#to me it makes sense scourge would claim responsibility as a form of control

[fleetsonourgecentral]

Scourge is lying his ass off when he says that he killed his father and is actually so traumatized that he blames himself for his death

Agssfhsfhhsf sorry I'm trying SO HARD to come up with a normal serious non joke response to this but literally all I can think of is "this is so funny bc it means between Scourge and Sonic, Sonic is the one who killed his own father" like imagine carrying that guilt and u think your boyfriend can relate and then u find out said boyfriend didn't even kill him. That's so funny to me

[oldanddilis]

FALSE PARADIGMS AND HEALTH

The approach of science that ignores the spiritual living aspect of the universe and which has tried to reduce science to a rigid model of numbers devoid of soul has been disastrous in many ways for humanity. The failure to understand that it is souls which are logically the one and only things that create energy in the fabric led to over 100 years of increasing nonsensical theories. This in turn saw physicists become more insecure and confused and in their efforts to appear credible held ever more tightly onto failed models and aggressively suppressed anything that rocked their flimsy world views. The modern religion of physics dogma promoted as scientific fact that has arisen from half baked Theories has been popularised by the rise in atheism which goes against every instinct of man. It has also added to the tearing apart of the fabric of society by descent into immorality in all sorts of subtle and blatant ways. That immorality often justified by popular opinion, the ability to persuade people by the use of arguments that often confuse people by inter changing and misrepresenting science with opinion. Often propagated by creating economic and demographic inequality which leaves the most vulnerable people victims of poverty, lack of education and easy prey for those with evil intent.

In terms of physical health the planet has in some senses advanced using the principle of one step forward and two steps back. Every advance in technology since the industrial revolution has had the potential to improve the lives of everyone on the planet but the economic inequality it has created has meant many people in developing countries now live in conditions worse than their ancestors of 100 years ago. Millions still live in sub saharan Africa for example with no access to clean water, education or electricity. 100 years ago most villages had wells and fruit orchards full of mango, papaya, oranges etc but now many have cut down those trees for cash crops and animals leaving no water in the wells and a meagre supply of free food for everyone to enjoy when the fruit ripens. Some of the slums people are forced to live in have conditions worse than the conditions in large cities like London or Paris 150 years ago. In Kibera a slum in Nairobi, Kenya for example people are forced to live in ditches and corners under corrugated iron beside open sewers and pay organised criminals rent in order to hold onto that very last sense of stability. Even in slums like Kibera I found the spirit of love, gentleness and faith phenomenal, the kindness and tolerance as strong and as powerful as the resolve to keep going. I imagine the immense temptation to vent their frustration and anger against a light skinned person who to their eyes probably lives in a modern home and has unlimited wealth must have been immense but while aware of that sense constantly I rarely felt in danger, peoples openess and kindness of spirit were heart warming, that spirit only occasionally interspersed by an occasional drunk who tried to seize me and vent his anger. It seems to me it is those who are most in pain, poverty, suffering the most understand the power of love most instictively. They keep moving, they hug, play, laugh, talk louder, faster and harder than anyone else, they create energy and they have little time for wasting on negativity or anything that will get in the way of the flow of positive energy. They exercise great patience and tolerance which in itself creates a vibration that silently gives strength to each and all.

Recently the reaction to the Covid flu demonstrated a complete lack of understanding of the power of love and what was effectively a routine flu going around became a hysterical descent into chaos. Yes it is a very infectious flu but statistically a very weak one. All flus tend to kill a certain number of the most weak and vulnerable. As mentioned elsewhere in this paper the work of French Engineer Andre Simoneton showed that above certain frequencies disease cannot exist within the body. Energy and vibration is created by the interaction of living souls yet the medical drug and profit based establishment intimidated the political rulers into reducing the energy and vibration of mankind the very thing that would have overpowered any hold a flu virus usually has on people. They pushed to have the conditions that would lead to poorer health and greater profits set in place. For anyone who thinks that is an outlandish claim or some kind of conspiracy theory it is not a whimsical statement. Plant based doctors have been curing virtually every known disease that the drug dealing medical corporations try to keep telling the public are incurable. The physicians committee for responsible medicine pcrm.org have begun taking these companies and the USA Federal Drug and Food agencies to court for keeping the truth from the public, not just keeping it but paying top dollars billions of dollars per year on propaganda to lie and convince people to continue with lifestyles that are making then sick and killing them so they can continue profiteering from the drugs they sell to alleviate some symptoms. If anyone looks at the charts for the deaths worldwide from various killer diseases Covid is way down the list while above it many of the easily treated diseases such as cancer and heart disease continue to kill up to 10 times more than Covid. The medical companies know this, they know the treatment is healthy eating and lifestyles but they don't care. They have little to no interest in keeping people healthy their interest is in power, money and control. If they wanted they could put their efforts into educating the public about the healthy lifestyles that actually cure diseases. If they did most of the top killer diseases at least the top 12 as repeatedly pointed out by nutritionfacts.org would disappear overnight and the death rates worldwide would plummet but so would the incredible fortunes generated by the drug dealers running the drug companies and it's fairly easy for anyone to see why they decide to hide the truth. It is not just the drug companies, the pressure comes from the animal foods industries also, they all play their part in persuing personal gain at the expense and health of humanity. The planet in may ways became a prison planet with the reaction to the Covid flu, people became more isolated, more distressed, more ill, the rates of Covid seemed to go down with every lockdown but with every easing of curfews the numbers shot up worse than before, with every new untested miracle cure (posed incorrectly as vaccinations) came a mutation which seems to be more aggressive than the original. All pushed aggressively by lies, doctors on TV lying blatantly that these jabs (which in fact don't seem to be vaccinations because they are not one off shots they are dependent on repeated doses) are safe, when the truth is they do not know, I watched one such doctor lie to a pregnant woman that the jab was safe for her and her unborn child even after a few people had died from the jabs and while that doctor would have been very well aware of the scourge of misery that the "wonder drug" thalidomide left in its wake. Vaccinations like any new drugs from my reading take up to 10 years to develop and be tested with a failure rate of 95% of proposed treatments, 95% never making it past approval for sale. This is not good odds for anyone taking the "vaccinations" which have already killed people. However pressure has been put on people, threats of more travel restrictions, more imprisonment conditions, exclusion from society, having their

