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the-priestess-of-dawn · 22 days

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Actually though now I AM getting the urge to essaypost about the sacrifice ending because... it occurs to me that perhaps "For once, I'm glad you and I are the same." might be a more significant line than I ever realized... If the Chrom ending represents Robin fundamentally changing as a person, then the sacrifice ending represents them NOT changing... but Chrom is insistent in both endings that Robin will always belong with him and the Shepherds. In the sacrifice ending, Robin comes back from death because of the strength of their bonds... but what does that mean?

You know, if you look at Medeus's death quotes in Shadow Dragon and New Mystery...

“Nngh… Defeated again… by humans! Know this, Altean prince… That light which surrounds you is only a temporary respite. So long as the darkness in your hearts continues to sustain me… I cannot be… destroyed…… Rrraaahhh!!!”

“GWAH…! WHY……? WHY… HAVE I… BEEN DEFEATED… SO EASILY…? IS THIS… THE POWER… …OF NAGA'S… Binding Shield…? KNOW THIS, HUMANS… THIS LIGHT IS ONLY A BRIEF RESPITE… SO LONG AS EVIL LURKS WITHIN THE HEARTS OF MAN… SHOULD THIS ACCURSED SHIELD BE LOST, WE SHALL RISE FROM THE DEPTHS OF HELL… DO NOT… EVER FORGET…”

It seems to me that Medeus is saying that human hearts have the power to bring him back. I mean, yes, it could very easily be a metaphor. In fact, I think it largely IS figurative, but... The point is that this shit keeps happening because humans want it to happen, right? Like, Medeus was resurrected by GHARNEF; he basically just seized the opportunity this human gave him. Why wouldn't he expect it to happen again someday?

And Grima, of course, was revived by the Grimleal. We've got no word on whether Grima wanted their followers to do this after their original defeat (in fact, technically we do not not even know whether Grima consented to giving any humans their blood. It COULD be that they bestowed it on their followers as a show of favor. I also absolutely would not put it past the Grimleal to have collected Grima's spilled blood after the final battle with the First Exalt and used it for their own purposes... Especially because I do think that's most likely what Forneus did with Naga's blood to create Grima in the first place.). Regardless, Grima answered their followers' call and did exactly what they were asked to do.

And then we have Robin coming back. I think most of us presume that there was no specific revival ritual, but... still, fundamentally, isn't the same principle at play? The Shepherds called and they were answered. And Robin came back as Robin, Brandless and free from the power of the fell dragon, because that is who their loved ones asked for, and that is who Robin wanted to be, and I think in a world where magic exists then it makes perfect sense that a strong enough wish could literally manifest as a spell. (Tharja says in her supports with Ricken that "Curses are a kind of magic that gives life to dreams." so I'm inclined to think that this is very much how magic is intended to work.)

So the sacrifice ending becomes a twist on the cycle. Because the thing is, Robin chose destruction. Robin chose to use their power as Grima to bring about a final end—only in this world their conclusion is not that the world is unable to change and therefore must be destroyed, but that THEY are what cannot change and must be destroyed. "For once, I'm glad you and I are the same." They are embracing it. They are the fell dragon and they can't change but they can do the one thing they always do and destroy. This OUGHT to be a tragic ending where we're all left with the bitter feeling that nothing the hero OR the villain did ever truly mattered at all.

But we're challenging fate, right?

And the thing that Robin has that their future self did not is, of course, all the Shepherds reaching out for them. The original timeline Shepherds thought that Robin betrayed Chrom and then... presumably ran off to serve Grima or whatever (since nobody knows that Robin BECAME Grima). And so there was no one to beg Grima to come back and be with them. No shared wish strong enough to create a miracle. The tragedy played out straightforwardly.

But it was never inevitable. The tragedy didn't happen because there is something inherently wrong with Grima's being. Of course it didn't. They were not alone because they were unlovable but because Validar and the Grimleal had everything set up to ensure that Grima could not do anything but turn to them. ("These followers of Naga will spurn you now that they've learned what you are. Kill me, and you incur the wrath of the Grimleal as well… Would you truly choose to be so utterly alone?" Validar knew exactly what he was doing.)

So with the sacrifice ending... perhaps we're really saying that Robin never needed to change. That even if they never give up this perspective of theirs—that they're a no-good and repulsive being, that they're powerless to change anything, that all they can do is destroy—they're loved anyway, and there is room for them in the world no matter what.

#could it be...? me... finding a way to not despise the sacrifice ending...?#i mean i still vastly prefer the chrom ending bc saying “fuck you i'm not that person anymore and i'm not going to BE that person again”#and then choosing to live #is very much the game's best ending for me #but man idk maybe there is something to be said for the cycle seemingly repeating but things are JUST different enough to be better #maybe this time it was love lurking in the depths of human hearts #grima studies #fe13

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disembodiedapparition · 3 years

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Breaking The Pro-Life Argument Down:

I think it’s hilarious how right wing “facts don’t care about your feelings” activists are almost always pro-life. The argument against abortion as an accessible form of birth control is 100% an emotional appeal, and here’s why:

1. “You have no right to kill your fetus. It’s not your body, the baby is an individual and has the right to life.”:

Of course, all embryos are human individuals, separate from their mothers. They have their own unique DNA composition, and are definitely alive. But do they deserve the right to life, which would make abortion equivalent to murder?

Pro-lifers are largely okay with IVF, an industry that throws away and destroys millions of fertilized embryos every day. In-vitro fertilization is an uncertain science, so couples are advised to fertilize multiple eggs in the labs in case the first few don’t work out. If a couple succeeds and have extra embryos left, they have the option to continue paying to store them in the lab, donate them to medical research, or destroy them.

Anti-abortion bills always have exceptions for IVF clinics. Republican, pro-life lawmakers have literally had children via IVF. If a pro-lifer ever tells you that life begins at conception and that every embryo has the right to life, know that it’s bullshit. They don’t care about an industry that kills more embryos in a day than Planned Parenthood does in a year.

2. There are two possible responses to this.

A) “Fine, let’s ban IVF.” Out of all the conservative groups in America, only one major group explicitly stands against IVF – the Catholic Church. The same organization that condemns sex before marriage, homosexuality, divorce, masturbation/porn, the use of condoms, getting drunk or high, and tattoos. At this point, I’m assuming you understand that the Church’s ideas of morality are regressive, illogical, primitive, and… make life extremely boring. IVF is a wonderful science that brings children to parents who want them all over the world and is in no way a bad thing.

B) “Fine. Maybe not at conception, but at [x] months, it’s a baby.” This is the point where most conservatives start arguing about the point up till you should be allowed to have an abortion. Two weeks? Six weeks? Three months? Unfortunately, there is no scientific way to determine when an embryo is no longer just a clump of cells and now a human being with rights.

Since pro-lifers are okay with IVF, we can assume they don’t believe in the right to life at conception. How about the heartbeat theory? At six weeks, the fetus develops a heartbeat, and proponents argue that it is the point at which the fetus is no longer simply a fetus, but a human being. However, having a heartbeat doesn’t necessarily mean you have the right to life.

