#well in least in my area its dominated by white men lol

[hoodienanami]

its pretty funny when ppl say you cant be punk and bigoted at the same time when 1) the ppl who created punk were all some of the most bigoted ppl you’d ever meet and 2) if you actually participate in the scene you will encounter truly disgusting amounts of misogyny and racism

[everydayanth]

Question re: cultural appropriation: I am Vampirically WhiteTM (I combust/evaporate if exposed to sunlight over 5 seconds), but I sometimes do *all* my hair in tiny, uneven plaits that don't hug my scalp. Answers on various forums seem to only distinguish between big/sparse braids & Black hairstyles, so there isn't a nuanced answer for, "This style isn't Cornrows but I *do* use all my hair." [1/2]

The intention *isn't* to cuddle up as closely to traditionally African styles as possible, but rather so I can take the braids out 3 days later to poof up like a lion/Princess Merida. Humans are a braiding, weaving species, I really do like doing this thing, & I'm not always of the mindset that just b/c something *might* be problematic, I should just bend to my anxieties/White Guilt. Am I still sending the wrong message with my style? [2/2]

Honestly, I have to start by saying I’m a white female, so the action/consequence of this process holds no harm over me and therefore my answer cannot speak for the people (black, specifically women) being potentially appropriated. I can only speak of my own development and understanding of appropriating black culture, specifically with hair.

I grew up in a “black neighborhood” (a problematic concept in itself) and in school, we sat in a train-line of girls during read-aloud and braided each others’ hair. I learned to braid black hair by 2nd grade. We were kids, we saw the differences in our phenotypic traits, but we adapted and didn’t mind much. One time a friend tried oiling my hair and it did not end well, lol, I was a greasy mop the whole day. Braiding was culturally relevant to us as friends, but also to me as an individual: my mom would braid my hair on her good days. In the summer, she would put my hair in many tiny loose braids, similar to what you described, not cornrows, but small braids because it was hot and we didn’t have ac and it was an easy solution. We were judged accordingly based on uniform and size and I distinctly remember the day I learned about the use of a long pinky nail, lol. I didn’t think about it much until I got to high school, then college and studied social science and talked to POC friends there and really began to understand the problems. 

It’s not the act of wearing your hair in a particular style, we humans learn from each other, we copy, we reproduce, we recreate, and we do it for decoration and efficiency or usefulness. Every culture plays with hair and braids and for every example of appropriation, someone has a counter example perceived to be “their ancestors” or some sort of genetic heritage (”I’m 1/32 Native”) giving them rights to partake in a specific kind of decoration or practice. But that’s not the issue. The issue is that when black people, specifically black women, wear their hair in braids, they are treated disrespectfully by our society, while when white people, specifically women, wear locs or braids, they are often rewarded for being worldly or exotic or interesting. 

There is not a common consensus; “black people” are not made of a uniform opinion, and whether something is problematic or offensive varies from one person to another. Appropriation, however, is a little easier to spot because it comes with a reward to some but with a punishment to the people who owned, initiated, or historically created or utilized a thing in the same way.

Black hair and hairstyles have been historically degraded, and its easy to think we live in a better world, but when Kim Kardashian wears “boxer braids” it becomes a trend, while Sasha Obama’s braids were criticized or attributed to past trends rather than her own rich ancestry. When Zendaya shows up in beautiful dreads and dressed to the nines, she is met with racist remarks, while Christina Aguilera’s were considered an “urban” phase.

Appropriation comes from capitalizing off something that isn’t yours, or that you can remove from your identity should the oppressor challenge you (thus why “white-passing” is often part of the conversation). Actively fighting against it means educating yourself on histories of oppression and abuse, modern social perspectives of white privilege, and what we do with all those pieces. 

Black girls are sent home from school or suspended all the time for wearing their hair naturally, in traditional styles, or in styles like weaves that make black hair easier to manage in a non-African climate. Loose braids worn by black girls are still condemned in schools today, while white girls back from Jamaica go unpunished and their braids and beads remain a symbol of money, experience, and privilege. Black men, as well as black LGBTQ+ individuals, are also judged harshly by different (often white-dominated) groups for their own styles and are definitely part of the conversation. 

Understanding the role of hair in culture and seeing the ongoing inequality is the most important thing we can do. Ideally, someday, we live in a world where we can all do what we want so long as it doesn’t harm another person, but we do not live there, and BIPOC are much more subjected to policing of their images, bodies, and especially hair than white people. 

Hair dressers learn white hair by default, not both, most kids never learn about different hair textures or the evolutionary purpose for the differences, they simply learn that one majority group can do whatever they like without negative reinforcement, while the other must adhere to strict rules to emulate the look of the majority with chemicals, expensive tools, and treatments, or be mocked, judged, degraded, and not able to participate in society without fear or ridicule of their personhood, their bodies, their natural selves, as well as the potential loss of job security, violence, or harsher social punishments, like ostracization, being jailed, or murdered by police without consequence. How a majority identifies an “other” has historically included hair texture and style as well as skin color.

Personally, I think intent matters. I don’t braid my hair anymore as a public style. Sure, I braid clumps of it while watching TV or hanging out around the house if I want something of a uniform wave (my mom has type 3 and my dad has type 2 and I got a franken-head of both lol), but I don’t wear many braids as a style out in public. Wearing braids as a young kid made me look like the girls in my class, it connected me to the people around me, and I was subjected to judgement by the black moms based on quality (at least those who spoke up, again, I was a child). I was blending, but when I got to high school, I realized that wearing braids brought an attention with it - oh, you’re interesting, or pretentious, but for my POC friends, employers made them remove braids. They heard condescending things like “your hair is too ghetto” while I began to hear that I was the “ghetto friend, wow so cool and cultured and street smart.” It was always insulting, but one is shittier (you know which one) because it is only condescending, and seeks to erase culture and judges based on racist biases.

If we normalize black hairstyles through popular trends, that seems like a good thing, right? But if white people are the ones normalizing it, then the agency of black people has been taken away from the black communities and restored through a white-savior complex. Not free will or choice, but through the appropriation of their own culture which then replaces the act of demonstrating culture (like wearing braids) as an act of the oppressor mocking and being praised. 

I know or plenty of white girls who wore braids or dreads or black hairstyles as a counter-culture identifier, in the way of popular artists and celebrities, but also activists and stoners appropriating Rastafarian culture. This makes black culture a counter-culture instead of an aspect of American culture or black culture within America that is respected and valued inherently. It otherizes, fetishizes, and tokenizes black culture, takes advantage of the current racist system and white privilege/bias, and gains an aesthetic. That is an intent to appropriate for social gains, and it’s all over the music industry and Hollywood. 

