#it requires $ to have a social life in order to meet people and build social connections

[iamyelling]

every year of unemployment puts me out further in time. months, years. it puts the . uh . goals? i guess you can call them. further away. it will take that much longer to build back my savings that i fully drained after years of un- and underemployment. if it takes me 5 years to get to stability, i’ll be 35.

and god the hollow feeling gapes wider in my chest. as i face the “best case scenario” timeline stretching out ever longer before me. every time i lose a job it gets not just put on hold but pushed further and further and further out every month.

the basic requirements i need i do NOT have. and it takes YEARS to build these up even just ONE. not to speak of ALL of them

community / support group / friends / “the village”. even a couple people

financial savings

housing that meets my criteria for space and stability

job stability (relatively speaking 🙃)

a family budget that has room for a child

emotional / mental stability n health (relatively speaking. doesn’t have to be perfect)

relationship stability

executive function / use of time

energy levels

being relatively decently in shape physically in my body

[kradogsrats]

This might be spoilers for what happens later in your Lissa centric fic but do you ever see Sarai as a better leader than Harrow was in Canon?

Interesting question! I feel like when a lot of the fandom looks at Sarai, they see her anti-dark magic stance and challenge of Harrow's characterization of the magma titan as a "monster" as her most prominent character moments and interpret that as her primary character trait being compassion for all people and creatures, like a fully-matured version of "incapable of killing" Rayla.

Which like... fair! The series goes out of its way to associate them, two characters who will never meet, to the point of Rayla repeating Sarai's lines. Also "Does it think? Does it feel? Does it have a family? Is it the last of its kind?" is a real banger, hitting right at the one of the deepest core themes of the story, so it's not surprising that it's what stays in everyone's head. But the really important line for understanding her as queen in relation to Harrow as king is later in the scene: "You said you want to build a better world, to really change things, but that's going to take decades of hard work. There's no monster you can slay and solve all your problems." The novel has an additional sentence in there to reinforce the point: "There's a special kind of courage that you need for consistency and perseverance."

Both Harrow and Sarai are interested in systemic change. The novel describes them as having had "long, late-night discussions" during which they planned how they were going to solve the problems they identified. (All of this kind of says something about King Atticus, too.) However, she self-describes in narration as an "optimistic realist" to Harrow's "idealist." She believes that as king and queen, they can change the world—but it may take a lifetime, and will involve a lot of hard decisions.

Really, I think the key difference between them is life experience. Sarai married Damian and chose to have a child with him, fully knowing that he almost definitely wouldn't live to see that child grow up. Harrow, when they meet, has probably never had a serious relationship. Sarai comes from a military background (IMO), so she has both given and taken orders she might not fully agree with—something we see from her accompanying Harrow on the mission. She made her case to him, he made his decision, and she follows through on that decision without a single complaint, even though we know it's one she dislikes. Harrow, as he knows, was born a prince—for all his training, it's unlikely anyone gave him orders, and they probably took his opinion as having more weight. He's somewhat aware of his privilege compared to most of his subjects, and kind of overcompensates with his ideas of compassion and servitude.

Not to go all American politics on everyone, but it's kind of the same misunderstanding a lot of liberals have about the presidency—if we can just get the right person into that seat, they'll be able to tell everyone that [insert social policy] and it'll happen. The reality, as Sarai knows, is that big changes takes years of lobbying, boots-on-the-ground activism, and lots of little changes that still require fighting tooth and nail to get them done. She's absolutely right that it takes a special kind of courage to do that work and keep doing it without falling into despair and resentment. You also have to know how to pick your battles, something that Harrow is definitely not used to doing.

Ultimately I do think Sarai would probably be more successful than Harrow was as sole ruler, if that was a situation that somehow occurred, BUT it's important that she never denigrates Harrow's idealism or thinks of him as naive. I think she values it, and loves him for it—for things like "reject history as a narrative of strength, and instead have faith that it can be a narrative of love," which is 100% pure Harrow. Like Harrow believes she makes him better, I think she believes that he makes her better. Sarai's more effective but Harrow's more inspirational. So, idk... make of that what you will.

[musings-of-a-rose]

Build Me Up - Chapter 4 (Final Chapter)

Pairing: William “Ironhead” Miller x f!reader (inclusive - stock photos suck)

Word Count: 3200+

Rating: M for mature - 18+ only!

Warnings: Mature themes and some canon mentioned. Just like ao3, “creator chooses not to use warnings.” If you click Keep Reading, that means you agree that you’re the age to handle mature themes. Also by clicking Keep Reading, you understand warnings may not be complete in order to avoid spoilers for the story. 

Notes: The last chapter! I never intended this fic to be super long, but I loved their meet cute(?) idea and had to write it. As always, I take asks for any of the fics I write for, even if it’s just questions or a little drabble! Thank you for waiting so LONG inbetween that first and second chapter. Y’all the real MVP’s!

❤If you enjoy the fic, please consider giving me a warm beverage! (It is not required in any way!)

--If you like this, please let the algorithm know by reblogging! This way it can be shared with multiple people (it's how it works here. I don't make the rules!)

**If you want to be added to the taglist, join here or let me know!

Build Me Up Masterlist

General Masterlist

Will Miller Masterlist

<<;Chapter 3<<

Several months later, Will takes you out for drinks after a nice dinner, your usual Friday night date. It was a great chance for you both to catch up on what the other was doing during the week, as sometimes life got so busy you’d barely get a chance to speak. This last week, Will had been out of town at a few different bases, making his speech about joining the Armed Forces, so your conversations take longer than normal. Will places a drink order with the bartender, leaning against the bar on his elbow as he watches you talk about the kids archery camp you’ve been instructing, eyes lighting up as you talk about them, when his eyes glance over your shoulder and his smile drops, his eyes instantly becoming hard. You stop talking and follow his gaze to a really pretty women, tall, lean, and blonde.

His ex fiance.

She’s with a friend but splits from them, pointing to the bar directly where Will was standing. You try to drag him away but it’s like he’s frozen, unable or unsure of what to do. 

“Oh. Hey, Will.”

He stares at her for a few moments longer than socially acceptable. “Ashley.”

She glances at you and back at Will, making the connection that you’re together. She sticks a hand out to you. 

“Hi, you must be the new girlfriend. I’m Ashley. Will and I used to…well, we were engaged.” She says the last word like it holds some giant meaning, like she was hoping it would cause a fight between you both. You take her hand, gripping it firmly and shake.

“Oh so you’re the ex fiance? Amber?”

Her eyes narrow at you slightly. “Ashley.”

“Right, right. I knew it was something that starts with A.” 

She glares at you for a second before rallying, schooling a look of indifference on her face. “So, how long have you two been dating?” She looks at Will but he seems incapable of answering her so you take over.

“About a year.”

She raises her eyebrows. “A year? You made it a whole year?” She sounds like she’s shocked, as if she wasn’t with him long enough to be engaged. 

“Yeah. Will’s great.”

She smiles at you, but the look in her eyes, like she knows some terrible secret and is going to save you from something, makes you want to punch her even more. She leans in closer to you, but still speaks loud enough for Will to just hear it over the sounds of the bar.

“He can be…a lot. Did he tell you to say that?”

“What?”

She leans in closer. “Blink twice if you’re in trouble.”

The color on Will’s face drains and you square your shoulders, sitting up straighter as you turn the full force of your gaze on her. 

“That’s really not funny. And honestly? I’m glad you couldn't handle him because that made him available for me. Will is the best thing to ever happen to me-”

Ashley waves her hand, cutting you off. “Yeah, yeah. Just wait until he finally shows you who he is in bed. A real freak. If you need help, just blink and I’ll call someone.”

You stand abruptly, your barstool wobbling dangerously on one leg as you do. “You know, I have to thank you.”

She blinks at you. “Oh? So you do need help?”

“Thank you for showing me exactly what a terrible person you are. It’s easy to see who the problem is. Now, unkindly, get the fuck out of our way.” You take Will’s hand and pull him up, Ashley staring at you open mouthed as you push past her, Will’s hand squeezing yours as you make your way through the crowd and out of the packed bar, heading straight for his truck. Will fishes his keys from his pocket and unlocks it, hopping in and you do the same. He starts it but doesn’t move, letting the ac cool it down. 

“What a fucking bitch,” You say, half to yourself and half to Will.

He’s quiet a moment. “I never thought…I didn’t know she was still in town.”

“Well fuck her. She is so rude. I wanted to fight her but I didn’t want to ruin date night.”

Will chuckles lightly. “Now that I would’ve loved to have seen.”

“Oh? I can go in there and drag her ass out here,” You point over your shoulder with your thumb, pretending to go for the doorhandle. Will smiles, but it doesn’t quite meet his eyes as he shakes his head. 

“Hey…where are you?” You reach out and cup his cheek. Will leans into it for a moment, sighing deeply.

“She just…brought up a lot of memories. Ones that I didn’t want to think about again.”

“You’re a good man, Will. I know I say it all the time. I’m hoping it’ll sink in that Ironhead of yours one day.”

He smiles a little brighter this time, still not reaching his eyes. “I know.”

You watch him for a few moments before scooting close to him, pressing your lips to his and letting him lead. He responds after a second or two, kissing you back and pushing his tongue into your mouth. Moaning into him, you toss your leg over his lap, your hands sliding around the back of his neck, gripping and tugging on his hair. You tug a little harder, his head moving back and he smirks at you, that glint in his eye when he knows you’re about to sparkling in the dim light. Sucking at a spot on his neck, Will whimpers, fingers digging into your hips as you let go, a hickey quickly rising in palace of your lips. Will fumbles with his belt and you slap his hands away, quickly undoing his belt and jeans, pulling him out as he gasps at your touch, kissing him once more as you take him in hand and pump him a few times. Moving your panties aside you sit up and slide yourself down onto him slowly, which apparently doesn’t work for Will as he grips your hips and pulls you down quickly while thrusting up into you, chuckling darkly at your cry. 

“Fuck, Will! You feel so good!”

He guides you as you fuck him, pulling you down harder as you chant his name, random words and sounds tumbling from your lips as he fucks you. One hand is gripping his arm and the other slaps against the window and it’s then you see her. Ashley, standing a car length or two away, staring directly at you and Will having sex. As Will leans forward to suck hard on your neck, you smirk at Ashley, giving her a small wave and flipping her off as Will hits that spot inside of you and you cum, screaming his name a little louder than you probably needed to. Will comes a moment later, grunting and panting your name as he spurts inside of you, biting you hard on the shoulder. Chests heaving, Will looks up at you, eyes still dark as he takes in your face, hair all askew and sweaty. 

“I fucking love you, Robin.”

A smile spreads across your face. “I fucking love you, Will Miller.”

“Move in with me?”

“Was the sex that good?”

He chuckles. “It’s always that good with you.”

“Why don’t you ask me that when you’re not balls deep inside of me.”

He grips your chin lightly with his thumb and pointer finger and you meet his gaze. 

“I mean it, Robin. I’ve been dying to ask you for a few months. I just…”

“You never have to be afraid to ask me anything, Will.”

He nods. “I know. So…will you?”

“Yes. But if you feel different in the morning, it’s ok. Just tell me.”

“Deal.”

—----

He does not feel different in the morning, and he proves this to you by burying his face between your legs until you beg him to stop, overstimulated and nearly crying from so much bliss. 

