#but keep in mind the people places and things at play when engaging with media. think of the prices that were paid and how it relates to us

[kindred-spirit-93]

HOO BOI. i desperately want to write volumes about this topic alone but ill stick to a tag rant because is have so much studying lol.

demeter they could never make me hate you. you were imo the only sensible person in the myth(s) actually and a good mum. fuck u zeus

The story of Hades and Persephone isn't an abduction romance, or even a tragedy of not being able to be in two places at the same time. It's about how fucking wild it would be to have a mother who gives a shit about whether you're dead or alive, and whether you are happy.

[brandileigh2003]

Raising Harry and/or teddy recs. I know I'm missing some so send me your faves or self rec ❤️❤️ (I keep updated ones at the bottom)

~~~please give these authors love, fandom engagement with writers is down and it means more than you know. ~~~

-orange juice (i've been ready for you to come home for so long) by raggedypond get back together ft Chronic Illness

-my love, take care of yourself by @littleoldrachel ft mental health and chronic

-Anything that msalexwp writes that includes the trope is fantastic

Let's Play Pretend muggle fake dating real feelings

Second Generation get back together

-the sea is a good place to think of the future by peachyybabe get back together ft Chronic Illness @lavenderhaze

-Like Real People Do by thirdcrow: coffee shop, great disability rep

-An Infinte Ocean by orphan_account muggle get together

-Babysitting For Dummies by Middleofamoment (37k) au raising teddy get together (theres a sequel and 3rd to come)

-We’ll Make It Out Alive by wolfstar_addict417: muggle texting kidfic

-Blue Moon Café by @lazuli-moon raising teddy coffee shop

-Forever Is a State of Mind -orphaned account ft deaf remus

-Of Bookshelves and Baby Carriers by @poppunkpadfoot

-the mayors of simpleton by @fruityindividual older wolfstar get back together ft blind remus

-Till We Have Arrived Home Again by prouvairing divergent

-Of Quiet Hearts And Thundering Dreams by @tracingpatternswrites

-Spare! by B1ackCatChatsBack muggle get together

-I didn’t sign up for this by Moonystoastandmarsbars get back together

-Of Protein Powders and PTAs by @squintclover and TracingPatterns magical divergent

-A Wolf, A Bear, A Dungeon Master, and Boy Wonder by @ratmom819 ft chronic illness

-Puppy Magic by @demonbanisher thefifthmarauder17 magical divergent

-what a wonder (what a waste) by peachyybabe mcd magical divergent ft trans remus, mental illness and

-Aging Gracelessly by orphan_account older wolfstar texting

-So I'll Take My) Good Fortune by orphan_account muggle uni

-The Molinete & the Media Luna by punkwolfstar ft disability

-beautiful boy (darling boy) by @impishtubist and roaming_the_greenwood1: magical divergent ft trans remus

-Multiplying Parents by @heartofspells harry wants to find Sirius a bf

-ten reasons (to go to michigan) by @greyeyedmonster-18 muggle au get together

-The Things I Did by Lolo_row divergent

-Of Memories and Milk Thievery by moonymoment older wolfstar get back together @mayescapade

-Basilisks, Boggarts and Boyfriends (oh my) by OptimisticDinosaur

-Of Caffeine Addictions and Nail Polish by BlueAzalea au pining and fluff

Check out my fandom wife lucigoo she has some wonderful ones

Common Woodbrown by @imochan

that’s the art of getting by sarewolf

----Self rec: parks and playdates ft disability plus trans and asexual remus

~~Others' recs ~~

-Wherever I am/ you will always be - BrigidFaye

(anon): Under Foot, Under Moon by sometimeswelose

-An unexpected reunion- r33sesPieces

Rhythm & Blues by lez_writes13

stealing harry by @copperbadge

-Blanket Fort by @samynnad102687 : Regulus, James, and Harry build a blanket fort.

-Trick-or-Treating by Samynnad102687: The Marauders, Regulus, and Lily take Harry Trick-or-Treating.

-Unbound by you by friendlyneighborhoodtrickster, TracingPatterns

-Moonless Nights by @sliebman10 Sirius is trying to rebuild his life after the fateful Halloween of 1981. He's struggling to come to terms with Remus's betrayal and his new role as Harry's guardian.

-Family Vacation by sliebman10: Sirius is skeptical that a family resort is where he wants to spend his first summer vacation with Harry there, but he comes to see its merits when he meets Remus and his family.

-All the soul and body scars by 1point21

-To build a family - secondsister

-Forever live and die - wolfpants

--feel free to check it my main rec list

Also - the wolfstar librarian has awesome collections for raising harry

**new additions**

-oh, summer child by peachyybabe Sirius and remus get pregnant. Fluff 💙

•There Is No Man, However Wise by enigmaticblue

[bambiesfics]

Hi, this is just to spring off of another TLOU blog’s post, which I thought was aptly worded: Please find that post here! and please find the original twitter thread on Pro-Palestinian resources here!

I just wanted touch on how inappropriate it is to use a genocide as an excuse to morally posture over other people in our community because you’re itching to play an own ego-stroking game of ‘whose a better activist than who.’

Outside of the strikes, and days dedicated to raising awareness coming here to say asinine, innapropriate comments such as “Y’all can’t stop posting about pixel pussy?!” Is extremely unhelpful and is just something that sows undue resentment in our community. When you do things like that, we know what you’re really saying, and it’s not nice. What you’re really saying is “You guys are shitty people for still having any remaining vested interested in this community, unlike me, someone whose an enlightened online activist. I’m above caring about that childish little 2D lesbian and the sapphic community it brought forth, despite the fact that my initial interest in her is why I was ever even apart of this community I’m mocking to begin with. I’ll pretend my corrosive virtual-signalling insults and jabs are coming from a ‘good place,’ and aren’t rooted in being self-serving at all! I’ll pretend that I’m not using this genocide as a vehicle to stroke my own ego for rising above ‘petty, immature things’ like sapphic media, sexuality and community. I’m highkey so much better than you all, I’ll just refuse to admit that outright. Instead I’ll continue to subtly mock your intelligence and distract away from helpful posts about this genocide, and hope you won’t see what I’m doing for what it is. My favourite activity during genocide is not to educate people and commit myself to Palestinian liberation, but rather throw stones, hide my hands and demean well-intentioned posts just because it makes me feel good. Realistically, not one person in Gaza was tangibly helped by the insults I left in the TLOU tags for people to see, but I won’t stop because I’m just a girl….obviously.”

