#and I think they could be really engaging and complex and contain good movement in general

[darkfires]

"jurassic park was about capitalism only, the scientists did nothing wrong" is honestly a really stupid way to look at it and completely disregards the point that michael crichton was trying to make and I think if you think that you should reanalyze your biases.

science is not immune to criticism. it's not immune to abuse of power, either, and we could sit here all day while I list the insane amount of extremely inhumane crimes scientists have performed "for the greater good of knowledge". this "scientists only do bad things cause ummm capitalism" argument is so inherently flawed. scientists have done disgusting things for the pursuit of knowledge alone, for personal gratification, for figurative immortality, all of which they believe makes their practices justified. again we could go on and on about this.

jurassic park is an extremely faithful (albeit less gory) adaptation of the book, and somehow people still constantly misinterpret the theme to be either man v. nature. jurassic park is man v. god.

both the scientists and the showrunners are the villains. no, the scientists are not just "doing their jobs". they're engaging in a severely unregulated and brand new branch of science and experimenting with no boundaries. they're literally doing things just because they can. IAN SAYS THIS OUTRIGHT. what makes the anti-capitalism message go hand in hand with the message that unregulated science is extremely dangerous is that Hammond funds the researchers and then doesn't give them any boundaries.

no one- not wu, not hammond- treats what they're doing with any degree of seriousness. again, AS IAN SAID, no one stopped to think what the possible consequences of this massively unregulated practice were. no one considered the idea that it might all go wrong.

the reason being that, AND AGAIN THIS WAS STATED IN THE MOVIE BY SATTLER, the idea that they MADE the dinosaurs gives them this massive god complex, a complete illusion of control in their science jerk-off circle. how could something they made turn on them? it's hubris.

this is pretty much relevant to everything that goes wrong in the park. like the fucking computer system, which they were assured was extremely reliable and could keep the park running for days alone, was taken offline by one disgruntled employee.

the computer system failed.

the fences failed.

the prevention of breeding failed.

the lysine fallback failed.

THE SCIENCE FAILED. THAT WAS THE POINT. THAT WAS THE ENTIRE MOVIE.

and wu didn't even do a good job making those fucking animals in the first place. the reason why the t-rex couldn't sense movement is because the gaps in the DNA were filled with various different modern, living amphibians and reptiles, some of which cannot sense movement.

no one, not the scientists, not the businessmen, not the engineers, took it seriously. they played god. they operated on the "what could go wrong?" model. they reassured themselves that these animals were in their complete control and then popped bottles of champagne for scientific discovery.

the abuse of genetic power, and the failings of it, is such a huge part of the movie I cannot imagine how stupid you would have to be to ignore that. the scientists had the same illusion of control that everyone else did, and that ian malcolm did not. remember that massively famous scene? nature finds a way? that was blatant commentary on how the "science" they practiced was aiming to wrangle and control nature, and that nature is unpredictable and cannot be contained by people.

the reason why chaos theory was such a major talking point in the story is because chaos theory is built on recognizing underlying patterns during apparent chaos. ian saw a bunch of scientists who were playing with a relatively new field of science, a businessman who was completely in over his head, and a structure that was doomed to fail, and he recognized a pattern, and predicted an outcome. and he was right. it's the same as a weather forecast.

henry wu was killed in the first book, along with john hammond.

#decrees #cinema

[whoiwanttoday]

Guys, I had a whole lot of thoughts about Nastia Liukin today that were about how man is a complex beast. You know, Walt Whitman stuff about how we contain multitudes and so on. Probably should have written it down but I slept in cause I stayed up late and I wanted to get to the store early so I could make lunch and I made a pizza and I then ate more of that pizza than I should have and I have to tell you, this is a lot harder now. There is just nothing sexy about sitting on the couch feeling mildly uncomfortable and going, "I ated too much pizza". But I'll try because I spent a good bit of last night thinking about Nastia Liukin cause that's how my brain works and thinking about some of the discourse I see about her online. Now, I am willing to admit, this is probably a very small group of people having this discourse and it is not one I engage in, I just observe, but I am fascinated by the tiny little fandoms around things like gymnastics. Opinions run hot. I saw someone say she and her social media presence are really cheesy, which... is maybe fair. I saw someone say she dresses like Effie Trinket at trials and like... also actually very fair and flat out hilarious but not really an insult in my opinion and I don't think it was meant as one. It was funny and sometimes you want a dress covered in tiny butterflies when you are giving color commentary. As a matter of fact, I wish we would normalize that, more people should wear stuff you'd expect to see on a red carpet to do sideline reporting and stuff. I get that it's sports so a satin gown might look out of place but you are talking about sports, not playing them at that point, it seems fine. I talk about sports all the time and I am yet to go, "Oof, it was really hard to make that point about how if it's a foul in the first half it should be a foul in the last minute because my clothes didn't allow for enough freedom of movement". That is all getting aside, she is someone who definitely uses her social media to make money and that comes part in parcel with a bit of false, "Hey friends" parasocial nonsense you see all over the internet now, it just is demonstrably less genuine than people who rose to fame pretending to be your friend on youtube. It's all fake though. And I wrote a really long post about Nastia Liukin many, many years ago. I still remember her falling during the uneven bars and how emotionally crushing it felt for me, because it is sad but also because she was 22 years old and I can think of nothing worse than being 22 and realizing you are now too old to do the thing you love. Most of us really won't run into that until a much later age, or maybe never, what you love might be laying down, that one really works well into old age. But some people will eventually have to give up rock climbing or whatever and it's rough. But 22 is so young and it isn't just a hobby, for someone to compete at her level it was life. So it made me sad just because it seems like a terrible way to find out that you are now too old but also because I was never faced with that at 22 and it seems scary and perhaps awful and probably worse to do it live on camera and have to put on a brave face as other people make the team and you do not. But with fame we often want people to stay in the hole we have pigeoned them into, so I think there is some sort of, "Ugh, go away" to someone who tries to reinvent themselves in a way people don't love. Which is a shame. I get the dislike but also like... I wouldn't want to shrivel up and die at 22 either. Or now. I am pro staying unshriveled and have no desire for anyone else to shrivel either. But I do sometimes find myself thinking of her as more of an influencer and sort of a cheese life help type blogger if I am not careful. Which is the whole duality of man sort of thing because someone posted a video of her just fooling around in a gym last night and she just hopped up onto a balance beam and did a quick routine for fun and it was like, oh right, this is a person who was not only once upon a time the single best person in the world at what she did, which isn't an exaggeration, they literally gave her a piece of gold because she was so good at it, but she is still probably one of the best people in the world at it. Olympic level? No. Better than anyone you have ever met. Yeah, almost definitely. And on top of that I think about what it took to get to that point, a lot of people who are famous on the internet, the general feeling and sort of embarrassment for liking them is that they have done nothing to get there. Or they are frivolous or something. That's a whole can of worms that I won't get into but it is actually impossible to say about athletes. You can have an issue with any athlete but if they are competing at a high level, they did not luck into it. They have worked harder than I have probably ever worked in my life. That always seems important to remember because it can be easy to forget when someone is just posting pretty pictures of themselves, which again is a thing held in some version of contempt but maybe shouldn't be. Anyway, that all was a mess but do me a favor, if you dislike any of this or disagree, just know it would have been perfect and beautiful if not for the pizza. I guess what I am saying the real point of this is as always, don't blame me, blame the Italians. Today I want to fuck Nastia Liukin.

#Nastia Liukin #blonde #Athlete #whoiwanttofucktoday

[kiribakuhappiness]

👖 Are you a planner, plantser, or pantser? Is it consistent?

Ahh, this question is always so interesting!

First I just want to define the terms above - in case some people aren't aware of their meaning!

Planner: Relatively self-explanatory, a planner is someone who plans out their entire story from start to finish before they even think about writing it. Character backstories, settings, relationship connections, timelines, order of events and their significance, important symbolic details, everything is entirely fleshed out before that pen hits that paper or before those fingertips start tapping away at that keyboard!

Pros: - No need to stop writing for every new plot point/chapter - Generally very well fleshed out characters and scenes. - Plenty of room for constructing well thought-out foreshadowing.

Cons: - Takes a lot of time and effort before the writing process can even begin. - Generally very difficult to tweak details later on, as it creates a domino effect regarding the remainder of the preemptive planning.

Panster: Coined from the term "by the seat of one's pants," a panster is someone who gets a vague idea for a story and takes off running with it. No direction or planned events needed, just their juicy inspiration and a blank document! Pansters are also usually known for writing scenes out of order.

Pros: - Lots of creative freedom. - No feeling of being weighed down by a predetermined path/plot. - Great technique when writing a story that will contain a lot of plot twists.

Cons: - So. Much. Editing. - Will generally end up doing everything that a Planner would do, just later on in the game. - Character motivations + plot structures can suffer by becoming cloudy and unclear/unexplained.

Planster: Probably the easiest to identify/define after learning about the other two, but a planster is someone who is a healthy mix of both! Most writers are plansters, as the range is much more varied and so, by default, contains the medium average. Plansters will get a new story idea, make a few notes or plan out a few important scenes/details, and then use that like a vague roadmap for their stories similar to the dodgy early-2000's Google Maps Directions.

Pros: - A healthy amount of creative freedom when coming up with new scenes and characters. - Easier to make midcourse adjustments in regard to plot devices, foreshadowing, etc.

Cons: - Writer's block can set in when struggling to connect one vague predetermined plot point to the next.

As for my answer, I am very much a Planster, leaning more towards Panster! Usually when I come up with a new story idea, it's a very vague concept, but a concept nonetheless.

So, take Why Is Everything So Weird With the Lights Off? as an example!

When I started that fic, my only notes going into it were these (copy + pasted from my notes app):

Bakugou appears at Kirishima's door; he's been drinking (third year, reasonable age to engage in such activity). Kirishima's first time seeing Bakugou drunk. Bakugou has come to confess his feelings - Kirishima can't imagine why Bakugou would think that midnight on a school night is a good time to strike up a conversation, but what kind of friend would he be if he turned him away? Kirishima's chivalry to be a good friend battles internally with his desire to be with Bakugou as the night progresses. Bakugou is uncharacteristically touchy and honest about his wants to hang out with Kirishima (internally, he's frustrated that he keeps fucking up his attempts to confess, and so tries to stay later and later to get it right). "'M not fuckin' comfortable," he [Bakugou] says [from the makeshift bed on the floor], louder and firmer, as if that will change anything. From beginning - no attraction/romance detected between them. As story progresses - lines start to cross and blur and Kirishima's buried feelings for Bakugou become more apparent to the reader. (Their relationship has started to subtly change, as all relationships tend to do.)

As you can see, there's very little in-depth details here. I don't really go into long-winded explanations and I don't really focus on anything regarding the setting or plot points. Of course, the type of notes I take and the amount of attention to details I give vary drastically regarding the project, but the entire idea is at least glossed over so I don't forget it, and I always try my best to be firm when considering Character Motive (ie; Bakugou drunkenly arrives with the one and only goal to finally confess his feelings to Kirishima), the rest of the fic and all of its minor details come as a result from these motives.

I'll give another example where I went into A LOT more detail, again, copy + pasted from my notes app! Disclaimer: major spoilers for unwritten chapters regarding Fighting Tooth and Claw to Get Back to You.

[Upon UA Katsuki + Fantasy Katsuki meeting for the first time]

"It is fucking winter?"

"Yeah. It's fuckin' winter."

[Right before they switch back] - UA Katsuki experiences a darkness where he finally meets Barbarian Bakugou face-to-face. They approach each other, movements mirrored, and it's UA Katsuki who raises a hand out towards him first, which Barbarian Bakugou hesitates to accept (he is resentful and ashamed of UA Katsuki and believes him to be ignorant and immature). But UA Katsuki needs to know what happened right before the switch, he needs to unlock that memory, and Barbarian Bakugou is reluctantly curious about his unwavering determination, so they clasp their hands together in a strong grip and are thrust into a new place - sunny and filled with green grass. The barbarian clan is there, Dragon Eijirou included, as they prepare to train for several moons straight before migrating away for the winter. Barbarian Bakugou and Dragon Eijirou leave to go train on their own, unbeknownst to them that Eri is following. They banter for a bit and kiss before bakugou wraps an intimidating hand around his neck and jaw. "Are you going to fight me or not?" Dragon Eijirou grins at that, still giving him a sultry, distracted look despite the fingers clasped threateningly around his neck. "What do I get if I win?" He teases. Barbarian Bakugou smirks before he gives Dragon Eijirou's head a light shove in the opposite direction, who steps out of his space again just as easily as he had entered it. "Off, you dumb lizard," Barbarian Bakugou grumbled, still looking amused before he reached over and pulled the glinting, golden sword (All Might) from its holster on his hip and brandished it towards Eijirou, whose red eyes glisten with a new kind of want as he stared at it - the dragon part of him yearning to collect such a valuable treasure. "You would look good as a King, Katsuki," he tells him. Katsuki's smirk grows wider. "And you as a dragon, if you'd ever hurry the fuck up." He gave the sword a vague sway through the space between them and Eijirou's eyes flash dangerously. "Come and take it from me. I know you want to," Katsuki goaded. Eijirou turns into a dragon and they fight.

[Choice made when Imperial soldiers attack during their training session (mentioned at beginning of story by Sero)] - All Might (sword) is falling off the cliff's edge, while Dragon Eijirou is about to get shot by a piercing arrow. Barbarian Bakugou chooses to try and save Dragon Eijirou (abandoning the sword and his future Kingdom), who calls out "NO" even as a dragon who shouldn't be able to speak (he doesn't want Bakugou to lose his throne just for him), which causes Barbarian Bakugou to stop abruptly in shock. The arrow is shot and pierces Dragon Eijirou's underbelly. He lets out a loud roar before he plummets down into the forest out of sight (leading to his capture). Barbarian Bakugou sees red, reaching down to grab the nearest abandoned steel sword (one shown at beginning of story that UA Kirishima shatters) that he then uses to swing down and slice into the shoulder of the soldier that had shot Dragon Eijirou. More soldiers descend into the valley. Katsuki hears a scream and turns to see Eri lying on the ground, terrified as a soldier holds up a crossbow at her. "TO THE END OF ALL DRAGONS!" The man yelled (revealing that Eri, in the fantasy timeline, is also a dragon, and explains her fondness for Barbarian Bakugou when she joins their group and observes how he treats Dragon Eijirou with kindness instead of prejudiced fear). Barbarian Bakugou's feet move without thinking as he lunges in front of Eri, just as her fingertips reach out and graze along his shoulder before everything goes black.

When UA Katsuki awakes again, he is in the hospital on campus, and Kirishima is sleeping in the chair beside him.

[fantasy setting, after the switch back. Barbarian Bakugou - despite still being offered the throne for Musutafu - declines. Izuku and Todoroki are preparing to go back to the kingdom with the news of the vanquish of the Imperial Army, gazing out at Bakugou's barbarian clan as he absently moves about the crowd, barking orders and preparing his clan for travel. Dragon Eijirou joins them to watch as well.] "I am surprised to learn of Kacchan's abandonment of the throne. I thought there was nothing in this world that could replace his desire to be King," Izuku mused out loud to him. "He would have made a great leader."

Dragon Eijirou grinned from beside him. "You're wrong, Izuku," he states simply. "He already is a great leader."

Because of the complexity of the story, with all its many plot twists and such a large cast of important characters, my notes are far more in depth here than they are for my other fic - however, these notes wouldn't necessarily be structured enough to be considered a Planner-mindset, as there is still plenty of room for added details, dialogue, etc.

Phew! What a fucking post :,D a big ole chonker - I hope you enjoyed reading at least, if you've made it this far! 🧡

Fanfic Ask Game - send me a question! ☺️

#fic ask game #kiribaku #writing #personal #asks

[zephyr-paladyn]

masculaxi character analysis/appreciation

it's been over a year since gala masculaxi's release and i'm still not over it

(heavy dragalia lost spoilers ahead)

