#he doesn’t need any external validation for it

[honey-olive]

Chapter 142

a rant~

This chapter gave us a gut wrenching set-up

We get Myrtle and Sixtus having a small moment together which talks bunches about their relationship. They really love each other. Myrtle is able to be vulnerable with him. And Sixtus listens and wants what’s best for his big bro. Sixtus tries to cheer him up, and when Myrtle has doubts, he makes sure to bring back hope.

Look at how hopeful Myrtle’s face looks!

And everything to be just taken away from him the moment he sees his own father gift what he needed most to another. Give what he needed to their actual child. Like the last nail in the coffin sealing his fate. Showing him his not as important. That he was never meant to belong.

(Also, side note, I agree with what @winterlogysblog shared in this post. I think King had either already tried using the drug of Yore on Myrtle, or he knows it won’t work. Myrtle does not have an illness, it is because he is reacting to the air in the fairy realm that he gets all these symptoms. Taking it won’t change his situation.)

Also Tioreh being so scared that if Nasiens is her biological brother that will somehow replace Myrtle. It is so sad. Specially considering Tioreh is very young. What has she seen? Fairy child is brought back, human child is taken out. If they take in Nasiens, then it seems logical for her parents to throw Myrtle away. (Sweet girl got me crying with her too)

And finally concerning King and Diane as parents… I’d just say it’s complex. They should have probably discussed many things with Myrtle before, but at the same time,I try to understand them. People were already whispering about the relatedness between them and Myrtle. Myrtle already felt so alienated. They probably didn’t want to exacerbate any of those feelings. But they will be facing the consequences, all at once. I feel we’re in for a whole lot of family drama.

[extremely-judgemental]

(From the drafts)

Feyre as a mother scares me. She is in no position to be one at this stage in her life. But the narrative portrays her as Madonna because Feyre can’t be less than perfect in anything she does. I’m supposed to believe this without a doubt because she opens an art school for children in Velaris? Because her ‘evil’ sister herself claims it?

This isn’t a comprehensive list, nor there is a proper order to all this, but these are the most daunting reasons why I believe Feyre will be a terrible mother.

Feyre is emotionally stunted. She has never formed a bond with anyone on her own. She was estranged from her sisters and didn’t have friends among the humans. Her relationship with Isaac was transactional. In Spring, Tamlin, Lucien, Alis, Ianthe made the effort to be part of her life. In Night, the Inner Circle gave her a chance and accepted her because of her association with Rhysand. Even Ressina is the one who approached her. Feyre never instigates an interaction with the intention of befriending anyone. She is always the recipient of attention and admiration, and these relationships just ‘happen’ to her.

Now she is expected to bond with a child who can’t express his feelings. She will want to but she won’t know how. She will struggle because a child doesn’t understand titles or reputation, only care about his needs being met. Feyre will feel disconnected from him and that her efforts aren’t being reciprocated.

Feyre has zero patience even with adults. Handling a bunch of six year olds who are primed to obey and please the High Lady in an organised environment for a few hours is very different from caring for a child 24x7. It requires empathy and emotional resilience which Feyre severely lacks. The first few chapters in book 1 is a great example of how short she is with anyone who doesn’t accommodate her. She wants to be the centre of everyone’s world but now with a child involved, the dynamic will be flipped.

The alteration of a mother’s brain chemistry to put the child first will last only for so long as the base needs and insecurities of Feyre will take over. Earlier Rhysand prioritising the pregnancy over her autonomy might have felt romantic and well-wishing but the child was still a part of her, and now that they are two separate beings, the shift in attention will become prominent and Feyre will notice it. Everything will begin to feel like a competition with her own child.

Feyre never had a proper parental figure. None of them did. They don’t have any experience in nurturing a child and they all had terrible examples while growing up. Even if Feyre (or Rhysand) openly makes a mistake, she will still be lauded as a great parent trying her best. The baseline is not turning into their parents and physically abusing them like all of them suffered in some way, which is not a good enough standard. It’s only a starting point. And this is why Nesta feels Feyre is the perfect mother—because she isn’t their mother.

Feyre is known to defy all sorts of authority and can’t handle when someone steps out of line with her. Parenting itself is a form of authoritative role. Given her child is meant to be a piece of Rhysand for her to cherish for the rest of her life, Nyx won’t be allowed to be his own person unless he is an exact replica of his father. The only exception to this is if he imitates his mother. He was already given a role to play and a mould to fit in before he was even conceived. Whenever he deviates from this, he will be perceived as a disappointment. The more and often it happens, Feyre will become more and more controlling to ensure the legacy of Rhysand she envisioned is kept alive.

Moreover, Feyre sets silent expectations for everyone in her life. She doesn’t understand true affection and confuses it with external validation. Every time Nyx doesn’t accommodate her—as children don’t know how to—Feyre will consider it a lack of love and respect.

Understanding children is hard, especially toddlers. Combining her lack of patience and emotional intelligence, Feyre (and Rhysand) will abuse her daemati powers on Nyx, even unintentionally, to understand his needs and congratulate herself for being a caring mother. This will severely affect how Nyx approaches relationships. He will constantly feel misunderstood by others since they can’t read his mind. He will be lacking the verbal skills to express his emotions and the ability to be vulnerable with others. Even if he is encouraged from a young age and offered a space to open up, he will prefer the methods that require least effort. With both parents who are daemati and use their powers as a form of relationship tool, every relationship is at risk of feeling inadequate to him and he will demonise anyone who doesn’t magically understand him (like Feyre did with Tamlin). As a result, Nyx will struggle to break free and exist outside of his parents’ reach since they are the only ones to truly get him.

Feyre is a thrill seeker. Her sense of self-worth is intricately tied to her usefulness to others. Hunting for her family, wanting to secure the Wall in Spring even though she wasn’t capable, being Rhysand’s soldier. It also gives her an excuse to repress her emotions and ignore her problems until they go away. Soon she will be bored of motherhood and crave the thrill and escape she gets from running towards danger. If she isn’t allowed, she will resent Nyx for holding her back.

Feyre doesn’t have basic survival skills and based on the way she never credits her sisters for their contribution during the earlier years, she looks down on tasks which are considered ‘feminine’. But conveniently, she always had someone tending to her all her life—her sisters, Alis, now the wraiths. And she will be perpetuating these misogynistic ideals to her son. She will coddle him and encourage to pursue the more ‘useful’ skills such as archery, magic, fighting, and painting because of her own interest in the art.

Feyre constantly sexualises and objectifies herself for her partner which will leave a mark on how Nyx views sexuality, relationships, and gender dynamics. Not to mention the whole ‘playing whore for partner’ will impart in him misconstrued ideas on romantic and sexual conduct.

