#because they just *must* show how morally high they are because they can criticize their own ccs

[xomoosexo]

literally the only time I have consistently used twitter was during the tubocalypse when I used to doomscroll the tubbo indirects. but. I'm healed now. definitely.

#it was just people on his back for absolutely everything because they slready didnt like him #and then casual ''fans'' always add fuel to the fire #because they just *must* show how morally high they are because they can criticize their own ccs #even if it was the stupidest thing he said offhandedly

[mauesartetc]

Hi, I just want to vent: I've gotten huge amounts of backlash for posting my criticisms of Helluva Boss on reddit, especially about Stolas' and Stella's relationship-stating why I think it's a bad depiction of abuse etc. And while I've said things that were insensitive and out of line, I find it very hypocritical that many fans defend Vivziepop to high heaven and act like she's some kinda goddess of writing who can do no wrong.

It's clear to me that many fans are so passionately defensive of the writing because find Stolas and his experiences relatable, and thus they see any criticism of his character and how the abuse is written as a personal attack.

Not gonna mention any names, but I've seen certain people say things that basically dismiss all critics as "immature kids who don't get real mature art like Helluva Boss" and explain the inconsistensies and plot holes with handwaves that while plausible, ignore the rule of "show don't tell". It all feels like ass-kissing and refusing to acknowledge that your fave show has flaws to me.

I really hate the dismissal of any critics as "abuse apologists" when the show itself is terrible at handling the topic of abuse, plays abusive behavior for laughs and depicts things that are toxic as "cute".

I also want to add that some people have justified Stella's one-note personality by saying "real maturity is accepting that sometimes people are just jerks" I find that a shoddy excuse.

I don't believe that any person on the planet is a jerk for no real reason, because real people aren't political strawmen or enemies in a war-propaganda film designed to incite rage and disgust-they have reasons for their actions even if they are disagreeable. To me, the comfortable fantasy is believing that the people who hurt you are evil monsters who only exist to inflict misery, when the truth is that they are their own people with positive and sympathetic qualities like everyone else.

These are my thoughts, I would like to hear yours on what I said.

"Immature kids who don't get real mature art like Helluva Boss"

LMAO okay if that person considers Helluva Boss "mature art", I'm convinced they've never consumed any other media intended for an adult demographic, and therefore have nothing to compare it to. The only time Helluva felt like a show for adults (to me, anyway) was Moxxie and Millie's song in "Ozzie's", where they have the confidence to reaffirm for themselves that they don't need to be kinky to have a fulfilling sex life. That's a message actual adults can relate to and need to hear. But the rest of the show comes off like it was written by edgy teens who think they know how to balance comedy and drama just because they've seen BoJack Horseman. Spoilers- They don't.

You're allowed to like it, you're allowed to think it's a good show overall, but... mature? Is it really? C'mon now.

Here's the thing: When people know they have no argument, they start mischaracterizing their opponent's position so it's easier for them to take the moral high ground. Easier for them to "win". Oh, you're not a fan of this show? You must be an abuse apologist, or a homophobe. They make these claims despite having little to no evidence they're true, just so they can disregard reasonable criticism and retreat to their comfortable little bubble where no one disagrees with them.

And you see this kind of rabid defense whenever someone has developed such an unhealthy attachment to something they like that it's become a vital part of their identity. They feel, at least subconsciously, that any attack on that thing is an attack on them. Why do you think some sports fans throw a fit when their team loses?

This is partly why I feel it's important to criticize media you like in addition to media you don't, understanding that nothing made by human hands will ever be perfect. If you can get some emotional distance from it, you won't get heated every time someone expresses the tiniest beef with it. Because chances are, it might also be a criticism you've made.

But I think at this point it's best to just disengage. If someone's made their mind up on a particular topic, no amount of convincing will change it. Leaving the conversation (or not entering it in the first place) is always an option. Block that subreddit if you have to. If you think they're wrong, let them be wrong. In a few years, they might find some sense of identity outside the stuff they enjoy, or they might not. It's not really your concern. The only real winner in an internet argument is the one who has a life outside of it.

#helluva boss #helluva critical #fandom #ask #chinesegal

[best-underrated-anime]

Best Underrated Anime Group D Round 3: #D3 vs #D1

#D3: Lots of traumatized minors messing each other up bad

#D1: Prohibition era Mafia revenge story

Details and poll under the cut!

#D3: Happy Sugar Life

Summary:

Satou Matsuzaka is a beautiful high schooler who has a reputation for being permissive with men. However, a chance encounter with a young girl named Shio Koube makes Satou realize that this is her first and only true feeling of love.

Telling others that she lives with her aunt, Satou secretly shares an apartment with Shio. Despite her innocent appearance, Satou is willing to do anything to protect her beloved, resorting to desperate measures to ensure that their “happy sugar life” remains intact.

Propaganda:

It is questionable, but in the way that the anime is meant to make you uncomfortable. It’s an uneasy psychological horror. You’re meant to dislike almost the entire cast, so you don’t know who to root for. Yes, the characters are fucked up, but it isn’t glorified as far as I can see.

It made my stomach churn, and I was sobbing at the end because that’s what it was trying to do.

I said it’s not good, meaning it’s not comfortable, and none of the characters are good. But it’s well-written and it’s interesting.

Trigger Warnings:

Child Abuse, Pedophilia (not graphic)

Murder/Violence (one brief scene is semi-violent, but most isn’t shown)

Kidnapping

Rape/Non-Con (not shown, but it’s obvious that it happened/explicitly stated)

Suicide

#D1: 91 Days

Summary:

As a child living in the town of Lawless, Angelo Lagusa has witnessed a tragedy: his parents and younger brother have been mercilessly slaughtered by the Vanetti mafia family. Losing everything he holds dear, he leaves both his name and hometown behind, adopting the new identity of Avilio Bruno. Seven years later, Avilio finally has his chance for revenge when he receives a mysterious letter prompting him to return to Lawless. Obliging, he soon encounters the Vanetti don’s son, Nero, and seeks to befriend him using the skills he has quietly honed for years. Set during the Prohibition era, this show tells the story of Avilio’s dark, bloodstained path to vengeance, as he slowly ends each of the men involved in the killing of his family.

Propaganda:

This series has character designs by the art director of Baccano. In fact, the setting of it being in the early 1920s in America is sort of reminiscent of Baccano. However, the story is much crueler and more grounded than that other famous series, even if it involves a similar amount of guns and blood.

The anime follows a broken and traumatized young man fueled by revenge. It’s a tragedy and a thriller and a Mafia series. We see the lengths Angelo Lagusa goes to avenge his family, whom he’s the last living survivor of. He changes his name and leads a double life, getting close to the Vanetti family, who killed his birth family. But in the process of trying to do this, he gets adopted into this Mafia family.

He must wrestle with his morality as he keeps on the bloody road of revenge. People that don’t deserve to be hurt get hurt or killed because of his actions—even dying by his hands.

It's an anime that shows just how far someone is willing to go for revenge, willing to break everything in his path for it. And considering the Prohibition era came to an end in history, was all the trickery and killing even worth it?

Trigger Warnings: Animal Cruelty/Death, Cannibalism, Emotional Abuse, Graphic Depictions of Cruelty/Violence/Gore, Suicide, Alcohol and Smoking.

This entire series is a mob story so there's lots of guns, blood, and killing. There is an assisted suicide of an important character. Also the family dog dies when the main character's family is massacred in the first episode.

When reblogging and adding your own propaganda, please tag me @best-underrated-anime so that I’ll be sure to see it.

If you want to criticize one of the shows above to give the one you’re rooting for an advantage, then do so constructively. I do not tolerate groundless hate or slander on this blog. If I catch you doing such a thing in the notes, be it in the tags or reblogs, I will block you.

Know one of the shows above and not satisfied with how it’s presented in this tournament? Just fill up this form, where you can submit revisions for taglines, propaganda, trigger warnings, and/or video.

#anime #best underrated anime #polls #poll tournament #tournament #anime tournament #animation #group stage #group stage round 3 #group d #tournament polls #happy sugar life #91 days #91 days anime

[yeehawbvby]

Am I ~seducing~ you? | Ch. 1*

(Piers x OC Maxine)

Rating: Mature/Explicit

Summary: "Piers stopped in his tracks as he watched his friend smile at him while propping herself onto her elbows, and then drop that smile and widen her eyes as they raked up and down his body. 

Oh, does it look bad? he worried to himself.

Then, he noticed Max’s face grow pink. Her ears and what little of her neck he could see followed as her cheeks turned a deep red he wasn’t sure he’d seen on them before.

…That must be a good thing then, yeah? Probably?"

Author's Note: Wowee, what a surprise, another romantically and sexually tense MinMaxShip fic!! (said no one ever)

I had way too much fun writing this. I’ve been dealing with tons of health issues lately, which has made writing kinda hard, but it’s fun being able to whip up silly one-shots here and there when I can.

Hope y’all enjoy x

Check it out on ao3!

Next

With battling being so ingrained into Galar’s culture, it was common for the region’s gym leaders to keep their stadiums open on holidays. Why would passionate trainers sit at home with their friends and families on, let’s say Christmas Eve for example, when they could go take on gym leaders as a group activity instead? 

Piers, preferring to do his own thing, would pick and choose which holidays to keep the Dark venue open. He’d take it year-by-year, seeing how he was faring the week of the occasion, and would advertise a celebratory event only if he felt like it’d be worth it. Oftentimes he’d forgo battling entirely, putting on a show instead; but regardless of what he decided on, he never failed to sell the venue out.

The amount of people who showed up proved to be far too overwhelming for Max, so she simply didn’t work holidays. She’d had one incident in her early days as a gym trainer where she tried to push past her immense discomfort and be there for a New Year’s event, only to have to hide away backstage due to a panic attack. It was for the best that she just stayed home. 

She didn’t mind it, despite how isolating it could be. If anything, she found comfort in how quiet their apartment building would become with so many people at one gym or another. 

This day in particular was Halloween, and Piers was readying himself for a concert. He’d always encouraged everyone — his staff included — to show up in costume. The practice kept employee morale higher, attracted more attention from fans and trainers alike, and honestly, Piers just found it fun. The idea of being able to dress any way he wanted to once a year excited him. It made him feel less self conscious when he wanted to experiment with wearing dresses, or different types of makeup, or whatever, because if he was met with criticism he could just blame it on the holiday.

