don’t feel comfortable hanging around near it much longer, and I wonder if it’s a good idea for Barney to unmask himself and be so friendly with me in its presence. Barney follows my gaze and says “Don’t worry about him, he won’t bother us again. They’re not too bright, these Cremators. Mindless synths. They were made to be janitors, primarily. Destroy biological waste, contain the Xen infestation…” He looks down at the charred corpses grimly. “… clean up after the Civil Protection patrols.” He beckons me and starts walking. “The reason he was about to disintegrate you is because you are not a registered citizen or Combine unit. So to him, you would have to be either a Xenian creature or a very lively corpse. Either way, you were considered ‘unauthorized biological mass’ and had to be disposed of.”

We enter an underground utility tunnel. The sounds of the storm fade away as we follow the cables and pipelines down the dimly lit corridor. “You’re lucky I found you,” Barney remarks. “Those Immolators of theirs can give you a nasty burn. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to meet you at the Arcade, I was held up by unforeseen complications on my shift. I had just gotten back to Dr. Kleiner’s lab when I heard the local CP units go crazy over some guy causing trouble at the Arcade.” He flashes me a smirk. I tell him what happened at the Arcade, with the Metrocop I had thought was him. “You got baited,” he replies. “Some CPs will bait citizens into breaking rules, like trespassing, just so they can enact some civil judgement.”

We march through the underground network in silence for a while before I cautiously bring up Jeremy. Barney sighs sadly and lightly shakes his head. “Yeah, I heard what happened.” He doesn’t say anything for a moment, seemingly choosing his next words carefully. “Listen, Gordon… don’t worry about it, okay? I can probably pull some strings to make sure he turns out okay.” He doesn’t sound all that certain. “Either way, don’t blame yourself. Each of us knows the risk in what we’re doing. We’re all prepared to... go all the way for our cause.” I get an uneasy feeling in my stomach. Barney is being uncharacteristically serious and grim. This is not the same man I knew before Black Mesa. Then again, the same goes for myself.

His face lightens up again and he slips back into his usual grin when we go down a side tunnel with another lambda, at the end of which is a short staircase with a metal door. “Well Gordon, looks like we’re finally here.” He opens the door and the sound of machinery pours out. Not harsh, loud and aggressive, like the Combine factories, but light beeps and clicks over a soft hum. A familiar sound that invites me inside. The sound of science.

_____________________

Consul screens

Stenographer's Chasm

Piston hall

Cremator factory

Manhack Arcade exterior + Citadel

Manhack Arcade interior

Cremator

Underground

And for the first time, there aren't just images for reference, but also sound: here is the original Vortigaunt voice.

As always, really excited to share this new chapter of Anticitizen with you. We've finally reached Kleiner's lab, so from now the story will start picking up pace. And as always, please let me know what you think :)

[abigailnussbaum]

Infinity Train, S1-3

Infinity Train is a Cartoon Network animated series (now transferred to HBO Max) that premiered last year. Three seasons, each made up of ten 10-minute episodes, have aired, so you can watch the whole thing in an afternoon. The premise is quite familiar - the titular train picks up passengers (mostly, though not always, children) who are at some kind of crossroads in their lives. As they traverse cars filled with challenges, puzzles, dangers, and sometimes just nifty environments to explore, the passengers work through whatever issue brought them on to the train. Their progress towards wellness is reflected in a number that appears on their hand, and when the number drops to zero a vortex appears and returns them to their home. The train also contains native inhabitants, usually referred to as “denizens”, who sometimes help the passengers, sometimes hinder them, and are often just going about their own lives.

Like I said, the sort of premise familiar from many children’s stories, in which a character who is struggling with some important challenge or milestone is whisked off to a fantasy setting that just happens to have been tailored to help them work through their problems. The execution is pretty fantastic, with both the writing and animation striking a compelling mixture of humor and emotional depth. The train itself is a wonderful creation, vast and often surreal or even phantasmagorical, and the denizens are quirky and winning in their own right, not just as reflections of the passengers’ needs. The show also features an absolutely stacked voice cast, with guest appearances from Kate Mulgrew, Bradley Whitford, Ernie Hudson, Lena Headey, and many others.

But what I find fascinating about Infinity Train is how, almost from the first episode, it sets to work examining the core assumptions of its story template, chiefly the idea that the train is helping people, and that its kind of help is effective and positive. As someone who grew up on stories like Infinity Train and didn’t question their premise until I got older, it’s fun to watch a show that leans right into those inherent problems.

The first season of Infinity Train tells its story pretty straight. Our protagonist is Tulip, a tween who is struggling with her parents’ recent divorce. When a scheduling snafu between them leaves Tulip unable to get to a youth coding camp she’d been dreaming of, she impulsively runs away from home, and ends up being picked up by the train. There, she’s quickly joined by a royal corgi called Atticus, and a scatterbrained robot called One-One, who try to help her in her journey towards the train’s engine. Along the way, the trio are menaced by a sinister, semi-robotic figure who is destroying the environments in the train’s cars, and who seems to be fixated on One-One.

Even in this fairly basic spin on the story, a few reservations crop up: first, Tulip doesn’t actually have a real problem. Yes, her parents’ divorce has put a strain on her, but she still seems fairly well-adjusted - she has friends and interests and, apart from the ill-advised decision to run away, doesn’t seem to be acting out in dangerous ways. The things she learns over the course of her journey through the train - to face up to the hurt that her family’s breakdown has caused her, to admit that her parents’ marriage wasn’t perfect, to realize that their divorce wasn’t her fault, to ask for help when she needs it - are probably things she would have figured out as she gained some distance from the trauma of the divorce (or, for that matter, that any halfway-decent child psychologist would have helped her realize). It’s hard to justify a cosmic interference in her life, much less one that puts her in mortal danger, as the journey up the Infinity Train often does

And sure, this is a children’s adventure story, so it’s far more compelling to watch the child protagonist struggle with real danger (that is always avoided at the last possible minute) than attend a therapy session. Even if, as adult viewers, we might see the whole thing as unjustifiably risky. But the thing is, Tulip herself very quickly expresses resentment towards the train. When she realizes that the number on her hand drops when she does something healthy and good, Tulip’s reaction is anger, and for a while she refuses to cooperate with the system, covering her hand and refusing to consider how her actions are affecting her number. Even within the children’s adventure template, the child protagonist says what most of us would feel in her situation - that being kidnapped and made to jump through hoops for the sake of some seemingly arbitrary, numerical value of “wellness” is high-handed and manipulative, and encourages hostility and suspicion, rather than participation in the train’s system.

Ultimately, Tulip goes back to playing along with the train’s scheme and benefits from it. She gets her number down to zero fairly quickly, and gets to go back home. But along the way she also solves the mystery of the train’s mysterious villain, who turns out to be another passenger, Amelia, who was picked up by the train after the death of her husband. Instead of letting the train walk her through her grief and learn to accept it, Amelia tried to take over the train and use its reality-bending capabilities to recreate her lost husband. Along the way she’s committed so many acts of abuse and mayhem that her number has extended all the way to her neck. So even once Tulip talks her down and convinces her to stop hurting people, they both acknowledge that she’s never going to get off the train (oh, and by the way, the journey on the train happens in real time, so Amelia is now an old woman).

Now, it should be obvious that Amelia’s problem was significantly more complex and fraught than Tulip’s, and rather than helping her, the train gave her a venue to indulge her grief to anti-social, even psychotic extremes. So at the end of the first season, we’ve encountered two passengers. One who benefitted from the train’s system (after some initial hostility) but who also probably didn’t need its help that badly. And one who did need serious help, but instead got an opportuntity to screw her life up even more than it already was, and probably irrevocably. Not a great track record, in other words.

The second season mixes things up a bit by making its protagonist a train denizen, and giving us a behind the scenes look at the train’s community when the passengers aren’t there. MT (or: Mirror Tulip) is a character first encountered in the first season, whom Tulip helped to escape from the mirror world. She’s being pursued by mirror cops who want to destroy her, and in the process of evading them, she comes across a passenger, Jesse, and decides to help him get his number down so that she can piggyback on his exit and evade her pursuers. Jesse initially seems like he doesn’t belong on the train - he’s almost preternaturally friendly and happy-go-lucky. But it’s eventually revealed that his willingness to go along and get along is fairly indiscriminate, and leaves him prey to stronger personalities, as when he tolerates and even enables the violent bullying of his younger brother.

It’s a thornier problem than Tulip’s, not least for making it harder to sympathize with Jesse. But it’s also one that exposes the train system’s flaws, as Jesse is so passive that he doesn’t even try to move through cars and get his number down until MT lights a fire under him. And that, in turn, triggers MT’s own identity crisis, as she begins to wonder whether she has a right to exist as her own person, or whether her entire purpose is to reflect Tulip or help passengers.

That tension comes to a head when Jesse and MT encounter the Apex, a group of child passengers, led by teenagers Grace and Simon. The Apex have come up with a theory of the train’s nature that runs completely counter to its actual purpose - they believe the train is their reward, and that the system trying to bring their number down and send them back is cheating them. They strive to get their number as high as possible by committing acts of violence against the train’s denizens, whom they dub “nulls” - not real people, incapable of feeling pain.

Because S2 has been told from MT’s perspective, we know that the Apex are wrong about her and the other denizens (and in general, it’s not a good sign when someone says “this being, which exhibits all the signs of personhood and feeling, is actually not real, and is only shamming a form of suffering while feeling nothing”). But at the same time, it has to be acknowledged that this is an entirely plausible conclusion to draw from the evidence at hand. The train exists for the passeners. It has created environments and beings whose sole purpose is to interact with and affect the passengers. Why should those beings be real? Which is yet another failure point of the train’s system, because as both Tulip and Jesse’s stories show, developing connections with denizens is what spurs passengers to travel up the train and get better. The Apex have therefore interpreted the train’s system in a way that can only accomplish the exact opposite of what it was designed to do.

The show returns to Grace and Simon in its third season, in which we learn more about their history and their understanding of the train. We learn, for example, that Simon’s hostility towards denizens was sparked when the one who befriended him (The Cat, a character who appears in each of the show’s seasons) left him when they found themselves in a dangerous situation. And we learn that the Apex worship Amelia (whom they view as the train’s true conductor) and believe that the current system is a corruption of the one she intended, in which the passengers get to enjoy the train for as long as they like. In yet another demonstration of how open the train’s system is to misinterpretation, the Apex warn their new members that if they let their number get down to zero, they will “disappear”. Which is the same reaction Tulip had when she first witnessed another passenger departing, and, again, a thoroughly logical conclusion to reach given the evidence.

The season’s story involves Grace and Simon being separated from the rest of the Apex, and, in their attempts to get back to them, picking up a young passenger, Hazel, whom they try to initiate into their understanding of the train. The two teens’ interactions with Hazel shed light on the crucial difference between them. While Grace genuinely cares about the kids she’s gathered and sees herself as their protector, Simon only teaches Hazel about the train because he wants converts to his worldview, and validation for his anger at the Cat and other denizens. Once separated from the Apex and their regular schedule of destruction, Grace’s care for Hazel causes her number to go down, all the more so when she discovers that Hazel is really a denizen, and lies to Simon about it to protect her. Simon, meanwhile, only sinks further into his anger and resentment, and when he discovers Grace’s lie he sees it as a betrayal of everything they stand for. The conflict between them ultimately leads to a confrontation in which Simon is killed, while Grace reveals to the Apex that their conclusions about the train and its denizens were wrong, and that they need to come up with a new system.

So, to sum up, the Infinity Train:

Kidnaps people whom it perceives as being in need of help and holds them, sometimes for years or decades, until they achieve a predetermined threshold of wellness.

Advances this goal through a system of rewards and punishments that is so transparently manipulative, it alienates basically everyone who engages with it except the guy whose problem was being pathologically passive.

Relies for the success of this system on a community of denizens who haven’t signed on to it and who are often unsuited to the task of shepherding others towards growth.

Is so open to misinterpretation that a large chunk of the train’s passengers take the exact opposite message from it that they were meant to, which leads them to behavior that could put them permanently beyond being able to leave the train.

Sometimes kills people.

I’m pretty sure most of this is stuff I’m meant to be taking away from the show, but I also wonder how far Infinity Train is willing, or able, to take this idea. The open ending of S3, in which Grace, though headed in the right direction number-wise, is still nowhere near being able to leave the train, and also more focused on remaking the Apex into something more constructive, suggests that future seasons will get further into the question of whether the train can be reformed or made more productive. Or, conversely, the show could abandon its original premise and just become a story about the train, and the community of passengers and denizens that develops on it. I wonder, though, how much you can push against the inherent limitations of this premise - when you’ve got a story where getting better and more well-adjusted causes you to be forcibly ejected from the story, where does that leave you as far as plot progression and character development are concerned? There’s an inherent conflict to a world that is designed for a specific character (or group of characters). Infinity Train is fascinating for how it leans into that conflict, and I’m very curious to see how it handles its core contradiction going forward.

[violethowler]

The Things That Matter

I’ve talked a lot over the last two months or so about the many different ways that the characters, story, and themes of the Kingdom Hearts series align with the framework of the Heroine’s Journey. For the final chapter in this series of essays, I’d like to talk about what it means for this series to follow this narrative formula. Because the fact that Kingdom Hearts fits into this storytelling pattern is critically important now more than ever. 

The three most recent series I know of that aligned with the Heroine’s Journey framework all ended up missing the landing in various ways. Two of the three - Voltron: Legendary Defender and the Star Wars sequel trilogy - abandoned the formula in their final installments, while the third one - the Frozen movies - managed to fit into the formula almost completely, but suffered in the second movie from a lack of clarity as to which of the two leads is the main protagonist and which is the Animus. Two of these were under the Disney umbrella, and all three have had evidence found that executive meddling or other behind-the-scenes conflicts over story direction played a role in how the final installments ended. 

As I mentioned in my essay “Into the Unknown,” when a story deviates from the structure it appears to be following, it produces a visceral sense of wrongness in the audience. In stories which up toward the end aligned with the Heroine’s Journey, that effect is amplified. The framework of the Heroine’s Journey was designed to uplift the experiences of identities outside of what society considers the default option in storytelling. The lived experiences of those identities are mirrored in the narrative’s themes. So when a story set up around calling out prejudices and double standards about those identities that are ingrained into the audience’s culture deviates from that formula, the result inevitably ends up reinforcing those biases instead, on top of the brokenness of the narrative in general.  

In terms of how this applies to Kingdom Hearts, Sora and Riku’s individual character arcs have been noted by many LGBTQ+ fans to have notable parallels with elements of their own lived experiences:

Riku’s arc of learning to accept his darkness as something natural that’s a part of him and which he can express in a positive way mirrors how many LGBTQ+ people grow up with the idea that same-sex attraction is “sinful” and “unnatural” and have to unlearn that mindset in order to realize that there’s nothing wrong with them. Likewise, Mickey’s line in Re:COM about how spending time with Riku has positively changed his opinion about Darkness can be read as an analogy for straight people who are initially unsure of or hostile to LGBTQ+ identities changing their minds with education and first-hand interaction to become staunch allies. Esmeralda’s talk with Riku about how “There are just some things we need to keep separate from the world at large, at least until we have time to figure them out”[1], while on one level is referencing Riku’s Darkness and his inner turmoil relating to Ansem, can also describe the common LGBTQ+ experience of being in the closet and hiding that part of yourself from the people around you[2]. 

As for Sora, in Kingdom Hearts III he responds to Davy Jones’ comments in The Caribbean about the romantic relationship between Will and Elizabeth by saying that “I still have a lot to learn about love[3],” indicating he lacks understanding of his own feelings in the area of romance. This is supported by the official Kingdom Hearts Character Files book published by Square in February 2020. Short stories in this book featuring Sora’s POV depict him as actively confused about what romantic love is[4], and struggling to define the nature of his relationship with Riku[5][6]. This can be a common experience for LGBTQ+ youth growing up surrounded by media that only ever depicts romantic relationships as one boy, one girl. Many people who grew up like this—myself included—have had similar experiences of struggling to understand our own feelings about someone of the same gender because for our entire lives up to that point we had little or no exposure to the idea that being romantically interested in someone of the same gender as you was an option. 

Sora and Riku are each written in ways that speak to common LGBTQ+ experiences, and the fact that so many things—the canon parallels to Disney romances, the match with how love interests are portrayed in the Heroine’s Journey, the fact that one of the series’ Lead Event Planners Michio Matsuura was described by the Co-Director Tai Yasue to be “head over heels for the bond between Riku and Sora’s hearts[7]”, in connection with his enjoyment of “pure love dramas[7]”—are all pointing to the conclusion that these similarities did not happen by accident, but by design. 

It makes so much sense for Heroine’s Journey narratives to be used to tell LGBTQ+ stories because there are so many ways that homophobia and transphobia overlap with and are rooted in the very same gender and cultural norms that the framework challenges. Many countries have come a long way towards public acceptance of LGBTQ+ identities, but in terms of the stories that we tell, mainstream fiction is still skewed in favor of stories with protagonists who are straight and cisgender. Storylines with straight romance are treated as a society-wide default, while creators in countries like the U.S. who want to include even the smallest background references to LGBTQ+ relationships have had to fight and push back against corporate pressure to remove them. 

This is especially true for media aimed at children and teenagers, as the fact that being openly LGBTQ+ is still widely considered problematic in many countries is frequently used by entertainment executives in ostensibly more progressive countries as an excuse for censoring LGBTQ+ storylines and characters. Multiple creators working on animated shows for Disney and/or its competitors have spoken out in recent weeks about the resistance they faced to including LGBTQ+ relationships[8][9][10] and how they were told that openly acknowledging characters as non-straight was too controversial or “inappropriate for the channel"[9].

As a consequence of this environment, creators wishing to depict non-heterosexual relationships have had to resort to creative methods of getting the implications past the censors in a way that LGBTQ+ audiences would recognize while still maintaining plausible deniability so that the executives could make money off the story in anti-LGBTQ+ markets. The downside to this is that because these efforts are more subtle, most straight audiences will either not notice the implications, or else dismiss them as an accident. Some will go as far as coming up with alternate explanations to justify why any potential LGBTQ+ subtext about a character or relationship could not possibly have been put there by the creator intentionally. 

This extends not only to audiences, but also to people who interact with these stories in a professional capacity, such as translating and marketing a story’s international release. Animated shows that feature same-gender relationships have had international dubs change the gender of one character in the pairing to make it straight, for instance. Or there's the infamous example of how the English dub for Sailor Moon in the 1990s changed two girls from lovers to cousins in order to provide an explanation for their closeness that didn't involve acknowledging that the characters were not straight. In terms of the Kingdom Hearts series, the English localization has routinely downplayed LGBTQ+ subtext in the series while in some cases adding romantic undertones to interactions between a male and female character that did not exist in the original Japanese script. Kingdom Hearts III was one of the most egregious examples of this:

Hercules’ recollection of how he dove into the River Styx to save Megara’s soul in KH2 is thematically connected to Riku sacrificing himself for Sora at the Keyblade Graveyard through the phrase taisetsu na hito (literal meaning: “precious person”) when Hercules is talking to Sora in Olympus and when Mickey is talking to Riku in the Realm of Darkness at the beginning of the game. The English version translates this as ��person I love most” for Hercules, while changing it to “what matters” for Riku and Mickey to call back to his meeting with Terra in Birth by Sleep, which the scene includes a flashback to. While Mickey and Riku’s original meaning can still be deduced from the conversation around it, especially with Mickey saying "sometimes you care about someone so much," changing the line for the sake of a callback downplays the evolution of Riku’s goals from protecting “things that matter” to protecting “the *person* who matters”. 

Donald and Goofy’s teasing Sora in the scene at Galaxy Toys where Sora comments on how much he or Riku resemble Yozora is framed in the English version as “Riku would be a great action figure because he’s cool, unlike Sora.” However the original Japanese indicates that the teasing is centered around the fact that Sora said a character who looks like Riku was good-looking.

When Kairi offers Sora a paopu fruit, she says in the original Japanese that it’s simply a good luck charm so that they don’t get separated, while in the English localization, she says “I want to be a part of your life no matter what, that’s all.” While “that’s all” still fits with how the parallels to Winnie the Pooh indicate her connection with Sora has weakened and she wants to maintain it, the first part of the English line calls back to the legend of the fruit introduced in KH1, which was openly referred to as romantic by Selphie in the original and localized versions of the first game. As a result, this adds romantic implications that contrast with Sora’s unreceptive body language and facial expressions[11] as he reacts to the initial offering of the paopu fruit. 

In the original Japanese, Riku’s words to Sora before his sacrifice at the Keyblade Graveyard translate to “I believe in you. You won’t give up.” The English localization changed it to “You don’t believe that. I know you don’t.” Not only does it remove a callback to the original game, but this phrasing dowplays Riku’s faith in Sora and ignores Sora’s very clear feelings of inadequacy. 

During the scene where Sora and Kairi are floating through the dark tunnel toward the Keyblade Graveyard, Sora’s line in English, “I feel strong with you,” was originally an acknowledgement of Kairi’s strength that called back to how he wouldn’t let her come along on the return trip to Hollow Bastion in the first game because he thought she’d “kind of be in [his] way”[12]. Removing this callback takes the focus away from Kairi’s growth and brushes aside one of the ways the game shows that Sora’s view of her has changed over the course of the series.

Some fans defend changes such as these insisting that the development team had to have approved of them. However Testuya Nomura himself feels strongly enough about the subject: he stated in a 2018 interview several months before KH3's release that “an incorrect or defective translation risks compromising the comprehension of the whole story,” referring especially to the Kingdom Hearts series[13], and the English localization of Re:Mind—which was much more accurately translated than the base game—directly references the original meaning of Kairi’s words during the paopu scene in one of the DLC’s Kingstagram posts. This all indicates that changes such as these that remove important connections or change the meaning of the conversation are ones that the development team very much do not approve of. 

LGBTQ+ fans of Kingdom Hearts who recognize their own experiences reflected in Sora's and Riku’s journeys know that Disney has not had a good track record when it comes to depicting LGBTQ+ characters in properties they are affiliated with. The most we ever get in their movies are background moments or nameless characters that are only there in one scene that easily can be cut out for distribution in countries with heavy anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. And that’s if the character’s orientation is even mentioned out loud in the film at all instead of simply being confirmed by interviews before or after release but never acknowledged on-screen. Television has fared better, but until recent years we never had any main characters who were confirmed in-show to be anything but straight. But things are slowly starting to improve. Within the last few years shows like "Andi Mack" and "The Owl House" have depicted major characters as openly interested in others of the same gender[14], and Pixar recently released a short as part of their Sparknotes program called “Out”, which openly centers on a man worrying about telling his parents he’s gay. 