Feyre didn’t even have time to breathe after the trials and the war to even consider healing and she jumped right into motherhood when she doesn’t even understand herself properly. Nyx is stuck between a controlling and validation seeking mother who believes anyone who remotely disagrees with her doesn’t love her, and a paranoid predator of a father who believes he is the only one who’s got anything to lose. Two of the worst people in the worst state possible to raise a child, have one. And they are going to raise the biggest, worst man child to ever exist.

[pineapplerightsideupcake]

So.. I'm confused about something. If your beliefs in radical feminism say that trans people aren't valid in their feelings of being trans, what's stopping you from making bisexual people not part of the LGB? B stands for bisexual. What if their sexuality is just a phase? What if they are *actually* just heterosexual? For that matter what's stopping you from excluding YOURSELF from the community? At some point, you can't exclude any more people from a space that wasn't supposed to be gatekept to begin with! -Vero of CFC

You people always use that word “valid”. It’s absolutely meaningless post modern nonsense. Trans people feel that despite having a male or female body, their feelings about it change reality. I’m not telling trans people how they feel. Because you’re right, I can’t know that. What I’m telling them is that their feelings don’t change their bio sex. I’m telling them their feelings don’t supersede the rights and dignity of women. That’s not at all the same thing as being same sex attracted.

If I tell you that I am attracted to both men and women you can believe me or not. It doesn’t change my sexuality. You can’t know how I personally experience sexual attraction. But if I tell you I’m an Olympic Figure Skater, that’s something external and material. That’s something that either is or isn’t. And it doesn’t matter how true I want it to be.

This isn’t about people being invalid or valid. It isn’t about telling others I know better than them how they feel. It’s me telling them that their feelings don’t change material reality.

And we don’t get to sidestep reality because language is limited and imprecise. We create words to express ideas and categorize things so we don’t have to start every conversation from the ground up. Think of the quote “a rose by any other name”. The word ‘rose’ is made up but the flower it refers to exists in the material world. And you and everyone on earth could declare a rose a tulip but as long as people needed to specify they’d find a way to invent the word rose again. It’s why every 3 years your movement declares old terms verboten. MtF and FtM got used until people got mad it didn’t erase the reality of bio sex and people just used those terms in place of “male and female”. Then the same thing happened with AFAB and AMAB. Now we’re onto TME and no one knows what anyone is talking about because at the end of the day, people are male or female and no amount of “validation” or the right words erases that reality.

I am bisexual because I am attracted to both men and women. Lesbians are women exclusively attracted to women. Gay men are men exclusively attracted to men. Straight people are exclusively attracted to the opposite sex. The LGB community formed because the thing we had in common- same sex attraction- is punished in most societies. It absolutely was designed to gatekeep. It was a civil rights movement- not a secret club house. The LGB have no more moral responsibility to admit opposite sex attracted people than black activists have to include white or Asian people.

“Queer” has nothing to do with it. Demi flux genderoo aroallo fox kin have nothing to do with it. A group of men that believe their internal state of mind makes them literally a woman has nothing to do with it. You people overran a movement for same sex attracted people, convinced everyone to call our community a slur, and demand that we center heterosexual teens too immature for a relationship thinking that makes them the same as a Gay man.

I’m tired of arguing with 19 year olds that read too much mlm fanfiction that having short hair and wearing hoodies from the boys section doesn’t mean they’re gay men. I’m tired of arguing with those same girls that the 45 year old man with pigtails and a pink pinafore sucking his thumb and holding a dolly on social media isn’t a brave woman defying The Man. He’s just a pervert.

[risestarkiss]

Being Purple ○ Part Two

Rise Ramblings #315

Previous | Being Purple ○ Part One This post is a continuation, so I recommend reading Part One before reading this Part Two. ••••

We’ve talked about what Donatello was and his role in the family.

But, we never examined why. Why is Donnie so gung ho on physically providing for his family?

Well, to understand why he feels that way, we need to go back to the beginning. After Splinter and the turtles were mutated, Yoshi was obviously unable to access any of the funds or resources he held as Lou Jitsu due to, you know, him now being a giant rat. He had to start life a new from the bottom of society.

We don’t know what happened during their time on the streets, but we can make some inferences as to what happened next. Splinter eventually moved the boys down into the sewers and was able find a comfortable space for himself and his little family.

Here is where I’m going to try my best to piece together the order of events regarding Donatello’s earliest contributions. I’ll be using two episodes: the season one finale, “End Game,” and the Nick web exclusive mini-episode, “Turtle Tots.”

In Turtle Tots, the family has gathered in Splinter’s room. We can also see the den through Splinter’s doorway. This home is, indeed, the home that we are familiar with in the show. Thus, we now know that at this age the boys were already living in the sewers. We also know that the den has already been outfitted with a tv, electricity, and probably some kind of cable hookup.

Is it possible that Splints did this electrical work all on his own? “End Game” gives us a clue that can lead us to an answer.

Here he is, the boy of the hour. In this picture, given the perspective, young Donnie is much shorter than Splinter. Their heights here are actually comparable to their height difference in the “Turtle Tots” clip. Therefore, I believe it’s fair to conclude that Donatello is about the same height in both instances, and likewise, relatively the same age.  

Given that new piece of information, now we can speculate further.

When you look at the room that crying Dondon is in, he’s surrounded by wires, batteries, boxes, and what appears to be little bits of tech that he was working on, hence the booboo. There’s a small rotary plane of some sort, a tiny workbench, and other bits and pieces. So, we can deduce that Donnie is familiar with electrical work and is building things for himself, even at this young age.

Donatello is already cooking.

With that evidence, I believe it’s reasonable to surmise that Donatello had a hand in hooking the den up with a refurbished TV and in wiring the house with electricity, which is such a big job for such a little guy.  

If it had stopped there, I wouldn’t bring it up, but as we can plainly see…

It never stopped. His labors are endless. Everything from the turtles’ transportation, their living space, and their comforts at home was created, built, enhanced, and refurbished by Donatello. Consequently, he internalized the idea that his usefulness equated to the safety and security of his family. And that’s just how he lived his life.

He doesn’t know any different, and I’m sure at this point he wouldn’t want any different. This is his role. This is his place. Besides, his beneficence makes his brothers happy, and his father happy, and by extension it makes him happy.

Hence, his “gift giving” love language.

If Donnie is happy, then where’s the problem?

