#jesus i'm a dumb

[missycolorful]

I think I'll just say this: I don't agree when people call any of the islanders "bad parents" just because their parenting is flawed.

Like, parents and their parenting is flawed. Inherently. One parent cannot meet all the demands of their child; it is literally impossible. As humans are imperfect, there will always be something missing or lacking in one's parenting. Hell, sometimes even two parents can't meet all their child's needs, depending on their personalities. If that's the case, then I guess all parents are bad parents. But that's not the case, so I don't get why people are so adamant when they see that a parent isn't handling things 100% perfectly and go "wow this person's parenting sucks."

And this is even more so when you take into account... pretty much everything going on in Quesadilla island. These people never really planned to be parents, yet here they are! And this island is out to kill these kids, so it's also a dangerous game of survival now, too! There are horrors around pretty much every corner. Plus, outside or inside forces are making the islanders suffer very often. The islanders are never okay. How they take care of their children is going to be different just by the very basis of their environment. The standards of parenting are different here. Their relationships with people, including their children, were never going to be 100% healthy or positive or okay. It's just not possible.

so, no, I don't think that just cause, say, q!Tubbo or q!Phil aren't great in regards to their emotional intelligence and often isolate themselves, or when any other parents in general don't handle what their children are going through perfectly, that they're bad parents. That kinda statement feels like it diminishes pretty much all the hard work and effort and love they put into taking care of their kids and even kids that aren't their own. Tubbo gives his everything for Sunny, and was/is an active babysitter for a lot of other eggs. Phil works so hard to love and teach survival to and take care of his two eggs equally. (Like, being 'basically' a single parent, of one or WORSE, two, is already hard enough in the real world - imagine being one on this fucking hellscape they're on).

Like, I don't think there's anything wrong with pointing out the parents' flaws. Their flaws make them human, and it'd be foolish to disregard their humanity. And it's interesting to analyze their flaws and what they say about the character, and how they impact their family. There's nuance there, and it should be discussed.

But I think when you're just going "oh, they're bad at parenting in general" because they fumble the bag in other departments lacks nuance. Sure, if you're just saying "they're bad when it comes to certain aspects of parenting," that's a different story, because that's understanding their flaws while recognizing that those flaws don't define all of their parenting. But to just say they're bad at it in general isn't productive analysis of their characters in any way. I haven't watched q!Phil take care of his egg for a whole year (followed by a second egg more consistently shortly after) only for people to shit on his parenting just because his lack emotional intelligence is more noticeable as of recent due to all the trauma and bullshit he's endured. And I haven't seen q!Tubbo put his whole heart into taking care of Sunny as well as multiple other eggs, being Chayanne and Tallulah's reliable godfather, just for people to put down his efforts because he's not always great at more emotionally in depth conversations. They're good parents in a lot of ways, and those strengths shouldn't be discredited just because they aren't good at other things. Their characters deserve way better than that.

tldr these parents are all good in many regards and are just trying their damn best in the worst of circumstances, can we cut them just a bit of slack, please?

[skrunksthatwunk]

actually i'm still thinking about the moral orel finale.

he has a cross on his wall. do you know how much i think about that bc it's a lot.

a lot of stories ((auto)biographical or fictional) centering escape from abusive/fundamentalist christianity result in the lead characters leaving behind christianity entirely. and that makes complete sense! people often grow disillusioned with the associated systems and beliefs, and when it was something used to hurt them or something so inseparable from their abuse that they can't engage with it without hurting, it makes total sense that they would disengage entirely. and sometimes they just figure out that they don't really believe in god/a christian god/etc. a healthy deconstruction process can sometimes look like becoming an atheist or converting to another religion. it's all case by case. (note: i'm sure this happens with other religions as well, i'm just most familiar with christian versions of this phenomenon).

but in orel's case, his faith was one of the few things that actually brought him comfort and joy. he loved god, y'know? genuinely. and he felt loved by god and supported by him when he had no one else. and the abuses he faced were in how the people in his life twisted religion to control others, to run away from themselves, to shield them from others, etc. and often, orel's conflicts with how they acted out christianity come as a direct result of his purer understanding of god/jesus/whatever ("aren't we supposed to be like this/do that?" met with an adult's excuse for their own behavior or the fastest way they could think of to get orel to leave them alone (i.e. orel saying i thought we weren't supposed to lie? and clay saying uhhh it doesn't count if you're lying to yourself)). the little guy played catch with god instead of his dad, like.. his faith was real, and his love was real. and i think it's a good choice to have orel maintain something that was so important to him and such a grounding, comforting force in the midst of. All That Stuff Moralton Was Up To/Put Him Through. being all about jesus was not the problem, in orel's case.