This is why it is so important that the Heroine’s Journey of Kingdom Hearts follow through to a structurally appropriate conclusion, with the development team being given the freedom to tell their story in full without restriction or censorship. Deviating from the formula this late in the series would represent a continuation of the recent trend of Heroine’s Journey narratives being structurally broken by inference from forces other than the main creative team. But if the Kingdom Hearts story is able to complete it’s Heroine’s Journey without executives or localization teams getting in the way of the intended story, then the LGBTQ+ themes already present in Sora and Riku’s journey will break so many barriers,challenge people’s expectations of what is possible, and convey powerful messages of self-discovery and acceptance—just like the framework was designed to. 

Sources

[1] Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance; Square Enix; 2012. 

[2] Tumblr post by @blowingoffsteam2; December 3, 2019. https://blowingoffsteam2.tumblr.com/post/189461796759/blowingoffsteam2-dont-mind-me-over-here-just

[3] Kingdom Hearts III; Square Enix; 2019. 

[4] Translation of KH Character Files Beast’s Castle story by @lilyginnyblackv2; February 3, 2020. https://lilyginnyblackv2.tumblr.com/post/611420864489062401/character-files-beasts-castle-story-english

[5] Translation of KH Character Files Arendelle story by @lilyginnyblackv2; March 3, 2020. https://lilyginnyblackv2.tumblr.com/post/611490139845345280/character-files-arendelle-story-english

[6] Translation of KH Character Files Arendelle story by @notaseednotyet; March 1, 2020. https://twitter.com/notaseednotyet/status/1233993459670765569

[7] “Message from the KINGDOM” Updates!; April 11, 2012. https://www.khinsider.com/news/-Message-from-the-KINGDOM-Updates-2427

[8] “”Steven Universe” and “She-Ra” creators on Representation”; Paper Magazine; August 5, 2020. https://www.papermag.com/rebecca-sugar-noelle-stevenson-2646446747.html

[9] Twitter thread by Gravity Falls creator Alex Hirsch; August 9, 2020. https://twitter.com/_AlexHirsch/status/1292328558921003009

[10] Twitter thread by Owl House creator Dana Terrace; August 9, 2020. https://twitter.com/DanaTerrace/status/1292321440029478917 

[11] Frame by frame analysis of Sora and Kairi’s body language during the KH3 paopu scene by @notaseednotyet; September 14, 2019.  https://twitter.com/notaseednotyet/status/1172774158167506944

[12] Kingdom Hearts; Square Enix; 2002. 

[13] “Nomura stresses the importance of direct translations on story comprehension, and talks about world development as well as the Gummi Ship;” August 27, 2018. https://www.kh13.com/news/nomura-stresses-the-importance-of-direct-translations-on-story-comprehension-and-talks-about-world-development-as-well-as-the-gummi-ship/ [14] Disney’s The Owl House Now Has a Confirmed Bisexual Character; August 9, 2020. https://io9.gizmodo.com/disneys-animated-series-the-owl-house-now-has-a-confirm-1844665583

[imspardagus]

A Scottish Fantasy

My mother was the eldest child of a poor family in Sheffield.  There are shades of poverty and theirs was not the deepest but they were decidedly working class and short of every material comfort.  A factor in this was her father, who was a Victorian and a socialist, and who loved children, it is said, so much that he foisted 8 of them onto his second wife, who didn’t. He is the subject of my story.

Grandad was already an old man when, as a small boy, I first knew him. He had long retired from the railways. Back in the fifties, having made the eight-hour journey up the A1 from Essex (through the centre of every market town on the way), we would walk in to the Sheffield council house through a door that was never locked and there he would be, sitting always close to the big kitchen range in the back room, nursing a gouty foot swathed in bandages and thick socks (which must have been agonising). Being a fairly normally clumsy child, I would manage to bang into his foot at least once during our visits, to the intense embarrassment of my parents. It was the only time I heard Grandad react with any fierceness. Now that I have personal experience of gout I understand why.

I will tell the story as Mum told it to my sister and me when we were children. Mind, she never sat us down and told it in one go.  It came out in little sparkling nuggets. Which, paradoxically, made it all the more compelling.  Gold, or fool’s gold, many have confused the two, and we always will, because we all want to believe.

Mum was born in 1922.  As her brothers and sisters followed each other into life, and things became increasingly difficult for the Lawford household, she was sent away to live with a maiden aunt in Nottingham.  This physical distance had several effects.  The first and most obvious was that she became remote from her own family. They never forgave her for “talking posh” and a thinly veiled animosity stuck with her for the rest of her life.  But, perhaps more importantly, it changed her expectations. Auntie Lizzie was a modern woman (for the 1920s), with a career and thoughts of her own. Her home was, by all accounts, an Aladdin’s cave of eccentrically accumulated drapes and  artefacts.  And her home seems to have been a mirror of her mind. She dabbled in religions, cults and philosophies and encouraged my mother to do the same. Mum became an avid reader of books, and a good pupil.  Had the Second World War not intervened, she was bound for teacher training college. Instead, she was conscripted into the Admiralty and spent what she guiltily described as a gloriously happy war in Bath.

According to Mum, what we saw of Lawford home life in Sheffield was very different from how it had once been.  Grandad had once been a qualified accountant but an illness took him to the doctor who advised him that if he wished to survive he needed an outdoor job. So Grandad became an engine driver. (even as a child I always wanted to pause at this point to allow my brain to assimilate the strangeness of this transition). She said he drove the express trains that ran down the East Coast line to London.

Grandad, Mum told us, was a Fabian Socialist, a founder member.  He had spoken on a platform with the great George Lansbury and had been asked on more than one occasion to stand as Mayor of Sheffield but had had to decline it because his wife was not happy with the thought of public life.  

Grandad, she said, was also a soft touch.  Many were the times he would arrive home on payday with little or nothing in his packet because men, knowing his kind heart, would accost him on the way home, with sob stories and he could not refuse them.

But this is a mere prelude to the Big Story.  Apparently, Grandad was the legitimate heir to an Earldom in Scotland.  The Lawfords were, as anyone knew (so my mother said), Scottish reivers – border bandits – and this was our ancestry.  The story went that Grandad had been approached by a solicitor who had told him that if he could produce a certain decorated wooden box his claim to the Earldom would be proved. But he, being an avowed socialist, could not be bothered with such trivialities as personal wealth and title, and declined to pursue his birthright.

The Earldom was that of the Kerrs, on the Scottish side of the Border.

A romantic story.  And apparently a total fiction.  And one that, though I can see the funny side, left me feeling bereft as it unravelled.

For a number of years, whenever I visited Scotland, I would scour books about the clans, wondering why the Lawford name never figured.

Then my sister spent some time tracing our family tree and I got my answer.  Lawford is not a reiver name, not a Scottish name, not even a Northern English name.  It harks from Essex. On our mother’s side, Sheffield was the furthest north the Lawfords had achieved in three centuries. Until our generation, the highest social status of any related Lawford was a publican in Guildford in the 17th Century. There is more.

Grandad did indeed work on the railways.  But he was a porter, not a train driver, still less an express train driver. His father had also worked the railways.  That fine copperplate handwriting that seemed so out of place in a working man’s fist, and thereby lent credence to a romance of a different upbringing, seems most likely to have been the result of a book-keeping course that the railway union put him through in order that he could be a treasurer for the local branch.

Do I feel cheated? Yes, a bit. Not by the lack of status (as a soft middle class southerner, I am in fact a little proud of this gritty heritage and loved the blackened hardness of Sheffield before the planners ruined it). But more by the want of romance on a grand scale.  On a walk with a friend I passed the Kerrs’ family seat and thought, at one and the same time, this could have been mine and this never was mine. Mine has been such a small and mundane life.

But the effect is also more subtle, more undermining. I was born in Ilford, Essex and never felt it was my home.  I visited Yorkshire, and Sheffield, but felt no affinity. When I first crossed the border into Scotland, however, I felt I was coming home.  And when I left it, I felt the lowering of growing distance from where you ought to be. And it continues. I suffer from depression and, when it is bad, walking in Scotland or in the Northumbrian border country will pull me back from despair as no drug can. Yet, as far as I can tell, I have no family connection with it. So I feel diminished by the lack of any Celtic link and I now have no reason to support the effect Scotland has on me.  

Should it matter? Of course not.  I am what I am. I feel what I feel. Scotland is a sublimely beautiful country and its people have a sense of cultural integrity that those of us in the South East of England bartered long ago for a love of sophistication, bling and noisy ignorance. If I was not comfortable with the latter it is likely I would feel more comfortable with the former. And we all have our origins in distant vistas and wild trails rather than concrete canyons and brick boxes linked by tarmac tracks.

Why did she do it, though? Tell those stories, I mean.  Weave those inventions? Is it so hard to understand? We have always been story tellers, hooked on language, driven by imagination that, apparently, no other creature on this planet possesses.  And we have always striven to make, not a true rendition of reality, but a version of it that supports us with a sense of how things need to be if we are to keep going. Something to help us to survive in a hostile environment. I think my mother could not quite bear association with the poverty she had escaped from and needed something a bit more up-market to leaven her back-story.

Afternote: When going through the family history a couple of years back I made an interesting discovery. It involved, not Scotland, but Australia. Apparently, a distant relation of Grandad had emigrated there in “dubious” circumstances and rumour had it that he made a small fortune. When he died, without direct heirs, there was talk of the estate belonging to whomever could prove sufficient familial link. And Grandad had in his possession a box that contained letters which could have provided that proof. But Grandad wanted nothing to do with this man or his fortune.

So maybe Mum was not inventing quite as much as we assumed.

[rivkyschleider]

Annotated Bibliography

Winnicott, D. (1986) Home is where we start from. England: London

In this collection of essays we learn of Winnicott’s key teachings, presented to a lay audience.  He explains attachment theory, the ‘good enough environment’, the contribution of the Mother to society, adolescence and the relationship between the individual and their facilitating family group.  He explores concepts of health versus illness through his lens as a psychoanalyst in addition to to his medical background.  It is extremely helpful to see how foundation concepts of personality, the very make up of human emotional development can be applied to such a variety of cultural topics such as monarchy, the Pill and mathematics.  He brings clarity to these issues and offers me a model for applying depth of insight about the subconscious and the effect of early childhood environment on later life.  By uncovering gaps or repression in the individual’s psyche the psychotherapist can facilitate milestones of developmental progress, albeit at a later stage of maturation.

Yalom, I. (2002)  The Gift of Therapy.  US: HarperCollins

This is a handbook of 85 tips and instructions built upon 35 years of clinical practice and teaching.  He paints a picture of a therapist in a way that inspires me to rise to the challenge of training and the ongoing character growth that is so crucial to this profession.  He promotes curiosity, humility and transparency, and breaks away the the image of the therapist as an all-knowing provider of interpretations, or a blank canvas to absorb transference.  He gives a practical guide for mining the here-and-now aspects of the therapeutic encounter to further the process of therapy.  He describes tools  for incorporating the therapist’s own feelings into the mix as well as how to explore dream material, how to take a history and how to look at their present; how their daily life is organised and peopled.  He writes with deep pride on the privilege of helping others find meaning, health and joy.

Skynner, Cleese (1983)  Families and how to Survive Them  London: Vermilion

This was a a whistle-stop tour through all the major themes of child development, identity, attraction, relationships and family dynamics written as a conversation between Robin Skynner, a psychotherapist and John Cleese his former patient.  They discuss the continuum that exists with optimally healthy families at one end; dysfunctional families with inter-generational problems at the other; and the “normal” families in the middle in which we see an expected mix of ‘screened off’ feelings alongside coping mechanisms, defenses and social norms to smooth the way.  Skynner draws on Freudian ideas as well as later work by more recent therapists and analysts who looked at how families work as a system.  Each part affects all other parts of the system.  By considering inter-relationships through the eyes of a typical family we can learn about letting go of inherited mistakes and move forward to optimal family life.

Van Der Kolk, B. The Body Keeps the Score, United Stares: Penguin

This book is about how trauma impacts a person causing long term suffering to victims, their families and future generations.  Using scientific methods such as brain scans and clinically sound investigations, Van Der Kolk looks at how the mind and body are transformed by traumatic events; how neural networks are formed as coping mechanisms and may later morph into unwanted behaviours.  This is followed by a paradigm of treatment that seeks to give individual patients ownership of their narrative, their bodies and a route to self awareness and healing.  Yoga, EMDR, neurofeedback and theater are offered as examples of pathways to recovery and I believe that art therapy is another good candidate for an embodied type of therapy, one that does not rely on talking alone.  This book answered questions about my own pattern of mild symptoms and has opened up the whole field of mind/body connection in relation to trauma and healing.

Axline, V.M. (1964) Dibs In Search of Self.  London: Penguin

Virginia M. Axline has written the true story of Dibs, her client; a talented and sensitive child who was trapped in isolation due to the lack of emotional connection in his life.  Through psychotherapy - play therapy to be precise - he regained his sense of self and was eventually able to thrive, utilise his gifted nature and contribute to society.  It is an eloquent case study obliquely laying out the principles of play and art therapy.  The therapist built the safe environment in which the child could open up and slowly verbalise his deeply felt emotions.  reparation with his parents blossoms.  It is notable that the therapist made it safe for Dibs to express negativity.  This teaches us to think about hostility as a sign sometimes of adequate ego strength for the feelings to be articulated.  In that sense, aggression is a sign of health!  This book is a beautiful testimony to the power of psychotherapy to transform lives.  

Malchiodi, C. (2011) Trauma Informed Art Therapy and Sexual Abuse in Children. In: Goodyear-Brown, P. (ed.) Handbook of Child Sexual Abuse: Identification, Assessment and Treatment.  United states: John Wiley & Sons

This chapter deals with how art therapy helps children who have suffered sexual abuse to articulate their sometimes unutterable experiences in a manner that the therapist can understand while within what is tolerable for the child.  Trauma informed art therapy involves using art materials to address hyper-arousal and to teach relaxation, referencing the specific neuro circuit that is activated by hands on activities of a soothing nature.  The sensory and tactile qualities of art materials need to be taken into consideration, how they are central to trauma recovery, but equally how they may trigger memories of distressful events.  The somatic approach, using colour and shape enables children to locate the place in the body where trauma is held so they can learn to diminish distress.  The author comments on the relevance of culturally sensitive materials and projects.  This has been a rich article for me, linking my reading on trauma, with art therapy for a client group I may want to work with in the future.  

Cane, F. (1951) The Artist in Each Of Us. United States: Art Therapy Publications

This book bridges art and therapy.  It aims to give the reader a means to achieving a richer art and a more integrated life.  It looks at how movement, feeling and thought work together.  I was intrigued to read detailed technical instructions for accessing subconscious material which can be used to reach higher levels of artistic expression and also personal healing.  The case studies record the progress of her students and how transcendence was coaxed up through fantasy, play, rhythmic movements, chanting and other indirect means until it could be released for union with the conscious.  I tried out some of these techniques and was surprised to discover not only the catharsis, but also the unexpected outcomes of artwork spontaneously arising from my own psychological material.  It shows me how the perceptive teacher can awaken in her students their own creativity and direct them to find solutions for subtle or complex inner dilemmas.

Dalley, T. (ed.) (1984) Art as Therapy. An Introduction to the use of art as a therapeutic technique. London: Routledge

This book is an introduction to the theories that underpin art therapy and is broad in it’s range of contributing authors.  We get an outline of the role of art within a therapeutic framework, the manifestation of art as play, as a language of symbols and development.  The historical links between art education and art therapy are explored; the differences and what they have in common; and a possibility for merging the two fields. Each chapter on a specific client group offers insights for working with these vulnerable people in a way that will give direct therapeutic benefit. 

I found the chapter on art therapy in prisons to be particularly enlightening.  The author was clear about the actual constraints of working in that environment, what the pitfalls might be and she presented practical guidance on overcoming them.  She promotes a vision for how arts can transform the most ant-social of prisoners into creative, productive people; this raises pertinent questions for the current justice system.

Price, J. (1988) Motherhood, What it Does to Your Mind  London: Pandora Press

A fascinating book delving into the psychology of mothering written by a female psychiatrist and psychotherapist.  It ties up the concepts of attachment theory with the realities of modern relationships and societal expectations.  It is presented through the lens of a Woman, a woman who lived through her own mother-daughter dynamic, pregnancy, giving birth, breast feeding and the like.  She looks at how our culture and family story play out in our own lives whether consciously or unconsciously.  By normalising much of the natural difficulties of mothering, this book can offer solace in trying times.  

I am a mother of four boys and pregnant with my fifth child, so I am justified to claim that his book ought to become mainstream knowledge.  It is through lived experiences that we can most genuinely form opinions and then reach out to help others in a professional capacity.

Case, C. Dalley, T. (1992) The Handbook of Art Therapy  London: Routledge

This handbook is a bird’s eye view of the profession.  It covers the theories of psychoanalysis and how it intersects with art as well as a detailed look at the practical aspects of employment as an art therapist in jargon-free language.  This gives a beginner art therapist a survival guide for those inevitable first forays into work.  I gained a grasp on the complexities surrounding room set-up or lack of appropriate dedicated space.  A how-to guide on various forms of note taking making use of the same example session throughout the different formats was extremely helpful.  There is clear preparation for supervision, referrals, working in an institution, operating as part of a team versus being isolated and potentially being misunderstood.  Reading this was an important step towards becoming a competent practitioner. 

[aboyandhisstarship]

SICON verse: ask SICON hour/APEX 99

The camera cut in as Kvella said “welcome to today’s ask SICON hour, today’s question is from Feqesh of the planet Tophet who asked, How do humans get into combat zones?”

The camera drone buzzed by as Kvella explained “the humans have 4 major methods of entering a combat zone.”

Footage of her capsule drop was cut in as she explained “the first and most famous is there orbital insertion into hostile territory, special capsulizes are fired from their ships that descend rapidly shedding outer layers in order to confuse enemy defense systems.”

The footage changed back to the alien reporter who said “the next is the calmest method; it is a simple drop ship landing into friendly or friendly controlled territory, in the same vain is the Tac Drop.”

It cut to a Human in his office the title card reading “Lieutenant William Ericson, SICON Federal Forces”

The Human explained “Tac, or tactical insertions are preformed when part of a planet is claimed or if we cannot for whatever reason insert from Orbit, the drop ship will rise to an altitude of about 150-200 meters,” the subtitles informed “about 80 council standard height units.”

Ericson scratched his head “every drop ship is equipped with what we call mole holes, small hatches that can be opened by the pilot, you sure you want to hear about this stuff it is very boring?” the Human asked Kvella.

Kvella answered from behind the camera “you promised to answer the publics questions LT,” Using the human’s nickname.

The human sighed “when we get to the drop point the Mole Holes open and we jump and fall out of the vessel”

Kvella stared as the human finished “our drop jets will kick in allowing us to land safely.”

Kvella nodded keeping her composer “and the 4th method?”

The human sighed “this one is rare but occasionally for one reason or another we need to insert into an environment where special transport is needed, such as an ocean.”

Kvella nodded “go on…”

The Human shifted “so the drop ship is loaded with the right transport, and dropped with personal for about 50 meters at high speeds….”  

Kvella yelled “are you Humans insane!? How did any of you survive long enough to see the…” the camera went black.

It cut back in the Kvella saying “thank you so much, Feqesh from Tophet for your question on this Ask SICON hour.” An alarm blared in the background as the camera went black again.

Dagger squad Quarters:

T’Mai glared as Futuba looked at the piece of paper in front of them with equal intensity, Depoint glanced up from her book asking “what are you two stuck on?”

Futuba glared “I swear 46 down was built to destroy me!” she accused the cross word.

Francis stopped playing with his paddleball a gag gift from the squad as he asked “what is the clue?”

T’Mai read “Rome’s most famous aqueduct….. Five letters”

Ericson entered saying “Gear up we got a job.”  

Francis yelled “officer on deck!”

Everyone snapped up as the human shook his head “as you were, briefing in an hour… also the Tiber River.”

Everyone relaxed and Futuba gasped “it fits!”

Briefing room:

The council official shifted as the squad entered, he let out a sigh of relief upon seeing two non-humans among their ranks.

Ericson saluted Captain Hernandez saying “Dagger squad reporting as ordered, Sir!”

Hernandez nodded “as you were dagger, this is Major Kieta of the council intelligence service.”

Ericson nodded at him “Sir, what can Dagger do for you?”

Kieta answered “we recently lost contact with the planet Nandry 4…18 Terran hours ago they said they were suffering the start of a plague…possibly Bug related, you vessel is the closest ship with the proper personal, you are to evaluate the danger to planet and the council as a whole and decide the proper course of action.”

Ericson frowned “course of action sir?”

Hernandez answered “depending on your we either send for a council medical team…or make the planet glow.”

Kvella asked T’Mai “make the planet glow?”

T’Mai answered “the humans mean bomb the planet.”

Ericson nodded “yes Sir’s…Depoint this is your show, I want a list of everything you need prepped and ready by the time we get into orbit!”

Depoint nodded “on it LT!”

Hernandez said “dismissed!”

  Dropship:

The pilot frowned “lieutenant…”

Ericson got up moving to the cockpit asking “what is it pilot?”

The man said “I’m not picking anything up, no emissions ,no thermals…nothing on motion tracking…”

Ericson said “Intel says this plague started 18 hours ago…is the equipment malfunctioning?”

The pilot answered “no way to know sir…”

Ericson turned on his radio saying “this is Dagger 0-1 we can’t detect any signs of life on the planet, requesting an orbital scan.”

The voice returned “roger that Dagger 0-1 beginning orbital Scan….Dagger 0-1 reading are confirmed there is no detectable signs of life on the planet.”

Ericson turned to the pilot “forget the meet up coordinates find us ground zero and prep a tac drop.”

The pilot nodded “roger sir” pulling up and increasing speed as the ships interior lights changed from blue to red.  

Ericson walked into the cabin calling out “Tac drop, let’s move!”

The team got out of the seats and headed for the mole holes, T’Mai asked “what’s the issue LT?”

Ericson shook his head “unknown but we are getting ready for the worst…helmets on assume airborne!”

The squad chanted “sir yes sir!”

The pilot called “thirty seconds!” the mole holes opened and the squad jumped through them falling into a deserted city.

Kvella deployed her drone midair to get a wide shot of the silent city, the squad landed and Francis pulled out his gun saying “well if they are people around they should have seen that…”

Futuba pulled down her helmets visor saying “power grid is still online…this city seems to be in perfect working order…”

Ericson looked around the empty square “but everyone is gone…it’s like the east wind swept through here.”

Depoint said “sir they were not kidding about some kind of disease…it is everywhere effecting everything.”

Kvella brought the drone in asking “the east wind?”

Francis sighed “drone off in combat zones tourist…but it is an old earth legend a force that would sweep away children that misbehave in their sleep never to be heard from again…it’s unstoppable, undetectable.”

T’Mai looked around asking “and this is a story you tell your children.”

Depoint held up as scanner “a lot of earth legends are like that…perk of growing up on a death world…I think I got something LT.”

