#and people are a product of their circumstances

[crazylittlejester]

I wanna share some sleep related LU head canons :)

Sky isn’t a napper. He doesn’t nap much because he always sleep very deeply, it’s hard to wake him up. He also is very slow to wake under normal circumstances, the stress of being on an adventure being the only thing to get him up and moving quickly.

Four is a huge napper, and he loves sleeping. He doesn’t nap as much as he would like to, because this adventure is a lot more stressful than his other ones. He also has the absolute worst bedhead, but he became very good at managing it over the years. Also, if the bed he’s in isn’t comfy enough, he’ll go to sleep with a big ol frown on his face.

Wild barely sleeps, at all. He just doesn’t really get sleepy. Sure he gets tired, exhausted even, but sleepy? Nah. After 100 years of being sleeping beauty, he had more than enough sleep for his lifetime. He only really sleeps when the Chain sleeps because he thinks that they’ll think he’s weird if he’s just running around all night. And he’ll also sleep if he’s hurt, but only if it’s in a very comfy bed.

Wars is a very light sleeper, product of the war. He also wakes up hours earlier than he wants to, so he just lays down until it’s time to get up(totally not me projecting). He has eye bags upon eye bags, and he’s very good at covering them up. He also rarely has bed hair, he wakes up and his hair is nearly perfect almost 100% of the time.

That’s all for now lol

I LOVE THESE

I so agree with Wars just laying in bed awake. That man does not sleep well unless he had a breakdown and crashed, then he’ll be absolutely OUT for a good few hours. Wild just sleeping because he doesn’t want the others to think he’s weird is SO him, if he could have it his way I bet he’d be climbin the trees at 4 am. FOUR IS A BIGGER NAPPER FOR REAL, I know he curls up on rainy days by windows and just crashes. Sky to me takes naps only when he’s so exhausted he can’t stay awake, but he’s definitely a big sleeper and normally on good days doesn’t need to take naps.

If I may add for the others:

Legend sleeps like he’s dead. Yknow how bunnies just crash and look dead? He does that. He absolutely crashes and good luck waking him up when that happens. It’s not an every night thing, but it does happen

Twilight will cuddle up with his wolf pelt if none of the others will sleep near him. He can’t sleep without it, but if he has it he’ll be able to sleep all the way through the night without waking up.

Time wakes up like every two hours and has to get up and walk around before he can go back to bed. He HAS to check on things, and he’s always the first one physically up (Warriors wakes up first but he pretends to be asleep until he hears Time getting up for the day For Real)

Wind has so much energy he struggles to fall asleep and he has to run around sometimes before bedtime or he can’t sleep. He’ll say he doesn’t want a nap because he’s ‘not a child’, but if other people are taking naps he’ll join them because sometimes hes a bit eepy and a good nap will fix him

Hyrule naps so deeply he wakes up like how you wake up from an after school nap. He has no idea where he is, his hair is a mess, there are sticks in it somehow, his pants are rolled up to his knees, and he feels like he’s been dropped through space and time. He can also fall asleep on ANY surface

#jes talks #jes ask #linked universe #linkeduniverse #lu time #lu warriors #lu twilight #lu sky #lu hyrule #lu legend #lu wild #lu four #lu wind #lu headcanons

[zproblematic]

So, I enjoy reading everyone's DP x DC prompts and stories! Very fun! And a recurring thing I see pop up is Clark getting dragged for not reacting well to Connor's existence, especially juxtaposed with Danny and his relationship and reaction to Dani.

I've also seen stories that have Danny specifically say that he entirely understands why Clark reacted like that and he doesn't feel it deserves condemnation or comparison to his own.

_

Here's the thing. I feel like the more accurate opinion on the situation would be somewhat in the middle of these two.

Because here's a very important fact to keep in mind. The circumstances behind them being cloned, the relationship they specifically have with the person cloning them, and their own lived life experience, which dictates how they perceived the situation, are different.

-

Danny is cloned at 14. He has a contentious relationship with Vlad who generally seems to want Danny as a son/heir, but there are times we see Vlad acting more like an annoying uncle than an outright villain. Danny has at this point gone through a myriad of traumatic things, including his own death, all within the span of a year.

