#so. in conclusion. this blog is for silly posting. and if I stop silly posting please throw bricks at me

[thymehaspassed]

There was someone that I had notifications on purely because I was nervous at any point they’d post something saying that they were going to die and I wouldn’t be there to talk them down. I do not want to be that person for others but I’m getting nervous that I’m on the pipeline.

[wispforever]

Some thoughts on Itachi

So, I've seen a lot of comments circulating about my tags on this post, and I'm intrigued at the interest. I didn't expect it, as I see much more pigeonholing of Itachi's character than honest to god analysis. No hate- I'm no stranger to Kishimoto's writing. Some of his characters were unfortunately butchered or never given the chance to be developed properly, and Itachi is most certainly no exception. That said, I like to grant him a bit more nuance than I see on most blogs. I think people get a little wrapped up in the supposed "moral implications" of exploring how Itachi was also a victim of the system, as well as someone who victimized many people. But it's silly to equate character analysis and context consideration with condoning genocide.

I have a good laugh every once and a while at the metaphorical gymnastics people do in order to stay in the good graces of a bunch of internet trolls who are just Waiting for any opportunity to tell you you love murder and think it's delicious just because you made a post exploring a character's background. Media is grey; it's layered and wonderfully complex. There are many wrongs and rights in every story, and many wrongs and rights within those wrongs and rights. That's what I love about Naruto. Often times it's really too much like real life. Instead of people being black and white, right or wrong, bad or good- they're usually in a tough situation, trying their best and falling short, don't have all of the information, acting with good intentions or acting on what they believe will bring about a lesser evil, and then end up hurting others.

But it is much easier to assign blame and move on. A so-called bad person will always be the perfect scapegoat for issues bigger than them. In Itachi's case, the fascist government in the Leaf. It's easier to say Itachi could have just refused and decided not to be involved, than to recognize that like almost every other character in the narrative, he was under extreme duress, living in a military state. He was a child whose existence, along with all the other children and adults in the Leaf, was only valuable as long as he could serve as a tool for the war machine in the shinobi world's fucked up political system. And saying this is not the same as saying he was not capable of better decisions or that everything that he did thereafter or in general should not be read critically or subject to hypothetical consequences. It is the same as a saying his actions cannot be fully understood without complete context, and the themes of Naruto will never come through if every villain is just "evil" with no further nuance. And it would be boring too LOL

That said, I love to think about Itachi's situation back then. The ages in Naruto are a bit muddled, a little inconsistent, subject to change and interpretation, but Itachi was a child when he murdered everyone in the Uchiha compound. Most sources say he was 13. It should go without saying that someone so young isn't capable of the same decision-making or critical thinking as say, a 30-year-old, someone whose brain is finished developing and has much more experience on Earth.

Itachi's experience at this point in his life is informed by his age, and it's obviously informed by his childhood, as he has no other place from which to draw conclusions. Itachi grew up in a warring state. He saw people die and was subject to extreme violence in his formative years. To make matters worse, he was taught that war was inevitable and the only thing he could do to guard against it was kill others before they got the chance to kill him (threaten the village). Thusly, Itachi internalized at a very young age that what was in his power was to minimize damage (to himself, to his village, and to the world). What was not in his power was to stop this violence entirely (by adopting a critical mindset and going against fascist powers).

A part of this I think people often forget is that Itachi has absolutely nowhere to adopt this mindset FROM, as even though his father and the other members of the Uchiha clan seek equity in the Leaf, if they were to overthrow the Hokage and create a new system, it would still presumably center around the same ideals (minus, of course, the oppression of the Uchiha as a group). Fugaku is the head of the Uchiha clan at this time. As someone who imposed near impossible performance-related expectations on both of his sons, and withheld love and affection whenever they came up short (so often that it was at the cost of having any considerable emotional bond with either of them), there is absolutely no good reason to believe that Fugaku would reform the Leaf using a non-fascist ideology. And if he did, there is no good reason to believe that he would be some kind of visionary LMAO

This is important to remember because when it comes down to Itachi's decision to either kill everyone in the Uchiha compound and his family, or be part of the coup that would overthrow the Leaf, some people treat it as though it's a choice between fascism and non-fascism, which it most certainly is not. And if it was, Itachi, as a child who had grown up immersed in this ideology, would not be able to appreciate the difference. This context allows us to understand further what Itachi was really weighing in that moment. Accounting for his young age and limited worldview, the only valuable difference in this moment to Itachi was the amount of bloodshed that he would "allow" to happen. Essentially, he sees the options as follows:

Either give in to Danzo and kill everyone in the Uchiha compound, or facilitate a coup where the current government is (hopefully) overthrown and risk starting another war.

Here, Itachi pauses. He has known war. He knows how it affects children, adults, families, and whole nations. The peace he's living in currently is bought with blood, but it's the only peace he's ever known. The alternative is horrifying. And a war in this context, Itachi likely thinks, would be his fault, as he has now been put in the position to "prevent" it. Danzo and the whole shinobi system have groomed him into thinking so. Itachi, at age 13, cannot understand that there would be no war; it exists only as leverage for Danzo's argument at this point. His sensitivities are being played on.

Fugaku, though he is not the same as Danzo, offers about as much help as he does (that being none). Fugaku has no interest in avoiding war; if a war breaks out, it's justified because it will still mean his clan will no longer be living in oppression. This idea is valid, as fascist systems and discrimination can only cease to exist when we rise up against them; unfortunately, this most often calls for righteous violence, as the oppressive powers will not be moved with peaceful shows (not to mention they are willing to go to extreme lengths to avoid losing their hold on the people they have crushing power over, i.e. the Uchiha massacre). But Fugaku has no words to explain this to Itachi, who fears the worst and further fears being responsible for the worst. All he does is act as if it's a moral failing that his 13-year-old son is unwilling to stage a coup, which he believes could mark the abrupt end of a peace that's only just begun.

That said, let it be known that Itachi does appreciate this situation with SOME nuance, though it isn't of the kind that might have enabled him to see he was being manipulated. He at the very least understands that Danzo is a warmonger and oppresses those he fears (the Uchiha). He understands that the rights of his clan have been sorely disrespected, and that the issue needs correction. He understands the anger of his friends and family. This is why it takes him much deliberation before he can even come close to making a decision. He plays both sides right up until the end, listening to Danzo, as well as Fugaku and Shisui, paying attention to the current atmosphere in the Leaf as he tries to decide.

It is something he doesn't want to do. Here's where I get to the part I put in the tags of my drawing.

In this situation, it's almost worthless to write an analysis about Itachi's feelings at this time, his understanding of what was actually going on, his loyalty to his clan or his loyalty to the Leaf, because really, he could not grasp it. He was never prepared for this. He never knew he would be asked to make a decision he could only understand as "your family or the world?"

Itachi was put in a position that had no happy ending. There was no decision he could make that would not hurt. That could not result in a cataclysm that split him right down the middle. There was no version of this story that a 13-year-old could carry out thinking "I have done the right thing."