Piers had his fair share of silly costumes, such as pokemon kigurumis or maid outfits. He’d never been the type to use Halloween as an excuse to look sexy like so many people do.

For some reason, he felt bold enough to change that this year.

He was a little self conscious as he inspected his incubus getup in the mirror. His high ponytail was complemented by a headband with two black horns, which held his fringe away from his face; he swapped his black eyeshadow for a deep burgundy, creating a smokey look in unison with his smudged black eyeliner; and he toyed with some faux fangs, ultimately deciding to wear them at least until he got on stage.

His usual pendant adorned his neck, and below it, his torso was practically bare. He had on a black, long-sleeved, mock-neck shirt, but the fabric ended in an upside-down v-shape just above his chest. 

Raihan, being a master of the craft of Looking Slutty, suggested Piers spice it up with some fake tattoos somewhere on his lower torso. He reluctantly did just that, drawing a small black wing with some eyeliner between each hip bone, slightly below his navel. He thought it would be too much but wound up liking it, especially preferring it over sporting a set of wearing fake wings.

He wore tight, black, leather pants, and would slip on some high-heeled leather boots on his way out, as usual. Today, though, he added a whale tail with a burgundy thong beneath it all — a little accent to complement his eyeshadow — and a black leather garter on his upper left thigh.

It wasn’t out of character for Piers to be completely shirtless at some points during his shows just due to sweat, but something about today felt so much more scandalous than usual. Maybe it was the attention he drew to his hips, or maybe it was the fact that he was arriving at the venue already practically topless. Who could say?

He wanted a second opinion on the outfit. Most of Piers’ buddies were gym leaders and busy prepping for their own celebrations, though, so Piers didn’t want to bother any of them.

That only left… Max and Marnie, he supposed. And there was no way in hell he was showing his little sister this outfit.

He sighed, dragging his feet on the short walk between rooms. The star felt a bit nervous presenting himself to Max so scantily clad. She’d seen him topless, but like he’d been thinking, this felt different.  

He stood outside Max’s room and asked, “Oi, you decent?” through the door.

“Yup.”

She was hanging out on her bed. She laid belly-down, her head towards the foot of the mattress and her arms slightly dangling off, with her DS in hand. Not having Halloween plans herself, but wanting to do something, she opted to just wear a fuzzy white cat ear headband with her otherwise unfestive black hoodie and light pink joggers. 

She was in the middle of something, so when Piers entered, she hadn’t looked up. She did greet him, though. 

“What’s up?”

“Need your opinion on my costume.”

“‘Kay, ooone sec,” she murmured. 

Piers admired how Max’s brows furrowed when she was feeling determined. He grinned when he noticed her headband, too. Cute.

He huffed out a near-silent laugh in tandem when Max’s misdreavus made itself visible and floated over to Piers, greeting him with its own set of cat ears equipped. 

He patted its head between the accessory. “Hey, missy.”

It chirped happily before leaving the room to hang out somewhere else in the apartment. Probably the couch, he assumed. That fella really loved a good sofa… or any sofa for that matter. Theirs was pretty beaten up.

Piers shut the door behind the creature. Curious as to what Max was doing while he waited, he was about to make his way towards her with the intention to watch over her shoulder; but right when he took his first step, Max closed the device with a triumphant huff and looked towards him.

Piers stopped in his tracks as he watched his friend smile at him while propping herself onto her elbows, and then drop that smile and widen her eyes as they raked up and down his body. 

Oh, does it look bad? he worried to himself.

Then, he noticed Max’s face grow pink. Her ears and what little of her neck he could see followed as her cheeks turned a deep red he wasn’t sure he’d seen on them before.

…That must be a good thing then, yeah? Probably?

“Erm.” She cleared her throat, fixing the heightened pitch of her voice — which was already pretty high-pitched, normally — before averting her eyes. After a beat she shyly met Piers’. Her gaze started to lower, as if on its own volition, but she rapidly snapped it back up to his face.

…Definitely, Piers concluded.

He flustered her.

This wasn’t one of those common instances where someone did something sweet or embarrassing to her, or where she did something sweet or embarrassing.

He put her in this state purely by looking the way he did.

And that felt fucking incredible to him.

Initially the realization had made him giddy. Then, as he registered that it could be absurdly fun to tease her about this — to tease her right now — his smile widened into something more mischievous. 

Max’s following compliment came out strained. She was fighting for her life to make herself look unaffected. 

(She was failing.)

“Looks good!”

Piers’ brows raised slightly as he flashed his fangs. “Y’think so?” 

“Ye— oooh,” she cut herself off with a whisper, noticing the prosthetics. She could practically feel herself short-circuiting as she tried to figure out what to say. Please stop staring at his teeth, please be normal about this, she begged herself before settling on, “Can you sing in those?”

“Eh…”

Piers looked up a little, tilting his head to either side while he weighed out whether it would be doable or not. While doing so, he began fidgeting the tip of his tongue against one of his pointed teeth. The simple movements of his mouth made Max gulp.

“Probably, but I might take ‘em out anyway.” 

“Hm.” Max slowly nodded, diverting her attention to the floorboards. She crossed her outstretched legs behind her, too. Something about shutting her thighs eased the tension growing between them.

Her overall reaction was all he needed to be way more confident in his attire. Cocky, even, just because it was Max. He cared more about her opinions of him than most other people’s. So, while she seemed to zone out, Piers quietly approached her bed, leaning his palms down onto the corner of it.

He wanted her attention. Wanted to see how many of her buttons he could push like this. He’d accepted his infatuation towards her by now, and to take advantage of the moment to see what kinds of reactions he could pull from her fueled his desires even further.

It made him feel a bit perverted, in a way. 

Was it perverted?

Whatever, it didn’t matter. It’s not like he was hurting her by having a little fun. He knew she’d speak up if he made her uncomfortable at any point. There was very little risk in messing around, and a high reward to be had.

Timidly, Max side-eyed Piers’ exposed form, bringing the collar of her hoodie to her chin — a makeshift hiding spot — before letting her head fully turn. Her heart stuttered at the intense look in Piers’ eyes. He was amused, clearly, given the faint smile that played on his lips while he gnawed the lower one, only one of his fangs visible; but more than that, he watched over her like a predator would its prey. 

He asked lowly, “You like it, then?”

God, yes— “Mhm,” Max nodded.

Piers noted the slight quiver in her breath, and swelling with pride, he continued, “How much?”

As the words came out, he gravitated to the foot of Max’s bed, slowly sinking onto his knees to meet her at eye level, no more than a foot away.

“Oh, um…”

Max looked down in an attempt to escape eye contact, only to realize she was openly staring at his torso. She honed in on his decorated hips for a short moment before blinking a few times, as if to wipe away her racing thoughts. She plastered her view onto his right arm.

“I… I don’t know.” She dropped her hold on her hoodie, then answered, “It’s a good look on you,” pulling a small section of hair over her shoulder to fidget with. As she twirled the brown and pink strands between her fingers, Piers noticed that her feet were kicking in place the slightest little bit.

“You sure? Seems like ya can’t even look at me while you say it,” he teased, lifting Max’s chin with his pointer and middle finger. 

She wanted to fucking die. To vanish from thin air and not have to deal with how pretty he was. How sexy he was. 

But there was no escape.

She could tell from his constant ghost of a smirk that he knew exactly what he was doing. Whether he simply enjoyed toying with her, or he knew he was absolutely melting her, she had no clue — whichever it was, though, it turned her on more than she could possibly begin to comprehend. 

Piers egged her on, her eyes widening a little as he leaned in closer, “I mean, I can tell you with full confidence that you make an adorable kitten.” He gestured his head towards her ears. 

Arc’s sake, please shut up, Max wanted to scold him, her heart threatening to beat its way out of her body. She wanted to close what little of a gap there was between them. To pounce on him. For him to do the same. Anything.  

“Well… I do mean it,” she answered once she was able to compose herself. “I’m just a little embarrassed, I guess,” Max admitted, with a breathy, nervous waver lingering in her voice.

Piers leaned forward again. “Why’s that?”

Max’s eyes flickered between Piers’ darkened eyes and his lips. “Don’t— erm, don’t you have to leave?”

He shook his head slightly. “I have plenty of time to grill ya if I want to.” His mouth formed into a toothy, meowth-like smile.

“Damn it,” she quietly laughed, looking down, now that Piers’ hold on her had slackened.

He promptly stole her back, tugging her view to his once more while he laughed with her. He thought she had such a pretty smile — especially when her face was so rosy. 

“Y’know, if I didn’t know any better…” he began to speculate as he nearly closed their gap. Their noses were just a few centimeters apart. Max seemed to be in a trance, her eyes following his mouth’s every move while it drew nearer. “I’d say it looks like you want me to kiss you or somethin’.”

Max’s eyes shot up to his while she nervously chewed the inside of her lip between her canines. She looked hopeful. Pleading. Desperate.  

Confident facade aside, Piers felt similarly. 

“…Do you want me to kiss you, Max?” Piers whispered. Despite the softness in its volume, his voice had an almost dangerous tone to it. 

It made Max gasp. She was putty in his hands.

Piers felt himself twitch in his pants at her barely-audible reaction. He wondered when else she’d ever make faces like these, when else she’d sigh such wistful little breaths. Simultaneously, she’d been wondering if this is the sort of demeanor he’d have in bed.

Unable to resist but feeling shy, she nodded the slightest bit. The motion would’ve been unnoticeable if you weren’t looking for it.

Piers was on her before she could even register that he’d obliged, eagerly holding her face and smashing his lips against hers. Her surprise manifested in a whimper and filled her with embarrassment while it drove Piers mad with lust.

Max rested a hand atop one of his while she struggled to pull herself up into a kneel. Her legs felt like jelly beneath her as she maneuvered herself to be sitting on the edge of her bed, her legs dangling on either side of Piers as she draped her arms around his neck. She rested one palm against the back of his head while the other gripped the fabric covering his opposite shoulder. 

Max wondered, as their lips and tongues ebbed and flowed, how such a simple costume could have made her so goddamn needy… and why did it seem to have the same effect on him? 

