#emotional marketing campaigns examples

[gptknowledgezone]

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[canmom]

How do you live?

I (finally!) saw Miyazaki's new film 君たちはどう生きるか (How Do You Live?/The Boy and the Heron)! It's been out in the States for a while, and in Japan considerably longer, but it took a while to make its way over here.

I remember at the time it came out, people were having fun riffing on the incredibly cryptic marketing campaign, which consisted only of this rather abstract poster...

In the spirit of this, I resolutely avoided watching any trailers or knowing anything at all about the plot of the film. I picked up a thing or two here and there - I knew to expect some amazing Shinya Ohira animation for example, and you couldn't really avoid seeing the bird with teeth! - but overall, I had no idea.

There's plenty of great writing about this film in English already, such as kvin's fantastic sakugablog piece which discusses the physicality of Ghibli's animation, its weight and springiness, as a throughline. The stuff that kvin talks about really stood out to me as I watched this film. You can likewise read detailed interviews with Toshiyuki Inoue (fantastic interview for sakubutas) and Akihiko Yamashita on fufuro.

First up, the credits of this film are pretty much a who's who of the greatest jp animators of the last 30 years, and they've had some 7 years to cook it, so naturally this film looks fucking amazing. This is absolutely the kind of film that only Miyazaki could direct - its design language feels so familiar and yet it's iterating in all kinds of visually imaginative directions that show that yeah, the old bastard's still got it.

And like, god, man. This film's animation is really something special. Its real-world scenes in particular are full of shots that require an unbelievably strong sense of space, of both subtle and broad acting, the classic Ghibli attention to detail on mechanical objects and everyday tasks. It's full of bouncing and squishing and squeezing and oozing things. It loves to draw crowds and swarms of people and animals. It's the kind of film where any given shot would be the absolute star-of-the-show sakuga moment in just about any other anime film. If you wanted a complete statement of the Ghibli school of animation, it would be hard to do better.

And yet, for all that Miyazaki's known for his tight control over animation and heavy corrections to animators, in this film he had to step back from that kind of role and hand over the sousakkan reins to Takeshi Honda, who steps up admirably - as kvin writes above, bringing in more realist elements to the bouncy Miyazaki style to create a really effective unity that grounds all the big fantastical elements of the film and fills the first act with tension.

Alongside all that excellent key animation, the film's colour and photography departments evidently understand that well-chosen colours and good highlight shapes beat all the digital gradients and overlays you can imagine - the drawings get plenty of form from the strength of the animation, and the flat shading really pops. The backgrounds are as delicious as ever, skyscapes and vegetation and opulent interiors with the just-slightly desaturated and harmonious colours that just kind of remind you that oh yeah, it is still possible to do it this way.

Basically it's a Ghibli film lol. You know how it is.

But what of the story...? What's all this technical magic in service of?

The film's story has something of the feel of a serial story, perhaps reflecting Miyazaki's (in)famous process of working out the film gradually as he draws the storyboards. Certain ideas, like the parakeet empire, arrive in the film rather suddenly and then become fairly central to the plot. There's a clear emotional throughline, but this is not a film that is in a hurry to explain itself more than it absolutely has to. It wants to keep its magical elements numinous and mysterious. I would say, though, it's generally more satisfying in this approach than some of Miyazaki's other later films like Howl's Moving Castle, and resolves a lot more clearly.

So what is it like, About? Well, Miyazaki has been pretty open about channeling a lot of his personal relationships into the film, and a lot of it seems to reflect more or less obliquely on him. It's what they call a 'personal film'. The protagonist's position as the son of an aeroplane factory owner during WWII is straight-up from life. What about the old sorcerer, haphazardly stacking blocks to keep a world alive, and looking for someone to succeed him? The reading's kinda obvious, even if Miya himself says this guy is based on his memory of Takahata. Well, he can be both...

To say more I'm gonna have to delve into the spoiler zone. See you below the cut.

OK so! Let's try and get some thoughts in order.

first, a plot summary type of thing

Our first act introduces us to Mahito at roughly the moment his mother Hisako dies in a hospital fire. This is midway through the war, which is present mostly in the background - now and then we see soldiers marching around, and of course Mahito's dad runs a factory producing warplane parts, not entirely unlike Miyazaki's own father although seemingly a bit higher up the ladder.

We jump forward a little and Mahito's father remarries - to his deceased wife's sister, no less, and she's already pregnant. This is Natsuko, who does her best to play the role of mother, but Mahito still has big traumas and he is understandably not entirely on board with the idea of welcoming a mum 2 who looks almost exactly like mum 1. He moves with Natsuko into a huge old house complex, a mix of older Japanese architecture with a more recent Western wing where the family currently sleeps - and staffed by a small army of colourful old ladies who are eager for any canned meat or cigarettes they can get their hands on.

Also there's this freaky heron that keeps bothering Mahito. It seems to have something to do with a mysterious tower which turns out to have been built by his great-uncle. Mahito visits the tower, but can't make his way inside. Natsuko tells him not to go into the tower.

Mahito goes to school, but naturally they don't much take to the new rich kid on the block, and so after being attacked by his classmates on his way home he injures himself with a rock. (His dumbass dad is like, who did this to you son, I'll fuck 'em up.) For the rest of the movie, he has half his head shaved to accomodate a bandage, which is the sort of attention to detail this movie loves.

The heron has started growing teeth and talking to Mahito, telling him to come to the tower. Mahito is convinced it's a trap, and after a maybe-dream sequence in which Natsuko shoots an arrow to drive off the heron, he steals cigarettes from Natsuko in order to get one of the servants to sharpen his knife, and then constructs a bow and arrow out of bamboo - using a couple of the heron's feathers. Constructing the bow and arrow is shown in immense, loving detail.

In the process, he witnesses Natsuko walk into the forest, and also stumbles on a book: How Do You Live? by Genzaburō Yoshino, which contains a handwritten message from his mother. He looks at this book briefly... and this is about the extent of the connection of the film to the book, beyond thematic parallels.

The maids notice that Natsuko is missing. Mahito tells one of the maids, Kiriko, that he saw her go into the forest, and they follow, finding an old road that gives another approach to the tower. They're greated by the heron man, who is increasingly emerging from the heron's beak to reveal a big warty nose. He's some kind of like... heron selkie or something, a gnome in a heron skin. There's some wonderfully grotesque animation around this guy.

Heron dude taunts Mahito with an illusion of his mother Hisako. Mahito threatens him with the bow - the heron guy is like, do your worst, not realising it's a maaagic arrow. The arrow chases him around the room and pierces his beak, fucking up his magic. At this point, the tower master shows up and orders the heron to guide Mahito. Heron guy sends everyone through the floor into a fantastical world...

Mahito arrives in front of a huge, sinister tomb. He approaches the gate, and a swarm of pelicans walk up behind, crawling all over him and pressing him through the gate. This causes a storm to start brewing, since opening the gate seems to piss off the stones or something...

A fisher woman resembling a much younger Kiriko runs up and chases the pelicans away. She takes Mahito under her wing, explaining that this world is inhabited mostly by dead people, but there are also these little round guys called the wareware, who gain the ability to fly when they eat a fish's guts.

Kiriko, uniquely in this world, has the ability to kill, so she catches fish to sell to the other inhabitants and feed to the wareware; she and Mahito butcher a huge fish. Mahito fairly quickly figures out that she is somehow the same Kiriko that entered with him. She has tiny charms representing the other maids, which serve an apotropaic function.

That night, staying on Kiriko's huge derelict ship of a home, they watch the wareware rise into the sky to be born as humans in Mahito's world. They're attacked by the pelicans, but a fire-wielding magic user called Hisa (hmmmmmmmmmm) drives the pelicans away. Mahito shouts at her not to harm the wareware, but Kiriko assures him that more of the wareware will survive thanks to Hisa's intervention.

Later, a singed and dying pelican explains the pelicans' predicament to Mahito in a scene that calls to mind the animals in Mononoke-hime. The pelicans are foreigners in this world, they don't have anything to eat, so they take it as their role to eat the wareware. The heron man arrives on the scene too, offering to help Mahito find Natsuko as Mahito - coming in to his own as a protagonist more - buries the pelican. Mahito distrusts him but eventually Kiriko persuades them to give working together a try.

Mahito and the heron set out. As they pass through a forest, the heron reveals that thanks to Mahito's arrow, he can't fly and do heron shit anymore - and by magic law, only Mahito can fix the hole. Mahito applies his new woodworking skills to fashion a bung for the hole. The heron tries to stage a top 10 anime betrayal, but then the bung needs more work, so Mahito fixes it, and from that point on, the heron joins the party and he and Mahito are fast friends.

(You might wonder why I just call him 'the heron' and not by a name. He never gets named! He's just the heron man.)

Mahito and the heron arrive at the house of a blacksmith who's supposed to help them find Natsuko, only to find it guarded by big buff parakeet men. The parakeets are splendidly goofy round guys - they remind me of the heedra in Nausicaa. The heron draws the parakeets away, and Mahito enters the house, only to find, uh oh! More parakeets. The parakeets prepare to eat Mahito, who is not carrying a child and therefore fair game unlike Natsuko, but Hisa shows up and burns them with fire magic. She looks just like a young version of Mahito's mum! Funny that. Hisa helps Mahito escape into her house through the fire, and then takes him to infiltrate the parakeets' empire.

In the human world, the maids explain the backstory of the tower to Mahito's dad. It's a weird meteorite that came from space, it turns out, and Mahito's great-uncle built the tower on top of it before eventually disappearing inside. Mahito's dad overprepares in an elaborate getup complete with katana, and goes to try to rescue everyone.

Hisa leads Mahito to a corridor full of doors which open into all the different worlds, including his own world. Mahito briefly glimpses his dad coming to try and rescue him - the two see each other briefly, but the parakeets catch wind of the whole thing and attack, and so Mahito and Hisa have to flee back into the magical world. We see that the parakeet guys turn into regular parakeets when they come into the human world. Mahito's dad becomes convinced he turned into a parakeet.

Mahito and Hisa make their way to the delivery room where Natsuko is resting, waiting to give birth. On their way, lightning starts emerging from the stone - Hisa explains that the stone is sentient and pissed with them. Mahito insists on approaching Natsuko despite this being a huge taboo. They have a heart to heart - Natsuko's mask breaks and she tells Mahito she hates him, while he finally starts calling her mother, as he's assaulted by paper charms that tear at him violently. They part, with Hisa burning the charms to free Mahito, but it's too much and they both pass out.

Mahito dreams of meeting the sorcerer, who stacks irregularly shaped wooden blocks, and explains that stacking the blocks is necessary to maintain the world, buying a few days at a time. The sorcerer reveals the huge flying rock that is the source of his power; he also shows Mahito some blocks, but Mahito somehow divines that these blocks are 'stone for building tombs' and stained with malice. The sorcerer approvingly says this is a good sign for Mahito's ability to succeed him.

While they were asleep, the parakeets have captured Hisa and Mahito. One of them is preparing to eat Mahito, but the heron arrives just in time to save him. They Metal Gear Solid their way through the kingdom while the Parakeet King - a big swaggering guy very like the colonel in Castle in the Sky - goes to press a claim on the wizard, using Hisa and Mahitos' taboo act of entering the delivery room as a bargaining chip. There's some very funny scenes where the parakeets cheer for their king.

Mahito pursues the parakeet king, but the king destroys the staircase behind him, and talks to the sorcerer. The sorcerer is inclined to wave away the transgression, because he wants to let Mahito succeed him, but the parakeet king seems to be bringing him around. I kind of forget how this part went, but the parakeet king goes away from the sorcerer for a bit while Hisa is freed from her prison thing.

Mahito climbs back up with the heron man's help, arriving in the sorcerer's little subplane. The parakeet king quietly follows him, after telling his aides to inform his subjects he was a good king. Mahito approaches the sorcerer, who reveals he has found a new set of blocks, unstained by malice, and again invites Mahito to succeed him. Mahito says that his self-injury is proof of his malice, making him unfit for the job.

At this point, the parakeet king intervenes. Angry at all this sorcerous malarky, he desperately attempts to stack the stones himself, but when they don't stack, he flies into a rage and slices them with his sword. This naturally causes the world to start collapsing, and everyone runs to the doors to escape into the human world.

Mahito has by this point figured out that Hisa is his mum, and he asks if she really wants to go back to their world, knowing that she will very definitely die in a fire not much later. But she is naturally on board with this. Young!Kiriko goes with her, suggesting that she and Hisako entered the magical world at the same time. Meanwhile, Mahito returns to his own time, with Natsuko and the heron. All the various parakeets and pelicans come out through this door too. Old!Kiriko is restored from her apatropaic charm.

As everyone celebrates their safe return (and the appearance of a fuckton of birds), the heron tells Mahito that he ought to forget what happened in the magic world. We skip forward again, with Mahito - now with a baby sibling - setting off to Tokyo. Roll credits!

now let's comment on it

This is not a film that necessarily prioritises an internal logic playing out - new elements enter unexpectedly even quite late in the film. The sorcerer's motivation is murky until late on; the parakeets become major antagonists despite entering only halfway through the film.

