#i don't know why i subject either of us to this

[thetadispatcher]

Vincent just watched the two silently, he really didn't understand what they were talking about or why they didn't like each other. He just decided not to ask, he hadn't been present the entire time so something could've happened well he was absent.

And he knew sometimes it was best not to ask what he'd missed, as it might cause another fight to break out over the same subject. So, he was going to avoid that and just accept whatever was going on.

"I do not have to abide by that rule if I don't want to, they can't stop me." Nines replied calmly, he and Sixty may be the closest to be related for androids, but he just didn't care to get along with the RK800. And there was no way Dan or Peter could convince him to spend time or be nice to Sixty when he didn't feel it was necessary.

His relationship with the other was somewhat better and the two RK800s got along decently, so that was good enough for him.

"The military may have ordered all units to be deactivated or destroyed due to the deviant situation, but they didn't make sure Cyberlife did the job correctly. Some of the more advanced models and common ones they sent to stay with people they knew would keep quiet, so they wouldn't have to destroy them. If the deviant problem was fixed, they could easily resell the units back to the military under the guise they were brand new." John explained, clearly he had no issue revealing Cyberlife's less then legal plans as not much would come of it if word got out, the company was already dead.

Hugh gave a nod to confirm what John had said, he knew the company had planned to use the situation to make some extra money well they worked to regain customer trusts. So having less units to replace would give them the funds to keep operating until they had a customer base again. He could agree it was a good idea, even if it was illegal.

Dan took a moment to check his arm, it was still intact and only the skin had retracted as it wasn't able to handle the impact. He nodded as he listened to her, watching his skin recover his white plating to make sure he hadn't damaged it or lost any.

"Makes sense." He replied as he shifted his attention back to her, having confirmed his synthetic skin was fine. "Oh, that was Kelvin, or at least that's what the tag on his vest said. We don't know if that's actually his name, but he seems to respond to it." Dan shrugged, he felt the other android was just reacting to being given a task, and didn't care to correct them if Kelvin wasn't his real name.

"Peter pulled him from the junkyard, booted him up, and he didn't give him a chance to repair him. He was already on his feet wanting to help. So, he's mute and deaf thanks to suffering major head trauma that he refuses to get repaired. He can't wirelessly communicate either, so not even I can speak with him properly." The PL600 shook his head, the android's past was a mystery they'd likely never know.

"All we know is he's a common military unit that was shut down before the deviant situation, likely due to the damage his brain suffered and the change in personality it caused." He wished they knew more, but tracking down the past of a military unit was impossible, so he knew they'd be stuck with what little they had.

"He is deviant as sometimes he'll refuse to carry out an order, but other then that he's always looking for something to do and sometimes we just have to give him a random task." Dan shook his head, it still surprised him how a deaf android could move so quietly.

"We have a lot of oddball androids here, some custom units based on fictional characters or just preferences, he's the strangest one as he'd the only one we have no background of any sort on." But thankfully Kelvin was one where that really didn't matter as he hadn't shown any violent tendencies, he was more like a child then anything.

While Rook didn’t represent a threat, she definitely wasn't short on comments.

"Bishop's knitting. How do I even get myself in these situations?"

"Ungrateful bird." The android only briefly glared at her. It wasn't his fault if he wore the face of a monster.

"What's the matter now? I was under the impression this household promoted healthy siblings relationships."

Bishop doubted the taunting would distract Nines, but he really wanted to make it clear that he wasn't the only one who could read people to a decent degree.

It didn't mean he cared about their motivations, but he was aware of them.

"Oh, I see now that I'm playing cards with a rather exclusive group. Though I can't help questioning how the two of you were allowed to roam freely. Are you fugitives like my copycat?"

It seemed like a legit question to him. The military wasn't exactly known for giving up on important assets for nothing. They couldn't afford to let him, the most dedicated man to have ever lived, go away, Bishop had to wonder how they'd give the androids up.

"Well, we've got to try." Rook replied, "I went through what's left of his base and it gave me nightmares, Strasky is going through so much worse. And I still want to help those other people, even if some of them are annoying."

It was basic decency, really. Rook didn't mention the new android at first, assuming they were all able to detect each other to some extent. Dan's reaction quickly proved her wrong and prompted her to switch to her flames form the time being. She didn't want to end up like that wall.

"...Yes, Willow does that sometimes. She can keep track of each one of you guys and all the appliances too while she's in the area. That's why she's so calm. She can also probably go through all your circuits and stuff, but that'd be rude." Rook explained, "Who's that guy?"

[ki-kink]

Hey man, love your stuff! I was wondering if you can transform me from a white military officer to a younger, [browner 😅] enlisted guy. I'm having a hard time getting thru to this new generation and i'd like to see what it's like as an enlisted POC (Hispanic, Indian, Arab, etc.) to better understand their situation and lead better- thanks!

CLASSIFIED INFORMATION - FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY EXPERIMENTAL PROTOCOL - OBJECT 42 OFFICER: MAJOR S. KRAUSS START OF EXPERIMENT: 03.02.2025 LOCATION: SECRET

DAY 1 - 03.02.2025 08:00: Injection carried out. Substance: “Evol-9”. No immediate side effects. 12:00 noon: Slight increase in body temperature. Pulse 72, no further abnormalities. 20:00: Fatigue sets in. Minor muscle pain. Presumably adaptation of the organism.