Also keep in mind Danny is 14, his perception of what is happening is "Guy who is obsessed with my mom wanted me as a kid so badly he tried to make a version of me in his lab". Which is, so far as we are ever told, largely the goal here. Also, Danny has no exposure to the concept of clones or evil duplicates or anything at this point.

-

And then you get to Clark. He's a grown man near/in his 30's. His relationship with Lex is almost strictly antagonistic, and Lex is frequently actively attempting to either kill Clark or turn public opinion against him and get him publicly lynched. Clark has a rather stable and consistent life for someone in his situation, his parents are still alive and supportive, he's got Lois who is aware and supportive, he's got the Justice League at this point meaning he's got people he can connect to about his daily life. He's rather settled into heroism, didn't start it until adulthood and that was fully a choice he made, it has little effect on his civilian life most days.

Clark being so old, also his long-term relationship with Lois, paired with his understanding of subtext and human nature, means his perception of Connor's existence is drastically different. "Lex stole my DNA and made a child with both of our DNA against my knowledge and will". And here's an important thing to note. Connor technically isn't a clone, he's technically a petri-dish grown child with Lex and Clark as the parents. What does that sound like to you? Because to me it sounds like "Connor is functionally a product of date-rape from the man I hate most in the world as he keeps trying to kill me". Clark also has had multiple exposures to the concept of at least evil duplicates/ surprise family members, what have you.

_

So what do I think would actually happen here? 1) Danny acknowledging that no, Clark had no responsibility at all for Connor's existence, and had no requirement to act as a parent/family member. 2) However, Clark did have a responsibility to Connor as a mentor and teacher in gaining control of his abilities. Even if it was by getting his parents to share their experiences of raising him with someone else who was caring for Connor. Also, his active dehumanization of Connor was insanely inappropriate and uncalled for, as well as presenting doubt if he's actually equipped for diplomacy with the wider universe.

#dp x dc #danny phantom #clark kent #dani fenton #connor kent

[bouquetiere-files]

Our response-ability

What is "response-ability"?

It's the power we have to take responsibility for our responses. We're not just products of our circumstances; we can shape our future through conscious choices and actions.

By embracing response-ability, we can truly change our lives. No longer victims, we empower ourselves to create the outcomes we desire.

But we can't control everything... There are things that impact us—like the economy, job market, war, discrimination—that we can't control. But we can control our responses and reclaim control over our lives.

Real-life application:

Dealing with Relationship Conflict? Instead of blaming your partner for issues in the relationship, take responsibility for your own actions and emotions. "Love" is a verb, so start doing it by actively listening, being genuinely invested in your partner and use effective communication to address conflicts constructively.

Struggling with a Difficult Professor? Initiate a conversation with the professor to understand their expectations and preferred approaches to coursework. Build a positive rapport by actively participating in class discussions and seeking feedback on your work to increase your chances of success in the class.

Concerned About the Housing Crisis? - Vote for a political party with robust policies, write to your local member, protest or volunteer community organisations to help those who are struggling the most at the moment.

Instead of feeling helpless, become empowered to navigate challenges with resilience and grace. Embrace your capacity to overcome obstacles.

read more from the book: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

#becoming her #becoming that girl #it girl #self development #it girl energy #self improvement #lifestyle #that girl #self help #habits #mindfulness #mindset #life #wisdom #perception

[spade-riddles]

Submission: About the house facade falling

About that reference to a silent movie with house facade falling - hello silent movie fan here! :)

You are thinking of the iconic scene from "Steamboat Bill jr", a film by and with Buster Keaton! (Who happens to be a cousin of mine, so double interest jippie!)

This is one of his most famous scenes. The house facade was weighing about 2 tons, so no cardboard here - he could have been killed if the calculations hadn't worked out and the crew on set was worried about Buster's safety. This is even more amazing when you think about Buster's education or lack thereof - his parents were Vaudevillian actors and Buster grew up "on tour" and acting from early childhood on. Meaning he never got a formal education. He famously had difficulties writing his own name. Buster couldn't really read or write but created these elaborated sets and stunts himself.

