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mostlysignssomeportents · 6 months ago

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Cleantech has an enshittification problem

On July 14, I'm giving the closing keynote for the fifteenth HACKERS ON PLANET EARTH, in QUEENS, NY. Happy Bastille Day! On July 20, I'm appearing in CHICAGO at Exile in Bookville.

EVs won't save the planet. Ultimately, the material bill for billions of individual vehicles and the unavoidable geometry of more cars-more traffic-more roads-greater distances-more cars dictate that the future of our cities and planet requires public transit – lots of it.

But no matter how much public transit we install, there's always going to be some personal vehicles on the road, and not just bikes, ebikes and scooters. Between deliveries, accessibility, and stubbornly low-density regions, there's going to be a lot of cars, vans and trucks on the road for the foreseeable future, and these should be electric.

Beyond that irreducible minimum of personal vehicles, there's the fact that individuals can't install their own public transit system; in places that lack the political will or means to create working transit, EVs are a way for people to significantly reduce their personal emissions.

In policy circles, EV adoption is treated as a logistical and financial issue, so governments have focused on making EVs affordable and increasing the density of charging stations. As an EV owner, I can affirm that affordability and logistics were important concerns when we were shopping for a car.

But there's a third EV problem that is almost entirely off policy radar: enshittification.

An EV is a rolling computer in a fancy case with a squishy person inside of it. While this can sound scary, there are lots of cool implications for this. For example, your EV could download your local power company's tariff schedule and preferentially charge itself when the rates are lowest; they could also coordinate with the utility to reduce charging when loads are peaking. You can start them with your phone. Your repair technician can run extensive remote diagnostics on them and help you solve many problems from the road. New features can be delivered over the air.

That's just for starters, but there's so much more in the future. After all, the signal virtue of a digital computer is its flexibility. The only computer we know how to make is the Turing complete, universal, Von Neumann machine, which can run every valid program. If a feature is computationally tractable – from automated parallel parking to advanced collision prevention – it can run on a car.

The problem is that this digital flexibility presents a moral hazard to EV manufacturers. EVs are designed to make any kind of unauthorized, owner-selected modification into an IP rights violation ("IP" in this case is "any law that lets me control the conduct of my customers or competitors"):

https://locusmag.com/2020/09/cory-doctorow-ip/

EVs are also designed so that the manufacturer can unilaterally exert control over them or alter their operation. EVs – even more than conventional vehicles – are designed to be remotely killswitched in order to help manufacturers and dealers pressure people into paying their car notes on time:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/24/rent-to-pwn/#kitt-is-a-demon

Manufacturers can reach into your car and change how much of your battery you can access:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/28/edison-not-tesla/#demon-haunted-world

They can lock your car and have it send its location to a repo man, then greet him by blinking its lights, honking its horn, and pulling out of its parking space:

https://tiremeetsroad.com/2021/03/18/tesla-allegedly-remotely-unlocks-model-3-owners-car-uses-smart-summon-to-help-repo-agent/

And of course, they can detect when you've asked independent mechanic to service your car and then punish you by degrading its functionality:

https://www.repairerdrivennews.com/2024/06/26/two-of-eight-claims-in-tesla-anti-trust-lawsuit-will-move-forward/

This is "twiddling" – unilaterally and irreversibly altering the functionality of a product or service, secure in the knowledge that IP law will prevent anyone from twiddling back by restoring the gadget to a preferred configuration:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/19/twiddler/

The thing is, for an EV, twiddling is the best case scenario. As bad as it is for the company that made your EV to change how it works whenever they feel like picking your pocket, that's infinitely preferable to the manufacturer going bankrupt and bricking your car.

That's what just happened to owners of Fisker EVs, cars that cost $40-70k. Cars are long-term purchases. An EV should last 12-20 years, or even longer if you pay to swap the battery pack. Fisker was founded in 2016 and shipped its first Ocean SUV in 2023. The company is now bankrupt:

https://insideevs.com/news/723669/fisker-inc-bankruptcy-chapter-11-official/

Fisker called its vehicles "software-based cars" and they weren't kidding. Without continuous software updates and server access, those Fisker Ocean SUVs are turning into bricks. What's more, the company designed the car from the ground up to make any kind of independent service and support into a felony, by wrapping the whole thing in overlapping layers of IP. That means that no one can step in with a module that jailbreaks the Fisker and drops in an alternative firmware that will keep the fleet rolling.

This is the third EV risk – not just finance, not just charger infrastructure, but the possibility that any whizzy, cool new EV company will go bust and brick your $70k cleantech investment, irreversibly transforming your car into 5,500 lb worth of e-waste.

This confers a huge advantage onto the big automakers like VW, Kia, Ford, etc. Tesla gets a pass, too, because it achieved critical mass before people started to wise up to the risk of twiddling and bricking. If you're making a serious investment in a product you expect to use for 20 years, are you really gonna buy it from a two-year old startup with six months' capital in the bank?

The incumbency advantage here means that the big automakers won't have any reason to sink a lot of money into R&D, because they won't have to worry about hungry startups with cool new ideas eating their lunches. They can maintain the cozy cartel that has seen cars stagnate for decades, with the majority of "innovation" taking the form of shitty, extractive and ill-starred ideas like touchscreen controls and an accelerator pedal that you have to rent by the month:

https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/23/23474969/mercedes-car-subscription-faster-acceleration-feature-price

Put that way, it's clear that this isn't an EV problem, it's a cleantech problem. Cleantech has all the problems of EVs: it requires a large capital expenditure, it will be "smart," and it is expected to last for decades. That's rooftop solar, heat-pumps, smart thermostat sensor arrays, and home storage batteries.

And just as with EVs, policymakers have focused on infrastructure and affordability without paying any attention to the enshittification risks. Your rooftop solar will likely be controlled via a Solaredge box – a terrible technology that stops working if it can't reach the internet for a protracted period (that's right, your home solar stops working if the grid fails!).

I found this out the hard way during the covid lockdowns, when Solaredge terminated its 3G cellular contract and notified me that I would have to replace the modem in my system or it would stop working. This was at the height of the supply-chain crisis and there was a long waiting list for any replacement modems, with wifi cards (that used your home internet rather than a cellular connection) completely sold out for most of a year.

There are good reasons to connect rooftop solar arrays to the internet – it's not just so that Solaredge can enshittify my service. Solar arrays that coordinate with the grid can make it much easier and safer to manage a grid that was designed for centralized power production and is being retrofitted for distributed generation, one roof at a time.

But when the imperatives of extraction and efficiency go to war, extraction always wins. After all, the Solaredge system is already in place and solar installers are largely ignorant of, and indifferent to, the reasons that a homeowner might want to directly control and monitor their system via local controls that don't roundtrip through the cloud.

Somewhere in the hindbrain of any prospective solar purchaser is the experience with bricked and enshittified "smart" gadgets, and the knowledge that anything they buy from a cool startup with lots of great ideas for improving production, monitoring, and/or costs poses the risk of having your 20 year investment bricked after just a few years – and, thanks to the extractive imperative, no one will be able to step in and restore your ex-solar array to good working order.

I make the majority of my living from books, which means that my pay is very "lumpy" – I get large sums when I publish a book and very little in between. For many years, I've used these payments to make big purchases, rather than financing them over long periods where I can't predict my income. We've used my book payments to put in solar, then an induction stove, then a battery. We used one to buy out the lease on our EV. And just a month ago, we used the money from my upcoming Enshittification book to put in a heat pump (with enough left over to pay for a pair of long-overdue cataract surgeries, scheduled for the fall).

When we started shopping for heat pumps, it was clear that this was a very exciting sector. First of all, heat pumps are kind of magic, so efficient and effective it's almost surreal. But beyond the basic tech – which has been around since the late 1940s – there is a vast ferment of cool digital features coming from exciting and innovative startups.

By nature, I'm the kid of person who likes these digital features. I started out as a computer programmer, and while I haven't written production code since the previous millennium, I've been in and around the tech industry for my whole adult life. But when it came time to buy a heat-pump – an investment that I expected to last for 20 years or more – there was no way I was going to buy one of these cool new digitally enhanced pumps, no matter how much the reviewers loved them. Sure, they'd work well, but it's precisely because I'm so knowledgeable about high tech that I could see that they would fail very, very badly.

You may think EVs are bullshit, and they are – though there will always be room for some personal vehicles, and it's better for people in transit deserts to drive EVs than gas-guzzlers. You may think rooftop solar is a dead-end and be all-in on utility scale solar (I think we need both, especially given the grid-disrupting extreme climate events on our horizon). But there's still a wide range of cleantech – induction tops, heat pumps, smart thermostats – that are capital intensive, have a long duty cycle, and have good reasons to be digitized and networked.

Take home storage batteries: your utility can push its rate card to your battery every time they change their prices, and your battery can use that information to decide when to let your house tap into the grid, and when to switch over to powering your home with the solar you've stored up during the day. This is a very old and proven pattern in tech: the old Fidonet BBS network used a version of this, with each BBS timing its calls to other nodes to coincide with the cheapest long-distance rates, so that messages for distant systems could be passed on:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FidoNet

Cleantech is a very dynamic sector, even if its triumphs are largely unheralded. There's a quiet revolution underway in generation, storage and transmission of renewable power, and a complimentary revolution in power-consumption in vehicles and homes:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/06/12/s-curve/#anything-that-cant-go-on-forever-eventually-stops

But cleantech is too important to leave to the incumbents, who are addicted to enshittification and planned obsolescence. These giant, financialized firms lack the discipline and culture to make products that have the features – and cost savings – to make them appealing to the very wide range of buyers who must transition as soon as possible, for the sake of the very planet.

