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literaryvein-reblogs · 5 months ago

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Writing Notes: Hate

TRIANGULAR THEORY OF HATE

Typically hate is thought of as a single emotion.

But there is reason to believe that hate has multiple components that can manifest themselves in different ways on different occasions.

According to a triangular component of the duplex theory of hate, hate potentially comprises 3 components.

As with love, hate can be captured by both feelings triangles and action triangles.

Feelings may or may not translate themselves into actions, and actions may or may not represent genuine feelings.

People may interpret actions as meaning different things, depending on their mappings of feelings into actions and vice versa.

There are 3 components of hate: negation of intimacy, passion, and commitment.

Negation of intimacy - involves the pursuit of distance, often because the hated individual arouses repulsion and disgust.

Passion - expresses itself as intense anger or fear in response to a threat.

Commitment - is characterized by cognitions of devaluation and diminution through contempt for the targeted group.

The 3 components give rise to 7 different types of hate (plus non-hate), based on the particular combination of aspects involved:

Non-hate: No feelings of hate (none of negation of intimacy, passion, or commitment)

Cool hate: Disgust (disgust of negation of intimacy alone)

Hot hate: Anger/Fear (anger/fear of passion alone)

Cold hate: Devaluation/Diminution (devaluation/diminution of decision/commitment alone)

Boiling hate: Revulsion (disgust of negation of intimacy + anger/fear of passion)

Simmering hate: Loathing (disgust of negation of intimacy + devaluation/diminution of decision/commitment)

Seething hate: Revilement (anger/fear of passion + devaluation/diminution of decision/commitment)

Burning hate: Need for annihilation (disgust of negation of intimacy + anger/fear of passion + devaluation/diminution of decision/commitment)

THEORY OF HATE AS A STORY

The theory of hate as a story proposes that hate emerges from different kinds of stories. Some of the most common stories, deriving from the work of Sam Keene, Anthony Rhodes, Robert Zajonc, and others, are:

Stranger (vs. in-group) - Negation of Intimacy + Commitment

Impure-other (vs. pure in-group) - N

Controller (vs. controlled) - C

Faceless foe (vs. individuated in-group) - C

Enemy of God (vs. servant of God) - Passion + C

Morally bankrupt (vs. morally sound) - N + C

Death (vs. life) - N + C

Barbarian (vs. civilized in-group) - N + P + C

Greedy enemy (vs. financially responsible in-group) - N + C

Criminal (vs. innocent party) - C

Torturer (vs. victim) - N + P + C

Murderer (vs. victim) - N + P + C

Seducer/rapist (vs. victim) - N + P + C

Animal-pest (vs. human) - N + P

Power-crazed (vs. mentally balanced) - C

Subtle-infiltrator (vs. infiltrated) - C

Comic-character (vs. sensible in-group) - C

Thwarter/destroyer of destiny (vs. seeker of destiny) - C

Instigation of hate covers roughly 5 steps. Not all steps need to occur in order for hate to come into being. Indeed, even one step may start the process. The steps are:

The target is revealed to be anathema.

The target plans actions contrary to the interests of the in-group.

The target makes its presence felt.

The target translates plans into action.

The target is achieving some success in its goals.

Finally, perception becomes reality.

There may be elements of truth in some stories.

Example: A particular opponent may be loathsome in any number of ways.

But the power of stories is that their perception becomes, for the individual experiencing the stories, reality.

The individual typically does not question whether a given story is true. For him or her, it simply is true.

Sources: 1 2 ⚜ More: Writing Notes & References

Writing Notes: Love Click "Keep reading" for more examples. Warning: Very long text.

taxonomy of types of hate

The three components of hate generate, in various combinations, seven different types of hate. They are probably not exhaustive, and, because they represent limiting cases, are not mutually exclusive. Particular instances may straddle categories.

Non-Hate. Strangers on the street are likely to fall into this category, as may members of one’s family or one’s friends. But family members may arouse mixed emotions, so there is the possibility that some degree of hate exists toward family members, even coactively with feelings of love. In a healthy society (and a healthy person), most feelings one has toward other people are non-hate.

Cool Hate: Disgust. Cool hate is characterized by feelings of disgust toward the targeted group. The hater wishes to have nothing to do with the targeted group. Members of the targeted group may be viewed as subhuman, perhaps as vermin of some kind or as garbage. Visceral prejudice may be expressed as cool hate. The Sidney Poitier movie Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner depicted the visceral reaction of disgust of parents of a White woman who brought a Black man (her new beau) home to have dinner with her parents. Because the main feeling is a “cool” one, the reaction may be one of aversion rather than confrontation.

Hot Hate: Anger/Fear. Hot hate is characterized by extreme feelings of anger and/or fear toward a threat, and the reaction may be to run away or to attack (flight or fight). Sudden flare-ups of hate, such as road rage, are examples of hot hate. Gang members may kill others if they feel disrespected by the comments or even gestures of others. Riots often are accompanied by hot hate. People who feel only cool hate most of the time may be provoked and stirred up by the passion of the moment and find their hate converting into hot hate. The conversion may be short-lived. After the mutual egging on of the riot is over, those involved in it may revert to feelings of cool hate.

Cold Hate: Devaluation/Diminution. Cold hate is characterized by thoughts of unworthiness directed toward the target group. There is something wrong with the members of this group. Indoctrination often portrays the group as evil, as in Ronald Reagan’s conjuring up of the “Evil Empire” in referring to the former Soviet Union. This kind of use of metaphor invokes a number of free associations, all of which are stereotypically negative. The indoctrination may be against any group – Communists or capitalists in the Cold War (which was “cold” in more ways than one). Cold hate can be instilled even among those who have never encountered members of the target group. For example, it is not uncommon to find anti-Semitism or anti-Islamic cognitions among people who have never actually met a Jew or a Muslim. People are often unaware of their own cold hate. It is simply too much a part of who they are and how they were brought up. The cold hate may lie dormant unless the people are forced or inadvertently come into contact with members of a hated group.

Boiling Hate: Revulsion. Boiling hate is characterized by feelings of revulsion toward the targeted group. The group may be viewed as subhuman or inhuman and as a threat, and something must be done to reduce or eliminate the threat. The targeted group may change from time to time. In the earlier stages of the Third Reich, the Soviet Union was perceived as bad and revolting. Then, when Hitler made a pact with Stalin, the Soviet Union was perceived as good. Then, later, it was perceived as bad again. There was no sense of permanent commitment to any belief about the Soviet Union and Soviets. Negative intimacy and passion were instilled with a distinct absence of commitment. The change was later captured in George Orwell’s novel, 1984, where the identity of the enemy changed from one day or even one moment to another, and people were expected to adapt their hatreds to those chosen for them at any given moment by the government.

Simmering Hate: Loathing. Simmering hate is characterized by feelings of loathing toward the hated target. The targeted individual/s may be viewed as disgusting and as likely always to remain this way. There is no particular passion, just a simmering of hate. Ruthless, calculated assassinations often take this form. There is nothing sudden about such assassinations, which may be planned over periods of time, as Lee Harvey Oswald’s assassination of President Kennedy apparently was. Alfred Hitchcock’s movie Strangers on a Train depicts an individual who has felt simmering hate over a long period of time, and has devised a plan to have a murder committed without his actually having directly to take part in it.

Seething Hate: Revilement. Seething hate is characterized by feelings of revilement toward the targeted individual/s. Such individuals are a threat and always have been. Planned mob violence, often preceded by fiery oratory, sometimes takes on the characteristics of seething hate. The goal is to arouse the mob to violence, as in the Krystallnacht, where mobs were sent to destroy shops of Jewish shopkeepers who were portrayed as seeking to destroy the economy of Germany. In these cases, the targeted group may be portrayed not as subhuman but as more than human, for example, as being engaged in a worldwide plot of domination or conquest. Fears among U.S. militia groups of black helicopters sent by the forces of world government show this kind of hate. The enemy is not subhuman, but superhuman in its massive organization and conspiracy to take over the world. The Left Behind series of novels, portraying a world very loosely based on the biblical book of Revelations, describes the efforts of the Anti-Christ and his allies to take over the world and the people in it.

Burning Hate: Need for annihilation. Burning hate is characterized by all three components of hate. The haters may feel a need to annihilate their enemy, as postulated by Kernberg (1993) for extreme forms of hate. Some years back, Eli´an Gonzalez, a Cuban boy who was found clinging to a boat off the shores of Florida, was seized from his Miami relatives by the U.S. government. There were massive demonstrations in Miami, Florida, and Union City, New Jersey, as well as elsewhere, against Fidel Castro and the U.S. government, which was seen as in league with Castro. The outpouring of hate was powerful. The targeted group may be viewed as diabolical destroyers, and indeed, a poster shown on CNN depicted then Attorney-General Janet Reno with the horns of the Devil.

relations of the components of hate to terrorism, massacres, and genocides

The triangular theory of the structure of hate speculatively holds that hate is related to terrorism, massacres, and genocides through the number of components of hate experienced.

Danger Level 0: No Hate-Based Danger, results when none of the components of hate is present.

Danger Level 1: Mild Hate-Based Danger, results when one of the components of hate is present.

Danger Level 2: Moderate Hate-Based Danger, results when two of the components of hate are present.

Danger Level 3: Severe Hate-Based Danger, results when three of the components of hate are present.

