#art vs status quo

[lithellyl]

hi, art historian here, let me put in my two cents

In the annals of art history, there is a rich tapestry of movements that have challenged convention, pushed boundaries, and elicited both awe and outrage. These movements, including Impressionism, Expressionism, Surrealism, Abstract Art, and Pop Art, all have one thing in common: at their inception, they were often considered "bad art" and "morally bankrupt" by the mainstream.

Impressionism, with its seemingly hasty brushstrokes and unconventional depictions of everyday life, was met with disdain from the art establishment of its time. Critics decried it as unfinished and morally corrupt for its deviation from the academic norms of the era. Yet, Impressionism redefined our perception of beauty and led the way for modern art.

Expressionism, with its raw emotion and distorted figures, faced similar opposition. Critics accused it of distorting reality and promoting a sense of chaos and unease. However, Expressionism challenged viewers to confront the turbulent emotions that often lurk beneath the surface of our lives, ultimately expanding the emotional range of art.

Surrealism, with its dreamlike and often bizarre imagery, was accused of promoting insanity and moral decay. Yet, it allowed artists to explore the depths of the human subconscious, offering viewers a chance to grapple with the mysteries of the mind.

Abstract Art, with its non-representational forms and colors, bewildered many who couldn't see a direct connection to the tangible world. It was criticized as a departure from the "true" purpose of art. However, it revolutionized how we think about visual communication and the power of abstraction to convey complex ideas and emotions.

Pop Art, which celebrated the mundane and the consumer culture, was seen as a shallow commentary on society. Critics argued that it lacked depth and moral grounding. Yet, it held a mirror to the consumerist nature of modern society, provoking reflection on our values and desires.

The enduring truth about art is that the best art has always challenged the viewer's worldview. It has made them uncomfortable because it has made them think. The most powerful art is the art that questions, disrupts, and even offends, for it is in this disruption that growth and change occur.

Art is not a support system for the so-called "moral majority"; it is a response to these prevailing norms. Art is, in essence, dangerous. It is punk rock. It is political. It is a vessel for dissent and a catalyst for evolution.

In this spirit, the Transgressivism movement emerged, boldly embracing provocation, shock, and offense for their own sake. It aimed to challenge the boundaries of acceptability and conformity, creating a space for dissenting voices. Notable figures like queer icon John Waters embodied this movement, pushing the boundaries of taste and propriety to force society to confront its biases.

Today, the torch is carried by the Excessivism movement, which boldly mocks and critiques the excessive greed and materialism that capitalist societies often wallow in. Excessivism uses excess to highlight the emptiness of consumerism, pushing viewers to reconsider their values and priorities.

In the grand mosaic of art history, these movements stand as testaments to the power of art to challenge, disrupt, and inspire change. They remind us that what is initially deemed "bad" or "morally bankrupt" can ultimately be the catalyst for cultural evolution and enlightenment. Art, at its core, is a mirror reflecting the multifaceted nature of humanity, and the best art holds that mirror up to society's blind spots, forcing us to confront them head-on.

sorry I didn't mean to end up writing an academic paper on Tumblr

Tag yourself as this list of “bad art” features, according to a twitter fascist

[kame-dori]

Revolutionary girl Utena but it's Gelphie

[cardigan-bay]

Chapter 66 (hey, that's like 666!) of my Hazbin Hotel fic that continues the story after Season 1 with a disturbing focus on Worst Person, Valentino.

They made it off the red carpet. Velvette is talented. Asmodeus and Fizz are having fun. Vox is Fine.

[alteredphoenix]

I'll be honest: I think MHA lost the plot and went off the rails as far back as the Dark Deku mini-arc so I don't actually read it anymore (and there's a lot that can be unpacked and said about how the cracks can be seen even further back, toward the beginning of the story).

Hawks (and Nagant) is one of the very few good aspects that performs their intended purpose and barely gets touched on afterwards, but that won't stop me from reblogging more of spy guy Birdman Jim.

[domiiomii]

Sevika is my favorite character but it is hard for me to analyze her because I feel her ending is so unfitting for the rest of her writing and feels so forced it makes me second guess every other thing that was established about her, it is truly sad to me how the conclusion for such an interesting character ends up being imo a lazy way to tie lose ends for the rest of the abandoned Zaun vs. Piltover class war plot line.

I was thinking about this because I found this concept art of how Sevika would use Silco's office as her room after his death and it is so harrowing how for Sevika her entire life was Zaun's liberation.

The thing about her is, unlike Silco who at least had Jinx, she 100% sacrificed her whole personal life for revolution and thus perhaps her compromise to it was even higher than Silco's and then she becomes part of the same system that she spend her whole life fighting against? How do we make any sense of that?

I see Sevika leaving Vander, because of his refusal of fighting against Piltover, as such an important point for her character and I would argue probably the most important we see in establishing who she is, her ideologies and how much she is willing to sacrifice for that dream. Then Act 3 happens and it is such a weird watch for me because clearly the writing was trying to re-establish her as a sort of Vander figure with the whole "we don't hand over our own people" thing (even though I would argue her motivations where ideological while Vander's were personal), her giving a speech on Vander's statue, under his shadow. It feels like an attempt to make her into a "good-zaunite" by making her into a completely de-fanged version of herself and what that ends up meaning is her becoming non-threatening to the status quo and instead becoming part of the system, legitimizing it and therefore protecting it.

In this regard I think that Sevika choosing to follow Silco might be as important as her abandoning Vander. I find their relationship very interesting because they have similar ideologies and Silco is so dependant on Sevika and they both know it, for over 7 years she could have abandoned, betrayed or disposed of him but she didn't because she understood that violence was the only way to liberation and in that path she did all sorts of reprehensible things just like Silco for that ultimate goal again with the understanding that violence was necessary, she chose Silco because she understood that liberation would come through struggle not by manking deals with your oppressors like Vander did... And then just like Vander she ends up doing exactly the same thing, rendering all those years of struggle, all those actions, violence and atrocities meaningless.

And so for me most of what we knew of her character and what was established about her ideology becomes nonsensical when we see how she ended, either you take it as she completely betrayed herself and what she fought for her whole life or she was never the person the writing showed us her to be and just acted without thinking all those years (?). Furthermore we are shown just few episodes before the end how the people of the undercity don't even listen to her, so again it is just confusing how she ends up as a council woman for a city that doesn't even want her.