“742,” Will says matter of factly.

“742? Really?”

He smiles proudly. “I love to make my girl cum.”

“I still can’t believe you track that.”

“Wanna know how many times we’ve had sex?”

You throw a pillow at him and he throws it back, expertly hitting you in the head.

–

Both of you take a couple weeks to pack your things and move them over slowly, since work was still super busy. Once you’re moved in, you settle into a comfortable routine, making Will a quick breakfast and coffee before he heads into work or off to the airport to make another recruitment speech. You can see his job wears on him, but when you ask him about it, he shrugs and says “It’s what I can do.” Once you pressed him more and he said a lot of places don’t want to hire veterans that have seen active combat. They don’t outwardly say it, but he’s been turned down for jobs that he interviewed great at, making it all the way through the process until they saw his forms, suddenly not so interested. He’d once asked a recruiter why and they mumbled something about “not worth the risk”. 

He takes up archery with you as his coach and he takes to it well, which doesn’t surprise you in the slightest, considering his history. Will also pays very close attention to detail, making it easier for him to hone in on the target and how best to get there. He still loves it when you come and stand behind him, fixing an elbow here or a wrist there. You finally got him to snap out of concentration Will when you came up behind him and pretended to adjust something on his posture before he drew and ground your hips into his ass. Will burst out laughing, not used to being the one grinded on and you both laughed about that for a long while. 

You’ve been together a year and a half and finally, Will gets to meet your family. They’re having their annual “2nd of July” celebration, as most of the family will be inside on the fourth, none of the veterans big fans of all the firework noise. They’d had to cancel last year and so were extra excited for this year, especially since you were able to fly in with the now infamous Captain William Miller. 

“Do I look ok?” Will asks, fidgeting with his collar in the hotel mirror. 

“Let me see.”

He turns to face you, arms outstretched to his sides. “Do I need to change?”

“As much as I’d love to take this shirt off of you, you look fine, Will. You don’t need to impress anyone.”

“Easy for you to say. Everyone loves you.”

“They have to. They’re family.”

When you arrive, Will knocks on the door, wiping his palms on his jeans that you’d convinced him to wear over business pants. He’s visibly nervous and you can see him getting in his head. So you lean up to him, speaking quietly by his ear.

“If you relax, we can stop at the store on the way back to get that stuff for that thing you’ve been wanting to try in the bedroom.”

Will’s eyes snap to yours, darkening instantly. His eyebrows raise but before he can say anything, the door opens and your dad is there, hugging you and grasping Will’s outstretched hand, a smile on his face.

“Will! It’s so good to finally meet you! You want a burger or a dog?”

“Whatever you have more of, sir.”

“Sir! You hear him? I like him already.”

“Dad!”

He chuckles. “Alright, alright. No need to call me sir. I’m fairly certain you outrank me.”

Will shakes his head. “Negative. You are the father of the love of my life. You definitely outrank me for bringing her into this world.”

Your dad stops, looking between Will and you and seeing the look of utter devotion on both of your faces. “That’s very kind of you to say, Will. Now come on - let’s get you some food before these heathens eat it all.”

Will’s eyes widen when you step out into the backyard and he sees the amount of people gathered here. Kids running around with sparklers, throwing snaps at each other and laughing, some people swimming in the pool, and others talking, some loudly and some not, red, white, and blue colors everywhere. 

“I thought you said it was quiet?” He doesn’t look at you but the corner of his mouth ticks up.

“It is. We don’t do fireworks so it’s quiet for 2nd of July.”

You make the rounds, introducing Will to everyone, his shoulders relaxing more with every new person that he meets. “You weren’t kidding - almost everyone here has served or is serving.”

“Yup. I told you the truth that day in Publix.”

Everyone loved Will, but no one more than your mom. She fawned over him, squeezing his arm, making sure he had enough to eat and drink, that he knew where all the exits were and that there were no pets, the best places to stand with your back against a wall and clear line of sight to the door. The backyard was set up so you could stand pretty much anywhere and achieve this, but she wanted any excuse to talk to him. When your dad came over and pulled Will towards the grill to “help him”, your mom came up to you and gushed about Will, how he was so respectful and kind and a really nice man. 

True to your word, no fireworks were had that night. Instead, your parents had put up a giant inflatable screen and played a video of fireworks with no sound effects, just classical music over top. Will and you sit on the ground, Will leaning back on his hands and you between his legs as you watch. 

“This is amazing, Robin. I gotta tell the guys about this. We should do something like this back home.”

You lean back into his lap further, turning slightly to the side to look at him. “That’s a great idea! Frankie and Vanessa have plenty of room in their yard for this sort of screen. They aren’t too expensive. And their daughters would love to watch Frozen on this thing.”

The fireworks end and you sigh, stretching slightly as you stand up, finally able to make a full stretch. You turn to Will to offer him your hand, but your voice gets stuck in your throat when you look at him, kneeling on one knee, a ring box sitting in his hand.

“Robin, I know I’m not an easy man. Hell, you met me in the middle of a PTSD episode in the middle of a Publix. But somehow, even though I didn’t know you, you were able to pull me out. You saved me that day, but more than that, you’ve saved me every day since then. I feel…normal around you. Or as normal as I can be. You make me feel safe..safe to be me, all of me. I never thought that was possible. I thought that I would have to live my life half a person. You never judge me for the things I’ve had to do, any of the nightmares or quirks, none of it. Other women would’ve walked away, but you take my hand and guide me through the fog. And I hope I give you even an ounce of the happiness you bring me and I want to spend the rest of my life making sure that you’re happy and feel loved.” Will opens the little black box, exposing a beautifully crafted ring. “Will you marry-”

“YES!” 

You launch yourself at him, cutting off his sentence to laughter and whoops all around, your lips crashing to his as everyone cheers. You take his face in both hands and pull back, tears falling not just from your eyes but his as well. 

“I love you, Captain William Miller.”

“I love you so much, darlin’.”

On your flight home, you covertly join the mile high club, Will grinning from ear to ear watching you exit the bathroom and smoothe down your dress a few minutes after he’d left the same one. 

—----

Everyone flies out to your parent’s house for the wedding, as they had practically begged you to have the wedding there. And Will enthusiastically agreed, as the yard was literally set up for veterans. Everyone was there, even Santi flew up from his job in Colombia and asked you to tell him who your single family members were with a wink. 

The wedding was small but grand, flowers picked from your mom’s garden were woven into your braided updo, mathing the ones your mom had hand embroidered onto the outer layer of your dress, a matching embroidered handkerchief in Will’s coat pocket.

The reception went on long into the night, the kids all passed out on sleeping bags in the living room as they watched a movie. Will always had a hand on you at all times since you said “I do”, pressed to your lower back, lightly gripping your arm, or linking fingers with you and pressing a kiss to the back of your hand. 

You’d both decided to skip the honeymoon and save that money towards a downpayment on a house of your own, a discussion of kids sometime in the next couple of years or so. “We can always go on some fancy trip later,” you say as you take another sip of the beer Will had brought you. 

You did, however, take the week off anyway and spend it in bed, only leaving it to make food and use the bathroom, Will demanding that the only clothing you were allowed to wear was one of his shirts and nothing else. When you said “Yes, sir” he growled and chased you until he pushed you into the bed, both of you living out your now shared dark desires. 

And in the morning, you woke before him, watching his sleeping face as the light hits it just right and you think about how lucky you were to have been in Publix that day and how much you love the man in front of you, even if he was snoring loudly.

—----

About a year or so later, Will and you are sitting on the couch cuddling, yelling out wrong answers to Wheel of Fortune, when his phone lights up. He leans forward and grabs it off the coffee table, letting you settle back into his side while he looks at the screen.

“Everything ok?”

“Yeah. I just got a text from Santi.”

“If it’s about some girl, I don’t need to know.”

“No. He says he has a job for us.”

—----

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[cepheustarot]

What awaits you in October?

Attention! This reading is for entertainment purposes only. This tarot reading does not give a 100% guarantee that all the described situations will occur. You build your own life and destiny.

Choose one or more cards. Trust your intuition.

Card 1: The first event will be that you will find yourself in a problematic situation, the solution of which does not depend on you and you may be in an unstable state, be nervous and overthinking yourself. It is also possible that you will have to work for some time or be with a person who is very hot-tempered or very sensitive and literally takes your every word to heart. In this case, you will have to constantly control your flow of words in order not to offend a person, and this is very stressful and there is a high risk of quarreling with a person. The second situation will be a change of workplace! You will get tired of the old job with its conditions, or you have lost interest in it and decide to try yourself in another field. You will definitely find something that you will like; perhaps they will pay less at this job, but at least this activity will be genuinely interesting to you. If you are not working, but studying, then change your specialty to another one. You can also stop getting carried away with what has been of interest to you for many years and discover something new. The third situation indicates a change in the social circle! This is probably due to the fact that you decided to change your field of activity. In any case, you could be forced to communicate with someone you don't like and this month you will to dot the «I», break ties. If there are no such people, then in any case you have a high chance to meet new people, you will literally attract to yourself, people themselves can approach you, start a conversation, make a lot of compliments. You will be in the spotlight!

Сard 2: I see that you planned to see your family, mostly your grandparents, but this meeting will not take place, because force majeure will occur, some problem that will need to be solved as soon as possible and this is exactly the situation that will disrupt your meeting. I also want to note that a person with experience will come to your aid, a creative personality, prone to empathy, emotional, sociable, maybe it's you or your friend / acquaintance. However, you will definitely find a way to solve this problem, although this unexpected situation will cause you great excitement and stress. Also, the second situation speaks about big spending in money. Alternatively, your finances may go to solve the problem described above. Otherwise, you will spend this money on an expensive gift to some person, or you will arrange a party or any other event that will require a lot of money to organize. Perhaps you will be preparing documents for the purchase of real estate, cars, businesses, etc., in this case, I advise you to pay special attention to the terms of the contract, since there is a risk of being deceived and investing in something that may not pay off! This month you will also work hard or study hard. Perhaps you will have a stuff at work or you will need to do your work before the end of the deadline, there may be a similar situation at study. Your boss or your teacher can make a lot of comments, get on your nerves and generally not accept the work done. Or you can work together with someone in a team and your partner can pull you down, which is why your common cause will not be as successful as it could be if you acted alone.

Card 3: The first situation is that there is a factor that causes your plans to collapse, but! You will successfully eliminate this factor, as you will find a solution to fix the situation, you are very smart and resourceful, so you will definitely cope with difficulties. However, if you were the one who was going to disrupt someone's plans, then you will soon be exposed, do not think that you can get away with it.

The second situation will be the opportunity to pause, take a break and relax after all the difficulties in life. Most likely, there was a period in your life when problems were only getting worse and all your strength was spent only on solving them. Fortunately, this month you will have the opportunity to relax and unwind, it will be a good time to pay attention to yourself, take care of yourself, do what you have been putting off for a long time, but could not do because of the circumstances. The third situation indicates a meeting with close people with whom you have not seen for a long time. It can be your family, relatives, childhood friends or your lover. The meeting will be wonderful and you will be satisfied, it will be a pleasant memory for you for a long time.

