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fireemblems24 · 3 years

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Merit Based System

This is a bit all over the place. Sorry about that. I watched a show this weekend that really illustrates why I no longer believe in Edelgard's system after her support with Ferdinand.

Spoilers for Fire Emblem Three Houses CF route and Edelgard & Ferdinand's support and the show Segodon up to episode 8.

Segodon is a taiga drama that retells the life of historical figure Saigo Takamori a. k. a. the last samurai. This man was a brilliant politician and played an instrumental role in Japan's tumultuous 1800s where they overthrew the shogun and instated a modern government. The show itself is absolutely fantastic so far (though, I love anything to do with the Bakumatsu, no, that's a lie, there's some real shitty Bakumatsu anime.).

Like the real life Saigo, the fictional representation has a lot of "merit." As the show writes him, he has a high level of empathy for people who are hurting because of Japan's horrible, outdated systems and is constantly does whatever is in his power to convince the powers that be to back off a bit because their taxes and punishments are so harsh at times, his native Satsuma was at serious risk of starving its entire agricultural force out of work.

Not only is Saigo intelligent, but he's also tenacious. He "dares" to ask his "betters" to see the errors of their way, goes out of his way to try and get audiences with people far above his station, and does everything he possibly can to help everyone around him. Whether he's tackling problems with a larger system or a hurting individual around him, he's trying his best to make things right. And when people listen to him, things improve. People are also naturally drawn to his leadership and overall gentle disposition.

He's also broke.

Saigo comes from a very poor, very large family. So when the powers that be grant him an opportunity to travel to Edo (then capital of Japan), where he could get real experience, where he could start rubbing shoulders with the right people and find ways to gain influence, learn, etc . . . He can't. Because his family can't cough up 30 ryo.

No matter how much merit Saigo has, his upbringing keeps him from reaching his full potential. The top leadership of the area invites him to the opportunity of a life time, but even with an open invitation, he can't so easily accept it.

His mother, father, and grandfather had all just died (and this is a historical fact, at least) and left him in charge. The family went into even more debt buying medicine during various illnesses. There's younger and elder family he needs to look out for, a sister who he now needs to find a husband for, and a new wife on top of everything else. They don't have 30 ryo to spare.

No matter how much merit Saigo has, no matter how much he wants to make a difference, he can't. Because he was born into poverty, because he can't afford to step away from the family land or else risk running out of food in the winter. His merit isn't enough. You need privilege. And he's already got privilege in that he wasn't born a farmer, that he has the personal attention of those in charge through connections and channels his family name permitted him, he's already jumped over hurdles others can't - and he still can't take advantage of his merit.

A merit based system benefits those who have and punishes the have nots. All the rich kids with rich parents who don't have to think twice about spending 30 ryo and have servants to take care of the elderly and young in their families. They can take every opportunity so the gap widens even further. Even worse, a merit based system tells the people born poor, born sick, born neurologically divergent, born into an abusive family, born into a historically disadvantaged race/gender/sexuality/etc, etc . . . that it's their fault they're not at the top. That if they just "tried harder" and had "more merit" they could make it. You too could be a billionaire if you just pulled on your bootstraps hard enough, and failure means you didn't try hard enough. And, yes, this is very much happening in our culture today.

That Edelgard didn't even consider something as huge as inequality before starting a war that would kill thousands really shocked me. Her support with Ferdinand exposed just how naive she is and how narrow-minded her world-view and experiences are. If she's going to sacrifice thousands of people for her supposedly better system, I wish she'd put at least some thought into it.

I do not expect a Fire Emblem game to get hyper-political or into nitty-gritty details. Honestly, I wish this support didn't exist. If their A-Support focused just on educational reform or even Ferdinand cementing himself as a actual check/rival to Edelgard, then I'd be more willing to believe she could make a good leader. But, for some reason, they decided to use this support to show how little Edelgard actually thought about her actions despite the dire consequences of them. These details aren't needed. These lines could be completely omitted and let the reader imagine Edegard has the political know-how to actually pull what she wants off. But instead the game went out of it's way to show she doesn't really have a single clue what she's talking about, and I cannot fathom why. This isn't even touching on her admitting it didn't even occur to her that her actions would leave a power vacuum and would need to fill it (like - what -), but that's for another day.

THIS is why I can't get behind Edelgard. Because her merit based system isn't worth all the lives she destroyed in her war. She thinks her ideas are worth everyone that dies, but her ideas aren't well thought out. This episode 8 of Segodon illustrated perfectly why Edelgard's system is a house of cards that will do nothing but pat the nobility and otherwise rich and privileged on the back while blaming farmers and otherwise disadvantaged for their continued poverty because "lack of merit."

I honestly can't express how badly I wish these lines in this support didn't exist. It serves no purpose except to expose Edelgard's lack of forethought and lack of understanding about the lives of the people she's claiming she's making better.

But, yeah, watching this episode just made me think about Edelgard's system and reminded me again of the exact moment I gave up on supporting her war.

(spoiler alert about Segodon: all those people he kept helping scrounge together 30 ryo so he can go to Edo and leaves the lands in charge of his younger brother, and yes, he's going to go down in history, but also . . . prepare for a downer ending if you actually watch this (I mean . . . it's the Bakumatsu). I already know I'm going to cry my fucking eyes out and I haven't even meant this version of Sakamoto Ryoma yet)

#fire emblem three houses #fe3h #fe16 #I just really love segodon so far #man almost all of this is just gushing over saigo lol #and I thought it was SAKAMOTO who was my historical crush #this show is tempting me #but at least i'm not flipping sides #no Hijikata #your gorgeous face will not sway me #besides #we have Katsura on our side #very underrated face

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reading-writing-revolution · 4 years

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Ron Howard

January 24 at 5:41 AM —

I'm a liberal, but that doesn't mean what a lot of you apparently think it does. Let's break it down, shall we? Because quite frankly, I'm getting a little tired of being told what I believe and what I stand for. Spoiler alert: not every liberal is the same, though the majority of liberals I know think along roughly these same lines:

1. I believe a country should take care of its weakest members. A country cannot call itself civilized when its children, disabled, sick, and elderly are neglected. PERIOD.

2. I believe healthcare is a right, not a privilege. Somehow that's interpreted as "I believe Obamacare is the end-all, be-all." This is not the case. I'm fully aware that the ACA has problems, that a national healthcare system would require everyone to chip in, and that it's impossible to create one that is devoid of flaws, but I have yet to hear an argument against it that makes "let people die because they can't afford healthcare" a better alternative. I believe healthcare should be far cheaper than it is, and that everyone should have access to it. And no, I'm not opposed to paying higher taxes in the name of making that happen.

3. I believe education should be affordable. It doesn't necessarily have to be free (though it works in other countries so I'm mystified as to why it can't work in the US), but at the end of the day, there is no excuse for students graduating college saddled with five- or six-figure debt.

4. I don't believe your money should be taken from you and given to people who don't want to work. I have literally never encountered anyone who believes this. Ever. I just have a massive moral problem with a society where a handful of people can possess the majority of the wealth while there are people literally starving to death, freezing to death, or dying because they can't afford to go to the doctor. Fair wages, lower housing costs, universal healthcare, affordable education, and the wealthy actually paying their share would go a long way toward alleviating this. Somehow believing that makes me a communist.

5. I don't throw around "I'm willing to pay higher taxes" lightly. If I'm suggesting something that involves paying more, well, it's because I'm fine with paying my share as long as it's actually going to something besides lining corporate pockets or bombing other countries while Americans die without healthcare.