wealth taken from them in the form of arbitrary fines etc. When one understands the true nature of energy one understands that this approach is insane and counterproductive (good only for those who are making massive profits and increasing their ability to control people). What cures illness is love, the interaction of people, the energy and vibration of love fights disease. It shakes it and leaves it unable to hold on, the greater the social bonds and interactions the more energy is created and the more the vibrations grow. Yes medicines can have great successes combating diseases but they take rigorous testing and honest documentation/dissemination of

information to be helpful in the long term. The lockdowns as usual have had proportionally more negative impact on the poorest of the poor. While those in the rich western countries are able to enjoy isolation surrounded by toys and tech and ample surplus supplies of food the poorest regions in the world have been even more devastated than usual. Many peoples livelihoods have been destroyed leading to increased poverty and malnutrition, Malaria has shot up in many areas in the tropics as people now with no income cannot buy enough food to remain healthy and strong, nor enough money to buy basic medicines. In other places like for example Thailand the suicide rate has shot up as people with no way to earn a living go hungry, lose hope and see suicide as the least painful option. The suffering due to Covid is real but statistically very small and affecting people who generally are in very poor health already, many of those living unhealthy lifestyles of high meat and sugar diets, highly processed nutritionally poor foods.

Love is what beats disease as Andre Simonetons work shows on the personal level. The greatest medicine of all is water, I have often read that the health of any nation is proportional to its citizens access to clean water. While the Polio vaccination no doubt had an impact on polio access to clean water did also. Many drugs have great benefits bit with the simple truth of Andre Siminetons world which has been backed up by evidence from people who reach amazing levels of health on diets based on high vibrational foods (predominantly almost invariably exclusively fresh natural whole plant foods ).

To bring our planet to a healthy state common sense tells us we need to create as much energy as we can, we need to fill our planet with as much life as we can possibly squeeze into every possible place on Earth. The electromagnetic shield which acts to protect our planet has begun to be weakened over the last few years for various reasons not only as a result of human activity but human activity destroying life on the planet has without a doubt played a large part. To strengthen all our protective layers around the Earth the answer is simple create more energy to do this we create more life, life creates energy and the potential of life and love to create a global vibration that lasts for eternity is unlimited. Limited only by false ideas promoted as fact, a lack of honesty, faith in false security like money and a lack of common sense.

[pineaberry]

Fictober: #31

SWTOR

STARRING: Darth Malgus (RETURN OF THE BURNT POTATO!)

This one goes out to @doomhamster and @fluffynexu. I still owe you the rest of this fic, but I hope this will tide you over until I get to it! Also @sunsetofdoom. She’s always down for pron!

_______________________

Existence was a cruel, sadistic thing with a twisted sense of humor.

His entire life Malgus had fought for power and control heedless of the consequences. He knew what lay at the core of every sentient being: chaos. Deep down, they were all of them savages and the strongest would rule the weak. War was the perfect model for his philosophy. It was the logical conclusion of everything the Sith represented. To emerge victorious was to hold the chains of fate itself.

Friendships, family... love… he burned them all in the altar of war and cauterized his weaknesses to form a protective callous. After decades in the bloodied forge, he thought himself untouchable. Like the Vitiate of old he saw the rot spreading in the dark halls of the council chambers and vowed to raise a new Empire up from the maggots.

Illum had seemed like child’s play. Unlike Lord Scourge, Darth Marr’s new pet Wrath was young, eager to please, and so helpful it bordered on the naive. His first impression was that she was not worth recruiting. She was a symptom of a greater sickness: the Sith’s waning strength made manifest. He dismissed her as a feeble-minded slip of a girl, prone to manipulation. She had no place in his new Empire save to be used and discarded.

It had been a serious miscalculation on his part.

One of many.

Over the years he had many long hours to contemplate his failure and it all began with that single error. He mistook her smile and amenable nature to be the signs of an idiot. He saw her give her opponents a chance to surrender and thought her soft. He found her wanting and then put her from his mind.

He was too busy claiming his throne; too busy preparing to rule the galaxy to see the warning signs. He ignored her as his allies were decimated; cut down by wheat. Darth Serevin’s death weighed on his mind. While he had believed the wrath to be a flickering shadow, she in turn executed him for his betrayal and kept Talsa-ko’s decapitated head as a trophy. Something about that encounter had ignited the Wrath’s rage and they had paid the price.

He failed to see her splintering his barricades one by one and leaving only corpses behind. He failed to see the Wrath’s wrath.

The irony of it made his lips twist in a self-deprecating smile.

Blinded by his own visions of a throne well within his grasp, he did not act until she stood before him. She had been a strange contradiction of vivid hues and blackened aura. In the end, his own hubris became his undoing. Wasn’t that always the way?

In his defeat, Malgus found a better understanding of what it meant to be in chains. He was not given the dignity of an honorable death. No, he was taken back to Dromund Kaas and dragged into the bowels of the citadel where the council’s butchers awaited.

He learned his lesson there in the darkness amidst a new definition of pain. But even locked away from the stars he could not escape her. The inquisitors spoke in hushed whispers of a Wrath that came thundering down on Makeb and crushed the Hutt and Republic alike. In between his torments, he heard of Rishi and Yavin and Revan. He heard of Marr’s close partnership with her and of Vowrawn’s unlikely ‘friendship’. He heard of an Imperial always dogging her step and her habit of gifting him the severed hands of Sith and diplomats alike that failed to respect his personal space. A blatantly obvious sign that the man was her lover.

He listened and felt the caustic burn of envy.

