#read up a bit about whether doing this would be considered cultural appropriation and native people are okay with white people getting

[guzhufuren]

kind of want to commission someone to draw a partial art of a sleeve getting cut. and tattoo it with a caption "cut-sleeve". i do identify as a faggot and a dyke and already got a tattoo of the ancient greek word for wlw under my chest back when i was 16, so should have something for the other side too. does anyone happen to know chinese art well and saw older dated illustrations of sleeve cutting between men for references? please please send them in messages if you have any

[aconstantstateofbladerunner]

Dunno about you but our teachers never really analysed required readinh in class. Our English (as foreign language) teacher just ripped a quiz from the internet after we were supposed to read 1984. Our (German) literature class was a bit better, but I'm only saying this because I remember the parable of the three rings. I think a lot of teachers don't really do anything with the required reading, making it feel pointless. Dunno, maybe challenging kids to analyse their fav media would work better

I don’t think the problem of mediocre teachers teaching for the test is going to be solved by letting kids pick the books. I get what you are saying, and i think kids analyzing their favorite books could work as a good introductory activity for elementary and middle schoolers, i think you are missing the point of the post. There are always going to be things in life that require critical thinking even if it doesn’t personally interest you. You can’t always just throw up you hands and dnf the world around you. I’m sorry your teacher’s weren’t great, but that doesn’t mean the whole exercise must be wrong.

(Apologies for going on a bit of a ramble, but your ask really rubbed me the wrong way and i need to talk about it.)

The first problem with letting kids just pick whatever book to analyze is practical: the teacher won’t be able to read every book. My average high school english class had 15 people, and most schools have more. Unless that one assignment made up the whole class, the teacher would not be able to read every single submission in a reasonable time frame. If the student misinterprets something, the teacher has no way of knowing. Say for example that someone wanted to do a project on the Twilight Saga, and somewhere in their paper they argue that the book has a strong anti-racist message because it has a lot of Native American characters. And ignorant non-native student might not catch the more underhanded racism present, nor would they know about how the author appropriated a real tribe for profit they never got a cut off if they only looked at the book itself and not discussions around it. And the teacher wouldn’t be able to correct them because they have 20-some other completely different books and projects they’ve never read to worry about. The point of a curriculum is for everyone to be on the same page. And yes, this can lead to situations where a teacher decides that their interpretation is the only correct one, but it’s better than a free for all where no one learns anything.

As for why english class had people look at certain ”classics” over the new YA hotness is because the classics’ value goes beyond whether or not they are good stories. They have cultural impact, they challenge your thinking, they hold up to close readings. It’s one thing to learn about the raw facts of WW1 or the Vietnam War, it’s another thing to read what it felt like to live through those things and their aftermaths from authors who experienced them firsthand like Earnest Hemmingway and Tim O’Brian. And let me tell you: I cannot stand Hemmingway, but i understand why i was made to read his work. He touched on not only the war itself, but the emotional struggle to move on with your life after experiencing something so traumatic but ultimately pointless, not to mention his actual style of writing was innovative for its time. Meanwhile Tim O’Brian is one of my favorite authors long after my high school class introduced me to him. His book The Things They Carried will tell a horrifying anecdote about Vietnam in one chapter, then spend the next talking directly to the audience about which parts were literally true, and which parts were emotionally true, details that were altered in order to tell the story in a way that brought the reader closer to what the real thing felt like. There’s a lot more storytelling philosophy in there i still apply to my own writing too this day that i would have never considered without it. There arguments to be made about the over abundance of white dude authors in the curriculum. Calling it right now, The Left Hand of Darkness should be taught in schools. But there is diversity outside the YA shelf. Go read Toni Morrison.

Speaking of YA, as a final point, some kids would just pick bad books. Let’s take Divergent as an example from the original post. Divergent is a bad book. It’s a bad trilogy. I know they are bad because i’ve read all of them and gone through with a fine toothed comb analyzing how poorly constructed its world, characters, plots, and themes really are. I have literally given an academic lecture in my discord server about the baffling degree to which Divergent is a literary failure from top to bottom. Now, a casual teenaged reader would go through a series about a girl fighting in a post-apocalyptic restrictive system where people are only allowed to be one thing and say the book is about standing up to authority and fighting against conformity. Many characters even say as such. But remember the Twilight example? How books can say through their details themes that contradict what the characters in-universe declare to be so? In Divergent, there are 5 factions, but only one of them has any real government power, the same one main girl is from. The bad guys are the ones who start advocating for for equal government representation for the other groups. Main girl immediately clocks them as bad and evil. They later use mind control for genocide. Second book, what about the people who don’t fit in the faction system? They all live in poverty and naturally want to abolish the old system in favor of something new. Main girl thinks this is a bad idea. The revolutionaries later commit more genocide. Third book, secret scientists who have been running the show the whole time want to wipe everyone’s memories/kill everyone to start over. Main girl dies stopping the bad guy from doing a third genocide, the series ends with the restrictive faction system firmly in place and more people joining it from outside because it works just so darn well. Every single character or group who wants to make more than the smallest changes to the status quo are consistently framed as callus, bloodthirsty villains. By the end, nothing has changed except the visitation rules between factions aren’t as strict. This is framed as a good thing. But most teens who read the books didn’t notice these troubling themes, because the story is dressed up in the the imagery and language of fight-the-power dystopian YA of the time. It’s all surface-level. The book tells you that it’s against conformity, even though it shows how deviations from the norm are dangerous and get people hurt so it’s better for everyone if everything stays the same. And that’s just one angle wrong with this series.

If this was the only book a teenager ever read, they would not be able to pick up on this. I am because i’m an adult with years of analytical study and practice, with hundreds of books under my belt. But i got to where i am because my teachers forced me to expand my horizons beyond warrior cats and realize that a story could be more than just a story.

tl;dr: deficiencies in the education system are not the fault of the books being taught. those books are taught for a reason. if you want to be an anti-intellectual, do it on your own time

[lessthanthreeman]

Personal Post

I just wanted to write this because it’s been on my mind and I find it frustrating how few resources there seem to be about it. With Cinco de Mayo coming up, and Latino media being all around, I’m reminded that I’m technically of mixed descent, which to be clear, I’m pretty proud of. I was raised by my mother and her side of the family who are white through and through so for a majority of my life that’s what I identified as and where a lot of my mannerisms and cultural understanding comes from. I imagine it was probably for the best, particularly growing up on Long Island, especially considering I am VERY white passing.

I never met my father (who was Puerto Rican [though later DNA tests on myself reveal that genetically speaking he was predominantly Spanish, so white Hispanic)] and have no desire to. Literally, the extent of my knowledge about him is that he was ethnically Puerto Rican to some capacity. I genuinely believed that women just got immaculately pregnant on their own until I was 7 as I just assumed I didn’t have a father (it’s somewhat embarrassing to admit, even if I was young and how was I supposed to know? I didn’t understand what was so special about the story of Mary for a long time to put it mildly.).

I remember the night I found out so vividly. I was at a sports practice and the kids were talking about their dads. I proclaimed that I didn’t have one. One of the older kids informed me that that was impossible. I was honestly offended and went to our coach, who I assume didn’t know how to respond or why I would even ask (I don’t blame him), so he told me that I definitely have a father. Again, outraged, when I got back home I asked my mother about it who told me that I did have a father.I asked “Well if I have a father, that means I must be half something else” as she had grown up telling me her half and that the other half was “American” because I was born in America (lmao). She told me that I was Puerto Rican, which I didn’t have a problem with. I didn’t even know where that was (and I guess by some technicalities, she wasn’t wrong in saying I was “American”, just “American Territory”) so that was of little impact to me. I was furious that whoever my father was chose to have no part in my life and I felt nothing but bitterness, so when she asked if I wanted to know more about him, I said no. I still like to keep it that way if I’m being honest. I am still bitter and if the little snippets I’ve heard in hushed tones from my other family is any indication, I don’t want to know more about him even if I wasn’t.

So, I continued to consider myself exclusively white because that’s what other people considered me, that’s how I was raised, that’s what I look like and likely subconsciously because I was bitter and it did benefit me on some level. As it turns out though, my mother has a thing for Hispanic guys (a little weird I guess, maybe a bit fetishistic [I don’t know the extent and I don’t want to know so I can’t say for certain], but good for her I suppose) and she soon after got involved with another guy, my now pseudo-step father in all but legality really. He’s of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, his father lived in Mexico (and has since gone back of his own volition), his mother (IIRC) lived in Puerto Rico, etc. He’s not deeply associated with his roots, he’s definitely “assimilated” having grown up in New York and California. He speaks broken Spanish, perfect English, and really is an American through and through, save for some more traditional cultural vestiges (which isn’t bad to be clear). He loves chihuahuas, sombreros, maracas, Mexican cuisine, Speedy Gonzalez etc. It’s somewhat superficial and a bit stereotypical, but I understand why he feels a connection to it as a very American man. It’s an easy way for him to very clearly connect to his roots, even if they’re not pieces of great cultural significance. Whether or not it’s problematic, I’m glad it gives him some of the connection he wants to his culture and it makes him proud.

Growing up around him and his kids, I felt a bit like an outsider, and I’ll probably admit, initially I was arrogant. I grew up being an only child (which definitely was a big shift to begin with) and couple that with the fact that I was still at that time an academic golden child in traditionally very (BIG quotes here) “polite” (Read: white) environments, I didn’t really jive with my brothers for a long time. As things went on though, I had my golden kid breaking point, crashed out a bit, eventually my mom moved in with him bringing me in tow, and I mellowed out a bit as I got over some teenage angst. During that time, I never fully connected with the heritage because it wasn’t mine, I’m not Mexican, but I understood and appreciated it. I can earnestly say, it is one of the cultures that I am the most fascinated and captivated by. I can go on and on and wax poetic about the historical achievements of Native peoples of Central America, their food, their ability to weather adversity, and their faith that things will get better. The culture is so much deeper than the “illegal immigrants” and cartel ties that we’re constantly shown in media, and I’m glad that to an extent things are slowly shifting to show the humanity of the people. But anyway, tangents aside, I’m still very culturally white and white passing, albeit with a better understanding of Latino cultures.

As more and more time goes on though, I am starting to feel like I’m a bit disconnected from a part of my culture and heritage, but I feel uncomfortable claiming it. Not because I don’t want people to know that I’m Hispanic, I have no issue with that, in fact I love whipping out that I’m sleeper Hispanic with a Hispanic family when people think they’re safe to be a little racist with me before I call them out on it. The reason is just because I don’t feel Hispanic enough and I’m too white, and it’s something I’ve struggled with for a while, but it becomes more and more obvious to me as time goes on. I understand that this is a really common issue for people of mixed races, particularly for those with mixed heritage upbringings. They feel adrift between two worlds and people are always looking for a way to categorize them into their preexisting schemas of how we view race in America. Some of what these people say when I’m looking for it resonates with me, but a lot of it also doesn’t. It’s not because my life is harder or I’m special or anything, but it is a very particularly niche scenario. I grew up almost exclusively white, it’s difficult for me to convince a lot of people that I’m more than white, I grew up with white privilege, and I never really had a Hispanic/Latino experience.

I want to be clear, this isn’t me crying about being white, particularly also being male, cis, and generally het. It’s been a privilege for sure that’s opened up a lot of doors that wouldn’t have otherwise been open to me, I’m sure, and I wish I could extend those same rights, opportunities, and safeties to everybody. That said, I feel like a complete outsider to those roots and feel dirty claiming them. Like I’m taking it away, diluting, or appropriating those cultural celebrations from the people who really deserve them. My experiences with the people and the culture is that they’re ecstatic to share it and have people take an interest in it. It’s generally very inclusive, friendly, and they love to treat you (or at least me as a very small boyish looking man) like family. It’s genuinely awesome. I can’t not think of myself as the generic white dude who works a boring office job and says every Spanish word with the whitest accent possible (to be clear I do work an office job, but I do a pretty solid job of pronunciation with EXCELLENT R rolls, trills, etc.) invading a space not made for me.

It’s a really complex topic, one that’s hard to fully articulate, which is what I’ve seen is a consistent thread in writings from mixed race individuals talking about their experiences. I’m friends with a surprisingly large amount of white passing Puerto Rican mixed race people and you’d think I’d talk about it more with them, but no. I probably should, but it’s a personal and somewhat intimate topic to just suddenly spring on people. For now though, I suppose I’m content to observe and appreciate Latin-X culture and people “from a distance” and amplify their voices as much as I can as a white passer.

[tlbodine]

The Wendigo is Not What You Think

There’s been a recent flurry of discussion surrounding the Wendigo -- what it is, how it appears in fiction, and whether non-Native creators should even be using it in their stories. This post is dedicated to @halfbloodlycan​, who brought the discourse to my attention. 

Once you begin teasing apart the modern depictions of this controversial monster, an interesting pattern emerges -- namely, that what pop culture generally thinks of as the “wendigo” is a figure and aesthetic that has almost nothing in common with its Native American roots...but a whole lot in common with European Folklore. 

What Is A Wendigo? 

The Algonquian Peoples, a cluster of tribes indigenous to the region of the Great Lakes and Eastern Seaboard of Canada and the northern U.S., are the origin of Wendigo mythology. For them, the Wendigo (also "windigo" or "Witigo" and similar variations) is a malevolent spirit. It is connected to winter by way of cold, desolation, and selfishness. It is a spirit of destruction and environmental decay. It is pure evil, and the kind of thing that people in the culture don't like to talk about openly for fear of inviting its attention.

Individual people can turn into the Wendigo (or be possessed by one, depending on the flavor of the story), sometimes through dreams or curses but most commonly through engaging in cannibalism. Considering the long, harsh winters in the region, it makes sense that the cultural mythology would address the cannibalism taboo.

For some, the possession of the Wendigo spirit is a very real thing, not just a story told around the campfire. So-called "wendigo psychosis" has been described as a "culture-bound" mental illness where an individual is overcome with a desire to eat people and the certainty that he or she has been possessed by a Wendigo or is turning into a Wendigo. Obviously, it was white people encountering the phenomenon who thought to call it "psychosis," and there's some debate surrounding the whole concept from a psychological, historical, and anthropological standpoint which I won't get into here -- but the important point here is that the Algonquian people take this very seriously. (1) (2)

(If you're interested in this angle, you might want to read about the history of Zhauwuno-geezhigo-gaubow (or Jack Fiddler), a shaman who was known as something of a Wendigo hunter. I'd also recommend the novel Bone White by Ronald Malfi as a pretty good example of how these themes can be explored without being too culturally appropriative or disrespectful.) 

Wendigo Depictions in Pop Culture

Show of hands: How many of you reading this right now first heard of the Wendigo in the Alvin Schwartz Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark book?

That certainly was my first encounter with the tale. It was one of my favorite stories in the book as a little kid. It tells about a rich man who goes hunting deep in the wilderness, where people rarely go. He finds a guide who desperately needs the money and agrees to go, but the guide is nervous throughout the night as the wind howls outside until he at last bursts outside and takes off running. His tracks can be found in the snow, farther and farther apart as though running at great speed before abruptly ending. The idea being that he was being dragged along by a wind-borne spirit that eventually picked him up and swept him away.

Schwartz references the story as a summer camp tale well-known in the Northeastern U.S., collected from a professor who heard it in the 1930s. He also credits Algernon Blackwood with writing a literary treatment of the tale -- and indeed, Blackwood's 1910 novella "The Wendigo" has been highly influential in the modern concept of the story.(3)  His Wendigo would even go on to find a place in Cthulhu Mythos thanks to August Derleth.

Never mind, of course, that no part of Blackwood's story has anything in common with the traditional Wendigo myth. It seems pretty obvious to me that he likely heard reference of a Northern monster called a "windigo," made a mental association with "wind," and came up with the monster for his story.

And so would begin a long history of white people re-imagining the sacred (and deeply frightening) folklore of Native people into...well, something else.

Through the intervening decades, adaptations show up in multiple places. Stephen King's Pet Sematary uses it as a possible explanation for the dark magic of the cemetery's resurrectionist powers. A yeti-like version appears as a monster in Marvel Comics to serve as a villain against the Hulk. Versions show up in popular TV shows like Supernatural and Hannibal. There's even, inexplicably, a Christmas episode of Duck Tales featuring a watered-down Wendigo.

