#i often think of moral standards as kind of instinctive

[vechter]

👀 please elaborate on ur Cass and Damian thoughts, I’m also always thinking about what their dynamic could’ve been

omg i have so many!!!

okay, so initially, in batgirl 2009 #5 (iffy about character portrayals in this comic but that's a whole other thing), we see damian kind of anticipatory and even excited to meet cass:

it's super interesting to me because at that point, damian is still grappling with being a product of the league, still very much figuring out his role in this group of people his father chose.

and cass is one of them. cass, who's respected and considered formidable even by the loa. cass, who has also killed! i think in damian's eyes, they've had similar upbringings and he probably expects a certain degree of kinship with her.

because yes, dick, steph and alfred are coming to accept him, have purposely and actively showed that they care for him but they don't understand him! they don't know what growing up in that kind of isolation, with that demand for perfection is like.

damian's primary arc being dick's robin is about acceptance, from others but also, from himself! some heartbreaking panels below from red robin 2009 #14:

for damian, who is still actively fighting against his own instincts, who wasn't someone his father- a near mythical figure- chose, cass is someone who can, maybe, not only understand him but is also incontrovertible proof that people can change, that their childhoods don't define them. so, he already has somewhat high expectations for when they eventually meet, as we see in their first real interaction in gates of gotham 2011 #2:

gates of gotham is actually a great comic but unfortunately cannot consider the editorial nuance of cass being pushed aside by dc and removed from gotham entirely. but if you consider the implications, tim and steph definitely talk about her- probably dick and alfred, too. at this point, all of them respect and consider cass one of their own- she's accepted, she's even loved.

and that's probably something that damian is plagued and intrigued by. here's this girl who was brought up by someone the bats deem morally bankrupt, who changed her life around and went from being a would-be assassin to a hero (just like him!). she meets even his father's impossible standards, who has assigned her a whole city with batman inc. he lashes out at her when he thinks she hasn't accepted him (at this point, cass hasn't even done anything except come back to gotham lol so you can see how much damian struggles with acceptance, especially from someone he considers his peer!):

it's a deeply skewed view bc we know how much cass struggles with her own redemption but damian is still just a kid, lacking the emotional maturity to fully understand her.

i won't go into all the events of gates of gotham because it starts off with friction between them and they eventually end up working as a team and everything's sort of hunky-dory. but i think if flashpoint hadn't happened and we had actually gotten a deeply exploratory continuation of the nuances of the complicated bat-dynamics after bruce's return- we would definitely see more friction between cass and damian.

for cass, who sees everything- damian would be painful to witness. her own fears, her own guilt staring back at her. and i absolutely adore cass but she isn't going to be capable of tact or the kind of support that damian is passively seeking from everyone, but especially from her! cass is incredibly compassionate but her world-view is also so deeply jaded by her feelings about the life she took.

damian's initial robin tenure would be about developing his own moral code + coming to grips with what kind culpability he has in his own childhood- and cass would probably not see that bone-crippling regret and remorse and guilt she has, or even the one she often sees in bruce, and it would not sit right with her! sure, damian is a kid but she was a kid, too. and she can never get over what she did so for her to see damian coming to terms with his childhood would be like looking at a distorted reflection. i think it's also possible there would be something like- i don't want to say jealousy- but a complicated kind of resentment, not just from cass's end but also from damian's.

(also, a begrudging sort of respect from damian for cass's abilities expressed in somewhat snide comments)

this is not to say that they couldn't or wouldn't have a good dynamic! i think if they continued to spend time together, they would eventually come to an understanding (just like gates of gotham lol except a much more nuanced and complicated route to getting there) and while it would not be the kind of understanding either of them were expecting- it would be good! and there would be a very strong foundation of kindness in it.

[atthebell-moved]

i think the thing about qcellbit is that people see him as like a moral center, both of the narrative (as in to them he fulfills a protagonist hero role) and of the island, and while he's far more against the federation than most are, he's still not like. idk his morals really are not that different to roier's, in that they both care far more about the people they love than about any kind of moral standards; cellbit just likes mysteries and investigating which makes him seem like a morally good (as media often portrays them, this is not objective) detective archetype despite that a larger sense of morality not really factoring into his decisions. and also the federation is such an imposing, obvious evil, that anyone so ardently against them seems objectively morally good.

like, cellbit hates cucurucho because he wants to find out the island's mysteries, and cucurucho is hiding them, and cucurucho has directly tortured, kidnapped, and lied about basically all of his family members as well as other islanders, AND personally tortured him. it's more a relational kind of morality than anything to do with a larger moral compass-- cellbit does not think cucurucho is inherently morally evil in any real philosophical sense, aside from that (unwarranted) torture is obviously evil to him.

now, where he draws the line as to what is warranted violence and what isn't is pretty blurry, and often relies, again, on people he cares for or views as on his side against the federation. notice there's an "or" there and not an "and"-- cellbit loves jaiden and foolish despite what they've done for the federation (and to other islanders, in foolish's case), and continues to give them more information than he ought to, because he views them as morally good, even when they take actions he disapproves of. is this fairly hypocritical? yes, if you view morality through an objective lens. if you're like cellbit, though, and several other islanders, you view morality as something more malleable and more reliant on your personal relationships with people. jaiden is not evil, despite working for the federation, because cellbit loves her, and anyone he loves can't be evil; that is the more significant reason, to be honest, than his belief in her attempts at getting information from working with the federation.

cellbit himself is not evil, in his eyes, despite working for the federation, because he is doing it for a greater purpose-- one that will protect and possibly save the people he cares about. and his own safety and moral toll aren't really even a factor, as we saw with his attempted martyrdom.

cellbit doesn't really care how good anyone else thinks he is (unless he's having an argument over/with someone he cares about), because any punishment or judgment he receives for others' perceptions of his actions does not matter. it's about the eggs, it's about getting off the island, it's about figuring out what's happened to them. he wants people to trust him, obviously, because he cares about and trusts them in turn, or because he wants information, but at the end of the day, his soul is not at stake, and he will do whatever it takes to find out what's going on and save everyone else. he does not have some larger moral instincts guiding his actions, especially not anything black and white. he protects the people he cares about, and anything else is either situational or excusable.

[paragonrobits]

I was rewatching the 2nd episode of Hunter the Parenting and I was thinking about how Pyotr isn’t that weird looking for a Nosferatu and it hit me that all of the Sabbat group here are deliberately contrary to how their Clans normally function, both in the sense of stereotypes about them but also in the way the outlooks fostered by those Clans don’t apply to them in a way that doesn’t quite feel like the way Antitrubu (Vampires who go against the grain of their Clan’s normal political leanings by joining the Sabbat if they are normally Camarilla aligned) tend to do

Pyotr is the obvious one and the one who sparked this whole avenue of thought. The first and most obvious case is that he’s weird looking but not as much as expected for a Nosferatu. He looks odd, yes, but huge eyes, a somewhat skeletal face and exposed teeth is incredibly mild by the standards of the Nosferatu. The fact that he’s something of a sexyman here also adds to it, since the Nosferatu curse (whether in this setting or in Requiem) manifests as instinctive revulsion so its not the sort of thing that gets found attractive except through sheer charisma, and he’s so determined to be a monster that he doesn’t even bother to try that.

The second bit though is that he is the most loose-lipped of the vampires, barring Ape’s attempts to be a Sabbat speaker so much that he annoys the others. He doesn’t just drop terminology like Ape, he actively explains things to them and tries to win them over to the cause by just telling them all about the vampire condition, albieit from the Sabbat’s warped perspective. This is notable because the Nosferatu are widely known as the Clan of information brokers. They do NOT just tell stuff like this. They know everything. A Nossie just telling info like this is deeply subversive.

Additionally, he is the most overwhelming evil of the Sabbat and while that is expected for the Sabbat, especially someone as fanatical as he seems to be, the Nosferatu have a reputation for being more moral. Not that much in this setting, true; they ARE still vampires. But the rejection and being forced to live in the shadows tends to make the Nosferatu more inclined to notice the plights of others and feel compassion in a way other vampires often refuse to, and they can’t pretend they’re something better. They’re monsters, and acknowledging this makes it easier to be something more than just the beast that haunts the blood. Pyotr on the other hand is remarkably cruel and unpleasant to the point that of all the TTS characters, he bears the most resemblence to the DARK ELDAR of all things!

Ape is a stand out example. Firstly, while he’s odd looking its a bit weird that he LOOKS so human; its honestly hard to tell he’s animalistic and not just a weird looking guy if you don’t notice his teeth and claws. The Gangrel in this edition developed permanent animal features whenever they frenzied, and even a young would-be Sabbat should look absolutely inhuman, and yet he doesn’t ,which indicates he’s probably not quite as genuine about it as he tries to act. The second bit is that he’s kind of a dumbass; the Gangrel are genuinely a Clan of cagey, cunning survivors and they tend to be smart, since you have to be smart to survive as a Gangrel; Requiem goes a lot further with this. but a meathead Gangrel is a pretty big difference given that the signature Gangrel character was Beckett, who is a professional scholar.

On a more tragic level is Shitbeard; its been noted he was most likely a highly moral man who felt passionate enough about learning that he went to college later in life, only to have that mortal life taken from him when he took part in a blood drive. And this ties into his biggest grief, the feeling of losing his mortal mundanity and the pleasures of being truly human, when as a Brujah he should have the easiest time holding onto those feelings. The vampires of this setting are often depicted as creatively sterile and burned out, with difficulty maintaining genuine passion for anything other than bloodlust or darker pursuits, but the Brujah are deeply passionate to a degree that it can imbalance them into destructive rages. Not for nothing are they the ones that keep the Anarch Movement going; they can muster a raw passion most humans can’t match, let alone a vampire. (Werewolves probably have them beat, though.)

So for Shitbeard to so intensely feel and mourn everything he’s lost is deeply tragic, because he should have the easiest time keeping in touch with what once kept him human.

This brings us to Kevin, who is the most different from the usual expectations to such a degree I honestly think it’s likely Alfabusa and the rest sat down, worked out the Tremere’s normal stereotypes, and wrote a character that flaunts them at every measure. The Tremere are proud, arrogant and widely disliked assholes that are so broadly evil that the very concept of a likable Tremere is, itself, kind of shocking, given that they tend to be arrogant and disdainful to everyone and everything. Kevin, on the other hand, is a very likable guy.