DAY 2 - 04.02.2025 06:00 am: Wake up with a strong feeling of energy. Pain has disappeared. Physical performance subjectively improved. 12:00 noon: Physical changes visible. Skin tightens, muscle definition increases. Hair growth accelerated. Uniform on upper arms and chest tightens 22:00: Increase in strength measurable. Weight difference of 3 kg (increase in muscle mass).

DAY 3 - 05.02.2025 06:00: Skin pigmentation begins to darken. Hormone levels in the borderline range. Libido increased. Urgent desire to masturbate 18:00: Physical transformation advanced. Deeper voice, lower body fat percentage. Chest hair visible 23:00: Feeling of restlessness. Increased aggressiveness. Testosterone levels above average. Urgent desire to masturbate.

DAY 4 - 06.02.2025 07:00 am: Physical rejuvenation clearly recognizable. Estimated biological age: 25 years. Urgent desire to masturbate 14:00: Fighting stamina significantly improved. Skin still darker. Beard growth visibly stronger. Urgent desire to masturbate 21:00: Muscle building extremely accelerated. Weight gain +6 kg muscle mass in 72 hours. Urgent desire to masturbate

DAY 5 - 07.02.2025 05:00 am: Awakening with intense sexual arousal. Difficulty concentrating on work tasks. Masturbated several times. 12:00 noon: Body corresponds to that of a 20-year-old athlete. Speech behavior changes slightly. Response to change in character. Allegedly salutes lower ranks. Urgent desire to masturbate 22:00: Restlessness. Need for sleep decreased. Thinking more impulsively. Masturbated several times

DAY 6 - 08.02.2025 07:00: Voice changes in tone. Choice of words begins to change. “Brother” used as an unconscious expression. Masturbated several times. 18:00: Mirror image irritated. Memories of military training remain, but strange sense of identity. 23:00: Partied with other recruits and privates. Wanked off several times. The shitty language from the NCOs is so lame!

DAY 7 - 09.02.2025 06:00 a.m.: Woke up in the morning with the biggest morning boner ever. Cummed several times in front of the mirror. Physically in competition shape. Talk to NCO about using the gym 15:00: Thrown out of my quarters by sergeant. Asked what I wanted in officers' quarters. Report requested. I'm not in the army for shitty writing! 11:00pm: Assigned to basic training recruits. Don't know why I wasn't before. After dinner I hit the weights in the gym. Wanked off four times in the shower and fucked a comrade.

DAY 8 - 10.02.2025 07:00: Brooo, Digga what's up? Haha, I swear, this thing is awesome! Yo, I feel brutal, bro! Been to the gym for two hours. Now shooting practice. Safe, dude!

DAY 9 - 02/11/2025 06:00: Wallah, I need a workout. I swear I can't do without it. Fuck the protocol, bro. Comrades here are fucking rad. Gym, training, fucking. Awesome, dude!

DAY 10 - 12.02.2025 08:00: Should write a diary here or something. I don't give a fuck, bruh. The bros don't either. I'm fresh, you know? Training, fucking, life is rad, bro.

LOGGING COMPLETED - OBJECT 42 NO LONGER IDENTIFIABLE AS MAJOR KRAUSS EXPERIMENT SUCCESSFUL. FURTHER MEASURES UNDER CONSIDERATION.

[angelltheninth]

Through the Eyes of an Artist

Pairing: Rafayel x Fem!Reader

Tags: nsfw, smut, orgasm encouragement, being watched, toy use, clit stimulation, giving instructions, masturbation, body cum shot

Ko-Fi | Rules | Fandoms and Characters | Commissions

Word count: 0.7k

A/N: I'm an artist too, I would do the same.

What an honor to be Rafayel's new model. You were all he could paint lately, his only inspiration. You were fine with that, you got to pose for him, wear all kinds of outfits, sometimes no outfits, you got to spend time with him, hours upon hours as he finished his painting. He would let you choose the frame of for the picture too.

Usually there was to be as little movement from you as possible. This time was very different. Having items with you was also something that happened often. On you, not in you, not riding something.

And what's more he still refused to tell you what his subject was.

"Spread your legs more. I need to see it clearly. I know it might be more difficult to ride but I promise to give you a long, rewarding massage after." Rafayel instructed you from behind the canvas, his eyes were the only visible part of him until you did as he suggested. Your legs spread wider on either side of the smooth, purple dildo, the tip catching your clit every time you rolled down. "That's it. Keep your face forward, don't hide from me."

You bit your lower lip as he looked at you intensely, taking in every part of you. Your parted lips, flushed cheeks, your nipples stiff peaks on your breasts, your hips rolling and clit puffy for him to see.

"You still haven't told me why you... want me to do this. Aren't I supposed to be still?" Although if he were to have you sitting on the dildo for hours it might have been worse.

"Not for this. I want to capture pure lust, pleasure, bliss. And you, your face when you have an orgasm, your body tense with pleasure, there's no better subject." He waxed poetically about this but as much as you wanted to believe him part of you thought this was just an excuse to watch you fuck yourself. A clever excuse, you'll give him that much.

You felt so exposed to him. It wasn't the nudity, you've had sex before, a lot when one of his paintings would win an award, but you never did things like this in front of him. It made you vulnerable.