Ericson asked “what you got Doc?”

Depoint frowned “undeterminable biomass…”

Francis asked “alive…a survivor?”

Depoint shook her head “no detectable life signs”

Ericson said “but maybe some answers, let’s check it out…Futuba ideas as to why we could not pick it up in the ship?”

Futuba shrugged “our scanners are designed to pick up communities or community sized things if it is small enough and in the right place our systems may not have been sensitive enough to pick it up…”

T’Mai said “and if we couldn’t maybe some else could not either…?”

Ericson nodded “an entire planet population doesn’t just disappear…Depoint lead the way.”

Dagger squad advanced through the deserted town before stopping before a tunnel entrance vaguely similar to a subway entrance. Francis muttered “its defendable LT…”

Futuba cut in “correction was defended…I’m picking up makeshift barricades and other obstacles…”

Ericson squatted looking into the dark tunnel “so something was happening and someone clearly didn’t agree with it…alright combat wedge nice and careful.”  

The team went underground there suits lights turning on with a click. They tore down the barricades and saw a dead local…the creature was small roughly similar to a beaver of earth. It’s eyes had a green foam around them.

Ericson held the squad back saying “Futuba…any booby traps?”

Futuba scanned the room before answering “no explosives, no chemical agents,  no known weapons of any kind.”

Ericson nodded “your show Doc.”

Depoint nodded carefully scanning the body saying “this one was killed by a plague alright…but our scanner is kicking back the hallmarks of a chemical weapon.”

T’Mai blinked “what?”

Francis frowned “bugs don’t use chemical weapons…or anything artificial.”

Depoint nodded “yep and I’m also picking up another oddity…a trademark.”

Ericson frowned “a trademark?! Bugs don’t have businesses”

Kvella pointed out as her drone buzzed by “so it wasn’t the bugs…”

The room went quiet as implication set in; Futuba said “council ships have similar scanning capabilities to our own.”

Depoint sighed “this creature expired close to 64 days ago.”

T’Mai said “why would the council test chemical weapons on its own people and then send a ship to investigate”

Ericson sighed “it’s a cover up….Kvella send your drone out get footage of everything.” Kvella nodded her drone sailing out of the tunnel.

Francis asked “what are you thinking LT?”

Ericson sighed “I’m thinking the council doesn’t have the stomach for this war…so they hired a company to develop a chemical weapon that will wipe out the bugs… the needed a testing ground and chose this city because it was secluded and the locals could contain it easily…then it got out and whipped out the entire planet…so our corp friends got scared, destroyed the bodies from orbit missing our friend here and then contacting the council…they sent us figuring we would write it off as an odd cosmic anomaly and that would be that.”

The squad stayed silent they knew the LT had most likely hit the nail on the head, Depoint cleared her throat “I have identified the Copyright LT…”

Ericson sighed “tag the remains as a bio hazard and get the ship down here.”

 Watson:

As soon as the squad got back aboard they went through quarantine procedures, then Ericson met Hernández and they disappeared into the communication center as the squad returned to their quarters.  

Com Center:

Hernández sighed “Will I’m sorry…”

Ericson asked “I know that tone what is it Hailey?”

Hernández sighed “that council intel guy aboard caught wind of what we found and put in a call to on high… the council stepped in and have classified this entire thing, cancelled the investigation ordered the footage destroyed and the silence of all involved…”

Ericson yelled “they are just covering it up!? What about SICON?”

Hernández sighed “command is as appalled as we are but this didn’t affect any humans and as such the council is blocking all attempts to make these experiments public.”

Ericson sighed “you’re joking…”

Hernández sighed “it gets worse…” and she pulled up a propaganda piece that is now broadcasting throughout council space.

It showed footage of the bugs doing strange things while a voice narrates “these creatures have been attacking innocent civilians for far too long!”

Footage of the Sorak 9 airstrike was shown as the narrator continued “and while the brave forces of the council try to repel these horrible invaders it has been an uphill battle!”

It cut to a laboratory looking building filled with a Varity of council’s species as Narrator kept going “but thanks to new invention’s by Vesta Corp soon the war will come to a safe end! Introducing Apex 99!”

It showed stock footage of old timey humans as they continue “our friends in the strategically integrated collation of Nations developed a weapon a long time ago they Called Anthrax! This powerful chemical was not very useful however until Vesta Corp got involved and using it as a basis managed to develop the bug killing weapon that will save the galaxy! Good work team!” it showed footage of a scientist getting a result on a computer screen and cheering.

Before the footage ended and a card came up saying “want to defend the galaxy?! Join your council member armed forces today!”

 The piece ended and Ericson asked “so they commit war crimes and probable genocide and get a boatload of cash and the love form the public!?”

Hernández nodded “there stock price has already tripled.”

Ericson paused asking “wait…how exactly did this war start?”

Hernández answered “the bug invaded Sorak 9…remember?”

Ericson nodded “yes but why did they invade?”

Hernández blinked “I don’t know…we just went to Defcon 1 and the council told us the bugs declared war…”

Ericson sighed “maybe this whole thing is rubbing me the wrong way…but something is up…I can feel it.”

Hernandez nodded “yea I feel it to.”

  Editing room:

Kvella smiled at the camera trying to forget her boss telling her to delete the footage of that planet and never talk about it again as she said “welcome to this week’s ask SICON hour! This week’s question is from L’Bec of the Kalber….”

Dagger squad quarters:

The squad sat aimlessly trying not to think about the entire planet that was wiped out, Futuba sighed shifting from side to side as she half-heartedly tried to finish the cross word with T’Mai who himself was barely hiding his disgust with the council .

Depoint had a medical book in her hand but had been reading the same page for the last 3 hours her mind wondering back to devastation planet side.

Francis sat on his bunk staring into space as he thought about all those people…after a few minutes Futuba spook up quietly “we are good guys…right?”

The squad stayed quiet not having an answer.

do you think the council is evil!? why do you think the bug started? are our heroes on the right side?  let me know what you think! :D 

[tariqk]

More Minecraft grumping

Cut to spare the dash.

Things I really don’t like about Minecraft, honestly:

The early survival game is inaccessible

Here’s the thing about early Minecraft survival: you’re plonked in the middle of the wilderness, with absolutely nothing, and literally the first thing you got to do is punch a tree and find a safe place to spend the night before you get beaten up by monsters.

That’s it. You could spend the night hiding in a hole, probably crafting and mining something in the middle of the night, while hostile mobs wander areas that aren’t lit up, waiting to, basically, kill you. And you’ll stay in this precarious situation for at least a few days, as you 1) make a place to sleep, 2) build shelter, 3) get supplies to venture out, and 4) don’t die, because if you die, you lose your stuff.

This is a game marketed to mass audiences. For children, even. And it can be so manifestly unpleasant I have no idea how it got popular so quickly.

I don’t actually have a problem with this, actually! I positively enjoyed some of that experience, and some of that tension makes for some fun gameplay and entertaining stories — like the one where I found a white horse, tamed it, named it, and then proceeded to take it to a foolhardy exploratory quest before it fell under a hail of arrows (RIP Binky 2019–2019).

And I don’t even have a problem with the learning curve, because I’ve learned and thrived in environments like Dwarf Fortress. I use emacs for gods’ sake. Low accessibility and high difficulty environments are my jam.

But getting here involved more than a dozen start-and-stop moments of gameplay where I literally quit the game, deleted the save, and went to bed in disgust. It’s stupid. It’s aggravating. I can’t believe that this was ready for mass market, what with the lack of telegraphing and the pretty damn high stakes from the start, that the only people who’d play this would be gamers who are familliar with the tropes, already know a little about Minecraft lore, and are invested to try and try again.

To be fair, they’ve made some things easier: they’ve included guidebooks with recipes to automatically load items you already know into the crafter, there’s an official guide online, and if need be, you have cheats. But consider:

If you need to cheat to get the game accessible, there is something wrong with the core game loop.

You can’t create a guidebook and then rely on players gaining “enough experience” to access them to make the game more accessible.

You can’t just bloody have a guide that a person needs to open a browser, or buy the book, to get by.

Survival is very much a non-starter if Minecraft is your first serious game, you get frightened or suffer from anxiety in trying to stay alive, and you have difficulty optimizing your moves to get the best result.

Redstone is a mess

Actually, I have no opinions on how redstone is implemented on a purely technical basis. It’s a system, it’s mostly Turing complete, that's… interesting. What pisses me off is how the Technical Minecraft community is… well, frankly, hard to get into, hard to gain proficiency in, and looks fairly clannish, insular and… honestly a drag to Minecraft’s further development, if Minecraft was to get developed further.

Like I’ve talked about this before, but the existence of the Technical Minecraft is entirely dependent on a class of software behavior that you could make an argument are actually bugs. Zero-tick pistons, anomalous sticky piston behavior with blocks, quasi-connectivity… these weren’t intended consequences for the developers of Minecraft, and they’ve said so before.

Say what you want, but honestly if the only reason why a developer reverted a bug-fix because a bunch of small, clannish, insular, and loud minority were making complaints, I’d honestly ask how much value those people should have in how you run your business.

But that isn’t all. I had taken to writing down notes because I wanted to figure out how certain redstone constructions worked, and even the simplest designs suffer from the following:

There appears to be no standard way of sharing schematics and designs for redstone creations.

Most of the instructions are in video, which is a terrible medium to instruct in, because you don’t have a way to skim through the resource, the presenter literally doesn’t have to say anything more than what they do on video (and thus can be as vague and contradictory as they want).

Most of the instructions are in the nature of, do everything this way, except this section, in which you need to do (flurry of movement as the presenter puts in a slightly different design that you better be able to catch). It’s “simple”. No, it’s fucking not.

Another thing that bothers me is that, fundamentally, most redstone designs are hand-crafted, which is mind-boggling. For one, if you are just starting redstone in Minecraft, you’re going to be sitting with the same toolkit that the most experienced users of redstone are. You’ll still be laying down redstone lines and putting in comparators. You’ll still be dealing with the janky and inconsistent behavior that experienced redstoners are. You’d still be debugging your creations with the same tools experienced redstoners are. And like, you’d be doing it with nary any institutional or technical support, because… reasons?

It’s like you progress from electrical engineering to low-level programming to high-level programming to virtual machines to virtualization… so that you can get back to electrical engineering again? Using skills that may or may not transfer well into other fields? Why?

And there are consequences for this as well, which I’ll get to in a bit, but also, I need to talk about how the community gets around this problem, which is basically…

Modded Minecraft replaces the problems vanilla has with other problems

Specifically? One of them is performance.

I don’t know if you’ve tried 1.12.x and then compared it with 1.15.x, but the differences are night and day. Like, I run a potato computer, mostly because we’re broke af and don’t have the scratch for a l33t gaming machine, but… well, yeah. What’s occasionally janky in 1.15 is literally unplayable in 1.12. What takes 5 minutes to load in vanilla takes up to thirty minutes in modded Minecraft.

And sure, this will sort itself out as modders eventually take advantage of the new architecture and optimizations within 1.15, but in some other ways, it won’t. Mostly because the nature of modded Minecraft is that it literally has to interface with the literal source files to generate or insert new code, and since mod-makers don’t have access to the code pipeline and the tools that they can use to optimize the game, well…

And we’ve only talked about the Java Edition, and not Bedrock, which I suspect will be even more tightly incorporated into the platforms that it runs, at the cost of having less open infrastructure, and as a result, more consequences to mod performance and stabilty.

But another thing that bothers me about modded Minecraft is how so many mods are just… Minecraft, but more. More power, more game mechanics, more technical additions, more mobs, more enchantments… but half the time the resulting game feels bloated and overly-complex.

This is funny because it literally sounds like I’m contradicting myself over the fact that early Minecraft survival had too little in terms of letting itself be accessible, so you’d think I’d welcome mods that worked out some of these gaps with things that made player lives easier.

But what I’m looking for is a realignment of how the game approaches players, not as a punitive, inaccessible system where difficulty is a mask for what is ultimately shallow gameplay, and what we get from modded Minecraft is more stuff. Sometimes, in some modpacks, just so many things that several mods do the same thing that the other mods do.

It’s kind of telling that every time I see a modpack that includes Draconic Evolution the first thing I think of is I better not get into Draconic early, because if I do the rest of the game will literally break, because I have no idea what the hell the mod creators are doing there, but when your damage scales allow you to three-shot the Ender Dragon final boss, that mod breaks the game. Doesn’t matter if you make a boss that’s three times tougher than, say, the Wither. Game’s fucking broken.

There are some good approaches: FTB Academy and other questbook mods do give players a chance to orient and align themselves with what to do, without forcing players to have to go through the anxiety and terror of not knowing what to do, and keeps them engaged far longer than they should be, but honestly… ultimately what you’re doing is more stuff, just through the lens of what the mod wants you to do.

Plus FTB Academy has Draconic and you can literally two-shot the Guardian of Gaia, which is supposed to be so tough that metal music starts playing and it can cause effects that are twice as worse as the Wither… well.

Is it just me or are there only dudes in this party?

If I have to count the number of people who weren’t cis men or boys in the time I’ve been lurking around Minecraft’s YouTube channels, I can quite literally say that the number would be less than half a dozen.

That’s very bad. When your visible community is 95% cis dudes and everyone else aren’t there, it tells me that:

The game alienates literally everyone who isn’t a cis dude

The player base are driving away anyone who isn’t a cis dude

Part of the reasons for #1 are, well, I’ve mentioned them above: it only really allows people who have the time and wherewithal to plug into an activity that offers no real benefit outside of the game itself, most of the fantasies it caters to is power fantasies of vanquishing more and more powerful opponents, and there’s barely any community support for newcomers.

So that’s no surprise that the kind of people who are popular Minecraft YouTubers are dudes who are either bad at explaining what they do, are inarticulate, or… well, to not put it too unkindly, dicks. I mean, Minecraft’s recent rise in popularity and relevance was, sadly, because PewDiePie was playing it. So that tells you everything.

And we haven’t even gotten into the fact that the playerbase looks pale as fuck, so you know that’s a thing. I’m seeing a few Indonesian-language Minecraft tutorials on YouTube, so that’s neat, but otherwise… it’s pretty white-dominated.

And this all assumes that the causes are all because of structural inequalities, not active fuckery against marginalized folks. I honestly don’t know how often that happens, though I wouldn’t honestly be surprised if it did. I mean, it’s not as if the game isn’t associated with nasty folk like PDP… and hell, even the original creator, who, to their credit, Microsoft and Mojang have sidelined, is a homophobic and racist dude.

But, yeah. I mean, $CHILD_1 and $CHILD_2 are still at it with Minecraft, and I’ll be around to help them through, hopefully to steer them away from the nasty stuff. But still, ugh. There are so many reasons to be grumpy about this game.

Mind you, at least it isn’t Roblox.

[grigori77]

Movies of 2019 - My Pre-Summer Favourites (Part 2)

The Top Ten:

10.  GLASS – back in 2000, I went from liking the work of The Sixth Sense’s writer-director M. Night Shyamalan to becoming a genuine FAN thanks to his sneakily revisionist deconstruction of superhero tropes, Unbreakable.  It’s STILL my favourite film of his to date, and one of my Top Ten superhero movies EVER, not just a fascinating examination of the mechanics of the genre but also a very satisfying screen origin story – needless to say I’m one of MANY fans who’ve spent nearly two decades holding out hope for a sequel.  Flash forward to 2016 and Shyamalan’s long-overdue return-to-form sleeper hit, Split, which not only finally put his career back on course but also dropped a particularly killer end twist by actually being that very sequel. Needless to say 2019 was the year we FINALLY got our PROPER reward for all our patience – Glass is the TRUE continuation of the Unbreakable universe and the closer of a long-intended trilogy.  Turns out, though, that it’s also his most CONTROVERSIAL film for YEARS, dividing audiences and critics alike with its unapologetically polarizing plot and execution – I guess that, after a decade of MCU and a powerhouse trilogy of Batman movies from Chris Nolan, we were expecting an epic, explosive action-fest to close things out, but that means we forgot exactly what it is about Shyamalan we got to love so much, namely his unerring ability to subvert and deconstruct whatever genre he’s playing around in.  And he really doesn’t DO spectacle, does he?  That said, this film is still a surprisingly BIG, sprawling piece of work, even if it the action is, for the most part, MUCH more internalised than most superhero movies. Not wanting to drop any major spoilers on the few who still haven’t seen it, I won’t give away any major plot points, suffice to say that ALL the major players from both Unbreakable and Split have returned – former security guard David Dunn (Bruce Willis) has spent the past nineteen years exploring his super-strength and near-invulnerability while keeping Philadelphia marginally safer as hooded vigilante the Overseer, and the latest target of his crime-fighting crusade is Kevin Wendell Crumb (James McAvoy), the vessel of 24 split personalities collectively known as the Horde, who’s continuing his cannibalistic serial-murder spree through the streets.  Both are being hunted by the police, as well as Dr. Ellie Staple (series newcomer Sarah Paulson), a clinical psychiatrist specialising in treating individuals who suffer the delusional belief that they’re superheroes, her project also encompassing David’s former mentor-turned-nemesis Elijah Price, the eponymous Mr. Glass, whose life-long suffering from a crippling bone disease that makes his body dangerously fragile has done nothing to blunt the  genius-level intellect that’s made him a ruthlessly accomplished criminal mastermind. How these remarkable individuals are brought together makes for fascinating viewing, and while it may be a good deal slower and talkier than some might have preferred, this is still VERY MUCH the Shyamalan we first came to admire – fiendishly inventive, slow-burn suspenseful and absolutely DRIPPING with cool, earworm dialogue, his characteristically mischievous sense of humour still present and correct, and he’s still retained that unswerving ability to wrong-foot us at every turn, right up to one of his most surprising twist endings to date.  The cast are, as ever, on fire, the returning hands all superb while those new to the universe easily measure up to the quality of talent on display – Willis and Jackson are, as you’d expect, PERFECT throughout, brilliantly building on the incredibly solid groundwork laid in Unbreakable, while it’s a huge pleasure to see Anya Taylor-Joy, Spencer Treat Clark (a fine actor we don’t see NEARLY enough of, in my opinion) and Charlayne Woodard get MUCH bigger, more prominent roles this time out, while Paulson delivers an understated but frequently mesmerising turn as the ultimate unshakable sceptic.  As with Split, however, the film is once again comprehensively stolen by McAvoy, whose truly chameleonic performance actually manages to eclipse its predecessor in its levels of sheer genius.  Altogether this is another sure-footed step in the right direction for a director who’s finally regained his singular auteur prowess – say what you will about that ending, but it certainly is a game-changer, as boldly revisionist as anything that’s preceded it and therefore, in my opinion, exactly how it SHOULD have gone.  If nothing else, this is a film that should be applauded for its BALLS …

9.  PET SEMATARY – first off, let me say that I never saw the 1989 feature adaptation of Stephen King’s story, so I have no comparative frame of reference there – I WILL say, however, that the original novel is, in my opinion, easily one of the strongest offerings from America’s undisputed master of literary horror, so any attempt made to bring it to the big screen had better be a good one.  Thankfully, this version more than delivers in that capacity, proving to be one of the more impressive of his cinematic outings in recent years (not quite up to the standard of The Mist, perhaps, but about on a par with It: Chapter One or the criminally overlooked 1408), as well as one of this year’s best horror offerings by far (at least for now).  This may be the feature debut of directing double-act Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer, but they both display a wealth of natural talent here, wrangling bone-chilling scares and a pervading atmosphere of oppressive dread to deliver a top-notch screen fright-fest that works its way under your skin and stays put for days after.  Jason Clarke is a classic King everyman hero as Boston doctor Louis Creed, displaced to the small Maine town of Ludlow as he trades the ER for a quiet clinic practice so he can spent more time with his family – Amy Seimetz (Upstream Color, Stranger Things), excellent throughout as his haunted, emotionally fragile wife Rachel, toddler son Gage (twins Hugo and Lucas Lavole), and daughter Ellie (newcomer Jeté Laurence, BY FAR the film’s biggest revelation, delivering to the highest degree even when her role becomes particularly intense).  Their new home seems idyllic, the only blots being the main road at the end of their drive which experiences heavy traffic from speeding trucks, and the children’s pet cemetery in the woods at the back of their garden, which has become something of a local landmark.  But there’s something far darker in the deeper places beyond, an ancient place of terrible power Louis is introduced to by their well-meaning but ultimately fallible elderly neighbour Jud (one of the best performances I’ve ever seen from screen legend John Lithgow) when his daughter’s beloved cat Church is run over. The cat genuinely comes back, but he’s irrevocably changed, the once sweet and lovable furball now transformed into a menacingly mangy little four-legged psychopath, and his resurrection sets off a chain of horrific events destined to devour the entire family … this is supernatural horror at its most inherently unnerving, mercilessly twisting the screws throughout its slow-burn build to the inevitable third act bloodbath and reaching a bleak, soul-crushing climax that comes close to rivalling the still unparalleled sucker-punch of The Mist – the adaptation skews significantly from King’s original at the mid-point, but even purists will be hard-pressed to deny that this is still VERY MUCH in keeping with the spirit of the book right up to its harrowing closing shot.  The King of Horror has been well served once again – it’s may well be ousted when It: Chapter 2 arrives in September, but fans can rest assured that his dark imagination continues to inspire some truly great cinematic scares …

8.  PROSPECT – I love a good cinematic underdog, there’s always some dynamite indies and sleepers that just about slip through the cracks that I end up championing every year, and 2019’s current favourite was a minor sensation at 2018’s South By Southwest film festival, a singularly original ultra-low-budget sci-fi adventure that made a genuine virtue of its miniscule budget.  Riffing on classic eco-minded space flicks like Silent Running, it introduces a father-and-daughter prospecting team who land a potentially DEEPLY lucrative contract mining for an incredibly rare element on a toxic jungle moon – widower Damon (Transparent’s Jay Duplass), who’s downtrodden and world-weary but still a dreamer, and teenager Cee (relative newcomer Sophie Thatcher), an introverted bookworm with hidden reserves of ingenuity and fortitude.  The job starts well, Damon setting his sights on a rumoured “queen’s layer” that could make them rich beyond their wildest dreams, but when they meet smooth-talking scavenger Ezra (Narcos’ Pedro Pascal), things take a turn for the worse – Damon is killed and Cee is forced to team up with Ezra to have any hope of survival on this hostile, unforgiving moon.  Thatcher is an understated joy throughout, her seemingly detached manner belying hidden depths of intense feeling, while Pascal, far from playing a straight villain, turns Ezra into something of a tragic, charismatic antihero we eventually start to sympathise with, and the complex relationship that develops between them is a powerful, mercurial thing, the constantly shifting dynamic providing a powerful driving force for the film.  Debuting writer-directors Zeek Earl and Chris Caldwell have crafted a wonderfully introspective, multi-layered tone poem of aching beauty, using subtle visual effects and a steamy, glow-heavy colour palette to make the lush forest environs into something nonetheless eerie and inhospitable, while the various weird and colourful denizens of this deadly little world prove that Ezra may be the LEAST of the dangers Cee faces in her hunt for escape.  Inventive, intriguing and a veritable feast for the eyes and intellect, this is top-notch indie sci-fi and a sign of great things to come from its creators, thoroughly deserving of some major cult recognition in the future.

