#will fine tweak it

[selfishpresley]

When the infantilization of drivers fail: the case with lando norris

Personal watching of Formula One from my perspective started out with Michael Schumacher.

A man that embodied the Ferrari ideal driver. Someone with a very strong mind. A great talent with a fast car that created a combination within the sport that was only replicated with the Mercedes dominance that he had a hand in creating.

This was more than twenty years ago, and when a lot of young motorsports fans were kids.

This was the first wave to the rising popularity of the sport.

Sebastian Vettel, people could argue, contributed to the second. Daniel Ricciardo had a hand in the next coming waves. Lewis Hamilton moreso.

In the past five years, we've seen an exponential increase in spectators for formula one. Mostly to do with the popularity of 'Drive to Survive'.

From the casual fan to the most obsessed, the way that fans view drivers range from a deep love to the most ardent hate.

No matter what the opinion might be with Lando Norris, he is a victim to a kind of thinking that has affected the younger drivers from the 2019 lineup.

Victim might be too sympathetic of a word. Especially given that his media presence has helped create the kind of under-dog characterization that his fans have held onto.

You could say that this was because of the younger fans coming into Formula 1 are leaving their previous 'fandoms' of K-Pop or Taylor Swift or Sherlock or Doctor Who.

They do have a hand in perpetrating a kind of; infantilization of drivers.

Although, they are not to blame when it comes to Lando Norris.

This video by Dakota Sage, titled "The Babygirl-ification of Formula One", reminded me of the kind of online perspective that many recent fans have of certain drivers. (the video is very anti-RPF)

Baby-girlification or infantilization has been around for a long time, mostly affecting women to fetishize their already young age. It is just a recent thing that began to affect fully grown men. The term 'this *insert grown man here* is so baby girl!', has been a recent development in the broader issue of fan behaviour.

A lot of men in these fan-sports spaces like to make fun of, a mostly female kind of comments of certain drivers.

Lauding themselves as a superior sports fan because 'they aren't like these girls that only like a driver because he's physically attractive'. Or they take the sport seriously.

This kind of thinking is not only hypocritical but it causes a further alienation of new audiences that formula one is so desperate to get.

It's not just 'women know nothing about sports', it's evolved to 'these women don't know enough and they just like to see a pretty face'.

It creates a kind of 'men-women' rivalry that is very reductive to the general atmosphere that motorsports brings. Especially with the modernization of sports in general.

I will say that this is not just exclusive to online spaces. It's seen rarely in real life events. Mostly people waiting outside hotels of certain drivers (parasocial) or others giving out friendship bracelets (kind/normal some could say) or the obsession with WAGs (parasocial and psychotic when it becomes harmful).

In the case of infantilization, we will focus on one driver. (Note: there are many that are baby-girlified. Mostly white males.)

One 'under-dog'.

Lando Norris.

Lando Norris began his career at the young age of nineteen. Joining a large team that had been struck by cheating scandals and weak engines, McLaren had fostered Norris' talent two years prior. It took little time for people to fantasize that Lando could be the next great british racing champion.

The next Lewis Hamilton...

He was this young driver that started off strongly, showed great promise with more experience.

In the early years, Lando was at the forefront of people's minds.

"Little Lando Norris' was the young boyish British darling. And that has not changed as of the Mexican GP in 2024. A far cry from the 'golden days' of Michael Schumacher, Lando Norris was seen as everybody's son.

The only thing that has changed is how he is viewed within online spaces.

During the Max Verstappen dominance last year, during the Silverstone Grand Prix, Lando Norris was looking like a real contender to be the one of the other few drivers to win a race that season that weren't Max or Checo.

Lando qualified 2nd, and the majority of the people that didn't want to see Max win. Including fans of Lewis Hamilton. Some Checo fans. Charles fans. From one corner of the world to another, people were rooting for Lando to win.

What could have been his first win was taken by Max, he was about three seconds behind. He led a lap for a second it seemed.

And people had hope that the Red Bull dominance was going to end, especially in a season where things 'started getting boring'.

The online reception to Lando was at its best.

It looked like the set of recording 'we are the world' on Twitter before it started getting popular on Tumblr. Tiktoks were made supporting the British driver. Instagram videos and post coming out to support him.

Today, if we exclude the loyal Lando fans, online reception to Lando Norris has taken a nosedive.

Many could attribute this to his backhanded comments about certain drivers, his attitude with fans, his behavior with certain drivers.

All of that could be forgiven.

Lando is a wealthy, white, attractive by european standards, successful young male.

Worse people have been forgiven and defended for much worse things.

Now why is this now not being forgiven? Why is this not working now?

What happened to everybody's under-dog?

What happened to Pookie or babygirl Lando?

The infantilization of Lando at the beginning of his career has attributed in the negative public opinion.

It has failed him.

It is the reason that people in many online spaces don't like him anymore.

The fans have been convinced that Lando was just a kid. A boy that was so good, that he was racing in the highest series of motorsports because of his talent at a very young age. In our minds Lando was our little brother.

A child, one could argue.

If you see a driver as a child, or worse yet, a babyish man; you will attribute each one of his flaws to childishness.

He complains? or he whines like a baby? Is he sassy or rude? Is he reporting broken rules or snitching?

Lando fans would just see it normally, the rest less so. Most would see it as a young man with negative attributes. Moreso now that Lando has gained confidence in the sport. Has gained experience. Has a competitive car now that is competing with Ferrari and Red Bull. Two teams that have dominated the sports for eras at a time.

Now... Where did it all change?

There was no watershed moment.

More attention, more time in the sport, more success; comes with more 'hate'.

Especially when Lando Norris doesn't do much to help with the accusations against him.

He's whiny? Then you see a video of him complaining about a racing incident.

He's annoying? His particular brand of humor is put on display.

His team is definitely not helping.

McLaren has turned into a once great team that housed the likes of Senna to a team that stole documents from Ferrari to a team that likes to toe the line of being likeable.

And it's not Lando's fault in this case.

Lando is up against everybody else.

His public image is against everybody else's.

He isn't the young talent anymore, but in people's minds he is still so young. He's 'little lando norris', he's the streamer that plays with his friends online like most boys do.

Lando Norris is still seen with Lolita colored glasses. And it's not helping his recent success and his popular 'hate'.

A thing to note, there are valid criticisms to the decline in Lando's image.

His comments on someone's favorite driver. His behaviour with certain fans and drivers.

His poorly hidden following tab which includes the likes of Andrew Tate.

His lucky charm in the form of former president Donald Trump.

These are things that need to be brought up more often and in conjunction with criticism of other drivers. Including favorite drivers.

Infantilization of drivers could be innocuous, if it didn't continue past the age where they should be seen as a baby girl.

[a-scary-lack-of-common-sense]

Eldritch/not-entirely-human Grunkle Stan stories have been eating away at my brain, so I have a silly little concept of Mimic!Stan.

He and his Mystery Shack are both mimics that lure tourists in as a literal "tourist trap" to gather and devour them! Since the house is alive, it raises a few (read: several) child safety concerns that lead to a LOT of rules to be created for Dipper and Mabel to follow when they eventually arrive, such as:

Be careful not to get lost in the winding hallways! The Mystery Shack is bigger on the inside, and you don't want to end up in the wrong areas.

Don't go through randomly appearing doors, they may eat you.

If you think you feel the walls around you breathing and the floor beneath you shifting, no, you don't.

If you think the walls feel a bit damp, you're imagining it.

Watch your fingers around windowsills! You wouldn't want to lose any of them.

Don't linger too long under the doorframes; it may start feeling like they are slowly constricting around you.

[vozart]

they all bite

[gloucester-carousel]

so how about that one and only true god huh

[yunmaobao]

NINJAGO DRAGONS RISING SEASON 2 SPOILERS

dramatic recreation of the worst/best scene this season. no im not okay.

[artistdove]

It's done!! Oswald edition of the song "Young Girl A" covered by Will Stetson.

Been listening to this song again and couldn't help but think some of the lyrics fit Ozzy

[7lizardsinacoat]

"Run, dudes. Run!"