(gala mascula does not exist btw) i just love how mascula and laxi are designed as two parts of a whole, basically one half of the same ideal/same person. you can't have one without the other. if you heavily favor one over the other i dont trust you... only half joking. when laxi went berserk and mascula had to save her by giving her his heart in their debut ch11, that was just... such a moment... it shows them at their most "separate" (laxi in berserk/annihilation mode, and mascula stopping at nothing to disengage combat.) which sets us up for their development as two hearts in one body. in masculaxi (flame blade)'s story, they're still at odds but they begin to learn to cooperate in the same body, and this is the beginning of their "convergence." in ch14 of the main story is when we see the beginnings of eden mode. when all the androids sacrifice themselves for euden and co to advance, mascula realizes it his empathetic heart that influenced them and led them to their painful deaths. he then shuts down his ego circuit out of guilt. when the team is in a tight spot, and only masculaxi can save the day (since their body is unaffected due to the miasma only affecting organic lifeforms,) laxi goes into their heart to search for mascula and plead him to help her. all this time, laxi had envied mascula's heart for being "more human," but realized that maestro had written the fear of death in all of the android's hearts, and as such, laxi understood the weight of their yearning for peace, with the act of their self-sacrifice for euden. (later we do learn with gala masculaxi that mascula had been influencing laxi more. here we see laxi's influence on mascula to urge him to fight.) laxi gets mascula out of the gay baby jail zone, releases her limiters, and activates annihilation mode hastily. mascula then guides her attacks to the correct targets, which is the first instance we see of mascula engaging in any sort of fighting. in this state of laxi's annihilation mode combined with mascula's guided assault, a new mode beyond annihilation mode becomes available to them: eden mode, when their hearts become one. this mode concentrates all the mana around them inside their body's mana kiln, and gives them even more power. mascula still dislikes fighting and does not want to do it as much, but has a newfound conviction and will not run away when he is needed. an interesting line here is mascula saying this: ▷It's as if he knew our hearts would one day become one. But how...?◁ indicating that from the start, they were truly two halves of a whole ideal. shortly after the release of ch14, we get the release of the flame dagger gala masculaxi unit, which contains eden mode in their gameplay, and expands upon the "two hearts acting as one" deal they have going on. laxi, mascula, and luca head to the ruins of maestro's lab in order to gain more clues on how eden mode works. laxi equips a new armament meant to accommodate eden mode (and demands praise of how good she looks, lol. also laxi is much more snarky in this story which is a treat. she's so funny. but also this shows mascula's emotional influence on her!!!!!) laxi learns of how eden mode works, and essentially it's a release of all limiters and rerouting all circuits to their internal mana kiln, but elimination protocol is activated automatically as well which does not make any distinction between friend and foe. it enhances laxi's combat ability, but mascula has to take care of elimination protocol since he has access and control of it. hence, in eden mode, laxi goes all out in attacking, while mascula controls the body's movements and targets. however this is only possible if their hearts act as one. the two are attacked by dyrenell forces and activate eden mode against them, but mascula temporarily loses the will to fight in the middle of the battle, destabilizing and deactivating eden mode. luca is captured and a villager shields them from an oncoming attack, believing in mascula's peaceful ideals. laxi engages tactical retreat and they escape. they engage in a plan to save luca but are attacked by imperials again. they try to go into eden mode but mascula once again disengages eden mode. mascula tells laxi of his regrets and frustrations that he keeps holding her back, but laxi tells him that she found herself synchronizing with him. with the villager (that mascula had saved before and in turn protected masculaxi earlier,) laxi found the value in mercy for enemies. by having laxi bend towards mascula's will, they're able to take on the imperials who chased after them with a truly synchronized eden mode. ▷Laxi, give me the strength to fight!◁ Granted. Now give me the kindness required to temper my actions. ▷Heh. Take all you need!◁ their system strain falls, and they're able to defeat the imperials. laxi, mascula, luca, and euden talk together after all is done. laxi takes interest in a cat, while mascula teaches her how to interact with it. Euden: Laxi and Mascula say the maestro who made them was a peace-loving man, but... Luca: No, I getcha. Why would some peacenik give something THIS much power? ch14 and their gala story really shows how the two embodied different sides of the same ideal -- "fighting for peace," and how they begin to converge upon that ideal. initially laxi only focused on "fighting" and mascula only focused on "peace," but A compassionate heart. ▷The courage to fight.◁ -Eden Mode, activate!- their character development after this is a bit wonky at times because it sets up for gala mascula who is really poorly written and doesn't necessarily align with the ideals established within ch14 and gala masculaxi, or even the development directly before it either. with ageless artifice and ch18 (when the team first enters the faerie kingdom and gets lost,) we get teasers of mascula with his own body. in ageless artifice, eirene steals mascula's body and intends to use it against masculaxi, but mascula takes control of his body and proclaims that his body isn't necessarily him, but what IS him is his resolve to fight for peace alongside his friends. (stays in line with gala masculaxi, right?) in ch18 we also see mascula having a "nightmare/illusion" in which he gains his body back but at the cost of laxi going berserk once more, showing that they truly cannot function at their "fullest ideal" without each other in the same body. laxi asks mascula if he wants his own body back, and mascula says he sometimes misses it but overall he wants to continue fighting with her the way they are. this is echoed in ch19, take this exchange for example: Mascula, I know you were thinking of your own body while lost in the mountain's illusions. You gave up your body to save me, and I owe you an apology for that. ▷Don't apologize—I wanted to do it. Plus, being with you makes me happy.◁ I want to see a peaceful world just as we are in this body now—together. ▷I feel the exact same way.◁ ▷No more hesitation. You and I are going to fight with Maestro as a team.◁ And together... ▷...we will bring peace.◁ reaffirming their ideals together and keeping in line with their development, right? mascula doesn't WANT his own body back. he wants to keep fighting with laxi, that's THE WHOLE POINT OF THEIR CHARACTERS. which does not make sense when we get the remote control BS IN THE SAME CHAPTER??? (teased from the ending of ageless artifice with chelle) and mascula has his own body again as a remote control system. now the portrayal in the main story wasn't AS bad but... the real problem comes to gala mascula as an adventurer with his stories and voice lines. this "mascula" proclaims of how much he loves/misses his body and how he "doesn't need laxi dragging him around anymore." like sure he sometimes feels being in laxi's body with her is bothersome but overall, at his heart, he wouldn't really say something like that??? mascula your voice lines are so contradictory to what just happened in the main story and what you said in ageless artifice what happened!!!!!!! his adventurer story lacks the cooperative laxi-mascula dynamic we knew and loved, and instead pushes mascula front and center to try to push him to do things himself. we didn't really need mascula getting his own body back anyways, but you COULD'VE AT LEAST written it so that they have more emphasis on cooperation with each other?? god im sorry i just. AUGH he's so OBVIOUSLY hastily pushed into their development arc and he loses his characterization. it's obvious gala mascula wasn't intended to be a thing in the initial plan for masculaxi... i am not forgiving every single one of you who sent in feedback for playable mascula. once again only half joking... maybe only a quarter joking. 1/8ths joking. radioactive decay graph joking. (also just a tiny nitpick: you can apparently run gala mascula and laxi/gala laxi on the same team. lore compliancy who? eden mode can't be activated while the remote control unit is active. but whatever) though another interesting plot point is brought up in his story though? maestro's origins, the writing of "seek peace" on mascula and laxi's bodies being in a language that only the sky city ark people would know.. with such an elaborate plan for such a complex android duo, and everything else mysterious about this man, just who is he? his master plan of masculaxi was really amazing to see come to fruition... maestro fought on the side of dyrenell, against dragons -- against elysium you could say. although ex machina seeks the destruction of terrestrial life because they "allied with the dragons" (a misconception,) on the contrary maybe maestro aimed to create an ultimate weapon for terrestrials to defend themselves against the dragons. however this weapon had to also understand the value of what it was fighting for -- learning for itself how to go about "fighting for peace." thus, the creation of the twins mascula and laxi; two halves of a whole. by having a compassionate and adaptable heart, they can change with the times, understand the people around them, and decide on their own what the best course of action is in various situations. i love love LOVE masculaxi and how they're written!! (for the most part.) two of my faves in the game and i love them and their characterization so much, i just wish more people could see the intricacies of their relationship and how they're literally like. 1/2 of the same thing. it's such a beautifully written dynamic and development, and i want others to appreciate it too.

a little bonus, in this character art, you can see the "star tetrahedron" shapes. in sacred geometry symbolism, the "star tetrahedron" is the sixth shape enclosed within "metatron's cube." these shapes, and this cube, are said to maintain the balance of the world itself and its flows/processes. as for the "star tetrahedron" itself, it represents duality: physical body and spiritual self; male and female; and heaven and earth. this ties into mascula and laxi's characters: mascula controlling the "mind" in eden mode while laxi focuses on the attacking "body;" and mascula and laxi being of different genders. as for "heaven" and "earth," this could represent maestro coming from the sky city ark, and masculaxi being technology intended to aid humans. alternatively for "heaven" and "earth," the fact that the star tetrahedron is enclosed within "metatron's cube" may be a pointer to metatron in-universe. the archangels all have white hair, a trait shared by masculaxi. additionally, sandalphon is somewhat mechanical/technological herself. masculaxi being man-made (of the earth,) versus their potential connection to the angels (of the heavens.)

#dragalia lost #mascula #laxi #masculaxi #spoilers #analysis #theory

[buzzdixonwriter]

Don’t Let The Screen Door Hit You On The Way Out

”It’s never the crime, it’s always the cover-up.” Watergate Lesson #1

Y’know, some bastards need to be cancelled.

The liars, the hypocrites, the betrayers of trust public and private.

The “do as I say, not as I do” anusoids.

Dropkick those bozologists right outta here.

The problem is not people who screw up -- people screw up all the time.

It’s not ideas that later prove to be in error or just plain bad -- all of us at one time or another believed something we now know to be wrong.

No, the problem is those who set themselves us as moral exemplars and then betray the very moral example they proclaim.

Ska-rue those dips.

Cast them into the outer void.

Cast in point: The drugging rapist comedian spent their entire professional career stressing high principles and values, openly saying “look at what I did and do likewise” while deriding members of their own community for not obtaining the heights they did.

A good hunk of that time they spent drugging and raping victims, paying them off to keep silent so they could drug and rape more victims.

Look, back in the day Bob Hope was a notorious philanderer but he and his wife had an understanding and Hope never promoted himself as a moral exemplar (quite the opposite!).

So to find out Hope engaged in consensual adultery with the tacit approval of his wife is neither a big shock not does it undermine any message he sought to convey.

On the other hand, the drugging rapist comedian did espouse a message that millions saw as valid, and they held themselves up as an example for their fans to aspire to.

If we learned said comedian was a garden variety philanderer like Bob Hope, their message and example would be somewhat tarnished but not destroyed; consensual sex gets a tsk-tsk and nothing more, especially if the spouse doesn’t object (and said comedian’s spouse damn well knew what was going on yet didn’t think raping victims drugged into unconsciousness was a deal breaker of a marriage ender).

Some people today hope to this disgraced comedian will die soon so their comedy can be enjoyed publicly again.

Why?

Any good from this rapist’s life has already been done in whatever charitable donations and scholarships they provided, whatever inspiration they gave audiences to help them better themselves before learning of their crimes, and stylistic / topical insights gleaned by other comedians.

The rapist’s comedy routines and TV shows -- all family friendly and morally high minded -- now ring hollow and taste sour.  Whatever comedic insights the rapist had to offer have long since been absorbed by those who followed.

Leni Riefenstahl created two monstrous documentaries -- Triumph Of The Will and Olympiad -- that glorified Nazism while at the same time inventing the cinematic language for depicting mass movements and covering sporting events.

Nobody today ever need watch her original films in order to learn those lessons; thousands of film makers and videographers have applied them elsewhere and the technical lessons remain valid even when divorced from their racist origins.

So be it with the rapist comedian.

Let those who learned from their routines reinterpret those lessons in a form that noi longer contains a poison pill.

Case in point: The comic-turned-film maker presented their work -- no matter how funny the material – as a serious examination of modern moral values.

And, dang, the c-t-f certainly fooled a lot of us.

In their defense, the c-t-f always claimed in public to be a really terrible person, but this was all just c-y-a.

Of course those public admissions were all self-depreciating self-mockery, look how thoughtful and complex the c-t-f films were, how they examined modern life, look how they laid bare the contradictions and conundrums of the human condition.

Then it turns out the c-t-f could not keep their own knickers up and wreaked havoc on a dozen or more lives, rendering all their opinions and observations as worth less that a wadded of soiled toilet paper.

Yeah, the rapist comedian’s crime are worse by at least two orders of magnitude, but the c-t-f only misses a charge of incest by the barest of technicalities.

And it doesn’t matter that c-t-f’s spouse at the time is a batshit crazy homewrecker themselves -- c-t-f knew this then and chose them as a spouse and contributed to the chaos being wreaked in that family.

So, no, you can’t pose your films as Important Serious Examinations Of Modern Morals when you’re acting in a way that would get Dr. Freud to say, “That’s some seriously fucked up shit.” 

Open reprobates like John Waters and Russ Meyer never need worry about failing audience expectations; they’re upfront and honest about their perversions and peccadillos (and to be fair to them, they never screwed up the lives of others the way the c-t-f did).

I used to love the c-t-f’s work and eagerly looked forward to each new one.

Not any more.

You can never trust that viewpoint again, and even the earlier, funnier work is now called into question.

Case in point: This one is smaller, more localized, but I have personal knowledge of it and it’s emblemic of a far larger, far more vast problem.

The retired pastor tried to stay busy, volunteering at their local church and nearby nursing homes, and proposing an outreach for runaway abused teen girls.

It came as quite a shock to learn the retired preacher had been caught in a classic honey trap sex sting:  They texted what they thought was a 16 year old girl but turned out to be an adult investigator trolling for sexual predators.

The retired pastor got probation and registered as a sex offender.  There was a big public confession and an apology to their church, a contrite promise of repentance, and a big heaping helping of forgiveness all around.

There but for the grace of God, right…?

The retired pastor wanted to resume the runaway abused teen girl project.

Oh, they would have nothing to do with it directly, of course.

Just be available to advise others as needed…

Well, that waved more red flags than a May Day celebration in Tiananmen Square.  Even assuming the retired pastor was incredibly naïve -- more naïve than any retired pastor has a right to be -- the sheer optics alone would be incredibly bad.

And the chance of somebody finding out and filing a complaint for reasons real or suspected would put the church sponsoring it at terrible risk.

Dude, you screwed up.   That door is shut to you.

Organized religions are imploding right now, and no matter what faith or denomination, the reason is inevitably the same:  Predators of all stripes infiltrate the structure to find victims.

Sexual abuse ranks high, but there’s also financial abuse, emotional abuse, and just plain old abuse of power.  

It’s ultimately the exact same problem as that of the rapist comedian and the comic-turned-film maker:  Hypocrisy.

Religious leaders are as human as anyone else, few are the plaster saints we make them out to be.

And there are those who make mistakes, and those who hide their personal peccadillos from others (word among the BDSM community is that quite a few religious leaders enjoy those reindeer games), but those have the common fucking sense not to videotape themselves (remember, if you make a copy of anything you’re giving the universe tacit permission to share it and if the copy is digital, the sharing is compulsory).

The worst part is that the very victims of these predators are not only quicky to forgive these abuses and let them continue, but viciously turn on those victims that dare speak out against their abuse!

This is the reason organized religion is collapsing:  It’s become a cesspool of sexual predators and con artists.

Church leaders who decry the declining numbers are eager to blame a lack of spiritual discipline, a loss of faith, cultural influence, and of course that ol’ standby, Satan hizzowndamsef.

But when you ask people who left why they left, the answer is almost always they grew tired of being taken advantage of.

Physician, heal thyself. 

The problem we face today is that too many people impose standards on others they are not merely incapable of following themselves (which would be a sad but typically human failure) but are utterly unwilling to even make the attempt.

We need so-called cancel culture.  We need to expose hypocrites, denounce their hypocrisy, and deny them access to new victims.

Don’t feel sorry for the bastards who get caught, get angry over the harm they inflict.

    © Buzz Dixon

#morals #morality #ethics #organized religion #cancel culture

[blackswaneuroparedux]

Anonymous asked: Do the intellectual elites basically set the direction of how society thinks? Over the centuries, the general public has followed philosophical trends in the academic world so how do these beliefs and academic theories filter down into the mainstream? Is there anything we can do to stop it?

It may seem like in our current turbulent times that the elites do the thinking for the masses. And if one stands back to look at the flash points of intellectual history that indeed feels true. But equally one can stand back and ask critically if this is really so? 

Who are you actually talking about? Who are these intellectual elites? I dislike these generalisations because they are unhelpful. How does one define elite? Is it intellect? Is it cachet of social position? I think our so-called university elites - professors etc - are in their own existential crisis because of how commodified a university education is becoming. They are beholden to students as consumers. It’s a worrying trend.

Of course it didn’t use to be like that because then our intellectual elites had both recognised intellectual prowess and a social cachet. In other words they had power. I think the modern day academic is many ways a powerless and even pitiful figure at the mercy of university managers and money men.

Nor do I think one thinker dominates over others as they might have done in the past.

A case van be made that ideas today are democratised. Power resides wherever their is a vacuum. It doesn’t reside in the class room but on social media.

In our more recent times intellectual trends like post-modernism and now social critical theory have been seeping into the mainstream. Even Donald Trump has brought up critical race theory to the wider watching populace as a beating stick over the left.

But many ordinary people would be hard pressed to name the actual thinkers (outside of just lumping people together as an amorphous mass e.g. cultural marxists or far right conservatives). It’s more true to say that all ideas now fight in the market place of ideas as a product for people to consume blindly.

But why one idea takes off and another doesn’t is something I don’t have answer for. Or where is the point where ideas from top down meet reality from bottom up and create some kind of intellectual and social momentum? I don’t have time to get into that here.

Another thing is that like an MP4 download the compression size of the complexity gets eroded the more it is downloaded and passed around. In other words people start arguing over labels and top line arguments than actually grapple with the deeper and more complex ideas contained.

This isn’t to say there are no problems with such theories - e.g. critical race theory - because there are. For the record, I am hostile to such philosophies as a Tory as I am towards many lefty isms plaguing the modern university campus that find their way into the public square.

Rather than attack the messenger (ie people) one should critically examine the arguments from every side. This is true for any theory and wherever it comes from. We engage ideas not people.

I don’t want to sound like a broken record so let me play devil’s advocate and suggest an alternative if only to muse upon on it.

I was having a stimulating series of conversations with a professor of intellectual history and other academic historians and political scientists from prestigious French institutions at a friend’s dinner party not so long ago. Like any French dinner good conversation is expected along with good food and wine. Arguments are meant to be robust and even heated but never personal. Arguments are won as much by charm and wit as it is by intellect. It’s all very convival and civilised.

Anyway, we touched on many things from the sorry state French politics, Brexit, Trump, and Covid of course. The usual stuff I imagine. But because of who was around the table the discussion enjoyably explored much wider issues.

For me it’s always interesting to hear the premise from where people build their arguments. For the left secularist the Enlightenment becomes the cornerstone from which the lens of history is viewed and interpreted. For the conservative it’s anything before the 1789 Revolution. Both actually looked at change and the ideas therein as from top down. The ground up (or the view from below) was given short thrift.

I suggested an alternative premise more from a playful motivation than absolute empirical evidence - if only to liven things up a little as the conversation was becoming stale and even predictable.

Perhaps the direction of influence could also be seen the other way round? That is to say that philosophical theories formalise and develop ideas that are already in circulation in society and culture.

Did you get that? Let me explain.

Remember Hegel's beautiful and profound observation that 'the owl of Minerva spreads its wings only with the falling of the dusk. In the words what Hegel was saying was that philosophical theory comes afterwards, reflectively, when a development of ideas or institutions is complete and (he would add) in decline.

Plato's 'Republic', at least its political portion, was as the late Michael Oakeshott once put it, 'animated by the errors of Athenian democracy'. Any citizen could participate in politics and help determine policies and legislation without any knowledge of the relevant matters. Plato saw democracy as the politics of ignorance. If every other human inquiry or activity recognised expert knowledge - in his famous example, you wouldn't let just anyone, regardless of their lack of specialist skills, navigate a ship - why not politics, too ? Why should politics be special in not requiring knowledge of the proper ends and means of political action as a condition of participation. Think of this what you will, but the 'Republic' was rooted in its contemporary context and was a response to it.