6. I believe companies should be required to pay their employees a decent, livable wage. Somehow this is always interpreted as me wanting burger flippers to be able to afford a penthouse apartment and a Mercedes. What it actually means is that no one should have to work three full-time jobs just to keep their head above water. Restaurant servers should not have to rely on tips, multibillion-dollar companies should not have employees on food stamps, workers shouldn't have to work themselves into the ground just to barely make ends meet, and minimum wage should be enough for someone to work 40 hours and live.

7. I am not anti-Christian. I have no desire to stop Christians from being Christians, to close churches, to ban the Bible, to forbid prayer in school, etc. (BTW, prayer in school is NOT illegal; *compulsory* prayer in school is - and should be - illegal). All I ask is that Christians recognize *my* right to live according to *my* beliefs. When I get pissed off that a politician is trying to legislate Scripture into law, I'm not "offended by Christianity" -- I'm offended that you're trying to force me to live by your religion's rules. You know how you get really upset at the thought of Muslims imposing Sharia law on you? That's how I feel about Christians trying to impose biblical law on me. Be a Christian. Do your thing. Just don't force it on me or mine.

8. I don't believe LGBT people should have more rights than you. I just believe they should have the *same* rights as you.

9. I don't believe illegal immigrants should come to America and have the world at their feet, especially since THIS ISN'T WHAT THEY DO (spoiler: undocumented immigrants are ineligible for all those programs they're supposed to be abusing, and if they're "stealing" your job it's because your employer is hiring illegally). I believe there are far more humane ways to handle undocumented immigration than our current practices (i.e., detaining children, splitting up families, ending DACA, etc).

10. I don't believe the government should regulate everything, but since greed is such a driving force in our country, we NEED regulations to prevent cut corners, environmental destruction, tainted food/water, unsafe materials in consumable goods or medical equipment, etc. It's not that I want the government's hands in everything -- I just don't trust people trying to make money to ensure that their products/practices/etc. are actually SAFE. Is the government devoid of shadiness? Of course not. But with those regulations in place, consumers have recourse if they're harmed and companies are liable for medical bills, environmental cleanup, etc. Just kind of seems like common sense when the alternative to government regulation is letting companies bring their bottom line into the equation.

11. I believe our current administration is fascist. Not because I dislike them or because I can’t get over an election, but because I've spent too many years reading and learning about the Third Reich to miss the similarities. Not because any administration I dislike must be Nazis, but because things are actually mirroring authoritarian and fascist regimes of the past.

12. I believe the systemic racism and misogyny in our society is much worse than many people think, and desperately needs to be addressed. Which means those with privilege -- white, straight, male, economic, etc. -- need to start listening, even if you don't like what you're hearing, so we can start dismantling everything that's causing people to be marginalized.

13. I am not interested in coming after your blessed guns, nor is anyone serving in government. What I am interested in is the enforcement of present laws and enacting new, common sense gun regulations. Got another opinion? Put it on your page, not mine.

14. I believe in so-called political correctness. I prefer to think it’s social politeness. If I call you Chuck and you say you prefer to be called Charles I’ll call you Charles. It’s the polite thing to do. Not because everyone is a delicate snowflake, but because as Maya Angelou put it, when we know better, we do better. When someone tells you that a term or phrase is more accurate/less hurtful than the one you're using, you now know better. So why not do better? How does it hurt you to NOT hurt another person?

15. I believe in funding sustainable energy, including offering education to people currently working in coal or oil so they can change jobs. There are too many sustainable options available for us to continue with coal and oil. Sorry, billionaires. Maybe try investing in something else.

16. I believe that women should not be treated as a separate class of human. They should be paid the same as men who do the same work, should have the same rights as men and should be free from abuse. Why on earth shouldn’t they be?

I think that about covers it. Bottom line is that I'm a liberal because I think we should take care of each other. That doesn't mean you should work 80 hours a week so your lazy neighbor can get all your money. It just means I don't believe there is any scenario in which preventable suffering is an acceptable outcome as long as money is saved.

Copy & paste if you want.

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bopinion · 3 years

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2021 / 33

Aperçu of the Week:

"You must not believe everything you think!"

(Heinz Erhardt, German humorist of the 1950s)

Bad News of the Week:

Joe Biden currently faces as much criticism for developments in Afghanistan as any other leader in the Western "alliance against terror." One could have assessed the strength of the Taliban just as well as the weakness of the Afghan government and its army trained and equipped by the West. The estimates of the intelligence services should have been questioned, diplomats should have been listened to better. The predicament of the so-called "local forces" could have been avoided. This is obviously confusing cause and effect.

It was the Republican George W. Bush (or rather the hawks around Cheney, Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz) who started the so-called "war on terror", first in Afghanistan, and invented the carte blanche of pre-emptive strikes with the Bush Doctrine ("National Security Strategy"). For those interested in the background, Bob Woodward's book "Bush at War" is highly recommended. And it was Republican Donald J. Trump who signed the virtually unconditional troop withdrawal agreement with the Taliban last year, which is now being executed according to plan. To now blame the current administration for the development is ridiculous.

Equally ridiculous is the current pretense that the Afghanistan campaign was a success. After all, its objective was to dry up the retreats of Al-Qaeda and, above all, to kill Osama bin Laden. Fun facts on the side: none (!) of the 19 attackers of 9/11 came from Afghanistan, Iraq or the African Horn, but 15 (!) from Saudi Arabia, like bin Laden himself. But especially for the Bush family the Sunni fundamentalists from Saudi Arabia have always been untouchable. And where was bin Laden finally caught and killed? In Abbottabad. And that is not in Afghanistan, but in Pakistan.

According to Time the rise on Taliban would have been impossible "without Pakistan's shelter and support". Associated Press writes about the role of Islamabad that it "does permit the Taliban leadership on its territory and its wounded warriors receive treatment in Pakistani hospitals. Their children are in school in Pakistan and some among them own property. Some among Pakistan's politicians have rebranded the insurgents as 'the new, civilized Taliban.'" To understand the complex relationship between the two states, it helps to look at the history books. Spoiler alert: it's not the U.S. that's to blame, but the British.

The hereditary enmity - yes, you can call it that by now - is based on the so-called "Durand line." The British colonel who gave it its name drew a border line between the two states, which had strategic reasons but completely ignored ethnic regionality. Thus, the West's ignorance of the cultural distinctiveness of this region already has a long history. The Durand Line cut right through the tribal areas of the Pashtuns. After the Pashtuns proclaimed "their" state Afghanistan, this border was of course never officially recognized. And independence or affiliation efforts of the cut Pashtuns, often on the brink of civil war, were actively supported. In turn, Pakistan has been trying to destabilize the Afghan state with political and economic measures for almost 70 years.

What do we learn from this? It has never worked when a Western power has tried to impose its values on a colonial people, ignoring their culture and history. Not with the British in Central Asia, not with the French in Indochina, not with the Americans in Korea or Vietnam. Or before that the Spanish in South America or practically all Europeans in Africa. So have we learned that by now? I'm afraid not...

Good News of the Week:

During the lockdowns, there was a real boom in Germany to get pets. The cat was supposed to replace the missing social contacts, the dog to guarantee the possibility to leave the domestic quarantine. So not the best conditions to ensure the welfare of the creatures - pets are not toys!

The thematically responsible cabinet member, Agriculture Minister Julia Klöckner, now wants to counteract with new animal welfare regulations. Thus for example the chain keeping of dogs is to be forbidden, they must get daily at least one hour free run and also the puppy raising is to become more kind-fair. And also in the zoo specialized trade more expert knowledge becomes obligatory, in order to prevent among other things that domestic animals are given into a care, which could not be animal appropriate.