While Max was lost in thought and inebriated by Piers’ kisses, the man stood up, leaned his right palm onto the bed, and weaved his left fingers beneath Max’s loose mane to cup her nape. 

He encouraged her to lay back with nothing but the force of his lips, letting her decide whether or not to invite him closer. She subconsciously tightened her thighs against his hips as she complied, her body willing his to meet hers on its own volition; enticing his core towards hers as he hovered above her, his ponytail tickling her cheek and his breaths fanning her face each time their mouths unclasped. 

Max, knowing Piers could recreate his ponytail in an instant if he wanted to, tangled her fingers through the taught hair. She gripped onto it for dear life and leaned upward as if it would allow her to taste more of him, sighing into his mouth as he used his lips to pin her back down. 

Piers smiled against her, noting that she seemed to really like when he took control. It reminded him of a move he busted out during their first kiss, so he decided to recreate it. A little commemoration of sorts. He drifted his thumb to Max’s chin and — without warning, unlike last time — pulled her mouth open and held it there, leaving her powerless in terms of how long their tongues would be knotted together. 

Just like the first time, Max accidentally whined into his mouth. Just like the first time, Piers breathed out a laugh through his nose. He didn’t halt their connection this time, though, favoring twirling his tongue around hers over the prospect of teasing her. He did hum to express his satisfaction though.

If he heard correctly, Max whimpered again at his reaction, albeit near silently.

And he did hear correctly, but not for the reason he’d thought. Max definitely responded positively to his humming, but she was more so focused on the way he just took the reins and seemed to really enjoy it. She did too. Being teased, being bossed around a bit. Being at his will. All of it made her feel restless.

Max arched her back a little to be closer to Piers.

Piers gripped the curve of her hip and squeezed, firmly pressing his pelvis between her opened legs in tandem.

Max desperately tugged at Piers’ hair with one hand to pull him closer, and gently caressed his cheek with the other.

Piers bit Max’s lip, forgetting he had fangs equipped, and drew a little blood—

Oh. 

He pulled away and brought his hand to her cheek while he made sure she was okay.

She nodded. She kinda liked the pain. She didn’t tell him, but something about the hungry glint in her eye gave it away.

…Oooh!

Piers, with a smirk that met his eyes more than his lips, licked the blood away before stealing another open-mouthed kiss, and it was literally the hottest thing that had ever happened to Max.

This only lasted a few moments longer, both of them mourning the loss of each other’s lips the second they were apart. Still hovering over Max, Piers pulled his phone from his pocket to check the time. 

Their chests heaved as they stared at the rotom. They both knew he needed to leave, but Piers heavily considered canceling the show in favor of spending the night snogging Max’s face off. 

Fuck it… I can be late.

Piers gently tossed the device aside, letting it float down on its own, and dove back down. Max happily went along with it for a short while before feeling guilty. 

Damn it.  

“Mm–” she hummed against him, cupping his cheeks to gently nudge him away. “You’ve gotta go, no?”

Piers, while staring at Max’s swollen lips as if they were the most fascinating things he’d ever seen, sighed. “Don’t wanna.” He immediately dipped back down, a goofy grin curling his lips upward.

“What?” Max laughed, her nose scrunching up a bit as she stopped him from kissing her again. “I thought you loved Halloween shows specifically.” 

I love you more— “This is more fun.”

The sincerity in Piers’ voice, even if it was lighthearted and silly, had Max wanting him to cancel the show too. 

This was the perfect opportunity to poke fun at him, though. “Taking this whole incubus thing a bit seriously, no?” It wasn’t a complaint, but it had piqued her curiosity.

“Ha!” 

Max basked in Piers’ bright smile, feeling proud that she made him laugh, even if it wasn’t all that funny. Even if she always made him laugh.

Whatever. His laugh was cute and made her happy. That’s all that mattered.

Still grinning, Piers squinted at Max, readying an absolutely lethal blow. He nudged her nose with his, then let his lips ghost hers as he purred, “Why? Is it working?” 

Max, hypnotized, let her eyes drop to where their lips were nearly connected. She tilted her head up a tiny bit, but Piers pulled back, his smile widening. 

“Answer the question, love,” he taunted her before repeating the motions. “Am I seducing you?” He added a subtle nudge of his hips against her mid-sentence for emphasis. Max’s lip quivered as she swallowed back a moan before it could come out.

Max didn’t answer him. She didn’t want to lie, but there was no way in hell she was about to tell him how badly she yearned for him. 

Her silence spoke volumes. Piers, wanting to hit Max with one last razzle dazzle, kissed her again, letting his tongue lead the way after successfully propping her mouth open. It was sloppy, it was deep, it was so hot, and it snatched Max’s fucking soul out of her body — very in-character! — but it also ended way too soon for her liking.

Piers concluded darkly after a moment of silence, “Very good to know,” before standing upright. 

Half of him hoped his bulge wasn’t too noticeable.

Only half.

Max definitely saw something, but knew that if she lingered on it for too long, she’d be begging him to stay home, and to give up all restraint and rules and whatever, and to just fuck her senseless instead — so, she did her best to act like it wasn’t there.

“B-but I didn’t even answer you,” she weakly pointed out as Piers pulled out his messy ponytail, promptly fixing it back up into something tidier. 

“But you didn’t deny it,” he winked at her, “and that’s all the confirmation I need.” 

Satisfied with the havoc he’d wreaked, Piers grabbed his phone and made his way towards the door. 

“Huh?” Max squeaked.

Piers met her eyes over his shoulder. “Byeee,” he sang… And he decided on a whim to snipe her one last time. “Try not to have too much fun without me.”

Max was speechless at the implications there as Piers shut the door behind himself. The man was now grinning like a doofus, knowing that he affected Max so immensely, even if it was just this once — at least to his knowledge.

He went into her room initially expecting an honest opinion, then to either hang out a little, or to work on improving his look. Maybe both, if she wanted to help. 

Instead, he was handed some confidence on a silver platter in the form of Max blushing and whimpering for him. Fidgeting because of him. Visibly yearning for him. 

He felt like a million bucks — like he was unstoppable. He was about to put on the best show of his career. He could just feel it.

Max, on the other hand, was stuck staring at the door, completely dumbfounded.

…What the fuck just happened?

#oc maxine #minmaxshipping #piers pokemon #gym leader piers #piers x reader #piers x oc #oc x canon #oc x piers #pkmn piers #piers pkmn #pokemon trainersona #trainersona oc #trainersona #friends to lovers #fluff #pokemon fanfic #piers swsh #swsh piers #kissing #halloween #tw suggestive

[continuations]

Low Rung Tech Tribalism

Silicon Valley's tribal boosterism has been bad for tech and bad for the world.

I recently criticized Reddit for clamping down on third party clients. I pointed out that having raised a lot of money at a high valuation required the company to become more extractive in an attempt to produce a return for investors. Twitter had gone down the exact same path years earlier with bad results, where undermining the third party ecosystem ultimately resulted in lower growth and engagement for the network. This prompted an outburst from Paul Graham who called it a "diss" and adding that he "expected better from [me] in both the moral and intellectual departments."

Comments like the one by Paul are a perfect example of a low rung tribal approach to tech. In "What's Our Problem" Tim Urban introduces the concept of a vertical axis of debate which distinguishes between high rung (intellectual) and low rung (tribal) approaches. This axis is as important, if not more important, than the horizontal left versus right axis in politics or the entrepreneurship/markets versus government/regulation axis in tech. Progress ultimately depends on actually seeking the right answers and only the high rung approach does that.

Low rung tech boosterism again and again shows how tribal it is. There is a pervasive attitude of "you are either with us or you are against us." Criticism is called a "diss" and followed by a barely veiled insult. Paul has a long history of such low rung boosterism. This was true for criticism of other iconic companies such as Uber and Airbnb also. For example, at one point Paul tweeted that "Uber is so obviously a good thing that you can measure how corrupt cities are by how hard they try to suppress it."

Now it is obviously true that some cities opposed Uber because of corruption / regulatory capture by the local taxi industry. At the same time there were and are valid reasons to regulate ride hailing apps, including congestion and safety. A statement such as Paul's doesn't invite a discussion, instead it serves to suppresses any criticism of Uber. After all, who wants to be seen as corrupt or being allied with corruption against something "obviously good"? Tellingly, Paul never replied to anyone who suggested that his statement was too extreme.

The net effect of this low rung tech tribalism is a sense that tech elites are insular and believe themselves to be above criticism, with no need to engage in debate. The latest example of this is Marc Andreessen's absolutist dismissal of any criticism or questions about the impacts of Artificial Intelligence on society. My tweet thread suggesting that Marc's arguments were overly broad and arrogant promptly earned me a block.

In this context I find myself frequently returning to Martin Gurri's excellent "Revolt of the Public." A key point that Gurri makes is that elites have done much to undermine their own credibility, a point also made in the earlier "Revolt of the Elites" by Christopher Lasch. When elites, who are obviously benefiting from a system, dismiss any criticism of that system as invalid or "Communist," they are abdicating their responsibility.

The cost of low rung tech boosterism isn't just a decline in public trust. It has also encouraged some founders' belief that they can be completely oblivious to the needs of their employees or their communities. If your investors and industry leaders tell you that you are doing great, no matter what, then clearly your employees or communities must be wrong and should be ignored. This has been directly harmful to the potential of these platforms, which in turn is bad for the world at large which is heavily influenced by what happens on these platforms.

If you want to rise to the moral obligations of leadership, then you need to find the intellectual capacity to engage with criticism. That is the high rung path to progress. It turns out to be a particularly hard path for people who are extremely financially successful as they often allow themselves to be surrounded by sycophants both IRL and online.

PS A valid criticism of my original tweet about Reddit was that I shouldn't have mentioned anything from a pitch meeting. And I agree with that.

