#esp in today's political climate

[dykefaggotry]

being a ✨historian✨ on the internet is hearing the worst most god awful fucking takes you have ever seen by ppl that have never actually studied history beyond youtube videos and tiktoks and maybe some trending half fiction half conspiracy book and just want to say smth they think is like earth shattering and edgy but is really just completely ahistorical and vaguely offensive but you can't even say anything bc you will get called an elitist and you kind of just

#oh my god I am tired I'm tired if I have to hear one more person talk out their ass about history or religion I'm gonna lose it #on today's takes I've heard: #the us is actually comparable to africa bc africa is only suffering bc their governments hate them #(completely ignoring how vastly different each political climate and history is of each African country #as well as how undeniably responsible Europe and esp England is for the bullshit in Africa) #and now the take that Actually before europe every single other country on earth was peaceful and a fucking fairy land utopia #but Europeans have generational trauma that make them evil and mean and inhuman as compared to everyone else #which is just. I don't even know where to begin there. #Europe has done irreparable harm w colonization yes absolutely #but to say that every non European country had never experienced violence is also racist bc it's denying the autonomy of entire peoples #and their very real and important histories and contexts #just to give the dogshit fake edgy bullshit take that Europeans invented violence bc they're not actually human

[ear-worthy]

Pod-Alization: Freakonomics ESP on ESG; Idea Generation; Russian Oligarchs R.I.P.

Freakonomics has ESP about ESG

Leave it to the geniuses at Freakonomics to ask a politically divisive question and come up with an answer that doesn't satisfy any side, but does accomplish something political opponents have seemingly forgotten. How to find solutions to our current climate, social, cultural, and economic problems.

This week's episode of Freakonomics Radio asks "Are E.S.G. Investors Actually Helping the Environment?"

Answer: Probably not. The economist Kelly Shue argues that E.S.G. (environmental, social, and governance) investing just gives more money to firms that are already green while depriving polluting firms of the financing they need to get greener. But she has a solution.

The show also hears from the CEO of a so-called "brown" — that is, the opposite of green — company

Listen and find a script at freakonomics.com or wherever you get podcasts.

Idea Generation's All Angles highlights brands iHeartMedia and Will Packer Media have announced the debut of the new iHeartPodcast IDEA GENERATION’S All Angles. The show will debut on June 22, with new episodes airing weekly on Thursdays.

Listeners can tune in to the official trailer here.

IDEA GENERATION’S All Angles is a twelve-episode co-produced series highlighting brands from the fashion, food, media, and music industries that have helped shape and define today’s culture. Hosted by Noah Callahan-Bever, former Complex Chief Content Officer and founder of IDEA GENERATION – an independent media brand dedicated to the education and inspiration of tomorrow’s creative entrepreneurs – the unscripted series steps behind the curtain and talks with a variety of company leaders to uncover the crucial role that team chemistry has played in the making of the most popular culture-creating brands today.

On each episode, the show will feature an oral history format that weaves together a bevy of insider voices, culminating in a 360-degree narrative that tells the story of each brand. Utilizing the voices of key players and teammates, the show will discuss the ins and outs that helped take the company from an idea to an empire.

In the two-part debut, Noah Callahan-Bever will chat with entrepreneur Steve Rifkind, founder of Loud Records—the 90’s hip-hop record label responsible for developing acts like Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, and Big Pun—as well as his co-founder, Rich Issacson, legendary artist and repertoire (A&R) representatives Matt Life and Sean C, and Mobb Deep's Havoc.

“This new podcast with Noah will give listeners the opportunity to hear never-before-told stories about the trials and tribulations of transforming a brand,” said Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcasts. “In today’s world, we’re seeing more and more aspiring entrepreneurs looking for their breakthroughs, and this podcast gives listeners a behind-the-scenes look into what goes into making a successful brand and how the people surrounding you can help champion your ideas.”

“There is a greater intensity in interest around not just the ‘who’ but the in-depth answers to the ‘why,’ ‘how’ and ‘when’ of American success stories,” said Will Packer, CEO Will Packer Media. This podcast gives listeners that specificity they crave.”

"Since the days of Henry Ford and Walt Disney the founder myth has been a foundational part of how the media has framed success in business," said Callahan-Bever. "But creating a great brand takes more than just one person's ideas or efforts—they're born out of the confluence of a founder's vision and the executional and operational expertise of their partners. And along the way there's going to be both collaboration and conflict, steel sharpening steel, and from that process excellence can be achieved. Our goal with All Angles was to capture that magic, and show aspiring entrepreneurs that there are so many crucial roles and crucial steps—and sometimes even crucial fights—that have to happen to build a culture defining brand."

