#born without basic human decency

[oldguardleatherdog]

The Comment That Will Live In Infamy

A reminder that we don't have to tolerate being abused on this site.

As a general rule, I don't indulge in callouts of individuals who aren't public figures, but since this is the September 11th Anniversary I'm making an exception today.

Friend to all humanity @thenightmancometh expressed this wish for me in a comment on an absolutely balls-out batshit insane brigading of me on this site in 2022, started by a very strange and misguided 20-year-old girl in Scotland (of all places!) named @commonpigeon who thought it sport to take a stoned 3 AM comment I made on a post by @ding-dong-you-are-wrong and hold it, and me, out for ridicule to thousands of people, picked up and amplified by @baradragon and boosted by none other than the legendary multiply-terminated @were--ralph, who I imagine is happily reaming a pineapple somewhere (iykyk I guess).

As a result of fighting back against this ageist, AIDSphobic, kink-shaming, utterly inexplicable mob attack of vicious harassment and death wishes such as this, my first blog here got mass-reported and terminated, taking with it a library's worth of queer history links and harm reduction resources. I'm still fighting to get it restored.

I live in San Francisco where Tumblr and its parent company are headquartered; they are required by law to conduct themselves in accordance with City regulations regarding human rights, and although two years have passed, I'm still inclined to press my case.

My status as a "Certified Eligible Survivor" of the events of September 11, 2001 under the Zadroga Act of 2010 means more to me than being eligible for benefits and treatment of the PTSD diagnosis I carry. It means that I have standing to fight back against insults like the one depicted in the image here. It means that people who are capable of saying this to a person who was injured in that most heinous terrorist attack ever on US soil should be held to account for their actions, that their lack of basic human decency is not acceptable, that this is not normal online or offline behavior, that abusing injured victims of an act of war (or any other disaster, natural or manmade) will never be tolerated or accepted by the rest of humanity.

I'm not the only survivor of 9/11. I'm certainly not at or anywhere near the top of the hierarchy of victims of the events of that day. I know my place, and I behave accordingly, but that doesn't mean that I get to exist in a vacuum.

As a lifelong activist, I know how to fight for what's right, for myself and for others. Although I get accused of gatekeeping a tragedy, I'm goddamn Cerberus when it comes to guarding September 11th, protecting my fellow survivors from trolls and haters, and doing everything I can to make sure the memory of that day and those we lost will never be vandalized by 20-year-olds from Scotland or anyone else.

[sharingheaven]

Uncover the Hidden Truths: Why Questioning Everything Could Be the Key to Your Spiritual Liberation

Questioning is at the heart of human progress and spiritual discovery. From the beginning of time, our survival and growth have depended on asking the right questions:

“How did you achieve that?”

“What if we tried a new approach?”

“Are you sure about this?”

“Can we replicate that?”

“What does this truly mean?”

These inquiries not only fuel scientific advancements but also shape our entire civilization. Questions have given rise to religion, medicine, music, professions, and educational systems. However, when it comes to faith—especially in systems rooted in fear—questions are often discouraged.

But what happens when you start to question the very doctrines that are meant to guide you? This is a question I personally faced on my own spiritual journey.

The Role of Questions in Spiritual Freedom: How Questions Sparked the Protestant Reformation

History shows us how crucial questioning can be. Protestant Christianity was born from Martin Luther’s courageous questions about the practices of the Catholic Church. Luther’s questioning sparked the Reformation and paved the way for new understandings of faith. Without these bold inquiries, many of us might still be trapped in oppressive religious systems.

Personally, I remember the first time I questioned the religious structure I grew up in. I was sitting in a church pew, listening to a sermon that emphasized obedience without question, at risk of death and hell. Something inside me snapped. I could no longer accept blind faith and started to ask questions, much like Luther did centuries ago.

Breaking Free: Questioning Faith in Modern Times - When Prayers Seem to Go Unanswered

I spent years praying fervently, hoping for change. Week after week, I would pray, serve, and worship in church, expecting some sign that my prayers were being answered, but nothing came. Instead, I felt more lost and disillusioned. I began to wonder, “Why are my prayers not being heard? Am I doing something wrong?

”Feeling like you're the problem when faith demands belief without question is common. This internal struggle, known as cognitive dissonance, is actually a positive sign of critical thinking. As I questioned more, I realized the issue wasn't with me but with the Calvinistic doctrine I had trusted. My prayers seemed futile under a theology that marginalizes and excludes, contradicting basic human decency. This doctrine impacted those I loved most—neighbors who joined us for Sunday lunches and volunteered together. Such exclusion directly contradicts the greatest commandment Jesus said supersedes all others, representing a serious deviation from the true Gospel. For more insights, explore Calvinism critique and Jesus' teachings.

For many people, questioning faith begins after years of attending church without seeing real change. You might have poured your heart into prayer, only to find your struggles worsen. When collective prayers seem to make your problems heavier, it’s only natural to ask if something is wrong.

Yet, in some churches, questioning is discouraged. I recall a preacher who would regularly caution against skepticism. He would say, “Don’t come to church with a skeptical heart,” as though doubt were some kind of sin. What he really wanted was blind acceptance. But when I began questioning everything, I realized that this lack of inquiry was crippling my spiritual growth.

The Manipulation of Doctrines: Protecting the Ego

Over time, I started to see what was really happening. Preachers fear questions because they worry that if people start thinking for themselves, they’ll lose their grip on control. Whether they admit it or not, these leaders are often protecting their own egos. They hide behind the guard of pride, which is “the essential vice, the utmost evil,” convincing people that questions are dangerous when in reality, they are afraid of losing their influence.

I remember asking one preacher, “But what if Jesus didn’t mean it this way?” His face grew tight, and I could see the discomfort in his eyes. It was a simple question, yet it challenged everything he had built his ministry on. It was clear to me in that moment that he didn’t want to confront the truth behind the doctrines he preached.

When clergy with narcissistic tendencies discourage questions, they rob their followers of the opportunity to find the truth for themselves. The end result is spiritual enslavement, where individuals are living by someone else’s interpretation of faith rather than discovering God personally. Unfortunately, this sometimes leads to religious trauma syndrome as we simply can’t reconcile our values and principles with what we’ve learned is the way, truth, and life.

Jesus' Words vs. Pauline Doctrine: What Do We Follow? - A Personal Spiritual Experience

Recently, I had an experience while meditating and questioning my faith even more deeply. I felt a profound sense of clarity and purpose, something that seemed to fill every corner of my mind and heart. It was almost as if something divine was pulling me forward, leading me into a deeper understanding of my own beliefs. Others noticed a change in me, and I felt different—more certain in some ways, but also more aware of the questions still lurking in the background.

Was this a divine encounter? It felt like one. It reminded me of moments I’ve had in the past, moments that made me think, “Maybe God is guiding me somewhere new.” But those experiences also led me to one important question: What does Jesus really want me to focus on?

In this particular moment, I was struck by the Spirit, overwhelmed into submission, and more certain than ever that God is indeed guiding me. I cried in relief for a good while and shared my experience during this emotional revelation with my aunt. Jesus saves, after all. He cured my nihilistic and craving soul in an instant.

The Conflict Between Jesus and Paul

This experience opened my eyes to a common issue in Christian theology: Why do we focus so much on Paul’s teachings when Jesus’ words seem so much clearer and more compassionate?

When I read the Gospels, I see a message of love, grace, and inclusion. But Paul’s writings, which form the backbone of modern Christian doctrine, often seem to conflict with that message. In many fundamentalist churches, Paul is quoted far more than Jesus, and I started to wonder: Has Christianity lost its way?

For me, the risk of following the wrong path is too great. If my eternal soul is at stake, I cannot base my life on teachings that may not align with what Jesus actually said. It’s clear to me now that Jesus’ words are enough. His message stands on its own without the additional weight of Pauline doctrines that seem to complicate and even contradict His words of grace and love.

Finding True Spiritual Freedom Through Jesus' Words: The Courage to Question

If you’ve ever felt trapped by a belief system that limits grace, it’s okay to question it. In fact, it’s essential. When I started asking, “Is this truly what Jesus wanted for me?” I found a sense of freedom that I never knew before.