and i know i'm mostly assuming that orel ended up in a healthier, less rigid version of christianity, but i feel like that's something that was hinted at a lot through the series, that that's the direction he'd go. when he meditates during the prayer bee and accepts stephanie's different way to communicate, incorporating elements of buddhism into his faith; when he has his I AM A CHURCH breakdown (removing himself from the institution and realizing he can be like,, the center of his own faith? taking a more individualistic approach? but Truly Going Through It at the same time), his acceptance (...sometimes) of those who are different from him and condemned by the adults of moralton (stephanie (lesbian icon stephanie my beloved), christina (who's like. just a slightly different form of fundie protestant from him), dr chosenberg (the jewish doctor from otherton in holy visage)). his track record on this isn't perfect, but it gets better as orel starts maturing and picking up on what an absolute shitfest moralton is. it's all ways of questioning the things he's been taught, and it makes sense that it would lead to a bigger questioning as he puts those pieces together more. anyway i think part of his growth is weeding out all the lost commandments of his upbringing and focusing on what faith means to him, and what he thinks it should mean. how he wants to see the world and how he wants to treat people and what he thinks is okay and right, and looking to religion for guidance in that, not as like. a way to justify hurting those he's afraid or resentful of, as his role models did.

he's coming to his own conclusions rather than obediently, unquestioningly taking in what others say. but he's still listening to pick out the parts that make sense to him. (edit/note: and it's his compassion and his faith that are the primary motivations for this questioning and revisal process, both of individual cases and, eventually, the final boss that is christianity.) it makes perfect sense as the conclusion to his character arc and it fits the overall approach of the show far better. it's good is what i'm saying.

and i think it's important to show that kind of ending, because that's a pretty common and equally valid result of deconstruction. and i think it cements the show's treatment of christianity as something that's often (and maybe even easily) exploited, but not something inherently bad. something that can be very positive, even. guys he even has a dog he's not afraid of loving anymore. he's not afraid of loving anyone more than jesus and i don't think it's because he loves this dog less than bartholomew (though he was probably far more desperate for healthy affection and companionship when he was younger). i think it's because he figures god would want him to love that dog. he's choosing to believe that god would want him to love and to be happy and to be kind. he's not afraid of loving in the wrong way do you know how cool that is he's taking back control he's taking back something he loves from his abusers im so normal

[wispurring-moss]

i am so normal about him I Am So Normal About Him I AM SO NORMAL ABOUT HIM—!!!!!!;;;;;;;;;;;;;

[they-didnt-last]

anyone interested in talking about the iconic 2000's middle-grade-bordering-on-ya book series gallagher girls??

[kayvsworld]

do you know how badly you have to fuck up as a company that you're releasing a sam wilson movie and i (person who has seen fatws a double digit number of times) am not going to be watching it

[nenehyuuchiha]

So I was watching reels and got into DC side of Instagram and...

Hal Jordan fucking dated a 13 year old girl

/̵͇̿̿/’̿’̿ ̿ ̿̿ ̿̿ ̿̿💥💀

This girl had a celebrity crush so strong that her ring aged her.

And despise he literally calling her "little sister" the moment she physically aged he was onto her and they were making out.

And everyone including the writers knew that this was fucked up cause Hal Jordan literally said "I need to convince them I'm not a child molestor" and he literally was 💀.

Why is DC so fucking fucked up about young girls?

Stephanie Brown was literally a teenager mom and when she was killed and tortured by black mask it was like he was also going to rape her.

Helena Bertinelli was a kid when she was raped.

And a big etc.

What the fuck is wrong with DC writers?!

[rooshappy]

Me: I love Newsies. I think it's one of my favourite musicals! Me: *flinches every time they use the word 'crip'*

[thiswaycomessomethingwicked]

everyone clap for me

I saw an incredibly brain dead take on activism and I didn't engage with the post

I'm just going to vague about it in the tags like a mature adult

[heartmaddie]

i hate how none of my friends on this app is from sydney australia because i have no one to talk about the t3 tangara line with

[shallowseeker]

Sometimes, I miss such obvious stuff.

