#this is still primarily a cod blog but whatever

[shadow0-1]

Oni

[courtana]

another rant on a toxic user and fic writer in the COD fandom world — scroll past if you don't care

trigger warning: mentions of rape, incest, and abuse

First, the tumblr user lululandd began bombarding my inbox, calling me names in their vague posts— all because I said that I wished people were more respectful in what type of content they add when they reblog my posts. They'll have full blown convos about unrelated material under my gifs, while ignoring my gifs entirely or ignoring me. It's a pattern of disregarding the labor of creatives on this website. This happens to gif-makers and I'm sure fic writers too.

I told them it's not too much to ask people to be respectful while also asking them to reblog rather than simply like things. I obviously can't control other people's behavior. But I consider that this is part of basic tumblr etiquette for years now.

Nonetheless, her unwavering defense is that this is the internet and people can do whatever they want and people can add whatever they want (Hold onto this thought)—even if it means personally making people uncomfortable or purposefully triggering them, even out of deliberate spite in some cases...

Anyway, the bottom line is, lululandd has a track record of attacking gifmakers in the COD fandom who don't like rape/incest/abusive fanfics either. Which makes sense, considering she writes and shares this content too. She's probably targeted my blog, seeing a window of opportunity, simply because I've vocally stated that I am not a fan of rape/incest/abusive fanfics. Obviously I can't stop people from reblogging or writing/reading those fics! But other people on tumblr and I have asked that people tag their work correctly, hide it under read more/cuts, and also maybe reconsider posting it in mainstream fanfiction tags if it's particularly dark work.

This is from their pinned bio:

And this is a message she's posted to someone a few months back for simply stating they don't like seeing their favorite characters portrayed as toxic, abusive, and/or sexually aggressive bordering on sexual assault. (Headcanoning someone as a rapist/abuser isn't the same as headcanoning someone as being goofy or weird, for the record):

She blocked that user right after writing that.

TLDR: lululandd has a grudge against me and other gifmakers whom she's blocked simply because we don't put aside our personal dislike for rape/incest/abuse and worship her and others' writing. So, she takes it out on us by stating we're 'suburban christian moms' and saying that we simply want to control what other people do. That's not the case. I don't support censorship (can't believe I have to say that, lol) but I can still actively dislike certain genres of dark writing where there is a non-critical depiction of rape or abuse. But this user sees this as a personal attack, and thinks it justifies sending hate messages and writing vague posts about me and my other mutuals.

Also: fun fact! Someone replied to lululandd's post where they were vague-posting about me, name-calling me and calling me a "suburban Christian mom" (girl I'm a bi Latina who lives in urban downtown parts of cities primarily, but yeah I was raised Catholic, so what? What does religion have anything to do with how people interact with my blog?) And someone simply said that I wasn't asking for too much. I said, "thanks! that's common sense!"

Then lululandd proceeded to turn off replies and to delete my reply saying "thanks!" — BUT I THOUGHT WE COULD POST ABOUT ANYTHING AND ADD ANYTHING TO PEOPLE'S POSTS ON THE INTERNET?!? 🤯

Anyway, I've blocked lululandd and I encourage others to do the same if you dislike people thinking you're obligated to read triggering content and sending hate messages to people's inboxes. But then again, you don't have to because, ✨people can do whatever they want on the internet! ✨

[vlgeo439019-blog]

Take it With a Grain of Salt

We need to take all forms of media with a grain of salt.

As discussed in various blog posts as of late, rurality isn’t something that can be defined or simply characterized. It’s a concept that has taken shape as a result of people. People forge relationships with the land; they cultivate experiences, ideas, memories, and friendships with the spaces they choose to live in. People decide what is defined as rural as this is often a decision that’s personal in nature. These opinions can change.  

This all makes sense! We live in a world filled with a kaleidoscope of people and a kaleidoscope of rural landscapes. In Canada alone there is a diversity of rural landscapes, some of which are primarily agricultural based and others that are wild or empty, filled with mountains, rolling hills, or plains. Of course people are going to have different opinions as to what constitutes as rural or not! 