Tremere are also tightly linked to heirarchy and the dictates of their sires; while Kevin has worked his way free of it, the Pyramid is such an integral part of the Tremere mindset that this is even more shocking on a huge level.

He’s compassionate and attached to animals, when casual cruelty is very common to the Tremere. He’s as human as a vampire can be while being in modest standing among the Sabbat, he tends to use his Dominate powers in surprisingly nonviolent ways (i meant he did try to stab Big D but in the world of darkness, a delaying tactic at all is pretty humane), and perhaps most noteworthy, it’s not clear if he can use thaumaturgy, the blood magic of the Tremere. He clearly knows ABOUT it and he’s very defensive, but he has very clearly not used it at all, which is odd for a Tremere, they’re very stuck up about it. This is possible given that since he has a clear low ranking among his fellows, its possible he was only given the most basic training in thaumaturgy before he cut his own way loose and finds it better to exploit Dominate rather than more bloody skills.

[carlyraejepsans]

It’s not a bad thing to address the problems and complexities the problems and issues that female characters AND THEN acknowledge the problems and complexities of the male characters who are connected to them.

IT IS A BAD THING when you hold those same (female) characters up to a double-standard or attempt to attribute their faults/flaws to their identity, which is unfortunately more common than most would like to admit.

Misogyny (like all forms of prejudice, supremacism, and systemic bigotry) is more than just a negative attitude or a bad argument. It’s a parasitic symbiosis in which one community of people profits off of the unequal treatment of another.

You can still be a “friend” to a person of a particular group and still be harmful/toxic to the group they’re a part of because seeing someone as a “friend” doesn’t mean anything if you don’t see them as an equal.

P.S. It always irks me whenever someone thinks that they’re making a character more complex and nuanced by ignoring the complexities and nuances of another. I’ve seen ppl do that to Toriel AND Asgore, although I have noticed they do it significantly more to the former than the latter.

P.P.S. And don’t even get me started on what this fandom has done to Chara.

P.P.P.S. Forgive my little temper tantrum, and I’m sorry if I misread/misinterpreted anyone.

if you're bringing up misogyny in the context of fandom communities and the way they approach the text specifically, i think you're oversimplifying things by defining it as just "one group profiting off of another." an overwhelming percentage of fandom is, in fact, comprised OF women, at least on the story/character analysis/fiction writing front. you can't really say they're profiting off of female characters being ignored over male ones. by that logic, female characters should be uplifted more than anyone else in fandom spaces, and yet that's far from the case.

this is because misogyny isn't just a cultural system of oppression, it's literally baked into our cultures. our customs, our instincts, our sense of shame and justice and morality. those double standards aren't a conscious decision to oppress, it's an instinctual mental mechanism reinforced by habit and custom. it's something that feminists have spent (and still spend!) an insane amount of time unwrangling and breaking down. and a lot of people just... don't apply that kind of analysis to their own behavior. women in the story are just instinctively less sympathetic. less pitiable. less justifiable. less interesting, or "not complex enough to care about".

i do have a theory that this attitude is also tied to 1) a personal unwillingness by female fans to engage with their own oppression in a space dedicated to a hobby (ie: basically just escapism) and 2) fandom's popularity largely deriving from being a space to express sexuality and engage with erotica/archetypes that appeal to the reader, and the vast majority of fandom users are either straight or attracted to men (ie: the people making fancontent think men are hot so the more men the merrier. girls who?). but that is not always the case, and very often those attitudes go right in hand with misogyny and act as a shield to it, so it's only a small mental note in the corkboard of my brain.

[thecarnivorousmuffinmeta]

what if there was a vampire therapist carlisle made edward go to after his attempted suicide?

BA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA.

Ahem, sorry, anon, it's just. Ah, that's so very beautiful for a few reasons.

Standard Disclaimer

Obviously, therapy is a wonderful thing as is taking care of your mental health. There's far too much stigma around mental health and therapy in popular culture and absolutely seek out a therapist when needed.

Now, with that, we can get into why I don't think this would be a miracle cure all for Edward.

Why is This a Bad Idea

The thing about therapy is that for it to truly be effective there are a few things required.

First, you have to be able to trust your therapist. You're potentially telling this person deep personal shit, often all the way back to your childhood, and uncovering things about yourself you may despise. It is a hard and grueling process to evaluate yourself and change for the better, and while by law a therapist cannot reveal your secrets you still want to be able to trust that person to truly help you and be sympathetic to you.

Second is that you have to recognize that there is a problem and you have to want to change and approach it even if it's not simply difficult but agonizing. People who are forced into going to therapy by well-meaning relatives/society are often very resistant to the entire concept and will make a point of not addressing what they need to. Sometimes, people are ready to acknowledge a problem, but they're not ready to do what they need to to face it or acknowledge what the problem is.

Which brings us to Edward Cullen.

First, who is he going to trust?

Edward can't talk to a human therapist as he'd have to talk in circles around the issues at hand. He wouldn't be able to discuss anything related to vampirism and while he might come up with decent metaphors he'd ultimately feel the human has no idea what they're talking about or truly understand why Edward was driven to suicide. Not to mention, of course, that Edward's quite contemptuous of us humans. He envies us from a distance but he tends to think of humans as slow, vapid, mayflies who simply do not match his intellectual prowess. He would instinctively feel better than whatever therapist they sat him in front of because, you see, Edward has five B.A.s which is more than the doctor's three degrees.

Then we get to vampires. First, even if there is a vampire psychologist, we're likely not looking at one who is up to date with modern research and therapy practices. Psychology, perhaps even more than medicine (and that's saying something), is a field that has undergone revolutionary changes within decades and has... some sketchy history. If we're looking at a psychologist who was turned around the time of Freud or even Jung and has been eating people and not paying attention to much research since... Not sure I'd recommend them as a therapist. Most importantly: Edward would know they're out of date and unable to get back up to date as most vampires can't integrate or even get close to human society as their control is that bad/they'd have no idea how to navigate a modern university library.

And worse than being out of date, they're not on the diet. If Edward's contemptuous of us humans he's extremely contemptuous of vampires not on the diet (to be fair, for a much more decent reason here). Even friends of the family, Edward sees a marked difference from those who embrace their vampirism and those who do not. Edward would be appalled at the very notion of being offered any kind of moral or advice period from a vampire who goes out and murders a human every two weeks.

That means that the therapist is either in the family (Rosalie with her twelve degrees) or is in the Denali. The family is obviously a terrible idea for so many reasons the least of which is your family member cannot be your therapist as they are too closely involved. (Adding to it that the qualified one, to a point, would probably be Rosalie and Edward's talking to the woman he thinks is a vapid, vain, shrew and telling her how awful she is to her face. It'd go well.)

The Denali, while a little better in that Edward trusts them and sees them as family, are still too close in that Edward would be horrified if their opinion of him lessened and if that news leaked to his family. He can't talk to them either.

So basically, Edward's out of therapists.

Even if he wasn't though, while Edward acknowledges consistently that he has issues in canon, he doesn't seem ready to address them and certainly not with other people. His self hatred is something he buries deep, only deeper is what he views as his vampiric self that lusts for human blood and calculated the cold blooded murder of Bella Swan.

Edward is terrified of himself and the last thing he wants to do is open that box up let alone with either a strange he doesn't respect or a beloved family member who can never ever know.

(Not to mention there wouldn't be any vampire psychologists/therapists as vampires are hedonistic individuals who don't even form a murder society who are either warring with each other, avoiding one another, or murdering their meals who look much like them every two weeks.

Look, they barely have a vampire doctor, and that's because Carlisle's fucking weird.)

Look, it's just never going to happen.

Slight Caveat/We Sort of See This

There is the fact that canonically Edward does ask his family the very awkward and terrible questions of how to make love to a breakable human woman to which they appear to give increasingly beautiful and bizarre answers but that's not the same thing as talking about Edward himself.

There's also Edward's many confrontations with Alice when, thanks to her visions, she has insight into what Edward may or may not do and historically doesn't judge him for it and even confronts him.

Edward also chose to have sex with Bella anyway even when it seems implied that Carlisle strongly suggested it was a very bad idea.

However, more often than not, he chooses not to listen to her as he respects her visions except when they tell him things he doesn't want to hear such as "you will either turn Bella or eat her". Then her visions don't count.

This is about as close as we ever get to Edward getting therapy.

But Alright, Carlisle Sends Edward to Uncle Eleazar

If we have to choose a candidate, then it's going to be one of the Denali. Trouble is, trouble's going down with the Denali post New Moon/During Eclipse in a very awkward way. See, Laurent was tragically murdered by shapeshifters, and when the Cullens pleaded for help in attacking the newborn army they refused as the Cullens wouldn't let them commit genocide. The Cullens then only survived likely because of the help of teenagers, because the Denali blew them off, and the Denali on their end didn't get to avenge Laurent.

So, there's really bad feeling on both sides. Obviously, this smooths over in time for the wedding but uh that felt very reconciliatory and awkward.

So, sending Edward up for therapy during all of this would be really weird if not spark a complete family feud that they never recover from.

Not only that, but Tanya infamously comes onto Edward every chance she gets (we even see this in Midnight Sun and it is hilarious), so... Tanya's right out. Irina is also in deep mourning over Laurent so she's out. Kate is likely still very upset about the not murdering the shapeshifters thing which means...

Eleazar's probably the likely choice.

Eleazar in canon is presented as kind of Bizarro Carlisle. He had a similar history of spending some time with the Volturi, he's an intellectual as well, and is also at least presented as an extreme pacifist. Edward directly compares him to Carlisle and has a lot of respect for him canonically and welcomes his input.

I have no canon to back me up, but if any of the Denali would present themselves as qualified to be a therapist, it'd be Eleazar. He'd also likely point to his time spent evaluating gifts as a kind of coaching people through.. things... (Is he qualified, probably not, but that's not important).