Ultimately if this was some sort of commentary about how revolutionaries can become sucked into politics and be de-fanged in favor of becoming part of the system rather than fighting it I could accept it even if I didnt like it but with how reactionary and anti-revolutionary s2 is, it just feels more like a "see? violence is never the answer! if you want change just become a diversity hire and change the institutions that oppress you from within!" /sarcasm

[crimson-and-clover-1717]

Stede Bonnet, Renaissance Man (Or an Exceptional Man who Thinks He’s Mediocre)

I’ve posted before about Stede’s love of beauty. He’s an aesthete, finding wonder in art and creative self-care rather than the transcendental. Stede’s a freethinker. He challenges the orthodoxies of his time, rejecting forced heteronormative behaviours, and even questioning the accepted traditions of piracy.

The thing about Stede is he often asks ‘why?’ It’s partly what makes him dangerous to some. This slant towards subversion is much of what Izzy observes and detests. It’s one of many reasons Stede must be kept from Ed. Like a number of Renaissance-style thinkers before him, Stede refuses to go along with the status quo. He is ‘doing something original’, questioning dogma. Many find it ridiculous, bizarre even. And it’s significant that instead Ed finds Stede enchanting, because it demonstrates who Ed might be given the chance to find his own path.

Stede is also a polymath and likely an autodidact - I doubt he learned about ‘insane foliage’ at school. He is self-motived and seems to have knowledge across a broad spectrum of disciplines. Literature, drama, botany, entomology, psychology, art, textiles. Stede’s very much about the life of the mind.

And he’ll approach areas at which he’s not so gifted, such as cartography and sword-fighting, with the enthusiasm of a dilettante; when he can’t succeed the traditional way, he simply subverts the discipline and does it his own. However, the most important thing for me in defining Stede as a Renaissance man is his humanism. People are front and centre. Sometimes that person is himself, and he loses sight of others. But it’s okay as that’s the point. Humanism is partly about being a messy individual who can do better. And Stede is someone who can learn and alter his position when circumstances change. He might not do so in the best way all of the time, but he is a quick-learner and highly-adaptable.

Stede also understands that no culture or institution is bigger than the people within it. The most important thing is human dignity - it’s what he shows and teaches Ned’s crew: that they deserve to be respected as people. Stede also has a strong moral core. When he messes up, he feels it deeply. He demonstrates strong ethics towards the natural world too - he’s absolutely disgusted by turtle vs. crab. Stede believes not so much in human superiority, but human responsibility, and this is the flip side of having dignity as a human being.

Another aspect of Stede’s humanism is his belief that culture should be accessible to all. Some of this might be naivety on Stede’s part rather than a well-thought out philosophy, but he believes in it intuitively. Stede wants the crew to have access to his library despite not recognising they can’t all read. He gives them musical instruments and sports facilities - he’s interested in what makes people flourish. And Stede practically invents art therapy!

His ship is also a safe-space for human relationships to blossom - romantic, platonic, and in between. Zheng’s ship might appear to offer collective harmony, but it’s mandated and dogmatically applied. Opting out of morning tai chi for a 24-hour shagathon might be viewed as an act of dissent. No such big brother is judging you on Stede’s Revenge.

And all of this is because of the man Stede is, and the influence he has on those around him. Sometimes it falls on deaf ears. Many don’t like what Stede’s offering. Others actively rebel against it. But anyone with an ounce of goodness will get what Stede Bonnet is about and embrace it. Stede doesn’t seem to understand his own power, it comes from such an authentic place. For me, it makes him all the more endearing.

[f1minist]

Feminist Youtube Videos for Every Topic

A collection of feminist content, organized topically for ease.

Separatism:

on separatism and heterosexuality

why separatism is good

we're gonna die sometime. might as well be separatists.

stop choosing patriarchy

separatism is a choice

biggest impact, but most won't do it

on vetting men

the benefits of separatism are endless

men cannot be rehabbed

of course the slave is full of rage for her slave master

Lesbian Stuff:

who can use the word 'lesbian'?

on defending gay rights and spaces

what are lesbians supposed to do about het women?

gender critical lesbophobia

the constant rage for gold star lesbians

Political Lesbian Critique:

a simple breakdown of political lesbians

political lesbians... are you ok?

political 'lesbians' are not actually lesbians

i didn't 'come to lesbianism'. i was always here.

homosexuality is not a choice

for those who confuse polilez vs febfem

Comp Het Critique:

comp het isn't a thing

lesbihonest-art (RIP) on comp het

on lesbian experience, by @sunlight-beauty

on comp het, by @rakastiikeri

sespursongles (RIP) on comp het

Preferred Pronouns:

on 'cis' and other language

pronouns are rohypnol

preferred pronouns? no.

what are your pronouns?

Anti Make-Up / Beauty / Femininity:

3 years without makeup: 5 benefits i've experienced

sephora girls: why are ten year olds wearing make-up?

marked women

makeup isn't empowerment

why i stopped wearing makeup

bimbofication: a dangerously idiotic trend

empowerment? no.

give the middle finger to patiarchy

radfems in eyeliner

makeup infinity

on makeup and radical feminism

maintaining the status quo hurts all women

the audacity of the bare-faced woman

critiquing is not shaming

why do women do beauty?

choice feminism is a lie

actually gender critical

Anti Surogacy / Natalism / Procretion:

about mothers

forced pregnancy is involuntary servitude

egg "donation" is exploitation

on sperm giveaways

motherhood is not untouchable

homosexuality does not include reproduction

why i don't want kids

why i'm childfree

on procreation and patriarchy

Porn / Sex Work Commentary:

instagram vs porn

'sex-positive feminism' benefits men (and hurts women)

the influence of porn on the trans trend

on 'sex work'

speaking out on prostitution

'sex work is work'? no, not really.

let's stop acting like 'sex work' is empowering

is porn 'for women' okay?

porn is apocalyptical

'ethical porn' cannot exist

stop glamourizing 'sex work'

porn is the pinnacle of evil

is r/antiwork pro exploitation?