There is a certain temptation, knowing how autobiographical this film is, to take it is a roman à clef. Mahito is of course a young Miyazaki; the old sorcerer's concern about finding a successor might be about Miyazaki wondering who should take over Ghibli or if it should just be allowed to die. Under this schema, the parakeets might be Ghibli's legion of fans, or the merchandising empire that prints their designs on every possible product. kvin's article develops this kind of reading, finding some angles I wouldn't have even considered, such as how the idea of weight communicated by the animation factors in to such an allegaroy. It's also something suggested in Miyazaki's own comments about the film, where the sorcerer is Takahata, the heron man is producer Toshio Suzuki...

It definitely helps to know a bit about Miyazaki's background when approaching this film. However, I think it would be reductive to go too far with this kind of reading, and take everything as an allegory for something in Miyazaki's life. The film still has to stand on its own feet!

'Coming of age' is the spin put on it by some outlets, like the BBC. And this is accurate to an extent. The arc of this film is similar to Spirited Away: Mahito starts out sullen and traumatised, but like Chihiro he transitions over the course of his journey in the magical world into the kind of determined Miyazaki protagonist we're used to. On this coming of age angle... well, also like with Chihiro, I don't find the Mahito of the first part of the film especially unsympathetic, his alienation is extremely natural given his situation. Mahito's dad kinda sucks! Living in wartime Japan also really kinda sucks, even if you're the son of a rich dude. But definitely over the course of the film Mahito has a change of heart towards Natsuko, and forms friendships that motivate him to try to protect them. His character arc definitely sees him become 'more prosocial'.

However, there's another angle that's pretty important - the idea of the weight of 'malice', the cursed existences of the pelicans and the like, and the fantasy of building a utopian world that is free of these things. This returns to a theme of Nausicaa, the manga in particular, where Nausicaa discovers that the world she knows - the toxic forest in particular - is actually an elaborate artificial system for cleansing the world of pollutants, that the clean world on the other side will be uninhabitable to her and her people, and that the architects of this system wait in stasis to replace them in this utopian future world. Nausicaa destroys them, commiting instead to an uncertain future.

In Mononoke-hime likewise, we encounter the lepers and former sex workers of Irontown clinging on to the 'cursed' world. Their extractivist project proves incredibly destructive, but the film still regards them sympathetically, and the resolution sees them perhaps finding a new way to live - and San, the feral girl, reconciling herself to the idea of humans.

Here, although the parakeet king forces the decision, Mahito has already declared that he doesn't believe he's fit to oversee a utopia, but instead that his place is in the awful, violent human world.

The film, and the book it's vaguely based on, are titled How do you live? In Japanese, that's a plural 'you' (君たち). There's a lot of ways you could read it, depending on who you take as 'you' - a child asking an adult how to live, or equally a future question of how will you live. This is a lot more explicit in the novel - which I have not read, but here is a summary courtesy of wiki:

Junichi Honda is a fifteen-year-old junior high school student, known by his nickname Koperu, after the astronomer Nicholas Copernicus. He is athletic and academically gifted, and popular at school. Koperu's father, a bank executive, passed away when he was young and he lives with his mother. His uncle (on his mother's side) lives nearby and visits frequently. Koperu and his uncle are very close. Koperu shares about his life and his uncle gives him support and advice. His uncle also documents and comments on these interactions in a diary, with the intent to eventually give the diary to Koperu. The diary writing, which is interspersed with the narrative, provides insight into the ethical and emotional trials that Koperu shared with his uncle. The diary entries, which cover themes such as "view of things", "structure of society", "relation", etc. are in the style of a note written to Koperu.[8]

Thinking like Copernicus that our Earth is a celestial body moving within the vastness of space, or thinking that our Earth is fixed at the center of the universe, are two ways of thinking that, in reality, are not only related to astronomy. Even when we think about things like the world around us or our own lives, the truth is that we are still revolving around them after all.

In the end, Koperu writes a decision on his future way of living as a reply to his uncle, and the novel ends with the narrator asking the question "how do you live?" to the reader.

The author of the novel was a socialist, who had been imprisoned by the nationalist government, and wrote the book intending to impart lessons on ethics. The version of his book published after the war was heavily edited to strip the book of political content. But it's also, perhaps paradoxically, a book that centres on very wealthy characters, aimed narrowly at educated boys, though it became a widely read classic.

Studio Ghibli's films, from both Miyazaki and Takahata, have a habit of being framed as imparting something to the younger generation - something the pair seem to have seen as a mission all the way back in the days of Panda Kopanda. For example, while Grave of the Fireflies is seen as the classic tragic war movie, for Takahata it was also aimed at criticising what he saw as the careless, consumerist generation of the 80s; the stubborn arrogance of the protagonist supposed to reflect on this. It's an attitude that also emerges in their comments about Chihiro. And, indeed, one of the first things we heard about How Do You Live? was that it was aimed towards Miyazaki's grandson - and more broadly towards that generation.

So what does this film have to say to the younger generations? Let's have a look at it from Mahito's POV.

For Mahito, the adults in his life are all pretty complicated. His father is enthusiastic and well-meaning but incredibly oblivious to what his son is going through (we might recall some of what Miyazaki wrote about his father in Starting Point, describing him as basically a grifter). Natsuko is masking pretty hard, trying to play the role of Good New Mum and connect to her newly acquired son, but there's an intrinsic distance. It is understandable that Mahito would want to reject them.

Mahito is... not entirely a passive character, he goes to some efforts to for example fashion the bow and arrow and repair the heron man's beak, but mostly he is pulled around by the plot into a strange world he doesn't understand. At first, his instinct is to retreat, even to the point of self-injury. Once he arrives in the magical world, he has acquired something of a purpose (finding Natsuko), but he gets pushed into near-disaster situations (the pelicans piling up to push him through the gate at the tomb) or stumbles into circumstances where something is expected of him (hey kid, gut this fish!). Gradually though his exposure to this world pulls him out of his shell. He runs into conflicts and injustices that seem intractable - the wareware and the pelicans - and has little power to intervene except to bury the bodies.

Eventually, he gets to carry out his main objective - finding Natsuko - but despite finally deciding to accept Natsuko as his new mother, he finds himself rejected, not just by her but also by the earth. Perhaps feeling responsible for getting her into trouble, his new objective becomes rescuing freshly-damsel'd Hisa. But now new adults want things of him - his great-uncle has decided he'd make a fine successor. Mahito has to make a decision here about what relationships he wants to commit to, what sort of life he wants to build - and he chooses the world he found so alienating at the outset of the film, the one which hurt him by taking his mother, not to the secondary-world fantasy.

It could be a 'this world is all we have' sort of statement, perhaps. But also the last act of the film feels like it gets a bit caught up in Castle in the Sky-style adventure-story beats.

I do feel like some aspects of the film ended up a little underbaked - which is an odd thing to say because it's not a short film and there is so much in it already. But Hisa for example - she's got badass powers and all, but I feel we barely get a chance to get a sense of what motivates her. Why did she enter the fantasy world? She acts at first like she doesn't know Mahito is her future son, but rapidly becomes incredibly devoted to him (in a way that reads a little romancey lmao). So much of her screen time is dedicated to having her convey the secrets of the world that it's hard to get a bead on her as a person.

Likewise, Natsuko - why did she enter this world to have her baby in this special ritual delivery chamber? She clearly knows more than most of the characters, but she gets kind of sidelined after Mahito confronts her, with wizard shit becoming more central. The animation does such a fantastic job of selling her feelings in the first part of the film that it feels like a shame that she drifts away at the end.

The progression of the film feels rather like a dream, where everything is arranged by symbolic significance to Mahito. It makes sense... on a magical level, where the secondary world is shaped primarily by parallels in the real one. So the tiny apatropaic statues of the old ladies protect him because they represent the role the real old ladies have in his life. Hisa has fire magic because Hisako died in a fire. Once Mahito has come to his personal resolutions about returning to the world, the magical one is no longer needed, and it collapses.

This is not such an uncommon role for magic in a story. In Miyazaki's own works, we have Totoro and Spirited Away, where a magical world provides direction or relief to a child's real struggles. Or take for example Okiura's film A Letter To Momo, in which the three yōkai recognise taking care of the grieving Momo as their explicit purpose as spirits. This magical world comes to Mahito to help him come to terms with losing his mother, and reorient himself towards living in a painful world.

Meanwhile, the sorcerer, whether he be Miyazaki or Takahata, is quite a distant figure. He may maintain the magical world by stacking his blocks, may be the authority which factions within it must plead to, but he also rules from afar in a vast empty palace full of long halls and open air spaces. His main company seems to be a big fucking rock, with which he made a 'contract'. He's generally handling it a bit better than, say, Ushiromiya Kinzo - he receives the parakeet king with good humour - but he's a pretty flawed god of his little world. So much of this world seems to pre-exist him, it's not something he constructed. Still, when he shows up, you pretty much have to do what he says.

If this is about Miyazaki's relation to Takahata, it seems like quite a sad portrayal. But 'unapproachable patriarch' does sorta describe their role in the studio from what I understand (c.f. Oshii's infamous article comparing them to the Kremlin).

When it comes to the question of who should succeed Miyazaki, we should probably consider the matter of Yoshifumi Kondō, who was being set up as the next big Ghibli director until his untimely death - which allegedly Takahata was willing to accept the blame for. The mythology built up around Miyazaki and Takahata is double-edged.

Here are some rather startling comments from Toshiyuki Inoue's interview. Inoue is one of the most impressive animators who ever lived in my book, the other star of the realist line besides Okiura. Just have a look at his booru page: iconic scenes from GitS, Akira, Millenium Actress; even in more recent films, he pretty much carried Maquia, and steals the show with his scenes in Miss Hokusai.

And yet even he was intimidated to be working alongside Miyazaki when he first came on board for Kiki's Delivery Service, fresh off Akira:

I believe you’ve always been a fan of Miyazaki’s, why were you scared to work with him? Toshiyuki Inoue: I had heard quite a few scary stories. A lot of acquaintances had worked on Nausicaä, Laputa and Totoro before that, so I knew how scary he could be when he got angry – I had heard stories of people being fired mid-production, things like that. How was it actually? Toshiyuki Inoue: Not as scary as I had imagined. He’d only rarely scream in the studio. But he did get angry. I’d sometimes be called to some separate room and lectured alongside Kōji Morimoto and Masaaki Endō. It felt like being in school all over again.

'Only rarely'. Honestly. Inoue describes how difficult it was for him to adapt his logical, analytical style to Ghibli's stretchy, bouncy characters - and how Miyazaki would disparage him if he, for example, drew a ship inaccurately.

For Inoue, coming back to How Do You Live was something like a 'return match'. He talks about how an older Miyazaki was no longer able to strictly correct the animation, and in general age was limiting him, but he still feels that Miyazaki is fundamentally superior:

Toshiyuki Inoue: I’ve always wished for a return match or a way to redeem myself. But even if I say that, I know I can’t even pretend to rival Miyazaki. I just can’t win. He’s extremely smart and learned, and on top of that, as an animator he always transcends common sense: he’s so talented that I know very well there’s nothing I can do against it. The more I learn about him, the more I realize I’ll never be on that level.

Miyazaki's genius is undeniable, but man... it's not a good mindset to cultivate if you want to find a successor lmao. If even Inoue doesn't feel he can measure up, who the hell could?

Mind you, it does rather seem that Miyazaki had mellowed out by the point of How Do You Live?. Here's Yamashita:

Akihiko Yamashita: As I said, the core of an animator’s job is to follow what the director asks, so whenever I had trouble with that, I’d go see Miyazaki to show him my roughs. He’d advise me on the things that were missing and reassure me about those that were good. He really helped me to gain more confidence in myself.

Reading these interviews underlines pretty hard that we shouldn't get too caught up in the mythology of Miyazaki the mighty auteur. While the story may be all on Miyazaki, and most of the character designs (with the notable exception of Natsuko)... so much of the details of the animation, the stuff that really makes this film land, is primarily shaped by everyone else - Honda in particular, but also the individual key animators who interpreted his scenes. I really need to get my hands on a copy of that Industrial History of Studio Ghibli book to get a less Miyazaki-centric perspective on the studio's history.

I do not feel, having come out of this film, any closer to knowing the answer to that eternally pressing question of how do you live - I guess I'm still working out my answer to that one, and I will be until I die. And maybe that's rather the point. I think this film still carries some of the flaws of Miyazaki's later films - despite having so many iconic scenes, it doesn't quite seem to know where it's going. But I am so glad to have seen this in the theatre (I saw it at the Prince Charles theatre in Soho with friends, the theatre was completely packed!), and glad Miyazaki managed to get this one out before he goes. Whatever happens to Ghibli without its sorcerer, it's been a hell of a thing to witness.

