#toxic individualism

[creature-wizard]

Toxic Individualism In Modern Witchcraft

The modern witchcraft movement is very much a product of the 20th century, and one thing it picked up from that was a pretty individualist way of thinking. This isn't all bad, since it helped normalize people being allowed to do spirituality in a way that truly resonated with them, rather than following whatever an institution prescribed for them.

But as many of us know, western individualism comes with a lot of really toxic shit, encouraging and even enshrining apathy, cruelty, and social Darwinism. This, unfortunately, is very much an attitude you occasionally see within modern witchcraft.

This is sometimes expressed through a "let 'em sink or swim" attitude. For example, you might see people bristle at the idea of warning people about dangers such as toxic plants; "well, they should know to just research this themselves, if they get hurt, that's their own faults." Never mind that most of us live in a socioeconomic environment where "natural" tends to be equated with "safe," and few people were taught any real amount of research skills. (Most people don't know how to research beyond "type a thing into Google and click the first link" or "watch a video on YouTube and follow the algorithm.")

There's this sort of idea that witchcraft and the occult is this kind of Darwinian proving ground. You're either just born having what it takes, or you're not. Supposedly, there's no need to warn people about red flags, fascist rhetoric, pseudohistory, or anything, because supposedly, the "worthy" will just be able to find their own way on their own. Anyone who doesn't make it? Anyone who ends up poisoning themselves or falling down the alt right pipeline or abused by a predator? Couldn't be helped; they were never "meant" for this path anyway. It was simply too much for them. Why, if you really think about it, it was their own faults for daring to reach above the station they were born for, anyway.

This is a completely irrational view, because it's simply not how things work. People aren't born having research skills, critical thinking skills, or knowing the difference between real history and pseudohistory; they're taught these things. And some people are statistically much less likely to receive a good education than others. There are a few people who beat the odds and end up better educated than most people in their socioeconomic status, but this doesn't mean that they were born with inherent greatness; it just means that they were curious and lucked out in finding the right materials.

As many of us also know, Victorian-era eugenicists believed that members of the upper class were just inherently better. They had the genes for intelligence and strength of will. (Yeah, that whole modern occult fixation with willpower has some dodgy origins, too.) They just ignored that whole thing where they lived in a socioeconomic system designed to keep most people in poverty. If they ever saw someone beat the system, they attributed it to that person being born exceptional for some reason. I would highly recommend that anyone who hasn't done so already watch Shaun's video, The Bell Curve, which criticizes the book by the same title that effectively tries to argue for Victorian-age eugenics, to get a better picture of this whole thing.

Toxic individualism also encourages thinking of individuals as main characters on some kind of hero's journey, where every pain they suffer and every mistake they make is a vitally important part of their journey and growth; so much so that any effort to prevent them from making mistakes or suffering harm is hindering their personal growth.

Sure, people do often gain valuable insight from their mistakes and suffering. But it's absurd to claim that this is always the best way for people to learn and grow, especially if there's a risk of serious harm for themselves or others. Certainly it's much better to learn from a friendly Tumblr post that essential oils can give you chemical burns or harm your pets than experience it first-hand. And it's much better to learn what far right rhetoric looks like beforehand so you can recognize it when you first see it, rather than get drawn into some far right belief system and perpetuate harm on vulnerable minorities for any amount of time. (This whole thing of acting like you're life's main character and other people are basically just NPCs on some hero's journey that you imagine yourself to be on is so immensely fucked up.)

And finally, if anybody out here finds themselves thinking, "but nobody should expect help from others; after all, I didn't get any!", I'm gonna tell you: it shouldn't have been that way. You didn't not get help because that's just how the world works; you didn't get help because that's how modern western socioeconomics are created to work. Toxic individualism is a construct, and it's one that we can dismantle and replace with something better.

#witchcraft #eugenics #social darwinism #spiritual eugenics #spiritual darwinism #victim blaming #individualism #toxic individualism #anti communal behavior

[spooniestrong]

#spooniestrong #spoonie #toxic individualism

[legaylise]

Conflicted anarchist says:

Interdependancy is cool and also it sucks.

