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mira--mira · 3 years ago

Note

Hi! I was wondering

How do you think Hashirama and Madara would be in a Road to Ninja version?

I remember once reading a Hashimada fic (which I never finished RIP) that was about Madara appearing in the RTN universe and the 3 things that stucked with me were:

1.- Madara was the first Hokage (something that Madara thought was horrible when he saw his sculpted face on the Hokage mountain 🤣)

And personally I think that it would not have been like that even in the RTN universe because we didn't see his face along with the other faces of Hokages in the movie (Yeah, apparently I'm basing myself on a movie which I'm not even sure if it's canon or not, even though Kishimoto wrote it) and the RTN characters didn't seem to even know who Madara is.

2.- Hashirama having his bowlcut as an adult

And I agree with the Madara from that fanfic, it looks awful on him. Hashirama, babe, I'm sorry but the only ones who can rock that style are Guy Sensei and Rock Lee, I know you just were trying to be cool but it doesn't suite you.

3.- Tobirama was a porn writer

Instead of being a fan of forbidden jutsu and creating justus, he wrote porn novels a la Jiraiya. And I'll hold that headcanon with my dead hands.

The only other fanfic that places the founders in the RTN universe is one where the protagonist is Mito (it's an interesting one-shot that pairs her with Itama 🤔)

She was kind of a shy person 🤔? And so it was Tobirama 🤣 which I found fun.

Hashirama, as the first fanfic I mentioned, was the Tobirama of the place (saddenly Madara wasn't in this fic).

So I would like to know what are your versions of the founders (or only Hashirama and Madara if it is too much) in the RTN universe! And how do you think things would be

Hmm, RTN is an interesting concept to me but, to be honest, I don't think Konoha would exist if a lot of personalities got flipped 😂 I haven't read any RTN fics with the founders, but if you, or anyone else, have links at hand I'd love to check them out 👀

1. Madara

Here's the big one and the crux of why I don't think the village would exist. Typically I characterize Madara as an extremely responsible man who internalizes things when he shouldn't, takes himself way too seriously, is aggressive and abrasive even to people he loves sometimes, but genuinely loves the people closest too him. Reversing this would make a character that slacks off, takes no responsibility, and is completely passive in life and has fleeting attachments to others around him. Assuming he wouldn't die on the battlefield, I could see the RTN "alternate" personality coming about of Madara's being so overpowered and competent that he loses interest and distances himself from things before he can get attached and lose them.

It makes building a village very hard though. (At first I was tempted to go RTN Sasuke route and maybe RTN!Madara is a little more openly flirty than canon!Madara, but the passivity and refusal to take responsibility would be the "core" qualities for me.)

2. Hashirama

Hashirama is a bit weird because he has a lot of surface-level "conflicting" traits in canon. He is optimistic but he pushes beyond his natural attitude and uses it as a mask to hide instead of addressing his feelings. He's mischievous, likes jokes and games, and can be a bit hedonistic with his pleasure but can equally be serious when necessary and will willingly sacrifice for others around him. And simultaneously, Hashirama and Madara are connected by a shared sense of idealism but also anger. Hashirama is a very kind, but extremely angry, man. I think a RTN!Hashirama would share a kind of apathy of RTN!Madara but instead of passivity his lack of anger would manifest as cruelty. Because canon!Hashirama is angry but his anger is usually a righteous kind. I don't think RTN!Hashirama would go out of his way to be cruel, but he doesn't have the empathy of canon!Hashirama, especially to others' suffering. He enjoys fighting just a bit too much and has no qualms about killing. In his mind, he should always come first in any situation and prioritizing (or even considering) others' is effort and him going out of his way to be "nice" and the other should be thankful. Similarly if he feels any negative emotion, he won't bottle it up and swallow it down, he'll immediately address it, usually confrontationally. RTN!Hashirama is as intelligent as his canon counterpart but he doesn't suffer fools and he hates it when people underestimate him. He's pretty proud and vain, tbh.

I really don't think the above would make him the "Tobirama" of RTN verse. To me Hashirama and Tobirama have different core values and perspectives and inverting Hashirama's doesn't make it become Tobirama's, if that makes sense. This one is also wordy bc I immediately knew how RTN!Madara would be RTN!Hashirama is a bit harder to pin down. But I hope it's clear why I have doubts about the village existing...maybe if RTN!Hashirama got it in his mind as a pet project for the hell of it, that he'd be a better leader for the country and not just the Senju alone, and RTN!Madara liked the idea of no responsibility and being able to detach even further than he already was? But that's still kind of grasping for a reason.

3. Hashimada

Equally I think any Hashirama/Madara relationship would be ehhh. They definitely wouldn't have the overwhelming bond of their canon counterparts, and it could be a relationship ripe for unhappiness. The closest I can think of to making the ship work is RTN!Madara would be drawn to Hashirama's absurd level of self-confidence and able to let the casual cruelty slide off instead of getting worked up about it. In a way RTN!Hashirama is stable and predictable. If he's pretty overpowered, there's less of a chance RTN!Madara would lose him, so their relationship isn't deep but it's more or less dependable and Madara knows exactly what he's going to get. In contrast RTN!Hashirama has an audience in the form of RTN!Madara and a partner that's not going to push back against his ideas. RTN!Madara doesn't ask for much and he doesn't complain when RTN!Hashirama puts himself first. He doesn't want, or might not be capable of, the deep emotional bond their canon counterparts have. RTN!Madara wouldn't leave Konoha (if it existed) in the AU, because he doesn't really care. If someone upset RTN!Hashirama and he decided to leave to 'do it right' RTN!Madara would probably follow, maybe out of some loyalty for RTN!Hashirama but mostly because it's what's easiest.

4. Tobirama

The core of Tobirama's character to me is prioritizing logic over emotion and both a conscious and unconscious failure to realize he can't completely eliminate emotion. Tobirama loves his brother, he's curious and has a desire to find out what makes things work and is willing to bend morality to get results if it'll serve a greater good. He's very aware of the unfairness of the world but believes it's an unspoken truth of humanity and can only be mitigated through logical means, but never completely erased. He'll be the sacrificial lamb, the one that works in shadows so his brother can have his utopian dream. Despite everything, he loves his genin, the strongest bonds he has aside from Hashirama, and does try to instill in them lessons he think will help them and lead to peace and stability in the village. He's still influenced by the prejudices of his time and can never find it in him to truly forgive the Uchiha.

A RTN!Tobirama would be a man ruled by emotion. Him writing erotica all day definitely could be one way this manifests lol. But overall he's sensitive and spiritual and can't stand the idea of killing. He and RTN!Hashirama don't get along and he actively tries to avoid his brother. RTN!Tobirama has equally strong principles as canon!Tobirama, but they're pacifist in nature and while he likes his studies, he prefers to be out talking to people and learning from them first hand. He's very naive and can be easily taken advantage of and he has trouble focusing on any one thing for too long. No matter how many times this happens, he never can harden his heart or be overly suspicious of others. RTN!Tobirama would most likely be the one support peace in this AU. He embraces the Uchiha and all the Senjus past enemies with open arms, almost to a foolish degree. It'd be a bad idea if he became hokage in this AU because he's a terrible negotiator and has a bad people-pleasing streak and struggles with long-term tactics. With the exception of RTN!Hashirama, who he considers an aberration who doesn't have a soul, humans at their core all have good intentions at heart.

5. Mito

I characterize Mito as a very level-headed woman. Her marriage to Hashirama is political in nature but they grow to be good friends and she never expected to fall in love and she's glad Hashirama didn't want a traditional wife. Mito is devoted to her community work (she works hands-on with people in the village), she seeks out connections with others and, despite the distance, remains close with her family in Uzushio, constantly writing them letters. She's spiritual and follows the Uzumakis' beliefs (not gonna list this OoT spoiler lol) and studies fuinjutsu in her spare time, something she's done since she was a child. She is willing to sacrifice if it meant protecting something she considered greater than herself, much to her own personal detriment. She loves and is proud of her children and grandchildren, but if she had a choice, she would have chosen to remain childless, she finds her true calling elsewhere.

RTN!Mito, similarly to RTN!Tobirama, is ruled by emotions. She dreams of one day making a good marriage for herself and centers romance and being a mother as her ideal life, but she's extremely picky when it comes picking the perfect husband. RTN!Mito knows how much she's worth and she refuses to settle and will not even entertain the idea of an arranged marriage. She has a hard time forming long-lasting, deep bonds with other people and views starting her own family as the solution to this problem. At times she can be a bit absent-minded and unintentionally selfish, but she's not actively malicious. She blusters a lot and depending on the situation can come off as cold and uncaring, but it's only to hide the depth of her true feelings and loneliness. In this AU she would absolutely refuse to marriage RTN!Hashirama. Nothing on hell or earth, could make her change her mind.

Mito is such a blank-slate character it feels like writing an oc more than a canon character, tbh. And this is something I don't see brought up a lot but a "heart full of love" to combat the kyuubi's hatred to me has never been exclusive to romantic or familial (to children) love. *cough* I want a complex female character who's not vilified for not wanting to have children and/or regretting having them *cough* Mito's "love" was for the people of Konoha and Uzushio. My personal headcanon regarding her and Hashirama's child (I don't think she had more than one) was that she was dedicated to her son, but quickly realized being a mother wasn't her dream or something she even actively liked. The kid was well-cared for and she was dutiful towards him, but Hashirama was the parent that loved and embraced him with his whole heart and it led to some tension between Mito and her son as the kid could tell the difference and neither of them were "wrong" to feel the way they did. This is why Tsunade was shown with Hashirama instead of Mito, he was a lot more present in her life when she was young (instead of Kishi just not having made Mito as a character yet). But after Hashirama and Tsunade's dad died (and then Nawaki), she and Mito grew close but it was definitely more of a friendship or student/mentor relationship rather than a traditional grandmother/granddaughter relationship but both were satisfied with it and loved eachother. Likewise I didn't want RTN!Mito's characterization to be shallow and hit misogynistic undertones with her being an "opposite" to Mito's calm, level-headed, focused on her work/passions characterization.

6. Closing thoughts

#1: Wow this got long #2: I feel conflicted about RTN because it seemed to flip surface-level characteristics instead of deep characterizations, and ignored flaws altogether. The ones above, esp. Hashirama and Madara's, are kind of dark in a way? But that's the only way it makes sense to me...Gai and Lee caring about style and being stylish is a funny joke but if you were to actually poke and prod and say their personalities were inverted, neither of them would be top-notch ninja as we know...unless I'm just completely misremembering RTN because I realize it's been years since I saw it lol. Anyway, hope this was entertaining!

#naruto #hashimada #hashirama senju #madara uchiha #mito uzumaki #tobirama senju #asks #al-stuffy #rtn au #long post

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daisiesonafield-blog · 4 years ago

Note

You said they are putting these little things out to mitigate the backlash but you dont expect them to backtrack now?or maybe have it shorter then planned?

It’s hard to tell anon.

The news about the donation coming out today could be coincidental, or it could be to remind the public and fandom that H is a good person and the focus isn’t on the stunt. It also brings publicity to the charity, since harry’s name is everywhere right now. We have seen before what happens when Harry’s name is associated with something. It creates a massive impact not even the best promo campaign could do.

Examples of this include him shouting out “boycott SeaWorld”, or something along those lines, at the end of a 1D concert in Florida, and that had a bigger impact than the documentary Blackfish which showed us how much animal abuse and cruelty happens at SeaWorld. Another example is Harry’s Calm story being their best seller of subscriptions to the app ever. Not even all their other PR campaigns helped sell the app as well as having Harry’s name associated with it did. And the list goes on and on: “But I love him daddy” selling out after pictures of him wearing the shirt came out; that Target candle that allegedly smells like H being out of stock for months; etc, etc.

As for the article about his stalker breaking the protection order and contacting Harry again, that was very deliberate. Which isn’t to say they’re evil or the story is fake, because they’re not and it isn’t. But the way the article is so very carefully constructed and how it brings so much sympathy towards Harry, yes, that’s calculated. Normally articles on the Daily Mail are carelessly written, get everything wrong and sensationalize everything. This would be the case w/ an article about a stalker breaking the restraining order and trying to grab Harry. But they didn’t sensationalize it. They wrote it in a way that shows Harry as a kind lovable person who is now warrantably scared for his safety in his own home. It serves to humanize him and remind people he is more than the dating gossip going around at the moment.

As for them backtracking or shortening the stunt, well it could happen. But we won’t know bc we don’t know their original plans. But I imagine they are VERY carefully monitoring everything and adjusting things as they go. They could backtrack and change the story completely because the truth doesn’t matter and they can shift angles and spin plot twists however they like. However, at this point in time, I don’t think they will. Outside of fandom, where people don’t have high emotions running on this thing, this is a top tier PR stunt that has been executed to perfection. The amount of attention they got is astronomical. Harry and Olivia are everywhere. This is PR gold. And exactly what their movie needs. All their moves are calculated. This is for publicity and publicity is done to sell. And they have a blockbuster movie to sell.

