#my experience and knowledge is my own and some may disagree or have different experiences and knowledge

[medicaldoctordana]

Re Fox “not a psychologist” Mulder

He has a very valid point when he says this.

While in the pilot he is described as “an Oxford educated psychologist” and utilizes his knowledge of psychology for profiles in the violent crimes unit and on the x-files, he is very much not a psychologist.

At least here in the US, you earn the title of “psychologist” after you have obtained a masters degree or higher (such as a PhD or PsyD) and/or accreditation from a society/state/etc. (PsyD is a doctor of psychology which is different from an MD who practices psychiatry- psychology and psychiatry have differences as well) This is very nuanced and in laymen terms is questionably acceptable to use the term psychologist in reference to Fox Mulder, however, technically he is correct— he is not a psychologist.

The reason is due to credentialism and ethics, anyone can get an associates or bachelors in psychology but “higher education” is a way to gatekeep the profession and to protect the utilization of the knowledge you learn as a psychology student due to the nature of the study. There is higher moral and ethical stakes the more educated you are so only the highest educated may claim the title of psychologist. This concept falls into “scope of practice” and is most applicable in medical and related fields.

(Disregarding moral and societal implication of this act- it’s a complicated issue)

For example, You shouldn’t try hypnosis on someone until you’ve been adequately trained on the technique and consequences (neutral term). These standards are often set by entities such as the American psychological association and is often why you cannot practice psychology without a license- a degree alone is not enough to prove capability and responsibility.

In Dreamland 2 we see his diploma from Oxford University and he has a bachelor’s of science in psychology. He is not trained in clinical psychology, educational psychology, industrial psychology, school psychology, etc. His degree in psychology is one of science so it’s very likely his education had a focus on research and statistics more so than broad theory and principles. (Difference between a Bachelors of Science and a Bachelors of Arts in psychology).

All in all, yes he has a degree in psychology but he is not a psychologist. It’s very likely he would have had the time to get at least a masters before recruitment to the FBI but it is never established he has more than a bachelors from Oxford. I am also not well versed on psychology degrees in the UK and how the education and credits transfer to the US.

[anghraine]

I've been moving and navigating further departmental nonsense etc (my pseudo-dissertation got approved for defending, though! l o l). But it was interesting to see the Worst P&P Takes poll I reblogged accumulating more results and the general tenor of responses in the notes.

I mean, the results are definitely to be expected if you're familiar with the side of Austen fandom doing a lot of the reblogging etc. But still, interesting!

Many Tumblr polls specify that they're asking about personal preferences that may be irrational—favorite/least favorite, coolest/most annoying, or something like that. This one, though, asked for the worst interpretation of P&P, not the most annoying one—and the current leader is "Darcy is never really proud, he's just shy and probably has anxiety" against some very steep competition on the Bad Takes front.

I was thinking about why that seemed a kind of tediously predictable choice even though I agree that the take is wrong, and realized that while I do disagree with the shy Darcy interpretation and I particularly disagree with the specific formulation where he is never proud at all, it ultimately feels to me like a failure of nuance rather than just completely wrongheaded like some of the others. And this is probably my fundamental difference with a lot of Darcy takes I see!

In my opinion, a character who is introverted and who feels awkward in various social situations and who doesn't like common social activities and who has to work himself up to talking to his crush and who is repeatedly suggested to behave very differently in contexts where he's more comfortable being interpreted as shy and anxious is not that big of a leap.

Yes, it's important that he is actually fundamentally confident and haughty, that he makes his personal feelings of discomfort other people's problem, and that he thinks he's such a unique and special butterfly that he doesn't need to even put in an effort outside his personal social circle. But it's a misreading that is easy to follow (and long predates the 2005 P&P, as I've mentioned before!).

The additional misreading that a shy and anxious Darcy is also never proud at all is a much more drastic leap, and in my experience, condemnations of shy Darcy interpretations rarely differentiate between "Darcy is shy as well as arrogant" and "Darcy is shy rather than arrogant" as interpretations (although their basic arguments are quite different). But even that as the worst possible misreading of P&P when Darcy is not even the main character is ?????????

I mean, for one alternative (not even the one I voted for!), the idea that Elizabeth is an author avatar Mary Sue seems a far worse misreading of P&P than basically anything to do with Darcy at all. The center piece of the entire novel is Elizabeth's epiphany of self-knowledge about her own shortcomings that do not particularly resemble Austen's at all, but were ethically a concern for her, and she's a complex, interesting character in general whom Austen correctly regarded as a major achievement. Inverting that into Elizabeth as an improbably perfect, reality-warping self-insert is deeply wrong and frankly pretty misogynistic as well.

(ngl though, it's a little funny to see such a blatantly terrible reading of Elizabeth rank so far behind the shy Darcy votes. I've gotten "does anyone actually think/say that?" so many times on my posts about Austen fandom's prioritization of Darcy's character development over Elizabeth's and yet...)

And even just going with the Darcy-centric misreadings, the idea of Darcy as a "bad boy" seems easily the most absolutely wrong take on him. His pride is at least complicated and the finer points can be fairly debated and it's a quality that actually changes somewhat throughout the novel, and you can have discussion over what happened when, whose testimonies should be weighted more, etc. But there is no point at which "bad boy" isn't utterly wrong for him. However, there's definitely a tendency in some wings of the fandom to find the idea of Darcy being misread too favorably more objectionable than him being read too unfavorably, regardless of the particulars, so it's not a surprise.

I suppose you could argue about what "worst" means in the context of variously bad interpretations. Like, is an interpretation that is about a fairly trivial aspect of the book but extremely wrong about it "worse" than an interpretation that is pretty bad but at least comprehensibly so about something very important?

[dn-838]

In defence of Undertale Yellow, how it can work with Undertale’s canon

So, I have seen a lot of debating recently on Undertale Yellow and whether or not it fits what we know already about the lore in Undertale. Of course Flowey’s presence in the mod is the primary thing that has sparked this debate, with many believing that he can’t have existed at the same time as the Justice Soul and that it is a major hole that breaks the continuity of Undertale. I however, as someone who has spent way too much time with Undertale and has vast knowledge about even the most obscure of details in the game, disagree. I believe that Undertale Yellow fits the original games canon well… maybe a bit too well, and I am here to give my own arguments against the things that I commonly see people say doesn’t fit the original game’s continuity. This may contain a few spoilers for Undertale Yellow, so unless you’ve already seen all 3 routes or for whatever reason don’t care about having the game spoiled, don’t read further until you are done.

Argument 1: all the Souls were already collected by the creation of Flowey and the amalgamates

Okay so this one I don’t really have much to say about. Yes Flowey and the Amalgamates were created using the SOULs of some of the collected humans, however it’s never specified that it was from 6 humans, all that’s made clear is that Asgore did have human SOULs (in plural) that were used in the experiment.

Argument 2: the timeline doesn’t match up

The timeline has always been a confusing topic among the Undertale community. While the most likely estimate of the gap between Chara and Frisk falling is 100 years due to what Sans tells us during his date.

There are a few reasons for us to believe that the gap is much smaller, especially considering the weird nature of the Deltarune timeline and the supposed grudge Chara seems to have against Snowdrake in Genocide (who is stated to only be a teenager).

However, no matter how you view the timeline, unless you have specific dates in mind for things like when Gaster was the Royal Scientist and when the fall of Integrity-Justice happened, or think the gap was REALLY short, Undertale Yellow doesn’t really contradict it too much. The game itself is meant to take place just a year before Undertale, with all the same characters existing in similar positions to how they do by the time of Undertale, however we never encounter them due to being on a completely different path that takes us to very different parts of the underground, being why they don’t behave like they encountered a human before in Undertale.

Integrity is a bit more interesting, because it can vary massively depending on how you view the lifespans of the Ketsukane’s, Starlo (Starlo won’t be important to this, but I mention him since he was childhood friends with Ceroba) and Dalv. It is strongly implied that as a kid, Dalv was best friends with Kanako, and was attacked by the Integrity human some point before the games events. At first you’d assume that this was all not meant to be long before the events of the game, however, Integrity was killed by Axis in UTY, a robot that was being worked on by Chujin back when the Steamworks were still in operation, which we can assume was long before the events of the game due to the state of the Steamworks itself and the fact it is stated to have been used as the source of all power in the underground, which would mean it would likely have shut down around the period that the CORE was first put into operation, so all the way back when Gaster was still the Royal Scientist, whenever you think that was (Axis wasn’t sent to kill the human until after Chujin was fired from his position, however due to the way Axis is locked up and deactivated before we wake up the Steamworks, we can assume he was shut down with the rest of the facility). On top of all this Dalv is shown to be a lot older than he presumably would have been when he was attacked by Integrity, and with him being a Vampire, you could say that he aged that much at a slower rate than a human would, with the Ketsukane’s also aging slow, 2 of them being Boss Monsters and one of them being a 9 tailed fox. We know that some monsters do likely age at very different rates due to monsters like Gerson who lived through the war.

So to give the whole timeline, basically, Chujin worked in the Steamworks and made Axis back before or during Gaster’s time as the royal scientist. After several failed prototypes that eventually got Chujin fired, Axis was sent to chase down and kill Integrity. He managed and Chujin kept the Soul hidden and over the span of years recorded a few tapes for what he had planning, meanwhile Dalv, who was previously attacked by Integrity, went into hiding, locking himself into a mostly dark and unknown part of the ruins. At some point when Alphy’s became the Royal Scientist, Chujin started to mentor Martlet, which led Martlet to enter the True Lab and get some strange serum. Eventually Chujin died around a year or two before UTY, revealing his hidden tapes to Ceroba, which Kanako overheard. This led to Ceroba attempting to inject Kanako with the Integrity soul, leading to Kanako falling and being donated to Alphy’s, and her of course then becoming an amalgamate.

Argument 3: Asgore killed all 6 of the other humans

Okay so this one is interesting, because Undyne does imply that humans before Frisk did make it to Asgore, with her saying that “no human has ever made it PAST Asgore” rather than “no human has ever made it TO Asgore”

The thing is, that other humans reached Asgore is all this really does imply, it doesn’t necessarily mean all humans made it to Asgore. You could argue that most of them died to Asgore, with Integrity and Justice being the only exceptions. If you really want to stretch you could even say that this line was actually just another attempt from Undyne to make Asgore sound like a powerful and threatening force (since she tries to make him out like that quite a bit in her fight, such as by saying that killing us is an act of mercy right after this), although I find this unlikely.

There is another line of dialogue that I sometimes see used to try and prove that Asgore killed all 6, and while it’s not used close to as much, I’ll still just quickly clear it up.

This doesn’t really mean that much, all it’s saying is that all the humans that leave the ruins inevitably die. She likely wouldn’t know any details on their deaths do to her isolation, and even if she had some knowledge she would probably still place the blame on Asgore due to his part in waging war and coming up with the plan to kill 7 humans in the first place.

Argument 4: The introduction of new incredibly powerful characters makes no sense

Okay, so this is a weird one, however the explanation for it is fairly simple. Nobody in UTY compares to the original Undertale cast when it comes to how “powerful” they are. We struggle so much against the opponents we face as Clover because well… Clover is much weaker than Frisk, bosses like Ceroba and Axis pale in comparison to Undyne and Mettaton, they just seem much harder since we are playing as a human with much less determination than Frisk. In Pacifist Clover fights a depressed fox lady, meanwhile Frisk fights a literal god; in Neutral Clover goes through a struggle fighting through Flowey’s mind after having his Soul absorbed, meanwhile Frisk holds on against Flowey with 6 Souls until those Souls rebel; and in Genocide Clover takes some time to finally destroy Axis, the failed prototype that got Chujin fired, meanwhile Frisk atomised Mettaton NEO, The greatest invention of the Scientist who was selected to replace Gaster, in a single blow.

