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Title: We Need To Talk About Antisemitism

Author: Rabbi Diana Fersko

Format / Cost: Free (via Libby); 2023 current/first edition.

There are eight chapters covering antisemitism, microaggressions, Christianity, the Holocaust, race, Israel, accountability, and the future.

The author is an American rabbi and quite a few of the examples are based in American culture or discussions, such as modern US-based discussions of conditional whiteness in the chapter on racializing Jews. However, I do think this seems like a pretty good overview of how historical antisemitism has functioned and affects modern strains of antisemitism, including in politically Left-leaning circles.

(This has been tagged with #reviews for personal blog organization purposes and may not be a satisfying or complete review for others. This was finished on the 21st of March but scheduled to post after Purim [23rd through 24th].)

Ch 1: We Need To Talk About Antisemitism

Section: What Even Is Antisemitism?

The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance defines antisemitism as "a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities." [...] He [Rabbi Jonathan Sacks] famously taught that "antisemitism is not allowing Jews to exist collectively the way we allow others to exist collectively."

The author gives a list of beliefs that have been held together by the logic-less 'conspiracy theory' of antisemitism, which includes well-known lies (like blood libel and punishing Jews for deicide) and new to me lies (like Jews control the weather). It's why antisemitism doesn't fall apart by direct contradictions like "fascists called Jews communists while communists called Jews capitalists."

Antisemitism is a collection of contradictions, but it doesn't matter. Pick the major cultural problem and project it onto the Jews—that's antisemitism.

Section: How Do Antisemites Think?

As a cover, antisemitic accusations throughout history have been coupled with arguments that suggest the problem wasn't the Jews per se, just the things the Jews did. If we would only stop doing those things, we could live in peace. I call this If only the Jews would... type of thinking. The Enlightenment philosopher Immanuel Kant wrote that "the euthanasia of Judaism can only be achieved by means of a pure, moral religion, and the abandonment of all of its old regulations." His idea was to take the Judaism out of the Jew. It's a fancy way of saying, If only the Jews would stop being Jewish, we could accept them.

Section: How Does Antisemitism Survive?

The author presents three theories: 1) antisemitism "maintains its appeal by latching on to the highest values of any given society" (religious ideas were most valued in the medieval period so it used devilish religious behaviors, science was most valued in the Enlightenment period so it used race science and eugenics, late 20th-century and forward values have been based around civil rights so Israel [and therefore all Jews] must be the worst violator of human rights ever); 2) antisemitism is a contagious virus (so, like viral spread, antisemitism isn't isolated to one demographic or geographic area) that can mutate and lay dormant before being noticeable again, and 3) antisemitism survives when we don't talk about it.

Ch 2: We Need To Talk About Microaggressions

Microaggressions are much less harmful than the actual violence against Jews. However, they are their own type of injury, the everyday papercuts that Jews encounter. They are the slights that we can just ignore, the vaguely anti-Jewish sentiments that we feel but can't necessarily name. They come from what historian Deborah Lipstadt calls "the dinner party antisemite," the people who make casual but hurtful comments.

The author proposes narrowing as "the practice of restricting Jewish identity to a specific, inflexible, and incomplete Jewish stereotype." Narrowing Jewish Looks goes into 'white skin', hooked or big noses, frizzy or unkempt hair, probably fat, and negative connotations around "looking Jewish" that erases the diversity of how Jews actually can look. Some of this has to do with current day racial differentiation in the US, some of it can overlap with fatphobia, and some of it has to do with historical differences (such as thinking Jews have literal horns). Narrowing Jewish Behavior discusses presumptions about religious observance (the less hidden your observance, the 'more Jewish' you are), skill assumptions (including Jews being better lawyers and financial professionals), and attempts to use comedy as a loophole for presenting a sliding scale of antisemitism - but only as a joke. Narrowing The Jewish Stories We Tell is about a focus on news media and fictional media for leaving Judaism (specifically how Orthodox and Hasidic communities are repressive, antiquated, and must be left entirely). Narrowing Our Own Identity is about hiding your own Jewishness, beating others to the microaggression punch, and the importance of Jews sharing what Jews are like with others [instead of letting non-Jewish people recycle these narrowing stereotypes].

Ch 3: We Need To Talk About Christianity

Even acknowledging any friction between Jews and our Christian counterparts feels like a sensitive topic. Today, Christians and Jews coexist in unparalleled peace in America. Most non-Orthodox Jews I know have Christian family members. My synagogue has Christian board members, and many people in my community have chosen to raise Jewish children in a family where one parent is Jewish and the other is not. [...] That lived reality makes it hard to believe that antisemitism was once fueled by Christianity and even harder to believe that Christian-based antisemitism still exists.

Tbh, I do not find this hard to believe, but I have a feeling that watching people reblog 'Jesus killer' type posts around Xmas 2023 isn't considered a typical exposure to this conversation.

Section: Christian Antisemitism In The Past

Historically, the goal of Christian antisemitism was to distance Christianity as far away from Judaism as possible. The early church was eager, desperate even, to show that Christians and Jews were wholly different. More than that, Jews were dangerous, we were deviants, and Christians should stay far away from us. For hundred of years, Christianity viewed Judaism as a threat. [...] The existence of both traditions was theologically inconsistent. If Judaism was theologically correct, then Christianity was theologically incorrect. Judaism therefore represented an existential threat to Christianity, to which Christian thinkers responded by calling for Jews to give up our beliefs or face violence.

Section: Jews And Money

In the medieval period, merchants and craftspeople began organizing themselves into guilds, which were sort of like professional schools or medical boards. If you wanted to do certain jobs or produce certain goods, you had to be in a guild. Guess who wasn't allowed in? At the same time, the church forbade Christians from working in banking, as they were not permitted to lend money or charge interest. And thus, unable to participate in most mainstream jobs, the Jews were pushed into the world of finance. With this, perhaps the most pervasive stereotype against the Jews became solidified. The Jew became known as a greedy moneylender, controlling the banks, trying to dominate Christian lives through money. That's why, hundreds of years later, a nine-year-old boy in Manhattan has pennies thrown at his feet.

This certainly isn't the only aspect of Xtian antisemitism that started from the early Xtian Church wanting to differentiate itself or that started in the medieval times, but this isn't trying to be a complete history of Xtian antisemitism.

Section: The Christmas Assumption

But Christian antisemitism has found a way to continue to survive. Because today, Christian antisemitism does the opposite of what it used to do. Instead of insisting that Jews are wholly different from Christians, it insists that Jews are wholly the same as Christians. [...] The Christmas assumption is a way of asserting that Jewish rituals are basically Christian rituals in disguise.

While I've absolutely run into this Xtian hegemony before, it feels like a different level of exhaustion to realize that even a rabbi is asked about observing Xmas 'because it's not religious anymore'. (Even a rabbi!)

Section: Christian Antisemitism Today

The Xmas assumption is just one way that Jewish identity gets minimized, and it's not always something that one could consider just a little bit of minimization. The Xtian day of rest and church attendance is assumed to be your day of rest, and trying to get days off from work and/or school for Jewish holidays can turn into A Whole Thing.

Being a Jewish American is also different than being a Christian American in more substantive ways. It means that your elected officials are most often not observers of your religion. It means that laws and policies are informed by Christian beliefs and sometimes violate your own religious beliefs. It means your education has a Christian-dominant perspective. [...] Being a Jew in America right now means that you probably don't casually identify your religion in public without experiencing anxiety. [...] The most significant way that being a Jewish American differs from being a Christian American is that Jews are not as safe as our Christian counterparts.

Some people will hit or physically attack someone who's wearing a Magen David or a kippah. [In some areas, this is directed at Jewish communities that are perceived to be Orthodox or have very distinctive means of dress, like Hasidim.] Others may bring a weapon into a synagogue and attempt to hurt or kill people, which isn't exactly a hypothetical. This is brought up in relation to a Xtian friend of the author who wanted to attend a service during the High Holy Days who was clueless that there would be security, and not a denial that some Xtians may also not have guaranteed safety 100% of the time (specifically, I'm thinking of the Mother Emanuel AME Church and the anti-Black shooting there in 2015, since President Biden's visit to that church wasn't that long ago).

Ch 4: We Need To Talk About The Holocaust

Sometimes the Holocaust is used for humor; other times, it's used for politics; sometimes it's used for self-advancement. But in our culture, it's almost always used. The Holocaust is no longer presented as a tragedy in its own right. Now it's a vehicle for someone else's cause. A path to something else. A metaphor.

While there is a politically Right-leaning example, this isn't just a problem in those circles.

Flat Holocaust is the culturally aggressive miniaturization of the genocide against the Jewish people. It means narrowing history's greatest crime against humanity—a crime both intimate and individual, and one incomprehensibly vast—and turning it into a vehicle, an analogy. It's simplifying something that remains unfathomably complicated. It's reducing the crime with no name, for which the term genocide was invented, into a synonym for the word "bad." It's making the Holocaust into a metaphor rather than a distinct, horrifying event in Jewish history. Flat Holocaust is not the Holocaust. It's the mini Holocaust. It's a shadow Holocaust. It's a caricature. It's a lazy, cheap way to define one's own pain. We hear about the Holocaust a fair amount in public discourse today, but we don't actually talk about it. Instead, we use the Holocaust to talk about ourselves. That's Flat Holocaust.

Five proposed reasons for why the 'Flat Holocaust' happens: 1) The Holocaust is so large of an event that it's hard to wrap your brain around it, which can make it easier to fall into generalizations or grow desensitized to it; 2) When you nearly wipe out a particular minority group, there are fewer people to talk about what happened; 3) "Pain, trauma, and humiliation don't make people want to tell their stories" in the aftermath [to say nothing of enough time passing that there are fewer direct survivors to share their firsthand experience]; 4); With the poor state of Holocaust education in the public school system, a lot of people don't really learn about the Holocaust (or pick up random pieces of knowledge from pop culture and social media); and 5) Antisemitism.

Section: The Result Of Flat Holocaust

Holocaust denial has different shades of denial, and the author uses a pyramid analogy with total denial at the top/peak. Lower down, there's "de-Judaizing the Holocaust" by focusing on other demographic groups killed, especially if it's done in such a way as to make the other demographics the main target of Nazi persecution. There's also "Holocaust minimization" by not wanting to hear anything about the Holocaust 'because it was so long ago' or decreasing the size and scope of the deaths (there's a study cited that half of Millennials believe two to three million Jews were killed instead of six million). [This can also look like downplaying or ignoring that the Holocaust wasn't focused on one particular country and had effects outside of Europe.] At the analogous bottom of this pyramid is "Holocaust omission" where there's a lack of mentioning the Holocaust when it actually would be an appropriate time to do so.

In an effort to counteract the Flat Holocaust, there's a section after Chapter 8 with an excerpt of Fela Warschau's testimony from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and there's interviews with a few third-generation survivors as Millennial grandchildren become the latest to carry on their family's experiences.

Ch 5: We Need To Talk About Race

What is happening with the way we talk about Jews and race in America? Neo-Nazis are talking about the "Jewish race," arguing that Jews in America secretly plot to overthrow whiteness by replacing white people with people of color. Pockets of the progress left are talking about the "Jewish race," framing Jews as part of a white majority that reinforces racial oppression merely by continuing our existence, as my professor suggested [by asking if a Jew marrying another Jew was racist]. And fringe groups like the Radical Hebrew Israelite movement are talking about the "Jewish race," arguing that the Jews usurp Black identity and that African Americans are the true Jews.

Section: The Holocaust Was About Race

Before the Nazis, conversion was often a way to escape antisemitism. [...] In the Nazi mind, Jews were a separate, inferior race, so we were unchangeable, incapable of conversion. Being a Jew was no longer a matter of theology, family, or identity; it was a matter of biology.

Gestures towards race science and eugenics.

As a government, they [the Nazis] proudly and eagerly pursued the goal of breeding a more gifted race. They believed the Aryan race was morally, genetically, and intrinsically superior to the "Jewish race." This is why it is maddening to be told that the Holocaust was not about race.

For those who have not heard of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion (often shortened to Protocols), there's a brief explanation of how that book combined the older Xtian ideas of antisemitism with the comparatively newer ideas of race science.

Section: The Far Right: How Neo-Nazis Racialize Jews Today

The Unite The Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017 didn't pick "Jews will not replace us" as one of their chants during the march for absolutely zero reason. The great replacement theory is an idea that white people are being infiltrated by and tricked by Jews who look white but aren't white. There's also a component of Jews being in another 'secret cabal' and causing immigration, using political control to influence civil rights wins for people of color, and otherwise increasing the amount of people of color compared to white people. Basically: "Generations after the rise of the Nazis, the Nazi idea still survives. To white supremacists, Jews are a race, and certainly not a white race. Instead, we are a race that poses the ultimate threat to whiteness."

Section: The Far Left: How Parts Of The Progressive Left Racialize Jews Today

On the far right, Jews are not white enough, but on the far left, Jews are white, and sometimes the ultimate whites.

This isn't about negating discussions of conditional whiteness or some light-skinned Jews being white passing. This is more about how older antisemitic ideas of Jews having money and power take on a little modern twist to be about a White Jew essentially being a White European, a colonizer, and a white supremacist. This idea of the White Jew isn't just the very top of rich, white privilege – Jews were the 'international group' orchestrating the slave trade, absolutely zero Jews anywhere could possibly be non-white, and 'Jewish privilege' is different enough from white privilege to have its own moniker.

Section: Black Extremism

I've chosen to label this section with the term Black extremism to remind us all that these ideas are by definition extreme—they do not represent the mainstream of the Black community by any means. And they should not be confused with a discussion of Jews who are Black.

This section covers two groups. The Radical Hebrew Israelites is used to describe a subgroup of the Hebrew Israelite umbrella (formerly the Black Hebrew Israelites, but outside terminology has changed as non-Black people of color have increased their membership), since each individual group can have a different attitude towards Jews. The Nation of Islam has put forward different beliefs over the decades, but the leadership of Louis Farrakhan starting in 1981 has included him repeating Protocols-style antisemitism.

Broadly speaking, the core belief of Hebrew Israelites is that Black people in the US are considered the true modern descendants of the biblical Israelites (with some groups allowing non-Black people of color as corresponding to other biblical tribes within the Kingdom of Israel). As far as I can tell, most of the less fringe groups separate themselves from Judaism without antagonizing Jews, especially if they incorporate the New Testament and more Xtian belief and practice into their Old Testament inspired "Jewish" practice. The more fringe Radical Hebrew Israelite groups can view white Americans as the devil (or descendants of a biblical devil stand-in, referred to as Edomites), claim some amount of Jews will be killed with the Edomites during Armageddon, and whoever survives Armageddon will be enslaved by them in the post-Armageddon world. At least one group is known for antagonistic street preaching and verbally harassing people – homophobia, transphobia, anti-Asian Covid-19 stuff, anti-Middle Eastern xenophobia, and so on.

