#economic sadism

[biglisbonnews]

Why there are so many "Ghost Jobs" haunting hiring websites The Wall Street Journal recently published a piece on the rise of ghost jobs. Sadly, these jobs are nowhere near as fun as they sound; on a purely philosophical level, I'd actually prefer it if poltergeists had found a way to posthumously saddle themselves to the oppressive angst of capitalism than the actual reality of what these "ghost jobs" entail. — Read the rest https://boingboing.net/2023/03/30/why-there-are-so-many-ghost-jobs-haunting-hiring-websites.html

[hanzajesthanza]

when sapkowski is all “i don’t believe in absolute evil” like he didn’t write like vilgefortz and leo bonhart and birkart grellenort likeeee okkkk but those guys were preeeetty evil though

[monsterblogging]

"I know JK Rowing is a terrible person but her books are so good-"

You sure about that?

I mean, just for a start, have you taken a good look at her fantasy creatures lately? A whole bunch of them are straight-up based on malicious and dehumanizing stereotypes about actual people.

Remember the werewolves? And being a werewolf was made into a kind of metaphor for having AIDS?

And you know how AIDS was first associated with gay men? And how conservatives back in the day were claiming gay men were preying on children in order to convert them to gayness?

Remember how Fenrir Greyback preyed on children in particular? Yeah, she put that subtext in there. She was an adult in the 90's. She knew damn well what she was doing.

Remember the house elves? Remember how most of them loved to serve and needed to have a home and a master or else they just wouldn't know what to do with themselves?

Did you know that's literally what slavers in the American South said about the Black people they kept enslaved? Go look up the happy slave myth.

Do I even need to get into the goblins and the antisemitic tropes they're based on? No, folkloric goblins were not gold-hoarding bankers waiting for their chance to stab humanity in the back.

"But the characters are so good!"

Are you kidding me?

Most of her characters are pretty one-dimensional, including Harry. Her idea of making a morally complicated character is giving a tragic past to a bully. Numerous characters are little more than stereotypes. (Looking at Fleur right now.) Literally anybody, including you, can easily make dozens of characters just as good, if not better. (It doesn't exactly take a lot of character designing skill to go, "hey, actually, having a sad backstory doesn't make it okay to bully children" or "hey, maybe I should not base a character on the first stereotype that pops into my head.")

"But the rest of the worldbuilding!"

Sorry, but her worldbuilding is just as basic as her characters. Magical castles and secret passages are stock tropes. Magical people who keep their true nature secret from humanity is the premise of pretty much every White Wolf TTRPG. Most of her fantasy creatures are just common European fairy tale and folklore creatures with shitty stereotypes projected onto them.

I'm not saying "basic worldbuilding bad." I'm saying, you could do just as good, if not better, with minimal effort.

Also there's her magical bioessentialism, where only Harry's abusive blood relatives could provide him with supernatural protection from Voldemort. Rowling thus effectively declared that non-biological family isn't quite real family, and that abusive biofamily can give you some essential thing that a loving, supportive family that isn't related to you just can't.

The Hogwarts houses are one of the most insidious elements of her worldbuilding. The idea of being sorted gives you a little dopamine hit because wow now you have a li'l niche where you belong!

But the actual function of the houses and sorting system and the House Cup is teaching children to see each other as rivals, and ensure that the most toxic views of the upper class get passed on to every new batch of kids sorted into Slytherin.

Hogwarts effectively prepares children for a dystopia where magic serves to distract its citizens from how nightmarishly awful it is. Economic inequality is so bad that people like Arthur and Molly Weasley can barely afford to put their kids through school, casual sadism is just an accepted norm in everyday society, and non-humans are second class citizens. Rowling sorta acts like she thinks this is a bad thing with certain lines she gave to Dumbledore, but in the end, her special boy protagonist becomes an auror; IE, a defender of the status quo. So.

If you've never seen it, Lily Simpson's video goes into even more detail on how the worldbuilding of Harry Potter is actually incredibly fucked up, and how it betrays small-minded attitudes on Rowling's part. There's no separating the art from this artist, because Rowling's rotten values pour out of nearly every page.

Yes, there are many things in Harry Potter that evoke feelings and inspire people, but there's absolutely nothing in it that this series has a monopoly on. You can find those same experiences in much, much better media.

[psychotrenny]

I think one of Imperialism's most evil strategies is the national scale torture you'll see inflicted on countries that dare to dream of freedom. Like it's not just about overthrowing the anti-imperialist regime itself, but utterly breaking the very social, economic and in turn psychological foundations it's built upon. Prolonged periods of destruction that are as systematic as they are sadistic with the aim of making life unlivable until the government either collapses or gives in, accepting whatever concessions are forced upon them as the nation is remoulded into an dependent and obedient little neocolony.

Sometimes an imperialist power will act directly to achieve this (just take the gratuitous and deliberate destruction of civil infrastructure during the bombings of Yugoslavia and Iraq), but the preferred strategy is to employ local proxies. Groups like RENAMO in Mozambique or the Contras of Nicaragua. Bands of reactionaries, traitors and general desperadoes are gathered up, trained, armed and transported over the border at the expense of the Imperialists and their local collaborators. These armed groups have no interest in build mass support, of representing an alternative way of life. Their only purpose is destruction; killing, torturing, looting, burning whatever they can in order to bring their country to its knees. Frequently targeting important nodes in the networks that sustain the nation and the people's faith in it (bridges, rail depots, factories, hospitals and schools) but ultimately happy to attack whatever they can; every house burned or person tortured contributes to the climate of terror and corrosion of government credibility. Because when they kill these groups don't like to do it cleanly; their attacks generate countless reports immolation, disembowelment, victims hacked to pieces and left to bleed. But when possible they prefer to leave their victims alive and capable of further spreading their terror, inflicting the most vicious sorts of rape and mutilation on a mass scale

It's not just just evil for the sake of evil mind you. The cruelty has a point; human destruction to accompany the physical. Every person killed is someone who can no longer contribute to the development of the nation, while even living yet physically and psychologically broken victim places further strain on their country's increasingly fragile support systems. Meanwhile the terror of these actions spreads the impact beyond their immediate victims. The murder and torture of peasants makes the survivors too scared to go back into their fields, slowly starving the nation as the rural economy grind to a halt. The gruesome deaths of traders and travelers leaves the survivors too terrified to continue their business, shutting down the distributive networks that make national development and often life itself possible. The terror unleashed on foreign professionals can prompt the survivors to flee and discourage newcomers from arriving, depriving the underdeveloped economic and education systems of the skilled workers they need to improve or even function. And every broken body, ever broken mind, is proof of the government's weakness and ineptitude; a humiliating failure to protect their own people that demoralises supporters and empowers dissenters. The motivated sadism of these terrorist attacks is a microcosm of the motivated sadism displayed by their Imperialist backers

But why go to all this trouble? Why not just send in the paratroopers or organise a coup to end those troublesome regimes quickly? Sometimes it's a matter of possibility. As great as they are, the powers of Imperialist nations are not unlimited. All manner of constraints (domestic unrest, international condemnation which advantages dangerous rivals, the simple financial and human costs of such operations) limit what actions are viable or desirable. This is especially significant when the targets are motivated and disciplined anti-imperialists with a base of deep-rooted popular support, the sort of regime that won't go down to a simple commando raid or bribe to the right general. But sometimes, it's not enough to merely cut down a dissenting government; you have to salt the earth and make sure nothing similar ever grows back. I'll finish with the words of an anonymous Jesuit priest, talking about Nicaragua yet in terms widely relevant enough to be published in John Saul's conclusion to A Difficult Road: The Transition to Socialism in Mozambique (1985):

In Chile the Americans made a mistake. They cut off the revolution too abruptly. They killed the revolution but, as we can see from recent developments there, they didn't kill the dream. In Nicaragua, they're trying to kill the dream

[aux-squiggle]

BRITISH COMMUNIST PARTY SAYS SEX WORK ISN'T WORK

To be more specific, they say the mantra "sex work is work" should be retracted by trade unionists and society at large.

Some highlights:

Women and girls should be able to secure well-paid jobs, good housing and education without the need to prostitute themselves. Prostitution is not a genuine and free choice; it is a survival behaviour, mostly engaged in by working class women and girls who suffer economic disadvantage.

Prostitution is inherently violent and requires in and of itself the subjugation of women and girls – there is no form of work where this could ever be acceptable.

Health and safety regulation is impossible in the sex trade: in any occupation that involves exposure to bodily fluids workers wear masks, gloves, gowns, and goggles to protect themselves. Prostitutes can never benefit from these levels of protection because of the nature of prostitution.

Extreme levels of violence, rape, degradation, and humiliation cannot be regulated against as they are part and parcel of prostitution. Such levels of harm against workers in work would never be tolerated. Women in prostitution experience more physical and sexual violence that women on average. A study by Germany’s federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth reports that 41% of women in prostitution experience physical or sexual violence, or both, in the context of prostitution.

The sexual sadism that prostitutes are exposed to causes the type of physical internal injuries and psychological trauma that should never be accepted in the world of work.

The murder rate is particularly high in the sex trade. Prostitutes are almost nine times more likely to be killed than soldiers in combat. Legalisation of the sex trade does not protect the lives of prostitutes. Since Germany’s legalisation of the sex trade in 2022, there have been 85 homicides of prostituted persons committed by clients. In addition, there have been at least 49 attempted homicides.

Pregnancy and even multiple pregnancies are risks arising out of prostitution which have adverse implications for the woman herself, for children born out of prostitution, and for society itself. This should never be accepted as an overhead of “employment”.

The high levels of substance use necessary to enable prostitutes to cope with the abusive practices of the men who buy sex should never be tolerated in the world of work.

Alternating bolding for readability.

Highly suggest reading the whole thing!