Jesus welcomed questions. He challenged the religious leaders of His time, those who used fear to control others. His message was one of love, inclusion, and grace. And if He questioned the rigid systems of His day, why shouldn’t we do the same?

The Path Forward: A Call to Action

For me, I have chosen to follow the words of Jesus alone. His message of inclusivity, love, and grace resonates deeply with me. Like Thomas Jefferson, I believe that Jesus’ words are actionable and true. Jefferson famously said of Jesus, “In extracting the pure principles which he taught, we should have to strip off the artificial vestments in which they have been muffled by priests, who have travestied them into various forms, as instruments of riches and power to them.” Jefferson focused on the reason the Bible exists: The Savior.

And so, I will continue on this faith journey, asking questions and following Jesus’ words until I have further questions. If you find yourself in a similar place, I encourage you to embrace your questions and explore a path of true spiritual freedom—one that leads not to fear, but to grace.

Final Thoughts: Break Free from Doctrinal Control

Questioning is sacred. It opens doors to new understanding, challenges outdated beliefs, and leads to spiritual freedom. Whether you’re questioning the doctrines of Calvinism, Pauline theology, or any other restrictive belief system, know that your questions matter. By embracing your questions, you can break free from manipulative doctrines and rediscover the true message of Jesus—a message of love, grace, and spiritual freedom.

In Grace and Hope.

I formed The Living Stones at a Calvinistic church. I honestly do miss performing.

Such a cool band logo!

[lyorofthequill]

Hello there, am sorry for stepping in your inbox without your permission. Am having a request concerning my family. My family is still living in the Gaza Strip, and like so many other families, their lives are hell right now. My family includes my father and mother, my sisters Nisreen and Yasmine and my brother Anwar. My dad is 77 years old and my mother, who I call the soul of my soul and the balm of my life, is 75 years old and confined to a wheelchair because of a war injury when she was young. My brother Anwar and my sister Yasmine suffer from diabetes mellitus type 1… They need insulin urgently and regularly. Any lack of insulin puts their lives in danger, as what happened with my older sister Ibtisam, who lost her life 10 years ago due to a lack of insulin.” Kindly donate any amount and reblog.

If people haven't already guessed from my love of a particular book series I am born and raised in Ireland. And like almost all my people. I heavily support Palestine. @mig-murgthenurg my boyfriend is half Algerian and half Irish and so he is intensely supportive of Palestine and her people. Not even because of our pasts, but because we are humans with basic fucking decency and empathy.

And I actually don't care for any questions on this subject, like people asking why do I support Palestine if I'm not Palestinian or why suppression Palestine if the people there wouldn't support me because I'm trans.

This genocide is no different to any other and so there are no excuse for it, or renaming the actions being taken to make it sound better. Like how there was no famine for the Irish, we were still making food, just not allowed to eat it. It was an attempted genocide. Like how people cried out for help during the AIDS crisis but the media and governments decided to ignore the deaths because it was only gays and trans people. How governments are choosing to ignore the deaths now because the people being affected are Muslim and Palestinian. It was the people who brought justice to the sufferers. It will be the people, not the government to bring justice to Palestine.

It will be us the people to bring justice to people, to children like Hind Rajab.

So yeah. Fuck Biden, Fuck Sunak (For everything actually), Fuck Natenhyu or however you spell it. It's not even his real name. Freedom for Palestine, Freedom for Gaza.

[aihoshiino]

Number 24, for Ai!

so this was originally a simple answer to the simple question of "What characters from your other fandoms remind you of [this character]?" and in the process of my writing spiraled into an essay beyond my control but at this point everyone is here to listen to me go insane about themes and narratives. So. Let's talk about Coffin Girls.

COFFIN GIRLS: FUTURE (HOPE) AND FUTURELESSNESS (DESPAIR)

Using the original question as a starting point here - I absolutely can't answer it without starting with Yuuri Wakasa from School-Live!, both because she was the big Brain Melting Blorbo before Ai and because the Yuuri Wakasa to Ai Hoshino pipeline is so direct it's kind of hilarious.

While on page they play out as very different characters, once you start really digging into them the similarities jump out: they are both young women suffering adultification in situations where their survival relies on their being about to match these adult standards. They're both maternal figures and, most important of all, both of them are primarily defined by the roles they assigned themselves that go on to completely control their lives.

While these are both pretty different roles, they are both defined by a lack of weakness, vulnerability and humanity rather than the creation of new, ingenuine traits. The major divergence is their motivation in creating these masks and how they go on to affect their relationship with other little people.

Ai created her mask in the hopes of presenting a version of herself that could love and be loved by other people. Yuuri's was a matter of survival: she creates an unshakable, reliable, invincible version of herself to ensure she and the others have the strength to endure the situation they're in, bottling up her feelings because letting herself be compromised by then could very literally end in someone being killed. Both of them desperately maintain these masks long past the point of it being detrimental to them because they fear what will happen and what pain they will face when it comes down.

The primary difference is that while Ai is more straightforwardly a victim of circumstance, Yuuri is much more directly the author of her own misery. This is obviously not to say Yuuri is to blame at all for her situation but that this is one of the major points of difference between her and Ai;

Ai's fear of rejection is learned, entirely founded in the very real and persistent abuse and rejection she has suffered her whole life. She is, quite frankly, correct that people prefer the flawless and inhuman "Ai of B-Komachi" over the real Ai who is in pain and suffering. Since the moment she was born, she has never been afforded love or acceptance and even being treated with basic kindness and decency has been conditional, predicated on the doctoring of her honest self into a pretty, socially acceptable lie.

Yuuri's fear of rejection hues closer to a sense of duty - her mask is a responsibility she imposed on herself and so too are the supposed consequences of failure. Yuuri has the unconditional acceptance Ai has searched for her whole life - she is surrounded by people who love her, who would accept her as she is and help her every step of the way if she faltered but at every opportunity she has to reach out to them, Yuuri cannot bring herself to do so. She defines herself so strongly as a caretaker that she cannot conceptualise of allowing someone to care for her in return. She must be strong because if she is weak, then that's all good as completely losing her place in the club in her mind.

This is because, for all their similarities, Ai and Yuuri are driven by entirely opposing cores; hope and all consuming despair.

Ai is a person driven by desperate, unwavering hope. Everything she does is in service of creating a future for herself where the things that she lies about can eventually become true. She wants to be happy - she believes she eventually, one day, will be happy and fights with everything she has, against every possible obstacle in her way, to achieve that promised happiness. She hates herself and so works toward creating a version of herself that even she can eventually love. Even if she can't imagine it ever happening, she wants people to know who she really is, she wants to be seen as the dirty, hopeless, irresponsible Hoshino Ai and accepted as such. She unfailingly believes in the future.

Yuuri, by contrast, is defined by despairing resignation. She cannot affect meaningful change, only hold the line in hopes of maintaining the status quo. She lives in a state of futurelessness, content with occupying an eternal present, chained inescapably to the past. She has no hope. She doesn't always want to continue living. She just doesn't want to die yet. She takes responsibility for everything, hates and blames herself for things completely out of her control because she has no control. The trauma that consumed her life is so unimaginably huge and she is so, so small that even the guilt and self loathing are preferable to surrendering this final scrap of agency to it.

Ai wants people to accept her weakness; Yuuri is too ashamed of it. Ai wants to be seen; Yuuri abhors the idea. Both of them climbed into their own coffins and pulled the lid shut but Ai left hers open just a crack so that anyone who wanted to find her could open it and pull her out. Yuuri nailed hers closed from the inside.

As you can probably guess by my talking about coffins all of a sudden, I am definitely channeling Anthy Himemiya from Revolutionary Girl Utena as well lol. I don't necessarily think that Ai or Yuuri are like Anthy (though Ai does have a teeny bit of Anthy DNA imo), it's more that Anthy is the queen of a character archetype that both Ai and Yuuri fall into that for the purposes of this post I'll call Coffin Girls. I fully expect that to make no sense to anyone who isn't me but this post by @metanarrates about sums it up.