A digital painting of Grace Chasity from Nerdy Prudes Must Die! I love this deranged character so much. One of the most characters of all time.

(Yes I did post this and delete it and repost it I wanted to tweak the art some)

[aerimaexo]

seeing red

[creativity-deficient]

I don’t trust people that hate these two

Like tf are y’all hating on?? True love?? Happiness??? Stability?????

[sboochi]

"I loathe you!"

Another snippet, this time ~in motion~

Sorry for the giant ass watermark, I didn’t realize it would show up until I exported the first draft *siiigh*

[insane-dinosaur]

SILLY DUDES (why are they both doing the same pose?)

[joe-bidens-alt-account]

This one is for the TruCoop truthers out there

[joyfuladorable]

An Abundance of Angels (I'm so hyped for Tales Angel, she's already so important to me)

[posi-pan]

for anyone who has ever seen someone claim pansexual was coined on social media by teenagers in the early 2000s, the 2010s, and even in the past few years, and believed it or wondered if it’s true, or known it’s not true and been annoyed by the misinformation, this article is for you!

after listing out all of the claims i’ve seen, i succinctly debunk them by laying out a brief overview of pansexual’s history dating back to the 1960s, both as a term generally indicating universal appeal/inclusion and a term indicating sexual freedom/attraction to all genders. i include a look at pansexual’s use specifically within queer spaces, with a focus on bisexual spaces, as well.

i also touch briefly on omnisexual and polysexual existing in similar contexts to pansexual dating back to the 1960s. and finally, i discuss a little bit about how when, where, and by whom a label is created doesn’t determine the validity or usefulness of it, because these claims come with the implication that new labels, labels created by kids, and labels originating on social media aren’t legit forms of queer expression and identification.

happy pan week! 🥰💗💛💙

[seokminfilm]

faithful | lee seokmin

pairing: lee seokmin x reader

warnings: non-idol au, fluffy (at the beginning & end), jealous seokmin, cursing, seokmin uses petnames (baby), reader uses nicknames, kissing, reader has an ex, reader thinks jealous seokmin is kind of attractive, seokmin apologizes to reader, lyr has too much fun describing seokmin pt. 92809423, happy/wholesome ending

now playing: faithful, wild east radio word count: 2069 (holy....) (for @kstrucknet)

lyr's notez: thank you @heechwe we all say in unison (she came up w this) 🤍 also....the 2nd/right picture has me feeling some type of way because holy....oh lord

As you and your boyfriend spent your Saturday afternoon parading the aisles of your local grocery store, the two of you couldn't help but be all over each other, nearly running into shelves left and right because you two couldn't keep your eyes off each other.

Seokmin was in an outfit you had never seen him in before, and it made you feel something─it was simple: a black turtleneck and a dark pair of jeans laced with a sleek, silver buckled belt.

His sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, revealing his sculpted forearms and tanned skin underneath. Your head was cloudy enough just looking at his outfit, but it got even worse when you looked at his face.

He was wearing those stupid black frames again─the ones you had bought him a few months ago for a surprise─and they perfectly sat on his nose. His smile was a bright, butterfly-inducing white as he scrolled on his phone, reading the grocery list. You almost kissed him in the middle of the frozen food section when he helped a lady's kid reach something on the higher shelf, paternal instincts kicking in without his knowledge.

"Did we get the salt?" Seokmin's voice awakens you from your reverie, and you nod, obviously flustered that he caught you in that state. He looks at you and smiles, knowing what's going through your head as his hand brushes yours. "Stay focused, baby."

"Easy for you to say. You're not the one having to hold themselves back from flinging themselves on their boyfriend because he looks so attractive in the outfit he's wearing." You say while locking eyes with him. Seokmin gets a kick out of this, a smile coming on his face as he kisses your forehead.

"Who told you I wasn't also trying to hold myself back? You don't know─I may want to kiss you really badly right now," Seokmin's voice is playful as he gives you a sweet side glance, and you can't help but laugh, propelling the cart forward as the two of you laugh at each other's antics.

As you and Seokmin browse the produce section (Seokmin really doing all the hard work while you just hang back and admire the sushi a few steps away), Seokmin's hands find their place on your waist, shocking you as he presses you against the cart.

