#definitely rethinking my answer everything policy

[booasaur]

holy shit did you used to analyze faberry too

Lol, I don’t consider what I do now as analyzing anything, I just gif and answer questions--oh, wait, I already said I was an analyzer, not a creator, right. I’m not an analyzer, I’m a regurgitator. That’s better. :P But whatever it is I do, I did a lot less then. Tbh, I did a lot less of everything before. I used to get like 2 asks a month before this, did you know. Heh. But yeah, Faberry was my first tumblr fandom so it was just a bunch of terrible gifs. Another Tumblr Glee cliche. :)

And another anon:

you're right, I'll blacklist. it's just, seeing people go through great lengths to tear someone down gets to you. especially since they claim to love barb. I miss soft juliantina and people freaking out in the tags about AAM. it's starting to take a weird turn, a lesson I should've learned from glee and the 100. I guess seeing it unfold in real time like this when the tag used to be all kinds of fun is the worst part. i'm sorry for venting in your messages.

Yeah, it’s sad to see it happening but it’s not just f/f fandom or even just fandom. It’s...boredom, tbh. People want to hang onto an experience, some channeling that into deeper destructive places and creating causes and issues to be united behind. That could happen in anything, fandom, sports, politics. And then focus back onto fandom, there are those who create their own versions of actors--well, that’s probably true of everything else as well, huh. But yeah, people then have a hard time reconciling what they’ve been thinking with what they’re seeing. 

We were fed unbelievably well for a while there but now that that new content is gone and as you said, it is a bit inevitable. The tag slows down, the posts you don’t like start to become harder to avoid because there’s less to drown them out. Hopefully with some time and maybe some fandom events, the tags can be replenished with the good stuff. 

Lol, I was going to ignore your sorry at the end or say obviously you didn’t need to add it but since you reignited this little convo in my inbox and invited the next response, I am going to hold you a bit responsible. :P

And another anon:

I hope everyone who hates Gonzalo also hates Cami//a Cabe//o for using the N word, but in reality 95% of the lgbtq community still stans her racist ass. If you're gonna use something someone said in the past against them then at least be consistent about it. But literally the rest of the world knows the real reason they're hating on Gonzalo, you can see it just by reading the hate they send him and things they say to Barbi about him, they're just jealous and need to stop being hypocrites.

I was unsure about whether or not to respond to and thus publish this, anon. As much as I want to maintain a positive tone here, I do see the merit in what you’re saying. Did it need to be said? Maybe. Did it need to be said here? I don’t really know.

I am not nor do I want to be any kind of fandom voice or arbiter. There’s a difference between people saying something to me and saying something to what they imagine are my legions of followers through me. And in cases like this, I don’t particularly want to take the time and energy to navigate between all the issues here: yes, fandom can be hypocritical, yes, let people grow from mistakes, but also, no, you don’t have to forgive or like people who said bigoted things. There are people who dislike both of them, and have valid reason in doing so? Although obviously how they handle it is important and as you said, it’s not the reason for some people.

I don’t know, anon, maybe you were frustrated and wanted some commiseration. Maybe you saw me posting about it earlier and fired off a quick ask to impart some knowledge. But honestly, as much as I somehow feel like I have to respond to these (and pass over far nicer asks while doing so) because I feel shallow and irresponsible if I don’t, I don’t really care much about this topic or have much to say. If you have strong opinions you want to share, feel free to make your own post. You’ll reach as large an audience by posting in the tag as by sending this to me.

[ashdumpsterpile]

Ohmygod YES Susan Pevensie is awesome please talk to me about Susan i want to know everything you have to say

Literally THANK YOU for asking me this bc Susan Pevensie is a character I never get asked about and I have So Many Opinions.

I'm going to start by saying that Susan used to be my least favorite character in the series. This goes for the books and the movies. Some of it was for personal reasons--she reminds me of a couple of annoying ppl I know irl--but it was also bc I watched Prince Caspian which shoehorned her into a relationship with Caspian which I hated.

HOWEVER. I ended up rethinking this position after interacting with Susan fans and realizing that there are so many wonderful things to love about her!

(putting under the cut bc this got long)

Things Ash Loves About Susan Pevensie

Aight I'm not going to do a formal analysis yet on her, but instead rant about some of the unrelated things I adore about Susan Pevensie.

Susan the Archer

Look we all love archery here. I don't have anything more to say.

Okay, I actually do have more to say. I love the fact that Susan is a complete badass with the bow. You get the general impression that she's one of the royals in charge of public relations, traditions, foreign policy, etc. and yet she's the most competent archer in the series. One of the few things I liked about the movies is how they didn't downplay this. They actually let her be a badass and show off her skills.

Also the part where she kicks Trumpkin's ass was awesome.

Susan the Gentle

Susan being the most passive Pevensie was something I definitely underappreciated as a teenager. I think my non-ability to see past "I'm not like other girls" narrative and the combination of Susan being described as the most traditionally feminine woman in the Narnia series is what initially turned me off from her.

HOWEVER, now it's one of my favorite attributes! I love that Susan is a badass and the most beautiful woman in Narnia. She has hair down to her feet, every man and woman in the kingdom want to fuck her, and she's still a fucking badass who will not hesitate to kick your ass.

Susan the Sister

Most of my thoughts of Susan as an older sister mostly stem from my own personal headcanons, but she is an awesome sister to her siblings. She's Peter's voice of reason, Edmund's sass partner, and Lucy's big sister.

Susan the Mom-Friend

She is a literal mother-figure for Corin.

"[...] the most beautiful lady he had ever seen rose from her place and threw her arms round him and kissed him, saying: "Oh Corin, Corin, how could you? And thou and I such close friends ever since thy mother died. [...]"

-The Horse and His Boy, 33-34

Most everything I have to say about this ventures into headcanon territory, but I love the idea of Susan basically adopting Corin after his mom dies. The way she trusts Cor--who she thinks is Corin in this chapter--is really sweet and I wish we could've seen more of that relationship.

Susan the Flawed

Something I notice from the fandom is a lot of people who hate Susan tend to because of her flaws. On the other hand, most Susan stans like to wave away these flaws and blame C.S. Lewis for being misogynistic or Aslan for being a "cruel god" and ignore the fact that she is a deeply flawed person.

Susan gets something of a "reverse redemption arc" in The Chronicles of Narnia. This makes her not only a fascinating foil to Edmund--as both are analytical, logical people--but an interesting character by herself.

She starts out in TWW as very skeptical of Narnia and it's whole deal and also very condescending to Lucy throughout. She ultimately does admit that Lucy was right and does get on board with the whole prophecy at the same time Peter does, and ends the book being crowned "the Gentle Queen."

In The Horse and His Boy, she has a very interesting dynamic with Edmund and in even more interesting relationship with Rabadash. They don't even interact on-page with each other, but it's highly implied that she was interested in him when he was a guest in Narnia. His behavior obviously changed when she visited him in Tashbaan, but you have to wonder what their dynamic was like before for her to travel all the way to his home when relations between the countries were strained at best.

Prince Caspian is where the cracks start showing through. Susan has lived an entire life as an adult in Narnia, gets thrown back to England with her siblings, and is yet again in Narnia as a child. This book is what really emphasizes her one fatal flaw: convenience.

(Put a pin in that thought, I'll get back to it.)

Susan denies once again that Lucy saw something that the rest of them can't seen. She continues this narrative until every other sibling finally acknowledges Lucy in the right and only then does she apologize.

The last mention of Susan is in The Last Battle, where all of her flaws rise up against her in the worst way possible. I have a lot of controversial opinions on this that I'm going to address later, but I just want to say that Susan's reverse-redemption arc is something I actually like about her.

(There is also evidence that Susan does get a full redemption arc, just as Edmund and Eustace did, but C.S. Lewis was pretty much done with The Chronicles of Narnia at the point and instead encouraged fans to write their own version of how that went down.)

Okay, back to convenience being Susan's fatal flaw. So the one thing that comes up time and time again in the series is that Susan is very focused on material comforts. I believe it's implied that she's vain, and it's canonical that her own personal comfort spurs her to make decisions.

"[...] I really believed it was him — he, I mean — yesterday. When he warned us not to go down to the fir wood. And I really believed it was him tonight, when you woke us up. I mean, deep down inside. Or I could have, if I'd let myself. But I just wanted to get out of the woods and — and — oh, I don't know [...]"

Prince Caspian, 81

Prince Caspian has the strongest examples of Susan doing this, but certainly there's evidence elsewhere. There are a lot of fans who are distressed by this, claiming that Aslan and the others are too hard on her and shouldn't judge.

Honestly, I like that she's written with this flaw. Not only is it very relatable--(my own personal comfort and convenience is something I highly prioritize too)--but it humanizes a character who otherwise is ridiculously op and basically the Helen of Troy of the series. It may sound like I'm using this as an excuse to rant, but I really wouldn't have her any other way.

Susan As Portrayed by Anna Popplewell

Movie!Susan is a fucking delight.

She's sarcastic and badass and awesome and I could spend hours heaping praise on Anna's acting and her portrayal of Susan, but I can already tell that this post is going to be long so, I'll just stop here.

(10/10 want to be stabbed by her tho.)

Personal Headcanons

Let's talk about my fanon thoughts. I have many.

Susan is Aro

There's canonical evidence for this! Susan is a character who is heavily pursued by suitors everywhere, and even lets herself be courted by many of them, but chooses not to settle down. Even when she gets back to England and is described as only having interest in parties and material things, boys aren't mentioned.

I like to think that in The Horse in His Boy Susan was interested in Rabadash at first because he was a brilliant conversationalist. Nothing she says about him implies romantic interest, before and after she realizes the truth of his intentions.

Susan and Edmund Were Best Friends

This might be my love for The Horse and His Boy showing itself, but I think Susan and Edmund were thrown into circumstances where they interacted the most with each other.

Edmund is the ruler in charge of politics. Susan is the ruler in charge of Cair Paravel's public image. I imagine they spent time as ambassadors to other countries and planning royal functions.

They're also the most level-headed and logical out of their siblings, so they probably found a lot in common.

Susan Fancast

I literally just said I loved Anna's potrayal of Susan's (and I love what they gave us of older Susan too in LWW!), but I read the books in 2008 and my parents didn't let me see the movies bc I was like...nine years old and they thought it would be too scary.

So I had to headcanon my own interpretations.

Queen Susan the Gentle:

For some reason Merlin wasn't too scary for me to watch and I fell in love with Katie McGrath in like. Two episodes so. (On an unrelated note, I also fancast Bradley James as Peter at the time.)

Anyway, fanon Susan is basically Morgana Pendragon pre-evil arc. Sassy as hell, hot as fuck, and can kick your ass.

Unpopular Opinions

Yeah, feel free to skip this part if having controversial fandom opinions is a deal breaker for you.

The Problem With Susan Isn't Actually A Problem

I'm about to start so much discourse in the Narnia fandom, but C.S. Lewis's choices with her in The Last Battle weren't misogynistic. Bear in mind, I'm not saying that all of his writing choices in the series were A++ or excusing away certain racist/sexiest bits, but it's honestly baffling to me that people are so up in arms over Susan's exclusion in the final book.

So the part that everyone loses their shit over is as follows:

"My sister Susan," answered Peter shortly and gravely, "is no longer a friend of Narnia."

"Yes," said Eustace, "and whenever you've tried to get her to come and talk about Narnia or do anything about Narnia, she says 'What wonderful memories you have! Fancy your still thinking about all those funny games we used to play when we were children.'"

"Oh Susan!" said Jill, "she's interested in nothing now-a-days except nylons and lipstick and invitations. She always was a jolly sight too keen on being grown-up."

"Grown-up, indeed," said the Lady Polly. "I wish she would grow up. She wasted all her school time wanting to be the age she is now, and she'll waste all the rest of her life trying to stay that age. Her whole idea is to race on to the silliest time of one's life as quick as she can and then stop there as long as she can."

The Last Battle, 83-84

There's a lot to unpack here and I first want to say that everyone's opinion on this part, no matter how different than mine, is valid. I'm going to be quoting some other ppl's opinions on here and by no means am I bashing them. I just want to address my feelings on the matter and the best way to do that is to cite the thoughts of ppl who have opposing ideas.

Here are some arguments on Tumblr I've heard regarding "The Problem of Susan":

"How about we talk about what might have happened if Narnia hadn't deserted Susan? [...] What if we didn't tell Susan she had to go grow up in her own world and then shame and punish her for doing just that? She was told to walk away and she went. She did not try to stay a child all her life, wishing for something she had been told she couldn't have again."

"Narnia is filled with metaphors (often not very subtle ones) that are supposed to teach us how to be, and the most glaring one for any young girl to absorb is that it's okay to be a girl like Lucy, unthreatening and cheerful and valiant and faithful, but to be a girl like Susan gets you punished - in fact, you aren't just punished, you're destroyed."

"why do we call it ‘the problem’ where’s the problem about a young woman dealing with her trauma and choosing her own path, actively making the choice to keep living and to stay and to carve a life out in England when her siblings couldn’t? what is the problem about susan forgetting to somehow cope with what she’s experienced? why is it ‘the problem of susan’ that she recontextualised her faith?"

And then there's JK Rowling who said this:

There comes a point where Susan, who was the older girl, is lost to Narnia because she becomes interested in lipstick. She's become irreligious basically because she found sex. I have a big problem with that.

It's weird how I'm still finding new ways to hate JKR in the year 2021. Again, there is absolutely zero implication that Susan had sex when she came back to England. ZERO. Did she actually read the books? IDK. If someone shares this opinion pls reply with actual canonical evidence.

Back on topic, I'm a firm believer of death of the author and interpreting art via your own experiences. Which is why I'm also going to share my own interpretation by saying y'all are wrong.

Susan Pevensie was not abandoned by Narnia. She was not barred from Narnia because she is traditionally feminine or because she "owned her sexuality" (another opinion I didn't have time to condense down for this post) or because she recontextualized her faith or even because she deserved to be punished.

I also fail to see how Susan recontexualized her faith, as the entire point of it all is that she has none. Bringing this back to Susan's fatal flaw (personal convenience/material comforts), her prioritizing herself over her own faith is the reason she is "no longer a friend of Narnia." Not...whatever fanon y'all are imposing on her character.

Susan is not being punished for liking lipstick and looking pretty. Susan's not even being punished. Y'all read Neil Gaiman's The Problem of Susan and forgot it wasn't canon.

There are many reasons Susan is not in Aslan's Country (one of them being that she's not actually dead yet), but the main one has to do with this:

"[...] But there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there.”

Voyage of the Dawn Treader, 215-216

Yeah, okay that's why Susan is no longer a friend of Narnia. The implication when the Pevensies are told that they can no longer enter Narnia is that they are to find Aslan in other places. Susan doesn't do this, instead choosing to focus her life on material things. It isn't the lipstick, it's that she only wants the lipstick.

Susan Had Sex In The Books

Oh and not in the context y'all are thinking. (Again, there are no implications that Susan was barred from Narnia for having sex or that she had sex when she came back to England.)

So there's actual canonical evidence that Susan and Rabadash had a sexual relationship. Sort of.

"What think you? We have been in this city fully three weeks. Have you yet settled in your mind whether you will marry this dark-faced lover of yours, this Prince Rabadash, or no?"

-The Horse and His Boy, 35

Edmund calls Rabadash her lover. Not her suitor. I don't know if the word had a different meaning in 1954, but it feels like C.S. Lewis is saying that they're fucking. I'm not really happy with the idea of Susan sleeping with an abuser, but really proud of her for Getting Some as a woman born in a time period where having premarital sex was a big no-no.

This also invalidates the weird opinion going on that Susan was barred from Narnia because she had sex.

Suspian Is The Worst

I haven't really talked about Movie!Susan much, but as long as we're talking unpopular opinions, it's worth noting that I hate Suspian. Some of it is the "Susan is Aro" headcanon screaming inside of me, but it's also the fact that it's written poorly, does nothing interesting for either character and generally comes across as awkward.

I feel like they were trying to make Prince Caspian sexy and relevant to teens. It came across as super heteronormative and unnecessary.

It also gets really really weird bc the next movie then gives Caspian and Edmund mad chemistry and we're all just like........ok.

Final Thoughts

Susan may not be my favorite character in the series, but she's grown on me over the years. I have many issues with fanon interpretations of her--which definately fueled some of my disdain for her initally--and I don't identify as a Susan Apologist.

I do however adore Susan and have many headcanons for her not mentioned here. I love reading fanfic, writing fanfic and meta, and generally having conversations about her and would love to talk more about it.

I welcome criticism (CONSTRUCTIVE) and conversation on all of my opinions and observations. Please drop into my inbox. <3

[burntpastel]

late (ch2)

(On AO3)

Summary: Midoriya is acting unusual. Aizawa sends Mic to investigate.

