#our mental health have more value than money

[thelasthippie]

Some normal people with their problems :

Competing, hating, demonstrating, pretending, arguing for silly things, killing, dying, perpetuating an unreal world that stinks cause their parents, teachers or "random sacred" sci fi book told them...

Smart and wise people with the same problems as everyone else at their day to day :

Did u know who are the marginalized ones ? 🤣

[bitchesgetriches]

{ MASTERPOST } Everything You Need to Know about Repairing Our Busted-Ass World

On poverty:

Starting from nothing

How To Start at Rock Bottom: Welfare Programs and the Social Safety Net 

How to Save for Retirement When You Make Less Than $30,000 a Year

Ask the Bitches: “Is It Too Late to Get My Financial Shit Together?“

Understanding why people are poor

It’s More Expensive to Be Poor Than to Be Rich

Why Are Poor People Poor and Rich People Rich?

On Financial Discipline, Generational Poverty, and Marshmallows

Bitchtastic Book Review: Hand to Mouth by Linda Tirado

Is Gentrification Just Artisanal, Small-Batch Displacement of the Poor?

Coronavirus Reveals America’s Pre-existing Conditions, Part 1: Healthcare, Housing, and Labor Rights

Developing compassion for poor people

The Latte Factor, Poor Shaming, and Economic Compassion

Ask the Bitches: “How Do I Stop Myself from Judging Homeless People?“

The Subjectivity of Wealth, Or: Don’t Tell Me What’s Expensive

A Little Princess: Intersectional Feminist Masterpiece?

If You Can’t Afford to Tip 20%, You Can’t Afford to Dine Out

Correcting income inequality

1 Easy Way All Allies Can Help Close the Gender and Racial Pay Gap

One Reason Women Make Less Money? They’re Afraid of Being Raped and Killed.

Raising the Minimum Wage Would Make All Our Lives Better

Are Unions Good or Bad?

On intersectional social issues:

Reproductive rights

On Pulling Weeds and Fighting Back: How (and Why) to Protect Abortion Rights

How To Get an Abortion 

Blood Money: Menstrual Products for Surviving Your Period While Poor

You Don’t Have to Have Kids

Gender equality

1 Easy Way All Allies Can Help Close the Gender and Racial Pay Gap 

The Pink Tax, Or: How I Learned to Love Smelling Like “Bearglove”

Our Single Best Piece of Advice for Women (and Men) on International Women’s Day

Bitchtastic Book Review: The Feminist Financial Handbook by Brynne Conroy

Sexual Harassment: How to Identify and Fight It in the Workplace 

Queer issues

Queer Finance 101: Ten Ways That Sexual and Gender Identity Affect Finances

Leaving Home before 18: A Practical Guide for Cast-Offs, Runaways, and Everybody in Between

Racial justice

The Financial Advantages of Being White

Woke at Work: How to Inject Your Values into Your Boring, Lame-Ass Job

The New Jim Crow, by Michelle Alexander: A Bitchtastic Book Review

Something Is Wrong in Personal Finance. Here’s How To Make It More Inclusive.

The Biggest Threat to Black Wealth Is White Terrorism

Coronavirus Reveals America’s Pre-existing Conditions, Part 2: Racial and Gender Inequality 

10 Rad Black Money Experts to Follow Right the Hell Now 

Youth issues

What We Talk About When We Talk About Student Loans

The Ugly Truth About Unpaid Internships

Ask the Bitches: “I Just Turned 18 and My Parents Are Kicking Me Out. How Do I Brace Myself?”

Identifying and combatting abuse

When Money is the Weapon: Understanding Intimate Partner Financial Abuse

Are You Working on the Next Fyre Festival?: Identifying a Toxic Workplace

Ask the Bitches: “How Do I Say ‘No’ When a Loved One Asks for Money… Again?”

Ask the Bitches: I Was Guilted Into Caring for a Sick, Abusive Parent. Now What?

On mental health:

Understanding mental health issues

How Mental Health Affects Your Finances

Stop Recommending Therapy Like It’s a Magic Bean That’ll Grow Me a Beanstalk to Neurotypicaltown

Bitchtastic Book Review: Kurt Vonnegut’s Galapagos and Your Big Brain

Ask the Bitches: “How Do I Protect My Own Mental Health While Still Helping Others?”

Coping with mental health issues

{ MASTERPOST } Everything You Need to Know about Self-Care

My 25 Secrets to Successfully Working from Home with ADHD 

Our Master List of 100% Free Mental Health Self-Care Tactics 

On saving the planet:

Changing the system

Don’t Boo, Vote: If You Don’t Vote, No One Can Hear You Scream

Ethical Consumption: How to Pollute the Planet and Exploit Labor Slightly Less

The Anti-Consumerist Gift Guide: I Have No Gift to Bring, Pa Rum Pa Pum Pum

Season 1, Episode 4: “Capitalism Is Working for Me. So How Could I Hate It?”

Coronavirus Reveals America’s Pre-existing Conditions, Part 1: Healthcare, Housing, and Labor Rights 

Coronavirus Reveals America’s Pre-existing Conditions, Part 2: Racial and Gender Inequality 

Shopping smarter

You Deserve Cheap Toilet Paper, You Beautiful Fucking Moon Goddess

You Are above Bottled Water, You Elegant Land Mermaid

Fast Fashion: Why It’s Fucking up the World and How To Avoid It

You Deserve Cheap, Fake Jewelry… Just Like Coco Chanel

6 Proven Tactics for Avoiding Emotional Impulse Spending

Join the Bitches on Patreon

[thehanalia]

THE SUBTLE ART OF BECOMING FINANCIALLY FREE IN 2024 💸 🎀 ྀིྀི

Hey girlies, Hanalia is back, ready to dive into some real talk about achieving financial freedom. No fluff, just hardcore truths to help you grow and secure your future like the badass queens you are.

1. Know Your Worth: Ladies, let's talk real. Your value isn't about how many likes you get or what brand you wear. It's about your talents, your skills, and your drive to succeed. Invest in yourself—learn, grow, and never underestimate what you bring to the table.

˖⁺‧₊ It's not just about earning money; it's about how you invest it. Our aim is growth, and often, you need income to invest in yourself. ˖⁺‧₊

2. Budget Like a Boss: Financial freedom starts with knowing where your money goes, okay. Time to get real with those finances. Budgeting isn't about restrictions; it's about empowerment. I used to think it was all about penny-pinching, but it's really about knowing where every dollar goes and making intentional choices.

3. Crush Debt: Debt can feel overwhelming, trust me, I've been there. But facing it head-on is how you break free. Start with the high-interest stuff, make a plan, and stick to it like your future depends on it—because it does.

˖⁺‧₊ Debt can feel like quicksand, but you're no damsel in distress. The sooner you free yourself from debt, the sooner you'll have more money to build your empire.˖⁺‧₊

4. Invest Wisely: Investing isn't just for the rich. Start small, educate yourself, and build your portfolio. I've learned that the sooner you start, the more your money can grow over time. It's about making your money work for you, not the other way around.