When it comes to the Nation of Islam, it kind of depends on when and under whose leadership you're trying to look into. Like, an ancient African scientist named Yakub actually might have created white people a couple thousand years ago, so they're not really people like whoever's descended from Africans. Or the founder, who is more important than the Prophet Muhammad, will return in a spaceship to wipe out white people and establish a Black led utopia. (When the founder's son became the leader in the 1970s, he tried to expunge these non-Islamic beliefs, incorporated more Sunni beliefs, opened up memberships to non-Black people – including whites – and officially renamed the NOI in his move to make it more of a mainstream Islamic movement.) Those who wanted to carry on the NOI created a successor group with the same name in the late 1970s, which is where Louis Farrakhan came into play as the new leader. He has blamed an international cabal of Jews for the slave trade, praised Hitler, said Jews control the media/banks/US government, claimed Jews were spreading AIDS, and who knows what else on Twitter. According to his Wiki page, he's also gotten into Dianetics since the 2010s, though he maintains that the Nation of Islam is separate from Scientology.

[Note: I also did some outside googling, so not all of these details are in the book.]

Section: Where Does Racializing Jews Lead?

Jews have a specific, painful, lengthy relationship with race that doesn't lend itself to broad brushstrokes or binary racial categories. Jews are not a race. And when we force race upon the Jewish people, antisemitism comes out the other side.

Some physical attacks on Jews are attributed to involvement in the above Black extremist groups, but it's not really about comparing the exact number of attacks from white supremacists to them (or even how many more white supremacists there are in the US). Environments that are open to and encourage antisemitism can be dangerous regardless of the political direction it comes from.

Ch 6: We Need To Talk About Israel

The way we talk about Israel in this country is infused with antisemitism. And talking about that is really, really hard. It's hard because, for those of us on the political left, naming this antisemitism involves calling out people with whom we often agree. It's hard because there is so much emotion infused into the Israel discourse from every imaginable angle.

Section: Anti-Israel Antisemitism In America Targets American Jews

Online, many insist that this shaming is about Israel's government, not about Jews at all, and certainly not about American Jews. I guess the men driving those vans screaming "Fuck the Jews" down the streets of Manhattan didn't get the message. I'm not overly interested in analyzing people's intentions in criticizing Israel. I'm interested in discussing the outcome of that criticism. And that outcome is to diminish and destabilize the American Jewish diaspora.

Section: Excluding Jews From Civic Life: When Intersectional Doesn't Mean You

As the political scientist and former Israeli politician Einat Wilf has written, "Antisemitism works by increasingly restricting spaces where Jews can feel welcome and comfortable, until there are none left." When we make Israel and its supporters into cultural pariahs, we make Jews into cultural pariahs. Because demonizing Israel results in diminishing the participation of Jewish Americans in day-to-day life.

There's a specific example from a chapter of The Sunrise Movement not wanting three Jewish organizations to take part in a rally because they were "in alignment with and in support of Zionism and the State of Israel" despite other organizations in the rally supporting Israel as well. There's also the 2017 Dyke March that didn't allow rainbow flags with a Magen David on them because they didn't want anything that "can inadvertently or advertently express Zionism" present. Really, there could be more examples, which is the point.

Section: Excluding Jews On College Campus

Like our Israel discourse in general, BDS has little effect on Israel itself. If it measured its success by its economic or political impact on the State of Israel, it would be considered a colossal failure. However, BDS has been wildly successful at one thing: toxifying Israel among younger people in the United States.

The author gives quite a few examples of antisemitism on campus, as well, but I mostly keep thinking of what I've heard from others on Tumblr: an Israeli-Palestinian organization, Standing Together, should be included in BDS because there are Israelis involved; some Hillels have been proposed for BDS consideration because Hillel International 'normalizes' Israel, even though boycotting the community space for primarily American students to access kosher food, celebrate Jewish holidays, etc. doesn't seem to accomplish anything regarding Israel; and at least one concerning incident of anti-Israel protesters trying to get to Jewish students behind a locked door. You know, historically speaking, good things do not happen when angry groups of people are chasing after a minority group they're mad at.

Section: The Way We Talk About Israel Today Is Similar To The Way We Talked About Jews In The Past

The lie that Jews are needlessly violent and collectively seek the destruction of others certainly did not begin with the fictional account of Dracula, let alone with the founding of the State of Israel. It existed for centuries before. During antiquity, a Greek writer in Egypt circulated the lie that Jews captured a Greek child every year, fattened him up, and murdered him for ritual purposes.

The previous paragraph before that quote expanded on how a rise in Jews fleeing Russia and Poland due to pogroms in the late 19th-century gave rise to concerns about foreigners that can be interpreted as related to the vampire Dracula. Unfortunately, I just heard about "Montreal newspaper's political cartoon showing Netanyahu as a vampire decried as antisemitism" today, 20 March 2024 [archival link]. Not to get too sidetracked, but also, from "The Twinned Evils of 'Nosferatu'":

[...] and yet, Mein Kampf, published in 1925, makes multiple references to Jews as vampires, bloodsuckers, and parasites as well as "that race which shuns the sunlight." These and similar metaphors were picked up by followers like the Nazi ideologue Albert Rosenberg who repeatedly used quasi-biological terms to characterize Jews as a vampire bacillus infecting their German host. Once war broke out the tone grew ever more shrill as in the 1943 Nazi pamphlet, The Jewish Vampire Brings Chaos to the World. The vilest of Nazi propaganda films, The Eternal Jew, released in 1940, specifically compared East European Jews to a plague of rats and ended with a blood-draining sequence of ritual slaughter for kosher meat.

This is clearly not the only thing written about vampires, Jews, and how vampire depictions do and do not play into this antisemitic history. Back to "We Need To Talk About Antisemitism":

Otherwise, in this section, there's some more history of blood libel with the case of William of Norwich in the late 1140s, a few of the 100+ examples from Xtian Europe, and some examples of modern day blood libel (including literal 'Jews kill babies in order to use their blood in making matzah' blood libel in 2000).

No mainstream American outlet is going to print an accusation that Jews use blood to bake matzah. But the belief under that conspiracy theory—that Jews are bloodthirsty, conspiratorial, and needlessly violent—persists, and it persists most obviously in our rhetoric around Israel.

This is about printed text of someone's quote stating such. As the referenced political cartoon above suggests, I'm not nearly as surprised that there have been political cartoons of Netanyahu drinking blood (sometimes specified as baby blood, but not always).

Another [antisemitic trope] is the accusation of dual loyalties, that Jewish people are not loyal to the government under which we live. Instead, we are loyal to Israel, secret agents for a foreign government. [...] Alfred Dreyfus, a French military officer, was infamously falsely accused of being a spy based on the supposition that, because of his Jewishness, he would not be loyal to the country he served. Jews were accused of dual loyalties in Spain during the Inquisition. We were accused of dual loyalties in Russia under Stalin. And we were certainly accused of dual loyalties, or no loyalty to Germany at all, under Hitler. Well before the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, this accusation of conflicting allegiance was commonplace.

Unsurprisingly, there's still modern day examples, as well.

Section: But Wait, Is All Criticism Of Israel Antisemitic? How Can We Tell?

The first [guideline] is to avoid invoking classic antisemitic canards when dealing with Israel. [...] Israel has many blemishes on its society and government. You don't need to rely on antisemitic tropes and tactics to discuss them.

Please imagine that quote is a giant neon sign.

The second guideline was developed by human rights activist and former prisoner of war Natan Sharansky. He articulated the "3D test" as a way to separate antisemitic discussion of Israel from critical discussion of Israel. He argued that we must pay attention to three pathways of thought: delegitimize, demonize, double standard.

Double standard refers to holding Israel to a different, more critical standard than other nation-states. This isn't about letting everyone do whatever they want, but it is about the unavoidable amount of people who ignore or, if they acknowledge it, don't call for the same level of punishment for other countries when they engage in violent conflict compared to what they call for Israel.

Demonize refers to needing to make Israel the worst – to inflating its wrongs into the absolute worst actions imaginable, viewing societal ills as originating from Israel, and attempting to downplay/ignore/twist any possibly okay things about Israel into not-okay things. [Some people may not be able to think about anything even slightly okay about Israel, so an example could be how any progress on LGBTQ+ rights for Israeli citizens is framed as some devious PR plot for improving Israel's international image instead of being normal laws passed for internal reasons and motivations.]

Delegitimize refers to saying that Israel shouldn't exist as a nation-state, especially if you single out the sole Jewish nation-state as the only one that should not exist. [Inevitably, I've seen this type of statement summon anarchists from the ether, so: Yes, there are people who only want Israel to not exist. No, you wanting all nation-states to not exist isn't inherently antisemitic. However, when it comes to international politics and recognizing sovereign nation-states, you're clearly not the majority, in charge of anything, or really putting forward a practical suggestion regarding a nation-state that already exists.]

Section: How Can We Fight Israel-Based Antisemitism?

There are three options: 1) Don't fight it and leave the institutions and organizations that don't want Jews, and for some people, consider aliyah [moving to Israel and becoming an Israeli citizen]; 2) Stay and attempt to fight Israel-based antisemitism via education/fact checking, coalition building, not hiding Jewish connections to Israel, and insisting that there's still space for Jews to remain in America; and 3) Do nothing—the author absolutely doesn't support this option, but it is technically an option. This looks like ignoring antisemitism and making the diaspora less safe for Jews, which will just make leaving look like a better option.

Anti-Israel antisemitism is the American loophole to enter the world of Jew hatred. It is socially acceptable, trending antisemitism. It is antisemitism that feels OK and even necessary for some. The antisemites of the past didn't believe they were wrong, and neither do the antisemites in our midst.

Ch 7: We Need To Talk About Accountability

Never underestimate my ability to not recognize someone being name-dropped. There's enough explanation in the examples of people who have said antisemitic comments (and if applicable, apologized and done better) that it still makes sense, but some people may recognize more of these examples than myself.

Section: Forgiveness Matters

There must be a reentry point for people who make mistakes, even serious ones. Judaism is clear on this matter. When a person errs, there are prescribed paths to return to righteous living. Those paths can include some combination of contrition, education, restitution, reparation, and clear alteration of behavior.

Unsurprisingly, this can be easier with living people who can apologize, seek out education on the Holocaust and Jewish history, and demonstrably not repeat their antisemitic actions.

Section: When It's Time To Move On

Some people don't just make one or two comments that can be fixed with education, and some people very well may decide to avoid their contributions to society to the extent possible. As an example, Richard Wagner was very public about his thoughts on Jews – "It is an established fact that I consider the Jewish race to be the born enemy of true mankind and of everything that is noble" – and beloved by Hitler ("Whoever wants to understand Nazi Germany must know Wagner... At every stage of my life I come back to Richard Wagner."). It might seem like a small thing, but the author, as a rabbi who officiates weddings, tries not to use Bride Chorus/Here Comes The Bride [because it's from a Wagner opera]. This doesn't mean it's always easy to do this, and this can wind up being an individual choice for living people who have reached steadfast levels of antisemitism (author's example: Alice Walker).

Section: Who Decides If And How We Hold Antisemites Accountable?

The sad truth is that, despite the myths about our worldwide influence, Jews have little power over how antisemites are treated in public.

It's much more likely to be someone from that group applying pressure to someone to take action, such as a respected athlete in that sport's circles speaking up about another athlete's comments. This can look like Jewish organizations writing letters and getting nowhere because the group is silent – Dave Chappelle among various comedians, Mel Gibson among various Hollywood examples, and US politicians. Social media is, well, it's not great, and moderation about what counts as antisemitism can be unclear, not enforced, or not able to keep up with the quantity of antisemitic comments online.

Ch 8: We Need To Talk About The Future

Take The Necessary Precautions is about taking the physical threat of antisemitism seriously and adding or maintaining security measures at Jewish institutions, which currently does involves having to deal with law enforcement. [Balancing security with less police involvement is not an easy conversation, but quite frankly, there are no civilian alternatives to bomb sniffing dogs when your synagogue has gotten a bomb threat, so the boards of synagogues and security committees may not have much of a choice but to maintain working relationships with law enforcement.] Just Call It Antisemitism is about a tendency to condemn a list of hate instead of acknowledging when just antisemitism itself is happening. Don't Tokenize covers the history of Jews taking part in anti-Jewish movements briefly and reminds us: "Let's not hold up the exception as the rule and allow their existence to justify antisemitic rhetoric. If you want to fight antisemitism, don't amplify a minority view and claim it's representative."

Avoid Groupthink provides some historical context to how unsafe a mob mentality can be for minorities, specifying massacres of Jews during the Crusades and just some of the pogroms that happened in the 20th-century. On Denying Our Own Antisemitism is about self-honesty concerning the small ways we contribute to antisemitism, such as not speaking up about the less obvious stuff. Don't Use Jews is about not using Jews as a collective as a metaphor or using the Holocaust as a go-to comparison. It's also includes not using Israel as some sort of metaphor: "The State of Israel, just like the Jewish people, is not a concept, a cause, a project, or an idea. It's a real place with real people. We must let it exist as it is, not as we project it to be."

Allow Jewish To Be An Identity is about how Jewish is viewed as a non-identity that doesn't really need to be specified like other identities should be. "Are we a religion, a culture, an ethnicity, a nation, a race? [...] This fluidity, this tendency to pass through categories, can lead people to misinterpret the Jews. Sometimes people try to cram us into one category. Other times, they insist that, because we are not fully in one box, we don't belong in any."

Celebrate Jewish Life is about embracing living Jews instead of focusing solely on dead Jews [see also: "People Love Dead Jews"]. It's not about ignoring history, which does include Jews dying, but the comfort of only thinking about Jews when they're dead and less inconvenient (especially to modern discussions). Judaism has an interest in living and surviving, so there's a section on being proudly, openly Jewish.

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Gon, the "christ you are extremely fucking selfish, DIE" meme, not being a monster and being a child etc etc this is rambly and me being sad about him and how flawed he is etc etc

I actually wrote this at like 2 am last night so when I say it's rambly I do mean it LOL

On one hand I feel like Gon pretty much fits the

"Gon: I simply wish to prove my worth and not fail people ever again

Some people: Christ you are extremely fucking selfish. DIE.

Gon: ...........I am 12 years old"

meme thingy. He doesn't deserve the shit he's given. BUT ALSO THE. THE.

