#as someone who has no opinion on this debate this is HILARIOUS

[itberice]

Star Trek: Lower Decks I Twovix

[aerithmybbgmypookiemywife]

Genshin SAGAU where GN! Reader reads a fanfic about them being a sub.

people of tevyat look in horror as a fanfic about you being a sub is released, not knowing you ARE actually a sub. not proofread. also shoutout to @/gameperson23100 (not sure how tags work here im just a tumblr noob so i just did like a twitter thing) they were in my comments on my first post about this and had an idea about a sub reader! i just expanded on it a little :))

Creator! Reader who seems so elegant yet have such an untouchable aura towards them. Everyone praises them for being so mature, for being so calm and collected towards stressfull siturations, everyone fawns over them. Just one glance from their slightly intimidating eyes has their knees trembling. The archons praise them as someone to really look up to, a true pillar of Tevyat.

When fanfictions like the Creator x Reader became popular, there was an unsaid rule that you were the dominant one in the relationship.

So imagine everyones suprise when a book from an anonymous author potraying the Creator as a sub pops up in Inazuma. Yae Miko was suprised this was published unsupervised! She shut it down but it was too late, almost all of its copies were sold! Everyone was baffled at how the author potrayed the Creator, when it came to their duties, the author wrote them perfectly but when it came to the romance between the Creator and whoever the reader is... It was a catastrophe! The Creator? Submissive?? Down on their knees?? Begging?! Getting degraded and liking it?!?!

BLASPHEMY!

People of Tevyat were conflicted at this book, everyone had divided opinions. Some saying that the Creator is a sub, while some saying they are a dom. There are a few people who suggest that the Creator may be a switch but this gets shut down by both sides. It even reached the scholars of Sumeru! With debates turning into heated arguments that escalates into fights.

The archons, except Nahida, were upset at this book as this somewhat taints your image. (although they secretly love the idea of the creator being beneath their feet) The acolytes were also divided and different opinions, with Alhaitham finding it somewhat interesting while Kaeya found it a little hilarious and treated the book like a parody. Xiao on the other hand, had the same opinion as Zhongli, the book may taint your image thus he made it his mission to hunt down the anonymous author. Itto, who got the book from a random stranger he befriended, treated the book like a sacred scripture or a guilty pleasure. He knows it's probably bad but he just can't stop reading it! Wriothesley read the book during tea time, and thought that the idea of the Creator being a sub was possible...

"And that concludes the report on Fontaine." Neuvillette concluded his report. You only hummed in response as you looked around the room. the Archons were there and some acolytes were also present in the meeting. You felt as if they have something they want to ask but is holding themselves back.

'...Is it about the book...? Fuck, why did it have to be so accurate...' you thought.

You cleared your throat, "I'm sure all of you are aware of a certain book going around." you spoke up, their minds started scrambling, thinking that you would be upset and angry that they haven't found the author yet. "Your Grace, we are all working hard to hunt down the author and imprison whoever they are." Zhongli spoke up, you shook your head.

"No need, it's... An interesting book." you told them, you cleared your throat again, trying to ease your embarrassment. That book ended on a cliff hanger too! No way in hell were you going to imprison the author after writing an accurate potrayal of you!

Everyone didn't show it in their face but they were shocked, but even more shocked at how red your ears are while you tried to keep a calm face. Did this mean that you didn't mind the potrayal of the book about you?! Or are you truly a sub?! Do you just like the book?! What is it???!! HOW IS IT INTERESTING??!!? Their minds were filled with unanswered questions.

Word spread to Tevyat really fast, and as soon as they heard that you called the book interesting, it just added more fuel in the debates about you being a sub or a dom. Like two groups in the same fandom fighting for their non canon ship! The book would still be treated like an illegal book, a guilty pleasure.

[chiibinomonodamon]

WHO WANTS TO HEAR ME RAMBLE ABOUT GAY FURRY DEMON SEX? XD

(damn, there's a sentence I never thought I'd say....)

Okay...so I see some Stolitz confusion and bashing online and I need to type up a defense here because I won't be able to sleep otherwise lol

I consider myself to be a Ship Critic and someone who takes shipping rather seriously.

What I mean by this is, I like to analyze and break down romantic relationships between fictional characters because it's just interesting to write for me. I especially take delight in friendly debating with opinions that I strongly do *not* agree with.

Let me start off by saying I am NOT a "this ship is awesome because gay furry sex lol" type of girl.

FAR from it. I'm generally more passionate about hetero ships between human characters (because I can relate to them more) among other reasons. So if you wanna dismiss my defense as "shallow fangirlism", you can forget about that lame excuse.

I fell in love with Hazbin Hotel when it was finally released in February and suffered waiting for each new two-parts per week. During that time, I decided to watch Helluva Boss as well, after a friend showed me a particularly soul-crushing clip (Moxxie's childhood trauma about his mother).

Yes, I like funny sex jokes as much as the next goofy adult but scenes like this, scenes that carry a very heavy emotional weight are what really get me in the end, even moreso when VERY little dialogue is exchanged. I knew I had to watch the entire episode run after seeing that the creators had a talent for this.

I saw people asking:

"How did Stolas go from using Blitz as a sex toy to being painfully in love with him?"

Oh I can tell you. I can tell you the EXACT moment this is revealed. But it's not spoon-fed to you; it's quite subtle actually and this is why lots of people miss it.

See, one of the strongest talents Vivenne has shown me is that she REALLY knows how to get her characters to communicate their feelings to the viewers JUST from their expressions and body language. These can be 'blink-and-miss-it' teeny little scenes and it may require a couple rewatches.

But since people demand time stamps for all information others post here, I'll rewatch a few scenes from S1 E7 'Ozzie's' as I'm typing this.

'Ozzie's' remains to be not just my favorite episode of HB...but probably my favorite episode of any adult-targeted animated show outside of Japan (aside from S2 E7's Mid-Season Special)

It has this huge reveal for both Blitzo and Stolas.

We'll first address Blitzo's irrational, stalkerish behavior of Moxxie and Millie.

He's obsessed with them. He finds both of them very attractive, fantasizes about threesomes with them and is constantly inserting himself into their personal lives.

Why?

Because they have everything that he badly badly wants for himself.

They have the perfect marriage and he is trying to live THROUGH them.

This was hilarious to me at the beginnning of the show but it's slowly revealed that it's one of the most tragic and depressing things I've ever seen. And it's scarily realistic too.

But you know this already so let's move on...

Blitzo follows the couple to Ozzie's but he can't get in without a date. So he calls up Stolas and yes, this is very low but he doesn't realize how much this means to Stolas (hell, I'm not sure even Stolas realizes it himself!) but the owl man is giddy with joy, he rushes over and they enter Ozzie's.

When Ozzie and Fizz mock Moxxie for being so sappy towards his wife, this strikes a chord with Blitzo (because they're his IDEAL relationship) and he speaks up to defend them.

NOW PAY CLOSE ATTENTION; THIS IS THE IMPORTANT PART:

Fizz, still holding onto his past grudge turns on Blitzo to humilate him:

"Some nerve you got commenting on a relationship"

Time Stamp: 11:37

As Fizz says "-ship", Blitzo VERY QUICKLY makes eye contact with Stolas who has a look of panic on his face. Blitzo is seeking VALIDATION from Stolas in this sharp, subtle second of screentime, as if to ask

"Well, ARE we in one?"

And then what happens next...Stolas remains silent, Blitzo's ex joins in to announce how selfish Blitzo was in bed with her, tearing him down further. Stolas stands up like he's going to put a stop to it but then Ozzie notices him and interrogates him about sleeping with Blitzo.

Blitzo looks incredibly ashamed and guilty as Stolas blushes with similar feelings...and hides his face behind his menu; HIS BIGGEST MISTAKE IN THE SERIES SO FAR.

Time Stamp: 12:24

The look on Blitzo's face as he grits his teeth and darts his eyes away basically says

"Yeah, I should have known...boy am I an idiot for trusting him to stand up for me".

(look how SHOCKED he is...wow, this hurts fr ;_;)

This is a silent betrayal on Stolas's part. Afterall, his reputation is on the line, so if he were to defend Blitzo, it confirms they are in fact, dating. He chose his pride over Blitzo and Blitzo is crushed by this betrayal.

Moxxie finishes his song and kisses his wife tenderly. Stolas watches this and also wants to have an affectionate moment with Blitzo (who is rightfully glaring daggers at him) and tries to reach for his hand.

Blitzo rejects his touch and suggests they leave. As they do, Blitzo still looks furious and hurt. Stolas is now realizing how badly he screwed up with a "What have I done?" face (13:41)

He even looks disappointed with himself.

After Blitzo drops Stolas off, he thanks him and tries to smooth over the awkwardness with sweet talk but Blitzo just rolls his eyes in disgust and pulls on his face like "I don't want to hear this bullshit".

He responds coldly and curtly, "Yeah." Stolas makes more suggestions to spend time with him, which just makes him even angrier and he snaps

"I'm not fucking you tonight, okay!

I'm really just..." (14:28)

he pauses to wipe a tear because at this point he can barely hold it together (top notch voice acting and animation directing btw)

"...not in the mood, Stolas."

Stolas still tries to talk him into doing couple things unrelated to sex.

Blitzo's face switches back to anger and frustration because Stolas isn't getting the message so he goes for the blunt tactic;

"Stolas, don't act like what we have is anything but YOU wanting ME to fuck you, okay?"

(14:42)

"You make that really clear all the time."

(again his voice sounds like he's about to break down)

"But I-I just can't do it tonight, okay?"

(Finally meets his eye)

"...I'm sorry."

I believe this is code for "I'm sorry we're even in this situation and how your reputation got damaged. " Or, more painfully, "I'm sorry I'm such an embarrassment to you".

Stolas replies "Okay" and takes a deep breath to compose himself. They say goodnight and depart.

An important note here is that Stolas calls him "Blitzo" instead of "Blitzy" to show more respect.

As Blitzo zooms away coldly, Stolas looks up at the sky with tears in his eyes, surprised at how much it hurts.

He then sits down with his head in his hands in anguish...because he's getting that

"Oh...no. These feelings are real" epiphany.

And as if this wasn't enough angst, Blitzo collapses onto his couch at home, goes through the memories on his phone and starts sobbing.

