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thegayhimbo · 10 months

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Stranger Things Flight of Icarus Review

If you haven’t yet, be sure to check out my other Stranger Things Reviews. Like, Reblog, and let me know what your thoughts are regarding the show or the upcoming season! :)

Stranger Things Comics/Graphic Novels:

Stranger Things Six

Stranger Things Halloween Special

Stranger Things The Other Side

Stranger Things Zombie Boys

Stranger Things The Bully

Stranger Things Winter Special

Stranger Things Tomb of Ybwen

Stranger Things Into The Fire

Stranger Things Science Camp

Stranger Things “The Game Master” and “Erica’s Quest”

Stranger Things and Dungeons and Dragons

Stranger Things Kamchatka

Stranger Things Erica The Great

Stranger Things “Creature Feature” and “Summer Special”

Stranger Things Tie-In Books:

Stranger Things Suspicious Minds

Stranger Things Runaway Max (Part 1 of 3)

Stranger Things Runaway Max (Part 2 of 3)

Stranger Things Runaway Max (Part 3 of 3)

Stranger Things Darkness On The Edge Of Town (Part 1 of 3)

Stranger Things Darkness On The Edge Of Town (Part 2 of 3)

Stranger Things Darkness On The Edge Of Town (Part 3 of 3)

Stranger Things Rebel Robin Book and Podcast (Part 1 of 2)

Stranger Things Rebel Robin Book and Podcast (Part 2 of 2)

Stranger Things Hawkins Horrors Review

Stranger Things Episode Reviews:

The Vanishing of Will Byers (Part 1 of 2)

The Vanishing of Will Byers (Part 2 of 2)

Synopsis: Hawkins, Indiana: For most, it’s simply another idyllic, manicured all-American town. But for Eddie Munson, it’s like living in a perpetual Tomb of Horrors. Luckily, he has only a few more months to survive at Hawkins High. And what is senior year, really, but killing time between Dungeons & Dragons sessions with the Hellfire Club and gigs with his band, Corroded Coffin? At the worst dive bar in town, Eddie meets Paige, someone who has pulled off a freaking miracle. She escaped Hawkins and built a wickedly cool life for herself working for a record producer in Los Angeles. Not only is she the definition of a badass—with killer taste in music—but she might also be the only person who actually appreciates Eddie as the bard he is instead of as the devil incarnate. But the best thing? She’s offering him a chance to make something of himself, and all he needs to do is get her a demo tape of Corroded Coffin’s best songs. Just one problem: Recording costs money. Money Eddie doesn’t have. But he’s willing to do whatever it takes, even if that means relying on his dad. Al Munson has just stumbled back into Eddie’s life with another dubious scheme up his sleeve, and yet Eddie knows this is his only option to make enough dough in enough time. It’s a risk, but if it pays off he will finally have a one-way ticket out of Hawkins. Eddie can feel it: 1984 is going to be his year.

Observations:

Ordinarily, when I do these reviews, I sum up the synopsis in my own words to convey my experience reading it. This time, I took the synopsis word-for-word from the book cover because I found it unintentionally hilarious and teeth-grinding that the publishers at Random House Worlds would try to bait Stranger Things fans like this. They had to have known most people who bought this book already saw the fourth season and were aware of Eddie's eventual fate. Even if they hadn't seen it, a.) It's pretty much an open spoiler at this point, and b.) You can figure out real quickly from the title (Flight of Icarus) and your basic knowledge of Greek Mythology exactly how this story is going to go. Giving both the audience and Eddie a Hope Spot in thinking things might improve for him was a cruel joke.

I know that prior to this books release, there were fans accusing Netflix of trying to milk Eddie's popularity with the audience despite his eventual fate in season 4. Having finally read the book myself.................it's a little more complicated than that.

Yes, the book does bait the audience with the idea of things getting better for Eddie when we already know that's not going to happen. At the same time though, it wasn't a book devoid of substance. There were themes and character interactions that left a lot to chew on, and might even play an upcoming role in season 5. Just like with Rebel Robin, there were aspects of the book that struck a personal nerve with me because of how they related to what's gone on in my life and what's currently going on in the world right now.

I'll discuss the book in detail here (Spoilers Ahead!) and let you decide for yourselves if this is a book you want to read.

Part 1: Eddie's relationships to other characters

The synopsis covers the majority of the plot. Eddie's in senior year, failing school, and coasting by on the Hellfire Club, his band, and his dead-end job at a bar. Unlike his friend Ronnie, he has no future prospects ahead of him until he encounters a girl from Los Angeles named Paige, who overhears Eddie playing one night and invites him (and Corroded Coffin) to record their music for a studio called WR Records. The hopes are that her boss, Davey, will be impressed enough that he'll invite Eddie and the band to later fly out to Los Angeles for an audition with the executives. Following them recording for Davey, Paige reveals to Eddie that Davey's more impressed with him than his band and only wants him to come out to LA to become a rockstar. However, Eddie still needs the money to make this dream a reality. So when his dad shows up with an illegal job that involves stealing weed from a Kingpin's truck so they can sell it for money, he reluctantly agrees despite knowing things could go wrong.

And just based on where Eddie is by the time season 4 starts, you already know how this is going to turn out.

Eddie on the show was already established as being an outcast who gets blamed for the murders committed by Vecna, but this book further explores that he was the town scapegoat way before any of this happened. Part of it has to do with his low socioeconomic status, part of it has to do with the bad reputation the Munson family has in Hawkins as crooks and lowlifes thanks to the behavior of Eddie's father (who is a loser and a sorry excuse for a dad), part of it has to do with the Hellfire Club and all the pearl-clutching parents did in the 80s about D&D being linked to Satanism (which, as Erica puts it in season 4, was bullshit), and the rest are people in Hawkins projecting their issues onto Eddie. They want to believe the worst in Eddie, and don't care about creating a self-fulfilling prophecy with they way they treat him.

Wayne Munson also gets fleshed-out more in this book, which I appreciate because he's one of the few adult characters on the show that I like. Unlike Al, who is constantly absent from Eddie's life unless he needs something from him, Wayne is a parental figure to Eddie who made sure he was being fed and taken care of when he needed it.

He's also one of the only people who treats Eddie like a person and believes in him when no one else does.

On top of that, Wayne is shrewd and able to put the pieces together just by reading a situation. He's the kind of person who can look at someone and figure out if they're being honest or not. When Al comes back into Eddie's life, he knows Al is up to no good, and he puts together pretty quickly that Eddie is going along with Al's con to get money. He allows Eddie to make his own choices, but he also warns Eddie that he's lying to himself if he thinks this is going to go well for him.

On a semi-related note, the way Wayne is depicted here gives more context behind why he was willing to let Nancy interview him when Eddie went missing after Chrissy's death: Unlike other reporters , who were either gearing up to paint Eddie as the villain before anything was confirmed, or else were trying to get their big break with this story, Wayne could tell Nancy wasn't just there to advance her career. She genuinely had an interest in what happened, and Wayne likely suspected something else (i.e. the death of Barb) was motivating Nancy to look into this case.

Another relationship that gets more context as well is the one between Jason and Eddie. There were hints in the fourth season that these two had a history with one another before Jason wrongly suspected Eddie of killing Chrissy and led the basketball team in hunting him down. This book confirms that history. I will admit I had a headcanon for a while that Jason and Eddie used to be friends before falling out (which is also something Mason Dye joked about), but this book blows that out of the water by revealing they've been enemies since they knew each other. Jason was a part of a jock group led by Tommy Hagan (Steve's former best friend) who bullied students like Gareth who were either outcasts or part of the Hellfire Club. But because Tommy and Jason were valued basketball players at the high school, they were able to get away with their behavior whereas Eddie would get punished simply for trying to help out his friends.

This puts the cafeteria scene between Eddie and Jason in a whole different light: Eddie's disdain for Jason in that moment wasn't because Jason did basketball, but because he knew Jason as a bully and had nothing but contempt for him:

Just like with Lucas on the Line, this book doesn't paint Jason in a good light. Not only is he associating with Tommy (who is just as loathsome as he was in season 1), but the book also hints at the darker, zealot side of his personality that's going to be on display in two years following the events of this book:

Chrissy also makes an appearance, and she's just as nice of a person as she was on the show. She actually intervenes (unsuccessfully) on Gareth's behalf to stop Tommy and Jason from bullying him, and we get to witness the flashback to the talent show when Eddie first encountered Chrissy and she showed him empathy and compassion in a moment when Eddie was feeling vulnerable after his dad didn't show up to watch him perform.

While I'm not an Edissy/Hellcheer shipper, I understand the appeal of that relationship, as well as why the Duffer Brothers later regretted killing off Chrissy when there was more that could have been explored with her character. I'm also deeply sorry Grace Van Dien was harassed by immature Stranger Things fans because she liked the Eddie/Chrissy ship (to the point Joseph Quinn had to speak up in her defense). No actor or actress should ever have to put up with disgusting behavior like that. I wish people in this fandom would grow the hell up already, and stop treating the actors as if they're props to project themselves onto. 😒

We also get to know more about Eddie's parents in this book. Eddie's mom is dead by this point (though her love for music is a big reason why Eddie was inspired to take up guitar) and Eddie's dad is a contender for one of the worst fathers in the series. He isn't as awful as Neil Hargrove, but he makes little to no effort to raise Eddie (to the point Eddie is often fending for himself), is constantly engaging in illegal activities and ending up in trouble with the law, only comes back for Eddie when he needs something from him (something that Eddie is painfully aware of), and straight-up abandons his son to the cops the moment his heist plan lands both of them in trouble and results in a police officer getting shot. He's a selfish man who's good at lying to everyone around him, and even to himself. The sad thing is, because Eddie is so desperate to get out of Hawkins, he willingly believes his dad's plan to get them rich so they can move to LA and fulfill his dream, which makes it more of a gut punch when everything eventually goes downhill.

Given Eddie's death in season 4, I seriously question if his dad is going to show up at all if he ever hears about what happened to his son. Somehow, I doubt it.