And that's the important part. Both sides asked him to make this decision, and so both sides are guilty of placing an immeasurable pressure on a child who should never have been put in such a position. Regardless of ideology, regardless of price, regardless of oppression or loyalty or devotion or any other thing- someone else should have made this decision for Itachi. Someone else should have been responsible. An adult, at the very least. Someone who COULD understand the implications of both options. Someone who COULD go forward and appreciate the evil of fascism and know that a coup was necessary. Itachi was never capable of such a thing. If he made the "wrong" decision, than every child who can't explain to you what a fascist government in a military state looks like and explain what the difference is between a hate crime and resisting a hateful power, is also wrong. Here is the nuance. These are things a 13-year-old in this universe cannot be expected to understand unless they are taught. And Itachi had no teacher. Quite the opposite. There were only forces pressing him from both sides, saying "choose."

Had his father done this for him, had Shisui been in this position, had any other adult Uchiha acting as a spy been put to this task, it would be a much different narrative. But of course, it had to be Itachi, who Danzo knew he could manipulate. It had to be a child, someone skilled enough to do the job, but inexperienced enough, afraid enough, to be willing to sacrifice everything they had to see the mission through. Someone you could whisper "greater good" to and have them hand over their well being on a plate. Someone who didn't understand they had the power and strength to destroy the system threatening them.

On a narrative level, Itachi exists to illustrate this point. How young people are systematically indoctrinated to serve a greater purpose, be it under a specific government, religion, or otherwise. We see it in real life fascism, in real life cults. There's no mistake. It isn't an accident that Itachi's story begins like this.

Which brings me to the rest of his life. The reason I drew the picture in the post referenced at the top. Itachi's character is a bit of a mystery the rest of the anime. Be that because of bad writing or an intentional omission, his motives, thoughts, and opinions are largely left ambiguous. However, there are still a few moments that interest me as far as the implications of his development.

When Itachi first comes back to the Leaf village, he faces Kakashi. On the one hand, this could simply be a narrative tool- the big bad meets the big good. He takes Kakashi out of commission! The first rogue shinobi we see who is able to defeat the pillar of the Leaf, the Copy Ninja, and without even breaking a sweat!

On the other hand, I find the brutality of Itachi's attack very intriguing. Again, it could be the tough guy act, but he's able to keep three jonin busy easily using standard genjutsu (with the help of Kisame). It wouldn't be a stretch to say that using the tsukuyomi is overkill, and at a considerable price, we learn later.

Why then would Itachi, who has been shown to have excellent battle intelligence, who is strategic to a fault, be willing to jeopardize his health among other things just to... scare the Leaf? Make sure Kakashi wouldn't be a nuisance in the future? Sure, the last one would make collecting Naruto less complicated, but they dispatched Kakashi easily enough, and surely Jiraiya, who Naruto was with at the time, would pose a bigger problem than Kakashi.

It doesn't make strategic sense, which makes me wonder if Itachi has a special animosity toward Kakashi. Being his superior in the ANBU before the Uchiha massacre, someone who was willing to conduct surveillance of the Uchiha compound without question, Kakashi could have become a symbol of the indifference of the Leaf for Itachi. He could very well have been a reminder of the inoperable position Itachi was put in when he was still a child, and Kakashi, of course, was an adult. Another adult who did nothing. Noticed nothing. Did not help Itachi.

And while I'm certain that Kakashi would have taken severe issue with the goings on in the Leaf at that time, judging by his reaction when he finds out the truth in Shippuden, Itachi knows him only by what he did then. Facilitated surveillance of the Uchiha compound, was a supportive superior, but nothing greater. A bystander whose compassion, while well meaning, was entirely unhelpful.

I don't think it's far fetched that Itachi fucking crucified Kakashi because he was so angry at what being in the Leaf did to him. At some point, as he got older, he realized how terrible it was. He realized there were people like him. Children who were "born killers". Pawns in the game of the shinobi powers.

After leaving the village, Itachi joins the Akatsuki, who are also seeking peace through war (another story). He is supposed to spy for them, but doesn't follow through in any enthusiastic way (that we're shown). He works alone for quite some time, or else with a group (briefly he was shown with Conan and Kakuzu). He is partners with Orochimaru before he's expelled from the Akatsuki. He is partners with one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. He grows up and meets many people, sees lots of stories unfold. He learns that he isn't in a minority. Many shinobi are just like him.

And then, as an adult, he is partnered with Kisame, who he finds excellent camaraderie with because of their similar backgrounds. We see in this relationship that he understands what happened to him and what he did enough to acknowledge that, while neither of them are monsters, as many people say, they are human. And humans make mistakes. Humans are complicated. Wrong and right and wrong and right. They understand each other, and Itachi understands more clearly what the world puts these children up to. What it forces shinobi to become. That it isn't all his fault, but he still did it. And so he is responsible. He appears to be able to live with that.

But when he returns to the Leaf, those feelings bubble up. He hates the Leaf. He hates that system. He hates what he did. Maybe he even hates being a shinobi, how his excellence was weaponized, how being an Uchiha doomed him and his clan. And for what?

Itachi is played as a character who is only sensible, only logical, only interested in practical things, has nothing to express. But the way he behaves toward Kakashi in that moment bares all his grief and anger. I just like to think about it. We have so few moments where we get to see Itachi genuinely. The fight with Kakashi, the Sasuke/Deidara fight, his thoughtful moments with Kisame. Just makes me wonder what could've been if Itachi's story had gone a little differently.

Anyway, if anyone would like me to expand on any points or has additional thoughts, feel free to hop in my ask box or leave a comment. Thanks for the interest, I love to talk.

[geminid]

skip the first paragraph to get to the real stuff we're running this blog like a recipe blog u have to scroll to get to the recipe for

ugh tbh im all for leaving twi**er cuz like its quickly deteriorating past the point of return but ive been having a rly bad time on bsky which is being considered the main alternative lol. i log on see a post about how all the good and smart ppl are there and then directly under it is blatant misinformation like can you guys stop gaslighting. i wish it felt less Bad but anyway im sad and my insomnias worse than usual so im going to talk about leokuml

i think in essence the way i like to work with leokuml is that they are always going to be equal. i kind of structure it like if leo pushes then he will also pull and takumi will respond in kind. equilibrium... i dont think that all relationships need to be equal all the time but for leo and takumi in particular i think it's an important part of their appeal for me.

by equal i dont necessarily mean that they have the exact same strengths and weaknesses or every conflict is a draw, it's just that the universe they live in will constantly keep them in check lol. leo is the prodigy mage and takumi is a skilled marksman and theyre not going to only encounter armored units or fliers, life will give them all sorts of adversaries and ultimately they will come to the conclusion they are on equal footing, even if they were clearly more suited for some situations than others. combat oriented example but i think something similar happens throughout their relationship.

so anyway thats just a bit on my basic thought process regarding this ship tho i might not generally get to succeed in portraying it. we're trying to talk myself up from a low point here and i think talking about this is pretty fun even tho i can't sum this text post up nicely.