Where Did The Antlered Zombie-Deer-Man Come From? 

In its native mythology, the Wendigo is sometimes described as a giant with a heart of ice. It is sometimes skeletal and emaciated, and sometimes deformed. It may be missing its lips and toes (like frostbite). (4)

So why, when most contemporary (white) people think of Wendigo, is the first image that comes to mind something like this?

Well...perhaps we can thank a filmmaker named Larry Fessenden, who appears to be the first person to popularize an antlered Wendigo monster. (5) His 2001 film (titled, creatively enough, Wendigo) very briefly features a sort of skeletal deer-monster. He’d re-visit the design concept in his 2006 film, The Last Winter. Reportedly, Fessenden was inspired by a story he’d heard in his childhood involving deer-monsters in the frozen north, which he connected in his mind to the Algernon Blackwood story. 

A very similar design would show up in the tabletop game Pathfinder, where the “zombie deer-man” aesthetic was fully developed and would go on to spawn all sorts of fan-art and imitation. (6) The Pathfinder variant does draw on actual Wendigo mythology -- tying it back to themes of privation, greed, and cannibalism -- but the design itself is completely removed from Native folklore. 

Interestingly, there are creatures in Native folklore that take the shape of deer-people -- the  ijiraq or tariaksuq, shape-shifting spirits that sometimes take on the shape of caribou and sometimes appear in Inuit art in the form of man-caribou hybrids (7). Frustratingly, the ijiraq are also part of Pathfinder, which can make it a bit hard to find authentic representations vs pop culture reimaginings. But it’s very possible that someone hearing vague stories of northern Native American tribes encountering evil deer-spirits could get attached to the Wendigo, despite the tribes in question being culturally distinct and living on opposite sides of the continent. 

That “wendigo” is such an easy word to say in English probably has a whole lot to do with why it gets appropriated so much, and why so many unrelated things get smashed in with it. 

I Love the Aesthetic But Don’t Want to Be Disrespectful, What Do I Do? 

Plundering folklore for creature design is a tried-and-true part of how art develops, and mythology has been re-interpreted and adapted countless times into new stories -- that’s how the whole mythology thing works. 

But when it comes to Native American mythology, it’s a good idea to apply a light touch. As I’ve talked about before, Native representation in modern media is severely lacking. Modern Native people are the survivors of centuries of literal and cultural genocide, and a good chunk of their heritage, language, and stories have been lost to history because white people forcibly indoctrinated Native children into assimilating. So when those stories get taken, poorly adapted, and sent back out into the public consciousness as make-believe movie monsters, it really is an act of erasure and violence, no matter the intentions of the person doing it. (8) 

So, like...maybe don’t do that? 

I won’t say that non-Native people can’t be interested in Wendigo stories or tell stories inspired by the myth. But if you’re going to do it, either do it respectfully and with a great deal of research to get it accurate...or use the inspiration to tell a different type of story that doesn’t directly appropriate or over-write the mythology (see above: my recommendation for Bone White). 

But if your real interest is in the “wendigocore” aesthetic -- an ancient and powerful forest protector, malevolent but fiercely protective of nature, imagery of deer and death and decay -- I have some good news: None of those things are really tied uniquely to Native American mythology, nor do they have anything in common with the real Wendigo. 

Where they do have a longstanding mythic framework? Europe.

Europeans have had a long-standing fascination with deer, goats, and horned/antlered forest figures. Mythology of white stags and wild hunts, deer as fairy cattle, Pan, Baphomet, Cernunnos, Herne the Hunter, Black Phillip and depictions of Satan -- the imagery shows up again and again throughout Greek, Roman, and British myth. (9)

Of course, some of these images and figures are themselves the product of cultural appropriation, ancient religions and deities stolen, plundered, demonized and erased by Christian influences. But their collective existence has been a part of “white” culture for centuries, and is probably a big part of the reason why the idea of a mysterious antlered forest-god has stuck so swiftly and firmly in our minds, going so far as to latch on to a very different myth. (Something similar has happened to modern Jersey Devil design interpretations. Deer skulls with their tangle of magnificent antlers are just too striking of a visual to resist). 

Seriously. There are so, so many deer-related myths throughout the world’s history -- if aesthetic is what you’re after, why limit yourself to an (inaccurate) Wendigo interpretation? (10) 

So here’s my action plan for you, fellow white person: 

Stop referring to anything with antlers as a Wendigo, especially when it’s very clearly meant to be its own thing (the Beast in Over the Garden Wall, Ainsworth in Magus Bride)

Stop “reimagining” the mythology of people whose culture has already been targeted by a systematic erasure and genocide

Come up with a new, easy-to-say, awesome name for “rotting deer man, spirit of the forest” and develop a mythology for it that doesn’t center on cannibalism 

We can handle that, right? 

This deep dive is supported by Ko-Fi donations. If you’d like to see more content, please drop a tip in my tip jar.  Ko-fi.com/A57355UN

NOTES: 

1 - https://io9.gizmodo.com/wendigo-psychosis-the-probably-fake-disease-that-turns-5946814

2 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendigo#Wendigo_psychosis

3 - https://www.gutenberg.org/files/10897/10897-h/10897-h.htm

4 - https://www.legendsofamerica.com/mn-wendigo/

5- https://www.reddit.com/r/Cryptozoology/comments/8wu2nq/wendigo_brief_history_of_the_modern_antlers_and/

6 - https://pathfinderwiki.com/wiki/Wendigo

7 - https://www.mythicalcreaturescatalogue.com/single-post/2017/12/06/Ijiraq

8 - https://www.backstoryradio.org/blog/the-mythology-and-misrepresentation-of-the-windigo/

9 - https://www.terriwindling.com/blog/2014/12/the-folklore-of-goats.html

10 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deer_in_mythology

[syzygyzip]

Rendering of the Gamer’s Body

This essay examines how we collectively neglect the true subject of gaming, and what this neglect means for our conception of the medium’s artistic potential and psychological effects. It is informed by the following concepts, elaborated in other essays: game-entrainment postures of attention

There is an incredible poverty of language for analyzing video games. We can talk about some details: the specs, the mechanics, the assets, the sequence. However, we can barely begin to discuss theme or genre in any meaningful way. The genres that we do have named—FPS, moba, bullet hell, RPG—provide some utility through familiarity and association, but even by compounding them it is very difficult to convey the sense of what a game is like. This is, of course, because video games are primarily haptic and somatic experiences, a phenomenological field even more intimately subjective than the ethic/aesthetic responses that are typically the primary concern of conventional media.

It bears repeating: the actual subject of gaming is somatic experience. More than the graphics, animation, mechanics, gameplay, or gamefeel, it is rather the idiosyncratic distribution of attention among these elements that determine what a game is, what is the animal with whom you are negotiating. Or rather, it is the accumulation of those distributions that constitutes this animal, since the shape of one’s attention is continually morphing throughout the game, to suit different situations. But the variations of attention are typically threaded along by central themes or gameplay conceits, and even an abrupt shift in gameplay creates a posture of attention that is informed by the posture before.

Now, those conventional elements of gaming (graphics, mechanics, et al) naturally contribute to the somatic gestalt, but in most cases you could swap one or several of these elements, and it would feel like “the same” game. Asset swaps are the most superficial and obvious: playing Skyrim with outrageous character substitution mods changes the somatic animal only slightly. What about changing the inputs and therefore the haptic expectations? Playing Tekken with a fishing controller affects the somatic animal somewhat, but not radically. Despite the dramatic change in haptic response, there remains within the screen unchanged elements: aesthetic, timing, sense of weight, and so on.  (Outside the screen, timing and sense of weight are likely altered through the haptic substitution, and this contributes to the somatic variance).

Description of these differences is difficult, but the somatic qualia of games are known to all. To some degree, it’s an inherent feature of digital media. We know that there is something-that-it-is-like to pick up a coin in Mario. We can recognize that it is of the same nature to pick up a ring in Sonic, or a doodad in Banjo-Kazooie. The form and function of these collectables can be totally distinct, from a gameplay perspective, but still identifiable as the same thing. In these examples, they are all attached to the same verb: “picking-up.” But the same somatic object can take on less familiar forms, and is still identifiable as the same. How about the credits sequence of Smash Ultimate? The player is flying through space firing bullets at swarms of targets. Though it superficially resembles the satisfactions of a shmup, the somatic object that results is similar to the picking-up examples. There is also Danger Danger, an arcade game exclusive to Two Bit Circus, an experimental LA venue, where the player rolls a ball through a minefield. Upon grazing the edge of the mine, it bursts with a little noise and gives you a yield of points. Nothing is being picked up in this case! But the somatic itch is the same.

When pressed, most players can account for their somatic experiences to some degree, but truly the language has not developed in any significant way. Part of the reason is the softness endemic to interactive media; for reasons besides the somatic, the affective responses are more beholden to subjective, inner experience. Maybe we need gamers (and game developers!) to get hip to poetry. Haha. Not really. But something in that zone. After all, poets are the mechanics of collective perception.

Brushing the Edge of Language and the Conversations We Could Be Having The postures of attention elicited by gaming are part of the reason that it is important to perform psychological readings of games. Whether or not the somatic relationship to the game actions is realized, they are still encoded in the unconscious of the body. By playing a game, players are inherently performing psychological self-mediation. This point is much elaborated in my essay on that subject.

The Dark Souls games are unusually sophisticated in this regard, so I find myself exploring them quite often. The somatic animals of Souls games are particularly well defined because of the meaningful relationships between the aesthetic, the mechanical, and the philosophical attributes of objects and scenes. The dynamism between these elements is always what produces the somatic animal, but in the case of Dark Souls these correspondences appear to be deliberately cultivated. An environment is never an arbitrary coat of paint over the gameplay of that sequence, and the same goes for the philosophical purport of the section. Therefore, even if someone is not considering the philosophical content of an area, they are still playing through the same subject from which that content derives. Knowingly or not, they participate in the philosophy. This is the negotiation with the somatic animal. That said, this is always happening in any game. But because of the lack of meaningful relationships between the components of the game—the organs of the somatic animal—our game experiences are too often disposable. However, if we cultivate our awareness of the somatic subject of games, if we begin to acknowledge this synaesthetic content, more appropriate language will emerge from it, and we can begin to build more refined and enduring games. (Of course, the language we currently have is already an obstruction to our imagination—right now, “refinement” sounds like we’re talking graphics and tight controls, and “enduring” is used to mean addictive! But we’re asking for much more.)

Let’s return to Dark Souls for a bit to experiment with something. If we were to discuss purely the somatic affect of some part of a Souls game, with no native language to employ, how would we do that? I suppose we should start with something conspicuous. So much of the Souls identity is its level design. From a bird's eye view, a psychogeographical reading of Dark Souls would assume something like a constellation of an area's archetype through its bonfires. It is the gestalt of these nodes and their tableaus that tells us what an area is "about" ... but what are these nodes individually? Facets of the underlying principle? Is there any way to develop this model further?

Bonfires are essentially checkpoints. Even in very old games, a lot of the time you'll find checkpoints after a set sequence or a "theme," and in that case, it's easy to correlate the checkpoint with its sequence. The identity of an area emerges clearly in such cases. For example, classic shmups often have keynotes to their challenges, like "this gauntlet is about curved arcs" or "this sequence is about vacillating from one edge to another."

Part of the praise for Dark Souls' level design comes from appreciation for tightly organized sequences and gauntlets. When these designs succeed, those sequences become just as memorable as bosses. In DS1 the Anor Londo archers segment, for example, stands out because it's a unique challenge. While the same general challenge of dodging projectiles through narrow passage may recur, it never feels quite the same; this is the only time you have to distribute your attention into this specific shape. Aiding the strong sense of identity is the fact that this situation is really only solved and overcome once.

Aesthetic components that contribute to that identity include the setting: a city whose architecture suggests it is “too big” for the player; and which is immaculately clean, and rests high in the heavens. This conveys intimidation, physically, culturally. It is bathed in twilight, conveying the promise of something. This particular sequence is on a steep incline, which supports both the feelings of being outmatched, and that of promise. Weaker projectiles (lightning) are thrown around the player on the way to this point. If a player learns they can tolerate these weaker missiles, they are then extra deflated when blasted back by the giant arrows. When the archers are eventually approached, they are revealed to be not mere people, but taller, heavier, with inhuman poise. The flavor of this intimidation, the atmosphere of the challenge, are appropriate to the nature of what the challenge is on a purely mechanical level. If the player were facing an identical sequence, but traversing along a wooden walkway over a swamp, or with goblins firing these arrows, or whatever, it would not form the same somatic experience. This is a very basic example of how the somatic animal derives in part from aesthetic elements, and how its character becomes clearer when they are related purposefully; but of course there are many more contributing organs in the body than these. The philosophical correlates tend to be more personalized: the great city in the sky could symbolize an authentic heaven to one player, a false authority to another, an astral realm of temptation to a third, and so on. Whatever associations a player accrues un/consciously as they face this challenge also join the somatic gestalt.

Most game analysis people are aware of the whole "games that teach by design" thing, but the conversation all too often resolves with the sentiment that it’s good when games do this. Or for developers, the question is "how do you build a game to do this?" In either case, example after example is thrown around, but there is no digging into the somatic affect of any of them. We recognize the satisfactions of the player’s progress, but we typically aren’t analyzing what qualities are being solicited by these challenges. Take the case of something like Megaman or Shovel Knight level analysis. "Okay, we introduce the concept of the disappearing platform: the first time is low risk, then it's higher risk, and requires a more precise jump. Then we introduce a new behavior in that same type of platform (and indicate visually) etc..." But there's something more to it. When you introduce a gameplay theme, and elaborate on it, and twist it, what is the accumulation of it? All we can say is "oh, it's the disappearing platform level" because we have absolutely no vocabulary to discuss this specific partition of attention that is being conditioned and developed, let alone the attitudes that correspond with it. There is something that it is like, somatically, to sink into a pattern, to sync with a game's expectation. Something is happening to the mind of the player as these micro-skills are being developed. It is not just forming new capacities to act within the game; it is the establishing of new recognitions of processes and situations, many of which have applications in other internal (psychological) events, or even in the external irl world.

The lack of available language isn’t due to laziness or intellectual disinterest; it is rather from our desensitization to the somatic experience. Wine tasting provides a handy allegory: being a good wine taster isn’t about describing the sensory experience in precise or beautiful language. Obviously that's an asset, but the essential skill is sensitivity to your own impressions, and being honest about them. This is difficult because there's little common cultural infrastructure around the sensation of taste, so people start muting themselves to their own impressions. Speaking far more broadly, we're given a wealth of data about the world around us that we are constantly ignoring, because we are conditioned to think it's irrelevant. When it comes to the somatic content of games, as anything else, coding the experience into language is not a cause of sensitivity atrophy, but a symptom! With or without the support of language, if you take time to be present with your somatic experiences—wine or games or anything else—they begin to unfold new dimensions, styles, flavors, shapes. And this content, even when elusive and unnameable, can be helpful in understanding the superficial gestalt.

Alienation from the Body My wish for the gaming world to develop deeper somatic sensitivies—and broader linguistic fluencies in service of them—is not just so that we can become more refined dilettantes of gaming, or even that better games will result (which they will). The longing mostly derives from what I feel is a necessity to understand these virtual worlds, because it is becoming clearer all the time that our participation in these worlds has unknown psychological consequences. There are at least two effects of gaming that are, according to Franco “Bifo” Berardi, already contributing to conditions of crisis. One is the dissociation of language learning from the bodily affect (this includes the somatic animals we’ve been exploring); the second is the virtualization of the experience of the Other. As I see it, these two are inextricable to some degree, and while the second effect is perhaps the more visible and the more dire, it is the first effect which is most pertinent to this essay.

It should be no surprise that in projecting one’s consciousness into a game, that person may begin to ignore the information of their body. Consider Chen Rong-yu, one gamer among many who, mind immersed in a game, straight-up dies in a gaming café. To cite a less extreme example, many of us have probably had the experience of a foot falling asleep, or becoming super hungry during a gaming session, unrealized until we put the controller down. Beyond these obvious body responses, there is a wealth of other, subtler information that our bodies are constantly giving us. Given our current relationship to the act of gaming, it is inevitable that some of this information will be ignored as we abstract our awareness more and more in a gaming session, confining ourselves to the virtual, becoming disembodied. Yet in this disembodied state, within the game, we are making choices, communicating, relating, learning, conditioning ourselves. There is still a fat pipeline of information coming through, but it is overwhelmingly mental, and minimally somatic. This is how language comes to resemble code. The somatic and affective material is lost as the abstraction becomes more extreme. (A look into the style by which gamer lingo mutates is a good indication of that!)