In the wake of recent developments such as the ban on chick shredding, the requirement for more species-appropriate housing with more space for cows and "employment material" for pigs, and the ban on imports of wild birds, this gives me hope. Of course, these are all just (too) small steps, but at least they are going in the right direction.

Sidenote: Tonight my son gets a "vacation dog" for two weeks once again. So the requirement "at least one hour of exercise in the fresh air per day" will not only apply to the dog Tzela, but also to the prospective professional gamer... ;-)

Personal happy moment of the week:

I could listen to music all the time. And of course, in a family household, I can't ruthlessly "acoustically dominate" everyone all the time. And I like good sound quality - so 5.1 surround sound for Netflix, DAB in the car and HomePods in the living room are a must. In addition, the increasingly digitalized communication in the home office with web conferences and Teams meetings demands a good headset. The solution for everything is - of course - good headphones. So last year I did a test run for several weeks with a pair of cheap Bluetooth headphones to see if I could live well with a permanent Mickey Mouse on my head. It made sense before investing, because after all, there were more and more rumors last year that Apple would eventually merge its experiences with AirPods and Beats by Dr. Dre into its own high-end headphones.

And then they really came on the market: the AirPods Max. When I finally went to order them as a birthday present to myself, my ears were shaking: more than three months of delivery time? OMG... No wonder that in that time span (and at my age) I had at some point forgotten that yes, there was still something in the pipeline. Until I finally got them last Thursday. And they also fully met my expectations. Now I'm happy, my roommates have their peace and everyone else has something to laugh about when I'm out and about with "Apple's purse" (because that's exactly what they look like in their Smart case).

I couldn't care less...

...that possible coalition partners of the German government after the elections at the end of September are already bickering about the typical German topic "speed limit on highways". As a driver of an electric car, I hardly ever drive faster than 100 km/h anyway. I prefer to stay in the right lane "attached to" a bus with cruise control and distance radar and ride towards my exit in a relaxed manner. And the famous, equally typical German driving pleasure? I get it from the barely comparable acceleration power - with which I can overtake practically everywhere and also make most of the big gasoline-powered cars look stupid at the traffic lights. Nice!

As I write this...

...I run every ten minutes first to the basement and then upstairs to the office. In the former, the freezer is defrosting and I have to constantly wipe up the new puddle of ice water from the floor. And in the second, the system update is running on the Mac and I have to keep clicking "Okay" - or read for what feels like the seventeenth time that the next step will take "about five more minutes". Every third time I go over to the neighbors, whose cat I'm taking care of for the weekend, to see if the madam has deigned to show her face, so that I can let her into the garden. Presumably the activity rings on the Apple Watch tonight will let me know I've had an athletic day.... ;-)

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nad-zeta · 4 years

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Hey! I saw your MBTI for Sengoku so I was wondering if you could also do one for ikemen Vampire?

Hi love, thanks so much for the request! So I only did it for a few of the vampy boys! Let me know if you want me to do it for the rest hehe I find I don’t know these cuties as well as the ikesen boys (˶◕‿◕˶✿)! Side note this is all my opinion so if you disagree with my evaluation of their personalities theeeeeeen idk (◕__◕✿) Also for those who dont know their personality type or who want to see where i got my info here is tha link https://www.16personalities.com/

Anyways thanx for the request and i hope you enjoy!

Ikevamp MBTI feat Vincent, Comte, Arthur, Isaac and Napoleon

✿◕ ‿ ◕✿

Vincent- Infp, the mediator

“Mediator personalities are true idealists, always looking for the hint of good in even the worst of people and events, searching for ways to make things better. While they may be perceived as calm, reserved, or even shy, Mediators have an inner flame and passion that can truly shine. Mediators’ friends and loved ones will come to admire and depend on them for their optimism. Their unshaken belief that all people are inherently good, perhaps simply misunderstood, lends itself to an incredibly resilient attitude in the face of hardship. Mediators combine their visionary nature with their open-mindedness to allow them to see things from unconventional perspectives. Being able to connect many far-flung dots into a single theme, it’s no wonder that many Mediators are celebrated, poets, painters and authors.”

I think this cute ray of sunshine is 100% INFP. This cinnamon roll is always looking on the bright side of things, he is the angel to Theo’s devil, and he brings joy and light to the lives of all those living in the mansion. Of course, Vincent believe people are inherently good, I mean he is friends with Shakespear for crying out loud, and he is able to look past Shakespears mischief causing ways and is able to see the best in him, if that ain’t Cinnabon behaviour I don’t know what is ✿◕ ‿ ◕✿

So, here are his ideal compatible matches:

Enfj, Entj and Entp

Leonardo- ISTP Virtuoso

"Virtuosos love to explore with their hands and their eyes, touching and examining the world around them with cool rationalism and spirited curiosity. People with this personality type are natural Makers, moving from project to project, building the useful and the superfluous for the fun of it, and learning from their environment as they go. Virtuosos enjoy lending a hand and sharing their experience, especially with the people they care about, Friendly but very private, calm but suddenly spontaneous, extremely curious but unable to stay focused on formal studies, Virtuoso personalities can be a challenge to predict, even by their friends and loved ones. Cheerful and good-natured, people with the Virtuoso personality type (especially Assertive ones) rarely get stressed out, preferring to go with the flow."

I legit think Leo is a Virtuoso, he is forever fixing thing for all the people in town and in the mansion. He loves helping people, leading a friendly hand to all who is in need of help. He is also incredibly private about his personal life as seen in his route where it took MC basically the whole route just to get to know this cute Italian boy. I.e. he only allowed her to ask him one question a day, which half the time he wouldn’t even freaken answer properly. This boy is definitely super chilled and go with the flow, taking naps on the library floor or spontaneously picking you up to take you on fun new adventures. To me, this Jack of all trades screams virtuoso (◕▿◕✿)

So, here are his ideal compatible matches:

ESTJ, ESFJ and ISTJ.

Comte- ENFJ Protagonist

"Protagonists are natural-born leaders, full of passion and charisma. They are oftentimes our politicians, our coaches and our teachers, reaching out and inspiring others to achieve and to do good in the world. With a natural confidence that begets influence, Protagonists take a great deal of pride and joy in guiding others to work together to improve themselves and their community. People are drawn to strong personalities, and Protagonists radiate authenticity, concern and altruism, unafraid to stand up and speak when they feel something needs to be said. They find it natural and easy to communicate with others, especially in person Protagonists are genuine, caring people who talk the talk and walk the walk, and nothing makes them happier than leading the charge, uniting and motivating their team with infectious enthusiasm. Charm and popularity are qualities Protagonists have in spades. They instinctively know how to capture an audience, and pick up on mood and motivation in ways that allow them to communicate with reason, emotion, passion, restraint – whatever the situation calls for. Talented imitators, Protagonists are able to shift their tone and manner to reflect the needs of the audience, while still maintaining their own voice."

So this boy I struggled with but eventually settled on Protagonist. This boy definitely is a charmer, I mean just look at his face. I definitely see him as the dad of the mansion, helping and guiding all his lil vampire children. Comte definitely has charm for daaays, which was hinted in the prologue where the fist convo mc had with this beautiful man was basically her falling victim to his gentlemanly charm. He genuinely cares for all the residents of him mansion and would bend over backwards to make sure they are all happy! (◕‿◕✿)

So, here are his ideal compatible matches:

INFP, ISFP and ENTJ

Isaac- INTJ Architect

"With a natural thirst for knowledge that shows itself early in life, other kids at school often call Architects “bookworms.” While their peers may intend to insult them, those with this personality type likely identify with the label. Throughout their lives, they’re proud of how much they know, and Architects enjoy sharing the knowledge they gain. They’re confident in the mastery of their chosen subjects. They are serious and prefer to design and carry out effective plans rather than waste their time with foolish distractions like gossip. Architects are confident in the subjects they take the time to understand, but, unfortunately, they are reluctant to bother with topics that involve social skills. White lies and small talk, even when useful, are hard for a personality type that needs truth and depth. Architects may even see many social practices as downright stupid. Ironically, it is often best for Architects to remain where they’re comfortable – out of the spotlight. They have natural confidence there. If they stay within their element and do what they do best, they are likely to draw people to them, professionally, socially, and even romantically. They are fine on their own, and reaching out is often optional."