Notes: A second chapter to Late, commissioned by Ivyblush and theDavynator on AO3! thank you again!!

CW rape, underage, age difference, teen pregnancy, lactation, trans deku

raping people is evil. adults who date and/or fuck minors are evil. dont do it, and and don’t base any real life relationships or choices off the content of fanfics.

18+, grapefruit, explicit, etc.

"Midoriya skipped training again today," Aizawa casually announces without turning away from the paper he's grading.

It didn't surprise Hizashi when Midoriya took a couple days off school and holed up in his dorm room for a while–or when he finally came out but barely ate, got terrible grades, and was often found puking in the restrooms. That's normal behavior after he fucks a student.

It's not, however, normal for these things to persist five whole months down the line. Maybe they'd remain a little dour, sure, but usually they bounced back by a month or so (if they didn't just drop out.) Yet, the bags beneath Midoriya's eyes just seem to be getting deeper and deeper, his grades never really improve (even with Hizashi padding them where he can) and he still hears Midoriya retching from the bathrooms whenever he watches the dorms.

"Oh yeah?" Hizashi replies in the same manner, hands busy with pouring himself a cup of coffee without getting burned by their shitty leaky carafe.

He isn't sure if Midoriya's just more sensitive than his previous students, or if it has to do with living on campus with him, or if it's… something else. Still, Hizashi doesn’t really love facing the icky aftermath of his actions (beyond seeing the newfound fear in his students’ eyes), so he’s never bothered to confront Midoriya about it.

He and Aizawa are alone in the teacher's lounge, everyone else having scattered to eat their lunch elsewhere. Aizawa stays quiet while Hizashi brings his lunch over to the coffee table and begins settling in across from him.

"What happened that night Midoriya went missing for an hour on your watch?" he asks before bringing his own coffee to his lips, watching Hizashi carefully over the rim.

Hizashi peels back the plastic surrounding his sandwich.

"He broke curfew, so I gave him a stern talking to." He takes a bite. "You'd be proud."

Aizawa's eyes narrow. He looks away as he sets his cup back down, fixing his gaze on the table.

"...Do you always have to go after my students," he asks, quiet. "You teach other classes."

"What can I say? I like 'em with a little muscle. Makes it better when they don't even use it."

Aizawa just sighs.

"Can you blame me? I was under the impression you had the same tastes, Shouta."

"Don't call me that," Aizawa snaps, then continues, "You're going to get caught."

"Hey, I think if he hasn't told anyone after five months then I'm in the clear."

"He won't have to talk about it if he keeps missing school. Someone's going to start asking questions eventually."

Hizashi frowns, because that's true. Usually he wouldn't be too worried about that with the addition of the dorms–no prying parents to worry about–but Midoriya and All Might seem to have a weirdly close bond, and All Might's really the only one out of the loop at this point.

"What do you want me to do about it?" Hizashi asks, bemused. "They usually get better on their own."

"I don't know. Did you…" Aizawa pauses, rethinking his question. "Is there a chance that he's pregnant?"

"Probably," Hizashi mumbles, avoiding eye contact by staring down the food in his hands. He doubts the kid was on any birth control; he doesn't seem very popular with the guys (or anyone else, for that matter) and Hizashi failed to remind him that emergency contraceptives were an option.

Aizawa closes his eyes and sighs, leaning back against his seat while Hizashi eats.

Eventually, Hizashi speaks up. "Look, I'll talk to him about it later, okay?"

"I doubt he'll want to talk to you," Aizawa retorts.

"Well, are you gonna ask him?"

Aizawa falls silent.

"I'll talk to him," Hizashi affirms.

Midoriya has a fairly solid routine of stopping by the restrooms after school ends, so Hizashi decides to wait outside for him. Leaning against the wall just beyond the door, he can distantly hear him heaving. It's pretty convenient, actually, because by the time he finally finishes up the hallways have emptied out. (Hizashi would have thought he'd take more care not to end up alone, considering, but he supposes illness waits for no one.)

Midoriya doesn't notice him at first when he emerges, shrugging his backpack back on as he stumbles forward in a daze, his face pale and hair stuck to his forehead with sweat.

"Hey–"

Midoriya startles hard. His eyes are often dull as of late but they quickly fill up with fear as he processes who he's staring at. He takes a step back but Hizashi is quick to grab his arm.

"Ah-ah! We need to talk."

Gasping, Midoriya struggles as Hizashi tugs him towards one of the now empty classrooms. Either he's too out of it to think to use his quirk, or he knows better. Hizashi slides the door open and shoves him inside. He's quick to straighten up and start backing away, putting a few desks between them while Hizashi shuts the door behind them.

"Sit down. I just wanna talk." Hizashi pulls out a seat himself, figuring that if he's seated then Midoriya may be more inclined to follow. He does, reluctantly–eyes locked on Hizashi as he eases down into a chair a somewhat awkward distance away, keeping his hands braced on the back and the desk, like he's ready to leap up at any second.

Hizashi leans back, crossing his arms and scowling at the kid, like all this is his fault.

"People are starting to get worried about how sick you've been."

Instantly Midoriya's eyes drop to the floor, practically wincing. He makes no effort to fill him in.

Hizashi tilts his head. "Have you taken a pregnancy test?"

Midoriya doesn't answer, but the way he bursts into tears speaks loud and clear.

Damn unlucky kid.

Hizashi rolls his eyes and groans, his stomach sinking as he slides down in his chair. He technically knew his 'birth control plan' of never fucking the same kid twice was failable, but it had worked up until now (to his knowledge, anyway–not like he'd know if any of the previous kids went out and got an abortion on their own.)

"What are you doing, kid? It's been five months! Go to Recovery Girl–she does abortions all quiet for the hero course."

Midoriya's arms protectively cross over his stomach as he sobs, shaking his head almost imperceptibly from its place hung over his lap.

"What, you want to keep it?!" Hizashi gapes. "Are you serious? What are you going to tell people when you pop out a kid?"

Midoriya actually has the nerve to pick his head up and scowl at him through the tears streaming down his face. Hizashi snarls, before jumping to his feet and storming over to Midoriya. He catches his arm before he can fully bolt out of his chair, pulling him back and gripping him by the shoulders. That fury in Midoriya's eyes is quickly replaced with horror.

"I know you're not going to tell them I did it," Hizashi growls, "because if the police come poking around, you'll have to tell them everything. You know that? You have to give them every little detail or you're withholding information–which is a crime.

“You'll have to tell them how you broke curfew and made me come looking for you, how you failed to notice me in the showers, how you stuck your little ass out for me to see, that you let me fuck your mouth–"

"Stop it!"

"–and that you squeezed me so tight I came inside you."

Midoriya’s eyes squeeze shut, his head dropping.

Hizashi leans closer. "Are you gonna tell them all that? Because I will. I'll tell them everything–and if our stories don't match up completely, you'll be in a lot of trouble."

He's by no means unused to lying, manipulation or blackmail–yet, he sort of feels sick as the words tumble out of his mouth. Midoriya slumps back down into his chair when Hizashi releases his shoulders, burying his face into his hands as he sobs.

It's not nearly as pretty a sight when his lips aren't stretched around his cock.

"That's what I thought," Hizashi says anyway, putting on an air of confidence even as he looks away.

Discomfort twists in his gut as he listens to Midoriya's barely restrained wails echo through the room–which then warps into frustration, each heaving gasp Hizashi hears wracking anger into his very bones.

There were plenty of solutions to this, and the kid has the nerve to cry and blame him?

"You've got maybe a month to think about aborting it, after that you'll have to carry it to term either way," Hizashi says coldly when Midoriya pauses to catch his breath between sobs. "Does anyone else know?"

Wiping away steadily replenishing tears, Midoriya shakes his head.

"They'll know soon enough,” he huffs. “Are you showing yet?"

He can't see much through his blazer, but he thinks there's a pretty good chance he is; Hizashi knows he's been avoiding his hero costume in favor of U.A.'s looser-fitting gym clothes lately.

Midoriya makes no effort to answer him, so Hizashi reaches forward to grab a fistful of his uniform and tugs upwards, revealing his stomach. Midoriya weakly pries at his wrist in response.

Through his clothes it could probably pass for a little extra weight, or even just a big breakfast–but there's definitely a swell there compared to the lean stomach he'd seen in the showers a few months ago, poking out over the hem of his pants.

And Hizashi put that there.

He glances upwards to see the miserable embarrassment covering Midoriya’s face and, despite everything, he feels heat rush between his legs. It takes him by surprise at first, but it's sure as hell a better feeling than the guilt and fear gnawing at him.

It occurs to him that his once-per-student policy is meaningless now, and if Midoriya's gonna be crying his eyes out and risking getting him caught anyway…

Well, he might as well enjoy it.

Midoriya’s struggle becomes more earnest when Hizashi pops the buttons on his clothes open. He bolts upright out of his chair, sending it clattering backwards, trying to twist out of Hizashi’s grasp–but he has a tight grip on his blazer.

“No!” Midoriya cries so damn loud that fear shocks its way through Hizashi’s body. He claps a hand over the kid’s mouth and shoves him against the desk he’d been sitting at. Midoriya stares up at him with glossy, terrified eyes as he thrashes and tries to pull away.

“Listen,” Hizashi snarls, "it's not unusual for kids your age to get knocked up and it won't hurt your hero image much–but if people find out it had to do with me? Then you’ll always be remembered as the slut who got Present Mic arrested.”

The nails scraping at his wrist slowly stop as Midoriya's weeping returns, Hizashi's words sinking in. He stills, arms dropping to his sides as his eyes fall shut.

Taking this as bitter acceptance, Hizashi relaxes his grip on him–though doesn’t uncover his mouth–and pushes his blazer and button-up off his shoulders with one hand. He urges Midoriya backwards until he's laying on the desk, wearing a face of open misery as his eyes glaze over again–but that's not where Hizashi's attention is focused.

"Your tits are already gettin' bigger..."

They're spilling out over the top of his too-small bra, nipples peeking out from behind the bunched up fabric gathering beneath them. Hizashi bets he has to readjust the thing all day long. He's got red marks along his shoulders where the straps have been rubbing and straining to support him.

Hizashi's definitely doing him a favor when he rips it apart at the lacy seam between the cups. Midoriya winces as his only support falls away, his tits pooling on his chest.

"Heh. Are you sore?" he asks, groping him with his free hand, pleased it actually fills his palm this time around. The way Midoriya's eyes pinch shut suggests yes. His hands clutch at Hizashi's sleeves in some kind of feeble attempt to resist, knees tense around Hizashi’s hips. Perhaps he’s trying to prevent him from pressing any closer.

Hizashi squeezes and tugs his nipple and Midoriya gasps when something wet and white dribbles out. His hands snap to Hizashi's wrist to pry him off but Hizashi just chuckles and repeats the motion. Kicking his thigh, Midoriya squeals something under his palm as his tit squirts a solid stream this time. The moisture makes Hizashi's fingers slip away, but he cackles as Midoriya's face screws up, flushing bright red down to his chest, where his arms promptly cross.

Now that's a good look. He much prefers tears of humiliation over shame. His cock is already straining against his pants, but first he needs a little more insurance that the kid won't run while he's getting undressed

"You're only halfway through your pregnancy but you're ready to pop that sucker out already, huh?"

He pulls his hand away from Midoriya’s mouth and his head falls to the side, burying against his own shoulder without ever peeking his eyes open. Hizashi's hands trail down to undo his uniform's belt and pants. His knees tighten around him, but he doesn't otherwise react until Hizashi nearly pulls him off the desk as he's tugging them down his legs. He has to grasp the desk's edge to keep himself from falling when Hizashi forces them off along with his shoes.

He didn't notice when he was just looking at his stomach, more focused on his baby bump, but now he can tell Midoriya has put on a little weight. Even with all his muscle he was kind of a beanpole a few months ago, but here–his ass and thighs actually have some substance to them, pooling over the surface of the desk as they're pressed against it. Maybe it says something about Hizashi's perceptiveness that he didn't notice all this sooner… but, no; the kid never really filled out his uniform to begin with, so it easily looked natural when he began to, and even then it still hangs a little loose around him in places.

Hizashi can't help but drag his palms over his thighs appreciatively. His hips press forward until the bulge in his pants nudges against Midoriya's cunt, making his legs twitch and tense. He can see the strain in his shoulders and the uneven rise and fall of his chest.

"Gonna be good this time?" Hizashi asks as he draws back to undo his own belt. "It won't hurt as much if you just sit still and let me do my thing."

He plans on making that as hard as possible for him, of course. Predictably, Midoriya doesn’t try to answer him–just squeezes his eyes shut tighter. Hizashi kicks off his shoes and drops his pants, relieved as his aching cock springs free, while Midoriya flinches far too hard at the sound of his belt hitting the floor. His legs twist shut on what Hizashi has to assume is reflex, because he has no trouble prying his knees apart to put himself between them again.

Hizashi clicks his tongue. "What are you so afraid of, huh? You're already pregnant. The way I see it, you should just enjoy yourself."

Hizashi wasn't planning on doing much with his cock–not yet–but the way Midoriya recoils makes it hard to resist. With one hand on Midoriya's knee and the other wrapped around his length, he gives himself a few precursory strokes before pressing forward, burying the head of his cock between the lips. He watches the kid's body jerk as he barely suppresses the urge to escape, clearly expecting Hizashi to fuck him dry again. Instead, Hizashi lets his dick slip upwards and uses his fingers to hold it down against his clit as it slides forward. Midoriya's knees twitch twice as it's touched, and again every so often as Hizashi's piercings slide over it. He moves slowly, letting each one catch and rub over his clitoris, before drawing back just as slow and letting it do the same in reverse.

Hizashi isn't sure if it's frustration or confusion contorting Midoriya's face, but his brows are deeply furrowed. Once it reaches his tip again Hizashi presses back down between his lips, harder this time–threatening to actually push inside. Midoriya's jaw tenses in preparation, his breath hitching. And then Hizashi does it again, lets it slip up and rub over his clit all painfully slow, back and forth.

It's definitely frustration, at least this time. Hizashi has to laugh at the way he writhes and huffs on the desk in front of him.

"What, do you want me to fuck you?"

"No."

The way Midoriya's voice breaks over the syllable makes it sound hilariously unconvincing. His expression mixes with embarrassment while Hizashi laughs at him.

"Oh, we'll get there," he promises darkly.

He does his best to make it feel threatening each time he rubs up against his entrance, varying the intensity and the angle at which he does it. It reminds Midoriya to stay nice and tense whenever he starts to get too into the feeling of having his clit rubbed, legs falling open almost like he wants it. Midoriya's gasp fills the room wherever Hizashi does accidentally slip inside only to pull right back out, which becomes increasingly easy to do as his cunt loosens up with arousal.

Finally Hizashi draws back, because it's also getting increasingly hard to want to pull back out–but not before giving his clit a final slap with his cock just to see him jolt. He reaches a hand up to prod his fingers at Midoriya's lips.

Instead of opening up and sucking them down, he peels his lips back and shows him all teeth. Little shit.

"Hey," Hizashi warns, "if you don't want me to rip up your cunt again then you'll get my fingers nice and wet. No biting."

Midoriya winces. He hesitantly opens his jaw, and Hizashi offers some light praise as he shoves two fingers in. There's a pause while he holds them there and Midoriya pieces together that he has to lick them himself (which wasn't Hizashi's original plan, but that's what he gets for resisting.) His tongue is slow and reluctant to coat them, but it’s good enough once Hizashi presses in and nearly crams his fingers down his throat, eliciting a concerningly wet gag just before withdrawing.

Hizashi pushes his other palm back over Midoriya's mouth as he reaches down and shoves a digit into his cunt, making him writhe a bit despite how easily he takes it. Hizashi is quick to add a second once he realizes just how wet he is–much more than expected. He sets a firm but not quite punishing pace right away, curling up against that sweet spot with every thrust.

Midoriya squirms mostly in rhythm with his strokes and presses a hand over Hizashi's as he whimpers under his palm. He keeps his legs splayed open, eyes squeezed shut as his back arches off the desk, pushing his swollen stomach into the air.

"See? You could have felt like this last time, too, if you would have just played along."

Tears stream down his face and he squeezes Hizashi's wrist like it's torture but the way he cries out suggests otherwise, and when Hizashi brushes his thumb over his clit he's quite happy to rub up against it.

Though the muscles in his arm complain, Hizashi is happy to give it to him when Midoriya starts rocking his hips down on his fingers, silently begging for more. Hizashi's torn between staring at Midoriya's face and being mesmerized by the way his skin ripples with each inward thrust of his fingers. It's so cliche and filthy–the high pitched moans echoing around the empty classroom along with wet squelching and the slapping of skin on skin–and Hizashi loves it. It feels absolutely addictive with the way he's all wired with nerves that were frayed just minutes ago.