The only Undertale Yellow character that I’d say surpasses any character in Undertale would of course be Zenith Martlet, but even then LV 19 Frisk would mop the floor with her, while LV 19 Clover had to go through a lot of effort to beat her, only ever managing to surpass Flowey in Determination after doing so. At LV 20 both Clover and Frisk have massive boosts from LV 19, however Frisk is far stronger, having awakened Chara and caused the destruction of everything, while Clover just destroys Asgore with a super laser blast directly from their Soul and leaves.

Argument 5: miscellaneous

Just to clear up any further confusion, I’ll give quick explanations for some more minor points that I have encountered

Nobody in the original Undertale apart from Flowey, Toriel and Asgore meets Clover, so the other monsters in Undertale acting like they had never met one makes sense.

Flowey not just stealing Clovers Soul is explained well by the game itself. He plans to, however he doesn’t get the chance in Pacifist; sees that we couldn’t surpass Asgore in Flawed Pacifist; steals our soul but is unsatisfied with the outcome and resets in Neutral, and gets gunned down in Genocide.

Toriel believing that it’s been a long time since a previous human fell when she sees Frisk in Undertale doesn’t mean much, she mostly lives isolated in the Ruins, with the other monsters being too afraid to speak with her, considering this and just generally how much seemed to have happened within that year, time could have felt much slower. Alternatively you could argue that the 6 humans all fell within months of each other, and that a years gap is a long time in comparison to the rate the first 6 fell (or 5, since she says the exact same thing to Clover).

Both Flowey and Clover using file 1 at the end of Genocide doesn’t fit what we know about save files no, however I feel it is a little nit-picky to use it as a definitive reason to discredit how well UTY fits into canon, after all the only thing you’d need to do is change the numbers and this would be fixed.

The Gunsmith having been born a week before the Human Vs Monster war doesn’t go against anything we already know. As stated before, we know that at least some monsters like Gerson do live for a very long time.

Flowey having more determination than Clover also doesn’t break anything. Flowey was injected with DT from 5 human Souls. The thing is that Frisk was special when it came to the amount of determination they had.

Unlike with most of the other cast, nobody in Undertale actually indicates that Flowey never met a human prior to Frisk.

Chujin being a boss Monster doesn’t contradict what we know about Boss Monsters. We know that the Dreemurrs are boss monsters, but nothing tells us that they are the only boss monsters.

Argument 6: the nature of the SAVE files contradicts Undertale Yellow

Here we go, the penultimate argument I shall argue against. Never did I expect for this obscure piece of Undertale lore to be the bane of my existence but here we are. For a short time I thought that this could not be countered, only after I had walked away from a discussion completely defeated did the pieces finally start to come together, and now finally�� I have an explanation.

First things first, let’s look at the 10 save files. The files go from file 0 to file 9. We know that File 0 likely belongs to Chara due to it being the one that we save with in Undertale, and that file 9 belongs to Frisk since it works as the games Autosave/Checkpoint system. File 8 would then of course belong to Flowey, not just because it’s the one just before Frisks but because File 8 appears in your files after you beat Omega Flowey to mark your completion of a Neutral run, likely implying that his previous SAVE was of course when he was Omega Flowey. Flowey also uses files 2, 3 and 6 throughout the Omega Flowey battle, and since Toriel implies that other humans who fell were also able to save and reset, we can assume that 2-6 likely belonged to previously fallen humans.

Now the only files that need an explanation are file 1 and file 7, and I’ve seen 2 interesting theories for this. The first is that file 1 belongs to Asriel after he took Chara’s Soul, and the other is that file 7 belongs to Lemon Bread since they know what a SAVE point looks like and tries to trick us with it; but the thing is, which one of these are true? Surely it can’t be both since we know one needs to belong to the 6th… okay I’ll cut that out you already know I’m going to say they are both true.

So for Asriel having file 1, he absorbed Chara’s Soul so should have all of their determination and therefore should also have overtaken their ability to SAVE. Of course it’s unlikely that Asriel would have made anything out of it since the idea of saving and loading was fairly alien to Flowey, however that doesn’t necessarily rule out the possibility that Asriel didn’t SAVE or at least have a file created.

Lemon Bread is a bit more complicated, and we are gonna need to look into the order of events within the True Lab to try and work this out. Firstly, we need to look at some of the true lab entries.

ASGORE asked everyone outside the city for monsters that had "fallen down."

Their bodies came in today.

They're still comatose... And soon, they'll all turn into dust.

But what happens if I inject "determination" into them?

If their SOULS persist after they perish, then...

Freedom might be closer than we all thought.

This is entry 6, when the fallen down monsters are given to Alphy’s and have Determination injected into them.

I've chosen a candidate.

I haven't told ASGORE yet, because I want to surprise him with it...

In the center of his garden, there's something special.

The first golden flower, that grew before all the others.

The flower from the outside world.

It appeared just before the queen left.

I wonder...

What happens when something without a SOUL gains the will to live?

This is entry 8, Alphy’s gets a hold of a golden flower that she injects Determination into.

“One of the bodies opened its eyes.

This is entry 13, when the fallen monsters started to regain consciousness, 7 entries after they were first delivered.

Seems like this research was a dead end...

But at least we got a happy ending out of it...?

I sent the SOULS back to ASGORE, returned the vessel to his garden....

And I called all of the families and told them everyone's alive.

I'll send everyone back tomorrow. :)

This is entry 15, by this point all the monsters that had fallen down were awake, and the still not conscious Golden Flower was still just a Flower, being returned alongside the human Souls.

no No NO NO NO NO NO

This is entry 16, the fallen down monsters started to melt together and create the amalgamates.

the flower's gone.

Finally, we have entry 18, when Alphy’s noticed that the Flower seems to have disappeared from the garden, 10 entries after she first selected it.

So, why are these entries so important? Well we know that to have ever held the ability to SAVE, Lemon Bread would have to had held the right amount of Determination before Flowey first became conscious in the garden, and did they? Yes, yes they did. Flowey could have awakened anywhere in the timeframe between entry 15 when he was returned to entry 18 when Alphy’s noticed him gone, however all the fallen down monsters that were injected with Determination were already awake by this point, and therefore prior to Flowey waking up, they would have been the most determined beings in the underground, perhaps with enough determination that whichever monster happened to have the most was able to SAVE. The time that they would have had with the ability would also have at least been for longer than Asriel had it since Flowey can’t have awoken until after a couple entries later at the bare minimum. Of course since this follows the idea that Lemon Bread had the SAVE ability since they knew what a SAVE point looks like, we can assume that the monster in question would have been Shyren’s sister, since I doubt that the Moldbygg and Aaron that also make up Lemon Bread would hold such a role.

Argument 7: Flowey’s backstory

I really thought I was done with this infuriating Flower, but it appears not. For there is a single hole I need to clear up… Flowey’s Genocide speech. Of course this should be fairly simple to clear up-

Ah… well okay this makes things interesting. If Flowey didn’t know where the Souls were stored then that would make it very hard to believe that Flowey ever encountered a human before Frisk since if that were the case then Flowey would definitely have an opportunity to sneak by and see where they are hiding, however this is not what the dialogue actually means. Flowey knew where the Souls were, he sneaks in to steal them in Neutral while we are talking to a defeated Asgore, his only issue was that he wasn’t able to get them out without Asgore. In repeated Neutral runs he still just waits until we are distracted with Asgore to take the Souls, and in Pacifist he takes them while the main cast are all distracted which again is when the canisters are open and available.

On a last note, here’s some dialogue that actually helps the idea that Flowey encountered another human.

It’s made clear all throughout the underground that humans have far greater Determination than monsters, and while you could argue that Flowey was just overconfident in his abilities, it’s still fairly strange that Flowey would still find a human having the DT to overwrite his abilities something special, unless of course he’d encountered a human previously who wasn’t able to do as much.

Conclusion

So, that’s about all I have to say, honestly I’m just glad to be done with it. This was a lot of work, and I’m excited to see this post which I’ve been working on for 3 days get completely dismantled almost immediately. Anyways, wish everyone reading a good day and goodbye!

[max1461]

I think something that many people of the high-modern bent (leftists, rationalists, etc.) tend to forget when they talk about society is this: many people (I would conjecture, most people) are not hedonists, either in philosophy or practice. There exist many things which people value inherently, above and beyond the capacity of those things to produce pleasure.

One ready-to-mind example is morality: people will often sacrifice their happiness significantly to do what they believe is right. If they happen to have a hedonist ethics, then we might say that they're still trying to maximize net pleasure overall, but if they don't have a hedonist ethics this is certainly not the case. They might, for instance, have a virtue ethics or a deontological ethics, and make great sacrifices to their own happiness in order to behave in a way they believe is just.

The above example is, I think, a special case of a broader class of example, whereby people make sacrifices to their own happiness in order to embody their ideal self. If your ideal self is very skilled at something, you may forgo a great deal of pleasure in pursuit of that skill. Think if Olympic athletes, who I frankly doubt tend to recoup the total lost pleasure of all the strict dieting and regimented lifestyle and so on via the pleasure they get from training and competing. Think of anyone who makes great personal sacrifices for achievement. Or think of the tortured artist, the virtual archetype of a person who cares more about the quality of their work than their own wellbeing. But cases need not be so extreme: I can think of many people who I would consider normal, healthy, happy individuals, who just happen to be a little competitive, and who I suspect are not pleasure-maximizing by spending so much time practicing at their skill of choice. Am I meant to tell them they are wrong for doing this?

There is a tendency in contemporary society to pathologize this way of interacting with the world, even among people who don't conceptualize themselves as hedonists, but I reject the idea that it is something to be avoided. I myself value my own pleasure, of course, and other people's pleasure too. But I also value things above and beyond the degree to which they give me pleasure: I value knowledge, I value success at my endeavors, I value aesthetics, I value the wellbeing of my friends and loved ones. All of these things I would gladly sacrifice some amount of net pleasure to advance. It is furthermore the case that I have been happiest in life, experienced the most pleasurable existence, when I have felt that I was successfully advancing these goals. It is possibly the case that I could experience more net pleasure by abandoning these goals and totally changing who I am (through, perhaps we can imagine, some sort of brainwashing), but I would of course be vehemently opposed to this. And so it is notable that maximizing satisfaction of my non-hedonic goals is also the state which achieves the local maximum of pleasure. Anything greater would involve greater changes to my psyche—wireheading, in short. I think this too is true of many people.

Anyway, I'm not a utilitarian (for mostly nitpicky philosophical reasons), but to a first approximation I am a preference utilitarian. To me, acting justly towards someone means working to make it that their preferences are satisfied in addition to your own, in some sort of appropriate balance where the two conflict. This is not, to a first approximation, hedonic utilitarianism, which differs obviously in how it handles wireheading but which I think also disagrees in more nearterm ways, like (perhaps) "whether we should pathologize highly competitive people" and so on.

Anyway, if you are a local high-modernist dreamer (affectionate) (self-recognizing), and you find me on your post grumbling about something, I think there's about an 80% chance that something amounts to "not preference utilitarian enough!". Or whatever.

[icantthinkofanythingcool3]

Sessions

This is probably going to be only for a very niche part of the internet, but I'm obsessed with Bones again at the moment so here ya go.

Agent Y/n is an FBI agent that occasionally works with Booth, Bones, and the team. She has become good friends with Sweets, and Angela. After an extra brutal case that involved a serial killer and an intense fixation on Agent Y/n herself, Y/n needs mandated counseling from her favorite psychologist. The following are the sessions that document the beginning of something more than a professional or even friendly relationship.  