Russian oligarchs are "Putin" mortal danger

SAD OLIGARCH from iHeart Media is hosted by independent journalist and documentary filmmaker Jake Hanrahan. The show explores the unexplained and suspicious deaths of more than a dozen of Russia's wealthiest businessmen. From frog venom to axes, window falls and more, each episode of SAD OLIGARCH will take listeners through the mysterious deaths of these oligarchs and explore Kremlin corruption and Russian political influence worldwide. Tune it in today.

Since January 2022, more than 12 of Russia's wealthiest oligarchs have been found dead. One was poisoned with frog venom. One was found hanged on a handrail, with his wife and children killed with an axe. Several fell out of high windows.

All the deaths are, of course, suspicious. Russia says most of them were coincidental suicides--that the oligarchs were simply depressed. I don't think so.

Sad Oligarch is a modern true-crime style investigative podcast series that looks into each Russian oligarch death in 2022/2023, unraveling a dark tale of Kremlin corruption and Russian political influence across the world.

I'll admit that it's difficult to generate much empathy for a group of corrupt one-percenters who achieved their position of wealth and power by subjugating so many others. But then there's Vladimir Putin. And then I do feel sorry for them, and the fate he imposed upon them.

#podcast #podcasting #true crime #marketing

[rivertalesien]

I hope this is okay to send you. IMO, people who believe we are being visited by aliens from another planet are no different than people who believe in sky gods or deities. It's like a damn cult, see Heaven's Gate, etc. Also, I was highly suspicious when they were holding hearings, which seem most likely a distraction from what is fucking real, which is the global climate crisis, homelessness, food supplies, wars, corrupt right-wing side of the Supreme Court, a criminal running for President to stay out of prison and so much more. It's all too much.

They are a distraction and a really stupid one.

But if you're a generation or two that has spent the last three decades listening to talk back radio and watching Ancient Aliens and all the other conspiracy BS (that is also, no surprise, incredibly racist), it's an easy lure.

Most of the right wing media figures today would have been curios on late night community cable open access channels in the 90s. They would never have been taken seriously and disappeared very quickly.

But media companies are owned by far right billionaires who want this crap everywhere because of the hold it has on gullible white people (who never let go of their racism) in particular: it makes sense of a world they thought they knew everything about (only to find racism had kept them in the rear), and it's a kind of socio-political retaliation, to re-center whiteness and block the progress made by the Black community, the queer community, etc.

That's pretty much all right-wing and so-called leftist media does anymore: keeps feeding the idea that white people are superior, have more knowledge and power than anyone else and if you're not careful, will make you question the very nature of reality.

All the unionizing and strikes, esp. post-Covid is a blow to that and I hope it keeps scaring the shit out of them.

#questions

[mlmxreader]

What is one (or a few) book(s) that you are interested in (either read, or wanting to read) that has been either banned, mass burned, or even both and why?

I’ll go first! I want to read ‘1984’ by George Orwell and ‘1985’ by Anthony Burgess because it was both banned and mass burned and still to this day the most controversial and banned book in American history. ‘1984’ is about quote “to teach people a lesson about the negative things that could happen if they allowed their government to exercise total control”. Also it seems like the direction the US is heading to that this book warned about. The other book ‘1985’ is a sequel about quote “the consequences of totalitarianism, mass surveillance, and repressive regimentation of people and behaviours within society” . So once I finish the other 10+ books I already have, that will be the first book I purchase

I'd have to say All Quiet On the Western Front, tbh; it was banned and burned in Nazi Germany for portraying the reality of ww1 and for not upholding Hitler's ideology of German soldiers either, so they banned it - however, it wasn't banned in any other country. (although given America and Canada's current climate, I wouldn't be shocked if they banned it from schools tbqh)

All Quiet is honestly just one of those books that I'd recommend everybody read at least once or twice in their lifetime, as it shows the reality behind ww1 - it shows you how horrible the conditions in the trenches were, as well as the individual mental toll it took on soldiers. but!!! it's a very small-scope book, and it shows you very intimately what's going on on an individual level as opposed to other novels, which show you things like the political climate at the time and the kind of behind the scenes look at what was going on OUTSIDE of the trenches.

1984 is a good book, tbh, (even tho I have a little bit of a bone to pick w Orwell ngl) although if you haven't already, I'd suggest maybe checking out The Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison as well! it's a heavy book I'll admit, but it's so worth it tbh, bc a lot of the themes and motifs within it are especially apparent in today's society (the book was published in 1952), and it addresses things like racism within the 20th century (esp segregation in the US), the Black American identity, and quite a few political ideologies as well like Marxism and Black Nationalism!

although I do also need to read Happy Odyssey by Adrian Carton De Wiart as well, bc that's all abt his experiences fighting in war and it includes his most iconic and memorable quote of "Frankly, I enjoyed the war" bc he was genuinely just... he was different! like, direct opposite of Audie Murphy tbh.