(btw i wrote a fic recently its about takumi in fire emblem heroes from early in fates story learning about other timelines where he's dating leo. (its sfw). its silly so maybe u might enjoy. if u read all this thank u😵‍💫 lets keep creating)

[soaps-mohawk]

hey, this is kind of heavy so don't publish it if it'll ruin the vibe because i appreciate the community of unapologeticaly thirsty bitches (affectionate, gender neutral) that is your blog

i just wanted to say thank you because well there is not a lot of joy left in life

by not a lot i mean fucking none lmao

it feels like i'm not allowed to feel anything except hopelessness because being hopeless is a logical conclusion of how everything around is, but then, i also don't have the moral right to feel hopeless because i should be raging, i should go and die pointlessly for the cause or whatever

and yet, the way you write those silly military men allows me to feel comforted, to stop fixating on the future i never had but still mourn

your reader is amazing too, a strong person who didn't allow the dystopian reality around turn her into a coward with a closed-off heart, someone who is able to care despite how much heartache she was forced to bare through no fault of her own

in general, my favorite gateway to maladaptive daydreaming 10/10 would recommend, so thank you for that and i hope that it's okay to let you know that your work made my life a little better, so. again. thank you

-🌯

Hi burrito anon. Thank you for sharing this 💚

I know we all feel the same, or at least similar with everything going on right now around the world. Things are looking grim and it's hard to see any hope or goodness in the world most of the time. It's especially bad when there's nothing you can really do about it directly. That helpless feeling is hard to come to terms with and I know a lot of people are struggling with that right now.

I'm glad I'm able to help even just a little. Fantasy is my escapism and even turning something as bleak, and like you said, silly, as Call of Duty into an escape for others is really all I wanted to achieve. I love hearing how much this story has touched people and made their days better, or even their lives, because that's really why I posted it to begin with, and why I continue to post it.

I'm so glad I took the risk and posted this fic. I'm glad I didn't just leave it to die in my WIPs like so many others. You and all my readers are what keep me going, are what make it worth it to post every week, to talk about it, to build the lore like I have. I've never gotten this deep into a fic before, and it's because of all of my lovely readers.

I should be the one thanking all of you for giving me this opportunity. I've met some amazing people so far on this journey, and I hope I meet some more by the time we get to the end. Even then, I have no plans to go anywhere.

I'm so glad you feel that my fic has made things better for you, even just a little. That makes my world a little better, hearing that. 💚💚

[the-badger-mole]

OMG you talked about Haley and Andy in your last post and I feel so vindicated now. I thought I must be the only one who had a problem with that one silly romance from that million season comedy show not being canon, so now I'm just happy there are others like me out there lol. Do you have any HCs for them?

It wasn't just a silly little romance. They were mutually supportive! Andy encouraged Haley to go after her dreams. He saw that she was smart and driven, and he didn't make fun of her that her ambitions were fashion centered! She inspired him to aim higher, too! Even if it meant pursuing his dreams in a different state. They were the best couple on the show (which is probably why the writers couldn't let them be endgame. Can't have a couple that actually functions as a team🙄).

So, I've been kicking around an idea for a fix it fic for Haley. She's having trouble finding her footing at NERP. After the skin patch incident, she isn't sure if it's the right job for her, but since she doesn't have anything else lined up, she's hanging in there until she figures out her next steps. She's dating Dylan again- but she does not get pregnant. He's making not-so-subtle subtle comments about how since he's starting his nursing career and making decent money, it might be time to think about settling down. Haley is dodging the hints, frustrated at herself because Dylan is nice. He loves her. He supports her pursuing her career, even though he's also down for her following Claire's footsteps to become a SAHM. She's also freaking out because she's pushing 30 (she's about to turn 25, but it is still Haley). Why not think about getting married?

But whenever she thinks about marrying Dylan, she breaks out in hives. She thinks it's some lingering effect from the NERP patch, but her dermatologist can't figure out why it's happening. After a particularly rough day at work, she needs someone to talk to. Her mom is the obvious choice, but she's out of town for work, so she goes to her grandparents house instead, thinking maybe a dip in the pool will help. Jay is out with Joe, Mitch and Manny for a father/son trip, and Gloria is home when Haley swings by. They talk and Dylan comes up. Haley ends up telling Gloria about his increasingly frequent hints, and that she and Dylan have been dancing around this for a decade, and they keep coming back to each other so maybe it's time to just take the plunge. Then Gloria asks if Haley and Dylan are really drawn to each other, or if it's just that their relationship is comfortable- like the ratty old college football jersey Jay refuses to get rid of. A nice reminder of the past, but something that needs to stay in the back of the closet and never see the light of day again.

It's a lot to think about. So Haley goes home only to find that her father has a guest. Andy's back in town, and looking to start his own real estate firm.

A lot happens after that. Andy going after starting his own business inspires Haley to revisit her old ventures, and she restarts her blog. Then she launches her own lifestyle website. She gets fired from NERP for opening a competing site, but she doesn't give up on it. Andy sees her working hard and is thrilled for her. They even start co-working in the Dunphy's kitchen as they try to get their respective businesses off the ground.

Dylan stops asking her to move their relationship forward, but Haley doesn't notice until he asks her to speak one night. He's taking a position as a traveling nurse, and he's going to be living out of a trailer he and his friends are fixing up. He tells her he thinks they're holding each other back. He came to the same conclusion as Gloria, only his analogy is an old lumpy mattress he'd slept on since he was a kid until recently. It disintegrated and he had to buy a new one. He thought he'd never find another mattress as comfortable, but the very first one he tried, he fell asleep immediately for a solid three hours until the salesman woke him up and told him the store was closing. He realized that his old mattress wasn't actually comfortable, it was just all he knew. And he thinks that his relationship with Haley is that mattress- not that she's an old lumpy mattress. She's still hot, just not the girl for him. So he wants to give them both a chance to find their mattress.

Haley's website takes off. It becomes part fashion, part travel, part lifestyle hub. She spins it off onto YouTube and TikTok (she's an early adopter). Alex helps her make sure that her body products are at least safe, if not effective, so no more skin patch incidents. Soon she's getting sponsorship deals and collab offers. As she gets even more popular, she's hired as a celebrity stylist. Her first big gig is styling Zendaya for a red carpet event. She makes plans to move to LA. She tells Andy about all of it, and he is rooting her on at least as hard as her family. At the end of the story, when Haley is preparing her move to Hollywood, Andy gives her some exciting news. With Phil's help, he's sold his first property in Santa Monica, and he has enough listings lined up to start a little boutique business, backed by Phil's company. They joke about being neighbors, then roommates. Then they finally realize that the feelings between them never actually died. The story ends on them getting back together with STRONG And they lived happily ever after vibes.

[ask-everafteracademy]

Hey guys, can we chat?

I started this blog almost two full years ago (which is insane to me). Honestly it’s been so exhilarating being able to make content and speak about something so near and dear to my heart with people who share the same passion as me. I’ve met so many wonderful people in this fandom who have stuck with me (special shoutout to the one and only @arinlangdon) and this blog has been one of the greatest experiences I’ve had while being online. I feel like the way I’m wording this could make people nervous so I want to clear the air

The blog is not over, nor is it being taken down

This post is mainly to answer some questions I’ve been getting, and also to explain myself. If my co admin decides they want to make their own statement I’ll leave that up to them, but here is mine

Why haven’t you been posting?

The main reason this account hasn’t been very active is simply due to a lack of motivation. We have so many ideas for this blog (an email, Pinterest boards, Google docs, even Spotify playlists) but just not enough source material to run with them. On top of that, we feel like we aren’t getting that much traction on our posts, which really puts a dent in our moral. That’s not a ploy for pity, obviously people can’t help if they aren’t interested in a story from an app that’s been dead for two years. We can’t force people to still care, and we’re not expecting it from anyone, but it doesn’t change the fact that it sucks

What does this mean for the blog?