Also remember that Hollywood has suffered due to the pandemic with nearly all productions being delayed, shut down or cancelled. That is millions upon millions of dollars lost. So now they’re trying to recoup that. A way to do that is to garner as much press for upcoming projects as possible. And what better way to do that than a new couple alert for an upcoming highly anticipated movie? This is their oldest trick. Have romance rumors in the lead-up to a movie. So thinking about it this way, it makes sense that they would ride this out and use it as promo for DWD.

The movie doing well boosts BOTH their careers. It helps propel Harry’s acting career and further solidify Olivia’s directing portfolio. It elevates Harry’s profile, because Olivia isn’t some random model, but a respected and established industry professional. It also freshens up Olivia’s profile because Harry is the it boy of the moment, and it brings an air of added appeal to her.

You have to remember that in the entertainment industry image is everything. So those things matter. Because they reflect on what movie roles you get, who you get call backs from, how well your movie or album sells, etc etc. Why do you think the Kardashians are so successful? They’re queens of image and PR. It sells. And this is what they’re doing.

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misterbitches · 4 years ago

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wbl has mitigating circumstances that make sense wITHIN the story. non consensuality isn’t ok but there’s a foundation we see which, yes, is majorly failed in other tv shows. there are other ways to show whattever it is they feel like it (i watched the end of ep 2, im just too fuckin depressed rn to even think) but it’s intersting the cruelty exists not in A vacuum but the world with WBL creates where we can see that stark difference. something many BLs and shows in gen like kdramas or teen or new adult (essentially every youthfoul show cos exploitation and creator not caring) understand. TT is a prime example of how it just doesn’t make sense these types of relationships unless there’s a solid enough foundation and at least a mild understanding of the inappropriateness.

right now, the toxicity is born out of like actual conflict. wer i in in this situation, would i do any of that? no. in fact i’d beat anyone’s ass for ever manhandling me that way. i want to itereate here emphasis none of this behavior is ok. since it is a tv show, they have more control and could ostensibly have not written that. however, it’s okay for a show to flub that message, make us uncomfortable, or even truly fuck up the way we think it’s fucked up. i do NOT advise this to be a plan. HOWEVER: PEOPLE DO MAKE MISTAKES. the reddest flag of all is: ARE THEY WILLING TO CHANGE? if they are not, they do NOT deserve to be together.

which mbrings me here. theyre giving us a reason why.

the program gives itself the space and the foreground for it to be a story that isnt fuocused on how much they fuck and fight. ergo these behaviours cannot be repeated bc theyre in this instance. so many viewers of everything say people expect media to be perfect. no. we dont. it’s impossible and we live in a trash disgusting racist capitaist garbage hellfire. what you mean is you want to see people make mistakes but ultimately transgress them and sometimes people just do shit we wouldn’t forgive, or is messed up, or the writers need to make DAMN FUCKING SURE is clear.

but unlike most shows esp targeted for young teens both het and BL, thte consequences of love or what love means to young people is so skewed and poorly done because it’s by people who AREN��T that age, don’t know howhumans work, shit like that. i mean u can just tell by the acting even as sam is really goof and most experienced but has a real whole life outside of this persona, a girlfriend, goals of acting probably; showing what it’s like to be human in a way but not a projection of human fantasy through rape culture.

we like to see dysfunction for two reasons: as a way to get out of it or as a redemption arc

but for people who are making cheap shows for kids who don’t need to think about it it’s like: shitty execution, gross love, and no context for why they should even CONTINUE to stay together on top of the harm

wbl is far from perfect like any other show but it’s wil what happens when intentions are clear when you show them and so it’s easier for all of us to process. not to mention they built this story through blocks, the way one is supposed to, the relationship of the two of them when they hadn’t been intimate is very different from now

GSD has to tell the truth, SY has to grow up, rich ppl suck. but it’s a good ride

as an aside is sam lin’s gf cute i hope so but like in a fun way idc abt model bitches it’s so obvious when men do that lmaoooooo but omg! i hope hes happy and also he and mr yu stay friends fro a long time!

oh and i wanna add that GSD’s life revolving around his love for shi yu is actually untrue. it’s a projectiona nd i think the illusion of that projection is brokena nd that’s a good thing. the show sets up an ensemble cast we vibe with, want to see, appreciate, and that means GSD has friends and loves. his life revolves aruond him and the way he sees the romance but he would have never let his mom go to the US by himself and i really hope the show explores why it is IMPERATIVE for him to find his own personhood and not just take care of others.

his mom would want him to love every bit of his life. all consuming love is so beautiful but it’s only beautiful when you realize you have to survive to love someone so well. and when you survive and understand yourself, your loved ones feel it. they’re very reliable as a group friends and a people and shi de is and will always be a human outside of yu. he has to understand that. it was nice to see his anger at being played too cos it’s like yea that’s fucking disgusting and it hurts and kills you

i’m going to continue to assess the volatility within the story and its progression as much as i can if i can handle being online. this show really exceeds a lot of expectations and mostly i think i forget....it’s actually fun. i was so happy to see the way the dad came into the room in the morning bc i think that was so sweet and hopefully is an indicator of why he said to do what he did. unfortunately homophobic or not: he fucked up. majorly. as a parent, a confideant, a loved one. you do not do that. i am sorry. but they can bounce back. but that’s a lot of pain, ok?

also i hate rich ppl did i mention that

oh one more thing idk if they had sex but dramas love to do the whole drunk ppl fucking thing and it’s fucking disgusting and will always be :)

#we best love #advice to

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your-dietician · 3 years ago

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Celebrities with a history of protest

New Post has been published on https://tattlepress.com/celebrities/celebrities-with-a-history-of-protest/

Celebrities with a history of protest

Chris Compendio, provided by

June 30, 2021Updated: June 30, 2021 6:07 a.m.

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Celebrities with a history of protest

Despite calls for actors, athletes, musicians, and other celebrities to eschew activism to focus on entertainment, there is a long-standing precedent for famous people to leverage their platforms to enact change.

From Harry Belafonte and Sidney Poitier establishing themselves as leaders during the civil rights movement to Leonardo DiCaprio and Jane Fonda among many stars pushing for environmental protections and justice, hundreds if not thousands of celebrities in the last century have pushed the needle on a wide variety of causes. Today’s celebrities commonly use their mantles to protest animal cruelty, police brutality, government surveillance, military action, environmental injustice, and civil rights among dozens of other causes.

Stacker has highlighted 50 celebrities from the last 75 years with a history of protest. Our list includes actors, athletes, and musicians. Several of the contemporary stars made headlines in 2020 for their efforts in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, appearing at numerous protests in the wake of the killings of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and many others. Others were instrumental in successful efforts to shut down the Keystone XL pipeline.

Keep reading to find out what causes some of your favorite celebrities are fighting for.

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Jane Fonda

Actor Jane Fonda has been known for her activism throughout her decades-spanning career. She was arrested in 1970 for protesting the Vietnam War. Despite continued action against the conflict, Fonda avoided further arrests until 2019, when she was arrested five times while protesting fossil fuels and calling for environmental action.

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Muhammad Ali

Legendary boxing champion Muhammad Ali became an outspoken figure against the Vietnam War, refusing to join the U.S. Army. Declaring himself a conscientious objector, in part due to his religious beliefs, Ali was arrested and stripped of his titles. Ali became a countercultural figure for civil rights and pacifism, and his conviction for draft evasion was eventually overturned by the Supreme Court.

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Mark Ruffalo

“Avengers” star Mark Ruffalo is one of the highest-profile activists against fracking, participating in multiple protests against oil companies. Ruffalo also produced and starred in a 2019 anti-fracking film called “Dark Waters” and co-founded The Solutions Project, an organization providing funding for climate justice projects in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. While fracking has been a central issue for Ruffalo for decades, the actor also protested against former President Donald Trump’s policies during his term, and was one of the few celebrities to call for justice for Palestine in 2021.

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Alicia Keys

As a musician, Alicia Keys has added musical flair to her activism. Keys spoke at various demonstrations protesting Trump administration immigration policies, the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, and police brutality, and contributed several protest songs speaking to some of these issues, notably “Perfect Way to Die.”

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George Clooney

As one of the most prolific celebrities in Hollywood, George Clooney has used his star power time and again to bolster his humanitarian efforts. Clooney had long been vocal about finding a resolution to the War in Darfur, interfacing with world leaders and the United Nations as well as taking part in a number of documentaries spreading awareness about the conflict. In 2012, Clooney was arrested along with his father during a protest at the Sudanese Embassy in Washington D.C. In 2020, Clooney and his wife Amal donated $500,000 to the Equal Justice Initiative following the murder of George Floyd.

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Rosario Dawson

Actor Rosario Dawson is a well-documented activist, primarily demonstrating in support of the Democratic Party. In 2004, Dawson was arrested during the Republican National Convention while protesting against President George W. Bush. She also protested in Washington D.C. in 2016 while attending a rally and spoke out against the role of money in politics. Dawson founded the non-profit organization Voto Latino, which works to motivate young Hispanic and Latino Americans to register to vote. Her political activism led her to a fundraiser for Ben Jealous, a 2018 gubernatorial candidate for Maryland, where she met her current partner, Sen. Cory Booker.

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Marlon Brando

Oscar-winning actor Marlon Brando was influential not only for his roles in films like “The Godfather” and “On the Waterfront,” but also for his political idealism and activism. Brando participated in the movement for civil rights in the 1960s and favored a boycott toward South Africa for its apartheid policies. In support of Indigenous people in the Americas, Brando refused to accept his Best Actor trophy at the 1973 Academy Awards and sent Native American actor Sacheen Littlefeather to speak on his behalf.

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Eartha Kitt

Active in a number of social causes, actor Eartha Kitt advocated for and supported underprivileged children in Los Angeles. Kitt also protested against the Vietnam War, and as with many politically active celebrities at the time, she was surveilled by the CIA. Her most public and vocal criticism of the war came during a White House luncheon that President Lyndon Johnson attended.

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Christopher Reeve

Former “Superman” Christopher Reeve had a well-documented history of human rights and environmental activism dating back to at least the mid-’70s. He was very involved with America’s Watch, Amnesty International, The Environmental Air Force, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Save the Children. He flew to Santiago, Chile, in 1987 in support of 77 actors whom the Pinochet regime threatened to execute. Thrown from a horse and paralyzed in 1995, Christopher Reeve spent the rest of his life and career advocating for stem cell research and the treatment of neurological disorders. He creating the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation to fund research and improve the quality of life for patients, testified in support of federal funding for stem cell research before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, and successfully helped get the budget for that National Institute of Health doubled over the course of five years.

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John Lennon and Yoko Ono

The power couple of former Beatle John Lennon and musician and artist Yoko Ono primarily focused on promoting peace with their works of art, with “Imagine” and “Give Peace a Chance” being some of the more famous songs from the duo. The Nixon administration attempted to deport Lennon from the United States over the musician’s outspoken leftist politics. Following Lennon’s murder in 1980, Ono has continued with her peace activism and art through today; she had a massive retrospective exhibit called “Peace is Power” in 2019 at the Leipzig Museum of Fine Arts in Germany.

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Woody Harrelson

Actor Woody Harrelson has made many of his sociopolitical views known to the public, including his support for marijuana legalization and environmental protection. At a 1996 protest, Harrelson and several other protesters scaled the Golden Gate Bridge to hang up a sign criticizing Maxxam Inc. CEO Charles Hurwitz. The outspoken activist and vegan narrated the 2020 documentary “Kiss the Ground,” which centers on promoting regenerative agriculture as a method for mitigating ecologically damaging farming practices from fossil-fuel use to factory farming.

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Elliot Page

After coming out at the Human Rights Campaign’s Time to Thrive conference in 2014, actor Elliot Page became a public advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. In an anti-Donald Trump protest after the president’s inauguration, a video of Page debating a homophobic preacher went viral online. After coming out as transgender in December of 2020, Page has become an outspoken advocate and activist for trans issues.

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Leonardo DiCaprio

Being one of the most famous actors in film today benefited Leonardo DiCaprio’s environmental activism. For the bulk of his career, DiCaprio has been active in efforts for preservation and combating climate change. His activism led to him conferring with national leaders, donating millions of dollars to environmental causes, attending marches, and speaking out about climate change in his acceptance speech for Best Actor at the 88th Academy Awards. He formed the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation in 1998 (now part of Earth Alliance), which forms partnerships with organizations, experts, and activists to foster biodiversity and mitigate climate change.

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Janelle Monae

In support of the Black Lives Matter movement, musical artist Janelle Monae wrote and performed a protest song called “Hell You Talmbout,” which invoked the names of several Black Americans who were victims of police violence and racially motivated crimes. Monae also marched in Black Lives Matter protests.

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James Cromwell

Actor James Cromwell, who became a vegan while shooting the film “Babe,” began his activism during the civil rights movement and Vietnam War. He was arrested in 1971 for civil disobedience at the famed May Day anti-war protests in Washington D.C. His half-century-plus of activism has run the gamut from environmental issues, peace efforts, animal rights, and equality. He has participated in Black Lives Matter protests back to at least 2017, served as a spokesperson for PETA, was arrested during a protest against a dog laboratory in 2019.

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Shailene Woodley

“Divergent” and “The Fault in Our Stars” actor Shailene Woodley is an avid activist for environmental issues and is active in a number of progressive organizations. While protesting against the Dakota Access Pipeline, Woodley was arrested and charged with criminal trespassing.