It's hard for me to collaborate and communicate and I prefer spending time with myself rather than anybody else.

I am convinced mutual aid and organizing are the keys out of capitalist indoctrination. I yip and yap about all that often.

But I hate the thought of being at the mercy of shaky nets and communities (all human connections are). And vice versa, I'm not harmless either nor am I dependable. Polish hippie level of hypocrisy.

It's not even the trust required, it's the mere thought my agency would fall into someone else's hands, no matter how skillful, responsible and sincere they are.

I've been brainwashed with toxic individualism, obviously, and I am in no way ready to truly turn my beliefs into praxis. However, I don't wish to spend the rest of my life in this mindset and I doubt my experience is unheard of so

Any suggestions on how to start small at least?

Any experience with the same thought pattern, any ways to escape?

#anarchist #leftist #interdependence #community #toxic individualism #mutual aid

[quasi-normalcy]

My problem in physics was that I tried to do and know everything myself out of intellectual vanity rather than embracing the inherently collaborative structure of the sciences.

#toxic individualism #there will always be more info in the network than in your brain #sciences

[calystarose]

so I'm walking down the hall back to my room, after turning the hvac one degree warmer, and I'm thinking to myself about how mom and I almost never use the 'recommended' max/min temps that They always tell us to use when it gets cold/hot. Here it's like, try to never turn your heater higher than 82 in the winter. And Mom and I usually max out at 76 in the winter.

so I'm walking down the hall and the above is running through my head and part of me started being snotty going, "unlike some weak fuckers..." and I had to stop myself, like what a fucking stupid ass thing to think?

"oh look at me, I'm so tough for being able to tolerate greater discomfort than THOSE people!" *rolls eyes*

anyway, comfort is good and I deserve to feel okay

#being human #reminder to self #toxic individualism

[meshaamem-li]

"we need weirder queer identities" y'all can't even handle queer mascs

#transandrophobia #man hating is stupid #you really gonna go out there and hate 50% of the world's population? #for their fucking gender identity? #don't you see that's exactly what we're supposed to be fighting against? #are men really lesser because they were born men #or are you just mad about gender norms and toxic masculinity and taking ut out on individuals rather than the system

[bookwyrminspiration]

Reminder that we are engaging in fiction. The ships, actions, and situations are fictional and have zero impact on real people.

If you find it "gross" or uncomfortable, then don't look. Block and move on. It's not on anyone else to curate your online experience.

What someone does and enjoys in fiction is not representative of what they want or support in real life. And fiction does not have to be "right". It is fiction. It is made for playing around, including in dark and uncomfortable ways--because, again, no real people are involved.

I understand if this is the first time you've encountered something like this, it may be jarring and you may wonder why anyone would create something like that. Your feelings are valid. That does not mean you can police others' actions based on them.

That is a reaction you need to challenge and unlearn so you don't fall down the rabbit hole of purity, controlling what media exists, and who can engage with it. It's a slippery slope, because before you know it you will be moderating and controlling more than you ever intended to--no one is immune. Including me. I started to fall down the rabbit hole once, and had to challenge and undo that because it wasn't leading anywhere good.

And this intersects with power and privilege. The people in power control what is deemed acceptable and what people should be allowed to read and see, and the people in power maintain that by marginalizing others so they can create the world according to their beliefs. And while none of us here have massive influence, we can contribute to numbers and environment. And we do not want to do that.

It may seem like overreaction on my part to say "hey, being uncomfortable with a ship means you're on the way to reinforcing unjust power structures," but I'm illustrating that slippery slope. It seems innocuous, right, even just now--but it will not lead to good things.

Everyone has different tastes, which are perfectly fine to explore in fiction because the characters involved cannot be hurt because they aren't real. You are not being hurt by it existing; block it and move on.

