#your unconscious bias is jumping out

[adelacreations]

Every fandom I always get one white person who's scared of me and imma say it:

It's annoying actually. What about me makes people so fucking scared.

[jewreallythinkthat]

One of the reasons I think there has been such a breakdown between the "progressive" left and the Jewish community is actually something that I've watched before fostered in left wing spaces for well over a decade and that is looking for offence.

When someone says something antisemitic, that does not mean they are an antisemite. I remember when the BLM marches took place, people rightly pointed out that there is a lot of unconscious bias against PoC and that being called out for eating something you didn't realise was problematic does not mean you are actually racist, just that you need to think a bit more when talking about a subject which in many cases, doesn't affect you as such. The same principle should apply to antisemitism.

If I say someone has said something antisemitic, their first reaction (on the left wing - because the right will proudly nod that yes, it was antisemitic) is often "you're calling me an antisemite and trying to silence me, Zionist". This is not true. What I am saying is that you are saying something that is discriminatory, invoked blood libel, accused Jews of ruling the world etc etc. I fully believe most people do not realise they are doing this. The point of dog whistles is that you are not supposed to recognise them, that's how they propagate. Anti-jewish racism is one of the oldest forms of hatred and it stretches back multiple millennia so it makes sense that it's literally inside the common vernacular. That doesn't mean everyone using it is an antisemite.

Instead of immidiately jumping to the defensive, I wish people would take a moment to ask, in good faith, "why would a Jewish person find this antisemitic?" Take the opportunity to learn, to better themself. Do not assume every Jew is trying to silence you - assuming the worst every time of Jewish people is a type of antisemitism so please try and put yourself in their shoes and maybe even ask them to explain so you can do better in the future.

Just a general overview, here's a couple of ones to look out for (a non exhaustive list).

1. Replace the word "Zionist" in what has Ben said with "Jew". If it sounds like something leeched out of Nazi Germanh or the Soviet Union, it's probably going to be antisemitism.

2. Saying you don't think any country should exist but focusing exclusively on the destruction of Israel. The only thing that makes Israel unique is that it's a Jewish majority country. So why is that the only county you actively want to get rid of?

2.1 Holding Israel to a higher standard than any other country is antisemitic as laid out above in point 2.

3. Assuming the worst of Jews and Israel every time is antisemitism. It's no different to assuming Black people are always out to get you or all Muslims are terrorists. If it's racist to do this to one minority group, it is racist to do it to any.

4. Tokenizing extremists in a community (Ben Gvir and the West Bank settlers on the right wing in Israel, the Neturi Karta by the progressive left when discussing I/P) is racist. If you only listen to Jews who prove your point, you are actively excluding the majority of a community so you can beat them down, this is racist.

I don't like calling people antisemitic because most people are not actually that, what they are is uneducated on antisemetism because the majority of that education is not being done by Jews - let alone Jews who represent the majority of the community.

But if you refuse to talk to Jews in good faith when they try to explain why what you have said is antisemitic, you are running the risk of moving from "ignorant user of antisemetic language" to "antisemite" (also a note, ignorant not meaning stupid but rather that you do not know something).

[samaspic31]

It always baffles me how much people believe that their ideas about gay sex and shipping come from nowhere when it's clearly just thinly veiled homophobic and sexist stereotypes that fem=bottom=submissive we’re all unconsciously taught growing up in homophobic societies (with racist undertones anytime half of a ship is not white). i believe it to be unconcsious bias, im not blaming people for not having unpacked why they jump to headcanon the character performing the most traditional masculinity to be a top, but it’s getting tiring. Especially when authors refuse to question themselves when getting callled out for fetichizing, say, latino men and reducing them to sex-obsessed, domineering, possessive, bordeline abusive partners. I promise you your tendency to make the more traditionally masculine one a top with a dominant attitude does not come from yourself entirely. It’s not something you just “happen” to consistently repeat your work for no subjacent reason. You have every right to hold these headcanons, and to like exploring these dynamics, i sometimes even agree with those interpretations myself ! But we all should be careful and conscious of the why, what pushed us to hold these headcanons, and check it’s not rooted in shallow gendered and racialized stereotypes.

Anyways

[gingerylangylang1979]

Black women who ship Carmy x Sydney, please take care of yourselves

This is written from a place of love, not condescension or trying to spank or belittle anybody. 

I guess I’m just growing concerned about many black women in this fandom feeling bad about this ship in a number of ways and some trends I see that aren’t healthy and uplifting. What I say may make some people angry. Some people may feel I’m dismissing legit concerns or lived experiences. I’m sure I’ll get blocked by some. Oh well. I'm gonna speak my truth. All I’m trying to do is give much needed perspective and say the quiet parts out loud.

When I see black women repeatedly literally letting this shit make them upset and enraged at every turn, daily, it’s a bit alarming to me. If one's happiness is so swayed by the whims of perception of a ship it’s a bit unsettling. Why let this shit have so much power over your mood and enjoyment? It’s just a show. But I think for many it’s way deeper than that and that’s not being kind to oneself or fair to the creators and performers. 

I’ll say this, I know there is misogynoir, and both conscious and unconscious bias involved in a lot of the reactions we are seeing about this ship. I’ve spoken to it. But I think a lot of us are failing to see the nuance of the whole picture and are making everything literally black & white and a cause for outrage and panic. Where I see misogynoir is most at play is in how fans view Ayo/Syd and as an extension Carmy x Sydney. Where I don’t see it particularly in play is how the cast and crew speak about the ship. 

Every time an article comes out denying the ship the knee jerk reaction is hating on Storer and Calo like they don’t want the ship to happen because Syd is black. I just don’t see any evidence of that or need to assume bad intentions. If you trust what you are seeing and think it’s endgame that contradicts Storer and Calo not wanting the ship for racist reasons.

I know what has happened with other BW/WM ships but I just don’t see that here. The romantic undercurrents are just too heavy and they greatly respect Syd as a stand alone character and Ayo as an actress and creator in her own right. Are they going to get everything you want right? No. But they are trying. Does that mean we will get everything we want with her/them? Not necessarily. The same can be said for any of these characters. Just trust what you're seeing, the intentionality is there even if it isn’t validated in media about the show. 