Buster talked about that if he hadn't been born into an entertainment business family, he would have become an engineer. The film industry was quite literally build with his technical input on film technology (he took cameras apart and rebuild them, to make them more adaptable to his ideas for example) and stunt work on set.

All of this to say - the falling facade is iconic in so many ways! And I hope Taylor saw "Steamboat Bill jr". :)

Copyright has run out and Library of Congress has put it on the National Film Registry. So it is easily possible to watch this online.

I don't know if I'm being a bit too informed but I want to add this too - maybe Taylor not only wanted to reference (maybe) this iconic scene, but also the circumstances?

You see Buster was one of THE creators of cinema. Even back then people acknowledged that. But he was always bad with, or rather not interested in, money!

Unlike Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd, his two big contemporaries, he decided to sign with a big studio. Thinking that way he didn't have to do the paper work (he couldn't read anyway) and accounting and the studio could do the promo work he wasn't really interested in.

That deal turned to be his downfall! He got screwed over with the contract. The studio thought he was dumb and uneducated and treated him terribly. Buster suddenly had to hand in written scripts - how? The studio was getting more and more involved with production because he couldn't give them written pages ... it was a disaster!

At that time his marriage to a famous actress also started to fall apart and Buster started drinking. By the time of "Steamboat Bill jr" he was a full blown alcoholic. His last wife, he met after he had sobered up, Eleanor, later talked about that everyone around Buster back then thought, he was trying to kill himself with this stunt (which was filmed at the end of the movie shoot) because he was so desperate and depressed at that point. He couldn't deal with his marriage falling apart and the studio trying to micromanage him.

So yeah ... I don't know. Did Taylor reference this? She knows about Clara Bow, the star no one was interested in when she started speaking ... does she know about Buster and his conflict with the film industry which sucked him dry and discarded him? Possible ...

If you want to know more about Buster - there is a very good documentary "Buster Keaton - a hard act to follow". He is also featured in the "Silent Hollywood" documentary series. All his films are amazing, but his personal favourite was "The General". I think that is the one Buster would recommend to you. ;)

————

Anonymous said:

So after the volcano 🌋 anon she Buster Keaton’s through the door and comes out under the floor.

#submission

[smolycule]

anyone complaining that tommy was “too passive aggressive” or whatever with his story have not seen the comment sections of any of the instagram posts about season 2. he made an instagram story because most of the INSTAGRAM comments were just excessively negative, MANY of them saying it’s not worth consuming at all due to it being only audio. aside from a few genuine criticisms about accessibility issues, a lot of it is people just being fucking assholes. tommy was completely justified in how he responded to these rude comments, pointing out how they put a lot of work into it regardless of the format it’s in. maybe if these ppl actually enjoyed the story they wouldnt immediately write off a new season of it simply because it’s being told in a different way idk!

#and this is speculation but i feel like he’s operating with the knowledge that the sword af crew didnt choose this change but rather it was #probably due to higher up intervention. so they put a lot of effort into fighting to make a good product despite the circumstances #so maybe people should try being more grateful idk 🫶 #again. AGAIN!!!! the accessibility concerns ARE VALID AND SHOULD BE HEEDED. but #many people who CAN listen are REFUSING TO. or at least just are immediately assuming it’s worse than s1 when it’s arguably better storywise #WHATEVER . #op #sword af

[nacrelysis]

suddenly i remember song lan and xiao xingchen and i start crying

the inherent agony of their arc being one of the most torturous and yet having the least closure...the absolution of knowing song lan wanders the world forever waiting for a spirit that may refuse reincarnation...

the fact that song lan and xiao xingchen are the narrative foils to wei wuxian and lan wangji...both are couples who strive only to do good, vanquish evil, help the weaker; both are subject to injustice in a world that tempts exploitation. however, whereas wangxian gets something of a bittersweet happy ending, songxiao never will. xiao xingchen is dead because a boy, stifled by cruelty and revenge, never grew to understand real love. song lan is worse than dead, almost. because he is a fierce corpse and will live for a very long time but he will never touch or see or fight by xiao xingchen again. both of them manipulated against each other, their own past kindnesses weaponized against them...fuck.