LIKE I LOVE HIM. I LOVE HIM SO MUCH. THIS IS MY SON. BUT ALSO HE REALLY DOES THINGS WRONG. HE IS NOT A MONSTER FOR IT HE'S A MIDDLE SCHOOL AGED BOY IN GRIEF WHO HAS BEEN GIVEN A TASK THAT WILL INEVITABLY KILL HIM IF HE MAKES ONE WRONG MOVE BUT LIKE. I DO GENUINELY THINK HE FUCKED UP WITH THREATENING KOMUGI THE WAY HE DID. I just feel like him being in pain and lashing out at Pitou in a very notably cruel way because it benefits Gon himself even if it's holding someone's life above Pitou's head is just. extremely painful but also very complex. He doesn't care! About Komugi's life! As long as Pitou does what he wants!!! Even if his reasons are understandable it's still morally grey!!! And like yes if he didn't threaten Komugi he Would Have Died but also I don't really think he was thinking of his own life :( which just hurts more :(

And like. We know EXACTLY why Gon feels this way!!! We know how he feels about Kite and his hatred of Pitou and the way he holds both of their behaviors to a standard that he won't... let them stray from. Essentially. Kite is the golden hero type who can never die! So he must be alive! Pushing Gon further and further into his denial. And Pitou MUST be a monster! And like don't get me wrong I love Pitou but Gon IS right, they were killing millions of people via the selection and would've killed many many more if the extermination team hadn't come for them. But they are also capable of CARING FOR PEOPLE and that's what makes Gon react Like That.

BBBBBBBUT. GON IS ALSO (TO A DEGREE, POSSIBLY UNCONSCIOUSLY) SUICIDAL AT THIS POINT. Whether or not he realizes that Kite is dead, he's still taking on this task Alone with the same recklessness as EVERYTHING ELSE HE'S DONE. And like... he does blame himself. And he believes there's nothing else except this task, this single thing he has to do for Kite... to save Kite, because in his mind Gon is the reason Kite is gone :(

And we know he THINKS there's a way to save Kite but also gahhhh all his complicated feelings have been piling on top of each other this whole arc and his pain, during his initial confrontation with Pitou compresses itself towards Pitou. That's not a good thing, but he tunnel visions HARD on his goal, and the only way to reach that being to use Komugi and Pitou's weakness (so to speak) against them... no I don't think Gon was thinking clearly. He was thinking logically, but also that was all filtered through his rage, because he can't connect the version of Pitou he has in his head with the one in front of him, LIKE ANY KID WHOSE MORALS AREN'T DEVELOPED AND FIGURED OUT AND PERFECT. He KNOWS Pitou killed Kite, so he HAS to blame them, because who else is there to blame except himself?

(Important to note to me that he never ONCE thinks of blaming Killua. Even after Killua runs away with him when Kite dies, he trusts Killua SO MUCH. Even when he hurts Killua's feelings he's never blaming him, he's just been made upset by the fact that he can't unleash his anger NOW and Killua doesn't understand, but... he trusts Killua. He needs Killua. Yeah.) And this self blame is SO STRONG. He feels like he COULD'VE STOPPED EVERYTHING but he couldn't because... he wasn't powerful enough. He IS a kid without enough power but WITH rage and determination that he shouldn't have IN THE FIRST PLACE, and now he has to go against Pitou. No matter what wrongs he did, Pitou has done so much more, and Gon is just in so much pain that all he can think to do is a) try to fix it and b) distract himself from how much he hates himself,, But at the same time, the things he does wrong ARE selfish. They're all in service of this goal that ends up not mattering at all, because Kite is already dead.

So it's like. Well of course I think people are wrong for thinking of Gon as a selfish monster or a bad friend (or at least, if he is a bad friend he's trying to get better and clearly deeply regrets what happened) when he's literally just a child dealing with moral dilemmas that he shouldn't have to deal with, threatening Komugi for his own life... but also. I don't think we can brush this off as just "I simply want ___" because it's NOT that simple. He's caught up in this too!!! He's forcing Pitou to beg for Komugi's life so Pouf doesn't jeopardize it!! Gon is going to die for it, willingly and knowingly, and that's TRAGIC it's a product of his rage and lack of knowledge and understanding and it's also not something easily boiled down. To me.

He's a child character hated for being a child who makes childish, shortsighted decisions, yes, but also he's... caught up in not caring for other people's lives (ie: Komugi) when it comes to the life of someone HE cares about (ie: Kite) because he CANNOT UNDERSTAND PITOU and it's just. so complex and fascinating and horrifying that Gon is put into this position. And then it breaks him, completely and utterly. He breaks below the weight of it and it hurts me so badly!!! I just want to protect him, but watching the lead up to him breaking is horrifying too because I know he's giving into some terrible impulses driven by understandable emotions :(

#i do not think anyone understands him. it's okay gon i will protect you from the haters #while also acknowledging that you're flawed. and a child. and were put into a bad situation. and (starts crying)

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wordsandrobots · 10 months

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What if 'Gundam SEED' was told from Flay's point of view? How would they approach it? Would it have been better?

For a long time, watching Gundam SEED, I would have said Flay was the most interesting character so I understand the appeal. 'X manipulates Y to exact revenge for Z while simultaneously being what Y needs in the moment and using this to avoid dealing with their own grief, fear and bigotry' is definitely a meaty premise.

However, this is also very clearly not the story SEED was interested in telling.

SEED is fundamentally about Kira and Athrun, and when I say 'fundamentally', I mean the show commits to the day being saved by two blokes in magic space robots who successfully blow up various bits of evil technology and/or bad guys because they're just that special. And to my mind, it's with this notion of 'special' that SEED's underlying flaw lies.

See, the Coordinators are definitively special. Textually, they can do things other humans cannot. We are told (and shown) that people are scared of them as a result. Yet this and Kira's struggles to be defined beyond his genes are obviously poor analogies for any real-world prejudice. It's 'being bullied for being smarter than everyone' logic, rather than how oppression or ethnic conflict actually work.

Basically, it's the X-Men. Hated and feared for being the brilliant ones, why oh why can't we just be treated as people.

Now, I like the X-Men. Always have. It's just, once you commit to inherent genetic 'specialness' of any kind, you back into a corner from which it is extremely hard to extricate yourself. Despite its token protests about Coordinators still needing to train, SEED presents a world where some people are just better. It embraces the idea of functional eugenics. There's nothing here of the nuance allowed by 'new-types' being analogous to new ways of thinking that emerge naturally from a changing world and are subverted or maximised by people who want to control the future. Nor does SEED turn around, as Gundam X did, and saying, nah, you're all random quirks of nature and/or incredibly lucky.

Eugenics is the explanation for why Kira is special. Someone literally bred a super-protagonist. That is a thing that is possible in this world.

So is Flay therefore right to fear the Coordinators?

Even as it presents her hatred and anger towards them as a flaw, SEED allows the possibility that the answer is 'yes'. Because it is reasonable to be wary of those who hold power over you, and the Coordinators come with power built in. Which is an exact inversion of the ways prejudice ascribes particular malevolence to groups who are, in fact, more vulnerable than people holding the prejudice.

I think a story centred on Flay over Kira would automatically be more interesting. If that's the criteria for 'better' then I must answer your question in the affirmative, straight up. The thing is, given all of the above, I can't in good conscience say it would address the stuff I don't like about what SEED is saying. As much as there are stories I love whose politics and worldview are quite at odds with my personal beliefs (currently delighted by Dracula, adore The Man Who Was Thursday, etc), I draw the line at centering lazy misconceptions about bigotry and oppression. And you would need to centre those things if you spent more time with Flay because, within the confines of what is presented in SEED as it stands, they form a significant part of her character.

If you were to take out the whole concept of the Coordinators and simply make Kira a talented member of some group responsible for killing Flay's dad, then tell the story of how she uses him as her instrument of vengeance before growing as a person and confronting the fact Kira is a person too? Sounds like a fantastic set-up with which you could do some very entertaining, very messed-up stuff.

That, however, essentially brings us back to my one big idea for improving SEED which is this: rip it up and start again.

#gundam seed #character development #world construction #words in answer

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dumblemonchickenwing · 2 years

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Its theory time.. about Misao.. in 2022. My old self who loved kisao still is there in me I suppose.

I deeply apologize to people who dislike Kisao (kudoh and misao) because I toatlly understand that..

game spoilers below

..Kudoh was very problematic, and I totally empathise with people who hate him and believe it was his fault Misao turned out like that.

But I felt it was kind of curious, their relationship I mean. mainly Misao’s attitude toward him in the game. The theory is as follows: part of Misao still liked him despite him having betrayed her. Im not excusing him or saying its good (liking or being attached to someone who betrayed you is never good). I just thought it was interesting that it seems that maybe Misao’s feelings about him were conflicted.

In true ending, (correct me if im wrong) I assume in japan you usually go from right to left, which means Kudoh is supposedly the last one you save out of the three. And usually, the last one is marked as the most important or influential (best for last as they’d say) (although Kudoh is far, Far from good). Even if we go by that logic, it kind of fits that Saotome was the least of concern to Misao - Misao just saw her as annoying hypocrite and rival. Yoshino - Misao felt hatred toward her for all the bullying and torture she put her through (and I dont blame that her hatred was So strong). So following that logic, Misao must have had some sort of deep connection to him as well, perhaps on a subconsious level. (his soul comes After Yoshino, the girl who Misao had the Strongest feeliing of hatred toward so it could mean that there was something to him of the same level or even greater),

And as it showed in yoshino’s and saotome’s graves, the beginning always showed from Misao’s point of view, and showed Her feelings, how she felt about the person who was in the grave.

Misao disliked Saotome and said she was lying and pretending to be nice to her. Yoshino was someone she Would Never Forgive, even after Aki stopped her. But Kudoh?

Misao’s flashback showed a warm and sweet memory, in contrast to other graves. And the fact that it was a childhood flashback - way back. means that she still remembers those days. Childhood friendship is no joke. actually it is a pretty strong and deep bond, even if it is not perfect.

I can understand that Misao felt deeply hurt by Kudoh’s actions (or lack of it), especially knowing they ised to be pretty much inseparable. (and i will agree if you sai he doesnt deserve forgiveness. its fair.)

In dark world where Kudoh was stuck after death, Aki realized that those girls werent real Misao, (and it was pretty much confirmed in bonus room) which means that Misao didnt actually.. want to have revenge on him (compare his suffering to yoshino.) and she didnt say all those things to him. I think if she wanted she would have, but she didnt (it was pretty much his own self-loathing the entire time).

I think Misao did feel upset at him. but she didnt hate him that much , at least not in the same way she hated yoshino or saotome.

In the game Kudoh Was one of the victims whom Misao killed because of her grudge, but I think it was due to her not being able to move on as an evil spirit - she was filled with a lot of hatred that it darkened her heart. Kind of like when we dont think straight and can get aggressive at someone. I assume that Misao hated him but her curse made her hatred intense (ten times stronger).

The author left for players to decide if it was real Misao that met him at the end or illusion which is a shame.

And also in the game, Aki can hear Misao’s voice calling to her, but others couldnt hear Misao. However, in the moment ( in the gym class where Kudoh ended up), Kudoh could hear her voice as well. Which makes me think.. Misao probably can be heard by those who she wishes would help her. So that means that, even though she held a grudge against him, she also called out to him. That could possibly mean that part of her still trusted him and wished for him to help her. Even though she wanted him dead..yeah.

I dont say kisao forever, I actually grew to realize that Kudoh shouldnt be with her. He is not a monster, but he has issues (he’s entitled etc. which is not good. if he wants to be good for her he’d better get rid of that attitude or maybe move on from her.)

p.s.

...buut. I find it concerning that people are far more hateful toward Kudoh than to... Kurata. It is my personal opinion. His past is understandable but it doesnt justify the things he has done (Kurata) in my opinion. And, Kudoh is bad but he made attempt to geniunely even out his mistake and help Misao, he was sorry for what he did. But Kurata never felt sorry for what he did (and the game didnt punish him in any way, even though he did even more harm than yoshino possibly). and as it showed in bad ending, were he still alive, he’d continue his.. deeds.

note: I dont hate Kurata fans and I wont be sending hate toward anyone who feels bad for him. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I value human life and I wont be saying you suck if you feel bad for him.

#misao (game)#rpg horror #misao #misao game #kudoh (misao)#tw spoilers #misao spoilers #long post

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joylinda-hawks · 5 months

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A treasure that can make a man invincible? Only a redneck would fall for the nonsense you're talking about. WOH, episode 3, part 3. WKX, seeing ZZS's lack of reaction, waits for GX to ask him about the second part of the rhyme. GX asks the question WKX is waiting for, asks what the words are. WKX recites another part of the nursery rhyme. When ZZS hears this, he just smiles. ZZS asks what is so sad about the ghosts of Qingya Mountain, adding that each of them is wicked and ended up in the Ghost Valley because they had nowhere to escape. WKX agrees with him, but points out that the words "ghosts of Qingya Mountain" do not refer to a group of ghosts, as he says this he approaches the standing ZZS, but to Rong Xuan, a great demon killed on Qingya Mountain twenty years ago. ZZS listens carefully to what WKX says. ZCL is also listening closely to WKX's comments. WKX continues that it is said that a demon named Rong left behind a treasure called the Arsenal. GX also listens to WKX stories while eating cake. WKX explains that the arsenal includes techniques from various sects that have long since disappeared from this world. It can make an ordinary person invincible. The key to the arsenal is Glazed Armor. ZZS claims that a treasure that can make a man invincible, only a peasant will fall for the nonsense told by WKX. ZZS asks WKX if he believes what he says. WKX responds by asking if ZZS doesn't believe it. ZZS is very patient and responds by walking around and saying that treasures, divine weapons, scrolls about secret martial arts, miracle cures, every few years someone comes up with an item that the people of Jianghu want to fight for, which leads to countless deaths only then everyone is happy. ZZS considers this absurd. WKX becomes more and more intrigued by ZZS, so he asks why he thinks it's absurd. This time it is ZZS who responds, asking whether this is not absurd. ZZS explains that all these treasures have a name, it is called "harvest without sowing." In short, it's just greed. WKX laughs and says he's surprised ZZS has the same opinion as him. He argues that although there is peace, the ignorant create their own problems. GX stands up and states that she understood what both men were saying. She argues that it is difficult for humans to discover that they are weak warriors, so they try to reap "a harvest without sowing." She adds that they know they are weak, but they fight against others. So she asks if life is unpleasant for them. Eventually, GX turns to WKX, stating that there are many people dumber than her. ZZS turns to the girl and tells her that she is quite smart. This part of the scene is a test that WKX puts ZZS through. He turns the conversation to the spirits of the Ghost Valley, then Rong Xuan and the Arsenal. WKX wants to know what ZZS's attitude towards the Ghost Valley is, how to continue talks with him and how much ZZS can reveal. The second thing WKX wants to know is the Glazed Armor case, he wants to know if ZZS is interested in the Arsenal treasures. WKX doesn't know that his hatred of RX is baseless or that Arsenal isn't what people say. ZZS, hearing WKX's questions, probably does not even wonder that they have a deeper meaning. For peace of mind, she gives him simple, fact-based answers. ZZS is not interested in the Ghost Valley, he is not interested in Glazed Armor, much less the treasures of the Arsenal. ZZS is dying, every day brings him closer to death, and he is waiting for this death. He believes that what he has committed to will take him a short time, and then ZZS will go its own way. He doesn't know that WKX has plans for him and will gradually implement them. For now, ZZS doesn't want to be too rude and gives WKX factual answers, and WKX admires not only his beauty, but also his ability to think logically and draw constructive conclusions. I don't know, but I think it was one of my favorite scenes that ZZH and GJ shot. Their relationship with each other must have had a big impact on what they showed us in this scene.