Trans Critical:

mainstream, revisionist, queer nonsense

why transwomen don't have 'female brains', from @ilistened2transwomen

why the hate?

why i decided to stop using the term 'transwoman'

on trans rights activists

TRAs loooove white men

the untouchable male creep - AGPs on parade, from @ilistened2transwomen

'intersectional' does not mean 'trans inclusive'

non-binary is deeply rooted in misogyny

25 questions for trans activists

women's sports are not a dumping ground for mediocre men

on "identifying as" women

stacia samaya on 'non-binary'

why sex is binary

trans rights, or trans privileges?

always chasing the dragon

27 ways in which trans activism is harmful

the actual human rights law

on 'trans women are women'

is transitioning ever 'the best' option?

autogynephilia - a brief overview

the rise of the heterosexual queer

phobia indoctrination

transing away the gay

5 tips for talking gender critical, by @runawaysiren940

the transing of language

autogynephilia, not dysphoria

rainbow-washed progressivism

transwomen are not women

how i became gender critical

autogynephilia explained

[blackwidowfeminine]

Lilith Square Ascendant Culture

At its core, Lilith represents the repressed, wild feminine—she embodies themes of exile, rebellion, and unyielding independence. When she forms a square with the Ascendant, the person becomes a living contradiction. Their outward identity is constantly clashing with the darker, primal urges that Lilith governs. This leads to an unsettling aura, often creating tension both within and around the person.

Rejection of Social Norms: Lilith square Ascendant people might feel deeply uncomfortable with the traditional roles imposed on them. They could develop a strong need to rebel against societal expectations, embracing alternative lifestyles, subcultures, or controversial beliefs. Whether this manifests as involvement in fringe movements, or standing up against patriarchal systems, they are often drawn to areas that challenge the status quo.

Dark Feminine Energy: Culturally, Lilith represents the untamed feminine—one that refuses to be subjugated. Individuals with this aspect may carry an aura of defiance, especially in matters of gender roles or sexuality. They may align with feminist or gender-equality movements that push against oppressive structures, or they might explore marginalized sexual identities. They tend to be unapologetic about their desires, even when these clash with what’s deemed socially acceptable.

Conflict in Relationships: In relationships, Lilith square Ascendant can manifest as a constant struggle between attracting attention and feeling misunderstood. Culturally, this could place the person in conflict with family values, romantic partners, or traditional customs. Their relationships may often push against boundaries, involving themes of power, control, and freedom. They may be drawn to unconventional partnerships or feel uncomfortable in relationships that conform to societal expectations.

Shadow Work & Self-Identity: People with this aspect often feel the need to explore the darker sides of their personality or culture, delving into topics that others might shy away from, such as death, sexuality, or taboo subjects. They might be interested in goth or alternative subcultures, fascinated by the macabre or the mystical. They are often seen as cultural outsiders, but they take pride in this role. Rather than seeking approval, they find empowerment in owning their shadow self.

Public Perception vs. Inner Truth: Since the Ascendant governs how you present yourself, those with Lilith square Ascendant might struggle with being misperceived by society. They could be seen as provocative or rebellious even when they don’t intend to be. There’s often a gap between their inner desires (represented by Lilith) and how they are seen by others (Ascendant). This can lead to a sense of alienation, but it also fuels a desire to challenge the way society judges them.

Cultural Influence: These individuals might gravitate toward art, music, or literature that explores themes of rebellion, sexuality, and the human shadow. They could be drawn to punk, goth, or other subcultures that provide an outlet for their need to defy cultural norms. Often, they find their voice through artistic expression, using their discomfort with society as creative fuel. Culturally, they may inspire others to embrace their authenticity, especially when it involves breaking free from restrictive traditions.

Dark Aura and Mysterious Persona: People with Lilith square the Ascendant often project an eerie, magnetic aura that others can’t quite place. There’s something offbeat, almost predatory about their presence—not necessarily violent, but unsettling in its intensity. Whether they intend to or not, they can make others uncomfortable, like the feeling of being watched in the dark by something just outside of view.

Magnetism of the Unknown: There’s an attraction to darkness in both the inner and outer worlds. They may gravitate toward aesthetics that are heavy with shadow and death—perhaps drawn to gothic, occult, or macabre themes. Think of a person who feels more alive in cemeteries, or someone who finds comfort in themes of decay and destruction. This doesn’t necessarily make them sinister, but they carry an energy that makes people instinctively cautious.

Manipulation of Image: The person may use this dark energy as a tool, manipulating how others perceive them by leveraging their unsettling presence. They might enjoy the power that comes from making others feel uneasy, using it to keep people at arm’s length or in a state of intrigue. There is often a flirtation with danger in their relationships with others, a silent challenge for people to get close to them—if they dare.

Sexual Power and Control: Lilith governs raw, untamed sexual energy, and when in conflict with the Ascendant, this energy seeps into the person’s public persona. They may exude a kind of dangerous, seductive quality that feels both alluring and intimidating to those around them. Their sexuality is not passive or soft—it’s something primal, charged with the forbidden.

Seduction as a Weapon: There’s a tendency to view sex as a battleground for power and control. They may be adept at using their sexual presence to manipulate or ensnare others, drawing people in with the promise of pleasure while keeping them trapped in emotional or psychological games. This can create relationships that are intense and obsessive, where power dynamics often play out beneath the surface.

Fascination with Taboo Desires: Lilith square Ascendant can indicate an attraction to the darker side of sexuality—fetishes, BDSM, or themes of dominance and submission. These individuals might either indulge in or repress these desires, leading to internal conflict. Regardless of their actual sexual preferences, there’s an aura of transgression surrounding their relationships, as though they are constantly pushing against the boundaries of what’s socially or morally acceptable.

Haunted by the Shadow Self: Lilith square the Ascendant creates a constant tension between how the person wants to be seen and the shadowy urges that bubble up from the subconscious. There’s often a struggle with their own darker impulses—rage, jealousy, revenge—that they may try to hide but ultimately find impossible to suppress.

Inner Turmoil: This person may feel haunted by their darker desires, wrestling with impulses that go against societal norms or their own conscious values. They might find themselves drawn to destructive behaviors or toxic relationships, as if compelled by forces they can’t fully control. In a sense, they are often their own worst enemy, constantly sabotaging their chances at happiness by giving in to their shadow side.

Fascination with Death and the Macabre: There can be a deep fascination with death, darkness, and the unknown. Whether it’s through art, literature, or personal philosophy, they may explore morbid themes that others find disturbing. For them, the line between life and death is thin, and they might be drawn to concepts like necromancy, ghosts, or the afterlife. The idea of confronting mortality head-on feels strangely comforting, as though the darkness holds more truth than the light.

Power Struggles and Alienation in Social Settings: Lilith square Ascendant makes it difficult for these individuals to fit in with mainstream society. There’s a constant feeling of being "other," as though they are exiles from the normal social order. This can lead to a sense of alienation or loneliness, where they are always on the fringes, either rejected by others or choosing to reject society themselves.