Session 1

“For the record, I think this is totally unnecessary.” Y/n sighed. 

“I do not agree. You’ve been through a traumatizing experience.” 

“How is this any more traumatizing than the events I witness on a day-to-day basis. This is literally my job Lance.” 

“It’s not everyday that a killer is specifically targeting you y/n, so, once again, I disagree. Plus it’s mandated by the FBI, so you don’t really have a choice.” Lance said matter of factly, “I’ll take your extreme eye roll as acceptance. You know some people say that your eyes could get stuck that way.” 

“Shut up and do your psycho shit.” 

“There’s nothing for me to do, we just need to talk. We talk all the time, what’s the problem now?” 

“We talk as friends, this is not us talking as friends Lance, this is some bullshit test to see if I’m still capable of doing my job. I don’t think it’s fair to me to think that just because some asshole murderer decided to set his sights on me means that I suddenly don’t have the ability to do my damn job anymore!” 

“Y/N that’s, well that’s actually an accurate depiction so I can’t debate that. But I want you to understand it’s not me personally that feels like that. It’s the men upstairs, as one would say, you can still talk to me.” 

“Isn’t that a conflict of interest?” Y/n smirked at him

“Well, if I thought this could actually be a problem I absolutely would have suggested that you go to a different psychologist, but I don’t think it’s that kind of problem. I still think you need to talk to someone though.” 

“Ehh, I think we need to talk more about how you’re totally showing favoritism here.”

“Let’s talk about that after we talk about you, yeah?”

 “If you insist, Dr. Sweets.”

Session 2 “How many more of these do we have to do?” Y/n complained. 

“This is only session number two y/n, I think you know it’s going to take more than that. I would like to discuss how you’re feeling now. It’s been exactly 10 days since he was caught.” 

“Well, I would still like to talk about how you’re showing immense favoritism by seeing me as a patient since we’re quote, unquote friends.”

“Woah, woah, now that makes it seem like you don’t think we’re friends.” 

“Now, I didn’t say that, but I would like to dissect why that was your immediate thought.” 

“Oh, so now you’re the psychologist, huh?” Lance asked, quietly laughing at y/n. 

“Yes, you know what. I think I would like to switch professions…would you mind switching seats with me? I think it’s time for me to take over this session.”  

“You know what, sure. I think this will be good for my analysis. Go ahead there y/n, take your new seat.”

 “So Mr. Sweets-”

“Woah, woah so in your fantasy my degrees suddenly fail to exist?”

“Shhhhhh, we’re doing things my way now, remember? So, Mr. Sweets, why is it that you seem to be showing me favoritism?” 

“Well technically, how can I be showing favoritism if, in this fantasy, you have taken away my degrees therefore I would have no-”

“Lance!!!!! You are not making this fun for me!!!! Can you stop with your logic please and just answer my question?! Why are you avoiding the answer?” Y/n said half joking, but also half annoyed at him for not letting her have any fun. 

“Okay, okay. Well, Dr. y/l/n, I suppose I show you favoritism because you’re one of my favorite people. Some may say, as I’m sure you know with your vast knowledge of psychology and all the varying fields, that I’ve been creating my own family since my parents died. I consider you one of those people.”

 “Wow…that’s. I…don’t….that’s probably one of the most honest and sweetest things anyone has ever said to me… As a friend, not as a psychologist of my vast knowledge, will you tell me about them? About your parents?” 

“Of course I will.” 

Session 3

“Y/n are we finally going to discuss what we’re here to talk about?” 

“I don’t wanna.” 

“Do you think that maybe it means something that you don’t want to talk about it?” 

“No, I just don’t wanna.”

“Y/n, come on. The longer this drags out the longer we have to keep doing these sessions.” 

“Well maybe I like the sessions and I don’t want them to end.” 

“Well, you know they don’t have to, right? Just because we speak about what we have to discuss doesn't mean that we have to stop having the sessions, just that I can finally sign off on the papers your bosses are asking for. If we can get through this we can talk about whatever you want in the next session, maybe even me again if that’s what you would prefer.” 

“Fine, but I just want to say that I am doing this entirely against my will…”

“I will definitely put that on the record.” 

“I guess what I feel is…not safe. I don’t feel safe at my house, I don’t feel safe at work, I don’t feel safe in the field. Honestly, the only place I feel safe is here. I guess that’s why I don’t want these meetings to end. See there goes my vast psychological knowledge at work.”

There was a moment of silence where y/n said, “See this is exactly why I didn’t want to say anything. Your face looks sad, like you’re pitying me right now.” 

“I’m not pitying you, y/n. That’s not what I'm feeling right now. I’m feeling sad for someone I care about because they just told me they don’t feel safe anymore. I’m frustrated that you can’t function in life without being scared. I’m angry that some maniac decided to set his sights on you and now you’re not who you were before. I’m just pissed, I’m…I don’t even know.” 

“I think you’re more angry than I am. Can’t you take some comfort that I find some solace in here with you?” 

“Well, I mean yeah, but it doesn’t make me any less angry. Why…why do you feel safe here?”

“I don’t know. I mean I guess because well first off, you obviously. Talking to you makes me feel like I don’t have anything to worry about. It’s also a small office, only one access point, so logically I have a better chance of protecting myself.” 

“I don’t like that, but I can understand it. I wish that you didn’t have to feel like that.” Lance said, putting his notebook down and moving next to y/n on the couch. 

“Not very psychologist-like of you, Lance.”

“You’re right, but very friend-like of me. That’s what’s more important right now I believe.” 

“Well thank you for being my friend. I…I…uhh really appreciate that. I appreciate you.” 

Session 4

“Sooooooo, you said we can talk about you this time, right??”

“If you’re so inclined, I still think we should talk about you though.” 

“I just think that you want to avoid being psycho-analyzed like you do to everyone who sits on this couch.” 

“Hey, that’s not fair.” 

“I think it’s very fair. Anywhooooooooo, tell me more about what you were like as a kid.”

“Oh so now you’re going to delve into my childhood trauma?” 

“I mean yes that was the plan, but you seem to have uncovered it way too soon. See no fun.” 

“I already told you about growing up with my parents. Dissect from that what you will.”

“Well yeah, but what were you like, 6 or 7? What about before that? And what about your biological parents? Did you know anything about them?” 

“It’s not really something I want to get into y/n.” 

“Come on, you show me yours, I’ll show you mine. We can go question for question.” 

“Y/n. I said I do not want to talk about it! THAT’S IT.” Lance said angrily. 

“Lance, I’m sorry, I didn’t know how serious it was. Really, I’m sorry for pushing. I didn’t mean to upset you.” 

“No, y/n, it’s me. God, I’m such an asshole. It just…well it wasn’t a good time before I got adopted by my parents. I didn’t feel safe before them. That’s…that’s all I want to say.” 

“Understood. I’m sorry that you had to go through that, I can’t imagine anyone wanting to hurt you now, let alone little 6 year old you with a sweet little baby face. You know your last name actually fits you very well, kinda like fate if you ask me.” 

“That’s very kind y/n. Thank you, I appreciate it.” Sweets smiled at y/n. 

“Just being a friend, nothing to thank me for here.” 

Session 5

“So, I’ve come to a conclusion.” Y/n said, smiling cheekily to Lance.

“Oh, and what’s that?” 

“You’re literally being paid to sit here and talk to your best friend. That’s like a totally cushy gig.” 

“Oh, you’re my best friend?”

“I mean yes. Clearly, we are definitely best friends. It's, like, completely obvious.” 

“I was unaware so thank you for informing me of that.” 

“Lance, come on. You totally know we’re best friends. Don’t try to hide it. You have no reason to be embarrassed, you know, I’m a pretty cool person.” 

“Well, you are a pretty cool person. And like I said previously, I do consider you part of the family I’ve made. I guess it is obvious we’re best friends, silly me for not recognizing it earlier.” 

“I like talking to you Lance.”

“I like talking to you as well, y/n.” 

Session 6

“Y/n.” 

“Woah, you sound serious.”

“I am, there’s something I have to talk to you about.” 

“Okay, I’m listening.” 

“I can’t be your psychologist anymore.” 

“Woah, wait, what. What do you mean? Where is this coming from? Lance, did I do something? Say something?”

“Y/n, it’s not about you. Well, I mean not like that. It’s nothing that you did, or said. I…I just. Well you were right before, this is kind of a conflict of interest. Professionally, I shouldn’t be seeing you. It’s not right.” 

“Oh, I, uh…thanks for proving me right I guess. Um…I think I’m going to go now.” 

“No! Wait! I know you feel safe here, with me, in this room. We can still talk here, we can still have these conversations. I don’t want to take that away from you. I’m just recommending that I cannot adequately finish clearing you from what happened.”

“I don’t understand what’s changed suddenly. I brought this up weeks ago. I don’t want to go sit in someone else’s office and talk about this shit. I didn’t want to go through this in the first place. Lance, I don’t understand why you would do this. You know how hard this was for me, I can’t believe you would do this.” 

“Y/n, just trust me, it’s for the best.” 

“I don’t trust you right now. This isn’t what is best for me. I can’t believe this, I can’t believe yo-”

Lance cut y/n off, “Y/n I LOVE YOU…I…I am in freaking love with you and that’s why I can’t do this anymore. It’s not fair to me either.” 

“Lance…I…you…I…” 

“I think you should leave now.”

“Wait, wait, no…I love you too. I’ve been falling for you since the moment I met you.” 

“y/n-”

“I’m serious. All of these sessions just confirmed it more for me. That’s why I felt safe here, with you. You make me feel like I don’t have to worry or be scared anymore.” 

“Y/n, I…you make… you’re-” 

“Just shut up and kiss me already.” Y/n said, already leaning in to place her lips on his.

[gumasantan]

i'm reviewing for my exams tomorrow...but i've been thinking a lot about 1000xRESIST lately.

it's a game, not a film or a show or a book. 1000xRESIST is a game about...many things: surviving an alien invasion, living underground, clones of human beings, stubborn parents, angst of a teenage girl, generational trauma, and a lot of things. i don't exaggerate when i say the title describes just how much themes the game dives into. since i finished the game a week ago, a feeling of longing has grown and grown inside me that can only probably be helped by replaying the game, but i can't anymore. i want to restart my memory just so i can play it again without any prior knowledge. we all feel like that sometimes, right? when we deeply resonate with a piece of media we now consider a transcendent level of art form we just wanna keep replaying it and have our minds reset, so that we may able to uniquely experience them again and again, forever, even.

i attached a pretty landscape of hong kong to not only help reel you and others in reading this, but also to remind myself how this game made me long for a memory i never had. it connected with me so much that everytime i try to recall parts of the game, it's difficult for me to dissociate myself from them, and so, i end up with a mess of thoughts, unable to properly communicate what i'm trying to say; the memories of watcher, iris, (two of the game's main characters) and i seemingly fused together into one. heck, it is not explicitly a "self-insert" type of game where the devs intend you to project yourself into it so that the story makes sense.

so, why do i reminisce about hong kong when i haven't even visited the place? for context, the troubles during the 2019 hong kong protests are ultimately what sets off the events in the game, even though the game takes place around 3047 onwards. it is one of the few games where i actually see and feel the emotional impact that such a historic moment had on the lived experiences of fictional video game characters. fictional, in name only, but they are very much real in our world: expatriates who had to flee persecution as a result of resistance. one could say that this game is dedicated to these courageous people. not only to them, but to their children who are yet to exist.

i mention this because iris was born from these people. walked on earth away from hong kong, and as she grew up, came to realize how homesick she was about that place she was a stranger to. iris and i—we are as different as we can be. i was born and am living in my native country, doing my best to live since birth. i shouldn't ever feel homesick, but weirdly, touching this game and seeing iris' life through watcher's eyes, i can't help but go back and revisit the life i swear i lived in hong kong.

