#i know i'm mean and petty but it felt good to succeed and see them fail and also to be good at science because i love it <3

[struggle-but-its-all-ocean-floor]

hey, what's your take on mass streaming? I struggle between the side where I want bts to succeed in their solo careers and the side where I get tired of listening to the same song over and over again, which unfortunately also leads to resentment.

I get what you mean, and if you'd asked me this a few weeks ago my answer would've been very different!

Mass streaming songs just to increase streaming numbers feels dumb. But it's because fans do that that BTS are successful, since they don't get playlisting or radio play, in which people are exposed to, and forced to listen to, songs they may not know or like. Forcing yourself to stream a song though, even one you like, and feeling pressured to stream, because otherwise you're a bad fan, blah blah, is not how music is meant to be enjoyed and not how BTS wants you to enjoy their music. Regardless, I'm still honestly, and hypocritically, grateful to fans who obsessively stream, vote, and buy BTS albums, because without them I wouldn't even know about BTS and my life would be worse for it. That doesn't mean I don't think doing so is also a waste of time and money. I'm anti-capitalist too...

But I've been streaming Jungkook to 1 billion so I can offer a slightly difference perspective on streaming now. I didn't like Left and Right that much before - there isn't enough Jungkook and I don't like CP - but now I like it. I was prejudiced against CP and the collab (and still am) but I can admit the song is fun and I like JK's voice a lot. Before, I didn't see what JK brought to the song, but his vocals are so much better than CP's and the song benefits hugely from that. I'm glad the song exists now because lately BTS's music is a bit too sad, but L&R and Dreamers are fun and I love Jungkook's voice. I've been listening to the same songs (Dreamers, L&R, Stay Alive, sometimes My Time and Euphoria) from those 1 Billion for Jungkook playlists for at least a week now, but I'm not bored of the songs. I've grown to like L&R and Euphoria a lot more and to appreciate Jungkook's small discography, because there's a lot of variety there and he's an amazing singer. It's been comforting having his voice in my ear every day. I feel less alone and in a better mood. Dreamers gives me energy and puts a spring in my step when I'm walking home from work. There was a day I was sick of listening to the same songs (and tbh once JK reaches 1 billion streams I'll probably take a break from listening to him) but overall I'm grateful to the experience because I feel closer to his music and more excited for his album. I think this record is total bullshit though. I actually just liked the idea of Jungkook getting 1B streams before debut, and he was so close to 1B, so I thought I could help. I think the record is owned by Lisa so Armys are, like usual competing, with BP, but it became a project for me so it's fun in that sense.

In all honesty, I once streamed the Dynamite MV to break BP's record out of pettiness and because their MVs and songs aren't nearly as good as BTS's imo, but I will likely never repeat the experience. I felt dumb doing it and BTS didn't give a fuck, so there was no reward for me. But I can stream JK while doing other things and I like listening to his music so I don't mind streaming it. I know Jungkook won't care at all and that's fine for me - he shouldn't care about numbers. My takeaway is that streaming is a choice so it still reflects how much an artists is loved and it's not just "cheating". If you really like the song you don't necessarily grow to resent it. But if you feel pressured to stream that can be a negative experience. So don't force yourself! It's not worth it. Like JK says, BTS can't be your number one priority.

Thanks for the ask!

#ask #jungkook #bts #text #thanks for the ask!

[kittlyns]

Maybe I haven't read enough lgbt historical fantasy novels yet but the two I have read so far haven't been terribly satisfying

It sucks cuz they were both widely praised and highly recommended.

The Song of Achilles ended terribly, in my opinion. And not because they both died, no, I know that's how the story had to end. I didn't like either main character by the end. Achilles was just a prideful asshole, and despite the narrative's attempt to make me believe otherwise, Patroclus was still weak-minded and had a hard time confronting Achilles when he was wrong.

Not to mention how every woman written in the book feels like a mean-spirited caricature. There's little compassion for them. Like, I get it, it's a gay love story/tragedy. But does every woman in your story need to be brutally raped and/or an opposition for the gay lovers?

Even the only one who's treated as a somewhat serious character only enters the story by being saved from certain assault, and then dies tragically while escaping it yet again. Maybe it would have been a more compelling tragic end for her had it not felt like punishment for "falling in love" w Patroclus.

But whatever, not my cup of tea! Glad other people love it. It just wasn't for me, that's fine.

Then there's She Who Became The Sun, which honestly worked better for me. Most of the build-up is worth it. The story is compelling and interesting enough. The ending just felt so hollow. Mostly Zhu and Ma's ending.

Ouyang and Esen's ending was good! It was tragic and bitter, but the story built up to it perfectly. During their final scene, with Ouyang's speech about it being their fate, goddd that was satisfying.

But back to Zhu and Ma; Zhu was just entirely unlikable by the end. I get that the story had built up to her ending too, but it didn't feel as good. Despite all of her assertions that she has suffered and sacrificed for her fate, she really... hasn't?

I mean, aside from her childhood, and then hiding her identity and pretending to be a man, she's never shown to be on the losing side. She doesn't see consequences for her actions, at least none that affect her negatively. She doesn't lose.

She gets a man kicked out from the monastery; it's fine, the Abbott (?) hated him anyways. She takes on battles that are too advanced for her; it's fine, it works out in her favor anyways. She gets her hand chopped off; wow!! This is actually exactly what she needed! She assassinates a powerful man; yeah, no consequences at all. She then assassinates a powerful child; very slight consequence here, that being that her wife is mad at her. Oh, wait, nvm, her wife is presumably cool with it now? Sure.

Like, where is the struggle? Ma gets over any anger she has quickly, and no one else gives a shit. I'm assuming there's gonna be a sequel, cuz Zhu has to face SOME kind of adversity. Like, her hubris is going to be her downfall. It has to be.

Idk, maybe I missed the point. But it's not satisfying to me when the main character obtains their goal with petty inconveniences along the way, but no true disadvantage or drawback to add a sense of gravity to the narrative.

You know she'll succeed, because she always does. She's never truly in danger. And the only person who suffers is Ma.

Anyways, who knows. Maybe I just didn't read them deeply enough. Maybe the metaphors and symbolism are too conplex for my rotting mind to fully comprehend right now. I doubt I'll retry reading them tho.