That said, while this post uses gender neutral language, when I talk about Coffin Girls I am very specifically talking about Coffin Girls. What makes a character a Coffin Girl to me is when her struggles are distinctly feminine - not wholly defined by but nevertheless inextricable from her womanhood and her place as a woman in patriarchal societies. Societal and social roles and emotional labor that is considered traditionally "feminine" is weaponized against her as violence. A Coffin Girl must be a Coffin Girl because her abuse and exploration has roots in purity culture, misogyny and hostile masculinity manifesting in violence against her.

All of this is true of Ai but what makes her unique as a Coffin Girl is her determination to not be a Coffin Girl. I want to make it very explicit that this is not victim blaming in any way: it's just that what defines a Coffin Girl is resignation and powerlessness, born from an inability (either literal or emotional) to change her situation. Again, Ai is unique in this regard. No, she can't change the idol industry or the misogyny that perpetuates it but she can affect change in herself. She may be resigned to her current lot in life but she rejects the soul deep helpless despair that defines most Coffin Girls. She has hope - she has left her coffin open. All anyone would need to do is pull her out.

[lesewut]

‘The covenant of love was granted to me on the day when there was no day, in my primal time, before she appeared to conclude the contract. And I obtained my love not by hearing or seeing, not by acquisition and not by an inclination of nature, but I loved her already in the world of divine command, when nothing had appeared, before creation I was drunk.’

Ibn al-Farid was born in 1181 in Cairo, Egypt, during the Ayyubid period. He was a member of a prominent family and received a classical education in Islamic sciences, literature, and poetry. Ibn al-Farid is regarded as one of the greatest mystical poets in Arabic literature. His work has profoundly influenced subsequent generations of poets and Sufis.

The Diwan of Ibn al-Farid is a collection of his poetry, encompassing his famous qasidas (odes) and other forms of Arabic poetry. This compilation showcases his mastery in both poetic form and spiritual depth and reflects themes of divine love, union with God, and the spiritual journey.

Through translations, his mystical odes were known in the European region, first by Viennese court interpreter and friend of Goethe Josef von Hammer-Purgstall (1774 - 1856): The Arabic Song of Love (1854). 1917 the didactic poem ‘Al-Ta'iyyah al-Kubra’ was translated into Italian by Ignazio Di Matteo, critically analysed by Carlo Alfonso Nallino ‘Poema mistico’ and Alleyne Nicholson's work of 1940 'The Odes of Ibnu 'l-Farid' bulding the basis for this edition by Prof. Renate Jacobi.

Love poetry - Ideal of love

Individual relationship of lovers above the norms and demands of society

Frequent motif:

Conflict, experienced as tragic in a world of social change, as a hopeless relationship in which the lovers who cling to it perish; Typical of ‘udhritic poetry (Bedouin tribe of the ’Udhra): By no means platonic, but sexual fulfilment only in marriage, which, however, is denied

‘The poet and his beloved have known each other since childhood, fall in love and want to marry, but the woman is married off to a richer man by her parents. The lovers remain faithful to each other. They meet, but without offending decency, and in the end the poet, and sometimes the lover, die of grief.’

‘Poets of the ‘Udhra tribe from the 7th century sang of their passionate love for a single woman who outlasts death. Before that, the concept of ‘udhrite love (al-hubb al-’udhri) was derived, which plays an important role in classical Arabic literature, in poetry and prose, as well as in profane love theory.’

Famous couples:

> Djamil and Buthaina (Djamil ibn Ma'mar, d. 701, is the most important poet of the ‘udhra tribe; his divan is considered relatively reliable) > Kuthaiyir and ‘Azza (Kuthaiyir, d. 723) > Qais and Lubna (Qais ibn al-Dharih, d. 689, like Kuthaiyir belonging to a different tribe, but attributed to the ‘Udhrite school; from the tribe of “Amir, called al-Madjnun ”the madman’ and his lover Laila; Poeticised by many mystical poets in many Islamic literatures + symbol of absolute love of God; doubts about historicity, attributed verses probably do not date from the 7th century either;) Basic structure resembles ‘udhritic poetry, yet deviations:

‘After Madjnun loses Laila, he falls into madness. He turns away from human society and lives among the animals in the desert until his death, focussing entirely on his love for Laila. His renunciation of the outside world is so total that he is unable to turn his attention to the real Laila when she visits him in the desert. His inner image of her holds him completely captive.’ [p. 161]

(The poet's response to his lover's accusation that he does not pay attention to her:)

‘You fill my heart so much that I cannot look at you.’

[Abbas ibn al-Ahnaf, d. 808)

'Udhritic love in two genres: Poetic (ghazal) and narrative form; complement each other and are placed in a historical context in Arabic tradition

+ Narratives initially oral, records were collected in the 8th century

The concept of ‘udhritic love’ reached Heinrich Heine via Henri Stendhal's treatise ‘De l'amour’ (1822):

The wonderful Sultan’s daughter Every day used to rush, Around the evening hour to the fountain, Where the white waters splash. The young slave stood pale At the fountain, around evening,, Where the white waters wail; And his paleness was increasing. One evening the princess approached him With sudden words, like a whip: I want to know your name, Your home and your kinship! And the slave spoke: My name is Mohammed I come from the Yemen that I cherish, And I stem from the tribe of Asra, From those who, when they love, they perish. [Translation by Joseph Masaad]

My (incomplete) notes in German

[butwhatifidothis]

Weird pivot for Cap'n to make Ingrid go from being racist towards Duscur to being racist towards Nabateans and making it sound like SHE WAS SAVED, but alright. Also, it makes her "talk" with Dimitri strangely more ironic lmao. "No, you see Dimitri, it was dirty Faerghus toxic masculinity culture's fault that I bought was so racist towards those poor Duscur people as a teenager! But now that I'm huffing Woobiegard's farts as a grown woman - I mean girl, I can see that it was the Nabateans I was supposed to be blaming this whole time! Unlike YOU." If I wasn't aware she was one of his "favorites" I could've sworn it was deliberate character bashing/assassination.

Yeeeahh, it's just. Very strange.

Cap'n puts so much emphasis on how much Ingrid has "grown" out of her hatred for the people of Duscur (that he never wrote but whatev) and how it was bad for her to have blamed them all for what happened to Lambert and Glenn and etc., but, like... then turns around and blames Nabateans as a whole and as a race for "what they did" to Fodlan. Like, straight up: "Woobiegard despised the Children of the Goddess for what they had done to Fodlan."

So it's like, it's not so much that Ingrid was wrong to hate the people of Duscur because the intrinsic act of hating an entire race/group of people for the actions of a few is wrong, since the whole of a race should not be held liable for what the minority may have done... but that Ingrid was targeting the wrong race of people. She would have been fine if the people of Duscur were mostly/wholly responsible for the Tragedy! Hell, her hatred for specifically Dedue would've even been encouraged, if the fic's treatment of Flayn is any indicator - Ingrid wouldn't have been expected to give basic decency to Dedue, Dedue would've been expected to earn Ingrid's trust after he intrinsically broke it by being the race of Duscurian! And any attempt on his end to try and find peace and safety and not trying to help Faerghus recover from what his people "did to it" would've been proof of his self-centeredness and selfishness!

...Not the best look gotta say. Placing the fic's treatment of Nabateans onto any of the human characters makes the already blatant racism even more apparent.