#asks #gayaristocrat

[neomewowow]

ok this is like a shot in the dark but does anyone have any books on the phenomenon where lawmakers and politicians have throughout history repeatedly went after the social outcasts and specific minorities rights first that were deemed “acceptable” to oppress only to cause a domino effect to ruin the lives of all minority groups across the board.

like basically how first they target trans people bc theyre “a threat to children” and then next thing you know its sex workers then its the right to abortions then its gay marriage then its the removal of certain educational history books then its critical race theory then its etc etc

im just trying to find more sources to read on bc i know ive seen several good posts here on it and its a very interesting concept i wish more people were aware of esp in todays political climate but the tumblr tag system sucks and i cant find them again and for some reason google wont give me shit

#lgbt #pride #femminism #pro choice #just throwing out tags related to this topic so i get some responses back #also sorry if this post is kinda poorly worded i wrote this super early in the morning for me

[roguestarsailor]

i went to two house parties today and uhh only in the last one is where i actually talked about politics and the guy DID NOT like that. i feel bad for making a few folks in the room feel uncomfortable (to the point where they physically moved away) but i can’t help it!!!!! i truly think what hes saying is bullshit and he might actually be committing fraud i think i should report it?? but ive always used the unspoken rule of not reporting things and like not blowing things out of proportion.

it started because idk why he popped into our circle where we were discussing DATING and ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS to ask if we were going to vote in the elections on Tuesday. A few wanted to talk about the billions of props that are being proposed on  the ballot this year but the guy ended up talking about affirmative action. the thing is that its a us supreme court decision, also he is canadian and whole heartedly identifies as chinese and when asked if hes register to vote in this state he said they dont check that. and i was annoyed with that but i got angry and just asked him point blank questions about  why its so important for him to participate in OUR election that DOESNT effect him in the slightest (not mention what he is saying is ILLEGAL and a point of tension in our current political climate). he says he has “brothers and sisters” in the US and he will make sure they get rid of race based admissions for colleges.

he tried to tell us facts but people  started looking  up their phones and says hes wrong and hes like no trust me. its there and everyone’s like ...literally google says no... but he was so insistent. i was quite annoyed and was just like you think race is the biggest deciding factor in school adminissions?? and pointed out  how long our applications are -- gpa, test scores, essays, extracurriculars, etc and also admission officers are looking at it wholistically and they are creating a culture too so it makes sense. esp since these are private entities so they can technically do whatever. but  anyways i said that the application process is already a lot that race wouldn’t be placed high on the list and he just left. like he just left the group and hung out with another group of people.  and everyone was like SHRUG. the other ppl returned to the group and we just talked about something  else.

i felt like i made a good point and it really punched the hole into his arguments but it did not sit right with me that he’s trying to illegally vote... theres a 50/50 chance he can be turned away or he can get away with it because of how he looks and maybe acts. election officials are nice and want to make sure everyone can vote. he’s abusing this system or at least what he’s proposing and alluding to is abusing the system and i hate him for that. for a stupid reason also. i dont feel as hot headed about politics anymore. i think im just really tired and i think theres so much at play on how tech and the circles you  run in shapes  your politics.

the first house party i went to, my roommate briefed me on the fact that these people are wealthy and they have another idea about politics. i didn’t say much of anything while with them and just let them chatter away on what they think. i dont think i really want to know what they think about anything at all and it’s like they live in a completely different reality so they can’t hold the same perspectives i hold so i’ve just backed off from that.

i’ve been taking that route for the most part. this is the first time i really confronted the guy and said what i needed to say. i think i won because he just abruptly left. i think i made a good point and he refuse to acknowledge it. i also dont like him -- like i absolutely will not associate with him ever again. which is probably why i stopped asking and talking about politics now. i think in this city, everyone is wealthly and wants to be wealthy and wanted to take advantage of it when they can. i think its a lot of fluff and most are full of shit. pride and pro abortions and all but they are all veryy rich and have very privileged backgrounds and i hardly think they participate nor think about how the city at large functions which is why i dont want to talk to them about it and i really dont want to know too much because i will always have a sour taste with them.

#amandathoughts

[secondbeatsongs]

“Zombie” with every first beat removed

#music #every other beat #every second beat #song #second beat song #zombie #the cranberries #yes I know this is not a halloween song #but people use it as a halloween song #and I do actually enjoy the original song for non-spooky purposes #esp in today's political climate #so there #nobody asked for this

[follow-ur-heart-till-it-bleeds]

 Headcanon scenario

Nessie gets her first detention when in her English III Honors class (she’s a sophomore) her teacher went on a tangent about how pernicious, and badly written, Orwell’s essays were.