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Mos Def

Rapper and actor Yasiin Bey, also known as Mos Def, has been outspoken about police brutality and violence against Black Americans. He held an impromptu concert outside the MTV Video Music Awards in 2006, performing a protest song called “Katrina Clap” that criticized the Bush administration’s response to the Hurricane Katrina disaster. Despite having a permit, Mos Def was arrested for the performance.

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Adèle Haenel

French actor Adèle Haenel (“Portrait of a Lady on Fire”) has been active in France’s #MeToo movement. Having had her own experiences with abuse and harassment in the film industry, Haenel in 2020 protested Roman Polanski’s win at the César Awards by walking out of the ceremony with several others.

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America Ferrera

The daughter of Honduran immigrants, actor America Ferrera has spent most of her career encouraging and mobilizing Latin Americans to be politically active. Ferrera spoke several times at Democratic national conventions as well as at the 2017 Women’s March. She has also served as a prominent voice in the Keep Families Together movement against family separations at the U.S.-Mexico border and served as an artist ambassador for the global organization Save the Children.

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Joaquin Phoenix

When winning multiple awards for his lead role in the film “Joker,” Joaquin Phoenix used the awards stage to promote diversity in the film industry and awareness of animal cruelty. His 2020 speech at the Oscars specifically condemned the dairy industry for its treatment of cows. Phoenix was arrested in 2020 while protesting the climate crisis along with Jane Fonda and Martin Sheen.

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Emily Ratajkowski

Model Emily Ratajkowski has used her platform to advocate for feminism, sexual expression, and a positive body image. She has designed dresses with partial proceeds supporting Planned Parenthood, and leveraged her Instagram profile to speak out against an Alabama state law that banned abortion. Upon the nomination and eventual confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, Ratajkowski and others were arrested at a protest in Washington D.C.

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Ted Danson

Star of “Cheers” and “The Good Place,” Ted Danson has been an outspoken voice for environmental issues, particularly those concerning the world’s oceans. Danson in late 2019 participated in one of Fonda’s many protests demanding action on climate change and arrested alongside her.

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Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee

Along with being legendary performers on stage and screen, married couple Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee were also both prominent activists in the civil rights movement. Organizing a number of marches, the two were also friends with Martin Luther King Jr., Jesse Jackson, and Malcolm X, with Davis delivering eulogies for King and Malcolm X.

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Humphrey Bogart

During a period in which politicians such as Joseph McCarthy were leading a fight against communism in America, several individuals and figures in the film industry were targeted and blacklisted for their suspected political alignments. Classic Hollywood actor Humphrey Bogart organized the Committee for the First Amendment and protested the House Un-American Activities Committee.

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Sammy Davis Jr.

The multi-talented Sammy Davis Jr. was also politically active, supporting the election campaigns of John F. Kennedy and Robert Kennedy, although he later became close with Richard Nixon—a friendship he eventually regretted. Regardless, Davis remained active in the civil rights movement, especially after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., and criticized Nixon for his shortcomings on civil rights.

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Cate Blanchett

Australian actor Cate Blanchett has been outspoken up about the role of women in the film industry. Blanchett is also a longtime ambassador for the Australian Conservation Foundation. She has also advocated for the rights and protection of refugees.

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Danny Glover

Since his time as a student, “Lethal Weapon” star Danny Glover has been an activist fighting for civil rights and worker unions. Politically, Glover has endorsed progressive candidates running for president of the United States. Glover was arrested in 2010 in Maryland during a protest for better working wages and conditions outside French food corporation Sodexo. In May of 2021, Glover spoke at a rally against anti-Asian bias in New York City.

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Emma Watson

Hermione Granger herself, actor Emma Watson, was appointed as a U.N. Women Goodwill Ambassador in 2014. Watson has used her worldwide fame to speak out about women’s issues and human rights and declared her support for transgender people after transphobic comments from “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling. In 2021, Watson was one of 400 signatories in a letter demanding the UK government include women in decision-making roles at the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference.

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Martin Sheen

Martin Sheen may be famous for his acting, but he has stated that activism is “what [he does] to stay alive.” A humanitarian and social activist, Sheen has been arrested more than 65 times for protesting. Sheen primarily participates in anti-war, pro-worker, and environmental protests.

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Hayden Panettiere

“Heroes” star Hayden Panettiere was 18 when she was involved in a confrontation in Japan in which she and several others attempted to prevent dolphin hunting by paddling out on the water and blocking fishermen. A warrant for her arrest was issued and she and the other participants left the country. Panettiere has since been protesting for liberal causes and animal rights.

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Bill Nye

Being a celebrity science advocate famous for his children’s educational television show “Bill Nye the Science Guy,” Bill Nye has used his status to promote climate change activism. Against perceived anti-science rhetoric from conservatives, Nye participated and spoke in the 2017 March for Science and continues to advocate for science on cable news appearances. He launched a successful Netflix series in 2017 aptly titled “Bill Nye Saves the World.”

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Joan Baez

Much of the music by Joan Baez is rooted in activism, counterculture, and protest. Baez has been politically active for several decades since the beginning of the civil rights movement and has written and performed songs for marches and protests, among her most famous being her cover of “We Shall Overcome.”

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Steve-O

Steve-O has never shied away from controversy, including making waves with a pro-environmental stunt. The daredevil in 2015 climbed a 100-foot crane and held up a sign that said “SeaWorld Sucks,” while also holding an inflatable Shamu balloon and shooting fireworks. He was, unsurprisingly, arrested.

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Daryl Hannah

Actor Daryl Hannah, known to audiences for her roles in “Casino” and “Kill Bill,” has been an environmentalist for most of her life and has been arrested multiple times at protests. One such instance had her protesting the development of farmland and handcuffing herself to a tree.

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Bruce Springsteen

Rock and folk musician Bruce Springsteen has been one of the more prolific musical activists in recent history and has consistently spoken out for gay rights, same-sex marriage, and transgender rights. Springsteen was an outspoken critic of Donald Trump, especially in regard to the coronavirus pandemic response.

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Jamie Lee Curtis

Actor Jamie Lee Curtis has fought for numerous humanitarian causes and engaged in extensive philanthropy. For gay marriage rights, Curtis acted in a play by Dustin Lance Black called “8” that reenacted the trial that overturned the same-sex marriage ban, appearing alongside Brad Pitt and Martin Sheen. In 2020, she came out in support of professional athletes who boycotted games and league events in response to the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

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John Boyega

One of the main stars of the contemporary “Star Wars” trilogy, British actor John Boyega received attention for his passionate speech and participation in Black Lives Matter protests in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd. Stating “I don’t know if I’m going to have a career after this” while speaking to other protesters with a megaphone, Boyega’s co-stars and collaborators came out in support of his activism.

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Halsey

As a young bisexual musical artist, Halsey has spoken for a number of issues that affect young women and LGBTQ+ people. She has advocated for mental health and suicide prevention awareness, transgender rights, and support for sexual assault victims. During the 2020 protests for Black Lives Matter, Halsey marched alongside protesters and came to the aid of injured demonstrators.

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Sean Penn

Oscar-winning actor Sean Penn hasn’t shied away from controversy over his political views and affiliations. He widely criticized former President George W. Bush, during whose term Penn provided aid to Hurricane Katrina victims, supported same-sex marriage, and protested against the Iraq War. Penn has also been involved internationally, defending Hugo Chavez and marching alongside Egyptian protesters in 2011.

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Laura Dern

Actor Laura Dern has had her hands in several social causes, including gender pay disparity, Down syndrome awareness, women’s rights, the environment, and immigrants’ rights. With the latter two issues, Dern has been involved in organizations and protests for those causes in the past few years, particularly Families Belong Together.

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Amy Schumer

After a fatal shooting during a screening of her film “Trainwreck,” comedian and actor Amy Schumer joined her father’s cousin, Sen. Chuck Schumer, in advocating for gun control reform in the United States. Alongside Emily Ratajkowski, Schumer was arrested in 2018 during a protest against the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. She came out in full support of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020.

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Susan Sarandon

Primarily fighting for progressive and leftist causes, actor Susan Sarandon is also known for being a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. A demonstration in 1999 over the police killing of an African immigrant in New York City led to the arrests of Sarandon and 218 other protesters. She was a firm supporter of the farmers’ protests in India in early 2021.

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Miley Cyrus

Though the public image and perception of Miley Cyrus has changed through the years, the singer has made her support for social causes quite clear in the past decade. Cyrus has participated in benefit concerts and contributed charity singles. Her biggest contribution to date is her founding of the Happy Hippie Foundation, which supports LGBTQ+ rights, homeless youths, and other vulnerable populations.

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Liza Minnelli

Broadway and Hollywood star Liza Minnelli is also a well-known philanthropist and has expressed her support for multiple causes, including LGBTQ+ rights. Minnelli was heavily invested in the AIDS crisis and incited Elizabeth Taylor’s own activism in raising awareness and funds for AIDS research.

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Charlize Theron

Hailing from South Africa, actor Charlize Theron has been involved in movements and organizations meant to support African youth in the fight against AIDS. Theron has also marched in several pro-choice and women’s rights marches, including the 2017 Women’s March.

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Lucy Lawless

In addition to her famed role as the titular character on “Xena: Warrior Princess,” Lucy Lawless is also a climate ambassador for Greenpeace. In 2012, Lawless and five other activists boarded an Arctic oil-drilling ship in protest and were subsequently arrested. Even still, Lawless continues to protest with the organization against climate change and oil drilling.

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Olivia Wilde

Actor and director Olivia Wilde was a vocal supporter of Barack Obama during his presidential run and terms, as well as serving as an advocate for Planned Parenthood and Time’s Up. As a feminist, Wilde has also participated in multiple Women’s Marches. In response to the Charlottesville white supremacist marches in 2017, Wilde, alongside other celebrities such as Mark Ruffalo, protested outside of Trump Tower.

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Cynthia Nixon

“Sex and the City” star Cynthia Nixon has long been an advocate for public education. She was arrested in 2002 while protesting outside of City Hall in New York City to demand better funding for schools. As a Bernie Sanders-supporting progressive, Nixon ran against Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic gubernatorial primaries in New York in 2018 but lost by 30 points. She spoke at a June 2021 rally in Albany, New York, where people advocated for single-payer health care.

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Madonna

Superstar Madonna has spent decades-long advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and HIV/AIDS awareness. For her work and advocacy, Madonna was awarded the Advocate for Change award at the 30th annual GLAAD Media Awards. In June 2020, Madonna was also seen protesting for Black Lives Matter, even with an injury that left her in crutches.

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Cher

Cher has contributed to numerous causes throughout the decades, including but not limited to AIDS relief, veterans care, the Flint water crisis, and COVID-19 relief. In response to the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States, Cher participated in a number of anti-Trump rallies, including one right after election night in 2016 that included Madonna and Mark Ruffalo.

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Stacker highlights 50 celebrities with a history of protest from the 1960s to today.

Written By

Chris Compendio

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davidjjohnston3 · 3 years ago

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The trees are straight and true here, and the help comes without seeming harpoons. I considered some insane things which were ‘above my pay-grade’ and as is my wont reflected on the state and implications of my former profession and what old friends and pharons meant to me. Right now think that my core goal in life is not to blow myself up. As a former would-have-been SecState said, ‘I love so many people.’ I am only sad that trying as I did to uproot that carrot of love just now could have resulted in the demolition of an entire root-network, of at least my own excision therefrom.

‘Some people’ want revenge against life for not going their way or not being the color or fragrance or face shape they like or feel it ought to be - ‘no that is not what I meant at all.’ They will never hold a life reliable which doesn’t resemble their ideal, imago, or ‘soul-idol’ &c. The meaning of the name ‘Cordelia’ as in King Lear is something like ‘heart’s ideal.’ I was driving and considering a novel that I feel touched absolute supreme greatness without knowing it or in a way that could mislead some readers Mrs. Mary HK Choi’s Yolk a novel I looked forward for a very long time. I had all these references and fractal coreferences and forgot about actual birds, like what does the chick eat in the egg.

‘Blood is the life’ - I liked etymologies for a long time and my intellectualism caused me acute trouble in Confirmation Class at Morrow Memorial United Methodist Church in about 1998. ‘Pastor’ Gretchen taught us the word root ‘consacramentum’ which comes from dipping the hand in blood in the concave of a Roman shield - those huge rectangular shields which could be used in formation as ‘testudo’ or turtle to stop projectile weapons and allowed soldiers to make pin-point stabbing attacks from a ‘matrix(?)’ of high protection. I forget what kind of animal was killed to pool the blood in the shield but it might have been a rabbit.

I was reading ‘Revelation,’ I don’t recall what everyone else was talking about. Some kind of community service project, interview your parents, buy a wedding-magazine and make a whole plan for how you would get married and how much it would cost (and while you’re at it describe how you would 1) restore a classic Shelby Cobra using newspaper and Krazy Glue 2) drive foresaid drop-top to the Moon).

The Pastor was a pipe-smoker named ‘Painter’ who used the NY Lotto’s ‘Hey you never know’ slogan to describe sth like Pascal’s Wager; OTOH St. Paul teaches us that everyone is born knowing God exists (Romans). The problem is that people fail or omit to glorify Him or subsequently ruin or betray their own best efforts through blasphemy, turning or falling away, cowardice, denial, attachment to certain sins or being ‘yoked unequally’ with non-believers.