At the end of the day, I don’t think my opinion here can matter, I’m not harmed by your action. Braids are braids and I have a... not-normal history of exposure and love of black hair that most white girls don’t, but even then, I had to grow and listen and understand the nuances of my environment and the society around it. Is it different wearing styles in the middle of nowhere with no social interactions vs. posting on social media or interacting in society? Yeah, I think it is.

So I suppose the sum of the parts is:

Are you benefitting socially from wearing your hair this way? If so, then yeah, that’s sucky for the BIPOC people being pushed down for doing the same and is harmful appropriation. How you measure that seems to depend on intent, so the bias of wanting to keep doing something you like has to be accounted for. 

Is your intent to fit an aesthetic? If so, yeah, definitely a problem. 

Reflect on why you like doing this, what is it you gain or feel or imbibe or get out of the experience in the first place? I’d say at the end of the day, know the history of oppression that exists in America and around the world. Being aware and able to identify appropriation in media, pop culture, and everyday life, as well as the history of it, allows you to be an ally.

And finally, do you listen to what people are saying?

If/when people say things about your hair, understand that you are a social exception to the style and address it. I do think there is a responsibility to engage in these conversations when we ride the line of these grey areas, like when culture is shared with us, to what extent we participate and own it is 100% dependent on that relationship. Be willing to hear black people if they say it is uncomfortable, listen to what they mean, have a conversation about it and be willing to let go of a thing you want if that is the feedback you get.

I think a lot of appropriation comes from the denial of history and the ignorance of oppression. If Kim K made a statement that said “these aren’t boxer braids, they are cornrows, worn by African American women for centuries, mocked and ridiculed by white culture, but have been an efficient way to manage African textured hair in the new climate environment of the Americas when forced here as slaves. Many were forcibly shaven, but for those who were allowed to express themselves in small subtle ways as slaves, through jim crow, and even today, the decoration and design of cornrows was and is incredibly meaningful.” That’s a different conversation about appropriation, that’s using privilege and platform without placating or denying the experiences of others to educate and address appropriation, rather than solely profiting off the attention and claiming to create a “trend.” Black hair is beautiful and should be appreciated and allowed to be as bold or big as an individual wants it to be. 

Hair is one of the coolest, most useful phenotypic traits of thermoregulation in humans/primates, and science still has a few questions yet to research regarding the evolution of different textures and colors. Your own hair texture can change over time, as you grow, especially in women, depending on hormones, especially through pregnancy, nutrition, and chemical treatments like chemotherapy, as well as genetics, and even environmental changes in water hardness, haircare routine and treatment materials. 

With slavery, migrations, immigrations, and other historic and contemporary movements of humans comes the issues of adaption and change to fit the new environment, fighting forced assimilation, colonization, denial of cultural expression, and active racism. We need to be able to talk about these aspects of race in society and listen if and when people say what we are doing is harmful. I think the most important thing to do is educate ourselves on the purpose, history, and meaning of a thing, particularly if we are gaining positive attention from it while others suffer for it. Talk to people of color around you who are willing to offer an opinion, and listen to them. Research the history and speak up when you see the double standard in practice. 

My line is here: if I can find evidence of a POC being criticized for a style (and it’s not my natural hair), I’m not going to wear that style in public or on social media, but I am going to praise it, and criticize those racist comments degrading or demeaning it, I will champion it and demand schools do away with discriminating hair policies, and ask my library to spend money on children’s books about black hair, and do the work of finding black people voicing their opinions, or having a vulnerable and authentic conversation with a friend, then listen and make a judgement from there. If the consensus is that the style is harmful and you continue to wear it, then yeah I’d say that’s a pretty bad message that says: I just don’t care, I want to do this so I will. 

This follows a moral judgement for me: if you love someone and they tell you a thing you do is actively harming them and show you evidence of the harm (as in: it’s not just annoying, but actually harmful to them), but you continue to participate in the thing, that’s not love. I can’t fully picture the specific style, and I don’t know your intent or if/how you gain from the style, so I’m having a hard time forming a full opinion. Is this a style that has been addressed by black communities as harmful? Is it a few different styles put together? Are you in a diverse place, are you criticized for the look, is it even a look to you? 

Personally, I’d say it rides too close to the line for my own comfort and I wouldn’t be wearing a multi-braid style in public (as in more than two, I rock the french-braid pigtails while hiking because its easier to find ticks), but again, I’m not someone who would be being harmed by it. I often try to resist judgement of strangers’ hair unless I know them and their background or platform, because I don’t know their culture, ancestry, or heritage, so I don’t hold others in society to the same standard as myself.

I’d love to hear other peoples’, particularly POC, opinions and experiences with hair and appropriation. 

If there are a few un-uniform braids, is it different than many uniform loose braids, what about compared to cornrows, where is your personal line? Is it different from your social line? How would you judge or hold people accountable in society?

P.s. Thanks for asking and trying to learn more about the potential social impact you are having. I think that’s a great step toward a more equal world that can appreciate culture without taking advantage of others. It sounds like you’re trying to do your research to learn more about whether your action is having a negative consequence, and I appreciate you taking the time to be vulnerable and research and question yourself. I think that also has to be rewarded.

[suhoerections]

Hurt

Pairing: Mafia!Kyungsoo x reader

Genre: Smut, angst, bit of fluff

Word Count: 5k

Warnings: mention of death || spanking || sir kink || sadistic/masochist behaviour || hair pulling || lots of degradation || mention of guns and blood 

Not recommended for readers under 18 

A/N: lol I’m actually posting now hehe

Tag list:

@strikingsilouettes @thesoondongiefiles @ninibears-erigom (this is cause i’m on yours so) @chanyeolol (uh i thought you’d like it you can ask to be removed if you want) (shoot me an ask or smthn if you wanna be on my tag list cause i’ll start one of those)

The limousine smelt like expensive leather and it hyped you up.

Tonight was your night.

The silk dress fell past your boobs, exposing your cleavage and the slit on the side of the exquisite fabric exposed your legs, the midnight blue silk complementing your body perfectly.

Jongdae grabbed your hand lightly in his, the calloused skin coming in contact with yours to guide you out of the car. If looks could kill, you and Jongdae would be assassins; the deep blue silk of his dress shirt absorbed the light bouncing around outside the mansion, he looked dashing and sexy, the color of his attire matching your dress.

“We’re here” He said casually, once again taking in your body with his hungry gaze.

A smirk fell across your features as you noticed more stares from men walking past in expensive suits.

“About time,” You teased, causing Jongdae to smile cutely.