But because she is a black woman we are more invested and more focused on her treatment. That’s fine, let’s uplift her, and protect her. But what I see is a somewhat unhealthy attachment to viewing her as somehow being wronged at every turn. I get it. But I also think it’s not beneficial to be almost looking for her to be wronged in places where it isn’t true. If the ship isn’t being validated in the media and Carmy isn’t kissing her and declaring his love next season it's not sidelining, it’s storytelling, and it’s a slow burn. Some of the same people talking about they want a slow burn I guarantee will be up n arms if Carmy x Sydney are further apart next season, which I think will happen. That's what happens in these romances. But the first thing people will jump to is the writers don't want them together because she is black and the first article denying the ship will have people ready to ride at dawn.

I think it’s just difficult for some to come to terms with how this is going to play our over time and what that really means because she is a black woman character and we want the most for her. They will have ups and downs. Yes, Carmy dated someone else. There is pressure to validate her in so many ways that just aren’t necessarily going to be satisfied on all levels and I think some are making it way personal to a degree that isn’t necessarily warranted. 

Whatever happens with Syd isn’t going to correct the history of the black woman's experience in the media or real life. It will be a monumental event if they go canon, for sure, but I think some people are getting way too emotional and angry if every little thing doesn’t go how they want with her and Carmy. I also see a bit of trying to make other elements validate Syd as a black woman and by extension validate oneself. 

The insistence from some that Ayo and Jeremy have something going on or Jeremy’s performance is rooted in feelings for Ayo is so strange to me. Why? I think some people need to feel like Jeremy has feelings for her because he’s the hot white lead to validate her as a black woman. As excellent as Jeremy is as an actor do people really think he has to actually be in love with Ayo to get the performance we are seeing? He’s just extremely good at his job. I don’t think he has to do that with any other emotions he is portraying so why this need to have him be in love to make the performance resonate? 

I’ve also seen people trying to make a connection with the fact that he’s been seen with a biracial black woman as somehow meaning the next step is he should be with a monoracial black woman and connecting that with him and Sydney. Why? I saw a post that was questioning why this woman isn’t dark skinned with kinky hair as if he’s obligated to date someone that looks “black enough” to validate the attractiveness of dark skinned black women. This post also seemed to be super invested in that because that’s what they look like and want to feel Jeremy should be attracted to them. It’s not the first time I’ve seen this and it always makes me cringe and feel deeply sorry for that person.

I think it’s cool he’s dating a WOC but I have no entitlement or expectation that he go darker and nappier to prove anything to me or the public. And it has no bearing on if he would find someone who looks like me attractive in a sexual way or the same for his character. Maybe he would, maybe he wouldn’t. What does it matter? If he is told to kiss Ayo onscreen, he will, because he’s a professional. Why are people making it so personal who he chooses in his real life? It just seems extremely insecure and projecting. If he dates someone else who is white white or another race that’s not black, is that going to hurt feelings? He doesn’t like “belong” to black women now. Jokes about it are funny but internalizing it as validation is dangerous. 

I also see this in an intense desire to have another white character be in the love triangle. If you just want someone else in the picture, fine. But I feel like there is this big desire to have it be another white man when Marcus has been there the whole time. I don’t ship her with Marcus (well, I did for a minute when I was enraged with Carmy) but it’s because I don’t think it’s where her heart is. But I also don’t see Marcus as a non-viable option. But since he’s not the white boy of the month, it’s not as appealing or viewed as big of a win for some if she’s with him or he’s the only suitor. People have mentioned Connor as a potential. Ok, yeah, I can see it based on the evidence presented, but I hope it isn’t viewed as a like let’s boot Marcus so this white boy who sorta superficially looks like Carmy is the rival. Maybe it can be a love square and three men fight for Syd, but I don’t want to discredit Marcus just because another curly haired white boy with blue eyes shows up. 

And lastly, if your emotional well being is so super effected about what happens to Sydney and it’s so entangled with feelings of being marginalized to the point that it’s distressing and your hyperfocused on every detail as a win or lose, I think you need to consider why and understand her being with Carmy isn’t going to heal anything. A lot of fans project personal issues onto characters and it’s just never going to fill an emotional hole or be a substitute for racial justice.

I saw someone post recently that this ship is a coping mechanism. And honestly it shouldn’t be. Just like Claire can’t fix Carmy, shipping Carmy x Sydney and hoping they are canon isn’t going to fix anything. If this is a fun outlet for you and a way to spend free time, great. But I wouldn’t link being in the fandom and shipping with self care. It’s too volatile to be tethering your emotional well being to. That’s like putting your healing in the hands of writers, media, and fandom when you should be in control of your journey. I think it’s cool to relate to the characters and be invested in their story but it can get kind of messy and parasocial if you put too much personal weight on outcomes regarding the show.  

So, I just want us to be more positive and focus on the wins with this character and Ayo. And also focus on the future. That doesn’t mean ignore the shenanigans. But I think so much attention is focused on the negative that not enough credit is being given to the bravery of having a dark skinned black woman as the co-lead, having her be her own person with her own struggles and nuances, having her most likely also be an unconventional romantic lead, having Ayo be the breakout star she is, having her get EP credits and directing next season, how she is a cover star, how she is multi-talented, how she is praised by everyone who works with her, how she is the IT girl. And I think this story will do her justice in the end.

[severalowls]

The type of person for whom deeply fucked cultural assumptions are so ingrained that they must simply be true and anybody questioning basic shit like "why is dark skin, broad noses and curly hair associated with brutality?" or "why are crude feminine features on an otherwise 'male' character associated with sexual predation?", is responded to with very confident "Well, you're the one who made that connection so maybe you are the bigot!" are so fucking agonizing to get through to.

Oh it's just a trope, its a reference to older examples, its been used that way historically. As if at some arbitrary point in the past Culture sprung from the ground whole and pure, unchanging, unchangeable, to question it is to question why the earth is round or the mountains are made from stone.

And these people are so convinced of their own progressiveness and objective goodness - in fact, they regularly call out the real racists, homophobes and transphobes - that they'll merrily giggle and skip into more overt bigotry, self-assured that unconscious bias isn't real, and all is well.

Genuinely, how are you meant to get through to these people? It feels like even if you break it down gently you spend half your energy trying to manage their agitation over it and if they get agitated enough they just jump back to 'ah, it is you who is the real bigot' and leave twiddling their belly button.