I'm going to be real with you; this is the most heart-breaking shit I have ever seen in an adult show of this type. It's also the first time a show of this type got me to cry.

The last six minutes have revealed so much information without spoonfeeding it to the audience because the show RESPECTS its audience.

To recap:

*Blitzo takes Stolas on a first official date to use him

*Stolas is extremely happy about it

*Blitzo gets humilated and looks to Stolas for validation

*Stolas betrays him and breaks his heart

*Blitzo snaps that their relationship is nothing more than lust-driven sex

*Stolas realizes he's actually in love with Blitzo and it's a huge problem because (he believes) that it's unrequited.

*Blitzo breaks down because the ONE person whom he thought would protect him didn't do so.

So these two are convinced that neither one loves the other...while the irony is, it's quite the opposite.

Because if Blitzo REALLY didn't feel anything towards Stolas, he would not have gotten this emotional.

Yes, they are both lonely...but I really don't think that's all there is between them.

So..........we know WHEN they started falling...now the question is why;

I think the answer's quite simple; single-target affection.

It was mentioned in S2 that Stolas and Stella did sleep together ONE TIME...but Stolas didn't enjoy it at all. He is stuck with a wife who hates him so much that she put a HIT on him...and a daughter who thinks he's a loser. Blitzo is pretty much the one person in his life who is able to make him happy. That one small, bright spot. He enjoys the sex with him but he also simply enjoys his company, as shown in Ozzie's episode. He is thrilled to simply talk to him about his day...and do anything else that couples do. They're complete opposites. Stolas is an intellectual but naive and sheltered. Blitzo is poorly educated but cynical and street-smart. Opposites attract...though this is likely more from Stolas's POV than Blitzo's.

In other words, Stolas is into bad boys xD lmao

In Blitzo's case, Stolas is the only character who shows him physical affection which he desperately craves. He's pretty tsundere about it most of the time...but I think he actually does enjoy that attention...especially when he's always getting disrespected by Moxxie and Loona..and quite a lot of people around him. BUT he's too scared to get serious with anyone because of past trauma and he also believes that no one could possibly love him as a person. :(

Reasons I Think This Love is Real

Aside from what I pointed out in the Ozzie's episode...there's quite a lot of evidence, esp from Stolas's POV.

After he realizes he's in love, he goes to Asomodeous for an ALTERNATIVE method for Blitzo to use so they will no longer sleep together. He wants to set Blitzo free. Which means he DOES truly love him because love is about being generous to the other person. He COULD be totally selfish about it but he isn't.

Asomodeous mentions how against love potions he is and Stolas agrees. He thinks that's out of the question.

'Look My Way' music video. Lol I don't have to say anything more.

In S2 E6 OOPS

This exchange at 16:57

Fizz: Seems your taste has gotten more 'regal', lately?

Blitz: Yeah, well unlike you, I fuck who I want WHEN I want. I'm not gonna be tied down to some big blue-blood asshole.

Fizz: You coulda fooled me the way Prince was cozying up to you at Ozzie's.

Blitz (gets very defensive) HEY! Stolas only cares about have a rugged peasant raw-dog him into his mattress, okay!

It's nothing...(gets hesistant and looks away)...you know...

(Fizz gives him a 'bitch please' look xD)

"it's nothing else."

Fizz: Then why were you even there?

Blitz: OTHER very important reasons of course.

Fizz: Whatever. I don't actually care.

Blitz: Stolas is just a loud, thirsty BITCH!

(Fizz is rolling his eyes again)

Blitz: He loves feeling the thrill of getting dicked by the lower class.

It's a novelty to him.

Fizz: LITERALLY just said I don't care!

Blitz: And then he'll call me and try to see how my day was!

And he'll pretend to care about me and comment on my photos laugh at my jokes...

Fizz: (Smirking) OH! That's definitely your clue right there that it's all bullshit!

Blitz: I KNOW, RIGHT??

Fizz: (Making a 'What in idiot' expression, shaking his head)

Blitz: HE'S JUST A FAKE, PRIVELEDGED ASSHOLE...

Fizz: Sounds like you just hate him for being a prince!

No one (laughs) and I mean NO ONE pretends to care that much just for a cheap lay.

All right. IF ANYONE knows what real love is like, it's Fizzaroli...who is in a very HEALTHY relationship with Asomodeous. He recognizes the signs because he's IN that place. He sees it...and he's annoyed that Blitzo keeps denying it and brushing it off...yet clearly can NOT stop talking about Stolas (amusing irony)

To sum up (this freaking essay lol) 'Stolitz' ABSOLUTELY has the potential to be pure and true...these two just need to communicate...or Stolas has to PROVE to Blitzo that he's serious about his feelings in another way.

There is no doubt that this ship is 100% endgame and is a case of the 'Earn Your Happy Ending' Trope. I look forward to the rest of the journey. Ron is putting my feelings about Stolitz in a perfect phrase:

[sysmedsaresexist]

To the anon asking about my username...

There's a bit of confusion here, I'm going to answer many of your questions but I may not post the ask itself, hopefully it'll make sense :)

When I started my blog I was heavily anti endo and I specifically posted bad pro/endo takes, debunking or just laughing. To this day, most of it is still pretty hilarious. I wasn't focused on cringe, but totally crazy, out there claims that made zero sense and were flat out wrong. Check out my tags #shit endos say, #shit singlets say, and my newest tag, #shit anti endos say, I hope you have a laugh at a couple of them.

In my pinned post, you'll see the thing that started it all. A pro endo saying that sysmeds are sexist.

I would also like to know how they came to that conclusion. I'm right there with you. Also like you, I still have many issues with the pro/endo community. I believe CDDs are trauma based disorders. I post research pretty much weekly about it (check out #debunk and #research). I think endogenic plurality and CDDs are completely different things.

And you know what, my pro endo friends support me. We're all learning. I'm kind with my opinion, I'm open to talking about it, we debate, we share resources, we change our views and adjust based on new info.

This blog corrects misinformation from both sides, now. Some of it is worse than others. Antis can and do spread just as much misinformation as pro/endos.

What I would encourage you to do is start with the multiple selves theory. It actually developed right alongside Freud's theories on hysteria (which included early versions of CDDs at the time), and if Freud hadn't been such a perv, it might actually be much more well-known. It's a nonpathological theory on consciousness and philosophy. People have been describing this phenomenon for a very long time, "endogenic" is just the newest term for it. Here's a couple examples.

2015 - at any given moment in time, one or another of our subselves is in control and determines how we think and act.

1987

2012 - this one has so many links to other people talking about this theory

2023 - These results suggest that the normative principles by which agents have adapted to complex changing environments may also explain why humans have long been described as consisting of “multiple selves.”

2020

2010

Like I said, though, you can find this stuff as far back as the 50s with ease, anything older might take a bit more digging, but it's not a small or new theory.

I think an overlap in language has created a lot of confusion, but it's really not out of the realm of possibility for people to be more in tune with these parts of themselves. It's been documented for over a century outside of psychology, in other areas of research-- anthropology, philosophy.

I'm going to be honest, I don't think a single one of the headmate sale blogs are real. I think they're antis trying to start shit. Like maybe one out of every ten is actually someone misguided behind the screen.

Even CDD systems still incorrectly believe in core theory, endogenics picked it up from us and don't know any better. System resets aren't real, but there are real experiences that can FEEL like a reset-- try being patient and educating people. Ignore the others, because some people just can't be helped, and you're better off spending your time spreading good, accurate posts than arguing with people who don't want to learn anything.

I forget what I was saying.

Anyways, I'm a pro endo sysmed.

I hope you'll stick around and see what's going on.

[aahsokaatano]

maybe it's just because I'm literally majoring in rhetoric but honestly to me the most interesting little detail of the VP debate that just finished on CBS was that Tim Walz referred to JD Vance as "Senator Vance" consistently (the few times he did feel the need to address him by name), while Vance was taking every single opportunity to call Walz "Tim" rather than "Governor Walz"

I also noted during the closing remarks that Vance almost slipped and referred to Harris as just "Kamala" but quickly corrected himself to "Kamala Harris"

The reason why this is noteworthy at all is because of an unconscious respectability bias that we all have - it might have different forms across different cultures and languages, but in this context (American English), people generally expect that referring to someone as [Title] [Surname] is a way of showing that person respect. Calling someone by their first name implies 1) friendship/familiarity (probably what Vance was hoping people would read it as), or 2) lack of respect/indication that you view that person as beneath you (quite possibly what Vance really meant by it, especially considering that Walz is older than Vance, and the Republicans are all about "family values," including respect for your elders).

I've seen a handful of posts about referring to women politicians by their first name being disrespectful (unless it's how they're branding themselves, such as Hilary Clinton's 2016 campaign being under just "Hilary"), and I personally think it's a very, very tiny concession that the Trump/Vance team is making in referring to Harris by her full name, instead of "Vice President Harris" or just "Harris" - Vance, to my recollection, didn't once refer to Harris with her title throughout the debate (in fact, he gave her the rather stupid title of "border czar" which doesn't mean anything and isn't remotely accurate, as the border situation is overseen by the Dept. of Homeland Security, not the VP).

Vance is, in my opinion, trying to both make himself look more put-together and respectable to the undecided voters (who may be turned off by Trump's unhinged ranting), while also still checking the boxes for the rabid MAGA fans in a more subtle manner - though, very notably, when Walz asked him directly "did Donald Trump lose the 2020 election?" Vance just sort of danced around the question without actually answering. I wasn't keeping a tally or anything, but I don't think he gave more than one or two straight answers throughout the debate. Everything was a meandering little sidepiece that he tried to desperately relate back to his grandmother, because that's the only thing he has going for him when you really get down to it. Hillbilly Elegy, as much as it's a heap of nonsense and hatred of poor people disguised as "folksy charm," is the only thing Vance really has to cling on to in terms of what he's known for. So he's still trying to sell it - and himself - as worth something.

[ahlyasimps]

Sebastian Sallow Headcanons

A/N: Prefer the way I wrote these headcanons to my Ominis ones.

✧ Totally the type to drag you out on some adventurous dates. Sebastian is a thrill-seeker who loves exploring dangerous places, so he might take you on a midnight broomstick ride to the forbidden forest or hocus pocus your way through a poacher camp. He might also challenge you to a game of Quidditch or suggest sneaking out of Hogwarts to visit a nearby village.