His arm wrapped around your waist as he led you through the large entrance way of the mansion, into the party. An intricate glass chandelier hung between the deep red carpeted stairs, a large archway off to the side revealed the movement of jewel clad bodies, expensive champagne glasses catching the light, twinkling invitingly. Jongdae led you through the archway, a smug smile planted on his face as he walked in with you.

It was high class, A-list, and you could tell by the way women walked past with crystals adorning their neck that cost more than your apartment.

Some remote part of you grimaced at them, the way they let their money carry them, though you hid your disgust, you had learnt to mask it with a smile. Years of being part of the mafia does that, allowing you to mask yourself with a facade. Though that life was left behind you, the habits still clung, like dirt stains you couldn’t scrub away. It caused you to blend in well, with your fake smiles and small talk with other people.

There were times when your mask broke away. Only when you felt a gaze bore into you across the room, the stare causing a scowl to creep its way onto your painted lips.

It wasn’t hard to tell who it was, his looks causing a fire to light up on your skin, one that used to have you crumbling at his touch in nights filled with sweet exchanges and hot sex.

You knew having Jongdae’s arm casually wrapped around your waist wasn’t helping either.

But that was the plan, show him that you’d moved on from him, and his lying mouth.

Jongdae hummed, his lips grazing your ear gently, “I’m going to get a drink from the bar,” his breath tickled the sensitive skin of your neck as he whispered gently, “stay here sexy, I’ll be right back.” Jongdae breathed, his lips parting to nip your ear lobe discreetly, his hand squeezing your hip before sauntering off, grazing your ass as he pulls away.

“You’re an idiot,” his voice startled you, the deep sound causing an onslaught of chills to rush through your body, old memories resurfacing at the sound of his voice.

Your lips pursed in a tight line as you turned around to see Kyungsoo standing behind you, dark suit making him look handsome as ever, short, black hair styled back and his lips, you forgot how beautiful they were, how they felt.

“Why?” You asked curtly, not wanting to let him indulge in your lingering gazes.

Kyungsoo cocked a manicured eyebrow, his perfect lips parting to elicit a scoff. “Jongdae’s a honeytrap, you’re being baited.”

Your eyes rolled at his comment, annoyance running through your body. Of course Kyungsoo would pull some shit like this, he never did hesitate to lie to you, your past relationship with him proving that. So why the fuck would you believe him now? After all the shit he put you through. So you didn’t, your brain dismissing his accusation completely.

“Mr Do, I believe you shouldn’t be throwing out accusations like that,” Your eyes narrowed and a scowl resonated on your delicate lips, the glossed skin pulling back in disgust and annoyance, “you have no proof and why should I believe you.” You spat the last syllable with enough poison to make a regular person cringe, but not Kyungsoo, he stood stone faced and clearly pissed. You could tell he was angry by the way his lip twitched at the corner and his knuckles were white from how tight he clenched his fists.

“Everything alright, sweetheart?” Jongdae asked, arm snaking around your waist while his gaze evaluated a fuming Kyungsoo. A smug expression fell upon Jongdae’s face as he surveyed the displeased male in front of him, a cheeky hand reaching up to brush a stray strand of hair behind your ear.

You smirked, reaching up to cup Jongdae’s cheek, the skin soft and tempting - your body leaning into his instinctively, moving to press up against him.

“It’s fine now that you’re here,” The words were like honey, slipping from your lips in a slow and seductive voice, a painted nail of yours raking gently down his cheek. Jongdae shivered at the touch, his own hand running down your waist to cup the curve of your ass gently.

Kyungsoo watched, his eyes dark with rage, looking toward Jongdae with a promise of death and you felt it. You felt the fury radiating off of him with murderous intent, one you knew he would carry out - especially with Jongdae touching his things.

“I’m glad I could be of service,” He growled lightly, eyes glancing to Kyungsoo, his own protective gaze challenging the male witness.

The tension was thick, and you felt it, the two men sizing each other up, yet you made no move to break it, only trailing a finger over Jongdae’s midnight blue top, tracing patterns into his silk shirt.

“I think you should leave,” Jongdae urged at Kyungsoo, who was still witnessing the scene.

The man was infuriated, his eyes glazing over, hand creeping into his jacket where you knew a gun was situated, ready to be pulled on anyone. “No, I think you should-”

“Kyungsoo. You heard him, we don’t need you lingering here,” Your tone was laced with a new found confidence, one you never threatened to use against the purely dominant male.

He scowled, his plump lips curling back in an expression only given to people he had intentions to kill. Though he had enough self control to walk away, his polished shoes retreating away from you and Jongdae.

“What an ass, wonder who lodged the stick up his ass?” He chuckled, his face not far from your own.

You huffed a smirk, leaning up slightly, eyes flicking to Jongdae’s tempting lips. “Not sure and I really don’t care,”

He smirked back, lips curving, inching toward your own in a slow descent. “Neither,” Jongdae breathed into the space between you before closing the gap and bringing his lips crashing into yours. The kiss was enjoyable to say the least, his own pressing against yours heatedly despite the publicity, but it didn’t spark anything in you, not like Kyungsoo's kisses which had electricity coursing through your veins, a feeling you craved.

It felt wrong, your body rearing away from his kiss that seemed to go south as soon as you remembered Kyungsoo, still staring at you from across the room. You pulled away, chewing your lip nervously, your teeth kneading the flesh in anxious motions.

“What’s the matter?” Jongdae whispered, his swollen lips slick with spit as he spoke.

“Nothing,” You lied, leaning up to kiss him again. “Maybe we should go to a more private area, though?” The question falling off your lips temptingly.

Jongdae smirked at your words, snaking you through the bustling bodies of the crowd, out the archway and down a secluded hallway, the only noise filling the tense air was the click of your heels on the marble floor and his hurried breathing.

It wasn’t long before his hands flattened on your hip, pushing you against the wall, lips crashing against yours. Jongdae’s actions reflected his desperation, from the way his mouth worked against yours hungrily, to his wandering hands, squeezing your boobs harshly, your own laced in his hair, opening your mouth and letting him in deeper with every desperate kiss.

Jongdae was forced off you suddenly, a tall, bulky frame replacing where he was.

“Got you, dirty bastard,” Chanyeol sneered. It was almost surreal seeing Kyungsoo’s right hand man after so long, his muscle filling out and he seemed almost impossibly bigger, or you just forgot how tall he actually was.

Jongdae yelped loudly as the barrel of a gun was pressed to his forehead, Chanyeol shoving a hand under his silk shirt to pull out a small, black mic.

“I told you,” Kyungsoo’s voice filled your ears as he rounded the corner, his presence overwhelming you as you took him in.