Hey, listen: I’ve been to protests where the organizers, MY PEERS, were other university students who were 18-22, who have had the diligence to remind everyone in the crowd to NOT ENGAGE WITH ZIONISTS. Why? Because it wasn’t safe, because their goal was to inspire a conflict in what is intended to be a united camaraderie in support of PALESTINE 🇵🇸. If those young adults can keep steadfast to their goal of mobilizing for Palestine, then I believe these bad faith actors on TLOU tumblr should learn not to sow shame in people for simply posting a drabble (when not striking) in a community whose fiction they lavished the fruits of, not too long ago. Why? Because it’s not helpful. Because instead of posting helpful resources to aid Palestinians and educating your followers on the zionist Neil Druckman, and to remain mindful of the Zionist themes in the game, you’re using that voice, the tlou tags and it’s reach, just to demean people. It’s such a wasted opportunity to speak up. Hey, if you’re going to say anything in regards to Palestine, then say something helpful to them! That’s an easy enough ask. The yellow jacket community on twitter figured out what pro-revolutionary activism looked like as a community, and I’m proud of them.

I’ll put this in the Ellie x reader tags because I know people who say things like that, either tend to frequent the tags or the tumblr algorithm will push it because of their interests.

[khaire-traveler]

🌑 Subtle Harpocrates Worship 🌹

Take time to sit in silence with yourself; become comfortable with your own presence

Keep secrets that people tell you; don't tell the stories that aren't yours to tell (e.g. a person's trauma, an embarrassing thing someone has shared, etc.)

Have a candle that reminds you of him (no altar needed)

Wear jewelry that reminds you of him

Keep a picture of him in your wallet

Have a stuffed animal snake, snail, or hawk (sparrowhawk specifically)/bird of prey

Have imagery of roses, wings, sunrises, or secrets/mysteries (maybe fog?) around

Take a walk under the new moon (if it is safe to do so in your area)

Watch the sunrise; watch the first sunrise of winter

Engage with childhood media or activities

Drink some wine or berry-flavored tea; raise a glass in his honor

Read about mysteries; mysteries in history, unsolved cases of things, mystery novels, etc.

If you have long hair, wear it in a side-braid

Learn when to keep certain things to yourself; practice restraint

Take time to meditate in a dark and quiet environment; take that time to decompress and practice mindfulness

Ground yourself regularly; practice emotional regulation skills

Learn not to judge a book by its cover; be more understanding with people

Study psychology/the human mind

Be kind to children; play with them if offered

Wear blues, purples, muted colors, or colors of the sunrise

Explore new places, especially abandoned places or places that have an air of mystery to them

Sit with a loved one in silence; do your own thing as you are together

Engage in a relaxing activity; read a book, draw, do yoga, etc.

Take a self-care bath/shower, especially with dim light (please be safe about this)

Forgive yourself for past mistakes; practice releasing past regrets

Learn to become comfortable within your own presence

Light a bonfire and sit in front of it under the night sky; focus on the peace of the moment, the warmth of the fire, the silence of the night

-

This was a requested deity, and it was rather difficult to find information on him, unfortunately. He was a result of cultural fusion between the Greeks and Egyptians, and very little is known about him. He is known as the God of Silence, interestingly due to a cultural misunderstanding on the part of the Greeks, thinking his raised finger meant hushing when the Egyptians symbolized childhood with his raised finger (raised finger as in this: 🤫). Honestly, I had never heard of him before receiving the request. 💀

Nonny, wherever you are, I hope you find this helpful! Take care, friend. 💜

Link to Subtle Worship Master list

[dykedvonte]

people act like wanting to discuss how anya being male would affect the story/the themes erases the actual game from existence, like is gone or somehow cheapened by fans doing what fans do

i think you don't like those (happy) ending baby aus and neither do i but it kind of feels similar where the exploration of possibilites is discouraged entirely or considered disrespectful towards the source material or a sign that the fans don't understand the original message which is such a weird viewpoint to have

especially because i think the game lends itself to these kind of conversations/fan content... bc yeah while it wouldn't be the same if anya was male, but that doesn't mean you can't use a male anya au to criticize the patriarchy/rape culture? it would maybe help some people to look deeper into an au like that especially bc it would require THEM to use their brain and maybe confront their own biases

It’s like a ridiculous thing to be so upset about in my mind because it comes from a place I keep seeing in this particular fan space of people interpretaing personal views as like canon analysis.

It’s a game that deals with multiple sensitive topics on a lot of different fronts and of course a lot of the fans are going to go about engaging with it in different ways. Too many people are getting mad at others for depicting things in ways they don’t like even if it comes from a place of personal experience with the subject matter or other real life lived experiences.

I don’t like the idea that Anya has to keep the baby but it’s not unheard of that victims end up having to and it’s not evil or missing the point to admit that or explore it through an au. It’s not happy nor do I think it’s a post canon fix it like some are deposited as but from what I’ve seen of them I’ve only gotten ones that are real and upsetting and deal with the stress of having to care for your rapist child. Again, the concept of Jimmy refusing to take responsibility and forcing it on to others even when they shouldn’t have to.

With the idea of male Anya and female Jimmy the conversation of autonomy, patriarchy, sexism, misogyny and rape culture can still very much happen. It is a lot more nuanced and muddied just due to how male victims are addressed, if addressed at all, but to think it disregard the points of the game means you have a shallow understanding of all of the themes at play in tandem. The idea it’d affect his life less completely misses the point he would feel a shame and guilt about being assaulted by a woman but it fostering a child. Many people in real scenarios would assume he’s only saying it wasn’t consensual because he doesn’t want the kid despite discomfort and fear around Jimmy. Theres the idea that Jimmy would guilt him to care for the baby and thus her back on earth which furthers the idea of being stuck with you abuser along with how Anya may be compliant because men who defend themselves are still seen at fault. If everyone’s gender is swapped it opens the discussion of how women can be complacent in n rape culture too.

I think a sign of a good piece of media is if enables transformative conversation on the subject matter. I think the issue people are having is not understanding that there isn’t one right way to act in the scenarios we were given, that victims find themselves in. It’s a lot of people getting upset at others who react differently and acting like putting those opinions out there is damaging when it’s just another real perspective someone is either opening up and sharing or trying to depict.