Legally, if you are brain dead, you’re… dead. You no longer have the right to life, which is why organ donation is possible. All this while having a heartbeat, so that’s clearly not a viable hallmark of an individual that inherently has the right to life. So while it’s true that at six weeks a baby develops (what is flimsily termed as) a heartbeat, that doesn’t somehow give it rights to life that it did not have before. So far, I haven’t come across any other sensible theories as to “when” an embryo deserves the right to life. It’s a lousy concept to begin with, as blurry as the legal definition of adulthood – not all 18+ year olds are mature and nothing fundamentally changes in a person once the clock strikes midnight. Similarly, embryo development is a process. There’s really no point at which you can logically claim it’s transformed into a human being with rights.

3. Evidently, there are two extremes — life begins at conception, vs life doesn’t begin until birth.

There’s no “scientific backing” for a point in between, but you’ll never find a pro-choice advocate arguing in favor of the latter, because it’s called an extreme for a reason. The best way to deal with the abortion issue at this point is to leave the science and technicalities alone, and think about the people who are actually getting abortions.

4. “Use protection and you won’t get pregnant”:

Protection is never 100% reliable. Plus: if two people are irresponsible enough to have unprotected sex, what makes you think they’re responsible enough to have and raise children? The number of children growing up with unqualified, immature, abusive, or neglectful parents automatically disproves the theory that parenthood beings about a sense of personal responsibility. Being raised by bad parents inflicts often irreparable damage on children. Treating babies as some sort of “divine punishment” for irresponsible sex, instead of human beings who deserve a stable upbringing, is harmful on both an individual and collective scale. The data on irresponsible, neglectful, or abusive childhoods/single parent childhoods speaks for itself. In the quest to punish irresponsible parents, most of the damage is inflicted on their children, which in turn impacts the generation that will lead us forward into the future. It is in our best interests to raise as many mature, healthy, and productive young adults as possible, and while not every child born into these circumstances live lives of mental health/psychological/intimacy issues and criminal behavior, a large majority do. Growing up with bad parents is simply not ideal for an impressionable child’s wellbeing. Quality of life > quantity of life.

5. “Don’t have sex if you don’t want to have children.”:

Unhelpful, unrealistic, and telling of no real desire to solve the problem at hand. People will have sex. What are we going to do to make sure the sex doesn’t lead to unplanned pregnancies?

6. “Okay but what about xyz who had an abortion and has regretted it ever since?”:

Abortion is a result of unplanned and unfortunate circumstances. Whether it’s because the doctor tells you your baby will be stillborn or born with a fatal illness, or if you were raped, or if you had sex with your boyfriend during your first year of college and found yourself pregnant: these are bad situations, and no matter what you do, there’s always a chance you’ll look back and wish you’d done things differently. Kept the baby? Well, maybe you’ll find that the baby brought newfound purpose to your life. But maybe the baby added an additional financial strain to your life and forced you to quit your job, leaving you destitute and homeless with no way to feed it. Alternatively, if you got an abortion, maybe you end up being able to finish college and fulfil all your goals… or maybe you regret that decision for the rest of your life. There’s no way to guarantee that you’re making the right decision, but being informed about your options, and having options available, makes it more likely that you do. That’s why we are advocating for informed choice. Whether they eventually choose to keep the baby or have an abortion, give women the time and resources to truly evaluate their options and do what’s best for them in their own circumstances.

7. “Why kill the baby? Put it up for adoption.”:

The adoption system is known for being isolating, exploitative, and unhealthy for children growing up in it. Being adopted into a great family can create healthy, happy young adults. But far too many kids don’t get that opportunity, and pay the price for it. In 2019, 122,216 children in the US adoption system were waiting to be adopted. Young people who age-out of the foster care system without being adopted are over-represented in rates of incarceration, suicide and substance abuse.

Granted, for some kids it’s a better alternative to the families they would have grew up in, but again: it’s an unideal situation. An unideal situation that can very easily be avoided with abortion. Why would a person choose 9 months of labor, plus all the emotional labor of having to give your child away to a system that more likely than not will eat them alive, knowing they will grow up asking themselves why they weren’t good enough for their birth parents, when the person could… simply not have that baby and not invite all that pain?

To summarize:

It is definitively not in anyone’s best interests to force unwilling and unprepared parents to have an unwanted child. It’s also not a good idea to get too deep into the technicalities of when an embryo is a fetus or when you’re allowed or not allowed to abort it. We need to focus on the women who are actually getting abortions. Having a baby is a huge life adjustment. Keep it, and you’re taking on an 18-year responsibility. You are responsible for another person’s wellbeing, and your life will never be the same.

In three months (about 12 weeks), a potential mother can: find out that they’re pregnant (missing periods is extremely common. A lot of women only find out they’re pregnant at two months, or 8 weeks), think about their financial, professional, social, romantic, or whatever situation and figure out what would be the best course of action, and then actually get the abortion if she chooses to. 12 weeks is enough, 12 weeks is reasonable, 12 weeks is humane. Nobody wants third-trimester abortions unless there are serious, life threatening complications.

The pro-life argument is reduced down to: well, abortion is bad! That’s a little innocent baby. It didn’t hurt anyone. Well, we agree: abortion is bad. It’s not a good thing, it’s not something people want to have to do. Nobody looks forward to giving or receiving an abortion, it’s physically painful and often heart-breaking. But is it as bad as forcing a woman to go through nine months of excruciating, potentially life-threatening labor for a child she doesn’t even want to have? Is it as bad as enforcing serious health, financial, emotional, social, and professional risks on a woman who knows she is in no way ready to give a baby the life it deserves? Is it worse than having to wake up every day with a heavy pit in your stomach because you can’t feed your little girl since you had to drop out of high school to take care of her? Worse than having to give your baby away to an adoption center, where they’re likely to join the hundreds of thousands of unadopted children? There are evils, and then there are greater evils. Abortion may not be ideal, but for some people, it’s the best option out there. When broken down, the pro-life argument is nothing but sad, provocative videos & descriptions of surgical abortions intended to pull at your heartstrings. But they’re sometimes the best option for the mother and her unborn baby. Nobody is pro-abortion — we’re pro-choice.

#prolife #pro choice #pro life #abortion #reproductive rights #opinion #analysis #adoption #parenting #politics #republicans #liberal #conservatives

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addictivegerard · 3 years

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why the prolife argument makes no sense

1. “You have no right to kill your fetus. It’s not your body, the baby is an individual and has the right to life.”:

2. There are two possible responses to this.

Legally, if you are brain dead, you’re… dead. You no longer have the right to life, which is why organ donation is possible. All this while having a heartbeat, so that’s clearly not a viable hallmark of an individual that inherently has the right to life. So while it's true that at six weeks a baby develops (what is flimsily termed as) a heartbeat, that doesn't somehow give it rights to life that it did not have before. So far, I haven’t come across any other sensible theories as to “when” an embryo deserves the right to life. It’s a lousy concept to begin with, as blurry as the legal definition of adulthood – not all 18+ year olds are mature and nothing fundamentally changes in a person once the clock strikes midnight. Similarly, embryo development is a process. There’s really no point at which you can logically claim it’s transformed into a human being with rights.

