#but at the same time the other leaders share the same behaviors and views

[hiroshiii13]

Head Disciple Binghe x Young Master SY #Bingqiu thoughts

Sometimes I think about Binghe that didn’t have to lose his parents. Didn’t have to go through the abyss and didn’t have to fight for the acknowledgment of his Shizun.

He’d be the darling of the demonic and cultivation world; doted upon in his younger years and a respected cultivator after his coming of age. He’d be self-assured, almost cocky, the way young masters who have never experienced being wronged are.

But Binghe would always have the skills to back it up, besides his innate talent, Su Xiyan, head of HHP, made sure that his son was grounded and hardworking. In fact, he commands HHP when his parents would up and travel for months at a time.

He’s forthright, which he learned from his mother, yet empathetic and charming, which he got from his romantic father.

I still think Bingqiu would be a thing. They meet as desk mates (borrowing this @/Gusu Lan arc) and wouldn’t hit it off at the start.

SY has always admired Binghe from the stories he’s heard from his older siblings. Binghe, the leader of the next generation. He looked forward to meeting him.

Imagine his surprise when the first day of his excursion led to sparring with said leader of the next generation and his humiliating utmost defeat in .005 seconds. He wanted to look cool in front of him but he can forego this embarrassment. It’s okay!!! This was expected from Binghe!!

But what was not okay was the harsh training at HHP. SY could not help but feel a little resentful towards BH. He was the third son in a merchant family. His family’s cultivation was in refining pills and artifacts, you could say it’s 80% marketing and 20% refining even, so he had never done hard labor in his life!!

He almost regretted saying he would join HHP for the summer instead of joining another sect specializing in botany and alchemy, which was his specialization.

Binghe, as the head disciple in charge of training, provided a plan that was standard in his sect. While he does enjoy seeing this pretty gege scrunching his brows, pursing his lips, flushed like a tomato during drills, (Heh.) he does feel pity and gives him a little less reps.

But it’s in the study portions where SY shines. LBH is astounded with SY’s encyclopedic knowledge.

Reminiscent of the child-like wonder he experienced as TLJ told him stories before bedtime. Of monsters that can swallow suns and plants with roots so deeply in the earth that it shakes. He learns later on of course that these were mere exaggerations but at that time, as SY babbles on about plant no. 4892, he could not help but feel that same fascination.

Their relationship starts getting better. Binghe would pick his desk mates brain despite knowing (some) of the answers, the other would prattle on, patiently teaching.

From an outsiders point of view, LBH looked indulgent, a soft smile ever present on his face, while his deskmate would fan himself while explaining, obviously enjoying the attention. And who could blame him?? He was teaching THE Luo Binghe! From then on, Binghe would teasingly call him Shizun.

Despite SY being slightly older than BH, he is the youngest son, (he has 1 meimei) in their family. Compared to Binghe who was raised to meet certain expectations, SY had a more unrestrained behavior. If he wanted a snack, he would get it. If he wanted to nap, he snuck it in.

And nothing could stop Binghe from doting on him on their free time. As an only child, he never had someone to spoil or play with so he recaptures some of his childhood like this. Sharing snacks, showing parts of HHP and sometimes sparring in the fields between laughter.

But SY’s pride cannot take being coddled, he’s older than him! so he dotes back. Bringing him refined pills for his cultivation, sending in some rare herbs and animal skin. (He is working his nepo baby network overtime!)

When he teaches BH during self-study, he compliments him when he gets things right while patting his head. And how BH thrives from being dotted on, now at his grown age! LBH feels lucky.

He found someone, who was not only smart and chatty, but was thoughtful and indulgent towards him. He… he really liked SY. Meanwhile SY found himself even more gently stroking his hair. He can’t wait to share to his siblings how the great LBH was completely docile from his head patting. SY could not help ruffling his curly hair, almost pulling. (As for what that would awaken later on, we won’t discuss.)

They part after that summer, but keep in touch through letters. Both feeling a longing to meet. SY decides to pick up a sword and learn how to fly it. He can definitely learn it and fly to HH and casually meet BH. His siblings give it a week til he gives up. But surprisingly 1 week turns into 2, then a month, then on the 6th month he could fly long distances.

His nausea was still as bad as ever but he can endure, he will learn how to endure. As to why he didn’t tell Binghe though? he didn’t know why he wanted to keep this as a surprise.

—

The Immortal Alliance Conference was upon them, and SY had received BH’s letter and how he might not be able to respond as quickly for the time being. But in fact, he was very much aware of the event. He even haughtily bet a few hundred spirit stones when someone mockingly said LBH would not place.

No one could escape his scalding critique had anyone even breathed wrongly towards BH. The public ate their melon seeds while watching another one succumb to that monster. They could not outbid him and even more so, out talk him. What a rabid fanboy. He gained notoriety overnight.

So imagine their surprise when the conference was over. How LBH saw SY, how he ran and hugged him, bombarding him questions of how he got there. LBH showing a small cut the size of a nail, a slight glassy look in his eyes as he retold his hardship and triumph.

The passersby knew it was an exaggeration, they were all watching him effortlessly kill the demons!! His confidence practically oozing. Even the ladies fainted against such charisma. What is this?? The fiersome leader selling meng??

AND THE DEVIL INCARNATE, who ate his every opponent in a bloodless battle, was suddenly a gentleman, waving his fan with a sweet smile, talking softly while patting the champion’s head.

WTF??

__

They take a few more years of friendship before eventually tying the knot but their families have long known each other since those two have been inseparable. SY spends his days at HHP in the summers while LBH goes with the other’s family in winter. TLJ still feels a little sour in his heart that his son would spend his bdays w/ SY more than them.

The 2 men were even more sticky when they got married. Waking up, preparing meals, cleaning up, lounging, it’s as if they could not get enough of the other. The Regret of Chunshan exists btw, but rather than an angsty story of abandonment and conflict, it is said that they just, really, really loved each other for a lifetime.

(Of course the papapa is front and center!! LMY writes about a rich, young master fanboy and his seemingly respectable cultivator idol having loving, disrespectful, s/ex. She delivers always!)

END.

[thesweetestdevotion]

Hi! Could you do hyunjin stray kids as a boyfriend and husband too? Thank you

Hyunjin Stray Kids as a Boyfriend/Husband:

As a Boyfriend:

Dice: Sagittarius, 3rd House, Sun

Tarot: Three of Swords Reversed, The Emperor, Four of Wands, The Hermit Reversed, Seven of Swords Reversed, Queen of Swords Reversed, Ace of Swords Reversed, Judgement, Eight of Cups, Three of Wands, Two of Wands, The Hierophant, Three of Coins

Wow! I think he’s actively looking for someone that matches his energy extremely well. In a relationship, he’s not the type to stick around if there is some incompatibility or fundamental disagreement of values. I think his values and morals are very strong and he might have religious or spiritual beliefs that also inspire his values when it comes to relationships. He might feel harsh, cold, calculating because he’s very adamant about his beliefs and he wants to find the perfect person to be with in the long term. he might jump from relationship to relationship not because he’s a player, but because he doesn’t like to waste time with people who show him toxic behavior, people who have different opinions and feelings, and people who are not on the same page as him bout relationships. I think there is something foreign here about his views as the cards and dice point at looking/traveling to other places and finding values that work for him. I also feel like maybe the place where he is dating or has dated in the past is a place where there are values he does not agree with, hence the leaving or jumping around form person to person. He’s not the type to just leave a line of broken hearts behind either, i think he’s very logical which some people could perceive are mean, but he’s clear about what he wants and he leaves most situations amicably. It would probably be good for him to expand his horizons because i do see he longs for a stable connection, he’s the type to date for marriage/long-term lol. I just see he Hasn’t found that perfect person yet. As a boyfriend he’d really want to build a life together, and collaborate on certain thing that will benefit the both of them. He’s a strong leader and is sort of traditional in many ways, while also being open minded about others. He’d like to connect with his partner intellectually and have debates. He might like to travel with his partner, and might move quite fast when he meets someone he really feels is right. He’s not closed off about his feelings and emotions at all. I think he’s also not clingy or afraid to be alone, also wouldn’t try to outshine his partner or anything. He also doesn’t like people who are sneaky, accusing, or jealous. I think he hates being around insecure people who take it out on him unfairly. He likes his partner to be open with their feelings and willing to talk things out. He’s not everyone’s cup of tea and I think he knows that lol.

As a Husband:

Dice: Scorpio, 6th House, Moon

Tarot: The Star, Six of Cups, Eight of Coins Reversed, Ten of Swords Reversed, The World, Ten of Cups, Queen of Coins, King of Swords, Queen of Cups, Five of Coins

As a husband he’d be very service oriented. I think he’s aware of the realities of life, he’s someone who is accustomed to the ups and downs that fortune can bring so he wants someone who will stick with him through thick and thin because he’s also willing to do the same. He wants a marriage where they’re dedicated to each other completely, i think he would also want children or something to nurture together. He wants comfort and stability, also someone who is willing to share the burdens of family life together. He’s responsible, dedicated, again a good leader and spokesperson for his partner and family. I think Marriage is something he really wants at some point, so he’s very excited about the concept lol. He’d want to be endgame for sure, a true dream some true. Like a fairy tale ending lol! But I think he’s also very rational about it, he knows it wont always be rainbows and butterflies but that it takes work and patience to have a relationship like that. He wants to build abundance and give his partner the most comfortable life he can. He just sorta perfect hehe. I think he might not be the most outwardly romantic person for sure, but he makes up for it in different ways. he could come off as a little aloof and detached bc of his personality but he really is not. I think he also wants a person that makes life feel easy even when its not, just a constant flow of love and affection where there is no doubt about the strength of their connecting. his energy would like to keep some things private so i wont delve too deep into them!

Guys this reading wore me tf out!! I had it done in my queue and realized it never posted?? Like it somehow disappeared from my queue and i had to re do it! It was mostly about the same things, but for this reading his energy was much more open so maybe it happened for a reason! Hope you guys like it xoxo

[meret118]

Anti-abortion leaders know that abortion bans kill women. They don't care. Or worse, many view dying from pregnancy as a good thing. In some cases, it's viewed as just punishment for "sinful" behavior. Other times, it's romanticized as a noble sacrifice on the altar of maternal duty.