To really understand the inhumanity of this situation, Berardi, referencing Luisa Muraro, follows the somatic component of language to its primal place:

Access to language is fundamentally linked to the affective relation between the body of the learner and the body of the mother. The deep, emotional grasp on the double articulation of language, on the relation between signifier and signified in the linguistic sign, is something is rooted in the trusted reliance on the affective body of the mother. When this process is reduced to an effect of the exchange between machine and human brain, the process of language leaning is detached from the emotional effect of the bodily contact, and the relation between signifier and signified becomes merely operational. Words are not affectively grasping meaning, meaning is not rooted in the depth of the body, and communication is not perceived as affective relation between bodies, but as a working exchange of operating instructions. We can expect that psychic suffering will soon follow.

The disembodied linguistic state is not fully endemic to the time spent playing the game. With enough time and attention spent in the virtual, becoming accustomed to the “merely operational” abstraction of language, it begins to bleed into the irl. The person becomes unaware of the affective information of the body even while walking around in it. Since the body is the home of myth, and therefore meaning, and its affects are the substance of those structures, it is easy to see how alienation from the body often results in extreme nihilism. This is far more likely the primary link between video games and mass shootings, rather than the violent content of certain games. The actual violence of gaming is the severing of the person from their own somatic awareness.

If games continue to be addictive, while also sensational and superficial, inconsiderate of the way that their elements combine together and are digested in the unconscious of the player, we’re going to continue to find scores of gamers alienated from their own bodies and reduced to a state of hopeless nihilism. This doesn’t always turn violent, but it can. In many case the violence is self-directed. In the virtual world, our problems grow more complex, but they do not always necessitate any kind of affective fluency. In the meat-world, our problems grow more complex, and we still have our bodies, so the problems will therefore always comprise affective elements. As it stands, most of our crises demand greater affective fluency than before, but our collective time spent in virtual worlds has left that capacity to decay.

Sensibility itself is at stake, here. Sensibility is the faculty that allows human beings to understand those signs that are not verbalized, and that cannot be reduced to words. Sensibility (and sensitivity, which is the physical, erotic face of the non-verbal ability to understand and to exchange meaning) is the interpersonal film that makes possible the empathic perception of the other. Empathy (the ability to feel the pleasure and the sorrow of the other as part of our pleasure and sorrow) is not a natural emotion, but rather a psychological condition that is cultivated and refined, and which, in the absence of cultivation, can wither and disappear.

In asking for better language for talking about games, it must be stated that such language only really matters if it is used toward reconciling us with the body. Having a bunch of extra descriptors for games is not the point, the point is building comprehension of the gameplay experience. We know how to build games; we know how to execute actions in games. We have absolutely no idea how to play games.

___ Berardi, Franco. Heroes. p48-49

[preserving-ferretbrain]

Musings on Race in Fantasy or: Why Ron Weasley isn't Black

Blogger’s Note: This particular article is kind of funny in retrospect, now that drawing black!Harry and black!Hermione has become so common in the fandom.

Last year (or maybe the year before, time flies doesn't it), the Sci Fi channel produced an adaptation of Ursula le Guin's Earthsea��stories. It caused something of a furore, because most of the main characters were white. I mention this for two reasons. 

The first reason is that the TV company, with typical mealy-mouthed style, insisted that they had practiced "colourblind" casting and in a stunning manipulation of middle class guilt, immediately implied that it was somehow racist to expect them to cast a Native American in the role, just because that was the real world ethnicity which most closely approximated that of the people of Earthsea. Obviously the white guy just happened to be the best guy for the role, obviously he stood out by a mile over the other contenders.  The second reason I mention it, though, was because when I read the books (many years ago now) I had completely failed to notice that Ged wasn't white. With the white middle class man's ingrained fear of being labelled a racist, I immediately constructed for myself very much the kind of justifications that the Sci-Fi channel had. "Oh well it's all about the character isn't it, Ged's character is the same whether he's black, white or whatever".  The thing is: it's natural for people to assume that a fictional character of unspecified race is the same race as them. Similarly I have a strong memory of seeing a picture in my year nine RE class of a depiction of Jesus from a church in China. Their version of Jesus, of course, looked Chinese, which broke a few of our tiny fourteen year old brains. Jesus is Chinese in China, black in Africa, Caucasian in England. He might even be Jewish somewhere, but that seems rather unlikely.  But there's another thing. I, yes, will generally assume that a non-racially-specific person is white. And I'm pretty sure that a Chinese person reading a book written in Chinese by a Chinese author will assume that a non-racially-specific person (who will probably have a vaguely Chinese sounding name and live in a fictional setting that looks pretty much like medieval China) would be ethnically Chinese. My girlfriend pointed out over lunch that, when she reads Haruki Murakami, she imagines all the characters as white, even though they're presumably mostly Japanese. It gets more complicated when you put minorities into the mix.  Put simply, I cannot put my hand on my heart and say that a black person living in England has the same luxury that I - and Chinese people in China, and Indians in India - enjoy. I, and I would imagine a great many other people who read the Earthsea books at a similar age to me, assumed Ged was the same race as me. I sincerely doubt that there are any black fantasy readers who made the same assumption about Aragorn when they read Lord of the Rings. Currently, then, I'm in one of those horrible situations where I think there's a point to be made, but I'm not entirely sure what it is. It's one of those "individual instance versus general trend" problems. I don't think you can look at any single work of fiction and say "that character, right there, should have been black". It's all very well saying that non-whites are underrepresented in Fantasy, but that's partly just because ninety percent of fantasy is set in a world that's functionally identical to medieval Europe. Most fantasy worlds do have black people in them, it's just that because they come from the Hot Continent In The South. Indeed most fantasy worlds seem to assume the existence of exactly four races: White Anglo Saxon, Black African, Asian (the Asian culture will invariably be a vast Empire in the East, and usually look like Han Dynasty China, plus Samurai, plus ninjas) and Arab (the Arabic culture will be either very religious or very mercantile, or both).  In fact, the races that are the most underrepresented in Fantasy are - arguably - the non-Anglo-Saxon "white" races. A remarkable number of Fantasy settings include quasi-Venetian city-states, quasi-Roman empires and quasi-Spartan warrior cultures, who none the less manage to look remarkably like they were born in Colchester, nary a Mediterranean complexion in sight. I can just about accept a quasi-European world with no black people in it (Fantasy worlds don't haveimmigration after all). It's rather harder to accept a fantasy analogue of Florence in which nobody looks Florentine. (This weird omission applies almost universally in fact: when was the last time you saw a Roman Emperor actually being played by a Roman? Why when it is unthinkable for a white man to play Othello does nobody bother to find a Venetian-looking Desdemona).  Of course I might be making a fuss about nothing. As I say, it's easy for me to assume that everybody I read about is white (even when there's textual evidence to the contrary). I don't really have any evidence that Locke Lamora isn't Latino, or that the men of Westeros aren't Hispanic (the Dornishmen are, of course, Generically Arabic but like most fantasy worlds, Westeros seems to have an invisible line across the equator, with the people going from "white as milk" on one side to "coffee-coloured" on the other with no in-between). So maybe it isn't a problem with the genre, maybe it's a problem with me. There is, after all, nothing stopping me from imagining Robert Baratheon as looking like a Greek Cypriot, or Ron Weasley as being a black kid who just happens to have red hair. If I assume that a character of unspecified race is Caucasian, that's my look out.  The problem is, though, that if I am making the assumption that J Random Character is white, just because I am white, then it seems overwhelmingly probable that the white middle class writers of fantasy are making the same assumptions. And I think this is an issue. When JK Rowling was designing her boy wizard (and I really don't mean to single her out here, it's just a good, well known example) I'm sure it didn't even occur to her that Harry Potter could be a black kid, any more than it occurred to me that he would be. When she was designing Ron Weasley, she imagined a character that would be her ideal image of an honest, supportive friend, and what she wound up imagining was a boy with red hair and freckles.  And it's that more than anything else that causes the trouble.  The problem with "race" in fiction in general and fantasy in particular, is that it has two very distinct implications. The first implication is the social and political one " "black" and "white" carry tremendous social connotations in the real world, and that bleeds over into created worlds as well. The second implication of a character's race, though, is much more prosaic. A person's race affects what they look like.  Well, duh.  But actually, it's the cosmetic implications of race that wind up being the most important. It is considered absolutely and unambiguously wrong in the modern world to judge somebody by their race. It is considered totally okay to judge somebody by their looks, particularly in a work of fiction, where somebody's physical appearance is often expected to tell you something about their personality. Ron Weasley has red hair and freckles: the average reader knows instantly what that is supposed to imply about him. He's boyish, a little impetuous, but basically a good person. He has "hero's sidekick" written all over him. The problem is, having "red hair and freckles" effectively precludes Ron Weasley from being black, because very few black people have red hair (although it isn't unheard of) and black skin tends to freckle far less visibly than white skin.  Again, just to be clear, I'm not saying that JK Rowling is "a racist" but I am saying that when JK Rowling formed in her mind the image of a true and decent friend, she deliberately gave that person particular physical characteristics which she felt created the appropriate image, and those traits are traits you are very, very unlikely to find in a black person.  Try to write a description of a beautiful woman, and the odds are better than even that you'll make her tall and slender with long, golden hair. Chances are, you'll make her tall and slender with long golden hair even if you're more into brunettes. "Tall and slender with long golden hair" is our cultural shorthand for beauty - it's what Cinderella looks like, it's what Rapunzel looks like, it's what Laura Fairlie looks like, Sweeney Todd's dead wife and lost daughter are both "beautiful and pale, with yellow hair". Snow White's a brunette, but she's still got skin as white as snow. No writer would dream of suggesting that a black person couldn't be beautiful, but our "generic" idea of beauty is pale and blonde, just like our "generic" idea of boyish charm is a freckly redhead and our "generic" idea of a wise man is a white guy with a long beard and a pointed nose (I'll talk about noses more in a bit).  The "race affects how you look" issue is also another strike, I think, against the idea that I only assume that everybody in Fantasy is white because I'm a white man myself. When people talk about "race" they tend to just think in terms of skin colour, but of course it actually affects a whole lot more than that. I can't think of a single point in the Potter books where it explicitly says that Dumbledore or Harry are white (so you could argue that it's just my preconceptions coming into play), but race isn't just about skin colour. Harry Potter is famous for his messy, floppy hair (again, it's a characteristic that makes him seem more like "a regular kid" - or at least a regular white kid). Dumbledore, of course, has his long, pointy nose. Even if their skin colour isn't mentioned explicitly, neither of these physical characteristics are terribly likely to be possessed by a black man. There are exceptions, of course, but in general black people don't have "floppy" hair or pointed noses. All in all I feel confident that, when I assume a character in a fantasy novel is white, the author is making the exact same assumption.  I've just spent about 1700 words slating Fantasy writers for not including enough black people in their books (and certainly not including enough Latino or Greek people despite a great many settings looking a whole hell of a lot like Spain, Greece or Italy), but I'd like to spend a moment backpedalling. The thing is that what I said at the start, about it being natural to assume that a person of non-specific race looks pretty much like you still holds. If I was a Fantasy writer I am damned sure that I'd make my protagonists white, just because it wouldn't occur to me to do otherwise. If I had to write about a beautiful woman, you can bet your arse I'd make her tall and slender with long golden hair, because that's how I instinctively think of a "beautiful woman" looking (even though I do, in fact, far prefer dark women in real life).  The other problem with race in Fantasy is that, because it's not our world, you can't use nationality as a short hand. It's actually remarkably hard to describe many non-white races without resorting to (a) cliche or (b) rather dubious ethnic stereotypes. You can get away with it fairly easily in something set in the real world, because you can just say somebody is "Chinese" or "Azerbaijani" and either people will know what you mean, or they can look it up on the internet. In a fantasy world you don't have that luxury. This is probably why there are only four races in most fantasy worlds. Anybody whose race isn't described is white. Anybody who has dark skin is Generically Arabic, anybody who has very dark or black skin is black, and anybody who has a long moustache or does Kung Fu is Asian. Some fantasy worlds similarly include a quasi-Mongolian culture, who we know to look Mongolian because they have a close relationship with their horses. You might, if you're very lucky get "olive skinned" people (who are presumably therefore green) tending Big Fields of Ancient Wheat, but that's about your lot. Again however, I wonder how much more Fantasy writers can realistically be expected to do.  The simple fact is that the real world is unimaginably complicated. A fantasy series is praised for its worldbuilding if it contains more than six moderately well realised nations. The CIA World Factbook lists the real world as containing over two hundred and sixty. Similarly, while fantasy worlds may grossly oversimplify the concept of ethnicity, it would be impossible to do otherwise - just looking at the CIA world factbook again, we see (for example) seven distinct ethnicities depicted as existing within Albania alone (Albanian, Greek, Vlach, Roma, Serb, Macedonian, Bulgarian) while the entry for China lists eleven (Han Chinese, Zhuang, Uygar, Hui, Yi, Tibetan, Miao, Manchu, Mongol, Buyi, Korean). The complexities of real-world ethnic diversity are beyond even the most talented of fantasy authors, never mind your average Quest-and-McGuffin merchant.  In the end, then, the thing I find most upsetting about the appallingly whitewashed nature of most fantasy settings is that I can absolutely understand why they're like that. Even though I'm a thoroughly modern, thoroughly liberal man, even though I work in an international school am therefore able to feel smug and cosmopolitan because I know what people from Kazakhstan look like and have a reasonable chance of identifying an Azerbaijani accent I still, deep down, instinctively assume that "person" means "white person", and I can't ultimately condemn JK Rowling for giving her white protagonist a white best friend and a white mentor, and having them marry a couple of nice white girls and have nice white kids who they named after their dead white relatives. I know I'd do exactly the same.  The sad fact is that most white people don't think about race that much, because we simply don't have to. While this is arguably better than being actively racist it's still kind of a sorry state of affairs, and it's unbelievably pathetic that after all these years, Ursula le Guin is still pretty much the only person in the industry who seems to give a shit.

Themes: J.K. Rowling, Books, Minority Warrior

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Comments (go to latest)

Arthur B at 00:49 on 2008-03-15

The amazing thing about the racial mix in Earthsea is how many people completely miss it, despite le Guin's valiant efforts in throwing out evidence pointing towards it. The only other author I can think of who's played with people's cultural stereotypes in this way is (big surprise coming here) Gene Wolfe; in The Book of the New Sun you need to pay attention to notice that Severian lives somewhere near where Buenos Aires is in our own time, that the Commonwealth it is a part of is South America, and that the Maoist-flavoured despotism threatening the Commonwealth exists in North America; the average fantasy reader (in the Anglo-American world, at least) is going to tend to assume that Our Hero lives in the northern hemisphere and that slogan-spouting Maoists are Chinese.

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Guy at 04:34 on 2008-03-15

I remember it coming as quite a shock to me when I read Wizard of Earthsea to discover that Ged was dark-skinned. I'd already formed a picture of him in my mind and it was disconcerting to be told that this picture was wrong. It did make me think about race in fantasy worlds, though... later I read an essay by le Guin in which she said she did this deliberately... the idea being to try to secure the reader's identification with the protagonist before letting them in on what that protagonist looked like. I think maybe the reason fantasy worlds tend to be so ethnically homogeneous is that they're mostly seen as (and used as, probably) an escapist outlet and we don't like difficult social questions in our escapist fluff. I imagine a similar racial mix can be found in Mills and Boon novels, for example? I think le Guin is one of those fantasy (and sci-fi) writers who is intent on doing more than providing formulaic escapism and showing what the genre is capable of extending to... it's a shame there aren't more like her. I think escapism is great, but I'd hate to think that was all the fantasy genre had to offer.