I’m sorry, but external validation as a primary source of happiness, or even worse, as a source of self-esteem, is dangerous…

But I digress…

From the outside looking in, it’s easy to assume that his genius is best utilized as a tool for the team’s benefit. But as a child, the weight of ensuring their entire family’s physical infrastructure is a large burden to bear…and it is almost the exact definition of Instrumental Parentification.

Parentification is a process in which a role reversal occurs where the child or adolescent is obligated to act as a parent would to their siblings or to their actual parent. Instrumental Parentification involves a child assuming the responsibilities of maintaining a household through physical means. In this case, Donatello literally maintains the household.

I’ve said all of that to say this.

Donatello has been subjected to Instrumental Parentification for almost his entire life. He doesn’t know life without providing for his family, but he’s happiest when his family is comfortable and safe.

So when we ask, why does Donatello make these sacrifices for his family, the answer is obvious. Love. And that answer reigns true in the past, present, and future…

Anyways, Donatello is such a complex and intriguing character, I could go on about him forever. But I think this as good a place as any to put a pin in my deep dive on this fiery little grape, because our next dive’s focus is on the true pinnacle of the Hamato clan…

○○○○

Previous | Being Big Red • Being Baby Blue • Being Purple ○ Part One

Next | Orange, Baby!

Finale | Being Hamato Yoshi

[chaifootsteps]

Am I the only one who’s terrified of having a dynamic like Fizz and Ozzie’s? Seriously, it’s scary when you really think about it.

When you strip their relationship down of any external factors, their relationship is really sweet. Maybe a bit too saccharine, but still sweet nonetheless. But then you add in the fact that Ozzie’s a prince, and Fizz is on the lowest rung of the hierarchal ladder. Okay, Royals falling in love with commoners is a classic trope, that’s fine.

And now that prince boyfriend is Fizz’s current employer, so he can control how much he gets paid or if he has a job at all. Fizz blew up his deal with Mammon, rightfully so, but it’s something he probably wouldn’t be able to do without Ozzie backing him, and it doesn’t look like he has anything else going on outside of that, so his gigs at Ozzie’s restaurant is probably the only source of income he has. Little bit more unnerving, but hey, there’s other jobs out there, maybe he could get one that isn’t run by his lover.

Now add on the fact that Fizz currently lives with his prince employer boyfriend in his palace. It’s not implied for the time being that Fizz has his own place, so it’s safe to assume that he lives with Ozzie full time. So that means that Ozzie, on top of being so much higher up in status, on top of having Fizz on his payroll, has him living in his vast castle and could kick him out at any time if he so chooses, and what would Fizz be able to do about it? Starting to sound a little more scary, but it’s not like—

Fizz is a quadruple amputee. And the one supplying the robotic limbs that give him the ability to move around is Ozzie. So Ozzie not only has power, status, money, and housing over Fizz, he has the ability to provide and withhold his basic ability to care for himself and move. We saw what happened in Season 2 Episode 6, he was practically helpless when they stopped functioning! This is scary! This is horrifying!!

Ozzie has way too much power in his and Fizz’s relationship, to the point where if they had a nasty argument or potential breakup, Fizz would be screwed on all fronts! Best case scenario, he’d have to go back to the abusive employ of Mammon with no avenue of escape, worst case scenario, he’d be homeless, unable to provide for himself or even do anything!! Good thing Ozzie’s like, the sweetest boyfriend ever, because if he wasn’t, this would be a horror story!!!

It's scary as hell and absolutely the stuff horror movies are made of! Basically, their entire relationship hinges on Ozzie being the sweetest boyfriend ever and staying that way, because if he's ever anything but that, Fizz is absolutely fucked. Hell, Ozzie could go nuts, decide he loves Fizz too much to risk losing him again, and take his arms and legs.

The worst part is, it's unlikely they'll ever so much as address it in a respectful, mutual adult way where Fizz and Ozzie talk about this as a valid concern and find a solution. In Viv's world, good relationships don't need communication and characters talking about heavy things opens the door to criticism from the audience and that's not something she can handle.

[sepublic]

We give Belos way too much credit for feeling bad about his dead brother and Grimwalkers because like. He’s a racist white guy who’s murdered a culture and damaged its land across centuries but only feels guilt for his white brother and clones. He doesn’t hallucinate any witch or demon in FtF. He never got close to any of them sure, but that’s because of his racism which just further proves the point.

What this means is that for all his ‘guilt’, Belos doesn’t think his actual motives and goals as a witch hunter are wrong, just that human (adjacent) white guys shouldn’t be hurt in the process, but if they need to be they will. There’s the external setup for Belos to maybe change because of that remorse, but the internal setup that he won’t because he doesn’t even consider what the actual crux of the issue was, that being who he killed Caleb for fraternizing with, who Caleb died to protect, who has been brutalized far more than the Grimwalkers ever have been.

I’d even argue that Philip wouldn’t have minded if Caleb moved to another Puritan colony to settle with a Christian white woman; It was not so much Caleb leaving him, so much as who Caleb left him for. People like to reduce Belos to codependency with Caleb, as if his witch hunting fantasies weren’t established before Evelyn’s arrival; Philip let those inform his takeaway that he could not follow where Caleb was going, ergo Caleb betrayed him, because even Belos’ baggage with Caleb is rooted in racism. Mind you, Belos is still killing the Grimwalkers because he doesn’t really regret it, he’ll keep doing it because abusers are paradoxical like that. The ghosts just reinforce what’s wrong with him, instead of suggesting otherwise.

I think those fics and fanart of Belos being ganged up on in the afterlife by the Grimwalkers are missing the point, to Belos it would validate his racism by saying the only people whose suffering mattered, who deserve revenge, are the white guys he wasn’t explicitly targeting. I think a good take on the Belos suffering in the afterlife trope would have him be attacked by all the witches and demons and palismen he brutalized, without a single Grimwalker nor Caleb in sight.

As you can imagine, this is another reason why Eda and co. killing Belos works; Because once again he’s focused on Luz, whose framing parallels Caleb’s ghost from FtF, and talking about how only humans matter and Belos deserves to be spared for being human. Only for the witches and demons who were the actual emotional core of the issue that Caleb died for (one of whom is the descendant of the child he saved, not that Caleb factors to her motives because it’s not about Caleb) to step in and reiterate, Nah their suffering and anger is just as important.

People set up Belos’ fratricide and murdered nephews as the worst thing he’s ever done because they also think the white boys’ suffering is more important but tbh? It pales in comparison to the irreversible damage he committed to the Boiling Isles’ environment, its culture and history, its thousands of people as a whole, etc. The Titan is dead and its arm displaced because of him, so many resources and species have been depleted. To quote Castlevania and what a black revenge-seeking anti hero was told before encountering real evil in the form of a white man who enslaves en masse, “There are worse things than betrayal.”