The final character with any real significance is Gareth. In this book, he's a freshman who's up-and-coming in the Hellfire Club, and there's a whole subplot dedicated to Eddie helping him to craft a perfect D&D character that resembles who Gareth is rather than having him borrow someone else's character. Also, as noted before, Eddie is one of the few people who defends Gareth from high school bullies, which is why Gareth has a lot of loyalty towards Eddie. I know Gareth became an Ensemble Dark Horse for many fans when Season 4 premiered, and I would be thrilled if he, along with the rest of the Hellfire Club and Corroded Coffin, got significant roles in season 5. Maybe they could team up with the Party to defeat Vecna.

The rest of the new characters are by-the-numbers. Ronnie is Eddie's lifelong friend who has a future at NYU, and they both have a falling out due to disagreements with Eddie's choices. Paige gets into a romantic relationship with Eddie for a while (which also falls apart later), but she isn't really memorable and doesn't stick out the same way that other characters from tie-in materials do (i.e. Mr Hauser from Rebel Robin, Joey Kim from Zombie Boys, etc). Mr. Higgins, the principal who has it out for Eddie, is the embodiment of Mr. Vernon from The Breakfast Club, and his interactions with Eddie are pretty similar to the ones Vernon has with Judd Nelson's character (John Benson) in the movie. Officer Moore is a stereotypical asshole cop who harasses Eddie because he sees him as a future criminal who will grow up to be just like his dad.

There are a few brief cameo's from the main characters: Hopper appears towards the end when Eddie is arrested, and is one of the few people sympathetic to Eddie's plight. Will and Jonathan also make an appearance when Eddie defends Will from jocks who make fun of Will for being "Zombie Boy," gives Will some encouragement about being who he is and embracing his love for D&D, and even offers to sell Jonathan some weed (which is cheeky foreshadowing for Jonathan's drug habit that develops in season 4).

Out of all the interactions with the main characters, the one between Will and Eddie was my favorite. Even though Will never joined Hellfire Club due to moving to Lenora, it's nice seeing these two get to interact and bond over something they love.

So that sums it up for the characters and main story. Let's talk about the main themes:

Part 2: Eddie and "Forced Conformity"

Just like with El in season 4, and even Steve, there's always been this stigma that because Eddie did badly in school, it meant he was dumb. However, unlike El, who struggles to catch up with her peers because of the way Brenner raised her (but is keenly aware of concepts even if she doesn't have the words for them at the time), or Steve who was more interested in chasing popularity at the expense of his grades (but has demonstrated his intelligence and ability to make connections that other people miss), Eddie doesn't put effort into school because he doesn't care to. School and homework doesn't interest him. D&D, Corroded Coffin, playing songs on his guitar, and even the works of J.R.R Tolkien do, which is why he invests more time into those things:

There was a GIF set last year with bits of trivia about Eddie, and something that was noted in it is that Metallica's album Master of Puppets was released on March 3, 1986. Given the night Eddie performs their song "Master of Puppets" in the Upside Down was on March 27, 1986, this means he had less than 3 weeks to learn how to master the song on his guitar. Some fans will probably dismiss this as "lazy writing" (which I notice gets thrown around a lot these days when people don't want to think critically), but I beg to differ. Eddie is invested in music. It speaks to him. That investment, combined with doing something he loves, means he's going to put time and effort into learning the song. I can buy he learned "Master of Puppets" in less than 3 weeks because he's that good of a guitarist, and he was passionate about the song in the same way he's passionate about D&D and Tolkien.

The problem though is those kind of interests aren't considered "acceptable" by the school system, which is more interested in churning out "productive members of society" and punishing those who don't get on board with the program (This is a theme that's also explored in both Rebel Robin and Lucas on the Line). It doesn't help that Hellfire Club, D&D, and the music Eddie loves to play constantly come under fire due to the Satanic Panic at the time, which only causes Eddie's resentment towards Hawkins and his school to fester.

You'd think things would have changed in the 4 decades since this series took place, but given how we're still living in an era of "concerned parents" wanting to ban specific books from being read by kids, or else enforce a conservative viewpoint in schools that prevents any kind of critical thinking, it's fair to say we haven't. In fact, there's an argument that things have gotten worse in recent years.

We can talk all day about the problems with the education system and school curriculum in the United States until the cows come home, but the point is Eddie is aware of the "forced conformity" schools impose on students, and is having none of it. As a result, he's punished for rebelling against the system.

It doesn't help that none of the teachers, nor Mr. Higgins, are remotely interested in trying to reach out to Eddie. They have decided in their minds that Eddie is a waste of space, and are either condescending or dismissive towards him. Even Robin, Mike, Lucas, Dustin, and Will had teachers like Mr. Clarke or Mr. Hauser who were interested in bringing the best out of their students. Eddie has been written off as a lost cause, and aside from his uncle Wayne (who's limited in what he can do for Eddie), no other adults believe in him. That just makes his eventual death later on harder to stomach.

I hate teachers and school authorities like Mr. Higgins. I get they have to put up with a lot of crap, both from kids and from the stress their jobs can bring, but I have no respect for teachers who either go to the lengths of bullying their students, or come up with preconceived notions about a student and then unfairly project that onto them so they can feel justified in treating them with contempt.

I had two teachers like this when I was growing up: One of them was from fifth grade. The second was my English Teacher from my senior year of High School.

The former was a straight-up bully who had a reputation for making kids cry (I was one of them) and was a Bitch in every sense of the word. I do not have good memories of her class, and I know several students who had their lives impacted by her for the worst: One of them was someone I went to the same church with whose mom later pulled him out to be home-schooled because he was frequently targeted by that teacher. The second was a former friend who had a rough time in her class, and later forfeited going to college entirely (and now works in retail) because of the impact she left on her. I make no secret that I DON'T miss her, and I hope she's no longer teaching.

As for my English Teacher, she was a condescending twat. She presented herself as an expert in literature, but I later found out that A LOT of her so-called "discussions" and "lessons" were taken straight from SparkNotes. I remember her going out of her way to publicly humiliate me in front of the class because I did a presentation that she didn't like, and then she later got patronizing with me over a different assignment several months later, saying she could see how I was struggling and then said "Allow me to give you some advice: Try harder." This was when I was also juggling 4 other AP classes and a Spanish class, along with my extracurricular activities, so this wasn't like I was half-assing my work. Once again, I was not the only person she treated like is. Multiple students despised her, and there was even a rumor for a while that she was a misandrist, which is why she treated the girls better than the boys. I can't confirm if this was true, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was. My brother (who's one of the smartest people I know) was fully aware of her reputation prior to his senior year, and specifically took a different English class just to avoid her. I still maintain that was the best decision he ever made.

I should briefly mention that, despite the two examples I just listed, I had some wonderful teachers growing up. Ones that not only encouraged me, but made their classes engaging to the point that I took an interest in topics I hadn't before. The entire reason I later pursued a degree in History is BECAUSE of my teachers in High School.

Regardless of whether people want to admit it, teachers are some of the most important people next to parents in a kid's life. They can either be the ones to elevate a student and set them on a good path, or they can be the ones to tear them down and dismiss them as a lost cause. It's a big reason I feel strongly about who teaches in schools and how our education system is structured, and why I get angry whenever teachers or school authorities either abuse their power, are apathetic about their jobs and their students, or else project their issues onto kids. I'm not saying there aren't kids out there without major behavioral problems that need to be dealt with (I literally had one such kid yell "Fuck You" at me two weeks ago from a speeding truck for no discernible reason, so I'm not advocating that all kids are sweet angels), but it infuriates me to see characters like Mr. Higgins who are smug in their belief that they have teens like Eddie figured out, and don't want to hear anything that contradicts that. People like that shouldn't be teaching in schools, period.

Part 3: The Evils of Society

Back in 2005, there was a horror movie called Chaos that was released, which got negative reviews and a scathing response from film critic Roger Ebert, who proceeded to call the movie "ugly, nihilistic, and cruel." The film's writer and director didn't take this well, and posted a letter to the Chicago-Sun Times where he condescendingly told Ebert that the movie was supposed to be ugly, nihilistic, and cruel as a way of conveying what evil was like in the 21st century, and smugly asked Ebert if he preferred the movie was sanitized of violence. Ebert later responded in a very classy and intelligent manner, where he not only called out the director for his sanctimoniousness, but also deconstructed his whole argument of depicting evil in a movie with no meaningful point or catharsis:

"I believe evil can win in fiction, as it often does in real life. But I prefer that the artist express an attitude toward that evil. It is not enough to record it; what do you think and feel about it? Your attitude is as detached as your hero's."

"Your real purpose in making "Chaos," I suspect, was not to educate, but to create a scandal that would draw an audience. There's always money to be made by going further and being more shocking. Sometimes there is also art to be found in that direction, but not this time. That's because your film creates a closed system in which any alternative outcome is excluded; it is like a movie of a man falling to his death, which can have no developments except that he continues to fall, and no ending except that he dies. Pre-destination may be useful in theology, but as a narrative strategy, it is self-defeating."

I've seen fans who've complained about the direction season 4 took in its tone and it's depiction of bullying and the Satanic Panic, with people complaining about it being "trauma/torture porn," which............I strongly disagree with. Trauma/Torture porn is (as Ebert points out) the kind of thing that has no point beyond indulging in meaningless suffering. Season 4 was dark (probably the darkest season they've done so far), but there was a message the Duffer Brothers were making with it; Not just in depicting how and why bullying becomes a pervasive problem, or how Vecna acts as a metaphor for depression and trauma driving people into despair, but also how the current social systems and attempts to force people to be "normal" cause long-term problems.

Bullies like Angela and Jason didn't suddenly decide to become awful overnight. Their behavior was enabled, not just by their peers, but by the adults around them who did little to nothing to stop the way they acted. Look at when El gets publicly humiliated at Rink-O-Mania by Angela and her friends, and how the adults there either participated with the other bystanders in it, or did absolutely nothing to stop what was happening to El (yet were conveniently available for Angela's benefit when El smashed Angela's face in with a roller-skate). Look at how Jason was able to turn a room of adults into a lynch mob to go after kids who were a part of the Hellfire Club by appealing to their fear of the Satanic Panic, as well as their fear of all the terrible things that had been happening in Hawkins.