#zhang zhehan #zhou zishu #word of honor #wenzhou #wen kexing #gong jun

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automatismoateo · 1 year

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Stigma against Anti-Theism via /r/atheism

Stigma against Anti-Theism

In this post I am not referring to the fear and hatred theists harbour towards anti-theistic ideas. That is only natural and the expected outcome. No, what I find particularly irksome regarding opposition to religion is that often the most vocal defenders of maintaining the 'sacrosanct' status of it are fellow atheists.

It is disheartening to witness some atheists criticizing their peers for being 'edgy' or disrespectful when it comes to challenging religious beliefs. Anti-theism is often seen as too strident, or aggressive; it is particularly amusing to be called fundamentalist for opposing religious zealotry and blamed for the inherent anti-intellectualism of religious ideology.

I find it difficult to understand why the god claim must be given any more reverence than other entities which most would freely admit are entirely fictional. Why must deities be treated any more seriously than Harry Potter, the God-Emperor of Mankind, Godzilla, or the flying spaghetti monster?

While some may argue that these are private beliefs and should be respected as such, I disagree. Not only are they blatantly absurd, but enormously harmful to human society. I doubt I need to elaborate on why here, that would simply be preaching to the choir (hehe). Consequently, opposing and ridiculing such beliefs should be seen as not just acceptable, but necessary in order to dismantle the notion that religion is beyond criticism and hope that it jumpstarts the process of helping theists identify the cognitive dissonance that many of them have no choice but to partake in.

However, this task is made much harder if supposedly moderate atheists are immediately willing to denounce such actions as irreverent or inconsiderate and in the process kowtow to the fanatics. In light of the rise of religious extremists across the world, whether that be in the US, Iran, Turkey, Russia, or India, I believe it is imperative for there to be vocal and united opposition from those who have moved beyond such childish concepts.

Finally, I want to emphasize that I am by no means advocating for insulting or mocking people who happen to hold religious beliefs, after all the they are also ultimately victims of childhood indoctrination. But rather I want to encourage the de-stigmatization of anti-theism amongst fellow atheists or those who prefer agnostics, even if that is a distinction without a difference. Because at the end of the day, we all want humanity to advance by the principles of reason, rationality, and logic rather than be bound by the shackles of faith, superstition and irrationality.

I apologise if this post comes across as unintelligible ramblings. I am still trying to sort out exactly how I want to lay out my argument, and it would be the first post I have made on this platform.

Submitted May 15, 2023 at 12:35PM by PrimeGamer3108 (From Reddit https://ift.tt/1YZvhon)

#reddit

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lookwhatilost · 1 year

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i’ve been dedicating a lot of my insomnia time to the incel research because i’m trying to thread the needle where “love-shyness” was less understood as a form of social anxiety, which is how gilmartin analyzes it in his book, and became understood as de-facto association with a hate movement, to the point where brianna wu et all can see a small survey about the millennial/zoomer sex recession and conclude “they must all be incels”.

part of the reason i’m so attracted to looking into stuff like this is my frustration with gamergate being retrofitted as a theory of everything for internet hatred, responsible for everything from trump to qanon. i feel like people who were not Very Online during that era forget how nonsensical gamergate actually was, as is generally the case with anything that involves internet trolls. they come off as a lot more organized than they actually are when they coalesce their anger around common hate objects, but the idea they coordinate is a pretty tough sell for me.

the first thing you’ll notice when playing primatologist to any right wing online space is that the users very transparently fucking hate each other, which is pretty shaky grounds for organization. occasionally you have edge cases like charlottesville, but they’re rare enough that it’s notable when they happen.

it’s also much more annoying when people do this with incels because the isla vista massacre predated gamergate by around 5 months – that was in late may of 2014, gamergate didn’t happen until november. it seems like an obvious chronology oversight to me. my theory broadly is that isla vista was the turning point, tbh. i get the sense it had an effect, one named after a particular debacle involving a certain singer and her house, with internet red pill philosophy.

the next logical point in looking into this stuff has been reading “my twisted world” – rodger’s manifesto – because i never trust how this stuff is reported on secondhand. people leave out the fact that he was biracial a lot, which already is off to a bad start. rodger was a puahate denizen, and if anything, it’s useful insight into what the mental profile of someone who used those websites before they started getting media attention.

“my twisted world” is 141 pages in word processor format – meaning, if this were published as a book, it’d probably be closer in length to 300 pages. it’s broadly beat-by-beat autobiographical and, frankly, a really boring read. but what’s odd about it is that some of his insecure monologuing could have come right out of sixteen candles, but it’s undoubtably racialized.

rodger is fixated on “coolness” and women are a proxy to this – there’s probably something to be said here about rodger growing up in los angeles – but his idea of coolness can’t be uncoupled with proximity to whiteness. and white women. i’m a little less than halfway through it, but a nontrivial amount of rage is directed towards other men who are more sexually successful than he was, and it ratchets up a lot in intensity when those men aren’t white, yet have had sexual success with white women.

when you take this all into consideration with the fact that a lot of the internet incel demographic is non-white european men, how incles.is is operated by a south asian man, and the existence of terms like tyrones, changs, chadpreets, etc... you start to notice an angle to this that’s been criminally neglected. and the entitled white guy thing starts to fall to pieces.

sometimes i wonder why i do this to myself. every time i dive into topics like this, i feel like i always pick up on glaring omissions from the popular dialogue and it starts to slowly drive me insane whenever the topic comes up in conversation.

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mrsmaybank · 3 years

Text

My Little Sun - Reid x Reader

“Ridiculously perfect.” I held her tighter as she looked up at me and our eyes locked, “I’ve fallen ridiculously in love with you.” “So my evil plan worked then?” She chirped.

CONTENT WARNINGS: AGE GAP, VIOLENCE, KIDNAPPING, PREGNANCY, STALKING, LANGUAGE probably the misuse of a Russian word IF THERES MORE LMK

A/N: Okay, let me be honest rq this idea lowk scared me but the words really just fell out of my brain really easily so, yk fuck it whatever. ANYWAY, if you like, please let me know!

pt 2, pt 3 “I love you Spencer.” The words immediately melted me.

“I know so many things.” She gave me an unapproving look.

“I don’t mean to sound cocky, but I do! Now for once in your life, listen to me.” She nodded her head in concession.

“I’ve just read more, I’ve written more, I’ve discovered and studied more than the average person. I could tell you a little bit about anything with one hundred percent certainty. I could--and want--to tell you the names of all the stars, I could recite verbatim the entirety of Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus or Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, which you know, speaking of I will ‘cause I still can’t believe you haven’t read it,” Her smile flattened into a straight line, and I laughed. “Orrr, I could also tell you something simple, like why we get the hiccups.” I shook my head.

“Regardless, I know so many things and I’m rarely taken by surprise because of it. Everything in life is a pattern of change, and as a human, we will always adjust and adapt to whatever situation we are in. For better or worse, we don’t feel the same thing for very long. This is why an addict takes a couple more every time, a sadist hits his second victim harder than the first, they’re searching for the high of the first time, and it will never come.”

She nodded in understanding,

“I know this is true, it’s factual, and yet every time I look at you it feels like the first. You’ve broken the laws of human psychology.”

“First time you saw me was at a gas station Spencer.”

“No. The first time I looked at you after I knew I loved you.”

“Where were we?”

“My car. You were dancing. You looked ridiculous.”

“Ridiculously sexy? You mean?” She smiled.

“Ridiculously perfect.” I held her tighter as she looked up at me and our eyes locked, “I’ve fallen ridiculously in love with you.”

“So my evil plan worked then?” She chirped.

“It did indeed. You’ve become my solnyshko moyo.”

“Tell me that’s Russian dirty talk.” She said with a grin.

“It’s better. It’s a term of endearment you’ve become the epitome of.”

“And what’s that Dr. Reid?” she giggled.

“My little sun. You’ve become my little sun. Following me around and bringing light and warmth.” She snuggled herself impossibly closer into my chest, wrapping one of her legs over mine.

“Except for your feet!” I shrieked at her freezing toes meeting mine.

“They’re not that cold you big baby!” she shouted.

I laughed and kissed her sweetly, “I am not the baby here.” I said.

“Please,” she started until I interrupted her with a kiss, “If you’re not the baby,” I kissed her again, “That implies I’M the baby,” Kiss, “And I’m not a” Kiss.

“Shush baby.” I told her, but like always, she didn’t listen, instead sitting up to straddle me. My appreciation for her beauty was like how a prisoner appreciates freedom, and yet it was miniscule into what I found in her character. It blew my mind that a girl so perfect existed.

“Rarely do great virtue and beauty dwell together. Francesco Petrarch.” I started, my hands making their way onto her hips, “That makes you a rarity.”

“You’re spoiling me with nice words today Spencer.” “You’ve spoiled me. My frontal lobe is spoiled milk.” She laughed, wondering how I was going to manage to make this one romantic.

“That’s the part of the brain responsible for sensibility and logical thinking, and you, little girl, have positively ruined it. You make me stupid.”

“I ruined the genius Dr. Reid with the 187 IQ? Makes sense. I’m like, way smarter.”

“You are. So, so much smarter.”

“I want that in writing.” she poked my chest.

I pulled her down and kissed her forehead to whisper in her ear. “Not a chance.”

She pushed herself away and rolled her eyes at me like a bratty child does her nanny, and I continued, “ You’re smarter, but I’m more educated. I have more doctorates than you have years in university.”

“Whatever…”

I brushed the hair away from her perfect face, “You tired baby?”

She sighed and laid down, splaying herself on my chest, laying on me like I was the duvet. “Very.”

I held her impossibly close, breathing in her scent and counting every time her heart thumped, her bpm said she was relaxed. Oh god, I wanted her like this forever. Relaxed in my arms, where nothing could touch us but each other.

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“Must you work?” I sent the message to Spencer as I rolled over to his side of the bed in anticipation. I breathed in heavy, liking the way the pillow smelled like his laundry.

“Unfortunately.” he responded. “Think you’ll be home this weekend?”

“It’s not looking like it, little one. I’m sorry.”

I didn’t reply. I was too sad to reply. I knew it’d make him feel guilty, which I didn’t want to do, cause like, his job and saving people and shit is important. But, it still wasn’t fair! At all. There was something very important I had to tell him.

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Total darkness, and then way too much light. My head hurt and I couldn’t move. I was handcuffed to a wooden chair. There were chains around my torso and ankles. The room was a medical sort of bright. It smelled like bleach and rotting fruit. The walls were dilapidated, seeming to be made of tiles that were once white, but have turned yellow.

What the FUCK?

“Hello!” I shouted. My voice was so coarse it hurt. Shit. My head pulsed so badly it practically hurt to think, but I still racked my brain.

Where am I?

How’d I get here?

Why am I here?

I woke up again. Fuck, why can’t I think? Why can’t I do anything?

“Hey, y/n.” A woman’s voice. A very stoic, cold, sounding female voice.

I’m not alone. Thank god, oh my god, I’m not alone.

With the little strength I had, I lifted my head to see her. She wasn’t what I thought. She was alright, she wasn’t tied. She did this to me?

She took a sip from her silver flask, “Do you know who I am?”

I shook my head. “No.”

“Typical.” She stood up and grabbed me by the hair, “You fucking disgust me.” Like, she said, she threw my hair away like it disgusted her.

She sat back down on the bench in front of the chair I was chained to, “My name is Brook Austen. I was a professor at Georgetown last year. Taught a couple seminars at your school, that little university you go to, the students there were nothing like mine. Not nearly as intelligent, but as expected, Georgetown is much more prestigious, obviously.”

I was confused, and she knew, but did not care.

“You’re not the brightest, y/n. Only slightly above average high school grades, strikingly mediocre academic performance now.”

Where the hell is she going with this?

“And you know it doesn’t surprise me, per say, because every man on this goddamn planet is a piece of fucking shit! But I thought that, maybe, just maybe, Spencer was different.”

She grimaced, “I thought he’d want more than just a pretty face! ‘Cause you might be prettier y/n, but I’m smarter.” Her words were laced with utter hatred.

Her demeanor changed, and it almost started to seem like she was talking to herself. “I'm older. I’m more successful. I’m fucking better.”

She approached me again, grabbing my face so I was looking her in those scarily light green eyes, and she wrapped her hands around my throat. “I’m fucking better then you! Better, better, better!” Every time she said better she shook my neck and gripped tighter so I couldn’t breathe.

“Stop! Please! Please stop!” I shouted, “I’m-I’m pregnant!”

She began to break down, “You’re pregnant?” A maniacal chuckle left her throat, “You’re pregnant?”

“Is it Spencer’s?” she asked.

I nodded.

“Wow.” She laughed once more, “Fucking wow.”

“How could Spencer choose this!? You’re nothing like him. You are a pathetic fucking college student. A fucking daddy issue ridden slut! I’m a celebrated academic, just like him!” Tears began to slip from her eyes, “How could he not choose me?”

This woman is NOT well in the head.

“You--you like Spencer?” I asked.

“You don’t get to ask the fuckin’ questions here.” She pulled a knife out of her pocket and held it to the tip of my chin, “I do. So you’re gonna answer them.” Or, she started manically laughing, “I’ll kill you.” She swallowed, “And your baby.”

I screamed at those words, “No,” I sobbed, “NO!”

I turned my head away so I didn’t have to look at the woman in front of me, there was a timed red dot blinking. A camera.

“Is that-- is that a camera?”

She nodded, “I want Spencer to see you and his child die.”

“He….No! No, please, No!” I choked on a sob and she smiled.

“He doesn’t know.” She paced, “He doesn’t even fucking know!”

She waltzed over to the camera and brought it closer to us, “Hey Spencer.” She began waving, “Hey Penelope. Aaron. Derek. Jennifer. Emily.”

Her demeanor changed once more, into that of a cheerleader of all things, “So, quick recap.” Brook pursed her lips, “Spencer your twenty three year old fucktoy is pregnant. Congrats!”