. . .

We now have another proof point that abortion bans are about misogyny, not "life," as the first deaths from red state abortion bans are being reported. Instead of admitting they were wrong and changing course, Republicans are behaving like guilty liars do everywhere, and destroying the evidence. In the process, they are also erasing data needed to save the lives of pregnant women across the board, whether they give birth or not. 

ProPublica has published a series of articles detailing the deaths of women in Georgia and Texas under the two states' draconian abortion bans. 

. . .

ProPublica has published a series of articles detailing the deaths of women in Georgia and Texas under the two states' draconian abortion bans. They most recently reported the death of Porsha Ngumezi, a 35-year-old mother of two from Texas. Ngumezi suffered a miscarriage at 11 weeks but was left to bleed to death at the hospital, instead of having the failing pregnancy surgically removed. Multiple doctors in Texas confirmed that hospital staff are often afraid to perform this surgery, however, because it's the same one used in elective abortions. Rather than risk criminal charges, doctors frequently stand by and let women suffer — or die.

. . .

A day after this story was published, the Washington Post reported that the Texas maternal mortality board would skip reviewing the deaths of pregnant women in 2022 and 2023 — conveniently, the first two years after the abortion ban went into place. The leadership claims it's about speeding up the review process, but of course, many members pointed out the main effect is that "they would not be reviewing deaths that may have resulted from delays in care caused by Texas’s abortion bans."

. . .

Anti-abortion activists do not want doctors to save women's lives. The current situation, where doctors are afraid to treat women and have no guidance on how to do so safely, is a status quo they are fighting to preserve. We also know this because, as Jessica Valenti reported at Abortion Every Day last week, these same activists are lobbying to rewrite current abortion bans to remove the paltry "exceptions" that do exist. Instead of allowing doctors to abort pregnancies that are failing, they want to force them to induce labor instead. That is not just cruel but will kill women. We know this because that's exactly how Nguzemi died; her doctor gave her a drug in hopes it would push the pregnancy out, rather than surgically remove it, as is the standard of care. 

The Texas decision comes on the heels of a similar move in Georgia, which dismissed the maternal mortality board members to punish them for giving journalists the facts about the deaths of two other women killed by that state's abortion ban. Georgia's only slightly better than Texas, in that they aren't even bothering to pretend this isn't a cover-up. The head of the health department explicitly cited the sharing of information "with outside individuals" as the reason for the board being disbanded.

[yanderes-galore]

I really like the idea of yandere TMNT 2012 Leo vs Raph concept. Not only do they fight all the time, but add a darling to the list and it's just non stop fights all the time

Very true! I'll just spill my thoughts into this so sorry if it seems incoherent.

Yandere! 2012! Leonardo vs Yandere! 2012! Raphael

Pairing: Romantic/Platonic - Rivalry

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Stalking, Violence, Anger issues, Jealousy, Manipulation, Possessive behavior, Protective behavior, Isolation, Kidnapping mentioned at times, Murder/Murder attempts mentioned, Dubious companionship, Blood.

I feel both platonic and romantic intentions would cause tension between the two.

The two already fight for various reasons as is, yet they do care for each other.

Leonardo is the leader and often is shown the most attention because of that, which Raph is envious of in earlier seasons.

I actually feel the reason of this rivalry would be the fact Raphael is envious his brother can appeal to you so easily.

Raphael has anger problems to the point he's destructive to those around him, even if he doesn't mean it.

However I don't want people to think he's only violence.

2012 Raphael may be one of the more violent versions of the character, but he does love his darling.

When in a good mood he does like to hold you close and utilize his darling for comfort.

He'd be more likely to be softer when Spike becomes Slash and leaves.

He resorts to his darling for comfort and gets frustrated at the idea of losing you.

It also tends to make him treat you like a pet.

Leonardo is a yandere who tends to be the same rather than change like Raph.

While Raph tends to be a violent possessive yandere that has his moments as softer yandere, Leonardo is usually always a protective and sometimes suffocating yandere.

I feel the fighting between the two can range from sibling spats to violent duels.

It just depends on how worked up they are.

I feel it doesn't matter who you meet first in this case.

Raphael would be envious that Leonardo gets along with you either way.

Raphael likes to have you as his and his alone.

Even if he has to fight for it.

Leonardo is similar except he views it in the more protective sense, you're his because he feels he's the most capable of keeping you safe.

Their motives are another reason they argue.

Raph always complains that Leonardo is trying to steal you from him or something.

Meanwhile Leonardo thinks Raphael is incapable of protecting you due to how reckless he is.

Their rivalry is much different than their 2018 counterparts.

2018 Leo and Raph mostly are physically affectionate and keep fighting rather sibling-like for the most part.

2012 Leo and Raph don't mind fighting until the other bleeds over you due to jealousy, or at least Raph doesn't.

In terms of who's most affectionate there's no doubt it's Leonardo.

Leonardo is softer and very caring, often locking you away due to paranoia instead of possession.

Although the line between possession and protection are rather thin with him.

Raphael would be the type to lock you away in his room just to keep you away from others like Leo.

Not really for protection, mostly so he has you to himself.

It's obvious Raphael doesn't like the idea of sharing with others.

Leonardo is okay somewhat with you talking to others but often tries to redirect your attention instead of attacking them.

Them fighting can be brutal or tame.

Anything from a verbal argument/threats to them ending up covered in blood from the other.

Any fight they have puts you off and scares you.

Both yanderes are capable of kidnapping.

Raphael resorts to violence/murder more often than Leo.

Leonardo only resorts to violence if he feels it'll protect you.

You are right that it would be hard to have them work together if they are so upset about their darling issue.

It's happened in the past the the two would fight for authority or attention to the point it hurts the team.

How they get over you is probably the worst due to the fact they are never going to agree.

I don't even think they have to slander each other.

Raph's violent nature is enough for Leonardo to try and convince you Raph is an issue.

While Raphael tends to ignore manipulation unless it's threats.

He can just take what he wants.

They are both violent because they fear losing you.

Raphael just so happens to have an issue controlling such anger.

In terms of killing each other, Raph may attempt it but Leonardo tries not to.

They do still care for each other even if they don't agree when it comes to you.

Darling would frequently be given the role of mediator between the two.

That's probably the only way to stop their fighting momentarily, Donatello and Michelangelo may try to help too.p

They both try to brainwash you once they get you alone.

You'd be more prone to believe Leo even if he's almost just as bad.

Leo would never try to hurt you...

Raph would if he lost his cool or felt you deserved it somehow even though he loves you.

They both are pretty bad and destructive in their own ways.

I can see them setting up a final fight to settle things if it came to you.

It may end in bloodshed... it may even end with one of them dead...

But they'd do anything for you, right?

[princeasimdiya12]

Bucchigiri Utena Parallel-The Depravity of Sad, Strange Little Men

While there have been various comparisons that can be found between Bucchigiri and Revolutionary Girl Utena. From it's parallels with the main protagonist duo, the usage of fairy tales and their influence towards the heroes, to themes of self-stagnation & it's consequences. But for me, something I've had a hard time finding was direct comparisons between it's core cast. While they do have some similarities, not all of it is ideally parallel with the Bucchigiri delinquents having different personalities and arcs compared to the Utena duelists. That said, I was able to find two characters who came close with paralleling each other: in terms of their designated roles, their origins, their stance on gender and what becomes of them afterwards.

Shindo Akutaro and Kyouichi Saionji

Disclaimer: Just as a warning, there will be light spoilers from Revolutionary Girl Utena that will be discussed, though mainly in relation to Saionji's character and less of the series in general. There will also be mentions of domestic and sexual abuse.

Part 1: The Starter Villain

One of the first similarities that both Saionji and Akutaro share is that they both start out as the first official antagonists in their respective series. The way they're presented in the series makes them come off as genuinely dangerous men who intentionally cause harm for others.

Saionji's first scene is him slapping Anthy over an unheard conversation which is made worse when it's established that she's "betrothed" to him. He "justifies" the abuse because of the engagement which he treats as being in a relationship with him as the domineering boyfriend and Anthy as his loyal girlfriend. But what drives Utena to confront him is when he (supposedly) posted Wakaba's love letter in a public space for everyone to mock. Utena and the audience are meant to find him despicable for his behavior and want to see him be taken down ASA-NOW.

Akutaro also serves as a despisable human being who is presented as the first major threat in the series. He's portrayed as the most bloodthirsty and cruelest of the Big Three Banchos introduced in the story. While Marito rivals him in bloodthirstiness and sadism (and was technically the first adversary Arajin was forced to confront), he is shown to have some redeemable traits such as his friendship with Outa and his genuine respect towards Kenichirou. The same cannot be said for Akutaro who has no redeeming attributes. He frequently mistreats his NG Boys with threats and violence viewing them as inferior to him, forces them to steal from non-gang affiliated students, and is preparing an elaborate plot to force the rival gangs to destroy each other so he can take over.

It's also worth mentioning that his role as the first villain was even foreshadowed in the opening song. Whereas Marito and Kenichirou only looked big and scary in front of Arajin, they never actually grab him and look as though they want Arajin to face them. Akutaro is the only one who interacts with Arajin by binding him with his whips, stripping him to his boxers and tossing him down a dark hole.

The audience recognizes Akutaro as the least likable but most dangerous of the bancho leaders and are hoping to see him be taken down before his wicked plots can take effect.

But despite being presented as major villains, they didn't actually start out that way. They were once regular kids who ended up falling into the dark side because of a falling out between them and a man they once looked up to.

Part 2: Now You'll Respect Me, Because I'm a Threat

As explained in Episode 5, Akutaro actually started out as a humble nerd who was an easy target for delinquents to pick on. But that all changed when he was rescued by Kenichirou and was given the opportunity to join Minato Kai alongside him. Akutaro accepted and trained himself into becoming a man worthy of Kenichirou's respect. But that all changed when Akutaro brought a weapon to the fighting ring, something that was strongly discouraged in MK which lead to his banishment.

