#and the mental impact is so often overlooked

[annieisyourfavourite]

guys if i'm being so real. being diabetic IS having an eating disorder. like, there is no way of being diabetic that does not include disordered eating. and that's not even counting the diabetes-specific eating disorders that we have names for, like diabetic bulimia. like i feel like there should be a name for the relationship between the diabetic, the food that they eat, and the body they put it in. but right now we just call it "diabetes" and it's just a washed over part of the process of being alive with this shit

[genderkoolaid]

7 in 10 transgender people age 18-24 experience an eating disorder. These disorders are so pervasive in the LGBTQ community that the Biden administration earlier this month awarded a multi-million dollar grant to psychologists pioneering identity-affirming eating disorder treatment for LGBTQ people. Trans men experience even higher rates of eating disorders than their female counterparts and the highest rates of any demographic group, according to a 2023 study from the National Library of Medicine. Experts say trans people disproportionately struggle with eating disorders because they face body dysphoria, societal stigma, and a deep desire for control amidst a world that often feels hostile and invalidating. [...] “Most people assume those impacted are young, white, thin, and female. [But] only 6% of people who struggle with eating disorders are clinically underweight. When somebody who is not that model then has to navigate recovery in the real world, they're also having to navigate this landscape that doesn't see them as a person who is impacted.” Cisgender, white women are the most likely to be asked about eating disorders by their doctors and receive treatment. Men have reported struggling to feel understood by therapists, feeling unwanted in the treatment environment and that their concerns are not taken into account. This means a lot of men—and especially trans men—are left untreated. [...] Cyan found it easier to be open about his eating disorder when he was feminine presenting, but since he transitioned, he gets nervous talking about it. “I feel like it’s taken less seriously because I look like a man, and it’s more embarrassing to have to deal with it as a man. When I was considering my gender, I always thought men don't have to care about what they look like. But that was not the case.” Cyan says men are held to standards of fitness and “pressure to be strong in a certain way.” “There's a sense of fitness that is still expected when it comes to peak masculinity. It’s to be muscular and strong and I thought that’s what I needed to be.” [...] When trans men receive gender-affirming care, studies point to a reduction in eating disorder behaviors. Another 2019 study found that when gender is affirmed and gender dysphoria is reduced, eating disorder symptoms decrease.

I want to note that even though the study mentioned here is a meta-analysis, that doesn't mean it's perfect. A lot of the data it's drawing from had fairly small sample sizes. I don't think the takeaway here should be "trans men have it WORSE than trans women" because ultimately, what DOES seem pretty solid is that all trans people have higher rates of ED than cisgender men or women. And all trans people are vulnerable to the influence of misogyny in developing eating disorders. The takeaway is that transgender men are especially vulnerable to disordered eating, that should be discussed a lot more, and transmascs need ED recovery resources that take anti-transmasculinity into account and take it seriously. And also, free transitions for everybody forever.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: Tactics of Persuasion

Phantom dreams

Story-telling

Tailored pitches

Source credibility and authority

Social consensus and social identity

Scarcity

Information control

Self-generated persuasion

Commitment

The rationalization trap

Phantom Alternative

An option that looks real, is typically superior to other choices, but is unavailable (Pratkanis & Farquhar, 1992).

The key to selling a flimflam (i.e., the selling of pseudoscience, fringe science, and other questionable claims) is to sell the phantom as real and possible and something that can be obtained with the right belief, effort, and, of course, money, but, in reality, it is a false dream.

The sale of a phantom begins by creating ostensible solutions to satisfy our most basic needs and desires.

As such, phantoms often purport to provide things such as:

Health (quack cures, diets, “healing” rituals, mental health pseudoscience, psychic surgery, faith healing).

Wealth (get-rich-quick schemes, lucky lottery numbers, investment fraud).

Social popularity (weight loss regimes, love potions, dating and romance fraud, becoming an “expert” with “secret” knowledge about UFOs, the Loch Ness Monster, and the moon landing).

Fear of death and the end of our existence (séances, life-after death claims).

Reduction in the anxiety of life’s uncertainties (advice given by horoscopes, astrology, psychic mediums, and other means, phrenology, psychic detectives, conspiracy theories that “make sense” of the world and the desires and feelings of those who spread them).

It is relatively easy to create a phantom since it does not actually need to solve these needs, but just appear to do so.

Compounding the problem, it’s often difficult to spot the real from the fake course of action without the needed knowledge, expertise, and critical thinking skills.

Although a phantom dream is imaginary, its impact on our behavior is quite real.

Story-Telling: The Invented Ruse

To allay our concerns, the seller of flimflam invents a ruse or story to make the fake look real (Bell & Whaley, 1991; Clark & Mitchell, 2019)

A good narrative:

helps to guide our thoughts (e.g., the cure is natural and traditional),

determines the credibility of information (e.g., as a natural cure, this makes sense), and

ultimately directs evaluation and choice (e.g., it works for Native Americans and Quakers, why not me?).

As such, stories cement information in our mind and tend to persist even in the face of strong, discrediting information (Anderson et al., 1980; see Pratkanis (2007) for the use of stories in influence).

Tailored Pitches

Fake healers can use the technique of pre-show to gather needed information.

For example: Before the healing event, attendees can fill out prayer cards with their healing requests and other information.

During the service, the fake healer can call out names and appear, by purported divine intervention, to know the person’s illness and personal life story.

Typically, the fake healer will “cure” shills (plants who fake illnesses) and those with painful health problems for which the pain can be overlooked in the excitement of the moment. The prayer cards (along with Googling and social media) provide the needed information.

Source Credibility and Authority

Two of the most robust research findings in social psychology are as follows: (a) we tend to listen to those who are credible (expert and trustworthy) sources (Hovland et al., 1953); (b) we tend to obey authorities (Milgram, 1974).

The merchant of flimflam leverages these 2 basic human tendencies by creating a persona as a credible authority and then using that persona to hawk a phantom.

Social Consensus and Social Identity

Flimflam merchants will use our social relationships to sell their phantoms by employing the influence tactics of social consensus and social identity.

When we see other people doing something, we are more likely to do the same through the conformity created by social consensus – if everyone is doing it, it must be the right thing to do.

Social consensus engages 2 psychological processes that promote conformity (Deutsch & Gerard, 1955):

information or social proof (“if other people are doing it, it must be correct”; Cialdini, 1984) and

normative influences or social pressure to agree or go along with the group (“I don’t want to be different from the group”; Asch, 1951).

