#who in our system has a similar aesthetic to her

[entropy-sea-system]

not me possibly developing a crush on a fictional character from a show I have never watched mostly just bc the character reminds me of my partner /lh

[angel---eater]

im so curious what u mean by the vriskafication of jegbert? /genq

ive been watching the hs fandom from afar since the epilogues were dropped.

this is a rlly good question- i have a lot of thoughts and feelings abt june and how the fandom has taken to her her and is now portraying her in popular fanon. im so sorry this has gotten so long. im also sorry if i say smth you or anyone reading this disagrees with, but in my experience this is kind of inevitable when it comes to the topic of june egbert, trans characters who havent come out in canon yet, and trans headcanons as a whole. this shits personal to all of us and we all have different perspectives on transness, and oftentimes how we view transness in fiction is very much coloured by our own gendered experience.

it boils down to: can we please fucking let trans girls live. we are so fuckin weird about transfem folks and trans girls/women, even in fiction. sometimes especially in fiction, actually. especially on this gd website. if i have to see one more person defending june (and tgirl roxy) as a concept, and through that, defending real life transfems existences by talking about girldick or being a sweet docile sugary femme babygirlie kittycat, i will turn everyone into a fucking goldfish and flush you all one by one down my toilet. this, again, also extends to how a lot of the fandom handles trans headcanons in general, regardless of gender. all of what im about to say is from watching the homestuck fandom and fanon grow and change over 10+ years, basically since the beginning on this site specifically

some disclaimers for my trans resume i guess: i am intersex. i am plural. we as a system identify systemwide as transfemasuline or transneutral in an attempt to both honor and not speak over each other in terms of gender expression and individuality, while also trying to condense our existence for singlets to understand better, faster. we dont have time to explain all our shit all the time lol. we have transfems and transmascs in our system and everyone getting a fair, even chance at their preferred presentation is how we roll. we have lived a transfemasculine life. you cant put us in a single blue or pink corner, it wont work we are immune to that bullshit.

the vriskafication of june egbert is basically me trying to short-hand describe the way that ive seen some fans portray june post-transition by turning her into a mean girl[tm] type of person. there's also the roxyfication of june egbert, where other people make her a ditzy bimbo who can do no wrong because 'shes a girl now' and thats apparently how ppl still think girls should behave?? jegbert's canon personality traits need not apply anymore, apparently, bc that was icky boy behaviour. ghostbusters who? she likes shopping now. fanon june is sometimes eerily similar or exactly like vriska (fanon, woobified vriska, mind you, bc we still cant get a grasp on vriska as a fandom either) while also dressing very high femme and only high femme. because she has to perform someone elses femininity (spoiler: our own concept of what girls 'should look like' to be considered girls) instead of her dads masculinity now. shes either mean like vriska, or dumbed down like fanon roxy, who again has been watered down into a ditzy dumb girly girl who has done nothing wrong ever, bc shes 'just a girl', and bc people get Uncomfy when fictional tgirls do bad things. and oh boy has canon roxy done some bad things

as a counterpoint to my aesthetic based grievances, which are entirely personal- you can portray june egbert however you want. i personally invision her as very butch, but i could be totally wrong! im not even trying to make guesses here! this is my personal make-believe! she is not a real person and has never actually appeared as herself in canon. we dont know what junathan would/will be like during and post-transition. we dont know what an egg crack event will do to them. but some of the ways ive seen june portrayed feels........ off, personality wise. very off. and thats what i care about. it feels like malgendering in way too many cases, with the ditzy girliepop/catty girlbully thing. its straying too close to the tgirl brand of madonna/whore that tfems have to face in real life constantly. this is especially bad for tgirl roxy but i'll get to how fanon vs canon roxy is handled later

i use the word 'vriskafication' bc like vriska, june egbert (meaning tgirl jegbert, previously known as john in fandom and currently as john in canon, just to hammer it home that june and john are the same person, because some fans do seem to forget that john is living life believing shes a boy and a man right now and i dont think that should be erased) is still a pretty polarizing concept. fans either love her and disregard jegbert as ever having been john, or they disregard her as a concept in favour of how john is right now in canon. or theyre just straight up transmisogynistic about it bc they want their yaoi or their het ships. and BOY are some of the fandom not shy about that. which actually leads me into my next disclaimer:

im not including tboy/tmasc john headcanons in the above statement. i do not care about fighting over trans headcanons. i think that shit is just disrespectful and pointless and juvenial. you are fighting for nothing. june/john will not thank you for fighting for their trans rights bc they are not real and have no rights. june is not canon (yet) because she has not had that realization yet, and we dont know if/when she will. and genderbend aus have been a thing since the dawn of fandom anyway. more than one type of headcanon can exist at the same time. we are playing pretend. headcanons will never be proper representation. we are fans, not corporate entities or big directors or production teams churning out content for mass audiences. john has been considered a cis boy for FAR longer than june has been a popular concept, and you dont know how long someone has had or how close to someones heart their trans headcanon is, regardless of what flavour of trans headcanon it is. its rude. some of yall are so fucking mean for no reason other than 'you cant sit with us. on wednesdays we wear pink' rules. very intentional reference there

and i mean okay, roxy. big pink elephant in the room. no one respects or even acknowledges the fact that roxy in the Meat timeline is transmasc and currently only uses he/him, and when they do they're bullied fuckin relentlessly and ostracised from fandom spaces. ive seen entire hate campagns specifically for badmouthing transmasc roxy fans to try to get them to stop posting tmasc roxy stuff, or to see it as transmisogynistic violence akin to shooting a real trans girl live on tv. i have seen these comparisons be made on this site. ive seen others get actually violently transphobic about it back in 2019-2022, and even now. ive talked to fans who were mass dogpiled and harrassed off tumblr for liking meat!roxy's direction, or even just not publicly condemning him while having a neutral stance. i myself have been instablocked from servers and off of ppls blogs for thinking tmasc roxy is cool and a good plot point for his overall personal arc, especially in juxtaposition with roxy's pregnancy in candy, and how that affected her rship with her body and her gender. ive been called horrible things for even considering roxy to be anything but DMAB. that chapter in candy where we get a glimpse inside roxy's head about gender was beautifuly written with a lot of tact for trans people who can be or have been pregnant and enjoyed it, something that is INSANELY RARE. UNHEARD OF, EVEN, IN MEDIA. so this really isnt about trans rights or representation from my perspective. its just gendered bullying and a whole lotta white knighting from people who are majoratively not even fucking transfem.

the same notes of trans coding for roxy that fans deem only as transfem could be seen as coding for transmasculinity too. yes, including the XY thing. does anyone remember what foreshadowing is. and all of this even depends, hinges, on whether hussie intentionally wrote ANY of the human kids as trans initially or had it planned from the very beginning, which i really really really dont think she did!!! in 2009??? yeah fucking right!!!! the entire thing about roxy and jane pressuring dirk and jake into relationships is about cis girls feeling posessive of and entitled to queer boy's bodies and attention, because its something they cant have, and cis girls are seen as a group of people physically incapable of harm, which is misogyny that directly effects cis girls/womens victims. its a direct mirroring to cis boys doing the same to queer girls. and as much as i love all flavour of trans reads for the alpha kids in fandom, i dont think i wouldve appreciated it in canon. i wouldve hated it, actually. it waters down the message and makes everything far too messy and open to bad faith interpretation. we need more trans characters doing bad things in media, but the era the alpha kids section of HS1 was being published was NOT the time. an inarguably canon tgirl character preying on an inarguably queer tboy in 2011-2012? there would have been blood in the streets. i VASTLY prefer fanon interpretations when it comes to the alpha kids being trans. i trust fans way more, but i obviously still have reservations about that which is why im here writing all this

to further back this up- hussie has also openly discussed having her eyes opened to queer issues BY queer fans WHILE HS1 was still being updated!!! THATS why you can see a gradual influx of genuine queerness in homestuck as you read it!!! the vagueness of the trans coding we percieve in the text is why tboy john is still so popular!!! WAY more trans experiences, especially in childhood, are more similar than The Current Discourse bad actors will try to have you believe. please dont believe them, they're not right in the head and the ppl trying to convince you that someone has it The Absolute Worst are lying to you. we all have it bad, thats how oppressive systems work. its just in different patterns for indiviuduals. a middle class trans persons oppression can and often will look VASTLY different to a poor trans persons oppression bc different axis of oppression are at work. it depends on the type of person our oppressors label us as, they dgaf if anyone identifies as TME or TMA. thats a little beside the point but its absolutely contributed to how fans treat fictional trans characters, especially in the last few years

i hate hate hate the ideology in this fandom that one trans interpretation or headcanon is more valuable, or hits harder, or is more idk narratively transcendient or powerful than The Other, so The Other is deemed boring/bland/sauceless/whatever and deserves all the hate and takedowns and dismantling and nitpicking it gets. the fans of this Other Trans Headcanon deserve their hate and calls to kill themselves because theyre just Wrong About It. but thats not true. none of that is true. you just dont vibe with other flavours of fanmade trans narrative. and thats completely fine actually. its literally like preferring carrot cake to raspberry pie. it is on that level outside of transphobic biases, and i sincerely believe that a lot of fans start out on that level, but dip into transphobic biases because of the constant fucking weird moral panic about trans girls, and by extension, young trans people as a whole. which is not fine. whats also not fine is attacking fans of trans characters over said trans characters gender, canon or interpreted!!!