Perhaps, if he had not been so quick to dismiss her, she might have joined him. Illum would have gone a thousand different ways if he’d had Vowrawn’s silver tongue or Marr’s charisma. It became all the more galling with the fall of Zakuul.

They were more alike than he gave her credit. In a few short years she built her own army and her own loyalists taken from the disillusioned masses. Even the fallen emperor Arcann broke under her grip and came to her on his knees to pledge his allegiance. The throne was as good as hers the moment she reached for it.

It had taken her less than a decade to do what Malgus had planned for a lifetime. It was as though she’d taken a quick glance at his work and then decided she could do it better.

Even her defeat broke differently than his. She still commanded a formidable power. Mere Sith no longer, she was referred to as The Commander and she bowed to no mortal being.

They met again on Ossus, both of them fulfilling the same mission. The difference being, it was her choice to be there. When he stepped out of his living coffin, he expected her mockery and disdain.

Malgus had been completely unprepared for her bright smile and pleasant words. She was as neon hued as ever and greeted him like an old friend instead of a foe she hadn’t quite killed off.

At first he believed she was taking a page out of Vowrawn’s book and hiding her hatred. But the more time he spent with her the more he realized she was genuinely pleased to see him. It occurred to him that the nastiness on Illum had never been personal to her. It was as though she had forgotten all about it.

When Ossus was completed, she praised him and once more left him without a dignified response. Her reasoning was beyond his understanding. What did she hope to achieve?

His thoughts were interrupted when his implants activated. Malgus winced in discomfort. It was time for maintenance on his hardware and he was being summoned.

His body moved of its own accord and he was too weary to fight the programmed obedience. He’d always despised the image of a slave being brutalized and now it seemed he was destined to die in captivity.

Vowrawn had been the first one to ‘visit’ him in his cell. The Pureblood had gleefully noted how they had hunted down his power base as he used medical instruments to forcefully remove Malgus’ cybernetic augments. It was Vowrawn who took away his motor skills and repurposed him with new parts. It was Vowrawn who fashioned his cage and locked him away in a body that no longer listened to him.

It was Vowrawn who made a point to remind him just how low he had fallen with every touch that lingered far too long in between bursts of sheer agony. Vowrawn who reduced him to a cheap whore be it out of spite or boredom.

Marr visited exactly once. Malgus remembered hanging from the ceiling, surrounded by medical tubes as restraints were welded into his skin. Marr’s unreadable mask cloaked his expression, but Malgus could feel the loathing and disgust radiating from him. For a brief moment, Malgus believed Marr would end his existence but the man was never one for mercy. Instead, he ordered the nearest guard to summon Cytharat to the council chambers and was gone without a second glance.

He didn’t know how long he lived in that special type of hell. He was kept alive to serve as an example, as a lesson, as a tool for intimidation.

“This is what happens to traitors.”

“Don’t end up like Malgus.”

“This is your fate if your hubris costs me my victory.”

The days and faces all blurred together. Only his firm grasp of the Force kept him from going insane.

The door automatically closed and locked behind him as he stood defiant as he glared at the medical bed. He had grown to detest the scent of kolto and the cold touch of metal on his skin. Discomfort laced with fear radiated from his form. There was nothing he could do to avoid it; no feasible way to escape his fate.

Acina was the first to realize his potential. Or perhaps Zakuul had simply decimated enough Sith that she was desperate enough to use him. Whatever the reason, it was she who rebuild his limbs and turned him into a weapon. She was not one for finesse and enjoyed letting the droids work on him until he was reduced to screaming in agony.

As his robes and armor fell away, he bore the marks of her handiwork etched crudely into her skin. The pain focused him, it kept his senses keen. Every step, every motion, every breath, felt as though it were cutting into him. To live was a war, and one he constantly won. He had to believe it was so or else he would be driven mad by it.

The last of his armor was cast off and he spared a glance to his captor. He supposed he shouldn’t be surprised that the commander had taken possession of his obedience codes, after all, she had some of the best slicers in the galaxy under her employ. After their confrontation on Illum, it was understandable that she wished to inflict her own version of punishment. Funny, he hadn’t thought it was her style to be vindictive.

Calm blue eyes stared back at him with an unreadable expression that was unnerving. Cruelty or malice he could understand, but this passive response was beyond him. He broke eye-contact and lay down on medical bed as ordered. It was better than a metal table, but it did little to put him at ease. The sound of his respirator seemed too-loud in his ears as he waited for pain or humiliation or some sickening combination of the two.

Instead he felt a gentle touch on his arm and a pinprick before something warm flowed through his veins. Confusion clouded his thoughts as he felt the constant pain melt away into a blissful numbness.

“That’s better isn’t it? No need to be scared,” she smirked and he eyed her warily as she set aside the injector. Her small hand rested over his chest and it felt like a searing mark against his skin. His throat emitted a sound that was a cross between a snarl and an enraged growl.

“Scared, me? You lack the capacity to inspire such an emotion,” he snarled..

He didn’t need her coddling. He was not a child nor a fool to believe her comfort was genuine.

Tremas didn’t so much as flinch as her touch continued to rest over his sternum. Medical droids scanned his body and displayed readings he could quite make out from his vantage point. Tremas lips curled into a scowl as the results displeased her.

He wanted to say something scathing or acrid to her but the retort died in his throat as he felt her delicate fingers touch his inner thighs and firmly push his legs apart. Adrenaline surged through him but he was not allowed neither flight nor fight as his programming kept him restrained. He stared at the ceiling cursing the respirator that echoed his quickening breath in a deafening rasp.

“Now just breathe. There’s structural damage and this might sting a bit...”

________________________

Read More About Tremas HERE!

Original Fictober Promp List HERE!

[script-a-world]

Is it honestly actually possible that bad people run most of the galaxy or several galaxies? Or at least even just an entire planet? It's done in sci fi a lot. However in real life that obviously has never happened. I'm not sure how to well, begin, create the circumstances that will give them that kind of vast power and not be defeated before. Even if they are the good guys, still, can't see how they can run everything either.