"Hands at your sides. Or your breasts. I need to see." He instructed again and hummed as your hands grabbed your breasts, teasing your nipples with your thumbs. "Good girl. Keep going until you finish."

It wasn't only that you finished once, but four times by the time he set the pen down.

He was quiet the whole time, focused on his craft, but you knew your moans and your whimpers had an effect on him. From how he was sitting his bulge was very visible to you.

"It's still missing something." Rafayel sighed and leaned forward, cock stirring in his pants. He looked down at it, then to you, whose body was shaking from your last orgasm, a puddle beneath you, your leg and thigh muscles burning and pussy swollen from riding the toy. "Of course. The personal touch."

You heard him shifting behind the canvas, the distinct and familiar sounds of his belt and zipper. He walked over to you, his cock fisted in his hand and stopped just out of your reach. "You want my mouth?" Your pussy clenched around the toy again and you hissed, so sensitive around it.

"No. Keep doing what you're doing. You're almost done." He wasn't referring to the painting, but also to you. Rafayel's eyes roamed your naked body. "I'll paint you." Not with a paintbrush but with his cum. Rafayel moaned your name over and over, rubbing his cock and shooting thick, long ropes of cum across your chest, face and stomach too.

Unable to hold back your tongue dipped down to lick the tip, your lips kissing it once, a loud moan silenced against it as you came for the fifth time.

"Yes! Yes, like that, hold still now!" He didn't bother to put his dick back into his pants he quickly grabbed his brush and got to putting the paint to canvas, capturing you in that one perfect moment of pleasure. No one would see this painting, no one but the two of you.

[ihopesocomic]

What are the tropes you believe to be sexist in animal comics? And why do you think this is more common in animal comics than in human ones? I know in My Pride there are females allowing the males to do whatever, for example. Pretty weird considering lionesses are very strong.

Most sexist tropes can be found on TVTropes. Just apply it to animals lol but specifically from stuff I've seen, is when female characters have notably more gruesome deaths than males do.

But a big one for me is when they use "it's animals" to justify portraying sexual violence. I don't really care what their excuse du jour is. "It's realistic" is bullshit. When you anthropomorphize them, you have officially done away with the realism. You have human readers and they're going to consume xenofiction through a human lens, so things kind of need to be adjusted so it's a story and not trauma porn. Even Richard Adams acknowledged his own shortcomings about Watership Down, he rounded out the female characters in the second book. He didn't compromise anything to do that either.

But it seems to me, from RJ and I's own experiences, that people who consume xenofiction have certain... expectations, and it's because. Why? Cuz "it's realistic"? Boring. Documentaries turn their footage into consumable stories all the time. So why its suddenly unacceptable to not include certain things to keep a story enjoyable is certainly... an opinion.

But these people pretend that animals don't have rules and just accept any and all violence directed at them all the time forever no exceptions. They don't consider that there's a natural order to things that keeps the peace. Animals have their own ways of making sure that peace is kept. And if it's one thing anyone should know about animals, it's that when shit gets intolerable they do something about it. But I guess that doesn't make good "drama".

On the other side, animals can do things that people would deem "problematic" (good lord lol) and I dunno, I feel like that's something to consider as well, versus including it because "it's realistic". Cuz you could end up disparaging the opposite sex and that's a whole other mess. But a lot of the time, its only included to show violence towards women. And it's done in a way that muddies the conversation, and in my opinion feels like someone testing boundaries. Not a fan.

It bears repeating that the criticism isn't the existence of violence. It's how it's done. And how it's done, a lot of time, is to titillate or shock or worse It's just there and adds nothing. Cuz its "expected" I guess. I can make these criticisms about human-led fiction, there's no reason to compromise just because a story is told with animals. - Cat

-

"It bears repeating that the criticism isn't the existence of violence. It's how it's done."

Pretty much this. The amount of times we've been accused of being crybaby antis because we don't like the way My Pride and other entries portray violence/serious issues isn't even funny.

Especially when I've personally written here and there on my socials that I enjoy horror movies. But yes, I'm an 'anti' just because I don't enjoy the way this garbage lion show treats infanticide and other serious themes with the same consideration as one would expect from an edgy 12-year-old and not a 26-year-old with professional writing experience.

It's the same deal with putting up your story with these serious themes and then making a joke about it in the same breath. It just comes across as tone deaf and insensitive and not at all considerate for the subject matter at hand. Or those reading who may be affected/triggered by it.

We don't care if these themes are present in your story if you're going to be respectful. However, making cringe jokes about it and then getting upset when people call you out and making the disingenuous argument that they're 'just being sensitive' or 'depiction =/= endorsement' just further shows you don't have the maturity level to tackle these issues in the first place. From where I'm standing anyway. - RJ

[fandomofone]

Low key peer pressured into doing this core four thing by @buggachat and everyone else except I can't draw M & A to save my life so it's more like core two. So you get this truly awful 10 minute sketch of Alya & Nino in no particular style instead. (Mainly bc I don't really have one) A full drawing will be 24-36 curse word filled business weeks, thank you very much

ETA the reference picture that I forgot when I posted 🤦

[silent-sentinels]

we have gotta actually finish the other account, it has been months and we want to tell revi that we're also plural hgkjgk

[tentacleplains]

more scenes that basically everyone sees but pointing out a specific detail i find interesting: "though i hope you don't cause a scene this time" does avery regularly cause scenes at parties?? lmao

[subjectseventeen]

i hope kala doesn't mind me jumping in an replying here to your reply but i think there are some things here that are just inaccurate. i will try to keep emotions out of it, but this is something i and other delusional nonhumans find particularly upsetting to be told that we do not deserve community because our identities spawn from our delusions.

