#what I was taught for better or for worse

[tryan-a-bex]

I didn’t want to go. There had to be another way, and I was spending all my free time in the library trying to find it, but then they ran out of hero-types and figured, since I’d been working on the problem, they should send me.

They put a gun in my hand, taught me the basics about how to aim and fire (they didn’t think I’d need to deal with reloading), and sent me out. Honestly, I was quaking in my boots. How much was it going to hurt to be destroyed with extreme prejudice by a reality-bending god? I wasn’t brave, I just wanted to go home to a peaceful city instead of one that was being controlled by men fear-mongering about a vengeful god. I don’t really have any pain tolerance to speak of, that’s why I went into scribing instead of child-bearing, those mothers are way more badass than anyone gives them credit for.

Anyway, I found the god, it wasn’t hiding. It didn’t attack me, but I had a job and I wasn’t allowed to come home without doing it, so I reached around a tree, tried to stop my hand from shaking too badly, fired off a shot, and then closed my eyes and waited for the worst.

“Oh my god, I can’t believe you just shot me! Oh my god, it hurts! It hurts so much!”

What the actual hell? I peeked out from behind my tree. The god was sitting there crying, holding into its arm and trying to wipe tears away at the same time. Poor thing.

“It’s not that bad,” I said, coming out from behind the tree. “There’s no blood coming out from under your hand, so it must just be a scratch.”

“Do you think so? Could you take a look at it for me?” I swear, the god sounded like my friend Matt who’s as much of a wuss as I am. I went up to it and held out my hand.

It put its hand trustingly in mind and I took a look at the tear in its sleeve just above the elbow. Just a scratch, not even a bead of blood. I’ve had worse papercuts. Good thing I have such bad aim.

“It stings, doesn’t it?” I said sympathetically. The god nodded and covered it again with its other hand.

“Don’t worry, it’ll be fine again soon. And I promise not to hurt you anymore.”

“Really?” The poor thing sounded so plaintive.

“Were all those heroes really scary for you?” I asked.

“Oh, no, not really,” the god admitted, eyes downcast.

“But?” How could I be scary, and not those powerful heroes who were instantly destroyed? Wait, why was I still alive? “Why haven’t you destroyed me?”

The god looked up at me with pleading eyes. “I reflect those near me. I used to have devoted priests who I cared for, and they kept me kind. Then the vizier sent men to kill them all, but when I’m surrounded by evil men intent on killing, well. Let’s just say they didn’t last long. Nor did the heroes, with their thoughts of destruction. You were afraid of pain, and then filled with compassion, so I am too. I like myself much better this way. Thank you.”

I sat down. “Let’s talk.”

You've been sent out to defeat a powerful, reality bending god. All have died horrifically trying. And here you are in front of the crying god as they complain about how you just shot them.

[piratecaptainscaptainpirates]

Today was hard. It was really scary, and the future feels uncertain. I had a hard talk with my sister, who had been planning to try for a baby with her husband this year, and who has decided to wait even though she's ready and excited to be a mom because even a wanted pregnancy is too risky right now. Our youngest sister was just old enough to vote for the first time in this election, and is terrified of the world she's coming into as a young Black Jewish woman. I'm scared for them, and for me, and for all of us who are in danger right now. It's scary to know that, no matter how hard today was, we're probably going to be in a much worse place as a nation a year from now. Things are going to get much worse.

But you know what else?

Today, my sister and I still laughed a lot.

When I remember the absolute fear at knowing that I need to get my passport with a correct gender marker before January, I'll also remember the people who helped me when I asked for help.

Both of the classes I taught today (I'm a phd student and mostly teach incoming Freshmen) became "what happens now?" conversations. There was a lot of sadness today, but I was also very impressed by how many of my students essentially told me they're not willing to go down without a fight. Lots of hope, too.

I was able to work on the next chapter of my fic, even though I didn't really feel like it, and making art still made me feel better. I made plans with friends who have been too busy for a while. I took my dog on a long walk, and he was still happy and soft when I petted him and still needs me around.

It feels somehow like this day has lasted forever. And I'm scared for the future. I can't help but see the world differently today, just knowing how many people voted for this, who either were in favor of or just didn't care about the rampant racism and hatred. But I'm still here, and so are you, and this is going to be fucking hard but it won't all be hard. Take your joy where you can, and do it out of spite if you have to, but do it. Stay alive to see the other side of this, yes, but also don't let it keep you from living.