Nessie, without even thinking, says: If you can’t recognize the intrinsic greatness of an essay like “Politics and the English Language,” you wouldn’t know a first rate piece of writing if it bit you on the ass

She then has to go home with the detention slip and explain the predicament. Edward, Emmett, Jasper, and Alice, of course, find all of this hilarious. Bella does too, but she tells Nessie that she has to show respect for her teacher.

Nessie apologizes, admitting that she just blurted it out without thinking, but stands by what she said.

Bella then tells her she has to be careful and learn how to hold her tongue around certain people.

Nessie, being the smart ass that she is, precedes to hold her tongue with her fingers as she tells her mom she’s going to hang out with Grandpa Charlie.

When she leaves, Bella looks at Edward and says: You know she gets it from you

Edward: Are you referring to my charm?

Bella: Oh, is that what we’re calling it now?

Edward: What do you call it?

Bella smiles and responds: Being a blunt, smart-ass

Edward: You know most people find that endearing. And speaking of which, she inherited your stubbornness. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

While Bella and Edward are having a moment, Emmett chimes in: And she inherited her good looks from me

[Nessie’s and the teacher’s scenario is based on this]

#twilight #twilight saga #renesmee cullen #edward cullen #bella cullen #the link i put for what the nessie and teacher scenario is based on musing about orwells politics and the english language 50 years later #its a good read #and so is orwells politics and the english language #and i think its esp relevant for todays political climate in the us and other countries as well #anyways back to twilight lol i put first detentiona s if nessie will get another detention #twilight headcanon

[awordwasthebeginning]

I'm an immigrant and can't vote yet but as I'm new to german politics I'm still trying to learn more about the parties here. Could you explain who you think the best choices are if you are comfortable disclosing it?

Absolutely, thank you for your question!

I hope I can help, but I must warn you: As a member of the SPD, my answer will be biased. Also, prepare for a long post.

If you want, check out this post for opinions concerning this election.

I'll go through the six parties currently in the BT and then add a snippet about small parties, yeah?

CDU/CSU (="Union"): Not recommended.

Their views on societal norms are outdated and bleed into their policies re: immigration, parental leave, etc.

Some of them lean far right.

They think companies should pay fewer taxes so to fund innovation. That will not be enough for the changes necessary for climate change mitigation and adaptation.

They think regulating rent prices is unconstitutional. (It's an opinion based on a formality.)

Concerning this election, they have shown that they have very few ideas on how this country should be run - they're Merkel's party, so they think they have the hereditary right to the German chancellorship.

SPD: Recommended.

They demand higher minimum wage (12€) and a right to work from home where it's possible.

The Kurzarbeitergeld (payment during "empty employment" esp. during the pandemic) was their idea.

They want to raise taxes for the rich, and also for global player companies who basically don't pay any despite making a shit-ton of profit. Looking at you, Google & Amazon.

They support a fast transition to renewable energy (not fast enough, true) as well as expansion of public transport etc. to reduce carbon emissions.

The last legislative period (and also the GroKo before that) was basically them doing solid work, and the Union blocking and watering down everything.

They have, to this day, always stood against fascism.

BÜNDNIS 90/Die Grünen: Recommended.

To make it short, they have many things in common with the SPD.

The two red-green coalitions (1998-2005) made many necessary and progressive changes, for example with regard to social systems (Hartz IV, which doesn't work well today anymore) and energy policy (Atomausstieg).

Their climate change policies go further than those of the other parties, so they will be an important addition to any government in that regard.

They, too, think that the state should regulate things to increase social equality - rent prices, for example -, to reduce carbon emissions, and much more.

Their views on social issues like gender, sexuality, religion, race, disability, etc. are very progressive.

FDP: Not recommended.

They agree with the CDU on many points, with the exception of social issues.

Their expertise lies in digitalisation and economics.

(Somehow, their tax concept is still one of those which will leave the biggest gap in the federal budget.)

They lean towards privatisation.

Their understanding is that the market mostly regulates itself.

In a progressive coalition, they might do some solid work. In a conservative coalition, the policy-making might be smoother but the results would be desastrous for society and the planet.

DIE LINKE: Recommended.

The party strongly opposes international military cooperation, or any form of military action in general.

(This might be the most difficult bit, because that would include military action against terrorist groups in other countries, such as the so-called "IS" or the T aliban.)

Their social policies are very progressive and solidaric.

They want to tax the rich, expropriate big housing companies, introduce a 30-hour week, and much more.

They have never been part of a federal government but would be fairly compatible with SPD and Grüne.

AfD: Absolutely not recommended.

They're nazis, nazi apologists, and nazi supporters.

