#caste: the origin of our discontents

[madstronaut]

13 Books!

I can't reblog the original post I saw this from for some reason but saw this originally from @/glassprism; thanks for sharing!

answer these 13 qs

tag 13 ppl

add a shelfie

1) The last book I read:

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson

2) A book I recommend:

Conversations on Love by Natasha Lunn

3) A book that I couldn’t put down:

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

4) A book I’ve read twice (or more):

toss-up between Wounded Healer by Henri Nouwen/The Elephant Vanishes: Stories by Haruki Murakami

5) A book on my TBR: not sure what a TBR is but guessing to be read? idk im not a goodreads/booktok girlie

Nobody Knows My Name by James Baldwin

6) A book I’ve put down: I hate finished these books but nearly stopped...

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro found it hard to follow, trying to keep up with the writing made me feel like I was wearing glasses with the wrong prescription strength, just had trouble focusing

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong. an absolutely incredible and poetic read but I felt like I was getting constantly emotionally pickaxed in the eyes with the raw frequent recountings of trauma told in blunt detail

Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell (George Lucas hyped you up way too much sir...)

7) A book on my wish list:

I keep giving away the copies of all about love by bell hooks lol so for the fourth time it is back on my wishlist

8) A favorite book from childhood:

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. Even now when I pass by a bookstore and see it prominently displayed I get such a happy curious and wondrous feeling

9) A book you would give to a friend:

I recently gave The Midnight Library by Matt Haig to a grieving friend who loved it ❤️‍🩹

10) There was no tenth question so I am making up my own; a fiction book you own:

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis

11) A nonfiction book you own:

Wne and War: The French, The Nazis, and the Battle for France's Greatest Treasure by Don and Petie Kladstrup - this is a fucking fun and interesting read!!! great commute/plane/timekiller read

12) What are you currently reading:

Currently speedreading The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins

13) What are you planning on reading next?

Nothing is True and Everything is Possible by Peter Pomerantsev

My shelfie:

I will be opting out of sharing a pic of my super-disorganized, filled to the brim with personal knickknacks bookcase but here's some gifs of the hottest bookwrangler in the known universe throughout all space and time as a substitute

no pressure taggies: @evergreenfields @gemmahale @the-californicationist @valkyri @astraluminaaa

@devcica @vampirekilmer @void-my-warranty @ohgeesoap @glossysoap

@syoddeye @kyletogaz @bluemoonrover

@/you if you'd like to share 🤗🤗📚📚

[michonnes]

Everywhere. All over the place. There's connective tissue. All of this, all of it... is linked.

[ausetkmt]

"Nazis were impressed by the American custom of lynching its subordinate caste of African Americans ... Hitler marveled at American "knack for maintaining an air of robust innocence in the wake of mass death." - Isabel Wilkerson, Caste: the Origins of Our Discontent

[nando161mando]

"The hierarchy of caste is not about feelings or morality. It is about power—which groups have it and which do not. It is about resources—which caste is seen as worthy of them and which are not, who gets to acquire and control them and who does not.

It is about respect, authority, and assumptions of competence—who is accorded these and who is not."

— Isabel Wilkerson, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents

Image by moodboard.of.a.spaced_out_life

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[bazpitch]

she bought me a book it was a good date i did well on that thang i think. I talked more than her but i was kinda like omg i talk a lot and she seemed fine w it so idk also my nose was running a bit which is gross but i wasn't snotty

[tomework]

This semester I’ll be reading “Caste: the origins of our discontents” by Isabel Wilkerson for one of my classes. As a future social worker I’ll be reading a lot of hefty and heavy texts like this. I have a lot of thoughts on the book but I haven’t yet finished it.

As I finish part three of the book I can’t help but see a lot of common themes with a book I had to read at the sam institution almost 10 years ago on my first go around. The book is brutally honest but borders on being a bit repetitive at times. I understand what I assume is the thought process behind the seemingly redundant examples found throughout the text and that is to reiterate and nail down just how pervasive caste has been, and currently still is, in our society in the United States.

None of this is news to me. I’ve learned most all of this through other classes, personal readings and research, and simply just exposure to culture but it is definitely a book I’ll be putting on my “recommend to others” list for those new to material like this. Easy to read and understand, clear and concise, makes the point known with plenty of evidence to back it up.

[civicopienso]

Trump Times: A San Francisco-based writer Joseph Sutton expresses his thoughts

With the recent antics of former President Donald Trump at Arlington National Cemetery hitting the newsfeed this past August, San Francisco-based writer, Joseph Sutton expressed his ire at the incident.

“Just yesterday (Sept. 3) it was reported that Trump now claims the incident at Arlington was a made up story,” said Sutton. In 2019 Sutton published a book of essays entitled, "Trump Times."

“From the 2016 primaries to the end of Donald Trump’s first year in office, I wrote a great deal about him in my journal," said Sutton. "I extracted my most pertinent thoughts about the man and presented them in "Trump Times," showing why Donald Trump is truly a menace to America’s institutions and ideals.”

Just recently, Sutton read Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson’s book "Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent."

From her book, Sutton was able to gain an insight as to why Trump has maintained a “cult-like” status among his supporters.

“It just came to me after reading Wilkerson’s book,” said Sutton. “He feeds into the white peoples’ fear of being replaced by a non-white, diverse majority.”

This is something that sociologists and others have observed. They foresee that in a short period of time, the predominant white race in America that has persisted for four hundred years will not be the majority anymore. People of color will be the majority.

Author, William H. Fry published his findings in 2018 based upon current statistics. The Brookings Institute posted a commentary by Fry on its website.

As Fry initially stated. “New census population projections confirm the importance of racial minorities as the primary demographic engine of the nation’s future growth, countering an aging, slow-growing and soon to be declining white population. The new statistics project that the nation will become ‘minority white’ in 2045.”

“White people (those made up of primarily a European ethnic background) have historically been the central focus in society,” said Sutton. “I can see that now,” he said.

