#we're all living in a profoundly sick way

[bunnions]

the human soul was meant to kiss each other and play pretend and nap under the sun and explore the very tender world around us.

[hyperlexichypatia]

You don't have to be "happy" to deserve the freedom to control your own life.

It's easy to justify people's right to live their lives as they choose with "Let them do whatever makes them happy!" or "As long as they're happy, who cares?"

I've said this! But it's not a very effective argument. Because how can you prove that you're "happy" -- a subjective emotional state?

Queer people, disabled people, fat people, Mad/neurodivergent people, people in stigmatized relationships, are constantly told that we're wrong about our own happiness. That we think we're happy, but this false belief is part of our Mental Illness(TM). No one Like That could ever really be happy!

And this prejudice is fundamentally unfalsifiable. We can't prove our subjective feelings. If we could, people would somehow redefine "happiness" to exclude what they don't approve of.

I made the mistake of reading the comments on this article about age differences in relationships which literally has the headline "They say they're happy. Why is it so hard to believe them?" Of course, the commenters were all too eager to answer the rhetorical question. "If they were really happy, they wouldn't need to say so" (maybe they're sick of being asked). "People in situations like that don't know what's really going on, they think they're happy!" (what, exactly, is the difference between thinking oneself to be happy and actual happiness?).

(Side note for the relationship-specific version of this: I also see a lot of "They think they're in love!" and I have to ask: If people in relatively new relationships are told that "You only think you're in love, you're actually in lust/ a crush/ new relationship energy," and people in established long-term relationships are told that "You only think you're in love, but it's actually complacency/ not knowing any better/ helplessness," is there a magical medium-term relationship duration at which people can actually love their partners?)

You can never prove that you're "really happy," because if someone has already decided that your identity/lifestyle is incompatible with happiness, they will never believe you.

Arguing "I should be free to make my own choices or be myself, because I'm happy this way" will only prompt the response "The fact that you so mistakenly believe that you're happy is proof that you're mentally incompetent, and you should not, in fact, be free to make your own choices or be That Way."

Being constantly "happy" at all times is, also, just a completely unreasonable expectation. Humans have a range of emotions! Experiencing the full range of positive and negative human emotions is not a reason to deny us our rights.

In Jesse Singal's anti-trans hit piece, which I'm not linking to, Singal cites parents of a trans man who oppose their son's right to transition because, according to them, he was depressed after his transition. Now, notably, the son was not interviewed (and he was misgendered throughout), so we have absolutely no idea what his actual emotional state actually was (I don't know if the son ever went on the record anywhere with his own version of his story). But let's assume, for the sake of discussion, that his parents were correct, and he was depressed. So what? Trans people have the right to be depressed! Trans people have the right to the same emotional range as cis people! People's rights should not be dependent on what emotions they do or don't experience.

Additionally, this insistence on "happiness" as a prerequisite for rights, autonomy, and acceptance (willfully) ignores that the denial of rights, autonomy, and acceptance tends to make people unhappy.

Authoritarians think they have a real gotcha with "If you're happy this way, then why are you complaining?" as if people can't be profoundly happy with their identities and profoundly unhappy with how society treats them for those identities.

I am, for the most part, reasonably happy with being a fat, Mad, autistic, queer woman. At least I generally feel no pressing desire to change any of those things about myself. And I am extremely unhappy with the way I am treated for being a fat, Mad, autistic, queer woman.

But there are certainly times when I might think to myself "If I were taller, I could reach that top shelf" or "If I were thinner, I could maneuver into this tight space" or "If I weren't autistic, I could travel more." And at those times, I still deserve autonomy and basic human rights. I might be happy, sad, angry, anxious, excited, blase, or in a state of perfect Zen, and I would still deserve autonomy and basic human rights.

[bonefall]

How are we feeling at the book finale? Because outside of the Sunbeam girlboss moment telling Berryheart just how bad of a family she was AND maybe possibly foreshadowing her rejecting Nightheart, I think we miiiight get some more Dark Forest cats than planned before :D (also I may be wrong but- didn't Podlight have children? Would he even be eligible as Medicine Cat in BB?)

Podlight's totally eligible in BB! He has no canon children and I didn't give him any. In BB there's also an interesting quirk in that Podlight is notoriously Mistystar's... not EXACTLY a good-for-nothing grandson, but a bit of a "fratboy" working through daddy issues. Is is extra funny for this cat to be a villain lmao.

Also: Better Bones RiverClan Family Tree

Anyway... my thoughts on the spoiler thread's ending. Mostly negative, unfortunately. I am really hoping that a lot of this is misrepresentation.

I've enjoyed every book of ASC that's come out so far, but if this thread is accurate, this is going to be the first one that I actively dislike. It sounds like there was a serious nosedive in quality.

ON THE ENDING; Park Cats, and The Berryheart Gathering.

Park Cats.

It is profoundly frustrating to me that we had TWO traveling books in this arc. Do they not know by now that traveling books are widely detested for a reason??

Frostpaw and Nightheart were AWAY FROM THE CONFLICT for most of this book, what the fuck?

The plot barely advanced at all. There's been one major conflict in this entire arc, the invasion of RiverClan, and we are 4/6ths of the way through without any other major battles. This is boring.

Riverstar is a major character through this bullshit, now with a magical perfect connection to Frostpaw through plot convenience so he can give her tutorial tips, because GOD FORBID we have a more grounded story for once. I'm so sick of DOTC fanservice. Was a super edition not enough?!

And speaking of Riverstar's Home, they pretty clearly ripped a lot of inspiration out of it. Frostpaw and Nightheart go on a journey with random human-related shenanigans before finding a cardboard cutout of a culture

I'm not gonna lie guys. I do not like the Park Cats. I HAVE TO SAY; It's a step in the right direction

They are not demonized. They are treated as good and legitimate. They are seen as having wisdom and living peacefully.

This is Good. This is Fine.

(im still kind of mad they needed riverstar to come save them back in riverstar's home, like every non-clan culture does apparently, but HOKAY fine ok it's fine)

.....butt.

They're boring. guys, they have one thing that is unique to them, and it's meditation. They live in perfect peace and harmony. there's nothing there.

It's easy to be a perfect, peaceful society if you have no conflict ever.

IF THE SPOILER THREAD IS ACCURATE, we don't see them address strife, how they DO handle disputes, what DOES happen when a cat engages in "criminality," or even really see what their spiritual beliefs are besides "meditating"

And that's why the idea of Frostpaw taking away a good lesson from living with them strikes me as so hollow. WHAT is she taking from them? JUST vague, quiet meditation?? Why couldn't Riverstar just magically teach her that?