i'm not the only one who feels like this, however. watcher feels the same way. of course, watcher was cloned from a clone that was cloned from iris. it's only natural that watcher retains some of that "irisness" two generations down. though she is aware that she is reliving an amalgamation of hers and iris' memories, i relate to her struggle to separate her own consciousness from iris'. this is my belief: when you keep confusing someone's memories with your own, that just proves that you two are more alike than you would think.

i said before that iris and i were as different as we can be, but by my own words, that shouldn't be true. am i hypocritical? delusional? i'm contradicting myself, but not intentionally. i would 100% disagree with myself here had i not played this game and this predicament came up in another situation, but after playing the game, i don't know. the more i think about it, the more i get convinced that iris, though raised in very different circumstances, ended up sharing some of the same traits as i do. i would argue that there are just human characteristics that we all just happen to share, kindness for example, but no, these ones—they're too personal for and very understood by me to say "no, we're different."

at the end, the game rewards you for sticking to the end: a future of your own choosing. this may be a part of the game where some people would get stuck in for more than an hour, or as short as a minute, depending how much the player sticks to their own convictions. for me, i don't know how to build a future i want because i don't know what i want out of it; i don't know what's right. the game slapped me in my face with my own hypocrisies and dared me to stick with these foolish principles. eventually, i did reach the epilogue, but it didn't feel like i actually crossed the bridge.

i'm still trying to understand just as much as i'm trying to examine every minute detail in the game. the game's mechanics are mainly built around memories and the more i keep playing the game and watch multiple playthroughs of it, i realize just how important each memory is to conveying a message that's ultimately different for all of us. a thousand different lessons for anyone to learn; it is THAT complex.

if you stuck around this long, thank you. please, please, PLEASE play 1000xRESIST. there's something here for us to learn, a thing or more. these things about hong kong and memories are part of a bigger whole that i will want to talk about once i know how to express it. especially to my fellow asians, this game will speak to your heart. i've never felt a surge of emotions this strong since i finished signalis, another masterpiece which i may get around to talking about later! (play that too!)

[canonicallyobserving911]

9-1-1 Season 6 - Constructive Criticisms #7

Stereotypes in Season 6

Stereotypes have negative connotations due to the way they unfairly characterize a person, a group of people or a thing and unfortunately 9-1-1’s season 6 was filled with them.  Both the definition and modern meaning of stereotype shed light on why the word is negative and they illustrate the different ways people interpret them. According to Dictionary.com, stereotype is “a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing”.  A modern definition is “Stereotype is most frequently now employed to refer to an often unfair and untrue belief that many people have about all people or things with a particular characteristic” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary.com).

While there were a lot of stereotypes included in several episodes of season 6, the reason for their inclusion is still unclear.  It’s possible some of them were unintentionally included but that can’t be the case for all of them since widely recognized stereotypes associated with men, women, ethnicities, race, nationalities and the workplace have been common knowledge for decades. Both main and recurring characters were portrayed in a way that stereotyped them and the vast majority of those stereotypes weren’t subtle.  Some of the stereotypes that are included in this post were easier to identify when the entire season was viewed as a whole instead of just viewing individual episodes.  Also, some of them were blatant and egregious and could be identified simply by the act itself and/or the portrayal of it.

Before proceeding below the cut, it’s imperative to note that everyone’s interpretation and identification of a form of media can be different since beliefs, choices, experiences and ideals differ.  All sorts of factors contribute to a person’s point of view along with their differing perspectives about a situation therefore, some people may not view the situations identified as stereotypes in season 6 in the same manner as someone else.

Full Disclosure:  As a woman of color, I struggled with the decision to post this “Constructive Criticisms” and I debated about it for several weeks because I hoped the things I identified as stereotypes were isolated incidents.  However, after I analyzed the season in its entirety instead of noting a singular stereotype that was included in an individual episode, I realized there were too many stereotypes included for this topic to be ignored. While it’s unclear if they were intentionally or unintentionally added into the season, my decision to post about them came down to me knowing I wouldn’t have been able to provide a clear, concise and objective point of view of season 6 overall if I would have excluded it.

My seventh set of “constructive criticisms” regarding stereotypes in season 6 are included below the cut.  Please note criticizing a TV show is NOT a bad thing especially since TV critics have been doing it for decades.  Constructive criticisms are designed to help make something better and they are VERY different from negativity.  A person can offer criticisms about a form of entertainment they spend their time watching and not be negative about it the same way two people can agree to disagree on a topic. Just because one person liked the season, they shouldn’t expect others to feel the way they do because everyone has their own opinions.  Simply put, two people can have different opinions about 9-1-1 and those opinions can COEXIST since they are not mutually exclusive.

If reading criticisms about the TV show 9-1-1 upsets you, then don’t read below the cut.

             Warning! ⚠️“Constructive Criticisms” Ahead!⚠️

In previous seasons, 9-1-1 episodes were balanced and they usually provided well-rounded viewpoints. An example of this included the way they showed a single father who left his toxic parents in El Paso, TX to relocate to Los Angeles for a better life for him and his son. Another example included a woman who overcame all the odds within the workplace when she successfully became a firefighter and a paramedic.

But something changed in season 4 and the well-rounded viewpoints became more singular in nature.  It almost seemed like one person or a small group of people started pushing an agenda that focused solely on their own beliefs, choices, experiences and ideals. Then they implemented them into the show in a way to make their beliefs appear to be the “best” and “only” way things should be done. Their ideologies were heavily included in season 6 to the point where they appeared in the form of stereotypes with underlying tones of biases and racism.  To illustrate this point, several stereotypes have been identified below and the topics included revolve around stereotypes for people with a single marital status, toxic parenting, men, women and the workplace.

Single marital status stereotypes

The stereotypes used to portray main characters who were single in season 6 was not only atrocious; they were simply just flat out WRONG and FALSE.  Contrary to popular belief, all single people aren’t lonely and every single person isn’t dying to get married or be in a relationship. However, 9-1-1 chose to depict Buck and Eddie as two lonely hot guys who don’t want to be alone but since the people in charge projected their own warped sense of beliefs, ideals and experiences, into Buck and Eddie’s storylines, they stuck them with one-dimensional women yet again who’ll suffer the same fate as their season 4 and season 5 counterparts.

Also, Eddie’s a hot single dad but they had Bobby and Pepa diminish the idea of him being enough as a single father by pushing him to date. This is a stereotype that has plagued single parents for decades. Eddie told Pepa he wasn’t ready but she pushed him the same way his mother pushes him so he would admit he didn’t want to end up ALONE. But the fact is HE WON’T BE, BECAUSE HE’S NOT ALONE SINCE HE HAS BUCK.  They went on a date in 6x13 so who knows what that whole storyline for Eddie was supposed to be in 6x14.

The stereotype that single parents can’t be happy was ridiculous especially since some people want to be single parents. Then there are others who become single parents when their spouses die or leave and in those instances it’s not by choice. Furthermore, some single parents don’t want to date until their children are grown because they don’t want to introduce their kids to someone new or they don’t want to run the risk of introducing their children to someone who’s weird.

It’s possible Marisol may not be weird but the way her character was portrayed in 6x5 was interesting since it appeared she may be in love with her brother so to stick her in the end of the season and to pair her with Eddie was RIDICULOUS.  Also, if the point was to put Eddie with a Latina instead of a woman from another race or ethnicity, then the show contradicted itself when they “haloed” Shannon in 6x15 only to validate Pepa’s comment about her being an outsider in 2x4 after she pushed him to date a Latina named Vanessa in 6x14. The show can’t have it both ways, so they have to decide who’s better for Eddie. Is it someone like Shannon or someone like Vanessa?   These decisions beg the question of who greenlit this? Did they even look at the previous episodes so they would know this didn’t make any sense at all?

The stereotype that hot guys like Buck can’t be single and happy was FOOLERY of epic proportions because Buck needs to figure himself out and he can’t do that if women keep being thrown at him like javelins. He was trying to work on himself but for some reason another woman who DOESN’T KNOW HIM was thrown at him in the final episodes of the season because someone believes a hot guy can’t be alone, so they want to keep him looking like a HIMBO when he’s clearly not that especially when he’s a HUSBAND whenever he’s with Eddie.

Also, it may be possible Natalia isn’t weird either but her fetishizing about Buck’s death was GROSS and she should have been left at Marie’s live funeral where Buck met her.

Toxic Parents

The stereotype that every person needs to make a mend with their parents even if they were toxic was STUPID and UNREALISTIC.  All parents aren’t good parents and just because one person chooses to forgive and forget, it doesn’t mean everyone should. The fact is some people shouldn’t be parents and their actions prove it so it would be better if 9-1-1 shows one or two of their main characters cutting their toxic parents off especially when they haven’t earned or deserved a redemption (Part #3 of this series already addressed this topic.)

The biased undertones of the Buckley parents being forgiven by their son who they treated like he was nothing for years was BAD on so many levels. All the Buckleys were shown doing in 6x10 and 6x11 was buying him a couch and they finally went to see him in the hospital after he died but they weren’t held accountable for everything they spent 29 years of his life doing. They lied to him and based on their reaction to his sperm donation in 6x10, it’s likely they’re still lying to him.  

Also, the underlying biases that plagued Sang and Chimney’s father son relationship was HORRIFIC and to have Albert’s mother, who doesn’t know anything about Chimney except for whatever Sang and Albert told her, speak up on Sang’s behalf and tell Chimney he’s prideful just like his dad was even more ridiculous than Buck forgiving the Buckley parents. She didn’t know what she was talking about so she should take several seats and Sang should have been the one to talk to Chimney instead of her.  If Sang and Chimney had a conversation off-screen, then that’s a perfect example of why 9-1-1 needs a new showrunner.

Men stereotypes

Throughout season 6, for reasons known only to the people in charge of decision making for the show, stereotypes were included for men of all races, ethnicities and ages and some of those stereotypes were filled with undertones of racism and biases.

Fathers of color and stereotypes

Most fathers of color were incorrectly depicted and the majority of them had storylines and comments made about them that were stereotypical and untrue.

Eddie Diaz

Eddie was portrayed as an ANGRY dad in 6x11 who would have lost his son if it hadn’t been for Buck but THIS WAS THE MOST EGREGIOUS AND NEGATIVE STEREOTYPE with racial undertones that was associated with a main character of color who’s also a father in the history of 9-1-1. Eddie was labeled as an ANGRY Latino because he participated in a fight club in season 3 but here’s a quick reminder, a white woman introduced him to it but she wasn’t categorized as angry so what was the goal for them to use that word in 6x11 to describe Eddie?  His fight club storyline was used to define his entire character and I call BS because Eddie is NOT ANGRY.  So, WTF was that?

EDDIE DIAZ IS A GREAT DAD and Buck was the first one to say it in 2x4.  So, how did Eddie go from being a great dad to an angry one? He’s done nothing but sacrifice for Christopher while he went without. He left El Paso when Chris was 7 years old to give him a better life and he quit the 118 in 5x10 when Chris was afraid Eddie might die so WTH was this show trying to accomplish with that BS description of him in 6x11?  There’s no way Eddie would have allowed his parents to take his son away from him especially when he LEFT El Paso to get away from them. The fact is he would have stopped being a firefighter if it meant he could lose Christopher to his controlling mother Helena.  Eddie’s character was completely ASSASINATED with one word and for viewers who didn’t or haven’t seen him in seasons 2-5, they’ll always associate his character with the word ANGRY. Then to top off that egregious comment about him, the implication that Buck was the “white savior” who stepped in at the last minute to help even though Eddie would have moved hell and highwater to keep Chris was even more BS. (This topic will be expounded on in a future constructive criticism post.)

