#diversity of thought

[commonsensecommentary]

I thought I would repost this in light of the NPR / Uri Berliner / Free Speech meltdown: “Those who vainly try to examine both sides of an issue are now considered haters who are triggering those compelled to hear an alternative viewpoint that could make them feel threatened or victimized. In short, reasoned and respectful conversation is now a tool of oppression because it does not automatically validate us—and might even require revisiting one’s opinion.”

(From my blog archive)

[artbyblastweave]

I'm not the first to mention this, but one bit that I thought was really clever in Steven Universe is the ways in which the show subtly justifies the cartoonism of the principle cast always wearing the same outfit for ease-of-animation purposes. The gems are a gimme in that they're all hardlight-projections, and even before that's solidified as a plot point they're otherworldly and superheroic enough that you don't really think to question it. But Steven canonically just owns hundreds and hundreds of those star shirts, which are leftover merchandise from his father's fizzled-out career as a rock star. Into which you can read a whole bunch of other stuff if you really want to, right? And I do want to. It's reflective of Greg's misplaced optimism that he got hundreds of those made in the first place, and it's a benign but visible example of how Steven's life is shaped by the knock-on effects of decisions his parents made before he was even alive. He's got his mother's superpowers and he's wearing his father's shirts.

[wendel-luxes-worldly-wondering]

Welcome to Wendel Lux's Worldly Wondering, a place where we'll explore the intersection of philosophy, spirituality, and the human experience. In this inaugural post, we'll be delving into the pitfalls of a leaning on a religious morality mentality. Is it possible that the very structures meant to guide us can actually hinder our growth and understanding of the world around us? Please, take a moment and ponder, as we unpack this complex topic and challenge ourselves to think beyond the confines of traditional beliefs.

A religious morality mentality can be comforting, providing a clear-cut set of guidelines for how to live one's life. However, it can also lead to a narrow and unnuanced worldview, where anything that doesn't conform to one's beliefs is seen as 'other' or even 'wrong.' This can create divisions, foster intolerance, and limit personal growth. Blindly adhering to a set of rules without questioning them can hinder one's ability to empathize with others and develop the critical thinking skills necessary to navigate our complex, ever-changing world. It's essential to find a balance between holding onto one's beliefs and being open to learning from diverse perspectives and experiences.

In a world that's constantly evolving, it's crucial to question our beliefs, empathize with those who are different, and strive for personal growth. This doesn't mean abandoning one's faith or values, but rather, being open to learning from diverse perspectives and experiences. As the poet Rumi said, 'Somewhere beyond right and wrong, there is a garden. I will meet you there.' Let's start a dialogue in the comments below, and let's wonder together.

[dreamdripdistance]

goodbye, goodbye. our time together has been cut short.

[elsecrytt]

Satoru Gojo goes to the same cafe every day for his coffee-flavored confectionary beverage. You are the barista tasked with pumping his drink with the unreasonable assortment of syrup squeezes.

You don't blink at it. You've been in customer service forever. Everything is second nature to you. But you give him a look when you hand him a drink and he just starts going.

He likes to make small chat, you learn. About meaningless things - desserts, drinks, the weather - but he makes you laugh, and he laughs at your jokes, too. He's smiling every time you talk.

He's beautiful - in that way that makes you uncertain if he's really there - and friendly, and he seems a bit lonely, eager to converse.

Something tells you Satoru probably doesn't have a lot of close friends. He's rich, too, judging by the massive tips he leaves you.

The thing is, you do a lot of things on autopilot. It's just the way these things get after a while. Pouring drinks, "What would you like today?", "I'll have that out for you soon!", "Have a nice day!", all that stuff.

Sometimes, though. Sometimes. Wires get crossed.

He's picked up his drink to leave, giving you a cheeky smile and a little wave, and you tell him, without thinking twice:

"Love you, bye!"

Oh. Oh fucking hell -

"Love you too!"

[kookoofufu]

[ace-and-the-rpg-horrors]

COUNT PEARL TRANSITIONED??

good for him!!

[datkat08]

Something I appreciate about Zosan, and about non-canon ships in general, is that it has so much room for interpretation and ALL interpretations are correct. There’s no wrong answer because there’s no CANON answer.

Zoro confesses first? Great! Sanji confesses first? Awesome! One of them has dating experience while the other has none? Cool! Neither of them have dating experience? That’s great too! They’re scared of physical touch? They can’t stay off of each other? Zoro is way too blunt? Zoro doesn’t know how to voice his feelings? Sanji is tired of waiting for Zoro to act? Sanji is plagued by indecision? They try to hide their relationship? They don’t care who sees them? They practically get married at the first date? They’re nervous to even call each other partners?

It’s all perfect, and it’s all Zosan. There’s no right way to ship it. At the end of the day, we’re all just having fun.