to tie this tf up bc i dont want this to go on for any longer than it has, im so so SO SO SO tired of fanon june and roxy being trans girls first and foremost over their actual characterization. and im even MORE tired of the word 'girl' being taken in fiction to mean dumb, sweet, (white)feminine, wouldnt hurt a fly, so so cuddlysoft, girlboss it up girlfriend, you cant sit with us, im such a cool bitch, im cooler than you dumb gross boy because im a girl, what personality i dont have one i dont need one because im a girl.

so much of fandom has forgotten that roxy is fucking mean and WILL ignore whatever doesnt fit her whims/wants and will plow through her closest friends and loved ones regardless of the situation at hand because of what she wants. she canonically admitted to harrassing dirk on the daily because she wanted him, because she was lonely and couldnt see past her own hurt to see that she was also hurting her friend. and oh my god, mom lalonde, worlds first abscent mother who swears up and down that she loves you really, rosie posie, its just that mommy's real hungover again and also very busy. that is BRILLIANT characterization for a female character, and its been forgotten behind the big pink bedazzled neon ITS A GIRL sign. and the same has been happening with june!!! and it sucks!!!! us transfems are just people we are JUST people. i dont want trans girl characters only point of characterization to be trans and girls!!!! i dont want talking heads and perfect cardboard cutouts in lipstick!!!! when june happens i want her to be exactly the same as when she was john because thats who i became enamoured with in HS1 and thats who i watched grow up in the epilogues and THATS who i want to see finally find their place in paradox space as herself. i want her personality intact, and i dont want to see her forget or turn her back on her childhood and teen and young adult years. i dont want june to be fanon vriskafied

[caesarflickermans]

Is The Capitol supposed to be the Western/Developed world or is it supposed to be the Elite of the Western world or is it both? Are there social classes in the capitol or are they all wealthy? I ask because living in the prosperous West even as a "poor" person we have access to sooooo much even if it's cheap stuff, we have an abundance of it all being shipped from factories from poorer countries. Who would you say are the capitol residents in the real world, is it us or is it the celebrities going to the Met Gala?

From what I’ve seen, people frequently misconstrue the Capitol as the rich people in our society alone. As you mention, especially the Met Gala is perceived as a prime example due to its similarity in the crazy fashion that the Capitol likes to display.

However, this reading tends to forget the class system that is ever present in the Capitol. While we see people like Snow with his large mention, or people like Caesar and Plutarch who, by all means, seem to have a luxurious lifestyle when we meet them in the trilogy, there’s other Capitol citizens who do not live such lives.

Plutarch talks about how becoming a peacekeeper is a means of escaping debt in the Capitol, thus making the peacekeepers not only a way of escaping debt, but further an instrument for the government to wield in keeping their peacekeeping forces high (MJ, 6). We can rightfully assume that plenty of debt goes to unnecessary materialistic spendings that aim at keeping the illusion of a specific lifestyle to the outside world: new clothes, expensive brands, luxurious expenses.

However, our dying middle class proves to us how difficult it can be to afford a living, and how few receive a living wage. High rents, high costs of food. Who is to say the Capitol does not have that, too? In fact, with the peacekeepers being such an overt parallel to US military that often tends to prey on those who have no other opportunity, keeping a lower to middle class in the Capitol has its advantages for the ruling class: The low and middle class in the Capitol have someone to kick down to while striving to rise in a class system that will not truly let them.

Katniss’ stay at one of the Capitol apartments also leaves us with an impression of the ‘average’ Capitol life. Apartments that are furnished exactly the same as well as food scarcity that has had people stock up on supplies (a certain pandemic comes to mind) (MJ, 21).

The Hunger Games has had us experience this world from Katniss’ point of view. We emphasise with her, and for that to happen the Capitol needed to appear like an outlandish place from the view of someone oppressed.

How do people in poorer countries look at us: Do they see the Instagram influencers, the Shein and temu purchases, the maintaining of an aesthetic in fashion and appearance? The wastefulness of our water and food? Do they see how we spend our time obsessing over new TV shows and being online seemingly 24/7 virtue signing about the newest conflict where we do not have any stakes from the comfort of our couch, having forgotten about it by the next week?

How, then, are we not the Capitol?

[the-dalseum-duet]

starlight revival arc?

BRINGING BACK STARLIGHT. BRINGIN THAT SHIT BACK BC I’M TIRED OF DALSEUM I’M SAILING AWAY BYE GUYS

um. because I think you would enjoy this somewhat tag @svwhssftr

I feel lowkey bad just tagging you in random shit but sometimes I forget. it’s okay for friends to talk to each other actually. it’s okay to like things and share them. it took me seventeen and a half whole years to realize that I think. cringe is dead. and you can literally just ignore this too that’s also a possibility bc I jus ignored your call bc I’m absolutely exhausted and I do not want any actual human interaction for the next week. I don’t want to return to school tmrw but I must. Sigh. Anyway NEW LORE YAY!

Starlight is one of my favorite projects I’ve ever worked on. probably second to reflections and closely followed by Seong and Adam’s dynamic in the original sv (nope I will never ever be over them ever. he was everything she never was to him and By God HE KNEW IT) but the aesthetics are All Over The Place. The plot is actually cohesive (if I trim some shit down) which is rare for me now. Nowadays I just slap shit down and say “there’s a plot underneath all of this unnecessary symbolism and descriptions of gaudy outfits I prommy!!” but NO MORE! NO MORE OF THAT

so we’re making the whole thing cohesive and changing the god-awful character names tonight

Let’s start with our main character, now named Indy

this name choice is still… idk. I’m torn between Indy and Robin… but I used to have a character named Robin so I’m not sure. though I feel like Robin is an objectively better name (coming from the bitch who names half of her characters after birds though) but I like Indy a lot in the sense of the story overall.

bc her original name was Azure (which is fine but I hate it… debating keeping it) but she was nicknamed Spade because of a spade-shaped birthmark on her shoulder.  Keeping with the blue theme, I think her full name should be Indigo but she goes by Indy, and her husband (who is so goated we get to him later though) nicknames her Ace because of her birthmark.

ok onto the plot stuff we don’t gaf abt this bitch’s name

The world of Starlight has an actual magic system. Crazy stuff! I created a decent magic system that doesn’t involve stupid blood rituals and “just because this character is this character xyz can happen.” (coughcoughRONNIEcoughcough) It goes a little something like this

Humans can be one of three things- cursed, charmed, or neither. Curses and charms are extremely similar, and they’re fairly common. I’d say 50% of the population has one of the two, with 75% of that 50% being “charmed.” Charms and curses are magical powers that a person can be born with at random. They’re often an omen for the personality of the charm/curse-holder, kind of like a zodiac. The only real difference is that curses physically harm the user when used. 

There are four levels of charms/curses. 

Level 1- Basically party tricks. They barely drain any energy from the user and can’t be used to cause major harm. Elio’s charm “light” falls under this category

Level 2- Majority of curses/charms are level 2. They take quite a bit of energy to perform, and they could do some potential damage. Can be very useful if harbored correctly. Archie’s charm “flora,” and Mari’s curse “ink” both fall under this category. 

Level 3- Very risky and hazardous to use. Or ridiculously OP in the opposite direction. They drain enough energy from the user to knock them out for a few hours. Thorn’s curse “flame” and Rose’s charm “heal” fall under this category. 