Outcast Persona: These individuals may be drawn to subcultures that embrace darkness and rebellion, such as punk, goth, or occult communities. They seek spaces where they can explore the depths of human experience without judgment. However, even within these communities, they might struggle to truly belong, as the tension between their shadow self and public persona can create friction. They tend to be outsiders, even among outsiders.

Attracting Conflict: This aspect often brings power struggles into their social lives. They may attract enemies or rivals, as others instinctively sense their refusal to conform to the expected order. This can manifest as bullying in early life, or later, as dramatic feuds and fallouts with friends or colleagues. Their refusal to play by the rules makes them a target for those who feel threatened by their difference.

Exploration of Dark Archetypes: People with Lilith square Ascendant might feel an internal pull toward embodying darker archetypes, such as the witch, the femme fatale, or the tortured artist. These archetypes hold a kind of twisted power, and embodying them feels like a way to claim ownership over their own darkness rather than letting it control them.

Witch Archetype: There’s often a connection to esoteric, forbidden knowledge. They may have an interest in witchcraft, dark magic, or occult practices, seeking to understand the mysteries of the universe through unconventional means. The witch archetype symbolizes both their power and their alienation, as witches in myth are often outcasts who harness their darkness for personal empowerment.

Femme Fatale: For those who lean into their sexuality, the femme fatale archetype is potent. They embrace their ability to mesmerize and manipulate, using it as a form of rebellion against patriarchal structures. However, this power can be double-edged, often leading to destructive relationships or emotional isolation.

[helga-grinduil]

First reminder: MHA is written by a Japanese man for a Japanese audience, and if you can’t even for one second at least try to look at it from the perspective of Japanese cultural and spiritual beliefs instead of projecting your own western ones�� good luck, I guess?

Second reminder: MHA is a meta story about the art of fiction, escapism, fantasy vs. reality, and theatre. It’s quite literally a three-act play about fantasy, reality, and the balance of both. It’s about a stage, and character masks, and actors, and the real world outside of the stage, and about fighting against the writer who is too lost in his own fantasy.

Third reminder: visual storytelling is a tool sometimes used to contradict the lines of the story, which invites readers to think about what is actually the truth here.

Fourth reminder: MHA is anti-darwinism and anti-biological essentialism.

Fifth reminder: Hero system was literally created to control quirked population in the post-apocalypse. It’s FOR quirks. Heroes exist to keep population’s quirk usage in check by being the only profession that allows you to use them, and strictly for ‘good’, while also showing off those quirks to keep population entertained and content with the lie that quirks are accepted, actually! (Aren’t heroes so cool and their quirks are so flashy? See, we like quirks! We accept and allow quirks! Only if you use them for the good of society, of course! You are still not allowed to use or express them if you’re not a hero though, sorry). So. No, you can’t be a ‘hero’ (job) without a quirk, having quirks is A REQUIREMENT for this job.

Sixth reminder: MHA is a sci-fi with fantasy elements. Some concepts in sci-fi aren’t meant to be 1:1 parallels to real life. Quirkless people aren’t a disability allegory, it’s an allegory for any minority in general. MHA is a story about a person from a minority becoming one of people in power and about what effect a person with the experience of being a part of minority can have on others in power, acting as the first falling domino that ends up completely rewriting the script of the story.

Seventh reminder: MHA is about one person’s small actions affecting the world like a chain reaction. One action affects another person, and that person also makes it’s own small action. Everyone performing their small actions together, those small actions eventually combining and creating big results. Concepts of karma and butterfly effect. That’s literally what the idea of OFA is about. Everyone thinking about everyone else even just a little, doing their parts, creating a web and changing the world little by little.

Eighth reminder: the themes, good lord, the themes. Remember the fucking themes, you dumbfucks. My god. One of those fucking themes is the real person vs. the mask, by the way. Which, by the way, circles back to the first reminder, since it’s all about the Japanese concept of honne and tatemae.

Ninth reminder: touch grass and stop projecting.

P.S. ‘Izuku doesn’t want to change the status quo’ - Izuku wanting to save Shigaraki is literally him going against the narrative of the story. Saving Shigaraki IS changing the status quo - it’s another (very big) falling domino that will have a huge effect on the world and the status quo as the result.

[bitchqueenofthebitchsquad]

Gripes about season 2:

My rambling and mostly incoherent gripes about arcane season 2 with headers to help me keep track of what I’m trying to say:

Is hanging out with your oppressor a desirable outcome of the struggle?:

Some people imagine that the greatest goal of a stratified society is for all the classes in that society to hang out more. Basically it's the idea that oppression wouldn't happen if we could all just get to know each other. But proximity doesn’t seem to prevent people from oppressing one another. Policy changes, social movements, revolutions etc. are what seem to do it. You know, systemic change. Arcane brings up system problems and then seems to lose interest. At the end of the show, the status quo is pretty much unchanged except that a few tokens have found their way into the hearts of their oppressors. Are we supposed to be satisfied by this?

When people with this ���Lets all get along” mindset create art about oppression I find that, no matter how thoughtful, accurate, or heartfelt their description of the problems, the solution they come up with is always really trite and naive.

So for arcane we have Zaun, the under city that wants health and safety and Piltover which is wealthy but at the cost of the health and safety of Zaun. Instead of letting these two battle it out union vs cops/military/state violence style like in the industrial revolution (which is what I thought we were gearing up for) we get this weird moral about how if the two societies don't band together, some foreign other will come take over. 

That's a threat to Piltover, but for Zaun, which is already fucked up, how much would switching out their oppressor change their status quo? The devil you know vs the devil you don't I guess? 

Arcane manages to include some of my least favorite cliches. They have the savage imperialist foreigners, scary new technology that for reasons that can’t be explained destroys people's humanity (old man yells at cloud), and a visibly disabled big bad who loses his humanity thanks to his mobility aids which (again for reasons that can’t be explained) corrupt him. In fact almost all our main antagonists are disabled (Silko, Singed, Sevika kinda, Viktor). For me it fell beyond tropes and into the realm of stereotypes. 

In the end, when the evildoers are defeated, the status quo remains but now the groups are all hanging out a little bit more. This feels super hollow to me. Surely hanging out with the oppressors isn’t the goal of the oppressed. Oppressed people want access to resources and so they go to the places where resources are being held. If we could, we would just build resources and infrastructure in our own communities. Thats the story I would want for Zaun. I also think that a lot of these stories are interested in the aesthetics of oppression because they can use trauma to get audience reactions, but they dont necessarily understand or have anything to say about how oppression works or what should be done about it.