His lips hover just above your ear, and he leans in, tricking you into thinking he's going to kiss you just to reach around you to get his phone.

"Min, what was that all about?" You ask confused, body warm from his touch. You were already flustered─he was just making it worse.

"That guy keeps looking at you," Seokmin's voice is suspicious as he continues to push the cart, and you glanced over at who he was talking about, eyes widening as you met eyes with him.

It was your toxic ex-boyfriend who had left you for another girl two years ago, and he was back in town─without a girlfriend, might you add.

"Do you know him, baby?" Seokmin's voice is louder now that you two have turned the corner. He's curious: the man stared at you like he was familiar with you, and it made Seokmin sick to his stomach. The way his eyes sparkled when he watched you...Seokmin fumed quietly, knowing that he alone was supposed to watch you like that.

"That's my ex. He's...." You trail off, and Seokmin finishes it for you, eyebrows falling into a serious look. "I remember. You told me about him." Seokmin's voice had a darker edge to it, one you had never heard before.

Seokmin was always mild-mannered and polite, even when he had a strong opinion or dislike of something. This─the side of Seokmin you were seeing now─was very new to you. 

You couldn't lie and say you didn't think it was really attractive.

“Hey!” A familiar voice from behind you interrupts your thoughts about your boyfriend, and you turn around and lock eyes with your ex. There’s a surprising kindness in his gaze that catches you off guard, leaving you frozen and unsure of how to respond.

“Oh─hi!” You try to be polite, hoping your smile doesn’t come off as a grimace. Seokmin smiles beside you, trying to be polite: he remembers everything you told him, and he tries to push the thoughts of rising anger away, wanting to be cordial and polite in the situation.

“How are you? It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?” Your ex comes in for a hug, but you refuse, stepping back as you just nod. Your ex notices this, face dropping slightly as his grin turns to a straight-lipped smile. “It has. I’ve been good, though.” 

“Well, that’s good to hear. Who’s this? I don’t think we’ve met before.” His question is directed at you, but his eyes are on Seokmin’s imposing frame as he speaks. Seokmin doesn’t back down, not affected by your ex’s judgemental stare.

“This is Seokmin, my boyfriend.” You gesture to Seokmin, and he nods, reaching out to shake hands with your ex as his voice is warm. “It’s nice to meet you.”

"It’s nice to meet you too.” Your ex’s voice is filled with sarcastic politeness as he takes Seokmin’s hand, retracting it as his eyes glare Seokmin’s way. You both could tell that he was disgusted by Seokmin: it wasn’t hard to notice, seeing how his lips turned into a slight sneer when Seokmin entered the conversations started by your ex.

Seokmin was threatened by the way he looked at you─he could tell your ex was making you uncomfortable, and it bothered him even more that he was subtly yet surely trying to flirt with you. It was something in the way your ex had given you backhanded compliments it with a little laugh in his voice as if mocking who you were and the man Seokmin was.

Slight dislike grew into disgust, and before he knew it, Seokmin’s rational thinking had flown out of the window. He was seeing stars from how angry he was getting.

“So how has Seokmin been? Treating you and caring for you, I mean.” Your ex’s question sounded so sarcastic you almost visibly winced, but you bit back the urge, smiling up at your boyfriend whose expression had already darkened three shades.

“Seokmin has done so much for me, and I’m really glad I met him. He's been a breath of fresh air after our disagreement.” You try to stay polite, but it becomes increasingly uncomfortable to listen to your ex speak about your boyfriend. In reality, Seokmin is the best thing that has ever happened to you.

“You look happy, don’t get me wrong. I just─I would have thought that you would have chosen better. You were never good at thinking or using your brain for anything other than being cute and reading too much into things.” Your ex scoffed unamusedly, and your eyes got watery as you stared down at the grown, face warming up at his words. 

His words dripped with sarcasm that pierced through you, leaving you feeling small and uncertain about your nature. Each comment was like the stab of a sharp knife, cutting and slicing all the positive things Seokmin told you every day. Even though you said you had gotten over your ex, and you had, those words still hurt. No matter who said them, words still hurt.