Massacres and genocides are much more likely to result, arguably, when all three components are present. They are also a product of stories.

stories underlying the development of hate

The Stranger Story. The hated enemy is a stranger. Propaganda typically shows the object of hate as very strange looking. One Nazi propaganda poster shows a Jew with a Star of David tattooed on his forehead, with evil-looking squinting eyes, with a grossly asymmetrical face, with a twisted lip and a double chin, and with large ears notably sticking out from his head. No one can look at this poster and identify with the individual depicted: He is a stranger. We usually think of strangers as people we do not know and never have known. But they need not be. Often the stranger is someone who is familiar to us, and whom we thought we knew, but who, on reexamination, now appears to be someone else – someone strange and perhaps incomprehensible. The stranger story can apply to interpersonal relationships. We may be in a relationship with a partner whom we think we know quite well. Then we discover, to our astonishment, that the partner is having an affair, or has a sizable private bank account that he or she has hidden for many years. The person whom we thought we knew well may now come to seem like an utter stranger, and we may find ourselves wondering what other things about the partner that may be detrimental to our well-being he or she has not revealed.

The Impure Other Story. The hated enemy is impure or contaminated. Typically, the enemy is trying to spread this contamination. The enemy must be stopped before the contamination gets out of control (or to stop contamination that already is out of control). The euphemism “ethnic cleansing” may call to mind images of an enemy that needs to be eliminated from a society that otherwise would be pure in much the same way dirt needs to be eliminated from holy relics. In a close relationship, hate may be generated by the discovery that the partner has been contaminated, as by an extramarital affair or a disfiguring disease. In some societies, it is sufficient for a woman to be raped for her elimination to seem necessary to certain men with this story. The woman now is no longer viewed as pure and therefore may be seen as having ceased to serve her purpose. Curiously, and with unabashed sexism, the impurity applies only to the wronged female, not the male who wronged her.

The Controller Story. The hated enemy is trying to control you and perhaps the world. One German propaganda poster shows a Jew riding on top of the shoulders of Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin, who is knee-deep in water. The only happy face in the poster is that of the Jew on top. Stories, such as the controller story, may have elements of truth. For example, the Sunnis in Iraq, although a minority, controlled the country for a long time. Some of them built up a system of oppression and repression that was, although brutal toward all Iraqis, especially arbitrary and invidious toward Shiites (Ghosh, 2007). But the stories may also be completely false, as when a group is targeted as controlling a society when in fact they are powerless and persecuted.

The Faceless Foe Story. The hated enemy has no face and indeed has few distinguishing human characteristics. For example, one political cartoon shows a dozen Soviet leaders who all look exactly the same, and have few, if any, distinguishing human characteristics. They are faceless and indistinguishable from each other. In a close relationship, one may reconceptualize one’s partner as faceless – as ordinary – and feel one’s love dissipate and even turn into hate if one feels tricked into having (previously) believed that the partner was special. Sometimes, perpetrators seek to be faceless. Torturers may hide their identities so that their victims cannot later identify them. Other times, victims are made to be faceless. Bombardiers may find it easier to destroy a whole town from an aircraft because, to them, the enemy is faceless.

The Enemy of God Story. The hated enemy is not only your enemy, but also, an enemy of God. The stories, as tends to be the case historically, are created by cynical and destructive individuals who seek to use others as their tools for wreaking havoc and destruction. This story can apply to individuals in intimate relationships in which one or both are religious. If one of the partners comes to be perceived by the other as having committed a mortal sin, then a loving relationship can turn to hate as the couple struggles with the (perceived) sin of the blamed partner. In a religion story of love, a reconceptualization of the partner as of the Devil rather than of God can suddenly turn love into hate.

The Moral Bankruptcy Story. The hated enemy is immoral or must be eliminated on moral grounds (as proposed by Zajonc, 2000). The enemy is doing immoral things, such as praying to the wrong god or gods, or to no god at all. Or the enemy is defiling holy sites or simply insulting the morality of God or humans by its very existence. During the Salem witch craze, one excuse for the elimination of alleged witches was their immoral pact with Satan. In close relationships, a spouse who comes to be viewed as immoral may be hated on account of the alleged immorality.

The Death Story. The hated enemy represents death. One Italian propaganda photo shows the Statue of Liberty carrying its torch and igniting a city. At the same time, it is taking off its mask to reveal a skull underneath. Enemies often do represent death. For example, the Janjaweed militias in contemporary Sudan come as close to representing death as any destroyers can. But these militias, following historical patterns, portray themselves as protecting the lives that are “worth” protecting, and the civilization that they claim to represent.

The Barbarian Story. The hated enemy represents a barbarian. Rome was eventually overthrown by enemies that the Romans viewed as barbarians. Today, the world faces attacks on many fronts from enemies viewed as barbarians. The barbarians, in turn, are likely to view those they attack as morally decadent and themselves as saviors coming to sweep away the decadence they believe they see among those they attack.

The Greedy Enemy Story. The hated enemy is exceptionally greedy. When gasoline prices reached high levels in the United States, one oil company produced a greater profit than any U.S. company in the history of the country. A CEO had just retired from this company with an exceptionally generous retirement package. The problem is that sometimes hated objects act in ways that promote rather than destroy the story that they would wish to have dissociated from them.

The Criminal Story. The hated enemy is a criminal, and needs to be dealt with as such. The hated person or group may have stolen something away from one, such as a loved one or some object of value. Propaganda photos frequently are made to look like wanted posters. One such poster from World War II, produced in the United States, shows Hideki Tojo, Prime Minister of Japan during World War II, in such a wanted poster. In a close relationship, discovering criminal behavior on the part of one’s partner may turn love into hate, especially if the criminal behavior is directed toward oneself. The behavior need not be legally criminal. If one perceives it as morally criminal, that may be enough to generate this story.

The Torturer Story. The hated enemy is a torturer. Some propaganda posters show actual portraits of individuals who have been tortured by enemies. In a close relationship, one may come to conceive of one’s partner as a torturer, and come to feel hate rather than love toward the partner. The torturer story is one of the most powerful stories of hate. In modern day Argentina, Chile, South Africa, and other countries, victims and their family are still trying to come to grips with a long history of government perpetrated torture. And attempts are still being made to identify the people responsible for the torture – both the torturers themselves and those who commissioned them to execute the torture.

The Murderer Story. The hated enemy is a murderer. Sometimes actual photographs are used, such as a widely distributed photo of right-wing students hanging and simultaneously hitting a left-wing student over the head with a chair. The right-wing students are smiling and cheering as the act progresses. In a close relationship, sometimes individuals feel that their lives are threatened, literally or symbolically, by their partners, and may come to feel hate rather than love toward their partners.

The Seducer/Rapist Story. The hated enemy is a seducer or a rapist. One German propaganda poster shows an older, ugly Jew seducing a beautiful woman. An American poster shows unclothed women in cages being inspected by Nazi soldiers. In close relationships, an individual (usually a woman) may come to feel that sex is no longer consensual but forced, and may come to experience hate rather than love for the partner. Unfortunately, many hated targets are rapists. Soldiers in war frequently use rape to satisfy their own lust, and to demoralize and humiliate the enemy. Rapes may occur in intimate relationships as well as in any others. They may also occur in families (incest).

The Animal Pest Story. The hated enemy is an animal pest, such as a germ, an insect such as a cockroach, a reptile, or some kind of a beast. One World War II German propaganda poster shows the Jew as a rat, with the heading “Rotten.” A World War II Italian propaganda poster shows the American G.I. as an ape. In a close relationship, one may come to view one’s partner as animal-like – a pig or a rat – and may come to feel hate rather than love for the partner. These stories become more powerful as those who perceive themselves as victims feel that the violations occur on a repeated basis.

The Power Monger Story. The hated enemy is crazed with the lust for power. A World War II German propaganda poster shows Roosevelt embracing the globe, his face crazed with the lust for power. In a close relationship, one may come to view one’s partner as totally absorbed by power aspects of the relationship, and as seeking total domination. One may feel one’s love convert into hate. The leaders of some countries come to be seen as power mongers. Unfortunately, they may act in ways that promote the stereotype. Whatever their intentions, their efforts to combat hate may then be belied by their own actions.

The Subtle Infiltrator Story. The hated enemy is a subtle infiltrator. One British poster shows a group of Army officers talking while a beautiful woman is sitting amongst them, pretending to be “dumb” but listening carefully to all that is said. Stalin used the subtle infiltrator story to induce hate of certain groups. Beginning in 1927, he staged a series of show trials designed to show that various groups were actually subtle infiltrators in league with the enemies of society. For example, managers, engineers, academics of various kinds, people associated with religious movements – all were portrayed as in league with and in the pay of world capitalists to destroy Soviet society (Mace, 1997). Similar stories are still used today to target individuals and groups.

The Comic Character Story. The hated enemy is a comic character. During World War II, American comic books often portrayed comical Nazi soldiers as being demolished by American super-heroes. A Walt Disney cartoon showed Donald Duck throwing a tomato at the face of a comical Adolph Hitler. Charlie Chaplin played a comic Hitler as well. Nazi propaganda portrayed Jewish women as fat, ugly, and stupid. In a close relationship, one may come to view one’s partner as a comic figure – as a buffoon or a fool – and feel one’s love turn into hate. This story may be less effective in inducing hate than some of the other stories, because it is likely to instill neither anger nor fear. Indeed, it may lead people to view a threat as less serious than it is, and, because of its comical portrayal, to dismiss any danger the threat poses.