“Trump and his supporters," added Sutton, "continue to lie and try to persuade the American people to believe all sorts of propaganda, continually fueling fear and insecurity.”

Confusion about the role immigration plays in American democracy and the economy for example, is one issue Sutton sees that Trump uses as a “smoke screen” to distract the country from other important issues.

“That mantra Trump uses of ‘Make America Great Again,’ is a façade," said Sutton. "He uses it to dissuade the American people from trying to understand the world in the context of the actual situation of the 21st Century.”

“If Trump can use sentiment and nostalgia to get people to want to turn back to a previous era, he will,” said Sutton. “Just like he uses the big lie to frighten people into believing that the last election was rigged and stolen.”

Pointing out Trump’s attempts to avoid going to court, Sutton noted. “Trump has been indicted by the courts for criminal misconduct at least four times.”

Sutton is perplexed that the majority of the conservative U.S. Supreme Court this past July ruled that former presidents can never be prosecuted, that they're immune for actions relating to the core powers of their office. "As a result," said Sutton, "if Trump is elected president again, he will no doubt become a dictator.

“Even so," said Sutton, "I believe Trump is using every trick in the book to get back into the White House. The American people who support him, especially the white people, need to realize Trump has will kill Democracy in our country.”

“We wouldn’t have as much division in this country if Trump had conceded the 2020 election and hadn’t instigated the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the Capital building,” said Sutton.

Sutton who has been writing for over 50 years and has published over two-dozen books, perceives a nation divided and deceived by a megalomaniac billionaire.

“Trump seeks out heavy-handed world-leaders of questionable scruples like Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un to validate him, while he ignores the proper protocols of diplomacy and U.S. policy and statesmanship.”

Sutton hopes that as the November election draws near, the American people will see through the illusion that Trump and his supporters have created in the last four years and that they vote sensibly and responsibly.

To learn more about writer Joseph Sutton and his book "Trump Times," visit his website.

[stripedwolf88]

On a not Taylor related note:

YOU GUYS SHOULD SEE ORIGIN IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY AND IF IT IS AVAILABLE TO YOU

This movie was beautiful and raw and just something so important that I think everyone needs to see. The injustices in the world go beyond just race or religion or something else. It is this concept of routine hatred that everyone needs to open their eyes to.

Please please please go see it if you can. Or buy the book that the movie is based on. It's called Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson. I haven't read it yet but that movie was so impactful, I'm sure the book is ten times as amazing.

[thollandneedy]

Fill Up the Room- Nathan Drake

A/n: Enemies to lovers always wins my heart

Warnings: Cursing and suggestive content

Don’t forget to share, like, comment and leave your ideas here

Summary: Y/n and Nathan are always teasing each other, but things get different when they confess their feelings

Bellah’s Masterlist 🪻

“ Ugh, finally” Y/n grunted, throwing one of his suitcases on the floor and letting his body touch the double bed of the seaside hotel. 

On the other side of the bed, Nathan Drake sighed deeply, trying to understand how he could get back to his original position and find Sully. One of his hands found his face, pulling it down as a gesture of discontent. If it hadn't been for Y/n's failed plan, maybe they wouldn't be stuck in a hotel by the beach, and maybe Nathan would have found the lost treasure he had longed for as a child. In Y/n's view, all this was completely the opposite, since Nathan didn't take his job seriously (in his view), and was too imaginative when it came to fights and escapes.

“Finally,” Nathan grumbled disdainfully at the comment, turning his head away and heading for the bathroom.

“Why don't you say it to my face, since you're mumbling all the time?” Y/n sat down on the bed, casting a judgmental glance at his fellow adventurer.

“Because you know very well that this is your fault.” The brunette replied, turning his body towards where the woman was.

“My fault?” The girl points at herself, and laughs in denial. “It was you who drank too much wine yesterday, and simply woke up late to take our cab. When we got to the plane, you couldn't wait for my signal. You had to do everything first and send us to the fucking middle of the ocean in a box full of who knows what.” Y/n stood up, moving towards him as she spoke.

The room's wooden windows couldn't hide the fight they were having, and the translucent curtains couldn't hide the fact that there were two people fighting. 

“You had a shitty plan to attack from behind, taking out whoever was flying. Then Sully and I would attack the other mobsters, but we'd all fall into the water and probably die. Are you sure the problem started with me, darling? Because as far as I knew, you were the reason I was late this morning” The brunette moved closer to the girl, crossing his arms as he completed the sentence.

Their breaths were almost mingling, but Y/n was distracted by the fact Nate had mentioned. The girl frowned, moving a little away from the image of Nate, who was now looking at her in confusion, thinking that she would remember what had happened last night after they'd had several glasses of wine after dinner at the hostel. 

"Oh my God. You really don't remember?” The man laughed to himself, giving a slight smile.

“What the fuck are you talking about, Nathan?” Y/n asked hesitantly.

"After the drinks we had, and the long sleep Sully was having, we kissed. We didn't get to have sex, but his hands know very well where to touch.” Nate says, then gets a push on the shoulder.

"Shut up. That never happened. If it had, I would have remembered it perfectly. I'm not some irresponsible girl, and by the way, even though I drank a lot last night, I got up early.” Y/n says angrily, causing Nate to laugh.

"You just don't want to accept the facts, love. Accept that this is what we have.” Nate points at himself and then at Y/n. ”It's just a little lie, and you like my company and the boyish style on your side. You feel superior to me, and you like to be in control.” Y/n turns around, but Nathan's strong hand grabs her wrist without hurting her, bringing her close to his body full of sea salt on his clothes.

“You're crazy to believe that I would allow myself to like someone like you.” Y/n growls, but doesn't try to pull her fist out of the adventurer's grasp.

"So you didn't like Chloe because she was hitting on me? Or was there some reason why you two didn't get along?”

“It's not all about you, Nathan.” Finally, Y/n pulls his wrist tightly to himself and heads for the bathroom to cool off. 