So, we have our therapist who is qualified(?), doesn't eat humans, whom Edward respects, and who isn't considered a 'direct' family member that Edward may feel he's able to open up to (especially as Eleazar was in the Volturi, had started off the diet, so can understand things like blood lust.)

However, even taking out @therealvinelle and my constant unfounded slandering of Eleazar, I doubt this would work out as neither would delve into what's really Edward's problem.

Edward would blame his suicidal tendencies on being a vampire: he is a demon ergo there is no purpose to his life and if Bella dies so does he. I just imagine Eleazar shrugging and acknowledging that yes, life is sad sometimes, and losing a mate is sad and hey did you hear about Marcus?

I just don't get them really digging into the why of why Edward wanted to kill himself so badly. It's not something either would want to confront and on the surface, it looks like they have their answer: Edward views vampirism as so loathsome that he can't turn Bella and he can't exist without her. Ergo. Death.

The only thing that changes is Edward spends a weekend in Denali at some point during Eclipse.

[transmutationisms]

HI really love your thoughts on stuff. do you think succession - as a tv show with a script - makes all of its negative statements negatively or positively? this is something im having trouble with, specially with shiv and the overwhelming misogyny. i understand its quite literally real life. but they know the importance of media as a statement that defines real life - its sort of meta, but the whole thing with whether or not calling mencken, knowing it would affect politics, is something that can reflect on the show itself. i dont think i fully agree with what they do to shiv in the way they portray the misogyny. it feels like a "and thats how it will always be" more than "thats how its been". idk. maybe I just hate misogyny and cant stand to see that. but everything is a statement. what do u think?

well in general i agree that, yeah, the show is more interested in satire and criticism than offering any kind of imaginative solution or alternative. so, if you want to watch something that suggests alternatives to logan-style misogyny (& i'd understand why) then i think you're going to be dissatisfied with this show. like, obviously even with logan gone, his influence still haunts the company and the family, and anyway the broader structures of capitalism and its use / exploitation of women were always much larger than logan alone. all of this also applies to how roman and kendall (& to a lesser extent connor) are punished for failing to live up to standards of masculinity; logan feminised kendall to punish him for business failures and derided roman for what he saw as a more innate femininity that made roman disgusting to him.

i actually think gender is a strong suit for the show. it's very deeply interested in how they each relate to standards of bourgeois masculinity and femininity, and how these strictures are confining and punishing (often literally, as logan used them as tools of his abuse). for shiv she lived up to some of logan's femands for an heir (her emotional repression, flashes of killer instinct) but was ultimately always doomed by the fact that logan saw her as permanently being his little girl, denied a body (bc this was less disgusting to him than thinking of her as a woman) and never the right fit for his corporate mould, even when she was trying her hardest to fit it. roman and kendall ofc pick up on this and the way her gender can be used in itself to lock her out of the upper echelons of power (a walking pair of teats, all the men got together in man club). but ultimately this is a dissection of misogyny and masculinity, not a suggestion for escape.

i have mixed feelings about the sort of ethical argument here. it is fair to say that succession has a fundamentally conservative ethos in the sense that the satire and snark angle is uninterested in offering solutions or imagining alternatives. it's grounded in exploring capitalism, fascism, the resulting gender politics, &c, and to the extent that it challenges these things, it's by portraying them as worthy of mockery. it's not a leftist political treatise. but like, i think there's a can of worms to open here in terms of asking how revolutionary a television show is capable of being simple by virtue of the medium. like, even if the content is radical internally, does is matter that the form is still one embedded in capitalist production, ie, that the show is a commodity on the same market? i identify the root of misogyny within the capitalist mode of production; how far is something made within these parameters capable of going in offering any kind of alternative? and also, do we care? like, am i watching tv because i'm looking for radical politics? again, this doesn't negate the critique of succession's critique. but i do think it's a bit... trite? to ask tv to be some kind of moral guide---particularly on a show where the premise is such that any 'challenge' to misogyny would still be constrained within the bourgeois world the characters inhabit.

[jakowskis]

SOMEONE ELSE WHOSE FAV GWEN MOMENT IS HER RETCONNING RHYS 🤝🤝🤝 briefly became the joker of my friend group for saying how much I love that scene. it's a delight

ITS A GREAT SCENE they were worried abt leaving it in the ep bc they knew it'd polarize fans + i know a lot of ppl do in fact hate that scene (gwen bashers who cant handle women's wrongs 🙄) but i love it. im a rhys enjoyer + i think he deserves the best AND i love how fucked up gwen treats him, these things can coexist. gwen and rhys are easily the most compelling canon relationship in tw to me just cuz they feel very real - we spend the most time with them and we see their ups and downs so often. i love how they oscillate between lowkey toxic as hell (people always hold gwen to a high standard but there was def a few times rhys made me 😬 over how he talked to her, too) and cute + stable. i love how theyre fucked up too, like with rhys being an everyman they could've easily kept him & gwen's relationship in a very boring uneventful place but no theyre nuanced anyway n i love it.

and with gwen! it's such a good peek into what kind of person she is (/pos - well, /pos in a sense of like 'i don't judge characters for their actions, i judge characters for being boring, so if a character compels me by having a shitty moment THAT'S wonderful'). i love the manipulativeness of it, the selfishness and desperation. gwen's 'tell me im good tell me im good tell me im good' (dee from iasip) moment hfsdjkds. she doesnt need genuine forgiveness (in a sense of rhys going "i know what you did and i forgive you for it"), she just wants empty words to give herself some peace of mind, bc if she actually told him she'd risk losing him and she isn't willing to let him go... i love that. i love it sm.

also interesting that it's featured in an episode about base human nature, about humans being stripped back to what's underneath, specifically the ugly bits - one of the themes of gwen's character is that she's a very "have my cake and eat it, too" sort. she's constantly trying to balance things that aren't compatible, like there's... mmm i can't think of or find a vocabulary word that implies an emotional/relational sort of greed dhsfkj. but that's present with her character as an underlying theme, it's like she spreads herself thin but not necessarily in a way that's detrimental to her? it's like she has this perpetual need to juggle many things just to prove to herself that she can. maybe she needs the stimulation, i dunno. i think it's an interesting quality. i think it's also something she's not necessarily proud of, maybe she feels gluttonous in it, which is why i mention it in the context of the 'combat' episode, where mark harps on and on about how modern men are angry and frustrated but not allowed to be, and how he thinks they should give into that base emotion in order to evolve. gwen does her own version of this, with pride/greed instead of wrath - she gives into her own selfishness, and her character evolves as a result. not for the better, according to some, but i personally find gwen's moral devolution super compelling. (also, on another note, the men feeling justified in giving into their ugly rage even though it's not socially acceptable, and in fact it not being socially acceptable makes them even more interested in doing it - but the woman giving into a cruel instinct but feeling intense guilt and shame for it even though it's a private moment... sounds about right.)

also ive said this elsewhere but in the director's commentary of that ep burn gorman was clapping his hands and giggling over that scene HFKSJDH one of us

[wisteria-lodge]

burnt & exploded bird + badger secondary (bird model)

Hi! I've been doing a lot of introspection lately and I kind of wanted a second opinion about me?

I've been reading about the primaries and of all of them, Snake seems the least wrong, but it doesn't really feel right? Like, I prioritize my people over everyone else, but I don't do it because it's the right thing to do or because I care about my people. I do it because it helps me. I don't think I'm really capable of caring about people for who they are instead of what they provide me. When I was in grade school, I made a chart of how often I could interact with my friends to maximize fondness and minimize distaste for my innate personality.

Well, somebody's got some Bird somewhere.

And you're definitely an Idealist. Loyalists see people as ends in themselves, and you don't which is... totally fine.

Although this "distaste for my innate personality" thing... you had such a strong belief that you were such a huge problem so young? What happened?

Most of my conclusions from back them remain true to this day.

Oh. Yes. You're a Bird Primary. You built a system, you built it young, and you're still living in it.

Including an inability to suppress my extreme selfishness, an inability to understand how my actions will affect other people, and an inability to actually hold a decent conversation. I intentionally "befriend" people who like to talk more than they like to listen because I don't like talking to other people, but I quite enjoy learning. My people are the only ones I ever consider, but I consider them so I can keep them, not because I really care.

You know this is fine, right? To want to be around interesting people, and listen to them talk? You're a good listener, and that is a HUGE part of "holding a decent conversation." There is no reason you have to be some sparking, witty, extroverted charmer.

And all of this talk of "extreme selfishness" and "inability to understand how my actions will affect other people?" So far it seems like you make flow charts to try to understand how your actions affect other people. Is the problem that you're not omniscient?Something is up with your secondary, there's to much "I literally am incapable of being a person" for there not to be.

Bird is the second closest, but it seems to imply a level of... put-togetherness? that I don't really have.

Yeah, I adore Birds, but Birds are crazy.

I appreciate logic and reasoning, but I'm self-aware enough to know that my decisions are mostly emotion and instinct and justified after the fact. I don't trust the "outside world" to convey accurate information to me, likely due repeated and continuous incidents in my childhood that I won't get into because it's a little too personal.

OH. You're Exploded. You're an Exploded Bird. Mostly likely you've dealt with some heavy duty gaslighting (sadly common) and this has messed with your ability to take in new information.

Best guess is that your secondary, whatever it is, is Burned, and you don't feel confident navigating the world using it.

I think I want to be a Bird and try to be a Bird but can't actually use any of its tenets. I am not a rational person.

And... that's Burnt Primary talk. "I can't reason." You're a Burnt Bird as well. I mean sure you have emotions, and bias, you're a person. But you like logic, you like coming up with conclusions and then using them as rules to live by, and you can think and reason. What does it even *mean* to say "I'm not a rational person?" Like, what, intrinsically rational? There are no rational four-year-olds, this is something that you build.

I think rationality is the best possible metric for morality you will ever find

Bird.

and I am incapable of judging on a standard that isn't "how will this help me". I use rationality as a tool to further my objective of maximizing myself.

What's the problem with that. That's just, existentialist philosophy.

I don't really like myself either, so I'm not really sure why it's an objective to maximize self-benefit. And even this isn't really the best portrayal of me? Because I think I'm acting for my own self-benefit. It's the best way I've thought of to understand myself.