And it's just even more jarring to hear Ingrid say what she does to Dimitri? Like, legit, everything she says comes off as tone deaf and ignorant, especially her "you're working with those who killed at Duscur!" line. Like, bruh:

she has no idea if that's true, full stop

most of the people fighting for Dimitri here would likely be around his age, meaning they would've been teens at most when the Tragedy happened

many of the people who fight for Dimitri are common-born, so even if they were involved in Duscur they likely had no choice in the matter (since even extremely important nobles were put in hot water over this - hello Catherine - so commoners had to fuckin' chance at disobeying orders without heavy consequences)

Ingrid is currently, right now, trying to kill the one person who is actively trying to restore Duscur and has the power and means to do so, so she doesn't get to act like she cares so much about Ducsur

Ingrid is currently, right now, working with someone who hid the true perpetrators of the Tragedy for nearly a decade and actively and willingly worked with said perpetrators for years

Ingrid is currently, right now, blaming the entire race of Nabateans for causing all of Fodlan's problems and is willing to physically assault them at the drop of a hat, so she doesn't get to act like she's grown oh so much from her racist tendencies

It just comes off as a cheap attempt to make Ingrid and Woobiegard better than Dimitri - blow up or make up flaws in Dimitri, ignore the flaws that Ingrid and Woobiegard have. Even though their flaws are, um, a lot more worrying

[lingshanhermit]

Lingshan Hermit: This Isn't Cultivation

Over the past two decades, the world has undergone tremendous changes. During these years, I often see all kinds of people who have their own jobs and families, spending everyday posting photos of their kids, meals, and vacations on social media, yet at the same time claiming themselves to be spiritual cultivators. They are my idols. I deeply admire how they can work, go on vacation, raise children, and cultivate spirituality all at once, without missing out on anything - something even great sages like Longqinba and Huineng could not achieve. I also often see people who, after a trip to Tibet, taking some photos, meeting a few teachers, return and declare themselves spiritual cultivators, embarking on their endless Buddhist-style journey of self-satisfaction.

Many believe this to be a cultivation phenomenon unique to our era, but I'm quite skeptical about it. The cultivation I know has never been like this. The cultivators I know have never been like this either. Those who have truly cultivated know that it is an extremely arduous and risky endeavor - even if you devote your entire being, success is not guaranteed, let alone half-hearted efforts. If you believe you can live a happy secular life while achieving spiritual accomplishments, it shows you have no idea what real cultivation is. The traditional cultivators of the past were very prudent when they started their spiritual paths, received empowerments, and established teacher-student relationships. The teachers of the past were very meticulous in choosing disciples. They did not accept just anyone - they assessed the character of disciples and demanded a lot from them. If they saw some teachers today with tens of thousands of disciples, they would be astonished. Nowadays, people can impulsively decide to become Buddhists during a car trip to a temple. They don't need to understand Buddhist rules, assess their own capabilities, go through trials, or contemplate Buddhist teachings seriously. To them, becoming a Buddhist is no different than becoming a gym member. This rampant and indiscriminate taking of disciples has lowered the bar for true cultivators, letting many poseurs believe they are genuinely cultivating.

Why has this happened? There are many reasons, and I believe greed has played a significant role. For some, if anyone wishes to become a disciple, they accept readily (often justified as an act of Bodhicitta). And many who wish to become disciples want to obtain something to show off when they return. So they easily come to an agreement, with both sides getting what they want and feeling satisfied. The only one that suffers is Buddhism. The plethora of terrible "cultivators" we see today is the consequence of this rampant and indiscriminate initiation.

Some people think establishing karmic connections is also important, but I see this kind of indiscriminate initiation more like irresponsible flirting everywhere without commitment. Besides, you already have ample karmic connections - being born in a place like China, you can see Guanyin Bodhisattva on TV anytime. So you certainly don't lack connections. With the current glut of Buddhists, you see all kinds of people everywhere claiming to practice tantra yet without even basic human decency. You need to understand that becoming a Buddhist practitioner is not as simple as brewing a cup of hand-drip coffee for yourself. This is an extremely serious decision that will affect your future lifetimes, whether you can still be reborn as a human in the next life, and the well-being of your children. You must assess your capabilities before making the decision. Nowadays many are trying to convince the masses that anyone can become a practitioner, so few would think receiving empowerment is a more dreadful thing than going hiking in the suburbs. This is truly a tragedy. Buddhism does not need sheer numbers, it needs genuine practitioners. It doesn't need a bunch of posers filling the ranks. If a teacher has tens of thousands of disciples, I wonder how he can teach them properly. One consequence of not being able to teach them well is they will go and find their own ways, reading books and speculating randomly, thus developing all kinds of peculiar understandings.

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche once said among his thousands of students at Buddhist academies in India, it would be very good if just one could become someone who truly benefits sentient beings. So if anyone tells you that becoming a practitioner is easy and anyone can do it, don't trust them.

Written by Lingshan Hermit on August 24, 2023.

灵山居士：这不是修行

[ziracona]

thinking of the kid fic again and the reason rits is so liked dare I say loved by servants is they're a relatively normal Mage. Mages are not normal there's just some who are more normal and less of a wierdo than others, idk from what fate shows us most makes eat sleep and breathe magecraft so rits is normalish becaude she has hobbies outside of magic

Yeah. I think it’s that she’s so much more human. She’s just a kid. In fate, Mages usually eat breathe and sleep magecraft. They’re raised to be Mages. Heroic spirits for the most part were normal humans who did extraordinary things, and even the ones who were Mages were mostly from times when magecraft was very different. Now in fate, Mages are basically 1% privileged entitled shithead politician power families who think everyone not from a Legacy family born into power and riches and centuries of exploited power is Less Than Human compared to them.

Rits is the opposite of that. She’s just some lower middle class, public schooled high schooler. And a good person. Not just to heroic spirits, but to other humans. They absolutely would see someone sleeping in their car outside a 7/11 in nowheresville as just as worth saving as a dignitary at a consulate. She’s very kind and genuine and a loving person too, and I’m sure that helps, but a big part I think is just seeing a mage treat them and others with humanity and decency and respect. Heroic spirits regularly get dragged from the afterlife to be forced into enslavement for some entitled shithead mage’s pissing contest mage ritual, often forced to act outside of their own character and ethics, and are treated as disposable tools rather than even living beings, much less equals. The shift from that to “Omg Robin Hood O_O like the Disney film?? The—oh that’s so cool oh my gosh. : D You have a bow and oh wow oh I’m not sure what to say, uh you’re really cool!! I. Uhm. I made tea if you want any. Does anyone want snacks? I also brought video games and books if you want to do something fun before the mission. : )” would be a world shattering event for sure. Every heroic spirit meeting her without fail is like

I think who she is as a person is very important, but I also think just, any human mage showing humanity to heroic spirits always has a profound effect on them. Their lives are straight up hell. They don’t get afterlives and reincarnation, and instead get forced into slave contracts over and over against their will, get killed, get used, get discarded. I really like the way Medea talks about being used and discarded when she’s dying in Blade Works, because her desperation and kind of broken desire to just go home make sense so much in the context of what a heroic spirit is. Like she’s someone who betrayed her own family for a man she loved, gave up her life as a princess, everything. And was betrayed and discarded for another woman after giving him the world, and is remembered mostly for a play written long after her life, where she kills her own kids and the new wife to punish him. Reviled as a witch and a monster. And regardless of the truth, she’s dragged again and again into contracts with Mages who treat her like property and slaughter her when they have no use, and think of her as a monster. I can’t imagine the cognitive dissonance of being Medea in Blade Works and seeing a mage workshop liquefying the bodies of young living children imported from poorer countries, to make magic. Cruel, and inhuman, and not even an economical use of its own violence. And to have the people who made it look at you with absolutely surety as the monster and the witch who kills children in the room. To kill the workers there and let the kids go, and have the rights to kill you sold to another Master because you’re too evil to be trustworthy. It’s no wonder she immediately falls in love and dedicates herself to the first person to actually treat her as a human being since years before even her real original death.

Artoria is shocked by Shirou treating her like a friend and equal, and dedicates herself to helping him long past their contract because of it. Cú is so impressed by Shirou and Rin he swaps sides and is killed for them. Heracles dies horribly trying to protect Ilya because he sees a homunculus child being treated like he is. Like a powerful tool for winning magic wars, at any cost. When really she’s a living person. Archer credits Rin’s humanity towards him in Blade Works as what made him weak enough he stops short of going through with killing Shirou, and a large part of what helps him keep going as a heroic spirit after. Originally it’s just the chance to have agency to act how they want instead of just being routinely assaulted by their master and used that gets Astolfo to help Sieg, but his genuine care of them and other homunculi as people is what gets them, Jeanne, and others to change priorities in the war.