✧ Despite his daredevil and bullheaded nature, Sebastian is also a bookworm who enjoys reading about ancient magic and history. He needs to find a cure for Anne after all and some of the books he read genuinely sparked a passion for reading in him. He might take you to the Hogwarts library and show you his favourite books, or ask you about your opinion on wizarding history and magical beasts.

✧ Sebastian is known to be a shameless flirt and someone who can charm the pants off anybody but it’s a mask to hide a boy desperate to protect those he holds dear. This might make it challenging to get to know him at first. However, as you spend more time together, he might reveal his deeper thoughts and emotions, giving you a glimpse into his complex personality.

✧Sebastian has a sarcastic sense of humor and a love for puns/dad jokes, which can be both hilarious and infuriating at the same time. He enjoys banter and witty exchanges, and he loves to make his partner laugh.

✧ Sebastian is interested in the darker aspects of magic, he taught himself the Unforgivables after all. He needs someone who can understand this and not hesitate to pull him back when he goes too far. This could lead to some interesting conversations or debates about the ethics of magic (”how is a painless death from Avada Kedavra banned but burning someone alive with incendio isnt?” he likes to say). You’re the best person for this after all since the Unforgivables aren’t as taboo for someone so new to this magical world. He feels like he can have a genuine conversation with someone about it without being painted as the bad guy straight away.

✧ Despite his chill demeanor, Sebastian is fiercely loyal to his friends and loved ones. He might joke around and tease you in public, but he'll defend you and stand by your side when it counts. He might also show his protective side by teaching you defensive spells in the Undercroft or offering to walk you back to your dormitory after a late-night adventure. He refuses to let even a scratch land on you.

✧ Sebastian is a bit of a romantic at heart, even if he doesn't always show it. He might surprise you with a handmade gift, a poem he wrote just for you (which is about as bad as you’d expect it to be), or a surprise date that he planned with meticulous attention to detail. He wants to make you feel special and appreciated, even if he doesn't always know how to express it.

✧ Ultimately, dating Sebastian would be a whirlwind of adventure, mystery, and complex emotions, with plenty of opportunities for growth and exploration.

[r4inyclouds]

You can take Steve Rogers out of the fight, but you can't take the fight out of Steve Rogers.

I heavily recommend putting ya glasses on for this ride of a rant. A... practically an essay on how Steve was out of character in Endgame:

Look, I still wholeheartedly believe that Sam deserves the title of Captain America, but even before that Steve dropped that shield, that title in the Civil War movie, for Bucky, in respect for Tony. Captain America wasn't even his label for years after that. Surprising how many didn't realise Steve in the endgame movie was Nomad, not Captain America.

But, he still fought, didn't he?

So people who say "Steve will always be THE Captain America!!" can go cry about it for all I care. Sam is the hero that he deserves to be. Yet, I suppose we're all entitled to our own opinions.

I don't even think the producers at the time even read the comics they were basing their large franchise on. That Steve in Infinity War wasn't Steve.

He was born a stubborn fighter, he was meant to end as that stubborn fighter we knew from 'The First Avenger'. It's in his nature how he was meant to be articulated as a person. It's in the comics, that hell- I haven't even exactly read most nor possess many of them! It's a joke, a jest; it's funny but not funny 'haha hilarious', but funny, odd, peculiar and perplexing. But from what I've seen from the fans on this side of the debate who have read the comics thoroughly, they all explicitly state that Steve would never do this or abandon anyone. I could, respectively, not care that the MCU was never, and never will be, canon to the comics, but they couldn't even keep one thing, an aspect that's similar or alike in any particular way to the comics, and that's the whole nature and personality of one of their most main focused characters, diverging from the whole point, centre, heart of Steve.

Steve never needed a label that told him he was a hero even when he was some twink before the serum, his whole arch, his whole goal was to become someone who helped, it wasn't from the start to settle down with a woman he was at a high school situation ship with, maybe, just maybe it could've worked if they attempted to even build and develop their relationship for it to make that little sense. Steven Grant Rogers admitted to being that stubborn little thing, and in a sense, he was like that, someone who determined to not be a coward and went against his non-spoken word.

And no, this has nothing to do with the fact I'm a HUGE Stucky shipper, I exclusively tried to avoid talking about Bucky in this half of the rant for a reason. I love Peggy, she's in my top 5, and I love domestic Steggy. It's just it was never right for Steve.

Steve will never, ever be able to run away from what he is. He is THE fight, with or without a useless hero label.

Now since I'm a bucky glazer, and he's my favourite character (I'm putting him in a jar once I get my first-ever Funko pop) I will go on to talk about Steve and Bucky, now, I'd understand if someone would not want to read this part because I'm 'just a wild Stucky shipper!' Who's own priority is trying to keep the ship afloat (I'm also occasionally a Sam x Steve x Bucky shipper but that's besides the point) But in this segment, I will be talking about them in an otherwise platonic sense; it doesn't even need to be romantic for me to say this. And, honestly, if the character of Bucky never existed in this universe, I would've still had this rant on my Tumblr about why Steve leaving is just... odd.

Okay, Steve spent THREE, THREE, I REPEAT THREE, HIS WHOLE DAMN TRILOGY, having at least one huge plot point just purely based on Bucky in each of his movies.

1. He went against whole military orders to get Bucky back, had a whole depression episode thinking he was dead, and then had another depression episode when he died, and then kind of just offed himself after that (Now, am I saying he offed himself for no reason for other than his friend?... yeah, so, there's a deleted scene where Rhodey asks Steve about how he practically died, and why he didn't just jump out into the water before he crashed, I'm tellin' you if you search it up it's there, now, people suspected that the reason it's a deleted scene is that it, well, opens a plot hole, and it just kind of seems like... he killed himself because bucky's dead? Like, ya know, there's no other reason to why he did this. But I might just be reaching there) God. So that point just says a lot about how the producers didn't even think for one second about him going back in time.

2. Nearly got killed by him, but when he figured out it was Bucky he went a berserk kind of insanity and risked his life as he put his trust in a man who was about to knock the shit out of him. Then, like- went for months on end to get Bucky back just because he left him on the side of the beach to not let him drown. Yeah, okay, sir. Also, does everyone just... Like, all silently agree not to talk about how they casually just drop platonic wedding vows to each other in every movie? Like, what do you exactly mean by "I'm with you 'till the end of the line", every time I hear that quote I go "WRITE THIS DOWN, WRITE THIS DOWN!" (not like I'll be getting married though)

3. How am I meant to summarise this with detail without just saying the few words in my mind that would just tell you the whole plot? [Squints eyes, checks notes]... Guess I gotta. 'Bro split Avenger for bro, Avenger no longer, Captain America? No longer for bro, bro picks bro up, bro says wedding vow, bro sad Wakanda.'

Then, now, I apologise sincerely for using this analogy, but he kinda, just, ya know, abruptly left to get the milk. He dropped everything once he got the chance to go back and left poor Bucky wide-eyed like some traumatised puppy with attachment issues they newly developed after shown that much devotion and affection from an owner who'd treat them right, and then was suddenly dropped into a random field of an environment, unfamiliar, they don't recognise it, as they then watch the rustic car they were once rescued from becoming a blur, speeding off into a distance he couldn't possibly ever trace back to. What in the holy fuck was that waste of three movies then.

(DEEP FUCKING BREATHS, RAIN, HOLY SHIT DEEP FUCKING BREATHS)

I hope people can't tell I'm a fanfic writer; this is the shittiest thing I've ever written, I swear my fanfics are more descriptive and crap, but I'm foaming from the mouth right now; I think I permanently disrupted my breathing pattern, well done me.

Sigh, okay, well.

He's a defender for his friends; his bonds double-tied with the strength that could be held within the core of the earth, yet that somehow immediately loosened, cracking the surface, crevice by crevice of that earth with one scene, one moment. His mantle of the goal, his word that he once held dear to his child heart, became not even an earth-shattering break.

Now, here we are.

So, I shall, if you don't mind, end this with my small conclusion of how it's was out of character for Steve to leave.

You can take Steve Rogers out of the fight, but you can't take the fight out of Steve Rogers.

[afurtivecake]

I'm feeling restless today so I think I'm just going to say AFTG opinions until the craving I'm having for novelty and excitement goes away. Honestly, I have no idea if they're weird opinions or not.

1.Neil's POV worked too well as propaganda on me because I still can't make myself like or care about Aaron. Every time Aaron shows up in the narrative, I'm mentally like, "Oh. The other Minyard twin." He's an interesting character and his relationship with his family fascinates me, but, I still cannot make myself give a shit about him.

2.I like the detail of Aaron's homophobia. I don't know if other people remember 2007, but casual homophobia was very much in vogue unless you managed to surround yourself with an entire circle of queer friends like the Trojans. Mainly I like it because it opens up the floor for Nicky's comebacks, which I think are hilarious. ("Even quickies take time"? Perfect comedy timing)

Hang on, those first two make it sound like the only thing I like about Aaron is that he's homophobic towards his family and that's...only partly true. I also liked when he was an asshole to Neil on purpose. That was very cool of him.

3.I like the Andrew/Roland thing. It's such a power-move from Andrew to go for an older guy, who was also his colleague and superior, at a nightclub he was technically too young to be working at. He's been horrifically abused by older guys most of his life, he's just out of juvie, probably just coming to terms with his sexuality, and his first move is to start a casual relationship with someone who has the exact stats of someone you'd think he'd want to avoid. And honestly, good for him. Like, the guy does NOT do things by half-measures.

4.I'm of the "fine with any Kevin ship including none" camp but I do think that if all of Kevin's prospects where in a conference room together debating who should get to have a go at Kevin, I'd back Nicky. idk, I just think it's funny he technically called dibs first.

5.Kind of wish there had been more of Riko torturing Neil. We see a lot of Lola torturing Neil, but I think we missed out on a lot of truly unhinged shit Riko would have let slip while torturing Neil. If Neil had been at all lucid during that time, he would have probably picked up so much more new roast ammo. Like the next time he faced Riko, he could have just opened his mouth and Riko would have been DEAD. Riko would not have been able to recover from the humiliation Neil would have been able to deal him with what Neil learned about him while at Evermore.