The brunette hears the door slam, then sits down on one of the sofas in the suite to think of ways to find the new routes to the lost treasure. The hours passed, and finally the moon took its place in the sky, allowing the light of the candles to illuminate the dark room. While Y/n sat on her bed using her laptop to talk to Sully, Nate was looking through old letters from his brother. The girl didn't understand Nathan's fixation with treasure, let alone these random letters that he always managed to carry around with him. 

When she accepted the job, she was only thinking about her future, since she wanted to be a great historian and finish her anthropological research. As soon as she met the rest of the team, which she didn't know would have more people, Y/n just focused on getting her share and leaving. However, I couldn't lie when I thought that there was an empathy between the two. Nathan was never his favorite, much less Chloe, but even though he had a childish and silly instinct, he knew how to always protect the team and do what was right.

“Did you find anything?” Nate's voice broke into Y/n's thoughts, taking her eyes off the computer and staring at the man wearing a white bathrobe who stood in front of the foot of the bed.

“I thought so.” Y/n looked away again, realizing that it was already past midnight. I think I'll go to sleep. Feel free to look at my laptop”. The girl in the bathrobe hands the device to Nate, who only replies with a smile that doesn't show his teeth.

"I've written down some coordinates, but I think I need to rest too. We have a long day tomorrow.” The brunette runs one of his hands through his hair, while the other leaves the laptop on a sofa at the foot of the bed. Can I have a pillow?” The man stretches out one of his hands, but Y/n tilts her head to one side.

“Is this because of the fight we had?” the girl asks, pulling the comforter of the double bed over herself. 

“No. I just don't want it to seem like I'm forcing anything, and I know I'm not your favorite either, so...- The brunette looks away, staring at the walls of the beach-themed room with its light colors and sandy tones scattered throughout the rest of the room.

“I don't mind.” The woman said without making eye contact.

Her main point was that Nate didn't lie. 

Chloe could be a manipulative bitch, but the fact that she wanted to manipulate Nate was what made the situation more unacceptable than it already was. 

The candles in the room had already been extinguished, and now only the lights from the lamps were illuminating the room. In an instant, everything became a strange pitch, where there was no conversation and the sea was the only thing that improved the mood. The moon was part of the room that was no longer so dark, but their thoughts seemed to speak louder. With their backs to each other, it was still possible to hear their heavy breathing, showing that they weren't asleep yet. Y/n closed his eyes, but they opened immediately, as he couldn't sleep without saying something. Her pride felt like it was going to burst out of his chest, and it did.

-"Sorry about this afternoon. I just want to take my cut and go.” Y/n's voice reached her partner's ears, who looked over his shoulder, seeing that she was still on her back.

-“I understand, don't worry.” Nate says without thinking twice about his response, since this conversation has been programmed into his head since the shower.

"And about Chloe... I didn't feel she was a good person. I guess I just imagined that she was using you, and that's why I was a little wary of her. But I know you liked her. It's a shame she left and gave up.” The girl curls up between the covers, holding them tightly.

The answer was complete silence

And so, Y/n decided to close her eyes to rest, even though she didn't want to

“I like being with you. Hearing you curse me, or compliment me, whatever. I... I like your company, and how you like to pretend that you're always in control of everything, when visibly you're fucking freaking out screaming in the bathroom, as if we couldn't hear your frustration every time something goes wrong”.

Y/n's eyes flew open, and the lamp was quickly turned on.

“What?”

“You're not easy to deal with, Y/n. Let's agree on that fact, but I can't deny that you make me fall more and more every time you boss me around.” Nate confessed, fixing his chocolate eyes on the woman, and sitting back against the pair of white pillows behind him. 

“Did you drink poisoned wine?” Y/n asked, still not understanding why he was saying that. 

“Is that a reciprocal yes or no?” Nathan turns on the lamp on his side of the bed, exposing his marked and tanned abdomen.

More silence

And more silence

“For someone who's a loudmouth in fights, you know how to keep quiet when you need to, don't you?” Nate says jokingly, and receiving silence in response, he just turns over to lie down again. 

Y/n's light hands find one of Nathan's exposed muscles, making him finally look at her. In one hot moment, Y/n's lap meets her partner's, and their tongues dance without having time to waste on each other. Y/n's robe slowly slips off her shoulder, exposing more and more of her body. Like a silent request, the kiss stops between panting breaths.

“Did we really kiss yesterday?” the girl asks, receiving a nod.

Nate's hands find a piece of her hair that falls into her eyes, tucking it behind her ear carefully. His strong voice is drawn to her ear, causing a shiver as he speaks:

“Don't worry about the silence, princess. Your screams will fill the room.”

[lunaroserites]

Art and Ice - New Perceptions

Pairing: Eventual Bucky Barnes x Fem!Reader

Characters: Natasha, Wanda, Pietro, Loki, Bucky, Sam Wilson, Clint Barton, a lot of the avengers cast is mentioned.

Summery: This kinda a filler chapter, some cute fluffy moments between Bucky and Doodle happen.

This might a 2 or 3 parter (it's gonna be more because cannot help myself). College AU, our boy Bucky is on the hockey team, and reader is an art major (because I love that trope and couldn't help myself)

Warnings: Not beta'd! All mistakes are my own. Friends fluff, swearing, mentions of college students being college students. Bit of friendly harmless flirting between friends. Bucky is a playboy. Flirting. Mentions of not eating or drinking for a hours (ADHD Brain)

Word Court: 3539

Likes, reblogs, and comments are appreciated! ❤️

Please do not repost, translate or otherwise copy my work elsewhere, without my express permission, thank you! Lunaroserites on tumblr and ao3

Catch up here: Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5

It wasn’t a surprise that your college finished out the regular season on top. Your college was known across the country for its sports programs. 

It didn’t surprise you when Bucky showed up with a bright cocky smile the day after the last away game. “Ooooh Doodle!” He said in a sing-song voice. 