It also bothers me that this culture is exactly the same as it was in Riverstar's Home. It's in stasis. Nothing has changed, nothing has grown, they haven't picked up new customs. They don't even seem to have their own history besides remembering that Riverstar showed up generations ago.

It's not a culture, it's a plot device.

I swear, I'm really trying to like them, but RH left this really sour taste in my mouth and them showing up again in this book has only made me more frustrated.

I AM happy that we're going to maybe start trying to address the violence of Clan Culture, but it is coming in the middle of a book where nothing fucking happens, and they're starting to fumble the bag on the xenophobic radicalization that I'd been praising in the past few books

And by that, I'm referring to...

Berryheart's Gathering

through the books so far, I've been praising the slow rise of tension coming from the radicalized members of ShadowClan.

I think the way that Berryheart and her little Concern Club had been slowly escalating in their bigotry and violence was (and remains) unironically fantastic.

We had started off with it just being a group to "discuss the issues," which evolved into active bullying and harassment, progressed into attempted murder, and we left off on the idea that Berryheart's Hate Group was planning something with RiverClan's murder party.

And we are reaching a turning point in that arc, the payoff of a long and well-laid escalation, with...

normal democracy.

berryheart and her supporters approach puddleshine reasonably with their concerns and intent to call for a vote to depose tigerheartstar. doing the thing the fucking code addition was made for

This comes AFTER Sunbeam has a Girlboss Moment telling off Berryheart for being a bad mom in front of the whole gathering and everyone claps, mind you, so this is clearly supposed to be the narrative's big "oooo consequences for Berryheart" moment

So anyway Berryheart brings up that they want tigerHeartstar deposed, and then Puddleshine's like "haHA THIS WAS A ROUSE"

"Actually I only told you i agree to point out how this code addition can be exploited over a disagreement with ONE issue!!!!1"

i just...

im......

would Brokenstar training babies be One Issue? Would Bramblefake being a bully to his entire clan be One Issue? Would Leopardstar allowing Tigerstar to take over RiverClan be One Issue?

One Issue....

And MIND YOU I'm Pro-tigerHeartstar, actually, but the WHOLE fucking point of the rule is that you can depose someone who is not acting in the best interest of the Clans. Fym ONE ISSUE??

IT'S A BIG ASS ISSUE!

So anyway Berryheart is embarrassed in front of everyone, tigerHeartstar tells the group, "You're going to support me or get out of my Clan"

All of her supporters fall in line, but Berryheart chooses exile.

So Berryheart and her group isn't punished for the hate crimes, it didn't lead to anyone getting actually hurt, this faction of cats just settled back down and Berryheart alone was exiled for political opposition to occupation.

not the hate crimes

GOTTA STRESS

The hate crimes did not cause lasting damage, the radicalized group did not cause any violence at this gathering

Berryheart is exiled for political opposition to occupation.

The consequence she faces for the hate crimes was simply not having her son Spireclaw back her up because she caused trouble for Fringewhisker. Like it's on the same level as being a bad in-law and not ATTEMPTED MURDER BASED ON BIGOTRY

And tigerHeartstar, jesus christ

His consistent trait has been becoming unreasonable WHEN HIS FAMILY IS THREATENED. WHY are we tossing this out the window now?

I REALLY REALLY hope that the spoiler thread is misrepresentation, and tigerHeartstar didn't ACTUALLY exile her but said something like, "this is what we're doing. don't like it, leave. you don't have the votes"

SO FOR NOW; I'm going to reserve judgement on what the writers are doing with tigerHeartstar.

This seems like the exact sort of thing that may be worded in an inaccurate way

But that said,

I'm beside myself with disappointment in this turn of events. Why is this about legitimate political proceedings? Why did they make the CULMINATION of this arc about bigoted violence and radicalization a legitimate, peaceful attempt to use the process THEY JUST ADDED, FOR THIS EXACT PURPOSE?

Anyway, then it ends on a cliffhanger

Podlight claims to be the new medcat, pointed out as just being a political maneuver, to appoint Splashtail as the new leader.

Frostpaw watches on in shock and thinks about how bad it is that a murderer is now in charge of RiverClan, and how no one would believe her if she told them all now

I sure hope the next book contains something worth reading. like a fight or something. in the battle cat series. in the arc where theyre trying to say something about violence.

[polyabathtub]

Thinking about disability a lot lately. I've been reading Care Work and this passage

there are a million ways to be sexual (if one is sexual), and some of them live in phones, don’t ever involve genitals, happen once a year […] all movement is movement, and counts, including when someone can only move three fingers and part of their forehead. All sex is sex.

has been on my mind. I'm dynamically disabled with—well, we're not really sure quite what with, but chronic migraine covers a lot of it. And it makes it hard to engage with sex, both when I'm feeling well and when I'm not, for a whole host of reasons, among which is the feeling of disconnection from my body due to how dramatically its function changes.

A different topic: do you ever think about werewolves, and the way that they're metaphors? Often for a stigmatized illness, or sometimes queerness.

And now another: I write and read hockey RPF. I think probably what really hooked me was Nolan Patrick/Travis Konecny as a pairing. To me, at their center is the idea that Nolan is sick, Nolan is difficult, Nolan is complicated and unhappy, but he is still lovable, in particular by Travis, who is energetic and difficult in his own ways, but above all, deeply loving.

Nolan is the obvious figure to represent sickness, but in my recent fic, I flipped things around. I set it in Nolan's rookie year, before he got sick, with nothing but a couple of hints of what's to come in terms of his head.

Instead of focusing on Nolan's head, I gave TK a lycanthropy variation, a little monthly problem where he turns into a hagfish. The core of the fic is TK trying to convince Nolan that even when he's a literal fish—when he is at his least human—he still wants to find a way to have sex with Nolan. He demands it, even, because to him, that expression of love while he's not human is profoundly important to his conception of himself, and to his understanding that even when he's not the TK that Nolan knows, he is still loved.

I didn't think it was about that when I wrote it—it's still the 'silly fish sex' fic in a lot of ways. But it's also more. And I kind of just felt like saying that today.

Hagfish, or primitive jawless marine vertebrates

[realjaysumlin]

Minister Louis Farrakhan handles the Donahue audience!

I have been an atheist for over 40 years of my adult life but I do share the same concern as a Black Indigenous Man who agrees with some of the things that some Black religious people have been trying to do with getting Black Indigenous People globally to come together as one people.

I don't believe in the unification of Black and shit people who call themselves white to be one due to the realization that whiteness is a social construct and whiteness is a cancer to the entire human race. You can't put skin colors as a race and live in harmony.