Callout posts and witch hunts are poor ways to respond and cause nothing but grief. And while nothing extreme has happened yet, I want to nip this in the bud. We are not going over this again. Thanks :)

#kotlc #kotlc discourse #apologies to come out swinging a little but i've seen multiple instances of call outs/the like #and it never accomplishes anything #all it does is hurt individuals and make the fandom and uncomfortable. toxic place to be #be mature about this #if you don't like it. don't look #do NOT fall down the rabbit hole #i know you think you wont #but the thing about gradual shifts is you don't see them as they're happening #NO ONE is immune #including me #i've had to backtrack myself in the past because I was getting too reactionary about it

[kaladinkholins]

yeah taimizu IS toxic and off putting actually ‼️‼️🗣️🗣️🗣️

EDIT: TO BE CLEAR THIS IS A POST IN FAVOUR OF TAIMIZU!!! I AM A DIRTY TAIMIZU SHIPPER!!!!!

#it's funny because that was my FIRST thought about them but then i realised wait this is scratching some itch in my brain #people are all very correct about this btw and their discomfort and dislike of the ship is valid #but it's so interesting to me and that's why these days I'm leaning further into that toxic aspect of their rship in my art #that whole “strangles you with the red string of fate” drawing i did was meant to capture that as well #like this equal amount of aggression and twisted affection/attraction they have for one another #like it's very fucked up #and people are not wrong to think so but i enjoy it LOL #one of the theses of my fic is literally “theyre fucked up but they make it work” #like i dont want them to be perfectly healed and normal by today's standards #i want them to be crazy and murderous but work through their shit individually AND together and make things work #and have feral nasty sex bcs mizu deserves to be a pillow princess (TO MEEEEE) #i still have a meta drafted that actually goes in depth on their rship and why we “”“should”“” root for them #but my brain is goop rn and cramps are KILLING MEEEEE so have this first instead #taimizu #blue eye samurai #fandom.rtf #shut up haydar #wank.mp3

[froot-batty]

FINALLY.

lore under the cut! (warning it's uh. it's long)

Because the two of them are very closely entwined, I'll write their backstories as one big thing instead of individually

Bruce Wayne had the life every kid dreamed about. The child of two successful, wealthy, loving parents, his own staff, and the ability to go wherever or do whatever he wanted in the city. Well, with parental supervision, of course. Thomas and Martha, though they believed in Gotham and saw the good in it, also tended to shelter Bruce a bit, just to keep him away from the dangerous parts. Unfortunately this backfired, making young Bruce only want to go into the city alone even more.

Harvey Dent was the polar opposite of Bruce. He grew up in the worst part of the Narrows, with a single immigrant mother who was constantly taken advantage of by their landlord or her various bosses. While she loved him dearly, she couldn't be there all of the time for him (due to her needing to work multiple jobs) or protect him from the horrors going on outside their door. He bore witness to a great deal of traumatic things, and eventually took to leaving his house when his mother wasn't home in order to get a reprieve.

Bruce and Harvey first met when they were very young children, as Harvey was wandering the streets near his home and Bruce had escaped to go and explore the Narrows. They clicked almost instantly; despite the differences in the way they grew up, they both shared the dream that Gotham was, at it's core, a good place (or could be a good place). Harvey eventually introduced his childhood friend (and neighbor) Selina Kyle to Bruce, and they became a tight trio for many years.

Bruce's parents died when he was 11. His grief made his ventures out to the Narrows lessen, but Harvey and Selina would often make trips to Bruce's house to make sure he was okay.

Harvey's mother died when he was 15. She had been sick for years now, and the constant stress of having to work multiple jobs eventually got to her. He appeared to cope with it easily enough, but on the inside, his anger towards the perceived injustice she received would never really fade.

Even as they grew older, and neared adulthood, Bruce's and Harvey's friendship seemed as strong as one could be. At least, that's what Harvey thought, until the moment Bruce completely vanished from Gotham altogether. Bruce's disappearance made Harvey and Selina drift apart, so Harvey in turn poured himself into his studies at college. It would be 15 years until Harvey saw Bruce again, and though part of him wanted to be angry, he was just desperately happy to see his best friend again.

Harvey by then was well into his career as District Attorney, and had aspirations of running for mayor in the upcoming election. Bruce was the one who eventually encouraged him to do it, promising funds and all the help Harvey could need to run his campaign. There was another person planning on running for mayor in the election, one Oswald Cobblepot, but neither of them worried too much about him, at the start.