Bina: Totally possible since “bad” is relative depending on you who ask. If they have a believable facade of being “good” (or if they ARE doing good....... to just the right people (such as, politicians or powerful allies who will back them up)), and if they have a lot of supporters who think they’re the good guys, then it’s super feasible that they can take control of the majority of the galaxy with very little opposition.

Heck they can even get away with people just not thinking badly of them. They don’t necessarily need supporters who think they’re the right people to have in charge. Having people be neutral towards them can also be also good enough for them to take control without anyone complaining. All they need is people not caring. People supporting them is bonus, but apathy from the common man also goes a long long way in helping bad people come into power. 

In the end it’s all about controlling their narrative and their own publicity. They can be totally truly evil, but if they cover their tracks with enough propaganda and efforts to appear like they’re doing nothing wrong, or even that they’re doing things for the benefit of the people (or that they’re beneficial for powerful people who have more sway than the average person and can thus override the wills and desires of the common people), then the baddies can take power and the common man would either take no issue with it or be unable to do anything about it. 

Tex: The thing about leadership is that morality doesn't really calculate into it - they're two separate areas with very little overlap, especially if a leader is a successful one. The longevity of a leader's reign has more to do with their bureaucratic competency, organizational skills, competency to set and achieve certain goals that benefit those whom they rule (in some form), and ability to manipulate people. And, I hate to break it to you, but both "good" and "bad" people are manipulative, just for different reasons.

Al Capone is a classic example of how "bad" people can do good things that legitimately benefit others. He was a gangster that directly or indirectly had a hand in killing a great deal of people - but he was incredibly influential in making sure milk had expirations dates, among other things (Atlas Obscura). It could be argued that running bootleg alcohol at all was a good thing, given that a significant portion of the US population did exactly the same thing (to various degrees) during Prohibition. Is profiting off civil disobedience in such a manner against the mores of altruism? Murder or no murder, Capone straddles the line of "good" and "bad", depending on your point of view.

Martin Luther King, Jr, while on the surface might look like a paragon of virtue, did purposefully break laws with specific goals in mind - while his civil disobedience resulted in drastically fewer deaths than Capone's, he did still break the law. There are some schools of thought that believe adherence to the law is virtuous, and thus moral (and thus, "good"). Is MLK virtuous in this regard? Does his position as a minister of his faith grant him more morality than the average person, who isn't an official representative of a codified set of beliefs?

Both MLK and Capone caused immense upheaval in their respective eras and societies. Is this necessarily good? Is upheaval - change - bad? I'm sure there are proponents regarding both of them that can see the advantages and disadvantages of their respective actions. One is classically referred to as a "bad" person, and the other a "good" person. Why? And through whose lens are these judgements being made? Is the perspective itself moral?

Let me bring some fictional examples into this.

Emperor Palpatine, of Star Wars, is coded to be a distillation of evil - the evil, a scourge upon the galaxy. And yet, when he rose to power and declared himself emperor of a new empire, he was lauded as an incredible unifier. General evil-doer he may be, but his grip upon his own galaxy was ironclad, and his background as a senator and then chancellor shows that he was canny, able to organize his political agenda in influential ways that effected significant change upon the political and even economic landscapes of the respective eras of his life.

He was respected - yes, even by the Jedi - for his affable demeanour and bureaucratic acumen. His death, depending on the canon you subscribe to, did not end the vast reach of his influence, with post-mortem orders that were followed with the same fervent veneration as in life. Palpatine's opinion was trusted, and regardless of his moral compass, trust is still something that needs earning. What perceptions his followers are predisposed to, well- that's certainly another topic.

Aragorn II, son of Arathorn, of Lord of the Rings fame, ruled over the reunited kingdom of Arnor and Gondor after the war against Sauron. He is typically coded as the exact opposite of someone like Palpatine - generous, compassionate, wise. A unifier that began an unequivocal era of peace. However, his death toll is proportionally similar to Palpatine's during the war that secured his place upon the throne, and he had eschewed his responsibility as blood heir to the throne for a great deal of his life, a time during which there was famine, suffering, and death from Sauron's own influence. Are his reasons for obscuring his identity and being a Ranger good enough to justify the expansion of Sauron's reign through his relative inaction, his non-acceptance of leadership? Does the end of the war justify the means that Aragorn took to get there?

Is Aragorn more moral, more good than Palpatine, because his reign was brought about through total bloodshed? Palpatine's was wrought through the genocide of the Jedi, and yet his own reign brought a stability to his empire. It can be argued that the inaction on Aragorn's part, and the action on Palptine's part, during their respective wars pre-coronation, were a manipulation of the masses. They both chose to guise themselves for who they really were - the son of Arathorn II and the Lord descendant of Bane's line - only to unveil themselves at an opportune moment hastened on by their own actions to claim, and unify, these warring factions.

All four of these individuals, be the real or fictional, share something in common - the ability to be a successful leader. Their morality did not, in the end, impede them from swaying the masses to their opinions and leveraging the influence that they had - through argument, through force, through lineage - to assemble under a common goal. They all enacted dramatic, sweeping changes upon the society in which they lived, and utilized the power granted to them through their public's opinion to direct society in a direction that they wanted. They were good leaders, but that doesn't mean they had to be good people. 

Saphira: In my novel, I am working with two different rulers. One is an Empress and the other a Tyrant. I'll see what I can glean from each of these two to provide more context in a fictional setting.

The Empress has a positive perspective from her people, as he is backed by her Goddess and her long family line of rule. She has  well developed court, council and structure set by both the Goddess and generations of Empresses before her. (Yes, it's an all female-ruling lineage because they're Elephants and the species is largely Matriarchal, but I digress.) She uses generations of Faith-based morality and ideology  to cultivate the values and perspectives of her subjects. Her choices are just because the Goddess has told her to do it, and our Goddess is Benevolent for all. Behold, she has given us life and freedom beyond our bestial origins. She makes her decisions and rules her people using rigid methods and strict guidelines to keep the common life consistent and rational. Whether she is aware of it or not, it is not so much the faith or the prestige of her rule that is powerful, but that selfsame consistency and rationality of her people.