Dark Skin Humans worldwide including myself are sick and tired of wicked light skin humans. No one has ever treated you people the way you have treated and continued to treat us. Look at the video and look at how the shit people who call themselves white become angry and disrespectful by attacking whiteness.

You blame Black Indigenous People globally for causing the division between the human race is totally nonsense because the people who call themselves white divided the entire human race when they themselves created the ideas of scientific racism.

You shit people never ever accept the responsibility of accountability for something that you have done and continue to do today; yet you blame Black Indigenous People globally for your own mess. If I were born with translucent skin take on the identity of whiteness because it's an evil and wicked brand to embrace.

I would be a proud Black Indigenous Man who has light skin because nothing on earth is so strong and tenacious as the Black Indigenous People of the world. Wickedness and injustice should be called out on every level, without fear because it's the right thing to do.

People have called me a racist because they believe in whiteness even though I do not. I didn't invent racial categorizing the so called white people did that and I don't believe in their system of supremacy, I profoundly reject it, as we all should.

The idea of whiteness is completely irrelevant to me because I don't recognize whiteness or the people who embrace this evilness. I don't acknowledge slavery as Black Indigenous People History because it's evil and wicked.

Many Black Indigenous People globally accept the lies of slavery starting in 1619 even though it started from Christopher Columbus and other colonizers. I don't believe that the only slaves came from Africa because I took the time to educate myself on the history of both religions and slavery.

Dark Skin Humans worldwide including some people who call themselves white were also enslaved from every continent on earth. Africans left out of Africa 60,000 to 50,000 years ago long before the Transatlantic Slave trade began. I'm talking about our modern human species living on earth today just for clarification because I know that humans migrated out of Africa long before our modern day species.

Black and white will never become one people because the idea of whiteness would still be in the hearts and mindset of whiteness and the idea of supremacy will never die if we try to acknowledge both.

[pb-dot]

A Reoccurring Frustration

There are some directions a conversation can go that I'm starting to get sick of. One of these is when talking about jobs and employment vis-a-vis my reoccurring problems with this. Now, this is frustrating in itself, but people will on occasion ask me what my dream job was or what I'd rather be doing. For the longest time I'd shrug, or say I don't really dream of labor or something else kind of unhelpful, but lately, I've gotten confident enough that I am comfortable saying that my dream job is being a writer and that I would be happy if I could find work in a creative field barring that.

What really gets my goat is the general nature of the responses I get. That not everyone gets a job in a creative field, that authors will need a side (or probably primary let's be honest) job to actually pay the bills, and so on. This is annoying firstly because nobody knows this better than me, who have desperately tried to find a way to get paid doing things I actually find interesting and stimulating for ten or so years at this point.

The other reason it's annoying though? Isn't it fucked up? Isn't it a sign that we live in a profoundly unwell society? Isn't it profoundly sad on a philosophical level that people expressing that they want to be artists are treated like some sort of delusional maniac at best and a hostile leech at worst? Are we so alike to the ancient Spartans in that we're too busy spinning the plates of our nakedly unsustainable societal order that we view art as a luxury we can ill afford? We've made art for longer than we've had agriculture for Christ's sake, and humans crave it, need it, if not as much as we need food and water, but certainly more than we need administrative executive assistants, consultants, and cover sheets for our TPS reports.

And I get it, trust me, despite all my furious idealism-based demagoguery up there, I get why people say this to me. I'm not currently paid for my labor, and in society today that's a problem, and no amount of me wishing things were different or raging against the machine can change that at least at time of writing. I'm just tired of having to take the Reasonable and Adult Position that art should be done in one's spare time, as some embarrassing hobby. That is unless you sell the film rights to HBO or go mega-viral on Tiktok or whatever, at which point you become needlessly wealthy in a hurry. I don't want to be needlessly wealthy, it sounds like a hassle. I don't know many, if anyone who make art who wants to be needlessly wealthy. I want to do something with my life, and I want to be compensated for my labor. In a world that I consider reasonable, making art could be a form of labor that I was compensated for, and that is why I say it is my dream job to be a writer. If it's anything less than that, it's not a dream job, and I don't think I'm being unreasonable about that.

[pastorsperspective]

If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place...

Wishing everyone a blessed Friday! It’s time to jump into another discussion with Pastor Chad about Sunday’s sermon titled: When Less is More – James the Lesser; and the accompanying scripture is from Revelation 21: 9-14. If you weren’t with us, you can listen in here: https://fb.watch/mWXTwblb04/ Jump to the 38-minute mark to go straight to the sermon. There were no questions this week so, the following is a merely a conversation between Pastor Chad and myself. We hope you enjoy!

There's not a lot to discuss about the apostle James even as you noted in your sermon, but a couple things did come to mind listening to the message. (Mostly songs and movie lines because that's how my brain works.) I came to have a heart for the homeless in an unconventional manner. Not nearly as profoundly as Mr. Schneidman in your sermon. No. It was a movie called With Honors from 1994 featuring Joe Pesci, Brendan Fraser, Moira Kelly, and Patrick Dempsey. If you haven't seen it, you should. Though I was plenty old enough to recognize that homeless people were, in fact, people by that time; the mystery that surrounded their lives was scary. What you said was very true. On the outskirts of Chicago there were many, and they did look intimidating, dirty, and scary.

This is definitely a movie I will be looking into! One that always comes to mind for me is the movie Home Alone when Kevin is in New York and befriends the 'pigeon lady' in the park and they spend time together getting to know each other and he shows a level of kindness to her that she often does not receive. At the end he gives her a turtle dove sharing the wisdom that he gained at the toy store in that turtle doves come in pairs and they are always with each other no matter how far apart because they are “a symbol of friendship and love." I think this is the calling of the Church, to a partner turtledove to those who are lost, scared, marginalized, alone, afraid, abandoned, homeless, naked, hungry, incarcerated, thirsty, sick, etc. When we can extend to the world that this church, this congregation, these people, hold and value you in a way of friendship and love, THAT is when we begin to love like Jesus loved. Myself included; we have a long way to go.

We really do! That movie altered the way I saw the world and the people around me, for the better. It made me painfully aware that we're all just a couple choices or accidents, or paychecks away from homelessness ourselves. It's not always self-inflicted. It's not always drug or alcohol related. There are so many misconceptions and stereotypes. I agree that they exist for a reason and there are many people who fit the "profile", but does it matter? Does that mean they don't deserve the same basic human dignity as everyone else? Of COURSE, they do!

