#these people should be merely human just entertainment for me and i shouldn't even know their fucking surname and yet every time i fail

[nunap]

I think that this episode of chans room and something that happened to me irl made me v aware that i need to take several steps back from the mindset I have for chan and skz now

[johnkrrasinski]

i want your midnights; 

full masterlist

Pairings: Bucky Barnes x female!reader

Word count: 1,749

Warning: fluff!! pure feelings 

Summary: this one’s written for the @mypoisonedvine​‘s festive writing challenge with the prompt “kissing at the new year’s eve count down.” there was only one person that you wanted to celebrate new years with and it was bucky barnes, the love of your life. 

a/n: not my best work but eh, i needed some holiday fluff with bucky. comment and reblog if you like! 

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You straightened the skirt of your dress, trying to make yourself look presentable as you took a deep breath. To say you were nervous would be an outrageous understatement. You haven't played for a big crowd, let alone a crowd in awhile. The last time you were standing with identical emotions swirling through your stomach was when you were in your adolescent years. It wasn't because you grew bored of it, it was simply because you grew up and life had its funny way of surprising you. This occupation wasn't merely a job, it was a lifestyle. And this lifestyle didn't allow you to think that you'd ever have the chance to revisit this forgotten passion.

But here you were. About to perform one of your favourite songs on the grand instrument placed in the centre of the room and you feel like your stomach was sinking. You were good and you were adored. Suck it up and don't be a coward!

The ticking clock shows that it was three hours away from midnight. And the party was in full swing because it's New Year's Eve and Tony Stark was a man of flamboyant parties. And may God help you if he discovered your hidden talent.

"You should sing on New Year's Eve! Entertain the guests before midnight. What's better than live music at a party?"

"I don't know, Tony... I haven't sung in so long."

"You literally just did two minutes ago!"

"Okay first, that was in my room where no one was watching and second, you weren't supposed to see that!"

Tony walked up to the mini stage with a microphone in one hand and a glass of Champagne in the other.  "Ladies and gentlemen, can I have your attention? I shouldn't be asking, after all, you were invited to my party." The elicited a few chuckles from the guests. "Let me start by thanking all of you for coming here tonight..."

Tony's speech was muffled by the grasp around your waist by a familiar pair of arms. "Nervous?"

"Extremely."  You smiled despite the averment.

"Baby, don't worry. I've heard you sing and you have one of the loveliest voices in the world."

"You're just saying that cause you're my boyfriend, Bucky..."

"That's true, but the latter is also true."

You turned around in his arms and threw yours around his neck. "Thank you for the encouraging words. I feel a bit lighter knowing that you'll be in the crowd."

"My pleasure, darling." He kissed you with his hands still on your waist, holding you close but Tony's words disrupted your moment.

"We have a special and exclusive performance tonight. Please welcome, my friend, ____ ____!“

The soft claps welcomed you and it was your turn to take the stage.

"Good evening, everybody. I'm y/n and I hope you enjoy my performance tonight."

A sprightly "whew!" was heard and you instantly recognized Clint's voice.

Your fingers pushed the first few notes of the intro and the sound immediately changed the atmosphere in the room.

"There's glitter on the floor after the party, girls carrying their shoes down in the lobby..." You sang to the microphone. "Candle wax and Polaroids on the hardwood floor, you and me from the night before but..."

"Don't read the last page but I stay when you're lost and I'm scared and you're turning away, I want your midnights but I'll be cleaning up bottles with you on new year's day." You still hadn't dared to gaze at the audience so you focused on looking down on the black and white keys.

"You squeezed my hand three times in the back of the taxi, I can tell that it's gonna be a long road. I'll be there if you're the toast of the town babe," you didn't know why but your heart drove your gaze to the crowd and you instantly found the person you were singing for. "...Or if you strike out and you're crawling home..."

"Don't read the last page but I stay when it's hard or it's wrong or we're making mistakes..." You didn't look away. You couldn't. Not when the love of your life was staring right back at you with those warm steel blue eyes. "I want your midnights, but I'll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year's Day." You meant every word.

"Hold on to the memories, they will hold on to you, hold on to the memories, they will hold on to you, hold on to the memories, they will hold on to you." This time your eyes wandered to the crowd, familiar and strange faces staring back at you with contented looks and you hoped these words would cling to them.

"...And I will hold on to you." Because they did to you and you did to the man standing a few feet away from you but your hearts and your minds remained connected.

"Please don't ever become a stranger whose laugh I could recognize anywhere, please don't ever become a stranger whose laugh I could recognize anywhere..." A brief flashback played in your mind; the lovers turned strangers, the friends turned enemies, the loved ones turned ghosts. You barely heard from them anymore these days, but you could still remember their laughters, an epitome of the good memories. You hoped that this dynamic ragtag group of vigilantes would never turn into one of those tragedies. Another buried name that goes up to the monument.  

"There's glitter on the floor after the party, girls carrying their shoes down in the lobby, candle wax and polaroids on the hardwood floor," your heartbeat hummed the euphonious melody, "...You and me forevermore." There he was. Smiling at you. Always smiling because you were the light of his life and his simpers were genuine and frequent now.