Cute shy, hedgehog boy is definitely an architect in my eyes. He is in the library 24/7 learning new things and reading new books. He has definitely achieved mastery in his particular field of study, I mean this clever boy has discovered the theory of gravity for crying out loud. It’s clear he likes sharing his knowledge with others as he helps our best boi Napoleon with teaching the cute lil street kids and in the first few chapters of his route *spoiler alert* he teaches some snotnose students about the book he freaken wrote. Hehe I also think apple boy relates to the part about social interactions as he is just a cute precious shy boy that doesn’t have the best communication skills (˶◕‿◕˶✿)

So, here are his ideal compatible matches:

ENFP, ENTP and INTP

Arthur- ENTP Debater

"No one loves the process of mental sparring more than the Debater personality type, as it gives them a chance to exercise their effortlessly quick wit, broad accumulated knowledge base, and capacity for connecting disparate ideas to prove their points. Debaters are the ultimate devil’s advocate, thriving on the process of shredding arguments and beliefs and letting the ribbons drift in the wind for all to see People with the Debater personality type have a way with words and wit that others find intriguing. Their confidence, quick thought and ability to connect disparate ideas in novel ways create a style of communication that is charming, even entertaining, and informative at the same time."

This boy has the banter, I just had to make him a Debater as he, in my opinion, has wit for days. He is definitely a cleaver cookie that will trash anyone who dares challenge him to any game. TBH I think he could definitely give Mitsuhide a run for his money on the witty remarks front. I really do find his style of communicating charming, entertaining and informative. So I would definitely vote sherlock boy as devil’s advocate (◕ω◕✿)

So, here are his ideal compatible matches:

INFJ, INTJ and ENFP

❤🌼Hope ya enjoyed and I hope you have a good day! 🌻

#ikevamp leonardo #ikevamp #ikemen vampire comte #comte de saint germain #vincent van gogh #ikemen vampire vincent #ikevamp vincent #ikemen leonardo #leonardo da vinci #ikemen arthur conan doyle #ikemen arthur #ikevam arthur #headcanons #ikemen vampire headcanons #headcanon ikemen #headcanon #fanfic mbti #mbti personality types #ikevamp mbti

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klbmsw · 4 years

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Ron HowardJanuary 24 at 5:41 AM

1. I believe a country should take care of its weakest members. A country cannot call itself civilized when its children, disabled, sick, and elderly are neglected. PERIOD.

8. I don't believe LGBT people should have more rights than you. I just believe they should have the *same* rights as you.

Bottom line is that I'm a liberal because I think we should take care of each other. That doesn't mean you should work 80 hours a week so your lazy neighbor can get all your money. It just means I don't believe there is any scenario in which preventable suffering is an acceptable outcome as long as money is saved.

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kevinbingham · 4 years

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“Not every liberal is the same, though the majority of liberals I know think along roughly these same lines”

https://www.facebook.com/thethinker42/posts/10155931022478700

Lori Gallagher Witt

January 7, 2018

An open letter to friends and family who are/were shocked to discover I'm a liberal...

This is going to be VERY long, so: TL;DR: I'm a liberal, I've always been a liberal, but that doesn't mean what a lot of you apparently think it does.

Some of you suspected. Some of you were shocked. Many of you have known me for years, even the majority of my life. We either steadfastly avoided political topics, or I carefully steered conversations away from the more incendiary subjects in the name of keeping the peace. "I'm a liberal" isn't really something you broadcast in social circles where "the liberals" can't be said without wrinkling one's nose.

But then the 2016 election happened, and staying quiet wasn't an option anymore. Since then, I've received no shortage of emails and comments from people who were shocked, horrified, disappointed, disgusted, or otherwise displeased to realize I am *wrinkles nose* a liberal. Yep. I'm one of those bleeding heart commies who hates anyone who's white, straight, or conservative, and who wants the government to dictate everything you do while taking your money and giving it to people who don't work.

Or am I?

Let's break it down, shall we? Because quite frankly, I'm getting a little tired of being told what I believe and what I stand for. Spoiler alert: Not every liberal is the same, though the majority of liberals I know think along roughly these same lines.

1. I believe a country should take care of its weakest members. A country cannot call itself civilized when its children, disabled, sick, and elderly are neglected. Period.

3. I believe education should be affordable and accessible to everyone. It doesn't necessarily have to be free (though it works in other countries so I'm mystified as to why it can't work in the US), but at the end of the day, there is no excuse for students graduating college saddled with five- or six-figure debt.

5. I don't throw around "I'm willing to pay higher taxes" lightly. I'm self-employed, so I already pay a shitload of taxes. If I'm suggesting something that involves paying more, that means increasing my already eye-watering tax bill. I'm fine with paying my share as long as it's actually going to something besides lining corporate pockets or bombing other countries while Americans die without healthcare.

6. I believe companies should be required to pay their employees a decent, livable wage. Somehow this is always interpreted as me wanting burger flippers to be able to afford a penthouse apartment and a Mercedes. What it actually means is that no one should have to work three full-time jobs just to keep their head above water. Restaurant servers should not have to rely on tips, multibillion dollar companies should not have employees on food stamps, workers shouldn't have to work themselves into the ground just to barely make ends meet, and minimum wage should be enough for someone to work 40 hours and live.

7. I am not anti-Christian. I have no desire to stop Christians from being Christians, to close churches, to ban the Bible, to forbid prayer in school, etc. (BTW, prayer in school is NOT illegal; *compulsory* prayer in school is - and should be - illegal) All I ask is that Christians recognize *my* right to live according to *my* beliefs. When I get pissed off that a politician is trying to legislate Scripture into law, I'm not "offended by Christianity" -- I'm offended that you're trying to force me to live by your religion's rules. You know how you get really upset at the thought of Muslims imposing Sharia on you? That's how I feel about Christians trying to impose biblical law on me. Be a Christian. Do your thing. Just don't force it on me or mine.

8. I don't believe LGBT people should have more rights than you. I just believe we should have the *same* rights as you.

9. I don't believe illegal immigrants should come to America and have the world at their feet, especially since THIS ISN'T WHAT THEY DO (spoiler: undocumented immigrants are ineligible for all those programs they're supposed to be abusing, and if they're "stealing" your job it's because your employer is hiring illegally.). I'm not opposed to deporting people who are here illegally, but I believe there are far more humane ways to handle undocumented immigration than our current practices (i.e., detaining children, splitting up families, ending DACA, etc).

10. I believe we should take in refugees, or at the very least not turn them away without due consideration. Turning thousands of people away because a terrorist might slip through is inhumane, especially when we consider what has happened historically to refugees who were turned away (see: MS St. Louis). If we're so opposed to taking in refugees, maybe we should consider not causing them to become refugees in the first place. Because we're fooling ourselves if we think that somewhere in the chain of events leading to these people becoming refugees, there isn't a line describing something the US did.