It's not enough for our policymakers to focus on financing and infrastructure barriers to cleantech adoption. We also need a policy-level response to enshittification.

Ideally, every cleantech device would be designed so that it was impossible to enshittify – which would also make it impossible to brick:

Based on free software (best), or with source code escrowed with a trustee who must release the code if the company enters administration (distant second-best);

All patents in a royalty-free patent-pool (best); or in a trust that will release them into a royalty-free pool if the company enters administration (distant second-best);

No parts-pairing or other DRM permitted (best); or with parts-pairing utilities available to all parties on a reasonable and non-discriminatory basis (distant second-best);

All diagnostic and error codes in the public domain, with all codes in the clear within the device (best); or with decoding utilities available on demand to all comers on a reasonable and non-discriminatory basis (distant second-best).

There's an obvious business objection to this: it will reduce investment in innovative cleantech because investors will perceive these restrictions as limits on the expected profits of their portfolio companies. It's true: these measures are designed to prevent rent-extraction and other enshittificatory practices by cleantech companies, and to the extent that investors are counting on enshittification rents, this might prevent them from investing.

But that has to be balanced against the way that a general prohibition on enshittificatory practices will inspire consumer confidence in innovative and novel cleantech products, because buyers will know that their investments will be protected over the whole expected lifespan of the product, even if the startup goes bust (nearly every startup goes bust). These measures mean that a company with a cool product will have a much larger customer-base to sell to. Those additional sales more than offset the loss of expected revenue from cheating and screwing your customers by twiddling them to death.

There's also an obvious legal objection to this: creating these policies will require a huge amount of action from Congress and the executive branch, a whole whack of new rules and laws to make them happen, and each will attract court-challenges.

That's also true, though it shouldn't stop us from trying to get legal reforms. As a matter of public policy, it's terrible and fucked up that companies can enshittify the things we buy and leave us with no remedy.

However, we don't have to wait for legal reform to make this work. We can take a shortcut with procurement – the things governments buy with public money. The feds, the states and localities buy a lot of cleantech: for public facilities, for public housing, for public use. Prudent public policy dictates that governments should refuse to buy any tech unless it is designed to be enshittification-resistant.

This is an old and honorable tradition in policymaking. Lincoln insisted that the rifles he bought for the Union Army come with interoperable tooling and ammo, for obvious reasons. No one wants to be the Commander in Chief who shows up on the battlefield and says, "Sorry, boys, war's postponed, our sole supplier decided to stop making ammunition."

By creating a market for enshittification-proof cleantech, governments can ensure that the public always has the option of buying an EV that can't be bricked even if the maker goes bust, a heat-pump whose digital features can be replaced or maintained by a third party of your choosing, a solar controller that coordinates with the grid in ways that serve their owners – not the manufacturers' shareholders.

We're going to have to change a lot to survive the coming years. Sure, there's a lot of scary ways that things can go wrong, but there's plenty about our world that should change, and plenty of ways those changes could be for the better. It's not enough for policymakers to focus on ensuring that we can afford to buy whatever badly thought-through, extractive tech the biggest companies want to foist on us – we also need a focus on making cleantech fit for purpose, truly smart, reliable and resilient.

Support me this summer on the Clarion Write-A-Thon and help raise money for the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers' Workshop!

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/06/26/unplanned-obsolescence/#better-micetraps

Image: 臺灣古寫真上色 (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Raid_on_Kagi_City_1945.jpg

Grendelkhan (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ground_mounted_solar_panels.gk.jpg

CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en

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esotericalchemist · 7 days ago

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𝟗𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 - 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐃𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚 •°. *࿐

TikTok (Matrix of Destiny) - Masterlist - YouTube (subliminals)

The 9th house, known as Dharma Bhava, represents the soul's higher purpose and connection to universal truth. It is the house of fortune, righteousness, spiritual wisdom, and divine blessings, guiding us to align with the principles of dharma—the cosmic law that upholds order, virtue, and moral integrity. Unlike the material pursuits of other houses, the 9th house reveals where we seek higher meaning and how we walk the path of truth in this life. When we explore the sign ruling this house, we uncover the unique nature of our spiritual journey—how we discover, integrate, and express wisdom in a way that shapes our destiny.

𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 𝐒𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝟗𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

When Sagittarius rules the 9th house, the house of Dharma Bhava, you are called to walk the path of higher truth, righteousness, and expansive wisdom. The 9th house, which governs fortune, spiritual knowledge, and the grace of divine blessings, aligns naturally with Sagittarius, the sign ruled by Jupiter (Guru). This is where the soul embarks on a journey to seek meaning, grow beyond limitations, and embrace life as a sacred teacher. Your dharma is to explore the higher purpose of existence, both through external travels and the internal landscapes of the mind and spirit. Sagittarius here inspires you to trust that life is guided by a cosmic order, where each experience, challenge, and revelation serves as a step toward the ultimate realization of truth.

The dharma of Sagittarius in the 9th house is not confined to the limitations of structured doctrines or rigid belief systems. Instead, it thrives on freedom, expansion, and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Your purpose is to search for wisdom that liberates—not just yourself, but others as well. Whether through religion, philosophy, or the universal principles of dharma, you are destined to uplift, teach, and inspire those around you. Sagittarius, as a mutable fire sign, brings an adventurous spirit to this house, urging you to break boundaries and explore paths unknown. Long journeys, both physical and intellectual, are part of your growth, as they broaden your understanding of the interconnectedness of life. The fire of Sagittarius burns away ignorance and illuminates the way forward, encouraging you to live with truth, integrity, and enthusiasm.

The 9th house is also the house of gurus, mentors, and divine guidance, and with Sagittarius here, teachers appear as blessings in your life. Your dharma is to honor the sacred bond between the student and the teacher, understanding that wisdom flows not from ego, but from a place of humility and openness. You are meant to become a guide yourself—perhaps not through formal instruction, but through the way you live, inspire, and share your truth. True fortune flows to you when you align your actions with righteousness, live generously, and act in faith, trusting that the universe will provide exactly what is needed for your soul’s growth. By walking the path of Sagittarius, you fulfill your dharma as a seeker, a teacher, and an embodiment of the higher truths that bring liberation and purpose to life.

𝐓𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐮𝐬 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝟗𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

When Capricorn rules the 9th house, the house of Dharma Bhava, your life’s purpose is deeply tied to the principles of discipline, structure, and responsibility. Capricorn, ruled by Saturn (Shani), the planet of karma and time, lends a serious, grounded, and enduring energy to the themes of fortune, higher wisdom, and spiritual truth. The 9th house, a house of expansion, finds an anchor in Capricorn, signaling that your dharma is not about fleeting inspiration but about building a steady and meaningful connection with life’s higher purpose. For you, the path of righteousness is not a grand leap of faith; it is a deliberate, step-by-step journey of endurance and commitment. Saturn demands patience and maturity, teaching you that true wisdom and blessings come only to those who walk the path of dharma with diligence and integrity.

The dharma of Capricorn in the 9th house revolves around the idea that spiritual growth and fortune are earned through karmic effort and practical living. You are called to take responsibility for your actions and align yourself with universal truths—not just through thought but through tangible deeds. Faith for you is not an abstract concept but a living reality forged through experience and challenges. The hardships you face in life are not obstacles but tools of Saturn, designed to refine you and deepen your understanding of dharma. Capricorn asks you to honor traditions and systems of wisdom that stand the test of time. You are drawn to philosophies or spiritual practices that emphasize structure, discipline, and ethical living, as these help you fulfill your higher purpose.

The blessings of the 9th house come slowly but steadily for you, as Saturn ensures that nothing arrives unearned. Long journeys—whether physical, intellectual, or spiritual—require careful planning and effort, but their rewards are lasting and profound. Teachers and mentors in your life are often figures of authority or wisdom who guide you with tough love, discipline, and practicality. Your dharma is to inspire others through your endurance and to show that true faith and righteousness are not passive pursuits. They require steadfast action, commitment to truth, and a willingness to carry the weight of your karmic duties. When you honor this path with patience and humility, Saturn opens the gates of divine blessings, bestowing wisdom, stability, and spiritual fulfillment that stand the test of time.

𝐆𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 𝐀𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝟗𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

When Aquarius rules the 9th house (Dharma Bhava), your life’s purpose is centered around innovation, progress, and serving the greater good. Aquarius, ruled by Saturn (Shani) and influenced by Rahu, brings a unique, intellectual, and unconventional energy to the house of higher knowledge, spiritual growth, and fortune. Your dharma is to seek and share universal truths that transcend boundaries—be they cultural, societal, or intellectual. The 9th house represents divine blessings, teachers, and the expansion of consciousness, and Aquarius infuses this house with a vision that is forward-thinking, humanitarian, and inclusive. You are called to break free from rigid traditions and to embrace ideas, systems, and philosophies that uplift not just yourself but society as a whole.

The dharma of Aquarius in the 9th house is about understanding that progress is sacred and that your spiritual path involves contributing to the collective evolution of humanity. You are naturally drawn to unconventional philosophies, cutting-edge knowledge, and futuristic ideas that challenge outdated belief systems. Your faith is not blind—it is shaped by logic, reason, and a desire to make the world a better place. Whether through scientific thought, social reform, or humanitarian efforts, your higher purpose lies in spreading wisdom that unites people and fosters equality. Travel, learning, or spiritual exploration for you often takes on unique forms, leading you to places, people, or ideologies that inspire growth and innovation.