6.I'll always be kind of disappointed Kevin isn't as awful as I thought he could be. Before TSC, I thought there was some real potential for some VERY ugly interactions between him and Jean. Like, shitty ex comes crawling back the moment things aren't going well for them kind of dynamic between the two of them. I was rubbing my hands together evilly and waiting for the drama. And then TSC came out and he was just. Kind to Jean? And I just like, "oh. what the fuck. he...cares? people are kind sometimes? oh what the fuck. that hurts worse." And then I become obsessed with Kevin Day forever like the rest of the fools.

[mightyflamethrower]

Thomas v. Biden. Ha ha ha

Escaping an electronic lynching made the justice stronger

JUL 03, 2024

Oilfield Rando tweeted, “Imagine if Trump wins, and both Thomas and Sotomayor retire.

“The United States Supreme Court would have a majority of justices appointed by Donald J. Trump.

“Imagine the media industry meltdown LOL. The headlines would be hilarious.”

I replied, “Thomas ain't going nowhere. That electronic lynching gave him the resolve he needed to be Nothing But A Man.”

And who led the Democrat lynch mob? Pedo Joe.

33 years later, Thomas delivered another slice of payback with his concurring opinion in Trump v. Biden (aka Trump v. USA). The five men on the court plus ACB ruled that a president has immunity from prosecution in carrying out his official duties, which would preclude charging him for any of the cheapfake J6 crimes.

The decision so shocked Freeze Frame Joe that he went on national TV and turned orange.

Thomas went one step beyond the majority opinion, observing:

I write separately to highlight another way in which this prosecution may violate our constitutional structure. In this case, the Attorney General purported to appoint a private citizen as Special Counsel to prosecute a former President on behalf of the United States. But, I am not sure that any office for the Special Counsel has been “established by Law,” as the Constitution requires. By requiring that Congress create federal offices “by Law,” the Constitution imposes an important check against the president—he cannot create offices at his pleasure. If there is no law establishing the office that the Special Counsel occupies, then he cannot proceed with this prosecution. A private citizen cannot criminally prosecute anyone, let alone a former President. No former President has faced criminal prosecution for his acts while in office in the more than 200 years since the founding of our country. And, that is so despite numerous past Presidents taking actions that many would argue constitute crimes. If this unprecedented prosecution is to proceed, it must be conducted by someone duly authorized to do so by the American people. The lower courts should thus answer these essential questions concerning the Special Counsel’s appointment before proceeding.

The prosecution of a former president is a very serious matter that Democrats have turned into a circus. In New York, Democrats made paying off an extortionist a 34-count felony indictment. The trial was so bizarre that I want a DNA test to determine whether Judge Merchan is a man or indeed a kangaroo.

But, this decision and Biden’s post-debate collapse in the polls have forced Democrats to postpone their sentencing of President Trump. Merchan just told Trump see you in September, which was music to his ears.

Clearly, the witch hunts failed miserably, forcing Democrats to re-assess their situation. Merchan does only what his party bosses tell him to do. It’s a New York thing.

The federal cases against President Trump are even weirder. How does holding a rally at the National Mall become an insurrection? How does holding documents Trump declassified become a violation of national security laws?

But most importantly, how does a bum hack lawyer like Jack R. Smith become the prosecutor in these cases?

Smith is the rare prosecutor who has had a verdict reversed by the Supreme Court. Only his lack of ethics and devotion to the Democrat Party got him this gig.

Obama sicced him on former Republican Governor Bob McDonnell of Virginia. While the Jack S. got the conviction, he did so in a dirty, slimy way that so violated the Constitution and the governor’s rights that the Supreme Court unanimously — RGB included — threw the conviction away.

The Washington Post reported 8 years ago:

The Supreme Court unanimously overturned former Virginia governor Robert F. McDonnell’s public-corruption conviction Monday and imposed higher standards for federal prosecutors who charge public officials with wrongdoing. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. described the former governor’s actions as “tawdry” but agreed that instructions to the jury in his case about what constitutes “official acts” were so broad, they could cover almost any action a public official takes. McDonnell’s promising political career was derailed by his entanglement with a businessman who showered the governor and his family with luxury gifts and financial benefits. McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, were indicted and convicted after he left office in January 2014.

The feds refused to try the case again because Obama got what he wanted — an end to McDonnell’s promising political career. Ha ha ha. Cheating worked.

Thomas remembered and this time the justice is questioning Smith’s appointment.

NYT tried to blow off the concurrence by Justice Thomas, writing:

Despite Justice Thomas’s concerns, courts reaching back to the early 1970s have repeatedly rejected efforts to question the legality of independent prosecutors. Those have included the Supreme Court upholding the appointment of Leon Jaworski, one of the special prosecutors who investigated the Watergate scandal, in a decision that was largely focused on the issue of President Richard Nixon’s claims of executive privilege. Judges have also tossed out efforts to invalidate the work of special counsels like Robert S. Mueller III, who examined connections between Russia and Mr. Trump’s 2016 campaign, and David C. Weiss, who has brought two criminal cases against Hunter Biden, President Biden’s son.

However, this court is tasing bad precedent. Thomas signaled that the court will look kindly at an appeal challenging the constitutionality of appointing special prosecutors. He pointed Judge Cannon at Smith and said fire away.

Prosecuting a former president should be taken carefully because no one has ventured into this dark territory before.

FJB been haphazard, knowing that winning by any means necessary — or unnecessary — will result in zero penalties. After all, Obama got away with ruining a Republican, why would Obama’s flunky face any consequences for phony prosecutions?

In his concurring opinion, Thomas showed the wisdom of a man forged in the fires of false accusation and racism.

The three lib Ditzy Chicks on the bench were approved by the Senate because of their ethnicity; they have never been challenged. They coasted their way in and it shows in the wise Latinx’s dissent, in which she said:

Even though the majority’s immunity analysis purports to leave unofficial acts open to prosecution, its draconian approach to official-acts evidence deprives these prosecutions of any teeth. If the former President cannot be held criminally liable for his official acts, those acts should still be admissible to prove knowledge or intent in criminal prosecutions of unofficial acts. For instance, the majority struggles with classifying whether a President’s speech is in his capacity as President (official act) or as a candidate (unofficial act). Imagine a President states in an official speech that he intends to stop a political rival from passing legislation that he opposes, no matter what it takes to do so (official act). He then hires a private hitman to murder that political rival (unofficial act). Under the majority’s rule, the murder indictment could include no allegation of the President’s public admission of premeditated intent to support the mens rea of murder. That is a strange result, to say the least.

No one who lived through the Kennedy and King assassinations would be so cavalier and casual in referencing the murder of political rivals. Even the backstabbing Bill Barr complained.

Sotomayor, Kagan and KBJ are DEI hires as in Didn’t Earn It.

Thomas did. It shows in the higher quality of his work. Pedo Joe put him through the fires of hell, forging one of the greatest justices ever.

Biden's campaign Descending after his debate with TRUMP.

[velvetvexations]

I'm genuinely trying to not just be constantly negative and starting shit and arguing with people. I feel like even the people I mostly agree with are getting put off by it if they haven't already. I'm very self-conscious about my opinions and how much I talk on a given subject, and I know I do have issues that make my expressed opinions more pointed than necessary.

But like, me jokingly comparing the Bad Kids to the protagonists of 8-Bit Theater is interesting, because I love 8-Bit Theater to death, it's an extremely important work to me, it hurts a lot that I didn't hear about the scriptbook Kickstarter until it was over and I'll always be looking for a pre-owned copy for the rest of my life.

Like, I think the issue isn't that I have a problem with the Bad Kids acting so awfully. That's okay, especially in a comedy. Comedic sociopathy is a totally fine trope and I enjoy it on a regular basis. The issue that gets me is that it's such a hard counter to not only D20's usual tone, but also the way the DM, the players, the narrative itself, and most of all the fandom treat them and their actions.

That's why I soured on Kristen specifically so hard and so fast, because before JY I just thought she was like, A Lot, but not really a big deal and had some good, solid moments in SY (I did not like FY in general for completely unrelated reasons, sadly). But with JY, it was like, right out the gate she's ignoring Cassandra literally half to death, and I wonder if that would have seriously bothered me as much as it did if the fandom wasn't determined to completely excuse her for it in spite of the fact that it was clearly meant to be a personal character flaw and not just "unfortunately mental illness is happening to her".

Even then I was like, hey, I watched those promo videos, this is obviously something that's been planned ahead and will be dealt with. I'm very far from the first person to point out that we're now entering the season finale and chaos has not yet stopped being cute. Partially that in particular may have been hamstrung by the dice rebellion in the mall fight, with the original plan having been for Cassandra to not get separated from Kristen so fast and subsequently unable to have them actively work on their relationship and Kristen's commitment to her. Kristen running for president also likely threw a monkey wrench into decutifying chaos, because there was never any chance of Ally going about that by having Kristen put on a slick suit and say "I need to take this seriously and research school governance and formulate a policy I'll elaborate on in a debate with Kipperlilly". The race for president could only possibly be a bit the second it went to her instead of Riz, not because I don't think Ally could handle that kinna plot if they set their mind to it, Margret Encino would have killed it just as good as Riz, but because it's simply so far from who Kristen Applebees is as a character.

So anyway, I sat there watching this season waiting for Kristen to grow up because I had faith that was going to happen. But lest you think I just hate Kristen and possibly also Ally, these last few weeks they've been the least of the issue.

As hilarious as it was I don't understand how in the good Lord's name we're supposed to care about Oisin "making Adaine think she liked him" by acting a little flustered around her when Fig literally started catfishing Ruben on the first day of school ages before they had any in-character reasons to suspect the Rat Grinders of anything, all so she could...no, really, why the fuck did she do that? What was the impetus for that decision? I cannot emphasize enough how little motivation is given for this course of action:

There is nothing to it except that Emily correctly pegged he'd be an antagonist later. It's like the detectives on Law & Order arresting someone because they recognized the special guest star.

And like, other people, I get it, other people who don't like the direction JY has taken can shrug it off more easily than I can, there are a million reasons to not treat this like the end of the world, but unfortunately my autism gets me stuck on shit and I just cannot reconcile things like this. I cannot take the show seriously and care about the protagonists as people and share joy in their triumphs and sorrow in their failures and ignore something as blatantly breaking the logic as stuff like this.