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Y/N was two things I didn’t know she was this morning: In serious danger, and the mother of my expected child. I felt frozen in trepidation.

We all watched in horror as Brook greeted us. All by first name. She knew exactly what she was doing and it freaked me out even more.

“Reid, you need to step out.” Hotch grabbed my shoulder, “Now.”

I was sick with fear and ill with rage. I sat down because I could feel my knees go weak. Hotch started again, “We know who she is. We will find her. Y/N will be alright.” He paused, “So will the baby.”

I replayed the events of the live footage in my head, her screams of pain and terror, her trembles and confusion. I’d failed her. I’d failed her and now I knew I’d also failed our child.

JJ sat down next to me, “Spencer, when did you meet Brook?”

“I uh,” I wiped my face, “A year and four months ago. I did uh, I taught uh, I taught a string of seminars at Georgetown. It was biweekly. Her office was next to mine. We spoke for the first time when she offered me a coffee.”

“What did you say?”

“What do you think I said?”

“Yes.”

“Yeah, I said yeah, I fucking like coffee.” I felt instantaneously guilty for cursing, and especially at JJ but I was too frazzled for it to last long enough to apologize.

“I know Spence, I’m sorry. Just keep going.”

“Then, the next week, we got lunch together.”

“Was it, you know, friendly?”

“What are you implying Jennifer?” I snapped.

“No Spence, we just need to know. You know that.”

“It was-- it was just lunch. A very normal colleague to colleague lunch. We talked about the school’s history. And uh, where we grew up. It was small talk.”

“Ok, was this the last time you spoke to her?”

“No. There was one more time. Y/N was there.”

“Tell me about it Spence.” She grabbed my hand,

I breathed out, “It was the next week I taught after lunch. About two hours before my class. I was lesson planning, and Y/N was doing homework on my desk. She came in. She asked if I wanted to go get lunch. She saw y/n and--Fuck.”

“What Spence? What?”

“She asked me who she was, but it was like, she didn’t want y/n to know she was asking. She thought she was…”

“She thought she was what?”

“A student.”

“And what did you tell her?”

“The truth. That she was my girlfriend.”

“Did you see her anywhere else after that?”

“No. She never came by my office again. When I would see her by chance, she would scurry away. It was strange.”

“Think really hard Spence. Did you ever see her again after you stopped teaching at Georgetown.”

I racked my brain, “Yeah. I did. It was two months ago. Three days after I proposed to y/n. She was getting a coffee at this coffee shop by y/n’s school.. I was bringing her some lunch”

“Spencer she's been stalking you. Your proposal was the stressor.”

“But--I’m a profiler. I would’ve noticed.” I stood up with a realization. “What Spence?” JJ asked, standing up as well to look at me.

“She’s been stalking her, not me. She knew I was a part of the BAU, she knew I would’ve noticed.”

“I’ll tell the team.”

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A/N2: If this doesn’t totally flop, I’ll write PT 2, that elaborates on the reader’s and Spencer’s relationship. I think through flashbacks from both Y/N and Spencer would be a cool way to explore their relationship and of course the whole reader being kidnapped thing plot could develop. Again, if you enjoyed this pls let me know!!

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translations-by-aiimee · 3 years

Text

The Husky and His White Cat Shizun - Chapter 6

Original Title: 二哈和他的白猫师尊

Genres: Drama, Romance, Tragedy, Xianxia, Yaoi

This translation is based on multiple MTLs and my own limited knowledge of Chinese characters. If I have made any egregious mistakes, please let me know.

Chapter Index

Chapter 6 - This Venerable One's Shizun

Xue Meng had lived on Life-Death Peak since he was a child. He was familiar with shortcuts and terrain so he had no problem catching up with Mo Ran

He escorted him all the way to the back of the mountain. The back mountain of Life-Death Peak was the closest place to the ghost realm in the whole world, separated by an enchantment, behind it is the netherworld.

Looking at the miserable situation in the back mountain, Mo Ran immediately understood why that person was clearly at home, but still needed Madam Wang to treat guests in the front hall.

It wasn't that the man didn’t want to help, but he couldn’t step away--

The barrier of the ghost world was broken.

At this moment, the entire back mountain was filled with a heavy spiritual resentment. The ghosts that hadn't taken on a body howled and hovered bitterly in the air. At the entrance of the mountain gate, there was a giant breach ripping through the sky. Behind the breach was the ghost realm, and a tall, bluestone staircase stretching thousand of steps escaped from the barrier cracks. Seeing out from the staircase, the fierce spirits that had regained a flesh body were climbing down this step disorderly and chaotically, rushing from the underworld to the human world.

Any ordinary person would be terrified at the scene unfolding. The first time Mo Ran saw it, he was shocked to the bone, but he was used to it now.

The barrier between the human and ghost realms was set by Emperor Fuxi in ancient times. Today, it was very weak. It would grow weak spots every now and again, which need to be repaired by immortal cultivators. However, this kind of thing not only does little to improve one's cultivation but is thankless with how much spiritual energy it consumes. It was a real drudgery, so few immortals in the upper cultivation world were willing to take this job.

When a fierce spirit was born, the people of the Lower Cultivation Realm were the first to come under attack. As the protectors of the Lower Cultivation Realm, Life-Death Peak was forced to undertake the task of repairing the barrier. The back mountains of the sect faced the weakest point in the barrier all to ensure they could be repaired swiftly.

There would be breaks in the barrier about four or five times a year. It was just like an old, chipped pot; useless.

Now, at the entrance of the ghost world, on the long bluestone stairs, a man stood there with snow-coloured clothes and wide sleeves flowing in the wind. He was surrounded by the aura of his sword, the golden light shimmering. Using his own power to clear out the evil spirits and ghosts, he repaired the small holes appearing in the barrier.

The man had a slender waist and an elegant appearance, with a holy aura and a handsome face. From a distance, it was easy to imagine he was a scholar reading an ancient scroll under a flowering tree. However, looking closely, he had sharp eyebrows, phoenix eyes slanted upwards, and the bridge of his nose was straight and narrow. While he seemed to be gentle and elegant, his eyes were mean and seemingly unkind.

Mo Ran glanced at him from a distance. Although he thought he had prepared himself, when he saw this man appear in front of him alive and healthy again, it made him tremble down to his smallest bones.

Half fear, half. . . excitement.

His Shizun.

Chu Wanning.

This was the person that Xue Meng had cried and begged to see when he arrived at Wushan Hall in the previous life.

It was this man that ruined Mo Ran's ambition, ruined his plans, and was finally imprisoned and tortured to death by Mo Ran because of it.

Logically speaking, if Mo Ran had the chance to avenge himself and defeat the enemy that had blocked his progress.

The sea is wide and free for fish to swim in, the sky is high and the birds could fly endlessly, no one could reign him back anymore. At least, that's what Mo Ran thought.

However, that doesn't seem to be the case.

After his Shizun died, something else seemed to have been buried along with his hatred.

Mo Ran was not a man of culture and didn't recognize any other feeling than being evenly matched with a worthy opponent.

He only knows that here on out, he had no archenemies.

When Shizun was alive, he had been afraid, paranoid, and anxious. When he saw the willow vine in Shizun's hand, the hair on the back of his neck stood on up. He became just like a beaten mutt, just the sound of a wooden club slap caused his teeth to ache and legs to give out. Even his calf muscles would spasm from fear.

Later, when Shizun died, the person Mo Ran had feared the most was finally gone. Mo Ran felt that he had grown and matured, being able to finally commit this act of murdering his teacher.

Afterwards, when looking at the mortal realm, no one dared force him to kneel down, and no longer slapped himself in the face.

To celebrate, he opened the pear blossom white wine, sat on the roof, and drank wine all night.

That night, under the influence of alcohol, the scars that Shizun had inflicted on his back when he was a teenager seemed to feel hot and painful again.

At this moment, when he saw Shizun reappear in front of him, Mo Ran started, filled with hate and anger, but there was also a slight twinge of ecstasy.

Such an opponent, lost and now regained, how can he not please?

Chu Wanning ignored the two apprentices who broke into the back mountains and continued concentrating on fighting the scattered undead.

His facial features were elegant, his eyebrows are evenly long. His phoenix eyes were cast downwards, his cool demeanour powerful. Amidst the demonic air and blood rain, his expression had not changed. His face remained calm, as though he might sit down and burn incense or play the guqin at the moment.

However, such a gentle and beautiful man, at that moment, was holding an icy exorcism long sword dripping with red blood droplets. With a flick of his wide sleeve, the sword's energy sliced through the bluestone steps in an explosion. Crushed stones and bricks rolled down, cracking an immeasurable chasm from the gate all the way to the bottom of the mountain, splitting the staircase and its thousands of steps!

So ferocious.

How many years had it been since he had seen his Shizun's power?

This familiar and powerful dominance made Mo Ran lose all his strength. Shakily, he fell onto his knees with a thump.

It didn't take long for Chu Wanning to kill all the ghosts, and neatly fill in the holes in the barrier to the ghost world. After doing all this, he fell from mid-air and went over to Mo Ran and Xue Meng.

He first glanced at Mo Ran kneeling on the ground, and then raised his eyes to look at Xue Meng, his phoenix eyes holding a powerful chill.

"Causing trouble again?"

Mo Ran sucked in a breath.

Shizun had the ability to always correctly assume any situation.

Xue Meng: "Shizun, Mo Ran went down the mountain, committing the two crimes of stealing and prostitution. Please punish him accordingly, Shizun."

Chu Wanning was silent for a while, expressionless. He coldly remarked: "I know."

Mo Ran: ". . ."

Xue Meng: ". . ."

Both of them were a little confused. Then? Is that it?

However, just when Mo Ran thought tat he had gotten off lucky, he looked up at Chu Wanning and caught a a glimpse of a sharp golden light suddenly cutting through the air. There was a lightening-like crackling sound that slashed across Mo Ran's cheek!!

Drops of blood splashed everywhere!

The speed of that golden light was so fast, Mo Ran didn't even have a moment to close his eyes, let alone dodge it. The skin on his face was flayed open with a fierce pain.

Chu Wanning stood with his hands clasped behind his back, standing coldly in the chilling breeze of teh night air. The air was still filled with the foul aura of fierce spirits and ghosts mixed with the smell of human blood. It made the forbidden area of the back mountains appear even more eerie and terrifying.

In Chu Wanning's hand was a willow vine that had whipped Mo Ran. The vine was narrow and long, with green leaves sprouting from it, hanging down near the edge of his boots.

It was clearly sucha graceful object. Looking at it would have made people think of poems such as "Pliant is the the willow branch I gift to my beloved".

It's a pity that Chu Wanning was neither pliant or had a beloved.

The willow vine in his hand was actually a magic weapon named Tianwen. At this moment, Tianwen was glimmering with golden red light, piercing through the surrounding darkness, and also reflecting in the bottomless depths of Chu Wanning's eyes.

Chu Wanning pursed his lips, and said sensibly: "Mo Weiyu, you are so bold. Should I really not do something to discipline you?"

If this really was the fifteen-year old Mo Ran, he might not have taken this exclamation seriously, thinking that Shizun was just trying to scare him.

But after being reborn, Mo Weiyu had thoroughly experienced Shizun’s "control" with his blood in his previous life. He immediately felt the roots of his teeth ache and blood rushing to his head. His mouth was already moving, ready to deny everything and clear his name

"Shizun. . ." His cheek still bleeding, Mo Ran raised his eyes, staining them with a thin veil of tears. He knew that his current appearance must look extremely pitiful. "This disciple has never stolen. . . has never laid with a prostitute. . . why did Shizun listen to Xue Meng's words and strike me without even listening to my side of the story?"

". . ."

Mo Ran had two tricks to get out of trouble with his uncle. First, act cute. Second, pretend to be pitiful. Now he tried these out on Chu Wanning, trying to look so pitiful that tears almost fell from his eyes: "Is the disciple really so worthless in your eyes? Why doesn't Shizun even give me a chance to defend myself?"

Xue Meng stomped angrily next to him: "Mo Ran! You, you piece of shit! You truly are shameless! Sizun, don't listen to him, don't be fooled by this bastard! He really did steal! All the stolen goods are still on him!"

Chu Wanning looked through his eyelashes, his expression cold: "Mo Ran, you truly never stole?"

"Never."

". . . You should know the consequences of lying to me."

Mo Ran's arms were covered in goosebumps. How could he not know? But he still foolishly persisted: "Shizun, please!"

Chu Wanning raised his hand, and the shiny golden vine waved again, but this time he did not draw it on the face of Mo Ran. Instead, he used it to tightly bind Mo Ran.

This feeling was all too familiar. In addition to whipping people on the regular, the willow vine "Tianwen" has another function——

Chu Wanning stared at Mo Ran, who was held tightly in Tianwen's grasp, and asked again: "Have you never stolen?"

Suddenly, there was a familiar stabbing pain straight in Mo Ran's heart, as if a sharp fanged small snake had slid its way into his chest and was playing with his organs.

Accompanied by the severe pain was an irresistible temptation. Mo Ran couldn't help but open his mouth, his voice hoarse: "I. . . never. . . ah. . . !!!"

Tianwen's golden light seemed to pick up on his lies, glowing harder. The pain caused Mo Ran to break out in a cold sweat, but he still desperately resisted such torture.

This was Tianwen's second function: interrogation.

Once tied up by Tianwen, no one could lie. Whether it was a person or a ghost, dead or alive, Tianwen had a way of forcing them to speak and reveal the answer that Chu Wanning wanted to know.

In his last life, by relying on a strong cultivation base, there was only one person who had finally managed to keep a secret under Tianwen's influence.

That person was the person who had become the emperor of the mortal realm, Mo Weiyu.

After being reborn, Mo Ran had hoped he'd have a bit of luck, thinking that he would still be able to resist the forced interrogation of Tianwen. But after biting his lip for what felt like forever, with big beads of sweat dripping down over his dark eyebrows and full-body trembles, he finally bowed before Chu Wanning's boots in pain, gasping for breath.

"I. . . I. . . stole. . ."

The pain abruptly disappeared.

Mo Ran hadn't even caught his breath before Chu Wanning asked another question, his voice even colder than before.

"Did you commit debauchery?"

Smart people don't do stupid things. Since he hadn't been able to resist before, it was even more impossible now. This time, Mo Ran didn't even resist, and when the pain struck, he went so far to even shout: "Yes yes I did!!!! Shizun please! No more!"

Xue Meng's face turned blue at his side. He exclaimed with shock: "You, how can you. . . That Rong Jiu is a man, you actually. . ."

No one paid attention to him. As the golden light of Tianwen slowly dimmed, Mo Ran gasped for breath, his whole body was drenched as if he had just been fished from the water. His face was as white as paper, his lips still trembling, and he collapsed on the ground, unable to move.