#politics #tech #criticism

[lingshanhermit]

Lingshan Hermit: A Tale from the Borderlands

In the planet we live in, there are hundreds and thousands of cultures. These cultures vary in levels, some being of high moral standard while others low; some are good and some are bad. In recent years, the most preposterous story I have read regarding cultural differences is this: A person migrated to Polynesia in the Pacific Ocean. One day she took a public bus to go shopping in the city. After boarding the bus, she found there were no vacant seats left. A local girl stood up and offered her a seat. After sitting down, the girl looked around and then casually sat on a man's lap in a natural manner. At first she thought the man was the girl's boyfriend, but then more and more women got on the bus and each of them chose a suitable man and sat on his lap. Both the women and men seemed comfortable with this and showed no discomfort. Only then did she realize this was part of the local culture. However, the author did not criticize this practice. On the contrary, she even admired this culture, feeling that as an East Asian, she carried too much cultural baggage and was far less unrestrained compared to these natives. I'm not surprised by this. I'm just curious whether she would be affected emotionally if one day she saw her own husband intimately holding a strange woman on a public bus.

In recent decades, people all over the world have been bombarded by all kinds of media and self-media. So it's not surprising they have developed this kind of mindset and way of thinking. To demonstrate their tolerance, modern people tend to respect all kinds of trashy cultures. (There are also many such "goddesses of mercy" in Buddhism. They say everyone should be equal and non-discriminatory. Although they have an ordinary person's body, they speak like a saint. Remember, if you are still an ordinary person on the path of cultivation, speak like one, from the perspective of an ordinary person, based on the truth of causality, and be clear about what is good and evil, what should and should not be done. Do not spout nonsense about non-discrimination. Unless you can casually chop off your own leg and feed it to a tiger, don't speak words of the saintly state.) But I have never been this kind of person. Those familiar with me know I look down on white leftists very much. So I don't intend to respect this custom or culture, nor do I want to exhibit broad-minded tolerance. The reason many people are tolerant of this culture is because they do not see its impact on your life and cultivation. If they could see the consequences it would bring, their tolerance would vanish instantly.

Now it's the 21st century. You can fly from Beijing to New York in just over ten hours. So this is no longer the time of Mirror Flowers and Moonlight in the Tang Dynasty. In those days, how those distant islanders lived their lives was irrelevant to you, because they would not appear in supermarkets near your home. Their children would not go to preschool with your children or marry your children. But now the situation is completely different. Every day, hundreds of thousands of people cross borders into the United States. They come from South America, Africa, the Middle East, all over the world. In the past decade, Guangzhou, China has added over 500,000 African immigrants. These people bring their lives, cultures, eating habits and worldviews to their new countries. When there are enough of them, their cultures will influence or even replace yours.

I have never been a supporter of multiculturalism. I've always said it's a scheme of the demon king. The confusion of values multiculturalism brings makes right and wrong no longer right and wrong. Perhaps in the not-too-distant future, you'll see the scenes on Polynesian buses happen on subways and buses in Guangzhou. Some say those islanders act that way because they are carefree, but that's not carefreedom, that's shamelessness. If you want to cultivate, you must first know what is shame. This is not only the foundation of cultivation, but also a standard for defining your humanity.

In recent years I have seen multiculturalism running rampant around the world. Through movies, music and media, they reshape mindsets worldwide and slaughter the traditional cultures of nations. The biggest victim is women. Thirty years ago, if a woman with a boyfriend had a male friend, she would be condemned by many. But now this is no longer unusual news. Many women righteously proclaim it is their right. And many support this claim. This is the result of the intrusion of backward cultures. If multiculturalism continues to develop, it's not impossible that one day you'll see the Polynesian bus scene happen on subways and buses.

We are all victims of multiculturalism. Although that shocking Polynesian scene has not occurred, other things are slowly happening, greatly impacting your life and cultivation: They make you unable to find a husband, unable to truly trust others, unsure of how to get along with people or communicate, unsure of how to be a disciple. Multiculturalism, under the guise of inclusion and equality, is causing you to gradually degenerate into a barbarian, crumbling the foundation of cultivation built by sages over thousands of years.

Written by Lingshan Hermit on September 3, 2023.

Copyright Notice：All copyrights of Ling Shan Hermit's articles in Simplified and Traditional Chinese, English, and other languages belong to the natural person who owns "Ling Shan Hermit". Please respect copyright. Publishers, media, or individuals (including but not limited to internet media, websites, personal spaces, Weibo, WeChat public accounts, print media) must obtain authorization from Ling Shan Hermit before use. No modifications to the articles are allowed (including: author's name, title, main text content, and punctuation marks). We reserve all legal rights.

��山居士：关于边地的一个故事

[whiskeyswifty]

Is cate blanchett the favorite to win best actress

that is probably the most up in the air, ripping hair out of my head race we have right now. It's virtually impossible to know how that one will go at this stage. couple of things at play here in Oscar Voting Dynamics.

the PUBLIC favorite to win is Michelle Yeoh who is running is what you can call a predominately Good Will campaign. It's the same narrative you see all the time with other longtime actors who have had long but unrecognized careers, especially ones as accomplished as Yeoh. That's not to say her performance wasn't magnificent in EEAAO, which I think it was, but it's not exactly conventional for the academy, especially with the level of silliness the movie has. So, smartly, the awards campaign managers are running a fantastic Good Will campaign, trotting her out at all the appropriate outlets and podcasts and screenings. Her GG speech was emblematic of that idea that the award should go to her because it would be more of a feather in her cap lifetime achievement honor. Again, this is not a value judgement of whether she deserves the award or not, but just the strategy of the campaign, which is usually a very successful narrative, has worked countless times in the past, and is a smart move imho. HOWEVER the academy FAMOUSLY has this weird tick where they truly loathe to be told they must do something because it is morally right. they love to sit on their high horse and do what they think is the meritorious thing and treat every oscars as if nobody has ever won one before and all nominees are being judged on their work in that one film alone. which is bullshit, of course they're not doing that. it's an awards show, a popularity contest, art is subjective blah blah, but they positively bristle at even the slightest suggestion they should vote for anyone they don't choose to based off of their impeccable taste in cinema!! 🙄 and anyway, their idea of deserving is the actor that is humble and "it's an honor to even be nominated" kind of actor. so a good will campaign can backfire, especially when it turns less into a gracious actor wishing for the approval of the almighty academy whom they worship and instead becomes the general public loudly demanding that it's morally WRONG if _____ doesn't win. It's a tricky line to tread, and so far Michelle seems to be in the safe zone, but unfortunately her confidence can be taken by the misogynist and racist and frankly elitsit all around academy as arrogance. she's not a shoe in, but currently, she's the "favorite." It's very hard for the "favorite" to hold onto that position though for a long time, because.....

Cate Blanchett is not the favorite now, but as the current critically acclaimed but likely loser, that puts her in a verrrrry favorable position for voting week in a month's time. A big part of voting psychology is that sometimes, people vote thinking that nobody else is going to vote like them. So with Michelle already believed by most voters to be the winner, many during voting week may opt for the whole "well I'm gonna vote for Cate even tho she won't win, but I think that performance was also good!" the kicker is..... a LARGE portion of people are very likely to think this and do this. She's currently running what you might call the Humble campaign, although she barely shows up to anything so it's EXTREMELY humble by those standards lol. Her narrative is she already has a few, so she's just flattered to be nominated again, and she's not expecting to win. that feeds deliciously into the academy's desire to give it to someone who's disposition they view as "deserving." Also, many view her past wins as a detriment but absolutely not. they're evidence that the academy is enamored with her, and has awarded her for less lol. And with the film Tar also not expected to collect anything, and the BP just so happening to go to EEAAO (which at this stage would be shocking if it lost), voters might want to honor what they think is a more classic, traditional capital C cinema movie in at least one small way. It doesn't help that the other candidate is the antithesis of Cate, for better or for worse, for both of them. She very well could get the award!

As convoluted as this sounds, and is, you can see how complicated the current standings are. It's very much a snake eating it's tail situation. Michelle is the favorite but because she's the favorite, voters might not actually vote for her and instead vote for the underdog Cate, but if Cate's growing popularity gets prognosticated, then that makes Cate the favorite with means voters might turn back around and vote for Michelle instead, now the underdog, and so on and so forth. Chiefly, it depends on what happens in the next month. There are dozens of luncheons, guild awards, festivals, and private events the studios will throw to get their actors out there to shake hands and kiss babies, and it depends on how these two women play their part. Sometimes, unfortunately, it comes down to timing which can't be planned in advance.

there are other factors as well that make this Oscar year a bit more unpredictable, such as how it's voting body is far more international than every before (as evidenced by the BP international record they broke today). Despite EEAAO not being an international film, or even taking place outside of America, Michelle is a champion and avatar (lol) for international filmmaking on the Hollywood stage. On her campaign trail, she's consistently gushed about her love of her time in the Hong Kong film industry, and the international voting body might gravitate towards her as someone who represents non-Hollywood film industries getting Hollywood recognition at the highest level. Especially infamously underrepresented industries at the oscars such as Asia, Central and South America, and Eastern Europe. Cate, while australian yeah, is also a white woman predominately in Hollywood movies. The irony is her movie does have more of an international pedigree, as it is about, takes place in (mostly), and was prepped, filmed, and completed post in Europe and employed an almost entirely European crew, especially major roles like the composer and the cinematographer. It's an endless loop of possibilities for what will sway the voters!

Ultimately, those running the campaigns will want their actor to be in the perfect position (favored but underdog but deserving but humble and unassuming) on the seven days voting opens. Tricky! Coda pulled it off last year against pretty low odds though (with a less.... artistic film than these two women are promoting, let's say) so it CAN be done, it just is very difficult for anyone to predict, imo.

#SO sorry to people who don't care but if someone asks about the oscars... i must answer #i'm in PEAK annoying oscars mode #and the group chat is currently fighting about whether we NEED to watch blonde cuz none of us can stomach it #and yet now we feel like we have to

[antigonewinchester]

yeah, i absolutely think (based on some discussions i've seen) that some people take calling sam angry as a judgement, when i use it more as a shorthand for his iron-strong sense of self; sam is willful and has strong convictions, which can lead to anger when he thinks those are being infringed on. it's also why his failures, typically moral ones, hit him so hard. when he makes a decision, he's all in because he believes it's the right thing to do, and often has several arguments for why that is. when that faith is shaken or based on a false premise, very interesting things happen... there's something there, too, about lucifer parallels re: sticking to their guns in the face of consequences, but i will stop typing now 😅

I think people often look at anger as an emotion and only see it as negative, and that at times the show itself can have a judgemental attitude towards anger, which leads to it seemingly having such a 'bad' connotations in fandom discussions, unfortunately :/ Agree with you too that what people sometimes name as "anger" is really Sam's assertiveness and strong-will, although that can get into nuances and maybe nitpickiness of how one defines anger vs. assertiveness and all that. And also that Sam, esp in earlier seasons, is just angry sometimes.