Saturn’s rulership here demands discipline and long-term effort, while Rahu adds a hunger to explore the unknown. Your teachers and mentors may be unconventional figures—thinkers, reformers, or visionaries—who inspire you to think beyond limitations. You are meant to live your dharma by questioning what is stagnant and contributing to what is transformative. Through service to humanity, alignment with progressive ideals, and the courage to challenge traditions that no longer serve their purpose, you fulfill the calling of Aquarius in the 9th house. Your fortune flows when you live with integrity, pursue knowledge that serves others, and embrace a dharma rooted in innovation, equality, and universal truth.

𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 𝐏𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝟗𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

When Pisces rules the 9th house (Dharma Bhava), your life’s purpose is deeply connected to the themes of surrender, compassion, and spiritual transcendence. Pisces, ruled by Jupiter (Guru), embodies the boundless, mystical, and intuitive qualities of the divine, making this placement one of profound spiritual significance. The 9th house, the seat of higher truth, fortune, and divine blessings, merges with the Piscean energy of dissolution and unity, calling you to seek truths that transcend the material and connect to the infinite. Your dharma is to trust the flow of life, surrender the ego, and embrace a path of spiritual realization where boundaries between the self and the cosmos dissolve into one harmonious whole.

Pisces in the 9th house gives you a natural inclination toward mysticism, devotion, and higher spiritual pursuits. Your faith is not rigid or dogmatic; it is fluid and experiential, shaped by intuition, compassion, and a deep understanding of life’s interconnectedness. Whether through meditation, prayer, dreams, or creative expression, you are drawn to explore the subtler, unseen realms of existence. Travel—whether to distant lands, sacred places, or inward journeys of the spirit—becomes a vital part of your dharmic path, as it opens doorways to divine wisdom. Teachers and gurus in your life often appear as sources of inspiration and guidance, leading you to higher truths that expand your awareness and bring you closer to the eternal.

The dharma of Pisces in the 9th house is about embracing selflessness and compassion, allowing your life to become a vessel for divine grace. Your fortune grows when you let go of control and place trust in the divine plan, understanding that surrender is not weakness but a profound spiritual strength. You are called to act with kindness, uplift others through your wisdom, and live with a heart full of empathy and faith. By dissolving attachments to material success and ego-driven desires, you fulfill your higher purpose and receive Jupiter’s blessings of inner peace, spiritual abundance, and true liberation. Through devotion, creative exploration, and alignment with the universal spirit, you honor the dharma of Pisces in the 9th house, becoming a source of healing, wisdom, and light for the world.

𝐋𝐞𝐨 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝟗𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

When Aries rules the 9th house (Dharma Bhava), your life’s purpose is tied to the pursuit of truth through courage, action, and direct experience. Aries, ruled by Mars (Mangal), brings a bold, fiery, and pioneering energy to the house of higher knowledge, fortune, and spirituality. The 9th house represents your dharma, or righteous path, and with Aries here, you are called to embrace a path that requires initiative, bravery, and self-reliance. Your dharma is not one of passive acceptance or blind faith; rather, it is about actively seeking the truth, forging your own path, and discovering wisdom through action. Divine blessings flow when you act with integrity, boldly pursue higher ideals, and face life’s challenges head-on.

The Aries influence on your 9th house makes your relationship with spirituality and fortune dynamic and experiential. You are not satisfied with theories or teachings alone—you need to live and test the truth for yourself. Whether through travel, higher learning, or philosophical exploration, you approach life with a pioneering spirit and an adventurous mindset. This placement calls you to be a spiritual warrior of sorts, fighting ignorance with knowledge and apathy with enthusiasm. Aries teaches that the path of dharma is not always gentle or easy; it often requires strength, resilience, and an ability to overcome obstacles. Your fortune grows when you take decisive action, honor your truth, and align your fiery will with righteous living.

The dharma of Aries in the 9th house also emphasizes the importance of self-discovery and leadership. You are here to inspire others by showing what it means to live fearlessly and authentically. Your mentors or teachers may appear as challengers who push you toward growth, encouraging you to develop strength and independence. Long-distance travel, spiritual practices, or higher education often take on an active, transformative quality, driving you to learn not just about the world but about yourself. By embracing the courage to walk your own path, living with passion, and acting with purpose, you fulfill the dharma of Aries in the 9th house, discovering that fortune and wisdom are earned through bold, righteous effort.

𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐠𝐨 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 𝐓𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐮𝐬 𝟗𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

When Taurus rules the 9th house (Dharma Bhava), your life’s purpose is rooted in the pursuit of stability, grounded wisdom, and alignment with lasting values. Taurus, ruled by Venus (Shukra), brings an earthy, steady, and nurturing energy to the house of higher knowledge, fortune, and spiritual growth. The 9th house represents your dharma, the righteous path you are meant to follow, and with Taurus here, you are called to seek wisdom through beauty, harmony, and practical living. Your dharma is tied to embodying values that are not only meaningful but also enduring, guiding you toward a life that honors material abundance and spiritual fulfillment as two sides of the same coin.

The dharma of Taurus in the 9th house is about understanding that true fortune lies in building a life of substance and integrity. Spirituality for you is not about escapism; it is about experiencing divinity in the material world—through nature, art, relationships, and a deep appreciation of life’s blessings. Taurus inspires you to approach higher learning, travel, and spiritual exploration in a way that is practical, grounded, and sensual. Long journeys or philosophical studies often bring realizations about the beauty and stability of life itself. Your connection to dharma flourishes when you nurture the values of patience, perseverance, and an unwavering commitment to what truly matters.

Venus as the ruler of Taurus ensures that your path is one of cultivating beauty and harmony both within and around you. You are meant to inspire others by showing that the divine can be found in the simple joys of life—a beautiful landscape, a well-crafted meal, or a loving bond. Teachers and mentors in your life may guide you toward understanding the importance of balance between material and spiritual pursuits. By honoring your dharma through ethical actions, a strong connection to your values, and a willingness to share your gifts, you fulfill the purpose of Taurus in the 9th house. Divine blessings come to you when you live with gratitude, generosity, and a deep respect for the abundance of life, recognizing that both earthly and spiritual riches are part of your sacred path.

𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 𝐆𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢 𝟗𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

When Gemini rules the 9th house (Dharma Bhava), your life’s purpose is tied to the pursuit of knowledge, communication, and the exploration of diverse perspectives. Gemini, ruled by Mercury (Budha), brings a light, intellectual, and adaptable energy to the house of higher learning, fortune, and spiritual growth. The 9th house represents your dharma, or righteous path, and with Gemini here, you are called to seek truth through intellectual inquiry, communication, and the exchange of ideas. Your dharma is to learn, share, teach, and remain a perpetual student of life, understanding that wisdom comes through curiosity, experience, and the ability to see life through multiple lenses.

The dharma of Gemini in the 9th house is about embracing the mind’s limitless potential. You are destined to explore higher truths, not through rigid doctrine but through questioning, dialogue, and exploration. Your path is not one of dogma or singular belief but of diversity—seeking wisdom through philosophy, study, travel, and human connection. You may find yourself drawn to writing, teaching, or public speaking, as these are avenues through which you share the insights and truths you uncover. Gemini gives your spiritual journey a sense of playfulness and adaptability, urging you to remain open to new ideas and experiences. Long journeys, whether physical or intellectual, serve as opportunities for you to expand your understanding and refine your perception of truth.

Mercury, as the ruler of Gemini, ensures that your dharma is one of connection and sharing. Teachers and mentors in your life may appear as people who inspire intellectual growth, encourage curiosity, and challenge you to think critically. You fulfill your higher purpose when you use your intellect and communication skills to uplift others, fostering understanding and dialogue that bring people closer to universal truths. By embracing your dharma as a seeker, communicator, and connector of knowledge, you allow divine grace to flow into your life. Wisdom and fortune follow when you remain flexible, open-minded, and committed to sharing the light of knowledge with those around you.

𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐢𝐨 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝟗𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

When Cancer rules the 9th house (Dharma Bhava), your life’s purpose is intimately tied to the realms of nurturing, emotional connection, and intuitive spirituality. Cancer, ruled by the Moon (Chandra), brings a soft, reflective, and nurturing energy to the house of higher wisdom, fortune, and spiritual truth. The 9th house is the seat of dharma, where one seeks life’s meaning and aligns with divine principles. With Cancer here, your dharma is to discover and share wisdom through the heart—to embrace spirituality not as an intellectual exercise, but as a deeply personal and emotional experience. Your faith and fortune are linked to your ability to care for others, cultivate emotional harmony, and trust the guidance of your intuition and inner voice.

The dharma of Cancer in the 9th house is to walk the path of compassionate wisdom. You are here to explore truths that resonate deeply with the soul, often drawing on the emotional experiences of your life to guide you. Spirituality for you is not found in rigid structures or formal teachings; it is discovered in the sacred bonds of family, the solace of a peaceful home, and the nurturing connections you form with others. Your higher purpose may involve creating emotional safety for those who seek your care—be it through teaching, healing, or offering a comforting presence. The Moon’s influence gives you an instinctive understanding of life’s cycles, which helps you relate to the challenges of others with great empathy and insight.

Your dharma also involves honoring the divine feminine energy within you—whether male or female—and embracing the power of emotional depth, softness, and devotion. Teachers and spiritual guides in your life may come in the form of maternal figures, family members, or those who inspire emotional growth and healing. Long-distance travel or higher education may be linked to emotional or karmic bonds, often serving as a path of self-discovery and inner peace. By living with sensitivity, acting as a source of nourishment to those around you, and trusting your emotional instincts, you fulfill the dharma of Cancer in the 9th house. Divine blessings and fortune flow when you lead with your heart, intuition, and love, nurturing others while remaining connected to the sacred rhythms of life.