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Dan H at 10:08 on 2008-03-15

As I say, I can actually forgive fantasy for not handling race well, because it's actually very hard to do well, and I can certainly forgive purveyors of light, escapist fantasy for not dealing with complex real-world social issues. On the other hand it kind of does bug me that - say - JK Rowling has an all-white cast saving their 99% white world from all-white villains and then gets praised for (a) her sensitive handling of the issue of racism and (b) her amazing courage in having two black characters who never do or say anything, and a character who is revealed to be gay in an interview (and was therefore Never Able To Find True Love Or Happiness Because of His Unnatural Predelictions). Look! It took me all of three posts to turn this into JKR-bashing! The ethnic makeup of Westeros also seriously confuses me. Why do the blonde people live two miles north of the black people? Why?!

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Guy at 12:01 on 2008-03-15

Very crisp edges on the ozone layer?

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Sister Magpie at 16:45 on 2008-03-15

I've always felt a little lucky that I didn't read Earthsea until after the TV movie came out. I didn't see the TV movie, but I read the complaints about this, so I went into the book knowing what Ged looked like in the book. If I hadn't it's quite possible I would have overlooked it the same way. Which means the best I can say is that I'm willing to make the effort to keep non-white characters non-white--which isn't much!

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Arthur B at 16:55 on 2008-03-15

More likely the mighty efforts of the stalwart warriors manning the Kingdom's defences against the marauding hordes of dark people. :( Actually, let me nominate David Gemmell as someone who can, when the mood takes him, handle racial issues fairly well, or at least not appallingly badly. Even in Legend, his most black-and-white clash-of-cultures novel, he takes pains to make sure that both the Drenai and the Nadir civilisations have a mix of admirable and disreputable qualities, and there is genuine cultural mixing at the borders between nations; he even hints in The King Beyond the Gate that the Last Great Hope for Peace is not, in fact, the decadent, played-out, and European Drenai, but the vibrant, young and vaguely Mongolian Nadir. Then again, you do have Pagan as the Token Awesome Black Dude in The King Beyond the Gate, but I half-suspect that Gemmell introduced him simply because his publishers pressured him to and he was fed up of having his manuscripts rejected; he manages to make the dude reasonably three-dimensional and interesting later on. More importantly, he manages to make the dude three-dimensional and interesting in a manner which doesn't hinge simply on him coming from a vaguely African culture, but engages with him as a human being with very human flaws that, like all of Gemmell's heroes, he strives to overcome. At the end of the day, I suppose that giving characters from diverse races and cultures a similar treatment without stripping them of any distinctive cultural identity is the best that fantasy authors can hope for. (Which ties in, of course, with Dan's concerns about JKR. Sure, she throws in a few black and Asian kids in Hogwarts, but they pretty much never get a chance to do any of the cool stuff that the white kids do.)

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Arthur B at 16:56 on 2008-03-15

whups, Magpie and I cross-posted "More likely the mighty efforts of the stalwart warriors manning the Kingdom's defences against the marauding hordes of dark people. :(" was a response to Guy's comment about the ozone layer.

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Rami at 20:08 on 2008-03-15

It is really quite annoying how not that many fantasy series ever have an equivalent to South Asia ;-) but then, I'm a little biased...

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Guy at 07:37 on 2008-03-16

Incidentally, I saw a bit of the TV series of Earthsea... and I think with a certain amount of harrumphing I could have accepted the racial changes, if it weren't for the fact that it was a badly written, badly acted, utterly generic "McMagic" blancmange with no real reason to have the Earthsea name attached to it.

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Arthur B at 09:26 on 2008-03-16

Incidentally, does anyone know whether the Studio Ghibli version of Earthsea is any good? I know that le Guin was disappointed that Miyazaki gave the directing job to his son rather than doing it himself, but I also seem to remember that she isn't nearly as upset with it as she was with the SciFi channel version. Of course, anime has its own problems with dealing with racial issues; in most of Ghibli's films all the human beings seem to be of exactly the same race, whereas when other anime studios try to do non-European, non-Japanese characters it doesn't always work well.

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Jen Spencer at 09:48 on 2008-03-17

This is reminding me of Jazz in the Transformers movie. That hurt my brain.

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Rami at 11:56 on 2008-03-17

Jazz in the Transformers movie Oh, God, he really was just gratuitously ethnic, wasn't he? Just like in Not Another Teen Movie, which despite being a bit crap did hit the nail on the head with their Token Black Guy.

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Andy G at 19:54 on 2008-03-18

Interesting sci-fi / fantasy comparison here - are there any fantasy settings with heterogenous societies? I can only think of Ankh Morpork in the later Discworld stories, where he is deliberately focusing on the issue. It seems to be a much more common feature of sci-fi - Firefly, Star Trek, the Foundation series etc. Fantasy is perhaps still taking a Tolkien world-view as a point of departure, rather than the modern world - whereas the visions of the future in sci-fi have changed along with the visions of the present? More generally on all genre fiction - since sci-fi is only COMPARATIVELY progressive - perhaps it's also significant that the world-view in them tends to be much more white-centric in the assumptions on the part of the author and reader because we don't read from fantasy, sci-fi, detective stories, romances, thrillers from authors outside the UK and US? I can think of Night Watch from Russia and that's it. Even in Germany they tend to read just English fantasy / sci-fi.  Oh and a final thought that just came to me - what about the whole question not just of characters' appearances but their accents - isn't that quite revealing about our assumptions too?

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Dan H at 10:56 on 2008-03-19

I think there's two distinct things to think about here actually. One is the comparative homogeneity/heterogeneity of the *setting* and the other is the application of the same principles to the actual *story*. Ankh Morpok is "heterogeneous" chiefly in terms of its non-human races, and the presence of the odd Klachian. In this sense it's actually not much different to JKR's world (where we're told categorically that Dean Thomas Is Black). Firefly basically has one black chick, one Mysterious Old Black Dude (who skates dangerously close to what tvtrops.org would call a "Magical Negro" at times) and that's about it. For a world where society is supposed to be fully 50% chinese, they run into surprisingly few Chinese people. Original trek was well done by the standards of its day - it was massively tokenistic but it was the sixties for crying out loud. TNG was actually far worse (there's what, one black guy on board, and he's an alien). Again, I'm not saying that there's anything *wrong* with white writers who write for mostly-white audiences in a mostly-white country in a predominently white industry writing stories where the protagonists are themselves mostly white. It's when they start making a big song and dance about how totally racially diverse they are it gets to me. Firefly does reasonably well in including a just-above-tokenistic proportion of non-white characters but when you remember that it's supposed to be set in a society where the chinese are actually a majority they start to be notable by their absence.

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Andy G at 12:38 on 2008-03-19

Absolutely, I think that's a much clearer explanation of the qualification I was trying to get at when I said sci-fi was only 'comparatively progressive.'

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Jamie Johnston at 11:01 on 2008-03-24

Very interesting stuff. I find myself wondering what is the best way for a writer to deal with the fact that his readers will make these assumptions. The Rowling approach of simply relying on them (and probably sharing them) and therefore not bothering to specify anything about a character's ethnicity unless it happens not to conform to them (e.g. Dean Thomas Is Black) reinforces the assumptions at least in as much as it doesn't challenge them. On the other hand, if a writer carefully specified the ethnicity of every character it would (1) get very tedious for the reader and (2) give the reader the impression than ethnicity is very important to the story, even if it isn't. Then again one can do what Gaiman does in 'Anansi Boys', which is to wilfully ignore the fact that your readers are making these assumptions and just to write the thing on the basis that *you* know all your principal characters are black and your readers will figure it out eventually. That may in principle be a very noble way to go about it, in that it doesn't indulge your readers' unhelpful ways of thinking and in fact makes them feel they've been rather silly and faintly racist, when the penny finally drops, for thinking in that way in the first place; but it also means that at some point around page 100 your readers will be massively distracted from the story you're telling them by having to make extensive retrospective mental adjustments while feeling they've been rather silly and faintly racist. Which doesn't really make for a satisfying aesthetic experience. P.S. Andy raised the point of science fiction from outside the Anglo-American sphere: I haven't read any, but I heard on the radio the other day that there's a big boom going on at the moment in Indian sci-fi. Might give an interesting angle on things, especially since (as has already been pointed out) fantasy and sci-fi tend to ignore the Indian subcontinent altogether because there's only room in The East for one civilization and it's usually Vaguely Chinese.

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http://draxar.livejournal.com/ at 20:50 on 2011-07-14

A very late comment, but one book that purposefully plays with this idea is Anansi Boys, where the majority of the main characters are black, and if I recall correctly, it mentions when a character is white, but not when they're black.

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Cammalot at 23:50 on 2011-07-14

I adored the hell out of that book for just that reason. It felt... refreshing. :-) Basically everywhere else in life (in my experience of Western culture, anyway) the opposite is done. "A woman walked own the road" followed by actual detailed description, versus "A black man got out of the car." The end. (Not even "A man got out of the car; he was black..."

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http://keysersose.blogspot.co.uk/ at 16:41 on 2017-03-16

I had a similar argument with my writer chums the other day, and Harry Potter was the example we used as well.  Generally, fantasy writers treat white as default (consciously or unconsciously), and expect the readership to assume characters are white unless otherwise specified (again, consciously or unconsciously). That annoys me, so I have a somewhat petulant policy of mentally depicting all characters as black unless their ethnicity/race is actually specified. Harry Potter actually deserves some praise for never specifying the race of characters, which is a thing a lot of authors do dp. Rowling implies ethnicity through character description, or with stereotypical "ethnic" names, but she never goes so far as to tell you that Hermione is white British or Dumbledore is Persian. This is better than when a writer tells you a character is black (when skin colour has no apparent significance to the story or setting). I assume this is a middle-class, white guilt thing where they feel it necessary to indicate there are indeed people of colour in their book, but it kind of backfires because they only mention a character's skin colour when they are not white, implying white is the default setting. It is also usually the case that these POCs are relegated to support characters, and the author has reinforced the fact that the protagonist is lily-white. If I was a non-white reader, I might have imagined the protagonist up to a point of matching my ethnicity. The lack of mention initially communicates that I can imagine what I like. But then this stupid rule about pointing out the brown people asserts the white-is-default rule, and that means my mental image must be wrong. This issue also came up when reading the Kingkiller series, in that one of the characters is meant to be non-white, but it wasn't apparent to most of the readership because the character was described as "dusky" skinned, which could be used to describe anyone from Megan Fox to Grace Jones. Qvothe has the red hair, and the references to pubs and lutes imply a generic European medieval setting, but now there is this weird alternative problem where the description is so vague, it is basically pointless description except to imply everyone else isn't dusky coloured (and so therefore white). Qvothe himself has read hair, but is also from some cultural equivalent to Romani/Travellers. Fine, I think. Qvothe is black too.

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Arthur B at 17:31 on 2017-03-16

Interesting to see this one pop out of the archives, seeing how, whilst Ron is still not black in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Hermione is. I am with you on the utter uselessness of "dusky" as a description of someone's skin colour. So far as I can make out, it can apply to anyone who is not an actual albino.

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Orion at 19:47 on 2017-03-30

There's actually a quite sensible reason that Ron Weasley isn't black, and indeed why he has red hair, which is unrelated to the character-type-signaling.  The Weasleys are an aristocratic old-money family that has been active and well known in Britain for a long time. They're not wealthy any more (or at least neither they nor the Malfoys would describe them as wealthy), but they're blood relations to many of the genuinely powerful families and have intergenerational rivalries with at least one. I think it's a pretty safe assumption that most (though perhaps not all) of the wizard families with ancestral estates in England and blood relations to other wizard families with ancestral estates in England are white. I suppose they could have been the descendants of a foregn merchant house that transplanted to England or it could have been one of Ron's parents rather than Ron who married a black outsider, but I think those changes do lead to different stories.  Given that they're white, it makes sense that the Weasleys have red hair. It's because of their hair that everyone knows who they are and what they look like and can spot them across a room. One assumes that Ron might not be so cripplingly self-conscious if he weren't so easy to spot and recognize. Also, while everyone has to acknowedge that the Weasleys are wizard highborns, many think the Weasleys are somehow "not as good" as the other highborn families. I'm an American and liable to be mistaken about this kind of thing, but I'd expect that when English people in the UK see a family of redheads, they would assume that family was probably the the UK, but more likely to be Scottish or Irish than English, and that English nobility would feel that Scottish nobles are definitely nobles, but not really as good as English nobles.

[thornstocutyouwith]

Basics:

Character’s Name: Setirasuri

Character’s Nickname(s):  Seti, Suri, Little Prince, Brat

Name pronunciation: It’s not that hard to say.

Origin of name: I love the Egyptian god Set, so I looked up the closest Egyptian name to it, and combined it with Ra, I don’t know where the Suri came from. I think it’s just something I tacked on at the end because it sounded nice with the other two names, not that it is a name all on it’s own. lol

Age: 19

Ethnicity: Egyptian

Sex/Gender: Male

Sexual orientation: Primarily Bisexual(Male Preference) 

Hair color: A light brown, with a reddish brown tent (Another homage to the god Set~)

Eye color: Green

Height: No taller than 5′10″

Weight: 105

Scars: Several on his neck, his chest, his arms, his hands, his back, and his legs. 

Tattoos: None so far.

Birthmarks: A few here and there

Piercings: Several on his ears

Right/left handed/ambidextrous: Right handed

Glasses/contacts: Neither

Apparel:

Clothing preferences: Seti in his Main Verse will usually wear next to nothing, or thin, airy soft fabrics. In a verse set in Modern times he would wear all sorts of colors, t-shirts, hoodies, jeans, he would be adventurous.

Accessories: Seti likes to wear stuff, jewelry can pretty much be found on most of his body parts, in his main verse. In a modern verse he wouldn’t wear too much like he would in his main, he would wear all sorts of bracelets, necklaces and some rings though. They wouldn’t be as flashy as in main, more earthy or Hippie like.

Style: In his main verse he could be viewed as extremely flashy at time, mostly pointing out his princely, royal, status. Though he is more so treated like an object and a lot of things are also just given to him.  In a modern verse it’s all more down played, casual clothing.

Trinkets: Probably a few magical items he’s come across. Some of them look like normal jewels, and such. 

Favorite possession: A lot of the things he wears, the artifact, The ring Sean gave him.

Equipment: Seti carries around a bag that he has his trinkets in and extra jewelry. Some scrolls, some with spells, or just for reading. A lot of things with text. 

Grooming habits: Usually oils, which he massages himself with often. He bathes a lot as well, mostly for enjoyment, and not so much for grooming.

Family and Relationships:

Parents: Seti and his mother and father got along very well. Seti was more of a momma’s boy, though. 

Siblings: Seti has several siblings. Husani, the eldest, but not first born of his siblings, is the current pharaoh and treats Seti like a pet or personal object to do with as he pleases. Which causes a lot of tension between them. Despite Husani’s abusive tendency’s toward Seti, Seti still tries to care about his brother. Seti’s elder sister, Isis, is a lot nicer than Husani, but is still a very cunning and powerful woman. She took on parenting Seti after their mother died when he was still very young. Making Seti’s relationship with her a good and strong one.

Grandparents: N/A

Marital Status: Married to Sean

Significant Other: Sean O’Hare

Children: 4 [Julian, Phoebe, Pfieffer, Phoenix]

Pets: A ton of cats at the abandoned temple to keep him company, especially when Husani chains Seti there.

Friends: Seti has some friends here and there who help him when he travels to the kingdoms.

Enemies: He has a lot lol

Close relatives: Quite a lot

Non-close relatives: Unknown

Ancestors: Mekh, Narmar, Akhenaten, Seti I and Tutankhamen bloodlines

Religion:

The religion they follow (if any): Egyptian polytheistic

Beliefs: In Egyptian gods, ritualistic things. 

Superstitions: A lot.

