“When I first heard it, from a dog trainer who knew her behavioral science, it was a stunning moment. I remember where I was standing, what block of Brooklyn’s streets. It was like holding a piece of polished obsidian in the hand, feeling its weight and irreducibility. And its fathomless blackness. Punishment is reinforcing to the punisher. Of course. It fit the science, and it also fit the hidden memories stored in a deeply buried, rusty lockbox inside me. The people who walked down the street arbitrarily compressing their dogs’ tracheas, to which the poor beasts could only submit in uncomprehending misery; the parents who slapped their crying toddlers for the crime of being tired or hungry: These were not aberrantly malevolent villains. They were not doing what they did because they thought it was right, or even because it worked very well. They were simply caught in the same feedback loop in which all behavior is made. Their spasms of delivering small torments relieved their frustration and gave the impression of momentum toward a solution. Most potently, it immediately stopped the behavior. No matter that the effect probably won’t last: the reinforcer—the silence or the cessation of the annoyance—was exquisitely timed. Now. Boy does that feel good.”
— Melissa Holbrook Pierson, The Secret History of Kindness (2015)
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suicidal people deserve a space to talk about their suicidal feelings without risking hospitalization/institutionalization or being accused of being manipulative or attention seeking
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also, i really find it interesting how people can genuinely go about saying "Well this group isn't attacked for their identity so they can't be queer " while then turning around and. attacking said group. for their identity. and exemplifying classic __-phobic tropes. It's really dumb. You are being the thing that you claim does not exist
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I hate it when people's first reaction to me saying I'm aroace is "oh but don't you wanna have a partner and kids in the future, won't you be sad without that" Like no bitch I'm gonna be happy living alone in the peace and quiet with my cats and dogs and 1000 books to keep me company and I'm gonna be just as happy and complete as every other person out there if not happier.
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“disability isnt a competition or something you have to Prove is Bad Enough to deserve being taken seriously” and “some people are objectively more or less disabled in certain areas than you are and that isnt an attack on you” are two concepts that yall absolutely MUST allow to coexist. im so tired
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Everyone always talks about autistic people who hate being touched, but where's the representation for sensory seeking autistics who love hugs and would be cuddling with someone 24/7 if they could????
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in a little over 2 weeks, I've made enough book sales to donate almost ~$10,000 to Palestinian causes! This means donations to:
MAP (Medical Aid for Palestinians)
PCRF (Palestinian Children's Relief Fund)
CareforGaza
ANERA
Safebow (which is currently working to evacuate over 50 Palestinians before Ramadan)
and a bunch of miscellaneous Palestinian escape funds on Gofundme.
I'm incredibly grateful and humbled by the response to my books on this website, and would just like to emphasise that my policy of donating 100% of my profits from my store(s) to Palestine is INDEFINITE. Pick up a book or print any time and know that your money is going to a good cause!
Thank you again, and free Palestine!
STORE (BUY MY BOOKS)
PRINTS
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