𝐒𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 𝐋𝐞𝐨 𝟗𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

When Leo rules the 9th house (Dharma Bhava), your life’s purpose is deeply tied to the principles of leadership, honor, and the radiant expression of truth. Leo, ruled by the Sun (Surya), brings a bold, illuminating, and authoritative energy to the house of higher knowledge, spiritual purpose, and divine blessings. The 9th house is where you align with your dharma, the higher law that guides your soul's evolution, and with Leo here, you are called to shine your light of truth and embody a path of righteousness and nobility. Your dharma is to inspire others by living with courage, integrity, and a heart filled with purpose. The Sun in this position reminds you that your spiritual fortune flows when you act as a vessel of divine will, radiating warmth, wisdom, and leadership to guide others.

The dharma of Leo in the 9th house is about understanding that you are here to lead and uplift others through your example. You seek higher truths that allow you to connect with your inner light—the divinity within—and share it generously. Whether through teaching, creative pursuits, or spiritual leadership, your purpose lies in inspiring those around you to live with dignity and authenticity. This placement gives you a natural affinity for philosophy, spirituality, or even religious traditions that emphasize the sacred power of the self. Leo's fire ignites the 9th house with a sense of grandeur and vitality, urging you to approach life’s spiritual journey with confidence, purpose, and a desire to leave a legacy of wisdom and truth.

At its core, Leo’s dharma in the 9th house is about the courage to embody your truth and to shine brightly as an expression of the divine. You may find teachers or mentors who encourage you to step into your power, aligning with roles where you guide others toward spiritual or philosophical enlightenment. Travel or higher education often becomes a stage for self-realization, offering opportunities to display your creativity, leadership, and nobility of character. By living righteously, honoring your inner calling, and recognizing your connection to the greater cosmic plan, you fulfill the dharma of Leo in the 9th house. Divine blessings flow to you when you lead with your heart, act with integrity, and inspire others to embrace their own light and purpose.

𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐠𝐨 𝟗𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

When Virgo rules the 9th house (Dharma Bhava), your life’s purpose is tied to the principles of service, intellectual refinement, and practical application of knowledge. Virgo, ruled by Mercury (Budha), brings an analytical, detail-oriented, and methodical energy to the house of higher truth, fortune, and spiritual growth. The 9th house represents the pursuit of wisdom, dharma (righteous living), and connection to universal truth, and with Virgo here, you are called to approach this path with a sense of discernment, humility, and purpose-driven service. Your dharma lies in seeking clarity and perfection through study, self-improvement, and sharing your skills and knowledge to help others in tangible ways.

The dharma of Virgo in the 9th house is about recognizing that spirituality is not separate from daily life—it exists in the details, the work you do, and the service you offer to others. While some seek divine truth through lofty ideals, you find it through practical wisdom—by learning, analyzing, and applying teachings that bring measurable results. Virgo’s earthy energy brings a grounded quality to your search for meaning, urging you to focus on what is useful, organized, and healing. Higher education, travel, and philosophical exploration for you are tools for personal refinement and the improvement of society. You are naturally drawn to teachings that emphasize discipline, ethics, and critical thinking, making you an excellent student, teacher, or healer.

Mercury’s rulership over Virgo highlights the importance of intellect and communication in fulfilling your dharma. You are called to bridge the gap between the higher truths of the 9th house and their practical application in everyday life. This placement encourages you to share your knowledge, perhaps through teaching, writing, or healing practices that bring order and clarity to others. Your mentors or spiritual guides may be individuals who offer structured, logical, and practical approaches to life’s challenges. By aligning yourself with a path of humility, precision, and selfless service, you fulfill the dharma of Virgo in the 9th house. Divine blessings flow when you commit to living with integrity, serving others with pure intent, and recognizing that the smallest, most thoughtful actions are a reflection of the sacred.

𝐀𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚 𝟗𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

When Libra rules the 9th house (Dharma Bhava), your life’s purpose is deeply rooted in the principles of balance, harmony, and fairness as you seek higher truth. Libra, ruled by Venus (Shukra), brings a refined, diplomatic, and relational energy to the house of dharma, spirituality, and fortune. The 9th house represents the soul's path of righteousness, higher learning, and the divine laws of existence, and with Libra here, you are called to walk a path of grace, justice, and beauty. Your dharma lies in cultivating harmony—within yourself, in your relationships, and in the world—while aligning with universal truths that bring peace and equilibrium.

The dharma of Libra in the 9th house involves seeking truth through partnership, intellectual discourse, and a deep appreciation of balance. You are naturally drawn to philosophies, religions, or teachings that emphasize harmony, justice, and ethical living. Libra here gives you the gift of seeing multiple perspectives, making you a natural mediator who seeks fairness and understanding in all areas of life. Higher learning, travel, and spiritual exploration for you are deeply tied to relationships and beauty—you may find divine truth through art, culture, aesthetics, or partnerships with like-minded seekers. Your fortune comes when you embrace the principles of dharma with poise, tact, and a desire to bring peace to both your inner and outer worlds.

Libra’s connection to Venus ensures that your dharma is not ascetic or harsh but filled with an appreciation for the pleasures of life, love, and art as divine expressions. Teachers or mentors in your life may appear as individuals who guide you toward a deeper understanding of balance and the interconnectedness of all things. Long journeys—whether physical or intellectual—are often experiences that refine your sense of beauty and justice, teaching you that dharma exists when you live in harmony with the greater cosmic order. By honoring your values, acting ethically, and fostering peace wherever you go, you fulfill the dharma of Libra in the 9th house. Divine blessings flow to you when you embrace the role of a diplomat of truth, using your wisdom to guide yourself and others toward fairness, love, and universal balance.

𝐏𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐢𝐨 𝟗𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

When Scorpio rules the 9th house (Dharma Bhava), your life’s purpose is deeply tied to the pursuit of transformation, hidden wisdom, and profound spiritual truth. Scorpio, ruled by Mars (Mangal) and co-influenced by Ketu, brings an intense, mysterious, and transformative energy to the house of higher learning, dharma, and divine blessings. The 9th house represents your connection to universal truths, spiritual growth, and the higher order of existence, and with Scorpio here, you are called to walk a path that requires courage, depth, and inner alchemy. Your dharma lies in uncovering the truths that lie beneath the surface, embracing the challenges of life as opportunities for spiritual evolution, and transforming yourself and others through the wisdom gained in your darkest moments.

The dharma of Scorpio in the 9th house is not one of superficial or conventional understanding. Instead, it is a journey into the hidden, the forbidden, and the deeply spiritual aspects of life. You are meant to explore the mysteries of existence—through occult sciences, astrology, psychology, or esoteric spiritual practices—seeking answers that others may shy away from. Faith for you is not passive; it is forged in the fires of adversity and requires you to face your fears, doubts, and karmic burdens with unshakable resilience. Scorpio’s energy makes your connection to spirituality transformative, demanding that you shed old identities, question outdated belief systems, and emerge with a deeper understanding of your soul’s purpose. Long journeys—whether physical, mental, or emotional—become turning points in your life, propelling you toward deeper awareness and divine grace.

With Mars as the ruler of Scorpio, you are called to act with intensity and focus in the pursuit of dharma, channeling your willpower toward uncovering truth and conquering the ego. The influence of Ketu adds a layer of detachment and spiritual liberation, guiding you to look beyond worldly attachments and material distractions. Your mentors or spiritual teachers may come in the form of challenging figures or profound life experiences that force you to evolve and transform. By surrendering to the process of change, embracing your shadows, and seeking wisdom through depth and intensity, you fulfill the dharma of Scorpio in the 9th house. Divine blessings flow when you allow yourself to undergo the necessary transformations, recognizing that true fortune and enlightenment lie on the other side of surrender, resilience, and the courage to embrace life’s deepest truths.

TikTok (Matrix of Destiny) - Masterlist - YouTube (subliminals)

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anonymousredactedconfessions · 3 months ago

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Let's have a talk, shall we?

Major Trigger Warning for rape, false accusations, and mentions of child sex crimes

I let you guys get away with a lot of shit. I let you be a little bitter, or mean spirited, or pissed off. I let you guys vent and let out grievances and complain for the sake of complaining. And i do all of this because it is important to have a space that you can do so without fear of judgement, it is unhealthy for you to bottle up negative emotions. I provide this in a public space because with the way this fandom is, if I didn't many of you would be pressured into not doing so at all. This fandom has a habit of ostracizing those who have differing opinions and interpretations, those who wish to critique the art they consume, those who have unpopular opinions, and all of it is done with the utmost aggression and vitriol. The things that have been said to some of the people in this fandom genuinely makes me lose faith in humanity if i think about it too hard.

This blog exists explicitly to counteract that. I refuse to encourage or enable it. What you are doing is actively dangerous, and I won't be having it in the space I curate within this fandom.

If you haven't noticed, this is one of my rules:

It means that you are not allowed to come in my inbox and accuse people of serious harm over this fiction.

You will not come and accuse people of something as egregious as rape apologia in my inbox. You will not accuse people of rape, abuse, assault, or child abuse/rape/exploitation in my inbox.

These are serious real world issues, and the reason they are bad is because they cause direct harm to real living people who can feel pain and can be violated. Your disgust holds absolutely no ethical weight. At All. You should have the mental, emotional, and intellectual capability to understand the ethical difference between allegories for rape, stories with/about rape, erotica of rape, and actual real life people being raped. Making accusations of this weight over make believe is abhorrent, and as a matter of fact, it shows that you don't treat these tragedies with the weight or gravity that they deserve. If you believe that it is appropriate to accuse someone of violating another person like so because of the creation of or opinions about art, then you have some serious learning and growing to do as a person if you wish to navigate these topics with any level of maturity or respect towards victims.