[batboyblog]

So... How do we live now.

good question, and one I'm not sure I have an answer to,

I mean one we have to hope that the next Trump term is largely like the first one, incompetent. That Trump won't have the skills or the patience to actually try to turn the US into a dictatorship, that his ego will be soothed by having finally won the popular vote and he'll be less interested in revenge against all his many enemies. That his corruption of our systems will be like during his first term around the edges and the damage to our systems of justice will largely be limited to around the person of Trump himself.

assuming that we still have largely free and fair elections (big if there) in 2 years and in 4 years Trump, having pardoned himself federally and used the powers of his office to shut down any state level cases, agrees to step down in line with the Constitution (he'll be 83 so hopefully tired enough to just go)

assuming that all Democrats aren't in jail or whatever, we need to not let perfect be the enemy of better, our failure last night means the Democratic Party will be more conservative not less, because they're trying to net voters, that fucking sucks particularly for LGBT people, but we need to do what we need to do, we need to deal with whatever humiliations we have to, I voted for Obama when he was talking about how his religion taught him marriage was between one man and one woman and thats how God liked it.

I fear that the general American public is really stupid, like REALLY dumb, that they don't understand ideas past a 2nd or 3rd grade level, So our Democratic ideas, not that hard to get, but at like a high school level, are way past what they can get and are willing to listen to. Trump and Republicans went all vibes and very basic ideas all the time, its who he is, finally the President who's as dumb as the public. idk what to do about that pre-say, but cancel anyone who isn't pulling on our side, don't watch people who shit on Democrats endlessly only to sometimes say "but you know Trump is worse" nope, done gone, out. Be mean to Trump on-line and never ever stop, maybe we can win the vibe war that he's a poopy pants old man, idk its just an idea, no more big ideas though, no big changes, no asking anyone to change how they live at all, Americans are just not able to handle it at all, we're a nation of the lazy, selfish and dumb, fight accordingly because the better angels have left the fucking building.

[asgardian--angels]

I don't talk about this much but I'm just going to say it now.

there's something uniquely vile about being the daughter of a father who is a trump supporter. and not just a casual supporter, a full drank-the-kool-aid moon-landing-was-fake deep red neonazi maga crackpot. because I had to watch that change happen over the last decade. my father, an intelligent, introspective scientist, whose brain has essentially turned to mush and critical thinking skills shriveled up and died thanks to that orange rapist.

He has always loved me, supported me to be whatever I want to be, given me the most opportunities he could in life. He taught me to be kind, and forgiving, and to remember that we are all in this together. And now, while still claiming to feel that way, he vehemently, and viciously, spews hateful rhetoric and vitriol against women, against climate change, against democrats, against all the things I am, against the field of study I've dedicated my life, my soul to. We can no longer even have a regular conversation because all he does all day is sit online and watch trump rallies, listen to 'patriot' podcasts, and troll people on forums. He has nothing else to talk about, and cannot be negotiated with. Him and I used to love having sparring matches of wit, picking topics to debate in good faith. Now, any hint of a challenge and he becomes enraged, petty, and belittling. He somehow maintains this hypocritic fallacy in his mind that he is a good person, that he does everything to make my life better, and that humankind must come together to make a better future. Just, not *those* people, I guess, not them or them or them who aren't even people to him.

And I must occupy some gray area in his mind, Schrodinger's political prisoner. Because even though he knows I am a democrat, that I am a woman who will be affected by these laws, that I study climate change in the work that he supposedly supports, I must not be to him, one of 'those' people. I'm not like 'those' democrats, 'those' women, 'those' climate change cronies. Except when I am, because if we argue, if we discuss policy at all, I am just a girl, under his roof, and I have no idea what I'm talking about - because I'm young, because women aren't capable of understanding His greatness, because Elite Academia has brainwashed me into being a liberal. That my mom and I are ganging up on him, constantly, to paint him as the villain when he's only the victim. He's going to elect the man who will save us all, whether we want it or not. Our say doesn't matter, because we just don't understand.

I miss the father I knew. He was always petty, always ready to poke and prod - he hurt my feelings plenty, but I could deal with it. But I felt he was genuinely good at his core, that he tried his best. Now, I don't know him. I don't recognize him anymore. I've imagined so many times what I would say to him if I could give a speech, or write a letter, where he could not talk back and just had to listen. I don't know if I'll ever get that chance, or take it. But I know he has truly no idea how hurt and betrayed I am, and he wouldn't believe me if I told him. He knows no shame, and he does not apologize.

