#greatest stoic quotes

[techtow]

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer

[quoteart39]

[quipshub]

[islamicquoteslearn]

Allah will make it better But if Allah did not improve Have faith and Allah will do the best

اللہ بہتر کرے گا

لیکن اگر اللہ نے بہتر نہ کیا تو

ایمان رکھو اللہ بہترین کرے گا

अल्लाह इसे बेहतर बनाएगा

लेकिन अगर अल्लाह ने सुधार नहीं किया

विश्वास रखें और अल्लाह सबसे अच्छा करेगा

அல்லாஹ் சிறப்பாகச் செய்வான்

ஆனால் அல்லாஹ் மேம்படுத்தவில்லை என்றால்

நம்பிக்கை வையுங்கள் அல்லாஹ் நல்லதை செய்வான்

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: The Antidote to Anxiety

Anxiety is “the dizziness of freedom” and believed that it serves to power rather than hinder creativity. (Kierkegaard)

Anxiety was a paralyzing lifelong struggle — he accomplished his breakthroughs not because of anxiety but despite it. (Darwin)

“Anxiety makes others feel as you might when a drowning man holds on to you.” (Anaïs Nin)

“The truth is, we know so little about life, we don’t really know what the good news is and what the bad news is.” (Kurt Vonnegut)

The great first-century Roman philosopher Seneca examined anxiety, and its only real antidote, with uncommon insight in his correspondence with his friend Lucilius Junior, later published as "Letters from a Stoic". Seneca:

There are more things … likely to frighten us than there are to crush us; we suffer more often in imagination than in reality.

What I advise you to do is, not to be unhappy before the crisis comes; since it may be that the dangers before which you paled as if they were threatening you, will never come upon you; they certainly have not yet come.

Accordingly, some things torment us more than they ought; some torment us before they ought; and some torment us when they ought not to torment us at all.

We are in the habit of exaggerating, or imagining, or anticipating, sorrow.

You will suffer soon enough, when it arrives; so look forward meanwhile to better things.

What shall you gain by doing this? Time.

There will be many happenings meanwhile which will serve to postpone, or end, or pass on to another person, the trials which are near or even in your very presence.

A fire has opened the way to flight.

Men have been let down softly by a catastrophe.

Sometimes the sword has been checked even at the victim’s throat. Men have survived their own executioners.

Even bad fortune is fickle. Perhaps it will come, perhaps not; in the meantime it is not.

The mind at times fashions for itself false shapes of evil when there are no signs that point to any evil; it twists into the worst construction some word of doubtful meaning; or it fancies some personal grudge to be more serious than it really is, considering not how angry the enemy is, but to what lengths he may go if he is angry.

But life is not worth living, and there is no limit to our sorrows, if we indulge our fears to the greatest possible extent; in this matter, let prudence help you, and contemn with a resolute spirit even when it is in plain sight.

If you cannot do this, counter one weakness with another, and temper your fear with hope.

There is nothing so certain among these objects of fear that it is not more certain still that things we dread sink into nothing and that things we hope for mock us.

Accordingly, weigh carefully your hopes as well as your fears, and whenever all the elements are in doubt, decide in your own favour; believe what you prefer.

And if fear wins a majority of the votes, incline in the other direction anyhow, and cease to harass your soul, reflecting continually that most mortals, even when no troubles are actually at hand or are certainly to be expected in the future, become excited and disquieted.

He ends the letter with a quote from Epicurus illustrating this sobering point:

The fool, with all his other faults, has this also, he is always getting ready to live.

Sources: 1 2 More: On Psychology

[tanjirou-no-au]

Upper Moon Hashira

Michikatsu Tsugikuni-Moon Pillar

To everyone else, Michikatsu is the ever stalwart Moon Hashira, the strongest Demon Slayer in the corp, possibly the greatest slayer in generations. If you’d ask him, he’d say you got the wrong brother.

Scion of the illustrious Tsugikuni clan, originators of the Moon Breathing style, Michikatsu grew up in the shadow of his younger twin Yoriichi, and despite his brother’s encouragement, had resigned himself to becoming Yoriichi’s Tsuguko.

Then Final Selection came, an event Michikatsu mostly missed on thanks to an injury on the first day. Yoriichi would continue on alone, slaying every demon he came across and ensuring all of that year’s candidates survived...except for him.

Given everything he ever wanted at the mere cost of his brother, Michikatsu fell into a depressive melancholy he’s never truly emerged from. Despite this, he’s stayed steadfast in his mission, hoping to one day become a shadow of the man his brother would have been had he survived.