There is no good that comes out of accusations such as these. They only ever serve to:

Demonstrate to victims that the tragedy of their abuse is as trivial as fanfiction/art that you deem nasty (but is ultimately ethical), or even something as inconsequential as someones' love for a fictional character.

Shame those who love these characters, or this art, or creating, into hiding their opinions for fear of harassment and serious accusations when they have done zero harm by enjoying it.

Stifle creation and participation in fandoms.

Limit the spread of ideas, interpretations, critique/criticism, and general opinions in the fandom, which just turns fandoms into boring echo chambers devoid of variety and creativity.

Encourage actual censorship and moral policing. (More on that on this reblog by @escapedaudios on a post of mine. Thank you Escaped for your two cents, they are much appreciated 💖)

Spread the incredibly harmful idea that people are defined by the art they enjoy. You cannot accurately judge a person’s values or morals based on what tropes and themes they enjoy in fiction. You create an environment and culture incredibly dangerous for vulnerable individuals (like minors) when you tell them that they can know who is safe to trust based on whether they consume "the good kind" or "the bad kind" of fiction. This makes it so very easy for predators to virtue signal about fiction to lure in potential victims to abuse.

The majority of you are very good and well behaved when it comes to this, but the amount of people i have had come into my inbox and accuse others of being rapists with no evidence other than "they made X" or "they like Y" is not zero. And i will not be satisfied until it is.

This is all i have to say about the subject.

#the priest speaks #redacted asmr #redacted audio #I will see you all when i return

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velvetvexations · 19 days ago

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Still hung up on that “culturally appropriating transfems” nonsense but since im in a bitter mood let’s talk about “”””appropriating”””” niche in-group signifiers. Let’s talk about the prevalence of “girlthing” as a new transfem-exclusive self description, about the “all trans girls have a secret other gender they only reveal to other trans girls” thing, about the “binary trans woman is a dogwhistle bc no transfem is truly binary” posts. Let’s talk abt all those paired with these people’s absolute disdain for ever associating themselves with nonbinary people. Nonbinary people just describing ourselves are obviously doing so to make transfems seem ‘less cool’ bc our genders couldn’t possibly be about US, but then they turn around and make post after post about how nobody outside their little group has ever known the depths and nuances of gender. But don’t you dare insinuate they’re not 100% fully woman nothing else. They’re only nonbinary when convenient to shut us up but never when they have to support us. And you can tell how performative it is bc any transfems who dare to describe their not-fully-woman gender in a way that doesn’t adhere to the pre-approved little memes gets immediately excluded or misgendered bc “girlthing” is basically just girl but “male woman” is hatecrimeing them by proxy. It’s so fucking blatant that only one group here treats gender identity and presentation outside the binary as purely aesthetic virtue signalling and it’s not the ‘TME genderfucks’ lmao.

(Same anon who sent the ask about the hypocrisy of so many of these blogs loving nonbinary memes when it suits them but being wildly exorsexist and hostile to any notion of solidarity with non-transfem nonbinary people, wanted to emphasise that this isn’t a transfem-specific issue, just a really obnoxious pattern with a lot of these TME/TMA people and that I don’t believe this is “”””culturally appropriating”””” nonbinary people or anything. I would actually agree that the line between binary and nonbinary trans identities is blurry for many of us! Hence why the double standards going around frustrate me so much! Sorry for the rambling I hope this made sense)

I'm torn because I don't think it's great to do what they do and insinuate their non-binary identity is superficial or fake in some way but it does really gall me how they rake me personally over the coals for calling myself a male woman while doing this shit. Ultimately they are non-binary if they say they are and we shouldn't be trying to prove they're the ones doing non-binaryism wrong, but the way they treat others is startlingly hypocritical, not because they're more fake but because none of their beliefs about "TME genderfucks" stems from any real viewpoints on being non-binary to begin with. It's all just purely a combination of bigotry and insecurity, and statements like "no trans woman is binary" make that extra clear when it's mostly people who do not in fact identify as non-binary that are having these tantrums.

#exor sexism #discourse

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thecircularsystem · 2 months ago

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I cannot recommend enough the abandonment of syscourse labels.

In system spaces, it often feels necessary to label oneself to be a certain syscourse stance. Pro-endo, anti-endo — I even said and popularized, “coined,” endo-neutral (I was the first to say it that I saw, at the very least). I endorsed and wore “syscourse-unaligned” as a badge.

But the core of all of these are that they are non-nuanced labels that could mean such varied things that… at this rate, they’re largely simply virtue signaling. After all, labeling yourself as anti or pro allows all syscoursers to immediately be able to make a judgement call on the “type of person you are” — are you The Good Guy or The Bad Guy?

Endo-neutrals had a difficult path as well, because the point of it was originally to be that you didn’t have an opinion, or had mixed feelings about the tumblr community of pro-endos — and now it’s spiraled into something else entirely.

Syscourse unaligned also branched out; I’ve seen apathetic used a lot too, and I’m certain people have found fault with that too.

It seems that, for many in these spaces, if you aren’t labeling yourself as explicitly for something, then clearly, you’re against it. And to some degree, I get it with the label endo-neutral. I worded it that way due to the discourse stances being centered on endogenic systemhood.

And that, ultimately, shows the problem with the labels to me. I am not an endogenic system; it is not my place to even have an opinion on that. I do, but I would much rather focus my blog around… me? Not what they’re doing over there. I only want to discuss it in regards to how it affects CDDs, and my own recovery; and THAT is the syscourse I like.

You do not need to have your syscourse label. You don’t need to share one publicly, or even waste the time thinking of what label might fit you best. If you find solace in the label, please, use one! But never feel you must.

Anyone who says you must have a label is trying to force you to debate with them, or else is trying to assess your safety for their wellbeing.

You do not owe people debates. You can just ignore.

If someone feels unsafe, it is their job to moderate themselves.

There are ways to show your safety and care and kindness without adding an arbitrary label onto your blog that could mean anything at this point.

These communities — anti, pro, neutral — all of syscourse has harmed people. The communities have distinct problems, and shared problems.

Don’t feel like you must participate, and don’t let people force you to. Step back if you’re already entrenched and take a good look at yourself.

Is this the person you want to be right now?

#syscourse #sysconversation #Armageddon comes while I’m sleeping

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coveredinmetaldust · 2 years ago

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The discourse around the OceanGate situation is making me really fucking mad. You are getting a lot of posts like this one where people are decrying how inhumane it is for people to meme on the situation instead of grieving for the kind of people would work you to death if it meant a 0.002% stock price increase.

Yup, these fucking losers are equating willfully creating a death trap and killing 5 other people instantly to a car accident.

I don’t even entirely disagree that yes, it is tragic. I’d rather they didn’t die from an implosion caused by their metal death-tube crumpling in on itself because the arrogant shithead CEO decided that all these safety standards other subs adhere to were getting in the way of innovation. Obviously it would have been preferable to find them drifting on the ocean surface a day later shaken but ultimately unharmed.

No, I’m mad about how blatantly lopsidedly this flavor of moral outrage is always applied. You never see these people on Reddit, Twitter, etc crawl out of the woodwork to denounce the people saying “well he was no angel” when a person of color is gunned down by the police. You never see these same multi-paragraph posts decrying how immoral it is to say “play stupid games win stupid prizes” when this shit happens to the poor, disenfranchised, etc.

You don’t see it, because the people currently on their high horse are the same people who would call you a fucking idiot if you were on this submarine.

If the entree fee was $250 and five working class people were killed I can guarantee you'd see these same people joking about Darwin awards instead of saying stuff like this.

But no no, suddenly now is the time to stop victim blaming and start grandstanding while clutching at pearls. Now is the time to get indignant and accuse people not of feeling empathy and being inhumane sociopaths. There are now were entire call-out topics on Reddit where they organized and briggaded anyone who dares to say anything bad about these poor billionaires. Where the FUCK was this outrage during, I dunno, pick any one of the numerous fucking examples of brutality and/or exploitation occurring within the last three years. Oh right, these dopey fucks were too busy wagging their fingers at the victims and telling them to take Personal Responsibility™. Too bad, if only they were born rich—then maybe these paragons of virtue on social media would go to bat for them.

But you know what the worst part of this discourse is? I can’t quite put it into words, but it’s so blatantly fucking obvious to me that all of this is insincere—this is actual virtue signaling. You can just tell by the tone, the regurgitated talking points, the slimy smug indignation. This is false empathy over people they couldn’t care less about and won’t even remember in a week, because the point isn’t to being a compassionate person.

No, this to grandstand and get that dopimine rush by calling people out. This is being done to score points for some political ideology and Own The Libs/Commies/Socialists/[insert any slightly left of center ideology]. This is so the Panglossian shitheels of social media can maintain the status quo and feel superior by stamping out any act of defiance or rebellion.

None of these of these people seemed to care about how disrespectful this kind of disaster tourism is for the victims of the Titanic. (Victims, who, were mostly lower class since the wealthy were the ones who were allowed to escape.) They don’t care that these rich assholes were profiteering off a tragedy and making a spectacle out of visiting a mass grave. No, they save that smug, condescending, and cynical response for the people who call out these rich assholes.

It makes me want to throw my computer into the ocean.

Now, if you are one of these people I’m screaming into the void about, and you genuinely do not understand why people are memeing the situation so hard, you need to take a step back and recognize that this is, objectively, an absurd and cartoonish situation. This could have easily been a plot for an episode of The Simpsons. This whole goddamn situation reads like something thrown together by a room of writers who were trying to out “yes and” one another until one stopped everyone and said: “Woah woah, hold on. The CEO’s wife is a descendant of the Titanic victims? Isn’t that just a little much?” And then everyone else ignored this person and just kept fucking going.