[crispyjenkins]

re Obi-Wan and ensuring his self is cared for enough to allow him to actual do his duties. THANK YOU! My greatest frustration has always been reading about Obi-Wan in the clone wars ignoring significant injuries etc. and doing back flips to keep out of the med bay. I just don't believe he would ever set and example like that or put himself in a position where his lack of self-care puts others in danger. Don't get me wrong sometimes I do like reading that though...

the medbay thing!! oooh the medbay thing drives me absolutely bananas!! it’s one of those things that i like. DO enjoy reading from characters for Angst reasons, and like. COULD make sense for Obi-Wan especially taking his Legends background into account, but it just doesn’t fit what we actually see of him in movies and TCW canon? and it’s become this wildly widely accepted fanon so it’s EVERYWHERE so it's no longer authors (and artists) exploring an interesting headcanon, it's just accepted as canon, and it gets boring and contrived real fast. there are so many other ways to make Obi-Wan angsty, and so many other ways of making injury and illness angsty, that it just seems... yeah contrived to paste this characterisation onto Obi-Wan, especially since it seems in direct contradiction to his character as we see it in high canon. almost like hmmm people (including me, early in my star wars writing) are so used to "hating medical" as a trait for their blorbos that it just feels natural to apply it to Mr. Angst himself? that's certainly why i did it

ALL THIS TO SAY write and explore whatever you want!! engage with fanon and canon how you want!! it’s all valid and i am 500% about engaging with media how you want to, regardless of how "in character" something is. i will never knock someone for playing with fiction the "wrong" way

but boy howdy do i also have some Peeves. this one is far far far from a deal breaker when reading btw, if it's not the focus of the story; it just bothers me that it’s the default especially when it seems to contradict Obi-Wan’s actual character. and there are places hiding injuries makes a lot of sense!! (the ground between unstoppable force and immovable object by des_pudels_kern comes to mind! is also such a good, interesting look into Cody and Obi-Wan’s early working relationship, i highly recommended this fic)

[thenightfolknetwork]

Hi.

I feel quite silly writing in but I'm not really sure who else to ask. I come from a genus with a lot of media coverage, well not really general media just media pertaining to, ah bedsport? I think because of that I never was really interested in pursuing physical relationships. Felt like it would be playing into stereotypes and all. Also, a lot of people just make things a bit gross when they realise what genus I belong to. It's all kind of tangled up in my head, how I look at me vs how others do and how that can create false expectations.

But there's a boy now, and he's sweet and lovely, never brought up any bed related topics and makes me feel genuinely seen. But as our relationship moves forward, I want to explore well, bedsports with him.

At what point and how do I bring up the ways media isn't really truthful about all the details of my genus physicality?

I'm pleased to see you were able to set aside your concerns of feeling silly long enough to write in. It takes a lot of courage to broach topics one might otherwise prefer to keep private, but bringing these matters into the light is the only way we can find a path forwards.

Unfortunately your experiences are far from unique in the creature community. There are any number of genuses which face this kind of sexual prejudice, with individuals battling every day against assumptions around what kind of sex they will enjoy, how often, and with whom.

What is worse is that these assumptions are not limited to ignorant sapios. Plenty of people in the community carry such unchecked assumptions, from imagining lycanthropes as ferocious, libidinous lovers to assuming a physical form is necessary for sexual pleasure, leaving etheric individuals out of the conversation entirely.

The first important point to keep in mind is that you are not responsible for other people's mistaken assumptions. Whether your desires map onto certain stereotypes about your genus is simply neither here nor there. You cannot be “playing into stereotypes” simply by expressing your genuine sexual desires.

You ask when to bring the topic up with your partner. I'm afraid there is no set time-frame for this kind of conversation. Instead, you must work on building confidence in the relationship so that whenever the conversation does take place, it can happen within a framework of trust.

When you feel the time is right, you need to be upfront. Let him know that you've never had sex before, but you're interested in exploring that type of physical intimacy with him.

But remember, this is a conversation, not a monologue. Your boyfriend might understand everything you tell him immediately, and feel just the same way. Or he might not.

He may not be aware of the stereotypes associated with your genus, and want to discuss them. He may have no interest in sex, or not yet feel ready to take that step with you. Or he may have anxieties of his own around sex that he hasn't shared with you until now.

You can't write your partner's side of the script. Instead, prepare to be flexible and react to your partner in a way that is safe and loving in the moment – safe and loving for both of you.

Finally, remember – there's no rush here. You can always take a break, reflect on what's been said and come back a day or two later. All that matters is that you both engage with the topic with honesty, and centre kindness and respect in the way you discuss it. Best of luck, reader.

[For more creaturely advice, check out Monstrous Agonies on your podcast platform of choice, or visit monstrousproductions.org for more info]

[veliseraptor]

Hello ! I've read a lot of the posts you shared or wrote about horror, especially in reaction to "pearl-clutching" discourse against the whole genre.

It was very though provoking (thanks!) but I was wondering if/how you draw the distinction between that and, well, honest and "legitimate" bad review / negative analysis of some individual stories who happen to be horror ?

Oh, for sure. Of course there's legitimate criticisms to be made about individual horror works, or even about horror as a genre on the whole. I'm never going to claim that there isn't. While I do feel like there's a place for the "let people have fun" school of thought around media criticism, I don't think it should be a blanket smothering of all criticism - mostly, as with so many things, it is worth considering your time, place, and audience. For your own sake as well, I find.

I do think that sometimes the language of "criticizing" or "being critical" has become a handy mask for people to say whatever they want in some of the same (though less pernicious) way that people use "I'm just asking questions" to shut down discussion of misinformation and conspiracy theories. Again, #notallcriticism, much of it is good and beneficial and keeps things fresh (and me thinking), even the criticism I ultimately might end up disagreeing with. And at the same time, I do see the tendency popping up sometimes to use the idea of "legitimate criticism" as a way to shield a person from disagreement (the somewhat infamous "think critically about x" translating to "and you'll agree with me" comes to mind.)

As far as the how, well, it's certainly a little your mileage may vary - what I might read as an unfair review of a book I liked, for instance, someone else might read as a well-deserved ripping to shreds of a mediocre work, and it's certainly possible for neither of us to be "right" about which it is. Some of this - maybe even a lot of it - is a matter of perspective.