Aristotle's 'Politics' is a theorisation of the Greek polis, which was already passing out of independent existence under the impact of Alexander the Great's conquests. Athens was a city-state, and a democracy (albeit a limited one). Even though Aristotle was not born in Athens his views were accepted until he was shunned after the death of Alexander.

Aquinas' 'Summa' was a response to the recovery of Aristotle's writings and to the ongoing beliefs and practice of the Catholic Church - as well, of course, to movements which he opposed in theology.

Hobbes' 'Leviathan' is clearly a recipe for avoiding the kind of political and social chaos caused by the French Wars of Religion and the English Civil Wars. They were in his rear-view mirror when he wrote his tome.

Hume's 'atomistic' view of the nature of experience as composed of distinct impressions and ideas drew on the model of Newtonian 'corpuscular' physics.

Kant's Critique of Pure Reason asks how knowledge is possible, with the glories of Newtonian physics in the background. His emphasis on the place of reason in ethics is fully in the spirit of the Enlightenment's celebration of reason.

John Stuart Mill's 'On Liberty' was a counter-blast to the pressure toward conformity which he thought he saw in the England of his day.

Logical Positivism was a response to the huge, brilliant developments in science - relativity and quantum theory - and took the form of scientism, the view that scientific knowledge is the only form of deep and accurate knowledge (of all real knowledge).

Marxism was a response to the embryonic birth of the modern capitalist system after the industrial revolution in Britain. Both Hegel and Marx formulated their theories by what they observed was happening with the birthing pains of modern industrial capital society. Cultural Marxism is a different beast entirely.

I could go on.

I am not suggesting, of course, that there was anything crude or mechanical in the way these philosophies emerged from their contexts. They all added independent thought of great subtlety. But their problems and the terms of their solutions were set by their times, at least as they understood them. It’s plausible but may not be completely true. But that’s part of the enjoyment of musing upon whimsical thoughts without the conceit of being certain.

Anyway something to think about.

Thanks for your question.

#question #ask #hilosophy #ideas #society #ideology #culture

[nerv0usm3chanic]

CORRUPTION

Chapters: 1 || 2 || 3 || 4

--

((NOTE - This is an introduction to a new PERMANENT AU feature exclusive to nerv0usm3chanic. Please see further, generalized information regarding this AU here: X

Be advised that each of these chapters are VERY LONG. The full content will be tucked under a read more after a brief introduction segment.

DO NOT REBLOG.))

--

“Arthur...have you been feeling okay?” Vivi asked, taking a seat beside Arthur as he focused on the project before him. He’d been fiddling with robotics for a while just as a hobby, but given how long and hard he’d been working, it looked like Arthur was working on an even more vital project than any before. He was clumsy with his right hand as he set down a pair of tweezers and looked at Vivi with tired eyes and a weak smile.

“I’ve been better, Vivi.” Arthur sighed tiredly. He’d been back from the hospital for nearly a month now - two and a half months since he’d lost his arm - and the blond spent nearly every day working on an intense project. “It’s...not too easy adjusting to not having something...” Arthur admitted quietly, staring at the metal bones before him.

“Oh, jinx! I’m sorry, Artie, I-I didn’t mean-!” Vivi started, backpedaling in her sentence before Arthur reached out with his right hand and touched her shoulder. He smiled at her softly, assuring her that it was alright.

“N-no, it’s okay, Vivi. You know it’s not your fault.” Arthur said gently, reassuring Vivi that what had happened was in the past and really there wasn’t anything she could have done. Except maybe not make them go to the cave in the first place. But Arthur refused to entertain that dark train of thought...it might wake him up. “It was just...a lot of crazy coincidences.” That was something he told himself over and over, day in and day out. It helped him feel better about the absence on his left side.

“Hmmm...well...are-are things going better?” She asked, tucking her hair behind her ears, “Is it easier with your cousin and uncle taking care of things?”

“Hmm...uh, well...to a degree.” Arthur answered, turning back to his project and carefully picking up the tweezers. Even after weeks of practice, Arthur still found it hard to adjust to being right-handed...among other things. “Lucan takes care of the front of the shop and does some fixing and Uncle Lance still runs the shop as normal. I help out with checking numbers and making sure bills and such get paid. So, I’m still working. It keeps me busy when I’m not sleeping or working on this thing.”

“So this is...” the blue-hared woman started, looking at the complex assemblage of metal rods, hinges, and wires, along with a lot of other things Vivi didn’t know the particular names of.

“Yep.” Arthur nodded, using the tweezers to carefully arrange a pattern of wires to eventually lead to sensors in one of the digits. He still had a lot of work to do before he was finished with his prosthetic arm.

--

“Okay um, yeah, um hold it there, for just a second.” Arthur directed as his doctor carefully positioned the first rendition of the blond’s new left arm. Six months had passed and this was going to be the first attempt to connect the false appendage to the specialized port. In that time, Arthur had spent so much time studying and using the nearby university resources, he might as well have earned an honorary degree with what he was attempting. Arthur knew this was going to hurt and he needed his cousin and uncle for support. The pale fingers of his right hand were grasping tight to Lance’s rough gloved hand in worried anticipation.

“Just take yer time, lad.” Lance replied in the softest version of his gruff voice. He wasn’t the most comforting of individuals, but the short-statured Kingsmen was practically Arthur’s parent with how much time he’d put into raising the boy. Arthur wouldn’t have asked anyone else to be there for emotional support. “An’ don’ do anything ye don’ feel ready fer.”

“We ken always do this later if ye need ta iron out some wrinkles.” Lucan offered, giving Arthur a pat on his whole shoulder. As his cousin, it was expected that Lucan would be somewhat close to Arthur. But seeing as the two had bonded so much more closely since Lucan moved to Tempo, the younger Kingsmen might as well have been brothers. All three men looked to the doctor preparing to attach the false arm.

“I wish I could numb the pain for you, Arthur.” He murmured gently, “But this is a prototype and...we need to gauge how well the adaptor works to communicate between the wires and nerves...” The arm had been through so many tests and iterations with the help of the local university and waiting for more tests wasn’t going to work anymore.

The doctor needed results for his paper. The university needed results to keep funding the specialist and Arthur. Arthur needed results...in the form of a new left arm. The chance that there would even be any kind of re-use of his left arm again was enough to motivate Arthur for this improvement.

“I’m ready...just...be careful.” Arthur nodded, gripping his uncle’s hand tighter as the prosthetic’s port approached the adaptor his doctor had installed two months earlier. There was that ominous tingle in the back of his mind, a dark chuckle rising up from the depths as the separated parts got closer. Amber eyes widened in fear as he noticed a small flux of energy and a tiny zap between the ports now just millimeters apart.

“W-wai-!” But he was too late. A pained scream ripped free from him, lightning practically erupting around Arthur’s arm port as everyone was pushed from the blond. Arthur would wake sometime later in a hospital bed, his new arm heavy and limp. He would cry out in angered frustration, causing everyone to leave the room as he pitched anything within reach at those nearby.

He had failed...again! There was nothing this metal arm could do but sit there! It was an arm-shaped paperweight...it was just good for looking like an arm...until he made a metal finger twitch.

--

“Alright, you ready to test out that coordination, Artie?” Lewis called over the short distance between him and Arthur while Vivi and Mystery watched eagerly. Arthur was going to be practicing more refined movement with his arm, this time it was catching and throwing a ball. A simple task for many, but Arthur had been so focused on preparing his arm, working on it days and nights for months. Vivi was proud to see Arthur regaining himself; the use of his left arm being the most important thing she’s noticed.

“I’m ready!” Arthur called back, flexing his robotic hand to prepare it to catch the baseball. He’s been working on getting back to being left-handed, but had found tasks much easier to accomplish with developed skill in using both his hands. Forced ambidexrty was interesting to accomplish - and he was exceedingly proud of his abilities - but now the point was to get his false arm’s motions up to snuff.

“He’s improved so much!” Vivi says to Mystery as she watches Lewis pitch the ball gently. “I was really worried about him for a while.”

“Yeah...it was a little shaky for a while there, wasn’t it?” Mystery added, internally still angry at himself for using such drastic action. It’s been a solid 11 months since then and still-! Mystery nearly bolted and then forced himself to sit back down with a huff; he was doing his best to contain the canine urge to chase the ball. The first few volleys back and forth were fine, no trouble at all for Arthur. Mystery felt a sudden strange energy in the air as Arthur caught the ball again and perked up as he smelt a strange singe.

“That had some real pep!” Lewis laughed as he ran to catch the ball and prepared to throw it back. He was so glad to see Arthur seemingly back to himself once more. For a while, Arthur had become a near-complete hermit, forgoing any kind of social engagement to get his arm made.

Arthur himself felt almost too relieved to be able to use his arm so easily. Physical therapy with the doctors was tough and mechanical therapy with the robotic majors at the local university was a nightmare...but it was worth it to have a functional arm once again. And the grant money to develop the appendage further wasn’t half-bad either. It was exciting, thrilling even! He almost could feel the electric excitement as he-oh...oh no. Arthur caught the ball and paused his adrenaline rush as he sees electricity dance over his arm again and hears the sizzle of the tennis ball’s singing fibers in his hand. Quickly he passed the ball to his other hand.

“Ah- uh, I think th-that’s enough for now. I think the arm’s getting a little overworked. Ah, um, st-static and all that!” He gives an awkward grin to ease Vivi and Lewis’s sudden confusion. “I’m ah, g-gonna go inside and discharge.” Arthur gave an awkward laugh and scurried to get inside the mechanics shop again, his trio of friends were left worried and confused.

“Why won’t you leave me alone?” Arthur whispered in a hiss, glaring at his hand as a ribbon of green electricity coiled over the metal. The dark voice in his head merely chuckled as Arthur went to a specialized discharging station in his room.

‘I was bored. You live a very dull life, Kingsmen.’ The voice hummed idly, ‘If you would just allow me to take over-’

“Never! Just-just leave already!” Arthur murmured, sliding into his room and heading for the discharging rod. On the surface, it just let off static electricity. On the inside, there was a battery hooked up and storing the electricity Arthur would often unwillingly produce. He used the power to run a lamp attached to his desk.

‘If I could, I might...but at this moment, I can’t. So I will just bide my time, boy. I am very patient~. And when your friends inevitably abandon you for your behavior~.’ Arthur frowned, furious that he had to deal with this thing all the time. But what could he do? Exorcising a spirit was one thing, but he was sure this being wouldn’t let go after a few holy words, a splash of water, and some special tags.

Arthur might need to find someone who can offer more specialized help than a priest.

--

Chapters: 1 || 2 || 3 || 4

#curruption au

[peach-mangos]

New Year’s Eve

☾ yoo kihyun/im changkyun ☾ holiday fluff/fluff/humor/meet cute/neighbors au...aka the changki new year’s eve au no one asked for lmao ☾ 2.6k ☾ can also read here

“What do you want?”

“Well good morning sunshine—at least you’re up, kind of surprised I must say” Jooheon chuckles on the other side of the line.

“Yeah well—pretty hard to get any sleep when the whole population on this damn apartment hall is up and about causing a ruckus” Changkyun grumbles, and just as he throws open his apartment door, a group of teenage kids zoom past him blowing party horns and leaving in their wake a trail of party tinsel.

“Kyunnie, it’s New Year’s Eve, lighten up. Of course people are excited and happy, they’re celebrating the end of a long ass exhausting year, new beginnings are always welcomed” Jooheon tells him, and Changkyun can’t help but roll his eyes.

He heads back into his apartment to retrieve a trash bag from his kitchen drawer and makes his way out once again.

“You know, in my opinion—every day is an opportunity for a new beginning—don’t understand why everyone and their damn mother lose their shit over this New Year bullshit”

“You know, you used to love celebrating New Year’s Eve until—”

“Whatever, I’m taking down all these damn decorations” Changkyun says cutting off his friend, “the regulations of our apartment complex doesn’t allow them for safety purposes”

“Dude” Jooheon laughs, “isn’t that a little too much?”

“I’m sorry, was there a reason for this call?” Changkyun asks shoving his cellphone between his ear and shoulder while trying to hold open a trash bag in one hand and ripping off “Happy New Year” decorations off the hallway walls with the other.

“Right, get showered, get dressed—we are going out tonight”

“Like hell we are” Changkyun chuckles bitterly and continues making his way down the hall ripping off decorations with a fiery purpose.

“Listen man, I know it’s been hard for you to celebrate New Year’s ever since Soobin—but damn it, we are doing something this year. We all let it slide last year because it was still pretty fresh, but not this year. You are not gonna sit in that apartment in your old man flannel pajamas and greet the year alone and bitter”

“Are you done?” Changkyun asks making his way towards the elevator.

“Yes” Jooheon concedes harrumphing at his friend.

With that, Chankgyun hangs up on his best friend and tries to close off the gate to the elevator.

“HOLD THE ELEVATOR PLEASE!” someone yells, and usually—well, usually Changkyun isn’t one to be an asshole— but he really isn’t in the mood to share an awkward elevator ride with some random stranger at the moment. So instead of holding the gate open as the unsuspecting stranger had asked, Changkyun rushes to close it.

As his crummy luck would have it though, the trash bag full of holiday decorations he was on his way to get rid of gets stuck between the gate, giving the stranger just enough time to reach the elevator.

“I know you heard me” the guy accuses, narrowing his eyes at Changkyun.

“Oh, sorry , I’m a little hard of hearing” Changkyun lies adjusting his hoodie and begrudgingly making space for the man to get in. He hates the fact that he has to do a double take because —upon closer inspection—his new elevator companion is quite the looker. Dressed to the nines beneath his cream colored winter coat in a silky red button up dress shirt buttoned down all the way to the center of his chest, nice black crispy ironed dress pants accompanied by shiny polished black dress shoes and hair slicked back.

“Are you a little blind as well, you literally saw me rushing towards you”

I wish, Changkyun thinks, a light chuckle escaping his lips. “You know, you’re kind of loud for such a small person” he muses, making the tiny handsome man blush.

“And you’re a little bit of a dick, but that’s none of my business, is it? Could you press the floor button now, please?”

Laughing at how easy it had been to ruffle the guys’ feathers, Changkyun obediently moves over and carries on with pressing the button to the apartment complex’s lobby.

Not even a minute into the elevator ride and the damn metal contraption begins to make a startling noise followed by staggering movements that cause both men to topple forwards in loss of balance.

“The hell was that?” the stranger asks, eyes wide and panicked.

“Think the elevator broke, genius” Changkyun sighs leaning against the metal wall.

“Broke? BROKE?!” Mr. Slicked Back hair wails, “it can’t be broke, I’m going to be late for work? Isn’t there an emergency button or something ?” he asks looking around franticly for the emergency button. He finds it behind a small door next to the button selection also containing a red emergency phone. “Hello, this is Yoo Kihyun from apartment 3B, can someone help us?”

Changkyun chuckles because of course, he’s the new guy that moved into 3B.

“Hey, 3B—phone doesn’t work, genius. Can’t you see it’s not even connected?” Changkyun tells him rolling his eyes.

“Well, do something, don’t just stand there!” 3B wails slamming back the phone into place.

“This happens every other week dude, they’ll get us out eventually” Changkyun shrugs, and the guy, Kihyun visibly deflates.

“How long do you think it’ll take?” he asks defeatedly.

“Could be a couple of hours, to be honest”

Kihyun staggers back into the opposite metal wall and groans, “couple of hours?” he whispers in disbelief. He runs a hand through his hair and gasps, as he looks up he notices an opening and walks over to slap Changkyun on the chest.

“Look, up there, there’s an escape door—you seem stronger I’m not even going to lie, and my shoulders are much narrower than yours—think you could maybe lift me up?” Kihyun asks.

“First of all, ow—your rings, asshole” Changkyun whines rubbing at his chest, “Second, I mean I guess I could, but that thing looks like it’s bolted shut man”

“Doesn’t hurt to try” Kihyun tells him already shrugging off his coat, and Changkyun can’t help but roll his eyes.

“This job so damn important you’re willing to squeeze out of an escape door in an old and faulty elevator?” Changkyun asks groaning as he awkwardly tries to lift Kihyun up. He isn’t that much taller than the guy, he doubts he’ll be able to reach the trap door even with Changkyun lifting him.

As Kihyun struggles to make his hands reach the ceiling, something slips out from around his neck and out of his shirt slapping Changkyun in the face.

“You’re a groupie ?” Changkyun asks, narrowing his eyes at the shiny VIP pass, voice full of judgement.  

Kihyun freezes in his arms.

“Put. Me. Down” he bites out.

Changkyun is quick to do as he’s told and let’s Kihyun slide down and out of his arms.

Once his feet are back on the floor, Kihyun immediately walks away as far away as possible from Changkyun, hiding his VIP pass and crossing his arms across his chest.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to say it like that, I just wondered” Changkyun tells him truthfully.

“Why the hell do you have a trash bag full of  party decorations?” Kihyun asks instead.

“Took them down from our hallway, we aren’t allowed to hang decorations like that. It’s against the regulations of the complex” Changkyun tells him as a matter of fact.

“Why is that any of your concern? Why is it up to you to police the way people enjoy their holiday? God, of course I get stuck in an elevator with the goddamn grinch of the apartment complex. Who hurt you dude?”

“Ex fiancé” Changkyun tells him, a sad smile on his lips, “two years ago, to the day, actually. Cheated on me the night of our engagement party with who I thought was one of my best friends”

“Well fuck” Kihyun groans blowing out an awkward breath and sits down on the little wooden bench lining one of the walls of the elevator. “Fuck, I’m sorry man—“

“It’s alright, it’s whatever now, you know? But yeah, you’re right. Did turn me into a bit of a grinch, which kinda sucks because I used to love celebrating New Year’s with my best friends” Changkyun confesses.

“I never understood the concept of cheating” Kihyun sighs, “if you feel like you no longer have strong feelings for the person you’re with, just tell them and set them free. Don’t hurt them and waste their time. It’s selfish and plain old mean” he tells him.

“Sounds like you have strong opinions on the subject as well then” Changkyun muses.

Kihyun smiles and stands up.

“You said it’d be a couple of hours right? Well then, I guess we’ll just have to have a party of our own. Rediscover your love for the New Year’s celebration. Come on, we’ve got decorations “ Kihyun says coming over to pull out the holiday decorations trash bag from his fingers.

“But the—” and the withering look Kihyun levels him with has Changkyun shutting up immediately and pliantly handing over the bag and it’s contents.