Level 4- By far the rarest type of curse/charm. This can change the trajectory of lives, and they can only be used a handful of times throughout the holder’s lifetime. Using it only once will sometimes cause death. Indy’s charm “starlight” and Hope’s charm “amore” fall under this category. 

Charms and curses are signified by colored eyes. For example, Elio’s eyes are golden, Thorn’s are red, Hope’s are pink, etc. They’re not insanely noticeable. Just like… tinted. 

Indy lives on an unnamed continent separate from anything else I’ve written. Their stories are kind of like folklore in the grand Lore universe. It’s separated into three currently unnamed parts- the north, which has a culture similar to Western Europe (France, Italy, Germany, etc.) and the south, which has lots of South and Latin-American influences, mainly Mexican. To the East is another kingdom full of mountains based on Northern Africa and Southeast Asian countries like Nepal and Libya. Indy is from a town near the border of the north and south regions, where the overall culture is similar to the 1980’s in style, trends, etc. Except racism and homophobia aren’t really a thing I feel like I get pretty deep into that in Dalseum already. 

Indy Simon, whose family is mainly from the northern region, is dating her girlfriend Marigold Martinez, aka Mari, whose family is mainly from the southern region. They’re probably around 14-15 years old. Little baby high school sapphics. They get along really well. They love each other as much as two fifteen year olds can. They go on adventures through the woods and such. Average girlfriend things. 

Until Indy accidentally activates her charm in a dream/vision-type-thing. Her charm physically shifts the position of the stars, which is essentially time travel because the rest of the earth shifts along with it. She sees her death at the hands of Marigold, shot in the heart on a balcony.

But young Indy is quite observant and crafty. She notices the patch on the chest of Mari’s coat is the seal of the southern region, and she notices the woman beside her corpse— her mother— is wearing one with the northern region’s seal. She overhears someone by Mari say “if the war wasn’t over, it’s sure as hell over now”

She wakes up in pure panic because WHAT THE FUCK?? WHAT THE FUCK 

and what does she do next?? I know. But you don’t. I need to sleep. Tune in next time ig 

[roses-bah-garden]

hihihi!!!

so this one is a doozy but!! we’re (aka I, ana, resident catgirl) trying to flesh out some of our new headmates but am REALLY struggling,,, could you maybe do a level 5 pack for these two folks?? more below-

Person A

Name: Imogen (Lanesse or Avril also work)

Pronouns: she/it/star/lun

Gender: Lumicattic Lunaecoric

Age: ??? 12-16 ?? all we know is ageslider

Sexuality: ??? sapphic of some sort

Species: devil cat human hybrid

Role: embracer, enabler, persecutor (semi)

Aesthetic/Theme: starry purple galaxies, thunder through the windows during a storm, emo/alt

she has some mild tics, can be a bit bratty and bossy but has good intentions, ruthlessly defends one of the system’s persecutors (Annalisa, a catgirl angel hybrid, who is obsessed with anything cute or pink and online discourse)

Person B

Name: Lestari

Nicknames: Leshi, Less, open to more

Gender: Cassgender

Pronouns: they/it/rot

Species: cryptid / human

Age: 29

Sexuality: ?? Aromantic?

Roles: unsure, some sort of suppressor who spirits people away into dormancy

Aesthetic/Theme: woods at night, foggy forest, murderous stalker in the woods, cryptid

it’s a bit of a freak and really interested in gory things like horror movies, mortuary services, taxidermy, etc. sort of a loner? a spiritual opposite of the most popular alter in our system (Aspen, they/them, light woods theme) and we think they’re close bc Aspen keeps disappearing lately… but they always come back so we just don’t Know

I know it’s a big ask qmq…. I just!! Want them to be more alive than what they are cus they feel so Stagnant rn

— @thebetterbee

no paras or trans/cisIDs for either of them, as requested in follow-up

a new flower has blossomed! 🌹

alt + purple theme & cryptidcore loner ... [LVL 5 PACK x2]

══════════════════

name(s) ;; imogen, lanesse, avril, [if you want some more ...] helen, victoria, nyx, mallory

pronoun(s) ;; she/her, it/its, star/stars, lun/lunar, [if you want some more ...] ⭐/⭐self, blink/blinks

age ;; 12 - 16 (ageslider)

species ;; devil/cat/human hybrid

gender(s) ;; lumicattic, lunaecoric, [if you want some more ...] maegender, aestheticwikigender

orientation(s) ;; asexual, lesbian, polyamorous

role(s) ;; embracer, enabler, bee persecutor [my own take on what you meant by "semi"]

source ;; brainmade

sign-off(s) ;; 🟪🐱, 🐱⭐

══════════════════

appearance ;; light skin covered in freckles. long wavy hair, with colours similar to a calico maine coon (ginger, brown, white, and black streaks). brown eyes, gingery cat ears, septum ring. dresses in an alternative style inspired by emo and e-girl fashion. sharp claw-like nails. see below for picrew.

personality ;; she's bossy, and can be a bit of a brat, but has good intentions. known to be a little sarcastic, with a dry sense of humour. star is extremely loyal, and while it takes star time to warm up to people, they will be very devoted to those that they are close with. they have an energy similar to the role big sisters play in media targeted towards young girls (bossy, caring, tough).

══════════════════

likes ;; cats, stargazing, standing up for her friends, making collages & moodboards, wiki surfing, pop punk, sour candy

dislikes ;; having tics (insecurity), strong smells (eg perfumes), exercising, being told what to do, rain

possible front triggers ;; listening to pop punk music, getting caught in the rain (neg.), defending annalisa

══════════════════

cisid(s) ;; n/a

transid(s) ;; n/a

kink/fetish/para(s) ;; n/a

══════════════════

moodboard ;; found here

playlist ;; "girlfriend" - avril lavigne / "misery business" - paramore / "all i wanted" - paramore / "p.u.n.k girl" - heavenly / "sweet cis teen" - dazey and the scouts

kinlist ;; maine coon therian / gerry keay (the magnus archives) / clawdeen wolf (monster high) / jackie fierro (welcome to night vale), ghostkin

extra ;; typing quirk ( all sentences end with 2 periods, regardless of tone.. ), some form of tics

══════════════════

name(s) ;; lestari, leshi, less, [if you want some more ...] star, virginia, casey, reed

pronouns ;; they/them, it/its, rot/rots [if you want some more ...] xe/xem, moth/moths, dark/darks

age ;; 29

species ;; shapeshifter (mothperson / human)

gender(s) ;; cassgender

orientation(s) ;; pansexual, aromantic, conceptum

role(s) ;; dvalen, pseudogatekeeper, imprisoner

source ;; brainmade

sign-off(s) ;; 🌲🔍

══════════════════

appearance ;; pale skinned. black shaggy hair. glowing red eyes. when in moth form, antennae grow from head, dark moth wings grow from back, black speckles appear on cheeks. covered in injuries from running around in the forest. dresses kind of ratty, with a signature pair of beat up red converse. masc-neutral presenting. see below for picrew.

personality ;; they're relatively introverted, but not entirely asocial. their interests are niche and a little spooky, which can drive people away from them. it's soft-spoken, and somewhat of a gentle giant (or at least that's how they look to outsiders). they have a complex inner self, with several trains of thought running at once.

══════════════════

likes ;; horror movies, mortuary sciences, taxidermy, true crime, ghost hunting shows, hiking, cannabis (if applicable to body/sys)

dislikes ;; bright lights, humidity, children, vegan/vegetarian food

possible front triggers ;; consuming true crime media

══════════════════

cisid(s) ;; n/a

transid(s) ;; n/a

kink/fetish/para(s) ;; voyeurism, exhibitionism

══════════════════

moodboard ;; found here

playlist ;; "who is she ?" - i monster / "vampire empire" - big thief / "abbey" - mitski / "no surprises" - radiohead / "my girlfriend is a witch" - october country

kinlist ;; daggerkin (objectkin), raven therian, beelzebub (good omens)

extra ;; n/a

disclaimer: headmates/alters may not turn up exactly as specified, and that's okay ♡

[the1975attheirverybest]

Matty’s “speech” in FL

Okay, so someone asked for an explanation of Matty’s speech before IAWD(S). Here it is.

First, I should note that it’s not Matty’s original words. It’s an excerpt from an essay about sincerity and the aesthetization of politics in our current culture, written by art critic Boris Groys. You can read it here (it appears as one among many that he published in a collection as journal entries).

