#learning about cultures

[maisnamedmoon]

Young Justice Headcanons #1

Don't mind be posting this in German lesson, we are watching Christmas movies and this idea came over me. (The idea doesn't have anything to do with Christmas, I just hate them and didn't pay attention)

When Altantians sing it sounds something like gregorian throat singing.

The first time they heard it they were on a mission, Wally got hit while trying to contain the villain of the week. The wound wasn't deep, it didn't bleed much, but it hurt like a bitch. On the way back in the Bioship KF was laying in the back on a bench clutching his side, groaning every time a gust of wind shook the ship. After a particularly bad turbulence that had Wally wailing in pain, Kaldur'ahm stood and moved to the back, sitting down and taking Wally's head into his lap. After a while the others started to hear something akin to humming through the mind link, looking back they saw Wally seemingly asleep in Kaldur'ahm's lap. Kal was leaning against the wall, fingers raking through Wally's hair, eyes closed and head tipped back a bit, the angle together with the slight movement of his head from side to side gives a view of his gills fluttering in beat with the humming they can still hear in their heads.

The second time was after the weekend when the cave was empty, everyone was with their families, Connor and M'gann were on a date. Artemis, Robin and Roy just came back from Gotham, walking through the sitting and living area to the kitchen when they heard it again. The humming from a few weeks ago, but this time it seemed to vibrate in the air. Silently they creeped closer to the kitchen from where it seemed to originate, peeking around the corner they could see Kal sitting at the kitchen table, writing something, completely engrossed in it, not noticing them. He tipped back his head, mouth slightly open, gills vibrating he started making soft growl like sounds in the back of his throat. They fit perfectly in between the bouts of humming, blending together into a song.

"Is ... Is he singing?" Artemis asked, stunned at the display of Atlantian culture before her. When she didn't get an answer she looked at Roy, who's mouth was hanging open, staring at the dark skinned boy. Looking to her other side Robin was filming the whole thing "I'm so sending this to KF"

The third time was years later, the original team, Beast Boy, Robin and Blue Beetle were sitting on the couches in the living area, playing monopoly, Nightwing and Robin were obviously winning with Kal a close third (as the prodege of the King of Atlantis you had to pick up a thing or two about economics). M'gann, Gar and Nightwing were having a conversation about traditions, M'gann going on about Mars, while Nightwing was giving examples of how customs can change simply by crossing a river.

"Hey, Kaldur?"

Kal gave a sound of acknowledgement, encouraging Beast Boy to keep talking, while focussing on driving Robin to bankruptcy.

"Do the people in Atlantis sing? You know with the whole living in water thing? I'm sorry if that sounds weird"

Kal laughed, "Don't worry, I'm happy to answer questions. Yes, we do sing, the water makes the sounds travel differently, so it sounds different there than it does here, but yes, we do sing, it's part of almost every festivity"

"Oh that's lovely, can you sing something for us?" M'gann asked, always exited to learn something new.

Putting down the dice, Kal leaned back on his hands, face slightly angled towards the cave sealing. He started humming, after a bit his chest started rising and falling, with the growling and grunting sounds that made up a resemblance of a melody. And then he started singing in a low voice, still a bit growly, fist slamming on the floor to keep up a beat.

The team sat there on the couches, some on the floor and stared, mesmerized. Wally and Nightwing started humming with Kal, seemingly used to the Atlantian singing.

[oobbbear]

I want to post this here too because I’ve seen it happen a few times

Please understand that there are cultural differences and language differences, if you see this happening let the person clarify what they meant, that person might just not be familiar with words the western side of the internet use

[somethingsketchy3]

“Our child will always be a Bridgerton, but I should like them to know they are a Sharma as well” 💜🩵

the way this line lives in my mind rent free, like you don’t understand; the weight, the sentiments, the implications, in this essay i will—

ANYWAYS, i really hope to see baby Edmund in S4 👀

[whenmemorydies]

Can we talk about how, yes, Remmick represented the colonised turned coloniser but also how masterfully Ryan Coogler depicted this throughline of history on screen in about just 2 hours?

How many of the first white settlers to the US (and other settler-states of the British Empire like Canada and Australia) included the Puritans, the Irish, the Scottish etc - communities that had been brutalised at home by the English for generations - and then how those very same people blew their intergenerational trauma through the bodies of the peoples that they enslaved and colonised.*

How while those settlers are described with words such as "pioneering," ""adventurous," "industrious," and "brave" in their colonisation of the "wilds" of the New World, in reality many were actually fleeing political unrest, religious persecution and the barbarism of their places of origin.