[mariacallous]

On Sunday, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson went on television and mixed up Iran and Israel. “We passed the support for Iran many months ago,” he told Meet the Press, erroneously referring to an aid package for the Jewish state. Last night, the Fox News prime-time host Jesse Watters introduced South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as hailing from South Carolina. I once joined a cable-news panel where one of the participants kept confusing then–Attorney General Jeff Sessions with Representative Pete Sessions of Texas. I don’t hold these errors against anyone, as they are some of the most common miscues made by people who talk for a living—and I’m sure my time will come.

Yesterday, President Joe Biden added another example to this list. In response to a question about Gaza, he referred to the Egyptian leader Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as the president of Mexico. The substance of Biden’s answer was perfectly cogent. The off-the-cuff response included geographic and policy details not just about Egypt, but about multiple Middle Eastern players that most Americans probably couldn’t even name. The president clearly knew whom and what he was talking about; he just slipped up the same way Johnson and so many others have. But the flub could not have come at a worse time. Because the press conference had been called to respond to Special Counsel Robert Hur’s report on Biden’s handling of classified documents, which dubbed the president an “elderly man with a poor memory,” the Mexico gaffe was immediately cast by critics as confirmation of Biden’s cognitive collapse.

But the truth is, mistakes like these are nothing new for Biden, who has been mixing up names and places for his entire political career. Back in 2008, he infamously introduced his running mate as “the next president of the United States, Barack America.” At the time, Biden’s well-known propensity for bizarre tangents, ahistorical riffs, and malapropisms compelled Slate to publish an entire column explaining “why Joe Biden’s gaffes don’t hurt him much.” The article included such gems as the time that then-Senator Biden told the journalist Katie Couric that “when the markets crashed in 1929, ‘Franklin Roosevelt got on the television and didn’t just talk about the princes of greed. He said, “Look, here’s what happened.”’” The only problem with this story, Slate laconically noted, was that “FDR wasn’t president then, nor did television exist.”

In other words, even a cursory history of Biden’s bungling shows that he is the same person he has always been, just older and slower—a gaffe-prone, middling public speaker with above-average emotional intelligence and an instinct for legislative horse-trading. This is why Biden’s signature moments as a politician have been not set-piece speeches, but off-the-cuff encounters, such as when he knelt to engage elderly Holocaust survivors in Israel so they would not have to stand, and when he befriended a security guard in an elevator at The New York Times on his way to a meeting with the paper’s editorial board, which declined to endorse him. And it’s why Biden’s key accomplishments—such as the landmark climate-change provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act, the country’s first gun-control bill in decades, and the expected expansion of the child tax credit—have come through Congress. The president’s strength is not orating, but legislating; not inspiring a crowd, but connecting with individuals.

That said, although Biden’s Mexico mistake might not be a demonstration of dementia, it is a warning sign of a different sort that his campaign would be wise to heed. Recently, the White House declined to have Biden participate in the traditional pre–Super Bowl interview this coming Sunday. The administration framed this decision as part of a broader strategy favoring nontraditional media, but it was reasonably seen as an attempt to shield the candidate from scrutiny. The president’s staff is understandably reluctant to put Biden front and center, knowing that his slower speed and inevitable gaffes—both real and fabricated—will feed the mental-acuity narrative. But in actuality, the bar for Biden has been set so laughably low that he can’t help but vault over it simply by showing up. By contrast, limiting his appearances ensures that the public mostly encounters the president through decontextualized social-media clips of his slipups.

As Slate observed in 2008, the frequency of Biden’s rhetorical miscues helped neutralize them in the eyes of the public. In 2024, Biden will have an assist from another source: Donald Trump. Among other recent lapses, the former president has called Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán “the leader of Turkey,” confused Nancy Pelosi and Nikki Haley, and repeatedly expressed the strange belief that he won the 2020 election. With an opponent prone to vastly worse feats of viscous verbosity, Biden can’t help but look better by comparison, especially if he starts playing offense instead of defense.

But none of this will happen by itself. If the president and his campaign want the headlines to be something other than “Yes, Biden Knows Who the President of Egypt Is,” they’ll have to start making news, not reacting to it.

[mermaidsirennikita]

what would you say are the biggest trends when it comes to romance novels getting published nowadays and how do you feel about them?

Oh gosh, that's hard to say. In part because I am both deeply NOT on trend in what I seek out, and on trend in that I read a lot of ARCs from trad publishers? Who aren't the only trendsetters by any means, but are the ones with the most $$$.

(This got long so some of it goes under the cut.)

—Romantasy. Obviously. I hate the term romantasy, I think it's literally just made by marketers

(digression: I don't care if a random TikToker came up with the name, the nebulous thing that it IS... pure marketing, there is no definition, and I truly think that genre has to have DEFINITION to be a genre or even a subgenre, it can't just be what one random person thinks it is; you can genre-bend, play with it, but the people you are directing your product to needs to know SOMETHING about what they're buying; I'd compare it to selling a necklace and calling it jewelry without telling the buyer what the stones or metals ARE)

but undoubtedly this is a huge trend. There seems to be a biiiit of paranormal romance making a return with this—see: Kresley Cole's IAD rerelease books being marketed as "romantasy" when there's very little romantasy about that series.... But overall you see the connection to shows like Game of Thrones, etc, within them. Tons of dragons.

—Romcoms continue on. Lots of low stakes romcoms. I do not like these. A lot of the time they blur into women's fiction. The women's fiction blur I think has something to do with Colleen Hoover (though most of her books aren't intentionally funny) but also just publishing trying to capitalize on romance without committing to romance. Emily Henry is a good example of this. Sally Rooney is a more ~literary example. Jasmine Guillory. Etc etc.

They're impossible to really figure out, imo. Are they gonna be hot? Are they gonna be funny? Are they gonna be emotional? Yulin Kuang's How to End a Love Story is a great example of a book that is, to me, near-perfect. It's ABSOLUTELY a romance novel. But is it a romcom? Not really. It has funny moments and a beautiful HEA, but it's a VERY angsty book. Yet I saw it marketed as such.

—Kickstarter campaign books on the indie side, plus other ways to sort of circumvent the tradpub issue while also not... losing as much money. Several big time authors (in and out of romance) have seen huge success with Kickstarter; obviously, it's harder for small-timers, but still possible! I also know of authors who've written chapter by chapter on Patreon and given their patrons special goodies before publishing the book.

—Genre diversity for authors. A lot of authors in the past wrote under one genre or subgenre, then had to use a pen name for anything else. Amanda Quick was Jayne Anne Krentz's historical romance pen name, for example. Now... I don't think people are as strict. Sierra Simone has written erotic historicals, contemporary, dark romance, monogamous, poly, m/m, m/f, f/f, m/m/f, f/f/m, romcoms, etc. Sarah MacLean is dropping a contemporary (not romance) novel soonish. I see this as a good thing all-around. Pen names are cool, but I don't think they should be a MUST.

—Less angst, more fluff. THANKS I HATE IT LOL. I'm gonna say something controversial (apparently) but this is my honest opinion: It is not a story if there is no conflict. What you wrote was a scene. Perhaps a very good scene! A very long scene, maybe! But there is not a STORY unless there is CONFLICT.

Now, I don't know if I've read a book with ZERO conflict. But I've read many lately wherein the conflict was so thin... I felt the story had little substance. Not every conflict has to be ANGST ANGST TRAUMARAMA. A book I recently didn't LOOOOOVE but whatever, I'll accept it as an example, is Heaven, Texas by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. The heroine and the hero are not in danger of losing their lives. Their conflicts are internal. She loves him but doesn't feel like he'll ever genuinely love her, he's a dipshit who essentially doesn't want to accept that she's the one because he a) has a hard time trusting women in general b) has a specific idea of what his life is going to be that was disrupted when his career ended unexpectedly, and he's still working through some shit on that.

Nobody is at gunpoint, nobody is cheating, nobody is doing one last job. They're just... struggling with their feelings and their senses of self. (If the hero hadn't crossed ONE LAST LINE, I think I would've rated that book higher, but it's a testament to SEP understanding conflict that I can dislike the book and still say "solid conflict".)

I just see a lot of authors shying away from serious conflict, and I wonder how much of it is because readers keep complaining about it. And yeah, bad conflict... sucks. But conflict does not inherently suck. I don't want to read 800 pages of PWP or pointless slow burn. I need PLOT. I need ACTION. And I think we can have low-conflict books and high-conflict books in the same market! But it feels like publishers (and perhaps some authors) don't feel confident in that.

Which is why your girl has realized that a lot of the books she loves are like... 10+ years old.

—Historical specific... the unproblematic 1800s white people. I want to make it clear: You can absolutely write politically progressive people of bygone eras well. The Duke Gets Even by Joanna Shupe has a heroine who's outspoken about women's rights and reproductive freedom. Joanna places this against political occurrences of the time to make it flow easily, AND I think is actually pretty real about the heroine having to give some things up to be with the hero (a duke) even though he supports her and doesn't expect her to be a conventional duchess. Some sacrifices are inevitable. Adriana Herrera's An Island Princess Starts a Scandal has a great portrayal of semi-openly queer women in 19th century Paris... and that's something that totally existed and again, flows well.

It's not that I'm a stickler for accuracy at all. See: my love of Alexis Hall's Something Fabulous series. But I think that you either have to lean the fuck in to not being super accurate like they do, OOOOR you have to make it flow. When we suddenly have a duke being like "AND BTW I'M A FEMINIST" I don't fucking buy it lol. I need to see growth, and I need to understand why he has these views. I think there's a lot of low-effort shit being done to make historicals appear more progressive. And while I do think HR has a lot to reckon with, if that's the only way it can continue to exist... It feels as if that subgenre has to exist within a structure that we don't necessarily expect from other subgenres. Not a lot of billionaire romances (and that's still popular, despite what some may tell you) have the hero going "LET ME STOP AND EXPLAIN HOW I'M AN ETHICAL BILLIONAIRE".

I think that romance needs to be aware of its environment and progressive; I also think that romance requires some suspension of disbelief, and I think we're seeing a lot of white guilt driving some newer historical romances.

Because to go back to Adriana Herrera... That's a woman of color writing very politically aware historicals, while at the same time FULLY diving into the escapism and wish fulfillment and all the things people should be able to get out of a romance novel.

(And btw: All the things marginalized groups should be able to get out of romance novels! A Shore Thing by Joanna Lowell is an amazing romance novel with a trans hero, and I've gotta say, the book confronts transphobia, sure, but there is such fucking delicacy and it BY ZERO MEANS drives the fucking book, and I find that really important. That the hero is existing. That Adriana's heroes and heroines exist. And so on.)

[theresattrpgforthat]

My wife's looking for a TTRPG where you run a store. I don't know why she wants this but as her husband I must deliver, hit me up please noble ttrpg purveyors

THEME: Running A Store

Hello! I have quite a few games that I’ve recommended in the past for this, so I’m going to direct you to a few of those first. I have a Markets and Trade rec post that you might want to check out, for example, as well as a post about Tavern Games. There will also be a considerably sizeable list at the end of this post.

Now, let’s see what else we can find. Most of these look like they’re specifically for running a cafe, if not for some kind of food service. That being said, the goals for each of these games are very different!

You Want Fries with That?, by Matthew Landrum

Welcome to our company! We’re sure you will find working at our restaurant rewarding and fulfilling as you deliver meaningful dining experiences, develop marketable employee skills, and enrich company value.  Just trust in the guidance of the General Manager, and remember, we’re all family here! 

In You Want Fries with That? each player takes the role of an employee in a fast-food restaurant, scrambling to meet customer needs and find meagre satisfaction in their work.

This is a cutthroat game of struggling to keep up with customer orders in a fast-food environment. Play happens over a number of rounds, in which players will cover for each-other’s weaknesses, strategically take breaks to conserve your stamina (and your enthusiasm), and battle against wage theft, angry managers, and rapid promotions.

If you want a chance for your characters to interact with each-other and role-play, you’ll want a different game than this. But if you want a survival game that takes place in a hostile environment, consider this one!

Twenty (Stories Tall), by kumada1.

On good days, when the weather is clear, you can see the end of the world from your window. You work in a little coffee shop in the Inner Circle. It's one of many coffee shops and kiosks in the city of Abject, and if there were other cities left in existence, they would probably think the people of Abject have a bit of a coffee problem. There is no food scarcity, no one starves in order for coffee beans to be grown, but the volume of beans produced here is truly extraordinary, and they are ground, brewed, and consumed daily at hundreds of quaint little bistros across the city.

Your shop, with its little bites to eat and its trendy décor, is no different from the others but for one important factor---you.

Ever since you came of working age, there's been a power stirring in your blood. Sometimes, when you get too bored, or too angry, or otherwise too emotional, you grow. You grow from Small to Medium, Medium to Large, Large to Twenty. And at Twenty (stories tall), you're big enough to go toe-to-toe with the monsters that would destroy your city.