"what is black, and what is white?" lan wangji meant it figuratively but it can't be a coincidence that song lan and xiao xingchen's robes are respectively those colors. oh, to yearn to do good, isn't that the best and worst thing in the world? to help so many, but rend yourself vulnerable to those without sympathy and those who exploit that same kindness for their own motives.

they're the worst because they just wanted to do good. they just wanted to do good.

#魔道祖师 #陈情令 #mdzs #mo dao zu shi #the untamed #it's horrible because it's the type of pain where killing the perpetrator doesn't even make up for it #song lan #xiao xingchen #wei wuxian #lan wangji #songxiao #wangxian #i'll actually go insane because i can't even be mad at xue yang for what caused him to grow up that way #HELLOOO the inherent and recurrent theme that there are no good or bad people #just products of various circumstances #and that treating them as scapegoats due to classism prejudice and ignorance only perpetuates the illness in the world #that hierarchy is the root of corruption and power the sire of cruelty

[kaltacore]

the more I find out about dragon age 2 writers the stronger is my impression that this game became such a banger with powerful writing and one of the best characters in franchise totally by accident

#the whole production being a rushed mess #hepler being a whole ass ableist while writing her own character #gaider having to retcon chantry explosion circumstances by putting a bunch of orphans here to make whole conflict look less unambiguous #(even though the idea of chantry actually caring about orphans in kirkwall is ridiculous and contradicts the things we saw in game) #(but that's a topic for another time) #it's just so bad?? but the game is still so good?? and i have always been reading its message literally the opposite way #i'm reclaiming dragon age 2 from now on. fuck these people this game is about fighting against oppression and totalitarian regime #dragon age #bioware critical

[pepprs]

ok so. today i am going to

fly (and travel at all) by myself for the first time since making the emergency return home from br!ghton bc of c0vid 4 years ago (extremely distressing and scary experience). and fly by myself two weeks after a mixed bag of a conference experience / plane ride home that included a massive scary depressive spiral that i had someone there to help me through as much as they could but it wasn’t enough which was absolutely not their fault but was deeply distressing to me at the time. so im about to be in a very similar environment but this time that person won’t be physically with me and it’s going to wreck my brain in multiple directions in part bc i have not yet recovered from the depressive spiral. i am still in it. lawl <3

ride in an uber by myself for the first time. ride in an uber at all for maybe the 5th time. as a very short young woman. which i have been expressedly warned by my parents not to do. lol <3

check into a hotel by myself for the first time

walk in a big city by myself for the first time (technically slightly untrue bc wjen i was last in ch!cago 5 years ago i did power walk from the hotel to the conference venue (like a block away) on the last day bc i was pissed about a situation but that was like… a block and i saw ppl i knew walking in that area. this time i will be in the same city and know no one at least for today

give myself a self care evening at the recommendation of my therapist…. for the first time. (maybe after i take a walk which i will do specifically when it’s still light out to see what the area is like). tonight no one i know will be in ch!cago yet and i have no plans to do anything. im going to play video games and draw and sing and give myself space and time to just enjoy being by myself and see how it goes