11. I don't believe the government should regulate everything, but since greed is such a driving force in our country, we NEED regulations to prevent cut corners, environmental destruction, tainted food/water, unsafe materials in consumable goods or medical equipment, etc. It's not that I want the government's hands in everything -- I just don't trust people trying to make money to ensure that their products/practices/etc are actually SAFE. Is the government devoid of shadiness? Of course not. But with those regulations in place, consumers have recourse if they're harmed and companies are liable for medical bills, environmental cleanup, etc. Just kind of seems like common sense when the alternative to government regulation is letting companies bring their bottom line into the equation.

12. I believe our current administration is fascist. Not because I dislike them or because I'm butthurt over an election, but because I've spent too many years reading and learning about the Third Reich to miss the similarities. Not because any administration I dislike must be Nazis, but because things are actually mirroring authoritarian and fascist regimes of the past.

13. I believe the systemic racism and misogyny in our society is much worse than many people think, and desperately needs to be addressed. Which means those with privilege -- white, straight, male, economic, etc -- need to start listening, even if you don't like what you're hearing, so we can start dismantling everything that's causing people to be marginalized.

14. I believe in so-called political correctness. Not because everyone is a delicate snowflake, but because as Maya Angelou put it, when we know better, we do better. When someone tells you that a term or phrase is more accurate/less hurtful than the one you're using, you now know better. So why not do better? How does it hurt you to NOT hurt another person? Your refusal to adjust your vocabulary in the name of not being an asshole kind of makes YOU the snowflake.

So, I'm a liberal.

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armitige3 · 4 years

Text

Copypasta, but I agree with every word:

1. I believe a country should take care of its weakest members. A country cannot call itself civilized when its children, disabled, sick, and elderly are neglected. PERIOD.

8. I don't believe LGBT people should have more rights than you. I just believe they should have the *same* rights as you.

Copy & paste if you want. I did.

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words-writ-in-starlight · 5 years

Note

good omens au of the kencyrath?

Damn RIGHT, Good Omens AU of the Kencyrath.

a devil put aside (for me)

The year is 6000 AC1, give or take a few dozenmonths, when Jame is handed a baby.

This is not, as such things go, particularly commonpractice. Something about Jame makespeople reluctant to hand her babies. It’sprobably her clear and obvious alarm when handed a baby, or any other human toosmall to feasibly navigate itself home without her guidance. It may also be the too-silver shine of hereyes over her sunglasses, and the cat-sharp points of her canines when shesmiles. Regardless, Jame has taken greatpains to make sure she doesn’t look like someone who was cosmically meantto be handed babies2.

“Hail Satan. You’relate, Jamethiel,” Keral observes, and Jame makes a vague gesture—at thegraveyard, at the half-cloudy night sky, at her pristine white car—as if to explain.

“Hail Satan, and stuff, sure. Ran into traffic,” she says. Keral doesn’t often lower himself to dallyingon Earth, and last Jame checked he didn’t totally understand what a car was,although there’s a certain intuitive grasp on things like traffic and hotcoals and slow torture among demons. He seems to have a broad grasp of what she means. Bane, leaning against a gravestone andsmiling his too-wide smile, seems to have a much clearer grasp, but then Banelikes Earth3. “So. What’s, uh, happening?”

“Present for you,” Bane says, holding up an honest-to-Hellbasket, a tidily woven job that looks like something Jame might have seen incommon use seven thousand years ago. Bane lets it dangle from his fingers, rocking a bit, and Keral squawksangrily, jumping forward. Bane closeshis fist securely around the handle and lowers his arm just before Keral canreach him, and Jame thinks idly about how she could be—anywhere but here,really. Maybe somewhere with alcohol.

She’s never understood why Bane and Keral so frequently getassigned together. Probably becauseKeral is uninventive but obsessively devoted to their Master, whereas Bane isalmost human in his creativity but untrustworthy even by demonic standards. There’s some kind of hope that they’ll reineach other in.

All she’s ever really noticed is that Bane enjoys drivingKeral up the wall4, along with everyone else in the immediatevicinity.

“Here, m’lady snake,” Bane drawls, and holds the basket out,teetering, until Jame grabs it.

Jame flips up the lid, because curiosity has always beenwhat Jame does best5, and almost drops it on the spot.

“Oh,” Jame says. Hervoice is a little faint, but even. “It’s—thattime, is it?”

“Finally.” Keralstretches in the corner of her vision, a movement that’s entirely too liquidand disjointed for his mostly-human appearance, and from the sound of hisvoice, he’s smiling, smugly delighted in the way of a demon about to achieve sometruly dire things. “You’ve been honoredby our Master, Jamethiel,” he says.

“Very honored,” Jame says automatically without looking upfrom the contents of the basket. Thecontents didn’t seem to be bothered by Bane’s irreverent handling of them,still sleeping soundly. That did notmake the contents any less alarming.

“About time, too, I was wasting away waiting for it,” Keralsays, and idly bends his wrist back until his knuckles touch his forearm. There’s a pop, then several sharp cracks, andJame looks up.

“Right,” Jame announces, an edge of manic brightnessentering her voice as she snaps the lid of the basket closed. “Right. I’ll just go—do that. About time. Hail Satan.”

And she books the hastiest retreat she can manage, without actuallyrunning away.

Shortly thereafter, there is a shell game, but withbabies. Three fair-haired male babies—tidilycode-named Baby A, Baby B, and the Antichrist, the Adversary, Destroyer ofKings, Angel of the Bottomless Pit, Great Beast that is called Dragon, Princeof This World, Father of Lies, Spawn of Satan and Lord of Darkness—to beprecise. The Monks of the LugubriousOrder of Saint Gorgo are a sweet bunch, if you ask Jame, but not always themost reliable at subtle communication. Thiswill later be blamed for an enormous amount of trouble.

As far as Father Loogan, head of the order, knows, the Antichristetc. is a scowling and squalling baby with ashy hair, delivered in a moreliteral than euphemistic sense to Caldane Caineron, American diplomaticattache, and his wife. This baby—Baby B—isnamed Gorbel, and will be a terrible disappointment to quite a lot of people butalso an excellent politician6.

Baby A, for the sake of the reader’s peace of mind, isadopted by a kind couple and grows up well out of events, with the kind ofblithely silly nature that only blesses those who have narrowly missed growingup in politics. We shall say that he isnamed Holly, and enjoys riding horses, climbing trees, and Not Being InvolvedIn Politics.

The Antichrist, the Adversary, Destroyer ofKings, Angel of the Bottomless Pit, Great Beast that is called Dragon, Princeof This World, Father of Lies, Spawn of Satan and Lord of Darkness, is abeautiful and even-tempered baby, with pale blue eyes and hair so fair as to bevery nearly white.

His single mother names him Kindrie.

Jame doesn’t call ahead, because she doesn’t believe incalling ahead on principle7, and also because her counterpart isterrible at answering his phone. Shejust shows up, parks indiscriminately half onto the pavement, and startshammering on the door, just above the Closed sign.

No one answers, so Jame snaps and the lock sheepishly undoesitself.

“I’m sorry, we’re closed,” Torisen says from the back room,without looking up from his latest discovery of what appears to be genuine ship’smaps circa the fifteenth century, if Jame isn’t mistaken. His shop mostly stocks books—histories andfirst editions and other things that could make an academic weep if given halfa chance—but she’s never seen him actually turn down an artifact8.

“I just delivered the Antichrist to a monastery and theworld is going to end,” Jame announces as the door locks itself behind her.