I'm not looking forward to spending the winter at home with him every day for two months. I don't see how I can look him in the eye. And how dare he look me in the eye after fucking me over.

I love my father, no matter what, and that's why it hurts me so badly to see him change into a stranger, and wonder if there was anything more I could have done to change his mind before this transformation completed. Knowing that it's not my responsibility to argue with him to try and make him see reason when he's too far gone and all it does is make me feel like shit, and yet.

I'm sorry to everyone who may relate to this within their own families. It's probably going to get worse. These men will feel empowered to speak their minds and force you to hear it. They try to provoke you, just so they can say you're hysterical or overreact as women do, when you get reasonably upset. Know that you're not alone in this, Trump has truly torn families apart in ways that I don't think will ever heal.

[sailor-hufflepuff]

This this this. The Trump supporters I know are, as a whole, educated, compassionate people. As a child, I was taught that things like government healthcare, outreach programs, and welfare, were nice ideas but DID NOT WORK and often make the problem worse. That private charities are better equipped to help people.

I changed my politics by learning that the policies I thought supported my morals actually don’t.

My father was on the board of 100+ doctors deciding what advice to give to the White House during Covid. I remember listening to them debate over zoom meetings. One of the things that stood out to me was their concern for the GREATEST IMPACT. No one said “we have to end quarantine because we’re losing money and screw poor people.”

They said “we have to end quarantine because when the economy tanks the number of suicides amongst the poor skyrockets.”

Is that argument sound? No, one would easily say that being forced to work in a dangerous environment is hardly going to help anyone’s mental health. But that was their concern.

Regardless of what blogs and the news like to say, conservatives aren’t anti gender affirming care because they want trans people to die. But because they believe that being trans is a mental illness and indulging it causes actual long term harm to the individual.

They are anti regulation because they believe that it strangles small businesses who can’t afford to jump through the hoops of government certification.

The way to get through to them is not to vilify them, it’s to PROVE THEM WRONG. Show them the evidence, show them the good these things do, show how your changes positively affect society. Show them that you are rational, and not guided by the whims of trend the way they’ve been told you are. Show them that leftist ideas are actually problem solving, not just a checkbox of stances to stay “woke”.,

Ugh, sorry, one last political point because it’s the day for it and this is bugging me.

Democrats and people on the left in the US have got to knock it off with this whole, “All Trump voters are obviously stupid” thing.

I’m sure it’s satisfying to believe, but it is simply not true, and making assumptions about your opponents that aren’t true is how you lose elections.

Half of the voting population of this country is not stupid and it is ludicrous to insist on believing that. Trump voters include doctors, lawyers, business owners, people with PhDs and graduate degrees, and people who attend college courses for fun. They are, unfortunately for many of us including yours truly, our parents and relatives and I at least know for a fact in those cases that they are well educated, well traveled people.

Assuming these people are just stupid and uninformed is, in fact, stupid. It a simplistic view of the world that is going to make your platforms lose if you embrace it and refuse to look deeper.

In practice, people engage in politics because they want the greatest happiness and prosperity for the largest number of people that they care about.

Everything after that is just haggling over price.

For example, the Left/Democrats might believe that the great amount of happiness and prosperity is brought to the largest number of people they care about when an advanced degree is available to everyone without leaving them in crippling debt, when people can age with social services that allow them dignity, when billionaires and companies cannot exploit their workers, and when peace and just causes are allowed to flourish around the world, including the education and enfranchisement of women, and the long term health of our planet. I personally believe that brings long term prosperity to us all.

Left and Right wing voters right now both probably agree that everyone is happier and more prosperous if they can afford a house and have a job that covers their needs and then some. How to get to that is the sticking point that they disagree on.

Right wing voters also want prosperity for themselves and those they care for and what they disagree on with the Left is how to achieve that. I’m not going to go into their platforms here because the whole point of this post is not assuming things about your opponents.

Now in order to persuade people to hold more Left leaning views, you need to make the case for why what you care about is a thing that they should care about and, more importantly, how it enhances the happiness and prosperity of them and those they care about.

Otherwise, you are asking them to vote against their own interests, which no one engages in politics to do, at least not on purpose (even if it is the ultimate outcome in many cases).