In short: it was the perfect storm of absurdity, coincidence, hubris, tragedy, and stupidity.

But that's just a surface level explanation which ignores the context of the last hundred or so years. Ask yourself: "why are so many people so unsympathetic towards these particular victims?" Well, there are a multitude of reasons that contributed to how we got to this point and this guy does a much better job of explaining it than I ever could:

#oceangate #titanic #the titanic #oceangate submarine #billionaires #oligarchy #reddit

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feminismisstillahatemovement · 2 years ago

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Over the past few months, we’ve watched as major corporations such as Disney , Anheuser-Busch, and Target have hopped on the LGBT train and alienated their traditional client bases as a result. Regardless of the often swift and brutal backlash they know will follow, others, including North Face, Nike, and Kohl’s, are always waiting in the wings to become the next sacrificial lamb.

It turns out there’s a reason for this counterintuitive behavior that goes far beyond virtue signaling: Companies are trying to raise their Corporate Equality Index. The more woke issues a company supports, the higher their score.

A CEI is essentially a “woke” credit score that is determined by the Human Rights Campaign , a 501(c)(4) organization that describes itself as “the largest LGBTQ political lobbying organization within the United States.” No one will be surprised to hear that George Soros’s Open Society Foundations is HRC’s largest donor. Other donors include the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the labor unions for the National Education Association and the United Food and Commercial Workers, according to Influence Watch .

Influence Watch reports HRC’s public charity arm, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, plays an influential role in Democratic Party politics by pressuring companies to comply with its social agenda.

A company’s CEI is derived from its performance in five areas :

Workforce Protections (5 points possible).

Inclusive Benefits (50 points possible).

Supporting an Inclusive Culture (25 points possible).

Corporate Social Responsibility (20 points possible).

Responsible Citizenship (-25).

The New York Post reports that “HRC sends representatives to corporations every year telling them what kind of stuff they have to make visible at the company. They give them a list of demands and if they don’t follow through there’s a threat that you won’t keep your CEI score.”

James Lindsay, editor of the website New Discourses, told the New York Post, “HRC administers the CEI ranking ‘like an extortion racket, like the Mafia.’”

In a 2018 letter to CEOs from BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, whom Fortune magazine has dubbed the “ face of ESG ,” he emphasizes a “new model of governance” in harmony with ESG values.

Fink wrote , “Society is demanding that companies, both public and private, serve a social purpose. To prosper over time, every company must not only deliver financial performance, but also show how it makes a positive contribution to society. … [I]f a company doesn’t engage with the community and have a sense of purpose, it will ultimately lose the license to operate from key stakeholders.”

Fink is mistaken. Society is not demanding that companies serve a social purpose. Rather, ESG is being forced upon society by the global elites who wield it as a weapon and a control mechanism they can use to consolidate power over the masses.

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attractthecrows · 5 months ago

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I've been thinking about that post that says something along the lines of "online leftist spaces are full of people who are convinced it's more important to do no wrong than it is to do any good"

and I agree. virtue signaling and performative activism are everywhere. In some cases due to a self-inflicted feeling of helplessness, in others apathy, in others a fear of their social standing taking a hit. We can do better. We must do better.

but setting that aside for a moment, I want to talk about Rachel Corrie.

Rachel Corrie (1979-2003) was an American peace activist. She was a member of the ISM, the International Solidarity Movement, a pro-Palestinian activist group active throughout Israeli-occupied Palestine. In 2003, during the second Intifada, Rachel was in Rafah with the ISM, trying to peacably halt the demolition of Palestinian homes by Israeli forces.

She was in a high-vis vest. She was protesting peacefully.

The Israelis ran her over with an armored bulldozer.

The Israeli army, of course, did their own internal investigation and determined the incident was an "accident". That the bulldozer operator "couldn't see her". Physicians and Palestinian civilians on the ground know differently. The Israeli ruling was condemned by Amnesty International, the Human Rights Watch, and other humanitarian agencies.

When Rachel's parents sued the Israeli government for a symbolic $1.00, just to admit there was negligence at play at the very best, Israel dismissed the case and upheld the ruling.

In the aftermath, Israelis mocked her and celebrated her death. There were a whole slew of Israeli soldiers and netizens making "Rachel Corrie pancakes" - pancakes with "art" of Rachel's face in the immediate aftermath of being crushed, sharing the pictures, making a joke of it. There are still people throwing Rachel Corrie Pancake Parties. Her legacy is still mocked and degraded.

Did Rachel Corrie's sacrifice change anything? Arguably, no. The Palestinian homes were still destroyed, the Intifada continued, and no one involved in her murder was ever prosecuted. Israel continued to occupy Rafah and the West Bank. Twenty-one years ago, Rachel lost her life trying to do good, but nothing changed.

But you know what?

She is still remembered. Her efforts have never been forgotten- she has a symbolic gravestone in Tehran. There are still memorial vigils being held for her.

Her actions still mattered. They mattered then, and they matter now.

I am not saying this to imply that we all should be a Rachel Corrie. I am saying this because it is important to remember. It is important to know. And it is important to realize, even if you cannot enact massive change, even if your efforts wind up being ultimately futile, it is still important to care. It is still important to try. Your efforts may not be rewarded tangibly, but they can bring hope. And hope is a lifeline.

#rachel corrie #rafah #israeli war crimes #activism #second intifada #palestine

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clownfessionsofficial · 1 month ago

Text

For the first time ever, I saw a blog description that stated "currently non-suicidal priveleged"

For the love of god, LOG OFF.

You are not privileged for not currently being suicidal. You are literally implying that you were suicidal in the past. For fucks sake, stop self-flagellating over the fact that you survived.

This is the ultimate end point of virtue signaling. Defining every single thing good in your life-- no matter how small-- and feeling guilty over it.

#virtue signalling #social justice #sanism #guilt #suicide #mental health

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visiblenostalgia · 8 months ago

Text

The Future of The Internet: An Intuitive Deep Dive Into The Madness Of Millions

First off: This is gonna be a prediction on such a mass scale. I don't expect anyone to really FULLY pick this up (it is a prediction after all, so it's like throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks). But from what my spirit guides are telling me to do right now, they want me to push this out as far as I can because of the Pluto In Aquarius permanent ingress happens next year. We're all changing for the better and somehow the internet is going to FULLY reflect that. Why am I capitalizing 'fully'? Three of the most mundane planets are influencing this. Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. The icey planets are changing the paradigm soon and it's gonna flip a whole switch on our digital reality. Kind of like a 'whopping us into some sense' type of way. A rough face slap essentially. Or would it be like a baby giraffe who just arrived and has gotta walk on stubbly legs? Who knows. And because of the current state of hateful and aware affairs.... it looks pretty tribal and yet all too liberating at the same time. Without further ado, more below the cut!! ~ <3

HISTORY

Now most aren't really too speculative on where the internet started, but with a little research on hand, there have been speculations that the original basis for the internet and how it was programmed in it's "alpha" form, would be around October 29th, 1969. It was mainly a military owned and insider personnel type thing. Used for the benefit of the government to send messages to its military at a faster rate than normally possible at that time. Doesn't help that if we keep it to the basics of the sun being in scorpio (the personification of what 'underbelly' means), and knowing the ruler of that sign being Pluto (which so happens to be in a mercurial/communicative sign, Virgo), insider communication seems to check out perfectly. Setting the precedent of what's to come.

On closer inspection Pluto sat at the last decan of Virgo. Taurus being its sub-ruler. Which brings its slow-notoriety and slow-growth to the public eye.

Because after over a decade, the internet has its "beta" release because of Xerox's more interactive systems. Networks being more common, has brought more information sharing and an ultimate release for IBM systems. The computer went from a government owned invention, to a technological advancement for business and relaying data on stock prices on January 1st 1983. Very much a business incorporated sign for it to be born in, being Capricorn, we look to its ruler Saturn for extra conformation. Again, more notions of privacy and economy come to the internet. It sits once more in Scorpio. Dealing with the 'underbelly' once again. Taking another chance to look at the ruler of the sign Saturn was sitting in, it brings us to Pluto being in Libra. Which libra does deal with connections and solid foundations among people. Agreements and liability. Saturn's exalted sign as well, don't forget.

So the two (Saturn and Pluto) are in mutual reception. Businesses and powers-that-be are in symbiosis despite neighboring one another. Neutralization of any discomfort (which makes me think of a sextile -- a sextile that isn't a sextile at all (man, ping that to your notes about mutual reception hehe)).

Then, when 1984 came around, the Macintosh released the FatMac. Bringing the computer to the Homefront with a 'computer for the rest of us'. A bit of virtue signaling to the future of where computers were ULTIMATELY headed. We love Apple. God bless the genius of Steve Jobs y'all <3 (besides we'll do a whole bit on this at some point the more I think on that). But to bring the internet to the Homefront, coding had to have improved. Which, once more and finally, do we get to the internet "driving down your neighborhood street". It finally comes home on April 30th 1993. A nearly exact opposite to the "alpha" release we discussed all the way at the beginning of this section. This is where the 1.0 phase of the internet comes in. The World Wide Web ("www"). From personal studies on dates I thought were significant, colored blue like this, this day would particularly stick out to be a very Saturn and Moon dominant day. Jupiter being in third. It brings a structural (Saturnian) and personal (Lunar) backdrop to what's coming down later. HTML was released this year as well. Bringing more of an emphasis on that structure. Setting off more of the creativity in some people. In terms of modality, it was Cardinal heavy. Pioneering and brand new. Plus, because of the newness to this invention and the fact that this IS the 1.0 release, it started a... settling the Oregon trail kind of energy.