The Thwarter/Destroyer-of-Destiny Story. The enemy is hated because of its role in thwarting or destroying a certain destiny. For example, the murderer of a loved one may be hated because the murderer has destroyed what should have been the destiny both of the loved one and of the one who has offered the love.

structure of the stories of hate

Because the stories of hate tend to be simple, some people might prefer to view them simply as negative stereotypes, or as negative images of the enemy.

Why use the story concept at all? Because, arguably, each is associated with an anticipated set of events.

The key point is that the threat represents a dynamic story, not just a static image or stereotype.

Whereas stereotypes tend to be somewhat one-dimensional, immobile, and static over time, stories are multidimensional, fluid, and changeable over time.

1. The Target Is Revealed to be Anathema At some point, often long in the past (and probably more often than not, in the imagined past), the target reveals itself to be worthy of hatred. Perhaps members of the group killed God, or slaughtered members of what is now the in-group, or plotted the destruction of the in-group, or revealed themselves to be dirty or greedy or whatever. Although the events giving rise to the groups’ being labeled as anathema may have occurred long ago, they can remain in a metaphorical sort of Jungian “collective unconscious.” In some cases, the events may never have occurred at all. They may merely be imagined to have occurred, such as when they are part of an oral history of dubitable validity.

2. The Target Plans Actions Contrary to the Interests of the In-Group One may not become aware of this problem right away. But at some point, one becomes aware that for some time, often a long time, the target has been planning actions contrary to the best (and often, any good) interests of the in-group. Whatever the problem is, it is no longer historical in nature; it is current. Because members of the in-group often do not realize they have been “plotted against” until what they perceive to be rather late in the plotting process, they may feel a sense of desperation and urgency. Of course, in many instances, the planned actions are imaginary, which does not make them any less “real” psychologically to those who are being manipulated into hating the members of the target group.

3. The Target Makes Its Presence Felt The story often first becomes perceptible when the target appears significantly on the scene. The target may come from outside, either legally (through legal immigration) or illegally (through illegal immigration, invasion, or imposition by outside powers). But the target also may come from inside. Perhaps it has been there a long time. Indeed, people often feel that they were blinded, and that only now are they realizing the threat that has been there for some time. Now the target is becoming powerful, and hence is becoming a force to be reckoned with, before it is too late. Stalin was notorious for devising elaborate plots that were alleged to have been hatched against the government, which had no more reality than the proverbial will o’ the wisp.

4. The Target Translates Plans into Action Members of the in-group believe they are becoming aware that the period of plotting is over for the target. The target is actively translating thought into action, and thus has become a true threat, not just a hypothetical one. Sometimes the action is now perceived to be already quite far along before individuals realize what is going on; other times the action is perceived to be just starting up. The exact type of action depends on the content of the story. In many instances, the only action is that of the perpetrators against the targets, who were never planning any action in any event. Enemies of God actively work against God. Beasts cause wanton destruction. Rapists, of course, rape men, women, and children. Subtle infiltrators covertly try to take things over. Thwarters of destiny try to make sure that the in-group cannot achieve the goals it deserves to achieve. In each case, the target group works against the in-group. What differs is how they achieve their goals. Often, they may achieve their goals in multiple ways through multiple stories.

5. The Target Is Achieving Some Success in Its Goals Unsuccessful targets may be viewed as pathetic, such as members of very small groups that have dreams of taking over the world. But once the target is not only acting, but achieving some success in its actions, feelings of hatred and perhaps the desire to act upon these feelings become a force to be reckoned with. In sum, the images, in themselves, are the contents that fill in the story schema. In a sense, the precise story is less important than how many of the above steps the target group has (in the minds of the in-group) managed to enact. The more steps the target group enacts, the more of a threat they become, and the “hotter” the hate is likely to be (i.e., the more the number of components that are likely to be operative).

mapping to the triangle of hate

Different stories are likely to induce different components of hate, but which are induced probably depends in part upon the person.

Consider a few examples:

Stories of individuals or groups as vermin or as impure are likely to induce negation of intimacy.

Stories of individuals or groups as murderers or rapists are “hot” and thus are likely to induce passion.

Stories of individuals or groups as greedy or as dominators are “cooler” and thus are more likely to induce commitment.

the relation of hate to love

Often, love is viewed incorrectly as the opposite of hate.

They are thought to constitute just one single dimension on which a person can move from love to hate, from hate to love, and so forth.

Hate is neither the opposite nor the absence of love. Rather, the relationship between love and hate is multifaceted.

Therefore, love and hate can exist at the same time in the same person with regard to the same object.

The opposite of love is rather indifference.

Hate and love have a lot in common. Both involve very intense emotions and attraction of a certain kind.

Love and hate both have three components, which are interrelated.

In one case, the components are inverses of each other. In the other two cases, they are actually the same, but are experienced differently.

Different people have different combinations of these components so, structurally, may experience hate (or love) differently.

The stories of love are also susceptible to turning. Consider some of the stories of love, and how they can contain within them the seeds of destruction:

1. Addiction. An addiction story involves one partner’s feeling addicted to the other, or less frequently, both partners feeling addicted to each other. Addictions are usually, in themselves, love–hate relationships. One feels bound to something or someone, but feels also one’s freedom to escape is restricted. Feelings of love especially can turn to hate if one feels that one’s addiction is self-destructive, as when one feels an addiction toward someone who is abusive toward oneself or others.

2. Business. In a business story, two people essentially view each other as investments, much like they might invest in people in any other business. The difference is that this is a particularly important investment. A business story succeeds by virtue of both partners feeling that the business is equitable and works to their mutual advantage. But if the business goes bad – one partner makes poor decisions that lead to financial or other forms of distress, or if one partner proves to be untrustworthy, the relationship can go bad rather quickly, and turn love to hate.

3. Fantasy. In a fantasy story, the partners view each other much the way characters would in a fairy tale. The success of a fantasy story in love typically depends upon the partners respectively occupying the roles of prince and princess, king and queen, or similar roles. But just as frogs can change to princes, so can princes change to frogs. And just as kings or queens can be perceived as beneficent, so can they be perceived as malevolent or as imperious. The success of the fantasy story thus depends on the partners maintaining positive images in the roles they occupy. Should the images become negative, hate can replace love.

4. Horror. Horror stories are stories based on one partner’s terrorizing the other. Relationships based on horror stories are almost always love–hate relationships to begin with. One is attracted by, and simultaneously repelled by, the abuse that characterizes such relationships. In some cases, the individual who is the object of the terror in such a relationship may come to hate the perpetrator, much as the victim comes to hate the perpetrator in a massacre. There is also a psychological phenomenon called “Stockholm Syndrome,” in which the victim of a hostage-taking develops positive emotions toward the hostage-takers.

5. Mystery. In a mystery story, one partner seems mysterious, and the other acts as a detective trying to solve the mystery. A mystery story gains its interest by virtue of the fascination of one partner with the mystery represented by the other. The individual peels away one layer of mystery after another. But one may find that, at bottom, the story is not a pleasant one. For example, the mystery may be that the partner is exploiting one, or is involved with other people as well. Love can then turn to hate.

6. Travel. In a travel story, two partners travel through life together, trying to the extent possible to stay on the same or at least proximal paths. A travel story can go bad if a partner feels that the other partner has departed from the path they set out together, or has started to regress on the path. If the paths diverge too much, and one partner does not like the path the other is taking, that dislike or even hate may transfer to the partner. This can happen, too, when one of the partners goes through a physical, psychological, or social transformation that changes him or her. When he or she makes new friends his/her partner dislikes or gets on a career trajectory that makes him or her much more successful than the partner and leaves that partner jealous, hate can develop as well.

7. War. In a war story, two partners enjoy fighting with each other. They seem constantly to be at war with each other. Love may turn to hate if the war becomes a serious one, and the partners find that the fights lose whatever good nature they originally may have had. The war story perhaps provides the best transition from a consideration of love to a consideration of hate.

Sources: 1 2 ⚜ More: Writing Notes & References

Writing Notes: Love

#writing notes #writeblr #psychology #hate #emotions #character development #studyblr #dark academia #light academia #writers on tumblr #writing prompt #poets on tumblr #poetry #literature #spilled ink #lit #writing reference #writing resources

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transmutationisms · 27 days ago

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a danger of talking about diagnosis as though it legitimises xyz functional struggle is that it always carries the implication that people w/out a medical chart designation are not entitled to experience the same difficulties, or more specifically are not entitled to the accommodations for it. this has obviously shitty consequences for people who cannot afford encounters w/ the medical system, but also for those who simply don't fit or don't use specific professionally legitimated nosological taxonomies. this is why it's interpreted as a threat to recognise & accommodate disability w/out requiring a specific diagnostic term or process as a mediator. diagnosis can only grant access to certain resources for certain people by virtue of its antithetical power to gatekeep them from others; and ofc the access it does grant is always & therefore limited and precarious in nature

#i really try to embrace a no skin off my nose policy where applicable but sometimes there is some skin off my nose ykwim

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bellshazes · 1 month ago

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Taxonomy, like adultery, is a sin - but since it doesn't stop the Bdubs Patented Third Wheel Effect, we won't let it stop our categorizing its manifestations either.

The Third Wheel Effect

Bdubs has been engineering partnership and love triangles since his first SMP over a decade ago. In fact it's the consistency across such a long time that obscures the pattern's specifics: it's easy to tell he likes to play on jealousy and cast himself as a villain, but harder to look past the variations of who is pulled into what role obscures the fact that there's truly a small group of overlapping tropes where the players of each role may change, but fundamentally, it's the Third Wheel Effect all the way down.