Idk how much you know about (or believe in) Enneagram personality typing, but I really like the read of Sam as a type 1: controlled, idealistic, and perfectionist, with a basic wish "to be good" and a basic fear of "being corrupted/evil."

"Ones are conscientious and ethical, with a strong sense of right and wrong. They are teachers, crusaders, and advocates for change: always striving to improve things, but afraid of making a mistake. Well-organized, orderly, and fastidious, they try to maintain high standards, but can slip into being critical and perfectionistic. They typically have problems with resentment and impatience. ... Although Ones have a strong sense of purpose, they also typically feel that they have to justify their actions to themselves, and often to others as well. This orientation causes Ones to spend a lot of time thinking about the consequences of their actions, as well as about how to keep from acting contrary to their convictions. Because of this, Ones often persuade themselves that they are “head” types, rationalists who proceed only on logic and objective truth. But, the real picture is somewhat different: Ones are actually activists who are searching for an acceptable rationale for what they feel they must do. They are people of instinct and passion who use convictions and judgments to control and direct themselves and their actions. In the effort to stay true to their principles, Ones resist being affected by their instinctual drives, consciously not giving in to them or expressing them too freely. The result is a personality type that has problems with repression, resistance, and aggression. They are usually seen by others as highly self- controlled, even rigid, although this is not how Ones experience themselves. It seems to them that they are sitting on a cauldron of passions and desires, and they had better “keep the lid on” lest they and everyone else around them regret it."

Really fits w/ what your describing with Sam's convictions and how hard he tries to live up to them, and how crushed he feels when he fails to do so. Type 1 is also one of the "anger" types (which includes 8, 9, and 1), where as I understand it, anger is a major aspect of their shadow/darker selves, with 8s directing their anger outward, 9s denying their anger, and 1s directing their anger towards themselves.

Looking at the Sam - Lucifer parallels is also intriguing through a type 1 lens. They've definitely both got that same determined to-do-it-no-matter-what streak! And in Lucifer's conversation w/ Dean in 5x04, he can't seem to accept the moral complexities and ambiguities of humanity ('"And I said, "Father, I can't." I said, "These human beings are flawed, murderous."') ala the ethical black & white thinking that can often afflict type 1s, and that Sam also struggles with, in seeing himself as either wholly good or wholly bad, no in-between.

#sam #asks #sam & lucifer #there's def a bit of projection here b/c i'm a type 9 w/ a 1 wing so it's easy for me to see the 1 in sam #and his 1-ness is what i find especially interesting abt him #repressed anger is just. uh. relatable okay!!

[chikaras-garden]

what tips would you give for writing angsttttttt

So, I’m not an angst writer. You all know I mainly write romantic smut that’s occasionally dramatic, and then also fluff on my other blog. That said, I have written angst and, for me, it’s difficult to get right! Here’s how I think about it:

I prefer angst when it’s framed as a couple (or friendship, or family relationship) against a problem—I can’t stand when miscommunication causes a couple to fight amongst themselves. This is just my preference. 

Now, think about what each character wants most outside of their relationship. Some examples:

Bruce Wayne & Selina Kyle are primed for interpersonal angst because Bruce wants to protect Gotham at all costs, while Selina wants her freedom. Their angst comes from the fact that Catwoman is a danger to Gotham, and Batman is a danger to Selina’s ability to do what she wants.

Leon Kennedy & Ada Wong can be angsty because, although they may want to be together, Leon’s extremely rigid morals conflict with Ada’s commitment to her dubious employer.

Benedict Bridgerton & Sophie Beckett have an angsty start because Benedict is an aristocrat who cannot marry a commoner—which Sophie is. Even though they’re in love, Sophie rejects his proposal to be his mistress because she refuses to be the mother of a bastard child. The rules of their society prevent them from being together without serious repercussions.

What do these examples have in common? Each is about a relationship where both parties have to decide what’s more important to them: what they want as an individual, or the person they love. Romantic angst is romantic angst because each person wants two conflicting things, and one of those things must be their relationship with the other person.

When you begin writing your angsty scenes:

I like to write about Character A observing Character B’s body language. First, show that Character B is sad or angry. Then, spend some time in Character A’s thoughts: are they angry that B isn’t seeing their way? Are they empathetic and desperate to make B feel better?

Don’t be afraid to push your characters to their limits, as angst brings out the worst in us. Would a usually quiet character lash out at their partner if they’re under pressure? Would a stoic character cry? Would a logical character make a rash, dangerous decision? Ensure these actions have appropriate reactions because these choices put your plot at a grim, dark moment that sets up your climax.

Next, pay off your dark moment with a pinch of hope. Because we’re discussing romantic angst, I like to force my couple to work together to fix whatever happened and learn how to compromise with one another. This is how you create angst with a happy ending, AKA angst to fluff. Don’t rush this part; your fluff should be given as much space to breathe as your angst for the emotions to be believable.

For me, romantic angst is best done with very low lows and very high highs, always with a strong foundation between the couple. 

During an angsty story, your main characters will be pushed to grow in unexpected ways that would not have taken place had they been alone. Mutual love is a critical element in overcoming whatever obstacle your characters face, and growing together creates a stronger relationship—and a happily ever after!

#💌— letters for the gardener. #💋— anon. #🌹— from petal. #✏️— petal's advice corner.

[eduminatti]

What are the negative effects of education on society?

I'm sure you all have had some form of education. Maybe you've gone to college, maybe you just had some high school courses, or maybe you are a self-teacher. But what about the flip side? What about the negative effects of education on society? 

As per research conducted by schools in Bangalore I'm sure there has to be more than just our high school teacher trying to take jobs away from us. Do we really need all these textbooks and articles? Is it really a good thing that colleges have inflated their costs over time? 

Why does the government feel so strongly about funding education at all levels? How does education affect society in general? These are questions that need asking.

We often hear education is the cure for all the world's ills. Is this really true? We often see that society can be outraged at big issues such as world poverty – yet educational systems are the cause of this problem. 

Another survey done by schools in Mumbai shows that education creates dependence and smothers creativity – breaking education down into 8 main aspects we can analyze it more easily.

Education has been promoted as a cure for social ills ever since the modern concept of schooling was conceived. 

It is still highly regarded as the key to individual success, culture, morality, and even economic prosperity: as one prominent economist famously proclaimed in the 1980s "human capital is now the most important form of capital".

It's a controversial topic but one that needs addressing time and time again. Before we jump into this post, it's important to know that the answer to this question is… yes! 

Just kidding! It's not wrong for someone to learn about mental health issues like depression or bipolar disorder because it helps them to understand themselves and others. But what if they mistake education as a replacement for self-discovery?

 I was well-schooled but my addiction still made me look ridiculous in university. Simply being educated isn't enough. One must be able to live their life consciously as well — to think critically, and shouldn't feel entitled simply because they have the ability to read.

Firstly, it is important to understand the benefits of education. The reason people educate themselves is that they want a better future. When students graduate from college, they will be able to get better jobs and will earn more money.

However, there are some negative effects that come along with that.

Firstly, in order for an individual to attend college, they must have the financial means to do so. This can lead to a high amount of student debt which can follow the individual for many years after graduation and can even prevent them from being able to purchase a house or car.

Secondly, people who have attended college are usually happier and healthier because they have learned how to take care of themselves and have good social skills.

Thirdly, education has positive effects on society as well such as lower crime rates and less poverty. 

This is because educated people tend to commit fewer crimes because they understand what is right and wrong, which leads them not to do anything illegal or dangerous like drug use etc.

 Because it could lead them into trouble with the law or their parents/family members finding out about it if caught doing something illegal (which could cause embarrassment).

It is very difficult to say that education is having negative effects on society. It is true that education can have some negative effects on society like when people are educated they become more aware of their rights and they always want to be independent and they do not want anyone to order them. These things in turn may cause problems in society.

But if we see it from another angle, it is not possible for a society to progress if its members are uneducated. Education makes people civilized and disciplined and thus helps them in living a good life. So, it will be unfair to say that education has negative effects on society.

The negative effect of education on society is that it makes people more intellectually confused and culturally debased.

The constant input of contradictory information and the fact that there are no agreed-upon standards of what is true or false impairs a person's ability to think critically and clearly.

The desire to conform with the dominant culture, which is usually a very low culture, leads people to adopt the lowest common denominator in cultural taste and intellectual pursuits. 

This results in popular culture being made up of the crudest music, lowest common denominator books, television shows, and movies because these things appeal to the vast majority of people who have been indoctrinated with the values of their society. 

The most "popular" people in society are often those who are morally bankrupt but have become well-known for some reason or other, such as musicians who sing about sex.

#parents #schools #study #student #education

[taylornmiller]

Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset: 5 Strategies to Develop a Growth Mindset

How does your mindset contribute to your work ethic?

A person’s mindset is a set of personal beliefs that contribute to your morals. They will shape how you view the world and yourself. This will influence how you react, think, feel, or even behave in any situation. Your mindset correlates to your work ethic. What if I told you that your mindset at work has the power to affect your long-term success? Everyone is dealt a different hand of cards, but this is just the starting point for your personal development. This is hitting deep, right?

Why is it crucial to have a growth mindset?

Let me share a background story with you. I was taking orders at a Chick-fil-A restaurant over the headset box while making $12.00 an hour roughly 10 years ago. While taking orders, you also had to make the drinks for the orders and put the food in the bags as well. If someone would have looked at me and told me that in 10 years I would have my own house, my own vehicle, and be a branch manager for a Recruiting agency, I would have laughed in their face. I did not have any goals in mind, nor did I have the money or connections. But I have always had one thing… a growth mindset.

What is the definition of a growth mindset?