“Okay, woah. Don’t you dare say that about her. That’s so far from the truth.” Seokmin’s voice grew harder by the second as he stepped towards your boyfriend, anger radiating off him in thick waves.

His eyes were five shades darker, sharp and fierce as he looked at your ex with a burning hatred. Seokmin’s hand tightened around yours as he stared, unmoved by the stares he was garnering from other shoppers.

“What? I was just telling the truth. She has this habit of making decisions about her love life and then crying when it all goes wrong.” Your ex’s voice had a bite to it, and Seokmin didn’t falter, lips curving up into a sneer as he let go of your hand. His whole body is tense, on fire, and he wants nothing more than to punch your ex straight in his jaw and send him crying to his girlfriend (or lack thereof).

“You have some fucking nerve saying that about my girlfriend in front of me. I was trying to be polite and cordial throughout all of this, but as soon as you started talking from your ass, I forgot. Fuck off.”  The cursing from Seokmin sounds so foreign to you─you knew he was capable of it, but you never heard him do it around you. The venom behind his words was tangible, and if you were your ex, you would back off in fear of him.

Seokmin’s voice is so low and angry that it even shocks him in the back of his mind, but his face doesn’t register the thought. Your ex backs off, obviously shocked at the sharpness of his tone as well. He doesn’t say anything more, giving the two of you one last glance before he strolls away. 

Seokmin’s chest rises and falls quickly, adrenaline coursing through his veins as he pushes the cart to the checkout area. The whole time he’s eerily quiet, on edge as he pays for the groceries and loads them out into the back of his car.

You get in on the other side, still in shock at the Seokmin you saw in the aisle just a few minutes earlier. He was harsh─harsher than you had ever seen him be before. 

It was an eye-opener for you, and you found yourself being attracted to your boyfriend even more.

When Seokmin got into the car and buckled his seat belt up, his head hit the headrest with a hard bump, causing you to look over at him.

He was quiet as he stared up at the car’s ceiling, and you reached out to touch his forearm, smiling at him as he looked over at you.

“I’m really, really, really sorry, baby. I overreacted in there and what you saw wasn’t necessary and was uncalled for, and for that, I’m─” Seokmin was cut off by you leaning over the stick shift and kissing him, feeling the stress disappear from his shoulders. He went slack under your touch, lips feeling yours as he let you take over.

When you pulled away, Seokmin fell quiet, confused as you smiled to yourself. “Did I say something funny?” He asked, and you shook your head, looking out of the window as you buckled yourself up.

“No, Min. You were just─I was really shocked when I saw you get angry at him like that,” You said, and Seokmin looked down at his hands, sighing.

“I’m sorry. When he started talking to you I was already starting to get suspicious of him, but when he started saying those things to you…god, it fucking drove me insane.” Seokmin started to get riled up again, but you placed your hands on his forearm, and he slowly dwindled back down after a few breaths.

“Did I scare you or anything?” Seokmin asks sweetly, eyes looking at you worriedly as you shake your head. Pushing his bangs back from his face, you caress his cheek, watching him with love in your eyes as you shake your head again, slowly.

“No, Seok. I thought it was really attractive of you.” You say softly, a heat rushing to your cheeks as Seokmin smiles deviously. “Really?” 

“Yeah. It made me want to kiss you really badly.” Seokmin leans over to touch his lips to yours softly, making you gasp at the way he slowly tickles your cheek with his slender, graceful fingers.

Seokmin leans closer, his breath warm against your skin as he whispers, “You should do that.” A playful giggle escapes your lips, and you can’t help but smile at the mischief in his eyes. With a teasing flutter of your heart, you weave your fingers through his soft, tousled curls, feeling the gentle silkiness beneath your touch. You pull him in just a little closer, your lips brushing softly against his, slightly swollen from previous kisses.

Savoring the moment, you whisper, “Don’t mind if I do, Minnie,” before closing the distance between you, tasting the sweetness of the connection you both share.

[johnslittlespoon]

i've spent my morning going insane over all the new pics hbu