"Don't read the last page, but I stay when it's hard or it's wrong or we're making mistakes, I want your midnights, but I'll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year's Day, hold on to the memories, they will hold on to you, and I will hold on to you." You chanted the closing lyrics and when the last note resonated, the guests' claps were louder this time, invigorating your confidence.

Everyone returned to their own things; catching up with their friends, laughing on the couch and drinking by the bar and Natasha was even standing behind it like a professional part-time bartender. Some were slow dancing and the others are already a little too drunk.

"That was beautiful, doll."

"You think so?"

"I know so. You got a gift, you shouldn't hide it from the world."

"I'm not trying to hide it, Bucky. I just... I didn't have the time with the world-saving and all. And music makes people happy, but it doesn't save lives."

"Well, if I don't know when I'll see you play again, then I'm glad at least we got tonight. And you're wrong, doll. You certainly saved me."

"Your words will be the death of me, Barnes."

-

Everyone gathered around, watching the big screen displaying the countdown to midnight. As the numbers go down, the more energized people become. Your arms were tangled with Bucky's, not wanting to be far away from the person you loved the most seconds before the year finalizes its chapter.

For a moment there, you felt happy. You looked around to see your teammates with smiles on their faces, stress-free and humans. This job hadn't allowed you to be just a human living a normal life. But tonight was one of the rare moments where all of you could just be normal people celebrating holidays.

And then there was Bucky, the man who had lived for a century, whose entire life was stolen away from him, and the man that your heart chose to fall in love with, and you were lucky enough that he chose you too. You had spent two Christmases together, and now you were entering another new chapter together, and there was no one else you'd rather wake up with an awful hangover with. There was no one else who would be there to give you Advil in the morning and deal with your mess.

5,4,3,2,1...

"Happy New Year!"

You and Bucky kiss, as all the cheers and noises, faded into the background. Bucky grabbed you close by the waist, and you had your arms around his neck trying to hold onto his lips as long as possible. You ran your fingers through his hair, feeling all the overwhelming affection you had for him. Bucky felt it too deep in his bones, who would've thought that despite all the atrocities his hands had to commit, someone as beautiful and wonderful as you would love him despite it all? Would kiss him on New Year's Eve and would stick with him through another year?

"Happy new year, darling."

"Happy new year." You couldn't fake the smile forming on your face. “I can’t believe it’s our second New Year’s together.”

“There’s no one else I’d rather spend the rest of my New Years with.”

“Are you saying you’re willing to spend the rest of your New Years dealing with my cranky hangover moods and pulling my hair back when I throw up?”

“As long as it’s you, I’m ready for pretty much anything. You’ve had my back and picked up my mess when I was at my worst, doll and I didn’t deserve it, but you did so without asking for anything, and I’m willing to do the same for you.”

You nearly teared up at his words, the past two years hadn’t always been the smoothest road with rainbows and butterflies for you two. You stuck with Bucky through his nightmares, panic attacks and his therapy sessions and you loved him despite all his open wounds and permanent scars, and Bucky had never felt luckier to have fallen in love with you too along the way. It began with a friendship and bloomed into something deeper, and the last two New Years that you had spent together reminded you that you could walk through every hurricane that life threw at you as long as you were together.

“You always knew how to calm down my fears and lift up my spirit and I’m eternally grateful for that.”

“Guess we’re just perfectly imperfect for each other, huh?”

“Guess we are.” He kissed you again with a huge smile on his face and zest for writing the first page of 365 pages with you.

[thecenternewsstories]

Political Correctness: Gone Too Far?

Times are changing, by the second, by the hour, by the day, week and month. It is the nature of time, and with that change the way that we as people interact with others changes in turn. But it begs the question: which changes are necessary? Which are superfluous? Which changes are a product of an advancing society? Which are a product of censorship and the over-policing of our morality? Can you be too politically correct? It is a question that has been debated as long as the term "politically correct" has existed, and possibly even before that, long before we had the verbiage to describe the type of discourse that was occurring. In recent times, these questions are being pondered more frequently, more publicly, and with more vigor. Our Visitors have sparked a new worldwide debate on what things are, what things should be, and what things should not be socially acceptable, peoples opinions on the matter being completely polarized.

"These damn things do not belong here." Says Jackson Ingle, the co-founder of the New Haven chapter of the anti Visitor organization, Chritanis Against Visitors (CAV). 

"I think "Visitors" is too nice a name for them. They should be called what they are: Devils. Demons. Evil. And I don't think it's wrong of me to say that. We shouldn't even entertain the idea that these things should be anywhere near our homes, our stores, our children. The fact that the government hasn't shot them dead in the streets is a testament to how extreme "political correctness" has become. They're so worried about not steppin' on toes that they won't even protect their citizens from an obvious threat! It's ridiculous. Just a damn shame."