[kagu-une]

Your Majesty // P.SH

The cessation of war in your kingdom relies on you. What everyone failed to tell you: it is at the cost of your freedom.

pairing. king!park seonghwa x fem!princess!reader

genre. royal fantasy? pls don't read this if you're looking for historical accuracy :/ mature themes ahead, minors do not interact.

content warnings. non-idol!au. mean dom!seonghwa. sub!reader. maybe a little bit of dubcon if you squint. oral (m. receiving). no penetration. shoe humping. degradation. use of the terms 'my pet', 'good girl', 'my property', mentions of being a slave, 'your majesty', uhhh? spitting, very briefly. sadism for sure. he's a mean ass so ? i think that's about it. use of restraints but not in the sexy way ;(. i wrote this in proper caps this time but usually i use intentional lowercase :p

a/n. can you imagine seonghwa as a cruel king it gets my jimmies in a twist .... sorry to keep pushing the mean hwa agenda..... this is an old drabble that i had sitting, so i hope you enjoy! also ty to my liege @hhoneylix for proof reading for me (so if anything is awry blame them fr /j) ♡ if you enjoyed, please like, comment and reblog!

smut beneath the drop down!

Park Seonghwa — a noble captain in battle, but a tyrant King. Stingy, was he, arms outstretched in demand for his filthy palms to be filled with what he desired. His gluttony was utterly insatiable, and notoriously so. Though his greed was enough to cause the purest of souls to turn a cold shoulder, it was difficult to say no to someone with devilishly handsome looks and equipped with a silver tongue that'd put Lucifer himself to shame.

War raged in his kingdom, enemy nations bombarding Seonghwa's empire in aims and high hopes to retrieve stolen loot and goods from his avaricious grasp. It was undeniable that such conflict took a tremendous toll, economically. After a long debate amongst those of the Higher Tables, they came to a unanimous decision: a barter, of course. One couldn't expect the King to cease his feast upon divinity. The King would return whatever loot that his soldiers obtained while ransacking villages and pillaging towns in exchange for one thing: the opposing realm's Princess. This trade would be a simple one and the poor soul would remain in a royal bloodline; the deal was flawless and Seonghwa's foes accepted the plea with no beat of hesitation. Three days is the window of time it took for rival troops to retreat from his territory, leaving behind their wake of destruction just as Park's militia did to them; though, providing relief and aid to the inhabitants of his kingdom were the last of his worries.

Now, he occupied his throne, his dark gaze focusing lazily on the marble floor that stretched out before him. Mirroring his eyes and their lethargy and intolerance, his shoulders slouched as his tall frame spilled across the chair, knees splayed as his chin rest in his left hand. Jack Frost was great friends with the King based on the ice that he harbored within his honeyed stare. Regardless, he sat like a pouting child awaiting the arrival of his... servant.

The princess discussed in the meeting that disbanded the hellacious battles on his turf and leveled the playing field? Y/N. You looked like a deer, willowy and shy. Your head was hung to look at the floor beneath you, hiding the turmoil in your gaze. You were a pretty thing; long, healthy hair tumbled down your back. Kind eyes framed with long, thick eyelashes. A natural beauty that caused a surge of heat to rush through the King's core. Slowly, the ice inside of him began to melt away. Everyone failed to mention that you had an attitude that could give Seonghwa a run for his money. He remained silent as his eyes drank you in... The first time you'd ever laid eyes on one other.

The rattle of chains caught Seonghwa's attention. In his seat, he corrected his posture, immediately looking more presentable and respectable in the presence of company. Amongst the small fleet of handlers, you stood in the middle, wrists bound in iron with your ankles encircled in matching restraints. Seonghwa dare not move, even as your handlers pushed you forward and stood at attention before their king. Clearly, you put up a fight. the tattered dress that hung haphazardly from your frame reeked of foul play. This deal between kingdoms was clearly one-sided. Luckily, there wasn't a bruise to mar your flawless complexion — wise on his staff's behalf.

"She is no slave. Remove those chains at once." Spoke Seonghwa, once he had his fill of scrutinizing you, noting how you looked equally pissed off and frightened. The guards responded, and with the clatter of iron striking the hard flooring, you now stood free, just before the King himself.

Another demand, "Leave us."

Seonghwa fell silent once more as he awaited the room to clear, and the burly mahogany doors leading into the throne hall to shut, thus leaving them in seclusion. Lithe fingers journeyed across his chin in thought as he crossed an ankle over his bent knee.

"Kneel."

Your mouth responded by hanging open. Your eyebrows knitted together in protest. An inhale to digest such an incredulous demand, then, "Pardon me?"

"I didn't stumble over my words, girl." Retorted Hwa as he rose from his chair, approaching you at an agonizing pace. Stalking you like prey. Seonghwa circled you once, your cautious eyes remaining on the King as he did such. "I told you to kneel."

The steely tone in the King's voice indicated to you that it was no blague. You finally gave in and sank to your knees, a quiver in your actions from weariness. Seonghwa smirked as he watched you comply, petting the top of your head. Whether it was in encouragement or to assert his dominance over you, you couldn't tell. It was apparent that you weren't used to being forced into submission like this... And by God, Seonghwa was going to use that fact and run it straight into the ground.

"As I said, you're no slave. Such a shame that you aren't." Grumbled the King, squatting down so that your faces were even, calloused fingertips lingering upon your dainty jaw.

"I'd rather die than serve you."

An exasperated sigh tumbled from Seonghwa's plush lips, and a hand came up to pinch the bridge of his nose. Then, he chuckled.

"So be it."

Rising from his position in front of you, he placed his hands on his hips as his eyes oscillated around the deliciously decorated throne room. He did this to create time and revise his next course of actions. Then, a firm foot planted itself into your chest, sending you reeling backward until your back was flush to the expensive marble. The King wasted no time as he straddled your torso, pressing your arms apart and pinning them to the floor using his knees. Seonghwa's hair fell into his face from such sudden actions and obscured his view, but posed no threat to the Crown's navigation as fingers enveloped your neck.

"You can wish me dead and hate your life, expecting me to do something about it. The simple fact is, my pet, you are my property. I own you. Every organic thought that riddles that head of yours is because I will it to be so." Seonghwa spits in your face. Usually, he wasn't the one to show all of his cards, but he refused to be disrespected inside his own castle. "You can spend your days in a cell, if you'd rather."

You flinched as saliva landed on your face, hatred, and disgust filling your stare, but no words of defense on your own behalf rolled off your sharp tongue — despite the turmoil raging within you being incredibly apparent (or, maybe, you were pathetically transparent). Recalling the chilly iron that bound your limbs earlier, a shiver crept up your spine. You had no quarrel with the bottom of the King's boot. Your wide eyes watched every move that the King made.

Despite the hatred that burned for the sadistic ruler, from below him, Seonghwa could see how your nipples had hardened — even through the tattered apparel you wore. And, fuck, did this inflate the King's ego. A wicked grin spread across the bottom half of Seonghwa's visage as a fire bloomed from his otherwise icy gaze. Once you realized that Seonghwa took notice of your blooming arousal, a deep blush seeped into your face and radiated to the tips of your ears. You parted your lips, and attempted to flounder for some sort of explanation, but instead, lie beneath Hwa with your mouth opening and closing as if you were a fish out of water.

"Do you genuinely think you are worthy of me, girl?" Asked Seonghwa through a smirk as his eyes scanned your blush riddled visage. His booming voice filled the room, instilling humiliation into your bones. This only added fuel to the heat that pooled between your legs. Could the entire palace hear of your sexual appetite?

"I–..."

"You what? Spit it out, now." The sinister expression on his face deepened further when you answered with silence, your eyes wide as you met his gaze. Coltish, curious, afraid. "That's what I thought. Next time, I'll have to cut that pathetic tongue out of your mouth."

The King removed himself from the rumple the two of you were in and returned to his throne to sit. Again, his knees parted as his feet were planted on the floor before him. He pointed to this space, waiting for you to comply with the unspoken orders given. Knock-kneed and cautious, you peeled yourself off the floor and closed the space between yourself and Seonghwa. Placing your hands on his thighs in order to brace yourself, you sank to the ground just as the King expected of you. Suddenly, and humorously to the King, submission began to settle into your bones as need clawed at your groin. It was evident in your eyes.

With his right hand, Seonghwa reached forward and slipped a few fingers beneath your chin, tilting your head back and forcing eye contact. "What is your purpose?"

Your eyebrows came together at the obscurity of the inquiry, but you still stammered out a response, "To become Queen...?" And there was honesty in your meek answer. All of your God given life consisted of how to be a good ruler, and what it meant to be a Queen. So, your answer was genuine, though confusion lilted your words. A smirk toyed at Seonghwa's lips, and he nodded as your response processed in his mind.

The King leaned forward until his lips were flush with your ear; hot breath fanned your face. His serpent tongue slithered from between his lips to lick the shell of your ear before he brought himself to speak.

A husky whisper, "When I'm through with you... I will be your purpose."

The fire of acrid hate dwindled to simmering coals within you. Instead of fueling your abhorrence, the warmth fed into the pool of feverishness that gathered in the pit of your stomach. The overwhelming feeling of ignominy and hedonism caused tears to well in your eyes, though you were quick to blink them away. Never had you been subjected to something like this — and never did you think that you would yearn for a man in such ways like you did now. This was especially conflicting to you because you didn't even know what Seonghwa looked like until you entered the same room as him.

Admittedly, you were floored when you first took in Seonghwa's appearance. From the talk amongst soldiers and townspeople when he frequented the market just outside of the castle, or stalked the long corridors that lie within the royal walls, their conversations of the King hovering over him lead him to believe that — perhaps — this King was a sea hag, or worse... Tales of his iron fist and cold eyes frightened you, thus leading you to never pursue any additional information regarding King Park Seonghwa and his tyrannical reign. Now that you taking in the King with your own eyes, he was, in fact, not the sea hag you had once imagined.