And in Saoinji's case, he once had a close friendship with Touga Kiryuu, the Student Council President and future antagonist following his defeat. Both boys started out caring for one another and saw each other as equals. But that all changed when they came across a young girl in a coffin who just lost her parents and wanted to join them. The next day, the girl disappeared and Touga's attitude about the mystery girl causes Saionji to think that he showed her something eternal to help her leave the coffin.

Both boys started out as genuine and harmless friends to someone they once admired. But after a conflict involving ideals, the friendship became strained. Akutaro swore vengeance against Kenichirou for tossing him aside and vowed to destroy him while Saionji, despite still being friends with Touga in the present, would develop intense levels of jealousy and and inferiority complex.

But whereas Saionji was driven by envy because of Touga's manipulations and desire to stand out on top between the two of them, Akutaro was the one who broke his friendship by refusing to accept Kenichirou's ideals and how he was in the wrong to use weapons in a true fight.

Each of them had different reasons for their falling out, but they shared the same dream of becoming stronger then their former friends in the hopes of surpassing them. And surprisingly, both boys are successful when it comes to building themselves up as men worthy of respect and power.

Saionji would grow up to be the captain of the school's Kendo Team, amassing horde of fangirls who were swayed by his bewitching good looks and is also an official member of the Student Council. It's also implied that he was a worthy duelist as he started out with Anthy in his possession before Utena became involved, meaning that he bested the other duelists (minus Touga) beforehand.

And in only a few years time, Akutaro managed to create a delinquent gang that's on the same level of credibility as MK and SS who've lasted for several decades. The NG Boys have a large number of followers, several bases for meetings and weapons manufacturing and even having territorial rights in certain locations in Honki City. Though it isn't specified on how much of the NG Boys' creation and success was due to Akutaro's own merits or if Ichiya was involved in it's genesis, but it stands that he succeeded in making a fearsome group to command with many of the other rival gang members acknowledging them as a threat that shouldn't be messed with on a whim.

Part 3: Gender Politics in My Anime?

To maintain their power and assert their authority over others, both Akutaro and Saionji rely on traditional gender norms to maintain their respective identities and influences. The problem being is that the norms they rely on fall heavily on toxic masculinity.

In RGU, Saionji's toxic masculinity is shown towards his mistreatment of Anthy and his resentment of Touga. And while the other men in Utena are also guilty of engaging in toxic masculinity and strict gender norms, Saionji's practices stand out as being the most noticeable and easy to identify.

He views Anthy as an ideal girlfriend who should obey and follow along with his will regardless of what she thinks. Any opposition is met with slapping her and scolding her for thinking differently. His views towards Touga is someone who challenges his status as the superior man. He's constantly in conflict with him when it comes to kendo competitions or how they should go about the dueling tournaments. And in each instance, Touga always comes out on top which fuels Saionji's insecurity which leads to anger and violently lashing out at anyone or anything to cross his path.

It's also mentioned that he makes several misogynistic comments about the roles men and women play which would contribute to his ongoing hatred of Utena. A girl who refuses to play her role and stands between him and his supposed Rose Bride. Although it isn't outright stated, it's also implied that Saionji did come from an abusive family which would explain how he obtained his callous mistreatment of women, his ideas on gender roles along with his casual usage of violence.

Akutaro also shares similar beliefs when it comes to power and respect. His use of weapons and lack of an honor code when fighting contribute to his belief that a great man is one who will do anything to win. Even if it means being violent, cruel, sadistic and merciless, it all will be worth it as he stands above everyone. The Emperor for the World to see. He even forces these ideals to his NG Boys just before the big war by encouraging them to embrace the ideal of kill or be killed. As in they kill the other gang members or they'll be killed by his own hand for failing to meet his expectations.

As for how he views and mistreats women... Before we can go into that, I'd like to take a quick detour and bring up how Minato Kai and Siguma Squad engage with gender norms.

Bucchigiri doesn't exactly go into detail with gender politics due to it's significant lack of girl characters and how the main boys rarely mention their own beliefs about girls in general. (With the exception of Arajin who only shows interests in girls by seeing them as potential girlfriends and tools used to lose his virginity and the narrative is more than willing to punish him for his beliefs). Not to mention it is rather questionable why there haven't been any girl members to be part of either Minato Kai or Siguma Squad, especially since there isn't a rule saying girls aren't allowed. Despite this, it is worth bringing up how the two clubs are rather lenient when it comes to how the boys defy traditional gender norms.

In Minato Kai, Matakara is presented as the most sensitive, friendly and warm-hearted boy of the group. He's always shown as easy to warm up to and welcoming of other people provided you aren't a threat. None of the MK boys have any issue with his sensitivity and how he boasts on how Arajin is better than him in terms of strength. It even comes as a shock for everyone when he turns to the dark side and begins his quest of fighting everyone for the sake of getting stronger. In a traditional shonen show, a man engaging in this behavior while closing his heart would be applauded since that's what's commonly expected. Whereas in Bucchigiri, it's portrayed as a tragedy that Matakara would go against his beliefs.

Other examples include Komao who dresses in a feminine manner but is never subject to mockery or being made fun of by his peers or the show. Zabu is also able to express emotional honesty towards Matakara regarding him being the reason the war started which is made better as Matakara accepts his apology and still treats him as a friend. Not to mention that he does make beautiful paper decorations and takes pride in it.

Siguma Squad also follow a similar acceptance of emotional vulnerability among it's core members. This is most evident in Episode 10 during Jabishiri and Hagure's confrontation with Corrupted!Matakara. Following the brutal defeat, Jabishiri who's presented as the most aggressive, moody and masculine of the duo expresses genuine disappointment in front of Hagure and comes close to crying. And in the following episode, when he tries to hunt Matakara despite his injuries, Hagure slaps him and cries his heart out while calling him out for his thick-headenness. In any shonen series, the masculine one would snipe at their friend for acting like a sissy and not like a real man. But Jabishiri lets him and realizes that he's right. And even Outa, who can be interpreted as a traditionally masculine man, never chastises the duo for their behavior or how they're not acting like real men. He instead acknowlegeds their emotions and promises them that they'll still keep Siguma Squad alive.

So both gangs are shown to be accepting of emotional vulnerability amongst their groups and are pretty okay with their members expressing gender-non-conforming actions without fear.

As for the NG Boys, that vulnerability is nonexistent as the Emperor uses a brutal and heartless manner of keeping his underlings in check. The boys can only discuss in secret with each other over their own feelings on the matter out of fear of being victimized by the Emperor. Mixed with the lack of individualization of the NG Boys, they exist in a space controlled by Akutaro where only his voice and beliefs, belonging to the greatest man, can be acknowledged and obeyed.

And that is in relation to how the boys in the three groups are able to relate to each other. But there is one component of the NG Boys that neither their rival gangs have but also gives an understanding of Akutaro's toxic masculinity.

The NG Girls.

The existence of the girls highlights how it is possible for girls to be affiliated with any of the gangs. But how curious that instead of fighting alongside the NG Boys as potential fighters and delinquents, they instead only work as flashy showgirls. Wearing cute outfits, performing elaborate dance choreography and acting flirty with anyone that their boss sets in their sights. And given that Akutaro is the boss and prime founder of the NG Boys, it's within reason to believe that he came up with the idea of NG Girls and their roles in his gang.

So sad to say, their existence and jobs falls into gender stereotyping with what is expect of boys and girls. Boys are expected to be tough fighters who show no fear, cannot confide in each other and will hurt others without restraint. Girls are expected look cute, be desirable and attend to the needs of the boys they come across. It's also implied that they work as prostitutes based on Akutaro promising Arajin to "pop his cherry" using the girls mixed with their seductive actions during the dance scene.

And of course there's the whole scene with Akutaro proposing on turning Mahoro into a trophy girl aka sex slave once he takes down Marito. He sees her as a prize to be claimed after defeating her older brother and would consider sexually exploit her for the sake of dragging Siguma Squad's reputation into the ground. So it is rather concerning that he views girls as objects to be claimed and toyed with as a spoil of war. Something a power-hungry man would enjoy having.

Thankfully, both boys are clearly presented as being in the wrong for their beliefs and practices of toxic masculinity which makes their defeat at the hands of the heroes very satisfying.

Part 4: How the Mighty Have Fallen

Once the antagonists are defeated by their respective protagonists, they end up falling into two roles as the story continues: pawns for the fairy tale villains and comic relief.

As mentioned before, Saionji's friendship with Touga is presented as a constant power struggled fueled by jealousy and insecurity. Touga actually knows of Saionji's feelings and purposefully exploits them for his own gain. First in Season 1 by tricking him with a fake letter as part of his grand scheme of making himself look good in front of Utena and later in Season 3 when he starts to collaborate with End of the World.

For Akutaro, following his defeat and exposure at the Gang War Arc, he's tricked into helping Ichiya reach Matakara with the promise of revenge. But as soon as Ichiya makes official contact, he abandons Akutaro leaving him powerless and resentful.

And during the time they're used, they essentially fade into the background as the protagonists turn their attention to other pressing matters regarding the plot and their relationships with their friends. The starter villain that once posed as a significant threat is casually ignored or brushed off without a care. And given what heartless monsters they were since the beginning, who wouldn't want to ignore them or give them a death glare to shut them up?

Because of Saionji's brutish behavior, Utena and friends rarely pay him attention, even when he has "important" things to say, and instead focus on other events in their daily lives. It's even more apparent when he's temporarily expelled from Otori Academy and loses his influence among the student body. Thus forcing him into becoming a nobody.

And with having lost the great war, his former NG Boys have no reason to continue following him and beat him up as retribution for his past transgressions. They along with the NG Girls openly laugh at what a loser he is and promise each other not to let someone like him boss them around anymore. And with no influence or status, all Akutaro can do is watch from the sidelines hoping that fate will be kind enough to defeat his enemies for him.