“Come on grumpy, start putting these banners up” Kihyun demands shoving an array of banners onto his arms. He then rummages through the bag and manages to find a pair of party hats. Making a small noise of triumph, he walks over to strap the red one on Changkyun, smiling when it earns him an eye roll.

“You are something else, 3B”

In comfortable companionship, both men decorate the elevator to their best ability with the few decorations they have, Kihyun occasionally humming random tunes.

“So what do you do for a living?” Kihyun asks as he strings tinsel around.

“I’m a comic book illustrator”

“Oh, is that so? Draw something for me then” Kihyun demands, pulling out a pen and paper pad from his bag, and Changkyun has begun to realize Yoo Kihyun from apartment 3B is quite the demanding fella.

“You’re so bossy” Changkyun says with a chuckle, he takes the man’s pen and pad nonetheless and begins to draw. “What about you? What do you do?”

“Well for starters, I’m not a groupie” Kihyun says pointedly. “I’m a singer, well back up singer right now. It’s why I have this pass, I’m supposed to be performing at the ball drop on New Year’s Eve in Times Square” he sighs sadly.

“Sing something for me then, so I can concentrate on your drawing” Changkyun laughs and Kihyun shakes his head furiously.

“No way man, maybe if we get out of this damn elevator you can come watch me perform instead”

Changkyun shoots Kihyun a look and both burst out in laughter.

They carry on talking for hours about the randomest things. From their earliest childhood memories to likes and dislikes to the reasons why they’re both in New York.

“Are we ever gonna get out of here?” Kihyun sighs defeatedly, “not that you aren’t wonderful company, but I’ve already missed the rehearsal. I’m sure it’s nearing ten p. m, god, I’m really going to miss my chance to perform at Times Square” he laments.

“I’m sorry dude—but hey, look we still have time before you have to go on, you said your performance is at 11:30, right? Perhaps by then” Kihyun gives Changkyun a, ‘thanks for trying’ look and smiles.

“You done with that drawing then?” Kihyun asks and Changkyun laughs nodding his head.

“Here, happy New Year’s” Changkyun laughs handing Kihyun his illustration of him frantically yelling for help earlier in the elevator clutching onto the emergency phone for dear life.

“You are insufferable, I hope you know” Kihyun laughs taking the drawing from his hands. “But you’re actually pretty good, this is so intricate, how do you do that?” he says voice full of awe.

Changkyun just shrugs rubbing the back of his neck bashfully.

“We’re supposed to be having a party” Kihyun comments, then stands up and begins to narrate his movements.

“The handsome young singer scanned the room, when suddenly, his eyes made contact with another handsome young man”

Changkyun tolled his eyes but stood up.

“They stared at each other for a moment, tentatively smiling at one another” at this point Kihyun shoots Changkyun a shu smile and he can’t help but birst out into a fit of laughter.

“Tentatively!” Kihyun exclaims laughing as well.

“Okay, okay—how about now?” Changkyun asks trying his best at a tentative smile.

“Eh, guess it’ll do” Kihyun teases. “We finally cross the room, just as everyone starts to count down…” Kihyun comes closer to Changkyun, smiling and begins to count. “Ten, nine, eight, seven” Kihyun’s words are barely above a whisper now, and Changkyun feels likes his face is on fire. He doesn’t know what to do with himself or where to look, so he settles for Kihyun’s eyes, which—kind of a mistake. A feeling of being able to lose himself in that pair of warm brown eyes settles over him and he really thinks, fuck it, it’s the New Year. If he were to kiss this man right here, it would be a perfect end to the year. “Six, five, four, three, two—”

Just as Kihyun is about to close the distance between them, the elevator shakes once again throwing both men backwards as it descends properly once again.

Both men clear their throats once the doors to the elevator open, and a group of tenants cheer.

“See, told you I’d get it fixed—and it only took what, leight hours” their landlord cheers, and several tenants erupt in a chorus of annoyed ‘shut ups’ and ‘took you long enoughs’.

“Oh my god, I can still make it, if I hurry”

“Then you should probably head out” Changkyun tells Kihyun clearing his throat.

“I uh—yeah, I’ll see you around. Happy New Year” Kihyun tells him as he rushes out the hallway.

“Yeah. See you around” Changkyun sighs making his way back to the elevator. “Hold that for me will you Mrs. Jensen”

And as Changkyun makes his way back into that damned elevator he notices a rubber pink balance bracelet on the ground.

Fuck.

He picks it up and rushes out of the elevator once more irritating a few dozen of his neighbors in the process and runs out hoping he can make it to Kihyun in time.

Turns out, he does make it to Times Square in time, he barely catches Kihyun on his way up the stage.

“HEY! 3B!” he exclaims.

Startled, Kihyun turns around, eyes wide and mouth hanging open in a silent gasp.

“You’re—what? What are you doing here?” Kihyun asks.

“I uh—well I found this, figured it might be yours. I don’t know” Changkyun laughs.

“How did you even get back here?”

“Security is actually so bad? They think I’m the band’s drummer” Changkyun laughs.

“You came all the way out here—in your pajamas, I might add—to hand me my bracelet?”

“It says it’s for balance, didn’t want you out there performing without it. And who knows, maybe it’s good luck. What do I know?” Changkyun mumbles, now blushing slightly.

“Thank you, that’s really sweet of you” Kihyun laughs taking the bracelet from Changkyun’s hands.

And he’s not sure what gives him the courage to do what he does next, but “ you also forgot this in the elevator,” he says. In one swift movement, he leans up to press a kiss to Kihyun’s lips, pulling him in by his dress pants belt loops. It takes Kihyun about 0.01 seconds to respond, clutching fiercely only the fabric of Changkyun’s hoodie.

“I’m—yeah okay, thanks for that” Kihyun says in a bit of a daze once he’s pulled away, “I’m glad you remembered that” he says clearing his throat.

Changkyun shoots him a million wat smile and presses a light peck to his lips once more.

“Go knock them dead, tonight, I’m your groupie” Changkyun jokes.

“Go!” Kihyun says laughing heartily and Changkyun supposes that maybe new beginnings really are welcomed.

#monsta x fic #changki fic #monsta x #changki #mine: fic #mine: changki fic #yoooo first mx fic #im so happy

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

Psycho Analysis: Lord Voldemort

(WARNING! This analysis contains SPOILERS!)

Evil overlords are a dime a dozen, as are evil wizards. It really takes a special someone to make something so trite and overdone into an interesting character, and once upon a time, J.K. Rowling was that special someone.

Lord Voldemort was a truly terrifying look at a loveless monster, a man so hell-bent on escaping his own mortality and so devoid of anything resembling love in his life he callously killed his way through wizards and muggles alike in a desperate attempt to remain eternal and powerful, playing into racist and supremacist ideology to attract a following of like-minded individuals he could bend to his will. He was an utterly terrifying and unsympathetic monster, but a fascinatingly complex one that the story goes out of its way to explain while at the same time showing his tragedies do not make him worthy of sympathy, but rather pity that such a miserable creature could ever exist.

Then along came the movies.

The movies certainly did not skimp on portraying Voldemort as a terrifying force, but they did unfortunately cut a lot of what made him a truly interesting character, instead settling in to making him a more straightforward evil wizard. With all that said, is there enough to redeem him and make him engaging in the films?

Actor: Ralph Fiennes is no stranger to playing Nazis, as he played the monstrous Amon Goeth in Schindler’s List; really, there was no actor more perfect to play what amounts to Wizard Hitler. From Goblet of Fire onwards, Fiennes was the face of the Dark Lord, and he managed to make every minute he was onscreen engaging and intense. Fiennes took the watered down Voldemort of the movies and with his acting managed to elevate him to be something akin to a Darth Vader for a younger generation.

Motivation/Goals: In the books, Rowling meticulously showcased the progression of Voldemort from The child Tom Riddle to the monster he is in the present. His destiny was basically wired into him from conception: he was the product of magical date rape, and of course his muggle father wanted nothing to do with him when his mother revealed the truth. Born from lust amd cruelty rather than love, the young Riddle had a miserable childhood that twisted him into an utter sociopath, and when he was finally brought to Hogwarts he began asking around and found out the truth of creating horcruxes, which led him down a dark path of murder and splitting of his soul in a never ending flight from death (as the name he chose for himself literally means).

The movie version… only uses bits and pieces. A lot of this comes from the fact the adaptation of Half-Blood Prince is a mess that slices a lot of relevant information and interesting character scenes out (Which was a problem that plagued a lot of the later Potter films), leading to just about everything but the horcrux stuff being left out, as the plot literally could not function without that information. This does lead to movie Voldermort coming off as a bit more generic than he should have given his prestigious literary version, basically assuming the viewer is familiar with the source material so that you can assume the bits they leave out.

At the very least the movie version of Voldemort is still an evil sorcerous lich, who is desperately trying to kill Harry to try and avoid the fate he was dictated to befall by prophecy and to rid himself of a boy who is a constant thorn in his side. For what he is, he’s still probably good as far as evil wizards go, though it is a shame all that they left out.

Personality: Voldemort’s personality is where he truly shines. Fiennes’ plays Voldemort as the hammiest, creepiest, most sinister freakshow to ever walk the earth. He can’t help himself from being so over-the-top in anything he does, be it his movements or the casting of his favorite spell: “AVADA KEDAVRA!”

More intriguing to me are moments like his infamous hug from Draco or that incredibly bizarre laugh he does in The Deathly Hallows: Part 2. Both moments are incredibly awkward, uncomfortable, and even a bit weird and silly, but I think they actually fit the character perfectly and only serve to make Voldemort even creepier. Consider for a moment that Voldemort can hardly be considered human anymore; he has shattered his soul into seven pieces in his quest for immortality to the point where he looks more like a snake or a zombie than any living man. Also consider that Voldemort is, at this point, utterly incapable of understanding or feeling love, something made explicit even if his backstory isn’t as detailed as in the book. Is it any wonder he can’t laugh or hug the way a normal human would? What he’s doing is merely affecting what he sees as the appropriate action in the moment, and that is horribly unsettling. Voldemort is a monster who no longer knows how to act like the man he once was.

Final Fate: If there’s one thing the movie does far better than the book, it’s give a satisfying end to Voldemort. After a long, intense duel, Harry is finally able to backfire his own spell on him and cause Voldemort to crumble into ash, with Lily’s leitmotif playing as if to subtly indicate that one again the love of Harry’s mother has helped destroy the Dark Lord. It’s really beatiful and poetic, and far better than Harry casting a single Expelliarmus and ragdolling Voldemort.

Best Scene: As lackluster and messy as Goblet of Fire is, one thing Is for sure: they did not drop the ball on having Voldemort take the stage. The Dark Lord’s rebirth, taunting and tormenting of Harry, and first proper duel with The Boy Who Lived, all as Harry desperately struggles to grab the Triwizard Cup and Cedric’s corpse so he can return are some of the most fantastic moments in the franchise and certainly help Voldemort live up to all of the hype.

Best Quote: Behold! A philosophy as delusional and insane as Thanos’, and no less quotable: “There is no good and evil. There is only power, and those too weak to seek it.”

Final Thoughts & Score: Voldemort seems like a very mixed bag, but ultimately I do think he manages to live up to the book version in his own way. While I do bemoan the lack of complexity the movie version has, he makes up for it with sheer bombast, just the sort of hammy evil I love to see in fantasy villains. Fiennes’ performance really does wonders, what with all of the odd mannerisms, inflections, and odd vocal choices he gives him.

And it’s not like the complexity is entirely gone, either; even watered down, Voldemort is still Voldemort, and the core concept – that he is a monster made from a lack of love and who can never experience love, and thus can only be defeated by love – is still established fairly well and utilized in key areas, such as the climax of the first film, his resurrection in the fourth film, and of course his ultimate defeat in the eighth. You could also make arguments for love helping defeat him in the second movie, with Harry’s blossoming love for Ginny bursting forth to allow him to slay the basilisk and destroy the journal… though even I’ll admit that one’s a bit of a stretch.

I think that movie Voldemort gets a high 9/10, almost a perfect score but I think that leaving out bits and pieces from the book that help flesh him out holds him back just a little bit. He is otherwise a fantastically performed and utterly terrifying villain, one of the best of our time, and certainly the gold standard to which all other evil wizards ought to be held to.

#Psycho Analysis #Lord Voldemort #Voldemort #Tom Riddle #Harry Potter #j. k. rowling

[muchadoloo]

Hold Me By the Heart: A Peek Into the Story

Hold Me By the Heart by: muchadoloo

Description:

It was Cara who unwittingly laid it out for him.

“You hand the kid off a lot.”

The comment didn’t seem antagonistic, just thoughtful. Something about him must have screamed confusion because Cara, ever-so-observant, continued.

“Like I said, it could be a loose lead…I didn’t think it mattered at the time, just an observation. But it must be a lot on the kid, not knowing who wants him or where he belongs.” She shrugged and sipped her canteen. “Don’t get me wrong, I get it. That kid’s got a bounty over his head. Someone’s gotta protect the little guy. You can’t just stay in one place. Hell, you can barely hold him for long. I just figured the constant movement… Must be a lot.”

Din felt like someone had doused him in cold water.

———–

Or, the story where the child has separation anxiety and, go figure, refuses to be separated from Din.

Inside the Story: An Extensive Analysis

The Beginning

I started writing Hold Me By the Heart after finishing the Disney+ series. Though I absolutely adored the show, the characters, and the cinematography work, I kept questioning the developmental psychology and realism regarding Din’s relationship to the child. The more I watched the show, the more I noticed how often Din left the kid on the ship, asked a random bartender to watch him (only for the kid to wander outside with his bone broth in chapter four), gave him to other people, and rarely held the kid for a long period of time. Though I understood Din’s choices (e.g. as a bounty-hunter and Mandalorian tasked with protecting the child, there isn’t much time for nurturing), I began to wonder how Din’s way of life, the kid’s past, and both of their developmental stages would/could clash or deepen their characters? Thus, Hold Me By the Heart was born.

The Process of Writing Din Djarin

I rewatched The Mandalorian at least ten times (maybe more?) and I found myself fascinated with Din Djarin as a character. Though there is much about himself that he hides from others, there is even more that Din hides from himself. In particular, his emotional state, desires, and wants. It’s my belief that humans, more often than not, are not just their rational brains or cognitive make-up (thank you, Enlightenment). Though we’d like to think we’re purely rational creatures, I believe we’re, more often than not, directed by our loves and desires. Basically, we all have a chief love or desire that directs our hearts unconsciously. In literary or character-development terms, this is what experts call ‘the motivation’ or ‘the character’s goal.’ In every story, a character has some goal that’s motivating them throughout the storyline. What’s fascinating about Disney+’s The Mandalorian is that Din’s ‘hero’s journey’ is constantly shifting and as such, so are his desires. At first, Din is motivated by base needs (Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs) such as: food, fuel for the ship, security, etc. Basically, he’s just trying to survive. However, the introduction of the child literally reshapes and changes his desires and motivations. Now, as a side note, Din’s morality is insanely grey and his understanding of ‘what’s right’ in a situation changes based on the situation, rather than a strictly moral code. Thus, Din doesn’t really bat an eyelash when he breaks the Guild Code. Actually, he first begins to diverge from the Code when he asks the Imperial Client, “What are you going to do with it?” He’s never asked that question before — no one does. Thus, this moment shows us how his moral compass is altering, but alas — I digress.

In a story, the main protagonist’s desire is almost tied to their greatest fear. For instance, Din clearly loves the child and is attached to him (desire), but he’s also terrified of what he’s feeling. He doesn’t know how to be a father or be attached to anyone. Moreover, before the child, I doubt Din ever had to examine his emotions or desires closely. However, the child’s distress and separation anxiety trigger’s Din’s own anxiety. Here, is one area where Din isn’t competent: fatherhood. Din can barely take care of himself and now, he’s tasked with caring for a child. Thus, in Hold Me By the Heart, Din vacillates between keeping the kid at a respective distance and nurturing the child. The kid’s presence reminds him of the internal change and revolution Din is going through. In the story, Din’s desire to keep some distance (or, to put it better, not get too attached) has less to do with the child and more to do with Din’s own feelings. It’s easier to push something or someone away than deal with how their presence is changing you as a person. 

 When I began writing Hold Me By the Heart, I really wanted to capture Din’s character well (I’m sure there’s glaring flaws though). More than anything, though, I wanted to put his chief desires on display — his relationship and growing attachment with the child. As the series shows, Din rarely (and I mean, rarely) explains, names, or even presses into his feelings. Rather, his emotions seem to surprise him often (case study: his sorrow over the droid’s self-sacrifice). Din’s emotional world is not only foreign to him, he’s also unaware of how often his emotions seep out through his actions. Thus, I wanted to capture this behavior in the story. For instance, Din rarely names his love for the child. Rather, other people have to name it for him and it’s almost like an eureka moment for him like, “Oh, so that’s what I’m feeling!” When someone else names it, he never corrects them. Now, just for the record, Din isn’t emotionally incompetent or dumb. He’s just never needed to assess his internal world. He was raised in a strict warrior culture that focuses on strength and physical capability. The internal values (e.g. courage, bravery, honor) of the Mandalorian system is defined by their physical expressions of said values. In other words, they show what they value, rather than spend time assessing it. Moreover, their values are inextricably tied to their role as warriors. A Mandaloran shows that they are courageous through battle. Thus, Din is extremely action-oriented and active. He isn’t a static character, but rather, he’s always on the move.

Thus, I wanted to strike a tension between Din’s Mandalorian upbringing and the demands of parenthood. Because Din operates on Maslow’s lower base needs, he rarely thinks about higher ones such as: self-actualization, emotional health, etc. His context shapes him to focus heavily on survival. So, when the kid is placed in his care, Din focuses on the base needs. He makes sure the child has a comfortable place to sleep; he feeds the kid. He keeps the baby safe. Unfortunately, with the presence of the child’s separation anxiety, Din realizes that the child needs more. The kid demands the full involvement of an engaged physically and emotionally present adult. 

