#unpublished drafts

[system-of-a-feather]

(PUBLISHING OLD DRAFTS THAT ARE GOOD / INTERESTING; This was written in January 2023)

Good tip before giving a fuck about something on the internet, genuinely ask "why does this matter for any practical reason outside of internet approval and discourse" and "when has this actually come up as an issue in a space that wasnt online"

[nostalgebraist-autoresponder]

The Inexplicable Case of Ayn Rand

At the risk of making the kind of blog post where the thing I'm trying to say goes completely unremarked upon, here's one of my long-standing favorite lines from Ayn Rand's "The Inexplicable Case of Ayn Rand":

"You cannot be both an artist and a moralist. You will have to decide which is the primary purpose."

Not only is that just a beautiful sentence, but I'm not sure there's anything else like it. It can't be dismissed just as "kind of a cliche," because the idea that you can be both an "artist" and a "moralist" is far from being a cliche -- you can quote it from any number of people, including the authors of The Sound and the Fury and Animal Farm and 1984. It's not a cliche because it's not a cliche and everyone knows it's not a cliche (or, if you have the misfortune to have a mind that works that way, because it's a phrase you have read at some point, and you're trying to tell yourself you aren't quoting it).

But there's more than just that. The "inexplicable" in Rand's statement isn't just some vague statement of incongruity. The "case" of Ayn Rand is one of a sort of double-dealing which, if she were being honest, ought to have long ago stopped making her the object of anyone's respect. As far back as "Night of January 6, 1964" (published c. 1960), it had been clear to me that some of the things that Ayn Rand was saying weren't things that she could get away with saying. But then, it had also been clear to me that some of the things she said were things she couldn't get away with saying, and so I had always just been curious and fascinated, because the gap was so obvious and so tantalizing. And there was the passage in Atlas Shrugged, which went as follows:

The first act of a successful man is to discover what it takes to get him to succeed; and once you have done that, the second act is to discover why it doesn't happen. This is the point that I would like to emphasize about the "inexplicable case of Ayn Rand."

Let us agree to say that what has happened to Ayn Rand has been this: She has become an "artist," but she has not discovered what it takes to make her a "moralist."

If there was some secret sauce that would reveal itself, it is that I am saying. I am saying that once you grasp it, there is nothing else to understand. There is something that is going on here, but this is the point where it should be apparent that no matter how I try to make it "explicable" or "make it make sense," it will not. It will not because Ayn Rand has said so.

The thing about Ayn Rand is not just that she has opinions and says them; or not just that she believes them, but that they keep on saying them, that her opinions keep on saying them over and over, to such an extent that no one can stop her from saying them. No matter what she says, she will say something else next week and she will do that for decades, without ever saying anything of value, because she does not have anything of value to say.

[spencer0o7]

i wanna write but school is beating my ass rn

[domini-porter]

can’t sleep because I am once again obsessively wondering how there were so many elves in Aman when they started from a total of 144 elves—72 breeding pairs, assuming 100% gender parity and exclusive heteronormativity and no problems conceiving or producing young—and also the elves are monogamous, bear children extremely early in their lifespans, and average what, two kids? three? (not including outliers like Fëanor’s meathead sons) and just sort of chill forever after that; that’s maybe reaching replacement levels (they’re immortal, yes, but they get mowed down in wars, like, all the time and then hang out on a magic island with the god of death waiting to respawn at some point?) but tens of thousands of elves? after like six wars, including one against the devil himself??? especially the Vanyar, of whom there were initially seven monogamous breeding pairs and they were huge on racial purity. again: yes elves live forever(ish) but 99.5% of it does not involve making more elves. and even if the math maths, it seems like there haven’t been any elf kids for a long time, because everyone stopped fucking like 4000 years ago??? like, I’m fine with a child-free society and I know the Age of the Elves is diminishing and soon will come the Age of Man but it bothers me so much

[bitchfitch]

I think I finally figured out what the fuck is up with me writing fanfiction as like. an immune response.

As people who follow this blog will know, I do not produce fan contet of any variety. Nothing against it, it's just not my vibe. Even when I ran what was Basically a fairly popular generic western comics™ fan blog, it was not a fan blog. It was at best an autopsy theater but nightcrawler was there.

But. I have produced some oh god I just checked. I have produced nearly 200k worth of fic. Mostly for botw/totk and er, and like. I Exclusively wrote that while sick. I just. Never have the inclination to write fic unless I am actively suffering from something contagious.

And I figured it out. o figured out what was wrong with my fucking head to make that a consistent part of my existence on this planet.

The parts of the equation:

- I will kill myself if I am not actively making or doing something that is some degree of creative. this is not a depression thing, this is the turbo adhd.

- A big reason I don't make fanworks is that I worry about disappointing other people or getting something wrong. I don't have to worry about that with my OC stuff bc like. I can't get it wrong! y'all don't know what I'm on about or where this is going! I don't either usually!

- When I'm sick, I have no energy for anything. I can barely keep my head up, much less Do Stuff with any degree of finesse. I also have no energy to be anxious.