[poisonedwell]

*rubs hands together like an evil villain* time to be petty

#my professor did that game where you have to create a structure to protect an egg from breaking when you drop it from 6 feet off the ground #and what people always forget about me is that i'm a huge science hoe #i was going to be a physics teacher before i switched my content area to english #so i wrapped the egg in burlap and then in felt and stuffed that bundle in a plastic cup #and it made the most HORRIBLE noise when it hit the ground and everyone was sure it had broken #but when i unwrapped it it was perfectly fine bc the cup absorbed the shock and the felt/burlap provided padding to further protect the egg #basically exactly how a bike helmet works #and then one of my ex friends who cut me off and then started harassing me to the point i had to get a no contact order went #and their group had wrapped it in playdoh and felt and pipe cleaners and shit #was just about the coziest damn thing you ever did see #and it made NO noise when it hit the ground #but they went back to their seat and unwrapped the fucker and it had shattered!!! #because using only soft things to protect the egg leaves nothing to absorb the shock!!! it goes straight to the egg!!! #it's like wrapping a pillow around your head and expecting to be fine when someone throws a baseball at your face!!! #the bundle made no sound when it hit the ground because it shattered on impact!!! #PHYSICS!!!!!!! #i know i'm mean and petty but it felt good to succeed and see them fail and also to be good at science because i love it <3 #also 'evil villain' is redundant phrasing but i don't care! :D #smile.jpg #yelling at a wall tag

[shootingsun]

There was a prompt knock at the door of Félix's guest room in the manor. Kali disappeared almost instantly to hide from the person about to enter the room. "Come in!" He called for the person at his door. Nathalie entered the room and looked around, seemingly searching for… something.

She's looking for me. Kali whispered into his ear.

"Your uncle desires to see you in his study soon." She deadpanned. Félix liked Nathalie, she was a decent person - although he still believed she was an idiot for putting up with Public Enemy Number 1, Gabriel Agreste.

As much as he despised his presence, there was something about the whole, "I tricked you into shaking my hand so I could steal these really cool rings that ended up being magical jewellery!" thing that was supposed to be just a fun little way to mess with him - it wasn't supposed to cause any more harm to their already unstable relationship.

That is, until now.

"Greetings, Félix." Said the designer, putting his arms behind his back. Because, being related is no exception to being professional at all times.

"Hello Uncle, you wanted to see me?" 

"There's something I've been meaning to discuss with you for quite some time now. I assume you must already know what that is, correct?"

Ohshitohshitohshit! Quick, play dumb!

"I'm afraid not Uncle, I would be delighted if you were to enlighten me." He lied, internally screaming.

"Hmm. Well then, I'm sure you recall your visit a while back. Your mother has so kindly asked me to hand over the rings that seemed to belong to her family. Does that ring a bell?" He smirked. 

That absolute bastard. Nobody talked about Félix's Mother in a passive aggressive manner!

Except for you, Kali reminded him. 

"Yes Uncle, I do seem to remember that." He commented, rolling his eyes.

"A couple hours after you left, I couldn't find the ring anywhere in the mansion. I'm not accusing you of thievery, really - I just want to clear matters up."

"But Uncle, I seem to recall you having a ring on when Mother and I came to stay because of her production." He had, of course, stolen that ring too. He was petty like that, and they were his after all.

"True indeed. Coincidentally I lost that one too afterwards, which brings me to this point - may I check your hand to make sure of something?"

Ha, jokes on him, they weren't on his hand, he was smarter than that, they were hidden in a custom made pocket in his jacket, and that would be incredibly invasive for him to pull Felix's jacket off and search it without consent wouldn't it? 

As expected, Gabriel didn't find anything. Then again, he's the same person who's been keeping tabs on two literal minors and still didn't succeed at stealing jewellery from them. Whatever Félix did was probably karma for all that. Either way, the topic at hand was another set of rings. And had he thrown a temper tantrum, it would've made him look especially bad in front of his mother. Oh, and his own kid too but, whatever, right? 

"This is a one time offer, Félix. Hand over the rings, or I may take them myself. I have my very own ways to do so." He scoffed. "My patience has a limit."

And suddenly, Félix felt fear.

Fear that didn't come from him, it that came from…

Kali?

no, No, No… No, NO, NO!! Not AGAIN. I DON'T WANNA LEAVE! HE CAN'T MAKE ME LEAVE!

Kali, calm down!

Her emotions were like a flood, there was fear, then sadness, then anger and fear again. She had to calm herself down before they had a panic attack. How to get out of this situation…? He couldn't think straight, his breathing was sharp and shallow, mimicking his Kwami's.

Oh God..  this wasn't gonna end well was it? 

This was it…

"Gabriel? I've been looking all over for you!" His Mother flounced into the room, thank god. He decided then and there that he would never make another sarcastic comment about her again.

"What is it this time?" He asked, slightly irritated.

"Gabriel, you know you always have a 2 o'clock meeting! Nathalie wanted to remind you, but the poor woman's having another dizzy spell and so I insisted I would come and get you instead!" She beamed passive aggressively, an art of which Amelie Graham de Vanily was well versed in. 

It was moments like this that made Gabriel want to punch his in-laws - and it was moments like this that reminded Félix how much he absolutely loved his mother. She was always there, just on time. 

Thank goodness for that. 

His Uncle looked down. Then he glared at his nephew, and he sighed. "Thanks for the reminder, I'll be going soon." Is what he said, but what he really meant was, "This isn't over yet!" And Félix knew.

He stumbled out of the study, breathing wildly, attempting to block out his Kwamis pained screams. He slammed the door to the guest room closed and slumped into a chair.

Kali it's okay! 

NO IT'S NOT! HE WANTS TO HURT US!

MAKE HIM STOP! MAKE HIM STOP! 

Kali we're perfectly safe right now. He tried to reason.

We aren't safe as long as we're in this house! We need to leave! He wants to separate us! 

That can't happen! It can't! It can't!

The thought of forcefully having his Kwami taken from him made Félix want to scream! But he had to remain calm.

Kali, that won't happen, I understand your fear, but you need to take a breath. He went first, showing the breathing exercise he had learnt over time, 5 in, hold for 7, out 8. As her breathing evened out, the Kwami began to lose her invisibility, her form flickered as she slowly calmed herself down.

Do you promise?

Huh?