Nathaniel Green

Nathaniel was portrayed as an incompetent liar from 6x9 through 6x13 who didn’t tell Denny’s mothers he was spending time with him. He was a standup guy in 2x5 when he told Hen and Karen, he would follow their lead only for the show to turn him into a stereotypical black biological dad who lies and hides things from the child’s mothers and it was filled with racial undertones.  He was shown to be irresponsible when he listened to Denny instead of being responsible and contacting his parents the minute Denny showed up on his doorstep.  This is a problem because Denny showed up at some dude’s house and there’s no way he could have been 100% sure Nathaniel was his dad without having met him first.  In 6x9 it was implied that Denny didn’t show up at the right man’s house because Nathaniel’s face wasn’t shown.  No one knew who Denny was running around with for over four months until Hen and Karen found out in 6x13 so what was the goal of this storyline?  Also, IIRC in 2x5, Eva told Hen and Karen she used to do drugs with Nathaniel and they met in rehab so how was anyone supposed to know he was still clean and sober?

Furthermore, with the current state of the world, Denny being taken and picked up from school and going to the park with some RANDOM DUDE WAS NOT OK. Why was this storyline even allowed to play out like this especially after 6x3 aired?  This was done in BAD TASTE and someone should have said something about it.  For all Denny knew this man could have been someone else and the way Hen found out was asinine. What if she hadn’t been at the hospital that day? This was one of the WORST storylines ever and it should have been addressed by someone who understands the dangers of children riding around in cars with strangers and showing up at their homes unannounced. Denny could have been kidnapped or anything. Has the showrunner ever heard of STRANGER DANGER? Apparently not since she greenlit this BS storyline.

Noah

Noah’s stepfather was portrayed as a thief who used his stepson to get information so he could burglarize homes.  Noah is black and one of the two home invasion guys was black too, so by process of elimination, the probability the black home invader was Noah’s stepdad is 50%. If he was then this was stereotypical with racism mixed in because his stepfather was portrayed as a stereotypical black man who was willing to do anything to get money including use his stepson who put his job and his freedom at risk.  Noah got arrested and probably went to jail so tell the audience again who greenlit this storyline and who believed it was a good idea?

Connor

Full disclosure: I never liked Connor because he manipulated Buck to get his sperm but the way his character was portrayed in 6x12, 6x17 and 6x18 turned him into a stereotypical deadbeat dad.  In 6x12 he was shown like he was preparing to run away from his responsibilities which has been a stereotype that’s plagued the black community for decades and it’s contrary to what some people think since all black dads aren’t like that.  There are some black fathers who adopt and raise children who aren’t biologically their’s all the time. The character was written in 6B like he didn’t know what he signed up for in 6x4 when he asked Buck for his sperm but it’s possible the storyline wasn’t initially supposed to play out this way. If it wasn’t then someone thought it was a good idea to turn another black father into a deadbeat who didn’t want to take care of his child.  It seems like this was another case of someone projecting their personal belief system onto a character.

Sang Han

Full disclosure: I’m not a fan of Sang Han because of the way he treated Chimney and the difference he made between his two sons. However, he was portrayed as a prideful, arrogant, traditional, out of touch with reality man who spued derogatory comments about a man raising another man’s child being unnatural and it was an OXYMORONIC statement. Why was he the one chosen to say that especially when his own son was raised by another man?  Mr. Lee raised Chimney after Sang abandoned him so WTF was this storyline even supposed to be?

Stereotypes based on nationality and/or ethnicity

Chimney Han

Chimney being told he was prideful by Albert’s mother was so far from the truth that it would be funny if it wasn’t implied to be accurate.  Chimney has never been shown to be prideful, so this was a stereotype based on his nationality/heritage and that makes it even worse.

Ravi Panikkar

Ravi was stereotypically depicted as a Gen Z influencer who wants nothing more than to get money by being a landlord.  Once again someone who makes decisions for the show is out of touch with the current state of the world especially with regards to the increasing rate of renters being evicted from their homes and apartments. It begs the question of why Ravi couldn’t have been shown investing in Cryptocurrency or something other than real estate?  This was another egregious example of a stereotype with bias and racial undertones.

White men stereotypes

Evan Buckley

Buck always being portrayed as the “muscular, blonde haired, blue eyed HIMBO” that all the women want is a stereotype that needs to end. Contrary to popular belief, every person out there looking for a hot guy is NOT looking for one who looks like Buck because some people prefer Eddie while others might prefer Chimney, Bobby or Ravi. This constant pushing of Buck being the only guy on the show that women want is TIRED and it needs to change in season 7. All of the men on this show are handsome so please put the spotlight on Eddie, Bobby, Chimney or Ravi next season.  

Women stereotypes

There were a lot of stereotypes associated with women on the show in season 6 too and some of them were just as egregious and blatant if not worse than those included for the men.

Women of color

Women of color were incorrectly depicted several times in season 6 based on stereotypes but it’s unclear if these instances were intentional.

Lottery tickets

Two black women, Athena Grant and Hen Wilson, being shown scratching off lottery tickets in 6x8 was a stereotype. Playing the lottery has been a negative stereotype that has plagued minority communities for years so if the show wanted someone to play the lottery, they should have chosen other main characters to do it if it was really about someone’s fantasy. Why was this even included in the episode?  Maddie and Buck could have done it especially since Maddie suggested Buck buy a lottery ticket in 6x11 after he woke up from his coma.  Since Athena and Hen didn’t win the lottery, the scene was unnecessary and shouldn’t have been included in the episode.

Hen Wilson

It was implied with the emergency in 6x16 that Hen was a stereotypical black woman who says negative things that make her friends and co-workers uncomfortable. Typically, the emergencies included in an episode coincide with the main characters’ storylines and in 6x16 the black lady in the emergency who had the tonsil stones was connected to Hen’s character since something egregious and unkind came out of their mouths. This was a stereotype that could have been easily overlooked if it hadn’t been for the “something stinks” theme included in the episode. Reminder, Hen told Chimney he shouldn’t get married in front of the 118 and she argued with Buck about Chimney figuring out for himself if he wanted to propose to Maddie. The black lady in the emergency told Chimney he was important too while they were in the ambulance so was it the show’s intention to include those racial undertones?  Only the people in charge know the answer but it wasn’t lost in translation like someone thought it would be.

Women – general stereotypes

The stereotype that all women, no matter their age, race or nationality want a man like Buck to rescue them is also TIRED and needs to stop because it’s not true (see above).

Maddie Buckley

It was implied Maddie makes more money than Chimney in 6x15 when she said she pays more than half the expenses and reminder this was after 6x10 when she asked him if he was still bothered by them borrowing the money for their down payment from her parents. This was a stereotype about how some women who make more money than their significant others, mention it at the most inopportune times. The point of her comment wasn’t addressed but a quick look on Salary.com clearly shows a Los Angeles dispatcher’s salary is about 55K per year while a Los Angeles firefighter’s salary ranges from 79K to 113K.  Also, Chimney’s been a firefighter for a long time which means his fictitious salary could be closer to 150K while Maddie’s only been a dispatcher for 4 years (reminder she quit at the end of season 4 and she didn’t return until the end of season 5) and the money she got from Doug’s estate is gone because she said she spent it all in Boston. Did anyone think to check Salary.com about this before Maddie’s comment was included in that episode?   Also, what was the purpose of this stereotypical statement?  Was it to show the audience Chimney isn’t paying his fair share? An answer to that question will have to wait until season 7 if it’s even addressed again.

Rhonda Fitzsimmons

Better known as “Crazy Carol the Coupon Lady” in 6x13 was portrayed as someone who stays home and swindles money from unsuspecting citizens who want to save money by using coupons. Who greenlit this storyline because it played right into four stereotypes, i.e., (1) a white woman who swindles people out of money, (2) a white woman who stole a black woman’s identify to do it, (3) a pushy white woman who invited herself into Maddie’s home without being told she could enter and (4) a woman who used her nephew to get what she wanted instead of doing the right thing?

Workplace stereotypes

The manager, director or leader knows best stereotype is another TIRED trope that should end. Bobby not talking to Hen about the interim captain slot in 6x1 because he assumed she was too busy to do it was ridiculous. Him not telling Chimney the real reason he was sending him to the academy in 6x14 was another blatant misstep. Him deciding to promote Lucy in 6x1 even though she was shown to be incompetent in 5x14 was egregious especially for viewers who actually have to report to incompetent managers who don’t know how to do the job but were promoted solely because they have the years of experience. Instead of Bobby talking to Buck about his PT scores, he just marked them as outstanding in 6x14 until Buck called him out on it.  Eddie listening to Bobby’s advice in 6x14 and 6x17 regarding his personal life for him to misunderstand it was redundant.  Maybe if Bobby got some storylines that actually pertained to his role as Fire Captain of the 118 instead of him being a private investigator these things wouldn’t happen. Let him talk to and have meetings with other captains or here's an idea, show Bobby talking to Chief Alonzo or the LAFD department leaders because it’s actually part of his responsibilities.

It appears whoever was in charge of the direction of characters’ storylines, projected their own ideals, beliefs, choices and experiences onto the characters because they felt like everyone in the world should do things the way they do them or they want people to make the types of choices they make.  For example, the attempted normalization of characters like Maddie, Buck and Chimney accepting their toxic parents appeared to have been someone’s twisted idea of the things everyone else should do because they probably did it. It would have made more narrative sense to show Maddie and Buck cutting the Buckleys off and Chimney having a real conversation with his dad instead of Albert’s mother explaining away Sang’s bad behavior.

Hopefully these stereotypes weren’t intentionally included in season 6 especially since 9-1-1 previously highlighted the way their characters overcame those types of ideals, beliefs and experiences. They’ve always been about groundbreaking television with showing different perspectives and different sides of situations.  Prior to season 4, there were many examples of main characters overcoming difficult situations and THEY DID NOT follow the typical path to move forward from their experiences.  Maddie and Bobby provide two examples of this.  In season 2, Maddie had been abused by her husband and she was shown to overcome it by leaving him.  When Doug found her, she fought for her life and went to therapy afterwards to deal with her trauma.  Bobby lost his entire family in an apartment fire in Minnesota before he moved to L.A. He had a plan to commit suicide after he would have saved the number of people that were lost in that fire but he talked with his priest on a weekly basis to work towards healing from his trauma. Also, after he told Chimney about his plan, Chimney was the one who saved Bobby (NOT BUCK because contrary to Buck’s twisted memories in his coma dream, he didn’t fix Bobby) when he found a couple whose baby was saved after receiving a blood transfusion of Bobby’s blood. He’s still dealing with his trauma and so is Maddie but they were shown to overcome them and they’re moving forward.  9-1-1 was a top-rated show back then but now they just aren’t and it’s mainly because the ideals, beliefs, choices and experiences they’re presenting appear to be from one person’s point of view.

If the goal is to be groundbreaking again, they’ll have to get rid of these stereotypical storylines and push the envelope by showing the main characters doing something other than what every other TV shows’ characters are doing. It’s unclear if these decisions are being made by the showrunner or if they were being pushed to make them by the network.  If it was the latter, hopefully the move to ABC will change this otherwise it’ll end up being just like the other shows that are on their last legs holding on to a few viewers because people are tired and they want to see realistic television not redundant storytelling.

These are my criticisms regarding stereotypes and “Constructive Criticisms” #8 will be posted on Monday, July 17, 2023.

