#cultural phenomena

[nicholasandriani]

Actor-Network Theory Meets Structuralism: A Powerful Framework for Analyzing Contemporary Social and Cultural Phenomena

Understanding the Dynamic Interplay Between Actors and Structures: Combining Latour and Galloway’s Thinking In class this week we’re discussing the brilliance of Bruno Latour; a French philosopher, sociologist, and anthropologist who is best known for his work on science, technology, and society. Latour’s philosophy is highly influential and has been widely discussed in academic circles. In this…

[crtastrophe]

Kidpix commission for @facelessoldgargoyle! (character belongs to me)

[necrotic-nephilim]

@profandomhopper i was going to reblog the original post this comment was left on but i felt it divorced itself from the original topic so much, you get your own post for giving me delightful permission to ramble about this. buckle in people this is long.

so, DC is a big fandom that expanses a lot of different types of content, and like anything, is subject to crossovers. the obvious ones like Marvel are for the reason of being a similar and equally popular superhero world, so it's easy to transpose the worlds onto each other and overlap the characters. both of these worlds deal with multiverses and endless, endless heroes. it makes sense and there's no real stretch to think Batman and Spider-Man could co-exist. i mean, there have been canon crossover comics. and even some more random crossovers like White Collar have pretty easy to trace origins, being an actor in WC was a popular Dick fancast back in the day so there was some bleeding over that led to a well-loved niche crossover space.

but Danny Phantom and Miraculous Ladybug are where it gets interesting. because at a surface, MLB sort of makes sense. it's a superhero world, you're following a teen girl superhero and sure the mechanics are pretty contained, but the crossover should make sense. but when you compare it to the crossover numbers of other superhero media like say My Hero Academia, Ladybug takes the *crown* with such a bizarre popularity. and of course, DP feels like it makes even less sense. sure, you *could* lump it into at the very least, superhero-adjacent media, but it's not a true hero world like MLB or DC is.

but, the thing to always understand about DC, *especially* the Batfamily (which is where the crossover content propagates the most) is this: a *very* good chunk of fans don't interact with the comics. i would venture to say even most Batfamily fans don't read the comics and actively talk about it. we've all read a very fandom big Batfam fanfic where the author's note mentions the writer has never touched a comic in their life. typically, these fans are either cobbling together their understanding from fandom content, or by frankensteining unrelated DC adaptations to understand each character. you take Bruce from Batman: TAS, you take Dick from the animated Young Justice, you take Jason from Batman: Under The Red Hood animated movie, you take Damian from the DCAMU Batman vs Robin, and you read some fandom metas to fill in the rest and well, you've got some sort of an understanding of these characters. read enough incorrect quotes, some genfic, a couple of character metas, and boom, you understand the Batfamily fandom enough to start creating your own content. and of course now. now you have Wayne Family Adventures so it's even *easier*. a pretty easy to pick up webtoon that's filling in all the gaps for you. but i've been in this fandom long enough to remember before we had WFA and even then, this was still a common, if not the most popular way, to ween yourself into the DC fandom space. you cherry-picked the canon you liked and then plunged into the depths of fanon.