Promise me that nobody will make me leave you, please?

Her voice and demeanor were unlike the Kali that had developed, it reminded him of when she had first come out of those rings. 

Scared and afraid. And now he knew why.

I promise Kali, nobody will ever keep us apart.

And he truly meant that. Nobody, not even a superhero, could keep them apart for long.

Just a bit after that confrontation, someone came back from his most recent photoshoot. He found his cousin laying on his bed, likely lost in his thoughts. 

He knew Félix was going through a hard time, and he also knew that they've been very close for most of their lives. Adrien would've done anything to help his cousin - and this instance was no exception.

"Hey! How come you're in my room?" He chuckled.

"Ah, erm, it appears I took a wrong turn, sorry about that…"

"How come? You never get lost usually…"

"Well, let's just say that your Father doesn't exactly do good things for my anxiety." He sighed.

"...Oh." And there it comes, stupid Adrien, wrapped around his father's finger, always choosing his parent over him! "Listen… I'm sorry."

What?

"I'm sorry! I think I owe you an apology," he frowned. "for, you know, constantly excusing my father. I'm sorry he's putting you through some stressful stuff, and I'm… not doing anything about it." He turned to look at him. "I hope you can understand that, really. I wish I could do something about it other than offer a shoulder to cry on, but I'm scared of disrespecting his wishes. I apologize." The boy muttered.

"...I guess I was wrong. You didn't do it to hurt me. I thought that was why-" Félix was dumbfounded. Adrien? Admitting his Father was a jerk?? Was this some kind of fever dream???

"...That was why I didn't go to your Dad's funeral?" He guessed. Félix quietly nodded. "No, I'd never want to do that, not after you were there for me when I lost Mom. I'm so sorry, Félix, I should have been there." Tears shone in the latter's green eyes.

"You shouldn't have to apologize, I'm sorry for the way I treated you! You were manipulated, I was just a jerk." He protested, how could he have thought such awful things about such a caring person?

Because you were grieving Lex, you still are.

Don't call me Lex - it was a weak response.

"We were both in pain. And look at you now, you're a good person, I know you are, I can feel it! So maybe since we both apologized for being jerks we just, I dunno, eat ice cream instead?" He smiled awkwardly, for a model he always was such a dork.

Félix raised an eyebrow, "Aren't you lactose intolerant?" he let out a smug grin.

"Oh hush! I can handle a tub of ice cream!" He was going to get so sick tomorrow... Eh, what the hell!

Hey, are you sure you don’t wanna tell him that you know he's Chat Noir?

Kali! You're ruining the moment!

-----------------------------------------

This fic was made in collaboration with @yawngearyoie at around midnight while we both craved hurt/comfort

This fic IS Cannon to our Bat Félix AU, and will be referenced in other oneshots and the fic. Approximately a quarter of this fic has foreshadowing in it for the actual AU. Pick up on that and you get a cookie 🍪 lol.

The first (offical) part of our AU should be coming either today or at some point next week. We're gonna create a masterpost so y'all can read the fics in the order they actually happen in and not our crazy upload schedule (whenever we feel like it).

Send in Asks if you have any questions, or if you just wanna talk about the AU.

Thanks for reading! (We will be making a tag list, so if you wanna be on that, just say)

#felix is just very good at stealing ok? #felix graham de vanily #felix agreste #miraculous felix #bat!felix au #seriously ask us about the bat felix au #oneshot #miraculous fanfic #miraculous fanworks #bat miraculous #bat kwami #Kali the Kwami #Darcelan Chance AU

[cowabungacafe]

hi! could i request a tmnt matchup please? i'm rather short (1,60cm), chubby, and i look like a mix of 90's grunge and early 2000 emo. i'm anti-authority, and i am a leader, not a follower. if i don't think that a rule makes sense, or is useful, i'm not going to follow it. however, i'm mostly pretty obedient, and i don't cause much trouble. some people see me as a big brother type of person, because i protect and support when needed, and i have a 'caretaker' type persona. i can succeed at everything i *want* to succeed at, the rest doesn't interest me. i present myself as incredibly confident, hella sassy, sarcastic and like i don't have a care in the world, even though i'm really sensitive, introverted, kinda timid and insecure. i cry a lot over small things, and beat myself up relentlessly when i make mistakes. in general, i don't think highly of myself at all, but l would never outright admit that, or speak up. i just really hate having to trust someone with my emotions. i love making people around me laugh, it makes me really happy. i can be a bit petty, and teasing, but only in a joking manner. i actually get flustered really easily, and i never initiate anything, even though i adore physical affection of any kind. what most people are surprised by is my fair and unbiased way of judging. i stand up for anyone who is treated unfairly, even if i have to stand my own against authority (which makes me incredibly nervous). then again, i'm unable to protect myself, and i just quietly take everything that is said to me. i get scared really easily, and i'm afraid of being hit or yelled at. hope this was okay♡

My oh my! I have to admit this was pretty hard. And i thought about this for one whole day and then it hit me who im gonna match u up with. Thank you for requesting, i hope you got who you wanted.

The above gif is the vibe you gave me and also i love this gif

I match you with

Raphael

Why i matched you with your result

You are leaderly and hardly wanna be a follower and an anti-authority, which resonates with raphs rebel vibes. If there's a rule that you think is wrong, you dont follow it no matter what. Just like raph, if raph thinks there some rules that literaly have no meaning he wont follow it and none can make him.

You show as if you are tough and dgaf about the world but deep down you're just a soft plushie baby who needs to be hugged tightly, same as raph, raph shows as if he doesn't care about this world and often talks about leaving his bros and starting his life separately, but the truth is quite opposite. He is very insecure and he thinks he doesn't deserve his bros.He cares and loves his brothers and the world deeeeply and can't think of a live without them. He says those stuff to maintain the "hardcore" persona. He too carries the sarcastic and sassy af vibe.

You will help someone and anyone in need no matter what the circumstances, even if its one man vs the world. Raph too will fight the demons if he have to to save someone he thinks is in need.

Just like you, raph too shows as if he doesn't get shy but thats not true, he is just a soft cinnamon roll in "badboy" skin. So any type of physical touch makes this red bandana mutant a full on tomato. Yes he is that flustered.