No one is born not liking themselves. That happened at some point. And whatever it is, it seems to have to do with *how* you interact with the world (secondary) and not *why* you interact with the world (primary.) For having Burning and Exploding in your past, you seem pretty confident in your primary.

But the thing is, I automatically try to live up (or down) to people's expectations. This has hurt me greatly in life, both academically and socially. EX: I made a really weird first impression on one of my current "friends". They genuinely think I'm plausibly a serial killer now. I don't know how to tell them it was a bit, and I don't know how to stop acting like that around them. It doesn't feel like me while I'm not around them, and I don't think they like being around me either, but I am genuinely incapable of stopping.

Feeling like you got "stuck doing a bit" is generally an Actor Bird Secondary problem... but the idea that you can't switch out of it in the moment (even though you want to) and feeling like you're kind of only doing it because of inertia, that's something I recognize in myself. So I'm kind of inclined to say this is an automatic Secondary, Badger or Snake.

Also, it needs to be said, but if you were really as creepy and as off-putting as you seem think you are... no one would hang out with you. (unless... are you insanely good-looking? incredibly rich? Is that the context I'm missing? :)

You truly seem to believe that the multi-player version of your secondary is ineffective/incorrect/wrong. You're Burnt, in the terminology of this system. And I suspect you're being too hard on yourself.

For secondary, I feel weirdly split between Lion and Snake. Like, who I am is unchanging.

(Except when you're doing a bit.) (But I know what you mean. The 'neutral' you is always you, but that's the case for everybody.)

I will never compromise myself to fit in, even if it would help the situation.

Sounds like a You-Move secondary. (Lion or Badger.)

I have strong difficulties adapting to situations.

Prep-work secondary (Badger or Bird.) And some Burnt secondary language of course.

If you're following along, that gives us: Automatic, You-Move, Prepwork seconday = Badger.

However, I have noticed that these convictions of mine are probably false.

... that is something a Lion primary would never, ever think. To a Lion, convictions are internal and therefore true. But that doesn't work for you. You're a Bird, so you need your Truth to exist externally as well, in order to be secure and safe.

I change a lot depending on the person I'm around. EX: When I'm alone, I'm a paranoid mess that flinches at loud sounds (past trauma). When I'm with this one friend of mine who has a lot of issues with manic episodes and hates touch, I'm loud and bombastic, smiling and unnerving, and oddly physical considering the touch aversion of both me and my friend. When I'm with this other friend who's a bit more mellow, I'm almost actually nice. I say "please" and "thank you", which is also weird because this friend doesn't.

You've stopped putting "friend" in air quotes. I'll take it.

You'll call me crazy, but this sounds like Courtier Badger. You're unusual, and probably your friends are too, so it's going to manifest in some interesting ways, but that's what's going on. I know this is a process that gets called "mirroring," but the idea is not that you're reflecting back a duplicate of your friend, the idea is that you're responding to whatever they're putting out, and reflecting back whatever energy you think they need.

(I would not be at all surprised if your mellow friend finds the upped manners comforting... and your friend with manic episodes finds you being bombastic, tactile and out-there comforting as well. Like, I'd buy that. Maybe they get a lot of people tip-toeing around them and treating them with kid gloves, and the fact that you don't do that makes for a pleasant change.)

It feels like me when I'm there, but when thinking about it when alone, I don't recognize it.

^ This is a very real part of being a Courtier Badger, especially if your friends are very *different* from each other. Getting emotion "hangovers" or needing time to reset back to center after interactions is also very real.

Bird is also maybe an option, but like if I had no areas of expertise. Probably not, though.

Again with that burnt secondary talk. You almost certainly have a Bird secondary model, that you built very young when whatever happened to your Badger secondary happened. And started writing relationship flow-charts as a coping mechanism.

I think somewhere along the line, I internalized the fact that all my choices are the wrong ones and became terrified of having agency. I don't know how much this affects the evaluation, but yeah.

I hate to say it, but that's absolutely classic Burnt Bird.

That's me. You know now more about me than my therapist. Do you have a sorting?

I sure do. Maybe not the best news in the world, but then that's for you to decide. I've laid out what I think. And I'm doing to lightly suggest that you're working from some old data that is... no longer relevant. You are not nearly as bad at being a person as you seem to think you are.

[shortnotsweet]

I got a kind of upsetting ask the other day about my Rhaenicent art. It wasn’t malicious, but it was phrased (non-verbatim) like: “you draw Rhaenyra much prettier than she is in the show. I enjoy your art, though!” and although I knew they meant well and I was glad they could appreciate what I made, my first instinctive reaction was to feel indignant, followed by rage and then sadness, and eventually a more contemplative state.

I started sketching Rhaenyra because I thought she was beautiful. She has sort of bone structure that is both strong and delicate, aristocratic, and has a very fine nose, the kind that makes for a sharp profile. I started drawing Rhaenicent admittedly because I wanted an excuse to sketch her in all kinds of armor—full suits, armored dresses, etc. and the scenario I imagined at first was one in which she donned armor and presented Alicent with a crown of flowers in a tourney.

I think the term “pretty” is subjective, obviously, and incredibly personal, but often very telling nonetheless. It irked me slightly first because oftentimes there’s a lot of focus both by editorial photoshoots and official promotional content to emphasize Olivia Cooke’s beauty in comparison to and sometimes to undermine Emma D’Arcy’s, and we know why: it’s not about objective attractiveness but rather conventional feminine presentation. This is also reflective, I think, in fan consumption. That’s not to say that Olivia Cooke is not gorgeous—she definitely is, and I think she has one of the strongest performances in the show. BUT it pisses me off instinctively when comments about Emma being less attractive crop up, because they genuinely ARE attractive, they just are not as feminine presenting. Fans or anti’s or whoever often bring this up in a competitive sort of way, either in an IRL context or in the actual show. So it feels more like a projection of “they are less feminine and therefore less beautiful”, which is ridiculous, and extends to Rhaenyra the character, who is female. The showrunner’s themselves made a lot of…questionable decisions, I think, given hair and wardrobe and characterization, to align the idea of a less feminine character automatically being less comfortable in their own clothes and therefore being given less-than-flattering and uncharacteristically non-ornate clothing as a result, as if their idea of non gender-confirming suggests frumpiness, or lack of confidence. That’s the thing about pretty, I think, that set me off. People suffer for pretty. People are happy because of pretty, or apathetic. People die and kill themselves for pretty. Pretty means things, like not ugly, not-not good enough, my standards, your standards, acceptable bodies, things like that.

The text has a lot to say about female beauty and presentation and identity and what the public projects onto young women on the basis of femininity and vulnerability, and the narrative even includes smear campaigns alleging Alicent’s supposed beauty and thinness over Rhaenyra’s waning youth, due to having children in rapid succession. The text largely grapples with the bloody transition from girlhood to womanhood and the question how women should or shouldn’t behave, and the consequences for doing either. Our own society and the society of the text align physical beauty with moral righteousness, and of course the ideal of physical beauty is heavily based on our own patriarchal, in this case Western standard of femininity. All’s that to say, I remember rereading the ask and thinking: “Less pretty? What does that mean?”

I’m not insinuating that they were trying to necessarily compliment or insult the actors, or that they were trying to belittle my own ability. It just felt strange to me, and disheartening: incredible effect, for only being about two sentences. Perhaps they meant “less accurate” in which case there could be an argument made, but still, it was a rude and backhanded way to phrase it, perhaps. I could just be overthinking it. Maybe it was just my ego that was bruised, that could be it.

The universe that I usually draw Alicent and Rhaenyra in, as stated in the tags, is a show-to-book hybrid, with a substantive age gap and different plot points. Both women are considered conventionally beautiful by their society’s standards. The Rhaenyra usually being drawn is usually a teen, sometimes a young adult, somewhere between Millie and Emma’s portrayal, and while I use references for both, the in-between is not a fixed face, and there is no definitive reference for her older and younger self. Perhaps that makes her “less accurate” which I wouldn’t argue with, but to me, accuracy is not the point when I draw from that universe and it discourages me that it has to be stated. I don’t want to draw Rhaenicent if the reaction is that I am not drawing them to an acceptable or comparable standard of pretty.

Similarly, while Alicent is loosely based off of Olivia Cooke largely bc she’s got great expressions and because the show’s visuals still play a part, half the time she is simply drawn as a woman with a round face and large eyes. Occasionally I draw and picture her with black or dark brown hair instead of red. There is no fixed face for her; she is an amalgamation. Maybe she is as ‘pretty’ as her onscreen counterpart, maybe not. It’s subjective, again.

I enjoy asks immensely. It makes me happy when people ask me questions, when they let me know what they’re thinking, when they make me think. I don’t want people to stop, and the vast majority have been wonderful to receive. This one made me think, definitely. It made me reflect. It also made my stomach twist and my drawing hand (that’s my left) twitch. I like drawing pretty things. I curate my Instagram and Tumblr based on pretty things. I like to look at pretty people. If I’m not pretty, I want to die. God, I should be sick of it.

[blautitlewave]

My two cents, not that it matters. Being an autist, my frustrations with minors was present when I was a minor myself, at least regarding my hyperfixations which happened to be history and language and all that, so my impatience is really just.. I suppose my enduring incredulousness over how often kids and teens speak untrue or ridiculous things and assert them as correct. I’ve always wanted to be correct, so I would look up my talking points to ensure they were. I understand that expecting the youth to conform to my standards is foolish and useless, but the least we can do, I think, is to discourage kids from talking out of their ass when they involve themselves in debates or discussions, to not conflate opinion with fact, to not pass off “I heard that..” as definitive proof.

They’re just bad habits all around that should be weeded out. It’s a learning process that comes with gradual greater understanding of your own thought processes.

In addition, the issue with kids having ‘conservative views about sex’ is that they are then going around (on the internet) to argue with people who are more open with sex to ‘not do that, that’s icky’ and trying to tell adults that their behaviors are immoral, cringe, etc. and try to do some hot takes on sexual morality and ethics when they’re barely in relationships themselves. I understand very much that with youth comes this fresh outlook on things, this desire to reform and replace old institutions, to put a spin or uproot what seems like antiquated customs, but the youth also has this false impression that all adults are okay with the status quo—‘after all, they abide by it in some fashion’. But that’s not true. And in any case, they’re minors. Their input on adults and their sex lives is kind of..immaterial. Full grown adults don’t need their input. I certainly never gave my input or submitted my hot takes about what consenting adults do behind closed doors save for some discussion about the importance of consent.