Adults play a major role in whether kids become spoiled, entitled brats, and that was absolutely the case with Angela. As for Jason, he was a star basketball player who made Hawkins High look good, which is why Mr. Higgins and other teachers always looked the other way at his behavior (as depicted in both this book and Lucas on the Line). It's also why both Angela and Jason felt justified in their awful behavior: Angela was able to convince herself that El had snitched when she hadn't, and therefore deserved to be punished for it. And when El finally had enough and lashed out, Angela twisted the narrative in her head to make it out like she was the innocent victim and El was the bully. Same thing with Jason in regards to how he treats Eddie: Jason sees himself as the perfect "All American Boy" and Eddie as the freak who may one day become a criminal and gives Hawkins a bad name. And while the deaths of Chrissy and Patrick (combined with witnessing how Patrick died which he chalked up to Eddie being in league with Satan) played a major role in Jason's actions, he already had preconceived notions about Eddie without truly getting to know him first. There's an argument to be had that, even without Chrissy's death, he would have looked for any reason to go after Eddie if he felt justified in doing so.

Even isolated areas like Hawkins Lab weren't exempt from this: Dr. Brenner specifically fostered a culture among the special kids where he would put them at odds with one another to fight for his approval, and allowed El to be viciously bullied by Two and the others in the hopes it would unlock her potential and get him the results he wanted. Brenner established the institution where El grew up in, and was the main person who benefited from it. Two was a vicious bully similar to Angela, but the reason he became that is because Brenner and his cronies enabled his behavior (only punishing him as a means of building up resentment among the other kids towards El and making her more of an outcast as part of his plans).

Likewise, there's an interesting parallel between Eddie and Vecna: Both are "outcasts" whom society tried to force to be "normal." However, while Eddie still maintained compassion and empathy for others, as well as making it his mission to look out for other outcasts like Mike, Dustin, and Lucas so their lives wouldn't be miserable, Vecna internalized the rage and resentment of "performing in a silly terrible play, day after day" until it consumed him and turned him into the monster everyone feared. Now he intends to destroy everything and everyone so he can create the world he wants.

It's the Harvey Dent quote from The Dark Knight:

Eddie, despite being treated badly for most of his life, died as a hero, protecting those he cared about. Vecna lived to become the villain, and has abandoned his humanity in pursuit of his goals.

Tying this all back to Roger Ebert's letter: While Season 4 may have been dark, there was meaning to be found in the darkness: The season hit on the theme that, in spite of how Hawkins looks like a perfect suburban neighborhood, there's a lot of rot underneath, and NOT just from the Upside Down. There's an inherent bigotry in the town (and others like it, such as Lenora), of institutions trying to mold students and teachers into "productive members of society" at the cost of their happiness and well being, of punishing anything that's considered abnormal or against the status quo, of how ostracizing "outcasts" can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy where the person either becomes the monster (Vecna) or is scapegoated and can never escape those stigmas no matter how hard they try (Eddie).

The Duffer Brothers aren't apathetic in their attitude about how they depict characters and themes on the show. If anything, they care deeply. It's why they wrote the character of Eddie in the first place, and based him off of Damien Echols, one of the West Memphis Three who was wrongfully convicted in 1994 of the murder of three boys in Arkansas, with a lot of bias directed at them due to the three of them being "delinquents" (as well as how the police pressured them into giving false confessions), which resulted in their lives getting ruined. Likewise on the show, Eddie is accused of killing Chrissy when he didn't (simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time), and his life got destroyed because of it. Even if he was a delinquent with his own personal issues, he didn't deserve what happened to him. Neither did Damien Echols. Society failed both of them, and allowed the true killers to go unpunished.

There are a lot of problems in our society today that have carried over from the 80s: From cultures that enable bullies and punish their victims, to attempts to control what kids learn in schools and how they should act, to bigotry and biases that aren't just rooted in people but in the institutions and laws that uphold the social structure, to people like Jason who take the law into their own hands regardless of the collateral damage it will cause, to government corruption, to people dehumanizing others because it's more important for them to be right over being nice, and so on. Stranger Things may be a love letter to the 80s, but it does not shy away from deconstructing the uglier aspects of that decade, and conveying how some of those issues had carried over into today's culture.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, this book is a mixed bag. It gives interesting details about Eddie and his life, and provides better context for certain scenes in season 4. Given that Caitlin Schneiderhan (the author of the book) had talks with the Duffer Brothers and other Stranger Things writers prior to penning this, it's likely this book can be considered canon. It's also a book that inspires discussion (as you can tell from what I've written), which is always a plus.

However, if you're a fan of Eddie, and you were upset over his death, this book isn't going to give you any catharsis. Unlike others, I'm not going to claim it's milking off of Eddie's popularity. At the same time though, it is hard to read when it teases that things might get better for Eddie and you already know what Eddie's fate is going to be.

In other words, you have to decide for yourself if this is a book you want to read. I hope my synopsis and this review gives some idea of what to expect.

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cleapallea · 2 months

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˖𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒ HEALTHY SPIRITUAL REMINDERS : Exploration of Beliefs & Divination ˖𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒

Don't rely too much on Wikipedia or other sources that can be edited by some people. As stated, it can be changed and tested out, which means you need to research, observe, and make judgments through questioning the "book" itself. That's how Wikipedia and learning works.

I just found out some alchemic symbols related to satanism ideology, beliefs, and philosophy. Why it becomes Satanic? because people worship it. In a sense it has to be forged as "pagan beliefs" instead of connection with almighty God. According to early texts description Pagan means "idol worshippers", "sacrificial rites" and so many names. But, as the years passed the definition derived from different nations (diff beliefs, diff cultures and diff practices.)

In a Biblical context it is/was (what they do) wrong, As a cited this in: 𝙀𝙭𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙨 20:3-5 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙅𝙤𝙝𝙣 5:21

I want to point out that if you believe in Astro or any other Sacred science, then please believe in One True God first. (but FREE WILL APPLIES HERE)

He was the first one who created it. He created angels. Angels became “Fallen Angels" on Earth. On this surface, they became mystical and uncanny creatures.

Take note: Devil was once an angel, We cannot deny the fact that he used to be like that. He can transform, and because he is here, then it so easy for him to have access. TO TALK. TO SEE. AND ALIKE.

Like I said, in Ancient times of history many people perceived fallen angels or demons as God. One of those : Baphomet, sigil and many more because from Wiki (other source) perspectives he/she were 'just accused' as false god when in fact during old testament, it mentioned a lot in Babylon, Leviathan and so fourth. YOU SHOULD NOT GIVE ANY NAME ON IT. People have change its name but, the description of it still the same. Do not be deceive.

Hence, If you believe in any kinds of spirituality, make sure you are in a right place.

"SERVE THE CREATOR, NOT THE CREATION"

!May God bless us all!

✎I do believe in high power of God, but I'm not religious person. This is because of history and personal matters. And we can't deny, there are so many of them.

Anyway, I am open for natal reading as well, but the decisions is yours to make..I am not God. You have your free will. I am just using my "gift". As for me believe that it serves as message and guide to look for change, see the light in darkness, too see the truth, to see everyone's uniqueness and talents and understand human beings. Thank you so much for reading.

#astro notes #astrology observation #astro community #spirtuality #beliefs #spiritual awakening #spirtualjourney #spirtualseeker #writers on tumblr #spotify

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max1461 · 2 years

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Is linguistics a science? What do linguists do on the daily?

Oof, this is a hard one!

Linguistics is a very diverse field. What I'd say is that some parts of it are science, some parts are humanities, and some parts are somewhere in between. I would say, uh, the mean scienceness of linguistics is about the same as the mean scienceness of economics, but the variance is way higher.

If you do research in e.g. speech production or neurolinguistics, you're unambiguously doing science. You're running experiments, you probably work in a lab, you're thinking about, you know, brain regions and the anatomy of the vocal tract. It's pretty human biology flavored, from what I can tell.

If you're doing research on child language acquisition or speech perception or the like, you're still doing science, but your methodology is going to look more like e.g. psychology than neuroscience. Psychology is also a really high variance field, there's some solid research and some total bullshit. Probably the same applies for these areas of linguistics—although I do have reasons to think (hope) they are a bit better than psych over all, which I'll get to in a minute.

Then there's phonology and syntax, the "core" of linguistics. These are... weirdly difficult to classify. See, human language, at its core, is a set of interlocking formal systems. It is rules-based. And by "rules", I don't mean the "grammar rules" you were taught in school. I mean the linguistic patterns you subconsciously internalized as a baby, which let you learn to speak your native language without anyone actually teaching you. These rules govern the pronunciation of sounds in a given language (phonology) and the order of words in a given language (syntax). The fields of phonology and syntax involve studying these formal systems on a language-by-language basis, trying to understand how these formal systems are structured across languages.

The actual methodology here is something like this: imagine you were given a bunch of math symbols that you've never seen before, and a list of anywhere from fifty to several thousand equations using those symbols. And someone said "all these equations are true, but I'm not gonna tell you what the symbols mean. Just look at all the equations and put together a consistent theory for how all the symbols behave". Ok, that's syntax and phonology. In syntax, the "symbols" are words in a language and the "equations" are valid sentences. In phonology, the "symbols" are sounds and the "equations" are words. And you do an analysis, and you produce a theory of the symbols which accounts for all the equations that you see.

So, anyway, it's kind of weird. It's kind of its own thing. It's definitely empirical, like a science. And it's far too formal and math-flavored and puzzle-solving-y for me to call it a humanity. But you're not running experiments, exactly, you're not doing a lot of the typical science things. It's all done with pen and paper, like math. So it's kind of its own thing. This is one of the things I like about it, by the way. It's puzzle solving about language. It's neat.