I guess I would think of two things that shape my perception of how someone is talking about a work or a genre, in general and in particular with horror:

1. Is the writer familiar with the genre? Do they have at least a passing familiarity with the conventions, tropes, and other narrative tics that tend to crop up? If not, are the criticisms they are making marked by that lack of knowledge (ime some of the discourse about the A Song of Ice and Fire falls victim to this, sometimes). I'm not saying that criticism is invalid coming from someone without genre knowledge, but I am saying that I'm more inclined to be skeptical of criticism that comes from someone who clearly dislikes the specific genre they're discussing, because it sometimes feels like a willful lack of curiosity and unwillingness to engage with a text/genre on its own terms.

> Addendum to this: is the writer familiar with the genre as it stands recently? Horror now looks rather different than horror fifty years ago, just for instance.

2. Is the argument or point they're making actually coherent? Is the analysis solid and grounded in at least some kind of evidence or source? (Is the author using screenshots of tweets in lieu of actually writing about the phenomenon they're discussing?) I can't always but I'd say I can usually at least recognize, even if I disagree, when someone is actually taking what they're engaging with seriously and when they're not (in terms of the work put in to convince me what they're saying is true, relevant, and important), and if they're not taking it seriously then why should I?

And one more, I guess, which feels obvious but sometimes on the internet isn't, because people love to have opinions (I get it! so do I!):

3. Has the writer actually read (or watched/played/whatever) what they're talking about? This ties in a little with point one but is slightly divergent, because someone can to an extent be familiar with a genre without having read it. But someone talking authoritatively about the problems with something they haven't actually had direct contact with, based purely on a set of cultural osmosis and related assumptions, is frustratingly common, and people will assume that they know what they're talking about from that alone and are qualified to make a sweeping judgment from that position. And I'm just not going to take criticism made from that perspective very seriously.

That's how I'd draw my lines, anyway. I don't claim to be an authority, certainly; I'm a gal on the internet with a big mouth and a lot of opinions. I think the important things here though are a. I certainly don't think that there's no such thing as legitimate criticism (in the negative sense) of horror works or horror as a genre, and b. I have particular standards for how I judge that criticism based on content and context.

I guess it's also worth noting, with this particular example, that the other question is "how much does this feel like it aligns with the present moral panic around dark or disturbing content in fiction?" and if the answer is "a lot" then I'm significantly more likely to dismiss it.

[itsclydebitches]

Tonight I came across a post (that won't hit my blog until July because I queued it) about how it's unfortunate that "fun" has supposedly become a requirement of video games, given that this severely limits how they can function as works of art. We don't limit other mediums by insisting that they only produce positive emotions and experiences in the recipient, so why would video games be any different just because they're (more) interactive?

This post isn't actually about video games, but rather how that argument got me thinking about RWBY and the recent resurgence of this "Why are you still here if you hate the show?" question. Now, setting aside the acknowledgment that 99.9% of people asking that are merely trolling behind their faux-concern—they have no actual interest in hearing a RWDE poster's reasons for sticking around, they simply want a way to say, "Get out" with plausible deniability—but if we treat this question seriously, I think that post on video games may offer some insight. I have numerous reasons for keeping active in the RWBY/RWDE fandom (initial love of the show, intellectual exercises, the community we've made, etc.) but there is also some level of investment in what would traditionally be framed as non-positive emotions. RWBY can make me feel very frustrated... similar to how playing Pathalogic makes me frustrated. Many of its plot-lines make me angry... the same way numerous video games' discriminatory writing can make me angry. RWBY's community, at times, feels like an insult-laden battlefield... but I've been doing PvP in WoW since it came out, so that's familiar too.

There are so many times when I've enjoyed engaging with a piece of media even when I really didn't enjoy it. Perhaps a better way of putting it would be that I found something worthwhile in the experience, even if I couldn't label that as "fun" or "happiness" or "satisfaction." Sometimes sitting with negative emotions is a good thing. Yes, you can take that too far just like you can take any behavior to an extreme, which is where the continual demands to "watch another show" highlight those posters' willful ignorance. We're already watching other shows. Reading other books. Playing other games. Engaging with a huge, diverse variety of art. Those who gain their own enjoyment from targeting strangers online (and isn't that a significant aspect to all this) want to make it sound like RWDE posters haven't touched a single piece of art other than RWBY in ten years and if they just found something they enjoyed without reservations then they'd drop RWBY like a hot potato. But I'm already watching numerous shows that I love unconditionally and have nothing substantial to critique; shows that have me internally kicking my feet and twirling my hair because they're just sooooooo good. I have that! RWBY is a different experience. It scratches a very specific itch of "I once adored this thing and now it's disappointing, but I want to see it through to its end and unpacking the ways in which it fails is a fascinating, cathartic mental exercise." I can't get that from anything else—not right now, anyway—so why would I want to give up this unique experience to fill my time solely with art that only makes me feel Generically Good? Art I have little to say about because it already feels #perfect to my mind? Sure, I could analyze a show's positives and sing its praises (which I often do), but at a certain point you run of out ways to say, "I like it." There's a reason why transformative fandom is built around the gaps in media: missing scenes, plot holes, retcons, failures, missed opportunities, horrible disappointments. Transformation comes more easily when you're already inclined to change the canon in the first place.

Idk, I feel like there's also an element of purity culture here where there's this push to make people think they must only engage with art that aligns precisely with their moral stance, produces only positive emotions, and invites nothing but praise. If the art makes you feel bad in any way than it is bad and you have a duty to remove yourself from it post-haste just ignore that we wanted you gone the whole time. Frankly, I think we humans can handle a bit more complexity than that? Obviously, as said, you wouldn't want to make Art You're Upset With the be-all and end-all of your media engagement, and this certainly isn't a call for anyone to engage with triggers unless they're inclined to do so, but a story you're primarily here to critique, or—yes—even a bit of hate watching can be "fun" in a non-traditionally fun away. Just because the art hasn't made you grin and pump your fist in triumphant doesn't mean it's not worth interacting with as art.

[txttletale]

hello!! came across you recently and read a bunch of your posts, and I’m really impressed with the way you always keep focus on how [x subject] relates to material reality and action/goals. if you don’t mind answering, I was wondering what kind of actions (besides debating/critique, which is what I’m able to see from Social Media Site) do modern day communists do to build revolution? I’m sure this varies wildly, but it’s hard for me to imagine when imperial power is so strong. thanks!

yeah, so obviously--as you said--this varies. there's no universal answer to this one, because what tactics are effective and possible for a revolutionary organization vary immensely. like, there are places in the world right now where people are still fighting protracted people's wars--the EZLN in mexico, Naxalites in india, and the NPA in the phillippines, etc.