Virtues: Unknown

Location:

Country of Birth: Egypt

Place of Birth (State, city, etc): Memphis, Ta-Mehu (Land of papyrus, Lower Egypt)

First Language: Egyptian(Coptic form)

Cultures: Unknown

Traditions: Unknown

Schooling:

Highest Education: Minimal

Degrees: None

Home-schooled/public school/private school: Home schooled

Favorite subject: Anything to do with reading

Favorite teacher: Science Teacher

Least favorite subject: Math

Least favorite teacher: Math Teacher

Average grade: B- 

Study habits: None

Special education: Unknown

Graduating year: Never

Work:

Occupation: Nothing

Salary: A lot of monies

Employment history: None

Work space: No where

Mode of Transportation: Walking

Total income: Lots of monies

Boss: Husani

Hours: Life

Experience: Life

Co-worker relationships: Threatening

Rank: Scapegoat

Work ethic: None

Home:

Rent or Own: I guess he own’s it, he’s made it his own ahah

House, apartment, etc: Apartment in the Palace, Home under the Temple

Mode of transportation: Walking

Living space: Quite spacious 

Address: In the middle of no where mostly, At the palace

Hometown: Memphis, Ancient Egypt, Lower Egypt

Inner Workings Of Your Character:

Secrets: He was framed for the murder of his father. He has been abused by several people, mainly his brother Husani. Husani’s wife has in the passed forced Seti to have sex with her, in order to make her husband happy when she ends up pregnant with a child, that thankfully have almost all have been Husani’s, the living ones anyway. Can be easily manipulated into having sex with someone when drunk. Has, in the past more so then presently, sold his body merely to spice things up in his sex life. Has also had sex forced on him, whether drunk or not. 

Fears: Being crowded, or put in traumatic situations

Worries: Things getting bloody, hurting someone, having a panic attack and losing control over his powers.

Eating Habits: Seti eats in a polite way, usually. Keeping his mouth shut, not trying to talk, if possible as he is chewing. But sometimes he will toy with his food a bit.

Food preferences: Seti prefers sweets and meats. But he is okay with veggies and fruits too. He’s not very picky.

Sleep preferences: Usually prefers to be as comfy and cozy as possible. Though he doesn’t like to feel suffocated, so if he’s sleeping with others it could be a little problematic.

Work preferences: He has none, he doesn’t work.

Book preferences: Anything stimulating for him in the fiction section is pretty good. 

Music preferences: Stuff that makes him feel independent or just speaks to him. Other than that he would probably have no other preferences.

Introverted/extroverted: Probably an ambrivert

Optimist/pessimist: He’s more on the optimistic side

Hobbies: Exploring, Table games, Dancing, 

Pet peeves: Being stuck in awkward situations. Giving up easily. Referring to any government agency as "the Fed". Characters that have just met each other in movies arrange dates without exchanging any contact or meet information. When you're invited to a party (or any event) with people you have never met, and the host doesn't introduce you to anyone. People who blame anything but themselves for THEIR failure.  

Skilled at: Lockpicking, Monster Handler, Cartography, Swords, Bow and Arrows/other ranged weapons, Fire Building, Riding, Hunting, Desert Survival, Deduction, Persuasion, Botany, Hiding, Parry, 

Unskilled at: Hand to Hand, Playing Brass Instruments, Tailoring, Survival Arctic,  Firearms, Aura Perception, 

Attitude: Positive

Obsessions: Snacks, Sleeping in, Sex, Partying, 

Stresses: Being in tight spaces, Blood, Being put into situations out of his control,

Addictions: Fruit, Sex, Staying up late, 

Handicaps (physical): None

Handicaps (emotional/psychological): Emotionally scarred due to his brothers actions, and recent events. 

Allergies: Unknown, so far.

Medical history: Suffers random bouts of sickness, due to weakened immune system and rough life conditions.

IQ: 104

Temperament: Phlegmatic

Perception and outlook on life: Positive, for the most part. 

Habits:

Verbal quirks: For the most part, Seti’s speech is clear and he will mostly speak English. Outside of that, sometimes he will carry an accent when in high stress situations. Or mix up words/ slip in some things from his native language. 

Physical quirks: Thrives in hot weather, hates cold weather, Has a noticeable scar from a weapon,  Plays with hair, Shifts from foot to foot, 

Sleeping habits: Wakes up after noon, 

Annoying/Irritating habits: Drinks alcohol excessively when around others,uses drugs recreationally,

Eating habits: Is strongly susceptible to “brain freeze”, 

Healthy habits: None

Unhealthy habits: Sometimes overeats, Sometimes sleeps too much

Objects Kept In - And Why:

Their closet: Technically he doesn’t have a closet, but wherever he keeps his clothes, they are all fairly well made, considering where he lives. And the time in which he lives in. Thin breathable fabrics that at the bare minimum would cover up from the hip to the knee. 

Their bedroom: Styled appropriately, with an abundance of pillows and blankets. 

Their purse/bag: Survival items.

Their fridge: No.

Their car: No.

Their desk: No.

Their pockets: Probably small little trinkets, rocks, pieces of jewelry.

Their junk drawer: No

Their glove compartment: No

Their backpack: No

Their locker: No

Their car trunk: No

Their wallet: No

Their suitcase: No

Favorites:

Favorite book: The Journey To The West

Favorite movie: I, Robot

Favorite hobby: Astronomy

Favorite animal: Cats/ Snapping Turtle

Favorite color:  Emerald Green

Favorite season: Doesn't matter, it’s perpetually too hot. Spring?

Favorite food:  Rice

Favorite drink: Wine

Favorite time of day: Noon

Least Favorite:

Least favorite book: Harry Potter

Least favorite movie: Black Panther

Least favorite hobby: Car Racing

Least favorite animal: Birds

Least favorite color: Grey

Least favorite season: Winter

Least favorite food: Passion Fruit

Least favorite drink: Water

Least favorite time of day: Morning

Other:

Talents:   Tanning (furrier), Play Percussion Instruments, Trade, Speak (language), Leadership, Herbalist, Closed Fist, Archery, 

Political preference: It’s not important.

Strengths: Curiosity, Judgment, Bravery, Perseverance, Fairness, Forgiveness, Self Regulation, Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence, Logical, Friendly, Open, 

Flaws: Blunt, Moody, Indifferent, Intolerant, Naive, Lazy, Strict, Bold, Fierce, Proud, Smartass, Unpredictable, 

Social class: Royalty

Blood type: AB

Posture: Bird like, elegant, sometimes hands on his sides, or at his sides. 

Speech impediments: None

Spending habits: I’m sure he has some.

[essayonartwork956]

college papers

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[torque-witch]

Hi! This is really random but I bumped into one of your posts and I've ALWAYS been interested in witchcraft since I was really young. Recently I keep thinking about it and stuff but idk where to begin. I was wondering if you could tell me?:)

Sure, I’ll try my best! I do have a beginner tag where you can find this original post, but I’m going to copy and paste the majority of it for the purpose of this ask.

“I’m going to start off with three things you should consider before deciding to be a witch. These are not necessary, but are suggestions.

One - What is your primary goal or what you want to achieve from becoming a witch? If you are just interested in it for the aesthetic, or because you think it will make you look cool, I would reconsider the reason behind your interest. This isn’t to say that people haven’t come to witchcraft this way and have been successful, but it may take you longer to grow into. Something else to consider is that having this identity can be dangerous depending on your location and situation. Those that dress as witches for the aesthetic are probably not trying to be harmful, but can sometimes cause a false sense of belonging to those that are practicing witches. (I asked a girl once if she was a witch because she wore a pentacle and I was looking for a local friend and she laughed at me.) Being a witch is often lonely and kept as a personal identification.

Two - Witchcraft can be happy and sunshine and rainbows, but at it’s base it is not something to laugh about. Witchcraft is about using the world around you and bending it to your will. That is a huge responsibility to have on your shoulders, as what you do can often affect others around you, whether you mean it or not. You have to be able to accept that witchcraft means work, responsibility and dedication. It is not a toy.

Three - Not everything you see is up for grabs when it comes to magical practices. There is (yes, there is) such a thing as Cultural Appropriation and it is a harmful thing to spread and practice. I’ll leave you more information on this later, but the point is that not all practices and paths are open for you to explore. You need to be able to look at everything objectively and do research and ask questions. Where does this practice come from? Who started it? What culture is it from? More often than not, when you engage in these types of practices, you are not even getting the original information. Why would you want to so something that is just a half-assed version? It’s disrespectful and harmful to the actual, living people of color (POC) that still practice the original forms of magic or ideology that so easily gets passed off as “ancient and mystical” when it is really just a white-washed version.

Some other tidbits to keep in mind.

Magic is not black and/or white. It is a neutral force that you bend to your intentions. Calling “good” magic white, and “bad” magic black only propagates racial inequality and the subliminal message that POC are evil.

You don’t have to be Wiccan to be a witch. Wicca is a religion/cult/practice where members worship the god and goddess, revere nature and often use magic in order to supplement worship. They follow The Rede and the Three-Fold Law. Most of what you will see on Tumblr is actually Neo-Wicca, which does not require a practitioner to be initiated into a group by way of a Priestess or otherwise. Wicca is an initiatory cult. Neo-Wicca is based off of Wiccan teachings, and often allows the practitioner to be solitary.

You can follow a religion (any) or you can not follow a religion. Witchcraft can be viewed as a religion on its own, but generally speaking it is a practice that can be blended with religion or not.

Witchcraft does not equal Satanism - as Satanism has many forms and ideologies it branches to as well, some not even involving magic.

You don’t have to be pagan or worship any deities to be a witch.

You don’t need to be white to be a witch. (I’ve been asked this!!!)

You don’t need to be straight to be a witch.

You don’t need to be able-bodied to be a witch.

You don’t need crystals.

You don’t need fancy tools.

You don’t need to read Tarot.

You don’t need an Ouija board.

You don’t need to communicate with spirits.

You don’t need a familiar.

You don’t have a spirit animal unless you are Native American and studying in a tribe. (Please read this post)

Smudging is also NA, see above. Please refer to it as smoke cleansing.

You can curse.

You can choose not to curse.

You don’t have to practice every day.

You can take extended breaks.

You don’t even have to call yourself a witch! Witch is a gender neutral term, but some feel uncomfortable using it because of its feminine history. You could use Wix, sorcerer(ess), magician, practitioner, cunning man/woman, etc. You don’t even need a title at all.

You don’t need a magical name unless you want one.

I’m sure I’m forgetting something along the way, but the bottom line is that whatever you choose to do, you are valid. All you need is yourself and the drive to learn and practice, whatever that may mean to you. There is no right or wrong way to be a witch, unless you are doing something that is harmful to oppressed cultures and people.”

Reading Material

Mostly, I’ll be using my tags for this, so that you can peruse as you wish!

Beginner Witch Masterpost - via @magic-for-the-masses

Witchy Masterposts - everything you’ll ever need, especially for beginner ideas like energy work and visualization.

Types of Witches Masterpost - to help you narrow down your focus on your path if you feel necessary!

Cultural Appropriation in Witchcraft - can get a bit heated, so take that into consideration.

Deities - offerings and masterposts of pantheons

Witch Tips - beginner friendly tips

Spoonie Witchcraft - beginner friendly and good for low energy work

Books - PDFs and book references for purchase

Astrology - fun stuff mostly and some informational posts

Herbs - associations and precautions

Tea - witchy essential

Coffee - also a witchy essential

Bath Magic - beginner friendly

Sigils - low energy and beginner friendly

Crystals - lots of pictures, some informational posts and precautions.

Curses - if you dare

Kitchen Witchcraft

Moon Magic

Storm Witchcraft

Tarot Tips - side blog

Other Divination

Anything else you are welcome to search on my blog by typing in torque-witch.tumblr.com/search/(enter word here) or you can visit my FAQ for more information.

Blog Recommendations

Witchcraft

@breelandwalker

@badoccultadvice

@belladonnaswitchblog

@cunningcelt

@cosmic-witch

@cxnnxr-slxan

@da-at-ass

@death-witch-envy

@frankiezaltar

@hellboundwitch

@hylianshrinemaiden

@herbalburbal

@ioqayin

@intuitive-witch

@littledoomwitch

@magic-for-the-masses

@magicianmew

@nightkunoichi

@nerdywitchmomma

@orriculum

@oldmotherredcap

@phoenix-fire-witchcraft

@potato-witch

@qedavathegrey

@recreationalwitchcraft

@rainy-day-witchcraft

@rootandrock

@stormbornwitch

@stormwaterwitch

@spellboundwitchcraft

@thewitchexchange

@themoonmysteries

@thekitchenapothecary

@upthewitchypunx

@unmaskingthedivine

@visardistofelphame

@witchy-words

@witchy-woman

@wheelchairwitch

Divination

@a-lavender-moon

@alethiomancer

@afoolsgrace

@coffeeandtarot

@deathandtarot

@followthewindreadings

@intuitive-rose

@limoniume

@loganscove

@moondusttarot

@queenofchalices

@ravenmagill

@swampseer

@tarot-dreams

@tarot-cards-and-tea

Some of these blogs do overlap with witchcraft and divination, but these are people I follow and respect. If you have any questions please feel free to send me and ask or message me! That goes for anyone :)

[kunkutarpulla]

Rant: 18 things white people seem not to understand (because white privilege)

Hello, everyone! Since “white privilege” is a famous topic in this century, let’s talk about it. I took the text from Macy Sto. Domingo.

  Remember guys: I’m not mocking her or hating her because of her skin color. Racism isn’t accepted. I despise her as a person.

  I was originally going to post this on deviantART, but I post it in Tumblr instead, because these people need to listen the voice of reason.

  Let’s start.

  “I don’t wake up every morning with the intention of pissing you off, I swear, and whether or not you believe it, I’m here to help you. “

  No, you’re here to show how stupid and ignorant you are, since you’re talking about something non-existent like white privilege.

  “I want you to recognize that on a daily basis, you hold a set of advantages and immunities that are a direct result of the oppression of people of colour. “

  No one in civilized countries like the USA isn’t advantaged or immune because of their skin color. Stop disgracing Albert Fish’ black child victims or Native Americans who were slaughtered by pioneers.

  “That doesn’t sound nice, does it? Makes you squirm in your chair a bit and maybe feel a little uncomfortable, right?”

  More like annoyed.

  “But here’s the thing – I’m not here to make you feel comfortable, that’s not my job. I’m here to erase the invisibility of the privileges you have that continue to help maintain white supremacy.“

  African slavery and apartheid already ended in the USA. Racism doesn’t equal white privilege. Using single racism cases to “prove” white privilege exists in the USA is like using single child abuse cases to “prove” oppression on children exists in the USA.

  “I’m here to show you what your White Privilege is.”

  I can show you what white privilege is.

  “White privilege (or white skin privilege) is a term for societal privileges that benefit people identified as white in some countries, beyond what is commonly experienced by non-white people under the same social, political, or economic circumstances.”

  Is anyone tolerating discrimination? No. There are no discrimination laws in your society, everyone are treated equally, no matter with the skin color. Do you have non-white politicians? Yes. You even had one as a president. Can black folks be rich? Yes. There are for example 29 black rich celebrities in US we all love and know. And do you know what’s funny? Asian people are getting richer and richer in America, they have highest study rankings and they have the best possibilities to get a job. Yes, even whites are losers compared to them. Why don’t you invent a new word and call it “Asian privilege?”

  “1. White Privilege is being able to move into a new neighborhood and being fairly sure that your neighbors will be pleasant to you and treat you with respect.”

  That’s called been able to move where ever you want and get good treatment, and it has nothing to do with white privilege. Except in some  African countries, where white-only cities and discrimination laws are still common. Why don’t you go there to complain about white privilege? Oh, I forgot. You’re an SJW. Their lives don’t matter, because they don’t concern around you and your first world problems. My mistake! ;P

  “2. White Privilege is being able to watch a movie, read a book and open the front page of a newspaper and see yourself and your race widely represented and spoken for.”

  Show me one recent movie or book where white race is praised, and other races are mocked. And praising a one single person doesn’t equal praising a whole race. Donald Trump gets lots of negative criticizing for being an asshole and he’s white.

  “3. White Privilege is being able to seek legal, financial and medical help without having your race work against you.”

  That’s corruption, not white privilege. Just like money, corruption knows no skin color. There are still places where gays aren’t allowed to donate blood, because people still believe in that ridiculous AIDS myth. And in the “Bible belt”, Atheists aren’t allowed to hold the office. In Oklahoma, they can’t even get married. And there are much more Atheists can’t do, because they’re Atheists. Majority of gays and Atheists are, surprise surprise, white. Where’s that white privilege you’re talking about now?

  “4. White Privilege is living in a world where you are taught that people with your skin tone hold the standard for beauty.”

  No. They. Don’t. Every country has their own beauty standards and they change according to the culture, and they have nothing to do with skin color.