I'll grant you, okay, Adaine was understandably hurt but neither the Bad Kids nor the Intrepid Heroes were really like "oh now we have to really fucking ruin Oisin for being the worst person alive". The fandom treated it like he Frozen'd her but fandoms are dumb and should not dictate as much of my opinion as they do, I simply cannot fathom the kind of person who'll cry over the deep and traumatic emotional damage Oisin caused Adaine with his missed beer pong shots but doesn't think Fig should be in jail.

That's also not the end of it, though. I could keep going on just about Fig specifically and the fact that she is at least sex crimes-adjacent, not to mention Emily's infantilization of a very autistic-coded character, but I'm trying very hard to not just come off as being like the people who have harassed Emily and Ally over their roleplaying choices in the past. As I keep stressing, I like both of them and especially Emily because I've been a CollegeHumor fan longer than some D20 fans have been alive. I think I actually like Fig more accepting that she kinna canonically sucks and taking her as more a Complicated Woman than someone whose actions I need to reconcile with the expectation of her being better than that, although I know none of it will ever actually be addressed.

So yeah, all the Bad Kids have been fucking weird this season in ways they weren't in SY. Adaine's intense and completely inexplicable loathing of Kipperlilly was funny at first and then increasingly uncomfortable as it fed into the fans wanting to crucify her. Gorgug going full bully was weird but also like, a one line bit, but whatever. Riz stealing Kipperlilly's file was gross and would or SHOULD deeply hurt Jawbone if he ever found out, and you can say they had to do this horribly unethical action in the name of homeland security or whatever, I accept that there were extenuating circumstances, but it's given no thought whatsoever and absolutely no regard is given to the fact that she was trying to address her issues with the closest mental health professional available who Brennan goes out of his way to note is failing her by overcorrecting for his bias towards the BKs.

But as much as I genuinely believe Brennan has been planting seeds the Rat Grinders could be reached, he's not been great here either and like Mice & Murder these things are more on him than any of the players because he's the director here. Like, I'm embarrassed I got snippy with someone who guessed ahead of time that Kipperlilly desecrated the rogue teacher's grave, but nonetheless think it was a weird conclusion to reach and that it's just even more bizarre that it ended up being "right", except the way it's described doesn't even make sense.

Like, the goal was "find the rogue teacher", right? And the rogue teacher is dead. So to me, it certainly seems like bringing a back hoe to the graveyard is one hundred percent the right move! But even if we accept the apparent canonical intent that was Kipperlilly threatening to merely destroy the grave as an act of vandalism rather than retrieve the body, it's like...so what? Literally who cares? As if the Bad Kids or any other adventuring party wouldn't dig up a dead body to cast Speak with Dead or something, as if the foundational Dungeons & Dragons formula wasn't raiding tombs like 19th-century colonial archeologists? And why would any of that be necessary anyway, when Riz found Eugenia by just...walking up to the grave?

But regardless, that, you might say, is a matter of the Rat Grinders being unfairly presented as evil and not the Bad Kids being unfairly presented as good. When it comes to Brennan's part in it, though, these are the same issue, because as the creator and director of every atom of the world outside the PCs, he's just so very willing to go with what the players start to expect. That's fine for a home game, but this is like, a television show that people pay money for, and that's an issue. He'll plant enough seeds of the Rat Grinders being better than they're treated that a chunk of the audience will notice and think the players are being weird about them, but he won't push it further than that and instead just rolls with the players being weird because his first priority is their enjoyment.

Again, fine in a home game, obviously. But it creates this divide between the players and the audience because the world has been crafted in such a way that when the players being weird is noticed it's like, why are they being rewarded for that? Why are they getting zero pushback? Brennan and I both heavily, heavily value collaborative storytelling for good reason, it's why I love TTRPGs and actual plays, but if this were a story told by a single person you could either have the protagonists pick up on those hints, have it be a point that they didn't pick up on them, or just not even include them in the first place.

One of the reasons I really, really like Aabria's DMing, as I've said recently, is that she truly remains firm in her worldbuilding and is not shy about providing realistic consequences or acknowledging PC behavior is dissonant with what's going on around them. And it just makes it super ironic that Kipperlilly's whole deal is correctly identifying the fact that the world is warped around the Bad Kids, and in this season more than ever the DM is like, fully changing reality to accommodate them and giving them plot resolutions on a silver platter, to the point of letting them just full-on take back spells because the target turned out to not be there, which is pretty far beyond the quibble about the climactic move in Calamity's final boss fight.

It's not that I think D20 is 'rigged' exactly, because it's not really a game, or at least it's not really Dungeons & Dragons. This was a revelation I had when I watched Critical Role other than Calamity for the first time and was amazed by how they'd stand around after a battle looting bodies for random magic items. D20 isn't a sandbox TTRPG, it's a very on-rails shooting gallery with roughly as much choice in the narrative as a modern RPG video game, and it has to all wrap within a certain amount of sessions. That's fine, but occasionally it can feel deceptive when we pretend there's much chance of things going radically wrong. One of the reasons I liked the first half of Crown of Candy and all of The Ravening War so much is because they're the only times where failure has really, truly been on the table in an Intrepid Heroes season, but I still liked most of the other Intrepid Hero seasons nonetheless.

This season, I just, I dunno man. I don't believe Ice Feast just accidentally wah wah wah had the effect of completely neutralizing the primary threat of the final boss fight. And Blimeygate, like, I thought it was mostly a fun moment, but it also felt like the most exaggerated-for-marketing-purposes the "got'em!" bits have ever been.

But despite all that, I am still currently capable of enjoying the next season. I'm hoping next week does not make things dramatically worse.

[horoscope1078]

Carlitos 😃

-> He’s got so much energy, he makes the Energizer Bunny look lazy. He’ll be the first one to suggest a spontaneous road trip, skydiving, or starting a new hobby; just because he feels like it.

-> He could charm the socks off a cactus. His magnetic personality makes him the life of the party; whether he’s telling hilarious stories, cracking jokes, or just being that guy everyone gravitates to.

-> Plan a picnic for next weekend? Nope. He's the guy who calls you at 2 a.m. and says, “Pack a bag, we’re going to Paris tomorrow!” It’s like living in a movie montage with him.

-> He’s the person who reads the manual for a toaster just to see how it works. If it’s novel, unusual, or a bit quirky, he’ll dive deep into it; and probably explain it to you while you’re still processing it.

-> If there’s a chance to take a bold risk, he’s already doing it. Whether it’s investing in a questionable start-up or deciding to learn how to juggle chainsaws (he won't, but he might try), he’s all in on the adventure.

-> He’ll tell you what he thinks with a smile and probably a shrug, as if his opinion is the only one that matters. And you’ll love him for it. It’s like having a debate champion in your corner, even if the subject is "Which pizza topping reigns supreme?"

-> He can’t sit still for long. You’ll find him pacing while talking on the phone, cleaning the house while watching TV, or doing jumping jacks between sentences. His body might need a break, but his mind? Never.

-> He’s not just a pretty face; he’s got the looks, the charm, and the self-assurance that make him the guy everyone wants to be around. He doesn’t need your validation, but he’d definitely appreciate your applause for his latest win. Or dance move.

Darker side 👿

-> When he’s upset, watch out. His mood swings can go from sunny to stormy in a heartbeat. One minute he’s cracking jokes, the next he’s turning a minor inconvenience into a full-blown crisis. And then he’s onto the next drama before anyone has a chance to catch their breath.

-> He’s so smooth with his words, he can talk his way out of (or into) almost anything. He’s the guy who can get you to agree to something you didn't even know you wanted, all while making you think it was your idea. But cross him, and you'll feel like you just signed up for a high-stakes game you didn’t realise you were playing.

-> His need for constant change can make him flaky and unreliable. He’ll jump from one project to the next without finishing the last one, leaving a trail of unfinished plans; and irritated people; behind him. If you’re looking for a stable commitment, forget it.

-> When he’s done with someone, he’s done. He doesn’t waste time with difficult conversations or closure. If you’ve annoyed him (or he thinks you’ve gotten in the way of his latest adventure), he’s more likely to just ghost you than deal with the mess. Cold and ruthless.

-> He doesn’t just have opinions; he believes his are the only right ones. If you try to disagree, be ready for a verbal sparring match. He’s got a way of forcing his views on others until they feel like they have no choice but to concede; whether they want to or not.

-> If things don’t go his way, watch out; his mood can turn from charming to terrifying in seconds. He doesn’t just get annoyed; he gets nuclear angry. And once that fuse is lit, there’s no telling when or how it’ll blow. Anyone within range better duck for cover.

[blankd]

DA: dogguard Veilguard opinion (crossposted + expanded from twitter)

I only know about dragon age through osmosis, my friend is playing it while I sit in, and so far my major criticism of VG is that the game is flanderizing its own characters at breakneck speeds and the banter feels incredibly weak DESPITE that aspect being one of the more signature traits of DA

regardless of how the journey ultimately goes, it's an experience that I'm taking notes on as a game/narrative designer for MushRush since you will be carting around a similar number of fantastical companions

read more has more scattershot, but specific thoughts; contains spoilers up to after having JUST finished recruiting all of the companions

disclaimer: I don't know shit about DA LORE, so I'll probably misspell locations, etc., I don't care enough to correct any of it.

the early game has real "shaky first draft" issues where characters repeat themselves or say nothing insightful or at least entertaining. it's gotten better since after the mayor in d'meta, but there have still been some instances of dialogue triggering that makes rook come across as hilariously unobservant such as them noting there are "a lot of undead" in the necropolis you pick up emmrich in. dead bodies in MY NECROPOLIS???

another part that sticks out to me is that the female characters are getting shafted hard since they are all (mostly) introduced before the male characters, so the "1st draft writing pains" get assigned to them

however, neve is unfortunately the Worst Companion so far, followed by harding (will elaborate on her later).