A growth mindset means that you thrive on challenges, do not see failures as obstacles, and fully believe in developing yourself and your abilities. A fixed mindset means that their intelligence or talent are fixed traits and this person has no interest in personal development. Ask yourself - do you believe that the smarts you were born and raised with are enough for your entire life? Or - do you firmly believe that you can learn new skills each day with new experiences? Depending on how you answered those questions will determine whether or not you have a growth or fixed mindset. Yes to question one means you have a fixed mindset. Yes to question two means you have a growth mindset. Please, do not worry if you currently have a more fixed mindset, you can develop a growth mindset.

5 Strategies for Growth Mindset

1. Embrace your mistakes.

The most successful entrepreneurs have made more mistakes than anyone, but that is how they got their success. You must come to terms that we all have flaws and we all make mistakes. It is what makes us human. Take your mistakes and learn from them. Be open to someone's criticism on how you could improve the next time.

2. Accept the challenge.

You must learn to not fear failure and that you will learn from your mistakes. This is all about finding challenges and accepting them. These should be exciting and rewarding. You will gradually start leaning towards challenges as opportunities. Push past the discomfort.

3. Improve your weaknesses.

Weaknesses. We all loathe that word, but truth is, we all have them. Nobody is perfect. Time to start identifying them, outline a personalized plan for development, and commit to improving your weaknesses. It is important to ask for guidance or support from your superiors so they can hold you accountable.

4. Ask for feedback.

This is important in the workplace because it shows others that you are committed to improving your faults and accepting that you make mistakes. This is all about shifting your perspective from “good enough” to “getting better”. You will want to make improvements so you can have high-quality work in the workplace.

5. It is all about attitude.

I saved the best one for last because it is the most important aspect. Your attitude comes from your actions which generate results. If you have a negative attitude, you have failed before you even began. The key to success lies in your attitude. A good attitude will result in a better work ethic, teamwork, and overall improve your chances at success.

Once you start incorporating these 5 strategies into your work life, you will begin to have a growth mindset. When you choose to make the effort, I promise you will see the results you have been looking for when it comes to success. So what are you waiting for?! Make the change!

[faelapis]

one thing i forgot to say about belos, i don't really buy the whole "belos is supposed to play on the idea of a villain about to become sympathetic, but then he isn't!" angle as a response to criticism.

for one thing, there's a lot of people talking past each other here. it seems like whenever someone critiques how he's played, there's this underlying assumption that the people critiquing it MUST want him to be a sad woobie. i don't need that, i just want him to be more compelling. so please respond to what people are actually saying.

secondly, i just don't think that's a reasonable argument in a show where every other moral is the most obvious shit you've ever heard. don't lie, be nice, found family good, propaganda and authoritorianism bad (but not bad as in a compelling story that has deep or complex themes, just bad as in "evil power hungry meanies are bad.")... but i'm supposed to believe that despite being played totally straight, he's actually a subtle and nuanced commentary on setup and payoff and how you've grown to "expect" someone like him to be deep or redeemable? please.

thirdly, and perhaps most important to me personally... its a boring reason for your villain to be written like he is. you have to be Extremely Online to think too much redemption is a real "problem" in animation. if you ask a normie to define "kids cartoons morals" they would say it has simple morals, the good guys win while the bad guys are killed or defeated. i swear some of y'all are just angry that steven universe dared to exist in a sea of more typical storytelling where the main villain is rarely ever redeemed.

if you look at the broader history of the medium as a whole, you can probably find more of the specific villain death where someone falls from a high place than ANY scenario where a big bad is redeemed.

i could go on. these are just the first gifs i could find. (picture description: gaston, the evil queen from snow white, frollo and mcleach from rescuers down under all falling to their deaths.)

there's just this extreme paranoia in cartoon fandom spaces lately that - i genuinely think just because steven universe and undertale came out around the same time - we're somehow never gonna get a real villain who isn't redeemed again.

meanwhile, the reality is like. not that at all.

(picture description: horde prime from she-ra and the princesses of power, simon from infinity train, and emilia from kipo and the age of wonderbeasts).

so if your villain only exists to say "wow there's no evil villains who don't get redeemed anymore, i'm gonna make one just to be meta-commentary on how there's no evil villains anymore." all i can say is like... cry more? and watch something other than steven universe, i guess? because redeeming your big bads is the rare exception, not the norm. yet its somehow completely dominated Cartoon Discourse (tm) as if its redefined the rules of the whole medium.

(just to get our terminology straight - by "big bad" i mean the main villains, the primary antagonists, the people in control who are the reason bad plot things happen. they are rarely redeemed. sure, you get more redemption out of sad abused woobie lackeys... but if you take issue with THAT, you might have less sympathy for abuse victims than you think. like. geez. most of the time they aren't even villains so much as trapped in their circumstances. just be born good, i guess. most media has a true evil big bad even if the abused lackey is redeemable anyway.)

and as someone likes redemption, and is therefore a privileged neoliberal hack who has never experienced abuse or trauma myself, according to my haters, i think thats just... a bit sad. we couldn't have One (1) cartoon redeem its supposed big bads without 3+ years of hysterical crying and posturing from every reactionary fuckhead in cartoon spaces that thats it, SU exists, so from now on its Brave and Revolutionary to have an evil villain.

give me a fucking break. get over yourselves. and if thats the intention behind creating belos (which i don't think, so i'm not here for your analysis of why he really exists, but if), then i extend that invitation to the owl house writers as well.

#the owl house #ask to tag / #gif / #steven universe #disney #animation #cartoons #spop #infinity train #kipo and the age of wonderbeasts #trope talk

[the-ghost-king]

About the cupid scene, Nico was forced to come out, but its also made very clear that Cupid is the bad guy. So is Aphrodite to an extent. They have a twisted and fundamental misunderstanding of love and how it works for mortals. I get that people could be mad about how Nico was forced to come out and putting him through more emotional trauma, but I also think its very realistic in showing how callous and cruel the gods understanding of love is.

I am reminded of the quote by Madeline Miller, "There is no law that gods must be fair..."

I also understand why the scene might be traumatic for other young LGBTQ+ readers, I've seen a lot of people talk about the fear of being outed in regards to them reading that scene as a kid. I completely respect their feelings on that, and I understand that as well. However, as someone who had been forcibly outed once before reading that scene, that scene really helped heal me. I don't think the Cupid scene is inherently homophobic, and I'm often bothered by the lack of nuance regarding around how it's handled.

I recognize it's a very emotional scene, and that people may have a hard time fully separating their emotions from that scene, but at the same time if there's a group of people saying "hey I understand why you disliked this scene but it was really helpful to me as a child because of the different experiences I had" maybe slow the breaks and hear what others also in the community have to say before determining if the scene is homophobic. You don't have to like the scene, and yeah maybe the scene did hurt you but that doesn't make it homophobic.

I want to specify on my word choice there a little closer, because of course outing someone is an act of homophobia, and the scene is homophobic in that sense. However often times the conversation about homophobia in this scene goes to "Rick was homophobic for writing this" where personally I would say this scene toes the line at being too far without ever crossing it. Some people may think this depiction crosses the line into "Rick was homophobic for writing this" which is fine, but just because something depicted homophobia and hurt you doesn't mean it was homophobic. Something doesn't have to out rightly be stated to be bad, in order to be read as bad*, and the Cupid scene does a wonderful job of depicting this.

I talk here about how Nico is shown what love is, and how love is treated by Nico, and how it affects his character. I think it's important to note that Nico's entire storyline can essentially be encompassed in an Orpheus-like or Odyssey-like tale. Nico's undergone this huge emotional and physical labor all in the name of having some form of unconditional love. I think that post is a really important read in the context of this one because I very carefully outline how love shapes Nico and how Nico shape and chooses his own definition of love, but I want to specifically dig into the Cupid scene on this post.

The big criticism often seen is "it's homophobic" which I covered above, and I want to clarify I'm not upset with or mad at or trying to tell anyone they can't dislike it or even say you can't say it's homophobic (my words on my one post are a bit off I'll admit) but the problem I have is when people believe they hold a moral high ground for thinking it's homophobic, or they remove all nuance from the discussion with "it's homophobic". Which is frustrating and annoying because it's a very complex scene, and it really changes Nico's arc and personality and it does help characterize him.

The big reason it shapes him so much is because of the other largest reason the scene is criticized, Cupid's behavior. What often fails to be recognized in those scenes is that Cupid is intentionally painted as the villain, this is very important to the scene.

In the context of this scene Nico makes an unspoken choice, a choice of "what is love to me?". I talk about how Nico claims his narrative in BoTL when he overcomes Minos, and he partially peaks that arc by convincing Gods to join the final battle of TLO. Following that arc however, Nico falls into his second arc, his crush on Percy was important in PJO, but not as important as it is in HoO.

By HoO Nico's entire character revolves around Percy, how to help Percy, how to aid Percy, etc. All of this has to do with Nico's crush on Percy, but also as an act of repayment because Nico hurt Percy- Nico lied to him about knowing him at New Rome in SoN, and he goes to Tartarus shortly after... This mirrors what Percy did after Hades tricked Nico... Percy choked Nico because he was upset with him, so Nico tried to win back Percy's affection by bathing him in the river.

The Cupid Scene is the resolution of Nico's arc, he is essentially given a choice- Cupid or Jason?

For this reason, we do see Nico recognize love for what it has been vs how it could be.

Cupid is there to represent what love is, to Nico love is brutal, and painful, and a lot of hard work... Nico has made himself utilitarian in love simply because it is the only way he can find any affection. Love to Nico is about flaying yourself for the benefit of others, to trample any and all parts of yourself simply to appease those you care for, because you want them to love you so much as you love them. The parallels I could draw between Nico and Orpheus, or Nico and Odysseus... I'd be here a long while...

In that scene Jason represents the alternative form of love which Nico chooses after his interaction with Cupid.

Jason says during the scene that he "preferred Piper's idea of love" which has to do with kindness and caring, etc, and then Jason becomes the embodiment of that idea during the scene- which showcases the alternative of what love can be, thus making Jason a personification of love in the context of that scene.

Jason looks to Nico, he doesn't ask for more, he simply looks to Nico with understanding and acknowledges him for who he is, and he does the exact opposite of what Nico expects:

Jason loves Nico where he is, without conditions, without forcing Nico to become something more. Jason didn’t force Nico to say more than what was necessary for him to understand, Jason looked at Nico and he called Nico brave.