Anyway, then there's historical linguistics, the study of how language changes over time. Historical linguistics involves the comparative method, which relies on the neogrammarian hypothesis. Basically, it involves the same kind of puzzle solving methodology as phonology and syntax, but with a lot of engagement with historical texts, evidence from archeology, and so on, at the same time. It's got a lot of the best parts of the more methodologically rigorous humanities (history), but with a much more STEMish flavor to actually do. All of linguistics has a STEMish flavor, pretty much. It's pretty cool. Historical linguistics is the subfield I'm principally interested in.

All this readily-observable formal structure in language is why I have hope for the psychology-adjacent fields of linguistics, by the way. The formalism constrains what kind of questions are meaningful, it gives us a more precise language to talk about what's going on. In essence, we know that language is the kind of thing which has formalizable patterns in it, whereas IMO we don't have strong evidence that human emotion or (non-linguistic) human social behavior have this same kind of defined symbolic structure. So it feels that people who study speech perception are maybe getting at something a little more concrete and specific than the people who put together the DSM. But, you know, that's just me—I'm not a psychologist, so I don't want to make claims about the field too confidently.

At the least sciency end, you've got things like sociolinguistics, which is methodologically similar to sociology. Difficult to place is linguistic fieldwork, which involves methodologies from all of the above, plus a healthy dose of human interpersonal skill, and involves going out into the world and documenting the way language is spoken directly. Sometimes this involves studying small or endangered languages, etc. There are a couple of people in my grad program who do fieldwork in the Amazon, and they often tell stories about encounters with terrifyingly large spiders. Surely the most adventuresome subfield. And there's formal semantics, the youngest field of linguistics, which is sort of in the syntax/phonology realm of studying language as a formal system. It basically involves trying to understand the logical structure of languages, and has significant overlaps with CS, formal logic, and (analytic) philosophy. Actually, all the fields of formal linguistics have significant CS overlap—computational linguistics is the most popular subfield right now by far.

The thing that makes linguistics hard to classify is that there really is a lot of cross-pollination and sharing of ideas between these fields, they aren't siloed off from each other. So, what do linguists do? A lot of different stuff! Is it a science? Sort of kind of. But it's pretty cool either way.

#linguistics #anon #for posterity #this is the post I'm gonna ling to on this topic from now on #I don't mean socioling is the least scientific in a bad way btw #just factually speaking its methodology is the most clearly humanities

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feraliminal · 7 months

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Actual episode 70 discussion before I vanish back into the aether to do coursework:

Obligatory meta bit: I’m in the process of reading Interaction Ritual Chains for a draft thesis chapter (which I need to be writing now) and just happened to be halfway through reading the section on remote/virtual rituals when the episode dropped. The book includes stuff like sports events and concerts as rituals, defined as community-building events where people share an experience and get meaningful symbols and stories out of it. But it has a whole section on why this needs to be in-person. I’ve never really done live premieres before because my fandoms tended to be old, but I’ve now got participation observation data to disprove that - it’s definitely a shared experience for the fan community, and we have plenty of stories. Fandom is folk culture!

The appearance of cam-ghosts and Plunger’s interaction with the secret agent was very cool as I love the “sufficiently advanced tech is indistinguishable from the supernatural” trope. The camghosts could have been hallucinations, but there was one peeking around a corner much earlier in the episode. I suspect that there’s some kind of remote connection/Alliance network going on (they’re able to share and broadcast footage, after all, even if they need to use tablets for long range comms), so these could be virtual encounters through the secret agent hacking or otherwise accessing Plunger’s brain - like he’s able to get into the skibidi computer to taunt the scientist. But why (other than exposition and dramatic effect)? Is he trolling because their death is part of his scheme (likely imho), or is he just an incorrigible dick who can’t say “good job” without being sinister?

Transmission error/recording error: is the secret agent signal jamming? And what was that stealth mode? Is it related to the secret agent and the camghosts? Probably.

Unless our two ex-main characters are fixed or downloaded (which I doubt but I did notice that the the tagline was “someone”, which is usually singular), ST is doing Anyone Can Die. If this was being approached as a lolrandom meme thing, that wouldn’t be surprising, and that has been the tone of much of the series so far. However, it’s ascended to the point that there’s an actual Skibidi Toilet store. The longevity of comparable meme horror/sci-fi series has seemed to rely on people getting attached to iconic characters, so I wonder if there’s a plan for avoiding Too Bleak, Stopped Caring? My guess is having the elites and titans consistent throughout the plot, but DFB may also be an incorrigible dick and kill everyone. I am a sucker for dramatic deaths though, so I can probably put up with it (just about, did that speaker squeak as they were dying? Oh no ;_;).

On the subject of trolls, one way of interpreting Titan Speaker putting out the fire before completely flattening the scientist was that they wanted to kill them themself, another interpretation was that they were fucking with the scientist by pretending they’d show mercy. Either way, A+++ revenge!

Polycephaly is also super interesting as they don’t really seem to be the TV equivalent of the others factions’ big combat units. There’s only one of them, they can fuck around with teleportation-stuff (nanites? weird science particles?) and swap out their extra bits. They might have a role that’s unique to the TV faction, I already wondered if it’s something like managing TV communications or information flows, and now I think that could include something to do with teleportation too. Maybe running the teleportation-navigation software? In the Dune series, there’s heavily mutated Guild Navigators who guide faster-than-light spaceships and to make sure no one crashes into a planet, and Warhammer 40k has a similar Navigator role to guide space traffic through the Warp using psychic beacons.

#skibidi toilet #skibidi speculation

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damnesdelamer · 2 years

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i read somewhere that marxism has limitations because its a science, so what are some of these limitations?

I honestly am not sure what this might mean. Certainly Marxism is known as the immortal science. I think this is nigh unilaterally held as a conceit.

Generally, the (misguided) arguments of detractors rely on the absurd notion that Marxism, communism, socialism, only function in theory, that they supposedly lack empirical precedents or pragmatic applications. This is of course false, as communism was one of the dominant political and economic systems at work throughout the Twentieth Century, when it already had antecedents in the likes of e.g. the Paris Commune, and indeed many Marxist infrastructures remain extant and prosperous today (see Cuba's recent leaps in LGBT+ legislation and China's effective covid policy). And socialism with Chinese characteristics definitely emphasises the scientific basis of Marxism far more than just the utopian, though this obviously goes all the way back to Marx & Engels themselves.

As Mao noted to the inaugural meeting of the Natural Science Research Society of the Border Region:

Natural science is one of man's weapons in his fight for freedom. For the purpose of attaining freedom in society, man must use social science to understand and change society and carry out social revolution.

This can be seen as expanding and modulating on Engels’ observation:

politics is the science of production, and foretells the complete absorption of politics by economics. [...] To make a science of Socialism, it had first to be placed upon a real basis.

And this is not even addressing e.g. chapters 7 and 16 of Capital (Vol.1), which discuss the material reality of labour and how all production is derived from natural laws.

What I'm curious about is what the alternative would be to science? What branch of theory or epistemology is unencumbered by limits? Surely not the humanities? But social sciences themselves are conventionally considered humanities anyway. Indeed, Marx was primarily an economist (along with Bukharin, Luxemburg, Harvey, etc.), and for that matter was also a noted poet (along with Mao, Neruda, Senghor, etc.), so it's not as if Marxist principles are limited to hard science. We could also consider the likes of Oscar Wilde, Bertolt Brecht, Frida Kahlo on one hand, and Albert Einstein, Bertrand Russell, J.D. Bernal on the other; the spectrum of Marxist visionaries unsurprisingly spans an array of disciplines.

But generally I encounter a greater, not a lesser, demand for empirical scientific basis to political principles, often disproportionately levied against the left by fash liberals and ‘centrists’ who are either ignorant or in denial about the practical reality of Marxist advances throughout modern history.

All this puts me in mind of Fred Hampton:

We’re not metaphysicians, we’re not idealists, we’re dialectical materialists. And we deal with what reality is, whether we like it or not.

And it is true that this is where Marxism shines brightest. In the face of oppressive capitalist modes of production, whether we’re talking about covid, LGBT rights, mass transport infrastructure, practical concerns of labour, mental health, or climate change, it is Marxist principles of self-determination, emancipation, and solidarity, whether utopian or scientific, which pierce the darkness of our present predicament as a beacon to guide us toward the dawn, that we might see the sun shine evermore.

#Marxism #Karl Marx #Marxist #Marx #Friedrich Engels #Engels #Mao #Mao Zedong #Fred Hampton #dialectical materialism #ask #original

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rootfish13 · 2 years

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It's sad that "adult animation" in the US is mostly immature Family Guy & Rick & Morty comedy clones. Adventure Time, a show aimed at children, handled heavy themes with much more maturity than most "adult' animated shows. Sometimes having limits on your creative process brings out better stories than just relaying on "edgy" shock humor that quickly grows stale and fails to shock, it's just boring. I'm not saying a series can't sometimes have those things but I'm just tired of series where's it's nothing but those things which are overused and loses all impact. Even Family Guy & Rick and Morty started off as good series but over time just kept lazilly relying on their own tropes and became shadows of their former selves. Peter Griffin started off as a caring Family Man who faced problems that threatened his family as a whole and he did genuinely acted like a human being, now he's just an amoral sociopathic a-hole who acts like he genuinely despises his family. Sure he did wacky things but there was a balance, now the show is just a joke delivery vehicle for references and the plot is inconsequential. Rick Sanchez started off as a wacky mad scientist Doc Brown parody but he actually cared about Morty, Summer & Beth. Now he's an all powerful god king scientist and routinely says nothing matters and is practically a villain spreading misery and death wherever he goes. Even worse the new season seems to be revisiting old episode's settings instead of something new, franchise fatigue has definitely set in. If the main character doesn't care why should we? Where is any sense of conflict or narrative stakes when Rick can just magic science his way out of any situation because he is literally the smartest being in the multiverse pretty much being an all powerful god? Conflict is the essence of drama and what drives all fiction. I really don't care to see an episode where the writers tell us how stupid heist movies are or call out the narrative tropes to Die Hard. That isn't clever or interesting and quite frankly is super off putting and just shows how far up their own asses they are. I feel like the writer's are running out of science-fiction ideas to mimic & mock, they should read some Arthur C. Clarke, Robert A. Heinlein, Phillip K. Dick and others. Having an episode centered around the 3 laws of robotics is more interesting to me than whatever pop culture pet peeve Dan Harmon has. And take this with a grain of salt these are just my personal opinions & observations and in no way am I saying my way is the only one true correct way or interpretation.