Chanyeol growled as he pushed Jongdae against the wall next to you, the hearty sound echoing around the hallway. “I’ll have fun watching what Sehun does with you,”

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, unimpressed by Chanyeol’s brutality. “Yeol, take him to Sehun, but don’t do anything until I check up later. Understood, Park?”

Chanyeol shoved the barrel of the gun harder against Jongdae’s forehead, forcing his head back onto the wall. “Fine.” The syllable was barely understandable as he sneered, his mouth curved to expose his teeth in a predatory fierceness. A harsh tug on Chanyeol’s behalf almost had the honeytrap falling flat on his face as he was half dragged out of the halway.

“Now that that’s dealt with,” Kyungsoo purred, eyes boring into you with such an intensity it had your lungs contracting for air. He only laid a gaze on you yet you were bared for him, your body reacting and ready for anything. His hand reached out tentatively, cupping your face with such a contrast gentleness that his eyes contradicted.

“Soo,” It was a breathless nickname that fell off your lips but it was all he needed to urge him forward, Kyungsoo kissing you with such a stark softness. It made you melt, your body relaxing into his, leaning into him to deepen the kiss, yet still keep it sweet.

A small part of your brain writhed and hissed, like a cat backed into a corner, urging you to get away, to shove him off and scream abuses that he deserved. Yet you didn’t, the sheer bliss coursing through your body telling that rabid cat part of your brain otherwise, the fact that what was happening felt right.

Kyungsoo made no move to deepen the kiss, like it was his intentions to keep it sweet, just his lips pressing against yours with a firm reassurance, only pulling away to gain his breath.

“You still love me,” He whispered, the words shocking you like someone had dunked ice cold water over you.

“No, I-” You were flustered and quick to respond, yet silenced by another soft kiss.

Kyungsoo’s lips moulded your own perfectly, causing you to melt into him once again, your arms instinctively wrapping around his neck, fingers tangling in his hair to tug at the short locks.  

“Don’t deny it, your body isn’t,” His eyes were trained on you intently, surveying your defeated expression.

“Kyungsoo-” You went to speak but he silenced you again, this time with his words.

“You didn’t even have a valid reason for breaking up with me, you just picked up your shit and left. Not a word, I was broken. I thought you loved me. And here you are, acting needy over some dick head to make me jealous?” Kyungsoo shook his head in disbelief, his words changing the mood between your exchange.

A fire blazed within you, how he could be so selfish as to say those things when he couldn’t comprehend what it was like for you.

“I loved you Kyungsoo, fuck I loved you so fucking much it hurt. But it was too much, your lifestyle was too much, and after Minseok…” It caused a strain in your heart to even finish the sentence, emotions flooding your senses as you recalled the event, his bloodied body prepped and primed as a display for everyone to see.

“Then why didn’t you come to me!? Talk to me!? I would have helped you. I would have supported you.” His voice was hurt, the noise filled with incomprehensible emotion that plagued the hallway with an unnamed sense that changed the mood dramatically.

You felt a pain in your chest, a gut wrenching fist to the stomach feeling that had your eyes prickling with tears as you witnessed Kyungsoo’s chest rising and falling with frustration, eyes dark and swirling with an unnamed intensity.

“I didn’t know how to react, I’d never lost someone like that before,” despite your passion for the subject matter you couldn’t help but keep your voice quiet against his fiery gaze.

A growl sounded from the base of his throat, a deep and hearty sound that shook you to the core, one that resonated in your own chest through the deep vibrations. “I thought our relationship was stronger than that, I thought you could at least talk to me, I thought we were working,” His plump lips pulled back in a sneer to expose his perfect white teeth. “Well, obviously we weren’t.” Kyungsoo spat the last sentence, his tone bitter, complimenting his resentful expression.

“Soo….” The cute nickname fell off your lips in a broken word, your voice cracking to mirror your cracking heart. It hurt to see him so hateful and angry, especially when it was directed at you. The once intense love you felt for him somehow resurfacing as you witnessed the broken man in front of you. It was stupid and erratic to feel like this about him, after all that he did to you, the lies he fed to you on a steaming platter of what he called ‘love’.  

“I just didn’t want to come home one day and see you like,” you gulped midway through your sentence as you spoke, tears threatening to fall at the side of your eyes, “like I found Minseok.” The sentence finished with a pained sob that fell off your lips as a teardrop slipped down your cheek.

Kyungsoo’s eyes changed from intense and hateful to compassionate, his resentful persona dropping like a curtain. He leaned in slightly, hands moving to cup your cheeks lovingly as his lips pressed against the wet skin of your cheek, kissing away your tear gently.

You weren’t sure how long you both stood there, your sobs filling the stagnant air while Kyungsoo kissed away the tears that streaked down your cheeks, his thumb gently caressing the skin of your jaw. He waited for you to calm down, for your chest to rise and fall evenly, the sobs to stop coming out of your mouth in painful cries as your thoughts swirled with what ifs and the memory of Minseok.  

“You broke up with me because you didn’t want to lose me?” Kyungsoo questioned, his forehead pressing against your own.

“And you lied a lot,” You countered a bit defensively, trying to justify yourself a bit.

“Sweetheart, I never lied to you about myself, only about mafia affairs, and if you knew that information you would have been put at risk, which is the last thing I want to do,” He said plainly, “you’re just telling yourself that because you didn’t want to admit that you were too scared to lose me.” “No, I-” “Prove me wrong then, give me at least one example of when I lied to you not surrounding my work or why I had been out late at night, and even then I would tell you it was work business that you shouldn’t worry about, so give me one. Tell me when I lied to you and made you untrusting of me.” Kyungsoo spoke calmly as he interrupted you.

You stood there, mind churning and looking for at least one time he did it, yet it turned up blank, your memories a steaming pile of bull shit as you realised the truth.

“I- I’m sorry,” You said realising your mistake. It was funny really, how your brain was so caught up on Kyungsoo being such a bad person it fabricated its own web of lies to justify your break up with him. Yet it was wrong, he treated you right in the relationship, he was a great boyfriend really, caring and loving. Kyungsoo was right he only ever did lie when it was work related, and his words changed your view point on him.

“That’s what I thought,” Kyungsoo spoke smugly, “You have to admit I’m right, that I treated you right.”

Your lips parted to elicit a sigh. “You’re right,” you said blatantly, letting him absorb in his self righteousness.

A smirk fell upon his features as he leaned in to kiss you gently on the lips, thumb finding the bottom of your chin to guide your mouth open weakly, letting his tongue slide in. It was a sweet exchange, your tongues clashing against each other in a slow dance, your lips acting as a guide.

The kiss soon escalated as you wound your fingers in Kyungsoo’s short hair, tugging on the black locks gently, your body pressing flat against his on instinct.