  - In Ehtiopia’s Karo tribe, women create scars to their bodies, because body scars are considered beautiful, and they help you to get a husband.

- In Kenia’s Masai tribe, long eardrops and shaved heads are attractive.

- In Burma and Thaiwan, long, giraffe-like necks are an ultimate sign of beauty.

- In China, Thailand and Japan, being pale as a porcelain doll is considered beautiful. In Japan, women avoid the sun, while in China and Thailand; women are whitening their skin with skin-care products. Whitening skin was a thing before whites even came there.

- Maoris in New Zealand, take face tattoos.

- In Mauritania, being overweight is beautiful. That what SJWs like you love. My God, that’s cultural appropriation! Majority of overweight SJWs are white, so they have to go lose weight quickly!

- In Iran, surgical bandages are the most beautiful thing ever.  It’s a sign of their social status and their path on the route to beauty.

- In India, women decorate their skins with beautiful paintings for festivals and celebrations.

- In Japan, stick straight hair has always been a norm and a sign of beauty. Again, noting to do with white people.

  If white skin tone holds the standard for beauty, these beauty standards I mentioned wouldn’t exist.

  “5. White Privilege is never being told to, “get over slavery”.”

  Because white slavery is never talked about in school. Believe me, if it was, we would get a comment like “Our enslavement was worse than yours, get over it.” White Brittish sailors were kidnapped and sold as slaves in Africa. White women have been sold to Arab sultans. Germanians and Gallians were enslaved by Romans. Europeans ran serfdom. And the term “slave” originated from Slavic language, because majority of the slaves were white. Read history.

  “6. White Privilege is having the prevalence and importance of the English language and finding amusement in ridiculing people of colour/immigrants for their accents and their difficulty in speaking a language that is not their native tongue.”

  English is important language, because it’s an international communication language. Whenever you’re white or not, you must to study it. And if you move to country where people speak different language (France, Turkey, China), of course you study their native tongue. I’m a Finn, which means my native tongue is Finnish. But I still have to study both English and Swedish, which aren’t my native tongues, because English is important and Swedish is compulsory.

  “7. White Privilege is arrogantly believing that reverse racism actually exists.”

  Reverse racism isn’t a real term. It’s just racism. And yes, racism on white people actually exists.

  Are you denying how Brits referenced Irish as “white niggers” or how they can’t go to heaven because of their hair color? Or that how Finns were savages in pioneers’ eyes just like Native Americans? Are you saying white Romanians aren’t Romanians? Or Albert Einstein and Anne Frank weren’t Jews, because they’re white? Or Sami are less important, because they’re white? History has lots of examples of anti-white racism. In American universities, white people’s rights are limited because of their skin color. How that’s not racist? And what about BLM? They hold lots of anti-white ideals, shout anti-white slogans like “Hunting season on whitey” and have even committed crimes for them. Just go to YouTube or any other sites you know and see what bad things they have done. And Asia has the most racist people; they don’t allow non-Asian immigration at all.

  You are racist for denying existence of racism on white people and saying only whites can be racist.

  “8. White Privilege is being able to stay ignorant to the fact that racial slurs are part of a systematic dehumanization of entire groups of people who are and have historically been subjugated and hated just for being alive.”

  More like vice versa: You can say “cracker” without being labeled as a racist. But if we say “nigger”, we are racist, even though we wouldn’t be.

  8 mile, albino, blue-eyed devil, cracker, dog-fucker, egg, flour bag, gringo, haole, ivory, Johnny Red, lobster, maggot, nigger magnet, ofay, pig-fucker, redneck, serial killer, tornado bate, umlungu, vamp, white trash, yogurt and zeeb.

  Guess what these are? Racial slurs against white people. And that’s not even all of them. You can view the whole list in rsbd.com.

  “9. White Privilege is not having your name turned into an easier-to-say Anglo-Saxon name.”

  My name isn’t Anglo-Saxon, it’s Finnish. Nordics also had to adopt Anglo-Saxon names to use when they were baptized to Christianity, which originates from THE MIDDLE EAST, not Europe. You’re not that special.

  “10. White Privilege is being able to fight racism one day, then ignore it the next.”

  If you oppose racism, you always oppose racism. If you support racism, you always support racism. Political side isn’t a piece of cloth you change every day. It’s on your side for the rest of your life.

  “11. White privilege is having your words and actions attributed to you as an individual, rather than have them reflect members of your race.”

  Actually yes. People can referenced for saying “that white person” or “that black person”, and there’s nothing wrong with that. People do that, because they want everyone to know who they are talking about.

  12. White Privilege is being able to talk about racism without appearing self-serving.

  I don’t understand. How is a black girl who’s taking about her misery self-serving? That doesn’t make any sense.

  “13. White Privilege is being able to be articulate and well-spoken without people being surprised.”

  Show me one case where non-white person surprised everyone for being intelligent, because I have never seen a reaction like that in my whole life.

  “14. White Privilege is being pulled over or taken aside and knowing that you are not being singled out because of your race/colour.”

  Morgan Freeman is known as his own person, and he’s black. People love him, because he’s wise and knows what he’s talking about. They don’t give a shit about his skin color.

  “15. White Privilege is not having to teach your children to be aware of systematic racism for their own protection.”

  My God, don’t make me laugh! Everyone can be racist towards everyone, that’s how human race works. Learn the definition of racism and stop being so biased. And if you’re afraid to go out, study self-defense or move to safer place.

  “16. White Privilege is not having to acknowledge the fact that we live in a system that treat people of colour unfairly politically, socially and economically and choosing, instead, to believe that people of colour are inherently less capable.”

  We acknowledge that as well. How do you think there are white people in anti-racist organizations, if they deny the existence of racism?

  “17. White Privilege is not having your people and their culture appropriated, romanticized or eroticized for the gain and pleasure of other white people.”

  Firstly, we’re not claiming we own dream catchers, sombreros or kimonos. It’s not cultural appropriation. It’s cultural appreciation. You’re confusing us with Hitler.

Secondly, Kim Jong-un claims he invented hamburgers and sauna to spread the propaganda about that how great he is. These two are from white cultures.

  Thirdly,

  - Medieval Age is romanticized all the time.

- There are overly sexualized Viking and Scottish outfits.

- German Oktoberfest leads tourists all around the world.

- Sylvanian Families toys romanticize 50s’ England.

- Italian pizza has become majority’s favorite food.

- Greek cheese, olives and wines have lost of popularity everywhere.

- Finnish “Ievan Polkka” and Swedish “Carameldansen” are hits in Japan.

  All these examples are from white cultures. This should also be cultural appropriation, according to your logic. Over 90 % of everyday stuff we do is cultural appreciation. Don’t oppose cultural appreciation if you support multiculturalism, hypocrite.

  “18. White Privilege is being able to ignore the consequences of race.”

  That’s simply called being racist, not having white privilege.

  I know what white people have done in the past, and as a white person, I’m sorry about it. But every race in the world history has done exactly the same thing, even to people of their own color. This doesn’t give you any privilege to be racist today’s generation because of that what their ancestors did.

  As a Finn, I understand what your ancestors have faced. Finns have been oppressed by Swedes and Russians in their history. And also kidnapped elsewhere to slavery.

  I don’t hate modern generation of Swedes and Russians, or descendants of other oppressors, because it’s not their fault what happened. Without them, Finland wouldn’t be what it’s today. I have forgiven that, because it’s in the past. You should do the same.

  Sorry hun. With your claims you just proved me white privilege doesn’t exist. That text was illogical, ignorant, arrogant and annoying, and it was difficult to take seriously. My final rank is 0/5.

  Poverty rate (change percents into numbers): https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/poverty-rate-by-raceethnicity/?dataView=undefined&sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Other%22,%22sort%22:%22desc%22%7D

History of Ireland: http://www.libraryireland.com/HistoryIreland/Title.php

History of Finland: http://motherearthtravel.com/history/finland/index.htm

History of Poland: http://www.intopoland.com/poland-info/history-of-poland.html

Finndians: https://brucemineincident.wordpress.com/related-places-of-interest-2/finndians/

Sami people: https://intercontinentalcry.org/new-finnish-forestry-act-could-mean-the-end-of-sami-reindeer-herding/

Barbary slave trade: https://face2faceafrica.com/article/the-shocking-history-of-enslavement-of-1-5-million-white-europeans-in-north-africa-in-the-16th-century

Ottoman Empire: https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/history/ottomanempire_1.shtml

Mongol Empire: https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-13e0517e00721e2bcff06236f46edc75

Armenian Genocide: https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i/armenian-genocide

Political oppression in Iran (as far as I know some Iranians have white skin): https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2017/country-chapters/iran

Nazis and Jewish Holocaust: https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10008193

Anti-Semitism: https://www.britannica.com/topic/anti-Semitism

German culture: https://www.livescience.com/44007-german-culture.html

French culture: https://www.livescience.com/39149-french-culture.html

Russian culture: https://www.livescience.com/44154-russian-culture.html

Commercial of Japanese toys: https://image.rakuten.co.jp/ribbon-m/cabinet/epoch/sylvanian/dh-05_01.jpg

Sign which says “No Spanish or Mexicans allowed”, and as far as I know, Spanish people are white. http://www.texasstandard.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/03.Photo_No_Mexicans_Allowed1.jpg

Video about enslaving Slavics (Note: It’s a two-parter): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IILgM74iYZQ

Yes, racism against white people exists in South Africa. I don’t play favorites here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jq0GReiZyKc

McDonald’s in the Middle East: https://delhi4cats.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/saudi-queu.jpg

Asian little girl eating pizza: https://d3jkudlc7u70kh.cloudfront.net/children-eating-pizza.jpg

Black kids celebrating St. Patrick’s Day: http://annandamy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/St.PatsParade_kids.jpeg

POC woman in Viking outfit: https://images.halloweencostumes.com/products/22657/1-1/womens-forest-princess-costume.jpg

Ievan Polka from 1937: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myzO3eZh22E

Ievan Polka from 1952: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8fW2n_ma9Y

Original Caramelldansen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBOWWbCf-KU

  That’s all, folks.

[baehkhun]

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Coyote Hunting Tips

Coyote, also known as Canis latrans, is a native of North America. The canine is a relative of the gray wolf but smaller. It is also smaller than a red wolf and eastern wolf. Many zoologists call coyotes the American jackal as they thrive in the same ecology as golden jackals in Eurasia. However, coyotes are more predatory and also larger than jackals. For reference, coyotes are half the size of wolves and jackals are half the size of coyotes. The Eurasian jackal and the red fox are around the same size. Read on for the rest of the Coyote hunting guide.

Coyote Hunting: Know the Hunted

Coyotes are one of those few animals that are not in any way endangered. The species is listed as being of least concern according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. This is primarily because of the abundant population of the canine native throughout North America. Coyotes are a versatile species. They are extremely adaptable and hence they can explore environments that are not historically their natural habitat. Coyotes can thrive even in places that have been extensively altered by humans.

There are nineteen subspecies of the coyote. Male coyotes usually weigh eighteen to forty-four pounds while female coyotes weigh fifteen to forty pounds. Coyotes can have varying fur colors, from light gray to red to black and white. This varies across the length and breadth of the continent. Coyotes are also found as far south as the Central Americas. The coyote can live and hunt with its family or form packs without any specific relationships among the individuals. Coyotes predominantly feast on deer, hare, rabbit, rodents, and birds, fish and amphibians, invertebrates and reptiles. Coyotes are also known to like some vegetables and fruits but they are primarily carnivorous.

The greatest threats for a coyote are gray wolves and cougars but their archenemy is humans. This is mainly because coyotes are widely hunted all across the continent. Coyotes have historically mated with gray wolves despite the latter being a threat, thereby leading to distinct subspecies or hybrids. The canines are also known for being stealthy and a trickster. It is unclear if the widespread hunting has anything to do with the coyote being deceptive and unintentionally rebellious. In popular folklore or even pop culture, the coyote is largely disrespected because it is treated as untrustworthy. It is also described as cowardly among canines.

Hunting a Coyote

Coyotes are one of the most hunted species in the United States. Their large population and hence the lack of stringent regulations against hunting coyotes, the fact that coyotes can be a problem as they hunt livestock and pets along with the thrill of seeking out a deceptive smaller variant of the mighty wolf make coyote hunting a satiating adventure. However, it can also be a complete dud. If you do not have enough experience, skills or resources and acclimatization, then you may end up wasting your time and encountering no coyote or missing out on one owing to unpreparedness. You will need to not only endorse some serious coyote hunting tips but also practice them so you can become an ace.

In this comprehensive guide, we shall talk about various types of coyote hunting tips. We will shed light on how to seek out an elusive coyote, how you can pull them in challenging situations depriving them a chance of easy escape, how you can use coyote calling and the right equipment you need to ensure you do not miss shooting one dead when you would have only a few moments to respond. You need to choose the right weapon to hunt coyotes, seek out the right locations, use coyote calling and other techniques, prep before you begin your hunting and then give it all you got. The technicalities make coyote hunting an amazing adventure.

Coyote Hunting Tips

The Perfect Weapon to Hunt a Coyote

The first thing to do is choose the perfect weapon. The truth is that there is no ideal weapon that would suit everyone and every terrain. You have to factor in the local conditions and your skills to make sure you can shoot a coyote with the weapon you have. Usually, hunters prefer a rifle. Most semipro and pro hunters wield a rifle with a caliber range of .220 to 6mm.

Many people in America are familiar with deer hunting and it is not uncommon for such hunters to possess what is known as a deer rifle. There are obviously more than a dozen different brands and types of deer rifle. If you have any of these, then you can use it to hunt a coyote.

You can choose semiautomatics with .223 caliber. You may choose .22LR rifles known for their high-velocity ammunition. The .223 caliber semiautomatics are gaining more fans than others because of their accuracy. They facilitate flat shooting and the follow-up shot can be swift if needed. You may also choose a crossbow or any large compound bow if you are deft at bow hunting.

You should always choose a rifle if you are not skilled with a bow with the only exception being when you are hunting a coyote in a substantially dense terrain. If you in the woods, in the thick of things and a coyote has a chance of getting a little too close to you before you are able to spot it, then using a shotgun is more effective than anything else. A twelve gauge shotgun is much more effective when you are trying to shoot down a coyote twenty or thirty yards from you. Go for a pump gun, set a tight choke and choose magnum loads. This is a weapon of choice for many hunters who like to get close to the hunted.

The Right Location to Hunt a Coyote

It is easy to choose a region or area where you can find plenty of coyotes. The preferred region or area will also depend on where you live and where you are on a hunting trip. More important than which part of the country you are in is the exact location where you will have to base yourself to have the most adventurous hunting experience. At the end of the day, you must be able to spot a coyote and shoot one. Many people fail to spot one after several hours of waiting. Whether or not you lure them in any way, you have to pick the right spot to hunt a coyote.

After you have chosen your preferred weapon, you should work on camouflage. Coyote is a wary animal. It can be the wariest at times because getting spooked comes naturally to the species. This is one of the few reasons why coyotes are considered cowardly. If there is something amiss in a natural setting or anything odd in the eyes of the coyote, it will scoot. You should not expose yourself in any way. You must also conceal your skin. Go for military camouflage with the cream, face veil, and gloves. You can use laser rangefinder or compact binoculars meant specifically for hunting to be abreast of what is happening in the area under surveillance. You need to be aware of the accurate distance to be able to shoot a coyote in one attempt. You may not get another shot unless you hit the first somewhere on target.

Coyote is a learner. It may be treated with disrespect and there may be an astounding negative perception of it among people. Yet, its learning ability has to be acknowledged, especially if you are a hunter. Coyotes can spot movements. You do not need to move around for a coyote to spot you. If you are lying still at one place and you move even just a bit, a coyote in the vicinity will know and you would perhaps not see it again. It is not just movement or motion but also sounds that can launch a coyote on a spree.

Find a nice place where you can spend some time without being restless, impatient or uncomfortable. Use cushions if you want, dress comfortably and do not carry anything that will make you fidget. While you will have telecommunication devices with you, they should be turned off or silent. You cannot have voices screaming out of a walkie-talkie. You must avoid even static, the common nuisance in radio communications. If you are a casual hunter and would want to keep company, you should avoid chatting. Resist smoking, chewing, eating and doing anything that will create a distraction. Coyotes are good spotters and they are also effective at smelling danger. The species is familiar with smells associated with humans as they know who their greatest threat is.