Nakime Otokawa-Sound Pillar

Rumours abound of the Sound Pillar’s origin. Some say she’s a kunoichi who escaped under the cover of night after poisoning her clan head. Others say she was street musician, kept captive by a demon to serve as their private musician, only for her to beat them to death with a wisteria rosined shamisen. Others still say she’s a goddess, a kami put on earth to put a long overdue end to the King of Demons.

Only Nakime knows the truth of these matters, though the last story is probably pure fiction. Probably. In any case, Nakime knows the value of a good rumour, acting as the Corps’ unofficial spymaster, gathering intelligence and helping coordinate the Kasugai Crows to assemble reports on their demonic targets.

Outwardly stoic but always plucking out a pretty tune on the nearest musical instrument, her Sound Breathing lulls her foes into a sense of calm before launching into a frenzied crescendo of attacks.

A surprisingly relaxed and friendly woman once you get to know her, dedicated to preventing tragedy, and having the right music to accompany such victories.

Managi Hajime-Water Pillar

Managi had always been an outcast amongst the Swordsmith Village, a “child of water amongst of children of fire,” to quote the elders. He was a craftsman, yes, but his talents favoured pottery over metalworking, and his own fascination with swords seemed less about making them and more about swinging them around.

A chance meeting and persistent pestering of a retired Water Pillar would see him exposed to the world beyond his little village, and Managi embraced it aplomb. New trends, new art styles and new forms of expression all awaited him, from hair dye to painted nails to the flowing movements of Water Breathing.

Though admittedly more than a little vain, the Water Hashira is nothing if not dedicated to his mission, his Swordsmith upbringing and his own perfectionist streak turning him into an utterly thorough Slayer, who will see that both the demon is slain, and any victims cared for in the aftermath.

Douma-Snow Pillar

Born into a cult ruled over by a Demon, Douma’s eyes brought him to the attention of its benefactor and his promotion to messiah. He grew up a kind if...odd boy, one who genuinely desired to help his supplicants. It helped that one, a runaway bride named Kotoha, was actually quite pretty. But alas...nothing good lasts in this world

The cult eventually attracted attention from the Corps, and one botched investigation later, Douma stumbled upon his benefactor, devouring the remains of a Demon Slayer and his beloved Kotoha, with Inosuke nowhere to be seen.

In that moment, something within Douma broke, and he promptly picked up the fallen slayer’s sword, slew the demon with a strength he didn’t know he possessed, disbanded his cult and made his way to the Demon Slayers, all without dropping the small smile on his face.

Douma has proven an incredible Slayer, combining Water & Wind Breathing into Snow Breathing, a flowing, dual bladed style that rips his opponents apart with the ferocity of the arctic winds. But since that that fateful day, he has never again felt the glimmer of genuine emotion.

Perhaps it’s for the best. Emotions are fickle things...liable to get people killed. 

Hakuji Soyoma-Firework Pillar

The swordsman Hakuji humiliated did not resort to poison, instead striking a deal with a crimson eyed stranger. Hakuji himself returned not to find loved ones killed by poison, but a dead teacher and a demon, glutted on the bodies of his fellow swordsmen, looming over his beloved Koyuki.

Common wisdom states that Demons cannot be killed without the sun, wisteria, or decapitation by a Nichirin blade. Hakuji paid no attention to the common wisdom, ripping the demon apart with his bare hans, again and again until dawn rose, accompanied by the Demon Slayers.

When he awoke from his injuries to the Oyakata at his bedside, Hakuji reluctantly agreed to lend his prodigious strength to the corp. Once again paying no attention to the common wisdom, he did not take up a Nichirin sword, instead commissioning clawed gauntlets, boots, and spiked joint protectors made of the sun imbued steel.

His Firework Breathing is an invention of his own design, combining the powerful strikes of Flame Breathing with his own Soryu style martial arts, also incorporating more flowing motions to better redirect the force of Demon strikes.

Yuuji & Ume Shabana-Poison & Ribbon Pillars

Children of the gutter, the Shabana siblings’ disparate appearances and abrasive personalities won them few favours, and following a spate of disappearances, resulted in accusations of murder and cannibalism. It was only the intervention of Douma, in the area to kill the real demon, that saved them.

Indebted, they both joined the Corps, intent on repaying his kindness. But Yuuji found that a life of malnutrition left him unable to cut through the bone of demons. He would compensate with a pair of poison laced sickles, modifying Wind Breathing into his his own personal Poison Breathing.