[yumiyue07]

Through Fire and Blood

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6

｡･:*:･ﾟ’★,｡･:*:･ﾟ’☆｡･:*:･ﾟ’★,｡･:*:･ﾟ’☆｡･:*:･ﾟ’★,｡･:*:･ﾟ’☆｡･:*:･ﾟ’★ POV: K-idol x reader

H/N = His name Y/N = Your name

M/N1 = Member 1’s name (choose any member of your bias’ group) M/N2 = Member 2’s name (choose any member of your bias’ group) M/N3 = Member 3’s name (choose any member of your bias’ group)

Trigger warning: swearing, violence ｡･:*:･ﾟ’★,｡･:*:･ﾟ’☆｡･:*:･ﾟ’★,｡･:*:･ﾟ’☆｡･:*:･ﾟ’★,｡･:*:･ﾟ’☆｡･:*:･ﾟ’★

Shortly after his team set off, the first clues arrived. M/N1 and M/N2 came into the office, their expressions grave.

"We found the driver," M/N1 reported, his voice filled with a mix of relief and concern. "He was unconscious somewhere near our garage. It looks like he was sedated and hidden under blankets, so he wouldn't immediately catch the eye. I suspect the kidnapper didn't want to waste so much time and, therefore, left him lying nearby."

H/N's face remained etched with tension and worry. "Or he wanted us to find him easily to get the information we need," he replied, his voice strained.

"That could also be the case," M/N1 responded, nodding. "He's slowly coming to. As soon as he's conscious, we'll question him."

"Good," H/N responded tersely, his voice strained. The tension and worry etched deeply on his face were unmistakable. It was clear that he was growing increasingly desperate.

"We'll find her and bring her back unharmed. Don't worry, boss," M/N2 said, attempting to inject some optimism into the room.

H/N nodded absently, his mind racing with a mix of fear and anger. His normally composed demeanor was fractured by the intense emotions battling within him.

The room fell silent as H/N stared at his desk, his fists clenched. A storm of emotions raged inside him: worry for you, disappointment that he couldn't protect you as he had promised, and unbridled anger at the bastard who had dared to kidnap you.

He had always been the protector, the one who kept you safe from the dangers of his world. The thought of you in the hands of a captor made his blood boil. The fear of losing you gnawed at him, but he couldn't afford to let it paralyze him. You were his everything, and he would move heaven and earth to bring you back safely. He had to act, and fast. The clock was ticking, and failure was not an option.

Suddenly, the door was wrenched open, the force of it snapping H/N back to the present. He immediately jumped up and ran around his desk. Standing in the doorway, breathing heavily, was M/N3.

"Boss, sorry to barge in like this. This letter has just been delivered for you."

H/N's eyes widened as he snatched the letter, tearing it open with a jerk. A bloodstained necklace tumbled out, clattering ominously on the desk. H/N's pulse quickened, his mind going blank for a moment. The others in the room stared at the necklace, exchanging uneasy glances.

"They hurt her," H/N whispered, disbelief and fury mingling in his voice." We have to find her now!" he shouted, his rage erupting. He slammed his fist on the desk, the sound echoing in the tense silence. "I’m going to disintegrate him for hurting Y/N. This fucking bastard!"

As he struggled to compose himself, his phone buzzed with a new message. An unknown number had sent him a photo. He opened it with trembling hands and froze. Your bound, bloodied hands were visible, drops of blood staining the floor beneath them.

The message read: "Let's play a game. Try to find her. If you're late, she'll die. You have until midnight."

H/N felt a wave of nausea wash over him at the sight of your bloodied hands and the message. He would lose you if he couldn't find you in time.

M/N1, noticing the sudden change in his boss's demeanor, rushed to his side.

"Boss, what's going on?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern. As H/N handed him the phone, M/N1's expression darkened. The tension in the room was palpable as they all processed the grim message. Glancing at the clock, they realized they had a mere eight hours to rescue you.

"We need to act fast. She could be anywhere," M/N1 said firmly, taking charge of the situation. He instructed the others to check on the chauffeur and bring him in for questioning. "By the way, who delivered this letter, M/N3?"

"It was a man on a motorcycle. He threw the letter at one of our men outside and disappeared immediately," M/N3 replied, his voice filled with a mix of confusion and anger.

M/N2 and M/N3 dashed to the door, their urgency evident.

Meanwhile, M/N1 stayed by H/N's side, offering reassurance. "We'll find her, boss. I promise you. She means as much to us as she does to you."

H/N nodded, his mind racing with thoughts of what might be happening to you. He sat in his chair, leaning his arms on the desk with his head in his hands. He knew he couldn't afford to lose hope.

He closed his eyes, your beautiful face immediately filling his mind. H/N's heart ached with guilt. He blamed himself for not protecting you better, for not foreseeing this danger. He should have...let you go back then after saving you from these four degenerated.

But he couldn't deny the hold you had over him. You had enchanted him from the very start. The moment he saw you in the subway station, he knew that you had to be his, his alone, forever. He never wanted to let you go again.

For hurting you, he wanted to stick off their heads, but he refrained himself because he didn't want to scare you further. Your pained and scared look hurt him so much. He just wanted to hold you and take all the pain away.

You blacked out right before his eyes. He caught you immediately, his heart pounding in his chest as he cradled your head. Fear gnawed at him as he wrapped his jacket around you and carried you all the way to his car, pressing you against his body to keep you warm. He took you to his hotel room where he lived. Before meeting you, he didn’t have a place to call home.

He laid you carefully on the bed, tugged you in, and watched you sleep. He didn’t want to leave you for one second. Not even his sleepiness could steal him away from you. When you tried to escape the room, he wanted to laugh out loud but refrained himself. As if you, little bunny, could escape a wolf that easily…

Your confused cute look, the way you thanked him, the way you shyly looked at him and blushed made his heart flutter. He couldn't deny the strong connection he felt with you, the way you seemed to complete him. He realized that he had found something truly special in you, something that he had never experienced before. A warmth spread through him, a feeling that was both unfamiliar and intoxicating.

On the next day, he drove you home. Before you got out of the car, he took all his courage and asked for your number, his voice barely a whisper "Just in case you might end up in trouble again and needed help. Nothing more…," he added, his eyes filled with a mix of hope and fear. He may look like a dangerous man, but when it came to love, he was a clumsy novice.