i'm not here to make in depth commentary on if i think this is a good or bad thing. trust me i have that commentary in my head, but that would need it's own post. i'm very split on it and my feelings are complicated. my feelings on WFA are even *more* complicated. because oftentimes, the attitude expressed by these fans who are frankensteining this version of the Batfamily/DC world they have in their head is they don't *want* to read the comics. the comics don't contain the content they're after. and to an extent, i understand that. if you're looking for light-hearted vibes of the Batfamily all getting along and having the occasional hurt/comfort moments but in the end, they hug and make up, you're right. largely, you won't find that in canon. of course there are so many comics to recommend for Batfamily interactions, but you have to get specific. you'll find them interacting in small groups, Tim and Dick bonding here, Duke and Cass bonding there, but largely, the comics don't care to balance the ridiculously large cast they've given themselves. but fandom does. it's easy to toss them all in a blender and ignore the parts you don't like. the default argument to ignoring the comics or writing something OOC is always "well the comics are OOC and inconsistent too" which, while a flawed argument that massively misunderstand how comics work as a medium, isn't an entirely incorrect one. you could serve on a silver platter to these fans, an easy and accessible way to get into comics and they wouldn't be interested. it's not what they're here for. fandom is always character-driven above all else. it's driven by character relationships and dynamics. if someone wants to consume content where Tim idolized and stalked Jason as 'his Robin' and now is trying to help him rehabilitate and they're super complicated but have this long epic forgiveness arc, why *would* they read the comics? because they're sure as shit not going to find that dynamic in the comics. it's laughably OOC and not canon at all, but that doesn't matter. what matters is the sandbox. most Batfamily fans care *far* more about the sandbox canon gives them than the actual canon itself. feel how you feel about that, this really isn't being negative toward that attitude, but it is a common attitude.

so, you have Batfamily fans playing in the sandbox and building their own narrative. common fandom headcanons are so common, you could practically write a guide on how the fanon Batfamily works with how consistent people are about it. or you could just read WFA, which is practically the new manifesto of it. even now, with this sudden spike in people talking about canon accuracy and "actually this happening in the comics", they don't actually care about the comics, just what they can cherry-pick for fodder. (even if they rob it of so much context they're just as OOC as they were before. see specifically: the recent phenomena with Tim Drake going from the woobified weakest member of the Batfam who everyone needs to save constantly and he's the smart boy but he's also the one with a sad tragic neglectful past who gets overlooked being the way Batfamily fandom played with Tim for years. but recently, people seem to be pushing this idea of a ridiculously badass Tim, Tim who *totally* has a kill count because of his actions in RR (2009) if you take them completely out of context, Tim who bested Ra's and is even more badass than Jason and he's the 17 yr old CEO of Wayne Industries being cool and flawless it becoming the new fandom zeitgeist. neither of these versions of Tim are canon, and the second fundamentally misunderstands his arc in RR (2009) but the shift has undeniably happened and it's been fascinating to watch. the same thing happened with people suddenly deciding Jason isn't the "angry violent Robin", he was a sunshine sweet boy who was perfect as Robin. neither of these are true, but the second feels more transgressive and new to fandom from cherry-picked panels.) the point is largely, Batfamily fans would rather build their own canon than play with the actual canon.

and then, you have Danny Phantom. i'm not into DP and have no interest to get into it, but what i know about it via fandom osmosis is this: DP fans sort of also don't give a fuck about canon. once again, the canon of DP is a sandbox, not a rulebook. the concepts and the characters are the draw, not the plot itself. i've seen DP posts explaining characters who are essentially OCs, but have become so dominant in the fandom via fandom osmosis. there are concepts and ideas about how Danny's powers work and potential concepts with his ghost nature that either aren't in canon or only happened once in canon and fans decided to expand on that and doesn't care about it's own in-universe logic. i've seen a lot of DP fans also express they haven't seen the show and they don't have plans to see the show. because the show is just some children's cartoon with some inconsistencies and a simple plot, as you'd expect from CN. the show isn't the point. no one cares about it's plot, they care about it's characters. they care about pushing the concept of half ghost boy to a logical extreme and seeing what you can get out of that. can you make it weird and fucked up. how much can you highlight on his trauma and body horror. what identity crisis can you give him and how can you build his interactions with other characters in his world around that and also make those characters fun and unique on their own. sure, the skeleton of canon is there, but the meat lies all in the fanon.