Honestly, I’m not sure. I feel like with all the effort we’ve been putting into our bigger ideas it’d be a shame for it all to go to waste. Plus I do enjoy interacting with whoever stops by and posting our silly headcanons or random thoughts. I think the best answer I can give is content will continue to be posted, just not constantly. I do have to take into account that I’m going to college next month and I need to prepare to take my next steps in life so I’m not sure how much I’ll be online at all, but I do want to try.

When are you going to [answer BLANK or post BLANK]?

EVERYTHING WILL BE ANSWERED/FINISHED IN TIME! This blog is run by two people with jobs and lives outside of tumblr so we’re not going to be online constantly. We’re running exclusively on our passion for the story and fandom and pure spite of V*ltage. For me personally it depends on what time I have and if I’m motivated to write (and more often then not I’m channeling that motivation into my book), but I can assure you that we are still here and we will give you the answers you’re craving… just not right now.

In conclusion, yes this blog will still be active, unlike some companies we care deeply about the story that has been given to us and we want to continue to honor it as best we can. We just need some time to collect ourselves.

Thank you for listening to my long rant and for supporting us through this whole crazy journey. I love you guys, keep dreaming <3

- Lightkeeper (Blaire)

[starberriemilk]

Hey, I was wondering if you could maybe help me with this, because I am incredibly now at polyamory, I have no onw around me that I could talk to and I don't know how to act.

Okay so basically, i have been with my partner for almost 3 years now. We were completly monogamous until a few months ago, when they went to study abroad. We have a huge time difference (9h) and we have never been apart for more than 1 month, so long distance has been hard on us. Not even 2 weeks of being aborad they met someone and started to develop a crush.

I had no worries and said it would be okay for me if they would try something out, but I also said that i don't know if I would be comfortable with them developing feelings for each other. Fast forward a few weeks, they actually developed feelings for each other and I stopped feeling comfortable with them kissing or having sex. My partner and I talked about it and we came to the conclusion that we want to try to actually open our relationship.

See the problem isn't with my partner or the guy they found, because both of them are 100% okay with everything. I am the only one who feels terrible about my partner having romantic feelings for someone other than me. But I really want to try for my partner. (I dont know if a non-monogamous relationship is for me, right now it doesn't feel like I can do this, but like I said I really want to try for them).

I feel jealous and anxious and sometimes angry. I don't want to feel this way. We talked about things that could help me get over these feelings, including my partner spending more time with me and me actually getting to know the other person.

(I also thought that it could maybe help if I also had someone else, but I don't know if I actually want that. Also it hurts when my partner says that they don't care if I have someone else.)

Moreover we made the "rule" that we should take it slow and that I am currently not comfortable with them sharing bodily affection, like kissing or having sex. We're hoping that as time passes my bad feelings would go away and they can slowly start doing these things again.

Now coming to my question: Do you have any advice on how to handle this situation? How can I figure out where my bad feelings are coming from? What else can we do to reduce my bad feelings? I would appreciate your help soo much. Thank you!

UM HELLO! I'm.. Not completely sure why you've sent this to me out of all people! I'm just a silly minor that posts about Limbus Company and I barely talk about being polyamorous or give advices to people publicly <:'DD

Not mad or upset!! Just confused!

Either way I really suggest you to ask that to people more experienced than me, here are some polyamorous blogs I follow that helped me and other people a lot!: @polyamorouscultureis @polyamoryfacts @polyamzeal

But if you really want to hear my opinion- I can tell you, just please take this with a grain of salt because I'm just an inexperienced stranger on the internet that's a minor too!;

The most important thing in any relationship is these two: Be honest and communicate. Tell your partner how you feel, no matter if it will hurt them or not, because your feelings matter. If I was in your situation, I would have a big talk with my partner where we discuss our feelings and talk about what we both want and trying to find a compromise

If you'll figure out that you don't feel comfortable being in a polyamorous relationship- That's completely okay and valid. Don't force yourself to go through feelings of jealousy and sadness just so your partner can be happy, both of you are important in this relationship. And if you'll tell your partner that, I'm sure they'll understand if they'll love you, they may feel hurt, but it's better to hurt someone this one time than being hurt for the rest of your relationship

However, if you'll figure out that you're fine with in a polyamorous relationship, or perhaps you just wanna try and see how it'll go, I have some advices on how to deal with being jealous. Again, be honest and communicate.. As simple as that, this is always a key to a problem in relationship. What I do, is when I feel jealous that my partner gives love to my other partner, I just ask if I can get attention too, if I can get a kiss too, if I can get a hug too, and this works wonders! If I felt like my partner neglects me, I just say "hey, you've been spending a lot of time with x, can you spend some time with me?". I know asking that stuff may be anxiety inducing, and as a person who has anxiety I really understand! But it's worth it, if your partner loves you, they'll understand

There's also polyamorous people who ask their partners to do things like, sex or even kissing with other people, away from them, and never speak of it. Some polyamorous relationships have some kind of "hierarchy" where a partner gives more attention to one person than another and everyone consents to it and are fine with it... there is a lot of things that you can consider with your partner

Just please, remember that your happiness is as important as your partner's, and remember to be honest and communicate, good luck with your relationship and I hope you'll find a good solution to your problem 💜 If you need to talk more or want to update me on this, my DMs are always open!

Despite being just a silly blog, my DMs are here for people who need help, just as long as y'all know I'm not a specialist and I'm just a silly teen on the internet that has some experience in life

[sasukesun]

Do you have any posts regarding what you make of the pain arc and the convo Naruto and Nagato have at the end of it?

i don’t think i have? sometimes i think i should improve my tagging system but that’s almost undoable considering the amount of posts there are in this blog. that being said, what i make of their conversation is… it’s underwhelming. it’s just vague and shallow and it answers nothing, but i understand that it went how it went for multiple reasons.

i do blame kishimoto for being a sold out and letting them push for boruto (and we know they decided to go with it around the pein arc, so it’s not surprising the overall quality dropped from here, since things started to get way too forced), but i don’t blame him for losing the love he had for his story, for the exhausting routine he was submitted into, for not having full creative freedom (as he himself admitted that a lot of his ideas were unshonen), and i think all those are reasons why his writing is sometimes so frustrating.

what i find silly and vague is the fact that naruto goes “i will become hokage and find peace no matter what because jiraiya believed in me” and nagato just… accepts it wholeheartedly and kills himself? i just- i can’t buy it, kishimoto is just making his job easier here. i would prefer something more honest and realistic, such as naruto not having an answer at all, because he was so real for these moments here

he is 16, why is he supposed to have an answer when the adults don’t? that’s actually realistic. however, i understand that kishimoto wrote himself into a corner here because naruto and nagato’s conflict had to be resolved…

what i make out of all this is that no one inside the story has a good idea on how to find peace/fix the system. despite the fact that naruto’s answer is shallow, nagato’s plan isn’t good either, naruto understands that nagato only wants to create a false sensation of peace, out of fear, nagato himself is aware of that. and if naruto wants to do it without turning to violence, maybe he could try to find a common ground with nagato here in this moment… with diplomacy? (maybe that sounds stupid, but i don’t see how it’s less stupid than nagato accepting everything wholeheartedly and dying for a vague answer — considering here that naruto wants to go on without violence in order to stop the cycle of revenge).

i’ve already said i wouldn’t mind if the manga ended with naruto not having an actual answer but it showed him at least working to find one, working to make the world a better place (together with sasuke especially because that’s well established in vote2, but together with other people as well). it’s “easy” for us to find a solution when we’re outside of such context, when we have years and years to analyse the content while kishimoto had an exhausting writing routine and not full creative freedom and had to come up with quick answers since naruto was published weekly. but yeah, there is also the fact that he made his job easier because of boruto, that he didn’t need to find good answers or conclusions when he’s going to keep the shinobi system. so there’s that too.