"if you only live disconnected from objective reality, anyone can take advantage of it." This is true, but what also is true is that not all of us can be connected to objective reality at all times. while you have mentioned that you have experienced delusional episodes, there is a drastic difference between experiencing delusions in episodes to experiencing psychosis at all times. most of us who's identities are delusion influenced live in psychosis 24/7. i personally am schizophrenic, and there is never a day that i go without psychosis and that is while on antipsychotics. so to say that we are never allowed to experience nonhumanity in the same way you do because of our delusions pretty much bars us from being in the community all together. while it is true that people who experience psychosis may be easy targets to manipulate, but reasonably, this could happen to a neurotypical nonhuman as well. to site this reason as why we shouldn't have community is quite short-sighted to me. in any situation, i have the risk of someone using my mental illness as a way to manipulate me even outside of nonhuman communities, but just because there's a possibility i could be manipulated doesn't mean i can't enjoy things others are seemingly allowed to. teens are easy to manipulate too because of their lack of real world experiences, but we allow younger nonhumans into our community because barring them would be unjust. abusive individuals will find their targets no matter what and trying to preemptively protect us from this is very infantilizing and it sounds like you don't think delusional nonhumans can make choices of their own without help of some sane individuals.

you mentioned as well that you believe these communities reject treatment and therapy and that is just boldly untrue. most of my friends that are nonhuman are delusional and i think every single one of them is either seeking treatment, actively on antipsychotics, and/or going through therapy. even if that Weren't the case, individuals who do not subject themselves to psychiatry are still worthy to care about. why do we have to go through therapy and medication? just so that we're "normal"? i'm not going to assume what you've been through, but if you live in psychosis 24/7 it becomes extremely draining to have to question your reality at all times. i've been psychotic since i was a kid and learning to live with my psychosis and accepting myself as a nonhuman has been the most healing thing that has helped, and i didn't get here with medication and therapy. therapists and psychiatrists have abandoned me, put me through terrible situations, ignored my needs, talked over me, and taken away my autonomy and that's just the short of it. and i'm not alone in these experiences. i guarantee you that every delusional nonhuman has a similar story to tell. sometimes drugs and therapy don't help. giving individuals the ability to Decide for Themselves about how and when they get treatment will do more good than thinking you know what's best for them because you Know reality better than us.

kala said this but i feel like you skipped over it. to a normal human ALL of us look like delusional people for being the creatures that we are, whether you are a spiritual therian or an endel. why do you have to separate yourselves from us? we are your kin too. we deserve to have a voice in this community and i will not stand for others thinking they know what's best for us. if you Must distance yourselves from us, at least let us have our own community. stop coming into the endel and physical nonhuman tags just to spit at our feet. it's just disrespectful.

i have many thoughts on physical nonhumans, holotheres, mythicals, shifters, clinical lycanthropes, delusional alterhumans, endels, etc. most of them are concern. these communities can try as much as theyd like to victim blame and say that people who feel they were taken advantage of because their delusions are to blame for their own abuse. unfortunately, handwaving their own survivorship bias wont save them. months from now theyll learn the hard way how easily someone can be taken advantage of when they flock to whoever knows what to say to validate their feelings. i wish it was different, and i wish anything i could say to them would get through and save them from that future

if you only surround yourself with people who validate your delusions, youll attract people who have something to gain from your detachment from reality. it doesn't matter how good it feels. it will happen to you in the end

[tricksterlatte]

Anyone else think short form social media based on algorithms designed to promote topics that create more engagement instead of more joy, the idea of fast fashion but conveyed through social media, and the fact you can monetize suffering and outrage better than ever has largely resulted in the death spiral of media literacy and the mass emergence of bad faith readings?

[pa-pa-plasma]

i don't think i'll ever get over how people treat kids that aren't good in school as worthless no matter what. "oh it can't be that bad" my guy idk how to tell you this but the last time i went to a normal high school the principal called me into his office to brag about how he failed me in all of my classes before the semester was even finished & i should quit while i'm ahead cuz i'm too stupid ("officially" diagnosed as such by a school counselor & a psychiatrist!!) to succeed. & this is considered normal

[dkettchen]

me waking up in a cold sweat at 6:20am: "I should get evening classes to be a hair dresser & training to be a makeup artist to be my own hair/make-up person on photo/video shoots and defy industry's single-gender-dominated-and-not-improving department segregation system like the all-rounder online creator that I am 👀😤"

[sparkly-skies]

Okay aluminium hat on, it's hypothyzing time:

So on the newest picture you can see Julians (my buam *sigh*) arm tattoos better and there is this big A

Which brought me back to this big ass omega sign on bmth skirt guy's arm.

Now we can't know if there's a connection between them but they are on opposite arms and have the same style (though Julian's tattoos are all in that blackline style), also alpha and omega are the first and the last letter of the greek alphabet, maybe Julian was born first? And they wanted matching tattoos?

There was also this christian stuff I found while searching and them having grown up in Bavaria it's entirely possible they're christian so idk, maybe the connection is there and not with each other. But I want to believe they love each other so much they wanted twin tattoos.