The Tropes

WELCOME HOME, CHEATER: The earliest, but also the most flexible, as Bdubs is just as happy to have the B-Team in jeopardy because Genny caught him shacked up with Etho as he is to confront Doc for making out with Ren in his absence. As long as someone's mad with cause, it's good fun.

I NEVER LIKED HIM ANYWAY: In contrast to Welcome Home, Cheater, in this subset it's revealed the presumed original pair was a lie, and the third person has had his heart all along. The willingness of the surprised third party is mostly irrelevant to the high drama unfolding, probably under duress in a death game. In a certain light, the crumbling of Team BEST is not not this.

iS THIS A HAPPY COUPLE?: If you read the last description and thought it was missing handcuffs, you know where this is going. For some reason, partners are shaken up and new ones are established on the threat of death if they don't work together. Whether there's still lingering longing for the new third wheel is an open question. Oddly, tends to backfire with a karmic kind of irony, like Impulse and Bdubs' death in Double Life, or dying to your own bear trap anyway in Survival of the Fittest.

POWER STRUGGLE: Bdubs has a habit of appointing heads of state and then somehow acting affronted when he transitions from election champion to one of many civic advisors. Suddenly the subtext turns sharply toward not just governance but government affairs. The threatening third(s) may be or act oblivious to their alleged love triangle, like Cub's nonchalance at Bdubs' rage while they both worked for Mayor Scar.

THEY DON'T LOVE YOU LIKE I DO: Most often instigated directly by Bdubs, the triangle becomes a game of tug-o-war - or at least Bdubs sees it that way. This is especially likely as a result of a Power Struggle, although Etho gets a less angry, more angsty flavor of this in some Life seasons. Also plays very well with Welcome Home Cheater.

Conclusion

Although Etho is a focal point of many past and present love triangles, sometimes even instigating conflict related to them himself, Bdubs' pattern of needing a third wheel to flesh out relationship dynamics is both broader and more predictable than it might appear. Any combination of players who will yes-and him and let him be a little stupidly vindictive or encourage interpersonal drama is a valid combination. It's Etho happily playing into Bdubs' natural wheelhouse and drawing it out of him pre-emptively that adds to them being a pair with no set configuration but that is more enduring than any other alliances they've made over the years.

#game shows DO touch our lives #the grand unified theory of ethubs #<- to come. this is an outtake/appendix to it #bdoubleo100 #ethubs #the grand unified theory

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vestaignis · 8 months ago

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БРАЖНИКИ: ВИННЫЙ. Elephant Hawk-moth.

Бражник винный, или бражник средний винный (Deilephila elpenor) — бабочка из семейства бражников (Sphingidae). Латинское название Deilephila elpenor винный бражник получил в честь героя мифологии: Эльпенор — друг Одиссея, возвращавшийся с ним из Трои; погиб, упав с крыши дворца волшебницы Цирцеи. Винный бражник отлично летает, один из самых быстрых летунов не только среди бабочек, но и среди насекомых в целом. Может развивить скорость до 60 км/ч! А во время миграции способен преодолевать расстояние в несколько тысяч километров.

Винный бражник — одна из самых крупных бабочек в мире. Размах крыльев 50—70 мм. Передние крылья оливково-зелёные, с розовым полем у внешнего края и двумя розоватыми полосами, следующими от заднего края к вершине крыла. Задние крылья розовые, с чёрным основанием. Тело зеленоватое, с розовыми полосками. Эта необычайно интересная на вид бабочка обитает в Европе, включая юг Урала. Во время опасности бражники могут начать громко и отчаянно пищать для отпугивания потенциальной угрозы. Удивительное насекомое является очень редким и охраняется на законодательном уровне.

The Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor) is a butterfly from the hawk moth family (Sphingidae). The Latin name Deilephila elpenor was given to the Elephant Hawk-moth in honor of the hero of mythology: Elpenor is a friend of Odysseus, who returned with him from Troy; he died after falling from the roof of the palace of the sorceress Circe. The Elephant Hawk-moth moth flies perfectly, one of the fastest flyers not only among butterflies, but also among insects in general. It can reach speeds of up to 60 km/h! And during migration, it is able to cover a distance of several thousand kilometers.

The Elephant Hawk-moth is one of the largest butterflies in the world. The wingspan is 50-70 mm. The forewings are olive green, with a pink margin at the outer edge and two pinkish stripes following from the posterior edge to the apex of the wing. The hindwings are pink, with a black base. The body is greenish, with pink stripes. This extremely interesting-looking butterfly lives in Europe, including the south of the Urals. During a time of danger, hawk moths may begin to squeak loudly and desperately to scare off a potential threat. The amazing insect is very rare and is protected by law.

Источник:terrarium-online.com/arthropods/insects/deilephila-elpenor/,sergeyshu.livejournal.com/88937.html,zapovedtravel.ru/Fauna?id=0b43ab69-8626-4329-b6c3-f5b806573683&cardId=97fe88bf-fd60-44bd-900d-5bc34b80fbf1, /ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Бражник_винный, /insecta.pro/ru/taxonomy/2820,/www.urral.ru/vid/122.htm.

#nature #insect #insect photography #Deilephila elpenor #Elephant Hawk-moth #plants #insect art #flowers #flower aesthetics #macro photo #природа #фото насекомых #насекомые #Бражник винный #растения #цветы #макрофото

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dailyadventureprompts · 1 year ago

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Tableskills: Creating Dread

I've often had a lot of problems telling scary stories at my table, whether it be in d&d or other horror focused games. I personally don't get scared easily, especially around "traditionally horrifying" things so it's hard for me to recreate that experience in others. Likewise, you can't just port horror movie iconography into tabletop and expect it to evoke genuine fear: I've already spoken of being bored out of my mind during the zombie apocalypse, and my few trips into ravenloft have all been filled with similar levels of limp and derivative grimdark.

It took me a long time (and a lot of video essays about films I'd never watched) to realize that in terms of an experience fear is a lot like a joke, in that it requires multiple steps of setup and payoff. Dread is that setup, it's the rising tension in a scene that makes the revelation worth it, the slow and literal rising of a rollercoaster before the drop. It's way easier to inspire dread in your party than it is to scare them apropos of nothing, which has the added flexibility of letting you choose just the right time to deliver the frights.

TLDR: You start with one of the basic human fears (guide to that below) to emotionally prime your players and introduce it to your party in a initially non-threataning manor. Then you introduce a more severe version of it in a way that has stakes but is not overwhelmingly scary just yet. You wait until they're neck deep in this second scenario before throwing in some kind of twist that forces them to confront their discomfort head on.

More advice (and spoilers for The Magnus Archives) below the cut.

Before we go any farther it's vitally important that you learn your party's limits and triggers before a game begins. A lot of ttrpg content can be downright horrifying without even trying to be, so it's critical you know how everyone in your party is going to react to something before you go into it. Whether or not you're running an actual horror game or just wanting to add some tension to an otherwise heroic romp, you and your group need to be on the same page about this, and discuss safety systems from session 0 onwards.

The Fundamental Fears: It may seem a bit basic but one of the greatest tools to help me understand different aspects of horror was the taxonomy invented by Jonathan Sims of The Magnus Archives podcast. He breaks down fear into different thematic and emotional through lines, each given a snappy name and iconography that's so memorable that I often joke it's the queer-horror version of pokemon types or hogwarts houses. If we start with a basic understanding of WHY people find things scary we learn just what dials we need turn in order to build dread in our players.

Implementation: Each of these examples is like a colour we can paint a scene or encounter with, flavouring it just so to tickle a particular, primal part of our party's brains. You don't have to do much, just something along the lines of "the upcoming cave tunnel is getting a little too close for comfort" or "the all-too thin walkway creaks under your weight ", or "what you don't see is the movement at the edge of the room". Once the seed is planted your party's' minds will do most of the work: humans are social, pattern seeking creatures, and the hint of danger to one member of the group will lay the groundwork of fear in all the rest.

The trick here is not to over commit, which is the mistake most ttrpgs make with horror: actually showing the monster, putting the party into a dangerous situation, that’s the finisher, the punchline of the joke. It’s also a release valve on all the pressure you’ve been hard at work building.

There’s nothing all that scary about fighting a level-appropriate number of skeletons, but forcing your party to creep through a series of dark, cobweb infested catacombs with the THREAT of being attacked by undead? That’s going to have them climbing the walls.

Let narration and bad dice rolls be your main tools here, driving home the discomfort, the risk, the looming threat.

Surprise: Now that you’ve got your party marinating in dread, what you want to do to really scare them is to throw a curve ball. Go back to that list and find another fear which either compliments or contrasts the original one you set up, and have it lurking juuuust out of reach ready to pop up at a moment of perfect tension like a jack in the box. The party is climbing down a slick interior of an underdark cavern, bottom nowhere in sight? They expect to to fall, but what they couldn't possibly expect is for a giant arm to reach out of the darkness and pull one of them down. Have the party figured out that there's a shapeshifter that's infiltrated the rebel meeting and is killing their allies? They suspect suspicion and lies but what they don't expect is for the rebel base to suddenly be on FIRE forcing them to run.

My expert advice is to lightly tease this second threat LONG before you introduce the initial scare. Your players will think you're a genius for doing what amounts to a little extra work, and curse themselves for not paying more attention.