Midoriya's moans slowly become that much more lewd and needy, his pussy clenching rhythmically around Hizashi fingers, informing him it's time to switch things up. He withdraws, watching Midoriya roll his hips against nothing as his hole visibly gapes and tightens–practically begging to be filled up. Midoriya peeks at Hizashi through glassy half-lidded eyes, his hand edging down the desk beside his hip like he wants to touch himself.

He turns rigid when Hizashi grabs his dick and positions himself at his entrance, eyes widening at the sight.

"Don't worry, I'll let you come," Hizashi assures, intentionally misreading him. "You squeezing my dick last time was one of the best things I've ever felt. Like hell I'd skip out on that!"

He pushes inside before he even finishes talking. Midoriya's eyes snap shut as he sucks in a breath. Hizashi intentionally left him a little underprepared–not enough to hurt, but enough that he'd react to the stretch. He didn't want to take all the fun out of it after all.

He lets his head fall back with a groan as he sinks himself in. Brutalizing him last time was great, sure, but physically speaking this is much better, his cunt all slick and throbbing around him. Midoriya's thighs tremble around his waist as he hilts fully inside him, breath blowing hot and uneven over his hand. Hizashi savors the feeling with a few slow thrusts, watching his cock be happily swallowed up by the kid's cunt, just inches below the swell of his pregnant belly.

Just like with his fingers, Hizashi quickly sets into a hasty pace without any build up. Midoriya goes taut again, back arching off the desk so far Hizashi hears it pop a few times. Midoriya whines under his palm, starting out a complaint, then ending somewhere more sexual. Hizashi watches his body jostle with each thrust, his tits actually big enough to bounce this time.

He frowns when Midoriya bundles them up in one arm and lays the other over the top of them. He honestly can't tell if Midoriya's just embarrassed and trying to cover up–or if they're so tender that the movement hurts and he's trying to hold them still. A smile tugs at Hizashi's lips, and he's honestly hoping it's the latter as he finally removes his palm from Midoriya's mouth to grab his wrists, prying them away from his chest and pinning them to the desk at his sides.

His thrusts become sharper, snapping his hips into him to displace Midoriya's breasts as much as possible. His mouth falls wide open in a silent scream, the only sound coming out what gets forced from his lungs with each jolt of his body–his expression a delightful mix of embarrassed and pained underneath overbearing pleasure.

The desk scrapes across the floor little by little, and Hizashi just follows it along until it bumps up against the neighboring one and finally stops. He's panting, eyes fixed on Midoriya's form. Every part of him is so good to look at, from his bright red tear streaked face, his bouncing swollen tits that move his nipples in little circles, to his protruding stomach. Usually when he fucks beanpoles like Midoriya he can see his dick bulging in their stomach, but his is already so swollen that it just disappears inside him completely. A groan escapes Hizashi's lips, cock throbbing hard when he thinks about how close it must get to his womb with each thrust.

He pushes Midoriya's wrists up above his head and curls his fingers over the edge of the desk, keeping them firmly pinned there while he leans down to suck on the tender, swollen skin of his chest. Midoriya's breath hitches and he tries to recoil away, arching uselessly against the desk. Hizashi pays him no mind, nuzzling his lips and tongue against his breasts, trailing wet kisses across them as he draws pained whimpers from him.

"Stop–!"

He's rewarded with a ring of teeth around his nipple. Midoriya flinches hard underneath him, tightening wonderfully around his cock.

Hizashi hadn't expected to have such an effect with just his teeth, but he definitely feels liquid hit his tongue. He… finds it hotter than he thought he would. Maybe it just feels akin to the times he's gotten a student to squirt while raping them, especially when he glances up to see Midoriya's bright red face so twisted with embarrassment that he's practically cringing.

Still, he's not quite around to the idea of swallowing it. He lifts his head and lolls his tongue out, letting it mingle with his saliva as it drips down hotly onto Midoriya's breast.

"You're just overflowing with this stuff, huh?" Hizashi licks his lips in between huffs. "No wonder you're so sore."

Midoriya just buries his face harder against his shoulder, chest spasming with sobs and strangled moans. Hizashi flicks his tongue up his opposite breast and over his nipple, keeping Midoriya plenty tense around him, before finally drawing back, feeling an orgasm beginning to coil between his legs. He releases his wrists, revealing the bright red marks underneath, grabbing Midoriya's jaw to move him into a better position to clamp his hand back down over his mouth. With the other, he gives his nipple one final tug that Midoriya's too slow to slap away before slicking up his fingers again in his own mouth.

He angles his hips so that he can keep fucking him while he reaches down and rubs his fingers over Midoriya's clit. Midoriya's eyes squeeze tighter as his back arches off the desk, hands clasping around Hizashi's wrist above his face.

He comes in seconds. His cunt squeezes him as he cries out under his palm, hips rocking down on his cock. Hizashi grabs his hip and humps into that tight, pulsing heat with no regard for Midoriya's pregnant form, hips snapping harshly into him in pursuit of his own orgasm.

When it hits, it hits hard. He shoves his cock into him full hilt, pushing Midoriya up the desk an inch, and then another on the second spurt. Their bodies writhe against each other as Hizashi empties himself into Midoriya for the second time, filling up against his occupied womb.

As their pulses come back down and they begin to catch their breath, the foggy haze of arousal clears away, hormones dispersing from their brains. The situation dawns on both of them again; Midoriya's tears catch back up with him, having halted for his orgasm, and Hizashi's stomach sinks again now that fucking a teen he already got pregnant doesn't seem so hot anymore. He lets go of him and pulls out, and the kid doesn't even move beyond burying his face in the crook of his elbow as Hizashi's come drips out of his cunt onto the desk below.

His gut twists harder because Midoriya just looks so broken laying there like that. With his back flat on the desk Hizashi can see how much his stomach has already stretched, and how hard it's going to be on him during the later stages of his pregnancy.

The snivels start up and Hizashi decides–fuck this. He's not dealing with this. He pulls his eyes away to turn around and put his pants back on. It's not his fault the kid doesn't want to get an abortion and didn't take a Plan B anyways. It’s not his fault that Midoriya broke a rule and made himself vulnerable all those months ago. This shit is why those rules exist in the first place!

If Midoriya went and gave himself a lasting consequence to what was only supposed to last a single night, fine. Hizashi will squeeze whatever enjoyment he can get out of it while it lasts.

He doesn't even bother to stay to help him clean up; just starts moving towards the door, and he doesn't look back when he pauses on his way out to say,

"Come to my office on Monday. I wanna, ah, keep an eye on the situation."

[thedivineburnbook-blog]

3 Group Weekly Readings

How these will work is I will pull 1 card from each of my decks (although sometimes a deck may spit out 2-3 cards if they have something important to say, but usually it will be one card per deck!). There will be a group 1, 2, and 3, each with their own little object on the pile. You pick whichever pile or object that you are drawn to the most, and chances are that’s the reading intended for you! Enjoy!

This week’s objects: Crystals

The 3 groups are: Clear Quartz, Amethyst, and Rose Quartz. Pick whichever one you are drawn to and read that group’s cards! (Sometimes you can connect to 2 piles, this is fine, you may connect to certain aspects of both readings!)

Group 1: Clear Quartz

You got Black Moon Earth, Kali, Baboon, Void-of-Course Moon, and Knight of Swords, reversed.

If you picked this pile there is a possibility that you picked pile 2 last week, because the Void-of-Course Moon card has shown up again this week. This week is a good time to rethink financial matters. Be wary of making new investments or taking new risks. It is also a good week to cut back on expenses, store the money you would’ve used on clothes or books and save it. Stick to the plans you’ve made. Kali suggests to embrace a no mercy policy when it comes to financial plans. Cut back on any purchases that aren’t necessary. The baboon card is suggesting that there could be a communication issue of some kind, whether this is with family or friends or a partner applies to you, the interpreter. Don’t hide your emotions, the Void-of-Course moon and Kali are saying that no good can come of doing so. You may need to meditate and contemplate what you would like to say, but it needs to come out. The Knight of Swords, reversed, is telling you that there may be overconfidence causing chaos in your life. This week is a good time to check yourself and reevaluate your circumstances, as there is a slowing down of progress. 

Group 2: Amethyst

You got Full Moon Fire, Beaver, First Quarter Moon, Waxing Crescent Moon, Full Moon in Cancer, and the Knight of Wands.

I find it interesting that the Full Moon Fire card jumped out, because as of this drawing its an Aries full moon. This week will have a lot of Aries energy. This week there may be the successful completion of a creative project that you may have started. You will most likely receive the desired outcome of this project. Aries Full Moon will give you this confidence to impress others with your determination to win. You’re satisfied, sit back and relax. Beaver wants you to turn longing into reality. Challenges are coming, but the universe is testing you; face these challenges with confidence. Waxing Crescent Moon is urging you to commit to what you want, but you may need to put in just a little more effort. Don’t give up! Everything will be okay in the end, stay positive. The Full Moon in Cancer card suggests that there may be an explosion of feelings this week. You’ll need to be sensitive to others when it comes to facing the challenges I talked about earlier. Tap into your femininity this week, regardless of gender identity. This week is a good time to overcome any insecurities and resolve family conflicts. Knight of Wands says that you may be being controlled by your impulsive nature, leading to unfinished projects and business. This week you need to follow through and finish what you start. If you chose this pile, you may resonate with aspects of pile 3.

Group 3: Rose Quartz

You got 8, the Knight, 1, the Volcano, Ishtar, Scarab Beetle, Full Moon Eclipse, and Death, reversed.

Right off the bat, I know that there’s a stigma around the Death card. But receiving this card in a reading is not always a bad thing. I’m seeing a lot of water and fire energy, specifically Pisces, Cancer, and Aries. You may be one of these signs or know someone with sign, or even have these signs in your chart. Based on this reading, you may also relate to some aspects of the Group 2 reading. With the Knight card, it seems as though you may have some motherly energy this week. You’ll feel this protective nature for maybe a friend or family member. This is the cancer energy coming through this week. The Scarab Beetle takes the things that are expelled and tossed, dung, away and turns it into something it can use, the dung ball. This week it seems like a good time to be malleable and inspired to be artistically creative. You’ll need to be easy on yourself this week and get back on track as a situation reaches a peak. This situation in question seems to be out of your hands now. Change is inevitable and resistance is counterproductive this week. Take strong, positive action this week!

Whether your reading was good or bad, in your interpretation, these are only to guide you, not give you definite answers!!

[spamzineglasgow]

(REVIEW) A Context in Flux: Azad Ashim Sharma’s ‘Against the Frame’

In this review, Maria Sledmere explores the representation of global conflicts and everyday politics of hybridity, identity, xenophobia and experimental poetics within Azad Ashim Sharma’s debut publication, Against the Frame (Barque Press, 2017).

That brings us back to what the ambition of theory may be -- what theory desires. That's difficult to answer, but I think a theory should go beyond illuminating the deep structure of an event, object, or text, should do more than establish or embellish the framing discourse within which this object of analysis is placed. What the theory does first of all is respond to a problem. You look at what you can't use -- you look at the explanations you have for something and you feel that they aren't translatable, that they don't adequately illuminate something about another form of thought, or the event of a thought. So you are moved to begin to rethink.

— Homi Bhabha

> Azad Ashim Sharma’s collection Against the Frame (Barque Press, 2017) is dedicated in memory of his grandparents, A. B. Kazi and Zainab Ebrahim Asvat. This is a book that speaks to the lineages of the personal as much as the political; to imply some sort of separation between each would be to deny the woven threads of oppression, racism and prejudice as they play out in lived experience. Against the Frame is a book of contemporary Britain in the context of racialised phobias, charged disasters on a global scale, intergenerational traumas and media distortions. Comprising 42 pages of untitled lyric poems, it’s a restrained, brooding navigation of love, solidarity, terror and belonging in all its loaded forms. It lashes when it must, devastates with softer images then cuts to the chase like a certain look exchanged across the platform of a tube station. It works by sequence, contrast, accumulation. Its tone is monochrome, London fog with splashes of scarlet.

> When Homi Bhabha talks of a move towards beginning ‘to rethink’, he means with theory, but that’s not to exclude poetry. For Sharma’s poetry does nothing if not engage with theory, within the fraught realm of a present defined by problematic frameworks of racialised identity, hierarchy and myth. A South London poet of mixed Islamic-Hindu heritage, Sharma is well-poised to unpack these conflicts, as they play out not just in the news, but also in the embodied discourse of the street. Against the Frame engages with ongoing conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, portraying the feedback loops of media representation and everyday interaction. The deceptively ‘simple’ form of the short lyric becomes the ideal stage for intervening within our culture of soundbites and throwaway social media posts. Sharma will show up the terrible collage of our hyper-mediated present with an Imagist’s precision:

More white foreskins must preen like satire with human rights to vote offence and make Arab grave for occidental cenotaph spectaculars.

The often deadpan tone serves to heighten the intensity of the subjects presented. It wouldn’t be quite right to simply say Against the Frame is a ‘polemic’; its lyrics are subtler than the term implies; Sharma uses dramatic or explicit images with simultaneous conviction and restraint. Images of body parts detached from bodies highlights an absurdism around questions of definition, the arbitrary ornamentation of all that identifies our heritage, our skins, our moralised standing. Sharma constantly shows up Western hypocrisies through the lens of specific events as they ricochet between the scene of occurrence and their media and political reception back in Britain and/or Europe.

> In a way, what Sharma offers us is shortcuts to these fraught and complicated issues. I mean shortcuts not to sound reductive, but in fact an expansion, a kind of portal to accessing almost unthinkable knowledges, narratives and trauma. I mean shortcuts in relation to the elliptical tension of two lines that offer so much, that speak so much to what we can or cannot know, that gesture towards the deceptively neat tragedies that our sociopolitical systems propagate: ‘Everything has slipped away / into the algebra of the ballot box’. I mean also shortcuts that hold complexity within the torque of discursive ironies:

Precarity has become the buzzword for whiteness. A whiteness so world interior that it mistakes itself for the critique of itself & forces that critique upon us.

There’s the understatement of the ampersand, the sense that Sharma so adeptly shows up the hypocrisies of white logic, the workings of white universalism, via the cutting restraint of what resembles a philosophical argument. Sharma reveals how one accepted, mainstream proposition or assumption can be so easily undermined by its own logic, the way it plays out. Hearing Sharma read, however, these lyrics acquire by their very reasoning, their surprising warmth, a force that touches the compasses of both emotion and ‘common sense’. Live, Sharma reads in a way that is powerful and ‘held’, as well as conversational (his frankly incredible two-and-a-half hour SOAS Radio interview attests to this). There is a voice in these poems: for all their sweep and politics, their ability to comment on a general occurrence, their restrained ‘I’, the voice is there like a current, a charge, a bringing together of specificities. A threading, rather than congealing of experience. The voice responds to a problem, the poems stage the coming towards the event of a thought. Sharma’s ‘We’ is a statement of solidarity, a drawing together of histories of oppression. His ‘us’ is generous, empathetic, vulnerable, potential with united strength. Writing in Threads (2018), Nisha Ramayya argues:

I think of the weaving frame as a context in flux, that may be moved and expanded across spaces and times, that may transgress national borders and rational systems, a potentially unlimited context. I think of threads as parts that frame, as repetitions that enable memory, destruction and recreation, as continuities that loop and accrue meaning.

Being Against the Frame is to be against the frame: the representation that holds in singular, that imposes one narrative upon a plural experience of difference and identity in space and time. Ramayya’s revised sense of the frame is one that catches hybridity in its many woven strands. The way Sharma draws in the dialogue tags of familiar platitudes and wrenches them astray with control and poise feels a bit like weaving, or at least reworking in the sense of a craft, a generative movement towards production, expression, improvisation or inhabited pattern. I can’t help but think also of the work of pace and echo, the soulfulness of honesty, the pass between the ‘I’ and the ‘you’, the double consciousness of the seeing and seen, the collective and singular held within a hybrid identity:

When we look in the mirror we are made to fear ourselves. When you look in the mirror you see the victim, the innocent. And you say these images are easy, simple, don’t experiment with your language enough!