Twenty is a 50 page tabletop roleplaying game about fighting monsters and working in food service. Twenty uses things you could find in a coffee shop instead of dice, and it regards relationships as hit points. It's suitable for oneshot or campaign play, and it comes with a starter adventure.

The theme of running a shop is definitely here, but the target of your character abilities look to be aimed more at fighting giant monsters. It’s also a game that encourages you to think about the stresses and horrors of customer service. If you like a game that’s a bit tongue-in-cheek, then this is the game for you!

Whistling Wolf Cafe: Multiplayer Edition, by Lucky Newt Games.

Thank you for joining us at Whistling Wolf Café! Our motto is “You might not always get what you want, but you’ll always get what you need.” Serving customers by giving them what they need to feel better instead of what they prefer can be tricky, but I trust that your amazing tea-brewing skills will win them over. 

There’s a small shop next door with things that might help you, and people looking for a bit of work. Just be sure you use your own tips to purchase them or the owner will be, well, not so happy. Also, I hate to say it, but the more bad reviews you get, the worse it looks for both of us. So do what you can to avoid that.

Whistling Wolf Café is a café sim game for 2-4 players. You are a master brewer who is more focused on what a customer might need rather than what they want, and that can complicate things. All you need per player is a deck of playing cards, a handful of six-sided dice, and something to take notes with. Between a shared Shop and a few different items, player interaction is built into the game.

If you like games that are about taking care of other people, this game might be up your alley. It looks like there’s also a balance component - how many customers can you serve, and how well can you brew your tea? The descriptions for the tea and food offered in the cafe look absolutely scrumptious. Definitely worth checking out!

Coffee & Chaos, by CobblePath Games.

Coffee & Chaos is a comedy tabletop roleplaying game about running a cafe, bar, restaurant or other establishment as everything goes very, very wrong around you.

Coffee & Chaos allows characters to retain all of their quirks from any other games they might be in. Your druid can still wildshape, your street samurai still has their cyber-arm. But when taken out of their element the focus is on how they use those skills and abilities to solve problems (or accidentally make things worse).

I like the idea of transporting your already-created characters into a new setting, and Coffee and Chaos certainly does this. Your character will have three approaches to problems: Knives (direct approaches), Forks (creative approaches), and Spoons (considered approaches). Coffee and Chaos is designed for comedy more than realism. The goal for this game is fun stories more than anything else.

Games I’ve Recommended in the Past

Poutine, by the Kinematic Cafe.

Sweaters by Hedgehog, by Haunted Oak Press

Spirited Cafe, by A Couple of Drakes.

A Diner at the End, by Bammax Games.

Merchant, by Hella Big Claws.

Fox Curio's Floating Bookshop, by lostwaysclub.

[elaho]

Stardew Valley MBTI x Enneagram: Abigail

Following my last post about the Stardew marriage candidates and their MBTI types, I've been learning more about Enneagram, how it pairs with MBTI, and how it changes some of the typical characteristics of each type.

The Enneagram and MBTI complement each other wonderfully, providing greater depth and understanding of how a person interacts with the world [Cognitive Functions] and their motivations why [Core Desire/Core Fear].

Here are my thoughts on Abigail's MBTI and Enneagram pairing.

Abigail - ENFP 7w8: “The Opportunist”

“ENFPs are the campaigners of the MBTI typology. They bring good vibes and excitement that’s hard to ignore. You’ll also agree that their happiness and charisma can be infectious. It’s not a surprise then that most ENFPs identify as type 7 in the enneagram of personality.

[ENFP 7w8s] enjoy a good adventure and good conversations. They can also easily be the life of the party when they are excited. However, having a type 8 as their wing makes things a bit interesting, [creating] a lot of changes in this type of ENFP.” - Personality Hunt

Abigails’s Core Desire: To be happy

The core desire of the ENFP 7w8 is to be happy. ENFPs need consistent intellectual stimulation and external engagement to be truly content.

Bringing their ideas to life is incredibly important to them, and the 7w8 tries to achieve this by reaching their goals and getting everything they desire.

“The birds were happily chirping today. They're too simple to understand the future. It's better to be like them, isn't it?”

“I always loved this place, long before you moved in. Now I can explore the farm whenever I want!”

“There's always something new happening on our farm... I love it.”

"The sounds of the night are louder out here. I'll never stop enjoying that."

“It's pretty cool that we have a cave on our property. It's something I always dreamed about.”

Abigail’s Core Fear: To be deprived

The core fear of the ENFP 7w8 is to be deprived. Because they lead with Extroverted Intuition [Ne] ENFPs get bored quickly and easily if they aren't given enough freedom and flexibility to explore new ideas and chase after their dreams [both old and new].

Because of their fear of deprivation, ENFP 7w8s do everything in their power to ensure they'll never be in that position.

“Hey, this is my favorite magazine! My Dad won't let me have a subscription, so I have to get it on the black market like this...”

"Don't tell anyone, but I snuck into the old community center last night... I think it's haunted!

"I heard you've been exploring the old mines. That sounds like fun! ...I'm working up the courage to go there myself...”

*sigh*... Can you believe my parents were ever young? They don't understand my perspective at all. I know, I know... they grew up in a different era, with different values. It still ticks me off sometimes, okay?”

----------------------------------------------------------------------

How Enneagram 7w8 changes typical ENFP behaviour:

New Strengths

1. More Direct

"ENFPs are feelers. This means that they use emotions as their first point of call. However, you get another vibe with ENFP 7w8s. While they retain their emotional intensity, they can now express these feelings directly and clearly. This can make the ENFP better public speakers." - Personality Hunt

Abigail isn't afraid to speak her mind or speak up when her values are threatened. Although she can come across as blunt in some instances, her emotional awareness allows her to temper her responses so that she still gets her point across without going overboard.

Examples:

“Hey. Sorry in advance if I say anything rude. I didn't get much sleep last night. What do you want?”

“I felt like making some soup for dinner. I hope it's not too disgusting.”

“I hope you'll still like me when I'm old and shriveled. It's going to happen some day!”

"Stop trying to make me feel guilty. I appreciate that you and Dad are helping me out, but expecting me to dress the way you want is ridiculous. I'm not a little girl anymore, Mom.”

2. More Likely to be Assertive [ENFP-A]

ENFP 7w8s are more likely to be Assertive [A] than Turbulent [T]. Because of their more direct nature, they can come across as opinionated or assertive. This can make them seem more determined and focused in the long term.

More information about the ENFP-A can be found here.

Examples:

"Ew, I hope I don't get a tan this summer."

"I used to think Pelican Town was kinda drab, but lately I'm starting to love some things about it."

“No matter how much we clean, the house keeps getting dirty again. I guess farms are kind of dirty.”

“Congratulations on the marriage. I guess this means Sebastian won't be moving to the city like he always talked about. That'll be nice. I'd be kind of sad if I never saw him again. We've always been good friends.”

3. More Disciplined

ENFPs aren't typically known for their discipline and following through on plans or projects.

Their Extroverted Intuition [Ne] constantly makes connections and seeks out new opportunities, and an idea that once had merit can no longer seem relevant or the best use of time, especially when more information and opportunities are made available later on.

Though ENFP 7w8s also struggle with procrastination and follow-through, this is reduced thanks to their 8 wing; however, the extent of their follow-through will depend on the strength of their wing.

Examples:

"I'm still mad that you beat me at the egg hunt last year. You'd better start practicing..."

"Feeling pretty good about the egg hunt, huh? Well, next year you won't be so lucky...

“Hey, the egg festival is tomorrow. I'm sorry, but I won't go easy on you because we're married! I plan on winning that egg hunt. Go ahead and try to beat me.”

"I guess you're wondering why I'm in the graveyard at this hour... Well, I'm here because it's the best place in town to find some privacy. And I'm all sweaty because I've been practicing my swordsmanship.”

4. More Ambitious

ENFPs are the adventurers and campaigners of the MBTI world. While they have big dreams, they don't crave financial success or riches. This is also true for ENFP 7w8s, but they realize that having money or power is one way to achieve the life they want. Thus, ENFP 7w8s tend to be much more ambitious when compared to typical ENFPs.

Abigail doesn't seem ambitious in the traditional financial sense, but her ambition is clear when it comes to making a name for herself: she wants to do something memorable with her life.

Examples:

“See? You understand why I'm out here, then. I've lived in the valley my whole life, but I've never really done anything memorable. I want to go on an adventure!”

5. ENTP Look-Alike

"ENFPs and ENTPs are cousin types. Thus, it’s only natural that they look alike. However, ENFP 7w8 will look a lot and behave like the ENTP to an extreme level.

They will be more rational, charismatic, and argumentative than your normal ENFP. Thus, a lot of ENFP 7w8 can easily misidentify themselves as ENTPs." - Personality Hunt

ENFPs and ENTPs have the same dominant and inferior functions: Extroverted Intuition [Ne] and Introverted Sensing [Si]. However, the main difference comes from their 'sandwiched' functions: ENFP ENTP

Extroverted Intuition [Ne] Extroverted Intuition [Ne] Introverted Feeling [Fi] Introverted Thinking [Ti] Extroverted Thinking [Te] Extroverted Feeling [Fe] Introverted Sensing [Si] Introverted Sensing [Si]

On the surface, Abigail may appear to be an ENTP. However, when considering the cognitive functions and their application between ENFPs and ENTPs, Abigail uses Fi much more readily to determine and defend her values and Te to implement her values in real life [ENFP], rather than use Ti to ensure her decisions are logically consistent and Fe for external feedback as to whether her logic is taking other people's values and opinions into consideration [ENTP].

For this reason, I believe there is strong evidence that Abigail is an ENFP 7w8 rather than an ENTP, though she does share qualities of both types.

Examples:

“Hey! I'm just debating what I should do today. I'm not used to having this much freedom!”

“Oh, that's right... I heard someone new was moving onto that old farm. It's kind of a shame, really. I always enjoyed exploring those overgrown fields by myself.”

“Disgusting... I love it!”

"Whoa... Where'd you find this? The workmanship is fascinating...It's a little too rusty to use, but I'll add it to my collection."

“Sebastian mentioned that he heard strange music while having dinner the other night...I didn't tell him it was us! It seemed better to keep it a mystery.”

“I may fight with my parents a lot, but I know they're just looking out for me. They're doing what they think is best. I dunno why I'm saying this to you. Don't tell anyone.”

6. More Focused and Determined

"Their wing beings a steely attitude to the ENFP. Thus, they will be more focused and determined. This might show in school, the workplace, or even at home.

ENFP 7w8s are go-getters and will achieve their goals or get close to doing so. You’ll see a clear difference between this ENFP and the stereotypical ENFP you have probably heard about." - Personality Hunt

Examples:

“*sigh*... so I've been playing 'Journey of the Prairie King' for hours and I can't even beat the first level...”

"Hey, I finally beat the first level of Journey Of The Prairie King! Watching you play helped a lot.”

“Maybe I'll boot up Journey Of The Prairie King today... one of these days I swear, I'll beat the whole game”

7. Less Impulsive

ENFPs aren't the best at considering long-term implications when jumping into something.

Their Extroverted Intuition [Ne] is great at taking advantage of opportunities in the here and now; however, their Introverted Sensing [Si] function is the weakest in their stack, meaning they aren't the best at examining past experiences to help navigate potential pitfalls in the future.

This can cause them a lot of trouble and lead to repeating avoidable outcomes that could have been prevented with some reflection. Depending on the strength of their wing, ENFP 7w8s will be slightly less impulsive and more considerate of the consequences when putting themselves in a position that may lead to the loss of power or control.

Examples:

“Whoa, that's a creepy looking book... I love it! *Flip* *flip* *flip*... Ooh... It's full of monsters...I'll have to study this before going into the caves... Thanks!”

“If I knew how to use a sword I would be exploring those caves by the mountain lake right now. It's probably nice and cool in there.”

New Weaknesses

1. They Have a Temper

"Type 8s are known for being confrontational. So, no matter how soft and emotional this personality type might seem, they have this in them.

Thus, ENFP 7w8s can have quite a temper. This might only be displayed when they are pushed to their wall or when their feelings have been hurt. It can be quite scary." - Personality Hunt

Examples:

“Hey, I heard you and Sam got together... He's a really good guy! We've been friends for a long time. You'd better be good to him, or you'll see my bad side!”

“Oh, it's because I'm a girl... isn't it? Ugh...Why? I'm just as strong as you! I'm not some fragile princess… I can take care of myself.”

"Mind your own business [Dad]! You think I should be at home cooking dinner because I'm a girl, don't you?!"

2. Manipulative

"This personality type will be more manipulative. Type 7 loves to have influence over others while type 8 loves power.

These two types blend to form an individual who knows how to control or influence people’s decisions.