By this time Bruce had reconnected with Selina as well. Harvey and Selina never could get as close as they were in their childhood, so her instant connection with Bruce began to make Harvey a little worried. A little jealous. He didn't want to lose his best friend again, even if it was to someone who was supposed to also be his friend. Harvey acting weird began to drive Bruce away a little bit, which only pushed him further to Selina, creating a vicious cycle between the two of them.

Well into the swing of the mayoral campaign, Harvey began to...lose it a little bit. He had begun recieving open threats on his life (from Oswald, but he didn't know that at the time, and began to think people were conspiring against him), and his paranoia over that along with everything going on with Bruce and Selina made things up top get worse. By now he was fully distancing himself from his two friends, and started to wonder if they were plotting against him.

Everything came to a head when Harvey was due to make a speech at Wayne Manor. It was only a night or two until the results of the election would be announced, and Bruce had thrown a party in honor of Harvey's campaign (and in the hopes it'd cheer him up). Harvey initially didn't want to do a speech, but Bruce encouraged it, and the District Attorney took the stage.

Unbeknownst to him, Oswald had planned to send Dent a final message - one that would take him out of the running completely.

He paid a man to dress up as a waiter and infiltrate the party. Harvey was in the middle of his speech when Penguin's man ran up to the stage and threw a glass full of acid directly at his face.

This was Harvey's breaking point. Forced to drop out of the race and his mind in tatters, he fully believed that Bruce was in on the plot to take him out, and turned his back both to him and Selina. Where they had bonded over the idea of making Gotham better, this is where they'd fall apart; because Harvey still believes that he can improve Gotham, even if he has to burn the city to the ground to do it.

(Both of them are Bisexual. Harvey also has OSDD-1, which I will probably explain in another post, since this one's way too long)

#do you guys wanna know how long their colors took me #2 hours. individually. so 4 hours in total spent DYING TRYING TO COLOR #AND I DONT EVEN LIKE HOW THEIR REFS TURNED OUT THAT MUCH #yall better like these or im blowing this entire place up (lighthearted) #anyway fucked up toxic twobat supremacy #frootverse #harvey dent #two face #bruce wayne #batman #rogue design #rogues gallery #my art

[heretherebedork]

I love when besties puppy pile for comfort.

#playboyy #playboyy the series #bl drama #bl series #thai drama #thai series #thaibl #asianlgbtqdramas #thai bl #asian lgbtq dramas #thai bl series #thai bl drama #the besties gang #i do appreciate them #somehow less toxic than the only friends group despite it all #more toxic as individuals maybe but less toxic as a group #fascinating

[creature-wizard]

LOA is a very individualistic belief system, isn't it? They hold themselves up as a group or a unity yet all problems can only be fixed by the individual, all good things come only from the individual. You cannot reach out to others for help with any problems because problems are strictly something that needs to be fixed or created by the singular person. Its YOUR belief that generates problems, its only in YOUR belief that your problems can be fixed with that kind of logic there can be no community or external support. On the opposite end if something good happens that's all because of YOU and discounts any help you might have received from others. It's a belief that cuts you off from both the support of others and the shared joys of working with others. It's a horribly solitary belief that will cut people off from the important connections with others that people need.

Exactly. It's toxic individualism turned into spirituality/mysticism.

#answered #law of assumption #loa #loassumption #toxic individualism

[narwhalandchill]

oh my fucking god i feel. SO stupid rn at How i didnt make the (super sane very normal just absolutely. Yes. Surely) connection earlier but uhh

so anyway im now like 89% certain that whatever the "traces" of the narwhal that remain on ajax and facilitate their (ever-growing) innate connection are like. an actually fundamental aspect of it (them?) more or less.

why? because if you consider its pov just for a moment. the narwhal was literally about to depart teyvat for good. it had nearly finished consuming the primordial sea and preparing to breach surface to finish the job by eating the french for the leftovers their human bodies were made from. its an interstellar voyager it does not linger on planets it devours. it goes glug glug and it leaves.

and like if it wasnt for traveler intervening its confirmed through narzissenkreuz and renes world formula that teyvat wouldve just been destroyed. no one could have stopped the narwhal not neuvillette not focalors not anyone.