3. Evidently, there are two extremes — life begins at conception, vs life doesn’t begin until birth.

4. “Use protection and you won’t get pregnant”:

Protection is never 100% reliable. Plus: if two people are irresponsible enough to have unprotected sex, what makes you think they’re responsible enough to have and raise children? The number of children growing up with unqualified, immature, abusive, or neglectful parents automatically disproves the theory that parenthood brings about a sense of personal responsibility. Being raised by bad parents inflicts often irreparable damage on children. Treating babies as some sort of “divine punishment” for irresponsible sex, instead of human beings who deserve a stable upbringing, is harmful on both an individual and collective scale. The data on irresponsible, neglectful, or abusive childhoods/single parent childhoods speaks for itself. In the quest to punish irresponsible parents, most of the damage is inflicted on their children, which in turn impacts the generation that will lead us forward into the future. It is in our best interests to raise as many mature, healthy, and productive young adults as possible, and while not every child born into these circumstances live lives of mental health/psychological/intimacy issues and criminal behavior, a large majority do. Growing up with bad parents is simply not ideal for an impressionable child’s wellbeing. Quality of life > quantity of life.

5. “Don’t have sex if you don’t want to have children.”:

Unhelpful, unrealistic, and telling of no real desire to solve the problem at hand. Telling people not to have sex unless they deliberately intend to have children is like telling people not to smoke, drink too much, or eat unhealthily. People will have sex. What are we going to do to make sure the sex doesn’t lead to unplanned pregnancies?

6. “Okay but what about xyz who had an abortion and has regretted it ever since?”:

Abortion is a result of unplanned and unfortunate circumstances. Whether it’s because the doctor tells you your baby will be stillborn or born with a fatal illness, or if you were raped, or if you had sex with your boyfriend during your first year of college and found yourself pregnant: these are bad situations, and no matter what you do, there’s always a chance you’ll look back and wish you’d done things differently. Kept the baby? Well, maybe you’ll find that the baby brought newfound purpose to your life. But maybe the baby added an additional financial strain to your life and forced you to quit your job, leaving you destitute and homeless with no way to feed it. Alternatively, if you got an abortion, maybe you end up being able to finish college and fulfil all your goals... or maybe you regret that decision for the rest of your life. There’s no way to guarantee that you’re making the right decision, but being informed about your options, and having options available, makes it more likely that you do. That’s why we are advocating for informed choice. Whether they eventually choose to keep the baby or have an abortion, give women the time and resources to truly evaluate their options and do what’s best for them in their own circumstances.

7. “Why kill the baby? Put it up for adoption.”:

8. “It doesn’t matter, no one has the right to take another life.”:

Here’s another way of looking at the abortion question: the fetus is in a position where its existence impinges on its mother’s bodily integrity, and it stays in that position until the point of viability (at which it could plausibly survive outside the mother’s body) at about 24 weeks. One person’s bodily integrity will always override another person’s right to life; this is a fundamental truth. Otherwise, we would have mandatory kidney and liver donations. People all over the world are dying due to a lack of kidneys or other organs - why should we be allowed to keep both of ours when one of them could save someone’s life?

Let’s say I caused a car accident that resulted in someone needing a kidney donation. It’s my fault they’re in that position, and I was negligent - should I be legally obligated to give mine up?

If the idea of being forced to donate one of your kidneys sounds violating, you’re closer to understanding why forcing someone to have a baby is such a barbaric thing to do. Even if the risk is small - kidney donations have a death rate of about 0.03% while childbirth is at 0.02% in the US - it’s still wrong to force something so invasive and risky onto someone against their will. Additionally, there are many complications that can arise from pregnancy short of death, just like there can be consequences to living your life with only one kidney down the line.

To summarize:

The pro-life argument is reduced down to: well, abortion is bad! That's a little innocent baby. It didn't hurt anyone. Well, we agree: abortion is bad. It’s not a good thing, it’s not something people want to have to do. Nobody looks forward to giving or receiving an abortion, it’s physically painful and often heart-breaking. But is it as bad as forcing a woman to go through hours of excruciating, potentially life-threatening labor for a child she doesn't even want to have? Is it as bad as enforcing serious health, financial, emotional, social, and professional risks on a woman who knows she is in no way ready to give a baby the life it deserves? Is it worse than having to drop out of school with no way to feed your child? Worse than having to give your baby away to an adoption center, where they’re likely to join the hundreds of thousands of unadopted children? There are evils, and then there are greater evils. Abortion may not be ideal, but for some people, it's the best option out there. When broken down, the pro-life argument is nothing but sad, provocative videos & descriptions of surgical abortions intended to pull at your heartstrings. But they’re sometimes the best option for the mother and her unborn baby. Nobody is pro-abortion — we’re pro-choice.

#abortion #prolife #prochoice #reproductive rights #reproductive health #adoption #sex ed #okay phew #had to get this out of my system

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witchescompendium · 6 years

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SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 8 TOOLS OF THE CRAFT:

SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 8

TOOLS OF THE CRAFT:

The most common misconception witches have when they begin their journey is that they need to obtain all the tools of the crafted so often listed in rituals and books. When I began I know I was one of those who felt the need to rush out and try and find these items. However in the area where I live, those tools weren’t as available as they maybe in a place that has occult or Wicca shops. I began to make my own with things I had lying around or that were easily available to me, worried that they weren’t going to be as potent as the actual tools purchased. As my studies went on however I came to learn that making your tools actually is the better thing, however there will always be certain ones you will not be able to buy, but can use other meaningful things in place of something you purchase.

While many tools exist in a witch’s cabinet, the real tools exist within the witch themselves. Knowing, Visualization, and Will. However the equipment that almost every witch has can be as important, though truthfully the tools of the trade are merely objects until you supply the power.

These tools, once bonded to you, can be a valuable commodity; however a witch should never race out and start buying the first tools they see. THE TOOLS WILL FIND YOU WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT. As you look for the tools you think you need, the universe shall send you the tools that you Actually need. There are some who quite literally, will buy everything they see, as they feel the more tools they have the better and more skilled they will be. This is not the case, there are some witches who have no tools, minimal, tools or more than they will ever use. As for this last description this can be both a good and a bad thing, for if the witch has been drawn to these tools, without real reason for need, it could very well mean that the witch was suppose to have these in their possession to pass along to a fellow witch at some point in time.

Though it is easiest to buy your tools, and there are numerous shops, catalogs and websites available for this very purpose, it is more personal, and therefore more powerful, to make your own tools. Many people say they are not the crafty type and can’t make anything, so they elect to shop instead. Some people are extremely crafty and choose to make EVERYTHING they need, and even still there are those who choose to fall in the middle, making what they know they can and buying what they can’t. Truthfully there is no right or wrong way.