Even with FGO itself, Da Vinci is a very selfish and unattached character when she’s introduced. She is mostly helping because she is smart, it’s a puzzle, and she’s one of the idiots who lives in the galaxy, as it were. But Romani, Ritsuka, Mash, and I’m sure other Chaldea staff? Have such a profound effect on her in how they treat her, treat each other, treat other spirits? By EOR, she’s trying so hard to fill the parental and caretaking void that Romani left, and by CitLB, she’s packing you boxed lunches and saying how proud she is of you. Moriarty throws away a lifetime goal and lets himself die on the cusp of getting everything he ever wanted, so this 18 year old with the weight of the world on their shoulders who believed he was good and loved him, will be okay. You see it over and over again. This has turned into an unnecessarily long rant but, when it’s done well, I die and cry for how well Fate focuses on the utterly irreplaceable, central necessity of humanity and love towards others being the foundation for most of the hope and life in the universe. Like fucking, Apocrypha is incredibly devastating, but Sieg doesn’t think so. The only reason it’s not a worse end than it is, is he has love and faith. It makes a horror story a tragedy that might get a bittersweet ending someday yet. Salieri stays to die playing piano for people who will have never existed in two days and it matters so fucking much. The players in UBW circumvent fate where Shirou is concerned, through love. Archer is able to go on because he spoke to his child self and his wife in another life was kind to him and said she wanted him to be saved and cried. Arthur is at peace with the horror of her life because she made choices out of love for her people and is able to see that the good has value amongst the bad, because of her relationship with Shirou. Ritsuka stays and dies in an explosion at the start to FGO so Mash will have someone holding her hand when she dies and won’t be alone, and that lets Mash become the person who is vaporized at the end of FGO fighting in the temple of time to save Ritsuka, and the year of being kind to a little animal they didn’t know was sentient saves them both from death in that finale because it’s one of the evils of the universe but it succumbed to belly rubs and head pats and genuine love from two little girls and trades its life for them. Everything in fate when it’s done well is about 2 things: 1–the inevitable tragedy of humanity and having lived at all, and 2–the unending desperate hope of the potential of human love.

[familiaanteomnia]

The One Stop Shop

Multi muse, multi fandom- high activity blog 18+ dark themes, heavy subjects may be present drug mentions, smoking, drinking, violence, swearing, mental illness/chronic illnesses to name a few *under constant construction due to chronic health issues*

Rules:

Open to ocs, multis/single muse blogs, canons, duplicates- sideblogs. multishipper+multiverse

Obviously no racism, bigotry, don't god mod *unless discussed, just basic human decency+communication please and thanks

I am mostly iconless at the moment, some muses are hard to pick an fc for/or replacement fcs etc

Memes are open always, just specify the meme+your muse/mine as applicable and same with opens (I also enjoy multiple threads)

You don't have to match my format or length, just give me something to work with

I've been working on being more social ooc, if this is also something helpful to get the gears rolling etc just give me a little nudge (we can ramble about our muses ooc on d.iscord & I genuinely love listening to people's hcs for their muses etc)

Highest activity muses at present:

-Vesper (d.octor who oc) chaos child of the cosmos, the offspring of the m.aster & doctor in another reality.

-Ashe (d.octor who oc) fell through time & space as a kid, memories literally burning up to keep them alive and constantly pulled through/memory issues ever since.

-Gabriel B.outin (b.astard son & devil himself but also has been adopted out of canon since it got cancelled) queer, french witch that's actually softer than defenses built up for protection.

-T.ilda Weber (the i.mperfects but adopted out of cancelled canon too) punk rock singer of her band, born with an genetic condition that lead to an experiment and the developing of hyperacusis+banshee powers. Looking to get cured so can sing without it hurting+go on tour again and not be physically hurting from noise. *or has adjusted and become somewhat morally gray

-Stevie (superpowered oc) with the ability to manipulate ink, generally prone to helping others and just focuses on living their life. Which usually is long bar tending shifts for the most part just the usual day to day.

-The M.aster (further down the road/regeneration ??) Quite bored with most everything including the usual song & dance. Usually written around the start of the regeneration but can be written towards the later of it.

-Christopher H.argreeves (t.ua canon/expanded on as able to shapeshift and not dead) Taking on the form of an cube and ending up stuck in human form post kugelblitz. With the desire to seek out their family whoever might remain and no knowledge of anything that happened post explosion.

-Diego H.argreeves (t.ua canon/canon divergent in some details- especially disregarding the end of the show) Tendency to hold grudges but still very loyal to those he cares about. Ability to hold his breath with little limitation and manipulate objects, primarily knives.

-Taylor H.argreeves (t.ua oc that might get a little reworked) Capable of reflecting other's thoughts, their intense emotions and thus struggles with the feelings of everybody else bouncing around inside them 24/7. Left the house as a teenager, the odd rare contact with the others but mainly keeps to himself/his day to day and trying to handle the emotional tidal waves of the world around.

Frequent muse at present:

-C.onstantine *mixed canon, years of self behind the scenes characterization/rping* the one and only chain smoking, con man himself. -L.ucifer *mixed canon, years of self behind the scenes characterization/rping* Club owner, attempting retirement in LA and have constant distraction till either the universe explodes or gets an opportunity to go make an better universe/world.

-Clary F.airchild (s.hadowhunters show/ years rping and canon divergence) funky art lesbian, who got pulled into an world she hadn't planned for and then ends up losing her memories. Gaining the life she'd planned for, but constant migraines as memories attempt to repair etc and lots of something is missing. Her family+found family.

-Alec L.ightwood (s.hadowhunters show/years rping and some canon divergence) Eldest sibling, archer and protector from things that go bump in the night like demons. -Maia R.oberts (s.hadowhunters show/years rping and canon divergences) Turned into an werewolf by her ex, getting her footing in the world as an waitress/bartender at an supernatural bar and pursuing her college education with an love for marine biology specifically.

-Raphael S.antiago (show/years rping and canon divergences) Got turned into an vampire, second in charge for quite some time until becomes the leader of the clan. Found family, not really a people person and actually very kind hearted beneath the grumpy exterior.

-Tyler R.onan (tell me w.hy but also separate from canon) After an incident in his youth, ended up getting sent off away from his twin sister+hometown. Intentions, plans to become an park ranger after going back home to help sort out selling their childhood house. Discovering the truth about that night. Outside of canon written as working on the park ranger plan, or having become one.

-N.athan P.rescott (l.ife is strange, years rping/canon divergence) Mentally ill+some chronic illnesse, not an good person but could with proper treatment or in other realities work towards being just some guy.

-Xavior C.arver -redacted- (l.ife is strange oc either known relation to Nate *twins* or not depending on verse) Lover of chaos, punk rock soul with mental/chronic illness. Skateboarder, artist and one man team frequently making sure stray cats get fixed etc.

[crepuscollo]

important advice

matestaghelesh 7ob 7ad by being asya just because enty damna their love. dont let someones love for you be bahdala. ur mom awlaweya bec her love is infinite and unconditional so she will love u no matter what, dont let that be a hard thing. and ur a reflection tahn her so she expects u to be better even when she is being horrible.

2. "respond to the emotion not the content" theres always something in between the lines and past experiences that taught them the wrong lessons or mechanisms.ceveryone is just scared and trying to grow.cyou gotta respond to their emotions not the facts or situation itself.

3. fill your life with people and laughter even if you wont let them in. atleatsyou wont get lonely and youll stay “safe” if you think you are. bec u should be extremely careful about who you're allowing into your inner circle

4. “I remember my grandmother told me to fall in love with someone's eyes.

"Hair will turn grey, the weight will change constantly, teeth will fall out, hearts will shatter, & we'll shrink as we age. but the eyes? the eyes of a person grow old with them."”

5. learn how to listen and don't overshare and let them talk about themselves and be attentive and remember small details. be genuinely curious interested to be warm and shut up so u maintain elusivity and mystery. use their name and make eye contact.

6. there's nothing more unattractive than neediness. never beg for anyone, for anything. know that you always have a lot of options. stay busy with things that makes you feel good about yourself and don't jump for anyone.

7. learn how to say no and never feel guilty about it. fill your cup before filling others.