˖⁺‧₊ PS. Forget the lottery mentality. Real wealth is built through smart investing. Educate yourself on stocks, bonds, real estate—whatever piques your interest. Start small, diversify, and let your money work for you.˖⁺‧₊

5. Build Multiple Streams of Income: Oh my osh! I cannot stress enough the importance of this! Your 9-to-5 isn't your only option. I've hustled with side gigs, freelancing—you name it. Multiple streams of income give you security and freedom. Don't limit yourself—explore what lights you up and brings in the cash.

6. Protect Yourself: Life's unpredictable, but you can be prepared. Having health insurance and an emergency fund can be lifesavers. It's about peace of mind and knowing you're covered, no matter what.

˖⁺‧₊ Get health insurance, build an emergency fund, and consider long-term savings like retirement plans.˖⁺‧₊

7. Own Your Future: Financial freedom isn't an end goal; it's a mindset. It's about having choices and the power to live life on your terms. Stay focused, stay disciplined, and never settle for less than you deserve.

Your money is your shield. Make it stronger, fairly. I completely understand that nowadays there are countless ways to earn income, but always choose the ones that align with your values.

You can click here to get your own goodnotes planner at my store GlowInGrow at 75% DISCOUNT.

However, if you're into making some extra cash while you hustle towards your goals, I've got this cool affiliate program, click here to JOIN US 30% COMMISSION. It's all about empowering each other to glow and grow. Let's support each other on this journey, because together, we're unstoppable. 💪💸

Last but not least, at the end of your journey of becoming that girl awaits the future who is The Girl!

Stay safe and stay hot...

With Love, Hanalia

[loveemagicpeace]

✨Transits through houses Part 1✨

🌸1st house transits - many times you start to change yourself more: your appearance, personality, view of yourself and others. Many times this is when our energy radiates the most. We learn a lot about ourselves and where our energy is best. Especially when we have Jupiter transit: that's when you find faith in yourself, hope that you are worth something, that you are someone, you learn a lot about yourself and grow through many experiences. Uranus transits are usually very sudden and unpredictable, so many times we can surprise ourselves with our decisions. We become more independent (but it is true that not everyone experiences this transit, because uranium travels very slowly every 7 years). Neptune transit here will make you more sensitive, emotional and intuitive. You will be full of optimism. These characteristies will be like a magnet to people around you. Sun transit your attention is on personal identity, appearance, confident self-expression, health, and physique. You are focused on the course of your life events such as personal/professional front and health.

🥥2nd house transits- many times you start valuing yourself; looking for your values and what is really important to you (where and how do you find your value). You want to live a more luxurious life and do many things that you enjoy. Maybe you spend more on food, movies, music. You can also deal a lot with money and maybe that's when you start making money. Venus transit usually brings a lot of money or money opportunities, and sometimes also love (you often enjoy it during this period). Saturn stabilizes your finances and can bring you some fateful decisions. Pluto can bring you money power. You can earn much more than you ever expected. But you also have a lot of transformations. Here we can notice that money and material things do not take us too much - because we can become obsessed with having power and having more than the rest. Mercury transit here This period could bring opportunities for financial gain, such as increased income, new job offers, or advancements in their career.

🍧3rd house transits communication, conversations, expression suddenly become important. We think much more and give to conversations and finding the same opinion or similar to us. You start to observe other people's thinking much more and how intelligent they are. Many times you can talk to someone and have the feeling that they are not on the same mental level as you. If relatives, they were not important before, now they will be. You will meet and see them somewhere much more often. Pluto transit in this house can bring a lot of emotional transformation through relatives, siblings - maybe you ean hear some secrets or things you didn't know before. Neptune can bring a more poetic, dreamy mind. You can manifest a lot more and maybe believe or see things differently and more deeply than others. Neptune in this house is not bad, it can bring many beautiful things.You can get your dream ear, go on a dream trip. Maybe you can sacrilice more for your sister or brother. The transit of Mars in this house ean bring more energy and you can stand up for yourself more and confidently say things that are on your mind. With uranus transit new opportunities to express yourself, particularly through speaking and writing, can suddenly enter your life. You may be communicating more about your past or finding people to relate with more readily.

🏝️4th house transits- during this time you give more to home and family. You are looking for comfort and people who are closer to you and at this time you prefer to be at home than with people.Decorating a room, a house - a lot of changes in this area. You can spend more time with your mother or spend time with your family. North node in 4th house transit- big changes regarding family, maybe you can get closer to your mother and learn more things. You are redecorating your room and maybe half a long time changing the furniture or adding something new. The sun or saturn transit in this house might coincide with becoming a father. Chiron transit in 4th house or aspect with sun or moon can sometimes manifest as fostering, adoption or step-parenting. Transits to the moon reflect the emotional impact. A square from transiting uranus to cancer moon implies a time of emotional disorientation. If u decide to move in a new home can be sad for u to leave an actual home. With sun you might visit relatives when it goes through your 4th.

🎡5th house transits during this time you are more exposed to entertainment, the pursuit of hobbies, romance, the spotlight. You become more creative and creative. The 5th speaks to the idea of "legacy" of creating something that will be a lasting testament to our inner spirit. It also represents your inner child, your childhood (how you experienced your childhood - how you experienced it). It also shows casino and gambling. Sun transit in this house shows much more inspiration, childlike energy, working on yourself and finding your talents. You rarely participate in more social gatherings. Jupiter transit in this house shows more luck in everything: gambling, a new hobby, devoting yourself, more attention to your brilliance, you can fall in love or experience a very beautiful romance. Uranus transit shows more unpredictable talents, sudden fame, sudden reward or money, suddenly you can meet someone. You become more unique in your work. Sun transit it is good for going to holiday.

🛶6th house transits during this time, you ean devote yourself more to your health, routine, and lifestyle, You can take better care of your body. During this time, you can start a diet or a healthy lifestyle. Also working and working environment. Jupiter's transit in this house represents luck with health, starting something positive and paying more attention to yourself. You ean get rid of bad habits. Uranus' transit in this house shows a sudden job offer or promotion, or sudden changes in your day. You may experience sudden changes many times during this time. Venus transit here u will see a new growth in your Job or business during this transit period. When Venus transits 6th house, you will enjoy a harmonious relations with superiors and colleagues on the work front. Promotion is indicated during this period. You need to be very careful about your health. Mercury it influences the way we communicate, learn, and address our daily responsibilities. It is a time to focus on improving our skills, attending to our health, and finding practical solutions to any challenges we may face.

🎸For personal readings u can sign up here: https://snipfeed.co/bekylibra 🎸

-Rebekah🫧🦋

[theblackfemininesociety]

Ladies, 2024 is personal.

Dear Besties and future Besties,

We're starting FRESH this year, I want to encourage each and every one of you to dedicate 2024 to becoming your best self, from the inside out. This is your ✨IT Girl era✨, a time to prioritize self-care, personal growth, and breaking old habits.