To his surprise, you gave him your number. "Just in case," you said, blushing. He was so happy that he wanted to scream, but instead, he kept it cool. His heart was pounding in his chest as he realized that you might actually be interested in him.

He helped you out of the car and watched you go, his eyes filled with a mix of longing and hope. He knew that this was just the beginning, and he was determined to make things right between you.

He texted you every day, his messages filled with a mix of casual conversation and subtle hints of his feelings. He didn't want to pressure you, but he couldn't help but hope that you felt the same way about him.

On the day you suggested to go and grab a coffee or tea, he was the happiest man on earth. The attraction between the both of you was undeniable, a magnetic force that pulled you closer together with every passing moment. A few days later, you started officially dating, and his world was turned upside down.

The more time he spent with you, the more space you took up in his thoughts, in his heart, in his soul. You became his home, the reason for his existence. He was willing to give everything for you, to protect you, to cherish you, to love you unconditionally.

A tale of two souls finding each other in the most unexpected of circumstances…

With a frustrated growl, he slammed his fist down on the table, sending objects crashing to the floor. "Dammit! I'll tear that bastard apart," he swore, his voice laced with anger. M/N1, understanding the depth of his boss's anguish, offered a comforting hand on his shoulder. Just as M/N1 was about to respond, a message buzzed on his phone.

"Boss, the chauffeur's awake and waiting in the meeting room with M/N2 and M/N3," he read out loud.

Without hesitation, H/N rose to his feet. "Let's move," he said, determination burning in his eyes. As he strode out of the room, he could feel the weight of his responsibilities pressing down on him. But he was determined to see this through, to bring you back home safely.

To be continued...

♡

Who will win this game...

Stay tuned for part 8!

Love, YumiYue 🌙

(⌒▽⌒)♡

Follow me on: 📸 Instagram: @yumiyue07 🎵 TikTok: @yumiyue07 📝 Wattpad: @LunaVerse_YumiYue

Disclaimer: This story is a work of fan fiction inspired by Stray Kids’ song “Freeze”. All characters and events are fictional and are not intended to represent real people or events.

All rights reserved. Please do not repost or reproduce this story without permission.

© 2024 LunaVerse - YumiYue07. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

[thecouchsofa]

helloooooo tee i am trying to be brave & send out more tumblr ask posts & i have one for YOU (no pressure ever to respond)

i know you have a ton of upcoming anon fest fics coming up (something i am ECSTATIC for). what’s your relationship with anon fest posting and anticipation? were you just really inspired by prompts this year or are you an anon fest junkie? what’s the difference between posting a non-anon and anon work for you in terms of excitement/motivation/emotion etc?

El, I love this goal and I'm going to do the same!

I hate anticipation, I am not a patient person when I'm not in control of whatever the thing is 😅 Having so many uploaded but not posted fics on my account right now is making my eye twitch (for those not in the know, I have FOUR of these flashing their big ol' zeros on my stats page).

I have a doc that I record all the details of upcoming fests and what available prompts I like the look of. If I finish a fic earlier than expected, I jump into the fest doc and pick something from there to sign up for. I've given up on trying to sign up for things when they open, they're always at like 2am for me, so now I just wait it out 😭

Last year, there were quite a few fests that I really wanted to do (Drizzle, Bodice Ripper, Snooze, Soulmates), but couldn't because I was so wrapped up in writing and editing Brightest Constellations, so I'm making up for it this year. I love fests - everyone's always excited in the fest discords and it's such a cool thing to see people saying nice things about your fic when they don't know that you've written it! I love anon fests even more as a reader, because there's no unconscious bias for me to read/skip a fic based on who the author is.

I do love a non-anon fest though, because I love talking about what I'm working on with people and bouncing ideas around! Not even being able to hint at word counts for Erised might actually kill me. I will be this meme:

[ae-neon]

Actually not done ranting

Hot/D writers let RayRay look bad challenge

And I'm not even saying that as a diss. The whole point of Dani's story is that she's nothing like her ancestors.

Rhae is allowed to be not just flawed, not just downright racist in a certain case, but also actively harming others in order to get what she wants. but nooo, she can't kill her gay husband, she's a modern ally, speak Valentina.

Let her do things, let her take action not for the greater good or for prophecy or for feminism™ but because she feels entitled to it, because she wants to be queen

It's not feminist writing to rob all the female characters of their personality, active agency and make them solely reactive to men, whom the show keeps hinting at as almost genetically predisposed to war??? What is this, A Court of Fire and Blood?

And let the green goblins be nice to each other? How are you reconciling the ironclad faith Edmond and Begone had in each other last episode to the clear tension and animosity in this one?? Where is the third boy (which one, you might ask since on screen both generations are missing a whole fucking person)

Removing Helen's influence over her husband and cutting out that they only began sleeping in different beds post son beheading undermines their relationship and the reason a fuck up who never wanted to be king was scared into taking his sister's throne

Let the contenders for the throne be at the centre of the story? And stop acting like the audience is supposed to have read the books? Children are appearing and disappearing and I'm supposed to know or care about who the fuck they are 😭

I literally have never liked Demon but why make him killing his wife, saying the heir for a day and a son for a son unambiguous but then never showing him grieving with his daughters and acting like I'm supposed to see him as morally grey bad boi™ just cause he's played by your favourite actor

I told my brother the casting was intentionally manipulative with such a beloved actor but I never gave af, I'm so sorry

No hate to the actor, clearly it works as compelling or tempting or unconscious bias for some ppl

And apparently removing the canon black character ?? But it's okay because of you casted a whole other bunch of blood supremacists as black with no real regard to how their character writing plays into racial stereotypes: great stuff 👍 thank you so much for the representation as *checks notes*

a temp love interest whose romance and life gets reduced then glossed over and whose funeral brings together the real incest it couple,

dead beat DL father who fakes his death to run away from his family

Two supposedly main characters who get little to no lines and character development

Terrible wigs

And a cheating husband

(that being said, eve best and steve toussaint 🙏💚 love y'all) we were also robbed of black hair with the rogue white streak for Rains Barathea Tangent 💔

And because we kept time jumping in S1 with only a focus on like 7 ppl, the world felt so empty. Some of those time jumps could have been used to hint at the current wider world.