Though a major difference when it comes to both boys in regards to their pathetic states is that Saionji continues to have relevance in the story while Akutaro remains a bystander. Despite losing a fourth time to Utena in Season 3, he still sticks around as a Student Council Member and even works alongside Touga when he decides to stop Utena. He even brings up how questionable it is to follow the End of the World's ideals when he and the other council members don't know his true motivations. And although Akutaro does warn Arajin of the Honki People's true agenda and the danger they're in, he doesn't actively do anything afterwards. He mainly stays on the side watching the final battles play out. And it's more than likely he won't be able to do much when Matakara has his ultimate battle with Arajin.

Conclusion

Both Akutaro and Saionji start out as the first villains of the story that the audience is meant to dislike because of their cruel and power-hungry behaviors. The reason they transformed into dangerous men was because of a falling out they had with men they once admired in the past. As a result, they would work hard into becoming men with great authority all in the hopes of vanquishing the ones that wronged them and to prove how much better they are then them. The two are also shown to have practiced toxic masculinity given their horrid views of how women should be treated, their ideals on "might makes right" and how they refuse to engage in emotional vulnerability. And once they're defeated, they're brushed off to the side as comic relief while spectating the new battles that the heroes engage in.

And those are my thoughts on the similarities between these two jerks. I never imagined I would make this type of analysis post since I personally hate Saionji. I respect his role in RGU and understand his character in the long term, but men who hurt women while calling it love is something I will never forgive. Either way, I saw the similarities so I decided to put up with him for this analysis So what do you think of these thoughts and the roles of the two villains? If you agree or disagree with anything I’ve written, please feel free to reblog and/or comment with your own ideas. Thank you and may you have a great day/night!

[sweetestofchaos]

Something Like A Hero (And Maybe Just A Little More)

gang leader!taehyung x store clerk!seokjin

gang au | strangers to lovers | hurt comfort | member x member

18+

wc. 2.2k (on-going)

strong language | verbal/physical violence | unprotected sex | anal sex | ass eating | creampie | yandere behavior | gender fluid!seokjin | bts ensemble | bottom!seokjin | top!taehyung | seokjin is comfortable in his own skin and doesn't give a damn

Life has a funny way of setting people up for success or failure. No one really knows how each day will go. The unknown of life hangs heavy on some shoulders while others ignore it, treat it like the elephant in the room. Life shouldn’t be so difficult to navigate but for some it’s the same as holding onto a piece of driftwood in the middle of a tsunami. Seokjin, a man blessed with a handsome face and cursed with poor fortune is currently holding on so tightly to that piece of driftwood that his fingers are numb. One wrong move and he will be swept away by the current and pulled under the waves.

Hello, all! I am here to bring you my first ever Taejin fic!! I am very excited to share it with you and I hope you enjoy the story. I wrote this as part of the Taejin: Bottom Seokjin fest on the bird app and I am sharing the link here with you. Go easy on me okay? I am just getting my feet wet with the mxm works.

Seokjin hums to the music playing through the speakers as he puts away the tote of cigarettes. He makes sure to fill the empty gaps first before he starts to rotate the old and new cartons. He doesn’t see the appeal of cigarettes, he hates the smell and cannot stand that it sticks to your clothing long after you’ve finished smoking. He vividly remembers his mother and father fighting a few times when his father had started his journey to quit. No amount of cologne or body spray saved his father from his mother’s wrath.

The sound of the automatic doors sliding open blends into the music. Squeaky footsteps make Seokjin’s jaw tick as he places the last box of cigarettes in his hand on the shelf. Goosebumps appear on his skin as the nape of his neck tingles. Taking a deep breath, Seokjin turns on his heels and flinches when a body drops against the counter in front of him. Looking over the limp body, Seokjin chews on the inside of his cheek and glances to the front door. 

Outside, rain pours down and droplets splash against the storefront, distorting the view. It’s dark, the single street light on the other side of the road flickers dimly. Seokjin eyes the body, the person’s back is moving, so they are breathing at least. Seokjin hesitates to make up his mind, should he call someone for help? Should he run away? As he battles with his thoughts the body moves. Pale hands tremble as they press down onto the counter and push the body upward until said body is standing before Seokjin on weak legs.

Red hair is matted and stringy, hiding a set of unnatural blue eyes that peer at Seokjin half lidded. A set of chapped lips move but no sound comes out and Seokjin gulps. Something is wrong with this person. 

“H-Hey…you okay? Do you need h-help?��

Seokjin looks up towards the front doors, he really is out of his comfort zone. His manager didn’t train him for this.

“S-Sir…hey!”

Read the full story only on ao3

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Amanda Marcotte at Salon:

It was inevitable that Republicans would go after Dolly Parton. Under the leadership of Donald "Make America Great Again" Trump, Republicans have grown to loathe most everything they used to hold in high regard. Forget patriotism — nowadays, Trump rallies are replete with claims that the United States is a "s__thole." The Super Bowl is now derided as an "election interference psyop." Once-beloved Budweiser beer has become a hate object. The same conservative forces who used to pretend they were defending American icons like Dr. Seuss and Mr. Potato Head from imaginary "cancelation" are now mostly in the business of canceling anything and everything that Americans might enjoy. 

"There’s Nothing Loving About Dolly Parton’s False Gospel," the wet blankets at The Federalist recently declared. The much-derided essay from Ericka Andersen castigates the beloved singer-songwriter for "condoning immoral sexual behavior," by which Andersen means being gay or queer. Andersen doesn't directly come out and claim Parton is lying about being a Christian, but gets close with terms like "secularized spiritual leader" and "false gospel."  The faux-theology is a paper-thin cover for what is really a political attack. It's not just that Andersen resents that Parton offers innocuous statements of love and acceptance of LGBTQ people, sentiments shared by most Americans. As with the attacks on the NFL, Taylor Swift, and the "Barbie" movie, it's about encouraging paranoia in the Republican base. The message, from Trump down through the right-wing media, is that white conservative Christians are under attack from every corner of society. As New York Times writer Jamelle Bouie explained on Bluesky, this allows conservatives to "see themselves as involved in revolutionary action that justifies anything under the sun." Including lying, committing crimes, and, as we saw on Jan. 6, violence. 

The invocation of religious language isn't surprising. This tactic is borrowed directly from the world of fundamentalist Christianity. For decades, far-right Christian pastors have used a similar strategy to alienate their congregations from the outside world, leaving pastors with total control of their flock's lives. Believers are routinely threatened with hell for even thinking about whatever pop culture is trendy.  In the 80s, of course, this was the notorious "Satanic panic," where everything from daycare centers to popular rock albums to Dungeons & Dragons role-playing games was said to be a gateway directly to demonic possession. In the 90s, fundamentalists declared that Pokémon "teaches children how to enter into the world of witchcraft." For the past couple of decades, Christian fundamentalists have been freaking out over the "Harry Potter" series, which only seems to have quieted a bit as the author JK Rowling has so loudly championed the far-right opposition to trans rights. Lately, the biggest target for hyperventilating accusations of demonic possession is, of course, Taylor Swift, as well as most other big pop stars. If it might create a chance for young people to bond with those outside of the church, it gets demonized.  Separating people from any connection to the outside world is an effective tool for control, which is why everyone from abusive husbands to cult leaders uses it. As the GOP morphs into the cult of Donald Trump, then, it's not surprising that they've also grown fond of telling their followers to shun any interests outside of Trump rallies and MAGA media. After all, even a casual conversation about football with a dreaded liberal might be a reminder that Democrats are normal people and not the "evil" and "sick" people who need eradication, as Trump regularly claims. 

[...] Parton's "love they neighbor" view is downright banal to most people, but it does run directly against the "hate and fear your neighbor" message of MAGA. It's especially unsettling to Republicans, as Andersen explicitly writes, because it's a direct allusion to what was recently a common Christian message: "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone." As New York Times writer Elizabeth Spiers argued on Bluesky, the Trump base now openly embraces "a bastardized version of Christianity that’s reverse engineered from their biases," rejecting compassion in favor of "permission to judge people they don’t like and punish them for deviations from conservative norms." Russell Moore, who was once a leader in the Southern Baptist Convention but got pushed out for, among other things, being anti-racist, agrees. He has spoken publicly about how Christian ministers can no longer preach about the Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus famously blessed the meek, the peacemakers, and the merciful. If ministers try to teach this scripture, Moore said congregants will revolt, calling it "weak." The relentless cruelty of Trumpism is their true faith. 

Andersen's attack on Parton is part of a larger trend where the GOP is becoming an arm of the once-fringe Christian nationalist movement. As Paul Rosenberg has explained at Salon, these are folks who believe their rigid version of Christianity must "exercise dominion over every aspect of society by taking control of political and cultural institutions." To justify stripping freedom of religion away and imposing theocracy on Americans, Christian nationalists, including Trump, claim to be acting in self-defense. They make false accusations that they are somehow "canceled" by the "woke mob," and thus the only way to restore their "rights" is to take rights away from everyone else.

Andersen employs this dishonest tactic by claiming "the culture is on a constant witch hunt for those who would call homosexuality sinful." Never mind that LGBTQ people have suffered imprisonment, violence, and discrimination. Ignore the fact that, if conservatives had their way, queer people would lose their right to marry, would be denied health care, be fired from their jobs, and be put in jail for having consensual sex. She wants readers to believe the real victims are homophobes, because people accurately call them bigots. And that all those terrible things they want to do to LGBTQ are justified, because they feel "witch hunted" by having people disagree with them.

Amanda Marcotte wrote a good Salon piece nailing the hypocrisy of the Christian Right's attacks on pop culture icons such as Taylor Swift and Dolly Parton while simultaneously whining about being "victims" of "cancel culture."

[trekwiz]

American Christians: with Trump's victory and the coming crisis for LGBT people, I need you to take time to consider what you can do, and how you've contributed.

I know your first reaction is to say that he doesn't represent you; that he's perverting your religion. I'm sorry, that is not, and has never been true. You need to understand this, or you will continue to do things that prop him up, and hurt LGBT people. You don't have to choose to cause suffering.