[homestuckreplay]

A point came up in discussion with my friends about how Homestuck treats the notion of sex (as in, a supposed biological basis for gender as rooted in sexual reproduction) that arguably the first stage in the comic's future progressive dissolution of that notion is John "fathering" himself and the other kids (guardians included) via the means of ectobiology, rather than the usual human means of reproduction - something I think becomes deliciously ironic given later transgender readings of their character, if presumably not an intended reading at this time. Do you have any thoughts on this?

this is a SUPER interesting read that I’m going to be thinking about a lot – I honestly wish I had more thoughts, so I might add to this later if anything else comes to me, but here’s what I have so far!

I think ectobiology is inherently queer, as there’s no reason why a kid made that way would need two parents of different sexes. any couple could have a biological kid by mixing their slime, and a baby could also have three or four bio parents at once. as you say, the person performing the ectobiology doesn’t have to be one of the bio parents, analogous to something like surrogacy in our world. so ectobiology levels the playing field for what reproduction and parenthood can be, without privileging ‘cis man + cis woman conceiving a child via sex’ as the gold standard that all other methods are compared to.

In our world, it’s AFAB people who do the work of pregnancy and childbirth, which causes society to see parenthood as gendered. mothers are perceived as primary caregivers, as more inherently nurturing than fathers, as finding it easier to bond with their children, etc., even though these things aren’t always true in practice. ectobiology happens in external lab equipment, so people of any sex have equal capability of doing the work of creating a child. this breaks down the distinction between motherhood and fatherhood, making it harder for society to see them as separate roles.

In sexual reproduction, kids are assigned a sex at birth and usually raised differently because of that, with expectations for their gender and personality. societally, sex is privileged over gender – it’s seen as either the source of gender (for cis people) or something we’re transgressing (trans and nonbinary people). ectobiology doesn’t work like that, because it encodes personality traits as well as genetics. Bro loves puppets, so when he’s cloned in baby form, the first thing he does is find a puppet to curl up with, because that’s hard coded into him instead of being an interest he developed across his life. it’s possible that John has inherited ‘male genetic phenotype’ from Grandpa and ‘female gender identity’ from Nanna, and if so, ectobiology holds those things as equally important instead of one preceding the other. so being trans isn’t a deviation from the norm, it’s an equally valid and likely experience to being cis.

In our world, someone parenting themself happens when their guardians’ parenting is incomplete, so kids (or adults!) have to teach themselves about things their guardians missed. cis kids are more likely to get sex education and information about puberty from a guardian (often one of the same sex). trans and queer people usually have to do that research ourselves. so John being their own parent (ie creating themself) represents how John’s dad taught them about male gender roles + cis male puberty, but John will later have to teach themself about what it means to be trans + how transitioning works. biologically and socially, John is both the cause and effect of their own identity. that’s kind of beautiful, right?

[skyflyinginaction]

can you get into detail about the OB confronting their OB versions?

The overblots reference their flaws and insecurities, going over them is pretty self-explanatory, but I am going to list them here: Idia is an interesting case, unlike the other OB victims in this post, he doesn’t face himself but his own brother. 

OB Ortho:

His phantom symbolizes Idia’s shadow of failing to protect Ortho; he blames himself for his brother's death. 

Instead of the phantom gettnig angry instead he consoles Idia and tells him to stop blaming himself and reminds Idia of what he has to do, its heartwarming becuase even as a phantom he still cares about his brother always encourages him. 

Idia: 

Idia realizes just how much he depends and how that dependence on ortho trapped him in the underworld and forced him to take on tasks that Idia himself didn’t. 

Idia is facing his own inner demons of his failure to protect himself and accepting his death, and accepting his brother's death, the last part is of him freeing himself of his shackles

OB Vil:

The shadow is a manifestation of Vil’s envy and resentment towards Neige and his overwhelming need for external validation. The shadow plays on his doubts that he will be remembered as an ugly, terrible person, crushed by all the boulders that are criticism. 

Vil:

Vil accepts his darkness and the ugliness of his actions. He does away with any labels he reaffirms his self-confidence, even when dressed in shadows mirroring when he was old. 

OB Jamil:

The shadow is lamenting its current situation and is full of self-pity, harbors contempt for Kalim, and blames him for the fact that he can’t act freely, as well as blaming others, such as his parents and upbringing, for being the problem. 

Jamil:

Jamil acknowdged that his upbringing played a factor in his problems as well as use to views other in contempt and held back so he can show off to others when he has the chance this caused him to hinder his own potencial and screw up badly. Jamil, who used to criticize others, now criticizes. Jamil criticizes his own shadow, stating that he is one of the main reasons for his problems; that it's his own narrow-mindedness is the reason that hinders his potential. 

OB Azul:

The shadow manifestation as his insecruites that refused to acknowledge his weak self to the point he hangs on to a powerful self image of being dressed in talents to not face it, this also highlights this obession he hangs on to desperately, he clings onto his shallow appearance resulting him in taking others talents and items to maintain that apperance this in turn caused him to be burdened by the weight of his sins. 

Azul: 

Azul acknowledged that he can’t achieve personal growth if he's burdened by the weight of his sins, and now realizes they aren’t things he actually finds valuable, and wants to find things with real value 

OB Leona: 

The shadow complains how it isn’t fair, and is frustrated that Faluana and Cheka believe the reason he isn't acknowledged is because of them. The shadow stated that he boasted he was better than anyone, but doesn’t try to compete on his own merit, fearing that if he competes seriously and loses, the pride he had been trying to protect will be in tatters. When his pride is in tatters, it would expose his vulnerability. That's the reason he was scared of hope, knowing how soul-crushing it is when it was destroyed making which was part vulnerability, and he couldn’t stand that; this is why he ran away. The shadow desired acknowledgment, assuming that people wouldn’t understand him, but in reality never worked hard to gain others' acknowledgment, which was the cause of his own misery, which was in no way to be anyone's fault but his own.

Leona:

Leona is disgusted with his past mindset but chooses to leave as a way of letting go of his toxic mindset, even Leona acknowledged that the cause of his own misery was in no part to be anyone's fault but his own. Leona using long live the king to reject his overblown self symbolizes his decision to break free from his own self-doubt and resentment 

OB Riddle:

The shadow manifests as Riddle's worst flaws in book 1. Riddle refuses to listen to the people around him. It also states that even when Riddle is smart, he is inflexible and unable to control his emotions; he is a childish and angry person who lacks humanity. The reason they defined his position as president there will be no place for him, fearing that without that responsibility, they will be alone

Riddle:

Riddle realizes he didn’t make sense in book 1 and acknowledged that he took one wrong turn and became a tyrant, and that he is wrong. When the shadow taunted him by reminding him of his flaws, he didn’t respond but remained silent in book 1. he couldn’t handle criticism because it was an attack on his sense of self, but the fact that he doesn’t respond proves how far he has come. He calls the shadow conceited because the shadow was trying to choose for him, and Riddle wasn’t going to let anyone decide for him

That was all I got for the boys confronting their ob forms. I could be wrong while I explained this, but you think you otherwise or have input to add, feel free.