#purrs #conference tag #chicago #im very very very scared. that i won’t be able to handle it. i have craved solitude but also don’t know if it’s something i actually want o #if it’s a product of my circumstances. i am not used to being completely alone like that like whenever ive had it there have always been #other ppl in the building that ive had to be cognizant of and that will be true of a hotel too but bc i don’t know the people i will feel #less responsible to them . like obviously im not goi ng to sing at the top of my lungs but i will feel like i can sing which ive never felt #like i can do when ive lived with roommates or at home kinda. idk. my therapist was challenging me to experiment with fear by asking myself #if im really in danger or if im just uncomfortable / about to experience something ive never done before and right now im so extremely #anxious but what i am about to do is not inherently dangerous and i need to recognize im just experiencing something new and do it scared. #like im literally terrified i can’t describe how scared i am in a way that does it justice. but i am going to be okay. and when i tell #myself that i make it so. #trina vega voice im a woman…… [about to be] in ch!cago….. who’s SCARED! #i also have no idea how to be in a big city and be safe. like what do i do if im followed or if someone tries to attack me or something. #obviously the chances of that are extremely slim but ive had it hammered into me that if i am alone in a city that’s what’s going to happen #to me bc i am such a ~weak and defenseless small young woman~ lol. but bc i believed the fear and have had very little experience in citie #i have no idea how to navigate them or to be safe which creates the problem. like it makes it true that i am weak and defenseless bc i have #been shielded from being able to learn how to be smart and strong and cognizant of my surroundings. and i am so angry about it and hope tha #i will SHATTER that sense when im there and come away from it w confidence ive never had before #like i don’t have… pepper spray or anything like that. idk if that’s a thing ppl actually carry on them or if it’s just a thing ppl say. i #genuinely have zero idea at all. and i really really hope i won’t be in a situation where i’ll wish i had some. i doubt i will be but still

[novelconcepts]

The degree of RAGE I feel every time I listen to an interview with and/or about a nonbinary person/character, and the interviewer just is allergic to they/them pronouns. Like. My dude. My good bitch. My brother in Christ. The whole POINT of this conversation is the enby thing. How are you failing THIS badly?!

#this dude bringing up an enby actor to an enby actor and using ONLY she/her pronouns for like two straight minutes #they should not HAVE to say ‘them. them.’ to correct you. you should be SO on that #I mean do better in general but ESPECIALLY in these circumstances #it’s so apparent when people just. refuse to try. and it’s fucking infuriating #also for this man to be talking about a movie that is LARGELY about gender expression and being nonbinary #and just be constantly reducing it to a 'love story' #like. no. it's not that. i mean you can take that out of it if you like (that man was AWFUL so i choose to uh. not.) #but the story was ABOUT gender. and gender presentation. and gender identity and looking a certain way but BEING a different thing inside #and to reduce that to 'a love story' to ensure this story is given half to this man who frankly does not narratively deserve it #is such a dude thing to do. to write and then to see in the finished product. whereas a queer person. an enby person. is gonna be like. #well. LOT more going on there actually. the 'love' is a weird complex backdrop for the actual things going on. #anyway. apparently that's my soapbox for the day #just reminds me of a few famous queer female movies where the story inevitably becomes ABOUT the bland white man who somehow convinces them #to sleep with him/date him/whatever. like. i. hated those movies as a teen and i hate them now. let non-men have their stories without dude #if they must be there do NOT pull the focus from the non-men to make sure the cishet boys aren't left out. this isn't for you. stop it.

[oathwilled]

all this talk of dads and like — honestly paerin's dad was a fine man. a wood elf ranger. noble. good-hearted. didn't even ever know he had a kid, because paerin's mother was moving through with a traveling caravan and they had a brief but passionate affair after this group of rangers was employed to help them travel the road.

he died young. maybe if he'd been involved in his upbringing, paerin would've been a hell of a lot less. the way he is. LKDFS. not to a fault of his mother, she was lovely, but she was only one person.

#;; & headcanons. #( he actually doesn't have parental issues #well i mean not ones that were anyone's fault #both his parents were fine people #his mother was lovely #she didn't even know she was having a kid by the time they got to the city #he's just #a product of circumstance )

[roobylavender]

as an aside though maybe one area where i really do starkly diverge from fandom opinion on this issue is with the jason scene. like was the use of joe chill as a comparison corny and potentially misplaced? sure. but even without the stains of red hood canon or jason being referred to as a delinquent failure, the very first pair of post-crisis issues that actually employed jason’s revamped background were dc #573-4, which served as a preamble to jason’s official re-intro in batman #408 (notice the reference to dick’s close call), and which featured this admission from bruce:

bruce has always believed he was saving jason from a life of crime. he believed jason saved himself too, but that initial projection of his own savior complex and the fear of where jason would end up if he stayed in the streets was absolutely present. the work from mike w. barr and max allan collins thereafter, however, would attest to jason’s ability to prove that assumption wrong 

the problem isn’t so much that bruce held this belief at all (i mean, from an ideological point, it obv is, but i mean narratively), the problem is that there were writers who worked specifically to disprove that preconceived belief and challenge it only for later writers to bulldoze past it completely and disregard any chance for bruce to be challenged about it again once jason died, even though there was every ample opportunity to do so (esp via stephanie imo if she wasn’t also fucked over lmao) before jason was resurrected and made to justify that belief 