I reflected starting in 2008 that I was shy of my ‘first love’ (rather, the woman I fell in love with at 14); at the time I gloried or reveled in the shyness like a Wallace Stevens poem that ends, ‘And not to have written a book.’ I could’ve written a few books by now or walked away from book-writing or changed my mind / specified which kind of book I might have written and for whom.

I remember always admiring the ‘magic’ of literature and feeling sad I had no characters or world of my own to work magic with. Star Wars and my own life and later much else supplied ‘materia poetica’ and till the point that I began to think in fiction and became addicted to interpreting my own in ‘story-ideas’ although that is not to say that what happened around me didn’t happen.

America is trying to become a better country in numerous valences, loving our neighbors, holding each other accountable. ‘Justice’ with or without the marks is important. It is a divine Judgment that Covid fell on the world even if eventually we all shall learn who devised the virus or leaked it or modulated its mutations. I was eager to rejoin the world feeling I might overcome my mental illness but I mishandled specific questions and tests. I ended up turning people against me and creating monsters more than ever as well as perhaps terminally sabotaging any chance I might’ve had of fulfilling a dream or making good on the past. I have a lot of opinions on the CCP but should’ve focused on love and family and personal responsibilities as in the past or at least held to my long-standing feeling that Chinese people deserve better rather than associating myself with hard-liners and racists or those who would simplify issues in order to bring about ultimate victory without temperance or concern for the side-effects.

In Milwaukee where I lived for far too long everyone’s spirit - electric, intellectual, visory(?), informational et cetera seemed to be militating against everybody else’s. There were fake vaccines, radioactive ice cream (or thermogenic ice-cream), gun-battles as usual, lines crossed, all kinds of scores that people tried to settle. I also realized that the police were probably tracking for years my various attempts to obtain weapons from samurai-swords to handguns though the purpose was defensive and I can only trust at this point that some good lawyer will prevent the bad lawyers and cops from presenting the most damning circumstantial case they could. People in Milwaukee own AK-47′s, automatic shotguns, probably all kinds of explosives, improvised chemical weapons and (’our Black brothers’ - Schopenhauer) biological weapons - the cops don’t stand a chance that I can tell and even the National Guard perhaps could get outclassed by retired military. I had told myself for years that it was only the ghetto’s that bore witness to this paramilitary equipage and that the retired SEAL Team 4 member with the ‘Stop Socialism’ and ‘Jobs Not Mobs’ sign on his front lawn would protect me from the Maoist-Covid Night of the Long Knives but I feel I tempted God a lot in the past.

I read all these books and took to heart that people thought I was just entertaining myself with but now as then I should’ve guarded my heart or not begged the question of what others thought about me or saw in me. I literally felt of late ‘I am the anti-Christ’ - good-looking at times, preach world peace, ‘form of godliness,’ want to be friends with everyone, build bridges - and had to rack my brains to come up with an ‘anti-Christology’ and science / concept of the Whore of Babylon just to make sure it was more than me alone. I also wished to simplify my past and help kids ‘get life right the right time’ doing battle with philosophies that opposed this consciously or otherwise but stepped into numerous minefields and also tried running when I should’ve flown over.

Everyone’s trying to get rich and build back better and I profoundly admired the American President for doing, finally, apparently, what presidents had tried to decades even as I remember ‘Flowers 1881′ a poem that implies that basically teachers can do only so much before turning their kids loose in a world no one has yet fixed and which others keep breaking; from a California almanac that also instructed me that the same old debates and cross-fires and burdens plague teachers as always, not that it is an ‘impossible profession’ but honestly that God won’t let us establish Heaven on Earth or at least not me or at least not America or at least not teachers who savor the experience of being a teacher or the beauty of their students more than the outcomes or commitment or intrinsic value of the work or the confirmed identity / vocation / personhood of the instructor. There are always new and old at any rate and different cultures all describe the teacher as needing to keep both alive; as do descriptions of higher education and scholarship.

I questioned my qualifications / background and wondered about re-training but can’t afford tuition anywhere so I am trying to cling to the core of my capabilities / blessings. ABC and XYZ. The glory of the soul or souls.

I kept theorizing Russian literature as well as weapons-systems and ultimate destiny, sailing ships, noble names, divisions, the flaming sword of Archangel Gabriel, the mission of Russia today with respect to the world order. I am also simply trying to be healthy and stop for a while trying to parse out who was the love of my life or what it still left in terms of action or redemption or justice or surrender or mitigation or meeting new friends or propounding the kind of understand with carefulness I have believed in - ‘saving people from themselves.’ Driving up here I remember being distressed at a gas-station in California when I was about 5 or 6 since the pump was leaking, being very upset with my parents and family. In those days I also disliked animal-cruelty though the world today seems so depraved and deprived with respect to human interests I would make no bones about neglecting most all animals outside of military or police use. When I was about 3 I saw white kids set a frog on fire; my mother has a history of running over cats.

I dislike winging it and taking risks. There is a song I call to myself ‘Run Away’ though its title is ‘Paradise.’ I am not a utopian communist for believing in secular justice and its instrinsic value... I wonder whether when I helped people in the past there were always strings attached or maybe I was just trying to close my case and discharge my responsibilities too rapidly without allowing others to gestate or make an abode in my heart besides and beyond what I could get out of them, glorifying myself, or tell others about.

What is motherhood? What is travail? Is there a kind of problematic ‘female gaze’ as feminists talk of a ‘male gaze’ associated with sadism or fascination / fetishism? It’s psychology which is not my first love at all since it appeared pretentious and distracting and retarding (in the literal sense of slowing down).

I also remembered reading various things about Victor Hugo whose ‘93′ is an important novel today due to its techno-utopianism, feminism or ‘new model egalitarianism,’ fusion of revolution and religion, etc. But I had forgotten ‘Les Miserable’ with its themes of ransom or eventual recompense, genealogies, caution, and more none of which is to negate the various complains against me or death-warrant from China or my parents with their partial private readings of Proverbs (’Let’s stone David for embarrassing us / not doing precisely what we want’ - no mention of witnesses, tribunals, questions, mitigation-hearings, actual counsels of judges etc. but just American-German ‘coalitions of the willing’ ‘run and get my gun’ ‘team-building’ etc. which in my experience ends with tanks on the street and military dictatorships as when at the end of the CultRev PLA regulars were gunning down former justice-fanatics who’d been stripping women, kicking pregnant stomachs etc. as in The Vagrants). Naturally having grown up in a family fascinated with Lee Kwanyew and Arnold Schwarzenegger and conflicted about ‘fascism’ I had reservations about the United States’ ability to suddenly dress up and ‘stand at perpetual moral attention’ but I guess my own problems are just that I am poor with a rich kid’s mind and no one really likes me except strangers and faraway friends who were easily spooked and/or just couldn’t be there. ‘King of South shall attack and King of North shall crush them with chariots &c.’ - in the end righteous will prevail whichever side of the line I end up on in the final assessment. I also remembered today a novel called ‘The Old Capital’ about a bad artist father, a virgin daughter, straight and true pines. Some other aspects of this novel are silly as well as criminally problematic and there's a lot of that going on in new-old old news America / Babylon or at least to quote my favorite lawyer / leave lawyering movie 'First let's get out of Milwaukee.' Miss the land of June snow.

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whitecub-india · 3 years ago

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Conserving by consuming: A contemporary take on Climate Change

Climate change catastrophes taking place for about a century can be potentially softened and the planet redeemed in a matter of 30 years.

Planet needs our help, but only until the roles are reversed!

This World Environment Day 2021, let’s fix this? Rise in global temperature is a result of emission of greenhouse gases causing the planet to inexorably heat up; human activities being the sole causal factor of the same. Due to energy intensive activities, natural resources are getting exhausted at a rate that recedes the threshold.

Currently, the food system is responsible for about a third of these greenhouse gas emissions. About half of the planet’s usable land is occupied by animals who are used for food. In addition to that, 50-60% of the edible biomass of the planet is consumed by these animals for them to be able to produce meat. As a bonus, food insecurity is rampant worldwide!”

But what are we to deduce from it? Let’s understand this through an analogy!

If the Livestock Industry was a country, the characteristics would be-

world’s third largest carbon emitter ( particularly Methane)

world’s largest country ( area wise)

World’s go to food bank and food waste station .

Not only would this ‘country’ exhaust a lot of our natural resources during the process of methane generation but the ‘food’ produced here would lead to a lot of diseases worldwide. ( cancer, heart disease, obesity- to name a few)

We, as consumers, cannot change HOW the goods are produced but we have the magnificent ability to guide WHAT is produced. WE consumers make choices every passing second. Our buying behaviour sends a message to manufacturers who control the industrial production practices.

Adaptation is key. Animal agriculture exerts a lot of stress on the environment for what it’s worth. The entire process of food production and processing, transport, retail consumption, loss and waste through animals is not sustainable anymore.

A shift to a Plant based diet is the best call at the moment. A vegan lifestyle abstains the use of animals or animal products in any form (food, clothing, cosmetics etc.) Hence, serving as a legitimate tool with dual benefits; one of mitigating climate change catastrophe, and the other of having an improved quality of health (due to an exponentially decreased degree of biological magnification in food)

Myth– vegan diet lacks in protein Fact– plants take up nitrogen from air to synthesise protein. Animals are incapable of producing protein.

Myth- vegan diet is calcium deficit Fact- Earth’s crust largely comprises calcium which is naturally passed on to anything that grows on it ie. Plants

So yes, you might just turn the opposite of weak!

Ethical consumerism practices are our voucher to redeem the planet! We do this by being socially conscious and making intelligent consumer choices.

Adopting a sustainable lifestyle isn’t as difficult as projected by the mainstream media because literally everything we do guides the media’s behaviour and it comes full circle!

What can we do?

It’s like Tinder but you gotta swap instead of swipe.

Let’s see how!

faux leather for genuine leather

Nutritional yeast for cheese

Satin fabrics for silk fabrics

veggie burger for a cheeseburger

Oil for ghee/butter

‘Cruelty free’ cosmetics for ‘tested on animals’ cosmetics

almond/soy/oat mylk for regular milk

Dark chocolate for milk chocolate

Tofu/mushroom/soya for meat

Hummus for mayonnaise

Red sauce pasta for white sauce pasta

Vegan Ice Cream for Regular Milk Ice Cream

It is the little things that count. Change happens in the top down fashion , it also happens in a bottom up fashion! Since we are consumers, we shape the economy and the course of industrial production.

Once the trend of ‘Plant based’ is popularised by the media, industries would capitalise on the same. As a result,there would be no means by which anything we eat/ use would be associated with animals. The prospects of which are projected to be profitable within 3-10 years of commencement.

Food scientists are already working on making the ‘best meat’ (tastier, healthier and affordable) from plant sources as a means to buffer the crisis. They are aiming to relegate the concept of ‘using animals for food’ to something that future generations only read about!

Isn’t it a win-win to take a step this Environment day towards restoring the ecosystem!? Shift to a plant based lifestyle is indeed fundamental for attaining sustainability. By 2050 the catastrophe shall be softened, causing a happy planet with happy people and animals!

-Hansa (a WhiteCub Enthusiast)

#diet vegan dairyfree sustainability plantbased climatechange dietandclimate

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promisedangel · 5 years ago

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Fresh Meat: Confinement- Chapter 25

First

Thank you so much for your patience. I figured out part of my problem was circular topics. I’m in the process of trimming and streamlining the future events of the story to prevent this from happening again.

Chapter 25- Status

Alphys turned back towards Chara with concern. It had been a long time since she saw Chara in such a state of grief and dismay. She almost felt at a loss. She wanted to say something. Anything. She thought about her words as she carefully grasped Chara’s hand with both of hers. Chara’s eyes drifted to their grasped hand, their sobs unhindered. Alphys spoke gently, “Chara. I promise it won’t get that bad.” Chara’s voice cracked through their sobs, “Please… don't lie to me.” “I’m not lying…” Chara shot a glare. They pushed their upper body up to Alphys’s eye level. They raised their voice, “You are lying!” Alphys shivered. She jumped back with a startle. Chara continued to shout at her, “You are lying to me and lying to yourself! You haven’t stopped him yet, so what makes you think you will stop him from hurting me further?!” Alphys curled inward. She raked her brain for a few terse moments for anything better to say. Chara’s expression slowly cooled back to their sorrow with the realization of what they’ve done. They laid back down on their bed and spoke quietly, “I… I’m sorry. I… should not take this out on you.” Alphys twiddled her claws and replied in a chastised tone, “No… you’re right. I shouldn’t be making promises I can’t keep.” She approached the bedside again. She got down on her knees and spoke gently, “So… instead I’ll promise I will do everything I can to mitigate your pain.” Chara sighed and closed their eyes. Their mood and tone evened out to relief, “Thank you.”