I still don't have a grasp on what neve's companion hook even is- even AFTER letting minathrous get dragon nuked. all I got was "neve is sarcastic and dry and job-oriented, followed around by sprites???" which is a shame since a mage detective should BE ENOUGH but she doesn't have the GRIT of a noir detective or the clever observations of one who is more holmes-aligned. her room does more to characterize her, which is good for the art team but a shame to the writers (even as they try to pepper in more interesting traits about her through other characters)

so we have to fall back to what the game DOES tell us, such as approval/disapproval, of the 2 instances of her showing disapproval, we couldn't figure out WHY she disapproved. (1st was doubting varric could convince solas to stop fucking up everything, 2nd was for leaving the mayor in his fucked up town)

my friend and I formed several theories for something internally consistent:

-neve doesn't like it when you assume the worst of people (tall ask considering what solas was actively doing, but it's a BELIEF) -neve doesn't like it when you doubt/question authority/authority figures -neve believes the gods truly override people (my friend joked "SECRET CHANTRY GIRLIE??") -neve doesn't like that we are "being mean to a man" (this is a joke I made) -neve is a contrarian because when you only have two characters, someone HAS to have a different opinion (this is purely meta and still poorly executed)

whatever it is that makes neve tick, we're probably not going to find out since she's HARDENED or w/e because we chose birdbatman over her (my friend was aware of the effects of the choice locking out Neve/Lucanis content, but debated over the choice because of the LORE, the tipping point occurred when I asked if they cared about Neve content which was an obvious NO)

TL;DR: we are currently getting more mileage/chuckles out of "NEVE DISAPPROVES" during choices than from anything the game intends, UNFORTUNATELY

----

next up is harding, harding is a perfectly normal character with some obvious insecurities and now having to grapple with magic. unfortunately the writers have tipped their hand that they care more about harding's LORE ties with the titans/gods than as a character

the most awkward handing of this is when we did harding's personal sidequest of trying to get a handle on her powers (perfectly fine!), but then it just abruptly STOPS because we help some random fucking guy in the forest

the real nail in the coffin came when she (essentially) went "solas seems sad tho )8", despite being the same character that hated she didn't shoot him to stop the inciting incident. I personally would have appreciated if she had more doubts/expressed conflicts about her action/inaction, about it but as-is, the exchange feels WAY too much like the writers taking shortcuts to make solas grey (or god forbid, "GOOD", ACTUALLY). varric is already running interference, having harding do it too just tells me they're willing to throw other characters under the bus to accomplish this annoying goal.

as an aside: when this conversation occurred I said something to the effect of "Harding, no!! Don't make us throw you into the basement with Neve!!!"

----

returning back to the point of how the female characters seem to be suffering a lack of writing effort compared to the male ones- bellera is a noticeable example of this.

her characterization is purely fixated on magictech (fine), she gets more character as soon as emmrich gets introduced (not bad in a vacuum), but despite being present with harding and neve, the most conversation she seems to have is that she can cook different foods and neve wants in on some of the cooking. again it could have been "1st draft" pains, but given how fixed the party is at the start, they should have something more going on, ESPECIALLY since harding and bellera disagree with neve on how the mayor and d'meta was handled! bellera supposedly had people she cared about in this town and she glosses over it fairly quickly. also there's a relative lack of reaction to harding (or neve)'s injuries from the solas event.

----

character flanderization as mentioned WAY back at the start, this problem is (too) quickly made apparent with lucanis

I thought the mention of the coffee (WRT to dealing with spite) was intended as a throwaway line and something that would stay confined to the sidequest, instead it comes up in the banter as well, in addition to him being the demon of whatever (and now having a literal demon, har har). the 'most' interesting banter so far is when bellera asks how lucanis's situation even happened, and it's not BAD but I felt there was flavor missing to the exchange

since both characters are noted to be the "good" cooks of the companions, I thought it could hint at how lucanis's favoring of cooking is NOT out of niceness but because he doesn't trust other people to it since he is 1) a fucking assassin ("he stabs people", I don't care, poison exists and he's the grandson of the crow mafia), 2) was force-fed something that saddled him with spite

like I know there's more parts here, but SURELY something spicier and/or more natural than just the point-blank answer, the man was betrayed and landed in prison for a year AND is supposed to be operating on a lack of sleep because of spite, he can be a little snippy about how his bodily autonomy was violated

----

the last recruits:

davrin (at this time) ends up being on the upper end of characters since he's the MOST GROUNDED/NORMAL. he's fine and closest to what neve was probably intended to be, skeptical, has a dry sense of humor, but can trip up rook (our rook didn't recognize that a name davrin held a grudge against is historical). it probably helps he has assan to bounce off of so he can tread closer to have a 3rd dimension of personality (it's TOO early to tell)

emmrich is a professor of necromancy, he's polite/nice but also has no problems with magicking skellieboys into servitude, I'm hoping this old man has some spice going on. also it's a crime he puts on his human face when he has a SKELLIE FACE. COWARDS. I'll forgive it a little since at least he still gets to be OLD, instead of some freakishly smooth bishonen.

taash is a horse girl(TM) but for dragons. they also have hints of relationship with a controlling mother, I have no expectations of this. I'm hoping this isn't another lucanis flanderization situation but that's probably a different game.

the lords of fortune thing is bullshit however, "yeah we steal items but return cultural artifacts" that better be a PR thing purely b/c rook is in the room, otherwise, holy shit I'm dying. like, writers, I could understand some cultural favoritism, but ALL cultural artifacts? what the hell are you talking about??

---

now a main plot writing quibble, just to round it out:

the treviso occupation is driving me insane that they really said with their full narrative mouth that the place with NO military but an ASSASSIN'S GUILD couldn't figure out how to deal with the MOST hierarchy-based military occupying them??? like I get that wouldn't instantly (or permanently) end it, but it just feels absurd!!! what kind of assassin guild doesn't know how to kill ONE GUY, especially when he gives speeches in open areas!

it's just such a HARD SELL that the assassin guild can be so bad at assassination short of some 5d chess backdoor dealings involving the mindrape potions that the antaam were apparently cooking up while avoiding having it traced back to them or something

as for the minrathous/treviso choice, it feels like a missed opportunity to have the macguffin knife be what actually drives the dragon off

like, I KNOW that rook/the player is the center of the world, but you don't LOSE anything by tweaking that detail either, it just comes off as ridiculous that "3" (1) people really would make a difference

anyway, thanks for reading, that was a mountain, we'll see how DA:VG continues

if there's additional DA LORE you think would season my experience (baffled/piss me off/etc.), feel free to comment!

[lifenconcepts]

Here's that List of Names I talked about.

Please tell me If you can't read something, also Ignore the shitty Sebastian ((Yes, me and the Roblox Fish Guy share a Name)) Sketch In the Corner.

I LOVE YOUR HANDWRITING AND I LOVE THE FISH GUY AND I LOVE YOU AND I LOVE THIS ACTIVITY! Hope this helps :3 I tried to define it as best I could but I just translate the names into “yeah that totally fits the character” and not actually expressing it in words 😿 (also this litterally is just my assumptions from the names and it would be scewed if you said what sort of character you were going for so I guess this is as genuine as it gets, feel free to go off this if you need to).

Austin - reminds me of some teen who keeps to themselves and yet has a never ending hand in some very obscure topic, like, you’d never come across an Austin but randomly in some odd town you’ll come across one and they have an official job in something like UFO engineering or frog marriage or science of fire or something.

Aaron - Reminds me of Orion :3 (in the nicest way possible, it’s my favourite constellation), but also seems to belong to a very specific sort of character, possibly to a competitive guy who peaked in high school. At first thought it said Auron lol!

Andrew - I expect this to belong to someone who is either soft spoken or loves debates, doesn’t seem to anger easily but can stand up for themselves, possibly even having a niche interest without an audience (like what I wrote for Austin) but in a more creative sphere, like making mosaics or origami or maybe art from trash. (Also funny how a single word can change something, like trash art vs art trash vs art of trash vs art from trash)

Arie (I think I read it right) - Seems very sweet, almost like a cosmic child, and has a very calm atmosphere to it :) would be fitting for someone who has a connection to something mystical or fantastical!

Cade - gives me cyberpunk/steampunk vibes for some reason and I’m not entirely sure why.

Caiden - bwuhhh.. reminds me of big guy. Gentle giant. Would bite the ankles of.

Casey - Mixed feelings about this and i can’t exactly tell you why. Seems like it’d belong to one of those “popular girls” at school who’d act all nice and then talk rudely about you behind your back.

Clyde - Cloud. Muahahhaha! No but a very nice name, I’d even assume them to be well-mannered and formal sometimes while also having something usually not thought about as a hobby but somewhat respectable, like training birds of preys like hawks and facons or fixing up motorcycles or hosting a game show. Very nice in my opinion.

Prince - oh hey that’s me! XD but has plenty of different connotations depending on who you ask. For me, seems to be very similar to the stuff i put for Andrew. A somewhat soft person yet one who isn’t afraid to defend what is right or weaker. Would expect them to have a certain theme driving them forward but what it is varies from individual to individual. Possibly a bearer of some unfathomable trauma but I guess that’s up to how merciful you are to them.

Quin - Nonbinary real estate 🔥. But reminds me of a very young yet mature person who probably expressed themselves through unappealing to the public eye but is actually a sweetheart at heart.

Quincey - Makes me think of a ferret for some reason. A ferret personified. Just like a fucked up cat running on human somewhere. Charming yet orange cat coded. Bro runs around the room like a trapped horse.

Reed - Gives me such big detective-like feelings, I would trust them with my court case and yet hold almost no hope in them making my name innocent. Rather, they’re so damn hilarious in how desperately they try to announce someone not guilty that they accidentally do the opposite, and that’s entertaining enough to go to jail for. “Your honour!!! My client is INNOCENT because Even though they did some bad things and own a gun tHEY WOULD NEVER harm anyone! They own a very cute German Shepherd and spend lots of time with it bevause they love it and- th.. the suspect died from a dog bite? … ah- well I meant to say- ..”

Rhett - Bro sounds like an airplane company. No but very interesting although it bares the kind of vibe as some sort of folklore creature youd only hear about in stories then come across in a swamp like “what the fuck.. - it’s real?!”. Quite nice.

Fran - isn’t there an old lady snack that’s named something of the sort? Similar to flapjack? But basically is awesome and gives me that badass grandma vibe of seeing an elder in a sports car and thinking “you go, gram-gram!”

felix - the god tier of all names. Litterally fits everyone and anyone without even trying yeahg!!

Francis - was my grandma’s cat name :,) .. he was an absolutely sweetheart and a very nice gentleman.

innocent - quite ironic if the character is fucked up. But has a good ring to it, although seems a bit too “out there”, you know?