The seller of flimflam will manufacture a false consensus (or take advantage of an apparent one). Quack remedies, astrological readings, unproven Covid treatments, get-rich schemes often feature testimonials of people who speak to the “value” of the product.

Once we become engaged with a flimflam, it can provide us with a desired social identity or a sense of who we are based on our reference group memberships, whether they be real or aspirational (Abrams et al., 1990; Kelley & Volkart, 1952; Tajfel, 1981).

Scarcity

Another social influence tactic to make a flimflam look desirable is to make it look scarce (Cialdini, 1984).

Given that phantoms are generally rare, this is rather easily accomplished.

As an effective social influence tactic, scarcity:

plays on a rule in our head, “if it is rare, it must be valuable”;

creates a sense of urgency and panic that we need to act now and feeling of frustration (reactance) when we do not obtain the phantom; and

inflates our feelings of uniqueness and self-worth when we obtain something that is rare (Pratkanis, 2007).

Information Control: False Accusations, Projection, and Doubt Campaigns

The sellers of flimflam often encounter scientists, journalists, magicians, lawyers, informed citizens, and other “do-gooders and crusaders” who use evidence and reason to point out false claims made in selling the phantom.

If left to stand, these criticisms can cut into sales and deflate the entire scheme. As such, the flimflam merchant needs to control the information environment and can do so using at least 3 techniques:

First, the peddler of a flimflam can falsely accuse the critics. Such attacks can be effective because it can result in a negative impression of the target of attack, undermining their reputation (Wegner et al., 1981). In addition, such allegations set up a chilling, coercive effect as others may become fearful of speaking out.

A second information control tool for the flimflam merchant is a variant of the false accusation known as the projection tactic – accusing others of the misdeed you are doing (Rucker & Pratkanis, 2001). In research, we find that a projection attack: (a) focused attention on the accused and away from the person making the accusation, (b) increased the blame placed on the target of projection, and (c) decreased the culpability of the accuser, making the accuser look good and moral for raising such issues. The effects of projection persisted despite attempts to raise suspicions about the motives of the accuser and providing evidence that the accuser was indeed guilty of the deeds.

A third approach to controlling the information environment is through a doubt campaign (Michaels, 2008; Oreskes & Conway, 2010). The purpose of a doubt campaign is not to convince someone of something (say, the value of the flimflam) but instead to raise doubts and confusion about the facts with the goals of (a) making it difficult to know the truth, (b) creating the impression that there is a controversy (when there is little or none), and (c) forestalling any action until the “controversy” is resolved. The doubt campaign was pioneered in the 1950s and 1960s by tobacco companies seeking to dissuade consumers that their products were harmful, but now is used to create doubt and confusion on such issues as climate change, the efficacy of vaccines such as those preventing childhood illnesses and COVID-19, the value of masks for limiting the spread of COVID-19, and evidence against various conspiracy theories.

Self-Generated Persuasion

One of the most effective means of influence is to have the target generate arguments in support of a position and thereby persuade her- or himself (Boninger et al., 1990; Lewin, 1947).

Self-generated persuasion is effective because in essence it asks the target to think up good reasons for a proposition and to refute any counter argument.

This self-generated message comes from a source that is considered credible, trustworthy, respected, and liked – ourselves.

Commitment

In order to establish continued advocacy and use of a flimflam, the seller needs to secure a commitment, especially a public one, from the target.

With a public commitment, a person is linked to a behavior or course of action – in this case, advocating for and using a flimflam.

Breaking this binding produces a negative tension of not living up to one’s promises and a concern that one will look inconsistent and untrustworthy (e.g., a need to save face). As such, securing a commitment increases the likelihood that the target will comply and perform that behavior (Brockner & Rubin, 1985; Salancik, 1977; Staw, 1976).

Commitments are strongest when the behavior is public/visible, irreversible, and perceived to be freely chosen.

One method for securing a commitment is through the use of the foot-in-the-door tactic (Freedman & Fraser, 1966).

Flimflam is rampant on social media, and we can easily see why.

Social media, with its emphasis on engagement (liking, reposting, posting, commenting, posing, arguing) provides many opportunities to make public, irreversible, and freely chosen commitments (as well as to allow those commitments to be used to create the appearance of social consensus as to the value of the flimflam).

While making a commitment increases compliance, it also results in perhaps the most important ingredient in selling a flimflam: setting a rationalization trap.

The Rationalization Trap

Once a person is sold on a flimflam, and especially when he or she comes to purchase and publically advocate for the phantom option, it changes the way a person processes information.

No longer is the goal “to find things out” but instead to defend and justify the beliefs and actions in what can be called a rationalization trap (Festinger, 1957; Pratkanis & Shadel, 2005; Tavris & Aronson, 2007).

When a person holds 2 discrepant thoughts, what social psychologists call cognitive dissonance, it results in an aversive tension state with painful implications for the self.

In such a state, we are highly motivated to reduce the dissonance.

Of course, one way to reduce the dissonance is to admit a mistake – I was wrong about the cure – and to take responsibility for one’s actions by alerting others and rejecting or, at least scrutinizing more carefully, the source of the disinformation about the quack COVID-19 treatment.

While a mature response and what science requires (Feynman, 1985), it is often difficult to take this route to dissonance reduction, especially when we have made public commitments, self-generated arguments, and linked our social identities to the flimflam, in this case, the quack cure.

Admitting a mistake often is taken to mean – to ourselves and to others – that we are not a good and capable person.

After all, we were unable to see through the deception and then told others to do something that might damage their health.

Unfortunately, an all-too-often course of action is to dig in our heels further and to rationalize and justify our behavior.

Some common ways to do this include:

deny the evidence (“the data showing the ineffectiveness of the cure is made-up”),

take some irrelevant aspect of the disagreeable research and pretend that it is damning (“the study was only done in New York”),

derogate the source (“that’s from the biased media and the doctors’ union”),

derogate others who expose the quackery (“nurses and doctors don’t care about people”),

perform a selective information search (search out and spread any study or claim no matter how unreliable that supports one’s position),

keep repeating discredit research as if it is true, bolster one’s own self and one’s intuition as a way of knowing (“I can see through the media; I did my research unlike those duped by big pharma”),

derogate other forms of knowing, particularly science and reason (“science is a limited way of knowing unlike my intuition”),

use whataboutism (“what about the time Fauci might have said something wrong”),

seek external justification (“a cure that might work is better than having to wear a mask”), and, perhaps worst of all,

self-censorship of putting ourselves in an information bubble where we only hear agreeable information and anything disagreeable is either not heard or ridiculed.