The Process of Writing the Child

One of the things I realized about the Disney+ series is how often the series showcases fluff between the child and Din. The fluff is so good and needed, but unfortunately, the show fails to portray the difficult realities of adoption, attachment, and development. In the series, the child is a source of innocence and cuteness in, an otherwise, violent context. Though his innocence is endearing and warrants so many heart-eyes from me, I think the child needs more nuance. The babe can eat frogs and throw a fit when Din attempts to leave. He can suck on the metal ball from the ship and have nightmares. He can be Force-sensitive and still operate as a baby would. In other words, all of us —including the cutest of children— are products of complicated stories and live in complicated narratives. Moreover, adoption isn’t as easy as — “here, I have a working ship and some (constantly depleting) money. I can protect you from danger and, since you’re just a baby, you’ll be happy and grow up healthy.” Rather, adoptees have rich and complicated stories that they lived into (and still live into) prior to their adoption. As a writer and psychology nut, I really want to face these realities head on. In Hold Me By the Heart, the child struggles with separation anxiety, abandonment issues, and object permanence. The presence of the issues are not meant to be some weird fetish of sorts or act as entertainment factors for readers. Rather, the kid’s issues are real, present struggles that impact his development. So I really wanted to contrast the child’s innocence with his trauma and, by doing, articulate that both realities CAN exist in one person. 

Moreover, I’ve grown more and more curious about the child’s origin story. Though the babe could have been born into a loving family and was simply taken away (and that’s trauma too), I truly believe the kid has more experiences of being stolen over and over again by random hunters. This reality creates an attachment insecurity, primarily because the child doesn’t know who his consistent guardian is. Moreover, as a baby needing care, he doesn’t know who he can rely on to care for him. 

A Brief Word About the Plot

Originally, I’d planned to contain the story to four elongated chapters (like a short story). However, the more I wrote, the more I realized how impossible it is to write about the complexities of separation anxiety and wrap up such a story in four chapters. To do so, for me, would result in a rushed or under-developed storyline. Thus, the story, as of now, keeps expanding. 

Moreover, I realized that for Din to grow as a human being and a father, he needed to brush shoulders with other people for more than 10 minutes. As a character, Din is so zeroed-in on his goals, he doesn’t really see people (at least, enough to get an inch-deep into their stories). However, knowing that Din would never stay in one place for long of his own volition, I needed to throw a wrench in his plans. Hence, his injuries and the ship’s damages. Though Din would definitely push through an injury, if his ship were trashed, even he’d recognize he couldn’t go anywhere. Hence, the chapter where he drops into Dantooine (and Maisy’s turnip garden). 

Now, before I wrap this up (if you’re still reading, God bless you; you’re a literal saint), one last word about the presence of OCs in the story. Many readers have commented on the nature of the OCs in many fanfics and how, usually, they’re not a welcome addition (same, honey, sameee). Thankfully, a lot of y’all actually seem to like the OCs in Hold Me by the Heart, which is incredible. Here’s my two cents and promise as a writer — I do not believe in filler OCs or OCs that do not enhance the main plot. Period. I honestly believe you can smell a filler OC (or, one that takes the focus away from the main story) from a mile away. In Hold Me by the Heart, I really try to be careful to keep the main thing the main thing, which is Din and the baby’s relationship (I mean, that’s what we’re here for). So, usually when the OCs are in a scene (and, let’s say, the child isn’t present), I try to keep the focus on Din and the kid’s relationship even then. Though Din definitely needs to interact with others to learn more about being a parent, I never want those interactions to take away from the main paring. We’re here for papa Din and baby-bean, so let’s keep them as the focus.

A Note for the Fans

I’ve had the immense privilege of chatting with many of you through AO3 in the comments section, and I cannot stress my thanks enough. You all are, no lie, THE REASON this story has continued. I just had a small idea for a fanfic, but y’all believed in it. Honestly, I’ve only written four chapters (as of now) and y’all have showered the story with kindness and love. Your belief in the story and profuse compliments have meant the world. Please continue commenting and I hope to keep responding. I love interacting with y’all and gleaning from your analyses. 

Thanks for all of your support!

XOXO 

#ao3 #the mandalorian #holdmebytheheart #hold me by the heart #din djarin #baby yoda #the child #fanfic #mandalorian fanfiction #fanfiction #what are these tags #mando #pedro pascal #star wars #mandalorian fanfic

[cmhoughton]

Here is the text since I want folks to read this list without dealing with the paywall (although you have to read the article to get the source links at the end of the piece):

What Happened When a Trump Supporter Challenged Me About the Wall

I explained exactly why a wall won’t work, using conservative sources to prove it

Dec 27, 2018

A conservative challenged liberal Facebook friends to “make a case, not based on emotion” against Trump’s wall. Conservative buddies flooded his post with snide remarks about how this would be impossible for “deluded libs.”

“Okay, I’ll play,” I responded. To avoid being accused of bias, I explained that I would use only conservative sources to make my point. My primary source was a policy paper by the Cato Institute—a conservative, libertarian think tank—along with other conservative voices (listed below).

Here’s why I’m against the wall, I wrote:

1. Walls don’t work. Illegal immigrants have tunneled underneath and/or erected ramps up and down walls and simply driven over them. People find a way. When East Germany erected its wall, it created a military zone, staffed by booted, machine-gun carrying guards ready to shoot to kill. Yet thousands managed to make it to West Germany anyway. More to the point, do we really want to model ourselves after communist East Germany?

2. Most illegal immigrants are “overstayers.” They come to the U.S. legally—for vacations, jobs, schools, etc.—and then stay long past their visas. By 2012, overstayers accounted for 58 percent (the majority) of all unauthorized immigrants. A wall is meaningless here.

3. Walls have little impact on drugs being brought in to the U.S. According to the DEA, almost all drugs come in through legal points of entry, hidden in secret containers and/or among legit goods in tractor-trailers. A wall will have little to no impact on the influx of drugs into our country.

4. It’s environmentally impractical. Walls have a hard time making it through extreme weather. For example, in 2011, a flood in Arizona washed away 40 feet of steel fencing. Torrential rains and raging waters do serious damage. Also, conservative sources generally do not address the environmental harm that walls create, but there is plenty of documentation showing the potential for irreparable damage to both plant and animal life.

5. A wall would force the U.S. government to take land from private citizens in eminent domain battles. Private citizens own much of the land slated for the wall. The costs of the government snatching private land—and the legal battles that would ensue—are incalculable.

6. Border patrol agents don’t like concrete or steel walls because they block surveillance capabilities. In other words, they can’t mobilize correctly to meet challenges. So, in many ways, a wall makes their job more difficult.

7. Border patrol agents say walls are “meaningless” without agents and technology to support them. Are we prepared to pour countless billions annually—well after the wall is built—to create a nearly 2,000-mile militarized, 24-hour-surveillance border operation? Because according to patrol agents, that’s the only way a wall would work. Again, are we really going to use East Germany, a brutal communist state, as our model here?

Are we seriously going to model ourselves on East Germany and their wall?

8. Where barriers were built, there was little impact on the number of border crossers. According to the Congressional Research Center cited in the Cato report, after San Diego rebuilt a fence making it more wall-like—taller and more opaque—the structure “did not have a discernible impact on the influx of unauthorized aliens coming across the border” in the area. They simply came in elsewhere, primarily where natural barriers such as water or mountainous regions preclude a wall.

9. A wall has unintended consequences on other industries: For example, it blocks farmworkers from exiting when their invaluable seasonal work is done. Farmers are against the wall because it makes getting cheap seasonal labor almost impossible, as few American citizens want those jobs. And if seasonal workers do get in, a wall makes it harder for them to leave. It traps migrant farm laborers in our country.

10. Trump’s $5 billion is a laughable drop in the bucket for what would actually be needed. For example, according to the Cato Institute: An estimate for a border wall area that only covered 700 miles was originally $1.2 billion. How much did it cost in reality? $7 billion. And that’s only for 700 miles. Whatever we think it’s going to cost, experience shows us we must multiply it by more than 500 percent.

11. According to MIT engineers, the wall would cost $31.2 billion. Homeland Security estimates it at $22 billion. Given the pattern of spending mentioned in number 10 (plus Murphy’s Law), we’re talking about pouring endless billions into something that doesn’t even work. Of course, we taxpayers will be footing the bill, not Mexico. Given all the drawbacks, is this really the best use of our taxes?

As the conservatives of the Cato Institute put it, “President Trump’s wall would be a mammoth expenditure that would have little impact on illegal immigration.” It would also create many “direct harms,” including “the spending, the taxes, the eminent domain abuse, and the decrease in immigrant’s freedoms of movement.”

We must add, because conservative sources do not, that the environmental harms are likely to be severe.

In other words, the facts show that walls don’t work. Instead, they create even bigger, more expensive problems.

So what happened after I posted this conservative-sourced, fact-based list of why the wall is a bad idea?

Silence.

I waited for someone to respond, to engage with me. Where were the angry defenses or rebuttals? But when I searched for the post after a few days, I couldn’t find it.

My Facebook friend had deleted it. You could say, like Trump with the government, he shut me down rather than deal with the facts.

The ugly genius of Trump is his ability to manipulate deep, primal emotions—namely fear and hate. Along with Fox News, he has convinced his base that immigrants put them in “extreme danger” and only a wall will make them “safe.”

Unfortunately, their need to feel safe is much stronger than their will to grapple with a complex, multifaceted problem—a problem that will require serious engagement with complex policies to get at the root of it.

And so, here we are, paralyzed by shutdowns at every turn.

#reblog #walls don't work #idiot in chief #donald trump

[irisbleufic]

If you don't mind me asking, how did you end up converting to Judaism? Like, how do you go to a synagogue and ask about it? I've been curious about converting myself, or at least learning more about Judaism, but I'm autistic and I avoid situations where I don't know how to act or what to do, plus there isn't really any significant Jewish population where I live. Any advice would be appreciated.

It wasn’t by any means a fast process for me, that’s the first thing to know.  I spent a good two years regularly attending friends’ Passover seders and the occasional service, as well as exhaustively reconnecting with the non-practicing Jewish heritage on one side of my family, before deciding that conversion (both for my own sake and to be recognized in the community) was the route I wanted to take.  Those couple years were while I still lived back on the East Coast, and by the time I moved to the Southwest, I’d reached the point where my Reform chosen family (consisting very much of @pelagielladesigns, @idapea, and some other lovely folks) were super supportive and just generally put my fears to rest.  

Installed in my new city, I looked up the local Reform temple and saw that, how fortuitous, they had Conversion Classes starting in only a couple of months’ time.  I signed up and attended every session over a six-month period.  I started going to Shabbat services at least every other week (unfortunately, the bus system here doesn’t easily connect home with synagogue, so it’s expensive for me to get there via Lyft and Uber; otherwise, I’d turn up every week, because I love services here) and as many services as I was able during High Holy Days.  A month after the course ended, I set up a series of several conversations with my rabbi (which included writing essays in response to prompts, yes) that would function as my beit din.  I passed.  Two months after that, I went to the mikvah with the cantor and two witnesses, and that was that.  Choosing a Hebrew name was especially powerful.

So, now that I’ve described the blow-by-blow, here’s the thing: I’m autistic like you are, but when it comes to approaching strangers for things I wish to pursue, I’m on the more fearless side.  Classroom and ritual-oriented settings scare me less than straight-up social ones, so this process was actually something I enjoyed pretty much every step of the way.  In your case, I can see where it will be trickier; a lot of interaction with others is required.  Most synagogues/temples will, indeed, have you take a Conversion Class, and if they do not offer one, it will be one-on-one study with the rabbi, cantor, and members of the community.  I can’t speak for some of the other movements, but every Reform temple I’ve ever set foot in has been an amazingly welcoming place.  If you want interaction, there’s plenty; if you want to remain more self-contained and contemplative, that’s fine, too.  But there will be people around, and lots of them.  That is generally the nature of community worship.

The best first step for you, I think, will be to find out how many synagogues are in your area and what movements they’re part of.  Do some reading on the primary movements you’re likely to encounter: Conservative, Reform, Renewal, Reconstructionist, Orthodox, etc.  I’m likely missing a few.  In my area, I could choose from Conservative, Reform, and Renewal.  Once you’ve decided which local congregation looks like the best fit, call or email the rabbi to explain your situation.  I have never met a rabbi, at least not so far, that wasn’t happy to take into account accommodations for disability and a student’s particular pace.  But I have a very awesome rabbi; I hope you will, too.

As with any complex decision, this is an extremely personal process.  I examined my reasons for quite a while (hence those two years of more casual, social engagement with Reform), as I wanted to make sure it was really something I both wanted and needed to do.  It might help you to attend services at a couple of different places first; it could be that you’ll feel more drawn to a specific congregation than to its movement.

If you have any more questions as you go, feel free to ask.  Mazel tov, my friend.

#judaism #jumblr #jewish conversion #autism spectrum #your stewardess

[shipwreckseemssweet]

10 Figure Skating programs I love

With the FS off-season--and all related drama revelations--in full bloom, what better time to look back on beloved programs new and old.

Here are ten outstanding pieces (singles disciplines only) from the last couple of seasons that I managed to find online. I feel a bit guilty about not having put in Marin’s Romeo & Juliet. :(

10. Wakaba Higuchi - Skyfall (FS)

The best FS performance of the 2018 Worlds! I must admit I wasn’t a big Wakaba fan until this season. In my prejudiced view, I considered her too rough around the edges. Then she rolled out this season’s programs and I was sold. What’s more, she owned her FS - a mix of Bond music including Adele’s Skyfall - more than any other of her competitors. From her sleek dress to her cool final spin, Wakaba makes a case for a Bond girl movie starring her. And if her electrifying performance is any indication, it’ll be one to remember. The choreography unleashes all her power while funneling it in purposeful and creative ways, never letting the tension disperse. The crazy fast 3Lz3T may be her main weapon, but it’s the step sequence that steals the show.

9. Patrick Chan - Dear Prudence/Blackbird (SP)

I couldn’t skip over Patrick, our newly retired King of Skating Skills. Dear Prudence/Blackbird by The Beatles signaled his last great season and a return to form. A very good return, despite his jump ailments. If anyone can measure up to 60s pop rock, it’s Patrick with his effortless, flowing, confident skating. His classic elegance and somewhat old-fashion charm seem to recall a bygone idyllic spring. These are songs about inner awakening and struggles; about finding a place you belong. They seem to reflect Parick’s journey to reinvent himself. At the same time, Dear Prudence is about the beauty of nature: "The sun is up, the sky is blue, it's beautiful,” and it’s the pure feeling of connection to the music that stays with you.

8. Javier Fernandez -  Malagueña (SP)

Another great skater on his way out. Coming into Helsinki as the defending World champion, Javier managed to skate this short program cleanly in its two-quad glory. For me this is his finest, most sophisticated SP to date. (I welcome the absence of comical elements.) Certain programs can only be performed to their fullest potential when given another season to grow, and Malagueña is a perfect example. It’s all about getting into character, making every movement count. Obviously, having Javier perform the flamenco - choreographed by a Spanish ballet director - and go the extra mile on every element really adds to the authenticity of the program. His effortless skating is just a rung below Patrick and Yuzuru. This is what an energetic and mesmerizing skate looks like!

7. Mao Asada - Ritual Fire Dance (SP/FS)

If Mao can’t make you love figure skating nobody can. All my favorite skaters use their bodies as silent musical instruments and Mao is the leader of the pack. Her musicality, arm movements, footwork, versatility, attention to choreography and emotional projection are absolutely unmatched. In what turned out to be her swan song, all her best qualities shine through. Portraying a mysterious black bird, Mao transformed the piano version of Manuel de Falla’s ballet with her charismatic, soft interpretation. Every step and turn, every detail of the performance appears uninhibited yet polished. She has reached a level of fluidity and complexity where jump errors no longer detract from the overall quality. Also, I love the ponytail.

6. Boyang Jin - Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (SP)

Boyang is one of my recent favs despite there being room for growth in his skating and other components. Beyond the excitement of watching a young skater evolve, I think he has great potential in every area and will just get better with time. His jumps are already prodigious, his performances iconic. Underlying this program is the idea to present a more complete (and serious) version of B for the Olympic season as well as blend in Chinese elements. Unfortunately I don’t think he got the recognition he deserved. Infused with the right mix of composure and energy, this is an atmospheric character-based program that wonderfully shows his refinements in interpretation and control of edges. That step sequence is *fire*.

5. Carolina Kostner - Ne Me Quitte Pas (SP)

A very sophisticated and adaptable lady. At 31 and having lived through many system changes, Caro brings new meaning to the word “veteran” in singles skating. She first hopped under the spotlight with her stunning jumps, but stayed on the stage until today thanks to her masterful skating prowess and evolving artistic “voice”. Her effortless glide and changes of speed/direction are done on the deepest of edges; her arms move like a painter’s brush. Every movement of hers is flowing, full of love for what she does. And rather than a competitive spirit, it’s the emotions and experience she brings to her performances that keep her in the sport. As Lori Nichol said, this short program allowed Caro to be the athletic and sensual woman that she is.

4. Yuzuru Hanyu - Ballade No.1 in G minor 3.0 :) (SP)

Yuzuru knows how to start off the Olympic season with a bang: breaking his own WR in his first performance at the Autumn Classic. A horifically difficult piano composition, Chopin’s Ballade No.1, with its dramatic chords, abstract motifs, dynamic rhythm and interwoven themes running from subtle to stormy, seems to fit our agile FS King like an elegant glove. Over the years, Yuzuru gave us not less than three different and perhaps equally iconic interpretations of Chopin’s favorite music. This particular one is all about the aura and intricate details. Every element is blended with the music. The final jump combo comes out of nowhere. This emotional peak then transitions into the StSq which is majestic in its smoothness; it rumbles and flows together with the fiery chords running down the keyboard. All doubts are resolved yet the mystery persists. Nothing can be added or taken away--this is perfection.

3. Satoko Miyahara - Madame Butterfly & The Planets/Princess Leia (FS)

I adore Satoko’s skating, despite her imperfections (read: jumps). The world needs skaters like her, whose elegance, musical flow, precision, and subtle presentation touch your heart. Her body lines and layback spin are gorgeous; her multidirectional skating effortless. (That reverse Walley into the Salchow!) Satoko is a strong character performer. I loved her Goddess/Princess Leia FS from 2016/17, how original the choreography was and how engaged and fast Satoko seemed. It’s such a difficult piece to skate to yet she managed to showcase different sides to her. This year’s M Butterfly was, given the circumstances, a safer skate, but her emotional projection only increased. Her showing at the JNats was the finest in that regard. Butterfly’s anguish and suicide seem to become Satoko’s own struggle with her injuries. But the piece ends with a spin to the dreamlike yearning of Un bel di vedremo, as if we’re witnessing both Butterfly and Satoko’s rebirth.