The angel at the desk looks up, through the open door intothe shop. Tori and Jame have always lookedalike—she thinks, vaguely, that they looked alike before the War, too, but can’tquite remember why—with inky black hair and silver eyes and very nearly thesame bone structure. He’s allowed hiscorporation to show its age a touch more, with grey threading his black hair,rather than Jame’s perpetual early twenties, but they could still bereflections in slightly rippled water.

As such, she suddenly has an excellent idea of what she musthave looked like, upon being handed the basket.

“Oh,” Tori says.

“Yeah.”

“Well,” Tori says, his hands moving slowly, apparentlywithout his instruction, to slide the maps into a museum-grade envelope9. “I suppose that’s that, then. How long have we got?”

“Eleven years, give or take.”

“And then…”

“That’s right.” Torisennods, considering, and Jame collapses into the armchair across from him. “Welcome to the End Times, angel.”

“Hm,” Torisen says, as if he’s still processing this. “Drink?”

“Please.”

Six hours and a quite extraordinary amount of alcohol later,an angel and a demon concoct a supremely questionable plan to save the world.

Spoiler alert: it does not work10.

1 AfterCreation.

2 There isno helping the fact that, apparently, Someone thinks that Jame meant tobe handed babies.

3 In fact Banelikes Earth so much that he is strictly banned from being Hell’srepresentative there.

4 This is not a particular achievement: everyonefrom imps to archdemons enjoys driving Keral up the wall.

5 Jame hasretained certain things from her initial professional dalliance with curiosity,including slit pupils, a streak of black scales from the nape of her neck allthe way down her spine, and a fondness for sleeping in sunlight. Really, she’s just glad she doesn’t hiss.

6 Being apolitician will earn the erstwhile Baby B some fatherly approval at first. Then he’ll go and become a liberal, whereuponBaby B will finish thoroughly disappointing everyone and be much happier forit.

7 Jame got acommendation for the invention of the call tree. She appreciates phones. She also appreciates the upper hand, and justshowing up is better for that.

8 She hasalso never seen him sell one.

9 Jame isvery, very sure that Torisen has been abusing his miraculous abilities for thesake of protecting his books. There’s noother way those maps are surviving being handled.

10 Someoneelse takes care of it.

#kencyrath #chronicles of the kencyrath #good omens #starlight writes stuff #now LISTEN i know that jame as the demon is a very predictable choice #but tori as the angel--restricted and confined by his role and pushing back against the urging of The Good Guys #was too good to pass up #also because this way i can have tori protest 'i don't even LIKE you' and jame sneer 'YOU DO' and I Wanted That #why isn't jame the antichrist you say? because i REALLY like the idea of her and tori needling each other #for six THOUSAND years #and also because narratively speaking it's jame's purpose to destroy the world already she's had her turn #the arrin-ken say it's kindrie's turn on the apocalypse #literally THE ONLY other thing i have figured out is this:#graykin is shadwell #smol!brier is pepper #smol!kirien is wensleydale #and smol!rue is brian #they are kindrie's devoted best friends and partners in apocalypse aversion #brier becomes Uncomfortably Fascinated by those two folks who helped kindrie save the world #rue is not uncomfortable at all and latches onto jame like a barnacle #oh and baby a is holly--aka lord danior! who is SO HAPPY to not be heir to the highlord's seat anymore #that felt Right #oh also the title is from bohemian rhapsody because obviously #queue deeper than the sea of stars #asked and answered #aethersea

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edmacmanscomixbookmuseum · 4 years

Text

Thanks, Ron Howard.

Ron Howard

January 24 at 5:41 AM

“I'm a liberal, but that doesn't mean what a lot of you apparently think it does. Let's break it down, shall we? Because quite frankly, I'm getting a little tired of being told what I believe and what I stand for. Spoiler alert: not every liberal is the same, though the majority of liberals I know think along roughly these same lines:

1. I believe a country should take care of its weakest members. A country cannot call itself civilized when its children, disabled, sick, and elderly are neglected. PERIOD.

8. I don't believe LGBT people should have more rights than you. I just believe they should have the *same* rights as you.

Ron”

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rennemichaels · 5 years

Text

What is and isn’t a Liberal

Jaymie Ringdal‎ to Trump Memes 12-29-2018 10:31 AM

I haven’t always been a liberal, but being a liberal doesn't mean what a lot of you apparently think it does.

1. I believe a country should take care of its weakest members. A country cannot call itself civilized when its children, disabled, sick, and elderly are neglected. Period.

8. I don't believe LGBT people should have more rights than you. I just believe they should have the *same* rights as you.

9. I don't believe illegal immigrants should come to America and have the world at their feet, especially since THIS ISN'T WHAT THEY DO (spoiler: undocumented immigrants are ineligible for all those programs they're supposed to be abusing, and if they're "stealing" your job it's because your employer is hiring illegally). I'm not opposed to deporting people who are here illegally, but I believe there are far more humane ways to handle undocumented immigration than our current practices (i.e., detaining children, splitting up families, ending DACA, etc).

13. I am not interested in coming after your blessed guns, nor is anyone serving in government. What I am interested in is sensible policies, including background checks, that just MIGHT save one person’s, perhaps a toddler’s, life by the hand of someone who should not have a gun. (Got another opinion? Put it on your page, not mine).

“So, I'm a liberal.”

#liberal #political correctness #snowflakes #right wing #alt right

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enouragement-blog · 5 years

Text

If you have anxiety, read this

I’ve had anxiety as long as I can remember. I remember being in my early 20′s and not being able to leave my room except to very quickly go to the bathroom and come back. I remember being a little kid and not being able to go to sleep because my tummy hurt, but not knowing why. If you struggle with anxiety, I’m sorry. Few people will ever truly understand you. It’ll feel like you have to walk this path alone most of the time. It sucks.

In a few weeks I will be driving from New Mexico to Minnesota. This will be extremely uncomfortable. I’m not doing it because I want to, because I don’t, and I’m not doing it for money, because I’m not getting paid and I wouldn’t want to anyways. I’m doing it because I have to fight, I can’t give up, I want to move forward, and I can’t let my anxiety win.

But our culture makes things worse. It’s in the air, and we breathe it, and don’t even realize that we’re breathing it. Our culture is weak, and it’s making us weak.

- Everyone wants people to feel sorry for them, but nobody wants to deal with their problem. Everyone wants people to know how they feel, but they don’t want to do anything to change it. They don’t want to try harder, or fight, or improve, they just want what feels good. But the things that really matter in life cost us. And honestly, life could be summarized as a constant exchange of comfort. How much of your comfort are you willing to sacrifice for the greater good/the good of others/you’re long term happiness? Or we can try to hold onto comfort that instantly gratifies us and yields nothing - it’s our choice. I don’t have to drive to Minnesota, I could just choose to not help my friend. I could even come up with an elaborate excuse as to how I can’t go. I could spend the time in the comfort of my home playing video games. But what would be accomplished? There can be no great victory without great risk.

-We’re taught to get our voices heard, but not to listen. If you want others to be there for you, you better be there for others. Sure, some will take advantage of you - be smart! - but others won’t.

-We’re taught to get rid of “toxic” people, rather than helping others. We’ve all been a toxic person before. We’ve learned to “divorce” (metaphorically speaking) people who irritate us. It’s as though you cannot be friends with anyone who isn’t just like you. We are divided by politics and many other things. We’re taught to give up on people and to quit: we quit our marriages, we quit on friends and family... We don’t fight FOR anything anymore, we just fight or (surprisingly worse) we just roll over and die. We continue a pointless and directionless life full of vices that give temporary comfort and long-term dissatisfaction just so that we don’t have to deal with the uncomfortable irritants in our lives.