And as a side effect of his research into poison, Yuuji has fallen into an unexpected (though hardly unwelcome!) position as a medic amongst the Corps.

But what her brother lacks in strength, Ume seems to make for, taking to her chosen Flower Breathing like a fish to water and modifying it even further, wielding a flexible whip like sword in concert with her personal ‘Ribbon Breathing’.

She has become a cheerleader among the Corps, encouraging camaraderie between her fellow Hashira and the lower ranked Slayers. Though admittedly, she is a bit of a gossip.

Kaigaku Inadama-Storm Pillar

For most of his life, Kaigaku has run from responsibility. From consequences. From what most would call ‘the right path,’. Outwardly, he might call it survival, but even he knows he’s a coward.

And no event haunts him more than the night he extinguished the wisteria incense that guarded his home temple, trading his own survival for the lives of those within.

Perhaps that is why he fights so harshly, so fiercely, an oncoming storm intent on cutting down every Demon in his path. He refuses to be a coward again, refuses to turn his back on evil and those in need of his protection. His scars are evidence of that.

Beginning his career as a Thunder Breather, he was forced to adapt as he proved unable to perform it’s primary technique. Instead he borrowed aspects of Water Breathing and others of Wind Breathing to embody the ferocity of a raging storm.

Zohakuten Hantengu-Emotion Pillar

The youngest son of avaricious minor crime lord, Zohakuten was the runt of his many brothers, mocked for his small size. Though their mocking might have saved him, driving him away the night a Demon fell upon their family.

Attacked upon his return, the young boy flew into a blind rage that saw him defeat the Demon and leave it unable to move as the sun rose. Later found wandering in a daze by a Demon Slayer investigating the attack, he was promptly taken into the custody of the corps.

Greedy, twitchy, and prone to mood swings, no one would’ve expected the boy to survive Final Selection, much less become a Pillar. But become a Pillar he did, defeating a Lower Moon within two months of the beginning of his career.

Though nominally a Flame Breath user, ‘Zo’ has begun incorporating the techniques and philosophies of other Breathing Styles into his repertoire, stitching together a hodge podge Style that Hashira Tsugikuni seems to recognize from family records...

Taisho Secrets

Nakime is the only Hashira who Michikatsu talks to without the process being like pulling teeth. Some of the Kakushi have even heard Shamisen and flute music coming from their manors on some nights...

Managi gives a pot to every person he’s managed to save from a Demon.

Contrary to popular belief, Hakuji doesn’t despise Douma. He’s brusque with everyone, and though the Snow Pillar unsettles him, he kinda feels sorry for the man.

And likewise, it’s rumoured that Douma’s friendliness towards Hakuji is a front for well hidden resentment, jealousy over being able to save his lover when Douma couldn’t.

Kaigaku has a bit of a soft spot for Zo. He sees a lot of himself in the boy, and wants to help him grow as a person.

Likewise, Michikatsu is fond of the Shabana siblings. He sees a bit of Yoriichi in Ume and sees Yuuji as a better brother than he ever was.

The Kasugai crows love all love Nakime, as she gives them snacks and sings them songs, and they’re all jealous of her personal crow.

Kanzaburou is Michikatsu’s crow here, and the only person besides Nakime he really talks to.

[altocat]

i saw that you also said you love to talk about other characters, not just sephiroth, so i thought i'd ask: what are your favorite things/traits/moments etc of all of the playable characters we've had across the compilation of 7? i feel like i can talk about all the characters forever :)

Ooh yeah! This will be fun. Okay!

Cloud: Cloud is the most relatable character to me, and probably my favorite if we're being honest. I relate strongly to his identity issues, and I love when he tries to act tough while concealing a softer nature. My personal favorite scene with him is the flashback where he realizes that he was stronger than Sephiroth this whole time, throwing Sephiroth down the pit. It's a powerful moment, probably Cloud's single greatest moment in the entire series.

Tifa: Tifa is literal perfection. She looks like a tough tomboy and yet she's also one of the kindest people ever. She's maternal, loyal, supportive, and devoted to a fault. The team would be lost without her. She's the glue that holds everyone together. An absolute queen. My favorite moment with her is Under the Highwind, regardless of her relationship with Cloud being romantic or platonic.