Now onto your opinion🎤

Should have sent that one with the last ask. (They also both have snake tattoos. And I still need to know what is written on bmth skirt guys throat)

---

Thank you for the mic 🎤, the aluminium hats are on 🤡👽🤖

Ah, you're embracing the Bua name, maybe you'll come around to liking Bavaria after all eventually, if only for the concerts and your Buam 😌 also love "bmth skirt guy", you're right, bmth should put a swooshy skirt in their merch, I'd buy it. Or your buam; I have enough shirts I don't wear but I could use a longer skirt. They could put the dancing skeleton on there at the bottom. pspsp Laura's Buam, who's responsible for merch, I have suggestions.

Your Bua has some very nice tattoos there 👀 is that a lightswitch though? Because, not to project here, but that reminds me so much of that artwork about ADHD that goes "utterly obsessed - uninterested" or something like that. The gameboy 🥰 Zelda Minish Cap my dear.

I like your idea with the matching tattoos as the first and last letter of the greek alphabet! Now I don't know a lot about them, or anything, really, but they did seem like they're pretty close, what with their bickering on stage, and a lot of siblings get matching tattoos. And I like that idea better than something about the bible or whatever that was. I don't know about you, especially because I don't know how catholics and protestants are split up in Germany, and I'm from one of the more conservative/traditional areas of Austria, so I know quite a few people my age who were altar boys/girls, and I don't think even any of them would get a religion-themed tattoo. I'm sure there are people our age who would get a tattoo like that, but probably not that many. Then again I can't speak for Bavaria, but I still like the matching twin tattoos idea better.

"But I want to believe they love each other so much they wanted twin tattoos." I see. It's not just your buam making me cry anymore, you've joined them!

So our questions for after the next concert: A breakdown of all their tattoos but especially the letters and the writing on BMTH shirt's neck, and if and where he found vegan cheese that melts and tastes good. And if they have pets and if yes, can we please see them, it's part of the targeted marketing, and what about a long colourful swooshy skirt as merch 🐱🐶🦝

[beeseverywhen]

I mean like. Not to bring the mood down but... you guys know that's because American media is everywhere right? Like the world is unable to avoid some version of American accent on a regular basis. Of course ppl find it easy to mimic. This is absolutely not restricted to ppl in the UK, its really common for ppl who learn English as a foreign language to have perfect 'American actor' accents (cause the reason everyone's so good at the American accent that's expected of them as actors is cause at large there's little distinction between regions in the 'Hollywood accent' that ends up on TV and films and stuff. You guys have massive regional differences in pronounceation, but what makes it on to TV (in 9/10 cases) is a very standardised version of American English.)

But yeah. It's not just actors lol. Most British ppl can speak in a passable american accent, as can loads and loads of people worldwide. I'm not saying this to be like 'you should feel guilty! 😡' but it does always stun me when Americans are unaware of the impact their country has worldwide on all versions of English (and even on use of native languages. Many countries are using English more and more over their native languages and dialects , and yeah, historical colonialism has had an impact there.)

But in the last few decades things have progressed way way faster and that, is thanks to the impact of anglo/american/ect lead capitalism. I'm in no way dismissing the impact the UK has on this, but in recent years, its the US that is largely pushing that train .While the UK and several English speaking commonwealth countries are very involved in this kind of capitalist imperialism, there's a reason that more and more people are speaking American English. Not one of the many UK dialects, not Australian English, or NZ English. Across the world more and more people are increasingly speaking in the same standardised american dialect that's in so much of the media you export. Hollywood based media, with that standardised accent/ dialect and the standardised 'normal american life', has a stranglehold on the world and I just find it crazy that a lot of you guys don't even know.

It's stupid stuff like. So many countries are importing american cars and are widening their roads/ changing town planning to account for it (this is less of a thing in the UK but I see it more and more when I travel). Its the food becoming avaliable everywhere. Its the influence that for profit healthcare has even on countries with socialised health systems. Its houses being built to account for American style appliances. Fashion trends. Worldwide, everything is slowly evolving to be closer and closer to this 'American standard' which honestly? I really don't think actually represents the lives of real American people either. You've been turned in to products, the system has taken an unrealistic snapshot of 'American life' and it's being sold to you all day in day out, but it's also being sold to the rest of us. It's being pushed on us all.

Kids in the UK go through phases of talking only in American accents. Anyone born later than the 90s is carrying round 2 sets of spelling and vocab, cause we're all so used to the American way, that you barely know which one you're using half of the time. In the UK we have always had really strong regional accents yeah, and dialects differ between areas that seem tiny to you guys, I know. But like. Those dialects are being lost cause all UK accents are evolving to become closer to this standardised american and yeah not great, but at least we share a language! US American society is largely rooted in the same foundations as UK society, largely we have the same flaws! But oh my god. What about the rest of the world.

It's global. This impact continues to be seen, steamrollering ahead, in places that had completely different starting points. UK culture isn't that dissimilar to that of the US, so we aren't losing nearly as much as cultures that had something completely different. So much is being lost.

Languages and dialects and everything else is just being wallpapered over so we all meet the same ideal of the 'American life' and it's not even real! It's just a product based on how ppl were actually living in the US, manipulated until it's the most marketable mould. You guys are victims of it as well but like. It's based on your culture so you don't lose as much if you conform to it. Just like how in the UK, if we conform, we lose more than US, but nowhere near as much as countries that had languages, dialects and cultures that were so so different to UK/US culture. The less like the US, your starting point, the more there is to lose.