Miraculous Ladybug also exists in this similar vein. the characters, the concepts, those hold intrigue. and not even mentioning the fact the original concept for this show was supposed to be aimed to an older audience, so you can see the bones of something a bit more mature and nuanced under this typical, villain of the week magical girl transformation show. the show itself is a bit shallow and that's not a *bad* thing, it's just the medium it exists within being aimed towards children. but the concepts of a teen girl who's basically a sort of chosen one, a boy who doesn't know his father is the big bad of the show, and their weird identity porn love... square thing. those dynamics are *so* complicated and such a fun sandbox to play in with character-driven fandom.

so, at the core, you have three fandoms that care more about the culturally accepted fanon than the canon, with a good chunk of people often not even consuming the original canon content. and well, DC is an *easy* world to transpose just about anything onto. a boy who's half ghost and fighting supernatural threats? that makes sense, DC has ghost heroes like Deadman already. a girl who has this magical item that gives her animal themed superpowers? i mean that's practically the same thing as Vixen's Totem so that one makes sense too. they fit in pretty easy, no needing to change the world to accommodate them. and of course, if you're a fan of *one* fandom where you don't care for the canon content and only like the fandom sandbox, chances are, you'll get drawn in pretty easily to another fandom with similar mechanics. if you can teach yourself the DP fandom rules/concepts, you can teach yourself the Batfamily fandom rules/concepts. and well, since there's so much crossover in fandom members, why not write the fanfiction? crossover fics will always exist, but with such a shared member base, you have a really big boom.

it's why the characters you see DP interact with in DC are *always* characters who are far more driven by fanon than canon. Danny and John Constantine is a *massive* concept. for people who don't read Hellblazer comics. my poor partner, @divine-dominion has lamented to me pretty often about finding DP content in the Hellblazer tag that is essentially turning Constantine into an OC. because whatever version of Constantine is being written about isn't one bit comics accurate, and really, isn't trying to be. and the same thing happens with Shazam. you watch Young Justice and understand him well enough, you get drawn in by the character concept that you just run with it. people put their favorite blorbos in the same place because hey, wouldn't ghost boy be pretty cool in a city like *Gotham*. how would Batman even react to him. and then, the shipping. because ages for the Batfamily can be easily hand-waved and moved around based on where you plop Danny into the timeline, you have your pick of the litter with him, and same with Ladybug. of course there are the most popular ships but largely, the world is your oyster.

i don't think this is the worst thing in the world for either fandom. it's not hard to filter out the crossover tags and scroll past content i don't like. and sure, i see the appeal of making your blorbos from two different places meet. i've got my drafts *full* of DC/MHA crossover ideas because well, i like them both and think that would be cool. i think my only gripe with it is when DP or MLB crossover content seeps it's way into the wrong tags. using the above example, if you're writing about Danny and Constantine but there's zero content of the actual Hellblazer comics, i don't think you need the Hellblazer tag, just the Constantine character tag. tbh i wish this extended onto Ao3 and people utilized fandom tags better. if you're writing Batfamily fanfiction that is very clearly and obviously WFA driven in characterization and concepts, i would far prefer those fics be tagged with the WFA fandom tag rather than the Batman (comics) fandom tag. because well, you're not writing about the Batman comics. and there's nothing wrong with that, but it helps if you don't confuse yourself for content striving to interact with canon more. (this especially extends to Young Justice, by the way. if you're writing for the Young Justice tv show please, please stop using the Young Justice (comics) fandom tag. i'm at my wit's end- /lh)

the whole thing is fascinating. i've got zero interest in entering DP or MLB as fandoms because that's not my speed, but witnessing it as an outsider is my favorite pastime. i see a *lot* of posts going around the DC x DP space that are helping explain to people who's who, what's what, and understanding the canon/fanon of both of these properties so others can better enter the space. which is not something you'd need in a fandom driven only by it's canon content, but it is sweet watching others try to help newbies enter the space. it's a very inviting fandom space, i think, whether you lament it's existence or not. they're just sitting in their corner with their blorbos, and i gotta respect that. the posts explaining the Batfamily to DP fans are always fun for me to read, even if i disagree with some of the characterizations in them because it helps shine a light on what the fans of this crossover regard as "important" enough about each fandom to be worth including those sorts of primers. very fascinating stuff.