A throaty groan left his lips as he pulled away, slightly breathless. “Fuck sweetheart.” The juxtaposed statement fell off his lips as he ground his bulge into you, the hardened dick rubbing against your abdomen.

“You gonna fuck me against this wall, Soo?” You asked the question innocently, tugging on his hair a little bit harder, using your nails to scratch his scalp, making him let out a delicious moan of ecstasy. Kyungsoo tugged his swollen bottom lip into his mouth, his eyes looking to you with pure desire.

“I don’t want the first time we fuck again to be a against a wall,” And that was all he said before his hand gripped your wrist tightly, pulling you toward the main entrance and up the red velvet clad staircase.

The clicking of your heels was muffled by the blood colored carpet, absorbing the noise of you and Kyungsoo’s hurried footsteps. It wasn’t long before he turned sharply, tugging you into a room.

The room was luxurious, a deep black rug laid out upon the marble floor, accentuating the cold modern finishes around the room. The bed was high and plush, various pillows scattered amongst the top, making it seem like the perfect place to do more than sleep in.

Kyungsoo was quick to close the door behind you both, turning the lock ensuring no one would disturb you.

You were not in the mood to waste time, hands already wrapped around Kyungsoo’s neck. The passion you felt burnt through your actions, reflected in the desperate kisses you placed up his neck, the skin smelling all so familiar and it intoxicated you. Kyungsoo was intoxicating, his smell, his touch, his voice, his lips, his everything. And he knew it.

A shiver worked its way up your spine as he brought his hands up and down your sides, teasing you as he slowly traced circles into your skin, letting you work your lips against his neck.

Kyungsoo was quick to bring a harsh slap down on your clothed ass, a sadistic smile forming upon his lips as he heard the sound of the impact reverberate throughout the quiet room, widening when you released his neck to let out a low moan.

“Ass up sweetheart, come sit on sir’s lap,” He said the words teasingly, grabbing your hand and tugging you toward the bed where he situated himself, sitting on the edge to allow for you to lay across his knees, which you did.

Kyungsoo ran his hand teasingly over your ass before quickly pulling up your silk dress to reveal it bare, the only underwear you wore was a skimpy thong which gave him perfect access to you.

“Such a little slut, only wearing a thong to an event like this,” He was smiling wide, a glint in his eye that would have anyone else running off in the other direction. “I bet you wanted to be fucked, probably planned on it the way you’re dressed.” He was teasing you, and it was working, a wet patch forming on the thin fabric that covered your pussy.

Kyungsoo noticed, running a finger over the sopping material, causing him to tut, his tongue clicking in mock annoyance. “You’re wet from one slap,” his fake agitated expression slipping away into a sadistic smirk, “I wonder how you’ll be after 10 more.”

You tugged your lip between your teeth, too horny and bothered to answer, needing the pain to fulfill your needs, for him to call you a dirty whore one more time.

“P-please, sir.” your swollen lips parted to half moan the words, your tone dripping with desperation.

He tutted again tauntingly, “Such a needy little whore.” He said, his tone coated in pure dominance.

Kyungsoo’s hand was brought down harshly on your bare ass, the skin turning red in the shape of his fingers and palm. “Now count your punishment dear, this is just for teasing me.”

“O-one,” You choked out, a gasp falling off your lips as he delivered another hard whack to your ass. “Two!” It came out borderline a scream, he had only hit you twice yet you were already feeling yourself threaten to drip down your thigh.

“Good slut,” He spoke, lips curling into a smirk as he witnessed your state; breathing heavily over his knee as your hands curled in the black rug, trying to hold yourself up on shaking arms.

His hand came down again on your skin three times in a row, his arm rearing back and soaring down to deliver the slaps efficiently and harshly. The repetitive contact made you cry out, the shrill sound echoing around the quiet room.

“Three! Four! Five!” The syllables barely left your mouth, your body shaking under his touch, your arms barely stable enough to keep you up.

Kyungsoo got a glint in his eye, a sadistic one that would have made you shrink back if your own eyes weren’t screwed shut, trying to focus on stabilising your breathing and holding your ass up for him.

His hand soothed the red mark he left on your bare ass, his fingers and palm etched into the skin in a fiery mark that stung.

“You’re taking the punishment so well, I’m surprised,” He spoke, his voice laced with an undertone that implied he had something else in mind. “Maybe I’ll reward you later.” Kyungsoo was smirking, you didn’t need to open your eyes to know that, it was just how he spoke, but it entranced you, making you raise your abused ass higher in the air, a silent plead for more.

“Sir, k-keep going,” You stuttered out the phrase, voice weak and desperate as you felt a drop of arousal slide down your inner thigh.

Kyungsoo spotted it drip down your skin, his lips pulling back into a smile as he delivered five hard slaps to your ass, the harshness intensifying with each stinging contact.

The motion was unexpected causing a cry to escape your swollen and wet lips, your arms so close to giving out, the muscles shaking uncontrollably.

A growl emitted from his the base of his throat, the sound going straight to your dripping core. “You didn’t count,” Kyungsoo barked the words, his voice gravelly and pissed.

Your lips parted slowly, trying to form a sentence, though a gasp replaced the words that were about to tumble out as Kyungsoo gripped a fistful of your hair sternly, his arm rearing back quickly, snapping your head back.

“Say it slut, finish counting to ten for sir,” His tone reflected the dominance he showed, his hand tightening in your hair, your scalp screaming in a delicious pain that added to the pool already formed in your panties.

“S-six, seven, eight, nine, ten,” you tried to keep your voice calm, stumbling slightly but unintentionally undertoned with a sheer desperation that almost had you on your knees begging for Kyungsoo to fuck you, your pussy clenching around nothing but desperate for something.

His fingers slipped under the thin elastic of your thong, pulling down the offensive fabric as he revealed your soaked pussy.

“What a whore, you’re dripping from a simple spanking,” He drawled the words out, his lips curling into a smile as he pocketed the panties. “Now, bend over the bed for me little whore, I want to fuck that slutty pussy of yours.”

Kyungsoo watched you get off his lap, pulling the dress aside so he has perfect access while bending over the plush bed, bracing on your elbows as you watched him stand up and unzip his pants. He was quick to pull himself out, moving behind you, one hand on his cock, the other on your silk clad hip as teased your entrance with the tip of his dick.

A delicious moan elicited from his plump lips, the feeling of your wetness coating his tip sending shivers of pure pleasure to travel through his body.

It was teasing and mean of him to stand there, moaning loudly while running himself up and down your slit, the feeling wanting you to scream and swear, yell at him to slam into you - but the need was quickly fulfilled.