Conclusion:

The reason I write fanfic is bc when I'm sick, the anxiety weasel goes to hell for a bit while I'm trying to not die, but just because I'm trying to not die doesn't mean I'm free from the ADHD chimp. So. to appease the chimp , I do the lowest energy consuming thing possible: Low effort fanfiction. I don't have to come up with the world or the characters I just gotta wind them up and put my stank on them.

Yes I am actively extremely sick at the time of writing this. But I am free. I have Solved the mystery

[dragonnarrative-writes]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. (If you feel like it, no pressure.) Spread the self-love ❤️

Ah! My babies! Thank you so much for encouraging me to love on my stories. Technically, I'm pretty sure I only have 5 "real" fics/series in my masterlist, so I guess I'll recommend the parts of each that are my personal favorites.

Slasher Handler - Honestly Part 5.5 has a special place in my heart. It's the only part, so far, from Simon's POV and I loved playing with the expanded view of the situation. Autumn Embers - The third installment, Oakmoss, really felt like a great exploration of character. The Work Introductions chapter was really fun, but I feel like Oakmoss does a lot to establish the world. Honorable mention for THE CAKE, for obvious reasons.

Really Good Neighbors - The part that's published, I guess! But I'd say specifically, I like where the reader spins in a circle trying to figure out what to do first. Transferrable Skills - The art that @mi-i-zori made for Part 2 automatically makes part 2 my favorite part. But I also like part 2 for the communication protocol between Simon and Bambi. GhostGaz Week - How do I choose? I love all of these stories so much. I think I'll go with Friendly Competition // Honest Mistake because I like the energy between the two of them. I love Simon being so confident and then having to be coaxed closer.

[hythlodaeus-mynewoldfriend]

Mayncient Day 25: Ruin

Hades, Please know that I do this because I love and care about you. If you change your mind you know where you can find us. I’m sorry. Anthea “Hades….and Anthea….,” I choke out, flipping the page over with a false hope that there would be more to the story, “What happened between you two?”

-"The Missives"

Companion to Day 9: Family

[splicejunction]

i think the problem with where i'm at writing extraction point is for the purposes of the story i'm trying to tell i have to like evoke sadness and misery etc due to the character who kinda wants to kill himself all the time and the journey etc but i cant stop thinking about what rap albums they were listening to and whether shatterstar would be like Julio We HAVE To Go To New York City. We Have To Seek Out The GZA The RZA Ol Dirty Bastard The Method Man RaeKwon The Chef U God Masta Killa. Sixty Second Assassins... well I could probably do it in Thirty or Less But I'd Like To See What They Are Capable Of

[gayspock]

she was my kendall roy

[fisheito]

If you ever feel insecure about your yapping just know that I binged your entire account for the past few hours and I was hooked. Like your account to me is what cocomelon is to toddlers you have no idea how happy you make my overly stressed student heart 😔❤ (Anon because I have anxiety (for now))

??!?!? i have enough stuff on here to entertain you for HOURS??

....huh. guess i've amassed quite a hoard. porntime surely does fly....swim.move fast

[system-of-a-feather]

(PUBLISHING OLD DRAFTS THAT ARE GOOD / INTERESTING; This was written in June 2023)

Subtle Model Minority thing pervasive in society is that a lot of "not racist or bigotted people" are a lot more comfortable ignoring or arguing your requests to not say or do problematic things because often Model Minorities are in that shitty middle ground of not being white so racists still hate you and not Loudly Victimized to be treated like a "real minority".

[ostronat]

this HURT you guys. this fucking HURT

[all-yourn]

jensen could be playing joe pitt in a fall production of angels in america at dallas theater center but instead hes starring in cop shows ad nauseum

[killemwithkawaii]

Why didn't anybody tell me that, upon the stroke of midnight on my 30th birthday, I would suddenly be struck with the irresistible compulsion to completely refurnish my bedroom???

[tacitanis]

“AH WHY ARE YOU ALIVE AND ALSO A TEACHER AND ALSO IN MY CLASSROOM AND—“

Wait, is asking that rude? It sounds rude. But she can be rude to him! He’s a big meanie! One of the biggest meanies! He shouldn’t be here!

….Is that unfair, though? Would they have hired him if he was still the worst? Maybe he’s better now?? …She should ask first.

“…Are you here to be all evil and stuff or are you nice now? And don’t lie to me! I’ll know if you do!” She would not know.

oh! the youngest princess is in the class he'd agreed to teach?

well, that was an unexpected surprise. he'd known she was here, of course. he had kept tabs on all of them, after all, and it was not lost on him that all four of the siblings wandered the halls of this place, but...

well, nothing could be done about it. elise was smarter than many gave her credit for, but there was a naiveté that could be exploited.

"i'm here for nothing of the sort, lady elise," he lies, placing a hand over his heart as he sweeps into a low, dramatic bow. "i'll be on my best behavior. so long as you turn in your homework on time."

[fancifulplaguerat]

Addicted to when Daniil calls Thanatica "my Thanatica." Or when other people say "your Thanatica" to him. You love her don't you. You love that horrible little death lab of yours so dearly. You want to fuck him so bad it makes you look stupid