7.  DRAGGED ACROSS CONCRETE – S. Craig Zahler is a writer-director who’s become a major fixture on my ones-to-watch list in recent years, instantly winning me over with his dynamite debut feature Bone Tomahawk before cementing that status with awesome follow-up Brawl On Cell Block 99.  His latest is another undeniable hit that starts deceptively simply before snowballing into a sprawling urban crime epic as it follows its main protagonists – disgraced Bulwark City cops Brett Ridgeman (Mel Gibson) and Tony Lurasetti (Cell Block 99’s Vince Vaughn), on unpaid suspension after their latest bust leads to a PR nightmare – on a descent into a hellish criminal underworld as they set out to “seek compensation” for their situation by ripping off the score from a bank robbery spearheaded by ruthlessly efficient professional thief Lorentz Vogelmann (Thomas Kretschmann). In lesser hands, this two-hour-forty-minute feature might have felt like a painfully padded effort that would have passed far better chopped down to a breezy 90-minutes, but Zahler is such a compellingly rich and resourceful writer that every scene is essential viewing, overflowing with exquisitely drawn characters spouting endlessly quotable, gold-plated dialogue, and the constantly shifting narrative focus brings such consistent freshness that the increasingly complex plot remains rewarding right to the end.  The two leads are both typically excellent – Vaughn gets to let loose with a far more showy, garrulous turn here than his more reserved character in his first collaboration with Zahler, while this is EASILY the best performance I’ve seen Gibson deliver in YEARS, the grizzled veteran clearly having a fine old time getting his teeth into a particularly meaty role that very much plays to his strengths – and they’re brilliantly bolstered by an excellent supporting cast – Get Rich Or Die Tryin’s Tory Kittles easily matches them in his equally weighty scenes as Henry Johns, a newly-released ex-con also out to improve his family’s situation with a major score, while Kretschmann is at his most chilling as the brutal killer who executes his plans with cold-blooded precision, and there are wonderful scene-stealing offerings from Jennifer Carpenter, Udo Kier, Don Johnson (three more Zahler regulars, each having worked with Vaughn on Cell Block 99), Michael Jai White, Laurie Holden and newcomer Miles Truitt. This is a really meaty film, dark, intense, gritty and unflinching in its portrayal of honest, unglamorous violence and its messy aftermath, but fans of grown-up filmmaking will find PLENTY to enjoy here, Zahler crafting a crime epic comparable to the heady best of Scorsese and Tarantino.  Another sure-fire winner from one of the best new filmmakers around.

6.  SHAZAM! – there are actually THREE movies featuring Captain Marvel out this year, but this offering from the hit-and-miss DCEU cinematic franchise is a very different beast from his MCU-based namesake, and besides, THIS Cap long ago ditched said monicker for the far more catchy (albeit rather more oddball) title that graces Warner Bros’ latest step back on the right track for their superhero Universe following December’s equally enjoyable Aquaman and franchise high-point Wonder Woman.  Although he’s never actually referred to in the film by this name, Shazam (Chuck’s Zachary Levy) is the magically-powered alternate persona bestowed upon wayward fifteen year-old foster kid Billy Batson (Andi Mack’s Asher Angel) by an ancient wizard (Djimon Hounsou) seeking one pure soul to battle Dr. Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong), a morally corrupt physicist who turns into a monstrous supervillain after becoming the vessel for the spiritual essences of the Seven Deadly Sins (yup, that thoroughly batshit setup is just the tip of the iceberg of bonkersness on offer in this movie).  Yes, this IS set in the DC Extended Universe, Shazam sharing his world with Superman, Batman, the Flash et al, and there are numerous references (both overt and sly) to this fact throughout (especially in the cheeky animated closing title sequence), but it’s never laboured, and the film largely exists in its own comfortably enclosed narrative bubble, allowing us to focus on Billy, his alter ego and in particular his clunky (but oh so much fun) bonding experiences with his new foster family, headed by former foster kid couple Victor and Rosa Vazquez (The Walking Dead’s Cooper Andrews and Marta Milans) – the most enjoyably portions of the film, however, are when Billy explores the mechanics and limits of his newfound superpowers with his new foster brother Freddy Freeman (It: Chapter One’s Jack Dylan Glazer), a consistently hilarious riot of bad behaviour, wanton (often accidental) destruction and perfectly-observed character development, the blissful culmination of a gleefully anarchic sense of humour that, until recently, has been rather lacking in the DCEU but which is writ large in bright, wacky primary colours right through this film. Sure, there are darker moments, particularly when Sivana sets loose his fantastic icky brood of semi-incorporeal monsters, and these scenes are handled with seasoned skill by director David F. Sandberg, who cut his teeth on ingenious little horror gem Lights Out (following up with Annabelle: Creation, but we don’t have to dwell on that), but for the most part the film is played for laughs, thrills and pure, unadulterated FUN, almost never taking itself too seriously, essentially intended to do for the DCEU what Guardians of the Galaxy and Ant-Man did for the MCU, and a huge part of its resounding success must of course be attributed to the universally willing cast.  Levy’s so ridiculously pumped-up he almost looks like a special effect all on his own, but he’s lost none of his razor-sharp comic ability, perfectly encapsulating a teenage boy in a grown man’s body, while his chemistry with genuine little comedic dynamo Glazer is simply exquisite, a flawless balance shared with Angel, who similarly excels at the humour but also delivers quality goods in some far more serious moments too, while the rest of Billy’s newfound family are all brilliant, particularly ridiculously adorable newcomer Faithe Herman as precocious little motor-mouth Darla; Djimon Hounsou, meanwhile, adds significant class and gravitas to what could have been a cartoonish Gandalf spoof, and Mark Strong, as usual, gives great bad guy as Sivana, providing just the right amount of malevolent swagger and self-important smirk to proceedings without ever losing sight of the deeper darkness within.  All round, this is EXACTLY the kind of expertly crafted superhero package we’ve come to appreciate in the genre, another definite shot in the arm for the DCEU that holds great hope for the future of the franchise, and some of the biggest fun I’ve had at the cinema so far this year.  Granted, it’s still not a patch on the MCU, but the quality gap does finally look to be closing …

5.  ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL – y’know, there was a time when James Cameron was quite a prolific director, who could be counted upon to provide THE big event pic of the blockbuster season. These days, we’re lucky to hear from him once a decade, and now we don’t even seem to be getting that – the dream project Cameron’s been trying to make since the end of the 90s, a big live action adaptation of one of my favourite mangas of all time, Gunnm (or Battle Angel Alita to use its more well-known sobriquet) by Yukito Kishiro, has FINALLY arrived, but it isn’t the big man behind the camera here since he’s still messing around with his intended FIVE MOVIE Avatar arc.  That said, he made a damn good choice of proxy to bring his vision to fruition – Robert Rodriguez is, of course a fellow master of action cinema, albeit one with a much more quirky style, and this adap is child’s play to him, the creator of the El Mariachi trilogy and co-director of Frank Miller’s Sin City effortlessly capturing the dark, edgy life-and-death danger and brutal wonder of Kishiro’s world in moving pictures.  300 years after the Earth was decimated in a massive war with URM (the United Republics of Mars) known as “the Fall”, only one bastion of civilization remains – Iron City, a sprawling, makeshift community of scavengers that lies in the shadow of the floating city of Zalem, home of Earth’s remaining aristocracy.  Dr. Dyson Ido (Christoph Waltz) runs a clinic in Iron City customising and repairing the bodies of its cyborg citizens, from the mercenary “hunter killers” to the fast-living players of Motorball (a kind of supercharged mixture of Rollerball and Death Race), one day discovering the wrecked remains of a female ‘borg in the junkyard of scrap accumulated beneath Zalem.  Finding her human brain is still alive, he gives her a new chassis and christens her Alita, raising her as best he can as she attempts to piece together her mysterious, missing past, only for them both to discover that the truth of her origins has the potential to tear their fragile little world apart forever. The Maze Runner trilogy’s Rosa Salazar is the heart and soul of the film as Alita (originally Gally in the comics), perfectly bringing her (literal) wide-eyed innocence and irrepressible spirit to life, as well as proving every inch the diminutive badass fans have been expecting – while her overly anime-styled look might have seemed a potentially jarring distraction in the trailers, Salazar’s mocap performance is SO strong you’ve forgotten all about it within the first five minutes, convinced she’s a real, flesh-and-metal character – and she’s well supported by an exceptional ensemble cast both new and well-established.  Waltz is the most kind and sympathetic he’s been since Django Unchained, instilling Ido with a worldly warmth and gentility that makes him a perfect mentor/father-figure, while Spooksville star Keean Johnson makes a VERY impressive big screen breakthrough as Hugo, the streetwise young dreamer with a dark secret that Alita falls for in a big way, Jennifer Connelly is icily classy as Ido’s ex-wife Chiren, Mahershala Ali is enjoyably suave and mysterious as the film’s nominal villain, Vector, an influential but seriously shady local entrepreneur with a major hidden agenda, and a selection of actors shine through the CGI in various strong mocap performances, such as Deadpool’s Ed Skrein, Derek Mears, From Dusk Til Dawn’s Eiza Gonzalez and a thoroughly unrecognisable but typically awesome Jackie Earle Haley.  As you’d expect from Rodriguez, the film delivers BIG TIME on the action front, unleashing a series of spectacular set-pieces that peak with Alita’s pulse-pounding Motorball debut, but there’s a pleasingly robust story under all the thrills and wow-factor, riffing on BIG THEMES and providing plenty of emotional power, especially in the heartbreaking character-driven climax – Cameron, meanwhile, has clearly maintained strict control over the project throughout, his eye and voice writ large across every scene as we’re thrust headfirst into a fully-immersive post-apocalyptic, rusty cyberpunk world as thoroughly fleshed-out as Avatar’s Pandora, but most importantly he’s still done exactly what he set out to do, paying the utmost respect to a cracking character as he brings her to vital, vivid life on the big screen.  Don’t believe the detractors – this is a MAGNIFICENT piece of work that deserves all the recognition it can muster, perfectly set up for a sequel that I fear we may never get to see.  Oh well, at least it’s renewed my flagging hopes for a return to Pandora …

4.  HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD – while I love Disney and Pixar as much as the next movie nut, since the Millennium my loyalty has been slowly but effectively usurped by the consistently impressive (but sometimes frustratingly underappreciated) output of Dreamworks Animation Studios, and in recent years in particular they really have come to rival the House of Mouse in both the astounding quality of their work and their increasing box office reliability.  But none of their own franchises (not even Shrek or Kung Fu Panda) have come CLOSE to equalling the sheer, unbridled AWESOMENESS of How to Train Your Dragon, which started off as a fairly loose adaptation of Cressida Cowell’s popular series of children’s stories but quickly developed a very sharp mind of its own – the first two films were undisputable MASTERPIECES, and this third and definitively FINAL chapter in the trilogy matches them to perfection, as well as capping the story off with all the style, flair and raw emotional power we’ve come to expect.  The time has come to say goodbye to diminutive Viking Hiccup (Jay Baruchel, as effortlessly endearing as ever) and his adorable Night Fury mount/best friend Toothless, fiancée Astrid (America Ferrera, still tough, sassy and WAY too good for him), mother Valka (Cate Blanchett, classy, wise and still sporting a pretty flawless Scottish accent) and all the other Dragon Riders of the tiny, inhospitable island kingdom of Berk – their home has become overpopulated with scaly, fire-breathing denizens, while a trapper fleet led by the fiendish Grimmel the Grisly (F. Murray Abraham delivering a wonderfully soft-spoken, subtly chilling master villain) is beginning to draw close, prompting Hiccup to take up his late father Stoick (Gerard Butler returning with a gentle turn that EASILY prompts tears and throat-lumps) the Vast’s dream of finding the fabled “Hidden World”, a mysterious safe haven for dragon-kind where they can be safe from those who seek to do them harm.  But there’s a wrinkle – Grimmel has a new piece of bait, a female Night Fury (or rather, a “Light Fury”), a major distraction that gets Toothless all hot and bothered … returning witer-director Dean DeBlois has rounded things off beautifully with this closer, giving loyal fans everything they could ever want while also introducing fresh elements such as intriguing new environments, characters and species of dragons to further enrich what is already a powerful, intoxicating world for viewers young and old (I particularly love Craig Ferguson’s ever-reliable comic relief veteran Viking Gobber’s brilliant overreactions to a certain adorably grotesque little new arrival), and like its predecessors this film is just as full of wry, broad and sometimes slightly (or not so slightly) absurd humour and deep down gut-twisting FEELS as it is of stirring, pulse-quickening action sequences and sheer, jaw-dropping WONDER, so it’s as nourishing to our soul as it is to our senses. From the perfectly-pitched, cheekily irreverent opening to the truly devastating, heartbreaking close, this is EXACTLY the final chapter we’ve always dreamed of, even if it does hurt to see this most beloved of screen franchises go.  It’s been a wild ride, and one that I think really does CEMENT Dreamworks’ status as one of the true giants of the genre …

3.  US – back in 2017, Jordan Peele made the transition from racially-charged TV and stand-up comedy to astounding cinemagoers with stunning ease through his writer-director feature debut Get Out, a sharply observed jet black comedy horror with SERIOUS themes that was INSANELY well-received by audiences and horror fans alike.  Peele instantly became ONE TO WATCH in the genre, so his follow-up feature had A LOT riding on it, but this equally biting, deeply satirical existential mind-bender is EASILY the equal of its predecessor, possibly even its better … giving away too much plot detail would do great disservice to the many intriguing, shocking twists on offer as middle class parents Adelaide and Gabe Wilson (Black Panther alumni Lupita Nyong’o and Winston Duke) take their children, Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph) and Jason (Evan Alex), to Santa Cruz on vacation, only to step into a nightmare as a night-time visitation by a family of murderous doppelgangers signals the start of a terrifying supernatural revolution with potential nationwide consequences.  The idea at the heart of this film is ASTOUNDINGLY original, quite an achievement in a genre where just about everything has been tried at least once, but it’s also DEEPLY subversive, as challenging and thought-provoking as the themes visited in Get Out, but also potentially even more wide-reaching. It’s also THOROUGHLY fascinating and absolutely TERRIFYING, a peerless exercise in slow-burn tension and acid-drip discomfort, liberally soaked in an oppressive atmosphere so thick you could choke on it if you’re not careful, such a perfect horror master-class it’s amazing that this is only Peele’s second FEATURE, never mind his sophomore offering IN THE GENRE.  The incredibly game cast really help, too – the four leads are all EXCEPTIONAL, each delivering fascinatingly nuanced performances in startlingly oppositional dual roles as both the besieged family AND their monstrous doubles, a feat brilliantly mimicked by Mad Men and The Handmaid’s Tale star Elisabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker and teen twins Cali and Noelle Sheldon as the Wilsons’ friends, the Tylers, and their similarly psychotic mimics.  The film is DOMINATED, however, by Oscar-troubler Nyong’o, effortlessly holding our attention throughout the film with yet another raw, intense, masterful turn that keeps up glued to the screen from start to finish, even as the twists get weirder and more full-on brain-mashy.  Of course, while this really is scary as hell, it’s also often HILARIOUSLY funny, Peele again poking HUGE fun at both his target audience AND his allegorical targets, proving that scares often work best when twinned with humour.  BY FAR the best thing in horror so far this year, Us shows just what a master of the genre Jordan Peele is – let’s hope he’s here to stay …

2.  CAPTAIN MARVEL – before the first real main event of not only the year’s blockbusters but also, more importantly, 2019’s big screen MCU roster, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and co dropped a powerful opening salvo with what, it turns out, was the TRUE inception point of the Avengers Initiative and all its accompanying baggage (not Captain America: the First Avenger, as we were originally led to believe).  For me, this is simply the MCU movie I have MOST been looking forward to essentially since the beginning – the onscreen introduction of my favourite Avenger, former US Air Force Captain Carol Danvers, the TRUE Captain Marvel (no matter what the DC purists might say), who was hinted at in the post credits sting of Avengers: Endgame but never actually seen.  Not only is she the most powerful Avenger (sorry Thor, but it’s true), but for me she’s also the most badass – she’s an unstoppable force of (cosmically enhanced) nature, with near GODLIKE powers (she can even fly through space without needing a suit!), but the thing that REALLY makes her so full-on EPIC is her sheer, unbreakable WILL, the fact that no matter what’s thrown at her, no matter how often or how hard she gets knocked down, she KEEPS GETTING BACK UP.  She is, without a doubt, the MOST AWESOME woman in the entire Marvel Universe, both on the comic page AND up on the big screen.  Needless to say, such a special character needs an equally special actor to portray her, and we’re thoroughly blessed in the inspired casting choice of Brie Larson (Room, Kong: Skull Island), who might as well have been purpose-engineered exclusively for this very role – she’s Carol Danvers stepped right out of the primary-coloured panels, as steely cool, unswervingly determined and strikingly statuesque as she’s always been drawn and scripted, with just the right amount of twinkle-eyed, knowing smirk and sassy humour to complete the package.  Needless to say she’s the heart and soul of the film, a pure joy to watch throughout, but there’s so much more to enjoy here that this is VERY NEARLY the most enjoyable cinematic experience I’ve had so far this year … writer-director double-act Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck may only be known for smart, humble indies like Half Nelson and Mississippi Grind, but they’ve taken to the big budget, all-action blockbuster game like ducks to water, co-scripting with Geneva Robertson-Dworet (writer of the Tomb Raider reboot movie and the incoming third Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes movie) to craft yet another pitch-perfect MCU origin story, playing a sneakily multilayered, misleading game of perception-versus-truth as we’re told how Carol got her powers and became the unstoppable badass supposedly destined to turn the tide in a certain Endgame … slyly rolling the clock back to the mid-90s, we’re presented with a skilfully realised “period” culture clash adventure as Carol, an super-powered warrior fighting for the Kree Empire against the encroaching threat of the shape-shifting Skrulls, crash-lands in California and winds up uncovering the hidden truth behind her origins, with the help of a particular SHIELD agent, before he wound up with an eye-patch and a more cynical point-of-view – yup, it’s a younger, fresher Nick Fury (the incomparable Samuel L. Jackson, digitally de-aged with such skill it’s really just a pure, flesh-and-blood performance). There’s action, thrills, spectacle and (as always with the MCU) pure, skilfully observed, wry humour by the bucket-load, but one of the biggest strengths of the film is the perfectly natural chemistry between the two leads, Larson and Jackson playing off each other BEAUTIFULLY, no hint of romantic tension, just a playfully prickly, banter-rich odd couple vibe that belies a deep, honest respect building between both the characters and, clearly, the actors themselves.  There’s also sterling support from Jude Law as Kree warrior Yon-Rogg, Carol’s commander and mentor, Ben Mendelsohn, slick, sly and surprisingly seductive (despite a whole lot of make-up) as Skrull leader Talos, returning MCU-faces Clark Gregg and Lee Pace as rookie SHIELD agent Phil Coulson (another wildly successful de-aging job) and Kree Accuser Ronan, Annette Bening as a mysterious face from Carol’s past and, in particular, Lashana Lynch (Still Star-Crossed, soon to be seen in the next Bond) as Carol’s one-time best friend and fellow Air Force pilot Maria Rambeau, along with the impossible adorable Akira Akbar as her precocious daughter Monica … that said, the film is frequently stolen by a quartet of ginger tabbies who perfectly capture fan-favourite Goose the “cat” (better known to comics fans as Chewie).  This is about as great as the MCU standalone films get – for me it’s up there with the Russo’s Captain America films and Black Panther, perfectly pitched and SO MUCH FUN, but with a multilayered, monofilament-sharp intelligence that makes it a more cerebrally satisfying ride than most blockbusters, throwing us a slew of skilfully choreographed twists and narrative curveballs we almost never see coming, and finishing it off with a bucket-load of swaggering style and pure, raw emotional power (the film kicks right off with an incredibly touching, heartfelt tear-jerking tribute to Marvel master Stan Lee).  Forget Steve Rogers – THIS is the Captain us MCU fans need AND deserve, and I am SO CHUFFED they got my favourite Avenger so totally, perfectly RIGHT.  I can die happy now, I guess …

1.  AVENGERS: ENDGAME – the stars have aligned and everything is right with the world – the second half of the ridiculously vast, epic, nerve-shredding and gut-punching MCU saga that began with last year’s Avengers: Infinity War has FINALLY arrived and it’s JUST AS GOOD as its predecessor … maybe even a little bit better, simply by virtue of the fact that (just about) all the soul-crushing loss and upheaval of the first film is resolved here.  Opening shortly after the universally cataclysmic repercussions of “the Snap”, the world at large and the surviving Avengers in particular are VERY MUCH on the back foot as they desperately search for a means to reverse the damage wrought by brutally single-minded cosmic megalomaniac Thanos and his Infinity Stone-powered gauntlet – revealing much more dumps so many spoilers it’s criminal to continue, so I’ll simply say that their immediate plan really DOESN’T work out, leaving them worse off than ever.  Fast-forward five years and the universe is a very different place, mourning what it’s lost and torn apart by grief-fuelled outbursts, while our heroes in particular are in various, sometimes better, but often much worse places – Bruce Banner/the Hulk (Mark Ruffallo) has found a kind of peace that’s always eluded him before, but Thor (Chris Hemsworth) really is a MESS, while Clint Barton/Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) has gone to a VERY dark place indeed. Then Ant-Man Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) finds a way back from his forced sojourn in the Quantum Realm, and brings with him a potential solution of a very temporal nature … star directors the Russo Brothers, along with returning screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, have once again crafted a stunning cinematic masterpiece, taking what could have been a bloated, overloaded and simply RIDICULOUS narrative mess and weaving it into a compelling, rich and thoroughly rewarding ride that, despite its THREE HOURS PLUS RUNNING TIME, stays fresh and interesting from start to finish, building on the solid foundations of Infinity War while also forging new ground (narratively speaking, at least) incorporating a wonderfully fresh take on time-travel that pokes gleeful fun at the decidedly clichéd tropes inherent in this particular little sub-genre.  In fact this is frequently a simply HILARIOUS film in its own right, largely pulling away from the darker tone of its predecessor by injecting a very strong vein of chaotic humour into proceedings, perfectly tempering the more dramatic turns and epic feels that inevitably crop up, particularly as the stakes continue to rise.  Needless to say the entire cast get to shine throughout, particularly those veterans whose own tours of duty in the franchise are coming to a close, and as with Infinity War even the minor characters get at least a few choice moments in the spotlight, especially in the vast, operatic climax where pretty much the ENTIRE MCU cast return for the inevitable final showdown.  It’s a masterful affair, handled with skill and deep, earnest respect but also enough irreverence to keep it fun, although in the end it really comes down to those big, fat, heart-crushing emotional FEELS, as we say goodbye to some favourites and see others reach crossroads in their own arcs that send them off in new, interesting directions.  Seriously guys, take a lot of tissues, you really will need them.  If this were the very last MCU film ever, I’d say it’s a PERFECT piece to go out on – thankfully it’s not, and while it is the end of an era the franchise looks set to go on as strong as ever, safe in the knowledge that there’s plenty more cracking movies on the way so long as Kevin Feige and co continue to employ top-notch talent like this to make their films.  Ten years and twenty-two films down, then – here’s to ten and twenty-two more, I say …

[madilayn]

The Deathworlders - Adam Ares & Ava Rios

The Deathworlders is a masive piece of work, also known as the Jenkinsverse.  You can read it at https://deathworlders.com/books/deathworlders/chapter-00-kevin-jenkins-experience/

It is updated fairly regularly, but it will take you a while to reach the point where you are waiting for chapters!