If you don’t care about making this argument to opposite side, then fine, you’ve already lost and you deserve to keep losing elections.

You deserve to lose because you’re not making a case for why anyone should support your causes in order to gain happiness and prosperity for themselves and those they care about, including expanding the field of people they care about, and it is ludicrous to expect people to do that without being persuaded either intellectually or emotionally.

This is what finding common ground and building coalitions is about, even if you don’t agree on every point. And if you self isolate and stick to your purity, you deserve to lose because politics is about how we govern large groups of people towards a common goal that, ultimately, is best simplified as the goal of their greatest happiness and prosperity.

Good faith politics is negotiating over what that means. Because resources are finite we can’t all get everything we want all at once. And not everyone agrees on everything so you need to prioritize the best possible allotment of happiness and prosperity for the short and long term, and that’s when we get into the nitty gritty of all the horse trading that happens in politics etc etc.

And you get into things like billionaires having outsized ability to enact their own happiness and prosperity but here’s the thing, many people especially on the right go along with those views because they believe (rightfully or not) that those goals will increase their own happiness and prosperity as well and if you don’t agree you’ve got to explain to them intellectually or emotionally why that is and provide and alternate platform or path for them to gain it that is more effective by at least some measure of that value.

Anyway, at the risk of this becoming a political science thesis from someone who isn’t a political scientist, just an amateur academic, tl;dr please knock it off with assuming everyone who disagrees with you is stupid, it is a losing proposition and it doesn’t get us anywhere near the goals we want to achieve politically, ie, the greatest happiness and long term prosperity of the people we care about.

[sicktrix]

To add to my last post something hits me about the fact that I think Tabby expresses care the best way he can; by trying to mirror the affection given to him.

Initially, Jammer is extremely confrontational towards him— his first action is to startle Tabby awake for no reason and then immediately starts spitting out accusations of being untrustworthy or out to get them. If all Tabby’s ever known of their relationship is “I don’t trust you, therefore I will not take the time to understand you, therefore I don’t like you” he’s obviously going to be extremely petty and childish back. (shoutout no jammer sign I miss his hater days). But then there’s a sudden shift, and both of them take the time to honestly understand each other down to their fundamental parts. That’s what matters to Tabby— true understanding. Because to understand is to connect, and to connect is to belong. Tabby’s nickname of TB2 later on only pushed him further into that place of belonging.

I think the little moment where Tabby draws K is also very sweet. K has been the most friendly to Tabby up to this point, constantly checking up on him and advocating for him in the group, and K is the first one to immediately humanize him (calling him “he” before anyone else). In the moment where K is kind to Tabby, it’s not necessarily the same as the experience him and Jammer went through, but it’s still important— the act of being seen. Not just as an object, but as a living thing. Of trying to connect to something even on a surface level. I think that’s why he drew K. Not just to better study them, but to convey a sense of reciprocity. “You see me, I see you”

Evan, on the other hand, got a (for better or worse) very emotional part of Tabby. The using of his own magic to repair something, to pour his hope for success and the joy of being with the people he loves into the act of fixing Tabby, immediately ricochets back at him. Tabby now gets the full “experience” of friendship and care past just initial connection. Is it good??? Eh. But it’s important to note that Tabby’s feelings on Weugan are a direct mirroring of Evan’s outlook at friendships amplified to the worst level given they’re on cocaine island where everything is pumped up to 11. He’s clingy and keeps cementing the fact that they are best friends and constantly tries to remind everyone that he is useful so there’s a reason to keep him around (He literally says Evan “taught him” that it’s only a matter of time before people leave) but is still bright and cheery and conversational. If an energy like this— if a kindness like this is given to him, he has no choice but to express a carbon copy of it back. And his personality shines! He’s playful and silly and so so curious, he find fascination in deep conversations and magical items and humour and people— it’s almost like he, for the first time, is genuinely alive.

[theonlymanny]

batfamily discovers Your a bender pt.1

Water bender

First time you met the family you were really shy. Didn’t talk to anyone except Alfred, and Bruce if you needed something. your brothers… well most of them were really normal like Dick who tried to talk to you and befriend you.

Which meant you spend half your day with him showing you around. If you weren’t from Gotham he would show you the whole city. obviously with Bruce’s permission.