Restraint: Less is more when it comes to scares, as if you do this trick too often your players are going to be inured to it. Try to do it maybe once an adventure, or dungeon level. Scares hit so much harder when the party isn't expecting them. If you're specifically playing in a "horror" game, it's a good idea to introduce a few false scares, or make multiple encounters part of the same bait and switch scare tactic: If we're going into the filthy gross sewer with mould and rot and rats and the like, you'll get more punch if the final challenge isn't corruption based, but is instead some new threat that we could have never prepared for.

Art

#tableskills #horror #spooky #halloween #the magnus archives #dm tip #dm advice #dm tips

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fate-motif · 5 months ago

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alright, i have a wishlist for prodigy s3. which is going to happen. i speak it into existence. cool, now that that’s established:

what is dal hearing about augments as an augment don’t nitpick taxonomy don’t nitpick taxonomy within the federation? has he heard that they become tyrants? that they’re power-hungry arrogant bastards? that their existence is a threat for diversity of people of all bodies and minds? what’s he picking up on? what’s affecting him and what’s not affecting him? food for thought.

jankom pog development. i am no longer asking. we have a tellarite main character, we need to talk about how he’s been displaced 400 years in time from his people and tellarite society may be alien to him, which is an excellent vantage point to talk about tellarites like we’re new to them! which we kind of are! so make it count!

i understand this is a show for children in which everyone gets carte blanche from disbelief despite their age because children like to see themselves doing adventures, not adults. but also let’s talk about rok trying to avoid gifted kid burnout. it would actually really be a nice topic to tackle if you got kids at home who burn themselves out thinking their worth is tied to their accomplishments.

i want to see conflict between maj’el and the kids who grew up as slaves. maj’el is very put together but i am sure there would be blind spots as someone who grew up in post-scarcity utopia and might be more removed from the struggles of planets who don’t have coexistence and communication figured out yet. you know, make it juicy, ds9 style!

i demand the return of pogdal because i think they’re an incredible comedic duo and the crumbs we got of their dynamic from s2 wasn’t enough to satisfy me. i miss it when they were two dumb teenagers trying to brute force the kobiyashi maru funniest character combo in the cast imo.

#star trek #pro #star trek prodigy #dal r’el #gwyndala of solum #ensign maj’el #rok tahk #jankom pog #ensign zero #medusan zero #fugitive zero #murf #prodigy spoilers #pro s2 spoilers #fandom

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docgold13 · 1 year ago

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Introduction

There are many, many super villains in the realms of fiction, comic books, cartoons and movies. When encountering such villains, these costumed cads and dangerous dastards, it is of the utmost importance that one know the precise type of malefactor is at hand. While no two villains are exactly alike, as a whole these scoundrels can be roughly categorized into a systemic taxonomy; a classification based upon the qualities of threat, capability and ambition.

This taxonomy is sequential in respect to the level of danger, commitment and aspiration. It begins at a first rung with the lowly Goons, moving quickly to the dangerous Enforcers, then the mercurial Rogues, followed by the calculating Lieutenants and finally the Nemeses… the most dangerous villains of them all.

Goons

First let us look at the Goons. These are the minions, the henchmen and stooges who use their powers to do the bidding of a more sinister and scheming master.

Goons can be quite formidable, possessing a great deal of raw strength and power. Yet their lack of foresight, aspiration and direction leave them in the position of playing the role of pawns.

Whether it be the result of laziness, naïveté, psychological difficulty or some manner of deficiency, Goons are easily manipulated. They are frequently duped or cajoled into doing the bidding of others. Sometimes they will perceive themselves as being equals with those they serve. In truth, however, these misguided flunkies are almost always viewed as disposable... as mere vassals who will be sacrificed or simply discarded on a whim.

Criminal organizations will frequently have numerous henchmen who are nameless and interchangeable. What distinguishes a super villain Goon from the more garden variety lackey is their physical power and capacity for destruction. They possess all the raw ability to be a more substantial menace but none of the imagination, presentation or drive. They simply lack the je ne sais quoi needed to be a more fully actualized embodiment of super villainy.

And yet this does not make the Goon any less dangerous. Indeed the Goon’s fragile ego coupled with their destructive capability can lead to threats on par with a natural disaster.

Conversely, the Goon can sometimes be the most likely type of super villain to be turned, moved toward the path of heroism. Most Goons just want to be seen and valued, to garner a place where they feel they belong. More sophisticated villains will take advantage of this unmet need, offering the Goon a sense of purpose. If a hero can convince a Goon that they are being manipulated and offer a more authentic sense of validation, the goon may very well switch sides and become heroic.

For the most part, however, Goons are rather satisfied with their lot. They are often simple souls with simple needs. Being a Goon affords a sense of direction and license to be destructive bullies.

The Enforcers

When the raw power of a super villain Goon is coupled with a heightened degree of shrewdness, confidence, avarice and capability, the end product is often The Enforcer.

These are the mercenaries, assassins and bounty hunters… the guns-for-hire who are brought in for a specific task (commonly the elimination of a hero). These villains are not interested in taking over the world, garnering power and influence, they just want to get paid.

Said payment is most often money... but prestige, thrills and a bolstering of one’s ego are also a commonly accepted currency. Sometimes Enforcers will be pitted against a specific hero and the simple opportunity to best that hero, to show themselves as the superior entity, is motivation enough to take on the job. They can be like big game hunters, in desperate search of a new and bigger trophy to add to their ever-growing collection.

Some enforcers may be motivated by mere boredom. They tend to be thrill-seekers and super villainy is an irresistible rollercoaster that acts to quell the tedium. It is not uncommon for there to be a degree of sadism to the enforcer... even psychopathy. Their passion is doling out pain and destruction; they revel in being feared. They are dangerous and unpredictable and will endeavor to succeed at any and all costs. They are not to be taken lightly.

It is not unheard of for Enforcers to have underlings of their own, aides or minions who will assist in their schemes. Or they may work in conjunction with Goons. Yet their values are strictly mercenary. Their morals and philosophy are entirely for hire. Some Enforcers may adhere to their own, personalized code of conduct... yet it is a strictly idiosyncratic (and often malleable) matter.

Phrased simply, they are not individuals to be trusted; an Enforcer will turn on their employer the moment that it better suits their interests. Beware, my friends, Enforcers are danger incarnate...

Rogues

Rogues are outsiders, individuals who just do not fit in with the common and traditional conventionalities of a given society. They are misfits, freaks, square pegs in a world of round holes. Yet they also have power; they are capable, smart, ruthless and shrewd. They do not fit in, but they do not need to; they can force their worlds to accommodate to them.

Rogues are outlaws. They take what they want when they want it. Rarely is there an overarching agenda. Rogues do not crave power, they do not want to rule the world. They just enjoy a good time, desire the finer things and will take all that they feel they are owed.

Many factors can go into the making of a Rogue. Circumstances of their upbringing, their appearance, deprivations of different kinds, accidents… all maters that have put the Rogue in a place of alienation from society writ large. In some regards they are victims, perhaps not always innocent victims, but victims nonetheless… and victims with agency. For they have power and the capability to extract whatever vengeance or retribution they feel they deserve.

Not all Rogues are victims of misfortune. Some merely possess a sense of entitlement and a desire for adventure. Morality, for better or worse, is just not a central feature in the make up of the Rouge. They see the world around them as a harsh and unforgiving realm and they will take what they want, do as they please, simply because they can. They are not motivated by hate, avarice nor a diminished sense of self esteem. They are supremely independent and the needs, feelings and wellbeing of others are not matters of any great concern.

The super villain Rogue has much in common with the archetype of the Trickster from myths and fable. Tricksters are breakers of boundaries who enjoy disrupting societal principles and norms. These are often supernatural beings whose playful antics act to mock authority and question assumption. Rogues are similar. They too seek to disrupt authority, upset balance and turn social decorum unto its head.

Whereas many Tricksters of lore aim to teach lessons regarding the hubris of mankind, Rogues tend to be much more self-serving in their conduct. Rogues are not agents of chaos, they just want to express their freedom and garner wealth and renown.

While Rogues often prefer to work on their own, they are by no means entirely above joining forces with other villains in working toward a mutually desired goal. Although it is rare, a Rogue may even allow themselves to be employed by a Nemesis, a more diabolical cad whose overarching desires very much do not align with their own. In these situations, the Rogue’s hand is either forced or they are simply biding their time for the ideal opportunity to engaged a well-planned and self-serving betrayal.

It is the Rogue’s refusal to adhere to societal principles and the law that often brings them into conflict with heroes. And the sympathetic qualities of the Rogue can sometimes cause a hero to question their own beliefs and moral alignment. The Rogue represents a defiance toward the status quo of a given society... that existing state of affairs that maintains social and financial stratification. The status quo is never an entirely fair system, it will always benefit some at the expense of others,...and it can be tempting to forcefully push back against the inequities that exist therein. Indeed there have been many a hero who has fallen under the sway of a charismatic Rogue when made to see said inequities.

And yet Rogues tend to be quite selfish. They have been wronged and use it as an excuse to do whatever they please and put their own needs above all others. In so doing they may end up hurting others in the same fashion they themselves had been hurt. These Rogue could be heroes, yet frequently lack the sense of selflessness that truly makes a hero heroic.

Under the right circumstances, however, the Rogue can find themselves in the role of the antihero... acting as a protagonist despite lacking the traditional qualities most often associated with heroism. This is most often the case when the Rogue’s goals put them into opposition with another villain, particularly a villain much more vile than themselves.