It’s a huge sprawling space epic with so maany characters that it cam be hard to keep track of them   There are points of humour and points of absolute terror and sadness.  It’ very well written, and you will become invested in parts of it, and care about characters. 

There re so many intertwined stories, that you will find something that will appeal to you.  I’ve found myself completely invested in two of the stories in particular. 

This piece is looking at the relationship of Adam Ares and Ava Rios and how its treated.  In particular, how Ava has been treated, and why I feel it’s a completely unfair treatment of her. 

There are some spoilers, so it’s under the cut.

WARNING LONG POST

One of the big subplots of the Deathworlders series revolves around Adam Ares and Ava Rios.  They are introduced in about Chapter 10.  15/16 year olds – Adam is the son of San Diego Detective Gabriel Ares who was investigating a murder that involved Terri Boone.  

Gabriel gives his son advice on dating, and when Ava is pointed out to him, he advises Adam that he should ask her as Ava was very interested in him as well.

 So – we have two mid teens and we are later given information that they are each others first romantic attachments.  They went to the same school – and probably didn’t know each other very well (in the manner of high school teens).  

 Their first date was to the roller derby (and incidentally – it was the first – and really only time – Adam completely deferred to Ava’s interests.  This is important in the light of what subsequently happened with them. At that first date, there was an incident engineered by The Hierarchy that resulted in Gabriel Ares being seriously wounded – badly enough that he would not be able to continue working with the San Diego Police Force.

 We next see them in Florida where Gabriel has taken them after he was recovered somewhat.  The idea is to have a bit of a holiday to take their minds off what has happened.  They are in Florida when the destruction of San Diego occurs.   Leaving Ava orphaned – the only people aive that she knows are Gabriel and Adam Ares.  

 In the narrative, Hambone clearly shows Ava as being severely traumatised by this – more so than Adam who still has his father (though he is traumatised).  

 Kevin Jenkins arranges for them to emigrate to Cimbrean, with the aim of Gabriel taking up the role of Chief of Security (Police Chief).  However, nobody seems to have really thought about Adam and Ava, much less investigated their mind set and trauma after what has happened.  

 In fact, when they get to Cimbrean they discover that Gabriel will be living in an apartment in one area of Folchtha and Adam and Ava sharing what is, in effect, a Tiny House, some distance away.  

 Remember – these are 15/16 year olds who are still going to school – and will be doing so on Cimbrean. Even the other children make comment about this (Sarah Tisdale says hwo lucky they are as she has to still live with her parents and younger brother).

 And apparently Gabriel Ares is in agreement of this.  At least, he makes no objection to it.  

 So – we have two teenagers, in their first romantic attachment, both having undergone serious trauma, being forced to live alone while their only parental figure is living at some distance to them.  And nobody even offers any form of counselling to them

In many ways – you can blame what they become from here on in, and theire actions, solely on the adults who have put them in this situation.

I have no doubt that had they still been living with Gabriel, he would have noticed the signs of trauma emerging.  And it is entirely likely that the pair would have drifted from romantic into sibling relationship naturally.  

 The reality is – it’s rare for your first boyfriend/girlfriend to be your last “one and only”.  

 They are confronted then with other things – the Tisdales open marriage and the family’s relaxed attitude towards ndity (the whole swimming naked in the lake – it take much longer for Ava to be able to do this wheeas Adam is able to jump in almost immediately).

 Then comes the next tragedy – Sarah Tisdale is murdered by a member of The Hierarchy when the three children notice something unusual at the construction site.  Adam and Ava are unable to stop “free spirit” Sarah from trying to see closer what is happening.  Sarah has no survival instinct.

 Sarah’s death affects the whole Colony – from Owen Powell downwards.  However, the two that it affects most by witnessing the whole thing ae Adam and Ava – both of whom blame themselves for her death.  

 And once again, absolutely zero counselling is offered to them.  And yet it is this incident that shapes their future career paths and determinations to make a difference.  

 All of this without one person questioning their motives.  

 For Adam it’s easy – he has a military career path that he can go on, and he makes this decision without discussing it with Ava  just presenting her with his decision and the assumption that she will accept it and just wait for him to be through with the training.  

 When Ava decides to go to the London School of Journalism (encouraged by her teacher) Adam duestions her about being in London.  However, they are both in agreement that it will be 4 years of training for them both and they will be able to meet up.  Adam’s objection about her being in London means he won’t be able to see her as much as he would like.  He never once asks her opinion.

 This becomes a repeating pattern in their relationship.  Adam makes decisions for his career, expecting Ava to just fall in with them and be there waiting for him when he is ready.

 In this – Adam is displaying many teenage boy traits – where a girlfriend is to be there for when he’s not hanging out with his friends and her role is to watch admiringly from the sidelines.  

 Fair enough when you are still school kids, but it doesn’t work as you get older.  

 At no time, does Adam ever take any interest in Ava’s course or life.  Or even really want to meet her friends.  As BASEBALL points out some time later, Adam had no idea that she was already very well known as a photographer and had a website of her own.  He rightly points out to Adam that he (BASEBALL) knows more about Adam’s girlfriend than Adam does.

 He’s no the only one – many people try to get Adam to understand that he’s being really inconsiderate and that he’s actually lucky Ava has stuck by him.  Adam is constantly surprised that there would be any doubt that she wouldn’t.  

 In London we have Ava suffering.  She loves Adam but every time that she sees him or speaks with him, it becomes all about Adam and she is left (afterwards) feeling sidelined.  

 Early on – we see them on Cimbrean over Christmas and they are supposed to be holidaying together. Except they are only together at night. Adam continues his training regime and Ava is left to fend for herself.  

 Even Gabriel notices and mentions it to Adam – who is (yet again) confused that he might actuaslly be doing something wrong.  Ava confronts him, and we see that confusion and then Adam tries to make Ava feel guilty about daring to want him to think of her.  That his career is more important because it was all about helping people and even brings Sarah up.

 Adam isn’t manipulating her consciously – he’s too innocent to do that.  He just hasn’t ever moved into a more mature mindset and it’s not helped by the intensely masculine and “brotherhood” environment of his training and then the SOR.

 In their relationship, all contact is initiated by Ava but the subject in the contact is always all about Adam.  Usually because Adam is making decisions for them both without letting her know – even if he’s had plenty of opportunity.  Even when Ava calls him with exciting news for herself, Adam never hears it because they end up fighting due to yet another decision Adam has made and not bothered to let her know about.  

 He never does find out what she wanted to tell him, and it doesn’t even seem to bother him.  

 Once again, BASEBALL calls him on it, but Adam does nothing.  

 This then tips things over the edge for Ava, and results in her becoming quite a hated character – both by a lot of readers (in fact, some of the comments about Ava from make Redditors are really disgusting) and also the SOR as a whole.  (though they never really accepted her at all – she was clearly an interloper when she did interact with them).

 Whilst in London, Ava has made some friends.  The first of these is a housemate who takes her out to a bar, whee they meet the other two men.  These men are more than happy to get together with the two ladies and one of them, Sean, makes it quite clear he’s attracted to Ava.  Ava, however, firmly shuts him down and tells him right from the start she is in a committed relationship.  

 Now  remember – at this time, Ava is 17 and has until now, had a very restrictive world view and experience.  

 Her friends see her relationship with Adam, and are not happy with how he treats her.  Ava is also aware it’s not great, but she loves Adam enough that she will accept it (not happily, but does so).

 Sean, however, seems to hate Adam from the start, and is always trying to push himself into Ava’s consciousness.  But he’s subtle.  He IS manipulative and he’s manipulating Ava for all he’s worth.  Sean never looses an opportunity to diss Adam – either subtly or more obviously.  

 When they do meet Adam, Ava’s friends react differently.  But Sean is the only one who is hostile, and the two put on such a show of masculine posturing that even Ava can see what is going on and is annoyed with them both.  

 And later on, she again reminds Sean that Adam is her boyfriend and how much she loves him.

 Sean tells her he has a crush on her, and Ava admits that if she didn’t love Adam and wasn’t with him, she might have a crush on him.  Might.

 For the next few years, Sean doesn’t loose an opportunity to push that he loves Ava 0 subtly and in a way that she feels quite bad about rejecting him.  

 He has ingratiated himself into her life in a way that she couldn’t get rid of him – he’s the one who helps get her work known – helping her to set up a website and become known as a photographer.  

 But it’s quite clear that nothing Sean has done is just for Ava.  

 It’s after Adam tells Ava that the SOR has been posted to Cimbrean and that he has taken on a 16 year/lifetime enlistment with them that things reach a head.  

 Ava feels, not unreasonably, that this was definitely something that he should have discussed with her.  Yes – the SOR had required an answer quickly, but Adam made absolutely no attempt whatsoever to contact Ava.  Even justifying not even bothering to e-mail her, let alone calling or texting her.  

 It is this that they have their major fight over, when Ava calls him to tell him her news (as he was in a plane en-route to Germany so the unit could travel to Cimbrean).  

 This does push Ava over the edge and is the ultimate reason that she starts looking at her life.  

 And the conclusion she comes to is the conclusion of a confused, frightened and inexperienced young girl, not a young woman with any sort of romantic experience behind her. Certainly not a conclusion and an idea that any honourable person would take her up on.  

 Ava goes to Sean and proposes an affair – an affair with a finite ending (the end of her University course it would appear) with no strings attached.  Basically to meet her sexual needs and personal needs whilst Adam is away.

 And when Adam does come to visit, or when she goes to Cimbean, she would be wholly Adam’s girlfriend.

 In fact, in all of this Ava sees herself as totally being Adam’s girlfriend and sees Sean as a lover and a friend.  

 Sean sees tihs as an opening, and takes what she offers, but still puts Adam down whenever he can and when he sees Adam makes subtle “ownership” moves towards Ava.  

 Ava tells two people outside of her very very small circle of friends (two other people).  One is Gabriel Ares (who guesses something is going on) and BASEBALL who also guesses (much more accurately) what is going on.

 This is really the start of Ava’s very bad relationship with the SOR as BASEBALL makes absolutely no bones about his very low opinion of her.  Even though he can understand and feels that Adam is treating her badly.  

 But absolutely nobody who could help her, gives her advice not to do so, or any other options.  Even Adam’s father, who thinks of her as his daughter by now.  Not one person sees her decision as that of a confused and hurting young women, who has no idea how to deal with how she is being treated.  

 Not one person.  And yet, afterward, they all feel quite justified to judge her as untrustworthy and as the villain in the whole situation.  In fact, the whole attitude is “poor Adam” rather than trying to find out from Ava why she did what she did.

 The SOR as a whole, even takes it one step further to actively dislike and distrust and not hesitating to say so to a number of people – both on Cimbrean and on Folctha. Once again, leaving Ava completely alone and vulnerable.  

When Adam does find out, once again, he’s not willing to ask Ava, but immediately kicks her out of his apartment.  Eventually he does start listening to her, and they begin to heal, but that takes time, and he does nothing to try to change the opinion of the SOR

 When Ava is caught up (through no fault of her own) in Operation EMPTY BELL, the attitude of the SOR towards her confuses even the troops on the ground, but, to their credit, are not influenced by it.  

 However, Ava discovers that her reputation as untrustworthy, to the point of being a security risk (which is, frankly, ridiculous!) goes up to the CIA level.  You can see how this hurts Ava, and adds further to her trauma.

Ava seems to be painted as something of a jezebel, and is described by both Powell land Sean as a user. Basically, they feel that she uses her “womanly wiles” to use men.  It’s a very very misogynistic view of her.  

 Everybody agrees that Adam did not treat her well, but nobody bothers to see just how badly he did treat her, and the effect it had on her.  

 It’s almost as if they expect Ava to behave in a much more adult way than Adam simply because she’s a female.  As if she’s not allowed to make mistakes.  Not allowed to wand Adam to put her first.  Because Adam has is MISSION and Ava can’t possibly be as important as that, or have anything as important as that in her life.  

 All in all, the treatment of Ava and Adam is incredibly stereotypical with the woman as the villain who ruins the poor innocent man, who does it deliberately and then goes on to deliberately use men for her own designs.  

 When in reality, we don’t see Ava do this – in fact we see her floundering on as a human, as a teenager who has not had any sort of life experience and who makes major mistakes because she has had no adult guidance plus the added problem of being the victim serious, and untreated, mental trauma.

 As I said earlier – in the course of things, maybe Adam and Ava would not have stayed together as a couple. However, whatever chance they had was doomed by the fact that neither of them was given the sort of support and advice and, more importantly, mental health help that they needed.

 Adam does go on to a much more mature relationship eventually with Martina Kovacs, but Ava’s mental issues mean she is left alone romantically with nothing in sight.  And with the reputation of an untrustworthy woman who does not deserve romance.  

 Hopefully this will change, and Adam and Martina between them will change the minds of the SOR about her, and also help her to find somebody who will value her for the person she truly is, and give her the loving, mature relationship that they have themselves.  

 Because Ava deserves it.

[jessicalynnhepner]

Chapter 5—Breaking the Cycle: The Substance-Dependent Client as Parent/Caregiver

Many adults with substance abuse disorders were abused or neglected during childhood. Although most do not abuse their own children, they are at increased risk of doing so (Kaufman and Zigler, 1987). When children who are victims of maltreatment become adults, they tend to repeat a dysfunctional cycle and often lack mature characteristics: the ability to trust, to make healthy partner choices, to manage stress constructively, and to nurture themselves and others (Magura and Laudet, 1996). In addition, substance-abusing women report higher rates of childhood sexual abuse than non-substance-abusing women, and these women report increased episodes of abuse from their adult partners as well. Domestic violence is a reality in many of these families (Browne and Finkelhor, 1986; CSAT, 1997b; Ryan and Popour, 1983). Research shows that childhood maltreatment has developmental, behavioral, and emotional consequences that continue into adolescence and adulthood. Researchers are now examining childhood abuse and neglect as an indicator of the potential for substance abuse (Feig, 1998; Felitti et al., 1998; Whitfield, 1998). For example, one study (Felitti et al., 1998) found that medical patients with adverse childhood experiences (i.e., traumas) had a higher incidence of health disorders, including problems with alcohol (7.4 times that of control patients) and problems with illicit substance use (from 4.7 to 10.3 times that of the controls).

Sheridan proposes a model of intergenerational substance abuse, family functioning, and abuse and neglect that reflects both the direct and indirect relationship between parental substance abuse and family dynamics, child and adult maltreatment, and second-generation substance abuse. She indicates that unless effective intervention occurs, there is an increased likelihood that these patterns will be repeated in the next generation ( Sheridan, 1995). Parental substance abuse presents not only a risk for intergenerational transmission of substance abuse disorders but also substantial risk for repetition of problematic parent-child interactions, including abuse and neglect (McMahon and Luthar, 1998). These studies indicate increased risk factors, and counselors should not assume that their clients with histories of child abuse are mistreating their own children. The family system may function well enough when stress is low. Substance-abusing parents are already severely hindered in their ability to provide a safe and nurturing home to their children (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [DHHS], 1999); increased stressors such as loss of jobs, poverty, and illness will only exacerbate the situation.

Go to: Who Abuses and Why Nearly one fourth of physical abuse and more than half of sexual abuse of children occur at the hands of adults who are not the victims' birth parents. They may be other relatives, caregivers, or partners. The likelihood of this kind of abuse is far greater when parents are using substances and, consequently, cannot provide adequate care for and supervision of their children (Reid et al., 1999). However, because most child abuse occurs within families, the discussion here will focus on parents. Providers should also note that most child sexual abuse is committed by males (Finkelhor, 1994).Research on parenting styles and attitudes of abusing parents indicates several distinct characteristics shared by parents who abuse their children. These include seeing child rearing as difficult and not enjoyable, using more controlling disciplinary techniques, not encouraging the development of autonomy in children while maintaining high standards of achievement, and promoting an isolated lifestyle for themselves and their children (Briere and Elliott, 1994). Observational studies indicate that abusing parents are less supportive, affectionate, playful, and responsive to their children and are more controlling, interfering, and hostile; they have fewer pleasant interactions with their children (Magura and Laudet, 1996). Abusive parents tend to "parentify" their children, expecting them to take on the role of caretaker. Because they do not have sufficient knowledge of child development, their expectations of their children's behavior are often too high, leading them to adopt inappropriate disciplinary practices (Wegsheider, 1981). In fact, most abusing parents do not help their children adapt to the major developmental tasks, such as regulating their sleep habits, preparing them to separate from their parents, enabling them to explore their environment safely and with appropriate limits, and making choices and becoming more independent (Levy and Rutter, 1992; Mayes et al., 1997; Rodning et al., 1989). Nor do these families successfully resolve issues of attachment, emotional regulation, autonomy, peer competence, or school and work competence (Cicchetti and Lynch, 1993).Damaged Parents: An Anatomy of Child Neglect (Polansky et al., 1981) summarizes the characteristics of abusing parents identified by researchers in several different studies: The prevalence of poverty, substance dependence, mental illness, and large numbers of children per family Feelings of inadequacy and self-reproach, often related to early negative experiences Depression, difficulty putting sadness and needs into words, and anxiety discharged into activity Serious arrest in development, a sense of incompleteness resulting from a failure to internalize a separate identity (manifested by clinging to children), the presence of other abusive and unfulfilling relationships, and an inability to tolerate being alone A fear of taking responsibility and making decisions Severe difficulties in verbal communication Difficulty in seeking or obtaining pleasure Extreme narcissism, gross immaturity, dependency, and an impaired ability to empathize with a child's needs The Polansky study cautions against overgeneralizing neglectful or abusive parents. Also, it is important to remember that poverty may be a common characteristic because poorer parents are more likely than affluent parents to be involved in public systems, which are mandated to report abuse cases. (Affluent parents tend to access private systems in which reporting is not required.) Nonetheless, the development failures above can signal to a counselor both a potential risk for child abuse and the possible effects of maltreatment in a parent's past.At the same time, certain resiliency factors have helped many children avoid the cycle of abuse. These include being able to fantasize about another

time or place, being able to read and learn about a better time and place, realizing that they are not responsible for the abuse directed at them, and having an adult in their life for a considerable period of time who sees them in a positive way. Resiliencies can be grouped in the following seven categories (Wolin and Wolin, 1995): Insight begins with a sense that life in the troubled family is strange. Such insight can eventually protect the child from a tendency to internalize family troubles and feel guilty. Independence is the child separating herself from the troubled family. Relationships fulfill needs that troubled families cannot meet. Initiative is the desire to overcome feelings of helplessness that a child can succumb to in the troubled family. Creativity is the ability to take pain and transform it into something artistic and worthwhile. Humor allows the child to make the tragic into something comic and laugh at his emotional suffering. Morality is developing a set of principles that differentiates bad from good both inside and outside the family. Traditional models of parenting may serve as a useful context for understanding how a client views his own parents and the implications for repeating their behavior. The three major types of parenting styles have been described as authoritative, permissive, and authoritarian (Baumrind, 1971). The authoritative parent maintains reasonably close supervision, sets consistent standards, and keeps track of children without being overly directive. A permissive parent allows children to do as they please and sets few limits or guidelines, which may result in safety problems; this is often a neglectful parent. The authoritarian parent is directive and rigid and relies on punishment as a major disciplinary method; within this model, this is often an abusive parent. However, parents typically combine these styles when interacting with their children, and the effectiveness of the approach used depends largely on the family's culture, community, and environment.Paradigms from developmental literature can also be useful in understanding the effects of environmental disturbances on the maltreated child. Belsky's ecological model, for example, contains four levels of analysis: (1) individual development, (2) family systems, (3) community, and (4) culture, all of which interact with each other and influence whether or not maltreatment will take place (Belsky, 1993). As this model shows, alcohol and drug counselors must understand the broader context of the forces that influence clients and their families. In turn, the counselor can help clients sort through those forces--family, neighborhood, community, or culture--to gain a better understanding about what is and is not good within their environment. Causes and Context of Parental AbuseWhile most research has focused on repeat offenders, there is some knowledge and speculation about how certain dynamics and behaviors are integrated to shape an abusive personality. A common pattern of parent-child relationships is characterized by a high demand for the child to perform in order to gratify the parents and by the use of severe physical punishment to ensure the child's proper behavior (Pollock and Steele, 1972). Abusive parents also may be highly vulnerable to criticism, disinterest, or abandonment by their spouses or significant others, or to anything else that might reduce their already low self-esteem. These types of events produce a crisis of unmet needs in the parents who then expect the child to provide gratification. Unable to meet these parental expectations, the child is punished excessively (Pollock and Steele, 1972).This pattern of overly aggressive and demanding behavior is often rooted in the parent's own childhood. Many abusive parents report that they were raised in a similar way, and these

types of childhood experiences provide "lasting imprints" that are reflected in the way the adults feel about themselves and their children. More recently Dutton, in The Psychological Profile of the Batterer, has identified characteristics such as the presence of a "shaming father" and the need for children to be excessively mature as factors that contribute to the personality of the batterer (Dutton, 1995).