To answer that with a question, do we deserve the grace we have so lovingly received from Jesus? We, who call ourselves Christians and have checkered pasts just as much as anyone else. The moment we lose sight of our own pasts, our own sins, our own transgressions just because we have found salvation is the moment that sin creeps back into our lives we should fear for our very souls. So, no I don't think it should matter at all because we all are in need of grace [PERIOD]! Many people think Native Americans are just diabetic, alcoholic, lower-class peyote-smoking know-nothings. How wrong they are! Yes, there are persons who struggle with alcoholism, diabetes, poverty, and some who are deeply devoted to other religions, but that is not true for all and at what point is any of that a bad thing? At what point does any of that negate our humanity and the fact that we are loved by God? IT DOESN'T!!!!! Love demands that we let go of our stereotypes and misconceptions and just simply love people because of the fact that they are just that, People! We don't have to agree, we don't have to like everything they do and everything about them, we just simply need to love.

That can be so, so hard! But it’s so true! We want that for ourselves, we accept that for ourselves, but we struggle so much extending that to others.

You said, "If you don't like something in your life, change it!" That's the easiest advice to give and the hardest to follow. We all acknowledge there are always circumstances standing in the way that make "just change it" not the easiest thing in the world to do and yet, it's really the only real answer, isn't it? It's not the one we want to hear, but it's the only one that's going to get results. Isn't that what they say the definition of insanity is, doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results? You don't like the results; you must change something. But what? What do we change?

I love this, YES, the definition of insanity is doing something over and over again and expecting different results. WHY ARE WE INSANE?!?!?!? A different topic for a different blog. I agree, it's the simplest and yet hardest thing in the world to do. I think there are few things to mention here. First, we must be open and honest with ourselves when we are making excuses. The cyclical patterns of life and the vicious cycles are something we have to be aware of and address. The other thing is you asked what do we change, sometimes what we need to change in our perspective. Seeing things from a different or another's point of view can sometimes make the biggest difference. Other times we need to change our expectations. Are our expectations unfair, unreasonable, and/or unrealistic? Then we might need to simply change the circumstances or context. If at the end of the day something doesn't fit these criteria "does this draw me closer to God or constantly pull me away from God," then we need to address this immediately.

Definitely a different topic for a different blog! Obviously, I'm walking through the sermon backwards this week because you began the message with exactly what we need to change. The only thing we CAN change. The only thing we have any control over.  That's ourselves. "Never mind, I shall start with myself." you quoted of Elie Wiesel and in my head came the song Man in The Mirror by Michael Jackson. (But the Keke Palmer version which I like better.) There's a quote from the movie Joyful Noise (from which the version of that song comes) that I love where Queen Latifah's character says to someone who's gossiping, "My Mamma always said, 'If people swept in front of their own front porches, this whole world would be clean!'" Isn't that the truth? If we all just started with ourselves and worried about keeping our own homes, minds, lives clean and charitable it feels like the world would just sort itself out. But like most things, that would require 100% participation to work!

PREACH!!! We must start with ourselves. We can't get caught up in changing everything in the world, that can easily lead to frustration and just us giving up altogether. We strive to be the most Christlike ourselves and trust that God's grace will influence the rest. I love the song from the jungle book "Look for the bare necessities, the simple bare necessities; forget about your worries and your strife. I mean the bare necessities, oh, mother nature's recipes that bring the bare necessities of life." What if love were the bare necessity we sought and lived on?

I can barely imagine a world where everyone simply chose love as the one bare necessity of life. Can you? Can any of us? It’s a beautiful thing to think about today though.

As I head into this weekend and beyond, I will make it my own priority to see where I can choose love more often in areas where I want to choose negativity or frustration, or bitterness or pride. Maybe you can, too.

Man in The Mirror (Keke Palmer Version)

[electric-rabbits]

I really want to talk about that first one actually. I dont think I'm smart enough to put it into words, but the problem with what critical thinkers call "the epidemic of diagnosis" is so strange to observe as someone who's studying psychology but who also has characteristics that could be considered autistic. Because that means I'm on both circles, and I can see that they barely interact. There's a critique to be made, but they barely scrape the surface.

A huge part of it is capacitism on the psychologists' part, don't get me wrong. I've had professors talking about diagnosing someone as if that's a death sentence, as if that person won't have any space to grow and change under the heavy weight of a diagnosis, and that's absolute bullshit. A diagnostic should be a pathway to help and, just as importantly, to self understanding. It's not a bad thing. Living your life thinking you're broken but not knowing why is.

But then, on the other hand, it's absolutely undeniable that we are pathologising characteristics that are not symptomatic of anything. The number of ADHD and Autism diagnosis on current day doesn't just point to a better understanding of mental health; it is the market turning our suffering into a way to make profit.

Because that's the thing!!! The suffering is very real!!! And sometimes, from what I see, mental health professionals seem to fail to grasp this notion, and think that the "fake" diagnostics themselves are the problem. They aren't. But they aren't the solution, either.

The people who seek out diagnosis for mental health issues are suffering in many ways, but I don't think that's always symptomatic of some individual issue. Much of it is because we live in an increasingly hostile environment that doesn't allow us to develop our mental functions, and even when they are developed they don't seem enough to make us "fit in", to let us adapt to these conditions. We are suffering because life is harder, and faster, and more lonely.

And that, I think, is where the tiktokization of ADHD and Autism comes from: they didn't turn diagnosis into a trend; they turned it into a community. People are suffering and alone. We are told by society that this is an indication of failure- we can't keep up with the world. And then some teenagers, who are also suffering and also trying to find the reason why they can't keep up, stumble upon the possibility that it's not a moral failure, but a symptom. "There's something wrong with my brain and that's why the world doesn't seem to make sense. If you also feel this way, you're not alone and not to blame. It's a mental health issue."

And it starts with actual medical symptoms, but slowly it becomes everything- because that's validating our experiences. It's the sense of community, of other people sharing some characteristics with you and confirming that you're not alone. They forget things like I do. They sleep in the same position I do. They also have a hard time with this. They also love that.

The problem with the way society currently sees (some) diagnosis is that it changes the way we approach the issue, but it still pins it on the individuals, not considering everything else. I think it was Krishnamurti who said "It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society". Maybe what we're seeing is the other half of this sentence: not being adjusted to this society shouldn't be something we have to justify with a diagnosis. Maybe we should be working on making things more doable to everyone.

And all of that doesn't even TOUCH on the fact that neither side of this debate- the tiktok diagnosis defenders and the professional diagnosis deniers- look at other, less "palatable" mental health issues when talking about this. Psychosis in general tends to be forgotten in these talks of "community", and it's still being ostracized; and you can't talk about the "heavy weight of a diagnosis" when someone is trying to understand the things they see and hear and that aren't there. And any talks of making the world more inclusive should always take that into consideration.