We spoke to Ingle at one of CAV's anti Visitor rallies, being held just outside of New Haven city hall this past Friday. Rally attendees toted signs with slogans such as "No Vacancy for Visitors!" and "Visitation Hours Have Ended," while sporting CAV brand attire, or the shirts being sold at the rally that read "Only 3D for me! Oust the V's! PC culture is tyranny!"

But in a crowd full of people expressing anti Visitor sentiment, dissenting voices can also be heard from the other side. Representatives from the Lace Anne chapter of The Welcome Committee (TWC), a Visitors' rights activism group, drove from 2 hours away to protest the CAV rally. TWC members posit that it is not merely politically correct to welcome and embrace Visitors as we would any member of humankind, but a matter of civil rights and basic human decency. We were able to get a statement from Victoria Trace, the press secretary for their chapter of TWC, with her thoughts about the current CAV rally.

"These people don't know virtue from vitriol." Trace says, "And it's truly the hypocrisy that gets me. Their sacred book has story after story of angelic beings, inhuman and incomprehensible, but holy nonetheless. And they insist that if they were in that position, if it were them that encountered Gabriella or Ezra they wouldn't be afraid and would follow their instruction without hesitation. Yet they buckle at the first unfathomable being that enters our atmosphere."

"And don't misunderstand me," she clarified, "I'm not saying that our Visitors were sent by god or that they're angels or what have you. I'm just saying that it's ironic."

When asked if she had any thoughts on CAV members' assertion that welcoming Visitors is evidence of "political correctness going too far," she replied, "it's just mindfulness. It's just kindness. And I don't think that that's something you can take too far."

While exploring more of the rally, we were actually able to encounter some Visitors themselves. They did not engage with either side of the rally, ignoring the protestors and counter protestors alike. While some members of my crew had an immediate and visceral reaction to encountering the Visitors, I was able to approach them without issue. I asked them for their opinion on the protests and if they had any thoughts about the concept of political correctness.

One of the Visitors, whose name I was not able to properly document, as hearing it spoken caused my ears to bleed, had this to say:

"We do not e̷x̴i̶s̸t̵ ̵f̵o̷r̵ your discussion ẉ̴́e do not exist for y̶o̶u̷r̵ debate we are here because we m̸̛̰ust b̴e̶ W̴̻̎e̴̤̓ ̵̳̾ḓ̷͠ő̸̬ ̸̱́n̶͕̑ǫ̷̂t̸̯͠ ̷̰̿e̸̦̽x̶̖͌i̷̊ͅs̸̙̾t̵̢͝ ̷̘̍f̴̲̿ŏ̸̩r̴͙̄ ̶̮͐ý̵̰o̷̜͊u̸̬͐ȑ̴͉ ̷̬͝w̸̓͜ȅ̴̬ ̶̒͜d̷͙̽o̴̰̎ ̷͍́n̷͓͝o̴͚͂t̵̫̚ ̵̢̂e̸̡͗x̷̦̽i̴̧͐s̸͇̒ť̶̙ ̸͍͐f̵̦̈́o̵̬͑r̶̻͂ ̵͎̔y̴͙͒o̶̞͐u̶̼̿ ̵͈̾ẃ̶̬ẻ̵͍ ̸̣̒d̶͎͐ó̴̪ ̶̦͌n̵͎͠o̸̮͝t̸͉̊ ̴̭͝e̵̫̓x̷̦̚i̷̚ͅs̵̗̔t̸̘͋ ̷̂ͅf̵͓͊o̴̭̅r̸͎͌ ̷̢̏y̷̰͐o̶̹͐ủ̴̠ ̸͎́w̶͇̓ę̸̄ ̸͇͐d̴̞̈́o̴͗ͅ ̷̰̚n̶̯̋ȏ̷̖ẗ̷͚ ̷̬͋e̷̖͛ẋ̶̼i̸̺̅s̶͖͝t̷͊͜ ̵̭̃f̸̯́o̸̖̎r̷̋ͅ ̸̙͠y̴͍̔o̷̜͋ű̷̬ ̴͘ͅw̶̲̅e̸̯̚ ̷̤̄ḋ̴̙õ̸̜ ̸͋͜n̵̳͝o̷̜̔ẗ̶̳́ ̶͚̌ḛ̶͐x̵̖͊i̴̛̲s̶͙̃ț̸̚ ̵̺͑f̵͓̀o̶̝̕r̶͇̚ ̸̫̽y̷̫̐o̸͈͂ŭ̶̼ ̶̰̎w̵̤̆e̸̮̽ ̴̜͝d̵͚̈́ö̶̤ ̷̦͘ṉ̵̅o̵̹͑t̴̪̚ ̶̳̈e̴̦̅x̷͙̐i̵̥̋s̶̞̍t̵̫̕ ̷̡̒f̶͉̌o̸̤͆r̸̜̍ ̵̲̍ÿ̵̗o̶͓̓u̸̝͘ ̴̤͆w̸̝͝e̷̗͑ ̵̥̈́d̶̝̃o̴̖͝ ̴̪͆ṋ̵͝o̸̯͠ṭ̵̆ ̶̡͋e̸̫͆x̷̘̎i̶̬͊s̸̘̈́t̵̞͑ ̸̯̋f̴̧̈́o̸̖̊r̸̳̋ ̴̩͐y̸̛͎ò̵̟u̴̪̐ ̴͇͂w̷͈̎e̴̫͝ ̷̖͗d̵͙͒o̶͍̽ ̸͉̎n̷̽͜ő̸ͅt̸̼̀ ̴͖̍e̸͓͗x̷͖̑i̶̪͊ŝ̴͉t̸̝̾ ̶̲̾f̵͓̾o̸͔͆r̴̳͘ ̶̨̑y̴͑ͅo̶͎̓u̷̫͊ ̴̖̇w̷̲̐e̷̫̐ ̴̖̂d̴͉̎o̴͚͊ ̶͖͝ṋ̵͋ö̴͎́ţ̸̛ ̴̺̚e̸̮̎x̴̹̿î̴̪s̶͚͐ṱ̷͐ ̸̲͋f̵̞̈́ö̴̘r̷͉̀ ̸̤͂y̸̪͘o̴̼̓ũ̶̗ ̶̢͋w̷̬̌ė̷̼ ̷͔̆d̴̩̈́o̶̟͝ ̶̜̂n̶̢̅ȏ̵͚t̵̲͝ ̶̢͝ě̷̪x̵̦̎ǐ̶̬ś̶͓t̶̼͝ ̵̠͝f̷̥̅õ̴̠r̷͓̈́ ̵͈̉y̶̭͛o̴̡̔u̷͎̓W̴̻̎e̴̤̓ ̵̳̾ḓ̷͠ő̸̬ ̸̱́n̶͕̑ǫ̷̂t̸̯͠ ̷̰̿e̸̦̽x̶̖͌i̷̊ͅs̸̙̾t̵̢͝ ̷̘̍f̴̲̿ŏ̸̩r̴͙̄ ̶̮͐ý̵̰o̷̜͊u̸̬͐ȑ̴͉ ̷̬͝w̸̓͜ȅ̴̬ ̶̒͜d̷͙̽o̴̰̎ ̷͍́n̷͓͝o̴͚͂t̵̫̚ ̵̢̂e̸̡͗x̷̦̽i̴̧͐s̸͇̒ť̶̙ ̸͍͐f̵̦̈́o̵̬͑r̶̻͂ ̵͎̔y̴͙͒o̶̞͐u̶̼̿ ̵͈̾ẃ̶̬ẻ̵͍ ̸̣̒d̶͎͐ó̴̪ ̶̦͌n̵͎͠o̸̮͝t̸͉̊ ̴̭͝e̵̫̓x̷̦̚i̷̚ͅs̵̗̔t̸̘͋ ̷̂ͅf̵͓͊o̴̭̅r̸͎͌ ̷̢̏y̷̰͐o̶̹͐ủ̴̠ ̸͎́w̶͇̓ę̸̄ ̸͇͐d̴̞̈́o̴͗ͅ ̷̰̚n̶̯̋ȏ̷̖ẗ̷͚ ̷̬͋e̷̖͛ẋ̶̼i̸̺̅s̶͖͝t̷͊͜ ̵̭̃f̸̯́o̸̖̎r̷̋ͅ ̸̙͠y̴͍̔o̷̜͋ű̷̬ ̴͘ͅw̶̲̅e̸̯̚ ̷̤̄ḋ̴̙õ̸̜ ̸͋͜n̵̳͝o̷̜̔ẗ̶̳́ ̶͚̌ḛ̶͐x̵̖͊i̴̛̲s̶͙̃ț̸̚ ̵̺͑f̵͓̀o̶̝̕r̶͇̚ ̸̫̽y̷̫̐o̸͈͂ŭ̶̼ ̶̰̎w̵̤̆e̸̮̽ ̴̜͝d̵͚̈́ö̶̤ ̷̦͘ṉ̵̅o̵̹͑t̴̪̚ ̶̳̈e̴̦̅x̷͙̐i̵̥̋s̶̞̍t̵̫̕ ̷̡̒f̶͉̌o̸̤͆r̸̜̍ ̵̲̍ÿ̵̗o̶͓̓u̸̝͘ ̴̤͆w̸̝͝e̷̗͑ ̵̥̈́d̶̝̃o̴̖͝ ̴̪͆ṋ̵͝o̸̯͠ṭ̵̆ ̶̡͋e̸̫͆x̷̘̎i̶̬͊s̸̘̈́t̵̞͑ ̸̯̋f̴̧̈́o̸̖̊r̸̳̋ ̴̩͐y̸̛͎ò̵̟u̴̪̐ ̴͇͂w̷͈̎e̴̫͝ ̷̖͗d̵͙͒o̶͍̽ ̸͉̎n̷̽͜ő̸ͅt̸̼̀ ̴͖̍e̸͓͗x̷͖̑i̶̪͊ŝ̴͉t̸̝̾ ̶̲̾f̵͓̾o̸͔͆r̴̳͘ ̶̨̑y̴͑ͅo̶͎̓u̷̫͊ ̴̖̇w̷̲̐e̷̫̐ ̴̖̂d̴͉̎o̴͚͊ ̶͖͝ṋ̵͋ö̴͎́ţ̸̛ ̴̺̚e̸̮̎x̴̹̿î̴̪s̶͚͐ṱ̷͐ ̸̲͋f̵̞̈́ö̴̘r̷͉̀ ̸̤͂y̸̪͘o̴̼̓ũ̶̗ ̶̢͋w̷̬̌ė̷̼ ̷͔̆d̴̩̈́o̶̟͝ ̶̜̂n̶̢̅ȏ̵͚t̵̲͝ ̶̢͝ě̷̪x̵̦̎ǐ̶̬ś̶͓t̶̼͝ f̶̧̢͎̥͍̟̓̆̈́͑̂̈́̅̓̍͜ȏ̶̰͇̻͇͕̈̽̀͒̒͐̅͠ȑ̷̨̻͉̑͗̔ ̶̱̗̯͓͕͈̈́͛̾͗̈́ÿ̷̜͐̍͝ő̷̡̝̦͍u̵̧̒r̸͚̝̺̠̼̬̼̘̈́̄̏͛͋̏͆̾ ̶̡̯̰͉̬̙̻̩̽̋w̵̛̲̔̇̌̉̀͂͐͒͜͠e̷̮͕̞̻͍͔̪̣̠͎͋̈́̾̽̃ ̷͍̳̖̰̥̄̀̿͋̓d̶̢̧̺̝̅̑͝o̷̡̪͉̱͔̊͑͌ ̷̢̳̜̮̼̪̉̄̇̑͜͝ņ̵̛͉̈́̔o̷̞̜̟̜̅͌̒́̐̌̚͝͝ͅͅt̶̟̰̘̙̱̺̹̹̽̐̽͒́̊̀̄̚͜ ̸͕̩̼͙̖̻̗̠̘̱̓̀̎͐͆͝ē̶̹̈́͌̀̾̈́̇̉̚x̴̧̱̱͎͕̫̗̞̩̅͆i̶̭̫̠͎̠̟͒̏̄̕s̴̺̭̈́��̺̩t̸̨͉̘̞̠̬̗͈͈̳̍̎͆̅͒̇̎̆͘͝ ̵̢̤̬̥̩͖̬̄̏̎̆̎́̌f̴͚̞̩͙̻͔͔̥̤̑͂̇̇́̿̚õ̴͔͇̻̤̱͊̆̀̓͋̄̉̚͝ŕ̵̗̘̙̽͌̒̀̕͝ ̴̣͔͓͑͊͊̂̏̈́͐̀͝͠y̶̡̨̡̪͙̣̻͝ớ̷̙̦̘͚̰̥͈̖̝̽̋́̍̍̚͝͝ŭ̴̦̗́̅̐̾̀͋͂͘ ̶̛̩̣̣̣͖̟̮̆̑̏̾͗̑͜͝ẅ̷̨̧̗̰̬̝͉͍́̑̽̐̇̆͜ę̵̹̥̗̈͛̈́̈́̊̌͋͂ͅ ̵̼̦́͂͗̅̈́̇̎͘d̶̪̱̯͓͖̦͚͇̈͜ó̴͎͇̬̔͌̂̑͗ ̸͈͙̳̤̹͒̿̏̈́͒̎̇ņ̶͙͚̼͒ͅo̶̩̠̙̖̭͗̆̌̎̚̕͜͜͜ț̸̤͎̲̤͚̚ ̴̩͌̈́̏́̄̈́͐͝ẻ̷̘͖̱̭̩̞̱̳̦̂̈́͒́͜x̴̛̛̥͚̞͇̟̰̲̞̀͐͠i̸̧̯̝̭̣͎̱̬̹͌͌̔͊̈́͒̇̈́͛́͜s̵̬̅́́̃̈́̂͒t̷̨͓̮̠̏̓͛̈́̉̈̇͗̈́̾ͅ ̴̳͚̬͉̐̕f̷̺͓̺̪̲͖̥̘̽̒́̅̅̉o̶̖̯̺̯͇̓̿̇̌̉͑͝͝r̵̯͉͍̀̽̅̅̊́̓͘͝ ̵̜̝̫͕̺͖̟̫̯̟̌͑̀̈́̌ÿ̶̘͓́̏o̵̢̖͔̥̫̣̭͖͕̽̀̄͋̈́͒ǔ̸̢̯͔̣͌̌̇̂̿̽ ̴͍͓̍̈́̚ŵ̸̗̂̄̀̕ȩ̵̗̰̗̞̯̙̑̾̈́ͅ ̵̬͖̞͚̝̭̺̲̿̔̀͜͠d̸̥͎̤̮̰̀̎͛͑̇̈͘o̵̦̙̫̤͑͛̽͋̃̿̓̀̄̚ ̵̖̪̪̼̪̼̦̘͇͂̑̈́̂͌n̴̛̲͇̱͑̀̈́͒o̶͙̺̥̊̃̌͜t̸̛̜̼̫͈̥͍̹͉̄̂͊͂̈̍͠ ̸̧̦̻̻̟̘̥̩̫̮̀̈̔ȩ̶̡̰̜͕̪̓̐͗̅̀͝͝͠x̸̖̝̮͈̬̘̤̌i̸̹̞̩̖͚͔̙̥̮̟͂͗̈̽̌̀̿̾͗͠ş̵̘̜̼̞̬̗̜̬͓́̐̀̅̄̒̎̑̑̏t̴͎̝̎͒̓̿̌̑͒̊͠ ̴̳̦̹͕̣̪̥͍̣̻̃͠f̵̛͍̣̥̮̣̩͗̓̒̄̄͜͝ǫ̷̰̘͚͎͔̜̣͇̑͊̏̀́̀͋͘͝r̷̛̯̰̺̺̈́͆́̔́͋̿̀͜ ̸̫̠́͐y̸̡̖̤̲̬̲̞͚̲͇̑o̶̢̤̦̔̇̇̇̈́̈͌̚͠u̵͎̣͙͕̮̾͋̀̽̉͗̂͋̕͠ ̵͚̼̮̗̜̈́͌̈͆̅̈́w̶͈̠̹͗̀́͌̇͋̽͘͝͠e̴͈̳̋̀͐͒̈̾ ̴̗̩͌̓̎͐̉͠d̵͚͙̹̜͕̩̀o̴̡̯̟̙̦̘̘͎̰̰͂ ̷̨̯̫̻̣̼͑̃̀͒̔̓ň̶̨̞̝̱̳̳̹͕͝ơ̸̼̞̫̄̃̅̈́̏͋̎̚͠ţ̴̢̢̨̫͙̭͕̻̻̓̆ ̷̥̒̆̿̋̾̈́̔͠e̵̼̻͚̠͎͍̹̊́͌̈̄̑͜x̷͕͕͇̠̫͍͊̏̓̓̅͘í̷̡͎͕̞̺̣̬̼͈͋͑̒s̶̥̰̮̳̙̥͌̌͌̿̍̆͠͝͠t̸̝̲̙̯͕̀̈́̄̂̂̈́͝ ̶̠̘̂̀̍͌͐͌f̴͍̙͉̭̤̓̿̓̉̊͒͘͝o̵͇̣̲̼͚̗̺͔̤̔͜r̴͚̄̅̀̊̒͌̀͠͠͝ ̷̤̘̣̰̒̀͊̽y̵̦̞͓̏̌͛̌̆ö̷̢̧͙͔̺̰͔́͜ű̷͖̹͛͜ ̶͚͖͙̜͕̞̦̘̰̹̾̀̿̓̄͒̑w̴̛͓̦͎͂̎̓̄́è̵͙͍̙̹̻̗̬͎͚̘͋̅͗͂̔́̄̊ ̴̰̏̚ḑ̴̨͔̘͔͙̖̓̔͂̽̿̕͜ơ̵̘̙̠͍͙̇͊̓̚͘ ̸̃��̧̢̰̗͙͙͙͓̋̃̽n̷̢͛̈́ọ̶̡̰͎̟̩̖̀̌̈̀͝ͅt̴̡̡͇͙͙̙̪̹͗̈́̇͌͘͠͠͝ ̶̖̪̄̉̂͐̀e̶̢̧͖̣̘͇̫̦̰̒x̶̢̯̼̩̠̠̭̫̆̔͆̂̑̊̉̈́̈́͝i̶̛̜̊́́̾̀̀̊̌̎s̵̥͈̥̿ẗ̷̡̤̗̠́̉̏̿̆̓̉ ̷̨̡̫̤̪̦̰͕̦̣́́͐f̷̬̳̉͐̅̃ͅǫ̸͎͕̬̬̭̞̩̮̺̎r̷̳̝͉̄́̈́̈́͐̇͌̊̆͝ͅͅ ̸̰̲̟͔͎̜̗͓̐̾͑̈̇͋͘͝͝ÿ̵̯̝͓̺͊̒͛̄͐͜͝ơ̵̮̣̟̞̯͉̗̝̞̋ŭ̸͉̝̃͂̑ ̴͚̖̤͒́̈̋͒͜͝ẅ̵̨̧̨̻̭̬̻́ë̵̱́̐̆ ̵̺̪͖͍̾̍͒͋̽̋̇̔̉͝d̸̬̒o̶̡̟͖͚̖̖͖͕̎̑́̍̐́̊ ̸̹̪̳̣̮̰̍̉̇̋͒̀̆͘͜͜n̶̩͌̒͊̓ȯ̷͈̯͇͘t̴̨͍̝̲̹͍͎̎̒͘̚͝ ̴̯͓͇̜̝̥̝̳̖͔́̓̐e̷̢̲̻̥̭̖̻̗͙̰͆͐ẍ̶̢̖̬̼͖̘̞́̈́̃̍͐̎̈́̚͝ì̴̧̨̡̛͍̼̼͉̰̣̓̃̅̓̓̓̈́͑ş̴̜͈̤̯̟̐̽̒̔̿͌̆͋ţ̴̨̧̠͇̯͓̗̀̋̏̐͗͂͗̈͝ͅ ̷̯͌̈̓f̸̮̯͙̞̦̺̖̥͍͚̽ő̴̠̹̦̋̽̊͋͑̚͝͝ͅr̶͔̮͊͛̒̑̃̒̃̚͝ ̵̨̝̗̙͂̌y̷̭̗͍̦̬͔̻̌̒͐̇o̷̗̓̊́̈̅͝ũ̴̜ ̵̫̪̘̮̞̘̏̽͑w̷̛̛͔͓̤̯̘͓̜̄̾͐̒̓ͅe̷̡̧̼͈̯̭͎͚̫̓̿̃̈́́̈́̎̌̊̈́ ̵̡̘̹͔͂͘ͅͅd̵̘̭̃͛͗͘͜