Jason on the other hand was really uninterested by you, he did scream at Bruce on why did he had to ruin another kids life. He taught you were a normal kid so he tried to keep you life as normal as it was.

And Tim like a normal person. Tried to find information about you,like where were you from and why were you an orphan. And it was really normal after all.

And oh boy Damian… He tried to fight you, he was always on your business and tried to make you look like you were below him and really weak. But what made things worse is when he threatened you with his sword.

He jumped at you, but before his feet left the ground you bended the water on everybody’s cup and froze his feet. Not to say that everyone was more than surprised. “ don’t you fucking dare to touch me!” You screamed at him not noticing all your new family looking at you. “M/n what are you doing?” Dick asked with his mouth open while everybody else stood there confused. “Umm… I…” you didn’t know what to say. Bruce told you to follow him and you were not really surprised.

“What was all that?” Bruce really confused and somewhat angry asked you. “listen I didn’t know I was gonna show my bending abilities here! I wanted to be here because I thought I would’ve leave that life behind and everything that happened in my pas, but I can’t stand your aggressive child!” “ listen I know Damian might be a little aggressive” you gave him a bored look. “ okay maybe he is more than a little aggressive but I promise I will fix that just explain to me why can you do… that.”

After you explained what a bender was and the different types of bending was he understood more things. And because you told him about your bending he told you about he and your brothers being vigilantes. You weren’t really surprised like Bruce and Jason look like could lift a whole mountain and Damian a literal child using a sword.

You and Bruce came back with everyone. Jason was laughing at Damian while Dick and Tim tried to get rid of the Ice. You laughed while the others tried to get rid of the Ice.

After some years you trained with Bruce and surprisingly Jason who wanted you to also be a vigilante. You ended up being with the Titans or young justice? Anyway you were really happy you could help your teammates. But something happened you and Connor started spending more time together and all your attention that was usually on your brothers suddenly turned to Connor.

“Hey M/n father needs-”. Damian looked at you and Connor in silence l. “ Kryptonian you better start running…”

[astheforcewillsit]

I think Ahsoka is a really great study of religious trauma from both the perspective of a woman/young girl and a child who's removed from their culture. And while I know there are fandom opinions as to whether or not fans should be projecting religious trauma onto the Jedi, I think those arguments should consider Ahsoka's arc given how well her story captures a member of a religious organization who's entire identity is stripped away from her by the organization.

And while there's no misogyny within the Order that exists, to viewers it's interesting to see how far the Jedi Order has gone for members who are men, such as Quinlan Vos vs. Ahsoka. And while they have their reasons for doing so, this is a trend often replicated in major religions in real life. Protecting the men in the Order, often the senior members, while failing to protect the women and the children, both of which Ahsoka is. Keeping in mind that the majority of the Jedi council are men (of their species).

Additionally, it captures the intricacies and difficulties of trying to piece together a life after leaving said religious organization, and the shame, confusion, and emotional turmoil that comes with that.

It's adds another interesting layer considering Ahsoka doesn't go back to her family or her culture (from what we've seen), because she essentially has no attachments to it because of the Jedi Order. She's been taught not to have attachments to it, and essentially there is nothing for her to return to.

Without the Order, she is isolated and left without connections (either familial or friendly).

Ahsoka's ordeal was so traumatizing that even with an invitation to come back, the Order's failure to acknowledge what the ordeal meant for her makes it impossible for her to return.

There is considerable psychological damage that gets in the way of her even wanting to be close to Anakin, who's arguably the only reason she didn't die.

I think what makes it worse is people close to Ahsoka do very little to support or stand up for her, outside of Anakin (though I do give Plo some leeway on this because Ahsoka worked with Ventress, who took out Wolffe's eye, and Wolffe was pissed. And Plo is known to care very much for his men).

And I think that's a really great example of what religious trauma looks like.

Ahsoka fits the bill, and it impacts her for the rest of her life. She is never the same.

On a side note, I've always liked Ahsoka better outside of the Order. At a time I used to cling onto the idea that she was a Jedi, but I think it's okay to understand that she was incredibly traumatized by them and thus deserves to be apart from them.