[cator99]

out of curiosity, would you consider yourself butch?

used to be a blonde underweight twink and now I'm a based jock still got the chanel bag and the sick albeit matured mind of a suckpig to prove it so I'm gonna let you decide whether you wanna call me that word just cuz I got a pussy and short hair. I promise you that there have been enough advancements made in the art of lesbian sexual dynamics in the past 50 years to broaden the vocabulary used to describe the plethora of types of masculine females.

[lanada]

Tadanori Yokoo

Word and image exhibition poster for the Museum of Modern Art, 1968.

[asurrogateblog]

its interesting to me where the dividing lines of music cultures are. I feel like classic rock people mingle with the folk rock people mix with the prog rock people and we all more or less speak the same language despite our differences in aesthetic tastes. but then. the grateful dead is like. its own whole thing. a very distinct, very separate, Whole Thing. logically speaking I know I have much in common with your average deadhead, and yet, I have absolutely no idea how to interact with this genre of person. you see I don't think you become a fan naturally. they just spirit away whoever wanders off too far at the music festival and the next time you see them they're wearing a full length tie-dye skirt and selling smoking pipes in the shape of toadstools

[sneeglogsau-deactivated]

It may sound random, but this is actually of the utmost importance.

Thoughts on Garfield?

i don’t know what garfield is, so no thoughts at the moment.

ranboo just had a visceral reaction when I asked them and sneeg, so I think they have a lot of thoughts on garfield.

[doctormastertardis]

Another personal take on today's Neo-liberalism-- how IT is the OTHER SIDE OF THE SAME COIN AS ALT-RIGHT WINGERS (ya know how "new age spirituality" is now becoming synonymous with CULTURAL APPROPRIATION and ABUSE APOLOGISM and NO ONE IS BATTING AN EYE ABOUT IT)....

Just saw a post from a "trans person" about how it's "ableism" to call out an abusive person who is IN THE HIGHER SPECTRUM OF NARCISSISTIC PERSONALITY DISORDER because "being a narcissist is a mental disorder"... are you fucking kidding me???

(fyi, mirroring is a form of MALEVOLENT manipulation - mirroring is something that a lot of ABUSIVE people in the HIGHER SPECTRUM OF NARCISSISTIC PERSONALITY DISORDER DO TO HARM OTHERS).

And I just smdh.... reactive liberalism will excuse anything these days.

...reminds me of American/"Western" kids who are groomed to think being "trans" is about ASSIMILATING to the hetero-normative PERSPECTIVE AND EXPECTATIONS of GENDER EXPRESSION.

it's the same type of oppressive heteronormativity???? (this is why I don't vibe with folks who say shit like "the youth today are kinder" -- NO THEY ARE NOT. they've become more SKILLED at mimicking societal conventions).

OPPRESSION TODAY HAS BECOME MORE INSIDIOUS.

Y'all really need to stop thinking in BINARY.

Just because someone's gay, doesn't mean they can't be racist, or classist, or oppressive??? Just like, just because someone adheres to the identity politics of "latinidad" or any other "non-white" identity doesn't mean they're "progressive"????

(I used to run decolonizeyourself.tumblr.com and decolonizeyourselfarchive.tumblr.com)

....Just because some "westerner" identifies as "trans" doesn't mean they know shit-all about "ableism"!

Please stop throwing around the word "ableism" whenever folks talk about ABUSE that are coming from a person with NPD.