Barret: Barret's got a heart of gold. He's always part of my main party when playing the OG. A great comrade and an even GREATER father. His relationship with Marlene is beautiful and so warm and wholesome. Barret also spits some iconic quotes over the course of the game, as well as some hard truths. My favorite scene with him, naturally, is his encounter with Dyne. The line "my hands are too stained to carry her anymore" gets me to cry no matter how many times I play.

Aerith: Aerith is the biggest hero of FFVII next to Cloud. She's the one who ultimately saves the day, and all through her sacrifice. I'm not even gonna talk about my favorite moment with her because...you guys already know the scene. It's the single most famous scene in gaming history. Aerith has a playful, occasionally chaotic edge to her personality that she hides behind a sweet smile. I absolutely adore that about her. She's so full of love and so full of selflessness, but she also loves to tease people. Also an absolute queen.

Red XIII: Nanaki is a cat btw. I have always seen him as a cat. That's my controversial opinion on him lmao. Also him howling for Seto makes me ugly cry every single time without fail. I appreciate that Nanaki seems occasionally stoic and serious, but then has kind of a childlike or immature fear or insecurity about something. There's that duality to him that ties to the other characters in a sense. Anyway, I love him. He is a very good boy.

Cid: Cid took a while to grow on me initially. He's pretty rough around the edges. But my favorite moment with him happens in the last third where he sorta becomes the de facto leader of the group with Cloud gone. And I like that he seems to have reconciled with Shera as well. Honestly, he's just kind of a badass and really cool at what he does. Also he gets to go to space. Good for him tbh.

Cait Sith: This one is hard because there's always a debate as to how much of a character Cait Sith actually IS. It's Reed puppeting a machine/doll basically. How much of Cait Sith has a mind of his own? Regardless, Cait Sith isn't my fave. He's a spy, after all. But he makes up for it in the end, even if he kinda fades into the background. Reed is honestly more of an interesting character overall. I can't name any specific favorite moments with Cait Sith specifically. But also he's a small Scottish cat. And that's rad.

Vincent: This edgy boi. Also not one of my faves, but he's grown a lot more on me over time. He wins for always having the coolest voice in the entire group. And I really like the scene where he reunites with Lucrecia. Vincent is kind of gruff and understated at times compared to the rest of the cast. But he has a gentle side as well, and one hell of a cool backstory. Also I love monsters and gothic imagery in general.

Yuffie: Yuffie is...my least favorite main character. I don't hate her. I've just never been a fan of the "spunky loudmouth child" trope. With that said, I'm sure the Remake trilogy will breathe new life into her and add some extra appeal for me. I like what I've seen so far. And Yuffie's bluntness and playfulness can be cute from time to time.

Zack: Counting him because of Crisis Core. He's probably my third favorite character. His death is the saddest scene in the entire compilation imo. He's a character who is wholly encompassed by love, who deals with a LOT of pain, and who proves to be better and worthier than most people put together. Like Aerith, he sacrifices everything. And also like Aerith, his legacy will live on forever.

[lryghe]

MDZS thoughts; wangxian

Out of all the MXTX couples, I think Wangxian is definitely the most polarising,  especially when you consider how like-minded Hualian are, and how mutually ridiculous Bingqiu are. It’s interesting to think about, because even through character design, Bingqiu’s christmas tree themed robes and Hualian’s red and white complimentary robes, Wangxian falls outside of that, their black and white robes always being a direct contrast to each other in the most basic form. But after deeper consideration, Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian are shown to be incredibly similar in the ways that draw them together (with of course, some fundamental differences). This post will contain spoilers, but why would you be on Tumblr if you didn't want to get spoiled?

I think a good place to start this would be with ‘righteousness’, because it pretty much explains the other points I had planned to make anyway (e.g. loyalty, isolation, duty). It’s a running bit throughout MDZS that Wei Wuxian is just a depraved evil demonic cultivator, but that’s the beauty of the statement, because it contrasts his actual, very noble personality. The way in which he presents his righteousness is where the majority of the problem arises though, because Wei Wuxian is a true and staunch defender of people he deems less fortunate, and those people also happen to be the ones which everyone else is venting their hatred at. His defence of the Wen’s was truly admirable, but even through his friendship with MianMian, or his obsession with being friends with Lan Wangji, his dedication to doing what he believes is right is unmoving. And this drives people away from him, casting him aside as a traitor and eventually leading to his own demise, but he stays true to what he believes is right, which is protecting those who need it. 