The rest is bullshit too, but we can stop here.

Smaller parties (Volt, Piraten, etc.): Partly recommended.

You can vote for them in communal elections. That's fine. They might have a chance of ending up in the town council.

But in federal or state elections, they take votes away from the big parties, shifting percentages. That's fucking frustrating.

(A few Klimaliste voters less, and we'd have a green-red gov't in Baden-Württemberg now.)

There you go. I hope this was helpful!

Don't hesitate to ask if there's something you want me to explain, or to correct me if you find a mistake.

#politics #germany #politik #anonymous #loquor

[bi-dazai]

focusing ur movement's rhetoric and especially it's public slogans and material around saving/protecting children is an extremely common and effective fascist tactic. It's why both transphobes (esp terfs) and qanon use it, it's why pro-lifers use it, it's why the n*zi 14 words end with "a future for white children". It's incredibly fucking dangerous because humans do have an instinctive need to protect our young. It's natural and good to do this, but the way how is complex and can be guided in dangerous directions. Remember, the priority of transphobes isn't to "protect children", it's to persecute trans people. It isn't the priority of qanon to stop child trafficking, it's to push an antisemitic fascist conspiracy theory to support a fascist political figure and further push a climate of misinformation. It isn't the priority of n*zis to protect the future of white kids, it's to persecute and murder all those of racial impurity as assigned by their own perception of race, which they also want to push.

Using child-protection oriented rhetoric is a fascist technique, short and simple. It's appealing because it's easy and effective and it works incredibly well to push conservative rhetoric into. When we convince people that the livelihoods of adults do not matter because children are the utmost pillars of society to be protected above all else we open ourselves to dehumanising minorities and just people in general.

And it's hard to balance this because it IS important to give special consideration and effort into the protection of children. They are more vulnerable and they truly are our future. But I cannot in good faith prioritise children in my politics and especially in my political rhetoric because it is fascist. I can push for adults to not create or encourage (consciously or subconsciously) paedophilic rhetoric and work onto minors. I can push for adults to keep their children off the wider internet before they are of a certain age. I can push for adults in fandoms of children's media to behave responsibly. I can point out that parents should be open and understanding with their gay and trans children, even if it does turn out to be a phase. I can push for kids to have access to material about safe sex ed, I can push for kids having income, I can push for kids having outlets that protects them from abuse. I can point out the myriad ways that capitalism distorts, exploits, and overworks teenagers.

What I cannot do is centre children in my politics, and nobody should. I have seen very few cases where centring children has not let people down a rabbit hole of fascistic, homophobic, transphobic, misogynistic, xenophobic, and/or racist thought. Spending most of your time in political thought orbiting around what dreadful thing is going to affect the children today is going to end badly. You are going to be more sensitive to misinformation around this topic. It doesn't make you bad or stupid - it's human, we are emotional creatures. Even after we know something is misinformation the rhetoric can remain. And in a climate where most articles in the popular media sphere are pushing the narrative of how BLM or trans and gay people or a secret jewish cabal are going to corrupt your child, it is increasingly dangerous to prioritise children in your political rhetoric. I have, consistently, seen people, in their quest to protect the young, become overprotective of children, and, more importantly, incorporate dangerous and violent fascistic thought against minorities in their rhetoric.

Teenagers are children, but they are also at a time where they are coming of age and finding their way in the world. A teenager should have access to adult media and resources because a teenager is beginning to become an adult. Teenagers should have access to sexual resources like condoms, birth control, and correct information framed in a healthy way. Teenagers should be allowed to experiment with their identity and their body - whether it be wearing a binder, kissing someone of the same gender, going by weird pronouns. There is nothing strange, either, about teenagers consuming and seeking out porn (the issues with this on the internet is for another time). There's nothing weird or problematic about teenagers connecting online and being "cringe" about anime or cartoons or tv shows.

But so much of people's rhetoric, even on the left, has become centred around, in particular, the radicalisation and misinformationising of teenagers. And of course it's a valid conversation to have and an important one. But when we portray teenagers as innocent and extremely manipulatable, to the point that you no longer condemn them for their actions, we erase their victims. A 16 yr old terf is a victim of manipulation by adult predatory terfs, yes, but she is also someone who is inflicting and perpetrating harm on trans people, INCLUDING adult trans people, whose material conditions affected by transphobia deserve more time and focus than the 16 yr old white kid calling a trans woman slurs.

When we over-protect and over-prioritise children to the point that we lose empathy and focus for the ways our society affects adults and especially adult minorities we become fascistic. I am not saying that we should stop talking about how the internet is affecting teenagers, but I am asking those of you who wish to prioritise the (very western idea of, might I add) innocence of teenagers rhetoric to reconsider how you're framing the world and discourse around you.