While having tools can help to better connect to the mentality needed to perform magic, it is not vital to start collecting from the start. BUT, once you have accelerated your study and are ready to begin, or furthermore, have started your second degree, a witch is expected to have at least their basic tool chest, not only for themselves, but for those whom they will be teaching. Having your tools at hand is for your and your student’s benefit, because to teach the craft you must have a working knowledge of the tools and how they work, to be able to teach about them. If you are a part of a coven it may be a requirement also to have your own tools at this point to be able to lead ritual as part of your work study, or completion of your second degree.

Ok so let us get to the tools of the craft.

1. YOU. You are the most valuable tool you will ever have. You are the magic and you are the reason. The tools will serve purpose in time, but it is you that will use these tools, give them power and give them purpose. It is from you the magic flows, the tools only direct it and help you to control and focus it.

2. BOOK OF SHADOWS. This I would argue is the second most important tool you need. The Book of Shadows is a critical part of a witch’s tool box. This serves as your journal, diary and reference book. In a witch’s BOS, is kept a record of your workings. Rituals for the Sabbats and Esbats, the rules and laws of your practice. You should have a section for spells, and perhaps potions, a section for dreams and perhaps divination readings. Along with this you may want to keep notes about the spells you have done, as to what worked what didn’t. What you may try differently next time. Your book is fundamental for being able to track your progress and growth as a witch. While many wonderfully crafted tomes exist for a witches BOS, I personally use a three ring binder, because the pages can be added easily and also removed, you can ad print outs if you chose, or hand write it. As it is a learning aid I recommend this to most people in the beginning reminding them they can always upgrade to one of the leather bound versions later on when they have fine toned their studies. (however the leather bound volumes can be quite pricey but ultimately it’s the witches call)

3. ALTAR: no matter if it is a table, the floor, a rock the ground, a book shelf, no matter the surface or shape an altar is a place where most of your magic and rituals will take place. (For more information regarding the altar and to know the difference between an Altar and a Shrine, see the lesson on Altars)

The following are in no particular order and some will have more of a description than others as is necessary.

4. ALTAR CLOTHES: Tapestries, to scraps of fabrics to pre done altar or table clothes, these are merely to decorate the altar for spell or ritual but also to ad a mind set for ritual while aiding to protect your altar surface from ash, liquid or candle wax (to the best of their ability) I use scraps of fabric that I have left over from projects or raid the remnant bend at places that sell fabric. Also my personal altar has an altar cloth which is what is left of an old shirt that belonged to my great grandfather, it was something sentimental and personal to me which is why I opted to use it.

5. CANDLES: candles are a thing that there are several different opinions on. From taper, or chime, votive or jar, scented or not… And it goes on. I like to use candles for many different things, and different sizes and styles depending on the working. I like tea lights for luminaries, extra light, or for prayer requests. Votives are great for spell working as are tapers. Jar candles can easily be painted on the outside and used for your elements and God and Goddess representation on your altar and in your circle. I do not use scented candles as many experts will say and many books will say, the scented candles can interfere with the spell work. If you wish to make a magic candle or a scented candle dressing it with an oil works best. (See later lesson on Candle magic) Whatever kind of candle you decide on, you want to have a variety of colors, or solid white as it can stand for any color during workings. Candles are quite useful for light for spells and for representation. NEVER leave candles unattended, and always use caution and common sense when working with candles to prevent fires and dangerous situations.

6. CANDLE HOLDERS: If you have candles you’ll need candle holders, and you don’t need anything fancy or special. I have an eclectic taste so my candle holders are all different; they range from jars, to cups, to brass stick holders to glass. They can be of any shape or size you need, so long as your candles fit safely within. Also if you buy second hand or from a flea market or thrift store besure to cleanse them before use (See the lesson on cleansing)

7. ATHAME: The ceremonial dagger. Usually it has a black hilt and it double sided, but is dull bladed. The athame is used to direct and cut energy and energy only. It is for ceremonial purposes and is usually present in most all rituals to help raise the circle and cut it to release it. NOW some argue it HAS TO BE BLACK HANDLED, while others say it doesn’t. Mine is a rose wood handled narrow blade that belonged to a relative, it almost resembles a letter opener. The look isn’t so important as its ceremonial and magical purposes.

8. WAND: This is a tricky one. The wand can be solid wood, glass, crystal, fancy or simple. Thin or large. Some are tipped with stones, others just wooden. The wand is used to direct energy and is often used to direct the energy of the circle when casting it.

9. BOWLS: Glass or a natural material is best. Plastic is ok if that is all you have but isn’t preferred as plastic often contains chemicals and breaks down over time. You will use bowls to hold salt and water during ritual, or other items, such as herbs or stones, there is an endless use for bowls, you may eve use a bowl to substitute for the cauldron

10. CAULRON: A cauldron is a pot, usually cast iron, however the cauldron can be a simple cooking pot. Some witches still use cauldrons to cook or brew in, others use them to burn in. I recommend if you want to use your cauldron to burn in but want to also use it to brew, get two separate pots. I have a smaller one I picked up at a thrift store I burn in, and I have a nice pot if I want to make any type of potion or anything like that (the cooking one isn’t a cauldron as in a traditional cast iron pot, but it works nicely)

11. INCENSE AND INCENSE BURNER: Incense is used as part of ritual to serve as an offering, to cleanse the air and space, to represent the element of Air or simply to make the place smell nice. There are two different types of incense the type that you light that’s already processed (combustible) such as stick or cone form, and the type you have to burn on a charcoal block (non-combustible) The second being one of raw herb, resin and oils that you smolder on a special charcoal disc, (don’t use the kind of charcoal that goes into a grill, that’s not the same and is highly toxic) It is also wise to make sure that the room or area is well ventilated as the charcoal bricks can be quite potent as can the herbs and such which is burned on them. Even with regular incense. You want to be sure that incense is burned with care, due to allergies and fire risk. Make sure you have a safe incense burner. A heat proof container with sand or salt in it, can work well to absorb the heat of the coal, or the cone, or to help hold the stick of the incense stick. I have a candy dish that is filled with pebbles that I place my sticks in to burn them. There are several great incense burners out there designed for the different types, like simple wooden slats with a hole for the stick to stand in, or intricately carved statues to place cones in and then watch the smoke twirl out of it, and always the brass braziers with the mesh top to rest your coal on to burn your raw incense. Whatever type you do decide to use, be sure to be safe as incense will get very hot and can burn you, or things around it. Left unattended, it could be dangerous. So handle incense with care, much like candles.

12. BESOM: The Witches Broom, a broom is used for ritual cleansing, to sweep the sacred space to remove negative and or unwanted energies from the area. It can be a regular broom, or a traditional witches broom bought at Halloween. The Besom never really sweeps the ground, or so some people say. I do however and I also sweep the air around the space too, to make sure I get it all.

There are other tools that witches own, that may get used later in the advancement of the craft. Some are quite common others not, some for magical uses others more for ceremonial use. Below I will list these but only go into details for some. Remember you can find tools listed and explained in more detail or variances in many books and online. You don’t have to go just by what I have listed in this lesson.