Here, Sharma challenges common Anglo-American critical receptions of BAME poetry, which tend to read work solely by way of the poet’s racial identity, ignoring vital innovations in form within their work. To write of that familiar trope, the glance in the mirror, is apparently to lack ‘experiment’, to write with ‘easy, simple’ images. I can’t think what it is, but those last two lines compellingly echo for me. Almost like a Basho haiku, a spellbinding line from Ariana Reines or a familiar Imagist lyric I can’t quite place. The direct ‘you say’, which speaks beyond the event of the reader encountering this particular poem, and gazes hard at entire histories. In the way that H.D.’s rich and mythical lyrics challenged perceptions and receptions of gender and sexuality in women’s poetry, Against the Frame unravels the myths of racialised experience by forging a space for concrete realities of daily struggle. Sharma defies you to shut down or dismiss that powerful image of the mirror, the duality of terrorist and innocent, inside and outside, held in the self contained by mainstream representation.

> His work is experimental in its suffusion of image, the clarity of sentiment delivered in complex affects which cut across genres, discourses and times. To say this is ‘contemporary’ is to acknowledge the historical context of its occurrence, but also to emphasise the ongoingness of its tensions in the public and private spheres of the mind and the street, the self and the city, the comment section and the television. Some of Sharma’s lines are beautiful and striking in their simplicity, lines that demand to be read again and again like crashing waves, whose interruptions are the fissures we cleave by policy and political gesture:

My drowning nourishes your eyes and in your passivity overflowing all passivity before the stimulation you ban my existence without an apology.

Of course the word ‘ban’ would link me to Bhanu Kapil’s stunning Ban en Banlieue (2015), a strange kind of lyric, prayerful novel which follows its young brown (black) female protagonist home from school in the insurgent moments of a riot. A novel which quotes from Giorgio Agamben, ‘To ban someone is to say that no-one may harm him’. Ban herself ‘is a dessicated form on the sidewalk’. To dessicate is to remove the juices, the moisture of something, often for preservation. The banning of someone’s existence is, Sharma’s poem suggests, an act of self-preservation. What dessicated bodies must we keep on the streets to hold our nation? Sharma asks such questions in the braided turns of an intimate poetics of the body, of the polis, of the everyday. What is staged goes beyond the term ‘micro-aggression’ and accumulates throughout these short lyrics as a scarlet thread of pain, a woven history that binds its heritage to the unfolding contemporary. As with Claudia Rankine’s Citizen (2014), subjectivity in all its tensions is essayed through scenes of daily encounter, through weighted shifts between the ‘I’ and the ‘you’ and the ‘we’. Whose clothes do we wear, whose skin do we share, how does this matter, what language becomes us now?

> ‘This montage is a garb for unfreedom’, Sharma writes. I think of poetic form, and something Lisa Robertson says about how garments are ‘lyric structures’. These poems envelop you, they are a distinctive ‘garb’; they make fraught visibility of their subject in the world. Sharma’s montage of detail is a clustering, held quick in the space of short lyric. You can read all these poems at once, as I did walking through the park on an incongruously bright May day; their sequence demands a sort of anxious thirst from the reader. Yet this imperative is also held on a single page, that space of clearing and tension and dwelling. The way the poet might juxtapose within a line two fraught images: ‘like bullets in a kidney | like mud on an eyelid’, the staged virgule highlighting what can be done in the 'special now’ of lyric poetry (Jonathan Culler), what comparisons made. One simple trace of mud to weigh up against a bullet shot through an organ. We think about violence, the marks we leave. We think about writing.

> With fresh and commanding expression, Sharma recalls myriad acts of violence, social exclusion, economic oppression and cognitive dislocation within the racialised, xenophobic space we call this nation. He probes ‘ways of knowing’ in the pointed, short-circuited era of ‘gunpoint’ and ‘discount’, the ‘known chaos’ of mass media and its vortex of paranoia and accusation. If the frame is that which stages one event, often anachronistically, in the context of another, then to be ‘against’ the frame is to offer alternative shortcuts to diversity within representation. The work of lyric as the work of the chorus or commons, but also as the work of empathy, a coming towards understanding, a making space for thought. What Bhabha says of theory rings true for Sharma’s poetics: this is a rejection of existing frames for thinking racialised experience, a woven, experimental movement that finds space in its formal poise for translating racialised conflicts, contradictions and the ‘climate of fear’ kept aflame by the hostile temperatures of mass media discourse.

~

Endnotes

I recently heard Sharma read for the first time at an 87 Press event held at Typewronger Books in Edinburgh, alongside Dom Hale, Callie Gardner and Gloria Dawson. The way he delivered poems from this collection, as well as several new ones, interlacing personal anecdotes, shout outs and apologies for (I’m possibly glossing here) being ‘a South London poet in Scotland, complaining about South London’, marked a warmth and openness that went beyond the space of that bookshop, that Saturday eve. A maturity and sobriety that challenged my own sense of what poetry can do, the conversations and intimacies it might spark, the space and care and attention it holds. Sharma’s SOAS Radio interview is such a trove of musings on personal histories, higher education, politics, philosophies of hybridity and the contemporary poetry scene, not to mention an excellent playlist of UK dubstep, jazz, blues, rap and more. It’s rare that poets get so much radio time, let’s face it, so do have a listen :)

Against the Frame is out now via Barque Press and can be purchased here. 

Text: Maria Sledmere

[carnivaloftherandom]

Art and consequences

Art is a mirror. Art is a lingua franca of our psychosocial selves, both individually and collectively. It can be aspiration or illustration, and it can also be invitation or incitement. What it cannot be, is neutral. All art comes from a point of view, it is inherently subjective (everything is, but if you haven’t familiarized yourself with inherent/implicit bias yet, you have Google,) and it can, in the best and worst ways, be dangerous.

Before anyone opens their mouths to cry, “Freedom of speech/expression,” I’m not saying people CAN’T make difficult art, or that anyone is excluded from tackling any subject. What I’m saying is: we need to stop thinking that just because we CAN, that we have the right to. Just because we can, doesn’t mean we should.

Alternative history, in fiction, is often predicated on specific points that are contentious in our contemporary lives. The big, “What if’s?” reduced to, “The Nazis won,” “The Conferedacy won,” “JFK weren’t assassinated,” and in America, yes, these are extraordinarily powerful cultural and historical moments, but there’s an inherent laziness to those questions that represents both a denial of our contemporary reality, and which almost always denies the voices of those marginalized by society who have also been the TARGETS of extreme violence, by the history that already exists.

Art can absolutely represent a danger to the status quo, but that danger is not singular in focus. The status quo may be a power structure which is abusive, or the fragile gains already made towards disrupting it. If we’re producing fictions which posit the victory of what the majority collectively accepts as evil (Hitler, the Holocaust, the Civil War, Slavery, et al,) or the eliminating an evil event, (the assassinations of JFK, MLK, RFK, etc,) we’re still, very often simply playing pretend in ways that don’t require us to truly confront either the roots of that evil or the fact that even avoiding what we view as turning points in our history, doesn’t change who we are now, nearly enough. Most of Alternative History in fiction, is a pulled punch.

A fictional lens of “Alternative History,” also ignores that we not only live in an era of, “Alternative facts,” right NOW, it completely elides that what we even call, “History,” is an extensively Bowdlerized, sanitized, often US or European-centric version of things, to begin with. The daily gaslighting of the current US administration, the convenient deletion of documentary evidence from the digital sphere, the competition for control of the narrative, these are neither new tactics nor do they lend credence to the assertion that fictions can be illustrative to the masses in a productive way, even with the best intentions. Which leaves me wondering why we don’t see more fictions that subvert what we think we know about history to begin with. The answer of course, is that those subversions would lead to questions which make us uncomfortable. If we looked at history and said, “What if people we think of as Other, were instead dominant, or even just important within the narrative as we know it, what does that look like?” Having non-white people or women or people with disabilities or Queer folks as central figures might be a little too dangerous to the power of the status quo. We’re waging daily battles for what is and isn’t true in the Now, and we’re not prepared to accept that everything we know and accept as true, might be wrong.

Within 24 hours, I witnessed HBO announce Confederate and a piece of DC Comics’ licensed Junior’s apparel bearing the Superfamily symbol in the colors of the Confederate Battle Flag, in a SW Pennsylvania Walmart. These things are not unrelated, and that is terrifying. Our present is the history of the future, and that present is full of a small, but incredibly vocal and violent group of people who want to be affirmed in being “Patriots,” who want a, “Race war,” who think that there’s no disconnect between, “Truth, Justice, and the American Way,” and the colors of an army who committed treason and sedition, and who LOST their bid to secede in order to preserve the enslavement of human beings to perpetuate their wealth and economic dominance. A piece of fiction that shows a contemporary or near future where they won, or at least won ENOUGH, not only validates their ideology but empowers it with the possibility that if it were fought again, they could indeed win, isn’t a deterrent at all. This, on top of the year and change of, “What if Captain America was a Nazi all along,” (spare me the party line on “Hydra aren’t Nazis,” we’re really not going to have that debate and I started reading comics in 1977, you are not in any way equipped to have that debate WITH ME, or my MOM who started reading comics in the 1950s. Shoo.)

I often write about the power of social inhibitors and the danger of social disinhibition. Media is a powerful vehicle for ideas, art is a powerful vehicle for ideas. Studies of how story can expand our capacity for empathy and alter our thinking and behaviors in daily life, back me up on this. When we internalize concepts, good or ill, they stick. If we collectively decide that we accept/don’t accept things, we exert pressure to conform. Sometimes we enact laws to that effect (the 13th amendment, with its infamous loophole, is a prime example of both the good/ill. Slavery is not acceptable, but punishment for a crime voids that.)

Sometimes, we simply exert gradual social pressures (It’s not acceptable for Non-Black people to use the N-word, and we respond to it negatively in most contexts,) which evolve over time, but where consequences are not legally enforced. It’s not illegal to be a bigot, outside of narrow definitions, but you may be ostracized for it. When that threat of being socially shunned disappears, as we’ve seen in the last couple of years, behavior changes. When a candidate/officeholder encourages bigotry, people become more willing to express their own bigotry without fear of consequence. We’ve had a rise in hate crimes, online abuse has skyrocketed, and policies which enable bigotry are being enacted daily.

Art is a mirror. It is a choice whether that mirror reflects a reality that validates our worst impulses or our better angels. Every single person who creates, has to make a choice about what they’re trying to say and how they say it, and most especially, whether THEY are the right person to say it. Once it is made and out in the world, you can’t take it back. That’s something that ought to give creators pause, when engaging in complex ideas: You can’t take it back, and you will be held responsible. It doesn’t mean don’t engage in those ideas, it means that if you think your intent and execution will be crystal clear, you’d damn well better talk it through with the people who will pay the price for it, if you’re not.

Art has consequences.

And with regard to the over reliance on genocidal history for alternative exploration, a personal note: it’s really easy to tackle those periods with the, “What if they won?” scenario. The conflicts are built-in. If you’re writing alt-history, you might consider what happens if these massive evils never existed at all. For example, What If:

- the transatlantic slave trade never happened

- the Roman Empire did not fall under the rule of despots. (Including the Roman Province in Africa)

-The Irish Potato Famine never happened

-The Black Plague never happened

-The Conquistadors were repelled by the Indigenous peoples.

-Columbus was lost at sea

-The Inquisition never happened

If you can’t look at the ripple effect of those events and work out the ways in which the world power balance, economic, social, religious, and scientific discovery shifts, along with the new conflicts that would arise on a geopolitical axis with their absence, perhaps you should rethink your qualifications to write alternative history at all because world-building is bigger than one thing.

*if you find any of my writing valuable in any way, the tip jar is: PayPal.me/kristenmchugh22

[forsetti]

On Internal Struggles: Eliot Ness Versus Jim Malone

As I've said many times on this blog, I write mostly as an avenue to vent.  I vent in order to release the mental pressures of being a self-aware person who treasures truth in a world where superficiality, intellectual laziness, and ignorance have become badges of honor for a lot of folks.  This pressure has been turned up to eleven the past few months to the point where I am having a hard time releasing it fast enough to keep me sane.  One reason for this build up of pressure is because I'm not as busy at work this time of year so I have far too much mental free time.  Another and much more significant reason is the sheer amount of dumbfuckery and bullshit that's been thrown around by conservatives and by far too many on the left.  Dealing with this from just one side is often overwhelming. Dealing with it from two fronts has pushed things, at times, almost to the point of depression.

On top of all of this, I've had to seriously rethink strategies and attitudes about how to think about and deal with certain individuals and groups of people.  How do I think about and treat someone who has been more than willing to stand up and vote for thinks completely antithetical to everything I believe?  How do I think about and treat people and organizations who spent the past eight years lying about, obstructing, and demonizing facts, laws, precedents, history, and President Obama, who are now demanding “unity” and “bipartisanship”?  How do I think about and treat people who spent the past eight years using every negative, derogatory, and racist term around to talk about Michelle Obama and her two girls, who are now demanding no one say a mean thing about Melania or Barron Trump?  How do I think about and treat Republican leaders who met the night of President Obama's first inaugural to lay out a strategy of obstructing and denying anything the new president put forth, even though we were in the midst of a major economic crisis, who now are saying Democrats need to work with them for the good of the country? How do I think about and treat these same Republicans who let a Supreme Court seat go unfilled for almost a year, refused to even hold hearings for the nominee, and made up reasons for doing so out of whole cloth, who are now lecturing Democratic Senators for wanting to see ethics reports on Cabinet nominees before holding hearings? How do I think about and treat so-called progressives who did everything they could to damage the candidacy of Hillary Clinton, who are now whining about all the anti-progressive things being proposed by the new administration?  How do I think about and treat these same “progressives” who berated anyone who tried to talk to them about their horrible behaviors and piss-poor strategy, who now are having second thoughts about them?  How do I think about and treat people who are proud of being ignorant and deny basic facts.  How do I think about and treat people who did everything they could to make sure Hillary looked bad and didn't win, who are now demanding we all join forces to resist the Trump administration?

All of these and more keep churning in my head and so far I don't have any good, easy answers.  One reason I'm having such difficulty with all of this is because I've been able to hold and take a theoretical stance about things most of my life.  It is easy to “stay above the fray” when the fray doesn't really impact your life.  Believing progressives should always take the high ground is great in theory, but not very practical against an opponent who cares less about ethics, rules, and standards of behavior.  Believing you should always treat people with respect is great in theory, but not practical against those who refuse to treat you the same.  Believing everyone has reasons for why they do and say what they do is wonderful, but it is a gross mistake to think and treat their reasons as being good and rational.

Part of the problem is my Christian upbringing of “turning the other cheek” and “loving your enemy” is in conflict with the pragmatic side of my nature.  It seems the more progressives “turn their other cheek” the harder they get slapped by conservatives. The more we “love our enemy,” the more our enemy damages and takes away the very things we cherish the most.  At some point, the definition of insanity-”doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result,” has to set in and a lesson needs to be learned.  I feel like part of me is Eliot Ness in “The Untouchables” wanting to do things squeaky clean, by the book, and above board against an enemy who has no guiding rules other than do whatever it takes to win.  Then, there is the other part of me that is Sean Connery's character in the movie, Jim Malone, “You wanna know how to get Capone? They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That's the Chicago way! And that's how you get Capone. Now, do you want to do that? Are you ready to do that?”  It's this battle to find a balance between these two sides that is causing me so much trouble. I don't think I'm alone in this struggle.  I see Democratic members of Congress going through this right now in deciding whether or not to do their civic duty to protect and help the American people as best they can or take a firm stand against the new administration by not supporting anything it does even though by doing so they are going against their beliefs about how government should work and their desire to help people.  I understand this internal conflict.  There isn't an easy answer.  Part of the reason it is so difficult is because these are not even close to ordinary circumstances.   I didn't like Ronald Reagan or George W. Bush but on some level, they played by the rules.  Even though they had some really horrible ideas and policies, on some level they respected the history, standards, and protocols of running the country.  There was a common understanding and agreement everyone could work from no matter what the disagreements.  This commonality no longer exists. It's been eroded and destroyed intentionally by conservatives over the past twenty-three years.  It started with Newt Gingrich when he became Speaker of the House and adopted an aggressive, anti-cooperation, demonize your opponent at every opportunity approach to governing.  As time passed, conservatives have taken Newt's strategy, modified and amped it up to the point where not only do they run their campaigns on bragging about not cooperating, they have completely destroyed all notions of standards and protocols. They are so wedded to this strategy, they willingly vote against their own bills and abandon their own policy ideas if it looks like Democrats will vote for them.  The Dream Act?  Backed by a lot of Republicans right up to the moment it was supported by President Obama, then it suddenly became horrible policy.  Cap and Trade? Supported by a large number of Republicans until Democrats proposed it.  Health care reform with an individual mandate to help fund it? A Heritage Foundation idea that was implemented by a Republican governor in Massachusetts, that suddenly became a “socialist takeover of the American health care system,” when the Democratic president suggested it.  Raising the debt ceiling?  Never an issue when a Republican is the president but an existential crisis when a Democrat holds office.  Shutting down the government when they don't get their way?  Only been done by Republicans.  Holding up a Supreme Court nominee leaving the Court without being fully staffed?  Never been done in history until last year by the Republican-led Senate. Norms, protocols, standards...none of these things mean anything to today's conservatives.  They are fighting with knifes while progressives have been fighting back with scathing editorials.  They aren't going to change.  In fact, they have been and only gotten worse because they haven't suffered any consequences for their behaviors.  This needs to change.  It's time for progressives to become less Eliot Ness and more Jim Malone. This means progressives need to put aside some of their beliefs and attitudes about “playing fair” and “playing nice.”  This doesn't mean we have to adopt the devoid of ethics strategies of conservatives, but we have to be willing to play hard and mean when necessary.  It is possible to be tough but not lower ourselves to the same level as conservatives.  Of course, this is a very difficult balance to achieve but is necessary if we are going to compete against an opponent who has no regard for the rules.  The same goes for dealing with individuals.  I don't need to resort to name calling or personal attacks when dealing with someone who uses these tactics on me, but I certainly can throw their own “logic,” words, arguments, and strategies back on them.  I can point out their hypocrisies.  I can cram facts down their throat at every turn.  I can hold them accountable for the consequences of their actions and decisions.  If they howl they are not being treated fairly, too fucking bad.  They forfeited the right to judge and bitch about behavior a long time ago.  They need to pay a price.  The best way to make them pay is to vote them out of office.  As long as they are allowed to win elections, they will not only never change, they will only get worse (as we've seen this last election.)  They need to be politically marginalized.  This means voting for the progressive who has the best chance of beating them.   If there is a Republican and a Democrat on the ballot.  Vote for the Democrat even if they aren't the best Democrat.  A bad Democrat is infinitely better than the best Republican right now in American politics.  Every time we allow Republicans to win an election, we are rewarding their bad behaviors. Saying, “both parties are the same” or “there is no difference between the candidates” is nothing more than bringing a knife to a gun fight.  Whenever this happens, we are going to lose and lose badly.