#seeing the reactions to that panel on twt was very confusing to me like did we not do the reading gjfkdsjflgdhlgdf #bruce absolutely believed he was saving jason off of a street life destined for doom #that is kinda what jason's whole initial arc about proving himself and being a wondrous lovely robin is about #establishing his own agency over bruce's. unfortunately jam starloser had to enter our lives #also now that i reread this idk. i think the joe chill comparison is so on the nose for the way bruce thinks #bc he also believes joe was a product of background and circumstance like i think people are viewing it as him comparing jason #to his parents' killer literally. but i think he's thinking more occupation or ultimate criminal fate wise #idk again maybe i am delusional maybe i am trying to make the best of it jdksajfdgsldfhg #to be deleted

[drewsaturday]

it's entirely possible juliette knew this sooner but christina just confirmed she (and implied juliette as well) did not know about nat dying until midway through episode 8. maybe juliette wanted off the show and didn't know how it would go down exactly or maybe christina is wrong to include her in that but i just think it's another reason why we need to shelve the "juliete OBVIOUSLY did not want to be on the show anymore so nat's death was OBVIOUSLY her choice which means we can't discuss the writing choices ever again" arguments until we actually get concrete evidence of that being the case since. seeing juliette be unhappy during interviews does not automatically mean she kicked herself off the show.

#yj tag #it's in the collider interview that was just posted #anyway im obvs exaggerating with how im framing those arguments but #that's....... how it comes off in all honesty #behind the scenes shit happens but it doesn't mean we can't criticize the end product #the ppl involved are simply just people and it's easier to say 'well i wouldve done this instead' looking in #and i do get that #but this has happened in other shows ive liked as well where behind the scenes shit fucked everything up and yknow what??? #there were still choices made as a result and sometimes those choices are just bad #i can have a bit of patience about the circumstances but i'm still going to say 'damn this was fucking stupid tho'

[erotetica]

O another thing abt the hobbit is the antipathy. I don’t even mean the paratextual, camaraderie of the company sidelined for a conventionally attractive love triangle in the edit. The energy upon every character meeting is so hostile. If Aragorn stopped Eomer’s riders in hobbit-world, he would catch some hands, not spare horses.

#tolkien #op #lotr #boromir compelled to betray frodo. u feel a thing #thorin compelled to betray bilbo. the actors do a great job selling it #like tbh I always thought freeman was a better bilbo than wood was a frodo. for the value of better. yk. #but they’re playing pool with silly string. #also the very fact that I’m brought out of the fiction enough to remark on the production/actors speaks for itself #like ik whatever you say it’s fundamentally all the same complaint #trying to recook lotr w/ no meat #bc I was going to say ‘the stakes in Rohan were higher; there were more stressors to make that interaction end as hostilely as it began’ #‘so what’s; say; laketown’s excuse’ #but it’s. ^that. #you’re trying to Do a Grimdark when that’s not the thesis of 3rd age ME #which is; I think; fundamental peace in bad circumstances #@ least compared to a game of thrones #or yk the main cast is dwarves this time and Jewish people are suspicious. ¡whos to say! #* I keep adding to these tags but. denethor acts selfishly/‘cowardly’ #you BUY that bitch is at the end of his gd rope. that’s a schism baby! #the master of laketown is REPREHENSIBLE. the evacuation scene is abjectly horrifying. and it’s played blithely & for laughs.