assuming, however, that you're talking about an imperial-core or a semiperipheral perspective--there are a lot of things that communist organizations can do. obviously, revolution isn't in the cards for the near future, any basic analysis shows that very conclusively. the main things that communist organizations can do in these circumstances is build class consciousness.

now, a lot of groups think that this means simply 'disseminating critique and newspapers', but i think that's an un-marxist understanding of class consciousness. you cannot persuade the working class into going from zero to revolutionary, no matter how effective your propaganda. you have to help people organize and help them fight for causes--people are only going to believe in the possiblity of mass action if they live class struggle, if they get actual experience of engaging in political struggle and making real change in the world.

alright, so what does that look like? first of all, it doesn't look like supporting bourgeois parliamentary parties. they are a black hole that sucks up working class organization and uses it to sustain a cottage industry of wealthy legislators, lobbyists and consultants.

things that i've personally seen happen include:

giving out free food/hygiene products/other necessities

contributing to and organizing mutual aid networks

rebuilding and renovating defunct community buildings

counterprotesting fascists trying to intimidate refugees

mobbing immigration police to prevent deportations

showing up to picket lines and anti-austerity/solidarity protests

scanning and uploading previously unavailable socialist writing

establishing and aiding copwatch networks

and to be clear--these are tactics! they are not an end goal--they are not part of the world we ultimately want to see--doing these things does not take us along a path to socialism. there is the difference between participating in reformist struggles as a tactic for building class consciousness and being reformist--the latter means seeing these things as ends, doing them with the belief that they can be permament solutions--the former means seeing this things as means, things people can get involved in and gain a genuine and personal understanding of class struggle.

ultimately i think the #1 job of any serious revolutionary organization is to build class consciousness and solidarity. and while i do think that leafleting and stickering and putting out pamphlets and newspapers and essays and yes, even silly little posts on my silly blog, can play a small role in that--ultimately most people will not become communists unless they see communists making real change in the world around them.

(addendum: in addition to all this, many revolutionary communist organizations often also do the sort of thing that it's not advisable to talk about online)

[sailorgundam308]

BG3 introspection bit

This one isn't edgy or funny. I just feel like sharing, prompted by seeing how, indeed, BG3 is one of the greatest if not THE greatest pieces of entertainment we've got in a long while. But I know for so many people it turned out to be much more than just that. That includes me. To make a long story short, I've been living a full world away from my loved ones for almost a decade, in a place that is particularly hostile towards me. I'm here out of necessity and choice, since my other option happens to be worse. It's been shockingly lonely, until I grew used to the isolation. Still, I made do. I make do. Around a few years back, and especially last year, things took a turn for the much worse. I've spiraled into a very, very dark place, which in turn isolated me even more from other people - but also from myself.

Being so far away from familiarity and the things I love worn me down, and disconnected from who I am and what I enjoy. To the point I effectively stayed in a limbo, frozen in time, empty, for the past years. It's been way more scary than when I was obviously and loudly sad or depressed, because at least then I had energy to react in some way. As an artist by profession and by passion, it was even more concerning that I could not create ANYTHING - words, images, even concepts. My mind had been simply silent, dead. I quite literally spent the last 3-4 years just existing, going to my job like a mindless clockwork because otherwise I wouldn't be able to make rent and end up getting deported. I knew I was utterly and completely lost, and had no idea what I could grab onto to pull me out. It was as if I couldn't move - I did not really wanted to, somehow.

It happens to everyone, I think, that sometimes a seemingly random thing that you engage with unexpectedly becomes a sort of lifeline. It happened to me once before, during a complicated part of my teens. And now it seemed to have happened again because I decided to play Baldur's Gate 3. I mentioned before, I am a bit older and have played BG1 and BG2, and also DnD and the like. I've always been the nerdy artsy type, and it had always fueled my imagination and gave me energy to keep creating, keep moving, searching, growing.

It was really a struck of luck that I heard the news that BG3 was a thing. I was so isolated I did not engage with any piece of media anymore - I watched no news, no movies, no series, read no books. When I think about it, it's really scary how I felt absolutely nothing, how truly empty of any will to live I was. But it's been wild for a while now. I happened to be on 'vacation' when BG3 got released, and I was sucked into it like I was desperate. And I probably was. I needed anything to take me away from where I was, who (or the lack of) I had become. The game did just that. It's not a coincidence I put 750+ hours in it. I could not stand looking at my own circumstances and somehow I managed to finally escape anywhere else. While I recognize I went to the opposite extreme of (problematic) engagement, I also saw how my mind seeemed to switch on again after a while - as if I was reminded of how it used to be.

Ideas, cohesive thoughts, images, the unavoidable urge to move, to create something - all these things that made me ME started to come back.

I remembered how much I enjoyed fantasy, fiction, having ideas, organizing, planning, making things come true - how much just marking a paper with a pencil brings me joy. How my own mind can be rich and exciting, and how I have the skills to translate those impulses into reality. And that is what made me, all my life. It's hard to explain how I feel after 4 years not creating a single thing, having no impulse or creative idea and watching life pass in a haze, now I feel like I'm finally reconecting to something precious. My doctor even pointed it out, how it seems I'm finally waking up after years, coming out of whatever dark hole I've been in.

While it's been a short while, I'm very aware this is essentially a hyperfixation, but for someone who (even though I tried) could not feel anything towards anything for so long, this seems like a blessing. And I'm doing my best to make a stair out of it - use the momentum to branch out into other things I know I need and miss, the other things that have always been part of my life that I'd let go of.

I'm probably not the only one who clicked with this game, and it somehow pulled us out of strange, scary places. Even though it's a lot of projection on our part, people in such situations need something they relate to in order to project onto, to grab to float. Not everything works, it must be something special to the person at the right time. Lucky me that Baldur's Gate 3 happened when it did, the way it did, and that I was where I was.

I'm really, truly happy I stumbled onto the news of the game, for whatever reason took action to actually buy it, open and play it. When I did, I had no idea it would be the lifeline I'd grab onto. But it's been, and it meant so much to me. That's all of my sad introspective blurb. I have no way of explaining how thankful I feel to everyone who put this game together. While it wasn't the intention of the creators, BG3 gave me the push I so desperately needed and that nothing else had managed to.

I'd still be lost in a very dark place without it.