Thank you for reading! I will be glad of any feedback <3

[ensignsimp]

Starry Eyed: TNG FC Solkar x Fem! Reader (1/3)

A/N: He looks just like a dream, the prettiest Vulcan I've ever seen. Thank you for the compliment! Apparently, there is very little on Solkar x Readers so as far as I know I'm the first one. I had so much fun with this that I had to write a two-shot!

Prompt: Solkar Meet-Cute

The rain of Terran was always a curious sight for the Vulcan visitors. Today the heavy spring rains brought a strong gust of cold winds. Solkar and his crew took shelter in some of the makeshift buildings of the encampment. Solkar had just finished discussing the next steps in introducing the next Vulcan diplomacy to the Terran governments.

He was about to return to his ship when the downpour started. Noticing that others had taken shelter from the rain, he followed suit. He followed quite a few Terrans entering a social gathering place he had visited when he first arrived. He found himself spending much of his idle hours there studying the alien life forms.

It was dimly lit with tables and chairs scattered around a central counter. The Terrans referred to it as "a bar". People were sitting and talking amongst themselves. A few glanced up at him and his associates. It seems as if they were still getting used to the idea of having foreigners on their planet. Solkar took a seat nearest the window to observe the rainfall.

He had been fascinated by Terran's weather patterns. He also found observing Terran's social practices to be just as interesting. Fortunately for him, his orders were to remain at the camp until the delegates arrived. He was rather grateful to remain and observe the new surroundings of the "Montanas".

Especially since a particular Terran had caught his attention. She was the "Bartender" a young Terran female around her mid to late thirties. Solkar found her presence most agreeable since she seemed to always take their dietary needs very seriously. She noticed him and his colleagues sitting furthest away, but that didn't stop her from coming up to greet them.

"Good Afternoon, Gentlemen." She smiled pulling out a writing tool and paper, "What can I do for you?"

"We are taking shelter from the rain," Solkar stated bluntly, "We do not require any refreshments or meals. We shall merely observe."

She nodded putting the items back into her pocket. "Well it might be a while, if you change your mind, don't hesitate to ask."

She turned and disappeared into the swarm. Solkar watched as she continued her work. She carried heavy trays, broke up a few fights, and even helped another Terran stop crying. They certainly did not hide their feelings from each other.

By the time the rain stopped, it was long past nightfall. His crew returned to the ship but he lingered behind. The bar was empty except for the two of them. He watched as she cleaned the remains of the patrons away. An old song crooned softly from the deteriorated radio. Solkar was soothed by the strange calm. That was until Cochrane stumbled in, his face red and flushed.

"(Y/N), can you fix me a drink." He begged.

"The bar is closed, and I cut you off yesterday!" She glowered at him putting her hands on her hips.

"Come one, just one." He looked around desperately and noticed Solkar. He smiled and walked up to him. He clasped Solkar's shoulders and smiled at her. "I don't think our friend here has had a chance to try it?"

"Zef," She scolded in a warning tone, "The last thing we should do is poison "our friend"."

Cochrane laughed and let go of Solkar walking up to (Y/N) arms open. "Come one, just for old time's sake."

She rolled her eyes, "Fine sit down. I'll make you a drink."

Zef wrapped his arms around her and gave her a quick squeeze before releasing her. She waved him off then returned to the counter and disappeared behind it. Cochrane sat down across from Solkar.

"How are you liking Earth so far?" Cochrane asked Solkar

"I find your social behaviors differ greatly from ours," He said looking back at the bar. "I am curious about your," Solkar paused, thinking for a moment.

Zefram leaned in, "Women?"

Solkar turned to him and nodded slightly.

"Well, they shouldn't be too different from the ones on your planet?" Cochrane said with a laugh, "Who is it?"

Before Solkar could respond, (Y/N) returned with a drink for Cochrane. She placed it down on the table and he quickly snatched it up.

"Hey! There's no booze!" He complained.

"I told you I'd make you a drink, just not what kind." She said winking, "Now finish up so I can go to bed I'm tired."

She waited for Zefram to finish his drink before shooing them both away. Once outside Solkar looked up into the night sky, it was completely void of stars. He assumed that the clouds had not fully passed similar to the clouded thoughts in his own mind. He was pulled away from his observation by Zefram who tapped his shoulder. He waved Solkar over to his dwelling.

The inside of Cochrane's dwelling was just as disorganized as his workshop. There were papers, books, clothes, and materials scattered all over. Solkar watched in silence as Zefram dug through an old storage container.

"Here," he said pulling out an old tattered book, "Try this."

Solkar took the book, on the cover was a man with long yellow hair, and a very busty woman leaning against him. He was very confused and nodded toward Cochrane as thanks then promptly exited.

Solkar thought about what Zefram had said. He had not observed human mating rituals before. Perhaps this would give him insight.

[leonawriter]

Maybe a hot take or whatever but I see a fair few people saying how they hate Ohya and... I guess we read into her differently?

Like, the very first time we see her she's still trying to do legit reporting. In Royal, she's there in the station on Akira's very first day trying to find his way through the trains to Shujin, and then later when they're investigating Madarame. It's only really once you hit Kaneshiro that she's the drunkard in Crossroads that we know.

I went into my (watched)playthrough knowing that she was, technically, a romance option. Just like several other adult women in the game. And just like them, I think that the whole thing of "you can romance them if you want" has corrupted peoples' view of who they actually ARE.

If you remove the skeevy choices the devs put on these women, you get Kawakami as someone who just wants to support her students but is being financially extorted, Takemi who wants to help people as a doctor but rumours about her reputation precede her everywhere much like Akira's does, and Ohya, who wants to be a decent reporter but is being held back by the loss of her partner, and her strict boss.

Ohya also gets flak for things that happen during the confidant; she outright asks the protagonist, a 16-17 year old boy, to pose as her boyfriend, when she's in her mid-20's (according to the wiki). If this was played straight, and we took the romance route into consideration, that sure would squick me out! But... if we ignore that the romance route exists?

First we need to look at CONTEXT. She's not asking Akira to pose as her boyfriend for shits and giggles. She's doing this because she wants to be able to investigate the mental shutdown of her partner, Kayo, who she was very close to. Her boss won't let her, and has relegated her to "writing entertainment articles about the latest fads" - basically, fluff pieces that'll sell, but won't require the truth, or any talent.

Her asking Akira to play along means that she's able to tell her boss "I have an excuse for the reason I'm seen talking to this person. No, I am not using him as an informant, or trying to investigate something I've been ordered to leave well alone." She's well aware the relationship would be illicit. Part of the point of her story at this point - and the fact that there's a heart she needs changed, just like most of the other confidants - is that her boss would rather her be doing something illegal like this, than honest investigative work. She's also very cynical for these same reasons at the start of the confidant.

There's also something to be said about how she's the Devil Arcana of the game. Devil Arcana characters, according to the wiki:

These characters have given in to temptation at an earlier point in their life, and as a result this has twisted their actions and way of thinking. Preferably a brutal mix involving the little good they still have in themselves. The Social Link establishes their building their way back up to their path of benevolence. It is not necessarily an easy recovery, as these individuals need to reflect on not only what they believed in, but why they went on the wrong track in the first place.

So, yeah. She's not supposed to read as a good, upstanding and moral person when you first meet her, and P5R tends to open the links with characters in rather reversed reads of their Arcana regardless!

What I see in Ohya is a journalist who winds up finding something to believe in again, who decides to start doing investigative journalism again regardless of whether her bosses agree with it, and who'd probably be a cool older sister type... even if she would encourage Akira to get the actual booze or any number of things he shouldn't really be doing.

I... also see her as, if not lesbian then at least bisexual, and still very hung up over Kayo. SO. Yeah, no, I can't see her actually having an interest in a kid so soon after all that. In my eyes she's just "kid, no."

[hererafjastori]

I got inspired by @captainkirkk 's writer!Zuko AU, so have a thing:

The premise would require Aang to know about Zuko moonlighting as an author.

I imagine Zuko coming up to Aang one day and going: “Hey Aang, I … have a proposal. I know this might seem insensitive, and you have every right to shut this idea down but…” “Just tell me.” “I was thinking that I want to write a book about the fate of the Airnomads.” “Go on” “You know that in my search for you I researched a lot about what happened to your people, and I learned a lot about your culture. And having that knowledge I can’t stand to see the way the last 100 years of propaganda have mischaracterized your people and twisted their teachings. I am in the unique position of knowing a lot about the happenings back then, having the resources to learn more, and in Dante’s fans the assurance that this story will have a large platform. I want to portray your people in an accurate, sympathetic light and reach readers in a way no museum will be able to replicate. I want to tell a story that accurately portrays not just your people’s suffering, but also the rich culture, philosophies and traditions. I want to raise awareness both of the horrifying betrayal at the hands of the fire nation, but also for the Airnomads as a distinct people, beyond ‘those who’s genocide marks the official start of the war’! But I am also well aware that as Fire Lord and descendant of Sozin, I might be the last person who should tell that story. So I have two questions: 1) Are you ok with the concept of me writing this, and 2) if you are, if you would be willing to advice me in writing it. Because this is your story more than anyone else’s, and I am not writing a single line without explicit consent. What do you say?” “Let me think about it?” “Of course.”

Aang does some thinking, and comes to the conclusion, that Zuko knows his stuff better than most others, that this is a great chance to educate about his lost culture, and that Zuko is very aware of the responsibility he has in writing this and treat it accordingly. He will ask, Aang, rather than making assumptions, taking “creative liberties” or filling in the gaps with misinformation. He will respect the subjects of his writing.

And so, he says yes. So Aang and Zuko start meeting regularly, and Aang tells him stories lost to time. Of holidays and sacred days nobody remembers to celebrate. Of a culture build around communal life, change and an active separation of one’s roots no other nation is able to understand with their respective cultural upbringing. Of the philosophies of airbending and the typical schooling a monk would go through. Of elders who led those communities, and the faces they made when hit with a well aimed fruit pie. Of games played in the courtyard, bison bonding, typical topics of the gossips interest. Of both, the official order of things and the actual social dynamics of his people. Of the various ways people reacted to him being a prodigy and the avatar. Of music, and dancing, and stories, and legends, and crafts, and recipes, and colloquialisms and proverbs. Of whistle tongue, a language spoken purely through whistling, that was impossible to reproduce for non-airbenders, that would sound through the Temples at all times of the day. Of being able to travel freely between the nations, and being encouraged to learn other cultures and their perspectives. About befriending the prince of Omashu. Of traditional southern waterbending dances he can’t remember in detail and Katara never got the Chance to learn. Of being shown hospitality in the earth kingdom, and being seen as a good omen. Of Dragons and of Kuzon’s parents being shunned for housing a *insert slur against airbenders* because the propaganda machine had been working for a while. Of tsungi-horns and the camelafant strut. From both the Airnomads and the other nations, the good, the bad, the ugly, the mundane and everything else that was lost to war.

And Zuko sits, asks, writes, and most importantly: listens. On top of that, the whole Gaang regularly meets to go through all the stolen stuff stored in the fire palace like it’s the British museum and working to bring everything back to it’s original owner. While they do this, they all explain the cultural significance behind each item, so that everyone gets a better grasp of each others culture.