8. journal prompt: write down everything stressing u out, number it, circle the biggest stresser, write down the worst case scenario, write down your deepest fear about the worst case scenario. then say “i unlock and release all the anxiety deep inside of my body. i am free.”

9. the prophet pbuh said: كل مولودٍ يولد على الفطرة

everyone is born with a built-in moral compass, a sense of justice, a basic human decency, a respect for the truth, a disgust for lying. qualities that god highlights as “you have your fitrah intact”:

- gratitude, being thankful and appreciative

- thinking, processing things

- patience, capacity to accept or tolerate delay, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious.

- kindness, being generous considerate and friendly

- humility, admit your mistakes or faults or that you need help

to gain guidance from the quran you have to approach it as a seeker not a critic

10. practice telling them how u feel before it’s too late. be on the same page always. hard convos have to be had.

[definitely-spencers-gifts]

I’ve been pretty isolated and I’d like more interaction with the rest of the corpoverse, so I thought I’d make a little post!!~

Things about ✨me✨:

- I’m an ordained minister:

- I’m trans!🏳️‍⚧️ and gender-fluid. My gender is weird and mercurial.

- I use all pronouns including neos. She/Her is my least favourite, but you can sprinkle it in there. Bonus points if you use neos that I haven’t used yet.

- I’m best described as a little freak. I’m a tranny faggot freak and I’m proud of it.

- I’m pansexual and polyamorous. Also lonely😭.

- I’m a demon but like. Im not doing demon shit rn. I’m being forced to work retail on earth as a punishment for unionizing the 2nd circle. Sex work is real work and I’m not sorry.

- Specifically im a nightmare/xcubus but like. That’s not my whole personality. I’m like…stoner emo nerd first, anarchist second, demon that feeds on emotions third. Also I never feed on anyone without enthusiastic consent.

- I know a guy. For everything. You need something? I know a guy.

- I have two beautiful children.

- I’m related to Hot Topic, Funko, Spirit Halloween, and some others..

- I’m pretty sure the restock guy, John, was created by satan specifically to torment me. Like, he’s human, I checked, but there’s no way someone can be that incompetent.

- I’m a hedonist, a heretic, a heathen, and an all around good time.

- i will throw hands if you’re a bigot. People should be allowed to be free in how they identify and present.

- I’m chaotic neutral all the way.

- we play D&D in the breakroom every other Thursday. Ask Mike at the register.

- sometimes I get high and accept Monopoly money.

-if i see you stealing, no I didn’t. capitalism is a disease.

- My birthday is October 20.

- I don’t know where I was born I’m gonna be honest.

- my current form is mostly human because again, I’m here against my will.

- I’m 5’ 10”.

- I appear about 21 years old but I’m like…way way older. Human time is weird.

- no, I’m not wearing contacts. Those are my actual eyes. And yes, the wings are real.

- ACAB. Enough said.

- I’m very ADHD.

- I will try anything once (within reason. If it violates another person’s right to basic human decency and autonomy, then no). I live for new experiences.

If you have other questions, send me an ask! Or just send whatever. I don’t care what! I wanna get to know y’all. Since I’m stuck on this planet, I might as well make some friends.

Xoxo,

✨❤️‍🔥Spency ❤️‍🔥✨

[theres-whump-in-that-nebula]

CW: Existential crisis, mentions of children doing VERY age-inappropriate things, venting, becoming radicalized by the state of the world, and so on and so forth

DEAD DOVE DO NOT EAT

(unfortunately this isn’t a work of fiction; nor is it a poem. It’s just… ick ick and more ick. The world is ick. Or maybe I’m just sleep-deprived. I’m fine by the way. Just very pissed off.)

DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE TRIGGERED BY EXISTENTIAL ISSUES RELATING TO CHILDREN

Watched some videos about Gen Alpha… Apparently the defiance and aggression I’ve seen in children in the classroom environment is widespread and not limited to the special education program?! I just chalked it up to being symptoms of disability… which definitely accounts for a lot of the behavior… but from all the information I’ve taken in so far; much of it is a symptom of impending societal collapse.

Here’s what I mean by that:

It is expected for a kid with ADHD and a mood disorder to be emotionally dysfunctional, and occasionally have outbursts in which they throw objects and hit people. It is also expected that this child will be defiant at times by refusing to complete tasks necessary for education.

It is not typical, however, for said child to 1.) make blatantly-sexual moaning sounds as a joke, 2.) know that this act is called “moaning” (without quite understanding the severity of what they’re doing), and 3.) repeatedly call an adult a “pussy-ass bitch” and tell them “suck my dick” for asking them to Stop Doing That.

I definitely agree with teaching kids to question and defy authority when it conflicts with their morals; but some of these kids do not listen to anyone at all in the most basic and harmless of circumstances… to the point where, on one occasion, I’ve had to — after exhausting about ten other nicer methods — threaten to press the “push to call button” with a very stern ten-second countdown to get two kids to leave the sensory room to go to lunch and outdoor recess. Mind you, these were kids who earned a break in there for fun; they were not in there to lessen sensory pain. I love them, but good grief! I hate having to do that. What is going on with them at home; you know? I genuinely fear that some of them are going to end up in prison later in life. I purposefully didn’t go into everything I’ve seen and experienced for reasons of common human decency; but I can tell you, much of it is deeply, profoundly disturbing and horrifying.

Furthermore, many children get to go home, and play computer games for hours on end. I know they do because they’re infuriated when it’s time to put the chromebooks away. So far I’ve noticed the most continually hostile, defiant, and off-task students are the ones who constantly speak of engaging with digital media, or owning devices which play digital media. It has to be withdrawal. We all get it too. But the difference between myself and a little kid is that I wasn’t raised on mobile devices; I was raised on sketchbooks, clay, story time, and good old-fashioned adult-level cult propaganda (which, to be fair, did its own special type of damage). As far as digital media goes: I had access to two old tube TVs and a Dell laptop. These never left the house. When I turned eight, we got iPads which only led the house for use as Bibles and Watchtowers; or to travel on vacation with us. In that instance, they always remained in the hotel room.

Generation Alpha, on the other hand, were born with iPads and smartphones already in existence; these leave the house all the time SPECIFICALLY for the purpose of entertaining the kids — and in some cases, infants — while their parents remain engaged in other activities. It’s natural for adults to need to hold their children at arm’s length sometimes (“Go outside and play!”); but the methods being used nowadays are damaging to the young mind in ways science hasn’t even figured out yet. CoCoMelon, for instance has been shown to hinder proper mental growth in children due to the frequency of cuts in the film; no camera angle lasts longer than five seconds(?) I believe that’s what I read… fact check for yourselves. CoCoMelon is not the only offender, however; everything is more fast-paced than it was ten years ago, even adult media like action movies and sci-fi shows. Ive noticed a continual, monotonous use of things which used to be considered special events in film: quick cuts, shaky cam, lens flares, CGI, pyrotechnics, and so forth. All the exciting things in the world, likewise, have become a sort of interesting background noise, often used to help focus on other, concurrently-running types of background noise.

Anyway, I’ve heard the teachers say that the two classes I’ve helped out with are completely different than anything they’ve experienced. That didn’t mean much to me; because these are the only two classes of children I’ve ever really interacted with professionally; and this year’s are ten times easier than last year’s, despite the same remarks being made about them. I have no frame of reference for a “normal” SPED classroom other than my own years of schooling; and I was homeschooled when I was the age of these kids… so that also means nothing. Only now have I found out why I thought, for almost a full year, I’m such a failure at my job:

I’m not a failure; I’ve actually been doing a great job for what little experience I have. There is a global, systemic failure in all fields which affects everyone; because the world is caving in on itself.

I’m scared for these kids, man. What use is there in preparing them to be adults if there isn’t going to be a world for them to grow up in? Winter isn’t winter anymore, summer is hell on earth, and spring and summer are merely extensions of not-winter and hell on earth. Pregnant mothers are drinking microplastics to share with their fetuses. Children in other areas of the world are toiling away in factories to produce plastic for the consumption of first-world countries so that their children can focus in class with one-dollar fidget spinners purchased from motherfucking Temu, while their impoverished and overworked parents’ data gets sold to companies behind their backs, for God — if it exists — only knows what reason.