Raph is the most sarcastic of the brothers(i just checked that from the tmnt wiki)and will always go around throwing petty snarky comments on his smart-brain brothers(leo and donnie especially lol) so here too you resonate with him.

Raph is a pretty good brother i like to think even more reasonable than leo (as he argued with leo why mikey doesnt get a vote on the secrecy of purple ooze). Maybe thats why mikey is seen around raph more bcus raph too gives those protective big brother who may come off as harsh but will listen to your problems with open ears. (Maybe thts why he became the eldest brother in rottmnt). Here too you match with him.

Raph is reluctant on telling someone about his emotions as he thinks it will hamper his hardcore mode, until you came( read along the random hcs )

Although considered the hothead of the group, raphs sense of judgement isnt that far behind fron leos.

After mikey, raph is probably the second jokester, maybe not on the same level of mikey but pretty snarky and petty jokes lol.

Sometimes he breaks down when he realises that how the decision he took was wrong and how much it has affected not only him but his near and dear ones too. Like in the 2016, the stealing of the purple ooze from the police hqs made their existence known and April and Casey were taken into custody.

Random headcanons of both of you when together

Your first meeting is prolly when he was out on a patrol and saw u trying save an old lady who was getting mugged. He was watching from the rooftop the whole time, of how you advanced and told the robber to leave her alone with apparently no weapon in hand, until he came down when he felt like its showtimee!!

When you find some fault in Leo's plan/strategy you point them out right away and raph cant help but admire you and mouth the word "thats my girl", finally he has someone to back his ass up.

Your leadership qualities are excellent and even sensei confirmed that and raphs chest grew 4 inches wider with a permanent grin on his face and sending snarky looks towards leo, who is just rolling their eyes away.

Though he is usually the tough guy, but with you its a whole different thing. He shows a diff side to you, the side not many has witnessed. He is usually soft and goofy around you, if you're tired he will bring some food over at your place or just take you out for a lil dinner on the rooftops. He will spoil you with things you like.

He knows that you're pretty sensitive and flinch and gets scared of scolding or yelling(he knew it from the first time he had a fight with you and he raised his voice then suddenly he saw your eyes filling up with tears. From then on, he is always careful around you)

Everytime you cry whether be it a sad movie or someone which made you cry, he will cuddle with you and cradle you while brushing your hair and humming some lullaby which sensei used to sing to him.

#tmnt raphxreader #tmnt bayverse #tmnt #tmnt raph #tmnt raph x reader #tmnt raphael #tmnt raphael x reader #tmnt matchup #tmnt mstchups #tmnt ask #tmnt asks #tmnt ask box open #askbox open #tmnt askbox open

[revchainsaw]

The Descent (2005)

Greetings and Welcome to the Cult Film Tent Revival. Come Worshippers and join me, Reverend Chainsaw, as we partake in the word of the Lord. This week we will be reading from the Book of Neil as we pray and reflect upon the 2005 film The Descent.

The Message

The Descent tells the story of a group spelunkers who find more than they bargained for when they attempt to explore a new cave system. Our cave crawling crew consists of 6 women, foremost of which are Sarah and Juno. Sarah and Juno have a history, mostly a friendship centered around thrill seeking and globe hopping, but a rift formed between them when while returning from a whitewater rafting trip Sarah lost her husband to a logging truck accident. Sarah was left with severe PTSD and Juno made it her mission to get Sarah her groove back.

Unfortunately this is not the fun and fantastic story of gal pals overcoming adversity. Juno's motivations are not quite that altruistic. She seeks to alleviate her personal suffering. Juno was in love with Sarah's husband and the two had been carrying on an affair behind Sarah's back when he was killed. Sarah does not know this, but Juno has been plagued with guilt. In an effort to pay penance for her wrongdoings without actually talking to her friend and confronting her betrayal, she feels she can make things right by giving Sarah a heroic accomplishment by exploring a barely known cave system in North Carolina.

The group soon discover that their are ancient carnivorous hominids who reside in these caves and they are being hunted. The women must overcome the dangers of the cave system, the beasts that dwell in the dark, and their personal demons if they are going to make it out alive. Unfortunately; in the midst of an attack Juno accidentally fatally wounds a friend and leaves her for dead. After being separated for some time and winding up in a cesspool of viscera Sarah learns from the dying girl that Juno had betrayed her. Sarah enters warrior mode and kills Juno and many of the cave dwellers before finally escaping into the Appalachian wilderness.

Now please stand and receive The Benediction

Best Effect: Captain Caveman vs the Teenangels

The Cave Crawlers are definitely a huge selling point of this film. Long before I had any interest in horror films I remember seeing the trailer for this film and with the minimal glimpses I saw of these troglodyte creatures was enough to captivate me, so much so that I remembered what was coming years later when I finally saw this film.

Best Character: Live Fast, Die Young. Bad Girls Do It Well.

Believe it or not, I like Juno. I think she was a flawed character, but that's what made her all the more human. She was a bad ass and a hero for much of the film. She was not ethically unambiguous but I wanted her to uplift Sarah, I wanted her to succeed. The fact that she did not is the aspect of this film that gives it it's greatest tragic edge.

Best Moment: Blood Bath

If anyone has seen the Descent before they will know exactly where I'm going with this. The Killing floor scene. Where Sarah finds herself in what basically amounts to a garbage disposal, a metaphorical pit of Hell. Sarah and a Cave Crawler end up in a violent conflict submerged in a pool of blood and guts before they eventually submerge out of sight. When after an uncomfortable amount of time passes the surface is broken, Sarah emerges triumphant and we the audience feel truly empowered with her.

Most WTF Moment: You Got Knocked The Fuck Out!

For many of the congregation the opening sequence will have cemented long held anxieties about driving behind logging trucks. This movie is like the Jaws of the logging industry. I had one moment though that hit me way harder. Maybe it is just that I'm getting old, but the danger of bonking my head in a particularly rough way, even from not so great a height, just hits me in a very visceral way. There's a sequence where one of the girls bashes her head on a rock and passes out. The force portrayed and the sound effect were very very effective and I let out a very guttural ouch. It wasn't even a kill and it sticks with me.