What I mean is this: because the way of life is consistent, it feels rational. Any good or bad that she does is ruled by the same beliefs as those before her. That makes it easy for her subjects to accept her decisions because it makes sense in the context of their everyday lives. Of course she is going to hoard all the 'non-essential' food in storehouses for the war, because we, the entirety of our people, have been preparing for the war that dominates over other races since our inception. Of course we will put finances into the arts, because we are the great race that will take over the planet and arts show how sophisticated and glorious we are. All of the laws that control, govern and guide her people tether to the same principles, and that makes her powerful. There is minimal resistance, because to resist is to change their daily life and core philosophies.

The Tyrant, on the other hand, has by definition stolen the power for himself by force, and that leaves him with a radically different set of tools to stay in power and rule his territories.

First is the Legacy. The narrative of his glorious victory, his noble war that dominated over the nations to protect the underdogs, helps give him some positive influence, but force is force. He is still dealing with those who will be able to mentally reject or object to his power. He could have taken one of two simple routes: A. Quell or crush any rebellion, or B. Wield that rebellion and outcry as a tool for positive change. A sometimes needs to be done, but his ideal is B. This helps create a positive influence over the territories to help reinforce his Coming to Power Narrative, and also fixes problems in the nation that allows him to turn his focus to other problems. Fun stuff.

His true power is that he is cheating. He is using his arcane ability (which won him the war in the first place) to A. live far longer than anyone has any right to, and B. give the overall impression that he can snap his enemies with the thought of snapping a matchstick. This makes his greatest tools Benevolence and Fear. Or, rather, Love and Fear. This gives the people two reasons to hesitate against him: "I don't want to because he does a decent job most of the time," followed by "also I just like being alive in general." 

Where he lacks in 'legitimate rule' with a long lineage, he has made  up for in a single, long lifespan. The current generation has never lived outside of his rule. Their parents were under his rule. Their great grandparents were under his rule. This also introduces a fear of change, and the fear of change is the greatest tool of all. If there is no great and colossal reason why something should be different (like, I dunno, a lot of people dying) then things tend to stay as they are.  

So what it comes down to are three factors, for staying in power. 

1. The populace thinking it's honestly not that bad, or it could be worse. 

2. Fear of change, or that this thing that claims to be better, isn't. 

3. The consequences of change are too dire. This person can murder me, my family and if they die the economy dies with them.

The moral strength of the character may be a direct influence over these factors. That moral compass might be completely irrelevant. That depends on the characters you want to write and what the narrative needs to present your ideas xor experience. Either way, it's how the ruler handles these factors, ether with skill or great lacking, that determines the strength and distance of their power. 

Constablewrites: Cracked just had an article about this from the perspective of the citizens: http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-ways-normal-people-allow-evil-rulers-to-thrive/ It's got some good links to sources discussing real-world regimes and historical examples.  

[poklina]

Jimon ft a Jace jealous of Simon and Raphael's friendship that he confuses for a relationship. It's not Simon's fault vampires are so physical.

ALLO FRIEND i lovelovelove physical relationships and also jealous!jace is my Baby Boi so this was a great great time it gets kinda iffy like writing wise in the middle but i pulled out the end and now i REALLY like it i hope u do too THANK UU

convince me - 3.1k

Jace has never liked vampires. Ever. Don't like the way they slink around in the shadows like cowards, or how the cloying smell of blood stick to them constantly, or how they always lie and cheat their way into situations for their gain, the selfish bastards that they are.

Yea. Jace really does not like vampires.

At first he thought it was because of his dad, and everything Valentine had told him about the Downworld and how they "need to be eliminated" because they're a "scourge upon the human race." Valentine even made Jace believe it for a little while there, but he'd always known that wasn't really it. See, the thing is that Jace didn't necessarily hate all vampires; just 99.99 percent of them.

Because then there was the issue of Simon.

Jace was quite conflicted about the way he felt about Simon. On one hand, he was a vampire and had everything that came with it in spades: the smell of death, the night walking, the total inability to fend for himself without someone else to save his ass (although that was probably left over from when he was a kidnapping-prone Mundane), but on the other hand...

He really, really liked Simon.

It had taken him a while, at first. When they first met, Simon was just another Mundane sticking his nose into places where it didn't belong, which ultimately ended up with Jace having to deal with the consequences; namely, Clary. He had firmly believed that the sooner Simon was out of his hair, the better, because then maybe he could actually focus on finding the Mortal Cup for more than 5 minutes before having to run off and save him again. But then something had changed.

Even if you held a gun to his head, Jace couldn't tell you when or why he started looking at Simon differently. Maybe it was the way he was so devoted to Clary, even when he must have known that he never stood a chance. Or, maybe it was the way his smile lit up any room he was in, or how he always  seemed to know when Jace needed to be taken down a notch of the arrogance meter, or the way his eyes seemed to sparkle when he laughed -

So. Jace really liked a vampire, and he was not very happy about it. And since Simon and Clary were nearly inseparable, that meant that he had to spend a lot of time with said vampire, as well as the clan leader of Brooklyn. Raphael was a vampire Jace definitely did not like; he spoke too softly, and always with an air that seemed to convey that he knew something you didn't. Needless to say, Jace never really like being around Raphael, even if it meant him staying away from Simon.

Alec had told him that he needed Simon for some reason or another, and of course, Jace was sent to go and get him. He complained under his breath all the way there, but another part of his brain (a very, very small but very loud part) was genuinely excited about seeing him. Jace hadn't seen Simon in almost a week, because he was always off doing one thing or another for Raphael. It was starting to get a little suspicious, how much they hung around each other, but Jace had pushed it out of his mind.

When he reached the boat house, he saw that the door was slightly ajar, meaning that Simon was awake. Jace pointedly ignored how even the thought of Simon made his heart jump, and he slowly pushed his way inside -

Only to stop dead in his tracks.