Through sweaty eyelashes, he looked up at Chu Wanning's elegant figure, wearing a green jade crown and wide sleeves that fell to the floor.

A strong hatred suddenly surged into his heart - Chu Wanning! This Venerable One wasn't wrong in is treatment of you in his past life, that much is true!! Even after being reborn, the hatred still burns strong! Fuck all eighteen generations of your ancestors!!

Chu Wanning didn't know that this crafty disciple was going to fuck all eighteen generations of his ancestors. He stood there for a while with a sullen expression, and then said.

"Xue Meng."

Although Xue Meng knows that men were the popular choice among rich businessmen and wealthy households, and many people play with male prostitutes just for something new and not really because they liked men, he still couldn't digest it. After a while, he said: "Shizun, this disciple is here."

"Mo Ran went against the three mandates on corruption, debauchery, and deception. Take him to the Yan Luo Hall so he can repent. Bring him to the Platform of Righteousness and Evil tomorrow morning so that he receive a public punishment."

Xue Meng was startled: "What. . .? Public punishment?"

Public punishment means taking the disciples who have committed severe transgressions in front of the disciples of the whole school, in front of everyone, even the ladies in the dining hall, and punishing them for the crowd.

Utterly shameful.

It should be known that Mo Ran was a disciple of Life-Death Peak. Although the disciplinary measures in the school were strict, because of Mo Ran's special status - his uncle pitied him for losing his parents so young and was scavenging outside for fourteen years - he couldn't bear to punish Mo Ran. No matter what Mo Ran did, he would just get a small lecture in private, and he would be beaten.

But Shizun wouldn't even save the face of the sect leader. He wanted to take his precious nephew to the Platform of Righteousness and Evil and publicly punish and shame Young Master Mo in front of the entire sect. This was something even Xue Meng hadn't expected.

Mo Ran, however, wasn't surprised.

He lay on the ground with a sneer at the corner of his mouth.

How great and selfless his Shizun was.

Chu Wanning was truly cold-blooded. In his previous life, when Shi Mei died in front of him, Mo Ran cried and pleading, pulling on his clothes, kneeling on the ground and begging him for help.

But Chu Wanning turned a deaf ear.

And so his disciple had breathed his last breath before him, and even with Mo Ran crying his heart out next to him, Chu Wanning simply stood there and ignored his sobs.

Now all he was doing was putting him on the Platform of Righteousness and Evil to be dealt with before the public. There was nothing strange about this.

Mo Ran could only resent how weak his cultivation base was now. He couldn't peel off Chu Wanning's skin, rip out his nerves, drink his blood, can’t pull his hair back, can't insult him, can’t torture him and destroy his dignity, make him desire nothing but death. . .

He hadn't been able to hide the beast-like hatred in his eyes, and Chu Wanning picked up on it.

He faintly glanced at Mo Ran's face, a stoic expression on a gentle and elegant face.

"What are you thinking about?"

Fuck!

Tianwen hadn't been removed yet!

Mo Ran once again felt the vines tying him up, and his internal organs felt like they were about to be squeezed into mush. He yelled in pain, panting and roaring out the thoughts in his head——

"Chu Wanning, you think you're so refined! Watch me fuck you to death!"

No one made a sound.

Chu Wanning: ". . ."

Even Xue Meng was stunned: ". . ."

Tianwen suddenly retracted Chu Wanning's palm, turning into a small speck of golden light before disappearing altogether. Tianwen was made from the bones and blood of Chu Wanning and could appear when summoned and vanished at will.

Xue Meng's face was pale and he stuttered: "Shi-Shizun. . ."

Chu Wanning didn't say a word. His delicate black and slender eyelashes lowered, examining his palms for a while. Then, he raised his eyes, his face even, but his complexion even colder. He glared at Mo Ran with a gaze saying "this disciple deserves death", then said in a low voice:

"Tianwen is broken, I am going to go fix it."

Chu Wanning threw down these words, turned and left.

Xue Meng was kind of slow: "How could an immortal weapon like Tianwen be broken?"

Chu Wanning heard it, and glanced back at him with a look of "this disciple deserves death" as well. Xue Meng shuddered.

Mo Ran lay on the ground, half-dead, with a blank expression.

What he had been thinking really was looking for a way to fuck Chu Wanning to death. He knew that the Master Chu, who held titles like "Yuheng of the Night Sky, Beidou Immortal", had always paid attention to elegance and correctness, and he couldn't stand being stepped on by others, defiling him.

But he didn't want Chu Wanning to know that he was thinking that!

Mo Ran whimpered like a stray dog, covering his face.

Thinking of the look in Chu Wanning's eyes when he was leaving, he felt that he probably did not have long to wait until his death.

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#the husky and his white cat shizun #the husky and his white cat shizun translation #2ha #2ha translation #2ha novel #chinese novel #chinese bl #english translation #mo ran #chu wanning #yaoi novel

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you-cant-spell-subtext-without · 3 years

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ahdflksjaklf;jsls ok buddies - I hate talking about 14x13: Lebanon, but it has relevancy in the “John Winchester is a villain and cannot and should not be redeemed” discourse as well as being a crucial piece of finale denialist lore so I Have Been Thinking About It Too Much.

As you may recall, the Occult Object of the Week - the pearl - in Lebanon is supposed to grant Dean’s “heart’s desire.” Dean and Sam are Very Sure this means expelling Michael (the Dean Winchester Must Be Saved installment of season 14) (honestly that premise always seemed a little slim to me, I was hoping for Dean’s heart’s desire to be Cas, on Dean’s car, naked, covered in bees).

Instead they summon Dad of the Year, which at first feels infuriating. However after discussion with my earworms, I Have Fixed It (and also turned it into a grenade to launch at 15x20.)

Finale denialists and John Winchester derogatorians ASSEMBLE! and let’s discuss after the cut.

I’ve written in depth about Dean’s struggles with the cycle of abuse, so I won’t go too far into it here, but if you want to revisit any of that meta this is a good place to begin. This post hinges on the same theory - that Dean’s true freedom is established in his release from that cycle - that is the logical outcome of any hero’s journey for him, and where he would finally be able to accept happiness and love. This logically would also make release from the cycle of abuse and the feelings of self-hatred Dean struggles with his “heart’s desire” for purposes of the pearl. When it comes to emotions, we also know Dean doesn’t deal with them well. He punches things instead. So odds are, Dean hasn’t really worked through these feelings.

Dean also mentions when John returns that “it was what [Dean] wanted since he was 4″ - when they lost Mary, right before John became obsessed with revenge. Season 12 Mary canonically remembers John as a “good dad,” so we can draw a line from that to the abuse really starting shortly after her death. This is also corroborated by Dean himself:

DEAN: You know when you died, it changed Dad.

(A visual of the John Mary remembers) (just my excuse to put pictures of Matt Cohen on your dash) (I shouldn’t need an excuse) (Matt Cohen hi you are on Tumblr please don’t read any of this I’m embarrassed).

So what Dean has is pre-Mary’s-death John and post-Mary’s-death John, post-Mary’s-death John being the one whose abuse created Dean’s own damaged persona. Dean thinks the fix is to stop things on the front end (he is ignoring any process-centered solution, he just wants it to never have happened, he is in denial that he has to work through this and just wants it to be erased, etc etc etc).

***also keep in mind that going back in time to change things on the front end as a “fix it” is a storyline SPN repeats regularly***

***and it always ends up being impossible to do***

Ok so for Dean, his damage/anger/brutal nature/darkness is always linked to John, and this cycle “began” for Dean once their family was torn apart by Mary’s death. So the fix is his “blood family” together. That’s his heart’s desire in Lebanon because Dean hasn’t really worked through any of his emotions, and it’s his very Dean way of fixing it - “oh if my family gets put back together I will be put back together too.”

***speaking of quick fixes, I’d like to note that any case in SPN that is referred to as a “milk run” inevitably becomes complicated and messy***

***continuing the thematics of there’s no such thing as a quick fix***

This is no different. Stopping the cycle by simply erasing it from the narrative erases anything else that happened along the way during the journey. It erases this Mary (who they know as a person by this point and not just the mom on a pedestal)

and (most importantly) it erases this Cas (the episode specifically replaces Cas with one who Doesn’t Know Dean).

We Emphasize This Of Course In The Dialogue In Case You Missed It

DEAN Cas, you know us. ALTERNATE CAS I don’t know you.

***Simply erasing the origin of Dean’s trauma erases all of Dean’s growth. It erases this family that Dean is so proud to tell John he has now. It erases everything he has already overcome despite how hard it was to achieve it.

So, John goes back. In that way, the pearl does give Dean his heart’s desire - his realization that this is not about a quick fix, it is about the journey to the good, and all you gain and become along the way (kind of similar to “Happiness isn't in the having. It's in just being. It's in just saying it" eh?). it’s the process. It’s every moment along the way. It’s the people who help him get there.

And then he starts the healing journey by taking control of his own life, by owning his feelings instead of displacing the blame, by recognizing he is NOT guided solely by the actions of his father and this cycle:

DEAN

And for the longest time, I blamed Dad. I mean, hell, I blamed Mom, too, you know? I was angry. But say we could send Dad back knowing everything. Why stop there? Why not send him even further back and let some other poor sons of bitches save the world? But here’s the problem. Who does that make us? Would we be better off? Well, maybe. But I gotta be honest – I don’t know who that Dean Winchester is.

And the episode fucking ends with Cas, the Cas Who Knows Them coming into the bunker and asking them what happened, calling each of them by name just to emphasize again That He Knows Them, because Cas knowing Dean, and Cas being Dean’s family is the cornerstone of what Dean’s heart desires.

[CAS walks in from the door at the top of the stairs. SAM, DEAN and MARY walk out from the library to see him.]

CAS Mary, Sam, Dean. What happened?

So yeah, it took 14 damn seasons but Lebanon is where Dean realizes he can be defined by more than the acts of his father. (That’s why it’s so terrifying for Dean when Chuck snatches back any control he gained in Season 15. Because for Dean, Chuck is just John Winchester Controls My Every Action all over again, except he’s God which makes it even worse.)

That’s also why the final blow to Chuck is not Dean killing him.

The last stage in the journey that begins here with Dean’s “I’m good with who I am” - [I’m still bad and dark and damaged but I’m good with it]

is Dean’s “that’s not who I am.” [the most caring man on Earth; the most selfless, loving human being I will ever know]

Thats equally why 15x18 is so brilliant, 15x19 is at least acceptable, and 15x20 simply does. not. work.

Dean Winchester’s perfect heaven cannot possibly center on the blood family. It does not have John Winchester and Mary, husband and wife, who took away his own free will. It is THIS FAMILY. The found family. Cas and Jack and Sam and the Mary that was resurrected. Dean’s entire character arc supports this journey, and to have it culminate in something that is so established in the season prior to this one as something Dean knows he no longer wants is maddening.

I’m even more mad now because I just remembered that the most prominent picture above Dying Sam’s bed was the blood family portrait from this episode; almost like they wanted us to remember this particular stupid lesson. This show is so stupid when it could have been so so so very good.

***I want to say thanks again to all of you who read my spiraling if you got this far. It’s therapeutic for me to do it, but it makes it all the better that people actually read it. Seeing you in my notes MAKES my entire day****

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todomitoukei · 3 years

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English vs. Japanese Shouto - A 298 Comparison

Welcome back to another comparison between the Japanese version and the official English translation. This chapter has caused a lot of confusion as soon as the spoilers came out, particularly in regards to the last line in Shouto’s monologue. Does he want to kill Dabi? Is he going to fight him?

Aside from the confusion, this chapter is important for both Shouto’s character, as well as his and Dabi’s storyline, moving forward.

The scene starts with a panel of Shouto in his hospital bed, surrounded by his classmates who by now are also aware of the situation. As we find out at the end of the chapter, Shouto’s throat is burned, so he currently can’t talk. Regardless, he has a lot to say or rather a lot to reflect on, starting with an obvious fact:

“His flames are stronger than dad’s.”

An obvious fact and a simple sentence. But what about the original?

「あいつの炎は親父よりも強かった。」

「あいつ ; aitsu 」-> he; that guy

「の ; no 」-> possessive particle; similar to an apostrophe

「炎 ; honou 」-> flame

「は ; ha 」-> topic marker particle

「親父 ; oyaji 」-> dad

「よりも ; yori mo 」-> in comparison to; more than

「強かった ; tsuyokatta 」-> was strong

= “His flames were stronger than dad’s.”

The difference here is the tense. While the original text has Shouto say that the flames “were” stronger, the English translation has him say they “are” stronger. It’s not really an important difference, but I think the past tense was him reflecting on the one fact he knew about Touya before all this. The first time we, the readers, heard about Touya in chapter 202 -

was during Shouto’s early training days, where Endeavor brought up Touya and the fact that “his fire was greater” - so this is a fact Shouto was raised with, someone he was essentially compared to. Touya set the bar high, but Endeavor expected Shouto to raise the bar even higher.

“I couldn’t win with firepower alone. So strong… Those flames full of hate.”

While Shouto had so far only been told about Touya’s strength, this is the first time he got to actually experience this himself. Now, Touya’s flames being stronger isn’t just something Endeavor said, but something Shouto knows.

「火力で勝てなかった強い。。。憎しみの炎だった。」

「火力 ; karyoku」-> firepower

「で ; de 」-> with

「勝てなかった ; katenakatta 」-> couldn’t win

「強い ; tsuyoi 」-> strong

「憎しみ ; nikushimi 」-> hatred

「の ; no 」-> possessive particle; similar to an apostrophe

「炎 ; honou 」-> flame

「だった ; datta 」-> was

= “I couldn’t win with firepower. Strong… it was a flame of strong hatred.”

Again, not a big difference, especially since the English translation made sure to split the text the same way as the original, but tsuyoi (strong) is an adjective that attaches to the noun, nikushimi (hatred). Sure, his flames are strong, but more importantly, his hatred is strong and that is the bigger problem here.

Not only does Dabi have a stronger flame, but his hatred grants him even more power as he’s not held back by any rational thought or feeling. Like a forest fire, you can’t just extinguish it. Instead, it keeps spreading and growing larger and larger.

“And he’s… been watching us all this time.”

Next, we get the flashback to the first time Shouto met Dabi back in the summer arc. Maybe Dabi’s “How sad, poor little Shouto Todoroki” didn’t mean that much to Shouto - who might have just assumed that Dabi knew his name from the sports festival - but now he understands that this had been planned for a long time. Touya “died” around ten years ago and during all that time, Dabi had been thinking about this moment.