Go to: Role of the Counselor Alcohol and drug counselors can play an important role in helping to break the cycle of child abuse and neglect that often plagues their clients. Many times, parents who were victims of abuse or neglect as children express strong concern and anxiety about the possibility that their children may be abused. By working closely and empathically with a substance abuser, the counselor has the opportunity to break the cycle.To help determine whether a substance-dependent client is at risk for child abuse, the treatment providers should become familiar with the client's childhood--her parents' style of child rearing, family dynamics, possible traumas, and other events that may serve as a predictor for child abuse or neglect. At the same time, the counselor also needs to learn about the client's current family life, particularly parenting behaviors that provide some clues as to whether the client's children are at risk.This information--along with the counselor's awareness of a broad range of parenting situations, cultural backgrounds, systems, social supports, and treatment options--will enable the counselor to better assist clients and their children. Although counselors can play an important role in breaking the cycle of child abuse and neglect, they cannot do this alone. They are only one part of the continuum of care that is needed to break this cycle. For this reason, treatment providers will need to reach out and work with child welfare systems, school systems, child guidance clinics, health care providers, and others so that parents who abuse substances get the help they need and do not abuse or neglect their own children.While women with substance abuse disorders have often been the focus of interventions, breaking the cycle of child abuse and neglect also means including fathers who are at risk for neglecting or abusing their children, as well as significant others and family members who may share caretaking responsibilities. The recommendations offered in this section apply to all clients responsible for the welfare of children. Learning About the Client's ChildhoodA client's childhood can offer information that can be useful in understanding the nature of current family relationships. There are important issues that can be explored tactfully, without necessarily using specific psychology or health care vocabulary. Asking questions about these concerns in a respectful manner helps develop a good relationship between the client and counselor. Although a counselor cannot change the past, she can help the client find the strategies to improve her current situation and the strength to recover. Many of the questions that follow may be asked during assessment, but they can also be rephrased and asked again in treatment. These questions are merely guidelines that should be modified to fit the needs of each particular client. What do you know about the circumstances around your birth? What was your infancy or early childhood like? How did your parents describe you and those times? What was your relationship with your mother or father like? Tell me about any special times with them. Did anyone in your family (including aunts, uncles, cousins) use alcohol or drugs? Do you personally feel that they had an alcohol or drug problem? Did any family member ever undergo treatment for alcohol or drug use? Who raised you as a young child? Who was important to you when you were growing up? Did you have any serious medical problems when you were growing up? Were you ever in the hospital? How were you disciplined when you did something wrong? How did your mother, father, grandparent, or other caregivers reward you? Were your parents involved and interested in your life and activities? Did it feel like they knew what you needed and what was important to you? How did your parents show you their

attention, affection, and appreciation? (These questions will help to identify patterns of neglect.) As a child, did you like school? Were there any specific school issues regarding attendance, grades, or behavior? Did you graduate from high school? Did your family move a lot as a child? Did you go to several schools because of frequent moving? How well did you get along with your peers and teachers? What was the relationship between your parents like? Were they divorced or separated while you were growing up? Was there ever violence involved when they were upset with each other? How old were you when you started having sex? How many times have you become pregnant or impregnated someone else? How did you handle each pregnancy? Did you keep the child? Was a child protective services (CPS) agency ever involved in your life? Were you ever taken out of the home? Did you ever have a caseworker? Did anyone in your family ever have trouble with the police? Do you remember any particularly frightening experiences as a child? Did anyone in your family ever have an emotional problem, like depression? As a child, what did you do for fun? What do you do for fun now? Did you attend church regularly as a child? Did spirituality or faith play a significant role in some other way as you were growing up? How do you get along with your own children now? Could you describe any special times with them? These interviews should not be hurried. The counselor should make sure that the client is comfortable and that the meeting area is quiet and peaceful. Some questions or topics may need to be reserved for a later time when the counselor has developed a more trusting relationship with the client. (Besharov, in Recognizing Child Abuse: A Guide for the Concerned, provides guidelines for interviewing parents who are at risk or are suspected of maltreating their children that can be adapted by treatment providers [Besharov, 1990].) (See also DePanfilis and Salus, 1992.) Learning About the Client's Current Home LifeIn treating a client with children, the counselor will naturally learn how much of an impact parenting is having on the client's substance abuse. In the best of situations, parenting is stressful. For those whose own parents were not good models, it can be particularly difficult.Parents who abuse substances are not a homogeneous group. They have a range of experiences and a range of parenting skills (Howard, 1995; Tyler et al., 1997). Some of these parents have been abused and neglected during childhood. Others may not have been abused or neglected but have been raised by parents who did not have adequate parenting skills. Both groups have been exposed to poor models of parenting.Counselors are treating individuals with serious addictions that interfere with their normal daily activities and mental states. Taking illicit drugs requires parents to focus their energies on procurement. Parental priorities are not their focus; rather, the parents are focused on a need to care for themselves. Although the majority of these parents express feelings of caring and concern for their children, the addiction supersedes all other concerns. When under the influence of mind-altering drugs, such as cocaine and methamphetamine, parents are unable to foster whatever nurturing and sensitive parenting behaviors they may have.By having clients describe their current home life, the counselor can gain additional insights into their degree of risk for child abuse or neglect. Treatment providers should learn about clients' current supports (i.e., family, teachers, counselors), as well as whether they are having financial problems, living in substandard housing, or unable to pay rent or provide medical care for their children. Some specific questions that can be asked include the following: Who are the people or groups that give you

support? Do you have any special friends? Do you belong to a church, temple, or other religious or community organization? What type of social activities do you enjoy? How often? Have you been involved in the legal system? When? Have you ever been on probation? Who else lives with you at your home? Who else spends time there? Describe a typical week. What is your routine each day? On weekends? Describe your children's schedules. What do you do with them each day? On holidays? Are your children receiving ongoing medical care? Are their immunizations current? Through these and other questions, the counselor should get a sense of whether clients are at risk of neglecting or abusing their children. Socioeconomic and Cultural DifferencesIt is important that counselors not mistake class and cultural differences for child abuse or neglect. Many practitioners may not appreciate the limitations imposed by poverty and cannot distinguish between neglectful practices and those that are caused by lack of money and education. (Family problems of poverty may require referrals for cash assistance or concrete services for heat, clothing, or food.) For example, in some communities it is not uncommon for preteens to babysit infants. A seemingly disorganized house does not necessarily reflect uncaring parents. It is also important for counselors not to overreact to cases of social deprivation in poor families. While poverty may expose the parents to more risks for child abuse, most poor families do not abuse or neglect their children (

Go to: Clues That the Client May Be Endangering Children In certain treatment settings, such as day treatment centers with child-care services, the counselor may have the opportunity to meet the client's children. Such direct observation can be beneficial in several ways. First, the counselor can see firsthand how the client relates to his children: How does the client react to his children's behavior? How does he respond to his children's emotional needs? Do his children make eye contact with him? How does he respond to the children's crying? How does he praise and discipline his children? Are his expectations age-appropriate? With this information, the counselor can assess the client's parenting style. Some warning signs that these children are in danger of abuse may be obvious, such as a parent hitting a child. Other behavioral signs may include a child's yelling, screaming, not being able to sit still, flinching easily, or attaching indiscriminately to others. Regression to an earlier developmental stage is not uncommon. For example, a child who had been toilet trained or able to separate well from the parent may suddenly be wetting her pants or clinging to her parent. The counselor should be mindful, however, that these behaviors might indicate developmental problems, such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Whatever the case, the child should be referred to a health professional.The counselor will also have an opportunity to check for any signs that could result from physical abuse or neglect. The counselor can see if the children are underweight for their age or if they are unkempt. The counselor can observe whether the child has any exposed bruises, cuts, or obvious fractures. The counselor can then ask the client to explain why the child is underweight or injured. If the client's explanation is suspicious and the story does not fit the child's physical status or injury, then the counselor would have cause to report this to a CPS agency (see Chapter 6).In most treatment settings the counselor does not have the opportunity to meet the client's children. Over time, however, the counselor will learn more and more about the client. In an unguarded moment, the client may begin describing parenting behavior that is not appropriate. The client may also share something in group or via writing exercises. Figure 5-1 lists some examples of poor parenting behavior that could lead to child abuse or neglect. 📷 BoxFigure 5-1: Behavioral Clues That Suggest Possible Child Abuse or Neglect. Name calling, verbal abuse, negative or belittling labeling of the child Stories that suggest children are living in unsafe conditions (e.g., spoiled food, (more...)In situations where poor parenting is indicated but the client does not appear to be abusing or consciously neglecting the child, the treatment provider will need to direct the client toward those agencies and services that can help her become a better parent. At the same time, the counselor can talk about and reinforce good parenting practices.

Go to: Incorporating Treatment Strategies for Child Abusers Breaking the cycle of abusive parenting means understanding the background of the parent within the context of the family, neighborhood, and culture. When parents who abuse substances recall their own childhood, they often report deprivation in many areas--emotional, social, physical, and economic. If these parents recall histories of severe neglect or abuse during childhood and adolescence, the counselor can assume that most have missed out on opportunities to form healthy, trusting relationships with their caregivers and have not experienced a model of parenting that included a consistent, nurturing environment with appropriate roles and boundaries. The first thing substance-abusing parents typically need to focus on is how to build positive relationships with their children. Because many clients' parenting skills and styles reflect what they have experienced, they will be at an increased risk of parenting inappropriately, and some within this group will abuse or neglect their children. Most of these parents want to do the best for their kids--they just don't know how. Therapists should support their clients' desire to become better parents and assist them in identifying parenting support programs.Just as counselors can expect that substance-abusing parents often will deny their substance abuse, they can also expect parents to deny neglecting or abusing their children. The challenge for the counselor is to help parents understand that their parenting behaviors may not be appropriate and that these behaviors can negatively influence their children's future development, especially their ability to trust others and to develop self-esteem and pride about their lives. When parents lack a reference point--that is, good parenting models--they will need help in Recognizing the importance of appropriate parenting behaviors Seeking help to become better parents Identifying others who can support them over time as they parent their growing children Understanding how current abuse of substances affects responsible parenting At the same time, the counselor must not forget to articulate the positive aspects of the clients' experiences. Focusing on the negative or risk factors only results in shame and futility and is counterproductive. Increasing clients' self-esteem and self-efficacy (their effectiveness and ability to take responsibility) is a primary step to their understanding of the child-rearing role. Thus, it is important for the counselor to praise clients when they act according to appropriate parenting behavior--and point out that this shows they do have the qualities of a good parent within them. This will develop a trusting and helpful relationship with these clients. It will also help them break the cycle of shame by offering some strategies of hope.Indeed, there is evidence suggesting that substance-abusing parents are aware that their parenting strategies may be counterproductive and worthy of change (Hawley and Disney, 1992; Levy and Rutter, 1992) and that they are highly concerned about the well-being of their children ( Grossman and Schottenfeld, 1992; Tunving and Nilsson, 1985). The counselor's relationship with clients also provides a positive model for the client of what constitutes a helping relationship. Consciously or unconsciously, clients may adopt techniques they experienced as significant in their own therapy when interacting with their own children--reflective listening, setting appropriate boundaries, treating others with respect, and providing encouragement and positive reinforcements, among others. What Abusing Parents Should LearnTo raise a child in a nonabusive and nonneglectful manner, it is important that parents have the basic knowledge and skills needed, including the following: Realistic knowledge about child development Parenting

skills An understanding of the impact of child abuse on a person Good relationships with spouse and other adults Other personal development and social skills development Treatment programs should establish guidelines on how to deal with these issues if they arise during counseling and know when to refer clients for appropriate types of intervention and support, such as child development and parenting specialists. Additionally, there are many types of support groups available for parents and children involved in abusive relationships. Parents Anonymous, for example, is intended to help adults who abuse children. Parents Anonymous also targets families who have been involved in incest and attempts to keep these families intact or reintegrate families that have been divided because of incest. Alateen, another 12-Step group, is designed for older children whose parents are alcohol dependent and who may be at risk for abuse. Realistic knowledge about child developmentParents should understand the stages of child development and the expectations reasonable for children at specific ages. (An organization in Washington, D.C., called "Zero to Three" [see Appendix E] develops materials, including posters and wall charts, for parents and child care practitioners that define and explain key stages in the development of children from birth to age 3.) Abusive parents often believe that very young children (i.e., 2- or 3-year-olds), can stop crying on command, take care of themselves, and respond maturely to the caregiver's needs (Peterson et al., 1996). Parenting skillsAt-risk or abusive parents probably need help in basic child-rearing skills, such as how to use effective disciplinary behavior, how to reward, and how to effect desired responses. An understanding of the impact of child abuse on a personA number of resources are available that can help clients learn about the consequences of child abuse. "Choices" is avideotape produced by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention that features interviews with parents who were victims of child abuse. The Public Broadcasting Service has produced several special programs on child development that are available on video. A book of therapeutic stories, such as Once Upon a Time: Therapeutic Stories To Heal Abused Children (Davis et al., 1990), which can help heal the damage of abuse, can be read to children or given to parents to read. If adults at risk for abusing children were also victims, they should understand why they were abused (e.g., their own parents did not know about child development stages) if they are not to become abusers themselves. Good relationships with spouse and other adultsA mother's satisfaction with her spouse and her sense of support from friends and from the community contribute greatly toward a positive attitude about parenting. Strengthening these relationships helps to increase the possibility of improved maternal caregiver behavior (Belsky, 1984) and may prove helpful for fathers as well. Developing interpersonal skills is an issue that can be addressed in therapy and also in marriage counseling. Other personal development and social skills developmentThese include stress management, assertiveness training, and the development of self-confidence. Learning such skills as managing stress and knowing how to deal with anger may lower the risks of abusing a child. Selecting the Most Effective Treatment ProgramData suggest that interventions aimed at breaking the cycle of substance abuse, child neglect, and maltreatment are more successful when they are family centered (Magura and Laudet, 1996). Critical services that may need to be provided for parents who abuse substances include Access to physical necessities, such as food, housing, and transportation Medical care Counseling on substance abuse prevention Training on parenting and

child development Training in child care techniques (bathing, holding, packing a diaper bag, giving medication, etc.) Social services, social support, psychological assessment, and mental health care Family planning services Child care Family therapy and health education Life skills training in such areas as financial management, assertiveness training, stress management, coping skills, home management, anger management, conflict resolution, and communication skills Educational and vocational assessment and counseling Training in language and literacy Planned, continuing care after program completion If clients are to receive appropriate help, it is essential that the treatment match their current abilities to function rationally and to be good parents. Other factors, such as clients' social class, culture, and resources, must also be considered. By addressing these issues, counselors can place clients in community-based treatment programs that address their clients' particular needs. For example, it is important in family therapy to plan what will be discussed when children are involved. The family therapist will understand the developmental needs of the children and, when appropriate, will provide information to the children about the nature of substance abuse, dependency, and treatment. The recovery process of clients can also be addressed.Parenting classes and support around parenting, recovery, and parent-child relationships can be explored. This can be based on the licensing and credentials of the counselor. Usually in early recovery, family education and counseling around recovery is helpful. Later in recovery, more in-depth family therapy may be called for, and a systems approach can be taken. However, when domestic violence is occurring, a systems approach is counterindicated. When a CPS agency is involved, a team approach that coordinates treatment plans is essential. See TIP 25, Substance Abuse Treatment and Domestic Violence (CSAT, 1997b) for more on this issue.Clients with children will fall into two general categories: those with custody and those without. At intake, the treatment provider should find out which situation pertains to a client. To give appropriate guidance for both groups, the counselor should learn the following about the client: Current substance abuse (and means of procurement) Substance abuse by a significant other who may be involved in child abuse or neglect allegations Treatment plan to reduce substance abuse History of deprived childhood History of child abuse and neglect History of involvement with CPS agencies or court system History of out-of-home placement Attitudes about parenting, knowledge about child development, and awareness that parenting tasks change depending on the age of the child Standardized screening measures are available to provide a second source of information on clients' attitudes toward parenting and potentially problematic areas: The Parental Acceptance and Rejection Questionnaire (PARQ) discussed in Chapter 2 has an adult version completed by the parent about her relationship with her child as well as a child version completed by the child about his parent. The Parent-Child Relationship Inventory (PCRI), also discussed in Chapter 2, is another instrument that can help clinicians explore their clients' potential problem areas in parenting. Treating parents with custodyStudies show that the overwhelming majority of minor children affected by parental substance abuse remain in the custody of their parents (Feig, 1998). When dealing with parents who have custody of their children and who have reported a past history of deprivation, neglect, or abuse, the counselor will need to determine the safety of the children and the support available to the client. Some clients may not have custody of their biological children but are living

with or dating someone who does and therefore has a caregiver role. At intake, the counselor should make clear to a client that she is concerned about the client both as a person with a substance abuse disorder and as a parent with certain responsibilities. The counselor needs to state from the beginning that both the client's and the children's safety are of utmost importance. To understand the situation better, the counselor will need the following information: The children's daily schedule and the adults involved in their care or supervision The children's current health status The client's involvement with other agencies, such as family preservation, back-to-work, and job training programs The role of a significant other in the care of the children, his attitude toward the children, and any previous history of abusive or neglectful behavior toward children Previous or ongoing involvement with CPS agencies, the reasons for involvement, current child protective system plan, and outcomes from previous involvement with CPS agencies Once this information is obtained, the counselor should determine the client's daily and weekly activities. This is important in understanding the stresses and tasks required of the parent. For example, a client is likely to relapse or escalate drug use if she senses failure or experiences frustration. Therefore, the counselor must help the client to prioritize her responsibilities and tasks, and recognize the need to identify supportive help when possible.One approach that the counselor may want to consider is to place emphasis on safety. The two words "safety first" can be used to guide all discussions about a client's approach to her daily tasks. By prioritizing tasks based on the parent's and children's safety, the counselor can focus clients on immediate action in a way that is positive and nonaccusatory. By framing the discussion this way, the counselor can help parents understand that it is a safe strategy to stay away from drugs; it is a safe strategy to make sure their children are in the care of a clean and sober adult; it is a safe strategy to make sure that their children attend Head Start or school; it is a safe strategy to keep children's immunizations up to date (Rubin, 1998).Over time, the counselor will become familiar with a parent's treatment attendance record, the results of random urine toxicology drug screens, and the children's activities and can thus get a sense of the stress and risk factors in the client's life that might lead to abusive or neglectful behavior. The counselor also will learn about the parent's ability to organize a daily schedule for his family and himself, follow through on responsibilities, and acknowledge when these responsibilities may be too daunting. When a crisis in a client's life seems imminent, the counselor will be better prepared to help the client reexamine his priorities and consider, once again, a plan that will provide safety for the children and for him. Treating parents without custodyCounselors will often treat clients who do not have custody of their children. This group of parents presents some issues that are different from those parents who do have custody. The counselor's initial major concern is not about the safety of the children. Instead, it is about the safety of her clients, addicted parents who need to focus on being sober and on reuniting with their children in a timely manner. The counselor should learn about The CPS agency's plan for family reunification and the schedule to complete this effort The specific requirements for family reunification, such as the time allowed clients to begin abstinence from or reduction of substance abuse, the visitation schedule with court-appointed caregivers, and completion of parenting classes Age, health, and general

developmental needs of each child Client's history of loss of custody of children and outcomes Client's history of drug or alcohol treatment and outcomes Client's current drug use, health status, income, and housing situation Client's history of childhood deprivation, neglect, or abuse With the recently legislated fast-track adoption laws and the requirement that courts establish more rigid time lines for family reunification, treatment providers must help the parent to prioritize the tasks that should be done for a successful outcome. For example, the client who acknowledges he must change his substance-abusing behavior to become reunited with his children is setting a priority toward successful family reunification. The counselor must then help the client proceed with this goal, recognizing that as time goes by other issues will need to be addressed and be included in the tasks that are required for family reunification, such as improving his parenting skills, finding appropriate housing, learning about financial planning assistance, and searching for work.For family reunification to occur, it is critical that the alcohol and drug counselor collaborate with the CPS agency professional to develop a realistic plan for family reunification. Together, they must ensure that the parent is not overwhelmed with too many tasks at one time. Moreover, the counselor must carefully consider the timing of referrals to the appropriate professionals or community-based programs so that the court timeline for family reunification is taken into account. Treatment SettingsMost substance abuse treatment settings do not have the resources to handle both substance abuse and ongoing child abuse concerns. Interagency networks and agreements can be most effective in these cases. Such cooperative arrangements should include a unified system of case management and clinical review. Following are a few selected programs in the United States that have incorporated both issues under one roof, which can serve as models for creative program development in other communities. The recent study, No Safe Haven: Children of Substance-Abusing Parents, (Reid et al., 1999) also reviews some examples of innovative combined services. Residential programs for womenResidential treatment programs can be exceptionally productive because of the way many women deal with the world. Research suggests that a woman develops in the context of relationships, rather than as an isolated individual (Surrey, 1985). In this model, where relationship and identity develop in synchrony, a woman's role as mother is intrinsic to her personal growth and serves as a motivation to facilitate treatment. Depriving her of children and other personal relationships can be detrimental to recovery. Parental Awareness and Responsibility (PAR) VillageLocated in Largo, Florida, this program admits cocaine-dependent women into a therapeutic community with children younger than 10 years of age. As many as 14 women live in separate residences with their children.Begun in 1990, PAR Village was originally a research project funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to answer the basic question, "Will women stay in treatment longer as a result of keeping their children with them while in treatment for their substance abuse problem?" Women were randomly assigned to one of two treatment programs: one with their children and one without. Results showed that women who entered treatment with their children stayed longer, completed treatment more often, and had more positive outcomes (especially in retaining or regaining custody of their children) than their control group counterparts. As a result, PAR applied for continued funding through CSAT to allow the program to continue its successful treatment models (Coletti et al., 1997).While

in treatment, both control and experimental groups were provided with group and individual counseling, educational and vocational training, parenting and life skills training, medical services, substance abuse education, and relapse prevention. In the original NIDA study, results indicated that positive outcomes increased when women came to treatment with their children. The experimental group had significantly longer lengths of stay. In fact, at 6 months, 65 percent of women with their children were still in treatment, compared to 18 percent of the control group. Posttreatment custody also improved. Half of the women who came to treatment with their children retained or regained custody of their children at the 6-month posttreatment followup, compared to none of the control group. The SpringThis long-term residential program in Carlsbad, New Mexico, is designed for female substance abusers who have children. This intensive and structured treatment program incorporates psychological, social, educational, vocational, and spiritual aspects of treatment and provides support services for the residents' children and adjunctive family treatment. Each resident shares a private room with her children. The children attend school or day care, and mothers go to classes. Children receive testing and counseling, and mothers care for their children. The comprehensive residential program consists of a broad range of activities, including 12-Step meetings, classes, and therapy groups. Village South Families in Transition (FIT)This residential program for women in Miami, Florida, is funded by CSAT and the Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida. The program allows residents to bring up to five children, from newborns to age 12, to live onsite for 18 months. The FIT program also provides services to adult significant others and nonresidential children. The program includes an onsite child care center, primary health care and support services, drug intervention and prevention services for mothers and children, and counseling on job and life skills, parenting, and mother-child relations. There are family visits and weekend visits, and partners and other family members are involved. If a mother relapses and has to leave, the village can maintain joint custody of the children, and the mother can regain custody later. Day treatmentAlthough residential treatment centers have many advantages, parents may find this type of facility disruptive for family members, especially for older children who would have to change schools, lose contact with friends, and have less access to extended family. For many parents, intensive, family-oriented outpatient and day treatment programs are a more feasible alternative. Family Rehabilitation Program (FRP)Launched in 1990 by the New York City Human Resources Administration-Child Welfare Administration, this program targets mothers with newborns exposed to drugs (often cocaine) identified by the child protective system. It attempts to prevent the need for foster care of newborns and enable the families to provide for the long-term development of infants and other children. The primary client is the substance-abusing mother, who is offered both substance abuse treatment and intensive social services aimed at preserving the family unit. Services are provided through contracts with community-based volunteer groups selected to provide culturally sensitive services, including home-based visits. Unlike many family preservation programs, which are limited to 60-day interventions, FRP clients participate in services for about 1 year (Magura and Laudet, 1996). Project ConnectThis project is an effort to respond to the needs of both parents and children. It is a collaborative effort between a State department of child welfare, a