While internalized oppression complicates this, I still think that ultimately most oppressed people are making a pragmatic choice when they associate with the opposing class. Like, when I go to the white grocery store, it's not because I want to emulate white people or I’m itching to see them, it's just that their grocery store is way better than the one in my neighborhood. 

Instead of Piltover having to give up anything material the show is like "what if Piltover let a token Zaun girlie on their council?" And this is shown as a hopeful step in the right direction. But if you know you know. How many tokens have we seen who look like us but don't represent us, either because they are beholden to the interests that put them in power in the first place or because they don't really have power, they're just meant to make us feel "represented". Very uncool.

Episode seven:

In episode seven, Ekko gets to see a Zaun that is safer and healthier but also visually more like Piltover. That was a big miss for me. How cool would it have been to see the aesthetics of Zaun but without the blight? I also just hate the little fury professor. Rich, naive, old people are almost as annoying in media as they are irl.

Also why was the jinx in that episode so boring? I get why Ekko didn’t stick around. If I thought I was going to have to date homegirl I would've gone back to my universe as well. Hate to see an unambitious woman running around. 

Body augmentation:

Also I have serious hatred in my heart for the idea that augmenting the body is something to be feared.  Like, the narrative that changing your body is not loving yourself is trash. I understand that the writers were kind of trapped by the game lore but I’m complaining about what I didn’t like not making an argument for why things had to be exactly as they were. It would have been nice if Viktor could have just been a regular degular revolutionary who kills his oppressors because they’re unwilling to cede power instead of for “magic corruption” reasons. Like let the disabled man get prosthetics and fight the people who are responsible for his illness without implying that body modification, particularly life saving body modification, is hubris. And then when he goes and heals the junkies and sick people. Can someone explain to me what the problem was with that without integrating game lore? Like just textual evidence from the show, what was wrong with that?

Final gripes

Jayce killing Viktor is what prompts him to go on his glorious evolution thing where he integrates warwick into his body or whatever so isn’t it Jayce’s fault shit goes sideways???  So then how does the time travel make sense? Isn’t it Jayce who needed to be stopped?

Time travel is either writers jumping on the trend or a way to try and dig themselves out of a hole. Either way its lazy.

I have buckets of contempt for people who claim they love Black characters but none of their fanworks contain those characters. What do the girls get out of these kind of lies? Is there some social capital they think they’re gaining? Is anyone (anyone worth taking seriously) demanding they do this? 

Don’t think this was a shipping win for Jayce Vik actually although I agree it was very gay. Gayness/queerness that is only subtext, even if its barely subtext, isn’t explicit enough for me.

I might be reaching here but the whole “he’s taking peoples individuality” is giving anti communist dog whistle.

What I liked:

I liked when the lesbians were eating coochie

The show is so beautiful! I loved all of the glimpses of the arcane and wish we’d had more Sky and Victor wandering around in people's mind palaces.

[thesirencult]

Astrological Predictions I Wrote Down Last Year Which Are Still Relevant- and will continue to be!

Note: I'm not here to spread fear and anxiety. Bad aspects do not exist. Our lives and the way the Art Of Astrology is expressed in our reality is a mix of different colours and vibrations. These predictions have been made with my own personal way of interpretation so please don't ask how I came up with some things. Don't drive yourself crazy trying to see the "mechanics" and "practical details" behind the predictions, simply read them and see if intuitively you vibe with them. Keep in mind these are written in a "personal notes" style so it is a tiny bit chaotic!

A year ago I did not post any content about astrology and tarot online, at least at this scale. Posting these personal observations is not a way fro me to "toot-my-own-horn". I'm actually quite skeptical about Astrology's capacity to "predict" but right now, looking at those notes it is apparent that most of those things have already manifested or are beginning to take form in our physical reality.

Enjoy and let me know what your thoughts are about what's coming.

2023 MAJOR ASPECTS

Pluto In Aquarius (23/3/2023, 3 months and then again in 2024): 20 year cycle, society, tech, consciousness, innovation on STEROIDS, last time 795,819, 1781 -> discovery of uranus, islamic/arab domination in north africa, fall and rise of dynasties in europe (foundations of europe as we know it now, al-Khwarizmi founded the field of algebra

Saturn In Pisces (7/3/2023, 26 february, may 2 2026): structuring the "unstructureable"

Jupiter In Taurus (16/5/2023-25/5/2024): wisdom of nature, stay ready/still, green

17/7/2023 -> N.Node in Aries/S.Node in Libra: love-war, Ares-Aphrodite, war between the feminine and the masculine. Fall of red pill and radical feminism, individual vs parrtnership.

Where Jupiter goes, Saturn follows. Dune, The Hermit energy. In the past few years with Jupiter in Pisces and Aries disillusionment was IN! Fights through screens (Aries), were just another day. Saturn clears the way after Jupiter's orgy. Dreams NEED a practical use (note from now : we have this whole hustling culture thing of set goals and be practical, we are basically trying to give structure to our dreams and create a step by step path to our vision). Example: astrology, NFTs and crypto, drugs, manifestation, art -> how are they contributing to our society and the betterment of it? Dissolving-then Forming-> identifying, dreaming-act/plan -> success. Only through the loss of individual power we realize we are nothing without a link to the rest of "life". Submitting to something greater/ fear (misty) of something destroying us or confronting external life. Sacrifice/Servitude. Who are you when stripped away from the world? (prison): stripped off the matrix/network, inner contemplation, power to serve to experience unity, science+spirituality meeting. loneliness + isolation = going deeper within,monk mode. developing a conscious ego. Information utilized/weaponized to help/guide the masses. Increasing consciousness and broadening the mind. We are realizing we are experiencing the "shadow" not the "idea" (Plato/Jung/archetypes)/Antigone-> divine law / human law/ loss of faith and search dor a new framework of values. Discipline in meditation, yoga driven towards God. Fight between atheism+spiritualism/nihilism+purpose. Turning inside because you lost faith, there you will find God and meaning. The form has outlived its usefulness -> conflict with the status quo and law. No church in the wild/godless. Saturn's death by Jupiter (taurus = structure).