Start by investing in your mental and emotional well-being. Consider therapy or counseling to unpack any past traumas, explore your innermost thoughts and feelings, and gain a deeper understanding of yourself. Remember, healing is a journey, and seeking professional help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Let's focus on our physical well-being. Make time for regular workouts and prioritize your health. Whether it's hitting the gym, practicing yoga, or simply going for a walk, physical activity not only benefits your body but also clears your mind and boosts your confidence.

Breaking old habits is never easy, but this year, let's challenge ourselves to do just that. Identify any negative patterns or addictions that hold you back and take the necessary steps to overcome them. Seek support from loved ones, join our group, or even consider professional help. Remember, you have the power to change your life. ✨💞

In the midst of this transformation, it's crucial to practice being more private and working smarter. In a world that often values constant sharing and busyness, find solace in quiet moments and focus on the tasks that truly matter. Prioritize your goals, streamline your efforts, and eliminate distractions. By doing so, you'll find that you can accomplish more in less time, leaving room for personal growth and self-care. You are not for everyone, be selective with your energy this year babe. 🩷

Financial stability is vital, so let's make it a priority this year. Save your money, create a budget, and invest in your future. By being mindful of your spending habits and making smart financial decisions, you'll be empowering yourself to live a life of financial freedom and security.

Remember, peace is the REAL luxury. Prioritize your mental and emotional well-being above all else. Surround yourself with positivity, cut out toxic relationships, and embrace moments of solitude. By cultivating inner peace, you'll radiate strength and tranquility, attracting positivity and abundance into your life.

Lastly, love on yourself. You are more precious than rubies and daughters of the most high God. Embrace your worth and never settle for less than you deserve. Set boundaries, demand respect, and prioritize your own happiness. By loving and valuing yourself, you'll attract those who do the same.

In the upcoming year, let's remain humble, determined, and refuse to accept anything less than what we truly deserve. 🥂

We will continue to work with you on becoming the best versions of yourself! Please take advantage of all of our guides/ resources (click here) & there’s plenty more ahead, stay tuned!

Xoxo,

The Black Feminine Society 💋

model 🏷️ _kendrabailey

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved in our archive

No mention of covid or long covid, but lots of mention of "cost to taxpayers" and "learning losses." I wonder what *specific* actions should be taken besides forcing sick people to stay in the classroom? Hmmst...

By Poppy Wood

Concerns that absence crisis provoked by the pandemic continues to disrupt learning

About 14,000 teachers in England called in sick every day last year, analysis has found.

Department for Education (DfE) data show that about 2.5 million school days were lost in 2022-23 as more than 326,000 teachers missed class owing to sickness.

Each teacher who took sick leave reported an average of eight days off work last year. It equates to almost 13,700 teachers calling in sick on any given day during the 190-day school year.

About 66.2 per cent of England’s teaching workforce were off school because of illness last year, according to the DfE’s school workforce statistics.

It marks a slight decrease on the 67.5 per cent of teachers who called in sick in 2021-22, but is still far above the pre-pandemic rate of 54.1 per cent.

The figures will raise concerns that an absence crisis provoked by the pandemic continues to disrupt learning, with the number of pupils missing school also significantly higher post-Covid.

In total, 7.8 million school days have been lost to sickness since in-person teaching resumed following the pandemic, according to analysis of DfE data by the TaxPayers’ Alliance.

Compared with the 2018-19 academic year – the year before the pandemic – an extra 461,500 teaching days were lost last year because of staff illness.

Joanna Marchong, investigations campaign manager of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Taxpayers will be shocked by the sheer number of sick days taken by teaching staff.

“Alongside their generous holiday entitlements, hundreds of thousands of teachers are frequently absent, leaving classrooms in disarray and forcing taxpayers to bear the significant costs of finding covers.

“Schools must tackle this issue if they want to deliver a consistent quality of education that is value for money for taxpayers.”

‘Deteriorating mental health’ While the Government does not collect statistics centrally on the reasons for teacher absence, experts have pointed to increased stress and deteriorating mental health.

In some secondary schools, as many as 166 teachers took sick leave at some point during the 2022-23 academic year, compounding financial pressures on already stretched school budgets.

Most teachers in England receive full sick pay for 25 working days off work in their first year in the profession, rising to 100 working days in their fourth and successive years of teaching.

The Telegraph revealed last week that teacher absences are forcing schools to spend billions on supply staff each year as headteachers scramble to plug gaps in the workforce.

In 2022-23, schools gave £1.2 billion of taxpayers’ cash towards expensive teacher supply agencies to fill vacancies and cover long-term sickness. It is almost double the £738 million spent on supply teachers in the year before the pandemic.

Labour has promised to allow teachers to complete more tasks from home in an attempt to make the profession more attractive. The Government is also exploring how to use artificial intelligence to reduce staff workloads, after almost one in 10 teachers quit the profession last year.

It is hoped the measures will help tackle the recruitment and retention crisis and stem the tide of staff calling in sick each day.

Daniel Kebede, the general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), called on the Government to improve teacher pay to prevent a growing exodus from the sector.

“We need to see a concerted effort by the Government to retain teachers in the profession. This will need changes to accountability so we have a collaborative and supportive system,” he said.

“This will also require action on closing the pay gap between teachers and other graduate professions, reducing workload and more flexible working in education”.

Mr Kebede blamed the rise in the teacher absence rate since the pandemic on “excessive teacher workload driven by a high-stakes assessment and accountability system”.

He warned this would continue to “leave many teachers burnt out, leading to stress, sickness and people leaving the profession” without urgent government action.

Labour has come under fire for bowing to pressure from education unions on above-inflation public sector pay deals and demands.

Last month, the NEU voted to accept the Government’s pay offer of a 5.5 per cent uplift for most teachers this year, but warned that it will push for a bigger hike next year.

It suggests the UK’s largest teaching union will continue to wield the threat of further strike action as it seeks long-term funding to address the retention crisis.

‘Severely absent’ pupils Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, has warned of a “dire” inheritance from the previous government as she faces calls for further funding from across the sector.

Schools are also struggling with dwindling pupil attendance levels since the pandemic, with Ms Phillipson warning recently that it was quickly becoming an “absence epidemic”.

More than one in 50 pupils in England are now missing at least half the school year, official figures show.

The proportion of children classed as “severely absent” – meaning they failed to show up for 50 per cent or more of classes – rose to 2.1 per cent in the autumn and spring terms of 2023-24.

It means that about 158,000 pupils were severely absent from school during those teaching periods, according to DfE data.

The DfE was approached for comment.

[saylessastrology]

Moon In Natal Houses 🏡 🌕

Moon in 1st house/ Rather you like it or not you wear your emotions on your sleeve. Others can usually tell when you are not in the best emotional state due to the first house being your outer appearance. You may come off to others as emotional and moody even when you are in a good place emotionally. When you’re happy and smiling the world and others around you can almost feel it.

Moon in 2nd/ You place a lot of value in your emotions and expressions of them. You could also profit from doing business with women. You could make money doing something that requires you to express your feelings such as a commentator, blogger, or online personality. You may also have a stronger emotional tie to money than most people.