Lance - God tier name. Makes me think of a protagonist of some bad ass action movie, would follow the story of, probably disappears from home for weeks or months before looking at a picture of his family sadly like “ah.. I’ve never seen my child grow, I’m practically a stranger to her..”

Lawrence - Probably a hard worker and yet at the same time slacks off, somehow managed to get a promotion but every time you see them they’re doing jack-shit, probably has a good understanding of marketing just because he spends so much on his phone. But seems like the guy to carry around a cute little dog in a handbag.

Layne - aaarrggghhhhh amazing it reminds me of a road in the middle of the night and as if they’re that shadow that moves beside the car/bus that I can’t seem to lay my eyes upon and yet know they’re there. Probably into space exploration or Atleast the museums.

Lewis - the name’s tainted by a loser from my school in the past. But it’s a nice name. Reminds me of a toad stuck in a pool to be fair.

Lowis - petah, the horse is here. Lovely name.

May - Very sweet, probably super kind and constantly makes others gifts or cakes, likes has a garden they tend to often, probably owns a cat, likes to sit in the garden and look at the sun’s warmth.

Maxie - A dragon lover, has a dog, likes mist and fog, probably dances in the rain, probably wants a cat, loves king car rides, had cool headphones, would wag their tail if they had one.

Mc Kinley - Is bro from a child’s story? This is a compliment. Makes it seem like he’s about to lead someone into a barn before revealing some horrible secret and is like a father figure to some guests.

Jody - Probably likes some sort of sport like basketball or volleyball, sweetly competitive, unassuming but probably quite smart.

Sage - Gives a very flowery/herb loving feeling and that they’d live in a Cottage, like a vintage nature loving presence, maybe even a ghost.

Serton - Very much giving Butler vibes, like he’s about to greet me at a mansion and welcome me warmly before offering me homemade bakeries despite having a rough looking exterior.

Silas - this fits you! Has a very few sea underwater creature feeling to it, makes me think the character has some underlying secret to them that could make or break the entire world or something.

Sincere - Would fit a personal in the business field, I’d say. Soren - Eye of Sauron frfr (the sun except it’s burning harshly)

Starling - BIRD AND SPIES YAYAYAYYYY ahem I mean it’s a very professional sounding name which also has soft connotations which I adore.

Sylvian - like a silver goddess beckoning the swans to bask in the moonlight beside a bridge in France, purring sweet lullabies of tea and peace into the air.

Taylor - I really like this name, it’s quite calm but also reminds me of America specifically those massive stores which sell cotton.

Terrance - has a good ring to it, but reminds me of a reclusive individual, one that may find comfort within themselves and take on something akin to a security job before they get dragged into something they could have never expected.

Trace - Bro likes tattoos and disapear ring without a trace (not meant as a play on words but just so happened to be). Probably have beat up shoes and hand-dyed jacket with patches they made.

Tristan - Bro probably goes to rooftops to get a break from life but then finds a friend there who’s doing the same and slowly but surely get a connection and create a platonic bond for life.

Tuna (?) - fish go 🍣 :))

Vincent - Very professional version of this and my personal favoruite. Not a neccesity but could assume for a fictional character that they have some deformity or maybe a golden tooth here or there and maybe some implant in their spine or something, maybe a missing finger. Probably tall and holds alot of experience in life but is haunted by certain decisions they made.

Vin - Short, to the point. Probably has a short complex and tries to make up for that with big,loud cars and being loud & obnoxious, like those untrained shitheads of chihuahuas. Has at some point broken a bone. Probably has a lot of metalic decorations in their home.

Vince - probably is a butcher or atleast own a carnivore. Have tried yoga at some point wether it be teaching or learning. Likes colouring but looks like an individual whose main source of excersize is chasing people off their property with a gun.

walter - has a verrryyy specific style to them that you only find in the duty free zone of airports, like you look at them just chilling - probably on their laptop or watching their gate and think “yeah, that’s a Walter”. They also probably have live television at home and happily watch the ads and just whatever show is currently on, while trying to defend “7 princess vs a million toads” is a great show to watch and deserves the 80 episodes each 1 hour long it has.

winston - Similar to the below :3

Winto - likely lives in some Scandinavian or Canadian city and has a knack for knowing random bits and pieces of street smarts/life. Probably has no clue how to deal with a glitching TV but definetely has gotten out a possum from their car engine or put anti-skid tires on their bicycle. Probably has lots of small lights around their home (like little ones outside, some lamps on pedestals inside, maybe a lava lamp here and there, maybe a soft-lit chandelier in their living room or bedroom, probably also barely opens their curtains but is very welcoming of people).

zac - Probably had a “I’m a gangster” phase before they realised that it was just a cover to not look soft when they infact like some characteristically “feminine/weak” activity such as knitting. Prolly likes to go for joyrides every other day and goes for walks without informing others.

Zachary - Bro probably wears specially tailored clothes for themselves. Also likely owns or owned a bird. Probably secretly keeps flowers on their table or in their garden as it makes them feel loved. Mommy issues? Likes snacking.

Zehe - probably traumatised, that’s all I got to say.

my suggestion is to try come up with a “Mr. -so and so-“ name, it has so many potential!! Like “Mr. Basil” for example, or “Mr. Trison.” Or “Mr, Wrapper” or or or “Mr. Sheep” or “Mr, Ear.”

[runabout-river]

On Mahoraga, the Ten Shadows and Sukuna

I've seen so many hurt feelings and rage boners over on Twitter about Sukuna using the Ten Shadows in his fight against Gojo. There are people who straight up call Sukuna a fraud for using the 10S and people are violently speculating about an imagined battle where this and that power didn't exist and therefore either Gojo or Sukuna is the real boss and winner and it's as much of a dumpsterfire as it is hilarious to watch.

Sukuna is not a fraud for using a technique he owns

This is like saying god-like character B only is as strong as he is because he acquired a weapon along the way and that weapon doesn't count in fighting powers because... he wasn't born with it I guess. Every swordsmam from now on is a fraud as well. Zorro is weaker than Sanji because swords don't count while Sanji only fights with his natural body. And that boy Tanjiro! Did you know that he only made it to the Demon Slayer Corps because he also had a sword? Total fraud or something like that.

Time and time again the manga made it clear that sorcerers are not noble and honour bound people. They fight to win and the how is completely irrelevant to the winning because they're, among other things, con-artists and the only thing that awaits them if they don't win is death. Gojo and Sukuna would straight up nuke each other if that was a feasible option.

Gojo is as much a "fraud" as Sukuna

Gojo started this fight with the help of three other sorcerers and that help is going to reappear as the fight goes on. As I said in last chapter's Review, the others will have to fight against Mahoraga to fill out the (most likely) 8 adaptations it has so Gojo's techniques can work again. Uraume is going to appear again at some point as well.

The only reason why this fight is one-on-one until now is because of two things:

Ego, and

The immediate death of any outside assistance

Someone like Sukuna would of course want to defeat his opponent on his own with the minimum amount of effort to show how strong he is, and he most likely didn't think that much of Gojo at first either and he would also reject direct intervention from Uraume and Kenjaku, but his own techniques and weapons? Those are his and he's going to use them at his leisure regardless of where they came from. He "defeated" Megumi anyway to get access to the 10S so there isn't even any debate about whether he deserved to use them.

And Gojo? Hello? He would not let things like a fair fight get in his way of defeating Sukuna and saving Megumi and the world. Right now though, he can't accept any outside help because Sukuna would instantly kill them. Having him defeat Sukuna would be the best case scenario but they most likely discussed the more likely scenario that at some point the others have to step up as well. Even Kenjaku said that they will come. Gojo would give his life to give the others a fighting chance if it were to come to that but he wouldn't pointlessly throw his life away if "cheating" and being a "fraud" would've helped him and everyone else.

(Btw the more I think about it the more I'm of the opinion that Sukuna activated Mahoraga's wheel after Gojo's second Domain collapsed.)

Now that the fraud allegations are out of the way, let's go to another point people are losing their minds over: Mahoraga.

Mahoraga is NOT the ultimate weapon and the end of this fight

Mahoraga is also not the strongest technique of the 10 Shadows. What do we know about it? No one had ever tamed it before, not even the Zenin clan head who fought against the 6-Eyes Gojo clan head. I don't remember where it was said or if was ever clearly stated, but that fight ended with the Zenin activating an exorcism ritual to end the fight with both him and the 6-Eyes dying.

To achieve that, the 6-Eyes had to have been severely weakened otherwise he would've defeated Mahoraga himself just like 15-Finger Sukuna did. Just like Gojo said he would if Sukuna had summoned Mahoraga already. All of this is to say that the Zenin of that time fought against the 6-Eyes with only 9 tamed shikigami and a domain and maybe they were not truly equal in their fighting strength but the Zenin was at least strong enough to inflict serious damage to his opponent.

The true strength of the 10 Shadows Technique does not lie in one single shikigami, not even Mahoraga, but in the intelligent use of all aspects of it. Like: summoning and calling back the shikigami when needed; combining the living shikigami to form new creatures; strengthening the living shikigami with the powers of the dead ones; utilizing the shadows to their maximum, and completing Chimera Shadow Garden and using all its unique abilities and powers.

Intelligence has been Megumi's number one characteristic among all the other characters and I don't know about any of you but as a true culmination of Megumi's abilities, I found Mahoraga to be underwhelming. First, because it (the super mega ultimate weapon) appeared too early in the manga and second, because it was defeated in its very first appearance. So either Gege made a blunder in his storytelling and appropriate leveling of character abilities or Mahoraga was never meant to be the ultimate usage of the 10 Shadows.

(The characters might think it is but the sorcerers aren't the only con artists in JJK, Gege is too.)

In essence, Sukuna isn't automatically going to win this fight just because Mahoraga is going to come, AND it's going to be Megumi who will push the 10 Shadows to its absolute peak not Sukuna

[lozmastermm]

I'm glad I've gone from that unsure kid who couldn't decide who was right in a debate to reading something a conservative says and without even needing to look into it as deeply as before, know it's a Larp.

That certainty when you read something someone says and go "That's...definitely verifiably wrong." is quite nice in comparison to just being scared of essentially thought policing myself as a child.

Best I can say, is have strong moral convictions upon stuff you actually know alot about. And not just bandwagon. Hell you can wait til you know more to decide. The internet gives a feeling of urgency to Know Already, but the fact is we're on our own paths at different locations and the first opinion is always wrong.