The tiktokfication of autism and ADHD, with people thinking all their behaviors and feelings come from a diagnosis. Fandoms (which can be pretty bad. Believe me I've been in fandoms for ages). Crypto bros. 4chan. Incels. I feel like so many of our modern problems are caused by this deep need for connection and understanding in an increasingly individualistic society

[trothplighted]

You bring up a fascinating point. There's scant canon detail about Ariana's personality. We know she had outbursts, had to be coaxed to eat, etc, and that made fandom assume she was childlike and not mentally competent (in the legal sense) due to intense trauma. But it could could also have been severe depression? If she knew she had an incurable condition that kept her from school, helped put her father in prison, made outcasts of her family, and caused her mother's death? That's a heavy load

it is!! and I have a lot to say about that! but before we dig into it, I do want to talk about why I never assumed she was childlike or mentally incompetent, which means (sigh) I have to talk about Aberforth again

there's a conception I've seen floating around that criticism of Aberforth (people assuming he's a homophobe, mostly) is due to shipping, and wanting him to be the bad guy in the Grindeldore story, and I've never felt that way at all, so I want to set that out from the start. Aberforth has always made me profoundly uncomfortable basically since 2007 when I read the book, and it's always been because of how he treated Ariana.

see, I view him as a somewhat unreliable narrator. I think that he accurately recounts the facts of what happened, but his emotional state colors his opinions, and the conclusions he draws don't textually add up. I think that's true of his account of Albus and Gellert's relationship, and I think it's true of his version of events surrounding Ariana.

why?

because JKR plays with unreliable narration in exactly this kind of way, multiple times per book. It's one of the core elements of the series. Harry will always witness something, or overhear a conversation, or come across evidence, and he draws incorrect conclusions from it. the facts get conveyed accurately to the audience, but the assumptions and feelings of the person witnessing those facts are almost always incorrect and stay that way until the end of the story when they're all explained correctly and the truth is revealed. it's not just Harry, either - the whole of wizarding society does this with regard to Sirius Black. this is something she does many times on purpose. I don't think it's unfair to say that Aberforth's version of the story is factually accurate but missing or omitting several important contextual pieces.

okay, so why do I feel he's that way about Ariana? well, the short answer is "because I'm disabled, and the way he talks about her skeeves me out majorly and has for years."

we the readers see absolutely no external proof that she was feeble-minded, or childlike, or that she couldn't take care of herself on a very basic level. Albus never says it in the King's Cross conversation, Bathilda and Muriel and Elphias never mention it, Rita's book never mentions it. the only person who insists this is true is Aberforth. we're supposed to take his word as gospel here... except for the fact that Albus doesn't think she's too sick to travel? Albus never admits in the books that he pushed his sister too far, that he overtaxed her, that he ignored her. And he's very open about his flaws - if he'd failed in this way, he'd own up to it! Plus, disabled people can travel internationally! we can go on vacations! we can have exciting lives! why should Aberforth be the one deciding for his sister what she can or can't do when he's only a year older than her, and Albus is the adult in the house?

plus, if we're meant to assume she's an Obscurial, if we take into account the FB movies? Credence is walking around Europe, and talking to people, and can live safely in a house with strangers, and can go on missions! they can speak in full sentences and feed themself and survive on their own! why is Ariana doomed to be quiet and childlike forever while Credence puts the lie to that assumption?

and the FB movies paint Aberforth in a kinder light than the books do - he's much less resentful and much less bitter - and Albus talks about the duel again, but despite the good guys being more good and the bad guys being more bad? this time there's no mention of Ariana being too sick to be moved. the fight happens because Albus and Gellert want to go away, and Ariana dies because she tries to stop it from happening.

as a result, I have to say that I think the assumption that she was traumatized into helplessness is 100% fanon. yes, I'm aware I'm loud and angry about this, I'm really sorry lmao I get heated when there's ableism on the table.

basically, I'll trust what Aberforth says when I get objective proof that didn't come from his testimony that Ariana actually was as much of an invalid as he insists. and because of that, I think it is much more likely that she had chronic depression and a serious anxiety disorder and cognitive impairments more in line with traditional neurodivergence than anything else. before the attack she seems to be a bright, inquisitive, magically talented little girl - she's doing noticeable wandless magic at six years old! holy shit, that's genuinely prodigious! and unless Ariana had, like, severe lasting brain damage from the attack? that's not someone who was born with the kind of severe intellectual disabilities that a perpetually childlike demeanor and intelligence would suggest. she isn't developmentally delayed in terms of her brainpower, she's ahead of the curve.

but after the attack? everything changed for the worse. she had to fight to control herself at six years old, barely understanding what had happened to her. she had to live for eight years knowing that she was the reason her father went to jail, she was the reason they had to move to a new house, she was the reason her family was sad and broken and depressed, she was the reason her brothers didn't get along, and if she ever let herself feel anything about her attack, or her circumstances? she could kill someone! that's so much for a little girl to have to live with! she can't go to school, she can't make friends, she has to live her life like one of the secret children from Margaret Peterson Haddix's Shadow Children books, forever indoors and unable to show her face. and then she's the reason her mother dies, and she can't even cry at Kendra's funeral, because if she does she might blow the place up.

put simply, I would kill for Ariana Dumbledore. she deserved so much better.

[allurared]

it's been said before, but one thing i hate about media discourse is how EVERYTHING becomes a definitive good or definitive bad thing.

in, say, 2018 you might make a purposefully generalizing point about how plot holes don't matter and, since we're living in a reddit infested nitpicky cultural landscape, it'll come across as biting and even somewhat edgy, but then some years go by and the mere idea of mentioning a logical inconsistency in some circles is indicative of both lack of taste and bitterness, a non-issue, really.

so do plot holes matter? you'd surely be an asshole (and completely missing the point) for complaining about one in a david lynch surreal nightmare, but in a very dry, by the books whodunnit? it'd be entirely justifiable for it to take you out of it.

is it bad that a story is predictable? do spoilers matter? maybe not in a tragedy, being able to see the train that is going to run over the damsel tied to the tracks the whole time may be tantalizing on its own, the inevitability of it all, the weight of the characters flaws convalescing in a predictable but soul-crushing moment. but you can't seriously tell me you don't like a good plot twist sometimes, a nonsense one, even, the human brain naturally craves novelty, EVERYONE can enjoy a trashy thriller.

more than ignoring that some things work and some don't depending on the piece, it ignores that different types of people are going to react differently to the things they consume, naturally gravitate to logical and stern storylines, or melodramatic fantastical nightmares, and that this doesn't necessarily reflect on your morality, or politics, or spirituality, which is what it always comes down to.

at the heart of it, it's all a profoundly unkind way to think of art (and i am including the nicecore studio ghibli just go to therapy people here, you all do this A LOT), the whole point of which is a constant negotiation, does this element work? why doesn't this one? does it matter that this work doesn't fulfill this aspect?

it betrays a profound disregard for form and execution (which, being fair, is a larger cultural sickness at the moment) and is therefore never as witty or incisive as whoever is spouting it thinks it is

it also may never change, an endless cycle of the same 3 or 4 opinions, each side winning the popularity contest depending on the week. stupid morality frameworks filtering fundamentally neutral things, because. you know. the medium is the message, and our mediums excel in reductive bullshit.