Moon in 3rd/ The planet of emotions landing in the house of communication is a great indicator for a person who is witty and good with turning their emotions into easily digestible words. You would excel in all areas involving emotional communication. You communicate well with siblings and they may even see you as the “emotional one” in the family.

Moon in 4th/ You sweet soul. This placement is one of the most sensitive areas for the moon to land in your chart. The 4th house is where our deepest inner emotions and inner childhood thoughts reside. Home and privacy means more to you than the average person. These spaces are considered your “safe place” where you can go to retreat. Even if you did not have to best home life the idea of what “home” means to you emotionally is psychologically deep.

Moon in 5th/ The moon here just wants to have a good time and express their true self. These are people who are very blunt with their words and require a significant amount of emotional freedom. You’re optimistic most of the time to a fault and even your occasional cynicism has an upbeat flare to it. Lighthearted dating and flings may be one of your hearts guilty pleasures.

Moon in the 6th/ You are always think of ways to help those you love with your emotional support. This is the house of daily work so you may experience significant emotional experiences at your job that shape and change you as a person. It’s also the health house so having the moon here could indicate that you are at your best emotional health when you have been taking care of your physical and mental health.

Moon in the 7th/ The moon here makes for an affectionate and emotionally dependable individual. One of your emotional strengths is your ability to relate and interact emotionally with others. You my be someone who prefers to be partnered up with someone rather than enjoy being single. There is an emotional spark that activates when you are interacting emotionally with others

Moon in 8th/ Intense, deep, and psychologically powerful. Your emotional make up is not for the lighthearted. Everything you feel is deep and meaningful and others are likely captivated by your naturally intense what of expression. You may at times feel like a tortured soul going through life wondering why everything has to feel so intense all the time!?! This experiences are meant to being you closer and deeper to your purest emotional healing.

Moon in the 9th/

People may come to you a lot for emotional advice because your moon in the 9th is so physiologically inclined. These are the natural healers and emotional prophets of the zodiac and would excel in a psychological profession that requires them to give life advice to others. You may also be a bit of a book warm or documentary enthusiast.

Moon in the 10th/ Your emotions are often tied to your outer experiences in the world. You may have an underlying emotional need for recognition and success from the outside world and authorities. Your emotions are often on display at work and in your career life as well. This is a person who is so charming in their career they could easily sell water to fish.

Moon in the 11th/ You likely feel emotionally fulfilled when you are around your friends and social groups. You enjoy and are great of interacting emotionally with different people of all communities. You may also have a lot of female friends in your close circle.

Moon in 12th/ This is a sweet yet sensitive place to have your moon land in your chart. The 12th house is psychological and spiritually filled with some of our deepest mental health thoughts and illusions that we prefer to keep hidden. This is even more so emphasized when the moon is here. You are painfully sensitive to the world and others around you so you go out of your way to creat a safe place for your emotions to hide when the world is being too aggressive.

[ayaisokay]

The Kids Aren't Alright

* ~ I'm sorry for making this ~ *

Doomers & Fatalism

Regardless of your age, you need a reason to move forward. You need hope. Yet, it's hard to find hope for teens and young adults.

Not a year goes by without an update on the planet's decline (at our hand), wealth is only feeling more unstable and unequally distributed, a pandemic destroyed any hope of sociability for some, and social media does more harm than good when it "connects" people.

There's no true community, nothing to take pride in, there's hardly motivation for ambition or wealth. Hell, we grow up being told we'll be a generation of renters, because it's a statistical improbability than any of us will EVER afford a home without working 3 jobs into our grave.

I can't speak for America, but I know my government haven't made any real effort to prevent renter's from taking that news and slowly inflating rent costs each month.

I'm a part of the generation that is thought to deal with the broadest range of mental health concerns; however, I'm also part of the generation that's most likely to be told to "deal with it," or "grow up," by the people perpetuating our suffering, or the peers that fell victim to toxic hustle culture— enabling the shitty circumstances.

When you start adulthood with so many problems that directly impact your life, most of which come at no fault of your own, you'd hope for help in addressing those matters, but it never comes.

We're told we're lazy, we don't try hard enough, and we've got it easy (which is a demonstrable lie). How is it any surprise we became hopeless doomers? At some point you just get the idea that we were destined to fail.

Threats of War

Now we're told to be ready for World War 3 and I'm struggling to understand why. What values am I defending? Why should I die for a country that doesn't care about me?

Sure, Ukraine and Palestine are in shitty situations, but saying that doesn't require me to do anything. Though they demonstrate something: the government will risk our lives for money, and turn a blind eye to genocide if it suits them.

All that matters is that we're made to feel like our interests align. They don't represent us. They represent themselves.

Don't get me wrong, I don't support either conflict, and I sympathise with the aforementioned nations; however, I am not willing to die for them— I don't think you are. So is it even fair for us to bother complaining? It's not like diplomacy has done a thing so far.

Whether we're roped into a war or not, it doesn't feel like we'd have a choice.

Hobbies and Corporations

Normally I'd propose finding an outlet for everything. I'm not sure that's ideal anymore. Commonplace hobbies like gaming, sports, martial arts, reading, and art, they require 3 things: time, motivation, and effort.

Thanks to hustle culture, holding 3 jobs, running a drop shipping business, and abandoning any meaningful social life is considered just enough and reasonable. That doesn't leave time for personal hobbies, entertainment, or time to actually live. A life like that is no life at all. You're an animal operating on the exclusive goal of survival. You're alive, but you're not living.

Among those of us too physically or mentally scarred to work like our peers, we compassionately took to pen and paper, or software and devices, writing stories, drawing and animating worlds, or making music.

I fear that pocket of joy is getting smaller. AI image generation has already impacted artists, AI voice recreations are already being used in place of some voice actors, and we've all seen the AI voice covers for songs— claiming "you don't need to learn to sing." It didn't take long for me to see "generative AI" being proposed as a source for track samples and stems in music production.

Considering such things, it's hard to motivate yourself to put your work out there. You struggle to justify spending time creating anything, and you're probably not ready to put the effort into producing enough algorithm optimised works per day. After all, no one will see it. No one cares.

That's how it feels.

Social Media

Maybe we still have digital spaces? Really. Are cespools like Twitter spaces you can enjoy? Even Tumblr is quite detached, with small accounts struggling to get so much as a couple likes— nevermind a reblog, and god forbid you get a comment or DM.

That's minor though, it's the relationships that bother me. The ability to lock someone out of your life, within 5 seconds, for the slightest of perceived infractions. You're sensitive and a snowflake if you need boundaries, and you're "rude" and "mean" when you're pushed too far for not establishing them.

You can join a fandom or community and run into those issues, but do you really need more trouble? Ive hung around with furries since I was 13 or 14. It wasn't a furry that SA'd me, and I've never been groomed. But as a child online, I was labelled as a dog fucking groomer (at 15), because I was in a furry community discord server. I don't like to think about how that made the young adult owner of the server feel.

Social media is good for "satirical trolls," who take pleasure in hurting as many people as they can, and then claiming it's OK because they're joking, and you should've known. Is it really worth the effort for anyone else? You know, us "normal people," not bogged down by million strong fanbases, actively managing parasocial relationships and morally questionable stalking.