Still, despite this very fact, some people’s opinions regarding the definition of rural are largely shaped, cultivated, or enforced by the media, be it through film, art, or music. Not that this is a bad thing however - everyone has a right to share their beliefs regarding the environment.

Still, people must be aware of what they are viewing or listening to. People need to take what they hear or see with a grain of salt. Depending on the subject matter and the source, these very opinions may be influenced in a positive or negative light. 

Let’s use Corner Gas, a well-recognized Canadian television show with a fairly happy outlook as an example. Take a watch of the clip that I’ve linked down below. 

In many ways this show is a commentary on what it’s like to live in rural Saskatchewan, not to mention just an overall amusing watch. This clip alone (the first moment of the show ever seen by the general public) is incredibly telling. We’re first introduced to a gas station, café, and a typical “store” that appear to be in the middle of nowhere. There’s a grain elevator, clear agricultural activity, and isolation, all unmistakable trademarks of a rurality setting.

We’re introduced to some characters, the first being a businessman arriving from what is presumably the city after completing what he calls a “tourist flyby”. Similar to us viewers, he assumes that the place he’s in is pretty dull and lifeless - flat, boring, and monotonous too. 

Brent, the man working at the station, doesn’t appear to take any severe offence. He acknowledges that Saskatchewan is topographically boring. He even accepts that there’s "nothing much to do" but be sarcastic in the middle of Saskatchewan. Still, he does make the effort to defend his home to say that nothing is blocking the view, no buildings - a clear jab at what is distinctly urban and emphasizing that Corner Gas is indeed very rural.

What does this have to do with anything? 

In this instance Saskatchewan is portrayed as it always has been, a boring, flat, and listless landscape with not a lot going on - even the opening theme song says this! This form of media is enforcing our beliefs regarding this place, telling us viewers that yes - Saskatchewan is exactly what you’ve always thought it was, a terribly boring and uneventful place.

But still, we’re drawn in. 

Why?

Because there’s “nothing else to do!” We are sucked in by the statement, not simply because there isn’t much else we could be doing, but the authenticity of the characters, their stereotypical remarks that are just too Canadian. We want to see these characters live out their daily lives and what crazy things they’ll do in such a decidedly rural and remote landscape. The landscape may be boring, but the people? Far from! 

The opening describes this too. The artist singing the song states, “You think there’s not a lot going on, but look closer baby you’re so wrong, and that’s why you can stay so long, when there’s not a lot going on.”

Even the artist implies there’s more to what meets the eye when it comes to rural communities. There’s a charm and personality that exists in these spaces that acts to draw people in. When it comes right down to it, people define landscapes. In the case of this particular show, this what the producers of Corner Gas are telling us about rural areas, let alone enforcing our beliefs that already exist regarding Saskatchewan.

What about other forms of media though? Other places? Like I mentioned earlier, depending on the subject matter the messages revolving around rurality may change.

Let's use this image I took of an exhibit in the Art Gallery of Guelph.

This piece came from an exhibit known as the Curse of Geography and reflects on the effects of isolation and proximity to centres of power, be it large urban landscapes or regions that are recognized as hubs for technology or innovation.

Unlike Corner Gas, this visual medium is telling a story via inference. Viewers are not being validated in their beliefs - we must look at this sculpture and interpret it's meaning ourselves.

To me the piece in the above photo is sad; it's a visualization of the people and culture in rural Newfoundland as a result of the collapse of the Cod and fishing industry. Not only does this represent the loss of ocean life, but the decay of a community that relies on fishing to survive.

I'm being told that rural communities are dying. This example my be specific to Newfoundland, but it can be applied to other small towns and villages in coastal regions all around Cananda, be it in regards to urbanization, out-migration, or resource collapse.

Whatever the case, I think that's it's important to take all forms of media and imagery with a grain of salt. Yes, our opinions and views can be confirmed and our ideas surrounding rural can be embraced, but sometimes the output can be negative and force viewers to confront realities that may not be so apparent in a television show or film.