Transformation of rules, social norms, ideas of humanity and how we use science+technology to manifest those ideas. Social + technological REVOLUTION. Renaissance. Turning to humanitarian, liberal arts/spreading knowledge-teaching. Astronomical discoveries, vaccines/antibiotics(shortages?), innovations in trade, change in the way religions and churches are structured as well as other organizations. More open. Blockchain. "Anonymity" but transparency. 48 laws of power, the prince. philosophy-> utilitarian/kant/pure reason. "how to maximize happiness for the majority. streamlined techniques. Pluto in Aquarius will bring the desire to reform. After 2044 these changes will be established. Everything will be brought to the surface. going deep and facing demons. PROMETHEUS MYTH , FIRE -> DARK SIDE OF TECH (note: AI). decentralised internet, open sourcing, energy. YOU CAN'T REACH GOD THROUGH TECHNOLOGY/CAN YOU? Grid failures+extreme weather. Internet cables connecting countries -> separation from WEB -> Who are we? power over...= domination / power with...= networks Pluto -> Πλούτος, abundance but can turn to greed -> eruption -> realizations. Society = individuals -> change= self change!

Society is going to turn its hopes, wishes , knowledge, resources and tech powers towards abundance and sustainability. Physical environment = abundance. I'm seeing a rise in holistic+cyclical approaches, natural medicine and art expression close to natural processes. Expect movement from big cities to the countryside and creation of luxury reatreats/hotels close to nature-sustainable.

source:thesirencult

[sneakerdoodle]

(remaking my pinned, which used to serve as a directory for my personal art/writing, to now attempt to marry personal projects and small forms of activism/fundraising)

🕛💬 inbox temporarily closed as i catch up! --------------------------------------------------------

🇵🇸 Palestine posts spotlight 🇵🇸

Tarot post #1 (more current): Tarot readings as a thank you for donations to two Gazan families' evacuation funds

Tarot post #2 (old)

Pressure for Palestine: an online advocacy/pressure resource

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🌿 Original Writing 🌿

Prose:

Lambs of God (short story)

Soothsayers (short story)

Poetry:

@nebulogy

ace this test (choose your own poem)

Misc:

You do not have to be good: A lyric essay

MOTHER'S LOVE* - a solo journaling game (also on gumroad)

*any proceeds to be donated to a human rights initiative

----------------------------------------------------------------------

📖 Media analysis blog** 📖

Character VS Status Quo essay series:

Intoduction

Chicory: A Colorful Tale

Encanto

Interlude

The Owl House

Singles:

Wendell & Wild: Status Quo redefined

We Know The Devil: The Demonic Feminine

Centaurworld: An Experiment in Childish Maturity

The Sea Beast: Challenging Curiosity

Identity, Co-Dependency and Fixation in Centaurworld

NIMONA!!!

(**probably to move soon)

[thevindicativevordan]

On Grail

Like how PKJ made me see the potential of what Metallo could be thematically, Tom King unlocked Grail as a Wonder Woman villain.

Issue 6 of Tom King and Daniel Sampere's Wonder Woman run finally made Grail click into place for me. I get her now. I get what she stands for, why she works as an evil Wonder Woman counterpart the way Zod and Bane do for Superman and Batman. It all comes down to the nature of what Wonder Woman is supposed to be, where she draws her strength from, and how DC has constantly dropped the ball with her portrayal.

Wonder Woman is meant to stand in contrast to the world of Men. The legends and myths mankind has told about the Amazons are total lies, at least with regards to what the Amazons are meant to be as created by Marston. Where the legends portray the Amazons as bloodthirsty warriors, the DC Amazons are peace-loving freedom fighters. They have a culture that values the arts and sciences equally to combat. They have advanced medicine and technology as seen with the purple ray. Where the world of men prioritizes fathers and sons, the Amazons show the value of mothers and daughters. Diana is herself the ultimate rebellion against the status quo of Patriarch's World. She has no father. Her creation was an act of love solely undertaken and made possible by her mother Hippolyta and her patron goddesses. Everything about the Amazons and Wonder Woman is supposed to be in defiance to what you'd think they'd "realistically" be.

What then is the thematic conflict between Diana and Grail? Diana is the Liberated Woman, free of the shackles that society places on people via gender roles, and fighting to share that freedom with the rest of the world. Grail meanwhile is her contrast, the Patriarchal Sellout. Where Diana invokes Hippolyta as her source of strength, Grail invokes Darkseid and has abandoned her mother's mission and dreams for her. Where Diana fights against the Patriarchy, as embodied in the Sovereign, Grail joins forces with the very man who has ordered the exile and murder of her sister Amazons.

She's bloodthirsty and spoiling for a fight, possessed of a curious honor that sees her toss her own weapon aside when she sees Diana has already done likewise. She's proudful and ego-driven, which is why Sovereign has to come recruit her himself rather than send an underling. All she cares about is fighting and proving her own strength on the battlefield or in the bedroom. In other words: Grail is the kind of Amazon that the general audience frequently thinks Wonder Woman is. All of the erroneous beliefs found there are true for her. Grail is the bloodthirsty Amazon of myth, the one who is powerful because her father is the head of a pantheon of gods. The evil dominatrix who gets off on other peoples suffering because they're weak, and thus not worthy unlike herself. Whose empowerment comes at the cost of others' debasement.

Instead of rebelling against stereotypes, she embodies them. All that makes her interesting, because here you have Wonder Woman embodying the Amazon Ideal up against the Amazon Nightmare. You have the strongest woman on the planet - who derives power from other women, up against the strongest woman who derives her power from a man. The Ambassador for Peace vs. the Goddess of War.

In other words? It's Diana up against a character who embodies the worst trends that she has fallen victim to because of DC's treatment of her. Grail is the kind of Amazon who would take heads as battle trophies the way Zack Snyder wanted to portray DCEU Wonder Woman, who'd gleefully leap at the chance to rule the world the way Injustice Wonder Woman does, who'd kill a child and wreck the planet like Flashpoint Wonder Woman, who is a warrior and nothing else. Johns created her as a dark reflection of the New 52 Wonder Woman, who was already a dark deviation from the "traditional" Wonder Woman. Which means now Diana has a Rogue who embodies every terrible misconception of, and direction for, her character. She has someone who she can look straight in the face of, see all those terrible ideas on what Wonder Woman should be, all those trashy takes on what empowerment for women looks like, and go

[cardigan-bay]

Chapter 63 of my Hazbin Hotel fic that continues the story after Season 1 with a disturbing focus on Worst Person, Valentino.

Vox is in trouble, so he needs to get someone else in trouble instead.

[hogwash-deli]

How much Kamapua'a is in the pigman of postmodern urban societies?

The concept of Kamapua'a, a figure from Hawaiian mythology, being reflected in the "pigman" of postmodern city societies is an intriguing metaphorical exploration rather than a direct cultural or mythological correlation. Here's how one might interpret this connection:

Nature vs. Urbanity:

Kamapua'a embodies the wild, natural world, representing fertility, rain, and the untamed aspects of nature. In contrast, the "pigman" of postmodern city societies might symbolize the raw, primal instincts that persist beneath the veneer of urban civilization. This could be seen in behaviors or societal elements that resist or contrast with the highly structured, controlled environment of cities.