#adventure time #rick and morty #rick & morty #family guy #family guy clones #rick & morty clones #animation #cartoon #cartoons #adult animation

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lnenvs3000w24 · 8 months

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Blog 01: My relationship with nature

Hi everyone, my name is Lea, and I am in my third year of Biological Science with a minor in Zoology. This first post is about my relationship with nature and how it has developed.

I have always felt I had a strong connection with nature and animals. I care deeply for the environment and the conservation of plants and wildlife. My love for nature all began at my cottage. My grandparents bought land along the water in a small town called St. Anicet, Quebec, on Lake St. Francois in their mid-30s. My grandpa had built a small cottage for our family to visit. I have lived a better half of my life at the cottage, every summer, every school break, every chance I had. At a very young age, my grandfather had taught all the kids how to fish and drive the boat and my cousins, and I were always free to go out onto the lake and discover what it had to offer.

I have so many unforgettable memories of kayaking with my older sister and little cousins across the lake to the many islands the lake provided. We always brought butterfly nets and insect kits with tiny magnifying glasses and caught bugs and frogs all day. We would also take the little fishing boat, go to different areas of the lake, and compare the size and type of fish we had caught. One of my favourite activities was going out on the canals, just off the lake, and simply looking at the white lilies (Nymphaea odorata) floating on the water.

The freedom to explore granted by my family helped me lean into my interest in nature. Going out and discovering different aspects of the lake on my own allowed me to observe the biodiversity and wildlife present. I grew up in Ottawa, specifically the Kanata area, a quiet suburb 20 minutes from the downtown core. Growing up in the suburbs felt significantly limiting in terms of being in touch with nature. My only relationship with nature was provided when my parents would drive outside of the suburbs to visit the different NCC parks and trails. These nature trails were not accessible to me growing up as they were too far to walk or bike, and I had to rely on my parents to drive. I believe that living in the suburbs definitely limited my connection, but having a cottage to visit was indeed an escape.

My current relationship with nature has developed over the years, from relying on my parents to take me to various nature trails to having the freedom to explore my interests on my own. As I have grown older, I have been able to do my own thing and visit new ecosystems. I enjoy going on hikes with my friends, and our favourite spot is definitely the Eagles Nest Lookout in Calabogie, just outside of Ottawa. I believe that I have given myself “a sense of place” because exploring on my own has improved my relationship with nature and allowed me to expand my interests.

Here are a few photos of me at my cottage & my favourite hiking spot :)

#nature interpretation

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honeybee-fuzz · 1 year

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anyone who uses reductive science to justify their bigotry is a fool. scientists can’t even agree on the definition of a species, much less what constitutes as an “individual” organism.

the world is a whole lot grayer than you think.

you can’t use observations of homosexuality in animals to prove humans can be gay while at the same time dismissing the complex array of sexes and sex changes in organisms because you hate trans people.

you can try to categorize sex and gender and sexuality into nice, clean boxes but it won’t be right - dividing all the colors into dark and light isn’t wrong exactly, but it erases all of the hues and values and nuance by doing so.

and either way, if you rely solely on biology to prove your point while ignoring the thoughts and feelings and culture (the anthropological side) of the person/people involved in your argument, you’re not intellectually superior, you’re just an asshole

#science #transgender #transphobia #lgbt #lgbtq #//#TERFs and transphobes change for the better or die trying

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infitsovermisfits · 2 years

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Rant Rant Rant- Eddie Munon and the way Mainstream Audience suck the joy out of anything different and out of the 'norm'.

Hello dear readers. I just want to rant- no clue if this will be posted, I am procrastinating on doing my uni work and just want to talk about some things. Call this a rant or an informal essay if you will.

TLDR; big long essay on consumer and audience culture, a look at stranger things fans, and undeserved Eddie hate is the main bulk of this along with general media language, look into mainstream audiences and why they so quickly turned on Eddie and the fans, underserved bullying of fans, and a message to spread and focus on the positives.

I'm currently studying Film at university because it's a topic that genuinely interests me- though I'd far prefer to write for films or TV, and direct music videos or videos/films accompanied by music- and observing the discourse in and surrounding the Stranger Things fandom over tiktok and tumblr, and it has been... Interesting.

When I was still studying Media in A Levels, we learned about categorising different audience types: Primary, Secondary, Tertiary; based on class: A,B, C1, C2, D, E; and based on what type of consumer they are: Young and Rubican's definitions & categories:

The Aspirer- materialistic, acquisitive, driven by others' perception of them rather than their own perceptions and values. Core need for life is status

The Reformer- value their own independent judgement, most anti-materialistic, often perceived as intellectual and at the leading edge of society. Core need for life is enlightenment.

The Explorer- driven by a need for discovery, challenge and new frontier, first to try out new ideas and experiences. Core need for life is discovery

The Mainstream- live in a domestic world, require fundamental daily routine and subscribe to the idea of 'normal', respond to big, established brands (usually ones that are popular/made popular). Core need for life is security.

The Succeeder- possess self-confidence, strong goal orientation, tend to be organised, occupies positions of responsibility in society, seek reward and presitge from brands as that's what they think they deserve, seek out caring and protective brands. Core need is control.

The Resigned- Predominantly older people with constant unchanging values, past is nostalgic, respect institutions and enjoy tradition, brand choices are driven by safety and need for economy. Core need is to survive.

The Struggler- live in the moment, often seen by others as victims/loosers/wasters- aimless and disorganised with few resources apart from physical skill, rely on visual impact and physical sensations from brands. Core need is to escape.

(loose definitions, close enough to the original)

Fun fact: we actually looked at and analysed the first 10/20 minutes of Stranger Things season 1 at some point in Media so that was fun.

If you wanted to categorise Stranger Things audience (i would love to pull up some of my notes but I can't fucking find them and its making me sad) your Primary would be your fans of science fiction/ horror (likely Reformers or Succeeders, from A-D, people between 18-30) considering those are the main genres. The Secondary would be your older audiences (category E or B, Resigned, people in their 40's-50's) people who grew up in the 80's and receive gratification from noticing details from their childhoods. ((Note: I get these 2 mixed up, so they may be the other way around but you get my point))

Now the Teritary audience would be those who have a Netflix subscription and access to the internet where they find occasional discourse about the show (Explorers or, largely, Mainstream audiences- people from 15-early 30's) who only follow trends and are not familiar with the genre or setting.

Got all that mumbo jumbo? No? That's fine. Let me talk about Eddie Munson now.

With season 4 of Stranger Things being the largest, most popular of them all (look up any Netflix stats- if I remember correctly, season 3 had 300 mil. watchers and season 4 had 400 mil.), and most anticipated (announced in 2019, and released in '22), there came, in my opinion, an audience shift.

In my opinion, more watchers from the Mainstream audience type have begun watching the show, due to its increased popularity and advertisement on Netflix, bumping that Mainstream Tertiary audience up more. How do I know this? Observing fandom culture and social media.

I'm too lazy to conduct any form of study so I'll base this 'research' on memory. Season 4, Volume 1 premiers in May 2022 and is an instant hit. The introduction of Joseph Quinn as Eddie Munson perks people's interest and he instantly becomes a fan favourite character, with his charming personality and subversive characterisation- like certain viewers, Eddie's first scene had me uncertain, though seeing his kindness to Chrissy flipped that and I warmed up to him as the season went on.

The experiences of a mainstream audience- seeing a character who in no way belongs to their personal category and worldview- is jarring, and they immediately (consciously or unconsciously) stereotype him as someone they dislike, due to his non-conformative nature. Like many of you, I grew up integrated with Fandom culture and niche interests and experiences that mirrored this character. I could personally relate to Eddie as a person who was (likely) bullied or looked down upon because of my interest in literature, games, and my general misunderstanding and confusion of the mainstream audiences.

Another point I wanted to make is that Eddie is a character that fundamentally dislikes authority and the mainstream itself- shunning those who willingly fit into the moulds of society in the cafeteria- and he, himself, sitting outside it- being interested in Metal and DND. The mainstream audiences have their own views on those things- that metal music is just people screaming and being aggressive and violent, and DND is a lame nerdy game for kids. Eddie flips their views, and makes himself a likeable character to them.

The mainstream audience interest in Eddie was a product of 'Oh wow- that's different to what I'm used to! But instead of shunning it, I'm enamoured!' AT FIRST. Then it got bad.

I understand fandom culture; Mainstreamers do not. This confusion sparks anger and amusement and the need to critique anything that doesn't fit into their 'mainstream ideas' or their 'normal'. To a mainstream audience, liking, enjoying, and having discourse about the show is 'normal' behaviour. To me, or anyone with experience in fandom, fanfiction, headcannons, lip syncs, edits, fanart, roleplaying, etc. is the 'normal'. My point of writing any of this was because I found the "general" shift in people's opinions regarding Eddie- he went from a cool new addition to the cast to one of the most hated/cringey characters in almost the blink of an eye- strange, and somewhat hilarious.

The majority of mainstream audiences have likely never interacted with or been interested in Fandom culture (another fun fact: I had to learn about Jenkins Fandom theory in Media. I had to learn about fandoms. Hahaha. Jokes aside it was interesting- his definition is that it's a participatory culture: fans acting not only as consumers of the media but as producers and creators of creative media, or better named Prosumers). Very likely, they don't know it exists or have in the past made fun of such cultures and people in the past. Misinformation or having little to no experience leads to aggression. Seeing Eddie become popular amongst groups of people sharing his interests/personality/ or just enjoying the character was odd and strange to them, and in order to fit into their Mainstream ideals, they had to look down on the 'strange and unusual'.