We want to live life the easy way. We want everything handed to us. As good as welfare is, we’ve learned something bad from it: getting something for nothing. We don’t know how to adapt and how to thrive unless things go our way. We want to always be right without judging our thinking critically. And then we switch between extremes of becoming prideful or self-loathing, never judging our thinking correctly.

-We’ve become addicted. Addicted to technology and video games, to wasting our lives with a meaningless existence of (attempted) pure pleasure. Addicted to things that don’t satisfy. Addicted to screens and false reality. Addicted to drugs, alcohol, and being right. And we all want to be right, but without actually learning, challenging, and changing. We don’t know how to live in the moment and enjoy the small things. Everything has to be big and showy for us to enjoy it.

- We are taught to complain about everything. We complain nonstop about Trump, for instance, when we have no idea of who he really is or if he’s doing any good because we don’t listen or look for the good things. But then we want people to give us a break, but then we don’t want to give anyone else a break. We believe whatever people tell us so long as it agrees with our bias, but if it requires us to reanalyze the information, we are unwilling. I’ll give specific examples of statements that will probably piss you off, if you are like the majority of people: Trump is a good president, Homosexuality is wrong, not all religious experiences are equal. Rather than having a discussion someone who says such things, most people instantly get mad and try to prove it wrong. Just look at facebook: nonstop whining and fighting.

-We are taught to be afraid of everything. Just watch the news and you’ll see it: the list of things to be afraid of, which includes, but is not limited to: global warming, death, disease, war, politicians... Of course those things exist, but we don’t need to be afraid all the time. NOR do we always know the cause of these things. For instance, global warming has not been proven to be connected with humanity, but yet everyone believes that SINCE global warming is real, then that MUST MEAN it’s caused entirely by people (watch the people who instantly search online for an article to “prove” that it’s caused by people just so you can argue with me, a person you don’t know).

- We’re taught that our lives are all about us and to watch out for number one, and then when we’re lonely, we substitute the human interaction and conflict THAT IS NECESSARY FOR OUR GROWTH with more consumerism. Even if we could trust our feelings and thoughts, we can’t trust them when we have anxiety - our mind makes stuff up and our heart just goes along with it.

-We’re taught that we don’t have to change and it’s everyone else’s responsibility to accept us as we are. We’re taught that it’s ok to gossip about other people, but then are surprised when people are talking about us. We expect perfection from others, but we want everyone to cut us a break. It’s often heard: if you aren’t there in the sun, don’t bother being there in the rain, but it’s unrealistic to hold others to the standard of perfection, and it’s a lonely and pointless existence that refuses to forgive and move on. Obviously you shouldn’t trust someone who is untrustworthy, but neither should you abandon someone who made a mistake. Everyone else needs to change if we don’t like them, but when it comes to us, they have to just work around us. And because of the rise of artificial relationships (facebook, phone conversations, tv, driving, and other things that put a barrier between face-to-face interaction), nobody has any real friends, nor are they willing to be real friends, yet they want the results of having true friendships. But a friend isn’t someone who caters to you, tells you what you want to hear, and doesn’t challenge you. True friendship is only accomplished by going through the rough times together and being real with one another. But when we refuse to change, grow up, mature, and be better, we also refuse to enter into the vulnerability of friendship. In all of this, YOLO is the mantra, as if living foolishly is a wise investments of only having one life.

- We’re taught that we follow our own arrow and we decide our own standard, but that’s not true regardless of whether there is a God or not. If I’m a psycopath, should I follow my own arrow and murder people? If I’m a pedophile, should I follow my own arrow and molest children? And it’s all a cop-out. We try and convince ourselves that morality is an artificial construct, but we know it’s not. And because we have chosen to be amoral, we lose out on life and happiness, and cause our anxiety to get worse (Spoiler alert, the way you live does influence your anxiety). Usually, psychologists and counselors are making it worse. They use self-empowerment or eastern religion or drugs, and then state their own personal beliefs like it’s fact, like how we are supposedly born as empty vessels, and then even though they are proven wrong time and time again by their naturalistic humanism, we are unwilling to stop listening to their bull crap because we want to be lied to. After all, we NEED their drugs to fight our anxiety, right? What does it matter if we live without the concept of God, so long as we can make ourselves feel better with self-centered living that doesn’t fix the situation? And we’ve lived so long with out battles that we forget that it can get better. Why would they want us to get better, since it’s so convenient for them if we’re not?

And it’s all making it worse. The first step to making some ground with anxiety is to not believe the stupid narrative that the culture tries to sell us. Things won’t make us happy, we don’t put our faith in people because they will always let us down, we forgive people, and we fight. Who cares if people don’t understand you? Stop rolling around on the ground crying about your struggles, get up, and do something about it. Maybe you’ll never get over it, but neither do you have to live like you are living.

That’s easier said than done. Maybe you aren’t there yet. But the point is that you TRY. You TRY to fight, to keep going on, to not give up. And when all else fails, you TRY. So you’ll fail, you’ll fall; get back up and try. If you don’t feel like it? You cowboy up and do it anyways. Do the things that you’re afraid to. Make new friends. Get out of your house. Or you’ll get to the end of your life having accomplished nothing and die alone. Our culture teaches us apathy, selfishness, and laziness, but that will never help you change the struggle with anxiety. Why the hell should your feelings stop you from living?

You can’t do it alone, and you can’t do it without making the decision to fight.

WARNING: some people are not very good people, and they don’t want to change. You should definitely stay away from those people. But be careful of labeling someone as “toxic” simply because they don’t agree with you on everything.

#facebook #anxiety #online #culture of fear #fight #yolo #something in the air

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tweetybird-101 · 5 years

Text

1. I believe a country should take care of its weakest members. A country cannot call itself civilized when its children, disabled, sick, and elderly are neglected. Period.

8. I don't believe LGBT people should have more rights than you. I just believe they should have the *same* rights as you.

9. I don't believe illegal immigrants should come to America and have the world at their feet, especially since THIS ISN'T WHAT THEY DO (spoiler: undocumented immigrants are ineligible for all those programs they're supposed to be abusing, and if they're "stealing" your job it's because your employer is hiring illegally). I'm not opposed to deporting people who are here illegally, but I believe there are far more humane ways to handle undocumented immigration than our current practices (i.e., detaining children, splitting up families, ending DACA, etc).

16. I believe that women should not be treated as a separate class of human. They should be able to make choices regarding their own bodies without interference by the government or their employers. They should be paid the same as men who do the same work, should have the same rights as men and should be free from abuse. Why on earth shouldn’t they be?

“So, I'm a liberal.”"

(This was copied and pasted. I think it is so well said.)(This was copied from Facebook so if anyone knows who the original poster is please tell me. So they can get credit.)

#liberal #democrats #politics #sorry for the political post #this is important

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reading-writing-revolution · 5 years

Text

Don't be an asshole; don't be like Trump. Give a fuck.

I'm not and have never been a liberal (I've never voted for a Clinton) - I'm a registered Independent and always have been, and I agree with every word of what's below the dotted line.

I don't consider this to be a liberal standpoint at all. I consider it to be a "I'm not an asshole" standpoint, or a "We could solve these problems if we actually gave a fuck about other people" standpoint, but too many people in power or privilege are too threatened by these ideas. They think liberty and dignity and rights are finite commodities, and if someone gets equal amounts, another person might get less - less liberty, less dignity, fewer rights. This is stupidity in action, but Americans, in general, are not known for critical thinking, and politicians prefer citizens dumb and pliant.

Think again. In a country that put a man on the moon and won two world wars, we can't solve these problems? Sure we can. But we won't because too many people are too happy to let their neighbors suffer. If you're one of them, read this, then go slam your hand in a door, then come read it again and get a fucking clue...maybe the pain will help you think clearer and you can salvage some of your humanity.