Closing Statements

I'm not entirely sure why I wrote this post. I guess I'm just another girl crying on the internet when I should save it for the therapy I can't actually afford.

I want to be hopeful, to feel like there's something attainable to desire, or even just things to look forward to. It's been a long time since I woke up and felt there was a good reason to be awake or even alive.

Thanks,

- The Girl That Doesn't Exist

[theshiftingwitch]

Hi!

I have horrible OCD and I can’t get my mind to understand the way I need to differentiate between my desired reality and my thoughts.

I’ve been struggling with it for months because of coaches and people always saying our thoughts are what create our reality. Since I’ve come to understand that the 4D and our imagination creates our reality, and reality is an echo of our thoughts, it’s really fucked up my entire faith and I can’t trust my own words and desires anymore.

I can only bring myself to manifest smaller things like money, or clearer skin and longer hair etc because of fears. My mind has convinced me I have illness and that Ill never get to reality shift because of my OCD, and what’s so scary is that it feels so real.

I don’t know what to do anymore, I don’t know how to release this energy of constantly being convinced there’s illness in me or my own parent, I have no idea what I can visualize to make things better because my mind just shows me images of me and my parent sick all day. I don’t know what mindset I can have apart from the fact that reality is an echo of our thoughts.

Do I continue to affirm that my desired thoughts obliterates and destroys my fears of illness even thought I constantly get scary images that feel so real? I don’t have anyone who understands my problems at such a spiritual level and I’ve tried so hard to find meditations exactly for this but none of them fit to my standards.

I’m so tired and I’m almost completely giving up due to how real my OCD feels. It’s always surrounding illness in the stomach area which has created this horrible stuck energy that almost fuels my OCD. When Im most terrified what can I do?

What do I do?

Sorry for the long message! 🫶🏻🥺

Hello!

Surprisingly, this is not the first ask I get about manifesting/shifting while struggling with OCD (I'll leave the links down for you)

First, I have to say this because I can't, in good conscience, give you my advice without letting you know : I am not a professional. Manifestation and loa and shifting are not a replacement for professional help, so if you can, please speak to someone who knows what they're doing when it comes to complex mental health.

You said you can only bring yourself to manifest small things, then you listed things people have been struggling with for months! There are no small or big manifestations, everything is of equal value when it comes to loa, so already you've proven to be a powerful manifestor.

And yet, as powerful as you are, you haven't been able to manifest this illness that plagues your mind. You're not sick, your family is not sick, you're all doing just fine. So why is it that this particular thought didn't manifest when we always say that our thoughts create our realities?

The mind is a complex thing, and your subconscious is a sponge that absorbs whatever you tell it without debate or questions. However, manifesting is not simply thinking a thought and letting it come into your reality. Manifestation requires clear DESIRE. It needs a strong intention and a burning desire for that which you WANT to manifest. If you're thinking a thought and it feels so real and yet the whole time your mind is going " I don't want this! I don't want this outcome! Please don't bring this into my 3d reality, this feels awful, I don't like this! Make it stop" you're signalling to your subconscious mind that this is not a desire, so it gets handled as such.

Intrusive thoughts are just that, a thought that doesn't belong and is intruding on your normal line of thinking. You can't manifest that which you do not desire. Your mind is smarter than that, the universe is smarter than that!

Check out these posts if you have more questions about this, and happy manifesting ❤️

[pluckyredhead]

ur post abt the green lantern’s political leanings was so interesting!! can you do one for the bat family? (but only if u wanna!!)

Honestly, I can't, because their politics are so incoherent.

Like, take Bruce. (And again, like with the Lanterns, I'm talking about canon here, not how I wish things were.) On the one hand, you would imagine he's pretty progressive, right? He's almost certainly a single issue voter and that single issue is gun control. He believes in rehabilitating criminals and in fact a lot of Wayne Enterprises hires are formerly incarcerated people. He is an active philanthropist who pours money into schools, orphanages, hospitals, public spaces, and the arts. These are all leftist values!

And yet the modern Batman is also a completely unrestrained violent anarchic-libertarian power fantasy. Bruce has invented his own law, which he enacts and enforces completely arbitrarily, however he feels like doing so. He obeys the laws he wants to obey and ignores the ones he doesn't care about, while insisting he is law-abiding. He tortures people literally constantly and considers it righteous. He uses the profits from his publicly traded company to become a one-man military industrial complex. (The emissions from the fucking Batmobile alone...!) He illegally surveils the entire city and sometimes the entire planet (Brother Eye, anyone?) because he has decided that his moral authority overrides literally anyone's right to privacy, anywhere. He allows his defeated foes to be locked up indefinitely regardless of their mental state in an institution that would make any qualified mental health professional run screaming in the opposite direction. He's sexist. All of these things sit on the right of the political spectrum, but imagine me pointing to the right like Charlie from It's Always Sunny pointing to his murder board.

And none of the Batfamily is any better. Some of them are honestly worse in certain aspects. Dick was a cop. Jason loves guns. Babs and Tim are even more in love with surveillance than Bruce is. Remember when Tim wanted to replace the police with, like, a Bat-army??? BECAUSE I DO.

It's not really "their fault," as much as anything can be a fictional character's fault. It's the result of being written by writers who are, for the most part, consciously trying to write the Bats as good Samaritans, but are also living in a world where we have had our brains warped by all of our blockbusters being funded by the US military, in a medium where badassery is prized above everything else, and so all this really problematic shit spills out onto the comics page without being questioned. It's also kind of a boiling frog situation: i.e. Batman has always had a cool car, so as he got tougher and tougher, of course that car would eventually become a tank, and no one stopped to go "Wait, what the fuck? What the fuck? How is this billionaire driving a tank around helping anyone???" I guess god bless Zack Snyder for inadvertently highlighting how fucking stupid and counterproductive a Batman taken to his worst extremes is.

To be clear, I don't think this is what most writers are trying to do with Batman (some of them are, but fuck those guys). But it's what happens when all you care about is rule of cool, and the more I think about it the more I'm like...shit, maybe Alan Moore was right and superheroes are just stupid.

Anyway in conclusion, comic book writers should consider the ramifications of what they're writing occasionally. But Bruce Wayne probably still votes blue, at least.

[kakiastro]

Mars-Uranus-Algol Conj Transit: Off with their Heads!

Guysss!! We are near one of the biggest and nerve racking transits in our lifetime!! Mark your calendars July 15-16th

Mars= motivation, war, sex, aggression , the head and your physical body

Uranus= innovation, unpredictability and urgent changes

Algol= known as “demon star” or the “Medusa star” it rules over misfortune, electrocution, decapitation, mob violence. In other words Algol is the damn boogeyman. However, she does bring fame, a strong presence, being well known in a infamous way,

Algol is in the Perseus constellation sitting in Perseus hand that’s holding Medusa head.

This triple transit conj is definitely one to look out for because it wont happen again for another 500 years!!