Alphys stood. Her tone brightened slightly, “Um… I’ll get your breakfast ready. We can decide what to do after. Okay?” Chara silently nodded. They watched as Alphys left them alone, only to return sometime later with a tray of food and water. Alphys carefully placed the tray down at the foot of Chara’s bed. She approached Chara cautiously. “Do you want help sitting up?” Chara affirmed, “Since I am on my stomach, I will need help slowly adjusting my leg.” Alphys went to the foot of the bed. She quickly scooted the tray under the bed. She questioned, “Okay. Did you want me to hold your leg up?” Chara nodded as they tossed the bed sheet to the side. Alphys slowly lifted Chara’s left leg upwards. Chara hissed slightly but began to turn over on the bed. Alphys helped Chara settle back onto the bed in a sitting position, including the ice pack. Once done, She gave Chara the tray. She sat on the floor at Chara’s bedside as Chara slowly began to eat.

Alphys broke the silence with a question, “Um… can I ask a… difficult question?” Chara raised a brow with their cautious reply, “About?” Alphys grimaced before she spoke, “What… I mean, why do you think he’s broken you?” Chara paused their meal. They were silent for a moment. Alphys replied nervously, “Y- you don’t have to answer if you don’t feel comfortable.” Chara recounted, “Before he broke my leg… he asked me a question. If I answered correctly, he said he would let me go before he sent the Royal Guard after me.” Alphys’s eyes widened. “He… He wouldn’t do that. Not after you were almost taken by that intruder.” “Exactly. It was a cruel trick.” Chara expression seemed distant as they continued, “I don’t think there was a correct answer. It was too vague, only asking left or right.” Alphys’s eyes narrowed. She gave a confused tone, “What kind of question is that supposed to be? Is that even a question?” “You see my point. In hindsight, I can only see it as a trick to break me.” Alphys’s expression softened. She sighed, “After everything that’s happened, I shouldn’t be surprised you feel this way. I…. never thought something like this would happen. But I think part of me is surprised something like this didn’t happen sooner.” Chara muttered dryly, “He enjoys it, you know. His expressions, his tone, his posture as he looms down at me. He enjoys every second of it.” Chara shook their head, “I should have figured that out when he laughed at me when he punished me with the laser.”

Alphys cleared her throat. Her expression oozed her discomfort with the topic. She tried to change the subject. Her tone was nervous at first, but slowly relaxed as she spoke, “Um... did you want to give the wheelchair a try? Or did you want your hair washed? Like we discussed.” Chara gave a despondent gaze. They relaxed as they slumped their body against the wall. They spoke quietly, “After I've eaten.” Alphys nodded, “Okay.”

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The morning passed into the late afternoon as Alphys tried to cheer Chara up. Learning the limits of the wheelchair did little to improve Chara's despondent mood. Washing their hair had just as little effect but fluffed Chara's hair to a semi-clean state. As much as Alphys wanted to stay and continue to help, Chara shooed her away quietly. She sighed, complying with Chara's wishes.

Once kicked out, she knew her next move was to confront Dr. Gaster about Chara's leg. Yet, no courage bubbled. No voice of confidence to disown this kind of behavior. As she thought of things to say, her throat seemed to close on her. Her expression lowered. She at least had to hear it from his side.

Alphys knocked on Gaster's door. She heard permission to enter, indifferent as usual. She entered and closed the door behind her, but did not approach his desk. He gave glances towards her in between his stacks of papers. He spoke evenly, “I assume the human has been tended to?” Alphys leaned against the door as she nodded. She quietly asked, “Why did you do that to them?” Gaster replied bluntly, “It was necessary.” Anger flashed on Alphys's face. Her confidence temporarily restored itself. Her mind caught up with her quickly. She bit her lip before she spat words. She shook slightly. No, even if she wanted to, this wasn't the way. She had to endure it to stay by Chara's side. Her expression deflated to a resigned sadness. She confessed, “You broke them.” Gaster rolled his eye sockets but did not make eye contact with Alphys. He retorted, “I know it seems harsh, but the human keeps finding ways to escape. All I did was ensure that it stays where it can be protected. We cannot afford any more mistakes.” Alphys swallowed the rest of her desire to retort. It showed as hesitation in her voice, “N... no, sir... I don't mean just their leg. I, um, think you shattered their mental state.” Gaster paused from his paperwork. He looked up at Alphys with hints of shock and trepidation. He questioned, “Are you saying its will is broken?” Alphys looked away and affirmed, “Yes...” Many emotions battled within Gaster. Disbelief budded first: was the human truly broken? Or was Alphys exaggerating? He had noticed the human slowly become more and more submissive as the month went on. Perhaps this was the last shock the human needed before they broke. A small smile appeared and disappeared just as quickly. He was grateful for this news. Truly. He felt more at ease with the knowledge his work became easier to manage. Just in time to take blood on a regular basis. He spoke with a calm smile, “Good. It will make drawing blood next week easier.” Alphys seemed despondent. Her tail curled around her feet. Her boss's reaction flashed by so fast for her. In the end, he only had a few calm words to say about it. She sighed, “I see.” Gaster went back to his paperwork, “Is that all?” Alphys shook her head. She replied quietly, mournfully, “Yes, sir.” Alphys turned towards the door. She opened the door and hung on the doorknob for a moment. Her desire to retort bubbled once more. If not about the cruelty, then at least about Chara's mental state. But, it was brief with the knowledge nothing would come of it at this point. Not if she wanted Chara to be somewhat safe. She exited quietly.

Alphys walked back to her room in silence. There was still time before she had to start making Chara's dinner. The day and night before had been heavy on her, she had begun to drag her feet and tail as she walked. Halfway back to her room, her cellphone began to ring. She raised her eyebrow, confused. Was Gaster calling her back to his office for something? A chill ran down her spine at the thought. She fished her cellphone from her pocket. She answered the phone carefully, “Um... hello?” “Ah Alphyss, good. I'm relieved I remembered your number.” Serol's voice calmly projected from the phone. Alphys sighed in relief. Her relief quickly switched to confusion. She questioned, “What's wrong, Serol? Did something happen?” Serol sprinted through speaking, “No! No no! I sswear nothing hass happened!” He cleared his throat before he continued, “I... I thought about what you showed me this morning.” Alphys paused. She looked around the hallway. She saw a camera a ways ahead of her on a corner. She spoke tensely into the phone, “Um... give me a minute to get back to my room.” Serol made a quick affirming noise. Alphys hung up the phone quietly. She wanted to sprint to her room, but she held back that instinct. Her eyes drifted back to the camera in suspicion. Even though he wasn't actively looking, she knew he could rewind any camera feed with any footage. She couldn't risk it.

It took a few minutes for Alphys to retreat to her room at a casual pace. She closed the door behind her before she slumped and slid down the door with a groan. Once sat on the ground, she called Serol back. He answered quickly, “Yess?” Alphys apologized, “I'm sorry... if there was any chance he knew I let you in Chara's room, I... I don't know anymore.” Serol spoke calmly, “I undersstand.” Alphys stood up and made her way to her bed, “Anyway, what did you want to talk about? You said you thought about Chara's leg or something?” Serol's tone turned serious, “More broad, but yess. I want to help you.” Alphys blinked. She sat on the bed as she spoke in a confused tone, “Help me?” “From the little I've sseen of Chara'sssituation, I can only imagine the pain they've been through. Dr. Gasster may be keeping them ssafe from monssterkind, but the way he'ss doing it feelss wrong.” Alphys's tone turns to a slight somber, “Serol, I don't think you can help me.” He gave a nervous chuckle, “Yess, well, I am not sure how to help. That'ss why I called you.” “Again... I'm not sure you can. Not since he's increased security into the lower lab.” “I sstill have accessss while my team and I are working on the sssoul sscanning devicce. And, if I prove usseful beyond that, I could have accessss indefinitely.” “What if you can't 'prove useful' to him? What then?” “I can ssneak ssomething in the ssupplies. The hum- erm, Chara needss food, right?” “Well... yes...” “And part of your dutiess iss to check those ssupply shipmentss, yess?” “I'm losing his trust. He could check the shipments himself.” Serol paused, “Then... I can help you regain his trust.” Alphys groaned before she replied, “Serol... I really appreciate you trying, but things are too high strung now. I don't want you getting in trouble either.” She sighed, “If... I agree to accept your help, do you think you could only help when I ask?” Serol affirmed, “Of coursse, I won't be recklessss.” Alphys relaxed. She smiled as she replied, “Thank you, Serol.” “Pleasse call for my help ssoon.” Serol hung up the phone. Alphys gently set her phone on her nightstand. She rubbed her face and groaned, “Serol... you don't know what you got into...”

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A week had gone by without incident. Chara shook and held their right shoulder tightly. Their right arm was opened, elbow down along their bed. New bandages were tightly wrapped around their elbow, a tiny splotch of blood bled through the bandage. Chara watched silently, glowering at Gaster as he walked towards the door. In one hand, he held a large vial. Blood freshly stolen. He looked back one last time, a dark, satisfied smile across his skull. Chara's glower faltered as he looked back. He spoke, “If you are like this from now on, you can expect to be rewarded in a few weeks.”

Chara's eyes instinctively drifted to Gaster's pocket, knowing exactly what he meant. Their expression brightened for only a moment before Gaster opened the door. He looked to his right and spoke, “Ah, perfect timing, Alphys.” Alphys's voice rung from just beyond the door, “I didn't realize you'd be doing the blood draw this late...” Gaster sighed, “Sadly, I'm running behind today. A few meetings ran longer than expected.” Alphys spoke gently, “Well, hopefully, you catch up.” “I will.” With that, Gaster disappeared. Alphys sighed in relief. She entered the room with a tray of food for Chara as always. She spoke with worry, “Did he hurt you while drawing blood?” Chara accepted the tray as they spoke, “Not physically. He was testing me; seeing if I would react.” Alphys spoke with understanding, “And you didn't.” Chara paused from drinking their water. They squeezed their glass. They gritted their teeth and spoke, “But I wanted to. I wanted to say something. Anything. I could barely look at him. I scowled at him as he left, but I couldn't when he looked back.” Alphys nodded silently by Chara's side. She kept a sympathetic gaze. Chara continued, “I hate him. But, I don't want to hurt anymore...” Alphys spoke gently, “I know. And I'm here for you.”

Tears budded from Chara's eyes. Anger bloomed in their expression. They raised the glass above their head. They raised their voice, “I hate feeling useless!” Chara threw the glass. The moment it left their hand, they gasped and widened their eyes. Alphys and Chara could only watch helplessly as the glass hit the floor and broke into several large pieces and some small pieces. Both Alphys and Chara gaped at the broken glass, their minds at first failed to process the event. Alphys began to step towards it. Chara noticed this and began to apologize, “I'm sorry. Truly.” Alphys shook her head before she responded calmly, “It's okay. You didn't hurt either of us.” Chara removed the covers from their bed. They sniffled and wiped their tears away. They spoke, still recovering from their sorrow, “Let me help.” Chara carefully crawled out of bed. Their leg still had some pain from moving, but it was not debilitating due to the gauze healing the break. Alphys started to bend down to pick up some of the glass before she noticed Chara. She began to panic slightly, “Oh! No, no! I can take care of this! Don't... don't strain yourself!” Chara carefully crawled on the floor. They were careful and aware of the pain in their injured leg. Alphys resigned, “Okay... Just be careful. I can pick up the small pieces without worry.”

Chara affirmed. They stopped around the foot of their bed. They grabbed a few smaller pieces silently. They cradled the pieces in one hand while they picked up glass shards with the other. They grabbed a larger piece. They flinched and made a small noise. Alphys noticed immediately. “Are you okay?” Chara held the piece to their chest. They spoke nervously, “I thought I cut myself, but I’m fine.” Alphys blinked. She let out a, “Oh... okay. Just be careful.” Chara nodded. Alphys's focus returned to picking up the pieces. Chara relaxed and looked down on the newest piece of glass in their hand. The glass had cut into their palm just under their pinkie and their ring finger. Their mind drifted as the intensely looked at the piece of glass and the blood it freed. Chara looked over at Alphys. She looking in a different direction as she picked up the rest of the pieces. Chara slowly slipped the blood dipped glass shard under the sheet of their bed. Chara went back to picking up the rest of the pieces with Alphys. The two used the tray to hold the glass. Alphys sighed in relief, “Okay. That should be all of it. Thank you for helping.” Chara mused dryly, yet apologetically, “It's the least I can do for breaking it.” Alphys dismissed it, “Don't worry. It was an accident.” Alphys collected the rest of the utensils and silverware from Chara's bed, “Okay. You rest up. I'll see you tomorrow.” Chara nodded, “See you.” Alphys left without another word.

An expert from the journal of Dr. W.D Gaster

The human is far too clever for its own good. It tried one last time to escape last week. I had no choice to deal an extremely harsh punishment. But it was worth it; Alphys informed me the human's will has broken. Today, I was able to test this during the first scheduled blood draw. The human couldn't look me in the eye, let alone retort to anything said. Despite this change, I cannot take the chance it won't escape again. The new room is nearing completion. With it, I won’t have to worry about escape ever again.

#predatortale #undertale predator au #undertale au #undertale fresh meat #Confinement #fresh meat confinement #chara #alphys #serol #original character #gaster #w.d. gaster #chapter 25 #fanfic #fanfiction #tw blood

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cutepacabra · 6 years ago

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Understanding my own queerness, and my mestizaje in the South

I’m not really sure what this work is, it’s a bit of ramble from my stream of consciousness, a mea culpa for the people I’ve hurt and a coming out letter in some inane clusterfuck. Each subsection is headed with the title of an LP I’ve found particularly profound during that moment in my life.