Christianity is his base:

It's impossible to just wave away 70 million+ people as fakers--especially if your criteria would also define you as a faker, too. This is not an aberration in Christian history; the crusades, Spanish Inquisition, the transatlantic slave trade, manifest destiny, missionaries wiping out native cultures globally, the hundreds of bodies buried under Canadian church schools.

I know it's painful to confront, but Donald Trump is the epitome of how Christianity interacts with the world; his behavior is neither unusual nor surprising in that context. You just don't see it because you're being protective of something meaningful to you. If you accept your religion's flaws, you feel like you'll value it less.

But the more you sweep it under the rug, the more pain you'll be inflicting on others. Christianity's blemishes need to be confronted, not excused as "fakers." By focusing on defending how people perceive your religion, you're actively overlooking the people who are hurt by it. You're putting your personal discomfort above the damaged and destroyed lives of others.

Trump's agenda for LGBT people is 100% Christian. It's impossible to separate the two. There is no secular, or rational basis for LGBT phobia. In the US, these attitudes are completely rooted in Christianity. When you see some bleedover among atheists, it's largely a consequence of growing up in a Christian culture and not unlearning it; it's why some Atheists maintain a Protestant work ethic--it's background noise, but it came from somewhere. The root cause is undeniably Christian.

Trump ran a series of ads, "Harris is for they/them, I'm for you." I need you to understand who he was talking to, why that was effective, and how you contributed.

Let's say for a moment that you don't think your church is transphobic; perhaps it even allows trans people to join. Have the people at your church shared stories (maybe from the news) about the gross man who thinks he's a woman? Did you laugh about how delusional "he" is? Maybe you didn't notice when someone described it as a sin that needs to be overcome. Did anyone speak up to say that this kind of casual bigotry is inappropriate? Did anyone work to make sure this attitude wasn't tolerated? If someone did speak up, were they derided for it? Treated as annoying?

Those are the people Trump is aligned with. He can successfully advertise that way, because churches in particular, have this casual LGBT-phobic culture. And it radiates from there. Maybe your niece or nephew doesn't go to church, but they're still likely to pick it up from your sibling. And they're just as likely to pass that attitude on to friends. Even if they're trying to resist that mindset, they might not even realize that they've picked it up when they decide who to be friends with.

It's so critical that you stand and let your church--attendees and leaders--know that you won't tolerate painting someone's innate traits as "sin." Are blue eyes a sin? Is it sinful to have hands? Do you know how much suffering (literal child abuse) was caused by treating left-handed people as sinners? Do you know how recently that was normalized the same way as homophobia is now?

When you ascribe a negative judgment to a trait that someone can't change, you are necessarily being hateful. That hate will present itself in the environment you cultivate. It will hurt people. It does hurt people.

What happens in environments that casually tolerate racist jokes, long-term?

If you're unwilling to confront the existence of bigotry that's coming out of the places that are meaningful to you, you will, even accidentally, perpetuate it.

But Trump's support goes beyond the LGBT phobia. Can you define Fascism? The actual, literal definition of a government that is fascist. If you look it up, you'll see specific traits: it has an authoritative leader who cannot be questioned, expectation of putting the interests of the government ahead of your own, suppression of opposing ideas, and out-groups to oppress.

What might have inspired people in Italy to come up with that, specific, structure? Do you think the idea that inspired it might still exist in the world, shaping the way people think?

I'm sorry. I know you're not ready to unpack that part.

Now, more than ever, you're needed to loudly, visibly reject LGBT phobia. You're uniquely positioned to make a difference. More than ever, your voice can keep people alive.

[plutolauvs]

Thank you for replying, I'll try rewriting the request so it fits-

Can I request a Shuichi x Kokichi's friend!reader? They grew up together, and have the same Ultimate (if that's ok), but reader acts a bit differently from Kokichi, which made Shuichi interested. Reader had the same joyful energy but doesn't lie as much as Kokichi does

One shot or in headcanons about them (reader and Shuichi)

If there's anything else I should change let me know!

shuichi saihara x kokichi's friend!reader >> preferences ! > > [ mainly romantic] > > [slight angst]

BONUS + ‘ ultimate supreme leader ’ reader + specific preferences for killing game

｡˚ 𓂋 💤 photos by: hizoukii (on pinterest)

★ ahhh sorry this took a while. this was such a treat to write, and i hoped the preferences are to your liking :).

───── ✩ SHUICHI 

🗯️ ❭ ❭  you met kokichi a long time ago, just a few years after you were born. the connection ignited so quickly, almost as if it were fate. almost as if he was the soul that was meant to guide, help, and teach you. almost as if he was the soul that was meant to be a part of your struggles. as you two grew up together, he influenced you in some ways that would be a part of your identity, but never enough to have the same reputations. 

❕  when shuichi figured out that you and kokichi were closer than he realized at first, he had mixed emotions about this fact. the mixed emotions were fueled by some of his bitter views towards kokichi. the clear effect of kokichi’s influence on you was more clear to him now, yet not clear enough to be informed of the exact lengths of this influence.

❕  he can’t deny the interest that sparked as he witnessed your behavior. people were somewhat clouded by the fact that you’re just a kokichi, but tamer and less of an annoyance when it comes to lies. 

❕  he feels pulled in by your reputation. he feels an urge to push himself away from you, due to the thoughts that some things would fail, such as having a conversation with you or attempting to see you from a drastically different light. yet in the end of the day, he also felt more intrigued to discover the depths of you, and unravel the thoughts that blinded everyone.

❕  he feels as if he’s more likely to walk away from a conversation feeling less annoyed, and less puzzled by a bunch of lies being thrown at him that he’ll need to pick apart to find the truth, due to you lying less. he finds it even more interesting that you lie less, he wonders what other traits you picked up from kokichi that you express to a lesser extent than him?

❕  shuichi giving you a gift, or suggesting a place for you two to hang out, is always fun. though, one of the most interesting parts is the way you reveal your opinions on some gifts and suggestions. either you share about how your opinion contrasts or compares with kokichi’s thoughts on those things, or shuichi remembers what kokichi’s opinion on those things were. in the rarer moments, you tell shuichi about how kokichi influenced your opinion on some places or gifts.

❕  you’re a bit more blatant when it comes to opening up more than kokichi. you tell shuichi about the stories you’ve been told, the experiences you lived through, and the opinions you’ve gathered. it warms the both of you, and brings you two closer.

❕  with you telling some stories, it’s incredibly expected that you’ll talk about kokichi. going to you and hearing you, shuichi realizes he knows more about kokichi and his background. eventually, you help shuichi have a more-positive opinion towards kokichi, and help him realize some of kokichi’s traits that he hadn’t had a total grasp on before. 

❕  expect you two rambling about a bunch of stuff. shuichi can get insecure about rambling or overthinking about his observances and interests, yet most times you don’t mind it. overthinking, ranting, rambling, are one of the top things that strengthens the bond. he loves how passionate you can be about the things you dislike or like, and your energy as you speak.

❕  sometimes he’ll make a light-hearted joke or comment about how joyful or hyper your energy is. sometimes, he does feel a tad overwhelmed by your energy, or slightly intimidated, though that doesn’t mean that he doesn't find your energy cute. to an extent, he does find your energy admirable. the way you can bring liveliness to others and to him, the way you can bring the life out of him that he forgets about, is something so compelling about you.

❕  shuichi does get slight insecurities about the fact that he can’t always match up with your energy, even when your energy can make him secure at times. in his eyes, he isn’t so interesting, joyful, and even can be a debbie downer at times. of course, this motivates you to tell him the truth about your opinions on his energy and him as a person. 

❕  to you, he’s a bit of a refresher from all the people you attract (kokichi and D.I.C.E) and you feel so secure with him, he’s more grounded, so gentle and so observant. he can be so polite, yet he knows when things are too much and he tries to set boundaries. you love he has his unpredictable moments; how he expresses sass and heat towards someone being a bother (like miu), yet he turns soft a couple minutes later.

❕  sometimes he feels so happy by your presence, he just can’t help and blush. if you throw in a flirty comment (which sometimes you do), he’ll become a total blush and it reminds him about how your unpredictability can be a blessing and a curse.

❕  you help him see things in a positive light, or see the positive side of things. sometimes he helps you realize the cons and negatives of things. you totally help him have tolerance towards certain things (such as kokichi) and you help him associate some things he’s either neutral about, things he tolerate, or even things he dislikes with positivity (like specific movies, books, etc.), due to your joyful nature and/or opinions.

— IN GAME, things would get really tense the more kokichi’s lies and presence affect everyone. there’s kokichi being way more distant from you while also lashing out at you sometimes, as an attempt to keep you away from being involved in his plans and for you to not get the heavy burden of having kokichi’s exact reputation by being so close to him. there’s people avoiding you, dismissing you, having less patience with you, or even lashing out at times, because of your reputation being more damaged as the game goes on, especially when kokichi becomes cryptic or his lies become more stressful and/or harmful.

and then there’s shuichi, who’s struggling with others being negative towards you, struggling to be close to you around others, and struggling with not feeling somewhat tense with you due to kokichi’s actions. the internal conflict just brings more headaches, but he tries to set them aside because he knows you’re struggling and wants to bring comfort into your life. 

— IN GAME, since you possess kokichi’s leadership skills to an extent, you’ll act as a guide for shuichi, knowing that people look up to him. in fact, the longer you survive, the more likely shuichi will accept you as someone being a "co-leader" of sorts, and someone that others should look up to as well, which motivates some people to look up to you to an extent.

you two give each other life in different ways. you two give security to each other in different ways. there’s so many things you two do differently, yet you two always result in feeling safe with each other.