[juniperhillpatient]

I mean I’m kinda not against a lore dump & a quick reveal of Appa in an adaptation. this is a show for existing fans. if we were getting a 1:1 what’s the point? I don’t mind that everything is getting explained real fast so we can jump right in on the ground that I’ve decided to view this exactly how I view book to movie adaptations. I get why this stuff would bug some people but for me this is a little like how I felt watching the Harry Potter movies as they came out after I read the books as they came out. Like ok we’re seeing a new version of our faves it won’t be totally true but that’s ok

[uraharasfavoriteexperiment]

hey guys! hayle here, one of two admins on this blog! so i'm in the editing phase of a mahito x m!reader fic involving the yawata no yabushirazu forest in ichikawa, japan, so i thought i'd make a little post including some research i've done, as well as some information regarding some of the devices mahito and reader use to communicate with the spirits in the forest they're in. read up, and feel free to reblog this to spread the info to friends!

the yawata no yabushirazu forest, commonly shortened to "yawata forest," or "the forbidden forest," ichikawa is a sizeable and fairly developed city just outside tokyo, less than half an hour away, with an estimated population of 500,000 people. ichikawa lies in the western kiba chen prefecture of east-central honshu, japan. ichikawa is located along the edo river, and across the river borders tokyo to the west, and is also located just northwest of funabashi.

the yawata forest is home to many spiritual legends, many of which are the primary reason the forest was given its name. one fairly prevalent theory about the yawata forest is that it's involved with taira no masakado, who the japanese label to be the first samurai.

another largely effective reason the forest is so famous is because of the large expanse of trees' funny little habit of whisking people away to never be seen again, which leads me to a comment mahito makes in the story: " 'did you know that this forest is part of what inspired spirited away? the studio ghibli movie?' mahito says softly, grinning."

mahito was correct in making this comment; a considerably large piece of the inspiration for studio ghibli's animated movie spirited away was the yawata forest's silly little habit of, essentially, repeated mass kidnapping.

the story in question involves some moderately heavy paranormal content, a large part of which consists of mahito and reader using some paranormal investigation devices such as the ovilus, the spirit box, the electromagnetic field (emf) reader, and more. now don't mind me while i explain the main uses of each device that appears in the story.

the ovilus - the ovilus is a communication device invented in god knows when by bill chappel. the device used by professional and amateur/just-for-fun explorers and ghost hunters in paranormal investigations. the device works by detecting electromagnetic energy- which may appear in the form of, for example, voices that living ears can't detect- then assigning a number to it that corresponds with a word in the dictionary. spirits and other entities (ie: demons, poltergeists) use the ovilus to attempt conversations with the living people who are operating the device. some alternatives to the ovilus that operate similarly are the spirit box, the hexcom, and the polterscript.

the estes method - the estes method is a method of interworld communication used by some of the more daring explorers and ghost hunters. the method was created by karl pfeiffer during his investigation of the stanley hotel in estes park, colorado, and is now a widely popular method of communication that many people use. the method requires two or more people in order for the attempt(s) to work, and it involves one- sometimes two, as seen in some of sam and colby's videos- people putting on noise-cancelling headphones that are connected to a spirit box. the person(s) wearing the headphones are also blindfolded. the other member(s) of the group ask the spirits questions and attempt general conversations with the spirits in the room or area, and the spirits or entities may choose to or not to use the spirit box to speak into the headphones, sometimes in response to questions asked by the living side of the conversation, and the wearer(s) of the headphones and blindfold repeat every word they hear. the estes method is very effective, and many questions asked receive an answer, but sometimes the words they spirits say are random, and sometimes they're unsolicited tid bits of information corresponding to the spirit's death, their opinions, their goals, etc.

the séance method - the séance method is another common communication method used by explorers and paranormal investigators. this method is sort of similar to the estes method, but this one fortunately doesn't involve cutting off people's two most important senses. the seance method involves setting candles in a circle on a table or floor and lighting them, and it's not uncommon for people to put cups of water and relevant objects inside the circle and surround the circle of candles and/or sometimes the area directly around them with a line of salt as an attempt to keep potential poltergeists and malevolent spirits at bay of physical contact; most people don't want to be scratched and burned by demons posing as little girls with depressing death stories. the séance method has been used many times in historically famous attempts at conversation with spirits, demons, poltergeists, etc., and seems to have a lightly sporadic rate of failure versus success in comparison to the estes method, which almost always works, whether it's just the spirit box spewing shit or an actual spirit.