Afterwards Zuko begins to write, with Aang as a sensitivity reader. He tells the story of an average Airnomad called Sanna, about 7 years older than Aang. They grow up in the southern Airtemple. He writes about philosophical debates, schoolyard games and quarrels, important holidays, traditional foods, common jokes, and Airnomad humor. About wise teachings, annoying teachers, cultural norms, traditions, pets, language and writing. But all of that is in the background, given enough explanation that ignorant readers can follow, but the narrative treats it as the everyday life of the protagonist, seamlessly interwoven with the story that it doesn’t feel like a textbook or lecture, but simply like it actually takes place there. Because the reader learning the Airnomad alphabet and gaining a better understanding of Airnomad culture is goal, but the heart of the story is the protagonist growing up into this increasingly hostile world.

Of the Sanna being faced with more and more adversity, the farther they venture from the temple, the more aware they grow of negative sentiments against them, the more vicious the propaganda becomes. Of the night of Sozin’s comet and Sanna trying desperately to survive afterwards. Of the inner conflict between the Airnomad’s teachings and doing what they have to do to survive. Of dealing with being uprooted in a way that never should have happened. And of all the friendship, betrayal, small kindnesses, prejudice, companionship, trauma and precious memories made, lived and suffered along the way. A lot of it is drawn from Aang’s dealing with the destruction of his culture and his confrontation with Ozai, but a lot of the feelings of displacement and flitting through a world that is unwelcoming towards you, are taken from Zuko’s banishment.

When Basco’s book is published the dedication reads: “To my friend

, your advice in creating this was invaluable, and without you I never would have dared to write something like this. May this live up to your hopes and expectations.” Once the readers of the book have gained a vague understanding of the airnomad Alphabet, and learn that

translates to Aang, pandemonium breaks loose. Aang claims that he and Dante only corresponded through letters and he doesn’t know his identity, but that he got to fact check everything, and that every mention of airnomad culture is accurate. This book goes on to define the widespread understanding of pre-war Airnomad culture, and even scholars sometimes relying on Aang’s assurance of the accuracy of this book to gain a better understanding of culture and context of their topics of research.

[rotzaprachim]

This article is from August 2023 and was written by Mohammed R. Mhawish, a Gaza-based journalist writing for the local +972/Local Call publication. I think it covers a LOT of the current talking points with a lot more knowledge and nuance than many of the takes.

"Last week, the southern governorate of Khan Younis and other areas in the center of the Gaza Strip witnessed tense scenes as several thousand Palestinians took to the streets to protest frequent power outages, food shortages, and overall harsh living conditions. Marching under the banner of “Bidna N’eesh” (“We Want to Live”), the mass protests mark a significant expression of public resentment that has accumulated among the blockaded population for years. 

In response, demonstrations in support of Hamas, the Islamist party ruling the strip, paraded down the streets cheering for the government and confronting those who were not voicing support for the movement. The police intervened shortly afterward, reportedly confiscating cell phones and making multiple arrests.

The protests followed days of intense frustration and dispute with the Hamas government, which began after a Khan Younis resident was killed when one of the walls of his house fell on top of him as local authorities attempted to demolish it, claiming it was initially built on a public road. The authorities alleged the man’s death was a tragic accident, firing the mayor of the responsible municipality.

Characterized by their mobility, brevity, and direct impact, the marches appear to be coordinated by grassroots movements through online platforms and social media. Several Palestinians who were among the crowds told me that their demonstrations stem from a fundamental demand for their basic human rights, which include necessities like public services, employment, freedom to travel, and the ability to engage in outside commerce. At the time of writing, the Hamas government has not shared with the public any foreseeable solution to any of these grievances, or how it will address people’s anger.

Electricity has been at the center of the protesters’ demands. While Gaza’s energy crisis predates the current protests, the scorching heat waves enveloping the region this summer have driven temperatures to soar above 38 degrees Celsius (over 100 degrees Fahrenheit) in the strip. The heat has only added to the growing discontent among the territory’s 2.3 million Palestinian residents, who are confined to a stretch of land of around 360 square kilometers that has, since 2007, been cut off by an Israeli blockade that affects every facet of daily life.

This collective frustration has been building over a considerable period of time, as Gaza’s population has to subsist on a daily ration of only four-to-six hours of electricity. Certain residences and businesses resort to private generators or solar panels in order to cope with the prolonged power outages. For others unable to afford such costly equipment, modest battery-powered LED lights provide makeshift illumination, while others fan themselves with plastic trays to try and beat the heat.

According to local energy bodies, Gaza requires approximately 500 megawatts of power per day during the summer season. However, it currently receives a mere 120 megawatts from Israel, with the enclave’s solitary power plant — repeatedly damaged by Israeli military assaults and weakened by restrictions on materials — contributing an additional 60 megawatts. Lately, social media footage has shown Gaza shrouded in darkness at night, with few lights emanating from its cities. 

While the public and the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority in the West Bank predominantly attribute Gaza’s challenges to Israel’s occupation, many people believe that Hamas still has some capacity, and the obligation, to initiate helpful measures, including by increasing the power plant’s production and operating it at maximum capacity, especially during the summer.

Bearing the toll

Over the past 16 years, Gaza has become a crucible for enduring humanitarian, economic, and political hardship. The enclave has experienced several rounds of deadly wars with Israel, most devastatingly in the summer of 2014. The closure imposed on all of Gaza’s entry points has plunged the economy into decay, leading to a sharp rise in unemployment and resulting in severe scarcity of essential supplies and other resources.

Palestinians have had to navigate significant divisions within their political leadership, the most apparent of which were the armed clashes between Fatah and Hamas in 2007. Hamas had secured victory in the 2006 parliamentary elections from other factions, controlling the legislature and prime minister’s post while Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas was elected to the presidency. 

The Palestinian government was immediately met with sanctions by Israel, the United States, and European countries, exacerbating the factional rivalry that led to Hamas taking over Gaza. Since then, the territory has sunk under the weight of Israel’s crippling siege. 

However, the present demonstrations in Gaza stand out due to the heightened level of public engagement and the number of protesters involved. The gravity of the situation is manifold, and the population’s living conditions are only becoming more challenging. 

Palestinians have long called for new, inclusive elections, reflecting an exhilarating demand for change. Yet public support for Hamas in Gaza persists, and there is rising concern that the voices of those who seek some form of change and restoration of their rights will be stifled — both by Israeli and Palestinian authorities.

There are several aspects to the evolving complexities among Palestinian political actors. Fatah and Hamas are involved in an ongoing mutual blame game, each attributing Gaza’s troubles to the other party. The PA urges Hamas to take action even as it primarily holds Israel responsible as the occupying power (one which the PA cooperates with under the Oslo Accords). All the while, it is the people who bear the toll and face ominous consequences while the feeble pursuit of reconciliation continues.

Members of Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, guard the street in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, December 14, 2022. (Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90)

Last but not least, Islamic Jihad, once a marginal movement, has recently emerged as a significant player in the Palestinian geopolitical landscape. During Israel’s latest two wars on Gaza in August 2022 and May 2023, Islamic Jihad displayed relatively independent and effective decision-making power on the military front, although it still seeks the political and military endorsement of Hamas as the ruling authority.

Beyond the social fragmentation in Gaza and the West Bank, one winner is currently taking all: the Israeli far right, which is relentlessly targeting the foundations of the Palestinian struggle and advancing its vision of permanently scattering the Palestinian population into disparate territorial and political enclaves.

Under the leadership of Benjamin Netanyahu, the current government is seizing every opportunity to solidify its presence in the West Bank. This includes the construction of illegal settlements, the annihilation of any attempt at armed or popular resistance, and the annexation of Palestinian land and resources — further weakening the basis of any Palestinian political process. 

A united front for liberation

The current protests in Gaza undoubtedly echo the legitimate demands of the Palestinian people, who are deserving and capable of forging a new, united front toward freedom and dignity. But the biggest question remains: do the Palestinian leaders possess the willingness to heed these calls, and to take effective measures toward fulfilling them?

Both external and internal observers often attribute the divisions among Palestinian factions to contrasting political and ideological interests. Yet such differences should, if anything, lay the foundation and impetus for a broad political coalition that can align communal needs with the pursuit of liberation. While some argue that the Palestinian factions are gradually realigning against Israel and not each other, many still hold a sense of despair over whether they will ever see a unified leadership that spans the spectrum of war and peace, resistance and governance, and that brings Palestinians together under one common rule.

Hamas leaders in the Gaza Strip Ismail Haniyeh (center left) and Yahya Sinwar (center right) march during a protest against US President Donald Trump’s “Deal of the Century” and the “Peace to Prosperity” conference in Bahrain, in Gaza City, June 26, 2019. (Hassan Jedi/Flash90)

In Gaza, there is a notable sentiment that having an armed presence that safeguards Palestinians’ right to self-defense against Israeli military aggression should not overshadow people’s aspiration to live with as much independence and prosperity as they can muster under occupation. The goal of breaking the Israeli blockade, once the primary beacon of hope for freedom in Gaza, is intertwined with the pursuit of meeting basic needs within Gaza’s borders, like two more hours of access to clean drinking water or electricity a day.

This is accompanied by a widespread view that Hamas, like other Palestinian factions, is trying to control and silence grassroots activism and dissent, eliciting further irritation from the public. The Palestinian leaders’ verbal acceptance of the idea of change should not only mean blending their varying perspectives together, but has to also mean a stop to sweeping the people’s collective calls under the carpet for a better future. 

Indeed, the intensification of Israeli attacks on all Palestinians across the land, and the aim to disperse the public sphere in Gaza, make these protests an ideal time to reassert the need for a unified Palestinian leadership that can thrive — one that prioritizes upholding human values and the basic needs of life under occupation, and that does not stumble amid the rapidly changing shifts in the regional and international landscape, which have marginalized the Palestinians’ demands for freedom and for decent living conditions too.

More importantly, the current leaderships — both in Gaza and the West Bank — should refrain from governing by diktat, and should instead respect the will of the majority and adhere to the country’s legal frameworks and vision for liberation. Attempting to force change through open conflict with a discontented public is unlikely to succeed. It has never been a successful or just method to achieve self-determination, especially when led by scattered minority factions, each chanting a different slogan and seemingly unconcerned with democratic representation. Each leader ends up clinging to power with no real intention of improving and safeguarding the lives of their constituents.

To overcome these challenges, Palestinians must be able to convey criticisms in a way that resonates with the supporters of each party, rather than simply proving their leaders wrong — thereby demonstrating the possibility of unity. The current Gaza protests, and the Unity Intifada that erupted across all of Palestine two years ago, indicate the necessity of such a united path. Once it has been truly achieved, no external influence will be able to hinder, disregard, or fragment the substantial majority of the people from breaking free from their cycle of exclusion.

Until then, the Palestinian people deserve the chance to address the very valid debate over a much-needed policy roadmap that would determine the fate of their struggle. By setting aside divergent realpolitik on the internal battleground, and doing what can be done for the people with the tools they have, only then can they remain steadfast and hopeful in the face of an occupying force."

[agiar2000]

A Radical Proposal

Politics Post:

Warning: Extremism

"Let this radicalize you rather than lead you to despair." Okay, fine. I now realize that I was not radical enough. Let's take it to the next level. Here is a radical proposal.