And look. I said it to start with. I'm not having a go. That's not what this is. But you guys really need to be aware, you need to make an effort to understand the impact that this plastic Hollywood american culture is having on the rest of the world. You need to actively look for it, and make an effort to not pay in to it. Because when Americans see other cultures represented in media and say its not relatable, when you guys go on holiday and make no effort to learn local customs, and try and pay in dollars and spend your time abroad like you're still in America, when you see cultural differences and immediately argue that the American way is better and of course everyone should have giant cars and never dry laundry outdoors and live in American style homes, without any kind of critical thought. Just 'this is how we do it so why wouldn't everyone else do it this way. This is the only way. The American way is obviously best.' When you guys do that you are individually feeding in to this absolute bulldozing of cultures (including American ones!) to allow for better marketability.

It isn't any one individual American citizens fault that things are the way they are, and you guys are victims of the same system, but you need to have some self awareness when it comes to the fact that as individuals you are unknowingly, helping driving this forwards and as individuals, there are things you can do to limit your personal impact (and no arguing that you have no culture is not it!!! Being all self deprecating doesn't do shit. Take some responsibility and accept that individual Americans didn't create this system, but currently, individual Americans really are doing their bit to keep promoting it, to keep pushing it on the rest of the world.

And I've already rambled for an age so I'll stop here but I just want to make clear as an ending note here, that this really isn't about piling on Americans and being all 'boo it's all America's fault. They should apologise. Their culture isn't worth anything.' Not at all this is the opposite of that. The fact that millions of Americans have been convinced you have no culture, all while a mimicry of American culture is plastered on to the rest of the world, and while you as individuals are encouraged to help that happen, often without even realising what you're doing; is a crime. You've been wronged, as have we all.

And America is not the problem. The problem is imperialism and it didn't start with you guys. It started in Europe, and Europeans, particularly British ppl, have a responsibility to push back and be self aware, take some fucking responsibility and not inadvertently keep feeding in to that system, just as you guys do. The US didn't start the fire, imperialist capitalism is a fire that started burning long before the United States was even considered, but its on all of us, to do what we can to not feed that fire. And right now? You guys are the face of it.

This idea of what America is, is the face of imperialistic capitalism, and that means that even if you don't mean to, you guys are feeding that fire more so than the rest of us. You're responsible for spreading it, more so than the rest of us. And if you don't step up and take responsibility, accept that you're gonna get it wrong sometimes and you need to try to do better; if we don't all do that. There will be nothing left. They'll paper over it all, the lives of real Americans just as much as those in Scotland and India and the Netherlands, and 100 other cultures, that are at risk, thanks to this fire, that's currently, largely coming from America.

So yeah. It's absolutely not just on you guys and ppl who act like there's no racism or wealth divide in Europe or anywhere else for that matter are complete idiots, however, this Americanisation of the world (and I hesitate to call it that. Because its not a representation of real American lives. Its simply wearing an American face.) Its real. It's happening.

And we don't tell you about it to make you feel guilty (those of us who aren't dicks at least) ,we are telling you. We are kicking up a fuss. Because it isn't fair. It's not right and while individual Americans ignore that and refuse to take responsibility where they can (small apples. We aren't asking for you to call a violent revolution in our names. Just take some time to learn about the rest of the world. Stop assuming America is always right and examine your biases. When you find them. Stop personally pushing them.) , while that is happening, as individuals, you are contributing to this. It's not even altruism. This system is hurting Americans too. It's hurting us all. All we ask is that you do what you can to not personally contribute, and keep an open mind, be aware. That's all any of us can do.

when a british actor does an american accent everyone’s like “i didn’t even know they were british until they were on colbert.” but when americans do a british accent everyone’s like “they’re supposed to be from east cocksford but their glottal e’s are north dicksford. shameful.”

[thedandelionresistance]

So uhhhhh someone's trying to argue that psychiatric disorders can exist on an entirely non-physical level

1. This is from a sociopolitical analysis of the institution of psychiatry, and I suspect is therefore taken wildly out of context at best and is irrelevant to actual neurology at worst.

2. It claims that psychiatric conditions have not (yet) been convincingly SHOWN to arise from physical conditions, directly contradicting the claim that humans are embodied and therefore all human activity is biology-dependent.

3. Unless the claims of genetics being largely unrelated to mental health is about a very specific topic, that's just science denial. The MTHFR gene has been heavily implicated in multiple commonly comorbid conditions that are also suspected to be post-viral in a large percentage of cases, such as chronic fatigue syndrome, POTS, and mast cell diseases. Multiple conditions, from diabetes to bipolar to autism to again, mast cell diseases, are known to be highly genetic, despite the exact genetic cause often still being unclear.

4. The sources used to back up the prior point are: an article in "Independent Science News for food and agriculture", which also platformed multiple articles and even a Twitter thread about the conspiracy theory of covid being leaked from a chinese lab; and an article about how the diagnostic criteria of bipolar was changed and is now overdiagnosed to sell more drugs.