[mcybree]

Disclaimer that this is just my personal experience on my side of things

As someone who got into the fandom right before dl, i also saw a significant amount of unhealthy fh content when ranchers became a thing. Part of it was just ship fighting but considering this fandom tends to not have “ship wars” (ugh hate that term) I think there’s more to it. The impression I got was that because part of the ranchers lore was “wow someone is finally being nice to Jimmy”, that implied that Scott wasn’t and so the perception of his actions in 3l went from silly teasing to serious. In fact, because of my personal avoidance of ship fighting, my involvement with the abusive fh interpretation was a very slow burn, even after I watched Scott’s 3l and came to a lot of the same conclusions as you. Seeing ur blog was the tipping point for me because it stopped feeling like ranchers angst fuel and became interesting analysis on it’s own.

Yeah yeah what you described here is generally what I noticed too… I remember a couple of very angry posts at the time about toxic fh interpretations when it popped up again in limited life LMAO, as it was never detached from ranchers so people assumed that it was purely an unsubstantiated shipping thing… Which was honestly a fair assumption, considering scott was often made a purely evil entity in those fics and unnecessarily cruel to the point of mischaracterization, which is directly opposed to the most widespread interpretations of his character (“he is the most loyal and reasonable person there he’s so nice” type takes), so explaining toxic fh away as people either baselessly inventing it just to make Ranchers look better or it being a result of homophobia was probably just what made sense at the time.

I was already a toxic fh truther when all this was happening, but I personally stayed quiet because a.) I didnt have a spine back then and b.) neither side was appealing to me. I can assume there were other people who held similar opinions on it, but fh was still fairly popular (gestures to the entire wcsmp tag pre-Milo reveal LMAO) so making posts about it in That Economy felt like a bad idea. Making my fh posts has so far felt like tossing seeds on the ground and luring everyone out of the bushes.

[sams-venting]

I need to get this off my chest before I blow up at somebody 

But I know I did not just fucking watch someone try to say a fictional incest ship is worse than several real-life people getting groomed. Are you fucking serious. You are so lucky your ass was on anon motherfucker I would've hard blocked and reported your snide ass

I don't give a shit which 'side' you're on. I don't care what you think about whatever drama of the week is going on. I know my ass, who has actively had to report CSEM photos to National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Cyber Tipline, did not just fucking watch you compare a disgusting ship, to actual teens being sexually coerced

I can't fucking believe you. We out here really prioritizing fictional characters over real breathing human beings

Get this, I am completely against pro shipping. I am just as repulsed by people looking at siblings or parents and deciding they should fuck for the silly dynamics of it as the next guy, it's fucking despicable. But I know I did not just your ass saying it's more harmful and creepy than your friend over there diddling real people almost half his age. Are you fcuking kidding me. 

And, before you start assuming shit, I again am on 'no side'. I don't give a fuck about the entire situation outside of people once again, conveniently dragging the victims of the gore anons into more bullshit. 

I am not blind to the fact none of this would've went down had a stalker not went digging for shit. No one would've known about the original doc a year ago had a suspected gore anon not stirred the pot after the callout post that got sent to the VAs. That was purposeful manipulation. No doubt about it. They wanted to pull up anything and everything on one of the few people that was trying to defend those that were getting harassed because of the big blogs. You'd have to be either really young, or really stupid to not've seen that bigger picture 

I also don't fucking trust ANYONE that makes a callout / awareness post for ANY REASON. I don't care who you are. As a quotev veteran of 7 years, someone who watched their friend get dogpiled on by big blogs 3 years ago in the Sonic fandom bc how dare a minor be uncomfortable with public porn of minor characters on tumblr, seen kids purposely catfish adults in the MHA quotev fandom so they could frame them for pedophilia any time their advances were put to a stop, the entire Revie and Jasper situation in the FNF vs Sonic.exe corner of twitter where one adult was partially framed once again by a kid that couldn't handle being told no, meanwhile the other had legit CP on their computer come to find out and was the Actual danger in the fandom 

So imagine my reaction of trying to escape to the fnafsb fandom and to tsams. Here 👏 we 👏 fucking 👏 go 👏 again. It's like everyone was born yesterday and baby spanking new to the Internet. How has No One learned the consequences of their actions. Adults included btw, just as childish if not worse than the teens that haven't learn basic internet etiquette. What the fuck is your excuse you're in your 20s, how is your media literacy This low mf. Smh 

All I can say is thank God I've decided to grow and mature as a person. And by that, coming to the conclusion that everything is ultimately ✨none of my fucking business✨ 

Bc guess what, it ain't. Just bc people airing out the dirty laundry does not mean I need to get involved and throw myself to the drama wolves. Sometimes, I don't need to have an opinion. Sometimes, if I do have an opinion, I know to keep it to myself unless I'm asked for it by my therapist or friends (and not anons guys I am begging you to not get baited by trolls please for the love of all things holy. Assume good faith in strangers, but never in anons. They use innocent questions all the time to pull a gotcha) 

Ultimately? All sides are guilty of some level of shit, end of discussion. 1) I already had beef with with the whole 'ur pd is showing' on a personal level. I will never forgive for that. In no scenario with strangers is that ever fucking okay. 2) I ain't gonna let the little fibs slide. I've seen the screenshots in the newest doc, I've compared the posts. A liar is a liar. 3) I personally don't like nor trust em. Didn't originally, definitely don't now. But again I acknowledge that's a personal decision. 4) I did not fucking like seeing people stalk the gore anon victims once again just so they can dig up scraps to support their persecution of their past abuser. 5) I am in no way denying the abuse they did infact go through. It was horrible to see, and I can only empathize with my own trauma from abusive relationships. 6) I am also however acknowledging that trying to drive them off of social media is not a realistic solution and is infact anti-recovery. So some of you are infact a hypocrite for wanting to abolish prisons and then pulling This kind of shit. Revenge is not justice. 7) if you wanna cut someone out of your life, you have to stop talking about them and 'looking out for their potential victims' or you're just going to feed the flames of drama. Be the bigger person and put down the stick if you're tired of the burn. This goes for everyone btw. 8) for the record I would not be Nearly as on the fence as I am rn if it weren't for [redacted] having learned this behavior from also being a victim of somebody else. It is incredibly common for those that have been groomed and/or abused in the past to then continue to seek out those same types of relationships. Especially if they never learned the why or how said relationships were fucked up in the first place. 