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Blacksburg Va, The Turn of the 10’s

I had made it. I’d shed the label of the new kid and was finally free to just be some kid people didn’t know, I’d found friends and developed a distance from my past 3 years in copy paster’s guide to neighborhoods. Most of all I had yet develop a real sense of self by that point. I had the luxury of my criollo (phenotypically and by wealth) existence shielding me from having to really wrestle with what it meant to be apart from the group, I got to indulge the luxury of white anonymity; no one asked me “what are you” until they saw my name and even then my response of “Mexican” or “Mexicano” was met with a “well prove it”. Looking back I’m more than a little shocked at the arrogance on display with such assertions, certainly warranting more than my tepid “no” or capitulation. Advancement into middle school of course came with all the requisite increases in outward displays of stupidity, cruelty and insensitivity that the white mindset brings with it (typically characterized as “no one has ever hurt me by talking about my whiteness so why would it hurt anyone else” in a naivete that too oft lasts until death), including but not limited too the whole arsenal of racial slurs that a group of 11 or 12 year olds can pull or cook up, made all too easy by our ready access to the internet. We would throw the hard r a.k.a. The Papa John around with reckless abandon; pouring endless more effort into research for new ways to degrade people of colour than we would our school work, even finding the esotericists the region brought along with it, finding nothing less than delight to find out that the term “moon cricket” or “fruit picker” could be used to degrade a group of people effectively invisible in such a preeminently white space. As with all 12 year old children we were not without our share of homophobia as well, a wide smile across some of their faces as they spoke about how they’d “beat the shit out of” and then “rape” any “faggot” that dared cross them. Of course this put me in a bit of a pickle, being that I myself was a budding young “faggot” and I now had to show my mettle as much as possible in order to avoid social flaying at a level of cruelty almost unique to that age. I had to up the ante, take on that mask and assume those traits that now had become linked with being masculine and fitting in: racism, homophobia, misogyny in addition to a generally callous misanthropy.

The ultimate manifestation of my closet persona can be summed up by all the memories conjured by a simple phrase “Do it or you’re not real” (depending on the particular boy this could be appended with a hard r or a “faggot”). I made myself a fool in boys clothing many a time at the utterance, almost like an activated manchurian candidate, from opening the emergency exit door on a bus moving at least 50 miles per hour down the highway and having to be pulled back in a Looney Toons esque fashion to the sexual harassment of women simply for the comedy of the reaction to the other boys (particularly the women the other boys realized I had a romantic interest in). I had become nothing less than a monster, caught up in the worst of reaction, white enough to be let in on the fun and games with nothing more than the occasional “border jumper” or “mexinigger” comment. Of course it’s difficult to camo hide the things that cannot be hidden and my descent into an internet supported madness borne of cognitive dissonance, memes, image boards, forums and more stimuli than you can shake a stick at, in short exactly who you think would be listening to ska punk in 2010, I would oft hear a phrase that has stuck with me. “You’re pretty weird”, the intonation would vary, sometimes being a derision laced with venom, sometimes a realization built on uncertainty and sometimes the soft smile from someone who found a compatriot in not fitting in somehow. It was undeniable that at some level me being off white or just off perturbed them. I had become a simulacra of whiteness, the dissonance between my hyper real whiteness and the true blue thing they’d known all their life was in that moment there and not; an oscillation that existed at the boundaries of the rigid modernist reality set forth by the racial framing ideology that ruled the way they thought about people. If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck and says the n word like a duck is it a duck? The answer here was simultaneously yes and no; I had through effort overcome my innate nature within the social structure but had only achieved a consciousness of whiteness (and heterosexuality) that allowed me to become that simulacra; a fake that was in some ways even more real than the real thing since I had to try and maintain that identity continually, this in particular was profoundly perturbing to some of my classmates. “If someone didn’t know you they’d think you were white” and comments in that ilk always carried that worry, that uneasiness that someone from an “out group” could slip “in”, nicknames like “the infiltrator” or “undercover” further cemented this feeling.

This dissonance started to create a toxic pit of self loathing and internalized pathologies aimed against all the things I knew all too well I was and towards all the things I so desperately wanted to be. I hated the rise in my chest a few of my male friends would provoke; I hated my late night google dives into crossdressing paraphernalia and picture sets, desperately framed as yet another “haha look at these weirdos” “joke”; I hated knowing I was on the outside no matter how hard I tried to fit in; I hated myself. The only hate from this era which has yet to set its sun, shining overhead to this day, blinding my path.

That’s not to say that this time didn’t have its share of counterframing towards equality and justice, I ended up adopting the typical reactionary white liberal view of the world but not without a fight put up by my mother’s strong views on human justice borne of her socially orphaned social democrat political views imported from Mexico. As well as the Priest of the local Roman Catholic Church Father Prinelli who was incredibly cool with my generalized disillusionment with organized religion and just asked me to kind to my fellow folk. It would be an unfortunately long time before I would heed their words.

Losing Streak

The North DFW ‘Burbs circa the early to mid 2010s

While my set of friends had not traveled back with me my dips into reaction followed my move back to the same North DFW suburb I had left before landing in the New River Valley. It was around this time that my reactionary mindset found a new target to bully and deny was a part of me: the trans community. While at some level I knew I felt uncomfortable in my gender expression I interpreted this as my failure to “man up” or fulfill my traditionally masculine roles in the face of a lot of decidedly non masculine interests (S/o to ZUN’s Touhou Project series for spurring my appreciation for frilly ridiculous clothing), leading me to decide that I would simply have to be even more “masculine” which at the time meant becoming even more overt of an asshole to gender non conforming folks. I was also stripped of the masculine identity I had built up through sheer rapport with what was actually a pretty large swatch of folks, leaving me to find a new place to cast my dark closeted arts.

I fell in with a roughly the same set of folks I hung out with during my time there in elementary school but the timbre of who I was became profoundly different. The culture and the social structure was markedly different and the survival strategies I had conceived no longer made the most sense. On top of all this was the piling on of teenage angst both normal and dysphoria fueled. I had met the natural end of my sins, supreme loneliness, alienated from everyone around me and even the only one I had in solitude. As I gradually clawed myself a place to exist in the localized social structure it would become more and more apparent that only by beginning to shed some of the malice in my heart would lead to a better outcome.

Better in this case was actually quite good for someone who in retrospect is wholly undeserving, I found myself with an incredibly tight knit group of about 6 people who were tempered by unexpected hardships rarely overcome by the group but almost always partially mitigated. Being as profoundly enthralled in reactionary ideology as I was it would take time for this realization that raw human kindness is what creates strong bonds. These people would layer by layer begin to peel parts of the callous shell I had built with what they had, motivating me to drop some of the most egregious of my beliefs such as homophobia, racism until I was an even stranger mix of self hatred with external crusades for what I have come to believe are the right things.

Bubbling beneath the surface for all this of course is the 3178 kilogramme elephant in the room of my gender identity. Being so alienated from what the “normal” male experience was I found myself not thinking that what I would come to realize were leaking feelings were anything out of the ordinary for kids my age. “Of course all guys want to be girls and think about it with regularity” “There’s nothing weird about always being an ambiguous creature or a girl in your dreams” By this point I just pinned these things down to my now personally accepted bisexuality never even having the mental framework to link these thoughts up with my transness.

Twin Fantasy

Caucasian Station, TX; Texas A&M University

Things kinda fell apart. I was a pretty lonely person for a hot second in my HS years but I at least had the luxury of speaking with someone every single day (whether or not the people I was conversing with or I wished to is another matter) but coming to uni was another level. During the first semester of my fish year I would spend weeks without saying more than a passing set of sentences, too scared, too alienated, too depressed to even leave my dorm for more than runs for sustenance outside. My sanity was barely kept intact by working with cavelier and roguish campus activism collective “TAMU Anti-Racism” as the tensions built on campus with the rising tide of white supremacy in the days before and after the Trump election. This meager sense of purpose I ascribed to being able to “do” anything managed to keep me attached to this mortal coil even if only in the loosest fashion.

Somehow I had become an impression left by my old husk self lying on the ground, a shadow forgotten by everything. The real inflections came in the wake of what was supposed to be a moment of triumph for me in college, my first hetero and homosexual experiences; instead I would find myself disgusted with myself, not for the acts in question but rather for my reaction to them. I kinda hated it. I started chalking this up to some sort of need for romance in my sexual relationships, this would also prove untrue. Simultaneously my “leaks” of transness were becoming more and more apparent, buying women's clothes on the internet and donning them in the dead of night in my dorm restroom only to become overwhelmed with self hate and guilt at the idea that I could be some kind of pervert because it felt right, because I wanted it. My own hate of my physical form also grew exponentially during this time although I would again simply attribute this to a pathology about being really overweight. On occasion I would even have fits of body hair dysphoria and shave all of my body hair in a panicked burst, hopping in the shower with the sole thought that it all had to go. With the answer to my feelings staring me in the face as the barrel of a gun stares in the face of someone executed in the field I still looked the sights down from the other side and said “I don’t see a gun”. Repression truly induces some incredibly wild states of mind. One of those even happened to be an entertaining of the end, through the purchase of a method before I escaped the malaise temporarily and came to my senses.

While this may sound like a recipe for academic success the truth is I ended up in a state of failure in two of my courses at the time (physics and calculus, both of which I had long since stopped attending regularly) and I knew I only had the chance to pass 1 of them when finals week came to tower over me. My premonition came to pass and I would get a big fat F in Calculus to accompany generally low grades overall, putting me on Academic probation. By this time I had at the least come to realize that the college of engineering did not house my future academic home although I was too chicken footed to leave the next semester. With the miasma of academic failure lifted from me I would spend the next two semesters attempting to find my place at the department of Sociology and within the same organizations that dominate my time at TAMU today.

I also have to give great thanks to these orgs for really helping me develop my sense of latinidad and latino identity when the bloom of the cactus upon my face was oft lost in the shuffle. I’ve become much more comfortable with my ethnic heritage and more understanding of my status and place within the mestizaje as a privileged individual for being white passing, even if it’s the source of a lot of my internal turmoil. I’ve managed to dedicate so much of my time and effort to the community and in turn the community has given me back my sense of self, my sense of purpose. I no longer feel like a chunk of gravel aimlessly being flung around a highway and I owe that to all the incredible role models and friends I’ve made and met working for the betterment of Latinos on campus and in the US writ large. A fairly obvious epiphany came to me sometime in the past year or so that having a reason to live really is pretty good.

My life would proceed without any major events until I would come face to face with the incongruity between myself and my body in an unexpected fashion the first semester of my sophomore year. During a trip to a nearby city for a conference I found myself at a dangerous level of inebriation, going quite a bit too hard. I stumbled my way into the restroom and felt the alcohol poisoning creep into my body; one by one my senses felt like they were leaving me, leaving my soul suspended in the ether. In that dissociated state I came to realization, I didn’t feel male during this brush with death, in fact I felt rather femme again refusing to believe what was in front of me I would spend hours in the next days attempting to find out if my reaction was simply a normal response to the irresponsible amount of drinks I had ingested that night.

A good talking to by a friend over the net that I was exhibiting quite a lot of gender non-conforming behavior finally pushed me over the edge and cracked my egg. It was still relatively early in the day when I came to point where my recession dam broke and the dysphoric waters came flooding in full force. Suddenly and violently I had context for feelings I had held for a long time and was now drowning in their full weight. Among these feelings I had pushed down and stamped upon during my early days was apparently anxiety because although I didn’t know it I was having a full blown panic attack at the time. I would come to realize what was happening only after boarding what felt like an exceedingly crowded Aggie Spirit bus, as my vision, chest and breathing further constricted. The world felt like it was collapsing in on me, my eyes went fish eyed like a sick 90s skate video, my breath grew more and more shallow. After getting off the bus and finding a solitary spot to shed some tears in I called the only people I knew I could rely on, my friends. Particularly 3 folks who I’ll leave anonymous for this letter (if i’m sending this to you, you probably know who you are) spurred me to action and to take the reigns of my life. Just before my 20th birthday in March I made an appointment with a clinic to seek hormone replacement therapy. After about 6 months in september I walked in 3 months after my blood exam with a script for estradiol and spironolactone.

To the people who’ve supported me I can’t thank you enough. To the people I’ve hurt I can never fully atone for my transgressions against you. To those on the outside looking in, I hope this shows that life isn’t a linear path, that things can take you in directions you never thought and that there’s always a way to get better.

Thanks and Gig em,

SRJP

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dwellordream · 3 years ago

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“Our contemporary Western understanding of courtesy and civility is founded on our experience of a democratic society in which all citizens are supposed to enjoy fair treatment before the law. The massive amount of literature that has recently appeared on the supposed waning of courtesy shows how much we have come to value democratic civility as a sign of civilized pro-social behaviour. Yet nostalgia for a supposedly more civil era distracts us from realizing that in a different time and place the outright disrespect, hatred, and exclusion of the ‘other’ was considered normal and vital for survival.