[thisonegirl]

What is one thing most of the previous F1 Champs had in common?

They didn’t give a single fuck!

Their sights were dead-set of the prize, and fuck anyone who got in their way.

With this being said, there is a certain amount of pressure, criticism and sometimes even vitriol that comes with this mentality. Max, Sebastian and Lewis are amazing examples of this.

I do not believe that Lando is ready for a championship simple because I do not believe he is ready for deal with what comes within the process of getting it.

I love Lando, he is a tremendous driver but there is still a disconnect that he needs to address in order to get to where he needs to be mentally to fight for the title. In F1, there are moments in which a driver needs to choose between being the antagonist or the hero. A choice that comes easily to some but not others, but a choice that needs to be made with caution to break through as a true title contender.

Lando has the talent. That’s not in question. His raw pace, qualifying prowess and racecraft have matured immensely since his rookie season. But F1 isn’t just about being fast, it’s about being ruthlessly decisive, politically sharp, and emotionally unshakable.

Where drivers like Max, Lewis, and Seb carved their legacy was not just in their performance, but in how unapologetically they took control of their narrative. They didn’t flinch when the media turned sour. They didn’t hesitate when a split-second decision could either ruin a friendship or win a race. They absorbed the pressure, the booing crowds, the intra-team warfare and came out colder, sharper, more dangerous.

Lando, for all his charm and likability, still wants to be understood. Still wants to be liked. And in a sport like this, that vulnerability, that need for external validation, can be the chink in the armor. We’ve seen flashes of frustration from him, moments where the weight of expectation visibly chips away at his composure. I don’t by any means see it as a weakness. It’s simply human nature.

Until Lando reaches the point where he’s willing to be hated, willing to put everything on the line, including his reputation, he’ll hover just below the summit. A fan favorite, a podium fighter, but not quite the driver that takes the throne.

He doesn’t need to become someone else, just a colder, more focused version of himself. And when that switch flips? We’ll know.

And so will the rest of the grid.

[neeahtao]

Do you hc any part time jobs for john and dirk in the roommates au?

I wish I could just respond to this like a normal person :D

here’s some background information before I start rambling

So taking place after the credits, we know that Jane has already established Crocker Corp and Jake has founded Skaia Net Enterprises on Earth C. I assume Crocker Corp is a technology, military, and baked goods? production company, while Skaia Net could focus on Jake’s expedition work, battleship production, and television network.

From the credits and epilogues, we know that Dirk played a major role in both Jane and Jake’s ventures on Earth C. At this point in the timeline, he is likely designing and prototyping most of the tech and robotics.

Meanwhile, John is depressed, spending his early 20s isolated in his house, watching old movies and probably eating junk food. He tries to recreate the happiness he felt as a kid, relying on nostalgia-driven dopamine hits to distract him from the grief of losing his father.

I think what contributes to this is that John’s self-worth is deeply tied to how others perceive him, playing into his subconscious insecurities. He relies entirely on external motivation—when someone tells him what to do or validates his actions, he follows through. This worked in a high-stakes environment like the game, where there was always a clear goal and people guiding him. But once that structure is gone, and no one is there to push him forward, he stagnates.

He doesn’t place much value on self-improvement or internal motivation. While he struggles with insecurity and low self-esteem, he is also stubborn—if there’s no external force compelling him to change, he resists the idea that he should.

Dirk on the other hand, he is motivate by self-improvement. Growing up entirely self-reliant, he never waited for direction—if he had, he wouldn’t have survived. Providing for himself was a necessity, and that mindset shaped him into someone who constantly pushes himself. Whether it’s achieving his own goals or helping the people he cares about reach theirs, he puts immense pressure on himself to always be productive.

John doesn’t necessarily need a job or some greater purpose to be happy, but he does need motivation to take better care of himself, spend more time with friends, and find something to keep him productive. Since he ties much of his self-worth to what he can do for others he is susceptible to getting caught in a cycle, isolating himself, avoiding friends, and not contributing anything being both the cause and result of his depression. The longer he stays in this rut, the more reluctant he becomes to reach out, fearing he’ll be seen as a disappointment.

Both of their relationships with external validation are ultimately self-destructive. However, Dirk internalizes it more intensely than John. When things go wrong, John can separate his actions from his character—he sees the issue as something he did wrong, not something inherently wrong with him. Dirk, however, is much more personal in his perception of failure. He doesn’t just see mistakes as things to fix—he sees them as flaws within himself that he must constantly work to correct.

[lochlogie]

Who Saxon really is, if he weren’t pretending ?

There is no real Saxon. That’s the entire point. He’s empty inside. Everything about him is a vague guess at an acceptable performance. He’s a great study in gender performativity theory but from the masculine perspective.

Obviously he has a personality, quirks, likes, dislikes… he certainly has a developed sexuality, but he has no real core values, no passions, no long term goals. He’s all about instant gratification and what can’t be instantly gratified is made into a soulless ritual.

Does he go to the gym for any reason other than it’s what he’s used to, it’s what’s expected of him, some dispassionate logical calculus of metabolism and health and scoring chicks? Does he try to sleep with as many women as possible for any other reason than it’s what he thinks will give him status (but he doesn’t even know how having status will supposedly make him happy).

Saxon is a dog chasing the mail truck. He’ll never know what he’s supposed to do when he catches it. Everything he does is a challenge, a grind, a never ending race with no finish line. Not super related, but if you read Ur-Fascism by Umberto Eco, you’ll start to realize he’s exactly the type of aimless young man who believes in struggle for struggle’s sake that’s easily seduced by fascism. That’s so awesome 😱

He has no internal validation, which is why he seeks external validation. He doesn’t get it from a source he respects (his father), so he either seeks it from a vague sense of masculine ideals, or he gets it from a source he doesn’t respect (his faggy little brother).

That’s why the saxloch dynamic is so twisted and complicated. Saxon needs Lochlan to validate him, his worldview, his achievements… but he can’t psychologically allow himself to ever respect Lochlan. That would betray weakness. Vulnerability is a sin in the church of toxic masculinity.