9) it is no one's place to decide if other people are allowed to give someone a second or third chance to be a better person. Idgaf if they're a victim or not. You do not have the right to dictate who talks to who. That is red flag toxic yaoi shit my dear friend. I, do not agree with a few of my mutuals chosing to befriend or forgive them. But I also know it is not my fucking place to tell them to do different. It is not my place to control who is with who for whatever reason. I don't like it, I don't agree with it, but I ain't gonna start shit talking left and right, throwing my opinions all about, and force them to do as I do. 

This is where the maturity clarity thing comes in btw. I don't like it. I have a bad feeling about it. I don't agree with these decisions my mutuals have made. But you know what? ✨It's none of my fucking business✨ and I mean it. That means, after I'm done venting here I'm dropping the topic. That means, just bc I don't like them that I'm gonna start bad mouthing to my mutuals about their friend. You don't go to your bestie and shit talk about their boyfriend right to them, that's messed up af. And this is no different 

Also, sidenote, fuck all y'all for using stranger's posts on the internet to drag someone else's name through the mud and reposting them to a doc without consent. Which Did happen to me with the big blogs vs confessions btw. I am still, very much not okay about that and I can't believe that's happening to other ppl too but for a different call-out. 

but fucking, trying to compare a fictional ship and saying it's worse than people who got groomed?

You are on razor thin fucking ice. Pull your head out of your ass, shut up, and sit the hell down before you spout any more stupid shit for the love of God. That about pisses me off more than anything right now I'm so livid. And I've been silently seething with rage since August so that's not to be taken lightly

----

[P.S. thank you to mod for being a place ppl can go to, idk what I would've done since I don't have therapy till next week. Sorry if I don't make any sense whatsoever btw, I am tired, it is 1 am, and my bpd ass is extremely emotional rn with no viable outlet except here. I am aware that reality is not what it seems past midnight as I am prone to delusion, so I'm genuinely not allowed to *talk* talk to ppl this late at night for everyone's well being, including myself. So again: thank you. Hope you're doing well, in spite of everything going on. Drinking water, petting cats, monching bread, etc, and letting the small things in life into your heart to spread wonder. Have a good night]

.

[growingupgotham]

Good Night, Gotham

So I think anyone that’s been following this blog has known this was coming for a while. The multi-blog au fell apart (though I won’t deny I’ve made some of my greatest friends through it) and I just… stopped posting here. Maybe the occasional post every now and then but it’s been four months since my last one.

When I made this blog, I was nineteen and sitting alone in my uni dorm because my ‘friends’ had all gone out without me. I’d been thinking about it for a while but I guess the rampant loneliness was enough for me to take the plunge and make GrowingUpGotham; a chance just to throw a bit of silliness into the world. I never even intended for this to be a Jason Todd blog. Just an anonymous Gothamite until someone made a joke and it just spiralled into… this.

I don’t regret a second of the time I put into this blog or with the people I met through it. To quote Dickens; it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. The good times were great and the bad times were bad. But it is what it is. Honestly I grew a lot because of this blog - I started to realise people may actually like me and I was able to blossom. I’ve spread out more into other fandoms, made effort to make friends and just… be more me because the almost 2k of you that follow this blog proved that people do find me funny. People do like the ideas constantly rotating around my head.

In all honesty, I could have probably just left this blog dead but for me personally, I needed something finite; some sort of conclusion to this so that it wasn’t constantly hanging over me as a ‘what if’. Maybe one day I’ll come vs k but for now… For now, Jason Todd-Harper is a closed door for me. Perhaps they lived a quiet life with their husband, toad, and dog. Perhaps they continued to get into pure chaos. Perhaps they left Gotham all together.

But for now? Show’s over. That’s all he wrote!

If, for whatever reason, you want to keep up with me outside of this and see the things I’m up to now; my main blog is @delilah-briarwood . The fandoms I post for are a bit of a revolving door but a bit of the Batfamily always seems to sneak their way in there. My AO3 is DesertLily if you want to see the fics I wrote for this AU, or just my writing in general.

Whether you followed me from the very start or found me after this blog had started to wind down, thank you. I hope you had one hell of a ride because trust me, I certainly did.

So for now, this is me - Joey - signing off.

Good night, Gotham, and thank you for the good times

[xxoxobree]

I'm sorry to hear that. You were one of the best miles blogs on here but unfortunately fandoms esp the spiderverse one are extremely toxic and people go on power trips and send witch hunts after ppl minding their business. Fandoms aren't fun anymore because there's certain people who are miserable and want to make everyone else as miserable as they are or who expect people to bend to their whims on how their interact with with content. That's probably why there's like...nothing new in the tags because everyone got discouraged bcause certain individuals will find a problem with their content and harass them

I agree 100% . Thank you for calling me one of the best 🥰.

I made a whole post on how I think the toxicity made everyone stop posting. It went from fun little silly fics and people just sharing with each other, to completely left field and restrictive and pulling shit out of our asses to be “right” just because you didn’t like something someone you’ll probably never ever meet or play any role in your real life posted, said, did. We’re mad and outraged because someone made a story you didn’t like, “omg how dare they do something you don’t like.” Like be so fr 🤣🤣

I’ve always stressed how important it is to let people just be creative in stories because it’s just that A STORY.

I think it’s so important to create spaces on the internet that are for us and to leave people tf alone. Blocking , filtering, scrolling. It’s healthier for you and others less clashing. It’s a lot of fan art/stories in the ATSV fandom that I don’t like,(e.g Milecest.) I don’t actively seek it out or interact, post about it. I mind my mf business 😂😂 as I should cause there are people who weirdly like it and there’s literally nothing I can do about it

But I think that happens a lot with internet culture. Likes, comments interactions trigger dopamine that they don’t get from REAL LIFE, experiences, the internet rewards bad behavior and bullying that they like to mask as being “right”.

I’ve also noticed that a lot of people don’t have actual friend groups outside of the internet so in an effort to feel like they belong, they’ll go with whatever.

In conclusion I should also stop being emotional and overthinking stuff and letting a little outside noise affect me personally. This is my personal page, that I can post whatever I’d like on it. Spiderverse, Pjo, ATLA. And it makes me happy and I love to interact with everyone who’s just as excited as I am to talk about our interest and hyper fixations.

[dualiti-real]

Pinned Post To Explain My OC Universe

Who are you?

The name's Spooky! (He/him) I'm an artist who likes makin guys. My art blog is @sp00ky-doodles and it's where I'll probably be reblogging stuff from initially.

What is Dualiti?

Dualiti is a country that has been sealed inside of a magical force field for about 1000 years in order to contain a very powerful magical threat.

Forgotten by the rest of the world and unable to leave the boundaries of their country, Dualiti over time has become a sort of fucked up and weird place. (Exacerbated by a buildup of magic in the area and aforementioned magical threat still being present.)

If you want a basic idea of daily life in Dualiti, imagine a mundane everyday activity (say, getting an ice cream cone from the store,) and then make it like 100% more over the top and dangerous. (If you want to get ice cream from the store you have to navigate the hell maze of product that changes its floorplan every five minutes, all while being hunted by like, a lion or something. This is normal and expected.)

Mostly though, Dualiti's worldbuilding is built around whatever I think would be the most fun thing to do at that moment. (Fun for me, not for anyone who lives there, depending on what I do with it.)

What is the Premise of Dualiti (the story)?