[writingquestionsanswered]

Hi! One of my characters spends the majority of the story on the side of the antagonists, but by the end eventually returns to the protagonists she’d previously betrayed, over a long redemption arc. However the betrayal happens during the first portion of the story, not before. She turns sides for a number of reasons, but the final push over the edge is the appearance of the main POV character, who has a (very big, very important) problem that the entire group sets out to fix. From the soon-betrayer character’s perspective, she feels like the rest of her group is favoring this new addition as their friend over her/no longer ‘need’ her. This obviously isn’t their intention, but I was wondering if you had any advice on portraying the group’s actions in a way that makes these assumptions plausible/not illogical, but at the same time not making the rest of the protagonists…basically look like assholes? Thank you for this blog! (also if it affects your answer, the ages of all the characters mentioned are between 16-20)

Alienated Character Betrays Group, Returns Later

While you can always go with a misunderstanding (the character misinterprets the group's actions/behavior/intentions with regard to both her and the other character), but even with a misunderstanding, I think there are some important questions to ask. First, if everyone else has accepted this character (to the extent the other character feels alienated), why hasn't the other character accepted them to that extent, too? Why does this character feel sidelined by the group when no one else does? It sounds like they feel particularly entitled to being needed by the group or being the center of their attention, and it's important for you to understand why that would be. What makes their entitlement, jealousy, and feeling of alienation logical to the situation? What was their previous relationship/situation that makes this make sense? The key is going to be to find something that doesn't make anyone look icky... like maybe the other character was always sort of a big sister figure/leader to the group. If this other character comes along and fills a similar role, it actually makes sense that the other character would feel sidelined and their jealousy isn't as icky at that point. It's coming from a place of hurt, not entitlement. So, those are definitely the things to keep in mind. As to the specific details, that will have to depend on the characters and the situation, but I think if you go with a misunderstanding (as in, the group still needs the other character/still views them as the big sister/leader despite the other character's contributions to the group) you absolve the group of looking like jerks. And, if you make sure the other character's jealousy and sense of being sidelined is coming from a place of hurt rather than entitlement, they'll be in the clear as well.

Happy writing!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

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[jknerd]

DISNEY STUDIO AU: Barby

(Genderbend Robert “Bobby” Zimmeruski~)

Full Name: Roberta Zimmeruski

Other Names: Barby Z, Barby

Schools: Mike Jay Middle School (graduated), Spooner Public High School (graduated), Oswald College of Arts/Music/Sports

Occuaption(s): X-Game Competitor (Maxine’s team), Student

Residence: Spoonerville, Ohio

Family: Mr. Zimmeruski (father), Mrs. Zimmeruski (mother), uncles and aunts, 10 cousins

Relationships: Maxine Goof (best friend), PJ Pete (best friend), Stanley Ampledexter (potential love-interest), Rox Hatchback (friend), The Gammas (rivaling team->occasionally friends), Fabrette Lewis (friend)

Likes: Cheeses, nacho chips, games, inline skating, MMA sports

Dislikes: Giving up, the Gammas’ entitled behaviors, Bradley’s arrogance

Abilities/Talents: Casual sports, fair sportsmanship, graffiti arts, language of Polish and Hebrew

Roberta “Barby” Zimmeruski is Maxine’s one of two best friends from same schools through their teenage years to current young adult years. Well-known with her obsession with all types of cheese, she is usually seen eating anything that has cheese in it. From Jewish-Polish descent, she can speak Polish or Hebrew fluently, but usually when communicating with her family members. 

She was first introduced in her, PJ and Maxine’s teenage years, quickly befriending them as she finds their love for casual sports as same as she does. Being one of the girls who were not considered feminine, she wasn’t in a popular crowd but always seen exhausted when dealing with the girls who have huge infatuations or admirations towards Maxine. When noticing Rox and Maxine shares same romantic feelings for one another yet unable to express them, Barby and PJ would often come up with plans to set them up. Being a most “chaotic” of trio, Barby is also not afraid to throw hands on whoever messes with her friends. Being one of few who is aware of Maxine’s identity as celebrity’s daughter, she and PJ are often seen teaming up to prevent anyone to find out the secret or chases out stalker/paparazzi who would have an audacity to sneak in Maxine’s house. In summer vacation, Barby was invited to Stanley’s house party to watch Powerline Concert Life pay-per-view and when seeing Maxine and her father danced with Powerline, she was one of the students cheering for her friend, but interrupted when bumping onto Stanley as they share brief but intense eye contact, foreshadowing a possibility of romance between them.

Years later as high school graduate bound for college, Barby, PJ and Maxine were preparing for the college, especially the upcoming X-Game. When departing, she drove to the college while PJ and Maxine were navigating. Despite the chaotic routes, they managed to arrive and Barby shared a same dorm room with Maxine. During the first day of college skating around the campus, they grabbed the attention of the X-Games champion team/Fraternity; “the Gammas”. Although, their leader Bradley was more interested in recruiting Maxine. When Maxine rejected the offer, two teams formed an immediate rivalry. Later, she expressed confusion and surprise to see Goofy as their instructor in “Entertainment Business” and “Performing Arts”. During fierce confrontation between Maxine and Bradley, Barby was prone to beat up the Gammas when Bradley insulted Goofy as they laughed, but impressed when Maxine retaliated with aggression causing to destroy Bradley’s shirt, and confusion when Bradley escaped the scene in fear. She expressed joy to see Rox and Stanley attending same college, but at the same time VERY amused with how the relationship of Maxine goes when it comes to Rox, Monroe and Bradley. In the X-game competition, Barby was excelled in rock-climbing and inline-skating as she managed to pass to the finals. During the final, she was out of the game due to the malfunctioning of the bicycle but seen in the infirmary later. Soon, she aided Goofy and others in helping Maxine, Bradley and Tank out of the burning blimp due to the scheme of Mr. Uppercrust and eventually congratulated Maxine’s victory. Along with Maxine, PJ and the Gammas, she was seen glaring at Mr. Uppercrust as Goofy calls him out for endangering others and chose his greed over his son’s safety. Although Gammas struggle with their declining popularity, Barby initially refuse to associate with them until she was assigned in partnership for the course’s project with one of the Gammas team named Thomas Churman. Later, Barby became open about interacting or befriending the Gammas as she witness a growing reformation of the team.

Other than cheese, as Barby aged, she loves to drink and is highly tolerant with the alcohols. During the party, Barby was seen winning a drinking contest against three BEST members who were known for strong drinker; Tank, Slouch and Thomas, as they were either no longer able to drink or passed out. Sometimes, she is also seen watching the MMA sports show with them.

[phlve]

Sociotype Profiles — SLE

Ego

Leading Se

SLEs are strong-willed, independently-minded individuals who are able to recognize levels of willpower and motivation in others. They are almost always collected and ready for action. They are adept at organizing others effectively towards any given objective, and have no problem "getting the job done," even if it requires stepping on a few toes. They will take the initiative and act at the opportune moment. SLEs will often act without complete information, improvising as they go, but are successful nonetheless. Instability energizes them, as they are active people who think clearly on the move and tend to be unsatisfied with a stationary, peaceful lifestyle.

SLEs easily spot power dynamics within any given structure, hierarchy or relationship, and strive for a secure position where they are less subordinate to others. At the same time, SLEs are comfortable with hierarchies, and recognize that they are a necessary part of everyday life. SLEs may sometimes seem dismissive of those of a lower social status, as if they were weak or inferior in some way. Likewise, they see dependence as weakness, and so strive to minimize their dependence on others, especially in their personal relationships.

SLEs' energetic and direct nature tends to make them natural leaders. They are quick to assume this role, even in alien or unfamiliar environments. They usually adopt a direct administrative style and build a bureaucratic structure beneath them over time. They will take full responsibility for their actions, and understand these terms when they take a leadership-based role within a group, company or organization as being part of what leadership is about.

SLEs are highly observant and take note of all the objects present in their surroundings. They are well aware of which objects they have, and which they want, and tend to be possessive of their property. At the same time, they also have a generous streak and can easily bestow gifts and share their property with others to demonstrate acceptance of the other person or people.

Creative Ti

SLEs are inquisitive people. They are generally clear, consistent and systematic in their actions. They value competency and have an appreciation for method, viewing these things as vehicles through which strength, power and influence are demonstrated, values that SLEs consider important.

While SLEs see logical systems and structured views as necessary in life, they will often view said systems and views as changeable or expendable. Their use of Ti is flexible. They tend to gather - either legitimately or illegitimately - and retain information which they deem useful in attaining their goals.

SLEs come to their own conclusions about the world, although they tend towards simple generalizations. Because the SLE's ideas are influenced by their own agenda, they can be more subjective than they claim to be; they are skilled at using objective truths to help them achieve their goals. It can be very difficult to argue with an SLE; rarely will they submit to another's logic, since they believe that their own logic is so well developed. SLEs will often refuse to take others' advice - even to their own detriment - as they can have difficulty seeing viewpoints that differ from their own (though this may also be a matter of pride). They also have the tendency to compare others' plans to their own, and because of their confidence, will often consider them inferior or offer critique from their own point of view.

Super-Ego

Role Ne

SLEs are largely unaware of others' hidden potential and abilities, since they size up people based on visible qualities and behavior. As a result, their judgments of people may appear simplistic or one-dimensional, and they may seriously misjudge or underestimate the capabilities of others, leading to surprises and sometimes rude awakenings. Likewise, SLEs may fail to recognize long-term opportunities in the world around them as they pursue the more readily visible and immediately available routes to success.

To make up for their weakness in assessment of possibilities, SLEs may hesitate to act, believing that they are increasing the amount of opportunities they will have. Instead, they end up using none, thus failing to attain the results they were aiming for. In this sense, the SLE would have been much better off following his instincts in the first place. Many SLEs are aware of this, and simply prefer not to search for hidden opportunities and avoid this weakness altogether.

When it comes to future planning, SLEs speak with confidence and apparent optimism, although in actuality, they rarely feel confident in positive outcomes and further possibilities. They may also consider advanced planning unnecessary for trivial circumstances, as they prefer to act impulsively.