Worst Scene: Kill Your Darlings (or how I learned to stop asking questions and embrace excessive force)

I didn't know what else to call this because it's not so much a scene but a choice in the script. I found the fact that Sarah murders Juno to be a bit extreme. Maybe if she had simply chosen not to help her do to her feelings of betrayal, but she actively harmed her friend in an act that felt pretty petty, over a piece of shit cheating husband. I never understand why films portray "the other woman" as the villain in affair stories. I mean, yes, Juno betrayed her trust, but murder is a bit extreme, especially when we spent most of the movie watching Sarah struggle over the loss of her husband. There's no point in the film where Sarah wrestles with the idea that her partner whom she had been grieving over in such an extreme way was actually not a very good guy. Instead we are left to put all of our hate onto Juno. It also seemed like having Juno accidentally and understandably struck one of their companions in a fight with cave dwelling monsters seem like a cheap ploy to make us feel like she's getting what she deserves. The writers needed to make Juno more evil, and making tragic mistakes and having common human moral failures is not enough to make a cold blooded murder feel justified. In the end I wind up feeling more like Sarah is a fucking murderer than like justice was served, and since that's clearly not what the filmmakers intended, I think it makes the whole film weaker as a result.

Summary

The Descent is an excellent movie! It speaks volumes about the quality of this film that I can say "The Descent is great to look at" when the movie is this dark (and I don't mean the tone). The creature effects are excellent, the actors portraying them sell it, the characters are engaging and likeable as opposed to just being lambs for the slaughter. The sets are believable. I've already spoken above to the weaker aspects of the film so I won't spend anymore time here doing so. Please join these ladies for a spelunking trip next time you have the opportunity, and give praise to the Cult of Cult!

Overall Grade: B

#B #Grade B #The Descent #Neil Marshall #Monster #Cave #Cave Crawler #nocturnal #creature features #creature #creature feature #survival #horror #2005 #200s #2000s #(B)

[workersolidarity]

Throwaway Culture: A Marxist Perspective

I never imagined I'd be interested in anything a Pope might have to say, but this caught my eye after Googling: Throwaway culture. It was something I had been thinking about all day.

I'm not religious in any way, and there are points of disagreement I have with how Pope Francis has framed Throwaway Culture, but he also gave voice to an aspect of Throwaway Culture I've personally been focusing on, our trained willingness to toss other human beings away like garbage.

So first my disagreement with the quotes above. Throwaway Culture isn't something that rose up out of nowhere from the bottom up. The set of ideas behind the development of the Throwaway Culture was something encouraged and developed from above. It began with the evolution of our Capitalist economy from one based on industrial production, into one driven largely by domestic consumer spending.

Beginning after the Second World War, consumerism began when US mega-corporations, hoping to take advantage of a better educated, wealthier population by encouraging families aspiring to be part of the expansion of the Petty-Bourgeoisie (Lower Middle Class), to buy disposable products that could simoly be thrown away after one use and replaced by subsequent purchases. This made life easier for busy Petty Bourgeois households to focus on their family, rather than the tedious cleaning tasks they were previously accustomed to.

At the same time, this fueled a massive economic expansion as the Resources and other spoils of America's development into an Imperialist Power poured back into the domestic economy. This created millions of stable, well paying jobs, funded further economic development and infrastructure, and further reinforced America's new status on the global stage as the major dominating Super Power.

Following the crises of the mid-70's and into the Reagan years, the Bourgeois politicians, grown fat after years of economic boom, were all too happy to oblige the further Corporate push towards Consumerism and the single use economy. Policy was used, not to discourage single use products and consequently heavy trash producing economy, but instead the State actively encouraged this evolution.

Movies and media began reflecting the turn towards Consumerism, encouraging a new culture, one of post-modern aloofness, cynicism and sarcasm. A brave new society was being built by cultural elites. They were creating a world where people were expected to be disgusted by the sentimentality and emotion of human interaction. It slowly became culturally taboo to feel deeply for anyone else but oneself. Sentimentality was treated as a sign of weakness, and by extension, someone who could never succeed under the Neoliberal Capitalist order. They'd managed to repackage an old idea (Classical Liberalism or laissez faire Capitalism) into a new ideological framework dominated by free markets, deregulation, global free trade and specialization, consumerism and financialization.

Everywhere you look, society tells you the only things worth investing yourself in are economic success and fame. In other words, public acknowledgement of your economic success, thereby enshrining a kind of reality television mindset into the id of the public. Everything else is just an expression of weakness.

Which brings us to today. A time when society seems to be breaking down. Many people are deeply disatisfied with their lives. Instead of being showered with fame and fortune, most people have had to experience extreme economic uncertainty, disappointment with their career, and an inability to accrue enough money to satisfy their habit of trying to buy their way to happiness. Just as we'd been trained since childhood to do.

Unfortunately, even the mountains of cheap plastic crap overflowing from landfills hasn't exactly left very many people feeling fulfilled.

For most people, this brave new world filled with opportunity and free wheeling human interaction, has turned out to be even more alienating than the 19th Century factories Marx once observed. Except today that alienation extends well beyond the workplace.

Despite spending endless hours a day perusing social media and bragging about ones latest good time, people are more likely than ever before to feel lonely and listless. The cool cynicism encapsulated in so many movies and television characters, has swiftly turned into bitter resentment, loneliness, depression, poverty and addiction.

Where once detachment seemed a hallmark of the successful Capitalist, the ironic optimism people once felt from leaving behind human emotions, particularly emotions such as love, simpathy and empathy, has devolved into a society willing to throw families living in poverty onto the streets, only to arrest them the next day for the crime of being homeless and visible.

Instead of Liberating society from life's ills, Throwaway Culture has led to a society willing to tolerate even the most offensive of injustices, stripping away the humanity for those who's fortunes never rose alongside Neoliberal Capitalism.

Consumerism, as encouraged by the newly reformed ideology of Neoliberalism, manifested itself most obviously in the 90's culture of Post-Modernism. Post-Modernism soon devolved into today's Throwaway Culture. Today, workers tolerate some of the most horrific conditions under Capitalism since the end of the Guilded Age.

A society with a high tolerance for extreme exploitation, oppression and abuse at the hands of both employers and the Bourgeois State was always a critical goal of the ruling elite. The Neoliberal ideology was built on, and driven into the minds of the masses as the tool with which to train the workforce into developing this tolerance, and it has largely succeeded. Workers today are more willing to blame themselves for their economic failures, as opposed to recognizing a system specifically designed to create the illusion of opportunity, while nearly always leading to economic mediocrity at best, and brutal destitution at worst.