Lan Wangji is much of the same type of person. Lan Wangji has always been (and I quote) ‘righteous, perfect, and void of worldly desires’, the very pillar of how everyone else should act. He not only holds everyone around him to impossibly high standards, but lives by them himself, which drives a wedge between him and everyone around him. People are uncomfortable with the staunch and unyielding standards of righteousness that he holds people to, which leads to them pushing him up as this impossible standard that they should be trying to emulate but they just end up saying ‘really, who can be like Hanguang-jun, he’s always been perfect!’. ‘It’s lonely at the top’ is something that is so perfectly applicable here, because Lan Wangji’s desire to uphold the standards of righteousness to protect those who cant protect themselves divides him from the general populace, placing him firmly as unreachable, above all the rest. 

Both Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian’s unyielding righteousness and nobility is one of their greatest strengths and a very admirable character trait to have, but it also ends up being their greatest tragedy, because it isolates them from all that they love or could love. It even pushes them away from each other, because Lan Wangji is trying so desperately to pull Wei Wuxian to his side and make him adhere to the only way he can understand others (through his impossible standards), but Wei Wuxian is unmoving in his defence of the Wen’s, helping them when no one else will. Unstoppable force meets immovable object? 

Of course, there are so many differences between Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian but really, those are all pretty surface level. Wei Wuxian’s mind works a million miles per hour, thinking of countless solutions and strategies, whereas Lan Wangji adheres to the traditional problem solving solutions. Wei Wuxian is loud and vibrant, and Lan Wangji is stoic and cold. Wei Wuxian wears black, and Lan Wangji wears white. Simple observations can tell you how they differ, because they obviously aren't the same and it would be weird if they were. These differences are important to consider, but their similarities are crucial to the development of their relationship too.

Words: 671

Reading time: 2 mins

[sweetwolfcupcake]

Heyyyyyyy,

How are you doing?

I was just wondering if you could answer this question : How do you describe or think of BTS members as a yandere character ?

I mean for me Namjoon is the kind of yandere who likes mind games and then Jungkook is yandere with physical strength and Jin is manipulative type .what do you think ?

✨✨✨✨

Hi, this will be a comparatively long answer.

Most of the time, I let my readers decide, analyse and interpret. But I have my own perception and I'm always happy to share that.

See, I try to keep experimenting with my writing because this blog serves a dual purpose for me-- to sharpen my pen and to take a break from my usual life.

(But I have found so many amazing friends here, it is incredible.

Coming to answer your ask, I try to have different character traits in various universes and fics. But there are I guess some aspects that I end up adding.

Jin: Starting with the eldest, I think Jin would be a soft but firm yandere. I have written him like that in my fics. He seems to be the type who is the definition of a gentleman. To the world, and even to his darling. Here is where the master manipulator comes into play. He is the definition of the quote-

"The greatest trick the devil has ever pulled off is convincing us that he does not exist."

I think he would be so awfully good at manipulating, it's an unfair game. Also, he is more on the nurturing side, wanting to take care of his beloved, providing for her, spoiling her rotten.

But that does not mean that he cannot be a walking, talking nightmare. Jin can be merciless to his enemies/rivals or anyone whom he deems as a threat to him or his interest.

He is also the type to demand respect. Being nice and generous does not mean that anyone can just walk over him, not even his beloved. I think he is the kind to be interested in someone who would see him beyond his persona, someone insightful, thoughtful and perhaps challenging.

Yoongi: I see Yoongi oscillating between two sides-- the calm, collected, stoic and subtle lover, and the absolutely unhinged man with a cruel passion.

I see him as a protective yandere and this 'protection' goes beyond logic and is smothering, to say the least. He would be the type of yandere who does not hesitate to show his cruel, unhinged face to his lover, even if it comes at the cost of fear. Most of the time, the Hyung line is more unhinged.

He might also be far more possessive than he lets on. The type to curb his darling's freedom when he feels like she is slipping away from his grasp.

He too would love to spoil his darling, but prefers to be more subtle about it.

Hoseok: Well, Hoseok is one tricky type of yandere to write. He seems like a wildcard. He would be so sweet to his darling but also expect her submission. He would be the type who wants his beloved to trust him and his love for her. Hoseok, as a Yandere would be more of a vigilant type.

Honestly, I struggle with writing his character the most, because he seems so deep, dynamic and mysterious-- a much more complex man than what the surface reflects.

I think he would also be the type who likes to nurture and take care of his darling and control her. He might just fit into the controlling type of yandere.