Ironically, when Western courtesy first appeared as a social contract in Europe during the Middle Ages its practice had little to do with mutual consideration and everything to do with establishing and maintaining rigid differentiations between individuals possessing disparate amounts of military power, social prestige, and wealth. Nevertheless, it served to provide the foundation for a long tradition of civility founded on the belief that human interaction should be so conducted as to respect the safety and comfort of interactants. Thus, a knowledge of the origins of courtesy is very important if we are to understand the crucial role played by the restraint of violence in the development of later Western civility.

Although the early courtesy writings preached in favour of less violence, they were not meant to favour equality between citizens. In fact, the rationalization and maintenance of an inflexible social hierarchy were not at all in conflict with the highly influential Christian theology of the time. Social and economic inequality had already been morally legitimized in the earliest Church writings. These teachings had explained that, following the classical Golden Age, men and women had chosen their strongest warriors to represent them and then thanked them for their protective leadership by providing them with extraordinary social status and material rewards.

It did not require a leap of imagination to take the next step and imbue the physically courageous post-Roman medieval champion or ruler with quasi-divine spiritual qualities. By the time of the absolutist French court, King Louis XIV was declaring with brazen confidence that obedience to God required obedience to the monarch. At its conception in early medieval Christian Europe, therefore, courtesy was not a philosophy of generalized kindness but a process of deference and adulation intended to legitimize the rights claimed by the new chieftains of Europe (Bautier 1971, Brath 1930). Paying homage to these rulers in the form of goods, services, and oaths of loyalty formed the foundation of a strictly hierarchical feudal society and eventually led to the centralization of military and economic power and the establishment of a central state (Filmer 2001:109–21).

This emerging cult of courtesy also served to temper the acts of gratuitous cruelty that were destabilizing the formation of functioning protectorates. The brutality of the invading Teutonic hordes following the fall of the Roman Empire, and the sheer scope of the destruction they wrought, required an urgent joint secular and ecclesiastical project capable of rebuilding, reorganizing, and administrating the stricken communities. The new feudal order and its cult of courtesy helped mitigate the use of arbitrary brute force and facilitated the maintenance of a violence-tempering balance of power brokered by astute court counsellors who were adept in the arts of negotiation.

The emergence of states that possessed the ability to control large populations would not have been possible without this initial control of tribal violence through the practice of diplomacy and reconciliation. The new court counsellors who favoured diplomacy over confrontation were faced with two daunting tasks. On one hand, they had to convince the invading barbarians that they could deal with the towns they invaded through peaceful means that minimized loss of life. The clerics of the Church often successfully argued with the invading hordes to take booty but spare the population.

This was a considerable achievement in diplomacy, considering that the invading hordes were habituated to making sport of the infants of the conquered by throwing them high up in the air and then catching them on their way down on the tip of their spears. And, on the other hand, Church leaders had to convince those Christian warriors who did step forward to protect vulnerable villages not to use their military might to dominate or plunder their new wards. This fragile social contract became the foundation of feudalism, a system by which communally owned lands became transformed into estates governed by the most powerful protectors of a region.

What originally determined whether a person would remain a serf or become a land-owning aristocrat of ‘noble blood’ was whether he had the military means and personal willingness to risk life in battle in return for lands, riches, and social status. Although the Church had possessed very limited power in the days of Imperial Rome, its astute peace-brokering efforts now aligned it with the emerging chieftains, giving it more political and social influence than it had ever possessed. Although a feudalism based on aristocratic privilege was far different from the communalistic teachings of the early founders of Christianity, the Church managed to find a suitable and active role for its clerics during the medieval reorganization of western Europe.

The new clerics were well disposed to fit into the new courts. In addition to possessing considerable knowledge of antiquity and the Latin language, they possessed valuable experience gained while preserving their ecclesiastical institution during centuries of political violence and turmoil. Privileged by the prior education of its curia and its vast monastic holdings of important classical texts, the Church became the originating point for the linguistic and religious creeds imposed on the new European protectorates. Latin became the language of educated people in the West, thereby helping establish Christianity as a common ideological bond capable of uniting rulers who might otherwise have remained in relentless open warfare with each other.

The construction of a functional standard of civility, however, took a long while to develop. The centralization of power in formally administrated courts required new alliances between the dominant ruler of a region and the lords who controlled specific localities. This was easier said than done. Although the loyalty of second-tier warlords and common warriors had to be bought through the granting of lands, these same land grants empowered their recipients and their armies, making them potential enemies of the central court.

Whether or not an outlying estate cooperated with a regional chieftain or stood in opposition to him often depended on whether or not the estate needed protection from an enemy of its own; when such protection was no longer needed, estates tended to reassert their independence and ignore the directives sent down to them by central rulers. A. Luchaire (1902) describes the conditions that made the eventual adoption of a philosophy of ‘restraint’ and ‘cooperation’ necessary for communal survival:

The inhabitants of each province formed a kind of little nation that abhorred all the others. The provinces were divided into a multitude of feudal estates whose owners fought each other incessantly. Not only the great lords, the barons, but also the smaller lords of the manor lived in desolate isolation and were uninterruptedly occupied in waging war against their ‘sovereigns,’ their equals, or their subjects. In addition, there was constant rivalry between town and town, village and village, valley and valley, and constant wars between neighbours that seemed to arise from the very multiplicity of these territorial units. (278)

Tension between the ruling monarchs and their outlying estates continued until certain military and economic developments weakened the ranks of the warrior nobility and facilitated the establishment of a strong central court. The introduction of money as a widespread currency of exchange and the invention of firearms weakened many of the nobles (chevaliers) who had ridden into war on horseback armed with swords and spears. A monarch could now free himself from the erratic loyalty of his outlying estates and assert his independence by putting together his own paid army of firearm-carrying foot soldiers.

Moreover, the increasing use of money destabilized systems of barter, causing such an increase in prices that many of the lesser nobles were suddenly left with devalued fortunes; while the monarch continued taxing at current real monetary value, the lords were left collecting fixed land rents that no longer amounted to much in terms of buying power. Many were forced to sell off their properties and join the courts of monarchs as salaried courtiers whose survival now depended more than ever on the favours (and the moods) of the monarch (LeGoff [1964] 1988, Bautier 1971, Bloch [1940] 1961).

Such centralization of power required an ever-increasing restraint of aggression in interpersonal dealings. If a relatively small number of individuals were to take control over sizeable emerging states they had to not only keep a certain peace between themselves but also manage to keep their subjects from rebelling against their centralized authority. Military might was not sufficient to build such a controlled society; some ideological apparatus, capable of encouraging and rewarding restraint, was needed to strengthen and legitimize central rule.

This ideological (and emotional) control was achieved through the development of complex codes of restraint and deference, supplemented by a state-imposed monopoly on the use of heavy ammunition. Carrying arms against the state became an act of treason, and gradually, with the further development of civil law, it also became a crime to use arms in personal or group conflicts not sanctioned by the state.”

- Benet Davetian, “From Barbarism to Courtly Manners.” in Civility: A Cultural History

#medieval #history #court #warfare #feudalism #benet davetian #christian #religion #civility: a cultural history

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samiahsultana · 4 years ago

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The unexamined life

There is no dearth of wisdom, but having been written and read, one wonders about the extent to which it has been able to inform our individual lives (apart from the somewhat prosaic and self-indulgent subscriptions to existential and nihilistic ideas, arguably as a form of escape). Philosophy is purportedly, at once, the most redundant and essential of endeavours, with some grand old philosophers going so far as to declare that the unexamined life is not worth living (more about this in a bit). Armed with sentience, subjectivity and sophisticated thought processes, have we found the tools to dig ourselves (and others around us) out of quiet desperation? The desperation is probably as good a place to start as any. And what can we speak of, if not our own desperation, for we are all in some sense marooned on our own little islands, pondering the states of the world and the conundrums of our minds. Even when we advocate some universal truths, these are largely autobiographical.

It has been said, very famously, that the unexamined life is not worth living. But how does one engage in this process of examining and pondering one’s life, and does it in fact bring us somewhat closer to deciphering its meaning (assuming there is such a thing)? Who partakes in this examination and to what end? I see around me an attempt to build an understanding of human behaviour that is bereft of a deep exploration of the nature of existence itself. One might argue that we would learn nothing if we tried to learn everything, but in our quest for specific knowledge, have we gone too far in disregarding the agents and beneficiaries of this knowledge? Does it not behove the bearers and porters of such investigations to regularly question the meaning of their investigations? I am aware of how I have begun with more questions than answers; this is perhaps a reflection of my own clumsy attempt at some rudimentary investigation.

In this process of examination, I have found myself asking whose prerogative and privilege it is to partake in such an endeavour. What are the preconditions? Is it some notion of intelligence, an ability to observe and understand the world in a manner that is unique, and has some universal meaning? Is it access to such unique thought processes from across time? What kinds of thought processes qualify as valid and based on what criteria? Do the preconditions comprise social circumstances that allow one to ponder more than the bare necessities for survival, because it is all well and good to stare out a window and think, so long as one is adequately fed, clothed and sheltered. Self-actualisation does not happen on an empty stomach, unless there is a very questionable (lack of) self-preservation involved (which one does come across occasionally). The great majority of us struggle to find narrow crevices within which to wedge ourselves, maybe somewhat uncomfortably, to ponder these questions, and because they are so narrow, they sometimes require us to contort ourselves to the point where we no longer recognise ourselves. A more pressing personal question, however, is: Having acquired enough privilege to ask these questions, is it enough privilege to aspire to contemplate the answers? Every attempt at seeking the opportunity to do so has resulted in the same vicious cycle of participating, examining, challenging and then running from systems and structures that do not allow those with no privilege to ask questions or seek answers. We have tried to build systems that are egalitarian and fair, but perhaps we have done so based on very skewed ideas of justice. For the most part, our sense of fairness ends where our nose begins, and (many of) our justice systems themselves still subscribe to the notion that retribution allays and mitigates unfairness, not realising that retributive justice is an oxymoron; the idea of retribution only perpetuates the same cycle of violence it seeks to end.

Our species is deeply flawed (to state the obvious) but in our flaws, there are fissures and glimmers of clarity and compassion. For it to have any enduring meaning, the intent for change cannot be confrontational or combative; it must come from a place of cooperation and compassion, or it defeats its very purpose. In striving for change, we must be equally mindful of what we want to change, how we do so and what we want to change it to. Failing this, we might win half a battle but lose the war (the irony of using a war metaphor to advocate cooperative change is not lost on me). But while these idealistic notions might serve one well intellectually, the reality of our world is quite different. And even as we acknowledge the universal and philosophical inevitability of change, as mere cogs in a system, we still struggle with the collective resistance to the idea of change, even if the proposed change is productive and positive. The accumulation of wealth for a privileged few requires a certain level of imposed stability, and in our exhaustion and tentative lassitude, most of us forget we are not the intended beneficiaries of this unfair stability. There might be some relative benefits of endorsing and excusing it, but there is no progress. Coupled with a very human yearning for contentment, it leads to complacency and (often unintended) cruelty; it is not so much the latter that we must guard against as much as the former.

Societies across the world are consumed with feeling good - even to the point of delusion. This would perhaps explain the collective apathy we all participate in on a daily basis. What, then, do we do about this quiet, marooned desperation, this instinct to run and find a new place until we can see its flaws, and then to run again? Or worse still, to stay and anaesthetise ourselves to the reality we participate in everyday, dreaming constantly of an escape that allows us to truly pursue what we find meaningful, whatever that might be for each of us. The truth, though, is that the majority of us will not be able to escape these systems. We’ve built them, we’re part of them, we equate ourselves with them, we perpetuate and defend them. And so, it is upon us to change them, or at least to try. I have been repeatedly told that the path to peace is strewn with acceptance and that one should simply walk along, observe (and sometimes) examine the pieces, but not try and change them (they’re made of materials too rigid for the tools one has), to place them back on the path and to keep walking. What do those of us who find those pieces difficult to walk on do? What if they slow some of us down because we do not have fancy shoes or carriages? And if only those with carriages can and will trundle along that path while reading their books and engaging in their conversations, what becomes of these conversations? Do they not run the risk of becoming parochial and obsolete, serving no purpose at all because they’re being had with the same set of people? Those walking barefoot also wonder why these paths are more difficult for them when others seem to navigate them with much more ease and at much less personal cost.

Peace is pointless and pernicious if it lulls us into purposelessness, and unless we pursue it for as many of us as possible. In our unfortunate and pervasive binary focus, we seem to think of peace as the opposite of conflict; the former perceived as positive and the latter handicapped by (sometimes debatable) negative attributions. Another unfortunate truth about evolution is that it does not happen without sufficient impetus, and history is testament to how accelerated change (for humans particularly) has typically been the outcome of a certain magnitude of conflict. There is a whole spectrum of negotiation between peace and conflict that can be leveraged for positive change; this ‘sweet spot’ of small but certain advancement is nebulous, at best, and only observable as an outcome of our own actions. But that we must act is beyond question.