The last time this transit occurred was in 1522 and 1942!

Taurus rules financials, physical home, resources, values + morals, economy, throat, food

It’s happening at the 26°(Taurus degree) so it’s full on Taurus energy

2 + 6= 8

8 is a scorpio number which is ruled by Pluto , Pluto is in Aquarius . It’s also an 8 year in numerology which is ruled by Saturn, which is in Pisces

Since this is a big Taurus transit, we have to look at its ruler Venus. Venus will be in Leo at this time.

Leo rules over fame, dating, creative spark, passion, children, ego, soul missions

This conjunction only last for a few days but the energy will last the rest of this year until 2026.

The Moon will be in Scorpio during this and it will oppose this conjunction.

Those with Taurus placements especially those with 20°-29°, I personally see this as end of an era for you! Perseus beheaded Medusa. I see this as a cycle that’s being beheaded and you’re about to be legendary. Now I’ll be honest , change won’t be easy at all, especially for you all because Taurus not fond of change but yall It’s time!!

My predictions: these are just my own personal ones. This is also globally and doesn’t pertain to a specific area! It’s everybody

-more protest against government leaders and system

-money matters, maybe a new system? Or lots of talking of the future of the economy.

-housing market , rent cost, and homelessness will be hot topics of discussion.

-mental health discussions, serious talks about it

-more celebrity downfalls. I actually think the Entertainment industry is about to split. Think Drake vs Kendrick, that was a prequel

- bizzare natural disasters happening more than usual

- more dark and hidden secrets coming out about people(especially famous ones)

-people are really going to be asking about our food supply. What are we really putting in our food?

-the Kids! We are really going to be discussing is the type of world we want for the next generation. I predict we’re going to see extraordinary stories of kids doing extraordinary things that we didn’t even think about at their age.

-so many people are going to be moving overseas to foreign lands

-medical breakthroughs.

-unsung heroes such as creatives, teachers, regular people becoming huge in the spotlight!

I know this doesn’t look or sound good but please don’t freak out! This post isn’t suppose to put fear in your head but make you more aware on what the hell is going on. So when things hit the fan, you’ll at least know why it’s happening. Think of it like this, we are in the era of change and new beginning. When has that ever been easy?

It’ll be okay y’all! We gone be alright! Say it with me “we gone be alright!”

[bitchesgetriches]

{ MASTERPOST } Everything You Need to Know about Repairing Our Busted-Ass World

On poverty:

Starting from nothing

How To Start at Rock Bottom: Welfare Programs and the Social Safety Net

How to Save for Retirement When You Make Less Than $30,000 a Year

Ask the Bitches: “Is It Too Late to Get My Financial Shit Together?“

Understanding why people are poor

It’s More Expensive to Be Poor Than to Be Rich

Why Are Poor People Poor and Rich People Rich?

On Financial Discipline, Generational Poverty, and Marshmallows

Bitchtastic Book Review: Hand to Mouth by Linda Tirado

Is Gentrification Just Artisanal, Small-Batch Displacement of the Poor?

Coronavirus Reveals America’s Pre-existing Conditions, Part 1: Healthcare, Housing, and Labor Rights

Developing compassion for poor people

The Latte Factor, Poor Shaming, and Economic Compassion

Ask the Bitches: “How Do I Stop Myself from Judging Homeless People?“

The Subjectivity of Wealth, Or: Don’t Tell Me What’s Expensive

A Little Princess: Intersectional Feminist Masterpiece?

If You Can’t Afford to Tip 20%, You Can’t Afford to Dine Out

Correcting income inequality

1 Easy Way All Allies Can Help Close the Gender and Racial Pay Gap

One Reason Women Make Less Money? They’re Afraid of Being Raped and Killed.

Raising the Minimum Wage Would Make All Our Lives Better

Are Unions Good or Bad?

On intersectional social issues:

Reproductive rights

On Pulling Weeds and Fighting Back: How (and Why) to Protect Abortion Rights

How To Get an Abortion

Blood Money: Menstrual Products for Surviving Your Period While Poor

You Don’t Have to Have Kids

Gender equality

1 Easy Way All Allies Can Help Close the Gender and Racial Pay Gap

The Pink Tax, Or: How I Learned to Love Smelling Like “Bearglove”

Our Single Best Piece of Advice for Women (and Men) on International Women’s Day

Bitchtastic Book Review: The Feminist Financial Handbook by Brynne Conroy

Sexual Harassment: How to Identify and Fight It in the Workplace

Queer issues

Queer Finance 101: Ten Ways That Sexual and Gender Identity Affect Finances

Leaving Home before 18: A Practical Guide for Cast-Offs, Runaways, and Everybody in Between

Racial justice

The Financial Advantages of Being White

Woke at Work: How to Inject Your Values into Your Boring, Lame-Ass Job

The New Jim Crow, by Michelle Alexander: A Bitchtastic Book Review

Something Is Wrong in Personal Finance. Here’s How To Make It More Inclusive.

The Biggest Threat to Black Wealth Is White Terrorism

Coronavirus Reveals America’s Pre-existing Conditions, Part 2: Racial and Gender Inequality

10 Rad Black Money Experts to Follow Right the Hell Now

Youth issues

What We Talk About When We Talk About Student Loans

The Ugly Truth About Unpaid Internships

Ask the Bitches: “I Just Turned 18 and My Parents Are Kicking Me Out. How Do I Brace Myself?”

Identifying and combatting abuse

When Money is the Weapon: Understanding Intimate Partner Financial Abuse

Are You Working on the Next Fyre Festival?: Identifying a Toxic Workplace

Ask the Bitches: “How Do I Say ‘No’ When a Loved One Asks for Money… Again?”

Ask the Bitches: I Was Guilted Into Caring for a Sick, Abusive Parent. Now What?

On mental health:

Understanding mental health issues

How Mental Health Affects Your Finances

Stop Recommending Therapy Like It’s a Magic Bean That’ll Grow Me a Beanstalk to Neurotypicaltown

Bitchtastic Book Review: Kurt Vonnegut’s Galapagos and Your Big Brain

Ask the Bitches: “How Do I Protect My Own Mental Health While Still Helping Others?”

Coping with mental health issues

{ MASTERPOST } Everything You Need to Know about Self-Care

My 25 Secrets to Successfully Working from Home with ADHD

Our Master List of 100% Free Mental Health Self-Care Tactics

On saving the planet:

Changing the system

Don’t Boo, Vote: If You Don’t Vote, No One Can Hear You Scream

Ethical Consumption: How to Pollute the Planet and Exploit Labor Slightly Less

The Anti-Consumerist Gift Guide: I Have No Gift to Bring, Pa Rum Pa Pum Pum

Season 1, Episode 4: “Capitalism Is Working for Me. So How Could I Hate It?”