Like, I'm still reeling that they had Cas kill a Sam.

I mean, he risked everything to rescue the little brother-coded angel...named SAMandriel.

Cas braves severe psychological symptoms just to get to him. I couldn't find GIFs, but when Cas removes the spiked torture crown, he treats Samandriel with such uncharacteristic gentleness, especially at the junction in the series (Cas can still be kinda rough, even with Dean at times.)

Oh, the parallels:

Watching Cas turn on a dime and "kill his little brother" tipped Sam and Dean off that something was indeed very wrong with Cas. It was watching Cas go through this shit that made them truly stow their own crap and get back in the game (to hopefully figure it out and help him).

Also ough, Samandriel looks so sad as he dies. Like we saw with other angels, Samandriel immediately opened up about the mind control to Cas, wanting his help.

(Interesting, yet again, we see that other angels want to trust Cas. We see as early as season 4 that even friggin' Uriel is comfy airing his frustration and blasphemy at Cas. Anna opened up to Cas, which is why his betrayal threw her so badly. Cas is the angel's angel because he's a respected soldier...and his default is to be a coolheaded confidante.)

[gideonisms]

No don't make every basic life task nearly impossible to accomplish yuor so sexy aha

[zemnarihah]

pretty sure i have a kidney infection but i think everything is gonna be okay

[crimeronan]

warning this is an "i've lost my temper" post

people leaving comments on my vaccine post about how they """""can't""""" get vaccines because of needle phobias like what kind of ridiculous backwards-ass mental-gymnastics dumb fucking able-bodied nonsense are you on. you shortsighted twat. you circlejerking fucking asshole. you know what'll make you have to contend with needles???? getting an IV in the hospital because you came down with COVID. and now every single time you move you feel the straw wiggle uncomfortably inside your veins and you can't get it out ever you're trapped helpless on your back forever getting stuck by needles CONSTANTLY.

so. unless you're ready to lay at home and die while refusing all medical care, which would be good because at least you'd be putting your money where your fucking mouth is, i think you Do In Fact want to take the shot. you Fucking Moron??

[thresholdbb]

I've made the mistake of putting myself on the greater internet for Star Trek/cosplay posting, and I'm getting a lot of dudes with the most basic, unsolicited advice ever

Should've stayed here in my enclosure

[animentality]

Ok but The Last Dinner Party - On Your Side as a durgetash song....... THE ANGST

It literally starts with THAT

I know I'm better off not looking back

Forgive me father, won't you take it back?

That we were lovers

And the whole song is honestly so durgetash coded

OH SHIT.

THAT IS ACTUALLY.

DAMN

[fighting-these-demons]

Heard this song for the first time today and my mind is trying to make the Square Peg of Mr.Kuwenma fit into the Round Hole of this song and in order to do so I'd have to edit the lyrics slightly.

But like. Idk I've got brainworms.

TO BE CLEAR : IN MY AU KOENMA IS AN ADULT AND WAS TURNED INTO A TODDLER PRE-CANON AS PUNISHMENT BECAUSE HIS DAD CANONICALLY SUCKS

Ok Headcanon forming and incoming will edit as I get more.

Ok so Lyric edits:

I didn't think you'd understand me How could you ever even try?

I don't want to tiptoe But I don't wanna hide But I don't wanna feel this monstrous fire

Just want to let this story die And I'll be alright

We can't be friends But I'd like to Just pretend

I cling to my papers and pens Wait until you like me again

Wait for your love My love I'll wait for your love

Me and my truth we sit in silence

Baby Girl it's just me and you (Botan is baby girl lmao)

Cause I don't wanna argue But I don't wanna bite My tongue yeah I think I'd rather  die

You got me misunderstood But at least I look this good

We can't be friends But I'd like to Just pretend

I cling to my papers and pens Wait until you like me again

Wait for your love My love I'll wait for your love

I'll wait for your love My love I'll wait for your love

I know that you made me I don't like how you paint me Yet I'm still here hanging

Not what you made me Something like a daydream But I feel so seen in the night

So for now it's only me And maybe that's all I need

We can't be friends But I'd like to Just pretend

I cling to my papers and pens Wait until you like me again

Wait for your love My love I'll wait for your love

I'll wait for your love My love I'll wait for your love

I'll wait for your love I'll wait for your love I'll wait for your love I'll wait for your love I'll wait for your love