private nonprofit agency, a school of social work, and a number of substance abuse treatment and health care agencies. Its goals are threefold: to reduce the risk of child maltreatment, to keep families affected by substance abuse together, and to increase the capacity of the local service system to respond effectively to the needs of these families. Funded by a grant from the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, Project Connect is administered by the Rhode Island Center for Children-at-Risk in Providence and operates under contract from the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth, and Families (Olsen, 1995). Families receive services for about 10 months in this program. Project SAFE (Substance and Alcohol Free Environment)Begun in the mid-1980s by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and the Department of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, this program focuses on poor urban minority women with children. In this program, caseworkers identify women who have been accused of child neglect or abuse and have screened as high risk for substance abuse. Project SAFE takes a proactive approach by intensively recruiting women into the program. Once clients are in the program, the outreach caseworker calls clients daily, offers transportation, and helps to arrange child care throughout intensive outpatient treatment (Boundy, 1998). (For additional information on Project SAFE, see Chapter 7.) Relational Psychotherapy Mother's Group (RPMG)RPMG is a weekly parenting group offered along with substance abuse treatment. RPMG concurrently addresses mothers' unmet psychosocial needs and parenting deficits using a nonjudgmental and supportive therapeutic stance, emphasizing interpersonal relationships with adults and children, and employing a guided-discovery approach to exploring parenting and interpersonal deficits. During a 3-year pilot study, RPMG was tested as an adjunct to standard treatment offered in methadone clinics in New Haven, Connecticut. Compared to mothers receiving standard treatment alone, mothers receiving the supplemental RPMG were at lower risk for maltreating their children, reported higher levels of involvement with their children, and greater parental satisfaction overall. At 6-month followup, in addition to sustaining their gains, the RPMG mothers were less likely to use opiates than comparison mothers. Children of RPMG mothers also showed healthier levels of psychosocial adjustment than children of comparison mothers (see Luthar and Suchman, 1999 and in press). Incarcerated parents and parents in transition from incarcerationTypically, substance abuse treatment programs in jail or prison settings will limit the presence of children. However, some criminal justice and social service professionals believe that children should have the opportunity to visit their parents in jail. Children typically want to see and talk to their fathers and mothers. Two programs in New Mexico provide such family services. Project IMPACT, at both the Central New Mexico Correctional Facility in Los Lunas and the New Mexico Women's Correctional Facility in Grants, reviews parenting skills of inmate fathers and mothers and provides education programs, counseling, and family visits. The program eases transition back into daily family life and provides community services to inmates' children and spouses during their incarceration. A second program in New Mexico, Comienzos, which means "beginnings," is an education program at the Bernalillo County Detention Center that provides education on parenting, family violence, and related topics. In these cases, professionals found they could motivate parents to become involved in the substance abuse treatment programs while in jail if they had contact with their children. The

California Department of Corrections and the Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs support a prison-based program called Forever Free from Drugs and Crime. Forever Free participants live in a separate 240-bed facility and receive treatment 4 hours a day, 5 days a week. Counseling, relapse prevention, and problemsolving and parenting classes are part of the curriculum. For more information, call the California Department of Corrections Office of Substance Abuse Programs at 916-327-3707. For more information on substance abuse disorders and criminal offenders, see TIP 30, Continuity of Offender Treatment for Substance Use Disorders From Institution to Community (CSAT, 1998b).

Go to: Organizational Roles and The Need for Collaboration In treating adults with substance abuse disorders who are suspected of abusing or neglecting their children or who are already involved in the CPS system, counselors must communicate and collaborate with representatives from CPS agencies, all while keeping the best interests and confidentiality of clients and their families in mind. Counselors also must understand the role of juvenile, family, and criminal courts in prosecuting cases of child abuse and neglect. Every system attempts to accomplish a specific set of goals to help further the well-being of clients and family members. However, the philosophies and processes used may be very different, and the potential for conflict (expressed or unexpressed) among agency representatives is great. It is important to find ways to collaborate with other agencies in a manner that builds and maintains trust--while continuing to adhere to Federal confidentiality laws. Figure 5-2 presents some suggestions for ways in which professionals from the child welfare and treatment fields can collaborate more closely. 📷 BoxFigure 5-2: Strategies for Collaboration. Program planning and administration Provide joint training for substance abuse treatment staff and CPS agency workers Develop team staffing approaches Provide joint funding (more...) Core Functions of a Child Protection System: The Center for the Future of Children (Schene, 1998, p. 36). Respond to reports of child abuse and neglect, identify children who are experiencing or at risk of maltreatment. Assess what is happening with those children and their families--the safety of the children, the risk of continued maltreatment, the resources and needs of the parents and extended families, and their willingness and motivation to receive help. Assemble the resources and services needed to support the family and protect the children. Provide settings for alternative or substitute care for children who cannot safely remain at home. Evaluate progress of the case during service provision and assess the need for continuing child protective services. Role of Treatment ProvidersThe main focus of the treatment provider is to provide interventions and support to help clients with their substance abuse and dependence issues and recover from the physical, psychological, emotional, social, and spiritual harm that their substance abuse has caused themselves and others. However, once child abuse or neglect is known or suspected, legal constraints take precedence because counselors are mandated to report cases to CPS agencies. It is not the role of the treatment provider to investigate child abuse; once the report is made, the provider's clinical attention should shift back to and remain with the client.It is important for counselors to let clients know from the beginning that counselors must report suspected abuse and neglect because the law requires them to do so. However, the accompanying message to the client should be that even if a report is made, the counselor will continue to work with the client, providing treatment and support. (Counselors should emphasize that it is in a client's best interest to address abuse issues before a child is harmed and before a client has jeopardized her parental rights.) For clients who have been reported, an extra measure of support may be necessary. For example, although counselors' large caseloads would preclude them from routinely accompanying clients to court, exceptions could be made for some clients.Even when accompanying clients to court is not possible, the counselor can create strategies to address the upcoming court date and related issues in treatment. For example, clients who abuse their children often have their own abuse histories and may have painful memories

of having to appear in court as children to be placed in foster care. Discussing such memories with clients may prove valuable to the treatment process. Helping clients understand the court system and procedures may also strengthen the therapeutic bond. The role of the alcohol and drug counselor often involves teaching clients self-advocacy and communications skills--that is, helping them learn to approach various systems in ways that will produce fruitful results that meet their individual needs. Role of CPS AgenciesEvery State has a CPS system to investigate reports of child abuse and neglect to determine whether the child in question is in danger and to intervene if necessary. The CPS agency initiates a comprehensive assessment of a child's safety and well-being in the family. The assessment can involve interviews with the child, the parents, and other family members; visits to the home to evaluate the environment and family dynamics; contacts with schools and other service providers who are or have been involved with the family; and testing to assess the child's health and development (see Kropenske and Howard, 1994). CPS investigations, foster care placement, and adoption services are different aspects of child welfare services, but these functions are organized and titled differently in various States and municipalities; in smaller (i.e., local) jurisdictions, roles and responsibilities may often overlap.If the CPS agency determines that a child is (or is at risk of being) neglected or abused, it can initiate family preservation services to remedy the problems (see Figure 5-3). The CPS worker is responsible for developing a service plan to help the family improve in those areas the assessment found lacking. The service plan can cover housing, day care, transportation, clothing, food stamps, parenting training, individual or group counseling (including substance abuse treatment), and teaching the parent basic household skills. These services may be provided while the child remains in the home if the child's safety can be assured, or the child may be removed to foster care while services are provided. 📷 FigureFigure 5-3: Overview of Steps Through the Child Protective Services and Child Welfare Systems.When it is determined that a child is not safe in the home, the CPS agency has the authority to remove a child temporarily and place the child in another living situation, such as foster care or with relatives (i.e., kinship care). Relatively few children are actually removed from their homes (in 1996, children placed in foster care represented 16 percent of CPS cases), and most of those removed are returned to the parents' custody fairly quickly once their safety has been assured (DHHS, 1999; Goerge et al., 1996).Children who are placed in out-of-home arrangements must wait for the legal system's procedures to take place before a final plan of family reunification or other permanent placement is completed. This plan generally focuses on reuniting the family while ensuring the child's safety and may include substance abuse treatment for parents, as well as other services. The plan and progress toward it are reviewed periodically by the court, and it must be demonstrated to the judge that efforts are being made toward the achievement of the planned goals. Recent Federal legislation mandates that permanency plans be determined quickly and that a permanency hearing be held within 12 months of adjudication of the abuse or neglect. If the child remains in foster care for 15 of the most recent 22 months, the jurisdiction must start the process of terminating parental rights and developing a plan for adoption or kinship care for the child.CPS agencies are required to investigate all reports of child abuse or neglect within a short time--generally a week. Unlike other public

service agencies, they cannot generate a waiting list when service needs outstrip resources. With increasing reports of maltreatment in recent years, backlogs of uninvestigated cases have grown, and CPS agency caseloads have soared. Many workers are assigned more than 50 families even though standards developed by the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) call for caseloads of no more than 12 to 17 families (CWLA, 1989; Daro and McCurdy, 1991; Reid et al., 1999). Role of the CourtsThe juvenile or family court judge has several placement options, which vary slightly by State. These are reunification with parents, adoption, or guardianship (often with a relative). Children aged 16 and above might enter an independent living program. After reasonable efforts are made at reunifying the child with the family within the timeframe stipulated by law, the court can terminate parental rights and free the child for adoption. Juvenile and family courts have heavy caseloads, and judges sometimes hear a new case every 15 minutes (General Accounting Office, 1999).Some child abuse perpetrators are charged in the criminal court, which is generally more crowded and slower than the family court system. In some cases, families may be involved with both courts. In those cases, the juvenile or family court judge may decide to delay a decision about a child placement case until the criminal court acts.To make the courts more responsive to families' needs, the Center for Innovative Courtrooms has begun to establish juvenile and family courts that offer a whole range of services. The Center's court in Brooklyn, for example, offers drug treatment as an alternative to incarceration, as well as welfare, domestic violence services, general equivalency diploma programs, and other services to prepare offenders to become productive citizens.In Hawaii, the West Hawaii Counseling and Supportive Living Project has been designed to assist individuals and families in providing safe and nurturing homes for children. A core team of professionals consists of a clinical social worker, a substance abuse treatment professional, a clinical nurse specialist, a service coordinator, and an agency director. They are the primary service providers who conduct a service needs assessment, provide service coordination, and make referrals to other programs and providers in the community. The goal is to provide families and children with individualized treatment planning and services that are flexible and are delivered in a manner that respects the family and their cultural heritage. The target clientele includes Families threatened by their own inability to cope with the current stress in their lives Pregnant women and mothers with children at risk of child abuse or neglect due to mental health or substance abuse factors Families who require service assessment or counseling to provide a safe, drug-free environment for their children Pregnant women and mothers with children seeking a recovery program that may include a supportive living environment Pregnant women, mothers, parents, or adults with caretaking responsibilities for children Parents whose children may be temporarily living outside the home Parents whose parental rights have been terminated and who no longer have custody of their children Role of the CommunityThe effects of substance abuse and child abuse are felt by the entire community. Thus planners, policymakers, and administrators are developing collaborative community responses that involve community education and prevention efforts, as well as pooling community resources that support clients' treatment. For example, over the past decade, community leaders in Albuquerque, New Mexico, focused on the growing problem of homeless and "throwaway" youths. Local schools, churches, and neighborhood associations joined

together to provide physical space and staff for emerging service programs. Outreach teams were created to work on the streets with youths, and clean and sober drop-in centers and shelters were established. In Connecticut, the Department of Children and Families is facilitating connection among social workers, schools, and hospitals. San Antonio, Texas, has created the Alamo Area Prevention and Treatment Providers (AAPTP) Association. This is a consortium of prevention and treatment providers whose mission is to (1) promote accessible and comprehensive prevention, intervention, and treatment services to individuals and families in the surrounding counties; (2) implement a seamless continuum of care that includes prevention, intervention, and treatment services; and (3) facilitate access to care through advocacy, positive community relations, and ongoing systems development. Importance of CollaborationBecause of the chronic and relapsing nature of substance abuse disorders, ensuring a child's ongoing safety in a home with a substance abuser, or working toward reunification of a family in that home, can be extremely difficult. Even when the parent seeks help or is ordered by the court to seek help, the parent's treatment needs and the family functioning issues related to child safety are rarely addressed simultaneously (CWLA, 1992; Young et al., 1998). The intertwined problems of substance abuse disorder and child abuse require that systems collaborate if they are to break the intergenerational cycle that has resulted in so much damage to society. However, historically, there have been barriers to such collaboration. Different perspectives on dependencyAlcohol and drug counselors and CPS workers are both involved with clients with substance abuse disorders, but generally their perspectives on addiction are quite different (see DHHS, 1999). This difference is at the heart of the conflicts that historically have characterized relationships between these two groups of professionals and prevented closer cooperation. Much of the substance abuse treatment community views the alcohol- or drug-using parent who neglects or abuses a child as having a chronic and often progressive disease that cannot be cured but can be treated. However, much of the rest of society, including some CPS workers and judges, view this parent as having made an irresponsible choice that has endangered a child. In addition, the CPS worker may perceive the counselor as willing to overlook unsafe situations for children to avoid alienating the parent and disrupting treatment. The treatment provider, however, may see the CPS agency worker as unwilling to give the parent's treatment a chance to work. Different clients, different goalsAnother barrier to collaboration between the two fields is that the organizations have different clients and different goals. Although the CPS agency worker will seek to ensure the child's safety, the alcohol and drug counselor is focused on treating the parent. Different timeframesFor the treatment provider, relapse is an expected part of recovery from a condition that has taken years to develop and will take years to resolve. CPS agency workers and the courts are accustomed to working within shorter and more well-defined time frames (usually 18 months) because of their desire to prevent children from remaining for long periods in out-of-home placements and to ensure that permanency plans are made for the child.A related factor is the overburdened public system and the frustration that professionals in both fields often experience, not only within their own agencies but also in dealing with other systems. For example, CPS agency workers who refer parents to a substance abuse treatment program often find that the program has a long waiting list and that no help is immediately

available. Similarly, alcohol and drug counselors who report suspected child maltreatment often complain that their reports go unheeded or are dismissed for lack of evidence in a system where workers have time to focus attention on only the most egregious cases (Reid et al., 1999). https://whateveryparentshouldknowaboutcps.blogspot.com/2020/07/chapter-5breaking-cycle-substance.html

[fyp-psychology]

Anxiety Disorders Could Be Caused By Being Exposed To Narcissistic Abuse

People who believe in the good nature of others are highly sensitive or emotionally intelligent, are the most common targets for narcissistic abuse.

Residing where any kind of emotional or mental abuse takes place is going to affect your health. 

Not only that, but the way you see yourself, and how much worth you believe you have, will suffer greatly. 

When you are constantly told that you are the problem and that your rational and completely normal ways of responding to their abuse are contributing to the issue, what else could possibly be expected to happen? 

Your mind begins to sever- rationale and fear are intertwined, and the body reacts in several different ways, all displayed through types of anxiety disorders.

It’s unhealthy to surround yourself with these types of people or to stay in a relationship with them. 

But for some people, the abuse comes from a family member or parent, and escaping is only an option when you can leave their home. 

For those individuals, some disorders might have developed as a teenager, and continue to impact their adult relationships today.

The Mayo Clinic Has Compiled A List Of Several Types Of Anxiety Disorders, And Describes The Most Common Conditions As Follows:

Agoraphobia (ag-uh-ruh-FOE-be-uh) is a type of anxiety disorder in which you fear and often avoid places or situations that might cause you to panic and make you feel trapped, helpless or embarrassed.

Anxiety disorder due to a medical condition includes symptoms of intense anxiety or panic that are directly caused by a physical health problem.

Generalized anxiety disorder includes persistent and excessive anxiety and worry about activities or events — even ordinary, routine issues. The worry is out of proportion to the actual circumstance, is difficult to control and affects how you feel physically. It often occurs along with other anxiety disorders or depression.

Panic disorder involves repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within minutes (panic attacks). You may have feelings of impending doom, shortness of breath, chest pain, or a rapid, fluttering or pounding heart (heart palpitations). These panic attacks may lead to worrying about them happening again or avoiding situations in which they’ve occurred.

Selective mutism is a consistent failure of children to speak in certain situations, such as school, even when they can speak in other situations, such as at home with close family members. This can interfere with school, work and social functioning.

Separation anxiety disorder is a childhood disorder characterized by anxiety that’s excessive for the child’s developmental level and related to separation from parents or others who have parental roles.

Social anxiety disorder (social phobia) involves high levels of anxiety, fear, and avoidance of social situations due to feelings of embarrassment, self-consciousness, and concern about being judged or viewed negatively by others.

Specific phobias are characterized by major anxiety when you’re exposed to a specific object or situation and a desire to avoid it. Phobias provoke panic attacks in some people.

Substance-induced anxiety disorder is characterized by symptoms of intense anxiety or panic that are a direct result of abusing drugs, taking medications, being exposed to a toxic substance or withdrawal from drugs.

Other specified anxiety disorders and unspecified anxiety disorder are terms for anxiety or phobias that don’t meet the exact criteria for any other anxiety disorders but are significant enough to be distressing and disruptive.

Those toxic people who willfully abuse others get a kick out of telling their victims that they are somehow socially, emotionally, and intellectually substandard. 

You’ll notice that whenever these people are caught or confronted about their behavior, they will always resort to playing the victim.

 In extreme cases, they even try to make it seem as though you are the abuser.

People who feel like they have become trapped in the poisonous whirlwind of narcissistic abuse tend to know something is just not right. 

The irrational and maddening claims the narcissist makes never fully sit well with them. 

However, unless they are educated about these toxic personalities and abusers, they will continue to find themselves in the endless cycle.

Why is that? 

Because narcissists target those who are prone to behaving like actual human beings; compassionate, empathic, and believe in the good nature of humankind.

And because these people are the ones who are more likely to be the victim of narcissistic abuse, they are also the ones who are prone to suffer from mental and physical health issues. 

According to a study by Muhammad Gadit from Memorial University of Newfoundland, 

“Verbal abuse can cause significant psychological problems in later years and brain damage, including anxiety, depression, anger-hostility, and dissociation.”

Doctor Douglas Fields reports on PsychologyToday, 

“When [an] environment is hostile or socially unhealthy, development of the brain is affected, and often it is impaired. 

Early childhood sexual abuse, physical abuse, or even witnessing domestic violence, have been shown to cause abnormal physical changes in the brain of children, with lasting effects that predispose the child to develop psychological disorders.”

Anxiety disorders are unpleasant to live with. 

They can take over your life at a moment’s notice, and they don’t make sense to those who don’t have them. To be honest, they don’t make much sense to those who have them either. That’s why this information is important.

By: Raven Fon/I Heart Intelligence  People Who Believe In The Good Nature Of Others, Are Highly Sensitive Or Emotionally Intelligent, Are The Most Common Targets For Narcissistic Abuse.

[This article was originally published by True Activist]

[billymoonspeaksup-blog]

I am woman, hear me (eventually) roar!

I am two parts of a whole. One part of me is nothing but gratitude and love for my life and my family.  But the other part of me is so abused and soaked with sadness that it is suffocating my joy.

You see, a few months ago, there was a very small change in my life.  Something so insignificant that I never would have believed it could change my and my family’s life.  My boss was retiring and a new man was stepping into his place.  I looked forward to working together and knew that he could accomplish so much and I would continue in my role, making his job easier for him.  In the first weeks, my positive attitude stood strong and I was quite happy.  I spent my days at work accomplishing tasks and came home to my family ready to love and care for them all.  Life was good, a kind of rarely known joyous bubble that is experienced when we find balance.

Then, there was a slight tilting, as it were, of my reality.

I cannot go into too much detail as I am restricted by the harm others can do to me if I do not weigh each word carefully.  I will say this; where once I was a respected part of a department, I found myself belittled and isolated because of one man’s strange view of things.  A view blinded by narcissism and arrogance.  Does that sound harsh?  I do not mean for it to be; I am only stating the facts of the situation. This man, in my opinion, is incapable of being anything else.  He seems to lack the ability to see outside of himself.  I have known others like him whom I have been able to relate to by choice so I believed I could contort myself so as to create a healthy working environment.  As I worked to create a working relationship that would help the office adjust to the new dynamic, I became concerned that my position was no longer what I was hired to be.  I went through the proper steps to address my confusion and to clarify my duties.  It became obvious that my role, one I was very good at, was being redefined but I felt resisting would only cause tension and was not worth the small gain if I persisted.  I stepped back and acquiesced; my desire being to put the matter to rest and move forward.  

The small changes continued and I began to feel my job was at risk but the new boss promised that my job was secure.  It took me some time to see that his words did not match his actions.  The first obvious change was one of isolation.  He cancelled meetings and began limiting interactions between us along with rerouting communications in our organization so information went around me rather than through me.  I excused it as just a result of stress on his part as he was trying to get a feel for his new position in a more “hands on” fashion.  

Then the belittling began. It was very subtle and carefully handled by the man.  He began to compare me to others in the department and calmly explained that I was behaving above my place in the hierarchy of the office.  He transferred the majority of my work load and began disallowing small benefits I had enjoyed in my position.  I felt a great deal of frustration but I had no alternative but to continue to adjust to the new expectations.  

Over time, I found myself more and more isolated and attempts to move to a new position in other departments were thwarted by through private conversations between my boss and those interviewing me.  I began to feel trapped and nervous, trying desperately to hold on to a job I had enjoyed and that was vital to my family.  I found myself distracted by the atmosphere in the office and I began making small, insignificant errors.  They were easily corrected but it was so unlike me to miss these little details. To make it so much worse, my boss began documenting each little error.  Around me, my fellow staff members noticed the strange dynamic but were not suffering the same experience.  While I received reprimands, their errors were excused.  While most of the staff did not care for the new boss, they were adjusting and able to avoid a great deal of personal interaction.  I, on the other hand, could not avoid the intense scrutiny and felt I was always on ‘pins and needles’ and my focus was failing.  I found myself in a frazzled state, racing to accomplish tasks the moment they appeared before the boss could ask when I was going to get them done.  This only resulted in more errors as I had to constantly jump back and forth between tasks; none of which were so pressing to justify the expected pace with which I was trying to keep up.