Namjoon: Hmm, where do I start from? The manipulative type, one that would gaslight the hell out of his love interest, only for 'her own good'. Namjoon would be the overprotective and possessive type of yandere (they all are, actually). The type who is so confident in himself that he would find escape attempts and resistance 'cute'. (Disturbing, I know)

Yandere Namjoon would also be the type to gravitate towards depth and wit. Someone he is unable to read at one glance, or even in one day. Someone who feels too good to be true. He can be the one who would treat his beloved as if she were made of glass and yet enjoy inflicting pain on those he deems as threats. Yandere Namjoon would be the type who loves to be needed. He would enjoy that immensely..

Jimin: The type of yandere who would have their beloved-- body and soul. Perhaps also the one to grow impatient and make rash decisions easily. He did not kidnap his darling, he brought her home because she can't take care of herself, and it is not safe for her out there.

Yes, something like that.

Yandere Jimin might also be underestimated-- he looks soft, sweet, and sometimes delicate even. But one must not get fooled. He knows when and how to use his strength.

The type to not tolerate it if his darling spends too much time away from him. Also perhaps most likely to use sexual manipulation *cough* *cough* his love is expressed best in the bedroom, where one can see his true face.

Taehyung: Again a character I struggle to decipher and write. Yandere Taehyung is another wildcard, in my opinion. Perhaps the most unhinged when pushed to the limit.

Not afraid to show his darling how violent he can get-- no, he won't hurt her, but he can hurt others, right?

hisSeems to me like a stalker, observer type. The type to place hidden cameras everywhere in his darling's home and just...watch her. Even in his home when he kidnaps brings her home. He might be at work but in in is leisure time, he is just...watching. I think Yandere Taehyung would love to watch his beloved sleep, and the fact how vulnerable she is at that moment, under his mercy.

He might also be the type of yandere who loves to toy with his darling. Maybe scare her a bit before pulling her in his safe embrace? Whispering how she is safe only with him.

That being said, Yandere Taehyung can be very soft with his darling. He would be the type who loves to spoil her, whether she likes it or not.

Jungkook: Don't be fooled by his bambi eyes and bunny smile, Yandere Jungkook would be a menace. The type to not hesitate to manhandle is beloved but tries not to hurt her. Perhaps the least self-aware. He loves her, what is wrong in trying to 'save' their relationship( anyhow) and expressing his love? Why can't they get married within a week of dating? Maybe far less subtle once he knows where his interest is-- the tunnel vision kind.

He would be the type of yandere to laugh at the face of a reluctant darling, might be similar to Namjoon but double that, and you have a version worse than Namjoon. Might not be a master manipulator but is a shameless blackmailer and stalker. The s*xtape she did not know existed? Yes, he would make good use of it.

The type who loves to provide for his darling and spend time with her. Also might be irrationally jealous and possessive (rivals yandere jimin in this).

So yes, that was my take on them, my readers a re free to interpret and contest. It's mostly based on how I craft their yandere characters in my stories.

[2sundowner69]

Stoicism: The Greatest Quotes of Ancient Greek Philosophers https://greekreporter.com/2024/04/16/greatest-quotes-ancient-greece-stoic-philosophers/

[twistedtummies2]

Gathering of the Greatest Gumshoes - Number 2

Welcome to A Gathering of the Greatest Gumshoes! During this month-long event, I’ve been counting down my Top 31 Favorite Fictional Detectives, from movies, television, literature, video games, and more!

We’ve reached our penultimate choice in the countdown!

SLEUTH-OF-THE-DAY’S QUOTE: “I Am Vengeance.”

Number 2 is…Batman.

As I said in my rules at the start of this event, I wouldn’t be counting characters I consider more “superhero” than “detective.” HOWEVER, some exceptions do apply: I spoke of the Question in my Honorable Mentions, and Rorschach and the Shadow earlier in the main countdown. These are all characters you could classify as “super detectives”: where they do count in the vein of superheroes (or, at least, pulp-style heroes), but also do qualify as detectives, by virtue of them BEING detectives being a major character trait and element. Out of all the comic detectives out there, in the annals of superhero fiction and anything similar to it…I think it’s fair to say none are as well-known, or as well-enjoyed, as Batman.