1. SWORD: For ceremonial purposes, much like the athame it is often used to mark the circle.

2. STAFF:

3. MORTAR AND PESTLE: Used to grind herbs and ingredients for different recipes, for potions, teas, powders and such. They can also represent Man and Woman and the Great Rite. I also recommend here to have two mortar and pestles. One for herbs you know are safe for ingestion and one for things that are not safe for ingestion.

4. ROBES: Robes or a ritual outfit, these will help to set your mind to thinking “its time for magic, time for ritual” You can always wear every day clothes, but some people prefer and some covens require, you to put on a ceremonial garb to better attune yourself to the universal energies.

5. CORDS: For cord magic, or binding spells. Often in covens or self initiation rituals, a cord is assigned for each degree and tied around the waist often worn with the ceremonial robe.

6. STONES: From plane every day stones to different crystals which have magical properties and powers. Stones can be used to mark your circle, represent Earths Element, they can be used in spells, or for other purposes. Gem stones are absolutely amazing and offer many different properties, but are not a requisite and can get pricy.

7. HERBS: So many herbs so little thyme. (get it, bad joke) Herbs are used to make incense, powders, teas, and for other purposes as well. There are a variety of different herbs and places to find them, both locally as well as in bulk. Herbs, much like stones and oils, are primarily used in magical workings.

8. BOLINE: A white handled knife, sharp, used for cutting. Generally for harvesting herbs or for cutting up herbs, never to harm yourself or another living thing though.

9. OILS: Used for magical purposes. They can smell amazing, but can become really expensive quickly.

10. DIVINATION TOOLS: Tarot cards, crystal balls, runes I-Ching , scrying mirrors. There are so many different types, but divination tools have become synonymous with the craft. These are all tools for the craft, they do not substitute doing ritual, or count as doing magic, or performing something spiritual. Divination is merely asking for guidance. I also have to put my two cents in here and say, you have, HAVE to take everything you read in divination with a grain of salt. If you put whole hearted faith and stock into the readings and use divination alone to rule your life and make choices, then you’re really going to be missing out on a lot.

11. FEATHERS: Used in spells, or to represent the element of Air

12. SHELLS: Used in spells or used to represent the element of Water

13. BOTTLES: To hold water, oils potions teas. You want to again try and use glass where you can. You can also use them to make spell bottles or spell jars.

14. JARS: used Like bottles. Also for holding herbs. You want to be sure to use glass for herbs because the plastic will contaminate them as it breaks down over time and this can weaken the power of your herbs.

So in short there is a brief rundown of the tools that most witches have. Like I said you don’t have to race out and get them all at once. Make them, find them as the universe deems fit. But if you’re planning to teach, or lead a coven, then you should have at least the basics, and a working knowledge of what and how they are used.

NEVER use your tools for anything other than ritual purposes; otherwise it loses its purpose and magic. ALWAYS, keep an eye on candles and incense and again, read, do more research on the different tools, and never settle for anything that doesn’t feel right to you, be it information or the tools themselves.

And remember this last thing, you are the greatest tool you will ever possess, you are the magic, without you those material items, have no power.

#witches tools #wicca tools #wicca #witch #witchcraft #wiccan basics #witch basics #athame #wand #cauldron #magical tools #tools of the craft #thewitchescompendium.tumblr.com #spells #book of shadows

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interfaithconnect · 7 years

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does skihi welcome non-punjabi (white) converts? from the little knowledge i have it seems like it's very much a culture of it's own and i would never want to force my way into a space where i'm not welcome

Sat Sri Akal, anon! 🙏 We’re really excited about this question! Sorry it took a while for us to get back to you, but we’re both busy university students and your question is so important that we felt we couldn’t rush a response.

To answer your question, you are absolutely welcome in Sikhi! Anyone who sincerely wishes to become a Sikh is welcomed with warmth, joy, and love into the Panth (the collective body of all Sikhs). Although we are frequently mistaken for an ethnoreligious group, Sikhs readily accept any human being. We believe that Sikhi is Nanak’s gift to the entire world, and that there is room enough in Sikhi for all. There is no process of conversion or initiation; as soon as you accept the teachings of the Gurus, you have become a Sikh. It sounds like you are one already!

The Sikh legal code, the Rehat Maryada, defines a Sikh as follows, specifying that “any human being” is welcome:

“A Sikh is any human being who faithfully believes in:

1. One Infinite Divinity;2. Ten Human Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh;3. Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the Eleventh, Eternal Living Guru;4. The words, teachings, and deeds of every Guru equally; and5. The baptism of Amrit Sanchar given at the blessing of Guru Gobind Singh.”

What you are noticing is that, demographically, the majority of Sikhs are Punjabi. There are many reasons for this. Punjab was the birthplace and cradle of the Sikh faith, and because Sikhs do not proselytize or seek out converts (i.e., converts must look for Sikhi, not the other way around), most Sikhs today are Punjabi. Furthermore, due to historic persecutions and genocides of Sikhs, Sikhi has been suppressed and stifled for many centuries, limiting its opportunities to spread on a larger, global scale. Widespread conversions to Sikhi in a truly global sense are a relatively new phenomenon, brought about by the sustained efforts of the Punjabi Sikh diaspora and the rise of the age of digital communications. The increasing diversity of the Panth is universally seen as a boon for the future of Sikhi, and all converts, Punjabi or not, are celebrated and respected.

Non-Punjabi Sikhs have been welcomed into the faith since its very inception. During his udasis, Guru Nanak gathered followers from all over South Asia and the Middle East, and communities of non-Punjabi Sikhs such as Afghan Sikhs and Kashmiri Sikhs still survive from these earliest years of the Sikh faith. Wherever he went, Guru Nanak preached his universal message of love, compassion, and universal siblinghood:

“No one is my enemy, no one is a foreigner. There is no Hindu, there is no Muslim; with all I am at peace. God within us renders us incapable of hate and prejudice.”

Places visited by Guru Nanak during his travels. Historic Gurdwaras stand in dozens of these locations, even in places where large Sikh communities are no longer thriving.

Sikhs carry these teachings to heart, and welcome any convert into the Panth without regard to race, ethnicity, nationhood, gender, sexuality, age, ability, or any other axis of division. Anyone who visits a Sikh Gurdwara (place of worship), Sikh or not, is invited to sit with the congregation to enjoy langar, free food prepared by the congregation, and given karah parshad as a gesture of friendship and equality. By the same token, Sikhs recognize each other as siblings in faith, and the intimate bonds of shared belief between Sikhs are far more important than bonds of blood. For centuries, Sikhi has been built on a philosophy of tearing down walls, building bridges between people, and recognizing the superficiality of difference.