Although some Rogues may fit into the role of an antihero, it does not necessarily make them any less dangerous. The primary characteristic of a Rogue is a rejection of the normative confines of a society. And this can include the confines of morality. The Rogue will resort to murder and mayhem if they deem it a necessity. So beware, my friends, beware.

The Lieutenants

In some regards, Lieutenants are the villainous analog to the hero’s sidekick. They are the primary right-hand operatives of the arch villain… an amalgamation of a partner, field commander, conciliary and moll. They are neither a Nemesis nor a Goon, but something in between.

Quite often the Lieutenant will be a good deal more competent, pragmatic and even more intelligent compared to the villain they serve. They could easily be a leader in their own right, yet lack the megalomania that is at the heart of a true Nemesis. What these lieutenants do possess, however, is a deeply seated need to belong... to have a parental-like figure that offers direction and purpose. Some even love the villains they serve and remain at their side for this reason alone.

Lieutenants crave power and respect, they feel a poignant need for validation and this will often lead them to battle against the heroes with vigorous intensity. They can be the most dangerous kind of villain of them all in that they are highly motivated and intelligent as well as desperate to succeed; almost like a child who will do anything to win the approval of a parent.

The neurotic nature of the Lieutenant’s motivation frequently leaves them a good deal less sadistic and malevolent compared to the Nemeses they serve. They are not bloodthirsty or callous; many may even have care for the innocent lives that a dastardly plot might harm. And yet the need for approval acts to outweigh any moral qualms they may possess. That being said, it is not entirely unheard of that a Lieutenant will turn on their leader if the destructive stakes become far too high.

Somewhat akin to the Goon (or even the Rogue), the Lieutenant possesses the potential to turn to the side of good, to be redeemed and become something of a hero. The Lieutenant is highly capable and shrewd, but not above manipulation. Often times they will find themselves in the service of a master who does not have their best interests in mind.

Discovering that they are not as valued by their leader as they may have thought can help the Lieutenant rediscover their sense of honor... a clearer picture of right and wrong. Herein there becomes an increased likelihood that the Lieutenant will turn and aide the heroes... possibly even become a hero themselves.

Of course this is not to say that every Lieutenant possesses a staunch code of honor or secret heart of gold. Some are just as rotten and despicable as the cads they serve. They have pled fidelity to their masters and many see the orders they have been issued as on par with a godly and righteous decree.

At the same time that many Lieutenants are unquestioningly loyal, others can be duplicitous. Again, it is not uncommon that a Lieutenant will actually be more competent compared to those they serve. And some possess the ambition to usurp their masters, concocting fiendish schemes to depose their leader, take control and ostensively matriculate to the position of the Nemesis.

This particular dynamic is quite often at play with the ‘secret lieutenant.’ This is something of a subcategory reserved for those second-in-commands who are initially believed to be the primary villain… only for it to be later revealed that there is an entity even more diabolical above them.

Nemeses often cherish their anonymity, preferring to remain a more secretive threat from behind the proverbial curtain. To this extent they need a Lieutenant to stand in as their vassal. It is not uncommon for these proxies to be misidentified as the primary Nemesis. And more often than not, these secret Lieutenants become accustomed to the power they wield... harboring resentment toward the shadowy overlords that they secretly serve. Sometimes they will take action to achieve their ambitions… yet it rarely works in their favor and a Lieutenant’s efforts to usurp their masters will frequently have deadly consequences.

There are reasons after all, that Lieutenants and Lieutenants and Nemeses are Nemeses. The qualities that make for a true Nemesis are as insidious as they are dangerous. They are not so easily overtaken nor replaced.

Nemeses

This brings us to the are the baddest of the bad… the arch foes, the megalomaniacal would-be conquerers whose devilish schemes put us all in grave peril. The pinnacle of villainy; the foil to all things good, selfless, noble and heroic. The Nemesis!

The primary feature to the Nemesis is their motivation. They have a keen notion of how things should be and will stop at nothing toward imposing their will so to bring their goals to fruition. Such goals may be power, conquest, revenge or the acquisition of fabulous wealth (or all of the above). Regardless, the Nemesis believes that fulfilling this goal is a righteous purpose, that it is a destiny ordained unto them by some manner of a divine source.

Most Nemeses do not see themselves as evil. They are the heroes of their own stories and believe themselves to be in the right. Furthermore, any who oppose them represent an effrontery that need be eliminated with extreme prejudice. Theirs is a glorious purpose and nothing nor no one may be allowed to obstruct their destiny.

With such lofty ambitions, it is frequently necessary for these Nemeses to create elaborate organizations… secret and sinister syndicates composed of various operatives, agents, minions and flunkies. The Nemesis can be extremely charismatic ideologues and they usually have little difficulty in recruiting scores of cronies and henchmen willing to lay down their lives in the service of a master. Whist some Nemeses have to resort to paying their underlings or at least putting forth the promise that the toiling will result in power and riches, most are simply able to amass a loyal following through their magnetic charm alone.

The true qualities of the Nemesis often comes into greater focus in juxtaposition to their arch enemy. The primary foe of the Nemesis acts to define them, highlighting their traits in contrast to their opposite. The more good and pure the hero the more twisted and evil their nemesis. One acts to complete the other like two sides of a scale equally balanced.

Indeed it is not unusual for a Nemesis to become obsessed with their arch foe... so much so that many Nemeses may even hesitate at the opportunity to finally vanquish said foe. They can come to feel actualized by the conflict and may fear a loss of identity were their enemy to be truly eliminated.

Many heroes will have multiple arch enemies, but Nemeses themselves are more exclusive, monogamous in who they see as their principle foe. Furthermore, they can be quite jealous when it comes to the attention of their arch enemies. So much so that it is not unheard of for a Nemesis to lend a hand to their foe in doing away with a third party interloper.

Not every Nemesis is cut from the same cloth. Some can be mere mustache-twirlers… finks who commit evil deeds for the mere sake of it. The more memorable and fully actualized Nemesis, however, is complex and nuanced. There is an element of the inscrutable that can provoke fascination. They are like elaborately colored serpents who elicit equal measures of fear and curiosity.

Despite their despicable acts, the Nemesis can frequently be found to be a rather sympathetic figure. Similar to the Rogue, the Nemesis is rejecting of the societal status quo. They believe they know better, that imposing their will can bring about much needed change. Considering the various inequities and injustices entailed in any society, the promise of change can be very alluring. Tearing something down is always easier than creating something new; and the Nemesis excels at the former whilst offering mere promises of the latter.

Add to this the flamboyant charm and sleek aesthetics of so many super villains and it can all come across as quite alluring. And this attraction can be greatly magnified in those feeling even the least bit alienated by the confines and restrictions of a societal equilibrium.

Most all Nemeses are idealists. Their ideals are twisted and egocentric, but they are idealists nonetheless. In their heart of hearts, these cads honestly believe that the imposition of their self-serving values will bring about their notion of a better world. Even the ones who claim to be nihilists, who say they just want to see the world burn, harbor the desire to harness power and refashion it all in the cast of their megalomania.

The Nemesis is an enjoyable character only to the extent that they do not win, that their schemes remain unfulfilled. And if said plot is at least partially accomplished, the fun part is their histrionic efforts to put down resistance and maintain their tenuous grip on power.

Conversely, Nemeses who too closely parrot real life horrors become unenjoyable entities for the audience. There are plenty of villains who are racists, who commit sexual assault and/or who adhere to repugnant philosophies. These baddies do not fully qualify as super villains. They are just regular villains. Super villains, like superheroes, are figures of fantasy... they are meant to be fun. A true super villain, a real nemesis, may toe the line of real-life horror but should not overstep it.

Not all Nemeses pose the same level of peril. The Nemesis covets a world bent to their whim, yet not all possess the faculties needed to constitute a true threat. Many nemeses are capable, shrewd and cunning; whilst others can be plagued by hubris, myopathy and just plain incompetence. And others still can demonstrate great prowess in one instance and then great blundering in the next. The same passion and unwavering drive that fuels the Nemesis can also lead them to make costly, foolhardy decisions. Nevertheless, a buffoonish villain can be just as captivating and fun as one who is sophisticated and poised.

Of course any summation of the Nemesis, or super villains in general, would be incomplete without addressing the matter of how frequently villainous characters have been used in stories as thinly veiled stand-ins for the queer community.

This is done through a kind of coding… subtle and not-so-subtle hints that the villain is something other than heterosexual. Male villains are often presented as effeminate or flamboyant, female villains as masculine and butch. This is meant to have the effect of making the Nemesis appear more deviant and dangerous. As well as make their ultimate defeat by the hero somehow more satisfying, reinforcing the erroneous notion that being queer is in some way morally wrong.

This queer-coding of the villain is not always consciously intended to be homophobic/heterosexist, but it often has that effect; and perpetuates harmful stereotypes about the LGBTQ+ community that can lead to real-world discrimination and violence.

There can be a strange and entirely artificial conversion of machiavellian manipulation and the disrupting of traditional notions of gender. This is the idea that those who are transgender, women who act masculine or men who act feminine, are somehow engaging in a sinister chicanery. That they are temping and coercing the innocent and vulnerable into embracing deviancy.

This is not the only way in which the Nemesis has been used as a means to present social-political agendas. Near countless forms of bigotry and prejudice have been repackaged in the form of a sinister Nemesis. The ‘yellow peril’ style villain depict people of Asian descent as cold, calculating and soulless; whereas the savage ‘witchdoctor warlord’ presents Black and Brown people as primitive, superstitious and godless; and the hook-nosed ‘miserly masterminds’ puts forward Jewish people as conniving, greedy and unscrupulous.