You looked over your shoulder setting the paint brush down, raising an eyebrow at him, “yeeees Bucky?” You matched his tone perfectly. With all the away games you haven’t seen him since the weekend, you have made some decent progress on the painting of him. You were giddy to show him what you completed in his absence. 

“Guess who scored a date with Mandy, the head cheerleader?” He was beaming. Your heart sank momentarily, your facial expression dropping slightly before you composed yourself and gave him your best dazzling smile. 

“I’m not sure Buck, I’ve always been terrible at guessing games,” you murmured, trying to hide the discontent in your voice as you looked back at the canvas to compose yourself. He didn’t seem to pick up on your change in mood. 

“Ah come on Doodle, I’ll give you a hint. He’s charming, on the hockey team and incredibly sexy,” he sounded so cock sure. 

You turned to face him and tapped the end of the brush on your lip, feigning that you were deep in thought and then a bright smile split across your face. 

“Oh! I know who it is,” you said excitedly. “Sam!” You faked enthusiasm before turning back to the painting but not before catching his face drop for a moment. 

“Pfft, he’s about as charming as an out of tune piano,” Bucky deflected. “Come on Doodle, it’s easy.” 

“They’re easy huh?” You mused. “So must be you then,” you said flatly without missing a beat. He laughed awkwardly behind you. 

“Uh, yeah it’s me,” his cocksure attitude was gone and he sounded a little deflated. 

“That’s nice Buck, have fun,” you said quietly. 

“It’s not until tomorrow night,” he said, “I wanted to come hang out with you tonight,” your heart clenched and you bit your knuckle to stop the pang of hurt that threatened to crush you, you didn’t trust your voice at the moment so you just nodded. 

“How much of the painting have you done?” He asked quickly, changing the topic. You were grateful. “Last time I saw it you just had some base colours on.” 

You had the puck almost done, you were painting as if the puck was being shot at the person viewing it. Slightly different from your original idea, but you liked how it was turning out. Bucky was now standing next to you and you could smell the deep woody and amber tones of his cologne. He always smelled good, even after playing a game or practice. It was something you appreciated about him, Thor would smell like a locker room after practice. It was awful. 

You quickly focused back on the canvas and not how much you wanted to stick your nose into the crook of Bucky’s throat and inhale the heady scent he wore. This little crush was getting out of hand, you needed to squash it quickly. 

“That looks amazing, Doodle,” Bucky said in awe as he looked at the painting. “How do you make it seem so real?” 

“Practice, and a little luck,” you said with a shrug. Bucky moved out of the way when you picked the brush up and started to work on it again. “The inspiration was also a big help,” you looked over your shoulder at him and winked. He gave you a dazzling smile back. “What are you doing today?” He had pulled some books and notes out on the table and was staring down at them. 

“I’m studying for my astronomy final,” he said, his tongue caught between his teeth. His arm crossed over his chest and the other hand held his chin as he looked down at his notes. 

“Mind if I put some music on?” He hummed and you clicked the play button and let the music wash over you. You got to work, getting lost in the music and the brush strokes. 

The soft notes of Work Song by Hozier played soothingly over the speaker and you hummed softly along to the song and swayed gently back and forth. You jumped when you felt Bucky’s hand cup your shoulder and slide down your arm clasping your hand in his. 

“Can’t have a pretty thing like you dancing by herself,” he said softly. He pulled you to him and started to sway you two gently to the beat. Your heart was racing a million miles a minute, your cheeks were a bright shade of red as you hid your face against his firm chest. 

He moved you two effortlessly, he guided you in a small sway. He was smiling down at the top of your head as you leaned your cheek to his chest. His hand held the small of your back gently to him. 

You couldn’t believe this was happening, he was dancing with you randomly. It was completely out of the blue, but you couldn’t bring yourself to complain. He was firm and warm under your touch. He held like you were as fragile as blown glass, his touch feather light and respectful. You usually hated dancing but something about this moment felt right. 

As the song came to close and Bucky took a step back from you, you started to miss the contact as quickly as you lost it. He was smiling down at you and kissed you knuckles of the hand he had been holding at the time. “Thank you for the dance m’lady,” he tipped his chin and gave you a devilish smile. You couldn’t find words to express who you felt at the moment. 

“Thank you kind sir,” you stuttered back. He laughed his beautiful rich as chocolate laugh and made his way back to his studying and you went back to your painting feeling lighter than before. The pit in your stomach growing deeper, you could still feel his warm hand on your waist and the way he held you so carefully.

“Loki I don’t know what I’m going to do,” you whined as you draped over his lap dramatically. You had texted him “code red” before you left the art studio, Bucky had offered to drop you off at your apartment but you declined like you usually did. Code red meaning ‘I need you please come get me.’ Which he did without hesitation. 

“Darling you’re being a little dramatic,” he ran his fingers through your hair trying to sooth your nerves. 

“Loki, I’m not being dramatic. We had this whole conversation about just being friends and spending time together without him waiting to get me in bed,” you exclaimed. 

“Which he probably still does,” Loki added, you glared at him. 

“Not the point, how can that conversation mean anything if I can’t even hold myself to it,” you said in an exasperated tone. “Loki, he danced with me, out of the blue. Just took my hand and danced with me,” you peaked up at Loki who was running his long fingers through your hair, he had an unreadable expression. “Who does that nowadays, it’s something my grandpa would do with nana.” 

“Little brother,” Hela’s sing-song voice called as she poked her head into the room. “Oh hello sweetling! I didn’t know you were visiting,” she smiled at you. You had always liked Helena, she was always nice to you. She gave Loki and Thor shit when we were teens and they were acting like typical teenage boys, insensitive and immature. She looked you over, draped over Loki’s lap, your arm thrown over your eyes. You looked miserable, she entered the room further and sat down on the edge of Loki’s bed and gently touched your shoulder. 

“What’s the matter sweetling,” she asked soothingly. 