There are about two months before Donald Trump takes office. Within that time, Joe Biden has the power to act, and the supreme court has ruled that he has absolute immunity to do anything that falls under his core powers as president, which includes use of the military and control of the executive branch of government.

First step: Officially recognize the truth that the Republican party is a domestic terrorist organization, arrest its leaders, and try them for crimes against humanity.

Next: Employ overwhelming military force to round up all fascists, which includes everyone who voted for or otherwise supports Donald Trump, and allow them to freely choose between a reeducation camp or a firing squad.

With the threat of fascism neutralized first, we can then begin making massive reforms, especially in the area of public education, in order to bring about a more informed and moral electorate, and thus a more informed and moral society, obviating any future measures as difficult as this one.

About the reeducation camps: Everyone is welcome. A comfortable, dignified life meeting all basic needs will be provided. Education will consist of various methods, including so-called "brainwashing" where necessary, as well as traditional lectures and guided research, to instill factual beliefs and pro-social values into all students. Regarding those who are present because they have been deemed to be an existential threat to human civilization, a panel of experts will routinely evaluate each attendee to determine whether they have sufficiently converted into decent human beings worthy of the gift of life and ready to reenter society. Those who have never been deemed enemies of humanity are welcome to attend any courses they wish and to leave whenever they wish.

Now, to address potential concerns: Concern: Wouldn't mass graves be less expensive to build and maintain than reeducation camps? Answer: Yes, but we have a moral responsibility to save as many people as possible. Some people can, indeed, be reached. We must be better than our enemies are. We must strive to maintain the highest moral standards. We must live by compassion and mercy if we are to be worthy of the better world we seek to create.

C: Why the firing squads then? A: Some people, sadly, cannot be reached. You cannot force someone to learn who is unwilling to try.

C: I oppose the death penalty, even for fascists. A: So do I! That is why it is a choice that they can make for themselves. I would prefer that they choose to live and learn.

C: Do you have to call them "camps"? Do you have to call it "brainwashing"? A: I don't believe in mincing words.

C: The sheer magnitude of the infrastructure required for all of these reeducation camps, including staff, supplies, course materials, etc., seems unfeasible. A: This is a very sensible objection. It is especially challenging to accomplish this in only two months. We will just have to get creative and make do with what we have available.

C: This seems somewhat undemocratic. A: The people have democratically elected, by majority vote, to replace democracy with a dictatorship. If we want democracy back, then we will have to change their minds, and the current system is not effective to that end, hence the reeducation camps. We cannot have democracy with a fascist electorate.

C: This seems draconian. A: The paradox of tolerance applies here.

C: Some non-fascists will oppose this, possibly forcefully. A: The reeducation camps will offer helpful courses explaining the necessity of this system, absolutely free of charge, to anyone who needs convincing.

C: So you want to imprison everyone who disagrees with your tactics? A: No, just those who pose a palpable threat to human civilization and only when it is necessary in order to neutralize that threat, and only for as long as it takes to properly educate them.

C: Isn't this a fascist proposal itself? A: No, it is not. This is the method by which we could eliminate fascism. You could make the argument that this proposal is authoritarian, but that is only one element of fascism. The society this proposal could enable is globalist, not nationalist; egalitarian, not elitist; focused on the future, not on historical myths; secular, not religious; favoring labor power over corporate power; affirming, not disdainful, of intellectuals; etc. To adapt a poem, "First they came for the fascists, and I did not speak out because I was not a fascist. Then everyone lived happily ever after. The end."

C: Why single out Republicans? Democrats are just as bad. A: I disagree, and I do not want to get into listing all the ways that Democrats are better than Republicans. Republicans are the worst of the worst, so let's just start with them.

C: Biden would never do this. I do not trust that he would implement this proposal responsibly. A: No, probably not, but he should. This is merely a proposal, not a prediction. If it helps, you can think of it more like a proposal of what someone in Biden's current position, i.e. someone who legally commands absolute power over the USA, ought to do, rather than anything Biden himself might do.

In conclusion: A better world is possible!

P.S. C: Is this a joke? A: I have been thinking about this for a long time, but it has never been more necessary (due to the popular election of a fascist dictatorship) or practical (with the supreme court removing all checks and balances from the president) than it is right now. I know that it will not happen. Interpret this however you want.

[dailyanarchistposts]

I.4.1 What is the point of economic activity in anarchy?

The basic point of economic activity is an anarchist society is to ensure, to use Kropotkin’s expression, “well-being for all”. Rather than toil to make the rich richer, people in a free society would work together to “ensure to society as a whole its life and further development.” Such an economy would be based upon “giving society the greatest amount of useful products with the least waste of human energy”, to meet “the needs of mankind”. [The Conquest of Bread, p. 43, p. 144 and p. 175] Needless to say, today we must also add: with the least disruption of nature.

In terms of needs, it should be stressed that these are not limited to just material goods (important as they may be, particularly to those currently living in poverty). Needs also extend to having meaningful work which you control, pleasant and ecologically viable surroundings, the ability to express oneself freely within and outwith work, and a host of other things associated with the quality of life rather than merely survival. Anarchism seeks to transform economic activity rather than merely liberate it by self-management (important as that is).

Therefore, for anarchists, ”[r]eal wealth consists of things of utility and beauty, in things that help create strong, beautiful bodies and surroundings inspiring to live in.” Anarchism’s “goal is the freest possible expression of all the latent powers of the individual” and this “is only possible in a state of society where man [sec!] is free to choose the mode of work, the conditions of work, and the freedom to work. One whom making a table, the building of a house, or the tilling of the soil is what the painting is to the artist and the discovery to the scientist — the result of inspiration, of intense longing, and deep interest in work as a creative force.” [Emma Goldman, Red Emma Speaks, p. 67 and p. 68]

So the point of economic activity in an anarchist society is to produce as and when required and not, as under capitalism, to organise production for the sake of production in order to make profits for the few. Production, to use Kropotkin’s words, is to become “the mere servant of consumption; it must mould itself on the wants of the consumer, not dictate to him [or her] conditions.” [Act For Yourselves, p. 57] This should not be taken to imply that anarchism seeks production for the sake of production in order to meet all the needs of all. Far from it, as such a regime would, to quote Malatesta, involve “employing all of one’s strength in producing things, because taken literally, this would mean working until one is exhausted, which would mean that by maximising the satisfaction of human needs we destroy humanity.” In other words, a free society would take into account the wants of the producers (and the planet we live on) when meeting the wants of consumers. Thus, there would be a balance sought. “What we would like,” continued Malatesta, “is for everybody to live in the best possible way: so that everybody with a minimum amount of effort will obtain maximum satisfaction.” [At the Café, p. 61]

So while the basic aim of economic activity in an anarchist society is, obviously, producing wealth — i.e., satisfying individual needs — without enriching capitalists or other parasites in the process, it is far more than that. Yes, an anarchist society will aim to create society in which everyone will have a standard of living suitable for a fully human life. Yes, it will aim to eliminate poverty, inequality, individual want and social waste and squalor, but it aims for far more than that. It aims to create free individuals who express their individuality within and outwith “work.” After all, what is the most important thing that comes out of a workplace? Pro-capitalists may say profits, others the finished commodity or good. In fact, the most important thing that comes out of a workplace is the worker. What happens to us in the workplace will have an impact on all aspects of our life and so cannot be ignored.

To value “efficiency” above all else, as capitalism says it does (it, in fact, values profits above all else and hinders developments like workers’ control which increase efficiency but harm power and profits), is to deny our own humanity and individuality. Without an appreciation for grace and beauty there is no pleasure in creating things and no pleasure in having them. Our lives are made drearier rather than richer by “progress.” How can a person take pride in their work when skill and care are considered luxuries (if not harmful to “efficiency” and, under capitalism, the profits and power of the capitalist and manager)? We are not machines. We have a need for craftspersonship and anarchism recognises this and takes it into account in its vision of a free society. This means that, in an anarchist society, economic activity is the process by which we produce what is useful but, in addition, is also beautiful (to use Oscar Wilde’s words) in a way that empowers the individual. We anarchists charge capitalism with wasting human energy and time due to its irrational nature and workings, energy that could be spent creating what is beautiful (both in terms of individualities and products of labour). Under capitalism we are “toiling to live, that we may live to toil.” [William Morris, Useful Work Versus Useless Toil, p. 37]

In addition, we must stress that the aim of economic activity within an anarchist society is not to create equality of outcome — i.e. everyone getting exactly the same goods. As we noted in section A.2.5, such a “vision” of “equality” attributed to socialists by pro-capitalists indicates more the poverty of imagination and ethics of the critics of socialism than a true account of socialist ideas. Anarchists, like other genuine socialists, support social equality in order to maximise freedom, including the freedom to choose between options to satisfy ones needs. To treat people equally, as equals, means to respect their desires and interests, to acknowledge their right to equal liberty. To make people consume the same as everyone else does not respect the equality of all to develop ones abilities as one sees fit. Socialism means equality of opportunity to satisfy desires and interests, not the imposition of an abstract minimum (or maximum) on unique individuals. To treat unique individuals equally means to acknowledge that uniqueness, not to deny it.

Thus the real aim of economic activity within an anarchy is to ensure “that every human being should have the material and moral means to develop his humanity.” [Michael Bakunin, The Political Philosophy of Bakunin, p. 295] And you cannot develop your humanity if you cannot express yourself freely. Needless to say, to treat unique people “equally” (i.e. identically) is simply evil. You cannot, say, have a 70 year old woman do the same work in order to receive the same income as a 20 year old man. No, anarchists do not subscribe to such “equality,” which is a product of the “ethics of mathematics” of capitalism and not of anarchist ideals. Such a scheme is alien to a free society. The equality anarchists desire is a social equality, based on control over the decisions that affect you. The aim of anarchist economic activity, therefore, is to provide the goods required for “equal freedom for all, an equality of conditions such as to allow everyone to do as they wish.” [Errico Malatesta, Errico Malatesta: His Life and Ideas, p. 49] Thus anarchists “demand not natural but social equality of individuals as the condition for justice and the foundations of morality.” [Bakunin, Op. Cit., p. 249]

Under capitalism, instead of humans controlling production, production controls them. Anarchists want to change this and desire to create an economic network which will allow the maximisation of an individual’s free time in order for them to express and develop their individuality (while creating what is beautiful). So instead of aiming just to produce because the economy will collapse if we did not, anarchists want to ensure that we produce what is useful in a manner which liberates the individual and empowers them in all aspects of their lives.

This desire means that anarchists reject the capitalist definition of “efficiency.” Anarchists would agree with Albert and Hahnel when they argue that “since people are conscious agents whose characteristics and therefore preferences develop over time, to access long-term efficiency we must access the impact of economic institutions on people’s development.” Capitalism, as we have explained before, is highly inefficient in this light due to the effects of hierarchy and the resulting marginalisation and disempowerment of the majority of society. As Albert and Hahnel go on to note, “self-management, solidarity, and variety are all legitimate valuative criteria for judging economic institutions … Asking whether particular institutions help people attain self-management, variety, and solidarity is sensible.” [The Political Economy of Participatory Economics, p. 9]

In other words, anarchists think that any economic activity in a free society is to do useful things in such a way that gives those doing it as much pleasure as possible. The point of such activity is to express the individuality of those doing it, and for that to happen they must control the work process itself. Only by self-management can work become a means of empowering the individual and developing his or her powers.