:')

[carleyplays]

As Rhodes headed to his apartment, but the thrill of the Romance Festival was quickly overshadowed by the unexpected sight of Autumn waiting outside. She looked up at him with a smile that instantly made his heart flutter. He leaned down to plant a quick kiss on her forehead, feeling a mix of excitement and unease as they entered the living room together.

Autumn settled onto his lap, her presence comforting yet filled with unspoken tension. “What are you doing in town?” Rhodes asked, trying to keep his tone light. He knew the drive from Evergreen Harbor was at least an hour, and he couldn’t help but feel guilty for not anticipating her visit.

“I just missed you,” she admitted softly, leaning in closer. Her breath brushed against his skin, sending a shiver down his spine. Before he could respond, she pressed her lips against his, initiating a kiss that was both tender and urgent.

Rhodes kissed her back, but his mind raced with conflicting thoughts. Just that night, he had been at the festival, making his debut with Emerson, and now here was Autumn—sweet, sincere Autumn, who had always held a special place in his heart. They had shared flirty texts and stolen kisses, yet they had never defined their relationship. They had kept things casual, but as she kissed him, he couldn’t shake the feeling of guilt settling in his stomach.

Did Autumn see them as something more? Would she be hurt if she found out about Emerson? It wasn’t like he had intentionally kept secrets from her—Autumn didn’t engage with social media, so she wouldn’t have seen the pictures or posts showcasing his newfound relationship. But the weight of the situation pressed heavily on his shoulders.

As they pulled apart, Autumn gazed into his eyes, searching for something. “I’m really glad to see you,” she said, her voice a soft whisper.

Rhodes forced a smile, trying to keep the mood light. “Me too. It’s always nice when you stop by.” But inside, he felt a knot forming, tightening with each moment they spent together.

Autumn’s fingers intertwined with his as she leaned her head against his shoulder. “I’ve missed this. Just being with you.”

Rhodes nodded, but his heart ached with uncertainty. He could feel the warmth of her affection, the genuine connection they shared, yet a voice in the back of his mind wondered if he was leading her on. He had always valued the casual nature of their relationship, but what if Autumn had deeper feelings? Was he crossing a line by spending time with her while also exploring something new with Emerson?

The silence stretched between them, filled only with the sound of their breathing and the faint music playing in the background. Rhodes wanted to be honest, but how could he explain everything without hurting her?

“Do you want to watch something?” he suggested, trying to steer the conversation away from the weight of unspoken words. Autumn nodded, and he pulled her closer, hoping to find some comfort in the familiarity of their routine.

As they sat together on the couch, Rhodes couldn’t help but feel the tension linger in the air. Autumn had always been his escape, a source of light in his life, and now he felt torn between two paths. The excitement of his newfound relationship with Emerson and the comfort of Autumn’s presence left him feeling more conflicted than ever.

With Autumn curled up beside him, he watched the flickering screen, but his mind was elsewhere, grappling with the reality of the situation. He wanted to be honest, but he also feared the potential fallout. Would he risk losing one of the most important people in his life?

[sburbian-sage]

howdy, i just got into my third session, and its kinda setting in that I'm stuck in this forever now? fuck. gotta look on the bright side and all that, godly powers are cool. the trauma, not so much.

currently i am a ward of dust, and I haven't been able to find much clear information about what that means so any help would be appreciated. i am a native heir of rage so I shouldn't struggle too much with being a ward right?

~chronicMalady

THIS ISN'T A CLASSPECT POST

You're right on the money with regards to the Ward. As an Heir, you likely went through something of an archetypal "hero's journey", getting schooled by various mentors and your Whispers, learning a lot about what being an Heir of Rage means until it was time for you to step up and assume your rightful place as "big dick MVP hero of the session", right? Being a Ward is a lot like that, except you're not getting schooled all the time now. It's your job to step up, all of your ambition behind you, and seize as much as you can. Straightforward progression, cocksure that everything will go your way, as it will, never settling for the easy road ahead. The upside is that your endeavors will frequently plan out. The downside is that you will still get schooled now and then. And when you do, you'll need to learn to rely on others, as opposed to doing things on behalf of them. Always try to exceed your limits, but be aware of them when you hit them.

As for Dust, it's about investing in things that don't seem impressive now, but could become something in the future. It's the opposite of Coins, which is about assessing the value of things and what they can do for you now. Imagine you want a fast bike. Rage Players will ride any old bike and simply scream at it to go faster. Coin Players will go to the store and discern which bike is the fastest, and how they can acquire it. Dust Players know that their bike might not be the fastest, but it just takes some TLC, maintenance, and modification, and soon enough it'll be faster than both of them. It's about commitment and trying to unlock the true potential in things, while avoiding lost causes. This should be fairly understandable, these are like koans, but your Aspect will guide you a lot more directly as a Ward than it did as an Heir.

The more important advice I think you need is about acclimating to the whole "you play the game forever now" thing. This tends to be harder to cope with than the game itself.

If you meet someone you're genuinely friends with (or want to know after the Session ends), make sure you exchange contact information. Value your comrades, but make sure that it doesn't turn into one or two people stressdumping on the other, otherwise your friendships will become chores.

Find a hobby. Something you can retreat to in order to clear your mind. Running this blog is my version of touching grass. Have some "devoted" hobbies you can reflexively engage with when it's time to decompress, but ensure you have a rotating set so you don't associate (e.g.) watching movies with feeling miserable.

Maintaining a blog is like having a hobby, a journal (diary), and a "centerpoint" for your friend group, all at once.

Internalize a reason to keep going, even if it's petty. "I'll hold out in case I escape" is a bad one that will lead to inevitable disappointment. "I'll be there to hang out with my friends" is a classic, but watch out and make sure you don't lose the will to live if one of them ends up going silent forever one day. For me, I always end a day by checking the archive of pre-SBURBAN media. I personally think there's something significant about booting up a never-before-seen video game or cartoon, even if I know it's ultimately a relic of a bygone era. It kind of reminds me of the Replayernet as a whole. A group of people who should by all means be dying alone and afraid, contributing to a greater continuity of culture that will outlast all of them one day, but be there for the next generations. Even if I'm not so idealistic as to believe that it'll be our foundation for rebuilding those cultures when (if) the door starts working.