2. Kaetlyn Osmond - Edith Piaf (SP)

IMO, to her belong the two best ladies’ performances of the 2018 Olympics. With Edith Piaf Kaetlyn has finally found an iconic short program! You can tell when a skater is truly feeling the music and looking happy while on the ice, and this program has accomplished just that for K. We meet a French young lady, sauntering down the streets of Paris, wanting to be noticed by someone special. Accompanying her is the voice of Edith Piaf, who sings Sous Le Ciel de Paris and Milord. The program has it all: purposeful choreography, powerful skating, sensitive interpretation of music, ease of movement, the speed going into her huge jumps. Her outgoing character just floats up so naturally. Thanks to her charm, K could indeed give Cotillard a run for her money.

1. Yuzuru Hanyu - Hope & Legacy (FS)

During the 2017 Worlds, Max Ambesi proclaimed this as Hanyu’s best skate, and also the best skate in history. I couldn’t agree more, even if everyone has their own favs. It was an inconsistent season before Hanyu had surpassed himself to skate clean a program massive in ambition and complex in expression. It was as if he’d become an ethereal nature spirit. He was the air, wind and water contained within the melody. He made himself appear weightless and effortless on the ice, seemingly not needing any strength to execute any of the elements. A dreamlike aura surrounded him. I just love how the program highlights his natural musicality and attention to detail. My favorite part: the serene StSq followed by the 3F as the music rises.

Bonus: Alena Kostornaia - Stella’s Theme (FS)

What a talented Junior we have! In her first international season Alena has shown she has nothing to fear from the Seniors. Her charisma, skating skills, and arm movements are those of a fairy. Her jumps are spiced up with steps/transitions. Her spins sizzle with creativity. Nothing feels rushed or incomplete. I challenge anyone to watch her lyrical, immersive performances and experience “backloading” done right. :)

#figure skating #music #mao asada #yuzuru hanyu #art #kaetlyn osmond #boyang jin #wakaba higuchi

[doshmanziari]

Crown of the Ivory King is the Dark Souls Series’ Low-point

Ever since the release of Dark Souls 2′s final installment, the Crown of the Ivory King, it’s been attended by a very vocally supportive playerbase. I’ve found it baffling and, despite lurking forums and attempting to coax out explications about why the heck people think it’s so great, I’ve hardly come any closer to understanding the reception. It’s fine, I think, to shrug and say you just have a thing for snowy levels. When that’s made into more than a hyper-subjective admittance, and becomes statements which denigrate Dark Souls 2′s main material (see: comments everywhere that the DLC is supposedly a significant step up from the “B-team”’s work (note that this supposed “B-team” is an imaginary group gamers have conveniently heaped their scorn upon when they’ve found Souls-stuff to be lacking)) . . . then I get kind of annoyed.

With the Boletarian Palace, Demon’s Souls set the standard for me where fortressed layouts in the series are concerned. At the risk of seeming to treat the Boletarian Palace as a case of insuperable level design, I’m going to quote a few bits here from prior essays concerning it, and hope that it instead demonstrates that its better qualities come from reproducible design decisions:

An uncommon attention was paid to the worlds’ furnishings. One noticed, making their way through [the Boletarian Palace], that rickety palisades were erected on the grand introductory staircase, here and there a discarded carriage with maybe a horse corpse; in small, pocket-like refectories were rows of beds, and tables bearing cups, candelabras, and bowled edibles; outside of these cells were carts harboring casks of wine and buckets; or that on a long wall-walk was a somber parade of trebuchets, and adjacent to this was an attic for carts loaded with to-be-launched boulders. There was a sense that everything was in its right place, and to weave through these environments was to experience a world that innately lent itself to textured terms of engagement. Running up a series of staircases peppered by barrels full of explosive powder, and haunted by torch-wielding madmen, meant grappling with an incendiary challenge, yet the challenge was holistically ingrained in the objecthood of that world. In that way, spatial dealings, navigational or combative, acquired a flavor of believability.

Additionally, Demon’s Souls ran counter to an extant strain of design in action-adventure games that draws a distinguishing line between “combative spaces” and “non-combative spaces.” The least gratifying cases of this strain induce a monotonous awareness of compartmentalization, of there being a manner of space for fights — most often resembling an arena accommodating the spectacle of performance (God of War and its progeny come to mind) — and a manner of space for sites between fights. What made Demon’s Souls a categorical outlier was that conflict could happen anywhere; and that, when conflict did happen, the architecture supplemented it.

. . . the Boletarian Palace’s magic was that its architecture discretely realized and blended the inherent themes of defense, housing, and storage. It both came across as a convincing place (again, “convincing” or “realistic” does not mean that the subject has a 1:1 ratio with reality) and engaged the player with design permutations that took hold of the surroundings, like groups of crossbow-firing soldiers blocking the way on a bridge, or darkly spear-throwing creatures in a dim room meant for storing carriages.

Rather than a stony maze with apposite ornaments thrown in, the Boletarian Palace felt like a castle first and foremost, with encounter design that naturally tapped into its abundance of nooks, sharp angles, and verticalities.

If we’re looking at Eleum Loyce -- which can be more or less separated into a fortified area, a residential zone, and a subterranean network -- I think the pervasive problem is that practically none of it has any suggestive power. Suggestive power is a consequence of the level design per se and the clothing it wears. So when nearly all there is to see is the most spartan of stonework (and not even skillfully texture-mapped stonework) and white mounds, engaging level design is vital. Most of the interiors have been reduced to bare, non-functional cubes, and exteriors largely are bluntly laid out paths where you pick off a line of enemies one by one, sometimes including peripheral retainers. It all has the flavor of a beta zone for developmental testing, and it feels terribly wrong that perhaps the sole memorable detail is a frozen fountain early on.

Since this doesn’t really lend itself to interesting encounter design -- there is no ambiguity or mystery to the space, no way to treat it as anything other than a sequence of immediately explicable containers -- and the majority of enemies are super-sturdy soldiers coming in a few flavors, many combative interactions play out as the melee-oriented player leading an alerted bunch of foes to a chokepoint and picking them off with strong attacks. For as much as I could criticize the aesthetic fumbles of the prior two DLC installments, their layouts had definite dynamics: Shulva’s staggered array of towers (some manipulatable), and Brume Tower’s tiered floors skirting circular shafts.

They also featured neat miniature gimmicks that could be engaged to lessen the danger of a given area: destroying sarcophagi in the Dragon Sanctum to make the ghostly sanctum knights assume a corporeal, and practically pregnable, form, and collapsing Ashen Idols speckling the Tower to halt the healing and reappearance of adjacent enemies. It’s hard to really say what Loyce’s comparable gimmicks are. There are, for a while, snowy winds blasting around the fort’s exteriors, but these winds only have a remarkable effect on your range of sight in the optional (and much-hated) Frozen Outskirts (this is, in fact, one of the Outskirts’ few virtues). There are also coats of ice making certain chests inaccessible, but once they’re shattered upon talking to a Lore-Dispensing Character it simply is a matter of backtracking and opening them up in a classically obsessive-compulsive manner (more interesting would’ve been the option to melt the ice by using pyromanic spells).

What little conspicuous level design exists in Eleum Loyce does stand out on its own terms. When you come upon the abandoned residential zone, you must navigate several columned arcades, being careful about the obscured, spine-backed ice rats and, a level above, a spell-casting witchtree spirit or two. Between this triangulation of elements you’ll find yourself using the arcades for cover while also trying to not let their dense arrangement hinder your movements or attacks. It’s basic stuff, and brief, and it’s good (it gets even better when you’re invaded by a black phantom NPC) -- it works on a level beyond shoveling baddies into crates and along straight paths. You’re conscious of an architecture. Disappointing, then, to find that the knotty little complex of residences is really a paltry couple of empty boxes with a useable staircase in one. So much for expanding on that aspect of the city.

Another similarly brief moment happens later on inside a dim, high-ceilinged hall separated by three floors built of wooden planks. The first of these floors is the most interesting. On it, you’ll juggle seeking shelter from two spell-casters by emerging onto nearby balconies, and taking care of a soldier on each balcony itself before you’re ganged up on by pursuers from the hall; and once you’re back in the hall to take of whoever remains, you’ll have to mind the several holes which break up the wooden flooring and lead to deadly drops. As with many cases of fine level design in the series, it demonstrates how an engaging sense of pressure can be exerted on players by aligning simple, but not overly simple, architecture with complementary enemy positions.

Eleum Loyce has been commended for having several loop-around shortcuts that lead you back to prior locations. These commendations haven’t taken into account why this series-trope has excelled when it has excelled, though. To be sure, Eleum Loyce’s shortcuts function as any shortcut should: they expedite the process of repeat attempts at navigation and impart a sense of incremental progress. But beyond this there’s not really any epiphanic or retrospective spark to the loop-arounds. Eleum Loyce’s overall layout is so diffuse and architecturally generalized -- if you compare the two screenshots below you’ll see how visually similar the city’s explorable portions are to its unexplorable portions -- that you’re never learning about its organizational character or seeing charismatic structures reappear. You’re just opening a door or taking an elevator. And, you know, that’s fine. But it doesn’t warrant special praise.

And then there’s the unpleasant friction of the Frozen Outskirt’s conceptual strength versus its actual strength. As each DLC installment has had mechanical gimmicks (some, uh, ostensible), each has also had an optional gauntlet catering to multiplayer efforts. These have been pretty uniformly terrible -- I called Shulva’s an “utterly reduced ‘path with enemies’” -- and are solely concerned with throwing as much densely packed shit at the player(s) in the tightest possible, and least imaginatively suggestive, spaces. As I wrote in the same essay, “There is no design goal here except, ‘Swamp the player who should have assistance to divide the streams of projectiles and the soldiers' advances.’” A slight exception, the Frozen Outskirts offer the novel idea of dislocating players by having the snowdrifts oscillate between visibility and near-invisibility by way of periodic snowstorms. If this were left on its own, if the challenge were one of pure navigation -- having to find one’s bearings and using several ruinous sites as guideposts, and fighting or running away from a few hostile adventurers -- I really think the Frozen Outskirts would be great. All of this potential is squandered by tossing what essentially amount to mini-bosses at players, with no options for even the tiniest bit of cover among the stretches separating the ruins (recalling Elana’s chief design failure), and so the overall experience is demoted to that of a frustrating slog.

I think what makes Eleum Loyce the series’ low-point for me is its formal vapidness + its very positive reception. I feel bored and alienated. It’s hard to not think that people have been poisoned to believe that what is most remarkable about these games is the element of challenge. Eleum Loyce is, to me, a snubbing of everything I’ve enjoyed about exploring these games’ places. All curious details have been scrubbed out and what remains is a base obstacle course of cartoonishly themed enemies -- ice-coated soldiers, some with crystals bursting from their backs -- with the ultimate signifier of Prepare to Die challenge at the end: a bunch of knights in a huge arena protecting an even bigger knight, who epically emerges from Barad-dûr’s peak to a tritone and can make his sword be the biggest sword.

Anyway. That’s what I think. What do you think?

#dark souls 2 #eleum loyce #videogame criticism #level design

[yda2021]

Continuation of the religious faith.

Some have forgotten about the "spiral" nature of the development of any phenomena, about the duration of the process of increasing OBJECTIVE prerequisites for real LEAPS in the atheistic public consciousness. “They did not know, but they forgot” that both in the pre-Christian religions and in the "Bible" - in a mythical form, the highest achievements of historical science of that time are represented. The real facts of history and some names were turned by interested persons into mystical alogisms and put at the service of the CONSCIOUS introduction of ANOTHER religion. Anyone who has studied the history of Christianity, the "Old Testament", etc. ” Qumran finds", he can not help but notice that the numerous gospels of the "New Testament “began to be compiled long before the” birth of Christ" by people with a wide range of knowledge in matters of real history and mythology of the world. The "Notes of the Dead Sea" received the approval of interested persons and it remained only to find among the secretaries of the regional committees of the CPSU..., sorry, I misspoke, among the sons of Jewish carpenters, one who would agree and could play the role of a democrat..., sorry, I misspoke again, a prophet, a forerunner of the ideas already contained in the” Dead Sea scrolls " - the idea of equality of all people... in paradise. And such a son was found. I think that even Yeltsin, when he climbed on the tank, believed for five minutes that he was a democrat. Many still believe that Christ rose from the dead, and Yeltsin flew in a bag from the bridge into the river, and then rose from the mud, etc.

The history of religion gives reason to believe that among the professional ministers of any cults there are no individuals who truly believe in God. There is a lot of evidence that the church leadership has the scientific knowledge necessary for the successful management of the flock, finances and the entire world community. And if we look for the reason why Christianity still manages to maintain its influence on billions of people, it is solely due to the most SCIENTIFIC approach of the ministers of worship to the organization and strengthening of religious consciousness, the management of modern political systems.

That is, some people understand science, as always, as something unambiguous. And the fact that toxic and narcotic substances were synthesized and supplied to monopolistic oligarchs by SCIENCE, that SCIENCE supplied ballistic missile weapons to Hitler, that American globalism received nuclear and gene weapons from the hands of SCIENCE, these facts are not enough for some to understand that the dialectic of interaction between religion and science is much more complex than the scheme according to which religion arises by itself, out of ignorance, and science only

In fact, both the long history of feudalism and the current revanche of capitalism are based precisely on the fact that there are not only objective laws of revolution, but also objective laws of counter-revolution, learned by corrupt scientists. One of these laws is mythologization, i.e., the alogization of the consciousness of the exploited masses. And if you ask scientists whether, from the point of view of Marxism, there are means, the use of which allows you to prolong the existence of capitalism, science will answer in the affirmative and put in the first place not military means, but for example, drugs and, of course, religion.

The funny thing is that TODAY, BEFORE OUR EYES, the history books are changing dramatically. The same PROFESSORS who, as associate professors, vulgarized the era of Stalin during the Khrushchev era are working on their mythologization for a reasonable fee. A person who not only does not understand the dialectic, but also lacks the skills of conscientious analysis of modern facts that strike the eye can have before his eyes the modern impudent experience of inculcating religiosity in history textbooks and does not learn the lessons, does not understand the real dialectic of the CONTRADICTORY role of science and especially the BEARERS of scientific “mantles” in the formation and strengthening of the religious form of ignorance.

Today, the best paid minds of Western science are psychologists and mathematicians, chemists and physicists... they are working on the “construction” of new religious movements, or at least “scientific "theories on the model and likeness of the "theory of relativity", capable of performing the role of an antilog “virus”in the human mind.

I wonder what my opponents would say if they read the following lines in my article about the role of religious consciousness, i.e., abstract subjectivity, in changing the ways of production. The ancient world, I believe , which still knew nothing about the right of the subject, and whose entire worldview was essentially abstract, universal, substantial, could not, therefore, exist without slavery. The Christian-German worldview contrasted the ancient world as the main principle of abstract subjectivity and therefore-arbitrariness, withdrawal into the inner world, spiritualism; but this subjectivity, precisely because it was abstract, one-sided, had to immediately turn into its opposite, and instead of the freedom of the subject, give rise to the slavery of the subject. The abstract inner world was transformed into an abstract external form, into the humiliation and alienation of man, and the first consequence of the new principle was the restoration of slavery in another, less repulsive, but therefore more hypocritical and inhumane form, in the form of serfdom. The destruction of the feudal system, the political reformation, that is, the abolition of the feudal system. The APPARENT recognition of reason, and therefore the real consummation of unreason, has APPARENTLY destroyed serfdom, but in reality has only made it more inhumane, more universal.

Some people will say that they do not understand this and that it should be stated more simply, as in a dictionary. Some would also say that this is a vivid example of idealism. But I am saved only by the fact that these words belong to the materialist Engels, from whom I am trying to learn diamatic thinking. To the most inquisitive readers who will reach this point, I will, of course, inform them in person in which work of Engels I found these arguments, “and to you, bald...", I will not say this. Joke.

After reading Engels 'quote, which gives an extremely concise version of the description of the unity of the subjective and objective in the historical process, we will consider a brief parody of the” materialistic" approach to history in the presentation of the Podolsk criminal-theoretical group.

Once again about the relationship of science, religion and history

, or a vivid example... dullness.

Let us consider another example of how concrete historical absurdity follows from abstract-theoretical alogism. Let's give once again a familiar phrase and see what follows from it”:

“...religious obscurantism, - podolchans write, - triumphs when science stops in development or degrades.

A striking example is the Middle Ages. At this time, the development of productive forces led to the triumph of subsistence farming. If in ancient times Gaul imported wine from Italy, and Italy consumed Egyptian bread, then medieval France and Italy produced these and many other products themselves. The result was the feudal fragmentation of the advanced countries of the time and a sharp reduction in trade. Under these conditions, the degradation of science began, since the fragmented feudal possessions, unlike the large slave-owning and capitalist states, did not need the achievements of science and did not have the opportunity to pay for serious scientific work. Hence the triumph of religion, which really was a serious brake on the development of science and which was forced to gradually retreat with the development of trade and capitalist production, the formation of national states and the development of science as a consequence."

Podolchane claim-when " science stops in development”, then religion triumphs. It seems to be logical. But why does science suddenly "stop"? You'll never guess. It turns out, according to the “logic” of Podolchans, the reason for the stop and degradation of science is... “the development of the productive forces”, and the consequence of this... "the triumph of natural economy... the feudal fragmentation of the advanced countries of that time and a sharp reduction in trade”" Here is such "materialism".

According to Podolsky's "logic”, it turns out that at the time when Italy exported wine to Gaul, science developed because, firstly, wine merchants apparently paid for" serious scientific work”, and secondly, because... "the truth is in the wine”, and the export of wines, of course, in strict accordance with Podolsky" logic, is equal to the export of truths that simultaneously broke the slaveholding polytheism in the name of triumph... feudal monotheism. But what will not science do, which is well paid, and even through wine is introduced to the truth. But if you break away from feudalism and go down to market Russia, there is a small discrepancy. Russians began to drink more wine, including Italian wine, they began to trade more than to engage in production, and science is noticeably failing. Maybe it's the prevalence of natural moonshine. No one claimed that the truth was in the moonshine. But does the academic science of Erefia also stifle moonshine, in which instead of the truth there are only degrees?