You have the source material, don't just fanfic at us, adapt it

How the fuck are you being out done by David and Duncan, Rian???

you know which 57 other ppl are gonna become relevant later on, why not give us more glimpses at the brocken and blackweed rivalry than that one scene where riverlanders went to stormy end for no reason??

Why not show us the Stork dude with his brother so later we click that him giving Jason the bad news about Lucas is double hard because he also lost a brother??

Why not show us Cory's kids working on his ships?? Where was Leanne's relationship with RayRay??? We didn't need to see the adult cast of Rhae and Alice's kids until the second season.

We needed more politics, more worldbuilding, a sense of consequence and reality. Chris can just kill a knight and a lord? Demon can just kill a lady and a lord? IN THE THRONE ROOM? IN FRONT OF OTHER non royal NOBLES? And no one is worried about that, there's no fallout of mistrust, no fear of vulnerability?

Ray can just have three brown haired kids and only Alice will be shown to be bothered?? Are we forgetting Jeffery having Lancaster blond hair literally triggered several succession wars and launched S1 of Game of Chairs??

Where is the politics, why wasn't she shown taking note of the rumours and in turn maturing to realise she must appease and befriend or at least gain the favour of those around her?

Give us more depth on how valyrian culture clashes with westerosi culture with a focus on gender and incest and how it's already made them extremely unpopular with the Faith so tiktok fans can understand putting a woman with bastard heirs on the throne is actually a kinda big deal for a lot of people who don't have white hair and uncle-brother-husbands

Like I'm not asking for a lot but you have access to one of the biggest IPs out, you have Grim who would rather work on anything but his next book in the main series, you have HBeeO bent over, come ooooon

[avaisnerdytoo]

RICK AND MORTY SEASON 7 FINALE

*I TYPED THIS WHEN IT CAME OUT AND NEVER POSTED IT CAUSE PERFECTIONISM IM SORRY BUT IT'S KINDA COOL ALTHOUGH ITS BEEN LOW KEY SAID ALREADY

Read Chapter Titles for Easy navigation:

There is a lot to unpack, I want to cover some character insights, some connections to philosophical concepts I found neat, and some implications I feel the show gives regarding future seasons!

I'll write a lot, so I recommend reading the chapter titles to see if something catches your eye, I understand why you may be less interested in reading a whole thing.

Let's jump in.

BRIEF INTRODUCTION:

This has the foundations to be one of my favorite episodes they have ever made. It is like a therapy session made an episode.

I feel this single-handedly pays for the lack of Morty we saw in other sections of the season.

I think even with most of it being a simulation, the episode still has a lot to say about other characters too. Even if it was all through Morty.

Nevertheless I won't drop the fact that this is an episode of Morty, where his mind, his feelings, and his unconscious are the narrators, which means that the way it speaks of Rick may not be quite accurate, but I'll get there*

Cause I do think the writers are still consistent with Rick for a good portion*

MORTY'S DEFENSIVE LAYERS: short chapter

Dr. Wong once pointed out that the whole Smith family uses rationality to avoid emotion (a fact I sometimes really identify with btw), and this is best shown here, where the layers of Morty's ability to resist the simulation and to place protective barriers over what he feels, is a lot stronger than we realize.

You coooould argue that's simply the way the hole works, but I personally interpreted it as more...

I think we are being told that Morty has also learned (if not mastered) the ability to build the same protective walls as the rest of the family, however his ability to defeat the simulation is also not to be understated, especially if only like 3 people have survived it in years.

RICK AND DIANE (WHAT IS A REAL DIANE LIKE?): Short to Medium Chapter*

It is made clear that this representation of their relationship is not to be taken at face value, but I somewhat doubt the writers are interested in truly making Diane a part of the show. I hope I am proven wrong, but if I assume this is one of the very few instances of her we will see, then I am willing to take a leap and assume some of what we saw, could make sense within their relationship.

Diane was shown as fun, decisive, adventurous and challenging, to me, she showed a lot of Summer traits, which fits right in line with Rick's observations of her.

On the opposite end, I do think there is a big layer of Morty's own bias regarding how he'd assume someone capable of keeping up with Rick's style of character should be, and with the rest of the episode in mind, it is of no surprise he followed them across the main montage.

I feel Diane was an enabler to Rick, I doubt young Rick could be described as pathetic though, more like responsible. And Diane would probably be as well, but I do see a scenario where someone that grabs Rick's attention and respect has the resourcefulness of Summer and the courage to jump into action.

MORTY IS ALONE ALONE, A-FREAKING-LONE + an observation for Evil Morty* Long Chapter*

We know this already of course, Morty is a kid neglected by his parents pretty much, not out of malice but out of immaturity and naivety. The bond between Summer and Morty is good, and has improved, but I do not think there is a world (nor there should be), where Summer should take care of Morty more than how a sister can. (In another dimension bro would be a strong candidate to get Fairly Odd Parents)

This evidently leaves Rick as the only figure in his life with any room to provide protection, love, advice and all the things adults should do.

Which is a very shitty deal... Because Rick is far from equipped at any of these.

His experience, even in the crazy sci-fi multiverse he lives in feels very real, I consider Morty as the most complex character, and he was designed from the start to be the closest thing we -as the audience - can have to a surrogate.

It hurts to see him so adrift, of realizing day by day that there are a lot of challenges he will have to conquer alone, we know he can, but it doesn't mean it is nice to have to do so. (I may be half projecting here though cause I big time identified with him here).

It is clear Morty is really holding back to the scary world out there, he wants Rick to protect him, he wants to be looked after, he wants what we all do, to be loved and heard. Acceptance is necessary for growth, and at this moment, it is clear Morty believes no one will be there for him. (Hopefully that is proven wrong but more of that below).

I think I may now understand what Evil Morty argued when he sympathized with Rick over achieving his goal of ending Rick Prime, and still feeling unsatisfied. (that's a theory*).

MORTY'S PERCEPTION OF RICK

+ the struggles of adapting to a changing family member or friend

+ will it have an impact on the next Season?

Long chapter

Actions speak louder than words, but words matter too, and when those necessary actions come sparingly, expecting anything from the person who's bringing you conflict becomes harder.