Minors have greater means to share their developing opinions with the world, and of course this being the internet means that everyone functions as a peer. The instinct is to correct wrong info. Minors can also perpetuate and hold harmful beliefs, and the worry is that they wont grow out of it. Bullying is not the answer, but neither is just letting them spout off trash rhetoric that contributes to misogyny, the various sexuality phobias, transphobia, etc. I don’t care if it’s a 13 year old that holds the ideas, it will always bother me. I often refrain from responding, but factually incorrect beliefs will never fail to make me grimace and roll my eyes.

But I 100% agree that minors that show a disinterest in drinking, drugs, smoking/vaping (!!!!!) or sex should not be bullied. You shouldn’t be drinking or doing drugs until you’re 21, and I’ve always held this belief. You’re a baby and you’re drinking alcohol ffs.

"adult who logs on and works themself into a furor over teenagers not having perfectly articulated opinions and thoughts on the world" is quickly becoming my least favorite genre of Poster Du Jour

[phlve]

ES(F) — Extraverted Sensation supported by Feeling

Imagine that your world is a body of water. There's all sorts of ways you can move through it. You can just wade in the water, experiencing it while never fully submerging yourself, you can float above the water and bouy yourself with your own weight. You can choose to move constantly or stay fairly static. You can alternate between all sorts of things, whatever makes your experience of the water most enjoyable. For the ES, it is like being submerged all the time, completely surrounded by the water and never needing to come up to breathe. You're constantly aware of how the water feels because it's constantly everywhere, always, in all your senses. Having all this water around you all the time obviously gives you a sense of ease within it, to the point where you find yourself confident in cutting through the water and moving yourself wherever you want to be. Your strength underwater also allows you to move others, whether to help them or help yourself. It's not that everyone else is poor at managing themselves per se, but that you're so accustomed to the water that's almost second instinct to control or assist where needed. You can hold complete autonomy over your choices in the water, because you know no one can do it like you can, but at the same time, your submergence can almost leave you feeling stuck if you aren't constantly moving, conquering new things. This type is a person of actions. "I am active, therefore I exist". "I do not need anyone to teach me, I know what I am supposed to do". Often this type will do things before thinking. Their hands move faster than their heads think: they are people of action who accept responsibility for the consequences. When retired, the type withers away, gets ill, he whines and feels miserable. They have to do something, anything. Most extraverted type, endowed with a great capacity for enjoying life and a zeal for experimentation, drinking, fighting, playing, bullying, doing, achieving. Able to absorb an immense number of facts, remembering everything; they are moved by their sense of realism. Always aware of all the details going around their situation, pays sharp attention to things. They merge with their own senses, the external stimuli is their purpose. If what they started to do is blocked, they do it another way. Deals with a situation as it arises, without any kind of plan or standard. People of this type are good at pulling conflicting factions together and making things run smoothly. Some manitestations of the type are over-competitive. some other manifestations, compulsive gamblers and beer enjovers, some manifestations are jus harmonizers with a deep and broad royal sense of appearance and beauty.

Their entire energy and appearance involves having a massive volitional sphere of power and indulgence. This type can often times appear as strongly sexual (and feminine). They value material possessions and take the time to acquire, care for, and enjoy them. Greatly values good food, good music, good art, animals and hugs. Oriented to over-working, physical exercise. sports all day, running and running. Characterized by ungovernablity, desires, instincts, uncontrollable impulses. Striving to discharge the physical more than moral (spiritual) properties. Impulsive reactions, gives freedom to irritability, openly speaks of his demands and claims, comes to contention, becomes rude. Tendency for physical labor, changes places of work. Shortness of temper. Not few chronic alcoholics among them. Impulsive in the sexual sphere, promiscuous sexual relations, often instability in relations with a chosen partner, may enter into prostitution. In youth may impulsively run away from home. Distinguished by affection, cares for his children, often willing to provide any assistance. This type does not like talking about health issues and usually uses simple treatment, a quick fix like aspirin. Until he drops dead he works hard and often the reason of his death is an unexpected sickness, because of his carelessness the sickness was neglected. Doesn't like being passive - he hates being touched, he wants to touch and hug, not be touched or hugged - wants to affirm its own existence and in order to do that, they enforce their desires and volition, their will and their intentions On everything and everyone. This type consistently attracts the attention and affection of people around it, usually making a big scene. a whole drama. an entire explosion of upbeat adrenaline Prefers honesty over politeness. Inclined to insult and bully. mocking and plaving with specific people. Danger and surprise do not cause rear or anxiety. Irustration, instea. aanger and surprise gives enthusiasm and excitement. Troublesome personalitv: some manifestations of this tpe may cry in public like babies and accuse their partners. they are possessive. jealous. easily envious and furious. Too carefree: never thinks about the consequences of their actions. Some versions always acts and speaks on its whims, other versions may be sadistic, manipulative and two-faced. Seeks or expects praises or love aggressively and persistently, never gives up. Thinks very highly of themselves (and maybe of their partners too). At times, this type seems to be a walking encyclopedia, because they accumulate knowledge and remember it precisely. Their mind is like a library where every single data gets registered. Their cognition is that of an "obsessive photography taker". Can be very tolerant, easily accepts and forgives others' imperfections and mistakes. They'll like or dislike someone or something based off their appearance and skills.

Some manifestations of the type can be stereotypical tsunderes, some versions are sadodere, others just megadere, and it goes on. If you are late for work and your boss is someone of this type, they may reprimand you harshly, even rudely. But in five minutes they will come to you as a matter of factly to discuss business as if nothing had happened. He just vented his anger, no big deal. This type often uses words "shame", "disaster", "I hate it", "I like it", "fantastic", "great". In a dialogue he is able to easily find rapport and talk about the opponent's problems. but he never forgets about his own goals. He produces an illusionary impression that he really cares about other people's problems. This type is loved despite of his boldness, people trust him, they vote for him hoping he will change things for the better. He prefers to keep people at a distance, he does not make friends in the office (command, platoon, etc.); there is a distance, a uniform, a business talk within the framework of the rules of rank. They at times sincerely do not realize how tactless they are. He approaches a talking couple and as a matter of factly interrupts and addresses the person he needs to talk to; - the thing is, approaches them without second thought, says something, disrupting the space of the dialogue, takes care of his business, while the other partner takes off. Usually, this type lacks basic abilities of analysis and awareness of how to use and produce, organize and systematize efforts effectively. Though some versions of the type are knowledgeable enough to never have problems. Some manifestations of the type can be even really knowledgeable and intellectual, but they never focus on those aspects of the world, being generally described as something else. They charisma and pleasure-seeking, leadership personality, are what matters most. Dedicated, this type would do anything in his power to make what he wants become true. Protective and caretaking of those he loves. Some manifestations are prone to emotional stress, strict coldness or furious and self-righteous anger, having a demanding and dominating nature. Yet, this type can manifest as innocent and empathetic. Supportive vs Vindictive is truly a polarity common for this type. Can be inventive, resourceful and interested in innovation. respects obligations. I alwavs think of this toe as someone to over-work until they get their work done verfectlv: If someone of this toe ever receives a task. they will impulsively solve it. They do not administer time or processes. they do everything as it comes. They solve all their obligations first and then return to their goals. Generally, this tvpe knows how to change someone's emotions and can detect if someone dislikes them, considers them a threat, a friend, etc.

This type has to be in a positive mood to achieve results, if a boss of this type is in a good mood, he may sign the paper even without looking. Makes decisions easily, never being a perfectionist (he accepts all imperfections and mistakes in the world, most realistic type). but he has hard time changing his mood, a hard time thinking about the future, a hard time pondering about what he could have done better etc. This type's intuition is poorly differentiated. He has a hard time speaking about his premonitions and feelings, insights. He doesn't know what symbols might be there. He just has a 'gut feeling' about something and cannot explain anything. He doesn't talk in prophetic language, rather, communicates like things are a simple ghost story childish. Primitive, archaic. For someone of this type, circumstances that are completely known and clear do not give an opportunity to get excited, therefore he tries to create a bifurcation, a stress, a conflict, when it is necessary to make decision on which further succession of events depends, when there is nothing set and fixed and it is necessary to work in unknown circumstances. This type often acts intuitively, instinctively. The working principle is "create danger and conquer", "get used to danger, to new things". This type expects difference, he wants something new. something unusual. something he can't comprehend. He expects to receive new stimuli, new data. And this may be a vicious cycle. Addictions are common for this type, and I wonder if they tell ghost stories, random nightmares or dreams, love ilusions and similar things, when drunk. Something interesting to describe: This type can often hallucinate. The inferior intuition of this type can become so repressed and forgotten that it may get upset and invade the actual conscience; hallucinations are essentially intuitions, but those intuitions for some reason became transformed or merged with the sensations. This type's intuition may manifest as delusional stimuli and rose-colored glasses of love and fanatical seeking of new sensations. It can hallucinate and get pretty crazy. Of course, this is just a possible dynamic of the type's functions. I wouldn't really expect someone of this type to have schizophrenia. But considering the relations between functions and the cognition, it is possible.