Which really fucking sucks and is so awful. Like many, I loved Eddie's character. I have written fanfiction about him and continue to do so- this outpour of hate and negativity surrounding him and the fandom surrounding the character/ the entire show makes me feel wrong for liking him or enjoying the show. Almost like a dark cloud hovering over the light. It almost feels like you have to perform for the mainstreamers or anyone asking by saying 'I like Eddie but I'm not like one of those fans'. Ugh.

Those fans implying the 'cringe' fans. The ones who cosplay; the ones who lipsync to audios- fans being fans of a character. The hate they received for doing harmless things is awful and undeserved- and I'm eternally sorry if you have been subjected to or affected by it.

I remember after mainstreamers flipped and started hating on Eddie, how many people in the fandom were genuinely so disappointed. How many people would post on tumblr or make tiktoks saying "I'm afraid to wear my Hellfire shirt/express that I like Eddie/ express that I like Stranger Things incase people think I'm one of those fans/ in case I get made fun of", the replies full of people saying "I wear mine because I like Dustin/Mike/Gareth/Fred/Erica" along with more people agreeing and describing how they have been made fun of. The videos of people singing Master of Puppets dressed as Eddie that have been stitched and called 'cringe' and mocked. It's just so... Pathetic to sit there and call something so innocent that brings others so much fun and enjoyment cringe. Go do something else.

To some people, criticizing that which they do not understand brings them gratification. They bring others down for their own enjoyment- and if you do that, fuck you. None of those 'cringey' things are hurting you personally. Go focus on something else and not fans being fans and engaging in harmless fan behaviour.

On the flip side of this, let me also say that if you call yourself a 'fan' that then actively stalks or sexualises celebrities, invading their privacy in real life or online, (*cough cough* Joe Quinn) or sends death threats to any costars for whatever reason (*cough cough* Grace Van Dien) you are awful and how dare you call yourself a fan? You're not being respectful or recognising these people AS people. You're seeing them as marketable things and objects and that is disgusting.

If you, like me, are one of those people gripping onto this fixation with all your strength because nothing has bought you this much comfort/safety/enjoyment in a while, I'd like to tell you to try your best and ignore those who do not understand and refuse to do so. I'm aware a ranty essay about this and explanations and blah blah won't change anyone's minds. That's not my intention. It simply makes me sad to get made fun of for harmless things.

I find removing that negativity and not engaging with the negative discourse is a good step into keeping positive- you can block tags on tumblr and click not interested on any tiktok videos you don't want to see if you hold down on the video playing.

May, June and July were filled with some of the happiest memories I experienced this year. From writing my fanfiction to watching a show I have a lot of love and admiration for, to discover so much new, good music. I'd love to feel that happy again now.

Thanks,

Toothpaste.

#eddie munson #stranger things #stranger things 4 #rant #personal rant #just ranting #fandom #cringe

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bleuhisteria · 1 year

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Deus Ex Machina|| Aizawa x Reader Chapter 9

A forbidden past rekindled by a life-saving spark, reigniting our dreams we thought we had abandoned forever.

I waved at Aizawa as he exited the giant gates that led to my house, Elena standing next to me, curiosity gleaming in her eyes.

"Have you thought of what to make, (Y/N)-sama?" Elena asked, turning to me with anticipation.

The sun began to set, casting a warm glow on my skin as I placed a hand on my chin, deep in thought. "I'm not sure yet, but I do have some ideas," I replied, turning to head back inside the house, with Elena following closely behind.

In the garage, I set up the whiteboard that my dad had provided for brainstorming ideas. The marker squeaked as I started to sketch out my thoughts, attempting to visualize the support item that could enhance Aizawa's quirk.

My own quirk, with its ability to detect subtle changes in the human body, had given me valuable insights into the neurological aspects of quirks. Through my observations over the years, I had discovered the existence of what I referred to as "quirk molecules." These molecules remained dormant until activated, using stored energy to unleash a person's quirk.

Depending on the nature of an individual's quirk, these molecules tended to concentrate in specific parts of their body. For instance, Hizashi's quirk relied on his voice, so the concentration of his quirk molecules was centered near his throat and vocal cords.

I placed a hand on my chin, marker in hand, contemplating the incomplete drawing of my draft. There was definitely potential here. Aizawa's quirk concentration mostly resided in his head. Perhaps I could create something that would cater to his thoughts when his quirk was activated. However, to achieve that, I would need to find a material that could react to active quirk molecules. Unfortunately, such technology had not yet been invented in this world.

Despite the advancements in medical technology and robotics, humanity had hit a roadblock when it came to understanding the intricacies of quirks. While there had been progress in the field of mind-affecting technology, its scope remained limited. It felt as though we were still far from unlocking the true potential of quirks, and a sense of frustration washed over me.

Yet in the depths of my thoughts, I knew there was someone who could potentially help me, someone I had conflicting feelings about. He had proven to be a valuable mentor in combat training, but when it came to inventing, our interactions often ended in frustration.

And just like a sudden thunderclap, the door to the garage swung open, revealing the very person I had been thinking about. "(N/N)!" he greeted with a cheerful tone.

"Dad," I acknowledged, keeping my eyes fixed on the whiteboard. I could hear his footsteps approaching as I slumped my shoulders, mustering the courage to ask, "Have you conducted any research on materials that react to quirks?"

I could sense the confusion on his face without needing to turn around, and he responded with a touch of awkwardness, "That depends. Altering the structural properties of materials? It's plausible. But being controlled by the power of the mind? No, not even in theory. We haven't made significant advancements in neuro and biochemistry to achieve that level of control. Why do you ask?" He stood beside me, studying the draft on the whiteboard.

Nodding in understanding, I hummed thoughtfully, "Do... do you remember when I was in middle school?" I asked, a part of me hesitant to revisit such a painful memory, but recognizing its importance in my current inquiry. "...During the science fair, I tried to test a theory, remember?" I continued.

Shadows seemed to cover his eyes as he let out a sigh, nodding solemnly. "I remember... you tried to prove the existence of quirk molecules and recreate their effects, but..."

Nodding again, the flashbacks of the past clouding my vision, I continued the sentence for him, "Everything went wrong." I recalled the disastrous outcome of my experiment, resulting in injuries to three of my classmates. My dad had to cover the medical bills, and I was forced to withdraw from school. But that wasn't the only consequence... the full weight of those memories was too heavy to bear at the moment.

Placing a comforting hand on my shoulder, my dad tried to soothe my troubled thoughts. "Hey, what's in the past is past, and we're safe now, aren't we?" he asked in a gentle voice, his words attempting to alleviate the weight of my memories. I sighed, appreciating his efforts as he continued, "You know, if you really want to learn more about this sort of thing, why don't you start stopping by my office after school again, like the good old days?" His voice carried a sense of nostalgia, reminiscent of the times when we first started inventing together.

Despite the warmth in his suggestion, a chill ran down my spine. I still wasn't ready to return to that place, the town where his office was located. It held too many unsettling memories, and I wasn't sure if it was truly safe for me to be there. "I-I'll think about it," I managed to say, suppressing the feeling of disgust that welled up within me.

I tried my best not to let the unsettling sensation consume me—the feeling of those eyes watching my every move, eyes that violated me and stripped me of my individuality. I still wasn't ready...

Sensing my hesitation, my dad spoke up, noticing the expression on my face. It seemed as though I had broken into a nervous sweat at his suggestion. "You don't have to go," he reassured me. "Since Higari and I rebuilt the garage, we have plenty of room to bring home the old equipment I haven't been using in the office. Give me a day or two, and I'll bring them here." He was trying to find a solution to ease the situation.

Breaking free from my anxious thoughts, my eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope as I turned to him. "Really?" I asked, attempting to conceal the excitement and anticipation in my voice, though failing.

He gave me a wide grin, confirming his intentions. "Of course! You'll have all the time in the world for your research right here!" he exclaimed, pulling me into a warm embrace.

"Oof. Thanks, Dad," I chuckled, reciprocating the hug.

Later, as I laid in bed, I couldn't shake off the thoughts of what my next steps should be. I rose from my bed and made my way to the desk, opening my laptop to search for articles on neurotechnology. While I had a deep understanding of quirks, the challenge lay in effectively communicating that knowledge to other researchers. Demonstrating the existence and intricacies of quirk-related phenomena was a daunting task, especially when I wasn't sure where to begin.

I delved into the available information, absorbing it eagerly. I was aware that certain details were kept under wraps due to their potential to revolutionize technology and society as a whole. However, my current focus was solely on finding a way to make the support item I envisioned for Aizawa a reality.

As the night progressed, my laptop screen filled with numerous open articles on neurochemistry and biotechnology. I diligently took notes on the equipment and methodologies they employed, hoping to find a potential breakthrough for the support item I had in mind. If I could acquire similar tools and technology, it might pave the way for significant advancements.

Despite my thorough exploration of various articles and research papers authored by scientists and inventors, I couldn't find any specific information regarding quirk molecules. It seemed that, while many researchers were likely working on the topic, they had not yet published their findings. The elusive nature of quirk molecules added to the challenge of understanding and utilizing them effectively.

With the clock nearing 3AM, I realized it was time to put an end to my research for the night. Closing my laptop, I sank into the embrace of my freshly washed comforter. Exhaustion quickly washed over me, and before I knew it, sleep claimed my weary mind.

The next morning, I was roused from my slumber by a loud, persistent knocking on my bedroom door. Startled, I stumbled out of bed, my mind still heavy with sleep. As I opened the door, I found Elena standing there, her irritation evident in her stern expression.

"(Y/N)-sama, I've told you countless times not to stay up so late," she scolded, hands planted firmly on her hips. Her disapproval hung in the air, but I could only muster a half-hearted apology, my senses still dulled from sleep.