In a nutshell, to use the words of William Morris, useful work will replace useless toil in an anarchist society.

[hopesandmountains]

Healing when you don’t exactly have a safe place at home takes extra steps.

Healing can require you to open old wounds in order to heal and nurture them, and some wounds take time to heal.

And sometimes you have to escape home life otherwise the wounds will only grow but then it’s also a bit scary walking out into the world carrying an emotional wound.

It takes time to build up boundaries and to learn how to protect yourself, and when it comes to emotional wounds, people can hurt you emotional (intentionally or not) in ways that aren’t immediately noticiable or recognizable.

And I try to spend my time in safe places like volunteering or club activities, but that still took learning how to internally monitor my feelings and to take my feelings of being unsafe seriously even when I couldn’t figure out why I felt that way.

And typing that out sounds obvious, but people with rough childhoods learn to tune out that feeling of being unsafe (when parents are arguing or fighting, you feel unsafe as a child, and as a child there’s not much you can do about feeling unsafe so you learn to ignore that feeling) and as an adult you have to learn how to listen to that feeling and to teach your past childhood self that you no longer just have to sit with that feeling of being unsafe, but that as an adult there are actionable ways you can work to make yourself feel safe again.

Sometimes that means just changing the topic of conversations, sometimes that means taking some time to breath and calm yourself, and if you are with friends you can trust sometimes all it takes is telling people how you feel.

Really as you learn, you will find that you aren’t as trapped as you may feel and that you can be creative in the ways you work to make yourself feel safe again. And really that’s what a lot of healing is about, remembering that internally you can be a creator who can think of new ways to heal and new ways to heal with feelings of overwhelm.

Walking around with wounds, sometimes you feel like a kid again and you look to other people to recognize and tend to your needs. And this can work but you also have to be careful because there really are people out there who will take advantage of vulnerable people (which is why it’s really really important to set boundaries to protect yourself and to listen to your feelings when something feels wrong or unsafe).

But really you want to also learn that you can tend to your wounds and work to feel safe by believing in yourself for a little bit, and thinking of and trying new ways of living a healthier and secure life.

With wounds I feel unsafe a lot of the time, but there are also times where I’ve had to stop and kind of realize that the feeling of being unsafe had intensified, so I’ve had to take some time to find out what was happening. Sometimes it’s old trauma wounds that are more a reflection of something that happened in the past, and sometimes I really needed to take a step back and think about ways to feel safe again.

And I don’t want discourage anybody from meeting new people or being social, actually when I’m feeling overwhelmed talking to people is what really helps.

I guess sometimes people see boundaries or being protective as ways that push people away, but when done properly, they are actually what makes me feel safe enough to be vulnerable and open with people.

[phlve]

Sociotype Profiles — IEE

Ego

Leading Ne

Fundamental to the IEE is an eye for interesting, new opportunities and the desire to pursue these opportunities, putting aside what they are currently doing in order to see how the next, novel thing might turn out. IEEs cannot tolerate monotony or narrow repetition and instead follow a pattern of whimsically switching from one thing that captures their fascination to the next, starting up a variety of projects and keeping less interesting ones on hold while those that are most novel are worked on with great enthusiasm. The greatest motivation for IEEs is their limitless curiosity for the world around them and an open-mindedness to the various perspectives of the many people that inhabit it. IEEs frequently see life as a constant adventure, trying to see as much as possible in their time available. IEEs look for the inner potential in other people, seeing what others could go on to do in the right conditions and, if fascinating enough, putting aside their time to enable the fulfilment of this potential. Often their lives are filled with unusual or eye-catching experiences, or are a continued excavation into the great variety that life has to offer. Throughout, the often chaotic drive for novelty and variation creates a never ending whimsicality in these types that can be hard to rein in or predict.

Creative Fi

In their pursuit of the possibilities, IEEs readily build a rapport with the people they meet. Frequently, IEEs will be known to have a wonderful variety of acquaintances from multiple walks of life. Nothing is more interesting to an IEE than a new person with unknown qualities they will put a lot of curious energy into drawing out and discovering. When beginning a new adventure, the IEE will likely know the perfect person from their long, internal list of contacts to help with the job and will not hesitate in calling them and getting them interested. With a good command of their personal relations, IEEs know how to gain the trust and friendship of others and acquire their help with their latest interests. Similarly, IEEs often see themselves as enablers of new opportunities, seeing the specialness of certain individuals whose hidden gifts need to be uncovered. However, the contrast between the number of acquaintances IEEs have and true, close friends is stark. IEEs are readily discerning of the people they talk to and can intuitively judge the level of closeness they want to maintain with that person. They instinctively get a sense of rapport with each individual, knowing if someone feels right or wrong for them. This can manifest as a social pattern for IEEs, becoming excited when meeting new people, before settling into less enchanted attitude with less special individuals over time. IEEs keep many at a pleasant but casual distance, but to the few with they see with greatest potential and goodness, they will entrust themselves fully to.

Super-Ego

Vulnerable Ti

IEEs tend to be free spirits who cannot stand to feel constrained or bound by inflexible structures or commitments. Often the IEE will express difficulty and frustration with being required to follow laws to the letter and will find themselves indulging as series of special exceptions, bending the rules according to what seems to work best in that moment. Similarly, they do not tend to follow any system or theory faithfully, but instead borrow bits and pieces from different perspectives that they think can work, even if these sources fundamentally contradict each other, making their behaviour hard to predict and their views harder to pin down as belonging to any particular camp. In short, for IEEs, everything is understood and approached on a case-by-case basis, and even their explanations will rest much more on a series of examples than an underlying principle. This can open them up to the criticism of not being fair or impartial with others, as they will prefer to rely on their personal relationships with each person, rather than a general rule.

Role Se

IEE are not naturally assertive people, and in general, strongly dislike conflict, much preferring to maintain harmonious relationships with others. By default, they prefer to give people the benefit of the doubt and can be very forgiving of other people's faults. However, when push comes to shove, they can take charge and summon the energy necessary to go after their latest interest and their energy in doing so can be quite compelling. Nevertheless, pitting themselves against another is too direct for an IEE’s tastes and they much prefer to find some alternative approach or angle that allows them follow their whims while avoiding confrontations altogether. They also are less able to force themselves to do things they are not personally interested in, often lacking discipline. IEEs are not natural fighters and when forced to maintain a more active resistance for too long, the strain will begin to show. IEEs will more likely drop the issue to pursue one of the many other interesting things on their list.

Super-Id

Mobilizing Te

Many IEEs will aspire to be self-sufficient, productive individuals that are able to manage things without the help or assistance of others. This can instil in them a strong desire for self-improvement and mastery over a range of helpful, practical skills. When they encounter something that is too difficult, the IEE will take great fulfilment from improving themselves to the point they can overcome the difficulty. They may put great value into their own education and reading up on subjects that interest them to a degree where they feel they can be competent. Despite this, an IEE will often not appreciate being told what to do or how to do things by others. Instead, they seek the freedom to do things on their own terms, asking for advice when they have already tried and failed in accomplishing the task themselves. This can make IEEs quite capable and organised if they apply themselves, enjoying the challenge of solving problems and making things in their lives work better. Many IEEs will take pleasure in showing to themselves that they can understand how an issue works and will gain personal satisfaction from being able to explain things to their friends in a simple, practical way that they can easily understand, away from anything too structural or composed of complicated terminologies.

Suggestive Si

IEEs tend to live rather haphazard and chaotic lifestyles. This can often mean that daily requirements, such as maintaining a household, cooking and cleaning can fall by the wayside as the IEE jumps after the latest, newest excitement. Nevertheless, the IEE can be highly appreciative of aesthetics, health and leisurely relaxation, liking nothing more than peaceful, comfortable environments and enjoying anything that combines quirkiness or individuality with physical beauty. IEEs love to be pampered and will respond very positively to a gift that makes their lives more physically pleasant, especially if it satisfies some of their more unusual and unique tastes. Often an IEE will have cultivated a favourite snacks or sensations that cause them to, even when angry, quickly forget their troubles when given them. To IEEs, sensory experience is another window of opportunity and they will be very open to trying something new at another’s suggestion, often taking on new favourites if they happen to like what they have tried. Instead of displays of wealth or power, an IEE will be more impressed by those who are modest, but better able to enjoy and make the most of what they have, as well as those who work with aesthetic skill and detailed finesse.

Id

Ignoring Ni

IEEs are very much in favour of the idea that there are multiple ways of looking at anything and that where there is a possibility, it should be given a chance. For this reason, they are unlikely to relate well to the idea that things are necessarily going to happen one way and that things less probable are a waste of time. Much of their energy will be directed towards enabling things to happen, rather than putting out the fire on an unconventional, but practical idea. Despite this, IEEs are quite capable of thinking ahead and seeing how things are likely to turn out. Usually, this will take the form of visualising how far a possibility is likely to go, when it shows the beginnings of potential. This can allow them to visualise the likely path a relationship with someone may go, or how a person of interest may develop. When IEEs latch onto something that captures their interest, an IEE will have a great urge to run after it straight away, disliking the idea of having to wait for it to happen as if it can be taken for granted. In general IEEs prefer not to plan things too carefully as they feel this might be committing them to a particular course of events and cutting out other possibilities that might arise later as being more interesting. As such, they may be hard to pin down to any fixture or event, finding other plans and calling out at the last minute or refusing to commit at all until the last minute, hating the idea of letting their friends down by saying 'yes'. However, when they do turn up, it makes for a pleasant surprise.

Demonstrative Fe

IEEs are often emotionally bright, mercurial people and easily communicate their feelings to others in a way that is well received, making them almost universally likeable. When they are excited, upset or angry, IEEs may feel the need to discharge their emotions to their close friends and family. However, IEEs are less interested in making others aware of their issues and to try and affect people's emotional responses. Overall, their emotions are their own, and any communication is more non-deliberate, i.e. a reflection of how they are feeling, rather than an attempt to manage the mood. Simply by being happy and around those they enjoy, IEEs end up brightening the atmosphere, but do not set out to make it so. Similarly, although averse to disharmony, when depressed or around people they are not familiar with, the IEE will not feel the need to keep up appearances. In their emotions, IEEs will be fundamentally erratic, and how they act and express themselves may vary much from day to day. Furthermore, IEEs will avoid any expectation that they should sacrifice their self-sufficiency for the sake of belonging to any group. Instead, IEEs will prefer unofficial ties with many different individuals for different occasions. In doing so, they avoid feeling beholden to any community, or pressured to adjust their lifestyle for the sake of acceptance. Often they will find the expressive, loud humour of others over-the-top, and will instead opt for something more reserved, dry or witty.

Source: Wikisocion

[stellahikaru]

State of The Starry Path Hotel #4 (March 1st 2024)

Hello! Welcome to the fourth installment of the State of The Starry Path and the first one in March! I thought about doing a monthly wrap up but considering I didn’t get much done in February, I decided against it. OKAY NOW ONTO THE UPDATE!

Mini Life Update

It feels like I have so little time these days. I needed to help do some fixes for the main assignments of my capstone project so that took up most of my time and energy for the first part of the week. Then I was focused on assignments for my other classes for the rest of the week and before I knew it, it was Friday again. Man, I wish I had more time in general. 