While this is true, this does not necessarily mean that they might use this to hurt others. However, it is definitely part of their arsenal." - Personality Hunt

Though Abigail isn't manipulative throughout most of the game, when her marriage to the farmer is on the rocks, her manipulative tendencies start rearing their ugly head:

She becomes passive-aggressive, wondering out loud if she'll eventually get bored living on the farm.

She also asks if she could have done better than marrying the farmer and brings up her old flame Sebastian in front of them.

A low blow, if you ask me.

Examples:

“I wonder if I could've done better... I was very good friends with Sebastian before we met. He was probably the one...”

“I wonder if we'll live here our entire lives? I might get bored.”

3. Distrustful

"There’s a lot of talk on ENFPs being naïve. While this personality type loves ideas and wants to trust others, they can be especially distrustful.

They realize that people might not be exactly what they sell themselves as. Thus, this personality type might play the fool but understand exactly what is going on.

You’ll probably know where you stand with them when the chips are down." - Personality Hunt

Examples:

“One thing I've learned living here... everyone stares at you if you look different.”

“I can't trust a person who doesn't like animals...Oh, don't worry! I know you're an animal lover!”

“Hey. I know you're smart, but I still worry about you sometimes. The world is full of monsters. Just promise me you'll be careful. I don't want to lose you.”

“Hey! What... you think I'm too weak to swing a blade? Sorry, I guess I'm getting a little defensive.”

------------------------------------------------------------------

Conclusion

Abigail is everyone's favourite goth gf in the Stardew Valley community: she's outgoing, quirky, energetic, and marches to the beat of her own drum.

However, there is a lot more to Abigail than her renegade lifestyle:

Though her character arc isn't as dramatic as other bachelors and bachelorettes, Abigail struggles to find what many of us yearn for in our lives: happiness.

Though she hides it well, Abigail is deeply unhappy with her life and life circumstances. Her parents are overbearing and controlling, demanding she conform to their traditional lifestyle and manipulating her into doing what they want by holding financial support over her head:

"Stop trying to make me feel guilty. I appreciate that you and Dad are helping me out, but expecting me to dress the way you want is ridiculous. I'm not a little girl anymore, Mom.”

"Mind your own business [Dad]! You think I should be at home cooking dinner because I'm a girl, don't you?!"

Even her community doesn't seem to understand her or make an effort to. There are few people she feels she can trust to be herself around, and those are few and far between.

“One thing I've learned living here... everyone stares at you if you look different.”

Her Enneagram type 7 desire for happiness, paired with her MBTI cognitive strengths as an ENFP, leave her wanting more than what Pelican Town can offer her. That is until the farmer arrives and embraces Abigail for who she truly is: encouraging her to follow her dreams, and supporting her in all her adventure-filled endeavours.

“I always loved this place, long before you moved in. Now I can explore the farm whenever I want!”

Do you agree that Abigail is an ENFP 7w8? If not, what type do you think she is? Let me know your thoughts in the comments :)

--------------------------------------------------------------------- References:

Personality Hunt: ENFP 7w8 - The Complete Guide

[jaggedjot]

"THERE CAN BE a huge range of reasons why a show in 2024—this one or any other—doesn’t have the reach it deserves; endless pixels have been spilled on streamer fatigue and fractured audiences in the past few years. AMC, a darling of the prestige-TV-on-cable era, is in an especially strange position: Even when Interview’s first season was a hit on its streaming service, AMC+, it was still held up as an example of a troubled industry in transition. Two years and two Hollywood strikes later, the situation is even more complicated. As the industry restructures and changes who can watch what where, a disconnect has emerged between what viewers like and what critics do. At the same time, social media platforms—the loci of 21st-century word of mouth—continue to implode, fracturing the conversation of an already dispersed audience. Amidst this, IWTV faces specific hurdles due to the nature of the show. An adaptation of Anne Rice’s 1976 novel that pulls heavily from the many Vampire Chronicles books that followed, the show racebends many of its leads—its titular vampire, Louis de Pointe du Lac, is now Black—and goes all in on the queerness of the books. And it is, of course, about vampires—specifically, vampires who do terrible things. “IWTV has so much that a modern audience could want from a series but, unfortunately, some people won’t receive it solely because it’s a queer horror show with majority BIPOC leads,” says Bobbi Miller, a culture critic who recaps the show on her YouTube channel. “Genre TV is always going to have to jump through more hoops for success than a standard drama.” For the converted, the idea that more people aren’t watching Interview is maddening. One could certainly argue that the show, with its dark, twisted Gothicness and emotional maximalism, isn’t for everyone. But in an era of unceremonious cancellations—even of shows that execs touted as hits—and with an absence of information about the show’s future, it’s understandable that its most dedicated fans would be pushing for more viewers. Interview isn’t the only show whose fans question its marketing efforts; it’s a common accusation leveled at streamers of all sorts, especially when a show is canceled. But in this conversation, Interview fans pointed at specific decisions made by the network that many feel have made this season’s rollout feel so much more muted than the last. “It’s been a conversation that fans have been talking about for a while now, but I think what really set them off was the comment made by Film Updates,” says Rei Gorrei, a fan who dubs herself the “Unofficial Vampire Chronicles Spokesperson.” A pop-culture aggregation account with nearly a million followers, Film Updates revealed they had been denied interview requests with the show’s talent—and since fans were worried no one was hearing about IWTV, they couldn’t understand why that reach wasn’t being capitalized on. “I think the combination of these things along with little marketing leaves fans in a word-of-mouth scenario where we now feel like it’s up to us to campaign for the season three renewal,” Gorrei says. Many questioned the promotion the network had been implementing, too, like the decision to never have Anderson and Assad Zaman, whose characters’ romance is one of the main focuses of the season, interviewed together. Episode five in particular, with its explosive fight scene between the two, would have been a prime opportunity. (AMC did not respond to emails seeking comment for this story.) Other fans raised concerns about the unceremonious cancelation of the widely admired official podcast, whose Black female host, Naomi Ekperigin, felt like the perfect interviewer for a show with Black leads and nuanced racial storylines. Then there was the fact that too few episodes would air in time for Emmy consideration—not the fault of marketing, but yet one more source of fan worry."

Interview With the Vampire Fans Say the Stakes Have Never Been Higher by Elizabeth Minkel

[cyberpunkonline]

You Have Ghosts

The Eerie Intersection of Hauntology, Vaporwave, and Beyond

In the labyrinthine corridors of modern music and art, a phantom whispers, echoing through the genres of Hauntology and Vaporwave. This article delves into the spectral dance of these genres, exploring their evolutionary relationship and their influence on niche genres such as Witchhouse and Faewave, while also examining the psychological and historical facets of nostalgia, and the potential of these art forms in marketing and creative messaging.

The Ghostly Genesis: Hauntology and Vaporwave

Hauntology, a term coined by philosopher Jacques Derrida in the 1990s, refers to the presence of elements from the past as spectral or ghostly phenomena in the present. It's not just about nostalgia; it's the awareness of lost futures, the roads not taken. This concept resonated deeply in music and art, leading to the birth of a genre where past and present coalesce, creating a haunting, eerie soundscape.

Vaporwave, emerging in the early 2010s, can be seen as a digital offspring of Hauntology. While it also engages with the past, Vaporwave is characterized by its satirical take on consumer culture and the commodification of nostalgia. It repurposes the visual and auditory aesthetics of the 80s and 90s, creating an uncanny sense of familiarity yet alienation.

Convergence and Divergence: The Interplay with Other Genres

As Hauntology and Vaporwave evolved, they influenced and intertwined with smaller, more esoteric genres. Witchhouse and Faewave are notable examples. Witchhouse uses symbolism and occult themes to evoke a sense of the mysterious and otherworldly. It leverages the Hauntological concept to create a space where the familiar is presented in an unsettling way, almost like a musical seance calling forth the ghosts of cultural memories.

Faewave, on the other hand, delves into the mythical and ethereal, often drawing on folklore and fairy tales. It uses the Hauntological approach to create a bridge between the ancient and the modern, inviting listeners into a dreamlike world where the boundaries of time blur.

The Psychological Lure: Nostalgia and Memory

The effectiveness of these genres in conveying their message lies partly in the psychological power of nostalgia. Psychologists have long recognized nostalgia as a potent force. It's not just a longing for the past but a reconstruction of memories to give comfort in the present. This manipulation of memory and emotion is a key reason why Hauntology and its musical descendants resonate so deeply.

Hauntology, by presenting an altered version of the past, plays on the brain's fondness for familiarity while simultaneously introducing elements of surprise and dissonance. This creates a complex emotional response that can be both unsettling and deeply engaging.

History of Nostalgia: A Cultural Perspective

Historically, nostalgia was once seen as a psychological disorder, a form of melancholy. Over time, its perception shifted towards a more benign longing for the past. In the context of Hauntology and Vaporwave, nostalgia becomes a canvas to explore alternate histories and futures that never came to be. It reflects a collective cultural memory and a commentary on contemporary society's relationship with its past.

Art and Marketing: The Unique Value Proposition

In art, the use of Hauntological principles allows for a unique expression that challenges the audience's perceptions of time, memory, and reality. It opens up new avenues for storytelling, where artists can juxtapose the old with the new, the real with the surreal, creating a rich, multi-layered experience.

In marketing, these principles offer a novel approach to brand storytelling. By leveraging nostalgia and the familiar, brands can create more emotionally resonant campaigns. The key is subtlety and skill - too heavy-handed, and it feels manipulative; too light, and the message is lost. When done right, it can foster a deep connection between the brand and the consumer, rooted in shared cultural memories and experiences.

Conclusion: Ghosts Among Us

The intertwining paths of Hauntology, Vaporwave, and their musical kin like Witchhouse and Faewave represent a fascinating evolution in the way we interact with art, music, and culture. They remind us that the past is never truly gone; it haunts every note and every brush stroke, creating a world where ghosts walk among us, whispering tales of what was and what could have been. This spectral dance of genres not only serves as a powerful tool for artistic expression but also offers unique opportunities in the realm of marketing, tapping into the deep well of collective nostalgia and memory.

- Tengushee.

[chattegeorgiana]

Hello Chatte,

How have you been doing?

I have this thing that's been pestering me for a while now. A lot of NH defenders/shippers swear on their life that there are strong parallels between her and Kushina and it's a hill these people are willing to die on.

They love to cite examples from that god forsaken series called Boruto, where they have comical moments of Hinata being the ''scary mommy'' trope and a ''hot headed wife'' just like Kushina. This doesn't sit well with me and I just see it as SP being SP, nothing more, nothing less; and for the NH fan to be like ''ohh..... look...... there are so many parallels between MK and NH. NH was planned from the beginning. yay...... '' Those sorta BS (pardon me my French).

Also, I'd like to point out that I'm an anti ender not because of the pairing reasons but because of how the ending happened. All thanks to each and every character being nothing more than a pairing fodder, the show has left many debates as to what it's messages and themes are.

I really have zero reasons to like female characters like Sakura and Hinata but this, this is beyond character assassination and also an insult to the fan base, especially those who gave common sense and aren't blinded by pairing choice. For me how the characters are treated is way more important than shipping.

Also, when is your next YT video on Boruto being Oro's genjutsu gonna be released?

Thank for reading my somewhat lame and a long comment and I wish you the best with Kaika Saisei

Cheers!

Hi there,

Well, for the whole NH thing, the reason why they insist is because the sequel did a 180 and changed her characteristics, so ofc they are willing to die on that hill.

But we all know if we look at the actual content from the manga that she has nothing in common with Kushina nor Minato like they like to say. Kushina is loud and passionate. Where have you seen Hinata display those qualities? Whereas Minato is calm & calculated, something that she isn't once again. She's quiet & shy but that doesn't equate the calmness Minato displays. Not to mention we've seen even in this one shot that Kishi wrote that Minato can also get super passionate from time to time, whereas Hinata has never displayed that feat.

All in all for this whole thing to work they had to turn her into Sakura. It's clear as daylight to anyone who isn't a NH. Even a neutral. So why consume your energy with what they're saying? It's not like it's true. The evidence to support that is those 15 years of serialization prior to the ending that holds all the weight.

We all know TL & the other products at the end were made so that they can retcon the pre-established narrative.

The show ending the way it did basically destroyed everything Naruto once as a story stood for. Sad, but true.

I always said I wouldn't have had any issue with the choice of pairings if done correctly. After all, I used to be a multishipper once. I saw the potential that all had in the beginning. It's just that when part 2 launched, the story was clear of its direction - of course, until they decided to retcon again and to hell with everything.

And sadly, the girls got the short end of the stick. Both Hinata & Sakura, if we're being true to ourselves. But these people are ready to die on a hill just because they're so attached to their opinions rather than seeing the story for what it is - a great emotional impact story, but with a lot of issues underneath it if you put aside the emotional impact.

It's the reason why it pulls so many people into it. Because it's filled with emotional manipulation, in a way. Look at the way the franchise also directs its marketing campaigns for other materials/products. They scan the internet, see what the talk is in the fandom & then bam, there they are with their products that just so happen to have the thematic of whatever talk is in the fandom - like when they are some sort of servants because at some point NH & SS were arguing about who's richer and who's the servant and who's the patron and all kind of BS like that.