Fertility and Sexuality:

Kamapua'a is associated with fertility not just in terms of agriculture but also through his sexual exploits and relationship with Pele. In postmodern contexts, this could translate to an exploration of sexuality that breaks from traditional norms, embracing a more natural, less restrained approach to human desires and relationships.

Trickster and Outsider:

Kamapua'a's trickster qualities might resonate with urban "pigmen" who navigate or critique the societal structures by embodying or highlighting contradictions, excesses, or the more primal aspects of human behavior that urban life often seeks to suppress or manage.

Hybrid Identity:

Just as Kamapua'a is a hybrid of man and beast, postmodern "pigmen" could represent individuals or groups who feel or are perceived as existing between or outside conventional societal roles, embodying a mix of human and animalistic traits in their lifestyle, art, or social commentary.

Cultural Critique and Satire:

In literature, art, or social critique, the "pigman" could serve as a satirical or critical figure, much like how mythological tricksters function to challenge the status quo or highlight human folly. This could be seen in works that address consumerism, excess, or the loss of connection to nature in urban environments.

Subversion and Reclamation:

Kamapua'a's stories often involve subverting expectations or norms, which might parallel the subversive acts or lifestyles in cities where individuals reclaim or redefine what it means to be "civilized" or "wild."

However, this interpretation is highly symbolic and metaphorical:

Cultural Context: Kamapua'a's specific cultural significance in Hawaiian mythology doesn't directly translate to urban settings outside of that cultural context. His representation in a postmodern city society would be more about the archetype he represents rather than literal mythology.

Modern Interpretation: The "pigman" in this context would be a modern construct, perhaps inspired by various myths or archetypes but adapted to critique or reflect on contemporary issues like urbanization, the human condition, environmental degradation, or the intersection of nature with human society.

Artistic and Literary Exploration: This theme would likely be explored in art, literature, or social commentary where the mythical is used to shed light on the human condition in a modern setting, offering a lens through which to view our primal roots juxtaposed against our technological and urban lives.

Therefore, while there isn't a direct "amount" of Kamapua'a in the urban "pigman," there's a conceptual overlap where both figures might explore themes of nature, wildness, and the inherent contradictions of human nature within different cultural and temporal settings.

[aliensupersyn]

Part 2; Sukuna and Gojo vs Shinzō Abe: Gege's De(con)struction of Japanese Bureaucracy

Art by me

Manga spoilers below!

Overall thesis for this project: Godzilla and Mothra create the cultural context of creatives using powerful monsters (or kaiju) to disrupt Japanese bureaucracy and society, usually to make some larger criticism.

Gege Akutami probably celebrated the assassination of Shinzō Abe as a dream come true. Gege overtly criticizes the bureaucratic powers that Abe specifically aided in restoring within Japanese politics. The powerful bureaucrats, after being accused of irresponsibly handling Japan's funds, and throwing the nation into an economic crisis, regained their political standing thanks to Abe. Yet, the damage has been done, and many different mangaka portray Japanese bureaucrats as antagonists who must be challenged or killed.

Sukuna unleashes an attack that disrupts Japanese society and throws the powers-that-be off balance, challenging the modern status quo that he once dominated in the Heian era. Gojo goes even further and eliminates that status quo, seeing it as the only possible answer to ensuring his students' safety from their political power. Yet, how did the once reverent bureaucratic powers gain such a tarnished reputation that titles like Bleach, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Tokyo Ghoul, and One Piece all depict them as antagonists at the very least, and defeated villains at the worst. Below, I discuss the history that perhaps informs an action like Gojo murdering the Higher-Ups, and explore Shinzō Abe's role within that context.

The bureaucracy emerged as a major power center in the Meiji era (1868–1912) (Shimizu 2013). Bureaucratic autonomy was reinforced during the period of military mobilization and war in the 1930s and 1940s, and further institutionalized in the early postwar years. Many political leaders were purged during the Occupation (1945–1952), while most bureaucrats were not, and this enabled the bureaucracy to entrench its power. (Vogel 103)

While the U.S. forced Japanese government reform in the late 1940s, the bureaucrats emerged mostly unscathed. The different ministries mostly maintained their ranks throughout the years by choosing their officials from a small, conservative pool of candidates from the top schools in Japan. Gege directly references the elitist, conservative selection pool with his establishment of the three great houses and the Jujutsu High School campuses in Tokyo and Kyoto. The Zenin, Gojo, and Kamo houses act as politicians who reinforce the will of Headquarters, Jujutsu Kaisen's bureaucrats. The great families possess hidden or bloodline techniques that they keep to themselves; they inhibit and promote certain techniques depending on tradition; they withhold the right to purge their ranks of undesirables; and they often meddle with the Tokyo and Kyoto schools to push their agendas. The great families and the Higher-Ups in Headquarters notably prefer traditional sorcery techniques, which partly led to Kinji Hakari and Maki Zenin forsaking jujutsu society. Headquarters, who appoints grades to sorcerers, would never acknowledge their unique strength, and therefore neither would ever prosper within a jujutsu society maintained by the bureaucrats. Only those who meet the conservative criteria pushed by the Higher-Ups can prosper in jujutsu society. Therefore, Headquarters' conservative nature often conflicts with the main cast throughout the story.

Gege uses Maki Zenin's story arc to demonstrate some of the irrational extremes the great houses go through to maintain Headquarters' conservative ideals regarding jujutsu sorcery. Maki could have been a powerful asset to the Zenin, but their conservative nature and narrow perspectives were the death of them. Gege uses both Maki and Gojo to slaughter the political powers in JJK. While the story addresses Maki and Gojo's actions as extreme and monstrous, it shouldn't go unnoticed that Gege thrives on depicting the death of those debilitating government structures. Despite Toji Zenin having the power to wipe them out, his family still never truly respected his strength because he did not have a cursed technique. The Zenin could easily be blamed for Toji choosing to become a skilled assassin who targets sorcerers. Toji's family inspired his hatred for sorcerers, which led to nothing good for anyone. The Zenin think because Maki was born a woman, she could never reach the heights of Toji, which lulls them into a false sense of security. One might argue that the Zenin used Maki to take out their bottled frustrations for Toji. Despite her talent with weapons, and acknowledgement from Satoru, the Zenin regularly appealed to Headquarters to inhibit her graded promotions.