Instead, you were met with a man with a strong physique, obviously a warrior, and scars riddling his skin as proof. His raven locks hung in messy waves, framing his face beautifully. He had an angular face with dragon-like eyes that could pierce right through you. There was no denying that he was a stunning man. And his lips — . . .

Now, you sat positioned between the thighs of this devilishly handsome King, face burning with the heat of desire and embarrassment. Your eyes fell to the King's lap, your tongue growing thick in your mouth as you ached to reach out and remove the article of clothing, to reveal what lie beneath. From what you could gather in the few fleeting moments that his eyes were focused, the King was eager to give in to your carnality before a demanding grip drew your eyes back up to meet Seonghwa's.

Why do I feel this way? You questioned yourself, as you instinctively nuzzle your chin into Seonghwa's grasp. Deciding not to question it any longer and cave into your lewd cravings, you let out a soft whine to voice the need that was already addressed silently; after all, this is why Seonghwa wore that cocky smirk that drove you headfirst into compliance.

Of course the King noticed the lingering eyes on his crotch as he sat back from his position at your ear. The want that reflected in your stare made the King want to press his thighs together, but he couldn't do that since you sat between them. Instead, he released your jaw and shifted in his seat in order to fulfill your wish for your mouth to be invaded. His jewel-adorned hand rested lightly against the armrest as he gathered his thoughts.

"It seems we both have needs that demand they be sated." The King began, licking his lips to moisten them. Excitement gnawed at you and this eagerness was mirrored in your glassy eyes — the kind of look that Seonghwa wished to ruin. His smirk transitioned into a salacious grin, "You look ravishing this way, pet. What is your purpose?" He questioned again, an eyebrow raising expectantly.

"You."

Seonghwa drew his hand from its perch on the armrest so he could pull back and land a sharp, open-palmed slap across your face. The same decorated fingers leveled your head before pulling away and returning to the position he was in prior. "Who am I?"

Silence. Then, realization. "My King."

"Good girl," was the response. "what is your purpose?"

"You are."

"Worship me as so."

You took this as a clearance to act upon your cravings, and you sprung into action. Cold fingers slipped beneath the waistband of the fabric that caged the King's demanding sex. You tugged the front down to release his hardened erection, wanting to keep the King's modesty as he sat upon his royal chair... despite the want to be splayed out by him right on the floor. You halted as Seonghwa's cock was presented to you, your warm breath ghosting against the King's sensitive skin.

Just as Seonghwa was about to intervene, you dipped your head as you took the tip of Hwa's length into your mouth. Your mouth was warm, and tantalizingly wet as his hardened cock disappeared between plump lips. Electricity traveled across the King's skin, down his muscled thighs, and into his stomach. This time, an ornate hand carded its way into your hair. He pushed your head down to swallow more of his cock, impatience getting the best of him. You didn't mind though, and only braced yourself for more.

You knew what you were doing. You played him like a fiddle as your head bobbed along the King's cock, tongue flattened and molded to the underside of Seonghwa's excited shaft.

Hwa's head fell to the side, clear ecstasy written across his features. That didn't prevent the King from keeping his eyes on you, to watch your performance. The hand in your hair moved to cup the back of your head. His hips lifted from the throne on their own accord, assaulting the back of your throat with sloppy thrusts.

"You make your King feel so good, pet," muttered Seonghwa just before his teeth sank into his lower lip. "look at me as you please me."

You drew back to give attention to the head of his cock, tongue running along Seonghwa's slit and lapping up the pre-cum that dribbled out. At the King's demand, your eyes raised and leveled with Seonghwa's. Before he could realize, Hwa was teetering on the edge of his climax — so, he breathed out a warning, "Shit, I'm gonna —. . ."

You doubled down, arms slithering up into Seonghwa's lap until nimble fingers gripped at the King's waist, nose nestled into the cloth of Seonghwa's trousers as you took all the King's cock into your mouth. A rumbling moan emanated from Hwa as he released, your mouth milking him for what he was worth.

You pulled yourself off of the King with a delicious and all-too-intentional 'pop' and wiped your pleased smirk on your sleeve. Expectant eyes met Seonghwa's darkened ones, his eyebrows lowering as he read your expression.

"I suppose you're expecting me to do something to provide you relief?" Asked the King, his head falling back to rest on the back of the chair for a few moments. He readjusted his trousers as he came down from his climax.

"Yes, please, Your Majesty." You replied. Excitement lit up your gaze, and you shifted in place.

Seonghwa shot up in his seat, shoulders squared and clearly defensive. Such a change in demeanor would surely give someone whiplash. Now, you understood what everyone meant.

"Why should I give you anything? You're property. You think your Godly tongue will buy you anything, mewling quim?" The tip of Seonghwa's boot trailed up the inside of your thigh and dug the toe of his shoe into your clothed crotch. Not expecting such friction, especially because of the outburst that exploded from Seonghwa a moment ago, a whimpering moan bellowed from you, hips immediately jerking forward to seek out the contact. "As I said: you are undeserving of me."

You nodded in agreement whilst grating your hips aggressively against the tip of the King's shoe — anything to flood your body with the ecstasy that you were experiencing now. It was almost embarrassing at how fast you fell apart, writhing in the floor and uttering gentle curses as you were edged towards your own orgasm. Your fingers latched onto Seonghwa's pant leg as the radiating heat seeped down your thighs and caused your toes to curl.

Your body pulsated as you came, muscles clenching and eyes screwing shut. Seonghwa placed a majority of his weight on your clothed cunt now, wanting to enhance your orgasm as you came. Removing his foot from your clothed pussy, the dark place on the fabric displayed your pleasure. The hint of a grin tugged at the corners of Seonghwa's lips, but he stood and pulled you to your feet — earning a soft cry in protest from you.

"Go have the maids clean you up. I expect to see you at dinner." He pulled you to his chest, his hand pressing into the small of your back. "Whatever happens remains in this room, understood?"

"Mm." You hum in agreement, clinging to the King as your knees were too unreliable due to your orgasm.

"Good, now leave my presence."

Stumbling over your feet, you made your way to the heavy doors that previously closed the two of you off to the rest of the castle. Your sex-pinked skin revealed the activities that took place behind the closed doors. If not your complexion, the stain on your tattered clothes, or the languid grin and half-lidded gaze would be telling enough.

Pausing with a hand on the door, you threw a shy glance at Seonghwa from over your shoulder, just before slipping through. "Your Majesty."

[yuri-for-businesswomen]

i think it is very telling that the best documented case of women buying sex from men are white western women going on vacation in west african countries such as gambia to prey on impoverished and usually younger black men. it highlights that prostitution - any prostitution - is an exertion of power from a more privileged group against a less privileged group. that prostitution is a system that profits from and reinforces oppression and inequality. here, the axis of oppression is not sex, but race. its a symptom of neocolonialism, like most sex tourism.

nonetheless i always have to laugh when the articles, documentaries and research desperately try to act like female and male sex buyers are exactly the same - usually the argument hinges on the fact that the motivation is the same, companionship and sexual gratification. but male sex buyers are motivated by so much more: fetish, sadism, violence, domination. this does not tend to be the case with women. also, unwanted penetration is a different level of violence, having something inserted in you. female sex buyers dont request painful acts such as deepthroat or anal. there are no brothels full with men, the men dont have pimps, and usually in the case of female sex tourists, the arrangement is loose: companionship and sex with no fixed payment but pleasantries, gifts and such. additionally, women dont tend to be able to physically overpower men, or get off on enacting violence like hitting and choking. men who prostitute themselves for women are also less stigmatised than those who do so for men, or prostituted women. and more men sell themselves to other men than to women. and: women who buy sex tend to be single, while the relationship status of a man is no indicator of likelihood to buy sex.

female sex buyers highlight that besides sex, economic class and race determine who is prostituted and who buys sex. that prostitution is an issue of intersectional inequality. and that misogyny is still the key motor of prostitution: male sex buyers are any age, any class, any race, because any man can be a misogynist. but women only become sex buyers under specific conditions; for example motivated by racist fetishisation. another key factor here is gender. buying sex is considered masculine, but women buying sex break with gender norms. consider also the orgasm gap: most women are not satisfied by their male sexual partners. hypothetically it would make more sense for women to be the majority of sex buyers to enforce sexual satisfaction they lack in consensual sexual relationships. yet privileged women who lack sexual satisfaction are more likely to prostitute or otherwise objectify themselves than buying sex.

any form of female-on-male prostitution has its male-on-female (and sometimes male-on-male) equivalent that is more violent and more common. meanwhile many forms of prostitution dont have a female-on-male version, for example prostitution in brothels. men prostituting themselves for women are at a lot less risk for physical violence and abuse or being trafficked. there is even a phenomenon of heterosexual men having to prostitute themselves for men because there is just not enough demand from women. and female-on-female prostitition is almost unheard of, if anything this occurs in a male-female-female constellation. there are no gangbang parties with one or two men and groups of women.

people are so obsessed with pretending like women as consumers in the sex industry - whether that be as sex buyers, porn watchers or stripshow enjoyers - are just the same as men when there are clear differences. gender relations are always relevant in a patriarchal system and reversed roles dont produce the same outcomes.

[the-truth-the-patriarchy]

This is a lifestyle blog…NOT A KINK…

Just want to make it clear this is what I truly believe. I am a 50s something white male. Yes, I am also a Dominant, a Daddy Dom.

One often hears the girl’s place in the patriarchy, yes a girl is to be submissive, to follow, obey, and to always defer to her one, to be accountable to her one. In spite of that, a girl does have strengths that complement a Male’s strengths, which makes a girl and a Man a perfect combination.