5. The supposedly "suppressed" "negative" articles are potentially out of date (I've had a harder time accessing them). From what I can find, though, the former is a book largely considered more political than scientific, which was criticizing overly reductionist perspectives on genes as related to systemic social inequality. The latter appears to be about personality and "neuroticism" primarily, with little said about genetic roles in psychiatric health. It seems that they do not actually contradict the possibility of even some genetic influence on psychiatric health, let alone physical influence.

6. The whole argument is a logical fallacy, arguing that because we've ruled out some of the few biochemical and structural/physiological characteristics that could cause mental illness, we've ruled physical causes out entirely. It uses two highly specific discrete claims about two disorders in the vast spectrum of mental health, claiming that brain sizes affected in part by antipsychotic use do not seem to cause schizophrenia and that all other differences in neurobiology are likely due to "intellectual ability" and the conveniently vague "other uncontrolled factors". They further use depression and schizophrenia again to talk about how two specific neurotransmitters had not been proven to cause the illnesses - specifically, ones which have evidence supporting their role in other disorders, such as ADHD. While some of the theories of chemical imbalances causing mental illnesses have since been more conclusively disproven, others have had more evidence emerge supporting them having some role in multiple psychiatric diagnoses.

7. That whole paragraph actually only focuses on whether or not there are neurobiological causes for mental illness. Even purely sociogenic mental illnesses, such as certain cases of PTSD, still have been shown to have effects on the brain at a physiological level, while others show up in studies as changes in patterns of bioelectrical brain activity or changes in chemical production or reuptake efficiency. Proving or disproving origin does not actually provide evidence for mechanism. However, in case I am misinterpreting the word "cause" here and it is actually meant as "mechanism", disproving mechanisms is quite literally part of the process to find the true mechanism, and does not actually support that psychiatric conditions occur entirely separately from the physical brain.

Essentially, even aside from the irreputable and irrelevant sources cited, the lack of scientific consistency and sociopolitical focus of the excerpt; the author's repeated self-citations; the failure of insufficient, unreliable, and outdated evidence to support the claims they make; the fact that their actual argument that mental health problems are not "equivalent" to other health issues; amd that psychiatric conditions have not yet been observed as arising from a direct proven neurological source, while actively admitting that humanity is stored in the body, so to speak...

None of this proves that there is not a biochemical or physiological mechanism and/or origin for psychiatric illnesses that, in our search closed eyes in the dark for understanding of the human brain, we are fumbling for. Neurology is a science in its infancy compared to most other medical fields, still stumbling its way through "four humours" levels of rudimentary understanding of the highly complex processing and control unit that is the 86 billion neurons of the human brain. This is even more true when we soften the science of neurology into neuropsychiatry, practically poking experiences of the conscious mind with a caveman-stick. This is not to disparage the sciences, but rather, to point out that we understand so little that we can't even recognize the full scope of our ignorance, that 600 years from now may earn us the same ridicule as blood-letting leeches and cocaine soda for head colds.

More to the point, anything we process - sensory input, emotion, thought, pain, dissociation even, oppression, poverty, trauma - it all goes through the brain. Our entire understanding, self-conception, and consciousness arise from biochemical, physiological, and bioelectric actions and reactions. The "self" is essentially a simulation run by a fleshy machine as it responds to stimuli and generates aspects of identity from desires to beliefs.

While the point that the excerpt is likely building to in a larger context, that many mental illnesses may originate in part of in whole from factors like systemic injustice and external conditions to the body, that doesn't make the illness itself occur outside of the physical human bodymind. Even experiences like religion and "communing" with a higher power, astral projecting, and so on, require your brain to perceive them as occurring, which means that extremely complex series of chemical production and absorption and electrical signals and activity traversing specific paths in specific regions of the brain are occurring.

The same is true of mental-illness-as-reaction-to-conditions.

To argue otherwise is to argue that some metaphysical conscious separate from the physical human body exists. This is just cartesian dualism, and falls entirely outside the realm of science and well into philosophy. If a "soul" of the self exists that can suffer an "illness" or other "corruption" causing severe distress and dysfunction within the physical world, it is outside of the realm of science to even examine, let alone make claims about. Furthermore, even then in order to be perceived within our physical reality, the brain must process and/or create that perception of said "soul" and "illness".

This is far more into the realm of philosophy than is comfortable, considering that philosophy claiming to be science is just pseudoscience in a stick-on mustache. (I respect philosophy in its own right - love it, actually - but when it plays at being a rational and empirical science, I draw the line. It has its own internal logic systems and reasoning which has little overlap with or application to scientific methodology.)

But, returning firmly to science, the irony is that it's entirely possible that some psychiatric conditions may not be entirely or even primarily neurological. The gastrointestinal, endocrine, lymphatic, and immune system have all been implicated to some degree in having varying degrees of impact on mental health. Some conditions we call mental health may originate in dysfunction of other systems, which may also in turn be driven by external factors. The brain is the control center of the body, and the body processed all consumed materials into needed resources for the brain and body alike.

Some primarily physical disabilities even have significant neurocognitive symptoms, such as brain fog/cognitive impairment and strong mood swings. Some symptoms themselves may straddle the line, such as seizures and sleep disorders/disturbances. Some physical symptoms, such as dysautonomia, have been reported to cause symptom sets highly similar to neuropsychiatric conditions like ADHD, traumatic brain injuries have been observed to sometimes replicate symptoms of dissociative disorders, and Chiari malformations have been noted to sometimes cause anxiety.