Shortly after this statement my recording equipment began to melt.

Suffice to say there will be no easy answers for the question of how far political correctness should go, and for now the questions will continue to be pondered, every angle (and then some) explored, and every opinion fought for in their own right.

[sagebodisattva]

God, Free Will and Determinism

Determinism has a strong presence in theology, which is, I'm sure, much to the dismay to the adherents of scientific determinism. Theological determinism is a form of determinism which states that all events that happen are pre-ordained, or predestined to happen, by a god, or that they are destined to occur given god's omniscience. Scientific determinism isn't all that different; it just replaces the words omnipotent god with the words natural force. So the sentence becomes: Scientific determinism is a form of determinism which states that all events that happen are pre-ordained, or predestined to happen, by a natural force, or that they are destined to occur given the power of the natural force. God, or a natural force. hmmm. Are not these concepts both equally vague and amorphous? It poses a serious problem. And the fact that neither science or religion can disambiguate the natural force, or the supreme being, nor give evidence to the existence of any, doesn't help in the matter either. Theological determinism exists in a number of religions, including Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It is also supported by proponents of Classical pantheism such as the Stoics and Baruch Spinoza. So there is a rich history of investment in this concept. All of this investment into theological determinism, resting on an unfounded assumption about reality: that there is such a thing as a god.

So right out of the box, the basic concept of determinism already stinks of religion, before any secular implementations can even be applied, hence largely tarnishing most of determinism's potential positive utility by the mere association... and so, what about free will? Free will is alluded to occasionally in some of the scriptures, and often used as a buzz word in the proselytization rhetoric of the religious ilk, so isn't this indicative that free will plays some role in the narrative about god? Yeah, sure...but it's a weak association, as it doesn't even make sense in any etymological context. The only reason free will is entertained in theism is so that the religious ilk have an excuse to partake in their favorite pastime: judging and condemning people, which they do with so much pride and fervor, feeling righteous and dignified as they arrogantly assume the justification to impose an invasive guilt trip on you. But according to their own religions, they don't even have that right, as the fate of man is in god's hands alone, and, according to the scriptures, man is not saved due to the merit of his choices or actions, but saved only according to god's grace; which basically means god will save you according to his momentary mood or whim. That's the first reason why free will doesn't gel with religion. No matter how you might exercise your free will, none of it will curry you any favor with god. The second reason why free will doesn't gel with religion, is due to the fact that god's very existence destroys all possibility of free will. Because God is omniscient and omnipotent, everything that happens is, for all intents and purposes, already determined; for god knows everything in advance, before it happens, yet, despite this, theologians insist that somehow God has given us free will to choose how to act. Sound contradictory? Of course it does, because it is. Yet, no rational satisfactory explanation will ever be provided to account for this discrepancy. And it's no real surprise, as, if religion has shown us anything, it's that the only consistency in their doctrines are the blatant inconsistencies. Why did God supposedly give us free will then? Wouldn't it have been easier and nicer to just create mankind as inherently good? Well, theists maintain that God's purpose with mankind is to have eternal fellowship with those who truly love Him. Therefore, to create us as inherently good robots, without the potential for the opposite character, evil, would not allow for true love. For only love that comes from a free choice of the will is TRUE LOVE. Voluntary choice is the key - love isn't genuine if there's no other option. Well... Whatever kind of love is being referred to in this sick correspondence isn't anything resembling true love or free choice. At best, this is a selfishly driven illusion, contrived to validate God's ego.