ਹਿੰਦੂ ਤੁਰਕ ਕੋਊ ਰਾਫਜੀ ਇਮਾਮ ਸਾਫੀ ਮਾਨਸ ਕੀ ਜਾਤਿ ਸਭੈ ਏਕੈ ਪਾਹਿਚਾਨਬੋ ॥ਦੇਹਰਾ ਮਸੀਤ ਸੋਈ ਪੂਜਾ ਔ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਓਈ ਮਾਨਸ ਸਭੈ ਏਕ ਪੈ ਅਨੇਕ ਕੋ ਭ੍ਰਮਾਉ ਹੈ ॥

Someone is a Hindu and someone a Muslim, then someone a Shia, someone a Muslim. Recognize the whole of the human race as one. The temple and the mosque are the same; there is no difference between a Hindu worship and a Muslim prayer. All human beings are the same, though they may appear different. - Sri Dasam Granth, page 51

Because Sikhi so strongly emphasizes the concepts of unity and togetherness, we do have a strong sense of Sikh identity and “we”-feeling. Sikhs emphasize the importance of history and struggle, and share a sense of united purpose and progression through time. We often speak of ourselves as “the Sikhs”, and speak of a “Sikh people”; this sense of unique peoplehood can be mistaken for ethnocentrism. In truth, Sikhs define their relationships with one another by belief, not blood, and anyone who follows the Sikh way of life has access to that shared history and peoplehood.

The myth of Sikh ethnocentrism is certainly aided by the relative homogeneity of Sikh demography, mentioned above, but its widespread origins are a vestige of British colonialism. The British Empire mistook the “peoplehood” of the Sikhs for a literal race, and labeled Sikhs as a “tribe of Hindoos.” The British also promoted the concept of martial races, and viewed the military history of the Sikhs as a sign of a “racial disposition” towards hypermasculinity and militarism. Among the many consequences of this legacy has been widespread misinformation; even in academic literature written by non-Sikhs, Sikhi is still sometimes mischaracterized as an ethnic religion.

But even despite the universal message of Sikhi and its welcoming of all people, it can’t be denied that there is an intimate relationship between Sikhi and Punjab. Punjab was the birthplace and cradle of the Sikh faith. Punjab was home to all of the Sikh Gurus. It is where the majority of historic Sikh monuments and holy sites are found, including the Golden Temple and three of the Five Thrones. It is the region where most of the most important moments in Sikh history unfolded. Of the twenty-two languages of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Punjabi is among the most prominent. All of Sikh scriptures are written in Gurmukhi, the writing system devised by Guru Angad to write the Punjabi language. Sikhi is not a “Punjabi religion”, but Punjab is nonetheless its bedrock. Punjabi or not, all Sikhs harbor a deep admiration, love, and respect for Punjab for the immense history it represents for the Sikh faith.

Some converts, unfortunately, mistake love for the Sikh history of Punjab for permission to act in appropriative and outright racist ways. This is especially common among white American Sikh converts who came to the Panth during the “counterculture” movement of the 60s and 70s, most of them brought in by Yogi Bhajan. Both Mod Lily and Mod Jas are critical of many practices common among these converts which fail to respect the difference between Sikh practice and Punjabi culture. There’s a great deal of overlap between the two: many aspects of Sikh practice are derived from Punjabi tradition, such as the celebration of Vaisakhi, originally a Punjabi harvest festival which has been reframed into a Sikh religious context. However, aspects of Punjabi culture which have no relevance to Sikh practice have been appropriated by many white Sikhs, such as white Sikhs using Punjabi music, dance, fashion, dress, and other cultural elements for decorative and aesthetic purposes. Practices such as setting sacred Sikh hymns to Punjabi bhangra music fail to respect the difference between genuine devotion and using Sikhi as an excuse to appropriate Punjabi culture.

Along the same vein, we are also critical of the shallowness in understanding and practice of many white Sikhs. There is a tendency for many such Sikhs to conflate Sikhi with a broad, generic, and manufactured idea of “Eastern mysticism”. Kundalini Yoga, for instance, is not Sikh in origin, and its supposed benefits focus on concepts of “mind powers”, “third eyes”, and “aligning energies” — mystic, Yogic concepts which play a minor role in Sikh theology and practice, if at all. We are also critical of the tendency for many white Sikhs to “neuter” the political provocativeness of the Sikh faith. Sikhi is not a pacifist religion, and its inherently political theology promotes activism, protest, and direct action against hegemonic social powers. Sikhi is fundamentally provocative and antagonistic towards white supremacy, yet certain white Sikhs have conveniently ignored the radical political teachings of the Gurus in their practice.

From your question, though, it sounds like you’re conscientious of these issues. If you’re the kind of person to take genuine consideration of racial issues in Sikhi, and go out of your way to ask if your conversion would be encroachment, then you’re probably not the kind of Sikh we’re talking about. Many white Sikhs join Sikhi for the wrong reasons, but anyone who joins for the right reasons is met with nothing but profound welcoming, affirmation, generosity and community. If you are joining Sikhi because you believe in the Guru’s message of tearing down walls, universal love, charity and justice, and compassion towards all of humanity, then you are doing it for the right reasons, and the Panth embraces you with love and joy.

P.S.: For what it’s worth, Mod Lily is a white Sikh convert herself. Mod Jas is a mixed Punjabi-Persian Sikh, and her Persian family and ancestors have been Sikhs for centuries.

ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕਾ ਖਾਲਸਾ, ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕੀ ਫ਼ਤਿਹ ।Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.

- Mod Lily and Mod Jas

#Anonymous #Sikhi #Sikhism #Mod Lily #Mod Jas

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dataprivacycoalition · 4 years

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Small but proud: how DuckDuckGo is standing against the advertising monsters

Maintaining anonymity was one of the key principles of the initially free Internet, which, however, for more than 20 years has been constantly trampled by the largest giants of the Internet technology market: search engines, social networks and trading platforms. Nonetheless, some "islands of freedom" are still present in this world of mass surveillance and control, and we would like to introduce you to one of them in this review.

Meet DuckDuckGo, a search engine that is fundamentally different in its operating principle from the list of "Big Five" search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing, Baidu and Yandex). The main difference between DuckDuckGo and its competitors is that it respects the principles of confidentiality and anonymity on the Internet and does not collect any information about its users.

How DuckDuckGo emerged

The founder of this fast-growing search engine is Gabriel Weinberg. Weinberg, who had already founded several start-upswith varying degrees of success (spreading from Learnection, a school social network where parents and teachers could communicate, which was ahead of its time, but did not succeed in becoming popular, to the more successful project NamesDatabase, the predecessor of Facebook), suddenly discovered that Google does not deliver the most relevant results for their user requests, and decided to improve it.

The first version of DuckDuckGo went live in 2008 and it was programmed to collect information from alternativesources and to filter the results in a way that the search outcomes contained the links that were as relevant as possible at the very beginning. It already had the search engine schtick to be so loved by those who do not want to allow commercial technologies to step into their personal lives: the system did not take the interests of users and their personal data (gender, age or nationality) into account. And it still doesn't: DuckDuckGo today is a system that is not constrained by anyborders, has no resources blocked by any local laws and no user tracking.