A few things to note about the essay:

It shares a lot of common themes with S/ATVB in that it talks about the conception of mass media, the effect it has on culture and one own self-image, the way we’ve turned politics into a form of media to consume, etc. so that’s the context in which it’s operating.

It discusses “self-design” (i.e. the curating of a specific version of yourself to present to the public) in a similar way that matty thinks about his stage persona.

The essay is trying to address the issue of arts relationship to politics today. Groys argues that, with the proliferation of mass media and social media platforms, these modes have replaced the artists (re)presentation of politics. The vast production of images of news, war, etc take the place of the artist.

even more to the point, the artist is now depicted and presented to us via media as well. So, the artist becomes the artwork instead of being the one who produces it.

this, Groys suggests, causes a certain kind of anxiety for artists because their job is to make stuff, and now, they’re in a position where the world is making them.

In the age of social media, with everyone sort of turning themselves and each other into “artworks” by curating and presenting specific versions of themselves online/ in public, Groys says that making something into art or aesthetizing it has become a way to cause suspicion. Like, we all have this awareness that social media “isn’t real life” that these images are edited and present a skewed and fabricated version of reality.

so, the way we encounter artwork (including public version of each other) is with suspicion. We get this feeling that if something looks aesthetic on social media, then the aesthetizing of it must be to hide the fact that it’s ugly/ bad/ unimpressive in reality. Instead of making something aesthetic being a glamorizing or celebratory act, it’s a doubt-inducing act.

Because everyone is so aware of the artificial-ness all the time, we have, in turn started to try to design our public image to be about sincerity and authenticity. In order to connect with others who view us publicly and establish trust with them.

Because the aesthetic is suspicious to us, we start to equate sincerity with shitty / bad/ugly stuff. We are suspicious of people who seem genuinely kind and sweet and pretty etc. but when we see someone behaving like a dickhead, we believe they’re being sincere.

Now, to the passage that Matty read onstage,

summarized, the passage says:

The only way to show authenticity and sincerity is to reveal nastiness. So, the nastiest celebrities and politicians are often the most famous and the most recognized for their truthfulness. if this is getting confusing, think about Trump for example: where everyone is all about being kind or woke or politically correct, his dickhead gets in front of a camera and says “grab them by the pussy” or “immigrants are bringing us gangs” or “Hilary is ugly and that’s why Bill cheated on her” or whatever. That’s the nastiest shit ever. But people think “well, say whatever you want about the guy, at least he’s honest and doesn’t lie like politicians do.” Does that make sense?

the problem with this is, though, that when you are being sincere by revealing your own ugliness in public you’re not really breaking the cycle. It’s simply a “symbolic sacrifice” that feeds into the idea that good/ pretty/ aesthetic things are fake and nasty/ bad/ ugly things are true. So you’re just sticking to the system and profiting off of it confirming people’s suspicion.

why did Matty read this passage onstage?

this is the part that is my own opinion and not the essay. Obviously, im not inside of Matty’s mind, so I can only guess and speculate. in my opinion, it’s because (as I’ve talked about in my reviews of SAYVB) so much of the show is about his relationship to social media, how the public perceives him, etc. and within the largest context of the ethos of the band, Matty has always been curious about what it means to be sincere in the age of irony (sincerity is scary). he’s thinking about how the world perceived him as a public figure, artist, and celebrity and what, to the public eye, counts as real sincerity.

The other day he commented on how people called his Malaysia protest “performative.” The idea that he’s a shit person doing it because of a white savior complex, or just to perform wokeness and stuff is easier and makes more sense to people than the fact that he genuinely gives a fuck. Even though he’s been consistently speaking up for LGBTQ+ communities since day 1. But it’s cuz our culture is so cynical, the only honesty we believe is bad intention and we equate the bad with the real thinking that any public good is suspicious and designed to cover up the bad.

This is also just true more generally of how people view matty. We’ve all seen the headlines. It’s not JUST about the Mayalsia thing. People are so quick to see all his good attributes as fake and all his bad ones as “real.” Which, as he has pointed out many times before, is basically a symptom of the current state of leftist politics. We think that calling each other out or “exposing” the shit truth behind the aesthetic is what being real and being virtuous is about and we don’t actually do much else.

all of this is to say that this passage is commentary on the themes that SATVB, and the 1975 have always been thinking about.

[femmefatalevibe]

do you ever have trouble reconciling the focus on aesthetics/making money that dark femininity tends to have as a feminist/anti-capitalist?

Hi love! This is a great thought-provoking question. In short, in some ways yes, and in some ways I say yes/no/idk. I believe that it all comes down to the reason why someone is attracted to the dark feminity aesthetic and the financially-focused culture surrounding it. Personally, I'm naturally drawn to the creativity and craftsmanship aspect of elements – like the outfits, environments, beauty routines, editorial images, etc. – of the dark feminity aesthetic. I see the value of creating several mood boards and similar activities to find your personal style and discover the best wardrobe staples for you that you can style/repurpose in several different ways.

I also believe in investing in a few items (clothes, home decor, etc.) that are beautifully constructed and, therefore, made to last. At the same time, though, unless you're purchasing resale/vintage items, I do believe that constant inspiration could further issues of overconsumption, which I do not really support in principle. Like everyone else who is conscious of this issue, I try to be as mindful as I realistically can be of my consumption habits.

When it comes to making money, I believe that financial freedom, considering that we are forced to live in a capitalist system (you still need a roof over your head, food to eat, healthcare, etc. no matter your beliefs and this is our only way most of us can maintain these necessities at this point in time, at least in the U.S.) is a feminist pursuit as it gives you the means to do as you please and the power to make more decisions that align with your values/ability to invest in your community (hopefully for mentorship/positive change). I see a huge difference between encouraging financial greed (something I could never support) and promoting self-sufficiency that doesn't compromise the prioritization of a social safety net (like many capitalist/mixed economic systems outside of the U.S.). I believe the issue is more than we are not set up to win as a culture, especially for the millennial/gen Z generations. The failure of the system and greed/power imbalances within the systems are the roots of all evil – not the pursuit of making money itself.

I believe the areas where feminism and capitalism truly butt heads are in the dynamic of committed partnership/ parenthood and a desire to perform for the male gaze. Typically, women are forced to either perform two full-time jobs – one for paid and the other for unpaid labor or purely an unpaid role, which makes her financially dependent on someone else and creates an inherent power imbalance that tethers women to the patriarchy and its ties to capitalist systems of oppression. I believe that my decentralization of men and childfree lifestyle (two lifestyle choices that I believe the dark feminity movement encourages women to pursue if they choose to) has allowed me the mental freedom to not have to face this conundrum. Honestly, I believe being single and childfree by choice is one of the main ways I'm able to equally feel in alignment with my "dark feminine" side and my feminist/pro-social-safety net values.

However, on a societal level, I do believe that this issue is something I have difficulty reconciling as the nuclear family/idealization of the nuclear family (even if legal/logistically disjointed) is the greatest enabler of capitalism, – the isolationism, hierarchy, performance of gender roles, comphet, it promotes, etc.

Anyways, these are my half-baked thoughts on the subject.

TL;DR: I believe the best way to break the system is to find unconventional ways to navigate within the current system that feels authentic to you and enable you to use your values as a roadmap to help you navigate the realities in front of you – contorting the pragmatic elements of your daily life to cater to your ideology, not the other way around.

Hope this was helpful in some way xx

[headmate-ideas]

Hello, friend. The alter I am sending a request about seems to be feminine but not a woman, and seems attracted to Greek music and cuisine. They seem to enjoy the colors pink, red, and green, and are very attached to our cuttlefish and blobfish plushes. They are also fond of pomegranates. If I were to guess, I would assume that they were a creature from Greek mythology, perhaps something living in water or a Ferryman similar to Charon. Thank you for your time. -Agrona

✦ Name(s): Aquaria, Cirice, Miri ✦ Pronouns: she/her, they/them, shy/hyr/hyrs/hyrself, shx/hxr/hxrs/hxrself, fae/faer/faers/faerself, pink/pinks/pinkself, red/reds/redself, green/greens/greenself ✦ Species: siren ✦ Age: adult ✦ Role(s): caretaker, chef, interest holder, hygienist ✦ Labels: juxera, nascigender, lunettian, neptunic ✦ Xenos: pomegranates, ocean, music ✦ Interests/likes: sea creatures, greek history/culture, food ✦ Dislikes: feeling disorganized, uncomfortable clothes, complicated technology ✦ Music taste: dimotika, laiko pop, entekhno ✦ Aesthetic(s): classicism, ocean grunge ✦ Objectum attraction(s): plushes, seashells ✦ Kins: mermaids, psychopomps, giant squids ✦ Emoji proxy: 🌊🎶 ✦ Details:

Aquaria is a siren who has an interest in aquatic life (especially deep sea creatures), Greek culture and history (including music, cuisine, and mythology), and collecting plushes (either actually doing so or learning about such collectibles and looking at pictures of them online). As an aquatic creature, shx is fond of showers as well as other acts of bodily upkeep. Hyr fondness for pomegranates and Greek food leads her to look up different recipes for them, which leads her to look up recipes in general, which has led to her developing an interest in cooking that shy uses to help the rest of the system find different ways to eat foods they know they like (especially if she can bring her interest in Greece and aquatic life into it). Aquaria's interests are very important to hyr and shy often engages with them as a calming/soothing thing for themself and the rest of the system. The beauty they find in deep sea creatures (even the "scary" ones) extends to their general outlook on life, finding the good and beauty in everything she can.