Ironically, as time has gone by, this politicizing of the villain has only acted to make the Nemesis even more intriguing and appealing. In that the Nemesis embodies all that is debaucherous, forbidden and deviant, the hero becomes more and more forced into role of the foil. The hero must be pious, chased and entirely pure of heart. They become flawless and such perfection in the realm of fantasy and wish-fulfillment is rather boring. As the hero becomes more two-dimensional and un-relatable so too is their arch Nemesis made more alluring and empathetic.

Indeed this has led to heroes gradually become more like villains in an effort to keep them interesting. The sterling white hat of the traditional hero has been traded in for something a slightly grittier shade of gray. Heroes have become more grim and steely, brooding neurotics fueled by past trauma. This may seem like standard fare in the here and now, but it is a base dynamic heavily borrowed from the villainous Nemesis. ...imitation, as they say, is the most since form of flattery.

Thus concludes our brief summation of villainous taxonomy. Does every super villain fit perfectly into one of these five categories? Likely not… but as close a fit as necessary. And certainly there can be movement between the levels: Goons who matriculate to Enforcers, Rouges who go on to become Nemeses. By and large, however, these are fixed positions and most all super villains can be seen as occupying one of these taxonomical genres.

#Villains!

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tyrantisterror · 6 days ago

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How are monsters classified in Offbeat Melodies?

Short Answer: Very, very, VERY loosely, especially compared to my other stuff.

Long answer: Ok. so, if Midgaheim is inspired by European mythologies, and ATOM is inspired by atomic age myths about paleontology and radiation (i.e. dinosaurs were big lumbering reptiles, radiation makes animals become giant monsters, etc.), then OM is inspired by, like, 1990's era Cryptozoology, UFOlogy, and Paranormal "Science." It's fantasy by way of Unsolved Mysteries and Leonard Nimoy's In Search Of (ok that predates the 90's but whatever it's the right vibe).

So the main approach to monsters is more or less "would this make a good urban legend?"

There's also a good bit of Lovecraftian Cosmic Horror baked into it too - including the Goblin Universe hypothesis in Melody's world building kinda made for the perfect opportunity for me to scratch that cosmic horror itch, and since my main setting really doesn't work with that stuff, it felt natural to include it in the cosmology here. Melody is very much a place for me to play with the toys that otherwise wouldn't fit in my main setting.

With all that said, I have two different loose taxonomies for the monsters in OM. The first is by Archetype, and the second is by Nature.

By archetype, they are:

Cryptids: Your nessies, your big foots, your chupacabras, etc. Creatures that seem like they could fit within our understanding of life on Earth.

Aliens: Visitors from beyond the stars who came here using incredibly advanced technology.

Ghosts/Undead: The souls/bodies of people or creatures that have technically died yet somehow persist.

Eldritch Abominations: Beings from another reality whose very presence is beginning to change what the "normal" reality is, often to the detriment of the people and creatures who live here. Colonizers from another universe, basically.

Wacky Nonsense: Silly and bizarre monsters who tend to be pretty light-hearted in concept even if they still prove to be a threat. The most prominent example would be the Gattlesnakes, a group of giant pit vipers from another universe who wear mech suits that can convert into muscle cars, and carry gatling guns that can convert into slurpee machines. Their small, tight-knit gang of inter-universal outlaws include Fancy Dan, Rhonda Rugged, Calamity Janet, Monosyllabic Chuck, and their leader, Cobra Gunner, a massive cobra whose mech suit is more akin to a flying battleship and can transform into a giant base. They're basically like if the villains of an obscure 1980's toyline escaped their home universe and tried to hide out in ours.

By nature, they are:

Mutated Natives: creatures from the "normal" universe that have been mutated/altered by contact with beings, substances, or even just the very essence of other universes. The most prominent of these would be Duchess Scissorjaw, a hippo-sized snapping turtle that was captured in Melody's Lake Alto and is living in a zoo display at Melody's Wax Museum. While the players and audience of Offbeat Melody know that it's not normal for snapping turtles to get that large, the discovery of Duchess Scissorjaw was rationalized by humanity within the story as "Well, I guess snapping turtles can get a lot bigger than we thought," since that is the simpler explanation than the reality, which is that she's a mutant who absorbed some of the essence of the Sea of Monsters. Almost all of the undead creatures in Melody count as this, but the other categories actually tend to be...

Interuniversal Visitors: i.e. the VAST majority of Melody's bestiary. Almost all of the main monsters in Offbeat Melody, from its Nessie and Big Foot analogues (the Altopogo and Southpaw Sam) to its alien visitors (the Kaleidoscope Men, the Grays, Ivora Sykes the Melody Mothman) to the Wacky Nonsense and Eldritch Abominations, are visitors from other universes. This category could be split into creatures that have "gone native" - the Altopogo and Southpaw Sam may come from alternate universes, but they traveled to Melody to help preserve the very fabric of the "normal" universe, and are important guardians of it as a result - tourists who are just here to visit, and conquerors who want to reshape our reality and/or its inhabitants into something more to their liking.

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fraterribilis · 6 months ago

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The taxonomy of Sly Cooper: Part 2

So, the first entry of this series was pretty well-received. Here's part two. This time we'll be focusing of the villains of the first Sly-game, The Fiendish FIve.

Raleigh was actually kinda difficult to pin down, as he is pretty much just a generic non-descript frog. Looking at a list of amphibians in the British Isles didn't exactly narrow it down, as the UK also has several non-native species of frogs with varying degrees of naturalization. Eventually I settled with the species that I thought best matched his colouration, the marsh frog (Pelophylax ridibundus)

At up to 4 inches long, the marsh frog is the largest and one of the most widespread frog-species native to Europe, although it isn't native to the UK, being introduced in the 1930's. Within the UK it is primarily found in south-eastern England. Researchers are still undecided as to wether or not it poses a threat to the local ecosystem.

True to their name, marsh frogs are generally found in marsh regions, being more tolerant of saltwater and pollution than other frog-species. Like most frogs they primarily feed on insects and other invertebrates, but thanks to their size they can also prey on smaller fish, birds, and rodents.

In contrast, Muggshot was fairly easy to figure out. He is unsurspirisngly an american bulldog, particularly of what is called the "bully"-type. Domestic breeds generally aren't my forté, but I'll do my best.

American bulldogs were originally an offshoot of the english bulldog, which were brought to America following the colonization, where they were primarily used as livestock guardians and catch dogs. The "bully"-type ( also known as the "Johnson" or "Classic"-type) was created by dog-breeder John D. Johnson in the mid 19th-century, by crossbreeding standard american bulldogs with an english bulldog, resulting in a line of dogs that are bigger, more muscular, and with a more pronounced underbite than the standard variation, all very reminiscent of Muggshot.

Primarily used as guard dogs nowadays, american bulldogs are considered to be a loyal and courageous breed with strong protective insitncts. They riquire rigourous training and exercise in order to stay healthy (and make sure they don't skip leg-day, like a certain someone)

Mz. Ruby also proved to be alittle bit tricky. I had originally pinned her as an american crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) given that she lives in Haiti, where the only native crocodillian is the american crocodile. The Sly Cooper Wiki refers to her as an american alligator (Alligator missisipiensis), but there is nothing in-game that confirms this. However, i then realized that she is probably Cajun given her accent. The Cajun culture originates in Louisiana, where the only crocodilians are american alligators, so that kinda seals the deal.

You wouldn't really know that just by looking at her though. Alligators are distinquished by having short, broad snouts with an overbite. If we look at Mz. Ruby, while her her snout is kinda broad, she sure as hell doesn't have an overbite.

Petty taxonomy bullshit aside, american alligators are found throughout the swamps, rivers, and lakes of the south-eastern United States. They are the apex predators of their environment, and eat pretty much any animal they can get their jaws on. Although their range overlaps with that of the american crocodile in Florida, the two species generally don't compete over resources.

American alligators are some of the most cold-resistant reptiles, being able to survive temperatures as low as 40 degrees fahrenheit or 7 degrees celsius. Should the water they live in freeze over they can go into a kind of suspended animation, by digging a hole in the ice to breathe through, whilst lowering their metabolism and bodily functions to a minimum. Not quite the breaking of the laws of life and death that Mz. Ruby has got going on, but still pretty cool.

Moving unto the Panda King, and yeah... There is no getting around the fact that he is clearly meant to be a giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). I briefly toyed with the idea of him being one of the many extinct species of Ailuropoda, but that was too far-fetched.

Giant pandas are of course renowned for their cute appearance, strict bamboo diet, and for being the face of animal conservation. Though infamously endangered by habitat-loss in their native mountain range, they are considered less endangered nowadays, being given the IUCN-status of Vulnerable.

And no, pandas aren't an evolutionary dead-end or a lost cause in terms of conservation, and don't deserve to go extinct. Anyone who tells you otherwise likely doesn't understand ecology.

The giant panda is notable for having an extra long sesamoid bone on its front paws, in additon to its five fingers. While not a true finger, this bone practically works like an opposable thumb, which comes in handy when handling bamboo shoots (though it'll take some time before they master the art of pyrotechnics)

Finally we have Clockwerk, the immortal arch-nemesis of the Cooper Clan. His in-game description doesn't give us much to work with, other than that he is an owl of some kind. We do know that he apparently had an orange plumage before becoming a cyborg. Due to his large size and having a base in Russia, some people have identified him as a eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo), which I can defintiely see.