Obviously, a rationalization trap is a very effective means of selling a flimflam.

Once we are in the trap, we will continue to buy the flimflam and advocate for the phantom option in an attempt to justify ourselves in the face of failing evidence.

A key component of being an active truth-finder is to have a plan for evaluating and making decisions about claims.

When we do make a mistake, the honorable thing to do is to admit the error and take responsibility for our actions.

Source ⚜ Reading Scientific Articles ⚜ False Claims ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[ovwechoes]

Talon & Secret Talents (Headcanons) Super indulgent, but these are what I think the members of Talon would have their secret talent as. My asks are open and requests are welcome, enjoy (they're under the cut c:)

Akande Ogundimu / Doomfist: I can honestly imagine Akande being incredibly good at Luthiery, which is crafting and repairing string instruments like guitars and violins. He taught himself years ago, and has continued honing his skills, modifying instruments and making them out of unconventional materials just to prove to himself he can do it. It's something Akande takes great pride in, serving as a way for him to relax with something mindless and meticulous.

Gabriel Reyes / Reaper: Gabriel has a secret talent for wine and beer making, often spending months at a time making some for his wife, or his colleagues for their birthday. He'll never tell them that he made it, just that it was the cheapest in the store to throw them off his track. Gabriel was taught by his dad how to, and has since loved making it out of ingredients that you wouldn't expect, like sugary sweets or caffeinated drinks. He enjoys the time spent carefully watching it brew, spending weeks to months focused on making sure it tastes divine.

Moira O'Deorian: Honestly I like to think that Moira's good at embroidery, especially cross stitching. She was taught how to do it by her mother, who was taught by their mother and so on. It's a family gift, and she values the time spent carefully making beautifully woven creations. She used to fabric dye too, taking her time with an airbrush to make the most beautiful Ada for people to buy from her. It's her secret hobby, and it helps her to unwind especially if she can't sleep that night.

Siebren de Kuiper / Sigma: Siebren's always enjoyed writing, finding it to be the best way to express his thoughts and feelings. Over time, his writing has become more erratic, scattered, and incoherent. It's something that weighs on his mind from time to time, but he enjoys reading back his older works, like diary entries or poetry he's written. It fills him with a hope of returning to that mental state, and writing in and of itself helps him to clear the echoing thoughts that linger each day. 

Amelie Lacroix / Widowmaker: Amelie has always loved dressmaking, and considers herself to be a talented seamstress. She's always enjoyed it, and it's something even Talon wouldn't be able to pry from her hands. Amelie made her wedding dress, cocktail dresses for parties, and likes to make new patterns for future designs as often as possible. It's something meticulous, and helps to focus her mind on something that won't impact her negatively. Often, Moira and Olivia will ask Amelie to make them designs that she thinks would compliment them, but wouldn't expect her to make the dress completely for them, often tailoring it to be absolutely perfect on them. It's not as much of a secret talent as she'd like it to be, with Moira and Olivia being the only people that know about it. However, she values their opinions on her work, and appreciates the way they express their gratitude over the dresses she makes for them. It makes her feel as though she has a purpose again; one that doesn't have a road of dead bodies following her.

Olivia Colomar / Sombra: Olivia's scarily gifted at photography and photo editing. She has a secret blog and secret twitter to share her creations, to conceal her identity and prevent anyone finding them. Her works are based on her traumas, and the things going on in Dorado that she can't prevent. They're often thought provoking, bringing light to the things that people often overlook. She likes to add an element of hope into the images, and likes to add a line that adds to the work to each post. They're not popular by any means, with rarely anyone interacting with them, but she doesn't care - as long as someone's documenting the way her home is being destroyed by the violence, she's content. It's something she intends to keep private, and she doesn't want to attach her face or name to the images she's creating.

Maugaloa Malosi: Maugaloa has a talent for memorising and recalling information - even when he was a child, he was applauded for his ability to recall exact details of the smallest things from months ago. It's something he prides himself on, but doesn't talk about often enough, wanting to utilise this skill when it'll suit him the most. He enjoys the ability to memorise things, often seeing it as a weapon ready to be used whenever he needs/wants.

[theworldoffostering]

This is your friendly political reminder:

1. We have a child who immigrated to the United States. It was difficult to do so, and my guess is those of you referring to people as “illegals,” don’t have a very good understanding of the cost or the process. Additionally, there seems to be a severe lack of compassion and understanding that human beings are human, and we are called to love one another. People are suffering all over the world. Jesus did not call you to “take care of your own.”

2. We have three children in the local school district with IEPs. I’ve spent most of the fall vigorously advocating that they get what they need WITH their IEPs in place. Those of you looking to see the Department of Education dismantled might be lucky enough to not need any of the safeguards that we need in order to ensure that our children can learn. Five of our kids went to HeadStart. One is currently receiving a Pell Grant for college. Please step in alongside me to attend IEP meetings, drive my children to school to receive services (today alone I will do 12 pick up/drop offs at four different schools), or offer private tutoring in the form of specially designed instruction, tutoring, or OT, all of which are needed.

3. Five of our children came to us through adoption. Being anti-abortion while trying to strip away all of the things our kids and family needs in order to stay afloat with our children that are very much alive, but need additional help in various areas (like healthcare and education) is inconsistent at best. Please volunteer to help me out at home. Many people are single issue voters, but are not actually taking kids into their home that survived birth, but don’t have a home in the world. We are managing mental health diagnoses, former police contact (monthly at one point), a prior CPS investigation (now closed), complex medication management, attachment trauma, the inability to spend time together as a couple, and so much community judgement. It’s hurtful. I am an all-in parent, but it’s impossible to do alone.

4. All seven of our kids have utilized state insurance, and currently six of them have it. It sure saved us financially when we had a child that needed to be life flighted to a hospital with a fractured skull and brain bleed. It has also allowed for countless in-patient stays for mental health.

5. Being a foster parent for 16 years has unfortunately provided me with an up close seat to see the impact of sexual abuse on children and teens, some of whom are now adults. Sexual assault is never okay. Being willing to overlook sexual assault as a means to justify the end, is also not okay. Ever.