You should try to find a safe place for yourself if you are going to use downwind to your advantage. A coyote is likely to try and circle an animal or a luring call to check things out before it strikes. If you let a coyote to circle you and it gets to a position where downwind helps the animal smell your presence, then you might be in trouble. Use obstacle behind you if you want to be covered and make sure it is enough for a coyote to be discouraged from taking that route. If you are using downwind, make sure it is to your advantage and not for the coyote. Choose a place, settle down and let five to fifteen minutes pass before you initiate calling. You do not want disturbed wildlife to in disarray when you start the call.

Calling Tips and Techniques

Coyote calling is mostly about using an appropriate device or equipment and knowing the right methods. You should know that coyotes can be as heavy as fifty pounds and their bites can be dangerous. Coyotes are natural predators so they will attack or fight back when threatened or cornered. You should be ready to shoot when a coyote is around. Do not hesitate after you have initiated calling. Coyotes may also be carriers of rabies.

You may use a rabbit squealer for the call. Hunters usually have their preference and this is influenced by successes in the past. You can always have different types of calling devices to suit the particular terrain or location. The season may also be considered while choosing a particular type of call. While a rabbit squealer is a must have in your hunting kit, you should also go for calls that mimic other animals. Choose calls of relatively smaller preys as they are easier for a coyote and hence would be more tempting.

Midwinter is the mating season for coyotes. You can hence choose a coyote howler. This is a female coyote calling out a male. You may also use coyote distress calls. Coyotes have a distinct squeal when they are in distress. The species tends to respond to fellows in danger. Coyotes are vocal so it would augur well for you to become familiar with their various calls. This will enable you to alter your calls depending on the situation. Some of the actions and reactions of a hunter will have to be influenced or determined by circumstances.

One of the coyote hunting tips that really work for many hunters is the use of rapid squealing sounds of pups. Female coyotes tend to their pups. They also adopt pups of others. They are particularly compassionate towards pups in distress so the rapid squeals signaling the same can draw out a few female coyotes in your hunting range. This strategy works really well towards the late winter and early spring. The mothers or female coyotes are usually out in search for food and away from their den, where the pups are, so a distress call will draw them back or towards the call.

Choose realistic calls, be pragmatic and try to avoid everything unusual or unnatural before and during hunting a coyote. Use decoys if necessary but do not opt for mimics that are a poor attempt at fooling coyotes. You ought to be patient, alert and precise while hunting coyotes.

The post Coyote Hunting Tips appeared first on Crow Survival.

source https://www.crowsurvival.com/coyote-hunting-tips/ source https://crowsurvival.blogspot.com/2018/08/coyote-hunting-tips.html

[crowsurvivalcom]

Coyote Hunting Tips

Coyote, also known as Canis latrans, is a native of North America. The canine is a relative of the gray wolf but smaller. It is also smaller than a red wolf and eastern wolf. Many zoologists call coyotes the American jackal as they thrive in the same ecology as golden jackals in Eurasia. However, coyotes are more predatory and also larger than jackals. For reference, coyotes are half the size of wolves and jackals are half the size of coyotes. The Eurasian jackal and the red fox are around the same size. Read on for the rest of the Coyote hunting guide.

Coyote Hunting: Know the Hunted

Coyotes are one of those few animals that are not in any way endangered. The species is listed as being of least concern according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. This is primarily because of the abundant population of the canine native throughout North America. Coyotes are a versatile species. They are extremely adaptable and hence they can explore environments that are not historically their natural habitat. Coyotes can thrive even in places that have been extensively altered by humans.

There are nineteen subspecies of the coyote. Male coyotes usually weigh eighteen to forty-four pounds while female coyotes weigh fifteen to forty pounds. Coyotes can have varying fur colors, from light gray to red to black and white. This varies across the length and breadth of the continent. Coyotes are also found as far south as the Central Americas. The coyote can live and hunt with its family or form packs without any specific relationships among the individuals. Coyotes predominantly feast on deer, hare, rabbit, rodents, and birds, fish and amphibians, invertebrates and reptiles. Coyotes are also known to like some vegetables and fruits but they are primarily carnivorous.

The greatest threats for a coyote are gray wolves and cougars but their archenemy is humans. This is mainly because coyotes are widely hunted all across the continent. Coyotes have historically mated with gray wolves despite the latter being a threat, thereby leading to distinct subspecies or hybrids. The canines are also known for being stealthy and a trickster. It is unclear if the widespread hunting has anything to do with the coyote being deceptive and unintentionally rebellious. In popular folklore or even pop culture, the coyote is largely disrespected because it is treated as untrustworthy. It is also described as cowardly among canines.

Hunting a Coyote

Coyotes are one of the most hunted species in the United States. Their large population and hence the lack of stringent regulations against hunting coyotes, the fact that coyotes can be a problem as they hunt livestock and pets along with the thrill of seeking out a deceptive smaller variant of the mighty wolf make coyote hunting a satiating adventure. However, it can also be a complete dud. If you do not have enough experience, skills or resources and acclimatization, then you may end up wasting your time and encountering no coyote or missing out on one owing to unpreparedness. You will need to not only endorse some serious coyote hunting tips but also practice them so you can become an ace.

In this comprehensive guide, we shall talk about various types of coyote hunting tips. We will shed light on how to seek out an elusive coyote, how you can pull them in challenging situations depriving them a chance of easy escape, how you can use coyote calling and the right equipment you need to ensure you do not miss shooting one dead when you would have only a few moments to respond. You need to choose the right weapon to hunt coyotes, seek out the right locations, use coyote calling and other techniques, prep before you begin your hunting and then give it all you got. The technicalities make coyote hunting an amazing adventure.

Coyote Hunting Tips

The Perfect Weapon to Hunt a Coyote

The first thing to do is choose the perfect weapon. The truth is that there is no ideal weapon that would suit everyone and every terrain. You have to factor in the local conditions and your skills to make sure you can shoot a coyote with the weapon you have. Usually, hunters prefer a rifle. Most semipro and pro hunters wield a rifle with a caliber range of .220 to 6mm.

Many people in America are familiar with deer hunting and it is not uncommon for such hunters to possess what is known as a deer rifle. There are obviously more than a dozen different brands and types of deer rifle. If you have any of these, then you can use it to hunt a coyote.

You can choose semiautomatics with .223 caliber. You may choose .22LR rifles known for their high-velocity ammunition. The .223 caliber semiautomatics are gaining more fans than others because of their accuracy. They facilitate flat shooting and the follow-up shot can be swift if needed. You may also choose a crossbow or any large compound bow if you are deft at bow hunting.

You should always choose a rifle if you are not skilled with a bow with the only exception being when you are hunting a coyote in a substantially dense terrain. If you in the woods, in the thick of things and a coyote has a chance of getting a little too close to you before you are able to spot it, then using a shotgun is more effective than anything else. A twelve gauge shotgun is much more effective when you are trying to shoot down a coyote twenty or thirty yards from you. Go for a pump gun, set a tight choke and choose magnum loads. This is a weapon of choice for many hunters who like to get close to the hunted.

The Right Location to Hunt a Coyote

It is easy to choose a region or area where you can find plenty of coyotes. The preferred region or area will also depend on where you live and where you are on a hunting trip. More important than which part of the country you are in is the exact location where you will have to base yourself to have the most adventurous hunting experience. At the end of the day, you must be able to spot a coyote and shoot one. Many people fail to spot one after several hours of waiting. Whether or not you lure them in any way, you have to pick the right spot to hunt a coyote.

After you have chosen your preferred weapon, you should work on camouflage. Coyote is a wary animal. It can be the wariest at times because getting spooked comes naturally to the species. This is one of the few reasons why coyotes are considered cowardly. If there is something amiss in a natural setting or anything odd in the eyes of the coyote, it will scoot. You should not expose yourself in any way. You must also conceal your skin. Go for military camouflage with the cream, face veil, and gloves. You can use laser rangefinder or compact binoculars meant specifically for hunting to be abreast of what is happening in the area under surveillance. You need to be aware of the accurate distance to be able to shoot a coyote in one attempt. You may not get another shot unless you hit the first somewhere on target.

Coyote is a learner. It may be treated with disrespect and there may be an astounding negative perception of it among people. Yet, its learning ability has to be acknowledged, especially if you are a hunter. Coyotes can spot movements. You do not need to move around for a coyote to spot you. If you are lying still at one place and you move even just a bit, a coyote in the vicinity will know and you would perhaps not see it again. It is not just movement or motion but also sounds that can launch a coyote on a spree.

Find a nice place where you can spend some time without being restless, impatient or uncomfortable. Use cushions if you want, dress comfortably and do not carry anything that will make you fidget. While you will have telecommunication devices with you, they should be turned off or silent. You cannot have voices screaming out of a walkie-talkie. You must avoid even static, the common nuisance in radio communications. If you are a casual hunter and would want to keep company, you should avoid chatting. Resist smoking, chewing, eating and doing anything that will create a distraction. Coyotes are good spotters and they are also effective at smelling danger. The species is familiar with smells associated with humans as they know who their greatest threat is.

You should try to find a safe place for yourself if you are going to use downwind to your advantage. A coyote is likely to try and circle an animal or a luring call to check things out before it strikes. If you let a coyote to circle you and it gets to a position where downwind helps the animal smell your presence, then you might be in trouble. Use obstacle behind you if you want to be covered and make sure it is enough for a coyote to be discouraged from taking that route. If you are using downwind, make sure it is to your advantage and not for the coyote. Choose a place, settle down and let five to fifteen minutes pass before you initiate calling. You do not want disturbed wildlife to in disarray when you start the call.

Calling Tips and Techniques

Coyote calling is mostly about using an appropriate device or equipment and knowing the right methods. You should know that coyotes can be as heavy as fifty pounds and their bites can be dangerous. Coyotes are natural predators so they will attack or fight back when threatened or cornered. You should be ready to shoot when a coyote is around. Do not hesitate after you have initiated calling. Coyotes may also be carriers of rabies.

You may use a rabbit squealer for the call. Hunters usually have their preference and this is influenced by successes in the past. You can always have different types of calling devices to suit the particular terrain or location. The season may also be considered while choosing a particular type of call. While a rabbit squealer is a must have in your hunting kit, you should also go for calls that mimic other animals. Choose calls of relatively smaller preys as they are easier for a coyote and hence would be more tempting.

Midwinter is the mating season for coyotes. You can hence choose a coyote howler. This is a female coyote calling out a male. You may also use coyote distress calls. Coyotes have a distinct squeal when they are in distress. The species tends to respond to fellows in danger. Coyotes are vocal so it would augur well for you to become familiar with their various calls. This will enable you to alter your calls depending on the situation. Some of the actions and reactions of a hunter will have to be influenced or determined by circumstances.

One of the coyote hunting tips that really work for many hunters is the use of rapid squealing sounds of pups. Female coyotes tend to their pups. They also adopt pups of others. They are particularly compassionate towards pups in distress so the rapid squeals signaling the same can draw out a few female coyotes in your hunting range. This strategy works really well towards the late winter and early spring. The mothers or female coyotes are usually out in search for food and away from their den, where the pups are, so a distress call will draw them back or towards the call.

Choose realistic calls, be pragmatic and try to avoid everything unusual or unnatural before and during hunting a coyote. Use decoys if necessary but do not opt for mimics that are a poor attempt at fooling coyotes. You ought to be patient, alert and precise while hunting coyotes.

The post Coyote Hunting Tips appeared first on Crow Survival.

source https://www.crowsurvival.com/coyote-hunting-tips/

[johnaculbreath]

The Key to Successful Write a Research Paper for Me

The Bizarre Secret of Write a Research Paper for Me

The Key to Successful Write a Research Paper for Me

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You may test your paper as much times as you desire without a trouble. Inside my experience, the further you put back on paper, the further you are going to go through the favorable facets. You might also be sure your study paper are distinctive and plagiarism-free. An investigation paper may turn into your most horrible nightmare for those who aren’t able to supply exemplary work out punctually. You are experiencing problem producing your analysis papers with caliber with no mistakes as you’re not a native English speaker. Any form of investigation newspaper has a particular arrangement which is http://www.open.edu/openlearn/history-the-arts/culture/literature-and-creative-writing/what-good-writing/content-section-0 based on couple titles.

A History of Write a Research Paper for Me Refuted

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While re searching about someone or group, it’s really a excellent concept to take the help of a guy or girl who’s an authority on the topic of your investigation. Getting back in a place to publish is a skill, also yet one that is just getting more hunted. There’s no greater approach to do this than just to compose. Certainly one of the simplest methods to produce certain it bombs is always to try to create it for many distinct purposes. Inch item that’s appropriate at some time might not be related for a other. In fact, a lot of enough time writing is just like a chore and also something that you must can get on to reach your dreams. Even though it may be more work, it enables one to create from your heart.

You may don’t hesitate to place an arrangement together and more than 600 writers are now waiting to give you a hand. The thing is, even as a way to be a writer, you will need to generate a switch in your thoughts. Predicated on what you’ll need, moving around the web might be obtained! Consistently consult with the consumer’s RFP each time possible, to be certain you’re providing them with all the info that they need to simply help to make their pick. You only have to paste and copy the text inside the particular arena. A number of authentic reading texts pay that the reach of text forms located at the genuine test.

Finding the Best Write a Research Paper for Me

Nothing could replace an outstanding moleskin, however, Trello enables me create unique boards and lists so I can continue to keep an eye on everything. Once you commence creating your literature inspection, you will amass a slew of records you might require to mention in your own paper. The sphere of exploration is more immense, and it is dependent on what you’re thinking of learning about. Possibly throughout the class of 90 minutes of writing you will drift. In the event you’ve completed papernow a very excellent bit of writing yourself, then you can decide to exhibit the authors using a few of one’s own articles until finally they start off, which means they could be given an awareness of your style and style.

The post The Key to Successful Write a Research Paper for Me appeared first on The Volokh Conspiracy.

The Key to Successful Write a Research Paper for Me republished via The Volokh Conspiracy

[misselaineousme-blog]

Environmental Gift Guide: More Thought, Less Waste

Halloween and Bonfire Night have come and gone. The nights are longer and temperatures colder. Shops have turned themselves over to gift wrap and bath sets, coloured lights and chocolate boxes, tinsel and trendy toys. Christmas is definitely on its way. If you’re concerned about reducing waste, how do you avoid adding to the tsunami of brightly coloured paper, plastic, and other bits and bobs that are about to land on our doorstep?

I originally tackled this question in a blog post last year, and while I think my suggestions are still sound—use a bit of creativity to wrap gifts and for the love of all that’s holy don’t use greeting cards or gift wrap with glitter—I have been pondering what else can be done.

They say it’s the thought that counts when it comes to gift giving, but how much thought has really gone into many of the items that end up under the tree, in a stocking, or given at an office gift exchange? It feels like Christmas has become an excuse for just getting something—anything—that is vaguely appropriate. We have conflated quantity with caring and adopted the attitude that something is better than nothing.

How to combat this while still participating in holiday traditions? I think much of it boils down to shopping mindfully rather than on autopilot. It’s asking the questions, “How long will this gift last? Is it something the recipient actually needs or wants?” It’s looking at the packaging: can it be recycled? It’s even going so far as to think about the disposal: is it the type of item that will break quickly and end up in a landfill before the end of January? Or was it built to last and could have a second life in a charity shop? Does the gift even have to be tangible at all? After all, we are living in an increasingly dematerialised world as films, books, and music shed their physical presence to take up residence in the Cloud.

With all this in mind, I’ve put together a list of some of my favourite eco (or eco-ish) gifts, and I hope it helps you find something for everyone on your list:

For the caffeine addict:

With 2.5 billion coffee cups disposed of every year in the UK, anything that can make a dent in this number is a big help. I like the cups by eCoffee: made from sustainable bamboo, they come in fun patterns (I’m partial to the William Morris designs), are incredibly lightweight, and are a great size for that morning cuppa. You could also consider getting a personalised mug or something  a bit different through Redbubble (useful if your recipient is a fan of pop culture references).

Looking for a bit extra?  Fairtrade tea or coffee is a nice stocking filler, or a voucher to a friend or family member’s favourite café is a great way to reduce waste while letting them get exactly what they want.  