That's the best way I can describe how Morty feels about Rick, I'm sure he values that time in Season 2 when Rick sacrificed himself for him, but there are also hundreds of variations of that event where Rick belittled Morty, and that has pretty much been the pattern since then, there are objectively worse things Rick has done than good ones...

It's unfortunate this is all Morty has, he clearly genuinely loves Rick, but I feel this episode, if followed upon through the Canon is a big eye opening for Morty.

This whole episode was a therapy session, like any process, it has to be explored through analysis, brought to the conscious mind, and peeled slowly across the stages of grief...

...

Actually, this episode was more like an Ayahuasca Trip, because it surfaced key aspects of Morty's psyche and feelings, but it only did that, unlike therapy which would keep exploring them to find how to coexist/diffuse.

There is soooo much left on the table, and the worst part is that I think this realization is incompatible with who Rick is becoming, which is reallyyyy unfortunate timing.

But completely understandable, and arguably real, on Morty's part, I feel they are being set up to be on distinct emotional paths which WILL require Rick to take more direct action.

If the idea that your closest family member can shatter the illusion of reality by saying that which you want to hear... Fuuuuck

If you ever watched Lucifer (the TV Show) there's a similar moment there that reminds me to this 🤔

SIMULATION THEORY MADE FUNNY, BUT STILL VEEEERY REAL

not character exploration just a comment on the episode

As a small comment one of my favorite tropes explored in the episode is the whole looped, "Are we out of the hole yet?", because that is the very foundation of the paradox of simulation theory, they technically explored it back in Season one, but the weight of it felt more significant here.

If you're told you live in a simulation, and then given the option to escape, all Matrix style, you don't become Neo, you instead become eternally unaware of when you're in the real world, you aren't shown the truth, it shatters your perceptions completely.

It's not that kind of show of course, but imagine the weight of experiencing, in this case, growing up, going to college, possibly losing a family member (with the worrying lack of Jerry in those scenes), getting a job, forming a life that is ripped away...

I love the running gag at this point of this occurring... The Roy Game, The Vat Of Acid Episode, The Beth and Space Beth Lesbian Simulator (my fav), and now this.

Only this one is given that weight though, even Morty begins to wonder whether he was just outright born there...

---

NO WAY I WAS DONE ALL THIS TIME

I'm sorry I didn't post this when I typed it, I had more ideas and I wanted more photos but I maxed out what I could use and my perfectionism got the better of me.

Hope there is still something here for you all 🥺🥺🥺😖

[house-of-mirrors]

On Unconscious Bias in Evolution (Under the cut for discussion of racism)

[Disclaimer that I am white]

I know the game doesn't get into time period discrimination, but the story is called Evolution, the protagonist is a Black man, and the Great Chain already functions as a metaphor for Social Darwinism. Instead of this story challenging the Great Chain, the game presents a narrative in which the only way to escape this oppressive system of predeterminism is to go through torture and sacrifice your humanity, and for whatever reason the revolutionaries are on the side of 'fate' on this one. Ignoring everything else that I'm about to discuss, it was jarring for me because the theme of the games in recent years generally has been "Great Chain bad and you have the power to be whatever you want"

I tried to think of how many other named Black men characters there are in the game. I can only think of the Bishop of St Fiacre's off the top of my head, but he isn't human, and… steals faces. How about Black women? Horatia comes to mind right away… and she's in a caretaking/housekeeper role. Hm. Oh yes and the Implacable Detective is a cop

This is a horror game, and most characters will not have a happy ending. However, I feel like the Youthful Naturalist got a much bleaker story than most of the characters in FL. Railway had multiple methods for saving Furnace at the end, but Evolution had powerlessness. The Youthful Naturalist also experiences more visceral body horror than many other characters in the game. If you get down to it, it's a story about a Black man suffering and failing to escape suffering. I might feel different if he wasn't one of the only Black characters. While typing this post, I realized becoming the boatman means being forced into servitude... Yikes™️

When I pick apart work, I try to be gracious and assume ignorance instead of jumping to maliciousness. Given that fbg is mostly white authors, it's likely no one stopped to consider how this would come across. Imagine you're sitting down to write a story, you plot it out and decide a character happens to belong to a certain minority group. Here, we have a story exploring a loose end in HD and the shapeling arts with a main character that happens to be Black. Tropes have vastly different origins and consequences for different demographics, however. A story about being forced into fate and servitude has worse implications and ties to real-world oppression for a Black character than a white character. Once I saw someone describe fbg with "clumsy attempts at diversity" and yeah!

I'm not saying you can't write minorities in horror. The horror genre belongs to all of us and the alternative is only having white dude characters forever. You just gotta be aware of pitfalls, especially when you're writing about a demographic you aren't a part of. Especially when you have hardly any other characters of that demographic.

I'd like not to believe the writers had intention to come across poorly, but that's why it's called unconscious bias. Creators need to do their due diligence with sensitivity and bias training. In 2023, there's no excuse for it in a world where you can quickly google "racist tropes in the horror genre." Stop for a second while writing and reflect on how you're portraying a character from a demographic you aren't a part of. I do it all the time in my own work. As fiction writers, we create a world where anything can happen, and it's essential to carefully consider diversity and inclusion.

[justagalwhowrites]

and last point (I'll leave you be after this) but everyone should be included in the conversation.

Because I hate to say it but there are a lot of women who are male centered and have misogynistic tendencies without even realizing it (it's hard to know when your environment and experiences are limited) so discouraging those conversations in safe spaces such as fandom communities does everyone a disservice.

I mean I could tag you in posts where people have outright said someone your age should not be in any fandom spaces. It's not wrong to call that out.

And look at how you got involved in this "discourse", you could have read the post, disagreed and went about your day but instead you interacted. Which isn't a bad thing but that same attitude/grace can be applied to OP and anyone who agreed with her. These conversations are necessary and fanfiction is so much more than just fanfiction.

Hi again!

I definitely agree that we've been socialized toward misogyny and we all have unconscious bias that comes with living in a patriarchal world. I think there's absolutely room for it to happen in fandom communities, it should just, IMO, be centered on the original media and not fan-made content.

I have seen plenty of posts saying someone my age shouldn't be in fandom, and I do think is a shitty take, but I also think calling that out is different than talking about creators making age gap content (which, yes, the original post wasn't about but the post that Max reblogged from was.)