Cupid is a more volatile form of love than Aphrodite, Cupid shoots arrows that makes people animals, that can make a god grow insane, but Aphrodite's form of love is about acceptance and humanity (think to how she picked Ares over Hephaestus even if it was perhaps "wrong")- both are about truth but one is about force and the other about acceptance.

When Nico walks out of there, he makes his choice- he is forced to come out yes, Cupid is wrong for doing this, but Jason again stays a figure of love in Nico's life. Jason basically says, "Good job, I know that was hard, thank you for sharing and let me know if you need anything, people will care about you and understand you," again and again and again to Nico, he doesn't tell Nico he has to come out, and he agrees to keep it between them for now. Jason is love as acceptance, Jason is the first person who unconditionally loves Nico, and that's the choice.

Will Nico accept unconditional love? If the answer is no, then Cupid wins and Nico is denying himself. If the answer is yes, then Jason and Nico win, and Nico no longer needs to make himself utilitarian in love in order to be loved.

The choice is made with Reyna and Hedge, most specifically Reyna.

When he accidentally comes out to them, and they accept him without making a big deal of it, without show, just that acknowledgement and "thank you for sharing" and Nico accepts their words and friendship still- Nico made his choice then to accept the love he was being freely given.

“He carried so much sadness and loneliness, so much heartache. Yet he put his mission first. He persevered. Reyna respected that. She understood that. She'd never been a touchy-feely person, but she had the strangest desire to drape her cloak over Nico's shoulders and tuck him in. She mentally chided herself. He was a comrade, not her little brother. He wouldn't appreciate the gesture.”

This is where we see the slow and steady, and healthy, end to Nico's arc in regards to love really grow into itself, and he begins to heal. He no longer sees such an intense need to make himself utilitarian for love, and he begins to heal from his internalized homophobia too.

(Internalized homophobia discussions with Nico also bother me too often times, people too often assume you can't date while struggling with internalized homophobia or at least very heavy handedly imply that which is just not true... You may have some issues in your relationship, but you can work through the internalized homophobia while building a new relationship and be just fine. Also to assume someone has an unhealthy relationship because of internalized homophobia is weird and lowkey reinforces the idea that "broken" people don't need love, but also does a huge disservice to so many LGBTQ+ people who are happily married/themselves but still struggle with these feelings, and to see a healthy relationship depiction despite someone in that relationship struggling with internalized homophobia is fine and good actually. As long as the individual can recognize what they're dealing with, and work through it in a healthy and constructive manner, then there's nothing wrong there...)

When I started this post to be honest I thought I would have a lot more to say, it's a scene that touched and changed me so deeply as a person, and beyond that in a more objective experience it completely changes Nico's character, by turning his arc around and beginning his healing process. To be honest, there probably is more to be said on it, I just haven't found the words yet... I know parts of this post are clunky and in a year I'm going to read this and see all the places it could be better but for now I'm content with it.

Whether or not someone considers the scene homophobic is a subjective experience, but I think this is a very well written scene purely for the characterization and symbolism, intentional or otherwise. I don't really care that much to debate if it's truly a homophobic scene or not, I can see both why people say it is and why people say it isn't and that can be culminated into "people have different needs" and "minorities aren't a monolith". Personally my much larger complaint is the complete lack of nuance and insight scenes like this are handled with, not the matter of personal opinion an individual reaches on the scene.

*the post uses the word "adult audience" and yes, fair point, children should not be able to decipher symbolism to the extent adults can. But older children and young teens, which the RRverse series are sold for, is when critical thinking skills and media analysis do begin to become parts of classroom curriculum. The scene does an excellent job of not outright stating Cupid is evil, but of depicting that in a very clear cut way.

#nevermind i lied here you go #nico di angelo #meta #long post #anon #ask #internalized homophobia #fandom homophobia

[astrowithkaro]

What about language of birthdays for 4th September 1999? 👉👈

Language Of Birthdays: September 4

The Day Of The Builder

The dominant theme in the lives of September 4 people is that of building. No matter what their career, family situation or social circle is, they are taken up with matters of structure, form, organization and putting things together to make them work.

Although many September 4 people possess technical ability, it is more in envisioning and planning that those born on this day shine. Building systems, for example, that produce goods or supply services, in material or theoretical terms, is their forte. Pragmatic to the extreme, September 4 people believe that the true measure of methods is in results.

Because of their understanding of how systems function, those born on this day are also able to criticize, analyze and sometimes tear constructs apart to show when and where they do not work. Furthermore, September 4 people can often suggest practical solutions or improvements that really make a difference. Those less highly evolved September 4 people who have no desire to contribute to society can make excellent criminals, or at the very least people who know how to get around the system, since their knowledge of how the establishment works is generally thorough.

September 4 people are not fond of taking the long way around. They are most concerned with efficiency, and if in business to provide a product or service, they will make sure that their clients get their money's worth. That life in general be successful and prosperous is important to them, as they could not view an enterprise which was run at a loss as anything but a disaster.

Of course, not all September 4 people are involved with building tangible structures or entities—but mostly all of the people born on this day are at work amassing, collecting or cultivating something. Whether September 4 people are building a career, reputation or a family "dynasty", they generally establish themselves slowly and proceed measuredly, brick by brick.

Those born on this day believe that the old must be cleared to make way for the new; if faced with a structure based on an unfirm foundation, their impulse is generally to raze it and rebuild, not just to patch and paste. Others may not be so understanding of this attitude, themselves preferring to leave things be, no matter how rotten. But bad teeth, bad friends, bad marriages, bad buildings, bad ideas, even bad cars will all eventually suffer the same fate in the hands of September 4 people; indeed those born on this day are merciless when cutting away what they consider unhealthy for the entire organism, whether that organism be a human body, family or company.

Strengths:

Capable

Methodical

Constructive

Weaknesses:

Inflexible

Demanding

Over-exacting

Advice

Those born on September 4 must try to lessen all forms of mental strain. Because they so often work too hard and take on too much responsibility, they may be headed for a breakdown unless they are careful. Scheduling regular vacations, limiting their work hours, and taking short rest periods are suggested precautions. Those born on this day sometimes drive those around them crazy with their sharply critical natures, so they had also better learn to let up in this respect. Grounding themselves in activities, preferably more restful and creative ones, is highly recommended. An interest in food and cooking, for example, will do wonders for them. In this ease they should allow themselves free reign to enjoy and experiment without worrying over health foods and special diets. Regular sleep is essential to their mental stability.

Try to put your knowledge of how things work to a morally sound end

Follow your desire to serve, but don't neglect your own needs

Let up on your demands where you can. while still maintaining high standards

#virgo astrology #virgo women #virgo season #virgo horoscope #virgo men #virgo sun #virgo sign #virgo aesthetic #virgo monthly horoscope #virgo reading #virgo moodboard #virgo meme #virgo traits #virgo tarot reading #earth signs

[sashannarcy]

Your thoughts on “I wanna be someone better. Someone that deserves you” ? 🎤🎤🎤

AHA. here we fucking go.

I plan on making an entire standalone post for Turning Point, but like! obviously the "I wanna be someone better. someone that deserves you" line deserves it's own thing because HOLYYYY SHIT SASHANNE REAL <3

first: Sasha Gaybright.

SECONDLY! holy fuck! holy shit! I can't believe this is smth we got to see Sash say out loud! and by that I mean. well. I'm not surprised that Sasha wants to change themself so as to stop hurting Anne (I honestly saw it coming from a mile away LMAO), but I'm just fucking THRILLED that the writers made it so fucking blatant instead of continuing that like. heavy subtext route that we were given in the end of s2. and it's about goddamn time too bc Sasha Waybright is a yearning BITCH and I was like. DESPERATELY needing to hear her say some lines out loud that were just clear and absolute yearning for Anne Boonchuy AND GUESS WHAT? WE FUCKING GOT THOSE LINES.

but anyway. I will stop gloating over the sheer victory we got this weekend and instead say that Sasha wanting to be someone that Anne deserves, someone that's worthy of Anne's attention, is very symbolic of all their motivations in the past season or so coming together at once. we know that she’s been doing everything in what SHE thinks is in the trio’s best interests, but she also is like. aware that what she’s doing isn’t quite right morally. at the end of s2, though, they don’t stop themself from following through on their betrayal, bc they’re still in that mindset of expecting things to go smoothly. but OBVIOUSLY Anne yelling at them abt how they’re a horrible person affected them DEEPLY, or else the second Sashanne duel AND the events of Turning Point simply wouldn’t have happened.

I mean, take the difference of pre-True Colors and post-True Colors. in The Dinner Sasha definitely makes it clear that they’re resistant to changing their own behavior bc. they literally say “I know you want me to change who I am, but I don’t know if I can. I like who I am.” and then in Turning Point, they talk of wanting to be a better person for Anne specifically. that’s the brilliant thing abt Turning Point: it’s named that way to show that yes, Sash is finally turning their behavior around, but it’s also named that way bc one specific person acted as the catalyst for this character development, and that someone is one (1) Anne Boonchuy. what it took was for Sasha to realize that no, Anne isn’t on board w the way they’re acting, and to realize that Anne’s opinion of them (outwardly) is that they’re a bad person, which obviously makes them fucking upset! I mean. just look at the fucking difference between the two scenes bc the change in Sash’s emotional reactions is incredible:

I cannot stress how much Anne must matter to Sasha for them to be willing to change the entire way they act and to fucking accept Anne’s criticism of them without becoming totally defensive and self-destructive and closed off. bc that’s what we saw happen in Reunion, right? the moment Anne tried to criticize their actions, they tried. to die. but now, it’s like.. GOD. they LOVE Anne they hold her in such high regard they just want to have her respect again bc being without it is ripping them apart. and so they finally come to the conclusion that they’re going to change who they are FOR her, to protect HER emotions, to stop HER from hurting. it’s so important that they’re not doing it for themself bc it literally just showcases how fucking devoted they are to Anne and they always have been, Turning Point is just like an episode of proof for that. and THAT’S why, for a Sashanne enjoyer such as myself, it is SOOOO fucking validating.

so yeah. the “someone that deserves you” line is cathartic as FUCK and definitely a sort of climax for Sasha’s arc so far, and I cannot wait to see how her arc proceeds from here. I hope it’s healing I hope Sash can grow and I sure fucking hope it’s gay <3

#SASHANNE REAL ESSENTIALLY! NONE OF US ARE SURPRISED BUT WE'RE ALL EXCITED I THINK #sasha waybright #anne boonchuy #sashanne #amphibia spoilers #amphibia #mothicalspoken #anonymous #ask #long post

[impalementation]

spike, angel, buffy & romanticism: part 4

part 1: “When you kiss me I want to die”: Angel and the high school seasons

part 2: “Love isn’t brains, children”: Enter Spike as the id

part 3: “Something effulgent”: Season five and the construction of Spike the romantic

* 

“But I can’t fool myself. Or Spike, for some reason.”: Buffy and Spike as a blended self

Before I get into seasons six and seven, it’s worth asking: why would the show do all of this? Why would it spend all of this time developing a supporting villain and joke id character? Why would it give him a romantic arc? I see people say that the writers only gave Spike these storylines because he was popular or they wanted to keep him around, but even that being the case, there was no need to give him the specific arc that they did. It’s more than possible to read meaning into the story that they chose from the array of possible options. 