Policies have real impact on real people. This fall has been one of the hardest yet for me as I work to meet everyone’s needs both personally and professionally. Our family is already isolated as is often the case when trying to walk through life against the grain. Last fall a local family (a mom in her 40s) told one of our older daughters that their entire church here in town hated me, and that I needed professional help. (You may report back that I do have a therapist because anyone processing this much secondary trauma over 15 years needs one.) This is awfully difficult stuff to endure in a small town both as an adult, and a child, and yet endure we must, because there is no other choice.

Hate breeds hate. Please choose differently. We are just trying to survive in our small corner of the world here. It’s already incredibly challenging, and would be less so by having people to circle around us to support us, love us, and encourage us. At the end of the day, isn’t that what most people need?

[sixty-silver-wishes]

Dmitri Shostakovich at Sergei Prokofiev's funeral, 1953.

For context, Prokofiev and Stalin died on the same day- March 5, 1953. Because Stalin's funeral was such a major event in the Soviet Union, Prokofiev's was largely overlooked, despite the fact he was one of the leading Soviet composers of his day. Relatively few people attended his funeral, Shostakovich among them.

Shostakovich and Prokofiev were not particularly close, and had a thorny professional relationship- much of the correspondence between them that I've been able to find appears to be formal criticism of each other's works. As Prokofiev was from an older generation- he was born in 1891, while Shostakovich was born in 1906- they did not always see eye-to-eye musically; Shostakovich experimented with the avant-garde when possible, perhaps in part due to his musical maturation during the socially-liberal NEP era, while Prokofiev's style tended to be more conservative and neoclassical- picking up more influence from Imperial-age composers and fellow emigres to the west (he lived in France and the United States before returning to the Soviet Union in 1936). Their generational difference also partially accounted for how they responded to harsh government criticism- Shostakovich was impacted by the consequences of his 1936 denunciation all his life and, while he suffered greatly during his second denunciation in 1948, was able to develop public and private personas, in both the musical and ideological spheres, to preserve himself and his artistry. However devastating as it was for Shostakovich, the 1948 denunciations took a greater toll on many other composers, Prokofiev included. As Prokofiev did not believe he would be harshly denounced as Shostakovich had been in 1936, he was far less prepared for the censorship and attacks he faced in 1948. As a result of the denunciations, combined with his declining health, his artistic productivity decreased, and he largely regulated himself to writing basic ideological works towards the end of his life.

This is a letter Shostakovich wrote to Prokofiev on the subject of his Seventh (and last) Symphony:

There's speculation as to whether or not Shostakovich was actually impressed by Prokofiev's Seventh Symphony. As Prokofiev was in decline at the time of writing it, the symphony has been criticized for being banal and not being particularly innovative; Rostropovich even claimed that Prokofiev added in its final flourish not for artistic purposes, but to have the piece nominated for a Stalin Prize, which would have meant money and a boost to his reputation after it suffered in 1948. (The Stalin Prize has its own complicated history in its role in Soviet music, and although it was the highest award a Soviet composer could earn, it could sometimes be awarded as a sort of backhanded punishment- an encouragement for composers to write the "right" sort of music, especially after they had been criticized for "formalism." Nonetheless, winning it after suffering a denunciation could mean financial and political security.) Did Shostakovich- who had often traded criticisms with Prokofiev over music- actually like this piece, or was this an effort to encourage a fellow artist to keep composing after suffering mental and physical ailments? This was a private letter and not a public statement, and Shostakovich was typically very straightforward about critiques, so if the entirely positive sentiment for the piece wasn't genuine (the only critique here is that Shostakovich says he wishes the entire symphony was encored!), the letter may have come from a place of concern.

Perhaps the most striking thing about this letter is the line, "I wish you another hundred years to live and create. Listening to such works as your Seventh Symphony makes it much easier and more joyful to live." Maybe by telling Prokofiev that he wished him another hundred years to live and create, Shostakovich was not simply praising the symphony, but encouraging Prokofiev- a composer whom he was often on icy terms with- that he needed to keep living and creating, during a time when it was becoming more and more difficult for him to do so.

[whateverisbeautiful]

🀄️reflecting on richonne

Seeing there’s a TOWL teaser next week has me real excited. And since it’s always missing-them hours, I just wanted to come on here right quick to revel in some Richonne.

I’ve often said you can’t have Rick without Michonne and vice versa because of how pivotal they are to each others’ journey - and I just had to break down how true this is. See to me, if you love the incredible protagonist of Rick Grimes you really can’t overlook or downplay “Richonne,” because Michonne is so influential to almost every major choice and character development of Rick from Season 3 forward.

Season 3: One of Rick’s big character turning points in season 3 is realizing it does in fact need to be a democracy again. And it’s nearly giving up Michonne and then instantly regretting it that really helps open his eyes and leads to this major character growth in him

Season 4: Rick’s monumental character development this season is transitioning from Farmer Rick to peak Savage Rick. And he officially says goodbye to Farmer Rick during the unforgettable jugular bite against Joe and the Claimers, a moment experienced only by Rick and three others from TF, his closest people Michonne, Carl, and Daryl. And of course, protecting Carl is Rick’s biggest motivation here but knowing those Claimers had horrible plans for Michonne too…None of that was happening on Rick’s watch. Farmer Rick had to go to save Michonne, Carl, and Daryl and thus the feral Savage Rick era was born

Season 5: As one of the seasons with the most fascinating character study of Rick Grimes, this season is all about Rick being on edge and unsure who to trust. But even amidst his mental spiral, he always finds himself trusting Michonne. Rick makes two huge decisions this season - to bring the group to Washington and then to bring the group to Alexandria which greatly impacts the plot going forward. And both times his willingness to take the leap is completely due to Michonne. When she’s vulnerable with him and expresses what she thinks is best, Rick is a real one who trusts her gut even over his own. The two operate as true partners and he lets her lead him and everyone toward what ends up being tf's home for the rest of the series.

Season 6: Rick has two impactful character shifts that occur in 6A & 6B. In the first half, Rick’s journey is about finally embracing the Alexandrians as his own people, and who most helps him see that? Michonne. Especially in that scene on the porch where he looks at her like she’s just pure mesmerizing. It shows Michonne is instrumental in helping Rick understand that they’re catching their breath in here and anything else is excuses. (And Rick's next scene is him helping Tobin, showing he’s listening to her) Then in Rick’s words to Carl at the end of No Way Out, impeccably acted by Andy, his 6A arc concludes with him turning a new leaf as a character and realizing the people of that town really can make it.