Gege consistently depicts Headquarters' debilitating laws as irrational measures, and twice it ends in a bloody mess. Gege's references and depictions of Japanese bureaucrats' conservative nature likely comes from a sudden decline in public opinion and power; this loss of the control that was once so carefully maintained includes powerful reforms enacted by Shinzō Abe's first and second administrations. There's a trail of events that leads to Gege's hostile characterization of Japanese ministries. The bureaucrats were once hailed as saviors of the Japanese economy, a force that led them into the luxurious "bubble" era in the late 1980s. Though, when that bubble popped just as soon as it emerged, and Japan as a nation went broke until the late 90s, the bureaucrats lost the trust of the public and government (Vogel 107). In this weakened state, they were now finally vulnerable to reform.

Prime Ministers Junichirō Koizumi (2001–2006); Shinzō Abe (2006–2007); and Yasuo Fukuda (2007–2008) all proposed extreme reforms to the bureaucrats. Though, by time Fukuda took power, his administration was literally locking ministers out of meetings (Vogel 109). The escalating feud between the bureaucrats and Fukuda's administration led to the DPJ "gaining a reputation for incompetence, as they failed to develop a coherent economic strategy; floundered in international diplomacy, especially US-Japan relations; and took blame. . . . for policy failures in responding to the March 2011 triple disaster of earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown" (Vogel 109). Because the bureaucratic ministries held the power to draft and revise legislation, barring them out of politics quite literally led to disaster. I won't get into the specifics of the bureaucrats' power, but Fukuda belittling their presence within the government led to Abe's unexpected return.

Once he returned in 2012, Abe ushered in an entirely new age for Japanese bureaucracy. In some ways, he limited the ministries' powers, but he also created the new cabinet bureaucrats. The new elite class of bureaucrats would dominate his second administration as Abe's most trusted advisors. As the cabinet bureaucrats rose in power after Abe established new and "special “headquarters” (honbu) and “offices” (shitsu) to coordinate major policy initiatives," their public perception continued to dwindle (Vogel 109). In modern Japan, bureaucrats retain only a fraction of their old power, but Vogel points out that for many citizens, that's still much more than they deserve:

The public image of bureaucrats has dropped considerably since its heyday. The share of people who reported that they trust bureaucrats declined from 44 percent in 1994 to 22 percent in 2002, while the share who stated that they do not trust bureaucrats rose from 51 percent to 74 percent (Tsukishima 2006, 286). Meanwhile, many university graduates no longer view the civil service as an attractive career. The number of applicants for civil servant positions dropped from a high of 330,686 in 1995 to 130,090 in 2018, while applicants for the Level 1 (“career”) positions declined from 41,433 to 22,559 (National Personnel Authority 2019b). (111)

Vogel ensures that modern Japanese bureaucrats still maintain strong political power, especially over industry, despite the many reforms they've suffered through the years. The discrepancy between bureaucrats holding onto power despite their poor public perception takes interesting personifications in manga. Below, I examine both Jujutsu Kaisen and Bleach's similar depictions of Japanese bureaucrats in action. Both Gege and Kubo Tite present bureaucratic forces as conservative powers that inhibit growth and the futures of young cast members.

Bleach uses similar visual metaphors of faceless bureaucrats giving orders that challenge the now shaky leadership of the pressured society. In both titles, the bureaucrats reappear after the defeat of the leading force of power in their respective verses. After Genryusai's death and Gojo's sealing, the bureaucrats intervene, often prioritizing their own self-preservation. Doing so, they attempt to enforce laws that hinder the main cast. Bleach depicts Central 46 as cowards who argue against Shinsui's suggestion for Kenpachi to finally evolve and truly inherit his title. In JJK, the Higher-Ups order Yuji's death and declare Gojo a traitor who must not be unsealed.

Both Gege and Kubo Tite characterize the faceless bureaucratic powers-that-be as greedy and controlling forces that will readily inhibit growth if it poses any hypothetical challenge to the status quo; that system being one that allows the jujutsu Higher-Ups and Central 46 to make the rules with little restriction. In JJK 0, the Higher-Ups readily criminalize and attempt to expunge Yuta for Rika being too powerful for them to control. The fact that Gege began with a negative depiction of Japanese bureaucracy before JJK proper existed stresses his honest dislike for that particular sector of government.

Gege provides a straightforward description of the power balance. Interestingly enough, the bureaucratic sorcerers still exist within the whole of the Japanese government. The reason why the Jujutsu Inspector General never appears may be because he resides elsewhere, as a cabinet bureaucrat, the elite position created by Abe; though, take that wth a grain of salt. The Jujutsu Inspector General may also be a reference to the now abolished role of Inspectorate General of Military Training. Both Headquarters (呪術 総監部, Jujutsu Sōkanbu) and (教育総監部, Kyōiku sōkanbu) were bureaucratic powers that performed miliary (sorcery) training and withheld a broad domain of power.

While all the Higher-Ups may not have been a monolith, the conservative faction dominated Headquarters. In the beginning, Gege depicts Headquarters as a corrupt power that manipulates the system and purposely sets Yuji up to die on a botched mission. They discreetly wield power over which sorcerers live and die. Kenjaku gaining control of Headquarters not only erases Kamo's political power that could have been used to aid the cast, but also reinforces Gege's depiction of bureaucrats as an antagonistic force.

Gege demonstrates overt criticism against Japanese bureaucracy in his depiction of them as antagonists that ultimately need to be slaughtered in order to ensure the future of the young cast. The ministries went through a unique journey that included them avoiding American-sanctioned government reforms, introducing an economic boom and crash to the Japanese economy, fighting with Prime Ministers to stay in power, and finally being saved by the infamous Shinzō Abe. Bureaucrats may maintain power, but Gege demonstrates why many Japanese people believe that to be an issue, not a solution to Japan's problems.

Notes:

The manga Noragami depicts the bubble era's sudden end as the God of Poverty, Kofuku's fault. She partied too hard and created an economic crash. As punishment, Ebisu put her under house arrest.

I thought this part would be a focus on Sukuna, but I realized that I really had a lot of foundation to lay before I get there. I had to teach myself a little about Japanese bureaucracy so that I could properly examine it. Thankfully, I found a great source by a clear writer.

Introduction - Part 1

Sources:

The Rise and Fall of the Japanese Bureaucracy, written by Steven K. Vogel, chapter 6 of The Oxford Handbook of Japanese Politics.

Memorandum Regarding Sorcerer Duties, written by Gege Akutami, pages posted here.