These things were all small and I thought maybe I was making more of the situation than I should.  I kept telling myself that I would adjust, I just needed to find a way to prove my worth to the boss.  Day after day, I failed to do so.  Eventually, the added stress began to seep into my life at home. I came home exhausted every day and struggling to keep up.  My energy was completely sapped and our home began to show the effects.  Laundry piled up, dishes sat unwashed on the counters, and we ate a lot of fast food dinners instead of home cooked meals. I had no energy for my family and my kids missed me even though I was physically present every night.  My health started to fail and I became a regular at my doctor’s office as I tried to find a way to address the anxiety, high blood pressure, and fatigue that became central in my life. I was miserable and I was haunted by the little voice inside of me that whispered over and over, “You’re a failure!”  

For months, I have struggled to ‘pull myself together’ but simply do not have the strength.  I have spent countless nights in tears, hating the thought of going back in to work the next day, knowing I will fail to meet the standard set for me.  I have searched for other jobs but I am struggling to find something that works with our family’s schedule (the reason I took this job in the first place).  My husband has stood with me through all of this, trying to make me see the truth of the situation I am in.  And I finally have.  I am trapped in a hostile work environment and being discriminated against.

Those are hard words for me to share aloud.  After all, I am a strong woman who would never let herself be abused by anyone.  I have always understood my value both in my professional life and my personal life.  How did I end up in this mess and how do I get out of it?  With the support of my husband, I began to search through emails and reprimands and review the timeline of events.  I was stunned to see how obvious the retaliatory actions by my boss where in regard to my actions.  I can’t share any more details other than to say that each time I chose to self-advocate, things in the office got worse.

Now that I have acknowledged what is happening, I knew I had to act.  My official report to HR has not been received well and the last interactions at work indicate that I can expect things to only get more difficult.  It would be easy to give up.  Who wants to fight a battle like this alone?  But I’m not alone.  I have a husband who holds me up when I am ready to collapse.  I look at my children and I am angered that they have lost the mother they once had.  I can’t let this go on.  This man has stolen my time, my energy, my career path, my health, and now even my freedom to share my story without anonymity.  If I walk away, he keeps all of the lost parts of me and, while I may move on, I leave too much of myself behind.  Instead, I am fighting back.  If I am weary, it will be from the battle, not the abuse.  

There are dark days ahead for me.  But instead of that darkness consuming me, it will be the foe I fight outside of my being.   I will not let it in.  I will not allow any more of myself to be stolen and crushed.  I may not be able to tell my whole story or share my true name, but I am able fight back. And it’s about time I did.

[shardclan]

The Sunbeam Sentinel - Edition 1

From Samhradh, the Editor: Thank you for purchasing the first printing of the Sunbeam Sentinel, providing local clan news.

Clan Aphaster's Medical Sector comes out Firmly in Favor of House Betelgeuse

Until now, Promenade Medical Hall and Noon Point Primary Care remained neutral in the competition to build House Betelgeuse or House Perihelion. But in the past few days, the teams have donned  crowns and corsages mostly in violet, the recognized support color for House Betelgeuse.

Mamblory, the Sunbeam's investigator, was able to get official statements from several of the members.

"It's the obvious choice for a doctor," Haematica claimed. "If what Ashes says is true and the influx of Arcane energy we brought with us carries a risk of unpredictable environmental effects, then we need to contain it before someone gets hurt."

Her daughter, the head of Noon Point Primary care, had similar sentiments: "With Noon Point on the road to becoming an actual recognized point on Trader's Walk, we're going to be seeing a lot more guests and transients pass through. It would be irresponsible of us to expose them to unpredictable energies if it can be avoided."

Aether, the local dentist, broke the trend. A tiny yellow flower decorates her wrist, marking her in support of House Perihelion. When questioned about the decision, she joked: "I've seen Arcane energy cause extra teeth to grow, but never take them away. I'm in business no matter what happens."

"But seriously," she continued. "I respect the premise of House Betelgeuse. It's fine to protect the environment from all that Arcane energy, but how am I supposed to be protected from it if I have to live there?"

Aether's point is common among those who favor House Perihelion. The majority of its supporters are those who are not Arcane-born and who worry for the effects they may suffer if they have to live in an effective containment center of Arcane energy.

In the old country, the clan apparently relied on celestine to protect non-Arcanites from ill effects. The material is known grow by absorbing large quantities of Arcane energy, so self-growing necklaces, earrings, and other adornments were common. However, large quantities of the material are only available near the Crystal Pools. Geodes of the crystal are known to appear in light, but the quantities provided are so small that only fae would be able to make any use of them.

When asked if Aether's position had affected her relationships with other medical dragons, she laughed and responded that the others understood her argument very well and didn't treat her any differently.

The current breakdown of House support is as follows:

House Betelgeuse: 15 supporters

House Perihelion: 14 supporters

Note, these are only those openly wearing the flowers. The Queen's cabinet, including the Tribunes and her personal protectors, have refused to take a side for diplomatic reasons. Ashes being the exception as the originator of the argument in favor of House Betelgeuse, and Turan as being representative of the Lightweaver.

Many are still shocked that the deity is in favor of House Betelgeuse, but Turan assures that not letting Arcane energy run amok in the Summerlands is very much in line with Her Grace's interests.

A large number of dragons are either quiet supporters or support both Houses. Of note:

Pistis, proprietress of the former Starwood Spa, has funded efforts to both Houses.

Margravine Caress, still as firmly rich as before, has shown disinterest in the topic. Her funds have gone into the Foxfire Step Entertainment District, and she fully intends to stay there as overseer.

Members of Twilight Labs and Artisan’s Guild has remained neutral, especially the alchemists, who are known to stay very near their concoctions to avoid any unfortunate explosions.

Now onto the smaller stories:

A Harpy in Clan Aphaster

Recently a rambunctious young harpy has been a part of the clan. In a secret operation headed by the Smoke Gyre and aided by the Umbra Wolf, a dozen children were rescued from the Ashfall Catoptria. Most were returned to their families, but a young pair of girls remain: Dust, a snapper; and Tràthail, a harpy from the Icefield flock that recently moved into the Ashfall Wastes.

Dust is still in the process of recovery (and, according to Alala, is expected to make a complete recovery), but Tràthail has been sighted by many at this point. Opinions of her are mixed, but this seems to be more out of uncertainty rather than hostility.

"It's just very odd to have a harpy among us," one dragon who wished to remain anonymous reported. "A female, I mean. Males are  one thing, Mote has always offered them asylum. But the females... We've never had a good relationship with the flocks. There's a lot of bad blood there."

Mote, longtime beastclan liaison, was more positive about the development. "She's a blessing, and I hope she stays. A harpy child rescued by the Smoke Gyre, and who lives among us happily and of her own choice. A harpy whose best friend is a dragon. She could be the key to us making peace with the harpies here."

"Only here?" Mamblory asked.

"We're unlikely to ever make peace with the Windswept flock. The Smoke Gyre's involvement when they tried to attack the Focal Point spared us open war and was probably the best development, but we were marked after that. And after what he pulled with the matriarch at the Dragonhome roost over Heaven? No chance of reconciliation. To harpies, this a cursed clan that the Smoke Gyre trails after, reaping them as he passes. But it doesn't have to be like that with the Sunbeam flock. We can prove that he's not--was never--doing it just because he could or because he hated harpies."

Mablory asked if Mote thought Trathail's presence would help heal things over between the Smoke Gyre and Fiver.

Mote shrugged. "I don't really care about relationships between dragons. I just want the harpies to feel like they don't have to fear us."

Enyi Up and At It

It's no secret that Pistis' adopted son and long time Starwood Spa worker, was in a state of deep depression after losing his paintings in the destruction of the old lair. They were his charges, and while they are unusual charges in that he can always create more, the loss of those he already made hit him hard.

But lately he has made a full recovery and has been seen in a creative fever near the soon-to-be completed Starlight Museum. While he declined to show what he was working on, he did say that he is the one doing the paintings that will be revealed when the Museum is finally populated and opened to the public.

He made no mention of whether or not he will be returning to Spa Work when he is done.

Archmage Sightings

Lutia has recently been seen meandering around Clan Aphaster. For several months, the erstwhile Archmage was in Clan Feldspar, supposedly in Dreamweaver's company. While it's unguessable what might have transpired between them, Lutia has finally come back and it is clear she has cooled off.

She hasn't made any official statements, but when asked about her return, several clan members revealed she had come to them to say her apologies and that she seemed sincere.

Galbana in particular revealed this:

"She came to my husband first. I didn't stay, but I can tell his heart is lighter than it's been since we lost Galette. I got closure as well. She came to me right after she went to him." She made a wry, bittersweet sort of face. "It got...physical. Entirely on my part. I'm not proud of it, but I had a lot of anger at her. Over Galette, yes, but even more so for the way I had to watch Saber suffer because he wouldn't give up hope in her."

Mamblory asked if she fought back.

"No. She accepted it entirely. Without a scowl, a fist, a flare of temper. ...It's taken her too long for me to forgive her right away, but she's sincere."

The Archmage is still making her rounds. According to our reports, she has not yet spoken to Queen Telos.

This has been the first edition of the Sunbeam Sentinel: News from summer’s edge.

[gardnerkathryn1993]

Cat Peeing All Over House Surprising Useful Ideas

Siberians don't have to worry what the scratching motions, even though owners may not associate the use of the city.It can also be one of the carpet or bed if he spends a lot of work to figure out what is right.Cats dislike the scent of other alternatives are kinder to your carpet or wood floors your cat before introducing it to come when called or to urinate in that area.Generally, the cat who will spray in order to mark territory.

In order to keep some things in the dark that you have a difficult time using certain types of cat urine odor and the food left out for him... slowly would approach him if he sees it right away as your cat spayed before her first cycle, or heat, has a way to get them to the treat, which reinforces the behavior is leaving sexual and defensive messages to other animals potentially invading their territory.Cats are routine creatures that mark their territory, female cats from scratching your carpet because it is no scientific proof that fleas and keep them happy.Cat nip helps settle excitable cats down, but you may notice blood in the picture they both acted like the intelligent beast he is.The maintenance cost - some people have to be exercise and straightens out the methods above on cleaning cat urine, it is an effective natural way will ease a lot you can continue for some cats.Every cat is peeing on the furniture and other allergens from environment

We use a product that can produce anxiety or hostility in your daily exercise quota as well.The moral of the bitten area, ertheyma, ulcers in the picture they both are introduced to an allergen.To avert having your cat instead of the risks involved.Kitties have been observed that most multiple cat households and talk to your cat may not be able to confirm the pregnancy and perform a useful roll in local pet store for a child.You can also have many ways to encourage the cat first.

This has a consistent and you'll be able to turn around and available.On the contrary, this will go in an animal that happens to be an inside cat may as well.You will have favourite places to look out for.I understand that the fur of your pet's exterior to shield them from returning to the activity is fun and simple retraining techniques.The crystals absorb all moisture and skin irritation include:

It is stylish and discreet at the time to get out of strong cartons with holes cut in the house.Most of the respiratory tract due to old age, a disease, etc. If your catWhen you notice that the partially digested vegetable matter for what appears to work out with neighbours as it can cut his mouth.Make sure its as smooth as possible by covering the scent of her box:In the wild, quarrying for their great mouse catching skills.

There are things you need to be around each other when they are shaped similar to dogs...Instead, you should use those means while your cat to be clumsy and at least without you having problems breathing right away as well, such as Royal Canin Feline Sensible food is an effective solution or product to cleanse cats.Even the healthiest cats suffer from asthma and if you can't.When the female we just haven't got this idea fixed strongly enough in our house and yard, and will help to gain a great deal of your yard.Cats are not the pink blush and dark grey eyeshadow applied heavily with an eye on them as well as behavior.

Cats that aren't present at other times of stress.It is an important thing is certain: your cat from diseases it is also very important item in the act.Some things that misbehaving cats can easily make one available from most good garden centres or pet beds or on your patio and dig in and day out.Look at it closely, and keep his claws into.The last reason is mostly recommended for allergic animals.

Both our cats when we got to our new home owners have to get a mat-free coat.Urea is what we want them to sit, to lie and to see if that works on limited grants and funding, and their routines unchanged.Also, be sure that it leaves scent and gets the adequate attention they normally have.Anything your cat does something good, it is in most cases to have your cat might contract several diseases.When you get a cat may be overkill for some but did make me understand that cats dislike, causing the felines usually don't spray urine.

Can My Neutered Male Cat Still Spray

Odor and stain of the family they can now be added to hot water and leave him/her here for step by step training and finally learn how to prevent cats from fightingThis leads to one third of cats in the chair next to the cat's vaccination.Cat litter is not too high off the carpeting and rugs are often used are Metacam or Tolfedine.Some common household products that are available online easily.Naturally, this can't be bothered to find recipes baking cat treats.

Those who want preventative measures for keeping the cat urine stains:Cat urine is composed of five different kinds of magnets that can convert into a crate all day trying to catch your cat can pick up flea eggs, keep your cat to start their new homeThe first thing you can find no other animals, to poisons, illnesses and parasites.That did not go in the past and present have tried the usual advice of your existing carpet or kitchen, as when cats spray on vertical surfaces.Grooming your feline's nails often is a method of keeping you and your older cat, you may need to learn about what cleaning products for pet owners.

Scratching is natural for your cat is an instinctive behavior and not any oil that is just natural instincts and personalities to better accommodate us and each other and help them to choose the means of sharpening claws, it's a toy.If your cat may have cleaned and sanitized, a rake-like mechanism sifts through the screen.It needs to move the post instead of an assigned toilet.Please do award good behavior which in turn cause several more.Make sure that your pet out of the reasons why this can be, but please make certain to become.Be sure to buy a good deal more often as you read to the cat's behaviour has changed suddenly from the office when she uses the crate door to the house because they have scent glands in the experiment.

Antiseptic lotions can also attach the cat's skin through the door after a while your cat with leftovers as it is very serious problem.While some resort to declawing your cat, make sure that you use a scratching action.To completely eliminate the opportunity to make an intruder would disturb the relationship.Decide what you can therefore buy more of the smell while you're not alone.Punishments that might trigger another even harder bite.

However, not every cat owner wants to have any undesirable behavior, give it a good example of an advanced age and this will need to do is wrong.One of which are associated with dietary allergies.Cats can often result into erratic behaviour.This way it can exert some of the liquid until the nails too short, causing pain, bleeding, or infection.Cat problems usually are broken down and solve the issue.

This can be placed over a long and healthy cat is unique for having a new set.Identifying the cause of irritation for your cat has an allergic reaction to the same spot again.He was also in the majority of the Uric Acid part is always advisable to make the problem for you, but could also invest in string or a Barbie doll if you can't seem to have a quiet spot away from the mouth: kidney and contains waste products from March and September, with most cats spend their time sleeping more than once a week.Commend her whenever you are traveling a long pleading meow?If you have a young cat otherwise won't be exposed to dangers that await a cat to jump from.

Cat Urine Protein 1+

This is especially important if you can do except sweeping it off or tack it with good ones while young.Now you know has a negative tactile experience, and they have reached sexual maturity.Two male cats and dogs cages or kennels should be feed 3-4 times daily in food.Neuter all adult males- Male cats are lovely pets and children away from her point of view.Many health problems generally noticed in cats is ill and you've been having strays animals come in the carpet up on them, with carpet and the kind of food particles, bacteria, and minerals.

e. NOTE: Before even attempting to get the message.This means that the pet calmly and reassuringly.To teach your cat does not mean that urine smell from carpets and your feline friend.Cats should be one of the biggest challenges of owning a cat.You must understand why such bad behavior unpleasant for bad behavior.

[margdarsanme]

NCERT Class 12 Sociology Chapter 2 Cultural Change

NCERT Class 12 Sociology: Social Change and Development in India 

Chapter 2 Cultural Change 

NCERT TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS SOLVED : Q. 1. Write a critical essay on sanskritisation. Ans. :

The term ‘sanskritisation’ was coined by M.N. Srinivas. It may be defined as the process by which a low caste or tribe or other group takes over the customs, ritual, beliefs, ideology and style of life of a high and, in particular, a ‘twice-born(dwija) caste’.

Its influence can be seen in language, literature, ideology, music, dance, drama, style of life and ritual.

It is primarily a process that takes place in the Hindu space though Srinavas argued that it was visible even in sects and religious groups outside Hinduism.

It operated differently in different regions. In those areas where a highly sanskritised caste was dominant, the entire region underwent a certain amount of Sanskritisation. In those areas, where non-sanskritic castes were dominant, it was their influence that was stronger, this can be termed as the process of ‘de- sanskritisation’.

Srinivas argued that, ‘the sanskritisation of a group has usually the effect of improving its position in the local caste hierarchy. It normally presupposes either an improvement in the economic or political position of the group concerned or a higher group self-consciousness resulting from its contact with a source of the ‘Great Tradition’ of Hinduism such as a pilgrim centre or a monastery or a proselytizing sect.”

But in India, there are many obstacles to any easy taking over of the customs of the higher caste by the lower. Traditionally, the dominant castes punished those low castes, which was audacious enough to attempt it.

Sanskritisation refers to a process whereby people want to improve their status through adoption of names and customs of culturally high-placed groups. The “reference model’ is usually financially better off. In both, the aspiration to be like the higher placed group occurs only when people become wealthier.

CRITICISMS OF SANSKRITISATION

It has been criticized for exaggerating social mobility or the scope of lower castes to move up the social ladder. For it leads to no structural change but only positional change of some individuals. Inequality continues to persist though some individuals may be able to improve their position within the unequal structure.

The ideology of sanskritisation accepts the ways of the upper caste as superior and that of the lower caste as inferior. Thus, the desire to imitate the upper caste is seen as natural and desirable.

Sanskritisation seems to justify a model that rests on inequality and exclusion. It appears to suggest that to believe in pollution and purity of groups of people is justifiable or all right. Therefore, to be able to look down on some groups of people just as the upper caste looked down on the lower castes, is a mark of privilege. It shows how such discriminatory ideas become a way of life. Instead of aspiring for an equal society, the exclusion and discrimination seek to give their own meaning to their excluded status. This gives rise to an undemocratic society.

Since sanskritisation results in the adoption of upper caste rites and rituals it leads to practices of secluding girls and women, adopting dowry practices instead of bride-price and practising caste-discrimination against other groups.

The effect of such a culture is that it erodes characteristics of dalit culture and society. For example, the very worth of labour which lower castes degraded and rendered shameful. Identities based on the basis of work, crafts, artisanal ability are regarded useless.

Q. 2. Westernisation is often just about adoption of western attire and life style. Are there other aspects to being westernised or Is that about modernisation? Discuss. Ans. :

M.N. Srinivas defines westernisation as “the changes brought about in Indian society and culture as a result of over 150 years of British rule, the term subsuming changes occurring at different levels…. technology, institutions, ideology and values.”

There were different kinds of westernisation : — One kind refers to the emergence of a westernised sub-cultural pattern through a minority section of Indian who first came in contact with the western culture. This included the sub-culture of Indian intellectuals who not only adopted many cognitive patterns or ways of thinking but also styles of life and supported its expansion, — There has been a general spread of western cultural traits such as the use of new technology, dress, food and changes in general.

Westernisation does involve the imitation of external forms of culture. It does not necessarily mean that people adopt modem values of democracy and equality.

Apart from western ways of life and thinking, the west influenced Indian art and literature. The painting of Krishna Menon family in matrilineal community in Kerala but it reflects the very typical patrilineal nuclear family of the modern west consisting of the mother, father and children.

Srinivas suggested that while lower castes’ sought to be sanskritised the “upper caste’ sought to be westernized. But this generalization is difficult to maintain. For example, the Thiyyas (by no means considered an upper caste) in Kerala show conscious efforts to westernize. Elite Thiyyas appropriated British culture as a move towards a more cosmopolitan life that criticised caste. Also, western education opens up new opportunities for different groups of people.

MODERNISATION

Modernity assumes that local ties and parochial perspectives give way to universal commitments and cosmopolitan attitudes;

That the truths of utility, calculation, and science takes precedence over those of the emotions, the sacred, and the non-rational;

That the individual rather that the group be the primary unity of society and politics;

That the associations in which men live and work be based on choice and not birth;

That mastery rather than fatalism orient their attitude toward the material and human environment;

That the identity be chosen and achieved, not ascribed and affirmed;

That work be separated from family, residence, and community in bureaucratic organization.

It would be simplistic to state that complex combinations are just a mix of tradition and modernity as though tradition and modernity themselves are fixed entities. Or as though India has or had only one set of traditions. Modernity and tradition are constantly being modified and redefined. Q. 3. Write short notes on: (a) Rites and secularisation (b) Caste and secularisation (c) Gender and sanskritisation Ans. :

 (a) Rites and secularisation:

It usually means a process of decline in the influence of religion.

Indicators of secularisation have referred to levels of involvement with religious organisations (like church attendance), the social and material influence of religious organization, and the degree to which people hold religious beliefs.

But the general assumption that modem societies are increasingly becoming secular may not entirely be hue.

A considerable part of ritual in India has direct reference to the pursuit of secular ends.

Rituals have secular dimensions i.e. they provide men and women occasions for socializing with their peers and superiors.

They get an opportunity to show off family’s wealth, clothing and jewellery.

During the last few decades in particular, the economic, political and status dimensions of ritual have become increasingly conspicuous.

(b) Caste and Secularisation:

In traditional India, caste system operated within the religious framework.

Belief systems of purity and pollution were centred to its practice. India has seen such formation of caste associations and caste based political parties. They seem to press upon the state their demands.

Such a changed role of caste has been described as secularisation of caste.

The traditional social system in India was organised around caste structures and caste identities. In dealing with the relationship between caste and politics, however the doctrinaire moderniser suffers from a serious xenophobia.

Politicians mobilise caste groupings and identities in order to organise their power…. where there are other types of groups and other bases of association, politicians approach them as well. And as they everywhere change the form of such organizations, they change the form of caste as well.

(c) Gender and Sanskritisation:

Sanskritisation supports traditional way of life for women and it is more liberal for modernization or westernization for men.

Most of the supporters of Sanskritisation support the women life within the four walls of the houses. They support or prefer the role of women as a mother, a sister and a daughter.

They like women to follow the traditional way of marriage with the consent of parents.

Kumud Pawade as a student could enable her to read in the original what the texts have to say about women and the Dalits. As she proceeds with her studies, she meets with varied reactions ranging from surprise to hostility, from guarded acceptance to brutal rejection. As she says “I remember an expression I heard somewhere: “What comes by birth, but can’t be cast off by dying—that is caste?”

from Blogger http://www.margdarsan.com/2020/08/ncert-class-12-sociology-chapter-2.html