“Nothing Hela, stupid feelings and a crush a stupid boy,” you whined. She laughed at that. 

“Men tend to be like that, this is why I like women,” she chuckled. “Seriously sweetling, it can’t be that bad, who is it?” She asked softly. Her eyes drifted to Loki for a moment and he made a face. 

“Bucky Barnes,” you groaned. Hela’s eyes widened and she groaned. 

“You’re telling me you’re upset over that overgrown toddler on skates?” She asked with a raised eyebrow, you looked at her, god she was so pretty. You nodded and sighed heavily. 

“I know, I know. He’s just so.... Ugh.” Loki chuckled and Hela glared at him. She grabbed your hand and rubbed her thumb over your knuckles soothingly. 

“You know a couple years back he tried asking me out. I rejected him. He called me a stuck up bitch,” she said, you raised your arm off your eyes and looked at her. “He wouldn’t even let me tell him I had no interest in men, especially younger men.” You nodded and that was what Loki meant when he was rude to Hela. “He later saw me with Val on a date. He felt like an idiot and apologised for how he acted.” 

“He did?” Loki asked, he sounded surprised. Hela nodded. 

“He learned his lesson. Learned a few things too. From my understanding he’s not as pushy as he used to be,” Hela added. “Shame what happened with his girlfriend and her sudden departure to Alaska. He was apparently a lot different when she was here. She broke his heart. It doesn’t excuse his behaviour but it definitely gives perspective.” 

“You know Nat mentioned that he had a long term relationship that suddenly ended,” you said back, thinking back. 

“Val knew her better than I ever did, she apparently just packed up and left. No explanation, not warning. She was just gone. Barnes was devastated,” Hela said thoughtfully. 

“Huh, well that definitely adds perspective,” you agreed. 

“It doesn’t excuse his behaviour though,” Loki reiterated. You and Hela nodded in agreement. 

“What should I do?” You asked Loki after Hela left. He sighed and looked down at you, eyes swimming with uncertainty. 

“I’m not sure darling, if you told him what do you think would happen?” Loki asked softly. 

“He would probably pick up on trying to sleep with me again,” you groaned. 

You ended up spending the night at Loki’s house with him, falling asleep on his bed. 

“You know, it's a good thing you don’t share a bed with anyone,” Loki shoved you away from the centre of the bed. “You’re a fucking bed hog,” you couldn’t help but laugh at his groggy disgruntled voice. 

“Apologies Loki,” you laughed as he huffed. 

“Bull shit,” he exclaimed while standing up and going into his ensuite bathroom. You stood and leaned against the door frame while Loki pulled a brush through his hair and did his skin care routine. “Do you want me to bring you home so you can change and stuff? 

“I would appreciate it,” you smiled at him. 

“Morning Wands,” you called as you came through the front door, Loki right behind you, he grabbed your coat and hung it up as you pulled it off. 

“In here,” she called out as the toaster popped. You and Loki walked into the kitchen together. “Morning Loki,” she gave him a dazzling smile, which he returned. 

“I’m making cinnamon toast and eggs, hungry?” She asked. 

“I’d love some, I’m going to grab a quick shower and change.” 

“Princessa!” Peitro wrapped you in a hug tightly as he walked behind you and snagged a piece of toast off your plate. 

“Get your own,” you batted his hand away. 

“But I want yours,” he teased. You heard Wanda and Loki chuckle at you both. 

“I have a plate for you too, stop stealing hers,” Wanda ushered him over. 

“What plans do you have today?” Wanda asked as she sat down next to you. You looked to Loki, it was his turn to plan the Saturday plans. 

“The new book I’ve been waiting on is finally here so we have to stop by the bookstore in town,” Loki said, “then I think we’ll drive up the coast, we need pictures for our photography class.” You smiled at him, so thoughtful. “Then maybe some dinner and a stroll through the park,” he finished. 

“God Loki you’re making me look like a terrible boyfriend,” Pietro whined, you snorted into your juice and leaned back laughing loudly. 

“Maybe you should take notes,” Loki teased. You and Wanda were laughing together. Loki was an incredibly thoughtful friend. That’s why you adored him so much. But that’s where it ended. You two were the best of friends and that was where the line was drawn  and there was never a need to cross it. It took time for people to understand your friendship and the boundaries you two had in place. 

“Sounds like a fun day,” Wanda said thoughtfully. 

“What about you Wands? Vis is still abroad isn’t he?” She nodded at your question. 

“I’m going to practise with Pietro, it’s a nice day to be out in the sun,” she answered. “Vis gets back next week.” 

“I had fun today,” you said softly as you and Loki walked through the park after having supper at a sweet little Mexican restaurant. Loki had his hand on the small of your back guiding you and keeping you close. 

“I did too,” he hummed. You two walked around a little more, taking a seat on a bench to watch the setting sun. You looked out over the green space and saw some couples sitting in the grass relaxing. One couple caught your attention. 

“Is that bucky?” You said quietly, tipping your head in his direction. Loki squinted and nodded. 

Bucky was sitting a little ways away leaning back on his hands. Mandy sat next to him completely ignoring him. Something twisted in your heart as you looked at him looking up at the sky and she was scrolling her phone. Loki rubbed your shoulder soothingly. Drawn back to him you gave Loki a sad smile. 

“She probably just wants to sleep with him,” Loki whispered. You nodded in agreement. 

“He likes space a lot. He’s talking to her and she is not even pretending to listen,” it broke your heart. Soon his date leaned over and they got up from their spot. He trailed behind her as they waltzed across the green space toward Bucky’s truck. You watched him follow after her like some love sick puppy. 

But then for a brief moment his eyes connected with yours. His eyes narrowed in on you and he paused for the briefest moment as he looked at you across the field. You couldn’t place the look in his eyes, but it was something akin to longing, maybe you couldn’t be sure. As soon as it started it ended and Bucky was gone with Mandy into his truck. 

“Darling,” Loki’s smooth voice filled your ears and you looked at him. “You okay?” You nodded and sighed. 