And needing a form of intimacy, fulfillment, connection from a person he refuses to respect, see the personhood in, or actually uplift himself? No wonder he sees Lochy as a kind of pseudo-woman.

[sheenashifts1217]

Pick A Pile #3

9/19/24

Message From Your DR Self

Take a breath and pick the image you’re drawn to first. Take what resonates, leave what doesn’t. This is a collective reading so some may resonate with this more than others. For a personal reading, check my pined post <3

Pile 1: Beach heart, Pile 2: Lightning Heart, Pile 3: Cloud Heart

Pile 1

Lyrics standing out:

“They say that we’re no good together and it’s never gonna work out

Everything you do is magic

Let em take pictures

Spread it all across the world now

I don’t know what to believe

Everything you do is magic”

Hi beautiful angels of Pile 1. Your DR self wants you to trust yourself more. You are your DR self. Your DR self is your CR self. Are you stressed about shifting? Don’t be because you’ve already shifted. Your DR self is telling you to take shifting and your DR off of such a high pedestal. There is nothing holding you back from your desires except for yourself. Get out of your own way. This I your sign to embrace all that you are and to on your power. You don’t need some outside cosmic force to make you shift. YOU ARE A COSMIC FORCE. Allow your reality to flow, it doesn’t have to be follow any rules. Magic is normal, normalize it to yourself because “everything you do is magic”. Every choice you make is shifting your reality, it’s that simple.

Your DR may include a lot of magic ad your DR self wants you to know that your s/o loves you like breathing.

Signs of confirmation, but not limited to: 444, blue bird, green leaf, dew drop, glass of water, blue, Billie Eillish, older women, dance

Pile 2

Lyrics standing out:

“Haven’t seen my mother in a long, long time

Do you really think I give a damn

I say I live in Rosemead, really, I’m at the Ramada

So many other things you can’t believe

Puts the shower on while he calls me

Your mom called, I told her you’re fucking up big time”

Hi beauties, Pile 2! Your DR self is telling you that you are having the time of your life. You may be a person who shifts pretty frequently, but to different DRs, or you may have a lot of DRs, but struggle to focus on one. Your ability to go with the flow is rewarding you greatly. If you’re shifting for an s/o, your relationship couldn’t be better. Marriage is in the near future for a few of you. Basically, your DR self is saying to sit back and enjoy the ride. Everything is going your way because you’re allowing it. Keep doing whatever you’re doing because it’s working. You’re on a path of healing and your inner child is shining. You are finally learning to give up on the thought of needing external validation and people pleasing. Keep it up because your hard work is paying off!

Signs of confirmation, but not limited to: “J”, red, crayon, curve, back road, country, serve, slay, boots, 24, 2, Taylor Swift, Willow, 90’s

Pile 3

Lyrics standing out:

“Now he’s just a shadow

My boy loves his friends like I love my split ends

My boy don’t love me like he promised

He ain’t a man, he sure as hell ain’t honest

Who are you?

He said he’d change

You want me to be yours, then you’ve got to be mine”

Hello lovely Pile 3! Why are you still doing things and allowing things in your life that don’t serve you? I know that was harsh right off the bat, but seriously, why? You know what you need and you know what hurts you. You’ve become comfortable in your cycle instead of actually speaking growth. Your DR self is telling you to stand the fuck up because you could be doing literally anything else, yet you’re self destructing. A lot of you began shifting to heal your inner child, but you began to use it to sulk and self destruct. Your DR self is you RN. You are in your CR because it is where you are desiring to be. Change your mindset to be in your “DR”, because right now, you’re making your CR be you DR by choosing to remain in the loop and keeping the same mentality. You always say you’re gonna change but don’t follow through. Actually do it, you won’t regret it. Your DR self says that things are great in your DR right now and they’re tired of you complaining about not being there when you’re not even actually intending to be there. A lot of things will lighten up once you face your shadow self and actually take that leap of faith.

Signs of confirmation, but not limited to: purple, cream, sparkles, glitter, candy, green, jeans, eagles, pen, fun, 888, 9, 23, trees, flowers

[bitter-bats-cult-of-the-moon]

Demon or Deity? Deciphering Spirits

How to Confirm That You’re Talking to a God or Goddess

You can thank St. Augustine of Hippo for this. In the early 5th century, he wrote a theological essay against Paganism titled, “On the Divination of Demons.”

St. Augustine’s mother was Christian, and his father was Pagan. He understood both sides. He wrote many philosophical arguments for Christianity, his largest being The City of God.

In "On the Divination of Demons," Augustine fought back against an Oracle predicting the invasion of Serapis's temple. He argued that demons spoke to this Oracle. He argued that All Pagan Gods are Demons in disguise. He ridiculed fortune tellers and future predictions comparing them to the circus.

Do the arguments hold some sort of validity?

While Spirits can impersonate Deities this guy can now be pushed away from the conversation.

I’ll ask that question again.

Can Spirits Impersonate Deities?

The short answer is Yes.

The long answer depends on your experience level and knowledge.

If you are not used to the deity’s signs and how they communicate or you do not know which red flags to look out for, you are prone to deceit.

Red Flags

Messages drastically change.

For example, recently you received a sign from the Goddess Hekate. She wants to work with you.

The next week, another message tells you that She does not like you. Deities rarely change their mind without good reason. Double-check the divination.

People do everything for you.  

Deities do not need to go through others to speak to you. Even if you cannot hear Them directly, deities can contact you in different ways. If someone else does a reading that sounds completely different, question it. Especially if it’s random and not requested. Do not use other people to translate things for you all the time. Spiritual journeys are personal. They are meant for you, and a lot of people get hurt this way. Other individuals love taking advantage of people using them for their own motives. Just be careful out there.

Overly negative or apocalyptic.

I've heard an unfortunate amount of people claim that the world was going to end after contacting their spirits. Why would they let go of any worshippers telling them that? Why would they give someone a sense that they are the chosen one? Question that. No one is special. We are all here for the human experience. Try dealing with that first even if you don’t want to.

The entity is trying to force you into things.

You do not need to answer spirits. A deity could ask you to worship Them. You can also say no. With years of experience, I have never heard of a deity punishing someone for not working with Them. If a message sounds like a threat, then question everything, and it’s probably best to ignore it.

How to Guarantee That You’re Speaking to a Deity

Ask the same question several times.

Use your preferred divination technique writing down all the answers to your questions. After one day has passed, repeat the same method rephrasing the questions asking the spirit again. Sometimes there are inconsistencies. Question what feels right and what does not.

Thoughts belong to whom?