And now in 6B, we get a very confident Rick...And you can’t tell me that him finally having the Baddest Chick in the Game isn’t one of the reasons why he’s feeling himself. 😌 Like he is on top of the world once Richonne becomes official. But that confidence turns into a bit of hubris and devastating series-shifting consequences ensue in the finale.

Season 7/8: Andy said it perfectly himself when he referred to Michonne as key in season 7. At the group's lowest point, it’s Michonne, in a flawlessly acted monologue from Danai, who helps Rick fully accept that it’s finally time to fight back against the Saviors, a choice that impacts the whole next half of the season and season 8. And when Rick’s character undergoes a massive turning point as he and Michonne experience the worst pain of losing Carl in S8, Rick slowly but surely comes back to himself after diving off the deep end largely thanks to Michonne’s love and support.

Season 9: Rick’s whole state of mind in season 9 is genuinely hopeful and content as he seems to be in the process of learning to honor the memory of Carl while optimistically building for the future. He believes in the bridge, he believes all the people will come around (because he and Michonne did), and he believes the world can be stable enough for him to have a child with the love of his life. So much of this impactful character development from Rick is a testament to his relationship with Michonne and their ability to help each other heal.

So all that to say, Richonne is so much more than some side love story to the main plot, it’s unequivocally vital, foundational, and influential to the whole TWD series & Michonne is indispensable to Rick’s journey and character growth. Rick Grimes is of course a goated protagonist all on his own…but he didn’t want it to be just him being a boss on his own. He made it clear he wanted Michonne by his side through it all. Because Rick knew what we know - which is that Richonne is absolutely key. 💜

[outfitqueer]

20 Things We as Trans Wish We Knew Before Transitioning

@outfitqueer 🏳️‍⚧️

Did you know that the journey of transitioning often reveals lessons that only become clear in hindsight?

When I reached out to fellow trans individuals and asked them what they wished they had known before their transition, here’s what they told me:

@outfitqueer 🏳️‍⚧️

“I wish I had known that self-acceptance takes time. It’s a process that unfolds gradually. It wasn’t something that happened instantly for me.”

@outfitqueer 🏳️‍⚧️

“I wish I had understood that support comes in many forms. You might not find it where you expect, but new sources of support will appear in unexpected places.”

@outfitqueer 🏳️‍⚧️

“I never anticipated that my identity would continue to evolve. I thought transitioning would be the end of my self-discovery, but it turned out to be just the beginning.”

@outfitqueer 🏳️‍⚧️

“If only I had realized that the process isn’t linear. There were so many twists and turns along the way. It’s normal to feel like you’re moving backwards sometimes.”

@outfitqueer 🏳️‍⚧️

“I wish I had paid more attention to self-care. I didn’t fully grasp how important it was to nurture my mental and emotional health throughout the transition.”

@outfitqueer 🏳️‍⚧️

“Finding a supportive community earlier would have made a huge difference. I didn’t know how invaluable it would be to connect with others who truly understood me.”

@outfitqueer 🏳️‍⚧️

“I was caught off guard by how many people wouldn’t understand. If I could do it over, I’d prepare myself for the ignorance and work on being patient and educating others.”

@outfitqueer 🏳️‍⚧️

“Patience would have been a great ally. Transitioning and gaining acceptance took much longer than I expected. I wish I’d been more patient with myself and others.”

@outfitqueer 🏳️‍⚧️

“I didn’t expect the emotional highs and lows to be so intense. Recognizing and accepting these fluctuations would have helped me cope better.”

@outfitqueer 🏳️‍⚧️

“Finding my voice and learning to advocate for myself was crucial. I wish I had realized sooner how empowering it would be to speak up for my needs and experiences.”

@outfitqueer 🏳️‍⚧️

“I didn’t fully grasp how much transitioning would impact my relationships. If I could go back, I’d be more prepared for these changes and how to navigate them.”

@outfitqueer 🏳️‍⚧️

“Self-compassion was something I struggled with. I wish I had been kinder to myself during the tough times. It’s important to remember that setbacks are part of the journey.”

@outfitqueer 🏳️‍⚧️

“Celebrating small victories was something I overlooked. I wish I had focused more on acknowledging and enjoying my achievements along the way.”

@outfitqueer 🏳️‍⚧️

“Navigating public spaces was more challenging than I had anticipated. I wish I had been better prepared for the complexities and how to handle them.”

@outfitqueer 🏳️‍⚧️

“Building resilience was essential. I learned that developing inner strength helps in facing challenges and setbacks. I wish I had understood its importance earlier.”

@outfitqueer 🏳️‍⚧️

“Embracing my unique path was something I had to learn. Comparing my journey to others was unhelpful. I wish I had focused more on my own experience.”

@outfitqueer 🏳️‍⚧️

“The journey didn’t end with transitioning. Personal growth and self-discovery continued beyond that. I wish I’d known that there’s always more to learn and explore.”

@outfitqueer 🏳️‍⚧️

“Financial planning is something I wish I’d focused on more. Transitioning came with significant costs, and better budgeting would have eased some of the stress.”

@outfitqueer 🏳️‍⚧️

“I should have sought out comprehensive legal and medical advice earlier. Having a better understanding from the start would have made many decisions easier.”

@outfitqueer 🏳️‍⚧️

“I found that documenting my journey helped me a lot. Keeping a journal or recording my experiences provided a way to process the emotional ups and downs.”

@outfitqueer 🏳️‍⚧️

[radbandkid]

what i love about sally bowles is how human she is.

so often times in theatre, but generally in any storytelling medium, is the notion for the main character to be morally superior.

when a character makes mistakes, or is clearly in the wrong, the audience overlooks the meaning behind writing those errors and chalks it up to the author being evil.

i love cabaret because you’re conflicted with empathizing with the characters, but also wanting to yell at them to look around the chaos they’re abiding by.

i see this more clearly in dear evan hansen. those ive discussed with who dont like the musical usually explain it’s because evan is manipulative and has an inferiority complex.

but that’s what’s beautiful about dear evan hansen. he’s so representative of how mental illness can destroy not just our will to live, but our moral compass as well. evan is the literal definition of “hurt people hurt people.”

in summation, i believe a story where the audience is forced to reckon with the cruel natures of a narrator is so beautifully complex, and more impactful.