[bratz-kitten]

the sun through the houses 

sun in the 1st house: you irradiate confidence and self-assurance, as if you know exactly who the fuck you are and what you're here to do and people are very drawn to that kind of energy in you, to the way you're so full of life, spontaneous, ready to face anything that life throws at you and your ambitious nature. you thrive when you're uplifting others to feel as good as you do because you don't want to shine alone, and because on the inside, you might be much more insecure than people are aware of - you understand what it's like to be at rock bottom, but you're good at hiding this part of yourself. can be very controlling and competitive, and if you were raised in an environment where your parents used to fight a lot, you might chase conflict wherever you go. be careful with being arrogant and proud, and be aware that your strong energy might overwhelm a lot of people. whatever you do, you follow your heart. you need appreciation and recognition from others. you keep your cool in the most stressful situations. 

sun in the 2nd house: you crave to achieve financial success; here, the planet of the ego is tied to the house that rules material possessions and our self-worth, so you want to achieve power by getting rich because that's how you feel safe. you're very talented when it comes to business and making good investments that'll allow you to get to the next step. when it comes to your ambitions, if you want something, you'll work hard for it and only stop when you get it. you're very witty, with your dry humor and sarcastic personalities, you truly have the best comebacks lmao and above all, you always keep your word. you take pleasure in everything lavish that life has to offer; you have great taste and know when something is of value almost instinctively. you need to make sure you're appreciating the people in your life instead of only what you own and your ambitions because you're at your best when you're expressing your kind and generous side. you might be into retail therapy when you feel sad or empty, but afterward, you might feel terrible because the fulfillment shopping gives you is only temporary. careful with being controlling or possessive. 

sun in the 3rd house: you use your mind like a weapon. you truly have a way with words and you're able to express yourself in a way that leaves everyone wanting to know more about you; but most of all, you crave to keep on learning more and more and to expand your knowledge, because that's what feeds your soul. spontaneous personality; bold but unpredictable and you feel a sense of pride whenever you think about your friends, they're very important to you. you have the capability to bring stories to life, this placement is amazing for aspiring writers, and you like analyzing your surroundings which, in turn, makes you a very adaptable person. constant change in your way of thinking because you're always viewing things from different perspectives. you can become easily bored when you aren't feeling mentally stimulated, which is why you're always seeking new experiences, communicating with others and why you live so much in the present. persuasive. people who don't seek to expand their minds terrify you. you refuse to live in the shadows of your siblings, you have a need to stand as your own person. 

sun in the 4th house: when the planet of the ego is in the house of our family life, our inner experiences and our childhood trauma, you are blessed with a rich inner experience that leads you to want to delve deep into what you went through and how those experiences shaped you into the person you are today – and that means the trauma you went through, too. if you had bad experiences in your child, your journey is longer and harder because you find it harder to understand life, and you might've compared your home life to the "outside world" a lot, feeling like they were two different entities (think sinclair from demian). you're very caring and nurturing and very attached to your family, either the one you were brought under or the one you want to establish. having a home that feels cozy and safe is what brings you security, and you want to bring happiness to the ones you love the most. be careful with being too pessimistic and feeling paranoid that something bad will suddenly happen, and also with being too controlling and domineering. you need a lot of reassurance, but be careful with coming off as if you don't trust your loved ones. very strategic, you play the long game. 

sun in the 5th house: you literally irradiate artistic talent and creativity! you thrive when you express yourself and your originality and get recognized for it, and appreciation for your efforts is very important to you. intelligent, you can be very cunning and strategic, at the same time that your optimism and spontaneous nature naturally commands attention from others. very dramatic, you shine in the eyes of others. but although you have a happy aura to you, you can be very hard on yourself, thinking you're not good enough whenever you're not being appreciated. at your worst, you can have an exaggerated sense of pride, dominating energy, manipulative tendencies or feeling less than others. you may fluctuate between focusing a lot on yourself and being overly generous with everyone in your life. bold, you do a lot just to feel alive. you're very loyal and love deeply, passionate and nurturing, but be careful with involving yourself with people who take advantage of that. you should realize that appreciation should come from yourself and not others. if you add discipline to your originality, you can become very successful. 

sun in the 6th house: one of your driving forces is your attachment to your work and your need to be of service for others and to be recognized for your efforts. health, dieting, exercise and keeping a structured routine are very important to you. you have a constant need to be perfect and that can be your own worst enemy, because when you or others aren't meeting your high standards, you might feel like you're weak and have your insecurities taking over you. you can't stand being told what to do. very self-aware. a tendency to be a workaholic because it's what makes you feel proud of yourself; you need to feel like you're making the world a better place. stress can easily physically affect you, you should understand that validation needs to come from yourself and not from others, and accept that having imperfections is human, it doesn't make you weak! careful with having a routine too restrictive that doesn't allow you to have fun, work can become an obsession for you. you truly always want more and need to keep busy and productive to feel safe. don't let your insecurities stop you from pursuing your ambitions. 

sun in the 7th house: you have a very strong sense of justice because of your capability of analyzing a problem from all different perspectives. you need to bring peace everywhere you go and to help others in any way you can. you have a special charm that others feel drawn to, and many admire you for your caring nature and talent at giving advice, making you often the center of attention in the middle of groups. sociable and good with words, you're very persuasive; although you might tend to identify yourself too much with what others think of you – you should understand that others' opinions aren't that important and it's how you view yourself that matters. you crave affection and are very sensitive when it comes to your relationships, you would do anything for your loved ones and you're very in tune with their needs. you can have people-pleasing tendencies because you're terrified of rejection. you're determined to succeed and to build an amazing self-image because you have a gift when it comes to social intelligence. can have some open enemies.

sun in the 8th house: can attract a chaotic life that pushes you into achieving transformations because that's how you grow and evolve, through the process of death and rebirth. you can't deal with superficiality and you crave deep connections with people, intimacy and to evolve with the person you love. creative. you may feel like the universe sends you messages so that you'll reach an awareness of some kind. you love experiencing new things and especially with yourself, you constantly look forward to changing your appearance and your spiritual or emotional views on the world. you feel a need for self-improvement. very secretive, you value privacy more than anything and you don't allow almost anyone to figure you out. you might be terrified of not finding people who want to connect with you as deeply as you want with them. tendency to isolate yourself emotionally, as in you might open up to others about superficial matters but when it comes to emotions, you're terrified of showing that part of yourself. you want to help others through their darkest times. 

sun in the 9th house: you love learning and dream of exploring the world, it's like you can absorb any information that you get your hands on. very idealistic and dreamy, it's hard for you to keep grounded on reality and material things when you're so concerned with the metaphysical, to understanding the secrets of the universe and all that is spiritual, philosophical, religious and transcendental. so enthusiastic and curious, it's like you can't stay still for a minute and long to go on adventures. you can see the best in people, but be careful with only seeing their good parts – you need to understand that nothing is black or white and people are morally grey and complex, not all bad nor all good. might be very pessimistic if you've gone through something traumatic that completely shattered your perceptions of the good in the world; you might feel like things are never going to get better (i promise they are). very proud of your knowledge. high ideals and honesty. loyal to your beliefs always. careful with being too authoritative. 

sun in the 10th house: when the planet of the ego falls in the house of social status, you seek power above all. you want fame, notoriety and to lead, and when not achieving what you want, you might become insecure. you can't help that ambition runs in your blood, but you should make sure you're doing things because you love doing them and not just to get recognized. it's like you need to achieve so that you can feel proud of yourself because you never felt that kind of support when you were younger, and achieving success feels like a life or death matter to you. you ooze charisma and you naturally draw attention to yourself, wanting to be recognized for your talents. very aware of how others perceive you. but even if you're a great leader, you hate following orders which can make you have problems with those in charge – be careful with making enemies and with stepping on others to get what you want, it’s very important that you keep a strong sense of morals or else you can grow to be arrogant and tyrannical. at your worst you can start abusing your power; at your best, you can use it to better the lives of all those around you like a true leader.

sun in the 11th house: here, the planet of ego is in the house of friendships, hopes, inventions and the collective, making you shine when you're able to help others. your friends are the most important thing for you, but be careful with identifying too much with them. you carry yourself with so much confidence, you're so full of life and with a love for learning and giving to others. eccentric personality and big dreams. you want to stand for a cause that matters to you alongside others who you love. others gravitate towards your magnetism, individuality and friendly nature, naturally looking up to you as a leader. if you happen to have been betrayed in the past, you might shut yourself completely from friendships due to a fear of trusting the wrong person again, but please don't deny yourself your need to socialize and to express your revolutionary ideas to others because you truly shine when you're around those who you trust and help you grow. 

sun in the 12th house: you might have a very hard time understanding who you are and your identity, and because of this sense of unclarity about yourself + your intuitive and empathetic nature where you absorb others' energies like a sponge and need a lot of solitude to recharge yourself, you might feel like you need to keep a mask in public, to play a character to feel safe interacting with others. plus, it doesn't help that you have perfectionist tendencies and hate failing and making mistakes. there's a tendency to feel very insecure and misunderstood, and to feel melancholic and with turbulent emotions, so you should be gentler with yourself and allow yourself to express your sensitivities, the way you're so compassionate and giving. because even if you need time to recharge for introspection, you shine when you can help others. be careful with developing self-destructive behaviors. artistic tendencies because of the depth of your emotions and inner world. you can be truly wise and others might see you as an "old soul" because of that. you might be a night owl. psychic potential. 

[readingthearticle]

So, I can't really blame people for not actually reading this article as it's paywalled, but...the headline is misleading here. Protip: you can often get past an article paywall by putting "cache:[article URL here" in your google search bar

And I know we're just goofing here. We're just clowning. And, yeah, making fun of journalists for looking like they stepped out of the 1920s is pretty funny, I say as someone who wears a tan trenchcoat to work half the time. However...maybe it's just me being oversensitive, but after the demonization of journalists in recent years, I kind of get my hackles up every time I see people online see an article they haven't actually read but think they don't like and immediately jump to going after the writer.

The headline was no doubt written to be deliberately contrarian to drive clicks by capitalizing on a hot topic. But what does the article ACTUALLY say?

In short, it's a caution against anthropomorphizing killer whales. The writer argues that there's no actual evidence that the orca who began this trend did so after trauma. Instead, he cites an expert who thinks this phenomenon is more likely a result of curiosity and an instinct to play. A juvenile may have started this behavior, and spread it to other orcas, like that time when they were all putting fish on their heads.

Now, I'm no biologist. But this makes a lot more sense to me than the vengeance narrative — from what I know about apex predators, they don't pick fights they don't know they can win.

As the article writer points out, humans have a very long history of killing and abusing orcas, and yet there has never been a recorded instance of an orca killing a human in the wild. Why would they start their vengeance now?