Having said that, little is said about the Man’s role in the patriarchy. It’s incumbent upon the Man to be good enough to lead. That means the Man is to have a girl’s best interest at heart. The Man is to always be responsible to and for his charge. To make sure He takes care of his charge, provides her structure, consequences and rewards; to be measured and consistent with them. That means also providing domestic discipline. A Man should always leave no doubt who is in charge, to put her mind at ease, to know He is going to take of her and the situation. In order to do that, a Real Man…a Man who is responsible, should be always be in control of Himself, of His behaviors and actions. This means a Man should be clear headed, not abusing controlled substances, not having an addiction, not having criminal behaviors, but being able to provide; that doesn’t mean He has or should to provide financially, because Men are not always financially able to given this current economic climate, but it does mean provide for her emotionally and mentally.

Bottom line, patriarchy does not equal misogyny.

Having said ALL of that, it does not mean I do not have kinks. My kinks tend to run to the darker side, so, I will try My best to keep this SFW, there will be some posts to include some of My kinks, so this is a warning. Some of My kinks include misogyny, sadism, pet play, piss play, humiliation, degradation, and plenty of others.

Always feel free to contact Me here…message or send an ask or anon.

[krispycreamcake]

How about a Diabolik fic where the reader is the only Sakamaki sibling who acts strange during a blood moon? I'll let you decide what strange is if you want.

From Author: Okay so I did some extra digging on what would be considered strange to a vampire during a blood moon and it's just the opposite of the regular effects. I took some creative liberties with this so I hope you enjoy! Thank you for submitting this!

TW: Graphic depictions of violence!

A Vampire's Dissension

The sun's rays painted a warm hue across the sky, dying the clouds a soft pink and orange. Birds and humans alike were scuttling about to make their way home before nightfall. For it was when the twilight hour hits, that predators emerged from the shadows. To avoid being caught in the unforgiving jaws of death, one needed to be vigilant as to not get entrapped by these crowned monarchs of the moon, these sultans of sadism. Their ambition was relentless and so was their appetite.

Tonight however, was an especially particular night. Blood Moons were special occasions in which a vampire's abilities were amplified, along with their unyielding thirst for that deliciously, savoury, scarlet syrup. It was a known fact that no bride has ever survived a night in the Sakamaki mansion. As unfortunate as it is, this family has a reputation of killing their prey. Many brides have come but never gone, as their crying souls became trapped in the mansion where they all met an untimely demise.

You'd be lying if you said you didn't have a couple bodies stacking up on your end either. To be fair, it's not like you tried to kill them, you just lacked a significant amount of restraint. And if you were being honest with yourself, you've always been that way for as long as you can remember. You noticed that with every Blood Moon, your predatorial instincts seemed to contort into pure unbridled aggression. It became an unbearable flame that scorched throughout your body, begging, crying, wailing for you to drink something more.

You stood near the manor's old balcony, watching how the setting sun drained any and all natural light dry from the sky. It wouldn't be long now before the moon started taking effect. Your veins began to pulsate and writhe under your fleshy arm, almost as if beating out your very body. You gritted your teeth as you remembered the last Blood Moon. You had requested Reiji to make specially tailored tranquilizers to subdue you, which it did.... For half an hour. After that brief period of peace, the stairwell was completely destroyed and Subaru refused to speak to you for a week. Your hostility wasn't unknown to the family, but that still didn't make it tolerable to put up with. From feeling thirsty and irritated, your emotions quickly took a turn to being aggravated and wrathful.

You stood there contemplating ways on how to isolate yourself from your brothers so you wouldn't cause harm to them. As night began to ink the sky, you decided it was better to lock yourself in your room and distract your mind. You sifted through your belongings before finding a cookbook hidden in your backpack. That's right, you were meant to prepare a meal from home and bring it to your home economics class the next day, using a list of designated recipes that your teacher highlighted. You skimmed over the book, scanning for any recipes you could make. Your eyes were immediately glued to a page on Beef Shigureni.

You'd never made it before, but Reiji was extremely talented when it came to making the stew up to his standards. You began to feel peckish as you read through the ingredients, mouth drooling at the images the book had displayed. Soon enough, that slight hunger metamorphisized into voraciousness. You could smell the succulent aroma of the prepared meat, drowning in its delicious flavours. Abruptly, a knock was made at the door which jolted you out of your thoughts. You noticed how the scent seemed to linger in the air. Were you that hungry that you were experiencing phantom sense? Your fingertips brushed against the cold doorknob as you twisted it open, only to be met with sly eyes and a smirk that could kill.

"Oh? Why the cruel expression? And here I thought you'd be elated to get a visit from your dear brother~" You rolled your eyes at Laito before replying. "What do you want? I'm kinda busy right now." Laito peeked into your room hearing this, eyes searching every corner until you had to push him back out into the hall. With your hands pressed against his chest, and arms flexing, you finally got him out of your personal space. "Hm? And here I thought you meant you were busy with a cute little plaything, how depressing." You clicked your tongue and looked him dead in the eyes. "You should leave before it starts." Laito raised an eyebrow at this.

"The moon isn't at its peak yet. Unless you really are getting that bad?" You noticed the very slight hint of concern in your brother's voice. "I felt it even when the sun was setting.... But I should be okay for now. Still, we don't know when it'll happen, so it's best you leave." Laito met your gaze with a cold hard stare. "If you try anything on me, I won't be going down that easily. Neither will the others. Stay in your room." You almost had chills hearing Laito speak so sternly to you. It was obvious he was worried for the others and for you. Despite his provocative nature, beneath was a man riddled by the fleas of abuse, and something about you going on a rampage seemed to bubble up memories once long buried. You couldn't help but notice how the succulent aroma from before seemed to be radiating off of Laito.

"Reiji mentioned something about you meeting him in his lab. If what you're saying is true, I'd hurry there before you bite his head off." And in an instant, he teleported away. You sighed and decided to find Reiji before it was too late. Your stomach growled and screamed, begging to be fed especially after your encounter with Laito. You admitted that it was srange that he smelled exactly like the recipe, but didn't let it bother you as you made your way to Reiji's lab.

You rapped on the door gently, fingers beating against the oak wood. You listened as it creaked open to reveal a dignified looking man behind it. "I see you've gotten my message. Come inside." You made your way into his lab and sat down on one of the chairs. "Deplorable...." You rolled your eyes and looked at him with an expression that could only transmit the words 'Get a grip'. He coughed lightly into his gloved hand, making an ahem sound. "I've prepared this sedative for you to try." Reiji pushed his glasses up before handing you a tiny glass vial with the most repungant, foul, revolting liquid you've ever smelled. You corked your nose shut before refusing to accept the bottle.

"Don't be a child. This is for the safety of all of us." You listened to Reiji's words and knew they were true. You knew all he was doing was trying to help. But even so, that concoction made you gag so much you thought you might throw up. You grabbed the tiny bottle and just seconds before you downed it, there was that scent again. That deliciously deceitful scent. It wrapped around your brain, clouding all your senses. As you gave into the smell, you couldn't help but notice that your senses became heightened. Your veins began to throb once again, pumping through your body. Being a vampire, your heart hadn't a reason to beat, but every Blood Moon seemed to tell a different tale. The feeling could only be described as want, the same kind of want that a predator feels when stalking its prey.

Reiji sighed at your incompetence to even simply drink something. He marched over to where you remained sat, seemingly stuck in a trance. "You understand the importance of the little time we have, don't you?" You didn't hear him. All sound was tuned out as your mind began to fog. As a matter of fact, you didn't see him either. Visions of rabbits running around in a forest at night as you watched from a hidden position formed in your mind. Reiji grabbed the bottle from your hand and had planned to force feed it to you, but as soon as his clothed fingers made contact with yours, you yanked him forwards and sank your teeth into his throat.

He let out a grunt as he tried to get you off of him, but you rammed his body into a shelf, teeth unmoving from their position. You sucked every trickle of blood that dare made its way down his neck, the crimson ooze only tantalizing you further. Your fangs sunk into his bloody flesh as he squirmed and fought, which only made you more adamant on not letting him escape. You began to press deeper and deeper into his muscle tissue before ripping your fangs out, along with a chunk of his flesh. Blood spurred everywhere, coating your face. Your hair became messier and tousled, pupils dilated far back, fangs dripping with the scarlet syrup you craved. You began to chew that piece of flesh that you ripped out, tearing it to shreds as Reiji slowly crawled out of the lab, leaving a trail of Vermilion behind.

It wasn't long after that your tastebuds were hit with sensations of the one thing you've been craving this entire time, meat. You searched the house far and wide until your gaze was met with Ayato's disturbed stare. He was horrified at the state you were in, looking up from below the stairwell. His shock was beyond what words could describe. Reiji lay behind him, Subaru using his own body to block his injured form. Shu stared at you, unsure of his own emotions. He knew you saw him as a meal, and for the first time in his life, he felt like prey. Despite their enhanced powers, none of them stood a chance against you alone, so it was imperative they stuck together. Your lips were stained with your own brother's blood as you stood there heaving, waiting, watching, like a predator about to pounce.

You ran down the stairs faster than any of them could comprehend, teeth bared like a wild dog as you sprinted towards Ayato. In the flash of a second, pain shot through both your arms as you let out a pained cry, howling like a beast as blood gushed from your palms, soaking the carpeted staircase in your fluids. Laito and Kanato had teleported just as you ran, iron stakes in hand as they plunged into your hands. They dashed up the stairs as they pinned you to the wall. At this point you were thrashing and snarling at them, not a coherent word to be let out. Anger took over and almost overrided the pain, until Shu appeared right before you, clenching your jaw and forcing your mouth open as he shoved that putrid concoction from before, down into your throat. In a matter of seconds, your eyelids began to feel heavy and as much as you fought, you fell asleep.

[youremyheaven]

Mrigashira: The Truth Is Subjective?

This is part 3 of my Mrigashira trilogy (here's part 1 & part 2)

I had previously explored the Mrigashira tendency to speak the truth and often be considered crazy for it. I thought I'd expand on this nature for this post as well.

Being truthful can mean many different things. The truth is also context-bound and what one exposes can differ based on the circumstances.