I know, the connotations of saying that are very dark, but an analogy is an analogy. We colonized the digital space as a human race. And we still do with the sphere of the STILL current invention of Virtual Reality.... lil food for thought..

Let's backtrack to the nineties once more shall we? I'm not done (cause we're only getting started!)

Geocities

Established and released in November of 1994, this started the wide WIDE reach to have people start their own website. A lot of the energies involved were once again tied to Scorpio. Now beginning to show the Piscean side on top of that. Tying in more creativity and personal-ness to the sites people had made. Capricorn being involved too, enhancing the structure of the internet once again with the infamous release of this digital product.

To make another very similar analogy to American history, the internet has brought a sense of decentralized-ness. Or, if we were going to use a more 'american-historical' term, it was a 'confederation of sites'. No big central power to the way in which it worked. Even if you had search engines. It was all of the people who made them.

To make an astrological connection to this, Saturn (structure and now coding), was in Aquarius. A sign dedicated to the underdog and smaller man. The 'we-the-people' kind of energy that we see now with Pluto in Aquarius in 2024.

God had blessed the United States back then am I right?

Time flies and now we land on the date December 17th 1996. CSS and coding for the 'look' of a website makes itself a lot more accessible and easier for people to grasp. Better yet, it was a tool released for the folks willing to enhance usability and design for their digital experience at the time.

The energies on that date were relatively splashed. Nothing too significant. And with my synesthesia, the one thing that comes to mind when someone says 'splash' is paint and iridescence. Bringing more of that emphasis on the freedom to design and enhance a users experience in the personality of sites that were created. By 1996 though, Pluto has finally reached Sagittarius! GEN Z REIGN SUPREME (despite our never-ending depression we'll get through it though I promise you that)!! Again, igniting that need to bring a sense of adventure. More people start to join the online space. With Saturn at zero Aries by this day (structures in detriment and a new Saturn cycle sadly), there's a theme of freshness and the slates wiped. So, again, more pioneering and newness. Hell. This is where Saturn and Pluto are in trine with one another. And if the powers-that-be externally meet up in harmony like this, oh you know it's gooooooddd.

The golden age of the internet begins.

Although started with water, invert the alchemical triangle to the upright position..... and alchemy begins to take shape. so to say~

GOLDEN AGE - 1999

Alrighty! We made it to the y2k movement pre-2000s. color was all the rage thanks to CSS and HTML makes it much more possible to code ones own sites. The tools continue to evolve and become more advanced. Not to mention the commodified Windows 95 and 98 experience was well underway this year, and Macintosh brought in Mac OS by this point. I mean... do you see this absolutely gorgeous graphics on both of them????

(even though they were rivals, they both had a lovely look to them)

what comes next after these years? 1999 of course! A BIG PROPRIETOR FOR 2.0

Geocities get's acquired by Yahoo! (January 28th 1999): This day was huge with a lot of energies being torn between Taurus and Aquarius (yet, I see the contrasting energies actually quite beneficial to one another). Most of the Taurus comes from the degrees in which some of the planets were situated (using degree theory as a base for this). But the contrast on both has fixed earth and fixed air. Some would say it's because the detached and logical energy of Aquarius doesn't get the slow to grow and traditional ways of life side of Taurus, but I see them coexisting. Like how fog creates the dew in grass on those very revitalizing yet calm 'last days of school' that you may have experienced. Take what resonates as usual. If it doesn't es fine. But it's foggy air, calm winds and the dew sitting on cool crisp grass. It's a good mix. Hell one could say it's Venus and Uranus working together. A wonderful (Venusian) surprise (Uranian) to the collective. Hell it made Geocities far more accessible because of Yahoo being a rising name in the internet search engine space.

HTML 4.01 (December 1999) Maybe it was an attempt to absolve the 'y2k' bug, maybe it wasn't. But what it DID bring, was more unanimity to the eventual structure of the internet. The Taurus-Aquarius energies are still prominent, yet it was slightly different with Jupiter at 25º of Aries. Doubling up on Aries energy since 25º Aries is on an Ariean degree. So, more luck in pioneering more sites for more online adventures. Saturn in particular was in 11º Taurus (in the Aquarian degree) when the released occured this month. Bringing more of that 'stability' aspect to the freedom to code. And then the outer planets were set in Aquarius to Taurus degrees. Except for Pluto..... Sagittarius 10º.... Capricorn degree. This was gonna lead to success either way.

2000's

So, what else? We made it to 2000. And 2.0 was at its time. It brought such big risers like YouTube, Facebook and MySpace this decade. Geocities continues to be used and with that, there was more of an emphasis on respect for what people brought to the online space.

It of course raised the question about living double lives and with the invention of proto-social media, personas slowly begin to fall. Eventually there's more real-life integration and an 'everyone in' type energy because of Pluto in Sagittarius destroyed the boundaries of intercontinental travel with the advent of speaking to someone on the other side of the planet with your PC. Fucking wild shit man.

Soon, the 2010's approach. Windows 8 is soon to release in the next few years

.... it brings us to another component.

2013 - Neocities

The indie web. An alternative to Geocities because it used HTML4.whatever at this point. Evolution is pretty hard to pay attention to when you're tryin' to write a whole thing on the history of how we function on the web; just to prove a point.

Before we go on about the astrology of such, this year also marks a turning point in the internet. I personally see this as the seed for delusion and craze. Social media starts to make our real life selves more noticeable. Sure, it enhanced communication to an even MORE personal level. But, the internet was highly synthetic and had fictional tones. So, the homogenization begins with bringing those same sites who were rising stars in the 2.0 era, into the current state of affairs. They became big conglomerates. Years continue with them starting to implement ad-revenue systems, stock exchange and other such money-power-lucrative systems that the newly ingressed Pluto in Capricorn is willing to expose. By 2019, geocities is completely shut down. Personality has been swiped away in trade of Wix's dull and corporate look.

Back to my point, a secret stem to this internet begins to slowly form. Neocities.

June 28th 2013

Because this site is a major nostalgia revamp, its ultimate goal of replicating and replacing the former private-on-public-server brethren has since reached its goal today. Look to Tumblr and you notice the culture if you throw in the hashtag for it. Most people don't notice since they're too busy protesting thanks to Neptune in Pisces being our current cycle. Yet, when you want to leave the homogenized internet for something a little more personal and free to your own designs, then this would be your ticket. But it's gonna take effort to code a site.

Much like it takes effort to build a home, this release has a slight pull toward more of a water dominant presence. Bringing the full story of privacy and personality full front and center. But, because of the addition of fire in its chart, there's a lot of support for the freedom to adventure out and stand out. So, Fire and Water heavy.

It's best to work in short bursts. But put your ALL into it when you can/do.

NOW

With the advent of Neptune in Aries, Uranus in Gemini, and Pluto in Aquarius being on the precipice of what's to come, I think there'd be point where the homogenization of the internet is going to be too much to bear. I'm not trying to make this an eventual doomscroll, but don't you feel like the internet is kinda..... dying? Do we really need AI? Do we really need Bitcoin? Do we reallyyyy need this or that or anything to digitally exist other than just a little taste of our souls? I see a split (fracture) and a break.

SPLIT

if push comes to shove and we DON'T regulate AI or make it so where it's NOT subscribe able and it's a free service (i.e. we teach people the ways of building these mechanisms and make it easier to do so), then the internet is gonna split.

You'll have social media (the first one in the group), suddenly fall. The toxic nature could start to die down and become less and less significant as we get around to moderating our use. Respect could come back this way, but with the advent of that, it's the responsibility that comes with using the internet. Being careful with what you put out and more needs to teach digital literacy at a younger audience.

Fandom could take a slight hit because of this. Having a full-circle experience of everything I had to know about what it means to be in one, from being banned, blocked to accepted and loved, as well as the arguments over logistical means in a fictional world (which by the way Neptune in Pisces loves to blend reality with the incomprehensible imagination and raw emotions we get). Antiship and Proship wars too. (That's also gonna be something I wish to talk about with my Neptune in Aries predictions) But because of the 'digital literacy' clause and intent of stuff stated above, it'll take a slight hit where fandom may have a more respectful way of saying or doing such and so. Silent blocks, DNI alerts, the usual that we're so encompassed to.

Other than that: Forums or modified forums become the norm as we revert to a more personal and open lifestyle with the digital space. Doxxing and callouts will still happen, yet I feel as a greater disdain and utter repulsion for it could occur. All of this could be known as ADAPTATION for some. Better yet, true RESPECT.

BREAK

If push comes to shove and the internet space begins to get a little too dicey and personal, basically making it more of that TRIBAL sense of finding your people (not to mention it starts to also devolve to where there's cases of subconscious levels of aggression and too many 'what-if's' being thrown around -- i.e. assumptions, accusations and subliminal hate), then something out there or somewhere is gonna completely tear apart the fabric of the internet. For a bleak example: a foreign country hacks into our digital region. Our VPN.

Aries is ruled by Mars. Mars rules knives and seperations. Wars. If Neptune rules over the subconscious over everyone, this could bring about primal actions on a structure like this.

! not to mention that Saturn (code, structure), conjuncts with Neptune (dissolution and dissolving/illusions and spiritual destiny)... and Aries is known for the anger and drive that it has......

we could revert back to a 1.0 like state of mind. Addictions to social media will have huge withdrawals. Attention and clout chasing will get worse outside of that, and it just straight up becomes a crime.

