#dangerous scholar

[anghraine]

i just saw someone say that faramir is infuriating because he's self-aggrandizing in claiming that he won't act in any way that doesn't befit his status, and on one hand - i understand the root of it? he does have a courteous, almost formal style of talking. he does openly claim that he would not take this mysterious power (before he knew about the ring) if it was on the highway. he agrees to denethor's characterization that he wants to appear noble like a king of old.

but on the other hand i'm straining at the bit to defend my baby because - infuriating?? when he lives up to the words he is saying?? when the text shows over and over that he's loved by his people, that he genuinely tries to live by those standards (and seems to succeed) - him not killing even animals unnecessarily, him riding back for his men. even his proclaimed dream to see gondor's tree bloom and peace restored, is supported by him seemingly making that transition from steward to king as smooth as possible?

maybe it's because i instantly liked him so much. it just caught me so off guard because this particular criticism never ever crossed my mind. so funny how people will interpret the same thing differently. to some internet user out there, his words are self-aggrandizing. to me, his words are straightfoward and supported by actions - dreamboat central.

Hi, anon! I'm pretty much with you on this one. I've seen the occasional post like that, and I can understand finding his style grating (though I personally love it) or disliking the general baggage associated with Tolkien's handling of Númenóreanness (there's a considerable degree of classism and racism built in to the presentation of Elves and peredhil/Númenóreans in LOTR in particular, while later texts like "The Mariner's Wife" are relatively more nuanced).

But the idea that Faramir is essentially just performing the appearance of high virtue as a sort of imitation of Númenórean cultural values without actually possessing those values or the virtues of the best of them just seems a profound misinterpretation to me. He has flaws, but he's not a hypocrite and he does not fail to live up to his presentation of himself at any point.

He's exactly what he appears to be, a stern and intelligent young man out of step with the current trends of his culture, who still cares deeply about his people and their allies. He's potentially highly dangerous in the way of Denethor and Aragorn, and like them, his personality is hard and unbending when it comes down to it, but he's also gentler than either—the combination of his willingness to act on the threat he represents if necessary and ethically justifiable, with a deep compassion and sympathy for others (even animals), is distinct and really interesting.

I think there's a very important distinction between Faramir performing virtue and gentleness and putting on the persona of a great Númenórean lord in times of peace, and Faramir presenting himself as he truly is and then suiting actions to words, despite the fundamental antipathy between his temperamental inclinations and the circumstances he's been placed in.

[aegann]

I decided to draw one of the citizens from my current Dwarf Fortress game because I enjoy seeing her walk around

[dykeonysus]

I’m so sorry Tumblrinas but I love the just-coded-enough-to-show-up-if-you-squint type gay characters in like mid 20th century Hollywood movies. I’m a slut for innuendo and slight of hand. YES I know so much of it is based in homophobia but there’s also something that reads as “here I am, I know you’re out there too, I hope you catch this” that I just lose my mind.

[bookofmac]

Renee/Phoebe slowburn real I am speaking it into existance

[whyoneartheven]

I just watched Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and anyways my life will never be the same

[eldritchborn]

Ome is a good illithid but really bad at being an illithid

[d-thwish]

if genshin regions were schools:

mondstadt: catholic school but more chill. the kids and teachers are pretty weird. their principal venti is basically nonexistent which leaves jean running the school.

liyue: a very prestigious, private school. all the students and teachers are very talented and educated individuals. they excel in the arts, science, and business. zhongli is the silent principal but ningguang makes the magic happen. kazuha is the transfer student from inazuma, he is very poetic.

inazuma: your stereotypical (american) public school. kids are smoking naku weed in the bathroom, getting into fights in the halls, and the teachers are just as bad. principal raiden doesn't give AF, she doesn't even know what's going on half the time. poor ayaka is just trying to be a good student council president. thoma is the transfer student from mondstadt. why did he come here?

sumeru: art school but see victorious. sumeru is not for the scholars, it's for the weirdos. the nerds, the theater kids. even their principal nahida is an oddball. scaramouche is a transfer student from inazuma. how did he get in? who knows exactly (nahida let him).

[forthesanityofstorytellers]

OH

WAIT

I think something just made sense and I realized my characters are smarter than I am.

[calamity-bean]

Reading ASOIAF meta is very dangerous because someone will offhandedly mention a minor character whose name you don't recognize and so you say "oh who's that" and you look them up on a wiki of ice and fire and their article is a thousand words long even though they're only mentioned like once in the text and it's filled with links to other minor characters whose names you don't recognize and before you know it you're twenty layers deep in a wiki rabbit hole reading about the obscure second son of a minor house's castellan's third cousin who has nothing to do with the meta you were reading, is not a real person, and whose only appearance or impact in the actual narrative is a one-sentence namedrop in dunk & egg

[il3x]

mostly when I say "I could fix him" I'm joking. but with specifically Hollyleaf, child Eurus, and possibly Chris, I am fully convinced that if I was allowed to befriend them and talk to them with my current general resources I could make them better. Morally and psychologically. They'd make me worse in equal measure, but it's the thought that counts.

[bvd11975]

“Please don’t touch that. It’s not your average... goop.”

[holytrickster]

the way i started trying to ..start. the silmarillion again and i got so distracted writing my silly little notes in it and then i went down a google rabbit hole about the heraldic devices in it and then about the writing systems that come even before early tengwar and suddenly i look down at the book and I'm not even on the ainulindalë yet 😂

[narzissenkreuz-ordo]

brain bad but im listening to the narzissenkreuz questline ost and. man i want to play the quests again and i WOULD but i have such a hard time reading non-voiced world quests which SUCKS bc this quest series like. the fucking best and i would argue better than some of the archon quests

[tjeromebaker]

Dangerous Narratives: Warfare, Strategy, Statecraft

by Ed. Ajit Maan (Author), Howard Clark (Author), Brian Steed (Author), Thomas Drohan (Author), Paul Cobaugh (Author), Aleksandra Nesic (Author), Christopher Holshek (Author), Frank Straub (Author), David Ronfeldt (Author), John Arquilla (Author)  We specialize in Narrative Warfare – from undermining weaponized narratives launched by adversaries, to designing comprehensive strategies to achieve…

[swordmaid]

actually need to do tahlia’s playthrough so I can dissect the soulmateism that is shri’iia/tahlia

[haresvoid]

🍺 a drink - yay birthday !!

❛[ BELATED BIRTHDAY PROMPTS ≻ not accepting NOTES: 🍺a drink

'ALCOHOL WAS NOT A GENERAL VICE FOR THE ILLITHID. It did not necessarily frown upon it // IF WITHIN THE RIGHT HANDS // but it was not something it often partook in. However, Omeluum would not turn away the offer // CHEERS, WAS IT? // that was born from living yet another year (IT DID QUITE APPRECIATE THAT FACT, AFTER ALL). Clawed digits carefully wrapped around the cool glass she was holding-- - bringing it to mouth hidden between tentacles. A sip of liquid, the UNIQUE flavor and sensation noted as it had before with the humanoid favored concoction. “&– - It is not often that one offers me a drink. Truthfully, the last time was when an individual was curious what an intoxicated mind flayer was like, to quote. They did not seem to enjoy my mentions that danger was possible, I believe they took it as a threat..... such was not my intention.” // @vahlvari