Dalai Lama- Mrigashira Mercury conjunct Rising

He has been at the forefront of the Tibetan independence movement, He has spoken up about nonviolence and his work includes a focus on the environment, economics, women's rights, non-violence, inter-faith dialogue, physics, astronomy, Buddhism and science, cognitive neuroscience, reproductive health and sexuality. He's literally one of the most admired people in the world and is considered a Bodhisattva. Being truthful or bringing attention to the truth is a big part of his life. This is not to say he isnt shady tho

He is also a very complicated figure. He used to get a personal income of over $1 million every year from the CIA for about 2 decades between 1959 and 1974?? He inappropriately touched Lady Gaga when they were on stage together, there is also a video of him asking a young boy to "suck his tongue" 🤮🤢

sometimes the truth isn't really the truth. whatever you believe to be true is what is true to you even if it does not have any basis in reality. one terrifying example of that is the Aum Shinrikyo cult leader Shoko Ashara

Shoko Asahara- Mrigashira Moon

He was the leader of the infamous cult Aum Shinrikyo, that carried out the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attack and several other attacks. Asahara declared himself as God and led his followers into believing that the end of the world was coming. Its a bizarre mix of new age conspiracy theories, religious syncretism, enlightenment, doomsday mentality and pure sadism.

He and several other leaders of the cult were executed in 2018 after more than 2 decades in prison.

It goes to show how "truth" is very subjective. Shoko was a megalomaniac who was fcked in the head, yet he managed to convince manyyy people of his teachings and even got them to do whatever he wanted them to do??

Donald Trump, Mrigashira Sun conjunct Rahu, popularised the term "fake news". it is so interesting to me that a man generally known as a liar will have Mrigashira of all naks and esp have it conjunct Rahu, the planet of illusion. Astrology is funny like that sometimes. He was very forceful in spreading his truth, even though that truth was bigoted, racist, classist and misogynistic. And in one way, he helped expose people who supported him bc what is worse than being known as a Trump supporter? That is enough to gauge someone's character and nature.

Idi Amin- Mrigashira Moon

mrig nakshatra is actually present in the luminaries of many dictators/fascists/terrible leaders. Idi did not really have any specific ideology, he was a brutal narcissist who got a kick out of murdering people even at the expense of his nation's well being.

Ryuho Okawa- Mrigashira Moon & Venus

He was the leader of a cult called Happy Science and declared himself to be God. one thing that stands out to me with mrig natives is how since Mrigashira nak represents the fall from heaven, i.e, the beginning of life on earth in some ways, its natives tend to be obsessed with truth telling, I had explored more positive manifestations of this in part 1 but this tendency can be manifest in very bad ways as we see from these examples as "truth" is very subjective. Okawa was telling his truth bc he genuinely believed he was God but does that make it right?

Jennifer Lawrence, Mrigashira Moon

JLaw has always struck me honest, maybe a little too honest but that's what made her so likable initially and unlikable later on. I had mentioned this in part 1 as well about how the presence of a Mrig native often triggers other people or makes them feel threatened. part of it is the fact that Mrig has serpent yoni and subconsciously we sense the energy of other people's yoni animals and react a certain way in their presence. people with predator yoni animals strike us as intimidating. most people hate snakes and will probably kill them if they see them bc it could be dangerous and this is honestly how society reacts to a lot of serpent yoni women. So many sex symbols have serpent yoni in their big 3 (Pamela Anderson, Marilyn Monroe, Angelina Jolie, Brooke Shields etc) society seems enchanted by them but is also quick to tear them apart. people feel deeply uncomfortable with these natives is what I have noticed. JLaw's reputation suffered after she had been exposed as a try hard "cool girl". but tbh, there are celebs out there who are far more annoying and done far worse things, how come JLaw's hated for being the "cool girl"?? part of it could be that we all see our collective shadow in her, the hot sexy talented woman who seems to be a messy clumsy loser and is also "one of the boys". JLaw grew up on a farm with 2 brothers, its only natural that her personality is a little brutish and unladylike, it gets old really quick bc it seemed gimmicky but it is interesting to me how someone can be ripped apart for something so small??

Sandra Bullock, Mrigashira Stellium

Sandra plays these unladylike but blunt and honest characters a lot (While You Were Sleeping, Two Weeks Notice, Miss Congeniality movies etc)

Sonam Kapoor- Mrigashira stellium (sun mercury & mars)

Sonam is known in the Indian media for saying whatever comes to her mouth lol, that means she makes a lot of dumb comments (she once said her being a nepo baby was the result of good karma from past lives lol and that people think you're a good actor if youre not good looking which is basically implying that she isnt considered a good actor bc she's too good looking lmfao) but she does have moments of radical no bullshit honesty, like the time she wrote an essay talking about body image

Monica from Friends always called out everyone's bullshit. She was played by Courteney Cox who is Mrigashira Sun

Leah Remini Mrigashira Sun

she exposed the dark secrets of Scientology through her memoir and docu series. this is another form of Mrigashira truth telling. exposing the darkness, evil and injustice in this world.

North West, Mrigashira Stellium (Sun & Rising)

North exposing her family is a bit of a running joke, she revealed she has dyslexia on IG live which pissed Kim off and in general she's known for her bluntness and calling out her mom esp. Kim even said that North is her "lesson" and that North "intimidates her" and how North is Kanye's twin (Kanye is also Mrigashira Sun)

Tupac Mrigashira Sun

honestly watch any interview and you can see how honest and sincere Tupac was (sidenote: isnt he sooo handsome??<33). i cant pinpoint to specific moments but Tupac was so young and sooo beyond mature?? idk if anybody in their early 20s has this kind of articulation anymore.

Paula Abdul- Mrigashira Sun

this is a bit of a strange case. Paula claims to have been in a plane crash in 1992 which left her with a spinal cord injury and forced her to take about 10 years off before she restarted her career as a judge on American Idol. she has talked about this many many times in the last 2 decades. except of course that there is zero evidence of this plane crash. obviously, she could just be lying but why lie about something that could so easily be proven? i think sometimes Mrig natives have a tendency to delusionally believe what they say. i have no doubt that Paula is convinced that she was in a plane crash and that it ruined her music career but its not objectively true.

Donald Trump & even Kanye West (both Mrig Sun) are other examples of celebrities who talk about wildly stranger things that they believe to be true.

Ewan McGregor- Mrigashira moon

In the movie The Island, Ewan's character discovers that everything about his existence is a lie and that he and the other inhabitants are human clones.

I feel like this trope of realizing lies and "waking up" is tied to Mrigashira's nature.

in the movie Passengers, this happens in reverse, JLaw wakes up and then learns the truth

The Truman Show, starring Mrigashira Moon, Jim Carrey is another example of a Mrig native realising everything is a lie.

i think its a common and unfortunate pattern in the lives of many Mrig natives to suffer abuse and I feel like the reason many of them do is because they falsely believe the lies they are being fed is true :(( it takes them time to "wake up" to the truth (ex: Mrig Sun Brooke Shields who always defended her abusive mom who made her pose nude for playboy when she was a kid??? among other things, its only recently that she has started to admit that those things werent okay)

thats it for this post!!

[opencommunion]

"As Europe drowned in Palestinian blood, European verbal sadism softened and has been exchanged for a few grimaces and tragic statements in the media forced by the mountain of chopped-up Palestinian bodies. But ultimately, the support of all European governments for 'Israel' in its genocide has remained intact as seen in the refusal to join South Africa's demand at the ICJ. The hands of all are soaked in blood. The European position is cloaked in a gigantic refined hypocrisy that includes some votes in the UN Security Council in favor of a ceasefire but no real action in their governments.

... Whoever controls with his hand the taps of armament, economic, commercial, or institutional, to open or close them at will, is in practice the one who directs the genocide and ethnic cleansing in Palestine. The European and US governments operate with their hands these taps that feed the Zionist regime, because 'Israel' is not self-sufficient and maintains a circular colonial economy of dependence on the Western metropolis. To this is added an important trade with Turkey and the supply of fuel from Azerbaijan and Iraqi Kurdistan, which also comes to it through Turkey.

... Israeli GDP fell by 20% in the last quarter of 2023 due to the staggering spending on the war machine of $300 million per day ($10 billion per month), unsustainable for a population smaller than that of Portugal. Other factors are added to this, such as the paralysis in many economic sectors, the hundreds of thousands of internally displaced Israeli settlers who have emptied the settlements near the dividing line with Lebanon and Gaza, the reduction of commercial exchange, or the disappearance of foreign tourism, among others.

These figures would have led to the collapse of any country of that size, and it is obvious that there is assisted ventilation from the European metropolis and the USA. Therefore, Europe and the USA are leading in practice this genocide and exploration of ethnic cleansing to culminate their colonial project in Palestine.

... Despite all this gigantic coalition of criminal forces and the beginning of a months-long period of sadistic mass torture, today, as a year ago, as on October 7, my prediction is that the Palestinians will resist in Palestine, even if 'Israel' manages to explode a regional open war and in that gigantic chaos further escalates the massacre. 

The Palestinians will defeat the mental Dark Ages of Europe and the USA by resisting with their feet on their land, with the weapons they can dispose of, and by having the necessary and sufficient (non-Western) allies as the Algerians or the Vietnamese had. The colonial regimes applied greater sadism the closer they came to their end, and likewise, the Israeli regime will intensify its internal decomposition, accelerating its horizon of collapse. This statement is not the product of naive optimism, nor is it because the academic Ilan Pappe says so. It is because the recent history of colonialism tells us so, and above all, because it is reaffirmed by the Palestinians who are piled up on the colossal firing squad of the Gaza wall."

Daniel Lobato for Al Mayadeen, "US, Europe conducting the genocide, and their colony in Palestine, 'Israel', is executing it," 3 March 24

[bloodboundchronicles]

Introduction to Diabolik Lovers~ [Chapter.01]

What is Diabolik Lovers?

Diabolik Lovers is a Japanese dark horror visual novel franchise created by Rejet Inc. and produced by Idea Factory. It’s a reverse harem otome game that mainly targets young women and the typical shoujo ‘fangirl.’