From convenience to privacy

Interestingly enough, privacy of users' information was not the main priority for Weinberg at the beginning: he ranked search engine convenience first. However, after a number of unsuccessful attempts to promote the search engine, the developer came up with the idea of focusing the advertising on the privacy of DuckDuckGo, which lacked any tools for tracking users from the very beginning. It turned out that the strict privacy policy, which was incomparable to the ones from Google, Yahoo and other bosses of the IT industry, ended up to be one of the main selling points that helped to boost the popularity of DuckDuckGo. In the user's eyes it quickly turned from an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan.

In 2011, Weinberg`s project was funded by a major investor who provided $3 million for promotion and further development. At the same time, the owner of Union Square Ventures (the investor company) later admitted that he helped the project due to his belief in the need for privacy and did not even dream that DuckDuckGo would ever suppressGoogle. He had quite different a target in his mind: to enable every user to search for information on the Internet safely and anonymously, without of the fear of surveillance from advertising companies and government authorities.

How does DuckDuckGo differ from Google?

The main goal of DuckDuckGo is the real, non-fictitious depersonalization of user information. Majority of search engines track users' personal information and preferences and then transmit it to the advertising companies. According to Google`s representatives, they do it in the "impersonal" form, i.e. without of any actual reference to a particular account and person. However, it is unlikely that anyone can prevent search engines from personalizing such information upon request, and as a result of that, not just the advertising services, but also law enforcement agencies will know everything about you: which websites do you visit, where do you live[NA1] , who do you communicate with, etc.

How does DuckDuckGo help you to maintain your online privacy?

DuckDuckGo widely supports privacy software. For example, the search engine is fully compatible with the Tor browser and is even built into it as the default search engine (Firefox and Chrome have also allowed you to set DuckDuckGo as the default search engine).[NA2] Last year DuckDuckGo allocated $600 000 to services, that help to protect the securityrights of the world wide web users, and a large fraction of this money went to the developers of "Tor" browser.

DuckDuckGo does not care about national restrictions either: the search engine does not block any links to the resources that seem shady in terms of a particular country's legislation, so you can be sure that you will be able to find the exact information that you are looking for. Is it convenient? Absolutely! We all know how certain websites might become blocked completely undeservedly.

Literally, on March 5, 2020, DuckDuckGo shocked the Internet audience by publishing a list of thousands of web trackers who spy on users without their consent. The leader in the number of spy trackers on the Internet was Google: the “tentacles” of this search giant were seen on 85% of the analysed sites. The second place in this dubious rating with a significant lag is occupied by the brainchild of Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook, whose trackers were found at 36% of the examined websites. Zuckerberg stated at a security conference held in Munich in February 2020, there was a need to create the measures, that would intervene in the user’s activity in order to remove content that is dangerous. In his opiniontrackers were designated to care about the user and to filter exclusively safe content.

So, what do these trackers do? They are programmed to collect all of the information about you: your gender, age, location, type of your computer or mobile device. And even finding out your name is a piece of cake to some of them. In return, you get a candy bar in the form of "personalized search results" for your virtual account. However, why do you need virtual accounts and personalized search results if the search engine can handle your requests without them? That's right: they are needed to make it easier to track you and to present you the content that the search engine believes should be most relevant to you. But their usefulness is questionable, not to mention that many people are simply annoyed by the pile of additional (usually advertising) information offered by trackers for your requests. DuckDuckGo also has a free app and a web browser extension that helps you to protect yourself from spyware trackers.

So, do you still wish to provide detailed information about yourself to Internet companies that will then sell it to any interested third party? We don't want to either, so we opted for DuckDuckGo a long time ago. And we are not alone: many famous Internet pioneers also are on the "duck side". For example, the Twitter founder, Jack Dorsey, has recently confessed his love for DuckDuckGo search engine.

What does DuckDuckGo make money on?

The service only tolerates few ways of fair income, like earning from advertising. " Do they still track us?"- the frightened user will think. We hasten to reassure you: no, they do not, because this ad is simply designed to match the user`s query and is automatically selected by the service. For example, if you type "Shoes on sale in London", the search engine will give you an advertising banner from the appropriate partner within the desired area. And this is the only "tracking" script that DuckDuckGo has. Moreover, we did not put surveillance in quotation marks in vain: the search engine will not receive any information about you, except for the actual request. Besides, your search history is also not stored anywhere, every time you log in to DuckDuckGo your search begins from scratch.

Another way for a company to generate revenue is commission for clicks on links from partner sites. Everything is fair here too: you do not know that a particular site is a partner of DuckDuckGo, and the partner will not get any data about you from the search engine.

Fame is growing

Gabriel Weinberg himself was the only person to handle the project until 2011. Currently, more than 80 employees are working at DuckDuckGo Inc. The search engine's revenue from partner sites in 2015 was estimated at $1 million per year, 3 years later, in 2018, it increased 25x times. It stands to reason that the growth in revenue reflects famousness: if in 2014 the number of search requests made through DuckDuckGo barely reached 2 billion, by 2016 it doubled (4 billion requests per year); in 2018 it exceeded 9 billion, and last year it soared to a record number of 15 billion requests per year.

DuckDuckGo appeared next to the top five search engines for the first time only last year, taking a stand-in sixth place at the end of 2019 with 0.38% of the world`s requests. It would seem like a tiny share, but if you consider that Google holds92.04% of the market, then the second place looks quite achievable for DuckDuckGo in the foreseeable future (currentlyit's Yahoo with 2.67%). The search engine is definitely still a niche, as the trend for privacy is not so widespread amongst the majority of Internet users nowadays. However, considering the trend for increasing control over the Internet in many countries of the world today, the potential for growth seems huge, as more and more people find themselves thinking: why should they allow their personal life to be traded? By closing Google, Yahoo, Bing and other search engines stuffed with trackers, people who really value anonymity are now switching to DuckDuckGo.

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terryblount · 4 years

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Dragon Ball Z Kakarot PC Review

It seems that gamers will never give Dragon Ball Z a chance to quit. Every time this 1989 anime looks ready for a peaceful retirement, it is once again dragged back into service sending 90’s kids spiraling into nostalgia, while a whole new generation falls in love with the show. Fighting games in particular have turned Akira Toriyama’s masterpiece into a magic goose with an infinite supply of golden eggs.

Yet, what lies beyond the fighting game genre for Dragon Ball Z has always represented something of an enigma for developers. The epic stand-offs against insanely powerful enemies are certainly a fundamental part of the anime, but they form part of deeper journey of Goku’s personal growth. No DBZ game has really been able to relay this in a meaningful experience.

Look Gohan! Daddy can move sideways in this game too!

Enter Dragon Ball Z Kakarot. With this game, Japan-based studio CyberConnect2 have taken the arena brawler formula from many of their Naruto titles, and wrapped the entire Dragon Ball Z epic around it. What they cobbled together is a wholly different kind of DBZ game with commendable respect for its source material, yet still falls prey to one too many of the open-world genre pitfalls.