I have a total of 15 CANON “Constructive Criticisms” (8 remaining) and my goal is to have all of them posted by Monday, August 28, 2023.  The topics are being posted in a specific order that begins with the overall issues for season 6 so they can be referenced within the posts about individual characters and ships that will follow them.

[broomsick]

hey, broom! i come to ask for your advice/your suggestions: i'll soon start to work in a new team. it's the same workplace but a totally different branch where i'll still have to find my place both socially and professionally (i'm kind of a newbie, only graduated last year).

i'm really nervous about what lies ahead and it makes my anxiety act up again. do you have any suggestion to which norse god i could turn to for help/reassurance?

it's a position which requires confidence in your knowledge (tax law, mostly), keeping up with new developments in law-speaking and dealing with (sometimes difficult) subordinates and citizens. i have very little experience with leading people, so the latter is what concerns me the most...

i'm definitely striving for a good and harmonic workplace environment but also don't want to be stepped on by the more nasty-tempered coworkers.

i thought that maybe Odin would be a good pick to turn to but maybe you have someone else in mind as well!

thank you and have a wonderful day! 🤗

Hi there, have a good day as well! Thank you so much for the ask. I love questions like these because they leave so much space for discussion. If you asked ten other norse pagans, you would get ten different replies!

First of all, however, I want to congratulate you! Good luck in your new team, I'm sure it will be a great opportunity for you to meet new people, learn, and fulfill yourself.

Now, turning to Óðinn is indeed a great option! I find him to be wonderfully versatile as a deity (he IS a shapeshifter in the myths after all!) that I tend to call for his help in a number of vastly different circumstances. In your situation, for example, he might help you to put the different skills you've acquired to good use. You may call upon him if you feel unsure of what step to take, or if you have trouble focusing. All in all, he's a great help when it comes to all things mental health and stress. Praying to him, you could ask for him to bless you with his celebrated skills as a leader! He is also a deity who encourages us to understand each other, to put ourselves in other people's shoes and to try to see from their perspective. In the workplace, this can greatly help with seeking middle ground!

Still, if I were in your situation, I believe I would call upon Týr! I've read and re-read your situation well, and it appears to me that you might need the most reassurance when it comes to dealing with people you might meet in the workplace, some of whom you might be required to lead, and others you might disagree with. To me and to so many other heathens, Týr embodies the spirit of compromise, patience and settlement. I envision him as a deity who is extremely wise, especially when it comes to interacting with others. He is cool-headed but warm-hearted, the very embodiment of a good leader, willing to talk things out when there are conflicts. If my own experiences may be brought to bear, he seeks to help us navigate conflicts in a manner that allows us to stay true to ourselves, all the while nurturing good relationships with others. I believe he might help you not only to develop your skill as a leader, but also to understand your boundaries and to share your opinions confidently, while seeking compromise in a peaceful manner. One of my closest friends is a devoted Týr worshipper, and I know he has helped her so much with her confidence.

As always, however, there are so many kind and great Gods for us norse pagans to call upon! For example, if I were in your situation, I would most probably ask Baldr to soothe and reassure me! In so many ways, he is a God who seeks to help! And in my life, he has always been a caring, grounding presence who always seems to know how to calm my heart. I envision his presence as a light before me, like the flickering of a lantern, guiding me in the dark to find my path.

It would also be possible for you to pray to Freyja for confidence, and/or Thórr for courage. And now that I've mentioned Freyja, I also feel compelled to bring up Lord Frey! He is strongly associated with the concept of peace, which could be very useful to you, who wants to nurture a harmonious work environment. What's more, he's generally associated with prosperity and financial matters as well, which makes him a popular deity to pray to when it comes to matters of work and career. It's quite common for worshippers to work with both Freyja and Freyr, as a duo. In your situation, one could bring you the strength and confidence to defend yourself against any "nasty-tempered coworkers," while the other helps you to preserve a peaceful mindset, and to stay happy in your workplace.

There really is no need for us to only worship one deity at a time, and it is not disrespectful to pray to multiple deities for help in a certain situation. On the contrary, doing so is really is quite logical! After all, as they are found in myth to be part of a pantheon, it's completely normal that we would worship them as such, although some prefer to devote themselves to one deity at a time. As for me, I sometimes pray to the Gods in general, as a group! It's always interesting to wonder which of them will answer!

I wish you the best of luck in this new team, please don’t hesitate to reach out if you want any more of my advice!

[beastiebytes]

Had a post now where I got frustrated at doms who think they know their subs better than the subs know themselves, as though holding a whip gave you some kind of special insight.

Then I was like. Wait. Is that something I do?

Like - okay. Mental states where a person can't make their own decisions exist. This is why people so drunk they can't recognize their surroundings can't consent.

In the act of domming, most doms accept they will be putting their subs in some kind of altered state - trance, subspace, whatever. It is understood if during a session a sub asks you for something they nixed earlier, you should refuse, because their judgement is impaired.

Similarly, people can make bad decisions out of inexperience or low standards or bad mental health. As a dom if I believe this is the case, I do think I have a duty to give the person as much information as I can in an effort to let them make an informed decision.

But the difference is, ultimately - each person is the only source of truth regarding their own experiences. And they have their autonomy, and violating that is horrible.

I can make predictions about people with the information I have. They may agree or disagree, the predictions may be correct or incorrect. But ultimately - if I put them somewhere they don't want to be, in the best case I made a horrible mistake, and in the common case I violated their consent and acted immorally.

All the negotiation techniques that exist ultimately come down to all sides knowing how to put the scene's participants in states they want to be in.

So I can make predictions, and give information, and let the person decide where they want to go. The destination may be "utter devotion" or "a world of pain" or "an action I genuinely wouldn't want to do left to my own devices (but doing it anyway fulfills some need for me)". But they choose it.

Maybe, with familiarity and trust and care and communication, some of the decisions may be given to the domming side. For me? That's not in my risk profile, not even a little.

And the doms I'm thinking about mostly operate with painfully partial and nuance-less knowledge, actively refusing to consider the source of knowledge right there in front of them: their sub, expressing wants and needs.

[investmentassistant]

How to learn to defend your opinion

Expressing and defending one's opinion is a vital skill in both personal and professional life. Whether you're engaging in a debate, negotiating with colleagues, or simply sharing your perspective in a conversation, the ability to articulate your viewpoint confidently and respectfully can greatly impact your relationships and influence. Here are some key strategies to help you master the art of asserting your opinion effectively:

Know your subject

Before expressing your opinion on any topic, ensure that you have a solid understanding of it. Research and gather relevant information to support your viewpoint. The more knowledgeable you are about the subject, the more credible and persuasive your argument will be.

Clarify your intentions

Be clear about why you're expressing your opinion. Are you seeking to persuade others, engage in a constructive discussion, or simply share your perspective? Understanding your intentions will help you tailor your approach accordingly and communicate more effectively.

Practice active listening

Effective communication is a two-way street. Listen attentively to others' viewpoints without interrupting or dismissing them. Acknowledge their perspectives and demonstrate empathy and understanding, even if you disagree. This not only fosters respectful dialogue but also encourages others to reciprocate the same level of respect.

Use assertive language

Choose your words carefully to convey your opinion assertively yet respectfully. Avoid language that is aggressive, passive, or confrontational. Instead, opt for phrases such as «I believe», «In my opinion», or «From my perspective» which assert your viewpoint without invalidating others'.

Provide evidence and examples

Support your opinion with evidence, facts, and real-life examples whenever possible. This adds credibility to your argument and helps others better understand your perspective. Be prepared to back up your assertions with concrete data or experiences.

Be open to feedback

Be open-minded and willing to consider alternative viewpoints. Constructive feedback can provide valuable insights and opportunities for growth. Even if you ultimately maintain your opinion, engaging with differing perspectives can enrich your understanding of the topic and strengthen your argument.

Stay calm and confident

Maintain composure and confidence when expressing your opinion, especially in challenging or contentious situations. Avoid becoming defensive or hostile, even if faced with opposition. A calm and confident demeanor not only enhances your credibility but also encourages others to engage with you constructively.

Choose the right time and place

Consider the context and environment before asserting your opinion. Choose appropriate moments and settings where your viewpoint is more likely to be heard and respected. Avoid discussing sensitive topics in heated or inappropriate situations where emotions may cloud judgment.

Practice assertiveness

Like any skill, assertiveness improves with practice. Take every opportunity to express your opinion respectfully and confidently, whether in casual conversations, meetings, or debates. The more you practice, the more natural and effortless it will become.

Be respectful

Above all, treat others with respect and dignity, regardless of differences in opinion. Avoid personal attacks or derogatory remarks, and focus on the substance of the discussion. Remember that everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and fostering a culture of mutual respect is essential for productive communication.

In conclusion, learning to assert your opinion effectively is a valuable skill that requires practice, patience, and empathy. By honing your communication abilities, remaining open to diverse perspectives, and advocating for your viewpoint with confidence and respect, you can become a more influential and persuasive communicator in all aspects of your life.

[all-i-do-is-live-in-daydreams]

loki has become such a complex character and has TWICE NOW gone through pretty well done character development. first, throughout the thor movies. second, through his own tv series loki.

there are of course things that I don't agree with or disliked. one of those things being, well... sylkie. I'm not gonna go on a giant tirade or anything, but just know I fully disagree with the choice and find it weird. moving on from that thought process, we enter season 2 which brings back my hyperfixation and a brand new thought process which means ANALYZING !! :D feeling like a true tva analyst.

Yes, there are a lot of people, including me, that didn't like loki and sylvie as a pairing and still don't, BUT!! I've started seeing it through a new lense. Which adds to Loki's character which of course I love!! I love character development and details! Loki is not familiar with love, romantic or platonic, in a healthy way or in a way that would make him knowledgeable in a lot of the different aspects of it. He's been so completely separated from anything like that in so long and as we see, he's going through a lot of new emotions while being in the TVA. He's exploring himself more than he has in a very long time and confronted some things about himself that ik he tried to keep buried. He's also experiencing new relationships. Such as a new friendship with Mobius or a partnership/friendship with Sylvie. Two different people, he has two strong connections with. Sylvie is someone he can relate to, someone who can understand him like no one else and Loki has never really had that. I don't think he had that even with his own mother, as close as they were. And so of course he's going to feel strongly about her!! He's going to form a strong connection!! An attachment! And it is an attachment. That's obvious in the way that he's so reluctant to let her go. Why he keeps thinking of her and bringing her up. Loki is going to be feeling things he's not used to feeling and being unfamiliar makes it hard to discern what exactly you are feeling.

(speaking from my own experience, emotions are hard to discern for me, what I'm feeling, and sometimes I grow very attached to a person just bcuz I can relate and I dont have that very often and I desperately dont want to lose that.)

Loki is just going through a lot of emotions in a short span of time with no time to stop and think. Loki isn't in love with himself, with Sylvie. He may love her, yes, but not in love.