“I think so,” you mumbled while shaking your head to clear it. 

You didn’t see much of Bucky over the next few days, practice and studying seemed to completely take over his days. He would text you little updates, ask how your day was going, remind you to drink and eat snacks. Your phone going off startled you out of the trance you were in. 

It was a FaceTime request from Bucky. You slide the answer button and gaze at him with a quizzical look. “Hello,” you chuckled, propping the phone on the easel. 

“Hey doodle,” his hair was wet and he was shirtless, you tried to not look at his shoulders. “Miss me?” He wiggled his eyebrows at you. 

“Like a toothache Bucky,” you mused. Your shirt rode up as you stretched your arm to reach up on the canvas. Your phone left you a perfect anglee for Bucky’s eyes to follow the now revealed skin. You didn’t catch him licking his lips at you. 

“I’m hurt doodle,” he feigned hurt and clutched his hand over his heart being dramatic which made you laugh. There was a sudden knock on the art studio door, you looked over your shoulder and then back at the phone. Bucky was trying really hard to not look suspicious. 

“What did you do?” You asked as you grabbed the phone and opened the door, you looked down and he shrugged. Opening the door you were greeted by a delivery driver. You raised an eyebrow and squinted at him. 

“Delivery for Doodle?” The driver said, he looked completely over the day and didn’t bat an eye at the nickname. 

“I didn’t order,” you looked down at your phone and were met with Bucky’s shit eating grin. “You cheeky bastard,” you accused him. “Thank you,” you took the food and sat down at the table in the art room. 

“Thanks Bucky,” you were touched. He had ordered your favourite, everything completely how you liked it. You had only ever ordered this once in his presence, weeks ago. He remembered. “You even remember the extra sauce,” you could feel tears well up in your eyes from how sweet of a gesture it was. You quickly rubbed the tears away and smiled at him. 

Everyone in your life had been so busy you barely spoke to them, Bucky had been the most consistent person by far. You didn’t blame the others, you had barely kept in touch being swapped with final projects and finals. Everyone was just busy. The fact he took the time to send you food, made your heart soar. 

“I figured we could eat together,” Bucky said as he sat up and positioned the phone so his hands were free and you could see his full torso and face. You almost choked on air seeing him. He was fucking hot, you stoped the that train of thought immediately and looked at his face and not his peaks or squishy tummy. He was a big dude, firm but soft looking. You wanted to run your fingers over his torso. 

“I’d like that,” you were impressed with how composed you sounded in that moment. 

“How’s the projects going?” He asked. You shrugged and sighed. 

“They're going. I’m almost done with three of them and I finished the last one this afternoon,” he nodded. Silence fell over you two again but it wasn’t uncomfortable. That was something you noticed shortly after his visits to art studios became more frequent, silence with him was comfortable and you never felt the innate urge to fill it. “How’s studying?” 

“Good, the practicals will be easy. I hate written exams,” Bucky was a kinesiology major, doing astrology classes for electives. What surprised you early on was that he was actually doing well in classes. It made you question those Reddit comments you read saying he cared little for academics. He wasn’t a valedictorian or anything but he was passing with 3.1 GPA overall. You weren’t surprised when he mentioned he wasn't interested in the arts, and that he only did the two mandatory English classes. 

“You got this,” you said to him with a smile. 

“So do you,” he gave you a dazzling smile back. “I'm sorry I haven’t been coming to visit,” he said quietly. 

“It’s okay, we’re all busy right now. I haven’t seen Nat in 4 days, she was hauled up in the dance studio getting ready for her practicals and the final performance,” you shrugged, the performance arts program did a big show at the end of exams the whole campus was invited to purchase tickets for. The funds raised went toward funding future projects. You had your ticket, and an extra because Loki had bought his and forgot to tell you. 

“She hasn’t been at practice either, Barton has been insufferable,” Bucky said with a mock exasperated sigh. 

“I’m not surprised,” you chuckled and smiled at Bucky, he admired the way the corner of your eyes crinkle when you smile like that. 

“You’re still coming Friday?” Bucky asked. 

“Of course,” you nodded. “Actually I have a question to ask you,” he looked at you attentively and waited. “I have an extra ticket to the performing arts final show after exams, did you want to come with me?” You didn’t build your hopes so high that he would say yes. “If you don…”

“Yeah, love too Doodle,” he cut you off. Your face lights up with a bright smile. 

“Awesome,” you cheered excitedly, you wouldn’t soon forget the beautiful smile that graced his face, you both looked into each other for a moment, smiles morning one another. You didn’t want to look away from him, his eyes snapped from yours at the sound of a crash from another room and some yelling. 

“Dammit Scott,” Bucky groaned and looked at you apologetically. “Gotta go Doodle, I’m going to try and swing by the art room tomorrow.” 

“Bye Bucky,” you waved at him as he waved the call ended. You saT back in the chair for a moment before giving up for the night and packing up to go home.

AN: Thank you all so much for reading! I've have been really enjoying writing this series!

Taglist: @vicmc624, @calwitch, @learisa, @aaqua-tofana, @charmedbysarge, @blackbirdwitch22

Feel free to send me a message if you have a request or would like more, or would like to be added to the tag list!

[invisibleicewands]

Michael Sheen's The Way echoes Tata steelworks reality

When Michael Sheen was filming clashes between steelworkers and riot police in his home town Port Talbot, little did he know 2,000 jobs at its steelworks would be at risk by the time it premiered.

"We had no idea when we were developing the story what would be happening at the steelworks when this came out," he said.

"It's incredibly unfortunate that the story we've written has come bizarrely very close to the truth."

Speaking ahead of The Way's premiere at Port Talbot's Reel Cinema, he insisted the three-part BBC drama - originally conceived in 2016 - was a fictional story and not about the Tata steelworks.