so what was the one other thing it did right before going for that french brunch? calling for ajax. getting them reunited in the primordial sea. like all the possible implications aside bc theres many different ways to speculate on the exact reasons why and the nature of that link. the point remains.

it wasnt leaving teyvat without finding him.

like the narwhal is about to fucking Dip from this cringe planet and whatever part of it that ajax carries within himself his narwhal Absolutely wanted to be reunited with. what the fuck am i supposed to read from that. hoyo???????!??! answers?!?!?!

and its not only the calling from the narwhal side itself either bc this is ALL coinciding with the growth of a 'restless power' within ajax and his vision malfunctioning (the things celestia is literally confirmed to harvest energy thru to repair its damaged authority) and his connection with the narwhal reaching an actual conscious level (arguably subconscious n emotional too bc i find it Curious his mood is poor right as the narwhal is repeatedly described as positively malding to the point its boss fight mechanic is literally a rage meter). ajax' power is growing. his destiny is starting to shift and something is drawing him to fontaine... right as the narwhal is getting close to finished with the primordial sea. funny how it overlaps eh. how it aligns 🤨🤨 why are they orbiting each other like this (they should kiss)

(& not to even Mention how ajax just Happened to get that absolutely exponential and borderline unbelievable feat of power spike in extending his foul legacy endurance as massively as he did. while. within the primordial sea. with his narwhal. who had at that point all but incorporated the power of that sea into itself. i s2g if childe was getting passive home turf co-op bonus exp with a 4x multiplier automatically the whole 40+ days 💀💀)

#man the way its lovely reunion but tjen ajax fucking ATTACKS IT ON SIGHT you couldve gotten married!!!!11!1 fucking unbearable i am in agony #anyway contrary to popular belief we still have no fucking clue whether ajax' link to the narwhal was innate #skirk saying the traces remain on him after meeting it isnt saying tht much. the parts he shares w it couldve well been innate but dormant #instead. also just the fact that he woke it up already shady #then like. monoceros caeli being his from the beginning is completely plausible despite ppl acting like its been confirmed his const change #and like them being halves of the same entity on some lvl would make the narwhal being so weak without him n until ajax found it again #make very much. sense. anyway ajax toxicity jokes aside if the narwhal was just trying to eat him point blank without even a hello #i do get why hed react aggressively. but also bros been telling everyone n their mom hes fighting his narwhal the seconf he finds it again😔 #so i feel somewhat confident in assuming he started that 40+ days brawl #anyway if ajax Isnt the celestial narwhal on some level or possibly becoming it as their link grows. #riddle me this atheists. why is his 3rd phase boss theme. the song about His individual murderous rage at us #bc he thought he was outplayed by us. His personal wrath #whys the song for that called the wrath of the celestial narwhal. of the star swallowing whale. Hmmmge. his individual rage. #why does tusk of monoceros caeli speak of him embracing the narwhals innate qualities as embracing mere parts of Himself #funny how tjat goes!! (the OST n boss drop is not 100% serious theory but it does drive me insane. bc why would they phrase it like that) #anyway either theyre 2 halves same original entity or theyre soulmates idgaf . they should fold teyvat in half and eat it for brunch #aaand im going to be consumed by this realization for the next month wish me luck #WHY DID IT NEED HIM THERE SO BADLY???? HUH?????? #i mean relatable dont we all. but its sooooooooo inch resting. Curious indeed #rambles #genshin #childe #childeposting #narwhalposting

[ysphcpb]

It is this good relationship that makes us want to stay.

#krist perawat #singto prachaya #ยูยู่ของคุณพี #ทีมพีรญา #สมุนจ้าวป่า #interviews #020524 #//it's also one of the things i find very lovely about being part of their fandoms #warms my heart every time i see fans of one support/send encouragements to the other's individual acting works and other jobs #fans who are krist biased coming to support singto's events and solo fms #fans who are singto biased coming to support krist's musical and concerts and even top spender jobs #not to say there isn't toxicity - because artists unfortunately have no control over who would become their fans... #i'm just glad that there are still so many mature and supportive solo/duo fans around and that the two are aware of it #which somewhat overrides the negativity for me.. and hopefully for them both 😊