Or when we in the NaruSaku fandom had an extensive talk about tarot and the symbolism that surrounds NS and 6 months later bam, there they are with products with tarot themes.

Or that game they have and I saw two of the concepts I had for Sakura combined into a third one.

They basically combined these two artwork concepts into the third one that is their image from the game.

So what can I say? As you can see, Pierrot be doing whatever it is to get their way, lol.

If you think about the girls - when they thought Hinata was more profitable, they pushed her in everybody's face so much so that it affected the story's ending.

Now that Sakura's more profitable, they discarded Hinata like a used toy and she barely makes any appearances outside her mom-like persona.

This only shows anyone with a little critical thinking that SP has no respect for any characters nor the story. It's just about the $$$ and that's it. Nothing more, nothing less.

But meh, anyway, at this point is more than funny lol. It's just Pierrot being Pierrot tbh... Nothing good can be expected of that studio.

As for my next video, I'm planning on getting back to work on these somewhere in March.

Last year I've been caught up with a major life event so it really hindered my capacity to take care of everything that I wanted to do, but as I said, I'm planning on getting back to these.

It's just that I'll need to edit some things since I initially envisioned it in a certain way and there are certain changes that happened in the meantime, that kind of rendered some of the things I worked on obsolete, so I'm trying to adjust to that. But yeah, as soon as I have everything up and running again, I'll definitely start working on it.

And aah dear, don't worry, your question was not lame! Thank you for dropping into my inbox and for your wishes regarding Kaika!

[killedbyfrank]

Inside Out Iceberg

Inside Out is an amazing movie with a deep message and a dedicated fandom, or what's left of it. While the movie explores Riley's mind far and wide, it still leaves a lot of questions unanswered, some simple, some dark and complicated.

So I made this iceberg to explore the dark side of Inside Out. The iceberg concept is a metaphorical framework often used to illustrate the idea that what we see on the surface is only a small fraction of a larger, hidden and often disturbing reality.

This iceberg includes some known facts, known and lesser known theories and even a couple of headcanons, just for fun.

The Surface

Emotions Shipping: Just like in any fandom, fans usually ship characters together and Inside Out is no different with ships such as Starnerve, Brickoli, Joyness and more.

Sleeping Quarters: A simple yet difficult question to answer. The emotions are shown to reside in a tiny little house up the ramp in HQ. What's in that room? How big is it?

Glow: Joy and Sadness are the only emotions that glow, with the former being much more visible. A theory states that Joy's glow intensity depends on her mood.

Fanfics: Inside Out has a lot of rich and diverse fanfictions, with a few becoming iconic such as Intercom and An Emotional School Year.

Mind Candy: Some simple but cute snippets of the emotions interacting alone or with each other.

NSFW: Artworks that depict the Inside Out characters engaging in sexual activities or gore and mutilation. Some should be banished to the shadow realm.

Below the Surface

Parents' names: Riley's dad is named Bill, while Riley's mom is named Jill. Nice one, Pixar.

Pixar Shipping: Even those at Pixar ship Inside Out characters together. I wonder if some ship Brickoli...

Surprise?: Surprise was supposed to be in the movie, but was cut off due to being too similar to Fear. Maybe Inside Out 2 will bring it back.

Riley's clothing: Throughout the movie and not only, Riley wears different shirts representing her state of mind. During the first day of school she's seen wearing a yellow jacket, forcing Joy upon her. At the end, her mood darkens, reflected by a black hoodie.

Easter eggs: It not uncommon for Pixar to put Easter eggs and cameos in their own movies. Hard to notice at first.

Advertisement Campaign: Inside Out had a pretty aggressive marketing campaign, sponsoring brands such as Clorox and Subway, even encouraging fanarts. Pixar was trying to hype it up.

Into the depths

Fear & Joy outside of HQ instead of Sadness: Originally, Pete Docter intended to explore Fear, since he as a teenager was mostly afraid.

Alternative Titles: In Latin America, Inside Out is known as Intensa Mente. In Spain, they called it Del Revés (Reverse). In Russia, it is titled головоломка (Brain Breaker), and in China, it is 玩轉腦朋友 (Fun with Brain Friends).

Emotions had names: Initially, Emotions were supposed to have proper human names. Fear for example was known as Freddie and so on. Joy is the only one that kept this idea. In the Italian dub, she's known as Gioia, which directly translates to Joy and is also a proper Italian name.

27 emotions: The movie initially was supposed to have many more emotions. This idea seems to have been picked up again for the sequel. Bad idea.

Unlikable Joy: Joy was supposed to be very unlikable, saying things as "We should spit on that girl's face". This was done on purpose so that the viewer would align with Sadness.

Nightmare Productions: Dream Productions is in charge of Riley's dreams and nightmares as well. In theory, they could give endless nightmares to Riley and all kinds of nightmares. Some may call this sadistic.

Into the Abyss...

The Subconscious: This is where Riley's worst fears are kept. They're locked behind a flimsy wooden door, lightly guarded and protected. This could mean Riley is weak minded or very susceptible to her fears. If everything escaped from there, it would certainly mean apocalypse.

The true villain: Joy's aggressive need of control, leaving behind Sadness, causing destruction within Riley's mind, forcing happiness upon every situation, using a ladder of imaginary boyfriends sentencing them to fall into the Memory Dump... These are just some of the things Joy did throughout her journey. Her philosophy crumbled like a house of cards.

Disgust/Joy rivalry: These two probably aren't the bestest of friends. They often have disagreements, and are the opposite of each other. As shown in some clips, Joy seems to enjoy it when Disgust is having a bad time.

Parents' jobs: We don't currently know what their jobs are, how they maintain the family. I've seen a theory that Riley's father used to be an US soldier, due to his mind resembling a Cold War nuclear submarine.

Genderfluid Riley: According to some individuals, Riley is genderfluid, due to her having different gendered emotions. This is highly unlikely.

Schizophrenia: Riley can actually hear her emotions talking, even see them. She's imagining everything in her mind...

Flesh mech: Riley has no control over herself... she's simply a meatbag controlled by her emotions, not guiding but controlling Riley's every single movement and action. This is especially shown in the "5 seconds rule" clip.

We all are the same: There is no divide between the mind workers and the emotions. The mind workers have probably never even seen them. There's no hierarchy, just work, work endlessly for Riley and nothing else matters. What exactly is everyone working for? What are they driven by? Are they all... expandable?

The Bottom...

Anger is the antagonist: He causes Riley to be angry, he often abuses Fear, yells at everyone, dislikes everything. He indirectly caused Bing Bong's demise by destroying the various islands of personality, making it harder for Joy and Sadness coming back, KNOWING that him touching the console would have destructive consequences. What if he did it on purpose?

Stalinist Dictatorship: Riley, Riley, Riley and nothing else. Everyone works for Riley. Everything else comes second. There are cards with her face on them, her initial on Goofball Island, everyone works constantly, every day, all day for Riley, with possibly no retribution. Endless amounts of workers, in a society where Riley is everything to them, similar to a socialist state.

Emotions can't quit: Quote by Disgust. They were never meant to leave Headquarters. They are meant to stay confined there, without ever having the chance to go outside their residence. Why else would the Headquarters be suspended on the Memory Dump, with one way in and out? There is no escape.

There is no happiness... none. Riley was never truly happy in her life. No happy life with only sad moments in between, but a sad life with only happy moments here and there. The true Riley was the one we saw at the end. Depressed.

[howler-moon]

AI advertisement will never stick the landing tbh

Not to drop another essay out of nowhere again but I'm still very much ill and stuck with only my own thoughts to keep me entertained. To be completely honest this topic has actually been on my mind for a couple of weeks and is something I've made imaginary commentary videos about in my head but with the recent AI Coke ad causing a stir and my usual habit of spouting nonsense on Tumblr for shits and giggles I thought no better opportunity than now to put my own two cents on the table since I'll seemingly be stuck in bed for the rest of the week. As both an artist and someone who's doing Business for their Leaving Cert (god forbid) this topic is something that peaks my interest greatly and is something I had more to say about than I thought. If anything, Business has just taught me how soulless companies can be and if I have to learn the Marketing Mix just so I can get the points I need to get into college by god are you gonna hear about it.

A few weeks back I came across a funny Instagram reel with the basic premiss of "guy wakes up after a 10 year coma and only remembers 2010's British adverts" and it was an absolute banger because of how true it was. I don't know if the primary audience who will see this will be familiar with British adverts (I myself am Irish but we basically hog all their tv channels because ours suck lmao) but oh my god you have no idea how iconic they were. I understood every single reference in that reel from the opera singer from the Go Compare ads, to the meerkats from Compare the Market . com to the Jingle from the Lellie Kellie's shoe ad that was drilled into my head like a sleeper agent. 10 year old me may have had no interest in car insurance but by god could I tell you all about Direct Line and their insurance policies because of their funky little red telephone on wheels or perhaps even what Churchill that freaky little puppet bulldog could give you instead. Advertising was so absurd and out of pocket like I have no idea what singing poodles have to do with floor cleanser but you know for a fact I'll start singing along once the Flash ad comes on. There's a reason you often see essentially the same advert run for a company for years and even decades at a time, with just minor edits to keep it fresh. A) Because Marketing is probably one of the most expensive parts of selling a product but B) and my main point of interest being that a single, memorable ad will bring you much further than multiple unimaginative ones.

Moving onto the Coke ad specifically, for the sake of comparison I gave it a watch and holy shit guys was it bad. For those who have had the pleasure of not seeing it yet, this new AI ad is essentially a remake and apparently the replacement of the well known "The Holiday's are Coming" advert that has been running since 1995. Now the impact this ad has on pop culture is undeniable. For many people when this ad starts rolling out onto tvs its considered the start of the Christmas season. The image of the Coca Cola trucks driving through the snow, gathering crowds who watch in awe as all the bright and colourful lights pass by through the night is one of the most iconic things of all time, its the reason the ad has been running for 28 years. The link Coke and Christmas have with each other is genuinely crazy like people credit the company for Santa's red coat, whether it actually be true or not. Coca Cola is an example my business teacher brings up all the time because of how good they (were) with their campaigns. The thing about Coke's marketing is that they're not selling the drink, they're selling the emotion associated with it. They're selling the "happiness" that comes with drinking a Coke they've had campaigns that tell you to "taste the feeling", the whole gimmick behind the Coke bottles with the names on them is the feeling you get when you're gifted with one or find one. There is countless examples of this and that's what makes the new AI ad crash and burn so badly because it's absolutely soulless.

The content of this ad is so stiff and uncanny. The trucks slide around like pngs on seperate layers of a cheap editing program, everything is smooth and lifeless. Sure the people are smiling, but there's not really any joy behind those smiles. They stand there lifeless and unmoving, you could replace the crowd in this advert with cardboard cut outs waving gently in the wind and you would get the same outcome. They react less than the average SSSniperwolf reaction video, instead of her siting there smiling blankly and something interesting enough for her to steal its just a group of people blankly smiling at nothing. Watching paint dry would harbour an more interesting reaction. The movements are slow and unnatural, there's no ease in or out as Santa's food moves across the ground it just moves at a consistent pace like an actual robot. Hmmm I wonder why.. its genuinely actually so funny that Coke prides itself with selling an emotion rather than a product when they take away the very thing that gave their adverts emotion in the first place. They talk about selling nostalgia in a bottle and then tear away one of the most nostalgic things they have ever created. If anything all this new advert does is expose Coke for not holding onto their "core values" and I'm happy people are getting upset as more and more companies try and pass off cheap slop as quality. If the emotion Coke is trying to sell is disappointment then I guess they've won??