Simon was there, of course, awake and fidgeting with something in his hands, but Jace couldn't see what because his view was blocked by Raphael. That's not what shocked him, however. What made him stop was they way Raphael had his hand on Simon's cheek. And Simon was smiling. Jace felt his heart drop to the bottom of his stomach, and suddenly all of the little things between Simon and Raphael made all too much sense; the casual brushes of hands against arms, the prolonged hugs, the casual way Simon slung his arm around Raphael all the damn time.

Jace swallowed thickly as he slowly made his way out of the boat house, eyes still locked on the scene before him. Just before he was completely out of sight, Jace saw Simon pull Raphael into a tight hug and it felt like all of the air in the world was being sucked out of his lungs. He didn't know whether either of them had seen him, but right now, he didn't really care. Twisting around on his heel and trying to ignore the leaden sadness in his gut, Jace started home.

Alec could get Simon if he really needed him.

.

The next few day, Jace tried to avoid Simon as well as he could. Usually, it was easy, because he spent all his time in the boat house (and probably with Rapha -), but for some reason, he was hanging around the Institute like a kid bored on summer break.

More specifically, he was hanging around Jace.

Anytime he turned a corner, Simon was there. Talking to Clary and Izzy about something or other, and yet he always stopped and turned to talk to him instead. Jace tried (really, he did) to stop the way his chest filled up every time Simon smiled at him, but he couldn't. However, then he remembered how close he was with Raphael and that usually did the trick. He always ended up mumbling some half formed response of "having to go check with Alec" or even "left something in my room", whatever it too to get him away from that dazzling smile.

The 5th time it happened to him, Jace was about ready to go up to the roof and give the universe a piece of his mind. Simon was alone in the hallway, leaning against the wood paneling and looking at his phone disinterestedly. When he heard Jace, however, his head shot up and broke into a wide smile that left Jace weak in the knees.

"Hey, Jace! Uh, I had something to ask you..." Simon says, hand coming up to rub the back of his neck nervously, but for what Jace had no idea.

"Oh, uh, Simon, now's not really a good time..." Jace trails off, trying to find a semi-decent excuse that he hadn't used last time. Simon's face fell almost imperceptibly, but it was there, and Jace hated it.

"Ah. Sorry, I guess I'll, uh. I'll catch you later then?" Simon finished, eyes darting down to study the floor but not before Jace saw something almost like disappointment in them, which was ridiculous, because Simon had Raphael and why would he be disappointed over Jace?

"Yeah, definitely. Um, later. Say hi to Raphael for me" he said quickly, the words like acid on his tongue before pushing past Simon and rushing down the hall behind him. He ducked into the first open door and sagged against the frame, trying to catch his breath but not from walking down the hall.

Every time that Jace ran into Simon after that, it was always the same: he was alone, he said he had to ask Jace something, Jace would give a half-assed excuse before ducking out. Every time, he thought that he saw Simon get a little bit more frustrated, or even sadder, but he quickly pushed it out of his mind. It was probably just his mind playing tricks on him, trying to get him to think that Simon actually liked him as well. But of course he didn't. Obviously.

.

The next day, Jace walked into the control room only to be greeted by the sick stench of blood radiating from the middle of the room. His face twisted into disgust as he walked forward and tried to get a look at the vampire who was causing it.

Man, the universe really did hate him.

He knew it was Raphael even though he couldn't see his face; no other vampire this close to the Institute wore suits like that. Simon stood next to him, shoulders relaxed and hands shoved into his back pockets, forearms stretching over Raphael's arm that's slung around his waist. Jace's throat closes up in an instant, hands balling into fists even though he knows he shouldn't be jealous. Simon is happy with Raphael; that much is obvious. But that sentiment can't stop the thoughts of Jace stalking up to them, pushing Raphael aside and claiming Simon as his from pushing to the front of his mind. That's what he wants to do. So, so desperately wants Simon to be his, and his alone.

But that is not his decision to make.

With all the strength he can muster, Jace tears his eyes away from the two in front of him and steps forward, seeing Izzy over their shoulder. He pointedly ignores both of them as he walks up to Izzy, just glad for some sort of distraction. He's barely drawn a breath to start talking to her before -

"Hey, Jace. Um, can we talk? Alone?" Simon says quietly as he taps his shoulder. Jace turns around slowly, trying to figure out a way to get out of it this time but coming up blank. He ends up just staring at Simon, lips pressed tightly together before replying with a short answer.

"Sure."

Simon's face brightens at the prospect, and flashes a quick smile at Jace before turning away and leading him into one of the many corridors. He follows slowly, anticipation building in the pit of his stomach. He'd tried to avoid this for so long, he doesn't even really have an idea as to what Simon had to ask him. Simon comes to a stop at the end of the hall and faces Jace, eyes glinting in the low light of the Institute. Jace swallows hard again, hand coming up to rub the back of his neck just so it has something to do.

"So, uh. I think you've been avoiding me? And I don't know why, and I just like - wanted to check to see if I had like, said something or done something, because if I did, I'm really sorry, but uh, yeah. Well, that's the first part -" Simon starts, making eye contact with Jace briefly before darting to the other corners of the room, hands twisting each other nervously. Jace felt a small bit of growing fear in his mind, because if he had to tell Simon the truth...

Well, he would ruin everything.

"Oh, uh. No, no, it's nothing about you. Well, it kinda is, but - no, it's not you Simon. I'm just - yeah. It's definitely not you." Jace stammers out, trying to read the confused and crestfallen look on Simon's face as something other than disappointment.

"So, if it's not me, then why? I mean, I thought we were pretty good friends." Simon says back, voice cracking a little bit on the last word.

"Sure, uh. I've just been - I've been pretty busy." Jace said halfheartedly, wincing as it even sounded made up to him, and wondering just how fake Simon thought it was. Jace watched his face tighten in confusion as he opened his mouth to try and continue - before snapping it shut and just letting out a sigh instead. Jace felt a wave of relief wash over him, because he really didn't have any idea what to say if he had asked.