It's time to get away from the theoretical world us progressives love so much and get down to the dirty business of politics.  This doesn't mean we abandon our ideals or what we really want to see happen.  It just means none of those things are even remotely a possibility without having the power to make them happen.  This power is never going to be given to us and we aren't going to get it without a tremendous fight.  Conservative white men have had power for centuries.  They aren't going to cede it without fighting for it tooth and nail.  They have shown how badly and dirty they'll fight to keep it and they haven't even scratched the surface of how low and nasty they'll go.  American fascism is being built and centered on white male dominance.  You don't fight fascists with scathing arguments.  You fight them with necessary and justifiable force.  If they have a march of 400,000 people.  We march with a million.  If they impose voter restrictions that impact 100,000 minorities, we go out and register 250,000.  If they impose Muslim registrations, we all register as Muslim.  If they roll out a heavily armed force against a Black Lives Matters protest, we surround the protesters as a protective buffer.  The one thing we shouldn't do is “turn the other cheek.”  

This brings me to Democrats in Congress.  Initially, it looked like they were going to oppose Trump, especially when it came to his highly unqualified cabinet appointees.  So far, this hasn't happened.  Not even a little bit.  They just voted to for Ben Carson to be head of HUD, Nikki Haley to be the US Ambassador to the U.N., and it doesn't look like they are putting up any resistance to Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State or any other nominee when it comes time to vote. The argument given is Dems want to “pick their battles” with Trump.  What the fuck?  Everything Trump has suggested, every single Executive Order so far, every single nominee has been an all-out war against progressivism and Dems are focused on winning a battle here or there?  The U.S. unemployment has skyrocketed, Muslim refugees have been banned, a wall is being built on the Mexican border, massive voter registration restrictions have been passed, the U.S. has undermined NATO, women's rights have been crushed, a trade war with China was started, ACA was repealed, the social safety nets gutted, massive tax cuts for the rich passed...but Dems stopped Trump from putting somebody on the 7th Circuit Court?  That's the fucking strategy?  I'm being told they are doing this to be “pragmatic.”  I'm a devout pragmatist.  This isn't pragmatic. This is stupid.  And, all the so-called “progressive icons” like Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Sherrod Brown are willingly playing along with this strategy.  Again, I understand why they are doing this.  They want the government to operate, for norms and standards to have meaning, to not look like they are the reason why people are disillusioned with government.  I get this.  However, their opponent doesn't give a damn about these things.  In fact, their stated goal is to destroy all of these things.  They are playing a different game that doesn't have any rules and they are winning.  You can't defeat them playing a different game with rules.

Conservatives have been waging a war against progressivism for decades.  The Tea Party and Trump are nothing more than the logical outcomes of years of rightwing propaganda and warfare.  Their goal isn't to win a battle against progressivism.  Their goal is to wipe it out.  They now have the political power to deliver a mortal blow.  Now is not the time to be satisfied with winning a battle here or there.  “The environment, minorities, women, the economy...were royally fucked, but we won a minor battle” is not a pragmatic.  This approach isn't even bringing a knife to a gun fight.  It's bringing a month old limp carrot to a gun fight and being proud of your weapon of choice.  Dems are treating things as if they were dealing with normal politics, a normal opponent, a normal administration.  There is nothing normal about Trump, his base or today's conservatives.  They don't play by the rules.  They don't care about standards of conduct.  They don't care about anything other than their ideology.  Viewing and treating the situation differently then this is a huge mistake.  Now is not the time to “turn the other cheek” or “love your enemies” because your enemy doesn't feel remorse, guilt, empathy, sympathy, humanity...that would cause them to stop hitting you.  They are devoid of these traits.  They are sociopathic and will keep hitting you long after the fight has been called and your body is cold and rigid.  If you don't view them for who they are and recognize what they have and will do, they will keep on doing what they do.  

Conservatives have not paid any price at the polls for their horrible behaviors. The main reason why is because Democrats give them cover.  Stop it. Let them own their failures, completely.  Don't vote for a single thing they propose.  You don't need to.  They have the numbers to pass anything they want.  Let them.  But, don't leave your fingerprints on their policies.  If Dems don't vote for a single thing and the country goes bad, they can say it wasn't because of them.  If they take this “win a battle here or there” approach, when things go south, voters will blame them as well as Republicans and Republicans will use this “both sides” to weasel their way out of being held accountable.  The main reasons Democrats took Congress and the White House in the 2008 election was because of the massive failures of the Bush administration.  Trump is going to make Bush look like Lincoln.  Let him fail.  Continually point out how he and the Republicans have failed to deliver on their promises and how their policies have hurt the working class.  But, for God's sake, don't willingly put your fingerprints on the murder weapon.   Somehow, some way progressives need to figure out how to take a high road while fighting dirty.  I know this sound contradictory and maybe it is.  All I know is fighting for what is right by the Marquees of Queensberry Rules against an opponent who doesn't give a fuck about rules isn't working.  No amount of arguing or pleading or understanding is going to convince them to start playing by the rules.  No amount of “reaching across the aisle” is going to stop them from their goal of wiping out progressivism.  Democrats need to come to terms with this and quickly.  I wish it was different.  I wish we could have rational conservations and debates about policy differences.  I wish norms, standards, and protocols mattered to conservatives.  I wish facts and truth were a priority.  I wish half of the country wasn't willing to believe right wing propaganda.  No matter how much I wish these to be true they aren't.  I need to form strategies based on how the world is, not how I wish it was.  I need to be less Eliot Ness and more Jim Malone.  So too do other progressives if we want to preserve the things we believe in.

[ubgamingnews]

Arlene (aka Atty. A) — Chasing ALL Your Dreams (Sprout Rockstar of the Month)

Arlene, or more commonly known here at Sprout as “Atty. A”, is Sprout Solutions’ Legal Counsel / HR Consultant. She shares with us how she realized that if you have more than one dream, you are capable of achieving them all. 

The Early Years

“People always think I had it all easy.  They are wrong. Well, yes, one could say I was lucky growing up. I was living a comfortable life and didn’t really have to worry about money and expenses. There was, however, a point around college where my dad got sick and most of our funds had to be used to support him. My mom even asked me to stop going to school just so we could save money— it was one of the most difficult times in my life.

From there, I realized that I needed to help myself for me to continue my studies.  This was the first time I had to take charge of what I really wanted. So the first thing I did was apply for a scholarship grant for university. Next, I applied for a job.  Initially, the odds weren’t in my favor– I received a lot of rejections due to inexperience and minority. After a dozen applications and repeated begging, I was accepted at Malacañang as a Researcher Intern.  This, however, was not enough to shoulder my day-to-day expenses.

Because of the struggle to make ends meet, I wrote a letter to the Scholarship Committee to possibly consider granting me a full scholarship. Albeit reluctantly, the committee granted the request on the condition that I maintain an overall grade of 1.5 (89-93%). In my head, this was an almost impossible ordeal given that (1) I was working, (2) I was elected as the Policy Board Officer in our organization, and (3) I was being tapped for competitions left and right by the university.  There were a lot of distractions— I barely had time to sleep.  

By a stroke of luck and determination, I managed to reach that “unreachable” grade. I was also given recognition by the Organization and won in all the competitions. Most importantly, for the first time ever, I was able to make ends meet by myself. The thought that kept me going was that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” By the time I graduated, employers were the ones knocking on my door and not the other way around.”

Dream Chasing

“After graduating, my main goal was to have a high enough salary that could pay for my fees to go to law school. Logic dictated that I should be in a sales position. As such, I applied to a sales position with no background in sales at a small company. On my first week, I was the top salesperson in our office.

This caught the attention of management and they asked me what I really wanted to do career-wise. They told me I had the “potential” to be great.  I told them I had always wanted to be a lawyer and that this sales job was just to help save up for law school. In line with this, they moved me to HR where I was in charge with all facets including Labor Relations. It is where I learned the tricks of the trade.  I was a self-starter and worked 18 hours per day on the average. Why did I do it? I was hungry to learn everything and was focused on my goal. From an HR Assistant, I became the HR Specialist then HR Manager then HR Director. I became an HR Director at age 24.”

Straying from the Goal

“At the time, with more responsibilities than when I began and the company grew to a thousand, management convinced me to quit law school.  Why would I want to be a lawyer when I could make money and hire my own lawyer? So I was then convinced that making money was more important than becoming a lawyer and took a 5-year “leave of absence” from school to focus on working. During that time, and with management’s blessing, I had become a board director for 3 different companies.

However, despite the financial success, I wasn’t completely happy. Something was missing but I couldn’t figure what it was. After careful thinking, I decided to go back to law school. More challenges arose when my professors and classmates advised me to quit work because they felt that what I was doing was suicide. I almost quit when I developed serious health conditions such as over fatigue and other stress-related illnesses.  

I proved everyone wrong.  I graduated from law school and started reviewing for the bar exam (while still working, of course!)”

Passing the Bar and Entering Different Industries

“Passing the bar was one of the highlights of my life. I cried like there was no tomorrow… No words can describe how I felt that day.

But that kind of joy and relief didn’t ease my fear of not “making it” in the legal profession. Because of that, I considered kindling entrepreneurial spirit and opened up my own salon and spa. Given that I am always stressed, I wanted a business that caters to “Beauty and Wellness.”

Initially, my law classmates were doubting the idea– but I knew this is what I wanted and trudged on. In a span of six months, I got my ROI and decided to put up a second branch. It is still doing well and will be up for franchise early next year.

On top of that, several of my former employers and friends reached out to me to hire me as their lawyer. It was then I decided to form my law office. For 2 years, I was doing litigation and corporate work. However, because of the criminal as well as civil and labor cases I was handling, I made a lot of enemies. It reached a point that I was so scared for my own life because of the death threats I had received.  I was forced to rethink my career.”

Becoming a Sproutling

“This is when I found Sprout, perfect timing I should say! It was like Sprout was the answer to my prayer to have a career where I do not have to think about making a lot of enemies and at the same time doing what I do best.  Sprout hired me as Legal Counsel / HR Consultant and Data Protection Officer. I am so grateful to Sprout because here, I can have work-life balance and integration.

With Sprout, I can be myself.  I fell in love with the culture and with the people.  Sproutlings are its greatest asset and I am now proud to be one!”

A Shift in the Meaning of Happiness

“When Matthew came, that was it!  My world stopped and suddenly, I felt happy. I felt complete.  My definition of success has changed significantly. Before, it was having a lot of money. Then, it was fulfilling my dream. Now, success for me is being able to do all the things I want in life while maintaining a healthy relationship with my family. Success is spending time with Matthew and ensuring that he grows up to be the good boy that he is.”

“From my journey through my career, I learned that you should always dream big. Growing up, I always wanted to be a lot of things: a lawyer, a singer, an entrepreneur etc.  When people get older, it’s natural to narrow down your goals. But you can do all the things you want if you put your mind to it. The only limit is you quitting.”

Success

“Through the years, I also learned that there is no secret to success.  It’s really (1) faith in God, (2) faith in yourself, (3) proper planning, (4) hard work, (5) learning from failure and rejection and (6) pursuing that elusive road to happiness.

Always remember, the ultimate pursuit of success is happiness.   Nothing is worth it if you are not happy.

I hope that this has inspired you even in a small way.”

The post Arlene (aka Atty. A) — Chasing ALL Your Dreams (Sprout Rockstar of the Month) appeared first on Sprout.

Source: https://sprout.ph/blog/arlene-sprout-rockstar-of-the-month/

[anaandi]

Arlene (aka Atty. A) — Chasing ALL Your Dreams (Sprout Rockstar of the Month)

Arlene, or more commonly known here at Sprout as “Atty. A”, is Sprout Solutions’ Legal Counsel / HR Consultant. She shares with us how she realized that if you have more than one dream, you are capable of achieving them all. 

The Early Years

“People always think I had it all easy.  They are wrong. Well, yes, one could say I was lucky growing up. I was living a comfortable life and didn’t really have to worry about money and expenses. There was, however, a point around college where my dad got sick and most of our funds had to be used to support him. My mom even asked me to stop going to school just so we could save money— it was one of the most difficult times in my life.

From there, I realized that I needed to help myself for me to continue my studies.  This was the first time I had to take charge of what I really wanted. So the first thing I did was apply for a scholarship grant for university. Next, I applied for a job.  Initially, the odds weren’t in my favor– I received a lot of rejections due to inexperience and minority. After a dozen applications and repeated begging, I was accepted at Malacañang as a Researcher Intern.  This, however, was not enough to shoulder my day-to-day expenses.

 Because of the struggle to make ends meet, I wrote a letter to the Scholarship Committee to possibly consider granting me a full scholarship. Albeit reluctantly, the committee granted the request on the condition that I maintain an overall grade of 1.5 (89-93%). In my head, this was an almost impossible ordeal given that (1) I was working, (2) I was elected as the Policy Board Officer in our organization, and (3) I was being tapped for competitions left and right by the university.  There were a lot of distractions— I barely had time to sleep.  

By a stroke of luck and determination, I managed to reach that “unreachable” grade. I was also given recognition by the Organization and won in all the competitions. Most importantly, for the first time ever, I was able to make ends meet by myself. The thought that kept me going was that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” By the time I graduated, employers were the ones knocking on my door and not the other way around.”

Dream Chasing

“After graduating, my main goal was to have a high enough salary that could pay for my fees to go to law school. Logic dictated that I should be in a sales position. As such, I applied to a sales position with no background in sales at a small company. On my first week, I was the top salesperson in our office.

This caught the attention of management and they asked me what I really wanted to do career-wise. They told me I had the “potential” to be great.  I told them I had always wanted to be a lawyer and that this sales job was just to help save up for law school. In line with this, they moved me to HR where I was in charge with all facets including Labor Relations. It is where I learned the tricks of the trade.  I was a self-starter and worked 18 hours per day on the average. Why did I do it? I was hungry to learn everything and was focused on my goal. From an HR Assistant, I became the HR Specialist then HR Manager then HR Director. I became an HR Director at age 24.”

Straying from the Goal

“At the time, with more responsibilities than when I began and the company grew to a thousand, management convinced me to quit law school.  Why would I want to be a lawyer when I could make money and hire my own lawyer? So I was then convinced that making money was more important than becoming a lawyer and took a 5-year “leave of absence” from school to focus on working. During that time, and with management’s blessing, I had become a board director for 3 different companies.

However, despite the financial success, I wasn’t completely happy. Something was missing but I couldn’t figure what it was. After careful thinking, I decided to go back to law school. More challenges arose when my professors and classmates advised me to quit work because they felt that what I was doing was suicide. I almost quit when I developed serious health conditions such as over fatigue and other stress-related illnesses.  