[skaruresonic]

https://www.tumblr.com/skaruresonic/750363540604469248/pinches-bridge-of-nose-why-do-i-feel-like-the?source=share

"crowd cherrypicks isolated moments, misconstrues them, and neglects the larger contextual framework in which those moments are nestled"

This applies to the entire sonic fandom at this point. All they care about is having fuel for their nonsensical headcanons and projections.

Honestly hard-pressed to think of another fandom that acts this disdainful toward the source material. While "fuck canon" has always been a common attitude, it just feels like some folks really have to refrain from outright sneering at the games.

I guess I've seen hints of similar attitudes crop up here and there whenever game remakes drop, mostly because folks seem to think old games = bad games. But for some reason, Sonic has it particularly bad.

Maybe... virulent HLVRAI fans when they're screeching about how Freemance is pedophilia, but everybody knew those guys were bad-faith actors to begin with. They weren't given the microphone. They were gently reminded to keep canon and common sense in mind, and when that failed, laughed at.

Well, until they started reporting people and caused the old guard to disperse elsewhere, because antis ruin everything.

And hell, at least some HLVRAI uber-stans are open about their hatred of the source material. Sonic fans hide behind a pseudo-intellectual veneer and moral superiority. Sonic has always been inconsistent, they say, as if that even means anything. Shadow is horrible now because of Sega mandates. You are not a good person if you disagree with IDW!Sonic's principles. These things are irrefutable fact even though I refuse to supply sources for my claims.

You see how insufferable that attitude gets when you're marinating in it? It's absolutely draining. It's like they've internalized the public's overall sentiments of "Sonic isn't cool" and are now trying to ingratiate themselves to the mainstream by turning Sonic into something they hope won't make the fandom into a laughingstock.

The harsh truth is, the series always has and always will be a laughingstock in the eyes of the public, simply because this is Sonic we're talking about. There are always gonna be non-fan asshats going "lol you like talking about a cartoon blue hedgehog? #cringe." You're playing a losing game by giving their views any consideration to begin with. You have got to stop playing respectability politics if you want peace of mind in this place. Be cringe, be free.

With the games, the nature of the mockery is subtly insidious. You don't really notice it at first, but it lies in the things people keep saying as though they're self-evident. Even the most basic tenets of storytelling get mocked simply on the basis of Sonic games using them. Sonic is a static character who does not change, but instead inspires others to change for the better? Bad, somehow. Eggman is the main villain? Yawn. The heroes reacting to the threat instead of being "proactive," whatever that means? A mark of poor storytelling.

But then you ask why, precisely, it's bad, and it all dissolves into white noise, which tells you that folks kind of haven't thought it through beyond some nebulous notion of "Sonic Bad."

I'm not going to sit here and pretend the series is exempt from criticism. Nothing is perfect, after all. By the same token, however, I'm not going to engage with you if the entire linchpin of your worldview rests on Sonic Bad. We're just not going to see eye-to-eye no matter what. It's as though folks take the series for granted, quite frankly. Social media is really sensitive about treating the spinoffs as though they're glass-delicate, saying "Sonic is Sonic" up until the moment we talk about the games or vtuber Sonic. All of a sudden, you don't see people walking on eggshells anymore. Instead, they take every chance they get to slag off the games, sometimes to the point of xenophobia against ST. And I can't help but think familiarity breeds contempt. Spinoffs only last a little while and become immortalized through the lens of nostalgia. The games, on the other hand, are the series' only constant. Quotidian, almost. It's easy to take them for granted. (That is, when the games aren't being used as a tool of convenience in "you can't criticize IDW / Prime because they're canon to the games, shut up"-tier arguments. The games only matter inasmuch as the validity they confer on other media.)

This behavior is enabled in part by Sega's lack of backbone. Fans say jump, Sega says how high. The problem with that is ST are going to eventually hit a wall where they literally cannot make Sonic into what the fans want because that would be tantamount to making Sonic something it's not.

I think we're already seeing it now with Shadow, actually. SxS Gens strikes me as ST throwing up their hands like "Fuck it, we don't know what you want from us, have more of this thing you used to like back when you didn't hate Shadow and us."

Anyway, my point is we know the games are going strong. Like it or not, they've always been popular, and because they take it for granted, folks feel freer to tear them to shreds than other media. When they say "Sonic is a multimedia franchise," it comes across like the blogger doth protest too much.

The really sad part is that ingratiation will fail too. Turning Sonic into something decidedly "less Japanese," less game-y, less ST-flavored, less whatever discourse buzzword du jour is not going to change the public's mind, either.

People who think Sonic is cringe won't care if Archie Sonic is "deeper" than Games!Sonic. They give exactly zero damns that IDW Sonic shows his enemies mercy or that Prime!Sonic is your funny little blorbo. To them, all Sonics are worth mocking.

[turbulentscrawl]

hi hi! i hope you're doing well ^^ i'd love to request a match up if that's okk!

i use they/them pronouns, dress mostly in masc/androgynous clothing and prefer feminine terms/pet names (a whole shit show i know 🥴). i'm demiromantic/demisexual and would prefer being matched with a male if that's okk. i'm INFP 9w1, neutral good, leo rising, libra sun, pisces moon.

as far as personality goes, i'm described by others as open minded, slightly extroverted, blunt, honest, witty and flirty. while i am aware that i am indeed all these things, it's mostly a facade. i tend to be shy, introverted, can seem pretty cold and distant if you only see me from afar and don't approach me but i just have a hard time showing love and care so openly unless i'm comfortable with the person. not sure if you know these characters, but mostly like a vanitas, dazai, scaramouche, lyney type beat personality.

to expand a bit more on the outer personality, i do tend to be flirtatious towards people who i know i have an effect on or are easily flustered, it's pretty fun and cute to see how they react. all fun and games till someone pulls a reverse card on me tho, if someone tries to do the same to me, i immediately get flustered and stumble over my words because i genuinely never expect the reciprocation. as for inner personality, i did say im not so open about showing love and care unless im comfortable with the person but once i am comfortable enough, i go to hell and back to smother them with so much love, especially with gifting things and lengthy paragraphs (because im bad verbally). what does get me to fold most of the time is someone straightforward, doesn't beat around the bush on what they want to say or do because i do like being caught off guard by such people and it just makes me happy (and quite flustered) knowing that they're so open about it.