On the bright side, I will be on break for next week! I can finally relax and take some time for myself. While I will need to do some school related things during my break, the fact that I do not need to go to class means I can focus on relaxing, playing video games, and content creation of course!

Content Creation Progress Update

So I ended up not really thinking about content creation at all this week. I feel terrible about it but what can I do besides move forward? Thankfully, I will be off of school for the following week so I can get some work done on YouTube videos.

This Week’s Goals

Make an ideas list and write down a minimum of 5 ideas: This goal is a holdover from last week but since I will not be in school, I will have more time to devote to it this week. 

Choose 1 idea and start a video script for it: Once I finish writing down some ideas, I’m going to choose one and start writing a script for it. Unfortunately I won’t be able to record any audio or gameplay because I won’t have my main PC with me, but 

Research editing software: I’m going to look for a free or low cost editing software that I can use to make videos. Even though I won’t be able to test it while on my break, I can still install it when I come back to my PC. 

This Month’s Goals

Make one YouTube video: I want to make a Youtube video this month even if it’s terrible. The majority of the weekly goals are going to be focused on this for the month.

This Year’s Goals

Get monetized on YouTube: I want to eventually make money off of my content so I’m hoping to get monetized on YouTube this year. This is going to be a tall order, but I hope I can keep working towards this with my weekly and monthly goals!

Become an Affiliate on Twitch: Despite making Twitch less of a priority, I still want to be able to become an affiliate on Twitch. While I do need to find a way to meet the seven days streaming requirement, I want to be able to draw in viewers first. 

Gain 100 followers on any social media besides YouTube or Twitch: I actually am over halfway to 100 followers on Twitter as of writing this, but I still don’t get a ton of engagement on my post. In addition, most of the followers I have gotten are those annoying GFX bots and it’s a little bit disheartening. I also want to build up a following on Tumblr and Bluesky as well! 

Make a community Discord server: Once I build up a community, I want to create a Discord server for people to hang out in. However, I want to wait until there is a demand for a Discord server. This goal is lower priority compared to the other goals but I hope that this does end up happening this year!

Final Thoughts

I can’t wait to be able to relax and not have to think about school all the time this week. Hopefully this month I can hit the ground running and actually be able to finish the goals I set out for myself this week. Also I do want to make an announcement regarding streams for the next couple of weeks. I will not be streaming tomorrow or next Saturday. Since I am planning on going back to my parent’s house, I will need to spend tomorrow preparing for the drive there and then the following Saturday is when I’m planning on coming back, so I do not want to pressure myself to get back in time for a stream. My next stream will be on Saturday March 16th at 2 PM EST. However, I will make sure to write a blog post for next week! Anyway, I hope your stay was bright and your journey is filled with light!

[painthropologist]

An essay on Southeast Asian tourism I wrote for my BA that's full of vitriol

I'm Southeast Asian. You'll see why.

SE547 (Southeast Asian Societies)

Essay: “‘Culture’ in Southeast Asia today is nothing but a tourist attraction.” Critically evaluate this statement by making reference to relevant ethnographic case studies

Student name: Natalia Lee (17881758)

Due: Monday 16 December 2019, 12pm

Word count: 2040

The proliferation of capitalism and globalisation in Southeast Asia from the 1970s has inevitably been the catalyst for an ever-expanding tourist economy in the region. Southeast Asian nations have become exotic, desirable holiday locales to tourists from developed countries. This essay focuses on the ways in which tourism in Southeast Asia today, informed by capitalist ideals, has shaped local cultural identities with regards to indigeneity, gender, and division of labour. Many of these factors stem from pre-existing local cultural practices, yet are reinforced by the need to accommodate culture for touristic appeal. In Southeast Asian nations such as Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand, tourism has greatly stimulated local economies yet has irreparably transformed local culture through rapid adaptation to meet the demands of tourists and governments. I discuss how Southeast Asians have risen to meet these demands, and how various aspects of culture and people themselves have become commodified in the face of a capitalist-driven tourist economy.

UNESCO defines culture as the ‘distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual, and emotional features of society or a social group (Anggraini, 2017: 150). This group identity has been articulated in different ways in the respective regions of Southeast Asia, but has morphed in the advent of modernity and capitalism. Culture, as such, has become commodified in many regards, with many traditional ways of life restructured to match the needs and wants of tourists. For example, traditional Balinese agrarian culture has been preserved to some extent by the desire for tourists to visit the Instagram-worthy rice paddies (Pedersen and Darmiasih, 2015: 151). Simultaneously, Bali’s tourist economy now thrives on providing other forms of non-traditional entertainment to tourists, such as nightclubs and surfing in Kuta (Anggraini, 2017). The tourist economy in Southeast Asia can therefore be viewed as a means of empowering locals through their participation with capitalism, globalisation, and modernity. 

The rise in international tourism, especially towards Southeast Asia, can be attributed to the expansion of the Western industrial economy in the 1970s and 80s (Smith, 1990: 34). Capitalism’s influence inevitably reached Southeast Asia during this period, not only changing traditional modes of production (Ong, 1988: 29), but requiring locals to adapt and create new social identities to cater to the desires of tourists. The increased social mobility in both developed and developing nations around this period thus facilitated political and economic changes that have in turn reformed cultural practices and ways of life in order to accommodate the constant demand for tourist infrastructure and services (Smith, 1990: 38-9). From a politico-economic perspective, tourism can be viewed as a means of nation-building in Southeast Asia, with tourism being Indonesia’s third-most profitable economic sector in the late 1960s under the Soeharto regime (Adams, 2018). While the rapid growth of Southeast Asian tourist destinations has created greater social mobility for many locals from increased income and education, it has also reinforced greater structural inequalities, with the rift between poverty and affluence in Southeast Asia becoming more apparent under tourism’s influence. The economic growth accompanying the expanding tourism industry in Southeast Asia has given many an opportunity to facilitate upward social mobility regardless of existing class hierarchy, and influences the structure and formation of classes within a society. 

Fagertun’s (2017: 338-341) ethnographic study of Jimbaran Bay in Bali discusses the ways in which class formation, based on economic advancement, impacted one Balinese couple, Bu Minah and her husband Pak Darsa. Due to the increasing popularity of Jimbaran among tourists, the couple were able to expand their small business into a hotel. However, business was uncertain due to the increased competition facilitated by an influx of work migrants into Jimbaran, leading to financial difficulties. Furthermore, traditional Balinese culture permits polygyny, whereby men can have multiple wives if they can afford it. Against Bu Minah’s wishes, Pak Darsa was able to afford a second wife with the money they had accumulated from their business, driving her away from the business and their children due to the traditionally patriarchal Balinese family structure. In this case, upward social mobility, enabled by a rapid increase in financial resources from tourism, bypassed the traditional Balinese-Hindu caste system and allowed the couple the financial freedom to enhance their lives. Economic capital breeds social capital, but pre-existing indigenous class and gender ideals still inform the ways in which structural inequality is created and maintained by the tourism industry in Southeast Asia.

One of the main reasons for tourism in Southeast Asian nations like Thailand is for tourists to experience entertainment in an “exotic” setting (Berger, 2013b: 15). Culture becomes a commodified novelty, where traditional practices like dance and musical performance are reduced to package tours, and ritual meaning is obscured by monetization (Fagertun, 2017; Picard, 1990; Acciaioli, 1985). In Indonesia, the term “cultural tourism” was first implemented by the Dutch during the colonial period and subsequently by the independent Indonesian government, as a means of turning the archipelago, especially Bali, into a global tourist destination (Berger, 2013a: 47; Picard, 1990: 42). Based on this logic, “adat [culture] is appropriated for the purposes of the state” and is therefore an impetus for attracting tourists (Acciaioli, 1985: 157). Today, the popularity of “cultural tourism” in the Southeast Asian region is reflective not only of tourist demands, but the willingness of locals to supply entertainment for these tourists, ranging from traditional performances and handicrafts, to more malign “commodities” including the sex trade. There is thus a symbiotic relationship between tourists and locals, where cultural norms and traditions become “a product of interactions” (Sinclair, 1997: 3). Pre-existing cultural contexts are therefore necessary to understand how and why these transactions take place, and closer examination reveals that institutionalised Southeast Asian cultural norms such as the male hegemony and the enduring influence of colonialism are just as much to blame for transforming “culture” in Southeast Asia into a commodity to be exploited by tourists and locals alike. 

This brings into question the nature of “authenticity” in the “culture” marketed to tourists in Southeast Asia. There is a dual nature to the “authentic” culture practiced and experienced by locals, and the “culture” born from tourist demands- what Picard (1990: 43) describes as a dichotomy of “cultural pollution” and “cultural renaissance”. This pollution can be regarded as foreign influences on a society, while renaissance is the revived interest in one’s own culture and traditions (43). Alternatively, traditions and cultural identity have been adopted for political, social, or economic gain by some Southeast Asian peoples. Li (2000: 150) discusses how indigenous identity has been crafted as a political tool in Central Sulawesi, while “the invention of tradition” by self-identified indigenous groups are “a matter of optimal selection” in consumer terms. The consumption of indigenous culture by tourists can therefore be viewed as a created commodity designed to appeal to foreign notions of the exotic. However, cultural identity is not fixed, and is subject to the continuous “play of history, culture and power” (152). To quote Bishop and Robinson (1998: 5), “tourist privilege turns daily life into a spectacle” in Southeast Asia. Tourism’s impact is therefore a progression of culture as it is shaped by modernity and globalisation. Pre-industrial modes of production in Southeast Asia, such as rice farming in Bali and Vietnam, have thus adapted to profit from the tourist economy by marketing traditional agriculture as “exotic”.

Pedersen and Dharmiasih (2015: 151-2) note that the agricultural sector has become an important part of the central Indonesian and Balinese governments’ bid to promote tourism, particularly “eco-tourism” or “sustainable tourism”. The exoticisation of the past is reinforced by the internationally accepted industrialisation of urban areas, and tourists from developed countries flock to observe and participate in pre-colonial, traditional agricultural practices like rice farming in Bali (Fagertun, 2017: 333). Picard’s notion of “cultural pollution and renaissance” once again demonstrates how the culture of rice farming is “polluted” by tourism, while there is a “renaissance” in encouraging traditional farming practices to uphold images of Bali as a pristine, environmentally-conscious society. However, the increased push by the state and independent developers to modernise the island through infrastructural development has led to a significant marginalisation of farmers, involvement of external organisations, and an overall decline in agricultural activity reflected across Southeast Asia (MacRae, 2011).

The shifting role of agriculture as a subsistence economy to a tourist attraction, and the increasingly industrialised modes of production in Southeast Asia are significant. Agriculture and cash cropping were traditionally sectors in which women were permitted to work prior to their roles as factory workers in the 1970s (Ong, 1988: 32). Traditionally, women were also expected to adhere to the Southeast Asian cultural norm of traditionally looking after the family (Jeffreys, 1999: 186). Through participation in the workforce, women were able to challenge traditional values and attained increased social mobility (Truong, 1983: 536). However, the mass migration from rural to urban areas in order to participate in the workforce has created new structural inequalities, and the jobs available unskilled female labourers have led some women to participate in sex tourism as a more lucrative means of gaining economic, and therefore social capital. Truong (1983: 543) theorises that “mass prostitution reflects the structural crisis of the agricultural sector where women were traditionally active”. The role of gender is thus a crucial factor in understanding Southeast Asian culture beyond the veneer of tourism, and the processes underlying sex tourism are a means of analysing the structural inequalities and violence based on traditional notions of the social obligations of Southeast Asian women. 