Frankly, when a character gets their start in a comic series called “Detective Comics,” and one of their titles is “The World’s Greatest Detective,” I challenge anybody to say they DON’T count. :P

Anyway…I’m quite sure Batman hardly needs an introduction, especially for those familiar with my page, but I might as well go into the basics for anyone who’s been living under a rock for almost a hundred years: Batman is one of the most popular superheroes of all time, if not perhaps THE most popular. The fictional character’s biography is as follows: as a child, Bruce Wayne – the son of Thomas and Martha Wayne, a pair of wealthy philanthropists and the owners of a large and thriving corporation – saw his parents murdered by a mugger, shot down in a back alley. The experience scarred Bruce for life, and he vowed to symbolically avenge his parents’ murder by devoting the rest of his life to fighting crime. He wanted to make sure no other children would experience similar horrors, as long as he could prevent it. He studied forensics and various sciences, trained his body to peak physical perfection, and – inspired by the sight of a bat flying through his window one night (bats being a phobia of his as a boy) – the now-adult Bruce chose to adopt the image of a bat as his motif. He thus became Batman – the Dark Knight, the Caped Crusader – a mysterious vigilante who stalks the streets of Gotham City, facing everything from mad supervillains to common hoodlums, in a neverending war against crime.

The real-life origins of Batman are almost as interesting as his fictional beginnings. Batman was created due to the popularity of Superman, whom many consider to be the first TRUE superhero. DC (which went under another company name at the time, for the record) wanted to create another superhero who could match the Man of Steel. Artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, taking inspiration from various places, jointly created this new character…although I should state that, for a very long time, Kane took sole credit for the matter. (By all accounts, Bob Kane was something of a swindler behind the scenes; for example, Batman’s very first appearance was a direct ripoff of a Shadow magazine story, and this apparently was Kane’s idea.) The thought process behind Batman was to go the opposite direction of Superman: if the Man of Tomorrow was bright and colorful, then the Dark Knight would need to be Gothic and shadowy. If Superman was bold and jocular, then Batman would be stoic and sardonic. Where Clark Kent came from ostensibly humble beginnings, Bruce Wayne would come from wealth and stature. And of course, while Superman had almost Godlike superhuman abilities…Batman, rather famously, was the first “proper” superhero to have NO powers at all.

This is the point where Batman’s abilities as a detective very much come into play. Because for all of the many things you can point to for Bruce Wayne’s success as a crimefighter, I think it all comes down to him, again, being a sort of “super detective.” Even the Shadow, Batman’s chiefest inspirational source, had arcane abilities at his disposal: Bruce Wayne has no otherworldly talents at all. He’s simply a man, with a boatload of money, a brilliant mind, and a LOT of stubborn determination. Many of the best takes on Batman use their mind, not just their fists and gadgets, to tackle problems: he searches for clues to track down culprits, analyzes the way certain criminals tend to operate in order to guess their next move, and frequently uses his wits to outmatch them and find ways to defeat them. Whether he’s facing mortal foes like the Joker or Catwoman, or superhuman beings like Clayface or the Orca, Batman’s greatest asset is that he thinks everything through, and keeps track of everything he’s learned, so he can pursue, battle, and capture the enemies he faces.

To say Batman has been adapted to other media beyond the comics, or even that the comics have continued to evolve and be printed as time goes on, is almost a redundant fact. Indeed, Batman has become one of the most frequently reimagined and re-interpreted characters in fiction; I believe he might be the single most frequently used and reused superhero, in particular, of all time. It’s gotten to a point where actors who get to play the character have declared him to be on par with such famous roles as Hamlet. Meanwhile, writers, critics, and psychologists have compared him to Greek heroes like Prometheus and Odysseus. When a character gains this much clout, and has lasted for so exceptionally long, with so many different interpretations – from colorful and campy to grim and gritty, from noir-esque to flashy and wild – I think they’ve more than earned their place VERY high in the ranks.

That and…well…I love Batman. A lot. So do I really need any of the other reasons I just described to begin with? XD

Tomorrow, the countdown concludes with my Number One pick!

CLUE: “Once you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”

[waymond-wang]

Don't you worry about rambling my man, that's what this here tumblr is for! Those are some really good points! I think as well, for Shuri to go to war in her mother's name, not only would be an insult to her mother's love, but Ramonda didn't raise her to be like that. She was raised to be quote unquote "womanly" as at the end of the day *thinks of at the end of the day from les mis* she is a princess and how are princesses supposed to behave? Demure, compliant, "womanly" ie, the complete opposite of Shuri. We see this mainly in the first film, with Shuri giving the middle finger, Ramonda warns her, Shuri wanting to get out of her traditional dress before the waterfall fight. Given that she's mainly into STEM, it makes sense that those take priority over being the "traditional princess" so when she has to be the "traditional princess" with the dresses, the calm, etc, that's not comfortable for her. However, she is still aware of her mother's influence and given Ramonda's personality, I wouldn't put it past her to be complaining about how Shuri isn't behaving like a "proper princess" in the ancestral realm.