For the sporty:

There are so many stylish reusable water bottles out there now that you are spoiled for choice when it comes to shopping for the athlete in your life: metal, BPA-free plastic, foldable … helping to avoid single-use plastics is a gift that benefits everyone.

For those with—or without—a green thumb:

I love the idea behind Seedball: native wildflower seeds are wrapped up in a bit of clay, chilli powder is used to keep the insects away, and compost to give the seeds a head start. They come packaged in a lovely tin that is perfect for a stocking, or buy one of the sets to give as a main present. Simply sow the seeds on the ground or stick a few balls in a pot to enjoy flowers throughout the year.

This next gift suggestion is a bit unusual but bear with me: a compost bin. If your recipient’s garden has the space and it’s something they’ve shown an interest in but haven’t gotten around to getting yet themselves, a basic Dalek-style compost bin could be just the ticket. Bow or ribbon optional.

For the explorer:

Giving experiences that can be used throughout the year is a great way to almost completely eliminate Christmas waste while also helping the recipient make lasting memories. You’ll have science on your side too: it’s been shown that people tend to gain greater happiness from experiences rather than things. To this end, consider giving an annual membership to the National Trust, English Heritage, or the British Museum (the latter is one of my favourite gifts to find under the tree!).  Or think local: in our neck of the woods there’s Westonbirt Arboretum, Bristol Zoo, Bowood House, and Longleat.

For the wildlife lover:

Gifts for the garden are the type that keep giving: bee houses, bat houses, bird feeders, and nest boxes help provide wildlife habitat and give the recipient something to watch out for during the year. Bonus points: help them install it!

There’s also adopting an animal. Not for real, of course (dogs, cats, and guinea pigs are for life, not just Christmas), but through a charity such as the Wildlife Trusts. Seals, puffins, and red squirrels are all up for grabs, and most wildlife charities will offer something similar.

For the house proud:

I was introduced to Weaver Green’s products earlier this year and absolutely love that they have managed to turn recycled plastic bottles into stunning and stylish rugs, cushions, blankets, and handbags. The colours and designs are easy on the eyes, and despite being made from plastic the rugs are soft under foot. I can also vouch that the rugs clean up easy so they’re ideal in a kitchen or bathroom, and while I haven’t tried them outside, they are advertised as being versatile.

For children:

In addition to my passion for making the environment a better place, I am also a firm believer in gender equality. While culture is slowly (ever so slowly) changing, one place where we have more direct control is the toy box. Please consider the gifts you give your children and grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and any kids you shop for: do they perpetuate gender stereotypes? Chemistry sets, Legos, superheroes, and dinosaurs are not just for boys. Cooking, kitchens, cuddly toys, and crafts are not just for girls. While it’s important to consider if a gift is age appropriate, the gender of the recipient shouldn’t factor into your decision.

When giving gifts to children in particular, a big question to consider is whether the item can easily be handed down or taken to a charity shop once it’s outgrown (in other words, try to avoid the plastic toys that break if you look at them the wrong way). In Chippenham, Hall’s Emporium of Fancy Goods and Clever Minds have a great selection of children’s gifts. Please just consider breaking out of the pink-and-blue prison.  

For those who need to relax:

Vouchers to a local spa or beauty treatment are always welcome (at least in my household!). If you can support an independent business as well, then so much the better.

The traditional bath set can also be used for some good: I discovered Human+Kind this summer and besides liking their tagline (“skincare with a conscience”), their products smell divine and feel great.

For the reader:

If you know that your intended recipient has a favourite magazine that they splurge on at the newsstand, consider giving them a 6- or 12-month subscription to it. Even less waste: can it be converted to a subscription that can be read on their tablet or eReader?

One of the best gifts I ever received was an eReader and I am never without my Kindle. If you know what type of eReader your recipient has, vouchers for books are always welcome (hint, hint).

For the movie buff:

There are so many ways to enjoy television programmes and films today, whether your recipient prefers watching from the comfort of home or wants a night out. You can purchase a gift card for Netflix, or consider a monthly or annual membership to the cinema through something like Odeon Limitless, Cineworld Unlimited, or Picturehouse (check which is closest to your friend or family member).

For those who like funky feet:

A fashion for brightly coloured socks has swept the nation over the past several years and you don’t have to look far to find fun socks made out of bamboo, silk, or even merino wool.  If you want your gift to go twice as far, consider supporting Stand4Socks: each pattern helps support a different topic such as safe water, homelessness, and gender equality.

For those who have everything:

Who Gives a Crap isn’t a company I’ve tried myself, but they produce a range of forest-friendly toilet paper, tissues, and paper towels. One of the most eye-opening books I’ve ever read was Rose George’s The Big Necessity. Quite simply it’s a book about toilets … and how nearly half of the world doesn’t have proper sanitation. The health and social problems this causes cannot be understated, which is why Who Gives a Crap and their promise to use half their profits build loos in developing countries caught my eye.

This may be even more unusual than the toilet paper: bees’ wax infused wraps. These pieces of fabric can be used in place of cling film to help cut down on single-use plastic.

Everything else: Still looking for that certain something?  

Gift Cards: Maybe I’m jaded, but I think one of the reasons Christmas has gotten a bit out of hand is because people want the social media friendly image of a tree surrounded by piles of presents. A gift card in an envelope doesn’t make quite the same impression, but it almost completely reduces packaging waste, doesn’t take up space or need to be dusted, and in many cases lets the recipient choose exactly what they want. I understand wanting to give children something to open, but I would hope adults can get a bit of Christmas joy without the wrapping paper and bows.

Experiences: Besides gifts of annual memberships, there are so many other days out that you can treat friends and family to, from hot air balloon rides to afternoon tea to a day at the races. Virgin and Woodmansterne offer packages, or you can put together your own custom surprise (Jon is very good at this!).

Learning: Whether blowing glass, sewing, or decorating cakes, there are enough how-to courses out there to tempt even the pickiest of recipients (chocolate making perhaps?). Just visit Google for the nearest class.

Charity: The musical Avenue Q said it best: “When you help others, you can’t help helping yourself.” There are so many worthwhile charities that you can donate to in the name of your recipient. Besides the Adopt-an-Animal schemes already mentioned, you can have a tree or two planted by the Woodland Trust, purchase a goat (or chicken or school books) through Oxfam Unwrapped, or even subscribe someone to the Big Issue. Check out Guide Star to see how funds are spent.

DIY: Don’t overlook making something yourself: if you have a bit of spare time and a favourite recipe, a homemade treat is always welcome. Or consider actual DIY—is there something that a friend or family member needs done around the house that you can help with?

And finally … I admit I'm a big fan of online shopping, but when it comes to gifts I think shopping local as much as possible is a great way to help businesses within the community. And don’t overlook supporting independent artists at seasonal craft fairs. Indeed, if this post has encouraged you to look for something a little different, consider visiting the Cricklade Christmas Fair this Sunday (12 November) at Cricklade Leisure Centre (Stones Lane, Cricklade, SN6 6JW). I’ll be there selling a collection Christmas tags designed to be kept rather than binned—stop by and say hello.

[rubbishwalks]

Environmental Gift Guide: More Thought, Less Waste

Halloween and Bonfire Night have come and gone. The nights are longer and temperatures colder. Shops have turned themselves over to gift wrap and bath sets, coloured lights and chocolate boxes, tinsel and trendy toys. Christmas is definitely on its way. If you’re concerned about reducing waste, how do you avoid adding to the tsunami of brightly coloured paper, plastic, and other bits and bobs that are about to land on our doorstep?

I originally tackled this question in a blog post last year, and while I think my suggestions are still sound—use a bit of creativity to wrap gifts and for the love of all that’s holy don’t use greeting cards or gift wrap with glitter—I have been pondering what else can be done.

They say it’s the thought that counts when it comes to gift giving, but how much thought has really gone into many of the items that end up under the tree, in a stocking, or given at an office gift exchange? It feels like Christmas has become an excuse for just getting something—anything—that is vaguely appropriate. We have conflated quantity with caring and adopted the attitude that something is better than nothing.

How to combat this while still participating in holiday traditions? I think much of it boils down to shopping mindfully rather than on autopilot. It’s asking the questions, “How long will this gift last? Is it something the recipient actually needs or wants?” It’s looking at the packaging: can it be recycled? It’s even going so far as to think about the disposal: is it the type of item that will break quickly and end up in a landfill before the end of January? Or was it built to last and could have a second life in a charity shop? Does the gift even have to be tangible at all? After all, we are living in an increasingly dematerialised world as films, books, and music shed their physical presence to take up residence in the Cloud.

With all this in mind, I’ve put together a list of some of my favourite eco (or eco-ish) gifts, and I hope it helps you find something for everyone on your list:

For the caffeine addict:

With 2.5 billion coffee cups disposed of every year in the UK, anything that can make a dent in this number is a big help. I like the cups by eCoffee: made from sustainable bamboo, they come in fun patterns (I’m partial to the William Morris designs), are incredibly lightweight, and are a great size for that morning cuppa. You could also consider getting a personalised mug or something  a bit different through Redbubble (useful if your recipient is a fan of pop culture references).

Looking for a bit extra?  Fairtrade tea or coffee is a nice stocking filler, or a voucher to a friend or family member’s favourite café is a great way to reduce waste while letting them get exactly what they want.  

 For the sporty:

There are so many stylish reusable water bottles out there now that you are spoiled for choice when it comes to shopping for the athlete in your life: metal, BPA-free plastic, foldable … helping to avoid single-use plastics is a gift that benefits everyone.

For those with—or without—a green thumb:

I love the idea behind Seedball: native wildflower seeds are wrapped up in a bit of clay, chilli powder is used to keep the insects away, and compost to give the seeds a head start. They come packaged in a lovely tin that is perfect for a stocking, or buy one of the sets to give as a main present. Simply sow the seeds on the ground or stick a few balls in a pot to enjoy flowers throughout the year.

This next gift suggestion is a bit unusual but bear with me: a compost bin. If your recipient’s garden has the space and it’s something they’ve shown an interest in but haven’t gotten around to getting yet themselves, a basic Dalek-style compost bin could be just the ticket. Bow or ribbon optional.

 For the explorer:

Giving experiences that can be used throughout the year is a great way to almost completely eliminate Christmas waste while also helping the recipient make lasting memories. You’ll have science on your side too: it’s been shown that people tend to gain greater happiness from experiences rather than things. To this end, consider giving an annual membership to the National Trust, English Heritage, or the British Museum (the latter is one of my favourite gifts to find under the tree!).  Or think local: in our neck of the woods there’s Westonbirt Arboretum, Bristol Zoo, Bowood House, and Longleat.

For the wildlife lover:

Gifts for the garden are the type that keep giving: bee houses, bat houses, bird feeders, and nest boxes help provide wildlife habitat and give the recipient something to watch out for during the year. Bonus points: help them install it!

There’s also adopting an animal. Not for real, of course (dogs, cats, and guinea pigs are for life, not just Christmas), but through a charity such as the Wildlife Trusts. Seals, puffins, and red squirrels are all up for grabs, and most wildlife charities will offer something similar.

 For the house proud:

I was introduced to Weaver Green’s products earlier this year and absolutely love that they have managed to turn recycled plastic bottles into stunning and stylish rugs, cushions, blankets, and handbags. The colours and designs are easy on the eyes, and despite being made from plastic the rugs are soft under foot. I can also vouch that the rugs clean up easy so they’re ideal in a kitchen or bathroom, and while I haven’t tried them outside, they are advertised as being versatile.

For children:

In addition to my passion for making the environment a better place, I am also a firm believer in gender equality. While culture is slowly (ever so slowly) changing, one place where we have more direct control is the toy box. Please consider the gifts you give your children and grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and any kids you shop for: do they perpetuate gender stereotypes? Chemistry sets, Legos, superheroes, and dinosaurs are not just for boys. Cooking, kitchens, cuddly toys, and crafts are not just for girls. While it’s important to consider if a gift is age appropriate, the gender of the recipient shouldn’t factor into your decision.

When giving gifts to children in particular, a big question to consider is whether the item can easily be handed down or taken to a charity shop once it’s outgrown (in other words, try to avoid the plastic toys that break if you look at them the wrong way). In Chippenham, Hall’s Emporium of Fancy Goods and Clever Minds have a great selection of children’s gifts. Please just consider breaking out of the pink-and-blue prison.  

For those who need to relax:

Vouchers to a local spa or beauty treatment are always welcome (at least in my household!). If you can support an independent business as well, then so much the better.

The traditional bath set can also be used for some good: I discovered Human+Kind this summer and besides liking their tagline (“skincare with a conscience”), their products smell divine and feel great.

 For the reader:

If you know that your intended recipient has a favourite magazine that they splurge on at the newsstand, consider giving them a 6- or 12-month subscription to it. Even less waste: can it be converted to a subscription that can be read on their tablet or eReader?

One of the best gifts I ever received was an eReader and I am never without my Kindle. If you know what type of eReader your recipient has, vouchers for books are always welcome (hint, hint).

For the movie buff:

There are so many ways to enjoy television programmes and films today, whether your recipient prefers watching from the comfort of home or wants a night out. You can purchase a gift card for Netflix, or consider a monthly or annual membership to the cinema through something like Odeon Limitless, Cineworld Unlimited, or Picturehouse (check which is closest to your friend or family member).

 For those who like funky feet:

A fashion for brightly coloured socks has swept the nation over the past several years and you don’t have to look far to find fun socks made out of bamboo, silk, or even merino wool.  If you want your gift to go twice as far, consider supporting Stand4Socks: each pattern helps support a different topic such as safe water, homelessness, and gender equality.

 For those who have everything:

Who Gives a Crap isn’t a company I’ve tried myself, but they produce a range of forest-friendly toilet paper, tissues, and paper towels. One of the most eye-opening books I’ve ever read was Rose George’s The Big Necessity. Quite simply it’s a book about toilets … and how nearly half of the world doesn’t have proper sanitation. The health and social problems this causes cannot be understated, which is why Who Gives a Crap and their promise to use half their profits build loos in developing countries caught my eye.

This may be even more unusual than the toilet paper: bees’ wax infused wraps. These pieces of fabric can be used in place of cling film to help cut down on single-use plastic.

Everything else: Still looking for that certain something?  

Gift Cards: Maybe I’m jaded, but I think one of the reasons Christmas has gotten a bit out of hand is because people want the social media friendly image of a tree surrounded by piles of presents. A gift card in an envelope doesn’t make quite the same impression, but it almost completely reduces packaging waste, doesn’t take up space or need to be dusted, and in many cases lets the recipient choose exactly what they want. I understand wanting to give children something to open, but I would hope adults can get a bit of Christmas joy without the wrapping paper and bows.

Experiences: Besides gifts of annual memberships, there are so many other days out that you can treat friends and family to, from hot air balloon rides to afternoon tea to a day at the races. Virgin and Woodmansterne offer packages, or you can put together your own custom surprise (Jon is very good at this!).

Learning: Whether blowing glass, sewing, or decorating cakes, there are enough how-to courses out there to tempt even the pickiest of recipients (chocolate making perhaps?). Just visit Google for the nearest class.

Charity: The musical Avenue Q said it best: “When you help others, you can’t help helping yourself.” There are so many worthwhile charities that you can donate to in the name of your recipient. Besides the Adopt-an-Animal schemes already mentioned, you can have a tree or two planted by the Woodland Trust, purchase a goat (or chicken or school books) through Oxfam Unwrapped, or even subscribe someone to the Big Issue. Check out Guide Star to see how funds are spent.

DIY: Don’t overlook making something yourself: if you have a bit of spare time and a favourite recipe, a homemade treat is always welcome. Or consider actual DIY—is there something that a friend or family member needs done around the house that you can help with?

And finally … I admit I'm a big fan of online shopping, but when it comes to gifts I think shopping local as much as possible is a great way to help businesses within the community. And don’t overlook supporting independent artists at seasonal craft fairs. Indeed, if this post has encouraged you to look for something a little different, consider visiting the Cricklade Christmas Fair this Sunday (12 November) at Cricklade Leisure Centre (Stones Lane, Cricklade, SN6 6JW). I’ll be there selling a collection Christmas tags designed to be kept rather than binned—stop by and say hello.