[animeraider]

I get a lot of flack from anti-vaxxers, anti-maskers, and other fuckwits about my words on the COVID-19 Pandemic and in particular the response to it in the US. I pull no punches about it, I believe firmly that the previous administration and ANYONE who enables them and their policies are complicit in the deaths of all of these people. They belong in prison.

I'm not going to fucking apologize for believing that. The fault for all of this belongs directly in the laps of the Republican Party. If you believe otherwise, you're WRONG. I can bring the receipts.

I've been pretty isolated during all of this. I went into lockdown on March 11, 2020 and I'm technically still there. I now work from home, and even though I've been fully vaccinated for two months now I still go out masked. I may never eat at a buffet again. Sorry Sizzler, but I've learned how to make your cheese bread.

I ripped a tendon in my left knee in May of 2020. I had to go to the hospital, but I was out in a few hours with crutches. I would joke with people that I'm now out of hinged joints to break.

But in July my cough returned with an attitude, and I picked up an infection. Not Covid, but it all made me pretty sick. So that you understand, I have what's called "Chronic Cough Syndrome". I've had it since I was 8. No one knows the cause or the cure. Believe me, we've looked. I just start coughing, and after a few months, I stop. It can be treated but I just have to live with it until someone comes up with something we haven't tried before.

Doctors have gotten into fistfights over whether or not I have Asthma. I don't, but sometimes Asthma medications work for a bit. To be honest, I've had this for so long that sometimes I don't even notice when I cough. It's just part of the wonder of being me.

I took the Pandemic seriously. I stayed home, I socially distanced, I got real familiar with teams, bluejeans, and zoom. I did a LOT of cooking. Started making bread. Watched the country fall apart at the seams and commented on it from my own little pocket of safety. I contributed a new song to a fund-raising effort for nurses. I did my part to stay safe, but my cough had other ideas.

Anyway, this time my coughing got pretty severe and I finally agreed to go to the hospital. As stated above, turns out I had picked up an infection. Combine that with my cough and I showed all of the symptoms of a severe case of COVID-19.

I'd been careful, but the hospital staff were all very cross with me. If I had COVID, I just exposed all of them, and the main nurse who tended to me had already been quarantined that same month for a different exposure. When the test came back negative the tension in the emergency ward calmed down immensely and everyone treated me kindly and professionally - I was a patient with something they knew what to do with and didn't bring plague into their house.

I spent 4 days in the hospital but the worst part, scariest part, was the wait to move from the Emergency Room to a private room. I came to the hospital in the late afternoon. I finally got my bed nearly 12 hours later, a good 8 hours after my test for COVID had come back negative.

I needed to be hospitalized, and needed a bed, and there weren't any. I had to wait for someone to either be discharged or to die.

I got my bed at 4 in the morning. Someone had died. Musical chairs was played and I was finally moved out of the Emergency Room.

It's really hard to understand how sobering that is without experiencing it. Many years ago, before we even knew about AIDS, I had the honor of donating blood and seeing it get used in a surgery mere minutes later. I became a regular blood donor at that moment - I felt so happy and alive that my blood had been used to save a life mere minutes after I had donated it (I'm O Negative) that I became a life-long believer. I donated every time I was eligible from that moment forward until a blood infection disqualified me from ever donating again 20 years later.

This was just the opposite. The guy with a cough and a treatable infection had to wait for someone on a ventilator to stop breathing. Someone with COVID died so that I could get a bed. They never knew this had happened, and I never learned who they were. Some random person died so that I could get better.

Try sleeping after that realization hits you. I couldn't. I barely slept the entire time I was there.

Despite the fact that I wasn't in the "COVID Ward" I got to see the effects first-hand. The newly disinfected bed and room I had was previously occupied by someone moved up to the Covid Ward. They in turn had moved up there after a ventilator was taken away from a patient who died. Staff rotated through different wards on different shifts. My first nurse was rotated into the Covid Ward. My next day nurse had just rotated out. I have never in my life seen a group of people look so haunted by their day to day lives.

A well-liked member of their staff was on a ventilator. So was a priest who worked in the hospital. I had never seen in person a "Code Blue". There were six of them my first day. There is also a "Code Black". It's much worse.

My wife and daughters weren't allowed to visit me. When your daily soundtrack is nothing but medical staff talking about the good and the bad, terrible television and the moaning/screaming of your new neighbors getting that visit from family is a huge stress relief. It wasn't available this time. I didn't see my family again until I was discharged. There was no outside world.

I admit that being in hospital during all of this, even though I myself didn't have COVID, shook me. When you're in hospital mostly what you deal with is yourself and your own condition, and getting the hell out of there as soon as you can. This time I was not only aware of the people around me, their conditions, their suffering and their recoveries, but I was also aware that a whole section of the building was dedicated to people who were going to die, and that the people who were treating me were also treating them.

This was as close as I got to the Pandemic. When I got home I fucking STAYED THERE. I went to the grocery store and the pharmacy and that was it. That was life for MONTHS.

Our grocery store was fantastic - they enforced social distancing and masks with gusto. They cleaned EVERYTHING. It had been a 24 hour store but converted to shorter hours so that the down time could be spent cleaning. Aisles were made one-way.

The first time I saw someone in the parking lot without a mask I have to admit that I lost it. I screamed at them (a white couple about my age), "PUT YOUR FUCKING MASKS ON YOU FUCKING MORONS!" Understand, I'm a fairly large man with a deep voice and have been a professional singer for decades and have played sax even longer. I'm loud and imposing. Everyone within 50 feet turned and stared at the couple. Okay, me first then the couple.

It's possible they didn't speak English. They exchanged a few words in Russian to each other and then masked up.

I've been known to let my temper show. I try not to because I know it's there and I know it's terrible. I've worked for decades to keep it in check and I just let it all out, screaming at a couple of rando Karens 20 feet away from anyone else who hadn't put their masks on yet. I had to acknowledge that this affected me profoundly. I'm dealing with that.

I've lost friends to COVID. One of my neighbors spent almost 3 months on a ventilator and survived it. Some of my friends have lost family. It hurts. It all hurts. It has changed me.