I proved everyone wrong.  I graduated from law school and started reviewing for the bar exam (while still working, of course!)”

Passing the Bar and Entering Different Industries

“Passing the bar was one of the highlights of my life. I cried like there was no tomorrow… No words can describe how I felt that day.

But that kind of joy and relief didn’t ease my fear of not “making it” in the legal profession. Because of that, I considered kindling entrepreneurial spirit and opened up my own salon and spa. Given that I am always stressed, I wanted a business that caters to “Beauty and Wellness.”

Initially, my law classmates were doubting the idea– but I knew this is what I wanted and trudged on. In a span of six months, I got my ROI and decided to put up a second branch. It is still doing well and will be up for franchise early next year.

On top of that, several of my former employers and friends reached out to me to hire me as their lawyer. It was then I decided to form my law office. For 2 years, I was doing litigation and corporate work. However, because of the criminal as well as civil and labor cases I was handling, I made a lot of enemies. It reached a point that I was so scared for my own life because of the death threats I had received.  I was forced to rethink my career.”

Becoming a Sproutling

“This is when I found Sprout, perfect timing I should say! It was like Sprout was the answer to my prayer to have a career where I do not have to think about making a lot of enemies and at the same time doing what I do best.  Sprout hired me as Legal Counsel / HR Consultant and Data Protection Officer. I am so grateful to Sprout because here, I can have work-life balance and integration.

With Sprout, I can be myself.  I fell in love with the culture and with the people.  Sproutlings are its greatest asset and I am now proud to be one!”

A Shift in the Meaning of Happiness

“When Matthew came, that was it!  My world stopped and suddenly, I felt happy. I felt complete.  My definition of success has changed significantly. Before, it was having a lot of money. Then, it was fulfilling my dream. Now, success for me is being able to do all the things I want in life while maintaining a healthy relationship with my family. Success is spending time with Matthew and ensuring that he grows up to be the good boy that he is.”

“From my journey through my career, I learned that you should always dream big. Growing up, I always wanted to be a lot of things: a lawyer, a singer, an entrepreneur etc.  When people get older, it’s natural to narrow down your goals. But you can do all the things you want if you put your mind to it. The only limit is you quitting.”

Success

“Through the years, I also learned that there is no secret to success.  It’s really (1) faith in God, (2) faith in yourself, (3) proper planning, (4) hard work, (5) learning from failure and rejection and (6) pursuing that elusive road to happiness.

Always remember, the ultimate pursuit of success is happiness.   Nothing is worth it if you are not happy.

I hope that this has inspired you even in a small way.”

The post Arlene (aka Atty. A) — Chasing ALL Your Dreams (Sprout Rockstar of the Month) appeared first on Sprout.

source https://sprout.ph/blog/arlene-sprout-rockstar-of-the-month/

[dive-into-marketing]

Learn about brand building through amusing dating stories In this book, Arjun Sen has drawn analogies between customer relations and dating to demonstrate, with various examples, how many routine business policies for customers interactions do not make sense when viewed in the context of dating. Whether one is establishing a corporate or personal brand, this book will come handy with its highly readable, amusing, anecdotal short chapters. The book comes with many examples of Do’s and Dont’s, mostly for the consumer-facing retail businesses. However, the book provides simple tools to translates those to other business or personal situations. Finally, as the name of the book suggests, Customer Karma is all about getting long-term credit towards the relation with one customer at a time, rather than short-term bottom line. Go to Amazon

Excellent content and well presented Loving the title of this book as it fully encapsulates the failings of far too many companies who simply fail to follow through on the promise of good customer service. It's quite simple really. Go the extra mile for a customer and they will return time after time. Fe books capture this sentiment as fully as this book and it is a credit to Arjun Sen that he cuts through the hype to concentrate on what really works. Go to Amazon

I couldn't put it down. A great read which uses personal and engaging story-telling to share business principles that will help keep customers for life! Go to Amazon

A One-night Stand or a Customer for Life? Author Arjun Sen grew up in India. He recounts how Grandma taught him key life lessons that he has applied to his professional work as a brand and marketing executive and consultant. Mr. Sen’s vision for the book is fun, non-nonsense experience-sharing with the promise that readers will think differently about themselves and their customers.The book delivers on that promise with a well-organized approach to rethinking how brands attract and retain customers for life. Mr. Sen uses dating as a metaphor for understanding effective and ineffective ways that brands engage with prospects and customers. A central concept is the near-universal maxim of treating others as you would like to be treated – the Golden Rule. The lessons in Customer Karma arise primarily from a) shifting from short-term to long-term thinking, b) treating customers according to the Golden Rule, and c) making sure that all team members are empowered to create ‘wow’ experiences for customers. The book is an easy but stimulating read that will help you attract and keep more customers or clients for life. Go to Amazon

Your customers...it's a relationship Having spent 20 years in the food and retail industry I've observed thousands of employee to customer and management to employee interactions. Most of us can spot when a respectful and engaging customer service has occurred. We may even point it out as an example at our next staff meeting. But how can this be replicated as a culture that is consistently providing amazing customer service? Not just customer service like "I need a repair" or "I'd like to end my cable contract" but a customer experience that's amazing from start to finish. Customer Karma answers this question. Go to Amazon

Capture the Hearts and Minds of your Customers Arjun Sen captures the science and art of customer centered marketing. He presents his approach in a memorable and fun way. Many organizations profess to be customer centric but they do not understand how to make this a vital and personal aspect of delivering great customer focused products and services. Arjun's experience has provided him with a unique perspective beyond academic rhetoric with a practical and powerful process for centering everything an organization does on meeting the customers needs in a distinctive and more competitive way. Go to Amazon

If you have ever worked in an organization where leaders ... If you have ever worked in an organization where leaders struggle to grasp the value of marketing and why it is increasingly one of the key factors that influence consumer choice – this is the book for you. Customer Karma distills the struggles of building loyalty and preference with consumers to its essential points. These challenges being positioned as similar to the challenges of building a relationship, a process that comes with all of the obstacles and complexity of building trust and camaraderie with another human being. Using the analogies of Karma and courtship, Mr. Sen is able to boil down the ways in which brands can build lifelong loyalty and engagement with customers, all while keeping in mind that brands must understand who they are and what unique value they offer in order to build enduring relationships. Ultimately it is essential to success to treat customers as brands want to be valued. The true application of Karma to the relationship between brand and customer, this is the core concept at the center of this incredibly readable and engaging book. Go to Amazon

It's a nice way to think about long-term efforts and how you ... The way this book is written is such a breath of fresh air. He gets it. You read about some of his personal experiences in marketing (in a charming way) and know that he understands what you want him to understand. If you are in the middle of this business or starting to learn about it, this book is a welcomed perspective from both the marketer's side as well as the customer's. It's a nice way to think about long-term efforts and how you need to get there. It's definitely one of my new favorites. I anxiously await for more. Go to Amazon

For both marketing & operations dept. A really great book designed to change your state of mind on ... A Paradigm Shift in Consumer Marketing Strategy –

[officialsylviahenderson]

Evolving in the Digital Workplace Together

Technology is changing the world.

It’s changing the way we interact with each other, blurring the lines between our physical and digital selves. It’s had a huge impact on our personal lives, with new apps and devices popping up for everything from food delivery, to dating, and more.

Consequently, it’s also changing the way we work. Technology is empowering employees with the tools and processes we need to get our jobs done. Essentially, the rise of Internet and cloud services has triggered a revolution in the workplace, where collaboration, communication, and productivity are no longer linked to physical workspaces or time zones.

The seamless, integrated, collaboration and productivity tools on the market now are breaking down communication barriers, allowing knowledge to be shared at an unprecedented pace, and are making it easier than ever to forge business relationships.

This revolution is called "the digital workplace".

We’ve collected the thoughts of some of the most influential Microsoft MVPs in the industry on the subject of the "Digital Workplace". We asked them three questions each:

Describe for us what the "Digital Workplace” means for you.

Does Office 365 respond to the challenges that arise in the "Digital Workplace"?

In your opinion, what’s next for the "Digital Workplace"?

You’ll find in the following article little nuggets of wisdom that will hopefully challenge the way you see the "Digital Workplace" and its impact on your organization.

Participating Microsoft MVPs

Get a printable version of our “Evolving in the Digital Workplace Together” booklet. Download the PDF now.

Benjamin Niaulin@bniaulin

Product Manager at Sharegate

Describe for us what the "Digital Workplace” means for you.

The Digital Workplace, a concept that has been getting a lot of attention these days. Not to be confused with "Digital Transformation", which I believe to be very different.

To me, the Digital Workplace is really about rethinking how we work and where we work. Blurring the lines between the physical workplace, regular office hours and where work actually gets done.

Does Office 365 respond to the challenges that arise in the "Digital Workplace"?

I think Office 365 is increasingly leading organizations to this change, forcing them to ask themselves difficult questions.

With things like Office 365 Groups, which gives people all the tools they need to get the work done on any device, is one way of doing it. Of course, this includes more than SharePoint or Microsoft Teams... it's really about democratizing some of these services as well.

Effectively changing our traditional workplace into more of a... Digital Workplace.

In your opinion, what’s next for the "Digital Workplace"?

I don't think we've heard the last of it, though I don't doubt we may hear about it under different names.

With technology moving at the pace it is today, organizations will be faced with important challenges. Ones that aren't always planned either! I expect we will see a lot of struggle for those IT teams not embracing this change soon.

Back to list of Microsoft MVPs

Vlad Catrinescu@vladcatrinescu

President at vNext Solutions

Describe for us what the "Digital Workplace” means for you.

The Digital Workplace is a collection of tools that allows to be more productive and to get the job done. Those tools must be integrated, so users do not have to switch context and lose productivity when switching from one app to the other, and they must also be accessible from any device, anywhere in the world.

Does Office 365 respond to the challenges that arise in the "Digital Workplace"?

In my opinion, Office 365 answers the challenges of the Digital Workplace of today, and it keeps evolving to shape the Digital Workplace of tomorrow.

In your opinion, what’s next for the "Digital Workplace"?

The next step in the Digital Workplace is definitely Artifical Intelligence. We've already started seeing this with Bots in Teams, but in the future, Artificial Intelligence will shape how we work, and help us become even more productive.

Back to list of Microsoft MVPs

Eric Overfield@EricOverfield

President at PixelMill

Describe for us what the "Digital Workplace” means for you.

A paperless, collaborative work environment that provides anytime, anywhere access.

Does Office 365 respond to the challenges that arise in the "Digital Workplace"?

Absolutely, the bones are there and the tools get us closer to the end goal. There is room for improvement on guidance and best practices though.

In your opinion, what’s next for the "Digital Workplace"?

A combination of AI and machine learning, with an interface through bot frameworks, that provides workers with the shortest path to the resources they seek.

Back to list of Microsoft MVPs

Antonio Maio@antoniomaio2

Enterprise Architect & Senior Manager at Provitivi

Describe for us what the "Digital Workplace” means for you.

To me, the Digital Workplace means a destination in cyberspace, that I go to everyday, which presents me with the most relevant information I need to get my job done. Its a place where I'm confident that I can quickly find data that's most important to me, where I know that data is secure, where I can easily connect with other people and where I can easily automate tasks that I do all the time.

Does Office 365 respond to the challenges that arise in the "Digital Workplace"?

Office 365 does respond to daily challenges we see in the Digital Workplace!

In your opinion, what’s next for the "Digital Workplace"?

What I'd like to see next are better options for connecting more disparate line of business systems into the Digital Workplace, as well as built-in support for more complex policies and workflows. If we can bring more of our currently disconnected systems into the Digital Workplace, and automate more complex policies and workflows, it will be better positioned to service our day-to-day needs.

Back to list of Microsoft MVPs

Richard Harbridge@RHarbridge

Chief Technology Officer at 2toLead

Describe for us what the "Digital Workplace” means for you.

The Digital Workplace is a term we use to describe the places and tools users use to perform their work digitally. Within a Digital Workplace you will typically find a digital hub (Intranet/Portal), digital collaboration spaces (Departmental Sites, Functional Areas, Meetings & Teams), and digital solutions (Extranets, Business Process & Forms Automation, etc.)

Does Office 365 respond to the challenges that arise in the "Digital Workplace"?

Yes. Not only does it respond to these challenges, but with integration and planning, it can help many organizations meet challenges that exist today and in their future. In other words, it enables our organizations to be more responsive.

In your opinion, what’s next for the "Digital Workplace"?

Organizations are focused on getting the "infrastructure" in place. Social collaboration and networking? Check. Modern integrated digital hub/Intranet? Check. But over time they will begin focusing on improving worker outcomes through digital enhancement or optimization. By focusing on adoption (education and optimization) as well as using new intelligence provided by their Digital Workplace (Office 365 Audit Logs, Workplace Analytics, etc.) worker productivity, impact, and capability will be increased to better compete and meet industry demands.

Back to list of Microsoft MVPs

Susan Hanley@susanhanley

Consultant at Susan Hanley LLC

Describe for us what the "Digital Workplace” means for you.

The Digital Workplace provides an experience for getting work done through the use of connected devices, software and interfaces that are relevant for each person.

Does Office 365 respond to the challenges that arise in the "Digital Workplace"?

Many of them. But supplemental software and connections are likely to be required to realize all of the potential opportunities that comprise the Digital Workplace.

In your opinion, what’s next for the "Digital Workplace"?

More seamless connections; more integrated experiences; more consistent experiences on different devices.

Back to list of Microsoft MVPs

John White@diverdown1964

Chief Technology Officer & Co-Founder at tyGraph

Describe for us what the "Digital Workplace” means for you.

For me, it's another buzzword. It means the same as e-business did in the '90s.

Does Office 365 respond to the challenges that arise in the "Digital Workplace"?

It certainly does much better than any other product suite in the market. It doesn't respond to all of them, but the things it does, it does fairly well, and more importantly, those things are relatively well integrated.

In your opinion, what’s next for the "Digital Workplace"?

I feel that integration is key. The more products diversify, the greater the need for solid integration. Products like Flow and Power BI really bring this home. With integration we really can have best-of-breed without sacrificing interconnectedness.

One area that shows off integration is AI and machine learning, which is also making its presence felt now in the workplace. Without integration, AI can neither learn, nor predict.

Back to list of Microsoft MVPs

Chris Johnson@c_f_johnson

Chief Technology Officer at Hyperfish

Describe for us what the "Digital Workplace” means for you.

A Digital Workplace to me personally is one where someone can work from anywhere, at any time, on their terms and that it is a 1st class experience.

Does Office 365 respond to the challenges that arise in the "Digital Workplace"?

Yes! A key factor in a Digital Workplace is access to their communication and collaboration tools from anywhere in the world. With Office 365 I can get my work done just as easily from a beach in Mexico, as I can from my office desk in Seattle.

In your opinion, what’s next for the "Digital Workplace"?

People need to be able to communicate from across the globe as easily as they do in person. With the advances in augmented reality, I can see some big advances coming in remote communication within the Digital Workplace.

Back to list of Microsoft MVPs

Mark Rackley@mrackley

Chief Strategy Officer at PAIT Group

Describe for us what the "Digital Workplace” means for you.

To me, a true digital workplace means that I can do my job anywhere, anytime, on any device. I can be effective on my phone or my computer to easily and quickly do my day-to-day tasks.

Does Office 365 respond to the challenges that arise in the "Digital Workplace"?

Office 365 overwhelmingly responds to the challenges that arise from the Digital Workplace. With apps like Teams, PowerApps, Flow and the new Communications sites, my options for getting the content I need and collaborating with peers is continually growing. This also creates the challenge of staying on top of the ever-changing landscape to ensure I'm taking advantage of the right tool for the job.

In your opinion, what’s next for the "Digital Workplace"?

I see continued improvements and added functionality to the current suite of apps, enabling companies to get off of dying technology like SharePoint Designer and InfoPath, and eventually SharePoint Classic sites while at the same time providing a better mobile experience.

Back to list of Microsoft MVPs

Jasper Oosterveld@jasoosterveld

Consultant at InSpark

Describe for us what the "Digital Workplace” means for you.

The Digital Workplace makes my work days easier, efficient and overall more fun. I can use the tools I need to get my work done anywhere, anytime and on any device.

Does Office 365 respond to the challenges that arise in the "Digital Workplace"?

Microsoft facilitates the Digital Workplace with Office 365. Office 365 contains the tools & services necessary, allowing people to get the job done.

In your opinion, what’s next for the "Digital Workplace"?

The next phase is intelligence and bots. Providing me with relevant content & people for my work activities. Bots should make my work days even more efficient, by providing me with answers to my questions and executing basic tasks.

Back to list of Microsoft MVPs

Maarten Eekels@maarteneekels

Chief Technology Officer at Portiva

Describe for us what the "Digital Workplace” means for you.