That same Neoliberal alienating logic even extends to those around us. When someone loses a job,or can't pay their bills, or goes to jail for minor unpaid fines, we tell ourselves that they must not have worked hard enough. Why should we help these people when they won't help themselves? Yet, when we experience these same conditions for ourselves, instead of waking up to the reality of the inherent inequalities of Capitalism, we are trained to blame ourselves. Every economic failure we live through, no matter how absurd, how unavoidable, we see it as a failure on our part. We must have done something wrong right?

Neoliberal ideology has so infected the public mindset, that we fault ourselves for even the cruelest of outcomes, despite knowing we did everything we could, worked as hard as possible, and still we often suffer severe economic distress despite doing everything right.

It's been drilled into us from the time we are toddlers, that Capitalism offers success to anyone willing to work hard and make good decisions. (Good decisions as determined by Capitalist interests). Yet, even when this idea proves to be false, we blame ourselves rather than question Capitalism.

All of these markers of today's society are a direct result of unfettered Capitalism run amok. The Bourgeoisie and their Bourgeois State have so thoroughly manipulated the public consiousness, that we find ourselves steadfastly clinging to the assumptions of Neoliberal ideology. Capitalism has become indistinguishable in the public consiousness from ideas like "freedom", "democracy" and "the pursuit of happiness".

These buzzwords have served to make the Capitalist System omnipotent in the mind of the public. It has effectively taken the Capitalism out of the arena of politics. No longer is Capitalism something to be debated. It has officially become sacrosanct, scientific fact, and essential to personal freedom.

Taking all these assumptions of Neoliberalism to their logical conclusion brings us to today's cutting edge of Capital expansion and reproduction.

Anything can be a product to be sold on the market, even you and your most personal information, and the market is infallible. So if cruelty is a side effect of Markets, well than cruelty must be acceptable too.

As Marx once said, it's either Socialism or Barbarism. Well, the results are in and Barbarism is now a dominant feature within the frame of this Throwaway Culture and Neoliberal Capitalism.

So when Pope Francis talks about people individually taking responsibility to change their behavior, it's not that he's wrong. But he's purposely avoiding looking at the cause of today's culture. He is, like it or not, part of the elite. And the elite cannot effectively criticise, or criticise at all, other sections of the elite. That's why it has always been up to the Working Class to lead the Proletarian Revolution to Socialism. The Petty-Bourgeois reformers in Organizations such as the DSA cannot be depended on to challenge the basic tenets of Capitalism.

As much as I admire our DSA Comrades for their hard work, they seem incapable of acknowledging the Nature of Capitalism and the Bourgeois State. To understand Capitalism would mean to understand why Reformism and Electoralism within the context of the Bourgeois State can never succeed.

In much the same way, Pope Francis is incapable of confronting the threat Capitalism poses to his own Church. He neglects to see (or just ignores) the way the Church as been deeply intertwined with the fortunes of the Bourgeoisie, depending on wealthy benefactors to pay for the day to day operations of the Church.

Taking individual responsibility is something that must happen after we've cast aside the Bourgeoisie. It's something that must be confronted eventually, but only after we've begun to build a new Revolutionary Socialist society. A Socialist society must be built on empathy, collective success, collective liberation, collective wellbeing and collective responsibility. Only then is it warranted to even mention personal responsibility, which has always been another buzzword for the Capitalist Class.

Throwaway Culture has been so incredibly successful at raising the individual above all else (think the "rugged individualism" of the American ideal pushed upon us all our lives).

This is, of course, a necessary feature of Capitalist domination and exploitation. To control the masses, the Bourgeoisie must divide the masses, and the easiest way of sustaining and normalizing a divided society is by creating a culture centered around the individual while minimizing into insignificance the importance of the collective, the importance of community, and even minimizing the importance of family and friends.

This has been so successful that most human relationships have become so shallow as to be practically meaningless. This of course making it easier to allow Throwaway Culture to move from an attitude towards society generally, into an attitude towards even the most important relationships a person can experience in life.

After all, in order for someone to find it acceptable to throwaway even those closest to her, then her relationships with them must be reduced to simple, meaningless economic transactions between herself and those around her. (think of our holiday "traditions" that always seem to require consuming large amounts of disposable products, overcooking massive meals and giving of gifts. All of which require prolific spending that is treated as a competition)

This is essentially where we've arrived today. All relationships are being reduced to simple and meaningless economic transactions. And after all, as we've been trained to do all our lives, our economic interactions are always disposable.

Pope Francis is right to bring these issues into the fore for the world. The Church, just as Communities and families do, requires a certain degree of importance placed on human relationships. The Church brings people together under one roof on a weekly basis, and must convince them all that this religious Community is at least equal in importance to their economic concerns.

This where the analysis by, and strategies of, Historical Materialists and those employed by the Church for its own survival meet. Generally, throughout the history of Capitalism, the needs of the Bourgeoisie have run parallel with the needs of the Religious elites. But Throwaway Culture, Consumerism, and Neoliberal Capitalism are becoming antithetical to the very survival of the Church.

And I'm not necessarily calling the Pope an Opportunist. For all I know he may truly believe that Throwaway Culture and Neoliberal Capitalism go against the teachings of the Church. Still, we have yet to see either Pope Francis or the Church more generally turn against Capitalist ideology.

If Pope Francis and the Church really wants to challenge the Culture of Consumerism, just like Socialists he must name the enemy of the Collective: Capitalism, Imperialism and the International Bourgeoisie.

Additionally, no amount of idealism, religious or otherwise, will help us to defeat the Reactionary forces of Imperialism. Only a deep Materialist analysis and understanding of how we got here can open the eyes of the masses, and help us to develop the strategies and tactics we will need to defeat Capitalism on an international scale.

We didn't arrive at this point when Throw Away Culture dominates the ideological underpinnings of society overnight. Nor can we expect to sweep generations worth of manipulation, historical lies, and Bourgeois propaganda under the rug.

Opening the eyes of the masses will take time, and unfortunately time isn't on our side. A multitude of crises are converging more quickly than anyone could have predicted. Yet, for those of us living in the heart of the Imperialist world, we are vexed by the least developed Proletariat in nearly two centuries.