#long post

[glittercorvid]

i’m going to start my name change process next week by getting finger printed, which is exciting, but now i have to fully decide my middle name. i have four options and they pull at different desires within me. there’s the Normie name that i initially chose bc it made me feel like a regular guy with a regular name but is also not a name that i really feel any particular connection to. there’s the Family name which is actually the name i chose for myself after my parents rejected my actual chosen name (they’ve come around now) that somehow still appeals to my desire to feel accepted by my parents/family at large but i also kinda resent existing at all. there’s my Fuck You I’m Not Here To Be Normal middle name that appeals to my dramatic, gothic, and fun-loving side but is also kinda embarrassing. and then there’s the choice of not actually changing my middle name at all, which helps me feel like one continuous being instead of two completely different souls who happen to have possessed the same body and also appeals to my gender nonconformity but also kinda makes me feel dysphoric

#it's all very complex #it's 3 am and i'm thinking about gender again bc that's what i do and also contra put out a new video today so ofc i'm thinking about gender #the political climate makes me nervous so i'm trying to get on all that sooner rather than later esp getting my passport renewed #so i don't have long left to debate i'm just not really sure #i suppose i have to sit down and think about my Values and what i Want out of a name but that's like hard and makes me sad so like yuck! #dan.txt

[leahclearwaterdefensesquad]

Like ancient Greece I guess? I'm just tired of the presidency lmao. Plus if people leave from lets say Alabama bc of racism or abortion, etc. Another "country" like massachusetts can take them in?? Idk I'm only 18 and while I don't understand politics and nations and everything. My first kinda surface thought was to get rid of presidency. Then Military personnel can just have a base where they used to live? Idk I just don't like one man having all that power at his fingertips lol

In ref to this ask . And don't be sorry!

I get your frustration with our current government and funny story but the Founding Fathers almost decided upon having 3 presidents per term lol but thought that nothing eould get done if 3 ppl were constantly arguing over what to do all the time esp during war but changing America's gov isn't necessarily gonna fix all the gov./political problems wrong with this country, not to mention that - if you haven't read The Iliad I'm gonna spoil some of it for you - getting all those kingdoms to cooperate during war was rare and in the end, Agammemnon was their leader (my point w that is that if there wasn't a singular leader spearheading the campaign it would've been disorganized chaos). So i think my point is that that wouldn't really work in today's political climate. Too vulnerable.

Not to shoot ya down here, but imo, it's not sm how America theoretically handles the balance of power that's the issue, but America itself and how its ideals are weaponized.

#anon asks #personal asks

[jewpacabruhs]

lol cant wait to weed out the transphobes in this fandom by watchin ppl try to defend that ep. m&t r old men libertarians who lean towards leftism in today's political climate but a lotta their social stances r still center-right. and you know, u can be staunchly liberal and still enjoy the show while condemning their shittier takes. that's possible lol. consuming media that pushes different beliefs than u have is like,,, okay .-.

and on the flip side, hell, being a centrist or right winger or even a liberal who's not as informed or concerned with lgb(t) or social issues, and wholeheartedly agreeing with the message of tonight's ep, is completely fine bc obvi no one can't stop you - but just puttin it out there, if u put shitty takes on my dash where personal transphobia leaks into commentary of the ep, regardless of socio-political alignment, my trans ass is hittin that unfollow & block button.

ill put up with m&t's old man asses bc of (sometimes unfortunate) sentimental attachment to the fuckin show, so i can barely bring myself to care anymore, esp bc ive come to expect this; but unless ur a close friend, fellow viewers are on much thinner ice. and please know that if ur cis & have an opinion u like,,, shouldnt air it. not ur place bro. obvi freedom of speech, but i sense a lotta ppl r gonna lose followers in the next few days for sayin dumb shit. some of u r already actin a fool & its been an hour .-.

#idek #txt #mine #this says a lotta nothin but. idek ive had a Week

[galaxy-notes]

may day notes re: organizing

before covid19 and perhaps before these past 2-3 years, if you were to ask me do i subscribe to one political ideology? i’d say no and just be like i’m a leftist / radical / etc. and i def fuck with anarchists, but i don’t think i am with ONE ideology, no... but now i VERY much see anarchism (which is, truth be told, marx’s original picture of ‘ideal’ communist societies) as an absolutely key piece to the type of radical movement building that’s actually gonna get us to the world we need and want.

i think the combination of covid19 + climate change is unraveling so many things for me and exposing the failure of states as a whole. i was watching INCITE’s abolitionist feminism event today, which left me with something that really stood out: one of the speakers (love them) critiqued the way mutual aid efforts could be co-opted and nonprofit-ized to suit neoliberal capitalism, and how we must hold the state responsible esp to our basic needs. and they also said (paraphrasing) we are in a constant battle between organizing against the state and holding the state accountable. i feel that.