[surviving-cptsd]

The Beginning - Diagnose of CPTSD

Hello and thank you for taking the time to read. Some of you may know me already from interactions with my shop or maybe through my community. I am the designer and owner of Little Home Mades and my name is Jessica. I am a wife and mother of 4 children and 3 step children so a total of 7. I have been mauling over the idea of writing a blog or a book, or anything for some time. Most times I am on Facebook in my select groups and will post whatever I can to help ease mothers and fathers who are struggling with their children or certain situations and will attempt to share bits and pieces of my knowledge with them without trying to overwhelm them. I worried about writing a book or a blog because I knew how complicated my life has been. Some may feel it's even not real or a lie and I've always had difficulty processing that kind of response because that's part of my trauma growing up - not being believed. I've had mix reactions to people through other social media platforms so whenever posting my own issues, I will usually post it anonymously. I do this to remove any bias and also so I don't feel shunned in the community I'm in for future posts. I'm sure many have run into this group with Facebook and Twitter groups is people will click your profile, pull up old posts and then judge you based on your past responses if you disagree with their views and openly share that disagreement. This is what ultimately lead me to start this blog. I wanted to share my experiences to make sure people know, they are not alone, that they are heard, and that it's okay to feel the way that they feel and it's okay to be not okay. As my blog plainly points out, I am diagnosed with CPTSD which stands for Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder for those who don't know. Also for those who need to know the difference between CPTSD and PTSD, PTSD is one traumatic event, CPTSD is many over a long span of time. You're basically re-traumatized over and over and over again. When you feel you're finally over one event, another happens. This leads to multiple different symptoms and the biggest one I've seen lately is the fact that people don't realize they even have it. They're just so used to these events, they're almost normalized. They also tend to feel like they can handle another event because of the intrusive thoughts of "I've dealt with worse,", "It could be worse,", or "It's not as bad as other's experiences,". Every experience is different and every reaction is different, there is no mold. When you are formally diagnosed it is a form you do with many many questions with a therapist who is specialized in trauma. Some of them sound like trick questions, but the overall score of your answers is what gives you the actual diagnose. Some people may have nightmares, where as another person has insomnia, or some people may duck and cover to fireworks, whereas another person has a panic attack while sitting on their computer. You don't have to have every symptom listed to have CPTSD, you may only have a handful and feel they are minor occurrences or not even worth mentioning, but when they're all laid out in the open, a pattern emerges that you may have never noticed before. I say all this because this is what happened to me. For a long time, I had unexplained pain in my chest that would randomly occur starting in my early teens. I would feel like I couldn't breathe. My chest would become tight and best way I could describe it back then was that "I can't expand my lungs with too much air without excruciating pain". I once told my father about this happening to me, and he told me that he had the same thing, that it must be genetic. He also told me that his stopped as he got older, so I took that and ran with it for years.

Finally in my very late 20s, I reached out to my doctor. I don't go to the doctor often because I feel always ignored about any complaint I may have, but I just wanted his opinion on it. The last episode I had before going to see him was when I was playing Civilization VI on my laptop reclined on my couch. Literally nothing triggered me, and then BAM! I'm screaming at my husband that I can't breathe and I practically threw my laptop as I scrambled to get up off the couch. So I scheduled and went to my doctors and told him about this pain I'd been having. To my absolute shock, he almost panicked. He told me he felt I was describing the symptoms of a heart attack, but I was only in my 20s. It actually scared me, suddenly I'm being told that this is not normal and that something must be wrong with me to have these issues. He scheduled multiple tests including an MRI, and EKG and ultrasound of my heart. When I came back from the tests, he told me I had a slight murmur but otherwise I was in perfect health. That's when he told me "You're having panic attacks". I was taken aback hearing that and I honestly didn't believe it. My understanding was that a panic attack is when the eyes dilate and you think you're under attack. Having chest pains out of seemingly no where in non stressful situations didn't compute to me as a panic attack. He then told me he was going to recommend me to a therapist. Overtime this therapist told me I had CPTSD and I didn't believe her either because again my understanding of PTSD was that it had to do with huge events like life threatening situations or going over seas in the military. I had felt I never had any that would warrant me having CPTSD but subsequently I discovered, as I started to recover, that they were right all along. So I am now writing this blog, almost 40 years old, because I hope it will help others or at least let them know they're not alone. Overtime in my blogs I will speak about my childhood and my events that happened throughout my life. These things may be difficult to read for some and hard to understand. I will do my absolute best to post these events in order and supply as much detail as I can to help alleviate any questions. However, if you have questions, please feel free to ask me anytime or comment here, there will be no judgement from me. Before I end this blog I wanted to point out the phrase I chose to make my title, "I don't know how you do it,". This is a common phrase I hear almost weekly if not daily - to this day. I know the people who say it mean well, they feel they need to praise me for putting up with so much. However, this phrase actually can be fairly damaging to those who have experienced any kind of trauma. The reason being is this sentence implies there was a choice, that the person is only strong because they endured their painful event. There wasn't a choice, so that is always my response to those who say "I don't know how you do it," I say "I didn't have a choice,". I encourage those who speak with others who have endured any difficulty, not to use that phrase. The phrase you're looking for is "I'm sorry," or "I'm sorry you went through that,". It may sound like a bland response, but it is the most meaningful. You are recognizing and acknowledging this person's story and that's all a person wants is to feel heard. You can do so much by giving someone affirmation when they open up to you about something that has happened in their life. So I will end this blog today - here. And the next one I will start off with my earliest childhood memories and will build from there in future posts. Please feel free to comment or ask any questions, I am not here to judge you, I am here to hear you and help you to the best of my ability. Have a wonderful day!

[dicesmasher]

What's the deal with wisdom?

5e's Wisdom is a mechanical and narrative mess

Wisdom has always been one of D&D 5e's most confusing concepts for new players, and for many of us, that confusion never really goes away, even if we know technically what it does.

Some people say that 'intelligence is knowing a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is knowing it doesn't belong in a fruit salad'. I completely disagree. That is also intelligence. It's just a different kind of knowledge. Bob World Builder (video linked below) has this sentiment and it helped me think further about what wisdom really is.

Truth is, back in the Original Dungeons and Dragons by Gygax and Arneson (and you can find this book online to check), on page 10, it says 'wisdom rating will act much as that for intelligence'. What does this mean? Wisdom and intelligence originally had no distinction, other than being for clerics or wizards!

Fast-forward to 5e, now wisdom is distinct from intelligence, with its own set of skills, and is used to represent one's intuition and awareness of the world around them. This is a good thing - especially for classes like monk and ranger, having a way to measure your 'instinct' mechanically supports part of the core fantasy. However, if this stat was made fresh, without being tied to historical wisdom, would it still be called wisdom? I would call it something like 'instinct' or 'wiles'.

Despite the shift, high-wisdom characters are still generally thought of as 'wise', whatever that means. The 5e PHB, page 13, suggests that Bruenor (the example used to teach new players how to build a character) should have high wisdom to reflect his age and experience, so it seems we still haven't entirely escaped the classical concept of wisdom.

This also leads me to wonder why wisdom should even apply to clerics anymore. The PHB makes a decent attempt of this: 'the ability to cast cleric spells relies on devotion and an intuitive sense of a deity's wishes' (page 56). Now, 'devotion' sounds like charisma to me, but that's a topic for another time. The idea that an instinctive awareness of your god is needed to be a good cleric sits fine with me. It's vague and abstract, but most things are when dealing with gods and magic - two things that (in my secular, scientific opinion) don't have a frame of reference in reality.

Let us consider other wisdom-based classes while we're at it. Druids were originally a type of cleric in older editions but have since become their own class. Wisdom thus has a legacy reason to apply to them, though the new concept of wisdom does work well with a mage who draws their power from the primal forces that surround them. Same thing for rangers, who also benefit mechanically from wisdom as part of many key skills like survival and animal handling (though we'll come back to skills in a moment). Monks also benefit from wisdom as hyper awareness of their inner selves and their surroundings is part of their core fantasy, and seems to be the source of their ki powers.

I will next consider wisdom-based skills. Firstly it's important to note that the PHB does say that skills can be applied to other ability scores than the one they are typically assigned to, depending on how the character goes about using that skill. This is good to know, because most wisdom skills could easily be intelligence skills.

Animal handling may have an instinctive component - some people are just better with animals than others. But you can also learn how to approach and handle an animal properly from taught guidance - which movements and sounds to make or avoid, angle of approach, etc. Mechanically, it makes sense in wisdom because it's a skill you expect wisdom-based characters to have - druids and the like. But there's definitely a place for anyone to have it, like a knight or travelling bard who regularly interacts with horses.

Insight - your ability to read people - is an interesting one from an autistic perspective. While it seems that neurotypical people have an instinct for nonverbal social cues, many people like me had to learn it actively, often painfully, having never been explicitly taught it. I'd say I have decent insight these days, but definitely through intelligence, not 'wisdom'.

I can see why medicine is wisdom. Partially because most support classes are wisdom based, and because you could rationalise having a 'feel' for what the problem is when diagnosing an injury or disease, but I'd much rather my doctor diagnosed and treated me through learned expertise than just feeling it out like a medieval doctor who made it up as they went along, attached leeches to me and prayed to god I'd feel better.

Survival is a very broad skill, especially in my campaign style where trekking through the wilderness is a regular activity. It covers everything from avoiding natural hazards, tracking, predicting the weather, navigating without getting lost, etc. Some of this is well covered by wisdom - spatial awareness and listening to your instinct is important for survival. But more technical components like identifying signs of a particular beast or navigating by the stars are learned and studied skills, implying intelligence.

Perception, uniquely, I think is the only skill that perfectly fits into the modern D&D concept of wisdom. It plays on your attentiveness to surroundings, pattern recognition, gut feelings that something is off or out of sight.

At the end of it all, my main question is this: why still call it wisdom? It's not wisdom in the conventional everyday sense of the word. Perhaps renaming it to something else would prevent the inevitable intelligence-wisdom confusion that every new player faces, but at this point wisdom is such a fundamental and iconic part of D&D that I don't see this change being made any time soon.

Oh, I haven't gotten into wisdom saving throws, but that's a whole other can of worms I won't get into with this post. Still, if I make a post about saving throws, the sentiments I made in this post will carry over.

[velvetporcelain]

I’m divorcing pain and committing to pleasure

Today seems— odd- I don’t really have anything to say but you know me void, I have tons of backlog hidden deep within my membrane.

Any thing, any thought could send me down the most dangerous or most beautiful of wells. It no longer scares me because I have proven to myself time and time again, that I can swim. I can swim well.

I love indulging in this beautiful game we call thought. I don’t think most people do because they are hypersensitive to their own minds. Which brings me to the ultimate question-

Does work indeed set your free? Does it confine the mind with boundaries? Invisible margins do not set us free, we only like to think that they do. I understand that “free thinking” may be considered a privilege to some, but I would have to disagree solely based on the fact that all humans have the ability to think.

Materialistic things are easy to achieve. Mentality is not. Thinking intentionally is not. I push the boundaries of the mind by simply implying what else there could be. Endless possibilities. One’s man’s trashy thoughts are certainly my treasure. Bending the perception into perspective with just a few “what if’s.”

Watching your child grow into an adult is probably one of the most terrifying things I have ever witnessed. Throwing them out into the oblivion in hopes that you have prepared them with the correct amount of “facts” and the correct amount of “opinions.” Hoping they jump at every opportunity they have to live life. Cultivating a mind is the biggest responsibility I have ever had, and ever will have. Sorting what services them and what does not. Thinking about the human race in its entirety. Preparing them for love and for war. What a contrary concept.

Today’s house hold chores did not limit the amount of thinking I did today. In fact, it allows me to think deeper. It gives my hands something to do which keeps my brain alive. Have you ever heard of drawing randomly on paper while you are reading something? To keep the stimulation going on both spheres, or else you will lull your mind to sleep.

Today I was thinking much about pain and how we tend to gravitate towards it because it seems much more relatable than pleasure nowadays. So I decided to become impeccable to my word. Counteracting pain with pleasure, because they are the opposite and equal reaction of one another.

If you have experienced pleasure with another human and after you have disconnected why do the memories bring you pain? Because we long to stay in pleasure. We can most certainly apply a great lesson to these memories without over analyzing what we could have done differently. That is extremely transformative and will also bring you great pleasure.

Acceptance can be a bitch, yes. Sometimes we are left with many unanswered questions and Hines sight tends to not do any justice for the past, only for the present and future.

I am so glad I have had the chance to experience grief and pain in this way. It now has set the bar of pleasure for me. Confidently considering what my next move would be.