sources :

a largely common source i'd like to give credit to for the information in this post is hada, my lovely professional ghost hunting boyfriend, fellow owner and creator and primary organization person of this account!

yawata forest location/landscape informationovilus informationthe estes methodtaira no masakadoan interesting example of an investigation/exploration of the forest

this post shall be updated as i continue to write the story. feel free to subscribe to the conversation in the comments under the post if you'd like to ask me a question or make a comment! i'm always open to new information and ideas for the story, and new bits of history as well! please do like this post if you found it interesting, and feel free to reblog this to spread the info to friends!do not copy or repost this information verbatim on other fandom and social media sites, i am a law student and i am in full understanding of my rights of copyright. you have been pleasantly warned.

note from hayle: dont ask me abt the range of post tags. also i warn you now, the story that is the reason you're reading this post involves demonic possession, and the scene is incredibly graphic.

[griancraft]

Genuinely considering going back to religion but like. In a different way. I really enjoy theology and reading about the original books of the Bible and how it all came into one and I want a sense of purpose in my life. Is this a normal feeling or am I autism special interesting religion bc that feels offensive

[mama-mera]

okay you know what? I think it's time for me to take advantage of the release of the Percy Jackson series to talk a little about the relationship between the Greek and Roman gods, because I have a feeling that we're going to have a new generation of people who are convinced that the Romans "stole" the gods of the Greeks and... um, I feel the need to talk and analyze this thing with you. Because the matter is much more complicated than you think

Like SERIOUSLY, the pjo fandom and Greco-Roman mythology enthusiasts in general need this chat.

First of all it is important to understand how the Italic populations came into contact with Greek culture, and who the first Romans were.

Southern Italy (Sicily, Calabria, Campania and Puglia) was colonized by the Greeks since the 8th century BC.

Like any colonization, the local population had to adapt to the culture, religion and language of the colonizer (in Italy there are still two dialects coming from ancient Greek. Griko in Puglia, and Grecanico in Calabria). Every part of the territory considered Magna Graecia (Megàle Hellàs) presents archaeological finds relating to the Greek colonies, and with them also temples dedicated to the gods. (So much so that in Sicily, at the beginning of spring the Antesphorie (or antephorie) were celebrated in honor of Demeter and Persephone, for example).

The entire Etruscan pantheon was strongly influenced by the Greek one. The indigenous deities were joined by the Hellenic ones, creating a new religion.

But still: who were the Romans? The legend of the foundation of Rome refers to Romulus and Remus, but from an archaeological point of view the Romans were probably the result of a mixture of Latin, Sabine (plus Samnites and Sabelli*) and Etruscan peoples. The latter influenced the initial Roman Pantheon the most. Just think of the similarities between the Etruscan goddess Menrva/Menerva and the Roman goddess Minerva.

The same applies to Maris and Mars, who among other things share holidays in March (a month dedicated to them moreover).

Unfortunately there is not much information on the Sabine and Latin ethnic group, but it is known for certain that Etruscans had contact with Magna Graecia, and the Greeks in general, so their culture was never unknown to the Romans.

So what does this tell us? That the Italic populations knew the Greek Pantheon, because they had been colonized and/or influenced by the Greeks. The first Romans can't exactly steal something that's already part of their culture.

*Samnites, Sabelli and Sabines were part of the same ethnic group, and although all three groups can generally be called "Sabines", I preferred to specify. At the same time it is not known how involved the Picenes and Irpinians were initially with the birth of Rome, so I have not mentioned them.