Here is the thing about the id. It’s not actually something separate from you. It’s not a ravenous monster you can blame your weaknesses on while remaining pure and dignified. The id is part of you. The immediate and enduring appeal of Spike is, I suspect, strongly influenced by the fact that the things the id wants are so very human and sympathetic. His foibles and mistakes are often painfully familiar, even exaggerated through vampirism as they are. In fact, it’s precisely because Spike is allowed to show a full range of reactions to love, because the writing is under less pressure for him to do the “right” or dignified thing, that he can at times be compelling in ways other characters can’t. If Spike just did nasty things, his appeal wouldn’t be much more complicated than the appeal of Angelus, who people tend to like as a villain or storyline rather than as a relatable character. But Spike doesn’t want to dismember nuns or construct elaborate murder tableaux. He wants familiar things like love, identity and meaning, even if the ways he goes about getting them can reflect people’s worst impulses. 

Which brings us to Buffy, and Buffy’s story about growing up. Buffy is Buffy’s show, which means that every writing choice tends to revolve around her arc in one way or another. And this goes for Spike’s storyline even more than most. In the final three seasons of the show, the writing finally engages with how inextricable the id--and all of its impulsive, inarticulate romantic desires--really is from a person’s self. So instead of keeping Spike at a comfortable distance, both Buffy and the writing begin to take him seriously. They begin to invite him in.

Starting in season five, it’s telling how frequently Buffy herself projects on Spike, rather than just the writing setting them up as mirrors. She tells him that he’s the “only one strong enough” to protect her family, and later assigns Dawn specifically to his protection. In “Spiral” she describes him as “the only one besides me that has any chance of protecting Dawn.” This is a very intimate role that she otherwise only assigns to herself (and which is not really based on pure practicality, considering that she’ll later describe Willow as her “big gun”--yet never gives Willow the task of protecting Dawn). She tells him that he cannot love, which is the thing she fears most about herself. Her protests that Spike is a vampire, and thus cannot express or want human things like love, mirror her lamentations that as the Slayer, she cannot have a normal life.

From the Gilliland Gothic double essay:

More than any of her other lovers, Buffy and Spike overlap one another so often that at times their character arcs become nearly indistinguishable. With Angel, Buffy traveled a parallel path in attempting to master self-control. With Riley, her journey ultimately took her in the opposite direction. With Spike, Buffy’s journey is most closely shadowed, in that her interactions with him in many ways can be seen as metaphors for her feelings about herself.

So now Spike is multiple things. On the one hand, he’s the soulless id he’s been since season two. His vampiric behavior represents a morally uninhibited way of reacting to romantic frustrations, among other things. But on the other hand, his vampirism now also marks him as like Buffy, not merely her opposite.* Nor is he only her mirror in the realm of romantic love. The part of him that is a vampire is the part of him that is supernatural (ie, Romantically larger-than-life), that sets him apart from regular people, and dictates how he can and cannot behave. Just like Buffy’s slayerness. His vampirism is what makes him capable of protecting Dawn, while also making him (supposedly, according to Buffy) incapable of human feeling--again, just like Buffy’s slayerness. Instead of Buffy’s Slayer side being aligned with Angelus, who was an unmitigated evil, it becomes aligned with Spike, who is something more complicated. 

*(Though it must be noted that this was a process that began in season four, with the show aligning Spike with the Scoobies by making him a victim of the Initiative. Spike being supernatural suddenly marks him as non-normative, just like the Scoobies, in contrast to the institutional conformity that the Initiative represents. The evolution towards treating the Romantic supernatural as something positive and associated with identity plays a key role in transitioning the show to the more complicated attitudes of the last three seasons.)

This shift in the show’s attitudes towards the id affects how Spike is used. In “Blood Ties” for example, Spike assists Dawn in breaking into the Magic Shop and in “Forever” he helps Dawn resurrect her and Buffy’s mother. In both cases, Spike could be read as embodying impulsive behavior that Buffy is supposed to be better than. Yet both cases specifically involve Spike helping Dawn, who is repeatedly portrayed as Buffy’s human side. As Buffy says in “The Gift”: “[Dawn]’s more than [my sister]. She’s me. The monks made her out of me. [...] Dawn is a part of me. The only part that I--”. In other words, Buffy’s id becomes closely tied to her humanity, even going so far as to become its safeguard. “Blood Ties” ends with Buffy affirming her connection to Dawn, which Spike’s rule-breaking directly enabled, and “Forever” ends with Buffy acknowledging how desperately she wants her mother back too, and becoming closer to Dawn as a result. (Compare to “Lovers Walk”, where Buffy acknowledging her id results in her breaking away from Angel, not drawing closer to anyone). Or in “Intervention”, Spike building the Buffybot directly parallels Buffy’s own anxieties about what she thinks she should be. She thinks she’s losing her ability to love, and that effusive fakery is her only recourse (as she said in “I Was Made to Love You”: “Maybe I could change. [...] I could spend less time slaying, I could laugh at his jokes. I mean men like that right? The joke laughing at?”), a fear that even has some merit, given that her friends cannot tell her and the bot apart. Instead of Buffy and Spike having separate arcs in the episode, Spike learning the difference between real and fake dovetails with Buffy’s own relationship to her realness and fakeness. It turns out that neither of them want a bot version of Buffy. They want real emotion, things like sacrifice and heartfelt gratitude. If even Buffy’s id would let itself be killed for Dawn, then maybe she has nothing to fear from herself. Maybe there is some beauty in the emotional part of her nature that she thinks she must repress.

In other words, part of the writing (and Buffy) fully engaging with romanticism and the id, means engaging with the ways they can be bad and good. There’s this weird thing that happens with Spike as soon as he falls in love with Buffy, where suddenly his actions are more uncomfortable, and to many, off-putting, because their object is Buffy (instead of another vampire like Harmony or Drusilla, who either enjoy the same vampiric things he does, or the audience might be inclined to see as a moral nonentity regardless). His comic id quality becomes somewhat darker and more serious, almost like the way Angel’s early season two darkness becomes more serious after he loses his soul. But at the same time, Spike’s actions are also more intriguing, sympathetic, and even noble...because their object is Buffy. It makes no sense that a soulless vampire should not only fall in love with the Slayer, but genuinely attempt to transform himself into someone worthy of her love. And yet that’s exactly what Buffy inspires him to do. By loving Buffy Spike’s dual nature, and the dual nature of his romanticism, is thrown into relief: it’s something that can be selfish and creepy, yes, but also something that hints at the idea that real romanticism does exist. Something worth feeling romantically about does exist. Thus the writing can at once criticize, say, the way the chivalric mindset conflates love and suffering, while also suggesting that there are kinds of love it’s worth being transformed by. (Meanwhile, Spike’s fumbling bewilderment over how to love Buffy, and what the rules of loving people correctly even are, creates a human middle ground between monstrousness and heroism). By leaning into the way that Buffy and Spike have been used as mirrors for three seasons, and introducing the mythology-bending idea of Spike being in love with Buffy, the writing is able to fully engage with this complicated, contradictory nature of love and romance.

All of which is to say. Spike becomes a potential love interest, and is given a convoluted inner conflict between monstrousness, humanity and heroism, in precisely the season in which Buffy begins to reckon with her own inner conflict between her darker impulses, her human reality, and her supernatural role. It’s no coincidence that season five opens with Dracula, an icon of romantic vampire mythology, tempting Buffy with darkness and promising her insight into her nature. Or that a vampire kidnaps Dawn--again, her human half--in the next episode. Or that the season’s antagonist is a super-strong blonde woman who wants to destroy Dawn instead of protect her. Or that she says goodbye to Riley, the boyfriend who embodied her hopes for a more normative way of being (notice how Riley is progressively destabilized by everything non-normative about Buffy’s life, and provokes those anxieties Buffy expresses in “I Was Made to Love You”). Over and over in season five, Buffy fears that her Slayer half is cold, destructive, and otherwise dangerous. That these Romantic things like gods and vampires have it in for Buffy’s vulnerable humanity. Yet Buffy’s vampire id simultaneously gives lie to these fears by proving itself capable of heroism and genuine human feeling.

In other words, Spike becomes a potential love interest in a season that treats the Romantic--ie the grand and mythical--as something more than just an attractive lie to be disabused of. Rather, the question that season five seems to posit to me, and which will not be fully answered until the end of season seven, is this: once you do clear away the attractive lies, once you accept the hard realities, once you’ve seen the darkest underbellies, what are the things that are left that are truly grand and beautiful? What are the stories that are really worth telling, and the heroes that are really worth having?

And the show asks and answers these questions on both a very personal level, and a more meta, systemic level. On the personal level, Buffy and Spike are forced to confront their illusions not just about the world, but about themselves. They are made to ask themselves what constitutes a heroic role or a demonic weakness, versus basic, unromantic humanity. And on the meta level, the show asks questions about our expectations for how both love stories and chosen hero stories are supposed to go.

part 5: “Everything used to be so clear”: Season six and the agony of the real

#romanticism series #gen #s5 #buffy #spike #riley #btvs