Despite their highly observant nature, SLEs are careful to avoid appearing too eager for knowledge. They become suspicious when others are overly curious about them and ask too many searching questions. SLEs are more comfortable asking and responding to specific questions that are relevant to the context rather than general ones whose purpose is unknown. When the information being exchanged is too broad and general, SLEs may wonder what the point is or whether someone is planning to use that information to take advantage of them. Concerns about revealing too much information about themselves and their activities sometimes makes SLEs appear paranoid and secretive.

Vulnerable Fi

SLEs have trouble evaluating the internal emotional state of others unless it is accompanied by a visible emotional expression. When unable to do so, they become uneasy. When an individual expresses negative emotions, SLEs feel that they are unable to offer the support needed; they get uncomfortable and confused, and as a result, will not respond appropriately to the situation or will react in a way which is unhelpful to the individual. SLEs themselves constantly seem emotionally guarded, and so very rarely will anyone actually have the chance to "comfort" the SLE in the everyday use of the word. The best way to do so is to let the emotion run its course.

SLEs often tread carefully when it comes to interpersonal relationships because they recognize their inherent weakness in this function. They feel the need to not only be respected, but also to be held dear by others, precisely because they feel inept when it comes to relationships. Often their behavior will have the opposite effect of what they were hoping for; if they are trying to protect someone, that someone may view their "protection" as pure jealousy, and thus will attempt to break away. The SLE will respond with further limitations in order to counter what they believe is irrational rebelliousness, perhaps causing a breakdown of said relationship. Despite this, SLEs can without extra effort manage to maintain a superficial - purely physical or formal - relationship. Their IEI duals, however, have an understanding of SLEs; they know how to react with Fe in accordance with the SLE's mood, and thereby tactfully avoid incurring any misunderstanding.

To ease their doubts about their relationships with others, SLEs are sincere when it comes to establishing new bonds with others; they feel it is important to inform others of their true nature so that they will not be taken by surprise when the SLE acts in a certain way. Likewise, the SLE will often prefer to take the initiative in establishing new friendships and relationships. This is partly due to the fact that SLEs fear psychological distance; taking a more upfront and aggressive approach would allow him to more accurately observe those around him, while removing the possibility of one's gradual avoidance of the SLE.

SLEs are under the impression that they might gain respect or admiration from others, but can never be truly loved by anyone. Sometimes, SLEs can become paranoid about their relationships with others; they often mistrust declarations of affection, and so can appear insecure.

Super-Id

Suggestive Ni

Since SLEs are such active, action-oriented individuals, they are often far more confident about their present situation than its broader implications. SLEs are attracted to people who can unearth connections between ideas and occurrences, thus collecting the "snapshots" of the present offered by SLEs and fitting them into a broader understanding of reality. SLEs long for a sense of some greater meaning in their lives beyond the immediately physical or material. They admire people who feel part of something greater than themselves and are not so dependent on the material world around them.

SLEs often develop their suggestive function through an interest in that which is hidden, mysterious, or eccentric. Learning about and discussing these things helps them overcome their habit of making quick assumptions, and gives them a more profound understanding of the world around them.

The SLE is impulsive, but at the same time quite conscious of the need to keep his impulsivity in check. He thus appreciates people who are confident in their ability to predict where present trends are leading and to pinpoint when to initiate action and when to refrain from it.

Mobilizing Fe

SLEs find themselves unable to adequately raise an emotionally dull atmosphere, which is why they greatly appreciate another individual proficient in this function. SLEs naturally gravitate towards warm, cheerful atmospheres. If an SLE makes a social move that doesn't get the emotional response he expects, he will feel uneasy or offended e.g. if no one laughs at a joke he tells.

In large groups or groups of new acquaintances, SLEs sometimes inadvertently estrange themselves from everyone else, which may give off a negative impression. The SLE may assume this contrary attitude in order to seek Fe while preserving the atmosphere of the group. If another individual shows acceptance of the SLE, he will immediately brighten and join the now warmer emotional mood. Alternatively, if the SLE fails to receive the desired emotional cues, he will further distance himself from the situation, highly averse to "being a drag" to the group dynamic.

There seems to be an "emotional contradiction" with the SLE; there is a constant internal struggle to both reveal to others their true feelings and a desire to guard themselves from adverse people or situations. He finds it extremely difficult - almost unnatural - to express his deepest feelings about an experience he's had. SLEs try to avoid looking vulnerable, weak or dependent, which is why they appear to be such closely guarded individuals. SLEs will, like any other logical type, attempt to keep their feelings under control and subordinate to their reasoning. They refuse to let their emotions complicate professional relationships, and make a conscious effort to maintain the same emotionality with all.

SLEs are unable to suppress the manifestations of their moods, and thus greatly appreciate individuals who can deal with their sudden, uncontrollable outbursts of emotions. For many SLEs, expressive activities such as acting, musical performance or even religion serve as ideal "ethical vents", helping to give them the emotional release they struggle to find in other areas of society.

Id

Ignoring Si

SLEs are aware of how something makes them feel, but give little concern to it. (They will not, however, refrain from expressing their physical attraction or desire towards another individual.)

SLEs effortlessly manage to create an environment of comfort for themselves, but this comfort extends to very little, as they see no need to occupy themselves with creating excessively cozy atmospheres. As long as SLEs are not overly unhealthy or malnourished, they're unconcerned with what they eat and drink. SLEs are quite capable of living with the bare minimum and not feeling disturbed or unsettled by their circumstances. This gives the SLE the ability to ignore discomfort and tedium, powering through such obstacles in order to accomplish their goals.

Demonstrative Te

SLEs have the ability to pick out information which will help them achieve a goal; they will often refer to well-known facts, statistics and historical examples to back up their claims. Often their own viewpoint will remain standing in the face of a majority opinion, as they know how to formulate a strong argument. SLEs will often question the authenticity or reliability of informational sources, preferring not to use those which are doubtful or which have been proven wrong in the past. They enjoy learning about a wide variety of things, and are motivated by the prospect of rewards and status; they like to prove their authority and skills e.g. through a large amount of academic awards or extra curricular certificates.

SLEs are very practical, hard-working individuals. They know how to utilize their time effectively in order to reach any given goal, and have no problem discerning efficiency and utility from incompetence and uselessness. Nonetheless, they retain a kind of "don't care" attitude when it comes to productivity and effectiveness. They feel that it is a waste of time to sit around and discuss efficiency, and would rather act effectively. SLEs may playfully mock those who they believe are "obsessed" with productivity, efficiency or effective action.

SLEs often assume the role of someone who is always ready to assist people in their practical affairs, even to the point of others' annoyance or offense to the SLE's obtrusiveness (which is simply enthusiasm to the SLE). They enjoy receiving thanks for their services, and take full responsibility for their actions. Their intentions towards others in this area are generally always good.

Source: Wikisocion

[beyazit2324]

The Unifying Power of Faith: How Religion Shapes Cultural Identity.

Religion is not just a set of rituals or a system of beliefs. It is a powerful force that can unite societies and even change the course of history. In Turkey, where Islamic traditions are deeply intertwined with culture and social life, religion is not only a personal matter but a significant social phenomenon. How does faith shape identities and change the destinies of nations? Why is it such a powerful source of cultural belonging?

Religion and the Formation of Cultural Identity

The influence of religion on personal and social identity is profound. It answers fundamental questions such as: “Who am I?” and “Where do I belong?” Whether it’s Islam, Christianity, or another religious tradition, beliefs create a framework of values and moral guidelines that shape how a person perceives not only themselves but the world around them, reinforcing their sense of cultural belonging.

In his article “But Who is Their God?”, John Doyle emphasizes how religion can become a tool of social control and identification, especially when political leaders use it to consolidate power. He states: “When religion becomes a symbol of the state, it not only serves as a spiritual guide but also becomes a marker of political identity.” This is evident in Turkey, where the historical legacy of Islam is often used to strengthen national identity and political legitimacy.

Faith as a Source of Unity and Division

Faith can be a powerful unifying force, but it can also lead to conflicts and divisions. We see religious disputes in many regions around the world. However, a strong attachment to religious communities creates a sense of security and belonging, especially in times of crisis.

As highlighted in the article “The Impact of Religion on Societal Identity”, religion provides people not only with comfort but also with clear guidance during moments of uncertainty. The author writes: “When the economic or political system collapses, people turn to religion to find the support and meaning that is lost in the secular world.” We have witnessed this phenomenon in Turkey in recent decades, where religion has become a source of support for many segments of society amidst social and political changes.

How Religion Shapes Collective Consciousness and Cultural Identity

For many Muslims in Turkey, Islam is more than just a faith. It is a way of life that defines everyday behavior, choice of clothing, family relations, and even political views. Collective identity, based on religion, provides a sense of belonging and strength. It is something deeper than belonging to a nation or culture; it is an inner bond that unites people in the face of external threats.

When religion becomes a central part of identity, it profoundly impacts the perception of “others” — those who do not belong to the same group. This can be both a positive factor, creating a common ground for dialogue and understanding, and a negative one, turning faith into a marker of exclusivity and superiority.

Conclusion

Religion has a unique power to shape personal and collective identity, creating a sense of belonging and shared purpose. In the modern world, where the boundaries between cultures and nations are increasingly blurred, faith remains one of the few forces capable of uniting people into shared communities. However, it is essential to remember that this power can be both constructive and destructive, depending on how it is used.

As highlighted in the articles “The Impact of Religion on Societal Identity” and “But Who is Their God?”, religion remains a powerful tool in the hands of both leaders and individuals. In Turkey, where religion intertwines with history, culture, and politics, its influence on shaping cultural belonging cannot be ignored.

[zelda-larsson]

How to Foster a Culture of Continuous Improvement in Teams

A culture of continuous improvement is essential for any organization striving to remain competitive and innovative. Encouraging teams to consistently seek out and implement improvements can lead to enhanced performance, increased efficiency, and a more engaged workforce.

Encourage Open Communication and Feedback.

For continuous improvement to take root, team members must feel comfortable sharing their ideas and providing feedback. Open communication channels are crucial in this regard. Michael Shvartsman, a seasoned business leader, emphasizes, “Creating an environment where every voice is heard and valued is the first step toward fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Leaders must actively encourage dialogue and ensure that feedback is acted upon.”