The worst part is, it may become impossible for a great deal of the up-and-coming population to focus or care long enough to brainstorm solutions to the problems which imminently affect them because unimportant things are more interesting.

We’ve gotta do something. Reading programs… maybe I’ll go up to the library and ask to start a kids’ club or something… I don’t know. The problem with that is it’ll probably only reach the ones whose parents already recognize their kids need to do things with their hands and brains other than hold a gaming console and won’t reach the ones most affected by the horrible world climate; because why take them to the library when they have one in the palm of their hand? But it’s a start, I guess. Hmngh. slee🅱️y

[anthonybialy]

Causing Effects

Lack of consequences isn’t the same as hiding from them.  I wish good luck to anyone trying to explain the distinction to aspiring evaders.  Pursuing legal results presently aren’t trendy.  Avoiding creditors only seems easier in an era when nobody answers phones.

Printing money makes workers feel foolish.  Why clock in for some job that cuts into Candy Crush time all to deal with annoying twits when salaries arrive passively?  Getting paid without that irksome work bit is why we have a government.

A wholesale misunderstanding of motivation, economics, and humanity hasn’t yet produced welcome results.  The outcome would seem funny if it weren’t one faction’s entire plan.  Limitless free currency might sound good to a four-year-old.  Adults who can’t envision creating value disappoint the next generation.

Money needs to stop inflating itself.  It’s surely not Joe Biden’s fault that bills became worth as much as newspaper as soon as he started spinning in the Oval Office chair.  He’s been terrific at accumulating it without ever being useful, so there’s no reason he’d want those filthy piles to turn worthless.  Presuming everyone else is as useless led to someone who can’t comprehend producing value handing out cash for nothing.

The fact the item used to buy other ones became worthless as soon as the incumbent brushed against power is evidence none of this worthlessness is his fault.  An obvious conspiracy against love and joy just means this cruel world with its nefarious forces conspired to ruin the joy plotted by America’s kindly Grandpa.  

The entitlement state is borderless.  Taking money to hand it back out certainly couldn’t be the very thing preventing prosperity in the first place.  A chance to make a fortune sounds like a lot of work, anyway.  Passivity helps regulate blood pressure.  Buying votes is an expensive way of cheap whoring.

Dividing by zero is about to multiply.  The next couple trillion bucks shredded will tape together prosperity.  An entire economic philosophy based upon surreal mathematics will surely add up starting tomorrow.  Presuming not only that our dreadful and moronic government is the best at solving problems but also the sole choice leads to the sort of semipermanent stagnation we have now.  You’d almost think the country was being conditioned to accept defeat if you were sweet enough to think those in charge are capable of scheming.

Having fun without planning ahead is the only activity labeled a right by enemies of the Bill of Rights.  Aborting the unwanted embodies the ultimate circumvention of responsibility.  Those who are never born fail to get the chance to avoid the irresponsible example.  The victim can’t fight back, which is the sickest targeting of them all.

Volume offers a distraction from shamefulness.  Preening about choice lamely distracts from how the most basic frameworks of legality and decency protect others who would be harmed by others.  Modern sophisticated thinkers decide they can do whatever they please, including keeping a baby from ever getting that chance.

The loudest science fans surely aren’t compensating for churning out noise with volume.  A refusal to understand conception is unsurprising from scientific experts who thought banning haircuts would halt a virus.  But a failing grade on biology exams is more willful in this instance. Extensive research has not yet answered the eternal question of whether they’re really that ignorant or really that mendacious.

Permitting stealing at will is how our loving society expresses compassion.  Disregard sob stories from diabolically greedy merchants who want to offer products humans want in exchange for currency.

Demonizing commerce is the least surprising policy from fans of plundering in the name of fairness.  Hopping literal and figurative turnstiles only creates higher prices.  Scientists will never solve the inscrutable mystery of why cities look like zombie movies.

Accepted stealing paired with excessively generating money dramatically raised prices, which is sure an odd way to help the poor.  But liberals love inflicting surprises.  Even if they don’t, they’re incredible and coming up with exactly the opposite of what they claim.

Smugness doesn’t will nonsense into existence, which is a shame for Democrats who can’t rely on impossibilities like wise concepts.  As for some of their countless victims, employing people has become even more of a challenge when there’s less to pay.  It’s a good thing there’s a high minimum wage, or this nation would be coping with rampant idling.

Ripping off steaks in order to feed their children is 2023’s most popular hobby.  Poor pilferers can’t afford anything.  Sure, making pancake mix out of reach resulted from the enacted Democratic platform sabotaging the economy.  But stealing from struggling stores is how hateful merchants get punished for trying to sell us what we want.  Money is worthless, which makes having a civilization challenging.  But liberals need victims to help, even if they don’t technically do it.

Innate ingratitude permeates a philosophy that presumes nothing worthwhile can be created before striving to prove it.  A life spent seeking out ways to circumvent the basic fairness of providing something to trade leads to reduced production.  They could at least learn incentives from basic examples.

[drsudhirgiri]

Why education with values is important?

Education with values is important because it nurtures a pluralistic society where people of all religions, class, creed & sects can live in harmony.

An education without values will lead to a corrupt society because every individual will nurture his personal gains, undermining national interest.

Countries like Japan are a perfect example of values education because they have the lowest crime rates in the world.

Their commitment towards their work comes foremost & other things take backstage because they believe in work is worship.

We hear stories of crimes being perpetrated on fellow citizens, as onlookers have poor values where they don’t empathize with the victim. We see videos of people filming accident victims instead of ferrying them to the hospital.

All this is growing as people are becoming self-centered without paying heed to others’ feeling - a clear lack of empathy.

Education with values is crucial as humanity is making a revolutionary breakthrough in Science & technology, the latest being Artificial Intelligence. People will lack peace of mind despite luxuries.

Regular shooting incidents in the US highlight that tolerance, empathy, equality, justice & dignity are missing in their society. They have amassed wealth but cannot discard the colonial prejudice that instigates them for violence.

The feeling of racial superiority has turned them blind to the fact that all humans are equal, whether they are born black, brown, or white.

The constitution of India offers all citizens some basic freedoms. We guarantee these in the Constitution as the six broad categories of Fundamental Rights, which are justifiable. Article 12 to 35 contained in Part III of the Constitution deal with Fundamental Rights. These are:

Constitution promotes education with values

Right to equality, including equality before law, prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth, and equality of opportunity in matters of employment.

The Right to freedom of speech and expression, assembly, association or union, movement, residence, and right to practice any profession or occupation (some of these rights are subject to security of the State, friendly relations with foreign countries, public order, decency or morality). 

Right against exploitation, prohibiting all forms of forced labour, child labour and traffic in human beings. 

The Right to freedom of conscience and free profession, practice, and propagation of religion. 

The right of any section of citizens to conserve their culture, language or script, and the right of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice; and 

Right to constitutional remedies for protecting the Fundamental Rights. 

10 values of education

Empathy–One should consider another person’s feeling called empathy. Accident victims writhing in pain & onlookers are busy making videos is a perfect example of a complete lack of empathy.  

Equal Opportunities–The fundamental principle of Indian democracy is equal opportunities for all irrespective of religion, class or creed, which eliminates any kind of discrimination.

Respect for the Environment -We must educate people about the value of maintaining the environment because of global warming leading to floods and drought.

Care for Health–Value education pertains to teaching children the adverse effects of smoking, alcohol & drugs. If they abstain from these, they will lead a healthy & longer life.

Critical Thinking–Once children learn to analyse any situation, they will take informed decisions leading to better outcomes.

This educational value, once developed in the early years, will nurture better professionals for the future.

Honesty- We have learnt that honesty is the best policy, and it is indeed. A country with honest people will see faster growth than those with a dishonest lot.

Honesty is into everything from following traffic rules to paying taxes and to earning ethically.

Corruption never breeds in an honest society because people will follow the rules & not do anything wrong.

Responsibility–We should take responsibility for our actions. Value education teaches us to be responsible towards our job, family, and nation. If every individual understands his responsibility, then the country progresses because its citizens will perform their duties with responsibility.