[These can be edited and changed as needed, and headmates will probably not turn out exactly as described.]

[mariammagsi]

Preserving the past...

Heritage is a human right. ~ Marvi Mazhar, founder of Heritage Walk Karachi.

Karachi, once known as the City of Lights, harbours a mosaic of historical and cultural heritage within its bustling streets, especially in the Old Town area of Sardar. While visiting family this winter, I had the opportunity to participate in a guided walk organized by Heritage Walk Karachi, an initiative dedicated to unveiling the history and culture embedded in the city's stunning, yet decaying architecture and communal spaces. Last year, I had the privilege of taking this illuminating walk through the heart of Old Karachi alongside Shaheen Nauman, a guardian of the city's heritage and a passionate advocate for its preservation. This year, as we embarked on a similar journey, Shaheen’s forewarning resonated with an eerie prescience: “you will be heartbroken, and sad.” Her words, heavy with the weight of inevitable truth, prepared us for the disheartening changes that lay ahead. As we entered the neglected buildings, the palpable sense of loss and deterioration was overwhelming. The transformation witnessed over merely one year was stark, underscoring the rapid pace at which neglect and decay can erase the physical markers of our shared history. This guided walk showcased the tragically deteriorating architectural marvels and cultural vibrancy of Karachi’s past and highlighted a crucial aspect of our collective human rights – which includes the right to heritage.

The concept of heritage as a human right is anchored in the belief that every individual is entitled to access, engage with, and reflect on our cultural heritage. This access enables us to connect with our identity, history, and the legacies, ways of living and migratory patterns of our ancestors. Unfortunately, as we meandered through the narrow lanes of Old Karachi, the stark contrast between the past's grandeur and the present's neglect was heart-wrenching. The dilapidation of historic buildings, lack of governmental maintenance, rampant, intolerable pollution, and a visible lack of empathy and tolerance for Karachi’s pluralistic past, are not just aesthetic issues but indicative of a deeper, more systemic disregard for our cultural heritage. A few steps into the alleys and we were dodging used diapers, drug paraphernalia, sharp, injurious objects, bodily waste, and large infestations of flies and mosquitos swarming over puddles of filthy, stagnant water.

As someone visiting from the diaspora, the experience of walking through Old Karachi evoked a profound sense of concern and heartache. The neglect, pollution, and apparent lack of governmental maintenance not only tarnish the physical beauty of this historic area but also signify a deeper abandonment of our cultural patrimony. This disrepair is especially disheartening to witness for those of us who, despite having lived away, maintain a deep attachment to our city of birth. The emotional and intellectual dissonance experienced during this visit underscores an urgent need for collective and governmental action toward the preservation of our heritage. Honouring our history and heritage connects us with our past, guiding our future actions, trajectories and policies.

Karachi's rich and pluralistic past is etched into the very fabric of its urban landscape. On the intricate balcony railings of colonial, pre-colonial and pre-partition buildings, one can trace the outlines of a city that once thrived on diversity and multicultural coexistence. These delicate ironworks and carved balustrades serve as silent witnesses to the times when Karachi was a bustling port, welcoming traders from across the globe. As the city expanded, the relentless push of concrete and modern infrastructure has overshadowed these historical markers, yet they persist, stubbornly holding onto the stories of a bygone era. In the soul-filled nooks and crannies of Saddar, layers of history are revealed in the narrow lanes and ancient structures, where every brick and cobblestone has a story to tell, from centuries-old mosques and temples standing shoulder to shoulder, to the faded frescoes that peek out from under layers of paint, hinting at the city’s vibrant past. These remnants of Karachi's pluralistic past continue to offer a glimpse into a time when the city was a melting pot of cultures, religions, and languages.

The guided walk with Heritage Walk Karachi served as an ominous warning, of what is at stake. The architectural decay and environmental neglect witnessed along the way are not isolated issues but are symptomatic of a broader societal malaise – a disconnect from our historical roots and a disregard for the importance of conservation, both environmental and cultural. The degradation of these sites and streets erases the physical structures, as well as the intangible heritage that these buildings and spaces represent – the stories, traditions, and shared memories of a pluralistic community that once comprised of many Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, Sufis and religious, spiritual and secular people that lived side by side, in harmony. This historical diversity is a cultural treasure that ought to be celebrated, preserved, and passed down to future generations. Yet, the devastating signs of neglect, illegal encroachments and destruction by the city’s intimidating land mafia paint a grim picture of indifference and a loss of communal memory.

The importance of conservation cannot be overstated. Conservation is not merely about preserving bricks and mortar but about maintaining a tangible connection to our past, which in turn informs our present and future. Conservation efforts serve to remind us of the diverse narratives that have shaped our societies and the importance of inclusivity and tolerance in a society that is rapidly falling prey to intolerance, military industrialism, religious extremism, fascism and right-wing ideology.

As residents, whether former or current, of Karachi and stewards of its rich history, we have a collective responsibility to advocate for the preservation of our heritage. It is imperative that we recognize heritage conservation as a matter of cultural pride, and as a fundamental human right. This requires a concerted effort from government bodies, local communities, and civil society organizations to enact policies and initiatives that prioritize heritage preservation. Moreover, fostering a sense of ownership and pride within the community can galvanize grassroots efforts to protect and celebrate our shared history.

The journey with Heritage Walk Karachi is a clarion call to all stakeholders to awaken to the importance of our cultural heritage. In preserving the physical and intangible legacies of our past, we safeguard the essence of our identity and ensure that future generations can enjoy and learn from the richness of our shared heritage. From an intellectual standpoint, the visible deterioration of Old Karachi's heritage sites challenges us to reflect on the broader implications of such neglect. It raises pertinent questions about the values we, as a society, and our governmental bodies prioritize and the legacy we choose to leave for future generations. Heritage is not a relic of the past to be passively observed; it is an active, living testament to our collective history, achievements, and failures. The current state of Old Karachi serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of sidelining cultural heritage in favour of short-term gains.

The ongoing genocide in Palestine, which includes a cultural genocide, and the systematic obliteration of heritage, culture, intellect, and history, serves as a critical warning of the importance of preserving our own heritage and history. Such events underscore the vulnerability of cultural identity in the face of occupation, colonialism and violent erasure and highlight the essential role that heritage plays in the collective memory and identity of a community. In conclusion, as we reflect on the guided walk through Old Town, Karachi, let us not see it merely as a nostalgic tour through a bygone era but as a mission to rekindle our connection with our heritage. Heritage is indeed a human right, one that we must all strive to protect and cherish.

CALLS TO ACTION:

Raise Awareness: Share the rich history and significance of Karachi, through educational campaigns, social media, and community events. Encourage local schools, colleges, and universities to include the study Karachi’s heritage in their curriculum. Organize guided tours and heritage walks like Heritage Walk Karachi, to showcase the cultural and architectural gems of the area.

Advocate for Protection: Petition local authorities and government bodies to enforce strict regulations for the preservation of historical buildings and sites. Collaborate with heritage preservation organizations and activists to lobby for legal protection and funding for restoration projects. Work with city planners and policymakers to integrate heritage conservation into urban development plans.

Community Engagement: Foster a sense of pride and communal ownership among residents by involving them in preservation initiatives. Organize volunteer clean-up drives and maintenance efforts to keep historical sites and streets clean and well-maintained. Establish community forums and workshops to encourage dialogue and participation in decision-making processes related to heritage conservation.