How the oppression of the Old World followed them to the New World but how they were offered a seat at the table in exchange for their cultural and religious difference: an invitation into the decontextualised, ahistorical, transient void that is whiteness.

How in Sinners, that white void is represented by Remmick's vampire colony, with everyone doing the same jig and singing the same song as Remmick, their own individual cultures and histories be damned (contrast this to that beautiful sequence in the juke joint where a slew of multicultural ancestors and descendants commune at Sammie's call).

How the concept of whiteness has shifted over time in order to assimilate different people and communities and keep others subjugated.

How in Sinners, this shift is represented by Remmick changing his pitch to recruit others into his fellowship, depending on whose home he was trying to invade.

How legal definitions of whiteness in settler states gave the folks that they applied to more economic and social power than they ever had in the Old World. That power has flowed down for generations but it has come at the cost of connection to culture: the joy of ancestral connection, the grounding self-knowledge and communion of cultural practice (including through language, music, dance and pre-Christian religion).

How in Sinners, that cost is represented by Remmick's vampirism trapping him for eternity amongst the living, away from his people and also by the klan: folks who have embraced the void of whiteness so thoroughly that their cultural tenets are nothing more than hate, violence and destruction. Their whiteness brings them none of the joy, communion and love that we see in Smoke's memories of his community, just before his incendiary final scene.

And this is why Remmick wants Sammie, his songs and his stories. Its why his appetite for the blood and memories of others is insatiable. Remmick - as is the case with all colonisers and cultural appropriators - wants to fill the void.

*See: My Grandmother's Hands by therapist and trauma speicalist Dr Resmaa Menakem

[leafyeyes417]

I know this angle has been done before but don’t care lol

Prompt idea:

All the ghosts know Danny is a baby ghost and so come to give him enrichment (not that they tell him that). Skulker is a little overzealous about teaching the baby how to hunt. Even the Ancients Undergrowth, Nocturne, etc become involved after hearing just how powerful the new ghost is (though he still is nowhere near their actual level). Undergrowth is a little salty about the fact that the baby gained Ice powers during their playing. However, Vlad doesn’t follow the rules and when Pariah Dark happened all the ghosts were astounded when the baby actually beat him without ghostly aid. Suddenly the baby is the new prince and they are panicking because a baby should NOT be ruling! Danny suddenly learns a lot of truths and did not need the pressure of future kinghood please and thank you. He also doesn’t like the sudden fussing. Yes the food from Lunch Lady is nice (he’s never been healthier really) but he’s getting a bit overwhelmed by the 180 change in attitude.

[proselles]

the start of witch hat atelier before u realize how fucked the whole thing is is funny because you'll be reading and coco and agathe and tetia and riche are so cute and the world is so beautiful with so much lore and symbolism and they'll be going on adventures and learning and making new spells and having fun and making magic and smiling and playing pretend and all. They deal with some big issues, but ultimately, friendship prevails, they cook they clean olruggio's there yes there's a big conspiracy but coco's gonna figure it out! everything's gonna be okay!!!

And then you glance out of the corner of your eye. And qifrey is over there and he's like. Having a manic episode

[margaretkart]

Stop Treating Greek Mythology Like Just Another Fictional Franchise

I am honestly tired of seeing people lump Greek mythology into the same category as DC Comics, anime, or any other modern fictional universe. There’s this frustrating trend where people discuss figures like Odysseus or Achilles in the same breath as Batman or Goku, as if they’re just characters in a long-running franchise rather than deeply rooted cultural and literary icons from one of the most influential civilizations in history.

Yes, myths contain fantastical elements—gods turning into animals, heroes slaying monsters, mortals being punished or rewarded in ways that defy logic. But that does not mean Greek mythology is the same as a modern fantasy novel. These myths were part of an entire civilization’s identity. The ancient Greeks didn’t just tell these stories for entertainment; they used them to explain the world, explore human nature, justify traditions, and even shape their religious practices. The Odyssey isn’t just an adventurous tale about a guy struggling to get home—it’s a reflection of Greek values, an exploration of heroism, fate, and the gods' role in human life. When people treat it as nothing more than “fiction,” they erase the cultural weight it carried for the people who created it.

Greek mythology functioned in antiquity—these were their sacred stories, their way of making sense of the universe. And yet, people will still argue that the Odyssey is no different from a DC Elseworlds story, as if it was just an early attempt at serialized storytelling rather than a cornerstone of Western literature.