Kyungsoo thrusted into you quick and without warning, burying his hardened cock deep within you, his free hand going straight for your hair, pulling the strands back to arch you into him, his hips already setting a fast and hard pace.

“God I missed your slutty pussy, so needy and wet, clenching around sir’s cock,” he ended the sentence with a breathy moan that mixed with your own, your mouth parted to let out the pornographic noises.

The feeling was so good, Kyungsoo being the only one to ever satisfy you this much and it showed by the precise thrusts that hit your sweet spot almost every time. His own moans mixing with your own to create a symphony of pleasure that resonated in your ears, the noises making you even needier and desperate.

It wasn’t too long before you were already feeling a coil of intense pleasure form in your abdomen, Kyungsoo’s thrusts bringing you closer and closer to the edge of your release.

A cry fell from your lips as he released your hair to press a finger against your clit harshly, a shot of pleasure running down your spine and making your pussy clench involuntarily.

Kyungsoo moaned louder at your clenching, the noise sending another another tendril of ecstacy to swirl around your pussy, the feeling bringing you impossibly closer to your climax. He knew you were close, his finger rubbing your clit in precise circles, the sensation making you arch into him more, back curving to meet his hips in a thrust that brought you into the abyss of an orgasm.

The pleasure tore you into the bliss-filled void of a climax, a warm pleasure spreading throughout your body as your muscles convulsed, pussy clenching uncontrollably around him, making you elicit choked gasps with every tightening squeeze around his cock.

The reaction of your body to the orgasm had Kyungsoo tumbling over the edge, your clenching milking him of his cum as it spilled into you, the sticky substance filling you up as the intensity of a climax grasped your body.

A final moan fell off his lips as he pulled out, his softening dick exiting you as he finished up.

A shaky breath fell off your wet lips, your arms giving out, causing you to go fast first into the plush bed.

Kyungsoo chuckled at your state, the hearty noise filling the room before he tucked himself back in quickly, heading for the door. “I’m glad you seemed to miss me,” he said, a smirk falling upon his face as he witnessed you struggling to get up, walking out through the doorway, heading off back to the party, leaving you in the room alone.

You managed to get up on wobbly legs, pulling your dress back into position, expertly running your hands through your hair, trying to neaten it back to its original state.

Even though your cheeks were flushed with a post orgasm heat, your clothes a bit disheveled, you somehow looked presentable, even though your thoughts weren’t focused on your appearance.

Your lips parted to elicit a sigh of frustration at Kyungsoo’s disappearance, annoyance spreading through your body at his sudden intrusion, only to leave desperate and needy for more.

The door knob was cool in your hand as you turned it and tugged the door open to reveal a smug Kyungsoo in the hallway, patiently waiting for you to come back out.

Your lips curled back in a sneer at his smug expression.

“Thought I left you, dear?” He asked, a hint of amusement tugging at the corner of his lips at your annoyed state.

“You’re an asshole,” You replied, eliciting a scoff.

Kyungsoo smiled wider, holding out his hand for you to take, “Care to go back to the party, my love?”

A chuckle sounded throughout the empty hallway as you took his hand, your own smile mirroring his. “I can’t believe you.”

[tyrantchimera]

Megaman ZX: Omega theory

Clickbait version; Omega meant to be the original villain of Megaman ZX all along?? These facts will shake your beliefs to the core!

Long version? After the cut.

Okay so I’m bored and it’s about the right time of night for me to shitpost, er, theorize with some random facts, so here I go. Only I’m putting this in my queue so it’ll show up.... whenever. Lol.

My theory, and train of thought, starts with some interesting tidbits found by people on Sprites-inc. In Megaman ZX, some unused images were dug up by spriters.

At first you might think it’s just the Model O, and it is. But you need to compare it to in-game sprites before the reason it’s in the “unused sprites” section becomes apparent.

Much brighter than what we actually got, eh? And now that they’re on the same page, it’s much more apparent. It makes sense considering the context which the Model O is found in-game. It’s hidden away in an old, bizarre place (if not separate dimension altogether), probably rusted and forgotten. Small wonder too. Game-wise it’s nothing more than a cool bonus and a kickass biometal to use post-game. In fact, it’s not even canonically in-game. Or is it?

In game, Flammole has some... rather odd script when defeated.

“I see now... You weren't the one I sensed... It musta been... Model W? Or... Is it somethin' else entirely!? Aaagh!”

To quote the wiki, which may not actually be a fact, “The Biometal Flammole had sensed in Area [K] was confirmed by the Inti Creates staff to not be Model W, and that his statement was a "giveaway". This strongly hints that Flammole was sensing the presence of Omega, which is supported by the fact that Area K is located above Area N in the game map.” (the wiki actually states it as Area I at first, so therefore I’m not putting too much stock into their fact-checking).

So even if we ignore what the wiki says is true, it’s undeniable that Omega and/or biometal Model O are CANONICALLY in the ZX universe in some form or another. But why would there be two versions of the Model O spirite. The unused one, the cleaner looking one... why is it there? This brings up another question; scripting an Omega battle into ZX is one thing as a cameo. Just re-use the MMZ3 data. But in ZX, he has a different, tougher AI. Why go so far to change him as a boss? For heaven’s sakes, why give you Model O itself??That’s a lot of attacks to script and map to buttons! There’s a lot more thought into his appearance than just a last-minute cameo, and I’ll show you more evidence for this.

The data disks. Mainly, the boss Data Disks.

Data Disk B01: Rayfly

Data Disk B02: Omega

Data Disk B03: Giga Aspis

Dta Disk B04: Giro

Now, that seems really weird. Of the 16 boss data disks, Omega is... number 2?? That’s kinda early for that. It would seem that the disks certainly aren’t ordered by importance or appearance in the game, if that’s what you’re obviously wondering. In fact, Omega’s disk is numbered earlier than even Serpent’s, who has disks B05 and B06 respectively. But why is Omega smushed between two mechaniloid bosses? They’re practically minibosses? It makes no sense... until you watch the E3 trailer that announced Megaman ZX as a game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agKnMZfvKZk

or, a gameplay trailer,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEo99IXeMZo

Rayfly and Giga Aspis both make an appearance, showcasing that they were ready to go pretty early on in development, at least in my opinion. 3/4 of the first boss Data disks show bosses from trailers, therefore presumably from early development, than.... Serpent’s just kinda oddly in there, then the rest of the other bosses in no speciic order. I can’t quite make head or tail or the reasoning why they’re ordered like that tbh.

Still. From unused Model O sprites, to Omega’s odd placement in the boss disk order, and finishing with the devil biometal itself, there’s easily something fishy going on with ZX. My personal theory is that he was supposed to be a more important villain,  a darker figure behind the scenes, or at least helping advance a villlain’s dark schemes. Obviously he’s arguably tougher than the actual final boss himself, Serpent, and perhaps that’s why he was relegated to secret superboss instead of a main story one.