Elena continued, her annoyance evident in her voice, "It's rude to keep a guest waiting. Aizawa-san has been downstairs for half an hour already, and your parents have been keeping him company."

A wave of panic washed over me as the realization sank in. Aizawa was already here, and I had overslept, oblivious to the passing time. Hastily, I darted to my closet, my mind racing to find suitable training clothes. "Elena, please let Aizawa know I'll be ready in a minute!" I called out as I hurriedly changed.

With a resigned sigh, Elena nodded, her annoyance tempered by understanding. She turned and made her way downstairs to deliver my message. Meanwhile, I fumbled with my clothes, adrenaline coursing through me, urging me to prepare as quickly as possible.

In the dining room, the tantalizing aroma of a freshly cooked breakfast filled the air as (Y/N)'s mother skillfully arranged five plates on the table. With a warm smile, she placed a plate in front of Aizawa and poured him a glass of orange juice, her curiosity evident in her voice.

"So, Aizawa-kun, how long have you known our (N/N)?" she asked cheerfully, genuinely interested in their connection. Meanwhile, Aizawa gazed at the plate before him, unsure of how to respond. Seeking support, he glanced at (Y/N)'s father, who returned his gaze with a reassuring smile, contently munching on his toast.

Aizawa stared at the plate, his mind searching for the right words to respond. "...We met at the entrance exam," he finally replied.

Shortly after, Elena descended the stairs and entered the dining room. "(Y/N)-sama will be down in a minute," she informed everyone with a respectful tone.

(Y/N)'s mother playfully scoffed, "What she really means is to give her five minutes," she remarked, taking her seat beside her husband. "Elena, come and join us," she instructed the maid, extending her hospitality.

Elena gracefully complied, bowing before taking her place at the table.

"Please, Aizawa-kun, go ahead and eat. Help yourself to seconds if you'd like," (Y/N)'s mother warmly encouraged, her gaze filled with affection as she looked at Aizawa.

"Thank you, ma'am," Aizawa responded with gratitude, picking up his fork and preparing to enjoy the meal.

Suddenly, a series of crashing noises reverberated from the direction of the stairs, accompanied by the sound of something colliding with the walls. (Y/N)'s voice called out, breathless and apologetic, "I'm sorry for keeping you waiting!" She hurriedly descended the stairs, finally arriving in the dining room.

I rushed down the hallway, my steps hurried and frantic, bumping into walls and objects along the way as I descended the stairs as quickly as possible. My hair was disheveled, and I had no time to fix it before reaching the dining room.

"I'm sorry for keeping you waiting!" I apologized breathlessly as I tried to compose myself.

Taking a seat next to Aizawa, I felt a sense of awkwardness, particularly because my mom was present.

"(N/N), go ahead and eat before the food gets cold. And please," my mother scolded, her tone firm, "brush your hair, will you?"

Awkwardly scratching the back of my head, I turned to her with a sheepish smile. "Sorry," I responded before turning to Aizawa with a worried expression. "D-did you wait long?" I inquired, concern evident in my voice.

He shook his head, trying to downplay the wait, but my mom interrupted.

"Only thirty-five minutes," she stated matter-of-factly. "Besides, he was just telling us how long you've known each other," she added, her voice filled with curiosity.

"(M/N)-sama, please refrain from obsessing over timing. The day has only just begun," Elena scolded, redirecting my mom's attention.

Dad laughed and chimed in, "It's true, honey. Let the kids have their breakfast without worrying about the time." He placed a comforting hand on my mother's shoulder.

Mom cleared her throat, dismissing both of them. Now focusing on me and Aizawa, she resumed the conversation. "So, back to the topic at hand, how long have you known each other?" she inquired.

I exchanged a glance with Aizawa, and a brief silence filled the dining room, interrupted only by the sound of utensils scraping against plates and the crunch of toast. "We've only known each other for a few days. I'm trying to help Aizawa get into the hero course," I explained.

Mom raised an eyebrow, questioning my approach. "By using the fact that support department students can bring support items to the sports festival? Isn't that kind of cheating?" she inquired, her concern evident.

In that moment, the realization hit me like a bolt of lightning, shattering my hopes of ethically leveling the playing field against a hero course student. My mom was technically right.

I stared at her in disbelief. "H-how did you know that?" I stammered, astonished by her knowledge.

A mischievous smirk danced on my mom's lips as she responded, "I've seen it happen before in sports festivals at UA. I have plenty of recordings," she confessed, her tone filled with playful amusement.

Dad let out a sigh, fully aware that recording the sports festival was prohibited due to the exposure of students' weaknesses. "You know that's not exactly allowed, honey," he interjected, his tone gently reprimanding. "But besides that, I wouldn't call it cheating. It's more like... effective strategizing. They both get what they want, after all. I don't see the big deal," he chuckled, casting a proud glance in my direction, seeking validation for his defense.

I chuckled in response. "Yes, that's it. Thanks, Dad," I replied, appreciating his support.

As I glanced around the table, I noticed Aizawa's gaze fixed on me. Curiosity sparked in my eyes as I tilted my head, wondering what he had to say. But instead of addressing me, he turned his attention to my mom, seeming intrigued by her collection of recordings.

"How many recordings of the past UA sports festival do you have, missus..." Aizawa's words trailed off, realizing that I hadn't mentioned my last name to anyone. It was a precautionary measure, but it seemed I had inadvertently created a small predicament for Aizawa. Oops.

My mom noticed the slip-up and laughed it off. "Collected by my side of the family, I believe I have all of them in my office," she happily shared, not missing a beat.

Aizawa's interest was piqued. His head perked up, and he leaned forward slightly. "Do the events have a certain pattern? Can we predict the events they might use this year based on previous years?" he asked, his curiosity evident.

Resting her hand on her cheek, my mom looked at him with a playful glimmer in her eyes. "My, my~ Perhaps I already have an idea about this year's events. What would you like to know?" she teasingly inquired.

Before Aizawa could articulate his question, my mom winced in pain, causing her to break off her sentence abruptly. It was my dad who spoke up, taking her place in the conversation.

"That wouldn't be fair to the other students. I don't think you should have access to that information. Focus on your training. The sports festival is not only about showcasing your quirks but also how you utilize and react to surprising and unexpected situations," my dad interjected, casually taking a bite of his bread as if he hadn't just stepped on my mom's foot under the table.

Aizawa's expression shifted, understanding the point my dad was making. He nodded in agreement as we managed to eat breakfast in a comfortable silence...

(Author's note): You know I'm a pretty angy boi when it comes to how the sports fest is arranged, like seriously, why is it all in one day? Like why is the first year, second year, and third year tournament going on simultaneously?

I'm fixing that cause I'm seriously pissed by it lol, and I know that they're trying to showcase the students' quirks and all but isn't that kind of dangerous? You're literally showing their abilities off to the public and potential villains, *cough* *cough* All for One *cough* *cough* so I'm changing that policy too.

Live footage can be broadcasted and archived by news channels, but cameras in general should be banned in the sports festival, if the villains want to scout heroes like this sh!t they better watch it live or record it themselves damn it. UA should take more precaution with their students' safety and should prioritize secrecy.

I stand to protest for a safe ethical UA who CARES for their students, stop doin' sh!t through trial and error and test out dangers to figure out the risks it puts on the students to make a better school damn it!!!

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jayeshkhade10 · 4 months

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Choosing Between the Top CBSE Affiliated Schools in India: A Compass for Parents

Hey there, parent superstars! Are you navigating the ever-evolving world of education in India, specifically looking for the Top CBSE Schools for your child? You're not alone. With a plethora of CBSE Affiliated Schools in India, choosing the right one can feel like deciphering ancient hieroglyphics. But worry not, because this blog post is here to be your compass!

Why CBSE?

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is a national-level board that governs school curriculums and conducts standardized exams in India. Top CBSE Schools in India are known for their rigorous academics, well-rounded curriculum, and focus on preparing students for competitive entrance exams like JEE (Main) and NEET.

So, how do you pick the perfect match from all these Top Schools in India?

Here's a breakdown of key factors to consider:

Academic Excellence: This is a no-brainer. Look for schools with a proven track record in academics, consistently producing toppers and high scorers in board exams. Don't just rely on numbers, though. Dig deeper and see if the school fosters a love for learning, not just rote memorization.

Faculty Force: Top CBSE Schools in India boast well-qualified and passionate teachers. Look for schools that invest in their faculty's professional development, ensuring they stay updated on the latest teaching methodologies. Remember, inspiring teachers can ignite a child's curiosity and make learning a joyride!

Holistic Development: It's not all about textbooks! A well-rounded education goes beyond academics. Look for schools that offer co-curricular activities like sports, debate, music, and theatre. These activities help students develop critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership skills – essential for future success.

Infrastructure Matters: Top Schools in India provide a nurturing environment that fosters learning. Look for schools with well-equipped classrooms, libraries, science labs, and playgrounds. Don't forget about the intangibles – a clean, safe, and positive school environment makes a world of difference.

Location, Location, Location: This might not be the top priority, but it's definitely a factor to consider. Think about your child's age, the commute time, and your family's lifestyle. Would a bustling city school or a serene suburban campus suit them better?

Examples of Top CBSE Schools in India:

While specific rankings can be subjective, some schools consistently make it to the top lists. Here are a few examples (remember, research is key to finding the perfect fit for your child):

Delhi Public School (DPS) - Renowned for its strong academic tradition and a vast alumni network.

Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) - Known for its affordability and focus on holistic education for children of transferable government employees.

National Public School (NPS) - Offers a global perspective with a strong international curriculum alongside CBSE.

Beyond the Rankings

Remember, the best school isn't just about the name or the ranking. It's about finding the right fit for your child's individual needs, learning style, and personality. Here are some additional tips:

Visit the School: Don't underestimate the power of a good old-fashioned school visit. Talk to teachers, observe classrooms, and get a feel for the school culture.

Talk to Parents and Students: Connect with parents who have children enrolled in the school you're considering. Ask them about their experiences.