Part of the problem comes from how myths have been adapted in modern media. Hollywood and pop culture have turned Greek mythology into a shallow aesthetic, cherry-picking elements for the sake of spectacle while stripping away any historical or cultural depth. Movies like Clash of the Titans or games like God of War reimagine the myths in ways that make them feel like superhero stories—cool battles, flashy gods, exaggerated personalities. And while those adaptations can be fun, they’ve also contributed to this weird idea that Greek myths are just another IP (intellectual property) that anyone can rewrite however they want, without considering their original context.

This becomes especially frustrating when people defend radical reinterpretations of Greek mythology under the “it’s just fiction” excuse. No, Greek mythology is not just fiction! It’s cultural heritage. It’s part of history. It’s literature. It’s philosophy. If someone drastically rewrote a Shakespearean play and justified it by saying, “Well, it’s just an old story,” people would push back. If someone did the same to the Mahabharata or The Tale of Genji , there would be outrage. But when it happens to Greek myths? Suddenly, it’s “just fiction,” and any criticism is dismissed as overreacting.

I am not saying mythology should be untouchable. Reinterpretation and adaptation have always been a part of how these stories survive—Euripides retold myths differently from Homer, and Ovid gave his own spin on Greek legends in his Metamorphoses. The difference is that those ancient reinterpretations still respected the source material as cultural history, rather than treating it as some creative sandbox where anything goes. When people defend blatant inaccuracies in modern adaptations by saying, “It’s just a story, why does it matter?” they are ignoring the fact that these myths are a major link to an ancient civilization that shaped so much of what we call Western culture today.

Ultimately, Greek mythology deserves the same level of respect as any major historical and literary tradition. It’s not a superhero franchise. It’s not a random fantasy series. It’s the legacy of a civilization that continues to influence philosophy, literature, art, and even modern storytelling itself. So let’s stop treating it like disposable entertainment and start appreciating it for the depth, complexity, and significance it truly holds.

[bumblingbabooshka]

Thinking about marriage/women's rights on Vulcan Some may think that T'Pring not being allowed to divorce Spock was because he was going through the pon farr but if she were allowed to divorce him at all she probably would have done that a long time ago, confirmed by T'Pol when she's speaking with Koss, who isn't suffering from the pon farr. She says that he can choose another mate (without invoking a fight it seems: note the difference between a 'mate' and a 'challenger') and after he makes it clear that nothing she says will change his mind about marrying her, she finally threatens to declare a kal-if-fee. It's clear that Vulcan women cannot divorce/refuse to marry a man they've been betrothed to under any circumstances if A) He himself doesn't consent to ending their marriage or B) She doesn't have someone else waiting in the wings to be given to in his stead. Though, if the challenger she selects fails to win the fight, she'll have to marry her betrothed anyway unless (again) he decides he doesn't want her after the challenge. That seems like an incredibly unfair system, heavily biased towards men. SNW is an alternate universe in many obvious respects but most egregiously in that T'Pring has a lot of non-canonical agency over her relationship with Spock. It's interesting to me that Vulcan society has women in many positions of power and treats women as equal to men from what I've seen despite these laws. We don't really see Vulcans exhibiting a misogynistic attitude towards women in general but in TOS (perhaps because of its general writing style but it's still interesting to note) both Sarek and Spock take on patriarchal attitudes specifically regarding wives. Amanda says that 'of course' Sarek commands her because "he is a Vulcan and I am his wife." It's worthwhile in my eyes to note that she specifies 'wife' instead of attributing this attitude to women as a whole. Again, with TOS' writing style it wouldn't be out of place for her to say "he is a man and I am a woman." Spock, while in a pon farr induced irritation, states that it's "undignified for a woman to play servant to a man that isn't hers" - again implying that there's something specific about being a Wife in Vulcan society which is different from being a woman in general and demands subservience to a husband. This could perhaps stem from the extreme sense of ownership that Vulcan law has permitted men to have over women. A woman legally cannot point blank refuse marriage. There is no option which guarantees she won't have to marry her betrothed other than death. When T'Pau speaks of T'Pring she refers to her as being 'property' and Stonn, before being interrupted, states he's made 'the ancient claim' - we don't know what this is because he gets cut off but it's obvious they're both using the language of Vulcan law. Men are permitted true freedom to choose. If a woman wants to choose someone else to be with there is no option available to her other than the kal-if-fee which might result in the death of the one she wants to be with. And, if her lover fails, her husband can still just decide he wants to marry her and she'll be forced to. T'Pring gives two scenarios: One where Spock 'frees' her and one where he doesn't - it's still ultimately his decision which is clear when he ends the conversation with "Stonn, she is yours." This again isn't just because of the pon farr as T'Pol also goes through this. Koss can choose another mate and when the option is talked about there's no implication that this would result in any sort of fight (both by the casualness of its mention and by the fact that there's no formal word for it unlike the kal-if-fee.) Also, the fact that Koss does eventually grant T'Pol a divorce and it's all fine means that T'Pol isn't lawfully required to have another man waiting if her HUSBAND doesn't want her. It's ONLY required if SHE doesn't want her husband. Tradition must take precedence over individual desire UNLESS!!! You're a man. Then it's fine. Like, your parents might not be happy but legally you're golden.