And you are right, I could have just read that, disagreed, and moved on (which I usually do, I try to dodge the discourse because it's just not fun for me to get involved - I'm already regretting making that post tbh) but I chose to jump in on this one because I keep seeing creators leave this community because of conversations like this. It makes me so sad to know there are people who made things I love and who loved being here who now feel like they can't come back. I love this place so much, the idea of leaving feels terrible, and I hate that people have felt like they need to do something they probably didn't want to in order to protect themselves.

Thank you for reaching out and sharing your feelings in such a thoughtful and kind way. If you want to continue the conversation outside my ask box, feel free to DM me! I won't share your identity or anything like that.

[khattikeri]

i loved reading your post. i think hori is way worse than kishimoto when it comes to writing female characters. he has disgusting opinion on women and at this point i cant even separate the art from the artist. hori disgusts me on many levels. also, are you an anime only fan or do you follow the manga as well. if its the latter, what are you thoughts on the recent events of the series.

apart from his sexist view on women, i think the plot itself, it's fights and everything in between also has plenty of flaws rearing it's ugly head

I think it's less of a hatred for women on Horikoshi's part and more an unconscious bias that ends up leading to female characters all dying or fading away into irrelevancy... or being established as "strong" only for them to have a single shining moment before being relegated to supporting male character arcs, which get a lot more time and detail.

I quit the anime halfway through season 5 and haven't been reading ongoing manga chapters properly in years (I stopped when Lady Nagant was defeated), so I don't actually know how the final arc is going. I've seen some things relating to Dabi/Todoroki family drama and Bakugou's status in the battle. But I check leaks very rarely.

I was pretty disillusioned and emotional when I wrote the rant post on misogyny in the series. I just typed it out in one go fueled by my own indignance at how conveniently things go for Midoriya and how little any of the women in the story get to shine, even when the intention is for them to do so.

I obviously missed some points and examples because I was so emotional... so seeing people take it out of context on twitter and calling me a crazy tumblr fujoshi or radfem acting in bad faith pissed me off. I blocked a lot of people over it. Not worth my time if people can't fucking read and use their brains, lol.

I hesitate to throw labels at Horikoshi though. Maybe he does truly believe that women can be as strong as men. Maybe he doesn't truly hold misogynystic beliefs in the extreme way, where he thinks women have to be subservient. How people view strength between genders is an important aspect to consider. Saying a woman is strong or having her fight physically is not the same as being given equal character development to a man. Men get inhuman or creature-based designs, such as the centipede, but all the women have moe humanesque faces even if they have different skin colors or horns. Where do you draw the line?

Regardless of Horikoshi's intentions, there is a disparity in how he writes and draws his female vs his male characters, and especially how many of each of them he creates. I think it's ridiculous to act like that difference doesn't exist at all, or that someone calling it out (with no intention to like, cancel him) is reading into it too deeply.

In the end if people can't handle others pointing out flaws about things they like, that's a problem for them, not me. I've heard others say the final bnha arc is flawed and overly rushed, but I wouldn't know. I don't intend to read it until the series is over so I can binge and then mark it complete on my lists.

I used to like it but these days I find myself understanding more and more that shonen manga, especially Jump manga and action shonen, truly are not meant for me. I'm not a kid anymore and my standards for character development, plot development, and critical analysis just don't mesh well with it.

[mxanigel]

🎀✨ for the fanfic writer asks!! <3

Thank you for the ask! <3 (original list here)

🎀 give yourself a compliment about your own writing

Critical hit! XD (Why are self-compliments so hard??) I think I do a good job of getting into a character's head and subsequently writing the world through their eyes and experiences. I love the idea of a reader knowing less about something or unconsciously gaining a bias because they're getting the story from a certain point of view.

✨ What’s a fic you’ve posted you wish you could breathe life into again and have people talking about it? (or simply a fic you wish got more credit)

An emotion I won't name. This Dragon Age Origins: Awakening fic is the most raw writing I've ever shared with others, breaking me out of my comfort zone in numerous ways: first-person POV, a character who easily jumps into bed but is skittish about falling in love, many issues drawn from my life experiences (grad school, imposter syndrome, getting voluntold into unwanted tasks and responsibilities), and tackling how they navigate their gender identity and dysphoria. I adore Neri to pieces, I have so much more of their journey that I want to share, yet writing them is tough in part because I'm still recuperating from burnout related to the aforementioned experiences, ahaha. Plus their endgame love interest, Anders, is a hugely popular character, but my take on him deviates from DA fandom norms -- partly because that divergence is informed by his time at Vigil's Keep with Neri.

[thenotificationmachine]

Theory addendum: why Stolitz will not in fact be Stockholm syndrome.

Hi, guys, So I made a theory response yesterday (you can check it out here: https://www.tumblr.com/thenotificationmachine/708793464871092225/theory-response-why-stolitz-might-actually-be?source=share) to @stolitzy's defence of Stolitz not being Stockholm syndrome and... I think my response was TOO effective. Not only did I defend my view, I also shattered her faith in Stolitz to the point that she had a personal crisis. So yeah, NOT a good move in hindsight. After some reflection and a talk with her, I've decided to amend my theory and say that Stolitz won't be Stockholm syndrome. "But how?" I hear you ask, " as you pointed out, all the signs are there! And stolitzy had no defence for that!" You (and my theory) are right about Stolitz having all (or at least most of) the hallmarks of Stockholm syndrome, but as stolitzy pointed out in her initial post, there actually is a good argument for why it isn't Stockholm syndrome. Don't misunderstand me, all the signs are there and if normal logic was applied it probably WOULD develop into that, but it isn't that because Viv, the Spindlehorse team and the vast majority of Helluva's fanbase will NEVER ALLOW IT to be that. They all want Stolitz to be this 100% perfect ship with no blemishes given time, and so the current miscommunication is likely the most trouble the ship will ever be in given how quickly the writers jumped from the emotional turmoil in "the Circus" to the overly saccharine stuff in "Seeing Stars".

Call it bad storywriting or an act of mercy for the ship depending on your preferences, but whatever the case may be, Stolitz might end up going down as the Stockholm syndrome ship that never was.

...Or not, since I have to confess that I've overanalysed the hallucination scene from "Truth Seekers" before, more specifically the appearances of the antagonists...