[alwerakoo]

One aspect of rise!Mikey that I feel like gets often overlooked (and that I love elaborating on in my series) is that he seems to have the type of personality one chooses to develop by themselves.

What I mean by that is that yes - he is the most emotionally mature of his brothers and yes - he's most likely an empath by nature, but there are some moments in the series that would feel 'out of character' for a typical sunshine/heart of the group kind of character.

Probably most memorably in "Pizza Pit", where he goes on full on feral, to the point where Raph as to actively hold him down (noteworthy for this take is that he says "I'm usually a peaceful turtle"). And he does his iconic "evil" laugh. And while Donnie and Leo say: "Should we be worried about him?" "... Probably.", Raph doesn't seem at all bothered by his behavior, which leads me to think that this has happened before, perhaps while Mikey was in a not-so-good mental state, like im this episode.

There's also "Doctor Delicate Touch" and "Doctor Feelings" (both of which I'm going to over interprete because fuck it, I AM making it THAT DEEP). What's interesting about these characters is that, while Doctor Feelings feels like something a kid would come up with to get through his emotionally constipated brothers (and seems to be a relatively new thing, since Donnie didn't recognize him like he does Dr DT), Dr Delicate Touch is more interesting. He's loud and blunt, mean, but all for the sake of accomplishing a certain goal, and as Mikey put it: "he feels nothing". He usually comes up when they run out of other resolutions to a problem, or in deeply frustrating moments. To me, this feels like a way for Mikey to vent out his emotions/resolve a problem in a way he would naturally lean towards, without the outburst impacting his role in the family or the way his brothers view him.

In short words - Dr Delicate Touch is Mikey's natural personality.

All of this leads me to believe that by nature, he leans more towards chaotic neutral rather than the chaotic good usually associated with him, and his personally would reflect that more if he grew up an only child.

To be clear - I don't think actively 'choosing' your personality or reshaping it a certain way makes it any less real, or that he's pretending in any way. This is just something some people do while growing up.

So what I'm saying is that while, for example, Raph seems to have just naturally fall into the role of a leader because of the type of person he is(as basically canonically confirmed), to me Mikey feels like he deliberately choose to be the sort of emotional support/glue to his family on purpose, and reshaped his personality to fit after.

[russellius]

ATHLETES FOR PURPOSE: Meet the Athletes Using Instagram For Good

The Race for Mental Health Awareness

In the fast-paced world of Formula 1, there’s another race that George Russell is also focusing on - the race for mental health awareness. "I wanted to go on a bit of a journey to find how mental health can affect us and those around us," George explains. "It's something that affects us all, including myself, and there have been times when I didn't have the courage to speak up about it and talk to someone."

"At the start of the year, I saw it as an opportunity to make a fresh start," he reflects. "But making that step isn't always easy. While many of us focus on our physical health, our mental well-being can often be overlooked. That's why last year I promised to educate myself more on the subject."

Despite a busy racing schedule, George made time to meet with industry professionals to discuss the importance of mental well-being, sharing these meetings with his followers on Instagram. "During the year, I've spoken to people who volunteer their time to help those who are struggling, with the aim of raising awareness of the resources available. I hope people take away from it the courage to speak up if they are struggling with anything." One highlight was his visit to Self Space in London, the UK's first mental health drop-in center on the high street. George describes it as one of the most enlightening and humbling experiences that he can remember. "Visiting Self Space was really special, and I learned so much that day." His biggest takeaway? "The importance of speaking up in the early stages if you're struggling. So many people leave it very late to seek help, particularly men, but by removing the stigma around how mental health is perceived, we can enable others to get the support they need."

George also sat down with footballer Harry Kane, England's captain and record goalscorer, to discuss their experiences so far. They also discussed what more can be done by those in the public eye to raise further awareness about mental wellbeing. "I hugely admire Harry as an athlete and as an individual. It was a special experience, speaking with Harry so candidly about our perspectives on mental health and wellness." Sharing these conversations and being so open has garnered a hugely positive reaction from fans, fellow athletes and from those close to him. "The reaction has been very positive." he notes "It’s such an important topic and I’m really pleased to see what we’re doing having a positive impact in enabling many people, including myself, to better educate themselves."

[biff-adventurer]

unpopular opinion and dt spoilers

regarding that reddit thread, i don't think it ultimately matters how the soul, memories and life force are different. i'm not big on concrete lore in general, but that's because my experience with people obsessing over concepts in lore often encourages people to behave as though there are objective truths that are unbendable/ unbreakable/ unadaptable.

also, the perspective of this original poster disagreeing with one of the commenters on the ethos of alexandria as it's laid out in the story... their argument reeks of cultural blindness and bias. it's not that their clarification isn't adding something, but rather that they prioritize the hard lore of an imaginary world over the way that world is connected to concepts in the real world. this is a mentality i have commonly encountered over the last seven years, that lulls people back into a dream to forget reality altogether.

i love it when people use lore for interesting concepts in their own stories, and when they interpret between the lines and when they exploit new possibilities from subtle details that are often overlooked. the creativity behind this involves a lot of thinking, which is beautiful to witness and exciting to explore.

the other thing is... the alexandrians are an invading force. that doesn't mean they aren't human. it means they're both. we must always remember that people can do bad things for reasons they deem acceptable. we can empathize with them, but it isn't the same as forgetting their actions and completely absolving them of their mistakes. forgiveness is the willingness to help someone who wants to change, without holding their past against them irrationally. when their behaviors begin to show a lack of remorse and reflection, that is when trepidation toward the person is rational.

and these are very broad ideas to describe a very specific kind of situation. i realize that. but what's worse to me is that people might use the specifics of this lore to completely absolve sphene and her subjects who created the system. sphene was a lovely person and i found myself weeping for her through the alexandria dungeon. i still do. but we can't forget that her choices were incredibly flawed. the same applies for the japanese empire, and how its impact echoes into society today.

my wife made some good points:

"Also yeah it doesn’t matter because the point is, their own society doesn’t have enough energy to sustain them. So they’re killing other people to perpetuate their system. Seimei ryoku is gone once it’s used to sustain the Endless. It’s easier to think of this as all these things make up a human, but the fact of the matter is these things that make up who an individual is, is nothing more than a resource to the Alexandrians. They rationalize it by people’s memories are uploaded to the cloud so they never die, truly, so you can use their parts and you’re not REALLY doing anything bad. But the thing is this kioku isn’t real. It’s not the true, spiritual memory of the person, it’s an artificial memory of that person. The real kioku is being stripped away and erased. "Honestly, I think people are getting too caught up in the semantics and the big picture is that the Alexandrian system is a place where people have culturally accepted the monetization of humanity itself."

i know it is difficult to sit in the middle between love and anger. it is a painful way to live. but it's what life is, and what being a responsible person is about. accepting the good and sifting out the bad doesn't mean something is hateable. it does mean we should encourage people to resist and deny harmful practices, even if they are culturally ingrained and therefore historically validated in the minds of the people.

people in remote parts of india believe in child marriage and in abandoning or killing infant girls because they believe girls only bring bad luck, that to do well in the future, you must rely on boys. this is what i saw in mamook during the rite of brotherhood questline. of course, they never spelled out how the villagers explicitly suffered when it came to the stillborn children, except that it produced streams of guilt and grief, and a giant burden for the survivors. but it's hard not to see them as parallels.

i truly believe this is how we're meant to see the alexandrians. they have accepted this way of life because they believe it maximizes the joys they experience by living. the writing implies it is a cultural issue. even so, as the cornservant quest in solution nine shows, they are losing important aspects of life that allow us to truly enjoy it.

so, you know... i enjoy clarity on the lore. but it hurts my heart when people use it to close their eyes to unfortunate truths.

[rottenpumpkin13]

*knocks on door*

Your writing is BEAUTIFUL and I just want you to know this ｡:ﾟ૮ ˶ˆ ﻌ ˆ˶ ა ﾟ:｡ You have no idea how much you just twisted my heart with only three paragraphs abt such a wonderful perspective we never get on Angeal shshshhsh- like seriously!! So much that I had to invade your inbox xDD (I do selfishly hope that WIP is continued buuttt that’s just me 🤣❤️) Keep staying awesome, Pumpkin!!

asdfghjk thank you <3 I have too many thoughts about Angeal that I choose to keep to myself because I don't think anyone else will care. He's a very tragic character whose narrative in Crisis Core often gets overlooked in favor of Sephiroth's, Zack's, and Genesis', even though his story is equally as tragic.

I think a lot about how Sephiroth had Hojo, Genesis had Hollander, but Angeal had his mother, the woman who raised him, loved him, and chose to keep the truth from him. She let him find out on his own about everything that was done to him and that she was complicit in. He found out that his own mother had a hand in what was happening to him and Genesis, that he was nothing but a science experiment to her, and then when Angeal confronted her about it, she killed herself. Zack walks into Gillian's house and sees her dead, with Angeal watching her lifeless body. His only response after Zack thought he killed her was "My mother did not deserve to live, and neither does her son" like THE IMPACT that statement has oof.

If I ever turn that WIP into something, it would focus on Angeal's childhood, how it shaped him as a person, his mental health before the crisis and during it (because I'm of the hc that he was depressed wayyy before the crisis).

SORRY FOR THE RAMBLE that probably makes no sense because my brain is running on empty right now lmao

[nalyra-dreaming]

Hey!

I have a what-if question: what would have happened if Lestat didn't turn Claudia that night? If he told Louis he can't make vampire out of child no matter what?

I know Claudia was band aid for their marriage and we could clearly see wheels turning in Lestat's head when Louis was begging, he knew with a child Louis would be reluctant to leave, but what if common sense won that night and Lestat said that it's against vampiric law?

How do you think Loustat relationship would go after that? Because just before coming back with Claudia, Louis basically left Lestat (Was he intending to break up permanently? ). Logically, Lestat not helping Louis redeem himself (in his head) would drive him away further.

But Claudia was also their greatest mistake. While she definitely helped Louis with his depression, repaired some damage in their marriage, all of it went downhill because she was too young. And the way she mended Loustat, she broke them within once she aged and horror of her situation sank in (not blaming her! Loustat were incredibly selfish bargaining with poor orphaned burned girl and then trapping her in miserable life for what they thought would be eternity)

Do you think if Loustat somehow came together without Claudia their life together would go better? Do you think there was even a chance for them to repair their marriage on their own (I mean without separating for decades)? And also how much Claudia dying on Louis from burns would impacted his mental health? Would he get fully depressed? She was supposed to be his redemption in his mind and her dying would definitely affect him even though he didn't love her then.

Thank you!

Hey! So... it is important to remember that Lestat lets people go if they really want to.

I firmly believe that he would have let Louis go then, too, if he had really wanted to. I also believe that he would have watched over Louis from afar then, because he knew Louis was a comparatively weak vampire, stuck right in the rite of passage.

But... Louis didn't really want to leave. He came back with Claudia, after running off, and Claudia was an offering, an excuse. That excuse would be missing then... but Louis would have come back sooner or later anyways, because this was the home he shared with Lestat, and this was NOLA, where he accomplished so much. And because Louis loves Lestat. And the problems they have... are not from a lack of attraction or love.

I can see them enter a similar relationship to the one Armand and Louis share, later. Love and despair, and numbness, side by side, for a while. Because without Claudia as a "band aid" the focus would have been heavily on the actual issues, and even though these issues would have been hard to stomach they probably would have been resolved sooner. And as per depression - Lestat can do depression, too (does in the show, which seems often overlooked, and it is a big thing in the books). I bet he and Louis would have spent very gloomy times together, like the "laying low" in episode 5.

I could see Louis travel, alone or with Lestat as his protective shadow, and then encountering the others, the vagabonds, the revenants, the covens.

Sooner or later Louis would have come to the same realization season 2+ will bring him to, namely that Lestat is actually not the Big Bad™ out there. He would have needed to face the realizations coming with the rite of passage, and the realities of the vampires in this universe, that this is his life now, and the consequences that come with that.

He would have needed to accept himself, eventually. And by accepting himself he would have been ready to accept the love (and thereby Lestat), too.

It would have been a vastly different story, true... but I think the outcome might have been similar. In the end, at least.