Don’t blame them, really. Model O is OP.

Speaking of which, there’s some further wonkiness going on with the Biometals. Model W and some of its Mega Men, to be specific. We all know that biometals change form to suit their user (hence the differences in, say, Model H betweeen ZX and ZXA) but they never really change their powers. Unless, of course, you’re model W.

Serpent and Albert both match up Rather Nicely with how Model W should act. Staying out of reach, pelleting you with shots, not actually moving a whole lot, and just generally acting like a typical tyrant stuck on his throne. Just like Weil in MMZ4, and obviously that makes sense. That old crone shot from a distance and stayed the heck away from getting his hands actually dirty. Or, Y’know, within saber range of a pissed off Zero. Weil wasn’t stupid after all.

Then you have Pandora and Prometheus.

In your face, multiple element, variety-of-weapon attacks. Albert and Serpent both used a lot of energy shots, but weren’t apparently proficient with any actual weapons. Pandora and prometheus, on the other hand, were practically infamous for theirs. you might be abloe to say Pandora is decently in Line with a typical Model W user if not for the fact that she uses a weapon and a bunch of elements. True, the pair warp around a lot like Weil did, but thay also move about on their own.

Really, if you could compare their multi-elemental, constant assault battle style to anyone’s, it Would be Omegas. The MAJORITY of their attacks seem to be a play on something Omega and/or Model O can do. Shoooting out ice blades, attacking with aerial uppercuts and fire, electrified weapons, shots that radiate out in multiple directions... need I say more? Compare the two on your own time if you want, you’ll see what I mean.

Add to that Albert’s own Plan. His Destiny of Destruction. Let’s repeat that. A DESTINY of DESTRUCTION. Why on earth would he choose that wording? Was he making a Weil reference? He had to know something about Model W’s origins, after all. Did he really know how far the connection actually went?

Model W and Model O/Omega are inexplicably and intrinsically linked. There’s no denying it, even if none of the major villains mentioned it. Think about it. In Megaman Zero 3, Omega has three additional forms that Weil gave him. A white one, a gold one when powered up, and a giant.

Now look at the Model W ones. A white one + a giant one (serpent) and a gold one (albert) when powered up. But hey, they’re not quite in order, are they? Well... all we needed was a ZX3, and we may very well have been in order. Serpent the white, Albert the Gold, and someone else as a giant. It would have been ridiculously good, if somewhat vague themeing. For heaven’s sakes though, Albert’s and Omega’s gold colours pretty much MATCH. Purple-pink hair and gold armour? Yeesh. That must have been at least somewhat on purpose, amiright?

On top of all that, we have the area Omega himself appears in, Area N.

It’s another case of “why did the developers go to so much trouble” just for an extra boss. Why not just reuse Area M graphics? You can go with the excuse that the artists went above and beyond with the ZX graphics and backgrounds, and they really did, so we could stop with that if we wanted. Still, Area N is a little ridiculous. In fact, it even appears to bleed into and around Area M itself.

Trees turning into data? Check. Oddly geometric rock shapes? Check. Blue-green-and-in-between colour scheme? Check. If anything, it almost sems like Area N is the dominant feature in that cave, not Area M.

TL;DR: Model O’s unused sprite data, the fact that his data disk is numbered alongside trailer boss data disks, the fact that they programmed an almost entirely new Omega fight and a biometal for you to use, Albert’s Destiny of DESTRUCTION being an oddly specific word choice when you remember Model W/Weil’s history, Pandora and Prometheus’ abilities match much more solidly to the Model O than a Model W, and Area N’s design oddly overtaking Area M’s, makes me theorize that Omega would, or could, have had much more serous connotiations for the ZX canon than what he currently has, and that these connotations were planned early on.

Currently, all we know is that he cannonically exists in the ZX universe in some form or another... Athough he seems to be doing diddly squat at the moment. Spike pits suck man.

[tomasleexyz]

No Online/Offline Boundary

If you're in retail business or often read the retail business news, you must notice about a term called "O2O," especially in China, refers to either "Offline-to-Online" or "Online-to-Offline" business model. There has been a debate heating up about online business wl gradually conquer the entire retail market.

In US, the eCommerce business is about 10% of $4.78 Trillions total retail market, increased fr 7% in last year; Amazon (AMZN), as everyone's expected, dominates the entire online channel segment. And on the opposite side of the Pacific Ocean, $1.56 Trillions China's online retail sales grew to a third of its total retail market in 2015. Bc of the rapid significant growth in %, everyone in conventional retail is panicking. Many media and analysts predicted Brick-n-Mortar and Malls wl die. In fact, the 'Big Boy' retailers, like Sears, Macy's, JC Penny, Targets, Best Buy, Walmart & more, are all facing struggles (Read their latest earning statements & you'll figure out why they're all profoundly worrying); Some are even hanging at the edge of bankruptcy. But where's their problem? Some conventional retailers have been the core of US economy in the 30's & 40's until the late 90's when internet booms. Is it really a technology invasion caused a shift of consumer shopping behavior? Or something else? I believe it's the latter, and here's why.

First of all, the total retail market's growing, so we have to look into why the consumers shop less physically, but more online consequently.

Is it bc of limited selection and availability? Nope, this restraint only applies in certain type of goods, and doesnt valid if your products are scarce and exclusive. Besides the well-known term “Showrooming,” there is actually a reverse behavior called “Webrooming.” For example, big screen TV sold much, much more volume in Costco and BBY than the entire online channel (AMZN tried to crack into this problem). Consumers wl go studying all product specifications and comparing price online, then make purchase offline bc of worrying about freight damage and ease of RMA. They would rarely buy online even if today’s Samsung 55” 4K UHD costs $100 less online with ‘Free Door-to-Door Shipping’ offer. It’s just the consumer’s dilemma/confidence matter (Many online merchants and media tried to reverse that, but wasnt much succeeded).

Is it bc of price incentive? Nope, just explained. Plus, shopping online is not necessary cheaper, depending on the economy of scale the retailers we compare in here. Moreover, freight logistic cost (Labor, cost of maintenance & fuel) is progressively increasing thru time trajectory; AMZN is trying to 'w00t' everyone signs up their “Prime”, not only bc of increasing customer loyalty, # of purchase frequency, total revenue per customer & so forth, but to also fundamentally offload the baseline cost of logistic (Not gonna explain the detail math, maybe another time; Pls simply acknowledge the 2-days shipping costs AMZN less than a single package ground-shipped by consumer). Also, guess what? AMZN doesnt offer the best price in town according to many retail researches.