If you're a kid or teen who's unable to decide what is right and wrong, just go leftist. Like straight up, you will be right more often than not. At the least you won't need to hide your past once you grow up. Trust me, I'm from the early 2000s era of internet, people were shiiiiiit, even me. But alot of us grew up and out of that, we just wish we didn't have a history to personally hate about ourselves.

Which is why I stress, look into things, come to real conclusions you cannot argue for yourself. Only then do you realize republicans are quite literally children incapable of reality. I'm not even saying ignore what they say, just that, when you compare the two conversations both political parties will have, you'll notice R's are deeply unhappy and think they know why, and D's are unhappy but not only know why but want it fixed for you, so you don't have to live through it aswell.

It's actively impossible to not notice after a while of just researching. The fact is, R's "research" comes from talking heads. You can look back at claims by D's going back years that always end up verified, you can never do that with R's without skipping context and history. It's not even political to say R's are genuinely redneck idiots without a clue.

If you want that uncertain feeling to go away. Research. Listen to people's stories. Find sources to back up what you believe. Find footage and pictures that aren't faked. And come to the conclusion then. R's straight up Do Not Do This. They do 0 research and it's why they're so pissed off and bigotted. They're scared and confused but their ego is on the line, so they will double down.

Reality has no place near their egos. So trust dem. They only got a big head because they do the bare minimum R's definitely have never not once.

And no, I find it absurd not to just speak reality about this. Show me an R in the past 5 years to actually be inteligient. No, Jordan Peterson is haha, no. No let's be serious here okay? Give me a real example. Joe Rogan? Pffft. Elon Musk? What a hilarious joke. Dump? Ya really wanna try that one?

Just a sad state of affairs where the clearly regarded party can't be called as such out of some politeness. Nah man, they're rapist murderers. They'll say the same about dems, but dems aren't using the mass shooter list as a leaderboard are they? They don't have over 1 thousand politicians that are registered sex offenders either huh? Funny that R's keep moving to Russia where we keep learning they're the disinformation kings for R's. Funny that the ex-pres and current candidate is Actually Proven a Rapist.

Like cmon. At least there's someone to like in dem parties. R's? Where's any respectability? They do no research, just make up claims, take anything out of context to help themselves. It's such a sad larp.

As a kid, it seemed so much more complex. I didn't know if I should hate specific groups, I didn't know if I should hate specific activities. The world was still so new. Which is why I say, if you want, 10 years from now, to be Healthier and Happier, lean Left. Just do it. Trust me Leftism won't leave you with a profile on social media filled with vile hateful bigotry you'll learn to regret potentially. It won't leave you at square one of existing, it won't make you scared of black people, or gay people, it won't make you scared of your fellow human being. It won't tell you that rape just happens and to accept it, it won't leave you with a past of sexism, it won't leave you permanently single, it won't make people uncomfortable or unsafe feeling around you, jobs will hire you more often, your kid can look at your old profile without you being concerned you said something that'd make them hate you, you won't start an internet career that makes you as miserable and lonely as it does rich, it won't push away Good Friends and Good Family.

You're just safer long term being a good person. What R's want you to believe is being a bad person is justified occassionally. Sure. But they want you to be A Bad Person For Them. Not for yourself. They will use you up and spit you out. Everytime. Your actions solely tied to you and you alone.

But of all things to help rationalize, understand this, R's have a tiny, tiny umbrella of ideology. All they got is what you've heard. Dems, have a wide, girthy umbrella, filled with Every Other Political Ideology that isn't Maga at this point.

You're gonna disagree with the vastness of humanity, R's only benefit is being so piss simple and idiotic that it can be spread easily, and being so violent and angry they won't allow one varying belief.

There's no debate with R's over Dump's competance. They do not care. Dems, on the other hand, swapped out Biden because dems fucking hated him. R's will never, ever, do that.

Fact is this: The "hypocrisy" of the left is always 5 leftists with different variations of leftism. The hypocrisy from republicans is opposing abortion but not giving a shit if politicians do it, if they themselves do it, only when other's do it. Only their abortion is moral. Only their thievery is moral. Only their actions are ever moral, and that's One Republican. Not 5 debating each other. One. One R has all the hypocrisy of an entire leftist debate if you treated both speakers as one person.

Thing is, compiling sources on such various things is difficult, because you actually have to find the thing that convinced you. Save links. Make shit easier for yourself in the future. It will not be easy to find later. Google's search went to shiiiit.

But to end off, sincerely, spend time developing your opinions. I got lucky in that I'm basically locked in a room my whole life. I had the opportunity and time to look and challenge myself. All I can ask, is you don't jump to conclusions, wait til it's impossible to challenge any longer, and if you think you reached that point? Challenge yourself harder. Push that boundary you set for yourself, and discover more.

At the end of the day, if you did even one google search, you've genuinely put more work into your morals and beliefs than any R has ever. Plain and simple.

Oh and, if you are convinced by an R, give it time. It Always Gets Debunked. Always always always. And not "R" debunked, fully, factually, in front of your own eyes, totally debunked. It. Always. Happens. You are not immune to propaganda, however, you are capable of superseding the ideas they implanted in your head.

What it comes down to, is if you don't immedietely feel disgusting seeing or hearing "despite making up" you got alot to learn. Alot. To learn. And that's great. Honestly I kinda wish things weren't so black and white anymore. It's very boring when you realize evil is just stupidity incarnate. That there was no middleground, no bigger truth or heavier hearts. No, R's just make shit up. That is their only thing anymore. Lying. Larping. Confusing.

That lack of confidence is also great, because it means you're willing to be wrong. You believe enough in yourself to be wrong and change for the better. Again, that is not something you'll see from R's. Ever. If you're even questioning an opinion, you're leftist. And good on you for not kneejerking an entire philosophy based on emotion entirely.

So, go research. Go see what R politicians are actually doing and are like. Go witness the talking heads get destroyed on your Tik'm Tok'ms. Watch boring ass debates. Spend time going for truth over how you feel about it. And suddenly, anytime an R talks, you notice the stupid irradiating from them without needing to question.

Don't bother being bipartisan, don't believe R's, look into the truth, and you'll see, everytime, it's a leftist with the real answer, and R's are Larping.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Paul Garcia-Ryan

Published: Apr 18, 2024

Paul Garcia-Ryan is the board president of Therapy First.

A comprehensive review commissioned by England’s National Health Service, released last week, found that gender transition medical treatment for children and young people has been built on “shaky foundations,” with “remarkably weak” evidence. The independent study — led by physician Hilary Cass, the former president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health — incorporates multiple systematic reviews “to provide the best available collation of published evidence,” as well as interviews with clinicians, parents and young people, in reaching its conclusions.

Referring to young people who have already been treated under these dubious circumstances, such as those at the Tavistock Centre’s now-closed Gender Identity Development Service, Cass wrote, “They deserve very much better.”

In the wake of the Cass Review’s release — which has rocked the British medical and media establishment, and might soon reverberate in the United States — many are asking how we got here. How did clinicians come to recommend the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to thousands of children and adolescents when there was insufficient evidence that these treatments were safe and effective?

Part of the reason is that “the toxicity of the debate is exceptional,” as Cass notes in her foreword: “There are few other areas of healthcare where professionals are so afraid to openly discuss their views, where people are vilified on social media, and where name-calling echoes the worst bullying behaviour. This must stop.”

I know all too well how the absence of good-faith, healthy debate on this subject can affect clinicians and patients. When I was 15, a therapist affirmed my conviction that I was born in the wrong body. After more than a decade of hormonal and surgical interventions, I detransitioned at age 30. I had come to realize that my transition was motivated by my difficulty reconciling with being gay. Today, I am a licensed clinical social worker and board president of Therapy First, formerly the Gender Exploratory Therapy Association, a nonprofit organization that advocates psychotherapy as a first-line treatment for youth gender dysphoria.

Usually in psychotherapy, treatment approaches are refined and improved by vigorous discussion, research and dissemination of new information. When it comes to youth gender treatments, though, professionals who raise concerns have been censored and subjected to reputational damage, threats to their license and doxing. As a result, countless gender nonconforming young people have been badly served.

Therapy First has been the target of silencing and intimidation efforts. Now with a professional membership of more than 300 clinicians based in 36 states and 14 countries, we are joined in our concern regarding the quality of mental health care provided to gender dysphoric youth. Even though the organization is apolitical and non-religious, with many of our members being LGBT, we have been falsely linked to the religious right. Despite being strongly opposed to conversion therapy, or trying to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity, we have been accused of practicing it.

What I’ve learned is that therapists who cite the poor quality of evidence in support of medical interventions for youth gender dysphoria, or who advocate traditional principles of psychotherapy in this area, are likely to be vilified — sometimes by fellow clinicians. Last week alone, eight complaints were filed against one of our members’ licenses by other therapists for simply posting, on a professional Listserv, the link to one of our organization’s webinars, on trauma-informed mind-body practices.

An activist website has labeled our therapists as part of the “global anti-transgender movement” and listed details from their personal lives, including the names of their children and other family members. Last month in London, the Telegraph reported, a medical conference that explored evidence and heard from seasoned therapists and doctors regarding the treatment of gender dysphoria was interrupted by masked protesters who set off a smoke bomb and attempted to force their way into the building.

In addition to worrying about activists outside the consulting room, therapists apparently must now also be concerned about whether their patients are wielding hidden cameras. This month, an undercover video recording of a therapy session was posted online, presenting the clinician as a practitioner of conversion therapy, yet the would-be video sting merely revealed a clinician engaged in normal therapeutic exploration. In the current climate, any therapeutic response other than immediate affirmation is considered transphobic.

It isn’t right that professionals must risk their livelihood and reputation to help young people struggling with gender dysphoria. If the culture of bullying persists, I fear that fewer clinicians with a developmental approach will be inclined to keep working with this population. These young people will be left with clinicians who aren’t following the science, many with good intentions, but others who might behave more like activists than mental health professionals.

The Cass Review made clear that the evidence supporting medical interventions in youth gender dysphoria is utterly insufficient, and that alternative approaches, such as psychotherapy, need to be encouraged. Only then will gender-questioning youth be able to get the help they need to navigate their distress.

[ Via: https://archive.today/83ZJa ]