[isfjmel-phleg]

(back on my history soapbox, sorry)

#random personal stuff #I don't want to name any names and I'm not looking to get into arguments #but I struggle to understand how #the imaginary atrocities one assumes a historical teenager would have committed if they had lived to adulthood #are so much worse than #the actual atrocities committed by a related adult which are excusable because this person had a sad life #why is the one allowed sympathy and complexity while the other is judged harshly for the assumption of what they could have become #it costs zero dollars to be understanding of and fair to multiple historical people at once #this isn't black and white #and it really bothers me that it seems to be so difficult to find compassion for an actual child #who was as much the product of their upbringing and culture and circumstances as anyone else connected with them #anyway this is a frustratingly common perspective on these people and it showed up on my dash today #(from someone who isn't a mutual/friend) #and I am just...very tired of unfair takes on historical people and of selective compassion and designated villains #these were real human beings everyone

[brassandblue]

Having a lot of Thoughts about Arthur’s retirement from the Royal Navy not too long (roughly 10-15 years) after the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars and how his personality/mental and emotional health did a sharp decline over the next 50 years. Like, imagine, it’s the 1820s, and you feel that politics are beginning to really hamper the thing you’ve put your heart and soul into supporting for the last 100+ years. You start to become disillusioned, recalling how one of your greatest maritime heroes had to fight the Admiralty for appropriate pay for his men and himself; you call how you’ve had to do much the same. 

It occurs to him that he has to really consider his future now, if it isn’t already too late-- he is a distinguished member of society at last, an Admiral, a Duke, and the facade of the elite is one he finally wears naturally after decades of crafting. What good can he do, out there at sea? He feels he needs to be at home, or at least out surveying the colonies, protecting Britain’s (his) interests. He’s had his royals, his government, the Admiralty, echoing the constant refrain of what is expected, what is needed of him. And what is needed is more. More money, more land, more power, more class, more knowledge, more charm, more charisma, more and more, more, more--

He thinks he’s up to the task of becoming That without losing himself and he sold his soul, debased his own principles in the attempt. In abandoning the Navy, despite it being an institution in and of itself, he cast away the virtues that he’d held while in it: Loyalty, consistency, discipline, frugality, moderation, commonality. He dove headlong into trying to meet impossible expectations and decided it was better to turn a blind eye, to enable the subjugation of others, and to profit off blood, than to be considered a failure.

#I don't envy the pressure he was under; HOWEVER... #we are all products of both our circumstances and our choices #as the knight in last crusade so eloquently put it.... He chose............p o o r l y . #.// no frigate like a book (headcanons) #.// ruled the waves (arthur) #.// hope perches in the soul (ooc) #I love the line in God of War Ragnarok where Kratos is like listen you were made to solve an impossible problem #and honestly Arthur is a drop in the bucket #if I decided to write him as fighting the Empire rather than succumbing to it the story would still end the same #he is only one single man even if he is a man connected to the people and land and culture #resting the expectations wants needs and desires of an entire empire on one person is fucked up #like honestly what did anyone think would happen? #but all that said he still made his choices and he chose money and power and influence over not being an imperialist shitbag #there's a lot of unexplored territory in the idea that the reps are COMPELLED to return to their land and Do Their Duties #Because that is just What They Are and that is In Their Nature and it is Inescapable #and I think Arthur feels that very strongly but has only found a kind of equilibrium in learning to channel that into uhhhh #not being an imperialist shitbag #and hey look at that! he ended up addicted to opium and laudanum and cocaine and a million other things by the 1860s and 1870s #in order to maintain that imperial facade and live up to what was expected of him he had to drop out of sanity #imperialism and nationalism are sicknesses and his manifested in a great poison that enabled his worst impulses for over 100 years #**only recently found that equilibrium no I am not redoing the tags

[sigmabateman]

i know we have a tendency to imagine people as their icons, and while it would be flattering to be imagined as the cat whose ass is NOT singing!!, i have a confession….. i’m actually allergic to cats. im living a lie. i hope you can still support me after this

#i was thinking of changing my theme but ive grown so attached to this cat #but at the same time.. does it really represent me? and who i am? #or is it just who people expect me to be… #or is it both - and ultimately a product of simple circumstance #who knows.. idk i probably wont change it LOL for a bit at least. i just had to come clean