There's a quote that gets taken out of context from this article a lot where he calls orcas "sadistic jerks" — what people seem to miss is the context, where what he's specifically saying is this is how we WOULD have to see orcas if we judged them by human standards. And he's right! Orcas exhibit behaviors that would be morally repugnant in humans. But it's not intellectually or morally coherent to apply human ethical standards to animals. And that includes their good behaviors as well as their bad ones.

I particularly like the last part:

"In our present era of environmental catastrophe, Shields told me, it’s appealing to think that nature might fight back, that the villains get their just deserts.

But projection and anthropomorphization are only shortcuts to a shallow sympathy. Orcas really are capable of intense grief; they are also capable of tormenting seal pups as a hobby. They are intelligent, emotionally complex creatures. But they are not us."

So, in conclusion, this is an inflammatory headline, not a bad article. I would recommend reading it.

And, to editorialize a little...

It is a nice thought, isn't it? That the orcas are fighting back. That nature will rise up just like in a movie, that there's only so far that humanity can push before we get pushback from the "rightful" inhabitants of the ocean.

I think it's an attractive narrative because it absolves humanity of some responsibility. There is an entity other than us that will recognize wrongdoing, that will push back against it in a manner and intensity commensurate with what our own moral standards might approve of. It's not a fight we have to start if the orcas attack first.

But that's not true. Animals don't know what climate change is. They cannot recognize and contextualize the broader causes of their suffering. Animals are intelligent, they have emotions, they have complex inner lives...but they will never be able to meaningfully conceptualize and enact revolutionary praxis, and I think that any narrative that frames them as doing so, even jokingly, runs the risk of irresponsibly projecting our own moral frameworks onto entities that simply cannot operate under them. And that just sets us up for disappointment and science denial when we're reminded that these apex predators are also capable of great cruelty.

In conclusion: if you see an inflammatory headline, consider reading the article before posting about it. It might give you more insight into how headline writers seek attention and engagement, and how legitimately good points are often used to capitalize off of hot topics.

[1111jenx]

— astro notes

for • a • rainy • day🕊

🪐master-list I — master-list II🪐

🕊 Leo placements and Scorpio placements have what I call a push and pull effect on one another. It's interesting to see how much they can truly balance one another out and how similar Scorpio & Aquarius placements (Leo's opposite signs) can be. Leo placements really helps to drag Scorpio placements out of their comfort zone and Scorpio placements often teach Leo placements great lessons about how there are more to life and the depth of relationships. Scorpio also grounds Leo to a degree where they both love intensity and a lil drama here and there. Bestest friends in life but can also make a lasting partnership.

🕊 As a Gemini Mercury, I realize that Aquarius Mercury are wayyyy more harsh and blunt than the stereotypically straight forward Sagittarius Mercury. If there are no placements to balance this out along with some extra Aquarius and/or Capricorn energy, this placement makes some of the most verbally ruthless individuals you'll ever met🥰

🕊 Cancer placements may generally come from a pretty educated family or will know/meet people from great places in life. They might make a lot of abundance too yet this comes from hard work and their kindness. When they tap in their more nurturing and loving side they should receive the most blessings! This is because Jupiter is exalted in Cancer, gifting these placements with great gifts if enabled correctly.

🕊 ^ Thats also why Cancer placements can sometimes feel very misunderstood! They can be extremely fun and loving and a well aspected Cancer placements gift the individual with so much humility and a great sense of humour! Jupiter's affect is vast and this makes these people very fixed in their morality and they're all about learning more about others and the world. A lot of people talked about how similar Cancer placements are to Aries but I like to think they're a great blend of Sagittarius energy and Pisces energy. 🥳

🕊 Sagittarius Mars will get very aggressive at the start of an argument but will eventually get over the conflict in 10 minutes or so and become extremely restless to the point where they just want to leave immediately💀 Either that or they will exit and leave the person hanging because they know they're right and that there's no point trying to convince them.

🕊 Having the oppositions signs in a chart in prominent planets can really manifest an individual with an extreme personality. For example, Leo and Aquarius placements are both drama queens in their own ways. While for Leo placements its more about needing an audiences and flaunting their goods but for Aquarius placements its more about asserting their dominance psychologically. Therefore, having these in the same chart creates a very willful person blessed with a lot of pride and gifts, yet also a lot of passion and the need to constantly be acknowledged for their achievements!

The oppositions combo & some thoughts:

— Aries & Libra = Obsessive but kind and extremely attentive. Instinctive and harmonious but also very rebellious. Loved by many.

— Taurus & Scorpio = Controlling and determined but also unique and mesmerizing. Pretty confident and hardworking. Do everything with a lot of passion. 100% or 0%.

— Gemini & Sagittarius = Intelligent and usually very observational. Straightforward and are adored for their mindsets. Revolutionary but reactive and hate being controlled.

— Cancer & Capricorn = Balanced and make decisions based off both the head & the heart, usually rational than most. Ambitious but distrustful and suspicious.

— Leo & Aquarius = Relaxed and friendly. Idealistic and individualistic people. Egotistical and need serious grounding due to their refusal of conformity.

— Virgo & Pisces = Romantic and caring. Flexible and very tolerant of others but can have high standards and demand a lot of themselves. Tendency to be criticizing without realizing.

🕊Scorpio moons usually are perceived as being extremely intense and rough around the edges since the Moon is in its fall. However, its important to acknowledge how they can make you feel so comforted and safe. Exposing yourself to a Scorpio Moon feels very unique and you'll not feel judged ever. They have this air of acceptance around them and gives off a "Whatever you did I heard something worse so get it out" energy😇 Not only will they appreciate you pouring your heart out to them, they truly value your honesty and vulnerability too!

🕊 Leo placements can have a really good grasp of who like them and who dislike them. Especially Moon, Rising, Venus and Mars. While Leo placements have a certain charm and sense of naivety to them, they're not dumb. They're pretty smart when it comes to sensing changes in the environment actually! That's why most of the time, they truly believe that people either love em or hate em never in between.

🕊 Gemini Moon will always look out for themselves first but they do it with a suave manners! They have also been through a lot of stuff where they find themselves being wrongfully crossed by others so they tend to be very careful with people. If not well understood may even be seen as selfish and self-centered🥺

🕊 Mars in the 11H is a very sensual placement. Detached but also very fiery people. They can be seen as a sex symbol often times and are seen as very independent people. This placement may even share a similar effect with Lilith 1H and Lilith 11H. The only difference is that Mars in the 11H are less restrained and are more open to experiences.

🕊 Cancer Moon as a child experience a lot of ups and downs and were constantly bombarded with events in their younger years. This happens due to the Moon forever changing nature. Because of this, they gain a lot of empathy for people and they process traumatic events better than most.

🕊The idea of the houses have been simplified throughout social platforms for beginners to better understand astrology. However, there are so much more meaning behind each houses. Do more research on how you can work with some house placements to better benefit yourself from your chart!🥳 I'll give you an example:

— The second house talks about your possessions and resources, how you can make or spend the most money/gain more financially, your idea of security and what makes you feel worthy, your groundings and what makes you feel physically connected. eg: Libra 2H feels secured when they're being fair and balanced aesthetically and socially, they gain money from working with high-profilers (Venus as ruler), will also gain money off social affairs with others and partnership, associate their self worth with their connections w/ others.

🕊 Sagittarius Moon people have an insanely independent mindset ever since they were younger. These are the kids that are smart emotionally and academically and usually are surrounded by other people! They hate asking for help a lot but they do need reassurance here and there.

🕊 Virgo moons have the habit of loving people who need them. Naturally critical, they like the idea of working on someone and can change them for the better. They love it when someone allow them to take control of their schedule and advise them on major decisions. Strangely, they find a lot of comfort in stressful scenarios. Most Virgo Moons can't put up with lack of structure. This perhaps is why they find themselves always attracting broken people or manipulative individuals who will eventually drain them since Virgo moons are some of the most forgiving people ever🥺

🕊Wherever you have Gemini in your chart will show you what you potentially will ask a lot of questions on and more than often want to further understand. Gemini in the 1H is curious about their life, their goals and motivations, ask the question "Why am I like this?" a lot!! Gemini in the 4H may have the tendency to dig deep into people's home life and often question about their lineage and "how they feel" about a certain situation. Gemini in the 8H would like to know your deepest darkest desire and get very intrigued by it. Gemini in the 11H will want to know more about the people in general and tend to be very intrigued by the idea of society.

🕊 The placements in which you have Scorpio in will show you areas of life where you'd avoid thinking about or talking about. These are your "triggers". Scorpio 3H may be triggered by rumours or people discrediting them. Scorpio 7H get triggered by partnerships and don't like sharing too much about their relationships to others. Scorpio 8H dislike thinking about death or endings.

🕊Mercury in Capricorn can come off as a know-it-all a lot of the time. Along with Virgo Mercury they love to correct people, however, others must understand they mean no harm but they're rather doing it for your own good. Wouldn't say a word if they don't care about you though! Also Capricorn Mercury takes a lot of pride on how their words affect others✨

🕊 Moon-Uranus aspects had a relatively diffult childhood. Their home life could have been very challenging as their parents could have been very busy people. They tend to love experimenting later in life and often find it hard to ground their emotions and themselves. Rationalize a lot but have a soft spot for good and ethical people.

🕊 Jupiter-Chiron aspects give us people who tend to become atheists or choose not to believe that there's a "God" looking out for us. Could have been born into an extremely religious family yet they didn't feel connected to the religion and choose to not associate themselves with their values as they grow up.

🕊 Being loved by a fixed Venus or Moon sign/house is an eye-opening experience.The way they love is utterly unique and their love tend to last for a long time. The feelings and affection they had for you will linger for years and they will never forget whatever it is that you shared. Knows how to take your breath away with their sensuality and attention.

🕊 North Node in the 12th house tends to make very religious people or they tend to have strong moral rules that they follow. "Belief" is a big theme for them and they are naturally curious about everything of the religion.

🕊 Venus-Uranus people tend to have a type of partners that they want. They are very specific about it actually despite having many options and attracting people of all kinds. However, once they deemed that theres a lack of understanding and they can't be eccentric or free with the person, they will leave immediately.

🕊Mars-Lilith hate feeling angry. They know when they're mad they're not only impulsive but extremely reactive and especially if the issue reminds them of old wounds. These natives learn to control their emotions from a young age and was probably taught to be the middle ground and not to express themselves directly a lot of the time.