"But obviously, knowing the town, knowing the relationship the town has with the steelworks, knowing the insecurities and the anxieties that have always been there in my lifetime around employment and work there - that was part of what drew us to setting the story in this town," said Sheen, 55, who both directed and starred in the drama.

He said Port Talbot's steelworks was the "spiritual centre of the town" and "part of our DNA" and the news of job losses had been "devastating".

The Way is written by James Graham, created by Sheen, Graham and documentary filmmaker Adam Curtis and stars a number of Welsh actors.

The cast includes Steffan Rhodri (Steeltown Murders and Gavin & Stacey), Mali Harries (Hinterland), Sophie Melville (The Pact), Callum Scott Howells (It's a Sin) and Mark Lewis Jones (Men Up and Keeping Faith).

Episode one sees growing concern over the future of the steelworks, leading to protests, which later turn to riots.

Some take to the streets to join the fight, others frantically try to escape or hide in their homes as helicopters fly overhead.

The streets become a warzone and the town is locked down by armed police.

With Port Talbot facing an uncertain future, could life imitate art?

"It's not like we're saying 'this is what you should do as a result of what's going on' by any means, but obviously I have huge sympathy for the steelworkers," said Sheen.

"In no way is this a blueprint to how people should react, but you don't know do you? I have no idea how people are going to react.

"People will try and be as resourceful and as positive about it as they possibly can I'd imagine because that is the spirit of the people in this place - but at the same time you don't know and people are very angry as well."

For Sheen, "everything" is political.

A long-term champion of the NHS, in 2015 he was applauded for delivering a passionate speech to a pro-NHS march in Tredegar, Blaenau Gwent, and he is currently in rehearsal for a National Theatre production about NHS founder Aneurin Bevan.

In 2019, he sold property to bankroll the Homeless World Cup in Cardiff when funding for the £2m project fell through at the last moment.

In 2020, the actor, who was born in Newport and raised in Port Talbot, said he had handed back his OBE so he could air his views about the monarchy without being a "hypocrite".

In 2021, he said he had turned himself into a "not-for-profit" actor, using the money he earned from acting to fund projects.

He has been vocal on a range of issues from children in care to Welsh independence.

Was he trying to make a political statement in The Way?

"Everything is connected, everything happens for a reason, things are the way they are in this town and any town not just by chance, it's because of choices and various things... I think inevitably this was going to be a political story," he said.

"Part of the reason why we wanted to set it here... we needed to feel there was a great sense of discontent amongst a lot of people in the place, a lot of anxiety, a lot of feeling of not having their voices heard."

He said when people were made to feel that they were not being listened to and did not matter "that sense of frustration and anger can boil over".

Sheen made his name as an actor initially in the theatre before winning acclaim as a screen actor playing real people from Tony Blair, David Frost, Kenneth Williams and Chris Tarrant to lead roles in series including Good Omens, Masters of Sex and Staged.

In 2011, he directed and starred in a 72-hour epic theatrical production of The Passion, which moved around different locations across Port Talbot drawing huge crowds and critical acclaim.

It is perhaps unsurprising that he would choose to make his TV directorial debut in the town too.

"[The Way] was definitely very personal," he said.

"I feel like I knew what I was filming and I felt anchored and connected to what was going on."

Sheen now lives near Port Talbot with his partner Anna Lundberg and their two children Lyra and Mabli.

"It's somewhere I inevitably keep coming back to and it's an endless source of inspiration," he said of the town.

"It's the source of all my imaginative explorations really because it's my home.

"It's where I grew up, it's where all the most important things happened to me, it's where my family still lives, it's where I now live again and as I've got older I've realised more and more how important the beginning of my life was and all the opportunities people gave to me."

One of those people who gave him opportunities was Godfrey Evans, a drama teacher who helped shaped generations of actors through the West Glamorgan Youth Theatre and died in November, aged 82.

At the premiere across the road from the town's Aberavon Beach, Sheen dedicated the screening to both his former teacher and Port Talbot's steelworkers.

What are his hopes for those in his home town currently fearing for their jobs?

"Particularly at a time like this when there's so much anxiety and so much concern about the future it is so important to feel like you're supported and you can talk about what's going on and to find connection with other people who are maybe going through the same things," he said.

"We wish everyone the best and hope there's plenty of support for people in the future."

[100-great-books]

[gatheringbones]

Hey, do you have any good books for understanding and disarticulating authoritarianism? I've really benefited from a lot of your book recs, thank you

start granular go big

I cut my eye teeth on domestic violence literature, then by the time I got to Judith Herman explaining that the tactics of abusive families and abusive governments are the same, I had enough base knowledge on the internal systems of abusive families to muddle my way forward from there. I’ll try to structure the list so it follows that same basic trend.

adult children of emotionally immature parents by lindsay c gibson

controlling people by patricia evans

trauma and recovery: the aftermath of violence from domestic abuse to political terror by judith herman

if this is a man by primo levi

by hands now known: jim crow’s legal executioners by margaret a. burnham

the man they wanted me to be: toxic masculinity and a crisis of our own making by jared yates sexton

jesus and john wayne: how white evangelicals corrupted a faith and fractured a nation, by kristin kobes du mez

caste: on the origins of our discontents, by isabel wilkerson

white rage: the unspoken truth of our racial divide by carol anderson

captive genders: trans embodiment and the prison industrial complex by eric a. stanley

the origins of totalitarianism by hannah arendt

[dhaaruni]

What does racist mean in an era when even extremists won’t admit to it? What is the litmus test for racism? Who is racist in a society where someone can refuse to rent to people of color, arrest brown immigrants en masse, or display a Confederate flag, but not be “certified” as a racist unless he or she confesses to it or is caught using derogatory signage or slurs? The fixation with smoking out individual racists or sexists can seem a losing battle in which we fool ourselves into thinking we are rooting out injustice by forcing an admission that (a) is not likely to come, (b) keeps the focus on a single individual rather than the system that created that individual, and (c) gives cover for those who, by aiming at others, can present themselves as noble and bias-free for having pointed the finger first, all of which keeps the hierarchy intact.