I hope you consider countering your painful memories with the knowledge and power that you have now, where it really matters, and are able to transform them into something so meaningful and memorable that you are able to thank it and give it a proper burial.

-x

[oleworm]

What is the Meaning of this Exercise. A Follow-up to “The Students”.

What is the goal of this communication? I was joking with a correspondent that it was to make myself “uncancellable” and thus free to express because the symbols that I use are not immediately recognisable to the native Anglophone reader; I will be content with a half-a-second advantage before the verdict, which is already more than is granted to those who use the fashionable vocabulary. That is to say… You are free to cancel me, but first understand that you disagree with me.

But speaking more genuinely, my goal is to express the reality I experience through forms that are more recognisable to myself, who always felt more comfortable with the meanings expressed in books than the live-spoken words of my congenerates. Book words were composed by humans too, but these are the practised words, especially before the keyboard age. The word is the drawing of the word sound and in the span of its conjuring there is time enough to contemplate. How would my thinking be different if I had first learned to write in pictograms? Many of them are written in fewer strokes, and so, with more speed, I could imagine and be wrong completely, and each of them encompasses a meaning.

What does this composition read like, in my imagination? A translation from another language. Someone writes for a subscription in the backwaters of X, regurgitating misrepresentations of the writings of a mysterious group of people called the “Europeans,” who may as well not exist, or if so be on the same plane of unreality as Sokrates, known only from the words of others. But what is less real than this but life, which is what happens in the background. It is shameful, again, to say “Something must be done!” The same question without resolution for the interminable centuries. Meanwhile the country, and by this I mean the physical place that you can touch with your own hands and measure, is falling to rust and unswept red brick dust. None of our problems are unique, though the nationalists would lie to you that they are. How they hate to hear that the same thing, more or less, is happening somewhere else! Other places have their names for the Republic of Indians and the Republic of Spaniards, and whenever a writer mentions the phrase “Andean idiosyncrasies” or what makes me spit up in anger, the butchered New Age “cosmovision” to explain serfdom or state corruption it is as meaningless as when someone were to say, for example, communism or capitalism with Chinese characteristics. There are social and economic reasons, not some unique quality of the soul. That is what we tell foreigners when there is something that we want to sell to you.

As an aside, at a certain time, these two regions did experience a similar search for identity, or rather an attempt to create one. For lack of knowledge of the one I will not comment as to the success of either case. Only to say that I prefer the idea of the community as a group of people that interact to form a relationship with one another, rather than the community that is predicated on a collection of traits that serve to unite the group at the exclusion of others. These definitions coexist and each serves its purpose in describing social phenomena, but the reason to document our reality should be to use put this information to use, and make a choice about what we actually would like to see.

It is easier for me to think when I write; this is an exercise to make myself more aware of the impressions that I collect, and I do not expect it to be of use to anyone else, except to receive a clearer image of another human filtered as it is through an affectation of style (unnecessary) and a degree of self-censorship (necessary to survival). As for this style, so long as the rest of the world continues to drag around the corpse of the 19th century and novel pathogens continue to ripen from the same old source I will continue to reflect this in my sorry compositions.

Goodbye, until the next time. And goodbye, until the next time.

[variouscolors]

-- [muses] • [lore] • [HCs] • [art] • [tag list masterpost] • [crossovers] --

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Blog Status: working on re-building this blog, sorry it might be a little messy!! 🙇‍♀️🙇‍♂️ (if you urgently need me check @beginningobserver or @digitalgate02 -- both here or on bluesky.)

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Welcome!!

The text below is an updated version of the rules (est. Aug/02/2024).

Rules:

[Last update: 28/Sep/2024]

Thank you for passing by and please read all of this page, because some etiquette & info are present here:

I'm Ni/digitalgate02 (She/They) and I am 20+ so I ask you If you are underage please leave because I will not interact with you & if you do not I will softblock and maybe block you if you insist.

→ Personal blogs are not allowed to reblog ANYTHING in this account that are threads, ooc posts or posts made for this account exclusively. You can follow and send asks, but if you reblog anything that's not reblogs of art on purpose you will be blocked.

→ NO BASHING/DUNKING ON ANY SERIES/MOVIES/MANGA/GAMES, OR CHARACTERS OR SHIPS. OR "DUB VS SUB" DISCOURSE -- Also I won’t tolerate hateful comments or behavior towards myself or any RPer fellow as well.

※ I have so little to zero knowledge of the American dub of any digi-series. I will only work with the Japanese version or Brazilian dub.

※ I go with JP terminology & names, but I’m totes fine with dub names. If you start a thread with them, I’ll tag along with it. But if I’m the one starting it I’ll go with what I’m used to.

※ I go by canon divergent for certain material like WS games and ▽, as example. By the way, I'd like to go by what was said by my friend Shiha when it comes to canon and non-canon stuff.

→ I don’t ship human/digimon, adult/minor, incest and I might block if you ship it. I multiship things though! Each verse with multiple muses can have different relationships (platonic, romantic, family, rivals, enemies, etc??) -- but i don't write sm/ut.

→ I'm OC, AU, Canon Divergent and Crossover friendly, but I'd like to know your muses first. [check the crossover list for stuff I have minimal knowledge about btw!]

→ Pre-stabilished relationships are only for canon relationships. Your OCs will have to be introduced to my muses first, or plotted beforehand. Non-canon ships also must be plotted beforehand, sorry. I'm really picky about that. If you don't ship a canon ship, let me know beforehand so I can avoid writing pre-stabilished romantic relationships with you.

→ I don't expect anyone with canon characters to follow the storylines/plotlines I post (or reblog) in this blog. You're free to disagree with them as you wish; however If you like them and want to join them, feel free to ask me first! And yes, I can change parts of these verses/plotlines to accommodate you and your headcanons, just let me know first!

→ Our portrayals of the same muse may differ, and that's okay. Don't expect me to write the same muse like you and vice-versa (I feel uncomfortable when people do that).

※ If you feel unsure about your own portrayals, please remember that even the canon material has different portrayals of a character because it was written by multiple people. I may block if someone comes to "teach" me or anyone else how to write my or their muses. I have had bad experiences with this in the past, and now I vouch for everyone's right to write their muses/AUs/ships the way they want, even if I disagree with them.

→ Feel free to drop threads, but let me know please. If I want to drop a thread I'll let you know. No hard feelings though! We can always make a brand new one.

※ Replies/threads length may vary, so no need to write long replies if I write long ones, or short replies if I wrote short ones. I won't judge you by it, or for fancy formats/icons/etc. Just keep in mind I'm not English native so sometimes English accents might be a little harder for me 🙇‍♂️🙇‍♀️

→ I don’t like passive-aggressiveness. If you have something to correct in my posts, please do it politely.

※ Communication is the key -- I'm awkward when reminding people about threads because I don't want them to think I'm rushing them. And I'll admit I'm paranoid and had issues with people ghosting me in the past so it makes me a bit nervous with couples or multimuses that are not full digimon-only OR multi muses from friends. If you feel uncomfortable with anything I said or had done, please TELL ME. I'd like to apologize and solve things peacefully. If we don't click, then at least we can part ways with no hard feelings.

※ "Hey Ni, are you mad/ignoring me because you didn't reply/comment in the tags anymore..." -- No, I'm not. Don't worry, the reason is simple: I'm afraid of hitting the limit of saved tags in the autosave function and getting my tags reset. So I'd like to make comments privately (if you don't mind!) or via OOC posts with said tags copied into the post.

※I also don't like drama or people posting vague things about me. It drives my paranoia crazy. Again, this is thanks to issues I've had in the past. If I catch a post that sounds like it's about me, i'll silently unfollow or block.

→ Although I'm not mutuals-only, I'd appreciate it if you could soft-block me if you plan to unfollow. So I'll understand if you don't want to write or interact with me anymore. However, you are always free to talk to me again (unless you tell me *not* to, in which case I'll respect your wishes).

→ I'm always open to plot things -- relationships, threads, headcanons, etc. So feel free to DM me if you get an idea in mind so we can discuss.

→ This blog might contain NF/SW stuff, nothing sex/ual, but swearing or mild triggering content. Please be aware before following me. If you want me to tag something, please tell me beforehand and privately.

→ No godmodding and mindreader, etc. If you want to attack my muses or do some of their actions, please let me know first. Hugging or following you on a walk -- as examples -- are OK, but kissing and other sort of actions are NOT.

→ Btw i'm uncomfortable when people use real people icons in threads, or have live action muses. Sorry （；´д｀）ゞ

→ Please don’t send me requests to draw stuff. Some replies might have art! But if you just drop me something like “can you draw [insert here some prompt/idea]” i will immediately reply with my comm. price chart :) And no, I won’t draw fetish art.

※ If you want to use my art for icons, please let me know beforehand. Some of my art and icons have a backstory or are tied to a project of mine. And please, do not use my OCs as faceclaim or roleplay them. And please please, DO NOT REQUEST ARTISTS TO DRAW NSFW STUFF WITH MY OCS ESPECIALLY WITHOUT MY CONSENT.

→ Usual common etiquette – No hatred towards people’s religions, sexual/romantic orientation, gender (or lack of), PoC, ethnicities, etc. I won’t hesitate to block if needed.

→ Please send at least one meme if you are reblogging from me...! Reblog from the source/OP or try reblogging from my meme-reblogging blog: @gogglememes

→ Do not edit my art or repost/reupload it. If you wanna use it as an icon/sidebar, ask first. And no, you cannot use my art on A/I & N/F/T for ANYTHING. If you do that, I will block you immediately. If you want to use my doodles as icons, ask first. BTW i do have an icon warehouse blog (it used to be my old RP acc, but now it's for icons + archival of past stuff written with old fellows) → @goggle-digicons

○ If you're OK with those terms, then tell me your favorite Armor Evo from 02 material (Anime/Movie/Drama CD) -- you can use either name version (i can always research for the mon's OG name on wikimon) then there ya go.✌ ○

○ Icons credits: -- Tumblr:@7digitalheroes | @goggles-and-noodles | @digimon-icons | @iconwarehouse | @ofcanalave | @qtpiecaps | @guiltfreeicons | @blujaerps | @facexclaimxcafe-blog | @fractalflare -- Live Journal:[1][2][3][4][5][6]

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About Ni:

Hi I'm Ni (She/They; 20↑), I love Digimon in general, but the series I work with more is the OG Adventure series. I'm Ace/Panromantic, please use she/her or they/them pronouns. I'm a scaredy-cat kind of person who gets nervous and anxious at first, but once we start bonding I'll drop that and be more of myself. Also, I'm not good with people/communication, so sometimes I have meltdowns and have to step back for a while. Usually I'm either cooling off on a non-roleplaying blog or just hanging out on Discord. So please be patient with me during these times.

I love to learn new things, so please correct me if needed but without yelling at me because I kind of hate being yelled at, because I had bad personal life experiences in the past. My muses, despite some being quite closer to my personality are NOT me so please be aware of the differences between muse and writer.

I get super duper fired up when talking about the things I love the most. However I can be quite harsh and critical about said stuff as well. I tend to get a lot of brainstorms so if I’m messaging you that much please tell me and I will slow down my pace. 

I also get excited when writing a thread, so I tend to reply hella quickly while I still have in mind what to say. Don’t rush me, but give me small reminders if I forget to reply since there’s a chance I actually forgot to or thought it was your turn when in fact I hadn’t replied in the first place.

I also draw. Like, a lot. Quite compulsive. Some of my non-canon-material icons are my own art. And I feel a bit uncomfortable by using other people’s fanart WITHOUT their permission. So yeah, I do my own doodled icons… When I get energy for those.