First off, according to this narrative, we are just a creation, which basically means we are glorified string puppets, which makes our existence nothing more then a divine masturbation tool. If god is omnipotent, then there really is no free will, as he is already aware of everything that is going to happen, before it happens, so any choice that a string puppet may think it has, is just an illusion. Not to mention that the love that god is said to want so badly, a genuine love chosen voluntarily, isn't even genuine, nor is voluntary: as humans are not even genuinely existing independent units, as we are all but the byproducts of god's handiwork. It would be similar to a human being expecting genuine love chosen by free will from a programmed hologram or a machine. It ain't genuinely happening. We may program it to simulate such a chosen affection, but if we think that this programming represents any real authentic function, the only ones we are fooling is ourselves. And also, 'voluntary choice' is the key, you say? Sounds good in theory. So it's too bad that god doesn't extend the same courtesy to his creations, no? I don't remember voluntarily choosing to be thrust into existence by some mono phobic deity with borderline personality, simply because he has isolation issues.

Yeah. So, there is nothing chosen, voluntary, authentic or free willish about any of this. But, apparently, we are being asked to overlook these inconsistencies and are expected to just accept these insipid explanations at face value. The reasoning reminds me a lot of the rationale in a concept I like to refer to as "special determinism", which is a variety of determinism often heard spoken about in certain philosophical circles here on the internet, wherein everything is already predetermined, yet nevertheless, still affords an organism some type of a facsimile of a free will, that isn't really free will, but somehow enables the organism to be consequential in the equation of cause and effect by deciding to show up to go through the motions, which indirectly implies that there was some other kind of option in the first place, of which, flagrantly contradicts the basic tenants of general determinism. They will cry and scream that there is no contradiction, but there are major contradictions. If you truly understand determinism, and claim to speak for determinism, then words like decide, choose, and will should never even come out of your mouth, as any distinction of such an aspect would be, at best, illusory; and if illusory, there's no need to treat it as if it were any different then illusory. And saying, "But we still have to show up and go through motions", is bunkum; nonsense talk with no point, as any possible point that could be proposed will be inconsequential; as the context of "being effected to show up and go through the motions", couldn't have gone any other way, as it it is predetermined and predestined. Apparently, special determinism disagrees with this too. Another contradiction. Now claiming that the present moment is not yet written, and only becomes written AS it is being written, in the present. Does this not sound to be an exercise of free will? If it's not already determined and destined to be, and only becomes so in the moment it occurs, this is the basic description of free will, which maintains that the will is free to make new causes spontaneously, without being chained to one specific path by the oppression of previous endured effects. It's simple. Either you have an authentic choice, or you don't. If you do, then there is an element of a free will at play. If you don't, then any appearance or choice is illusion, in which case there's no point talking about it. Then they will say things like, there is such thing as a will, but it isn't free; or that it's just desire with a different label; also pointless gobbledygook. If we have a will, how isn't it free? Does it cost something to have a will? When was this paid? How was it paid? Or is this a reference to the lack of freedom that is inherent to the will? And what would this be based on, other then abstractions? This shouldn't be a complicated issue. But, I think the main reason why these special determinists are talking out of both sides of their mouths and want it both ways is, as is the case with theological determinism, marking yet another similarity, because they do so enjoy being authoritative, and don't want the implications of determinism to strip them of their favorite pastime: judging and condemning people, which they do with so much pride and fervor, feeling righteous and dignified as they arrogantly assume the justification to impose an invasive guilt trip on you. So I think we can understand the motives behind design of this position: It is derived from the desire to have a position that appears aligned to a very objective scientific methodology, yet still wants to leave room for all of the touchy feely subjective crap... and of course, still leave tons of room for all the blaming, guilt, castigation, vitriol, and various methods of personal attack, so loved by the fans of this type of dishonest trollish "philosophy"...

And even without all this emotion trying to pass itself off as rationality, it's still an ill conceived philosophy that, ironically, has some need to smear the idea of a free will onto religious ideology, (even though determinism is really the primary backbone of theology despite theology's wishful thinking promotion of free will), all the while making constant reference to agency. Special determinism maintains hard determinism, all the while espousing rhetoric laced with appeals to free will; while theological determinism maintains free will, all the while espousing rhetoric laced with appeals to hard determinism. So there's a lot of convolution and faulty reasoning at play here, in both special determinism and theological determinism. But why is this so? The issue here, is that both religion and special determinism want it both ways. They want to have their cakes and eat it too. They want the specter of some unknown all powerful force to be looming high over our heads, and claim that we are but the mere byproducts of such a force, and yet, somehow, assert that we still have some kind of loophole that allows us to be factors in some vague notion of a practical effectuation in the process. Most onlookers will focus on the similarities of these positions as they relate to the false misconception of free will, but this isn't the only thing they share in common. The most notable equivalence is that they both demand your subservience to a so called external factor. And this is not by accident, not by coincidence, nor is an implication that should be taken lightly. As I have said many many times: when you attribute power and the responsibility for your existence to an extrinsic factor, you strip yourself of all freedom and autonomy, hence casting yourself into mental slavery: just where they want you. So they don't mind if you believe in a fake notion of a will, or a misdirected notion of a will, as long as you never discover the truth of the actual will. For if you ever discovered the truth of the actual will, then you will be out of the reach of their influence, hence, not in a position for them to impose dominance over you. And that's the only thing that power hungry control freaks care about: your acquiescence to their power and authority, by any means necessary.