The story of Dualiti is the aftermath of a story failing to reach its conclusion. A great evil emerged, and when a group of heroes rose up to try and stop it.. they failed. They managed to contain the evil, but trapped themselves and the kingdom inside with it in the process.

The Magical evil entity is his own character, also. He's a silly guy who is terrible and I love him btw. He's like a magic parasite who can infect people and then they do evil.

I would say there's a main character, but I haven't actually settled on one. I keep finding that I'm enjoying bouncing between the stories of various characters who live in the setting.

Who are all these characters you've been drawing?

Wow thats so cool that you ask, I actually have a character list on my Neocities you can check out! It doesn't have all the characters (yet) but it has the ones I draw most frequently, with descriptions and everything! (some are more detailed than others though.)

Click here to check em out!

Why have you made this blog?

Basically, this fictional world is my toybox, and after many years of wiggling the dolls around for my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of close friends and family, I'd like to perhaps show other people my toys. I hope you like them. Or hate them, I'm not your dad.

What will be on this blog?

Reblogs of various drawings ive done, maybe some rambling about characters and worldbuilding whenever I feel like it, maybe one day some actual writing if I'm feeling brave. I'll also be reblogging funny things that I feel vibe with the setting. I'll try and have an organized tagging system for everything.

So yeah! That's it, that's what this blog is. I may edit this post occasionally if something changes but so far I think this is a good starting point. I hope you like my little guys :)

[helenofblackthorns]

Just because James isn’t annoyingly extroverted doesn’t mean there’s “nothing” to him 💀

Not everyone needs a non stop talker like Will or Jace because believe it or not those two annoyed alot of us. While James is more quiet like Julian and Jesse. Nothing has to be wrong with that, CC knows the majority of readers want those Will type of Main characters but she switched it up and has talked about James and his quietness before. Introverted men exist, it’s nice of her to have a different male personality as the lead for once and not someone who’s cracking jokes every five seconds.

If you want a silly and fun MMC there’s always TID and TMI to re-read! TEC too! Magnus, Will, and Jace can all provide that.

It’s her book her characters, if she didn’t care to give Matthew a POV what can we do about it? Nothing except complain and whine.

This fandom I tell you..Poor CC

I think you misunderstood what I was trying to say in that post.

I'm a big fan of James being different than Will and Jace; in fact I think he should be more different. Which is what the story stories (like The Midnight Heir) set up. Instead, I think CC kinda backpedalled on that front and made tlh!James more like Will and Jace. (I can't tell if any of this makes sense 😭). Also by "not much of anything" I meant James kinda lacks a definitive personality in tlh because he kinda just exists to be manipulated for Belial/Grace/Tatiana etc's plans. Which isn't to say he doesn't have any sort of personality at all, just that his character is constantly being overshadowed (lol) because the plot demands it. He also doesn't really have a character arc?? like James doesn't learn or grow as a character, the bracelet doesn't count imo. Personally, I would have liked to have more focus on him becoming more confident in who he is, shadows and all. There's a small conversation he has with Ragnor in Nothing but Shadows where Ragnor tells James he was waiting for him to ask for help (as a fellow warlock) but James never does because he's only ever seen himself a Shadowhunter. It would have been nice to see that be followed up on in some way and ultimately would have created a more satisfying conclusion then them just... losing their powers for... reasons.

(Also for the record I am not really a Jace or Will fan?? They annoy me too 🧍🏻‍♀️)

I am well aware that these are CC's books and she can write them however she chooses to; that doesn't mean as fans we have to agree with her. I'm just voicing my thoughts on my tumblr blog, and, yeah, sometimes they can be critical. You don't have to agree with me. Personally, I like pulling things apart and finding imperfections, or thinking about other possibilities or just in general discussing a media's flaws. I have no interest in only talking about the good things or singing CC praises every time I log on to this app. It might make me seem like a hater, but all my hating it done out of love <3 so I'm going to continue complaining and whining tyvm. If that bothers you (or CC), feel free to block me.

[blueberry-lemon]

regarding Cozy Games

For the past year or two I keep wanting to post my take on "cozy games" but then I stop myself because I'm trying to be a good boy and not generate discourse.

But I figured I'd just get my thoughts out into a blog post just to have something to put out there, and maybe if I change my mind someday I can look back on this post and see where I agree or disagree.

I'm inspired to write this after reading this thoughtful piece by MOKKA, although it's less of a response to that post specifically and more of a response to a variety of different posts I've seen over the past 2 years on the topic. Go follow MOKKA because they're a great writer and artist, and they make cool games!

When I read people's thoughts on "cozy games" there are two thoughts that I kind of hold equally in my mind.

Thought 1: "Cozy Games" seem to keep, understandably, annoying people

There's been a lot of ink spilled from various writers about the politics of "cozy games." The fact that we're now calling them "cozy games" is proof in itself that the terminology has changed due to pushback. The Wholesome Games twitter account was one of the first brands/communities to put a label on this nebulous concept, and they called them "wholesome." Then, there was a lot of justified criticism about the term "wholesome." Now, although that particular brand hasn't changed the name of their LLC or whatever [which is understandable], I've seen most people shift over to calling them "cozy" so that there's less of a moral judgment in the name.

(From what I understand, in Japanese these are called something akin to "healing games.")

So things kind of got off on the wrong foot from the very start, at least in the English-speaking world, because of one Twitter user's poor choice of branding. For what it's worth, I dislike the term "wholesome games" for the same reasons everyone else seems to. It focuses on a moral judgment rather than the feelings the work is trying to evoke.

There's another point of irritation, which is the arguments "for" making cozy games. For example, there is this academic-style report that MOKKA responded to in their piece linked above that goes to great lengths to propose what "cozy" is and why developers should make cozy games. Personally, I think this report is kind of buckwild. The first half is kind of interesting, especially in its attempts to try to define the nebulous term. The second half, and specifically the conclusion, puts its foot in its mouth by making bold claims of cozy games being "anticapitalist" and some sort of moral good.

I think that concluding argument is very silly. Personally, I would not have put my name on a report like this.

But also, in fairness, this report was written in 2017. I have no way of knowing if the writers who worked on this feel the same way as they did six years ago. I feel like we've all done a lot of growing and changing in the past six years. The world has changed, and specifically the gaming landscape has changed in the avalanche of the "cozy game" market.

I also think the pro-cozy-game arguments can be irritating to people because they're already self-justified in a business sense. Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing New Horizons are two of the most successful games of the past decade by sales numbers and everyone knows that. It has had a very obvious cause-and-effect, where publishers and developers are making "cozy games" because there is an audience for them.

Are they doing it out of greed? Are they doing it out of sound business-sense? Are they doing it out of genuine interest for making these games?

I'd assume probably the latter, but maybe it's a mix of all three.

I think the biggest source of justified skepticism about cozy games is because they seem to represent, or use signifiers of, things that bother people in real life. Signifiers of "middle class" and "upper class" living. A reliance on what those concepts mean in the white/western world. An emphasis on gaining capital. An emphasis on owning property. An emphasis on maintaining control over that capital and property. An embrace of aesthetics and vibes that some people might consider "twee" or "cringe" or "childish", such as cute animals, coffee, stickers, scarves, blankets, and autumn leaves.