[tigressaofkanjis]

How to Write a Unique Story in Four Easy Steps

Pick a Plot: Any story starts with a plot...or a half-ass idea depending on what you're going for. This is always step one. At this stage, you don't need characters at this point in time. No characters are relevant. Why? Because how can you have a character if you don't even know where you are going? Sometimes when you make characters first and then introduce a plot, halfway in you may notice things aren't working out with the character and you may have the urge to change them or just scrap the story entirely. Start with what you want over who should star in it. Where is the endgame? Basic outline, how do we get there? What brings us to Point A to Point B to Point C? Climax? Ascending moments? Descending moments? Where do things become better or worse? If you don't know, we won't and while I'm up for surprises, sometimes not knowing yourself until a random reveal isn't the same as a planned one and can detract from the end product far too much.

2. Pick a Setting: Earth? Random planet? Environment? Language around those areas? Where are we going to be? Where do you want to take us? What do you want us to see? Now that you have a basic plot, you should prioritize next tweaking it to a setting. Where would that plot blend to its environment? How will it interact with it? Are you moving around constantly where it doesn't matter or is it a relatively stable area where a majority of the plot happens?

3. Character Creation: You have a plot, you have a setting, now...who can do what you need them to do and how? Creating the character after the heavy details of plot and setting is actually easier than the opposite. May not seem like it but is. Now I know where we are and what we're doing, who is the protagonist? Who is their antagonist? Who interacts with the story, who helps or destroys? Who do we want to see interact with all this? Go nuts but be mindful of your limitations, what limits this world of yours has, and who should stay in the inner circle of focus to progress that plot further. Keep in mind, your setting and language is crucial to skin color and culture, especially if you're emphasis is in a real area on Earth. Alien? Not so much.

4. The Tight-Knit Details: You have plot, settings, and characters. Now, the little things that interact with all three. Relationships? Not just romantic but platonic and families too. Is there any hobbies about? Do you want specific vehicles, weapons, artifacts, or knowledge? What clues can you put in to hint at maybe something isn't adding up throughout the story how a character's arc is going? This is actually the most time consuming and honestly, some people have luck making stuff up as they go (don't do that if you're basing it on real cultures though...research is very appreciated) and others need the finest details to move forward. Details are sometimes the keys to opening doors to move along the plot down the road even if they are stupidly mundane. They will change how characters interact with the plot and settings sometimes so be aware of that.

If you can master these four steps, you should be on the right track to making your very own story, long or short.

Now, what about fluff/nsfw/one-shots/etc? Different rules.

Character Creation: A given first because this isn't a story you're writing. This is actually just deciding between canon media characters, OC and canon, or OC and OC, but it's nice to know who you are starting with.

Pick a Plot: What are we doing with these characters? Shipping? Drama? Angst? Something you will never tell your parents even in death? Pick a plot, any plot you want, any plot you want to see happen...go for it. Remember, someone somewhere has thought of the same thing, alright? It just the difficulty of writing what you want to see that makes you hesitant and I can't blame you.

Pick a Setting: Honestly, unless the plot is specific to the environment, not that important. Choose just about wherever you think works best for the situation or a pre-made setting if it features characters from shows, movies, etc.

The Tight-Knit Details: Mmm, anything specific about the characters or what their doing? Positions you would like to see? If you have questions about canon characters, a little research or wing it. I don't think anyone's going to make that big of a fuss about it. It's your creation. Do whatever you feel like. The only thing I recommend is understanding limits of certain details like if you're writing them, you know, being together, what position, how does that character prepare for the encounter, what leads up to it if at all, or what are the physics of the limits of the bodies, of the species or whatever? It's little details like that that keep it realistic enough for us to read it without hassle in understanding what's happening but not constricting to any situation you want your characters to be in.

[inkskinned]

you were raised in comparison.

it wasn't always obvious (well. except for the times that it was), but you internalized it young. you had to eat what you didn't like, other people are going hungry, and you should be grateful. you had to suck it up and walk on the twisted ankle, it wasn't broken, you were just being a baby. you were never actually suffering, people obviously had it worse than you did.

you had a roof over your head - imagine! with the way you behaved, with how you talked back to your parents? you're lucky they didn't kick you out on your ass. they had friends who had to deal with that. hell, you have friends who had to deal with that. and how dare you imply your father isn't there for you - just because he doesn't ever actually talk to you and just because he's completely emotionally checked out of your life doesn't mean you're not fucking lucky. think about your cousins, who don't even get to speak to their dad. so what if yours has a mean streak; is aggressive and rude. at least you have a father to be rude to you.