This follows the main heroine/protagonist Yui Komori, who gets thrusted into a world of vampires without any notice. Her life is instantly changed in a mere few hours. 

The content in each of the games is graphic, exuding the dark themes it showcases with the ‘dark side’ of vampires and supernatural creatures. This goes without saying that there's a large list of trigger warnings (TW’s) that should be understood. 

Some examples of these are as follows:

Graphic Imagery

Blood (drinking, puncturing, wounds)

Gore

Body Horror (including mutilation/self-mutilation, disfigurement, transformation, dollification)

Assault

Physical Assault (including biting, scratching, hitting, beating)

Sexual Assault

Emotional Abuse

Verbal Abuse

Torture (with instruments, aided weaponry)

Experimentation 

Attempted Drowning

Manipulation

Gaslighting

Psychological Manipulation

Dark Themes

Sadomasochism

Masochism

Sadism

Necrophilia (aroused by dead/sleeping people)

Dacryphilia (aroused by tears)

Coercion

Stockholm Syndrome

Kidnapping

Cannibalism

Social Themes

Classism (between the demonic races)

Social Isolation

Power Imbalance (vampires vs. humans)

Discrimination

Prejudice

Sexual Content

Implied Sexual Acts

Non-Consensual Sexual Situations

Lack of Consent

Intimate Partner Violence

Coercion

Grooming

Pedophilia

Rape

Sexual Assault

Incest

Human Trafficking 

Improper Usage of BDSM

Forced Childbirth (?)

Unwanted Pregnancy (?)

Mental Health

Trauma

Anxiety

Depression

PTSD

Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms

Self-Destructive Tendencies

Suicide

Suicidal Thoughts/Impulses

Suicide Ideation

Self-harm

Delusions

Paranoia

Disassociation

Body Dysmorphia

Pyrophobia (Along with acts of Arson)

Relationship Dynamics

Unhealthy Relationships

Codependency

Obsession

Obsessive Tendencies

Abused becomes the Abuser

Family Themes

Dysfunction

Neglectful Parenting

Physical Abuse

Parental Abuse

Child Abuse

Control and Ownership

Power and Control

Possessiveness

Objectification

Lack of Autonomy

Romanticization

Romanticizing Abuse

Romanticizing Unhealthy Behaviours

Sexualizing Violence

Fetishization of Pain

Themes of Death and Decay

Mortality

Decay (physical or metaphorical)

Existential Dread

Fear of Death

Resurrection

Religious Themes

Occultism

Religious Imagery

Religious Trauma

Sacrificial Offering

Ritualistic Behaviours

Ethical Concerns

Ethical Dilemmas

Moral Ambiguity

Loss of Morality

Morally Gray Characters

Identity

Identity Crisis

Loss of Identity

Emotional Themes

Loneliness

Helplessness

Despair

Personal Boundaries/Intimacy

Invasion of Personal Space

Boundaries Violation

Consent not taken into Account

Gender-Based Violence

Violence Against Women

Misogyny

Degradement

Trauma Responses

Triggers

Flashbacks

Fight, Flight, Fawn, Freeze Response

Unwanted Attention

Stalking

Blackmailing

Harassment

Dependency

Dependence on Abuser

Learned Helplessness

Substance Abuse

Substance Dependency

Alcoholism

Drug Intake

Coping Mechanisms

Economic Themes

Poverty

Wealth Disparity

It’s been adapted into several manga, anime (2 seasons– Diabolik Lovers: Haunted Dark Bridal, Diabolik Lovers: More, Blood,) character interviews, tweets (from their own twitter– now X– accounts,) official character art books, novels, short stories, drama CDs, and music CDs. 

There are 7 games, the first coming out in 2012. The game follows the protagonist: Yui Komori (name is changeable whilst playing the game to suit MC/Player).

Diabolik Lovers: Haunted Dark Bridal (Otherwise Known as HDB) – 2012

Includes introduction to main Love Interests– Sakamaki Brothers.

Main Game, introduction game.

Game Plot: Yui Komori, a catholic girl troubled by supernatural experiences, follows her father’s instructions to a mysterious mansion, whilst he embarks on a missionary trip to Europe. Yui encounters six vampire brothers and is forced to choose one to drink her blood, embarking on a journey into darkness.

Diabolik Lovers: More, Blood (Otherwise Known as MB) – 2013

Includes introduction to main Love Interests– Mukami Brothers.

Main Game

Provides more lore and goes over the 'start' of the Diabolik Lovers Universe.

Game Plot: MORE, BLOOD occurs a month after the prologue of Haunted Dark Bridal, in the event that Yui stopped herself from selecting a vampire to feed on her blood.

Diabolik Lovers: Vandead Carnival (Otherwise Known as VC) – 2014

Includes the Sakamaki and Mukami Brothers.

Fandisk Game 

(Fandisks are games outside of the main plot which offer more content, side stories, and routes towards development of characters.)

Game Plot: Yui and the Sakamaki Brothers receive an invitation from Karlheinz to attend the opening of the Grand Festival for Vampires, VanDead Carnival, in the demon world (Makai). Upon arrival, they cross paths with the Mukami brothers, who are also in attendance.

Diabolik Lovers: Dark Fate (Otherwise Known as DF) – 2015

Includes introduction to main Love Interests– Tsukinami Brothers. (Sakamaki and Mukami brothers are also present.)

Main Game

Game Plot: Amidst the turmoil between the Sakamaki and Mukami families, Yui Komori finds herself drawn into a new conflict during the Lunar Eclipse. With the arrival of the Tsukinami brothers, transfer students from the main branch of Mintei Academy, located in the UK, strange occurrences escalate.

Diabolik Lovers: Lunatic Parade (Otherwise Known as LP) – 2016

Includes the Sakamaki, Mukami, and Tsukinami Brothers.

Fandisk Game

Game Plot: Yui’s heart is stolen by the renowned demon collector, the Earl of Walter, from the Demon World (Makai), and is replaced with a magical crystal named “Kleinod.” As Kleinod’s effect gradually diminishes, threatening Yui’s life, the vampires from the Sakamaki, Mukami, and Tsukinami clans journey to the Demon World (Makai) to recover her heart amidst the backdrop of a simultaneous parade.

Diabolik Lovers: Lost Eden (Otherwise Known as LE) – 2017

Includes introduction to main Love Interest– Kino. (No current affiliation)

Includes the Sakamaki, Mukami, Tsukinami Brothers.

Main Game

Game Plot: Following Karl Heinz’s demise, one of the Sakamaki brothers inherits his powers and assumes leadership of the vampire clan, but struggles with the unstable nature of this newfound authority, preventing access to the Demon World. As tensions rise among various factions, Yui must aid her partner in stabilizing their realm while evading the pursuit of Kino, who seeks to harness the potent power for himself.

Diabolik Lovers: Chaos Lineage (Otherwise Known as CL) – 2019

Includes the Sakamaki, Mukami, Tsukinami Brothers, and Kino.

AU Game/Main Game (A ‘what-if’ parallel world)

Game Plot: In a world dominated by 13 vampires and Yui Komori, known as the “Legendary Eve,” the struggle for power intensifies as factions compete to claim her and ascend to the throne of the ‘Demon King.’ Amidst divided houses (Violet, Scarlet, Orange) and forgotten memories, Yui grapples with the heartbreak of watching her beloved vampires descend into violence and chaos, questioning whether their fractured existence can ever be reconciled in their twisted blood lineage.

The Manga’s Out:

Diabolik Lovers Haunted Dark Bridal–

HDB Prequel:

Prequel Prologue

Shuu Sakamaki Prequel

Reiji Sakamaki Prequel

Laito Sakamaki Prequel

Kanato Sakamaki Prequel

Ayato Sakamaki Prequel

Subaru Sakamaki Prequel

HDB Sequel:

Shuu Sakamaki Sequel 

Reiji Sakamaki Sequel

Laito Sakamaki Sequel

Kanato Sakamaki Sequel

Ayato Sakamaki Sequel

Subaru Sakamaki Sequel

HDB Anthology:

The Captured One [Shuu]

Let’s Go Back Home [Shuu]

Reiji’s Possession [Reiji] 

Sickening Lovers [Reiji]

Captive Girl [Laito] 

Dizzy [Laito]

Sweet, Sweet Pain [Kanato]

Lovely, Bloody Doll [Kanato]

Nightmare [Ayato] 

Obstinacy [Ayato]

In the end there’s no escape [Subaru] 

I Want [Subaru]

Diabolik Lovers Cardinal Anthology–

Cheri [Shuu]

The Awakening Coffin [Shuu]

SweetxSugar [Reiji]

More Crazy [Reiji]

What you and me want [Laito] 

Vampires are hungry [Laito]

Bent Love [Laito]

Crave Your Love [Kanato]

Trapped Cradle [Kanato]

Mimic [Ayato]

Pet Trap [Ayato] 

I Want To Monopolize [Subaru]

Moon Flower [Subaru] 

Diabolik Lovers Anime Anthology–

You Can’t Deny It [Shuu]

Something’s Missing [Shuu]

Private Lesson [Reiji]

To Become a Proper Lady [Reiji]

Revenge [Laito]

Trapped in Plain Sight [Laito] 

The Honeyed Taste of Foolish You [Kanato] 

Sweet Lovers [Kanato]

Moon Magic [Ayato]

Sweet Play [Ayato]

Scars [Subaru]

More Crazy x Love [Subaru]

Diabolik Lovers More Blood–

MB Prequel–

Sakamaki Arc:

Sakamaki Side Prologue Prequel

Shuu Sakamaki Prequel 

Reiji Sakamaki Prequel

Laito Sakamaki Prequel 

Kanato Sakamaki Prequel

Ayato Sakamaki Prequel 

Subaru Sakamaki Prequel 

Mukami Arc:

Mukami Side Prologue Prequel

Ruki Mukami Prequel

Kou Mukami Prequel 

Yuma Mukami Prequel 

Azusa Mukami Prequel 

MB Sequel–

Sakamaki Arc:

 Shuu Sakamaki Sequel 

 Reiji Sakamaki Sequel

 Laito Sakamaki Sequel

 Kanato Sakamaki Sequel 

 Ayato Sakamaki Sequel 

 Subaru Sakamaki Sequel 

Mukami Arc:

 Ruki Mukami Sequel 

 Kou Mukami Sequel 

 Yuma Mukami Sequel

 Azusa Mukami Sequel

MB Anthology–

Sakamaki Arc:

Nocturne [Shuu]

The Chase [Shuu] 

Blood Coloured World [Reiji] 

I Can’t Sleep Tonight [Reiji] 

A Small Decision [Laito] 

Dolce [Laito] 

Thirst For [Kanato] 

Connected Heart [Kanato]

To Swallow Poison [Ayato] 

Eyes [Ayato] 

Meanwhile [Subaru] 

More Eloquent Than Anything [Subaru] 

Mukami Arc:

I want to know the real you [Ruki] 

Light of the Heart [Ruki] 

Star Puzzle [Ruki] 

Falling Flower [Kou] 

Prays to a Photograph [Kou] 

The Names for these Feelings [Kou] 

Sinful Red Fruit [Yuma] 

Sweet Restraint [Yuma]

The Empty Sky [Yuma] 

Stigmata [Azusa] 

Give Me [Azusa] 

Lovely, Lovely [Azusa] 

Young Blood–

An 8 chapter manga Rejet made in 2021 that goes over the 6 main boy’s [Sakamaki] coming of age ceremony to become assimilated within the court of adult vampires in the world of Makai [otherwise known as the Demon World]. 

Karlheinz sets it up so that the main 6 are placed in a laboratory and genetically modified for his plan, a race to become Adam. 

A main theme is the legend of the rotting fig tree, and the one who finds it and takes a taste of said wondrous fruit will never again be able to taste anything as sweet. They’ll go their entire lives searching for the taste in an attempt to selfishly devour it once more. 

However this rotting fig tree is found within the ghoul territory— Rotigenberg [otherwise known as Kino’s birthplace/the birthplace of the ghouls]. 

It’s also a small piece of side lore that depicts who becomes ‘Adam.’ [Ayato is confirmed to be the chosen Adam as he eats the rotting fig fruit.]

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

The 4-KOMA Mangas/Drabbles–

More Blood Anthology:

This is found on the official Rejet Youtube Channel for Diabolik Lovers. 

Day in the life of Sakamaki’s

More, More Blood:

These are found on the official Rejet Youtube Channel for Diabolik Lovers. Most have been translated, some have not. 

Proper Dress Code [Reiji & Ayato]

Puberty [Shuu & Subaru]

Imitating Big Bro [Ruki, Kou, Yuma & Azusa]

Animal Magnet [Laito & Subaru]

An Idol’s Fate [Kou]

Scarf [Carla & Kanato]

Soil Expert [Laito & Yuma]

Directions [Carla & Shin]

To Ensure a Sound Sleep [Shuu & Reiji]

Biscuits [Ayato & Kanato]

Kino’s Investigation [Kino]

A Helping Hand [Kanato & Azusa]

A New Familiar? [Carla & Shin]

Karma [Ayato & Azusa]

Always Composed [Ruki]

Wild Boy [Ruki, Kou, Yuma & Azusa]

Crafty Laito-kun [Laito & Shin]

Buddies [Subaru & Kou]

Digging for Weaknesses [Laito]

Big Brother [Reiji & Kino]

En Garde! [Reiji, Ayato, Ruki & Yuma]

Money Management [Carla & Shin]

I’m not an Idol [Ruki & Kou]

Takoyaki [Ayato & Laito]

Clothes Shopping [Kino]

Lock-on [Kanato & Yuma]

Star [Kino]

Daylight:

These are found on the official Rejet Youtube Channel for Diabolik Lovers. Most have been translated, some have not. 

Please Watch Closely [Ayato & Kanato]

Half-asleep [Shuu & Laito]

If you have to destroy [Reiji & Subaru]

New Look [Ruki & Yuma]

I Want Them Now [Kanato & Laito]

Once in a While [Kou & Azusa]

Worst Case Scenario [Reiji & Ayato]

How about You? [Shuu & Yuma]

Poster [Laito & Carla]

Nuts [Kanato & Shin]

Sausages [Subaru & Kino]

Nightmare [Ayato]

Secret Recipe [Reiji & Azusa]

The Ultimate Familiar [Kino & Shuu]

Ponytail [Laito, Kou & Yuma]

Electric Appliances [Shuu & Reiji]

Wall [Subaru & Shin]

Pasta [Reiji & Kou]

The Ideal Older Brother [Ruki & Carla]

Exquisite [Reiji]

Stunning [Laito & Ruki]

Makeover [Subaru & Kou]

Cafe [Kanato & Azusa]

Misleading [Reiji & Subaru]

Homework [Ayato & Carla]

Hiding Spot [Shuu & Kanato]

Guava Juice? [Yuma & Kino]

Gingerbread House [Kanato]

Ice cream [Ruki & Kou]

Oasis [Laito & Azusa]

Glasses [Reiji & Shin] 

Hats [Laito] 

I was just curious [Shuu & Subaru]

Compacted [Ruki & Azusa] 

Tsukimi Dango dumplings [Ayato & Kanato] 

Love [Ruki] 

Dark (?) Business [Carla]

Different Thoughts [Laito, Kou & Kino]

Shaking Off [Yuma & Shin] 

Happy [Kou]

Birthday Present [Ayato & Subaru] 

25cm Difference [Kanato & Yuma] 

Novels:

Anime Novel 

FanBooks:

Diabolik Lovers Official Anime Fan Book (Translated by: dialovers-translations)

[fatehbaz]

From Atlanta to Chicago [...]. These cop cities are training grounds for police violence and must be dismantled to restore a world where life is precious.

In a stunning yet utterly predictable act, Chicago’s “cop academy” has officially opened on the West Side complete with a ribbon-cutting in front of fake street signs and fake housing.

In a city reeling from extreme poverty, a lack of affordable housing, myriad environmental injustices, food apartheid, [...] and in a city where at least 65,000 people are experiencing homelessness, the leadership of the city of Chicago spent $128 million to build fake homes on the city’s resource-starved West Side where officers can practice the violence and brutality that they will mete out to Chicago residents.

---

In a disturbing photo, Mayor Lightfoot, [...] Fire Commissioner Nance-Holt and others smile while cutting a red ribbon, proud to have brought this into being. Adding insult to injury, the thirty-two-acre cop academy was built on the city’s West Side, where decades of racist policy (such as redlining and other housing discrimination and disinvestment) by the city government in this majority-nonwhite community have already given way to poverty and population loss. (In just one example, the Rahm Emanuel administration closed half of the West Side’s mental health clinics in 2012, then shuttered numerous West Side schools in his historic closure of fifty schools in 2013.) [...]

---

Lest there be any doubt as to whether or not West Siders actually want this cop academy, in 2018 the organizers of the No Cop Academy campaign polled West Garfield Park residents [...]. 95 percent recommended that the city invest in something else - beyond the Chicago Police Department [...]

What kind of society eagerly spends millions of dollars to build fake neighborhoods, but cannot muster the funds to provide actual housing for the unhoused? What kind of society would rather stage and practice violence than provide mental health resources or violence interruption to communities reeling from it everyday? Unfortunately, such questions arise on a routine basis in this city.

---

And it is not only in this city. [...] For Chicago, like so many cities across the US, we must remember that policing is not a “rational” response to something called “crime.” Instead, it is a war on poor people (particularly Black and Brown poor people). As Ruth Wilson Gilmore argues, this war treats incarceration as a solution to social and economic ills while conveniently stripping poor and working-class people of color of their political rights and autonomy. [...]

---

Additionally, in a cynical move decried by Chicago youth organizers, a chapter of the Boys and Girls Club is set to open at the facility. This is despite Chicago having the second most killings by police of youth under eighteen in the country, and despite several high-profile CPD murders of youth such as thirteen-year-old Adam Toledo and twenty-two-year-old Anthony Alvarez just in the last few years. [...]

They want a fake village where no one lives or thrives. They spend millions on a theme park to practice surveilling, policing, and controlling people. This vision can never be a home for anyone, and thus the Cop Academy should have no place in our city if we are to make Chicago, someday, a true home for its residents. [...]

--

We must refuse to allow such sadism to become normalized, and continue to make clear in the face of a city leadership which laughs, that, as Ruth Wilson Gilmore says, “where life is precious, life is precious.” [...]

Like the brave protesters facing off against the horrific violence of Atlanta’s proposed Cop City, organizers in Chicago have fought a valiant campaign against the cop academy since it was first proposed during the Emanuel administration. The No Cop Academy campaign, led by Black youth across the city, has led countless protests and actions and was endorsed by more than 100 organizations. [...]

Though the structures have been built, the fight against the cop academy (as well as similar projects in Atlanta and elsewhere) must continue: we must transform every fake cop neighborhood into real, affordable housing and vibrant neighborhoods where every person has what they need to thrive.

---

Text by: Nisha Atalie. “From Atlanta to Chicago, Cop Cities Breed Violence.” Rampant Magazine. 30 January 2023. [Italicized first paragraph in this post is directly quoted from the title and subheading printed alongside the article at Rampant.]