Is it then due to convenience and time saving? Yes, but not 100% relevant to the Cost of Productivity/Opportunity Cost/Product Lifetime Value. Each customer segment apparently has its own distinguishable psychological profile. Let's just say the Soccer Moms (Not saying their time is not important), would they rather go for shopping enjoyment or stay home waiting just for a 'brown-carton-box' delivery, under the circumstance all associated costs (Price, gas & mileage) in shopping online & offline are equivalent? Most would choose the former. In contrast, most married men wl likely make an inverse decision (Shopping is not in men's nature; Also, the reason why @MiserableMen got so popular on IG). Hope that answered you.

Of course, we can continue going on-n'-on to evaluate, review and debate in many more different aspects. But while wandering our answer, shall we first ask why the Homo Sapiens is shopping at the first place? In consumer psychology prospective, "The motivation for almost everything we buy has something to do with connecting with other human beings." You may argue online retailers do provide social marketing activities to form community bonding stronger ‘relationship’ with customers, dont they? Yes, but different from physical engagement. As a social species, we like to observe, talk, smell, touch and feel objects, and importantly gain recognition from another. Why is Apparel being such a big category? Bc we wanna be more appeal to others (Identity Crisis); otherwise, we can all wear a simple, plain white t-shirt at all time (In a fact, that's my signature dress style for a couple years in the past. Friends & collegues would come and ask if I washed my clothes. Haha… And look what FB’s Mark Zuckerberg wears on everyday now); therefore, technology delivers immersive experience, like VR, could be a real threat to all offline businesses. Alrighty, let’s get back to my topic “No Online/Offline Boundary.”  

Now, the question is whether today’s ‘Brick n' Mortar’ provide any incremental value to consumers? Yes, but not thoroughly. Like the famous A&F stores (Set aside its controversy), once every youngster loved, every merchandise, every interaction and every touch inside the retail store’s set systematically - very ‘robotic’. In each time walked by their stores’ window, you see the exact same set of seasonal clothing displayed; You’re then welcomed by their 'cloned' associates trained with a big sunny smile; You’ll always find the women session’s on the left, men’s on the right, and the sales session’s at the bottom-end of their stores (This precise 'uniform' floor plan was hyper-sensitively designed, not the work of laziness); You can ‘conveniently’ locate the exact style of clothing with different size and color at the same area in every store; Last but not least, you’ll be lining up in front of the POS counter before checkout. What an exhilarating shopping experience, isn't it?!

In contrary, let’s look at the “Think Different” Apple Store, whom turns 15yrs old & already earns $5,546/ sq. ft on the top of all retailers (Unfortunate AAPL decided not to disclose its stores performance from 2016 on), similar storefront can be found, but never identical. Every store may have familiar placement, but does keep its distinctive window displays and interior design. Not only your loved products can be checkout and pickup right away from any associate with POS machine, and your receipt/activity record wl be emailed and detail-documented in your Apple ID account (No paper waste). In additional, every online order you place can be picked up in any store at your convenience time during their hours. If needed a repair or product problem, you can either schedule online for an appointment or simply walk-in and drop-by the bar. An estimated repairing time’s given, and an txt message or email wl notify you when ready, so no valuable time's wasted. Beside that, new Apple application skills can be learnt for FREE or any in-store event can be participated by easily signing up on Apple.com. Moreover, their 'non-cookie cutting' associates (Their appearance never looks alike, even though wearing the same Apple t-shirt uniform) are very sociable, and they wont feel annoying if you have endless questions. Presently, they take one step further in their latest SF Union Square and NY WTC stores; Both stores turned into recreation park. Haha… Very spacey and lots of trees inside. There are even stools available for utilizing the way you like (I see people stack them up as table) or resting in front of their crystal-clear, gigantic display to watch their demos or just people-watching all day long. Furthermore, to enchant your visit, there’s a beautiful garden for you to enjoy the wonderful sunshine (I dont think you can do picnic yet). You'll also find the design language of their ‘Store’ pulled in sync with their web site. It’s a successful role model for every retailer to follow.

How about AMZN? Do you feel engaged with their brand? I know I dont (Wasnt bc I worked at their rival, EGG, in before. LOL). They’re literally a cold-hearted marketplace for trading products only. Once you find what the product you need, you leave. Dislike a product, write a nasty review and the seller wl compensate you or contact AMZN for a refund, and pretty much about it (Very soon 'Alexa' wl call you for satisfaction survey). Shoppers have no sense of emotion attachment with this brand. And that’s why AMZN, the ‘800lbs Gorilla’, once single-handedly wiped out the entire bookstore industry (Still remember the Borders and Barnes & Noble stories, anyone?), starts building the “Bookstore” again. First experimented the campus stores at the Purdue University and UC Davis, now in Seattle, San Diego and Portland, and more to come soon. In stores, they thoughtfully use the AI algorithms to place selective best selling books in the limited retail space, and display their latest electronic gadgets like the Kindle, Fire Series, and Echo withal. Most importantly, the stores provide the “Order online, Pick up here” service (AMZN Locker) to connect the dots between its online and offline business. But why, if the ‘Retail Stores is Going to Die”? Online business would never survive without offline presence, so does the other way around (Read the KPCB Internet Trends Report 2016 below to understand more).

You see where I’ve been guiding you to? If still not following, how about a last example in shopping 3D technology products online? Please try visualizing the three-dimensional effect of video content (Or now VR) on the flat 2D monitor screen you’re staring at now. It’s just not possible, and that’s why the 3D TV category failed online miserably. Consumers just cant relate to the stunting visual experience and see the value of that technology. (3D TV failure in mass adoption's mainly caused by its immature technology). As you may see, online retailers, as well, have its own limitation and boundary. On the other hand, the arisen of VR technology wl write a new chapter in retail history if intelligently submerged into shopping experience (Again, another topic yet another time). Then, the landscape of online vs offline business may change.

In a conclusion, why today’s offline retailers failed is the lack of presence customer experience, but not by the influence of online business. Brick-n-Mortar can competently fix this problem and captivate better shopping experience by integrating the concurrent technologies, such as Beacon, Chatbot, AI and Machine Learning. The problem I see yonder in those offline-retail corporate giants is the poor resource allocation planning, deficient technology-integrated infrastructure and bureaucracy.

Highly satisfied Customer Experience (CX) is the key to open the door of success to all businesses.

Hope this post gives you a different viewpoint about retail business. I would also like to hear your opinions below. Thanks for reading.

Ref. 

1.The Case for the American Mall

2. http://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/here-comes-the-modern-chinese-consumer

3. http://www.slideshare.net/kleinerperkins/2016-internet-trends-report