[rideroftheoctocorn]

Maybe this is my “I’m from New York so I didn’t choose to live here I was just already here” kicking in but can we actually learn to respect people’s privacy and acknowledge the fact that not everyone who lives in a major city is doing so because they want to be famous or the main character or an influencer or whatnot. I’m so sick of seeing tiktoks go viral that are just plainly stalking or doxxing random people who didn’t ask for attention or fame and are just living their lives. Especially given how many people in NYC are living with a wide variety of mental states, abilities, divergencies, and diversities treating them as a spectacle for your entertainment is deeply dehumanizing. Particularly in the past few years seeing so many content creators move here and gain their fame here it is becoming increasingly frustrating to feel like just existing in my home is not coherent with the burgeoning voyeurism culture that’s growing online. I, nor anyone who lives in a large city, should have to leave their homes every day worrying about the potential of being recorded and ridiculed online for just being a person.

People should be able to live their lives with the right to privacy. This isn’t to say that certain instances of internet activism shouldn’t have happened; for instance the Central Park bird watching incident (google it if you aren’t familiar but a woman was being racist towards a black man bird watching in central Park and his recording on the incident vindicated him). But instances like those are the exception and not the rule and many cases of publishing interpersonal conflicts/interactions is not from good faith activism or even from an activist point at all. Honestly what sparked this for me was that dumb tiktok that blew up of that girl looking for the person who kept writing “monke” on the whiteboard at her gym and the series of videos she made amassed more than 25 million views as she made a very public game out of trying to find the identity of this person. Some of her tactics included staking out at the gym waiting for this person or even asking the employees at the front desk who the person was. Maybe this person didn’t want to be a viral tiktok sensation and just wanted to write something goofy on the whiteboard at their local gym. Instead, this person has millions of strangers online seeking them out using unethical/invasive methods. All over someone who just wanted to write “monke.” Can we not just be a little silly in public without being at risk of it being the next internet sensation? If you live in a busy metropolitan area is it now your responsibility to make yourself as invisible as you can every time you step outside your front door? I genuinely leave for work each day wondering if I’ve maybe picked the wrong outfit, makeup, or maybe there’s an embarrassing stain or issue with my appearance that someone is going to see, record, and share online. I’ve even now seen TikTok’s of people recording through peoples windows commenting on how they’re living in their private lives now as well (the video in question is of a young woman recording a couple dancing through their apartment window). Even the guy who goes around “turning average people into models” initiates these videos by first taking non-consented photos of strangers on the street. Invasion is not flattery as much as people on the internet might like to think it is.

It is deeply unfair to ask human beings to live their lives in an unending panopticon. We should be able to go outside, make a joke, leave a silly note, have a bad day, an embarrassing moment, an emotional outburst, leave the curtains open with the knowledge that these moments belong to ourselves and are not suddenly (and without our consent) just become something for the masses to consume. Small spats that should remain small spats become global debates, a conventionally attractive or unattractive person becomes the internet’s object of desire or disgust. Let people exist. Let them have their dignity.

[happywebdesign]

Normal Phenomena of Life

[anjels001]

Kirosk (KEE-rohsk)-equivalent to turtle

General Description:

The Kirosk is a formidable terrestrial creature indigenous to the planet Mandalore. Known for its formidable shell and assertive territorial nature, the Kirosk bears a striking resemblance to Earth’s turtles but boasts unique attributes that set it apart as one of the most esteemed and intimidating species on Mandalore. Revered and feared, this creature symbolizes the enduring spirit of Mandalorian culture.

Physical Characteristics:

Size and Structure:

Length: Up to 4 meters

Height: Up to 2 meters

Body: The Kirosk possesses a broad, muscular build, covered by a segmented shell composed of hard, resilient plates. These plates are made from a material akin to beskar, the legendary Mandalorian metal, known for its exceptional strength. The shell’s coloration ranges from dark gray to muted green and blue, aiding in camouflage against Mandalore’s rugged terrain.