"Oh. Okay. Well, uh, I guess my second question is...Um, shit. This is a lot harder than I expected it to be." Simon let out a forced laugh as he tried to lighten the situation but failing miserably. His eyes continued to dart around the corridor, not ever once landing on Jace. He couldn't help but feel a slight twinge of disappointment at that; he really liked looking at Simon's eyes.

"Ask me what?" Jace bit out, sounding a lot nastier than he had intended to. He regretted it instantly, because it made Simon sigh heavily and shove his hands deep in his pockets, like he was ashamed of what he was about to say.

“Well, ah. I was, um. I was wondering if you - would you like to get dinner with me? Sometime?”

The silence that fell between the two of them was stifling, only punctuated by Jace’s shallow breaths. His mind was rapidly trying to catch up with this turn of events, almost letting him be excited before the reality of the situation hit him fully.

“Is this some kind of joke to you?” he said bitterly, trying to stem the disappointment that rose in his chest. Was Simon serious? Why would he ask him something like that? Especially since not 20 seconds ago, he was clinging to his boyfriend like a lifeline.

“Jace, I don’t - what?”

“Are you serious? You think that you can just pretend to ask me out even though I know you can’t?”

“Jace, what are you talking about -”

“Don’t you think I see the way Raphael practically drapes himself over you? Honestly, even Magnus and Alec aren’t this clingy.” The words drip out of his mouth like acid, burning and cruel. Simon flinched backwards, face contorting into an expression of profound hurt and...confusion.

“Jace -” Simon tries to interrupt, but Jace just keeps talking over him, anger washing over him in waves and waves, flooding out of him. Simon had never been this way, has never laughed in Jace’s face about something he couldn’t have, and the fact that he was stung Jace hard and deep.

“What, Simon? What else do you want from me? Well wishes on your relationship? Dating advice? Why won’t you just leave me alone -”

“JACE.”

His mouth snapped shut, surprised at the force behind Simon’s words. Simon’s eyes burned with  annoyance, and yet underneath it was just the faintest hint of excitement. He was excited about humiliating Jace? God, he’d really have to look at why he’s so helplessly in love with this guy afterwards, Jace thought savagely. Simon stared him down for a bit, throat working as if he was trying to dig the words out of his vocal chords. Jace watched anxiously, just ready for this whole thing to be over so he could go to the training room and whale on a punching bag until he felt better.

“Jace. Raphael and I aren’t dating. We’re not together, never have been.”

Jace felt his heart drop at least 3 stories as Simon finished talking. He couldn’t help his mouth dropping open, because of course they’re dating, obviously.

“But - in the boathouse -” he sputtered, trying desperately to grab at any sort of evidence he had. Simon and Raphael were always together, always touching and hugging and whatever. There’s no other explanation. Obviously.

“Oh, you saw his hand thing.” Simon said shyly, blush staining his cheekbones and he was supposed to be mad at him right now, it is not the time to be thinking about how utterly adorable he looks.

“Well, yea! I’d say that pretty strongly suggests that you are, Simon.” Jace shot back, confused at just exactly what was going on here. Simon - Raphael? They weren’t - really? So, was Simon - did he just try to ask him out?

“Jace, like a second later he slapped me.”

Jace just stared at him dumbly, and watched Simon tried to hide the happiness that flooded into his eyes at watching him. He was still trying to sort out all of the information that he’d just been given, and it was proving to be a little harder than he expected.

“Jace? So? Will you have dinner with me?” Simon asked again, louder this time, but still filled with the same nervous anxiety as the first time.

“So, just to reiterate. You and Raphael - are not a thing.” Jace repeated, squeezing his eyes shut and rubbing his temples, excitement welling up in his chest. He - he actually had a chance. As the realization hit him in the chest, his eyes flew open and landed right on to Simon, standing nervously in front of him.

“Yes. Honestly, I’m shocked that you would even think that. I mean, I definitely do not like Raphael -” Simon started with a forced laugh that became more genuine. His smile grew wider and wider as Jace looked at him for longer and longer, before he was suddenly cut off by Jace grabbing his shoulders and looking at him directly in the eyes

“So if I kiss you right now, no one would be angry.” he said quietly, throat working as he swallowed nervously at whatever Simon’s response was going to be. However, at that moment, Simon’s brain decided to switch off all rational thought, leaving him only able to shake his head jerkily. “Oh, thank fucking God.” Jace breathed out right before pressing his lips onto Simon’s

It was like a string had snapped, all of the jealousy Jace had been harboring over the past couple days suddenly evaporating into the air. He could only focus on this, and now, and how Simon felt underneath him, solid and steady. He tilted his head slightly to the right so his nose could brush past Simon’s, making it easier for him to lick his way into Simon’s mouth. Jace waited for the gasp after he swept his tongue over Simon’s bottom lip before crowding him even closer to the wall, just needing more. Simon responded in the same way, hands curling loosely into the front of Jace’s shirt and kissing back with just as much force.

They broke apart slowly, Jace’s chest moving up and down quietly with every breath he took, head never moving more than an inch apart from Simon’s. Their eyes stayed closed even after they pulled away, but only for a second, until Jace opened his again to find Simon staring intently at him, eyes bright. The sight made Jace’s chest tighten up and hands press into Simon’s side a little bit harder.

“So, can I take that as a yes?” Simon said breathlessly, one of his trademark grins stretching wide over his mouth. Jace couldn’t help it as his face did the same thing.

“I don’t know. I think you might have to convince me a little bit more.” Jace murmured into Simon’s ear, teeth grazing his earlobe a tiny bit and relishing in the small noise it pulled from the back of Simon’s throat.

“Oh. Well I think I can do that.” Simon said back, moving one of his hands from the front of Jace’s shirt to the back of his head, where he gently tugged the hair there and pulled Jace back into another kiss.