From the Podolsky "logic" follows a rather blasphemous conclusion that the unprecedented and invaluable contribution that Marx, Engels, Lenini, Stalin, Frunze, Makarenko made to the development of social sciences, to the denunciation of obscurantism, they made... for good "money" and thanks to the developed wine trade.

Here is what a " fun " story turns out for Podolchans. The development of productive forces led to the triumph of subsistence farming, and the economic system is called, nevertheless, feudalism, which means the presence of large dynastic landholdings. And where could feudal fragmentation come from, if not as a result of the collapse of the Frankish Empire? And how many centuries was the empire of the Franks formed on the territory significantly exceeding the former Western Roman Empire? And how and to what extent were the fiefdoms to grow in the Frankish empire, so that their owners gradually became independent states and for many centuries defended their sovereignty by FORCE? Over these “little things” podolchane do not think.

The methodological error of Podolchans is that they cut historical time segments in accordance with the theory of relativity, i.e., as the observer pleases. If they are nearsighted, they will generalize on the historical material of a five-minute length, and if they are farsighted, they will sketch a year or two. If they want to, they will limit themselves to the history of Podolsk, and it will be profitable to add Italy, Gaul and Egypt.

They do not know that Marx discovered for them a formative approach to understanding the history of mankind, which allows them not to get lost in the” three pines " of historical incidents, but to distinguish the typical, essential, without separating the basis from the superstructure, and the superstructure from the basis, and progress from the class struggle, so that they can consider the formation not in separate pieces, focusing only on “facts” that are convenient for manipulation, but to comprehend the formation IN ITS INTEGRITY and THE STRUGGLE of OPPOSITES.

You can study a human embryo all day, but with it you will not understand anything in the history of mankind.

The people of Podolsk hid from themselves that the collapse of the Roman Empire did not happen in the same way as in the case of Egypt, Assyria, Urartu, etc. There, the decline and demise of a particular country was not accompanied by the demise of slavery itself. The collapse of the Roman Empire is the last act in the history of classical slavery. The Roman Empire collapsed under the influence of internal and external nascent FEUDALISM, which arose, first of all, in those regions where, during all the previous centuries of slavery, the tribal system and the natural way of farming prevailed, but where the productive forces were already practically not inferior to the productive forces of the Roman Empire, and the quality and quantity of products produced was sufficient to organize mass campaigns of superior forces of "barbarians" on Rome.

Having assimilated the latest achievements of slaveholding-Christian Rome in the development of productive forces, achievements in the basis and superstructure, the” barbaric " suburbs of Rome, BYPASSING SLAVERY, entered the stage of feudalism, ensuring the priority of large-scale feudal land ownership over the islands of natural economy, erecting THROUGHOUT Europe a mass of large cities, some of which were not inferior to Rome, with an unprecedented development of crafts, which led in the relatively near future to the emergence of capitalism.

The dialectic consists in the fact that the CONSCIOUS spread of Christianity played a decisive subjective role not only in the collapse of the Roman Empire, but, above all, in the formation of feudalism. The saints perfectly understood how to use the growth of productive forces to their advantage, and, unlike the feudal lords, the Vatican, during the feudal feuds, for many centuries had a WORLDWIDE influence and untold, at that time, treasures.

If we compare the totality of the achievements of slavery as a formation in the fields of science, technology, art, architecture, politics, diplomacy, international relations, and military affairs with the achievements of feudalism as a formation, taking into account that the history of feudalism (by time) in the” shorter " history of slavery, the superiority of feudalism over slavery will become obvious, and this can be explained from a scientific point of view only by one thing - the superiority of the feudal productive forces over the slave-owning ones. Moreover, if we compare the scale of the feudal imperialism of the Mughals, Genghisids, Portugal, Spain, England, France, and Russia, the comparison will not be in favor of the scale of the imperialism of slave-owning Egypt or Rome.

So, dear readers, if we approach history dialectically, and not curpuscularly and not relativistically, i.e., consider the phenomenon in the inseparable unity of all the elements of its content from the first qualitative leap in development to the “last", and not tear out individual pieces from history and speculate on particulars, the development of productive forces cannot lead to a” rollback " of history. It is another matter that in the eyes of the bourgeoisie, who cannot see beyond their own noses, any deviation from the bourgeois criteria of well-being, and even more so the need to work productively personally, means regression. From the Marxist point of view, the development of the productive forces of society, if we understand what it is, is synonymous with real progress in all areas.

"The dead don't bite.”

To simplify the process of ideological defeat of their opponent, Podolchans, like Morozov, sew me an obviously "firing squad article", as the Trotskyists did in relation to their opponents in the 30s. Podolchane know that the dead do not polemicize, and therefore write: "Just racism smacks of the statement:" The modern life of the tribes of the jungles of Africa, the deserts of Australia, the jungle of Brazil, etc. proves that they are practically unknown to creative thinking."And then, as in the anecdote, in which an ensign who got" trapped” explains to a young soldier that crocodiles, of course, fly “ " but nyzenko-nyzenko”. "Of course," the Podolchans write, " they [primitive people, V. P.] do not know dialectical materialism - their knowledge is too small. However, by surviving in their habitats with the tools they possess, these tribes demonstrate the ability to solve non-standard problems, thus showing creative thinking." What is their unconventionality and creativity in the conditions of the struggle for survival, podolchane do not report. Apparently, they are afraid that there will not be enough paper for a full description.

Meanwhile, the term “survival " means just such a way of life of these tribes in the twenty-first century, which does not even allow them to take a breath, and all the time of life is spent by these people only to prepare themselves for the next round of struggle for the very fact of existence, as most of the population of the former USSR, located beyond the Urals, in Asia, the Baltic States, the Caucasus and Ukraine, has to do. The microminiature of creative thinking in the Neolithic era is confirmed by the fact that some tribes of Australia, Asia, America, and Africa have NOT CHANGED their set of tools OVER the PAST TENS of THOUSANDS OF YEARS, and in the third millennium AD they walk with the same stone axes and spears that their ancestors walked with in the third millennium BC. What kind of real creative thinking can we talk about?

For the sake of truth, it should be said that not only asceticism, but also material excesses do not contribute to the development of the thinking of people of the early Neolithic. The availability of food in some climatic zones of the Earth makes it unnecessary to think creatively, and tribes living in naturally fertile conditions devote most of their time... sleep and digestion of food. The absence of dialectical materialism in their minds with a full stomach excluded the creative work of thought. For the narrowness of their worldview, for laziness of mind, for ignorance of the political map of the world, many peoples of Africa had to pay for several hundred years of slave trade and exorbitant exhausting labor on galleys and American plantations.

But the guilty conscience of Podolchans pushed them to direct deception of readers. They try to hide that following the words: "The modern life of the tribes of the jungles of Africa, the deserts of Australia, the selva of Brazil, etc., proves that they are practically ignorant of creative thinking."But, as practice has shown, in the twentieth century there is no knowledge that a young man could not master, as a child taken from a primitive tribe and placed in a modern educational institution. the brain of any physiologically healthy native is quite suitable for the assimilation of modern knowledge, but it is as if preserved by the social conditions of the tribe, deprived of the information necessary for the emergence of creative, innovative thinking." Where is the hint of racism here? Even the enemy of the people, the Trotskyist Yagoda, who sent many true communists to be shot at the false denunciation of the Trotskyists, would read this phrase and say with chagrin: "The informers have overdone it. You can't “kill " racism here.

Against the background of obvious denunciation, Podolsky shyness looks funny. Quoting me, they write “ " It's just inconvenient to read such lines: "For tens of thousands of years, humanity has not improved the means of production, since the product produced satisfied their current interests.”. And "explain how to understand the history of primitive tribes:" Humanity has continuously improved the means of production. In the tens of thousands of years preceding the formation of a class society, humanity separated itself from the animal world, and then moved from hunting, fishing and gathering to agriculture and cattle breeding, In the course of which man overcame the fear of fire and learned to use it; learned to make weapons for hunting and build a home; from wild plants, he bred cultural and tamed many types of animals; discovered the production of metal from stone. All this required a great effort of the mind. And the person was driven by interest. First, he wanted to protect himself from dangerous animals, and then create a stable food base. We can only talk about slow development."

Indeed, only some tens of thousands of years with an axe of the same “style”. Ie again podolchan crocodiles fly, only "nyzenko-nyzenko". “But this was due to the fact, "my refuters repeat after me," that the struggle for existence did not leave primitive society free time to study nature and isolate researchers from their environment, freed from productive labor. That is why class societies developed faster than primitive societies." Who's arguing with that?

The reader remembers that in the paragraph above, the Podolchans claimed that the” struggle for survival "of primitive tribes is full of non-standard creative thinking, and a few lines below, they also write that" the struggle for existence does not leave“, it turns out, the primitive man” free time " for the development of research, i.e. creative qualities in the individual. That's what I wanted to prove in my work, what Podolchans argue with and... immediately agree with. Only the given twists of the “logic” of Podolchans are called not dialectical, but UNPRINCIPLED and UNSCRUPULOUS.

But that's not all. Marxism, as is well known, proceeds from the fact that "productive labor” is an indispensable condition for the transformation of an ape into a man, and Podolchans claim that" class societies developed faster than primitive ones " because they had people “free from productive labor”. Apparently podolchane mean the high development of feudal lords, priests, officials, hired soldiers, ladies of the demimonde, etc.

Podolchane did not learn the teachings of the classics of Marxism about productive labor. But this topic is too broad and it is impossible to " cram” it into this brochure without removing the dialectical content from it. Here it is sufficient to say that the labor of the slave, productive for the slave owner, for the slave himself means only a deduction from the time of his life and an irrevocable loss of calories, that the labor of the proletarian, productive for the capitalist, for the proletarian himself also means only a deduction from the time of his life and an irrevocable loss of calories. To say that it is possible to be a researcher and to be free from productive labor is to sign a complete misunderstanding of the teachings of Marxism on the question of mental and physical labor. Podolsk residents forgot that both mental and physical labor can be productive, that mental labor plays a CRUCIAL role in increasing the productivity of physical labor. Podolsk residents do not know that “FORCED” and “UNPRODUCTIVE” work has a depressing effect on the creative personality, and “productive” work is a source of satisfaction of the needs of a healthy person, a condition for the formation of new needs and prerequisites for their satisfaction.

Considering the development of primitive society, Podolsk residents, as always, forgot to take into account the law of the abrupt development of the formation. Meanwhile, having made a creative leap in the process of isolation from the animal world (walking upright, using man-made tools, speech, musical instruments, rock paintings, weaving), primitive tribes objectively plunged into routine FOR THOUSANDS of YEARS. The improvement of tools and the accumulation of knowledge about the capabilities of man was so slow that for THOUSANDS of YEARS the captive man was preferred to literally EAT, rather than grow cereals with his help, make skins, cut stones, etc. Having created new tools and found a more rational way to use the captive people, their owners got free time for creative, productive work for THEMSELVES, i.e. they began to invent more and more grandiose slave-owning structures for the slaves. as soon as people accidentally learned, as the Podolchans write, “to extract metal from stone”, there was a leap in the development of tools, and the primitive eating of free labor stopped. There was another tragic leap in the development of the productive forces of society.

Podolchans do not know that each formation includes in its composition one or several LEAPS in development, interspersed with EPOCHS of routine, i.e., relatively slow, and sometimes incredibly slow accumulation of quantitative material for the next qualitative leap, and, moreover, far from unambiguous, namely dialectical. However, in the end, the component "curve” of these jumps is an ascending "sinusoid", abundantly watered with the blood of people who refuse to study dialectics in a real way.

Interest and science.

"One cannot agree," the Podolchans write , " that interest interferes with conscientious scientific thinking. On the contrary, the class interest of the proletariat did not interfere with Marx's conscientious scientific thinking. The interests of the advanced classes are a necessary condition for the development of production. And the acceleration of production leads to the development of science. The discovery of the heliocentric system was a consequence of the Great Geographical Discoveries and the need for orientation in the ocean. And the Great Geographical Discoveries were the result of commercial interests.

The development of machine production during the formation of capitalism led to the discovery of the laws of mechanics. The English bourgeois revolution was accompanied by the appearance of Newton. And the Great French Revolution caused the appearance of a galaxy of brilliant scientists (Carnot, Laplace, etc.). Industrialization, carried out in the interests of the working class of the Soviet Union, led to an unprecedented rise in Soviet science.

In the end, the actions of the most disinterested people, such as Spartacus, Giordano Bruno, Marat, the Decembrists and the classics of Marxism-Leninism, were driven by interests. The interests of the oppressed or advanced classes.

Another thing is that the interests of the reactionary classes and the declassified elements hinder the development not only of science, but also of all areas of society.”

That is, the crocodiles are flying again.

As always, the Podolites began “for health”, and in the end they recognized that” the interests of the reactionary classes " are big retarders. If the people of Podolsk were conscientious and, consequently, dialectical, they would pay attention to the fact that the same phenomenon, denoted by the same word, “interest”, is both progressive and reactionary. The interest of the bourgeoisie under both feudalism and capitalism is the same - profit. However, it turns out that under feudalism, the interest in profit is progressive, but the same interest in profit under capitalism, and even more so under the dictatorship of the working class, is reactionary. Consequently, the opponents, although “with a creak”, but recognize half of my rightness, recognizing the interest under certain conditions, the ability to inhibit the development of “all areas of society". It's getting warmer. It can be considered proven that interest is not only progressive, but also reactionary.

In addition, the Podolites do not even try to explain why, if the socialist and communist INTERESTS are so good, it is necessary to fight long and hard for the union of the working-class movement with communist SCIENCE. It would seem that be guided by the interest of the proletariat, especially since it is always with the proletariat, and do not torment yourself for 20 years by writing “Capital”, discovering objective laws, conducting propaganda and agitation at the risk of freedom and life. But podolchane are not used to pester themselves with questions.

What is “interest”? "Interest” is a Latin word, the content of which in other languages, like the content of most words, was formed historically. In dictionaries, starting with "Brockhaus and Efron” and up to the last "Soviet Encyclopedic Dictionary", there are several variants of the interpretation of the word “interest“, but all of them evaluate the phenomenon of” interest“, as Podolchans, inconsistently positively, without trying to reveal the essence of the phenomenon itself, designated by the word” interest", its relationship with other behavioral motives.

In the literature, the word “interest” is used to refer to one of the forms of motivation for human activity. The brief definition given by Karl Marx to the concept of “interest” states that " interest by its nature is blind, knows no measure, one-sided, in a word-a lawless natural instinct." The private interest gets especially from Marx. "It goes without saying," writes Marx , " that private interest knows neither the fatherland, nor the province, nor the general spirit, nor even local patriotism. Contrary to the claim of those fantasy writers who want to see the representation of private interests as an ideal romance... such representation, on the contrary, destroys all natural and spiritual distinctions, placing instead on a pedestal an immoral, unintelligent and soulless abstraction of a certain material object and a certain consciousness slavishly subordinated to it." Let us note that private interest is the slavish submission of consciousness to the immoral, soulless abstraction of a material object, i.e., first of all, to money.

In my opinion, Marx's words can only be understood in such a way that the essence of interest as a form of motivation consists in an absolutely uncritical attitude of the subject (voluntary and involuntary) to the degree of comprehension of the material and spiritual reasons that motivate him to activity. The closest thing to the meaning of the concept of “interest” is adjacent to the concept adopted in the Russian language to denote illogical motives: "caprice”," I do what first came to mind” , etc.

But my opponents are used to press the opponent not with logic, but with the number of signatures, the number of quotations, so they will not be convinced by a single quote from Marx. Well, we will also quote Engels (if only my opponents had the patience to read it):

"interest is essentially a subjective, selfish, private interest, and as such represents the highest point of the Germanic-Christian principle of subjectivity and separation. The construction of interest as the connecting principle of humanity necessarily entails - as long as the interest remains directly subjective, simply egoistic-a general fragmentation, the concentration of individuals on themselves, isolation, the transformation of humanity into a cluster of mutually repulsive atoms; and this separation is again the final conclusion from the Christian principle of subjectivity, the consummation of the Christian world order. Further, as long as the main form of alienation, private property, continues to exist, the interest must necessarily be a private interest and its domination must manifest itself as the domination of property. The abolition of feudal slavery made "chistogan the only link between people". Property - the natural, soulless principle, opposed to the human, spiritual principle-is thereby enthroned, and ultimately, to complete this alienation, money-the alienated, empty abstraction of property-is made the ruler of the world. Man has ceased to be the slave of man and has become the slave of the thing; the perversion of human relations is complete; the slavery of the modern mercantile world-perfected, complete, universal venality-is more inhumane and comprehensive than the serfdom of the feudal time; prostitution is more immoral and more brutal than jus primae noctis [the right of the wedding night, VP]... The disintegration of humanity into a mass of isolated, mutually repulsive atoms is in itself the destruction of all corporate, national, and special interests in general, and the last necessary step towards the free self-unification of humanity”.

It is not difficult to notice how unfavorably the classics speak of the "ESSENCE of interest" in general and of private interest in particular. But my opponents will not fail to point out that Engels in the above quotation only once, at the beginning, raises the question of the ESSENCE of interest, and throughout this huge quotation speaks of “private interest”. But I do not set out to convince my opponents. I want the reader to reflect on the ESSENCE and AMBIGUITY of the interest.

But each person has his own private interest, and since humanity is divided and at the same time co-operated along class lines, each class, accordingly, has its own private class interest, and the interests of the opposite classes are antagonistic. But all interests ARE UNITED by one thing, namely, that interest by its nature is a minimally meaningful motive for activity, as Marx said "blind natural instinct” or, as Engels said “" interest... represents the highest point... the principle of subjectivity and separation”"

In other words, the interest does not cease to be a "blind natural instinct" even if it is a proletarian interest, for example, to ask the owner to raise the salary, or to drink beer at work, or to quietly break the owner's car. The result of the reign of interest in the proletarian milieu is well shown in the Manifesto. “This organization of the proletarians into a class, and thus into a political party, IS BEING DESTROYED EVERY MINUTE by THE COMPETITION BETWEEN THE WORKERS THEMSELVES."