Rock the dragon

Like the majority of Dragon Ball Z fighting games out on the market, DBZ Kakarot is similarly a melange of crucial story moments from the anime crafted into a playable experience. The anime’s main drawing point has always been the utter spectacle that ensues when powerful protagonists come face to face with god-like villains, and these moments are undoubtedly the stars of the show here.

Where CyberConnect2’s latest game distinguishes itself from its peers, however, is DBZ Kakarot’s interest in what leads up to these major showdowns. Rather than just ushering the player from one big fight to the next, the gameplay on the open-world maps becomes an opportunity to put time into grooming your character for the multiple boss encounters within each chapter.

I bet if you went through the anime frame by frame you would find scenes that match these pictures perfectly.

In other words, outside of fighting iconic adversaries like Androids, Frieza, or Cell, DBZ Kakarot takes on a much more relaxed and free pacing where the player can fly around the world hunting for collectables, can do some training, or pummel lesser enemies. Each locale has been utterly packed with oodles of the aforementioned loot which serves the purpose of enhancing your character’s abilities.

DBZ Kakarot is at its strongest when the game can make this entire experience feel like you are playing through the anime rather than watching it. Running on the Unreal Engine 4, the character models look utterly fantastic, and at times I had some difficulty distinguishing them from how they look on the show. This is easily on par with gorgeous visuals from Dragon Ball FighterZ.

The developers have also ensured that the fighting sequences do not hold back from eye-watering lighting and particle effects, as well as the actual sounds that defined the quirky aesthetics of the anime. By the time I reached the Kaio-ken four scene between Goku vs Vegeta, I squealed like a little school girl! You could feel that intensity through the screen, and in moments like these DBZ Kakarot shines.

Still my favourite scene from the entire anime

Unfortunately, while many in-combat animations have been done rather well, the open-world dialogue sequences are truly cringeworthy. The show’s real voice cast – including Seán Schemmel and Christopher Sabat – do their best, but the horrific wooden acting and Final Fantasy X-level awkward pauses between lines make these scenes an utter pain to sit through, and there are a LOT of them.

It’s over nine thousaaaaaaaand!

When the first moment arrived to try my hand at the combat mechanics, I instinctively switched over fighting game mode in my mind. As is the norm whenever I play a new fighting game, I anticipated the usual routine of pausing the game and committing some basic combos to memory before punching Piccolo right between his pointy ears…

Except there weren’t any combos or multi-button attacks to speak of. Instead, I learnt that the player will have access to the three basic actions throughout DBZ Kakarot’s combat sequences: Melee attacks, long-range energy blasts and that… blink/step… thing they do. That’s it. Only three inputs that always form the backbone for those flashy enemy encounters.

See how I totally missed Zarbon here? The game wants you to use energy attacks strategically, which means you cannot just spam them.

The reason why CyberConnect2 have gone with such a simplified, consistent combat system is to ensure that the leading character can be rotated as the story progresses, without the need for the player to learn new fighting moves. Moreover, keeping things simple also ensures that DBZ Kakarot keeps a balance between open-world, story-driven moments, and the more intense combat scenarios.

As such, the combat is based primarily on paying attention to the enemy’s attack patterns, and subsequently deciding what your character should do in that moment. Is the enemy close enough to attack, are they blocking, are they about to discharge an energy attack, or should I try to dodge their next move? You form an instinctive loop of these questions in your head the more you play.

Of course, it wouldn’t be Dragon Ball Z without the signature super moves, so the game does let the characters’ individuality shine through in these abilities. The player can therefore choose between a maximum of four different slots to fire energy blasts at enemies, and when fighting in groups, you can even call on your partners to assist with their super attacks.

I hope you like tutorial text; this game will throw A LOT at you! This is a big no no as this means the game was not designed so the player can learn how to play intuitively.

While combat is overall a robust and multi-layered system, I wish it could have been more responsive. The game does most of the work for you, but inputs are still dependent on the character finishing their animations, which means it was easy to descend into button-mashing. It was frustrating seeing characters failing to block, or not striking in an opening because they were still powering ahead with that combo you entered five seconds ago.

Open-world woes

I reviewed One Piece: World Seeker last year which, like DBZ Kakarot, is another Shonen Jump publication that finally shed the yoke of the fighting genre in exchange for an open-world design. Regrettably, several issues – such as a bland world and sterile gameplay – fatally ruptured what could have been a great recreation of the anime.

It seems that DBZ Kakarot was not paying attention to World Seeker’s failings as it duplicates several of them (albeit to a smaller degree). The most obvious problem in DBZ Kakarot is how the open-world gameplay yet again feels underdeveloped, and extremely repetitive.

You read that correctly, one of the side missions is literally helping Master Roshi find his porn. Why? Just WHY?

The different maps like Planet Namek or the island-strewn oceans around Kame House are decent replicas Dragon Ball Z’s settings, and they are pleasantly spacious. However, these areas rarely elevate beyond being collect-a-thon, sand boxes to find the same items over and over again. Even side quests are nothing more than finding lists of items, or fighting the same minor enemies over and over.

DBZ Kakarot’s reasoning behind these agonizingly generic, open-world quests is that the player is expected to use items like Z Orbs to upgrade their skill trees, or food ingredients to cook stats-boosting meals to consume before battles. In this way, the game is intended to convey the experience of preparing themselves for major encounters later on in the chapter(s).

Seriously, “She’s not happy”!? This is the best reason they could come up with for doing this side quest?

The reality is that I played through large chunks of DBZ Kakarot where I became aware of feeling utterly bored. Like One Piece: World Seeker, there is nothing broken in these systems even counting the cringy cut scenes. The issue is that the fun wears off after a few hours once you realise the open-world gameplay is a one-trick-pony. There is simply not enough variety in gameplay to justify the grinding.

Like anime, like game

I have an inkling that DBZ Kakarot was perhaps envisioned in the early phases of development as a turn-based JRPG since the game is built around strong elements of stats and grinding. This might explain why something feels seriously incomplete, and why DBZ Kakarot plays like different elements of open-world and RPG games that have been desperately cobbled together.

My takeaway from the forty or so hours spent in-game is that I vacillated between moments of nostalgic joy in reliving one of the most epic anime series ever conceived, and an overwhelming sense of ‘Are we there yet?’ There isn’t really another game based in the DBZ universe quite like this one, yet I cannot ignore how the devs failed miserably to make open-world gameplay more interesting.

Sorry folks, while DBZ Kakarot can certainly lay claim to a fairly solid foundation, I wish I had better news for you. It feels like a superior, more fleshed out Dragon Ball Z game constantly threatens to conquer the bland moments, but the experience just doesn’t get there. In December 2020 when the inevitable top ten lists come out, I’d bet most content creators are probably going to say “Oh right, I actually forgot about this game!”. Get it on sale if you must.

Good visuals

Engaging boss fights

Loyal to the DBZ narrative

Battle cut scenes

Bland side quests

Very repetetive

Too much collecting

Open-world cut scenes

Tutorial screen overload

Too much talking!

PC Specs: Windows 10 64-bit computer using Nvidia GTX 1070, i5 4690K CPU, 16GB RAM – Played using an XBox One controller

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