They did end up going to dinner on Friday. They went to Hunter’s Moon and Maia teased Jace for at least half an hour about how long it took him to realize that every time he looked away from Simon, Simon started to stare at him.

[firststudentofsenatehouse]

To Troll or Not to Troll...

Depending on who you speak to the definition of the word “troll” changes. If you are over the age of 35, you are forgiven if you think that a troll is some sort of mythical, cave-dwelling under the bridge sort of individual. However, in todays time this term has much more serious connotations attached to it.

Trolling is the practice of behaving in a deceitful, destructive and troublesome manner on the internet (Cheng, et al., 2017). Trolls consider their acts to be funny or meaningful, however their actions can be cruel, thoughtless and harmful. Buckels et al (2014) believe that boredom, attention seeking, vengeance, enjoyment, and a reason to start damage were identified as the main motivators behind trolling in their research. Whilst sadism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism are reportedly correlated with self-reported enjoyment of trolling (Buckels, et al., 2014). In Thompsons article (2013) he states that troll want to interpose their own emotional comments to lure people into a negative space. This action allows them to feel some sense of control over other people.

With the advancement of technology, I am of the opinion that social networks have turned into an ideal playground for some internet users to taunt, bully, torment and harass vulnerable people behind a pseudonym while being snug at home. Accordingly, they hide under a cloak of anonymity which allows them to engage with others without the possibility of being identified. Thompson (2013) however, argues that the problem with blaming anonymity is that one assumes that only people who act anonymously are trollers and that those who share their name and details are innocent. Facebook as a platform clearly displays that this claim is incorrect. Any member can post whatever they desire, especially ghastly comments under their name and can be free from any consequences. Those who use hate speech may or may not be deliberately posting to cause destruction but do so without being aware.  Subsequently, it is extremely challenging for large social media corporations to keep up with trolling on their websites.

I believe that social media platforms were not intended to be a dangerous place, but our misuse of them has made it so. Trolls have allowed for people to have negative experiences on social platforms. Individuals think twice before engaging in discussions, as their comments are not always accepted by trolls, which can lead to constant harassment (Stein, 2016). Numerous times I have read a post and have had an opinion that I would have liked to post. But due to the assumed backlash from trollers and people who are outspoken, it was easier to not post. Does this action make me a coward? Does it compromise the democratic thinking of “freedom of speech”? Should we not be able to post our own opinions into a new virtual sphere, without criticism and deliberate hate speech? Yes, trolls are given a certain amount of power by those who give it to them. But at what point do the benefits of digital technology become outweighed by the negatives associated with online harassment? Never will two people have the same opinion on every matter. The beauty of life is that we are all bound to differ. In our families and friend circles, we all differ but we do not label people or malign them – so why so on the internet?

Trolling has transformed from bulling vulnerable people in person via physical abuse or via what we say, to cyber bullying where a group of people gang up on a certain person/group and make use of hate speech to now trolling – a deliberate form of malicious behavior. Nevertheless, the public sphere is much more malicious to some than others. I do believe that this is because of the way we utilize it. If one doesn’t comment on public forums and engage with others, then the chance of you being harassed by a troller is slim.  An internet troll’s desire is to go out of their way to cause trouble and frustration for others. Numerous sporting forums are full of trolls, who like to stir the pot and frustrate avid sport fans who hold certain opinions of their idols. Notably professional athletes are constantly “player bashed” by trollers to mock them or to create a negative perception about them. Different people will always have different opinions about a certain player’s performance. Posts by trolls are frequently off topic which allows for negative attention on the poster. Marouanne Fellaini, a Manchester United football player is constantly attacked by Twitter trolls as a consequence of his football performances. People mock him and undermine him and his capacity to play football by creating memes of him; Twitter posts and mockery statuses. Personally, I believe that the outcome and persistence of a troller depends on how you react to it. The more one “adds to the fire” or pokes the bear, the more the troller will thrive on the attention and be victorious. Fellaini in this circumstance responded to the trolls by thanking everyone that posted the image and who had sent it to him (Express Web Desk , 2017). This action would have been the opposite reaction wanted by the trolls, and could have stopped the destructive behaviour on an individual.

If we want to liberate ourselves, we cannot tolerate those who seek to intimidate. It is easy to criticize people’s pictures and have ugly thoughts, the power lies within you – whether or not you will post something ugly in response. In order to combat trollers actions, one should report the online abuse to social companies. We should attempt to stop anonymity and start holding people reliable for their consequences. It is easier said than done, but if one does not action this and establish regulations this issue will only expand exponentially. Individuals that are joined as a community in certain groups should have rules about hate speech and the action of trolling. A representation of the group should be accountable to ban these trollers and attempt to put a stop to this spiteful action. The power to pioneer public speech, to participate in conversation and debate topics that we choose, is central to the establishment of a democratic culture.

Bibliography  

Buckels, E.,  Trapnell, P. & Paulhus, D., 2014. Trolls just want to have fun. s.l.:Bioinformatics  Journal Club.

Cheng, J., Bernstein,  M., Danescu-Niculescu-Mizil, C. & Leskovec, J., 2017. Anyone Can  Become a Troll: Causes of Trolling Behavior in Online Discussions. s.l.:ACM.

Express Web Desk ,  2017. Marouane Fellaini’s face becomes an internet meme. [Online] Available at: http://indianexpress.com/article/sports/football/fellainis-face-becomes-an-internet-meme-4789151/ [Accessed 29 October 2017].

Stein, J., 2016. How  Trolls are Ruining the Internet. [Online] Available at: http://time.com/4457110/internet-trolls/ [Accessed 29 October 2017].

Thompson, N., 2013. Internet  trolls: What to do about the scourge of the Web?. [Online] Available at: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/07/11/world/internet-trolling/index.html [Accessed 29 October 2017].

Wilson, J., Fuller,  G. & McCrea, C., 2013. Trolls and the Negative Space of the Internet. The  Fibreculture Journal, Issue 22.