Head and Limbs:

Head: The Kirosk features a wide, flattened head with small, piercing eyes that emit an amber glow. Its robust jaw is equipped with razor-sharp teeth designed for breaking rocks and extracting valuable minerals and metals.

Limbs: Short but powerful, the Kirosk’s limbs end in formidable claws. These claws are adept at digging through the earth and defending against potential threats.

Tail:

Structure: The Kirosk’s tail is long, thick, and armored with spiked protrusions. It serves dual purposes: as a defensive weapon and as a tool for attacking. The tail can knock over small trees and deliver significant damage to adversaries during combat.

Behavior and Habits:

Territoriality:

Marking: The Kirosk is highly territorial, using deep scratches on rocks and soil to demarcate its domain. Preferring rocky and mountainous environments, it uses these areas for shelter and strategic observation of potential threats.

Diet:

Feeding Habits: Omnivorous by nature, the Kirosk’s diet includes tough vegetation, small fauna, and minerals embedded in rocks. Notably, the consumption of beskar deposits contributes to the robustness and durability of its shell.

Activity Patterns:

Behavior: Generally solitary, the Kirosk is active during the cooler hours of dawn and dusk, seeking food and defending its territory. Its behavior reflects a blend of cautious observation and aggressive defense.

Cultural Significance:

Mandalorian Symbolism:

Cultural Role: The Kirosk is revered in Mandalorian culture as a symbol of strength, resilience, and perseverance. Its image is often depicted in art, monuments, and armor, representing the enduring spirit of the Mandalorian people.

Ritual Significance: In Mandalorian tradition, confronting a Kirosk is considered a rite of passage for warriors, serving as a test of bravery and skill. The challenge of facing such a formidable creature is seen as a mark of honor and capability.

Utilitarian Value: The Kirosk’s shell, when found naturally, is highly prized. It is often repurposed into armor and shields, enhancing their protective properties with the strength of beskar-like material.

Conservation Status:

Population: The Kirosk is a rare and respected species, with populations concentrated in specific rocky regions of Mandalore. Its rarity contributes to its status as a formidable and coveted creature within Mandalorian society.

Threats: Natural predators and environmental changes pose threats to the Kirosk’s habitat. Conservation efforts focus on protecting these creatures and their ecosystems to ensure their continued presence on Mandalore.

Ecological Role:

Ecosystem Impact: As a keystone species, the Kirosk plays a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance of Mandalore’s rocky environments. Its feeding habits help control mineral deposits and promote the health of the ecosystem.

Curiosity:

"In our extensive studies of the diverse flora and fauna across the galaxy, one particularly fascinating specimen from the remote world of Mandalore has come to our attention: the Kirosk. This remarkable creature, with its formidable shell and elusive nature, has revealed an intriguing biological phenomenon concerning the formation of a rare crystal known as the Mado'a Kyeber. The Mado'a Kyeber, or 'Ka'ra Manda' as it is known in the native tongue, forms within the Kirosk’s digestive system in a manner reminiscent of the pearls produced by the Krayt dragon. As the Kirosk consumes various minerals, some of these are not fully digested and instead accumulate within the stomach. Over time, these undigested mineral fibers crystallize, resulting in the formation of the Mado'a Kyeber. This process mirrors the creation of Krayt dragon pearls, which develop from the irritation caused by foreign objects within the dragon’s digestive tract. The resulting Mado'a Kyeber is a striking black crystal with a pulsating resonance akin to a heartbeat. Its unique formation and properties make it a valuable and symbolically significant substance within Mandalorian culture. The comparison to Krayt dragon pearls underscores its rarity and the complex interplay between the creature's biology and the environment of Mandalore. Such discoveries not only enhance our understanding of the natural world but also deepen our appreciation for the intricate ways in which life adapts and evolves in different corners of the galaxy." — Archivist Nerron, Jedi Archives, circa 1017 ABY

[philsmeatylegss]

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