The Digital Workplace is the set of tools that help an employee to get their job done. These tools are not just software, they are devices, physical workplaces, and work times too. These four pillars need to be geared to one another for the Digital Workplace to really work.

Does Office 365 respond to the challenges that arise in the "Digital Workplace"?

To some extent, yes! Office 365 provides the right software tools for a compelling Digital Workplace, and makes it possible to access these tools from any device, anyplace, anytime.

In your opinion, what’s next for the "Digital Workplace"?

We need to start realizing that a truly compelling Digital Workplace is more than "just" software. We need to start embedding physical workplaces and work times as well. The office, whether that being the kitchen table at home or a fancy office space on the 40th floor, is part of our physical workplace, so part of our digital workplace too. Also, the interaction between employees seems to shift to higher gears all the time. We expect high velocity in our conversations, but we need to be able to spend focusing, too. That differentiation should be part of our digital workplace.

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Adis Jugo@adisjugo

Director of Product Technology at Skybow

Describe for us what the "Digital Workplace” means for you.

It is a workplace where all I need for work is someone else's computer.

Does Office 365 respond to the challenges that arise in the "Digital Workplace"?

For the most part, yes.

In your opinion, what’s next for the "Digital Workplace"?

Powerful mobile devices which can turn into computers.

Back to list of Microsoft MVPs

Sean P McDonough@spmcdonough

Chief Technology Officer at Bitstream Foundry LLC

Describe for us what the "Digital Workplace” means for you.

To me, the Digital Workplace means working with complete location and equipment transparency. My tools are likely in the cloud, and I can sit down at any computer with an Internet connection and be productive. This means my office can be anywhere, too. The Digital Workplace makes the distance between co-workers largely irrelevant, because they connect and collaborate online.

Does Office 365 respond to the challenges that arise in the "Digital Workplace"?

Absolutely! Office 365 is filled to the brim with the tools of the Digital Workplace. The Office Suite of tools can still be installed on a workstation, and installing from the Office 365 Portal is a snap with click-to-run. If you want a minimal footprint on your workstation, the Office Web Applications give you the lion's share of Office functionality from the equivalent of a web page.

Combining the Office suite with tools like Microsoft Teams, Skype for Business, and SharePoint enable numerous collaboration scenarios and address key productivity tasks. And that's even before you factor in the numerous other Office 365 tools like OneDrive for Business, Planner, Yammer, PowerApps, Flow, and more!

In your opinion, what’s next for the "Digital Workplace"?

With all of its tools, Office 365 represents an impressive set of capabilities and a phenomenal value. What I see coming next is the integration of all these tools more seamlessly and effectively. Microsoft has made great progress on this already, but a critical component in the Digital Workplace is the ability to focus on data instead of tools. To the extent possible, we'll see progress that "makes the tools go away" so that we can focus on what we're creating rather than on the tool we're using.

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Marc D Anderson@sympmarc

President at Sympraxis

Describe for us what the "Digital Workplace” means for you.

First of all, Digital Workplace - like most buzz phrases before it - has become somewhat meaningless. I think the original intent was to help free information workers for the confines of physical interactions and expand technology-enabled productivity. It doesn't mean that technology solves the business problems, but that better technology tools can help support a new way of working. None of this works without the right cultural and incentive shifts. In many ways, this echoes many movements before it, such as knowledge management, which we've been trying to enable since the mid-1990s.

Does Office 365 respond to the challenges that arise in the "Digital Workplace"?

Office 365 offers capabilities that mostly outstrip the abilities of most organizations, especially larger ones. Microsoft is building capabilities which represent aspirational ways of working that are rare in the real world. This isn't a bad thing, but to many organizations, the mechanisms and techniques in Office 365 feel very foreign - a "not the way we work" perception. I think this is a huge reason for the dreaded "lack of adoption"; the tools don't necessarily reflect the way most organizations actually work, or even the way they may want to work. Ideas at the top about fascinating workplace trends to not usually filter down the common worker very well. All that said, designing for the future of work is the right way to go.

In your opinion, what’s next for the "Digital Workplace"?

Everything! And, unfortunately - in some cases - nothing. As a trend, it will continue and some organizations will alter the way they work. The classic technology adopter curve applies here, and there will be laggards and even organizations which simply never see or receive value from these ideas. I believe in an evolutionary approach to change, not a revolutionary one. That, plus the fact that change for the sake of change - without making people more productive and happier about their work - will mean many failed efforts, as we have seen with most trends in the past. Every change agent should look for smaller wins that can really happen, chipping away at older, less productive ways of working rather than trying to change everything.

Back to list of Microsoft MVPs

Liam Cleary@helloitsliam

Associate Director at Protiviti

Describe for us what the "Digital Workplace” means for you.

The Digital Workplace is the virtual workplace, the place where people and process are first, with technology enabling all aspects of collaboration seamlessly.

Does Office 365 respond to the challenges that arise in the "Digital Workplace"?

Some of them yes, however the key to the digital workplace is not always the technology, though Office 365 does offer lots of capabilities. The ability to rebuild, design and implement end user business processes easily is the key, not Office 365 alone.

In your opinion, what’s next for the "Digital Workplace"?

We see this happening now, but still has some way to go. The blurring of on-premises applications and cloud services from a process perspective will be next. The joining of multiple services and applications together using a connector type approach will be the next logical step. We all still seek the single pane of glass over everything, as of yet this is not a true reality.

Back to list of Microsoft MVPs

Jeremy Thake@jthake

Vice President of Product Technology at Hyperfish

Describe for us what the "Digital Workplace” means for you.

It is where my colleagues and I go to get our work done, on whatever device we have at our finger tips. It's a place to share our contributions with the rest of the organization easily.

Does Office 365 respond to the challenges that arise in the "Digital Workplace"?

Office 365 is the best solution for a Digital Workplace because its all-in-one service. It will only get easier over time, as the service integrates even more closely together. Active Directory sign in and the app launcher were the first. Office 365 Groups was the second and Microsoft Teams will really push this further in 2018.

In your opinion, what’s next for the "Digital Workplace"?

Digital assistants will start to really leverage the context of all the systems you use in your digital workplace. This is starting to happen with Cortana in Windows 10 with calendar events. I foresee lots more suggestions to help you get your job done, based on who you work with, your profile and the content you access.

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Julie Turner@jfj1997

Principal Architect at Sympraxis Consulting LLC

Describe for us what the "Digital Workplace” means for you.

To me, a Digital Workplace is the distributed connectedness that allows someone to be productive, wherever they are: in the office, across town, or across the globe. In recent years, progressive corporate environments have started allowing and encouraging their workforce to detach from their office chair necessitating tools to allow them to remain connected. For me - coming from a family who owns a small business and being a member of a small business myself, where one person must wear many hats, is often juggling many commitments, and is constantly on the go - the need for this connectedness has always been there. It's only been in the last few years we've seen the emergence of technology (hardware and software) that can help make us really productive while on the go. Of course, there's always more to do.

Does Office 365 respond to the challenges that arise in the "Digital Workplace"?

For corporations and larger organizations that work mostly amongst various locations of the same organization where authentication is seamless, I think Office 365 is unparalleled and advancing at a mind-blowing rate. I would say for the small or maybe micro business level, where people are often collaborating amongst many resources that aren't necessarily members of their organization, challenges still exist. Given the general technical and financial limitations of those businesses, the hurdles are harder to overcome.

In your opinion, what’s next for the "Digital Workplace"?

The number of tools out there that help with various types of tasks is overwhelming to most people. Refining the story and seamlessness of those various tools, in my mind, is one of the most important directives.

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Paolo Pialorsi@PaoloPia

Senior Consultant at piasys.com

Describe for us what the "Digital Workplace” means for you.

The set of tools that let you manage your business from wherever you need and with whatever device you like.

Does Office 365 respond to the challenges that arise in the "Digital Workplace"?

I would say 99% yes. Of course, there is always room for improvement, but for sure Office 365 is nowadays one of the best set of services to build a Digital Workplace.

In your opinion, what’s next for the "Digital Workplace"?

Wearable devices and AI will mark the road to the future

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Jussi Roine@JussiRoine

Chief Research Officer at Sulava

Describe for us what the "Digital Workplace” means for you.

No paper forms, tools readily available for any devices, automated processes and an attitude to work for the future.

Does Office 365 respond to the challenges that arise in the "Digital Workplace"?

Yes, and no. A lot of the Office 365 tooling is still very 'classic', while the modern does not match what is needed. It's a buffet table of things where you need to understand what you're allergic to.

In your opinion, what’s next for the "Digital Workplace"?

Teams.

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Andrew Connell@andrewconnell

Founder & Chief Course Artisan at Voitanos

Describe for us what the "Digital Workplace” means for you.

A people-first work environment where technology is a core component to collaboration, decision making and enabling workers to get their job done.

Does Office 365 respond to the challenges that arise in the "Digital Workplace"?

Yes, for the enterprise... not so much for small business.

In your opinion, what’s next for the "Digital Workplace"?

Focus on small business, at least from the Office 365 perspective. Office 365 is great for enterprise where everyone collaborates together, but sharing & working with people outside your domain is still a significant weakness of Office 365.

Back to list of Microsoft MVPs

Darrell Webster@darrellaas

Adoption and Change Management Specialist

Describe for us what the "Digital Workplace” means for you.

A Digital Workplace (DW) is not a place of work, but a way of working. It is tools and organizational culture. DW tools support working from anywhere, connecting people with other people and information, be it at a desk, on the road or while waiting for your coffee to brew. DW culture is inclusive, connected and collaborative. The cultural default is to share skills, ideas, observations - information.

Does Office 365 respond to the challenges that arise in the "Digital Workplace"?

Yes, Office 365 provides the tools to cover most challenges for a Digital Workplace. It offers choice of different communication, collaboration and coordination tools. However, it is up to the organization to create the culture and give guidance.

In your opinion, what’s next for the "Digital Workplace"?

I think work will continue in the search and discovery space, to make information and conversations easier to find. Information through conversation and automation will give us focus, so we don't have to deal with the mundane, but will give us more time to create, discuss, and refine.

Back to list of Microsoft MVPs

Get a printable version of our “Evolving in the Digital Workplace Together” booklet. Download the PDF now.

Hopefully these bits of wisdom have helped you shape an opinion on the Digital Workplace.

The sheer speed at which technology and the way we work is changing, there’s no doubt that these thoughts will continue to evolve. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, bots… The possibilities are endless!

We can’t forget that a workplace is more than just the technology, the space and the tools we use to facilitate our work- it’s also about us, the humans that live it. And as our workplaces are evolving, our expectations as employees are also shifting. As such, organizations that don’t embrace this digital revolution risk falling behind.

What are you waiting for?

Source

https://en.share-gate.com/blog/evolving-in-the-digital-workplace-together

[nicholemhearn]

Moderation II. Rules for Moderates

Is it possible to combine pragmatism and moderate political engagement with a grain of skepticism and a robust commitment to rational discourse and civility? I ask this question from the perspective of someone who believes in the power of moderation, but does not think that moderation is the only answer to our nation’s many problems.

A similar question was asked five decades ago in a different context by Saul Alinsky, whose teachings influenced entire generations of community activists.

At first sight, it might seem odd to invoke Alinsky’s name when thinking about moderation. Yet those who believe that what we need today is a form of pragmatic moderation might stand to gain a lot by reflecting on his pragmatic primer for realistic radicals, Rules for Radicals. There, he made a compelling case for a pragmatic and realistic form of social activism that starts from how the world is, not where we would like it to be. He was a no-nonsense reformer who sought to work within the system while ruthlessly denouncing corruption at all levels and calling for his fellow citizens to rethink the meaning of the American dream.

What would be the rules for realistic and pragmatic moderates in our current political climate?  Here are a few suggestions, drawing upon my recent book, Faces of Moderation, and a previous intervention on the Penn Press blog.

Moderation is an eclectic, complex, and misunderstood virtue that challenges our political imagination (which is accustomed to stark contrasts and the classic left/right dichotomy). It should not be reduced to a simple trait of character, state of mind, or disposition. There is a moderation appropriate to citizens (working with each other to achieve common goals), one that applies to leaders (entrusted with steering the ship of the state), and one that applies to institutions and constitutions. Moreover, moderation can apply to ends or to means, and the two meanings must not be confounded. Similarly, even within revolutionary movements one can find moderate ideas and actors. That is why it is inappropriate to refer to moderation in the abstract, as most conventional definitions and images of moderation do. They often build a straw man that fails to capture the distinctiveness and unique nature of this virtue.

While they have been viewed as opportunistic or weak, in reality, moderates are principled and strong. While they do not believe that consistency (rigidly understood) is always a virtue, moderates are not rudderless in their choices, nor lukewarm in their commitments. They do have a moral and political compass, but choose to affirm it in a moderate way. Thus, moderation is neither indecisiveness nor a synonym of powerlessness. Finally, moderation is not a mere defense or endorsement of the status quo; in reality, moderation can often be a powerful instrument for change, even if there will always be impostors posing as moderates whose conservative agenda is anything but moderate.

Moderates defend the principles of an open society, civil dialogue, and constitutionalism. They have a primary commitment to creating and maintaining an inclusive community that comprises people with whom they disagree. Moderates are partisans of change and reform, but they also believe in balance and proportion; that is why they are concerned about rising inequality as much as about intolerance and ideological intransigence. In general, moderates are skeptical of simplicity and uniformity in political affairs and tend to favor complex political systems and hybrid solutions, including checks and balances, veto power, judicial review, subsidiarity, and federalism, among other things. Moderates favor “neutral power” (as a moderating power above all others), polycentricity, and competing centers of power rather than centralization. [1]

Moderation presupposes a skeptical political style. In general, moderates do not consider themselves authoritative voices or moral authorities entitled to talk down to their fellow citizens; they lack the assurance that would allow them to settle everything forever. They are aware of human fallibility, ignorance, and the role of uncertainty in political affairs. This is why moderates keep an open mind and try to feel and understand the opposite sides of life. In politics, they are skeptical of all those who confidently talk about purity, axes of evil, red lines, and litmus tests, or claim that they alone can fix things. Rather than insisting on purity of principle, moderates encourage all sides to make timely and reasonable concessions that can advance the public good, broadly defined.

Consequently, the universe as seen by moderates is not divided between the forces of good and the forces of evil. It is rather a world made of many shades of gray and lots of nuances, a world that is full of contradictions and tensions, many of which can never be fully resolved. Moderates refuse to simplify reality and know that most political issues have more than one side. Hence, they resist the temptation to define a single best way or offer a one-dimensional definition of the political good; instead, they carefully examine facts and are prepared to modify their beliefs when the facts themselves change. As a result, unlike extremists, moderates are reluctant to interpret political events and policy proposals in light of any single value or principle, whether equality, justice, diversity, or liberty. Instead, they claim the right to hesitate and weigh the pros and cons in order to choose the best possible course of action in each case, given the specific and ever-changing circumstances under which they operate.

Moderates can be found on all sides of the political spectrum, not just the center. They are aware, in the words of Burke, that the activity of governing is founded on compromise and barter: “We balance inconveniences; we give and take; we remit some rights that we may enjoy others.” [2] Moderates are always ready to work across party lines to facilitate agreements for the common good and prevent the country from slipping into chaos. In so doing, they help preserve the fragile balance between diverse social forces and political interests. That is, they prefer to think politically rather than by the book, and they don’t go searching for perfection. Instead of asking whether the end justifies the means, pragmatic moderates prefer to ask, “Does this particular end justify this particular means”? [3]

Moderates believe in the power of dialogue and critical reflection, are committed to civility, and oppose violence. They keep the lines of dialogue open with their opponents even when dialogue becomes difficult or uncomfortable. In so doing, they serve as an example of civility and magnanimity to those who resort to hyperbole, deceptive soundbites, and invective. Moderates refrain from exaggerating disputes or differences. While they defend their ideas and values, they do not close off all space for others’ positions. Moderates do not fly from extreme to extreme, and if they change parties, they do not regard the party they left behind with animosity and scorn.