[yanderespamton78]

here have an idea that came to me at 5am

oh also blue addison in a skirt. we do not have enough addison in a skirt representation. please guys

[bookshelf-in-progress]

I love how a well-written romance is so often structured as a mystery. A person starts with a certain idea about another person, and over the course of the story, they uncover more evidence that gives them a fuller picture of who the other person truly is. They learn about layers to the personality and backstory that give the other person more depth. They learn how the other person's personality meshes with theirs. Even the third-act misunderstanding fits the mystery structure--it looks like they've uncovered the final secret to the other person's identity, which is that they're not the worthy person they seemed to be, but then discover that they misinterpreted that evidence, or the other person takes steps to apologize and repair the level of trust. When the mystery is resolved, they've reached a full understanding of each other and know they've found a partner they can trust their whole future to.

[eghfeithrean]

Kodansha currently has Witch Hat Atelier volumes 1-3 available to read for free!

(I think it’s meant to be through October 26th)

Link here: https://kodansha.us/series/witch-hat-atelier/

If you haven’t read this series yet I highly recommend it! Get a head start before the anime airs next year.

[whisperwillyou]

Listen.

Y’all can ship whatever you want,

But Luz Noceda did not hurt her back carrying Hunter’s entire rescue and redemption arc for people to claim that WILLOW is Hunter’s Evelyn.

My girl strolled in from a different realm and adopted Hunter like he was a rescue pitbull from a fighting ring that everyone else thought was vicious but really it just had so much anxiety and was in desperate need of some tender love and care.

Luz is Evelyn’s parallel.

She’s a girl from another world, one who embodies everything he was raised to see as dangerous and evil. She literally introduced him to Flapjck (best friend/emotional support palismen) and planted the initial seeds of uncertainty in his mind. She reaches out to him, protects him, and saves him from Belos, spiriting him away to be a part of her family instead. Belos literally said to her face “But thanks to you, I'll have to make another one.” Cant get much clearer than that. Evelyn corrupted Caleb. Luz corrupted Hunter.

Just because the relationship between Caleb and Evelyn was romantic doesn’t mean that a parallel for Hunter has to ALSO be romantic. It’s about love in general. Love and Family.

Do you know how rare it is for one of my favorite platonic pairs to be treated with the same level of importance as the romantic pairs??

You aren’t stealing this from me.

Platonic love wins this round 👊

[killjoy-prince]

Spaceship thoughts

[stevenrogered]

Callum Turner and Austin Butler MASTERS OF THE AIR, PART EIGHT

[allgremlinart]

the reason I love "Jet meets Zuko earlier" aus is because the reveal is soooo much funnier if Jet's formed an even stronger emotional codependency at him..... liek.... he was ENTRENCHED after. one ferry ride. imagine if he had a WEEK with him...

[biblicalhorror]

Okayyyyy yeah also let's talk about Tammy. I didn't know how I felt about her for awhile because she did very much feel like the Disposable Black Girlfriend, but I'm seeing people saying she's an "abuser" or God forbid "just as bad as Kevin" and that's just. Not at all true.

Yes, Tammy is controlling. She doesn't seem to really like Patty for who she is, and kind of seems to want to change her into someone else instead. HOWEVER, I think we need to look at the whole character to understand WHY she's like that. I don't think she's controlling Patty for personal gain or for the sake of manipulating her. I think she's lonely and desperate for companionship, which leads to her ignoring/pushing past the obvious incompatibility in her relationship with Patty.

Here's what we know about Tammy:

1. She seems to be the only black person in the Worcester social circle. She also mentions frequently how she's surrounded entirely by white men at work.

2. She is also the only openly lgbt person in the area, other than Patty, who is still not exactly out and proud.

3. She describes her entire job as "making excuses for" and "cleaning up after" the men at her job, particularly her partner (whose name I am unfortunately forgetting, does anyone remember?), who even had her plant evidence for him on at least one occasion.

4. Despite being very competent and good at her job, the white men around her keep failing upwards (she mentions a few times that people beneath her keep getting promoted) while she remains stagnant in her career. There doesn't seem to be any explanation for this other than the fact that she is a black lesbian in an extremely white, conservative community.

Basically, Tammy seems like someone who has been taught (like many black women) that she will have to work much harder than everyone else to get ahead in any capacity. She is also likely very, very lonely. She doesn't seem to have any friends outside of work, which isn't surprising given the above. It seems like she doesn't exactly have a ton of prospects, dating-wise, other than Patty. In my opinion, it's really no wonder that she clung to Patty so desperately and immediately and tried to forcibly mold her into someone who could be compatible. She's tough, smart, organized, direct, manipulative, no-nonsense and controlling because, well, she had to be. And she ends up trying to "rein in" Patty because, in her mind, what's the other option? She ends up alone, surrounded by men who force her to cover for their antics and don't care if she lives or dies.

I'm not saying her behavior is healthy. But it comes from an entirely different place than Kevin's abuse, or Chuck's, or even Neil's. And it's also not uncommon. In real life, I know many queer women (specifically small-town lesbians) who end up in relationship dynamics just like that over and over again because they start dating someone who doesn't quite fit, and they compensate for it by trying to force a connection instead of accepting loneliness and isolation. I have a lot of sympathy for Tammy. And I wish the show had taken more care to establish the abuse she faced from her coworkers off-camera.