How we can develop and educate the Proletariat of the Western world fast enough to avoid complete disaster on a planetery scale? This is something we must organize around and work through.

The time for Academic Marxist papers and years of drawn out debates are over. Climate Change and sea level rise are occuring many times faster than anyone predicted just a couple decades ago. Capital, instead of working to solve this Global problem, is actively making things worse. Meanwhile our Throwaway Culture is corrupting the very souls of the masses. If change must occur quickly to save the planet, then the human race is headed in completely the opposite direction.

We must unite as Workers and begin the hard work of educating and organizing the Proletariat. We have to find a way of uniting and organizing behind a single Vanguard Party, and developing our Praxis without delay.

Capitalism is sucking the very humanity out of us all. Unless we act quickly with an urgency that matches the scale of the problems we face, and unless we put aside our differences and our final visions for the Socialist society to come, instead working together to develop the fledgeling Socialist Movement, than it may soon be too late to change course.

I want to live in a Society that values empathy. A Society that embraces the human condition and our human emotions. Not a culture that ignores the trashing of our planet, embraces greed and detachment, and assumes the consequences of our actions can be solved by idealistic notions of just moving to another planet once we've trashed and exhausted the resources of this one.

A want a world where those living in the Global South aren't starving while Americans throw away tens of thousands of tons of food a day, just to keep the homeless and hungry from getting a free meal out of our trash cans. How disgusting a society are we willing to live with?

And so even though I am motivated by objectively Idealistic notions of Community. I turn to Historical Materialism to understand how we got here, and how we may fix it.

Socialism offers the only way out.

I'm not so naive as to think simply appealing to our humanity is going to change anything. Even if suddenly the great masses of workers agreed with those appeals tomorrow, we would still be at the mercy of Capitalist exploitation, oppression and a Bourgeoisie ready and willing to use any destructive and violent means to enforce it's will. A simple look at the Middle East shows Imperialism is alive and well, and what it looks like when Western Bourgeois interests are threatened.

A strategy and set of tactics must be developed. Theory is only as good as the praxis it's used for. We must also provide for the development, education, and organization of the Working Class.

Lastly, we must be ready for massive resistance by the Bourgeoisie. They will almost certainly react with violence to any major challenges to their power and the system they've spent more than three centuries building. Potentially a violent Revolution and even civil war on a massive scale must be prepared for. Socialists cannot expect to passively win this war. One look back on Proletarian Revolutionary History should tell us all we need to know about what we must be ready for.

But NEVER forget Comrades, there's many many times more of us than their are of them! We will win the Revolution to come!

Solidarity Comrades

Workers of the world unite!

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[frosty-the-killer-doll]

HC: Moondancer

I hate that Moondancer is made to be Twilight's bitter carbon copy, right down to her design. Overall the show kind of portrays introverts as evil and/or rude assholes. I don't see Moondancer like that. I think of her as a salty, sassy, commanding mare, with a hint of pettiness and a dash of superiority, yet still an well-meaning introvert at heart. Just because she doesn't take anybody's shit doesn't mean that she's an ass. Well, she's mostly not a complete dick. Sometimes.

Moondancer was raised primarily in Canterlot, a student of Celestia's (boarding) School For Gifted Unicorns. She had strong magical power from the start, and her being accepted into Princess Celestia's good graces only focused her more on her goal.

Since she was a young filly, she had to watch her older half-siblings-- Sunset Shimmer, Sunburst, and Starlight Glimmer-- rise to beloved students of the Alicorn Sisters, and not only had they both abandoned Celestia, but Moondancer too.

Her mother Stellar Flare's pressure and her father Firelight's constant cooing honed Moondancer's wish to succeed, to be her aging parents' golden child; their good legacy. Maybe then, they would stop comparing her to her sisters and brother. Maybe they would stop missing their runaway children, if Moondancer could become everything they had both wanted for their kids.

Moondancer put emphasis on trying to be a Canterlot filly. She grew colder to her friends, more resolved to let others play while she focused on rising through the ranks. Soon the only pony she would still call a friend was Twilight Sparkle.

It seemed that Twilight was just born with her abilities, her overreaching smarts. That fact become clear to Moondancer as Twilight became the best student, even as Moondancer had been working so much harder than her. A resentment began to fester for the purple filly. It was unfair, blatantly ridiculous, that Twilight Sparkle could do these things so easily compared to Moon. Twilight didn't deserve the attention; what had she done to get it? Be born? Even that was for her mother to thank!

As the seed of their inevitable failed friendship was planted, Moony also began to have a fixation with her friend... She began dressing like her, and even styled her mane the same way. Moondancer turned into a recolored mirror of the girl she would soon hate. Perhaps if Moondancer had all the same qualities as Twilight, Celestia would pay her mind...

That hope was shattered the day Celestia announced Twilight as her pupil.

The dislike Moondancer had held for Twilight grew into hatred. Twilight did nothing to earn her powers, NOTHING. Why wasn't Moondancer good enough? She was. She is! Moondancer deserved to be in Twilight's place. She deserved to be the apple of Celestia's eye, not some common kid! Moony deserved to be Twilight.

Under Celestia, Twilight would become reclusive to her studies. Her desire to be with her friends would slowly start to fickle. Her contact with them was irregular throughout their childhood and even more into adultescence. Meanwhile, Moondancer had become obsessed with being top dog.

Moony wormed her way into popular, wealthy social circles, hoping the Princesses would notice her (she became Blueblood's acquaintance through this). She threw herself into her studies, but to a much unhealthier extent than Twilight. Her sleep schedule was chaotic, she would go days forgetting to eat, and didn't bother with personal hygiene anymore, preferring to just pull her mane in a ponytail and be done with it.

Moondancer put on a smile for her friends-- Lyra Heartstrings, Minuette, Lemon Hearts, Twinkleshine and Twilight-- because they did still mean something to her. They offered her an escape from her worries, insecurities, and addiction. She valued them highly, but not as much as Twilight. She still thought Twilight didn't deserve what she had, but her unreceptive rivalry had a twinge of something else. She wanted to be Twilight, yes, but at the same time, she wanted to be with Twilight... A part of her wanted to share Celestia, for Twi.

Eventually, Twilight Sparkle fell back into their lives naturally, and was again a more prominent (if not unappreciative) friend. With Twilight back, Moondancer began to leave her shell. She realized that Twilight was just a pony, like her; that she wasn't something to be hated over who could cast spells better. She was Moondancer's friend.