Coronavirus Reveals America’s Pre-existing Conditions, Part 1: Healthcare, Housing, and Labor Rights

Coronavirus Reveals America’s Pre-existing Conditions, Part 2: Racial and Gender Inequality

Shopping smarter

You Deserve Cheap Toilet Paper, You Beautiful Fucking Moon Goddess

You Are above Bottled Water, You Elegant Land Mermaid

Fast Fashion: Why It’s Fucking up the World and How To Avoid It

You Deserve Cheap, Fake Jewelry… Just Like Coco Chanel

6 Proven Tactics for Avoiding Emotional Impulse Spending

[ibis-gt]

hey, a genuine plea from someone who used to love this space: please learn to treat artists & writers as human beings and not factories.

part of what drove me away was the absolutely constant push to be making new things. i’d post a piece of art or a comic or a fic and get tons of people asking for what was going to happen next, just more more more nonstop, and it was overwhelming and so discouraging. it didn’t matter how long the thing i’d just posted was, people just wanted more. when i went on my hiatus because i felt totally tapped out, i got asks & requests STILL asking me to make more things, telling what of my stuff they missed, keeping that pressure on, and it SUCKED. i couldn’t even rest on my break because of that and along with other huge problems in the community, it made me quit this place for good.

just, please learn some etiquette about how to engage with art and writing, please stop asking for more all the time. if you want something you need to either learn to make it yourself or put your money where your mouth is and pay for it. if artists or writers ask for requests then it’s okay to ask for things for free, but don’t assume that’s the case for every single creator out there. for the love of god don’t read someone’s fic and then say ‘what if you wrote this again, but with this different thing that i like more’, because you sound like an entitled child.

PLEASE remember we’re human beings with lives and other circumstances, we need to make money to live or we need to go to school or take care of ourselves and our families. we are more than the drawings or stories we create and if you treat us like factories, you’re just going to burn us out. we are not ‘content creators’. we are PEOPLE.

and hey! for any other creatives out there who feel this way, feel like your audience is draining you dry or a community isn’t treating you with the respect you deserve? there is nothing wrong with dropping that space and moving on to something else, something better. sometimes things can’t be fixed or reformed or shaped up. sometimes the rot is so deep that it’s not worth breaking your back trying to pull it out. If a space isn’t good for you, save your mental and physical health and leave. i’ve been in a much better place in almost every aspect of my life after getting out of this community. you don’t have to stick around if you don’t feel valued. anyone telling you otherwise is thinking more about themself than about you, so fuck ‘em.

[theambitiouswoman]

Hi! I hope you're having a wonderful day!

Do you have any tips on how to make your twenties worthwhile? I'm 19 (currently unemployed but looking) and trying to read as many non-fiction books as possible to build my life in my twenties so that when I turn 30, I can rest easy and settle in [and possibly be financially free by my mid-thirties]. Any tips would be helpful <3

There are so many things you can accomplish in your twenties. So many experiences. So many versions of yourself that you can become.

It is just as important to take advantage of that, as it is to not put yourself on a timeline. I firmly believe the more we expose ourselves to new realities and information, the faster we learn and the sooner we can arrive at our personal goals. So dive into your passions, your dreams. Discover what makes YOU happy. Who you want to be. Be understanding and kind to yourself.

You can do this either way, but I would say to work on yourself only and make sure you love the person staring at you in the mirror. I would learn as much as I can about anything that interests me, figure out opportunities that align with those interests and then learn as much as possible. Opportunity is everywhere. You do not have to wait to start building your dream life. You have a very lucky opportunity, with the overwhelming amount of information and accessibility there is right now. The world is literally yours.

Learn how to budget and invest your money.

Learn all of the ways to make money and learn how to from the ways that interest you.

Build relationships.

Focus on your physical and mental health.

Do not listen to people who aren't where you want to be. At all. This includes "build with you" rhetorics. I can get into this in another post.

Travel (if you can) and learn how to become independent. This is important because codependency can hold you back and creates a ripple on how you do everything else in life. Ultimately having an adverse effect on your reality and mental health.

Start taking risks and embracing failure. I believe you always have time and its never too late. However, when you get older and set in your ways, it is very hard to change and establish a new mindset.

You said by your 30s, so I recommend you figure out where you want to be by 30 and work backwards. Set yearly or monthly goals.

Everyone's journey is different. Figure out what resonates with you and aligns with your personal values and aspirations.

The most important point I want to end with is, to remember that you can in fact do anything. There is more to the world than your current environment. Do not let anyone make you feel like you are limited to it. Many people restrain themselves due to fear or the familiarity of their current situation, trying to adapt to a place they might not belong. It is because they do not realize they are meant for so much more. They probably do not realize that more can exist for them. But there is. And they can.

[imnotevenusin]

Ranking the Astrological Houses

cuz y nawt

In Astrology, Houses govern each area of our lives : our home/family life, our career milestones/overall achievements, our values, our one-to-one Relationships, etc. Personally, I think some Houses are cooler than other ones, and in this post I’ll go over why.

1. The 8th House : This House is all about the possessions you share with loved ones, the possessions people share with you, intimacy, self-exploration (the occult), and tragic moments. This house rules over the taboo aspects of being a human being—things people aren’t comfortable with sharing or exposing, unless we truly let you in. When we encounter something that breaks us, we are forced to rebuild ourselves, and rise from the ashes—as dramatic as that sounds. Through this we re-evaluate our psyche. Without a doubt, the coolest and most important house.

2. The 12th House : Coming after the 11th house—our place in society—the 12th house is where we disconnect from the collective; this is where we disconnect from JUST being a Human being, and instead we connect with ALL beings. In this house, you learn that your Spirit is limitless—whether its through isolation, existentialism, or your dreams. Its a beautiful and underrated house.

3. The 11th House : The 10th House is what we build for ourselves, and what we achieve, and the 11th House is what we bring to the table on a wider-scale; really, this is our place in Society—or whatever you perceive as a Collective. I think this is also a stronger fame indicator compared to the 10th House, since it deals with large amounts of people/audiences/society/how many people you actually reached.

4. The 9th House : This is where we start taking more serious Mental Journeys. The 8th House is everything taboo; its rules over “touchy” subjects and our overall vulnerability. After we go through “hell”, we gain answers, wisdom, and belief systems. And rather than being focused on immediate interactions/environments, we start to travel outside of our comfort zones and explore—which expands our knowledge and perceptions.

5. The 2nd House : What do we equip ourselves with? What items do we value? For me, the 2nd house is definitely one of the more important Houses, because what you value dictates your whole life and how controlled you are by society (ex : Religion, Money). This is also what we gather for ourselves and how Wealthy we are. For most people, this will show our finances. Its a cool lil house.

6. The 10th House : 9th House is our answers and beliefs, and the 10th House is what we build and achieve with these answers. What is your legacy? What structure did you build for yourself? What is your greatest achievement/accomplishments? In my opinion, this house isn’t THAT strong of a fame indicator as the 11th House; it just deals with your own milestones, regardless of how many people know about it or not.

7. The 5th House : This is the most care-free house in Astrology; this area in our lives rules over entertainment and pleasure. Pleasure can range from Artistic Hobbies, Flings, Dating, Light-hearted Romance, etc. This part of the chart can indicate Children/and or having Children.