Empower Teams with Autonomy.

Empowering teams to make decisions and take ownership of their processes is another key element. When team members have the autonomy to identify issues and implement solutions, they become more invested in the outcome. Shvartsman notes, “Empowered teams are more likely to take initiative and experiment with new ideas. This sense of ownership drives continuous improvement as employees are motivated to enhance their work and see the results firsthand.”

Provide Training and Development Opportunities.

Continuous improvement is closely linked to ongoing learning and development. Providing regular training and upskilling opportunities allows team members to acquire new skills and stay updated with industry best practices. Michael Shvartsman advises, “Investing in your team’s development is crucial for maintaining a culture of continuous improvement. When employees feel that their growth is a priority, they are more likely to contribute innovative ideas and improvements.”

Set Clear Goals and Metrics.

Clear goals and metrics are essential for tracking progress and ensuring that improvement efforts are aligned with organizational objectives. Teams should have a clear understanding of what they are working toward and how their efforts contribute to the larger goals of the company. Michael Shvartsman points out, “Setting measurable goals provides teams with a roadmap for improvement. It also allows leaders to recognize and celebrate achievements, further motivating the team to continue their efforts.”

Celebrate Small Wins and Learn from Failures.

Acknowledging and celebrating small wins is important for maintaining momentum in continuous improvement efforts. At the same time, failures should be viewed as learning opportunities rather than setbacks. Michael Shvartsman explains, “Celebrating progress, no matter how small, reinforces positive behavior and keeps the team motivated. On the other hand, analyzing failures without assigning blame helps teams learn and grow, turning challenges into opportunities for improvement.”

Lead by Example.

Leaders play a crucial role in shaping the culture of an organization. By demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement in their own work, leaders can set the tone for the entire team. Michael Shvartsman emphasizes, “Leadership sets the standard for the rest of the organization. When leaders actively participate in and promote continuous improvement, it sends a strong message that this is a core value of the company.”

Fostering a culture of continuous improvement in teams requires a deliberate and sustained effort. By encouraging open communication, empowering teams, investing in development, setting clear goals, celebrating successes, and leading by example, organizations can create an environment where continuous improvement is ingrained in the company’s DNA. Michael Shvartsman sums it up well: “A culture of continuous improvement is not built overnight, but with consistent effort and the right leadership, it becomes a driving force behind long-term success.”

Read more:

[agape-philo-sophia]

➝ Techniques Of Cults. 🚨

THE 4 METHODS OF CULT MIND CONTROL

Cult leaders use these rigid, strict techniques to keep their rank-and-file members in line. They have been used throughout human history without wavering. They have always worked because people have not built their consciousness up to a level where they understand how these methods of manipulation work. Most don't even fully know what a cult actually is, otherwise they'd realize they're already in one. A cult isn't just a group of people who share a common belief system or common values. Cults are based in group-think (no individuality, collective "identity") and have an "us vs. them" world view making them dangerous to the rights and well-being of anyone who isn't in the cult. There are techniques used to create and maintain that mentality.

There are four main cult techniques: • ISOLATION • CONFORMITY • INDOCTRINATION THROUGH REPETITION • TRAUMA (PHYSICAL, MENTAL & EMOTIONAL)

• ISOLATION

This is probably the single most important technique, because it makes it very difficult for anyone to penetrate the collective of the cult. We've seen this being employed during the COVID-19 "pandemic," having everyone isolate themselves in their homes. Police and military training is also always done in isolation away from public view. You have to physically separate the cult members (or potential cult members) from the rest of their community so no reason can be spoken to them. And since we are social beings, being cut off from each other in such a massive way causes psychological trauma which can cause (and has caused) an increase in self-harm and suicide.

• CONFORMITY

No tolerance for any individuality within the cult. One's old identity has to be completely broken down and re-formed into a "new normal." This is why cults use uniforms. Uni-form = ONE FORM. Again, we see this with police and military, and in the COVID era of mass mask-wearing. This is about rigidity and sameness in appearance as well as sameness in speech and behaviors.

• INDOCTRINATION THROUGH REPETITION

The use of rigorous schedules, instructions and repetitive behaviors (stay six feet apart, use hand sanitizer, etc). Repetition is one of the greatest forms of mind control if not the most powerful form. The mind is indoctrinated by giving it the belief system over and over again until it is accepted unquestioningly. Keep repeating the lie until it is widely believed. Anyone who openly challenges the accepted cult narrative is dubbed as an enemy (i.e. "a pandemic of the unvaccinated," "anti-vaxxers," "civilian pukes," "non-believers," "deniers," etc).

• TRAUMA

This one is broken down in two parts: Physical Trauma and Emotional/Mental Trauma. Physical Trauma consists of high levels of activity to the point of exhaustion. Low sleep time / disrupted sleep, high carbohydrate intake and low nutrient intake in the diet. This damages the brain, increases stress, and puts the person in a state of weakened resistance. Their body, mind and spirit are unable to resist the dictates of the cult.

They use Emotional Trauma to weaken the spirit – verbal and psychological abuse heaped at them continuously, constantly telling them they're not good enough, and keeping them in a perpetual atmosphere of Fear. Fear increases stress, and stress weakens the body's defenses. And as you read in the NATURAL LAW EXPRESSIONS section, fear can only lead to ignorance, confusion, control/slavery, and ultimately chaos. It can never lead to knowledge, understanding, wisdom, freedom, sovereignty, and certainly not order and justice in a society.

[patrickmahaffy]

Fearless Leadership Unleashed: Your Blueprint for Commanding Respect and Driving Success

In the dynamic landscape of modern business, one trait stands out above all others as essential for driving success: fearless Leadership. In today's fiercely competitive environment, leaders must possess the courage to navigate uncertainty, the resilience to overcome challenges, and the vision to inspire others toward a common goal. Fearless leaders command respect, foster innovation, and drive organizational growth.

Understanding Fearless Leadership

Fearless Leadership is not about the absence of fear but about embracing and leveraging it as a catalyst for growth and transformation. Fearless leaders exhibit confidence, decisiveness, and authenticity in their actions, inspiring trust and loyalty among their teams.

Embracing Vulnerability

Fearless leaders understand the power of vulnerability. They are unafraid to admit their mistakes, acknowledge their limitations, and seek input from others. By demonstrating vulnerability, leaders create an environment of psychological safety where team members feel empowered to take risks and share their ideas openly.

Cultivating Resilience

Resilience is the cornerstone of fearless Leadership. In the face of adversity, fearless leaders remain steadfast and adaptable, viewing challenges as opportunities for learning and growth. They inspire resilience in their teams by fostering a culture of perseverance and optimism, enabling individuals to thrive in the face of uncertainty.

Championing Authenticity

Authenticity breeds trust and fosters genuine connections within teams. Fearless leaders lead authentically, staying true to their values and principles even in the face of opposition. By embracing authenticity, leaders build credibility and inspire others to follow their example.

The Blueprint for Fearless Leadership

Fearless Leadership is not a trait reserved for a select few; it is a skill that can be cultivated and nurtured over time. Following a blueprint for fearless Leadership, aspiring leaders can develop the confidence and resilience needed to command respect and drive success.

Define Your Vision

Fearless leaders have a clear vision of the future and inspire others to share in that vision. Take the time to articulate your goals, values, and aspirations, and communicate them effectively to your team. A compelling vision is a roadmap for success, guiding your actions and inspiring others to join you.

Lead by Example

Actions speak louder than words. Fearless leaders lead by example, demonstrating the behaviors and values they expect from others. Whether taking calculated risks, embracing feedback, or staying composed under pressure, lead with integrity and authenticity, and others will follow suit.

Foster a Culture of Innovation

Innovation thrives in environments where creativity is encouraged, and failure is viewed as a stepping stone to success. Fearless leaders create a culture of innovation by empowering their teams to think outside the box, experiment with new ideas, and challenge the status quo. Encourage curiosity, embrace the diversity of thought, and celebrate both successes. Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is a critical skill for fearless leaders. Leaders can navigate challenging situations gracefully and with composure by understanding and managing their emotions. Furthermore, by empathizing with the feelings and perspectives of others, leaders can build strong relationships, resolve conflicts, and inspire Collaboration.

 Embrace Continuous Learning

Fearless leaders are lifelong learners, continuously seeking new knowledge and skills to adapt to a rapidly changing world. Invest in personal and professional development through formal education, mentorship, or self-directed learning. By staying curious and open-minded, you'll stay ahead of the curve and inspire others to do the same.

Visionary Entrepreneur

Elon Musk, the visionary CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, embodies fearless Leadership. Despite facing numerous setbacks and skeptics, Musk has remained unwavering in pursuing bold, audacious goals, from colonizing Mars to revolutionizing the automotive industry. His relentless drive, resilience, and willingness to take risks have earned him the respect and admiration of millions worldwide.

Indra Nooyi: Trailblazing Executive

Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo, is renowned for her fearless Leadership and commitment to diversity and inclusion. Throughout her tenure, Nooyi championed initiatives to promote sustainability, empower women in the workplace, and drive innovation. Her strategic vision, resilience, and unwavering integrity have solidified her legacy as one of the most influential leaders of her generation.

Jacinda Ardern: Inspirational Leader

Jacinda Ardern, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, has garnered international acclaim for her compassionate and decisive Leadership, particularly in times of crisis. From her empathetic response to the Christchurch mosque shootings to handling the COVID-19 pandemic, Ardern has demonstrated exceptional resilience, empathy, and authenticity, earning the respect and trust of her constituents and the global community.

Fearless Leadership is not a destination; it's a journey of self-discovery, growth, and transformation. By embracing vulnerability, cultivating resilience, and leading authentically, aspiring leaders can command respect, inspire innovation, and drive success in any endeavor. As we navigate the challenges of the future, let us heed the lessons of fearless leaders who have come before us and strive to unleash the full potential of our leadership capabilities. We can create a brighter, more prosperous future for future generations.