you really think you're hurting? you were raised in a home! you had access to clean water! you never so much as came close to experiencing a real problem. sure, okay. you have this "mental illness" thing, but teenagers are always depressed, right. it's a phase, you'll move on with your life.

what do you mean you feel burnt out at work. what do you mean you mean you never "formed healthy coping mechanisms?" we raised you better than that. you were supposed to just shoulder through things. to hold yourself to high expectations. "burning out" is for people with real jobs and real stress. burnout is for people who have sick kids and people who have high-paying jobs and people who are actually experiencing something difficult. recently you almost cried because you couldn't find your fucking car keys. you just have lost your sense of gratitude, and honestly, we're kind of hurt. we tell you we love you, isn't that enough? if you want us to stick around, you need to be better about proving it. you need to shut up about how your mental health is ruined.

it could be worse! what if you were actually experiencing executive dysfunction. if you were really actually sick, would you even be able to look at things on the internet about it? you just spend too much time on webMD. you just like to freak yourself out and feel like you belong to something. you just like playing the victim. this is always how you have been - you've always been so fucking dramatic. you have no idea how good you have it - you're too fucking sensitive.

you were like, maybe too good of a kid. unwilling to make a real fuss. and the whole time - the little points, the little validations - they went unnoticed. it isn't that you were looking for love, specifically - more like you'd just wanted any one person to actually listen. that was all you'd really need. you just needed to be witnessed. it wasn't that you couldn't withstand the burden, but you did want to know that anyone was watching. these days, you are so accustomed to the idea of comparison - you don't even think you belong in your own communities. someone always fits better than you do. you're always the outlier. they made these places safe, and then you go in, and you are just not... quite the same way that would actually-fit.

you watch the little white ocean of your numbness lap at your ankles. the tide has been coming in for a while, you need to do something about it. what you want to do is take a nap. what you want to do is develop some kind of time machine - it's not like you want your life to stop, not completely, but it would really nice if you could just get everything to freeze, just for a little while, just until you're finished resting. but at least you're not the worst you've been. at least you have anything. you're so fucking lucky. do you have any concept of the amount of global suffering?

a little ant dies at the side of your kitchen sink. you look at its strange chitinous body and think - if you could just somehow convince yourself it is enough, it will finally be enough and you can be happy. no changes will have to be made. you just need to remember what you could lose. what is still precious to you.

you can't stop staring at the ant. you could be an ant instead of a person, that is how lucky you are. it's just - you didn't know the name of the ant, did you. it's just - ants spend their whole life working, and never complain. never pull the car over to weep.

it's just - when it died, it curled up into a tight little ball.

something kind of uncomfortable: you do that when you sleep.

[here-there-were-dragons]

i have to wonder what super hardcore militant vegans think should be done about obligate carnivore animals, because in all my painfully-rapidly-approaching-30-years i've literally never actually seen anyone give a clear consistent much less halfway feasible answer on that

[itmightrain]

The scene with Astarion and Sebastian in Cazador's palace really got me ;-;

[seafoam-taide]

Gleefully imagining my ocs as more and more unwell and codependent and Not Okay

[nobodieshero-main]

slova being taught to suppress his casting, even though it was the thing that made him godly to the burrows, and then as he and rauka travel to the sea he learns how to...let go and let himself play with stardust and magic. he makes it rain when they're thirsty and warms the air when they're cold and by the time they get to that beach he's found a love for casting that he'd never had as a child. and it's the very thing that destroys them.

[luvisia]

sometimes i feel like i haven't gotten anywhere and then i think, "well, even though i'm sitting in the same room, i'm not crouched over a folding table with a computer that's falling apart to do college assignments anymore," and that's tangible progress i guess.

[gammija]

idk i find that a former panopticon prison is the worst thing to turn into an amazon office.

even the idea of a mall is not as bad. but a single large company, esp one known for horrific working conditions and surveillance, choosing to outfit a prison as an office feels grotesque

It's not actually Amazon that repurposed it: according to the wikipedia, a third party did the restructuring with permission from the government - since theyre such unique buildings, all 3 extant panopticon complexes have monument status and need special permission to make changes or renovations to, I suspect that's why they havent even replaced the cell doors - and several companies of varying sizes rent out the spaces, among which, at some point, apparently, Amazon.

(plus a cinema in the basement)

like i said, its a fun visual metaphor and that's why i reblogged it, but in practice i wouldnt mind working there for a different company, honestly