and i’m also like, well which is it? if these states don’t serve us especially in times of crisis, then what could we possibly demand from them?

i truly believe that our ideal image of the world (an image free from oppression, centralization and domination) isn’t some far future, but something that we should be practicing now - which is what anarchists are all about - and something that actually many radical, localized movements are already doing (even if they don’t use the label anarchist* - that’s cool, too). if we don’t start now, we’ll never be able to set it into motion whenever that future arrives. but the idea that it’s something in the “far future” is untrue. for some, pieces of that future are already here. some communities are already set up with solidarity or alternative economies, indigenous folks have been practicing self-governance for ages, and movements have adopted diff practices like decentralization, mutual aid (practiced in many rad disabled/queer/trans communities and most def survivor-led, abolitionist transformative justice groups), radical healing, survival skill sharing and consensus decision-making. getting involved in local movement ecosystems shows us that anarchism isn’t something “pie in the sky,” it’s actually a way of being in the truest forms of community with each other - as independent of the state and interdependent with each other as much as possible.

we are at an unprecedented time and a crisis. we are facing existential threats that we’ve never faced before. we need to radically shift our organizing in a way that meets what we’re up against - not just climate change, covid19 and the start of a series of economic collapses, but fascism at its peak, including increased militarization, advanced weaponry and surveillance tech that is most definitely going to used (and strengthened) against the most vulnerable among us. the surveillance state, the carceral state, the billionaires, and corporate conglomerates may have been resourced and preparing for years, but the rest of us... we are, altogether, very unprepared for this.

we cannot return to the world the way it was before. we cannot be waiting on a political savior to come and rescue us. we cannot turn to the government and beg that they give us basic human rights. we cannot be demanding (which is still asking for permission) corporations and negotiate through meetings and achieve wins after campaigning for months or even years. we cannot continue to simply rely on unions or ask for more jobs when that doesn’t get to the core of what is denying us the things we need to survive + thrive as full human beings. we do not have time to wait for policymakers and politicians and legislature to pass proposals because this planet is not waiting for us. we need to let go of old models of organizing and begin prioritizing forms of direct action organizing that gets the goods directly and immediately from the source, and most importantly, does not ask nor wait for permission. we need to see ourselves (evolve) in a new way: as leaders and decision-makers of our own lives and communities. fully autonomous with strong, adaptive networks of support.

we needed to fucking end the carceral state, yesterday. we needed to end poverty, yesterday. we needed to get folks into safe houses and into communities of care and support, yesterday. folks who don’t have houses, folks who are in abusive ones, folks occupied and surveillled daily by law enforcement and the US military, folks in prisons and detention centers represent some of the most vulnerable members in our communities. if we do not abolish the state and all its institutions that make these conditions possible for the *most marginalized,* we will end up with a reform “movement” disguised as a “revolution” led by liberals and well-meaning leftists. and the result? continued state violence. the difference? new institutions that provide “band-aid” solutions, but unfortunately set up to allow the exact same forms of violence again, enacted and shadow-led by white supremacists, war criminals and monsters like jeff b*zos. we need to completely redefine “wealth” so that billionaires don’t even get the slightest chance to emerge victorious, where global capitalism is fully abolished - and that starts with creating alternative ways of living and being with one another.

i am feeling a great sense of urgency to get together, thoroughly learn what is coming for us and what is already here, and engage in deep strategy. this requires us to plan how we create and further alternative systems of living + continue to engage in direct action organizing that supports a diversity of tactics and fundamentally challenges what or who is legal/illegal.

as an immigrant/settler on colonized grounds, i recognize how decolonization will be (and always has been) at the center of this upcoming shift. as someone whose family and ancestors were not forced captive and stolen from their homelands to be exploited on stolen land, i am aware that if indigenous (+black) folks want me off, i am ready to pack my bags and go. (edit: in re-reading this after having learned about indigenous sovereignty and what that looks like, this does not make much sense as the land does not “belong” to people, at least not in the way we currently perceive of land ownership under colonial conditions). if not, indigenous leadership (across borders) must be at the forefront when it comes to how to we restore our relationship to this land, with ourselves and with each other. although not indigenous (in nepali terms) myself, i am prepared to bring in my people’s own ancestral knowledge of the land and community healing to uplift this practice. i am also prepared to bring in my personal reflections, including everything i learned from experiences with my family and my childhood to newfound knowledge and wisdom i have (and am currently) building up through mentor- and community-based relationships where i am. 

we are faced with a unique moment we could not have predicted, and this requires us to open our mind to every radical possibility.

there is no going back.