[crisiscutie]

People just don't get that redemption isn't for everyone

Yes people can do it but sometimes it's best to say it's irredeemable

Sephiroth has been through so many tragedies to the point,it feels like redemption is one big joke to him,cuz he already reached the point of no return

Personally I feel like the trope of "everything is forgivable" is overused or overlooked way too often,there are things in the world that can't forgive and sometimes punishment is better than forgiveness

In Sephiroth's case, I don't think forgiveness will change anything,rather it's impossible,no one who knows him is willing to forgive him,hence some may say he has no faults at all like Hojo cuz that guy is messed up AF

Take it like this: If a guy who commits an unforgivable crime and someone says he should be forgiven based only on the fact that he was abused or insane or he went through some traumatic shit etc,it would not only feel ridiculous, it's outright selfish

Should Sephiroth be forgiven for the Nibelheim Incident just bcuz it was a crime of passion or he was mentally unstable and should get off free of guilt? No,cuz he did something terrible to others and that should be accepted

I've seen too many cases of normalisation or glorification or defence of characters' faults and apparently "you're a bitch for pointing out others' faults" these days and "it's not nice to have criticisms"

I saw some deep toxic shit about normalised toxicity in fiction lately

I mean I love Seph,but god I'm heavily aware he's evil as hell

-🌹

Yup. Sephiroth's path is set in his mind. For what reason would he deviate from his path? He decided to continue the cycle of pain. And Cloud could've continued that cycle after him if it wasn't for Tifa.

I want to state this: I'm against Sephiroth being redeemed. One reason is that no character ever deserves redemption. Redemption is a complex, grueling process that involves self-reflection, remorse, and a genuine desire to change. It requires a willingness to confront your actions and the consequences you inflicted upon others. Sephiroth, so far, has done none of this. He felt justified in his actions. And the few times when he does acknowledge what he has done? He rubs it in Cloud's face, for goodness' sake. He did this in Advent Children, 7R and even the original FF7, especially during that one iconic scene that shall not be named. Sephiroth has displayed constant cruelty to Cloud, his party and the planet. What on Gaia justifies him deserving redemption? Because of his awful and traumatic past?

Let me say this: the events leading up to and following Sephiroth's birth and childhood were undeniably tragic, and he cannot be blamed for them in any way. However, as an adult with the ability to choose his own path, he made the decision to inflict harm upon others, especially those who ZERO involvement in his suffering.

And like I said before, introducing a potential redemption arc for Sephiroth would actually undermine Cloud's own arc and diminish its impact. Sephiroth serves as a warning to Cloud. He is his dark mirror and representing of what a "hero" could become.

I would also like to mention Aerith, who, like Cloud, serves as another mirror to Sephiroth and had a deeply traumatic past. However, instead of succumbing to darkness like Sephiroth, she remained kind and hopeful. Sephiroth's redemption may also conflict with her story and role as well.

To sum it up, redemption would require Sephiroth to question his beliefs and recognize the pain and suffering he has caused. He's not going to do that. He believes himself to be in the right, and the pain he caused to be "justice" in his mind.

And as you mentioned, it's clear that forgiveness is out of the question for him now. Cloud and Tifa, in particular, hold a deep hatred towards him and are determined to put an end to him. It sucks how Tifa's grudge with Sephiroth has been largely overlooked, both by the fandom and CANON (seriously, what were the writers thinking...). Let's not forget the sheer terror poor Tifa had in 7R when she saw Sephiroth in front of Jenova's pod.

Both she and Cloud had been scarred (literally and figuratively) by this man for the rest of their LIVES. They deserve every blow they can get on Sephiroth...

Anyways, rant over. Please stop trying to make Sephiroth "work". He was a sweet baby that became an evil bastard. Let's appreciate the good and bad of the Crisis Cutie!

(Opinion piece if it isn't obvious)

[koskela-knights]

Ilmo's Arc + Ending

I might've already talked about this a bit, but @zephyrone01 and I often talked about how Ilmo's character arc/story was just... dropped at the end of the game. And in extension, the whole Cult of the Tree part up to the FBC's intervention and Ilmo's arrest.

It's sad because he is literally one of the leaders of the Cult, the mysterious group you spent a large part of the game, figuring out if they're really bad and what their motives might be. But in the end it no longer seems to have an impact on the story.

You probably have watched this silly guy in the funny commercials and, if you didn't have any suspicions, get surprised that he isn't only in the Cult, he is a main member. But in the jail scene, things are dire so you don't have any time to profile or talk to him because it quickly cuts to a cutscene which then leads to you getting chased by Scratch.

His dialogue with Saga after Jaakko's death is purely optional despite him granting the player crucial information about the Cult and it seems many people overlook him or don't know he's still there. When I watched John Wolfe's LP, he even thought Ilmo had also died until he, by accident, bumped into him. Apparently there are also glitches if you reload the chapter, he just doesn't spawn.

------

So let's say, the jail cutscene is the last time you see Ilmo and then suddenly he reappears at the eternal Deerfest. Feels kinda odd, to give him a whole scene in that jail together with Jaakko and Scratch/Alan and then he's never seen again.

Now, if you do talk to him after the jail sequence, he will reveal the truth about the Cult: that they were trying to protect their town and BF from the Taken. Ilmo says he will try to round up the Cult or what's left of them and then again, you don't see him until you're playing as Alan in the altered BF. He just stands there because his dialogue and animations aren't triggered properly. He actually talks about the last Return book, hinting to the player where to get the book. Here's Zephyrone01's video showing him talking and gesturing.

What I might've added to give his story a bit more closure than what we got:

Make talking to him after Jaakko's death mandatory. Unskippable. It's literally a narrative piece Saga was trying to stitch together all this time. Why is it optional???

Involve him in the Dark Ocean Summoning fight. He can be support, similar to Estevez and Casey. Honestly, his mental state aside, he was in the best physical position to actually help out, given the fact Casey and Estevez were injured. (Also, I would've loved to see Ilmo's reaction to that stage fight. His barks would've been great.) It would've helped to 'redeem' him, from being the assumed bad Cultist to helping Saga in her fight.

Maybe mid-fight, he gets a call from the other Cultists to help out in BF which explains why he got absorbed into the changed reality.

If he doesn't get involved in the fight, we could've at least gotten a brief cutscene where he and the remaining Cultists head to BF to continue protecting it or something. Again, this would help portray Ilmo in a positive light.

-----

TLDR: Ilmo's story arc got cut short after his arrest, revealing the truth about the Cult should've been mandatory and not optional and there should've been at least a small cutscene of Ilmo going to BF to protect it before getting absorbed in the changed reality.