🕊Whenever your chart ruler is transiting in your 12th house you may not want to be seen in public and you'll feel very reserved and tired. During these times take care of yourself and focusing on improving your energy instead of letting them drained you!!!

🕊 Venus-Jupiter people have spectacular taste in everything. Blessed eyes for the art! Especially Jupiter 4H tend to be amazing with home decor.

🕊Water Moons look ethereal, like very mysterious and so alluring you can't stop staring. Fire Moon look like trouble and usually very in their element, they look very unfazed and radiant. Air Moons look interesting, theres an air of detachment and calmness to them. Earth Moon looks soft and sensual, they give off stable vibes.

🕊If you have dimples you most likely have some kind of Venus influence in your chart! Either being Venus dominant or having placements in Libra/Taurus degrees & signs (2°,7°,14°,19°,26°) or having 2H&7H stellium/placements,etc. This is because dimples are ruled by Venus!

🕊Venus dominant or Venusians, Taurus, Leos placements in general also love jewelry!!<3

🕊Teachers and professors or people who work in education tend to have a good amount of Sun energy and Mercury energy in their chart. This happens due to how influential these people are. Early education is associated with 3°, the sign of Gemini and Mercury influences. While higher education is associated with 9°, Jupiter and Sagittarius.

🕊 People with good educational background or are exceptionally mannered tend to have 9° in their ASC, Sun, Moon or Mercury.

🕊According to ancient astrologers:

0-4 years ruled by the Moon

5-14 years ruled by Mercury

15-22 years ruled by Venus

23-41 years ruled by the Sun

42-56 years ruled by Mars

57-68 years ruled by Jupiter

69-end of life ruled by Saturn

🕊 According to astrologer Sepharial:

0-7 years ruled by the Moon

7-15 years ruled by Mercury

15-24 years ruled by Venus

24-34 years ruled by the Sun

34-45 years ruled by Mars

45-57 years ruled by Jupiter

57-70 years ruled by Saturn

70-84 years ruled by Uranus

84-99 years ruled by Neptune

99-115 years ruled by Pluto

So here are some astro observations and notes i've been gathering these days:) its fun to write all of these down and share it with you guys🤍 I hope y'all like this!!

love,

saint jenx🪐

[redphlox]

Does it seem weird in bnha that, excluding the LOV, everyone's morality/moral standpoint is pretty much situational. I mean maybe shoto rises above that from where he came from, but I was never really clear on why he himself wanted to be a hero honestly. Deku too(?) But I understand him even less in how his hero heart works. When the league shows kindness it's them being more than where they came from, but I haven't seen that in the heroes/hero kids. Do you feel differently or similar?

I think there are 2 different concepts at play here: morality and heroism/professional ethics.

Morality: personal principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior.

Hero ethics: professional beliefs, written laws, rules, etc that govern how the person holding a hero title acts.

Professions usually have a code of ethics: medical doctors, nurses, physical therapists, etc. Most of these professions treat patients who often have harmful beliefs or cause harm to others. But it would be unethical to deny these patients treatment based on their morals, beliefs, actions, etc. That’s governed by the profession’s bylaws and also a belief most professionals hold. For example, I volunteer from time to time to build ramps for people who have disabilities so they can gain access to their homes. One time the person for whom we were building a ramp had the confederate flag hanging on their porch. I’m very much against that flag and all it stands for, but my professional belief is that I am there to help build a ramp because I care about that person’s accessibility needs. That’s it. I would consider myself unethical if I denied that person the help they need to get in and out of their home because that's what I signed up to do.

So, I think the problem with Heroism as a profession in BNHA is that its ethics are governed by unquantifiable moral standards. The heroes choose who to save and who isn’t worthy of saving based on stigma, social norms, etc. I think Deku and the UA kids are seeing these gaps and want to fill them in. Deku is learning that even villains need help and that their origins push them to do the things they do. No one has “pre-requisites” or “conditions” they need to fill before being good enough to save because they’re people and they have that human right. This is different from the current status quo and current pro hero’s thinking. See: Gran Torino dissuading All Might from reaching out to Shigaraki once he found out Shigarak is Nana's grandson.

As for the situational aspects you mentioned… The LOV’s morality is also situational, though. That’s part of the message Hori is conveying. The LOV members would be different people if the society they lived in was different. If Tenko had been helped by any of those civilians he wouldn’t have fallen into the hands of AFO. If Touya’s father hadn’t had children for the wrong reason and neglected him, he wouldn’t have turned into Dabi. If Toga had been accepted by society for the nature of her quirk, she wouldn’t have felt pressured to suppress it and pretend to be someone she’s not. Society creates its own villains.

Also, the LOV helping each other the way they do is Hori’s way of showing the readers that they ALSO all have an innate instinct to help others. Heroes haven’t helped them so they show each other the help and acceptance society hadn’t. It’s like lgbtq+ members or minorities sticking together - they see each other and can validate each other’s lived experiences, but that doesn’t mean it’s enough. Acceptance and inclusion by society as a whole is often a goal, which is why there are advocacy groups and civil rights movements. It’s nice to have your own community of people who are like you, but you also want to be seen, respected, and treated as equals in the society within which you exist.

As for the heroic heart – Hori’s message is that the true nature of heroism is innate. That’s established in the first chapter when All Might complains about the current Hero culture, and then emphasized again post raid when pro heroes started quitting in masses. Heroism started as a selfless act that turned into the business that is set in place today. So, there is no root to Shouto or Deku’s heroism because they’re true heroes. It’s just who they are. That’s the message behind the “my body moved before my mind did” that young Keigo, Bakugo during the war arc, and Deku vs the Sludge monster experienced.

Shouto wanted to be a hero as a young kid because he wanted to help people like his mother. Most young children living in a domestic abuse household feel like they have to intervene and save their family from the abuser, and I imagine Shouto was the same. Natsuo and Fuyumi went into their respective professions for the same reason. But how they went about doing this is different, because Shouto believes in heroes. Even Dabi is going about it in his way: changing society, exposing fake heroes, which is why Stain inspired him.

Deku wanted to be a hero because -- well, because. Something about All Might gave him and Bakugo and others hope, and they wanted to emulate that hope too. It’s something they were born with. For example, why does a civilian bystander spring into action to help someone trapped in their car after an accident? Because that’s just who they are. That’s how their hearts and minds work. Not everyone would run into a burning building to save strangers trapped inside. So, why does Deku want to save that crying little boy? Well, because, because. His instinct is to help people who need it no matter what. That’s it. That’s what a true hero is.

[theoutcastrogue]

Anthropophagos ("someone who eats humans") still exists in modern greek, and it's the formal term, as well as the standard word when you're stating things matter-of-factly, without a specific load or slant.

Kanivalos is informal, occasionally humorous and primarily an insult, like when you want to say "you people are savages!". Different people will use it for VERY different targets. I've mostly heard it said or shouted against:

football hooligans

rowdy youngsters in general

uncouth people without manners or taste (or people perceived as such)

select music fans (of metal, punk, rock, rap, hip hop, trap, skyladiko or other greek music, any kind of electronic, whatever annoys the speaker basically, unless they're annoyed by soft/posh things: no one's gonna say it for jazz or classical)

immigrants, black people, minorities, entire nations

this nation

cops, and especially riot cops

the army

"You cannibals, your prisons I despise"

the state / the government

bosses / capitalism

and perhaps most often, journalists and reporters (the bad kind, those who sell sensationalism, spread moral panics, stigmatise people etc),

and those who consume the sensationalism

Personally, I remember saying it like a thousands times a few years ago, when the Minister of Health came up with a brand new way to protect public health create a spectacle for the upcoming elections, in collaboration with the prosecutor. They sicced the police to round up hundreds of sex workers from the streets of Athens, made them take an HIV test by force, arrested the 32 women that tested positive, charged them with "intentionally attempting to inflict serious bodily harm", and then had their full names and mugshots published, and plastered all over the news on tv, and newspapers and the internet. The show was sensational and lasted weeks.

At that point I felt we really hit rock bottom, as a society. (We're still down there, in case you're wondering.) And I kept thinking and quite often screaming "cannibals!", at the minister himself, and everyone else at the ministry, and the whole government, and the doctors of the Centre for Disease Control who regrettably went along with it, and the prosecutor and cops who executed it, and every single media and "journalist" that participated in the spectacle, and every spectator who ate it all up (and then indeed re-elected that fucker to parliament). Because that's fucking cannibalism. That's a society eating its own, and viciously and deliberately picking the most vulnerable to chew and spit out.

[The 32 women were eventually acquitted, but only after their lives were ruined. Almost all of them were drug addicts, which is how they ended up HIV-positive (ruining the plan to "prove" that sex work is a public health hazard – it's really not), and almost all of them were greek. I mention this because later it became clear that the minister was hoping for a spectacle of immigrant and especially black women (to his immense disappointment, there were no HIV-positive black women). He was basically attempting to push the button of every single fucked up racist and conservative instinct of the electorate at once. Can you imagine.]

Edit: I queued this many days ago, and yesterday the Strasbourg Court (the European Court of Human Rights) actually condemned greece for this, fucking finally, and ordered it to pay 70k euros for damages. Which is not much (how does one even put a price on that?), but it's something, and at least it's a recognition that human rights were grossly violated here. And then you read the decision and it's even more depressing.

All this happened in 2012. It took 14 years. Out of 32 women, 11 went to court. And out of those, 5 had died in meantime. (From what? AIDS? No one should be dying from AIDS any more! Everyone should have access to antiretrovial drugs regardless of income, but they don't, do they? Not if they've slipped through the cracks – or indeed pushed. Overdose? I don't know, there was no follow-up in the news!) Some complaints were dismissed for procedural reasons, such as time limits. And in the end, only 3 women out of 32 won the case and actually lived to see it.

This is pathetic. This is not a real consequence for the state (a drop in the budget's bucket), neither a real compensation for the applicants (sorry we ruined your life, here's 15 or 20k euros), and it most certainly isn't justice.

The word for “Cannibal” in European languages.

by geography_addicted_