A contemplation of progress carries the risk of making its elements and constituent actions seem onerous, but they are not. Change is slow and to constantly aspire for it (and against tradition) requires a balance of delusion and optimism - the delusion (and megalomania) to think that one is capable of participating in something enduring and essential, and the optimism that such a participation will be of any consequence (this, of course, peppered with the right quantities of cynicism to lull the disappointment that such aspirations entail). But aspire we must, and in doing so, perhaps imbue our lives and actions with as much meaning as we can; not to martyr ourselves to ideals but to simply and somewhat selfishly ascribe more meaning to our own existence - to ask ourselves what it means to do what we do every day, to teach our children about kindness and cruelty, in the ideas we discuss and defend with friends and family, in the systems we are part of and how we choose to participate in and/or perpetuate them. For too long now, we have hoped for a better world without bettering ourselves. We have imagined the undertaking as a grand external project that we are ill equipped to participate in, whereas the truth is that the genesis of a better world is a bunch of better individuals. We are our own projects, and unless we question ourselves and push ourselves individually (sometimes to the point of discomfort), we will not transform socially.

One might question, very pertinently: Why, in our limited lifetimes, should we expend so much effort for something so abstract? Why is it not valid and morally defensible to simply do the best we can, given our responsibilities and circumstances? Is it not enough to help our families and friends get through life with all its uncertainties and vagaries? Or to bring up a generation of people who will (more or less) propagate the species much the same way as it has been done since time immemorial? The last question perhaps answers itself, and the ones before it. The consequences of not bettering ourselves may not be borne by us (or will be borne by us only for the limited durations of our lifetimes), but the very progeny we hope to protect through our silence will pay the price for our indifference and silence, perhaps more heavily than us. And we’re already paying quite a price.

There is, of course, the possibility that some of us take existence too seriously, but I was told the unexamined life is not worth living.

#change theunexaminedlife

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bbcbreakingnews · 4 years ago

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‘The tough challenges faced for animal welfare in the pandemic year of 2020’

MUMBAI: A year marked by angst and isolation; the world in flux; and the pandemic still with us, the Humane Society International (HSI/India) stated that the last few months were very challenging and tough for activists to undertake various animal welfare projects. “Nevertheless, we have worked hard to ensure that some success was met in certain areas like the cruelty on egg laying hens and chickens, abolishing animal toxicity tests, feeding local community dogs, cats and other animals during the severe Lockdown phases, among others,” said HSI/India spokesperson Shambhavi Tiwari.

On the protection of hens, the NGO informed that in a petition seeking standards for housing of egg-laying hens, Delhi high court had ordered the government of India to develop Egg Laying Hens Rules providing hens a minimum space allowance which allows them space to stand up, turn around, spread their wings, and provision of nest boxes. The Delhi high court, in the meantime, has prohibited the setting up of new battery cages in the country, which brought cheer and relief among animal welfare workers across the country. “However, in many cities and towns, chickens are still crammed in small battery cages as they are cruelly transported to meat shops and illegally slaughtered in busy bazaars, even as the other caged birds look on horrified,” commented another Mumbai based animal activist. An HSI/India member pointed that one major victory for them was of Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission abolishing the Animal Toxicity Test(ATT) for human vaccines. “In a landmark decision, the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission abolished a controversial and obsolete animal test for batch testing human vaccines. The Deletion of the Abnormal Toxicity Test from the Indian Pharmacopoeia for Human Vaccines rubber-stamped the freedom of hundreds of thousands of animals that will be saved from the obsolete and unnecessary test which used to be mandatory for the batch release of human vaccines,” said Tiwari. She further added that their Pandemic Response Work ensured that 18000 dogs were given food in various cities during the Lockdown, through their on-ground staff and with the help of partner organizations across ten cities. “For example, in the beginning of the Lockdown, in Mumbai, we worked with World For All (WFA) to feed over 760 dogs per day, in the regions of Juhu, Jogeshwari, Powai and Andheri,” she added. Infographics and videos in over 13 regional languages on Covid-19 and animals to bust myths surrounding them were also shared by various volunteers working with animal rights groups. This information reached over 15 million people. Under the `Eat Kind India’ project, the group tied up with companies, restaurants, institutions to persuade businesses to commit to the reduction of animal-based foods, and replacing them with plant based options. “Maya A Culture, a restaurant in Dehradun committed to a 30% reduction of animal-based foods in its menus by 2022 for all its brands. The cafe serves approximately 1000 meals per day; therefore, this change will impact more than 100,000 meals per year. Dreamhouse Cafe in Dehradun introduced a new 30% plant-based (vegan) option in its menus for all its brands. Five small-scale bakeries have also committed to replacing 10-30% of dairy and eggs on their menus with plant-based alternatives,” informed the spokesperson. On the issue of protecting wildlife in 2020, the group worked with the support of the administration to set up Mysore district as a model for snakebite mitigation and management. Wildlife species like pangolins, parakeets, and freshwater turtles were also rescued from illegal smuggling, with the aid of forest department in various states. “In conclusion, despite the pandemic, our group helped secure the nests of thousands of olive ridley turtles in select nesting sites and ensured the safe passage of the young ones back to the ocean, for which we all feel very happy about this year,” said Tiwari.

source https://bbcbreakingnews.com/2020/12/25/the-tough-challenges-faced-for-animal-welfare-in-the-pandemic-year-of-2020/

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paragon-vestra · 4 years ago

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1-13 for two characters of your choice!!

Does your character have siblings or family members in their age group? Which one are they closest with? Nethysa comes from a brood of four, in fact, with two sisters and one brother all sharing a birthday. She was very close with all of them, once upon a time, but in the years since she’s been home she hasn’t had any chance to interact with them. She sends messages, but she doubts they ever arrive, with her distance, and they have no real way to contact her back. She misses Hrevin, her brother, the most. He was the smallest of the brood, and almost as curious as Nethysa herself. Never had the practical skill for flying or mechanics, but had every ounce of the love. He wrote poems about travelling the stars. But it wasn’t to be. When Nethysa left, Hrevin was tied down by obligations to family, and chose not to join her, though he dearly hopes to see her again, despite the intensity of events surrounding her departure Isadora comes from a group of four as well, though her eldest brother, Byron, is 11 years older than her. The youngest brother, Alistair, was close in age to her, but honestly Isadora’s love never lied with her siblings. Alistair was an artist, and Isadora was an academic, and had no gift with a paintbrush, so they never had much in common. Isadora did, however, have a cousin, Amelie Carthwright-Lagarde, who she was very fond of, though they didn’t visit one another often. Amelie’s family raised horses in the countryside, and they often went out riding together. Isadora was a city rich kid, used to cars and cleanliness, and loved the feeling of freedom that came with riding a horse. Amelie taught her, and they were great friends for many years, though they haven’t had opportunity to see one another for almost a decade now.

What is/was your character’s relationship with their mother like? Nethysa had a difficult relationship with her mother, though it was a pale reflection of the animosity Nethysa held for her grandmother. It was, however, visits supervised and nights over organised by her mother that enabled her grandmother’s cruelty to affect her. Isadora’s relationship with her mother was distant at times, but overall pretty good. They looked out for one another as the only women in the household most of the time. They went on day trips together, visited cousins and salons and generally lived the life of rich socialites. Of course, she enforced the rigid societal constraints Isadora now expertly navigates, but she always did it with a gentle and sympathetic touch

What is/was your character’s relationship with their father like? Nethysa loved her dad something serious. He was an engineer by trade and an artisan by hobby, delving for months at a time into various different skillsets and methods, from mechanics to coding to carpentry, and Nethysa enthusiastically followed along every step of the way, though starship engineering and robotics soon became her true love, with which Nethysa’s father supported her every step of the way Isadora wants to love her father. By the time Isadora was old enough to try to have a relationship with her father, he was hugely preoccupied with training Byron to be his heir. When he had time for her, he was kind, usually wanting to help and make her happy, but he rarely, if ever, knew how to do so. Isadora appreciates the effort, but she and her dad never had enough time to form much of a bond.

Has your character ever witnessed something that fundamentally changed them? If so, does anyone else know? The first time Nethysa saw a starship launch, her father bringing her along to see a project he’d had a hand in, it fascinated and entrapped her, and she set her ambition, even as a young child, build and fly on one of those one day. She obviously didn’t build her whole ship herself, but fly she certainly did. The first time Isadora saw ancient ruins within the earth, teasing their secrets, she was fascinated by the wealth of knowledge they implied and set her life’s ambition to understand all of it, which has led her to some interesting places indeed.

On an average day, what can be found in your character’s pockets? Nethysa usually keeps her ID, credit chit and smart device with her at all times, along with a signal/key device for her ship and spare clips for the ray-gun she keeps strapped to a belt. Isadora carries a lot with her as she explores, and most days can be seen with a rucksack filled with camping supplies on her back. However, even when deprived of that she always keeps a stash of coins, a dagger for self defense, and an ancient, twisted magical wand she stole from the artifact hoarder Friedrich Moldenhauer.

Does your character have recurring themes in their dreams? Nethysa doesn’t remember her dreams distinctly, just the emotions involved, a feeling of being adrift, lost, and comfortable in that fact. Isadora dreams of wolves and the smell of blood and the pulsing joy of the hunt. She dreams of the spiders that await her summons beneath her flesh and of the calling mysteries of ancient days

Does your character have recurring themes in their nightmares? Sometimes, when sleeping planetside, Nethysa dreams of a tomb, being buried alive. Whole burials are still common in her home culture, and the thought of being entombed in stone and dirt often wakes her in a cold sweat Isadora dreams of the hunt taking over her, of a wolf with her father’s face and the smell of her mother’s blood. She loses herself in freedom, her precious control forgotten, and it destroys her. She sleeps through them, and thinks of them calmly in the morning. She understands them as the threat and warning that they are.

Has your character ever fired a gun? If so, what was their first target? Nethysa learned to fire a gun early on in her journeys through human space, to end a fight for her life with her attacker’s weapon. The wound wasn’t lethal, but she kept the gun. Practiced with it until she understood, until it didn’t scare her any more. The weapon she currently wields is relatively low-power, however. She isn’t eager to kill, by any stretch, but she knows she might need to defend herself Isadora’s too rich for worrying about the idea of getting into fights with other people. She honestly never thought about it, and has never attempted it. Hunting was never her thing, though she’s been invited. And now that she does hunt for her food when out camping - well, she has other methods.

Is your character’s current socioeconomic status different than it was when they were growing up? Nethysa grew up in an upper-working class, lower-middle class sort of family, and now she’s something of an outcast to society, though that is partly due to her moving to a different society, so yeah. Isadora’s a complicated case. She still has the privilege and outlook of her family’s station, tries to keep up appearances, and is used to a certain degree of respect from those she thinks of as below her, and she certainly could return to her life in Andrealun and all the luxury that implies, however when on the road, while richer than most travellers, she is still very much limited by the resources she can carry with her and often eats, sleeps and bathes in much the same places and methods as the poorest in the country.

Does your character feel more comfortable with more clothing, or with less clothing? At home, Nethysa would be the type to hang around a workshop in a tank top and short denim shorts when the atmosphere allows, but out in the world she is a lot more comfortable covered up. Her EVA suit is a constant comfort for the versatility and comfortable breathing it provides, and heavier drapings help her hide the parts of her that are least passable among humans Isadora feels more comfortable in less, but only when alone. In the deep forest she has spent days naked preparing for rituals and druidic meditation, partly to enhance her connection to nature but also just because it’s comfier to her. However, amongst other people, her clothing is her armour, layers of fine cloth setting her apart in dignity and class, a physical manifestation of her privilege that she weaponizes to protect herself every day

In what situation was your character the most afraid they’ve ever been? Nethysa was once left alone with her grandmother for a weekend, without even the buffer of her siblings to mitigate or dilute her abuses. Nethysa’s grandmother was cruel and vindictive, disapproving of her daughter’s choice of partner and taking it out on their children. She tore down every last crumbling brick of Nethysa’s self-worth, and left her physical scars to remember her by. Nethysa was completely powerless. It was the event that would eventually lead to Nethysa’s father splitting from her mother and taking the children with him. Isadora reached the height of her fear during the ritual that made her a skin-changer. The memories of being hunted across an infinite plain, the pain in her flesh as the wolf burst from her with claws red and bloody. The adrenaline in her system left her shaking and panicking for hours after the ritual ended.

In what situation was your character the most calm they’ve ever been? The first time Nethysa flew a spaceship, it had been stressful, sure. The pressure was on, after all. But as the pressure of her starting burn eased across her body she was hit with a sense of belonging stronger than any other feeling she could describe before or since Isadora has a distinct memory of riding along with Amelie one day in the summer of her sixteenth year. There was nothing particularly special about it, save that it was one of the last distinct memories she had of the fleeting innocence, before she finally had to accept becoming an adult was a looming prospect. Being on the saddle of a horse still evokes that memory, and comforts her deep in her heart.

Is your character bothered by the sight of blood? If so, in what way? Nethysa gets really freaked out by the appearance of human blood, but that’s more out of a sort of uncanny valley. Red is a distinctly artificial colour in her species’ homeworld, and seeing it leak from a wounded creature makes her very uncomfortable. She’s not exceptionally squeamish about more familiar blood, however Isadora, meanwhile, hunts and eats animals without the politeness of cooking them as part of the process, so quite a resounding no.

Thanks so much Tabby! Good to be back!

#Forgot how much I enjoyed these #Gods above I need to stop doing them at 2am though

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