And that all crumbled when Twilight ditched Moony's party. But you know her story from there. Humiliated and abanonded by the pony she cared most for, Moondancer felt rejected, like she truly wasn't good enough. She wasn't enough to be anybody important, much less the special somepony of Celestia's pupil. Moondancer wasn't a golden child. She was a failure, just like that voice in the back of her head had always whispered. She didn't deserve the things she had-- not yet, anyways.

The light and joy Moondancer had once found with her friends flickered out. She lashed out at them constantly, missed their plans and left them hanging, all in favor of studying to be worthy. Quickly, they were gone from her life.

Years passed before Twilight would return to reconnect with what she had thrown away like trash. In that time, Moondancer became a lonely, frustrated, surly stranger, to herself and to Canterlot. Her interactions with other ponies were short, curt, and filtered by harsh words on Moon's part. She had pushed away her doting parents, her only friends, and ponies she didn't know, because that voice still told her that she wasn't powerful enough, pretty enough, good enough to lead a happy life.

Then the so-called Princess of Friendship crashed back into Moondancer's life with half-baked apologies and clear embarrassment. Moondancer saw through this. Twilight wasn't back because she felt bad, she was back because she wanted an excuse to not feel guilty. As soon as Lyra, Lemon, Minuette, Twinkle and Dancer had accepted the Alicorn's sorries, she would be gone again.

Moondancer refused to give Twilight the luxury of feeling just. She refuted Twi's efforts at every turn, until the Princess set up a party for Moony. In a fit of rage and emotion, Moondancer lashed out at Twilight, finally breathing her frustrations out. When she's done, she crumbles in tears, like a scared foal.

And yet, Twilight helps her. Maybe if she's worthy of Twilight's forgiveness... She has value in this world after all. Perhaps it wouldn't be so terrible for her to be happy.

In time, Moondancer manages to believe in her own self worth. She whole-heartedly navigates the uncertain path to friendship with her old group. It's too much to really be close with Twi, the object of her obsession for years, but Moondancer hopes that someday, she can be Twilight's best friend again. And yes, that's all she wants for Twi now. She let her mane down and found who she is again.

That isn't to say Moony becomes a sunshine and rainbows lady. There's nothing wrong with being an introvert. She just became a less rude figure to friendship, more open about her good heart, ready to help, and open to discuss her feelings.

Her scars had mostly healed by the time she met a mister Zephyr Breeze. Given a second chance at being a Royal Guard (favor to Fluttershy), Zephyr was tasked with being Grand Duke Blueblood's escort. While the pair crossed Moondancer, Zephyr Breeze decided to give it a shot at flirting with the mare. Moon's reply was "fuck off and die, good sir." She didn't even bother looking at him.

The pure disinterest Moony held for romance seemed to strengthen Zephyr Breeze. Blueblood's daily walk around Canterlot crossed Moondancer's way to the library she owned, so Zephyr ran into her many times. At every dumb, cheesy pick-up, Moondancer got more and more flustered. Zephyr took this as her surrendering to his charms (i mean who wouldn't right).

Blueblood flatly argued against that. He saw the failed pick-ups as pathetic, and Moondancer was probably just getting pissed by now. Zephyr Breeze wasn't on the track to romance, or even just getting into Moon's bed, he was simply an idiot.

Zephyr Breeze taunted that if Blueblood knew so much about mares, why didn't he have one for himself? No pony would reject him, Blueblood replied, all of Equestria loved him. Zephyr responded with mocks, so Blueblood decided he would prove it!

Just as Moondancer was about to walk by them, Blueblood stopped her and asked her on a date, pouring all of his superficial charm into his honey-glazed words.

And Moondancer's retort was the same. Except this time, she looked into his eyes before she brushed past them. "Fuck off and die."

And so the two stallions began competing for Moondancer's hoof in dating. They showered the lady in compliments, gifts, and showed off whenever she was near. Slowly, Moondancer warmed up to the idiots, enough to call them somewhat friends. Moondancer walked up to them when the two were having a hissy fit over who she would choose in the end.

She shrugged and said, "we'll see, shitheads."

Years later, she became a Grand Duchess of Canterlot. Her other husband Zephyr loves calling himself Canterlot's Prince.

Other notes~

- Moondancer wears a golden wedding ring on her horn, a black sweater, red bowtie and a pink skirt.

- During that "i'm not worthy of anything" phase of her life, Moondancer developed an eating disorder. Back then, it made her feel in control. She looks bad to that and cringes.

- Zephyr Breeze eventually quit his job as a Royal Guard to pursue his dream of being a hairstylist full-time. Blueblood helped getting him a job at a homey, plain barber shop, which Zephyr Breeze would turn into a flashy, high tell establishment for celebrities.

- Shortly after amending fences with Twi, Moondancer turned Twilight's old tower into a functioning library. She works there part-time. Her main gig is a teacher at her old school.

- Stellar Flare is the mother of Sunset Shimmer and Sunburst, whose father is decreased. Firelight is Starlight Glimmer's dad, whose wife left Starlight as a foal. The pair got together when their respective younger kids (Starlight and Burst) were away at their boarding schools. They dated for a long while, eventually marrying and having Moondancer, who is a decade younger than her youngest half-sis Glimmer. The two are still together in the Parent Map. So yes, Starlight and Sunburst are step siblings in Harmonyverse.

- Moondancer was Lyra's best mare at Lyra and Bonbon's wedding. In Harmonyverse, Bonbon and Lyra are child-free by choice.

- Moondancer lost contact with Starlight during the lilac pony's cult years. She knew nothing of Glim's actions back then. She now is pen pals with her big sister. Moony also got back in touch with Sunburst.

- All of Moondancer's kids were surprises, but welcomed with open arms. It doesn't matter who their "real" father is (Zephyr or Blue), because they both are. Their childrens' names are Lady Winifred Evelyn Aaliyah, Lady Midas Miriam Marquita, Lord Jupiter John Herald, Lady Bellevue Alice Tallulah, and Lord Gale Maximus Rigel.

Jesus fuck did I get attached to this one-off or wHAT. I wuv my petty salty bitch. Don't use this headcanon in your own works without permission from me and don't use my art either ✌️