「あいつはずっと見てたんだ。」

「あいつ ; aitsu 」-> he; that guy

「は ; ha 」-> topic marker particle

「ずっと ; zutto 」-> continuously; the whole time

「見てた ; miteta 」-> was watching

「んだ ; nda 」-> explanatory particle

= “He was watching the whole time.”

Again, not much of a difference except for the tense. Another thing that this is implying is that Dabi is incredibly patient. Instead of just being filled with rage and letting it out all, he waited in the shadows for years, even when being so close to Shouto he chose to keep his composure, even though he could’ve just killed him right then and there if he had wanted to.

Something that got lost in translation is the nuance of the nda at the end of the sentence, which can have multiple meanings. Here, it expresses reason and discovery, as Shouto understands his first encounter with Dabi now. Sort of like saying “Oh, so that’s why he knew my name. That’s what he has been up to the entire time.”

“All… to bring down dad. Wrecking his own body along the way… and not giving a damn whose lives get ruined in the process.”

「親父を貶めるためだけにその身を滅ぼしながらあらゆる人の人生を巻き込んで。」

「親父 ; oyaji 」-> dad

「を ; o 」-> direct object marker

「貶める ; otoshimeru 」-> to look down upon; to cause to fall

「ため ; tame 」-> purpose

「だけに ; dake ni 」-> being the case; precisely

「その ; sono 」-> that

「身 ; mi 」-> body; oneself

「を ; o 」-> direct object marker

「滅ぼしながら ; horoboshi nagara 」-> while destroying

「あらゆる人 ; ara yuru hito 」-> all kinds of people

「の ; no 」-> possessive particle; similar to an apostrophe

「人生 ; jinsei 」-> human life

「を ; o 」-> direct object marker

「巻き込んで ; makikonde 」-> involving; dragging into

= “For the purpose of causing dad’s downfall, he destroyed his body at the same time and dragged other lives into it.”

I find the additional “not giving a damn” in the official translation interesting (= I hate it)… since he literally doesn’t say that, but sure let’s just add this to make it seem like Shouto is judging Dabi here when he is not doing that at all. This is merely an observation, stating the fact that his older brother’s mind was so clouded by hatred that he involved other people’s lives in their family business. This isn’t to say that Shouto doesn’t see this as wrong, but it’s not the point and not something he is focusing on. He’s connecting the dots, making sense of the situation, and understanding the reasons that led to Dabi’s crimes rather than just stating the obvious of “this is wrong.”

On to one of my favorite lines this chapter: “He’s basically... me.”

「あいつは俺だ。」

「あいつ ; aitsu 」-> he; that guy

「は ; ha 」-> topic marker particle

「俺 ; ore 」-> I

「だ ; da 」-> be

= “That guy is me.”

So, I’m not sure why the “basically” was added in the official English translation since Shouto doesn’t say it like that. He just says “Touya = me.” It’s a fact. Obviously, Shouto isn’t actually Touya, but the “basically” isn’t needed unless you suddenly think that maybe Shouto hass two separate bodies at once somehow. This might be nitpicking, and there have definitely been bigger changes before, but to me the “basically” distances the two, even though the sentence is supposed to show that they are the same. Yes, one is on the hero side and the other on the villain side. Of course there are differences. But again, it’s not about the crimes Dabi has committed or how these two brothers differ. It’s about what’s going on in their minds, what feelings control their every action. They come from the same place, physically and mentally. The way they reacted to their pain is the same, with the big difference being what Shouto points out next:

“I was also burning with rage… up until that day.”

That day, as the panel shows, being the sports festival, the day Shouto began to see clearly. But Dabi didn’t have a moment like that (yet) and so he continues going down that path, while Shouto managed to leave that mindset.

「あの日までの俺がこの身を焼いたんだ。」

「あの ; ano 」-> that

「日 ; hi 」-> day

「まで ; made 」-> until

「の ; no 」-> nominalizes the preceding phrase

「俺 ; ore 」-> I

「が ; ga 」-> subject marker particle

「この ; kono 」-> this

「身 ; mi 」-> body; oneself

「を ; o 」-> direct object marker

「焼いた ; yaita 」-> was burning

「んだ ; nda 」-> explanatory particle

= “Until that day, I burned this body.”

As mentioned earlier, the nda is an explanatory particle. Here, it again expresses discovery. Shouto draws a conclusion here: Just like he used to burn his body, Dabi is still doing the same to his.

Again, his focus is not on Dabi, the villain, but Touya, his older brother, and someone just like Shouto. While other people might just see a mentally unstable criminal, Shouto sees how self-destructive Dabi is. And because Shouto hadn’t realized how clouded his mind was, he understands that Dabi most likely doesn’t quite realize this either. Dabi ignores his own pain, all in order to destroy Endeavor. A cry for help that others aren’t capable of comprehending.

“Dad can’t do it…”

「親父じゃやれねェ。。。」

「親父 ; oyaji 」-> dad

「じゃ ; jya 」-> casual particle

「やれねェ ; yarenee 」-> can’t do

= “Dad can’t do it.”

[EDIT because this part originally had a different explanation: As pointed out by this anon here, the jya in this case is a casual particle to mark the topic/subject, and the nee part is the casual form of nai, which negates the verb. The translation is the same but the explanation is different!]

And now, for the last line:

“I have to be the one… to handle… my brother Touya.”

Handle him…

「燈矢兄は俺がやらなきゃ。」

「燈矢 ; touya 」-> Touya

「兄 ; nii 」-> suffix for older brother

「は ; ha 」-> topic marker particle

「俺 ; ore 」-> I

「が ; ga 」-> subject marker particle

「やらなきゃ ; yaranakya 」-> must do it

= “I am the one that has to take care of Touya-Nii.”

So this is the line that caused confusion and panic, due to the yaranakya part. As you can see by the meaning of the word, similar to how “must do it” can have multiple meanings in English, the same logic applies to the Japanese word. It’s also important to note that the word here consists of the two parts yaru (to do) and nakya (must do). Nakya not only expresses that you have to do something, but, in this case, also shows determination. Shouto really has to do it and will do it. But do what exactly? Again, the problem with yaru is that its meaning depends on context, but sometimes context itself isn’t super helpful. One of the definitions of yaru is “to kill” and that might be what some people think it means here? But context tells us that this makes zero sense. Why show how much he understands his brother only to turn around and decide “well, I got help but he hasn’t so I’m just gonna have to kill him, I guess” - no.

More importantly, right before this line, he says “dad can’t do it” - what can’t he do? If we were talking about killing him, then why would Shouto be able to do it and not Endeavor? Of course, there are the... funny people who suggested that only Shouto can fight/kill his brother because unlike him, Endeavor has an emotional attachment to Dabi (I’m just not gonna comment on this). Anyway, to answer the question of what Endeavor can’t do but Shouto can, we have to look at what Shouto said before that, which is talking about him also having burned his body until the sports festival. This is the key moment where Shouto’s and Dabi’s similarities end and only because someone was reaching out to Shouto. So obviously, in order to have Dabi stop being self-destructive and fueled by hatred, someone needs to reach out to Dabi. And that’s the thing that Endeavor can’t do. After all, Endeavor is the root cause of this, which in turn brings this scene to a full circle since right before Shouto’s monologue began, we got this flashback to what Starservant said in chapter 244:

“That one is the root cause,” accompanied by a panel showing Endeavor.

For reference, here’s the Japanese counterpart:

「其奴こそが元凶じゃ！！」

「其奴 ; soyatsu 」-> that guy

「こそ ; koso 」-> for sure (emphasizes preceding word)

「が ; ga 」-> subject marker particle

「元凶 ; genkyou 」-> culprit; main source

「じゃ ; jya 」-> sentence ender often used for old people in fiction

= “That guy is definitely the main source!”

Shouto remembering this is just stating an obvious fact that he hadn’t fully understood before: Dabi’s existence is Endeavor’s fault. His actions drove Touya to become Dabi, someone whose sole purpose for existing is to destroy Endeavor. So Endeavor couldn’t possibly save him. No matter what Endeavor would say or do, it would be meaningless. But Shouto is different because Shouto was Dabi. The big obstacle Shouto has to figure out how to overcome is making his big brother understand this, too. Regardless, Shouto is the only one that can reach out to him and the only one that fully understands him.

Another important to point out with this line, and many others have already talked about this, is that Shouto now refers to Dabi as Touya-Nii, whereas on the battlefield a few days prior, Shouto only called him Touya, without the “nii”. He is now actively acknowledging that this is, in fact, his big brother. He isn’t Dabi, the villain. And he isn’t just Touya, either - some abstract idea; someone Shouto has heard of but never met or talked to (not confirmed, but likely). This is now his big bro, just like Natsuo is, and just like Fuyumi is his big sister. They’re family.

Overall, this chapter was actually pretty accurate in terms of translation; though granted, Shouto isn’t a villain so the bias isn’t there… but anyway, this marks a very important turning point in the story and gives us a rough idea of what’s in store for Shouto from here on out.

He recognizes where Dabi is coming from. He doesn’t just see him as a villain, but rather someone who has been so full of hatred - for good reasons - that he ended up dragging innocent people into this. The focus, though, is entirely on that one fact: “That guy is me.”

Shouto understands that he could have turned out the same way, he understands hurting his own body just to spite his father.

The key concern with this chapter was that Shouto said that he’s going to kill Touya. I have no idea who started this rumor, but as mentioned, there is a possible confusion regarding yaru, which has multiple meanings. But although he doesn’t explicitly say “I will save him” it’s obvious from everything else he says during this chapter. If he recognizes that they’re the same, his conclusion won’t be “I have to kill him.” Especially when taking into consideration the fact that Shouto also pointed out that he couldn’t win against Dabi with his fire. And no, that doesn’t mean he can beat him with his ice or that that’s what he intends on doing. It’s not clear what he will be doing exactly, but that is partially due to the fact that Shouto is currently not in a state where he could possibly figure out the answer, either.

But he has a goal: saving Touya-Nii - not so much from Endeavor, but from Dabi.

Next week’s chapter will hopefully focus on the Todofam conversation about to take place and will maybe give us some more hints as to what to expect. So far, though, it’s very obvious that Shouto will try to reach out to Dabi and save him, much like he was also saved from his hatred during the sports festival. He might not have a relationship with Touya the way he has started to build one with Natsuo and Fuyumi, but they have a much deeper connection because they are the same person.

#298 #translation #shouto #dabi #todoroki #touya #bnha #meta

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codenamesazanka · 3 years

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This is complete gibberish because 1) quirks are basically magic with extremely little basis in real science, in fact it makes up its own facts, 2) my half remembered biology has probably also made up its own facts, and 3) very untrustworthy application of simplified sociological concepts, but anyways

So the CRC fascinates me because it’s an interesting bit of HeroAcaLand worldbuilding, sadly able to draw basis from irl bigotry. But just like a lot of irl bigotry, the hate is based on something that seems to be completely made up within the logic of the world.

The whole manifestation of quirks / advent of the extraordinary brought about chaos when the regular, traditional definition of ‘human’ collapsed, so says All Might in Chapter 59. Eventually, people rebuild and redefined what being ‘human’ meant. And the CRC had its origins during an era where things were getting better.

Before, the separation of power/society/identity was between people who didn’t have superpowers and those who did (and not considered ‘human’); then presumably as the quirk-having population grew, as there were more babies born with quirks than not and this rate kept increasing with each generation, the majority of people just came to accept that this was the new normal - everyone has superpowers of some sort.

Which of course meant hatred needed a new target/new scapegoat/new imagined enemy/new group to assert power and dominance over/new underclass of sorts.

It’s not hard to imagine that perhaps, in one scenario, someone without a body-altering quirk would throw a fellow quirk-haver under the bus for their own benefit. In attempting to enter the club of ‘true human’, the more normal-looking person could simply point to someone with a heteromorphic quirk and say, Look at them. I’m not a freak like them, I’m just like anyone else, with a tiny quirk. Who would you rather have, if you must have us? Something like that. Or it’s just easier to include normal-looking people who needn’t special accommodations, no need to spend more effort put into thoughtful inclusion into their community, and wow, aren’t those heteromorphs annoying when they raise the issue? Or simply because someone felt an irrational feeling that they then try to rationalize.

In any case, it’s probably from incidents like these that got the CRC formed, claiming that heteromorphs are less than and undeserving. Dehumanize them into ‘animals’, most frequently from what we’ve seen, but surely people like Cementoss would similarly be demean as a ‘thing’.

There is a subtle but reoccurring belief of a kind of biological determinism that runs through current quirk society. That your quirk makes you who you are, inherently, innately; that if you deviate from the norms you community, you’re no longer a person, really, just monsters in human skin. Because it’s still ongoing, the fight about who gets to be a person, and treated as such.

But back to the CRC. I think it’s kinda ‘funny’, that their break up into fractions shows exactly the cracks in their ideology, demonstrates the bullshit it is. The traits these different fractions hate on seem entirely arbitrary, and the lines they draw not coherent either (does ‘irregular heads’ include animal-esque heads? Does that mean they’re fine with someone who might have, idk, the body of a tree, but a normal head; yet that person’s sibling who only has leaves for hair but otherwise a ‘normal’ body doesn’t make the cut of whatever ‘acceptable standards’ they’ve come up with?). In other words, traits arising from quirks and whatever meaning or value people give to them have become a sort of social construct; but the CRC rejects that for nonsensical determinism.

This is my own ‘theory’, but taking the gists of what I remember about genetics, I think that however much Spinner looks like a lizard, has a quirk called ‘Gecko’, he doesn’t have ‘animal DNA’; he is 100% as human as anyone else in the League. His plus-alpha-quirk-factors-genes-whatever simply gives him this phenotype that’s one variation of many, but it’s the same gene as anyone else?

Okay, so like. (Almost) everyone has a unique quirk, which can range anywhere from ‘bendy fingers’ to controlling the weather. But its all still a quirk, a biological aspect of a person decided by plus-alpha-elements/quirk-factors/whatever. When AFO takes away a quirk, he takes it all away - someone who has been able to emit stuff no longer can, and someone with heteromorph looks loses that appearance. It was the solely the quirk that granted them these ‘extra features’, whatever it may be. These two people are/were as human as each other, always had been, no matter how different they looked. Someone with an animal heteromorph quirk has always been 100% identically human as someone who has a non-heteromorphic quirk, or someone without a quirk at all.

Or, approaching this from a different direction, you can’t argue Spinner isn’t as human as say Endeavor/is a little more animalistic than Endeavor; you might as well say Endeavor is as inhuman as Spinner (and so is everyone else). Yes, Spinner looks like a lizard - he’s got the claws and the scales, it’s not regular ‘human’ skin. But neither does Endeavor, because normal human skin would turn to ash at the temperature of heat and fire he makes. On his skin.