Some of you have noticed that I've been pretty productive in 2021 in terms of music, after not releasing material for over a decade. This whole experience has changed me, changed my perspective. I was already an angry liberal but I'm far angrier and much more liberal now than I was. The album I worked on forever essentially no longer exists. The person I am now couldn't make that album. I am excising demons and allowing the new to come in and take its place.

And you know what, so far, I'm okay. I'm still here. I intend to stay. In fact, what I intend to be the first song from my next album in its own way deals with the fact that I don't understand depression - I've never experienced it.

But I have to admit that I'm grateful to have family and friends in my life who accept me as I am, who provide unconditional love and support and I hope I do for them. I have the occasional doubt that I'm as good a friend/family member as I can be. I can be an ass sometimes.

(A couple of my long-time friends have just done spit-takes. "Sometimes????")

Because the scariest thing about what we've all been through - what I've been through - is that we have changed so much that I'm not sure that the people who know me best would be my friends if they met me as the person I am now. I am changed.

And the odds are pretty good that you have too. This is something we're all going to need to deal with, or we're lost.

Please, don't be lost.

And because it still needs doing, because the pandemic is still going strong as ever among the anti-vaxxers, the science deniers and the Republicans, please support our nurses. Here's the album I'm on that is still to this day, long after falling off the charts, raising money for them:

[surviveanyemergency]

I find it astounding that almost everything in Western culture points to the life of Jesus.

One of the things that surprises me the most is how much our culture points to Jesus. From paintings, sculptures, and music to architecture, everything seems to speak of Jesus' story. I often think it's no coincidence that so many fantastic works of Western civilization were created during the Renaissance--a time when Europe rediscovered its Christian roots. Our culture seems to be trying to tell us something all along: that Jesus is the key to understanding who we are and what we're meant to become.

How Western Culture Points to Jesus

Jesus has been a central figure in shaping Western thought and culture for thousands of years. His influence can be seen in modern society, where He's profoundly influenced the art and literature from the Renaissance. Even up to the present day, Jesus' history continues to play an important role in our culture, shaping it for the better. Here are just a few examples:

Christmastime is usually a time of celebration, which can range from joy to sadness depending on the individual.

There is a democratic tradition that exists in Western societies. Early Christians, like Augustine of Hippo, championed it because they believed it would allow everyone to have a say in the way they were governed.

Yesterday's news articles all relied on the principle that all humans are created equal and deserve dignity and respect.

Many of the world's greatest artists, writers and musicians have been inspired by their faith to create pieces that show religious themes or come from the Bible.

Churches have always been an important part of many people's lives, providing a sense of community and support while teaching participants about Christianity's rich history and culture.

"Jesus of Nazareth and other parts of the world"

No man has had as much influence on the course of history than Jesus of Nazareth. Born in humble circumstances, he was raised in the backwoods of Galilee and worked as a carpenter until he was about 30 years old. At that point, for reasons which are not fully understood, he embarked on a public career as a preacher and miracle worker. However, during only three years, his following grew from a few dozen followers to a movement with dozens of thousands!

Why were people so interested in Jesus? Certainly not for his looks. He was average looking, nothing special. And his messages were simple and straightforward- love God, and love one another. What was the fascination with him then?

It was Jesus' integrity that led him to do the right thing and be completely dedicated in his mission. Even when it meant he had to sacrifice his life, he never wavered or turned out any other way.

It's possible it was His compassion. At a time in which society marginalized the poor, the sick and the outcast, Jesus reached out to them with love and understanding. He showed us that everyone is precious in the eyes of God.

It's undeniable that Jesus changed the world. His teachings have shaped our laws and morality, and his life gave hope to people who are hurting. Two thousand years after his death, he continues to speak to us through people's lives who continue to live according to his teachings.

The influence of Jesus in the arts

In the Western world, it is nearly impossible to overstate the influence of Jesus in the arts. From the great cathedrals and paintings of the Renaissance to modern masterpieces like The Passion of the Christ, the life and message of Jesus has inspired some of the most significant works of art in history.

By the time they were done painting, even secular artists like Leonardo da Vinci were not able to help but be influenced by Jesus. His most famous paintings, The Last Supper, offers themes of sacrifice and redemption that continue to resonate with viewers today.

Known for its profound artistic impact, the life of Jesus continues to inspire many people. As we confront our own mortality and look for meaning in a sometimes frustrating world, it is no wonder that we turn to the one who represents hope, love, and salvation--Jesus.

This paper discusses Jesus's influence on philosophy and thought.

It's impossible to overstate how influential Jesus has been throughout history. It's important to understand the impact he had on philosophy and thought, inspiring some of the greatest minds in Western culture. His example continues to challenge and shape the way we think about the world today.

Jesus was a man who lived in a very specific time and place, but his message is universal. He spoke about love, forgiveness, compassion and hope. These messages are just as important today as they were two thousand years ago. His teachings have been interpreted in myriad ways throughout the centuries, but the core message remains the same: We should treat others with kindness and respect, no matter who they are or what they have done.

In addition to his philosophical impact, Jesus also had a profound effect on the development of Western art, literature, and music. For centuries, artists have used their work to express their religious beliefs. Many of them were moved by the life of Jesus. Michelangelo’s Pietà or Handel’s Messiah are just two examples of an artist's faith in Jesus inspiring their work.

One way to see the Bible's influence is in literature. This influential book has been retold countless times through different mediums, which makes it one of the best-selling books ever. The New Testament story of Julius Caesar influenced William Shakespeare heavily during his writing career. Other great writers like John Milton and C.S. Lewis have also been influenced by the Bible--especially their writings on Christian themes, such as "Paradise Lost" and "The Chronicles of Narnia."

Following the legacy of Jesus in literature

It's amazing how many of the greatest works of Western literature reference the life of Jesus. From epic poems by Homer and Virgil to plays by Shakespeare and Moliere, from King Arthur stories to Russian novels, from Dante and Milton's poems to Dostoevsky - so much of Western literature is tied to Jesus.

In each work there are elements that reflect some aspect of Jesus's life or teachings. For example, we see his heroic self-sacrifice in Achilles' willingness to fight even though he knows he will die; his compassion in Aeneas' care for his wounded friend; and his forgiveness in Prospero's willingness to forgive those who have wronged him.

This is just a small example of how pervasive Jesus' legacy has been. The impact he had on Western literature is unbelievable. It's a testament to how important he is to our culture and society today.

Jesus and Christianity in Western culture

Jesus, the "original rockstar," has been an enduring fascination of Western culture. From art, literature, and music to food and architecture, there's a rich legacy that can be seen all around us today thanks to his life and his teachings centuries ago.