The thing about AI ads is that the only thing memorable about them is that they were made by AI. I've seen one AI ad on the TV before and I keep getting another one on Youtube all the time and I genuinely could not tell you what either one was selling for the life of me because all I could think was "oh gross". That youtube one plays in front of almost every video I watch and I STILL don't remember what its for. AI is never going to think of something unique by itself that will hook an audience in. Sure, hypothetically someone could give it a creative prompt, but that requires a creative person, and 9 times out of 10 a creative person isn't going to use an AI to execute their vision, because AI isn't creative enough to do so. Companies have no interest in being unique anymore, what's the use in standing out when you're all owned by the same conglomerate at the end of the day, right? Why spend money when there's a formula everyone uses? why take the risk when there's no competition? Companies genuinely do not care about what you think, only about what you buy and that's just great <333

uhm wow what the fish i like blacked out writing that im so ill rn i apologise if some of this didn't make sense i have the worst fever known to man rn (fire emoji) This is probably something i should come back to and clean up a little bit to make it more clear but i dont give a fuck my dinner is ready have this obscure advert someone sent me on discord a couple of years ago that i hold close to my heart even today to lighten the mood

[qweenofurheart]

hi!!! you dont need to answer if it's too much of a hassle but I love your F1 oc art so much and I'm kind of DYING to know the story here. like, what's Santana's story? what's the deal between him and Logan? is it like hero worship gone sour?? I'm so curious!

seeing this in my inbox made me so happy i screenshotted it and sent it to my friends to show off ty anon !!

so if you want to know the story, i will try to explain! basically I really want to create an animated short film called "Santana Siempre" (Santana Always) which i've described in my portfolio as 'a story about motorsport culture, disconnection, and masculinity where three Formula One drivers clash at the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. '

i am still in the early stages of scripting and visual development (which means i am just drawing the characters over and over trying to psych myself into committing to this project) so most of my art doesn't really reflect the story i want to eventually accomplish.

here is the third driver carmen (with santana lol) and i am still working on his design.

so the three main characters here are: (adding a line break bc i wrote a novel under there)

santana marsh: 27 years old, Spanish/Catalan/American, Ferrari. he's a former NASCAR driver who has caused an upset in the racing world because he was recruited by the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team after a lucky stint in the 2021 WEC (World Endurance Championship) in which he placed first at the 24hr of Le Mans. People denounce this victory as luck because he had a teammate who was a former WDC (F1 World Drivers Champion.) furthermore, people accuse him of being a marketing ploy to "sell" Formula One to the United States. i wanted to include this because i feel it is important to examine the dynamic between the f1 institution and the united states, especially in last years Las Vegas GP for example where setting up the race left thousands unable to commute to work., overpriced tickets and merch, etc..

logan abujhaad: 23 years old, French Moroccan, Mercedes, he is in his second year in F1 after a very tumultuous first season. his teammate, Carmen, is the current reigning world champion which puts a lot of pressure on him. He is relatively insecure about his performance after an incident in F2, in which a title fight with Johan Vogelstein (another character i made) resulted in Johan earning the Ferrari spot instead of Logan. despite being neurotic, he's also extremely desperate to win and gets emotional about it. he has also experienced a lot of discrimination in karting and formula racing for being north african and muslim, especially by a secular conservative french audience that even went to lengths to boycott IWC iwc schaffhausen when they released an ad campaign featuring logan. i felt it was an important part of his character to include because there is a lot of racism and islamophobia within f1 and other sports like futbol that is not really talked about often.

carmen iglesias: 30 years old, Spanish, Mercedes, he is the current WDC and logan's teammate. he and santana are very good friends as they are both from spain and share a lot of interests. despite being a popular driver, he is known to be angry and abrasive, but it adds to his 'masculine' image. him and logan have a bit of a rocky relationship as logan is rumored to outperform him in the 2024 season and logan also beat him at his home race at barcelona in 2023. the mercedes team tries to spend equal resources on the two of them but it's difficult when trying to decide between a promising rookie or the reigning world champion.

OBVIOUSLLYYY an animated film isn't really the best medium to express all of these aspects of their characters. a short story or novella might be better. I have tried to script in ways that reveals some of this naturally, but i don't have much experience writing screenplays, so i might have to cut out a lot of it.

what is the plot of the film?

basically, the film will encapsulate the 2024 spanish grand prix. the two mercedes cars will collide with each other (i actually made up this premise before i learned of the 2016 rosberg-hamilton spain collision ...art imitates life and all that...) and the rest of the film will follow the consequences and the relationships between the three drivers after such an event.

i don't want the story to be only focused on the characters but the sport as a whole, which is why i think it's less about their personal feelings and more about the external challenges?

omg. the amount of research i have to do though. i have been watching every movie and short film based about motorsport under the sun. reading espn and fox sports articles. wading through wikipedia. it's both daunting and very fulfilling.

to answer anon's questions directly (although i'm sure i've made it far past the scope of the question by now 😭) i don't think there is necessarily a "hero worship gone sour" dynamic between logan and santana. logan has admired santana for a long time, especially after the 2021 le mans. they aren't close friends but i think they probably share a lot of mutual respect and are similar in terms of ambition. both of them are trying to "break" into F1, with santana in his first year and logan in his second year, and so the challenges they face are a bit mirrored.

I AM NOT A VERY TALENTED ARTIST HOWEVER LMAOOO. i just have a lot of time on my hands and i love formula one so i started this project. i am not a very good animator or director, and so this project may go nowhere IDK. i could just be drawing silly little pictures of them for the rest of my life with no film made.

still, thank you for the question!! i'm glad you like my characters in their current incarnation and are interested in them.

bonus: three hypothetical movie posters i've made for the film. i may not be a great animator, but i can graphic design my ass off.

[my-mt-heart]

Wait, what do you mean with "half of the EPs are misogynistic, ageist assholes"? Have you watched the first eps of TBOC? Also, what makes you think they are doing this marketing mess because of richonne fans? Have they campaigned for Caryl to split or smth? I try to stay away from social media except Tumblr so I dunno what's up, but I'm seein ppl worrying and even considering not watching so I'm getting concerned... One thing about richonne stans... i think some of them (quite a lot actually) deep down wanted michonne to get together with daryl. That is the vibe they constantly give me because why are they always talking about daryl, attending norman's events (i was there), stanning him like a very dedicated fan? never seen them being THAT passionate about andy/rick. I mean they got rick and i believe they love it but daryl is just like that cool bad boy you had a crush on and never got together with, y'know... otherwise why cconstantly being all over our business?

The marketing strategy for TOWL was rooted in competition, positioning the characters as the best while passive aggressively tearing down other characters/ships/actors, and that seems to be spilling into TBOC's strategy as well in order to keep TOWL's fanbase on the hook (the comments on a couple of posts made by official accounts about Caryl's "friendship" were full of Richonne fans mocking Caryl/Caryl fans). It's a short-sighted strategy to bring in more viewers and it'll backfire. They should be focusing on getting all Caryl fans onboard, the ones who are wary because of what happened a couple years ago and the ones who left many years back, and growing that viewership along with drawing viewers who might have an interest in other elements of the show that doesn't directly conflict with the interests of viewers they can rely on the most to invest long-term.

Side note, because I see this coming up a lot too: Yes, Daryl and Carol are friends. It never bothered me when Caryl called the other their best friend in the context of the story because 1) as many have pointed out and as I wholeheartedly believe, the best romantic relationships are rooted in deep friendship 2) it has never been written to exclude the possibility of fans seeing their friendship transition into a full-blown romance 3) I trusted I would see the payoff in the near future. However. When you beat the audience over the head with it in the promotion, when you know your core audience has built up expectations after a prolonged wait, when your showrunner isn't trustworthy, and when you're encouraging other fans to invalidate Caryl fans' experience, I do have a problem with the word "friends." No, they can't spoil what might happen for Daryl and Carol in the show, but that doesn't mean they have to define the relationship at all when they're promoting it. For Example: "Relive the moment this incredible bond took root" (if they want the flower imagery without the alliteration lol) is vague enough to encompass all perspectives until it's explicitly defined in the show, and it should be defined as romantic since, again, that's what the core audience wants.

I don't spend time in the Richonne fandom, so I don't know what the draw is to Daryl's character. People can have a variety of interests for a variety of reasons, but at least from what I can gather, some of it isn't genuine and some of it is about what Daryl's position as a character and Norman's position as an actor can do for them as well as what they don't want it to do for Carol and her fans. That's as far as I want to delve into it right now seeing as though any mention of Richonne from a Caryler is viewed as an attack, which this is not, and I don't have the emotional capacity for unnecessary fighting.

[mariacallous]

As the United States prepares for the upcoming November election, misinformation and disinformation have spread through memes. Memes are any idea, expression, or opinion that uses text, visual imagery (e.g., a photo, video, or gif file) with or without sound, which can be copied and shared online. For researchers, they are co-constructions that have meaning primarily in humor, which can be shared by multiple users, and in the case of the internet, across various platforms. The convenient availability of commercial artificial intelligence (AI) tools has also contributed to the existing meme economy. Software like X’s AI chatbot called Grok can quickly generate such images, especially with its ability to use famous peoples’ likenesses, copyrighted material, violent content, or pornographic image generation.

The reality is that AI-generated memes have been inserted into the political conversation. These altered images often seem harmless to voters, particularly because they are sometimes shared by people they trust in their personal and professional networks. It can be difficult for policymakers or content moderators to definitively assess their impact because the humor or profile of memes makes them appear innocuous. In the current policy environment where content moderation and domestic AI policy are still evolving, those who develop and disseminate memes can potentially influence voter information about candidate issues, character, and other relevant election information without the usual guardrails that either regulate speech in the U.S. or trigger attention based on the manipulation of political content.

What are memes?

Tugging on the emotions of voters is a critical part of influencing them to act. Memes present unique opportunities because they can disseminate information and foster a sense of community through humor and other apolitical ways. Examples of the persuasive power of memes have appeared in efforts to spread political messaging, alter the stock market, or even influence the way the public thinks about war.

The current campaign efforts on both sides are also no exception. The Trump campaign and his allies have created an assortment of AI-generated memes to uplift the former president, which have been shared on the social media platform X and Truth Social. There has also been a share of visualizations that have ridiculed the other side, including one of Vice President Kamala Harris leading a communist rally, while another showed many Taylor Swift fans endorsing his campaign. Trump supporters like Musk have even reposted an AI-altered, “parody” video of Harris calling herself a “deep state puppet” and “the ultimate diversity hire.”

On the other side, Vice President Harris’ campaign and allies have generated their own share of memes. During the 2024 Democratic National Convention, the highest number of content creators and online influencers ever were in attendance to capture these and other messages for attendees and viewers. Throughout the event, robust online content was created, including the dissemination of memes to capture emotional responses to the various activities and speakers. Doug Emhoff, the second gentlemen, was often the subject of memes as he openly conveyed his support for his wife, Kamala Harris. Tim Walz’s son, Gus, also became a viral meme as he mouthed his admiration for his father during the acceptance speech. The Harris campaign and allies have been equally culpable in their use of satirical tools. Her team has also been accused of falsely captioning AI-generated videos and memes of the former president. Through their use of clips from a Trump rally in North Carolina, the Harris social media account played up the theme that the former president was “lost and confused” in his suggestion that he was in another state—a point that was later fact-checked and clarified by the Harris team.

Probably the most viral memes being shared by both parties and their allies have been those AI-generated memes of cats on social media platforms, which tout the conspiracy theory and disinformation reference by Trump regarding Haitian immigrants eating pets in Springfield, Ohio—some of which were posted by the former president himself.

As these visualizations continue to become a part of the political landscape, memes will increasingly feed into misinformation and disinformation efforts, and cloak facts in humor and satire to elicit more emotional responses from voters. Due to congressional inaction on copyright protections for the data training large language models (LLMs) or more stringent legislation to curb the flow of false information, memes can flourish and, under current election laws, be perceived to be harmless in nature.

Memes are also not necessarily deepfakes

Congress has also made it clear how they categorize memes when it comes to election and other voter interference. Pending legislation, including the DEEPFAKES Accountability Act, create carve outs for memes, humor, satire, parody, and other commentary as a justification of an individual’s freedom of expression. However, the task of deciphering what is parody and what is deceptive can be very challenging. Despite the deceptive posts by Trump and Musk, for example, the label of satire provides some immunity from liability. Such posts also receive additional protections under Section 230, which shields online platforms that disseminate the information from any liability or association—even if vile or offensive.

Memes also can provoke “rage-baiting,” which refers to using online content to elicit strong negative emotional reactions from users. However, the significant gaps in policy make their dissemination possible and plausible. An examination of the handling of memes in a global context makes the case for stronger guardrails and increased community awareness.

Globally, memes have been perceived as fueling extremist behavior. In 2024, a memo from the Netherland’s National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security (NCCS) considered memes to be an “online weapon,” suggesting that the lack of strong content moderation on online platforms has made it easier for memes to thrive and nest themselves in mainstream messaging that disguise their goal of radicalizing unsuspecting online users. In their new book “Lies That Kill,” co-authors Darrell West and Elaine Kamarck point to these and other examples that persuade not just voters, but other everyday people, to consume false information at rapid speeds.

Memes are the next form of political influence

Misinformation and disinformation will continue to be a focus leading up to the November election. While the time has run out for any meaningful legislation to counter deepfakes prior to this election cycle, AI-generated memes are something that policymakers, and especially campaigns, need to monitor. Because of their ability to cloak deeply hateful and vitriolic messages into humorous and satirical images, they have been downplayed in the flow of political rhetoric. Given this, Congress should reconsider the carveouts from pending legislation to quell deepfakes, especially in their use of copyrighted materials and their role in rapidly spreading disinformation. Such loose creation and dissemination of memes should also encourage Congress and other lawmakers to consider some real investments in AI literacy for everyday people to understand the consequences of what they share online. In the meantime, campaigns need to be on the lookout for memes that are harmful or that could potentially lead to violence.