The phenomenon of sex tourism in nations like Thailand and the Philippines is revealing of how people are also commodified in the tourist trade, and how “local culture” is manifold and much deeper than what is marketed towards tourists. Prostitution of women and children in Southeast Asia is embedded in poverty and culturally-based notions of family obligation (Jeffreys, 1999: 180). Rural poverty today reinforces structural inequalities heavily influenced by economic processes, and the proliferation of rural prostitutes servicing urban areas as a means of survival has made countries like Thailand synonymous with a developed “culture” of sex tourism (Truong, 1986; Bishop and Robinson, 1998). Economic shifts from rural to urban areas in Southeast Asia have forced thousands of vulnerable women to migrate to cities like Manila and Bangkok to find work in order to support their families, as well as the women and children trafficked for purposes of sexual exploitation. In this “culture”, prostitution can be seen as a way for Southeast Asian women to participate in modernity, such as by “working with foreigners” (Bishop and Robinson, 1998: 9). Like any other economic mode of production, the popularity of sex tourism in Southeast Asia is a matter of supply and demand (Truong, 1986: 536). Institutionalised gender inequality, based on the lower status of women, and the historical normalisation of prostitution in Southeast Asia (Jeffreys, 1999: 186-7), implies that sex tourism is perpetuated by locals as much as tourists. A culture of concubinage, slave labour, and debt bondage in countries like Vietnam and Thailand (Truong, 1986; Jeffreys, 1999) make sex tourism a profitable enterprise to pimps and human traffickers (UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, 2016). Prostitution can therefore be viewed from the capitalist perspective as yet another form of labour, with bodies as an exchangeable commodity (Truong, 1983: 534). These are malevolent aspects to Southeast Asian culture that have become a tourist attraction, to the detriment of thousands of women and children.

Under the influence of capitalism, culture in Southeast Asia has been commodified, but not necessarily just for the benefit of tourists. In participating with modernity and globalisation, Southeast Asia has adapted its various “cultures” to meet the demands posed by governments, economies, and tourism. Traditional practices and indigenous identities have been restructured to appeal to the tourist market. Particularly in urban areas, structural inequalities and the marginalisation of the rural poor are evident, with traditional economic practices like agriculture suffering under domestic mass migration and redistribution of resources to more lucrative sectors like tourism. This is negotiated by locals by adopting tourist-focused business strategies to increase their social mobility, albeit with great risk involved. By participating in modernity, culture has become a tangible product that tourists seek in Southeast Asia, driven by the economic success of developed nations and their desire to seek the “exotic”.

References

Acciaioli, G. (1985). Culture as Art: From Practice to Spectacle in Indonesia. Canberra Anthropology, 8(1&2), 148 – 17

Adams, K.M. (2018). Revisiting "Wonderful Indonesia": Tourism, Economy and Society. In: Hefner, R.W (ed.) Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Indonesia. New York: Routledge, 197-207

Anggraini L.M. (2017) A Local Sense of Place for Cultural Sustainability: Reconstruction of Place Identity in Kuta, Bali. In: Saufi A., Andilolo I., Othman N., Lew A. (eds.) Balancing Development and Sustainability in Tourism Destinations. Singapore: Springer

Berger, A.A. (2013a). Bali Tourism. New York: Haworth Press.

Berger, A.A. (2013b). Thailand Tourism. New York: Routledge.

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[ghostofnibelheim]

Strong Influences in Sephiroth's Life [Headcanons/Wish List]

Below is a list of people who, whether through canonical or canon-divergent interactions, would have had a deep influence on Sephiroth, impacting his development and personality. I'll do my best to sort them in chronological order.

Hojo - As Sephiroth's creator and one of his lead engineers, Hojo is the only person who was present throughout nearly the entirety of his life. He's watched him closely in his early years, and maintained an obsessive eye on his specimen even in the period in which "Project S" was confined in isolation deep within the manor through the highly advanced surveillance system of the facility. Once Sephiroth became ready for training and was transferred to Midgar, their interactions would have become more frequent again. It is at this point that the boy would begin to know the man on a personal level, and grow resentment and despise towards him. Though he suspects Hojo might be his father, Sephiroth will firmly deny it out of pure spite.

[CANON DIVERGENT] Vincent Valentine - This is in verses where Sephiroth manages to find Vincent's coffin during his time alone in the manor. Depending on my partner, Vincent may or may not be Sephiroth's biological father, though there would be no official confirmation of this. During this time window, Vincent would be the only physical person "S" gets to talk to as a friend, and his impact on the child could be significant.

Veld/Verdot - After the disappearance of Vincent as a Turk, Veld was assigned to the protection and surveillance of the ShinRa Manor. Settling down in Nibelheim under the guise of "the Milkman", Veld is able to keep an unsuspecting watch of the villagers and ensure nobody approaches the manor where Sephiroth still lives in complete isolation. He would visit Sephiroth on occasion to bring him food supplies, and solve any problems that might occur inside the building. After Sephiroth is brought to Midgar to become a SOLDIER, Veld would be in charge of assigning Turks to handle any clean-up necessary after Sephiroth in his missions, and if necessary see to it personally.

[CANON DIVERGENT] The "Nibelheim friend" - This is for a verse in which I am open for any character with reasonable backstory for living in Nibelheim between year 1986-1991 to infiltrate the manor and get to become Sephiroth's secret childhood friend. @azure-steel's Cloud Strife is exclusive to this verse, but I am open to write it with other characters as well, like Tifa Lockhart or OCs.

[CANON DIVERGENT] Aerith Gainsborough - This is for a verse in which Sephiroth and Aerith meet as children during year 1991, just after Sephiroth is brought to Midgar to become SOLDIER and made to forget about his past in Nibelheim. In this time window the two could strike a friendship. I am open for diverging changes to the main plotline stemming from it, if desired.

[CANON DIVERGENT] Rufus Shinra - This is for a verse in which Sephiroth and Rufus meet following Sephiroth's arrival in Midgar in year 1991 and beyond.

Heidegger - As Sephiroth is selected to become SOLDIER and brought to Midgar, the SOLDIER Department would still be nonexistent. For this reason, Sephiroth's training would be put under Heidegger's charge (with strict supervision from Hojo). This relationship would be maintained until the SOLDIER Department is officially formed with Lazard Daesericus as its director, but I am open for a more personal dynamic to last beyond it.

Glenn Lodbrok, Lucia Lin, Matt Winsord - As Sephiroth's first true team on a field mission, any of these characters are bound to deeply affect him. Sephiroth is exploring social interactions with people of equal standing for the first time, and is looking to learn everything he can from the experience.

Turks Members - As the SOLDIER department solidifies within the ShinRa military system, Sephiroth's missions become more delicate in nature. This requires that all aftermath from his intervention in battle is swiftly cleaned and covered up by General Affairs. For this reason, a Turk is typically assigned to work as Sephiroth's shadow. The one chosen for this role may have a chance to develop a closer dynamic with him that I'm curious to test.

Lazard Daesericus - Lazard comes into Sephiroth's life as the SOLDIER department is established. He is likely the one responsible for splitting SOLDIERs into ranks. Sephiroth becomes then a First Class SOLDIER and as such will surely have to communicate often with his Director. What would that dynamic be like?

Genesis Rhapsodos, Angeal Hewley - Normally I headcanon these two coming into SOLDIER around year 1995 when Sephiroth is 17 and a full-fledged First Class SOLDIER, but I am flexible to shift this date around to fit any partner's headcanons. Angeal and Genesis are very different but both are incredibly impactful in the way they affect Sephiroth. For the first time he has true equals, fellow comrades he can compare with and live in closer quarters. Usually I headcanon them living together in a penthouse within ShinRa HQ, but that is not required of my partners either.

[CANON DIVERGENT] Other ShinRa Employees / Midgar Residents - This is for a catch-all verse in which I am open for any unmentioned canon character (examples: Roche, Reeve Tuesti, etc.) or any OC residing in Midgar / Working for ShinRa to meet and get to know Sephiroth on a personal level during his time as SOLDIER.

Elfe - February 30 εγλ 0001, AVALANCHE attacks Junon and attempts at the President's life. Elfe and Sephiroth cross sword with each other, and the girl turns a very important question to the SOLDIER: "Why do you fight?". This leaves Sephiroth in a deeply pensive state. However brief, Elfe has shaken his resolve. What if they met again?

Zack Fair - With Genesis and Angeal gone, Zack and Sephiroth are left behind to pick up the remains of a headless SOLDIER Department. Both have lost very important people in their lives and Sephiroth in particular has little else in terms of friendships to turn to. Zack becomes his last and only friend.

[the0ldmann]

Seeing that MC in the game of SWWSDJ has to depend on Jack to get things done like waking MC up and making breakfast for them because of their tirediness. What would Jack do with an MC that is independent and hates depending on others because they don't need to and getting annoyed if someone is in their way of their goal. Like Jack trying to keep MC for himself. But in order for MC to achieve their goal, they have to leave the house often, meeting knew people, learning new things (i.e studying), and always planning, always busy and not beingable to even look at Jack while their out because they are always doing something that requires a lot of focus, like planning.

Honestly a Sunny Day Jack tied to such an independent MC would have very few options to break into their life with. I can think of precisely 2.

The first option he has is he takes the role of emotional support/cheerleader. Accepting a background role he does his best to quite literally always be there so when he's not (say he stays home one time while MC goes to give a presentation in a class) it Feels Too Weird and they need him to be there and tell him as much. From there he would use it as leverage to be around more. Maybe mention he's learning alongside them. Let them know they're too tired to notice this one person has clearly bad intentions (and he makes sure to pick a background star who really will get caught for something- be it weed or drunkenly fighting someone). Make it so he becomes almost integral to have around- he can see the things they're too busy to focus on, and he's willing to support them in all their "independent" endeavors!

The second option is reliant upon the fact that, no matter how independent someone is, a single person cannot do it all. Can you design, build, and run electrical wire, pipe for plumbing, and whatever is needed for gas, for a house, all up to code and working? Of course not- somewhere along the way, even if you could do some of it, you would need to hire a contractor. By the time you learned enough and had enough experience to do all of it, you would be too old to really do any of it. Humans are a social species, reliant upon companionship for both the company and help it brings. It is how we've gotten as far as we have as a society. And all it will take is one little cold. Perhaps the flu, or even a milder form of the dreaded covid. Stuck in bed, fever high, achy as all hell and potentially incredibly nauseous from any movement... Cooking? Hitting up a drive thru? Even getting to the door to recieve the delivery order? None of those are viable options. Nope, stuck in bed is right where MC is. Of course, a healing body needs to eat! Who better to help out than a friend? Calling someone to come help? Nonsense! Jack is right there, able to help out with a piping hot bowl of homemade soup that he's willing to feed to MC himself! Could you imagine having to wait around for someone to show up, and then possibly even having to open the door for them? Well, good thing Jack is here to help. Always will be! Could MC even imagine if he wasn't? They won't be able want to, after this...