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson

[useless-catalanfacts]

A very interesting editorial by the journalist, political analyst and activist Vicent Partal. I've translated it to English for more people to understand:

The psychological impact of historical violence against Catalans

The time has come to consider the reparation of the historical violence committed by Spain against the Catalans. Because it's a mark that we carry every day and that defines our society and the behaviour of our oppressors.

I started Sant Jordi celebrations on Saturday going to Via Laietana [Spanish military police headquarters in Barcelona -capital city of Catalonia- famous for being the place where the police have tortured many people in brutal ways] to listen to some of the witnesses of the book Tortured. Via Laietana 43. Twenty-two women witnesses of terror (1941-2019) by Gemma Pasqual. They explained, with an exemplary bravery and dignity, how they had suffered in that horror house -under the dictatorship and the democracy. Since 1940 until nowadays. The attendees cut the street, we were carrying banners condemning torture and the torturers as we listened for half an hour to those women's narrations about what they had been through right there, behind those doors, one by one.

It was precisely in one of the most intimate and chilling moments when a man who was walking behind us, precisely through the door of Via Laietana 43 [the police headquarters], dared to shout insults to the protesters, and continued walking in front of the policemen stationed there. It's evident that he did not feel any respect nor interest for those women's experiences, and I assume that he didn't care about everything they went through, all the opposite. But behind his action there was the security and the arrogance of knowing that he would face no consequence. All the opposite: that, if someone tried to get back to him, he had the police there to protect him.

This verification reminded me of a book I read recently with a lot of interest: Caste, The Origins of Our Discontents, by the journalist Isabel Wilkerson. The book has had a great impact in the United States of America but also in countries like India, because Wilkerson explains how and why racism works not only in the USA, but also in more places -in the case of India, it talks about the dalit caste. And in what it explains there's a few lessons -because after all, she's talking about oppression and resistance- that are perfectly applicable to the Catalan case.

I'll start with this very Spanish man who insulted us on Saturday. How can there be someone so insensitive?, many of us asked ourselves after seeing his attitude. And Wilkerson's answer is clarifying: "The only way of keeping a group of intelligent people artificially oppressed, below others and below their own talent, is with violence and terror, psychological and physical, applied with the intention of stopping them from resisting it, even before they can imagine that they could resist to it." And she explains that this terror, that this violence, is not spontaneous at all, but is fabricated by the oppressors throughout history and they pass it down from generation to generation. She says: "Dehumanizing another human being is not only declaring that he's not human, and it doesn't happen by chance one day. In order to dehumanize a human collective, a very long process, a methodic programmation, is needed. It needs a lot of energy and effort, it needs resources, to accomplish such an antinatural thing as denying that another member of your species is your equal and, thus, denying that he has the same rights."

And with a quote by the sociologist Guy B. Johnson she explains that accumulated historical violence is the key to this oppression process: "To understand the conflict, you must understand that during the years of slavery white people got used to the idea that they could 'regulate' black people's insolence and insubordination through force, without consent and with the support of the law and the state apparatus." Exactly the same as here. And it's as simple as this: for the last 300 years, but very specially during the years of the Francoist dictatorship [1939-1978], Spanish people -particularly Spanish people who live in Catalonia- have gotten used to the fact that Catalan people's "insolence and insubordination" can be regulated through the use of violence and with the explicit support of a law that always is and always will be discriminatory against Catalans and favourable to them, Spaniards.

The security given by decades where this always happens like this, systematically, explains the arrogance and shamelessness with which a passerby is able to walk in front of a group of women explaining that they were tortured right there, in the building in front of them, and, even seeing they're accompanied by hundreds of people, he allows himself to confront them all, him alone, with an insulting shout. Simply, he's psychologically convinced that those insolents and insubordinates will be put in their place by the state's violence, as, in fact -and this is the maximum gravity of what happened in 2017-, the Spanish state did on October 1st [the Catalonia independence referendum, when the Spanish government sent the military police to beat up voters, kidnap votes, and close the voting places to avoid the referendum from taking place] and after the declaration of independence. If today we have the Spanish nationalists encouraged -and autonomists scared- it's because the Pavlov works. We have been beaten again.

In Isabel Wilkerson's book, a calculation catches the reader's attention. She asks in what year will the citizens of the USA have spent as much time having slaves than not having them. And the answer is 2111. In 2111, for the first time, African Americans will have spent as long in freedom -at least theoretically- than the amount of time they spent -and which weights on everyone's consciences, black or white- being slaves. In 2111 maybe African Americans will no longer feel the historical weight that they feel now and maybe -we'll see about that- white people will have gotten used to the fact that they're equal humans, with the same rights. By highlighting this number, Wilkerson explains to what point the past's weight is expressed nowadays and the importance of taking it into account. The way in which it's particularly important among oppressors, who continue thinking that they can do whatever they want with us -and that they have the right to it- and they are not afraid at all, because experience has proven that if someone gets hit, if someone gets arrested, if someone gets jailed, if someone gets exiled, if someone gets tortured, it will be us and not them.

The book has made me reflect and has impressed me a lot because of how it approaches such a deep psychological component of the relation between oppression and freedom. (...)

I'll continue with the example of Via Laietana. The torture witnesses in Gemma Pasqual's book range from 1940, when the Francoist troops had just entered Barcelona, to 2019, during the protests against the Supreme Court's sentence [jail sentence for Catalan civil society leaders, NGO members and democratically-elected politicians for insubordination to the Spanish government because of their involvement in Catalonia's independence movement]. That's 79 years. Assuming that from now on they won't torture again, until the year 2102 Catalans, and particularly those from Barcelona, will have lived as long without being threatened with torture and violence in the Via Laietana headquarters as they have lived used to -and scared of- this torture and violence. And do you think this doesn't matter? That it doesn't leave a mark? That it doesn't condition our behaviour and, above everything else, our oppressors' behaviour?