Also I think I have a good summary of what you said - it's all about the greater good!

these are very interesting points about shuri's upbringing under ramonda. I would say that wakanda has different viewpoints on what is "womanly" in comparison to the rest of the world, with the most obvious example being the dora milaje. being a dora is a great honour, reserved for wakanda's greatest warriors and is one of the most important jobs (protecting the royal family) -- in any other country, comparable positions would be occupied by men. does that speak to a larger cultural opinion of women in wakanda? im not sure, but i'd like to think so!

perhaps what ramonda is doing during these instances is not reminding her of being "womanly" per se, but more of traditional etiquette. in the context of our (or western?) society, "traditional etiquette" and "womanly (i.e. demure, reserved, compliant)" may be one and the same in women, but in wakanda, they could mean different things. like, t'challa compared to shuri is much more stoic and reserved -- this could be his nature, but it could also be because he's the firstborn and was always going to inherit the throne, so these qualities were taught to him because that is what is expected in kings, as per tradition. and tradition, respect of elders and the ancestors is deeply embedded into wakandan culture, so it would make sense that the top most position of the country (one that is deigned to be representative of the country and its peoples) is reflective of that. maybe ramonda wasn't telling shuri that she wasn't behaving correctly as a woman, but as royalty. im sure she would have tsk'd t'challa if he flipped someone off as well -- but I can't picture him doing that at all hahaha

and yes -- ultimately my last answer was a really long-winded way of saying it's for the greater good! but i'd like to think that shuri showed namor mercy not just for the sake of wakanda's future and her responsibility as its princess and black panther, but also because she loved her mother so much. violence begets violence -- letting namor's hatred fuel her own would only lead to more down the road, and i think ramonda's love for shuri is part of what broke that cycle, even if that same love is what started her down that path to begin with. namor loved his mother just as bad, and when he lost her, his heart broke into something sharp and hateful -- he wielded that hate, bludgeoning the surface and laying waste to his enemies. he let that grief shape him into something furious. but ramonda teaches shuri that while grief is difficult, yes, it can be survived. it is just love, reincarnated. imo, ramonda was watching her from the ancestral realm, praying that her death didn't break her daughter into something unrecognizable, and hoping instead that shuri would take her sorrow and seed it, nurture it into wisdom and love to share with the future.

[epicforwards]

100 Greatest Stoic Quotes

[quipshub]

[thepagansun]

What exactly do modern pagans believe about fate, if anything?

Thanks for your question!

While I can't quite speak for all modern pagans, I can try to explain in relation to my own religion, if that helps.

In accordance with ancient Greek and Roman beliefs, many modern followers of Hellenism (modern Paganism of the ancient Greek Gods) and Roman Reconstructionism/Nova Roma (modern Paganism of the ancient Roman Gods), we believe in the Morai (Greek name) or Parcae (Latin name) who were the three Fates that spun, measured, and cut every mortal's life from beginning to end.

The ancient Greeks and Romans were usually pretty determinist if not fatalistic, meaning that they believed most people's paths were set and couldn't be changed. But it was also the truth of the times when it was very difficult to change one's circumstances back then compared to today. But they also still believed that we had the power to change what we could and had to take personal responsibility for our choices.

Alongside the public religious worship of the Gods, people also turned to the more personal and secretive mystery religions like Mithraism or philosophies like Stoicism or Epicureanism (both have many modern adherents today) in their search for more complex answers about Fate, virtue and life in general. So Roman Reconstructionist modern pagans like me that take the more historical route feel similarly about Fate.

Here's a link from the Nova Roma website to learn a little more about ancient Roman culture and philosophy: http://www.novaroma.org/nr/Nova_Romanitas

In my personal view? While the circumstance of one's birth, the length of life and our death are pre-determined; what we do with the length of the life we have is up to us.

If you're interested in further reading, let me know, and I can make another post about a few more short and simplified examples of various ancient Roman philosophies and their different approaches to Fate still practiced today.

In the meantime, please enjoy some quotes from one of ancient Rome's greatest Emperors and Stoic philosophers, Marcus Aurelius (2nd cent. AD) from his work, Meditations. Much of his work includes advice on how to handle Fate or the things we can't change and it's still enjoyed and followed today by pagans and even monotheists. 🏛😊

[maxfox0120100]

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