I however subscribe to the theory that Clokcwerk was originally from Ancient Egypt, and thus like to think that he's a pharaoh eagle-owl (Bubo ascalaphus).

With a wingspan of about 3 feet, the pharaoh eagle-owl is actually one of the smaller members of its genus. It is found throughout Northern Africa along with parts of the Arabian Peninsula. It likes to nest around cliffs and river valleys, where it primarily feeds on rodents, reptiles, and other birds, but occasionally takes on prey as large as hares and desert foxes.

The ancient egyptians associated the owls with wisdom and knowledge, but also regarded them as symbols of mourning and death. Owls were sometimes mummified alongside humans, as it was believed that their night-vision would help guide the deceased through the darkness of the underworld.

#sly cooper #amphibian #frogs #dogs #crocodillians #bears #owls #The taxonomy of Sly

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tauforged · 2 years ago

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i need everyone to know that when i post about sigmoira it’s not the ‘uuuuuuuuu he’s crazy and she’s manipulating him ooooooooohhh i love weirdly unhealthy het relationships’ flavor that everyone seems to think it is immediately. it’s the variety of ‘i believe with my heart and soul that they’re bi and genderfluid (<- guy who projects) and enabling eachothers insanity in fun and exciting new ways. i think they show affection to eachother like how cats beat the shit out of you when they want attention. the dynamic is one between two unhinged cunts recognizing that the other is the only motherfucker in the building on their level of wacky. i think they blow up shit in the labs for fun together. it’s like the relationship i had between the only other coworker at my old pet store job who had a biology background where we’d loudly get into hypothetical arguments about taxonomy or someshit while scrubbing the fish tanks and people genuinely thought we were fighting but in reality we were both just so committed to the bit and having so much fun that we straight up forgot that the people around us could hear us devolving into exaggerated threats of violence over whether or not whales are fish. it’s like how last week i wore my octopus tentacle faker gauges to work and a coworker called them my ‘hentai earrings’ and i just whipped around and stared her dead in the eyes and told her “don’t ever fucking speak to me again. motherfucker i will kill us both” and while we were both 100% having a laugh about it a supervisor overheard us and pulled us into his office to try and diffuse the situation cuz he genuinely thought i was upset. the bond between two crazy motherfuckers working the same shitty job who realize they have the same wacky sense of humor but are too autistic to remember to like, smile and laugh and otherwise indicate that they’re joking to the people around them’ it’s like that but also they make out about it. akande voice i need you two to stop fucking in the labs and get some actual goddamn work done for once in your lives

#overwatch #sigmoira

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pneumaticpresence · 5 months ago

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The consequences of allowing taxonomy to falter are significant. Every year, botanists around the world discover around 2,000 new plants, a number that has held fairly steady since 1995, suggesting that there are still tens of thousands of plants to introduce to science. Three-fourths of the new species are already threatened with extinction. If we don’t have taxonomists to describe these species, we stand little chance of saving them — or their habitat.

With the threats of climate change, nuclear war and artificial intelligence bearing down, the act of simply itemizing our plants can seem trivial. But when I asked Art Gilman, a botanist, taxonomist and author of “The New Flora of Vermont,” why it matters, he paused in the careful way of a scientist. He gave no answer about curing cancer or revolutionizing food systems. “We lose the opportunity to know our world,” he said, finally.

#idk enough about science to have an informed opinion on this but the author’s arguments seem convincing?#plants

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elsa16744 · 5 months ago

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The Business Case for Sustainability: Balancing Profitability and Environmental Responsibility

Investors have embraced responsible portfolio management strategies to encourage sustainable enterprises and support socio-economic development. Meanwhile, customers refuse to buy from a brand that fails to curb labor malpractices, pollution, waste generation, and petroleum consumption. This post will describe the business case for sustainability to increase awareness about these trends.

What is Sustainable Business Development?

A company engages in sustainable business development when it revises its operations, product design, and resource allocation to contribute to social and environmental problem resolution. It is not about pretending to be eco-friendly or slowing industrial progress. Instead, sustainability for business ensures companies can thrive without harming social harmony and Earth’s resources.

Today, business leaders leverage sustainability consulting services to navigate modern regulations demanding more responsible corporate approaches. Besides, several pressing matters range from safekeeping consumer data to making workplaces more inclusive.

At the same time, multiple compliance guidelines have overwhelmed managers. So, it is imperative to embrace a tech-led strategy. It will help increase your firm’s compliance across all the major frameworks, like the ones described below.

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting,

Task force on climate-related financial disclosures (TCFD),

Global Reporting Initiative (GRI),

And the EU taxonomy.

How Can a Business Balance Profitability, Ethics, and Sustainability?

The older the organization, the more challenges you must overcome to go green. An excellent method is multistakeholder brainstorming. Let customers, suppliers, employees, business associates, and investors chime in and provide improvement ideas.

Another indirect approach involves extensive data gathering, insight extraction, and reporting. Using automated computing systems, companies can monitor the policy dynamics in the target markets and improve specific operations in realistic stages.

They do not need to transform all practices and risk productivity loss. Since they will utilize data from authoritative sources, their decisions will also have a sound foundation. Available technologies can involve ESG data solutions tailored for private companies, financial materiality estimates, controversy analytics, and risk forecasting tools.

Finally, leaders, board directors, and the rest must periodically evaluate their business sustainability initiatives. If they notice some strategies becoming obsolete, they must devise appropriate action plans to rectify such issues.

Advantages of Business Sustainability

1| Efficient Resource Consumption

Pollution and carbon risk mitigation require brands to replace conventional energy systems with greener alternatives. This renewable energy transition allows companies to rationalize how they allocate resources to operations. Moreover, they can reduce dependence on public infrastructure for power and water using modern technologies.

Treating and reusing water might not be suitable for all enterprises. However, the scope of these practices encompasses offices, factories, and post-sales product maintenance. In other words, you want to consider the entire product lifecycle to increase your ESG ratings and positive impact potential.

Integrating green technology to fulfill the efficient resource consumption requirements makes you more competitive and attracts more investors. Therefore, business profitability increases thanks to sustainability accounting compliance.

2| Resilient Supply Chains

Socio-economic and ecological threats limit your enterprise’s growth potential. They endanger the well-being of consumers and supply partners. Consider how environmental problems, political chaos, or social issues hinder free transportation, making timely product delivery more arduous.

However, brands can voluntarily work toward building a peaceful, green, tolerant, and resilient community. They must collaborate with employees, educators, policymakers, and local stakeholders. After all, most corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects aimed at literacy increase, women empowerment, and cyber safety awareness create opportunities to create a more stable world.

Aside from social disharmony threats, your supply chain is often vulnerable to fraud, region-specific quality norm inconsistencies, and controversies. You cannot eliminate these risks, but you can reduce the harm they might cause using predictive analysis and contingency plans. Many sustainability frameworks address these aspects in their reporting guidelines.

3| Long-Term Stakeholder Relationships

Responsible consumption and a solid supply chain increase an organization’s reputation. Socially conscious customers prefer companies that realize the cost of human-caused industrial activities. Therefore, they want leaders to embrace business sustainability, transparent communication, and ethical human resource practices.

Simultaneously, social networking sites (SNS) have empowered individuals to voice their disappointment with brands that fail to improve compliance. So, customers will likely stop purchasing from you if you lag behind competitors in sustainable business development.

Conversely, corporations with adequate CSR programs get loyal customers, free press, positive value association, and investor goodwill. They become leaders in establishing new industry norms while others struggle to understand sustainability accounting principles.

Precaution: Greenwashing is Not a Business Case for Sustainability

Consider the following:

What can anyone do if companies manipulate their financial and carbon disclosures?

Will investors, regulators, and customers trust other brands who also report on sustainability or ESG performance metrics?

What types of green claims can an organization include in its marketing campaigns?

How do we verify that a brand’s reported CSR outcomes are genuine and tangible?

Can ESG disclosures backfire and expose your company to controversies and misinformation attacks? 

These are legitimate fears expressed by many because of the greenwashing cases. The perpetrators use deceptive verbal and design tactics to boast about on-paper CSR achievements with no on-ground impact. Some claimed they use 100% renewable energy by cunningly omitting crucial reporting elements. Others had suppliers employing child labor in life-threatening working conditions.

Greenwashing hurts stakeholder trust in ESG, TCFD, and GRI documentation. When one company receives greenwashing allegations, others in the same industry also attract criticism. Sooner or later, the media picks up the story, and the hard-earned brand reputation evaporates into infinity.

Avoid greenwashing and disassociate with partners, municipalities, and suppliers doing it.

Conclusion

Leaders who recognize the significance of sustainable business development are visionaries. They know their business can thrive if the consumers, employees, investors, and regulators are happy with their work. So, the world has witnessed a rekindled interest in ethics-driven corporate attitudes and investment strategies.

Reducing byproduct generation, enforcing anti-harassment policies, and adopting practical data governance standards make brands more sustainable. Their supply chain resilience increases while more stakeholders trust them.

Nevertheless, greenwashing risks prevent organizations and investors from unlocking the full potential business sustainability use cases. Therefore, all the stakeholders must be honest with compliance reporting. It is okay if your ESG ratings are low because you can implement initiatives and work with experts to improve them.

In the end, only transparency matters. Without it, sustainability reporting will become a worthless formality. However, with the proper oversight, the opposite will happen, and your organization will surpass all competitors while solving social and environmental problems.

#sustainability consulting services

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