Mast cell disorders have overactive release of neurotransmitters as part of the process which drives symptoms, and those neurotransmitters can affect the brain strongly, to the point of causing an array of mental symptoms - some of which even drive further degranulation in a vicious cycle.

In any case, mental illnesses may not all be neurogenic or even primarily neurological. But they are still, in fact, physical. Everything we perceive or imagine must be processed by the brain. Only the imperceptible does not cause any sort of brain action or reaction, and if we are not aware of it or affected by it on any level, it's outside of the realm of science, let alone medicine.

Now, if you wanna talk philosophy, we can argue whether something must be perceived to exist. That's a really fun philosophical topic, one which I contradict myself on, even.

But from a medical perspective? Medicine, including psychiatry and the classification and treatment of mental illness, does require a perceived experience which affects you, which results squarely into some kind of physical process in the brain. That's science, babeyyyyy!

[leebrontide]

Here's a funny little story about disability accommodation.

So I'm a bit deaf. Like...I have a prescription for a hearing aide but don't own one kind of a bit deaf. And I used to work at this noisy ass addiction treatment clinic. So even in my office I relied a lot on lipreading.

So one day I'm working with this client, and she's getting more and more upset and shut down, no matter how I try to steer us onto a calm, relaxed subject of conversation. And I can't figure out why the conversation has gone so far south.

And then I realize I am sitting at a buckwild angle in my chair, leaning waaaay over to the side. I'm almost falling off this chair. I look like a total goober.

And then I realize I'm doing that because I'm trying to lipread this client, who keeps turning further and further down and away from me. I probably would have noticed sooner but lipreading is actually kind of hard and I was focusing on noticing her upset rather than my body language.

And then it clicks.

She thinks I'm leaning like this because I am being a passive-aggressive asshole who is trying to force/shame her into making eye contact with me. I'd known this client enough to know she hates eye contact- possibly autism, possibly anxiety. Always possible it's both or something else.

I sit up straight and say. "Oh! Hey, I don't give a shit about eye contact, I'm trying to read your lips so I can understand what you're saying to me."

Instant vibe change. She relaxes, and sits upright comfortably in her chair, looking about a foot to the left of my head, so I can see her face clearly but she doesn't have to either fake or evade unwanted eye contact.

From then on things go a lot smoother, and we can get some good work done.

One side benefit from normalizing accommodations and reducing barriers to them is that it allows for low-stress conversations about what everybody needs in order to fully participate in an interaction. If I hadn't named the need I was trying to meet, she wouldn't have realized she could have her need met as well.

[drdemonprince]

have you defined the meaning of “white woman brain” anywhere and if not, can you? /gen

Many Black and brown feminist writers have discussed this phenomenon and I encourage you to seek out a lot of writing about this subject, because there are a variety of perspectives, but to distill it, white woman fragility brain is a phenomenon that is not exclusive to either white people or to women, but is especially common among those who can weaponize white womanhood, and it consists of the following qualities:

A view of oneself as a helpless victim that is constantly in threat of being attacked, especially by strangers (even though statistically, this is not the case).

A refusal to consider oneself as capable of doing harm to others, especially a lack of consideration toward others' body autonomy or consent. (even while being highly concerned about one's own autonomy and consent).

A generally passive or passive-aggressive orientation toward the world: seeing oneself as a romantic or sexual object to be approached, but never wanting to initiate (or feeling that one never can), never feeling comfortable directly communicating displeasure or one's desires, believing that others instead must guess at it. (and then resenting people when they don't, but never expressing it).

A tendency to cry, excessively berate oneself, complain about being made to feel "unsafe," or give up when criticized or challenged, especially when challenged by people of color.

A tendency to associate a person's body type with how much of a threat they are. For example, feeling unsafe around people with penises and expecting a social space to accommodate that fear to cater to you, a fear of people who come from cultures where it's common to speak loudly, a fear of those who are large, assertive, and/or darker-skinned.

Instinctive fawning-type responses to stress, and a pattern of feigning happiness, agreeability, and ease when one is not genuinely feeling it, and expecting all other people (but especially other women) to feign happiness as well, paired with a deep-seated resentment of anyone who violates this illusion and expresses any negativity (being especially punitive toward women of color).

Instinctively "smoothing over" conflict between other people before it even begins, even when healthy conflict is necessary and not at all your business-- often performed by gossiping behind other people's backs, triangulating information when it is not yours to share, asking people to alter their behavior in order to avoid a reaction from somebody else, presenting your concerns as if they were somebody else's ("what will people think!"), tone-policing the airing of grievances, derailing hard conversations with more light-hearted topics, and excluding people who are known to be candid and assertive.

Here are some articles on elements of the phenomenon and why it is so dangerous:

Now, I single white cis women out a lot when I am describing this phenomenon, because they have the most to gain from exhibiting these qualities, but make no mistake: this is a pattern that many types of people can and do use. I have seen white trans women use white women's tears to silence critique. I have witnessed women of color being passive-aggressively derailed and silenced by a Black manager who was in a position of institutional power over them. Multiple of the women who sexually harassed me in the story linked above were not white. And LORD knows I see plenty of t boys falling back on this shit, as well as cis men from wealthy backgrounds. It's a mindset that has deep colonial roots and we all must be on the look out for it in ourselves and others, and we must be vigilant in uprooting it.