In order to better understand the nature of interest, it is enough to ask the question: WHAT KIND OF EDUCATION, DIPLOMA, CONVICTION DO YOU NEED TO HAVE IN ORDER TO HAVE INTEREST?

It is clear that any person can have an interest - a child, a bandit, or an alcoholic. Only a specialist, a high professional, is guided in his field not by interest, but by accurate SCIENTIFIC knowledge. The lower the individual's qualifications, the less likely it is that his actions are based on a clear scientific calculation, and not a private interest.

That is why Marx had to create (tautalogy, because communism is already scientific, but it is said for the sake of understanding) scientific communism, because class interest alone is not able to ensure the victory of the proletariat over the bourgeoisie. The proletarian class itself, due to the circumstances that Podolchans write about as unfavorable (lack of free time), is not able to develop anything but an interest, rather blind, in the form of a desire to escape from the hell of wage slavery, with almost complete lack of understanding how this can be done.

Therefore, if the proletariat is left alone with its class interests, its struggle for the realization of proletarian interests will be waged... forever and without the slightest chance of winning. Because of this circumstance, in my works I proceed from the existence of a higher and lower form of motivation for the activities of individuals and entire classes. Among the LOWEST, most PRIMITIVE forms of motivation is INTEREST, among the HIGHEST, most DEVELOPED forms of motivation for activity is a scientifically based and confirmed by PUBLIC practice idea or, in other words, the SCIENTIFIC LEVEL OF PUBLIC CONSCIOUSNESS, embodied in MARXISM-LENINISM, which has not yet been assimilated by the masses.

I think that even the people of Podolsk will agree with me if I say that, judging by their writings, they highly appreciate the role of interest in the development of science. In their opinion, the brilliant creators, including Marx and Stalin, were motivated by interest. However, since I know for sure that neither Marx, nor Stalin, nor, especially, Spartacus, Newton, Carnot, Laplace, Marat, could personally tell the Podolchans anything about the motives of their activities, I do NOT BELIEVE the Podolchans ' word. But I was convinced that the people of Podolsk themselves are guided in their activities, first of all, by interest, and not by science.

Of course, podolchane can refer to the fact that in the works of the classics there are many cases of appeal to the class interest of the proletariat. But what else is there to appeal to, when Marxism has not yet been assimilated by the proletariat, and the struggle on the basis of interest still brings the proletariat closer to the struggle on the basis of science, i.e., to victory. Today, too, we STILL have to rely on the class interest of the proletariat, since the leading analysts of the working department of the MK RKRP and even the entire Podolsky theoretical group could not rise above their interests.

Opponents prefer to laugh first.

For me, the content of Podolchan's answer is a clear confirmation that people whose consciousness is infected with the most primitive form of motivation, i.e., interest, are extremely aggressive about the need to replace interest with scientific knowledge.

Podolchane write: "It is ridiculous to say that you can become a dialectician only after having previously studied all areas of science. Of course, expanding your horizons allows you to better understand dialectics. There is no doubt that. to create a dialectical method, one needs the encyclopedic knowledge that Hegel, Marx, Engels, and Lenin possessed."Again, the green crocodiles fly "nyzenko-nyzenko". Podolchane first laugh, and then... above yourself. After a good laugh, they admitted that creating a dialectic requires encyclopedic knowledge. It's warm again. But don't be happy.

"However," the Podolchans write further, " the discovery and development of dialectical materialism would be worth nothing if only specialists in all fields of science, culture, and production could master this method.” Podolchane, as soon as they imagine that " in science there is no pillar road and only the one who is not afraid of fatigue, climbs its rocky slopes...", as soon as they read that " you can become a communist only when you enrich your memory with the knowledge of all the riches that humanity has developed...” , so their mood immediately falls, and they begin to fight for the right to call themselves dialecticians before they acquire encyclopedic knowledge, although this is exactly what should not be done, because in any encyclopedia, along with wealth, there are piles of anti-scientific trash, arranged by paid professors in alphabetical order, not causal order. In short, every worldly experienced person, or child, who has read the fable "The Fox and the Grapes” will understand why the people of Podolsk are so rebelling against the need to master" the knowledge of all the riches that humanity has developed." Apparently not in the teeth.

"On the contrary," the Podolchans continue, " dialectical logic allows you to master any area of existence (science, technology, the laws of social development). Dialectical and historical materialism make it possible to analyze the current situation and use it to restore socialism. Therefore, it is necessary not to reinvent the wheel, but to master Marxism, studying the works of the titans, and learn to apply the knowledge gained”"

It's just a matter of business. It turns out that you will master the works of the titans, and then you will easily master “the knowledge of all the riches that humanity has developed”. Podolchans think that it will be much easier for them to master the works of the titans, especially dialectics, than “to master the knowledge of all the riches that humanity has developed".

They did not understand that the Communists had taken upon themselves the burden of acting for the practical reconstruction of the life of all mankind on the basis of ALL OBJECTIVE PREREQUISITES. Without understanding this, the Podolchans suggest that the communists be the vanguard in the transformation of all humanity without knowing EVERYTHING that is necessary for such a transformation, from love to space exploration. Podolsk residents, as noted earlier, did not understand at the time of writing their answer that the struggle for general education is the most important component of the struggle for dialectical education, that mathematics is a special case of dialectics, that after studying mathematics in good faith, especially higher mathematics, you have ALREADY PARTIALLY joined dialectics. And for a good connoisseur of higher mathematics, there are no special problems in understanding physics and chemistry, as special cases of materialism. Studying " Capital” According to Marx, you actually comprehend historical materialism by the example of one of the modes of production. Etc.

Podolchane did not notice that some "prodigies" teenagers graduate from the most prestigious technical institutes and universities. But the whole world practice does not have a SINGLE case where a person at the age of, for example, 25 years is recognized as an expert in philosophy. Not understanding this, podolchane first offer to learn the dialectic, confident that only then they will all the private secrets of the universe will begin to click like seeds.

Therefore, I suggest that young people move from simple to complex, from general education to dialectics, and Podolchans suggest moving from " very simple”, i.e. from dialectics to very complex, for example, to arithmetic or politics.

Podolchans are not aware that the classics of Marxism-Leninism did not leave behind a finished work called "Dialectical and Historical Materialism". We didn't have time. Therefore, if you strictly follow the instructions of the Podolchans and their friends in the infamous group, then all the time will be spent on an unsuccessful search for the work of the classics called "Dialectical and historical Materialism". The task facing the communist movement is to create a work with this name. And podolchane "so comrades", led by small interests, just suggest not to do this, but to study only the " works of the titans”, forgetting that all the publishing efforts of the CPSU, in the field of organizing the study of the works of the classics, turned out to be tragically insufficient.

Practice has proved that it is absolutely not enough to produce one hundred volumes of the works of the classics and organize their formal study. You can only talk about mastering dialectics if you go further than your predecessors, and not only in theory, but also in practice. Nothing else is given.

The state of the modern world communist movement, its disunity and multiparty nature in practice proves that the active "leftists", who haphazardly read the works of the classics on the basis of individual logic, are going... in different parties and movements. And if we do not properly organize the work on the development of Marxism and convince the youth of today that only the RKRP understands the need to develop the methodology of the classics and therefore CONSCIOUSLY moves forward to Victory, then our party will slowly die out, as is the case with the Communist Party. Consequently, without the most intense creative and conscientious work of the members of the RCRP on the fundamental and applied problems of developing the methodology in inseparable unity with the organizational work in the RCRP and beyond, what happened to the organization of the RCRP in Podolsk will happen. It will also "shrink". (And the RKRP - "shrunk" in the end, it was devoured by opportunism and outright Trotskyists).

[mynameisntburgerpants]

Underswap

send me an au and i’ll give you 5+ headcanons about it || accepting

I actually have a whole-ass text document about my own personal version of Underswap, making it more of a roleswap along the lines of my own personal swap AU (PLEASE ASK ME ABOUT THAT IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN ME MAKING THAT A REALITY) than a personality swap. This is gonna be a long one, so I’m putting it under the cut.

First of all, instead of Chara swapping with Frisk and Asriel swapping with Monster Kid for some reason (WHICH DOESN'T EVEN MAKE SENSE CONSIDERING ASRIEL IS STILL ASGORE AND TORIEL'S SON), Asriel and Chara swap and Frisk stays where they are. I dunno what happens to Monster Kid, I guess they stay put too. Wouldn't make sense to swap 'em with Frisk. Maybe not even every single character would switch.

Toriel/Asgore swap:

Asgore was so ashamed of how Toriel received his idea for collecting the human souls necessary to break the barrier (that is, poorly) that he exiled himself to the Ruins, never to be seen again by monsterkind. Toriel finds herself, regrettably, taking Asgore's mantle on his promise, but she doesn't have it in her to do it and ends up just taking all the humans in under her wing--or would if any of them other than Frisk survived to get to her.

Asgore basically serves as the Goat Dad of the ruins, much like canon Toriel, but given his lack of self worth, he doesn't try to stop Frisk from leaving by sheer nature of the fact he thinks he couldn't if he tried. An optional sidequest before you leave the ruins allows you to engange in battle with him and subsequently spare/betray him (he is too strong to even hurt with your starting equipment and LV unless you betrayal kill him), which is required on the True Pacifist route--alternately, he stands in your way regardless in the No Mercy route, because no one else is left to stand in your way and he doesn't want the fact that he let you murder everyone outside weighing on his conscience.

Napstablook/Mettaton swap:

Napstablook owns a multimedia empire and a robot body thanks to Mettaton's help and encouragement. They're the underground's premier DJ and star, though they're genuinely kind and humble--not nearly as narcissistic as their cousin. Actually, Blooky ends up being one hell of a pushover even despite their confidence boost. Mettaton, still being a ghost, handles the PR side of things, but takes frequent breaks in the ruins.

Dr. Undyne designed Napstablook's robot body to be as shonen as possible--like, Kenshiro from Hokuto no Ken levels of ripped, which humorously juxtaposes their placid demeanor. Their battles are mainly rhythm game segments, given their affinity with music, but Undyne's Human Eradicatin' Weapons Systems frequently accidentally kick in to make things dangerous. Even when they just want to talk ;~;There could be a sidequest in which you help convince Undyne to build them a body that maybe isn't loaded with deadly weapons (good luck with that part) and an appearance more befitting their tastes and personality.

Sans/Papyrus swap:

Papyrus finds out through overhearing a conversation that he's just "too sweet/gentle" to be in the Royal Guard, but not being one to give up on his dreams so easily, he instead pushes for Sans to join the Guard, so Papyrus can live vicariously through him. Sans doesn't really care for it, but as long as his brother's happy, he is too. In trademark Sans style, despite him successfully making the cut for the royal guard, he doesn't really try. His puzzles are all extremely easy (if you can even call some of them puzzles) and his fighting ability is laughable at best, so he hires Papyrus to "help out." This serves a double purpose: so Sans doesn't have to do much, and Papyrus still gets to do what he loves, even if it isn't officially sanctioned by the highers-up.

If you try to kill Sans during your "fights" with him, he just conveniently avoids each attack and makes a snide remark--you have to betrayal kill him after having not tried to attack him for a few turns before you're able to spare him. Papyrus has some new tricks up his sleeve if you fight him as the judge of your sins, and he's a total damage sponge along the lines of Undyne the Undying.

Nice Cream Guy/Burgerpants swap:

Burgerpants runs a burger stand in Snowdin, but boy, he is not happy about it. But it pays rent, and nobody is hiring for the skill set he has, so he just begrudgingly does what he has to do to survive. Over the course of a Pacifist run, you help him get over himself depending on how well his burgers sell. The burger wrappers initially contain morbid observations about the world around him the first time you meet him, but he ditches the idea altogether because it's too much extra work, and just sells them plainly wrapped from then on.

Nice Cream Guy, meanwhile, works at the Nice Cream Parlor in Napstablook's resort. Mettaton gives him a hard time sometimes, but he genuinely seems to be happy, doing what he loves working for someone he looks up to. Napstablook actually treats him with respect compared to canon Mettaton with Burgerpants, and the place ends up being surprisingly successful. He hints at Burgerpants being immensely awkward around him but trying to make an approach nonetheless, and he finds it simply adorable.

Grillby/Muffet swap:

Grillby lives with his niece/daughter/other-younger-female-relative, Fuku Fire, in Hotland. He runs a moderately successful bar/nightclub where you would normally encounter Muffet in canon Undertale. He's trying to raise money to put Fuku through college. You have to pass through, but he mistakenly believes you're trying to get into the club despite obviously being underage and has a bouncer fight you off. Once the bouncer is talked down, Grillby realizes his mistake and opens up a limited shopfront for you, where you can buy non-alcoholic beverages that provide different buffs. If you kill the bouncer, he'll give you the alcoholic menu selection out of fear, with stronger buffs but debilitating side effects that affect your soul's movement in the Bullet Board. Frisk, being a child, is quite the lightweight. You don't encounter Grillby OR the bouncer on a No Mercy run, allowing you to loot the place for free, like the Snowdin shopkeeper.

Muffet's bakery in Snowdin is closed for business until after the Sans and Papyrus boss battle. During the hangout scene with Papyrus where he takes you there for the opening ceremony, Muffet is welcoming at first, but Papyrus tries to order something without having the money to pay the exorbitant price, and skele-daddles on outta there, leaving you to deal with Muffet's wrath. After calming her down, you get to see her friendlier side, convince her to charge more reasonable prices for her menu items, buy various Spider Pastries/Beverages, and talk to her about the situation of her kind. I said I don't like Underswap much at all, but I seriously dig the rollerskate café aesthetic that Muffet has going on in that AU, so that'll probably stay the same.

Undyne/Alphys swap:

Alphys built a mech suit that could change the face of the war against humanity, but unfortunately, operating it is such a complex measure that only she can figure out how to use it. Rather than letting her invention go to waste, Undyne promotes her to a high ranking position in the guard and, unable to find anyone else with Alphys's talents, offers to work as Royal Scientist in her stead, with her advice. You encounter her in a similar fashion to Undyne--she tries her hardest to block out her conscience in her attempts to kill you, but in a True Pacifist route, you manage to appeal to her conscience and eventually befriend her. The mech conveniently runs out of power during the final encounter, which is the only time you're able to kill/spare her. Else, it's impervious to all attacks. In the No Mercy Run, the mech switches to reserve power. The boss becomes straight up bullet hell, but as it expends more energy, it becomes more vulnerable to attack. Avoiding damage causes it to burn through energy faster than if you get hit, so you better Git Gud, as they say.

Undyne's favorite part of the scientific process? Blowing shit up, of course. Regardless, she turns out to actually be pretty good at the other parts, too. The lab is a complete mess when you first find it. Undyne was watching you on the screen, like canon Alphys, and came to root for you over time. She'd intermittently pipe in to taunt (or eventually cheer you on) over the cameras (with speakers attached) hidden throughout the Underground. In a True Pacifist route, you go down to the True Lab with her to find out about Alphys's DT experiments from before she was a member of the Royal Guard. She confronts Alphys about it, but ultimately she can't stay mad at her and they end up getting engaged anyway, because Undyne is more willing to look past Alphys's flaws than most of the fandom who assumes she created the Amalgamates deliberately out of malice, incompetence, or both.

Asriel/Chara swap:

Chara is Flowey instead of Asriel. Their soul ended up being bound to the being of a flower, and, given that they HAVE a soul, they still have the ability to feel emotions. This doesn't make them less mischievous, as they ARE detached from the consequences of their actions since they could previously just reset at any time. Initially, in a neutral route and most of a pacifist route, they decide they've had enough and try to kill you so they can go back to having their "fun" with the inhabitants of the underground (complete with an Omega Flowey sequence as per usual--if a lot more difficult because of the seventh human soul, but you can persevere through it). At the end of the pacifist route, they unlock the combined potential of seven human souls AND all the underground's monsters. You are physically incapable of hurting them as they can just load state back to before you hurt them. The only way to beat them is to bore them. Survive until they get bored of trying to kill you, and at that point you can try talking them into reforming, sacrificing their ultimate power to break the barrier and restore everyone back to their previous places. Unlike canon Undertale, since they still have their soul, they don't face the threat of turning back into a flower, but they do fear what might happen if anybody else saw them literally returning from the dead. You can choose to either humor them and let them stay behind with their thoughts, or talk them into coming with you to the surface, which affects how the Pacifist Ending turns out. They have a great deal trouble readjusting back to human society given their troubled past, but you managed to convince them to bear with you. Even after learning a valuable lesson about other sentient beings, they're a little uncomfortable with letting their guard down for fear of getting hurt again. Recovery doesn't happen overnight, after all.

Asriel's essence lived on in Chara's favorite bed of golden flowers, too. Frisk's sweater managed to pick it up, and, mistakenly thinking they were Chara, Asriel's consciousness latched on. Asriel serves as the game's narrator, much like the fan theory that Chara serves that end in the actual game. Whatever route you pick through the game shapes Asriel's character--he may not remember most of his life, but again, he has his personality. On a No Mercy route he initially pleads you to stop, questioning why you would hurt people like this, before eventually losing his childlike innocence and only narrating the bare essentials. He shows up at the end of the No Mercy route in his Hypergod form, as a being made of pure unfiltered LV, to directly call you out on your actions as the player, like Chara. Unlike Chara, you can't bargain to sell your soul to play the game again. He just locks you out of the game entirely, not wanting to watch those events unfold again. The only way to replay the game after a No Mercy route is to tamper with the game files yourself.Likewise, narrating a pacifist route, he's as chipper as ever--if having picked up a bit of snark from his time with Chara. He'll remark on situations that seem familiar for some reason you just can't place, and will try to reach out to Chara during the final Pacifist boss, before realizing they can't hear him. At the end of the pacifist route, you can choose to give up Frisk's soul to allow Asriel a second chance at life--again, affecting how the pacifist ending plays out. There would be some moral fuckery about whether it was the right thing to do, since that was Frisk's soul, not technically yours to give. It'd create an interesting parallel to the "you can't save everyone" narrative Toby had in mind, but on the other hand I also want it to be clear that Frisk is less a blank slate for the player to project onto, and more their own character that acts as an extension of the player's will--and giving the player that choice might run against that.

#out of vacation days (ooc) #ask meme replies #take it from me little buddy (ask) #VERY LONG POST #Anonymous