i'm currently in university studying communications so my interest mostly are in medias like socials, tv, movies, radio, photography, etc. my main focuses are tv and photography however. with tv, i really enjoy the behind scenes work of it. being able to set up the space and bring it to life. just seeing your creation put into motion is just the most satisfying feeling ever. as for photography, i just enjoy the serenity of it (as if i'm not cursing the weather and people that get into a shot every 5 minutes but anyway), it's very calming in its own way. i have a personal preference for landscape photography since nature and ambiance itself have a lot to offer/say for itself but really i'm just bad at telling others how to pose and what emotion to convey. i just prefer to let them do their own thing unless there's something in particular i really want.

i tend to daydream a lot, like excessively. maladaptive daydreaming go brrr, bUT ANYWAY. i could go on hours and hours daydreaming, that type of daydreaming that got you walking around the house and shit to help you envision things better. because of the excessive daydreaming, i do sometimes write but only when i'm feeling down or stressed as a way to cope.

another thing that i do is watch a lot of videos and movies. i mostly watch fantasy related movies and my all time favorite movie is coraline, with nightmare before christmas in second place. i have an absolute soft spot and big love for stop motion movies and love watching the behind the scenes of it, for any movie tbh because i just love seeing how things come to life and how the crew works to create such things. for videos, it's just watching others talk while they play a game or do something. i just like hearing people talk about things they're doing or enjoy while they're actively doing something, it keeps me engaged.

i do game a lot! mostly genshin and idv, but i do play a few other games as well and i'm willing to try any game once if someone asks, especially if it's a multiplayer/coop game since i feel like games are more enjoyable with other people. hmm, other things i do are book readings and tarot! i have a lot of fantasy books that i've bought over the years as well as many tarot decks (my wallet is not okay 💀😭). tarot in particular is something i've always been fascinated and interested in so i've researched and gotten into it for a few years now!

not really sure what else to say about me tbh so i hope this is enough 😭 thank you in advance!

I Ship You With Andrew Kreiss!

-Andrew does better with people who aren't social butterflies (because it allays his fears that you prefer the other people you speak to over him), and who like to keep the peace (because they're often good for helping with Andrew's constant grumpy-boy miscommunication.) He's also a bit slow to warm to people, but it sounds like you're a bit of the same, albeit with better manners.

-A fun mix, Andrew is blunt enough and you flirty enough that you constantly fluster one another. He's crass and direct, and though he may stutter and flush beet-red sometimes, Andrew is usually good about telling people what he wants. He's also not used to people complimenting or flattering him, so he flusters easily. You're constantly blushing around one another.

-He's mostly indifferent to your daydreaming. Andrew is more philosophical than he lets on, and you two could easily have an hour or two of lounging in the gardens, you zoned out and him contemplating life. Alternatively, just leave your lap open so he can take a nap. Andrew loves to have his hair played with.

-Andrew lacks any real "hobbies" as most of his life up to this point has been consumed with the church and survival. He's likely to follow you around as you engage in yours and try to figure out if they're things he's interested in as well. I don't think he's likely to be a tech-y guy even in a modern world, so he's more liable to read a book along with you than play a video game.

-Photography might actually help Andrew with some of his self-image issues! Getting him to pose would be a hard-won battle, but if you take a lot of candid pictures of Andrew, and especially if you fawn over them, it gives him a lot to think about. At some point, he has to accept that you don't find him monstrous in any way.

Runner Up: Naib Subedar

[halemerry]

for the game please:

common fandom opinion that everyone is wrong about

that one thing you see in fanart all the time

it's absolutely criminal that the fandom has been sleeping on...

your favorite part of canon that everyone else ignores

common fandom opinion that everyone is wrong about

So I've written a couple iterations of this answer across the past few months of trying to catch up with my inbox and realized in general that most of it just comes down to like people consuming media in a way I find exhausting. Like that's a bigger thing that this question is trying to get at but honestly it's the thing I see the most these days where someone takes meta too seriously or starts arguing over something on someone else's post or things like that. And like. Listen. There's nothing wrong with being attached to a piece of media and emotionally invested in it. Like I get it. This media has been a hyperfixation in my brain for decades at this point and I care about them a great deal, but there's a difference between that investment and letting strangers ruin your day because your versions of a character are different or you favor different theories on something. Or. I dunno. I genuinely like seeing takes that are different from my own? Even if I don't agree with certain things it's fascinating to see the different experiences people have with the media we all engage with. And it's so important to keep in mind with literary analysis personal life experiences impact what we read as being on screen just as much as what's actually literally on the screen does. This is why we see different things in the same piece of media and I think that can be one of the best things about media in general. But a lot of meta comes across as this is the One Truth - and this is partially because you are presenting an argument and the language that goes with that lends itself to that angle - and I think that's a really unhealthy way to go about this. Like there's a reason I write meta that can contradict each other right? It's literary analysis not an argument I'm preparing for a debate. In my experience if you're so locked into proving yourself right it's really easy for meta to devolve into something that's doing more harm to you than good - especially when it's impacting your enjoyment of the media and the fandom in the first place.

That being said, on a more lighter note that's probably more in the spirit of this question, my longest running version of this is the whole Crowley loving Queen thing. Don’t get me wrong I think it’s a fun character trait to assign to him, but it does kind of make me laugh because I grew up with the interpretation that the Bentley doing this was a constant minor annoyance in Crowley’s life. One of the most relatable scenes in the book to me was Crowley using music to try to get his mind off the Antichrist situation only for the Bentley to play Bohemian Rhapsody, prompting him to shriek and scramble to turn the music off. And I just adore the idea of the Bentley being a little bit of a menace and Crowley being like a grumbly pet owner in a constant state of fond annoyance.

that one thing you see in fanart all the time

Mmm, generally, this fandom is pretty fantastic when it comes to its art but, the one thing that’ll make me not reblog a piece of art is making Aziraphale too skinny.

it's absolutely criminal that the fandom has been sleeping on…

Religious text as inspiration for fanfiction? I understand why people don't want to engage with it, don't get me wrong, but there's certain stories I’m shocked I've never seen repurposed for fanfic. Exhibit A of this is the story about Nehushtan, the brazen/bronze/fiery serpent who heals and protects the wandering Israelites from seraphs sent to punish them for questioning God, in particular, is one I'm always shocked that I've never even seen referenced even as a throwaway line.

your favorite part of canon that everyone else ignores

Honestly this fandom doesn't miss much and the thing I started answering this with kind of devolved into 80% just it's own meta post so we're gonna not go down that rabbit hole twice but the sort answer is I feel like we don't talk nearly enough about the fact that the way magic works is at least slightly tied to belief, expectation, and assumptions of the entities wielding it. I'm obsessed with it.