[sincerely-sofie]

Outfit swap!

(Shortly before the above:)

[inkyrainstorms]

dating sim this dating sim that- give me a game where I can play as one of the Stan twins on a cool as fuck mystery monster hunt on the Stan o War II and my life is yours. I wanna go collect research and artifacts and sail the seven seas and stock inventory and bicker with the other Stan twin on a boat. I wanna haggle with shopkeepers and uncover clues to the location and history of whatever anomaly we’re searching for by talking to people and searching the ports and docks.

That would be so fun are you kidding me. Is this mic on.

[youcalledsworld]

DP x DC prompt

Time traveling Danny Phantom doing missions for Clockwork. On these missions he makes friends and learns about the culture. He always comes back with souvenirs they can be clothes, weapons, books, anything really.

Aquaman invites the Justice League to his birthday party in Atlantis. Everyone was happy to come especially Phantom who was so excited because he hasn't visited Atlantis in a while. Before Arthur could ask what he meant by that Phantom flew away.

Cue Phantom showing up in traditional royal Atlantean clothing that hasn't been worn in hundreds of years because the material went extinct. Now Danny has to fight off Queen Mera and historians demanding he hands it over, while he is refusing to because a kind man gifted it to him for helping save his son and daughter.

[bauliya]

quite nothing highlights us hegemony as americans only now saying omg I’m finally learning about a new culture by going on rednote while the rest of us have been forced to know what the fuck a karjenner is since age 12

[peachdoxie]

Reading all this Batfam fic has me trying to guess what stuff happened in canon based on how often it's referenced in multiple works like I'm some scholar trying to reconstruct some ancient lost ur-text based on other people's retellings of it. Like, I'm pretty sure the Batman canon included a scene where Red Hood breaks into the Titans Tower, attacks Tim Drake, and leaves a message saying "Jason Todd was here." Variants of it have shown up in quite a few fics I've read. Do I know the details? Not really. I think that Tim's shoulder was dislocated and the other Titans were drugged, too, but I'm less sure about those than I am of the event broadly happening. Granted, the first fandom in which I read copious amounts of fic is Danny Phantom, notorious for its extensive fanon, so I'm aware that I can't say conclusively whether or not Red Hood attacked Tim Drake in Titans Tower. But I'm pretty sure it happened.

[wisteriasymphony]

hey maybe asking the white guy to teach you chinese is a stupid idea or something

[ventique18]

🐉 surprises you one day by attempting to converse with you fully in your mother tongue. No, not the common language that you seemed to have just automatically learned when you were whisked to Twisted Wonderland, but the language from your original world. Some of his pronunciations are hilariously awkward and he uses slangs here and there that doesn't fit with his usually formal appearance, but he's trying. God, he's trying.

And you don't know why but you feel like crying. This guy, socially inept as he is, is trying to make you feel like you're at home in a place so unlike home.

When you ask how in the world he knew about your language, he confesses that he's been keeping note of words and phrases you absentmindedly use in conversations, along with what he assumes are their meaning. He apologizes for taking too long to be confident enough to speak to you like this, but he was afraid that he'd sound like he's disrespecting your home if he didn't practice enough by himself.

"I know I sound like a fool. Your language is rather difficult on my tongue."

"It's fine... It's... It's more than fine. You didn't have to... You didn't... You didn't have to..." You can't find the words to say to him. You can't properly express your emotions.

"I do not wish to settle for fine... I want to know everything about you. Everything. So,"

"Maaari mo ba akong turuan?" [Won't you teach me?]