Support Restoration Projects: Partner with private businesses, philanthropists, and cultural institutions to fund restoration efforts for endangered buildings and landmarks. Launch crowdfunding campaigns and seek donations from individuals passionate about preserving Karachi’s heritage. Encourage corporate social responsibility by inviting businesses to sponsor specific restoration projects in exchange for recognition and branding opportunities.

Promote Sustainable Tourism: Develop responsible tourism initiatives that highlight the unique cultural and architectural heritage of Karachi while minimizing negative impacts on the environment and local communities. Create tourism packages that include visits to historical sites, traditional markets, and cultural performances, benefiting local businesses and artisans. Train local guides and hospitality staff to provide informative and respectful experiences for visitors, emphasizing the importance of preserving heritage sites for future generations.

Document and Digitize: Establish archives and digital repositories to document oral histories, photographs, and other ephemera related to Karachi’s heritage. Collaborate with universities and research institutions to conduct studies and publish scholarly works on the history and architecture of the area. Develop virtual tours and interactive exhibits to make Karachi’s heritage accessible to a wider audience, including those unable to visit in person.

By promoting these calls to action, we can work together to safeguard the cultural, historical, and architectural legacy of Old Town, Karachi, for generations to come.

Photos + Text © Mariam Magsi 2024

[euclydya]

System ask questions. All of them.

YAY YIPPEE

Which headmates are the iconic couple - probably Inland and Concept tbh!!

Which headmates are the unlikely couple - Vol & PT tbh. quote from the night they became official:

Which headmates were enemies at first and now best friends and/or a couple - Inland and Auth. they fuckin hated each other for SO LONG AJSKDJCJCJZ no idea what changed between em but I'm glad it changed goddamn

Which headmate is the most different from the body? - i meannnn. All of us tbh DBDJSJFJCJXKD

Which headmates are city folk - Shivers 1000% tbh

Which headmates are country folk - idk actually!

Which headmates have the most unique music taste? - idk actually!! our music tastes r either v similar to each other or not very unique to begin with hmmmm

Which headmate has the most specific role? - either Auth [their role is to Be Cared For And Doted On when up front] or Suggestion [Its role is To Be A Sapient Stim Toy. Its role is to Literally be thrown around and hit. do not worry this doesn't hurt him at all and he enjoys it JAKAAKSJDJFJDJD]

Are there any headmates from a specific state/country/etc different from the body? - I mean technically all us Skills are fantasy French i guess. does that count

Which headmates are emo/punk/goth etc? - Aesthetic-wise? I don't think any of us actually!

What are some pet peeves headmates have about other headmates? - Scio & Cass are super annoyed by Mr. Soot's voice and demeanor tbh if that counts. Like the three do not get along well at all SJDJSJSKFJF

What headmate was the biggest surpise? - FUCKING CHILCHUCK??????????? BRO WE WERE EXPECTING SENSHI. WHERE DID YOU COME FROM AJAISJDJFDJ

What headmate has a skill that the body doesn't usually, but when they front the body gets it (or almost gets it)? - PT is hella skilled at friendship bracelet making meanwhile the rest of us suck at anything that isn't a chevron or smth really simple HSDJSJDJFJD so all the bracelets we make she's gotta be up front for

What headmate makes the most typos? - I DO AJAKAKSDJFJFJDJD i type FAST and unless I'm typoing my name I don't care to fix em because the typos add Flavour. They add Character. Also i dont feel like fixing em. Also Logic!! due to uhhhhhhhh psychosis shit he's really uncoordinated w the body now and has poor motor skills

What headmate has the weirdest (/pos) way of talking/typing? - idk!! rn we don't really have anyone w unusual typing quirks outside of Logic & his typos [lh] but talking-wise hmmmm. I guess Shivers! She kinda blasts her voice all through the headspace & into our minds when she talks and she is VERY loud but that's expected ig since she embodies the spirit of a city and all. and also Logic again actually, it's not Weird per se but he slurs his words a lot usually as a side effect of our last Big Psychosis Episode™. Also shoutout to Esprit who primarily speaks through barking and other animal sounds, love that 4 you but pleaze stop barking directly in my ear when u front AIAJSJSKD OH MY GOD I FORGOT ABT RHETORIC he sounds like he's choking when he speaks. Which. He is. On. His own neck LMAO

-Electrochem

[mizuirolawliet]

Introduction post time!

Hello, I’m L. I’m a fictive alter in a system (main system blog is @strawberryeyebags) and this is my side blog for Mizuiro fashion/ aesthetics. As well as similar aesthetics like cyber core/ frutiger aero etc I’m the co-host and my fellow host has a similar or blog for their more kawaii/2000s aesthetic @astrostired. And if you like ancient history here’s our partner @nyahkmenrah

DNI/BYF is all is our system carrd. https://thesleepoversystem.carrd.co

What is Mizuiro?

Mizuiro (水色界隈) also called Aqua community is a Japanese aesthetic/fashion that uses a pastel blue color palette and visuals. It has a pessimistic mood with cold tones, slouchy/oversized clothing, and an association with Otaku culture. It also incorporates Kawaii elements, especially with mascots like Sanrio.

It originates from an aesthetic was associated with the idol Ano from the Japanese idol group ‘You'll Melt More!’ as well as her fans during the mid to late 2010s. She was the light blue member of the group and her fans followed her aesthetic, eventually it broke away and became a whole community and style of its own.

It’s motifs include:

pale blues, white and greys.

Cute minimalistic illustrations with wobbly line work

A cyber type undertone

Frills

Oversized clothes and tracksuits

Characters like cinnamoroll, Hatsune miku and rei ayanami

Otaku/anime/gaming culture

Arcades, city streets and parking garages as backdrops

Nighttime and dim lighting

Vocaloid

This is where I’ll post and re-blog pictures to do with the style and aesthetic. Partly because I just like to look at it and partly because I want more people to see and appreciate it. Be warned I will block creepy people with no hesitation so don’t be an ass. I’m still learning about this style/subculture all the time as it grows and evolves. So if I get something wrong I’ll try and correct it, don’t take my word as gospel!

Fictive related note: please don’t tag anything of mine / mention l#wlight. I’d rather not be associated with a man who hurt me and those I loved.

That’s all, enjoy the blog.

[pectinpeeress]

Aarghhhh.... kind of a rant below, sorry about that, somethings just been bugging me...

I’ve been kind of annoyed with a lot of the Opinions I’ve seen on Kimblee as a character, especially in terms of his relationship with Riza. Because I feel like people keep trying to justify his character morally in order to justify liking him. And, first of all, a character doesn’t need to be a good person for you to like them; and secondly, it makes the characters way less interesting?!?

Like, If you look at Kimblees narrative purpose as a character, he isn’t supposed to represent a real person. Just like how the Greek gods are more similar to the element they’re meant to represent than an actual person, Kimblee is the idea of narcissism come manifest. I get that writing is subjective, but Arakawa has literally said that she based Kimblee off of Alex from A Clockwork Orange – a character whose so insufferably self-centered, he makes you wonder if he even deserves to act for himself-- so I feel like it’s fair to say that regardless of what anyone claims, the intention is for him to be an irredeemable person.

I think that what confuses a lot of people is that he has an understandable set of motivations, and people don’t understand the difference between an understandable villain and a sympathetic villain. Kimblee is not a sympathetic villain, he’s given no backstory, no noble goals, or sympathetic motivation. But he is an understandable villain. We understand his thought process, but that doesn’t mean that we can view him as a good person. Honestly, his motivation has always reminded me of alt-right accelerationism, he recognizes that the things he’s doing are bad, but he just doesn’t care.

This is why it bugs me when people claim that he and Riza had a connection, or that Riza sympathized with him. Because it ignores the narrative purpose of his character. He’s the manifestation of the hypocrisy of Amestris. The government claims violence is a necessary evil, but the system is built to reward sadism. It’s sort of like how our society claims to reward kindness, and yet the most powerful people are billionaires who exploit their workers. So when he tells Riza to look in the eyes of the people she kills, it’s impactful because she hates him. It’s her becoming disillusioned with the lies and propaganda of the military. They claim to be protecting the people of Amestris but in reality, they’re just a weapon for the government to use as it sees fit. Riza doesn’t sympathize with Kimblee, she loses her patriotism, and that is the point.