Are the thoughts yours or are the thoughts external from you? Sometimes strong emotions are mistaken for spiritual signs. It’s easy to get caught up in your own head and let it take over hijacking the metaphysical exercise. Always question this. Did you anticipate a specific answer? This can also lead to derailment. It doesn’t hurt to ask again to gain confirmation. Before contacting your deity, stabilize your emotional state.

Gathering valuable resources.

Contrary to what I just said you can seek outside opinions for valuable resources. Become familiar with the deity’s information beforehand and ask about other peoples’ experiences. Just don’t let people take over the work or tell you how to think. Try to do the work yourself. Research is key.

Different techniques for you.

Try a different form of divination to see if the answers are around the same or greatly vary. This won’t hurt and it will help you learn more. Trust your instincts in spirit work. It’s okay to question things.

Protection orders.

If there is constant anxiety and worry, then do yourself the favor and put-up protection wards before spiritual communications begin. It will give you some peace of mind and it doesn’t hurt anything at all.

[greenbubblefactory]

Matchup for @not-sasara-closed-eyes

Congratulations you have a match with..

Idia Shroud !

★At first, he might be a little wary of you, especially if you come across as too emotionally intense too quickly. Idia values his peace, and he’s not the type to be drawn to people who demand constant attention or energy from him. But what makes you different and what would eventually draw him in,is that you don’t push. You understand that sometimes, people just need space, and you wouldn't force him into social situations or demand he interact when he doesn’t want to. Your presence wouldn’t feel like pressure,it would feel like relief.

★You both thrive in smaller, more intimate environments, preferring personal connections over grand social displays. What makes this pairing so strong is the ease with which you both can relate to each other’s need for space and comfort. While you may feel awkward with new people, Idia understands that feeling entirely, and with him, you’d never feel pressured to be anything other than yourself.

★Idia's awkwardness mirrors your own in many ways, and this creates an understanding between you two that doesn't require any words. You both would probably take your time to get comfortable with one another, but once you do, you'd share a bond that is grounded in authenticity and mutual respect. Idia isn’t someone who is particularly outspoken, and that’s something you’d both appreciate about each other. When the two of you are together, you wouldn’t need to constantly talk to fill the silence,you could easily enjoy quiet activities like playing video games, reading, or discussing your favorite anime and true crime stories. These shared hobbies would be a great foundation for your relationship, and it’s easy to imagine the two of you getting lost in discussions about a mystery or brainstorming ideas for new fanfic projects.

★Given your empathetic and sensitive nature, you’d also recognize Idia’s vulnerabilities and the ways he can be a bit reserved because of his insecurities. He’s not someone who easily trusts others, but with you, he would slowly feel comfortable enough to show a side of himself that he keeps hidden from most people. Your patience and understanding would allow him to open up at his own pace, and you’d never rush him. In turn, Idia would find your empathy and gentleness incredibly comforting, knowing you’re there to listen without judgment. Over time, this connection would help him feel more secure and willing to share his inner thoughts.

★Your love language of physical touch would align in a subtle yet significant way with Idia’s more reserved approach to affection. He may not always be outwardly affectionate, but his love would show in small actions,like making sure you have everything you need, perhaps through acts of service or by sharing something you love, like a new game or anime. These thoughtful gestures would be how Idia shows his love, and you’d appreciate the effort behind them. In turn, your acts of service and gifts would speak volumes to him. Both of you would find comfort in these small expressions of love, which would help strengthen the bond between you.

★Idia may not be the type to express his emotions openly or through dramatic gestures, but that’s exactly why his gestures would be so meaningful. He would appreciate your sensitivity and care, and you would find solace in his quiet, steady presence. His sense of loyalty would grow over time, and the relationship would become something built on trust, support, and a deep understanding of each other’s personal spaces and emotional needs.

★In this relationship, there would be no need for constant external validation or loud proclamations of love. It’s a bond that would be felt through the simple, meaningful moments you share together. The connection between you would grow from your shared interests, mutual respect, and the comfortable quiet you create together. Whether it’s a late-night game session or an evening spent reading side by side, you would find comfort and belonging in each other’s presence, and that would be enough to make the relationship truly special.

★The best part? Since you’re both night owls, expect a lot of late-night chats,some deep, some ridiculous, but all of them safe, unfiltered, and real.

English is not my first language so I'm sorry if there are any spelling mistakes!

[princessjojo-x]

LibraVenus ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

💝 he’s polite, gentle, indirect, indecisive & easily offended.

💝 his self worth is influenced by how others treat him, causing him to constantly seek external validation. since he wants he wants to be treated nicely & special, he may be overly sociable & flirtatious. he finds enjoyment in social interactions. he attempts to win others over through kindness, flirting & charm.

💝 he seeks harmony & calmness in rxships. if his partner has an issue with him, it’s best she just lets it go. he avoids confrontation at all costs & tries his best to keep the peace. but this causes him to people please to the point of exhaustion.

💝 due to his police nature, others may feel subconsciously entitled to his attention or that he belongs to them. he may even experience some form of obsession or fixation from a former lover, stranger, or close admirer.

💝 he seeks equality in rxships. his ideal partner will meet him halfway so he’s unlikely to be the main provider or initiator in rxships. he wants to leave decisions to her but still wants her to include his input. this is just one of his many feminine traits.

💝 he’s a hopeless romantic who wears his heart on his sleeve & catches feelings quickly. this is bc he falls in love with ideas over actions & he’s very easily impressed. however, he may get scared of showing that side of himself bc he doesn’t want to be perceived as weak or vulnerable. he hates being alone & thrives when in a partnership but at times a close companion is enough to fulfil this need instead. he may jump from rxship to rxship although he is rarely one to break up with partners.

💝 he may keep others at arms length with shallow excuses bc he fears shallow love/interest. he has a cautious nature hidden in vagueness or detachment. if he doesn’t want you he won’t lead you on. he’ll be quite blunt through his actions showing his lack of interest, eg only having surface level conversations with you.

💝 if he does like you, he’ll be noticeably chivalrous (much like his sister sign aries venus). you’ll become his favorite & most important aspect in his life. he’ll be flirty & smiley, naturally extending his hand & going great lengths to ensure your pleasure. he’ll seem jealous when you harmlessly talk to others. he’ll try to mirror you by acting a little like you, dressing like you, liking the same things as you.

💝 when in love he’s very romantic but not very attached (unless he has other placements which overthrow this).

💝 he enjoys romanticising his future with his partners.

💝 he’s fairly judgmental abt others physical appearance but he doesn’t do this on purpose. he wants his partner to be perfect

💝 he absolutely loves talking abt himself despite him being a little insecure (he hides it well).