*especially important to note if communities don’t use the term ‘anarchist’ because they have their own definition of how they exist and relate to one another independent of the state 

#anarchism #communism #movement building #may day #grassroots organizing #labor movement #liberation #revolution #post #long post

[blazehedgehog]

When people cite one of Kojima's strengths being his "crazy", "insane" plots, would he really feel comfortable hearing it described that way, do you think? I hear people say RE4 has amazing self-aware, campy plot but I don't think it is. It's just culturally tone-deaf writing on what's "cool", esp. when future titles didn't carry that element on (sadly).

Watching the latest Death Stranding gameplay videos, I’m pretty sure Hideo Kojima knows exactly how people describe his games, and he’s playing to the crowd.

Like there’s no other way to read this stuff, at least to me, as being anything less than “Weird on purpose.” I also think he knows that’s a strength of his, that people count on his games to be really “out there,” so he goes for it and commits to expressing himself in unique ways.

I hesitate to use the term “artist,” because there are people who will roll their eyes at the idea that somebody like Kojima could be an artist, but I get the feeling that’s more of a criticism of the quality of what he does. Whether you love or hate his work, Hideo Kojima is definitely treating projects artistically. They are his art. There’s an underlying message and a subtext that’s trying to convey something more than just “dumb goon shoot gun.” Which lends itself to weirdness, even if the metaphor can sometimes be a little blunt. (the game’s message of “reconnecting America” has super obvious implications in today’s political climate)

Which is to say, if Kojima is trying to make art, art is weird, ergo Kojima is weird. In that context, it’s not a complaint, it’s a compliment. A badge of honor. It means that, as an artist, he’s leaving some kind of mark on the world. Isn’t that the point of art?

#questions #hideo kojima #death stranding #kojima productions #Anonymous

[namjoonlooks]

Hi! Thanks for creating quality Namjoon-centric content. It has been one of my sources of happiness. :) Also, you said that you know things abt the connections between The Beatles and BTS. I hope you wouldn't mind sharing what you know because, although I listen to The Beatles' songs, I am not that familiar with their era and achievements. Thank you!

i’m glad to make you happy! :D

OOF it’s a lot orz so let’s settle in (i’ll try to limit their history to what i think is relevant to bts lmao)

so, very similar beginnings: both groups have a love of american (esp Black) music and while both clearly didn’t fully understand it, they did genuinely appreciate it and both grew out of their misplaced imitations (at different rates and different cultural climates ofc)

both did the underground grind! Namjoon in Hongdae and Hoseok on the streets of Gwangju etc; the early Beatles (Paul, John, George and some other people-they met Ringo there) did it in Hamburg. they also had to fit a handful of boys into one tiny room so they got very in each others business very quickly lmao

LennonMcCartney ..... is a whole thing unto itself woof it’s a Lot but the importance of that connection can not be overstated alright but they are responsible for most of the musical output and nearly all creative decisions much like a certain rapline ;) thankfully I think the current boys have a whole lot less Issues and ya know talk to each other but anyway...

both went to label/studios that risked it to believe in these boys because they were just that talented. they have all been afforded an unusual amount of creative freedom which is evident in the music they write. George Martin-their main producer- let them do what they want but also lent his musical expertise where they might be lacking

the music is highly personal and highly personalized. you can tell who wrote what, their personalities were very out in the open. they did general songs about love etc. but also pushed the boundary in talking about politics, the state of society, and truly out there subjects. nothing was off the table!

the Beatles literally with no exaggeration changed the state of modern music. they did their rock n roll in the early 60s (which was still to a higher quality than most) but they experimented earnestly- the peak of which was Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band- which ushered in this new era of what now sounds like the 60s to us. not all on their own ofc, their music worked in tandem with the avant garde movement happening at the time, but they really did have a huge role in moving the music industry forward. besides that they and their staffed altered the technical aspects of recording music. Tomorrow Never Knows was the first pop song to ever use a backwards track and Ken Townsend working on a Beatles song (at John’s behest) figured out automatic double tracking- that’s huge!!! artists literally had to sing over themselves to double before then. i’m getting off topic oml but yes changed the entire music industry, as we’re seeing again today with BTS. maybe not so much with technicals but in proving what a foreign-language band can do in the largest music market?? absolute global chart domination?? lifting up an entire country’s music industry?? it’s massive, you can see evidence of the entertainment  changing because BTS impact is real

this turned into an analysis rather than a history lesson whoops sorry if that wasn’t what you were looking for! i have a Lot of Feelings, just lemme know if it was something else you wanted to know alskdjf

here have this comparison of paul and joon wearing the same outfit to compensate:

thanks for sticking with me 😘

#yall are gonna have to deal w me unloading alright it's been pent up #answered #Anonymous