One thing's for certain. We learn a lesson of being careful to not put our personal information out there. .... but that break gives a chance for the proto-web to come back. Hyper-personalization and drive to keep it within chat services like Discord could become even more so the norm or remain as they are. HTML 6 could come out and bringing the retro look with offline capabilities to the public. So as long as we're careful not to once again put our information out there, then that might bring us to once again let the people shine. The key theme with the break is RESTART.

I apologize if it did seem bleak or aggressive. It’s what I channeled and like I said, if you don’t resonate with it, don’t have to worry about it. 🧘✨ my last couple of statements before we close this off with resources, and one is gonna sound a lot like Smokey The Bear.

Care will prevent the destruction of our exchange in ideas and communication. Only YOU can prevent the 'break'. so let's strive for a 'split' alright? ~visiblenostalgia

and then there's something one of my professors had admitted.

"We have more information than ever, but we're more uninformed than ever."

and a small song before I really tie this up.

youtube

love you guys <3

RESCOURCES:

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thevindicativevordan · 4 months ago

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After I saw MAWS S.2, I thought something: On the climax scene, a mind controlled Kara was hugged by Superman (and Jimmy & Lois) helping her to break free of Brainiac and accepting herself as Supergirl. However, something similar was done in the comic book series "Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent": Jon hugged the evil Superman, but the effect (on character & readers) was rejection. What is your opinion about this? Why the same approach seems to work on one and fail on the other, story-wise?

Kara didn’t choose to be evil. Injustice Superman did. Kara is portrayed as sympathetic and demonstrates heroic traits like empathy. Injustice Superman is a one note tyrant who murders kids that talk back, dead wife and kid aside. Also Kara was raised and abused by Brainiac while Injustice Superman had an extremely easy life up until it blew up. Finally the real world answer is Kara was created to ultimately be a hero while Injustice Superman only exists to be the villain. Kara can be redeemed while Injustice Superman never will be, so Jon’s action was pointless virtue signaling that helped no one.

#my adventures with superman #injustice #supergirl

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thewebcomicsreview · 8 months ago

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Happy 4/13!

Happy 4/13 to you as well!

And, as I think everyone was predicting, there's new Homestuck Content today. I'm hoping this is going to be the big update where they get to the point and have the long-teased [S] page, but we're not looking good if we're opening with Dirk, whose primary character trade is long rambling speeches. This is the first we've seen of Dirk since the new team took over, though.

Ready to take the floaties off and dive back into the depths of the churning, primal ocean from which everything that matters in this story evolved, and to which it must inevitably return?

The idea that Dirk's CANON plan is ironically consisting of him sitting around idly discussing The Lore is a decent meta joke, but it got old after a page or two. Please do literally anything, Dirk.

I do like this page, though, with the art busting out of the frame. And, given what I literally just said (I write these liveblogs as I read them), Dirk's opening by repeatedly insisting things are happening in his story is meant to be ironic. He's also claiming he became a god in order to do this HS2 stuff, which is flatly untrue. Presumably he means be became Ultimate to do narrative stuff, which is an interesting order of events if that's the case, and it's not that becoming Ultimate made him evil. Also, let me put some appropriate background music on.

youtube

Rose dipped pretty early on in that visual montage to spend some quality time trading barbs and bumping uglies with the supposedly impartial proctor of said Contest, next to the vacant meat-sack that once housed her consciousness. Irresponsible, sure, but to give credit where due, it was irresponsible in a poignant and symbolically weighty sort of way. Classic Rose shit

It does feel weird for the new team to be directly commenting on the quality of the writing of the old team like this, but to be fair, it is classic Rose shit.

New Guardian Mode artstyle, which we were starting to see in Candy as well, since these characters aren't kids any more. But in Candy, everyone keeps their faces, whereas Dirk is just his hair and glasses, like Bro.

TEREZI: YOU H4V3 1NST34D CHOS3N TO W4T3RBO4RD TH3 R4W N3UR4L T1SSU3 OF MY TH1NKP4N W1TH 4N 4CR1D 4ND SUP3RFLUOUSLY OV3RC4RBON4T3D N4RR4T1V3 R3C4P DUMP DIRK: Well, it's a recap for *you*. DIRK: But for those who haven't checked in on us in a while, it's more of a stage-setting thing. TEREZI: 1TS B4S1C4LLY 4 R3C4P FOR TH3M TOO, 1D1OT TEREZI: YOUR 1N4B1L1TY TO SHUT UP 3V3N 4S YOU 4CT1V3LY CH4MP1ON TH3 N33D TO G3T TH1NGS MOV1NG WOULD B3 4LMOST 4W3-1NSP1R1NG 1F 1T W4SNT SO 4STOUND1NGLY OBNOX1OUS

Oh good, I turned quirks back on. There's a lot of meta complaining about the writing this update.

I do like that the humans are looking more like Guardians and the Trolls are looking more like Ancestors. It's odd to have them standing next to each in different art styles like that, but it kind of works.

DIRK: Or was all that hand-wringing about how worried you were that Rose and I were becoming big bad cosmic tyrants with no regard for the poor little mortals buffeted to and fro by the vicious momentum of our designs just virtue signaling?

Dirk's use of the term "Virtue Signalling" is probably worth making a note of here. HS2 has sort of flirted with the idea of Dirk as right-wing, and that appears to be continuing here.

TEREZI: 4NYON3 WOULD B3 GR4T3FUL TO H4V3 4 B3N3VOL3NT CR34TOR L1K3 YOU TEREZI: ON3 TH4TLL ULT1M4T3LY 3NSUR3 TH31R 3NT1R3 PL4N3T 1S ORB1T4LLY BOMB4RD3D 4ND TH31R SP3C13S 4LL BUT DR1V3N 3XT1NCT S4V3 FOR 4 F3W "LUCKY" JUV3N1L3S DIRK: That's just how this shit goes down for species *lucky* enough to fucking *matter*, Terezi.

There's a lot of speculation that the Candy kids are going to end up in the game as well, and that this is even something that the original cast over there is working towards. This would require, as Terezi points out here, literal genocide. And I think that is where the Candy story is going, with Rose/Jade/Jane all being in on it and Kanaya/Karkat being cut out, so it's nice of Terezi to remind us that Sburb is evil and that sacrificing an entire planet to help your kids become immortal is kind of a dick move.

DIRK: But hey, you say you aren't feeling it? DIRK: Fine. DIRK: I can make concessions. DIRK: I've got other agents in play, and as I've said, I know you aren't going to risk fucking your end of the work up.

This is the kind of thing HS2 really need more of, stuff to speculate on. Terezi, Rose, and Dirk are literally the only three people on the entire fucking planet. What "other agents" could Dirk possibly have?

DIRK: You need this session to happen. DIRK: You need a chance to fix the mistake you've got in that wallet, burning a hole through your pocket. DIRK: You've made a lot of those, Terezi, but you know that besides being important, what we're doing here is a chance to rectify one of them. DIRK: And you aren't going to let that chance slip. TEREZI: ... DIRK: I know what it's like to make hard choices for the people you care about. DIRK: To run your brain raw thinking about how to make things right. DIRK: I've been doing it my whole damn life. DIRK: The choice you're presented with here is pretty fucking easy, and you're a very smart person, so I trust you to make the right decision.

Also, it's nice to have a little fucking narrative tension on this planet for once. Dirk and Rose are each creating an entire sentient race for the purpose of sacrificing them. Terezi is in a position to save the world, but doing so means giving up her chance to save John. Wow! Stakes! It's nice when stories have those, instead of just idly fucking around doing nothing for the sake of a meta-joke! Also it means the bad guy is being evil instead of merely boring, which is also a nice thing to do now and again.

There's not much to analyze in this art, but it's stylin'. The guardian mode look is great. Is Rose wearing lipstick on her robot face?

ROSEBOT: I've been very bad and I need to be punished

There's been a very subtle incest-y vibe with Dirk/Rose in Meat, and apparently we're keeping that too. Being sexually depraved is becoming like Rose's defining trait.

Localized time travel, while technically possible, tends to get pretty fucked even in the most ideal of circumstances, to say nothing of the fact that it's way outside my wheelhouse as a Heart player. The concept works pretty well for my purposes, though, and as a burgeoning omnipotent narrative god, I can mimic it in a way that's functionally identical. The move here is that I'm going to envelop the local galaxy group in a pocket of my influence and narratively accelerate it via Bullshit so that whatever's going on in here goes on faster, so we can get to the good shit faster, so we can get on with our jobs, and so you gawking voyeurs have more of our lives to guzzle greedily down.

Oh, that's kind of a cool ability, but also what can't an Ultimate do?

A while back, it became apparent that while my Deltritan offspring were to be terrestrial, Rose's were going to be aquatic.

Rose's team is going to win, and it's going to be the 48-player Squiddle session that creates the troll universe, making all of Homestuck canon an inescapable time loop through which no new ideas can emerge, except for the influence of Candy.

ROSE: For all my temporary discomfort with the prospect of settling down on Deltritus and starting what could very loosely be considered a family with you,

Rose he is your dad.

DIRK: I'm doing this for all of us.

Hm. No big [S] page and we still haven't gotten to the point, but we've made the Dirk half this story significantly less fucking boring, so I guess that's a win. This is an update the story desperately needed, giving Dirk some characterization and leaning in to how fucked everything here is.

Also, spending the entire update teasing a timeskip to the start of the game and then ending without doing it is a good meta joke, provided we don't keep doing it for ten more updates.

#Homestuck 2 #Homestuck 2 liveblog #Homestuck

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