Moderates do not avoid partisanship, conflict, or controversy. Nor do they seek an easy and superficial overlapping consensus among different groups. As the Italian political philosopher Norberto Bobbio once put it, the task of the moderate is to sow the seeds of doubt about common ideas, challenge received myths, and dogmas. [4] For moderates recognize that an open society cannot function without struggle and contestation. A frictionless world is an abstract one; in the real world, movement or change cannot occur “without that abrasive friction of conflict.” [5] Moderates know that the institutions of an open society can, at best, create an imperfect form of harmony in dissonance, and can never aspire to achieve a full agreement on the meaning of the good society. That is why moderates try to make the most of the tensions, conflicts, and contradictions that make up the real world. The most they can aspire to is a decent form of “reasonable inconsistency,” in the words of an exemplary moderate, the late Polish philosopher Leszek Kołakowski. [6]

Moderation is a difficult, rare, and sometimes risky virtue. It takes patience, discernment, and courage to stick to moderation when everyone around you demands a radical course of action and sees the world through Manichaean lenses. Moderation presupposes forming alliances and working with people who see the world through different eyes than you. It is no coincidence that Albert Camus spoke about “the extenuating intransigence of moderation” and commented on the moderates’ rebelliousness. Being a moderate resembles walking a tightrope: this demands not only intuition, foresight, judgment, and flexibility, but also a great deal of courage and thick skin. Moderates cannot let any particular challenging belief or opponent hurt them. Like a tightrope walker, they must keep their eyes fixed on the target ahead of them.

Appearances notwithstanding, there is always a market for moderation, even in tough times. Democratic regimes cannot properly function without compromise, bargaining, and moderation; this can be a winning card if played wisely. Although it may not be sufficient to create a mass movement, moderation has the great advantage of being an optimistic virtue tailored to human nature, one that aims neither too high nor too low. Because it is neither a fixed ideology nor a party platform, moderation enables different people from many walks of life to take effective action in defense of freedom, toleration, pluralism, limited power, and the rule of law. For example, the Charter ’77 was a moderate dissident movement based on the what one of its leaders, the former Czech President Vaclav Havel, called the “power of the powerless.” [7] At the heart of the Solidarity movement in Poland were the moderate concepts of self-limiting revolution and evolutionism [8]. Both movements effectively challenged the power of communist regimes in Central and Eastern Europe and signaled the beginning of the end of Soviet rule there.

  Lessons Learned from the Rules

Can there be a party of moderates, one might ask?

At first sight, moderates form, as it were, a party without a banner; to speak of a real party of moderates may therefore seem counterintuitive. Yet those who wonder whether moderation can offer a governing platform might want to study the case of the Moderates Party in Sweden (Moderata Samlingspartiet). Founded in 1904, the party took its current name in 1969 and has been part of various coalitions in government. In 1991, its leader, Carl Bildt, became the country’s Prime Minister, a feat repeated in 2006 by Fredryk Reinfeldt (he was reelected in 2010, when the party won 30 percent of all votes, and governed until 2014). The Moderates Party has traditionally defended liberal-conservative policies meant to promote small and efficient government, low taxes and inflation, and small budget deficits.  

For anyone who wants to live in a decent society, moderation remains an indispensable virtue. Moderates are our unsung heroes. They perform a vital role in our society, even if it often goes unacknowledged. In a world in which partisan bias has become so strong that it acts as a kind of prism for selecting (or distorting) only those facts that suit one’s preferences, moderates seek to oppose the exaggerations of all groups and parties. Without them, as John Adams once wrote, “every man in power becomes a ravenous beast of prey.” [9]  

Aurelian Craiutu is Professor of Political Science at Indiana University, Bloomington. His Faces of Moderation: The Art of Balance in an Age of Extremes was released by the University of Pennsylvania Press in 2016.

NOTES

 I borrow the term “neutral power” from Benjamin Constant’s Principles of Politics (1815) and the concept of polycentricity from the writings of Vincent and Elinor Ostrom, founders of the Bloomington School. See http://dlc.dlib.indiana.edu/dlc/bitstream/handle/10535/3763/vostr004.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

The quotation is from Burke’s famous speech on conciliation with America published in Edmund Burke, Pre-Revolutionary Writings, ed. Ian Harris (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995), p. 247.

Saul Alinsky, Rules for Radicals: A Practical Primer for Realistic Radicals (New York: Vintage, 1981; first ed. 1971)., p. 24.

 Norberto Bobbio, A Political Life, trans. Allan Cameron (Cambridge: Polity, 2002), p. 79.

 Alinsky, Rules for Radicals, p. 21.

Leszek Kołakowski, “In Praise of Inconsistency,” in his Toward a Marxist Humanism: Essays on the Left Today, trans. Jane Zielonko Peel (New York: Grove Press, 1968), p. 216.

This is the title of Vaclav Havel’s famous essay on this topic published in 1977.

I have commented on these concepts in Faces of Moderation, pp. 195-203.

      9. The Political Writings of John Adams, ed. George A. Peek (Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1954), p. 89.

The post Moderation II. Rules for Moderates appeared first on Niskanen Center.

from nicholemhearn digest https://niskanencenter.org/blog/moderation-ii-rules-moderates/

[stopkingobama]

Dark Humor from the Socialist Hellhole of Venezuela

Photo source: Pixabay, tpsdave, CC0 Public Domain, https://pixabay.com/en/maracaibo-venezuela-building-old-110257/

Back in 2015, I mocked Venezuelan socialism because it led to shortages of just about every product. Including toilet paper.

But maybe that doesn’t matter. After all, if people don’t have anything to eat, they probably don’t have much need to visit the bathroom.

The Washington Post reports that farmers are producing less and less food because of government intervention, even though the nation is filled with hungry people.

Venezuela, whose economy operates on its own special plane of dysfunction. At a time of empty supermarkets and spreading hunger, the country’s farms are producing less and less, not more, making the caloric deficit even worse. Drive around the countryside outside the capital, Caracas, and there’s everything a farmer needs: fertile land, water, sunshine and gasoline at 4 cents a gallon, cheapest in the world. Yet somehow families here are just as scrawny-looking as the city-dwelling Venezuelans waiting in bread lines or picking through garbage for scraps. …“Last year I had 200,000 hens,” said Saulo Escobar, who runs a poultry and hog farm here in the state of Aragua, an hour outside Caracas. “Now I have 70,000.” Several of his cavernous henhouses sit empty because, Escobar said, he can’t afford to buy more chicks or feed. Government price controls have made his business unprofitable…the country is facing a dietary calamity. With medicines scarce and malnutrition cases soaring, more than 11,000 babies died last year, sending the infant mortality rate up 30 percent, according to Venezuela’s Health Ministry. …Child hunger in parts of Venezuela is a “humanitarian crisis,” according to a new report by the Catholic relief organization Caritas, which found 11.4 percent of children under age 5 suffering from moderate to severe malnutrition… In a recent survey of 6,500 Venezuelan families by the country’s leading universities, three-quarters of adults said they lost weight in 2016 — an average of 19 pounds. This collective emaciation is referred to dryly here as “the Maduro diet,” but it’s a level of hunger almost unheard-of… Venezuela’s disaster is man-made, economists point out — the result of farm nationalizations, currency distortions and a government takeover of food distribution. …The price controls have become a powerful disincentive in rural Venezuela. “There are no profits, so we produce at a loss,” said one dairy farmer.

Here’s where we get to the economics lesson. When producers aren’t allowed to profit, they don’t produce.

And when we’re looking at the production of food, that means hungry people.

Even the left-wing Guardian in the U.K. has noticed.

Hunger is gnawing at Venezuela, where a government that claims to rule for the poorest has left most of its 31 million people short of food, many desperately so. …Adriana Velásquez gets ready for work, heading out into an uncertain darkness as she has done since hunger forced her into the only job she could find at 14. She was introduced to her brothel madam by a friend more than two years ago after her mother, a single parent, was fired and the two ran out of food. “It was really hard, but we were going to bed without eating,” said the teenager, whose name has been changed to protect her. …Venezuela’s crisis has deepened, the number of women working at the brothel has doubled, and their ages have dropped. “I was the youngest when I started. Now there are girls who are 12 or 13. Almost all of us are there because of the crisis, because of hunger.” She earns 400,000 bolivares a month, around four times the minimum wage, but at a time of hyperinflation that is now worth about $30, barely enough to feed herself, her mother and a new baby brother.

This is truly sad.

Our leftist friends like to concoct far-fetched theories of how prostitution is enabled by everything from low taxes to global warming.

In the real world, however, socialism drives teenage girls (or even younger) to work in brothels.

That’s such a depressing thought that let’s shift the topic back to hunger and toilet paper.

Especially since Venezuela’s dictator is bragging that the nation’s toilet paper shortage has been solved!

This is definitely a dark version of satire.

But Venezuela is such a mess that it’s hard to know where to draw the line between mockery and reality.

For instance, here’s another “benefit” of limited food. If you don’t eat, it’s not as necessary to brush your teeth.

And is the socialist paradise of Venezuela, that makes a virtue out of necessity since – surprise – there’s a shortage of toothpaste.

The Washington Post has the grim details.

Ana Margarita Rangel…spends everything she earns to fend off hunger. Her shoes are tattered and torn, but she cannot afford new ones. A tube of toothpaste costs half a week’s wages. “I’ve always loved brushing my teeth before going to sleep I mean, that’s the rule, right?” said Rangel, …“Now I have to choose,” she said. “So I do it only in the mornings.” …The government sets price caps on some basic food items, such as pasta, rice and flour. …those items can usually be obtained only by standing in lines for hours or by signing up to receive a subsidized monthly grocery box from the government… Since 2014, the proportion of Venezuelan families in poverty has soared from 48 percent to 82 percent… Fifty-two percent of families live in extreme poverty, according to the survey, and about 31 percent survive on two meals per day at most.

Isn’t socialism wonderful! You have the luxury of choosing between two meals a day, or one meal a day plus toothpaste!

By the way, the central planners have a plan.

Though it won’t make Bugs Bunny happy.

Rabbit is now on the menu! Here are some excerpts from a CNN report.

Let them eat rabbits. That was basically the message from President Nicolas Maduro to Venezuelans starving and struggling through severe food shortages… The Venezuelan leaders…recommend that people raise rabbits at home as a source of food. …The agriculture minister argued that rabbits easily reproduce and are a source of protein. He also recommended citizens consider raising and growing other animals and vegetables at home. It’s just the latest attempt to try and solve the food shortage problem. The government forces citizens to pick up groceries on certain days of the week depending on social security numbers.

Gee, isn’t this wonderful. The government cripples markets so they can’t function and then advocates people live like medieval peasants.

Maybe there should be price controls on clothing, along with having the government in charge of distribution. That will wreck that market as well, so people can make their own clothes out of rabbit pelts.

I wonder whether a certain American lawmaker is rethinking his praise of Venezuelan economic policy?

Based on what he said as recently as last year, the answer is no.

Republished from Intentional Liberty

Daniel J. Mitchell

Daniel J. Mitchell is a Washington-based economist who specializes in fiscal policy, particularly tax reform, international tax competition, and the economic burden of government spending. He also serves on the editorial board of the Cayman Financial Review.

This article was originally published on FEE.org. Read the original article.

[americanlibertypac]

Dark Humor from the Socialist Hellhole of Venezuela

Photo source: Pixabay, tpsdave, CC0 Public Domain, https://pixabay.com/en/maracaibo-venezuela-building-old-110257/

Back in 2015, I mocked Venezuelan socialism because it led to shortages of just about every product. Including toilet paper.

But maybe that doesn’t matter. After all, if people don’t have anything to eat, they probably don’t have much need to visit the bathroom.

The Washington Post reports that farmers are producing less and less food because of government intervention, even though the nation is filled with hungry people.

Venezuela, whose economy operates on its own special plane of dysfunction. At a time of empty supermarkets and spreading hunger, the country’s farms are producing less and less, not more, making the caloric deficit even worse. Drive around the countryside outside the capital, Caracas, and there’s everything a farmer needs: fertile land, water, sunshine and gasoline at 4 cents a gallon, cheapest in the world. Yet somehow families here are just as scrawny-looking as the city-dwelling Venezuelans waiting in bread lines or picking through garbage for scraps. …“Last year I had 200,000 hens,” said Saulo Escobar, who runs a poultry and hog farm here in the state of Aragua, an hour outside Caracas. “Now I have 70,000.” Several of his cavernous henhouses sit empty because, Escobar said, he can’t afford to buy more chicks or feed. Government price controls have made his business unprofitable…the country is facing a dietary calamity. With medicines scarce and malnutrition cases soaring, more than 11,000 babies died last year, sending the infant mortality rate up 30 percent, according to Venezuela’s Health Ministry. …Child hunger in parts of Venezuela is a “humanitarian crisis,” according to a new report by the Catholic relief organization Caritas, which found 11.4 percent of children under age 5 suffering from moderate to severe malnutrition… In a recent survey of 6,500 Venezuelan families by the country’s leading universities, three-quarters of adults said they lost weight in 2016 — an average of 19 pounds. This collective emaciation is referred to dryly here as “the Maduro diet,” but it’s a level of hunger almost unheard-of… Venezuela’s disaster is man-made, economists point out — the result of farm nationalizations, currency distortions and a government takeover of food distribution. …The price controls have become a powerful disincentive in rural Venezuela. “There are no profits, so we produce at a loss,” said one dairy farmer.

Here’s where we get to the economics lesson. When producers aren’t allowed to profit, they don’t produce.

And when we’re looking at the production of food, that means hungry people.

Even the left-wing Guardian in the U.K. has noticed.

Hunger is gnawing at Venezuela, where a government that claims to rule for the poorest has left most of its 31 million people short of food, many desperately so. …Adriana Velásquez gets ready for work, heading out into an uncertain darkness as she has done since hunger forced her into the only job she could find at 14. She was introduced to her brothel madam by a friend more than two years ago after her mother, a single parent, was fired and the two ran out of food. “It was really hard, but we were going to bed without eating,” said the teenager, whose name has been changed to protect her. …Venezuela’s crisis has deepened, the number of women working at the brothel has doubled, and their ages have dropped. “I was the youngest when I started. Now there are girls who are 12 or 13. Almost all of us are there because of the crisis, because of hunger.” She earns 400,000 bolivares a month, around four times the minimum wage, but at a time of hyperinflation that is now worth about $30, barely enough to feed herself, her mother and a new baby brother.

This is truly sad.

Our leftist friends like to concoct far-fetched theories of how prostitution is enabled by everything from low taxes to global warming.

In the real world, however, socialism drives teenage girls (or even younger) to work in brothels.

That’s such a depressing thought that let’s shift the topic back to hunger and toilet paper.

Especially since Venezuela’s dictator is bragging that the nation’s toilet paper shortage has been solved!

This is definitely a dark version of satire.

But Venezuela is such a mess that it’s hard to know where to draw the line between mockery and reality.

For instance, here’s another “benefit” of limited food. If you don’t eat, it’s not as necessary to brush your teeth.

And is the socialist paradise of Venezuela, that makes a virtue out of necessity since – surprise – there’s a shortage of toothpaste.

The Washington Post has the grim details.

Ana Margarita Rangel…spends everything she earns to fend off hunger. Her shoes are tattered and torn, but she cannot afford new ones. A tube of toothpaste costs half a week’s wages. “I’ve always loved brushing my teeth before going to sleep I mean, that’s the rule, right?” said Rangel, …“Now I have to choose,” she said. “So I do it only in the mornings.” …The government sets price caps on some basic food items, such as pasta, rice and flour. …those items can usually be obtained only by standing in lines for hours or by signing up to receive a subsidized monthly grocery box from the government… Since 2014, the proportion of Venezuelan families in poverty has soared from 48 percent to 82 percent… Fifty-two percent of families live in extreme poverty, according to the survey, and about 31 percent survive on two meals per day at most.

Isn’t socialism wonderful! You have the luxury of choosing between two meals a day, or one meal a day plus toothpaste!

By the way, the central planners have a plan.

Though it won’t make Bugs Bunny happy.

Rabbit is now on the menu! Here are some excerpts from a CNN report.

Let them eat rabbits. That was basically the message from President Nicolas Maduro to Venezuelans starving and struggling through severe food shortages… The Venezuelan leaders…recommend that people raise rabbits at home as a source of food. …The agriculture minister argued that rabbits easily reproduce and are a source of protein. He also recommended citizens consider raising and growing other animals and vegetables at home. It’s just the latest attempt to try and solve the food shortage problem. The government forces citizens to pick up groceries on certain days of the week depending on social security numbers.

Gee, isn’t this wonderful. The government cripples markets so they can’t function and then advocates people live like medieval peasants.

Maybe there should be price controls on clothing, along with having the government in charge of distribution. That will wreck that market as well, so people can make their own clothes out of rabbit pelts.

I wonder whether a certain American lawmaker is rethinking his praise of Venezuelan economic policy?

Based on what he said as recently as last year, the answer is no.

Republished from Intentional Liberty

Daniel J. Mitchell

Daniel J. Mitchell is a Washington-based economist who specializes in fiscal policy, particularly tax reform, international tax competition, and the economic burden of government spending. He also serves on the editorial board of the Cayman Financial Review.

This article was originally published on FEE.org. Read the original article.