To be clear, I don’t care which characters you like, or what you ship, or whatever, but when you claim that Riza and Kimblee got along, you’re actively making her character less compelling. The narrative goes from “soldier becomes disillusioned with the military” to “woman is tempted by the ~dark side~” which like, that’s fine, there’s nothing inherently wrong with simplifying a character. My issue comes from the fact that people act like they’re improving her character or making her more interesting, and they’re not. She goes from a really interesting look into the purpose of the military and the motivations of the soldiers within it, to a poorly written YA protagonist. And for what?  A love-triangle? The aesthetic?

It just irritates me because there’s this undertone to it like they’re saving Riza from being overly dependent on a man by latching her to another man. Like, the whole point of Riza’s character is that despite being dehumanized her entire life, she is still a human with free will and agency, and their attempt to fix what they perceive as the faults of Riza’s character is to turn her into a tool used by a different man? Like, can’t she just be evil on her own? Why is she only allowed to do immoral things through the proxy of a man? It comes off as way more dehumanizing than any of the tropes they’re trying to fix, while also ignoring that she’s an intentional subversion of those tropes.

IDK, just to clarify, I really do not care about your personal taste or whatever content you make. It’s stupid to act like the mere act of liking a fictional character is indicative of a person’s actual ethics, and it’s even stupider to think that fandom discourse will have any sort of positive impact on their moral compass. What mostly bugs me is when people act like they're smarter than everyone else for liking something when it’s like??? Dude just like what you like you don’t need to lie about the narrative to justify it.

[dandeliicnsarchiived]

🚩🚩🚩

send me a 🚩 and i'll share my unpopular rpc opinions and hot takes. bonus points if you include a specific topic to talk about, like follower count, softblocking, graphics, etc. // accepting

Aesthetic vs Writing: I don't see this a lot but I think it needs to be addressed. And I wanna say this is NOT directed at anyone this is simply based off of OLD rpc days that sometimes hit me from time to time. I really hated when writers would be ignored for not having the prettiest of graphics, themes, icons or even url names. I've met some amazing writers who have had bare bones of everything, didn't do formatting and they were often ignored because they weren't aesthetic enough. Just because someone doesn't wanna spend hours trying to make things pretty does not mean that they're bad writers. It's the biggest example of don't judge a book by its cover - actually take the time to get them, learn about their characters and then make a decision if you feel their characters are right for you. Yes aesthetics are attractive but I hate it when it's a deal breaker.

Taking things too seriously: I've been made aware and experienced writers that took things too seriously when it came to writing. Yes, do the research, explain the lore, but understand that you don't own concepts unless youre building from the ground up. Example; I do not own the ideas and concepts of the abilities that my characters have. I often credit where I got the base from and make the necessary changes that fit my lore. If someone had similar concepts you won't see me throwing a rage a fit because someone decided to have their oc have similar abilities as mine. I do not own electricity and fire manipulation. I do not own witch craft AND I SURE AS HELL DON’T OWN WEREWOLF/VAMPIRE HYBRIDS; therefore, I will never been upset if someone has the same things as me. What I'd most likely be upset about is if someone took headcanons that are 95% based off my life experiences/journey through life and applied it to their characters. Example being; my "living with depression" headcanon - the system that Rosalie has to keep herself grounded is the same system I have in order to deal with my adjustment disorder that amplifies my depression. How Rosalie doesn't want to burden people with her depressive episodes is so how I personally act with my loved ones so im not a burden to them. What I do NOT own is the mental illness of depression. It looks different on EVERYONE who has it. We all have our systems to keep us alive. Now, if someone was to come to me and say "hey your headcanon about depression really hit home for me; I'd like to use that as a base for my character because I haven't really thought in detail about how they deal with" THATS COMPLETELY FINE because yknow maybe im not the first person to come up with that system! I encourage people to come to me if people feel like my writing resonates with them and inspires them to think a little deeper. I at most want the respect of asking me or letting me know what their thought process is so I don't assume and get annoyed for no reason. This is a big world but small all the same, we can share, we can inspire but we can't do is take ownership of a concept that has more than enough resources that everyone can use to manipulate in their own way. Also give credit where credit is due- but don't work yourself up over it too much.

Blocking/Softblocking: now I wanna put out there that I RESPECT everyone's rules and understand that they don't owe ANYONE an explanation as to why they choose to block someone/soft block someone. However, HOWEVER; That isn't for me. As someone who has made mistakes in the past and is TERRFIED of doing them again, I'd at least like a heads up and in return I'd so the same to someone else if they upset me in anyway. I don't need the nitty gritty but at least let me know what I did wrong to upset you. The Army taught me to take constructive criticism and that PERCEPTION IS THE REALITY. You perceive that I am disrespecting you, that is YOUR reality, I have no right in telling you that you're wrong. You are ENTITLED to your emotions, and I respect that. On the other hand, I am not a perfect person- I can word things wrong, I can misinterpret conversations and social cues. I want to be educated on how to be BETTER. I can take a grilling, I can take being raked against the coals. You got the evidence? Shiiitt, if it looks wrong, sounds wrong, ITS WRONG. Please give me the opportunity to learn from it; maybe I forced a ship too hard bc I was too excited for the potential dynamic(friendships included in this). Maybe I forgot to tag something that I didn't seem that was triggering and for you it was! I won't ever beg someone to give me another chance, but I will ask on ways to improve so I don't screw over the next person. The last thing I want is to ruin an experience for someone, I did it once and I'll try like hell to not do it again. I won't beg for someone to stay around, you are entitled to your safety and mental wellbeing online. I just personally like to learn from the experience because maybe others like you feel the same way and you could be speaking for them. As much as I say I don't take things too seriously, I take these writing shenanigans as a hobby and have fun; I do take mental health and emotional health very seriously to every writer behind the screen. I don't know what you're going through, I am not you. The very least i can do is listen to understand and fix whatever mistakes I've made and make sure they don't happen again. Also to anyone who has rp'd with me in the recent years, and I've done something to wrong you, I deeply apologize and I hope I didn't ruin an experience for you.

[sparrow-ceiling]

Tell me about your OC!!!

UHHHHHH OK SO I HAVE A LOT (53 to be precise actually lmao) AND A BLOG FOR THEM (( @character-ceiling )) BUT I RANDOM NUMBER GENERATED SO HERE IS SOME STUFF ABOUT #16 (ELISE "LISSY" AMAL)

Okay so in the universe Lissy exists in (story is called Neo) it's very futuristic, the galaxy is kinda ruled over by this thing called the Neogalactic Federation which is basically an evil capitalist government whatever (its not entirely fleshed out despite being like three years old lmao), and one of the things that the Federation does in order to kinda indoctrinate people into their system is this thing called Neogalactic Vagrant Crews (NGVCs for short). These are basically groups of kids/young adults who go around "solving problems" on various planets and setting the stage for the Federation to come in and kind of manipulate the leaders or whatever (again, not exactly fleshed out)

The heroes of this story belong to one crew (NGVC 57-K) and they end up rebelling and hopefully taking down the Federation (idk I haven't gotten that far lmao). Lissy, however, has been successfully manipulated by the Federation and she and her crew (NGVC 23-R) (Lin, Ea, Mel, Lissy, and later Thorn) take their job really really seriously. Thorn is involved with our hero crew and so 23-R's role in the plot is to kind of take out/destroy the hero crew.

When Thorn joins the crew, she describes each of the characters, and she says about Lissy "Elise, who goes by Lissy, on… very good terms with Mel. I’m not entirely sure what she does, but she seems kind. Kind of weak that is. Haha. I don’t need to worry about her."

Lissy is a little bit artsy, she's silly and very much in love with her girlfriend Mel. She's kind of stupid but she's also kind of a badass. Lissy and Mel are the evil t4t lesbians that nobody asked for but everybody needed. Lissy has green dyed hair and she's very pretty (Mel makes sure to tell her this often). Mel and Lissy are kind of an inseparable duo, and both have similar ways of dressing (very aesthetic, tight fitting, revealing.)

While some members of the crew might have active ill-intent (like Lin, Thorn, maybe Mel), Lissy is really just along for the ride and she trusts the others with everything. She doesn't exactly understand the whole situation (nobody does, really), and doesn't realize she's being indoctrinated/manipulated by the Federation. She's not a bad person but she definitely functions as one in the story.

ANYWAY YEAH that's 1 out of 53 hehe :)). Honestly surprised it took up this much space because Lissy is a fairly minor character in her story lmao. Anyway yeah <3! Ty for the ask!