[the-velvet-worm]

constantly thinking about vex and percy giving each other a life neither of them could've dreamed of or ever thought they deserved or might realistically have. how they saved each other from themselves and their respective self-hating tendencies. how they can only trust each other with certain things because they know the other can handle it. how they're the perfect team. how they communicate so effectively and clearly. absolutely no one is doing it like them

#I am skjdfkdjskf about them all the time #I will never ever stop loving them #critical role #cr1 #perc'ahlia #percy x vex #vex x percy #vex'ahlia #percival de rolo #percy de rolo #vex'ahlia de rolo #also like. don't get me wrong I love a tragic messy toxic ship just as much as one like this #but perc'ahlia is just as interesting as a fucked up ship because THEY are fucked up individuals #and they SUPPORT each other through figuring out how to be less fucked up #not even in a 'I can fix him/her' way but in a like. she needs some extra love right now way #or he needs some extra comfort right now. she needs some extra space right now #and they just give it to each other willingly #it's so sweet

[mitskijamie]

Kinkiest Roy/Jamie thought - Go!

KinkiEST omg...how do we quantify this....

I guess in terms of the most extreme kink....total power exchange. Jamie giving Roy full control of everything in his life for mutual enjoyment/benefit <3 The idea of a full-time, all-encompassing d/s dynamic makes so much sense for them and I think about it literally All the time. "I thought you said I couldn't have beer anymore" "you're with me so you get a pass"....

Basically. Roy wants to be needed and valued and clung to. He wants to be the most important thing in his partner's life, bar none. He wants to be worshipped. He's deeply insecure, and he wants a partner who will fuel his ego by putting him above anything else. His relationship with Keeley ultimately fails because she doesn't need him in the way he wants to be needed, which makes him feel unwanted and lonely (he has an emotional affair and everything, because he's insane). Keeley is completely self-sufficient and independent, and I honestly think Roy feels threatened by that. Keeley is literally insulted by the idea of needing Roy so badly that she would ask for his input on the basic tenants of her daily life ("maybe I should ask for your permission every time I have to make a decision, then"/"my bladder is full, can I go pee?"), but that's exactly what Roy wants. He wants someone who actually leans on him like that!!!!!

Jamie actually does worship Roy. Jamie has been worshipping Roy for most of his life. Jamie values Roy's guidance more than anything else in the world, because Roy is his God. Roy is his role model, Roy is his inspiration, Roy is his hero, Roy is his coach, Roy is everything. Roy is everything to him!!! Jamie lets Roy decide when he should wake up in the morning and what he should eat and what he can drink and how he should work out, because he just thinks that highly of him. Roy shapes his career, Roy shapes his routine, Roy shapes his body, and that's okay with him because Roy is everything!!! And that treatment is what Roy needs to feel like a person!!!

On top of the hero-worship element, Jamie wants to be praised and loved and paid attention to, and that's exactly what Roy gives him. Jamie is constantly vying for attention and praise, especially from older men, which is something he feels like he's missing:

And that's what Roy gives him!!!!! All the time and attention and special treatment from daddy that he could ever want!!!

So like in a total power exchange, Jamie gives Roy everything he wants - devotion, obsession, worship, submission - and in return, Roy gives Jamie everything he wants - attention, praise, and structure from an older man.

It's literally perfect for them

#now normally this might be toxic but given who roy and jamie are as individuals this is far and away the healthiest option. #royjamie #ask #i know this is a lot im happy to tag it if anyone wants

[wangxian-the-zhijis]

WangXian x YiZhan

"When death takes my hand, I'll hold you with the other and promise to find you in every lifetime." -Rupi Kaur, The Sun and Her Flowers

#when i first saw the quote this is what i first thought of 😭 #i hope no one kills me w this 🤧 #the untamed #cql #lan wangji #lan zhan #wei wuxian #wei ying #wangxian #yizhan #yizhan = modern wangxian #my untamed x quotes edits #SO IM NOT TAGGING THE ACTOR’S INDIVIDUAL NAMES OKAY. I DONT WANT TOXIC STANS TO FIND ME. shooo