You're welcome.

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

"I'm getting a little tired of being told what I believe and what I stand for. I'm liberal, but that doesn't mean what a lot of you apparently think it does.

Let's break it down, shall we? Spoiler alert: Not every liberal is the same, though the majority of liberals I know think along roughly these same lines:

1. I believe a country should take care of its weakest members. A country cannot call itself civilized when its children, disabled, sick, and elderly are neglected. Period.

8. I don't believe LGBT people should have more rights than you. I just believe they should have the *same* rights as you.

9. I don't believe illegal immigrants should come to America and have the world at their feet, especially since THIS ISN'T WHAT THEY DO (spoiler: undocumented immigrants are ineligible for all those programs they're supposed to be abusing, and if they're "stealing" your job it's because your employer is hiring illegally). I'm not opposed to deporting people who are here illegally, but I believe there are far more humane ways to handle undocumented immigration than our current practices (i.e., detaining children, splitting up families, ending DACA, etc).

13. I am not interested in coming after your blessed guns, nor is anyone serving in government. What I am interested in is sensible policies, that just MIGHT save one person’s, perhaps a toddler’s, life by the hand of someone who should not have a gun. (Got another opinion? Put it on your page, not mine).

16. I believe that women should not be treated as a separate class of human. They should be paid the same as men who do the same work, should have the same rights as men including decisions about their own bodies, and should be free from abuse. Why on earth shouldn’t they be?

I think that about covers it. Bottom line is that I'm liberal because I think we should take care of each other. That doesn't mean you should work 80 hours a week so your lazy neighbor can get all your money. It just means I don't believe there is any scenario in which preventable suffering is an acceptable outcome as long as money is saved."

Author unknown

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anotherenglishstudent · 5 years

Text

Reread - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.

Rating: 4/5

Trigger Warnings: violence, death

Spoiler Alert! If you haven’t read the book, this review will contain spoilers so it’s up to you if you continue…

So for a while I’ve been saying I didn’t like Goblet of Fire that much, but I really, really enjoyed this reread. Finally we have an opening that isn’t just a re-introduction to Harry Potter and his childhood. It was so interesting to read this dark mysterious opening rather than the repetition of Privet Drive being a very normal place and Harry being the one strange thing because he has magic. That has been reiterated in every book but at some point an author needs to accept that if a reader is picking a book series, they can retain enough information to know the protagonist attends a magical school.

The darkness of this opening, along with it turning out to be Harry’s dream, really starts to introduce the bigger themes of the series as well. Here is where things start to take a turn towards darkness, where the books stop being for children and approach more mature themes. The seeds are being sown that Rowling will later reap, making us realise just how planned out this series was, how thoroughly she had thought through the plot.

I also really appreciate the expansion of the magical world that comes along with the Quidditch World Cup and the Triwizard Tournament. Even now we’re learning more about the Wizarding World (though I think we’re all starting to question how much we can listen to Rowling as she continues to create more), but I think the fourth book was really the first time we realized how much magic there was outside of Hogwarts. For books 1-3, the action takes place almost exclusively at Hogwarts, with Privet Drive, The Burrow, Diagon Alley, and Hogsmeade as our other main locations. Goblet of Fire really shows magic to be a worldwide phenomenon for the first time, and brings with it the varying cultures of other countries and the way they utilise magic.

The Quidditch World Cup was particularly exciting as it showed how well Rowling had thought about all aspects of the magical world; not only does a massive sporting event take place, but there is travel and security and accomodation all thoroughly explained to us. I really believe that the highest praise I can give this book is its demonstration of a well-built world - it is one of Rowling’s biggest strengths.

The introduction of more magical schools was also a very clever addition to prove the presence of worldwide magic and cultural differences (the film’s gender division within Durmstrang and Beauxbatons frustrates me more than I care to express). The world expansion in terms of magical creatures was equally as good as the globalisation of magic. Veela, leprechaun, blast-ended skrewts, dragons, merpeople, sphinx, nifflers and more are all introduced in the fourth book, and it’s really fun to learn new things about the Wizarding World. The Tournament was also a fun way to mix up what was happening in the books. As I said above, most the action takes place at Hogwarts, so every year it is at school that threats seem to take place, and whilst the Tournament took place at the school, it changed up the pattern of things, taking away quidditch and giving us something new to read about.

It was also fun to learn something new about the characters; Hermione’s political motivations were revealed with SPEW, Ron’s jealous side came out showing he wasn’t just loyal to Harry no matter what and Harry...well we know a lot about Harry, but I’m going to say we learnt about his laziness in Goblet of Fire. He repeatedly lied about how well he was doing with the golden egg puzzle because he kept putting it off - and it’s so true of what most teenagers would do. His fear of disappointing people as a motivation was very touching, but made his lack of progress all the funnier. The increased contact with Sirius was also really fun because we can see a real relationship developing between the two. I’d have loved to see them live together; Sirius would have been a really awful influence on Harry, but it would have been so much fun.

The final thing I want to rave about is the introduction of politics. Fudge is infuriating and ignorant and just a whole issue, but the introduction of politicians not only makes it feel real, but shows the complexity at play. Voldemort is really back, no longer an abstract threat, and Dumbledore (plus, you know, everyone except Fudge) realises that this means war. Things aren’t going to be the same from here and this is going to affect everyone, not just those at Hogwarts. Again, it’s the expansion of the world that is important. Sure, Voldemort’s a threat, but until we see the complexity and fullness of the world, that threat does not seem as large as it is. A whole political system indicates that this story is now bigger than Harry and Hogwarts. (Moment of appreciation for Hagrid, by the way, who treats Harry like normal, tells him things are going to change now, but that that’s okay and they will handle it when they come to it. He’s a really wonderful character.)

So I feel like this whole review has been me raving about the planning and detail Rowling puts into her books...well, the main 7 at least, the rest of her writing has been a little questionable. However, it’s what I love about the Harry Potter Series. The plots are interesting mysteries which are engaging, but the reason rereading them is so fun is because I can rediscover the world I loved so much, with all its subtleties.

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klbmsw · 4 years

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I’m a Liberal....

I'm considered “liberal” since I’m against your president. But that doesn't mean what a lot of you apparently think it does. Let's break it down, shall we? Because quite frankly, I'm getting a little tired of being told what I believe and what I stand for. Spoiler alert: Not every person against 45 is the same, though the majority, I know, think along roughly, these same lines:

1. I believe a country should take care of its weakest members. A country cannot call itself civilized when its children, disabled, sick, and elderly are neglected. Period.

7. I am not anti-Christian. I have no desire to stop Christians from being Christians, to close churches, to ban the Bible, to forbid prayer in school, etc. (BTW, prayer in school is NOT illegal; *compulsory* prayer in school is - and should be - illegal). All I ask is that Christians recognize *my* right to live according to *my* beliefs. When I get pissed off that a politician is trying to legislate Scripture into law, I'm not "offended by Christianity" -- I'm offended that you're trying to force others to live by your religion's rules. You know how you get really upset at the thought of Muslims imposing Sharia law on you? That's how I feel about Christians trying to impose biblical law on others.Be a Christian. Do your thing. Just don't force it on others.

8. I don't believe LGBT people should have more rights than you. I just believe they should have the *same* rights as you.

I think that about covers it. Bottom line, I think we should take care of each other. That doesn't mean you should work 80 hours a week so your lazy neighbor can get all your money. It just means I don't believe there is any scenario in which preventable suffering is an acceptable outcome as long as money is saved.

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