[katchwreck]

“With its private property, exploitation of man by man, economic and spiritual enslavement of man, the capitalist system has imposed a heavy burden on everyone, but especially and more barbarously on women. Women were the first slaves in human history, even before slavery. Throughout this history, not to mention prehistory, whether during the Hellenic civilization, Roman times, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, or in modern times, whether in the contemporary bourgeois era of the so-called “refined civilization,” women have been and are becoming the most enslaved, oppressed, exploited and humiliated people in every respect. Laws, traditions, religion, masculine mentality oppressed them and allowed them to be oppressed. Ecclesiastes says; “I find woman more harmful than death,” while St. John Chrysostom has another opinion about women. He says; “Among the wildest animals, you will not find anyone more decadent than a woman”. The theologian and philosopher Saint Thomas Aquinas, one of the most prominent philosophers of medieval reaction, defended the view that “woman's destiny is to live under the heel of men”. To complete these barbaric quotes, Napoleon said; “nature has made women our slaves”. Such were the views of the church and the bourgeoisie about women. Among the bourgeoisie, these views remain valid today. There are countless of philosophers and writers in Europe and all over the world who have made the superiority of men over women a mythological aspiration, norm and even demand. According to them, a man is strong, a warrior, brave and therefore smarter, therefore he is predetermined to rule, to lead, whereas a woman is by nature weak, vulnerable and timid, therefore she must be ruled and handled. Bourgeois theorists such as Nietzsche and Freud also defend the theory that man is active and woman is passive in the same way. This reactionary, anti-scientific theory has led to nazism in politics and sadism in sexology. Our mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers suffered under this terrible slavery, they carried these physical and spiritual cruelties on their own backs. Now, when the revolution has triumphed, when socialism has been successfully built in our country, the Party sets before us as a great task, as one of the greatest tasks, the complete and final liberation of women from all the shackles of the painful past, the complete liberation of Albanian women. Marxism teaches us that the participation of women in production and their liberation from capitalist exploitation are the two stages of women's liberation. Our Party, which follows the principles of Marxism-Leninism and applies them faithfully, has liberated the people and especially women from capitalist exploitation through war and revolution and has included them in production.”

— Enver Hoxha, Selected Works, 4, p. 268

[danlous]

I have talked about this show and uncomfortable topics so much today i’m exhausting myself but i want to say one more thing as an ipv survivor who cares a lot about this stuff. I’ve seen so, so many posts saying Lestat would never do this because he loves Louis more than anything, he worships him, he could never hurt him. This is fallacious and incredibly dangerous thinking. It shows up a lot both in real life and fandom: people saying both that [x] doesn’t really love their victim or it’s not “true” love since they’re abusive, or alternatively [x]’s actions weren’t really abusive since they love their victim, they meant well etc. There is a prevailing idea of abusers as consciously cruel monsters who don’t feel love or empathy. The disturbing and difficult reality is however that many, even most, abusers genuinely love their victims, sometimes extremely deeply and passionately so. Love has almost nothing to do with is the relationship abusive or not. This is pretty personal but in my own relationship my boyfriend was a lot of time extremely kind and supportive, treated me like a princess and did anything to make me happy. He was ready to sacrifice his own wellbeing to help me. When he later hit me (another thing to understand is that emotional abuse practically always comes before physical and abuse has a slowly escalating quality) he would be so upset with his own actions that he would cry. Now years later when i look back to this relationship objectively i still have no doubt in my mind that he really loved me. He was just too fucked up. But at the time the knowledge that he loved made me think that he wasn’t really abusive and not seek help, because i had heard over and over again that abusers don’t love their victims.

Low empathy and sadism can be risk factors for abuse, but the biggest risk factors/causes for abuse are social, economic and cultural factors, substance abuse, abuser’s poor emotional regulation and communication skills and low self-esteem. All forms of abuse are about control. If we analyse our fictional fucked up vampire household almost all the typical warning signs are there. Past experience of being a victim or witnessing abuse increases the risk to commit it later you because it may normalize it your mind (Lestat has a very long history of being violated and abused - i think this is most obvious with how he acts around Claudia: you get an impression he thinks this is a normal way you treat your children). If using violence and abuse tactics has worked in the past to solve problems this behavior gets reinforced (Lestat is used to dealing with things with violence - and otoh him trying to control Louis and isolate has worked in the past). They’re extremely socially isolated; they don’t seem to have any friends outside their family anymore. Their situation is extremely stressful which causes suppressed anger. Jealousy, infidelity and sexual problems are huge risk factors (needless to even elaborate). Most abusers suffer from intense anxiety and insecurity, have low self-esteem and problems at controlling their emotions and are terrified of abandonment (this is Lestat’s entire character in nutshell). Experts talk about so called ‘relationship retention behavior’ where abuser thinks that violence and abuse are the only way to save the relationship and keep their partner from leaving. Lestat’s actions in the past episode are a textbook example of this, and he has actually shown signs of it since the very first episode.

I emphasize i’m not taking a stand here are Lestat’s actions ooc or not, was it a bad or offensive writing choice or not or anything like that. I’m not really even talking about the show first and foremost. I’m just really worried seeing so many young people not realizing that love and abuse are not mutually exclusive and not understanding how abusive relationships develop. Abuser trying to keep their loved ones from leaving them is one of the most common situations where abuse occurs. Please never think that someone couldn’t abuse you just because you love them and they love you

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

[Daily Don]

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

May 29, 2023

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

MAY 30, 2023

Beginning in 1943, the War Department published a series of pamphlets for U.S. Army personnel in the European theater of World War II. Titled Army Talks, the series was designed “to help [the personnel] become better-informed men and women and therefore better soldiers.” On March 24, 1945, the topic for the week was “FASCISM!” “You are away from home, separated from your families, no longer at a civilian job or at school and many of you are risking your very lives,” the pamphlet explained, “because of a thing called fascism.” But, the publication asked, what is fascism? “Fascism is not the easiest thing to identify and analyze,” it said, “nor, once in power, is it easy to destroy. It is important for our future and that of the world that as many of us as possible understand the causes and practices of fascism, in order to combat it.” Fascism, the U.S. government document explained, “is government by the few and for the few. The objective is seizure and control of the economic, political, social, and cultural life of the state.” “The people run democratic governments, but fascist governments run the people.” “The basic principles of democracy stand in the way of their desires; hence—democracy must go! Anyone who is not a member of their inner gang has to do what he’s told. They permit no civil liberties, no equality before the law.” “Fascism treats women as mere breeders. ‘Children, kitchen, and the church,’ was the Nazi slogan for women,” the pamphlet said. Fascists “make their own rules and change them when they choose…. They maintain themselves in power by use of force combined with propaganda based on primitive ideas of ‘blood’ and ‘race,’ by skillful manipulation of fear and hate, and by false promise of security. The propaganda glorifies war and insists it is smart and ‘realistic’ to be pitiless and violent.” Fascists understood that “the fundamental principle of democracy—faith in the common sense of the common people—was the direct opposite of the fascist principle of rule by the elite few,” it explained, “[s]o they fought democracy…. They played political, religious, social, and economic groups against each other and seized power while these groups struggled.” Americans should not be fooled into thinking that fascism could not come to America, the pamphlet warned; after all, “[w]e once laughed Hitler off as a harmless little clown with a funny mustache.” And indeed, the U.S. had experienced “sorry instances of mob sadism, lynchings, vigilantism, terror, and suppression of civil liberties. We have had our hooded gangs, Black Legions, Silver Shirts, and racial and religious bigots. All of them, in the name of Americanism, have used undemocratic methods and doctrines which…can be properly identified as ‘fascist.’” The War Department thought it was important for Americans to understand the tactics fascists would use to take power in the United States. They would try to gain power “under the guise of ‘super-patriotism’ and ‘super-Americanism.’” And they would use three techniques: First, they would pit religious, racial, and economic groups against one another to break down national unity. Part of that effort to divide and conquer would be a “well-planned ‘hate campaign’ against minority races, religions, and other groups.” Second, they would deny any need for international cooperation, because that would fly in the face of their insistence that their supporters were better than everyone else. “In place of international cooperation, the fascists seek to substitute a perverted sort of ultra-nationalism which tells their people that they are the only people in the world who count. With this goes hatred and suspicion toward the people of all other nations.” Third, fascists would insist that “the world has but two choices—either fascism or communism, and they label as ‘communists’ everyone who refuses to support them.” It is “vitally important” to learn to spot native fascists, the government said, “even though they adopt names and slogans with popular appeal, drape themselves with the American flag, and attempt to carry out their program in the name of the democracy they are trying to destroy.” The only way to stop the rise of fascism in the United States, the document said, “is by making our democracy work and by actively cooperating to preserve world peace and security.” In the midst of the insecurity of the modern world, the hatred at the root of fascism “fulfills a triple mission.” By dividing people, it weakens democracy. “By getting men to hate rather than to think,” it prevents them “from seeking the real cause and a democratic solution to the problem.” By falsely promising prosperity, it lures people to embrace its security. “Fascism thrives on indifference and ignorance,” it warned. Freedom requires “being alert and on guard against the infringement not only of our own freedom but the freedom of every American. If we permit discrimination, prejudice, or hate to rob anyone of his democratic rights, our own freedom and all democracy is threatened.” And if “we want to make certain that fascism does not come to America, we must make certain that it does not thrive anywhere in the world.” Seventy-eight years after the publication of “FASCISM!” with its program for recognizing that political system and stopping it from taking over the United States, President Joe Biden today at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, honored those who gave their lives fighting to preserve democracy. “On this day, we come together again to reflect, to remember, but above all, to recommit to the future our fallen heroes fought for, …a future grounded in freedom, democracy, equality, tolerance, opportunity, and…justice.” “[T]he truest memorial to their lives,” the president said, is to act “every day to ensure that our democracy endures, our Constitution endures, and the soul of our nation and our decency endures.”

—

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[From Comments]

TCinLA

Writes Thats Another Fine Mess

Within a matter of a few years of the publication of "FASCISM!" the authors were under investigation by the resurgent Republican right as "communist agents". It happened right in front of everyone and he only ones who recognized it were silenced by the threat of being called "communists" and having their lives destroyed. We call it "McCarthyism" and think it died with him, but it didn't, and now it's so strong we live in fear of it taking formal power next year.