People have very strong feelings about these things in real life, and for good reason. In real life, there have been a lot of really alienating and damaging policies carried out in the name of protecting capital, property, comfort, and coziness. It has hurt a lot of people. I think most of us, at least if you're reading this, are trying to undo these barriers in real life.

Lastly, I understand how seeing tiktokers and youtubers who love this game genre sort of "acting out" the fantasy via blankets, coffee, quilts, playing in bed, playing by the fireplace, etc. can be very annoying or distasteful for certain people. Especially if it seems like a means to gain more followers and clout.

All of that said, the other thought I hold in my mind is...

Thought 2: I don't see how this is different from any other mainstream game genre

I honestly don't.

This doesn't feel significantly different to me than sci-fi shooters, fantasy hack-and-slashers, lavish sports/racing games, etc.

A lot of games that have big mainstream appeal are escapist "numbers-go-up" power fantasies that reveal some of our most embarrassing and problematic tendencies.

Diablo, Doom, Grand Theft Auto, Pokemon, basically all MMOs, Madden NFL, Spider-Man. I feel like they all operate on "turn your brain off" appeal that uses particular aesthetics and vibes to give you a power fantasy. They reflect selfish desires and reward certain behaviors. They valorize power and dominance over the game world. They idealize particular types of people. They alienate and exclude huge swathes of people.

In many "cozy games", the power fantasy involves being able to dress-up your avatar, decorate your home, cultivate a garden, be self-employed, etc.

It's a power fantasy because doing those things in real life can be tiring, difficult, and expensive. So it's fun to do them in a fictional space.

I don't really see how anyone's interest in playing in these spaces and engaging in these power fantasies is any different from doing the same thing in a game like GTA or Diablo. Yes, all art is political. And all games are worth criticizing. But people can also enjoy things for their own fictional game-iness without wanting to enact those forces in real life. If anything I feel like that is the default relationship between a player and a game they like. We all understand this when we play a first-person shooter.

Enjoying Animal Crossing isn't a reflection of anyone's real-world opinions on zoning or market. Enjoying Fashion Dreamer isn't a reflection of anyone's real-world opinions on the fashion industry, etc.

Much in the same way that you can enjoy violent video games but not support violence in real life.

Even the over-the-top way that "cozy influencers" dress up and act out the vibe of the genre I think is not much different from how people embrace the vibes of other genres. People dress up silly and say cringe stuff a lot, as a way of putting on a persona and playing in the genre space. People cosplay in tactical gear and wear horned helmets and faux-fur. And when that type of persona intersects with social media I think it always gets a little dicey, whether it's suburban coziness or fantasy adventure, because the chase for "more followers" is off-putting to watch.

People flock to cozy games because they're games that appeal to them. And developers flock to them because there's evidently an audience for it.

Most people I know who enjoy cozy games (both IRL and online) are happy to have them because they like them and want more games like that. They are often women or gender-nonconforming, and sometimes have no interest in games that focus entirely on combat.

While the recent avalanche of "cozy games" that have flooded the market between 2016 and now probably seems overwhelming and eyeroll-worthy if you're knee-deep in the games industry, to the average person they are still greatly outnumbered by the action-oriented and combat-oriented games that make up a majority of big releases.

I do think a lot of these games are flawed. Sometimes they feel flawed in their game design, or sometimes they feel flawed in their politics. What exactly is their narrative or aesthetic "saying" about the world? These are things worth criticizing.

Again, I sadly feel like most games with mainstream appeal suffer from these design and political flaws. And it's important for us to always be talking about them, especially as developers.

But...I am always rooting for developers to explore this space more. I think the games are fun to play, I like to see new waves of people enjoying games, and I like seeing developers try out new ideas. I think it can be a win-win-win.

I hope that with more exploration and experimentation, this "genre" (although it's really more of a "vibe", right?) can find all the different interesting ideas and executions that we've allowed shooters and hack-and-slashers to find over the decades. I would love for them to evolve past what they are right now, becoming more thoughtful and inclusive, and I think with enough time and consideration they'll get there.

[weirdqueerleftistunity]

Sol (he/it) QUEEEER!!

Welcome to my Centricide blog, dedicated to that one web series that you most definitely shouldn't fucking watch!! I only really post about certain characters because I do not like the others, so if you are wondering where <insert character> is then that is why. And no, I do not care much for canon, so if you think my interpretations of characters are "cringe" or "incorrect" then maybe you are just not silly enough for my blog.

ASKS OPEN: Feel free to send in asks!! I might doodle requests if it peaks my interest, emphasis on MIGHT, so feel free to send in hypotheticals. Only request characters I've already drawn before though.

Tags:

op -- centricide -- authunity -- leftist unity -- jreg ancom -- jreg commie

🔁 rb -- 🧭 extremists -- 🌟 leftist unity -- 🚭 pacsan -- 💳 ancap -- 🔥 ancom -- ♀️ anfem -- ☮️ anpac -- 🌈 anqueer -- 🧢 authright -- ⭐ commie -- ✝️ conservative -- 🏳️‍🌈 homonat -- 🚬 insan -- 💀 polnih -- ☢️ posadist

And yes I ship Leftist Unity. Leftist Unity is not problematic, and I don't understand how some of you have come to that conclusion. More under the cut.

At no point is Ancom explicitly stated to be a minor (as far as I'm aware). The term "anarkiddy" is a derogatory term for anarcho-leftists, it's demeaning because you're implying they're immature and childish. And it is completely in line with Commie's character to be using a demeaning term like this, because Commie views himself as more intelligent and mature than the people around him. Actually, it's really important to Commie as a character that Commie stops referring to Ancom as anarkiddy, because he's come to the realisation that Ancom is an equal to him and that he needs qim. Take the song Leftist Unity -- a part of the whole reason the last verse holds so much weight is because Commie drops the demeaning nickname and actually calls Ancom by qis name. Commie is realising he has driven a wedge between them because of his own flaws, and that he just can't go on without Ancom despite having claimed he was better than the other. None of this is inherently about Ancom being a minor, this is about Ancom being treated as an equal. That concludes my mini analysis.

All that being said, I MUST emphasise: one shitty joke in the director's cut is not confirmation that Ancom is a minor. For realsies. It's just one offshoot line.

I think something that sucks is that, maybe for some people, this assumption has come from a place of misunderstanding. For example, there has been a lot of push by certain people that being nonbinary is a phase or neopronouns are for children and this general narrative that there are no nonbinary adults.. This obviously isn't true, and I worry that people who have come to the conclusion Ancom is a minor might partially believe that because they've internalised this or actually agree with this narrative. DISCLAIMER: ADULTS CAN BE NONBINARY <- *I* am a nonbinary adult and there are plenty of other adult gender queers out there. Ancom is not a minor just because qi has silly pronouns.

However, I don't mind if you view qim as a minor. That's none of my business. But don't go around calling a ship gross because of something YOU'VE projected onto a character, that's your own headcanon and it's not universal. And if you ARE under the assumption Ancom is a minor because qi acts silly or uses neopronouns or the like, I just want you to pause and think about if it's coming from your own assumptions of what an adult is meant to look like. If you still think Ancom is a minor after that reflection, then that's okay, and that's your headcanon, and you are allowed to silly wit it :3 Just don't force that hc onto others.

TLDR; don't harass me over my headcanon and I won't harass you over yours. 👍