Consider Your Budget: Top CBSE Schools in India can range from government-funded schools with minimal fees to private schools with hefty price tags. Be realistic about your budget and explore options that fit your financial situation.

FAQs:

1. Are CBSE Schools better than State Board Schools?

There's no one-size-fits-all answer. Both CBSE and State Boards have their merits and demerits. CBSE offers a standardized curriculum across India, while State Boards might tailor their curriculum to the specific needs of the region.

2. How can I find out which CBSE Schools are near me?

You can use the School Affiliation and Monitoring System (SARAS) on the CBSE website (https://saras.cbse.gov.in/saras/Home/Category_Wise) to search for CBSE Affiliated Schools in India based on your location.

The Final Takeaway

Choosing the right school is a crucial decision. By keeping these factors in mind and utilizing the resources available, you'll be well-equipped to navigate the world of Top Schools in India and find the perfect match for your child. Remember, a happy and thriving child is the ultimate goal!

#cbse school #school

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anyasmcm · 10 months

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December 5th - 11th research

Observational research:

Don't Hug Me I'm Scared (DHMIS) Red Guy:

Red Guy from DHMIS is a character whose face is concealed by his red, stringy face. In his character, his inability to show facial expressions manifests itself in his skeptical and detached outlook on life. He expresses himself through gestures and tone of speaking, which is typically monotonous. Even when he finds himself in dangerous situations, he remains indifferent. It's unclear whether his behavior comes from being unable to express himself in a similar way to his friends, Yellow Guy and Duck Guy.

Red guy is such a unique character to me because his expression and appearance are devoid of personality. This is not what I want to do with my piece, but I instead want to conceal and present personality in my work. I want my appearance to represent aspects of me. However, he's a great model for how someone appears or presents themself when they only have gestures and tone to rely on.

Atlas to the Heart by Brene Brown:

I read a little bit of the Google Books preview of Brene Brown's book, and her writing on the feelings of being stressed and overwhelmed was really interesting. I liked her comparison to anxiety as "being in the grass" and overwhelmed as "blown".

It made me think about the space we provide for space in conversation and the indicators that we use to communicate we need that space. Some people get quiet when they need space, others lash out to push people out of that space, and others just avoid communicating to maintain their space. I feel like the easy part is getting that space, but it is so difficult to communicate that you need someone to enter your space to help you out, such as "being in the grass".

This led me to think about a video I watched from Khadija Mbowe on finding a definition for love. They define love as "a space of mutual creation where the desire is to nurture the spiritual journey of everyone in said space". I think in communication and life in general, we often struggle to find that space and nurture that space continuously. However, I think its so difficult to attach a definition to love, even Khadija's definition doesn't cover it entirely. I think their definition is great for platonic and familial love, but when it comes to romantic love it is an entirely different thing.

“Love is never any better than the lover. Wicked people love wickedly, violent people love violently, weak people love weakly, stupid people love stupidly, but the love of a free man is never safe. There is no gift for the beloved. The lover alone possesses his gift of love. The loved one is shorn, neutralized, frozen in the glare of the lover’s inward eye.” - Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye

So in relation to Brown and Khadija, how we communicate and create that space for ourselves is so reliant on communication. Something I struggle with a lot is how to properly communicate, especially in relation to love. I also watched this video on love without attachment, which made me think about how certain behaviors we do when we are in love are manipulative and self-centered, rather than working on nurturing the space for that relationship, like Khadija says.

This wasn't really anything that led me to have any identifiable lightbulbs in relation to my work so far, but I'm just kinda brewing on all of this at the moment.

Active research:

I decided to put myself out there and branch some of the research I have been doing in Capstone into one of my other classes. I am taking Images of Science in Literature with Professor Dayal, and for my final project I am going to make a 3-4 min mockumentary about communication. The project is due on the 14th and I am doing filming Monday (Dec. 11th) evening, so I do not have the finished product yet. However, I do have a rough plan for the inner workings of the project, which I will post below. This doesn't mean that I haven't been working or thinking about things specifically for this class, but I figured that this would be a great chance to experiment with my work in a setting that forces me to establish a new form of communication alongside having to perform in front of people/share my work with people. I will post the finished mockumentary on my Tumblr (unless the file is too large) when I complete it.

Establishing How I Will Communicate The plan: People: 2 - Me, Anya, and my neighbor Sam. (Possibly a 3rd person to help with filming) Goal: Sam will attempt to understand what I am trying to communicate with him without having any prior knowledge of how I will communicate to him. If Sam fails to understand what I’m communicating, it’s not a matter of restarting or re-scripting, the goal is to have this remain as genuine and true as possible. IT WILL BE AWKWARD! Layout: There will be 3 separate parts to this mockumentary. 1: The interaction - Shot first

These shots will be exclusively Sam interacting with me and attempting to understand what I am saying. 2: My Interview - shot 2nd

These shots will fill in between the interaction shots and give some insight onto my character (or none at all) 3: Sam’s interview - shot 3rd

These shots will fill in between the interaction shots and give some insight on Sam’s experience with the creature. These shots will try to be as genuine as possible with limited scripting. The goal of this layout is to ensure there are mockumentary elements in the film, but also that there is some insight provided on Sam’s end so he can share what he is experiencing. Editing: I haven’t thought much about the editing, but I’d like to watch some of What We Do in the Shadows for inspiration on mockumentary style filming. I may need a 3rd person to help with the filming, in which case it’ll probably be a VA&T peer so there can be close-ups and things like that. I can also edit close-ups in After Effects, but I think there is something about having a physical person behind the camera to do close-ups that makes it feel more ‘mockumentary-like’.

Costume: Ghillie Suit and Dunks Unpacking the background of each: Ghillie suit: used to blend in with the environment – my suit is green and brown so it is used in forests and leafy/grassy regions. Concealing is a huge part of it – staying hidden. Dunks: basketball shoes turned into skateboarding shoes. 1985 marketing: “Be True To Your School” – dunks were made to rep schools/school colors. Became a staple in skateboarding after the dunk was neglected and was affordable and cheap for skaters. SHOWS THE ADAPTABILITY OF THE SHOE AND ITS ACCESSIBILITY. Bottles: Bottles are merely things that hold something which humans want to consume. It is for this reason that they are discarded after their contents are consumed. They also can litter the street and be found all over the city in highly populated areas. Bottles also have attached meaning, through things like the Health Warning Statement on drinks containing alcohol or caffeine content. They also have attached meaning through advertisements, specifically Coke and Sprite. Both drinks are extremely present during the holidays, such as the LeBron “Wanna Sprite Cranberry?” meme and the iconic Coke polar bear during the holidays. While that meaning may not be consciously aware to us, who typically focus on the contents of the beverage rather than the surrounding meaning, the way they are advertised or consumed creates that meaning. If someone sees a Coke ad with smiling, happy families, they could deduce that Coke makes you happy and gives you a sense of belonging (which isn’t the case). If someone sees someone sitting on the sidewalk with a bottle of alcohol in their hands, they can deduce that alcohol makes you sleepy, depressed, isolated, or some other assumption.

Background: The creature I will be acting as originates from a culture of concealing itself in a very specific environment, but its recently acquired dunks represent its desire to adapt, change, and absorb the culture surrounding it. Essentially, the creature sticks out like a sore thumb in an urban environment, but its incorporation of dunks into its attire shows a desire to be part of the environment it finds itself in and also to understand what that represents in its environment. The creature typically moves by crawling on the ground, but also making quick movements from one place to another, to conceal itself from others. However, after entering the environment it finds itself in, the creature understands that the urban jungle is not a place it can conceal itself among foliage. The creature walks curiously, but also cautiously, as it navigates this environment. The creature uses popular culture as its main device for communication. Its experiences in the city have led it to view bottles, which it can find on the street or in the trash, as its main communication device. After consuming human culture, it perceives the advertisements and appearances of these beverages as a way in which it can express its emotions or what it is feeling.

Gestures/Expressions: I want to establish base gestures that the creature uses to communicate. These gestures originate not from a historical or cultural context, but rather my understanding and creation of this creature. If there are similarities found between the gestures/expressions and those of other cultures or human culture, it is not intentional. That’s not to say that these gestures and expressions that I create are devoid of human influence, since I myself am a human. I just want to express that they are derived from my understanding of this creature I have created. The creature is struggling to learn how it can adapt itself to fit within an urban environment. A lot of the communication it used in its environment at home is now out-of-place in an urban setting. Therefore, when the creature tries to communicate, it has to assume the position it would while in its home environment, since it has not found a way to communicate in an urban environment. That’s not to say the creature is not adaptable, but it does not have the context to create new language in a foreign environment. The list below of gestures was generated using ChatGPT. I wanted to ask what basic forms of expression I can use to cohesively communicate with another person. I used the framework of the expressions it gave, such as a greeting or a farewell, but I want to avoid using the gestures it recommends since they are based on human-expression rather than a different species. Here is the convo: https://chat.openai.com/share/6de156d2-42d9-426a-ae92-158f445707e0 I will say that by using human expressions as a framework for creating these gestures, I am embracing human interaction and not creating an entirely individual and separate form of communication. I also am limiting the creature to this framework of communication, which means the creature itself may appear unintelligent, or limited in its ability to communicate. The intent is not to limit its intelligence or create a lens of being ‘lesser’, but rather to display the creature’s struggle to enter and conform to this new environment it finds itself in.

Gesture 1: Greeting [Coke bottle] Gesture 2: Farewell [Not sure] Gesture 3: Expressing Gratitude [Wine bottle?] Gesture 4: Showing agreement [Water bottle] Gesture 5: Disagreement or negotiation [Pepsi bottle] Gesture 6: Confusion [Squished soda can] Gesture 7: Approval or appreciation [Hennessy bottle???] Gesture 8: Disapproval or dislike [full soda bottle] Gesture 9: Requesting attention [Energy drink?] Gesture 10: Expressing sadness or empathy [Blue Moon bottle wrapped in paper bag]

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