Tolerance - One should be tolerant towards others’ beliefs, religions and customs because that’s the foundation of a multicultural society.

India is a perfect example where all religions, castes, creeds have thrived because our constitution provides freedom of religion.

Importance of Value Education

Respect–For the elders, ladies and the underprivileged nurtures a society where people can live in peace and harmony without social issues.

Perseverance–Success is the reward of consistent perseverance to achieve our goals.

Without putting in hard work, one cannot achieve glory because it requires consistent efforts. Value education teaches us to preserve until we achieve our goal.

These values will nurture Olympic winners, innovators and entrepreneurs because they will keep trying until they gain success.

Education with values is important so that nations use their manpower for constructive research and not for fighting among themselves.

The world over there is internal strife because people are not tolerant of others’ beliefs and customs.

Counties like Syria, Afghanistan, & Yemen are experiencing human catastrophe because they have exhausted their resources by infighting. Had their leaders instilled values in education, their citizens would have lived a better life.

We cannot achieve technological milestones without collaboration, because teamwork is vital for fostering discovery.

People enjoy living in a multicultural society because they meet people of all sects & communities. An observant man learns from others and imbibes the good things in life.

When the country has high standards, we can ward off corruption, nepotism, discrimination, and traffic woes.

The regular incidents of senior officials being caught taking bribes are a sign of weakening education values.

Incidents of fraud, & cybercrimes involving women and children are a testimony that, despite being educated, people lack moral values.

Value Education in Schools

The earlier, the better because children are the future of the country. Moral education should start from schools itself because children learn faster and are more adaptable.

A nation where citizens follow rules, pay taxes, and contribute towards nation development excels because they use national resources for people’s good.

Value education should continue in HEIs also because they nurture intellectuals who foster discoveries & provide leadership.

A nation with powerful leaders progresses because they exhort the masses to perform their duties by setting an example.

Shri Venkateshwara University (SVU) promotes value education because education facilitates employment, while value education leads to successful careers. We organize events round the year for the overall development of the students.

Recently SVU signed a MOU with Brahmakumaris University to promote value education throughout the world.

Brahmakumaris Divine University is the largest institution for meditation & value education in the world. Disciples from all over the world throng to their centres for distressing and improving their lifestyle.

SVU is at the forefront of promoting social causes because a progressive society is the backbone of development.

On the occasion of World Health day (April 7), the Shri Venkateshwara University organized a 5 day Health Awareness week which culminated on April 11th.

For spreading awareness about drugs & female foeticide, we conducted a health awareness rally, poster making, health seminar, street plays, quiz & over a dozen events where many students took part.

We organize these events to inform students about the adverse effects of drugs and female foeticide.

Further, the Venkateshwara Group is establishing health centers in rural areas so that villagers have access to quality healthcare.

On the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti, we felicitated the cleaners with the Cleanliness Motivation award as they are the backbone of our cleanliness campaign.

Women empowerment through value education

We also organized a seminar on the topic through truth & equality India reaching the pinnacle of Glory because equality is crucial for the nation’s development.

Shri Venkateshwara University fosters women's empowerment because they foster nation development and are the other half of the country.  

On completion of 1 year of the 2nd term of the Yogi Government, the UP Government along with Shri Venkateshwara University & the UP Police organized the Women Excellence Award function 2023. We presented 155 Women Excellence Awards to participants from the Police, education, Arts, literature, sports and social service who did exemplary work in their domain.

Famous dignitaries felicitated included the DSP Ms. Anjali Kataria, VP of Gargi College Dr Vagmita Tyagi, Dr Poonam Khatana of DU, Historian Dr Manisha Tyagi, & the Social Activist Ms. Anubhuti Chauhan. Also honoured were the founder of Master classes Dr Shweta Rastogi, International Player Anu Tomar, Azha Khan & many others who did exemplary work in their field.

[angel-dust-addict]

//Gonna rant a little. IMO, it's less politics and more basic decency. I'm not trying to start an argument or even a discussion, really, so don't come at with a bunch of crap. I'm just airing grievances about the hellsite and it's uglier goblins. (Aka can these people please stop interacting with my blogs for the love of god.) I'm putting it under a readmore because I know a lot of people are here to avoid this crap. I've just been seeing it for years and it bothers me every time. So fair warning for a "political" rant if you keep reading.

I'm already iffy on personals interacting with my RP blogs. But I do check out blogs that interact with mine, mostly to block minors. And there are certain things that just... do not even talk to me. One that has been a theme over the years has been immigration. People who talk about "the illegals" and fearmonger about refugees and asylees and that sort of bullshit.

I've talked about this briefly before, but one side of my family is Cuban and Venezuelan. Most of my relatives who weren't born here are asylees of some sort. Some were political dissidents in Cuba, a country notorious for hating political dissidents. Others came from Venezuela because of the crises with famine and shortages and the government. All of them chose to come to this country, despite the risks, because of the promise of a better life. Maybe not even for themselves, necessarily, but for their kids. A fair few are military veterans. All of them are grateful for the opportunities coming here has given them. And, most importantly, none of them are criminals or have any malicious intent.

I grew up hearing about the anti-immigrant - and especially anti-Cuban - vitriol following Mariel. And having heard about that over and over and over as a kid and having heard stories about why my relatives left Cuba and what coming here meant for them, I can't help but see parallels. I'm old by internet standards. I'm not really that old realistically, but I was born in the 1980s. That stuff was all very recent memory when I was growing up. And it pisses me off to hear people now talk about how all the immigrants coming from Central and South America are criminals and coming to steal jobs from Americans and are bringing drugs and shit into the country... It's not dissimilar to the things I heard the adults talk frequently about when I was little. And it makes me both furious and sad to hear that same bullshit leveled at people whose only illegal act in this country has been coming here without proper papers.

And let's be real, not everyone has time to wait for governments to pull their heads out of their asses. If your other option is starve or remain in a place that is unsafe, you're going to choose to survive. This is not about politics, it's literally life or death for a lot of people. It's about basic human decency. Yes, sure, they're here without the necessary papers. But take a minute to think about why that risk was worth it. That is not a small risk. There are a not insignificant number of people who don't survive the trip. So just... Sure, maybe the drawing up of legislation and the authorizing of immigration has been a political football the last few years, but this is not about politics. These are people, not pawns for some stupid dick measuring contest between legislators.

So if you subscribe to the notion that people are "illegal" and that immigrants are some kind of threat, please stay the fuck away from me and all of my blogs, kthnx.

Okay. That is my rant. Back to your regularly scheduled apolitical cartoon spider.

[itgetsbetterproject]

Today's another tough day, and on tough days, we fall back on community. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

We'll never stop fighting for our rights and sharing your important stories with the world. Read our response to the Supreme Court Decision to Overturn Roe V. Wade:

"We prepared for this moment. We hoped human decency would prevent it from happening, but we prepared, and it doesn’t make it any less maddening now that it’s happened. The overturning of Roe vs. Wade is a devastating blow to body autonomy and to basic human rights in the United States. Just as we felt when a draft of this opinion first leaked last month, we are angry and we are frustrated.

Across the country, we’ve already seen attacks on trans kids and the control they have over their bodies. All of these attacks are connected. Anti-choice policy will have an overwhelmingly negative impact on the most marginalized members of the LGBTQ+ community — people of color, immigrants, people with disabilities, people with limited financial resources, and people who lack access to proper healthcare will undoubtedly suffer the most. 

We also know that this is the moment when LGBTQ+ people will rise and we will fight. Together and for each other. This is a scary and uncertain moment, without question. But it is also a moment when leaders will be born out of necessity. At the It Gets Better Project, we will continue offering a platform, a community, and resources to amplify those voices who are fighting for change. 

As we said last month and repeat again here, we will fight to ensure the next generation has the authority and confidence to speak out against threats to their right to live freely and unapologetically. LGBTQ+ youth need our support now more than ever, and we will not stop fostering queer joy, resilience, and love. 

Stay proud, speak loud, and never stop fighting for what’s right.

– It Gets Better Project"

You can also read and share the statement with links to resources on itgetsbetter.org.