Idk how physics in this world works, but still, see - there’s sorta a irl biological basis for Endeavor’s heat-tolerant body. Basically his body produces enzymes that do not burn out at the temperature (and higher) that most enzymes do... likely similar to the enzymes of thermophiles - single celled organisms sorta like bacteria, that can survive at super high temperature. Whose to say his quirk isn’t partly ‘based’ on this? In other words, Endeavor has similar traits to a species of bacteria or even archaea.

Endeavor, similar to a single celled organism that’s not even of the same taxonomy domain as animals (super far away on the tree of life from humans); vs Spinner, similar to a lizard, which is at least in the same phylum as humans (closer in the tree of life). Who’s more human? Whose got ‘more’ ‘animalistic DNA’/‘human DNA’? Which is to say, in the world of My Hero Academia, Spinner (and Endeavor) is just as inhuman as anyone else, having the quirks they do, which means they’re just as human as anyone else because (almost) everyone has quirks. Spinner can be called lizard as much as Dabi can also be called a (failed) bacteria.

So the CRC are wrong. Which, duh, but now it’s ‘‘‘‘‘proven’’’’’ by me and my near 1 am brain. My eyes are tired. I’m on mobile so i can’t do a spoiler cut sorry. Night everyone, thanks for putting up with me.

#nalslastworkingbraincell #CRC #worldbuilding #bnha #mha #heroaca #bad ‘science’#i love you Spinner #long post #real long

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darkdevasofdestruction · 4 years

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Hold Me, I’m Soft ~ Mammon x Reader

This is going to refer to the DevilGram story with Madi the Witch, because it didn’t sit right with me how Mammon got used and laughed at for being sexually assaulted, especially when I related to that in more ways then I’d want to admit, so there it is, a short little fic to give Monnie some love, especially since his birthday will be this week and I will be at the mountains, unable to actually post anything other than a Happy Birthday maybe.

Ever since she got to the Devildom, Y/N wondered to herself why in the world would the brothers bully Mammon so much, to the point that he’ll break down in tears when nobody is around?

He’s the most gentle of the brothers, yet he’s met with nothing more than taunts and mocking because of his greed. It’s not like he can help it, it’s his Avatar sin, he didn’t choose it. People get annoyed at Beel for eating too much and constantly raiding the fridge, for when he indulges in the pleasure of greed, he’s suddenly the scummy trash brother who’s just a waste of space. The family’s embarrassment.

But why should he be that, when he’s the only one who never gave in to his demonic power from rage? Never tried to attack or kill her and never got in his demon form to lash out at her?

Mammon was the first one to ever call her by her name and even give her nicknames. He was the first one to call her out to the cinema, concerts, shopping, pranking time, board games, card games, and even video games or just some quality time together.

He was the one to taught her how to be an undefeated Blackjack player and how to spot when someone is lying. He was the one to taught her how to flawlessly cheat in games and how to protect herself if something happened.

Even more, he was the one who graciously asked if she wanted to workout with him so she could be stronger and faster if anything were to happen and he wouldn’t be around, just like how it happened long ago, when Levi lost control and almost attacked her.

And, of course, he was the only one who constantly asked her if she was okay, if she was happy, if she needed anything. He would always pamper her whenever he thought she stopped smiling for one split second, or if he thinks she was faking it. He would grab TSL and some comfort food, hot chocolate with marshmallows and would cuddle her all night, playing with her hair.

It really pissed her off, but no matter what she did, and no matter how much she tried to make the others at least tone it down, of course, millennia of habits cannot be so easily tamed.

These were the constant thoughts that plagued Y/N’s mind, yet the white haired man will never know, because she is a girl of few words and many actions.

Today, however, as usual, was the time for some new shenanigans, as Lucifer and Satan must be the escorts of some powerful witch, as per Diavolo’s request, since he literally can’t stand her - And that speaks loads, when it comes to the benevolent Demon Prince.

“Hey, is it really gonna be okay to leave those two by themselves like that?” Mammon asked with a worried expression on his face. “Well, neither of them are saying anything...For now, at least.” Asmo held the same expression as his elder brother. “Yeah, you just KNOW that they’re going to blow up any minute. It’s so exciting!” Levi spoke with a chuckle. “Hey, why is it that you only ever come outta your room at times like this, Levi? I thought you were s’posed to be a shut-in.” Mammon raised his eyebrow at his little brother. “Well, this is Lucifer and Satan. They almost NEVER work together, much less when it’s just the two of them! I mean, if I’d missed an event like this, I’d regret it for the next 800 years.” Levi grinned, his shoulders shaking with laughter. “Diavolo was pretty bold to make them work together, if you ask me.” Y/N muttered, crossing her arms and peeking through the door creak.

Saying that, the four of them leaned in the peek better and listen to their conversation.

“Be careful. If Maddi takes a liking to a man, she’ll bring him back home with her.” Lucifer smirked at his younger brother. “As if you need to remind me...I recall how Mammon went home with her that one time. Mammon must have regretted going with her, because by the time he got back, he was on the verge of tears. I remember it like it was yesterday!” Satan shook his head in disbelief, making the girl gasp, covering her mouth with her hands. “HEY! I wasn’t!” Mammon frowned at what he just heard, making Asmo shush him quickly so they won’t be heard. “I don’t even want to THINK about what must’ve happened between those two that night. I can’t understand what possessed Mammon to willingly go home with a woman that dangerous. It’s fortunate she didn’t trick him into making a pact with her while he was there in bed half-asleep.” the blond continued speaking, making the girl bite her lip from the shock and pain in her chest. “But there’s no doubt that Mammon didn’t have a good time, because for a while after he came back he had nightmares, and he’s moan in his sleep. He even stopped spending money left and right...MAMMON, of all demons. Still, Maddi IS attractive. She rivals the succubus who won the Queen Contest in terms of beauty. In fact, Maddi might be even MORE beautiful. I’m a little worried that you’ll end up like Mammon - That as soon as she uses her feminine wiles on you, you’ll fold like a paper airplane.” hearing that, she couldn’t stop herself and she fled the place, going to her room to regain herself, not giving anyone any explanation.

She already made up her mind that, despite being the middle of the day, she will skip both lunch and dinner, so changing in her pyjamas, she got in bed, cuddling the hellhound plushie Mammon got her, and wrapped herself in a tight cocoon with her blanket, not wanting to see the light of the day.

So many thoughts were swirling in her mind, each of them more and more degrading, overpowering one another, guilt taking over her completely.

She prided herself with being a ration person, she really did! She always put ration and logic over hindering emotions...But now...When she can overthink in peace...The ration she held completely dissipated, and here she was, crying her heart out once again.

Why WAS she crying for, anyway?

Was it because she felt Mammon’s pain at having being used like that, against his will, because he’s an innocent and peaceful push-over?

Was it because she remembered what happened to her, and her heart started aching like crazy, and she began to spiral?

Was it because she felt plain, ordinary and completely nothing special, when she heard Lucifer saying that Maddi is the most beautiful person in the world and that’s why Mammon was lured in by her?

Or was it the guilt of being affected by jealousy and self-hatred before the pain from what that vile woman did to him?

What the hell was going on through her head, anyway? She heard enough opinions about her and how terrible of a girlfriend she was, why should she even have any hope that Mammon would ever like her? And why the hell was she worrying about that, when she should be worrying about the poor demon?!

She’s really nothing more than a selfish jerk.

As if on cue, she heard the familiar sound of a received message on her D.D.D., and curiosity won over her self-deprecating sulking, and she checked it out, making her heart skip a few beats.

It was Monnie, and he was asking if she was okay and why she left.

Tears started brimming in her eyes, and letting out a few more sobs, she realised that, even thought he doesn’t romantically love her, he will always be her best friend, and she was at least content with that, no matter how selfish she is.

She quickly texted him, asking if it was okay if she came over later, for a sleepover, and of course, he agreed, so the girl put a cardigan over her so it wouldn’t be too obvious she was in her pyjamas - Not that it mattered, anyway - and got some snacks, made some hot chocolate and went to Mammon’s room, finding him in a tanktop and some large pants, playing some game on his phone.

“Took you long enough!” Mammon grinned, making room for her to join him. “What’s with that face? You stormed out of there, so somethin’ must’ve bothered ya. Come on, y’know you can tell me.” he got in a sitting position, looking at her with a concerned look, but was met with silence for a many seconds, in which he feared he must have said something wrong. “I, uh...I guess I got worried about you after what they said...But I didn’t have the best reaction...I needed some time to think things over. It was pretty selfish of me to do that, instead of talking to you first...But I guess I’ve always been pretty selfish, haven’t I?” she chuckled nervously, still standing up, next to the bed. “What the hell are ya on about? Is it about that Maddi thing? Forget it, it happened long ago, it doesn’t bother me anymore.” he shrugged, looking away for a split second, only to look back at her. “I...Don’t think you’re over it.” she bit her lip, looking down, sucking at her teeth to stop herself from sketching any gesture on her face. “What do ya know about that, anyway? Come on, shut up and put the movie on, I ain’t got all day!” he tried to make her stop talking already, but she wasn’t exactly paying attention. “I had a similar experience too and...When I heard what happened, flashes of what happened went in front of my eyes and I started panicking. That’s why I ran away.” she spoke, her eyes glossed and unfocused. “Is that why ya wanted to hang out?” Mammon muttered softly, seeing her slowly nod her head. “I never told anyone...And so, nobody was there to care about me. But you always cared about me...And I wanted to do the same, for once.” she gulped, blinking and putting everything on the nightstand next to his bed. “...Come’re, dummy.” he sighed, tugging on her hand and making her sit on his lap, as was their ritual whenever one of them needed comfort. “Did I upset you, Monnie?” she asked, barely audible, making him put his hands on her shoulders, so she could properly look at him. “What?! Upset me?! ‘Course not! I-I’m happy that you thought of me, okay? It’s just...Yeah, it wasn’t nice, duh, but I’m a demon. I can take many things. But you’re such a frail little human. You’re small, fragile and soft, and since nobody wanted to bother getting to know such a nice gal like you, then I will always be there for you.” he put his hands on her face, trying to reach through to her. “...I was supposed to comfort you...Why did it go the other way around...? I was supposed to make sure you okay, that you’re smiling and that you can manage to get over what happened in the past...I wanted to be the one you can count on, for once...But I’m failing even at that...That’s how much of a selfish jerk I am...You deserve better than me, Monnie.” she hung her head, resting her forehead on his shoulder, not realising her words made him stiff, and tears prickled at his eyes. “Shut up, dummy! You’re a dummy! Dummy! Dummy! Never say things like that okay, got it?! Listen, I-I care about you, okay? I don’t care if you manage to comfort me or not, I just care that you think about me, okay? You’re the only one that gives a damn about me, and I appreciate that, okay? You see part of yourself in me, and I see a part of myself in you, so of course I want to keep you safe.” Mammon sighed, holding the girl close to his chest, playing with her hair, as he always did. “Monnie...Can I tell you something?” she muttered. It was now or never. If he hated her, so be it, but at least he knows. “Of course ya can, dummy. You can tell me anythin’ you want.” he said with an encouraging chuckle. “I...Left because I felt guilty. Because...My first thoughts were creeping with jealousy, instead of worrying about you and what happened, first and foremost. My brain fails me big time. And I feel really bad, ‘cause you deserve much better than some idiot who gets jealous over someone vile like...Her.” she let a few tears fall down her face, but poor Mammon was lost in his own head.

Jealous? Why the hell would she be jealous? What could she be jealous of? What is going on even?

“Why would you be jealous of her? You’re better than she’ll ever be, in every way. What the hell is going on through that head of yours, Y/N?” he frowned, flicking her forehead, unsure of how to react. “You heard how Lucifer and Satan spoke about her...And they are Lucifer and Satan. They spoke only praises about her...A-And I didn’t want her to be around you. Y-You’re my first man, Monnie, please understand what I’m saying.” she hid her face with her hands, her bottom lip quivering from embarrassment and guilt. “O-Oh...Ya like me?! Like...Like-Like me?! For reals?!” his voice became so cheerful and hopeful, and as soon as he saw her nodding, he started laughing very happily, kissing her forehead and taking away her hands from her face, his grin bright and dazzling like the first sunshine of Spring. “Cool, ‘cause I love ya too! I was sure you liked one of my brothers, they ain’t as problematic as me, but you like me, your first man, and I couldn’t be happier!” he started kissing her all over her face, making her blush like a tomato. “Why wouldn’t I like you? You’re the best. You’re the only one who has been genuine with me since the very beginning and cared about me. And spending time with you always is always calming and...You always make me happy. I forgot what it’s like to be happy since that happened...But whenever my brain goes stupid and I start overthinking, you always manage to keep me grounded...And I really appreciate you for that.” Y/N spoke out, making Mammon’s eyes water, and with the ordinary greedy impulse he had, he grabbed her face and kissed her deeply, without even realising what in the world happened. “Don’t fluster me like that, Y/N...Actually, do, I love it, but I’m not used to it.” he chuckled nervously, making the girl smile softly. “Can I do anything to make you feel better about...The past?” she asked sheepishly, her hands hanging awkwardly, unsure of what to do with them. “Well...The hot chocolate is going to get cold...And there’s snacks to eat and movies to binge-watch...” he trailed on, snaking his arms around her waist, making her put hers on his shoulders. “Also...I want to make sure you’re comfortable with me, okay? I dunno what happened to you, but if it’s similar to what happened to me, I want to promise you that I will never do anythin’ you’re not okay with. I pinky promise.” Mammon spoke in a more serious voice, yet just as gentle. “I know, Angel eyes. I trust you the most out of everyone in this world. And I can promise you the same thing.” she managed to give him a proper smile, throwing her arms around him, hugging him tightly, feeling the comforting warmth of his body.

That embrace alone felt, for the both of them, like the sole safe home they ever had, and there was nothing that could break this dream-like state they were in. There was no negativity and no bad thought going through their mind, as the warmth and love of the hug was enough to disperse of any pest lingering and purging their sanity.

When they finally got the courage to let go of each other, fearing that they would disappear from this serenity state, they cuddled together in bed, drinking the now room temperature hot chocolate, eating so many snacks that they resembled Beel, and watching TSL on the huge plasma TV on the wall.

“Monnie?” Y/N raised her head to look up at him, love and admiration obvious in her sparkling eyes. “Thank you for existing in my life. I know you go through great lengths to take care of your brothers and make sure they’re happy...And I know you get hurt a lot in the process...But I really appreciate everything you’re doing, both for me and for them. I’m sure they see it too, they’re just too stupidly proud to admit to themselves...As usual.” she chuckled, reaching to hold his hand and intertwine their fingers together. “Thanks, Y/N. You’re the best. I’m really happy you came to talk to me...And I’m really happy you’re here with me. I love you.”

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