Take Mr. Shitty Clown over here, for example. Given how he's styled like an old rubber hose cartoon and Blitz's reactions to him and Robo-Mr. Shitty Clown, I theorised that he's like this because Blitz just sees him as a bouncy irritant/pest who lives to entertain others, when in fact he's seemingly like this just because Viv and co. liked the idea of that style. As such, my analysis of Striker's grainy/greyscaled appearance being due to Blitz's perception of him being darkened by his assassination attempt on Stolas was also wrong. But the BIGGEST (and most painful to admit) mistake was my analysis of Verosika's appearance in the scene.

You see, I looked at how she had the most "realistic" appearance (in terms of the show's usual animation style), visible tear streaks, the fact that she got the closest to Blitz out of all of them and the fact that Blitz's eyes are filled with a blue line that looks suspiciously like they're filling up with tears and came to the logical conclusion that Verosika was the closest to Blitz romantically and that in this moment he understood how much he hurt her and was genuinely remorseful. When all this analysis was added to hallucination Stolas holding him on a chain and him blushing on it and I immediately jumped to the Stockholm syndrome conclusion. This all seems like a perfectly logical conclusion, simply thwarted by the fact that Viv and co. hadn't looked at the scene as deeply as my theorising self, until you take one more very important factor into account; my MASSIVE bias towards Verosika. Yeeeaaahhh... So I have to admit that both this analysis and the entire "Stolitz is Stockholm syndrome" theory was likely unconsciously influenced by me being a Verosika stan and thus believing that her genuine loving relationship with Blitz (which the latter, not her, sabotaged) deserves a second shot once he goes through some character growth and that Stolitz is unfair robbery. As such I was always going to be biased against the ship and also missed the obvious sunlight behind hallucination Stolas, which stolitzy pointed out symbolises how Blitz views him as his hope. Then again, this could ALSO be proof of the Stockholm syndrome theory being correct regardless of my bias; guess it's up to you to decide. But regardless of whether my overanalysis, Verosika bias and preference for Blitzika over Stolitz disprove the Stockholm syndrome theory or not, the latter ship will still never be Stockholm syndrome since, like with the Orks in Warhammer 40k being able to breathe in space until they're told they need spacesuits to do so, the collective Stolitz fanbase (including the Spindlehorse team and Viv herself)'s collective power of belief will make sure it never turns into such a thing and instead miraculously develops into a stable, healthy relationship.

[traumasurvivorshelpingsurvivors]

tw: steroids, asthma, health trauma? (if that's a thing i'm not sure)

hello! so i'm a little unsure about if what i'm dealing with counts as trauma, or just stressful, or what, so i was hoping you guys could help me figure out what's going on with me?

i'm eighteen years old, and i have asthma. i know it's technically one of those things you can grow out of? and i don't live the healthiest lifestyle, but i play a sport, have an outdoor/semi laborious job, etc. But it's a big part of my life.

I've been on daily steroids since early middle school i believe-- six or seven years? It might be longer but I'm not 100% sure of the timing. Before that, I was diagnosed with asthma after incidentally describing to my mother that i can't ever seem to completely take a deep breath. Until I was put on steroids, I could only ever seem to fill my lungs 75% or so.

I take daily steroids, and even so, occasionally I've been briefly hospitalised or brought to the doctor for bad attacks, after which I have to take heavier steroids for a week or so. Last time was years ago, but I think about it a lot. I was on a ventilator for about eight hours in the emergency room, after I had spent the day before at school tired and lightheaded, feeling extremely sick. It turned out my oxygen levels had dropped dangerously low; hence the ventilator.

Even with my daily meds, I need emergency albuterol sometimes, which has bad side affects like heart palpitations and shaking. If I'm sleeping and need it, my dreams change to chaotic black and white swirling shapes with red spots.

I get triggered by sounds or visuals of heavy breathing (like on tv) and it can induce panic attacks. I have the memories of being on the ventilator, and lying in bed not having enough air to get up and get my meds or call for help. Lying there wondering if I would wake up in the morning.

Writing this all down makes me realise... it's scary. But no one talks about asthma! It's all "out of shape" people or "not caring about your body". I'm scared! I'm angry! What would my life be like if I didn't have it? And with all the shit I've been through, why am I embarrassed that I have asthma?

I'm sorry this is so long. I guess I'm both dealing with the stress of it all but I don't feel like I can truly be stressed about it since it's just asthma?

Hi anon,  I’m so sorry you’re dealing with asthma - it’s one of my own personal co-morbidity health issues - so I jumped at the opportunity to validate your diagnosis and experiences. I wanted to start by saying that any medical diagnosis is hard, and though maybe you’ll “grow out” of it one day, there’s also a chance you won’t, and there can be a bit of a grieving process to have to acknowledge that loss of “healthy body” when it comes to both your age, but also with the societal-culture we live in.  Ableism is rampant, and sometimes it’s more of an unconscious bias from those around you, a desire to dismiss the medical needs in favor that “youth” win out.    But this can be dangerous when it comes to our condition, and considering you’ve needed steroids for years, there are certain side effects from the medication to be mindful of as well.  None of this means that you cannot have a full, functional, and wonderful life!  And I think that’s where it’s important to advocate for chronically ill persons, as well as push against the narrative that a successful life only fits within very specifics able-bodied norms. It’s a fine line to tip toe on - one where we acknowledge the struggles (article with symptoms, impacts, and support groups) so we do not experience worsening mental health from denial on top of everything else, but also find ways to life our own lives to the fullest with the adaptations we may need, but with practice, becomes easier and more natural as times goes on. Either way, I wish you well <3 - Mod Kat

[dikdikpronouncedxylophone]

On one hand as a queer person I'm like “haha yeah, where the fellow fags at,” on the other hand, I'm jumping at the opportunity to share a supporting book that cites professionally researched split cognitive energy when your body has a natural stress response (even if you don't have conscious biases against cishet people) from being the single “out-group” member that adds more work to your brain and requires you to try harder to make sure that stress does not affect your abilities at work.

(Source: Sway: Unravelling Unconscious Bias)

You are indeed correct that we need to be paid more if we are the token minority because it's scientifically proven that it adds more work even if it's not evident from an outside perspective.

they should pay you extra if you have to be the only fag in the workplace. they should give you a bonus for that.