💝 he usually has arched eyebrows (venus influence).

💝 all cardinal venus signs tend to stop making efforts in their rxships once they get the person they were chasing, then either leave or complain about how boring things got.

Turn On’s:

💝 he’s looking for romance, affection & someone who can give him the full courting experience. it's important that he’s worshipped & recognised at all times.

💝 his type on paper is someone who is extremely feminine, easy on the eyes & soft spoken. she is envied for & he can brag abt her. (an affectionate, elegant, gentle, loving, fair, friendly, harmonious, beautiful, well groomed & hygienic woman).

💝 to impress him: dress classy, expensive & feminine. white, neutrals, pastels, rose gold, & definitely purples. soft silks or lace appeals. pink lipstick, lace front wigs.

💝 he wants a woman who he feels at peace around. he craves that balanced energy so she knows how to deal with his self-esteem, trust issues, anxiety, etc. she brings a calming energy into any situation using her kindness or charm. he can bring her around his friends & she can get along with all kinds of people.

💝 his love language: finger/hand/back scratches, ensure he never forgets that you love & appreciate him, ensure to put effort into your appearnace & be flirtatious, ensure to use your manners (no swearing, no smoking, no embarrassing him), show him your compassionate & sentimental side, give him breathing room when he needs it, be calm, composed & maintain a good image.

💝 his ideal partner will have an air sign sun, moon or asc.

💝 he puts a lot of importance in the atmosphere during sex (lighting, candles, aromatherapy, lingerie, etc). he has to feel physically comfortable in the bedroom.

Turn Off’s:

💝 confrontational, unflirty, unethical, disrespectful, inconsiderate & conceited partners. for example, never asking for his opinion or input.

💝 he dislikes *masculine* behaviour from his partner (eg burping, farting, swearing)

💝 he dislikes unnecessary criticism from his partner.

💝 if you refuse to communicate through something that can be easily resolved (same for all air venus).

[rnsk-kousatsu]

On Cherubimon's evolution

One thing that people often don’t realize about Shuuji, despite it being fairly obvious from the beginning of the game, is how easily influenced he is by those around him. Although he seems stubborn on the outside (at least initially), he’s actually quick to yield to external pressure and bend to others’ wills. You could argue that, initially, he only kept giving in because he kept getting outnumbered. However, this tendency to relent to others is still apparent even in the Truthful route, where he’s no longer pressured by numbers the way he was during the beginning. For instance, when he suggested moving in order from the shrine with the strongest barrier, Aoi objected, insisting they should start with the weakest one instead, and they ended up following Aoi’s suggestion. This shows that he hasn’t fully shaken his habit of giving in to others even when he’s outgrown his other early game traits.

Part of why I think this behavior remains in Shuuji is because of the way he was raised by his father. While it’s true that Shuuji — very much like Aoi — has a strong sense of responsibility, I believe this sense duty also comes from his need to meet the expectations others have of him. His urge to fulfill these expectations seems to be driven by a desire to be accepted, as his father has made him believe that living up to these expectations is the only way to gain approval. In short, he constantly seeks external validation by repressing how he truly feels and following through what other wants.

Cherubimon’s evolution scenario seems to address this persistent trait of his and attempts to make him grow out of it even if just a little. Due to the simplistic scenario presented in it (much like any other affinity-based evolution scene in Survive), perhaps not many notice it’s meant for that. However, ever since the first time I watched it play out, I’ve been intrigued by how this line by Cherubimon is worded:

“シュウジが責任感だけじゃなく、自分の中に見つけた『正しさ』を信じたから、ボクにも力が湧いたんだ”

This line (very literally) translates to “I was able to find strength because you (Shuuji) didn’t just rely on your sense of responsibility; you also believed in the ‘rightness’ you found within yourself.” Something to note is that I couldn’t quite come up with an appropriate word to translate “正しさ”, but we’ll get back to this later. English localization has it translated to “Believing not only in your duty, but in your own righteousness, you filled me with strength,” which isn’t wrong per se (it’s correct and it flows more naturally than the very literal translation I’ve come up with, in fact), but translating “正しさ” as “righteousness” in this context doesn’t really click in my opinion. Let me finally explain why.

While translating “正しさ” as “righteousness” isn’t necessarily wrong, “righteousness” often has a stronger moral or ethical connotation, implying a judgment of moral superiority or adherence to a strict set of principles. For me, this feels too heavy or “formal” in the context where Shuuji is simply discovering and trusting his own sense of what is right rather than claiming a broader moral high ground, which I believe is the case here. It’s probably why it’s written in quotes (『正しさ』), perhaps implying subjectivity since it comes internally from Shuuji’s own judgment.

Now, to connect my interpretation of what “正しさ” means with what I said earlier before about the line intriguing me: the line makes it seem like Shuuji’s sense of responsibility/duty (責任感) isn’t necessarily the same thing with what Shuuji believes to be right. The way Cherubimon puts it implies that duty is external, and this new thing that Shuuji discovers comes from within and it’s what has triggered the evolution. In other words, Shuuji finally finds it in himself to just follow what his heart believes without getting too concerned about what others think of it, instead of constantly focusing on fulfilling duties and obligations in response to external expectations, which is represented by his strong sense of responsibility.

The dialogue that comes after that line drives home the point even further too — Shuuji wonders if what Cherubimon calls his “rightness” is just his ego talking (the Japanese word used for this is literally also “ego”/“エゴ”). Instead of saying he’s wrong for thinking about it like that, Cherubimon reassures him that he doesn’t care whether his “rightness” is driven by his ego or his selfish desires (身勝手), because to him, it still holds value if it can be shared with and understood by others. Essentially, Cherubimon is saying that Shuuji’s own personal beliefs or actions are valid as long as they resonate with someone else, making them his form of justice or righteousness (as a note: “正義” usually translates to “justice” in English, but I think this is where the word “righteousness” would be appropriate to use). He wants Shuuji to realize that personal motivations can still lead to something meaningful and just when they connect with others. I personally find how this is incorporated in Cherubimon’s evolution beautiful — it’s in the way  Shuuji finally allows himself to embrace his personal beliefs after struggling with trusting his own heart (since it’s been long overshadowed with his need to meet the expectations imposed on him), and by doing so, he doesn’t just empower himself, but also enables Lopmon to reach his final stage of evolution.

Note: Something else I noticed just now, even if not very relevant to this writeup, is that Cherubimon uses the pronoun boku/ボク in that particular line, which is inconsistent with the pronoun he usually uses (watashi/ワタシ). I wonder why that is, but I figure it’s simply just a slip-up.