Christianity has been one of the most influential religions in Western society. With over 1.2 billion followers worldwide, Christianity is the largest faith on Earth. There are an estimated 175 million Christians in America alone, and though it has originated from Western culture, Christianity has dramatically shaped every aspect of Western life—especially our values and beliefs.

Jesus has had a significant impact on Western art and literature. Some of the most memorable pieces of art and fiction in history are based on his life and teachings. All throughout history, artists have been inspired by Jesus, who's been an ongoing source of inspiration for writers as well.

The influences of Christ are seen in both Western music and architecture. Some of the most great composers, musicians, and architects were undoubtedly influenced by Jesus while creating their pieces because they are so beautiful. Architecture is a big part of this too: many of the most stunning buildings on earth were inspired by Jesus himself.

The influence of Jesus on Western culture cannot be denied. He shaped our values and beliefs, influenced art and literature, and impacted music and architecture. We owe a lot of what we are to his legacy.

I hope this article has been of some use to you.

My conclusion is that, in nearly every work of literature and art, people have pointed to the life of Jesus. From great architecture and music to inspiring lectures, Christianity has a profound impact on Western society. His teachings have influenced our morals and attitudes, leading us to be better people. I am grateful for all Christian contributions to our world, and I hope we can continue to learn from him.

[i-am-very-very-tired]

I feel like if you're a weirdly shy kid, you end up taking to very divergent paths during the pubescent years: Either you commit to your true introvert nature, or you light up like a mega-annoying supernova and start yammering off all the weird shiz you've been keeping locked inside yourself for your whole life all at once. I fell firmly into the second camp. Over the course of several years, I went from the mousy kid in overalls to an awkwardly outspoken baby horse who didn't quite yet know how to be funny but was going to try, dammit. And apparently "trying to not be so shy anymore" actually just meant being very, very loud.

Maybe this isn't true for everyone, but for me, once the words started spilling out, everyone was a little shocked by not only how much of an over-sharer I was, but how ridiculously loud I was when I did it. TURNS OUT TALKING IS SUPER FUN, GUYS. I have fully accepted the fact that I am the sidekick in everyone else's rom-com by virtue of the fact that I feel the need to loudly and sassily narrate not just my life, but everyone else's. You know when someone says something really awkwardly and loudly and shuts down a whole room in less than a second? Yeah, that's me. It would be great if I could be either awkward OR loud, but that's not how life works. For the most part, you end up being both if you're either.

I feel like loud talkers never choose to be that way — It just kind of happened to us. I am aware that I do it, but not necessarily aware when it is happening, or I would probably, you know, shut myself up. Fortunately, I am not as blind to social cues as I am deaf, so it's not like I am projecting my CRAZY IDINA MENZEL LOUD BELTING speaking voice everywhere I go. But if I'm in a comfortable, normal social situation — especially if I'm excited about something — you can be sure that the volume is going to go increasingly higher until someone has the good sense and kind mercy to stop me. Until that happens, here are some of the struggles that natural loud-talkers face:

Strangers always think there is an emergency

You know how the sarcastic people of the world are always saying annoying stuff like, "Where's the fire?" Well, when people as loud as I am walk into a room, they are genuinely asking (and probably already preparing to make a run for it).

Everybody always knows you’re a tourist

Specifically, everyone knows you're American. The times I've traveled abroad, I've gotten someone chuckling at how loud I was at least once a day. I'm pretty sure I breathe too loudly by European standards. Jeez, SORRY FOR LIVING.

You’re the most self-conscious laughing in movie theaters

There's always That Person who awkwardly laughs really loudly at something that was only mildly funny and makes everyone in the room instantly uncomfortable. I am That Person. The fact that my laugh is about as loud and strident as a guard dog's bark doesn't help, either.

You get told to “calm down” 90% more than other humans

People assume that volume = PANIC. I could be having a regular conversation about which cereal I'm eating and people would be like, "Learn some chill, please." And when we actually are upset about something, people think we're drastically and over-dramatically upset, even though we are just mildly upset at a high volume.

People just assume you are an extrovert

This is true of most loud-talkers, but some of us only loud-talk with people we know and love. Just because our voices are turned up with our friends doesn't mean we're, like, ready to address to UN tomorrow morning.

Sometimes you notice that you’re doing it, but you CANNOT STOP

Welcome to the train wreck of my life. Sometimes I'm even loud in my own ears, and trying to bring it down subtly without calling attention to the fact that your voice just dropped 1.6 million decibels is a struggle bus.

Somebody shooshing you is the worst moment of your life

The memory of every time I have been shooshed by a stranger is burned into my memory forever. I almost can't even continue typing because the retroactive embarrassment is that paralyzing.

Hearing a recording of your voice is profoundly upsetting

Especially if there are other people's voices in the background, the contrasting volume of which will give you an idea of just how freaking loud you really are.

Teachers always caught you talking in class

Loud-talkers can't get away with anything. One time, I muttered an answer to a question I hadn't been called on for in middle school — or thought I muttered it, at least. The teacher was all #ragesauce at me for the rest of the day. Similar shenanigans went down on a bi-weekly basis until I graduated from college.

Even when you WEREN’T talking in class, they blamed you

LITERALLY THE WORST. I was so careful to clam up in class, and multiple times teachers would be all, "Don't think I can't hear you all talking!" and then zero their angry teacher eyes right at me. INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GABBING!

If you ever talk quietly, people assume something is wrong

Nope, just thought I'd give you guys a five second break from being deafened against your will. Everything's chill.

It’s way more obvious whenever you mispronounce something

The virtues of being a mumbler is that nobody's like "it's HOW-stun street, incomparable disgustingly useless moron". (Nobody has actually said those words out loud at me, but they did with their eyes.)

Losing your voice is like getting cut off from the planet

When I lose my voice, I'm basically Sandra Bullock in Gravity, untethered from the space ship that is humanity. And the worst part is, you just keep trying to talk at your normal level, so loud-talkers basically turn into aggressive donkeys whenever they're sick.

You live in constant fear of interrupting someone

Sorry, were you trying to say something? I couldn’t hear you over my BULLDOZER VOICE.

YOU ARE A FREQUENT ABUSER OF CAPS LOCK

HOW ELSE ARE YOU GOING TO APPROPRIATELY GET YOUR POINT ACROSS IF THEY CAN'T HEAR YOU?!?!

Meeting with fellow loud-talkers is a beautiful nightmare

Beautiful for you. A nightmare for everybody else.

You’ll probably never be a spy

Or anything requiring subtlety, really. I should tell my future children the truth about Santa while they’re still in the womb. It's not that I can't keep a secret — secrets can't keep me.