8. The 3rd House : Our baby steps; This house deals with immediate interactions/environments : Siblings, Neighborhood, School, and writing and communication in general. Like the 5H, this can indicate what type of Hobbies we get into.

9. The 6th House : Pretty underrated, as it can show you what type of daily routine, activities you’ll be getting into, and what problems we’ll deal with—health, work, errands, etc; its generally what speed you live your life at. This is also an underrated fame indicator (ex : Kurt Cobain had his 11th House Ruler in the 6th House; his artistic routines helped him with gaining attention and an audience).

10. The 4th House : The House of Privacy and Family. This house can show us our Home life and Family;the people and places you feel the most comfortable with. Having Mars in this House ain’t easy, so its lower in this ranking.

11. The 1st House : The Ascendant is the most important part of our charts, since its the most personal and specific placement—its calculated based off of what time you were born. It can give us our Chart Ruler and our physical features. The Ascendant/1H also shows us the relationship we have with ourselves. I have Chiron in this house, so its second to last.

12. The 7th House : Opposing the 1H, this is how we deal with other people—could be one-on-one relationships, partnerships, relatability, and sometimes, the public. If you have any “bad” placements in the 7H, it can indicate enemies/and or rivals; people you have a hard time getting a long with. In this house, you become conscious of differences you have with people. You’re looking at another person and saying “okay, lets make this happen”. Having Saturn in this house sucks, so its last place.

[joannechocolat]

Dear Mr X...

It’s hard to give up a relationship, even when it has become toxic. Even when it brings you no joy, it’s hard to accept the fact that you’re better off without it. To look at the time you spent building it, to write off those years and start again can feel like jumping off a cliff into a bottomless precipice. You start to think of all the things you’ll lose if the relationship ends; the good times, the shared friends, the laughter and the memories. Your heart sinks at the thought of trying to rebuild all that from scratch. The time. The work. The energy. It feels like a bereavement.

I feel like that about Twitter now. A relationship that began fifteen years ago, when I was someone different, and the platform was new and hopeful and designed for communication, rather than spreading division. Sometimes I still find myself mourning that time; the friends I made; the stories I wrote, the thousands of incarnations of the Shed. Some of my friends have been left there for good, their Twitter accounts frozen in time; their words all that remains of them. Perhaps that’s why I’m reluctant to leave, even though the bluebirds have flown, and even the logo is changing to something that looks to me a lot like a modified swastika – an apt comparison, given the way in which certain voices and political views have been given unasked-for prominence, while others seem to have vanished altogether from my feed. Feed someone garbage for long enough, and they start to sicken and die. That’s what happening via this site. I have watched it happening ever since Elon Musk arrived - a man so cartoonishly self-obsessed that it’s hard to even believe he’s real, except that no writer of fiction or game designer would dream of creating such a crass and substandard character.

X. What a choice of symbol.

X marks the spot for pirates in search of buried treasure. X is the mark of a person who is unable to write their name. X is the identity of someone who needs to stay anonymous. It’s a voter’s mark; an erasure; a mystery; a chromosome.

And it’s also an occult symbol, a rune: the rune Gyfu according to the Old English Futhorc, and Gebo in the Elder Futhark; both of which translate as “gift”.

The Anglo-Saxon rune poem that accompanies it goes like this:

ᚷ Gẏfu gumena bẏþ gleng and herenẏs, ƿraþu and ƿẏrþscẏpe and ƿræcna gehƿam ar and ætƿist, ðe bẏþ oþra leas.

which translates as follows:

Generosity brings credit and honour, which support one's dignity; it furnishes help and subsistence to all broken men who are devoid of aught else.

At first glance, this seems the opposite of what Elon Musk has done for the world. A man who sees social media as his own personal platform; a man who sees the cosmos as his own personal joy-ride.

The mistake we made was believing that Twitter was our playground. Elon Musk has made it his, and is currently in the process of breaking the toys, chopping down the trees and nuking the site from orbit, just to prove that play is overrated, and that only money counts. I can’t help feeling sorry for the little boy he must have been, and to wonder what he might have been like if he’d actually had any friends. But it’s time: and the change of branding makes it even easier to step away.

So maybe this is a kind of gift to the ones of us leaving Twitter. Misinformation, misogyny, transphobia, conspiracy theories and other kinds of social media poison have already made it increasingly difficult to feel safe there. (And fun fact, the word Gift in German happens to mean “poison”.) Perhaps the ultimate gift of X is the freedom from the toxicity that has built up in this most volatile of media; the gift of better mental health; of greater connection to our world; an escape from a toxic fantasy back into the open air.

I won’t leave altogether – Threads still isn’t open to Europe, and the jury’s still out on Bluesky - but I don’t want to give any more of my content to a man who values power and money over human connection. I’m @joannechocolat across all my social media - that’s Threads, Bluesky, Tumblr and Instagram – and I’ll still be posting stories on my ko-fi account at: https://ko-fi.com/story. But if you want to know what I’m doing, then sign up to my free newsletter on my website at joanne-harris.co.uk. I’m coming to believe that social media as I once knew it may have run its course for me: I won’t leave it altogether, but from now on I plan to invest more of my time and energy elsewhere.

And as for Mr X - I doubt you’ll be around forever. But while you are, my gift to you is this final story: written live on Twitter, as was, for all the little bluebirds.

There once was a boy who had no friends. His father gave him everything money can buy: toy cars, model aeroplanes, even rockets that really flew, but friends were impossible to buy, and the boy was lonely, angry, and bored. 

One day, when he was playing alone with one of his expensive toys, he saw a group of children playing in a nearby park. They sounded so merry and carefree that the boy was jealous. 

“Why don’t I have friends?” he cried. “I shall buy the park, and then everyone will notice me.”

And so the boy asked his father to buy him the park for his very own; and he settled there with his expensive toys, and put a notice on the gate, saying: Entrance fee, 8 shillings.

The children of the neighbourhood looked enviously at the empty park. Some of the wealthier ones paid the entry fee, but many of the children did not; instead, they waited outside the gates, and looked into the place where once they had all played together.

But still the boy was not content. None of the new children played with him. Instead they played their own games, and climbed trees, or played hide and seek, or lay on the grass watching the clouds. None of this served the boy at all, and he was sulky and discontent.

“If I have all the trees cut down, then maybe the others will notice me,” he thought.

And so he ordered his servants to cut down all the trees in the park. But apart from a few toadies and flatterers, the children still did not play with him, but mocked him secretly from afar, and fell silent whenever he passed by.

“How ungrateful these children are,” said the boy, getting angry. “I bought this park for them, and still they refuse to play with me! Very well, I shall cease to pay the groundsmen and the gardeners. The park will be overrun with weeds. Wild animals will roam there.”

And so the boy did as he had promised, and the park became a wilderness. No-one wanted to pay for it, and even the toadies and flatterers and children of wealthy families went elsewhere to see their friends.

The boy was very angry at this, but there was no-one to be angry with. All the other children had gone. And so he took out his rage on the deer who had begun to roam in the park, shooting them with his toy crossbow, and became known throughout the land as a mighty hunter.