[digitaldetoxworld]

Coca-Cola Case Study: Social Media Strategy

 Coca-Cola Case Study

Coca-Cola, one of the maximum recognizable brands in the world, has long been a pacesetter in innovative advertising marketing, and branding. In the virtual age, Coca-Cola's social media strategy has played an important position in keeping its worldwide dominance. By leveraging a combination of creativity, target audience engagement, and facts-driven insights, the organization has successfully navigated the complexities of modern-day social structures. This case takes a look at explores Coca-Cola’s technique for social media, highlighting key techniques, campaigns, and classes found out.

Overview of Coca-Cola’s Social Media Presence

Coca-Cola operates on almost every important social media platform, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok. With thousands and thousands of followers throughout those systems, the organization specializes in engaging audiences through content material that is amusing, relatable, and reflective of its emblem values: happiness, togetherness, and refreshment.

The logo’s international attain is complemented through localized content material strategies tailor-made to precise areas and cultures, ensuring relevance and resonance with various audiences.

Key Elements of Coca-Cola’s Social Media Strategy

 Emotional Storytelling

Coca-Cola has a grasp of storytelling, and its social media content frequently evokes emotions like pleasure, nostalgia, and connection. This method aligns with the logo’s overarching message of making satisfied moments.

Example: The "Share a Coke" marketing campaign leveraged emotional storytelling by encouraging people to hook up with friends and loved ones through personalized Coke bottles. This marketing campaign generated sizeable person-generated content on social media, as clients shared pix of bottles with their names or those of their friends.

 Consistent Branding

Coca-Cola’s social media content is unmistakably on-logo. The use of the long-lasting purple-and-white color scheme, the acquainted logo, and the conventional contour bottle guarantees that posts are right away recognizable.

Visual Elements: Whether it’s a picture on Instagram or a video on TikTok, Coca-Cola keeps a cohesive aesthetic across all systems, reinforcing brand identity.

User-Generated Content (UGC)

Coca-Cola actively encourages lovers to participate in its campaigns by way of creating and sharing their very own content material. UGC now not only most effective will increase engagement but additionally fosters an experience of network and authenticity.

Example: During the "Taste the Feeling" marketing campaign, Coca-Cola invited customers to share their glad moments with a Coke. The business enterprise highlighted selected posts on its reputable channels, celebrating the creativity of its fanatics.

 Influencer Partnerships

Coca-Cola collaborates with influencers, celebrities, and content material creators to enlarge its attain and appeal to more youthful demographics. By operating with personalities who align with its emblem values, the employer ensures credibility and relevance.

Example: On Instagram and TikTok, Coca-Cola has partnered with lifestyle and health influencers to promote its low-sugar and food plan product strains.

Data-Driven Insights

Coca-Cola makes use of social media analytics to recognize target audience behavior and options. By tracking metrics including engagement fees, click-on-thru fees, and sentiment analysis, the organization refines its content strategy to maximize effect.

Local Adaptation: Data insights additionally guide Coca-Cola’s local campaigns, making sure they resonate with local audiences. For example, holiday campaigns in Latin America frequently feature culturally specific elements that range from those in Europe or Asia.

Multi-Platform Strategy

Coca-Cola tailors its content for every social media platform, leveraging its precise strengths:

Facebook: Long-form storytelling and network-constructing.

Instagram: Visual storytelling with first-rate photos and short movies.

Twitter: Real-time updates and customer interaction.

YouTube: Long-shape video campaigns and in the back of-the-scenes content.

TikTok: Trend-driven and playful content focused on Gen Z.

Notable Campaigns on Social Media

 Share a Coke

The "Share a Coke" marketing campaign is considered one of Coca-Cola’s maximum successful social media initiatives. By changing its brand with famous names on Coke bottles, the organization created a fantastically personal and interactive enjoyment.

Social Media Integration: Coca-Cola encouraged enthusiasts to share pix in their personalized bottles on systems like Instagram and Twitter using the hashtag #ShareaCoke. This brought about an explosion of UGC, with thousands and thousands of posts shared globally.

Impact: The marketing campaign boosted sales and social media engagement, solidifying Coca-Cola’s popularity as an emblem that brings people together.

Happiness Campaign

Coca-Cola’s "Open Happiness" marketing campaign targeted on spreading positivity. The brand used social media to percentage uplifting tales, inspiring prices, and feel-excellent motion pictures.

Example: On YouTube, Coca-Cola shared heartwarming advertisements providing random acts of kindness, including a vending device that disbursed free Cokes when humans hugged it.

Social Engagement: The campaign encouraged lovers to proportion their very own "happy moments" the use of the hashtag #OpenHappiness.

FIFA World Cup Campaigns

Coca-Cola has been a protracted-time sponsor of the FIFA World Cup, and it leverages this affiliation closely on social media.

Engagement Tactics: During World Cup seasons, Coca-Cola shares football-themed content material, engages enthusiasts with predictions and trivialities, and runs contests.

Example: The #TasteTheFeeling marketing campaign for the duration of the 2018 World Cup featured videos of fanatics celebrating goals whilst drinking Coke, connecting the excitement of the occasion with the brand.

 TikTok Challenges

Coca-Cola has embraced TikTok’s trend-pushed tradition with the aid of launching challenges that encourage creativity and participation.

Example: The #MakeItHappy mission invited users to create movies showing how they flip negative conditions into high-quality ones, aligning with Coca-Cola’s subject of spreading pleasure.

Results: The task garnered thousands and thousands of views and bolstered Coca-Cola’s relevance amongst younger audiences.

Lessons Learned from Coca-Cola’s Social Media Strategy

 Authenticity Matters

Coca-Cola’s success on social media stems from its capacity to connect authentically with audiences. Whether through storytelling or UGC, the emblem continually promises content that feels authentic and relatable.

Engage, Don’t Just Broadcast

Rather than virtually pushing promotional content, Coca-Cola actively engages with its followers. This involves replying to comments, resharing user posts, and growing interactive campaigns.

Leverage Global and Local Strategies

Coca-Cola balances its worldwide logo message with localized campaigns that resonate with precise cultures. This twin technique ensures consistency whilst ultimately applicable.

Adapt to Trends

Coca-Cola stays ahead of the curve by fast-adopting new social media systems and trends. Its presence on TikTok, for example, demonstrates a commitment to engaging younger audiences.

Use Data Wisely

By reading social media's overall performance, Coca-Cola refines its method to the consciousness of what works. This records-pushed method guarantees the most reliable aid allocation and content material effectiveness.

Challenges and Opportunities

Challenges

Sustaining Engagement: In a crowded virtual landscape, preserving high stages of engagement requires consistent innovation.

Managing Negative Feedback: As a worldwide emblem, Coca-Cola faces scrutiny and grievance, which have to be addressed tactfully on social media.

Opportunities

Emerging Platforms: New systems like BeReal offer opportunities for Coca-Cola to reach untapped audiences.

Sustainability Messaging: Consumers an increasing number of value manufacturers that prioritize sustainability. Coca-Cola can use social media to focus on its green initiatives.

[and-then-there-were-n0ne]

Something I’m increasingly sceptical of in modern mental health culture is this constant insistence to open up. Share your story! says every celebrity. Speak out! says every company. [...]

My main concern with this is that Gen Z are very lonely and screen-addicted and so often take this advice and start opening up online. [...] On TikTok #mentalhealth has over 127 billion views; #trauma alone has almost 30 billion.

And no wonder! Not only is there this cultural push to open up, but campaigns and influencers explicitly encourage us to share our problems on social media. Like Kendall Jenner’s #howareyoureally hashtag, encouraging fans to share a video of their mental health story on Instagram. Or #postyourpill, the campaign started by Love Island influencer Dr Alex George urging people to post a photo of their mental health medication every month. “Join me,” he insists, “and take a stand against medication stigma”!

I have many concerns about this. Not because I think Dr Alex has bad intentions; I’m sure he genuinely wants to help. But firstly because his fans are likely very young. We’re talking teens and pre-teens. And he’s sharing this on TikTok, where a third of US users are thought to be 14 or under, and Instagram, where more than a million users are underage. Should we really be pressuring them to “please please please” post their pill and share their mental health problems with strangers?

Then there’s this framing of it as activism. Actually, more than activism—now it’s almost a duty. You need to open up because it helps other people! Maybe, but does it help you? You, a 15 year-old girl, are not responsible for removing the stigma around autism or ADHD. The progressive narrative now also seems to be that if you aren’t opening up about your mental health problems it has to be because of stigma or discrimination. Have we forgotten the word privacy? You don’t have to be ashamed, but you don’t have to share either.

I say this because there are risks to sharing your personal struggles, especially online. Something our current mental health culture seems unable to admit is that being open about your problems comes with problems. Rarely do we talk about the regret of opening up to the wrong people, or too soon before you’ve tried to recover or really understand what’s wrong, or of misrepresenting yourself. 

One major problem with opening up online, for example, is that whatever you share inevitably becomes part of your brand. This, I think, can explain a lot of Gen Z’s current obsession with and confusion around identity. We market ourselves from very young ages and then struggle to rebrand, to integrate our evolving selves into our online image. Once you share something on social media—your anxiety, OCD, gender dysphoria—it’s documented. You’re categorised. Consciously or not, you are more compelled to stick with it. But identities evolve! You are supposed to change! I find it so suffocating how modern culture makes us feel like it’s inauthentic or some sort of moral failure to change who you are or what you believe. Nobody can live up to that! And actually the opposite is true: something is very wrong if you aren’t changing. 

As I see it this is why older generations often chafe at all this oversharing. Not because they can’t relate to adolescent angst or have no compassion for mental illness, but from an understanding that things, people, change. Maybe you are in real emotional pain. But don’t go blasting your gender identity journey all over the internet because someone told you it’s brave. You might not feel that way in six months, a year, six years. Even if you do, you might not want it out there. You might not even remember that you thought you had Tourette’s in your pre-teens. Also: trends change. There may not be the same cultural cachet for sharing your symptoms in the future. People might not be as rewarding or forgiving, so don’t start relying on their validation now.

This is a caution, then. A plea, actually, to the young girls recording their anxiety attacks, documenting their depressed day in the life, introducing their multiple personalities, posing with their mental health pills, to honestly think about this: what if things change for you? What if when you’re 30 you don’t want that video of you crying on your bedroom floor online? Or cleaning your messy depression room? What if you don’t even relate to that person anymore?

And please, ask yourself: is this going to be good for your recovery? Because despite what the mental health industry would have you believe, your anxiety isn’t fixed or inevitable. You could get over your OCD. But you’ll make that much less likely and harder for yourself by posting it all over the internet and publicly building your identity around it first. Maybe you’re socially anxious at 14 but not at 20, but you made it your brand and showed the internet that you struggle to make a phone call and can’t order food. Maybe you desperately want to be seen as confident but you’ve already marketed yourself as anxious and that’s how people treat you. All I’m saying is you might regret reducing yourself to a collection of symptoms. This world can be cruel and unforgiving, and you might one day regret telling it you can’t cope.

Of course I understand sharing helps people feel less alone. I also recognise that social media is a nauseating highlight reel, that everyone is pretending to be perfect and that’s so much pressure—but I don’t think the answer to that is to post all of our personal and vulnerable moments. My answer would be to post less about everything.

Because another thing I want girls to think about is who really benefits here. A good rule of thumb for when something is being pushed this much in modern culture—when you’re hearing the same mantra over and over again like open up—is to think, okay, someone is majorly profiting here, who is it? Sometimes I wonder if this message to open up is so heavily pushed by social media companies like TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram because they benefit when we plaster our problems all over their platforms. [...]

“Check out how you can take care of your mental health on Snapchat and encourage your friends to do the same!” Right, well, firstly you’re never going to take care of your mental health on Snapchat. And Instagram—the place some teens have traced back the desire to kill themselves—is absolutely not #HereForYou. Open up and find “mental health resources on Instagram”! Key words: on Instagram. All this is an attempt to keep you on their platforms. Platforms very often responsible for mental health problems. Please don’t buy it.

I’m not saying don’t tell anyone. Just don’t tell the internet. I mean that sincerely: I wouldn’t even recommend opening up to online therapists. The therapy service BetterHelp has been fined millions for selling users’ mental health data—“rest assured this information will stay private!”—to platforms like Facebook (Meta) and Snapchat. And the more these sites know you are struggling, the more advertisers can categorise you. You’ll get ads for therapy apps and ADHD meds and mental health chatbots and get stuck in a cycle. This is more than a self-fulfilling prophecy. There’s software engineering behind it. [...]

So: open up to people you know and trust. Talk to family and friends. If you aren’t fortunate enough to have those, turn to local communities, support groups, professionals when necessary. But stop opening up on the internet. Stop opening up about everything. Give yourself the chance to change organically; give yourself the option of moving on. Bottom line is I don’t think it’s worth exchanging your deepest emotional struggles for that hit of dopamine. Because Instagram being #HereForYou? Hahaha, please. Open yourself up to friends and family. Close yourself off from these companies.