[ramblings-from-the-ether]

Wuxia AU (Section 1: Introduction)

I imagined Giovanni serving Tang Yuan (汤圆, a traditional Chinese dessert of (sometimes colourful) glutinous rice balls served in hot broth) to his brothers (minions/boys) and now I have an AU setting.

Also, Happy Winter Solstice!

Inspired by old Kung Fu and Wuxia films from the 70s where:

Anything can be a weapon in the right hands

Anyone with enough training or experience can be a capable fighter

And, chivalrous heroes and sinister villains clash for treasures, ideals and fame.

Doesn't this sound a bit similar to Epithet Erased in some ways?

So here is an AU in which our midnight heist takes place in a grand temple hiding a treasure, with bandits and vagabonds behind every curtain, and a little girl trapped behind the closed gates. Also everyone is wearing some form of traditional Chinese clothing or clothing styles that originated in ancient China, and sometimes sing as in an opera.

Magic System

Instead of epithets and inscribed, anybody can harness Qi or supernatural powers through enough training and hardwork/grit. Our inscribed characters in this AU have these powers through years of experience using them, the luck to gain a boost (eating magic pills) or to be born with innate potential, or the unluck to be forced by fate to become stronger in order to overcome its machinations.

Characters

Molly

Pretty much the same with mostly aesthetic changes. Her powerset focuses on dispelling in order to control her older sister's with the opposite focus of creation. She has never wielded an actual weapon in her life.

Giovanni

Was once a good child who gained a passion in cooking to the point his skills are focused around making Soup and similar concoctions. Unfortunately he managed to read Water Margin and decided to become a bandit by joining the Yellow Scarfs (Banzai Blasters), a 'bandit' group more of a private criminal mercenary and highway robbery organisation.

Instead of baseball, in this AU Giovanni has a side skill in Da Tuolo (A Chinese whip and spinning top game) unmatched amongst his brothers (instead of 'boys' in this AU) and peers. Instead of the 13 combo effect, its now a 4 combo effect at the 'cost' of rarely using the whip as a weapon (It's his only one, plus he uses it for competitions. Furthermore he knows the pain of being hit with it by accidental self use or by others accidently hitting him with their whips during practice).

Sylvie

A young man (often mistaken for as a kid) from a pastoral family who studies and practices the analysis of Qi usage on the human body, as well as how to take care of it. A horn-hat wearing recluse who has more knowledge than his age suggests. Or at least, this is the story he tries to present...

His skillset focuses on pacification (useful for calming down animals and troublesome patients) with an odd ability of transforming into a bull monster as his 'dreamform' or something. He also has a large amount of magical trinkets and talismans as well as general knowledge of pressure points on the human body, these consist the majority of his arsenal in the event of a fight.

Mera

Born with an unusual amount of power, her magic tends to be rather unstable and constant usage can harm her. Her noble family could not provide a solution despite their wealth to aid her, and thus she left to travel the world with Indus to seek a remedy for her condition.

Her powerful abilities allows her to manipulate matter into a more fragile state like porcelain. She is rather tricky, and may use stealthy, disguised or unconventional weapons to catch her opponents off guard.

Indus

Same fellow as in canon Epithet Erased with the ability to create magical barriers. Only that he probably came from a nomadic clan in the west or north.

Percy

Either a former member of the imperial army or just born in a rather chivalrous martial arts clan, she serves the city guard with an honorable distinction.

She however, has a rather low stamina which regulates her to a support role, where she does her best to learn how to treat wounds, care for weaponry, and other skills a support role may need in the military.

Despite her low stamina, she is still a remarkable fighter nonetheless. Her weapons include the infamous Tamade Sword (他妈的剑！), and a pair of mirrors (one is semi-transparent while the other has a very bright reflection). Reflected light from the latter mirror can actual be used to revitalise one's face and skin; but when the former mirror is used to direct sunlight into the latter mirror, the resulting ray of reflected light can blind, scald and even burn anything it touches with enough exposure.

Ramsey

He has lived many schemes disguised as lives, but it seems his luck has run out, forcing him to be on the run. A former merchant, conman, and even a (albeit corrupt) governor; anything related to gold is his domain to rule if he gets the chance.

Speaking of gold, his skillset is focused around turning things into precious metals (though he prefers gold), he can even do this to himself to avoid physical harm.

Zora

Some say she served the Immortal Emperor when he was alive, while others say she was once a warlord who ruled over the far-flung steppes. Nevertheless, this mysterious and terrifying woman serves as mercenary and assassin for a shadowy faction that has plans to usurp the Mandate of Heaven.

Swords, traps, knives, bows, crossbows and flying guillotines may be her primary or secondary weapons. But her signature weapon is none other than a small water clock. No one has seen the use of such an odd contraption in the hands of a mercenary, much less its use as a weapon, and lived to tell the tale. Rumours say the waters of time drip and flow to her command, and from which she nourishes her seemingly unending youth.

Poor Vasemaker from the temple

Works in the temple to make, manage and take care of the vases there. Is also the artist behind the newest vase so beautiful as to be worth more gold than what the temple could afford. When Giovanni smashes a specific and rather intricate vase, this poor fellow wakes up and hops out of bed sobbing "My vases!" and "My life's work!" in the distance.

Meta Data: One of the first AUs we've made together. A setting centered AU inspired by the Wuxia genre. Pre-POP story.

Status: General character, location and plot redesigns made, little to no name changes. There are 2 world concepts (based on 2 similar AU concepts during early development that differed in cultural focus called 'Wuxia AU' & 'Silk Road AU', the former is the current basis of this AU).

[grandhotelabyss]

I think at least as far as the Trump as spiritually white ethnic/in a way homosexual you’re right, but I would add a quibble to that comment that I didn’t think quite fast enough to make at the time, but that’s surfaced in the wake of finishing Paradise as I’ve been thinking a lot about Toni Morrison lately, and specifically that closing note of the Beloved pod episode, where you bemoaned that she was til the end of her life loyal to left-liberalism. Some of those thoughts will probably get their own ask sooner or later, but one of the things that I’ve been thinking about is how Morrison, being of the generation she was, and moving in the circles she did probably would have been sharply aware of the way that the white ethnic tradition of liberals turned right that Trump ultimately wound up embodying was always in a sense partly about a discomfort with the changing racial status quo in America after the civil rights era and grievances I think partly legitimate and partly a sort of Baldwinian sense of having ones values undermined when those you thought beneath you are suddenly considered by the WASPs (who are still on top) to be your equals. There’s also I think another level that as an aesthete I’m sure she must have in some way (even if unconsciously) been alive to the way that Trump was sort of the upside down Obama, the slovenly, uncouth spiritual white ethnic (also) making promises on the campaign trail that he could not, and did not keep in office.*

*this has on some level been true for at least the last three or four American presidents, but it seems to me that maybe the most of any of them there is a stark and fascinating dualism between the aesthetics of Trump and the actual politics, once ensconced of Trump, but maybe that’s neither here nor there (or maybe, as you implied, it’s everything!)

I agree, but the "white ethnic" shift happened with Nixon and Reagan, which is why I don't think it's all that explanatory re: Trump, especially after 2020. I am admittedly too attracted to the perversity of the reversal I'm outlining, that wittingly or not his supporters are drawn to his racial-sexual crypto-subalternity and his enemies repulsed by the same even as they tell themselves the opposite logic is at work. Still, I think it explains something of the emotion on both sides, which otherwise seems in excess of the object. And on your footnote, yes, Trump is closest in unbuttoned persona, strangely or not, to Clinton, the other first black president, whose persona echoed his policies, but pragmatically similar to both Bush and Obama (each in his own way a pious and reserved man) in promising to reverse some elements of the Reagan-Clinton neoliberalism (or whatever) and then not quite doing it.

On Morrison, I don't remember what I said, but I certainly do understand why she remained a loyal Democrat. I just don't see what, exactly, it has to do with the metaphysics of the novels. The metaphysics are counter to the stated worldview of the Republicans during most of her adult life—the rise of the religious right in the '70s if nothing else would have prevented her taking the Hurston-like turn that sometimes seems implied in her early fiction—but not, even so, congruent with the stated worldview of the Democrats, especially during and after Clinton.

That's the terrible genius of our system, though: there are only two parties, and the cult of democracy means you have to loudly support one of them. No Jüngerian anarchs in the American system; or, if there are, like Cormac McCarthy, they just get read as secret Republicans.